A/N: Guess who is an awful person? I AM. Why, you ask? Because I'm starting another fanfiction without updating my other ones for ages. SORRY DUDES, THIS ONE HAS BEEN EATING AT ME. More to come! This is just an opening.
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach whatsoever, I'm only being naughty and borrowing Ulquiorra's last moment from Kubo because it's important to my story and I love it and I love him and vhbrfcekmd.
The Sun
One movement too much, and it all fell apart. A single extension of his wings, and then he felt it. The slush of ash through his veins, the crumbling-but there was no pain.
"Hn...I guess that's it." A pause, a set look. "Kill me."
"..."
"Hurry up. I don't even have the strength left to walk. If you don't kill me now, this will never be settled."
Ichigo paused, face contorted. "No...I won't do it."
He couldn't control the small lift of his brow, the slight opening of his eyes. "What?"
"I said no- this...this isn't the way I wanted to win!" Ichigo screamed out into the void of Las Noches, as if he expected all his cries and pants to come to some resolve, some answer.
Pointless, but then again, he is only human.
"Tch. Frustrating, to the very end." The calm response.
His eyes shift, the serpentine edge they once held considerably dulled.
"Funny...just as I'm finding you all a little interesting."
The woman.
What is it?
It took all of his strength to extend his arm towards her, the feeling of touch already beyond him. He had been corroded by the black ash, the nervous system that allowed him to feel made absent. But his fingers still stretched towards her, eyebrows set just slightly lower to express a sadness, even if it wasn't felt.
"Are you afraid of me, woman?"
Will I see it if I tear open your chest- if I shatter your skull, will I see it inside?
You humans speak so easily of it...almost as if-
"No." The 'no' came adamantly, convinced. Her eyes reflected it. He saw it in the tears. "I'm not scared..." Her hand outstretched, timidly trying to meet his.
They touched and then there was only ash.
"I see."
Yes, this… this thing in my hand-
is the heart?
One moment passed, the ash brushing against her skin like some kind of animal. It stuck to her dress, pelting the torn white fabric with blotches of darkness. It clung to her cheeks, held to the human complexion by tears.
"Kurosaki...I…" She turned only slightly, hand still outstretched. It was like she was begging him to fix it: a child.
He could only ogle her, deflated, unable to speak.
The platform they stood on shook, but she didn't seem to notice.
She looked back to the front of her dress, the remaining pieces of ash that fluttered in the air.
"Kurosaki…" A mere whisper.
The top of the tower blew up in a hue of gold, just as the roof shook again.
The foundation was crumbling, from the pressure Ulquiorra had put off above and then Yammy's now rampant power below. Ichigo went for Ishida first, darting off the second the tower began to crack. He narrowly avoided the rims of the light she put out, then he turned towards her, an unconscious Ishida in arms.
"Inoue!" He screamed, pleading.
Orihime stood still.
She was the sun against a moonlit sky.
The tower crumbled.
She screamed.
Four shapes fell.