A/N: Much love to my readers! Especially those that take the time to review! *hugs*
Orihime reappeared on the other side of the Garganta, just inside the park in fake Karakura Town. Immediately she could sense the crippling tension in the air. "The other Shinigami…they're fighting the Arrancar!" Looking up into the sky she could see a tall, circular wall of flames barricading Aizen inside; outside a very calm Head Captain Yamamoto. The group could hear battles being waged across the city; buildings collapsing, explosions being heard. They could only be grateful that this town was a fake.
Finally after Ulquiorra emerged, Grimmjow withdrew his reiatsu from the Garganta, sealing it.
The small company looked to the Espada expectantly; though he only had eyes for the woman before him. Going to her, grasping shoulders, he told her, "When I release, you will be as far away from this place as possible. I will not have you harmed by my hand."
She glared up at him, "I am staying!" she said firmly, "I won't leave…" you.
His eyes softened somewhat to Orihime, but to everyone else he still looked like the cold, stoic Arrancar.
"I will speak to the Head Captain." With that, he vanished, leaving the distraught woman behind.
"IS HE NUTS?" Ichigo roared, using Shunpo to catch up with the Espada.
"Tch. Do you really have to ask?" Grimmjow yelled, disappearing after them.
The rest of the group followed suit, leaving Orihime alone with Ishida and Sado.
Ulquiorra appeared about twenty yards away from the ancient shinigami, soon joined by Ichigo, Grimmjow, Renji, Rukia and Unohana.
Yamamoto opened his eyes halfway, taking in the odd site before him. The Espada that was with the traitor Orihime Inoue…why are my shinigami flanking him? And that blue haired Espada that fought the substitute soul reaper? The commander said nothing, waiting.
Bowing, Ulquiorra greeted the old warrior, "I am Ulquiorra Cifer, formerly the Forth Espada of Aizen's Arrancar Army. I am here to offer my assistance." He said respectfully.
"Is that so?" The Commander asked, suspicious. This is certainly unexpected; why would a Hollow wish to assist those who would most certainly kill him, given the chance. "Tell me why I shouldn't just kill you now."
Ulquiorra continued, "I will kill Aizen, I will help you win this war; I give my word."
"The word of a Hollow is meaningless to me. Prove to me of your allegiance. Then we shall see." Yamamoto commanded.
A terrible, demonic gleam entered the Espada's eyes. "Stay back Grimmjow, this is my fight." Not waiting for a response, the Espada used sonido to appear before the flames of Ryūjin Jakka. Focusing his reiatsu, he allowed it to pulse out of him in massive waves, slowly extinguishing the formerly invincible flames.
The ancient Shinigami's eyes widened. Impossible!
From the ground, Orihime could see Ulquiorra quenching the wall of fire with dense waves of reiatsu. Thinking quickly, she turned to the Quincy, "Ishida-kun, could you use condensed spirit particles to form a platform, and get us up there with everyone else?"
The Quincy's eyes narrowed, "But the Espada said for you to stay back…" He didn't wish to put Orihime in harms way.
"I don't care what he said!" she shouted, her fiery reiatsu flickering in and out, "Just get me up there!"
Uryu sighed, pushing his glasses back up the ridge of his nose.
Aizen noticed the temperature dropping, the fire fading. He also noticed a vaguely familiar reiatsu nearby…however it was much more massive and dense than he had ever remembered it. It…couldn't be…how did I not notice before?
Through the rapidly fading flames, Aizen could just make out the silhouette of his Forth Espada. Multiple thoughts ran through Aizen's mind after catching a glimpse of Ulquiorra's face through the flames, and quickly dismissed the idea that the Espada was here to help. Aizen's eyes narrowed. No. He is most assuredly not here to help; the look on his face…in his eyes…is much too cold…almost…menacing. Unconsciously stroking the Hōgyoku in his pocket, the ex-shinigami prepared himself for the possible confrontation before him.
With the last of the flames extinguished, Ulquiorra reigned in his reiatsu and prepared himself for the possible assault on his mind. Glaring at his former Master, the Espada allowed his rage to cloud his mind, affectively creating an impenetrable shield.
"Aizen," he seethed.
"Ulquiorra," the ex-captain replied.
"Why are you here?" Aizen questioned; already suspicious, but needing confirmation.
"To kill you." Ulquiorra disappeared, reappearing behind Aizen, firing a quick bala blast; which Aizen easily blocked with his bare hands.
He laughed. "Get serious Ulquiorra. I've felt your reiatsu, if you want to kill me, then fight! Don't hold back." Aizen unsheathed his Zanpakuto, slicing upwards attempting to slash open the Espada; but he was gone. Damn, he's fast! Suddenly he sensed a dense beam of spirit energy speeding towards him; he turned around bringing up his sword, barely blocking the huge green Cero; he flew backwards a couple blocks, lithely landing on his feet in the air.
They squared off, each eying the other with disdain and hatred.
Focusing his reiatsu, Aizen poured it into his Shunpo, going for maximum speed; he circled Ulquiorra. He was moving so quickly he left silhouettes lingering behind him; attempting to confuse the Espada.
Ulquiorra, not the least bit perturbed, closed his eyes and focused on Aizen's spiritual energy, enabling himself to follow the shinigami. Suddenly, Aizen's presence solidified behind him; quickly turning he withdrew his green Zanpakuto and blocked Aizen's attack. Ulquiorra glared into the cunning brown eyes he's grown to despise so much.
A manic grin appeared on Aizen's face, satisfied that he was able to get the Arrancar to withdraw his sword. Shoving the Espada back, Aizen advanced again, issuing a flurry of attacks on his opponent. Swiftly kicking Ulquiorra, Aizen focused his energy and thought, Hadō #54, Haien! A blast of purple spirit energy issued from Aizen's palm towards the unbalanced Arrancar.
Eyes widening slightly, Ulquiorra fired off a quick Cero, allowing himself to fall back as the Cero and Haien met and exploded above him; the shockwave threw him through the roof of the building below.
Aizen had braced for the explosion, and was unaffected. He smirked down at the gaping hole in the roof.
Yamamoto and the other shinigami watched on, as Ulquiorra was thrown into one of the buildings below.
Ichigo appeared anxious, "Why doesn't he release already? He said he could own that guy! Why is he delaying?"
Yamamoto sighed, knowing it unwise to go into a fight without any tricks up your sleeves. "Wait, Kurosaki, and we shall see what this Espada is capable of." Looking down, the old shinigami noticed the Quincy rising up on what appeared to be a blue board made of spirit particles, the red headed woman with him; a determined expression on her face.
Yamamoto turned and assessed the woman before him. Could she truly be a traitor if she is here to support her comrades, despite how dangerous it is to even be here?
"Hello, Head Captain," she addressed the commander, bowing slightly.
Yamamoto nodded in return.
"Where…where is Ulquiorra?" she asked the group tentatively.
"Tch, getting his ass kicked." Grimmjow nodded towards the destroyed roof.
Orihime gasped, clearly worried.
The Commander contemplated the small question and reaction from the woman; she's worried, about the Espada? Impossible!
Regaining consciousness, Ulquiorra pushed his way out of the rubble, sheathing his Zanpakuto, glaring up at the small circle of blue sky above him. Focusing his reiatsu, he jettisoned himself up out of the building.
Aizen had a smug look on his face, his Zanpakuto held casually at his side.
Ulquiorra stared emotionlessly as the man in front of him. Unsheathing his Zanpakuto, he pointed it at Aizen, "Isolate, Murciélago!" He released his reiatsu, and transformed.
The sky of fake Karakura Town turned black, and an eerie green and black rain started to fall.
Huge, black, bat-like wings erupted from the Espadas back. Then his mask formed over the other half of his head and sprouted a second horn. His uniform seared itself together down the middle, leaving a thick, black stripe; a thin black "x" had also appeared on his uniform exactly where his hollow hole was.
His green tears turned black and thickened.
Using sonido, he appeared before Aizen, slashing him across his chest.
Taken off guard, Aizen jumped back, skidding to a halt in the air, red seeped out across his uniform.
All across fake Karakura Town, small battles were being fought between Shinigami, Espada, and Vizard. All pausing in disbelief when they felt the combined reiatsu of Aizen and Ulquiorra hit them.
Tia Harribel felt the sudden increase of spirit pressure; worried, she abandoned her battle with the boy child captain, and fled to her Masters aid with the child on her heels.
Wonderweiss had been fighting the Vizard, Shinji, when the combined reiatsu of Ulquiorra and Aizen washed over him. Curious, he abandoned the battle with the Vizard, and fled towards his master.
Perplexed, the Vizard headed towards the source of the reiatsu as well.
Rangiku Matsumoto was currently staring down Tōsen when she felt it. Tōsen, sensing her distraction, issued forth a barrage of swords with his Shikai Suzumushi.
Rangiku gasped, expecting to be killed for her weakness, when suddenly she felt a familiar overpowering presence behind her. She looked up to see the face of her love Gin Ichimaru. He was pierced through with several of the Shikais swords. However that eerie grin was still plastered upon his face. "Hey, Rangiku-san."
Tears welled up in the women's eyes. "Gin…" The ex-captain collapsed into her arms. "Gin!"
"I'll be fine, Rangiku-san, it'll take more than a few knives to do me in, ya know."
Slightly perturbed, Tōsen left the couple in search of Komamura and Hisagi.
Captain Shunsui Kyōraku was fighting the First Espada, Coyote Stark, while his comrade, Captain Ukitake dueled Stark's other half, Lilynette.
Stark and Shunsui were going relatively easy on each other, neither wanting to take the fight seriously; both Arrancar and Shinigami being unmotivated and lazy; when they sensed the increase in spiritual pressure. Glad to have a reason to stop the fight, they took off in the direction it came from, an agitated Lilynette and bored Ukitake following closely.
Szayel had faced off with nobody. As soon as he had arrived at Karakura Town, he slunk to the shadows, a plan forming in his mind. He was currently standing beneath a water tower on a high rise building when he felt the combined reiatsu of Ulquiorra and Aizen hit him.
He stumbled back, eyes wide, Ulquiorra…He's here?
Szayel remembered the vision that Orihime had described to him every night and in such detail. Fearing for her safety, the Pink Haired scientist went off in the direction of her tiny reiatsu.
Orihime watched in horror as Aizen charged the newly transformed Espada, and the battle commenced. She looked around desperately at her friends and the shinigami, "Why are we just standing here? Why don't we help him! Surely you want to kill Aizen and win this war, let's go help him!" she pleaded with the people around her. How can they be so impassive? An odd sense of deja-vu enveloped her and her eyes widened. The vision!
"He seems to be doing fine by himself," Ichigo commented coolly as Ulquiorra flew at Aizen, slashing with his Zanpakuto causing a bright green blast to explode out of it. Was that his version of my Getsuga Tenshō?
It hit Aizen squarely in the chest, causing him to fall through the air into several buildings.
Quickly regaining his feet, Aizen cleared his head; raising his hand, he focused on the traitor above him.
"Shadows of the world, I beckon. Minions of darkness, spirits of the void, seize my enemies! Enclose and devour! A thousand sharp spears! Piercing prison! Eviscerate! Hadō 90, Kurohitsugi. Black Coffin!"
A spiky ball of darkness shot from the tips of Aizens fingers, hurdling towards the surprised Espada, encasing him in a black coffin of dense, pulsating, black and purple reiatsu. Hundreds of spears pierced the box, again and again, shredding the Arrancar within.
Aizen gasped; a wave of dizziness hitting him; having never cast the complete incantation of Hadō 90 until now. He leaned on his Zanpakuto, and tried to recuperate.
The coffin faded, a battered and bloody Ulquiorra emerged, falling to his knees. Choking, he spit out some blood, his vision blurred by white spots. I can't…breathe…He tried to take in some air but only choked on more blood. He collapsed; his hands on the ground before him. My—internal organs…destroyed…I cannot…regenerate! Closing his eyes, he whispered, "Ori…hime," before falling unconscious.
"Ulquiorra!" she screamed, tears running down her delicate cheeks, on the verge of hysteria at seeing her vision come true. "Please…you have to take me to him! I can heal him!" she begged the Quincy.
Orihime's friends looked at the desperate woman with a mixture of pity and confusion.
"Please…" she choked, her eyes never leaving the fallen Espada.
Nodding, Ishida reluctantly took Inoue to him.
Treachery
I can tell that you've never been true to me,
I can smell that your acting so fearfully,
I can hear what your hoping I want to hear,
I can feel the alarm bells are ringing in me,
I can touch but I know you don't feel a thing,
I can pray but I know you commit a sin,
I can sense now it's all become clear to see,
You're no good, and you mean no good, treacherously
-Shiro Sagisu
Chapter 13 teaser: Ulquiorras wings were now completely gone.
Note: I ended up splitting Ch 12 in half and so Ch 11's Teaser ended up being the one I should have used for Ch 13 D: sorry for any confusion!
An: WEEEEEEE! Now it gets real fun!
Treachery – I forget what episodes its in but its one of the more badass epic fight songs ^^
Tell me what you think of my Hado 90 incantation! I made it up all on my own! There was no recorded incantation for it anywhere ^^ I think it's neat. Of course the name for it, Hadō 90, Kurohitsugi. Black Coffin is all Tite Kubo hehe.