<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffff00">Starrk sighed. He hadn't expected Jin to arrive alone.</span><br/><br/><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffffcc">"I honestly didn't expect you to arrive here alone, Shinigami."</span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffff00">Starrk said, pointing down a tunnel to Jin's right.</span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffffcc">"I at least expected the woman to be with you. As for Nelliiel's lover, he is almost done with his battle, and I believe that the battle-crazed assassin who travels with you is going to be joining us shortly."</span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffff00"><br/>
<br/>
Nel simply looked at Jin, eyes wide with interest, since he'd arrived before any of the others. She stood up and bowed, out of courtesy, and spoke gently, since she was truly worried.</span><br/><br/><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#00ff00">"Shinigami-San, would you like anything to drink? Nel can get it for you..."</span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffff00">she said.<br/>
<br/>
It was clear from the teasrs that threatened to cascade down her face that she was worried about Jin's companions, but all the more about Koichi, whose reiatsu had just flared up in a fashion similar to a shinigami's Bankai, but darker. Starrk, however, set his now empty cup on the counter near the built-in sink and took a single blackberry scone for himself and sitting on the couch.</span><br/><br/><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffffcc">"Might as well have a seat, Shinigami. Aizen-Sama is going to arrive here once the boy and the assassin show up and tell ya what to do then."</span><br/><br/><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffff00">-----<br/>
<br/>
Tesla was sent careening through the air, crashing through a stone pillar and landing somewhere in the white sands within the (seemingly) sun-lit dome. Nnoitora was nowhere to be seen, though. But before Tesla could respond, a dark skinned woman with a rather revealing outfit arrived before Daisuke. Her arms were crossed under her chest, and the neck of her coat covered up the lower half of her face. The number '3' was tattooed on the inside curvature of her right breast, and she carried a sword much like Cloud's Buster Sword from Final Fantasy 7 on her back sideways. When she spoke, her voice was rather calm, but alluring.</span><br/><br/><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#9966ff">"Shinigami-Kun, I must ask you to cease your battle and follow me. Aizen-Sama is going to meet with you and your companions shortly. Will you come, or shall I be needing to use force?"</span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffff00"> she said, giving him a look that carried a sense of compassion that resembled that of Captain Unohana of the Fourth Division, the Shinigmai's medic team.<br/>
<br/>
-----<br/>
<br/>
Koichi sped forward after Tentou's speech, focusing his all into his weapon, preparing to strike at her weapon arm at the shoulder, thus disarming her hopefully. As he swung his blade, he felt it connect with Tentou's arm, but he also felt a blade take a slice of his left leg. However, since he didn't want her to complain about him and Nel, he refused to use his blade as a cane. Instead, he managed to make reishi threads that were thin enough to be invisible that snaked down his leg from his waist, keeping him upright.</span><br/><br/><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff0000">"So...you got me, Tentou-San...but I refuse...I refuse to lose."</span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffff00">he said, clenching his teeth as he spoke so as not to bite his tongue.<br/>
<br/>
He hoped his lover was not being detained by anyone, and wondered how Daisuke and the others were. He'd felt Minna's reishi vanish a while back, after flaring up slightly, but he didn't have any immediate concern for anyone but himself and Nel. As he tried to stay on his feet, he thought back to the night before all this trouble started, before he'd been mutated into an Arrancar...<br/>
<br/>
-----<br/>
</span><br/><i><u>FLASHBACK</u><br/>
<br/>
"Koichi-Kun, why so blue?" Nel asked, wearing nothing but a simple bath towel.<br/>
<br/>
Koichi sat on the bed they shared, but not </i>shared<i> and faked a smile, even though he'd know she would see through the ruse.<br/>
<br/>
"Well, Mother and Father suggested I take the test to become Vice-Captain of my Division, but Yachiru-Chan wouldn't like me if I tried to compete with her." he said laying on his back and staring at the reversed sky that hung above Hueco Mundo. <br/>
<br/>
Nel opened her towel and laid beside him, draping the fabric over his bare chest as well as hers.<br/>
<br/>
"If you're so worried, let me help you relax, Koichi-Kun." she said, her voice soft as a whisper.<br/>
<br/>
She slid her hand down his torso, trailing her fingers along his toned muscles, stopping at the waist line of his pants, giving a soft, innocent giggle as she did.<br/>
<br/>
"Alright, my love."<br/>
<br/>
Koichi kissed her lips and slid a hand around her hips, pulling her closer. He had planned on making love to her that night, since it signified the three year anniversary of their love.<br/>
<br/>
<u>END FLASHBACK</u></i><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffff00"><br/>
<br/>
-----<br/>
<br/>
Koichi smiled as he remembered that night.<br/>
<br/>
-----<br/>
<br/>
Aizen watched the viewscreens from the comfort of his recliner. He took a sip of chardonnay as he kept a relatively high interest in Tentou's fight with Yoruichi's child. Aizen had been surprised at the cat-boy's first Ressureccion form, finding the female appearance quite cute and having saved the image for blackmail later, and now he was surprised further at the boy's second form, as well as his bet with Tentou and his usage of a Quincy technique, Ransotengai, in a desperate attempt to win his bet.</span><br/><br/><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffffff">'That was a rather cute form he had earlier, wouldn't you say, Ririnette?"</span><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffff00">Aizen asked of Starrk's Fraccion, who'd been ordered to stay with Aizen.<br/>
<br/>
The small-framed blonde Fraccion scoffed at Aizen's words. Although the very scantily clad girl didn't want to admit it, she'd ended up infatuated by that feminine form that the neko had taken. She blushed as Aizen gave her a look that meant he'd figured it out. Something that not even Starrk had learned was that Ririnette was lesbian, and Koichi's Ressureccion had made her see the neko in a different light.<br/>
<br/>
Aizen ignored her silence and continued to watch the monitors. When he caught sight of Grimmjow fighting with the Privaron Espada, Shana Oestrenburg - Number 102 by the way - he smiled. He'd sent her there himself to distract the Jaguar King and pull Daisuke towards the waiting room, where he saw Starrk, Nel, and Jin already waiting.</span><br/><br/><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffffff">"Well, I suppose it's time to start walking towards my meeting. Ulquiorra, please come along. And Ririnette, please keep a close eye on Miss Inoue. I don't want that girl getting too close to the Hougyoku, understand? When I return, you may visit Nelliel and Koichi in their quarters. I believe you expressed interest in joining them this evening?"</span><br/><br/><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffff00">Ulquiorra followed Aizen out of the room and down the hall as Ririnette stared at the monitor with Koichi pictured on it. </span>