The truth behind the smile
The truth behind the smile
Disclaimer: I own nothing!!
Part: 11 of 25
50 years after the execution
"Shiro-chan!" called Shunsui as he jumped from behind to latch onto Hitsugaya's shoulders, "Let's go play!"
"You let him call you Shiro-chan?" wondered Hinamori sadly, not to mention a little hurt.
"No!' Hitsugaya said in irritation, "He's just even more stubborn then you are. Stop calling me Shiro-chan," he said to Shunsui, as reached behind him to grab the boy by the yukata and pulling him in front, "And I don't have time to play with you."
Shunsui looked up into Hitsugaya's eyes as his own opened fully, he had his mother's eyes and managed to pull off just her look of hurt as he whispered, "But I was so looking forward to it, come play with me! You can do stupid, boring paperwork any time! Come play with me," he insisted, managing to look entirely too cute, too adorable for anyone to say no to.
"Fine," said Hitsugaya with a very believable look of reluctance, although in truth he wasn't all that reluctant. Hitsugaya Toshiro always had time for his former lieutenants children, "What do you want to play?"
"Shunpo tag!" he declared, touching Hitsugaya on the nose he said, "Tag! Your it!" before disappearing in a burst of Shunpo.
"Why you little..." Hitsugaya too disappeared in a burst of Shunpo, leaving Hinamori alone to feel neglected and burning with resentment and jealousy.
9 months before the execution
"I am pregnant!" declared Matsumoto as soon as Nanao and Hisagi entered her room in the Sougou Kyuugo Tsumesho for a visit.
"What!" they exclaimed in unison, shock being the primary emotion but disgust was not far behind. The thought of his seed growing in her belly was enough to make Hisagi's stomach churn and Nanao was fighting a strong urge to slap her and demand what the hell she was thinking.
Matsumoto, however, was too happy to see the disgust in her friends' eyes, "I hope it's a boy with his hair. I always loved his hair. Then I could call my son Gin after him. I mean, I always thought the name was a bit weird but if he has silver hair it would be perfect wouldn't it?" she wondered, but instead of waiting for an answer she continued, "Although Gin says that he can't imagine me having anything but a girl. I would love a girl too. I could dress her up in cute little yukatas and do her hair up with ribbons. She could be like a little living doll. I never had dolls growing up. Gin had this little dirty vaguely fox shaped thing. He would let me play with it sometimes but it was so fragile I would be too scared to touch it," she explained before finally focusing on them again and smiling with so much happiness that both Nanao and Hisagi found themselves smiling back at her, "I am going to have a baby!"
"Congratulations, Rangiku-san," whispered Hisagi, taking a seat, "I am glad to see you so happy."
"Yes," said Nanao sitting down on the bed next to her, "Congratulations, I can't even remember the last time I saw you this happy."
Rangiku smiled, "I don't think I have been this happy since the day I met Gin and he said I could come live with him. But it makes sense because back then I became really happy because I was not going to be alone anymore and I was getting a friend. Now, now I am getting a baby and..." tears welled up in her eyes, "And through it I'll always have my friend. Even after..." she sobbed, prompting Nanao to pull her close and start to gently stroke her hair, "Even after he's burnt away," Hisagi said nothing, but reached for her hand nearest to him to gently hold.
Hitsugaya's reaction when he found out was characteristicly cool, "I fear for the future of Squad ten," he said calmly.
"What do you mean, captain?" demanded Matsumoto.
"You are bad enough, I can just imagine the kind of havoc any child of yours will wreck on my poor squad," he declared.
"Captain is so mean!" cried Matsumoto, "I was going to see if Captain Unohana would let me come help for a few hours a day, now that I am feeling a little better, but after that... you can keep doing the paperwork by yourself."
"O no," said Hitsugaya, "If you are feeling well enough to go around making babies you are coming back to work ASAP. In fact, you can report to work starting tomorrow. 9 o'clock sharp!"
"Captain!" said Matsumoto pulling a look of hurt worry, "I am in a very delicate condition! I can't go back to work full-time now!"
"Don't worry, I'll make sure you have nothing but paperwork to do. That shouldn't strain you at all!" said Hitsugaya with a perfectly straight face, although his eyes shone with glee.
"Captain!"
8 months before the execution
Captain Unohana wouldn't let Rangiku enter his cell anymore. She was concerned about the effect the room might have on the embryo. What it meant was Gin and Rangiku had to content themselves to talking to each other across the threshold of the open door. She couldn't come in, he couldn't come out. Gin could not get over the irony of the open door, "It's like they are mocking us," he told her, during one of her visits.
"Who are they?" she wondered, "If you mean the other captains, then you are wrong. None of them are that sadistic."
Gin changed the subject, he didn't want to upset her, "What's it like being back at work?"
"Unbelievably tedious and boring. All I do is paperwork all day long. Only time I leave the office is to either come here or to return to the Sougou Kyuugo Tsumesho."
"Captain four still insisting on ya spend'n the night there?" wondered Gin, Rangiku nodded, "She must be really worried."
"I think she is being over cautious," said Rangiku, "But I am not about to argue with her. She's the expert! No I am going to do everything and anything she tells me to. I don't want to lose this baby."
"Ya won't, Rangiku," Gin assured her, "I am sure ya'll have a nice healthy, beautiful baby girl. Who'll look jus' like 'er mom."
"What if I want a son who looks just like his father," wondered Rangiku.
"Nay, don' wish that!" said Gin, "I don' wan' my decisions screw'n up my kids life. If the kid looks like ya, they might forget I had a hand in its make'n. If the kid look like me... well..." Rangiku looked sad but couldn't contradict him. She found herself wondering how her friend would treat a child that looked more like Gin and less like her. She hoped that they would love the child still, if only because they loved her.
7 months before the execution
Kira stood among what remained of Las Noches, face to face with the former espada Neliel Tu Ōderushuvanku, "Thank you for agreeing to see me," he said with a slight bow, "Neliel."
"Think nothing of it," replied Nel with her good natured smile, "And call me Nel. Everyone does," she said, "Now come on! We'll go to my palace. It's still in one piece, thank goodness. It seems Harribel, the arrancar who replaced me as number three, made her own and so mine was pretty much used as a storage area. But my brothers have cleared it and it's back to being home!" she explained as she led the way, "So you are a friend of Ichigo's? How is he?"
"I didn't get to see him before I left the living world for Heuco Mundo," Kira explained, "But Urahara-san tells me he's doing well."
"That's good to hear. I hope he is treating Orihime well. Ichigo has no manners with the ladies sometimes. I mean, he didn't even know that no matter how heavy a lady is you have to tell her she is light!" she declared, "How is Renji? My brother Dondochakka has been asking about him. I hope he is well."
"He is," Kira assured her, "He is very busy with his duties as the Vice-captain of squad six. He is keen to be promoted to a captain but he isn't as proficient with his bankai as a captain should be and Captain Kuchiki, that's his captain, thinks he also needs more experience as a Vice-captain. Abarai-kun agrees and is working very hard to master his bankai and prove himself as a captain class officer."
"That's great!" said Nel, "I am sure he'll do just fine. He's a good guy, Renji, I like him," they talked on about random things till they reached her palace, "Guys! Where are you? Our guest is here!"
"They went out to get food for dinner," said Grimmjow, "But they left some salad and other chamois food for you and the shinigami."
"O haha very funny," said Nel in slight irritation, "I don't suppose you to know each other."
"Grimmjow the sixth espada," said Kira, "I have heard of him, this is my first time meeting him. Indeed, I wasn't expecting to meet him."
"Why am I here?" wondered Grimmjow of Nel.
"Well, Izuru here wanted to hear what Ichimaru-sama was like while he was over here. So I thought I would get you to come over too," explained Nel, "Besides, it's not like you had anything better to do!"
"I had things to kill," protested Grimmjow.
"I am sure they can wait," said Nel with conviction, "Now come on! Let's go enjoy some nice green salads," she said as she led the way to a nicely fitted out drawing room, "Now, what do you want to know about Ichimaru-sama?" wondered Nel.
"More importantly, why are you bothering with ol' foxface anyway?" asked Grimmjow, "Hasn't he been executed yet?"
"No, his execution date is approximately seven months away," said Kira, "He was my captain. I want to know why he did the things he did. I was hoping that by talking to you I would be able to understand him better. I mean, you saw a side of him I did not."
"Feh, now I know I am wasting my time," said Grimmjow, "Listen Shinigami, there is no arrancar alive who can tell you about Ichimaru Gin. Foxface kept mostly to himself. Most of us only saw him during meetings or in the throne room with Aizen. I don't think he really liked us and the feeling was mutual. Almost all the arrancar were uncomfortable around him. I never got him. Why the hell did he smile all the time? What the hell was so funny?"
"I always thought he found life funny," said Nel getting a really innocent look on her face, "You know like we were all just acting in a play and the play was a comedy or something."
"Feh, what a moronic thing to say," said Gimmjaw.
Sensing that things might go off-course, "You said no arrancar alive could tell me about Ichimaru Gin. Does that mean, there used to be arrancar who would consider him a friend?"
"Not freaking likely," said Grimmjow, "Not unless you can be friends with someone by talking shit with them all day. See there was this arrancar, Luppi. Aizen had him replace me as the sexta Espada after Tosen took my arm off. Luppi was disgustingly talkative, sarcastic and mocking. He didn't have Ichimaru's aptitude for sarcasm or polite mockery but I think Ichimaru found him amusing or was just relieved to have someone to talk to. They hang-out together. I don't think they were sharing secrets or anything. As I said, they just talked shit. Anyway Luppi wasn't around for long. I taught that talkative basterd his place as soon as that girl restored my arm. Say Shinigami, I don't suppose Soul Society is willing to give Tosen to me to play with? I would make sure he dies screaming," he said with a predatory glint in his eyes.
"No I don't think so," said Kira, slightly disgusted, "So, Captain had no friends here?"
"Nope," said Grimmjow, "And no one really liked him either. Not even Luppi. But Szayel Aporro seemed to have a thing for him."
"Szayel Aporro Granz? The eighth espada?" asked Kira.
"Yep, flamboyant is too tame a word for Szayel Aporro," said Grimmjow, "I mean his zanpakuto was called Fornicarás for crying out loud! He was always hitting on Ichimaru. Offering him a taste of his fraccion, asking him if he wanted to go on a tour of his palace and one time, and I swear this is true, he surprised Ichimaru by coming down on a swing made of rose vines in his resurrected form offering to make a doll of Ichimaru."
"What?" wondered a disturbed, confused and somewhat horrified Kira, "What was he trying to do to my captain!" he demanded.
"Szayel Aporro had some very nasty abilities," explained Nel, "His modified his fraccion so that if he ate them it would heal his injuries. In his resurrected form he had the ability to make a voodoo doll of a person and use it to toy with them. If those were the methods by which he was coming on to Ichimaru-sama there is little wonder he was not successful. I mean, his palace was one of the most horrible places to visit. It was so full of traps! Who would want to go for a walk there!"
"Which is why he didn't succeed!" said Grimmjow dismissively, "In fact, after the rose swing incident Aizen called him into his throne room and informed Szayel that Ichimaru had a girl back in Soul Society and she was the only person Ichimaru would ever touch," Grimmjow started laughing, "Szayel asked Aizen if he was willing to use his Kyōka Suigetsu on Ichimaru," he started howling with laughter, "Aizen told him to get out and to never, ever mention such a perverted use for his Kyōka Suigetsu ever again!"
"Your joking!" cried Nel, "There is no way Szayel would ever say that! And how do you know what Aizen-sama said to Szayel anyway!"
"Ulquiorra," said Grimmjow by way of explanation, "That's how I know it's all true. Ulquiorra didn't have the imagination to make something like that up. He also didn't normally gossip but he was so disturbed by the exchange that he couldn't stop talking about it. Don't think Ulquiorra had much happening down there and so that stuff was totally beyond his understanding."
It took Kira a little while to get over the shock of finding out that his captain had been sexually harassed by a perverted espada, "So what did captain do here?" he wondered when he had recovered a bit, "Did he have any duties?"
"He liked to play with the corridor controls. See the halls of Las Noches could be moved around and he liked to do it just for kicks. It was kind of annoying," said Grimmjow, "One minute everything is fine and the next minute you can't find the bathroom. I suppose Ichimaru was the kind of person who got off on stuff like that."
"While I was an espada," said Nel, "And that was many, many years ago now. Ichimaru-sama would help Aizen-sama with his experiments. He was still a lieutenant back then I think. I am not sure of the time frame because it's hard to tell time in Heuco Mundo but I think he was made captain shortly before I left. I don't think he came as often to Las Noches after he become captain. But while he was still Aizen-sama's lieutenant he came whenever Aizen-sama came. He always seemed kind of lonely to me. Never really talked much except to Aizen-sama. Back then there weren't too many arrancar about and some of them had been around since Aizen-sama first came to Hueco Mundo, over a hundred years ago now. They said that when Ichimaru-sama was young he would get sick every time he came to Hueco Mundo. They said that Aizen-sama made the false sunlight inside the dome of Las Noches for Ichimaru-sama, so he wouldn't get sick so much. I don't know if it's true or not. But he did get dangerously ill once," said Nel.
She paused for a few minutes, seemingly to gather her thought, "Yes, they did move him when he got sick. Moved him to a palace with a large veranda and lots of windows. No arrancar was allowed near him, not sure why. Either Aizen-sama thought that one of us would try to harm him while he was weak. A distinct possibility given the survival of the fittest mentality many arrancar have," she said giving a significant look to Grimmjow much to his annoyance.
"Don't put me in the same boat as that dick Nnoitra," he growled out.
Nel smiled and continued, "Alternatively it really was arrancar reitsu that was making Ichimaru-sama sick and that's why we weren't allowed near him. He was however made to lie in the sunlight out on the veranda and I remember seeing Aizen-sama sit with him for hours and hours, talking and taking care of him. I almost believed Aizen-sama cared but then I thought to myself if he cared why was he keeping Ichimaru-sama here? Why not send him back to Soul Society? Aizen-sama was no healer, he had knowledge of healing but that's not the same as an actual healer. Certainly if lack of sunlight and arrancar reitsu was the problem, surely Soul Society would be a better place for Ichimaru-sama to get better. Not here. It didn't make sense," said Nel, "It still doesn't make sense."
"Feh, what makes sense anyway?" demanded Grimmjow, "I mean, how does this... this scene make sense! You are a hollow, I am a hollow and here we are sitting chatting to a shinigami over a plate of salad!"
"The salad is very good isn't it?" asked Nel, offering some more to Kira.
"Ah... thank you, yes it's good," said Kira awkwardly, accepting some more salad, "If I cared about someone then I would do everything in my power to help them if they got sick," continued Kira, "That would make sense and if something as simple as them being sent away to a different place form me would help. I would do it. That's what makes sense to me."
"That makes sense to me too," said Nel with a sweet smile.
"Feh, you two aren't selfish. Aizen was. His actions make perfect sense to me," said Grimmjow dismissively, "Now unless you want to fight or something Shinigaim I am leaving! Anymore time spent smelling salad or this chamois and I am serious going to kill myself," with that he left.
"Umm... why did he keep going on about a chamois?" wondered Kira.
"My zanpakuto is Gamuz which means chamois," explained Nel, "Grimmjow's is pantera which means panther. He likes to go on about how I am a prey and he's a predator," she explained, "He's really not a bad guy underneath it all," she assured Kira who shot her a skeptical look, "It's true! Just loves fighting way too much. Now," she said smiling in her childlike manner, "Is there anything else you want to know? I mean, I think I have told you all I can about Ichimaru-sama."
"No I think I have heard enough. Thank you," said Kira, as he got upto leave, "Thank you for seeing me and thank you too for finding Grimmjow. It was an interesting discussion."
"You're welcome," she said getting up also, "You know," she added almost as an after thought, "I never really understood what Ichimaru-sama was doing here. He didn't seem to really fit in. Did he fit into the Gotei 13?" she wondered, "Did he have friends in Soul Society?"
"He had Matsumoto Rangiku," replied Kira, "He also had me but I doubt he cared about me," he added a little sadly before taking his leave.
Author's note: I am sorry there was no other way to do this chapter without having Nel and Grimmjow out of character (at least I think they are out of character... I don't pay too close an attention to their character so I really can't tell). I hope it wasn't too bad. A lot of the things talked about in this chapter came from the Arrancar Encyclopedia segments. Anyone else notice how Szayel Aporro hits on Ichimaru everytime he turns up in the encyclopedia segments and Ichimaru has that "get away from me you pervert" look on his face? I found those three segments hilarious!
Disclaimer: I own nothing!!
Part: 11 of 25
50 years after the execution
"Shiro-chan!" called Shunsui as he jumped from behind to latch onto Hitsugaya's shoulders, "Let's go play!"
"You let him call you Shiro-chan?" wondered Hinamori sadly, not to mention a little hurt.
"No!' Hitsugaya said in irritation, "He's just even more stubborn then you are. Stop calling me Shiro-chan," he said to Shunsui, as reached behind him to grab the boy by the yukata and pulling him in front, "And I don't have time to play with you."
Shunsui looked up into Hitsugaya's eyes as his own opened fully, he had his mother's eyes and managed to pull off just her look of hurt as he whispered, "But I was so looking forward to it, come play with me! You can do stupid, boring paperwork any time! Come play with me," he insisted, managing to look entirely too cute, too adorable for anyone to say no to.
"Fine," said Hitsugaya with a very believable look of reluctance, although in truth he wasn't all that reluctant. Hitsugaya Toshiro always had time for his former lieutenants children, "What do you want to play?"
"Shunpo tag!" he declared, touching Hitsugaya on the nose he said, "Tag! Your it!" before disappearing in a burst of Shunpo.
"Why you little..." Hitsugaya too disappeared in a burst of Shunpo, leaving Hinamori alone to feel neglected and burning with resentment and jealousy.
9 months before the execution
"I am pregnant!" declared Matsumoto as soon as Nanao and Hisagi entered her room in the Sougou Kyuugo Tsumesho for a visit.
"What!" they exclaimed in unison, shock being the primary emotion but disgust was not far behind. The thought of his seed growing in her belly was enough to make Hisagi's stomach churn and Nanao was fighting a strong urge to slap her and demand what the hell she was thinking.
Matsumoto, however, was too happy to see the disgust in her friends' eyes, "I hope it's a boy with his hair. I always loved his hair. Then I could call my son Gin after him. I mean, I always thought the name was a bit weird but if he has silver hair it would be perfect wouldn't it?" she wondered, but instead of waiting for an answer she continued, "Although Gin says that he can't imagine me having anything but a girl. I would love a girl too. I could dress her up in cute little yukatas and do her hair up with ribbons. She could be like a little living doll. I never had dolls growing up. Gin had this little dirty vaguely fox shaped thing. He would let me play with it sometimes but it was so fragile I would be too scared to touch it," she explained before finally focusing on them again and smiling with so much happiness that both Nanao and Hisagi found themselves smiling back at her, "I am going to have a baby!"
"Congratulations, Rangiku-san," whispered Hisagi, taking a seat, "I am glad to see you so happy."
"Yes," said Nanao sitting down on the bed next to her, "Congratulations, I can't even remember the last time I saw you this happy."
Rangiku smiled, "I don't think I have been this happy since the day I met Gin and he said I could come live with him. But it makes sense because back then I became really happy because I was not going to be alone anymore and I was getting a friend. Now, now I am getting a baby and..." tears welled up in her eyes, "And through it I'll always have my friend. Even after..." she sobbed, prompting Nanao to pull her close and start to gently stroke her hair, "Even after he's burnt away," Hisagi said nothing, but reached for her hand nearest to him to gently hold.
Hitsugaya's reaction when he found out was characteristicly cool, "I fear for the future of Squad ten," he said calmly.
"What do you mean, captain?" demanded Matsumoto.
"You are bad enough, I can just imagine the kind of havoc any child of yours will wreck on my poor squad," he declared.
"Captain is so mean!" cried Matsumoto, "I was going to see if Captain Unohana would let me come help for a few hours a day, now that I am feeling a little better, but after that... you can keep doing the paperwork by yourself."
"O no," said Hitsugaya, "If you are feeling well enough to go around making babies you are coming back to work ASAP. In fact, you can report to work starting tomorrow. 9 o'clock sharp!"
"Captain!" said Matsumoto pulling a look of hurt worry, "I am in a very delicate condition! I can't go back to work full-time now!"
"Don't worry, I'll make sure you have nothing but paperwork to do. That shouldn't strain you at all!" said Hitsugaya with a perfectly straight face, although his eyes shone with glee.
"Captain!"
8 months before the execution
Captain Unohana wouldn't let Rangiku enter his cell anymore. She was concerned about the effect the room might have on the embryo. What it meant was Gin and Rangiku had to content themselves to talking to each other across the threshold of the open door. She couldn't come in, he couldn't come out. Gin could not get over the irony of the open door, "It's like they are mocking us," he told her, during one of her visits.
"Who are they?" she wondered, "If you mean the other captains, then you are wrong. None of them are that sadistic."
Gin changed the subject, he didn't want to upset her, "What's it like being back at work?"
"Unbelievably tedious and boring. All I do is paperwork all day long. Only time I leave the office is to either come here or to return to the Sougou Kyuugo Tsumesho."
"Captain four still insisting on ya spend'n the night there?" wondered Gin, Rangiku nodded, "She must be really worried."
"I think she is being over cautious," said Rangiku, "But I am not about to argue with her. She's the expert! No I am going to do everything and anything she tells me to. I don't want to lose this baby."
"Ya won't, Rangiku," Gin assured her, "I am sure ya'll have a nice healthy, beautiful baby girl. Who'll look jus' like 'er mom."
"What if I want a son who looks just like his father," wondered Rangiku.
"Nay, don' wish that!" said Gin, "I don' wan' my decisions screw'n up my kids life. If the kid looks like ya, they might forget I had a hand in its make'n. If the kid look like me... well..." Rangiku looked sad but couldn't contradict him. She found herself wondering how her friend would treat a child that looked more like Gin and less like her. She hoped that they would love the child still, if only because they loved her.
7 months before the execution
Kira stood among what remained of Las Noches, face to face with the former espada Neliel Tu Ōderushuvanku, "Thank you for agreeing to see me," he said with a slight bow, "Neliel."
"Think nothing of it," replied Nel with her good natured smile, "And call me Nel. Everyone does," she said, "Now come on! We'll go to my palace. It's still in one piece, thank goodness. It seems Harribel, the arrancar who replaced me as number three, made her own and so mine was pretty much used as a storage area. But my brothers have cleared it and it's back to being home!" she explained as she led the way, "So you are a friend of Ichigo's? How is he?"
"I didn't get to see him before I left the living world for Heuco Mundo," Kira explained, "But Urahara-san tells me he's doing well."
"That's good to hear. I hope he is treating Orihime well. Ichigo has no manners with the ladies sometimes. I mean, he didn't even know that no matter how heavy a lady is you have to tell her she is light!" she declared, "How is Renji? My brother Dondochakka has been asking about him. I hope he is well."
"He is," Kira assured her, "He is very busy with his duties as the Vice-captain of squad six. He is keen to be promoted to a captain but he isn't as proficient with his bankai as a captain should be and Captain Kuchiki, that's his captain, thinks he also needs more experience as a Vice-captain. Abarai-kun agrees and is working very hard to master his bankai and prove himself as a captain class officer."
"That's great!" said Nel, "I am sure he'll do just fine. He's a good guy, Renji, I like him," they talked on about random things till they reached her palace, "Guys! Where are you? Our guest is here!"
"They went out to get food for dinner," said Grimmjow, "But they left some salad and other chamois food for you and the shinigami."
"O haha very funny," said Nel in slight irritation, "I don't suppose you to know each other."
"Grimmjow the sixth espada," said Kira, "I have heard of him, this is my first time meeting him. Indeed, I wasn't expecting to meet him."
"Why am I here?" wondered Grimmjow of Nel.
"Well, Izuru here wanted to hear what Ichimaru-sama was like while he was over here. So I thought I would get you to come over too," explained Nel, "Besides, it's not like you had anything better to do!"
"I had things to kill," protested Grimmjow.
"I am sure they can wait," said Nel with conviction, "Now come on! Let's go enjoy some nice green salads," she said as she led the way to a nicely fitted out drawing room, "Now, what do you want to know about Ichimaru-sama?" wondered Nel.
"More importantly, why are you bothering with ol' foxface anyway?" asked Grimmjow, "Hasn't he been executed yet?"
"No, his execution date is approximately seven months away," said Kira, "He was my captain. I want to know why he did the things he did. I was hoping that by talking to you I would be able to understand him better. I mean, you saw a side of him I did not."
"Feh, now I know I am wasting my time," said Grimmjow, "Listen Shinigami, there is no arrancar alive who can tell you about Ichimaru Gin. Foxface kept mostly to himself. Most of us only saw him during meetings or in the throne room with Aizen. I don't think he really liked us and the feeling was mutual. Almost all the arrancar were uncomfortable around him. I never got him. Why the hell did he smile all the time? What the hell was so funny?"
"I always thought he found life funny," said Nel getting a really innocent look on her face, "You know like we were all just acting in a play and the play was a comedy or something."
"Feh, what a moronic thing to say," said Gimmjaw.
Sensing that things might go off-course, "You said no arrancar alive could tell me about Ichimaru Gin. Does that mean, there used to be arrancar who would consider him a friend?"
"Not freaking likely," said Grimmjow, "Not unless you can be friends with someone by talking shit with them all day. See there was this arrancar, Luppi. Aizen had him replace me as the sexta Espada after Tosen took my arm off. Luppi was disgustingly talkative, sarcastic and mocking. He didn't have Ichimaru's aptitude for sarcasm or polite mockery but I think Ichimaru found him amusing or was just relieved to have someone to talk to. They hang-out together. I don't think they were sharing secrets or anything. As I said, they just talked shit. Anyway Luppi wasn't around for long. I taught that talkative basterd his place as soon as that girl restored my arm. Say Shinigami, I don't suppose Soul Society is willing to give Tosen to me to play with? I would make sure he dies screaming," he said with a predatory glint in his eyes.
"No I don't think so," said Kira, slightly disgusted, "So, Captain had no friends here?"
"Nope," said Grimmjow, "And no one really liked him either. Not even Luppi. But Szayel Aporro seemed to have a thing for him."
"Szayel Aporro Granz? The eighth espada?" asked Kira.
"Yep, flamboyant is too tame a word for Szayel Aporro," said Grimmjow, "I mean his zanpakuto was called Fornicarás for crying out loud! He was always hitting on Ichimaru. Offering him a taste of his fraccion, asking him if he wanted to go on a tour of his palace and one time, and I swear this is true, he surprised Ichimaru by coming down on a swing made of rose vines in his resurrected form offering to make a doll of Ichimaru."
"What?" wondered a disturbed, confused and somewhat horrified Kira, "What was he trying to do to my captain!" he demanded.
"Szayel Aporro had some very nasty abilities," explained Nel, "His modified his fraccion so that if he ate them it would heal his injuries. In his resurrected form he had the ability to make a voodoo doll of a person and use it to toy with them. If those were the methods by which he was coming on to Ichimaru-sama there is little wonder he was not successful. I mean, his palace was one of the most horrible places to visit. It was so full of traps! Who would want to go for a walk there!"
"Which is why he didn't succeed!" said Grimmjow dismissively, "In fact, after the rose swing incident Aizen called him into his throne room and informed Szayel that Ichimaru had a girl back in Soul Society and she was the only person Ichimaru would ever touch," Grimmjow started laughing, "Szayel asked Aizen if he was willing to use his Kyōka Suigetsu on Ichimaru," he started howling with laughter, "Aizen told him to get out and to never, ever mention such a perverted use for his Kyōka Suigetsu ever again!"
"Your joking!" cried Nel, "There is no way Szayel would ever say that! And how do you know what Aizen-sama said to Szayel anyway!"
"Ulquiorra," said Grimmjow by way of explanation, "That's how I know it's all true. Ulquiorra didn't have the imagination to make something like that up. He also didn't normally gossip but he was so disturbed by the exchange that he couldn't stop talking about it. Don't think Ulquiorra had much happening down there and so that stuff was totally beyond his understanding."
It took Kira a little while to get over the shock of finding out that his captain had been sexually harassed by a perverted espada, "So what did captain do here?" he wondered when he had recovered a bit, "Did he have any duties?"
"He liked to play with the corridor controls. See the halls of Las Noches could be moved around and he liked to do it just for kicks. It was kind of annoying," said Grimmjow, "One minute everything is fine and the next minute you can't find the bathroom. I suppose Ichimaru was the kind of person who got off on stuff like that."
"While I was an espada," said Nel, "And that was many, many years ago now. Ichimaru-sama would help Aizen-sama with his experiments. He was still a lieutenant back then I think. I am not sure of the time frame because it's hard to tell time in Heuco Mundo but I think he was made captain shortly before I left. I don't think he came as often to Las Noches after he become captain. But while he was still Aizen-sama's lieutenant he came whenever Aizen-sama came. He always seemed kind of lonely to me. Never really talked much except to Aizen-sama. Back then there weren't too many arrancar about and some of them had been around since Aizen-sama first came to Hueco Mundo, over a hundred years ago now. They said that when Ichimaru-sama was young he would get sick every time he came to Hueco Mundo. They said that Aizen-sama made the false sunlight inside the dome of Las Noches for Ichimaru-sama, so he wouldn't get sick so much. I don't know if it's true or not. But he did get dangerously ill once," said Nel.
She paused for a few minutes, seemingly to gather her thought, "Yes, they did move him when he got sick. Moved him to a palace with a large veranda and lots of windows. No arrancar was allowed near him, not sure why. Either Aizen-sama thought that one of us would try to harm him while he was weak. A distinct possibility given the survival of the fittest mentality many arrancar have," she said giving a significant look to Grimmjow much to his annoyance.
"Don't put me in the same boat as that dick Nnoitra," he growled out.
Nel smiled and continued, "Alternatively it really was arrancar reitsu that was making Ichimaru-sama sick and that's why we weren't allowed near him. He was however made to lie in the sunlight out on the veranda and I remember seeing Aizen-sama sit with him for hours and hours, talking and taking care of him. I almost believed Aizen-sama cared but then I thought to myself if he cared why was he keeping Ichimaru-sama here? Why not send him back to Soul Society? Aizen-sama was no healer, he had knowledge of healing but that's not the same as an actual healer. Certainly if lack of sunlight and arrancar reitsu was the problem, surely Soul Society would be a better place for Ichimaru-sama to get better. Not here. It didn't make sense," said Nel, "It still doesn't make sense."
"Feh, what makes sense anyway?" demanded Grimmjow, "I mean, how does this... this scene make sense! You are a hollow, I am a hollow and here we are sitting chatting to a shinigami over a plate of salad!"
"The salad is very good isn't it?" asked Nel, offering some more to Kira.
"Ah... thank you, yes it's good," said Kira awkwardly, accepting some more salad, "If I cared about someone then I would do everything in my power to help them if they got sick," continued Kira, "That would make sense and if something as simple as them being sent away to a different place form me would help. I would do it. That's what makes sense to me."
"That makes sense to me too," said Nel with a sweet smile.
"Feh, you two aren't selfish. Aizen was. His actions make perfect sense to me," said Grimmjow dismissively, "Now unless you want to fight or something Shinigaim I am leaving! Anymore time spent smelling salad or this chamois and I am serious going to kill myself," with that he left.
"Umm... why did he keep going on about a chamois?" wondered Kira.
"My zanpakuto is Gamuz which means chamois," explained Nel, "Grimmjow's is pantera which means panther. He likes to go on about how I am a prey and he's a predator," she explained, "He's really not a bad guy underneath it all," she assured Kira who shot her a skeptical look, "It's true! Just loves fighting way too much. Now," she said smiling in her childlike manner, "Is there anything else you want to know? I mean, I think I have told you all I can about Ichimaru-sama."
"No I think I have heard enough. Thank you," said Kira, as he got upto leave, "Thank you for seeing me and thank you too for finding Grimmjow. It was an interesting discussion."
"You're welcome," she said getting up also, "You know," she added almost as an after thought, "I never really understood what Ichimaru-sama was doing here. He didn't seem to really fit in. Did he fit into the Gotei 13?" she wondered, "Did he have friends in Soul Society?"
"He had Matsumoto Rangiku," replied Kira, "He also had me but I doubt he cared about me," he added a little sadly before taking his leave.
Author's note: I am sorry there was no other way to do this chapter without having Nel and Grimmjow out of character (at least I think they are out of character... I don't pay too close an attention to their character so I really can't tell). I hope it wasn't too bad. A lot of the things talked about in this chapter came from the Arrancar Encyclopedia segments. Anyone else notice how Szayel Aporro hits on Ichimaru everytime he turns up in the encyclopedia segments and Ichimaru has that "get away from me you pervert" look on his face? I found those three segments hilarious!