Chapter 2: Emptiness

A/N: Hey Guys I'm back! I'm currently going to put the A/N in the beginning because I don't wanna ruin the mood at the end by putting a really long note here.

Note: Oh Shiza! It seems that despite common knowledge, Ulquiorra is not the Espada whose aspect is Despair. It's actually Nnoitra who does that. Ulquiorra is the Espada of Nihilism or more simply, Emptiness. But since I don't feel like rewriting the last chapter, let's make him all pro-despair too.

Oh for those who didn't read the really long author note last chapter, Ulquiorra is a play on words for "El Que Llora" or "He who cries" and Cifer is an allusion to Lucifer (explaining Segunda Etapa form and his tendency to stab people in the heart), which I feel is slightly important... and very interesting.

Review Responses (I'll put the original review up too, because I always hated when authors put review responses up but didn't put the review so never actually got what the reviewer said.)

Guest: (Don't know his name): "Tsunade or Jiraiya would never betray Naruto you fucking asshole"

A: If you're gonna call me a fucking asshole, you should read the chapter properly, ya douche. I'm pretty sure that Sasuke bragged and explicitly stated that he and several others (read: Danzo) put Tsunade under a genjutsu to control using the sharingan. And Jiraiya didn't even appear because he would've been too pained to see his godson executed. Of course, Naruto/Ulquiorra doesn't know this, so there may be a wee little confrontation. (read: huge fucking battle that destroys half of a forest) Sorry to any other readers who missed it or thought I didn't explain it well *Bows deeply*. At least you didn't insult me though, right?

DemonAndAGun: "His name can also allude to "Lucifer", which also coincides with his Sepugunda Resurreccion and his habit of stabbing people in the heart with his hands, as well as his threat to rip out Orihime's heart. I also agree with the reviewer Snowdoll18, you should deviate from the cliche Naruto/Ulquiorra stories, have him come back as Naruto but with a mixture of their attitude, Ulquiorra's confidence and Naruto's aggressiveness, make him the antihero who crushes his enemy and mocks their weaknesses, make him godlike, one of the worst part about the other stories is Naruto comes back and acts restrained, like he's afraid of them, he's the Quatra Espada, every Kage combined both dead and alive would be no match for him, we've seen his Cero he could destroy the Jubi if he wanted there's no reason for him to come back acting timid. Honestly I think Cifer, Harribel, and Grimmjow as well as Barraggan are basically four entities that could crush Madara like an ant. Their Cero alone is as powerful as a Bijudama, they have Hierro, Bala, Sonido, and the Garganta, I think it's kind of stupid to think that the Ninja of Naruto's world could actually overpower them, especially when you're talking about weaklings like Tsunade, Sasuke, Kakashi, and Danzo, I don't think any of those four could take on ANY of the Espada and even last a few seconds. You should also avoid making this a purely Naru/Hina story, not that there's anything wrong with that particular pairing, but its too overdone, should make it a Naru/Hina and at least a small harem."

A: You know what man? I love people like you. People who take the time and write a really long and well thought out review that gives me suggestions without cussing me out. Thanks a lot, I really do appreciate it. Where do I start?

1. Yeah, I researched that too and found that Cifer is a play on Lucifer. Thanks for telling me that, I was interesting.

2. I told this to Snowdoll18 too, but Ulquiorra will NOT become Naruto again. That would defeat the point of the story, which is about how Ulquiorra being in the Elemental Nations would turn out. Sorry. However, Uzumaki Naruto will not disappear. He will reappear quite frequently and will play a big role in developing Ulquiorra's psyche. What this means is that Ulquiorra will receive character traits from Naruto, although he will stay mainly Ulquiorra. He will begin to show emotion more and more as the story progresses. You'll see, I put the first confrontation with Naruto in this chapter anyway. (Hey maybe we'll have Ulquiorra chucking Rasengans about later on? Just a thought.)

3. I'm actually not sure how to go with this, I need more suggestions. On one hand, a supercrazystrong Ulquiorra would be awesome, but I feel like that would become sortof boring after about 7 chapters or so. He needs to develop, you know? Current thoughts are that he will be weaker that he is at the peak of the Arrancar Arc, but stronger that most of the characters in Naruto. He will be around low S-class without resureccion, and SS-class with Segunda Etapa. Of course, Reiatsu is a measure of spiritual pressure, so being in a physical body could weaken that spritual power up to half, because the body needs to balance the spiritual and physical power. So his power will be locked away, but slowly released, as his physical body adapts.

4. This is the biggest issue here. I am actually a huge fan of NaruHina, but I feel other pairings are fine too. I do want to make this purely NaruHina though, partly due to the rules of the challenge, and partly because of my own reasons. The only real relationship in this story will be NaruHina, but that will be really slow. Ulquiorra won't be pouring his love out anytime soon. He needs to know what emotions are first, for once. He will treat Hinata the same as other women who haven't betrayed Naruto, i.e. Ino, Tenten, Tsunade, Ayame, Anko, etc. He will be partial and affectionate to all as the story progresses, but the only one that will begin to move beyond that is Hinata.

5. Man this is long!

Blackplant: "Okay, interesting first chapter. You definitely got my attention with this story. I really hope, he doesn't turn out completely evil but Konoha really needs some major ass kicking. Hope to read more soon :)"

A: Ok, let's keep this one short because of the top review. Konoha will get their asses handed to them on a silver platter, but at first he will use psychological warfare, cause that's what Ulquiorra does best. How? Kidnapping Orihime under Aizen to crush Ichigo's hope (although that backfired), Calling Ichigo trash and leaving him alive with his pride shattered, showing his Segunda Etapa form even though he really didn't need to to crush Ichigo's hopes, etc. But battle will happen, I assure you.

Avp369: Your question's have been answered above I hope. If it hasn't just PM me.

God-ShadowEx100: "Blah blah I hate your guts, story sucks, etc etc, fuck etc etc bitch etc etc, oh look I can use curse words like a man etc etc"

A: so that was basically the review. ummmm. No comment. If you hate NaruHina that much, then why did you read this story? It says NaruHina on the summary. I fail to see your logic. To everyone who doesn't like NaruHina either, please give it a try and ignore the pairing as best you can, *bows deeply* (I mean you've all read Team 8 before right? That's NaruHina, but its bearable for those who don't like NaruHina too right?).

hornet07. A: Your main questions were to 1. make Ulquiorra OP, 2. explain why Kakashi is bashed and why Tsunade isnt. 3. Please spare Tsunade, Jiraiya and Shizune. Well the answers are 1. Ulquiorra will not be op, I think, unless someone gives me a convincing enough argument. He will still be strong as fuck though. 2. Tsunade is not because I like her. Kakashi is because... well I'm not sure either. Kakashi here will not be like canon, he will be more hateful of the Kyubi for killing his sensei. He will be like the Kakashi in the fanfic hmmm, Chunin Exam Day, I guess (doting on the Uchiha and not caring about Naruto). I'm still not sure how it happened, I didn't plan it that way... I swear! I like Kakashi, but that's how it happened... Maybe I'll give him a merciful death... 3. All of them will be spared. Tsunade and Shizune after breaking the genjutsu, Jiraiya after getting his ass beat.

Note2: I personally didn't like this chapter, except until the end. I really hope you do though. Oh, When you get to it, see if you can guess what Ulquiorra's Inner World is.

Note 3: PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE Review! I don't mind favorites and follows, but reviews are my lifeline. I didn't understand either until I released the previous chapter why authors care so much about reviews, but it really warms my heart to see people responding to what I write. I really do appreciate it!

Enjoy!

(200 Years Later - Hueco Mundo)

Naruto's, no, that was no longer his name, the sooner he forgot it the better, Ulquiorra's eyes shot open. There was a danger nearby. Only someone with a reiatsu matching his own could jolt him out of his slumber like that, and it was near. Ulquiorra got up from his resting position in the hollow of the tree and using a well-placed Bala ("Bullet" for both Spanish and Japanese), broke open a hole in the tree. He stepped outside and panned the dreary desert of Hueco Mundo for any odd figures. He tensed as a lone figure sonidoed- no- shunpoed in front of him. Shinigami! What were they doing here? The Soul Reaper raised a hand in greeting.

"I come to talk, Vasto Lorde. Nothing more." the Brown-haired Death God said. Ulquiorra scrutinized him. He seemed none too powerful, and his chestnut eyes seemed to hold nothing but warmth. The Vasto Lorde frowned almost imperceptibly.

"What stops you from slaughtering you right now, little shinigami?" Ulquiorra murmered. He raised one thin finger at the shinigami and began to charge a Cero (Spanish for "Zero", Japanese for "Hollow Flash").

Aizen's ever present smiled widened, but his eyes by contrast seemed to harden. He muttered something unintelligible and grasped his sword threateningly "Because, little Vasto Lorde, I can destroy you."

(Cue Naruto Music -Kakuzu)

"Such strength... I do not see. That which I do not see, does not exist... Disappear, Cero." Ulquiorra released the pent up energy in the form of wide beam, lighting up the pale sands a bright green.

Aizen smiled, but did not move from his spot. He raised his katana and brought his parallel to his chest vertically and unsheathed it slightly. The Cero met the blade of the Zanpakuto and split into two, a testament to his skill. The remaining parts of the Cero crashed into the sands behind Aizen and send up two large plumes of dust, a testament to his power.

Ulquiorra gave no sign of emotion, but charged a Bala to send at the arrogant shinigami. He set loose Bala after Bala, an endless rain. Even another Vasto Lorde couldn't come out of this unharmed, and this Soul Reaper was no exception. After a valient attempt at dodging the first few, each Bala struck him again and again, sending him deeper into the sands of Hueco Mundo. Ulquiorra stopped the onslaught to survey his prey, or what was left of it. Before he got close, however, a katana shot out of the cloud of dust and impaled itself on Ulquiorra's left shoulder. A glowing golden light connected the hilt of the sword to something inside the dust cloud. Slowly, the haze dissipated to reveal heavily damaged Aizen, his black shihakusho ripped and splattered with blood, with one hand outstretched, holding the other end of the golden rope.

"Bakudo 63: Saju Sabaku (Way of Binding 63: Locking Binding Stripes)" he declared. He manipulated the golden rope of reiatsu and sliced through the hollow's arm, leaving naught but a stump. "Why do you continue this foolishness Hollow? You cannot win."

Ulquiorra winced marginally at the pain of losing his arm, but kept his composure. He gave no answer to the shinigami's question, but charged instead, creating a lance of reiatsu to wield in his only hand. Lance and Sword met in battle, creating a shockwave of energy that decimated anything in its radius. The two separated and charged again. Ulquiorra lashed out with a kick, which Aizen skillfully blocked. Using the momentum of the Vasto Lorde's attack against him, Aizen pushed lightly on the hollow's shoulder to make him lose balance and shunpoed around Ulquiorra, until he was facing his back. Ulquiorra cursed inwardly and he dispelled the lance, choosing instead send the remaining reiatsu to his back to enforce his Hierro. The katana stopped in its arc, meeting the steel skin of the Hollow. Ulquiorra took the chance to sonido away, and quickly charged a Cero. The beam of deadly green reiatsu rushed toward Aizen, who, still smiling, raised one hand.

"Bakudo 81: Danku (Way of Binding: Splitting Void)." A transparent barrier erected in front of Aizen and the Cero crashed into it. The Danku creaked, bent, and splintered, but it held the brunt of Ulquiorra's attack. But the Cero was not the main attack. Summoning another reiatsu lance, Ulquiorra sonidoed around the Danku in an attempt to strike the infuriating man. The Soul Reaper quickly turned around to block the blade, but not before the lance made a deep gash in the man's forehead. Using his small window of chance, Ulquiorra summoned a lance using his whip-like tail and crashed it into Aizen, intent on bifurcating the Shinigami. Aizen however, in a stroke of brilliance, raised the sheath of his Zanpakuto to block the second strike. "Hollow, do you not see our difference in power?"

"No, I do not. What I see... is your death." Ulquiorra gave a rare smirk and he raised the stump of his arm. With a ripping sound, the bones of his lost arm burst out of the stump and quickly covered itself and muscle and sinew. Arm restored, Ulquiorra concentrated Cero on the tip of his new arm. Aizen's smile disappeared.

BOOM!

An explosion rocked the sands of Hueco Mundo, engulfing Aizen in a fiery light. Ulquiorra stumbled out of the cloud, gripping his burnt and now-useless arm. Even he had not escaped the explosion unscathed, but at least now the annoying shinigami was gone. However, the Vasto Lorde did not let down his guard. That was foolish. His misgivings were proven correct as twin bursts of blue flame burst out of the cloud of dust. Aizen stumbled out, clutching his right arm, which had had to endure the brunt of the attack and was now nothing more than a charred mess. His glasses had cracked, the left lens completely shattered. Aizen hissed in pain as he cut off his ruined arm right above the burns, hastily muttering a Hado Sanjuuichi: Shakkaho (Way of Destruction 31: Red Flame Cannon) to cauterize the wounds. Just as he finished, Ulquiorra charged in, wielding his reiatsu lance to try to score a hit on the shinigami. Aizen twisted with almost inhuman speed and managed to avoid a serious hit, though the lance managed to graze him and cause a slight cut. He grunted in pain. "You are strong, hollow. You remind me of myself. You, like I, have reached the pinnacle of perfection. You cannot grow stronger as a hollow. I cannot grow stronger as a shinigami. Join me, hollow. I will break the bonds between shinigami and hollow! Together, we will achieve power beyond the two and will completely separate the vulgar existence as mere hollow and shinigami. We will become transcendent! What say you hollow? Will you join me?"

Ulquiorra stared at the shinigami impassively. "Sorry, what did you say?" He slammed a clawed hand against Aizen's blade which had come up in a hasty block. "I have no need for pitiful failure such as yourself."

Aizen roared with anger and crashed his sword repeatedly against the hierro of the hollow. Each time the blade made contact, it skittered off in a shower of sparks as the Vasto Lorde's hierro stopped the Zanpakuto from causing any lasting harm. Still, Aizen's sword never slowed and little by little, small cuts began to form on Ulquiorra's skin. Ulquiorra's patience was beginning to run thin. He had had enough of the blabbering shinigami. He rushed forward and palmed the whole of Aizen's face in his hand. Jumping off of the sand and sonidoing forward to gather speed and momentum, Ulquiorra slammed Aizen into the trunk of one of the dead, pale trees of Hueco Mundo. Ulquiorra smirked inwardly at the satisfying crunch he heard as the arrogant shinigami's skull impacted with the hard quartz of Hueco Mundo's trees. However, the light in those eyes had not gone out just yet. Hate-filled murky brown eyes glared at Ulquiorra's expressionless verdant green. He would enjoy putting the light out of those eyes. Aizen cried out in pain as the Vasto Lorde increased the pressure on Aizen's skull, threatening to burst it like a overripe melon. Deciding for once to be merciful, Ulquiorra charged a black cero to give the shinigami a quick end. "Cero Oscuras (Spanish for "Dark Zero" Japanese for "Black Hollow Flash")."

The sands of Hueco Mundo were lit up with a dark light (I'm not sure how a black cero would give off light, but just go with the flow) and a scream of pain echoed across the vastness of the desert. The black cero engulfed the forms of both Ulquiorra and Aizen, one's eyes filled with fear and the other's unemotional. An explosion rocked Hueco Mundo as black reiatsu exploded outwards, spreading so far out across the desert that the last vestiges of it disappeared over the dark horizon. A giant crater was carved out by the power of the blast, and the surrounding sands became a clear glass marred with intersecting cracks.

Ulquiorra stumbled out of the cloud, his condition even worse than before. His arm was as burnt as Aizen's was, completely unrecognizable and certainly unusable. As the dust dispersed, Ulquiorra found that the only remains of the shinigami were his burnt shihakusho and his Zanpakuto, which was stabbed into the ground.

Ulquiorra frowned, something was off here. He did not remember the brown-haired man stabbing his sword into the sands.

"Kudakero, Kyoka Suigetsu (Shatter, Mirror Flower, Water Moon)."

Ulquiorra's eyes widened in surprise when he saw the image of the sword imbedded in the ground shatter and disappear. He whirled around to see if anyone was there and was met by the said blade plunging into his chest. A completely unarmed Aizen smiled at him.

"Hmmm? What happened to that confidence? Come now, I expected more, little Hollow." he smirked at Ulquiorra. Ulquiorra suddenly gasped and fell to his knees as a inexplicable weight bore on his shoulders, threatening to crush him. He gasped, trying to fill his suddenly empty lungs, and tried to raise his head to stare at the shinigami, who seemed much more lethal than he had thought.

Aizen ran a finger down the length of his blade, reddening his finger with blood. "Kyoka Suigetsu. Pretty name don't you think? It's ability is Kanzen Saimin (Complete Hypnosis). Think back, little hollow. Can you remember when it was this battle was lost?"

Ulquiorra's eyes widened.

0o0o0

"What stops you from slaughtering you right now, little shinigami?" Ulquiorra murmured. He raised one thin finger at the shinigami and began to charge a Cero (Spanish for "Zero", Japanese for "Hollow Flash").

Aizen's ever present smiled widened, but his eyes by contrast seemed to harden. He muttered something unintelligible and grasped his sword threateningly.

0o0o0

"It was when I threatened to kill you."

Aizen's warm smile vanished and his eyes turned cold and dangerous. "Correct. This battle is over. There is no doubt of my power now Hollow. I came to request you to join my army, but I have no need for pitiful failures such as yourself." Aizen threw Ulquiorra's words back at his as he turned away from the defeated Ulquiorra and turned his back, restricting his immense spiritual pressure so that the hollow could breathe. Ulquiorra stood up, and for the first time since his rebirth, he felt emotion. Anger.

He sonidoed in front of Aizen and pointed one finger at the Soul Reaper, "Do not underestimate me, shinigami. I am far from a failure. I will follow you for now, but mark my words, one day I will drag you from your throne."

Aizen raised his hand to his face and laughed uproariously. He unleashed the brunt of his Reiatsu and sent Ulquiorra to his knees again. "AHAHAHAHA! You'll do well, young hollow, well indeed. Few have the courage or stupidity to stand against me." He cupped Ulquiorra's chin and traced a finger down the length of Ulquiorra's cracked mask. "It seems you've already taking a step to becoming an Arrancar. Very well, I will allow you to join me. I am Aizen-sama. Sosuke Aizen. Come then, together we will meet others like yourself."

Ulquiorra stood up and followed Aizen into the vastness of the Desert. It seemed that he had found a purpose again, with a strong leader. He would meet others like him, as powerful as him, as lonely as him. Perhaps life was not so empty after all.

0o0o0

(Hueco Mundo - Las Noches)

(Approximately 50 Years after the Vizards' Excommunication)

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHRRRRGGGHHH!"

Ulquiorra writhed on the ground, screaming with pain, his outcry transitioning between a human's voice and the dual-tones of a hollow as the natural barrier between shinigami and hollow was forcibly broken. He screamed as his mask, the part of him that hid his face from the world, that kept him apart from it, was ripped away from him. Aizen stood over him, his stoic face giving nothing away, constantly pumping his shinigami reiatsu into Ulquiorra's twitching body. Ulquiorra let out one last cry of pain, before the reiatsu pumped into him took hold and finished his transformation. He panted heavily on his hands and knees, and cursed at Aizen quietly. Aizen only smiled and offered his hand.

"Rise, my servant. You will be the fourth sword. How do you feel?" Ulquiorra stood up unassisted, ignoring the hand of Aizen, a fact that did not go unnoticed by the surrounding arrancars. "Harribel, a mirror."

The Blonde Arrancar arrived with a flat piece of iron, polished until it shone. Aizen nodded towards the newly made arrancar and she handed the make-shift mirror to him. Ulquiorra stared, his frigid eyes giving nothing away. "I... am different."

And so he was.

He stood now at a rather puny 5'6. His long ebony hair had shortened to the length of his shoulders. What was left of his mask was merely a small fragment to the left of his face, acting as a sort-of broken helmet of sorts. His eyes had not changed, that was for sure. They were still the cold, emotionless green that had stared out from behind his mask. He smiled slightly, it was fitting. He looked like what he should be. The Cuarto Espada. The Fourth Sword. The Epitome of Emptiness. But more importantly, there was no trace of Uzumaki Naruto. It pleased him.

Aizen stepped forward once more, and handed him a katana not unlike his own, save for the difference of the pommel and color of the hilt. "This is your Zanpakuto, Ulquiorra. A manifestation of your soul, and the embodiment of your Hollow powers. Take it, it is up to you to find its name." Aizen waved his hands, and the watching crowd of arrancars dispersed. Ulquiorra hesitated, then took the katana and the world went black.

0o0o0

(Ulquiorra's Inner World)

Ulquiorra opened his eyes and looked around at what was his inner world. He was in a huge crater that stretched for miles outward. Around him was nothing but a barren wasteland, with nothing but the remained of razed buildings. The sky was a constant night, not unlike the one in Hueco Mundo, except that here, the moon was tinged green. He panned the world again. Nothing, Emptiness. No wait, what was that? He turned to see a familiar building. There, far in the outskirts of the crater, standing unharmed in what was obviously a destructive attack, was a small stand. Hastily lettered across the flaps were the words "Ichiraku Ramen". He sonidoed toward the stand and ducked underneath the flaps to find it empty. The only thing waiting for him was a bowl of ramen, still steaming, as if it had been waiting for him. A bowl of Miso Ramen. Ulquiorra turned away from the stand, closing his eyes as if the scene hurt him. Then he whipped around and backhanded the bowl of ramen. It shattered against the wall and left a splattered stain on the grains of wood. He ran outside and quickly fired a cero. The stand exploded in a shower of wood and burning fabric. Ulquiorra stood looking at the scene, panting, eyes wide with uncharacteristic emotion. He turned around, unable to bear the sight. And was met with another god-forsaken memory.

In front of him was a mountainside, one with five different faces carved onto it. Each one held, or used to hold a great significance to him. Each one was his idol, and the last was a mother figure. The last one had betrayed him. He couldn't stand it. Screaming in uncharacteristic anger, Ulquiorra fired cero after cero at the thrice-damned Hokage Monument, hoping upon hope that his anger would erase the mountainside from his inner world, so he wouldn't have to look at the reminder of his past life.

After what felt like an hour, Ulquiorra forced his panting self back into the cold emotionless mask he usually wore. He stilled his thundering heartbeat and took a deep breath. But he still wasn't satisfied. No, for in front of him, completely unmarred by his onslaught, stood the Hokage Monument. He could swear that the Godaime's face was smirking down at him.

"It won't break, you know. It won't disappear either."

Ulquiorra whirled around to find... himself. Or at least his hollow self. But no. His hollow self and the figure before him bore similarities, but they had a few differences, however subtle. The figure stood at around the same height as himself, who had shrunk since becoming an arrancar. The eyes staring out at him behind the mask were an electric blue, full of light and mirth, much to his displeasure, and the long hair that flowed out from beneath the mask was blonde, not the black that Ulquiorra remembered. The figure laughed,

"What? Cat got your tongue? Or more specifically, Fox got your tongue?"

Ulquiorra hissed, "Who are you?"

(Cue Music - Kokuten or Beautiful Green Wild Beast)

The figure did not deign to give him a response, and laughed some more. "Isn't it obvious?" The figure raised his hands to his mask and snapped it off. As he did so, a bright, blue light enveloped his figure. The bone-like material of the hollow disappeared, replacing itself with tanned human skin, which was then covered by a orange and black jumpsuit. The mask dissipated as flakes of reishi, and the long blond hair shortened until it stood up as spikes under a familiar metal headband. As the light dissipated, there stood one very familiar shinobi.

"Yo! Remember me... 'ttebayo?"

0o0o0

Aizen lay on his throne in Las Noches, fascinated at the transformations of one Ulquiorra. He had never seen such a thing before, it was a unique phenomenon. Before him, on the floor, Ulquiorra twitched and cried out, not unlike during his transformation to an Arrancar. But that was not what caught Aizen's eye. No, it was the changes in Ulquiorra's flesh.

Aizen watched as Ulquiorra's raven hair was tinged blonde and shortened into spiky bangs, then returned to their original state. He watched as Ulquiorra writhed and upon his cheeks, six marking like whiskers were slowly engraved on his flesh. Then they too disappeared. He watched as Ulquiorra's bone-white cloak became orange, an unsightly color, then regained its original pallor. He watched as the symbol for a leaf with a spiral in it was engraved into Ulquiorra's mask, and disappeared as white substance covered it up. Most of all, he watched as Ulquiorra's hole, his hollow hole, the symbol of his emptiness and lack of heart, fluctuated wildly in size. It shrunk until it was nearly inexistent, and grew until covered a third of his chest.

Aizen smiled, "Ulquiorra... You are an interesting one. Unpredictable, if anything."

0o0o0

Ulquiorra stared impassively at his old self. Naruto stared back, but then broke into a wide grin. "Come on! Haven't you missed me?"

He gestured behind him, "Let's talk about this back at Ichiraku's!" Ulquiorra's eyes widened as he saw the stand that he had destroyed was back to how it was, as if the attack had never happened. Naruto snickered, "It won't break. It's like the Hokage Monument." he said, gesturing to the carved mountainside, "No, that's not right. It's more like you won't let it be destroyed. Part of you still has some fond memories of this place and wants to keep it the way it is. That part is me!" Naruto smiled.

Ulquiorra frowned right back. "Impossible, I threw those old memories away. I have no lingering attachments. You no longer exist, Uzumaki Naruto."

Naruto's smile only widened, "You can see me right? Then by your logic, since you can see me, I must exist. See?" Ulquiorra didn't answer. Naruto scowled and jammed his hands into his pockets. "Damnit" he muttered, "Who knew that I would grow to have such a big stick up my ass... 'ttebayo."

Ulquiorra had had enough. The memory was painful enough as it was, and the verbal tic only made it worse. It was time to get rid of it before it made any lasting damage on his psyche. He flew forward, grasping Naruto throat hand slamming him against the rough dirt of the wasteland that was his Inner World. "Enough. I came only to find the name of my Zanpakuto. I have no need for your drabble." He drew the katana from its sheath and placed it on the throat of Naruto. "Answer."

Naruto frowned, "Is this how it's going to be?" He dissolved into flakes of reishi and reformed in front of Ulquiorra. He held out his hand and on it formed a familiar Katana, only that the blade was black and the hilt was a dark orange, the antithesis of his own zanpakuto. Naruto smiled, "Ooh, Orange. What a great color."

Ulquiorra gave him no time to marvel over the sword's color, rushing forward to swing his sword. Naruto quickly backstepped and clashed his own sword against Ulquiorra's. "Yare yare, so impatient." He lifted his free hand and charged an orange ball of light. "Cero."

The blast of reiatsu enveloped Ulquiorra, who sonidoed away. He looked down to see if there was any lasting damage. Fortunately, there were only minor burns. He rushed at Naruto, firing a Bala as he went. He raised his sword in what appeared to be a downward slash, but a twist of his wrist caused the blade to flicker into a side cut. Naruto barely got his own sword down to parry. "How did you learn Cero?"

Naruto grunted with the effort of keeping Ulquiorra's blade from pushing through his own and maiming him. He gave a strained smirk, "Isn't it obvious? The same time you did."

Ulquiorra backpedaled as Naruto began his own attack. Thrust. Side cut. Overhand. Backhand side. Naruto sonidoed behind Ulquiorra in an attempt to stab, but Ulquiorra twisted around to an almost inhuman degree and managed to get away with only a grazing cut.

Naruto grinned. "First hit goes to me~." Suddenly, the smile vanished and Naruto's reiatsu rocketed matching Ulquiorra at his highest. "Stop denying it. You can't let go of Konoha so easily like that. You have too many memories, too many experiences!" he cried out.

Ulquiorra hissed and charged at Naruto, intent on silencing the blond. Overhead. Cross Parry. Overhead Backhand. Underhand. Backhand Side. Each stroke of his sword clanged with Naruto's own, ringing out with a perfect pitch. "Memories?" he growled uncharacteristically, his usually emotionless face twisted with sorrow and anger. "What memories? What experiences? The ones where we were scorned? The ones where we were kicked out the orphanage?! The ones where we were betrayed by our teammates?! The ones where WE WERE MURDERED!?"

"No. The ones with our friends. The ones with Hinata." Naruto whispered. He set his lines in a sharp line. "And if you can't see how foolish you're acting, I'll have to make you remember." He pushed away from Ulquiorra and pointed his Zanpakuto at the Arrancar. "Tozase, ▅▅▅▅▅." No matter how Ulquiorra strained his ears, the name of the Zanpakuto escaped him. Orange reiatsu erupted around the frame of Naruto, enveloping him. The reiatsu hardened into a black robe, the exact opposite hue of the pale white of normal Hollows. The reiatsu gathered around his head and solidified into a broken mask no unlike Ulquiorra's own, except that the fragment had expanded until it fit over the whole of Naruto's head. Naruto sighed and raised a finger towards Ulquiorra, gesturing in what was obviously a come-at-me gesture. Ulquiorra complied.

Ulquiorra formed a lance of reiatsu on his hand and hurled it at his counterpart. Naruto swiftly dodged the attack and casually continued his walk towards the Espada. Both sped up their walk toward the other and katana met clawed hand in the middle of the crater. Naruto's face screwed up in frustration and he cried out, "Why do you continue this foolishness! You're me, don't you feel any remorse? Can't you remember the love that Hinata gave to use? She gave us her heart! Can't you feel anything?"

Ulquiorra's eyes grew dark and became the cold, dispassionate orbs they once were. "I am not you. You... are me." He raised his blade to strike at the clawed hand of Naruto again and let out a kick at the blonde's kidney. Naruto quickly moved his free hand and grabbed the arrancar's leg. His elongated nails drew blood, but Ulquiorra gave no indication of pain. "I have forgotten that girl, just as she forsook me. Where was she when we were executed? She made no attempt to save us." Ulquiorra stepped backwards and charged a cero, one that was black and tinged green on the edges. "What is a heart? You talk as if it is important, but if such a thing exists, show me, Naruto. Show me this object, this precious object that that women entrusted. The object that failed to save us when we needed saving. A heart. Such a thing... does not exist." The Cero Oscuras rocketed toward Naruto who let out one of his own to match it. Black tinged green met black tinged orange and the resulting explosion caused both combatants to fly backwards. Ulquiorra's eyes gave nothing away as he scanned his environment for any signs of movement. "I feel nothing." he stated impassively.

There was a burst of light from within the smoke and Naruto flew out from it, and before Ulquiorra could react, he jammed his claws into the Espada's hollow hole, enlarging it and ripping it. Ulquiorra's eyes widened marginally and his mouth opened in surprise. He gaze down to see Naruto glaring up at him, tears running down his face. Those tears were not clear like normal, but thick and a dark orange, marking a fiery path down his whiskered cheeks. "Damn it, Naruto. Why? All I wanted was for you to realize that hope is not lost. Why do you fight so hard to deny it?" he muttered, his voice cracking

Ulquiorra stared detachedly at the broken form of Naruto, the broken form of a part of his own soul. "My name is not Naruto. It is Ulquiorra." He gently removed the hand piercing him and coughed a glob of blood.

The piece of Ulquiorra's soul that embodied Naruto sighed sorrowfully. "So that's it. It's hopeless. You're too far gone..." Naruto bowed his head, his bangs shadowing his tormented eyes. He sighed again, the epitome of defeat. Ulquiorra spared him one more glance before he turned away. The Arrancar jumped as he heard a yell of defiance. "... is what I'd say, if I were an asshole like you!" The Espada breathed out heavily in exasperation and turned to find Naruto pointing at him defiantly. "I'm not giving up on you yet! I'll find a way to get you to see sense. This isn't over!" Naruto pulled down an eyelid and stuck out his tongue, a completely unfitting action for the tense atmosphere. If Ulquiorra could sweatdrop, he would've.

Naruto rushed at Ulquiorra, but before Ulquiorra could act, he exploded in a cloud of reishi that surrounded the arrancar. The cloud quickly spun in a funnel shape and shot itself into Ulquiorra's hollow hole. The Espada's eyes widened and he clutched his hole. In his mind, he faintly heard an amused voice say, A parting gift. Ulquiorra fell to his knees as a torrent of emotions enveloped him. Glimpses of his past flashed through his mind and foreign emotions were forcibly thrust into his cold heart (I know hollows don't have hearts, bear with me, it's a metaphor). He remembered Gaara's bewildered expression as he held a hand out in companionship and felt compassion. He remembered the dying expressions of Haku and Zabuza and felt sorrow. He remembered his speech towards Neji as the white-eyed boy lay down in defeat and felt triumph. Finally, he remembered sitting in that cold, dark cell, looking into the eyes of his beloved, and he felt... love. He felt tears flow out from his cold, frigid eyes, staining his porcelain skin a poisonous green. Ulquiorra screamed one final time and was violently forced out of his Inner World.

Note: End Music.

0o0o0

Aizen leaned forward in quiet anticipation as Ulquiorra's wails cut off suddenly. The Cuarto Espada stood up and Aizen was surprised to see twin trails of green running down Ulquiorra's cheeks, not unlike tears, and that Ulquiorra's pitch black hair was tinged slightly with yellow. Aizen got up from his throne and approached the newborn Arrancar. He held out a hand, both to assist him and to signify an offered companionship. "How do you feel, Ulquiorra."

To Aizen's surprise, Ulquiorra took his hand and stood up. He gave a slight eye-smile, one that was small, almost imperceptible, but one that Aizen caught. "I am well... Aizen-Sama." Aizen's eyes widened in surprise, but then softened back into a deep, warm brown (the warm eyes of the fake Aizen with glasses).

"Come then, my servant. We have much to do."

"Yes, Aizen-Sama"

0o0o0

Many years had passed since that day. Ulquiorra had always served as Aizen's right hand man after that. It was natural after all. He was the most level-headed of all of the Espada. Certainly the most reliable. Starrk was just too lazy, Barragan was too old and arrogant, Harribel was the next best in terms of sanity but always put the safety of her fraccion over her duty for Aizen-sama, Nnoitra was simply too insane, Grimmjow was too prideful and ambitious, and the rest of them were just plain creepy. No, he was the best for the job, there was no doubt about it. And after that day, he had done all of the dirty work. It was he that was responsible for sending Grand Fisher into the World of the Living to wreak havoc fifteen years ago. It was a shame he only managed to kill a single woman. It was he who had gathered the Gillian and opened a Garganta in the Soul Society to allow the escape of Aizen, Gin and Tosen. And even now, It was he who was sent into the Karakura town for grunt work. But Ulquiorra did not complain.

Ulquiorra lay on his bed with a hand over his eyes. It had been a long day. Aizen-sama was beginnning to show his hand. He had been relatively quiet after escaping Soul Society, concentrating on using the Hogyoku (Crumbling Orb) to hasten the process of turning hollows into arrancar. Of course, with the Hogyoku's more efficient power, more powerful arrancars were formed and the ranking of the Espada began to change. Harribel moved and replace Nelliel, who had disappeared, and Dordoni and Cirucci were put into a different class called Privaron Espada, or Deprived Swords. They were thrown away when they were seen as too weak to maintain their position. It would have been a bit sad to see them get demoted but Ulquiorra gave no outward sign of sympathy. For all intents and purposes, Ulquiorra was about as helpful as a stone wall. Ever since his trip into the Inner World, Ulquiorra locked his emotions in tighter than ever. Locked in, but not gone. He was determined to keep them safe, away from prying eyes, and so, knowing no other way, had returned to the cool unemotional facade that he had always maintained. But today, that mask had almost cracked and he had almost let everyone see the white hot anger boiling inside him. All because of one Kurosaki Ichigo.

Ulquiorra sighed and rolled over on the bed, until he was lying on his stomach. If anyone came in, it would have been a comical sight. Aizen-sama had sent him and Yammy to the World of the Living to test the capabilities and execute any potential threats to his empire, which meant any human capable of using or feeling reiatsu, but Aizen-sama had also specifically pointed out Kurosaki Ichigo and had requested that Ulquiorra survey him closely. Ulquiorra obeyed.

0o0o0

The Garganta opened and Ulquiorra stepped through into the World of the Living. He closed his eyes as he took a deep breath of the life-filled air. How long had it been? He looked at his surroundings. The world had certainly changed since he had last seen it. Next to him Yammy cursed loudly as the lumbering brute tripped while getting out of the Garganta. It would have been perfect, if it wasn't for that fool. It didn't matter for him that he could stand thousands of feet above the air. No, the idiot still managed to trip over his own feet.

"Are you ready Yammy?" Ulquiorra asked quietly, still breathing in the air of the Living World calmly and evenly. Yammy gave no response save for cackling maniacally and diving down into what seemed like a park. Ulquiorra sighed and followed.

The two crashed into the ground, creating a relatively small crater. As the dust dispersed, Ulquiorra could see humans gathered around the lip of the crater, no doubt wondering what had caused it, as normal humans could not see things from the spiritual world. Ulquiorra waved. They didn't respond.

Yammy growled at the gathering crowd, "What the hell are you looking at?" He shook his fist threateningly at the humans, who looked right past him and muttered to each other about the huge hole in the ground. "Hey! Look at me when I'm yelling at you, you stupid maggots!"

Ulquiorra sighed and face-palmed himself. Even now, Yammy's stupidity still amazed him. "They can't see you, you idiot." He deadpanned.

Yammy paid him no mind. "Alright you fleshbags, you asked for it, ignoring me like that! Gonzui (Soul Inhalation)!" Yammy exhaled deeply and arched his body forward, then he arched backward and inhaled deeply, jutting out his stomach. As he did so, the little reiatsu that the humans had were sucked into Yammy's waiting gullet, leaving them as nothing but empty shells. Yammy belched and grimaced, "Bah! Tasted Horrible!" He spat on the ground.

Ulquiorra stared at Yammy incredulously before donning his cold, impartial mask again. "What do you expect?" he said, gesturing at the downed crowd of bodies, "They are trash, every last bit of them." Now Ulquiorra bore the humans no grudge. He felt nothing for them. He had come to terms with it long ago. After all, although humans were a pitiful race, there were some that deserved compassion. They were merely below him, that was all. They were… trash.

Ulquiorra turned his gaze when he heard a soft groan over near the woods. It was a little, human girl, struggling to stand after the effects of the Gonzui. He raised an eyebrow in surprise. Ho, impressive. There were few that could stand the effects of Yammy's Gonzui, weak as it was. Unfortunately, Yammy seemed to have noticed the girl as well.

"Ahaha, what do we have here! Hey, look Ulquiorra, it's a survivor!" He turned and leered at the barely conscious girl, "Hey you! You must have some spiritual pressure to be able to survive my Gonzui. You're Kurosaki Ichigo aren't you?" The girl gave no answer. How could she, she was barely clinging to consciousness. "Hey, Ulquiorra! Is this one of them?!"

Why did he even bother. "Look closely. She's barely alive after your Gonzui, and she's barely able to breath just from being close to your Reiatsu, you blundering idiot. She's trash, just like the rest of them. Leave her, there are more important things to do."

Yammy scowled at the insult, but his short attention span quickly turned him to the girl in front of him. "Hey, it looks like your not Kurosaki Ichigo. Who knew?" He raised a foot to stomp on her. "Sayonara, sucker."

WHOOSH!

Just as Yammy was about to move his foot, a blur of black and red moved under it, preventing it from moving and crushing the girl. It was a boy this time. Interestingly enough, his arm was not like a human arm, but was black with a red stripe moving down the length of it. It was vaguely… Hollow. How interesting. Behind the boy, an orange haired woman quickly ushered the incapacitated girl to safety. Ho, another one. This one would bear watching as well.

0o0o0

Ulquiorra was broken out of his daydream when there was a soft knock on his door. "Ulquiorra-sama, Aizen-sama requests you presence. All of the other Espadas are already down there. He yawned and got up from his bed and opened the door to see a blonde female arrancar looking down at the ground fearfully. He strode purposefully from the doorway, careful not to brush past her too roughly. Just as he turned a corner, he turned and made eye contact with the quivering arrancar. "Thank you for informing me." He deadpanned before turning the corner and sonidoing toward Aizen's throne room. The Arrancar's eyes widened and she frowned. It was unlike Ulquiorra-sama to be so polite as to thank her. Something good must've happened. And with Ulquiorra-sama's twisted sense of humor, if he even had a sense of humor, it was bound to be bad.

Ulquiorra let himself into the throne room of Las Noches and bowed to Aizen-sama. He glanced over to his right and nodded a greeting at Starrk and Harribel. He ignored the others, better not to get familiar with the mentally unstable ones.

"You are late." Aizen intoned.

"I apologize, Aizen-sama. I… got lost on the road of life." Ulquiorra deadpanned. All the Espada sweat-dropped, except for Gin, who nodded as if it happened all the time.

Aizen smiled, as if it amused him. "Now, Let us hear your report." He leaned in from his throne in anticipation. "Show us all that you saw in the World of the Living.

"I and Yammy visited the World of the Living as per your orders. We did find Kurosaki Ichigo, but he was a failure. Not even worth your time my lord. The stories of his potential are greatly exaggerated." Ulquiorra raised a hand to his face and without even winced, pulled his eye right out of his socket. Without remorse he crushed it into a fine powder. Said powder hung in the air as a cloud of dust and began to move around to each of the arrancars in the room, both the Espada and their fraccion, emptying Ulquiorra's memories into their own minds.

0o0o0

(Cue Music - Bleach - Invasion. [Just for a little bit])

Ulquiorra watched as Yammy's attack was blocked by the orange-haired woman's shield. He raised an eyebrow, it seemed like Karakura Town was full of enigmas. The woman was cleary outmatched and outnumbered, but she still held the fire of determination in her eyes. It had been a long time since he had seen eyes such as hers. It angered him. Such foolish hope.

He watched as she chanted a spell and two… things… escaped from her hairpin and encircled the big one's arm, healing it. No, that wasn't it. What she was doing wasn't healing. Healing either involved the resoration of reiatsu that would speed up the body's natural healing process or restoration of the body's physical injury itself, both of which would leave some sort of scar, especially after Yammy's attack. No, what she was doing was some sort of manipulation of time. Either time or space. Intriguing.

But for all her mysteries, it seemed that the girl had no physical strength and no worth in offensive capabilities. Yammy quickly disposed of her projectile attack and leered down at her. "Hey Ulquiorra, should we bring her back to Aizen to show him her healing power?"

"No, there will be no need. We came only to survey Kurosaki Ichigo. We have no need of her. Kill her, she is trash." Ulquiorra ordered emotionlessly. Better show her mercy and kill her now before Aizen-sama unleashed his plan upon the World of the Living.

Yammy grinned, "Gotcha." He raised a hand to squish her like he would a bug, but was interrupted by a giant cleaver blocking his path. He grunted and looked over his hand at this new obstacle. It was a young boy in a Shinigami shihakusho, with hair the same hue as the one with the strange powers. He had the same eyes too, full of determination and will, even more so actually, because it was lacking the fear and worry that the girl had. Ulquiorra clenched his fist silently. Those eyes. He had those same eyes once upon a time, full of unbreakable will. And he had remained unbending until his death. Those eyes were the eyes of fools and martyrs. He hated those eyes.

"Sorry Inoue. Did you wait long?" the shinigami turned his gaze onto the carrot-haired woman. "Don't worry, I'll beat both of these guys…" He turned back and glared at Yammy. He placed a hand on his forearm, as if to reinforce his grip. "…and I'll all be over! Bankai!" he cried.

Blue reiatsu erupted around him, sending the girl called Inoue stumbling backwards. Ulquiorra's expression did not change, but he felt a slight disappointment in the boy. Even with Bankai, his reiatsu barely matched up to his regular, Arrancar form, much less his Resurreccion. Beat him? The boy probably wouldn't even be able to scratch him. Such foolish hope. Such foolish pride. The burst of reiatsu dispersed and showed the shinigami clutched a thin, pitch black katana. Yammy whistled. "Oh! Is this the guy Ulquiorra?" he asked.

"Orange hair. Black Zanpakuto. No doubt about it Yammy, this is him." Ulquiorra said. He maintained a disinterested gaze at the substitute shinigami, but his mind was racing. This boy's reiatsu, once entering bankai, became different. It turned wild and dangerous, almost feral. It fluctuated wildly, as if he was trying to keep something from escaping and was failing slowly, little by little. Of course, his current reiatsu couldn't hope to match Aizen, if that was what Aizen-sama was fearing. He relaxed inwardly, uncontrollable reiatsu or not, the boy was no threat. He stayed where he was however. Kurosaki would be a good match-up against Yammy. He, Ulquiorra would gauge Kurosaki's full strength and his potential.

Said shinigami glance back at his defeated friend, the one with the hollow-like arm. "Were you the one who did that to Chad's arm?" he scowled.

Yammy grinned back, "And what if I did?"

Kurosaki glared and jumped over Yammy, his sword a blur as he swung at some unknown target. He landed gracefully and glared back the Tenth Espada. Yammy's right arm hit the ground shortly after.

"Aaaarrrrghhh! You son of a bitch!" Yammy yelled. "No more Mister Nice Yammy!" He grasped his Zanpakuto with his remaining left arm and began to concentrate his spiritual pressure.

Ulquiorra sighed and face-palmed. He found himself doing that more and more often as of late. Bah, must've been Naruto's remaining emotions. "Are you really releasing your Zanpakuto against such trash?" he asked. Kurosaki's widening eyes did not go unnoticed by him. It seemed that he had not been informed of the existence of arrancars yet. Good, the more ignorant he was the better. He frowned though as suddenly, the substitute shinigami tensed as if in pain and grasped his face. His reiatsu began to fluctuate more wildly, exchanging between a cool, tempered feeling to a wild, feral one. Ulquiorra frowned. The boy was getting more and more disappointing the more he watched.

0o0o0

Aizen leaned back on his throne "I see, so that's why you decided he wasn't worth killing."

Ulquiorra closed the projection, and the cloud of dust returned and entered Ulquiorra's eyelid. He raised his hand to said eye and sent a burst of reiatsu to hasten the healing process. He faced Aizen to finish his report. "As you can see, Kurosaki Ichigo is nothing. If he is left alon-"

"That's stupid!" Grimmjow yelled loudly, interrupting Ulquiorra's report. "Bah, if it were me, I would have killed the bastard!"

Ulquiorra glanced back at his least favorite Espada dispassionately. "Grimmjow."

"It doesn't matter what logic you use. If the words 'kill' appear in the orders, you just go ahead the kill the fucker!" he crowed.

"I agree." One of Grimmjow's fraccion spoke up behind him. "He may be unworthy but he is our enemy. There may be no reason to kill him, but there is not to let him live either."

Ulquiorra let out a small sigh. "Grimmjow, do you not understand? Aizen-sama is not worried about the boy's current strength, but his potential, his growth rate. The boy may have some talent, but it is so unbalanced that it is more likely that he will be swallowed up and that he will end up destroying himself."

Grimmjow looked unconvinced. "And what will you do if he manages to overcome it and stand a threat against us?! Huh?! What will you do then?!" he cried out, almost standing up from his relaxed stance as his anger got ahold of him.

Ulquiorra didn't bat an eye. "Then… I'll slaughter him myself." Grimmjow stiffened, obviously not expecting such a provocative response. He sat back down.

"Well then. It seems that you have things under control Ulquiorra. Do as you please." Aizen intoned, his deep voice reverberating across the chambers. "This meeting is ajourned."

0o0o0

(Rooftop of Hueco Mundo)

Cue Music (Bleach– Spiritual Bonds). This song is just perfect for the mood.

Damnit. That had been Ulquiorra's decision. To spare Kurosaki Ichigo and watch quietly as he fell prey to his own unstable power. All the pale Arrancar had done was to hasten the downfall by kidnapping the Inoue girl. Kurosaki was a lot like him, in fact. Those same determined eyes, the same will of fire, even the same spiky hair. So it was inevitable that Kurosaki would meet the same end as him, dying alone, unable to fulfill his wish, unable to protect his precious people. Right? So why then, was he the one beaten? Why then, was he the one missing and arm and leg?

He stared at Kurosaki Ichigo, who stared back in shock and horror. "Did I do that to you?" He stood up indignantly and brandished his sword. "Cut my leg off too! Cut my arm off too! I want to see this through as equals!"

Ulquiorra's eyes hardened. "Fine." He took a step forward, but then suddenly, his wings began to disintegrate into dust, mixing and dispersing into the stale air of Hueco Mundo. He cursed inwardly. He stared at Kurosaki stoically, solemnly. "It seems its over for me. I don't even have the strength to move." Kurosaki took a step forward, disbelief etched on his face. "Kill me. Kill me now, Kurosaki Ichigo. Or this fight will have no end." he intoned solemnly, almost pleadingly.

Kurosaki clenched his fist. Damnit. Damnit. Why did it have to end this way? "No!" he cried out, his face a rictus of grief and sorrow. "No, I won't do it! I didn't want it to end this way! This isn't the way I wanted to win!" He didn't know why, but he felt a single tear slide down his cheek. Why? It wasn't like he even liked Ulquiorra. The man was the complete antithesis of him. They weren't even remotely alike. So why then, did his heart twist painfully when Ulquiorra asked him to end his life.

Ulquiorra's eyes widened fractionally in surprise then softened, a rare display of emotion for him. What did he expect? The boy was just like him. They were the same, two birds of the same feather. One walked in the light as the other fell to darkness. "I...see." he slowly reached a hand toward the substitute shinigami. "Even in the end, you never did do as expected. Always unpredictable." He stretched the same hand toward Inoue Orihime, who had stayed in the back, witnessing the exchange with her hands clasped on her breast with worry. "I'm starting to find you two a bit interesting."

Somewhere in the back of his mind, he recalled a conversation he had with the girl.

0o0o0

"What would you wish you could be, if you were not you. If you were not some human girl imprisoned in Las Noches, never to escape. What would you be?" Ulquiorra asked the girl, Inoue. The answer shook him.

She answered without hesitation. "I-I would wish to be the rain. The rain, that acts a bridge and connects the earth and the sky, which will never be together. That way, I might be able to bind the hearts of my friends together. I think I understand you a little bit more, Ulquiorra-san. You're lonely aren't you? You're heart is empty. I wish I were the rain, so I could, maybe, fill that void in your heart."

Ulquiorra gave no sign of surprise, but inside, his heartbeat was thundering. He stepped forward and placed a hand on her breast. "And what is a heart? What does it mean to bind hearts together, to make hearts as one?" he asked.

"Maybe it's impossible to feel exactly the same as another person, but you can still set aside your differences and you can treasure your friends and keep them close to your heart. I think that's what it means to make your hearts as one." she answered, her eyes shining with determination and only a slight touch of fear.

Ulquiorra turned away, so that she would not see the slight smile on his face. "Is that so?" Unbeknownst to him or her, he had grown fond of the girl. She reminded him of someone from long ago, someone that he could not for the life of him, remember.

0o0o0

Ulquiorra stretched a hand toward Orihime, who tensed slightly under his gaze. "Woman, do you fear me?"

She relaxed and gave him a tearful, heartfelt, compassionate smile. "No, I do not."

He kept his gaze on her for a moment, drinking in the compassion that she exuded. She reminded him of someone, but who? Why did she look so sad to see him go? He was the one dying but she was the one who looked in pain. "I see." he said finally. Orihime reached out a hand to grasp his, perhaps to attempt to keep him in this world, to somehow reverse his death, but right before they made contact, his fingers dispersed into dust, like his wings. Then his hand, then his arm. 'A heart.' he thought. 'What is that? Would I see it if I cracked open your chest? If I broke open your skull, would I see it inside? You humans say the word so easily, just like-' he stopped just as understanding flooded through him. He gave a small smile, 'I get it now. This is it. This in my hand. All along...'

He let out a contented sigh, the last breath he would take in this world, Hueco Mundo, and felt the rest of body dissolve into dust and ash.

All that was left was a solitary green eye, staring at the tear-stricked girl and the grim, young shinigami...

'her heart was in my hands.'

...and then even that last remaining fragment of Ulquiorra was gone in the wind.

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