Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed! If possible, I'll reply to them all today. I hope to hear from everyone again. Anyway, here's chapter three without any further ado.

[Chapter Three: Ichigo]

I don't know why Inoue seems so familiar with this guy.

There's a couple things I'm not so good at. One is remembering faces and the names that good with them, another is sensing spiritual pressures of specific individuals when they're not very powerful. Another is things like identifying emotions.

With that in mind, I have no idea why I'm able to sense the connection Inoue has to this Ulquiorra bastard. Maybe it's the way they walk around each other- the way they fill the space between each other, I'm not sure. But they act like they've known each other for a very long time.

Those words that Grimmjow said back during our battle come to me as the battle between Ulquiorra and I unfolds. Maybe we messed her up on the inside.

She's not… worrying, like she used to. She's just watching, calmly, waiting. Waiting for what? Usually I'd say she's waiting for me to beat this guy, but she looks like she's just standing there biding time until one of us falls. And she looks like she's got a plan either way.

The Orihime I know would be worrying her head off by now. Even with my fight with Grimmjow she was like that, but with this guy, she doesn't look so sure about what she's supposed to be doing.

She looks like she's… waiting for him to tell her what to do.

No, that's impossible. Orihime's not like that- she wouldn't defect. And besides that, this is the guy that kidnapped her, so… by some logic she should feel a bit entitled to dislike him, right? That's the bond I must see between them. She doesn't like him, right?

Her eyes got so wide when I cut this bastard, though, almost like she was worried for him.

"Kurosaki-kun…"

There, see? She's not- she's not with him. She's worried about me, not the enemy.

I'll defeat him. I have no other option but to win this battle. They're all depending on me. Uryuu, Renji, Chad, Inoue. Rukia. I have to protect them, and if that means taking down this guy, then that's what I'll do.

"Why don't you put on your mask?"

She's not sure. I can't- I can't protect Inoue if she's not sure about what to do. She needs our help, I can't just leave her when she's not sure of herself-

"Is it her? Is her presence preventing you from putting on your mask?"

I take a look at her over my shoulder, and there's still no resolve in her eyes. She's very patient, it seems, just waiting to hear my answer. She's always been sort of like that, waiting to see what I want or do in a battle before acting, because she's always been reliable backup, but this time is different. She looks nervous, and more so than her usual way of looking because she doesn't want us to get hurt. She's still not sure about what she's going to do.

But now that Uryuu's here, she'll be safe. He can protect her from my spiritual pressure.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Ulquiorra." I give a small smirk, despite the fact that he looks personally offended at the fact I'm having Inoue protected. The bastard must really hate her if he doesn't want her looked after. "This is the hollowfication you've been so desperate to see."

It's always been overwhelming the first second that I pull my hollow mask on. In that moment I can hear him, closer to me than usual, shouting things about destruction and death. He's sick. But he's strong, and he's a part of me, and so I guess it's easier to use him than it is to just suppress him.

And he's more than happy to fight with me.

"Ohhhh, goody, King, you've found yourself some big prey for once! Tired of getting your ass handed to you, huh?"

Shut up. Just help me fight.

"As you wish~"

Ulquiorra looks surprised for a single moment after I charge. My blade managed so sink a little into his, chipping the sharp edge a little, but he quickly backs off, doing a little flip as he goes.

Was there really a time when I thought he fought like a machine? When he goes into battle, his style is an art form- far from mechanical. I can't believe I didn't see it before.

"He doesn't look too intimidate, Boss!" My hollow laughs.

You idiot, look, he's running away!

"Oh, I don't think he's running."

What?

The hollow's silence is sort of uncomfortable as I chase Ulquiorra up to where he's coming closer and closer to the bright blue sky. Usually my hollow side would talk to me the entire time, going so far as to tease and taunt me. For some reason he's answered my life-long wish for him to just shut up. He must sense how dangerous this guy is, then.

Good.

But the silence is still putting me on edge.

His cero didn't affect me and now he's just going to run?

The hollow said nothing.

Damn it! How far is he planning to go?

I guess I'm on my own then.

It's then that Ulquiorra breaks through the sky- literally. For a moment I almost think that he's made a garganta, but no, little pieces of concrete are raining down around us.

What?

I follow him through the opening and out into a new landscape, one of sand and black skies, with a lone moon hanging high up above us.

"Wait a minute," I mutter, "Are we above Los Noches' canopy?"

So the sky was fake all along? That's Aizen for you. Everything nice he's ever showed has only been an illusion. Why do the hollows even fight with him?

Oh, yeah. They want to feast on the souls of the living. If Aizen gets his way, then they'll have an all-you-can-eat buffet. Well, I'm not about to let that happen.

"That's right."

For a second I start, surprised. I'd almost forgotten about Ulquiorra for a second there, but it seems he's answering my earlier question.

"There are two things that are forbidden beneath the canopy of Los Noches." Ulquiorra continues. "The first is," He just keeps staring at me, no emotion on his face. I guess thinking his moves robotic isn't so hard to understand after all. "Grand Re Cero, which exists only for an espada."

My eyes widen. He wasn't even using his most powerful cero? How is that even possible?!

"And the second is," There's more? "The sword release of Espadas with rank four or higher. They are both so powerful that if released, they will mean the destruction of Los Noches."

I can feel his power starting to strum through the air now, heavy and almost wet feeling, like a really dense humidity. It makes it hard to breath.

He raises his sword from where he stands on his pillar and points it down at me, uncaring, face blank as when this whole thing began.

"Imprison." He commands. "Murciélago."

It starts to rain. The liquid falling from the sky isn't really liquid at all, it's slick and it falls like water, but the black and green rain doesn't soak into my clothes or my hair. Every drop that hits me either evaporates into a thin whips of steam or rolls off of my body as though I'm made of glass.

What is this stuff? Is this… is this really his spiritual pressure? It's so strong it's become a physical form?

If I was expecting a reply from my hollow, I don't get one.

Bastard. Why is it that when I don't want you around you can't shut the hell up and when I actually need you you're suddenly mute, huh? Hey! Answer me, damn it!

Still, nothing.

The rain suddenly stops.

I look up to see if Ulquiorra has moved, but he hasn't. He's just… changed.

I can't help a slight gasp at his new appearance. I've never really thought hollows looked demonic like Rukia says, but now there's no way to say what I see before me doesn't look like it should be ruling over hell as some sort of demon. Everything has changed, from the wings to his long black nails to his hair and his helmet. Even his clothes are different, just like a Bankia release.

Only his face stays the same, and of course, he's as impassive as ever.

The longer, thicker black tears make him look sadder, though. I can't believe I have to finish off this guy. He doesn't even look like he wants to fight. Damn it. He's just staring at me like he wants it to all be over.

I can't move.

I want to attack but I just can't.

He's still looking at me, staring down at me like he'd rather be doing something else, but as usual he's got to do what he's been ordered to do. He's sort of like Uryuu, I guess- the kind of guy that wants things done quickly, quietly, and without a mess. I almost feel bad for the sorry-looking bastard.

Move.

Just get it over with already!

Move!

"Compose yourself." He tells me, voice even as it's ever been.

Whatever it was that had caused me to go stiff before, it's gone now. I quickly take up a stance with Zangetsu thrust out in front of me, not giving thought to how I'm taking orders. The time for caring about things like that has long since past, anyway.

"You must hold you stance." He orders. "Extend your consciousness. Do not let your guard down for even a moment."

He really just does want this to end, doesn't he?

Fine then. I'll give him all I've got!

He almost seems to nod, watching me narrow my eyes in preparation for what's to come. Within seconds he's got a glowing green lance in his hands, and once again, we're at each other's throats.