Hollows Can't Love

Please don't do this!

Ichigo and Ulquiorra are holding off against each other, though Ulquiorra seems to be thinking in the middle of the fight. He makes a small noise then kicks Ichigo away, him landing on his back.

"I am puzzled by your behavior. Perhaps the presence of this girl is the reason you won't put on your mask and unleash your Hollow powers." I look up towards Orihime as she is standing while I sit on the ground, watching. She's the one who's scared of his mask, we all know it. This causes a small reaction out of Ichigo. "If that's the case." The espada looks at the standing female beside me as if he was going to attack. Ichigo quickly blocks his line of sight in defiance. My eye set on the back of his head, watching the way he holds himself.

"You're wrong. She has nothing to do with it." Denial.

"Then prove me wrong. Put on your mask."

"Forget it!" Ichigo slams a Black Getsuga against Ulquiorra's sword, but it redirects behind Ichigo and heads toward us. Quickly acting and not thinking about the consequences, I try to block the energy from hitting Orihime, but I have no sword with me and I take the brunt with my left hand, burning my arm in result. I slightly gasp in pain but try to keep it to myself. 'He didn't mean to hurt me. I did this to myself.' Orihime on the other hand gasps at my hand loudly. Luckily, Ichigo doesn't hear it as we hear bombs go off beneath us where Uryu and Yammy are fighting. I'm going to put my trust in the Quincy to keep him at bay.

My thoughts are rightfully put as I hear something that resembles a large body hitting the bottom of the tower and Uryu jumping on our floor.

"Uryu, are you alright?" Always worried for his friends, that Ichigo.

"Sure. Do I look ill?"

"No, but we heard all that commotion and I,"

"Oh, you mean all those explosions, they were caused by mines that Mayuri had me bring along. I planted them earlier; they go off if their spiritual pressure sensors detect an Arrancar anywhere within range. I carved out the ceiling of the level below and placed them. Yammy fell for my plan. He never suspected that I was driving him into a minefield. Everything went off like clockwork. Did you doubt my capabilities?"

"Actually, I've never had my doubts about you Uryu. The problem is you talk too much. You ramble on and there's no way to block you out." He becomes a bit more serious. "Take care of them. If Orihime can't protect them with her Shun Shun Rikka, I want you to protect them with your life."

"I would have done it without you telling me." Now the Quincy is going to protect me? Ichigo smiles and lets out a small chuckle.

"Sorry to keep you waiting Ulquiorra. I believe this is what you wanted to see." Ichigo raises his hand to his face to summon his mask. Ulquiorra is surprised at the sudden increase of Ichigo's power with his mask as Ichigo pounces with a Black Getsuga wrapped around his sword. Ichigo's power is destroying the ground underneath him as he forces Ulquiorra through the wall, outside of the tower we are in.

"How much power does he have with White's mask?" The question comes out quietly as I was really just asking myself. I watch in awe as he disintegrates everything around him. I'm shaken out of my daze as I feel a cero forming. "No! Ichigo!" I dart up from my spot, racing to the hole in the wall, careful not to be blasted. My eyes widen, he stopped it. There was no mark from the attack on him. Suddenly Ulquiorra shoots up, flying to the sky away from us.

"Get back here!" Ichigo chases him up as the espada slices through the sky, entering another plane. I immediately know what's happening and jump myself, leaving the other two behind.

'No, no, no! This isn't good!' I'm behind them by only a little bit so I missed some of their conversation, only making it to see Ulquiorra release his sword; it almost seemed as if it was raining, but that didn't last long. I try to hide away from the battle, not wanting to get caught up in it. I'm far too shaken to pay attention to what Ulquiorra is saying. 'There's no winning this battle. He's going to kill him.' In an instant, Ulquiorra creates a spear of reshi and appears in front of Ichigo, sending a wave of power that crushes all of the pillars around them. The smell of blood resonates through the air and hits my nose, causing my sight to dart to Ichigo's face. His mask is cut off from the right eye, showing the man underneath.