Destructions Malice.

Grimmjow did not sleep that night, his mind was far to active with thoughts of all that had changed with that one short conversation with Toshiro. He was free, or as free as someone could be in a cell, and as far as he knew the only remaining Espada. He pondered that thought for a while, unofficially that made him the single most powerful hollow in existence. He rolled over in his cot to view the moon, a grin plastered to his face…he liked that tile more then he would ever admit.

His thoughts eventually led him to what the next hundred years or so meant for him. How would he deal with such confinement for such a length, hell how would he survive? He knew that at least one of the captains wanted him dead, another wanted him dissected. After that he had no doubt that Kurosaki would kill him if he was given the chance, and after that…who knew how many would like his head. He was an enemy of course…and with his power sealed he doubted he could kill anyone of notable strength.

His mind continued racing for most of the night, he only finally drifted to sleep near sunrise, and even then it was hardly energy restoring.

“Matsumoto, you are hardly whole again. You are still having trouble staying awake!” Toshiro proclaimed, intent on changing her mind.

“It is very boring here! And your to serious!” she said raising her arm to point at him, her face quickly contracting in pain at the quick movement.

“You see! You need rest, and that an order!” Toshiro left quickly before she had a chance to work him over…because she would…eventually.

Matsumoto whimpered as she slowly tried to readjust her body to a more comfortable position. In the end she hardly moved, she could only lie on her back anyway.

He was probably right though, she had only just been deemed stable. Hell she had flat lined three times before Unohana with all her skill managed to get her to a point where she wouldn’t die. But even so he was still ignoring her boredom! And she was not happy about it.

“Time to check up on your condition Vice-Captain.” Said a pleasant voice.

“Really? Didn’t we just do that?!” she asked in her most believably annoyed tone.

“I’m afraid so, we would want all of Captain Unohana’s work to be reversed would we?”

Matsumoto sighed and nodded. It was not a hassle really, and for the severity of her wound was really rather fast. But it was extremely painful each time they did it, and each time it felt like it took longer and longer to finish.

The young Shinigami had been along side her since she was first brought back, and his speed and skill were only second to his Captains in her eyes. But even for something as simple as a check up he could only move so fast while being careful. The old bandages were already dulled in a red brown stain, even after all this time she was still bleeding erratically and by looking at the bandages blood wasn’t the only thing oozing out from her wound.

She wanted to gag, she only ever had that problem when it was her wounds and her blood. She yelped as the young mans hands gently but quickly examined her abdomen.

“You heal quite well Vice Capt….”

She cut him off in a half groan, “Call me Matsumoto…” she looked away finding it easier to cope when she couldn’t see what he was doing,

“Almost done Matsumoto, just a quick cleaning.”

If this is quick he needs to quit lying to me! She thought to herself as he rubbed her stomach down with what had to be some type of alcohol. The mixture of throbbing pain and stinging pain had only just stated to subside when the boy finished wrapping her in new clean bandages.

“All done, I know it’s hard…I’ll try to be gentler next time.” He said beginning to leave the room.

“No don’t worry about it…I’ll survive, it wasn’t…so bad.” She said still obviously aching.

The boy frowned at her comment, “I knew I was to rough.” He spoke under his breath, obviously angry with himself.

“Hey…” she called before he could leave, “Your doing great, it’s impressive you go so quickly with how bad my injury is.” She smiled warmly, some of the pain leaking through her supportive façade.

“Thank you Matsumoto…” he said with a slight blush of embarrassment, “Is there anything else I can do for you?”

Matsumoto had nearly said no and sent him off on his normal duties when that devious little smirk of hers slipped between her lips.

“Well I am really getting stir crazy in here…” she examined his reaction to see if he had caught on, he hadn’t, “…and there’s a friend of mine that I haven’t spoken to in some time…” she smiled when his eyes lit up as he caught on.

The young man nodded and scurried off, hopefully to see if she would be able to get out and about for a little while at least. In the mean time she decided to do as her Captain had told her, and rest.

Grimmjow was already up and pacing when his breakfast arrived. Now that his first worry was put to rest he was ancy, finally something to do again. He ate until his plate was emptied as he always did, his hunger was near insatiable these days…mostly because he was being kept to normal food only, which was not his main source of sustenance.

“hey, food boy…” he asked as he came in to retrieve his tray, “I know you people don’t enjoy this part, but this food aint gonna keep me going forever.”

He glared at the Shinigami for a few moments, the boys only response was a slight nod before leaving. Grimmjow sighed and plopped down onto his bed.

“Great, If id known they were going to starve me for ten years I’da taken execution.” He laughed and casually picked the food from his teeth.

The rest of the day was uneventful as usual, expected for a prisoner. Lunch came and went, as did dinner and eventually the Espada found himself staring through the bars of his small window into the night sky. You wouldn’t be able to tell by looking at him, but he was disappointed she hadn’t come that day.

Two days came and went in relatively the same fashion, the only new information being that the crazy bastard Kurotsuchi was supposedly working on a fix for his ‘hunger’ issues. He found that idea hardly comforting, and told his food delivery/messenger that he would not use anything the scientist created. After all…it would probably be a probe in disguise.

Just after lunch was finished the door popped open. Once again he found himself looking for a phantom, instead he found Toshiro backing into the hall in front of his cell. Grimmjow was standing at the edge of his cage, a wide grin plastered to his face.

“Took you long enough woman, do you know how boring it is here?” he asked as if talking down to her, though the grin leveled his tone into sarcasm.

“Is that all I get? No welcome back, no how are you?” Matsumoto was smiling, and was quite radiant even stuck in a wheelchair.

“She is your superior here Espada.” Scolded Toshiro in usual bland tone.

“Since when do I listen runt?” he said grinning through his cells bars.

Toshiro sighed and headed off on his own business, leaving the two on their own.

“White suits you…” he said observing her patient Kimono. He pointed to his own chest, “seems a little cramped though, you know around here.”

Matsumoto actually laughed for a moment, before gingerly clutching her stomach obviously in some pain.

“Bastard, don’t be funny…since when were you funny?” she asked suddenly realizing that he had made his second joke since arriving.

“Probably related to how fucking boring this place is with out you blabbering on.”

The Arrancar chuckled and rested against the bars of his cell.

“awwww, is big bad Grimmjow lonely? She asked putting on her cutest face for the Espada.

“Tch, how long has it been since you had a drink…I think it’s affecting your mood.”

He said slinking over to rest on his bed, Matsumoto was already making her most disrespectful face at him while his back was turned only to return to her normal self when he sat down.

“Actually I’m allowed such indulgences while recovering, especially with how severe my wounds were.”

That caught his attention very quickly. Matsumoto smiled happily at his initial reaction, he had actually worried about her while she was gone. After assuring him that she was fine now, his attention turned to the battle and he was rather forceful about revealing all the details of it she could.

Apparently Aizen hadn’t reinforced his ranks after Grimmjows betrayal. With both Gin and Barragan dead, and Minus the sixth his power was notably diminished. The Shinigami decided that waiting would only give him a chance to regroup, and took the fight to him. Together with the Ryoka and Vizard they assaulted Hueco Mundo and Las Noches.

She went on to explain what she new of the battle, which in reality was not so much. Upon entering Hueco Mundo the Shinigami were almost instantly bombarded with hundreds of low level hollow. Although easily defeated, minor injuries were sustained and both their physical and spiritual energy was diminished in the process.

Captains of the sixth, seventh, tenth eleventh and twelfth divisions along with their Vice captains split up and attacked or infiltrated Las Noches. The first, second eighth and thirteenth divisions remained in reserve to provide a base camp the fourth division to tend to the wounded.

Captain Kuchiki, Zaraki and Kurotsuchi all claimed one Espada each before returning to the camp to be healed. Grimmjow took particular pleasure in the tale of Kenpachi’s battle with Nnoitra, especially the part where Nnoitra died. He noted that name…he would have to challenge him when he was free, even if he was half as powerful as Matsumoto claimed the battle would be memorable.

The orange haired punk somehow managed to take down both Ulquiorra and Yammy, which even now after it had obviously happened Grimmjow didn’t quite believe. Of course between the healthy captains and Vizard even Aizen eventually fell. Final tally had 6 captains bed ridden for almost a weak, almost every vice captain critically injured, several dozen seated Shinigami KIA not to mention the losses the Vizard took in the battle. Even so it was a day to be celebrated, and in fact there was to be a celebration later in the week.

Grimmjow was fuming by the time Matsumoto was half done with her tale of her battle.

“Little bitches…” he spat, by that time he was pacing across his small living space again.

He had always had issues with the women Arrancar, the only one that didn’t drive him completely mad was the third…she was quiet.

“The old one did me a favor by roasting them.” He said nodding to himself.

They continued talking for a while more, the content was rather light after the explanation of the battle. It was nearly night when Toshiro returned to get her back to bed, he even bid Grimmjow a good night on his way out. Matsumoto and Grimmjow shared a look of shock at such a notion.

The following day Grimmjow awoke to his cell door opening. He turned to see the captain called Kuchiki standing ominously at the edge of the open door.

“Espada, come with me…” he beckoned before turning and leaving the cell.

Grimmjow was of course confused and followed warily, he knew the captain had more then a little hatred pent up and most was due to him. His eyes squinted against the morning light as he tried to adjust. The captain commanded him to move faster, there was seriousness in his voice that Grimmjow dare not ignore…especially with how helpless he was.

They arrived at a new building rather quickly, the captains pace was just a bit slower then a jog. There was a long path leading to two rather large doors where Kurotsuchi was waiting, that uncomforting smile on his face as usual.

“Espada…” he spoke coldly, “The only reason I do not take your head is because all you have done is reversible. Her broken mind will heal, the mark you placed on her is already removed…and you did not impregnate her.”

Grimmjow raised a brow to the man, “and?” he replied fearlessly.

“If you even lay eyes on her I will kill you, no matter what your contribution to our survival has been…what you have done outweighs it.” He turned and left without another word.

Grimmjow knew he would have enemies here, but that he had not expected…he really did enjoy Rukia as person and new his stay here would be a little darker without her. Brushing that conversation off for the time being her headed over to Kurotsuchi.

“oi, what the fuck do you want…I already said no to any tests.” His voice was filled to the brim with annoyance already.

“oh, well while I tend to get those tests eventually anyway…this is about your sustenance problem, and how we are to sustain you while here. Obviously feeding on souls simply will not do, so I have created an alternate method…which we will test now.”

He turned and pressed a sequence of what could have easily been thirty numbers into a pad, and the two massive doors slid open.

“Follow me…and do not touch anything, I doubt you have the ability to keep from breaking things otherwise.”

Grimmjow was about ready to try and choke the man to death again, but Kurotsuchi was already a ways down the hall by the time his anger boiled over and fizzled out. He settled for cramming his hands in his pockets and following the man into the depths of the building. They came to a large circular room, where Grimmjow was instructed to stand in the center of.

“You hollow feed on souls because they contain the basic energy of the universe…” he spoke as if Grimmjow didn’t already know these things, “ Soul society is in fact made of energy, although most of it is weak…besides that contained in the Shinigami.”

The captain began completing various tasks around the room, and after nearly an half hour pulled a large machine toward Grimmjow. He carefully aimed it at the hole in his abdomen before connecting a few dozen wires to it.

“This machine takes the excess energy left in Soul society and delivers it directly to you.”

Grimmjow raised an eyebrow, “You know that energy comes from…those that croak here?”

Kurotsuchi sighed, “of course you half wit, but this is the only acceptable course of action.”

Grimmjow sighed and tucked his hands into his pockets, “Go ahead then.”

Kurotsuchi scratched his chin momentarily and the flipped a switch. The reaction was rather powerful sending Grimmjow tumbling across the room. He came to a stop when he connected with the far wall of the room, the surge of energy was so overdue and pure it made him lightheaded.

“Holy fuck!” Yelled Grimmjow pulling himself to his feet, a wide grin on his face.

“Oh? I take it it worked?” asked Kurotsuchi a wide smile on his face, “Now that I have something to use…Those tests?” he said with that unnerving smile of his.

“Fuck no, I’d rather go back to starving.” Replied Grimmjow without a moments hesitation.

“Fine, I will dismantle this tonight then…I’ll just have to use your corpse when you die.”

Grimmjow of course hated that idea, but quickly came up with a middle ground.

“You want tests? Figure out how to do it while I come to feed, no more then that Shinigami.” His voice stern and focused.

“Hmmmmm…” the captain mumbled to himself for the better part of two minutes, “Fine, but you will submit to any test…and will not speak of this to anyone.”

Grimmjow nodded with a wide smirk, what he hadn’t told the man was that that single shot had given him more energy then he had ever gotten in all his years as a hollow.

“Good, you know the way back?”

Grimmjow nodded.

“Wonderful, now get out I have much to do”

Grimmjow left quickly, he did not wish to be there anyway. He found Toshiro waiting at the entrance.

“Here to baby sit I see.” He commented with a smirk.

“Hurry up Grimmjow, Matsumoto is already waiting…you know how she gets.” He responded with little emotion in his voice.

“Fine…Toshiro.”

“Captain Grimmjow…I am your superior here.”

“Yea yea, quit talking Toshiro…Matsumoto is waiting you know?” he said grinning wildly.

The two bickered the entire way back to the cell…

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Here’s the pic! http://xs344.xs.to/xs344/09432/grimmyxmatsu170.jpg

VioletEyes – I strive to be different! : D

Kazes- Don’t worry Rukia is far from out of the story! I put far to much time writing in her relationship with Grimmy to get rid of her, she will be back in the main story within another chapter or two.

Thanks for watching out for those details! : D But I actually just used that as a writing device (I know it doesn’t work that way) but for visualization sake I added some extra fictional elements. ^_^ hope that doesn’t upset you to much!

Thanks for all the reviews! Hope I can keep people interested.

Stay tuned!