Author Note: Sorry everyone for the really long delay, I had another story to finish and I just didn't feel up to working on this one but I'll try to get into the habit of putting up a chapter once a week.

What I decided to do was have a bit of Akira's past in the beginning of every chapter so we can see what her relationship with Ulquiorra, Orihime and others was like and just how she changed that Ulquiorra.

I used Ulquiorra's actual backstory from before he became an arrancar for this chapter.

Disclaimer: Bleach and its characters belong to Tite Kubo

Chapter 2: Now What?

Past:

Beautiful…he was beautiful and so different from those around him.

My soul longed for this being and yearned to stay by this beautiful creature's side and protect him though I could never really explain why. He didn't need my protection though for he was strong…and elegant…and graceful…and deadly.

I followed him across the deserts of Hueco Mundo from a distance. I always wondered if he knew I was there but he never confronted me or tried to lose me so I never knew for sure if he did.

We traveled for years across the never changing scenery and we never stopped until one day…we came across something I had never seen before. It was a white tree with many branches extending out in all directions.

My beloved approached it and forced himself inside the many branches. I panicked initially when I could no longer see him but then relaxed when I felt how at peace his soul suddenly seemed.

I sat down in the sand and waited for him to come back out…but he never did; he wanted to stay there, enveloped in those white branches. The thought that I would never see him again saddened me but I accepted it.

This is what he wants, I told myself.

I never left though; I stayed right there and kept other hollows from disturbing him. I was happy to do this for I was not only able to stay by his side but protect him too. I was content to stay this way forever…but fate had another idea.

Present:

I stood there staring at him. I took in every familiar detail with bated breath…that dark, slightly messy hair, that pale skin, those green tear marks and those striking green eyes that had often held my attention in the past. I was afraid that he would suddenly disappear if I looked away or even moved. It felt like my heart was about to burst right out of my chest but then it plummeted when I looked into those cold eyes of his.

It's not him…he's not the Ulquiorra I know, I thought as I noticed there was no warmth in his eyes…none at all. He'd always had cold eyes but there had always been a subtle, slight hint of warmth in them but not with this man.

I knew that I wouldn't see my Ulquiorra again but actually seeing a different one really reminded me that he was gone forever. I wasn't completely disheartened though. He wasn't the man I knew but I wasn't completely unfamiliar with the one before me; he reminded me of how Ulquiorra was our first few months together in Las Noches.

I knew saving the man before me wouldn't necessarily be the same as saving the man I loved but I still intended to do so. I actually wouldn't have minded going to all the timelines and saving each Ulquiorra. However, that was impossible as Kisuke's device had disintegrated the moment I arrived…this was my one and only chance.

I was pulled from my thoughts at the sound of Yammy's booming laughter. I looked up just as he smacked the guy called Chad away, easily smashing his armored arm.

"Chad!" I tensed as Orihime ran forward to stand protectively in front of her friend, not caring at all that she was outmatched.

She brought up her shield as Yammy took a swing at her. She didn't move even though the shield shattered upon impact. She used her Shun Shun Rikka to heal Chad, catching Ulquiorra's interest as she did so.

"You're a strange human, woman." I winced at Ulquiorra's words, as I knew what this would ultimately lead to.

Orihime said nothing in response. The look of determination in those gray orbs told me what she was about to do and sure enough she sent Tsubaki out, hoping to at least injure Yammy but he easily crushed it as if it was just a harmless housefly.

"Hey Ulquiorra!" I winced at Yammy's unnecessarily loud voice.

Doesn't he know how to control the volume of his own voice, I wondered but I was somewhat used to it.

"Should we take her back to Lord Aizen since she has some unusual techniques?"

It seemed that some things hadn't changed; Yammy still consulted Ulquiorra before making any real decisions of his own.

"No. There's no need to. Kill her, Yammy."

I shuddered at how cold and unfeeling his voice was when he said those words. I wanted to step out and help her but there was nothing I could do with my current level of spiritual pressure and I also didn't want to draw attention to myself.

Yammy's face broke out into a sadistic smile as he went for Orihime. He froze just as he was about to stab his hand on the sword suddenly in the way of the girl. I felt myself relax slightly when I saw that Ichigo Kurosaki was finally there to save the day but my relief didn't last long; the boy's energy was so unstable that I wasn't sure if he could even fight properly.

He wasn't going to back down though and let his friends get killed. He went right into bankai, nearly blowing Orihime off her feet with his blast of spiritual pressure.

"Stand back, Orihime. I'll take care of them."

Ichigo never looked away from Yammy and Ulquiorra so he missed the hurt, disappointed look on Orihime's face. The girl ran back towards Chad and focused on healing him but still kept an eye on Ichigo. Yammy stared down at Ichigo while scratching his head, looking confused and unsure.

"Hey, Ulquiorra! Is he the guy?"

I barely held in my exasperated groan at Yammy's idiocy. He started another round of booming laughter when Ulquiorra confirmed that this was the soul reaper Aizen had told them about. He swung his arm back and threw a powerful punch but it was easily blocked by Ichigo's blade. Ichigo didn't even flinch even though the ground crumbled and cracked around his feet. Yammy's gleeful smirk quickly fell and he started to sweat a little.

"Are you the one who did that to Chad's arm?" Ichigo asked, his voice serious and threatening.

He slashed Yammy's arm off without waiting for an answer and ignored Yammy's yells of pain. I smiled slightly as Ulquiorra spoke up asking if he should take over, subtly insulting Yammy in a way I was familiar with. He then questioned Yammy when he went to use his zanpakuto.

The mention of a zanpakuto confused Ichigo and seemed to trigger something else as he suddenly hunched forward and gripped his face. He looked completely focused on something else and not at all on the battle. This gave Yammy an opportunity to kick him in the gut.

Ichigo was sent flying back, vomit and spit erupting from his mouth. I nearly cried out when I saw Orihime running to help but Ichigo did that for me. Orihime didn't listen though.

I could only grip the tree branch beside me and stare in horror as Orihime was violently smacked aside. She skipped across the ground a few times then laid on the ground motionlessly. Ichigo cried out for her but she didn't respond. Yammy proceeded to beat the crap out of Ichigo, laughing sadistically at his pain.

It hurt to watch but there really was nothing I could do. I was really starting to think that Ichigo was going to die. Yammy threw the boy to the ground then readied the final blow. I was about to run out and foolishly try and stop him but someone else arrived to save him. I didn't know whether to be relieved or annoyed when I saw just who had arrived.

"Hello everyone! So sorry I'm late." Kisuke Urahara greeted cheerfully from behind a red shield of energy, which he used to block Yammy's attack.

Seeing Yoruichi Shihoin beside him was a big relief at least. Yammy seemed a little put off that they interrupted his kill but decided to focus on them instead. However, he was quickly flipped over Yoruichi's shoulder when he attacked. He kept going for her though but she easily dodged his strikes and delivered a few of her own, quickly downing him.

Ulquiorra watched everything impassively, making no move to help his fallen comrade. Yoruichi tended to Orihime while Kisuke checked on Ichigo. Yammy got up again while they were distracted and started forming a cero.

Knowing who was there, I wasn't worried. Kisuke quickly got in the way of the cero and negated it with his zanpakuto's abilities.

"W-what did you do to my cero?" Yammy asked, flabbergasted.

Kisuke egged him on by cheerfully explaining how he negated it. He used his zanpakuto to send another surge of red energy Yammy's way, which Yammy was unprepared for. However, Ulquiorra appeared and easily deflected it with his hand, shocking and surprising Kisuke and Yoruichi.

I couldn't help but swoon a little at such a display from him. I flinched though when he proceeded to cruelly strike Yammy in the stomach, sending the larger espada to his knees.

"You idiot. You're getting in over your head."

He explained to Yammy who the newcomers were and told him that he wouldn't be able to defeat them at his current level. Ulquiorra walked past him and opened a garganta. Yammy stepped through while Ulquiorra paused to make a few comments to Kisuke and the others. His gaze lingered on Ichigo as he turned to walk through but then he spotted me.

I froze and paled as his eyes narrowed in interest and suspicion. My heart was pounding in both worry and happiness at having his attention. He paused a second to examine me then continued through the garganta, which closed behind him.

Shit. Now Aizen's going to know about me, I thought, cursing at myself for letting myself be seen.

I turned my attention back to the others but found that they were already gone. I finally stepped out into the open and looked around at the battered scenery then in the direction I knew the others would have gone. I swept my bangs out of my face with a sigh.

What should I do now?

Author Note: I don't really have much to say right now other than that it was really annoying writing the fight scene.

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