"How much do you actually know about the events of the Arrancar War?" Ichigo asked.
"Very little," I replied honestly. "The higher-ups in Soul Society keep the details heavily under wraps. All I know is that the captains defeated the Espada over the fake Karakura Town and forced Aizen back into Hueco Mundo. The Garganta was sealed and Aizen and his forces were locked there. That is what was told to us."
Ichigo looked at me, seemingly disappointed in what I knew. He sighed and turned toward his house.
"Come inside. I need a drink and then I'll tell you the story."
I followed him inside, keeping a constant watch for Hollows, with Orihime close behind me, still playing with Sora. Ichigo led us to the kitchen and pulled out a chair for Orihime. I sat down across from her. Ichigo grabbed a glass of water and sat down next to his wife.
"What do you know of our part in the war?" he asked me, gesturing to himself and Orihime.
"Only that you were instrumental in defeating the Espada in Hueco Mundo and keeping Aizen from escaping when the Garganta was sealed."
Ichigo rubbed his temples. "That's what I thought. Tsumiato, what I am about to tell you is completely true, though it differs from what Soul Society has termed the truth. I was instructed never to mention this to anyone, but given what has been happening I think I must break that oath."
I leaned forward in interest. The call of a Hollow split the air and I jumped to my feet in a flash.
"Settle down, Tsumiato," Ichigo said. "They can't find us here. This house is completely safe."
I sat down, looking confused. "How so?"
"I'll get to that at the end. For now just trust me." Ichigo leaned back and took a long drink. "I guess I should start from the beginning. You know that Orihime was kidnapped by an Espada, right?"
"Yes. Aizen wanted to use her powers to speed up the process of unlocking the Hougyoku."
"Indeed. Then you also know that myself, Ishida Uryuu, and Chad Yasutora went into Hueco Mundo to rescue her. Kuchiki Rukia and Abarai Renji also joined us later."
"Yes sir. The five of you fought against many Espada and defeated them, first with your own strength, then when Kuchiki-taicho, Zaraki-taicho, Unohana-taicho, and Kurotsuchi-taicho came to help. That was all that we were told. No one knows what happened after you rushed back into Las Noches. The captains, along with Abarai-taicho and Kuchiki Rukia-sama fought against the remaining Arrancar."
"Ok, then let me start where your knowledge leaves off…"
Ichigo charged down the hall towards Orihime's reiatsu. Without slowing he slashed at the wall in front of him. He exploded through and into the chamber where Orihime stood, Ulquiorra next to her.
[ "Kurosaki-kun," Orihime whispered.
"Step away from Inoue," Ichigo growled.
"That was my intent," Ulquiorra said plainly. "My duty is to protect Las Noches until Aizen-sama returned. I haven't received any orders to kill the girl. This girl will live until I receive that order. But you're another story. Killing you is equivalent to protecting Las Noches." Ulquiorra drew his sword. "I will erase you, with my sword."
Ichigo's eyes widened in surprise. "Well this is unexpected. I didn't think you'd draw your sword right from the start. I came thinking I'd make you draw your sword, but…" Ichigo's face hardened, "Is it safe to say that you've recognized me as your opponent?"
"I'll say this at least," Ulquiorra's voice betrayed no hint of emotion, "I admit that you are a target that should be destroyed."
"Good enough," Ichigo said. ]
Without warning Ichigo charged. Ulquiorra moved his sword to parry, but at the last second Ichigo shunpoed behind him and slashed downwards. Ulquiorra blocked the strike with his bare arm.
"Have you forgotten, Kurosaki, your sword cannot-." He stopped mid-sentence as he felt Ichigo's blade slice into his skin. Ulquiorra leapt backwards out of the way as Ichigo's strike finished and cracked into the floor.
"Heh," Ichigo smirked. "And that was without my Hollow mask."
"Don't get arrogant, human. You shan't be so lucky again."
This time, Ulquiorra was the one to charge. Ichigo barely brought his sword up in time to block the stroke. The weight of the Espada bore him to the ground. Ichigo grinned again as he shoved upward and felt the pressure lift. His grin was soon wiped away as he felt a Cero blast him full force in the torso. Ichigo flew across the room and bounced twice before regaining control. Ulquiorra stood, deadpan, pointing a finger at him.
"And that wasn't even a Grand Rey Cero," he said, mocking Ichigo.
Ichigo stood up and grasped his blade with both hands. "It's time to end this," he said. He leapt into the air and charged his blade. "Gestuuga… TENSHOU!!" he shouted as he slashed his sword. A huge wave of black reiatsu exploded from the tip of his sword and slammed into Ulquiorra. The floor cracked under the immense pressure of the blast and dust and smoke obscured sight. Ichigo landed on the floor and panted heavily. He lost sight of his opponent in the dust, but knew that he couldn't have killed him so easily. His suspicions were confirmed when he felt a sword slash open his back.
"AAHHH!" he cried in pain. He rolled away from the attack and stood to face Ulquiorra, his own blood dripping from the Espada's blade. Ulquiorra raised his hand and opened his palm towards Ichigo.
"Grand Rey Cero," he whispered, just barely loud enough for Ichigo to hear.
A ball of blue-green energy charged in his open palm and flew at Ichigo.
"Santen Kesshun, I reject!" Orihime cried. A triangular shield appeared in front of Ichigo and completely stopped the blast.
"Inoue…" Ichigo said, surprised.
Orihime glared at Ulquiorra. "I can't let you hurt Kurosaki-kun anymore."
"Oh, so you do have courage. And here I was, thinking that you were a weakling who couldn't stand up for herself," Ulquiorra told her. "I honestly don't know how you think you are going to help him, but you have just sealed your fate. I must now kill both of you."
Ichigo jumped up and moved to stand by Orihime. "I'll never let you touch her again," he roared. He held up a hand and summoned his Hollow mask. "Inoue, be careful," his dual voices warbled together eerily. "Let's end this and go home." Orihime nodded and moved back to give Ichigo more room.
Ichigo charged in once more, faster than before, and faster than Ulquiorra could react. A wide gash appeared on Ulquiorra's shoulder.
"One for one," Ichigo taunted.
Ulquiorra turned to face Ichigo. He raised his sword and heared from behind him, "Koten Zanshun, I reject!" A shield flew from Orihime and aimed itself at Ulquiorra's back. He jumped out of the way easily and landed down far to the side. Tsubaki arced back around and attacked him again. Again he dodged, only to find the Ichigo followed him. Ichigo slashed at him again and sliced a neat line along his cheekbone. Blood flowed freely from both wounds and stained his white clothes. Ichigo landed in the middle of the room, Orihime behind him, and Ulquiorra landed in front of Ichigo, backed against a wall. Ichigo stalked towards him, slowly, blocking off all directions of escape. Orihime carefully aimed Tsubaki and was ready to release him in an instant.
"Ichigo!" the three of them heard a call from the opposite side of the room. Ichigo turned around and saw Rukia running through the hole he'd made. Ulquiorra saw that Ichigo was distracted for an instant and Sonido-ed around him and behind Rukia. He grabbed her and wrenched her arms behind her back with one hand. With the other he put his sword at her throat.
"Rukia!" Ichigo yelled.
"Kuchiki-san!"Orihime shouted.
"Don't move!" Ulquiorra told them. "Take one step and she loses her head. That goes for you too Abarai Renji."
Ichigo looked past Ulquiorra and saw that Renji, too, had come down the hall. He looked enraged at Ulquiorra and was ready to attack him.
"Renji, don't do it. He really will kill her," Ichigo warned.
Ulquiorra moved around the room, slowly dragging Rukia along with him, away from Orihime. Rukia looked from Ichigo to Renji, her eyes willing them to save her. They were unable to move for fear that Ulquiorra's blade would cut her throat. She closed her eyes and clasped her hands around her sword hilt. She knew that she couldn't swing her sword to hurt him, but there was one thing she could do.
"Renji, Ichigo," She started.
"Silence," Ulquiorra order, cutting her neck slightly, drawing a single drop of blood. Rukia inhaled sharply at the touch of the sword.
"Goodbye my friends," Rukia said.
"No!" Renji shouted. "RUKIA!!"
"Some no mai, Tsukishiro," Rukia whispered. Ulquiorra's eyes widened when he realized what she was doing. He cut deeply into her throat. Rukia fell forward, dead, as blood rushed from her neck. However, it was too late. A column of ice erupted from the ground, engulfing both Ulquiorra and Rukia. Rukia's body was caught midfall and was suspended gruesomely. Ulquiorra's horrified expression was forever frozen inside the ice.
"RUKIA!!" Renji screamed. He fell to his knees, unable to stand. "Rukia," he whispered.
A rumble shook the whole of Las Noches. Cracks started appearing in the walls and rumble began to fall.
"Renji," Ichigo ran over to him, "we need to get out of here. This entire room is going to collapse and crush us all."
"Rukia…" Renji was still in a daze. "Rukia…why did you die?"
Ichigo grabbed Renji by the front of his clothes.
"Listen," Ichigo said, trying to catch his attention, "Rukia gave us a chance to escape. Don't let it go to waste. We need to leave. Now!"
Renji looked at Ichigo blankly. He moved mechanically, but he walked out of the room. Orihime ran over to Ichigo and they followed Renji out into the open sands of Hueco Mundo…
"It was shortly after Rukia's death that Urahara opened the garganta to allow us to escape and then sealed it. However, just before we left I saw Aizen one last time. Despite his failure in Karakura Town, he was smiling. He looked down at me, he saw us leaving, and continued to grin. He didn't care that we had destroyed his forces, or that we stopped him. He let us go. I am quite certain of that. We were in no condition to stop him if he chose to attack us, but he didn't. It was Aizen's will that we leave Hueco Mundo and lock the door. Once we got back to our world, Orihime told me how she felt about me." Ichigo put his arm around his wife and held her close. Orihime leaned her head on his shoulder and smiled. "We lost too many friends during the war. I decided to give up being a substitute shinigami and concentrate on living. Urahara helped out with that. He gave both me and Orihime buttons to conceal our reiatsu. He also helped shield our house. He mixed a special batch of reiatsu blocking paint. While inside this house, no one can sense our presence, and as long as we wear our buttons outside, we are still safe."
"But why would Aizen just let you go?" I asked. "Why not kill you to prevent you from interfering again?"
"Because, he is not worried about interference," a voice said from nowhere. I recognized the voice, yet I had never heard it before.
Both me and Ichigo turned towards the source. Stepping out of a hole in reality came a humanoid form. Orihime gasped. Ichigo's eyes widened. I glared.
"Aizen-sama has no fear of any of you anymore," the being said. He stepped into the light. His pale face showed no emotion, though the green streaks gave a look of constant sadness. His mask, a horned half-helm. His hands rested easily in his pockets.
I growled as Ulquiorra Schiffer walked into Ichigo's kitchen.
Story Notes:
The section surrounded by the [ ] at the beginning of the flashback was taken directly from Bleach manga 318. I figure I should say that so I can't be accused of copyright infringement or something.
Authors Notes:
I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please don't hate me for killing Rukia. I needed something that would make Ichigo give up being a shinigami. Hopefully all you Rukia fans can forgive my horrible horrible indiscretions and will continue to read and (I hope) enjoy the story. :Insert obligatory request for reviews here: That's all for now.