A Ruined City...

Daigoro Ito sighed. It had been about three weeks since he'd been unsealed, and told everything. The redhead studied his hand, the seal hidden by his gauntlet. That thing... He thought it was only keeping his body safe. But it was more than that. And all of his memories had returned, along with his full strength.

So, that whole time... The entire time he'd been striving for Bankai, and he'd already had it inside him, just locked away. That was ironic, really. Dai tilted his head back, sitting on the wrecked roof of a bygone age. San Francisco... Once a bustling city, had been reduced to nothing in the past 400 years, the humans within dead, and the buildings crumbling to nothing. He sighed softly, and stood up from where he was sitting, still not 100% used to the power that he had so recently gotten back from the past.

He was loyal to the Kokuryuteshi, that was for sure... But he still had feelings for the past, back in Soul Society. He didn't spend 400 years of his life there for nothing. But now that Kin was back... His eyes went steely. He would serve his master, and try to reduce casualties along the way. That was his prerogative. That was his duty.

Daigoro Ito stood firm and tall, and flash-stepped into the distance, finding himself in front of the one thing that had stood the test of time - the Golden Gate Bridge. It was where he'd entered San Fransisco, for reasons that nobody knows, and it was where he'd leave, once he was done. He flash-stepped a few more times, and stood atop the bridge, keeping careful watch for anything that might be of... inconvenience to the Shinigami, the Commander of the Stone Cross...

There! He felt it. It may have only been fleeting, but it was something. Daigoro turned to see where it was coming from, but couldn't feel it anymore. Strange... He flash-stepped down to the ground, and looked around some more. He would find that Reiatsu, if it was the la-- No, that wasn't it. He wasn't going to die here.

Ulquiorra Cifer

Ulquiorra didn't really know what he was doing here. The endless expanse of metal testaments to the greed and self-righteousness of the human race sickened him. This city was a monument of sorts, in itself a shrine to the very worst of the human race. The skyscrapers standing for all the bravado and vanity that made humans think they were the most superior being in existence. The streets lined with cars symbolizing the endless human need for motion and change.

It was therefore ironic, Ulquiorra thought, that the place was almost entirely obliterated. Once again providing proof of the human's seemingly meaningless devotion to obliterating their own possessions.

Ulquiorra walked with an urgency he didn't feel, he wanted to get out of the city, but that wasn't all. He felt a presence somewhere, he couldn't pin it down. Whoever it was, they were strong. Ulquiorra knew his mission was to come here and see if there were any hollows or arrancar hiding out, waiting for recruitment, but he couldn't help but feel as if this figure was what he was truly here for. He dropped a bit of his protection, letting a flash of his reiatsu escape him before he leaned against a wall. His hands, as always, casually slipped into his pockets. His acid green eyes with their cat-like slit pupils probed the area. He let out a bit more reiatsu. "If this doesn't bring him straight to me, I don't know what will." Ulquiorra thought.

Ba-thump Dai's heart beat in time with the Reiatsu pulse that he'd felt. He turned around slowly, trying to get a feel for whatever was going on around here. He'd felt that before, in the Winter War. Not that he was taking part, he was more like a... spectator. His eyes narrowed, and he started to walk towards the Reiatsu source. Whoever they were, they were strong.

This feels strangely familiar, Daigoro.

Yeah, that it does. I get the idea that I know who this is. He had definitely felt that Reiatsu before... Argh! It was consuming his mind! He moved faster, the pressure on his barrier not building up at all. They were covering themselves up... He flash-stepped up to the roof of a nearby building, and looked down over the area, the Stone Cross Commander suddenly seeing it and gasping.

No... He jumped off the building, and landed across the street from the pale-skinned Arrancar, eyes narrowed.

"I recognize that face, that general disdain. Ulquiorra. Quattro Espada. Or is that a position you gave up for something else? Either way, it doesn't matter to me. What are you doing here?" He tilted his head to the side, not hostile, just... suspicious. If he could get out of this without fighting, that would make life FAR easier, and much less painful...

Ulquiorra Cifer

Ulquiorra looked around, waiting for the presence he had felt to come to him. It wasn't a matter of curiosity, it was a matter of assessing any possible threat and eliminating it instantly. If this figure was in any way a possible liability to his mission, he would crush it. Whatever, or whoever it was.

Ulquiorra glanced up, slightly bemused by this new arrival, even though his face showed no sign of it. His eyes staring blankly into the other man's own. Ulquiorra slipped his left hand out of his pocket slowly, pulling back his uniform to reveal a large number "4" tattooed onto his left pectoral, revealing his former life as the Quatro Espada.

"I'm surprised," Ulquiorra started in his almost eerie, quiet voice, "that you know so much about me, seeing as how I have no idea who you are." His tone was dismissive, this was hardly the matter at hand. "My time as an Espada is long over. I died as an espada, I will not make the same mistake again." He stated coldly, and with finality. "As for my business here, I could ask you the same question, but telling you would mean one of two things. Either I trusted you, doubtful. Or I told you because you I was going to eliminate you, possible." His words had a clear message, 'Mind your own business or be eliminated.'

Daigoro shrugged, and then proffered his hand as if to say 'I don't really give a shit'.

"I'm just lookin' around. Nothing too serious. I'm probably not even a threat in your eyes. As to how I know you? I'm an old man, Ulquiorra. I've been alive since long before the Winter War, and back then, I was a member of the Gotei 13. I'm not now, of course, but I won't bore you with the details." The redhead shrugged.

I feel a good amount of power.

Y'think? Shit's kinda obvious, especially with this guy.

But... he is far less powerful than Kin.

I don't think of him as a threat, Ookami. Just as a soul from the outside.

That lax thinking will get you killed, one of these days.

Yeah, yeah. Silence. Dai looked over at Ulquiorra, not wanting to move, but wanting to leave all the same. He really did have to get back to the Kokuryuteshi base, so he shoul probably go. He turned to leave, and put his gloved hand up in a wave.

"Seeya."

Ulquiorra Cifer

Ulquiorra blinked slowly, his face hiding his true intentions, and his reiatsu almost completely concealed.

Slowly, he slipped his left hand out of his pocket. Ulquiorra raised the hand slowly and pointed his left index finger at the man's back. Quickly the familiar ball of acid green energy charged on the tip of the finger that was now pointed at the man. "Cero." Ulquiorra stated under his breath, firing the huge blast of energy directly at the man's back as he walked away.

A member of the Gotei 13? There during the winter war? Former member or not, this man was his enemy. Ulquiorra saw this man as a potential threat, therefore he was going to do everything in his power to kill him.

He felt it. The sudden burst of Reiatsu. No time to combat it, or was there? Daigoro turned around, drawing his zanpakuto without words, releasing it as any user of Bankai could. He grinned, and spoke two words, clearly and properly.

"Seishou-Hakaisha!" The now-glowing blade collided with the Cero, splitting the energy attack in two, causing the split halves to collide with the ground either side of him. Dai smiled softly, before changing his expression to one of utmost severity. He didn't want to fight him, but this Arrancar looked like he was ready to kill him. Nothing he needed. He turned to completely face Ulquiorra, eyes narrowed.

"I really don't want to fight. I want both of us to live. But I assume you're done listening to drivel." He sighed, and pulled out one of his Glaive Seals, bringing his arms up, and moving them together, forcing the card into the small slot with a grin.

"Execute!" The seal was rammed into the slot, and the Kanji on it was read. He reached out a hand, pointing his fingers at the Arrancar.

"Glaive Seal: Byakurai!" Pale lightning shot out of his outstretched fingers, straight for the Arrancar, aiming to wound.

Ulquiorra Cifer

Ulquiorra stared blankly at the man standing a ways in front of him. Watching him attack. Was this a joke? He was shooting lightning? Ulquiorra let out a "tsk", raising his pale left hand and opening his palm in the direction of the lightning, stopping it and throwing the energy to the side. "Time to get serious, it seems.." Ulquiorra thought to himself, looking at his burnt hand. That lightning could be a problem after a while.

Ulquiorra stopped cloaking his reiatsu, starting on the exact opposite action, amplifying and concentrating the entirety of his unreleased reiatsu. He slipped his left hand back into his pocket and sighed, his acid-green reiatsu now visible. Suddenly, it would appear if he had disappeared from sight. In actuality, he had sonidoed with blinding speed directly to the left of the man, aiming a high sweeping kick for the man's head.

He never expected Byakurai to work. It was a weak attack, just a way for him to gauge the man's reflexes. And to tell the truth, those reflexes scared Dai a little. The redheaded Shinigami sighed softly, and fired the spent cartridge onto the ground with a small sigh. He looked up at Ulquiorra, who had now disappeared. Dai gasped lightly, suddenly noticing the Reiatsu reappearing beside his head. Damnit!

The kick was sudden, and sent him flying, hitting a nearby building. Bits and pieces of bricks and mortar fell to the ground beside him. He groaned, and fell out of the wall. Pushing himself up onto his feet, and stumbling slightly, he looked up at Ulquiorra. He was already bleeding. Weak.

"Erg..." He put his hand on the side of his head, and stood up straight, picking up his zanpakuto in the gloved hand.

"I don't want to fight... Ulquiorra..." He re-sheathed his blade, and pulled out another seal, flicking it in quickly, holding it up. As the Seal was read, Daigoro began to chant.

"Ye lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Inferno and pandemonium, the sea barrier surges, march on to the south! Glaive Seal: Shakkaho!" A red ball grew in his glove, and was fired off at Ulquiorra. That was Seal 2. Any more and he'd use the third seal, just to escape...

Ulquiorra Cifer

Ulquiorra watched the man's path of flight, setting his foot back on the ground softly. He casually strolled in the direction of the man he had just sent into the building.

"Oh, but you don't understand." Ulquiorra spoke, softly but commandingly. His gaze penetrating, his hair blowing back from the wind that was picking up. "I don't want to fight either, but I must eliminate you. For the benefit and protection of my cause." Ulquiorra stated, immediately afterward Sonidoing above the man, he wasn't going to let up. He watched at the red blast flew off into the distance past where he just was. Ulquiorra quickly gained momentum on the way down, aiming a kick for the man's head, right before it would have connected, he sonidoed again, right behind the man, thrusting his hand forward like a kife towards the man's back, aiming to kill him right now.