Junkyard

4/10/2020

Disclaimer: This is a Bleach fanfiction. I do not own Bleach nor the characters. Well in this case, the characters' original souls (know what I mean you will, if you read)

A/N: When I was first writing for Bleach at FF.net, I posted this work but took it down the next day as I thought it was awful. I've edited it before posting now but still think it's not worth posting in FF.net. I was inspired by Jobrill's fic.

The Life and Times of UlquiHime

Entrance

"Why did you reach out to me then?" The green-eyed Arrancar asked in a quiet whisper.

With hands clasped before her chest, the woman replied without hesitation. "Because you have suffered enough. I wanted to give you my heart, Ulquiorra, just as you had done over and over in previous lifetimes."

The Arrancar turned and she followed.

I

A sleek, young deer grazed peacefully among a meadow of tall, yellow grasses. Her reddish fur highlighted the white spots atop her thin muscles. Under the rapidly darkening skies, all beasts had retreated and she was glad to have the opportunity to graze freely.

It had been this way since her brother was mauled down by a car and before then, her parents and kin hunted down by humans for their prized fur and beautiful horns. She was lucky no dangerous predators had spotted her yet. She had been very careful, living on edge, hiding in between other herds whenever she can. It certainly was no joyful life, but she adapted, and it was getting easier as she went on.

On this day, however, she was caught completely off guard when a dark creature rounded upon her. She had no chance to run; he was so close.

Why are you alone? Are you not afraid? The predator pressed. Emerald slits and sharp claws emphasised his ferocity as he stalked towards her. He scrutinized for any fear and all she wanted was to fall flat and offer her flesh for him to feast upon.

No! If she were to die, she would die with dignity. Never, she answered the panther.

For some strange reason, the mighty predator considered her and decided to let her be. That night, she bonelessly folded down her legs and tucked inside the hollow of a broken tree as he ate his hunt – a measly rabbit – and eventually rested on the trunk right above her. His large paws had hung over, near the top of her ears, and those still-extended silver claws ignited her curiosity.

The panther began accompanying her for he too held no territory of his own. She noted he never hunted more than was necessary and only feasted on small animals. Sometimes this one meal lasted many days and he would merely watch over her as she fed.

When she dared to ask about his claws, he told her the story of himself. He grew up an orphan cub as his parents had fell prey to hunters and then to their own hunger. Due to the dangers he faced in the abysmal jungle, he never retracted his only means of defence. Just as she was always ready to bolt, he was always prepared to fight.

The predator became her teacher, training her in the ways of camouflage and escape. But since he was always beside her to ward away other lowly predators, she encountered little to no troubles. It was almost grand how her life had become with him. They grew closer until she felt as if they had become of the same species, the same animal.

One night, they were sleeping side-by-side on a nest of moss they had found, when a great crashing sound roused them.

Humans! The panther was quick to sniffed out. Before they could dart away, a huge, mechanical monster came between them. He tried to find a way to release her, near panicking when he heard gunfire.