Another blanket of thick fog rolled in from the coast, swallowing all who dared to be out on the streets at this hour whole. Through the dense mist, the slightest hint of orange light flickered from torches the survivors had made with driftwood from the shoreline. Intertwining with the faint notion of footsteps and gentle crackling of flames, a series of groans sounded from the center of the deserted town. A small lull of silence followed the gulf of noises, but was quickly torn apart by a blood-curdling scream that sliced the night air like a knife.
Further down from the growing chaos, Orihime slipped between a pair of split beams of a building at the dock front. It looked abandoned for the most part, the blood splattered against the rubble outside dried and chipping away as a result of the heavy humidity. She assumed that whomever had taken up shelter here previously had already fled to another zone.. or so she hoped. It felt like it’d been an eternity since she’d entered a place that was littered with monsters.
How long had she been here anyway? She’d lost count of the days, of the hours and of the minutes that her time had been spent here. Her new life was an endless blur of time and space, the muddied thoughts in her head about as clear as the perpetually dismal terrain around her.
“.. I know that they said that monsters came out at night, but I never imagined that they’d be all over the place like this..”
The lithe-framed girl allowed herself a small sigh as she pushed open the doors of the abandoned building, surveying her surroundings before pressing forward. She’d been exploring a good part of the city during the afternoon, but now that night had fallen she had no idea where to go or what to do. She couldn’t just keep wandering around like this, but she really wasn’t --
“I -- I’m sorry.. I didn’t think that anyone would be in here..” she said once she made a sharp turn down a nearby corridor, her grayish hues locking on a rather colorful nearby figure that seemed to be following suit with glancing around.
In the midst of the dismal scene, a lone figure stands out — tangerine tresses fluttering around freely with the crisp sea breeze. She stands motionless, as if attempting to blend in with the eerily stillness that the night has to offer. A few moments pass as she surveys the area and then breaks out into an almost-sprint to hide in the shadows of a nearby building.
Shaded silhouettes pass her as she watches from her currently place and she swallows down a lump in her throat. Her heart and mind begin racing as she claws at her unkempt appearance in an attempt to desperately recall the memories from before. A million questions run through her mind, but she can’t keep herself calm enough to even try to answer them. Why was she here? How did she get here? She’d been standing beside her comrades in battle, readying herself for the next attack.. and then there was a giant flash of light… and now she was here.
Had she really been unable to react to the sudden onslaught? Was this really the consequence of not being able to defend herself? To defend her friends? That she truly was dead and she’d never be able to see her them again? What was —
“O-- Oh, wait!”
Emerging from the other side of the street she takes notice of a male who seems to be different than the other figures wandering around. His appearance is a bit much in contrast of her own, but she isn’t about to let that stop her.
So, without wasting another moment -- she springs off towards the man in an attempt to flag him down before he vanishes like the others into the night.
Hello there, everyone! It’s nice to meet you. I’ll probably make a mun introduction and everything like that shortly, but please feel free to like this and I’ll make us a starter. I’ll cap right now at 3-4 and length will most likely vary.
In the midst of the giant maze that was known as Las Noches, Orihime Inoue paused in her sprinting, panting desperately as she tried to regain control of her breathing. She was clad in the white-washed attire she had once worn, but her appearance resembled more of her current appearance now the it had a few months prior. Her hair was longer with a slight curl, albeit knotted from her recent dash, and her hairpins were no longer at their respected sides on either side of her temples - instead, they opted to hug the space closest to her chest.
A few moments of still silence passed before the walls surrounding her began to bleed, the slow dripping catching her attention from the corner of her eyes. The pure white suddenly began to stain, more red spilling effortlessly from the cracks near the ceiling. Orihime side-stepped, unsure of how this was happening as she whirled around to find the cause of it all.
The steady waterfall continued and she moved backwards until her body collided with another wall that was beginning to close in on her. In the distance, a dark chuckle surrounded her and she heard a dangerous voice that followed closely behind.
“Smile.”
Orihime’s eyes snapped open, her breathing ragged and sparse as she gasped for air. Her hands flew to her chest, to her arms and then to her face as she made sure that she hadn’t sustained any injuries. Steely hues quickly surveyed her dark surroundings, assuming that she’d be in the confines of her once colorless prison.. but she wasn’t there.
There was no lone couch that she was sleeping on, no cart of flavorless food to her right and no towering walls that encircled her. Instead, she was met with the sight of her slightly disheveled bedroom. A pillow tossed and abandoned on the far side of the room.
“.. A dream,” she said to herself, attempting to calm her racing heart as she reached out to play with the ends of her comforter. “It was just a dream..”
Orihime felt herself let out another breath, her shaky hues surveying the area once more. How long had it been since she’d had a dream that resembled such a dark and dismal place? How many nights had she been able to sleep soundly? Surely it had been some time since she’d allowed herself to recall such a painful memory.
After all, ever since she’d arrived home from the sandy dunes of Hueco Mundo, she had been plagued with countless scenarios of what could of changed had she acted quicker or more efficiently. The night terrors had been so great that they’d been provoking her grades to drop, her mind racing in all sorts of different directions at all times.
Though, it’d been at least a good two months since she’d reminded herself of such things… so why was she suddenly recalling such awful events now?
Orihime kicked the covers she’d nearly drawn to her chest away from her, relishing in the coolness from the nearby air conditioner she had just installed. The days of summer were quickly approaching and she’d gone all out this year to ensure she’d be comfortable. Her schedule had been so packed between hours at the bakery and her studies that she figured the least she could do was treat herself to a refreshing place to rest.
“Maybe if I get a glass of water, I’ll be able to calm down a little,” she called out to the empty room, removing herself from the bed and starting towards the living room. The young fairy wielder weaved through the dinning room, careful to avoid bumping into the chairs that always seemed to be in her way. She rounded about a corner and headed towards the kitchen… though something caught her eye before she made it here.
Orihime passed by the small stand near the television in which her brothers picture was, his smiling profile illuminated by the light of the crescent moon shinning in from the large window. Beside the wooden frame was a small glass jar, neatly painted with a vibrant emerald green that almost looked a little out of place in her pastel-toned quarters.
Her nimble fingers reached out and hesitantly traced the lid to the jar which held a small heap of ashes.
To be honest, she had even thought it a little peculiar herself that she was holding onto them after all this time. It’d been months since she’d returned back to the World of the Living and even longer since she’d been convinced -- almost forced -- to give up the dream of reviving her forgotten keeper. Chad had encouraged her to move on from the past while Uryuu worried about her health with having such an item in her household. Ichigo hadn’t said much to her about it, perhaps still feeling guilty for how the battle between the two of the had ended and Rukia had put her two cents in that there was nothing left for her there.
Even Uruhara and Yourichi had stopped by a few times, gently trying to push her in the direction of handing over the ashes of the Cuatro Espada to Soul Society for research -- which she politely declined each and every time they’d come to inquire about.
“.. You weren’t even in that dream, Ulquiorra,” she whispered to the glass, feeling a heavy weight fall onto her heart. It ached every time she recalled his outstretched hand, seeking her own before it withered away into a pile of dust. “.. If only I had been quicker and not so involved with Kurosaki-kun.. I would have been able to save you..”
Orihime moved so she was facing the tiny glass creation with her whole body, her hands outstretched like his had once been as she wrapped them around the body of the urn-like container. She’d gone through hell and back in an attempt to revive him, even going so far as to seek the help of the Visored, but it was to no avail. No one was able to assit her and for the most part, no one had really wanted to indulge her in such a fantasy.
The young girl tightened her grip, trying to rid herself of the negative thoughts that were circling around her.If only she’d been a little quicker, a little stronger, a little more sensible… if only she’d been able to convince her friends that the being whom had attempted to kill them wasn’t really as horrible as they thought. If only they had taken her more serious and hadn’t assumed she was just experiencing some strange, forlorn experience since she’d spent so much time with him. If only she had reached out to him sooner… if only…
‘If you’re not done when I return, I’ll kill a human for every minute of your continued defiance,’ he did not relish himself in carnage, or bathe himself in the blood of victims, but the Cuarta was not beneath squandering the lives of those he deemed disposable. Especially those of the living; with their petty lifespans, their egregious, insolent natures, and their misconceptions of self-importance, they were arguably more unbearable than the Shinigami. Regardless, Ulquiorra didn’t dally on such tenuous divides – he had a responsibility, one he would execute without delay, and with a direction and obeisance befitting of his capacities.
‘— You have from now.’
His departure was unceremonious; no riddance, no farewells, nothing but the uninviting, alloy egress gearing open, and then shifting to an equally rapid close. The rough, grating transition of the door was sweeping, and sudden, swarming the young girl in darkness.
Once the heavy door had been swept shut, darkness enveloped her like a thick miasma. She could still hear him, his emotionless voice echoing in the wake of his leave, but she found herself immobile. Orihime stared unseeingly at where he’d standing a few moments prior, a pregnant pause filling the void before she turned on her heel and moved towards the clothing he’d left for her.
As much as she would of liked to believe that no harm would come to anyone, she knew that his threats were not that of empty ones. She’d witnessed it first hand, only hours ago, when he’d come to retrieve her during her travels to the Soul Society. The copper scent of blood filled her nostrils as she recalled the look of anguish on the two soul reapers who had been so mercilessly cut down in front of her. They’d simply been assigned to guide her on her way, but he had made an unannounced appearance and had no qualms in quickly disposing of them. Even in her attempts to heal them, revive them from the wounds they had sustained, he had merely told her that it was pointless to reject the fate of those who were so gravely injured.
And if she didn’t cooperate with him, he would only bring more mutilation to those she cherished.
In your hands, you hold the rope keeping the guillotine safely above the necks of your friends.
Orihime felt her hands tighten around the white material, it’s bright contrast shinning in the dim light of the crescent moon. If she could follow through with her original plan of obeying both Aizen and these Arrancar, then she could hopefully find a way to destroy their source of power. If she could just manage to find a way to seek it out and destroy it, then she could return back to the place where she belonged. She would be able to protect those who always sacrificed themselves to guard her from harm. She would be able to ensure the safety of both the Soul Society and those in the World of the Living.
Aware that she must of at least spent two whole minutes lost in her own thoughts, the fairy wielder made quick work of switching her clothing. The new wardrobe fit perfectly, something she was curious about, but did not want to question, and resembled that of the same outfit that Ulquiorra and the others wore. It was a bit different, of course, more modest in comparison to the other females she’d seen in her short walk here, but still very much the same. Her hands ran down the smooth material, wondering if it’d been ironed before her arrival. Had they assumed she would of come quietly regardless and prepared this for her? Or were they planning on stripping her down and forcing her to wear this even if she put up a fight?
With less than thirty seconds to spare, the prisoner neatly folded her clothes and set them on the table, approaching the door to inform her keeper that she had finished getting changed.
“I’m finished now,” she called out once she reached the doorframe, her knuckles brushing against the smooth surface to signal he could come in now. She could tell by his posture previously that he was no doubt disgusted by her request to have him leave, but she did appreciate that he ended up doing so.
What am I thinking..? Orihime quickly shook her head and took a few steps back, crossing the room towards her clothing. There was no way that someone like the man.. person.. thing… before her was interested in her modesty. Hadn’t he informed her that he had been designated the task of looking after her? Maybe he’d only left the room because Aizen had instructed him to do so… which meant he could instruct him to dispose of both her and her friends when necessary.
She would make sure that something like that would not happen…
The young girl turned to face the door once more, steeling her resolve to stay confident despite the circumstances. She knew that she would find a way out of here and that she would prevail as good always did over evil. There was no mistaking that. She just had to believe, have a tremendous amount of faith in bother herself and in her friends.
Arms still crossed, a subtle head tilt was accompanied by that same grin not diminishing in the least. Her best friend of years could be pretty amusing even if she didn’t try at all. Eyes quickly flitting over some tiny details in Orihime’s appearance, a hum was let out softly as she tapped one of her temples, eyes laughing along.
“ Putting unimportant stuff aside, I have just one question. That combo.” she pointed towards the girl’s feet, where the mismatched pair of footwear stood out if one just looked close enough. “ Was it intentional~?”
Not being able to help herself now that they could finally relax a bit, she took on a teasing tone, ruffling auburn locks gently in the process.
“ You look like a mess, ‘hime.”
Shaking her head in disapproval, one look at the corners of her mouth that curved upwards was enough to know the comment wasn’t serious at all.
Having known the girl for pretty much most of her childhood, when her friend was still soft spoken and easily walked over, she had made it her job to act as the protector in their tightly knit bond. But lately, it seemed she was needed less and less. It was a saddening thought, even if it meant Orihime could properly stand up for herself now. But that wasn’t what she was here for right now. A quick shake of the head and an mental slap to the face to rid herself of unwanted feelings, she turned around as dark locks fell back against her back.
Squinting against the mild rays of the sun, a hand shielded her eyes against them as she addressed the other girl, an upbeat tone to her voice.
“Seems we’re lucky today! So, where’re we going?”
Orihime suddenly blinked as her friend gestured to her lower half, specifically more so to her footwear then anything. Once the other girl had noticed exactly what she had put on, she burst out into another fit of giggles, albeit with a slightly rosy glow on her cheeks. Leave it to Tatsuki to point out exactly when she was being her ususal, silly self.
“Maybe I’ll start a new trend or something? They’ll even want to interview me in a magazine! You could be my sponsor, Tatsuki-chan, you know.. like when they endorsed celebrities for sports drinks? You always used to get so excited when those kinds of commercials came on!”
She recalled the days of their younger years where, shortly after Sora’s death, she spent a great deal of time at Tatsuki’s house. It was always so much fun that she hated when it was time to leave. They studied together, ate together -- watching hilarious comedy shows was always one of their favorite pastimes. Orihime could still remember how excited Tatsuki would get when a star athlete made an appearance.
“Since it’s so nice out, why don’t we go get ice cream and go for a walk in the park? Then we can maybe go to the arcade or something… I haven’t been there in forever!”
The auburn haired girl took the intuitive and started down the street, clasping her best friends hand in her own as she tugged her along. It really had been a while since they’d been able to relax like this, so she was very much looking forward to it.
“How has practice been going? I’ve been seeing you run laps around the track everyday after school!”
Clattering footsteps were addressed with no words as the Espada were gathered for the second meeting of the evening. The ceremony was as usual, brief. However, Starrk was personally ordered to stay behind as his comrades scuffled out as they came. Personal orders were addressed and he was issued with a task he, and Aizen himself, knew were obscure for the Primera.
‘ Watch over Inoue.’
Orders were as given and required no second thoughts. Without a word Starrk escorted himself out. Starrk sighed, personally, he found himself unfit for the task. His normal, unenthusiastic attitude generally did not settle well with others. However, he was seemingly a better gamble than Nnoitra. A sense of reasoning came over him, nevertheless, he was still upset with the choice.
Finding his way back to his Barracks, he notified Lilynette of his orders. She decided to remain at the Barracks rather than escorting ‘some girl’ around, which further aggravated the Primera. Reestablishing his priorities, Starrk returned back to inspected the whereabouts of Miss Inoue.
❝ There you are… ❞ His words were firm but relaxed. ❝Is this an appropriate time for a walk, Inoue? ❞
To be honest, she should of known better that with her regular keeper gone for the remainder of the day that she might of been able to experience a little more freedom. Even if he had granted her the permission of being able to take a walk - a rare feat enough in itself - it still didn’t signify that the songbird would be released from her cage. As the nihilistic Espada had so blandly told her, she was nothing more then a pawn that would be disposed of when she was of no more use to their lord.
And it wasn’t just him who had thought that either, it was everyone.
“Ah, I’m sorry.. I suppose it isn’t,” she said, almost sounding a little defeated, but she attempted to regard him with a small smile. Even if the entire place held the same color scheme and was similar, it was still nice to be away from her room. She could only stare out at the moon for so long or try to regain some of her energy by napping on the couch there.
“.. Will Ulquiorra be gone for a while..?” she asked as she made her way back towards her room, curious that he had been replaced by the Primera before her. She didn’t mind the change of company, but it was bizarre to think that Aizen would of assigned him another task besides watching her.
“.. Oh, and that little girl isn’t with you today?”
His feet lead him to the location in which he could feel her spiritual pressure ( only faintly, but he was relieved to notice that he hadn’t lost all of his abilities ), a place that suited her all too well. The colors in the bakery were overwhelming – along with the scent of freshly baked pastery. Ulquiorra had never visited such an establishment before, making him glance around for a moment as the ringing of the bell above his head died away only to set his eyes on the orange-haired female at the counter. Unlike him, she fit into the place quite neatly – carrying a bright smile on her face that he hadn’t set eyes upon while she was kept in Hueco Mundo. However, her smile faded away ( and she seemed to grow pale, additionally ) all too quickly, making the ravenette frown slightly. Why, he truly couldn’t expect any more of her but such a reaction. Despite her statement that she hadn’t been scared of her, Ulquiorra was still the one that abducted that – that threatened to feed her by force, to kill her the moment she wasn’t needed anymore. The one that took the life of one of her friends not only once, but twice. The one that was supposed to be dead but miraculously returned from the dead.
“—-Don’t look at me with such a shocked face, woman. I didn’t expect this outcome, as well.” His voice was as unperturbed as it had always been, his hands sliding into the pockets of the black pants he was wearing.
”I didn’t intend to interrupt your work. If you are busy, tell me so and I will leave at once.”
Without warning, a flood of emotions hit her with an overwhelming power similar to that of a tidal wave. Her breath suddenly became baited, her skin producing what felt like a thousand goosebumps as her heart thumped wildly against her chest. She felt her hair stand up on the back of her neck, honey-glazed hues staring unseeingly right at the figure before her. The ramming of her organ against her rib cage continued before she felt it rise up, nearly getting suck in her throat. For nothing but a moment, her mind became an endless fog and her strength nearly left her, causing her to support herself with the counter as she felt something akin to a dizzy spell come over her.
It was as if the entire world had fell into an eerie trance, silence so deafening that she couldn't even hear the sounds of the pop music playing from the radio overhead.
Orihime quickly tried to gain her composure a few seconds later, still gripping tightly at the edge of the marble counter top as she leaned over the inspect the stranger once more. She was struggling to come to terms with the fact that her once keeper had suddenly materialized himself in front of her. Well, he had actually come in through the customer entrance, but that wasn’t the point --
Was he not dead? He’d certainly seemed to have died last time she’d saw him, a memory that brought her an immense amoutn of pain whenever it surfaced. She could recall it now as if it were yesterday -- the barren wasteland that was the white dunes of Hueco Mundo, the stench of carnage fresh in the air from the recent battle, the wind blowing all around her, sweat and tears mingling together, an outstretched hand, a pair of piercing, vibrant green eyes that seemed almost out of place in such a world.. the feeling of sand slipping through her fingers as she desperately tried to cling to the fingers before her..
How in the world had he gotten here? How had he been able to find her? Why couldn’t she detect his presence? What was he wearing? A Gigai? Skinny jeans? Why did he look so similar to that of a human? Was he a human? No, no.. surely, he wouldn’t of wanted to be associated with them to this degree. Had she been in an accident and died herself? Was this what she saw before she entered the land of the nonliving? She’d always thought she’d die in the aftermath of an alien war.. but had her cooking creations poisoned her? Was it really not a good idea to mix wasabi powder and buttermilk? But they had tasted so wonderful..had they really betrayed her?!
“What?! No, no.. don’t go! I’m not busy, really! I’m almost done with my shift, ah! Just don’t move, okay?!” She cried out, a little more hysterical then she would of liked to as he addressed her. It earned her a curious call from the back which she immediately dismissed before scurrying around the counter to approach him, nearly knocking another display over in her frantic wake.
With no signs of fear, or consideration for ones personal space, she closed in on his proximity and began her inspection once again. She gently pulled at his clothes, testing the fabric between her fingers. The material felt as real as what she was wearing, but she couldn’t be sure that this was really him. That he could really be here.
How in the world could he of been in front of her right now? After so many nights of wondering, after so many days of wondering if she should search.. of hating herself for not being able to be strong enough..
“Is it.. really you.. Ulquiorra..?”
She asked quietly, her voice dropping down a few octaves as her eyes scanned his entire being, He seemed to be standing there so casually, so nonchalant - as if the fact that he had made his sudden appearance was nothing really out of the ordinary. Her hues searched his own before drifting downward again, settling on his pocketed hands.
The same hands that had threatened to tear out her heart so he could more thoroughly examine it.. the same ones that had injured and nearly killed her comrades.. the same ones that gave her the bracelet that started the whole thing..the same hands that she hadn’t been able to grasp in time to save him..
I want h o n e s t opinions about how I portray my character. If there’s a constructive criticism, I’d like to read it. If you’re too shy to say it, you can tell it with the anon on.
The minutes crept by slower and slower with each passing day...
She had been granted permission to take a walk, the closing feeling of the room wearing on her second by second. Orihime had assumed Ulquiorra would have been keeping an eye on her during her walk, but he had seemed to of left her somewhere down the line. The optimism in her heart wondered if maybe he felt the need to leave her alone, but it was stricken down by the sense that her keeper didn’t feel such human emotions. Maybe he really didn’t feel the need to watch her. After all, escape was inevitable and she knew fairly well that attempting to break down walls wasn’t going to do her any good.
Though, she did recall him saying something about having to take a leave for the day..
She paused somewhere down the corridor, her footing ceasing in its echo for but a moment before she glanced down at the floor. Her once shinning honey eyes glazed over with red; the sleepless nights of endless crying suddenly falling rather heavy on her shoulders as she trotted. Broken fingernails traced their way against her cheek.
How much longer would she be held captive here? Would it be for an eternity? For another day? For another year? In all actuality, her stay here hadn’t been more then a few days, but it felt so much longer. She wondered if maybe it was due to the everlasting night that hung overhead here, making her feel as if this nightmare never ended and the sun would never rise again.
Orihime sighed gently, turning on her heel to head back to her room before she caught sight of something out of the corner of her eye. A tall man with dark auburn hair leaning against the nearby wall -- he looked oddly human for someone who was supposed to be an Espada. However, from what Ulquiorra had told her, this was.. the most powerful of them all, she assumed.
Whom of which would be keeping an eye on her for the rest of the day.
“I’d have to disagree with you on that.” He remarked; “Inoue-san aside, I’d appreciate it much more if they’d stop their pointless blabbering and start actually focusing on their handicrafts.” He’d know.
“I suppose you’re right.. but sometimes everyone is having so much fun that they just get carried away! I guess we should all be a little more serious, heh. I guess that’s why you’re the president, right Ishida-kun?” Let’s make some bunny costumes soon.
Perking up once she heard her name being called out from quite a distance away, brown eyes focused on the soft spoken girl that was making her way over currently. Holding back a small chuckle, Tatsuki did nothing about the large grin on her face, however. Even since they’d been little girls and their friendship had still been in it’s blooming stages, Orihime had already been a bit of a klutz. It was endearing in a way, and something that added to her innocent charm.
Raising one of her own arms high up in the air, the other hand cupped around her mouth so that it would allow her voice to carry over a further distance.
“Heeeeeeeeeey! Over here!”
Not one to be very discreet in her actions to begin with, the stares that little action attracted didn’t bother her much. Dark hard swaying over her shoulders lightly as the chuckle broke through anyway, hands were perched on slender hips once her friend had finally reached her, slightly flustered appearance and everything.
“ It’s okay, I didn’t wait long.”
In truth, she had waited for quite some time, having arrived earlier than expected. But she figured that was mostly her own fault. Just the chance to finally spend time again, together, just the two of them. That was what mattered. After all this time that was enough to spur her on and forget a couple of minutes extra spent under the rays of the sun. She’d really missed Orihime. That was all that counted right now.
“You okay though? You almost fell back there, during that collision.”
The tangerine-haired girl let out a long sigh after she finally managed to regain bearings, her slender fingers falling from her chest before retreating back to their respective side near her hip. As soon as she managed to calm down from her sudden mad dash, she let out a string of small giggles, sheepishly rubbing the back of her head
“Oh man, you saw that? I really didn’t meant to bump into him,” she smiled, feeling a little embarrassed that she’d been caught in the midst of her panic. The poor guy, if she ever saw him again, she’d have to be sure to apologize properly. “It was just.. when I saw what time it was, I totally freaked out!”
For the most part, aside from her slightly disheveled hair, one would assume that she would of taken a good amount of time to get ready for the outing. However, if one would of looked a bit more closely - specifically at her socks; one with tigers in bow ties and the other with small bunnies - they would see that the optimistic girl had been anything but prepared.
“It’s so nice out today though,” she chirped happily, spreading her arms as she soaked in the spring sunlight. “We sure lucked out with the weather!”
The forecast hadn’t seemed so forgiving lately, the sudden spring showers being a usual downer.. but it seemed that fate had smiled down on the two girls today. Perhaps it had sensed their exciemtnet in finallybeing able to hang out after all this time.
