Epilogue/Joke
"Ulquiorra." Said Espada didn't look fazed as he glanced around the room, although his mind was racing. Why on Hueco Mundo would Gin, Tousen, Aizen, and all of the Espada and their Fraccion be in a circle around him? He hadn't done anything wrong, unless you counted all of his secret meetings with Orihime, which included lots of adult-type touching and her giving him pieces of her soul- oh. Maybe that's why he was here. But why did Aizen sound so... concerned?
Aizen continued. "I'm going to be frank with you." He paused, then said, "Grimmjow, tell Ulquiorra what's going on." The blue-haired Espada frowned and said, "We are really worried about you Ulquiorra."
When he hesitated, Ulquiorra blankly asked, "Why would you all feel the need to be worried for my welfare?" Szayel took up the speech. "Listen. We want you to know you aren't alone. I have been where you are. Nnoitra has, too. Even Tia." Slightly irritated, Ulquiorra inquired, "And where am I that has you all so concerned?"
Finally, Grimmjow blurted it. "Well, we all noticed it. Not only have you not called anyone trash in weeks, you haven't eaten. Anything. For four fucking weeks." Now, being around Orihime had changed Ulquiorra greatly. So imagine everybody's surprise when Ulquiorra's cheekbones suddenly looked as if they had been dusted with coal, which, only Gin and Aizen knew, was Ulquiorra blushing. To Ulquorra's hidden mortification, Gin called him on it.
"Oh my God, are you blushing?" The black darkened and Ulquiorra replied stiffly, "No." "Ya totally are! Yer blushing, Ulquiorra!" Ulquiorra took the high path and ignored both Gin's and a few others laughter, focusing on Aizen. "My lord, I have been eating." Aizen shook his head, restraining his own chuckles as the black faded from Ulquiorra's cheeks. "The only meals we have seen you at are the ones you are required to attend, and then you don't eat. We asked the cooks and they said you weren't coming in any other time to eat. However, something confused me. Something one of the servants who delivers Miss Orihime's food reacted to." If Ulquiorra's face could have whitened any more, it would have.
"We asked him if he had seen you eat anything. He, rather like you, started blushing and mumbling before trying to run off. When we questioned more persistently, he admitted that he had once walked in on you eating before he ran away. From us, I mean, and he wouldn't talk anymore. Something you said spooked the poor guy bad enough he was more afraid of you than of me."
"I apologize, my lord," Ulquiorra stated emotionlessly, inwardly panicking in a cool, Ulquiorra way that involved thinking of how Orihime would react when told that Aizen had killed him. Aizen smirked. "Comparing your reactions, I think I might have an inkling of what's going on. Lilynette, would you mind fetching Miss Orihime? I think she might know whether Ulquiorra's been eating or not."
Szayel and Tia, smartest of the bunch, gasped. "No way," Szayel laughed. "You don't think...?" "We'll see, won't we?" Aizen replied sinisterly. Ulquiorra was thinking quickly. If he went into Segunda Etapa, could he beat off all of the Espada and the three traitors? Was it worth the risk? Just then, he heard Orihime's voice.
"What did you say this was about, Lilynette? Something about Ulquiorra being sick?" "Yeah, they say he's not eating anything, and for some reason, Lord Aizen thinks you know something we don't." Lilynette responded. Orihime had also changed from being around Ulquiorra. For one, she now knew how to lie, courtesy of the Cuarta Espada's lessons, which guaranteed the fact that she could lie, cheat, act, steal, fight, and outwit almost anybody. Unfortunately, that may or may not include Aizen.
"Orihime," he purred in a self-satisfied tone. "Would you mind answering some questions for us?" "Not at all, Lord Aizen," Orihime replied, faking shyness. Ulquiorra alone could see her internally plotting away at what she should say. "First, have you seen Ulquiorra consume a soul?" "Wasn't that the first thing he did when he arrived in the human world?" she dodged smoothly, looking puzzled. "That was me," Yammy interrupted. Orihime shrugged, not meeting the eyes of anybody, looking slightly scared.
"You didn't answer my question," Aizen stated, raising an eyebrow. Orihime jumped slightly. "O-oh. Well, yes, I suppose I have." "I see. Now, tell me, has he ever done anything to harm you?" Aizen prodded. Orihime shook her head furiously, her silver eyes meeting Ulquiorra's green ones as she said confidently, "No. Ulquiorra would chop off his own arm before harming me. And disobeying your orders." She added on the last bit hastily, realizing she might have given something away. Annoyance flashed across Aizen's face. "Szayel. Do you notice anything different about Orihime?" Szayel grinned. "Now that you mention it, my lord, is it just me, or has her spiritual pressure increased significantly?" Ulquiorra cut in. "Her spiritual pressure increased, and you assume that I have been consuming her soul?" "It makes sense," Gin replied. "I mean, yer sittin' there, nibblin' away at the edges, and she's gonna start replenishin' her spiritual pressure faster, yeah? Ya eat, let's say, a quarter of her soul a day, and she starts makin' two quarters, one to replace the quarter she lost and one just her soul naturally growin'. So ya don' feed from her for a couple a days, and ya have a bloated soul."
"That actually makes sense," Nnoitra said, stunned. "Under the assumption I am consuming her soul," Ulquiorra argued back, not lying, but implying that he wasn't. "Orihime, is Ulquiorra consuming your soul?" Aizen asked point blank, tact be damned. Orihime was silent for a moment, struggling for a half truth. "Ulquiorra is not forcibly taking my soul," she admitted. "But is he consuming parts of it?" Starrk asked, looking at her with surprising gentleness and startling everybody. "I know how it feels to have a hollow consume bits of your soul. It creates a bond, doesn't it?" He kept on going, avoiding all the shocked looks and focusing on Orihime's agreeing face. "He and you have inseparable essences. He feels what you do, and vice versa. Not only that, but when his spiritual pressure increases, so does yours. When yours weakens, so does his. And when he touches you..."
Starrk trailed off delicately and both Ulquiorra and Orihime blushed. Lilynette giggled. "See? I told you, Starrky. You didn't believe me! Everytime, after I visited with Orihime, I'd tell you, "She and Ulquiorra are bound tighter than you and I", but did you believe me? No! Not until-" "I saw it with my own eyes," he finished with her, smiling. "And of course they're bond is tighter, they're physically affectionate. Do you honestly think I could molest myself like that?" "You're right," Lilynette agreed, her mouth twisting with disgust. "That would be totally wrong and perverted."
"I don't think anyone's paying enough attention to the fact that Ulquiorra is eatingthe prisoner," Grimmjow interrupted, narrowing his eyes at the couple. Aizen chuckled. "Well, she doesn't mind, Ulquiorra is not anorexic, therefore, I don't care." That said, he sauntered off, and soon everyone followed. Grimmjow, however, hid to see what would happen next.
What happened disgusted him to the core. Orihime jumped Ulquiorra and they vanished, through Sonido, although not before Grimmjow heard Ulquiorra growl. Grimmjow ran off, chanting over and over, "Ew. Ew. Ew. Ew. Ew."