• WHEN THE ROSE REVIVES

    Everything was normal in Las Noches until Selene arrived, she had recently become an Arrancar, and Aizen asked her to go to Las Noches to serve him. She looked as a sixteen-year old girl, with long, black hair, almost white skin, reddish lips and beautiful and innocent violet eyes, when she arrived to Las Noches, Ulquiorra was outside the palace staring at the nocturnal sky, so he noticed her presence immediately.
    -Hi – she said shyly.
    He just looked at her, without knowing what to say.
    -Do you know where can I find Sousuke Aizen, here?
    -He is inside – As if he was awakening from a dream, he answered.
    -Thank you.
    She walked into Las Noches, and Ulquiorra kept his sight on her – Such a beautiful woman – he thought – she shouldn’t be here. He stayed outside staring at the sky again after he couldn’t see her anymore.
    Selene arrived to Aizen’s throne, he was waiting for her.
    -I’m here for our treaty, milord.
    -Perfect, just stay here in Las Noches and obey my orders when necessary, until you receive one of them, who can do whatever you want.
    -Yes, sir. Thank you for receiving me here in Las Noches.
    -For now, stay outside this room someone will come to take you to your place here.
    She exited the room and sat on the floor. Some minutes later, Ulquiorra arrived from outside as he has to accomplish an order from Aizen, he felt surprise when he saw her sitting on the floor staring to nowhere, just being there, he entered Aizen’s throne room, and exited almost immediately.
    -Come with me – he said.
    She stood up from the floor and followed him through the paths of the palace. He directed her to an all-in-white room, only illuminated by moonlight that entered from the window.
    -What’s your name? – she asked him.
    -Ulquiorra Schiffer. You are Selene aren’t you?
    She nodded, in response.
    -You can go wherever you want and do whatever unless you’ve got an order. Have a good night.
    -Good night, Ulquiorra.
    He shut the door leaving her alone in the room, so she could do anything she wanted? She opened the door and went outside the palace it broke her heart to see there were no plants there, she planted a rose plant to see if it could grow there.
    -What are you doing?
    Ulquiorra’s voice interrupted her. She looked up to his eyes. – Cute eyes – she thought – green, almost alive.
    -Am I troubling you?
    -No, I just want to know what are you doing with that thing. – he answered pointing to the plant that was beside her.
    -I’ll plant it, I like roses, so I’ll plant it for there will be a little live thing here.
    -How are you going to do it?
    -Just watch – she said.
    Easily, she took her zanpakutou and pointed it to the earth.
    -Perfora, Luna.
    Immediately appeared a whole in the ground, where she put the plant and covered it with earth until the stem limit, then she watered it.
    -There it is.
    -Interesting – Ulquiorra answered.
    -I’ll come tomorrow to see how it is going, that if I don’t receive orders. See ya.
    Then she left him alone with the plant, a small rose button rose at the tip of it.
    -Red roses? – He asked to no one.
    He stayed there next to the plant, staring at the stars.

    The next day, Selene went to see how her rose tree was going, she found it alright, just watered it a little more and went for a walk around the palace. After walking three times around Las Noches she finally sat in front of the rose bush.
    -How are you? – Ulquiorra’s voice asked near to her.
    -Oh, hi, I’m ok, I guess, how about you?
    -I guess I’m ok too.
    He sat next to her and both stayed watching the sky in silence.
    -So, how is the bush?
    -Huh?
    -The bush how is it?
    -Oh, it seems to be alright, but there’s something that makes me feel uneasy, as if something was going to happen to it.
    -Something like what?
    She shrank her shoulders in answer. Both remained silent for a while, then stood up at the same time and walked back to Las Noches.
    -Got any order?
    -No, you?
    She shook her head.
    -Where are you going?
    -My room.
    -I’ll go with you, my room is near yours.
    She nodded in agreement, and they walked through the corridors of Las Noches mostly silent.
    -Look who is this? – A voice sound at half their way.
    -Go away, Grimmjow – Ulquiorra answered.
    -Hey, don’t take the chick only for you; at least tell me who she is.
    Grimmjow jumped in front of Selene.
    -Tell me your name sweetie –
    He reached her cheek with his hand, she rejected him by pushing his arm back.
    -Get away from me. – She said.
    -Ooh, the kitty’s got claws.
    -She told you to stay away.
    -Don’t be so silly, Ulquiorra, I’m just going to play with her a little.
    -Touch me, and you’ll get hurt.
    -Don’t get near to her.
    -And now our white knight enters the battle. Ha, ha, ha, ha.
    Looking as Grimmjow was distracted with Ulquiorra’s show of courage, Selene took her zanpakutou and with it made Grimmjow to fall, and run to her dorm room, knowing Ulquiorra was right behind her.
    -Run, Selene, he’s about to reach me.
    -Ok.
    She ran even faster, until she reached the door to her room, she opened and stared back, Grimmjow and Ulquiorra were in a fight, Ulquiorra trying to keep Grimmjow away from her, Grimmjow trying to pass him.
    -Shut the door Selene – Ulquiorra shouted, after he saw her standing at the door. – I’ll take care of him, Shut the door now.
    She shut the door and right after, something hit it, and it sounded as if it was a big rock. She looked through the window, there it was, her rose tree, though it seemed a little dry, but there was a beautiful blossom at the top of it, that looked as if it was smiling to her. It had already past the sunset, and a brilliant full moon illuminated the room, she took a chair and sat staring at the moon. Her zanpakutou started to irradiate a white light.

    The next day, Ulquiorra went to her room, looking for her, he knocked the door, but no one answered, he knocked again but with the same result, he knocked a third time, and knowing he wouldn’t receive an answer, he opened the door, fortunately, it had no key. After opening the door to her room, he noticed, she wasn’t there, he ran outside, to the place where the rose bush was, but he didn’t find her there too, scared he went to Aizen’s throne room.
    -Aizen-sama, Selene disappeared!
    -She will appear later, don’t worry.
    -Did you order her something?
    -I didn’t.
    Ulquiorra exited the room and looked for her again in her room, without finding her, he went to the rose tree, to look for her in the zone, but she wasn’t there either. After what he went to Aizen again, who called all the Espada to search for her. They search for her in Las Noches twice, and then gathered around the rose bush.
    -Has no one see her?
    -No – Halibel answered.
    -Why is that girl so important anyway?
    -Because, Aizen has asked her to stay here in Las Noches, even when she is not a Numeros.
    -It’s going to be dark soon, we should search for her tomorrow – Stark said.
    -Ok. Let’s leave it like this for today, we’ll meet here tomorrow morning.
    They went back to their own rooms. –Where is she? – Ulquiorra thought while walking to his room. – It isn’t normal for someone to disappear like that. He entered to his room, in complete silence, and with a sadness aura around him.

    The next day, Ulquiorra went directly to the place where the rose tree was. All the Espada were there already, they researched for Selene in the whole Las Noches, after which they met again around the rose bush.
    -Selene.
    She was there sitting next to the bush with a withered rose in one of her hands, the rose tree next to her, was also withered, in her expression there was sadness, when she heard Ulquiorra’s voice calling her, she looked at him, his eyes reflected relief.
    -It dried. – she said in deep sadness.
    -Where were you yesterday? We looked for you the whole day. I thought you had left forever
    -I don’t know, I just was somewhere I don’t know.
    In a moment, he just was in front of her, and the next second, he kissed her, full in the lips, her eyes opened wide, and all of the Espada were staring in surprise. First she was surprised too, but then she put her arms around his neck and kissed him back.
    -Selene, look at the rose in your hand. – Halibel said after they got apart.
    -The Rose revived!
    Selene looked back at the rose tree, and saw that it was Green and full of life once again.
    -So that’s what it needed – she said – love.