Chapter Two: The Prologue Part 2

("Impossible with his bare hands.") Ulquiorra thought, actually shocked That Hollow Ichigo had grabbed the javelin with his hand until it exploded as the smoke cleared Ulquiorra found himself staring into the face of the hollowfied Ichigo, who was glaring at him with his golden eyes this leaving Ulquiorra completely stunned, Then Hollow Ichigo lands a powerful strike across the Espada's torso with Tensa Zangetsu and also slicing off his right horn in the process.

Ulquiorra then began to fall to the ground

"I can't believe I lost to a Hollowfied human it's completely ludicrous."Ulquiorra quietly spoke. Suddenly Hollow Ichigo stepped on his head and begins charging a Cero, both Uryū and Orihime look on surprise as Ichigo wasn't though with the Espada just yet.

"I see no mercy how very hollow like." Ulquiorra noted. "Go ahead after all I lost to you, my life no longers has any meaning, Do it." Ichigo then fires a point-blank Cero at Ulquiorra, creating a large explosion.

As the Cero blasts through the dome Uryū and Orihime, see Ichigo standing in mid-air while holding Ulquiorra by his wings. Who was now unconscious and with half of his lower body missing, he then the unconscious Espada to the ground. Hollow Ichigo begins walking towards the unconscious Espada and what he did next surprise both Uryū and Orihime as he began to hold his Tensa Zangetsu right towards Ulquiorra's neck preparing to finish him off when suddenly Uryū appeared right next to Ichigo and grabs him by the wrist.

"That's enough it's over Ichigo you've won, he may be our enemy but there's no need to mutilate his body."

The Hollowfied Ichigo didn't react to the Quincy and began to struggle to move his arm, "Did you hear me Ichigo I said stop! If you go through with this you won't be human anymore"

The Hollowfied Ichigo still ignoring Uryū begins to move his Tensa Zangetsu closer to Ulquiorra's throat. "YOU HAVE TO STOP NOW ICHIGO!" Uryū shouted at Ichigo.

Suddenly, the Hollowfied beast turned on him and plunged his Tensa Zangetsu into his gut, and he hoisted the Quincy into the air and grab him by his throat, roaring at him before sending him flying to the ground.

"URYŪ!" Orihime cried in horror, she then rush towards him. She paused as she heard the haunting voice of the Hollowfied Ichigo.

"Help...her...Must...protect...her...help her...I must...I will...protect her" the Hollowfied Ichigo grunted his voice becoming more quiet and ragged.

Hearing this, Orihime's eyes widened. ("This is all my fault, it's because what I said, Ichigo is just trying to help. Why I trained so that I wouldn't be a burden to him, I came here to protect him, so why...why at the very end did I have to rely on Ichigo?)

Then to her horror she saw that Ichigo was charging a Cero from his horns and aiming it at Uryū.

"Ichigo don't do this, please listen to me Ichigo." Orihime screamed.

However before Ichigo could release his cero, when out of nowhere Ulquiorra appears right behind him and cutting off one of his horns with Luz de la Luna this leaving Orihime surprise not knowing what to do or even how to react to this. Then the Cero exploded, Ulquiorra fell back to the ground, grunting slightly at the pain, while Orihime raise her hands to her face to protect herself. After the smoke cleared, Ichigo's Hollow mask began to shatter revealing Ichigo face and it was completely paled and his eyes were lifeless, Orihime then watch Ichigo lifeless body began to fall to the ground. She began to run to Ichigo while calling his name.

Ulquiorra rose back up, he then turn to see Orihime who was at Ichigo side, "Don't leave me Ichigo I need you." He could hear Orihime cry's for Ichigo not to died, he then try to walk but he then notices one of his legs was in terrible conditions, ("My arms, legs and torso have regenerated, but it's all just for show, the internal organs he blasted are gone for good." He said in his mind. "If it hadn't ended with that last strike I would be the one laying there...dead.")

Suddenly a large amount of Reiatsu flows out of Ichigo`s body and swirl in the air above him and what happen next surprise Orihime, Uryū and even Ulquiorra as the large amount Reiatsu shot back into Ichigo and repair the hole in his chest.

"Unbelievable, the hole closed up." Uryū said while he was still in pain.

"Could that have been High-Speed Regeneration?" Ulquiorra asked in shock. "Ichigo are you...?" Orihime asked, looking down on her friend with conserved eyes. Ichigo suddenly pushed himself up, scaring Orihime a little bit, He quickly place his hand on his chest, only to find that the hole wasn't there anymore, "I'm still alive but didn't I have a giant hole in my chest?" "Yes, but your healed now Ichigo." Orihime replied. Ichigo then turn his attention to Orihime, "Orhime are you alright?" he ask in a concern tone, Orihime gave him a small nod, this made Ichigo have a small smile on his face but he was surprise that behind her was Uryū and he saw his Tensa Zangetsu was in Uryū stomach, Ichigo slowly got back up and just look in shock at the Quincy. "Uryū." He whispered quietly. "I see you finally...snap out of it." Uryū grunted, smiling despite the pain he was in. "Am I the one responsible for that wound?" he asked with a shock look on his face.

"You're a hard guy to kill." Said a calm voice behind him, Ichigo then turn and saw who said it and was in complete horror.

"Ulquiorra..." Ichigo said quietly, he just stared at Ulquiorra and the state he was in. Then suddenly Ulquiorra used Sonído and appear in front of Uryū, which cause the Quincy to be caught off guard, he then pulled the sword out of the Quincy's stomach which cause Uryū to scream in pain. Ulquiorra then throw the sword at Ichigo which landed in the ground, Ichigo first look at his Tensa Zangetsu and then at Ulquiorra. "Pick it up, let's finish this battle now." Ulquiorra said. "Was I the one who stabbed Uryū?" he asked the Espada. "What differences does it make?" Ulquiorra replied his voice almost sounding annoyed; he then summoned his Luz de la Luna. "I am also the one reasonable for cutting off your left arm and leg?" the soul reaper asked again this Ulquiorra just said nothing. "If that's what happen then you should cut off my left arm and leg!" Ichigo exclaimed. "What are you talking about Ichigo?!" Orihme exclaimed completely in shock on what Ichigo had just suggested to the Espada, even Ulquiorra de-summon his Luz de la Luna and had a stunned expression on his face. The person fighting you earlier was a hollowfied being with no consciousness it was not really me." The Substitute Soul Reaper explained. "If were gonna settle this fight I have to be in the same condition as you or we won't be evenly match." Ichigo once again stated, Ulquiorra now look at him with a more serious expression. "Hold on Ichigo, are you crazy?!" Uryū shouted despite the pain he was in he couldn't help but shout at Ichigo, "You can't be serious it's suicidal." Ulquiorra then began to take his battle stance "I'm fine with it. He calmly said, "If that's what you want that is what you will get." Just as he spread his wing when suddenly his wing began to slowly turn to ash this cause Ulquiorra eyes to go wide with surprise even Ichigo was stunned on what was happening to the Espada. Ulquiorra slowly turn his head to see the rest of his body slowly dissolving, "Hmph so this is how it ends." He commented, he turned his eyes back to the Substitute Soul Reaper, "Kill me Ichigo." Hearing this Ichigo became completely speechless. "You don't have much time left. I won't resist you I no longer have the strength to even walk, if you don't take this opportunity now our battle will remain unsettle forever." Ulquiorra stated. "I can't do it." Ichigo said while he grits his teeth. "What are you saying?" The Espada asked. "I don't want to not like this it's wrong." He clenched his fists in anger, THIS NOT THE WAY I WANT TO DEAFEAT YOU!" he shouted. Ulquiorra was shock by the Substitute Soul Reaper outburst, his eyes then started to return to their normal colour, the tear-like marks on his face began to return to normal as well, but he lowered his head "To the very end you just won't do want I want." His eyes turned slightly to look at Orihime, "And just when I was finally becoming a little bit intrigue with the way you humans behaved." Flashback "Are you afraid?" Ulquiorra asked Orihime, who just look at him quietly.

"It's over. You will die here you will die all by yourself with no one to witness it, so I want to know how afraid are you?" he asked.

"I am not, at all." Orihime responded in a calm voice, this cause Ulquiorra eyes to widen slightly. "You see now I know that my friends came to rescue me, so right now my heart...My heart is with them." Orihime added this time she had a faint smile on her face.

What nonsense you not sacred because your friends have come for you? You can't be serious? You really think they can save you?" he asked her.

"Absolutely when I heard that Ichigo and the rest of my friends arrived to rescue me, I was happy...but also very sad. I thought to myself: Why did they come for me, despite the hardships and battles that they would have to face? But then when Rukia got hurt and when I saw Ichigo fighting none of that mattered to me, anymore. I just didn't want them to get hurt, anymore. I wanted them to be alive. Then I realized that they must've felt the same way that I felt. If anyone of them were to disappear...then I would have the same thing because after all, my heart is with all of my friends." Orihime replied calmly.

Ulquiorra only stared at her and then said. "Your heart, you say? You humans always toss around that world so casually as if it's something you can hold in the palm of your hands. But my eyes can see everything nothing exits that I can see so if can't see it it's not real that is what I believe." Ulquiorra then walks towards Orihime. "Tell me what is a heart?"

He then slowly raised his right hand and had it almost pointed at Orihime's chest. "If I tore a hole in your chest would I see?" he then move his hand away from her chest and then to her face, his fingers were inches away from her eyes. If I split open your skull would it be there?" this cause Orihime eyes to widen with shock.

End of Flashback

Ulquiorra just like before raised his right hand, reaching out to Orihime with his last strength, "So let me ask you again girl, Are you afraid of me?"

Orihime gave him a tearful and compassionate look and said, No I'm not afraid really I'm not.

Ulquiorra carefully listened to her answer, "I understand." He replied. Then Orhime slowly raise her right hand and tried to grab Ulquiorra hand but just as their hands were about to touch, when suddenly Ulquiorra right hand slowly started to dissolve with the rest of his body. ("I see now.") Ulquiorra thought as his body continued to dissolve at a fast pace. ("In the palm of my hand...is a heart.") With that final thought his body completely turned to ash and began to vanish from Hueco Mundo forever.