The woman was asleep in the cell when Kurosaki Ichigo, Sado Yatsutora and Uryuu Ishida entered Hueco Mundo. Her captor sensed the change in the reiatsu of Hueco Mundo almost instantly, as did Sosuke Aizen. Calmly, Ulquiorra walked of the throne room, and knelt at the base of the granite throne that Aizen sat on. "Aizen-sama, Kurosaki Ichigo and his two accomplices have entered Hueco Mundo. What will you have me do?" He asked, emotionless.
"Nothing, for now. Thank you for seeing me, though I felt them as soon as they entered, as you did. I will call a meeting in an hour, please, bring the girl."
"Certainly." Ulquiorra replied as he rose and left the throne room. Calmly, he walked to the woman's cell. He passed no other Espada on his way.
He reached her cell quickly, and opened the door. The woman was asleep, and he spoke, "Woman. Wake up."
Orihime woke at the cold voice of her captor. Half-asleep still, his cold eyes watched as she cleared the sleep from her eyes and her mind. "Your...friends, are here to try to take you back to the living world. They will not succeed. Aizen-sama has called a meeting in an hour, where we will discuss how to proceed. You will attend."
Orihime let out a small noise of strangled joy and fear as Ulquiorra left her. Hope, something she had not felt in days, coursed through her. Surely, Kurosaki-kun could save her. He was so strong, nothing could beat him. Right? The cold tang of fear tainted her joy as she thought of the reiatsus she could sense throughout the castle. She knew that the Espada habitually controlled their reiatsu, on Aizen's request, to avoid causing her discomfort. Ulquiorra had explained it to her when she had arrived and she had asked why the Espada seemed to resent her so much. Still, she was sure that Ichigo could save her...
-
Ulquiorra used sonido to return to his own palace before the meeting. Running a hand through his hair, he decide to shower, and stripped in his bathroom. He knew that either Aizen, Gin or possibly Szayel likely had cameras in his room, but he didn't care. The cameras were a fact of life in Las Noches, and most of the Espada had given up caring. He didn't care enough to possess much for modesty, anyway.
His body was lean and hard, with defined muscles running under his skin. While they were not bulky, like some of the Espada's, when he stretched they stood out on his skin. The black number 4 on his chest contrasted sharply with his pale skin, as did his dark emerald eyes. Calmly, he removed his helmet, swaying slightly as a rush of power left his body. Without his helmet, the symbol of his Hollow strength, he could not access much of his strength. An Arrancar's mask, like a Vizard's, could be removed and summoned at will, and could not be removed without excessive force when it was on by anyone but the wearer. Unlike the Vizard, the mask of an Arrancar was worn more often then not. Indeed, it took a reasonable degree of strength to remove it at all.
Ulquiorra stepped into the pounding, cold water of his shower and emotionlessly washed himself. After a few minutes, he stepped out and, dripping water on the white floor of his bathroom, dried himself and dressed. Finally, he summoned back his mask began walking to the the woman's cell. He left in plenty of time, in order to deal with any thoughts of resistance she might be entertaining.
-
Orihime resentfully brushed her long hair and dressed, unaware of the cameras Szayel, Gin and Aizen had all set up in her cell. She looked out the window, waiting for the inevitable change in her friend's reiatsu that would come when they began fighting. Fear clenched her heart as doubt continued to taunt her. When she compared even the tightly controlled reiatsu that the Arrancar displayed around her to that of her friends, she began to fear even more. Finally, she finished preparing for the meeting, and sat at the edge of her bed, waiting for Ulquiorra to take her to the meeting.
-
Ulquiorra opened the door to the woman's cell, watching her dispassionately as she stood. He could sense the fear and doubt in her friends' strength battling with the hope of her rescue. It all played out so obviously on her face, her emotions obvious to any who could see. Silently, she walked to his side as he began to stride towards the meeting room. Her legs were weak from days of enclosure, and he stopped occasionally, never turning to look at her until she caught up to his back. Finally, they reached the meeting room. Ulquiorra sensed Harribel, Nnoitra, Yammy, Grimmjow, Aaroniero and Zommari already waiting. Starrk would be slightly late, as always, and Barragan would be very late in his attempt to show his own disregard for Aizen's rules. He was still unaware that the meeting was deliberately scheduled to take his rudeness into account. Szayel he could already feel not far behind him.
Ulquiorra opened the door, sitting in his customary place near the front of the table. The woman sat in between him and an empty seat. Szayel strode into the room, settling down beside the woman. Ulquiorra could feel her fear as she sensed the Espada of Madness's interest in her. Szayel leaned forward and watched her for a minute while she trembled, desperately trying to conceal her fear. The pink-haired Espada smiled dangerously. "You must be the human with the strange powers that Ulquiorra has been guarding! I am Szayel Apporo Granz, the Octava Espada."
"N-nice to meet you, Granz-San", Orihime replied. Both her fear and her hatred at the shake in her voice were evident in her reply.
"You should come down to my lab sometime! I would very much enjoy...studying your body..." Szayel whispered leaning in close to her and delicately licking his lips. Ulquiorra watched the exchange with some slight, cold amusement. "How unfortunate for you, Octava, that Aizen wishes her to remain unaltered and intact, for now. Perhaps you should take up your request with him." Ulquiorra smiled, coldly, as Szayel replied, "Oh yes, when he is done with her I am sure he would be willing... By the way, did you have a good shower? Should you ever need someone to take away your...emptiness...I am always willing." Ulquiorra's face did not change at the confirmation of his suspicions. "Sadly, madness is your domain, not mine." He replied, with the slightest hint of amusement in his voice.
Szayel took the less than subtle hint, and turned to watching the other Espada, ignoring Ulquiorra and Orihime. Starrk finally walked in the door, and sat down across from Ulquiorra. The Primera Espada rested his chin in his hands and closed his eyes. Nnoitra and Grimmjow arguing over some inconsequential thing were the only noise in the meeting room until the disgraced king of Hueco Mundo, Barragan, entered and sat down at the far end of the table. Finally, Aizen, followed by Ichimaru Gin and Tosen Kaname entered the room. Aizen sat at the head of the table, while Tosen leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. Ichimaru stood in a corner, smiling eerily.
"Let the meeting begin." Aizen said calmly, and Grimmjow and Nnoitra fell silent. "My dear Espada, as some of you are doubtlessly aware, Hueco Mundo has been invaded by Kurosaki Ichigo and his comrades. However, would you like some tea?" The Espada watched in silence as the tea was placed at in front of them, and all but Barragan sipped it, silently. Despite the fact that Arrancar did not require nourishment, Aizen always served tea at the meetings. Ulquiorra did not know how he got the tea in Hueco Mundo, nor did he care. The woman seemed surprise at the drink, but drank it obediently (though only after watching to see if the other Espada did the same). "Now, you all know where you are supposed to guard in the event of an invasion. Grimmjow, should you leave your post to go hunting any particular target, know that next time Kaname removes your arm, I will not allow Inoue-San to heal it. That is all.