An arrancar girl in Seireitei
I guess this is an AU fanfic although it's in the future of the current manga chapters. It was about time that someone writes a fanfic about Nell, she's such an adorable chara. And before you ask: yes, she will meet Yachiru in Seireitei.
Bleach doesn't belong to me… damn.
„What an amazing story!"
It was an odd group of people sitting in the vast and rocky cavern beneath the Urahara Shop. Well, not all of them sitting since Inoue Orihime was currently healing the badly-hit body of her friend and saviour Kurosaki Ichigo, a gentle smile on her lips. No one, not even Kuchiki Rukia wanted to break her peace right now. This time Ichigo went to Hueco Mundo to save her, not Rukia, showing her that he cared a great deal for her, even if he might not love her. He – and her other friends too she added a little guiltily – had endured immeasurable pain to save her from a world controlled by the most dangerous man she had ever known, Aizen Sousuke. No one of the group wanted to disrupt her thoughts, there were other things to do anyhow. Satisfying Urahara Kisukes unending curiosity for example.
"Ishida-kun, Chado-kun" Kisuke addressed the two non-shinigami of the group sitting in a circle next to Orihime and Ichigo. "What were these Privaron Espada like? Were they strong? Were they able to talk? What abilities did they have? How…"
"Kisuke" a dark female voice interrupted him, but sounding more amused than strict. "Don't overwhelm them with your questions." The members of the group cast a few brief glances at Shihouin Yoruichi, who sat behind her childhood friend. The dark-skinned woman was currently playing with the surprise guest the group brought into this world from Hueco Mundo, an arrancar toddler named Nell. The little girl had met Ichigo and the others outside of Aizens fortress and had followed the orange-haired shinigami since then. After they had rescued Orihime the group had decided to take Nell with them cause Aizen would have got her killed for sure. The blue-haired arrancar girl giggled while watching sparks of shunkou dancing on Yoruichis palm. The Goddess of Flash grinned at her.
"It's no bother, Yoruichi-san" Uryuu Ishida assured, adjusting his glasses. "Though they were certainly able to speak and think, they weren't really an obstacle. Not when compared to the real Espada."
"True" Chad agreed in his own reticent way. The two of them had been healed by Orihime before they left Hueco Mundo and the giant was glad to be alive. After meeting Noitora he had been on the verge of death for quite some time.
"Bah. Don't be so fussy", Abarai Renji said. Although he was still injured from defending the others while they went through the portal to this world he was in a good mood, cause this time Ichigo needed the healing and not him. "We went to Hueco Mundo, rescued Orihime from the Espada and managed to get back in one piece. What else do you want?"
"Well, some of us had to fight against an Espada alone", Rukia teased her childhood friend. "No wonder you're in such a good shape since you had Ishida-kun with you to watch your back."
Renji jumped to his feet, glaring at the black-haired shinigami. "Why you…"
"Aaah, yes." Kisuke grinned behind his fan. "It's a very good thing that you're unharmed, Abarai-kun. The windows in the shop need to be cleaned badly again…"
"What?" Renji snapped at the shopkeeper and his grinning assistants. "You made me clean them just a week ago!"
"Yeah, but Ururu has been really busy sweeping in front of the shop, you know?" Jinta replied, failing miserably to sound regretful. "They're totally dusty again."
"Anyway", Kisuke interrupted him before Renji could come up with an appropriate offense. "If you were in such a hurry getting through the portal then why…" He pointed at Nell, who was playing with Yoruichi in cat-form. "… did you take her with you?"
"Yeah, when you went to Hueco Mundo you surely were determined to wipe out all arrancars", Jinta mocked. "How did she change your mind? Did she threaten to scream your ears off?"
"Jinta-kun, that's not nice", Ururu replied meekly. "She is just a kid."
"So what?" he ranted at her. "She's still an arrancar!"
"Kurosaki told us to take her with us" Ishida answered quickly before the boy could begin bullying Ururu again. "Maybe it was a bad idea, but he seemed to care about her..."
"Taking in an arrancar-girl" Rukia grumbled and touched her forehead. "That's SO Ichigo."
"Jealous?" Renji asked sneeringly and poked her in the ribs. Rukia blushed slightly and pushed him away.
"Why should I be, you dumb-ass?" she said loud. "She's not even fully human."
"And technically seen you're a Death God" Renji replied, earning him a Death God's death glare.
"So what? It's not like we are lovers!"
"Of course you aren't…"
"What's all the fuzz about?" Ichigo's voice interrupted them. All heads turned to see that Orihime had finished her treatment and Ichigo was just standing up.
"I-Ichigo" Rukia stammered. Her face was even more red than Renjis hair. "When did you wake up?"
"Right now" the boy said and while approaching the group with Orihime. "What were you talking about?"
"Nothing at all, Kurosaki-san" Kisuke replied cheerfully, drawing off Ichigo's attention from the brightly glowing Rukia. "We were just talking about your incredible bravery during this mission."
"Right" Ichigo responded doubtingly. With one last curious look on Rukia he sat down next to Orihime.
"Ichigo" Chad began to speak. "Are you fully healed already?"
"Don't worry, Chad." Ichigo flashed a grin and clapped Orihime on the shoulder. The girl looked down immediately, now blushing too. "Orihime did a perfect job as usual. I'm fine." Rukia's stern face escaped his notice.
"Hey, Orange head" Jinta addressed Ichigo. "Why'd you take this arrancar brat with you?"
"Huh? Wha…? Oh, Nell!" Ichigo looked around frantically. "Where is… oh, there she is." The girl seemed to have begged Yoruichi to show her the shunkou again cause she was watching the white sparks on the woman's palm again. She looked at them fascinated. "Well, Aizen would have killed her, you know?"
"And what do you intend to do with her now, Ichigo?" Rukia asked him sternly. "Is she going to live in your closet like me?"
"Wha… NO! By the gods, no!" Ichigo scratched his head. "Truth be told, I didn't really think about it back then."
"That was irresponsible, Kurosaki – as I expected." Ishida adjusted his glasses again. "You can't ask Urahara-san to take in a complete stranger, let alone an arrancar…"
"GET DOWN!"
Nobody asked why Yoruichi had yelled, everybody had felt the increasing reiratsu in the area. Everybody went flat in less than a second right before a shunkou-lightning storm erupted right over their heads. Nobody dared to raise his head for a minute, then Ichigo braced himself and tried it. All he could see were his friends lying on the floor – nobody seemed to be injured – and a certain arrancar toddler giggling madly at them.
"What the…?"
"That's what I want to ask YOU!" a growling voice suddenly whispered in his ear. He quickly turned his head and was greeted by the definitely-not-amused-anymore face of Yoruichi. He swallowed. "This little devil suddenly SUCKED IN my shunkou and BURPED it OUT again! Did you KNOW she can do this?"
"Ah… yes?"
"Well, than it's decided" Kisuke said while dusting himself down. The others finally dared to open their eyes again too and their glances at Ichigo weren't friendly. "The kid can't stay here."
"But where should she live then, Urahara-san?" Orihime asked the shopkeeper and shot a pleading look at him. "We can't send Nell back to Aizen!"
"But of course we won't, Inoue-san" Kisuke assured her, picking up his fan. "Kurosaki-san will just have to introduce her to his family…"
"No way!" Rukia shouted. "What if Ichigo's sisters or his father get hurt?"
Not to mention myself, Ichigo thought dryly. Nonetheless he appreciated Rukia's help.
"True" Kisuke admitted. He scratched his head and looked at the smiling toddler next to his feet. He took a step aside. "Well, then we don't have a choice. You'll have to take her to the only place with people strong enough to keep Nell in check."
"Wait a minute, Urahara-san!" Renji cried out. "You can't possibly mean…"
"Good idea, Kisuke" Yoruichi commented, finally grinning again. "I wonder what Yamamoto soutaichou is going to say when Ichigo brings Nell to Seireitei."
"ME? Why ME?"
Well, what do you think? Which captain will be forced to take Nell in? Or will someone adopt her? Or will she burp Seireitei away before something else happens?