She was waiting. Waiting for them to arrive, waiting for someone to attempt at sweeping her off her feet. Orihime was in her room, watching out the window quietly. She could feel them coming, could tell that something big was going down in Hueco Mundo. And it was all for her.
"What flattery." She stated in a cold, dull tone. It didn't matter to her, not like it would have five years ago. Five years ago, she would have been worried sick over them. Now she was curious in a sick kind of way.
"I wonder how long they're going to survive."
As the open question left her lips, Orihime noted the sound of a door opening behind her. Two pairs of footsteps, two familiar reiatsus. Turning slightly, she observed Menoly and Loly, no doubt coming to make trouble with her. They had done it often in the beginning, and must have worked up the chutzpah to do it again.
"Hey princess, your friends are here. I wonder how long it's going to be before someone kills them?" Loly sneered, attempting to get a rise out of Orihime. She had known that the human had changed drastically from her old self, but might possibly be weak from her friends arriving. Orihime merely sighed very quietly, looking from them and back out the window.
"I was wondering that myself." She said in a very dull and disinterested tone. It wasn't her problem until they showed up, because when they did she would be able to show them what their tardiness had done to her. What they had done to their princess. This apparently wasn't enough for Loly, as she strode forward and seized Orihime by her long hair, jerking her around to look in her eyes.
"Really? Pretty bitchy not to be helping your friends, huh? Maybe Menoly and I should remind you that whatever the fuck kind of pride you've got right now, we can take it away." She threatened, expecting tears or something akin to sadness or fear.
What she got was much, much different.
"Koten Zanshun." Orihime spoke, closing her eyes. Before Loly could do a thing, Orihime's hairclips glowed and Tsubaki was freed. Like all the other Shun Shun Rikka, his appearance had changed dramatically as Orihime's soul had. The small fairy's scarf covering his mouth and nose was now a deep blood red, and trailed down his back to sweep at his feet. His hair was a bit longer, now in a short braid and he was wearing a fully black outfit. Orihime's killing will had strengthened; Tsubaki was now complete in the way he had once wished for. Orihime had a killing intent, and it was solidified as he zipped along Loly's arm to the tune of Orihime's words.
"I reject."
The next noise that could be heard was screaming, bloodcurdling screams as Loly staggered back with her arm split lengthwise all the way to the shoulder. Her grip on Orihime's hair faded as she staggered back, holding her ruined arm. She was still screeching, unintelligible things, jumbled threats and swears. Menoly jumped to action, firing a cero at Orihime's head.
"Santen Kesshun. I reject."
The shield jumped before Orihime's figure, the cero reflecting off of the shield and right back at Menoly. It caught the left side of her face, cutting through cleanly and leaving her with half a head. She collapsed, and Loly screamed her name. Orihime's shield crumbled, and she watched Loly with disinterest. With one more threat, she lunged at Orihime with Zanpakuto drawn.
"I'll fucking kill you!! I'll kill every one of your fucking friends!!" She roared, coming at Orihime with killing intent. At this moment, Orihime finally smiled. It was cold, cruel, and mirthless. The smirk of a fallen angel taking untold pleasure in dragging others down into her own joyless hell.
"Kill me? I died five years ago; there is nothing to kill. All I wish is to make those five outside that think themselves my friends know what they have done to me."
With that said, she lost the small cold smile and gestured at Loly dismissively.
"Koten Zanshun."
Tsubaki came full force at her again, and Loly could only watch as the small fairy doubled the size of the shield as he came towards her. The last thing that she would hear is the two words from the woman across the room as her fairy split the Arrancar in half.
"I reject."
Ulquiorra walked to Orihime's room, not expecting the bloodbath that met his eyes when he entered.
The ruined bodies of Menoly and Loly littered the floor, dying the white a deep vermilion. It was almost painful in comparison to the white that nearly everyone in Las Noches was accustomed to, but Ulquiorra traced the footsteps of blood to the far side of the room, where Orihime Inoue was sitting. She was once again staring out her window, blood from Loly's death staining her clothes and caking her long hair. She did not turn at his entrance, but merely spoke to him.
"Ulquiorra. I was accosted by these two. I expect the room to be cleaned once I return from my shower." She ordered him like a queen, and a queen she was. No longer was she a useless pacifist, unable to protect those she held dear to her. No, she was still unable to protect those dear to her because she held none dear to her. Ulquiorra watched as the food tray was pushed in after him, and the two lowly Numero ran off at the carnage within. Useless trash.
"Very well. I assume you still wish your hair cut?" He queried dully, and she nodded while standing.
"Yes, it is getting in the way. And it absorbs too much blood when there is blood nearby." Orihime stated dismissively, stopping at the bodies of the two Arrancar. A sick sort of smile crossed her face for the quickest moment, as she turned to face the two.
"Soten Kisshun." She began, and the fairies surrounded the bodies of the two female Arrancar.
"I reject."
The healing was extremely quick, and the two were whole again in moments. Ulquiorra was slightly confused as to why she had done this.
"Why did you restore them if they attacked you?" He asked of her, and she turned to him with that same cold smile.
"What better sort of torment is there than to owe your life to a hated enemy? They owe their lives to me now, and it will no doubt torment them. You Arrancar are prideful things anyway. Just like humans."
Ulquiorra watched as Orihime went into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. He sighed under his breath and looked back to the returned Numero, fearful over what Ulquiorra's reaction might be to their fleeing earlier.
"Take the two women out and leave them in a hallway away from here. I want this blood cleaned up as well, and a new uniform for Inoue-san." He ordered in monotone, and the Numero complied sheepishly. Each took one of the girls and sonidoed away, as Ulquiorra closed the door behind him and waited. The woman was undoubtedly changed, and for the better in Aizen's respect. She was cold, emotionless, perfectly capable of killing.
Whenever the humans arrived, it would be quite the show to see them meet their princess once again.