9

Recaptured

While sitting around the table, eating breakfast, they seemed like a dysfunctional family.

Ulquiorra could no longer look at Toshiro. Every time he did, he'd get that uncomfortable feeling deep within his chest. He would see the Toshiro he used to know. In turn, Toshiro could no longer look at Ulquiorra. It was harder when he looked so human. Ukitake, who was not sick for once, kept his eyes on both of them.

Hitsugaya stood first, having finished. He hurriedly put away his plate and left without a word. Ulquiorra decided that he was no longer hungry and cleared his plate as well.

"Katashi," Ukitake called softly.

"Urahara asked me to go on an errand for him."

Ukitake sighed heavily as Ulquiorra ran out the door.

...

Hitsugaya had forgotten to get rid of his gigai first. This didn't bother him at the moment. He was content just to walk around. As long as it wasn't the Urahara shop.

A soccer ball rolled into his path. He looked in the direction it came from to see Karin waving and running toward him. Oh, right. He said he might play a game of soccer with her today. He didn't really want to, but maybe it would help clear his head a little.

"Hey, Toshiro," she panted, smiling like crazy.

"Karin," he said with a nod.

"Did you want to play?" she asked, straightening up.

"Why not?"

...

Ulquiorra had no idea why the shop keeper would trust him with anything, but did not particularly care at the moment. He was feeling so trapped. It was times like this that he wished Orihime Inoue had never walked into his life. Because he had to take care of her and because she was there, her friends had to come and rescue her. Orihime had to make him remember what it was like to have a heart. Ichigo had to kill him. He had to come back to Earth and be thrown into this mess.

He crossed the street, recalling what Urahara said about looking out for cars first. He was still vaguely unfamiliar with how this world worked, but was getting a better impression. For instance, if a "car" hit you, it would hurt.

Ulquiorra stopped short when a black portal opened above him. A portal to Hueco Mundo. He pretended not to notice it and kept walking, as he had been earlier instructed. He was in a gigai and his reiatsu was hidden. If he did nothing to attract attention to himself, it was very possible that whoever it was would simply look over him. If he was lucky.

Hands grabbed his shoulders. Looked like he wasn't very lucky today.

"Hiding in a gigai, Ulquiorra? How very cowardly," Kaeliel taunted. Ulquiorra was shoved to the ground. D-. Kaeliel's insane grin just grew bigger. "Come out, come out. It's time to play." His smile faltered a little when Ulquiorra continued to do nothing. Impatient and angry, Kaeliel drew his zanpaktō. "Get up!"

Ulquiorra rose, but refused to do much other than stare at his replacement. He couldn't get out of the gigai and even if he could, he didn't have Murcielago. Kaeliel snarled and had his zanpaktō through Ulquiorra's stomach before he could blink. The blood rushed out of the open wound the moment the sword was out.

"Gonna fight me now? Or do I have to rip the soul right outta you?"

Ulquiorra, now almost as pale as he was without the gigai, couldn't answer. He focused on breathing, which was becoming difficult to do. A coughing fit took over and he could taste blood.

"Fight!" Kaeliel demanded, raising his zanpaktō again. He swung. Ulquiorra was barely able to dodge in time. The blade scraped his arm. More blood. His white shirt was quickly becoming red. Another shot was taken at Ulquiorra's side. Black clung to the edges of his vision as he cursed the weakness of the gigai. Finally fed up with Ulquiorra's resistance to take action, Kaeliel pierced Ulquiorra's chest with his bare hand. Roughly, he pulled back, dragging Ulquiorra's very soul out as well. Kaeliel's demonic grin widened again. Cackling, he threw back the bloody and beaten gigai. It fell to the street, nothing more than a corpse.

The damage showed on Ulquiorra's spirit as well. However, the increased level of power he had in this form stopped him from losing consciousness. He gave Kaeliel his version of a glare. The purple-haired monster only laughed at him, opening another portal to Hueco Mundo.

"Let's go, Ulquiorra. Aizen has been very anxious to see you again."

...

An alarm rang in the Urahara shop. The owner recognized it immediately and rushed over to a small machine.

"What's going on?" Jinta wondered, entering the room with Ururu and Ukitake.

Kiske Urahara's eyes were wide under the shade of his hat. "Ulquiorra has escaped from his gigai."

...

The sun shone brightly on two children playing soccer in the open, grassy field. For Hitsugaya, it was too hot out for pleasure, but he kicked the ball in the net nonetheless. Karin caught her breath behind him.

"How the heck do you do that?" she asked.

A buzzing cut him off from saying anything. He picked up his soul pager. "Yes?"

"Captain Hitsugaya," Urahara answered on the other end, "you have to come quick! Ulquiorra has escaped!"

"I'm on my way."

"Toshiro?" Karin asked tentatively.

He looked at her once and vanished.

...

Urahara, Yoruichi, Matsumoto, Orihime, and Ukitake pulled up to the scene first. Hitsugaya appeared a second after them. The group stared in shock at the bloody mess that had been Ulquiorra Schiffer. Urahara bent down to inspect the body.

"The device was broken," he informed. "And there's traces of another reiatsu."

"Kaeliel," Hitsugaya whispered, recognizing it at once.

Urahara looked at the small captain seriously. "Another Arrancar?"

"Kaeliel Aratashi. Ulquiorra Schiffer's replacement. The one who attacked last time."

"Judging from the wounds and that information, I'd say it was this Kaeliel who removed Ulquiorra's soul," Urahara concluded.

"What should we do?" Matsumoto asked, casting a side glance at Orihime. Ukitake could also see how she was figuring in that Ulquiorra was her captain's older brother.

"He's an Arrancar. Or used to be," Hitsugaya said flatly. "He's not worth the trouble."

"I'm going," Orihime stated.

"Are you crazy?" Hitsugaya reprimanded. "You're the one he wanted before! This could just be a trick to get you back."

"But…" she argued weakly, head dropping, "I couldn't save him the last time. I want to be able to this time."

Matsumoto laid a hand on Orihime's shoulder. "We can't save everyone, Orihime. And we can't risk losing you again."

"He shouldn't have been alive in the first place," Hitsugaya reasoned coldly. "I doubt Aizen will keep him alive."

Ukitake wanted to scream, "He's you're brother!" However, he understood the gravity of the situation. They'd suffered plenty on their last trip to Las Noches. Any good captain would not sacrifice more of his men for the sake of someone who had just ceased being an enemy. No matter how much Katashi's death would bother him, he could not say a word. Especially not to Toshiro, who it would hurt even more. If Katashi died, Ukitake would have to make sure that Toshiro would never find out. For his sake.

A new voice filled the air. "Huh, so who finally took down the ba-?"

Rukia arrived then and smacked him upside the head. She pointed to Orihime, who had her head turned away from them all, including the beaten gigai. Ichigo's frown deepened. D-.

"An Arrancar called Kaeliel Aratashi," Hitsugaya informed for the second time. "We think he may have taken…Ulquiorra back to Hueco Mundo."

Ichigo took in the way Orihime was struggling not to cry. "I take it you're just going to leave him, then?"

"What other choice do we have?"

"I'll go," he volunteered, eyes not leaving Orihime.

"Ichigo," Rukia gasped.

"I promised that I wouldn't let Orihime get hurt again," Ichigo told her quietly. "Even if it means bringing back Ulquiorra."

"You barely made it out alive last time," she stated.

"Yeah, but I'll bet Aizen's army needs some work after the damage we caused."

She saw how serious he was and nodded grudgingly. "I'll go, too."

Ichigo knew better than to protest. He announced to Captain Hitsugaya, "We're both going."

Matsumoto looked between Orihime and her captain. Ulquiorra's absence made Orihime sad and Hitsugaya would never forgive himself if he found out he'd let his brother die again. "Captain, with your permission…"

Hitsugaya sighed. "Could I stop you if I tried?"

She smiled. "Thank you."

"I will accompany them," Ukitake announced.

"No," Hitsugaya answered. "I'm sorry, but with your condition, I would not want anything going wrong in Las Noches. I will go."

Ukitake restrained a small smile. At least, if anyone were to be saving Katashi, it would be Toshiro. This way, there would be no regrets. "Understood."

"I'll start up the gate," Urahra sighed.

...

Kaeliel dragged Ulquiorra into a very large, very familiar room. At the head sat at man with brown hair and brown eyes, deceitfully handsome.

"Hello…Ulquiorra."