She was in her resurrection form, her transcendent feathered wings glowed through the bonds she was bearing.
Chains wrapped around her wings and bound her midsection, her hands were tied behind her back, her wrist was bleeding and it stained the solid white metal, Tartium, the strongest metal of Hueco Mundo.
"She is convicted of killing Nelliel Tu Oldelschwanck and trying to run away from Las Noches. As if that were the beginning of it, I know that for a long time now she has been planning the downfall of Lord Aizen." Szayel said.
He pulled on the chains and Zoe sat up painfully. She was on her knees and had her head bent to hide her face
"Do you have anything to say about this Zoephina Fon Eudenclaire?" Szayel questioned.
You hoped Zoe would reply to say something to prove her innocence.
"That is all I need to hear, don't you agree Lord Aizen." Aizen had his eyes trained on you.
"She is your Fraccion, Ulquiorra, I respect your opinion. What should we do with such a traitor?" he asked.
Set her free, let her come back to me, let her out of her chains, please, don't do anything else to hurt her. You thought to yourself
"You're silent Ulquiorra. Very well, then I'll decide this matter for myself. Zoephina Fon Eudenclaire, for treason against me and an Espada, you will die tonight."
There was a sinister smirk on his face "Now get her out of my sight."
All the other Espada left, casting wayward looks at Zoe, believing her to be the murderer that brought down Nelliel.
You followed the rest of the Espada out, afraid to look like you were offering sympathy. It seemed like Coyote came up and said something to you, but you were besides yourself and heard not a word about it.
It was a long wait, an agonizing wait, there was nothing you could do but think and think.
You thought about Lord Aizen and his sinister smile and his cruel sentence, you thought about Grimmjow with Nnoitra and Szayel, you thought about Nelliel, but most of all you thought about Zoe.
You thought about her smile, the way she tilted her head when she was especially happy, and her navy blue eyes that brought a sky of color to your world.
You thought about her standing up against Nnoitra on her first day, her clear and total indifference towards Lord Aizen, and her bravery against Grimmjow. Precious and beautiful Zoe, so innocent in everything she did, why didn't she say anything to Lord Aizen to clear her name?
You became frustrated and angry and maybe even a little mad at Zoe for not telling the truth. There was only a little time left.
Outside her prison Tesra stood guard with another female arrancar, the female lifted her weapon "Halt there! No one is suppose to come in here!"
Tesra lowered her sword "Its okay, just let it go." you gave him a brief look at gratitude
"I can only offer a little time, it will have to be brief Master Ulquiorra"
You entered the prison and felt your spiritual power go down. So it was this type of room, you disregarded the fact and looked at the girl in the middle of the room.
She had her back turned towards you, her chains were removed so that only her hands were shackled and a collar placed around her neck.
She didn't notice you for a long time, not until you came into the light and knelt down in front of her.
You placed your hand gently under her chin and lifted her face to you.
She opened her eyes and smiled "Its you, you came to see me."
"How is it that you re smiling right now. Just look at you!" you screamed.
Her wings were matted and bloody, there was a long gash that was still bleeding from her torso, and her wrists were raw and red from the shackles
"This isn't as bad as you think. I can think of times when I've been in worse pain."
"I just don't understand you. Why didn't you tell Lord Aizen the truth, your punishment wouldn't have been so harsh if you said something to him!"
Her eyes held yours steady "Would he have? Why would he have taken my word over the word of Grimmjow or Nnoitra? He is not a man of justice, it wouldn't have mattered either way."
She paused and started to move closer to you, but her chains restrained her from doing so.
"Let me get you out of here. I'll give you a chance to escape here and this place. I'll hold them off and you just run. you reach for your sword and held out the chain"
"You can't do that. I won't have you getting involved. There are still things here you need to do. But not me, I've lived long enough and I've found much happiness in you. That is all I can ask for. I won't have to fight anymore or hurt anymore people, I'm very happy about that."
You held her face and placed your head against hers
"Was I a good Fraccion?" she whispered.
"If I had to pick between you and a stronger arrancar to be my Fraccion, I would always pick you."
A wet droplet fell onto Zoe s face and then another, and you realized you were crying.
Zoe moved forward and kissed you on the lips gently and it brought back every single kiss you had until now
"I have always loved you more then I loved myself. So remember me and never forget what a wonderful thing love can be Ulquiorra, remember this."
Tesra opened the door
You straightened yourself up and let yourself be led out, knowing the next time you saw her would be the last time ever.
If there ever was a time when the wind stopped, the creatures of the desert slept, the sky turned the darkest black, and the moon eclipsed, it was this moment right now. Lord Aizen, Gin, Kaname, the Espada, the Fracciones, and the Numeros all came to witness.
Zoe was standing in her chains in front of everyone, but bonded as she was, her eyes said she was already free of them.
Lord Aizen, Gin, and Kaname viewed her on the side. Grimmjow, Nnoitra, Szayel viewed her from the back, and you as her front row audience.
"What a sorry disappointment for an arrancar you are, you have disgraced your master quiet intensely." Gin said as he came around to her front
"It would be most fitting if Ulquiorra be the one to end your life." Gin unsheathed his sword and swung the hilt over to you
"How about it now?" he asked.
You looked at the sword for a long moment and then at Gin, thinking about how you much you wanted to spear Gin through the heart with his own sword, then to hurt even a hair on Zoe s head.
"Gin, I am impatient." Lord Aizen sighed.
Gin smiled his usual and gripped the hilt on his own sword. With the tip of his sword he lifted Zoe's chin "I want to look into your eyes as the life drains out of them."
She turned her gaze to you, not regretful, not sad, nor anger or disappointment, happiness and love was all there was.
You could not look at what happened next, but you always remembered the pain in her last breath.
You took a breath and opened your eyes, out of the memories of your past, out of the time when there was Nelliel your best friend and Zoe your lover.
Orihime Inuoe had stopped crying a while ago and now she stood up.
"I understand now. You don't have to say anything more, I understand why you told me that story. I do love Ichigo more than anything else, I will sacrifice my own life to save his, I love him in the same way that...Zoe loved you."
"Will that be your final decision Orihimie Inuoe?"
she noddedv"I've never been more sure of anything else."
The window exploded, and half the room collapsed.
You felt immense spiritual pressure, and knew on the other side of this dust and rubble Ichigo Kurosaki would be waiting for you.
You dropped your sword on the ground and kicked it across the room, unarming yourself in front of the soul reaper
"What are you doing?" Ichigo asked, his free hand gripped his sword while the other shielded Orihime
"I'm not going to do anything." you said plainly, putting your hands in your pockets
"Aren't you going to fight me?" he asked again
"That was my plan originally, but come to think of it, I've become very tired of fighting over the years. It doesn't solve our problems now does it?"
he put down his sword "No it doesnt' solve our problems."
Orihimie gripped his arm and he embraced her, a smile creeping on his lips, he turned to you with his girl in his arms
"What will happen to you?" he asked,
you shrugged and sighed "Who knows, I can't see my future clearly, but you better get going."
He nodded and carried Orihime on his back heading out the hole from which he created in your room.
"Before you go, you might find this to be helpful."
You threw the little silver stone through the air and into Orihimes hands "Ulquiorra, but this is-"
"It'll guarantee your safe passage out of Hueco Mundo." They thanked you and then Ichigo and Orihime turned and left.
You sat against the only wall that wasn't destroyed, your sword next to you on the ground, staring at the moon
"Its been a long time now, but I can tell it was what you wanted me to do. If I know you, you would have wanted me to let them go together safely."
There was no reply. You unbuttoned the top of your jacket and ran your hands through your hair, admiring the moon, such a lovely moon.
The wind blew a soft breeze across your face, it was sweet and warm, as if it was an embrace from a long lost lover. You lifted your face to the wind and felt like the wind was kissing you, stroking your cheeks, so nostalgic.
His footsteps echoed through the doors closer and closer until "what a mess, you sure have let the place go to ruins." Gin smirked
"But that doesn't seem like the only thing you let go. Where is Orihime Inoue?"
You grabbed your sword and stood up facing him "Long gone now, but I wouldn't worry so much about them." you unsheathed your sword and pointed it at him
"It seems like we have a score to settle, Gin. I want to look into your eyes as the life drains out of them."