With an angered grunt, Ichigo wrenched his sword through the locked cell door in front of him a final time. He had traveled into the depths of the Las Noches stronghold to rescue Orihime, and this was the last obstacle in his path. The lock broke apart in a resounding clank, and door was thrown open by Ichigo's might. As he returned the weapon to the sheath on his back, he gazed the solitary figure standing in the room.
Orihime was wearing a white and black Arrancar dress, standing with her back facing the door. She was staring silently out of the prison window toward the night sky, with a slither of moonlight shining off of her long orange-brown hair. When Ichigo and his friends forcefully entered the room, she gasped softly and peered over her shoulder. Her cheeks were marked by tiny traces of the endless tears she had shed in her time of loneliness and despair, and her wide eyes sparkled with the first hint of happiness she had probably felt in months. Overwhelmed with surprise, she quietly spoke toward her hero.
"Ichi... go...?"
The young swordsman quickly returned her joyous expression and ran forward to greet her.
"Orihime, I'm so glad you're all ri-..."
His words were abruptly cut short when he began groaning in agony. Orihime had punched with her right fist the moment he was in the correct range, plunging her tactful fingers through his black Soul Society kimono and straight into the left side of his chest. When she retrieved her blood-soaked hand, she yanked Ichigo's heart out along with it and brought the still-throbbing organ to her mouth. The rest of Ichigo's party watched from the doorway in horror as the doomed boy collapsed to the floor and Orihime began cheerfully devouring the flesh in her hand, absorbing his warrior essence. She giggled and spoke in a muffled voice between bites.
"You're delicious, Kurosaki-kun."
When she was finished with her meal, she closed her eyes and licked some of the remaining blood from her fingers. Her jolly attitude was interrupted when her eyes opened and she peered down to see the crimson that was now smeared across her face and staining her dress. She pouted to herself in disappointment.
"Hmph. I wish humans weren't so messy."
She temporarily closed her eyes again and meditated. This caused the blood on her face, hand, and dress to quickly disappear, restoring her original beauty. Her naive smile then returned as before.
"That's better."
She turned her attention to the remaining heroes cautiously entering the room. As she peered toward them with a playful grin, each member saw her eyes flicker in a haunting display. For just a split second, her eyes turned into empty black orbs with yellow irises, then returned to their usual appearance. Orihime had become a Hollow.
With Ichigo down, Rukia now stood in front of the group that had come to rescue the captive healer. Her expression was one of shock and disgust, and she struggled to question Orihime's grotesque actions.
"Or-... Orihime, what happened to you?"
The undead girl sighed and shook her head.
"I got bored of waiting for you guys to save me, so I offered some of my power to the Arrancar in exchange for being freed."
Rukia knew this had to be an oversimplified version of the truth, and something far more traumatizing must have brought Orihime to this fate. Regardless, it was too late to save her. Orihime didn't seem to mind this, however, and her jovial attitude remained intact. She pointed toward one of the flower-shaped hair clips decorating her temples as she continued speaking.
"Once he saw how strong I was, Aizen decided to make me the Princess of the Espada."
She tucked an extended index finger under her chin and looked upward in thought before shrugging.
"Umm... I'm not really sure what that means, but it sounds cool."
When Orihime finished speaking, Rukia grit her teeth and questioned her in a more rageful tone. She found herself at odds with accepting the truth.
"But why are they still keeping you captive? This... this has to be some kind of joke!"
Orihime tilted her head before answering with a bubbly smile.
"Oh, this? It was a trap set up by Aizen. He figured Ichigo would walk right into it if I pretended to still be human."
She then turned toward Ichigo's body as it lay in a pool of its own blood. Her character remained as chipper as ever, never conveying the slightest hint of remorse.
"I'm glad he got here as quickly as he did. I hate being cooped up in this smelly place."
She looked forward again, finally lowering her head in a modest display of shame.
"I hope you guys can forgive me for tricking you."
Rukia's final reservations gave way at these words, and she growled as she reached toward her back to draw her sword. Orihime blinked as she watched the rest of Rukia's colleagues do the same, and she clapped her hands in innocent enthusiasm before answering their challenge.
"Oh, you want to fight? Okay!"
She lowered her arms to her sides and meditated again, causing a pair of ivory-colored scimitars to appear in her hands. Just when the opposing group was about to charge her, the petals on her hair decorations began to glow. They quickly divided into specks of light that flew from the hairpins and hovered over the attackers in a dome formation. The party was then engulfed in a translucent black sphere projected by the floating lights, and each member soon dropped their weapon and clutched their chest in pain.
With the threat neutralized, Orihime walked into the sphere with an energetic bounce in her step. As each member of Rukia's party remained paralyzed on the ground in various stages of cardiac arrest, Orihime hummed to herself and butchered her opponents. When the last mutilated warrior was dead, the mystical forcefield disappeared, the lights returned to Orihime's hairpins, and the twin blades faded from the cursed princess's hands.
After casually studying the carnage splayed around her, Orihime shook her head and pouted again.
"Aww, it's no fun when you're so weak."
Her cheery demeanor returned moments later, when Aizen and several of his lieutenants ran into the room and inspected the result of Orihime's battle with awe. The Espada leader spoke with a look of genuine concern on his face.
"Are you all right, milady? I didn't realize the intruders got here so quickly. I came as soon as I could to support you."
Orihime turned her head a few degrees to the side in an attempt to hide the blush that had appeared on her cheeks.
"Oh, you didn't have to do that."
She then looked forward again when her confident smile returned.
"Ichigo's team wasn't as tough as they look. I was fine on my own."
When she finished speaking, her sandaled feet took a few steps toward Aizen. When she was close enough, she wrapped her arms over his shoulders and rested the side of her head on his chest. Her ample bosom lightly pressed against him as she closed her eyes and spoke in a relaxed tone.
"I really missed you, Lord Aizen."
Aizen silently raised an eyebrow in puzzlement. The girl had developed an unexpected attachment toward him since her conversion, and he wasn't sure how to return her unique advances. Instead, he simply cleared his throat and spoke in an official manner.
"There are a few stragglers we need to take care of, Orihime. I'd like you to assist my men as soon as you're ready."
Orihime lifted her head and gave a delighted nod in response.
"Of course. Anything for you."
With the current matter settled, the Arrancar team left the prison cell with Orihime happily at Aizen's side. When they reached the massive palace's conference room, they began plotting their next plan of attack.