Love.
A natural miracle, if such a thing existed.
It fitted in perfectly.
Everyone knew it.
The baby who cried for his mother--the small boy who fought for his sisters--the young girl who was willing to be marked a traitor for her friends--the man who defended the woman he loved with his own life--the old man who brought his sword down on his two favourite disciples out of love--the old lady who let go of her life for love...
Was it possible that the arrancar knew love too? Could they have feelings?
Not one of the Espada knew. Who bothered? There could be no love in a war, all feelings cast aside except rage, lust for power and hatred, for the enemy.
There can be no love in the white walls of Hueco Mundo.
Yet Ulquiorra wondered. It started--when did he start? -- when he was sent to fetch the human girl to Hueco Mundo.
Aizen-sama's tricks. Manipulation. Ulquiorra might seem quiet at times, but all he did was to hide the feelings behind the permanent tears of the sad face.
The pain in the brilliant eyes as she watched the pictures of her friends Ulquiorra pulled out of her own memories had shocked him for a moment. But he acted as Aizen-sama told him to. It was his job, his duty.
But from that moment, a portion of Ulquiorra's life started twining around Orihime Inoue, the girl he had been sent to fetch. His prisoner.
"The sun has already sunken into our grasp."
Even as he was saying it, Ulquiorra knew that the girl was indeed the sunny side to the group.
He watched her back at Hueco Mundo. He watched her write, he watched her think, watched her shed her hesitation, and finally, watched her visit her Nakame.
Kurosaki Ichigo.
Ulquiorra watched with interest as Orihime talked to the boy, half surprised at her choice. He had thought that she would have visited the other girl, what was her name now, Tatsuki Arisawa or something? He watched as she tried to steel herself to... what was the word, kiss? him, but didn't succeed in overcoming herself.
Weak girl, Ulquiorra thought, but couldn't help wondering, what was this kiss like?
So important, so close, that Orihime would want to do it with the human boy before she came. What was it?
And again, he watched as this Tatsuki fought with Ichigo because of Orihime's dissapearance with interest. It was all child's play to him, he wondered how they could get so worked up over something so superficial?
Then Aizen-sama summoned him, and all the Espada, and the girl. Of course.
He watched Aizen-sama's cold manipulation of the girl's feelings. Watching in disgust. It was the same. The same with the other Espada, Rupee, Grimmjaw, the rest. All had been won over in the end.
But he didn't resist, not from the start. Not for anything, just that he knew Aizen's tricks, and knew that he had nothing to lose anyway.
He returned his attention to the situation.
The girl was curiously silent, dejected, even lifeless? Then Rupee taunting Grimmjaw, Orihime fixing Grimmjaw's arm...
Of course, event rejection.
Based on the research he headed, he was sure that was what happened when Orihime went about her work, and Ulquiorra said so.
And Grimmjaw, being Grimmjaw, immediately "restored" his position, hurting Rupee with his now perfect arm.
He shut his eyes in disgust.
This was wastage. Wastage of Orihime Inoue's powers.
By the mildly amused look on Aizen's face, Ulquiorra knew that Grimmjaw would not be relied on as heavily as before. Not now, that he had lost to so me unknown Vizard in a hot headed battle.
He turned and left when Aizen dismissed them with a lazy smile.
He watched the girl. Observed her actions, her tears when she thought no one was looking. But she remained passive, never raging like some of the humans do. He felt her sadness, her thoughts that her Nakama must be kept safe.
And he pondered. How could one person value something that one didn't own so much?
It seemed impossible.
He continued his work. But he watched.
Oh yes. He watched.
Then he felt the change. The Ryoka.
Aizen-sama called them again, and served tea. Tea.
Aizen-sama was calm.
Ulquiorra heard all that Aizen-sama was saying with calm. She had friends back in her world. Did she love them like they love her, that they'd risk their lives for her? He wondered idly. He was strangely disturbed by the friendship between her and Kurosaki Ichigo. Ulquiorra knew that Kurosaki was the last person Orihime visited.
But now Aizen-sama was warning them not to underestimate the Ryoka. The four had barged into Soul Society--that Kurosaki, Sado Yasutora, Ishida Uryuu and her. And now Kurosaki, Yasutora and Uryuu were here.
"Four? Then we're still missing one. Who's the other one?" One of the Espada asked. How dense, to forget what Aizen had said so many times.
"Orihime Inoue." Ulquiorra spoke quietly, but everybody in the room heard him.
Her names on his lips sounded strange. Strangely sweet, like something that was so good it hurt. He bit his tongue quickly, hoping the others didn't realise--but they had moved on to Grimjoww already, the attention seeking bastard.
Not that he minded, of course. Not at all.