What is the heart?

by Skiddlez

Chapter 2

Ponies… talking ponies. Ponies, in my experience, do NOT talk. Whoever thought this was a brilliant idea for a dimension was evidently like Orihime in some ways.

Rubbing his tortured eyes (that purple and orange winged pony had burned his eyes with extreme brightness alone) he gathered his thoughts together. They were intelligent enough to talk and think, and didn’t do what animals would do. What was also disturbing was that they could see him, hinting that they had enough spiritual pressure to see spiritual beings. Ulquiorra briefly considered the fact that he had lost his powers, but he hadn’t lost any strength, as his bala and combat prowess attested. In that case, those ponies had spiritual awareness enough to see him. They had to have a civilisation somewhere.

Currently he was watching them searching for him, and failing.

“Forget it, girls, ah don’t think he’s here.”

“Aw, you sure Applebloom?”

“Ah don’ see him anywhere, so ah’d say he’s skedaddled.”

Still glancing around them, the little ponies walked back the way they came. Ulquiorra felt… something in his chest.
Must be indigestion.

Following them at a distance was easy- they were much easier to follow than a human soul to track. They had a unique spiritual energy that was like a whole soul hiding within a boot, or similar receptacle. Musings were interrupted when they met another pony. Using a quick Sonido to get in the trees, he watched them.

---

“Girls, you shouldn’t run off from the house, you know.” Fluttershy was really relieved when she saw the three fillies. They looked like they’d been through the forest with no guide but a rather unreliable map as their guide. As soon as they saw her they dashed up to her and tackled her down.

“OHMIGOSHFLUTTERSHYWESAWTHISAMAZINGLYAWESOMETHINGINTHEFORESTITLOOKEDCOOLANDITWASALLWHITEANDSTUFF-“

Fluttershy pushed the three fillies off of herself. “Wait, what do you mean you saw something? Could you speak, um, one at a time? Please?”

The Crusaders finally calmed down enough to speak clearly. “We saw this creature, like a really pale pony only taller! It had this weird bone half-helmet on its head, and it had a black mane!”

‘It had these weird clothes on, like these really baggy pants, and this REALLY cool jacket, and it had these weird hooves- they were black and white.”

Sweetie Belle was thinking about something. “It had these eyes, with green tear-tracks down them. Those eyes… looked so sad, as if they had seen happiness for the briefest instant… and then lost it.”

Scootaloo made a puking motion at the statement, but snapped out of it when she heard that ‘BOOM’ again.

---

Is that really what I look like?

He stared at the water, at his reflection. He hadn’t had a heart long enough to recognize emotion, but did his eyes shine a bit more than usual, or was that just the water’s reflection? That was a question he couldn’t answer- only the woman-Orihime- would know…

The memories.
Her abduction, the first time they’d met, her time in captivity, it all rushed through his eyes.

Go away. Just go away, now.

He punched the nearest mountain, while real tears fell down his face.

“Umm… are you alright?”

---

The strange creature jerked upright, and turned around. Those eyes, like a cat, were still red-rimmed from the huge sobs it had been doing. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were huddled together behind her.
Finally, it spoke.

“Go away… please, go away.”

Its voice had no emotion, none of the feeling a pony had in their voice. It was empty, hollow, and infinitely sad in its expressionlessness. It punched the rock again, and Fluttershy could see the cracks forming.

‘Okay. I can see that you’d rather be alone now. Please, if you ever feel like talking about it…” Fluttershy trailed off.

“… Thank you.”

He turned away.

Fluttershy dragged the Crusaders back with her. This creature was definitely dangerous, and upset animals were the most likely to lash out at anypony. Best to let it work off its emotions on inanimate objects. Even so, it would be best to leave it. Sweetie Belle seemed to understand that already, and at such a young age.

‘Girls? I think we should leave him alone. He’s obviously in need of some form of relief.” Applebloom and Scootaloo reluctantly nodded.

‘When he’s worked it off, can we see it again?”

Fluttershy hesitated. She would have ordinarily said no to that, but they looked like they wouldn’t harm him, and he didn’t look like he’d harm them either.

“Sure, girls. Just tell me next time.”

---

By the time he’d calmed down, he’d bored a cave into the mountain. Sleep was necessary- it was getting dark and he’d wasted a lot of spirit energy on boring the hole into the rock. Settling down, he closed his eyes…
And dreamed.

“Hey, Ulquiorra! How’d a WIMP like you get the rank of Cuatro? I can understand Nnoitora getting’ the position, as he’s strong, but you’re a weakling!” Grimmjow Jaegerjaques, the Sexta Espada, punched Ulquiorra in the face.

Well, tried to, anyway.

Ulquiorra calmly deflected the strike to the side, and counterattacking with a light blow of his own. Grimmjow blocked it easily, barely wavering. Ulquiorra finally spoke.

“Trash.”

He swatted Grimmjow’s hand away from him and continued walking to his new quarters. But Grimmjow didn’t get the message.

A quick burst of Sonido, and the Sexta Espada quickly attacked Ulquiorra, surprising him with his speed. Unable to react quickly enough, Grimmjow’s haymaker connected with his jaw, sending him into the wall.

‘You know my name, don’t you? Well, SAY IT then!” he said, with that grin on his face that Ulquiorra felt was unbecoming.

“This fight is pointless… Grimmjow Jaegerjaques.”

This only made him grin more. “Glad to hear you say my name, Ulquiorra.”

When Ulquiorra awoke, he discovered that something had removed his pants. He barely blinked, but merely searched for it with his eyes, eventually spotting them, neatly folded and cleaned, at the mouth of the cave. He smiled a little.
One minute later, newly dressed in clean clothing, Ulquiorra set out, on the trail that the little ponies had left for him to follow. By getting to a settlement, he could go about acquiring food sources. As he was leaving, Steven Magnet waved him goodbye.

Why is there so much trash in my life?

Thanks for reading! Please leave a comment as to what you think, criticism helps!

Comments

[Emerulf]

"When Ulquiorra awoke, he discovered that something had removed his pants."

OHGODSOMETHING'SGOINGTOMOLESTULQUIORRAAND-

"He barely blinked, but merely searched for it with his eyes, eventually spotting them, neatly folded and cleaned, at the mouth of the cave. He smiled a little."

...Oh. Well, that's a relief.

[Sandman]

Ulquiorra bawling is more than a little hard to swallow.
Yes, he had gained "a heart" as he died, but he's still a loooooooooooooong way from such a.... severe case of emotion.

[NecromancerX69]

788008 You just made my day!

[Kiryu]

I have to agree with Sandman, this seems like a very hasty development. If I were you, I'd have him question these emotions before actually using them, as in a sense he doesn't know what they might mean, smiling included.
Not to say this wasn't a good chapter but I was just surprised that Ulquiorra was capable of these emotions already this early in the story. I'd have given it a few more chapters to secure a more adequate time for these open developments.
His interaction with Fluttershy was also a bit out of character, his thanking of her seemed too emotional.
I hope you don't mind these thoughts of mine; in a sense, I'm given you constructive advise/criticism.

[NotABrony]

yes... this pleases me.

[ElijahBleu]

do you relize how long ihave been waiting for a story exactualy like this to come out
and now that is has it. is.AMAZING
JOYBONERS
JOYBONERS FOR EVERYONE

[Herr Brony III]

783662 Danke schon, mein freund.

[suijin228]

oddly enough, I actually have an Ulquiorra challenge. Anyway, great story thus far. let's see how this turns out. Keep goin and stay golden^^

[Child of chaos]

So he still in his humanoid form right