3 & 6: Neliel & Grimmjow: Part 3

Now having had two nights together, things were moving quickly with Grimmjow and Nel. Many of the remaining Arrancars noticed a change in the once overly aggressive Grimmjow Jaggerjack and that he was starting to show a soft side for Nel. Whispers about the change in Grimmjow made its way to the ears of Tai Hallibel. Although she's the kind of person who normally wouldn't care about such things she became concerned about what might happen if two of her Espada put personal feelings before their duties as the third and sixth Espada.

It was her, Nel and Grimmjow left who still had rankings of an Espada. Tai decided it was time to fill the other rankings and that meant consulting with Nel and Grimmjow about who they thought would be the best to be assigned the positions.

"Apacci, please, go and inform Nel and Grimmjow that I would like to see them in the meeting hall. I need to discuss something urgent with them." Hallibel turn to one of her three fraccion.

"Right away, Lady Hallibel." Apacci bowed and did what Hallibel had asked of her.

With a heavy sigh Tai placed her chin on her hand has she looked around at the empty throne room. She didn't care what the two did on their spare time. If it got them in trouble with other Hollows that was their problem, but if it got in the way of their duties as Espada she was going to have a slight problem with that.

Grimmjow had just woken up from a very long nap he was taking in Nel's room. He had fallen asleep there when he went to visit her, and when he woke up he was all alone in her room. He didn't want to stay in Nel's room and wait for her. First of,f he had no idea where she went off to begin with and when she would be back. Staying in her room just didn't seem like a good idea to him. He stood up from Nel's bed and made his way to the door. Slowly he opened the door to see if there was anyone coming. Seeing that the close was clear he made his way out of Nel's room and starting walking down the hall to his. As he wondered through the halls of Las Noches to get his room he couldn't help but wonder where Nel was.

"Where did that women run off to this time? Not that I care that much about what she does, but really. Leaving like she did without even waking me up." Grimmjow let out a big yawn just as Apacci showed up.

"Grimmjow, Lady Hallibel wants to see you and Lady Nel. Where is Lady Nel?"

"Hell if I would know where that annoying women is. She's not glued to my hip twenty four - seven. Why don't you go ask those other two who are always following her around!" Grimmjow barked at the female fraccion that he didn't like much.

Apacci let out an irritated sigh a she looked off towards Menos Forest. Something was going on within the dead tangled trees where the Menos linger.

"Why are you still here?! I told you, I don't know where that childish women is!"

"There's something happening in the Menos Forest. Maybe she went there for some reason. Grimmjow, head over to the meeting hall to meet with Lady Hallibel, I'll go to the Menos Forest and see if I can find Lady Nel." Apacci quickly took off towards Menos Forest before Grimmjow had a chance to say anything.

He looked out to the distance in the direction where Menos Forest was located. Why would Nel be all the way out in Menos Forest? She would constantly tell Grimmjow that there was need to go to the Forest. The place where he took out his frustration on the Menos.

With a heavy sigh he turned and made his way towards the meeting hall to meet with Hallibel. Only turning back around once when he felt a sudden change the in the air.

"What are you doing in Menos Forest, you annoying women?"

Nel had wondered deep into the darkness of Menos Forest. She was looking for Bawabawa, thinking that maybe he had wondered into Menos Forest. She had been wondering around for a while and after about an hour she decided to head back to Las Noches.

"Looks like Bawabawa isn't here after all. Maybe his with Dondochakka and Pesche, so I guess I'll head back and ask them if they've seen him." Nel started heading back when Apacci suddenly showed up. The female fraccion looked out of breath, like she was running from someone or something.

"Apacci?! What's wrong? It looks like you've been running from someone. Is someone chasing you?" Nel rushed over to Apacci to see if she was alright.

"Lady Nel... I came here looking for you. Lady Hallibel wanted you and Grimmjow to meet her in the meeting hall. I went to Gimmjow and asked where you were, and he said he didn't know. I felt something strange coming from the Menos Forest, so I came to see if you were here...." Apacci explained before running out of breath.

"But why are you out of breath Appacci. Is someone chasing you?!"

After asking Apacci who was casing her a sudden laughter echo out through the tall tangled trees. In a blink of an eye the two female Arrancar were surrounded by Aduchas - class Hollows.

"Well, well, well, look who we have here. The Third Espada Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck and Emilou Apacci one of Hallibel's three Fraccións. What are the two of you doing way out here in Menos Forest?" The Guardian of the Forest of Menos stepped out into view.

"Lady Nel, they're the ones who were chasing after me. They're up to something." Apacci whispered to Nel.

"Really? Don't worry about them, you try heading back to Hallibel," Nel whispered back to Apacci. "we're just about to leave so there's no reason to cause any trouble between us. We'll just leave."

A sudden Cero blast broke through the air and landed near both Nel and Apacci. The two females looked up into the darkness to see several Menos emerging from the darkness of the forest. Each having a Cero charging in their mouths, aiming it towards the two female Arrancars.

"I don't think so. Word has gotten around about you, Nel. That you and that damn Grimmjow have gotten pretty close over the last couple of months. If we take you then he'll come running to get you back and that's when we'll kill him, then you, and all who will be left will be that bitch Hallibel. After we get rid of you three a new ring of Espada will take over Las Noches. But first, time to get rid of some lose ends. Menos, get rid of the other female!" The Guardian of the Forest of Menos pointed to Apacci. Beams of red energy zipped down at Apacci. With no place to go Apacci though that it was the end for her.

Covering her head with her arms she waited for the hot heat of the Menos' Cero to wipe her out. After not feeling the blast of the Cero Apacci looked up to see Nel standing in front of her. Her mouth wide open, eating the energy of the Menos Ceros.

"Lady Nel?"

"Go Apacci! Tell Hallibel about what's going on here. Quickly!" Nel yelled as she unsheathed her Gamuza. Apacci nodes and quickly takes off back to Las Noches followed by other Adjuchas-class Hollows who followed the Guardian of the Forest of Menos.

"You planning on taking on all of us by yourself, Third Espada?! Even someone with powers like yours can't take on all of us!!" The Guardian of the Forest of Menos bellowed in laughter.

"I usually try to find a way to stay out of a fight. I hate fighting to begin with, but you said something I can't forgive,"

"And what would that be?"

"You threatened Grimmjow, someone who's very important to me. When someone threatens someone who's important to me, I can't forgive them!" Nel held Gamuza out in front of her horizontally. Gamuza started to glow as a hazy smoke emanates from it as she released her Zanpakutō "Declare... Gamuza!" The glowing intensified into a huge burst of spiritual energy that covered the surrounding area. In her new form, Nel took on the form of a brownish-green ibex-like centaur, complete with a black horse's tail. The horns of her Hollow mask became longer and more curved, and also extend slightly, framing the sides of her face, particularly the cheeks. The crack on her mask that she received from Nnoitra Giliga also closes up, although the missing teeth remain. Her shoulders became covered by white spaulders that went across her shoulder blade to her neck. She gained white elbow guards and white gauntlets. The parts of her arm that hadn't been covered by armor were covered by a black material, which also covered her hands. A white ring was also at the base of her tail. Gamuza itself transforms into a double-sided lance, which was rare and being one of a few Arrancars who's known to have their weapon after its release.

"I won't let you lay a hand on Grimmjow or take Las Noches so you can do as you please. I'll stop you here."

"We'll see."

Back in the meeting hall of Las Noches, Grimmjow and Hallibel were still waiting for Apacci to bring word about Nel. With each moment that ticked by Grimmjow was getting more and more irritated with Nel and making him sit in the meeting hall with their leader.

"Where the hell is that damn women. Making me sit here, waiting for her with this new leader of ours. I don't know what I found so interesting about that women. She childish, irritating, annoying and is always getting into my business. But when you take up my time that's when you really piss me off!

Just as it looked like Grimmjow was going to flip a nut the doors to the meeting hall suddenly opened, but the one who was at the door was not the one they were expecting. Hallibel's other two Fraccións, Franceska Mila Rose and Cyan Sung-Sun were carrying a bloody and badly beaten Emilou Apacci.

"Apacci! What happened to you?!" Hallibel quickly rushed over to her injured Fraccións.

"L-Lady Hallibel... it's Lady Nel. Sh-she's in trouble..."