The last Chapter~! Been an amazing series, and hopefully I can finish more stories xD

Reviews and Faves are fun ~! :)

I couldn't tell if I had called out to Ulquiorra, told that monster to stop, or if I just sat there and continued to tremble. Satten Kesshun came out on it's own protecting me from the sandy rubble.

I could barely seen in front of my face, let alone see if there was a chance they were ok.

Ishida-kun kneeled behind me. His gaze struglling to find forms of life, too.

A gust of wind blew the smoke in the other direction. You could now see a ginormous crater, and the monster standing just before it.

But then, you could see more. The monster was holding the upper half of Ulquiorra's torso. The white hand gripping onto my caretaker's wing.

I dropped Saten Kesshun. and just stared. Ulquiorra, one of the most powerful people I'd ever known, was defeated. He didn't, couldn't defeat the monster.

The monster threw Ulquiorra to the side, a painful crushing noise heard as he landed rather clumsily.

It began to walk towards Ulquiorra, again. It's sword looking ready.

As it neared Ulquiorra, it dropped the tip of it's sword, ready to burst through to the fourth espada's throat.

I felt Uryuu tense at this sight. But then, he was gone the next, appearing beside 'Kurosaki-kun'. Holding his arm before it lowered the sword into Ulquiorra's neck.

"That's enough, Kurosaki. The battle's over." 'Kurosaki-kun' didn't respond. So Ishida continued.

"He was our enemy, but there's no need to carve up his corpse."

Still no reply.

"I said enough, Kurosaki."

It tried to continue it's dark deed, but Ishida-kun wouldn't let it.

"Can you hear me, Kurosaki? It's time to stop!"

It's sword hand continued to struggle.

"Do it, and you really will no longer be human! Don't, Kurosaki!"

It didn't do it. It didn't aim for Kurosaki.

It turned it's sword for Ishida-kun instead. It's sword running straight through Ishida-kun's body.

It started saying something. In a strained, partially growling voice, that almost seemed to whisper it.

"Will... save... Will... save... Will save..." It started to look right at me. I felt scared, the kind of scared I was whenever Kurosaki-kun put on that scary mask.

"Will save..." It said the words, I almost never wanted to hear, that I had been dreading. "I will save you."

It really truly was Kurosaki-kun. It was my fault that everyone was put through this, that Ulquiorra was almost carved up, that Ishida-kun was stabbed. Kurosaki-kun was trying to save me, because I called out to him.

I didn't want to get in his way, so I trained myself.

I wanted to protect him, so I came alone.

So why?

Why do I always end up relying on Kurosaki-kun in the end?

Kurosaki-kun walked over to Ishida-kun, only a yard or two away from his body. A cero building up between it's horns.

"Wait! Kurosaki-kun!"

"Kurosaki-kun!"

And then, A green light, slashed through Kurosaki-kun's horn. Ulquiorra, his body still in half, cut the horn. To save Ishida-kun, someone on the opposite side, the enemy forces, without anyone asking him to.

A large red explosion happened, this time it was less controled and just raw power. It was too bright to look at, so I shielded my face with my forearms.

A crackling noise took my attention, sounding almost like glass shattering.

A pale white face was under a shattering mask. Kurosaki-kun's face. He fell to the ground, and I rushed to his side.

Ulquiorra stood nearby, his body in place, but differences arised. One leg was smaller, thinner, and looked weaker, his arm was still missing.

"My leg, arm, and body are all regenerating, but it's superficial." he stated, his voice shakier than usual.

"The organs he destroyed will not grow back. If that last attack hadn't ended it, I would be the one lying dead." Ulquiorra stated.

But then, something magical happened. Kurosaki-kun's white skin and armor, just popped off, his normal body was there, and a blue light filled the whole in his body, making it anew. There was a sizzling, but every cut, scratch , and bruise once there was now gone.

"The hole closed...?" Uryuu asked. "Was that... high-speed regeneration?" Ulquiorra added in.

"K-Kurosaki-kun?" I asked, all of a sudden, he pushed himself aruptly off the ground. He was sweating, and gasping for air.

"I... Didn't I have a hole in my chest?" He asked, confused. He looked up at me, "Inoue, are you okay?"

I nodded happily.

He turned to Ishida-kun. His face terrified. Ishida-kun was leanign over himself, face downcast.

Weakly, Uryuu looked up to Kurosaki-kun, "You snapped out of it..."

Kurosaki-kun kept looking at the stab wound, "Did I do that to you?"

"You're resilient." Ulquiorra stated, interupting Ichigo from his trance.

Ulquiorra used sonido and appeared in front of Ishida-kun, pulling the sword from his chest. Then tossing it to Ichigo. It landed just before his feet.

"Take it." The espada spoke. "Let's finish this."

"Was I the one who stabbed Ishida?" Kurosaki-kun asked.

"It doesn't matter."

"Did I cut off yoru arm and leg, too?"

They stared for a bit, and Kurosaki-kun got his answer.

"Then cut off mine!" He said, shocking me.

"I was unconscious when I with you in that Hollow form. That wasn't me, it wouldn't be a fait fight unless I'm in the same state as you!"

"Stop it, Kurosaki!" Ishida-kun scolded. "Do you realize what you're saying?"

"Very well. I shall comply if that is your wish." Ulquiorra took a step forward, readying himself.

His wing started to disinegrate into ashes. His tounge clicked in annoyance, "I'm that far gone?"

He looked directly at Ichigo, "Kill me."

All of us stared in shock. "Hurry up, I no longer have the strength to walk. You will never finish the fight if you don't kill me now."

Kurosaki-kun mumbled something, but I couldn't quite hear it.

"What was that?" Ulquiorra questioned.

"I won't do it." He re-stated. "I... I don't wanna win like this!"

Ulquiorra looked suprised, something that I almost never saw. His eyes turned back to their usual emerald green, and the tear marks were as well. "You never did as anticipated, up to the very end."

I stood up. Maybe, I could help. Save him, I mean. He didn't have to go yet. Maybe the Soul society could turn him into a shinigami. He could live in the human world. Learn what to be human is.

Ulquiorra looked ot me, and my min shut up. "Right as I was finally growing interest in you people."

I was reminded of our earlier encounter. His inquire of the heart. How terrifyingly calm I was. How nay other girl would have been horrified, possibly nsane by that point, I wasn't frightened.

I wasn''t afraid.

He reached his hand out to me, his eyes pleading, curious. "Do I scare you, woman?"

I was taken slightly aback. But, he should know the answer already.

"I'm not afraid." I started to tear up, I could save him. If I could reach him. I could save him. I know I could.

"I see." He stated, his voice soft. I reached out to him. My fingers touched his skin, it was cool, and hard, even as it turned to ashes. I reached out further, trying to reach him.

If I save him, we could go to the human world.

I could show him all the foods I make.

I could show him the park, my school, where I work.

If I save him...

I felt myself crying harder now. As when I lookedd at him, his eyes were different, they were gentle, warm, and caring. And I could've sworn, he was smiling at me.

"Now, I see." He said, again. His last words.

I still reached out for him, until there was no more, and all the ashes had blown away. I would never forget him.

I know I wouldn't.

If he had no heart, he could have mine.