DUN DUN DUN! BONUS CHAPTER! Happy 4th of July everyone! (Ok I'm a day late, shhh)


They were the last to arrive, though understandably, he had a valid excuse. All ten of the Espada were present. And noticeably, Grimmjow was back as Espada Six, looking as cocky and smug as ever. I wonder what happened to Luppi. Ulquiorra thought. Striding forward, he gracefully paid his respects to Aizen and found himself a corner to observe the meeting from, Szayel followed in suit. The woman came behind them, however she did not greet Aizen, but ignored him again, refusing to meet the eye contact that he was trying to initiate. She followed Ulquiorra and stood near him in the corner.

Slightly frustrated at the woman's insubordination, Aizan began the meeting. "I called you all here to make an announcement. As you all have probably noticed, the orange haired shinigami and his comrades have arrived in Hueco Mundo and are currently trying to find a way into Las Noches." He paused for affect, his eyes stopping on the woman; enjoying the affect his words were having on her, she was worried. "Be that as it may," he paused again; knowing the affect his next words would have on his Espada and in particular, the woman. "After deliberating over the night, I wish for my top ten Espada not to engage them. There are plenty of Números in Hueco Mundo and Las Noches to sufficiently preoccupy them."

At this, several Espada nodded there agreement, one being Ulquiorra, seeing the logic behind this decision. Szayel appeared relieved. Others cried out in protest, noticeably the Sixth Espada, Grimmjow. "That red headed piece of trash is here! I'm going kill him!" He turned around and began making his way out of the meeting hall.

"You will NOT disobey me again Espada Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez!" Aizen roared, releasing his reiatsu and causing a maelstrom to take place in the small hall, turning the air into molasses and paralyzing the Espada. Grimmjow fell to his knees, along with the Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and Tenth Espadas, who could not withstand such immense spiritual pressure.

Ulquiorra grimaced; his entire body rigid, it was all he could do to stay on his feet. The display Aizen put on several days ago was nothing compared to this. He chanced a glance out of the corner of his eye at the woman. She had fallen to her knees and her hands were clapped over her ears, she looked to be in an unimaginable amount of pain.

"As I was saying, nobody will go after the shinigami…yet. You are to remain here, and prepare for the invasion of Karakura Town, where we will encounter numerous Captain level shinigami. You are dismissed." He finished as he reigned in his reiatsu, allowing the weaker Espada to stand.

Immediately Orihime placed her hands on the floor in front of her, bracing herself. She could hardly breathe, and felt like she would be sick. That was insane, it didn't even compare to last time! Tears streaming down her face, as she remembered Aizen's promise, but he kept his word, he's not harming my friends! Breathing erratically, she tried to gather herself, knowing that her third meeting with Aizen still lay ahead.

Looking down at his charge, Ulquiorra was torn between wanting to help her and remaining where he was. He knew that no normal human could be exposed to that high level of a reiatsu and live without showing some kind of injury. His eyes never left her shaking form as she tried to stand up, bracing her self against the wall.

I shouldn't have let loose that much reiatsu, Aizen thought, I forget the detrimental affects it could have on humans…the most extreme being death. Seeing the difficulty she was having remaining on her feet, he told the Forth Espada to grab her and follow him.

Relieved that he wouldn't have to leave the woman alone with Aizen again, Ulquiorra gently gathered her up in his arms and followed after his Master.

"I am bringing you to Aizen-sama, prepare yourself," he whispered to the woman. She nodded her understanding and tried to steady her breathing, thankful for his unexpected protection.

She gazed up into the Ulquiorras eyes as they moved along, noting that there intensity had returned. Sighing, she tried not to pass out in his arms, Aizen's reiatsu having drained much of her strength. Is it wrong that I feel safe in his arms? No…especially knowing where I'm going…I'd rather be anywhere but in Aizen's presence…"Please…set me down," she whispered, "I can walk." I'd also prefer not looking so vulnerable in front of Aizen…

Stopping, Ulquiorra gently set her on her feet, arm still around her waist, preparing to catch her incase she lost her equilibrium.

Signaling to Ulquiorra that she was fine, he withdrew from her, leaving her feeling slightly exposed and alone. Steady on her feet, she continued into a large, black and silver room, it appeared to have no ceiling, and its hallway seemingly went on forever. There were multiple pillars running up and down the sides, and in the center was a small pedestal with a small bonelike stand sitting upon it. It was empty.

Approaching the center of the room, Aizen took the perfect little sphere out of his pocket and placed it in the stand.

She slowly followed Aizen into the center of the room, Ulquiorra taking up the rear behind her.

"I am going to assume you know what this is, as you've seen it once before in Soul Society, at the Sōkyoku." Aizen turned to face her.

The woman nodded. She knew exactly what it was, she'd never forget.

"This, Hōgyoku, is over one hundred years old, and very fragile. Currently, it is dormant, however, if someone who had spiritual power rivaling a captain class or higher were to touch it, it would temporarily be reawakened and its power used. I have done this. This is how I created my Arrancar." He paused, forming his thoughts carefully. "The first ten Arrancar I created, my Espada, are the most powerful. I soon came to realize that after using the Hōgyoku so many times, that it began to deteriorate, and as it did so, the weaker the Arrancar became." Aizen walked slowly towards Orhime, his hand lightly brushing his Zanpakuto. Shatter, Kyōka Suigetsu, Aizen thought, using his mind to stroke the consciousness of his Zanpakuto. Eyes still locked onto Orihime's, he commanded her attention. "That is why you're here. I need you to heal the Hōgyoku, to increase its lifespan." Kanzen Saimin, Aizen thought, stroking the consciousness of his released Shikai once more.

Ulquiorra watched as the woman's face took on a vacant look, mildly surprised that Aizen thought he would have to go as far as hypnotizing the woman to get her to repair the Hōgyoku for him.

Aizen turned and removed the cylindrical container from the Hōgyoku. "Now, use your healing shield on the Hōgyoku." He waited, anxiously.

Orihime stepped forward, her mind blank, though focused on the task in front of her. "Sōten Kisshun, I reject," she said, emotionlessly.

Two of the spirits Ulquiorra had seen previously, Shun'ō and Ayame, materialized and formed a golden shield around the Hōgyoku.

I guess there is no point waiting for anything to happen, Aizen thought. There isn't anything physically wrong with the Hōgyoku, so it will be difficult to tell if the technique has worked. I will have to test it later. After several more moments he said,"Thank you, Inoue-san." With that, Aizen forcefully shattered the hypnosis he had cast upon the woman. She crumpled to the floor, unconscious.

"Take her back to her room, Ulquiorra." Aizen replaced the Hōgyoku into his pocket.

Nodding in compliance, Ulquiorra gathered the woman up for the third time in three days, and made his way out of the Hōgyoku room. Looking down at the woman in his arms, he couldn't help but be enraged at Aizen's reckless actions. Not only did he expose her to an extremely high amount of reiatsu, he then had the audacity to release his Zanpakuto and cast Hypnosis on her! She was already exhausted before the Hypnosis; then she was made to use her Shun Shun Rikka which took even more of her already waning energy supply. After it was all said and done he then shattered the connection between then, possibly injuring her mentally! Needless to say, Ulquiorra was quite furious as he passed through the meeting hall a second time, shooting death glares at any Espada who looked as if they might comment.

Nnoitra Jiruga was quite pleased with the Forth Espada. I've got much of the confirmation I need, now, for just one more test…Nnoitra waited a few moments before silently following Ulquiorra out of the meeting hall.

Szayel watched worriedly as Ulquiorra carried the unconscious woman out of the hall in his arms. He was about to follow, and inquire as to what happened when he saw the Fifth Espada follow after him. His eyes narrowed, what could Nnoitra be up to now? He thought as he quietly crept after his supposed comrade.

Ulquiorra was halfway to the woman's cell when he felt an all too familiar reiatsu behind him. Sighing inwardly in exasperation, he turned around to face Nnoitra, uncharacteristically arching his right brow in question.

"Aw, how quaint, isn't this the third time you've been made to carry around this woman as if you were her slave?" Nnoitra baited the Espada. "You don't seem to object much, one would almost think you enjoyed it." He added, peering down at the sleeping red head in Ulquiorra's arms, his trademark grin on his face.

Several mild waves of reiatsu rolled off of Ulquiorra at this, he knew he was being baited, but pride made him want to fight back. "I am merely doing my duty, as Aizen assigned it," he stated flatly to the Fifth Espada before him.

"Surely this assignment bores you, wouldn't you rather be preparing for the Karakura Town War? Instead you're left here taking care of a lowly human, hardly the best use for someone of your skill level." He egged on, still grinning.

Refusing to bite into his bait, he replied, "Unlike most Arrancar, I don't enjoy fighting, though I am highly proficient at it. As Espada, you know this. My skills and my intellect are better put to use elsewhere." With this, Ulquiorra turned around and continued on towards the woman's cell.

Furious that his bait was failing, Nnoitra summoned his Zanpakuto, Santa Teresa, and made to slash at Ulquiorra's back.

Sensing the increase in spirit pressure, Ulquiorra used sonido to dodge the attack and quickly placed the woman out of the way, around a corner, before any harm could come to her.

Enraged by the cowardice displayed by the Fifth Espada, Ulquiorra used sonido to reappear in front of Nnoitra. Then using his hand as a spear he stabbed the Fifth Espada in the center of his chest. "You dare insult my pride as an Espada and then have the gall to attack me while my back is turned? You coward," Ulquiorra said emotionlessly. Withdrawing his hand he kicked Nnoitra in the abdomen, using the wounded Espada as leverage to propel himself away before he could retaliate.

Nnoitra gasped and coughed up blood, clearly not expecting the other Espada to counter attack so quickly. Griping Santa Teresa, that insane grin still plastered on his face, he used sonido to charge Ulquiorra, immediately slashing the Espada with his twin headed axe.

Ulquiorra dodged, albeit barely, Nnoitra managed to rip his black sash. Recovering quickly, the Espada removed his Zanpakuto from his sash before it fell to the floor, and used sonido to trail the air above Nnoitra, and slash down at his shoulder.

Shocked that he indirectly managed to get Ulquiorra to draw his sword, he was undeterred, quickly bringing up the side of his huge axe to block the incoming attack. The two locked eyes and glared at each other, neither willing to back down.

Meanwhile, Orihime regained consciousness. The sound of swords clashing and blows landing the first thing she heard. Where am I? This looks like the hallway to my room…She got up quickly, closing her eyes as a wave of dizziness overtook her. Who is that fighting? Inching her way around the corner a frightening seen met her eyes.

Ulquiorra and a tall Arrancar were locked together in a death match, neither willing to give in. Why are they fighting? Who is that other Espada? She gripped the wall beside her as the combined reiatsu of both Espada began to smother her. She gasped as Ulquiorra was blasted with a golden cero. When the room cleared, Ulquiorra was kneeling, his stomach clutched in his left hand, blood pouring from his wound.

Ulquiorra cursed, he had been distracted when he noticed the woman had awoken, and had been wounded fairly severely because of it. Holding his gut with his left hand, and Zanpakuto with the other, he silently willed his regenerative powers to kick in; praying that the woman wouldn't be foolish enough to get in the way.

Nnoitra grinned. Ulquiorra had been distracted by something, so he took that opportunity to gain the upper hand. Charging the Espada once more, he noticed the woman standing on the inside of the corner. So that is what distracted him! Feinting, he changed course and went after the woman, wondering what kind of reaction this would illicit from the severely wounded Arrancar.

Orihime gasped, she had been so focused on Ulquiorra she didn't realize she had been spotted by the tall Arrancar, and he was now charging her! She closed her eyes, waiting for the death that would surely come, when a golden light flared about her, she opened her eyes, fearing the Espadas signature golden cero. But it was not a cero, her Shun Shun Rikka had materialized without her permission and blocked the Espadas axe from landing a deadly blow, however, without the combined will of herself and the spirits to empower the technique, it shattered, leaving her open to attacks.

Unbeknownst to both the woman and the Espada, a thoroughly pissed off and fully healed Ulquiorra was stalking up behind Nnoitra. As Nnoitra lowered his axe at the woman to deliver the fatal blow, Ulquiorra stepped in and caught the blades between his fingers, stopping it inches before hitting a terrified Orihime.

If Nnoitra was surprised, he didn't show it. Grinning like a maniac he sidestepped Ulquiorra and kicked the woman as hard as he could in the abdomen, causing her to be thrown into the wall. Leaving a sizable dent, she crumpled into a lifeless heap.

Absolutely horrified, furious with himself, and Nnoitra, waves upon waves of dense black and green spirit energy rolled off Ulquiorra as he glared at the Espada before him. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?" He roared, releasing a good chunk of his spiritual energy. In his fury, Ulquiorra's irises turned yellow, and his pupils green, his hands turned into claws, and his feet into talons. His mask also fully formed, with two sharp horns protruding from it. Forth Espada and up were not allowed to release their swords in Hueco Mundo, but he had discovered a loop hole. There was a point in between transformations that allowed him to take on some aspects of his released state, particularly increased strength and speed, without destroying Hueco Mundo in the process.

Focusing his anger and rage into his next attack, he instantly appeared before a shocked Nnoitra and thrust his hand into his chest once again, releasing a highly concentrated and empowered green bala blast inside him, fatally wounding the Fifth Espada.

Closing his eyes, and breathing deeply, Ulquiorra tried to reign in his reiatsu and return to his normal state.


Szayel had been watching from an alcove down the hallway for several minutes. He couldn't believe what he had seen. The woman's power was amazing enough, but he had never known that Ulquiorra had found a way to release without destroying any of Las Noches. He put his scientific urge to analyze aside as concern for the woman kicked in, she was lying on the floor, unmoving.


Ignoring the wounded Nnoitra, Ulquiorra ran over to Orihime. Focusing his mind, he searched for her spirit pressure. It was there, but very faint. Gathering her up in his arms, he quickly brought her inside her cell, hoping he was not too late.

He laid her on the bed so that he could check for any signs of internal injury. Placing his right hand over her chest, he closed his eyes and focused his mind. His brow furrowing, he realized she had a ruptured spleen and a severed intestine. Reopening his eyes, he pondered the situation, unsure of what he should do. I have two options. I could give her some of my regenerative blood, or I could try to call upon the woman's Shun Shun Rikka and get them to heal her, though because she is unconscious that is highly doubtful. Deciding to try both, he silently sliced his left wrist open, blood so dark it was nearly black, running down his wrist. Lifting the woman's head up and opening her mouth, he allowed his blood to drip down her throat until his wound healed. I hope this works, the thought; massaging her throat to help her swallow, he waited.

Several minutes later, he refocused and checked her internal injuries, only to find they had not improved. Frustrated and worried, he glared at the woman before him. He didn't want to call on her spirits, he'd feel like a fool in doing so. But he couldn't let her die. Not only because Aizen forbade it, but because she was an enigma to him, and he refused to let her go.

Setting aside his pride for the second time he called out, "Shun Shun Rikka, you're Mistress is in life threatening danger, come out and heal her!" He waited, but nothing happened. Still determined, he repeated himself again, this time with more urgency, but nothing happened.

He was breathing hard now, the woman was growing pale from blood loss, and he was at a loss of what else to do. Closing his eyes once more, he whispered "Orihime is going to die. You must help." There was a flash of golden light and suddenly Ulquiorra was lying flat on his back, with a very pissed off Tsubaki standing on his chest.

Ulquiorra looked past the little red and black fairy at the golden shield covering Orihime. He let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding, and closed his eyes in relief, the slightest inklings of a smile gracing his black lips. What is this…happiness?

"She's not going to die, thanks to you, idiot!" Tsubaki kicked his chin, bringing the Espada back to reality.

"I didn't do this to her, I tried to protect her! It's my duty!" Ulquiorra said defensively.

"Some job you're doing," the fairy scoffed.

"Now Tsubaki," the spirit known as Hinagiku interjected. "The Arrancar appears to be just as concerned as you are, so why don't you back off and give him some space, eh?"

Ignoring the fairies comment he sat up. He watched as Ayame and Shun'ō began to heal Orihime. "Why didn't you come out when I first called?" The Espada asked curiously.

"We did not hear you," Baigon replied, turning to the Arrancar. "That is to say, Orihime did not hear you. Not until you used her given name…"

Ulquiorra could only nod as he continued to watch the Shun Shun Rikka heal Orihime, his mind whirling as he tried to understand the emotions he was feeling.

Just then the door creaked open to reveal an apprehensive Pink Haired Espada. "I saw Nnoitra in the hallway, what happened?" he asked, closing the door behind him. He secretly already knew what happened, but he wanted to know how it started.

He spied the woman half naked on the bed and grimaced, "Is she ok?" he wanted to cover her up but he felt that the shield wouldn't allow it.

Ulquiorra nodded, "She will be now," he said in a slightly distracted tone, ignoring his first question. He had failed. That's what happened. He failed to protect his charge, his mission. He was there when she needed him the most, and he couldn't do anything to protect her.

Suddenly Szayel was staring at a little black and red bug. "And just who the hell are you?" it asked, glaring daggers at him.

Szayel arched an eye brow, "Szayel Aporro Granz, Eighth Espada. Who and what might you be?" He asked, his scientific curiosity getting the best of him. The little red and black thing declined to answer and instead returned to the woman's bedside.

"They are the woman's powers, her spirits." Ulquiorra offered, surprising Szayel. "That one in particular is Tsubaki, her offensive power."

"You know about her powers?" He asked, slightly envious.

Ulquiorra nodded.

Szayel watched Ulquiorra, he could see the concern within the green eyes plain as day.

"Will she be ok?" he asked the spirits.

"Yes. We wouldn't still be here if not." Tsubaki said.

Szayel nodded, settling on the end of the bed to wait.


Aizen was furious. How dare they fight after I just forbade it? He fumed as he made his way towards where the massive amount of reiatsu was released.

Turning the corner he was rather stunned to find a very bloody, unconscious Nnoitra collapsed in a heap on the floor. Walking closer to inspect the fallen Espada, he discerned a gaping hole in his chest, directly between both clavicles. I can only think of one Arrancar with an affinity for stabbing people in the chest like that…

Closing his eyes, he focused and discreetly sought out the reiatsu of the suspect Espada, and made his way to his location.


Chapter 8 Teaser: Ulquiorras head was reeling. He had never experienced this side of Aizen's power before. His skull felt like it would split open, and he almost blacked out as he leant against the wall for support, unaware of Aizen's departure, clear tears leaking out of his eyes.


An: I hope you liked this chapter! I'm terrible with fight scenes heh, and I hope Ulquiorra wasn't too OOC, let me know what you think? Also…about the way he tried to heal her….icky! But it was logical in his mind! xD

Get ready for chapter 8, it's even crazier than chapter 7, inc lots of angst!