Later, after the fight, and just before he sensed Rukia's presence, he asked her the one question that had been bugging him ever since he laid eyes on the man.

"I know it's a touchy subject at the moment... But what was with the lines?"

Orihime let out a sobbing giggle. She wiped her eyes and sniffed, focusing on her fellow orange-head.

"It wasn't easy, but I finally discovered the answer to that myself."

Ichigo waited for the answer, but Orihime was still recovering her composure. So he waited, and waited, and waited a bit more until his impatience overcame him.

"Well? What was it?"

"Oh! Sorry." She sniffed again. "He didn't really know at first either, but then he had some tests done in private. As it turns out, the colour of his eyes was leaking out as he slept. When he finally found out that that was the cause, he couldn't get rid of the colour. It was permanent."

Ichigo tried to keep a straight face, given the situation was a bit testy at the moment. But, later on, when he had a free moment, he would allow himself to have a good chuckle at Ulquiorra's expense.


A/N: Anyone else notice that Ulquiorra's eyes are almost the same colour as his tear streaks? I saw it and couldn't resist.