Chapter Twelve: Arrancar

It had been a few months since Yoshiro's and the other's arrival in Las Noches. He had to admit the place was impressive. With its giant white stone walls and ceilings, black tile flooring, it was easily the nicest place he had ever laid his eyes on. He decided to learn his way around the whole fortress, it took him a whole month of traveling around the fortress before he finally had learned his way around the place.

He, his mother, and the others had been given their own wing within the place. Each had a room of their own but Yoshiro, Apacci, and Luppi chose to room together. The place had its living room-like area complete with furniture, a massive bathroom with a built-in ground tub that could hold up to ten people without an issue. The bedroom had a massive walk-in closet and a king-sized bed with the softest blankets and pillows he ever felt. It also had a good-sized balcony to walk out on to view the outside of Las Noches. The bedroom was also quite soundproof, much to the relief of the others.

One of the most striking things about Las Noches was the fake sun that existed within it. Apparently, Aizen had created it for whatever reason, not that Yoshiro was complaining. He had missed the sunlight terribly after being in the darkness and moonlight of Hueco Mundo for so long. When he felt the sunlight hit for the first time after so long, it had felt almost blissful to him.

Yoshiro spent his time training, with his loved ones or traveling the fortress meeting the other residents. He felt it important to try and get to know the other inhabitants. To gauge everyone more or less and to see who would be worth working with should a time ever arise. Plus, he had hope about possibly making new friends as well.

One of the first people he met around Las Noches during his first week, was a sabretooth like Adjucha by the name of Ggio Vega. He had been traveling near the training grounds, Vega had been coming back from them when they ran into each other. Vega when he had seen and sensed Yoshiro merely stopped in place, bowed his head, and simply greeted him with a simple 'my lord'. Perhaps he had done it all on instinct having seen Yoshiro as a hollow of much higher standing than himself.

Yoshiro had been taken back by his attitude with him. Honestly, he was too much of a laid-back person to care about being called something like 'my lord'. He introduced himself to Vega and merely told him to just simply call him by his name. Vega was taken by surprise by his response, he wasn't used to someone of a higher status than him speaking so casually towards him. Ultimately, Vega took it in stride and Yoshiro struck up a conversation with him.

Vega was a servant of Barragan the one who fancied himself as some sort of king. While Yoshiro had his reservations about the old hollow that was Barragan, he didn't hold these against Vega. Vega had talked about how he had fought his way through a whole horde of other Adjucha's and emerged as the sole survivor. He was offered a place as one of Barragan's top men. He held Barragan in high esteem for being the old and very powerful hollow he was. He then asked Yoshiro of himself.

He told him that he was the son of Tia Halibel. This caught Vega by surprise and Yoshiro went ahead and explained his story to him. His previous life in the human world, his time in Hueco Mundo, and his relationship with his mother and the others. When he was finished Vega seemed to have found a new amount of respect for him. They agreed to meet up at a later date to hang out more. He came to learn that Vega was a person who could be described as calm, loyal, a bit cocky, and sarcastic. "much like myself" Yoshiro thought in his head. They quickly became good friends.

During one of their meetups, Vega decided to share what he remembered of his human life. He died around his late teens; he was apparently an acrobat of sorts in a circus. The equipment faulted during a performance, and he wound up falling from a good height. As he fell, he landed on some wiring that wound up wrapping around his neck and essentially hung him to death in the middle of the circus tent in front of a full crowd.

Another thing that happened when traveling was meeting an Arrancar for the first time. Her name was Cirucci Sanderwicci. What surprised him about her was that she looked essentially human. The only things that made it clear she was in fact a hollow were her mask fragment on the top of her head and the hollow energy she gave off. Apparently, she was what one would call a natural-born Arrancar.

He noticed she was dressed in gothic Lolita-like fashion, and she had a somewhat rude, cocky, blunt albeit very honest personality. They chatted up a bit and hit it off rather well. Though her forwardness about how handsome she found Yoshiro and her wanting 'a piece of him' threw him off a bit. Thankfully she politely backed off when he explained he was already in a relationship, though she was somewhat noticeably disappointed. Regardless they became friends nonetheless.

Then he ran into another Arrancar by the name of Dordoni. He was certainly an odd one even for Yoshiro. Though despite the overly goofy personality, he could figure he was a much more serious man than he let on. Dordoni seemed to take a liking to the young hollow. He taught Yoshiro much of the inner workings of Las Noches, something he was quite thankful for. Once more he had another person, he could call a friend.

He also ran into and got to know another Arrancar and one who was one of the longest-serving ones. Tall, skinny, wearing frilly white clothes trimmed with black and a long helmet. With a voice that alternated between deep and high pitched. An arrancar by the name of Aaroniero Arruruerie. Yoshiro had stumbled by sheer random chance when he still trying to familiarize himself with the fortress's layout. He had crossed paths with Aaroniero while the Arrancar was traveling back to his sector of Las Noches. After having just finished some business of his own. Aaroniero for his part was rather interested in hearing the details of Yoshiro's tale. Apparently, rumors had already spread about the unique relationships he had. Made sense, never before had anyone seen a pair of hollows show up that were literally mother and son. After swapping stories and tidbits of info with one another, the two had hit it off.

Yoshiro found himself spending time periodically with the Arrancar. Aaroniero as it turned out was rather fond of two things as a means of passing time. The two things being checkers surprisingly and reading unsurprisingly. When it came to the former, Yoshiro consistently got his ass kicked. Though to his credit, he got better with every game. When it came to the latter, Aaroniero showed him Las Noches library. Aizen had stocked the place with a plethora of information about everything related to soul society and more. Yoshiro read this information almost greedily, while he knew the importance of battle prowess. He also understood that knowledge could hold a great deal of power in its own right. He felt it important to learn what he could of soul society, for when it came time to fight them. Ulquiorra saw fit to join him on occasion to also do his own research.

Aaroniero eventually came to trust Yoshiro enough to reveal what was underneath the helmet. Two balls for heads floating in a big jar of liquid, like some oversized lava lamp. Yoshiro wasn't really bothered by the incredible oddity of it. He had accepted a long time ago that hollows came in a wide variety of ways. So nothing about Aaroniero's appearance perturbed him in any way. A fact that the Arrancar seemed to appreciate. Other hollows seemed somewhat shaken by Aaroniero's appearance, hence why he wore the helmet. Well, that and the odd aversion to sunlight the Arrancar had.

Then he had managed to run into the most powerful Arrancar in the whole place. Rather he met said person's daughter figure of sorts first then him. He was on his way back from Las Noche's library when spotted a child-sized girl skipping through the halls. Green hair, a mask fragment that resembled a helmet with a single horn, and an outfit. That frankly in his opinion was incredibly inappropriate for someone who looked to be a child to be wearing. The girl saw him and immediately became interested in him or rather his tails.

The girl introduced herself as Lilynette Gingerbuck and if Yoshiro didn't know better. He'd say she was probably the same age as Karin and Yuzu would be currently. With a surprising amount of childish curiosity and wonder, she asked if it was ok to touch his tails. A request he couldn't find in himself to argue against, he was something of a sucker for kids. After sending so much time looking after those younger than him in Karakura. That and he was aware that his tails and their fluffiness were something some found a bit of an obsession with. If how Apacci and Luppi insisted on being smothered with them almost daily. In all honesty, the way some obsessed about his tails became a mark of pride in a way.

Then she dragged him to meet the most powerful Arrancar currently in existence, Coyote Starkk. Only to be greeted by the laziest and most unenthusiastic person he had ever met. His appearance didn't exactly invoke his position either. It was rather unassuming in a way really. Starrk had blue-gray eyes and wavy, dark brown hair, which ends at the base of his neck, it was unkempt, and was parted down the middle. He had a faded goatee as well. His clothing was typical of an Arrancar: he wore a white jacket outlined in black, though altered with the collar upturned. A black sash was worn similar to a matador around his waist and he wore white gloves. The remains of his Hollow mask consist of a fanged bottom jaw which was positioned along his neck. His Hollow hole was on his sternum, right below the tip of his mask.

That being said Yoshiro could clearly feel how powerful the man was. It was parts awe-inspiring and mildly terrifying. Which said an awful lot with Yoshiro himself being a Vasto Lorde. Regardless, Starkk was rather polite and easy to get along with. Yoshiro liked spending time every now and again with him and Lilynette.

All in all life in Las Noches was turning out a lot better than expected. However, there was one problem Yoshiro dreaded having to deal with whenever he had the unfortunateness of running into it. The problem was an Arrancar, who was the most contemptible bastard he had ever met. Said bastard's name was Nnoitra Gilga.

He was tall at seven-foot, thin and lanky body, long black hair, big ass goofy teeth, an eyepatch and carried the most stupid ass looking excuse of a sword Yoshiro had ever seen. Seriously, just what the fuck was that thing? All that wasn't the issue though, the problem was he had an attitude that was the most revolting thing around. He was overly rude even for Yoshiro, not to mention crude and lecherous to the extreme. Not to mention incredibly sexist as well. He was also far to fight and kill-happy even for hollow/Arrancar standards. His attitude even put off Grimmjow and that was saying a lot. He constantly annoyed and tried to goad Yoshiro whenever they ran onto each other. Yoshiro thankfully kept himself in check but had to admit his nerves with the bastard were starting to reach their limit. Those limits would finally reach a breaking point.

Never mind the fact he was the prime suspect in the disappearance of an Arrancar. By the name of Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck, though nothing had ever been proven he was responsible. Yoshiro didn't doubt for a moment that prick was behind it somehow, despite lack of evidence.

Yoshiro was heading towards the training grounds that existed just outside the north gate closest to his place in the fortress. He was going there for some training on his own. When he reached there, he noticed his least favorite person in existence. Nnoitra just looked and leered at Yoshiro with his stupid look and sneered.

"Well, well look who it is? What is the pet doing away from his master's?"

When Nnoitra had learned Yoshiro technically served his mother and worked alongside mostly other women. The jackass took it upon himself to mock him for it.

"I don't answer to you Gilga, so shut up or get the fuck out. I don't care which, just don't annoy me. I have more important things to do than entertain your goofy-looking ass." Yoshiro snarked back at the Arrancar.

Nnoitra didn't take too well to that statement. "You think you're so much fucking better than me fox boy? Do you think I don't fucking matter? You think you can just brush me off like I'm nothing?" He growled out in response.

"Yeah, pretty much," Yoshiro replied as uncaring and sarcastic as he could. Nnoitra just got even angrier.

"You better watch your god damn self-kid." He barked in return "Unless you want me to cut off some of those ridiculous tails of yours?"

"Me, ridiculous looking? You should look at yourself a little more closely Gilga before you say something like that. You look like kami got halfway through making you and he just went eh you know what, fuck it that'll do." Yoshiro retorted in return keeping his cool. Though his patience was beginning to reach its limit with the annoying bastard.

Nnoitra got really pissed at this realizing his goads weren't working. Then suddenly his expression changed, and he got a lecherous look on his face and chimed up.

"Fine then if you won't entertain me, maybe the deer woman of yours will? She's rather dainty, she'd be really easy to handle." He spoke with malicious lust. Yoshiro was silent to keep his rising anger in check at this point, Nnoitra continued.

"Better yet I'll get my hands on the shark woman instead." He then stuck his tongue out and licked his lips in a lecherous and repulsive manner and continued. "She has an even curvier body, not to mention bigger tits to play with. She would be all sorts of fun. I'd love to make her my little pet and have her on her knees to-"

He didn't get to finish speaking as Yoshiro's knee planted firmly into his face knocking him off his feet and flying back a good ten yards on his ass.

"THAT'S IT NNOITRA, I'M GOING TO FUCKING KILL YOU HERE AND NOW!" Yoshiro yelled in murderous fury. Nnoitra had finally pushed him over his edge by threatening his mother and Apacci. His inner hollow spoke up equally furious.

"Tear this repulsive beast to shreds kit! Arrancar or not he dies by your hands here and now. Let him serve as an example to those who think to threaten you and your kin!"

Nnoitra merely stood up and drew his blade, a sinister smirk on his face. "Show me what you got fox!" He merely replied and flared up his spiritual pressure. Yoshiro flared his own up as well in response. The battlefield was set and both sides were ready to strike.

Vega was approaching the gate that led to the training grounds by the north gate when he suddenly felt the massive surge of spirit energy coming from the area. He recognized who they belonged to right away. "Oh shit!" he cursed out. He immediately turned around and ran through Las Noches to find one of Yoshiro's pack and inform them what was happening. He just hoped that he would be fast enough.

Yoshiro was pissed, but he tried not to let it get the better of him. He knew had just started a massive fight. Even if he was a Vasto Lorde he was still fighting an uphill battle here. Nnoitra wasn't a Vasto Lorde before he naturally became an Arrancar, but he had been a pretty powerful Adjucah nonetheless. Despite that Yoshiro knew he could probably still beat him, as long as he didn't allow him to use his resurrección. He had learned from Cirucci that it was something unique to Arrancar. It allowed them to unleash the full extent of their power and abilities. Yoshiro had to beat Nnoitra before he went and activated his at some point. Otherwise, he would be utterly fucked.

Yoshiro used his speed to get up to Nnoitra and strike at his chest with his claws, they landed but only scratched lightly. "The fuck!" he proclaimed. Suddenly a knee collided with his chest sending him flying away and landing on his back.

"Ha, ha, ha!" laughed Nnoitra. "My Hierro is the strongest around! You can't hope to cut through me you brat!" Yoshiro got up coughing up a little blood as he did. "Shit! How am I gonna hurt him?" He thought to himself then an idea suddenly hit him. If he couldn't hurt him by cutting, perhaps he could by using enough blunt force trauma? Remembering how he beat the soul reaper in the forest. He had an idea pop into his head on how to approach this. He had nine perfectly suited tails to do the task he was thinking about. He focused his energy into his tails preparing to strike.

He moved quickly to get next to Nnoitra, he responded by swinging his sword at Yoshiro's head. Yoshiro ducked and moved to get in front of Nnoitra, his tails facing his enemy. He swung full force into the Arrancar's body. There was an audible crack as Nnoitra was sent flying away as the sand around where the hit had happened exploded up. Nnoitra may have more raw strength and more durability by being an Arrancar. His fighting style revolved more about tanking hits and striking back. Nnoitra wasn't one for speed in all honesty. Yoshiro by contrast was something of a speedster and he was going to use that advantage to its' fullest.

Unknown to the two fighters, word of their deathmatch had quickly made it around Las Noches. Hollows and what Arrancar there were quickly gathering at the battleground to see who the victor would be.

Nnoitra stood up spitting up some blood with a smile on his face. "Not too bad fox." He spoke up "looks like you're going to make this fun for me!" he yelled as he threw his weird sword at Yoshiro. Yoshiro was able to move enough to avoid taking it head-on but was grazed on the chest by the weapon. As it flew behind him Nnoitra used the chain to pull it back. Yoshiro tried to move out of the way but was grazed across the back by it. It sent him sprawling to the ground as he did a painful burning sensation of the wounds on his chest and back flared up.

As he looked up, Nnoitra had appeared in front of him weapon raised, before he could bring it down Yoshiro quickly focused his energy on his tails and slammed one into Nnoitra's face. It caused the Arrancar to lose his footing and focus. Yoshiro took full advantage. He quickly brought his tails down and started to pummel Nnoitra with them. He hit him repeatedly with his empowered tails, in the face, shoulders, chest, arms. He slammed them wherever he could as much as he could. The sound of cracking and his body straining from under strikes could be heard and seen.

Despite the barrage, Nnoitra managed to regain enough focus to launch an attack known as bola into Yoshiro's face. It caused him to fly back a bit in a painful daze. Yoshiro's tail barrage had done some good damage, large and heavy black bruise marks were already showing all over Nnoitra's body, he was breathing a little hard and it looked like he had a few bone fractures from his movements.

While Yoshiro was still dazed Nnoitra moved up grabbed him by the collar and slammed him with a forceful headbutt. Yoshiro dropped to his knees practically concussed. Nnoitra swung his blade horizontally at him, not having the time to dodge he focused his energy to enhance his defense as much as possible into his left forearm. Yoshiro brought the arm up to catch the blade, it didn't cut clean through, but it did sink about halfway into the arm. It hurt like all sorts of hell.

Not expecting his blade to be stopped by the block Nnoitra left himself open and Yoshiro made him pay by focusing as much energy as he could into a single tail and swung it as hard as he could into the Arrancar's jaw. The sound of his jaw shattering from the impact could be visibly heard. Nnoitra went stumbling back and fell to a knee from the intense pain of his bloody and broken jaw. This seemed to be enough for him, suddenly he had a look of 'I'm done with this shit' as he began to stand up.

Yoshiro noticed this look as the Arrancar made his move to stand up. He was going to use his resurrección. Acting quickly he put himself on all fours, brought his tails out in a fan-like formation. Angled the tips to focus on a single point and put all the energy he could muster into a cero blast. A beach ball-sized sphere of white energy built up and launched directly at Nnoitra.

Nnoitra had only just stood up and was halfway to raising his blade when he noticed the massive white cero coming his way, he couldn't hope to dodge it. The massive beam of white hollow energy engulfed the Arrancar completely when the blast ended and the dust cleared. Nnoitra was on his knees as a bloody wreck. His entire clothing from the waist up gone, with only tatters left from the waist down. He had severe burn and cut marks across his body, his arm that been holding his sword had been mostly blown off, the blade he had been holding was in the ground a good fifty yards behind him.

Yoshiro quickly moved to get right in front of him, he grabbed the Arrancar by his throat knowing he now had him completely at his mercy. It was then he noticed all the different hollows and some Arrancar's who had gathered to watch the fight. They all had looks of awe, shock and a lot had looks of utter fear as well. Then Yoshiro turned his head to address them practically yelling.

"You see this!? You see who I have here on their knees under my fucking claws!? You see what becomes of those who think to threaten what I hold precious!? Anywho think of threatening what I hold dear to me shall suffer the same fate as this one here!"

With that said Yoshiro focused a cero into his palm, he wretched Nnoitra's mouth open as wide as it could go and jammed his palm over it, and released the cero. There was a blast of white energy, when it ended nothing of Nnoitra's head was left. Yoshiro simply let the now dead Arrancar unceremoniously drop to the ground.

He looked to the crowd and saw Grimmjow and his crew staring at him. Grimmjow merely gave a smirk of satisfaction, Yoshiro gave a small smirk back. He then noticed Vega who had the look of utter disbelief on his face. He was standing near a skeletal-looking hollow with a crown. That had to be Barragan. Yoshiro locked eyes with the ancient Vasto Lorde. Barragan merely nodded his head in approval and some respect for the boys' actions. Yoshiro gave a slight bow in return to the ancient hollow. He noticed Cirucci and Dordoni in the crowd too standing next to each other. He met eyes with both of them, they had looks of shock but those then changed into looks of approval. Yoshiro nodded to them in reply. He then noticed to his surprise that even Aaroniero was in the crowd. Who gave a small tilt of the head as a form of acknowledgment. He saw Starkk and Lilynette as well. The latter had the look of amazement and the former seemed impressed with his victory.

Suddenly the exhaustion and pain of everything slammed into Yoshiro as he fell to the ground. "Man I am all sorts of messed up right now." He thought to himself.

"You need to feed to regain your strength and heal yourself faster kit." Spoke his inner hollow. "You have a perfectly good meal right in front of you too." She said with a suggestive tone.

Knowing his inner hollow was right, he didn't hesitate when he grabbed his enemy's corpse and began tearing into it with his fangs. This brought about some gasp from the crowd, but he didn't care. He was too fully engrossed in his feeding as he tore, ripped, and crunched the Arrancar's flesh and bones. He could feel his energy return, his injuries heal much faster and his overall power grow as well. When he was finished, nothing but scraps of cloth and bloodstains remained on the sands.

He looked up and noticed, Grimmjow, Apacci, Luppi, his mother, Ulquiorra, the twins, Mila, Sung-Sun, Dordoni, Cirucci, Lilynette, Starkk, and Aaroniero were standing around him.

"Quite the show you put on there," Grimmjow spoke. "You sent a message no one's ever gonna forget."

Yoshiro looked up to his mother and the others. "Sorry, you had to see me like that." He piped up "Nnoitra struck the last nerve I had with him and well you saw."

"Don't be sorry about it." Cirucci chimed "He was an utter bastard of the first degree, no one is going to feel sorry about him being dead."

"Indeed" spoke Halibel "as for your feeding, we understand you were so beat up and exhausted from fighting someone like Gilga. You needed to recharge yourself with whatever you could as soon as possible."

Yoshiro stood back up and was about to head to his room to relax. Then out of nowhere, a message came out on the intercom system.

"Attention Lord Aizen has returned, all non Arrancar are to report to the main chamber at once!"

No one spoke a word and merely left to head to the main chamber except for those who were Arrancar's. They entered a massive chamber room that had a huge white throne of sorts in it. They were apparently one of the first to arrive. Another twenty minutes later all the others finally appeared. Then the man of the hour finally made himself known.

"Welcome my dear comrades," Aizen spoke out as he made himself known. He had his brown hair slicked back except for a few strands that hung in front of his face now. His glasses were now nowhere to be seen. He now wore a white outfit, with a white coat of sorts, overtop with a large red sash wrapped around the waist.

"I have at last acquired the main key to our plans and with it to make you all Arrancar that are better and stronger than practically all natural-born ones. I shall do this" He then held up some black orb "with this item right here the Hogyoku. Let us begin the process, shall we?"

At that moment a bunch of low-level Arrancar helpers showed up with massive carts of cloth wrapping and clothes. "Who wishes to be the first?" Aizen politely asked. There was a brief pause, then Grimmjow stepped forward.

"Very well," said Aizen in his smooth voice "you will simply need to be wrapped in the cloth and then I shall do the rest with the Hogyoku."

Grimmjow was wrapped up and then Aizen held out the orb and suddenly a glass-like coffin of sorts encased Grimmjow. The orb glowed and energy filled up the box, this lasted a few minutes. Then the container cracked and exploded, when the smoke cleared Grimmjow stood there, not as an Adjucah hollow but as a human-looking Arrancar. With what looked just like a soul reaper zanpakuto with a blue handle and jagged guard.

"Holy shit." Yoshiro couldn't help but mouth to himself.

Grimmjow was given a stock Arrancar uniform for the time being and went to where he had been before.

"Now then" piped up Aizen "let us continue."

One by one everyone in the room took their turn. Yoshiro didn't pay much attention though even when his companions went to take their turn. He was far too freaked and shocked by what happened to focus on it all. Eventually, everyone else had gone, Yoshiro stepped forward to take his turn.

As the helpers began wrapping up Yoshiro, a small smile graced Aizen's face as he thought to himself. "I look forward to seeing what you are capable of in the months to come. Especially after what Kurosaki accomplished in his invasion of soul society."

Once Yoshiro was fully wrapped up, Aizen began the process. A massive pain shot through Yoshiro, but he couldn't yell and then he was pulled into his inner world. On his hands and knees in his inner world, his body straining, burning, and so many other things he couldn't describe with the pain they gave him was. His inner hollow merely walked over to him and tried to comfort him. He didn't even notice her approach, nor did notice the chains on the sealed-up well begin to shake.

"Relax kit" she caringly spoke "I know this agony is practically unbearable due to changing so rapidly so fast. It shall all be worth it, I promise kit. This for whatever reason is the path you are meant to take. With this, you are finally ready to know something you have always wanted from me, my name. My name is…." She paused briefly before finally speaking it as almost a whisper.

"Zorro"

At that moment a bright light seemed to engulf the inner world blinding everything in it.

Back in the main chamber where everyone was watching. Suddenly, the box began to crack and then exploded. Everyone watched in earnest as to what they would see.

Yoshiro stood there looking almost exactly like he did as a human his hair, having returned to its previous blond. His hollow mask fragment existed on the upper right of his face. From the top of his forehead down to just above his jaw, with some stretching about halfway around the top and bottom of his eye. The same black swirl wave patterns existed to some degree still on the fragment. His hollow hole remained in the same spot it had been before.

In his left hand was his zanpakuto, it was roughly twenty-four inches in length looking more akin to a wakizashi than a katana. Its handle had all white wrapping with spots of black going down the middle and the guard was shaped like a nine-pointed star.

Yoshiro's transformation into an Arrancar had been nothing short of a huge success.

Within his inner world, something particular had changed as well. The chains surrounding the well had been broken and the lid was blown clean off. A figure emerged from the well and now stood on its ledge.

Standing some distance away was Zorro who eyed this new figure with a mix of curiosity and amusement.

The figure held the appearance of a young teenage girl, no older than fourteen seemingly. The girl was petite and slender and had straight dark hair that draped just below her shoulders and dark navy blue eyes. She wore a white office shirt with a white vest on top of it, white pants, white shoes, a light blue tie, a white trench coat, and a fuzzy white cap. She took a moment to look at her surroundings. A wide Cheshire grin spread across her face revealing fang-like teeth.

"To be free after so long, what a fantastic feeling." She spoke in devilish glee.