Bleach Porno Story: Drown Into Me

Chapter 13

Nel had never liked centipedes. Frankly, she thought a creature had no business having that many legs, and all that scuttling creeped her out somewhat. However, as she dodged one of Loly’s poison-dripping arms and lashed out with Gamuza, meeting empty air, she was rapidly developing an even stronger prejudice against those particular bugs.

Loly’s resurrecion had given her body armour and multiple poisonous limbs, neither of which were developments that Nel approved of. Nel could only heal herself so far, and she had a nasty suspicion that her abilities did not cover corrosive materials to the skin. At least, though, she still had Gamuza in her release form, and four legs to keep her stable. Nel dreaded to think how much pain she’d be in if she had to block those venomous arms with her own…

Twisting around, she swallowed a cero and spat it back out, only to grimace as Loly dodged it, scampering away, all legs at full speed.

That’s why I hate anyone with more legs than me. Too bloody good at manoeuvring. Not to mention Nnoitora and the whole bug thing…

Yeah, definitely not a fan.

Damn it. I’m stronger than her and I could finish this quickly, but I can’t afford to sustain too many injuries here. Kami only knows who or what I’m facing after this and, even if I can avoid any other opponents, I’ll need medical treatment pretty damn quickly if I get poisoned.

With a hiss, Nel brought up Gamuza to block the two claws headed in her direction. The two women stood there, locked together by arm and lance, staring one another down. Nel smiled sweetly, before rearing, keeping her opponent’s arms trapped. She kicked out, her forelegs meeting the armour over Loly’s stomach. The impact threw the new Espada back, wrenching her arms away from Nel as she crashed into the hall gasping.

Nel’s smile turned grim. The shell that covered Loly’s stomach had cracked noticeably.

One or two more hits might do it. It’s a difficult shot though, and she’ll be even more wary of it after that last trick. Still… Yes, it does seem to be my best bet.

Screaming with rage, Loly pushed herself off the wall, firing cero as rapidly as she could. Dodging easily, Nel couldn’t restrain a grin.

Someone’s losing their temper. Of course, she’ll be more dangerous, but also more liable to make mistakes…

Leaping over another bolt of cero, Nel spun Gamuza in her hands as she wheeled around to face her opponent, only to find her opponent already there. Her eyes widened as she brought her lance up to defend, only to feel a distinct sting and burn in her left foreleg. Loly grinned up at her, one of her claws piercing the muscle in Nel’s thigh.

Nel’s eyes narrowed. With a growl she whipped Gamuza around, slicing through the leg that had hurt her and ignoring Loly’s yell of pain and rage as the limb severed. Nel kicked out once more, bringing Gamuza’s hilt down on the weak point in Loly’s armour and dislodging a piece. The two women sprang apart, nursing their injuries and staring each other down once more.

Nel winced, as she felt the poison start to seep through her, even as she pulled the offending limb out of her leg.

So much for her making mistakes. That was far too careless of me. Still, I now have a shot to aim for… Ulquiorra, why couldn’t you have pissed off someone weak and easy to deal with?

Ulquiorra… I hope he’s all right.

Gritting her teeth, Nel hefted her weapon and sprang into battle once more.

Only one way to find out…

xXx

Ulquiorra, on the other hand, was busy trying to focus on the conversation at hand, rather than the waves of power he could feel from where Nel was currently engaged. This was definitely not a situation in which he could afford to be distracted. He stood silently in the meeting room, trying to decide how to proceed. In front of him were an Espada who had once been the closest thing he had to a friend, and another who he suspected was more than a little mad. Both of them could rip him to shreds, either individually or together – he had no illusions about that. They were, however, showing no inclination towards that particular path. Indeed, Wonderweiss in particular seemed to be waiting for him to make the next move.

Attempting to fight will get me killed. If I were at all disposed toward flight, I might consider trying that, but I don’t think I could live with myself if I ran. Besides, I doubt if that would do me much good. No, the best idea is to make a push to discover why they lured us here…

If it’s questions they want me to ask, where do I begin? What was the last thing Wonderweiss said? …That he had manoeuvred us to bring us here. Wait. Us, or me?

Ulquiorra looked up to meet the dull violet eyes of Yammy’s companion.

“So”, Ulquiorra began, “you have us all in Las Noches, where you want us. Why is it only I that you’ve sought out?”

Wonderweiss gave a cold smile. “It was you in particular that we wished to speak with. We have, since the end of the war, made attempts to reach out to the remnants of Aizen-sama’s army. Naturally, your new connections to the Soul Society have made this difficult, but this mission of yours has provided us with a unique opportunity to make the offer we wished to.”

“Indeed, that much is obvious.” Ulquiorra raised an eyebrow. “But that doesn’t explain why I am your target.”

“Coyote Stark is a broken man and no longer a true warrior. Neliel Tu Oderschvank has made it clear that the Soul Society is her home and she has no intention of being elsewhere. Grimmjow Jeagerjacques is an unpredictable hooligan”, Wonderweiss intoned dryly. “Surely you can see the truth in these assessments. However, you have always been the consummate professional in this and a loyal devotee to Aizen-sama’s aims. The man himself may be dead, but his ultimate goal lives on.”

Wonderweiss paused, looking him over. “We have decided to overlook your betrayal. After all, you were left at the mercy of a woman with god-like abilities, and an Espada’s first duty is to survive. You did what you had to.”

Ulquiorra nodded. “As did we all. I can fault nothing in your conclusions.”

This is supremely risky, but we need information and I cannot think of another way to obtain it. Neliel, forgive me…

Ulquiorra mirrored his companions’ cold smiles. “Very well. Let’s hear this offer, then.”

xXx

Years of battle experience had given Soi Fon the ability to assess a situation like this almost instantaneously, she reflected as Grimmjow and Akon’s blades met once more in front of her. Therefore, she was able to put the various facts together. Firstly, while Grimmjow was stronger than Akon, there were several impediments to a simple victory.

Actually, just one – me. As long as I’m still without access to my spiritual power, I’m a liability. As long as I’m a liability, Akon will continue to target me in this fight. And as long as Akon targets me, Grimmjow will focus on defending me, rather than winning this fight.

In short, we are probably screwed.

Damn it! I need Suzumebachi back, NOW. I need my reiatsu. I’m sick of just being a fucking target and burden. I am a Captain of the Gotei 13, not some snivelling weakling who cowers at the sight of a member of the Eleventh Division!

Throwing herself to the side as a cero ripped past her original position, Soi Fon flinched as Grimmjow roared and tried to backhand Akon.

He’s letting his temper get the better of him and there’s nothing I can do. He shouldn’t even be here and the last thing I want is from him to be hurt on my behalf. Oh Kami, I’m in so deep it isn’t funny. Fuck, I wish I could summon Suzumebachi. She may be an annoying little shit, but she’s a damn fine weapon. Not that I plan on letting her know that.

I really hate this.

Akon dove toward her, only to be blocked once more by an enraged Grimmjow, sword swinging in one hand and cero blasting from the other. Akon was forced to use both hands to block the stroke, but dodged back when Grimmjow’s cero-lit hand swung out to punch him, grazing his cheek and filling the room with the scent of burnt flesh.

Soi Fon’s nose wrinkled as both parties backed off and faced one another.

The blood loss was bad enough, but this smell is seriously nauseating. And what they hell are they up to now?

Akon was smiling grimly at both of them, his pale, thin sword pointed in the same direction as his smile.

“Really, Jeagerjacques, this surely cannot be all you have to throw at me. I had imagined that Captain Soi Fon would entrust herself to someone more… Well, more, if you catch my drift. And here you are scrabbling to defend her.”

Grimmjow stilled, a growl on his lips that twisted into a strange smile. “Yeah? Well, if it’s any consolation Akon, I’m just as in the fucken dark about Bee’s taste in men as you are. But sure, I’m holdin’ back. Don’ take a genius to figure that.” He paused, apparently giving Akon a once over. “After all, I only release Pantera when my opponent’s worth it an’ actually gonna give me a decent fight.”

Stroking his chin, Grimmjow was the perfect image of an arrancar deep in thought. “Still, I suppose I could make an exception for you. I mean, you did hurt Bee, an’ I don’t take too kindly to that. An’ you do rather piss me off…”

Thoughtfulness gave way to bloodlust on Grimmjow’s features as he started to smile. “You know what, Akon ol’ boy? I think I’ll give you a taste of what I can really do.”

“Growl, Pantera!”

A newly armoured and clawed Grimmjow settled into a fighters crouch, leaving his long hair to trail along the ground. His ears twitched, and then twitched again as he heard a distinct laugh behind him, a dark, sexy and slightly mocking chuckle that he knew came from only one woman…

“Fuck Bee, I’m savin’ your ass! You could at least have the decency not laugh at the damn ears!”

She snorted behind him. “Please, who are you to lecture on decency? And has anyone ever taken you seriously after they seen the ears?”

With a growl, he turned around. “Typically I beat the fucken insolence out of them!”

She smirked, her eyes simultaneously on him and their opponent. “Well, good luck trying to do that to me. Anyway, don’t you have a fight to win?”

“Yes, he does, but if this keeps up I’ll just behead him while he’s not looking”, Akon muttered waspishly.

Grimmjow turned around, an eyebrow raised. “You attention starved or somethin’? It ain’t always about you.”

Akon’s expression slipped into a smug smile as he looked both of them over. “No, I’m just eager to finish this. I have better things to do. At least, now that I know what I’m up against, I should be able to return to what I was doing relatively swiftly.”

His grip on his zanpakuto altered, as he held it more like a dagger than a sword. His dark eyes regarded them mockingly. “You have both been entertaining, annoyances that you were, but this ends now.”

“Ensnare, Kyoufu-Shokkou!”

The sword in Akon’s hand became even thinner, almost thread-like, but no other change appeared to manifest in the other Espada. Grimmjow let out the breath he would never admit to holding.

“You’re shittin’ me. All that lead up for this? What the fuck are you, the reincarnation of P.T. Barnum?”

A razor of a grin on his face, Akon shook his head. “And to think, Jeagerjacques, that I had previously assumed that your stupidity was largely an act. Appearances are not everything. Your captain alone is proof of that – she’s half your size and is still stronger than you could ever hope to be. But we’re discussing my zanpakuto.”

“Kyoufu-Shokkou has not altered much in my transition from shinigami to arrancar. It was originally a kido-based sword, but obviously now feeds off my cero instead. I have noticed that when a shinigami undergoes hollowfication, very little about their powers change. If they are properly changed by the hogyouku as I was, they are essentially the same, only more powerful and with a certain hunger for souls. It is only those creatures changed by Kisuke Urahara that have inner hollows and must fight to control themselves. I possess no such flaw.”

“Of course”, Grimmjow muttered dryly, “but the sword? You know, the whole point of this rant?”

Casting a glare in his opponents’ direction, Akon continued as though he had not been interrupted. “My zanpakuto has a rather interesting ability. Despite its appearance, it is a sturdy and sharp weapon however, like all zanpakutos, it functions as more than a mere sword. Kyoufu-Shokkou, the terror-weaver, helps me channel my cero blasts, making them far more accurate than they would ordinarily be, but my favourite attack is the one it takes its name from.”

Soi Fon tensed.

He seems far too pleased about this. I have the distinct feeling that we’re really not going to like what he’s about to tell us.

Akon noticed her shift uncomfortably, and focussed his cold eyes on her, forcing her to fight to suppress a shudder.

“The blasts of cero I channel through this sword, instead of simply appearing as bolts, take on the form of a spider’s web, covering even more ground and making it almost impossible for my opponent to escape. However, should any of the web touch my victim – “

“I liked it better when you said ‘opponent'”, mumbled Grimmjow, his eyes fixed on the man in front of him. Akon merely let his lips twitch into an even wider smirk.

“As I was saying, should any of the web touch you, you sustain a temporary paralysis in whatever portion of your body has been affected, leaving you frozen, as if in fear.” He hefted his sword, his eyes glittering. “Thus the name. So, shall we continue?”

Grimmjow was demonstrating a calm confidence that Soi Fon certainly did not feel. He swiftly turned back to her, giving her a tight grin. “Shoulda offed him while he was givin’ his epic monologue, huh?”

She gave him an equally shaky smile. “Might’ve been an idea.” She watched as Akon’s sword arm started to glow red with cero. “You have a plan?”

He shrugged, turning back to his opponent. “Keep you safe and pray that those drugs wear off soon. If it gets bad, Bee, run.”

She started at this. “What? You can’t seriously expect me – “

“I can and do”, he growled. He whipped around once more to face her, his eyes boring into hers. “You run Bee, and leave me if this goes south. You don’t, an’ I’ll never forgive you – got it?”

Not trusting her voice, Soi Fon nodded. His shoulders relaxed. “Good. You damn well better not have your fingers crossed behind your back, or some shit like that.” Turning back to face his opponent, Grimmjow growled out, “Alright, bitch, let’s roll!”

Soi Fon could only stand there as she watched the two Espada, the old and the new, face off against one another.

He’s mad if he thinks I’ll leave. Does he honestly think I’d get very far with no power? Or is he relying on that lack to help me pass unobserved? Either way it’s a moot point – I’m not going.

Still, I’m reassessing the situation now, and I have to say, I liked it better when we were only probably screwed.

xXx

Ulquiorra stared at his two fellow arrancar, an eyebrow raised, as he waited for what he had just heard to sink in. Inhaling sharply, he directed his gaze to Wonderweiss, who stared at him calmly, unblinking. Slowly, he pieced together his next sentence.

“Let me ensure that I understand you fully – “

Wonderweiss smiled, and nodded. “But of course, Ulquiorra. With your traditionally methodical approach, it is exactly what I would expect.”

Ulquiorra’s eyes narrowed.

It is difficult to tell whether he is mocking me, or being obsequious, and even then if he is doing it deliberately. In fact, it is generally difficult to deduce anything about what he’s thinking. That is why he’s dangerous – he’s entirely unreadable and, therefore, unpredictable. He’s just as much of a risk to have as an ally as he would be an enemy. But do I call him out on it? No – it’s too risky. He’s capable of destroying me with one hand. Best to just play along.

“Essentially, you want a spy. A mole in the Soul Society that can pass you information.”

Yammy nodded, grinning. “It’ll be just like old times. And once it’s all over, you can come back and be part of the Espada once more. We’ve left the Fourth Espada spot open for you.”

Ulquiorra nodded. “That is tempting. You do realise, however, that any chance to pass information would be limited to battle encounters. I would do what I could to leave your troops intact, but I may have to do serious damage in order to maintain my cover.”

“That has, of course, occurred to us”, Wonderweiss replied, “but we have arrancar to spare, and we desperately need eyes in the enemy camp. Previously we have relied on the information of traitor-shinigami which, while useful, tends to be only as good as their last act of loyalty toward the Seireitei. We need current updates, and this is the most obvious solution.”

Ulquiorra considered this. “There is an incredible risk for me in this plan. I run the risk of a war on both fronts, from both arrancar unaware of my position in this and from the Soul Society if they discover my treachery. What makes you think that I would be willing to take on such a role?”

Wonderweiss’ cocked his head, the same placid smile still fixed on his face. “You have expressed contempt for the inhabitants of the Seireitei numerous times. I doubt that has changed. They have taken you, one of the most powerful creatures to walk the earth, and have given you what? A lieutenancy? When you have the strength to destroy many of their captains? They do not respect or appreciate you, Ulquiorra. You won them the war, and they barely restrained themselves from killing you for your efforts.”

He paused, clearing his throat. “Loyalty goes both ways, Ulquiorra. I admit, Aizen-sama did not always treat you as he should have, and you were right to retract your allegiance, but have the Soul Society really treated you any better? We are your brothers in arms, whether you will concede that fact or not. We know what you are and what you are capable of. You are an Espada – one of the strongest. We would welcome you into our ranks once more, and we would not be quick to forget what you had done for us. But you have a choice, after all. Either decision you make, you’ll leave here unmolested by any of the current Espada. I cannot guarantee the conduct of the lesser arrancar, but you should be able to handle them. However, if you refuse, should we meet in battle…” He trailed off, his meaning clear and his wide-eyed violet gaze met Ulquiorra’s.

“So, then, what’s it to be Ulquiorra Schiffer?”

xXx

Lance and claw met, sparked and separated, leaving the two women who wielded them to step back and watch each other warily once again.

Nel was starting to worry. She’d made some headway in this battle, the various wounds and the severed leg marring Loly’s release form were testament to that. At the same time, however, things were not exactly going well for her, either. Her reactions were slower, a result of the poison, and twice now she had felt her injured leg almost give out on her. She needed to end this, and quickly, but her increasingly sluggish movements made it clear that she was in trouble.

Damn it – if it were just a matter of strength or swordsmanship we would have finished this long ago. She’s not even close to being me equal in those respects. You only need to look at us – I’ve only got one wound and she’s covered in them! But no, she has to have a Kami-damned soporific poison dripping from her skin to even things up!

This isn’t good. If I don’t end this soon, no amount of power or ability is going to make up for the fact that my arms don’t move when I tell them to. I don’t have time to heal myself, and even if I did – what would I heal? The original wound? It might close up and stop looking like my leg is rotting, but the poison itself will have spread too far now…

Dodging, and narrowly avoiding a slash aimed at her eyes, Nel grimaced at the triumphant expression on her opponent’s face.

The bitch knows it, too. She can tell I’m weakening, moving slower. How do I get myself into these situations?

Well, Ulquiorra, now that I think about it.

Maybe this is his subtle payback for being forced to handle my paperwork.

Trying to ignore the slightly hysterical urge to laugh, Nel blocked a thrust at her abdomen with Gamuza, spinning and kicking out into Loly’s side with her hind legs. She couldn’t help but feel a sense of smug satisfaction as her hooves made contact and the slighter woman swore.

That felt good. Ok, so I don’t have a lot of time here. What targets do I have? There’s some armour missing on her left, another patch up near her ribs and that one in the centre of her stomach… the last one’s the hardest to get to, but it is the one most likely to finish this, and that’s what I need right now.

She’ll be careful about taking any further hits there, though. I need to throw her off guard, give her no chance to think about it. I’ll need to move quickly – I’ll probably only get one shot.

Kami, I hope this works.

Ducking under claws, Nel punched out, catching the younger Espada in the jaw and leaving her to flail back against the wall. She stepped back, trying to avoid Loly’s arms, only to feel the tip of one scrape across her cheek. She winced, as she charged up a cero.

Oh well, I was already poisoned.

Here’s hoping this is actually effective…

Readying her lance, Nel gathered all her strength and poured it into the cero she shot into the ceiling above Loly. The scorn on her opponent’s face gave way as plaster and stone started to fall. Instinctively, the other Espada raised her arms to protect herself, leaving her body undefended.

NOW!

Muscles protesting, Nel aimed and launched her lance, watching it as it arced away from her, hitting its target exactly.

Loly stood there, a dazed look on her face as she took in the lance that pierced her stomach, attaching her to the wall. She looked up at Nel, a mixture of hatred and disbelief on her face as she spoke through the blood dripping from her mouth, breaking the sudden silence and stillness.

“Through the stomach? Again? You’re fucken shitting me – “

That was the moment that the rest of the roof chose to give way. Nel’s eyes widened as a chunk of rock struck her behind the ear. Her vision dimming, she struggled to stay upright, before realising that she was definitely fighting a losing battle. She slumped to the ground, losing hold of her release form and shifting back, as the rubble continued to fall, feeling her conscious mind slip away.

Fuck. This could be a problem…

xXx

Grimmjow swore loudly as he dodged another cero blast, ignoring Soi Fon’s protests as he shoved her down and, hopefully, out of range.

Bee mightn’t like gettin’ babied in a fight, but she’s just gonna have to deal with it. Any other time I’d back her against anyone. Hell, even with just her strength and speed I reckon she could take out a hell of a lotta hollows. But with no spiritual pressure an’ after being chained up and beaten… By this fucker, no less.

I really don’ like him. Hell, I’m half hopin’ Bee gets her strength back so she can pitch in, and half hopin’ she gets her strength back so I can watch her take revenge on this pompous little prick. She’s not enjoyin’ the whole ‘helpless’ thing.

All the more reason to inflict me some pain.

With a roar, Grimmjow pounced, dodging the web-cero Akon shot in his direction and reaching out with his claws, only to be met with Akon’s zanpakuto and decidedly smug expression.

“I did warn you that may sword was still just as effective as a close range weapon, did I not? Perhaps, Jeagerjacques, you should have paid slightly more attention.”

Refusing to rise to the bait, Grimmjow merely smirked, before kicking out at Akon’s stomach with his equally clawed foot. The force of the kick threw him away from his opponent and opened up a rather nasty cut on Akon’s stomach, leaving him to bleed over his crisp, white uniform. The blue-haired arrancar’s smile widened.

Got him just like he got Bee. Now, if I could give him a matching punch to the face, that’d be pretty fucken sweet…

Before he could start to vocalise his gloating, Akon shot off yet another web-cero, this one aimed perfectly and directly at Grimmjow. Throwing himself to the side and ignoring whatever Soi Fon was yelling at him (the phrase ‘arrogant, overconfident ass’ may have been bandied about), Grimmjow winced as he felt a tendril of the web touch his stomach and the muscles located there seized up.

Shit. Not as bad as if he’d gotten a limb, but that’s gonna make dodging this shit a fuckload harder.

Soi Fon crouched behind some of the rubble from the wall that Grimmjow had destroyed and tried to figure out how they were going to get out of here alive.

Suzumebachi, any time soon would be great, damn you! We’re bordering on actually screwed here and I don’t plan on going out like this, let alone taking Grimmjow with –

She inhaled sharply as something faint, but still defiantly present flickered at the edge of her consciousness. Sinking lower behind her shield of debris, she smiled grimly.

Soon. Now I can only hope that it happens before it’s too late for Grimm.

Damn it, why do all those mad scientist types have to possess bizarre and poisonous zanpakutos? Is it some sort of unwritten rule? At least Kisuke’s isn’t so bad…

A yell from Grimmjow brought her back to herself, as she leapt away an instant before cero smashed into her previous hiding place. Moving swiftly, she ducked to avoid another blast, while Grimmjow settled himself between her and their attacker, shooting off cero of his own and growling at her over his shoulder, “Damn it Bee, you’re distracting enough! Stay the fuck outta trouble!”

“Working on it”, she replied through gritted teeth. Any other time she’d beat the hell out of a subordinate who spoke that way to her, but in this case…

Well, it is Grimmjow. Somehow, none of my rules ever seem to apply to him, no matter how much I wish they would.

Satisfied that Soi Fon was safe enough, for the moment, Grimmjow turned his attention back to battle, catching Akon’s blade in one arm guard and slicing at the scientist with his free arm. Feeling a definite sense of satisfaction as the blade sunk into skin, Grimmjow’s eyes widened as he realised that Akon’s blade was charging up to release another cero. Desperately he tried to pull away, Akon’s grin widening as he watched the other Espada discover that his arm was trapped. In a last ditch effort before Akon fired, Grimmjow swivelled on the stop, leaving only one side of his body open for attack.

Akon’s cero shot out, throwing Grimmjow back against the wall in a shower of plaster and dust. Readying himself for the final blow, Akon waited for the dust to clear only to recoil, seeing no opponent where there should have been one. Instead, an electric blue glow appeared from behind him, as Grimmjow – charred, barely mobile, but still grinning psychotically – stood there, the light emanating from his hands.

“It’s called Desgarron”, the arrancar informed Akon blithely. “A personal favourite in my arsenal. Essentially it just blasts anything I claw at, but it’s got a pretty impressive range.”

Fighting the urge to roll his eyes, Akon relaxed. “Honestly Jeagerjacques, have you no ability to think beyond the next move? You can only use this attack once in your current state, and then you’ll be next to useless. You’re mostly paralysed and exhausted. Once you use this last of your spiritual power, you’re done. And you lack the mobility to hit me properly, unless I just stand still, which I assure you, I’m not going to – “

A sudden wave of reiatsu cut him off, as he choked at the sudden pressure, whipping around to stare at the petite woman on his left, a sadistic grin on her face and a naked sword in her hand.

Soi Fon stepped forward, a smirk on her face that exceeded anything that even Grimmjow at his most smug could dredge up. “I guess I’ve been spending too much time with Grimm, but the only thing I can think of to say to you right now is – surprise, fucker. Now, Grimm!”

Akon’s eyes widened, and he belatedly realised, as he felt Grimmjow’s blast approach, that he’d done just what he said he wouldn’t. Attempting to throw himself down, he felt impossible sharp claws through his stomach as the world exploded.

Hurling herself away from the point of impact, Soi Fon watched, her eyes wide, as Akon and the wall behind him seemed to spontaneously combust.

That’s one hell of an attack – I think Grimm just demolished an entire wing of Las Noches! Speaking of Grimm…

Flashing to his side, Soi Fon steadied him as he swayed on his feet, the grin still fixed on his face. Checking the extent of his injuries, she growled out any number of insults on several topics, from lieutenants that disobeyed protocol and attempted to rescue their captured captains, to idiots who got injured in battle because they lost their tempers and didn’t pay enough attention. Grimmjow stood there, enduring it all as he stared at his captain, the grin getting wider.

“Bee, don’t tell me you were worried.”

Her tirade abruptly stopped as she blushed, only to stutter out a shaky negative. He started to chuckle.

“It’s ok, Bee. I was worried too.” Slipping a hand under her chin, he drew her face up to his. “Did I mention I missed you?”

She let out a breath, a small smile on her face. “You may have brought it up.”

He nodded, as he leaned forward to kiss her, simply uttering before their lips met, “Good.”

Neither of them noticed the green blob oozing slowly from the wreckage, retreating in order to lick its wounds.

xXx

Nel winced as her body began to sluggishly awaken, registering that she was being shaken gently while a voice called her name with considerably more force.

Oh Kami, everything hurts, especially my damn head. Can’t they keep it down, rather than just yelling ‘Neliel’ over and over again? Some of us are trying to –

Wait. Only one person calls me Neliel…

And he doesn’t ever sound this panicked.

Her grey eyes snapped open to meet a vivid green pair that rapidly shifted from fear to obvious relief. Nel smiled.

“Hey, Ulquiorra. Did you dig me out?”

Giving her a look that made clear his feelings on her getting buried by rubble in the first place, Ulquiorra sighed, picking her up and holding her to him. “It was an effective manoeuvre you used, but I’d appreciate if, next time, you got out of range first. Neliel, you look – “

“Like I got attacked by a giant, angry centipede woman, poisoned with a soporific that rots the wound it enters through, and then had a building fall on my head?”

He blinked. “Well, if you put it that way – “

“And I do.”

Ulquiorra cleared his throat. “I’m sorry about Loly. I didn’t think she’d made it through the war, let alone stayed in a position where she could ever – “

“I know.” Nel smiled gently. “You would have warned me otherwise. Speaking of Loly, is she dead?”

He nodded. “Indeed, she is. I checked. I also retrieved this from the wall.”

Nel’s eyes lit up. “Gamuza! Oh, good.” Slipping out of his grasp, she slowly got to her feet, wincing as she put weight on her left leg. Reaching out, she took her sword from him, sheathing it at her hip where it belonged. “Much better. It never feels quite right when I don’t have it on me.” Looking down at her injury, she frowned. “Huh. I could have sworn that was worse.”

“It was”, he replied, his voice almost a growl. “Fortunately, you had a small bottle on you that seemed to help slow the poison. We’ll still need to see the Fourth soon, but you’re in no immediate danger.”

“Well, that’s sorted, then. So, what did you get up to?”

Ulquiorra shrugged. “Very little, but I’ll tell you once we’re free and clear.”

Extending a hand, she helped him up. “Fair enough. Time to go find Grimm and Soi Fon?”

“Indeed, I believe it is.”

xXx

Stumbling through the rather large hole in the wall that Grimmjow’s final attack on Akon left, both captain and lieutenant finally made it out into the open air.

Soi Fon was starting to feel uneasy. Grimmjow’s paralysis had faded after Akon had disappeared, so he was moving well, but he was clearly exhausted and couldn’t keep this pace up for too much longer. Akon’s disappearance also bothered her. They’d checked the rubble for Akon’s body, only to find nothing. Memories of Mayuri Kurotsuchi and his apparent invincibility spring to mind, though at least she had the comfort of knowing that it had taken Mayuri several days to re-form from liquid.

So Akon shouldn’t be coming after us again any time soon. Still, who knows what else is waiting for us? And where are Ulquiorra and Nel?

She stumbled, and hissed in pain as the movement put pressure on her torn stomach muscles. Grimmjow turned around to check on her, only to swear as he caught sight of her pale face.

“Shit Bee, you’re losin’ blood!”

She winced as he picked her up. “I’m fine! You’re in no condition to be exerting yourself anymore than you already have.”

Rolling his eyes, Grimmjow simply replied, “I’ll live. What the fuck you think I am? A member of the Fourth?”

She snorted. “Don’t ever let Captain Unohana hear that. Besides, the Fourth are exactly who we need right now. How are you at opening a garganta?”

“Not too hot. That’s Ulqui’s thing.”

“And don’t ever let Lieutenant Schiffer hear you call him that.“

“Fuck, Bee, when’d you become Miss Manners?”

“Wha – How the fuck do you even know about Miss Manners?”

“Orihime.”

“Of course”, she conceded. “Well, I need some sort of healer or – “

Grimmjow’s groaned. “We need Nel. Damn it, how the hell are we gonna track her down?”

“Didn’t you have a meeting point?” Soi Fon asked in disbelief.

“Yeah, but she mightn’t be there yet. I don’ feel like riskin’ it, so here goes nothing.” Closing his eyes, Grimmjow released part of his reiatsu only to feel Soi Fon punch him in the arm.

“What happened to no risks?” She growled. “Funnily enough, I’d have thought that announcing our presence like that fell into the category of a risk!”

He shrugged. “We already destroyed about a square kilometre of fortress. We’re too tapped out to get much further. If they’re gonna attack us, they’ll be able to find us anyway. At least this way, Nel and Ulquiorra will know where we are too.”

“I hate to say this”, a voice sounded from behind them, “but Grimmjow is actually right.”

Whipping his head around, Grimmjow laughed. “Damn, but I wish I had a tape recorder on me. Never thought I’d hear you say that, Ulquiorra.”

“Don’t worry”, Nel added, letting go of Ulquiorra and watching him retract his wings as he shifted back. “I’m a witness. I’ll remind him if he tries to deny it.”

“Whose side are you on, exactly”, muttered Ulquiorra. “So, you called?”

Grimmjow nodded. “Nel, Soi Fon’s wounded – “

“On it.” The buxom woman nodded, striding toward Soi Fon and uncapping a bottle she pulled from her pocket. “Good to have you back, Soi Fon.”

“Thanks”, she replied, wrinkling her nose. “Uh, Nel?”

“Hmmm?”

“What is that stuff?”

As Ulquiorra started to chuckle, Nel blushed and glared at him. “You’re not helping!”

He stopped laughing to consider this. “No, I’m really not. And I am perfectly at peace with that knowledge.”

Nel’s lips twitched. “Oh, you’re impossible.” Turning back to Soi Fon, she explained, “My saliva has healing properties. It’s only a temporary measure, but we need to slow your blood loss.”

Resigning herself, Soi Fon sighed. “Very well. Get it over with. We need to get clear of Las Noches and open a garganta.”

“Sooner, rather than later”, Grimmjow added, his watchful eyes on the building they had just left.

“Indeed. As I understand it, the Espada are dormant, but there are plenty of lesser arrancar to trouble us”, Ulquiorra muttered.

Grimmjow raised an eyebrow. “How’d you know that?”

“Long story”, he replied shortly. “Neliel, how’s she healing?”

“Good, but Grimm’s right. We need to get out of here, if only to avoid detection – “

“Too late”, Soi Fon broke in darkly. The others followed her gaze to where white-clad arrancar were streaming out of the gap in the wall that Grimmjow had created. Getting to her feet, Soi Fon swore. “Heal me later, we need to move now!”

They went for broke, blind to anything but putting distance between themselves and their pursuers. But they were tiring – anyone could see it. Looking back, Grimmjow saw Soi Fon lagging and stopped so abruptly he almost took the other two with him. Ulquiorra opened his mouth to chastise, but shut it when Grimmjow motioned to his captain.

“I’ll get Bee. Just open the garganta!”

In a couple of sonido steps he was back by her side again, only to be glared at by the woman he was trying to save.

“Damn it, Grimm! Just leave me and get out!” The last thing she wanted was to see him get himself killed, especially over her.

Fixing her with an exasperated look, he picked her up, rushing toward the portal that Ulquiorra had opened. “Fuck no. I didn’t go to all this effort just to leave you here! Now Bee, this is important – do you think you could pull off Bankai right now?”

Her eyes widened. “What the – “

“I got a plan, is all. Think you can handle it?”

She considered this, looking back over her shoulder at the approaching horde. “The motivation’s there, certainly, and my current weakness is physical, not spiritual, but – “

“Sweet.” He swung her down metres from the garganta. “I wanna give these guys a parting shot, an’ I don’t want them to end up comin’ through after us.”

She blinked at him. “You’re mad.”

He grinned. “Yep. You’re still considering it, though, aren’t you?”

An answering grin spread over her face. “You’ll brace me? The fallout’s impressive.”

“Course I will”, he replied easily, his arms slipping around her waist.

“Well, in that case…” Hefting her sword, she called out, “Bankai! Jakuhō Raikōben!”

Grabbing hold of her sash and aiming her missile, she smiled grimly, calling out over her shoulder, “You ready?”

His eyes met hers, sparking with excitement and typical Jeagerjacques mischief, before he growled out in a deep voice that made her shiver. “Hell yeah!”

She took a deep breath, and fired.

Her projectile shot off with an unearthly howl, throwing Soi Fon and Grimmjow back through the garganta. The sheer force made it impossible to breathe (or was that Grimm’s arms around her?), as Soi Fon felt herself fly back, before a jarring impact made it clear that she and Grimmjow had hit a very sturdy building that looked suspiciously like the Seventh Division. Somehow avoiding the bricks that rained down, she looked up through the garganta, only to see a split second of impressive carnage, before the portal closed.

With an exhausted sigh, she slumped back, only to be greeted with a groan. Her eyes wide, she sat bolt upright, turning around to face Grimmjow.

“Sorry! Are you – ” She stopped as he winced, clearly not as alright as she had hoped.

“It’s all good, Bee. After all, what’s a few broken ribs between friends?” Wincing again, he let his head fall back and his eyes flutter closed. “Ulqui better have gone to get the Fourth.”

She was feeling far too choked up about this. It was only a few ribs, like he’d said. Sure, sometimes that was fatal, but they were within reach of medical help, and she really shouldn’t be getting this worked up…

Shaking her head, she ran a hand through his hair as he lay there. “I’m sorry, Grimm.”

“Don’ worry”, he mumbled, trying to cling to consciousness. “We did good, Shaolin. We did good.”