Chapter 8

Life Goes On

Later that evening found Ulquiorra walking alone through the streets of Karakura town toward Urahara's Shop. Orihime had finally calmed her emotions and decided to make supper, so Ulquiorra had decided that it would be the perfect time for him to fetch the soul removal device which the Shinigami scientist/shopkeeper had said would be complete by now. Before he left, Orihime told him that she would save him a plate of food, "to see if he would like this recipe." To this, Ulquiorra had given no response, other than to say that it was unnecessary; he had no need of human sustenance.

Arriving at the shop, Kisuke greeted him with his usual excitement, again seeming very proud of his success. He presented Ulquiorra with a simple, black belt that had a small, round buckle affixed to it. On the inside, a fiery, blue-and-white skull insignia could be seen. The plain, round front housed a spring which would trigger with pressure, launching the spirit of the one wearing the belt from the gigai in which it was housed. Ulquiorra tested it, found it satisfactory, and offered Urahara a simple acknowledgement of gratitude.

"Before you go, Ulquiorra-san," interposed Kisuke as the Arrancar turned to leave, "there is someone who would like to speak with you."

Ulquiorra looked at him calmly.

"Your Shinigami friend told me the whole story," smiled Kisuke, his face now looking more serious and less silly. "I admit I was surprised. I wonder: would you tell me yourself your reasons for saving him? It seems so unlike an Arrancar."

Ulquiorra returned his gaze. "No," he replied simply.

Kisuke's eyebrows rose. "You won't tell me?" he asked.

"I will not."

With another smile, Kisuke nodded. "Very well," he said. Turning toward the back of the shop, he called, "Yamada-san! Ulquiorra-san is here, and we've finished, if you'd like to see him before he goes." Smiling then to Ulquiorra once more, Kisuke moved to leave the room.

As he did so, a much smaller Shinigami shuffled into the room, his head bowing low and his hands clasped nervously in front of himself.

"Ulquiorra-sama," he nearly stuttered. "Forgive me for taking your time."

Ulquiorra said nothing.

"I-I-I will be leaving soon," continued Hanatarō. "Urahara-san has sent word to Unohana-taichō, explaining what happened, and she has said that she will send someone to bring me home. She said that it was not my fault that I was left behind." He chuckled nervously. "I might be in a little trouble for not trying to come back earlier, but Unohana-taichō said that it would all be fine soon enough."

He smiled awkwardly at the Espada, but the latter still did not speak.

"I . . . I wanted . . . to say thank you," stammered Hanatarō. "You didn't have to save my life or keep me safe. I never thought that a Hollow would protect a Shinigami. And . . . and you were right; I should have come to the Land of the Living from the start. I suppose I'm just too much of a coward."

Again, he paused, but again he received no response.

"Um," Hanatarō licked his lips. "I suppose . . . I mean . . . I guess that that's all. Um . . . thank you?"

Ulquiorra turned his eyes away to gaze at the wall.

"I have no need of your thanks," he said simply.

"I . . . I wish that I could do something to help you too."

Ulquiorra moved only his eyes to look at him.

"The very idea is ludicrous."

Hanatarō lowered his own eyes. "Yes, sir, I know that it is," he agreed quietly. "I just wish that I could." He chuckled nervously again, and then carefully lifted his gaze. "If there is ever any way that I can be of service to you, Ulquiorra-sama, please tell me."

Ulquiorra said nothing, so Hanatarō merely offered him a nervous smile before bowing low again and leaving the room.

Once the pathetic little figure was gone, Urahara again entered. He smiled kindly.

"Whatever your reasons, Ulquiorra-san, you did a very kind thing in saving his life and in keeping him safe," he said. "From talking with him, I don't think that Yamada-san has ever had a real friend."

"Hm," was Ulquiorra's indifferent response.

"At least you don't object to being called his friend," grinned Kisuke mischievously.

"Had I any reason to care what you thought of me," replied Ulquiorra, "then I would correct your misconceptions. But I have no reason to do so." He looked Urahara in the eye. "If you wish to consider me to have been 'kind,' then it is of no concern to me. I am indifferent to your opinion."

Urahara simply smiled in response. "Has anyone ever told you that you are an enigma, Ulquiorra-san?"

To this Ulquiorra gave no answer, choosing instead to simply leave the shop, having no further reason to stay. Watching him go, Urahara continued to grin.

Back at the apartment again that evening, Orihime watched with great pleasure as Ulquiorra diligently worked on his "homework" from his first day of school. As with everything that he did, the Espada focused his attention on the task at hand, working calmly and efficiently, never getting distracted. Orihime was both impressed and jealous. She wished that she could work like that. She tried to do her own homework also, but she found her eyes often wandering to Ulquiorra's paper, mesmerized by his silken movements as he inscribed such beautiful texts on the white pages.

"Oh!" she exclaimed suddenly. "You missed that one!"

Ulquiorra glanced up at her as Orihime pointed to one of the problems.

"That one is wrong," she said.

"Yes," replied Ulquiorra. "I know."

Orihime blinked. "But . . . why don't you change it?"

"I am obtrusive enough in your school already through my appearance," answered Ulquiorra, returning to his work as he spoke. "Kurosaki informed me today that those with high grades are recognized publicly for their accomplishments. I need no further recognition than I have already received. Indeed, I would prefer to remain inconspicuous while I am here, as much as is possible."

"So you answered the question wrong on purpose?"

Ulquiorra again lifted his gaze to meet hers.

"I believe that that is what I just said."

"B-b-but," stuttered Orihime, clearly confused, "don't you want to do the best that you can?"

"I know my abilities; I know the answers. I have no need to prove my knowledge. Neither have I any need of this education in the first place."

"Oh, I guess not. I mean, I suppose algebra wouldn't be much use in Hueco Mundo, would it?" Orihime tilted her head with a curious gaze. "Do Hollows have any sort of schools?"

"We train ourselves in combat," replied Ulquiorra, turning back to his work. "But, in answer to your question, no, there is no formal system of education in Hueco Mundo. There is neither need nor desire among the Hollows for it."

"Hm," replied Orihime, frowning. "That's a little sad. Although, I suppose it would be hard to teach a class full of young Arrancar. I know that Grimmjow would always be standing in the corner for not sitting still in class. And I'm sure that Nnoitra would always be pestering the girls in the class, so he'd be getting into trouble too. Maybe if Aizen-taichō was the principal, then they'd behave, because then the teacher would just have to threaten to send them to the principal's office unless they behave, and then they'd be sure to apologize for whatever they'd been doing wrong and then be good for the rest of the period. Oh! Can you imagine if Kurosaki-kun was in charge of P.E.? He'd get all of the boys to work out their energy with no problem! Although, he'd probably have to give both Grimmjow and Nnoitra extra laps, and then they'd both get detention, because they'd start fighting with each other, and Kurosaki-kun couldn't stop them, no matter what he said, even if he said that he'd send them to the principal, because, by then, they'd be too caught up in their fight with each other that they wouldn't be able to think about anything else, even if it meant that they were going to get into trouble, so they would──"

By this point, Ulquiorra had completely forgotten his work as he sat silently, just staring at her, as Orihime continued to describe a day in the life of this imaginary Arrancar Elementary School, complete with teachers, students, a grading system, punishments, rewards, and homework, all somehow related to Hollows and Hueco Mundo.

"──and then Tesla-kun would come and say that it was all his fault, so Ichimaru-Sensei would finally say that Nnoitra could go home for supper, as long as they both promised that it would never happen again."

Orihime grinned broadly, happy that she had resolved the terrible trouble into which the rambunctious youngsters had managed to entangle themselves. Ulquiorra continued to stare at her in silence, eyes slightly widened.

"Well? Don't you think that that was nice of Tesla-kun?" asked Orihime.

Ulquiorra blinked. "I am trying to unravel the workings of your mind," he replied. "I cannot, at this time, make any sense of it."

"Well, you probably just don't know how to use your imagination," smiled Orihime. "You should practice! It's lots of fun. It's where you think of things that haven't really happened but might happen. You can invent all sorts of stories!"

"Before entering a battle, I do consider all possible outcomes," replied Ulquiorra. "I must be able to predict what my enemy will do in any given circumstance, so that I am able to prevent or counter it."

"Hm," considered Orihime. "I suppose that that's sort of like imagination, but that's not fun."

"I wonder whether your mind, if turned in a different direction, could plan a battle," mused Ulquiorra. "You seem capable of 'imagining' the most bizarre outcomes possible, or impossible, as the case may be."

"Oh, I'd love to plan a battle, if everyone would fight by my rules!" exclaimed Orihime, clapping her hands. "We could all fight with water pistols! It would be the Hollows against the Shinigami, and my friends and I could split up and be on each team, and the winners would be the ones at the end with the most water left in their pistols, because that means that they were just trying to have fun and not actually hurt the other team!" She beamed at her roommate. "Who do you think would win?"

Ulquiorra just stared at her. "What you are saying," he began slowly, "makes no sense."

"Can't you try to imagine it?" begged Orihime. "Imagine if the Hollows and Shinigami were actually friends. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

"It is inconceivable."

"Well, can't you at least try?"

Ulquiorra set down his pen and straightened his posture a bit more, such that he was sitting stiffly. "I need not 'try'," he replied. "I have seen an attempt at what you suggest. I have no desire to repeat the experience."

"Really?" Orihime's eyes widened. "There was a time that Hollows and Shinigami were friends? How? When?"

"There were only three Shinigami," Ulquiorra answered coldly, "and the rest of Soul Society opposed them. Their names were Aizen, Tōsen, and Ichimaru."

Orihime's face fell. "Oh," she murmured. "I . . . wasn't thinking of that."

"Even in that case," continued Ulquiorra, "it could not be considered 'friendship,' to use your wording. The three Shinigami used the Hollows to do their bidding and to accomplish their purposes. We were nothing to them but weapons to be wielded as needed. They were nothing to us but strong allies, creating a united front, in order to conquer our enemies. There can be no true alliance between the Hollows and the Shinigami."

"But maybe if you tried..."

"The purpose of the Shinigami is to kill Hollows; the purpose of Hollows is to feed and to survive. These are, and always will be, incompatible."

Orihime lowered her eyes sadly. She knew that what he was saying was true. Even so, it didn't stop her from wishing that it could be otherwise.

It was the third day of living the life of a high school student for Ulquiorra, and he now seemed to be well-accustomed to the general flow of the day. From the start, Uryū had been watchful and cautious. His initial reaction to the idea of an Arrancar (let alone the Cuatro Espada himself!) actually staying in the Land of the Living had been one of shock and horror. He had heard the details of the first battle from Kurosaki: the substitute Shinigami, even with his Hollowfied bankai, had not been able to even fight back against Ulquiorra's first release. His second release had been beyond Kurosaki's ability even to follow in its movement, let alone defend against it. It was only by his mindless conversion to a full Hollow himself that Kurosaki had been able to overcome him. With that option no longer available, there was no one (so far as Uryū was aware) in Hueco Mundo, the Land of the Living, or even in Soul Society who could defeat him. The idea of him now staying here, living among them, was disconcerting at best and terrifying at worst.

As he had observed the Espada in Kurosaki's room, standing there so calmly as they discussed his presence, Uryū had been forced to consider the proposition seriously. If the Arrancar wanted to stay, then there was nothing that any of them could do to refuse him. But why would he choose to stay? This was what confused the Quincy. Now, almost four days later, Uryū still did not know why the Espada chose to be here, but he had to admit that the other seemed to be no real threat. Whatever his motives may have been, they didn't seem to be evil. Of course, Uryū had to admit, even if the Arrancar's intentions were evil, there wasn't much that they could do to stop him.

Of the small group of human friends, Uryū's spiritual perception was, by far, the strongest. He could feel every fluctuation of the Espada's reiatsu, and he understood its power. Likewise, his mind was strong, and he felt that he had ─ at least moderately ─ gauged the strength of the other's mental capabilities. He was not optimistic, if the Espada decided to one day turn against them. He could only hope that that would not happen, or that the other would decide to return to Hueco Mundo before that happened.

It could have been this spiritual sensitivity that caused Ishida alone among them to sense the seeming discomfort of the Arrancar. He had noticed it from the second day. Ulquiorra seemed perfectly capable of regulating his own reiatsu, keeping it at a low enough level that any Shinigami who was not near to him should not guess who it was that was here, in the Land of the Living. Even so, from the morning of the second day, Uryū had begun to sense irregularities. At first, he wondered whether Ulquiorra himself sensed it. Knowing the intelligence and strength of the latter, he didn't doubt that he did, but he wondered, nonetheless, why these were occurring. At random times, seemingly for no reason, Ulquiorra's reiatsu would become unstable, oft times spiking sharply. They never lasted long; Ulquiorra would always reign in his errant energy in short order. The Espada would also never react outwardly, giving Uryū the impression that it was either unintentional, or that the Espada at least preferred others not to notice. Uryū chose never to mention it, seeing that there was nothing he could have done anyway. He simply observed, trying to plan what he would do if it seemed to become a threat.

Hollows still appeared in Karakura town, and Sado and Uryū would usually take turns dealing with those which they considered strong enough to possibly be inconvenient for their locally assigned Shinigami. (Really, thought Uryū, that pathetic being is a disgrace, even to Soul Society!) The first time that it happened while Ulquiorra was present, Uryū had observed him closely, curious about the other's reaction. The Arrancar had simply not reacted. Uryū had been able to see that the other sensed the Hollow, and, when Sado had left the room quickly and the Hollow presence faded shortly thereafter, followed by the timely return of the large boy, Uryū had no doubt that Ulquiorra would understand what was happening. Even so, the Espada said nothing.

By the fourth afternoon, Uryū was nearly able to ignore Ulquiorra's presence in class. Whatever the Arrancar's motives for being there, he clearly had no intention of causing trouble. Or so he thought.

It was near the end of class, and most of the students barely awake for the end of the afternoon lessons, when Uryū felt a reiatsu more powerful than any that had come in months (aside from the Espada's, of course). He froze. This had the level of a Menos ─ most likely an Adjucas. Uryū glanced at Sado, and the other gave a slight nod. It would require both of them this time. Inadvertently, he even caught Orihime's eye as she looked at the two of them, silently questioning whether she should come as well. To be honest, Uryū wasn't sure, and he suspected that his look informed her of that. With an enemy of this level, it was very possible that they would need healing afterward. Mentally bracing himself and turning to the front, Uryū started to stand. Before he could do so, however, Ulquiorra rose suddenly to his feet.

"Sensei," he said calmly. "May I be excused for a moment?"

Uryū stared at him. The Arrancar had never tried to leave the room during class. It didn't seem possible that this could be coincidence. Could it?

The instructor nodded his permission, and Ulquiorra stepped toward the door, ignoring the heavy stares at his back. As he reached the exit, however, he paused and glanced directly at Uryū, his firm gaze clearly communicating his intention:

Let me handle this one.

Kurumadani cursed his luck. The one time he might actually get to fight a powerful Hollow ─ might actually get to do his own job ─ without interference from those pesky, human kids, it would have to be a Hollow of this strength! The big brown and yellow figure wasn't especially intimidating in size, but he certainly packed a punch. The Shinigami hadn't been able to land a single hit yet, and the beast didn't seem even to be trying. When the Hollow dodged yet another attack and slammed a fist into the side of his opponent, throwing the latter into the pavement two stories below, Kurumadani groaned and grit his teeth, forcing himself back to his feet.

"You freaky monster," panted the thick-haired Shinigami, staring up at the ugly figure on the roof above. "You think that that's enough to stop me?"

The Hollow cackled, showing a double-row of sharp teeth. "I sensed strong spirit energy in this area," it replied. "I thought I'd find good feeding. But you! You're hardly worth my time!"

"Oh, yeah? Well, we'll see about that!" The Shinigami drew back his Zanpakutō, preparing to release his Shikai. He grinned broadly. "Now, you'll feel my wrath!" he cried. "Ohayō──"

Before he could even register the arrival of the newcomer, an unexpected blow struck Kurumadani in the back of the head. Everything went black, and he fell to the ground with another groan, unconscious.

"Oh?" called the Hollow, sounding amused. "What's this now?" He grinned from his perch, looking down now into a set of cold, emerald eyes. "You seem to have a little more spiritual pressure than he did. Maybe I will feed well today after all. Come on! Don't try to run; I'm very hungry today!"

"What a coincidence," replied the other, moving a finger to his belt. "So am I."

Ulquiorra stood calmly on the roof of a tall building, gazing out at the city. He hadn't been exactly 'hungry,' but it had felt good to feed nonetheless. It had been a long time. He didn't need it for sustenance; as he had told Orihime, he had no need of eating now. Even so, living here, in human form, surrounded by humans, behaving as a human, it seemed expedient to remind himself from time to time of what he truly was. He wasn't human.

"Hey," called a voice near to him. "Did you forget something?"

Ulquiorra had sensed the arrival of the Quincy, but he had chosen to ignore it. Turning his gaze to him now, he saw the latter standing at the other end of the roof, holding a limp form.

"You shouldn't leave this where other 'normal' people might find it," continued Uryū, bringing the gigai forward and laying it on the roof. "It'll attract too much attention."

"Hm," replied Ulquiorra, turning away again.

"So, I see that the soul removal device Urahara-san made works," observed Uryū. "Still, you may want to be careful; his inventions aren't foolproof. I'd suggest that you not enter into any battles that you couldn't win in gigai form, unless you've already removed it."

This time, Ulquiorra didn't respond. Uryū stepped forward to stand next to him, turning to look at the town below them likewise. For a short time, the two stood there in silence.

"Did any of the other Espada survive?" Uryū asked at last.

"To my knowledge," answered Ulquiorra, "no."

"So you're the last of your kind?"

"Hollows will always evolve. Menos will arise; Adjucas will emerge; Vasto Lorde will be born. If I am the last, it is only a temporary condition."

"But you were created with the Hōgyoku."

"No," replied Ulquiorra calmly. "I am one of only two Espada who were not created with the Hōgyoku."

Uryū lifted an eyebrow, looking at Ulquiorra in surprise. He didn't express it in words, however, turning back to the view before them and replying simply, "I see." He pushed his glasses back, clearing his throat uncomfortably. "I know that you and I are complete opposites," he began. "You are a Hollow; I am a Quincy. But . . . I do know how it feels to be the last of my kind."

Again, Ulquiorra said nothing.

"It's a feeling that most people don't understand," continued Uryū. "The feeling of being separate and unique; the feeling of being alone, even when surrounded by others. It's as if you can stand in the midst of thousands of people and yet not be a part of any of them, knowing that none of them will ever be like you. The pride we feel in our race ─ in our uniqueness ─ may be comforting, but . . . it still means being alone." Again, he paused before continuing. "You mentioned that Kurosaki interested you and that you would be willing to learn more of him. He is the reason that I am no longer alone, though I am still the last of the Quincies. I have found that although others may be different from myself, yet there may be commonalities that I once overlooked, because I focused only on that which is different." He turned to look at the Espada. "It is possible that, if you try, you will find that you have more in common with those around you than you imagine."

For a short time, Ulquiorra continued to stare calmly ahead of himself, saying nothing.

"Why is it," he asked at last, "that humans feel the need to share empathy with others?"

Uryū blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Kurosaki tried to tell me that I am like him," replied Ulquiorra, "that he 'knows how I feel.' Now you say the same. Why? Why is it that you both feel the need to share similar circumstances with others?"

"It's a part of being human," replied Ishida. "And it's what forms the basis for any amicable relationship. Where commonalities can be recognized, understanding can occur."

"I am not human."

"You were once."

Ulquiorra looked at him then. "I lost that which made me human long ago."

"You're speaking of the human heart, I know," replied Ishida. "I know how Hollows are created. Personally though, I don't agree with the Shinigami assessment there. If it's the heart that makes a person human, then there are humans who are less 'human' than Hollows."

Ulquiorra didn't respond. He simply looked at the Quincy, waiting for the other to continue.

"Do you know one of the major differences between Quincies and Shinigami, apart from how we kill?" asked Uryū. "The Shinigami hunt and kill Hollows because of what they are; Quincies hunt and kill Hollows because of what they do. A Quincy would not restrict himself to harming only Hollows; if a human was a threat to other humans, then a Quincy would not hesitate to destroy him. If a Shinigami is a threat, the Quincy will likewise destroy him." He looked at Ulquiorra again. "Why else would I, a Quincy, be standing here, having a conversation with an Arrancar? Despite what you are, Kurosaki is correct: apart from myself and him, you haven't harmed anyone here, so far as I know, nor do I see any indication that you plan to do so."

Still, Ulquiorra said nothing.

"I've wanted to ask you since you came," continued Uryū, turning now to face Ulquiorra fully. "Why are you here? And should I consider you to be a threat?"

There was then silence between them as Ulquiorra considered his answer. Uryū waiting patiently, giving the other time.

"I eschew meaningless violence," said Ulquiorra at last. "I am no threat to those who are not my enemies."

Ishida nodded. "Should I take your answer to mean that you will not tell me why you are here?"

"I am here for information," replied Ulquiorra, turning away again. "That is all."

Without another word, he lifted the discarded gigai, donned it, glanced once more at Uryū, and then sonidoed away.

A/N: It is true that Ulquiorra was an Arrancar before joining Aizen's army, so I didn't make that up.

Also, credit where credit is due: Orihime's imaginary "Espada Elementary School" was inspired by the fan-fic "My Espada Boys" by TheCatWithTheHat. That fan-fic has also inspired me with another idea for an AU adventure which I would love to write someday.

Thanks in advance for any and all reviews!