One quick question: Should Ulquiorra die in this story, or would you guys prefer to have him live? Please review or PM me your answer. If you have done so already, thank you for your opinion! :)

So far, the results are:
Live - 5
Die - 2

Chapter 15: Ulquiorra and Yammy

"Excuse me, sir!" A messanger ran into Yamamoto's office, "I have an urgent message from the 12th Division. They detected Arrancar activity in the East Part of the Karakuchi District! There are two of them. Judging by the power and stability of their spiritual pressure, it is safe to assume that these two are "completed" Arrancar."

Yamamoto opened his eyes. "Tell them to continue surveillance, and gather a group of Shinigami to standby. Kuroichi Saki, Kurosaki Ichigo, Urahara Kisuke, and Shihouin Yoruichi are in Karakura Town. Hopefully, they will take care of the matter quickly."

Saki, Urahara, and Yoruichi headed over to where the two powerful reiatsus had appeared. They could already sense the reiatsu of Kurosaki Ichigo there, meaning that he must be engaging the two strangers in battle. Judging by the way Ichigo's reiatsu was fluctuating weirdly, he was most likely losing.

"I'm going on ahead!" Yoruichi shouted before putting on a burst of Shunpo and vanishing from sight.

"Urahara-san."

"Hmm?" Urahara turned to Saki, who kept her eyes staring straight ahead.

"Those two foreign reiatsus...are they Arrancars?" she asked quietly.

"BINGO!" Urahara shouted, waving his hands excitedly in the air. Saki merely cast him a strange glance, not saying anything, which made the blonde-haired man curious.

"Is something bothering you, Kuroichi-san?" he asked.

"Nothing at all," Saki answered calmly, though she did not meet Urahara's eyes. He stared at the black-haired woman for a few seconds longer before shrugging and pushing the matter to the back of his mind.

When the two of them finally arrived at their destination, they saw Kurosaki Ichigo, in his Bankai form, lying helplessly on the ground as a huge Arrancar stood above him. The Arrancar had tan skin, a powerful build, and a ridge-lined cranium. His eyes were brown and his black hair was tied in a thin ponytail. He had long, bushy sideburns, orange eyebrows, and red markings under his eyes. He was covered in blood and his right arm was missing.

"It's over, little shit!" the Arrancar yelled, raising his fist, "I'm gonna crush you into a bloody pulp!"

Just as he brought his arm down, Saki, Urahara, and Yoruichi jumped in front of Ichigo. Urahara released his zanpakuto, which created a crimson barrier that blocked the Arrancar's attack.

"Huh?" The Arrancar stood dumbstruck.

"Hello," Urahara said as the shield shattered, "Sorry about being late, Kurosaki-san."

Ichigo stared at the three new arrivals in shock while the Arrancar made a noise of exasperation.

"What!" he growled, "They just keep coming, one after another..."

Then, a sadistic grin appeared on his face. "Since you like to butt in so much, I'll just kill you first!" he yelled, raising his left arm again, "Sound good?!"

Suddenly, the Arrancar found himself spinning through the air, courtesy of Yoruichi. He landed on the ground so hard that the ground cracked and chunks of earth flew into the air.

"What...the...hell?!" he wheezed as he got back up, "Damn you!"

"I'm going to treat Inoue," Yoruichi said, ignoring the enraged Arrancar, "Give me the medicine."

"Here ya go," Urahara handed her the bottle.

"Hold it...right there!" The Arrancar yelled, reaching for Yoruichi. He found his path intercepted by Saki, who glared at him through cold, green eyes.

"I cannot allow you to attack them, Arrancar," she deadpanned, reaching out towards him so that her palm faced him. A sudden pulsing in the spatial particles between her and the Arrancar sent the latter flying a few yards back. He crashed into a tree, which toppled over with loud snaps and cracks.

A movement at the corner of Saki's eye made the female captain turn around just in time to block a powerful kick from a second Arrancar. This Arrancar was a slender, yet muscular male of average height and a melancholic appearance. His messy black hair was fairly short with a part of his bangs in between his eyes and thick, black eyebrows. His skin was very pale, his upper lip was black, his green eyes had small, slit-shaped pupils, and teal lines descended from the lower part of his eyes.

Saki's eyes widened, the first time she had displayed shock or surprise in over 80 years. "You...!" she started, only to be cut off as the Arrancar dealt a blow to her abdomen, sending her through the air. Recovering quickly, she flipped in midair, landing on her feet a good distance away. Her captain's haori had fallen off in mid-flip and floated down to the ground gently.

"Ul...qui...orra," the big Arrancar said, thinking that his ally had finally decided to help him.

In a flash, Ulquiorra was in front of the other Arrancar. He dealt a heavy blow to his comrade's stomach, surprising everyone by his actions.

The big Arrancar hunched over. "Wh...What are you...doing?"

"Fool!" Ulquiorra spat, "You are too reckless, Yammy. Those two are Urahara Kisuke and Shihouin Yoruichi, and the third one is a captain of the Gotei 13. At your level, it is impossible to win, no matter how much you try."

He moved his hand to tap the space at his side. The scenery peeled apart, revealing pitch-blackness. A Garganta. "Time to retreat," Ulquiorra declared.

"Running away?" Yoruichi asked with a hint of a taunt in her voice.

Ulquiorra scoffed. "What a foolish taunt! If the three of you fight me while trying to protect that trash at the same time, it is fairly obvious who would have the upper hand. My mission here is over," he continued as he and Yammy stepped into the Garganta, "I will report to Aizen-sama that the 'fake' Shinigami he is so interested in is just a piece of trash...unworthy of his attention."

As the Garganta closed up, Ulquiorra coldly indifferent eyes focused on Saki, who stared back, her eyes devoid of emotions. When the portal vanished completely, the captain turned her gaze to the ground.

Sensei...

Hey, guys. Just wanted to say thanks for your continued support, you guys are awesome, and I really enjoy reading your reviews. I have another story that I'd like you all to read/review/favorite/follow if you can. It's called Unbreakable Bonds and of course, you can find it on my author's profile. Thanks! :)

Next chapter (filler): Zanpakuto Unknown Arc