Response to reviews!

RK1st: Yes, he's annoying, but I won't make him suffer. Sorry...

Sasu-Sama'-Sarukiji-Sempai: Yup, damn Ulquiorra. lol

WhiteW12-0: Nope, I don't need to be told at all! ^_^

Kobato00: I'm not mad! Just...unique. ^_^

That's Riku: Yes...yes it is.

Angelchan2012: Candy is Dandy, but Liquor is Quicker. Know where that saying comes from? XD

Tiana Misoro: Yes I do. X)

LittleXCreature: DAMN...I KNOW! XD

miszxbrii: Wow, talk about crazy mood swing...

lemonlimediddies: Ask yourself something; is it really excitement you're tingling from? O.o ...Sorry, that was rather...just forget it...^_^'

Aya-ItaLover: I know, bad right?

Strawberry-Ringo: Hey, it's in my nature. I lift your hopes upwards...just to shoot 'em down. XD

CatHartzUlquiorra4:...Girl, we need to have a talk here... *goes and prepares a seminar*

inouehime-chanZero-koNii-sama: I shall!

Ttalilawik: Promise!

wolfdragonful: Yes I do...XD

Kidou Corpse: Nope, wasn't overkill at all!

Eternal Love's Eclipse: Yes...shall we see how this goes?

animegirl1994: O.O'...now i kinda pity him...kinda.

Narlth: You got that right! XD You have been paying attention~!

All right everyone! I hate to say it, but I don't see this chapter being very long...oh well -_- Let's just see where the words flow, ok? This is the second to last chapter...so why am I wasting your time? On to Chapter 23!

Chapter 23: In vain?

Shiro's POV

Darkness...I thought I was used to it. But this darkness...it was different. I was surprised at how much Ulquiorra could do to my body in what must've been a short amount of time, but to me, it felt like forever. Both my legs and my left arm were broken, my body covered in gashes and burns. there was more...but I think I passed out during some of them. Right now, I could barely move, and I was trapped in a room by myself. Or so I had thought as I felt something grab my shoulder.

"Shiroooo..." I recognized the voice, but at the same time...it sounded off. Almost...like he hadn't used it in years. This wasn't possible...he was back in the World of the Living! I turned around, only to scream.

It was Ichigo...but his entire body looked decayed...like he had died years ago... This isn't...this isn't...He grabbed my face...it felt so real.

"Why'd you kill me?"

Normal POV

Dion paced back and forth. "Well, can you do it?" Renji asked again, making him clench his hands into fists.

"I can get us there, but I don't know if i'll have enough power to get us home." he replied. All of them were sitting in the front room, ready to go. Even Ichigo, who was in his soul Reaper attire, but holding Shiro's Zangetsu. He had left it when he entered his gigai, and for some reason, it didn't fade.

"Leave the getting there to me then." They all turned as Kisuke walked into the room. "Also, do you know how to put the two of them back together if you get your hands on the Hogyoku?"

"I...I believe so. Only those with arrancar powers can succesfully use the full power of the Hogyoku. If...if I can to it...I should be able to reverse the process on the two of them, binding them together again." Dion explained. "But when I do that, it'll take even more power. I...i'm not entirely sure that I can do this..." He felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Ichigo smiling softyl.

"You can do this Dion." he said. Everyone else stood up and nodded, even Renji.

"We'll try to hold Ulquiorra off and look for Shiro. You can look for the Hogyoku." Uryu said. He looked at all of them and sighed.

"Thanks everyone." He said. "But...I think the humans here should wait." They all gave him a disbelieving look.

"What do you mean by that?" Uryu asked.

"Just in case this is a trap,and Ulquiorra plans on attacking here. It may be wise not to leave this place unguarded." Orihime stood next to him.

"W-well, I'm going! If what you say is true about his wounds..." She motioned towards Ichigo. "...then i'll be there to heal him when we manage to bind them again." Dion wanted to say no, but he knew she was right and nodded. Kisuke tapped the trap door.

"Well? Are you all leaving or not?" he asked. Dion turned towards him and nodded.

"We're ready."

Ichigo's POV

I'm not sure how I felt about this. To me...it feels like the past couple days were my...I don't know...my first days ever? It's hard to explain this feeling. These people...I don't know them, but at the same time, I feel like I knew them at some point. That's how these past days had been. I've told Shiro over and over that I didn't know them...I'm such a horrible liar, I can't even lie to myself. I don't know who they are, but I do at the same time...just when I knew them, I have no idea. "Ichigo?" I turned around to see the red head with the ponytail...Renji, I think.

"What is it?" I asked nervously. I couldn't help but be nervous around him, or the others.

"You were spacing out there. Are ya ok?" he asked. I just shook my head. No, I wasn't alright, not without Shiro. But from what I had heard about this Soul Reaper, it was best not to mention him.

"Y-yeah, just thinking." I replied. He laughed and placed his hand on my shoulder.

"You're thinking? The world must be ending then." he laughed. I know he didn't mean anything by it...it was supposed to be funny. But I wasn't in the mood for funny. I wanted to get thre and get Shiro before...well, before it was too late. I shoved his hand off my shoulder, the contact feeling off. "Whta's wrong?" he asked.

"I said nothing." I snapped, sounding a litle harsh. I didn't mean to. I just wasn't in the mood. As I walked quickly away, Dion followed me. He patted my shoulder gently.

"It's fine Ichigo. He's just trying to lighten the mood. He's worried too." he said. I laughed at that.

"Him? From what I can tell about him, he absolutly hates Shiro, and he can barely stand you." I replied. He gave me a sad look.

"I know...but your survival relies on Shiro's, and he's worried about you." He explained. "He'll go to any length to help you, even if it's saving someone he hates." I looked at the ground. I didn't understand it.

"Why does he care about me? Why do any of them care?" I asked.

"They're your friends...or, they were, until you lost your memories." He sighed. Before I got the chance to ask or deny what he said, everyone was running into the gargantua. "C'mon, Ichigo. Let's go fix this mess up." I followed Dion, not looking back, or even caring if I did come back. All that mattered was Shiro.

Normal POV

When the group landed in Las Noches, they were met with quite the surprise. The entire palace was a mess. "Whew, looks like the fight already happened without us." Renji whsitled. They turned to see Dion with his eyes closed. "Well?"

"Out of the Espada, I only sense Ulquiorra." He reported. "So...me and him are the only Espada left."

"And Shiro?" Ichigo asked, fidgeting next to him. Dion closed his eyes again.

"It's...very faint, but I feel him." He opened his eyes. "We need to hurry!" The five of them ran through the hallways of Las Noches, Dion in the lead.

"Are you sure this is the right way?" Renji called.

"Of course. The Hogyoku's in the throne room. If Ulquiorra wants a fight...it'll be in there." He explained. As they approached a huge door, Renji stared up at it.

"What's with this place and huge doors?" He asked. Dion shrugged and pointed the tip of his sword at the door.

"You guys might want to stand back." He warned. As they all backed up, Dion fired a cero from the tip of his sword. The door exploded, sending huge chunks of rubble scattered across the floor. As the smoke cleared, the room beyond it was empty and dark.

"Umm...Do we walk in first or knock?" Rukia asked, receiving a nervous chuckle from the Espada. As they all walked in, a sudden force slammed them against the wall.

"Wh-what the fuck?" Ichigo snapped, struggling against the invisible force that pinned him and the others.

"I'm glad you could make it here..." The light suddenly came on, revealing the 4th Espada. He had dark circles underneath his green eyes, now dull and even more lifeless than usual. "Something told me you'd come."

"Obviously, since you kidnapped Shiro!" Rukia snapped angrily.

"No matter what you do to him, he won't give in to you!" Dion snapped. Ulquiorra laughed, the hollowness of his tone making each of them flinch.

"I'm far pass that plan now...revenge sounds better to me." He replied. Ichigo glared at him.

"Revenge for what?" He snapped. Ulquiorra glared at him.

"You took what was mine, then forced me to watch him die." He growled. "So...i'm returning the favor." Ichigo's eyes widened at that.

"Wh-what...?" Ulquiorra smiled. He moved aside, and Ichigo felt his entire heart drop twenty stories. "Sh...Shiro?"

Dion's POV

To say that I was shocked was an overstatement compared to what Ichigo must have been feeling. Shiro looked horrible. Both of his legs were broken, one bent funny, his left arm shattered. Dark briuses covered what you could see of his white skin, blood dried up on his pure white shihakusho. He wasn't looking at anyone, or anything, I think. His body was making small twitches. He almost looked like the living dead. "Sh-Shiro?" Ichigo's voice was nothing more than a whisper, but it seemed to make Shiro twitch violently, as if he was being stabbed.

"Ulquiorra...you didn't..." I knew what had done this in so a short a time; the Kurai Heya. Ulquiorra said nothing. He didn't need to. Ichigo's eyes had a light in them that I hadn't seen in awhile, and it wasn't a good sign; he was furious. Hell, more than furious.

"Call to him Ichigo. Call to him like I did to my lover..." Ulquiorra growled. Ichigo stared at Shiro and struggled some more.

"Shiro! Shiro can you hear me?" He called. Shiro looked up, his eyes haunted by the dark shadows under them and whatever he experienced in that dreadful room.

"I...Ichigo...?" His voice was hoarse. He must've been screaming for a long time. I felt anger rise inside me. Ichigo nodded quickly, his eyes filled with a small hope; he was alive. No one saw what happened next coming at all; but it was painfully obvious as well. The next thing any of us knew, there was a sword shoved through his chest. His eyes widened in shock, rather than pain, and he fell limply on the ground.

Ichigo's POV

Everything from that point on was in slow motion. With all of my strength and will, I tugged at the invisible chains that held me. I'm not sure whether I broke free or he freed me, but as soon as I was free, I grabbed Zangetsu and started running towards the 4th Espada. He was the cause of our suffering...our pain... As Shiro's body fell, Ulquiorra raised a hand to launch a cero at Shiro. Just as my sword connected with his chest, the cero was launched. I didn't see what happened, my eyes were trained on Ulquiorra. As my sword cleaved him in two, his eyes almost seemed...thankful. But why, I don't know. A scream came from behind me. I turned to see that they had all fallen, their invisible ties gone. All of them were there...except Dion. "D...Dion?" I turned to see him kneeling next to me, Shiro in his hands. There was a huge portion of his side missing. He had taken the blast.

"D-damn...n-no-not much t-time..." He whispered, blood coming from his mouth. I dropped Zangetsu and knelt next to the two of them. "I-Ichigo...th-the Hogyok-ku...i-it's in h-his h-h-hand..." I turned quickly and grabbed it, handing it to Dion.

"D-Dion?"

"K-keep him awake...o-or h-he-he'll die before I-I can..." He coughed, blood puring from his wound. He passed Shiro to me. I could feel fear rising in my chest. His chest was barely even moving.

"Shiro..." I shook him. He opened his eyes, but even that seemed to take up a lot of strength from him.

"I-Ichigo..." He reached out with a pale hand and I grabbed it. I squeezed it gently.

"Yes...yes it's me..." I whispered to him. He smiled...but it so weak, so strained.

"I...I didn't th-think it'd end li-like this..." He coughed, blood spalshing and hitting my face. "I-I thought our positions w-would be switched..." I couldn't help but laugh. Something warm was wrapping around me, but I kept my focus on Shiro. His body suddenly started going cold.

"Shiro? Shiro, stick with me here!" I snapped. He just smiled that weak smile.

"I-Ichigo..." His hand started slipping from mine as his body started to fade.

"Shiro...SHIRO!" When his body faded, everything came back to me all at once, that included all of his wounds. I was completly overcome by them, and my world faded into darkness...

Chapter 23 end

MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! The last chapter shall reveal what happened~! My last evil cliffhanger to all fo you! ^_^ So...sorry that y'all were expecting something epic and amazing there...but this is it. Well, see y'all in the final chapter~!