I'm back, baby!
Unfortunately life's got busy, writer's block hit me quite often, in the meantime I got a different (hopefully a better) idea how to progress one particular thread, so had to do some replanning and rewrites… yada, yada, yada. In short, this one has been a ride…
But I hope you still have some patience for me and this story, because we're slowly but surely! getting to an end!
Lots of love to these fabulous people:
Rukia Barbosa, lakeya2700, mikajaftha, Incognito74, Masayume91, Brenda Joyeux, Guest, dA9a7, millayui, Guest, Guest, JinFei, ladymontoya000, Shu Ouma GC, snoringsnorlax, exodogenesiszacarias, Kirke
Thank you so much for your reviews! I'm pretty persistent, but weren't it for you, I don't think I'd ever finish this story. So thank you again for your kind and encouraging words, they really mean a world to me. You're my stars! ❤❤❤
I've finally replied to all reviews, too! A reminder – if you left an unsigned review or have PMs turned off, you can find my reply on my profile ;)
I also continue to update old chapters, whenever I'm stuck with a current one, so do check them out, if you have the time. I honestly think they're written better now, the relationship between Rukia and Ulquiorra is even more organic, and their struggles more tangible!
chapter 14 – this one was actually reuploaded earlier this year. As usual, there are some big cosmetic changes, but more importantly – both Orihime and Ulquiorra are more proactive in wanting to save Rukia… And Ichimaru says 'hanky-panky' xD Don't ask, just read…
chapter 15 – there's a bit more dialogues between our lovely couple, I also added a short section with Orihime and Nel, and two new omakes.
chapter 16 – again, a couple more dialogues! Rukia has a nice moment, Ulquiorra is a bit more cruel (I think), and there's also a new sweet omake! This one was really fun to rewrite!
That's it for now! I hope you'll enjoy this chapter, and feel free to leave your thoughts on this chapter and the overall story so far ;)
朝霧 -Asagiri-
The Frozen Whisper
by Asagiri
Chapter 28
Winter War (Act II)
Nel didn't have an easy time with this bald Shinigami. He was quick, agile, and had a highly unpredictable style of fighting. His zanpakutō in its released state, too, wasn't something she had come across before, and he mastered it perfectly. He managed to surprise her and land two hits already, slashing her across her stomach and left thigh. Fortunately, thanks to her Hierro, they both resulted only in ripped clothes and shallow scratches.
Each slash she repaid him double, either with a kick or a punch, pushing him back or even sending him flying, but he immediately got up, charging at her again, looking for another opening. There was no doubt – this guy was strong. Yet he wasn't giving his all out, she could tell. Was he underestimating her?
"You're holding back…" Nel noted with a frown after he evaded her kick by jumping backwards. "Is it because I'm a woman?"
"What a stupid reason!" the bald Shinigami scoffed. Then a cheeky smile appeared on his face and he explained, "When I enjoy a fight, I want it to last as long as possible. I still intend to win, lady."
He swung his zanpakutō over his head, connecting the three parts back into a spear, and struck it down at her. She swiftly unsheathed Gamuza, and blocked the attack.
Grinning, he pointed out, "Besides, you haven't released your zanpakutō, either."
She gave him a wry smile. "Fair enough."
Gradually she was beginning to find rhythm in his attacks and was able to anticipate sudden changes in it. Despite seeming like a fight-loving idiot, he put a lot of finesse and thought into his offence, blocks and feints. She found herself appreciating his skills and enjoying the fight.
Suddenly, Nel felt Nnoitra's reiatsu drop significantly in the distance. And then again.
"Nnoitra…" a gasp escaped her lips and she turned her head in the direction of his fight, but he was too far away to see anything. She almost physically felt his pain and frustration. They were so profound that her own pain caused by a zanpakutō sinking into her left shoulder was easily unnoticeable. All that mattered to her at the moment was that Nnoitra was badly hurt. She had to go to him. To help him… to save him…
"Lady, you're distracted."
Dissatisfied voice of that bald Shinigami brought Nel back to reality, and her shoulder pulsing with pain sobered her up.
"Bloke's your boyfriend or something?" he asked, pointing in the direction of Nnoitra's fight. Her source of distraction must have been obvious to him.
"… No." If only it was this simple… What had started as a whim to give that vulgar and unruly Nnoitra a lesson, evolved into a wish to protect him, and became almost an obsession of hers. The more he suffered, the more she wanted to be there for him; the more she wanted to lift up his suffering or at least share it with him. Even if he cursed and pushed her away for it.
"Well, he won't last much longer…" the bald Shinigami commented. There was no malice or satisfaction in his voice, though.
"For the better," Nel said, trying to sound indifferent. It got her a confused look from her opponent. Inwardly her Lamentation was taking over, gnawing at her soul.
Finally, Nnoitra would find solace she was unable to give him… She should be happy for him, and for herself, too – with him his Despair would be gone. But then why did it feel as if her heart was breaking? Why did every fibre in her body and soul urge her to move to help him?
As much as she wanted to resist her basic instincts, they were relentless, slowly pulling her towards desperation. She needed to finish this fight quickly, if she wanted to reach Nnoitra soon. Bringing her zanpakutō in front of her, she took a stance for Resurrección. "Declare, Gamuza."
The fight between Grimmjow and Ichigo dragged on. They were too evenly matched. They both attacked with the same ferocity and determination, and parried as skilfully as the other. Only a clever, unpredictable move or opponent's mistake could tip the scales in one's favour.
Feeling the slowly but steadily growing fatigue, Grimmjow knew he needed to change his tactics. Drastically, too.
He charged at Ichigo as usual, only to borrow Ulquiorra's move – at the last moment he used Sonido to reappear above his opponent, but instead of firing a Cero like the bastard, he slashed the air with his claws, hurling a ten-bladed Desgarrón at him. Adding his own flair to the move made him less disgusted with himself for using it.
It was effective. Ichigo was used to his straightforward style of fighting, he would have never expected him to use a dickhead move like this. It caught him off guard for a second. More than enough for Grimmjow to perform his strongest attack.
Ichigo had no time to avoid it. He only managed to block it with Tensa Zangetsu, but the power of Desgarrón slammed him into the ground. He struggled with it for a good minute. He could do only so much before his muscles gave in, and reishi blades cut into him. He grunted in pain, but was still alive. Had he yielded any sooner, they would have gone through him.
Grimmjow quickly jumped on him, crashing his knee into his chest. Ichigo coughed up what looked like a fountain of blood.
"Oh, I'm actually impressed you didn't get diced by my Desgarrón." Smirking, he added, "Looks like you won't be learning any dark secrets today."
He raised his hand to strike the finishing blow, but suddenly second thoughts appeared in his head. He enjoyed fighting Ichigo, it would be a shame to end it just like this. Killing him now would mean he would never be able to kick his arse ever again. Not to mention, he felt as if Nel stood behind him, holding his hand from squishing this idiot strawberry.
"You'd never believe the things that happened," he taunted, while inwardly he was still hesitating.
Then, out of nowhere, a Hollow mask appeared on Ichigo's face. An observation that it looked eerily different from the one before didn't finish crossing Grimmjow's mind, when he got knocked over to the ground and impaled through his chest with Tensa Zangetsu. The blade was less than an inch away from his heart. He could swear that when it swelled with blood it actually fucking touched the cold black metal! With a blade so close to his heart there was little he could do. Fuck.
If that wasn't enough, a fucking Cero started forming at Ichigo's fingertips. Grimmjow prepared himself to receive it head-on. It was going to hurt a fucking lot.
・
Ichigo observed his own actions as if through a fog. Seeing he was about to finish Grimmjow off, he used all his will to force his hand to aim at a nearby group of Gillians and only then let a Cero to be discharged. Struggling, he tore off the Hollow mask, regaining full control of himself.
He panted heavily. Taking in with clear head what he had done, a fear washed over him. Tapping into his Hollow side gave him a vast power, but when it took over completely, he had no real control over what he was doing. He wasn't sure if he wanted to win this way. It didn't feel right. What was done was done, though, and he had to move forward. But before that, he needed to learn a few things.
"So tell me… What happened to Rukia?"
Grimmjow let out a careful breath. Tensa Zangetsu was still sticking out of his chest. Ichigo had no recollection of impaling him, but decided to leave it there for now. A calm scowl on the Espada's face told him he admitted his defeat, but one could never be too sure with Grimmjow.
"The thing is – nothing, really," he said begrudgingly.
"She was hurt a few times," Ichigo insisted. He had heard about Mayuri's report and Rukia herself had confirmed it. Still, there was something she was hiding…
"Yeah, but nothing too serious. That bastard was always there to save her. And he would have never mistreated her." Then, as if the Espada suddenly remembered something, he added, "At least not consciously."
"Bastard?"
He snarled. "Ulquiorra, who else? She was his woman."
"What? What do you mean?" He didn't like the sound of it and the implications. It made him feel sick.
Grimmjow frowned in confusion. "Just that. Nothing more, nothing less."
That casual response didn't ease Ichigo's fears at all, especially coming from a violent man like the 6th Espada. Who knew where his or Ulquiorra's boundaries lay or how different they were from regular Human ones…? With dread churning in his gut, he continued to question him, "Did he… you know…?"
Understanding immediately dawned upon Grimmjow. "Fuck if I know, but there were rumours about the two of them. And I've seen Ulquiorra act grossly around the girl, so there…"
How was that 'nothing'?! Just what really had Ulquiorra done to her?! Ichigo swallowed, wrath slowly rising inside him. He asked through gritted teeth, "You said 'consciously'… Did he do something unconsciously to Rukia as well?"
Grimmjow shrugged, but immediately regretted this small action, hissing in pain. "Arrancars are still Hollows," he grunted out and looked pointedly at Ichigo and then at his zanpakutō driven through his chest. Then he added, "And again, rumours. Now, that his girl ditched him, the bastard's intent on finding her and I've no idea what he plans to do with her once he does, and I don't think he knows it himself either."
"Then I'll just have to make sure he never gets near Rukia ever again," Ichigo said grimly. He'd heard enough to be sure who his next target was. Being done with Grimmjow, he finally pulled Tensa Zangetsu out of his chest.
The 6th Espada exhaled slowly, but didn't move. "Frankly, I don't think you stand a fucking chance. And if he doesn't find her, I've a feeling she will find him."
Ichigo didn't respond, instead went to find Inoue to fix his injuries. Ulquiorra would be a far more difficult opponent than Grimmjow; going at him in anything less than top shape would be a suicide.
He would not show mercy this time. He needed to avenge Rukia. He'd rather do it himself, than let her stain her hands with blood of her tormentor.
Rukia blasted Yammy with Hakuren and immediately retreated to a safer distance. That proved to be a prudent move. The Arrancar easily broke out of her ice and swung his huge tail left and right with surprising range and swiftness. Hadn't she moved, it might have been over for her.
She attacked him again, this time from the side. He didn't react this time, too distracted by Captain Hitsugaya's ice dragons. One by one they coiled around his neck and arms, freezing them. Still, it looked like their attacks were futile. It was enough for Yammy to just tighten his muscles and the ice shattered.
The giant Arrancar laughed with contempt. "That all you got, dirty flies? I wasn't sleeping and eating all that time to be bored to damn tears!" He then shot numerous Balas at them.
Captain Hitsugaya had the least time to react and got hit and hurled away. Rukia barely dodged the first few ones. Then the shots focused on her. She did her best with Shunpo, but miscalculated a step. Luckily for her, Matsumoto-san snatched her up and out of harm's way.
"Thanks, Matsumoto-san," she breathed out.
"Don't mention it," the older woman said and let her go.
"Captain Hitsugaya?"
"He's fine. I imagine he managed to block or at least minimise the damage with ice wall of Ryōjin Hyōheki in the last second," she said with certainty, reassuring her.
Indeed, their superior was back a moment later, and looked unharmed. Daiguren Hyōrinmaru was released, forming ice around his limbs and wings on his back. Three ice flowers floated behind him. This meant they were on a time limit. He then flashed behind Yammy and stabbed him in the nape of his neck with Ryūsenka. Whole upper body of the giant got encased with ice. Before Captain Hitsugaya could shatter it, the Arrancar did it first by flexing his muscles.
"Your shitty ice woulda be perfect in the summer. Now it just PISSES ME OFF!" Yammy roared and flailed his arms around, trying to hit the captain of the 10th Division.
Next to Rukia, Matsumoto-san scoffed, her beautiful features twisted in scorn, "I hate loud men. They're even worse than talkative ones."
"I suppose so," the Kuchiki girl agreed politely, while at the same time she considered ways to assist her superior. Perhaps it would be best to focus on one part of Yammy's body first. Limbs would take quicker to freeze, but it was the head and torso that sustained life, and with it the threat…
"That guy that kidnapped you – was he also this— Oh…" the older woman bit her tongue, realising her words could bring back some bad memories. "Sorry, I didn't mean to be insensitive."
"It's all right," she replied after a pause, trying to sound as casual as possible. "And Ulquiorra's rather quiet but bossy." Often she had been vexed by his commanding nature, but now she just missed it.
Matsumoto-san made a face. "I don't like bossy men either."
Rukia couldn't help but snort at her remarks, so out of place. She always admired her free spirit. "We can talk about our type later, let's get rid of the loud one here first."
"You got it, love," she agreed with a wink at her.
Nodding at each other, Rukia and Matsumoto-san scattered again, looking for the best way to deal any damage to this giant. His Hierro was tough. She was sure the cold permeated it, but it would take a long time to freeze someone this size and with this amount of reiatsu. And time was what they didn't have much. They had to defeat Yammy before Captain Hitsugaya's Bankai disappeared, and she needed to reach Ulquiorra before he or her brother and Renji killed one another.
The young Captain seemed to focus mainly on Arrancar's head and torso. Combining their attacks should cool those parts quicker, making the ice more effective and long-lasting. If they hit the brain, it should also impair his cognitive processes. Cooling the heart would cool the blood as well, which would circulate throughout the body at slower rate, numbing it whole and slowing down his reactions.
Deeming it the best strategy, Rukia appeared under Yammy's front pair of legs. It was a bit risky, but then again, he was mainly occupied with Captain Hitsugaya. She slashed the air in as wide a circle as possible: "Some no mai, Tsukishiro." Immediately she retreated to a safer spot. The ice pillar, the widest she ever created, shot through the Arrancar and up to the sky, freezing him.
It didn't last long, however. Yammy broke out of it in a second with a thunderous bellow, "I've had it, you little pieces of shit!"
Byakuya wouldn't go as far as to call the Arrancar's tactics dirty, more like efficient or ruthless. Still, going for the pillar before defeating him, its guardian, was deplorable in his opinion. Just like kidnapping Rukia and forcing her Human friend to go alone and try rescuing her with only hope and no guarantee that her actions would even save the hostage.
He could understand all that, though. In the time of war it was the results that counted, not measures. But this Arrancar also had hurt his sister, and not in combat, too, but when she had been at his mercy. He was unforgivable!
Seething, Byakuya gathered some of the blood from his injured arm and splattered it on the ground between them. It was a silent vow that he would cut him down no matter what. He declared, "You took my pride away from me, you made me think she was lost, and you even had the audacity to hurt her. For that I shall execute you, Arrancar. Senkei Senbonzakura Kageyoshi."
The sky darkened and the petal blades took the form of four rows of swords, circling around them menacingly. A scene fitting for an execution.
"Your arrogance is appalling, Shinigami," the Arrancar replied coldly, but his stance betrayed wariness. He refrained from commenting on the accusations and the verdict.
Byakuya despised him for his silence on it, but perhaps he would have despised him even more if he tried to deny everything.
With grim satisfaction he observed his opponent try flying out of the area surrounded by his Bankai only to realise he was sealed in here with him. With no other choice he produced a green javelin, ready to engage in combat.
The Kuchiki heir called one of the swords to his hand, and with Shunpo instantly closed the distance between them. They clashed their weapons a few times. While keeping the Arrancar occupied, he mentally summoned two other swords a split second apart. The first one pierced his opponent, but the other one missed him by an inch as he prudently jumped away with Sonido.
The 4th Espada removed the sword from his side; the wound closed instantly. His frown suggested that he fully comprehended the threat of Senkei Senbonzakura Kageyoshi.
Byakuya wasn't going to let him rest. In a flash he was next to him, looking for an opening to slash or stab him. Here and there he sent swords from different directions and angles to catch him off guard. The Arrancar, however, skilfully kept parrying or dodging them. He wasn't inclined to stay on the defensive, too, attacking at the slightest opportunity. He was a formidable foe.
To change the pace, the Kuchiki heir put a distance between them and fired Sōkatsui. The Arrancar was quick to block it with a Cero. The energy attacks met in a massive explosion. It sent them apart to the edges of the Bankai area.
The smoke didn't clear yet, when red Balas rained on him in a blind attack. He deflected and dodged most of those that would hit him, with only three grazing his skin and clothes.
Then a Cero hit him, blasting him against the wall of swords, and knocking the breath out of his lungs. It took every ounce of his will to keep his reiatsu condensed around his body and not let the dark, depressing energy consume him. He could feel his skin burn in pain, his clothes disintegrate, the kenseikan in his hair crumble… Just when it started corrupting his hope for relief, it passed. A fit of coughs got back the air inside his lungs and relaxed his stiffened muscles.
Byakuya immediately moved from his spot, and just in time to avoid being impaled by a green javelin.
Predicting the Arrancar would next come in for a close-ranged attack, he waited on the alert. Then, he reflexively swirled around, cutting him across his chest. His opponent jumped back, so he thrust his sword at him, and followed it with, "Bakudō #61, Rikujōkōrō."
He then sent one sword after another to fall down at the immobilised target from various angles.
If needed, Byakuya also could be ruthless. Besides, this Arrancar didn't deserve mercy in the first place.
The 4th Espada wasn't going to go down without a fight, apparently. He managed to dispel the Binding Spell fairly quickly, and struggled to deflect the incoming blades. It was too late though, as he was already pinned to the ground.
Once the last sword fell and dust settled a bit, Byakuya approached the Arrancar. He was in a very fitting position for execution – on his knees, leaning forward, his head bowed, exposing his neck. If he cut off his head, he would no longer be able to regenerate himself, right?
・
Ulquiorra breathed heavily. With his wings and one free hand he somehow managed to avoid damage to any of his vital organs. Still, his whole body ached and he couldn't move much, his legs, hips, and one shoulder practically nailed to the ground. Rocking gently, he mapped in his mind every sword that pierced him and its position and angle. Getting out of this trap would cost him a lot of blood and flesh, not to mention it would hurt like hell.
The Shinigami captain approached him, but halted a couple steps away from him, noticing something shiny on the ground. He picked it up.
Realising what it was, Ulquiorra hissed, "Give it back."
"Why would you want it anyway? It no longer works," the man wondered with a frown, looking at the metal rabbit in his hand, and then at him.
He paused, actually unsure about his reason. Looking up at the Shinigami captain, he couldn't help but be struck by just how familiar his face or his bearing were. She had the same frown, her violet eyes shone with pride just like his, she stood gracefully with her head held high exactly like him… The only difference was that she wasn't as pompous as him. (He flatly ignored the memories of how sweet she could be. He wouldn't be fooled by her illusion again.) Hadn't he known otherwise, he would have been convinced he and the woman were actually siblings by blood.
Eventually Ulquiorra replied with what he thought the hairpin ought to be to him, "It's a memento to never trust a Shinigami woman ever again."
The Shinigami captain looked at him sharply. "If you trusted Rukia, then that was the best thing you could have done in your pitiful life, Arrancar. But if you expected the same from her – an imprisoned enemy, towards you – her captor and tormentor, then you are a fool with no shame."
True, it had been him who had captured her and kept her in Las Noches. He had hurt her and lied to her, too. But he had come clean in the end. Hadn't she forgiven him?
"She told me that she trusts me, that there is a Heart between us!" Ulquiorra retorted, unable to hold back the bitterness from his voice. "I may be a fool but for believing her. She's the one that has no shame!"
"I find it hard to believe Rukia would tell you that. You must have misunderstood her." His voice was full of scorn.
"I didn't. She said all that to me in a way there could be no mistake," the 4th Espada professed. And it hadn't been just words. The memories he had so desperately tried to push into oblivion resurfaced in his mind. For a moment there he got lost in her bright eyes pleading silently with him to stay the night, her sweet lips against his calming him and disarming him of any doubts, her warm body holding him close… A lie so beautiful it hurt.
"Did she now? It is not something she would say falsely nor lightly…" A deep frown appeared on the Shinigami captain's face, however it soon changed into an unforgiving glare. "Under normal circumstances, that is. What have you done to her that she felt driven into a corner enough to lie about such matters?"
"I did nothing as such!" Ulquiorra shouted angrily. "So by your logic she meant it?"
His opponent gave him only a stern look, but there was a hint of surprise in there, too.
"But if she meant it, then why did she leave me?" He desperately needed to know. His memories of her that he so adamantly kept blocked for the last weeks came flooding his mind, filling him with excruciating longing.
If she hadn't meant it, then why would she say all that in the first place? He had never forced any confession out of her. He had nudged her only so much into a more intimate relationship, thinking she wasn't indifferent towards him. But when he had had doubts and wanted to put distance between them in fear of hurting her, she had been the one that insisted on continuing it. Because she trusted and believed in him. Because she wanted to stay by his side. Because she was happy with him. Those were her own, unprompted words…
How Ulquiorra wished they were true! Because that was how he felt about her, too… even now… No matter how much he felt betrayed or how much he wanted to hate her, deep down, in the marrow of his being, he still wanted her, her touch, and her warm smile.
His broken soul yearned for her as if she was that one missing piece to make him whole.
Still engulfed in smoke from her transformation, Nel fired a Cero at the bald Shinigami. He dodged it, but with Sonido she was right behind him, charging with her lance aimed at his back. In the last second he managed to somehow move enough, so the tip of her weapon, instead of impaling him, ground against his flesh. Passing him, she delivered a powerful kick with her hind legs. He hit the ground, bouncing a few times before coming to a halt.
Coughing and grunting, he pushed himself to his feet, "I see you decided to get se—"
Nel fired another Cero at him. Since he was still moving and babbling, she kept attacking him. She didn't want to kill this guy, but he was too strong for her to hold back. So all she could do was hope he was sturdy enough to survive this fight.
He took quite a beating from her relentless charges with her lance. His body was bruised all over and bleeding from a dozen of wounds she inflicted. Yet, he was stubbornly still standing.
"You look like someone who can keep a secret, lady," the bald Shinigami wheezed out of blue, panting heavily. "So let me show you something that only few know about." He changed his stance. "Bankai. Ryūmon Hōzukimaru."
Nel was more surprised that it took him this many injuries to finally release his Bankai than that he actually had one. He was an idiot, after all.
He charged at her, slashing with guandao from above. She jumped away and the blade shattered the ground with great force. He immediately made a horizontal slash with the monk's spade in his left hand. He missed her by a couple of inches, but the force it produced was enough to cut her side rather deep.
With Sonido she swept in for an attack, but he blocked it. A swift counterattack from him left another nasty gash, this time through her chest and down to her stomach. She retreated to a safer distance.
It looked like his Bankai gave him more power. Suiting for a man like him. She noted a change in the dragon crest on the third axe-like blade that was behind him – it filled with red just a bit… Was it charging? She assumed that if it filled fully from its tail to its head, it most likely became even more powerful. Before it happened, she was set on defeating him. He was half-beaten already, too.
Nel hurled her lance in Lanzador Verde technique. She gambled a bit here. Her lance flew through the air with great speed, but he still could dodge it. But as she hoped, he took a stance to block it. Foolish decision. But people like him jumped at any occasion to test themselves, their abilities or their luck, even if it could kill them.
Her lance broke through his defence, shattering his blades and hitting him in the stomach. Luckily for him it pushed him against the axe head behind him and stopped there. If it went through him, it would have left a much bigger hole.
She walked up to him and was glad to find him still alive. As swiftly and gently as she could she pulled out her lance from his stomach and held it close to his throat. "Do you give up or are you one of those idiots that need to die to admit their defeat?"
Smiling, he commented, his voice weaker than before, "Haven't got your name yet. Or your rank."
"Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck. And my rank doesn't matter. I didn't come here for Aizen-sama."
He nodded his head in understanding. "That was a good fight, Nelliel. I'm so lucky to have lost to such a beautiful fighter." He even winked at her, trying to look cool.
She sealed back her Resurrección and sheathed Gamuza. "Idiot. I'll never get people who live for fighting."
"I look forward to our rematch."
She took off her jacket, folded it and gently pressed it to his wound, hoping it would at least slow down the bleeding. "You should find yourself a new—"
"So, you lost, eh, Ikkaku?" A deep, raspy voice sounded right behind her. Turning slightly around, she saw a man almost as tall as Nnoitra. His reiatsu, his posture, his scars, and bloodstains – they all told her he was a beast… Another similarity to the 5th Espada. It looked like the top of his shihakushō was torn or blown off, tatters still sticking out of his hakama. Two nasty cuts glared from his torso, but he didn't seem to heed them.
Him being here also meant Nnoitra's fight was over and ended in his defeat.
Nel slowly stood up and took a few steps back, eyeing the man warily. If she turned her back to him or started running, she felt it would provoke him to attack her.
"I have no regrets, Captain," the bald Shinigami said, slightly easing the tension. "It was fair and square. We already have a rematch scheduled."
Finally the beast tore his eyes off her and looked at his subordinate. "Ah so?"
Smiling broadly, Ikkaku suggested, "What do you say, Captain, for a match? Who cuts down more of those roaming Gillians? I'm warning you, though, I'm feeling particularly lucky today."
Captain of the 13th Division snorted. "What the hell are you sayin'? You have a friggin' hole in your gut, dumbass. Stay put and wait for the 4th."
Nel realised Ikkaku said that for her sake, in case his captain wanted to attack her. Even though he wasn't looking at her, she nodded her thanks at him, and quickly turning on her heel, she ran to find Nnoitra or what was left of him.
Orihime was terrified. There was just so much chaos surrounding her. People screaming and cowering in fear, people crying in pain, people shouting for help… and not only adults – children as well. They all were fleeing from marching Gillians, seeking shelter inside Seireitei's walls.
But no matter how scared she was, it must have been nothing compared to all those poor Souls. So she held back her feelings, and did whatever she could to assist them, to ease their fears. She kept repeating 'everything will be all right's and 'it's going to be okay's, while guiding them inside the East Gate. She did it all with an encouraging smile, though if anyone had the time to look more closely, they would notice that the smile didn't reach her eyes which were full of worry.
Orihime wanted to help each and every one of them, but she couldn't, and it pained her. She had to ignore a little boy with what looked like a broken leg, or a granny with a gash on her head. Those weren't grave injuries and would have to wait for later or they could patch themselves up once they reached safety. The 4th Division had prepared loads of bandages and healing ointments for that purpose.
She had to save her powers for life-threatening injuries or for treating her friends and Shinigamis who were fighting on the front lines. Ganjū-kun was near her, also helping the fleeing Souls. Ishida-kun and Sado-kun, too, were relatively close, engaging Gillians, making sure they wouldn't attack the civilians.
Just when Orihime was helping a mother carry one of her two children, she heard a familiar voice from behind, calling her name, "Inoue." It filled her with warmth and hope, and she couldn't help but smile.
"Kurosaki-kun! I'm so glad to see you!" she exclaimed, while turning around. Then she gasped. He wasn't in the best shape, deep gashes glared from his body, oozing blood. She had seen him wounded countless times now, and even in worse condition than this, but she could never get used to it.
"I'll be with you in a moment!" Orihime hurriedly told him, and since the East gate was only a dozen of yards away, she gently returned the child to her mother. "There's food and shelter inside, you'll be safe now," she reassured them. Then she ran up to Kurosaki-kun, and started fixing his injuries with Sōten Kisshun.
"Thanks," he said with a tired smile.
"Don't mention it," she replied, and focused on rejecting what she recognised as Grimmjow-san's reiatsu and with it the wounds. "Will you help us with those Hollows?" she asked, hoping that this would be his next objective. She would feel much better knowing he was nearby with Sado-kun and Ishida-kun, and against less dangerous opponents.
"I need to find Ulquiorra first."
"Oh…" Oh no… This didn't bode too well.
Kurosaki-kun added grimly, "Unless Byakuya already minced him to dust. Then Aizen."
"Is it necessary? To kill Ulquiorra-san?" Orihime asked, unable to hide the worry from her voice. Kuchiki-san would be devastated! "I mean, I know he's our enemy and all…"
He frowned in disbelief that she would stand up for their enemy. "He kidnapped you two. He may not have hurt you, but he did something to Rukia!"
"I… I believe Kuchiki-san. That he didn't do anything bad to her. That he protected her and was generally civil and respectful to her," she declared firmly. "I also didn't hear any rumours about any… misdeeds nor sensed anything like it." Kuchiki-san wanted to keep their relationship a secret, so she wasn't going to divulge it, but she had to say something!
Kurosaki-kun shook his head, disagreeing with her. "Rukia's too shifty about it, and Ulquiorra's too cunning. I heard enough from Grimmjow. He said that she was… Ulquiorra's woman."
"Oh…" Orihime grimaced at how that sounded. Though she had been there when Ulquiorra-san had asked Aizen-san to give Kuchiki-san to him. Horror had filled her then, but later she had learnt he had done so to protect her friend. 'Woman' here meant ward, friend, partner, lover… not a… a plaything!
"I feel sick…" Kurosaki-kun groaned. "I don't blame Rukia for keeping it to herself."
"Maybe Grimmjow-san just misunderstood their relationship?" she struggled to rationalise this bombshell of a wording. "Or wants to rile you up?"
He again shook his head and declared darkly, "Ulquiorra's going down."
Orihime called back Ayame and Shun'ō. "It's done…" She wasn't done with trying to save Ulquiorra-san, though, and took a different approach, "Kurosaki-kun… I just… I don't like the idea of you killing anyone… Please, don't do this."
He sighed heavily, as if he was carrying a burden on his shoulders. "Sometimes there are things a man just has to do. And this is it. I don't like it either, but I can't allow that… that bastard to torment Rukia anymore."
"Kurosaki-kun… Wait!" She grabbed his arm, while tears started to well up in her eyes from hopelessness. She pleaded, "Don't kill Ulquiorra-san, please!"
He took her hands in his own and squeezed them reassuringly. "I'll see you later, Inoue. Be safe." His voice was gentle, but his gaze determined.
"Kurosaki-kun!" she cried, but he was already gone and on his way to fake Karakura Town.
Rukia moved farther away from Yammy, as did Matsumoto-san and Captain Hitsugaya.
In his rage, the Arrancar started hitting and grazing the ground with his tail as well as his legs, sending dirt, rocks, trees and debris flying their way at a great speed. The dust that raised hindered their vision.
"Kuchiki!" she heard amongst the commotion. Dodging bigger objects, she followed Captain Hitsugaya's reiatsu and soon found herself behind a solid ice wall. Matsumoto-san was already there.
"You're bleeding, Rukia," the older woman noticed with concern. "Are you okay?"
"It's just scratches, I'm fine," she said and dusted herself off. There were a few cuts on her face and arms, as well as a couple splinters sticking out of her body. She pulled them out and stopped the bleeding with a quick Spell. Matsumoto-san and Captain Hitsugaya were in a bit better shape, having hid behind an ice wall sooner than her.
"We're making little to no progress with this giant," the young Captain noted, disgruntled.
"The bulk and amount of reiatsu we're against won't be easy to freeze," Rukia agreed.
Matsumoto-san pouted, unhappy. "I've been trying to cut him almost everywhere, but his Hierro is too thick for Haineko."
"Eyeballs? Or through his ears or nose?"
The older woman scrunched up her face at the idea of sending her zanpakutō inside the Arrancar's body. "It's worth a shot, but it might just anger him out of control."
"Be careful, then. I'll need you to distract— RUN!"
Captain Hitsugaya didn't need to repeat his command. The three of them bolted in different directions. Seconds later a Cero disintegrated the ice wall, ravaging the ground and anything in its path. It cut through the air at a great speed, creating a shockwave.
Rukia got knocked over and slammed into the ground. Destruction roared in her ears. Then an odd silence fell, broken only by her fit of coughs. Dazed she stared at the aftermath, hoping no Souls or Shinigamis were in Cero's path. That only roaming Gillians got hit… Thankfully, Seireitei was in the opposite direction. She wasn't sure if the barrier would hold against such power. She hoped it would, but it would be best not to test it…
Covered in scrapes and bruises, her whole body ached. A metal rod was sticking out of her thigh. It must have been a part of an irori hearth of someone's house. Clenching her teeth, she pulled it out. It made a nasty wound, but she closed it the best she could with a Spell. Shakily, she got up to her feet.
Captain Hitsugaya and Matsumoto-san were nowhere near in sight, but once she focused, she could feel their reiatsu. Thankfully they were alive.
Yammy either thought he killed them or just didn't care, for he trod towards Seireitei, casually firing Balas and swooping his tail to destroy everything around himself.
Rukia's first steps were wobbly, but the determination to stop this giant before he could destroy Soul Society made her forget about the pain. She followed him with Shunpo. A dozen yards behind him she stabbed Sode no Shirayuki into the ground. Juhaku created a trail of ice, and once it connected with Yammy's legs, it climbed up, freezing them instantly. The ice reached the last joints of his legs, actually stopping him in his tracks for a second. Perhaps their previous attacks weren't in vain.
"You dumb shits don't know when to give up…" With a grunt the Arrancar freed himself and shook the ice off of his limbs. "Just fucking DIE already!" He swirled around and started firing Balas at her.
Rukia quickly ran to avoid them. Fortunately, they soon stopped, when Captain Hitsugaya again stabbed him with Ryūsenka, this time in the top of his head. Again, it took Yammy a bit longer to shatter the ice, and once he did, he seemed slightly disoriented.
They were making progress!
Encouraged, Rukia took a stance for Hakuren. She paused, though, spotting Matsumoto-san. The older woman was guiding Haineko inside Yammy's ear canal and one nostril; carefully, so the giant wouldn't notice anything. Once she set all up, she slashed his – hopefully – softer tissues with her zanpakutō.
The Arrancar whined in pain. It actually hurt him. Blood started to trail from his ear and nose. He flailed his arms and tail around, trying to hit whatever was hurting him.
"Tsugi no mai, Hakuren!" Rukia wanted to delay him for even the shortest moment, so Matsumoto-san could safely retreat out of Yammy's deadly reach.
This was the last straw for the giant, though.
"YOU ANNOYING TRASH! UNFORGIVABLE!" His anger exploded, quite literally. With a burst of energy, his Resurrección evolved.
Byakuya had no idea what this Arrancar had got into his head, but he had to admit the despair in his eyes seemed genuine. It made him look even more pitiful… and sincere.
There were times when Rukia did act or put on a façade to achieve certain goals. Self-preservation or a wish to save a friend were one of them. Yet, he wouldn't call her deceitful. Her goals were always honest and straightforward. She wouldn't toy with other people's feelings or beliefs. She wouldn't do it out of spite, either. Not to mention, as much as she excelled at hiding her true feelings and acting tough, it generally wasn't that difficult to see through her acting and know it for what it was.
So this Arrancar's words and the resentment with which he said them, confused him greatly.
Had Rukia really said that to him? Had she really trusted him? Had she had the reason to?
Perhaps his perception of reality was warped. Or…
"If you indeed treated her with respect, then perhaps against her better judgement, Rukia did mean what she told you. She is still young, after all, and thus naïve and impressionable," Byakuya said, carefully observing the Arrancar.
The green eyes widened in surprise and his expression softened just slightly.
Rukia did rather easily develop affinity to those that cared for her in some way – Renji, Kaien Shiba, Ichigo Kurosaki, even Hanatarō Yamada… and perhaps this Arrancar, too… His face moments ago, cold and guarded until now, hinted that this might be the case.
If so, was she sad not because of what had happened to her in Hueco Mundo, but because of what would happen? Because she knew this man had to perish?
Byakuya continued firmly, "However, she is also a Shinigami and a Kuchiki. My sister knows where her home is."
After a pause the 4th Espada asked, "Do you trust her?"
"I do."
"Why?"
The Kuchiki heir briefly wondered why he hadn't cut down his opponent yet. Perhaps it was that despair in his eyes that made him delay the inevitable. If he was to execute him, he wanted to be perfectly sure of his guilt or how exactly he fit into Rukia's sadness. So, he decided to humour him. "Rukia is my sister, this is the only reason I need. But she is also a good person, always striving to do what is right."
"Does she trust you?" the Arrancar pressed with more questions, but this time rebuke laced his voice. "Her brother that may choose his own honour and rules over her again? Her callow friends that wouldn't understand her?"
Byakuya narrowed his eyes. This impudence was criminal enough to shorten him by his head… "What are you trying to insinuate, Arrancar?"
"Why do you think she didn't tell you what happened between us?"
He inhaled sharply. Us? The sound of this one word made his skin crawl. "She must have her reasons," he replied coldly. Then, he added, inwardly hoping this was the case, "Or perhaps nothing worth mentioning happened."
The 4th Espada shook his head. "That reason is fear. That you would shun her. That you would again want to execute her."
The Kuchiki heir frowned. Just befriending this Arrancar wouldn't warrant an execution… (Well, as long as she wasn't too open about it.) Had Rukia fallen for him? Had she… Heavens forbid! broken a taboo? If that was the case then her behaviour and her reserved account of her imprisonment in Las Noches made even more sense than if it was the result of mistreatment.
"I made a mistake in the past, but I can promise you, Arrancar, that I shall never repeat it again," he said solemnly. "But enough of this, I know where you are going with this."
Byakuya hid Chappy the bunny inside his left sleeve. "As her brother, it is my duty to keep her safe. Even from herself or her feelings."
・
To Ulquiorra's surprise the Shinigami captain seemed to finally believe him that he hadn't done anything despicable to his sister. What was even more unexpected, he acknowledged that she might have feelings for him. Despite hints of their more than a guardian–ward relationship, he didn't flare up in anger or tried to spurn them. He recognised the possibility, though clearly he wasn't pleased.
Perhaps thinking he had him at his mercy, he didn't feel the need to act so sanctimonious.
Moreover, the exchange with the Shinigami captain stirred in Ulquiorra something he had felt only for a brief moment in his life when he was with Rukia – hope. Before he knew it, he found himself grasping at it.
Could he trust her? Had her words and actions been true? Had her disappearance been only an accident or a temporary inconvenience that she would soon clear? That it wasn't like she had chosen them over him? He risked making a fool out of himself, but would it be that bad? Logically, there was a bigger shame in not trusting her.
He needed to find her and confirm everything once and for all. She still was his Rukia, wasn't she?
Just then the Shinigami captain called a new sword to his hand and pointed it at him. "You may not have hurt her the way I have initially thought, but your further existence will eventually endanger her even more. Rest assured that, if Rukia chooses so, I shall let her mourn you quietly."
"What good will it be to me? Or to her?" Ulquiorra scoffed softly at the arrogant generosity.
With his free hand he fired Balas to push the man back. It worked, some even hit him. Bracing himself for the pain, he sharply twisted and turned, slicing his body apart to free it from as many swords as possible. Then he forced himself off the ground, tearing his flesh even more. Avoiding a new rain of blades, he pulled or pushed the remaining swords out of himself. All the while his High-Speed Regeneration was working, closing his wounds and replenishing his blood. Wasn't it for it, he most certainly would have bled to death.
Finally regenerated, he produced a Luz de la Luna. With Sonido he was instantly next to the Shinigami captain. He swung the javelin at him, but was blocked. Not wanting to be immobilised again by a Spell, he quickly moved and attacked from another angle. This pattern repeated until his blade reached its target, cutting his thigh open.
The Shinigami captain jumped away. Then disappeared and appeared right in front of him. Ulquiorra barely registered the sword stabbing him in the middle of his torso, when his opponent disappeared again.
Instincts kicking in, he moved with Sonido a bit forward, and whirled around thrusting Luz de la Luna into the Shinigami's captain stomach. Only seconds later he remembered Rukia using this technique and Ichimaru commenting on it. Senka was its name, if he remembered correctly, a specialty of this Shinigami captain.
A second didn't pass, and he pulled out the green javelin and drove it through his opponent's right shoulder, disabling the other arm.
More swords began to fall on Ulquiorra, reminding him this Bankai could be controlled mentally. Evading all, he again was in front of the Shinigami captain. He grabbed him by his throat and thrust his hand through his chest. Normally he would have aimed for his sternum, destroying the main arteries and veins, trachea and oesophagus. An instant kill. In the last second, however, his hand moved to the left, going through his lung. A grievous injury, but not instantaneously fatal.
The rows of swords scattered into cherry petals, falling gently but never reaching the ground. Eventually the Bankai disappeared.
"Your win, Arrancar," the man rasped. "Make it quick."
Despite his arrogance, he was able to admit his defeat. He wasn't a fool that fought against all odds or struggled against inevitable. That would be beneath him.
Somehow he again reminded him of Rukia and that only time she had quietly surrendered herself to his will. He had hated seeing her like this.
"You have no idea how much I want to kill you, Shinigami." It would hurt her, and Ulquiorra still felt the dark urge to get back at her for leaving him. But… "But I can't bear the thought of her crying."
He fished out the metal rabbit from the Shinigami captain's sleeve. There was still something about it that bothered him. With revived hope, he wondered if it was a memento of the fleeting happiness he had shared with her. Or perhaps it was a promise she had left behind?
"If you put anything or anyone before Rukia ever again, I'll kill you," Ulquiorra said. It was a vow he also made with himself.
"That will never happen. She is my pride," the Shinigami captain uttered solemnly.
"Unhand Captain Kuchiki!" A gruff shout sounded to the left. The Shinigami lieutenant sure was sturdy to be able to still move. He was no threat, though, so the 4th Espada ignored him.
"Rukia may be your pride, but she is my heart," he softly told the Shinigami captain. Having voiced it out loud, he realised it was the truth. It just couldn't be any other way. He waited for a moment to see if his opponent would try to deny him that, but he stayed silent, only his tired eyes showed signs of indignation. Done with him, he flung him at the Shinigami lieutenant who made an awkward attempt to catch him. Without sparing them another glance, he flew up and closer to the pillar.
Deeming a Gran Rey Cero an overkill, he opted for Cero Oscuras. Aiming at the dent he had made earlier, he fired one after another. Three blasts did the job, and the pillar tumbled down. From the look of things, two other pillars were still standing, but it was a matter of time before they fell as well.
Done with his main mission, he again looked at the metal rabbit in his hand.
Rather than trying to figure it out by himself, and most likely arriving at fragmentary or wrong conclusions, he decided to just find Rukia and ask her directly. He should have done this before, he should have gone after her the moment she disappeared and confront her then, instead of letting doubts eat at his mind and soul. Not to mention, he just yearned to see her again. Only with her he felt whole.
Using Descorrer he opened a gate to Garganta. He didn't even get a chance to step inside, for he had to jump away to avoid getting hit.
"Getsuga Tenshō!"
Nel unsheathed Gamuza, and approached the still body of Nnoitra slumped against the wall of a collapsed building. Covered all in blood and countless cuts and gashes he was alive, but barely. With this level of reiatsu and extent of wounds she didn't give him more than a few minutes left to live.
"Nnoitra," she whispered in strained voice and crouched next to him.
He raised his head and looked around, his tired gaze unfocused. "Nelliel?… Is that you?" Eventually, he saw her and a small smile made a way to his face. "Nel… Where…'ve you been? One day you're there, and then… you were just… gone…"
After all the abuse she had suffered from him recently, such a simple and normal question with jesting undertones squeezed at her heart. Approaching him, she initially thought about beheading him to ease his pain, but now she decided against it. Or rather – she found herself unable to do it. Besides, he was about to die from the wounds and blood loss any minute now. Yet, she wasn't about to leave him alone in his last moments and perhaps she could bring him solace in some different way.
Sheathing her sword, she sat astride Nnoitra's lap and embraced him as tightly as she could without causing him more pain. It felt like eternity since she last had held him in her arms.
"Nel…"
"Shh, I'm here now," she whispered soothingly and placed a soft kiss on his forehead. Blood from his wounds soaked her clothes, but she didn't care. "I'm here."
Bringing one of his arms around her, Nnoitra wheezed against her neck, "Perhaps… dyin' a different death… than in the heat… of a battle… ain't gonna be… that bad." He laughed humourlessly, when his body shook in a fit of coughs.
"Don't talk. There's no need to talk," Nel said quickly and brushed his bloodied hair and face with her fingers, wishing she could share his pain. Lamentation stirred up grief in her heart, promising solace in self-destruction.
"Don't… go… ever…" His voice was weak, but he still had some strength in his arm and brought her even closer to him.
Nel could only shake her head feverishly in reply, words stuck in her clenched throat.
More of his arms closed around her. Then, a sharp pain spread in her side as Nnoitra's hand plunged into her stomach. She yelped and tensed, but didn't let go of him, only tightened her hold on him. She was an idiot, she knew that, but she couldn't leave him now.
"Thank you… Nel…"
She choked back tears, not wanting to show him what he considered a weakness.
"It's all right… It'll be over soon," she gasped, trying to sound reassuringly, and kissed the side of his head, ignoring the pain. A thought that she always liked when he called her 'Nel' instead of full 'Nelliel' made it easier.
Soon Nnoitra went limp in her arms as he breathed his last breath. She couldn't hold back her tears anymore and they began to cascade down her cheeks and onto his hair and shoulder. Starting to feel cold, she tried to disentangle herself from his deadly embrace, but couldn't find the strength. His stiff arms were like a cage, too. Her whole body was getting weaker. She was getting light-headed, too. Trapped, she sank back into him, finding some comfort in his lingering warmth.
"Good night, Nnoitra," Nel murmured in the crook of his neck. She was glad he finally found peace, and as her consciousness was flying away, she realised she was at peace, too. It was over now, she was free.
Grimmjow scowled at the morning sky. It seemed to be mocking him. This was what he got for being merciful… Thanks a lot, Nel…
His chest wound almost closed. It wasn't easy to just lay still and wait for it to heal. Not only because patience wasn't one of his virtues, but also because there were some dumbass Gillians motherfuckers that in their frenzy wanted to eat him. Thankfully, Balas were enough to get rid of those nuisances.
Yeah, thanks a lot, Nel…
Speaking of whom, he couldn't find her reiatsu. Had she left Soul Society and returned to Hueco Mundo? He couldn't find Nnoitra's either, but that would mean he was dead, most likely. Good riddance. With him gone, she had no reason to stick around. With him gone, perhaps the mist of melancholy in her eyes would clear…
Grimmjow slowly sat up. It seemed the wound was good enough. At the moment he envied Ulquiorra's High-Speed Regeneration. Fucking prick. His mood turned sour and he was no longer eager to fight anyone today. He didn't give a shit about Aizen's plan and decided to return to Las Noches and take a nap. Maybe later he would return to the battlefield.
When he was about to open a gate to Garganta, his instincts told him to check the situation in Soul Society before leaving. Apart from Gillians, whose numbers were gradually diminishing, it was only him and Yammy left. It looked like the huge idiot didn't have it easy, and Ulquiorra's girl had her hand in it. He was quite surprised to find her here, instead of looking for that bastard. Maybe she had some integrity, after all, choosing to protect her home over a fling that would most likely kill her.
Then, his Pesquisa caught something. It was barely detectable, but there was no mistake – it was Nel's reiatsu. Faint, it was growing fainter with every second. Was she… dying?!
With Sonido Grimmjow got to her in no time. The state he found her in flung him into a shock.
"What the fuck, Nel?" he uttered after a moment of taking everything in. "Don't tell me you're willing to die with this sick fuckstick? You're better than this."
He wanted to take her away from Nnoitra, but realised it wouldn't be that simple. Fuck, fuck, fuck! Why did he even bother? Fuck! There was Nnoitra's fucking hand in her gut. Fuck! If he were to pull it out, she would bleed out in a matter of seconds. Her reiatsu was too low, her body wouldn't be able to heal itself before that. Fucking fuckitty fuck! He should just let her die, if she was this fucking stupid!
"If this is what your dumbass instincts told you to do, you definitely should have fucking fought them, you moron!" Grimmjow berated her. "Didn't you want to overcome them? Yet, you let the stupidest ones rule over you! Fucking hell!"
Nel normally would talk back, or at least huff at him in anger, but this time she was silent. It annoyed him, and – though he would never admit to it – scared him.
"Okay, princess, I'm going to save you, so don't you fucking dare dying on me!" With a swift swing of Pantera, he cut off Nnoitra's arm at the elbow. Then, he pried Nel out of that fuckstick's embrace, and lifted her up. He needed someone who could treat her at once, she didn't seem to have much time.
Grimmjow knew just the person.
Ichigo arrived at fake Karakura Town without much problem. The first thing that caught his eyes was the destruction. It was everywhere – crumbled buildings, craters in the ground, smoke and dust in the air… Thankfully, it wasn't his real hometown. He didn't want to imagine how many casualties there would be otherwise.
People were fighting everywhere; Shinigamis versus Arrancars. Here was the main stage, forces thrown at Soul Society were vast, but focused more on numbers than actual power. They were a distraction with one purpose only – to keep as many Shinigamis as possible occupied in Soul Society. This way the fake Karakura Town had less defenders, making it easier for Aizen to reach the real town and forge an Ōken with its residents.
Scanning the area, Ichigo couldn't tell who was winning. One pillar was down, but it wasn't a tragedy yet. No sign of Aizen, either. At the same time Commander-General Yamamoto or Urahara-san also hadn't made any move yet.
Then, a second pillar started to crumble, hit by a black Cero closely followed by two more. They were enough, and before he got a chance to react, fake Karakura Town lost another supporting structure, pushing the real town closer to peril.
Quick check confirmed who the culprit was – Ulquiorra. Just who Ichigo was looking for.
But if the bastard was destroying the pillar, then it meant… Sudden worry washed over Ichigo, but it was quickly replaced with relief, when he found Renji and Byakuya's reiatsu. Barely, but they were alive. They may have been defeated, but they were just too tough to get killed. He was sure they had given Ulquiorra a hard time, and he was here to finish what they had started.
With Shunpo he approached his target, and just in time to see a gate to Garganta open. It didn't take a genius to guess where – or rather to whom – he intended to go.
"Over my dead body," Ichigo muttered under his nose and swung Tensa Zangetsu. "Getsuga Tenshō!"
Ulquiorra jumped away in the last second. There was a hue of annoyance on his face.
"You're not going anywhere!" the substitute Shinigami shouted.
"Where I go is none of your business," his enemy replied, and produced a green javelin.
Ichigo closed the distance between them with a frontal attack. Their weapons clashed and ground against each other. "If it concerns any of my friends, it is!" he growled angrily through gritted teeth. "So, stay away from Rukia, she doesn't want you anywhere near her!"
Ulquiorra's expression darkened. "Did she say that?"
"Yes," he lied without a second thought. But this was how she felt, right?
The 4th Espada roughly pushed him away, jumped backwards and threw the javelin at him, grazing his arm. He was calm, though, when he said, "I don't believe you. If that was the case, Rukia would be brave enough to say that to my face."
Ichigo scoffed, outraged that he was using her name so casually. "With me around she doesn't have to act brave or force herself into any horrible situations! Besides, she's busy fighting that big guy, so I thought I'd pass her sentiments towards you in her stead! You don't deserve any words from her in person, anyway!"
Suddenly, the atmosphere got heavy and the realm of fake Karakura Town went silent for a moment.
Aizen arrived.
Ichigo knew that he had merged with Hōgyoku, but it didn't prepare him for… this. His reiatsu felt like nothing he had ever felt before. It didn't belong to a Shinigami or a Hollow, it didn't belong to any of the worlds he knew. His hair stood on end.
Distracted, he let his guard down. A quick, precise blow knocked Tensa Zangetsu out of his grip and a hand closed around his throat and he felt himself lifted up in the air.
"Rukia is fighting against Yammy?" Ulquiorra demanded, an odd edge to his voice.
Ichigo blinked, surprised that this was information he focused on. The 4th Espada didn't even acknowledge Aizen's arrival or his depreciating comments. He slowly nodded in confirmation.
"You know this and you didn't aid her?"
He was taken aback by his tone – it was as if he was accusing him of abandoning Rukia. Surprise changed into rage, and he kicked, squirmed and pried his way out of Ulquiorra's grip. He dove for Tensa Zangetsu, and regaining his combat stance, he replied, "She's not fighting him alone! There's Tōshirō and Rangiku-san with her, too." Even to his own ears he sounded a bit too defensive, and it disgruntled him even more.
The 4th Espada paused, as if calculating something in his mind. His frown deepened – clearly the result displeased him.
Annoyed to no end by his judgmental stare, Ichigo lunged in for another attack.
Ulquiorra easily avoided it, and with Sonido moved behind him. Pointing his finger at him, he coldly said, "I've no time for you, stupid brat, scram."
Before Ichigo knew it, a green Cero hit him. He flew quite some distance only to crash into a building. His whole body throbbed in pain and a fit of coughs caused black dots to dance in front of his eyes. Despite this, he quickly got up.
However, the 4th Espada was already gone.
Ichigo cursed. Thinking about his next move, he briefly considered going for Aizen now, but Commander-General Yamamoto and Urahara-san were already here, so they would handle him. Renji and Byakuya had 4th Division members by their side, so they didn't need his help, either.
Consequently, there was only one thing he had to do.
He had to rush back to Soul Society, find Ulquiorra again and kick his sorry arse! Before it was too late! Before that bastard hurt his friend again!
Orihime felt miserable, wondering if there was anything else she could have said or done to convince Kurosaki-kun to spare Ulquiorra-san's life. Regrettably, nothing came to her mind. He probably wouldn't even listen if she told him the truth about relationship between the 4th Espada and Kuchiki-san. On the contrary, it could actually make things worse.
Sighing, she patted her cheeks to regain her focus. There were still many people who needed help.
Thankfully, it seemed things were beginning to look up. The vicinity of the East Gate was secure, and Gillians could be seen only on the horizon. Ishida-kun and Sado-kun along with Shinigamis were doing a great job on the front lines.
Orihime was about to go up to a group of clearly injured Souls to check if they needed any assistance, but was stopped by someone shouting her name, "Inoue-san!"
She didn't recognise the Shinigami man or his companion, who clearly needed medical attention.
"Here!" she replied and hurriedly approached them.
"Please, my friend, Shin'ichi…"
His right arm and part of his chest were… gone. Thankfully, he was still alive. Orihime swallowed back the horror, and immediately called for Ayame and Shun'ō. The wound looked really bad, but should be easy to reject. A Gillian's Cero didn't leave that much of heavy reiatsu.
"It'll be all right, you can lay him down," she told the Shinigami man, or – now that she looked more closely – boy. Both of them didn't look much older than her. They must have graduated Academy not a long time ago, perhaps were even classmates. She engaged Naoki-kun, as she learned was his name, in a small talk to ease his worries.
Suddenly, a shadow fell over them. Orihime looked up and was shocked to see a familiar Espada. A drop of cold sweat ran down her spine. Naoki-kun next to her backed away in fear.
"You're coming with me, girl," Grimmjow-san told her gruffly.
"G-give me a moment," she stammered. Shin'ichi-kun was almost fixed, she wanted to follow through with it.
He pointed his finger at the civilians and barked, "I'm going to drop a Cero on all those people, if you don't move your arse! Now!"
"Please, don't! I'll go!" Orihime dispelled Sōten Kisshun. The moment she stood up, Grimmjow-san snatched her and hoisted over his shoulder.
"I-Inoue-san!" Naoki-kun shouted. He got up to his trembling feet and unsheathed his zanpakutō.
All she could do was smile at him, and say, "Don't worry! Shin'ichi-kun's life is no longer in danger!" And she disappeared with Grimmjow-san inside the Garganta. It wasn't long before he set her down. They were still inside the void between the worlds, floating on a big clump made of reishi.
He curtly said, "Heal her."
Orihime turned around and gasped, "Nel-chan!" She didn't need an order to fix a friend, and she immediately surrounded her with Sōten Kisshun "What happened to her?" she asked, only to notice something sticking out of her stomach… "What is this…?"
Without a word Grimmjow-san pulled out what turned out to be… oh gods… a hand! She felt like she was going to be sick.
"Fucking Nnoitra happened," he scoffed and threw the horrid thing into the nothingness.
"Oh…" The name only added to her nausea. She had to take a few deep breaths to settle it down, while she tried to push unwanted images out of her mind and just focus on the task. She had some difficulty rejecting reiatsu on the wounds, but she had worked with worse, it was just a matter of time. Grimmjow-san seemed a bit bothered by Nel-chan's state, so she reassured him, "Don't worry, she'll be fine. I'll fix her."
"Good," he grumbled, and looked away.
She couldn't help but recollect their previous encounters. How she had restored his arm, how he had saved her from Loly and Menoly in return, how he had been forcing her to heal Kurosaki-kun, so he could fight him… She didn't really like Grimmjow-san, he was too rude and violent… but he wasn't the worst, he had some principles. He could help her… And Orihime was a bit desperate now.
"You owe me a favour now, Grimmjow-san," she tested the waters.
"Fair enough."
She blinked at his quick acceptance. She had to strike while the iron was hot, before he changed his mind. "And I want it back now. I want you to find Kuchiki-san and take her to Ulquiorra-san. Before it's too late."
Grimmjow-san stared at her as if she just lost her mind. Eventually, he said, "That's a shitty idea. Ulquiorra's pretty fucking upset she ditched him."
"Kuchiki-san didn't want to leave him. I forcefully dragged her away with me!" Orihime confessed. She still felt bad about it, but this might be her chance to make things right!
"Bravo to you, then, you saved your friend. That bastard would eventually kill her." He pointed at Nel-chan. There was bitterness in his voice. "Even this idiot thought it was for the better! And now she's a fucking Exhibit A what might happen to the Shinigami girl! …We Hollows can only destroy."
"Kuchiki-san believes in Ulquiorra-san. As do I." She didn't know how, but she believed everything would work out just fine. It just had to. Love would find a way, right?
Grimmjow-san rolled his eyes. "And I believe I'm surrounded by fucking morons!"
With no comeback, Orihime could only pout at him. Surprisingly, it worked.
"Okay, okay. If anything happens, it's on you," he told her. "I can't believe that I'm the fucking voice of reason here! And no-one is listening!" grumbling under his nose, he was gone.
Rukia had to get down on the ground not to get blown away by a rush of energy. Squinting her eyes to protect them from dust, she observed Yammy's form change. He grew even bigger… and stronger. He was a giant before, but now… It was beyond her comprehension. How a being like this could even exist?
He was huffing and puffing in anger, while furiously looking around, searching for them. Spouting profanities at them, he swore he would make them pay for the pain he just experienced. Thankfully, his intelligence and observation skills didn't seem to improve with his evolution.
Before he could locate her, Rukia quickly got up and moved behind him with Shunpo. Matsumoto-san had the same idea.
"This doesn't look good," the blonde said, trying to sound casually, but she evidently was worried.
Rukia agreed. "Just when I thought we were making progress, this happened. It's like we're running round in circles."
"Captain might not be too happy about it, but if Hyōten Hyakkasō doesn't work, I'm going to send an aid request to Captain Zaraki."
She smiled at the idea. Only Matsumoto-san could be this bold. But they might have no choice. If Captain Hitsugaya's strongest and deadliest attack didn't kill Yammy, what else could they do but swallow their pride and ask for help?
"Let's do this then. I imagine Hyōten Hyakkasō requires some preparation?"
"It does," Matsumoto-san confirmed. After a pause she pushed the worry off her face and replaced it with an encouraging smile. "Until Captain's ready, let's keep this giant thing occupied and away from Seireitei."
"Got it!"
They both were determined. The longer this fight dragged on the fainter was their chance for victory, but the decisive moment was yet to come. They had to bet everything on Captain Hitsugaya's next attack.
Rukia pushed all her feelings aside. She couldn't be selfish, not in this dire hour for Soul Society. As much as she wanted to just desert this fight to find Ulquiorra, her sense of duty was stronger. Even without Sode no Shirayuki's ice numbing her feelings, she knew there were things bigger and more important than her longing and fears. Protecting her home and its residents came first.
Tired and bruised, she pushed on. Another Hakuren, and another failure – Yammy didn't even struggle against her ice. But it didn't matter; it was enough as long as the behemoth didn't advance towards Seireitei.
Matsumoto-san, too, was doing her best, clouding his vision with Haineko and firing Kidō Spells at him.
"The more you piss me off, the more violent your death will be, dirty trash!" Yammy again tried to obliterate them with a Cero.
The shockwave felt even stronger than before. It knocked the breath out of Rukia's lungs, but thanks to a timely Kidō barrier she was able to shield herself from flying debris. The deafening roar dazed her, and she had to crouch to collect her wits. Breathing in and out between coughs, she spotted Matsumoto-san hiding behind Yammy's back.
Then everything happened too fast.
The Arrancar's bulky tail reached Matsumoto-san and hit her upwards. With a surprising agility for his size, he turned around and caught her mid-air.
"Matsumoto-san!" Rukia rushed, her mind filled with one purpose to save her. "Ye lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! On the wall of blue flame, inscribe a twin lotus. In the abyss of conflagration, wait at the far heavens…" With Shunpo she appeared right under Yammy's chin. "Hadō #73, Sōren Sōkatsui!"
The blast made him stumble a bit. She then stabbed his wrist, wanting to freeze it off. Ice started to cover it. Not quickly enough, though.
"Watch out!" Matsumoto-san coughed out.
Before Rukia could react, she got swatted with the back of Yammy's other hand. She crashed into the ground. The impact was too much for her body. Her vision became dark, her lungs couldn't take in air, her ears heard almost nothing but a droning sound of Yammy's faraway voice. Her consciousness was slipping away, but she refused to succumb to darkness. It took her frustratingly long to finally gulp on air. That was when the pain came and she again almost fainted.
After what seemed ages, her hearing returned.
"… doll like you would be a waste. Swear your loyalty to me, and I'll let you live."
Rukia wanted to scream to Matsumoto-san to lie, but only a whimper came out of her throat. She could barely breathe. Swear it, Matsumoto-san. You'll get killed. Please. We'll save you. She was begging in her mind frantically, even though she didn't think she would ever listen to her own advice. She feared Matsumoto-san, too, valued her pride more than her life.
She could hear Captain Hitsugaya yell his lieutenant's name. When her eyes finally cleared, she saw numerous ice dragons slithering down Yammy's neck and arm, trying to stop him.
Matsumoto-san was audacious, and just spat in his face.
Yammy wiped his face and unceremoniously squeezed the life out of her. He then scattered her like a trash. "Dumb bitch."
"Matsumoto!" Captain Hitsugaya went after his lieutenant.
Matsumoto-san… No, no, no, Matsumoto-san… Rukia, ignoring the pain, somehow rolled over to her stomach and started crawling towards her. She couldn't be dead. She just needed to get to her and carry her to the 4th Division. Or Inoue. Everything was going to be alright. They had a girl date planned, too. They would chat and gossip to their hearts' content…
Earth trembled with massive footsteps, and soon a huge hand picked Rukia up. Still in shock, she just stared at the ground going away from her and then being replaced by Yammy's face.
"Kuchiki!" There was an odd edge to Captain Hitsugaya's voice, as if despair was clutching his throat.
The behemoth grinned nastily at her. "I'mma take my time with you. You don't deserve a quick death."
Rukia continued to stare at him dumbly. That was until his little finger slowly tightened over her shins, breaking them. Suddenly she was aware of her bearings and even more so of the pain. Scream escaped her lungs. She tried to wiggle away, but his grip was firm.
Her head lolled back and through teary eyes she saw a blizzard rampaging around them. Yet the air just above them was calm. Snowflakes started falling down one by one.
Yammy brought her closer to his face and scrutinised her. With a scoff he concluded, "I've no idea what Ulquiorra saw in a trash like you."
I don't care… I just want to see him… Even if it's the last thing I do… Rukia tried to take her mind off the pain, and to her memories of her love. How she missed his quiet but striking presence, his soft, deep voice, his warm embrace…
The behemoth's ring finger broke her thighs, making her shriek.
"I could pop your head off, or just squeeze you. But you know what? I'mma trample you. That's what you do with trash, right?"
Even though he said that, his middle and index fingers squeezed her torso. Rukia yelped, but she had no air in her lungs to scream. She felt and heard her bones breaking, and piercing her flesh. Blood flowed out of her mouth and nose.
Consciousness was slowly leaving her, and this time she wouldn't mind surrendering herself to the oblivion. Her eyelids were heavy, but when a snowflake fell in front of her, she forced them open. It bloomed into a flower. It was pretty. Now that she looked around, there were many ice flowers like this on Yammy's body, and more were blooming. She felt one grow on her head, but it was comforting. It was different from Sode no Shirayuki's ice. Warmer, if that made any sense.
Yammy was about to toss her to the ground, but stopped mid-swing. "What did you do? My fingers… my arm… I can't… you…"
Hyōten Hyakkasō must have been almost complete. Ice flowers covered most of the behemoth's body. More bloomed on her, too, soothing her pain.
The last things she registered were Yammy frozen into a flowery pillar of ice and a faint yell, "Kuchiki!"
Rukia's only regret was that she wouldn't be able to reach Ulquiorra and tell him her feelings. She summoned up his image in her mind, smiling softly at her like he had done that one time. She smiled back. His lips moved, saying her name.
"Rukia… Rukia!"
So yeah… until the next one, then!
I also want to wish you a Happy New Year! Let's make 2024 the best year yet!
朝霧 -Asagiri-