Lamenting Enchantment (A Bleach/Ulquihime fic)

Chapter 30

This is not my story! All credits go to The. Teal. Rose. on Fanfiction.net. This story belongs solely to the author.
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  227 Chapter 30: Enticing Threshold
Chapter XXX

Enticing Threshold

"The human heart feels things the eyes cannot see, and knows what the mind cannot understand."

-Robert Valett

Inoue did not even fully comprehend how it had happened but as she stood gazing up at the very man who had been the cause of all her tribulations, his menacing gaze piercing through her, she knew with certainty that it wasn't a nightmare.

It was real, everything was still so debilitating real. A mere second ago she had been standing upon the warm sands, witnessing the fall of the fifth Espada at the hand of Zaraki Kenpachi and feeling a subsequent and immediate glow of relief. However, that had not lasted long for within the blink of an eye, as she was making her way to heal the injuries of the 12th squad captain, a firm hand gently placed itself on her shoulder, his striking azure gaze boring into hers.

"Sorry about this," he had said, his deep voice still curiously lacking any malicious undertones. "It annoys me that I have to be doing this, but..."

Stark had then announced to their bystanders that he intended to borrow her a moment before performing a swift sonido and carrying her with him to the fifth tower, where Aizen stood in greeting along with his two trusted Shinigami followers.

Eyes wide, Inoue found she could not look away from the individual she loathed above all others, his abhorrent smile in place and his voice smooth, silken and entirely chilling.

"Welcome back," he began, eying her intently. "Orihime."

She was speechlessly caught and immobilized beneath the influence of his eyes as he began to descend the staircase toward her.

"What's wrong?" he asked. "You look so troubled."

He stopped as he reached her before slowly extending a hand and placing it against her face, his fingers resting against the soft of her cheek and his thumb ever so slightly pressured against her lips. "Please smile," he demanded, "when the sun isn't shining, everyone gets depressed."

The sun...she thought absently, her entire body cringing at his touch and her heart pounding anxiously.

Aizen pulled her forward, and allowed his mouth to linger beside her ear. "All you have to do is smile, and wait here for a little while. Until we..."

He released her, though his gaze continued to hold hers. "...finish destroying Karakura Town."

Inoue's heart thudded as her entire façade stilled. What is he saying? I haven't even restored the Hougyoku yet! There's no way he could already be moving forward with his plan. What is going on? "Destroy Karakura Town?"

"That's right," Aizen confirmed as he then turned to leisurely ascend the staircase.

She watched him rise higher and higher, the view of her beloved city inverted above him. She recognized every building and felt the return of all her attachments to that world. There wasn't a single thing she could to stop him, however, and as she watched on with impending despair she hoped with all her heart that someone somewhere was prepared to stop his advance.