"Well that takes care of him," he said. He turned back to Nel and the others. "Are you guys okay?"
"Uh-huh," Nel said dumbfounded.
"That was incredible!" Pesche shouted.
"I had no idea humans could do that, don't cha know?" Dondochakka told him.
Ben grinned.
"What is your name, anyway?" Pesche asked.
"Ben Tennyson," Ben replied, holding out his hand. "Nice to meet you."
Pesche and Dondochakka looked at Ben's hand, each other, and then Ben's hand again. Then, Pesche slowly reached his own hand and grasped Ben's. The two shook. Happily, Dondochakka took Ben's hand and shook it so much that Ben felt his entire body vibrate.
"So, Ben," Pesche said. "How did a human wind up in Hueco Mundo anyway?"
Ben grinned sheepishly. "I really don't know," he admitted. "I just woke up here. Aizen said that he was gonna help me get back."
"Aizen-sama?" the three cried. "He said that?"
"Uh, yeah," Ben answered, still not used to the three's overreacting.
"That means you live in Las Noches?" Nel asked in amazement.
"Until I get home," Ben told her. "Do you want to come with me to Las Noches? I'm sure Aizen wouldn't mind."
"Bad idea," Pesche suddenly said. "That place is no place for Nel."
Ben had to admit that Pesche was right. People like Yammy, Nnoitra, Grimmjow, Szayel, and Aaroniero were definitely not good people for a little girl to be around. Harribel and Starrk on the other hand could help watch over her. Well, more likely Harribel than Starrk.
"Are you sure?" he asked. "I've got some friends in there who'd be sure to help."
Both Pesche and Dondochakka shook their heads rapidly.
"We're sure," Dondochakka said. "It's best of us to stay out here. We can't afford to risk Nel's safety."
Nel was too busy looking at Ben to do anything.
Ben frowned as he looked around. Where in the world could they live out here? Las Noches may not be the friendliest place, but at least it was something. Then Ben remembered that he should be heading back to Las Noches by now.
"I've got to get going now," he said. "Take care." He started walking off when he felt something grab his pant leg from behind. Looking down, he noticed that Nel had a grip on him.
"Don't go," she said in a quiet voice that sounded like she was on the brink of tears. "Pwease don't go."
Seeing a little girl so sad was enough to break anyone's heart. And Ben was no exception. He knelt down to look at Nel better.
"Nel had fun with Ben," Nel said, looking at the ground and playing with her fingers. "Nel doesn't want Ben to weave."
Ben smiled at Nel and rubbed her head affectionately. Nel smiled and gave out a little giggle.
"If you want," Ben told her. "I'll come and play with you tomorrow."
Nel's face brightened up. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" she leaped up and grabbed Ben in a big hug around his neck. Ben gasped for breath as Nel continued hugging him.
"Nel!" Dondochakka cried. "Ben's not able to breathe, don't cha know?"
"Nel!" Pesche shouted. "Ben is turning blue."
Nel stopped what she was doing to look at Ben. Sure enough, his face was turning blue due to Nel unintentionally cutting off his air supply. Nel stared at him for a moment, then she grabbed his neck again in fear.
"Ben!" she cried. "Don't die, Ben. Pwease don't die!"
It was rather hasty, but Pesche and Dondochakka finally managed to get Nel off Ben, who was taking in big gulps of air gratefully.
"Sowy," Nel said, looking at the ground sadly.
"It's okay, Nel," Ben said once he got enough air back in his system. "You didn't mean it."
Nel looked at him in surprise. "You're not mad at Nel?"
Ben patted her head, which made Nel giggle. "Of course not," he said gently. "But I gotta get going now. But I'll be back tomorrow."
"Pwomise?" Nel asked cutely, making a pouty face. Ben smiled as he hugged her.
"Promise," he said. Then he activated the Ultimatrix, turned into Jet Ray, and then flew off towards Las Noches. Although Jet Ray couldn't see it, Nel was still waving good-bye to him.
Soon, Ben found himself back at Las Noches. Using Big Chill to phase through the walls, Ben got back inside without smashing anything like he did when he first came here. Turning back to normal, Ben looked around the hallway. Sadly, Ben was not able to figure out all the directions of Las Noches in one day. He would just have to walk down the hallway and see where it got him. Hopefully not to any of the Espada that hated his guts.
But something got Ben's attention. It was someone shouting. "Let go of me, you jerk!" It was Apache's voice.
"I'll teach you women to insult me." But the word used was not women.
Ben's blood boiled. That was Nnoitra's voice. Quickly, Ben ran off in the direction that the voices came from. Coming to a corner, Ben saw Nnoitra standing over Mila-Rose and Sun-Sun. He currently had his hand over Apache's throat. She was struggling to get out of his grip. Nnoitra's scythe was lying on the ground. Apparently Nnoitra thought he wouldn't need it against the three Fraccion.
"Harribel-sama will never let you get away with this!" Mila-Rose said, drawing her sword. She charged at Nnoitra, but he grabbed her with his other hand.
"You women just don't know your place," Nnoitra said with a snarl. "It was bad enough that the former third Espada was a woman. Then Harribel had to come along."
Sun-Sun tried to draw her own sword, but Nnoitra slammed a kick into her stomach. Sun-Sun skid across the floor. She quickly got up and moved to attack, but Nnoitra kicked her again.
"Harribel can do whatever she wants," Nnoitra sneered. "No one can harm this body."
"Want to bet on that?" Ben asked.
Nnoitra turned around just as Ben activated the Ultimatrix
.
"Ben!" all the girls cried. Nnoitra grinned.
"So," he said. "Decided to rescue your little pets, have you Ben?"
"Ben, get Harribel-sama!" Sun-Sun said. "You're no match for him."
"Exactly," Nnoitra said. He threw Apache and Mila-Rose into Sun-Sun. "Don't worry, Ben. I won't kill them. But I need to teach these women to know their place."
Ben glared at Nnoitra. "I don't think so." He chose which form he wanted and slammed the Ultimatrix dial down.
In a blinding flash of light, Ben had turned into one of the most unusual forms he ever had. This form was in a big and stout metal armor of some sort. Personally, it looked like an old fashioned stove with arms and legs.
"NRG!" the new form yelled. It took a fighting stance at Nnoitra.
Nnoitra's grin widened as he focused his full attention on Ben.
"So you want to fight me, Ben?" he asked. "Why not. Just because you can beat some Fraccion doesn't mean you're a match for me!"
He picked up his scythe and slashed downward. He expected to cut through NRG's armor, only for it to clang and halt once it collided with the armor. Nnoitra's eye widened in shock. How in the world could…
"My turn," NRG said. He drew his fist back and slammed it into Nnoitra's gut. But if NRG expected Nnoitra to go flying because of the blow, he was sadly disappointed. Nnoitra just stood there, though his body was bent over from NRG's blow to his gut.
"What are you made of?" NRG asked. shocked that a man so tall and skinny could withstand a blow like that
But Nnoitra was distracted at the moment. His eye widened when he realized that he had felt a brief moment of pain from the blow. Even though it wasn't significant, the fact that he felt any pain at all was enough to freak Nnoitra out. His Hierro was the strongest in history. He shouldn't be able to feel any pain at all. Not only that, but NRG's armor was able to withstand his weapon.
What is that armor made of? Nnoitra thought.
Apache, Mila-Rose, and Sun-Sun watched in amazement as Nnoitra and Ben's form NRG began trading blows. Nnoitra trying to slice through NRG's armor while NRG kept pounding his fists into Nnoitra. While the three girls had a feeling that Ben wouldn't be able to hurt Nnoitra, they were shocked that the fifth Espada was not able to land any significant damage on Ben either. How could any of Ben's forms be capable of going up against the higher up Espada? And what was that armor made of so that not even the fifth Espada could cut it?
But Nnoitra was getting furious. No way could anyone, especially a measly human, fight evenly with him. He was the strongest! He was the strongest!
He stuck out his tongue to form a Cero blast, but NRG took the initiative and grabbed Nnoitra in a bear hug.
"You think this hurts me?" Nnoitra taunted. "My Hierro is the strongest in Las Noches. You can't harm me!"
"Really?" NRG asked him. "Then I guess it's time I heated things up."
"Huh?" Nnoitra asked. Suddenly he felt his body starting to heat up. What in the… Then he realized something. The heat was continuing to rise. And it was coming from the arms wrapped around him. NRG was doing this! Nnoitra had to grit his teeth to prevent himself from yelling in pain. He could feel his back burning. No! No one was able to break his defense! No one!
Nnoitra began cursing at Ben. "Let me go!" he yelled. "You little…!" and then proceeded to swear at him again.
Apache, Mila-Rose, and Sun-Sun couldn't believe their eyes. Ben was...hurting one of the top Espada!
NRG looked at him. "I'm not the one who attacked three girls just because he can't handle the fact that a girl is better than him!"
Nnoitra was furious. "You little…" he stuck his tongue to create another Cero blast to shoot at NRG when…
"What is going on here?"
Apache, Mila-Rose, Sun-Sun, NRG, and Nnoitra all turned to see who it was. It was Harribel.
"What is going on here?" she asked. Her voice was still calm, but there was something in her voice that sent chills up the spines of everyone else.
"Harribel-sama!" Apache yelled. "That idiot Nnoitra attacked us!"
"Yeah, but Ben saved us. He turned into that form over there called NRG. Nnoitra could barely scratch him."
Sure enough, Harribel could see scratches and dents on NRG's armor, but nothing serious, which was truly something. What substance could be strong enough to withstand the sword of an Espada, let alone Nnoitra's?
"Ben," Harribel said to NRG. "You may let him go."
NRG obeyed instantly, dropping Nnoitra, who's back was now badly burned. Nnoitra was about to get up when Harribel slammed him into the wall. Nnoitra gave a small wince of pain as his burnt back came in contact with it. It was barely audible but Harribel could hear it. And it gave her satisfaction.
"I believe I said that I would not allow any harm to come to my Fraccion, Nnoitra," she said calmly to him. "You seemed to have forgotten that."
Nnoitra looked at Harribel with hate filled eyes. Harribel continued to show no emotion as she went on.
"You attacked my Fraccion regardless of the consequences," she said.
"You're just a stupid female," Nnoitra said to her. "You don't deserve a rank like the third Espada. You don't even deserve to be an Espada at all."
"You're just a sore loser and a jerk," Ben said as he turned back to normal.
Nnoitra snarled at Ben.
"This is between me and her, human. Stay out of the way."
"You were hurting those girls for no reason!" Ben yelled. "I'm not gonna let you…"
"That is enough, Ben."
Tosen appeared in front of everyone. Ben let out a sigh of relief.
"I have heard everything," Tosen said to them. "And rest assured, Aizen-sama will be told about this."
Nnoitra growled in anger. Why was everyone taking the females' side? Couldn't they see how weak and worthless they were?
"I will take Nnoitra to Aizen-sama," Tosen said. "You may tend to your Fraccion, Harribel."
Harribel nodded. "Thank you, Tosen." She released Nnoitra.
"Come, Nnoitra." Tosen said to him. "You will explain yourself before Aizen-sama."
Nnoitra followed, but not before sending a look of pure hatred at Harribel and her Fraccion. His eyes lingered on Ben who returned the glare without blinking at him. Nnoitra then picked up the pace to keep up with Tosen.