A/N: Writing this chapter was pretty fun, maybe because I actually got to write a fight scene that I made up (even if it was short!). This chapters song (New Divide by Linkin Park) was very influential to the scene as well, especially since it reminded me of what a dying world might look like. It also might be kind of confusing, I realize...but I swear it makes sense in my head! Heh. If you are confused at all, just think of it like what Ichigo goes through, but backwards. Sorta.

New Divide

He moved his hand slowly until his slender fingers gripped the hilt of his sword, but he did not draw it yet. Green eyes watched the figure warily, confused about just what it was he saw.

"Who are you?" he voiced between the gap while he outwardly appeared as unconcerned as he could.

The stranger, who mirrored him in appearance, opened his mouth to reply with a voice that was also his, "Can you not tell?"

Ulquiorra's grip tightened. The reply was eerily close to what he would have said himself. It seemed this newcomer spoke in riddles, just as he did.

"You carry my appearance and yet you are dressed as a shinigami," he observed, looking the other over carefully while also keeping close attention to the hand holding the black zanpakutou. "And you hold your weapon as if you are ready to attack."

"Yes," the other agreed, looking at his sword as well, "I am able to wield Murcielago as well."

Ulquiorra's eyes narrowed dangerously. "And why would you wish to do so?"

Their eyes locked once again, and Ulquiorra saw the others eyes widen slightly, as if possessed with motive. "To defeat you, Ulquiorra."

If he had not seen the attack in his eyes, Ulquiorra wasn't sure he would have been able to block it with his sword. Light flashed between them when their blades met, and as if to mirror that, lighting cracked in the dark sky above. His movements were precise, an exact copy of his own style, and Ulquiorra couldn't shake the coldness creeping up his spine as the other struck again and again.

Springing away, Ulquiorra pointed a finger and called, "This is my world." A cero erupted at the point, moving straight towards his opponent at incredible speed.

"I will not allow you to carry on as you were," the other replied, his hand easily redirecting the cero to the side. He burst up the path the cero had just gone, and his sword swung in a downwards arc, which Ulquiorra blocked.

Their swords clanged against each other, evenly matched as they continued to fight.

"Murcielago is mine." Ulquiorra sonidoed behind his replica, and quickly thrust out his sword against him. In a move that was faster than light, his opponent swung upwards, knocking the sword away from its path and then pushed back against him, causing him to drop one knee. Quickly, he fired a cero, which the replica was forced to block; Ulquiorra used the precious time to gain more distance between himself and his opponent.

His opponent appeared before him, standing, while Ulquiorra kneeled upon one knee. The black sword pointed towards him, but it did not move to strike. "Admit defeat, Ulquiorra."

It was true, he had been defeated it seemed, and yet he would not admit to it. Angry green eyes looked up at the figure in black and he said coldly, "Why would it even matter? I am dying. Taking control of a dying world is pointless."

It was then that the replica did something strange. His eyes suddenly looked warmer, as if he were amused by something, though his voice was still steady. "I do not fear death. I also do not fear fighting against it."

Ulquiorra stared. "It is only natural to fear death, as well as accept it."

"It is natural for you, hollow. But I do not have to. I reject it."

His lips thinned and he looked to the sunrise. "Reject?"

The replica followed his gaze, turning his head to look behind him at the orange glow. "I wish to live."

In that moment of distraction, Ulquiorra acted; he stood and quickly extended his sword until it rested at the replica's neck.

"Fool," Ulquiorra told him as he looked back, victory clear in his voice. "You have lost."

To his surprise, the other smirked in a way that wasn't quite himself. "No. I have accomplished my goal."

Feeling his frustration spike, he pressed the blade closer to his throat and commanded, "Explain yourself."

The black blade at his side quivered a moment before erupting out of form as Murcielago rose up into the air on its black, wispy wings. It hung suspended before the moon at Ulquiorra's right side, its yellow eyes watching.

"It was never my goal to kill you, Ulquiorra, merely defeat your mindset. Truthfully, there is nothing for me in this dying world, you were correct on that sentiment. I have no power to raise this body from the dead." The Ulquiorra in black shifted his hands into his pockets as he watched Murcielago float in the air. "You, on the other hand, may have that power, for it is by accepting the hollow part of yourself that you can unlock new abilities. My purpose was merely to make you choose to do so."

Ulquiorra remained silent as he listened to the replica speak, trying to understand what he had done.

"What you lack, hollow, is a true reason to live. It was my goal to force you to strive for survival. One thing you learned from those humans was to stand back up, and here you did."

"How do you know it was not by instinct that I fought back?" Ulquiorra asked, his voice questioning as he finally lowered his sword.

The replica held a look of slight amusement once again as he explained, "Because you had previously stated your acceptance of death. I think you would agree it is pointless to fight back within a dying world, and yet you did. You did not want me to destroy you."

Ulquiorra looked away, his eyes catching the glow of the sun and he sighed deeply. "Is that so..."

"You know you have something worth living for."

The replica suddenly did not look as clear as it once did, as if the sun was burning it away, the edges were fading, crumbling, blowing away like ash.

"But," it warned, its final words strong even while it slowly disappeared, "If you should forget your will, I will come back and try to claim this place." It looked up suddenly, as if it heard something he could not, and said "Even now she tries to reach you…what a strong woman."

And then it was gone.

With a flap of its wings, Murcielago landed next to him, digging his claws into the sand beneath as it looked towards the horizon.

"There is a lot of work to do, I wonder if you will survive," the spirit said darkly, its fanged teeth rising in a wicked grin.

Ignoring the pessimistic spirit, Ulquiorra sheathed his sword. "What did he mean, 'even now she tries to reach you'?"

The spirit closed its eyes a moment and shuddered as if it had just completed a difficult task. Ulquiorra observed, curious, and when he saw the spirit open its eyes, he watched as it pointed to the horizon.

And your voice was all I heard, that I get what I deserve

A/N: Oops, it's another cliffhanger! I have to say I really enjoy everyone's theories and insights to what is happening though, so keep them coming. :) Next chapter...well it's a surprise, hehe.

Beta'd by a kingly chu

--Miss Soupy