It was early in the morning and very foggy, especially at the water's edge. Izuru sat quietly and watched the Koi flutter under the water's surface. There were three that mingled near the shore. One was solid white, another was speckled black, and the last one.. was a smaller bright yellow one. Izuru liked this one best. It would zip in and out between the other two fish, almost teasing them because it knew that the other two would fight soon afterward. This happened every few moments or so until the white koi was finally sick of the game. Suddenly the water grew cloudy and spots of blood rose to the surface. Izuru jumped and threw his hand in the water to split them up. Water splashed this way and that causing a bit of a scene. Then Izuru pulled his hand back and waited desperately for the water to clear again.
"Izuru Kira? Is that your name?" said a very monotone voice.
Izuru whirled around to see an unfamiliar face. "Y-yes.. Who are you?" His voice was a bit shaky.
"So.." The Espada looked up and down the man. "You're the one that Gin talks about so much..." He sounded so bored, like this was all troublesome for him.
Izuru was struck in all the wrong places when he heard that man's name.. especially when it was called out so informally, yet just the thought that Ichimaru-taichou had been talking about him.. that made his heart flutter in all the right places. "I.. um.." Izuru stumbled over his words. "Er.. what do you want from me?" He asked so quietly. So submissively.
"Do you want to see that man again?"
The blonde sat a little straighter instantly and opened his mouth but no words came out. He glanced from side to side and then slouched again.
"You want to but you can't, right? This world is tying you to it with it's idea of betrayal? Ridiculous. I see why he likes you. You're loyal."
Izuru suddenly felt uncomfortable. This guy was picking him apart and he didn't even know a name yet.
"Come on." He sighed, waited for a moment and then repeated himself all with the same very bored voice. "He wants to see you."
The blonde stood up quickly, a new light forming in his eyes. "Excuse me.. but can I at least know your name?"
"Ha." He kind of "laughed." "Ulquorria Cifer."
This all seemed very strange. A good strange. A bad strange. All Izuru hoped for right now was that this man wasn't luring him into some kind of trap. He followed him willingly not noticing that the speckled black fish had floated to the waters surface belly up, and that the white fish was swimming proudly underneath it.