(LOL…Sorry about my whole Lilinette episode in the last chapter. I did think she was a girl and I found it a relief that she for sure is one. Oh well… Thanks again for all who are currently reading this. It is much appreciated! )

Chapter 16: Goodbye

Ulquiorra had just finished looking about everywhere in the Rukongai, and still there was no sign of Midori. This meant that Aizen must have taken her to the Seretei.

Without further stalling, he raced into the Seretei. At first he was unnoticed. He managed to look for quite some time, until a soul reaper finally confronted him. This one was small, male, with white hair and a very serious expression. Above his black soul reaper uniform he wore a white jacket thingy (Sorry, I don't know what its called) symbolizing his power as one of the thirteen court guard captains. Looking at the expression on his face, Ulquiorra knew that he meant business.

"Stop where you are arrancar!" he hissed.

"I'm not here to destroy the soul society," Ulquiorra grumbled as he zoomed past the stunned captain.

He didn't have to mess with soul reapers. He needed to find Midori, who could be doing who knows what at the current time being. He hid in the shadows as he searched now.

Luckily, he heard some soul reapers talking nearby. They mentioned something about a tiny arrancar rampaging in the middle of the Sereitei. They were saying that they'd never seen such a small arrancar before. (LOL… too bad they couldn't see Nel! ^_^)

That was all the information Ulquiorra needed to hear. He ran as fast as he could through all of the sereitei in order to reach his daughter. He didn't care what Aizen thought anymore. He was going to rescue her and make sure nothing of this caliber would happen again. Well, if either of them were still alive after this, which he would try his hardest to maintain.

He ran and ran, until he finally found her. Several soul reapers were bombarding her, but something was odd. She could deflect every single one of them. It seemed like she was a simple-minded monster of destruction, by the way she looked and acted. Her small hollow mask engulfed her face making her seem expressionless. She was also a fierce little opponent, it didn't seem like anyone could defeat her.

Ulquiorra tried to find Aizen through all this mess, but it seemed that he had just left the child there. This must have all been a game to him and nothing more. That really pissed Ulquiorra off.

He watched as other soul reapers entered the premises. These were more prepared and higher ranked than the ones the child was previously fighting. They were all captains. One was a female, very short with black hair. She was swift and agile. Another was huge with his face covered by a kind of basket. The last one was that young soul reaper captain Ulquiorra had briefly faced before.

This time, they overwhelmed Midori and they all came to her at once. She could go nowhere and was knocked down with one hit.

At that point Ulquiorra realized that he had gotten glued to her battle and forgot to go and save her. Now she was injured! He wouldn't forgive himself if she were dead.

He raced out to the horror of the three captains and snatched Midori before they could hit him. Quickly he opened the gargantua and left the soul society. He completely forgot that Grimmjow was still there, but he figured that he could take care of himself.

He sped to his room and sat with the motionless Midori on his lap. He pulled the mask off her face. It was hard to tell whether she was dead or alive, because her skin couldn't get any paler. It was still darker than his, but it seemed her skin couldn't change color.

Ulquiorra checked the area where she had been cut by a sword. He was shocked to see no wound on her body. There was blood on her clothes in that area to prove that she had been cut, but there was no cut itself. What was with this child? Did she have self-healing abilities?

He just sat there and waited for her to wake up. Half an hour had passed and she was still unmoving. He was beginning to get really worried.

"Ulquiorra! Did you find Midori?" Grimmjow was finally back, as he pressed through the threshold of his doorway.

Ulquiorra just silently looked at him. He was pretty sure she was dead now, and it was all his fault.

Grimmjow frowned and came further into the room. When he saw how morbid Ulquiorra looked, he peered at the lifeless little slump on his lap. He glared, extremely pissed.

"You let her die?!" He yelled.

"I didn't mean to," Ulquiorra mumbled, obviously upset about it.

"How could you have not meant it?!" Grimmjow hissed.

"I got distracted and I let her die," he sighed, very self deflated.

Grimmjow was so angry he punched Ulquiorra in face, then left.

Ulquiorra just sat there feeling like he deserved it. He set Midori down beside him and leaned over, his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands. He felt horrible. He sighed dismayed by what happened. How could he have let this happen?!

"Daddy, what's wrong?" a voice called to him as soft the coo of a dove.

Ulquiorra's eyes widened as he turned his head. He couldn't believe his eyes. There she was sitting upright beside him. Midori was alive after all. He just looked at her with a dumbstruck expression.

"Daddy?" She called confused.

Ulquiorra quickly wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly. He couldn't believe how close he was to losing her.

"Midori!" he exclaimed, so relieved. He had never been so scared or upset in his life!

Ulquiorra held her for a really long time. He now knew that he could never keep her in Heuco Mundo. He parted his hug with her and gave her a serious glance.

"Midori," he announced, quietly. "I can't let you stay here anymore."

She looked at him confused, "what do you mean?"

"Its too dangerous here. I'm taking you back to Karakura town in the world of the living," he sighed.

"No! I don't wanna go!" she whined.

"I know, but I cannot let you stay here. Now go say your goodbyes!" He said a little more sternly this time.

"But dad!" Midori complained only to find she was talking to his back. So, she left his room to say goodbye to all her arrancar friends.

Ulquiorra sat there. He was so sad to be doing this, but he knew it had to be done.

The first person Midori went to see was Luppi. She entered his room slowly.

"Luppi?" she asked quietly.

"Hey Midori!" Luppi came up quickly with a nice smile on his face.

"Luppi, I'm leaving Heuco Mundo!" Midori began to bawl her eyes out.

"What? Why?" He asked, confused.

"I just can't stay here anymore. Goodbye," she said, and hugged him briefly.

"What?" Luppi was still confused, as he watched her leave his room. He kind of figured it had to do with Aizen somehow.

Midori made her way through all her friends. The only one left was uncle Grimmjow. Silently, she wandered into his room. He was lying on his bed, facing away from the door. He hadn't noticed her arrival.

She snuck up behind him and lightly poked his back. He didn't answer, so she poked him a little harder.

"What?" He growled at her. He sounded mad.

"Um… Uncle Grimmjow," she peeped softly, a little scarred of him.

Immediately after hearing that voice, Grimmjow turned over in his bed and completely fell off. All while exclaiming, "MIDORI!"

She just looked at him on the floor. He looked like he'd just seen a ghost.

Grimmjow leapt to his feet and embraced her in a big bear hug.

"Kid! You're alive!" he exclaimed laughing and smiling. He twirled her around in circles.

Midori just stared at him with wide eyes. She was surprised.

"Um… Uncle Grimmjow," She said. "You're cutting off my circulation!"

Grimmjow set her down. He didn't want her to die again.

"Oh boy am I glad you're alive," he sighed sitting down to take a breather.

"Uncle Grimmjow," she sighed, "I'm leaving Heuco Mundo."

He frowned, "Why?"

"My dad said that it's too dangerous here," she sighed again.

Grimmjow frowned and grabbed her hand. He walked her back to Ulquiorra's room and glared at the said man.

"You're making her leave?!" He exclaimed.

"Yes. So you better say your goodbyes," Ulquiorra announced coldly.

Grimmjow gawked.

"Its okay," Midori said, holding back tears. "I'll be fine." She hugged him again.

Ulquiorra opened the gargantua. He peered back at Midori.

"C'mon. Its time to go," he announced.

"Goodbye, Uncle Grimmjow," she sighed and parted with him. She walked back to her father.

"So long kid," Grimmjow sighed.

Ulquiorra picked Midori up and went through the portal. Now, they were back in Karakura town. This was where Midori belonged.

They went to Ichigo's home once more to see if he'd care for her once more. He was sitting around eating dinner when they came in.

"Gawd!" He exclaimed, "What do you want now?!"

"Will you please take care of her?" Ulquiorra asked, on his hands and knees, in a low bow.

Ichigo just stared at him, stunned.

"Please! Heuco Mundo is too dangerous for her to live in. I don't want her to die!" He begged.

"Alright," Ichigo announced sadly.

Ulquiorra turned to Midori with a sad expression. He hugged her once more.

"I'm sorry Midori," he sighed. "I promise I'll come and visit!"

He kissed her cheek and opened the portal. He watched as Ichigo held back his little girl from running after him. She was crying her eyes out. She wanted to be with her dad!

"Please don't leave me daddy!" Midori cried. That was all she could do.

Without further ado, he left. When he got home, he leaned against a wall in his room. He just sat there thinking about Midori and what he'd done. He hated himself and would never forgive himself for it.

End

(Worry not though! This isn't the exact end! It's only the first half! I'm already working on the second half! I'll try and get it on as soon as possible. It will be a different story, but all the same characters! Thank you to all who have read this to the end! I appreciate it! ^_^ The story will be called "Return to Heuco Mundo")