5: Retrieval

Eve stared at the pale fingers that coiled around her wrist, forming an unimaginably powerful grip. She screamed at the top of her lungs, but all her friends...Those who would save her...their ears were not tuned to her cries. Even Train, who sat right beside her, was unable to hear her.

The service went on, without anyone taking notice of the struggle going on nearby.

Eve squirmed but it was little use. Ulquiorra had caught her in an iron grip. She was helpless...Unless she fought back.

Ulquiorra seemed to read her mind and his penetrating glare bore through her. "Do not resist. It will only lead you to your death."

Eve scowled and unleashed two long blades made from her hair. Ulquiorra let go of her and weaved around the blades. He sighed and grabbed her by the throat, lifting her from the ground. She made strangled whimpers but it did not face the emotionless demon.

Somebody...Please...Help...

Ulquiorra wrenched his arm to one side, hurling the small girl into a tombstone a few metres away. It crumbled under the impact and caused a loud noise as well as a cloud of dust.

The mourners suddenly turned to see what the commotion was, but they saw nothing but dust. There was no young girl fending off against a pale assailant. They frowned and resumed the ceremony as if nothing had happened.

Eve crawled out of the wreckage and got back on her feet. She sent the two blades towards her foe but Ulquiorra vanished. Before she could react Ulquiorra appeared behind her and struck her down with the back of his hand.

"You underestimate me. You think your worthless little tricks can work against me. You are sorely mistaken. I shall let you join your friend in the afterlife." Ulquiorra stalked her slowly, his footsteps deafening as his feet crunched through the rubble beneath him.

Eve screamed and sent forth her hair blades again. Ulquiorra did not try to dodge. He stopped in his tracks and held out his hand. The two blades connected with the palm of his hand and went no further. He had effectively blocked her attack with just his bare hand.

"Give up. Your fight is over. Your friends shall never rescue you as you will be dead before this funeral ends. Even the Kuchiki girl will be executed before Soul Society is finished mobilising. The end for this entire world is soon at hand. It is a shame you cannot witness it." Ulquiorra

drew his sword and made his slow, rigid stroll over to his prey.

Eve tried to crawl away but with Ulquiorra's blinding speed he would catch her in no time. There was no hope of escape or even fighting back...She was doomed. Doomed to die only a hands reach away from her friends...

Eve cowered as Ulquiorra reached her. He raised his sword. Eve closed her eyes and curled up into a ball. The blade came crashing down and Eve desperately dived out of the way. Ulquiorra tried again but this time Eve made a shield. It shattered under Ulquiorra's amazing power and Eve was thrown on her back like a stranded turtle.

Ulquiorra drew the sword up at a diagonal, his arm concealing half of his face, leaving only his merciless stare in plain sight. He then traced the line back down in a swift slash Eve barely dodged, the blade slicing through a thick lock of hair. She cried out and leapt into the air, using angelic wings to fly.

Ulquiorra bent down and picked up the strand of hair he cut free. He made an irritated grunt and then flash stepped next to her. Eve brought her hands up to protect her face and Ulquiorra's blade collided with the bracelet on her wrist. It broke apart and the shattered fragments rained down on the mourners below.

Ulquiorra scowled. "Your friends may be able to see you, but I will kill you all if I have to. Aizen instructed me to kill you and I shall."

Eve glanced down at her friends and swooped over the coffin. "Help!" She cried.

The service stopped and all eyes fell on her. Eyes widened and jaws dropped as everyone recognised the little girl who stood before them.

"Eve?"

"Impossible!"

"She's here? Why?"

They rushed over but some kept their distance, noticing the uninvited guest approaching them. Ichigo glared up at the ghostly intruder in the sky. He looked around anxiously and then went into Soul reaper mode, drawing his massive sword.

"Who are you?" Ichigo demanded.

Ulquiorra stared at him in silence, lost to his own intentions.

"Hey!" Ichigo snapped. "Answer me!"

Ulquiorra studied the boy up and down. "A sword as tall as a man. Bright orange hair. So you were the one they call Ichigo Kurosaki."

"What? How do you know my name?" Ichigo tensed.

"Lord Aizen spoke of you. He said you were dangerous, but I see no evidence of such." Ulquiorra frowned. "You are merely trash."

"You bastard!" Ichigo leapt into the air and brought his heavy sword down on his foe. Ulquiorra caught the blade in his bare hands much to Ichigo's surprise. "What the...?"

Ulquiorra poked Ichigo in the chest and a bright green glow emanated from his fingertip. Ichigo stared at it as the ball of green energy grew in size until-

"Die." Ulquiorra closed his eyes as the explosion went off.

Ichigo's eyes widened as the explosion threw him into the ground, creating a deep crater. He coughed violently and gazed down at his unscathed torso. He looked up to Ulquiorra who standing his ground against a new opponent. The new warrior was not a shinigami and he brandished a large handgun rather than a sword. Ichigo's jaw dropped.

"Train!"

"He is not Train." A voice hissed in his ear. Ichigo backed away from the silver-haired stranger who began to chuckle softly. "That is the Black Cat! He is the greatest warrior the world has ever known. Nothing can stand against him!"

Ichigo opened his mouth to argue but the man raised a slender finger and nodded towards the battle. "Just watch."

Train yanked his arm outwards, the momentum throwing Ulquiorra back a few feet. Train glanced over his shoulder down to the stranger. They did not exchange words, both knowing what the gesture meant.

Ichigo watched on as the man took a katana out of his coat. He took it out of its scabbard and hurled the bare sword over to Train who caught it with one hand. He twirled it around in a skilful display and then pointed the blade down and to the side.

Ulquiorra studied his opponent with interest. "A gun and a sword...You may be well versed in both, but wielding both weapons at once is a setback to even the greatest of fighters. A shame you will learn this through death."

The Black Cat glared at his foe and lifted his gun. He fired three shots and then followed them. As Ulquiorra cut through the bullets Train darted to one side and swung his sword in a wide horizontal arc. Ulquiorra back flipped over the sword and thrust his blade at his foe. Train leapt back to a safe distance and paused.

"You were right...I was a fool to fight with two weapons at once. I'll just have to pick one." Train put his gun away and charged, sword raised. The two warriors' blades clashed in a rain of sparks and both were knocked back by the immense strength behind the hit.

As they regained their bearings they charged in again. Ulquiorra used his bare hands to block Train's hit and then countered with a swift slash. Train responded with incredible reflexes, ducking under the blow and lashing out with his leg.

Ulquiorra blocked the kick with a bare forearm and stomped on Train's head. The Black Cat toppled over and Ulquiorra prepared to deal the finishing blow. A stern frown remained affixed to his face, the never changing, cold, dead eyes glaring at his opponent.

"Be proud. You actually survived this long. Most who dare challenge me never make it more than a few steps, yet you lasted a whole minute." Even though his tone was as lifeless as ever, the taunt was still effective in sowing the seeds of doubt.

Enraged, Train retaliated but he was brought back down into the dirt before he could get up. Ulquiorra sighed. "You truly desire death, don't you? Is it so you can join your friend?"

Trains eyes narrowed. "You bastard!" He thrashed about but he was pinned down. His sword had been kicked aside and now lay out of reach. All he had left was Hades, his trusty gun. In a blur of movement he grabbed Ulquiorra's leg and lifted him into the air. With a mighty roar he hurled his foe into a gravestone and immediately reached for his gun. He glanced off three simultaneous shots and then dive-rolled over to his sword. With both weapons once again in his grasp he charged for the stunned opponent.

Ulquiorra gazed down at the three tiny bullet-wounds in his chest. He seemed completely disinterested in them. He waited for Train to meet him and when there were only a few steps between them he weaved to the side of the sword thrust and then drew his arm back, flattening his hand.

Train's sword ran through the gravestone and got lodged deep within. He tried to yank it out, but it was the short lapse in defence that sealed his fate. Ulquiorra's hand drilled through his stomach as if it were a blade. Train let go of the sword and fell to his knees.

"It's over. You were a fool to challenge me from the start." Ulquiorra twisted his arm, causing Train excruciating pain. "I shall ensure your death shall be swift, but the pain shall last a million lifetimes for not only shall you lose this battle, but you shall lose the girl you hold dear. And as a final insult...You shall lose this world." The pallid figure wrenched his arm out and gazed at the hypnotic spray of blood which erupted from the wounds.

Train fell onto his back and stared up at the clouds. He wanted to move, to at least see what was happening, but he was paralysed. All he could do was listen to the screams while watching the fluffy white clouds drift by.

"Train!" Ichigo bunched his fists and dashed towards Ulquiorra. The stranger beside him went to the aid of the Black Cat.

The by-standers all panicked. They didn't know what to do. To some, they could not even see the ghostly killer. Those that could were trapped, unable to decide on the course of action.

Ichigo had made up his mind already. He would save Eve and protect everyone here no matter what!

Ulquiorra flash stepped behind Eve and placed a hand on her shoulder. She cried out in alarm but it was of little use. She could feel a burning sensation on her back. She glanced over her shoulder and noticed the green glow.

"Move and I will incinerate you and everyone in this cemetery. Try to attack me and my cero will go off regardless, killing us all. I'm sure you understand now; there is nothing you can do." Ulquiorra's threat was not one to be taken lightly. The enemy was in a league of their own. They were not strong enough to defeat him right now.

The crowd took cautionary steps back, except for one. Ichigo drew his sword and made his way over but he felt several hands holding him back. It was his father and Kisuke Urahara. Their expressions said it all. Ichigo still tried to resist but when he looked around, everyone had the same expression, an admission of defeat and submission...

"Stand down son. We cannot fight him here."

"But-"

"Ichigo." Isshin interrupted. "We will save Eve and Rukia, but now is not the time. Lay down your sword and do as he says."

"But he'll kill her!" Ichigo roared defiantly.

"Ichigo, if you try to attack him he will blow her to pieces! Do you want that? Do you want everyone's efforts to be in vain? Stand down!"

Ichigo opened his mouth again, but he stopped himself from arguing further. He dropped his sword and stared at the ground, unable to look into the eyes of the young girl he was abandoning...Like a lamb to the slaughter...

"Good." Ulquiorra clicked his fingers and a portal opened behind him. He led Eve towards it and then stopped. For a moment he was completely frozen, but slowly he spun back around to face his enemies.

"You have learned a valuable skill in learning when to surrender. You shall do it again when Aizen returns."

Ichigo gritted his teeth but remained silent.

"Do not try to follow me. Eve is destined to die for her failure, an example to the rest of you that damnation is imminent. There is no hope. Hope is merely a human illusion, a scapegoat for your inability to recognise your weaknesses. Your hope is worth less than the dirt at your feet." Ulquiorra stepped into the portal and dragged Eve along behind him.

Eve gazed into the saddened faces of all her friends and frowned. She bowed her head and uttered a single word, one that was like a stake through the heart for each and every one of her friends. She gazed at them for the final time and then headed inside the portal.

With that, she and her captor were gone, leaving the mourners behind. Their already shattered morale had no been further affected by this sudden loss.

Ichigo was released by his father but without the support he fell to his knees. For the second time he had failed to protect the ones he cared for.

Victory seemed further out of reach than ever before now. This new enemy was one beyond anything they had experienced before. Gaichu and his minions were nothing compared to that ghostly foe.

Ichigo dug his fingers into the dirt and dragged them towards his palm, making small trenches in the earth. He was holding back tears. His confidence had been shattered by the encounter. Doubt began to break him down, stripping him of his strength.

"Train! Train! What happened?" It was that weird man from before. He was crouching beside train, trying to lift him up.

"Creed..." The injured cat whispered.

"Your eyes...You've lost the look! Why? You could have killed him! You could have utterly destroyed that creep! Why did you-"

Train sat up, albeit with much pain and discomfort. He gritted his teeth and cursed. "I lost focus. Next time I'll kick his ass! Isn't that right Ichigo?"

Ichigo didn't respond, so Train dragged himself over to the boy and slapped him over the back of the head. "Hey! Answer me!"

Ichigo rose slowly and picked up his sword. "Yes." He spoke in a trembling voice. "The enemy is one we have no hope to defeat...But we don't need hope when we have our resolve. We shall save Eve and Rukia...No, we must save them! If we are to die, then we can die as heroes!"

Train and Ichigo locked swords and smiled. They both could see the underlying fear in each other's eyes, but neither would admit it. They were terrified of the enemy, but the fear of defeat was far stronger, thus driving them to be strong.

They would travel to Hell and back to rescue Eve and Rukia, but firstly they needed some help...

Come on, review. You know you want to.