Disclamer: I don't own Bleach. Ulquiorra is god after Okita Sougo. OOCness and fabrication throughout the story, as well as several scenes that don't make sense. Terminology shall be explained in the A/N. Enjoy...

Chapter 1

"Yukira-chan, Hisana nee-san, come look here!" a three-year old, violet-eyed girl in a tattered kimono sat on the bank of a river, shouting to a slightly older, pale boy and her older sister. The boy, sporting vivid green eyes, walked over to the bank when the little girl's sister shooed the boy out of the small cave. The boy sighed and crouch down on the bank.

"What is it, Rukia?" he said in an slightly annoyed tone.

"Geez, Yuki, you're no fun at all," Rukia said. "Look!" Yukira looked into the the clear river, to where Rukia had pointed.

"Fish? Here?" he said, shocked.

"Yeah! Now we can eat!" Rukia said excitedly.

"Thanks, Rukia. HISANA-SAN!" Yukira yelled as loudly as he can to the cave. "Rukia found food! Never mind, I'll catch it." He pulled up the sleeves of his kimono and prepared to grab the fish in the water.

"Be careful, Yuki," Rukia said to the boy.

"I'll be fi-" Yukira, who was crouching on the very tip of the bank, suddenly fell forward and into the quick river, and began to travel down the river with his head barely above the water.

"Yuki!" Rukia cried in alarm.

"I'm fine!" Yukira shouted. "All I need to do is-" He was cut off when his head met rock, his expression that of shock. Yukira was knocked out, with a thin stream of crimson flowing from his head as his head began to submerge into the water.

"Nee-san! NEE-SAN! YUKI!" Rukia shouted as loud as she could. Hisana rushed out of the cave and held back Rukia, knowing well that Yukira was beyond salvation. "YUKI!" Yukira's body refused to respond, and disappeared as a surge drove him towards the sea and enclosed his entire body.

….......

"It's okay, Rukia," Yukira said to Rukia a few days later, seemingly unharmed save for the fact that he was transparent and a long chain extended from his chest to the bank of the river.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry...." Rukia whispered to Yukira's soul. "It's all my fault you died, Yukira. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry..."

"It's okay, kinda, Rukia," Yukira said sadly. "And hey, that's the first time you called me by my real name!"

"Why can't nee-san see you?" Rukia replied, still whispering.

"I don't know, Rukia," he said, silently patting Rukia's black hair, which matched his own. "But you should find some friends instead of hanging around with me. I'm dead anyway."

"NO! I can't-"

"Pinky swear."

"Fine," Rukia said unhappily, crossing pinkies with the soul's transparent finger.

"Now, go back inside to eat with Hisana," Yukira smirked slightly. The younger girl trudged into the cave angrily. As her back grew smaller and smaller, Yukira's smirk faded and was replaced by an emotionless expression, and slowly, he turned around to face the still clear water and pulled at his chain.

One year later...

Yukira found himself staring at the river. The link that connected his chest to the chain seemed to peel off, revealing an empty hole where his heart should be. He grinned when he remembered the time Rukia saw the hole. She had gawked at it and nearly screamed before Yuki told her that it was nothing. He hoped that his soul wouldn't disappear anytime soon so that he could continue to look after Rukia and Hisana for, at least, a couple more years. Several souls wearing black kimonos and carrying katanas had tried to persuade him to pass on, but he bluntly refused to do so. He was so busy musing that he hadn't sensed Rukia behind him.

"Good morning!" four-year-old Rukia shouted, causing Yuki to suddenly jolt.

"Ah, good morning! You almost scared me just now. How's playing with the village children?"

"They're too immature for me to explain things to them," Rukia took a seat next to Yukira, taking care not to drop her onigiri into the river. "Except this one guy, Toho. He kept asking me why I was talking to myself on the bank. He asked me if I was talking to fish, then he laughed and tried to make fun of me. My friends stepped in and yelled at him for being rude, and he ran away."

"Wow," Yukira said. "That's when friends are useful to you."

"They're not useful as tools, Yukira. They're friends, not wood planks."

"Those who aren't useful are trash," Yukira said bluntly. He was shocked that came from his mouth.

"What?" Rukia seemed shocked and angry at the same time. " That's it! I'm not talking to you anymore." She walked toward the cave quickly, taking her onigiri with her.

"Wait-" Yukira was prevented from chasing her when his chain suddenly shortened, causing another rip in his chest. This time, it was actually painful. Yukira doubled over, clutching his chest. The pain was over within seconds. He got back up and began to think about how he should apologize, thinking so hard that he didn't notice Toho, the little village boy, who had watched the whole scene despite being unable to see Yukira, rushing back to the village to tell his parents.

That night, Yukira was still thinking. He thought of yelling for her then apologizing repeatedly, but that seemed to lower his pride. Suddenly, he heard loud footsteps, and when he turned around, he was greeted by a mob of villagers, all carrying weapons and torches, approaching the cave where Hisana and Rukia lived for the last couple of years with Yukira. The crowd was chanting "Witch. Witch. Witch. Witch." as they marched.

"Come out, Rukia and Hisana, you witches!" the leader shouted. Hisana emerged from the cave, holding Rukia's hand.

"What do all of you want?" Hisana said in a manner that did not match her usually benevolent self.

"A year ago, you witches poisoned our fish, destroyed our trade, and killed a young boy! You should be eradicated for your crimes."

"We did no such things. We are sad and still mourn for Yukira, but we didn't poison any fish!" Hisana cried.

"Lies! My boy saw your little sister talking to the fish. You're telling them to leave, aren't you? We are here to get rid of you horrible pests," the leader said, pointing his harpoon at Rukia. The other villagers murmured in agreement and raised their rakes, spears, and kitchen knives.

"Wait, this is a mistake-" Hisana suddenly stopped when the leader used his harpoon to swipe Hisana at the shoulder, spilling her blood everywhere.

"YAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!" Rukia screamed and tried to land a punch on the leader, but was met by a spear that went through her leg. She fell to the ground, cursing in pain.
That was when all hell broke loose. Yukira desperately tried to reach Rukia and Hisana, but his chain retaliated by ripping out his chest,leaving only a fifth of the original patch still stuck on Yukira. Yukira helplessly watched as the fighting continued, while repeatedly thinking I need more power. Let me reach them. Please let me reach them. Let me help them. LET ME SAVE THEM!

The crowd withdrew after a while. Yukira scrambled to look at Hisana and Rukia, praying for the first time in his life while he was alive that Hisana and Rukia were fine. To his horror, he saw Rukia and Hisana's bodies on the ground, bloodied and lifeless, a halo of light surrounding them for a moment before it disappeared, signifying that they have rested in peace without much trouble.

"NOOOOOO!" Yukira screamed as tears froze as they descended down his face. The final fifth of the patch tore as Yukira tried to run to the bodies with his pupils dilated, and enveloped the boy in a explosion.

…...

"We are saved, everyone!" the leader of the mob said happily to the villagers. "The witches are defeated and the village is saved. Tomorrow troves of fish will bring our village out of poverty and-" A large explosion suddenly occurred on the bank of the nearby river, showering the villagers with dirt and debris.

"What was that?" a villager shouted. Any other comments were drowned out when an earsplitting roar tore through the night sky. Screams broke out as the villagers tried to find a foe, but faced to see their neighbor suddenly dropping to the ground, apparently dead. The villagers couldn't see a monstrous beast, with a dark green coat covered with white bone and two ox-like horns sprouting from its head. A pair of livid green eyes peered from a mask as it ate the souls of the villagers.

"All...of..you must...DIE!" it said in a warped voice. Two black lines that looked like tear trails appeared on the mask. Standing on its hind legs, it incinerated the village with a black and green blast that erupted from one of its claws...

…....

"Wake up," a voice commanded. The vasta lorde sat up from the cold ground, inspecting his fingers, which had grown pale and narrow. Only the top half portion from his mask remained, he had found, touching lightly at the ox-like horn. He seemed to have no expressions, while two green tear trails appeared on his face, which was as pale as a sheet. On his chest was a tattoo that read "4" and a hole that was located at where the heart should be. Next to him was a set of clothes, which he quickly put on as if he was born knowing how to wear them, at the same time picking up a light green sword. He stood up and bowed to the auburn-haired soul reaper who gave him this form.

" You are now an arrancar, part of my army. You have been privileged to obtain the position of "Quatro Espada" and shall now receive the name "Ulquiorra Schiffer". Do you accept this position, arrancar?" Aizen said as he held his sword above the arrancar's shoulder, similar to how medieval kings named knights.

"Yes, Aizen-sama." His black hair masked his expression as he bowed, but his face remained stoic, as if it was set in stone.

"Then from now on, arrancar, you shall be known as Ulquiorra Schiffer, the Quatro Espada."

…......................................................................................................................................................

A/N: Here is the terminology list:

Yukira: Don't know where it came from, maybe from Akira, my original name for the boy and deprivation from "Ulquiorra"

Katana: Japanese-style sword with a curve

Kimono: Traditional Japanese robes, served as clothing

Quatro: Spanish for "four"

For those who haven't caught on yet, or if I haven't made it clear enough, Yukira died, became a hollow, and evolved into an arrancar named Ulquiorra Schiffer. Rukia died with Hisana and went to the Soul Society, where their memories are erased and the plot then follows Tite Kubo's story, Bleach. I suppose this is a bit on the ulquiorraxrukia side, but on a former friend/childhood friend relationship. I honestly don't know if this will evolve into a romance piece. Please rate and review. Flames and constructive criticism are welcome.