A/N: Thank you to everyone who reads this story. Note: Tsukisasu: pierce. Tsukiakari-Shiro—white moonlight. Tsukikage: a shadow cast by the moon or the moon's shadow.
Enjoy.
She stood there in the middle of the car junkyard, sword unsheathed and pointed directly at his face. Another Shinigami—his prey—cowered behind her.
"Nakajima, leave."
Reiko Nakajima a non-seated Shinigami began to stutter, "b-but, K-sama!"
"Can it. Don't ever call me that again. Do you understand?"
The mousy brown-haired girl trembled, "y-yes! T-thank you, Lady!"
A Kaijo portal was opened and the girl disappeared.
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Ulquiorra's p.o.v
Why?
Why did you deprive me of my prey?
Does the promise mean nothing to you?
Will I ever be able to understand you?
Or do you not care if I never will?
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His shinigami sighed heavily and deftly slid the sword back into its black scabbard, "sorry about that. But I'm afraid, other Shinigamies are off limits while I'm around." Ulquiorra stared at her, "it was you…before?!"
"Of course. Who'd you think it was, hmm, silly Hollow? I did take off for a while yesterday; there was a Vasto Lordes tailing me. I tried to shake him off but apparently… I wasn't successful." Her body tensed slightly and her hand reached for the sword, "behind you."
"What?"
"Move!"
A large red blast shot down from the sky; in a flash she'd pulled the sword out, releasing it without a word. Ulquiorra felt the searing heat of the Tsukiakari-Shiro as it thundered past him. The two blasts coalesced into a swirl of energy—each trying to swallow the other up.
"Here it goes. Tsukikage!" She yelled; shoving Ulquiorra behind her—no mean feat considering he'd grown much bigger than when they'd first met. "Damn. That didn't work either! Come on!" She said roughly. He on one hand couldn't see anything but the dazzling black rainbow of the moon's shadow above them; how anybody could survive that, he had no idea.
"Ulquiorra!"
He turned and bearing down from the left side wreathed in black smoke was the Vasto Lordes.
"I told you…to move, idiot."
The Shinigami was between him and certain death. The Vasto Lordes—even more hideous up close snarled and retracted his weapon, a gleaming pike from the Shinigami's back.
"Y-You…Why?"
She grinned; a strand of pale hair slipped from behind her ear onto her face, " Ulquiorra. You. Need to keep your end of the bargain. Got it? Hmph, silly Hollow!"
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Shinigami's p.o.v
Fate.
Red ribbons wrapped around the wheel…
Life.
And Death.
Altered.
Now.
Mingle.
It turns ever so slowly.
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Blood.
He saw it wet and gleaming on her black kimono when she turned around.
The Shinigami wouldn't last long.
Ulquiorra realized; he didn't want her to die.
If he'd stopped to think about it she was in a way already dead, a spirit inhabiting a fake body. Not that it mattered to him-- she was at that moment standing before him--seemingly alive and trying to protect…him.
Protect.
That was a nice word.
No one had ever tried to protect him before.
She was the first.
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The Shinigami oblivious to everything but the beating of her heart and her opponent raised her Zanpaku-to. The Vasto Lordes cackled at her daring, "you hope to defeat me? I think not, pretty Shinigami!"
"Really? You THINK I can't?" She asked glancing once more at the small distance between them, "Tsukisasu, Getsu-ten!" It was at that moment that Ulquiorra made up his mind.
"Huh? What the?!"
The Shinigami's sword had transformed into a dart of light stabbing the Vasto Lordes in the chest below his Hollow hole. In the same instant Ulquiorra snatched the Shinigami up, swung her over his shoulder and ran off.
"What on earth are you doing?!" She gasped out; the sword had returned to its normal state and she held it carefully afraid to accidentally cut him. He didn't answer. "Owwww! Hey!"
Ulquiorra shifted his hold on her; squeezing tighter.
This earned him another shriek.
"I am wounded you know!" She said with her teeth gritted.
"If you'd stay still then I wouldn't have to hold you so tightly," Ulquiorra said to her quite calmly.
She wiggled a bit, sliding down to the point where she could wrap an arm around him and still keep a grip on the sword, "there. Is that better?"
"Yes," he said relieved.
She was unusually quiet for a while; the Vasto Lordes—she knew wasn't too far behind them and that worried her, fleeing like this wasn't the best option. Instead of voicing her opinions however she instead idly threaded her small fingers in his black hair.
"Have you ever brushed your hair? 'Cause boy does it ever need it!" she said in a joking tone and tugged playfully on the short ends. Ulquiorra didn't mind but wished he had something more to say to her. Shinigamies were certainly hard to have a conversation with. Then suddenly he remembered his dream…the one from the month before.
When he related it to her in as few words and omitting the last part, she got quiet again. "Ulquiorra," she said softly, "that place that you just described; I know where it is."
"You mean it's a real place-- it exists?"
"Yeah. But I…can't tell you," the Shinigami said, feeling the oppressive spiritual pressure of the Vasto Lordes ever closer.
"Why not?"
He felt her shake her head, "because it doesn't matter. At least not now…maybe never at this point," she whispered and gathered her scattered reiatsu, "I thank you, Ulquiorra. This is…goodbye. Bakudo 1, Sai!"
The Shinigami pulled away just as the binding spell took effect.
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Shinigami's p.o.v
You wanted to save me.
I didn't understand that at the time, I know only our destinies—fate.
Death itself has its own wheel whereupon all life turns-- I--gifted with foresight knew this.
If I'd explained to you that I knew everything about you--from life to your tragic end would you understand me--?
And what I chose to do a little better?
Remember.
Fate is not easily changed.
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A/N: as far as I can tell--hasn't written it yet, there should be only one chapter left. And I don't know…I was kind of aiming for a tragic ending…by the way has anybody noticed that she hasn't told him her name yet? Ciao, oh and please review!!
