AN: Yo hoes, what up? Lol so here is a little something for all the UlquiXHime fans like me out there. This is actually a prologue to a multi chapter fic but I think it can stand on its own as well and I won't be writing much of this till I finish my gintama fic(that I have really been snubbing lately lol) so it might be a while…neway don't try to read the first and last bits like poems cuz you will find no rhyme or rhythm to it, it's more like a fairy tale. That's what I was going for neway… I hope you like it R&R!
The Se7en Deadly Sins
Prelude
There once was a man, who was not quite a man, but was something more than all
the other creatures like him.
This creature with skin of white slumbered in solitude amidst the bramble of the white stone forest.
One day a man, who was indeed a man, with a fox grin and white hair, asked the slumbering being if he
wanted to come with him.
Seeing no real reason to refuse, he followed the fox.
He was given a number and a name.
He became a white soldier, serving under the white king, atop a white hill in the castle of white walls.
He felt different from the other soldiers but did not know why, having never before thought there was
anything wrong with himself.
The white fox told him it was because he had no heart.
"What is a heart?" the man who's number was four asked.
"Ah but that is the question isn't it?" the fox replied slyly.
"But the others don't have hearts ether." Four had argued.
To that the fox tapped his chin in thought. "They do not have hearts but they have desires." He said, "A
heart is made of many things and the others' desires give them a pale shadow of a human heart.
You have neither a heart nor desires, therefor you are empty."
Empty…
Yes he was empty this he had always known, and now, he knew why.
The white king told him it was a good thing, that there was no better soldier then one who felt and
wished for nothing. And so a good soldier he became, the best in fact.
Perhaps not the strongest… … …but the best.
…
Then she came, the goddess of time and all things, blessed with the ability to
reject the existence of any event.
For the white king she was hardly more than a child and but a pawn in his game,
the first piece moved to start his war.
But for the man who's number was four,
she was much, much more.
Charged as her prison guard and care taker, he had frequent encounters with the girl.
The changes where subtle at first, barely noticeable even to himself, She pricked his curiosity, which he
did not even know he had.
Soon his annoyance, his frustration, his anger.
He felt himself changing and was unsure what to make of it.
Eventually her companions arose in a gallant effort of rescue; bring on more foreign feelings in the man.
Arrogance, Jealousy, Possessiveness, and
…
… …no
…not that…
never that…
…
More and more she was awakening his desires,
turning him soft
making him… … …human
But alas,
He was still hardly more than a monster
and a monster's heart is only made up of
se7en
things
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…
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ENVY
Ulquiorra had him! This damnable shinigami would not be coming back again! Not after his head was severed from his body. Victory so close and so sure he could almost taste it, the Espada was almost confused when his katana hit a glowing barrier instead of Kurosaki Ichigo's jugular. It shattered under his strike but the brief hesitation was all the shinigami needed to block his attack and push him back. Ulquiorra landed nimbly on his feet. Looking toward the girl and into her half determined half fearful eyes, he felt a stab of a pain that wasn't physical. "What are you doing" he asked her, cold fury burning subtly behind his words.
"What?" she hummed in fearful confusion.
"I'm asking you why you helped him." He clarified as if she didn't know what he meant.
"why?...but that's…because-" she stammered disoriented by his ridiculous question. Ichigo was her friend; what's more she was in love with him, why wouldn't she protect him?
"Because he's your friend?" he continued before she could give her answer properly. "In that case, why didn't you protect him from the first attack? What made you hesitate?" Ulquiorra knew he was more expressing his own hidden wishes and not her deep desires, but he couldn't seem to stop himself.
"That's not-" she stuttered,
"Don't you understand?" why did she love this insect? He was below her. Ulquiorria knew it. Why didn't she? "I'll enlighten you…you're-"
"Shut up already!" the shinigami that Ulquiorra so detested cut across him. "You just keep going on with your pointless chatter…about hesitating or whatever…but who gives a shit?" he turned to the woman slightly; "thanks for helping me Inoue, but it's dangerous, so stay back." There he went again, Ulquiorra thought, play acting as some hero… treating her like she was weak…if not for her you would be dead twice over. He wanted to point out. But that's what was bothering him wasn't it? That she was keeping him alive, protecting him.
"Kurosaki-kun…"
The soft way she murmured his name…he set his teeth. Ulquiorra would kill this shinigami…he would kill him right in front of her. Then she would see that he was a being unworthy of her affections… … …I envy Because of The Heart.
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GLUTTONY
The door closed with a soft bang behind him as he paused in the hall replaying what had just transpired in his mind.
"They came to rescue me?" Orihime looked at him, eyes inquiring.
"Indeed," his voice was flat in response but that small spark of hope in her eyes annoyed him. He needed to squander it before it had time to grow, "but for you this should no longer hold any meaning. In both mind and body you are already one of us. That is what you wearing that dress means…" he took that opportunity to give her a once over with his eyes, he had not been lying it suited her. "Inoue Orihime."
She cast her gaze down dejectedly. "Yes sir."
Ulquiorra wasn't satisfied yet, "say it." He commanded, "for what purpose does your mind and body exist?"
"Yes sir…."she looked up at him and met his stare. "They exist for Aizen-sama and for his will."
Ulquiorra didn't understand, she had only showed signs of dismay for a second and had not even flinched at his questions. But to him this only proved she was indeed a girl of strong spirit, because the words did not touch her eyes.
"Yo!" the fourth Espada halted in his advance down the hall. Turning his head to see the man lounging against the wall. "So…how is she? Our little Pet Princess?"
"Nnoitra." Ulquiorra said in the same uninterested tone he always used.
"I know all about it." The fifth continued, "how Aizen entrusted that girl's care to you, hmm…delicious!" as he said the last word he eyed the door leading to Orihime's room and licked his thin lips. Looking back at the stoic man he continued. "Tell me how far have you gotten in "taming" her?"
Studying the other man's lecherous grin, Ulquiorra couldn't help the quick flash of wrong thoughts about Inoue Orihime inspired by the innuendo. He turned away quickly. "Disgusting."
Nnoitra slammed his hand into the wall, his arm stopping Ulquiorra's progression. "Don't get so testy!" the taller man hummed innocently, "I'm just asking if things are going well is all."
The fourth was forced to look up to meet his eyes. "Does it bother you? Such a trivial matter."
"huh?" Nnoitra growled in anger.
"Don't worry," he replied pushing past the long haired man. "She's been under Aizen- sama's spell since before she came to Hueco Mundo."
"The kyouka suigetsu huh?"
"Please, that wasn't needed. The moment she was invited here multiple psychological cages where placed on her. Using her friends' lives as pretext, we put her in a situation where she couldn't refuse and forced her to surrender. Then we gave her a 12-hour grace period and on the condition that no one noticed her, we permitted her to say goodbye to one person."
"You call that a cage?" Nnoitra questioned.
Ulquiorra considered just walking away since apparently the man was too stupid to understand…strangely enough he was in a forgiving mood and decided to explain. "By giving her the 12 hours and permitting her to say goodbye to a friend, she becomes sympathetic toward us just a little. In reality it will free her from thoughts of a threat to her friends' lives, furthermore by letting her say goodbye to someone it creates an illusion where it seems like she chose this instead of coerced surrender, and letting her come to us at the end furthered this illusion melting away her will to escape. Since she was able to say goodbye but had to remain unnoticed, what that really meant was to leave evidence of farewell with one person."
Nnoitra scrunched up his nose in confusion. "If she does that this whole thing is a failure isn't it?"
"On the contrary," he disagreed. "The evidence becomes proof she could move freely, making her actions seem like a betrayal to her friends." Ulquiorra thought of the intruders racing around Las Noches. "Unfortunately this last bit was not a complete success…"
"Well that's a well thought out plan…" Nnoitra conceded, "As expected of Aizen-sama."
"Well thought out? To him it's just a game" the fourth rectified, "If she's trapped, good. If she isn't, that's fine too. Either way…" he looked back at the other Espada coldly, "that woman does not have the power to escape from here, nor does she have the power or will to turn against us." As Ulquiorra walked away from the other man, no longer wishing to be around the fifth, he wondered at the truth of his last statement. Right now she was close to being swallowed whole by the darkness but not quite consumed yet. He would see to it…drag her down to his level of loyalty…completely devour her… … …I glutton Because of The Heart.
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GREED
"Are you afraid?" he asked while stalking toward her. "You are no longer any use to Aizen-sama, there is no longer anything protecting you." She stood immobile not backing away as he grew closer and closer. "This is the end, you will die here…all alone without being touched by anyone." He was right in front of her now and she turned to fully face him. "So I'm asking you…are you afraid?"
Her eyes were strong and her face a mask of calm as she answered softly but firmly "I'm not afraid," Ulquiorra's eyes widened, he could tell she wasn't lying or putting on a brave face, she meant it. The corners of her mouth pulled into a slight smile as she continued, "Because everyone came to save me, because my heart is already with all of them."
"Ridiculous." He muttered "You have no fear because your friends are here? Are you serious when you say those words?"
She met his intense stare determined. "Yes." Then her eyes drifted downward, "when I first heard they'd come to save me I was a little happy and really sad. I thought to myself 'I came here because I wanted to protect everyone, so why on earth are they all here? Why isn't this getting through to any of you?' But then…then I sensed Kuchiki-san fall, and I saw Kurosaki-kun fighting, and thought 'none of that matters.' I just don't want them to get hurt, I want them all safe. That's when I realized…yes everyone must have felt this way too. If any of them had disappeared like I did," she looked back up at him then and smiled, "I would surely have done the same thing." Orihime looked down at her hand and made a loose fist, "you may not be able to feel the exact same thing as someone else but…when you care about each other deeply, you can put your heart a little closer to them." She pressed her fist to her breast atop her heart, "surely that's what 'making your hearts as one' means."
"Heart?" Ulquiorra was tired of hearing about this 'thing' he did not understand, this 'thing' he did not possess. "You damn humans speak of it so easily, almost as if it were in the palm of your hand." He took one more step toward her so they were only an arm's length apart, a bit of apprehension crept into her expression. "My eyes reflect everything; there is nothing they cannot see. If it cannot appear in my eyes then it does not exist. I have come to live under that assumption… … …What is a heart?" He raised his hand to hover a hairs breath away from her chest. "If I tear open your chest will I see it inside?" he drifted his hand to hang before her face, "If I shatter your skull will it be there?" he watched her eyes between the spaces of his fingers as they widened. 'There's your fear' he thought, 'forget your heart, forget your friends, those things don't matter anymore.' Now there was only him and her no one would get in his way... … …I covet Because of The Heart
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…
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PRIDE
Orihime glared daggers at the fourth Espada as he entered her champers. "It seems that you've noticed." He said calmly, walking further into the room. "It appears that simpleton Nnoitra got impatient, even though he was ordered to remain inside the palace."
"Sado-kun is not dead!" she stated stubbornly. He turned to look back at the servant waiting in the hall with her food. "He's NOT dead!" she said again with more conviction.
Ulquiorra studied her out the corner of his eye. Why was she so foolish…it's not like repeating the words made them any less false. "Enter" he called over his shoulder, and the trolley was pushed into the room. "It's your dinner, eat." He ordered
She turned back to the window "I don't need it."
"It is you duty to preserve your life till Aizen-sama calls for you so eat." She simply looked down; resolute in her state of ignoring him…it was making him angry. "Shall I force it down your throat? Or do you want me to tie you down and give you your nutrition intravenously?" he asked spitefully, but still she did not turn toward him.
O rihime was less sure of herself when she said for the fourth time softly, like a prayer that it was true, "Sado-kun is not dead."
Marvelling at her desperation, Ulquiorra continued, "Such persistence, dead or alive it doesn't really matter." He studied her detected form wondering what she wanted. "What would you have me say? 'don't worry I'm sure he's still alive?' ridiculous, I'm not here to comfort you." His permanent frown deepened when she gave no response. "I don't' understand, why do you even care?" that startled her enough to make her look up at him, and he continued his question. "At any rate your friends will all be annihilated soon, so what if that's one step closer?" Orihime's eyes widened in horror, "They should have seen this coming from the start."
"Stop it." She whispered in panic.
"If they couldn't, the fault lies in their own foolishness. Laughing them off as idiots would be sufficient, why can't you do that?" anger started to worm its way into her expression at his words but he didn't stop, "If it were me, and my friends entered Hueco Mundo without first gauging their strength, I'd be infuriated at their stupidity."
In two quick strides she was right in front of him and the loud crack of her hand striking his left cheek filled the empty room. For a moment he was astonished at her boldness. If he were any other Espada he would kill her right now on the spot, and damn the consequences. Ulquiorra peered at her through the corner of one emerald eye. She was panting and nearly in tears but still he had never seen her so angry.
The fourth Espada was in control of his emptions, more like he didn't waste time on such trivial things, so he simply turned and started to walk away. "I will return in one hour." He said, and because he was not in as much control of his emotions as he would like to believe around her, he added with venom "if you have not eaten by then, I will bind you and force you to…you can count on that." The door banged shut behind him but he did not walk away. Instead he stood outside her door listening to her sorrowful sobs. No, he could not comfort her, that is not what he did, that is not how he was made... … ...I am prideful Because of The Heart
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… . …
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SLOTH
Hearing the blast from behind him, the Espada dropped his hand from in front of the girls face and turned. Kurosaki Ichigo stood confidently in the wake of the clearing dust, and the girl whispered his name in wonder. "Kurosaki-kun?"
"Step away from Inoue." He barked protectively.
Ulquiorra didn't even glance back at the woman slightly behind him "I was about to." He lied smoothly, "My duty is to protect Las Noches until Aizen-sama returns….I have received no orders to take this woman's life." He was surprised at himself and the words pouring out of his mouth. Sure it was true enough… … …Aizen hadn't given such orders, but he had also said himself that Inoue Orihime had served her purpose, that meant she was no longer needed…didn't it? Ulquiorra knew just what Aizen-sama did with things he found useless. The even stranger thing was that Ulquiorra didn't want to kill her…which was ridiculous; he had just been threatening that very thing hadn't he? Still the words were spilling out of his mouth. "Until those orders come I will let her live." Would he even kill her then? He wondered…that was just insanity; of course he would…in the meantime there was this damn red head to distract him. "However, you are a different matter. Killing you is synonymous with protecting Las Noches, I shall eradicate you." The fourth drew his katana slowly and the familiar musical ring resonated round the large space. "With my own sword." Ulquiorra was almost glad of this interruption, getting rid of the shinigami would give him a certain sense of satisfaction. And without him the others would have no chance of taking her away from here… …wait no…it had nothing to do with her…he was simply following orders…wasn't he?... … …I sloth Because of The Heart.
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WRATH
"I'm not fighting because I think I can win, I'm fighting because I have to." The red headed shinigami roared in ignorant determination despite his battered form and blatant lack of adequate strength.
"Ridiculous." The fully released fourth Espada said plainly. 'Because he had to', like that made a lick of difference in the end. This is why Ulquiorra detested the shinigami and his merry band of intruders, come to rescue their princess, running around like faith alone would keep them all alive. And this one! This one had had the gall to call him more "human"? Please, as if he could ever be at all similar too these foolish creatures, his demonic release form attested to that. Bit still the shinigami's eyes remained so determined in the face of such despair…the fourth would rectify that.
Ulquiorra flew toward the boy at full speed and he stood his ground. Before Ichigo could even blink the Espada flashed from a different direction and had the shinigami's head clutched in his black fur covered claws, hurling him into a pillar the next second.
Ulquiorra batted him around like a cat playing with a ball of wool and soon he stood atop a pillar dangling the nearly unconscious boy over the edge in front of him almost lazily with his tail. Then he felt her spiritual presence coming up behind him from below and he patiently waited for her.
Orihime halted abruptly as she realized what she was seeing "Kuor-saki-kun?" each syllable drawn out and confused as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing just yet.
"Perfect." He stated raising his pointer finger in front of the dangling man's chest, "pay close attention to the moment where the man you've placed all your hopes on," the black energy of his cero started to gather at the tip of his long claw like fingernail. "Dies at my hand."
"STOP!" she screamed hopelessly as he fired point blank into the man she loved, killing him instantly. She stared unbelieving eyes growing wider and wilder with desperation every second. Ulquiorra uncurled his tail from the dead man's neck and let him plummet to the ground, like the discarded trash he was. A gut wrenching cry of agony tore through the girl as she raced toward the falling dead, catching him with her barrier.
A good and normal person would feel guilty or sad at what he had just done, if not for killing then for making Inoue Oirihime cry in such obvious sorrow. Only a monster feels joy at someone else's pain… … …but Ulquirorra already knew he was a monster… … …I rage Because of The Heart
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LUST
Ulquiorra stood amidst the ruin of the battle; Kurosaki Ichigo was crying out in a painful desperation to be reduced to the same sorry state Ulquiorra was currently in. "very well," the espada complied. "If that is your desire then that is what I'll do." He made only a small step toward the shimigami before he felt his remaining wing begin to crumble. Ichigo stood motionless to stunned to react. Ulquiorra just tsk'd his tongue in a somewhat irritated way. "That's it huh?" he was fading, which was not quite like dying exactly…his spiritual energy was dissipating, eventually it would gather together again and create something new and since he had not been slain by the shinigami's zanpacto, he had not been purified meaning he would again become a hollow living an empty existence. "Kill me." He said calmly. The shinigami did not move and the espada was becoming impatient, "Quickly I no longer have the strength to walk. If you do not cut me down now then this fight will remain forever unfinished."
"No" Ichigo mumbled barely audible
"What?" he asked hearing but not quite believing.
"I said I'm not going to do it." The shinigami said with a little more volume. "This..." then he shouted "I didn't want to win like this!"
Ulquiorra was astounded for a moment at the boy's shear hard headedness. What happened to 'I will win because I have to?' he bowed his head, "irritating till the end."
'What is a heart?'
A small gust blew and kicked up a bit of sand.
'If I tear open your chest will I see it inside?'
Out of the corner of his eye he saw her auburn locks bellow out behind her, he looked over at her, Inoue Orihime, and couldn't think of anything else he would rather be last thing he sees.
'If I shatter your skull will it be there?'
"And here I was finally starting to take an interest in you people." He muttered in amusement.
'You damn humans speak of it so easily, almost as if-'
Without much thought as to why Ulquiorra lifted his arm extending it toward her. "Are you afraid of me, woman?" she had every right to be. He had not been kind to her even once. He was the one who had brought her here, took her from her friends, tried to kill her friends, did kill the man she loved…twice. Mentally abused her, because of his laxness others had physically abused her…well at least he had stopped Nnoitra form sexually abusing her, but that one small deed paled in comparison.
But beyond all reasoning that Ulquiorra understood, her honey colored eyes softened threatening tears, and with a tender voice that he had never heard her use she replied, "I'm not afraid." Her arm started to lift as well and extend toward him.
'I see…'
"I see." He said. Not sure if it was in his head or out loud. Her face was staring to blur in his darkening vision. He just needed to remain solid a few more seconds, he wanted her, needed her! Everything about her drew him in like a moth to the flame. Why didn't he see it before? It was so painfully obvious. If only he could touch her just for a second, it would be his salvation. He reached desperately for her hand but realised he could no longer see where it was. He couldn't feel his own hands anymore ether and perhaps they were already dust. Maybe it was for the best. He thought…monsters like him didn't' deserve salvation.
'this, yes,'
The last thing he saw was her reaching out as desperately for him as he had been for her. A hint of a smile ghosted at his lips. Yes…this was enough.
'this thing in my hand...'
He closed his emerald green eyes and imagined her bathed in a golden light, smiling at him. Interlocking her fingers with his outstretched ones, they fit together perfectly.
'is the heart.'… … …Because of The Heart, I lust for everything about You.
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The Stone Forest
Rebirth
When a cycle of life begins anew
…
Once there was a creature, who looked like a man.
He had no heart.
For he did not need one to live in his solitary life,
But then he met a girl, and she changed his white blank world into one of color and souls.
Then he was lost,
Cut down by a foe, he faded to dust.
…
Yet
…
Here he was.
Flat on his back looking up at the gleaming braches,
His old lonely home.
The creature didn't know how he had got here, or why he was still himself,
But if he was honest, that was only half true.
His memory was muddled and he only remembered some things from before.
Still, he knew he was different,
For when he touched his chest there was no hole,
And when he touched his head there was no mask.
Yes,
The creature had become a man.
In his breast there was a thumping sound he could not understand,
But it ached too, whenever he thought of her auburn hair,
Or the touch he never got to feel.
The man did not know how long he had been there;
Time never seemed to pass yet was constantly flowing bye.
Instead he lost himself in thoughts of the mysterious girl,
He thought of her smile,
Her eyes,
Her lips.
Even her hands so small and delicate,
The grace with which she moved,
The wonderful curve of her waist.
Mostly he thought of her warmth and kindness,
The selflessness she emitted.
She was addictive
Making all those around her wish to be just a little bit closer.
Opening his eyes that he didn't know were closed, the man looked up to see the face of the fox.
"Well well" he said "I've found something interesting."
"Why are you here?" the man asked the fox
"I could ask the same." he replied
The man thought for a moment and answered "I'm waiting for the girl with hair like sunshine."
The fox opened his blue eyes stunned, than smiled a genuine smile "well what do you know…me too."
"Do you know her name?" he asked excitedly
"Your girl's or mine?" the fox questioned tapping his nose like a wise old man.
The man hadn't known there was a difference. "Mine."
"I can help you remember yourself." The fox outstretched his hand once more to the creature who was now a man…"Will you come with me?"
Seeing every reason to accept, the man took the fox's hand.
Soon,
Soon he would remember everything,
And nothing would keep him from her side.
AN: yes..yes I think that's all for now...man Uquiorra can be extremely long winded sometimes! my goodness! if there is anyone who thinks he's the silent type re-read the manga I tell you (or re-watch the anime which ever one you like to do) lol