(UN)Lucky Numbers

Part 1

Empty, silent and white. This place was all but cozy and yet, I couldn't help but let my curiosity get the better of me and push the oversized white double door as to create a small opening to slip my body through. My friend who was accompanying me followed shortly after, afraid she would be crushed by the weight of the soon closing doors.

At first, we just stood there. It felt like time had stopped. Not a sound, not a single sign of a living soul. There was no furniture, just the white walls running away into the darkness of the endless hallway, no doors neither. There was only the floor that seemed so out of place but also like it didn't belong anywhere but there.

Deep blue marble squares were leading our way to our next destination, the echo of each step made resounding like explosions and covering the solemn silence that filled the entire hallway. It was intimidating and reassuring at the same time. It was still impossible to tell if there was somebody else in these walls other than us, but we knew that it was all concrete.

How we ended up there, we had no idea. Blurred visions had replaced our memories and made us dizzy for a long time. It was probably in that state of confusion that we saw an imposing form into the distance and silently agreed to march towards it until we couldn't take it anymore and collapsed from exhaustion. What a relief it was when we finally laid our dirty hands on the immaculate surface of it, taking in a deep breath before entering.

Countless hours passed and the hallway remained unchanged. Kilometres of white and blue stretched before and behind us, merging with black into the distance. Not a soul, not a thing, not a door. Total emptiness, nothingness and loneliness were spiralling around our standing bodies, crushing them from the inside out.

Before we knew it, we were laying on the cold marble, breathing unevenly. It was like the air suddenly became thicker, pressing us down heavily.

A delicate shuffling made its way to our ears about to pop from the unbearable weight pinning us down. I felt my eyes rolling around in their sockets, searching for the source of the disturbance, but I couldn't see anything for a foggy filter was blurring my vision, changing my surroundings into an abstract painting.

"My, my~" A teasing masculine voice whispered through the murkiness that became the hallway. "It seems like ya searchin' for trouble there, kiddies."

The mysterious figure bent down a little, hovering over my friend for a few seconds.

"Hm... Unconscious?"

Then, the figure was hovering over my own numb body.

"Ah~ That's more like it! Strugglin' against my Spiritual Pressure, aren't ya'? Well done, kiddo~!"

There was an eerie feeling about this stranger. I didn't know if he was sincere or sarcastic, if I should trust him of not, what was his next move? I was strugglingto keep my eyes on his silhouette as he slowly lifted my friend from the ground, her numb and weakened limbs dangling weakly towards the ground. I tried to say something, to stop him, but could only manage a mute rumble.

The air suddenly turned back to its normal consistency and I could catch my breath again. As the blood hurriedly made its way to my brain, mixed feelings and thoughts invaded my head. Ruling over the chaos provoked was the impression of déjà vu. The man's voice, his long white clothes with black outlines, the unusual shade of his hair and his scary fox smile when he turned to me one last time, mentioning to follow him.

I stood up somehow after a few failed attempts and kept my distances as he was leading the way through the maze of identical corridors. Even though his pace was fast and I was out of breath, I refused to give up and focused to the task at hand: helping my friend. No matter what, I couldn't leave her with that man.

"I found and brought the intruders, Capt'n Aizen." The stranger declared.

I snapped out of my trance and looked around, heart beating faster by the second. Sitting at a long banquet table were twelve new personas, all more outstanding than the other; oversized, masked, pink haired, dark skinned, blue haired, insanely tall, cat eyed, a lone woman, an elder, a bored one, a seemingly blind one and last but not least the most normal one who also seemed like he was the leader.

"Distracted, aren't we, young girl?" I focused my sight on the presumed boss and looked at him dead in the eyes. His smirk stretched some more on his face, a mysterious glint sparkling in his dark orbs.

"I hate to repeat myself, but I will make an exception this time." He continued with a monotone voice. "I am curious as to how you two could intrude Las Noches without being noticed?"

Not trusting my voice, intimidated by all the eyes that were fixed on me, I simply shook my head with a slight shrug of the shoulders.

"Interesting..." He continued.

I averted my eyes to the ground as I could feel his eyes boring into my very soul, piercing through my heart and undressing every one of my thoughts.

"Welcome to Las Noches. My name is Sosuke Aizen."

My head snapped up in realisation. Las Noches, Sosuke Aizen. This place, those persons... I've seen them before. I knew them yet it was my first time meeting them. Overall: how did I end up in Hueco Mundo, the place where Hollows dwell and seek for souls to feed on 24/7? Why was I suddenly part of Bleach?

"You and your friend will be staying here from now on. If you do not cooperate, you chose to die. You understand."

This last statement sounded more like an affirmation than a question. I nodded numbly. All of this was progressing way too fast for me to keep up with everything that was said and done.

"Now, I want you to choose a number from one to ten for your friend." Aizen ordered.

I gulped and felt my mind going blank because of all the pressure. I knew who had what number and what was more likely to happen to my friend if I deliberately chose them.

"One. I want her to be number one." I finally said, remembering her lucky number.

"Wise choice. Therefore, since your friend can't choose for you, may I ask what your lucky number might be?" He smirked.

A chill went down my spine. How did he know I chose her lucky number? Somehow, I also knew that his little interrogation was only to entertain himself by making me uncomfortable. He knew the answers to his own questions. He simply liked to make me blush and sweat from all the nervousness.

"Six..." I mumbled to the marble floor reflecting my own flustered face.

"Tch! Ya can't be serious!" The blue haired one scoffed, crossing his arms on his bare chest. "No way I'll take care of that kid!"

"This human woman is now your Fraccióne, Grimmjow. Make sure nobody tries to devour her soul, you included." Aizen stated before dismissing the rest of the assembly.

I watched silently as Gin entrusted my friend to a resigned Starrk before leaving the room like everyone else before him. The Primera Espada sighed, holding the limp body like one husband would hold his bride, before slowly making his way towards his quarters. Not having moved from my spot, too shaken by the current situation and what was promised to come, Grimmjow walked up to me, engulfing my small figure into his shadow.

"What're ya waitin' for? Come or I'll leave you behind to die." He grunted, staring down at me.

I didn't waste a second and followed his order, knowing I was going to be into big trouble whether I wanted it or not.

We were all doomed and I knew I couldn't tell a soul unless I wanted to end my life sooner.