Here's the next part, continuing from the prompt, Fools, titled as Foolishness.
This has been beta read by my dear friend, Beth 8D Thank you Beth!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything, which is good since I hate deadlines.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Table 4:03. Why?
Asking Myself Why
"We're so glad to see you safe, Orihime," said Rukia while hugging her. Orihime smiled before hugging her back. "I am too, Rukia."
"Now we have to figure the way out," said Uryuu while putting a hand on his chin.
"Way out?" Kenpachi grinning wickedly before he sent the wall to his left crumbling with his sword and strength.
"Yes, well, we could do it that way," Uryruu said while face palming.
"Damn right," said Kenpachi while he started walking through the crumbled walls that made a tunnel. "Let's go find Ichigo so that we can take him back and bury him." The others followed behind, careful not to trip or fall over the rubble and destruction Kenpachi caused.
---
This was absolutely foolish. Him, falling in love with a human? Was there such a thing for someone like him - one who fed upon souls and killed so many people - to love someone?
Impossible.
He wasn't supposed to feel this emotion or most of them for that matter. They weren't needed and only caused trouble. For example, he let the woman rejoin with her friends, which was a complete foolish move he had done.
The same question went through his mind: Why? Why did he do that? Why did he just hand her back when he could make her and them suffer like a true arrancar should? For once, his mind was in a whole jumble and it was all that woman's fault that he couldn't think correctly.
Even when he heard and felt the castle being destroyed in one area, he just kept on walking away before he headed outside of the building.
---
Orihime and the others were now in the place where Ichigo's body was located. The blood had dried up since she had come here and it the smell wasn't pleasant. Feeling sick, she brought up her hand to her mouth while Rukia hugged her. The two comforted each other, knowing know the other felt, while Ichigo was gathered up.
"Now the question is, how are we going to get out," asked Uryruu.
"Hmm," started Renji. "Do you think Urahara will be aware of us being trapped?"
"Yes, but we can't hope on that," said Rukia. "If we do and it takes a long time, who knows what will happen to the others."
While everyone thought upon it, a certain someone was coming near. They looked at the group, who was now looking back at him, before his hand came out from his pocket to tap upon the air to open up a Garganta with his fingers.
Needless to say, those who were open with their emotions, were indeed shocked. While their spoke their words of not believing what they saw or thinking they were dreaming, Ulquiorra just stared back at them.
Orihime was the first to walk forward, knowing what he was saying after learning what his stares meant. When she noticed no one was coming, she stopped and turned to look at them. "What are you all waiting for? Let's go!"
"What if it's a trap? It could lead anywhere," piped up Renji.
Ulquiorra just kept on staring, not saying a thing. Orihime decided to take the chance to be free of this place since she didn't wish to be here anymore. She ran into the Garganta, hearing her friends calling her to stop and wait but she wouldn't. When she appeared on the other side, she found herself on the ground, thankfully, and not in the air.
Turns out, the others had gone in after her followed by the Division Captains, who immediately went to help with their fellow ones up in the sky. Rukia, Uryuu, Renji, and Chad - who was carrying Ichigo's body wrapped in cloth, decided to stay with Orihime.
"See? It wasn't a trap." Orihime smiled at her friends.
"You have to be more careful, Orihime," said Chad.
---
Aizen had felt the other Division Captains right when they came into the real world. There was no way that they could escape and yet, there they were.
"My, my. Looks like they got out," said Gin while smiling like a fox. Tousen didn't say a word while Aizen just smiled, "Indeed."
"Don't you wonder who it was," Gin asked while turning his smiling face toward Aizen. Yes, Aizen did wonder who had helped them get out. It couldn't be that Urahara Kisuke since he would've done it sooner.
"The Garganta led them to the ground, not the air," commented Gin. "If Urahara opened it, it would be where he is." His smile moved upward in amusement. before continuing, "Isn't this interesting, Captain Aizen?"
"Quite interesting," he said with a smirk.
"Could be any of the hollows," Tousen finally said. "Perhaps they found one to negotiate with?" Gin started laughing, "Negotiate?! All the hollows are completely dimwitted or they will eat them without a glance."
"That may be so, Gin, but they did have Captains with them."
"No matter. Since they are here now, we should get Ulquiorra to join. Besides, I'm curious to why he didn't kill them." Gin could be heard chuckling to his right while Tousen stared blindly forward as always.
"Come, Ulquiorra!"
A Garganta opened below them, revealing the Cuarta Espada all alone since he had no fracción, unlike the other Espadas who did. Some of those with Soul Society gasped in surprise and shock.
"Kill those that are not in battle, Ulquiorra."
"Yes sir," he said while stepping out of the Garganta with his hands in his pockets while he walked immediately in the air to find a victim that matched that description.
"After you're done, Ulquiorra, you'll tell me why you didn't kill them in the first place," Aizen said darkly.
---
"I don't believe it...he's going to kill us," said Uryruu.
"Tch, looks like we have no choice but to fight back," Renji said while taking out his zankpakutou. Rukia nodded while she too took out her zankpakutou. Chad's arm was already transformed while Orihime felt completely left out. Looking at the wrapped up Ichigo, she was reminded that Ulquiorra killed him. The very one that was going to kill them.
Rush of emotions flew through her: Anger at Ulquiorra. Sad that Ichigo was dead. Fear that she and the others were going to die. Horror that she would be long gone from the world. Foolish hope that she and the others will come back life. However, there was a new one. The very one that had been there and she hadn't realized it: Determination.
"I will help too," she said in a different tone than normal. It caused the others to look at her in surprise. "My shield, it could help as well as healing. I won't let another friend of mine die!"
Needless to say, her friends were shocked.
"No, Orihime, you'll get hurt-"
"Rukia, she may save our lives," interrupted Chad. "If she says she can do it with that tone, it means she will do it."
There was a long silence between them while Ulquiorra got closer and closer to where they were like a predator watching their meal while it was completely oblivious to realize a predator was getting closer and closer.
Rukia let out a sigh, "You're right. Everyone else okay with it?"
"Ah," said Renji.
Uryruu nodded.
"Let's hope this works," said Rukia while they turned to Ulquiorra, now seeing he was closer than before.
---
This was very ironic. Before, he let them go and now? He had been ordered to kill them by Aizen. Ulquiorra had watched them converse with each other before seeing the woman he had been looking after back in Las Noches become determined. The others, of course, were against it before the tallest one said something and they all eventually agreed.
This was certainly going to be a waste of time. The woman's shield could barely hold while he flicked it with his finger. What made her think that she could shield her friends all at once?
Ulquiorra halted a few feet away from them, staring at them with that melancholic expression of his. Aizen told him to kill them, these weaklings? It would be a waste of time - waste of his time while Aizen just stood up there giving orders for them to do the dirty work.
A memory soon flashed through his head.
After Aizen disappeared, Ulquiorra's voice cut through the air once again. "Are you scared?" She turned her head back to him. When she didn't answer, he continued, "You won't have anyone to hold on to - to protect you - when you disappear. So, I shall ask you again: Are you scared?"
After a long silence, she said "No...I'm not scared."
It was Ulquiorra's turn for his eyes to widen but slightly. "Even though Ichigo is dead, I won't be afraid to die because I know my friend's hearts and my own heart are together."
Ulquiorra just stared, his eyes boring into hers. For once, he didn't know what someone meant. "Hearts?" He started to walk toward her with his hands in his pockets. "My eyes see all that exist. I have learned this in my fights, yet what is this "hearts" you speak of?" His right hand slipped out from his pocket to rest above her chest but not touching. "Would I see it if I tore open your chest?" Ulquiorra guided his hand up to put his fingers above both of her cheeks and nose. "Or would I see it if I opened up your skull?"
"...it's where your hollow hole is," she said, ignoring the cold coming from his hands.
His hollow hole? That's where these things called "hearts" were? Was it the same for the others? They had hollow holes in different locations, such as Grimmjow. That fool had his on his stomach.
It's where your hollow hole is.
Of course, how could he miss that she said "your" and not "everyone's"? Once more, he had miscalculated.
To think that he had let that woman - the one who interested him greatly - so easily back to her friends without even thinking about it fully.
Miscalculation. Judging incorrectly. A mistake.
It was very much like the same mistake that he had let Aizen order him around with him being controlled around his finger. The very same mistake that he and the others had joined his so called ruling.
All along, he and the others have been more fools than humans and had been following a human at that.
Bringing his right hand out of his pocket, he noticed those in front of him flinch - however, that woman hadn't. His green cero charged up, the green energy gathering in front of his forefinger, and right when it was ready to be launched, Ulquiorra quickly turned around and shot it to where Aizen and his two cronies stood.
---
The sound of a cero being launched made the others freeze while they watched it head toward the fire fortress and hit the target dead on. They all turned to where it came from and saw that Ulquiorra had launched it without it being a mistake.
"Who would have thought that you, of all people - Espada at that -, would betray me?" Aizen had brought up his sword when he saw the green light come near and if it weren't for the fire fortress holding back most of the power, he would be dead.
Everyone waited for Ulquiorra to respond, the suspense grating upon them like teeth upon a pencil. The top three Espadas were surprised just as everyone else. Ulquiorra was viewed as a stoic, aloof, indifferent, and coldest one of them all and what he just did was outrageous.
He dared to fire upon his precious Lord Aizen.
"Since you have no desire to explain, then you will be wiped out with the others," said Aizen. "Although, I must admit that I didn't expect of this from you-"
"Silence." The cold and blunt tone interrupted Aizen easily and had gained more attention than before. "You humans are indeed foolish beings. However, myself and the other Espadas were more fools than you." Harribel, Barragan, and Starrk's eyebrows lifted up at what he said. "Following a human who wishes to rule while we act like dogs. Letting you rule over Hueco Mundo where we all once ruled it."
Aizen's eyes narrowed, despite the fire not showing it. The three top Espadas looked at Ulquiorra, curious to where he was getting at.
Ulquiorra moved his hand to his zankpakutou and pulled it out of it's sheath, letting it graze before holding it out in front of him. "Hueco Mundo is not a place for trash," he said bluntly.
The top two Espadas grinned wickedly while Harribel turned toward Aizen. "Indeed," she said while the two other Espadas turned to look at Aizen. "Once as Vasto Lordes, we had power more supreme than a Captain. You captured us, wrapped us into bandages and gave us more power than we had before. It seems were all to blind with greed of power to even go against you - it was natural, since we were hollows, but now...we're something greater. Even you."
"My, my, this doesn't look good, Captain Aizen. It seems that they will turn against us," Gin said while chuckling.
"I see that is has come to this," said Aizen while closing his eyes. "This was definitely not what I had thought up of. in the worst situations. You truly have surprised me."
"Do shut up," said Starrk while he pulled the trigger. At the same time, Barragan and Harribel sent their attacks as well that caused a huge explosion inside the fire fortress. Everyone waited to see the aftermath of how much power of three released Espadas could do to manage to Gin, Aizen, and Tousen.
When the smoke cleared, they saw that their zankpakutou's had been drawn out and managed to block some of the attacks but did appear battered up really badly.
"Bind, Murciélago."
Ulquiorra now had his helmet complete with a long skirt-like coat as clothing while enormous bat wings were coming out of his back elegantly. Using sonido, he appeared near the other Espadas while he stared at where Aizen was located. "Your time to live has ended, Aizen."
---
Orihime and the others couldn't believe what they were seeing. It was the first time Ulquiorra had released but what's more is that he turned against Aizen. After he spoke about her loyalty to Aizen and other things happened so far, it felt like she was dreaming.
"Incredible... his reiatsu is- wait, are they releasing again," exclaimed Uryruu while he felt and watch the top four Espadas transform, the resulting reiatsu being so far more dense - much like an ocean in the sky only it was times by four.
It was now Aizen's turn to go wide eyed. "You four never spoke of these forms..."
"We wanted to feel special," commented Stark while he cocked up a now huge rifle in his hand. "You didn't say anything about telling you either since you blindly thought that we only had one release."
Aizen definitely felt fear - who wouldn't when he could only feel their reiatsu's weighing down upon him like gallons of heavy water. The fear overrode his thoughts to use his zankpakutou to use illusions. His body refused to move from the despair that he felt and the same it was for the two by him.
"This is the form we had from the beginning mixed with Shinigami powers," added Harribel while she brought up her spear-like shark tooth.
"Impossible," said Aizen.
"Just fucking die already," Starrk said in annoyance while he fired, the other three releasing their strongest attacks: Harribel throwing her spear, Barragan swinging his axe on chains, while Ulquiorra sent forth a javelin.
There was no where to hide, no where to run, and no where to go for Aizen, Gin, and Tousen. The explosion from the javelin as well as the two other weapons was very large, making Las Noches appear medium sized.
When the smoke cleared, it showed no one in the fortress of fire.
The three of them had fallen down to the Earth below after being killed by the power of four Espada weapons.
"A-Amazing."
"Wow..."
No one paid attention to who said those words, but they were right. The sight was like no other. The four Espadas reverted back to their original forms before looking at those behind them.
"Tch, after all that fighting, I need a nap," commented Starrk while he opened up a Garganta and before anyone could say anything, he and Lilynette stepped in before it closed shut. Harribel sheathed her sword and looked at the Captain of all Captains.
"Don't think we'll stay out of this world," she said while she also summoned a Garganta.
"Understood," the commander said while he watched her leave. Barragan sat back down on his chair before summoning up a Garganta. "You won't be seeing me at all since I have better things to do rather than killing humans." With that, the Garganta closed.
Everyone turned to Ulquiorra, who had his zankpakutou sheathed. The commander looked at him while Ulquiorra stared back. "What made you realize that Aizen was not worth to be followed?"
There was a long silence. Everyone who wondered the same thing wished to have the answer from the Espada. After more silence passed, Ulquiorra's voice cut through the air again, with the same cold and blunt tone. "A miscalculation."
With that, he brought up a finger to open a Garganta before stepping in. Right before it closed, he looked at Orihime and her friends. Turning behind him, he started walking through the tunnel leading to Hueco Mundo - his home with no more Aizen.
No more of that woman either.
Without him noticing, his expression became sadder.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
There you have it. As you may have noticed, I left out Yammy. Reason is because this is merely a rewrite of what should happen and it doesn't really follow the manga ;P
You may have noticed that I had the three other Espadas have a second release as well. Since Ulquiorra bragged about it, I thought that the other three would have it too since they are stronger than him.
Grimmjow hasn't been forgotten! He just couldn't go since he wouldn't stand a chance against them. Plus, I need him for the next prompt~
Anyway, enough of that. Hope you enjoyed it and please leave feedback!
