Orihime's heart pounded in her head. Was she making the right choice? Could she defy her friends to become an Espada? And how could she even become an Espada? She was human, not a hollow. All of these questions and more swam through her mind as she walked with Ulquiorra to the throne room. Nervously, she grabbed his hand.

"Hey, woman, what do you think you're doing?" She didn't answer him so he let it be. But he promised himself it would just be that once. They arrived with Aizen already waiting on his throne. This time, though, instead of speaking with them from his throne, he began to descend the monstrous staircase that separated them. With each step, Orhime's heart beat more until she was sure they could all hear it.

"What is your decision, Miss Inoue?" Aizen said, touching his finger under her chin, forcing her to look at him.

"She wishes to-" Ulquiorra was cut off.

"I wish to remain here, in Hueco Mundo, as an espada, Aizen-sama." Orihime finished herself. She looked into the deep brown of Aizen's eyes, keeping her lips tight together.

"Good decision, Inoue." He took them both to the Hogyoku. "This is where your future lies." He touched a finger to it. "You may not be a hollow, but I assure you, you will make a remarkable espada." The black of the circle began to move, making little tentacles around his finger. "Now, bow, Inoue Orihime." She bowed on her knees, her resolve made.

Suddenly, her entire world turned black, but it was not empty blackness that takes over when a person passes out. It was thick, somehow warm but cold at the same time. She could feel it touching her body. The feeling rested on her chest, right over her heart. She felt it start ripping and pulling at her skin. She let a scream of fear and pain escape from her lips. The pain was unbearable. She grasped her chest tightly and gasped through the pain, clenching her teeth and screaming through it all. It couldn't have been more that 30 seconds, but to her, it felt like days of agony.

When she arose, she felt stronger, her skin felt like it was made of diamonds and she now had a sword resting on her left hip. It took a minute for her new eyes to adjust to the sights before her. She had not been moved from that spot but everything seemed brighter somehow, more brilliant than with her human eyes. Her eyes were opened wide and she felt her chest where her heart once was. It was now ripped out, leaving a hole just left of where Ulquiorra's was. Strangely, that didn't frighten her. It strengthened her.

"Aizen-sama…" was the only thing she could think to say. She was confused, but powerful. Her whole life had just changed in the blink of an eye.

"Yes, my newest espada, you are truly one interesting addition." Her skin seemed to glow and her eyes along with it. After a few seconds, they both started to dim down, making the room the same as it was before.

"Inoue," Ulquiorra said stunned. Never before had a new espada made him feel…anything. He had never had emotions but now that Orihime was standing before him, a changed espada. Not just an arrancar, but a full espada. The 3 on her neck proved that. She was beautiful, radiant. He was dumbfounded. Why was someone like that making him feel that way? Still, he masked it well. His face was the same as always.

"Aizen-sama," Orihime said. "I feel so different…" she stammered, "my skin…"

"Is now harder than diamond," Aizen finished for her. "Go. Try out your new skills on some hollow in the forest."

"Yes, Aizen-sama."

"Ulquiorra," Aizen looked at him before turning around. "Go with her. Teach her what she can do."

"Yes, Aizen-sama." His reply matched Orihime's as they walked out of the throne room together.

"Woman," Ulquiorra said when they reached the forest, "you can control these menos." He put his hand up as one approached them. "You." He looked in the menos' eyes. "Go to the world of the living. To Karakura town." The hollow had begun to leave when Orihime put her hand up and ordered it not to. It had stopped moving .

"Ulqui-kun, I outrank you." She smiled. "I can over-rule you." She laughed. She never felt so alive, so useful. She had always been in the way but now she even outranked Ulqiuorra. He simply smirked softly, letting it play at his lips, but never fully showing itself.

"Well done, woman. That was lesson one." He continued to teach her everything that she could do. She mastered everything so quickly, the sonido, bala, cero, everything. She amazed him to no end. "That is it, woman. You have mastered everything that can be mastered here. Let us see Lord Aizen."

"Okay!" She followed him back to Las Noches, where they were summoned to the throne-room.

"Inoue, have you mastered everything?"

"My Lord, Ulquiorra has informed me that I have mastered everything that can be mastered here."

"I see. Then you would like permission to travel to the world of the living." It was more a statement then a question. "Granted. However, you must visit Karakura town. Let your friends know what you have done."

"Y-yes sir," it was the first time she felt uneasy since she became the third espada. "We'll be going." She bowed as Ulquiorra opened the Gargantua. They both stepped through to Karakura town. Their presence was instantly noticed, just as they had intended. Ichigo and the others would soon be rushing for the site, not expecting to see Orihime with a hole in her chest and a 3 on her neck. It would be the end of everything in her old life. She braced herself as she felt the reiatsu coming their way.