Behind the mask CH. 4: Sympathy for the devil.

"Blame your own weakness," Kyo dismissed my sour reminder to him of the little fact that I had been pierced by a lightning lance and-oh yes-had the minimalist of healing applied to my-our body while I'd been unconscious. He denied it vehemently, but I suspected he feared discovery of some kind from Ulquiorra.

Once I'd regained wakefulness, my inner-Hollow had proceeded to heal up my wounds, quite quickly I might add…

"That's because the stronger you get," Kyo as always, snooped in everything I thought of. Criticism plain in his tone, "—the more power of regeneration you have. For instance—learn your bankai and I guarantee…you'll possess the ability to sprout new limbs if they're lost in battle, instantly. Hence, instant regeneration."

I drowned out his voice, the pitch making him sound like a Huckster from the Rukongai. My eyes rose for a single glance ahead, he sat there. Ulquiorra. I had exchanged names with him that night. Schiffer, he told me, served as a last name. Sounds German, Kyo had helpfully supplied then. I hadn't needed his bothersome running commentary to halt the way I'd been thinking.

Every night, it seemed, he came out here.

Alone, I assumed.

For with whom else?

Reaching the near pinnacle of power had brought him to this state. His race feared him; others despised him for the strength he wielded so easily, his released reiatsu, my inner-Hollow informed me later; could have crushed me if I'd been anything less than what I was.

What…a Hollow hybrid?

Maybe so

I swung my legs back and forth over the boulder's side, inches remained between my feet, clad in straw sandals, and the rocky plateau upon which, at the end of he rested, staring out into the bleak skyline of Hueco Mundo. The form of his wings cast murky shadow onto the ground, I stared at his back for a while, having nothing better to do; with my bag gone and only ragged shreds of my old clothing left, my Zanpaku-to thankfully Ulquiorra had the presence of thought to bring it along with me, the life I'd led in Soul society was fading fast.

I stretched, sliding from the hard perch; my brief movement dragged the skirt of the Yukata he'd tossed me upward, exposing a line of-skinny thigh.

"Not good." Kyo appeared suddenly, grinning maniacally, "It would be a sexy gesture if you hadn't let yourself get this way—I told you a couple of—"

'And I told you no. A couple of juicy Shriekers aren't going to fatten me up.' I tugged the flimsy robe into place, figuring this once I'd walk to the edge and look out with him. See if I saw what he did. An empty world. A shadow passed near me, I raised my head to discover his nightly vigil over. He walked by me silently, close enough so that the lingering scent of…mint reached my nostrils.

~~~To be updated soon~~~

A/N: Not sure if everyone caught that last part. See CH.1 for clarification. Ahem. Shorter than usual but well it is going to be longer than the original six Chapters I'd planned. Oh well. Reviews are much appreciated and um…if I get them then I really will update that much faster! Cheers.