@captainofsquad10:

Kita was past out on the cave floor.

@4EspadaUlquiorra:

"I am merely trying to show you how to get what you want." Having said that he vanished. Leaving Ulquiorra alone in the dark.

@captainofsquad10:

"You expect me to believe your words when we stand upon opposite ends of the moral spectrum? I am not one to fall prey to mind tricks, but if you think I am gullible then by all means, tell me what you're thinking and I will crush your false dreams of understanding. The hole you point to is nothing more than vacant space between a dead body."

@4EspadaUlquiorra:

"Satisfaction brought it back. As far as what you will gain in return," he lifted his hand an pointed at the hole in ulquiorra's chest, "perhaps the piece you are most curious about. I know you question what it is and what it's for. You could get your answers."

@captainofsquad10:

"Were you not told, curiosity killed the cat? Were you deprived of the information that I am an espada? I have nothing to say to you, because in the end, what will I gain from telling you anything...?" Ulquiorra let the question hang in the air, sure the soul reaper would find an excuse not to answer him.

@4EspadaUlquiorra:

"What makes you think I am angry?" He looked back at Ulquiorra, matching his blank expression. "I want to kill Aizen, yes, but that is personal. I have nothing against you. In fact, I am quite curious about you. I don't believe you are without emotion. Even your name states that you might actually have emotions. Why do you cry Ulquiorra?"

@captainofsquad10:

"Whatever answer I give to you would not placate your anger. It would not change your feelings of hatred towards my cause either. So when you ask what I call home and whom I choose to value, are you really waiting for my answer?" The hand in Ulquiorra's pocket burned. For a moment-- a brief second in history--- he had shared something he did not want to share. Was that the power of the seraph? To share involuntary feelings and memories through touch?

Whatever happened, he had to get Kita back before she woke up. If she did, there was no telling what she could do with the dangerous secret she possessed. More importantly, she could not share it with Toshiro.

@4EspadaUlquiorra:

"Really," he questioned, "so your 'home' is not with her? You are trying so hard to get her back. It makes me question if really is just because of Aizen's orders. Or, perhaps you miss her. That can't be right though because that would imply that you have feelings for her."

Toshiro turned his gaze to the spot Kita had vanished from, "And by the looks of it you long to be with her. You crave the warmth of her skin. I'd call that your home. You see, home doesn't have to be a physical place."

@Kita Miyamoto:

Here, in the confines of Kita's memories, the soul reaper had invaded. cold touch and frigid manner had driven her away into a dark world of dreaming. He watched in dumb silence as she became deaf, dumb, and blind, before disappearing entirely. However, the selfish fingers of Ulquiorra held onto the warmness of her skin for just a bit longer.

Slowly, he turned to Toshiro and fixed him with a flat stare. The blurred profile of the 10th captain wavered between a solid figure to that of a ghost.

"I thought it would be obvious to such obnoxious trash like you. I do not need a home. Or a place to call home. Neither do I need you to lecture me about the necessity of returning to a familiar spot. I am not a being trapped by the word 'home'." He withdrew his hand from the empty space of air and buried it securely in his pocket.

He hardly spared a thought as to what Toshiro's response would be, considering he valued the soul reapers words beneath his existence. Instead, he directed his thoughts to the dream landscape transforming around him. If he was no longer in Kita's dream, then who's directionless fantasy were they occupying?

@4EspadaUlquiorra:

Suddenly Kita inhaled and quickly raised her hand directly above her heart. She felt it. His touch. His nimble fingertips softly pressed against the skin of her chest. It was warm and she could feel his pain. "Master..." She spoke aloud.

Toshiro heard her call out to him and in moments she closed her eyes and there; before her stood her master his fingertips resting softly to her chest and Toshiro.

She tried to speak but nothing came from her mouth. She watched as Toshiro was speaking, but to whom she did not know; for she could not hear. The only thing she could do was watch and that was becoming difficult as well. She grabbed her head and shook it. Her vision blurred and getting worse.

"Toshiro... Master..." She called to them both, but to no avail. Slowly she was removed from the picture.

@Kita Miyamoto:

"Then settle in two." He had an idea...

@4EspadaUlquiorra

Half of Toshiro reached into Kita's mind and he stood face to face with Ulquiorra. "And where is your home?"

@Kita Miyamoto:

Home... a simple comfort Ulquiorra could offer his wandering fraction, whether or not he reciprocated the feeling. The strong words of Aizen rang through his mind and the stinging slap of failure turned his hands into fists.

"Kita." He reached forward and rested his cold hand above her faintly beating heart. Absently he wondered if it could snow in dreams? Or was this a nightmare he controlled? Anyway which way, he was spending it staring into the fate of the Soul Society and Los Noches.

@captainofsquad10:

Kita inhaled deeply, her eyes still locked with Toshiro's beautiful turquoise eyes. "I want a place I don't have to be scared or worried if I will live to see the sun come up. A place I have friends to laugh with and share dreams with." She sighed and lowered her eyes. "But as long as I am cursed with being the seraph I will never have any of this. I will always be sought out by Aizen or even others that seek me out. I never be able to settle in one place."

@Kita Miyamoto:

"So, where do you want to go?"

@captainofsquad10:

She lifted from the cave wall and hugged Toshiro, "Thank you. I will never forget the kindness you have shown to me."

@Kita Miyamoto:

"That's part of it," he smiled. "We do it everyday to give the souls around us hope. Our strength gives them hope, so we use it. My door is open to you as your home, should you ever need one. As is the entire Soul Society."

@captainofsquad10:

Kita looked at him and smiled, "Is it the same reason you have feed me since day one?" She lifted her hand and brushed his hair from his face.

@Kita Miyamoto:

He looked down for a moment then back up at her, "I am the captain of a squad of the Gotei 13, no matter where I go or what I do I will always be in danger. All of the Captains know this, but do you want to know why we still do it?"

@captainofsquad10:

Kita opened her eyes lifting her head. There in front of her stood Toshiro. His words ever so soft settled on her heart.

"That's very sweet of you, Toshiro and thank you. But if I took you up on your offer you would forever be in danger."

@Kita Miyamoto:

Toshiro saw the tears roll down her eyes. Maybe a seraph had no home. A tactless move on his part. He walked over to her and wiped away her tears. "If you ever need a home, my door will always be open."

@captainofsquad10:

Kita heard Toshiro talking to her, but she did not reply. She did not open her eyes. She just rested there, her head against the cave wall. In her mind she still saw Ulquiorra in full view and she did not want to lose that. Then those four words crashed down on her mind and her heart.

"Where is your home?"

Home... What is a home? At one time she believed it was the Heavenly Realm. Now maybe even Las Noches with her master.

Her home?

Full of memories that would crush the mental structure of any one person with a heart and emotions.

Her home?

Filled with painful memories of the past.

But not her past.

Her past was emotionless, heartless and above all was meant to be spent alone for all eternity.

'Where is your home?'

A question so hard that when it was asked she could not answer it. For she truly did not know where her home was.

Tears trickled from her closed eyes down her soft-peach colored cheeks. Home... I only want to go home. She reached out for Ulquiorra once more. Please...

@Kita Miyamoto:

"We will get out of here. On the other side of that hole Plan B is in the works. Plan B will work without a doubt," he replied to her settling himself against the wall. "Where is your home anyway?"

@4EspadaUlquiorra:

Closing her eyes Kita rested her head against the bolder and allowed the connection between her and her master to grow strong once more. In a matter of seconds Ulquiorra became visible in her mind once more. She reached out for him calling his name.

"Ulquiorra."

Lowering her hand she stepped toward him as an overwhelming feeling to touch him came over her. She stopped in front of him lifting her hand once more. Her hand gently cupping his sorrowful face. She had nothing to say, she only wanted to look upon him. She truly had missed him and she truly wanted to return to him, but she knew she could not. Not as long as Aizen existed. Not as long as she was the Seraph. She wondered if he knew this, wondered if he could feel how she felt with their connection. She wondered if he really knew how much he meant to the one person that stood before him that second, and more importantly did he care? She sighed letting her hand slide and fall from his cheek.

@Kita Miyamoto:

Without wasting anymore time, Ulquiorra called out to his seraph with no reserve. All self-made preservation were laid aside and the only thing that existed was the faint link between him and Kita.

"Su...mi..." Though the connection was weak, he chased after it like a drowning man. He crossed the great distance with a reaching hand. Was this what Ulquiorra was truly made of? A mournful man chasing after the attention of his fraction? Or placing his honor beneath him to fulfill Aizen's request and retrieve the seraph?

Perhaps. Perhaps not.

@4EspadaUlquiorra:

As she sat to the bolder Kita felt a pull against her mind. A strong and determined pull. She drew her hand to her head once more and rubbed her forehead. "Master..." She whispered softly under her breath.

@Kita Miyamoto:

Just like that, all of Ulquiorra's patience and separation of thoughts and emotions were torn down. Like an directionless hurricane, he crashed through the mental barriers he had put against himself and the world. A one sided barrier to protect the world from his rash actions, such as he was about to take.

Hitsugaya Toshiro was playing a dangerous game with Kita and he would have his say. Whether it took a day. A year. A heartbeat.

He was Ulquiorra and he was a very resourceful man...

@captainofsquad10:

Kita looked to the vortex once more and sighed, "I want to go home. I want to get out of here. I am tired of being trapped here." She looked to Toshiro again, "Drop the barrier around us."

@Kita Miyamoto:

"I'm not entirely sure...."

@captainofsquad10:

"Then what?" She asked looking back to him.

@Kita Miyamoto:

"Relax, I'm sure they don't. Besides, they wouldn't be able to block this."

@captainofsquad10:

Kita looked to Toshiro from the vortex, "Aizen? Ulquiorra? Do you think they could do that? I mean they don't know where we are." She casted her eyes down drawing her hand to her forehead and rubbed, "I don't think they know where we are." Her words soft.

@Kita Miyamoto:

"This vortex is not our problem. It's what's blocking it."

@captainofsquad10:

Kita looked to the vortex, "So we are not getting out of here now?" She walked over leaning against a large boulder in the cave.

@Kita Miyamoto:

"I'm fine," Toshiro replied, "but we have a problem..."

@captainofsquad10:

Kita rushed to Toshiro's side looking at his hand. "Are you alright?" She inspected his hand for any injuries.

@Kita Miyamoto:

"Yup." He crossed over to the vortex and reached his hand out to touch it. "Come on..." His fingers grazed the portal and an electric shock was sent through his body. He jerked his hand back and stared at the portal in confusion. "What..."

@captainofsquad10:

Kita let Toshiro assist her in getting up she was was still in a sleep mode. "Our ride?" She questioned softly, more to herself then to Toshiro. She stood looking around the cave seeing a black vortex not far from them. "That thing?" She looked to Toshiro which was walking around the cave picking their things up.

@Kita Miyamoto:

"Our ride is here," he replied helping her up.

@captainofsquad10:

Kita's dream started to crumble around her and Ulquiorra. Like dry paint flaking from the walls slowly falling to the floor like soft falling snow. Her eyes fluttered open seeing Toshiro hovering above her. She raised a hard to her forehead. "Toshiro? What's wrong? What do you mean it is time to leave?"

@Kita Miyamoto:

"Kita?" He shook her a little more, "It's time to get up....god she's a deep sleeper."

@captainofsquad10:

Kita did not move from her dream state. Ulquiorra had her so drawn into the meeting it was as if her mind had left. Leaving only an empty shell of a body.

@Kita Miyamoto:

Toshiro got up and looked around the area. He could feel something that he wasn't expecting yet. He crossed over to the barrier and saw that the portal had open just outside it. He ran over to Kita and shook her shoulder. It was time to go.

@4EspadaUlquiorra:

Kita made a large wave of her arm and hand as the toy shop became bright and alive with children. Their laughter warm their smiles bright. Not a worry one crossed their minds. Only the thought of HAVING TO HAVE THAT TOY.

Sounds of motors and horns being imitated by the boys pushing cars and trucks along on the floor. Little girls cooing and coddling baby dolls, feeding them and playing with their hair. Sounds of toy trains and planes, soft teddy bears for hugging. All the joys a childs life should be filled with. With a warm smile Kita looked to Ulquiorra. He then raised his hand and with the snap of his fingers her memory went dark and the flood of horror rushed the toy shop.

Ulquiorra glanced from his white hands to the flushed skin if Kita's wrist. Who was the the true master of this tragedy, when the victim knew the ending?

Once again, the dream delirium warped itself to match Sumi's desired retelling of the tale. He let go and watched the horror unfold.

@4EspadaUlquiorra:

“I know how. I want to know why you would care to know them.” She looked to Ulquiorra quickly when he grabbed her hand. She did not flinch nor try to pull away. She looked into his eyes instead. “I am not afraid of you, master. I never have been. Nor will I ever be.” She looked back to the toys on the shelves then back to him. “Would you like to see what happens in this memory?”

"You call me master, but do not know how I know these things?" Ulquiorra sighed and turned his face away. He heard Kita taking small tentative steps, hardly daring to touch anything as if it were fragile.

Without premonition, he seized her hand and looked hard into her dialated eyes. Why wasn't she afraid? Why wasn't she trying to tear him limb from limb? Perhaps she was torn between believing in the phantom toy shop and seeing the person whom all dark memories of happiness oozed from.

@4EspadaUlquiorra:

As he backed away Kita watched as their surroundings changed. She looked to her right, then quickly to her left.

“A toy shop?” She looked around again, “I know this toy shop. I know it well.” A saddened look blanketed her face as she spoke aloud turning to Ulquiorra.

“How do you know this place, master?”

@Kita Miyamoto:

"Pretty words," Ulquiorra dropped his hand and added some distance between himself and Kita. The color of his mood shifted and the contours of the room melted into the physical manifestation of his imagination. Deep, recessive colors overlapped the mahogany shelves of a toy shop he had imagined.

Ulquiorra liked watching the futility of toys. He took the time to observe trinkets become obsolete and the ephemeral emotions children experienced as they developed a darker sense of joy. And he wanted Kita to see this as well.

He wanted her to see her imagination as if it were his own. And where better to start, than the painful stages of childhood?

@4EspadaUlquiorra:

She looked to him, her eyes locking with his. She felt stillness take over her beating heart when he touched her. Her breathing turned shallow. She did not fear the man before her. She did not loath him either, but there was something about him. Something that connected them in away she could not understand. It was not the fact that the remains of his right hand lived within her arrancar form. No. There was more. So much more. But what. And now. That look. The look he held in his eyes for her. The look of disgust. Again she has shamed him. Again she has hurt the unfeeling espada. He dared not show it, but she could see it. She could feel it. No matter how much he denied it. She knew it was there.

“I do not mock you. You will forever be my master no matter the distance between us.”

@Kita Miyamoto:

Those same cold, unfeeling eyes slid over Kita's bowed head, ending where the shadows stretched over her cheekbones.

"Do you call me 'Master' to mock me, or do you genuinely think I still hold power over you?" An icy hand slid from his deep pocket and pushed her hair back, revealing a face like that of a chiseled doll.

Disgusting, he thought in the stillness of Kita's mind. Was it always night here, as in Los Noches? Did Kita not turn her face towards the light when she felt angry? Lonely? Oppressed? Who was this creature that stood before him with the glassy eyes? This was not the Kita he knew.

@4EspadaUlquiorra:

It was too much. The memories of everything washed over her. Good, bad, mediocre. There was no balance to it. Her mind spun out of control. Her eyes popped open and before her. There with his hands neatly tucked in his pockets. Her master. His eyes still the same. Cold, dead and unfeeling.

"Master." She lowered her head to him.

@Kita Miyamoto:

Little did Kita know, was that all her memories were tied with his. The physically painful happiness. The gripping sadness. The false hopes. The intense passions of wanting to be free. All of them.

His.

But he didn't want it. He didn't need it. All he needed was to reach her while she could still hear him.

"Kita," Ulquiorra pressed against her consciousness with a progressive feeling of drowning... drowning in a sea of ice. A sea in which Kita was allowing herself to sink into and let cold fingers wrap around her throat.

And oh how it wrapped. So tightly; so smoothly. Almost innocently, but Ulquiorra knew better and so did Kita. The further she ran from him, the distance became smaller.

@4EspadaUlquiorra:

Kita’s mind was on Toshiro when she fell asleep, and there it managed to stay for sometime. She started to worry wondering what might happen to him if she were not able to return to the Soul Society with him. Would he be punished? Sentenced to confinement? She was certain that death would not be part of his punishment, but striped of his command was a very likely thing. Rolling over in bed she heard Ulquiorra call out to her. She closed her eyes tighter trying to block him out. Remembering what Toshiro had told her in the case he tried contacting her again.

“I can do this.” Kita said to herself concentrating harder on happy moments.

@Kita Miyamoto:

It was here in the deep recesses of her mind, that Ulquiorra knew his former fraction best. No matter what persona she took on, whether it be the seraph or his fraction, there was one place where she found she didn't have to mold herself into: Her mind.
"Kita." For once he had caught her off guard and stepped out from behind her peripheral vision, but instead of recoiling, she did something rather peculiar. She turned. And turned. And turned. Looking with glazed over eyes.
"Kita." He tried once more to reach her, but still she turned in a dazed fashion. As if she were... blind. Perhaps it was better this way. Blind. Such a short word for an eternity of sentencing.
He watched as if he were a spectator at a carnival of tears. He wanted to reach out and grab her arm and shake her. Shake her until she looked at him--- But he wouldn't.
This was her mind.

It was another long day in the cave. Kita was exhausted; from what she had no clue. They really did nothing all day except Toshiro showing her a few more defensive moves to help protect herself. She wished she had her zanpakuto back, but she knew at this rate that was never going to happen. Her return to Las Noches was the only way it would be returned to her.

She lay down on the blankets that were laid out for a bed tucking her hands under her head. Crackling and popping in the silence of the cave the fire burned hot, and there, across the cave she saw Toshiro. He was sitting to the ground resting his back against the cave wall. The fire dancing in his turquoise eyes that looked so distance and his mind even more distance.

“Why won’t he talk to me? What is he thinking?” Kita thought to herself.

She sighed softly just watching him sit there. Before she knew it she was fast asleep in her own little dreamland.