"Dammit! Is he one of Aizen's cronies? Did he bring other Shinigami with him?" Kensei Muguruma growled. He'd heard from Urahara that Aizen had taken two Captains with him when he defected. Seeing this unfamiliar Shinigami, he immediately assumed the worst.
"Whoever you are, I'm going to cut you down!" Kensei stated flatly, his reiatsu beginning to spike.
"Wait, Kensei!" Shinji Hirako tried to interject, but Kensei ignored him.
"Relax, Hirako. This guy's spiritual pressure is weak. It won't take long," Kensei said dismissively, his hand tightening on his Zanpakutō's hilt. Having already achieved Bankai, he could shift directly to Shikai without the release command.
However, before Kensei's blade could fully transform, Amamiya Miyako—still standing casually on the stairs—was suddenly launched sideways by a powerful kick to his side.
The one who delivered the kick was Rukia Kuchiki. Beside her, Orihime Inoue watched the scene unfold with an awkward, helpless smile.
The impact sent Amamiya flying through the air, landing him squarely between Ichigo Kurosaki and Hiyori Sarugaki. He managed to twist in mid-air, landing on his feet with a practiced grace.
Ichigo stared, dumbfounded, pointing a finger at him. "You—?!"
"Yo, Ichigo! Long time no see," Amamiya said, brushing off his robes with a cheerful grin.
"Long time no see, my ass! Why are you joking around at a time like this?!" Rukia shouted from the staircase, hands on her hips.
"Ahem. I was merely demonstrating that barriers aren't infallible. See how easily we got in?" Amamiya replied, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.
"That was Inoue's doing! What does that have to do with you?!"
The tension among the Visored hadn't fully dissipated. Kensei shot a questioning look at Shinji. "Hey, Hirako. Who are these three?"
"The female Shinigami on the stairs is Rukia Kuchiki. The girl beside her is a friend of Ichigo's. As for this one…" Shinji's gaze settled on Amamiya.
"Amamiya? What are you doing here? And with Rukia and Inoue?" Ichigo asked, his confusion evident.
Hearing Ichigo use the name, the pieces clicked for the Visored. This was that Amamiya Miyako—the Shinigami who had broken Aizen's Kyōka Suigetsu and single-handedly thwarted his theft of the Hōgyoku.
"He's the one who stopped Aizen? I can barely sense his reiatsu," Kensei remarked, his frown deepening.
"Idiot Kensei! He's a seated officer, like I was! He's got a limit seal on his power for being in the Human World!" Mashiro Kuna explained, bouncing on her heels as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"You little… I'm definitely gonna punch you later!" Kensei snapped, provoked once again, but was held back by Shinji and Love Aikawa.
"Alright, alright," Shinji said, his voice taking on a cooler edge as he focused on Amamiya. "So, what business does a Soul Society Shinigami have with a bunch of wanted traitors? If you're just here to give us a scare, congratulations. You succeeded."
"Kisuke-san sends his regards. And he wanted me to clarify—Aizen himself revealed the truth of what happened a century ago before he left. The official charges against you are void. You could return to Soul Society anytime you wished."
A complex mix of emotions flickered across the group—disgust, thoughtful consideration, outright indifference.
"But let's get to the point. I'm here on Urahara's behalf to ask for your help." Amamiya paused for effect, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Oh, and this matter is directly related to screwing over Aizen. You're interested, right?"
That got their attention. Every face in the room grew more serious.
Before Amamiya could continue, Rukia stomped over and tried to bring her foot down hard on his. Amamiya sidestepped it effortlessly.
"The same move won't work on me twice!" he declared proudly.
"Just get on with it!" Rukia sighed, exasperated.
Amamiya then laid out the full situation—Orihime's unique ability, how it was witnessed by the Arrancar, and the very real probability that Aizen now saw her as a key to accelerating the completion of his Hōgyoku.
"I think you all understand the implications. If Inoue is captured, the timeline for Aizen to finish the Hōgyoku could shrink from a year to mere months. The war we've been preparing for would arrive far sooner than anyone is ready for."
"I'll protect Inoue!" Ichigo declared instantly, his voice firm.
"Kurosaki-kun…" Orihime looked at him, her heart swelling. The chaotic, frightening aura that had once clung to him was gone, replaced by a familiar, steady strength that made her feel safe.
"So her power is that significant…" Shinji mused, running a hand through his blond hair. The stakes were clear. This wasn't a request they could ignore.
In the Human World, the Visored were currently the strongest force. Shinji's original plan had been to keep them hidden as a surprise trump card to use against Aizen at a critical moment. But to prevent Aizen from achieving his goal prematurely, protecting Orihime might mean revealing their hand early.
"Hey, woman. Can you cook?" Hiyori Sarugaki suddenly asked, her tone blunt and seemingly off-topic.
"Eh? Um… a little, I suppose," Orihime answered, taken aback.
"Then you can stay and be the cook. We'll handle your protection," Hiyori stated matter-of-factly.
"Hiyori…" Shinji was still weighing the strategic cost, surprised by her immediate agreement.
"What's to think about, Baldy? If it messes with Aizen's plans, we do it. It's that simple," Hiyori retorted.
"…You're right. Have I gotten too cautious hiding out here?" Shinji conceded with a wry smile. If their secrecy was already compromised, they might as well commit. As long as Aizen didn't come personally, he had confidence in his group's ability to hold the line. "Alright, Orihime. You can count on us."
"Thank you. But… what I want isn't just protection," Orihime said, her voice growing firmer as she stepped forward.
"Hah? You got other demands?" Hiyori challenged.
"Urahara-san said there might be someone here who could help me restore my ability… or even make it stronger. Please, I want that help too! I don't want to just… watch from the sidelines anymore!"
"Inoue…" Ichigo looked at her, hearing the steel in her voice.
"Restore? Get stronger? Not really our specialty here," Shinji admitted, scratching his head.
"If you don't mind, Miss Inoue, I may be able to assist you," Hachigen Ushōda said softly, stepping forward with a gentle smile. "Since you could pass through my barrier, our powers share a fundamental nature. I believe I can help guide you."
Orihime's eyes widened with hopeful surprise.
'With the Visored guarding her, Aizen won't find capturing Inoue so easy. Not unless he commits the bulk of the Espada…' Amamiya thought, allowing himself a moment of quiet satisfaction. The first part of the plan was secure.