Chapter One - Prologue

White sand swirled lackadaisically through the endless night. It seemed as though the minute grains of sand had been kicked up by a soft breeze. High above the sandy base of Hueco Mundo, atop a white dome, wherein lays Aizen Sousuke's lair, a plume of dust begins to rise. Three silhouettes stand tall against one of the many white pillars that stand erect from the roof of Las Noches. One of the profiles stands more ominously than the others, with the shadow of a black sword aimed downward at the fourth figure.

"I have no reason to live now that you've beaten me." Spoke Ulquiorra Schiffer to his opponent as he lay with his back against the sand-speckled dome and a Zanpakuto brandished just inches above his pale hierro. His soulless eyes turned to face the inky black Hueco Mundo sky. His eyes looked straight through the fully hollowfied Ichigo. But his words never reached Ichigo's consciousness which lay in wait – deep, deep within his inner world.

"That's enough, Kurosaki. You've won. There is no need to carve up his corpse." Ishida placed his hand gently around Ichigo's wrist, hoping to relax the tension in the grip Ichigo had placed around his sword. With one fell swing, Ishida too, was on the ground, left with Ichigo's Zanpakuto thrust through his abdomen.

"KUROSAKI-KUN!" shrieked a horrified Orihime from the side-lines. She rushed to Ishida's side unsure of her next move. I came here to save Kurosaki-Kun and the others, why did I ask him to save me? This is all my fault, she thought desperately. But within the time it took for Ichigo to attack Ishida, Ulquiorra had regained the upper hand; he moved swiftly behind Ichigo and sent a bolt of cero straight at his hollow mask, shattering it to bits. Leaving Ichigo lying flat, paralyzed and unconscious.

Orihime sat motionless, stunned, and in in tears next to Ishida as the three watched the hole which had consumed most of Ichigo's chest, disappear. Impossible, thought Ulquiorra, no human can use instant regeneration like that. Ulquiorra walked towards Orihime and Ishida, he leant forward and grabbed the hilt of Ichigo's Zanpakuto, which was protruding greatly from the Quincy's mid-section.

"NO!" wailed Orihime as Ulquiorra pulled forth the Zanpakuto. Crimson blood gushed from the freshly opened wound. Ishida shut his eyes tightly and thrust his head back against the rock he was using for support. He released a painful scream but it was nothing compared to the scream Orihime had just shrieked. "Stop this! Stop!" Tears gushed from her eyes. The three men looked at her with widened eyes.

"Orihime..." Ichigo rasped. He looked down and noticed the hole in his chest was gone. He then looked up to see Ulquiorra's once instant regeneration slowly working its way down his arm and leg. "I…cut off your arm and leg?" he asked quietly, turning his head towards Orihime and Ishida. "Did…I…do that to you?" Ishida nodded downward. His attention then turned to above him, where a golden light was forming.

"On'na…Why." Stated Ulquiorra, as the golden light enveloped him, as well as the other two men. His statement was only answered through sobs on the other side of the shield. Standing motionless, Ulquiorra felt his internal organs return. His anger was beginning to subside, but he still had many unanswered questions swirling restlessly in his mind. His second form began to melt away as he stood there waiting for the right moment to resume their fight, Ichigo's Zanpakuto still grasped tightly between his pale fist. Hours seemed to pass before the surrounding light began to fade. "Here" Ulquiorra stated as he tossed his opponents sword back across to him. "Let us finish this fight."

"No," this time, it was Ichigo who spoke. "I can't let Orihime cry anymore. I won't be pushed to the point where I hurt my friends anymore…We've finished our fight Ulquiorra Schiffer. It's over." Ichigo turned on his heel, and then spoke again. "And besides, have you even considered your own situation yet?"

Ulquiorra looked down at his own body. He hadn't even realized it. He thought it was merely his second form which had disappeared, but as he stretched his own hands out before him, he was astonished to see that his white hierro was now replaced with pale, peach skin. His new, fragile hands reached towards his head, where his broken hollow mask was replaced by normal, black hair. His hand then lowered to his chest, coming in contact with solid flesh. No hole. There were no remnants of his hollowed form at all. "What…have you done…on'na?" He growled menacingly. "Why has my body been reduced to such trash?" Ulquiorra called louder this time, seemingly more urgent.

"I…Uh…" Orihime appeared to be at a loss for words. She knew her Sōten Kisshun rejected phenomena, but to this extent? "I had no idea." She replied lamely. Suddenly, Ulquiorra dropped his hand and collapsed onto the roof. "Wha-What's happening?"

"It could be because you rejected his existence as an espada, that's a lot of power to lose...Orihime" Ishida explained, as he looked down curiously on the fallen Ulquiorra.

"Leave him here." This time, it was Ichigo who took authority. "It's time we go back, Inoue, Ishida." Ichigo grabbed Orihime's wrist and pulled her towards the opening in the floor. "Yo, Ishida, can you use your reiatsu to get us back to the main level?"

"NO ICHIGO!" Orihime protested. Her cheeks reddened, with embarrassment. Ichigo had saved her life, but she was the reason Ulquiorra lay unconscious. "We can't just leave him like this. What's going to happen when he wakes up?" Her question lingered on the air for a brief second before Ichigo answered.

"Then he'll wait to be eaten by hollows. Orihime, he's done enough damage already, helping him now can't possibly help us in the long run." Ichigo's words stung, the trio looked at each other. They could feel various reiatsu' floating up from the opening. The reiatsu fluctuated variously as they waited to make their decision.

"K-Kurosaki-kun, this is my doing… and…if there are consequences to my actions today then I will be the one to take the blame. But…I'm taking Ulquiorra back with me." Orihime's bold words not only shocked the two boys, but Orihime as well.

"I figured you'd say as much, Inoue" Ichigo replied with a slight eye-roll. Orihime's face flushed pink again as she used Santen Kesshun to lift the unconscious Ulquiorra off the ground.