Its cold...
Claire.
That voice...
Claire.
Jace? Is that...?
"The bitch hasn't woken up yet?"
What...?
"Why don't you just wake her up already?"
As Claire's eyes flicker open, two men come into view. She groans inwardly, pushing herself up slowly. "Who...are you?"
The taller of the two smiles, "Ahhh, look, Ulquiorra! Pet-sama has awakened!"
"P-Pet-sama?! How dare yo-" Claire nearly falls over. Damn. Whatever they drugged me with hasn't worn off entirely just yet.
"Ulquiorra," Nnoitra begins before being cut off by Claire, "Where am I? Answer m-"
Nnoitra within seconds, grabs Claire's throat and slams her into a wall. "You're a rude one, aren't you?"
Claire gasps for air, clutching his arm with both her hands.
"Nnoitra."
"Hmmm?" Nnoitra turns his head towards Ulquiorra, his eyes narrowed.
"Leave her. You're the epitome of rudeness." He doesn't move from his position near the slit of a window, he simply closes his eyes.
Nnoitra releases his grip on her throat and Claire falls to the ground with a loud thump. "I'll get my fun eventually." With that, he disappears.
Claire coughs uncontrollably, holding her throat desperately. She opens one eye to look up at Ulquiorra.
"So you've noticed?" He moves closer, the light from the moon shining brightly behind him. "That fool Nnoitra got impatient. He had been ordered to stay put in his chambers."
Claire looks at him, unable to speak.
"Enter." He says. What looks to be a man with a mask on enters the room with a cart. "Your meal. Eat."
Claire's eyes narrow. "I don't want it."
"Staying alive is one of your duties. Eat!"
Duties? Her eyes widen.
"Shall I force it down your throat? Or would you rather be strapped down and given IVs?" His expression is unmoving.
"I don't want it I said." Claire replies feebly.
"You're annoying me. It doesn't matter one way or the other. What do you want me to say? 'Don't worry. You'll see your friends again.' Pathetic." His eyes never leave her. "I'm not here to pamper you. I don't understand you. Why do you care so much about where you are? Before long, you'll be forgotten anyway."
"Stop it." Claire says looking at the floor.
"You should be able to laugh this all off and forget them as they will you. Why can't you do that?"
Her eyes flick up and she glares at him.
"I would be angry with them if they tried to enter Hueco Mundo and died."
Claire gets to her feet and slaps him hard across the face.
His eye moves to look at her momentarily. He turns and starts to exit the room. "I will return in an hour. If you haven't eaten by then. I will tie you down and force it down your throat. Keep that in mind." He leaves and the door shuts on its own behind him, darkening the room further.
Claire falls to her knees, tears streaming down her face.