"Nori, are you alright?"

Noriko looked up at her best friend. "Of course, Ulquiorra, I was just thinking."

"Thinking about what?" Ulquiorra mused.

"I've been having dreams lately. Someone I feel like I know, even loved." She said, looking over the balcony towards the beautiful wastelands of Las Noches.

Ulquiorra looked at her. "What kind of dreams?"

"I remember- or feel like I do- a young man… I cared deeply about him… there's something every distinctive about him… he has strange tattoos and hair as red as my own…" Noriko said, then chuckled to herself. "But that's impossible. Las Noches is my home, there was nothing before it; nothing that I can remember." She looked up at him. "Forgive me, if I had you worried."

Ulquiorra smiled. "It's quite alright."

Noriko had grown to be a short tempered, sometimes clumsy young woman, easily embarrassed. When she wasn't focused on training, she was very laid back and loved to read.

Ulquiorra reached up and turned her to look at him. "Don't hide your face, Nori. You're too beautiful."

Noriko blushed even more and looked up at Ulquiorra. "You really think so?"

Ulquiorra nodded. "I do and if anyone is too blind to see it, then they are an idiot."

Noriko smiled at that and hugged him. "Thank you, Ulquiorra."

Ulquiorra hugged her back, rather awkwardly as he didn't like hugs. "It's my pleasure. By the way, Lord Aizen has called for a meeting. We are welcoming a new Espada into our ranks."

Noriko stepped back. "I should care why?" she asked, rather heatedly with her hips cocked.

Ulquiorra shrugged. "You are Aizen's advisor and you are expected to attend and to be happy about it, same as me."

Noriko sighed. "To be honest, I don't think I should be bothered about who the new Espada as long as he doesn't get in the way... So really he has no effect on my life."

"I agree, but let us at least see what this new Espada has to offer."

Noriko groaned as she started to lead the way to the meeting room. "I really can't be asked to attend this meeting. It's so pointless, just because we have a new Espada; if he doesn't get in my way, then I don't care who he is. He will probably just be one of those guys I pass in the hallway or I see training in the distance. It's such a pain, it really is…"

Ulquiorra chuckled, which was uncharacteristic of him. "Nori, you know I feel the same way about all this. This person will probably be another piece of trash, but we have to follow Lord Aizen's orders. No matter how annoying or pointless they are."

Noriko looked on ahead, seeing that they were nearly to their destination. "I know…"

As they approached the meeting room, Noriko saw Lord Aizen and Gin standing by the door, waiting outside for everyone to arrive. Noriko and Ulquiorra were the last to join them, so once they arrived, Aizen turned and opened the doors. Once inside, he asked that everyone sit down at their designated spot.

"Thank you all for coming. I know that this may be a pain for some of you," Aizen said, "but I guarantee that it will be beneficial." As he said this, he looked directly at Noriko for a moment and chuckled to himself as if he knew something she didn't.

Behind him, the doors opened and Aizen smiled as he turned to greet Kaname Tosen and the new Espada. He was tall, standing at six foot one inch, and had bright blue spiky hair. His Hollow mask was that of a cat-like jaw bone, with fanged teeth. His expression of stubbornness suited him well; it made him look as grumpy as Noriko was feeling. He walked behind Kaname, dragging his feet slightly as if he didn't want to be there. Kaname led him into the light with a disgusted look on his face, and shot him a glance which made him look uneasy.

"Thank you, Kaname," Aizen said, then turned back to the rest of the Espada. "Now, I would like you all to meet our new 6th Espada, Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez." He pointed his hand towards Grimmjow which to this he bowed, as if to greet everyone. He glanced up and flashed a cheeky smile to Noriko, which made her blush. "Now as Grimmjow is new, I need someone to... well, look after him, shall I say. To show him around…"

Noriko looked up at Aizen. "Who did you have in mind, my lord, if you don't mind me asking?"

Aizen smiled. "I have already chosen who I would like to do this." He replied, his smile growing bigger. "Noriko, if you please?"

Noriko gaped at him. "You wish for me to show the rookie around? Shouldn't that be one of his fellow Espada's duties?"

Aizen smiled and nodded. "That may be true, but you seem like you've been getting bored of late. I would like you to show him around nonetheless."

Noriko wasn't quite sure what facial expression she must have been making at this moment, but Ulquiorra elbowed her in the ribs.

"Don't complain, it could be worse." He whispered.

Noriko sighed and stood. "Very well, if that is what my Lord orders, I will follow it..." She said, slightly annoyed and even more so when she saw it still made Lord Aizen smile.

"Well then I will leave it to you, Noriko."

Noriko bowed to him and motioned for Grimmjow to follow her. As she left the room with Grimmjow following behind her, she could feel Aizen's grin following her as if he had accomplished something great. Noriko started to wonder if he somehow knew something was going to happen. Shrugging to herself, Noriko brushed the feeling off and started to show Grimmjow around. She led him everywhere through Las Noches, showing him the training area, the other meeting rooms, Lord Aizen's study, the science labs, the monitoring room and everyone's living quarters- but her own. Throughout the whole tour, Noriko felt as if he wasn't paying any attention to what she were saying or showing him. This really annoyed her, so she ended the tour as quickly as possible and took him to his quarters, fully prepared to leave him there without saying anything more to him.

"This is your room, if you're paying attention at all. I have shown you around, so if you didn't get any of it through that thick, rookie skull of yours, then you're on your own." Noriko said, then turned away from him and started to leave. Before she could get too far away from him, though, he spoke to her for the first time since she had met him.

"So aren't you going to show me your room?" he asked.

Noriko turned and glared at him as he shot a huge grin her way and for her reply. "Why do you need to know where it is?"

"Well, what if Lord Aizen asks me to find you and that's where you are? Do you really want to upset him when he finds out that you didn't complete your duties and show me everything?" He replied, grinning.

Noriko sighed. She knew that Aizen would be upset with her, even if she had good reason. "It's this way..."