1. ôItÆs pretty quiet hereàö was the first thing Mila-Rose said upon exiting the Garganta.
Following her, Apacci, Sung-Sun, and finally Tier Harribel also landed on the desert. Behind them, the Garganta silently closed, and the rip in space suddenly vanished.
ôWhat a complete messàö said Apacci, looking at the destruction caused to Las Noches by heated battles.
ôIt seems like everyone used pretty barbaric methods to fightàö said Sung-Sun, hiding her mouth behind her sleeve and looking up at the sky. The ceiling had broken in many places, creating a mosaic out of the artificial blue sky of Las Noches and the dark sky of Hueco Mundo beyond.
Harribel stared silently for a moment at the battlefield. The three of them, despite squabbling all the time, also followed her example and stood there in silence.
Standing behind HarribelÆs right hand side, Apacci looked down at her own completely unharmed body, and clenched her fist.
(àBastard!)
She muttered in her heart.
Only a few hours before, every single one of them had been close to death. HarribelÆs body had suffered two wounds from AizenÆs zanpakutou Kyoka Suigetsu, one across her abdomen, and another pierced from her back through to her left chest. Apacci, Mila-Rose, and Sung-Sun had each lost an arm to create Allon, and had also suffered severe burns over their entire body from YamamotoÆs fires.
Apacci touched her left arm with her right hand. It felt completely normal, just like her original arm. There was also no pain remaining anywhere on her body.
(In the endà we still had to rely on the strength of humansà!)
She clenched her teeth.
The one who healed them had been Inoue Orihime. When the Fake Karakura Town had been switched back with the real one, the unconscious Arrancars had also been sent with the fake town to Soul Society. Apacci had asked her to come into the town to treat them, when Orihime came back from Hueco Mundo with Kuchiki Rukia and the rest to see Ichigo after his battle had finished.
The three of them that had been spared by Yamamoto were relatively fine compared to Harribel, who had suffered two life-threatening injuries. Apart from Orihime, there was probably nobody who could help her. Still, trusting her deeply revered Harribel to a human, for even one moment, was something that she could never forgive.
Apacci hardened her face, tightly gripping her arm.
(Such a bastardà!)
Her own undying feelings of gratitude to Orihime were something that she could never forgive.
2. When they had carefully moved IchigoÆs body onto the stretcher, Urahara and Uryuu looked up at the same time.
ôSomethingÆs coming!ö
ôThis reiatsuà an Arrancar!?ö
The two talented at sensing reiatsu lifted their heads and gazed upwards. Everyone else followed their example, looking to the sky.
Suddenly in the clear blue sky, a figure appeared using sonido, something only Arrancar could use. It came quickly, almost falling out of the sky.
They looked at the Arrancar on the ground. It was one of Tier HarribelÆs fraccion, Apacci. Her skin was burnt, her left arm ripped off with blood still dripping from the wound, and it was all that she could do just to stand.
ôYou must not want to liveà!ö Renji fixed his glare on Apacci, his hand gripping his zanpakutou Zabimaru.
Still, Apacci did not even spare him a glance, as she had eyes only for Orihime. ôHey, womanàcomeàwith meàö Her shoulder shook violently as she breathed, her words coming out in short bursts.
Seeing her heading towards Orihime, Rukia quickly put herself between the two. But before she could do anything, Apacci took another step and lost her balance, falling heavily to the ground.
ôBasàtardàö Trying to lift herself up, she grabbed a fistful of dirt.
ôSouten Kisshun!ö Orihime stretched out her hands, using her Shun Shun Rikka technique. ShunÆo and Ayame flew to Apacci, surrounding her with a glowing healing field.
ôWait a minute, Inoue! ThatÆs an Arrancar! ThereÆs no reason to heal her!ö Renji shouted. Orihime had once been kidnapped by the Arrancar and Renji understandably hoped that she would have no further contact with them.
ôBut, I canÆt just do nothingàö Orihime walked past Rukia, coming closer to ApacciÆs body. Even though she was an Arrancar, Orihime could not just leave someone who was hurt.
As Orihime started to focus on healing, Apacci said weakly, ôDonÆt mind meà firstàsave Harribel-samaà!ö
ôBut, your wounds are also very seriousàö
ôPlease!ö Apacci lifted her head and grabbed OrihimeÆs hand, her own hand shaking, either from the pain or something else. ôPlease quicklyà save Harribel-samaà!ö Her eyes held no antagonistic, killing, or deceitful intent, only concern for her nakama, like Orihime herself.
ôàI understand! Please take me there!ö Orihime released her Souten Kisshun, and offered Apacci her shoulder.
ôIÆll go too. Take hold of me.ö Rukia stood to her other side, taking note of the wound to her shoulder, and carefully holding her up. RukiaÆs left arm was also wounded and in a sling, but her right arm was tightly gripped around Apacci. Surprised, Apacci widened her eyes but did not say anything, relying on the two of them.
ôWell then, I guess I have no choiceàcome on!ö Renji walked up to them and bent over. ôYouÆre in a hurry, right? Then let me carry you. It seems like IÆm the least wounded out of all of youàö
ôThank you, Abarai-kun!ö Orihime and Rukia carefully placed Apacci on RenjiÆs back. Renji stood up and started walking towards the fake Karakura town, with Orihime and Uryuu following behind him.
ôUrahara, Chad, IÆll just leave Ichigo with you then!ö Rukia ran off to join them, leaving Urahara to explain IchigoÆs injuries and Chad to nurse the wound to his leg.
***
Seeing some movement amongst the rubble, Sung-Sun asked, ôWhoÆs there!?ö
ôWoof!ö Kukkapuuro walked out of the shadows, running towards the four of them.
ôYouÆre YammyÆsàö Harribel remembered that this tiny little hollow always was by YammyÆs side.
ôNear hereàI can feel the remains of YammyÆs reiatsu,ö said Mila-Rose. It was his reiatsu from where he had used all his strength for battle.
ôThat fellow Yammy, heÆs always so absent-minded, and always thinking himself so great, as if!ö said Apacci in her usual voice. The other two nodded their agreement.
ôWhat thenàthat bastard!ö she said, kicking up the sand. Apacci hoped that everything would become normal soon. That humans, shinigami, this battle, and contact with Soul Society would all soon be forgotten.
ôChe! Have they already discoveredà!ö murmured Mila-Rose, focusing on the reiatsu signatures around them.
Sung-Sun nodded, frowning. ôHnàthereÆs a group of mid-level hollows congregating in that direction.ö
The hollows who before had feared Aizen and the EspadasÆ strength were now starting to surround Las Noches.
ôThereÆsàgoing to be another war thenàö HarribelÆs expression was grim and her heart felt heavy. As she had followed Aizen hoping that his superior strength might stop unnecessary wars from ever happening, she was unwilling to let such a thing happen.
ôHarribel-sama.ö
Hearing that call, she turned and saw Sung-Sun kneeling on the floor. She lowered her head and said, ôBarragan is dead. Aizen is gone. The only one fit to become ruler of Hueco Mundo is now Harribel-sama.ö
ôI agree!ö Apacci also kneeled, bowing her head.
ôNo matter what, please become the new ruler of Hueco Mundo!ö Mila-Rose also knelt.
Harribel lowered her head, calmly regarding the three who were now awaiting an answer. ôHueco Mundo does not need a ruler.ö
ôA fake sun can not illuminate this darkness.ö The blue sky created by Aizen stretched above them. ôHueco Mundo has darknessàand only needs a peaceful darkness.ö
Harribel slowly blinked and started walking towards the center of Las Noches. The three of them stood up, exchanged glances, and silently nodded.
ôWe will always serve you, Harribel-sama!ö said Sung-Sun, as they followed her.
After five or six steps, Apacci stood still and looked back at Kukkapuuro, which was still staring at the four of them. ôHey, little thing! YouÆll be killed if you stay in a place like this!ö She walked over and picked it up, but Kukkapuuro yelped and struggled from her grasp.
Seeing this, Sung-Sun said to her, ôLet it go. DonÆt you understand that it wholly wants to stay here?ö
ôYouÆre so noisy! I donÆt need you to tell me. I was planning to let it go!ö She put it down and Kukkapuuro happily yelped, wagging its tail.
ôYou too, also have something that you cannot leave?ö Mila-Rose gently petted KukkapuuroÆs head, before walking back to HarribelÆs side with the other two.
Their shadows slowly disappeared. Their footprints also vanished, smoothed out by the wind.
