Corroded Spirits

Corroded Spirits: 10

Chapter 10: Constant Observation

 "You're asking me for what now?" The eccentric, and quite morbid-thinking captain, that was Mayuri Kurotsuchi, asked.

 It was three days later, and Byakuya had come to the conclusion (after 'arguing' with his three fellow captains) that Orihime, needed to be put under 'constant' observation. And by constant, that meant having to rig her entire room with integrated cameras so they would be able to monitor her 24/7. 

He could still remember the arguement that had went down when he suggested it to Captain Unohana:

 "Absolutely not!" She had protested, in what almost sounded like irritation. Sure it was predictable that she would react so. Not any captain would want their barracks to be filled with any kind of technology as snake-like as video cameras. 

Especially ones coming from Captain Kurotsuchi. 

"I don't think it's such a bad idea." Ukitake, being the positive one, tried to convince. 

"As good an idea as it is... I don't think it would be wise to have Kurotsuchi do it.." Toshiro said. "Knowing him, he would probably find some sick way to monitor the girl as well and try to get the data he needed from when he first wanted to make her one of his test subjects." 

 That did not slip Byakuya's mind. He thought of suggesting the idea, knowing that exact hidden, positive motive  of Kurotsuchi. He wasn't stupid. But what other choice did they have in monitoring the girl by every hour? 

Certainly staying in her room and practically living there was out of the question. They needed to think and act practical. And now that they had reported to the Commander about the girl's condition, they needed to sustain her health. Even if it meant having to go to the 12 Division's captain for aid.

 "Will you do it?" Ukitake asked. Byakuya had told the man that he meant to go alone, but since he was 'handicapped', as Retsu had put it, the kind-hearted captain insisted. It reminded him of the time they had Mayuri sneak into the Central 46' archives when Soul Society encountered the onslaught of two Hyourinmarus.

 "Hmph.. Don't nag me.... Besides, I have the feeling you will use force if I do not relent.. So what choice do I have?" Mayuri said.

 When the two captains took their leave, they were grateful for the fresh air. "I hate going in there." Ukitake said. 

"You voice out your opinions too loosely, Captain Jyushiro." Byakuya said. 

Ukitake ignored him, and instead looked to his left arm, which was in a sling. "Is your arm fine, Byakuya?" He asked.

 Byakuya glanced at him briefly. When he had told Jyushiro and the others about the small outburst Orihime had, supposedly unintentionally, directed at him, they didn't know what to think. But recalling her previous acts of violence (Ichigo and Uryu, and lastly Hanatarou) disbelief didn't circulate that long. 

"It is nothing to concern yourself about." He lied, as he and only Retsu knew, that he wouldn't be able to use his left arm for another week.

---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
 During her first days, Orihime couldn't sleep well in Hueco Mundo. New surroundings, new room, new 'neighbors, if she had to call them anything. Plus she had to sleep on a lumpy couch, so where's the comfort in that? 

But now, by her estimation, 4 weeks later, she could no longer sleep at all, let alone try, for the constant eerie sound of clawing, growling, and screeching worming through the small cracks of her door.

 She knew that they were from the lesser Arrancars, maybe even Adjuchas-class that still wanted to do her harm. She knew, because she had seen them the first time she came here. Saw the looks of contempt and hate, and lust for blood they had when they set sights on her. 

Orihime may be a pure and innocent girl, but she knew murder when she saw it. She'd been cornered into many situations where she had to look at it face-to-face. She knew it, and she knew, that even if Aizen had issued an order against it, half of the Arrancars in Hueco Mundo, wanted to murder her. In the most grotesque and sickening way possible.

 Turning in her couch, she faced the wall. It, in no way helped. The sound seemed even louder there. Groaning, she placed her hands against her ears, trying to mute the horrible sounds out. 

As she tried, she could feel her body growing cold. She could very much tell now, that she was in hell. It was so cold, and there wasn't even a blanket for her to cover herself with. Now, as she grew colder, the sounds seemed to get even louder. As if they were drawing nearer. Getting even closer to her.

Her mind was starting to get mushy... The walls were whirling and warping around her now. Her eyes scanned the room. 

One of them was inside! One of them had gotten in!

 In her immobilzed state, she couldn't even get off the couch... And it was getting closer... Walking up to her.. It suddenly reached out its' pale white hand, and in her half-conscious state, her reaction.. She swung her hand out with a small cry, only to be caught by her cell, or her room's, (for a better word) trespasser.

 "Onna.." At the sound of her nickname, Orihime forced her eyes to open, and was more than oddly relieved, to find that the trespasser, was only Ulquiorra.

 Out of her fear, and still half-conscious mind, she suddenly bolted out off the couch and flung herself against her captor. "What has gotten into you, onna?" Ulquiorra asked, quite annoyed, but doing his best to feign it, as he balanced Oirhime against him. 

She was shivering all over, and whimpering as if she'd been hurt. He'd had enough time to analyze her the moment he got in, after of course, he had suffocated every single lesser Arrancar that was clawing outside the woman's cell walls. 

They scattered away after that, so there was no plausible way that they may have injured her. Which, eventually leads him to realize, that the woman must've been scared to death, hearing the Hollows trying to reach her from the outside.

 He gave a deflated sigh. "Humans are such weak trash.." He said, as he gently pried the girl off of him, making sure to apply just enough force so as to not break her hands. He laid her back on the couch, and stood back up. 

He knew that he had been the one assigned to caretake for the girl, but honestly, this last month (by his count), he was slowly losing his patience. It would take a lot, to make Ulquiorra Schiffer lose his patience, and the fact that he was losing it due to a human girl, only made it all the more irksome.

 She shivered again, and Ulquiorra remembered the blanket that he had brought with him. He hated it when he had to tend to the girl that regarded things, as humans would put it, with sentimentality.

 With a little difficulty, Ulquiorra placed the blanket on her, not minding to adjust it completely, and just let it cover her. When he finished, he  took more than a few steps away from her. 

He always kept his distance when he was around her. 

She seemed to have calmed down. He sighed again, and moved to lean against the door as his usual place in the girl's cell whenever he was in there. He will have to stay for a while-- 

He eyed her sleeping form; the shaky puffs of breath that came out her lips; the rising of her stomach and chest while breathing; her auburn hair sprawled like a fiery mess on the couch- "What?" He said to himself. What had he suddenly been thinking? "I'm staying to make sure that those trash of Arrancars don't come back." He thought firmly.

 That was it. Nothing more.

 With a slight nod, Ulquiorra confirmed his motives, and relaxed against the door. His stake-out will take a while, but that was okay. 

Because even if he convinced himself he was doing this based on Aizen's orders, he knew that somewhere deep inside the dark and Hollow that was his soulless body, that there was a selfish reason, why he was there.

 Orihime's breathing was calm now, and Ulquiorra relaxed even more, knowing that the poor girl would no longer be distressed in taking her rest. 

"Sleep well now, Orihime.." Ulquiorra whispered into the room.

 Yes. His 'real' reasons were for him, and him only to know.