Chapter 9: Ninth Symphony

And that was how we met Apacci.

For real this time.

Pretty anticlimactic.

Got me worried about out timeframe I'll admit, I could even see a tightening in My Lady's noble frame when she got back home with her stray in tow. The moment Apacci saw me slumbering next to Franceska she reared back in surprise. Nobody expected two Adjucha's to be so close in proximity to one another. Of course her surprise, and tentative goodwill from her surprise and small amount of fear, would probably collapse the moment I started being honest with this overly angry hoodlum.

I got plenty of time to admire my Mistresses quaking bosom as she moved down the stairs. At least up until an unnaturally large and ugly dear blocked my view.

I had a sinking feeling in my stomach. Not only would this giant bony neanderthal be a permanent fixture in Our Lady's home, but that I think I knew how this conversation would go.

Perhaps I'll play along and see if it's all the same.

"Welcome back ma'am." Mila greeted our Master. Now probably wasn't the time, but I couldn't help but wonder what decorations Lady Harribel might want for her throne.

"Right." Practically her return words no matter how we greeted her. And we had greeted her in a lot of ways over our time together. Like making her break up our fights.

Now every actor had spoken their lines it was time to speak mine. "Well now, who's this?"

"A new comrade." Mila might have spoken up about this if Apacci hadn't already started talking.

"What? Me? A-a comrade?" She was baffled over Our Lady's words. Just like I recall her being.

"That's right." It was the same scene and the same words that played out in canon. I would have tuned it out already if I wasn't thinking up a new insult. Sad I had to do that when there were more productive things to do, thanks Mila.

I'd like to say it distracted me from the small crises I was having, but it didn't. If anything I felt disturbingly calm about this all. As if I wanted to take advantage of this rather than scream at fate for controlling My Lady's thoughts and words.

But Apacci's voice sure made me stop moping with the nonsense that she said next. "What's the meaning of this? You may have saved me, but I never asked for your help. And I'm not some eager slave who's gonna join up with you outta gratitude."

"Wow you sure got an attitude for someone who just got rescued." Flat tone, flat expression. I hadn't ever seen her like this. Hm, Mila was surprising at times. Like last week when we were talking about our blood sports and such.

She thought I didn't understand why Hollows would have a problem being ruled by Harribel. She wasn't quite wrong, I knew that it was being ruled that made them uppity but that was it. She was just under the misimpression that I gave a damn about why Her Majesty's inferiors wasn't serving her.

Or was she trying to make it go smoother? We both knew no Hollow gave a damn about weaker people. We were a true survivor race of souls.

"What did you just say!?" Ugh. Now these two morons were going to snap my eardrums with their obnoxious voices if I didn't do something.

"Alright enough already. Listing to you two, I can see that you are as cocky as you are insolent." I announced this using a voice more cultured and civilized than these two ever could be. Although it was hard to match my refinement in any way, these two were just hopeless in all aspects.

"What!"

"And just where do you get off looking down on us missy!?"

"I can't help it if you're vertically challenged." See? These fools were so predictable I didn't need the future to know what they would say.

"Stop it you two, Sung-Sun, Mila Rose."

"Yes Ma'am."

"Sorry about that. Your name? What is it?"

"...Apacci."

"I see, I brought you here because we women are easy prey for the males. I brought you here because I thought it would be safer for all of us if we watched out for one another, rather than facing this worlds dangers alone."

I did want to bite my tongue and see how things would play out but I couldn't help myself. "Yeah, kind of inconvenient that they keep being so bitter when they die. It's a really ugly look all things considered." I got a snort from Mila for my efforts.

"True, I brought you here because I thought that it would be better if we worked in a group rather than working alone."

And from there it descended into canon. I wasn't sure how to handle my apathy towards what just happened, so I buried it under work and witty comebacks.

But I always remembered that in the back of my head. Trivia was what I eventually boiled it down to. Comments weren't power after all, and we'd have plenty of it...even if Apacci was completely unaware of that.

Yes, Lady Harribel hadn't told her about the future yet, likely because Emilou was a vastly different beast in comparison to Mila. Nowhere near as strong or courageous, but she certainly tried hard.

We hunted as many Adjucha as we could find. I pointed the way for the entire group, we fought as one. The teamwork aspect of killing people went surprisingly well somehow. We had to let those two slackers take the lions share of the kill of course, letting them feast and evolve, but what a pain it was, waiting for those two to pick up the slack and evolve already. The closer to it we were for Karuka the more likely we'd survive against those two Captains.

We were chasing one of them down as he was screaming some nonsense.

"There's no need to chase after him." We turned around to face Our Lady and her new pet.

"Yes."

"Understood." Mila took a moment to herself. "I'll tell you this though, if he tries to attack us again, I'm gonna bite off that thing between his legs!"

"Oh my, looks like you finally understand how I feel Mila. But do take care, your mouth is becoming more trashy than your entire body."

"Huh?! You never know when to shut up!" She stomped the ground like some stupid little kid.

"You're acting like a foul mouthed little child and you're calling yourself a woman? Do I have to get you diapers?"

"Grah! You're such a bitch Sung-Sun!" I could see Lady Harribel out the corner of my eye moving away.

"How rude. Even Lady Harribel has had enough of your obnoxious yelling."

"Huh? Dammit Sung-Sun, that was your complaining that made her leave."

"Oh for God's sake you're acting like a dependent little child Mila."

"Eh?! That's some lip coming from you hypocrite!"

"Oh Mila, you don't seem to understand it's okay when I do it."

"You're a royal bitch you know that?"

It continued on that vain for a while, and we wouldn't be getting back home in time. At least it was a nice way to pass the time as we got back there. Speaking of which..."How does it feel to walk on all fours like a real bitch?"

"Oh go shove your head up your ass!"

"Hm, is that just some way to find out what it looks like pervert?" I coiled myself up. "Well, I'm not letting you look at it! I know your curious because you've never seen it!"

It took Mila a second to recover from her confusion. "Stop with that you pervert!"

"No! Stray lions are supposed to exert sexual dominance on a lions pride! I know what you're doing!"

"For the last TIME! I do not have a-!"

Wow, these two really hate each other. Is Sung-Sun really suggesting that-

"I'm not a man!"

"Oh really? Well why didn't you just say so?"

"Oh you think you're being cute!? Grr...I don't think I've ever been so pissed off before. This...I'm gonna kill you!"

Woah, these two really are- "Lady Harribel! Those two are killing each other!"

Strangle To Death, Anaconda!

It was quiet night for once. Mila Rose and Sung-Sun would only figure that out once they woke however. After all, only two people were awake even if one thought the other was asleep.

Apacci stared at the woman across her. Across the sands, trying to make sense of her.

"What's wrong? Can't sleep?" Tier suddenly spoke. Emilou needed a moment to gather herself.

"Oh. N-no it's just that...tell me something. Why don't you ever kill or devour the guys who attack you?" Tier opened her eyes. "In Hueco Mundo if you want to survive you need to keep getting stronger. Everybody knows that. It's the law of this world." Tier closed her eyes once again. "That's why lower ranked Hollows and Adjuchas get devoured. So, why don't you do it as well?"

Tier opened her eyes and glanced at her out the corner of her eyes. "I don't want to become stronger through the power I would gain by sacrificing another being. If I can't win by myself, then I'll have to rely on the power of a group."

A gasp could be heard from Apacci.

The night was silent once again.

Strangle To Death, Anaconda!

"Ngh, dammit!" The Adjucha jumped to strike at Apacci, only to be cut in half in the next instant. She saw Harribel land on the ground. "T-thank you."

"Always stay alert."

As Apacci stared at Harribels back she had a moment to herself. Someday, I wanna be strong, like her.

"Hmph, just to let ya' know, if you get in trouble doing something reckless I'm not risking my life to save you." Mila's voice rang out from behind her.

God! No wonder Cyan hated this bitch! "I don't plan to save you either! Stupid!"

"What?!"

"It's nice that you two are finally getting along, but try not to kill each other in the process alright?"

"Oh shaddup!" Geez, both of these guys sucked! Why'd they have to talk so much?!

Strangle To Death, Anaconda!

As of my current count they had swallowed twenty Adjucha so far, all of them were astonishingly competent too. So we were close to it. We just needed to be lucky when we first landed in Karuka, which hung over my head like a guillotine.

All these small interactions that we had let me know that the time was close at hand. Specifics escaped me. Ironically, reading time meant that you never knew when things occurred, prescience was oddly inaccurate when you most needed it. Oh well, the more they ate the better they'd be for Karakura Town.

I couldn't decide whether the timeless nature of Hueco Mundo helped or hindered me. You could never tell when a week had passed. Much less anything further beyond that. But to be frank, it didn't matter on a practical basis, only an emotional one. We just had to go before Baraggan called us for a meeting.

Now that I think of it, it was a strange sort of thing. My world felt older, it began to feel like a cottage I couldn't escape from. It curbed my want to get back the home I used to have, my bouts of homesickness.

But my homesickness, whenever it struck, left me in a dizzying bout of melancholy. I wanted to go back there. But I would grit my teeth and remember the beautiful city I used to live in within my mind as I stared out across the desolate world of Hueco Mundo. Up until my allies would say something stupid or draw me into an argument or something.

Made me a little worn out I suppose. I never got to clear up my feelings when I imposed my vision of the past with the present. There was something about beginnings and origins that greatly appealed to me. First impressions with me truly mattered. My thirst for the past even had everyone around me concerned. Goodness, they were even genuine about sometimes, do you know how off kilter I became when no barbs were thrown at me from these two?

It was nice I admit. But I never expected actual comfort from anyone. It was rather refreshing.

We were genuine killers after all, and more blood lay in our future. A lifetime of killing just kind of had a way of shaping you into what you needed to be.

But not Lady Harribel, she remained above it all and became greater than us for it. To keep things that way I'd crush child sized skulls underfoot. Her principals and everything else would remain intact. But still, the concern I got from these two was the most effective since I had never recieved it from them before. Even if a fair bit of it was born from a practical reason.

I'd be the same, I still watched them for any sign of weakness that might impede Lady Harribel.

But for now I simply moved around the living room, enjoying my movements. As I settled for laying on the table like it was a bed I could see Lady Harribel beckon me out of the corner of my eye.

I got up and approached her. She was in one of the deep crevices of the living room, nice and secure for a quite talk.

As I approached her I got straight to asking the questions. "What do you need of me My Lady?"

"I've decided to tell Apacci about your prophecy, I think it's time. We have to strike now before things become far too awkward to make this plan unfeasible. But before we get there I'd like to get some things in order. Do you believe that you've told me about everyone that's recruitable amongst the Espada?"

Thinking on it I knew of only one man that might do it. "Starrk Coyote. Anyone else doesn't stand a chance against Aizen milady."

"So I see. Is there anyone else who would rebel? So far you've only mentioned those who stand a chance against Aizen in a direct confrontation. What about those who don't?" I would like to say I could decipher some emotion from her stance, face or tone. But no. Her face had a mask and her stance and her tone was always the same.

After I gave it a few seconds of thought I came up with three rather troublesome candidates. "Neliel, Nnoitra and Granz. Those are all likely to rebel. I know Neliel does, but that's because of the last two candidates. And there's that one guy...forgot his name though, so he was probably pathetic."

She stared at me. No change in either her posture or eyes, no tilt or movement of her head. "I see. What about Apacci? Mila Rose?"

"If even Barragan will submit then we don't stand a chance Mistress. Oh, he does try and backstab him at the last moment."

"I see. By the way...you've told me that Aizen is capable of taking on the rest of the Soul Society captains. But how strong is he exactly Sung-Sun? Recall everything for me. I don't want to do anything until I hear everything again. I need to be sure that what we know isn't missing from any of my plans." She looked me right in the eyes as she said it, as I turned the question over in my head my tail and head started moving.

It was a nervous tick on full display. What did I tell her? He blocked multiple Bankai's with his bare hand? He crushed a Captain with a single hadō spell at a third of its power? I already told her about his stupid Zanpakutō. But all I could remember of his stupid sword was what it did, not how to stop it.

In the end I did tell her all that. I even told her that Ichigo's Bankai seemed to be about gaining even more spiritual power and compressing it into his body and blade.

A hypothesis. But one that seemed to be right from what I..."watched."

Over the course of these events, as we discussed the plot of Bleach until all my knowledge was laid on the table once again. Which included Harribel's death from a single swing from Aizen, my psychology report upon the Espada and what other limited fragments of knowledge that I had retained. We discussed it all intensely, thinking about failsafes and how certain things were done and what we could counter. We would continue this once we had more time.

My Lady wanted a rather thorough recap of everything and I'd give it to her.

"I see." My Lady closed her eyes, beautiful gold lashes making themselves prominent and sparking a hint of jealousy within me before I quickly stomped it out. Stupid Mila and her stupid comments, I'll look forward to beating the ignorance out of her when we become Arrancar. "Sung-Sun." She opened them again, full of focus. "It's time. Delaying the inevitable will not help anyone, gather them in the main room."

"At once My Lady. Shall me and Mila remain quiet throughout?"

"No. Say whatever you feel." Within reason of course. Perhaps it'd be best if Sung-Sun didn't realise how tempting such an offer was to her though.

Cyan Sung-Sun moved towards her fellow servants, unaware of the fact that Tier Harribel did not have even a single day of peace ever since obtaining Mila and Sung-Sun.

She found the two of them a bit outside the home, catching some moon. "You two! Lady Harribel has ordered us to meet together in the main room."

"Huh? The main room? What's that?"

"It's the living room Apacci. The one with the table?"

"Huh? Oh thanks Sung-Sun."

The deepest voiced of us all spoke, Mila Rose. "Wow, that's awfully polite of you? You're normally quite pissed off. What has you like this?"

"Huh?...Yeah, you're normally more of a bitch than this Sung-Sun, what gives."

"That gives. You two are the ones that start something-"

"Right..."

"Yes, yes, nice sarcastic drawling dimwits. But when you keep being stupid and insulting me, your superior-"

"Who's that? I don't recall disrespecting Lady Harribel."

"...Adorable Mila. It's so hard to get respect from children isn't it?" I hung my head in despair at all the uppity nonsense that was coming my way. "I don't know why I even bother trying anymore."

"Hmph. Well we've yet to prove who's superior between us, we have the time to show the new girl which one of us is better right?"

"Hey!"

"I would love to put your face in the sand. But sadly we don't have the time to beat all the uppity nonsense out of you. But I'll get around to it eventually."

"Hm, so you say. But what could be so important? Or are you delaying the beatdown that'll come when you sass me?"

"It's time you stupid fur ball."

Her thick skull perked up in interest. "You mean?..."

"Yes, the hardest fight of our lives is about to commence."

"Huh? What are you two talking about?"

We turned to her, Mila staying quiet as I spoke. "You don't know it yet, but you will once we're there."

"H-hey! Are you trying to freak me out?! Come on you two, this is a lame joke!"

We turned to our home and moved into it, the door having been left somewhere else.

Strangle To Death, Anaconda!

We finally reached the main room, Our Lady was waiting for us. Her eyes half-lidded as always. "You've all come I see. It's time to go to Karakura Town. It is there, that we will secure our future. Come..." She looked at us, waiting for one thing in particular. It took a surprising amount of seconds for it to happen.

"Woah woah, what?!"

"We're going to that town so that Cyan Sung-Sun can use her ability to its maximum potential. Through that we will hopefully push you three into Vasto Lorde."

"H-hold on a minute! That doesn't make any sense right?"

Mila spoke up, raising a paw as she did so for some reason. "Of course it wouldn't, not ordinarily at least." She lowered it. "But that place is chock full of a lot of powerful people."

"Wha-?! But how strong can a town of humans possibly be?! Not as strong as an Adjucha!"

"Actually there's a few strong humans there. But we're not talking about those. Karuka Town is full of supernatural beings beyond measly Hollows. Like failed experiments and Shinigami Captains."

"We're going to fight Captains!? But we can't handle that! Maybe if it was just the one, and what dumb experiment can possibly be strong enough to make us evolve!?"

"The kind that become capable of using both their Zanpakutō and a Hollow Mask."

Mila's words left Apacci stunned. "...What?"

Harribel spoke again. "A Twelfth Division Captain created an object capable of breaking the boundary between Hollow and Shinigami. He called it the Hōgyoku, and a man called Sōsuke Aizen had found it. Using his Zanpakutō, Kyōka Suigetsu to fool the rest of the Shinigami and use the Hōgyoku on his comrades so he can make the process more efficient."

"What...how do you know any of this?"

"I was told of all this, yourself, Mila, the capabilities of Shinigami Captains and the upcoming Arrancar."

Silence hung in the room as Emilou slowly recovered from hearing all this. "A-are you serious?"

"Yes."

"But...how can I trust this?"

"You can come with us or choose not to. As I said, I don't want to become stronger on the sacrifices of others, so I'll put myself in the way of what might strike you. But the future is only going to become more dangerous. I want us all to live, we'll become easy prey for Aizen otherwise. Even after becoming the Third strongest Arrancar I still fall against him." She turned around and cut the air, leaving a spatial distortion connecting our home to Karuka Town.

Mila and Lady Harribel went forth, but I looked at Emilou and saw her struggling with the truth.

I hated to admit it, but I could kind of understand why Emilou was struggling. This entire story seemed like a fairy tail. No matter how bloodthirsty a Hollow was there was only so much information about this that they can handle. "Are you okay?"

She looked at me, and I could feel some of her gloom from the look alone. "Huh? Oh...yeah." She even sounded down...it was actually kind of pleasant to hear. No more obnoxious yelling for once. "Hey...Sung-Sun, how are you handling this?"

"Just fine. Why are you asking?" I tilted my head a little with the intent to hear my own Hollow Mask make sounds.

They were lovely sounds. "Well...doesn't this all seem crazy to you?"

"No. Why would it?"

She sounded startled. "Y-you don't? But this is crazy. What if we fail? Aren't you concerned? Don't you care about your own life?!"

"No not really. Bit stupid to ask isn't it?" I tilted my head in real confusion this time. Clearly however, according to this genius that was keeping Lady Harribel waiting, I was the kook. "If I cared about it then I'd still be just some weakling Hollow scampering about and looking for a lonely human. This is just an opportunity to become stronger isn't it? Why are you so hesitant?" I still didn't understand why Grand Fisher or any moron did that. You could rampage through a city rather than wait for people to show. Well...depending on the Shinigami that is. Distracted or not kind of muddied the waters a little. It'd be better to eat them entirely. But it would be a pain if Hollows got brain cells. The Soul Society is probably filled with countless disposable henchmen ready to swarm the human world at a moments notice.

"But...this is insane..."

"No one's forcing you to come. We just put this on hold until we had you. To be frank, I'm kind of glad Lady Harribel decided on that, I'd go alone if I had to, but having some dependable people to rely on is relieving."

"You...think I'm dependable? But I'm..."

"There there, it's only natural to be scared. I don't remember those kinds of idiots in my visions. If you were some stupid blue haired reckless idiot who feared nothing then I wouldn't have seen you in my vision."

Her head shot up to stare at me. "You mean...YOU told them all this? That you can see the future!?"

"About right." I turned away from her and moved to follow Her Majesty to the human world.

"Wait!-"

I entered the Gargantua. Spent too long telling Apacci why her feelings made some sense. Keeping Lady Harribel waiting should be worth at least a broken leg and jaw.

Strangle To Death, Anaconda!

Deleted Scene.We finally reached the main room, Our Lady was waiting for us. Her eyes half-lidded as always. "You've all come I see. It's time to go to Karakura Town. It is there, that we will secure our future. Come..." She looked at us, waiting for one thing in particular. It took a surprising amount of seconds for it to happen.

"Woah, wait a minute hold on, what are you all talking about?" Emilou finally spoke up.

"You don't know about this Apacci, but there is a level beyond even Vasto Lorde that Hollows can access regardless of rank. Arrancar. The cost of doing so however means we can no longer evolve. And I believe that we don't have that much time left before it is forced on us."

"Woah woah what?!"

"It is an item called the Hōgyoku. Using it a Shinigami Captain will create Arrancar in an attempt to streamline the process of his own evolution. This man is called Aizen Sōsuke and he will betray us all. Because despite this new increase in power it is still not enough to beat him. Ever since I've been told of this I've kept in mind one plan, Karakura Town. Using Karakura to find a specific presence there. A human that has enough power to destroy the Fourth strongest Arrancar. It is my hope that by using Sung-Sun's power on him we will evolve you all to Vasto Lorde and create an insurrection within his ranks."

Apacci hung and then began to shake her head rapidly. "Hold on a minute...someone told you this? Who? and why are we trusting them? C'mon guys! This is obviously a trap!"

Mila, of all people spoke up. "Sung-Sun wouldn't do that to us. Even if this whole thing is a little goofy sounding." For her to be the one to say such a thing.

"Mila?! I thought you were the smart one! And what's this drivel you're feeding us, huh snake?!"

"This...drivel of mine is going to be shoved down your throat along with the rest of my scaly backside if you continue to speak like that to me."

"Sung-Sun predicted that I would find you. That Mila Rose would join us. She saw the future Apacci, and I know she wouldn't harm us if the choice was presented to her."

"O-oh yeah?! Well what about this hardest fight nonsense! Not that any of it's real anyway!"

"Nice save plebian. And as for my hardest fight statement I was referring to the two Captains in Karuka."

"What? No, wait that's crap! You don't fool me!"

Mila spoke. "Well why don't you come with us if it's all a bunch of garbage? The Shinigami will mobilise but it's not like it'll take us long to get what we need. We certainly won't take as long as they do with all their bureaucracy."

"Well?! What are we even looking for!?"

"Could you keep your voice down Apacci? I'm getting a headache. And we already just told you, strong people to steal from. It won't take us long at all. Two Captains in close proximity and all..."

"And why should I follow along with this crazy plan huh?!"

"You don't."

Excuse me? We all turned to Lady Harribel in askance.

"...What?"

[Have Harribel be more brusque about the entire affair and have Emilou wonder about how Sung-Sun knows this as they sit back and drain two Captains.]

Strangle To Death, Anaconda!

Wow, didn't expect this to be as much of a headache as it did. I didn't believe I could pump out another chapter so soon. I would say that this had no scrapped parts from the original story, and had become an original chapter. But I'm not so sure I'd say that.

It took so long because I scoured the world for an English dubbed episode of Harribels past. And then came the latest scene with Apacci. It really wasn't the easiest thing to write, especially with my sloth demanding I read others stories rather than writing my own and entertaining you.

But even still it feels like this chapter is sloppy. If you have a problem with it then please leave a review. It'd help if you were specific in which part was the worst. Thanks.

Speaking of entertainment, GruntsBreeder liked the previous omake. I think his username is better though, hope they work real hard on the job.

Thinking of how long this took makes me disappointed in myself though, this is so sad, Alexa, play the omake.

Strangle To Death, Anaconda!

"Didn't think you'd get Fracción Sung-Sun."

I glared at Apacci. "Thanks..."

"Just didn't think you'd get such a colorful group Sung-Sun."

I narrowed my eyes. "Thanks Mila. Don't mention it...at all."

"So are they doing well in your...what'd ya' call it? Dance class?"

I grit my teeth. "Shut up Apacci."

"I think it's rather cute. They all want to know how to move like you."

"How to fight like me!"

"How do you deal with that bright orange afro by the way? Or do you just like that hair color? You seem to like men with orange hair."

"Shut. The fuck. Up! And I don't hear you saying colour correctly you slob!"

"Ooh, you hear that Mila? She sounds awfully cranky. You think she needs some time with her boyfriend?"

"Or her girlfriend. I know she doesn't join in on the lessons that much. You keep her around for other reasons Sung-Sun? Isn't her Zanpakutō a whip? Didn't think you were that kinda person."

"She serves me tea! Speaking of; Cirucci!"

I heard her Sonido to my side. "Yes Lady Cyan?"

"Tea."

"Yes Ma'am. Which one do you feel like?"

"No. 57's arm again. I need the strong stuff."

I heard her Sonido away as I stared at these two dumb morons sitting down in my own room to insult me...

The nerve.

Mila's face became more flat as she posed a question to me. "What the hells in that 'tea' of yours?"

"Hollow blood." For some reason the two got wide eyed over it.

"Wow. You're actually pretty screwed up aren't you?"

"What are you talking about? It's got an acidic tang that I like!"

"Does Lady Harribel know about this?"

"No? Why?" I was interrupted by Cirruci appearing again.

"Here you go Lady Cyan." She offered me a teacup.

But then I saw her look towards our guests, teapot in hand. "No." I gently put the cup down on it's table. "Don't give them anything Cirucci. Filthy heathens don't get nice things. They just get shown where the door is so they can show themselves out."

I heard an unimpressed huff from them. "And how'd ya' think you're gonna get us outta here huh?" I stared down Apacci.

"Cirucci. Get 37's more...tender parts. These unwelcome pests want to stay and insult me. I suppose I'm obliged to play the part of a good host."