27

All Things Pass

…

Karin was on the other side of the kido dome when her father entered. Rukia—thank heaven/Soul Society/whatever for that woman—hadn't let the preteen out of her sight since Ichigo left. Orihime and Chad had also made moves to shield the young girl. It was as if they were too pressured by the feeling of having themselves be protected rather than protecting and so they needed to release that urge unto Karin. She, in turn, felt crowded. However, when Isshin strolled in, she suddenly needed the extra support.

"Dad?" she asked. "You're one of them? You're a Shinigami?"

The others understood well enough to back away. Isshin's solemn face and billowing robes told her well enough.

"Did Ichigo know?"

He was surprised at her controlled emotions. He'd figured that when this day came, it would come kicking and screaming with his children's accusations weighing heavy in the air. But she was so quiet, much like a certain Tenth Division captain. This train of thought was realized too soon. Her face twisted into an immediate scowl.

"No," he didn't know," Isshin said. "Not until just now."

"But you knew Ichigo was a Shinigami, too!"

"Yes."

"And you knew that I could see all the Hollows!"

"Yes."

"Then why didn't you say anything?"

"Karin, I…" He was cut off by her fist slamming into his face. It was alright, though, because a few seconds later, she was hugging him. Still holding Karin, he looked at the others. "The fight won't last much longer."

"Mr. Kurosaki, how do you know?" Orihime wondered.

"Because, if nothing else, we have a failsafe."

…

Ulquiorra felt the mask burn against his face. Why did it continue to disappear? He should have stopped by now. He was at the state of an Arrancar. What more could the little Hogyoku shard be trying to do? He shuttered, causing the blade to tremble in his hands. It hurt! It hurt so much! The hole in his chest throbbed as sharp pain split around it. He fought back the string in his eyes, focusing instead on the blurry battle in front of him. Instinct, he thought. Instinct.

Toshiro flitted to the side as Ulquiorra swung at him. Ichigo and Grimmjow both jumped in on either side, but their lithe opponent managed to slide out of their assault. Both Ichigo and Grimmjow flew past each other before skidding to a stop in mid-air. Their gazes locked.

"Did you see that?" Grimmjow asked.

"His eyes were unfocused," Ichigo agreed.

Grimmjow nodded. "The transformation is most likely very painful. I remember our initial Arrancar transformation. We'd be unconscious for hours afterward."

"He passed out while turning more human as well," Ichigo said.

"Then he won't last much longer."

They were interrupted by Toshiro's cry of attack. He released another wave of ice unto Ulquiorra. The older's blade cut through the onslaught with an edge of energy, but he was left panting in exhaustion afterward. Ulquiorra lowered himself to a building top. His stance became loose upon touching the ground.

"Grimmjow," Ichigo called, "look at Ulquiorra. How old would you say he looks?"

At last, the blue-haired man noticed the difference. "Fourteen or fifteen."

"Exactly," Ichigo said.

Toshiro landed in between them. His face was set in a solemn expression as he informed, "Katashi's all but gone."

"I don't know about that," Ichigo muttered, just as their opponent's mask fell into nonexistence. He was sucking in the last of his other self's reiatsu. Swaying on his feet, the youth attempted to focus on the group. His zanpaktou became his support, one pale hand gripping it as the other clutched his chest. Ichigo took a tentative step toward him. He looked so frail. How old was he now? Thirteen? Fourteen at most?

"I hate you," Ulquiorra said. They were his first definable words. "Shinigami, Hollows, all of you."

"Why?" Ichigo asked.

"You're destructive," he spat. "Everyone I know dies because of you. My father, my best friend, everyone. You should have all just stayed away!"

His voice broke at the end, both from emotion and his age. The sword wobbled beneath him, as did his legs. Ulquiorra couldn't stand much longer. The people before him blurred between indefinable lines. He was seeing the ghosts of faces who no longer existed. His family faded in and out of reality. To his right was his father and, to his left, his mother. Although their lips moved, no sound breeched the air. He wished he knew what they were saying. Perhaps they, too, were wondering where Toshiro was in this situation—because the little boy was nowhere in sight. For a second, he thought he may have seen a mop of spiky black hair peeking from that shadows, but that's all it turned out to be: a shadow.

The shadows were soon all around him. He had no clue that the time had come at last for him to fall. Ichigo rushed over and caught him before he managed to hit the ground. The younger now found himself filled with disgust that he was being forced to lean on this orange-haired menace's shoulder.

"Everything dies," he whispered.

Ukitake appeared then, making a soft landing on the roof top next to the two boys. Toshiro maintained a safe distance. How was he supposed to handle this? His older brother…he barely fit the definition for older any longer. He looked the exact same as the night he died. Even his mind seemed to be stuck in those long-lost moments. Ukitake bent down and shifted the boy from Ichigo's shoulder to his own.

"Mr. Ukitake," Ulquiorra scoffed. "Leave me alone. You've caused enough damage as it is."

"Katashi," Ukitake said, "do you know what's happened?"

"Of course," he answered. "You tried to purify me and I ran away. Now you've brought your Shinigami friends along."

"He's delusional," Ichigo muttered.

"No," Grimmjow responded, "he just doesn't remember anything from before his hollowfication."

Ulquiorra winced in Ukitake's grasp.

"Your head hurts, doesn't it?" the white-haired elder asked. "You're remembering things."

"What's there to remember?"

"Your younger brother. Do you remember him?"

"I gave my life for him. If I didn't, that Hollow would have…"

"Would have done what he did to you."

Ulquiorra closed his eyes. He didn't want to think about that. The words alone were searing his ears. "You weren't much help. Too late."

"And I've regretted it every day since," Ukitake answered. "Katashi, what if I told you that Toshiro was safe and sound. Could you let go?"

"I promised…to stay."

"But you've done all you can," his uncle-figure assured. "It's enough."

Ulquiorra forced open his eyes. "Who can define 'enough'?"

"Just look," Ukitake said. "Look behind me. What do you see?"

"Shinigami."

"Do you recognize any of them?"

"No."

"One of them is Toshiro."

Ulquiorra struggled. His head throbbed again. White! So much white! And black and red and pain—and where was the line between color and emotion? He could feel the blackness and his skin burned with the red. The white blinded him as if it was physical. "Don't lie to me. You've done too much of that as it is."

"Look, Katashi. Look."

"Toshiro is seven years old," the young teen growled. "Seven years old with black hair and teal eyes."

"Toshiro is physically eleven years old with white hair and teal eyes. Time has passed, Katashi. Remember."

As much as he fought it, Ulquiorra's gaze locked with the only member of the group to fit that description. Toshiro took a few steps forward. This was his brother. This had always been his brother.

"It's me," he clarified.

"No, it can't be…" Ulquiorra denied. "It can't."

"It is."

"This is a dream."

"Then wake up."

Ulquiorra blinked several times before his eyelids refused to peel back anymore. His small frame went limp in Ukitake's grasp. The man settled him down.

"What was that all about?" Ichigo wondered.

"The Hogyoku was striving for power," Ukitake explained. "It thought to bring Katashi back to one of the most emotional times in his life in order to feed that power, but it over exhausted him. His body couldn't take it anymore."

"So what happens now? Is he just going to stay like this?"

"I don't know."

Toshiro's hand clutched tighter to his sword. "Then there's a chance he could remain in this state forever? He'll be forced to stay in the past?"

"I—"

The captain of the Thirteen Division was cut off by the flash of reiatsu that burst forth from the body. Slowly, Ulquiorra's limbs extended and his features grew sharper. He was transforming back. Ukitake smiled.

"I think he'll be just fine."

…

Thank you: Thunder Claw03, The Silent Cartographeresse, fan girl 666, -SoManyUpsAndDowns-, and Yemi Hikari.