Hey guys :D I'm glad the response for the fic so far has been good! The chapters are going to start picking up now, so I hope you all enjoy this and review it! Thank you to Illidan the Half Demon, hitsugayatoshirou1220, fuzzibunniez, HELLO I'M and animelover1993 for the reviews! Please review again guys ^^
03 - Hate Tolls For Thee
Ichigo jolted upwards, the familiar reiatsu burning through the night sky. He begun to sweat and looked around for his sword. It was resting by his cupboard and he sprang out of bed, exploding into his Shinigami self and reached for his weapon.
'It…can't be…that's Ulquiorra!' he thought to himself, wrapping his hands around the jet black hilt of his zanpakuto. Not stopping for a second thought, the boy bounded through his window and darted through the streets. In a flash, Uryu was running alongside him, Ichigo looking suddenly to the side.
'…I…Ishida!' he choked, the Quincy sprinting beside him.
'I have just as much experience as the next person when it comes to him…' Uryu explained, turning to look at the substitute Shinigami, a small smirk on his face. '…you're not doing this alone, Kurosaki.' However, Ichigo scorned and looked back to the front, Uryu sighing, the two of them roaring towards the surging reiatsu.
A black shoe stepped forth from the churning vortex, followed by the rest of the Arrancar. Orihime's tears seemed to stop as she looked up, the wind catching her hair, her eyes focusing on the figure emerging from the deathly black portal, his eyes boring into her heart. Tatsuki stepped up next to Inoue, shaking, recognising Ulquiorra from the very first time he arrived in Karakura with Yammy. They all stood in silence, the portal closing behind the Espada with a ringing sound. As the gaping mouth locked shut, a shockwave of wind was sent cascading past them all, picking up dust and dirt. Orihime covered her eyes with her arm and looked up. Emerging from the dust, Ulquiorra's emerald green eyes shone in the moonlight and his pale hand burst out of the smoke, whipping it aside to face Orihime.
'Are you scared, woman?' he asked slowly, his voice shattering her resolve. Lowering his voice he stared down at her, his hair almost touching her face with the wind. Orihime watched, frozen to the spot as Ulquiorra's palm opened, reaching for her neck, his jet black fingernails ready to claw out her throat. Suddenly, out of the shadows, Tatsuki grabbed his arm and his eyes widened.
'G…get away from her!' the girl snapped. She tensed her grip on his wrist, Ulquiorra reaching for his zanpakuto. He unsheathed it, forcing the girl backwards as he raised his blade, Tatsuki cowering under his shadow.
'W…wait!' Orihime cried, stepping out in front of them, standing in between her friend and her enemy, the moon falling upon the trio. Ulquiorra stood, his sword rattling in front of him. The wind slowed and dropped, the Espada lowering his weapon to his side. He lifted his hand again and clasped it around her cheek, the girl silent, Tatsuki looking on in awe from behind the orange haired girl.
'You…humans…you and your hearts…I want to learn about it. I…I want to feel emotions again, like you taught me.' whispered the Hollow, Orihime's eyes widening in shock.
'You…' she caressed his palm, looking into his deathly eyes. '…really are alive?' She suddenly flashed back to that furious and horrific night, Ichigo and Ulquiorra clashing atop Las Noches' dome, like two demons locked in a hellish battle, ending with this figure in front of her vanishing with the winds.
'…how are you here?' she asked.
'I told Kurosaki Ichigo that he needed to kill me…' Ulquiorra replied darkly. '…it appears he even failed at that.' suddenly the Arrancar clutched his chest, demonic wings bursting out his back in a shower of dark rain before vanishing again, the wounds invisible, his eyes turning dark, before back to normal. Orihime recognised the form, even though it were there for a fraction of a second. He spluttered, throwing his head up and sighing heavily, staring into the girl's eyes.
'All I feel is despair…' he whispered. '…you must teach me to feel emotion…woman.' he spat. Suddenly, his eyes shot open and he bent over backwards, Ichigo swinging his sword over the Espada's chest, Ulquiorra vanishing and reappearing atop a house, catching his balance.
'Ulquiorra!' Ichigo cried, standing next to Orihime. 'What the hell are you doing here!' he barked, Inoue watching him delicately. She clasped her hands together and smiled a little. She had waited a long time for her Kurosaki-kun to save her again. They turned and looked up to the building, Ulquiorra looking down at them, his green eyes burning into the night.
'Kurosaki Ichigo. What I want, is none of your business. You should make sure to stay away.' the Espada scowled, Ichigo looking away, resting his sword on his shoulder.
'Tch. I'll just kick the crap out of you again.' the boy grumbled, Ulquiorra's eyes widening. Orihime watched him, Ichigo not looking at her, desperately attempting to avoid eye contact.
'Kurosaki-kun would never speak to someone like that…especially when he knows he didn't actually win alone last time…' she thought to herself, watching the boy intently. Ulquiorra slowly reached for his sword, tilting his head at Kurosaki, the two of them locking eyes.
'I don't know where you gain the conviction to say that. But, if you wish, I will show you why you died the last time we fought.' Ulquiorra said darkly, clasping his fingers around his green hilt. Ichigo's dark eyes burned into the Arrancar's, his face shadowed.
'…bring it.' he growled, Inoue running towards him.
'Wait, Kurosaki-kun…you can't beat him alone, remember…?' she cried, but Ichigo span round to her.
'BACK OFF!' he roared, the girl stopping in her tracks. Tatsuki watched helplessly, shaking her head at Ichigo. Orihime began to cry again, the girl helping her friend up and taking her away down an alley. Tatsuki stopped, her back to Ichigo's, his to hers.
'Ichigo…' she whispered. '…if you win…' she breathed, her hair covering her eyes. '…I don't want to see you back in the same classroom as Inoue again.' she started off down the alley, Ichigo's back to them, his kimono blowing in the wind.
'Fine with me…' he whispered, staring straight at Ulquiorra. '…BANKAI!' he cried, holding his sword out in front of him. In an explosion of black and red, he was surrounded by an immense reiatsu which pummelled him from all sides, billowing around him. He roared, flinging his sword up above his head, a torrent of wind and dust spiralling up around him.
'Tensa Zangetsu!' he cried, slashing downwards, parting the dust in a slice. However, as the plume parted, he was shocked to notice he wasn't in his Bankai uniform, but his Shinigami kimono, his enormous shikai in his hand. '…what?' he stuttered, looking down his arm at the weapon. Suddenly, Ulquiorra was in front of him and Ichigo brought his sword round to block the strike but he was knocked through a building, bursting through the bricks and lying, sprawled out on the road on the other side, dust rising from the damage created. Ulquiorra stepped over the wreckage and faced Ichigo who tried sitting up, wiping blood from his mouth, a sour look on his face.
'I don't know why your Bankai didn't work…' the Espada analysed, looking down at the boy. '…but it would appear you aren't getting on so well with that woman…' he murmured as Ichigo launched his sword at the enemy, Ulquiorra catching it in his hand. '…is that correct?' he said darkly.
'It's got nothing to do with you!' Ichigo bellowed, swinging away from the Hollow. In that instant, Uryu pounced over them both, unleashing a barrage of blue arrows down at the villain, Ulquiorra disappearing into a rising torrent of smoke. Landing neatly on the other side, his Quincy mantle draping itself softly over his shoulders, the boy stood to his feet, rearranging his glasses.
'Whatever's wrong with you Kurosaki…' Uryu said coldly, Ulquiorra emerging from the dust. '…sort yourself out now.' he said unforgivingly. 'Then, beg Inoue-san for forgiveness.' As he spoke, someone swiped at him, the Quincy narrowly dodging, skidding down the road. Ichigo dashed towards him, but was completely wiped out by an enormous green light. The boy slammed into a wall, the bricks collapsing upon him, smashing onto the tarmac below. Ulquiorra emerged, smoke rising from his finger tip.
'It appears there truly is something going on, Kurosaki Ichigo. You've allowed it to allow me, to exploit your weaknesses.' the Espada gloated, the boy groaning, his back lodged into the stones jutting out around him. With that, the villain sheathed his blade and vanished, Uryu helping Ichigo from the rubble. Kurosaki didn't utter a word, instead, he stood up, swaying.
'We have to go after him, Kurosaki!' Uryu pleaded, Ichigo shrugging him off.
'What's the point? You just saw what happened, he murdered me. For some reason, I can't bring out my Bankai. It's hopeless.' Ichigo moped, but Uryu suddenly held an arrow to the boy's face, Ichigo's eyes widening. In a flash, he released the bow's string, the arrow flying past the substitute Shinigami as he moved his head reflexively, sweat running down his forehead.
'What the hell Ishida -!' Ichigo snapped, but he stopped as the Quincy wasn't looking at him, instead, his glasses were reflecting the light of the moon, high in the clouds.
'You dodged it, didn't you?' he asked bluntly, Ichigo taken aback. 'Then let's go.' with that, Ichigo didn't grin, nor did he smile. Instead, he simply nodded reluctantly and the two of them disappeared into the air.
They hit the floor, taking a few jittery steps forwards. They had seen the girl from a way away, but now they had finally caught up. Tatsuki was on the floor, slumped up against a wall, clutching her shoulder. She was grimacing, her other hand curled into a fist by her side. Uryu placed his hand on her shoulder and she lightly moved her fingers. They were stained with blood. The Quincy unravelled a medical kit from within his jacket, applying a small anaesthetic and then wrapping it in a bandage.
'Is that better?' Ishida asked the girl, Arisawa nodding weakly. Ichigo was standing, looking around when he felt the girl's hand grip his ankle. Looking down, she was facing the floor. He couldn't see her eyes, but he knew Tatsuki well. He knew she was crying. Her hand was shaking and she looked up at him.
'You bastard Ichigo…she's gone…' she whispered, shaking her head, the orange haired Shinigami looking down at her in horror. '…Orihime's been taken…!' Then, from the shadowy alleyway, another figure emerged, his cane clashing with the floor at each step. They looked as Urahara Kisuke approached them, his eyes hidden underneath his hat, his blonde hair blowing in the wind.
'Urahara-san…?' Ichigo whispered, the man flicking his hat up to get a better look at them.
'I'm afraid that's not the only bad news.' the shopkeeper divulged, sighing. 'Ichigo…' he began, looking up at the boy. '…Karin and Yuzu…' he breathed, Ichigo's eyes widening in anguish as Urahara revealed the facts. '…they're gone.'
