Enter The Home of Hollows

Meeting of New & Old Friends
Nel is first seen being chased by Pesche Guatiche, Dondochakka Bilstin, and Bawabawa. While Ichigo Kurosaki, Chad, and Uryū Ishida are running to Las Noches to save Orihime Inoue, they come across Nel and think she is a young human being chased by three hollows. After Ichigo and his friends attack the three, Nel yells at him to stop being mean to them. Ichigo then realizes that Nel is actually a Hollow herself and not a human. They all then apologize to Ichigo and his friends because they didn't think their game of "eternal pursuit" would cause such a misunderstanding and they all introduce themselves. Nel tells Ichigo that Dondochakka and Pesche are her brothers and Bawabawa is their pet. Ichigo is confused by this as he's never heard of Arrancar having siblings. Dondochakka explains that he just found Nel lying around and that he just had to become her brother. Everyone then decides to ride Bawabawa to get to Las Noches faster.

On the way there Ichigo questions if they are really Arrancar since they have a different feel then the ones he met in the human world. Nel explains that the ones who went to the Human world were Numeros, who are Arrancar who are at least as strong as Menos Grande. She continues to explain that they are ruled by the Espada and are combat experts who are "filthy bugs". She then notices that Ichigo is not like an Arrancar either because of his lack of mask and black clothes. Ichigo then tells her he's a Shinigami and that causes to Nel to panic thinking that they will all get killed if they go to Las Noches. All of a sudden Runuganga, the guardian of the white sands, appears and confronts Nel and her friends.

Runuganga explains that he got information from Las Noches about people invading and that Nel joining with them is unforgivable and Nel tries to explain that she isn't with them. All of a sudden Ichigo uses Getsuga Tenshō and splits Runuganga's head in half. Ichigo believes he's won but Runuganga gets back up and brings his head back together. Nel explains that he is all of the sand in the area and that he can always come back together. Ichigo, realizing he can't be beaten, decides to escape and think of a strategy. Runuganga says he won't allow that though and forms a massive pit in the sand that starts sucking them down. Ichigo asks Nel if he has a weakness and she explains it's water and he asks where their going to find that. All of sudden a huge blast of ice comes and completely freezes Runuganga. The ice breaks and kills Runuganga. Ichigo looks to see who did that and finds Rukia Kuchiki and Renji Abarai. Ichigo jumps off of Bawabawa and goes to meet Rukia and Renji. Nel is panicked by this continuing to think that Shinigami are bad. Ichigo returns with Rukia and Renji and they begin riding Bawabawa again. They eventually make it to the side of Las Noches and break into the palace with force.

Meeting of the Espada
Ulquiorra appears again during Aizen's meeting about Ichigo Kurosaki, Yasutora Sado and Uryū Ishida entering Hueco Mundo to save Orihime Inoue. After Aizen warns the Espada to treat the intruders with caution as just four of them went into Soul Society and faced the Gotei 13. Zommari Leroux notes that he is missing one as there are only three intruders currently. Ulquiorra mentions that they are missing Orihime, he then sits silently as the other Espada argue until Grimmjow interrupts them by attempting to walk out against Aizen's orders. He, alongside the other Espada, sits silently while Aizen subdues Grimmjow with his Spiritual Pressure to keep him in line.

Orihime's Resolve
Shortly Ulquiorra arrives in the room where Orihime is being kept in Las Noches and informs her that her friends have infiltrated Hueco Mundo. When she asks why Ulquiorra explains they have come to rescue her and that is the only reason they need. He then states that for her that should have no more meaning, because in both mind and body she is their comrade. He explains that her wearing the same clothes as the Arrancar signify that concept. He then forces her to acknowledge that her clothes signify that her mind and body exist for Aizen's will.

As Ulquiorra leaves Orihime he ponders that although she showed dismay for a second and didn't flinch at his questions, he acknowledges that this is a girl of strong spirit. His thoughts are interrupted by Nnoitra Jiruga who asks how is his handling of the girl, explaining how he knew all about how Aizen had entrusted her care to him. He then asks how far along he has gotten in "taming" her, but Ulquiorra ignores him and walks away calling him degenerate scum. Undeterred Nnoitra uses Sonido to move in front of him and asks Ulquiorra to not get as testy as he is only asking if everything is going well. Ulquiorra can't comprehend why Nnoitra really cares as its trivial but tells him not to worry as Orihime has been under Aizen's spell even before she arrived in Hueco Mundo. Nnoitra then questions if Aizen has used Kyōka Suigetsu as usual, though Ulquiorra assures him that this situation was not that big of an issue to warrant its use. He further explains that the moment that she was invited there multiple psychological cages were put in place, by putting her friends in danger she was forced into a situation where she couldn't refuse and made her surrender. Following that they gave her the 12 hour period to say goodbye to one of her friends. Nnorita still doesn't get the significance of the psychological cage that was being spoken about. Ulquiorra further explains that she is basically set to believe in her own mind that they are not the enemy and then she will follow them of her own free will. He also makes note that by allowing her to say goodbye to a friend of her own choosing, will allow her to leave evidence of her free will in the event so she will be looked as a traitor to her friends. Finally understanding Nnoitra states that plan is well thought out and would expect nothing less of Aizen, though Ulquiorra corrects him stating that such things to Aizen are nothing more than a game. If she is trapped then that is good, if she is not then that is okay as well, as either way she does not have the power to escape from Hueco Mundo or even the will to turn against them. Ulquiorra arrives as Aizen presents the Hōgyoku to Orihime.