When Amamiya Miyako escorted Inoue Orihime back to the surface and arrived at the Urahara Shōten, they found Kuchiki Rukia just stepping through the doorway.
"Amamiya? Inoue-san? Where are you headed?"
"Rukia. I'm taking Inoue to Ichigo's place now. Want to come along and check on him?" Miyako offered.
"To Ichigo's? Why?" Rukia's brows furrowed slightly.
Miyako gave her a brief, summarized explanation. By the end of it, Rukia's expression had darkened, a spark of anger lighting in her eyes.
"That… that Urahara! How dare he say such things to you! I won't forgive him for that!" Rukia clenched her fist, her voice tight with indignation.
"Kuchiki-san, it's alright," Inoue Orihime said softly, offering a gentle smile. "Urahara-san has his own considerations. And… the outcome is good now, isn't it?"
"This is not a small matter, Inoue!" Rukia stepped closer, her gaze intense and serious. "I understand. That feeling of powerlessness… the agony of being unable to act when it matters. You feel it too, don't you?" Her own memories surfaced—standing helpless before Aizen, watching comrades fall. The feeling was still a cold, sharp stone in her heart.
"Kuchiki-san…" Orihime's eyes shimmered, moved by Rukia's empathy. She wiped at her eyes with her sleeve, then straightened, a new resolve firming her voice. "But it's different now. Amamiya-san showed me a path. I want… I want to be someone who can help everyone, too!"
Her tone held a confidence Rukia hadn't heard from her before.
"Is that so? That's wonderful." Rukia's expression softened into a relieved, genuine smile.
"See? That's my doing, Rukia. You should praise me properly," Miyako chimed in, leaning toward her with a shameless grin.
"Yes, yes, I know," Rukia sighed, the serious moment dissolving under his playful demeanor. Every time she felt a swell of genuine gratitude for him, he'd deflect it with this frivolous attitude. 'But… that's just him. Always helping silently in the background. It's those very actions that make me feel… incredibly reassured.' The thought warmed her, even as she feigned annoyance. "I just wish he'd discuss these things with me beforehand sometimes…"
"Hmm? What was that?"
"Nothing. I'm coming with you. I want to see Ichigo. I know he's training in his own way, but I still want to see how he's doing now."
Miyako nodded and glanced at Orihime. "Inoue, can you sense Ichigo's reiatsu from here? If not, we'll ask Urahara for directions."
"I'll try." Orihime closed her eyes, her concentration palpable. After a moment, she pointed. "I found him. Kurosaki-kun is that way."
"That's amazing! I can't sense his reiatsu at all from here. Your perception is incredible, Inoue!" Rukia exclaimed.
"Oh, no, it's not that… It feels like Kurosaki-kun's location is hidden by a barrier, but that barrier… it resonates with my Shun Shun Rikka. That's how I can find it."
"Well then, Rukia. It seems we have an escort mission," Miyako declared with mock solemnity.
"Right. We'll protect Inoue-san on the way," Rukia agreed, matching his tone.
Watching their easy banter, Orihime smiled, feeling a wave of safety. But beneath that smile, a new determination burned. She didn't just want to be protected anymore. She wanted to be the protector.
The trio set off, unaware that Kisuke Urahara shadowed them from a distance, ensuring their path remained clear. The journey was, surprisingly, peaceful—no rogue Hollows, no Arrancar scouts.
It wasn't until they arrived at a secluded, large warehouse on the city's industrial outskirts that Urahara, hidden in the shadows, finally relaxed.
He was about to alert the Visored inside via a communication device when Orihime, seemingly guided by instinct, walked right up to the seemingly solid wall and placed her palm against it.
"Inoue, wait! That might trigger an alarm!" Rukia cautioned, reaching out.
"Huh? But… I think I can go through?" Orihime said, her head tilting in confusion. Her hand sank slightly into the wall, which shimmered like water. "Kuchiki-san, Amamiya-san, please stay close to me. I'll take you inside."
Rukia's eyes widened in astonishment, but she and Miyako moved to Orihime's side. Together, the three of them simply… stepped through the formidable Kidō barrier as if it weren't there.
From his hiding spot, Kisuke Urahara watched, a knowing smirk spreading under his hat's brim. 'Just as I thought. Her rejection ability operates on a principle similar to Hachigen's barrier techniques… fascinating.' Confident the situation was in hand, he melted back into the shadows. The rest was up to Miyako.
***
Inside the warehouse's spacious underground training area, the air was thick with spiritual pressure and shouted complaints.
"HEY, IDIOT! DIDN'T I TELL YOU TO HOLD THE HOLLOWFICATION LONGER?!" Hiyori Sarugaki yelled, her voice echoing.
"I'M TRYING! IT'S NOT THAT EASY!" Kurosaki Ichigo shot back, frustration clear on his face. With the help of Hirako Shinji and the others, he had finally gained a tenuous control over his inner Hollow, preventing a complete rampage.
But control alone wasn't enough. If he couldn't sustain the Hollowfication state, its power was useless in a real fight. Currently, his mask would materialize for a scant few seconds before shattering.
"Four seconds. That's still pathetic. You can't leverage the power like that," Shinji drawled, shaking his head.
"Everyone went through this phase. He just needs more time. Though, I'll admit, four seconds is… especially sad," Kensei Muguruma added, arms crossed.
"Everyone? Not me!" Mashiro Kuna chirped, hopping on one foot.
"Don't lie," Kensei grunted.
"It's true! Out of all of us, only Mashiro didn't need duration training," Shinji confirmed with a lazy sigh. "From the very start, she could maintain her mask for over fifteen hours straight."
"SEE?! Kensei, you big dummy, dummy!" Mashiro stuck her tongue out triumphantly.
Kensei scowled, a vein throbbing on his temple.
At that moment, Hachigen Ushōda, who had been monitoring the perimeter with his eyes closed, snapped them open, his usually placid face tense. "Intrusion!"
The playful mood vanished instantly. Everyone went on alert, hands drifting toward their Zanpakuto.
"What is it, Hachi? Your barrier shouldn't be detectable," Lisa Yadōmaru asked, her voice low.
"It wasn't detected… it was breached. Not broken, but… infiltrated. Someone passed directly through it without triggering the destruction alarms!" Hachigen explained, his tone one of profound shock and confusion. This was a barrier crafted with his unique post-Visored mastery. Even Aizen would struggle to find it, let alone bypass it so seamlessly.
"Who is it? Arrancar? Shinigami?" Tension spiked as all eyes fixed on the staircase leading down from the warehouse above.
Footsteps descended calmly. A figure in a black shihakushō came into view, followed by two others.
The leading man, with his dark hair and an unnervingly calm demeanor, surveyed the gathered, hostile Visored.
"Yo, Visored," Amamiya Miyako stated, his voice cool and clear in the silent room. "You've… been discovered."
Interpreting his words and unannounced entry as a direct threat, the Visored reacted as one. With the rasp of steel, Zanpakutō were drawn, their collective reiatsu surging with lethal intent. The peaceful training ground transformed into a potential battlefield in an instant.