The boy seemed frantically excited to be allowed inside, he was like a house pet that had been kept outside for far too long and in a way it was almost endearing, hilariously so. He didn't even try to hide the fact that he was looking around which prompted Kokoro to use his tentacles to press some buttons and hide some displays. "Prying eyes are an unhealthy attribute of less evolved hominids. Sometimes one needs to make it a habit to know when it's best to turn away.." Kokoro cast a fairly stern glare in the boys direction and motioned him towards the table Kokoro was currently sitting at. It was at this point that the boy began to give Kokoro a rather interesting run down to say the least.

he had finished blood-work on one of the patients from the fourth division. He continued to babble incessantly and before long he was finally getting to the meat of what Kokoro was waiting to see. The boy was spilling the more necessary details but Kokoro noticed some details that were left out. "I see.. so the patient is dead if what I'm reading is correct and according to the autopsy reports it seems that he wasn't powerful enough to fight off the Hollowfication. Yet the enzymes themselves metabolized perfectly and the Spiritual Pressure itself served as a healthy enough catalyst which means.." Kokoro's eyes grew wide, revelation was upon him and he quickly turned his attention towards Ori, a small smile gracing his face for the first time in years.

"The secret isn't life force Ori, it's Reitsu! One needs Reitsu to metabolize the enzyme otherwise it consumes them. We need someone more powerful than a fodder Seated Shinigami, we need someone closer to Vice Captain levels at the very least, Ori.. we need you!" Kokoro continued to glance through the pages and results, occasionally examining the sample in front of them as it was currently held. "Ori, do you trust in our current mission to attain more power? If so this is the moment we've been waiting for, I need to test the enzyme on you, lest we risk detection. It's dangerous, but I trust that you have sufficient energy to metabolize this properly but I need to know for sure you're comfortable with this before I can consider involving you. What do you say?.."

Kokoro listened to the boys half-hearted attempt at philosophy and couldn't help but to roll his eyes at the miniature Socrates he had apparently stumbled upon.."No one ever bothered to ask because the cat is dead, and thus the answer is self-evident. You can add philosophy to the list of cat-killers if it makes you feel any better. Moving on.." Nonetheless Kokoro had more important things to worry about, and as the boy obediently gave up his attempts at prying he seemed to spend the rest of his time observing Kokoro, watching him quickly decipher the papers he had received.. It must've been quite a spectacle for someone with a disposition such as Ori's, but Kokoro didn't have the time to ponder that much for now.

Once the gravity of the situation became apparent it seemed that Ori's mind had become frantic, seemingly pouring the endless possibilities and outcomes of this life-altering decision. In truth, Kokoro was pretty convinced the boy would say yes, he was even counting on it. The boy since a young age had been seeking power through whatever means necessary and this was now an extension of that ultimate quest. It seemed that Kokoro was correct, Ori had agreed to do it and a small smirk parted Kokoro's lips. "Excellent.. Now I'll be honest, it's not a quick process but the people who knew you were coming can be reasoned with. You only worry about you for now Ori.."

Kokoro pressed a button and the pod holding the Hollowfication parasite began to eagerly throw itself at the glass. "You will be in there with that parasite, and I will not be able to let you out of that room until you've either passed or taken control of it's power.. If you're truly okay with this.. then enter." Kokoro stepped back, leaving Ori to decide his fate on his own.. Even Kokoro didn't want to go as far as to take that from him.

It seemed that the boys expression was getting more and more serious, he seemed nervous and less responsive than before, not that Kokoro could blame him. This wasn't something anyone had undertaken before, and the few that had done so hadn't exactly lived to talk about it. The boy removed his lab coat as he stepped inside, splaying himself out for the Hollow in eager fashion, a gleam of interest and curiosity remained in his eye. Kokoro couldn't help but watch and take notes as the Hollow and Ori began to investigate each other curiously, but unfortunately it didn't take long for the Hollow to become more interested. It penetrated him immediately and Ori did little to stop it.

Ori stood his ground as long as he could bear while the creature went through his skin with relative ease, yet that period of time wouldn't last long at all. First, Ori fell to one knee, and then to both, and then the screams.. Ori howled and through his fists at the floor, he screamed so loudly that Kokoro could hear him through the otherwise sound-proof glass. A concerned look parted Kokoro's face for the first time in a while, and it was around that time that he noticed the boys eyes beginning to change color to a dark, pitch black. Kokoro knew what that meant and frowned slightly as he moved closer to the glass, doing his best to examine the subject inside.

It was at that moment a mask began to form on the side of his head, moving from left to right and Kokoro couldn't help but be fascinated to see that the mask was solidifying from a Reitsu base. "Fascinating.." Kokoro used a machine to swipe the substance, hoping to collect a sample to be stored in his lab for examination later on. The energy began to increase and then pulsate from the boy in a rather unusual rhythm, creating pressure waves that resonated throughout the glass and had seemingly left the boy unconscious in it's wake. It seemed that his body was being moved viscerally by another being, which ensured Kokoro that the Hollowfication was a success.


Kokoro was given further confirmation as the boy slammed himself against the glass nearest to Kokoro. It was a miracle it didn't shatter instantaneously, and had Kokoro not designed it with that in mind it would've done so with relative immediacy. Silver veins crept about the boys body as the mask covered the rest. This part was always the hard part, and the animalistic growls served as no refuge from the crisis going on inside. The boy had to fight for his continued existence now, there was no other way to look at something like this. He could succeed, or perish like a dog. Kokoro was admittedly optimistic for the latter, but even he couldn't be sure. "Come on now Ori.. prove us both brilliant!"

Ori seemed to howl and throw himself against the gas with a vitriol Kokoro had never seen from him before, the savageness of the beast in front of him did little to calm his nerves, and brought a frown across Kokoro's face rather quickly. Was the serum simply too strong regardless? Was Ori's sacrifice going to be in vain already?.. It was at this point that Ori propelled himself through the glass, his mercurial form allowing himself to shape himself into a spear before piercing through it. Glass went everywhere, flecks of it even scattered on Kokoro and one cut him across the cheek letting blood dribble down his cheek ever so slightly. Tendrils appeared to stitch it up in no time but now.. Well, this was a necessary snap back to reality.

Ori lunged forwards towards Kokoro with his spear-point arm aimed at Kokoro. He was lightning fast, much faster than he was normally but Kokoro needed to see something and so he let the attack land. A trickle of blood flowed out of Kokoro's mouth but he was otherwise feeling fine. The boy getting in this close allowed for Kokoro's tentacles to restrain him for a moment, and a look into the boys eyes confirmed Kokoro's suspicions. "Ori.. you're still in there hm?.." Kokoro grabbed the arm that had entered his chest and ascended to Shikai, tentacles poured out of his being and went towards the man in question, pushing him back towards the wall. "FIGHT IT ORI!"