Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ Negative Space ❯ Freaky Cat Lady ( Chapter 14 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Grimmjow had done everything right when he bound Rudbornn to him. Admittedly, I was surprised by it, but I didn't tell him that. Instead, I spent several moments healing Rudbornn through my bond with Grimmjow and making sure he understood the expectations I had for Raacharg while he was in his care. I sounded a lot like an overprotective mother hen, but no one said anything about it because I was right to be worried. Rudbornn wasn't as strong as Grimmjow's other Fracciones, but he was under orders to ensure Raacharg's well-being in my absence. That would have to do. Grimmjow had satisfied my request, so I'd have to trust that he knew what he was doing.

"So," I said slowly as we stopped in the space between worlds to wait for Grimmjow's garganta to open. "Is there anything I should know about before we enter the Soul Reaper's den?"

"Probably," he answered shortly as the yawning mouth of the garganta formed and began to slide open.

"Wanna elaborate?" I asked, crooking one brow up.

"No, not really." He shrugged just as light from the world of the living filtered over him. That was odd. It should have been night time. Were we emerging indoors?

"That's not helpful," I sighed, leveling a flat stare on him.

A boom of sound vibrated through me just before an incomprehensible force shoved me back. Caught by surprise I stumbled back, falling a few feet when I stepped off the reishi I had solidified beneath my feet. I caught myself on reflex, drawing my zanpakuto in the same moment as I looked over the bottom edge of the garganta. Grimmjow wasn't where I had last seen him, but as I glanced back in the darkness I realized he hadn't been knocked back like me.

"You sure took your damn time," an overly cheery female voice called out from the brightness. "I was starting to think you ran away scared."

"I don't run away from a challenge," Grimmjow snarled as the sharp sound of metal grinding on metal hit my ears. It took a minute for my eyes to adjust to the light, but slowly the outline of two bodies defined themselves. Grimmjow had his zanpakuto drawn, the blade grinding against the wrist guards of a deeply tanned woman.

"Bullshit," she said fiercely as she pushed against his blade hard enough to make him take a step back.

"Last I remember, you were the one turning down my challenge." A bala sparked in Grimmjow's hand and he fired it at her in one lightning quick flick. The woman dodged back from him, her deep violet colored pony tail waving behind her with the speed of her step. She was graceful in her movements while still being quick like a snake striking as she hit the ground and sprang at him. He reacted, darting off to the side to avoid her spinning kick.

I felt the edges of the Grimmjow's garganta shift before I saw it, and I drew my attention away from the two so I could jump up and through the opening as it closed. I clamped down on my spiritual pressure with the movement to make my entrance into their combat area as least distracting as possible. Grimmjow knew I was here, but I didn't know if the woman had done more than sense another presence. She had to be one of the Soul Reapers that resided here. I'd seen her before, but it was only once or twice.

I turned for a moment to watch the garganta close behind me, only to realize that we weren't in the World of the Living. We were in some sort of alternate universe where Hueco Mundo actually had clouds and rocks instead of crystal and sand. My eyes ran over the landscape and the seemingly endless horizon, taking it all in as the spiritual pressure of the two combatants behind me rose. Where the hell had Grimmjow taken us? I knew the space between worlds pretty damn well, but I had never emerged from a garganta to find a place like this.

I felt more than sensed the fight shift, and I extended my zanpakuto as I turned. A fist met the pole of my spear as I blocked, but instead of colliding with the metal, a layer if the woman's spiritual pressure seemed to protect her flesh. It was the oddest thing I had ever seen, but she pulled back before I could wrap my brain around what I had seen. She stepped back, but it was only so she could turn her momentum into a powerful side sweeping kick. I grunted as the kick hit my zanpakuto again when I blocked her, my feet sliding across the ground a few inches with the force of it.

"You've brought fresh blood Grimmjow!" She cheered in an almost happy tone.

"I'm not here to fight," I said laboriously as I shoved at her leg, making her draw back into some sort of fighting stance. I wasn't familiar with Soul Reapers and their fighting styles, which wasn't exactly comforting to know as this one came after me.

"Too bad," she said fiercely as she flashed me a confident grin and came at me. Fists and feet flashed in quick and powerful jabs. Every strike was imbued with her spiritual pressure, and I did everything I could to avoid her onslaught. When I had to block her, the hit knocked me back with its power. It was stupid, and I was so unprepared that I wasn't able to strike back. Which was also stupid.

Jesus cheese balls. This wasn't good. Outside of Grimmjow and his idiot Luien, I had avoided most conflict. I didn't want to fight her, not knowing this was one of the two former captains Grimmjow had spoken of. Captains were damned powerful. It was stupid to think they had always been more powerful than most of the Arrancar in existence. I could beat this woman if I had to, take her into my Negative Space where she wouldn't have this spiritual pressure to aid her. But, that didn't seem like the best way to get along with the people Grimmjow was asking a favor from.

Wait… was this a test?

Fucking gopher tits. It had to be. Maybe this was why Grimmjow hadn't brought one of his Fracciones with him. They had failed this test, and were ridiculed for it.

"You could have warned me, you ass hat!" I shouted, my words aimed at Grimmjow as I vaulted back from the woman. She vanished as I moved, and I just knew she had slipped into her flash step or whatever the hell it was called. Stupid Soul Reapers and their mumbo jumbo magic shit.

"Ass hat? He asked, sounding amused. I ignored him.

"Over here," the woman called out just before she dropped from her disappearing run. She was to my left, and I reacted. I fired a cero at the ground, narrowing my eyes till they were almost closed to avoid the dust that filled the air before I stepped back to narrowly avoid her seeking punch. I spin my zanpakuto around, striking at her back but she vanished again in that stupid faster than I could see movement. I didn't it let her irritating movement distract me as I sunk into my own combative stance with my zanpakuto held before me in both hands. I let my eyes slide fully closed and centered myself as I waited, feeling for her spiritual pressure or movements to disturb the air.

I didn't like fighting Soul Reapers. Their abilities were strange to me and I struggled to comprehend their tactics. I had never really fought one before. Yes, the Soul King, Aizen, demon boy, and some random weaker beings in my lifetime. But that wasn't enough for me to really say I had experience fighting them. I was a slow learner, even if my strengths were mostly combat related. I could fight them, but it was a chore and I would most likely have to resort to my Negative Space. I really didn't want to have to do that for this stupid test, and I silently shot curses in Grimmjow's direction with the thought.

I felt the air behind me stir just before her spiritual pressure registered in my head. She was good with that ability of hers, but I was great at reacting. I shoved off the ground, jumping into the air and using the reishi in the air to support myself as I flipped. My feet made contact with reishi just as I was upside down, and I springboarded off it to launch myself at her. Just as my zanpakuto was about to pierce her back, she vanished. Little shit biscuit.

"Too slow," she almost cheered as she appeared mid kick. I spun, attempting to dodge he downward strike. Unfortunately she grazed my side just enough to knock me off balance and I hit the ground awkwardly, ending up on my hands and knees. I felt something snap, but I ignored the pain as I rolled away, avoiding her stomping foot as it broke the rock I had just been kneeling on.

"Fuck this shit," I snarled as I sprang to my feet. That damn woman was enjoying herself way too much. I had made the mistake of letting Grimmjow play with me when I had been in this body. I wasn't going to make the same mistake again.

"Aw, don't like getting beat up?" she said with a mocking pout.

I didn't answer her as I twirled my zanpakuto in my hands and caught it with the blade pointing at the ground. "I'm not like the others. I won't be mocked like a damn child. Pacify, Amechania!"

I slammed my blade into the ground and my armor appeared in a flash of my power. I didn't bother trying to be overconfident and let my shield form on my back where I had left it the last time I'd used it. She had already attacked me from behind and I didn't need her to hit my back like Bartolome had. My back wasn't exactly a weak spot, but it was one of the few places that my actual mask was vulnerable.

There was a curious glint in the woman's yellow eyes. It was the sort of glint that a cat had when it saw something they thought was prey and they wanted to pounce. It was an odd look to get from someone like her, but I didn't think much of it as I withdrew my zanpakuto from the ground and slid into an offensive stance, the blade of my spear poised to strike.

"Your resurreccion so soon?" She purred as she grinned large enough to bare her teeth.

"I don't like being played with," I growled back. "I'm not some piss poor excuse for an Arrancar that you can jerk around. I'm a goddamn Espada."

"Privaron Espada," a strange man's voice called out, correcting me.

"That's just going to piss her off more," Grimmjow said with a sigh.

"Well, it's the truth." I could hear the shrug in the strangers voice, but I didn't look away from the woman. She was the threat. I wouldn't let myself get distracted, which was good because she abruptly shot toward me. I dodged her first kick with ease, then her punch that came next. I was a lot faster in my released state, but I got the sense that was still playing with me. That was okay because she would regret it.

I stabbed at her in quick successive movements, going on the offensive when she presented me an opening. She stepped back, her feet quick and her movements almost cat like in their elegance and manner. I kept her busy despite her lightning reflexes, but I wasn't backing her up at all. I needed to fix that, so I changed tactics and let an opening in my defenses show. She saw it and went for it, her fist going for my gut. I let her hit me, but where someone else would have crumbled with the blow, I let my armor take the brunt of the force and latched onto her arm with my left hand. With the other I raised my zanpakuto and struck at her left shoulder. She caught my zanpakuto mid swing, but she couldn't stop my momentum entirely and the first inch of my zanpakuto sank into her skin, making blood run down her chest to soak the shirt she was wearing.

We stood like that for a long moment, both of us struggling to overpower each other. She had dented my bone armor with her punch like it was metal, forcing the air from my lungs and breaking a few normally important things. Like my ribs, and consequently my lungs, stomach and whatever else was important down there. The blade of my zanpakuto had pierced her skin and as we struggled it moved in her flesh, drawing the wound open further. Despite the struggle between us she was still grinning like fighting me was a damn video game she was eager to conquer. I wasn't grinning. No, I was glaring at her and stone face serious.

"Its over!" That man called out. In my peripheral vision I saw him waving an arm, but I didn't bothering to actually look at him.

"No it's not," the woman shouted back, her eyes sparking with excitement.

"Yes it is Yoruichi! She drew first blood. Those were the rules that you made." He said in a damn near sing song voice.

Irritation made Yoruichi's eye twitch and she pulled back, removing her fist from my gut and my zanpakuto from her flesh. I let her pulled away as pain and a bit of nausea radiated through my core, but I ignored it and chose to leave myself damaged for the moment. This was a challenge that I was going to win if I had my way.

"Clearly," she said as she turned and gestured back at me. "We are tied and it needs to be settled."

"She's not actually bleeding," Grimmjow pointed out. He was right for the most part. My armor had bent with her blow, not broken, so I looked damaged but there was no blood on the outside. I could feel the broken ribs on the inside of my body and how they had clearly punctured things that weren't meant to have holes in them. I could hold back from coughing up blood for a few more moments if it would end this stupid test.

"Look at her!" She said, making a more emphasized wave at my clearly bent and damaged armor. She stopped for a moment to gaze down at the damage she had done, a look almost of surprise on her face when she saw that there really was no blood.

I chose that moment to flush my body with power, healing the damage done and repairing my armor like it had never been damaged. It took a moment and lots of snapping and cracking that was joined by pain so sharp that it made my body twitch as things realigned, but I didn't let my face change with it. In this moment I was the Espada I once was, and Isabellia didn't let people see what hurt her. Isabellia was a pit of logic and pride, and pain wasn't something that crippled her. Pain we could revel in after the nothingness.

"Oh," she murmured when I was done. I gave her a moment to look me up and down before I actually let my tense posture drop into a neutral one and rested the butt of my zanpakuto on the ground. "Well then, I guess they're right."

"Done?" I managed to ask with what little breath I did still have in my lungs. If I inhaled I was probably going to start spewing.

"I suppose," she sighed as she stepped back as if to give me space. I knew with her speed it was just an illusion of safety, but I took it for what it was and let my resurreccion slip away and my zanpakuto spark back into a dagger. With the loss of my true form the urge to wretch came over me and I gave into it, turning away before I heaved up the blood that had spilled into my lungs and stomach..

Gods, this was just a great first impression. At least I had been able to hold it back till now.

"Well that was fun," the man who had yet to be named said lightly. "It was rather timely of you to show up now. We just sent Renji and Hisagi back to the Soul Society."

"They still don't realize that you're working both sides, do they?" Grimmjow asked.

"They know, but it's not like I advertise it."

With a final cough that told me I had finally cleared everything out, I stood and wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. That had been particularly unpleasant. It was a good thing I didn't have to actually fight that woman. Turning around to face them it was evident that they didn't consider me a threat in anyway. Yoruichi's back was to me and her hip cocked out to the side like she wasn't even aware that I was still holding my zanpakuto. I was tempted to lash out at her just because I could, but I didn't.

With a heavy sigh I slipped my zanpakuto into its sheath and stepped toward them, coming up beside Yoruichi. When I stopped I crossed my arms over my chest. My resurreccion had torn the right sleeve from my jacket when the shoulder pauldron had formed, but otherwise I was pretty sure I looked unphased. It was an unfortunate loss of clothing, but I was somewhat expecting that I would ruin my clothes in some way. Everytime I did something with Grimmjow it resulted in my clothes being ruined.

"That's some impressive healing abilities you've got there," Kisuke said as his head turned toward me and I met kind greyish eyes. Maybe kind wasn't the right word, but he appeared open and genuine. It was a strange thing to see on a Soul Reaper's face.

"Almost all Hollows are capable of healing like this at some point in time," I said with a small shrug. "Most just choose to discard the ability in exchange for more power."

"But still, that was impressive. Can you only do that in your true form?" He asked in an innocent tone.

I let my eyes slide half closed and leveled him with my stare. That was my only answer to his question. The corner of his mouth lifted in a small, almost mischievous grin.

"I'll take that as a no," he said, his tone amused.

I let out a short sigh and looked to Grimmjow. "I'd rather get down to business rather than sitting here sharing pleasantries."

Grimmjow nodded like he was agreeing with me then glanced between the man and Yoruichi. "This is Kisuke Urahara and Yoruichi Shihoin, both former Soul Reaper Captains."

His gaze settled on me and he gestured with a nod in my direction for them. "Isa Vaccio, Privaron Espada number one-hundred."

Well, that was irritating. Introducing me by my number just lost him major brownie points.

"One-hundred, eh?" Kisuke mused. "Does that mean you were number 10, or 1?"

The urge to roll my eyes was almost too strong. "I was the first to fall from power."

"Oh, so that's how it works. I was wonder how your numbers worked."

"These aren't our numbers. They're the labels that Aizen thrust upon us when he took over," I growled.

The look Grimmjow shot me wasn't the friendliest one. Was I being abrasive? Yes, yes I was. And for good reason too. But these were Grimmjow's… what? Working friends? Acquaintances? I had no idea what his relationship was with them, or why he had one at all. Perhaps I shouldn't be so prickly. We were here to do something for them in exchange for a fix to Rudbornns mask. Being a stubborn ass probably wouldn't help at all.

Heaving in a large breath I let it out in a long sigh and dropped my defensive posture. Fine. I could be civil.

"I don't like Soul Reapers. The last time I really interacted with your kind didn't go so well, and I'd really not like to repeat it. I'm just here to support Grimmjow, and nothing else."

Grimmjow was the one to laugh this time. I gave him my best flat stare, but he ignored it as he turned his attention to Kisuke. "You had a job for us in exchange for the stabilizing band. I'd rather get it over with sooner rather than later."

"Oh yeah, you got a war to fight now. I suppose you'd need Rudbborn's exquisa," Kisuke mused as he turned away from us and started walking. "I spent a while debating what sort of favor I'd call in. You do owe us pretty big still."

Grimmjow moved to follow him, then Yoruichi, leaving me to bring up the rear. It bothered me that they so openly gave me their backs. If I had been any other Arrancar it would have been offensive, but these were supposed to be allies of some sort. At least, to Grimmjow they were. Then again, maybe they were letting me keep my eyes on them because they could tell I was tense? Were they that perceptive?

Probably, and that thought unnerved me.

"What is it going to be this time? Stealing another one of Hiyori's sandals? Acquiring some talisman from Hachi? Procuring desserts from Orihime?" Grimmjow sound exasperated as he stopped before a excessively long ladder that seemed to reach up into the sky. I craned my head back so I could look up the long line of wood as I wonder what sort of warped world we had come into where ladders vanished into the sky and the world seemed to be flat.

"No, I actually have a real job for you this time." Kisuke glanced back at him and flashed me a boyish smile just before he vanished. I had the briefest sensation of him going upwards before he vanished from my senses. Had he gone up the ladder?

I didn't have time to really think it over before Grimmjow and Yoruichi vanished as well. I followed Grimmjow's presence through the bond, feeling him going straight up just like I thought Kisuke had. I blinked a few times, tilting my head to the side as my eyes narrowed. Was there something at the top of the ladder? There must have been.

"Jesus shity sprinkles," I grumbled as I bent my knees and thrust off the ground to follow them. I stayed beside the ladder as I ran up into the sky, pushing of the reishi I gathered at each step like I was scaling a damn cliff. My gaze was focused on where I knew Grimmjow was, but I didn't see the hole in the sky until I was almost running into it. I reacted on instinct, grabbing the side of the hold just as I was passing through it. My body swung around as my grip strained and I managed to pull my feet under me just as I landed on the floor that was on the other side with a deep thud that shook the surrounding objects.

"Well, that's one way to make an entrance," Yoruichi commented from the other side of the room I had emerged in. I glared at her for a moment before I glanced around at the room. It looked like I had emerged in a closet that was filled with household odds and ends. I released the edge of the open hatch that lead down into that alternate dimension and stood just as Yoruichi disappeared through an open door. I really didn't like being lead around like this. It made me feel like a damn child or something, which was stupid.

Letting out yet another sigh, I was getting good at those today, I followed her path and closed the door to the closet on my way out. Yoruichi was gone like she had purposely vanished to leave me on my own, but Kisuke's voice drifted down the hallway I had emerged into so I followed it.

"If Kazui wasn't off training with Uruyu, I'd ask him to do it since this is more up his alley, but there's been some odd happenings as of late and I want to know what is causing it."

"Odd?" Grimmjow asked. "Odd as in you don't get it, or you're too lazy to figure it out yourself?"

"A little bit of both, I suppose," Kisuke said lightly.

I passed by an open door as I was moving down the hallway and idly glanced into the room. I froze mid step, my eyes going wide at the sight of Yoruichi's completely bare backside. Was it normal for Soul Reapers to just strip their clothes off with the doors open? I thought they were all prudes, but then again I had only ever known a very few Soul Reapers. Maybe they really preferred to be nude?

"There's been some rumors of people going missing at the Sengen Shrine in town. Since you know nothing of the Living's religious beliefs, I'll just say it's a shrine to a really old god."

I let my gaze linger on Yoruichi's backside for a moment. I would never admit aloud that she was a very attractive woman with a very attractive figure. Her back was lean, but under her skin it was clear that defined muscles wrapped her body. She was conditioned for battle, just like I was. I had never been interested in women before, but even I could admit when someone was… What did the living call it? Banging? I lifted my foot to start walking again, but I forgot I was trying to move when a puff of smoke abruptly filled the room.

"What's with this god shit?" Grimmjow asked.

A cat.

There was a cat in the center of the room.

Right where Yoruichi had been…

She was a cat? What the fuck?

"It's just the living's culture," Kisuke said with a laugh.

My balance wavered and I remembered my raised foot. I blinked a few times before I allowed it to touch the ground and I began walking again. My thoughts had been stopped by what I had seen, and my actions showed it as I moved at a sluggish, distracted pace. She was a cat, human, Soul Reaper fucking cat thing, and they had an alternate dimension under their house. Was this house even above the ground's surface? Or were we underground at all? Nothing made sense. Like, at all.

"Whatever. Just tell me what the hell we need to do so we can get it over with." Grimmjow growled as I found the room they were in. I didn't say anything as I took in Kisuke sitting at a table and Grimmjow standing across the room with his shoulder pressed into the wall.

"I want to know what is taking these people, and I want a piece of it." Kisuke said with that same boyish smile he had flashed me earlier.

"A hunting mission?" Grimmjow asked, sounding suspicious. "That's it?"

"That's it," Kisuke said.

"I call bullshit," Grimmjow said as he rolled his neck, cracking the joints. "But if it's what you want, consider it done."

"Well, there is one detail you might want before you get too it. Whatever it is, it has only been stealing away people with a high spiritual pressure." Kisuke leaned back, resting his weight on his palms.

"You're saying this like it's a problem for us, when clearly we don't have any issues in that department." Grimmjow rolled his eyes and glanced over at me. His brow quirked in a curious sort of way as he asked, "what's wrong with you?"

"I… don't even know," I said, shaking my head. "I'm fine."

"You two don't look even remotely Human." I jumped when something furry brushed my ankle and swore when I looked down to see the damn cat that Yoruichi had turned into. I quickly moved away from her, putting myself closer to Grimmjow. I couldn't think of the cat as Yoruichi any more. That was just a talking cat, that magically sounded like a man. Magic… right. Magic I could understand, or really didn't have to try and understand.

The cat eyed me up and down, drawing attention to my guarded stance. I quickly dropped it, but the cat just seemed to shrug and sauntered over to Kisuke. "Well, you might pass as Human if you were made of reishi. You'll both need to be Human if you want to draw whatever it is out."

"You're not going to make us use gigais, are you?" Grimmjow groaned.

Gigais? What the fuck was that? More mumbo jumbo, freaky cat lady man, alternate dimension shit? Jesus shit balls.

"If you want to succeed, you'll use 'em," Kisuke mused. "I just came out with some new soul candies too."

"Goddamn salesman," Grimmjow grumbled.

"You're very perceptive," Kisuke said, grinning.

What the fuck had Grimmjow brought me into?