When the news had come that another of the Ryoka had abandoned The Order, Ulquiorra had expected that a party would be sent to collect them. Zexion had been collected in much the same way by Marluxia, Lumi, and Kuja; Khamja would hardly let the opportunity to further swell their ranks with The Order's defectors pass them by. He hadn't expected, however, that Zexion would be considered necessary enough to risk sending him out of the Palace.
It seemed that Zexion was considered precisely that important for this, however, and since Ulquiorra had become acquainted with him, Ulquiorra had been tasked with keeping an eye on Zexion.
Lumi and Marluxia were not important to Aizen-sama's plans, but Zexion had been, and may be again. Ulquiorra considered that his task was not only to ensure Zexion didn't attempt to escape, with his introduction to Khamja being partially involuntary, but also that Zexion made it back to the Palace in one piece. Ulquiorra was aware that Zexion's relationship with Marluxia and Lumi was tense at best.
There were similar tensions between Marluxia, Lumi, and the Ryoka they were going to collect, which was why Zexion was so important.
Neliel was in attendance to keep a lid on the situation, should one arise. She was also, Ulquiorra knew, there for his own protection. Aizen-sama would not have been content to allow a single Arrancar to travel with three Ryoka to pick up a fourth defector, as it would imply far too much trust.
They were travelling on the ground. It had begun with the caverns, then chocobos across the desert to the Fossil Roo, and from there to Luxerion. From Luxerion, they would take the train. Daguerreo was hard to reach, and a trip by airship would still have required leaving the ship in Alexandria to travel by foot or by chocobo across into Nabradia.
The train was a morning train, and so the party was up earlier than Ulquiorra would have preferred. He travelled with a minimum of fuss and complaining, but long days on foot or bird had taken their toll even for him, and a night's rest in a hotel had been appreciated. It hadn't eradicated the muscle aches and tenderness of the journey, and even though a shower had helped somewhat, Ulquiorra would have appreciated perhaps another couple of hours or so to sleep.
Instead, the party had temporarily disbanded to acquire supplies from Luxerion. Neliel had headed that way, and Ulquiorra had opted to stay in the station, with a cup of questionable quality coffee with a little more sugar than usual to mask the questionable taste, and Zexion.
He also had a newspaper, although there wasn't much of interest in it. The local news was of no concern, and the national news was of no great importance, but it had been worth a look to at least ensure that being out of contact with Khamja's main base for a while, and coming out into the Mist swamped lands of Nabradia, hadn't meant they'd missed anything significant.
They hadn't. They also hadn't attracted any attention themselves, as far as they could tell, which was good.
Ulquiorra folded the newspaper, half skimmed, and half unread, and put it on the table. The others would meet them before long. Then Ulquiorra would have to endure their company once more.
no subject
It seemed that Zexion was considered precisely that important for this, however, and since Ulquiorra had become acquainted with him, Ulquiorra had been tasked with keeping an eye on Zexion.
Lumi and Marluxia were not important to Aizen-sama's plans, but Zexion had been, and may be again. Ulquiorra considered that his task was not only to ensure Zexion didn't attempt to escape, with his introduction to Khamja being partially involuntary, but also that Zexion made it back to the Palace in one piece. Ulquiorra was aware that Zexion's relationship with Marluxia and Lumi was tense at best.
There were similar tensions between Marluxia, Lumi, and the Ryoka they were going to collect, which was why Zexion was so important.
Neliel was in attendance to keep a lid on the situation, should one arise. She was also, Ulquiorra knew, there for his own protection. Aizen-sama would not have been content to allow a single Arrancar to travel with three Ryoka to pick up a fourth defector, as it would imply far too much trust.
They were travelling on the ground. It had begun with the caverns, then chocobos across the desert to the Fossil Roo, and from there to Luxerion. From Luxerion, they would take the train. Daguerreo was hard to reach, and a trip by airship would still have required leaving the ship in Alexandria to travel by foot or by chocobo across into Nabradia.
The train was a morning train, and so the party was up earlier than Ulquiorra would have preferred. He travelled with a minimum of fuss and complaining, but long days on foot or bird had taken their toll even for him, and a night's rest in a hotel had been appreciated. It hadn't eradicated the muscle aches and tenderness of the journey, and even though a shower had helped somewhat, Ulquiorra would have appreciated perhaps another couple of hours or so to sleep.
Instead, the party had temporarily disbanded to acquire supplies from Luxerion. Neliel had headed that way, and Ulquiorra had opted to stay in the station, with a cup of questionable quality coffee with a little more sugar than usual to mask the questionable taste, and Zexion.
He also had a newspaper, although there wasn't much of interest in it. The local news was of no concern, and the national news was of no great importance, but it had been worth a look to at least ensure that being out of contact with Khamja's main base for a while, and coming out into the Mist swamped lands of Nabradia, hadn't meant they'd missed anything significant.
They hadn't. They also hadn't attracted any attention themselves, as far as they could tell, which was good.
Ulquiorra folded the newspaper, half skimmed, and half unread, and put it on the table. The others would meet them before long. Then Ulquiorra would have to endure their company once more.