Third Person's POV
Grimmjow sat in the driver's seat of his car, his fingers clenching and unclenching around the wheel. His blue eyes flashed dangerously as he pushed his Lexus even faster. The electric blue car bounced through the traffic at an erratic pace, horns blaring as cars were cut off. Nnoitra struggled to keep up with the man who zigzagged through the traffic as they neared the restaurant.
"What did Aizen say to him?" Yammy asked as Ulquiorra looked up from his book. "It had to be pretty bad for him to be this angry."
Yammy's words hung in the air as it quickly became suffocating in the SUV. Nnoitra smacked his tongue against his teeth as Ulquiorra snapped his book shut, both men deciding to ignore Yammy's question.
"It doesn't matter," Nnoitra snapped before he turned into the parking lot behind Grimmjow.
Parking his Hyundai Palisade next to Gimmjow's Lexus, he shut the engine off before the three men followed after him into the restaurant. Gimmjow's lips were twisted into a deep scowl as his eyebrows were drawn together in anger. Dropping down onto a booth bench, Grimmjow raked a hand through his hair as the other three men walked around the dining room.
"Pretty fancy shancy. You can tell a lot of time and effort went into this place," Nnoitra said, letting out a low whistle.
"It's even got a bar. Who's gonna make drinks?" Yammy called out, walking behind the bar and grabbing a bottle of Jack Daniels.
The sound of heels clicking against the floor caught their attention as they all turned toward the kitchen doors. Ichigo pushed the door open, his body sideways as Zero walked out and nodded her head to him in thanks. Yammy couldn't help but let his eyes wander over Zero's body, his mind rushing to the gutter before he shook the thoughts away. Unlike when they had seen her earlier, she was no longer wearing the dark blue blazer and was instead in a white button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up just over her elbows. She was also wearing a pair of black suspenders and her wrist tattoo was on full display. The flowers wrapped around her left forearm and ended at the edge of her hand, the black and red ink popping against her brown skin. Her hair was pulled into a half up do, strands of her white hair delicately framing her heart shaped face.
"Hi! I'm sorry to inform you, but we won't be open for another week," Zero said, flashing her customer service smile to the men. "But, if you would like, I can take down your names and numbers and send you a message regarding reservations."
"Yeah, we ain't here for a reservation. We work here doll," Yammy said, subtly flexing his chest as he looked down at Zero.
Blinking slowly twice, Zero seemed to be rebooting her mind before it clicked. Clapping her hands together, she made a noise of realization before she smiled at them awkwardly.
"I'm so sorry! Today has been hectic and I forgot for a moment that you all were coming," Zero giggled, bowing her head to them. "I'm Zero Ayuri."
Nnoitra frowned deeply and his lips twisted into a snarl as he moved to snap at the girl for acting as if she didn't know who he was. Though before he could, his eye caught the sharp gaze that Zero sent him and clicking his tongue, he turned his gaze away from her.
"Nnoitra Gilga," He huffed.
"Yammy Riyalgo," Yummy said, puffing his chest out more, causing Zero to giggle.
"Ulquiorra Cifer," Ulquiorra spoke, before turning his attention to the menu that rested on the host stand.
Red eyes rested on the disgruntled blue-haired male that was now stretched out in the booth with one arm over his eyes. Grimmjow was wearing a white jacket over a dark blue button down shirt with the first four buttons undone. He also wore a pair of black jeans with two belts hanging off of his waist and a pair of black boots.
"And I take it,the person sleeping over there is…Bluey?" Zero asked, a smirk on her lips as Grimmjow sat up quickly with an anger tick on his forehead.
"Who the hell are you callin' Bluey, old lady?!" Grimmjow spat as Zero's left eye twitched.
"You, obviously! No one else has blue hair, do they?" Zero snapped back as the pair glared at each other. "Also, I'm not an old lady blueberry!"
"That's Gimmjow Jaegerjaquez, he's…a bit special," Nnoitra said, smirking at the pair that seemed to have entered a staring contest.
"It's nice to meet you all, I'm Ichigo Kurosaki," Ichigo spoke, lifting his hand in a lazy wave.
At Ichigo's name, Zero noticed a flash of remembrance through blue eyes before Grimmjow looked away from Zero. The orange and blue haired men locked eyes, and while Ichigo seemed to take a defensive stance, Grimmjow's lips twisted into a smile that seemed to be filled with elation at the idea of something.
"It's been a while, Kurosaki," Grimmjow said. "How many years has it been? Haven't seen you since I knocked your ass around when we played hockey."
"You're damn right. You look pretty good yourself," Ichigo spoke.
"I've been waiting for this moment for a long time," Grimmjow said, gently pushing Zero out of the way as he took a few steps toward Ichigo.
"Why am I getting a sense of deja vu?" Zero mumbled, scratching the back of her head.
"This is gonna be good," Yammy smirked, crossing his arms over his broad chest.
Grimmjow balled up his right hand into a tight fist before he leapt toward Ichigo. Crossing his arms in front of his face and upper chest, Ichigo crouched down to ease the brunt of the blow. With a battle cry, Grimmjow threw his arm forward, and his fist sailed toward Ichigo's arms.
"This is so childish," Zero scoffed before she dashed over to Nnoitra.
Grabbing the front of his belt, she quickly undid it and wrapped the buckle around her hand. Swinging the belt forward, Zero smirked at the belt wrapped around Grimmjow's wrist, stopping the man before he could connect to Ichigo's face. With a low grunt, she yanked him backward and sent him crashing to the floor. Blue eyes traveled from the belt toward Zero, the woman looking at the man with annoyance shining clearly in her eyes.
"What the fuck did you do that for?" Grimmjow growled as he sat up and rubbed the back of his head.
His eyes traveled from Zero to Nnoitra. The one-eyed male was holding the side of his pants up, a faint blush on the tips of his ears while he glared at Zero.
"This is one of the many reasons it's hard to like you some days," Nnoitra snarled.
"You wanna fight? Take it to a boxing gym. This is not the time nor place for a dick measuring contest!" Zero yelled, unwrapping the belt from Grimmjow's arm.
Ichigo tried to slip out of the room when Zero flicked the belt in his direction, causing him to let out a shrill scream of shock as the leather came in contact with his back. Teary brown eyes snapped back to Zero, who handed the belt back to Nnoitra before she walked to a table and sat on top of it. One leg was perched on the table while the other hung free. The silver leaves on her heels shined in the harsh fluorescent lighting before she cracked her neck.
"Well, now that our dog and cat are calm, we only have roughly fifteen minutes before people arrive, and I have other things to do today. So, we're going to speed-run this: I am meant to be the general manager," Zero said, gesturing to herself before looking to Ulquiorra.
"I will be handling the finances," He said, his green eyes boring into Zero as she nodded.
"Yammy and I are working security," Nnoitra said, adjusting his belt.
"Then by process of elimination, that makes our resident Grumpy Cat: the assistant general manager," Zero cheered, clapping her hands.
"Stop calling me a fuckin' cat!" Grimmjow snapped.
"Then stop acting like one," Zero shrugged, causing Grimmjow to glower at her before turning his gaze from her. "So, I assume that you all were briefed about how we are meant to dress?"
Yammy nodded his head as Nnoitra clicked his tongue against his teeth. Hopping off the table, Zero walked toward the boxes that rested on the ground. Cracking her neck, she moved three tables together and bent over, opening the first box and pulling out clothing. The men watched as she laid out the uniforms before she took a step back, resting her hands on her hips.
"So, as someone that worked in an upscale restaurant in high school and college, I can say that it sucked ass to have to go and buy my uniform. Which is why I have provided the uniforms for the staff," Zero explained, turning to face the men. "The five of us will be in slacks, button-down shirts, and close-toed shoes. Including Yammy and Nnoitra, no rule says security can't be well dressed."
"So, today is just for introductions and for everyone to collect their uniforms?" Yammy questioned as Zero smirked.
"Exactly."
Yammy seemed to bolster with pride as Zero pulled out her phone, staring at the screen for a moment before her thumbs tapped at a rapid pace against the glass. Turning the screen off, she turned to Ichigo and waved him over to her side. The orange-haired male walked over, leaning down as Zero began to whisper in his ear. Though much to Ulquiorra's disappointment, she covered her mouth before she began whispering. Nodding his head once Zero was done, Ichigo walked toward the restaurant's main entrance, his keys in hand. The door opened, and Jushiro and Shunsui walked into the building. The pair nodded to Ichigo as the younger man rushed past them, nodding in acknowledgement. Shunsui was dressed in a grey blazer that sat over a pink button-down shirt and black pants that rested over a pair of black dress shoes. His mid-back-length brown hair was in his signature low ponytail with his red and blue pinwheel hairpins sticking out. Jushiro wore a long-sleeved black button-down shirt with white pants and black dress shoes. His long white hair gently framed his face as he walked over to Zero, resting his hand on her head.
"It's good to see you again, Zero. You must come over one day for a cup of tea and a game of chess again," Jushiro spoke, rubbing the girl's head gently.
"That depends on one major factor." Zero grinned. "That if I come over, it won't be another matchmaker session, spearheaded by someone's sister-in-law."
Shunsui slipped over to the pair, pinching Zero's cheeks gently before letting them go. The brown skinned girl puffed out her cheeks in annoyance before she glared at the taller male, swatting his hands away. Looking around the two men, Zero raised an eyebrow before she cleared her throat.
"Where's Lady Unohana?" She asked.
"She's busy at the hospital, so she won't be attending," Jushiro said.
Zero let out a noise of understanding before the sound of chattering caught their attention.
"Ahh, it would seem that we will have to finish our conversation another time," Shunsui said as the trio broke away.
People began to file into the restaurant and a few familiar faces appeared in the small crowd. Momo, Orihime, and Ichigo's sisters, Karin and Yuzu, walked in and waved to Zero before they took their seats. Zero walked over to the bar and picked up a tablet, turning it on before her fingers tapped against the screen. Her eyes flickered around at the faces before she looked at the tablet, her eyebrows furrowing.
"Good morning everyone, how wonderful to see you all. I am Jushiro Ukitake, the dean of Gotei Acadamy," Jushiro introduced himself.
"I'm Shunsui Kyoraku, the head of Otsuka Theatre," Shunsui introduced himself.
"Despite our occupations being vastly different, Mr. Yamamoto has asked us to oversee this venture," Jushiro said, smiling softly.
"For those of you who do not know who I am, I am Zero Ayuri, the owner and chairman of Ayuri Construction and Design. I'm aware that there have been whispers regarding the restaurant, but we would like to clarify what the goal is," Zero spoke, resting the tablet against her chest. "Under the orders of Barragan and Yamamoto, the Glass Fox was constructed with the goal of uniting our city. Which is why I was instructed to build the restaurant on the city line between Huceo Mundo and Karakura."
"Everyone that is here was carefully selected between the three of us," Jushiro said, ignoring the annoyed click that came from Nnoitra.
"They didn't consult us when it came to the hiring process," Nnoitra hissed to Ulquiorra and Yammy.
"Does it really matter? We wouldn't have given a shit anyway and just picked random people," Grimmjow snapped crossing his arms over his chest.
Grimmjow was ignoring the eyes that burned into him, knowing that it was coming from the crowd. His eyes were trained on Zero's back, the shiny white hair waving slightly side to side as she gently turned her head to scan over the faces in front of her.
"We will introduce the upper management staff before we explain the dress code. Come on, boys," Shunsui smirked, waving them over.
The four men walked over to the trio, Grimmjow's lips pulled into a scowl as he shoved his hands into his pockets.
"Our lovely lady, Zero, is the general manager. While Grimmjow," Shunsui started before grabbing the male's arm and dragging him to stand next to Zero. "Will be the assistant general manager."
"Yes, also Orihime Inoue and Lilynette Gingerbuck will be the shift managers. So, when either I or Grimmjow are not present, they will be in charge. Though I do not see Lilynette," Zero said, looking around the room.
"She's out of the country on business," Ulquiorra spoke, his monotone voice sending a shiver across the room.
"Very well. I trust that one of you can relay her position and uniform. Also, standing behind us are Ulquiorra, Yammy, and Nnoitra. Nnoitra and Yammy will be in charge of security, while Ulquiorra shall be in charge of finances and orders," Jushiro spoke.
The women who stood in the crowd let their eyes sweep over the four men who towered over Zero. Giving Yammy and Nnoitra a quick glance, they quickly fastened their eyes on Ulquiorra and Grimmjow. Ulquioora's ashen pale skin made his emerald eyes glow, and his black neck length hair was parted on the left, his hair creating a curtain on the right side of his face. He was wearing a white button-down shirt with the top two buttons undone underneath a black blazer, and he wore black jeans and matching dress shoes. Eyes hungrily trailed over the two men as Grimmjow rubbed the back of his neck, his eyes closed in annoyance from the stares leering into him.
"As everyone is aware from the email that I sent, we will be having a soft launch of the restaurant in three days. A select few will arrive for dinner at seven o'clock, which includes a food critic. Then, the following Monday, we will officially open the restaurant to the public," Zero explained, as everyone nodded their heads in agreement. "Now, onto the next topic of our agenda: uniforms."
Turning on her heel, Zero handed the tablet over to Yammy before she walked to the entrance. Pushing the door open, Zero smiled as Ichigo, Chad, and Botan walked through the door. The trio stood in front of the crowd, each with a different expression. Botan's chubby face was as red as a cherry tomato, Chad's face was stoic with a small bead of sweat collecting on his temple, and Ichigo was annoyed with the tips of his ears a light red.
"As my three lovely models are demonstrating, these are our uniforms," Zero smiled, perching at Ichigo's side with an award-winning smile.
"I was originally in charge of designing the uniforms," Shunsui spoke, the women in the room holding their breath in hesitation. "But Little Zero shut down all of my ideas and created the uniforms herself."
"Yes, we can all breathe a sigh of relief," Zero sighed, as Shunsui pinched her right cheek, gently tugging on the skin. "Ichigo and Botan are modeling the uniforms for the front of the house, which includes the bartenders. The only difference is that hosts will not be required to wear an apron."
Ichigo was dressed in a long-sleeved black button-down shirt with black slacks and a red and black striped tie. Around his waist was a black apron that was outlined in red. Botan was wearing a long-sleeved red button-down shirt with a black pencil skirt, stockings, and a bowtie that matched Ichigo's. On their feet were black non-slip shoes.
"As you can see, the men will be dressed in black with a tie, and the women will be in red with a bowtie. Ladies can wear either a skirt or slacks, whatever feels comfortable to you as you work. Non-slip shoes are required as you will be going in and out of the kitchen. These will be the primary uniforms that the staff will have to wear, save for specific holidays," Zero said, an anger tick forming on her head as she slapped away Shunsui's hand.
"So, Children's Day, Valentine's Day, Halloween, and Christmas?" Someone asked, raising their hand.
"Exactly. I'm only going to say this once: ALL costumes MUST be work-friendly. Which means, no one dresses up like Cupid, and brings in an actual bow and arrows. We also do not come to work barely covered by our Halloween costumes. I'm speaking to everyone," Zero said, her eyes scanning over the crowd.
Waving her hand, Chad stepped forward and rested his hands behind his back. Chad was dressed in a red and black double-breasted chef's coat with black slacks and non-slip shoes. His hair was hidden underneath a black head wrap, showing off his dark brown eyes. Unlike Botan and Ichigo's aprons, the one that was wrapped around Chad's waist was solid black, and it didn't have a pocket.
"Our Chad is wearing the kitchen staff's uniform. There are no exceptions or alterations to this uniform. If you do not come fully dressed, which includes the front of the house, the first dress code violation will result in both a verbal and written warning. The second time will result in a write-up. Any time after will result in termination. I hope I have clarified the expectations," Zero said, smiling brightly as a light purple aura surrounded her form.
"I hope that this will be a positive experience for everyone as we begin to unite our two cities," Junshiro spoke, the crowd clapping in response.
Author's Note: I didn't like this chapter, so when I had a chance I started rewriting and I like this one a lot better. I'll be uploading chapter four this weekend as well, so stay tuned! Remember, I own nothing more than the characters that you don't recognize and the plot.