Ichigo couldn't believe it. He lost. He lost? His bankai broke, and he himself was lying now on the warm sand of Las Noches, panting heavily and waiting for the final blow. When the last moments of his life started to extend into an infinite torture, he decided to open one eye and look closer at the situation.

Grimmjow Jeagerjaques was towering over him, his face expressing absolute rapture of a victor. Pantera's lips were stretched in the predatory smile, his jagged teeth glimmering in the fake sunlight. Grimmjow regarded his prey, Ichigo Kurosaki, laying at his feet - and savoured that moment. He was to possibly prove inferior to someone like that? The very thought was ridiculous. He had won after a splendid fight, and now a well deserved award was waiting for him. He stretched out his hand, the sharp claws flashed over the throat of Shinigami who was unable to move.

A frantic scream came from the ruins, once being a pillar that were randomly scattered over Las Noches. Inoue was crying and wailing at the top of her voice, Nel accompanied her as well. Ichigo wished he had some peace in the last moments of his life. Judging from his face, Sexta Espada had to feel the same way. Grimmjow ceased grinning, and cast an ominous glare at Inoue, whose laments faded a bit, but not enough.

"Shup up, you stupid wench!" Grimmjow yelled out, furious that someone disturbed the moment of his triumph. His sense of hearing was tenfold in Pantera's form, thus the clatter the chick was making simply hurt his ears and resonated in his brain. Damn, she was so noisy! The threat had to take effect since only silent sob was coming from the ruins now.

Grimmjow turned his gaze back to Shinigami, whose eyes expressed the disappointment with himself above all. Not the planned way to finish your little trip to Hueco Mundo, right, Kurosaki? Grimmjow grinned again. Could he possibly wait to hear the begging for mercy...?

The rock hit his head, interrupting these nice thoughts. Grimmjow, absolutely mad now, looked again in the direction where the burst of stones came from. It was that rotten little Arrancar, presuming like that with an amazing accuracy. Grimmjow roared, and the shock-wave knocked two figures down. Sexta Espada was content to see that Kurosaki was unable to move his finger, though not no long ago he had risked his life to protect them. However, now his eyes expressed a very intense hatred, and Grimmjow liked that look even more.

He decided the current situation didn't allow him to celebrate his victory properly. He sealed his Zanpakutō away, and came back to his usual form. He restrained his prey using the Arrancar magic, then grabbed him at the black shihakushō and slung him on his back. The puzzlement was reflected at Shinigami's face, and his eyes looked alarmed. Grimmjow grinned once more. Kurosaki tried to free himself, but all he managed was a weak twitch.

"Don't squirm, or you'll end in the sand again," Grimmjow warned him, then turned to the pillar where the lament came from once more. "You there!" he shouted at Orihime. "Ulquiorra should appear soon, he'll deal with you."

Orihime thought it over. "Where are you taking Kurosaki-kun?" she asked, her voice sad and frightened.

Another rock flew out from behind her back... and hit Ichigo in the head.

Shinigami jerked in Espada's grip, and then his body became limp.

"AAAAA! Nel killed Itsygo!" the small Arrancar howled, while Orihime went into hysterics again.

Grimmjow didn't even look in their direction. He used his sonido and disappeared from intruders' sight.


Ichigo woke up with a feeling something fluffy was touching his cheek, again and again. Kon...? No, he lacked the delicacy. Yoruichi-san came to his mind next, however, Ichigo was vaguely aware Yoruichi-san couldn't possibly be here. Where was "here"? He tried to recollect the last events. Apparently, he had fainted, which sucked anyway - but what where the circumstances of that? After thinking had turned unsuccessful, he decided to take a risk and regard the situation at close range. He opened his eyes carefully... and then he felt them turned very round.

Everything around was blurred and moved constantly. He was in some room that seemed filled with a fog. The only what he could see clearly was a big cat sitting over him. Okay, so the thought of the soft paws was accurate. Cat was observing at him with the turquoise eyes. Ichigo would frown if he wasn't frowning anyway - cats didn't have turquoise eyes. Or perhaps they did? Some faint memory came to his mind... and vanished right away. Cat raised his paw and Ichigo thought he could see the sharp claws.

Cats used to bring good luck, everyone knew it. Especially the cats with their paw upright.

"Good kitty," Ichigo said calmly, and smiled. "Can you tell me where I am and what I'm doing here?"

Cat froze, his paw still stretched out, and his turquoise eyes glistened in an infinite astonishment. The time seemed to stop for a moment... and then cat started to lick his paw with a pink tongue, never taking eyes off Ichigo.

Ichigo tried to move. He was lying on the soft... bed? Anyway, he felt comfortable. He was physically exhausted, but his health didn't seem to be especially endangered. He felt like had had a fight of his life - and lived. He turned his head - and the stars flashed before his eyes. Apparently, his head caught it most, which explained the waving of scenery and his own sight problems. No wonder he couldn't remember anything. Well, it was not for the first time. He knew the memory would come back in no time.

His reflection was interrupted when cat - after finishing own toilette - took care of him. Ichigo felt a rough tongue lick his cheek. After the first shock, he decided the sensation wasn't unpleasant, and he relaxed. He closed his eyes and continued the very unattractive contemplation on the topic of waking up amnesiac in someone else's bad... but it was hard to focus with cat's tongue moving towards his ear. It tickled, and Ichigo chuckled. He heard cat purr with satisfaction.


Grimmjow was right. Not even a quarter of hour passed, when Ulquiorra appeared before Orihime's tearful eyes with a quiet "puff". He looked a bit battered due to the forced and unexpected visit in another dimension. Orihime was so happy she almost hurled herself into his arms. After hearing somewhat incoherent story enriched with sobbing and lamenting, Ulquiorra had a vague grasp of a situation. He couldn't care less about Grimmjow and Kurosaki occupying themselves with each other. After all, Orihime was safe and sound, and even with swollen face she looked... yeah. Inwardly, Ulquiorra sighed with relief, regarding the girl with his usually impassive eyes. The larger problem was the small Arrancar who started to wail and once again accuse herself of "Itsygo's" death.

"Ichigo Kurosaki is alive," Ulquiorra informed, more to silence the Arrancar than console her. "However, I suppose he'd rather wish for death than get into Grimmjow's hands," he added creepily.

Orihime turned white. "We have to help him," she whispered. "He's alive but he may be hurt. He may need my help." She looked at Ulquiorra with begging in her eyes. Ulquiorra sighed again, but when Orihime grasped his hand and drew near, looking deep into his eyes, he had to admit he was surprised himself.

"I don't intend to pry into Grimmjow's business. My task is to look after you," he stated shortly. "Woman," he added after a while.

Orihime's big eyes filled with tears. Ulquiorra sighed once more, this time aloud.

"I'll make sure he's all right, okay?" he said with a feeling of defeat.

Orihime's smile was brighter than sun. Somewhat incoherently, Ulquiorra thought he could possibly be a happiest Arrancar in Hueco Mundo.


They stood in front of the door leading to Sexta Espada's rooms. Grimmmjow's reiatsu was so strong it was almost palpable. Kurosaki's pulse wasn't as distinct, but definitely regular, and Orihime ought to feel it. Ulquiorra would be satisfied with that much, but he knew Orihime needed a confirmation.

"You stay here," he ordered, and she merely nodded.

Ulquiorra opened the door, and entered.

He blinked, for the first time in his life doubting in what his eyes saw.

Then he left even faster.

For a moment, he stood leaning his back against the door, then he seized Orihime at her hand and rushed towards her rooms.

"You wouldn't want to see it," he said, before she managed to ask him. Orihime's eyes grew even more round. "He's all right, feels well," Ulquiorra added, in spite of himself. A tad. "Perhaps too well... He's only a bit... occupied at the moment. Or even longer."

Orihime's face fell. "What about me?" she asked, sounding resentful.

He gave her a careful look. "It seems you have to find yourself a new protector," he said softly.

She stopped in the middle of the corridor and mused over. "Ishida-kun," she said finally and clasped her hands, beaming. "You think Ishida-kun would qualify?"

Ulquiorra sighed inwardly, again. It seemed his position on the list was far...

Orihime moved on, happy, and Ulquiorra followed her.

He turned for a moment to look once more in the direction they came from, a bit disturbed. He couldn't drive away the sight of Ichigo Kurosaki, smiling with contentment and scratching Grimmjow, curled up on his belly and purring, behind the ear.

"He's my prey," he heard the echo of Sexta Espada's thoughts. "I can kill him, if I want. I can fight him, if I want. I can do everything I want to him. For now... I can even... let him... live."