Because I Wasn't Insane Enough Already

Chapter 12

I don't own Bleach. Or Calvin and Hobbes. Yep, Calvin and Hobbes. See if you can catch the reference. 

Hello, my wonderful readers~! I am (FINALLY) uploading chapp twelve! By the way, it's probably gonna be one long mother of a chappy. It was originally gonna be two, but I couldn't bear to punish you like that. Instead I'll be punishing you with ACTUAL PLOT PROGRESSION, long though it may be. So bear with me. Please?

And YES, I KNOW Espada above four can't release their zanpaku-to in Las Noches, but technically...Ah, whatever. I'm the author. Aizen can go soak his head.

Aizen: Excuse me?

Umm... BYE! *runs to hide*

Tsukiko: Enjoy!

~Emo-san

  

STORME'S POV

I would not lose, I told myself. If I lost, that would only serve to prove Ulquiorra's point further, which was entirely out of the question. So, of course, the only solution was not to lose. However, his taunts were making it very, very difficult to concentrate. Moeru. Moeru, say something! I knew I was in trouble then. When only the smartass voice in my head could distract me, I was as good as dead. I frowned. MOERU!

'Yes?'

Distract me, dammit! I thought-shouted at her. Moeru was silent a moment before replying.

'What you need to do is throw him off. Ask him...'

 "Do you hang upside down when you sleep?" I repeated. Ulquiorra paused, effectively thrown off. He lowered his sword, but I, instead of lowering mine, shifted into a defensive position.

"What?"

"Do you, Ulquiorra Schiffer, hang upside down when you sleep?"

"Why would I---oh," he said, remembering his zanpaku-to. "No. I don't. Focus," he finished, raising his sword. I, though, had taken the time he used to answer to strike. Rather than blocking me, Ulquiorra caught my blade in his hand and I, unable to cut through his hierro or pull my blade from his iron (pun intended*) grasp, gripped Moeru's hilt tightly, digging my nails in.

'Ow,' Moeru said. 'Let go? Cut your losses?'

"No way in hell," I growled out loud. What's the release command? Moeru didn't reply. What is the goddamn release command? I was practically hysterical.

'I won't tell you until you're capable of controlling yourself.'

I CAN CONTROL MYSELF FINE! WHAT IS THE GODDAMN RELEASE COMMAND?!

'Calm. The hell. Down.'

I stopped think-screeching and breathed deeply. 'Now stop choking my hilt.' I obliged, loosening my hand. 'Now, then. Are you going to go insane the second I tell you the release command?'

"No," I whispered aloud.

"What?" Ulquiorra asked.

"Nothing," I said, then repeated no, this time, thinking it.

'Fine. Burn. The release command is burn. Enjoy.' Moeru said, then slipped back into silence.

I grinned, and it would have frightened small children and the elderly. "Burn, Moeru Hana." As I said that, the short sword kind of...shifted. Like, one second it was a short sword, and the next second, it kind of...just...wasn't.