A blast was heard from the stairwell, and the two who lived inside were instantly on their feet in alarm.

"What in the world-?" Orihime cried over the sound of settling debris.

The second, a man with black hair and bright green eyes, did not hesitate for a second as he ran from the room to see what had happened. It was a blast zone, the stairs almost completely annihilated where the roof had caved in, and immediately the man was irate. He saw, through the dust, a pair of shining red eyes.

"SHAAAA-"came the sound of its exhaling, long and drawn out.

Ulquiorra's piercing eyes evaluated the creature before him, calculating the scenario without an ounce of fear in him.

"What business do you have here?" he questioned, a look of disgust on his face.

The monster turned its head to him and began to laugh, impressed with the human before him.

"UAHA-HA-HA-HAA! So you can see me, little creature? I thought I felt an interesting spiritual pressure in this place!" It exclaimed in excitement.

The woman bound into the hall, eyes intensely focused as they darted between Ulquiorra's stoic face and the creature before them.

"Do not fret, onna. I will clear a path for you, and keep it distracted while you get the Soul Badge. I will not allow it to harm you." He told her, and through the hard look in his eyes she could see the promise that he would protect her. She nodded, and looked back at the creature that now descended the stairs slowly and heavily.

It was a large, relic-like creature, with six stumpy legs and a head built for mowing down large objects, a mask with horns protruding from the bridge of its nose, and two above either eye. Its dead eyes gazed lazily between the two, until it reached the bottom of the steps.

"Go!" he instructed, and darted forward to land a hard kick onto the creature's body, knocking it over.

The slender woman took her chance and bound through the fallen structure and over the gap in the stairs, nodding to the him as she disappeared.

"FOOLISH HUMAN! I was going to leave you be, and go after that woman's appealing soul, but you have made me very angry!" The creature screamed as it rose to its feet.

A tail whipped around from behind and, faster than the eye could see, spikes grew from the tip as it swung around to impale the man. He dove to escape the deadly blow and took an object out of his pocket defensively. Pressing a small button out popped the sharpened edge of a blade, which he threw with proficient aim at the monster's eye.

"UGWAA!" it cried in pain and disbelief.

Ulquiorra graced himself a small smile at his success, but quickly it was wiped away as the monster's mouth opened and a red beam began to concentrate from within it.

"Impossible. A lowly hollow that can perform the cero…" he murmured in surprise.

"YES HUMAN. I TRY TO KEEP THIS SKILL TO MYSELF TO BATTLE THE MENOS GRANDE, BUT YOU HAVE ROYALLY PISSED ME OFF!" It exclaimed, as the beam continued to charge. He sprung to his feet, cursing his current handicap as he looked around for a way to defend himself without further destroying the building.

"Ulquiorra!" Orihime called from the top of the stairs.

She pulled her arm back and threw a small wooden necklace. His eyes locked onto the object and he rushed forward to snatch it out of the air. Glancing once at the monster's charging beam he pressed the skull engraved necklace to his chest.

The beast's brilliant red blast shot from its mouth and engulfed the man in a cloud of smoke. The air grew thick, and the creature danced awkwardly in its place.

"KE-HE-HEH! You never stood a chance against me, fool. And now I shall-"the hollow paused its success monologue as the smoke cleared.

Kneeling before it was the man clad in an all white uniform. His stained eyes were slitted demonic figures, and on the left half of his head over his deep black hair lay the untainted white skull and ear of a bat. At his waist rested a long blade, the symbol of a soul reaper, but the unzipped top of his jacket revealed a hole clean through his chest. If the hollow had any color in its form it would have lost it all then. Realization struck it.

"V-VASTO LORDE! YOU'RE A HOLLOW!" the creature cried in fear, backing away from Ulquiorra. Green demonic eyes stared indifferently at the weakling before him, and slowly he opened his mouth to reveal the concentrated red beam that had originally been thrown at him. To make an example of his power, he closed his mouth and swallowed the beam whole as if it were nothing.

And to a demon of his caliber, it most likely was.

"I evolved past vasto lorde centuries ago." Ulqiuorra stated, "You are in the presence of one of the remaining Espada Arrancar. How dare you interrupt this place thinking you could possibly challenge me."

"A-Arrancar! NO! You don't exist any more! Not after the war! Please! Please spare me!" the creature cried to the cuatro espada.

"You threatened the onna's life. And for that, you shall pay dearly. To be quite honest, you stood a better chance living in Hueco Mundo than defeating me." He declared ominously, stepping forward. And in an instant, just as quickly as the hollow had appeared, it was no more. Not a single scrap of its ethereal body was left behind. Only the hole it had come through remained, and Ulquiorra re-sheathing Murcielago.