"What about this one, Tesla?"

Nnoitora bounced out of the changing room, twirling in front of a seated Tesla. Tesla tilted his head to the side, eyeing the halter neck and short skirt carefully. He shook his head, pursing his lips slightly. "It looks nice and everything," he sighed, "but I don't think it really suits you, Maste- I mean, Mistress."

Nnoitora pouted and flounced back into the changing room. Tesla had to smile. It was true his master- uh, mistress- was acting strangely, but it was a nice kind of strange. Nnoitora was usually a rough-and-tumble kind of guy (not that Tesla was complaining or anything), but this new, gentle, appreciative Nnoitora was actually a nice change.

Tesla frowned and scratched his chin awkwardly as Nnoitora shuffled about in the changing room. He couldn't quite fathom why, but Nnoitora looked different all of a sudden. Somehow a bit shorter, and slightly curvier. Curvier? That was a weird thought. Especially for a person like him, all long and stringy like a bean. A nice bean, though, thought Tesla off-handedly. It was true, though. Somehow, when one looked at Nnoitora now, the attention was immediately called to the…slightly more obvious posterior. And the sudden expanse in the chest area, of course. Can't forget the chest, now. Tesla blushed slightly. Yup. Can't forget the chest.

"Tesla! What about this one?"

Tesla raised his eyebrows at the long, high-collared dress, in the characteristic white of Las Noches. Nnoitora did a twirl, swinging bell-shaped sleeves and revealing the long slit in the dress going all the way up to the thigh. He- she, rather- had tied her hair up in a high ponytail and removed the eyepatch, instead letting long bangs cover her hollow hole. Nnoiotra giggled at Tesla's expression. "You like it?"

Tesla nodded his head somewhat jerkily. "It looks nice," he choked, throat suddenly mysteriously dry. Nnoitora batted her –suddenly longer- eyelashes at him and waved a gloved hand at the waiting Arrancar attendant. "Get me a few sets of these. I want to try on something else," she turned and went back into the changing room.

Tesla sighed. If things kept up, this was going to be a very nice day.

00

Nnoitora held up an off-shoulder blouse and wondered idly if it would look any good. She felt deliriously happy. Who knew it could be so much fun picking out new clothes? After this, she decided, they would have to visit the Las Noches cobbler to pick up some shoes. She definitely needed new boots to go with that dress.

That dress…Tesla had liked it, hadn't he? Nnoitora grinned to herself at the memory of her wide-eyed Fraccion. What an adorable expression. And he always did fawn over her, catering to her every whim. Such a gentleman. And he really treated her well, not like everyone else. Tesla worshipped her. Tesla made her feel like a princess.

Nnoitora blushed despite herself. Stop it! He doesn't like you that way! she chided herself. He's only here because you asked him to come. He definitely wouldn't enjoy himself helping her at the make-up counter. Not even if she tested new makeup out on him. And he definitely wouldn't appreciate her telling him how cute he is with blusher on his cheeks. Nope. Not at all. Although…it might be nice to test out some kiss-proof lip gloss on him…you know, just to see if it works.

Pulling the blouse over her head, Nnoitora was so engulfed in her thoughts, that she didn't feel the reiatsu approaching.

00

Hallibel uncrossed her legs and leaned forward at the arrival of her newest Bishop, Octavia. The girl bowed low, acknowledging her new lord and master.

"How are things going with the recruitment squads?" asked Hallibel.

She was, of course, referring to the dozen or so teams of Arrancar that had been dispatched to kidnap new recruits to have them drafted into the Order of Tia, as it had come to be called. Hallibel had to admit, it was cruel to be snatching them away like that. Still, once they met her, not one of the new recruits had declined a position.

Octavia smiled slightly in response. "Things are going well, Supreme Goddess Hallibel. In the space of one day, our ranks have grown from one hundred to five hundred and counting. Even now, girls are being brought in to be enlightened by your holiness and assist in our battle to reclaim your throne."

"And what of the Inquisition?"

"They have since captured close to two hundred of the male abominations for questioning. I have been told that these males deny any knowledge of their male supremacy, and insist we are making false accusations." Octavia's expression darkened somewhat. Hallibel noticed the girl pronounced the word "male" the same way one might say "plague" or "vermin" or "wart". This pleased her, of course.

"False accusations?" Hallibel let out a bitter laugh. "How are we making false accusations? I imagine these males have failed to notice that all the positions of power are being held by men? In all the Espada, I am the only female. It may be true that several of these men were born before us, but that gives them no right to trod on us like we are their servants! The time has come for feminism to take over!"

Octavia nodded vigorously at her Goddess's monologue, eyes widened in awe and fascination. She retreated to her duties, leaving Hallibel to mull in her own thoughts.

Humph. That'll teach 'em. Years and years of parading around almost naked at the request of Aizen-bloody-sama, putting up with the indignation of wolf whistles and poorly-concealed sexual innuendoes, not to mention having to share the same disgusting bathrooms as the rest of the Espada. I mean, what is up with that? Are men completely incapable of keeping their surroundings clean? Is it genetically impossible? And how demeaning is it to have to take showers in the middle of the night so nobody walks in on you? Has nobody here ever heard of locks? Is Aizen really that cheap?

Hallibel snapped out of her musings at the sound of approaching footsteps. "What is it, High Priestesses?" she smiled.

Apache bowed, stepping forward. "Supreme Goddess-sama, we were out with the recruitment squads just now, and, well, we found something rather…odd," she finished, shifting uncomfortably. She moved aside to reveal Mila Rose and Sun-sun, leading…something.

Seconds passed in silence.

"Nnoitora?"

VOOOOOOOOOI! I'm feeling slightly more macho now. WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE! WHY WON'T YOU REVIEW! Please? Please? Pretty please? With sugar and sprinkles and Renji on top?

And also, YAY FLUFF. Not having Ulquiorra around for a couple of chapters made me feel the need to up the cuteness factor. What do you think? Was it too much? Or was it okay? ): Tell me please. Make me happy. REVIEW. They are my lifeblood.

Male!Nnoitora doesn't deserve Tesla. He's too much of a sweetie pie for that meanie spoon-bastard to appreciate. Harrumph. ):