A/N: Everyone's been wondering who this mysterious enemy is, I thought it'd be obvious, but no one has guest it as of yet. And no it's not Aizen. But I'm thrilled that so many people read my author's note at the end! On a side note, if anyone else reads other IchiRuki stories I've written then you'll start to realize that I sometime overlap plot lines. I'm pretty sure it hasn't happened yet, but some explanations in the future may repeat story to story.

(Masaki POV)

'Why'd I get so damn emotional back there?' I wondered to myself as I walked the streets of Rukongai district. Maybe it was that time of the month? It was a thought. But still, I couldn't help, but get out of range of that girl. What if she really had found out about Ulqui? He'd be torn away from me, taking a half of my heart with him.

"Are you alright?" I was asked by a walking stranger, who looked gravely concerned. Was there really still people like this?

"Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks though." I put on a large smile, and they said I couldn't pick up anything from mom.

"Here. You look hungry." She handed me a red apple from a basket she'd been carrying.

"But, don't you have to eat. It'd be wrong to take food from you." I said staring at the food I was given.

"That's okay, you only have to eat if you posses any type of spiritual energy and I only have a very small amount, so I don't eat much. You on the other hand seem to be a different case." she said still producing that sweet smile she greeted me with.

"But that means you still have to eat. So, I don't want it!" I tried giving it back, but she wouldn't except it.

"Please take it." She paused reminiscing about something. "You remind me so much of how my son acted, take it in his place, since he's out of my reach now." She turned to walk away, slowly making it down the dirt road. I took that time to peck out a few details, she was very beautiful, blue eyes, orange hair. Then I turned, never really expecting to see her again. I didn't really know why I wanted to remember her, maybe so I could remind myself that not everything was so bad.

I chomped at the apple looking around at the village I was in. It didn't look habitable, run down and decrepit, yet everyone looked content. Some were selling goods while others talked amongst themselves. Now that I gave it a long hard look I could see that everyone was nice to one another, foul play no where in sight. Everything was great even my spirits were lifted, but then something had to happen because well, it's my life.

"Run!"

"Get everyone evacuated!"

"Ah!"

So many voices, people running everywhere, what was going on? I heard something that sounded like a bomb, then all that was left was smoke and fire. Was I not just complimenting such a village? Who'd want to take that away from these people? I saw black figures in the smoke of the fire.

"Hey! You! What do you think you're doing?" I shouted at the figure that just seemed to notice my hindrance.

"Where do you get off destroying all that these people have worked for?" My temper normally got the best of me and yeah, good judgment hasn't worked well in my case either. The figure's eyes grew larger as they store at me. A normal average person would have ran for their lives, but no I just stood there shouting angrily at the enemy. I blame mom.

Then in a blink of an eye the figure darted at me, sword in hand held in an offensive position. Well, I had to die right? So, why not get it over with? But still I don't want to die yet! I covered my face with my hands in a X position waiting for the blow, placing bets with myself as to where the fatal blow would be. Would it be painless? How much will I suffer? Why…do I have this much time to think?

I opened my eyes to see where I was and the answer was being carried by the figure, more like over its shoulder darting at least a hundred miles per hour away from the wreckage. For the first time in the last five minutes I was able to breath without worry.

We landed somewhere in a small clearing with trees surrounding us. 'oh I get it,' I thought to myself, 'take me far away so I could have a slow and torturous death. Nice situation I've gotten myself into.'

The thing approached, sword to its side walking towards me. I squeezed my eyes shut, I refused to give my killer the pleasure of hearing me beg for life. Once again though no blow came and I opened my eyes again to see the sword stuck in the ground two feet away from me and it, which seemed to be some type of masked man, kneeled in front of me. His hand came to my cheek caressing it softly. The mask was white with red lines lining the lower sides , like tiger strips. The feeling of fear left my body completely for some reason I could not fathom maybe it was the liquid coming from under the mask? The only thing popping into my head being cherry pie. My look of terror turning into joy as I realized…My hands slowly and cautiously ran up the mans body reaching the mask slowly pulling it upward revealing my Ulqui's tear stained face.

My joy was incomparable, but "Ulqui you idiot! Why'd you frighten me so badly." I said tears rolling down my cheeks. At that moment my dad's words flashed into my mind:

"You know your mother used to cry, but only to me. If you'd bring it up to anyone else, she'd deny it."

At that moment I realized, that Ulqui was the one person to see my tears.

"It's impossible for you to be here though." Ulqui said in a heartbroken voice.

"Yeah, um-" He cut me off with a strangling hug.

"How did you die? I mean I only saw you yesterday! Car crash? Lethal fall? Murder? If the latter is correct I'll hunt him to the end of the earth." I stopped him with an awkward smile. But I could see how he might confuse me for being dead, after all not many living people end up here.

"No, I'm not dead. It's kind of confusing and I owe you an explanation too." At that point I returned the hug, "But later, okay?" he shook his head while burring it into my neck, breathing in my scent.

"Wait…" I stopped the hug holding him at arms length, "Why are you here?" He was entitled to answer as much as I was, but maybe I'd get lucky.

"Well," He sighed leaning flat against a tree, pulling me into his lap. Damn this meant another long story.

So, after five minutes of fast story telling he finished, exhaling deeply, "So, that's why."

"Your comrade was captured to use as a research subject?" he nodded. I felt so bad for the espada race, then again who should I really feel bad for him or me; the one stuck in the middle of everything?

"That's terrible. I'm sorry." I gave my sincerest apology, still hugging him.

"But wait, why did you have to destroy the whole village?" I said in a shout abruptly standing up. He looked stunned but adjusted back to his normal face.

"Flashy entrance. How would anyone know we were here if we just stayed in the shadows?" He made sense, but there had to be a better way than that.

"Still." I sat back down tucking my legs into a tight wrap with my arms.

"Whose fault would that be? Ours or the shinigami?" he started again, talking trash basically about my family.

"Was it the shinigami who destroyed the village, sacrificed countless people dead or not just to get someone's attention?" I yelled at him with exaggerated hand motions.

"Are you actually siding with those filthy creatures?" he screamed back. It hurt me on the inside, but I could take it as long as my point got out.

"No, but I'm not siding with you either! Look me in the eye and tell me what you did was right!" his eyes met mine, with much resolve in them, how they reminded me of dads.

"Look at us, bickering over this, in the last place I'd ever expect to see you. Maybe I'm having a hellish nightmare. No I take that back, not a nightmare completely after all you're here with me." We were both standing, inches away from the point of breaking.

"Ulqui, if…I told you something that would maybe give you reason to…hate me. Would you still come near me?" I said tearing, taking in his smell afraid that moments like this were becoming more precious.

"Nothing could nor would keep me from you. Anything so horrible as to drive me away doesn't exist." He says that now, but what will he say when he actually know the…truth.

"Alright then, sit." I motioned for him to sit, but when he tried to move closer to me, I shooed him away.

"Am I not allowed to sit next to my girlfriend?" he said half laughing, but I could tell he was masking his hurt from rejection.

"You can decide that once I finish my story." I stated calmly thinking of where to begin. The very start? Well, that's where he started for me, so why not. If I'm going to give him a reason to hate me, then it should at least be a thoroughly good one.

"Well, my dad, Ichigo Kurosaki, his dad was a shinigami." Basically I started there continuing on how my parents met, dad becoming a shinigami, being conceived which was very vague, dad dieing, and at this point was just touching at the latest visit to Unohana's.

"So, she told both me and my brother that in order to live on we'd need to be killed." I was full out crying at this point and the worst part was I had no one to comfort me. Ulqui just sat there wide eyed.

"But.." he was squeaking as he talked, "what if you don't get…killed" he gulped staring at me with horror and pain stricken eyes.

"we, disappear for good, stuck for all eternity in our decaying bodies. Supposedly we'd be saved if the shock of death pulls us out of our humane shells." And that was basically the end of my story.

His head dropped, staring at his balled fists on the ground. "Why?" he spoke suddenly catching me off guard. "Why didn't you tell me this sooner?" he looked hurt, and I knew I was the source of it.

"I was afraid, does that sound so crazy of a reason to you?" I questioned, in a loud voice.

"You should despise me." He suddenly said, very softly

"Huh?" that caught me off guard.

"I talked so badly about your family. If I had known-" I cut him off knowing what he'd end up saying.

"You would have lied to me? Saying how great shinigami were? This may sound bittersweet, but I think I'd rather it this way." I smiled at him telling him how I truly felt.

"so I've decided!" he said returning the smile.

"Decided what?" I asked turning to see him pulling me down to his lap.

"that I can sit next to my girlfriend; shinigami or not." he gave me a genuine smile making me laugh.

"Now what?" I asked wondering what was going to happen next.

"Pretend to be really good actors." He suddenly outburst, softly lowering me to the ground on my stomach while he sat on top of me, his weight totally off my being. Pulling his sword out of the ground, placing it a little too close for comfort.

"What are-" I started to complain, but then realized what he was doing, his comrades were here. His mask reformed over half his face, looking around.

"taking a long time to just slaughter one little girl." One male voice sounded from my right.

"Playing with your prey isn't very humane don't you think?" A girl's voice came from the left.

"What can I say she's a fast runner." he laughed, but no one other than me could tell that his laugh held fear. The others though chuckled along with him. I had to trust Ulqui, but it was becoming really hard to hold that resolve, after all his voice started to sound so menacing.

"So, get on with it." Another impatient person added, I could hear his foot beating with annoyance next to my head.

Ulqui stopped any type of movement, even breathing. The only thing now sensible was the sheer terror coming off him. He wouldn't do it, and that'd mean his whole family would turn their backs on him because he had a soft spot for a shinigami. I had to do something whether I liked it or not.

"DO IT! KILL ME OFF!" I shouted, as uncharacteristic as possible. "DO YOU NOT HAVE THE BACK BONE TO DO IT?" Would he figure out that it'd be okay to kill me since I'd come back? His hand reached my neck, to an outsider it'd look painful, but really it was a soft massage which I could tell his feelings; he'd do it, but wouldn't like it. I nodded sharply so only he could see.

He picked my body off the ground, seeming to slam me against a tree with one hand holding me at the neck, but once again that was an act. His zanpactou was readying for the attack; his grip tightening on the hilt, blood actually starting to drip. Before closing my eyes I took one last look into his eyes seeing a drop of liquid slide to the ground from under the mask.

"well, don't leave a lady in suspense." I said with a smile, closing my eyes, liking that the last sight as a human I saw was him. A sharp, but quick pain burst through my heart, I could feel blood coating my inside. This was it, I was going to die. He let go of my neck letting my body slowly slide down the tree.

He bent down to ear level to whisper something to me, "If you don't come back to me, I'm just going to follow you no matter where." he added a small chuckle before standing up. Everything was dark, I could only hear now. It felt too uncomfortable for my liking.

"Well, wasn't that so dramatic." One of the peoples unidentifiable to me stated giving a yawn.

"Whatever let's go." Ulqui said trying to lead the Espada away. They were almost gone too.

"MASAKI-" A loud shout echoed through my ears, I knew the voice too well, Ichi.

"Oh look everyone a shinigami, let's have some fun!" A loud roar of laughter came. Light started to come clearer. My soul was slowly coming out of my body.

"how dare you!" A loud battle cry was heard, it was wrapped in furry and sorrow. Did he not forget the whole part about we needed to die?

"And what do you plan on doing about it little kid?" A high pitched, woman's voice asked. Movement started to come to my eyes. I could see a figure all in black facing four or five others with interesting hair colors.

"I'll tear at your insides until you beg for mercy!" that was a gruesome thought. Stupid Ichi getting worked up over nothing.

"Such a strong threat for some little, newbie huh?" The one with dark blue hair spoke. My eyesight now picking up on higher quality details. My sense of smell also returning.

"Why don't you guys leave this to me, we do have a mission after all." Ulqui spoke in a very demanding tone. A few objections were heard, but ultimately they all disperse.

"How could you!?" Ichi screamed running at him with full force, clanging swords together. "I thought you actually cared about her. It was a big mistake to trust you, if I had only known sooner I wouldn't have kept your true identity a secret. Hell, my dad would have loved to slice you open." His voice was so blood curdling that it even made me shiver, well more or less. But he knew? And didn't tell?

"You're an idiot, if you stopped for a second you'd probably be able to clear your head out long enough to realize what actually is going on." Ulqui spoke dodging every attack that was thrown at him, but never swinging back.

My soul was almost out, all my senses were back, all left to happen was for me to leave my body and this aching pain in my heart behind.

Ten minutes were ticking by slowly, snail like, but with those minutes came my freedom. When my soul finally emerged, I was equipped with a zanpactou and everything, dressed completely in black. 'Finally a Shihakushou that fits.' I thought to myself.

"Don't tell me to hot headed. You killed my sister, do you not see her corpse there?" He pointed to my dead body which I was no longer in.

"Then tell me Ichi, where's your corpse?" This tongue tied him.

"What do you mean mine?" he asked clueless, letting down his guard. I took this moment to my advantage.

"You're an ass! You became so infuriated that you forgot about our current situation!" I screamed dropping from my recent view place which had been a tree. My Zanpactou gliding across his.

"Masaki!" At that moment he dropped his zanpactou and embraced me like there was no tomorrow.

"Idiot." I concluded slamming him one in the head.

"So? Now what? I'm dead, Ichi's dead. What comes after that?" Both me and Ichi turned toward each other not knowing the answer.

"How 'bout helping out?" Ulqui added with a smile.

A/N: I'm sorry, but I am like dead at the moment (No pun intended) I've been writing non stop today as you could assume. And I don't want to screw anything up and I'd also like to sleep on a few ideas of mine for further events in the story. So, hope you like the chapter! The enemy thing will come in part two sorry. -Your (…extremely tired…) Neko Writer REVIEW!!

Random add in:

October 31st (Yeah, I no why write this in April?)

Renji: What are you going to be for the costume party tonight?

Ichigo: huh?

Renji: how could you not know what you're being? I'm going as a-

Ichigo: pineapple?

Renji: No, a death god!

Ichigo: I can think of at least five things idiotic about that.

Renji: Don't worry I'll pretend that I didn't here that because I've come up with a perfect costume for you!

Ichigo: Which is?

Renji: A vampire! It's ingenious!

Ichigo: And why is that?

Renji: Easy because you're both undead! See because you're alive, but dead!

Ichigo: Wow…You have actually reached a new level of stupidity.

(So, yeah it came out better in my head but oh well you get the point, so good night!)