Chapter 13

A Battle

A/N: Very minor swearing in this chapter. If you're under twelve, you have been warned.

Also, I'm sorry for the late update on this. Apart from work being crazy, my mind keeps coming up with new AU adventures that I want to write. I promise not to start publishing any of them before I finish this one, but I will likely take the time to write at least a few outlines and maybe some chapters. Is it impressive or just pathetic that I'm up to fifteen other story ideas, all starring Ulquiorra? Once I finish this one, I may take a poll as to which of them I should try to publish next. :)

Orihime paced nervously around the otherwise empty apartment. How long had it been? She looked at the clock, reminding herself that he really hadn't been gone that long yet, and their talk would likely take a while, and really, the longer it took the better, right? Or was that wrong? If it was taking a while, was that a bad sign? After all, Kurosaki-kun didn't seem one to talk a lot; he preferred to fight.

Were they fighting?! No! They mustn't do that!

Oh, no, of course they wouldn't be fighting. Kurosaki-kun couldn't fight on Ulquiorra's level anymore, right? Yes, that was right. There was no way that he would try to fight him now.

But then why was it taking so long?!

A knock on the door startled Orihime from her worrying. Who could that be? With a mild sense of unease, she moved to open the door.

Ulquiorra and Orihime had talked late on the night previous, discussing what it would mean and how it would work if Ulquiorra was to stay. It was clear that both now wanted this, and Orihime would have been content to leave it at that: she wanted him to stay; he wanted to stay; therefore he should stay. The rest would work itself out as it came. Ulquiorra, on the other hand, preferred to know what he was doing, what was likely to be the consequences, and how he would deal with them.

The most immediate concern in both of their minds was Kurosaki Ichigo. True, he was no threat at this time, but he was a close friend of Orihime's, and Ulquiorra refused to underestimate him, even in his current condition. After all, he had seen this human rise from the dead, once figuratively and twice literally. He had little to no doubt that Kurosaki would regain his ability to stand on Ulquiorra's level or possibly even as his superior in time. For these reasons as well as those of friendship, it was decided that Kurosaki would be the first with whom Ulquiorra would speak of this plan. If Kurosaki did not approve of him staying here ─ not merely as a visitor but as a constant companion and perhaps more to Orihime ─ then there could be trouble. Of course, such trouble would not destroy their own plans; it would simply reshape them slightly.

If Kurosaki was in favor, then speaking with the Quincy and Urahara would come next. To these two, Orihime could speak, although Ulquiorra had no objection to being present. Afterward, Orihime could speak with any of her friends whom she cared to tell (and he suspected from her excitement that that would include every human in this city), but Ulquiorra had no interest in the reactions of any beyond those three. The two young men were the only humans apart from Orihime with whom Ulquiorra had had any significant interaction in this town, and Urahara was not someone to be simply ignored nor taken for granted.

So it was that after school this day, Ulquiorra had returned to the apartment only to change and had then left immediately to visit the home of his former adversary, the man who had once killed him: Kurosaki Ichigo.

Ulquiorra's calm knock was answered by a small, human girl with blond hair who smiled pleasantly.

"Hello," she said. "Can I help you?"

"I wish to speak with Kurosaki Ichigo," replied Ulquiorra. "I believe he is here."

"Onii-chan is upstairs," nodded the girl. "Please come in. Are you a school friend?"

"I do attend his school," answered Ulquiorra obliquely, following her into the little house.

Once inside, Ulquiorra met the wide-eyed, almost terrified gaze of another young girl, this one with black hair. She stared at Ulquiorra with such horror that he realized that she must know what Hollows were and had, perhaps, had interactions with them in the past. The first girl clearly had no idea of who it was that had entered their home, but this second one did. Ulquiorra momentarily considered assuring this girl that he was no threat, but he quickly decided that that determination had best be left to the young man with whom he had come to speak. Kurosaki could state whether or not this girl should fear him so.

"Onii-chan!" shouted the blond girl, walking up the staircase, wholly oblivious to her almost panic-stricken companion. "There's someone here to see you!"

Ulquiorra waited where he was. He glanced at the other girl again, and she shuddered.

"Who are you?" she whispered.

"I see that you know what I am," he replied. "Does it matter then who?"

The girl swallowed. "Are you here to ... to kill Ichigo?"

"I am merely here to speak with him. I mean him no harm."

From the girl's expression, it was clear that he hadn't convinced her. Still, her opinion was irrelevant to him, so he chose to ignore her again, seeing that she seemed to have asked all that she intended to ask.

"Cifer!" came a shout from the staircase. "What the hell are you doing here?!"

"Kurosaki Ichigo," replied Ulquiorra calmly. "I wish to speak with you."

"And you couldn't talk to me today at school?!" Kurosaki leapt across to him (still complaining loudly), grabbed him by the arm, and attempted to drag him upstairs. Ulquiorra lifted an eyebrow, considering refusing to move, but decided that it would be simplest to comply. So he allowed himself to be half-led, half-drug up the narrow staircase as Kurosaki loudly voiced his disapproval of the other's presence. "──and would it have killed you to say something about wanting to talk, rather than just showing up like this?"

"Onii-chan!" came the voice of the blond-haired girl after them. "Supper's almost ready! You'll invite your friend to stay, won't you?"

Kurosaki apparently didn't hear her; he didn't respond, or at least not to her, as the two reached a small bedroom at the top of the staircase with which Ulquiorra was already mildly familiar, at least by sight.

"──and why can't you come in the window like a normal spirit, so that my family won't see you?!" Kurosaki demanded, still not giving Ulquiorra a chance to answer. "Do you have any idea how much trouble you and I would both be in if my old man was here?! You'd better be glad he's working late tonight! If he was here──"

They had entered the bedroom by this point. Kurosaki closed the door and dropped onto his bed. Finally, he took a breath, having apparently finished his rant. He motioned Ulquiorra to a chair.

"So," he asked, seeming to have calmed himself a little. "What are you doing here anyway?"

"As I said, I wish to speak with you."

"Okay. Go ahead."

"Kurosaki Ichigo," intoned Ulquiorra, looking at him seriously. "I have decided that I wish to remain in the Land of the Living indefinitely. Out of respect for yourself, I intended to discuss it with you before making it known to anyone else."

Kurosaki blinked. "Wow," he said. "That's a surprise. Have you told Inoue? I don't think that she's prepared to have a Hollow roommate 'indefinitely'."

"Inoue Orihime is the reason that I am staying. I wish to remain at her side."

Kurosaki looked at him, waiting for him to continue, and Ulquiorra merely returned the look, waiting for him to understand. When he did, Kurosaki's eyes popped open wide, then narrowed in a frown. He glared at Ulquiorra, as if trying to decide whether the latter was joking. Once he had assured himself that he wasn't, he began what Ulquiorra would have referred to as a fully-expected tirade.

"WHAT?! You can't be serious! Are you serious? That's disgusting! What do you want with Inoue? You can't possibly mean what I think you mean! Or do you?!"

"Knowing the similarities between your own mind and that of Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, the sixth Espada, I've little doubt that I do not mean what you think I mean. However, not knowing with any certainty what you are thinking, I cannot say definitively. Perhaps you would care to elaborate."

"How about you elaborate?! What are you thinking? What do you mean you want to stay by her side? Are you talking about ... um... AND I'M NOTHING LIKE GRIMMJOW!"

"I would disagree with you. But that aside, I will say that Inoue Orihime is in favor of the arrangement. She and I have discussed this, and she wishes me to stay also."

"What did you say to her?!"

"I doubt that it was any single thing that I said."

"Okay, well, be general. What did you tell her?"

"I fail to see how this is relevant."

"Relevant, my ass! I want to know what you said to her to make her think that she wants you to stay with her 'indefinitely'!"

Ulquiorra closed his eyes and sighed. "Deny it if you wish, but you are like Grimmjow."

"I am not!"

"If your only objection is that Inoue Orihime ought not to prefer my company, than that is something you may discuss with her. If, however, you have any other objection to my remaining here, I request that you name it."

Kurosaki calmed himself again and looked at Ulquiorra seriously.

"Cifer," he asked. "Do you ... like her?"

Ulquiorra likewise lifted his expressionless gaze to meet Kurosaki's directly.

"Yes," he answered simply.

"And does she, um, like you too?"

"She has said that she does, and I believe her to be sincere."

Kurosaki blinked. He then blinked again. At last, he took a deep breath and let it out.

"Wow," was all he seemed to be able to say. He scratched his head, looked at the ceiling, considered, looked back at Ulquiorra, shook his head, blinked his eyes, took a breath, and scratched his head again.

"I guess ... if it's what you guys really want ... I mean..." He shook his head again. "Wow. That's just weird." He shrugged. "But I guess it's not that much different than a Shinigami and a human liking each other, and that's happened. Well, it happened once." He frowned. "It's still a good thing he's not here tonight though," he muttered. Heaving a sigh, he looked at Ulquiorra again. "So, are you planning to actually marry her?"

"I know that marriage is a normal human custom," replied Ulquiorra, "but I do not understand it fully. What exactly does it mean? What does it entail?"

"Um, well," Kurosaki stuttered again. "Marriage is ... when you love someone, and you tell them that, and you say that you want to be together for the rest of your lives."

"Hm," replied Ulquiorra, considering. "In that case, I would say that Orihime and I are already married."

"What?!" exclaimed Kurosaki. "You two──! Wait, no, that's not all that there is! Okay, just because you said that, doesn't make you married."

"Then what does it mean to be married?"

"It means taking care of each other, and loving each other, and not hurting each other, and ... and..."

"I repeat: in that case, we are married."

"You're not married! There's more to it than that!"

"What more?"

"It's ... I..." Kurosaki trailed off with a frown. "I don't know," he admitted finally.

"If you do not know what it is yourself as a human, then why would you expect me to know enough about it to be able to answer you?"

"It's not like that!" exclaimed Kurosaki. "I mean ... I know what marriage is ... it's just that..." He heaved another sigh and grumbled under his breath.

"Onii-chan!" came a young voice from downstairs. "Supper's ready!"

Ulquiorra waited for Kurosaki to respond to his sister, then, when he didn't, Ulquiorra rose to his feet.

"If you have no further questions nor objections," he said, "then I will take my leave. Would you prefer that I make my exit through your window?"

"Huh? No! I mean, not now that you came in through the door. I meant that when you come, you should come through the window, and then Yuzu and Karin won't see you. By the way, how did Karin take it?"

"If she is the dark-haired one, she asked whether I had come to kill you. I do not think that she believed me when I told her that I had not."

Kurosaki smiled and opened his mouth, but he was interrupted by another shout.

"Onii-chan! Are you coming? Is your friend staying for supper?"

"Ichi-nii!" came another voice. "Are you alright?"

"Coming!" shouted Kurosaki. He jumped to his own feet. "Come on, stay for supper," he said, motioning toward the door. "If you're going to be here for a while, you need to get better with being around humans anyway."

"I have no need of eating," began Ulquiorra, but Kurosaki cut him off with a wave of a hand.

"You need to get used to pretending to be human. You can't stay here 'indefinitely' and keep acting like a Hollow. Besides, you still haven't tasted good human food. Yuzu's the best cook I know. Also, Karin is going to need to get used to you too. Come on."

"You said that I should come to you secretly in future so that they would not see me; why then should they become accustomed to my presence?"

"No! If you're living here for a long time, then that's different. Just promise me that you won't fight my old man whenever you meet him."

Ulquiorra looked at him. "I do not understand."

Kurosaki shrugged with a chuckle. "Nevermind. You'll figure it out when you meet him. Just trust me. Come on."

Ulquiorra still hesitated, but Kurosaki again took hold of him to drag him back downstairs now. Preferring not to make a scene here, Ulquiorra allowed himself to be convinced to stay.

"... so Shūhei said, 'I'll tell him you were sick,' and I said, 'That's terribly sweet of you, but I think it's too late.' And then he turned around, and Taichō was standing right there!" Rangiku burst into laughter.

"Oh, poor Hisagi-san!" exclaimed Orihime. "I hope Toshirō-kun wasn't too hard on him."

"Oh, you know Taichō," shrugged Rangiku with a dismissive wave of the hand. "He's never in a good mood, no matter what you do."

Orihime smiled. Normally she would have argued this point, defending her other Shinigami friend, but tonight all she could think about was how much she hoped that Rangiku would leave before Ulquiorra returned. They hadn't had a chance to discuss what to do in the case of a Shinigami showing up unexpectedly, although she realized now that that's something that they really should have discussed, seeing that her apartment was practically a home-away-from-home for her two dear friends from the tenth squad. She supposed that she had just thought that there would be time to warn Ulquiorra, should either of them show up. But now, with him not here, and with her not knowing when he would get back, how could she warn him not to come in, or would he be able to sense Rangiku when he did come back before he actually came in? Orihime tried hard to hide her nervousness while also trying hard to think of a polite way to get Rangiku to leave.

"Oh!" she exclaimed suddenly. "I forgot! I have to go to the market to get scallions for tomorrow's dinner! I'm sorry, Rangiku-san; I hope you don't mind."

Rangiku tilted her head and looked at her curiously. "Isn't the market closed at this time of night?" she asked.

"Oh, yes!" Orihime blushed a bright red, though she tried to hide it behind a smile. "You're right! What was I thinking? Of course, it's closed! Well, I guess I'll have to get them tomorrow." She chuckled nervously. "Oh, but with how late it is, you probably need to get back, don't you? Toshirō-kun will be angry, won't he?"

Rangiku shrugged. "He's always angry," she replied. "It won't matter if I stay for a few more hours. I haven't seen you in so long. Besides, I still haven't told you what Ikkaku said!"

Orihime forced a smile and tried to hide the sweat beading on her brow. She stretched her senses to see whether she could feel Ulquiorra coming back, but she couldn't sense him. That meant that he wasn't close yet. She knew that he tried to keep his spiritual pressure cloaked, as much as he could with how massive it was, so she could never sense him when he was more than a few streets away. That was nice right now, because it told her that he wasn't close, but it was also a little nerve-wracking, seeing that she didn't know where exactly he was. So, having no better option, she turned her mental focus again to trying to come up with a reason to politely ask Rangiku to leave.

The Second Captain waited patiently. She could sense the Hollow approaching her position, but she had no fear of him sensing hers. Her own reiatsu was kept too well suppressed. As captain of the Stealth Force, remaining perfectly concealed was practically second-nature, but Suí-Fēng was careful to pay special heed to her own spiritual presence tonight, seeing the opponent that she would be facing. She noticed that he was keeping his reiatsu well-suppressed also, but not well enough. He must have thought that he was safe from attack here. She would show him that he was wrong.

As the Espada finally entered her line of sight, she smirked. He was clearly too much at ease here, and that would be his undoing: he didn't even have his Zanpakutō with him.

What a fool, she thought. He will regret underestimating the Gotei 13. Silently, she gripped her own Zanpakutō.

"Sting all enemies to death," she breathed, "Suzumebachi!"

The Espada was quick; she had to grant him that. Though he was given only the tiniest fraction of a second between when Suí-Fēng entered his sight and when her Zanpakutō touched him, his own sonido was nearly quick enough to save him. Suí-Fēng felt the tip of her blade enter his right shoulder at almost the same time that he vanished, but she did not take time to gloat. Moving with all of the speed for which she was known, she darted after him. She mustn't give him even a moment to think or pause; she had to strike again and quickly. Time was her greatest enemy now.

A second, perhaps, and the two were away from the town, darting through a dense portion of forest. Suí-Fēng supposed that this might be where he had stashed his blade, and that thought drove her to an even quicker burst of speed. Appearing suddenly in front of him, she thrust her blade forward. He stopped with impressive reflexes and managed to block the blow, receiving the second sting in his left arm instead of his face before vanishing back the way he had come.

"Too slow!" Suí-Fēng shouted, leaping after him again.

The dense forest may have slowed another captain, and the Espada did seem to be trying to use it to his advantage, but Suí-Fēng was completely unhindered. She dashed after him, often cutting ahead of him to force him back. In the next few approaches, she was unable to land more than a single sting, this one to his right arm, but she was at least comforted by the fact that he could not escape her. He was quick; she was quicker.

All at once, he leapt straight upward, possibly hoping to lose her amongst the thick branches, but Suí-Fēng dashed after him, pivoting in mid-air and shooting forward suddenly. She saw in his eyes that he realized his mistake, but by then it was too late.

Her blade found its mark, exactly where the last one had hit on his right arm.

A green cero appeared practically in her face at the same time, so Suí-Fēng had to dart quickly out of the way, barely singed by the unexpected attack. He had switched direction again, sonidoing down toward the ground, and Suí-Fēng spun around to follow him, but she was no longer concerned: the second sting had already been struck.

Orihime gasped, jumping up from where she was sitting. That had been Ulquiorra's reiatsu! It had flared up for only an instant, but it had most certainly been his! What was happening?!

"Orihime?" asked Rangiku, looking at her curiously. "Is something wrong?"

"I'm sorry, Rangiku, but I have to go!" she exclaimed, rushing toward the door.

Just as quickly, she was stopped by a grip on her arm.

"Orihime, what's the hurry?" asked Rangiku with a too-bright smile. "Surely there's nothing that urgent this late?"

"There's ... something I have to..." Orihime struggled to come up with an excuse, but her mind was far too distracted.

"Orihime," cooed Rangiku, still smiling. "Come and sit down; there's no need to rush out right now."

"Rangiku-san..." muttered Orihime, looking at her friend uncertainly as doubt entered her mind. There was no way that the Shinigami lieutenant had not felt that flare in reiatsu. Why wasn't she rushing out into the night also? "Rangiku," she stuttered. "D-d-didn't you feel that?"

"Oh, it's just a normal Hollow attack, I'm sure," shrugged Rangiku. "The others will handle it; don't you worry!"

"The others?" asked Orihime, her eyes widening in horror. "Is Toshiro-kun here?"

"No, not tonight," Rangiku shook her head. "But don't worry about it."

Orihime swallowed. "I'm sorry, Rangiku, but I have to go. Someone could be hurt!"

"They won't need you," Rangiku assured her calmly. "Trust me, Orihime; they can handle it."

Orihime felt her blood run cold. Fear gripped her heart as she knew that she needed to find Ulquiorra right away. Yanking her arm suddenly from her friend, she rushed out of the apartment.

"I'm sorry, Rangiku!" she called back over her shoulder as she ran.

"Orihime!" Rangiku called after her. When her friend didn't stop, Rangiku shook her head with a frown before leaping to the roof of the next building and flash-stepping into the night herself. She knew where her little friend was going, and she had to be sure to be there first.

Suí-Fēng broke through the branches just in time to see the pale body strike the ground heavily. The Hōmonka glowed and grew momentarily before the Espada dissolved into ash.

Landing on the ground herself, Suí-Fēng exhaled deeply. It had not taken long, as she had predicted, but it had still been a challenge. She was moderately surprised that he could move so quickly without releasing his Zanpakutō. Hitsugaya Taichō had clearly been right about not taking him too lightly. Still, it was over now. The Espada was dead.

"You cannot know the inconvenience you have caused me by destroying that," came a deep voice from above her.

Suí-Fēng spun around instantly. Her eyes widened in horror as she saw the Espada, perfectly undamaged, standing above her. As she noticed the pristine, white uniform and the partial Hollow mask, she realized her own mistake: the body she had just destroyed had been merely a gigai. He was now in his true form and would doubtless be even stronger and quicker than he had been.

Who would create a faux body that looks like an Espada? she thought briefly. Doesn't that defeat the purpose of wearing one?

Suí-Fēng was then unable to suppress the short gasp of horror as she noticed his hand resting comfortably on the green hilt of a long Zanpakutō.

"Enclose," came the deep voice once more. "Murcielago."

Suí-Fēng braced herself to keep from being thrown back by the force of the massive wave of reiatsu that burst forth from the Arrancar. Trees were thrown aside like twigs as he allowed the full force of his might to flow out of him without the least suppression. Suí-Fēng gritted her teeth. This didn't look good. His altered appearance, while not terribly different from his original (excepting the massive black wings), exuded a force which she strongly doubted she could take alone. Even so, she wasn't about to go out without a fight.

"Impressive," she smirked, forcing a contemptuous expression across her face, "but you should know that I'm the one who defeated the Second Espada. You're the Fourth; you should only be half as difficult."

The Hollow before her didn't answer. His already dark expression didn't grow any darker with her taunts. His eyes never blinked and never left her face. He didn't move. Suí-Fēng prepared herself, watching him closely. If she could somehow catch him off-guard, she might still be able to do this. Without warning, she darted forward.

The speed at which he avoided her blow was such that she didn't even see him move. He was standing calmly in one place, and suddenly he was standing just as calmly in another place. As she pivoted and dashed back again, not taking time to wonder at his speed, the Espada again disappeared from before her just as she would have touched him. Again, he merely appeared nearby, still watching her darkly.

After a third failed attempt, Suí-Fēng paused. She knew that she needed another strategy and quickly.

"Coward," she taunted. "Is running all you can do?" She gauged the distance to him, noted a tree just behind him, and prepared to launch herself past him, hoping to surprise him with a different approach.

It was a strange feeling when Suí-Fēng then realized that the Espada had moved. She could see it, albeit just barely. She knew that he had now chosen to advance on her; she could see that his speed was such that she couldn't get out of the way; it was as if she was frozen in time, watching him advance and yet unable to do anything about it. He had been standing still, watching her calmly, and now he was upon her, his hand around her throat, and he didn't stop. Suí-Fēng felt her body thrown through the air, propelled by the deadly grip on her throat, and yet she was still unable to do anything.

Suddenly, her body smashed into the ground, the ice-cold hand still around her neck, creating a significant crater, she was sure. Even so, she managed to keep her senses enough to bring her blade up to pierce his outstretched arm. She reached forward with her left hand also, meaning to catch hold of him as he held her, but the white limb disappeared just before either of her hands could make contact. She found herself stabbing and grasping at the air.

Before she had a chance to rise, Suí-Fēng saw a green lance come hurtling toward her. With a gasp, she quickly moved aside, barely avoiding the powerful attack. She regained her footing on the instant, turned to dart toward the Espada, but he was then behind her, striking her across the back with enough force to snap a lesser Shinigami in two. Suí-Fēng was again thrown through the air, but she managed to catch herself this time, stopping her momentum quickly. Focusing everything within her into a single flash-step, she darted back toward the Espada who again stood still, watching her.

It was less than the blink of an eye before she was upon him, but she didn't strike. Rather, she feinted a blow and then pivoted again, spinning to the right and striking in earnest at his exposed neck, but she found an iron grip awaiting her. Her eyes widened as she saw that her hand was caught. How had he reacted so quickly?

Deadly, poisonous, green eyes turned to look at her, and Suí-Fēng felt a chill run down her spine. With excruciating firmness, his hand closed further, crushing her wrist. Suí-Fēng hissed, trying to draw back from him and refusing to scream. He didn't let go.

"Hado Raik──" cried Suí-Fēng, raising her left hand to point at him. Before she could finish the incantation, however, his formerly free hand again took hold of her throat, crushing through her windpipe. She tried to gasp, still refusing to show the horror that she felt.

"I have been lenient with you thus far," the deep, dead voice spoke. "There is nothing to stop me from killing you here and now."

Suí-Fēng struggled against his grip, but she quickly felt dizziness begin to overtake her senses. If she wasn't able to escape his grip quickly, she truly would die. But how was she to get away?

Just as the darkness began to take her sight, the Espada again threw her sharply into the ground.

Suí-Fēng gasped, pressing her left hand to her throat. Her right hand was completely crushed, and she knew that she could no longer defend herself. Not rising, she turned to face her opponent, preferring to look death in the eye than to receive it in the back.

Moving slowly and calmly now, the Espada lifted his right hand to point at her. A black, glowing orb formed at his outstretched fingertip, and Suí-Fēng again felt fear grip her. The power of the cero he was charging was beyond any that she had ever witnessed, and she knew that she did not have the strength to get out of the way quickly enough.

"If you leave and swear never to face me again," came the cold voice as the cero swirled before her eyes, "then I will allow you to live. If not..."

Suí-Fēng grit her teeth. She knew that her next words might be her last, but she didn't care. With all of the breath in her, she snarled at him:

"Go to hell!"

His hardened expression didn't change. His cold eyes didn't flinch. Suí-Fēng braced herself for the final strike.

Just then, a flash of black and orange crossed her vision, and another Shinigami appeared in front of her, Zanpakutō at the ready.

"Matsumoto!" she snapped. "Get out of here! He's too strong for you!"

"I won't stand by and watch you die, Suí-Fēng-Taichō," replied the ginger-haired woman. "If necessary, I'll die fighting beside you."

"Idiot," grumbled Suí-Fēng.

To her surprise, however, she saw the black cero fade and the Espada's hand lower to his side as he regarded the newcomer.

"You could not hope to defeat me," he said calmly, looking now at Rangiku. "You could not so much as touch me. Why would you insert yourself into this fight, knowing that you stand no chance?"

Rangiku laughed. "I guess I'm just crazy," she grinned. "Growl, Haineko!"

Rangiku's Zanpakutō dissolved into ash and flew forward to surround the Espada. For his part, the Hollow still didn't move. The ash swirled around him, and Rangiku whipped back the hilt of her Zanpakutō suddenly, the ash flying back to her. She then stared in amazement as the Espada continued to stand, wholly undamaged.

The Zanpakutō reformed itself in her shaking hands, and Rangiku braced herself, trying to hide her own fear.

"Pathetic," the Espada said simply.

"Matsumoto," hissed Suí-Fēng. "Leave now!"

"No, Taichō," replied Rangiku, gripping her Zanpakutō, her eyes never leaving the enemy before her. "I'm not leaving!"

The Espada again lifted his hand, but this time he held it out to one side. An eerie glow surrounded him for but a moment, and then his wings dissolved into reishi as his body resumed its former appearance. A long, green-hilted Zanpakutō formed in his hand. Without a word, he returned the blade to its scabbard. Placing his hands in his pockets then, he turned to leave.

"Wait," exclaimed Suí-Fēng. "Where do you think you're going? Are you running away?"

The Hollow paused. Glancing back at them, he replied calmly, "I have no reason to kill you. You have been defeated, and you know that you live only by my mercy."

Suí-Fēng hissed angrily but didn't answer.

"Consider yourself fortunate," continued the Espada, "that I do not see you as a threat. If I did, I would be tempted to finish this."

With that, he turned again and disappeared into the woods.

Rangiku let out a long breath, leaning forward and resting her hands on her knees. Suí-Fēng merely pulled herself up to a sitting position, gripping her crushed right arm and trying to decide how many broken ribs she had.

"Ulquiorra!" came a sudden cry as a young, human girl burst into the recently formed clearing. She pulled up quickly, gasping for breath and looking about herself in confusion. "W-w-where is he? What happened?"

Suí-Fēng frowned darkly, recognizing the young friend of Kurosaki Ichigo: the girl taken by Aizen for the sole purpose of splitting the Gotei 13's forces at the time of the most crucial battle of the Winter War.

"Orihime," said Rangiku, replacing her own Zanpakutō and stepping forward. "There's no need for you to be here."

"Rangiku, where is he?" Orihime demanded, clearly frightened. "Please! I know that I felt him here. What happened to him?!"

"If you mean the Espada," growled Suí-Fēng, rising painfully to her feet, "then I have to ask: why are you so concerned for him?"

Orihime gasped, seeing her injuries. "Oh!" she exclaimed. "What happened? Here, please sit down, and let me heal you."

"Keep your distance, girl, and answer my question!" snapped Suí-Fēng.

"Taichō," chided Rangiku. "Orihime is a master of healing, you know. Please let her heal you."

"I've no need of help from traitors!" retorted Suí-Fēng. Turning again to the surprised human girl, she again demanded, "Why are you concerned for the Espada? Have you joined forces with him?"

Orihime swallowed uncomfortably. "Please," she stammered. "He's not evil now. He wants to stay here and live like a human."

"He's an Arrancar!"

"I know, but he's not bad now!" exclaimed Orihime. "Please, you have to believe me. He won't hurt anyone. He's nice. Really, he is!" Looking around herself, she asked again, "Where is he? He was here, wasn't he?"

"He left," replied Rangiku. She sighed. "Orihime, do you know what he's doing here?"

"He just wants to live a normal life," insisted Orihime. "He doesn't want to hurt anyone."

Suí-Fēng scoffed. "Ridiculous! A Hollow 'live' a normal life? He's not even alive! And as to not doing any harm, what would you call all of this?"

She motioned to the destruction all around them. Orihime looked around herself cautiously and then licked her lips.

"W-w-what happened?" she squeaked.

"This is the least that you can expect to happen with an Espada here," hissed Suí-Fēng. "If he is allowed to stay, then he will destroy this entire city and everyone in it! I can assure you: far worse than this will happen to everyone you know if he is not removed quickly. Remember, girl; your precious substitute-Shinigami is powerless. Soul Society is the only thing that can stop this threat from destroying everything you hold dear."

"Ulquiorra isn't a threat!" exclaimed Orihime. "He's not going to destroy anything! Please believe me!"

Suí-Fēng merely shook her head. "Just what did he do to you while he had you in Hueco Mundo?" she muttered, speaking more to herself than to the girl before her.

Orihime blinked at her in shock. She opened her mouth, but no words came.

"Come, Matsumoto," said Suí-Fēng. "Let's go."

Rangiku smiled sadly at Orihime and stepped forward to give her little friend a hug.

"Please take care of yourself, Orihime," she whispered into her ear. "Don't let this Hollow use you again."

"Rangiku," whimpered Orihime, so shocked at what they were implying that she couldn't even gather her thoughts enough to respond.

Rangiku, however, just smiled at her again before turning and leaving with the still-wounded Second Captain.

A/N: Estimating strength/speed levels in Bleach is like calculating power levels in DBZ. Generally, it can't be done. For this fight, I considered the following: Bankai-Ichigo was able to take Shikai-Byakuya, who I assume would be able to take Shikai-Suí-Fēng. Hollified-Bankai-Ichigo was insanely stronger than regular Bankai-Ichigo, and yet he couldn't even scratch non-released-form-Ulquiorra. All the Shinigami had fought and strengthened themselves significantly, but Ichigo likewise skyrocketed in power after his fights with Grimmjow and Nnoitra. Even so, with that massive boost, his Hollified-Bankai still couldn't even follow the movements (at first) of Ulquiorra's first release. Hence, in my opinion, Shikai-Suí-Fēng wouldn't be able to touch him in that form either. I gave her the benefit of the doubt and had her able to follow some of his movements, although in actuality she would probably have to be in a Bankai state for that. Her Bankai, however, would be useless against Ulquiorra. Her Shikai would be good for a surprise attack, but she'd be useless against him alone in a sustained battle. Feel free to comment/PM if you have a differing opinion.