When Ulquiorra announced himself the following day, he walked in to find Orihime making a relatively complicated structure with the cards she had been given. She is skilled in these mundane activities, he mused. She avidly concentrated on placing two cards at the top of a house of cards. Her tongue stuck out and her brows were furrowed. When she had succeeded in placing the cards at the top of her structure, she expressed a satisfied, "Yesss! And with only forty cards, haha!" For a moment, she forgot that she was talking to someone who didn't care. She looked at Ulquiorra, and her expression melted into a sigh.

"Where is the servant? Is he OK? He usually shows up by now." she asked.

"Do not concern yourself with him. I have come early to inquire about your behavior."

"Did I do something wrong again?"

"Why is it that you were so adamant not to be left alone yesterday?

She stood up from where she was seated. "What?"

"Your behavior during your last night on earth seemed to indicate that you wanted to be left alone during your emotional outburst. When you had been instructed to say goodbye to only one person, you took your time after saying goodbye to Ichigo Kurosaki, waiting several hours before meeting with me. What exactly is the difference in your preferences between then and now? Why did you not choose to be left alone more recently?"

Orihime was bewildered by the question. "Why do you want to know?"

"It helps me assess you more efficiently; your behavior fluctuates. Observing humans for so many years, I have learned that this is the most consistent quality about them—that they are inconsistent, but I have never spoken with any human about it. Hollow are not so impulsive. They are driven by hunger, so their actions are easily explained. Humans, however, are capricious."

She lingered in thought for several moments before she replied, "I don't know whether I feel comfortable discussing it with you."

"But it is not a matter of discomfort. It is a perfectly simple question."

"Yes, but...I didn't think that someone was watching me as I was saying goodbye."

"What is your reason for refraining to tell him those things while awake?"

His questions were getting way too personal. "I don't want to talk about this!" She turned her back to him and headed towards the couch.

"You will watch your tone."

She looked back at him irritably. His eyes were sharp, their jadish color boring into hers.

"You are not allowed to hurt me. I am not afraid of you."

"You are not afraid?" This woman is smarter than I thought. He took several steps closer to her, intrigued. "Have you not considered that my reports about the oddities in your behavior can be exaggerated?"

"I just don't think you would understand," she said firmly.

Ulquiorra continued walking over to her until he was a foot away.

"You think I am not apt to understand?" His voice was deep, and she'd never heard it this close before.

She dared to look up at his stoic expression. His eyes were brilliant. "No, that's not what I meant. I just…don't think you can relate."

"I have studied humans for many years now. They are quite uninteresting creatures. What you say will not confuse me, I assure you. But since you are so reluctant to speak on the matter, I will not waste my time here any longer." He started to leave.

Orihime first let out a sigh of relief, but for a reason she could not quite detect, she did not want him to leave. Am I this desperate for company? Then again, I feel sorry for him. He really doesn't understand anything about emotion.

"Wait…I suppose I can explain some of it."

Ulquiorra turned back to face her.

"I guess…the reason why I wanted to be alone back then is because, well…it would have been embarrassing."

"But you were clearly embarrassed when I discovered you yesterday, and you did not ask me to leave."

She sighed again. "Yes, I was…but I guess it was just easier yesterday to eat and be done with it. I was able to say what I needed to say to Kurosaki-kun because I knew he wasn't listening." Oddly, she felt it was very easy to speak with the Espada in front of her. She continued, "I could never say those things to him with his knowledge about it."

Ulquiorra said nothing, but his silence compelled her to continue.

"I guess the things I said…" she shifted her feet uncomfortably. She suddenly realized what she was saying. Why am I talking about my feelings for Kurosaki-kun? "They're just not normally something someone like me would say to someone like him."

"You are both humans; communicating is not unheard of."

She lightly chuckled. "It's not that easy." After a pause, she continued. "He…doesn't feel the same way about me the way I feel about him." Her eyes grew sad.

"Why do you bother wasting your energy in such frivolity? It is clearly draining on your ability to function normally."

"I don't feel like I'm wasting my energy. One day, he may feel the same. And in the meantime, I can't just tell my heart to stop loving him."

"Such a thing does not exist."

"Excuse me?"

"What you refer to as 'the heart' is merely a figure of your imagination. It is an illusion humans invent to explain discrepancies in their behaviors. It is the primary excuse for inconsistency."

"How can you say that it doesn't exist? It's my heart that gives me the ability to love…it's what makes me cry and laugh, move on after I'm sad, know what's right, so many other things..."

He cut her off, "Those are caused by social conditioning, some genetics, and chemical reactions in your brain; they have nothing to do with an abstract entity."

"I just-completely disagree. If I remember correctly, hollows don't have hearts, do they? So how could you possibly know about it?"

"One does not need to possess a thing to comprehend it. My eye is extraordinarily powerful."

He took his hand out of his pocket, drew it to his face, and proceeded to remove his left eye from its socket. Orihime gasped, bewildered. His eye disappeared into dust and revealed various scenes in the real world. Disgusted, yet intrigued, Orihime stared after him with wide eyes.

"It has observed many human interactions, including the human physiology and psyche. I can assure you that what you are talking about is unfounded. It is not provable." His eye suddenly grew back, and she found herself staring into two pools of green once more.

She tried to compose her thoughts after the marvel she had just witnessed. She had to think for several moments before answering, "But if something like that isn't provable, then it's not disprovable, either."

"That is an argument from ignorance, and it does not suffice in your case. I can assure you, you are mistaken."

"I just know what I'm saying is right. My heart tells me what I need to know. It guides me and gives me strength. It's something that I can feel and detect, and has been with me for as long as I can remember. I have intuitions and I follow them, and they are trustworthy. Something like that doesn't just come out of chemicals." She paused. "Like I said, I don't expect you to understand."

"You humans are stubborn. Even when the most obvious alternatives are set before you, you continue to submit to futility."

"But life is so much more than choosing between alternatives!"

"Life is meaningless, woman; it is an empty existence, passing through time like a useless shadow."

"But this doesn't mean that a person shouldn't have something to live for."

"And just what do you have to live for, woman?" he coldly challenged.

At that point, she knew she was defeated. Dejectedly, she answered, "My purpose is to do what Aizen-sama asks."

"Correct."

They both heard the servant approaching her door. Orihime watched as the servant rolled the table in its usual place. She sat down and mechanically started chewing her food.

The rest of their time together was spent in silence.

.oOo.

Orihime spent the remainder of the day both constructing and deconstructing her house of cards and thinking about her conversation with Ulquiorra.

Why did I continue to talk about Kurosaki-kun? Why did I tell him about my feelings? I wonder if it's just him that's easy to talk to, or if it's the fact that I haven't had a conversation with anyone for a long time. In any case, he already heard what I had said to Kurosaki-kun, so it's not like my feelings are a surprise.

She sighed.

But…he did come early just to talk to me… Is he that curious about the reason behind my emotions?

I wonder if he'll be by tomorrow, she thought.

.oOo.

For weeks after this exchange, Orihime's schedule consisted of nothing more than playing with her cards, eating, and considering whether she should let Aizen strengthen her power. It had been months since she had stepped foot in Hueco Mundo, and the days were taking their sweet time to pass. She was starting to get so bored that she began making up games to play with her cards. She played memory games, she played against herself, and she continued making houses of cards. Constant usage of the cards started to show on their exterior. I wish I could just play a game with someone! she often sighed.

Ulquiorra went back to his previous routine of only showing up once every few days, which was good in Orihime's mind, because this meant that she did not need to be observed very often. Despite this, she was starting to grow fond of having semi-conversations with someone—but she was conflicted by this.

On one particular day, Ulquiorra announced himself and startled her by breaking his usual silence.

"Aizen-sama has finally decided to give you two more weeks to make your decision about accepting his offer. He has ordered that you go to his throne room to be instructed of the procedure. Should you choose to accept, it will take time to prepare you for the transformation. He will explain some of the details to you."

"Yes, sir."

Orihime followed him to Aizen's throne room, where only she, Ulquiorra, Aizen, and the other two captains who had betrayed Soul Society occupied the room.

"Orihime Inoue. I expect Ulquiorra has told you why you are here today."

"Yes, sir. To explain the procedure of my transformation if I accept your offer."

"Very good."

Aizen began walking down the stairs that led up to his throne as he addressed her. "Should you choose to accept, it may take several months to prepare you. There are a number of risks, but I am confident that no permanent harm will come to you. No one has been injured from the Hogyoku thus far, other than temporary pain, of course. Since your powers are unique, I am uncertain about how much pain you should expect to feel. It could range from mild stinging to excruciating, though the latter is rare." At this point, Aizen was standing a few feet away from Orihime.

Orihime folded her hands.

"I am not afraid of pain," she murmured.

Aizen chuckled sardonically, "Ulquiorra, you were right about her strength! She claims she is not afraid of pain and stands but a few feet away from me without fainting from my presence." He smirked. "Of course, I am withholding my reiatsu."

All of a sudden, Orihime sensed a shift in the atmosphere. It grew thick and heavy, and she felt as though she was standing in darkness. Orihime could feel her heart pump wildly, trying to keep up with the pressure in the air. She clenched her fists and resorted to holding her breath. She tried moving her head around, but the weight of the energy around her forced her to flex the muscles around her throat so that her neck would not snap. Is this Aizen's reiatsu at full power? It's so strong, I have to struggle just to stand and breathe! She managed to shift her eyes over to Ulquiorra, who was observing her reaction.

Aizen laughed. He eased his reiatsu. Orihime's chest heaved.

"I have just demonstrated the power of a fraction of my reiatsu. Many hollow have fainted at the level I have just displayed, yet you remain standing. Impressive, for a human. Your addition to my team of Espada would be most valuable."

Only a fraction of his reiatsu…Orihime thought, horrified. And then, she had just realized what he said.

Espada?

Aizen gave Orihime more time to collect her breath, and then continued, "As I was saying before, it may take months for preparation. What you just experienced was the first step of the training, and you have already passed. The training will mainly consist of you becoming accustomed to higher levels of reiatsu, so that your tolerance of spiritual pressure can increase exceedingly after the procedure is over. If you do not prepare yourself, you will surely die from augmented levels of reiatsu entering your system. There is no need to discuss further details until you make your decision. I have already given you a taste of the first aspect of training, and you have done well." He paused. "Do you have any questions?"

"Yes. You said that I would become an Espada?"

"Of course. Your powers are extraordinary, Orihime. The power of the Hogyoku will surely add to your current abilities at least tenfold. Your offensive abilities, particularly, will be improved. I would not waste my energy on you if I was uncertain about how useful you would be. I suspect your rank will be at the very least a 7 or above."

Orihime was dumbfounded by Aizen's statement, and it frightened her. Her offensive abilities were directly tied to her personality. The angrier and more violent she became, the more effective the Shun-Shun Rikka were in her attacks. Orihime's meekness was the primary factor retarding Tsubaki's strength; she knew this well. So if her offensive abilities would increase because of the Hogyoku, this could certainly mean that she herself would become a more hostile and violent person. Aizen could very well be lying to her about the level of her strength, but if he was telling her the truth, she would literally be giving up part of her soul in exchange for more power.

"I see. May I ask one more question, sir?"

He nodded once.

"Will any aspect of my personality change? That is…will I be the same person…will my memories remain intact?"

"What an interesting question. I believe Ulquiorra can give you more personalized details, as he has undergone the experience himself."

"Yes, sir," she answered anxiously.

"Any other questions?"

Orihime shook her head.

"Very well. You are dismissed."

Orihime walked alongside Ulquiorra on the way back to her room, dwelling on the significance of what she had just heard. Kurosaki-kun and the rest of Soul Society have a very difficult task ahead of them. The reiatsu she had just been exposed to was unlike anything she had ever experienced.

As she continued walking, she thought about what Aizen had said. She could finally be of some use. She would be even more powerful than Rukia, perhaps as powerful as one of the captains in Soul Society. The prospect of this was tantalizing, though the uncertainty of a personality change was a very high price to pay. After considering this for several minutes, her thoughts returned to something else Aizen had said: "Ulquiorra, you were right about her strength." Did he tell Aizen that I was strong? That's impossible. She glanced at him. Why does he always have the same expression on his face? She periodically stole glimpses at him as they walked. His expression, his pace, his slightly hunched over stance, and the position of his hands in his pockets were ever unchanging.

"Why do you keep looking at me?" His question made her jump.

"Oh! I apologize. I just…notice that you always have your hands in your pockets. Is there a reason for that?" Stupid! she berated herself. "I guess…were you always like that, before Aizen-sama's interference?"

He looked at her briefly and stated, "My pockets are a place to rest my hands."

Orihime blushed slightly. She walked in silence before mustering enough courage to ask, "What did Aizen-sama mean when he talked about you saying that I was strong….?"

His eyes widened slightly in surprise. "Do not get arrogant. You are simply resilient, given your present circumstances. Though you have occasional outbursts, you are not prone to prolonged bouts of grief, and this is merely a convenient factor in Aizen-sama's overall scheme."

Orihime looked down at her hands and smiled slightly to herself. He's actually noticed something about me. I shouldn't be surprised, though. He's the most observant person I've ever met. It's not a shock that he can tell I don't like to show my weakness.

"But you didn't answer my question," she continued. "Were you the same person before Aizen-sama?"

Ulquiorra did not answer immediately. Orihime waited impatiently. This is the most important piece of information I need before I can know what to do.

"Why does it matter? You belong to Aizen-sama now. The only relevant aspects about your personality and your memories involve your allegiance to Aizen-sama. These will remain."

"But is that what happened to you?"

They reached her door, where he silently reached for the handle and opened it.

She figured that he was not going to answer her question, so she irritably began walking into her room. Just as she had crossed him, he began to speak. She immediately stopped to turn her head and face him. She was standing in an awkward position, with her body facing the room and her head turned towards his face. His emerald eyes seemed to mask something she could not quite detect. She gazed distractedly at the hole that peeked through the open zipper covering his chest.

"My experience with the Hogyoku is unique to that of most hollows. I do not remember anything prior to the day its powers were applied to me."

"What? Everyone except you has their memories?"

"Yes; occasionally dreams will come to mind, but I usually dismiss them as they distract me from my work."

She turned her body so that it was now facing him. He was giving her information; it was done truthfully so that she could build her trust in him and ultimately Aizen—she knew this. But something about what he said made her sad. She casually looked up at his face, her thoughts consumed with realization. This explains why he's so serious about his duties. Aizen is the only thing he's ever known, and his purpose here is the only life he's ever experienced. Unlike him, other hollow have their goals of getting better and fighting. He's already powerful enough, so there's no need for that. It's no wonder there's so much emptiness within him; he really has nothing to live for… For the first time, Orihime felt sympathy for the hollow standing before her.

"I can't imagine what that must be like…" Orihime stated softly. The compassion was very clear in her eyes. She had intended this statement to be merely a thought, but the words had escaped her. She bit her lip. She felt a pang of guilt for having demonstrated sensitivity to an enemy.

Ulquiorra sensed her sympathy as he studied her. He stood silently for several moments before he stated, "It is a trivial matter. If anything, it has allowed me to be a more effective subordinate, as I do not have personal issues that prevent me from following orders. It is more of a convenience than a nuisance."

"But don't you ever wonder about who you were?"

"It is meaningless to fret over the past. You should come to accept this fact. Asking these types of questions will only confuse your decision-making. Aizen-sama has been extraordinarily gracious in awarding you these time frames, and you have had plenty of time to make your choice. The more you contemplate on the subject, the more you will hesitate."

"But…I just don't want my memories to be erased. I don't want to forget who I am. I don't want to forget my friends…my brother."

"Your brother is dead, and your friends will soon be. It will not matter whether you remember them or not."

The sympathy she felt completely washed away into a storm of repugnance.

"How dare you! How can you be so callous?" she declared hotly.

He scoffed, and she began to stomp off into the room, but Ulquiorra raised his hand to block her path. She ran into his arm.

"Let me pass," she hissed as she grabbed his arm and struggled to get free.

"Not before you understand something," he said.

He stiffened his arm. His eyes suddenly changed from mild observance to intense authoritativeness. Internally, Orihime backed off; she knew that struggling with him was useless. She snapped her head up to look at him, seething.

"I am neither here to be your friend, nor to cater to your sympathies," he continued. "I am following orders. I would have had you killed the day we met, but your dear Ichigo Kurosaki interfered. And now Aizen-sama has asked me to mind you to ensure that you do not do anything foolish. Your anger is unwarranted, and I will not tolerate outbursts."

Orihime's face was very hot. "Let me pass."

Ulquiorra's bright, commanding eyes bored into hers to make his statement clear. His eyes were marvelous, and she hated that. They stood at the door for several seconds before he let his arm down, and she let go of him. She huffed and gruffly walked into the room with her arms crossed.

Ulquiorra stood at the door observing her reaction. Humans are so easily enraged. This one is no exception, though I do seem to have hit a chord by mentioning her brother.

Before he left, he stated, "You have two weeks to make your decision."

Orihime remained with her back to him as he shut the door.

"Wait!"

He stopped.

"I have already made my decision."

.oOo.