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Chapter Text

The wind howled through the cracks in the Head-Captain's office, carrying the scent of scorched stone and fresh sawdust from the reconstruction below. Kyoraku Shunsui slumped in his chair, his usual lazy demeanor replaced by exhaustion so deep it seemed etched into his bones. Stacks of reports teetered precariously on his desk, casualty lists, supply requisitions, hollow sighting alerts, each one a more and more weight on his shoulders.

It's been three months since the death of Yhwach and the end of the war with the Wandenreich. The war damaged the Seireitei beyond belief, and even three full months of repairs still haven't even scratched the surface. In addition to the destruction, most of the on duty Shinigami died during the war. The Gotei was only working with a fraction of what they had a few months ago.
Everything has been stressful on not only Kyoraku but every member of the Gotei 13. Kyoraku put his head down to rest and that's when he heard it.

A knock.

"Enter," Kyoraku called, not bothering to lift his head.

The door slid open. Nanao Ise stepped inside, her sharp eyes immediately scanning the disarray of his workspace. Her lieutenant's haori was slightly rumpled, her normally pristine appearance marred by ink-stained fingers and the faint shadows beneath her eyes.

"You missed the captains' meeting," she said flatly.

Kyoraku waved a hand. "You were in charge. What's the worst that could happen?"

"Once again, nothing of importance has come up. Just more requests for more recruits."

Kyoraku winced. "Ah."

Nanao exhaled through her nose and moved to the side cabinet and started to prepare tea. During these hard times Nanao always found tea to be the best way to ease the nerves of everyones.

Kyoraku watched her work, the ghost of a smile tugging at his lips. "You don't have to do that, you know."

"I know," she replied, not looking up.

Silence settled between them, thick enough to be cut with a knife. The tea steeped. Outside, the distant shouts of shinigami echoed through the Seireitei.

Finally, Nanao handed him a cup. Kyoraku took it with a murmur of thanks, the warmth seeping into his fingers.

"We can't keep going like this," he said at last, his voice low.

Nanao didn't respond immediately. She sipped her own tea, her gaze fixed on the reports littering his desk. "We don't have a choice."

Kyoraku set his cup down with deliberate care. "We do. It's time."

Nanao stiffened. She knew exactly what he meant. "It's too soon."

"Waiting won't change anything," Kyoraku countered. "The risks are better today as they'll be next year. The only difference is whether we're still standing when we do it."

Nanao's grip tightened around her cup. "The consequences of failure-"

"-are worse than doing nothing at all?" Kyoraku interrupted, his voice uncharacteristically sharp. "Look around, Nanao. We're already failing."

The truth of it hung between them, heavy as a blade.

Nanao closed her eyes briefly, then set her tea aside. When she spoke again, her voice was steady but quiet. "If we do this, we need stricter safeguards. More oversight. And absolute secrecy."

Kyoraku nodded. "Agreed."

Nanao hesitated, then asked the inevitable. "Shall we call her?"

"Rukia Kuchiki."

Nanao's expression didn't change, but something flickered in her eyes, recognition, understanding. She gave a single, sharp nod.

Kyoraku studied her for a moment. "No objections?"

"You've already decided," Nanao said simply. "Once you want to do something it's almost impossible to back you out of it."

Kyoraku leaned back in his chair, his gaze drifting to the window where the frames of rebuilding towers clawed at the sky. "Then call her in."

Nanao stood, straightening her haori with a practiced tug. As she turned to leave, she paused at the threshold. "Captain… if this goes wrong-"

"It won't," Kyoraku said, though the words sounded hollow even to him. "I hope they won't, and hope is really all we have now."

Nanao didn't press. The door slid shut behind her with a soft click.

Alone again, Kyoraku reached into his desk and withdrew a single, unmarked file. Inside, a single line of text stood stark against the page:

"The Sternritter Rehabilitation Program"

The morning sun cast long shadows through the half-repaired windows of the Head-Captain's office as Rukia approached, her footsteps echoing through the too-quiet hallway. She paused outside the ornate door, taking a steadying breath before raising her hand to knock. Before her knuckles could connect with the wood, the door slid open to reveal Nanao Ise's composed face.

"Kuchiki," Nanao acknowledged with a curt nod, stepping aside. "He's waiting for you."

Rukia entered the spacious office, her eyes immediately drawn to the towering stacks of paperwork that seemed to have multiplied since her last visit. The scent of ink and parchment hung heavy in the air, undercut by the faintest hint of medicinal herbs, a remnant, perhaps, of Kyoraku's recent injuries. The man himself sat behind his massive desk, his usual lazy demeanor replaced by a weariness that seemed to settle in his bones.

"Ah, Rukia," Kyoraku greeted, pushing his signature straw hat back to reveal tired eyes. "Come in, come in. Have a seat."

Nanao moved to a plush couch against the wall, seating herself with perfect posture while Rukia approached one of the chairs facing the desk.

"You wanted to see me, Head-Captain?" Rukia asked, keeping her voice carefully neutral despite the tension coiling in her shoulders.

Kyoraku sighed, rubbing at his temple with two fingers. "I suppose there's no gentle way to say this," he began, his usual playful tone absent. "The Gotei is broken. The Seireitei stands in ruins. And the Soul Society..." He gestured vaguely toward the window where the sounds of ongoing reconstruction could be heard. "We're hanging by a thread."

Rukia's hands tightened imperceptibly in her lap. "I understand completely, sir," she said, her voice steady despite the ache those words brought. She saw the evidence every day, in the hollow-eyed stares of her subordinates, in the empty seats at mealtimes, in the way every shinigami moved through the barracks like zombies.

Kyoraku studied her for a long moment before continuing. "If things continue this way," he said slowly, each word weighted with significance, "we risk complete collapse. Not just militarily, but spiritually. The balance is already precarious."

"I agree," Rukia responded immediately. Then, with quiet pride: "I've been doing everything possible to maintain order in my squad. The Thirteenth has kept up patrols in the World of the Living despite... everything."

"You have," Kyoraku acknowledged, and for the first time since she'd entered, something like warmth entered his voice. "You've grown tremendously these past few years, Rukia. More than most would have expected from that shy little girl who first joined the squad all those years ago."

The unexpected praise made Rukia's cheeks warm, but before she could respond, Kyoraku turned to Nanao. "Bring it out."

Nanao stood smoothly and moved to an ornate cabinet in the corner. When she turned back, she carried something white folded neatly in her arms. As she drew closer, Rukia could see the familiar shape, a captain's haori, with the number 13 clearly visible on its back.

Rukia shot to her feet, her chair scraping loudly against the floor. "Head-Captain, I-"

"Effective immediately," Kyoraku announced, his voice carrying the full weight of his authority, "you're the new captain of Squad Thirteen."

The words hung in the air between them, immense and impossible. Rukia's hands trembled slightly at her sides as a dozen objections rose in her throat. "Head-Captain," she managed after a moment, "I... I haven't mastered my Bankai yet. I can barely control it when I do manage to summon it. The regulations-"

"You're more than qualified," Kyoraku interrupted, waving a hand dismissively. "Your squad needs a true leader now, not just someone who can swing a sword. Ukitake was a great man," his voice softened slightly at the name, "but his illness often kept him from active command in recent years."

Nanao stepped forward, holding out the haori. Rukia reached for it with hands that only shook slightly, her fingers brushing against the smooth fabric. It was heavier than she expected, making her need to use a bit more energy to stand up. As she slipped it on over her shoulders, the weight settled around her like a second skin.

"Thank you, sir," Rukia said, bowing deeply. "It's an honor I don't take lightly."

"Sorry for not doing any of the… traditional procedures, times are tough and I promise we will have all the normal things that go with you becoming a captain." Kyoraku stated.

He then held up a hand, his expression turning grave. "There's another reason for your promotion, Rukia." He tapped a thick, unmarked file on his desk. "This is why I called you here today."

Rukia's gaze dropped to the file, noting the heavy wax seal holding it closed. "Sir?"

"Read this," Kyoraku instructed, pushing it toward her. "Carefully. Completely. Don't speak until you've finished." His dark eyes bored into hers. "This information is for captains only."

With careful hands, Rukia took the file and broke the seal. The first page bore a single line of text that made her breath catch.

Rukia's hands trembled as she lowered the file, the weight of its contents settling like ice in her chest. The words blurred before her eyes, the implications too vast, too impossible to comprehend all at once.

"They... captured the Sternritter?" she repeated, her voice hollow. "And they plan to... reform them?"

Kyoraku leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. The dim lantern light cast deep shadows across his face, making the lines of exhaustion appear even more pronounced.

"Not all of them," he clarified, his tone measured. "Just the ones who survived."

Rukia's fingers tightened around the file. "Survived?" The word tasted bitter. "To me…to everyone… the Sternritter were dead. Wiped out in the war."

A flicker of something passed through Kyoraku's eyes, regret, perhaps, or resignation. "Officially, yes. Unofficially... certain individuals were deemed too valuable to discard after some of us found them."

Rukia's stomach twisted. "Valuable?"

Kyoraku exhaled through his nose, rubbing at his temple. "During the war, something happened. We don't know how or even why. I'm not the best person to speak on this topic."

Rukia's mind reeled. She had no clue what Kyoraku was speaking of but she needed more information before going deeper into that topic.

"Who knew about this?" she demanded.

Kyoraku didn't flinch. "All the captains. My lieutenants. Central 46. The Zero Squad." A pause. "And Kisuke."

Rukia's eyes narrowed. "Of course he knew."

A faint smirk tugged at Kyoraku's lips. "Yoruichi does too, but that's only because Kisuke told her without permission." He shrugged. "Though, really, who was going to stop him?"

Rukia set the file down very slowly. "This is a mistake."

Kyoraku raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"It's unsafe. They're unsafe." Rukia's voice hardened. "Every single one of those Quincy would rather see us dead than cooperate. You're talking about handing them a second chance to destroy us."

Kyoraku chuckled, a dry, humorless sound. "That's almost word for word what Byakuya said when I first proposed it."

Nanao, who had been silent until now, spoke up from her seat. "It took days to convince some of the captains. Some needed... persuasion."

Rukia's gaze flicked to her. "Persuasion?"

Nanao adjusted her glasses, the lenses flashing in the dim light. "Byakuya, for instance, required assurances."

Rukia frowned. "What kind of assurances?"

Nanao didn't answer. Instead, her eyes dipped meaningfully to the white haori draped over Rukia's shoulders.

Understanding struck like a blade.

"...My promotion," Rukia breathed.

Kyoraku's smile was thin. "Your brother is many things, Rukia, but above all, he's pragmatic. He recognized that the Gotei needed stability, leaders he could trust. And he knew you were ready, even if regulations said otherwise. In these times, we need more people like you."

Rukia's hands curled into fists. "So this was his condition? My captaincy in exchange for his support?"

"Not just his," Kyoraku corrected. "Others had their own terms. Though you don't need to know them. All that matters is everyone is mostly on board."

Rukia turned away, her mind racing. The implications were staggering. The Gotei had been negotiating in the shadows, trading favors and concessions, all while the rest of the Soul Society believed the war was truly over.

"And the Sternritter?" she asked quietly. "Where are they now?"

Kyoraku's expression darkened. "Muken."

Rukia stiffened. The Central Great Underground Prison, the deepest, most secure level of detention in the Seireitei. A place reserved for the worst criminals, the most dangerous threats.

—

Rukia stood frozen in the center of the office, the weight of what Kyoraku revealed pressing down on her. The air felt thick, each breath harder to draw than the last.

'They were supposed to be gone.'

She had fought. She had bled. She had watched friends die, only for their killers to be kept alive, locked away in the shadows of the Soul Society. It was unbelievable.

Kyoraku watched her carefully, his dark eyes unreadable. After a long moment, he exhaled through his nose and straightened in his chair.

"We're on a tight schedule, Rukia," he said, his voice cutting through the silence. "I need you to gather Ichigo and his friends. Bring them to the main captains' assembly hall by this afternoon."

Rukia blinked, the abrupt shift in topic jarring. "Ichigo?"

Kyoraku nodded. "Him, Chad, Orihime, any of them you can reach quickly."

She hesitated. Part of her already knew why he wanted Ichigo there, the same reason he always wanted Ichigo when things were dire. But she needed to hear it.

"Why?" she asked.

Kyoraku didn't flinch. "Because right now, Ichigo Kurosaki is stronger than most of the captains in this room. Because he was the one who ended Yhwach. And because…" He paused, something weary flickering in his gaze. "he's more likely to come if you ask him instead of me."

Rukia's jaw tightened, but she gave a sharp nod. There was no time to argue, no time to process. Not yet.

"Understood," she said, turning on her heel.

She didn't look back as she strode toward the door, her footsteps too loud in the heavy silence. Nanao moved to let her pass, but Rukia barely registered her. Her mind was already racing, how to find Ichigo, what to tell him, how much she could even say

The door slid shut behind her with a quiet click.

Alone again, Kyoraku let out a long breath and sagged back into his chair. The office felt too large suddenly, the shadows stretching like accusations.

'Am I making a mistake?'

The question echoed in his skull, relentless. He had asked himself the same thing a hundred times since this began. Every captain's meeting, every hushed argument with Central 46, every time he looked at the reports piling up on his desk.

He had gambled before. On the battlefield. In politics. With lives.

But this?

This felt different.

He reached for the sake bottle hidden in his desk drawer, then stopped, his hand hovering over the wood.

Nanao would know. She always did.

With a humorless chuckle, he let his hand fall away.

Kyoraku closed his eyes.

'It's too late to turn back now.'

Ichigo sprawled across his bed, one arm tucked behind his head as he absently flipped through a manga volume with his free hand. Three months of peace had done him good, he's been trying to live out being a normal teen but he knows deep down something will happen that will call for him to save the day once again.

There, as he read his manga, he heard a faint tapping sound come from the window.

Ichigo barely glanced up from his reading before looking back. He thought it was a bird or a tree knocking on his window

The tapping came again, more insistent this time.

With an exasperated sigh, Ichigo marked his page and rolled off the bed. "What in the world is going on out-"

The words died in his throat as he saw Rukia standing on his windowsill, perfectly balanced despite the narrow space. Only problem was it was not the Rukia he remembered. This Rukia wore the crisp white haori of a captain, the bold black "13" standing out starkly against the fabric. One hand was casually tucked in her pocket, the other raised mid-knock.

For a long moment, they just stared at each other.

"...You're kidding," Ichigo finally said.

Rukia arched an eyebrow. "About what?"

"That." He pointed at her haori. "That's a joke, right?"

Rukia's lips twitched, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. "I'll have you know this is very real, Ichigo."

Ichigo scrambled to open the window wider. "Since when? How? Wait…" His brain finally caught up. "You're Captain of the 13th Division?"

"As of today, yes," Rukia confirmed, stepping gracefully into his room.

A grin split Ichigo's face. "About damn time!" He reached out without thinking, grabbing her shoulders. "I knew you'd make captain eventually, but this soon? That's…" He stopped abruptly.

Up close, he could see the shadows under Rukia's eyes, the tension in her jaw. Her usual confident demeanor was replaced by something more... guarded.

"Rukia?" His hands dropped to his sides. "What's wrong?"

She took a steadying breath. "Ichigo, I need you to come with me to the Seireitei. Right now."

The abrupt shift threw him. "What? Why?"

"I can't explain here."

"Then give me the short version."

Rukia's jaw tightened. "It's... complicated. And urgent."

Ichigo crossed his arms. "Not good enough. You show up out of nowhere in a captain's coat, looking like you've seen a ghost, and expect me to just…"

"We don't have time for this," Rukia muttered under her breath.

Before Ichigo could react, she yanked her hand from her pocket… and slammed a Gokon Tekkō straight into his chest.

"Wha—RUKIA?!"

The familiar sensation of his soul separating from his body hit him like a tidal wave. His physical form crumpled to the floor just as Rukia caught his spiritual body mid-air, effortlessly slinging him over her shoulder in a fireman's carry.

"Sorry," she said, though she didn't sound particularly remorseful. "Plan B."

"You- you can't just…" Ichigo sputtered, dangling upside down. "What the hell, Rukia?! Put me down!"

"No time. We're already late."

And with that, she leapt from the windowsill, leaving Ichigo's physical body sprawled on the bedroom floor.

Downstairs, Yuzu hummed to herself as she set the table for dinner. The clatter from upstairs made her pause.

"Ichigo?" she called up the stairs. "Everything okay?"

When no answer came, she frowned and made her way up to his room. "Ichigo, who were you talking to…"

The door creaked open.

Yuzu's eyes went wide as she saw her brother lay motionless on the floor, limbs splayed at unnatural angles, his face pale and lifeless. She's seen this before and yelled out to the only other person in the house.

"KARIN! ICHIGO GOT KIDNAPPED AGAIN!"

Chapter Text

Kisuke lounged lazily against the wooden railing of his shop's porch. His signature striped bucket hat was tilted low over his eyes, the brim casting shadows across his face as he observed the ongoing "training session" in the courtyard. The sounds of Jinta's taunts and Ururu's hesitant responses were making too much noise for that time of day.
Kisuke has seen better days. His face was all stitched up still after his fight with Sternritter D, Askin Nakk le Vaar. He tried to keep the amount of people seeing him to a minimum, but no one in either the World of the Living or Soul Society could stop him from enjoying the outdoors to his liking.

"Come on, Ururu! Put some backbone into it!" Jinta barked, pounding his chest with a fist. "Hit me with everything you've got! Right here!"

Ururu shifted nervously from foot to foot, her small hands twisting the hem of her shirt. "But Jinta... last time I hit you full strength, you couldn't eat solid food for three days..."

Jinta's face turned an impressive shade of red. "T-That was different! I wasn't ready then!" He puffed out his chest further, his red hair practically bristling with indignation. "I've been training! The great Karakura Red doesn't stay down!"

From his perch on the porch, Kisuke couldn't help but chuckle. He adjusted his hat just enough to watch the spectacle unfold, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "Now, now, Ururu," he called out. "If Jinta says he can take it, who are we to doubt him?"

Ururu's large brown eyes darted between Jinta and Kisuke, her expression torn. "But Boss..."

"Don't listen to him!" Jinta snapped, stomping his foot. "Just do it already! Or are you too scared?"

Something flashed in Ururu's eyes at that. Her usual timid demeanor shifted almost imperceptibly. "I... I really don't want to hurt you, Jinta."

Jinta opened his mouth to retort, but the words died in his throat as Ururu's fist blurred forward.

The impact sounded like a sack of rice hitting concrete.

For a moment, Jinta stood perfectly still, his face frozen in shock. Then his eyes bulged, his mouth working soundlessly as all the air left his lungs in a single, pathetic "OOF!" His knees buckled, and he crumpled to the ground like a marionette with its strings cut, clutching his stomach.

Kisuke burst out laughing, slapping his knee. "Oh ho ho! Jinta, my boy, is there a coin down there?" He wiped an imaginary tear from his eye. "Because I could have sworn the mighty Karakura Red wouldn't be brought down by a single punch from a cute little girl like Ururu!"

Jinta's face turned an alarming shade of purple as he struggled to draw breath. "I... I'm... fine..." he wheezed, his voice several octaves higher than usual. With tremendous effort, he forced himself back onto trembling legs. "T-That... was nothing! D-Do it again!"

Ururu blinked owlishly. "Are you sure?"

"YES!"

Kisuke shook his head, still chuckling. "That kid never learns-"

The sudden buzzing of his Denreishinki cut through the afternoon air. Kisuke's laughter died instantly as he fished the outdated device from his sleeve. He frowned at the cracked screen. "I really need to finish those upgrades on these things..." He flipped it open with practiced ease. "Urahara speaking~"

The voice on the other end was unmistakably Kyoraku's, but stripped of its usual lazy cadence. "We're moving up the timetable. Get to Muken immediately."

Kisuke's playful demeanor evaporated like morning mist. His grip on the Denreishinki tightened imperceptibly. "That soon?" he asked, his voice dropping several degrees. "I thought we agreed-"

"No time," Kyoraku interrupted. "Rukia's already bringing in Kurosaki. I've made the decision to progress the program faster than anticipated."

A beat of silence passed between them. Somewhere in the background, Jinta could be heard groaning as he picked himself up off the ground again.

"Understood," Kisuke said at last, his voice carefully neutral. "Tell the Little Lady I'll be there shortly. And please start keeping me in the loop with all your projects."

The line went dead without further pleasantries. Kisuke snapped the Denreishinki shut with a decisive click, his mind already racing through contingencies and calculations.

"Jinta! Ururu!" he called out, straightening to his full height. The usual playful lilt was gone from his voice, replaced by something harder, more serious. "I'll be gone for a while. Hold down the fort."

Ururu nodded immediately, her hands clasped in front of her. "Yes, Boss!"

Jinta, who had just taken another unfortunate hit, this time a knee to the groin, could only manage a weak thumbs-up from his fetal position on the ground. "G-Got it... boss..."

Kisuke didn't waste another moment. With a flick of his wrist, Benihime materialized in his hand, the crimson blade gleaming ominously in the light. He raised it before him, the tip pointing straight ahead.

"Unlock."

The air before him split open with a sound like tearing fabric, the crimson-edged Senkaimon ripping through reality itself. Beyond the gate, the swirling void of the Dangai pulsed with unstable energy. Then Kisuke stepped through, his form swallowed by the darkness as the gate sealed shut behind him.

As the crimson-edged Senkaimon sealed shut behind him, he found himself blinking against an assault of blinding white light. His hand flew up, the sleeve of his green and white haori blocking the glare as his eyes struggled to adjust.

The room Kisuke transported himself into seemed to be a hospital room with the walls, floor, and ceiling all reflecting the harsh glow of overhead LEDs.

Banks of monitoring equipment lined the far wall, their screens displaying stuff like vital signs, and spiritual pressure readings. To Kisuke's left, a workstation held neatly arranged surgical tools alongside several devices of his own design.

At the room's centerpiece was a massive wall of reinforced glass at least two feet thick, stretching from floor to ceiling. The material wasn't standard issue; it, like many items in this room, was Kisuke's make.

He'd barely taken two steps forward when the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. Without turning, he called out, "You know, for someone who complains about my dramatic entrances, you're developing quite the flair for lurking."

A warm chuckle echoed through the room as Kyoraku stepped from the shadows of the doorway. "Caught me," the Head Captain admitted, leaning against the frame with his usual casual slouch. His straw hat cast a shadow over his face, but Kisuke didn't need to see his eyes to know they missed nothing. "Though in my defense, I did knock earlier. You were just... otherwise occupied."

Kisuke turned fully, fan snapping open with practiced ease to hide his grin. "Occupied is one word for it. Jinta was insisting Ururu demonstrate her 'delicate feminine strength.'" He shook his head mournfully. "That boy never learns."

"I imagine he's currently reevaluating several life choices," Kyoraku mused, pushing off the doorframe. His sandals made no sound as he crossed the spotless floor. "Apologies for the abrupt summons. I know you prefer more... prep time for your experiments."

Kisuke's golden eyes gleamed behind the fan's edge. "To be honest, I've been positively aching to get started. The anticipation was torture!"

Kyoraku's gaze drifted past him to the glass partition. "The captains will convene shortly to make their selections. You're welcome to join us, if you'd like."

Kisuke snapped his fan shut with a sharp crack. "Tempting, but I think my talents are better utilized here." He gestured grandly to the array of equipment. "Someone needs to ensure everything's in working order before we proceed with this little... endeavor."

A knowing smile tugged at Kyoraku's lips. "Somehow I doubt anything in this room has been less than perfect since the moment you designed it."

"You flatter me!" Kisuke pressed a hand to his chest in mock modesty. "Though you're not entirely wrong."

As Kyoraku turned to leave, Kisuke called after him, "I have a fairly solid prediction about who they'll choose, you know."

The Head Captain paused at the threshold, glancing back over his shoulder. "It would be deeply concerning if the great Kisuke Urahara didn't have several contingency plans already prepared."

With that, Kyoraku vanished in a ripple of shunpo so smooth it barely disturbed the air. The heavy security door hissed shut behind him, its locking mechanisms engaging with a series of resonant clunks.

Alone now, Kisuke allowed his smile to fade as he approached the glass wall. On the other side of the partition lay Bambietta Basterbine, rendered almost unrecognizable by medical apparatus. She lay in the bed with an oxygen mask covering the lower half of her face. Tubes, IV lines and catheters snaked beneath the blanket that was covering most of her body.

Her long, purple hair had been brushed out and laid flat against the pillow. The various monitors display her vitals in a glowing green pulse.

"Well, well," Kisuke murmured, his breath fogging the surface briefly. "Not so explosive now, are we?"

He paused for a moment before speaking to himself again.

"Don't worry," he said softly. "We'll have you back to your old self in no time. Well, a version of your old self, anyway."

Rukia staggered slightly as the Senkaimon's light faded behind her. The weight of the three full-grown humans was a heavy toll on her shoulders.

"Ugh," she grunted, sweat beading at her forehead. "I forgot how dense you all are."

With that, she dumped her cargo onto the stone floor of the Seireitei.

THUD. THUD. THUD.

Ichigo hit the ground first, rolling onto his back with a snarl already forming on his lips. "What the hell, Rukia?! You can't just-"

Orihime sat up next, rubbing the back of her head where it had connected rather forcefully with the stone. "Owww... Rukia, what was the big hurry?"

Chad was the last to rise, brushing dust off his shirt. "You could have just asked, we would have gone with you here."

Rukia straightened her captain's haori, regaining her composure. "I'm sorry for the rough handling, but this is a matter of critical importance. We don't have a second to waste. Honestly, I'm not even sure how much time we do have."

Ichigo was on his feet now. "That's not good enough!" he snapped, jabbing a finger at her. "You drag us here without explanation, knock us out of our bodies-"

"I didn't knock you out," Rukia corrected primly. "I simply separated your spiritual forms from body like old times. Kon probably took over your body the moment I left"

"I know!" Ichigo threw his hands up. "The point is, we deserve to know what's going on! You're leaving us in the dark."

Rukia met his glare evenly. "And you will. But I'm not the one who should be explaining." She turned on her heel, the long sleeves of her haori fluttering. "It's better if you ask The Head-Captain."

Ichigo decided to take a deep breath to calm himself down. While he disliked being forced into confrontation, especially after what happened with the Quincies, he was willing to listen to Rukia.

"Alright, if you dragged us here against our will then it must be important."

And with that Ichigo, Orihime, and Chad followed Rukia as she led them to the Squad 1.

As they followed her through the Seireitei they noticed the destruction that still laid the streets. While the main barracks and headquarters of the Squads were rebuilt and are now in working order, most everything else was still either destroyed and being repaired.

Orihime broke the silence. "Why didn't you kidnap Uryū as well?"

Rukia didn't look back. "He's not involved in this."

The finality in her tone made all three stop short.

Ichigo's brow furrowed. "What do you mean he's not involved?"

"I mean exactly what I said." Rukia finally turned to face them. "This isn't something he can be part of. Not yet."

Orihime's hands flew to her mouth. "Is... is he in trouble?"

"No." Rukia's voice softened slightly. "It's just... complicated. You'll see."

A heavy silence fell over the group. Ichigo exchanged glances with Chad and Orihime. None of them liked leaving Uryū out, especially not after everything they'd been through together. But if Rukia said it had to be this way…

"Fine," Ichigo muttered, shoving his hands in his pockets. "But this better be good. I'm not the type to keep secrets from my friends."

Rukia's lips quivered in a humorless smile. "Oh, it's not good. But it's necessary."

The massive wooden doors of the Squad One barracks loomed before them. Rukia paused for only a moment before squaring them and rapping her knuckles firmly against the door.

A moment later, a small viewing slot slid open, and a pair of wary eyes peered out. Recognizing Rukia, the guard Shinigami on the other side quickly unbolted the door, swinging it open with a low groan.

"Captain Kuchiki," the guard said, bowing his head respectfully before his eyes flickered to her companions. He then stepped aside to let them pass.

The interior was a stark contrast to the still-scarred Seireitei outside. The halls were pristine, the tatami mats fresh, and the air smelled of incense. Their footsteps echoed as Rukia led Ichigo, Orihime, and Chad through the corridors.

Finally, they reached the doors of the Captain's Assembly Hall. Rukia slid the door open herself this time.

The room was filled with the Captains of the Gotei 13, but it was a fractured reflection of its former self.

Ichigo's eyes widened as he scanned the room. He knew the war had been brutal, but seeing its lasting impact on the most powerful Shinigami was something else entirely.

Kyoraku sat at the head of the room in the Head Captain's seat, his usual lazy demeanor replaced by a grave tiredness. Nanao stood rigidly at his side.

The captain's line up was incomplete with 2 being absent. Lisa Yadomaru would not be joining them even though she was given the rank of captain, her injuries were so severe she's still in the hospital.
Soi-Fon, Byakuya, Toshiro, Mayuri, Rose, Kensei, Kenpachi, and Shinji were all in their respective spots with a new face to the captains. Alongside Rukia, Isane was also given the rank of captain due to Unohana's death during the war. Rukia was not informed of this so she was taken aback a bit from it.
All of them were still beaten and battered from the war. Though they were able to heal their life threatening injuries with Kido, they still were far from their peak of health. Some like Soi-Fon had it easy while others like Rose were truly messed up. Though Rose shouldn't count as it was Kensei who did Rose in the most after learning his "tactics" in his battle with Sternritter S.

"Ah, Ichigo Kurosaki," Kyoraku's voice broke the heavy silence. "Orihime Inoue, Yasutora Sado. Thank you for coming on such short notice."

Ichigo, never one for formalities, cut straight to the point. "What's going on, Kyoraku? What is all this?"

Kyoraku's smile was thin. "I apologize for once again dragging you into our affairs. But this is a matter that concerns the safety of both the Soul Society and the World of the Living. Your involvement, I'm afraid, is highly recommended."

Ichigo's brow furrowed. It was the same vague, world-ending urgency he'd come to expect. He hated it, but he also knew he couldn't walk away. He gave a short, sharp nod. "Fine. Just tell us what you need."

Kyoraku's gaze then shifted to Rukia. "Captain Kuchiki. You can take your place with us."

Rukia started, a flicker of surprise crossing her face. For a heartbeat, she had forgotten she was captain, I mean she became one only an hour ago. She glanced at Ichigo, then back at Kyoraku, before squaring her shoulders. She stepped away from her friends and walked to the line of captains, taking an empty space between Byakuya and Isane.

Ichigo, Orihime, and Chad moved over to the wall to the backside of Rukia to give the captains space

Kyoraku then let his gaze sweep over the gathered Captains.

"We will begin," he announced, "when the last able Captain joins us."

As if on cue, a low scraping sound echoed from the hallway beyond the main doors. Every eye turned as the massive doors began to swing inward.
"I guess that time is now"

Standing in the doorway was Sajin Komamura.

His wolf-like features were marred by fresh bandages wrapped around his head and snout.

"Forgive my tardiness," Komamura's deep voice rumbled, his single visible eye scanning the room. He bowed his head respectfully toward Kyoraku. "Head Captain."

Kyoraku offered a small, weary smile. "It seems we can begin now. Take your place, Captain Komamura."

Komamura nodded and moved to join the line of Captains.

Once Komamura was in place, Kyoraku rose from the Head Captain's seat.

"Captains. Allies," he began. "The Gotei 13, and the Soul Society entirely, stands at its lowest point in a millennium. We have suffered losses that cut deeper than any blade. We mourn comrades who have stood with us since the very foundation of our order. Their absence leaves a void that cannot be easily filled."

"For three months," Kyoraku continued, "we have worked not just to rebuild, but to forge a new foundation. This project was born of desperation. It is a gamble so profound that it could either be our salvation... or the greatest mistake this court has ever sanctioned."

He met the eyes of each Captain in turn, his gaze unwavering. "The risks are incalculable. The cost of failure, catastrophic. But the cost of inaction... is a slow, certain death for what we stand for."

He took a final, deep breath. "As Head Captain, I am willing to take this gamble. The responsibility for its outcome rests on my shoulders alone."

Then, he turned his head slightly. "Nanao. Let them in."

Nanao flinched almost imperceptibly. With a barely perceptible shake of her head, she turned on her heel and strode swiftly from the hall, the doors closing behind her.

Ichigo exchanged a look with Orihime and Chad. His stomach was a tight knot. He had seen Kyoraku make ruthless calculations before, using Aizen during the war had been a move that chilled him to his core. For the Head Captain to call this his biggest gamble meant whatever was about to come through those doors was beyond anything they had ever faced.

Chapter Text

The doors began to open slowly, pushed inward by two guard Shinigami.

Then Seven figures shuffled into the hall.

Each was shrouded in a plain white robe that obscured their form and identity. Their movements were hampered by the thick chains that bound their arms behind their backs and connected their legs.

Ichigo's eyes narrowed, trying to piece together what he was witnessing. "Who are they?"

Two more guard Shinigami followed behind the procession, their hands resting on the hilts of their zanpakutō.

"Line up. Shoulder to shoulder. On your knees. Now." One of them barked at the robed figures.

The seven robed figures obeyed the command. They arranged themselves in a line before the assembled Captains and dropped to their knees.

The two guards who had opened the doors now closed them. They then raised their hands and started to resight the name of a spell. "Hakudan Keppeki", as they said the name of the Kido, spiritual energy flared from their hands a protective wall, adorned with the emblem of the Kidō Corps, covered that end of the hall.

Now all four guards moved to the front of the kneeling prisoners. They fastened chains they had on their belts to manacles on the prisoners' wrists and ankles before locking the other ends onto the floor. It would take a lot of effort to break free from these restraints, and with almost every Gotei captain in the same room, breaking free and escaping was next to impossible.

Ichigo, Orihime, and Chad were watching as this all happened. They had no clue what was going on and the one thing on their minds now was who were these people and what does Kyoraku want from them.

Then, the lead guard gave a nod.

One by one, the guards moved down the line, roughly pulling the white robes from the prisoners. Relieving their identities.

The air left Ichigo's lungs in a shocked gasp. Next to him, Orihime made a small, choked sound, and Chad's hands clenched into fists at his sides.

Revealed were faces they knew all too well.

Each of their eyes were sealed shut by a thick, black binding cloth, identical to the one used to restrain Sosuke Aizen in Muken. Another black binding cloth used to cover their mouths. And around each of their necks was a red collar, the same Sōkyoku execution collar that was placed around Rukia's neck.

One by one, their identities were laid bare before the hybrid

Candice Catnipp

Liltotto Lamperd

Askin Nakk Le Vaar

Giselle Gewelle
Cang Du

Meninas McAllon

Bazz-B

They seem similar to when everyone fought them during the war but they were still very different. They were all, with the exception of Meninas and Giselle, wearing white and red shihakushos. Some of them, like Liltotto, had obvious scars that weren't there the last time most of the Shinigami saw them. The worst out of all of them was Bazz-B who had lost a whole arm since Ichigo last saw him.

Ichigo's heart was in his throat. These weren't just prisoners. They were the Sternritter, The Star-Crossed Knights and the elite warriors of Yhwach. He was told they were all dead, along with most of Wandenreich's forces. Yet here they were right here,

What Kyoraku and Rukia said was now very much clear.

"What the HELL is this, Kyoraku?!" Ichigo's voice exploded with a mixture of fury and disbelief. He took a step forward, his gaze locked on the Head Captain.

"Ichigo, please, calm down, let me explain," Kyoraku said while holding up his hand.

"Calm down?!" Ichigo roared, his finger jabbing toward the line of prisoners. "How are they here?! You told everyone they were dead! I was there! I fought them!" His eyes scanned the faces again, the memories flooding back. "Those girls ambushed me after the Soul Palace! And him!" He pointed at Bazz-B. "I know him too! How are they alive?!"

Kyoraku opened his mouth to respond, to try and impose order, something else drew the attention of everyone in the room.

Askin was shuddering violently, his shoulders shaking, his head was moving from side to side. For a heart-stopping second, Kyoraku's thought it was him trying to escape. But he was mistaken.

"He can't breathe," Kyoraku realized aloud, his order swift and clear. "Guard. Remove his binding."

The guard hesitated for only a second before stepping forward and roughly untying the thick black cloth covering Askin's mouth.

Askin gasped the moment the fabric loosened, sucking in a huge breath of air. "Ahhh… much better, It's dreadfully stuffy in those things, you know. A man could suffocate." He said as his whole body weight went forward, his cheek making contact with the floor.

Soi Fon, who had been pointedly looking anywhere but at the prisoners, snapped her head around. "You do not have the right to speak, Quincy filth!"

"Now, now, Captain Soi Fon," Kyoraku interjected "Remove them. All of them. The eye coverings as well."

The guards looked at each other in confusion. "Head Captain… are you sure?"

"Do it."

The guards moved down the line, untying the black gags and blindfolds from each of the Sternritter.

The Quincies squinted against the light of the hall, which, while not bright, was more illumination than most had seen in a long time. Their eyes slowly adjusted as they began to take in their surroundings, mainly all the enemies that scared them down.

After a few seconds, Giselle Gewelle turned her head to look at Askin. "Oh, thank you, Askin. That was a wonderful idea."

Askin rolled his newly freed eyes. "It really wasn't. I was, in fact, genuinely suffocating."

Candice Catnipp rolled her shoulders and cracked her neck with a loud pop. "How the hell were you suffocating in that? You're weaker than I thought."
Meninas McAllon joined in the chatter, turning to look at the Thunderbolt, "Says the one who can't activate Vollstandig on her own."

"Shut up damnit!", Candice retorted.

Cang Du remained silent, only thinking to himself about the situation he found himself in. "So noisy."

Liltotto Lampard, ever the pragmatist, shot a warning to her co-prisoners. "Will you all shut up already!?"

Ignoring the conversation among the prisoners, Kyoraku walked slowly between the two rows of Captains. He stopped a few feet before the kneeling Sternritter.

"Now then," he began gently, "I understand you all come from a military background. The Wandenreich was, from what I understand, quite the strict directorship. Well, so is the Gotei Thirteen. So if I were you I would speak when spoken too."

Most of the Sternritter were now watching him, only Bazz-B and Cang-Du didn't meet his gaze.

"You might be wondering," Kyoraku continued, "why are you here and not at Sōkyoku Hill for an execution."

"The reason you are still alive," he stated, "is because I am proposing… rehabilitation."

The Sternritter's heads stared at him with their eyes wide and their mouths agape. On the other side of the room, Ichigo's jaw went slack. "Rehabilit- What?!" he blurted out, his anger replaced with sheer confusion. Orihime clutched at the her sleeve, her own feelings written plainly on her face.

Kyoraku ignored the reactions, continuing with his offer.

"The Wandenreich's campaign left us in ruins. As you can see," he gestured vaguely at the battered Captains around him, "our ranks are decimated. Our infrastructure is shattered. We are stretched thinner than we have been in a thousand years. The task of rebuilding is monumental."

He took a slow step forward. "You Quincies could be more useful alive than dead. If nothing else, resilient… and that is a resource."

He paused, letting his statement sink in. He was talking about using the very people who had murdered their friends and comrades as a labor force essentially.

"I am proposing that your value going forward could be measured in something else than just murder. In atonement, if such a thing is even possible for you." He pulled a hand from his sleeve, holding up two fingers. "Which is why I am presenting you with a choice. And I am trying, truly I am, to be as courteous as possible about it."

"The first choice is rehabilitation. You will swear allegiance to the Soul Society and the Gotei Thirteen as a whole. You will submit to our oversight, our rules, and our command. In time, you may even earn a place here, if you're truly willing to change."

He lowered one finger, leaving only one raised.

"The second choice is far simpler. It is the choice you were all expecting when you were led in here."

He didn't need to finish, they knew what he was referring to.

"So," Kyoraku said, "What will it be?"

It was then that Ichigo moved. He strode forward and, without ceremony, planted a firm hand on Kyoraku's shoulder, forcibly turning the Head Captain away from the prisoners.

"What's the matter with you?" Ichigo's voice was a low, intense growl, meant only for Kyoraku's ears, though every Captain in the room could undoubtedly hear it. "Are you crazy? Actually insane?"

Kyoraku didn't shrug off the hand. He merely turned his head, meeting Ichigo's gaze. "Did you listen to what I said, Ichigo? Every word?"

"Yeah, I heard you!" Ichigo shot back. "I heard you offer the people who tried to wipe out everyone and everything a job! I don't get it! I don't get why you would do this, why any of you-" his gaze flickered to the lines of Captains, "-would ever agree to this!"

Kyoraku's expression softened minutely. "I know you don't. And you have every right not to." He placed his own hand over Ichigo's on his shoulder. "I give you my word. Once this is concluded, I will explain everything. No more secrets, no more hiding. You will understand the full picture."

Ichigo searched his face, looking for any hint of deception. He found only weary conviction. His grip loosened. He believed Kyoraku meant it. With a frustrated sigh, he pulled his hand away. "Fine. But I'm not leaving this room until someone explains what the hell you're all thinking." He took a step back toward his friends.

As he turned, his eyes went over the kneeling Quincies and locked with a pair one of them. Candice was glaring daggers at him, her previous fear seemingly replaced by pure, unadulterated rage.

Without even thinking, acting on an impulse, Ichigo stuck his tongue out at her.

Candice's face turned blood red. "HEY!" she shrieked. "What the hell was that supposed to mean, you orange-haired freak?!" She strained against her chains, her body trembling with the effort to lunge at him. But with her arms and legs locked to the floor, all she could manage was an awkward hop in place.

Whack!

The butt of a guard's sheathed zanpakutō came down on the back of her head.

"Silence!" the guard barked.

"OW!" Candice yelped, the force of the blow driving her forehead down to knock against the floor.

"Payback for all those volts," Ichigo thought, even if he destroyed her during the war it was still a good feeling for her to pay the price for trying to zap him out of existence.
Kyoraku slowly turned back to face the line of chained Quincies. His gaze was drawn to a small movement. Liltotto had straightened her posture as much as her restraints allowed.

"Kyoraku." Liltotto said quietly.

He took a step toward her, his expression neutral but attentive. "Yes? Is something the matter?"

Liltotto took a deep, shaky breath. "I would like to... be rehabilitated."

Captains exchanged quick glances to each other. They really didn't believe someone would take the offer.

Liltotto continued. "It doesn't matter who I serve... I'll obey. If it means I get to see tomorrow, I'll obey."

A genuine, if weary, smile touched Kyoraku's lips. "A wise and honest choice." He then raised his voice, addressing the entire row. "Are there any others?"

"Me! Me! Me! Me! Me!" Giselle chirped, bouncing on her knees despite her restraints. "I wanna get rehabilitated too! It sounds fu~un!"

All eyes then shifted Meninas. She kept her head bowed, but her voice, though barely a mumble, was just audible for almost everyone to hear. "...Me too."

Kyoraku's look softened slightly. "Noted." He then turned his attention to the still-seething Candice, who was trying, and failing, to rub the new bump on her head. "And you, Miss Catnipp? What is your choice?"

Candice glared up at him, letting out a frustrated growl, her shoulders slumping in defeat. "...Sure. Whatever. It's better than dying, I guess."

"Excellent," Kyoraku said, his tone suggesting he'd expected nothing more. He then clasped his hands behind his back, addressing the male Sternritter. "Now for the gentlemen. Any takers?"

Askin, who had been catching his breath, managed to get himself back into a proper kneeling position. He offered a lopsided, weary smile. "Oh, you can go ahead and count me in." He let out a soft chuckle. "I must admit, I've become dreadfully interested in you Shinigami. It would be so unlike me to simply... not touch that curiosity." He shrugged as best he could in his chains. "Besides, I've never been one for martyrdom."

Everyone's eyes settled last on the two Sternritter he knew would be the hardest sells. Bazz-B and Cang Du. The Head Captain took a measured breath, preparing to extend the same offer, though he held little hope.

But he never got the chance to speak.

"No."

It came from Bazz-B, who didn't even bother to look up at Kyoraku, instead staring at the chains on his one remaining wrist.

"I'm not playing this game," Bazz-B continued, "I'm not gonna be your servent. I'd rather taken out right here than spend a single day as a slave to you Shinigami."

A wave of palpable anger rolled off several Captains. Kyoraku, however, simply nodded. He had expected this. Bazz-B's pride couldn't be bargained with.

His attention then turned to Cang Du. Sternritter I had been as still and silent as a statue this whole time. His loyalty to Yhwach had been absolute, his will seemingly forged from the same unbreakable material as his schrift. Kyoraku saw no point in a prolonged interrogation. He opened his mouth to order the guards to take the two defiant Quincy away.

But Cang Du spoke first.

"May I ask a question?"

Every eye in the room turned to him. Kyoraku paused before speaking. "You may."

Cang Du lifted his head slightly. "Are we… the only ones?" he asked, "Are we the only Quincies who survived?"

Kyoraku thought about it for a moment before answering with blunt honesty. "No. You are not. I will not confirm the status of any other Sternritter for you. But I will tell you that a significant number of Soldats were captured during the conflict, primarily in Hueco Mundo and in the latter stages of the war here."

Cang Du took in the information before speaking again in the same monotone.

"I will join."

Bazz-B's head whipped around so fast it was a blur, his eyes wide shock. He stared at his fellow Sternritter as if he'd just sprouted a second head. But just as quickly, the fire in Bazz-B's eyes banked and was replaced by a neutral expression. He turned his face away, refusing to look at Cang Du, his jaw clenched tight.

Kyoraku studied Cang Du, searching for the motive behind this sudden capitulation. The Quincy's ironclad demeanor gave nothing away.

"A surprising choice, but a welcome one nonetheless." Kyoraku said.

Seeing convincing Bazz-B as a road leading to failure. Kyoraku decided that Bazz'B was just not fit for the program he imagined.

"Guards, remove Sternritter H and return him to his cell." Kyoraku said with a very flat voice.

The two nearest guards approached Bazz-B. He didn't struggle, he merely fixed Kyoraku with a searing glare as the thick black binding was tied once again over his mouth and eyes. They hauled him to his feet and guided him toward the door. One guard dispelled the kido barrier with a quick incantation, and the three of them disappeared into the hallway, the door sealing shut behind them. The remaining two guards immediately recast the Hakudan Keppeki on the doors.

Chapter Text

Kyoraku turned back to the six remaining Sternritter, "Now that we have our... willing participants... they will be assigned to a squad for oversight and integration." He walked slowly back to the Head Captain's seat and sank into it. "The choice is yours, Captains. Who will you take on?"

Toshiro was the first to speak up. "It's... harder to make a choice when they're right in front of you." He crossed his arms as he deliberately avoided looking at any specific Quincy.

Kensei let out a derisive sigh. "You ain't gotta tell me twice. I ain't picking one. I've been through enough."

Next to him, Rose turned, his single eye widening in surprise. "Kensei, really? We must all do our part-"

"We?" Kensei rounded on him, his temper rising instantly. "Don't you we me! You have zero room to talk! You're the reason we both got turned into zombies!"

Rose flinched as if struck. "That's not fair! I was defeated by Sternritter S-"

"YOU TOLD HIM HOW YOUR BANKAI WORKS!" Kensei roared. "You practically handed him the instruction manual on how to defeat you! Don't talk to me about doing my part!"

The two Visored Captains then descended into a heated argument, which was mainly Kensei listing off all the ways he could have beaten Mask de Masculine without having to explain his Bankai.

Amidst this petty conflict, Byakuya remained composed. He had dismissed Kensei and Rose's squabble and instead scanned the six kneeling Quincy. He had an obligation to choose one but he didn't care which one. He lingered on Candice. He hated her personally and attitude, but like a horse, he believed he could break her spirit in a sense and make her more….. manageable.

After only a few moments of consideration, he spoke, which was what made Rose and Kensei's argument come to an end..

"Head Captain," Byakuya said. "I will take Sternritter T. I believe I could manage her."

Kyoraku's eyebrows rose before a slow smile spread across his face. "Approved. Candice Catnipp goes to Squad 6."

On her knees, Candice's head jerked up, her shocked expression plain for all to see. "Him?" Of all the captains, why did the most rule-obsessed noble in the whole Seireitei want me? He's just a Shinigami version of Haschwalth." She thought to herself, letting out a silent groan.

Kyoraku then reached behind his chair and pulled out a simple wooden clipboard with a stack of papers clipped to it. "Well, without Nanao here, I suppose I have to keep track of all this myself," he said cheerfully, picking up a pen.

Everyone in the hall turned and deadpanned at Kyoraku. He never changes, even after becoming Head-Captain..

Unfazed, Kyoraku scribbled down the notes he would give to Nanao in the near future. "Alright, Sixth gets the Sparky One."

UH?! Sparky?!" Candice asked in fury, she would have continued but she would be silenced once again by a sheathed zanpakutō to the head.

"OW! Damn that hurts." She said as a natural reaction.

Shinji then stepped forward, hands in his pockets. "I'll take the little one. Liltotto her name was." He nodded toward her. "Seems pretty level-headed. Probably won't cause too much of a ruckus. Definitely a better option than the other one I was apparently offered." He commented as he rubbed his injured side.

On her knees, Liltotto let out a sigh of relief. "Of all the possible captains, Hirako was the best-case scenario." She thought to herself, in her eyes, she got off the best.

Kyoraku made another note on his clipboard. "Fifth gets the Glutton." He said as he doodled heads of Liltotto and Shinji.

He looked up from his papers, scanning the remaining Captains. "Anyone else? We've got a few left." His eyes landed on Soi Fon. " Soi Fon? What about you?"

"I would rather die," she stated, "than allow one of these Quincy vermin to set foot in my division."

Kyoraku just nodded. "Okay, okay." He bent over his clipboard again. Kyoraku began to doodle a small, frowning head of Soi Fon on the margin of his paper. Next to it, in neat handwriting, he wrote the words: Rather Die.

He tapped the pen against the paper. "Right. Noted."

Toshiro stood with his arms crossed, a faint frown on his face as he mentally sorted through the remaining options.

"Lampard would have been the logical choice," he thought, "pragmatic, not overtly violent. But of course, Hirako snatched her up. Typical. But I believe they could work well together."

He had a moment to look over the others.

"McAllen? Too unpredictable. She hasn't given any signs to her personally. She's too quiet and lonesome, better I leave her to someone else."

"Askin? A member of the Schutzstaffel. His power is… problematic on a fundamental level. Too dangerous."

"Gewelle? Absolutely not." A cold shudder went through him at the memory of him becoming one of her zombies came back to him. Memories he wishes he could forget. "That is not an experience I will ever risk repeating."

That left Cang Du.

"The Iron. The one who stole my Bankai." To have his greatest power, Daiguren Hyōrinmaru, so easily taken and used against them… it was a personal and professional insult. A part of him, the proud young captain, was still deeply salty about it.

Toshiro then thought about it on a more….. Tactical level. "He was able to wield Hyōrinmaru. I'm still unlocking its full potential… perhaps having someone who has actually used it could provide… perspective. As infuriating as that is to admit."

His mind made up, Toshiro uncrossed his arms and addressed the Head Captain, "Head Captain. I will take Sternritter I, Cang Du."

Kyoraku didn't even look up from his clipboard, just gave an absent-minded nod. "Great, great. Tenth gets the Iron." He scribbled another note.

Toshiro turned his head to get a look at his new… squad member. As Toshiro's eyes fell upon him, the Quincy slowly lifted his head. Their eyes met for a brief second. And then, Cang Du rolled his eyes before letting his head drop again.

Toshiro's eyes twitched.

"What's his problem?!" he thought, "I just saved him from an execution and he has the audacity to be dismissive?"

Toshiro then brought his hands to his face, knowing that this assignment would take a lot out of him.

Rukia stood silently within the line of Captains. She had been a captain for 2 hours at most, and already she was part of a decision this huge. She inspected the three remaining Sternritters.

Her mind raced. "I barely have a handle on my own Bankai. It took every ounce of my power just to defeat one Sternritter. Am I really ready to be responsible for one?"

Rukia lingered on Meninas. During the first invasion she fought against and brutally lost to her.

But at this moment, Meninas doesn't seem malicious or cruel. There was a strange simplicity to her. Rukia could place her tongue on the feeling Meninas was giving her but all she could say was the person she battled at the beginning of the war was not the same person that was chained to their knees in front of her.

"Someone has to take them," Rukia thought. "And if the others are hesitant... then it falls on me to step up."

Before she could second-guess herself, Rukia raised her hand. "Head Captain. May I make a choice?"

Kyoraku looked up from his clipboard. "Of course, Captain Kuchiki. The floor is yours."

But before she could speak, someone else cut her off.

"Rukia," Byakuya said, "You would be placing yourself in unnecessary danger. You have only just attained your position. This is not a responsibility you need to shoulder so soon."

Kyoraku opened his mouth, but Rukia spoke first, turning to face her brother.

"I know it's dangerous, Brother. But isn't that the point? A Captain doesn't shy away from risk. They meet it head-on to protect their squad and the Soul Society." Her expression softened slightly. "If I want to be even half the Captain Ukitake was, then I have to be willing to take these chances. It's part of the job."

Byakuya stared at her, and for once, he was at a loss for words.

Kyoraku seized the moment, "She's right, you know. You did want her as a captain. And danger," he added with a wry smile, "is very much in the job description."

Byakuya was silent for a long moment. He finally gave a slow nod. "Very well. I will not stop you. But do not expect me to intervene if the burden becomes too great to bear. This path is of your own choosing."

Rukia nodded, "Thank you, Brother." She turned back to Kyoraku, "I will take Meninas McAllon."

Kyoraku's pen scratched against the paper. "And the Thirteenth gets the Power. Excellent."

All eyes turned to Meninas. Meninas looked up at Rukia. "Okay," Meninas said with a softly with zero defiance in her voice.

Rukia let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. The first major decision of her captaincy was made. She'll 100% gonna have to speak with Renji about this later, to ease the nerves.

Only two Sternritter remained, and they were, by any measure, the most problematic of the bunch.

"Now, now, don't be shy," Kyoraku coaxed, "We can't very well have a rehabilitation program if we leave anyone behind. Someone must step up."

His eyes swept across the assembled Captains before landing on the one who usually craved a fight more than anything. "Captain Zaraki? What about you? I'm sure one of them would make for a... lively sparring partner."

The suggestion made both Giselle and Askin break out in a cold sweat. Being under the command of Kenpachi Zaraki wasn't rehabilitation; it was a delayed and undoubtedly brutal death. He was the one who defeated Gremmy, who was considered the strongest non-schutzstaffel member.

But Kenpachi was uncharacteristically subdued. He stood with his hair down and he didn't bother to bring his zanpakutō, Nozarashi, but everyone knew if he wanted to defeat a Sternritter he could do it with his bare hands.

Kenpachi grunted at Kyoraku's question.

"Yeah, whatever. I'll do it," he muttered.

Ichigo frowned, his concern growing. "What's wrong with him?" Something was wrong about Kenpachi but now wasn't the time to push the issue. Ichigo had much more important things to attend to first.

"Excellent!" Kyoraku said, clapping his hands together softly. "Which one will you take?"

Kenpachi's lone eye lazily looked over the two Quincies. It settled on Giselle. "You. The creepy one. Are you strong?"

Giselle's became even paler. "N-no! No, no, no, nope!" she stammered, shaking her head so violently. "I'm weak! I'm actually the weakest of all the Sternritter! I can't fight at all! I'm just a little girl!" She then turned to look at Askin frantically. "Him! If you want power, he's the guy! Super strong! Schutzstaffel and everything! Very tough!"

Askin shot her a look of unadulterated betrayal. "Oh, you wretched little-" She was technically telling the truth, he was undoubtedly more powerful in a straight fight, but her timing was spectacularly poor.

Kenpachi's gaze shifted to Askin. "That true? You strong?"

Askin's mind raced. "Well, I suppose I'm... kind of strong? It's all rather relative, you see my schrift-"

That was all the confirmation Kenpachi needed, or cared about. "Fine. I'll take the 'kind of strong' one."

THUD.

Askin let his forehead slump against the cold floor.

"Of all the times for her to be honest…"

He slowly turned his head to the side to glare at Giselle who was giving him the most unnervingly gleeful grin.

Kyoraku quickly scribbled on his clipboard. "Eleventh gets the... Deathdealing." He then looked up, at the last remaining Quincy. "Which just leaves... Sternritter Z. Does anyone wish to take her?"

Giselle immediately put on her best pleading face, "Oh, please, pick me! I promise I'll be so good. The best!"

A wave of palpable disgust rolled through the Captains. Toshiro, Rose, and Kensei exchanged a single look before simultaneously looking down at the floor, refusing to even acknowledge her presence.

Seeing her initial ploy fail, Giselle turned up the performance. "I'm… I'm really sorry for turning you all into zombies," she whimpered, "I promise I won't ever do it again. Cross my heart!"

Her apology was met with silence. No one bought it for a second.

"Captain Kurotsuchi? Any interest?" Kyoraku asked, knowing he had an interest in her before.

"There is no scientific value in mere observation and 'rehabilitation'," Mayuri droned. "I am only interested in analyzing and studying these Quincies. A rule," he added, shooting a sideways glance at Kyoraku, "that you yourself implemented for this little project. So, no. I have no use for any of these Quincies under these constraints."

Kyoraku sighed, though he'd expected nothing less. "I understand your position." He turned back to the group. "It seems we may have to place her in temporary holding until a suitable arrangement can be-"

Giselle's fake whimpers into sobs. "Sniff… Please! Somebody, please pick me!" she wailed, "I just wanna be a good Quincy! I don't wanna be locked away again! Sniff Sniff"

In her mind, she was preening. "These idiots. So filled with stupid, gullible empathy. Who could resist a poor, crying girl begging for help?"

"Head Captain?" Said a voice cut through the crying

Every eye turned to Isane. Her face was pale, and she was fidgeting with her hands slightly.

Kyoraku blinked, genuinely surprised. "Yes, Captain Kotetsu?"

Isane took a breath. "I… I would like to take Sternritter Z."

"Captain Kotetsu… are you certain? You understand who and what she is." Kyoraku said with a hint of concern.

Isane nodded, "I do. But her abilities… She has a profound knowledge of the body and its functions. That knowledge could be used to heal instead of… well." She didn't finish the thought. "She could be an asset to Squad 4's medical efforts."

Kyoraku looked at her for a long moment, then a slow smile spread across his face. He picked up his clipboard. "A bold choice. Squad 4 gets… the Zombie." He scribbled the final assignment.

Giselle instantly switched gears. The tears vanished, replaced by a beatific, grateful smile. "Oh, thank you! Thank you so much! You won't regret it!" she chirped.

Inside her head, a very different thought took root. "Oh, this is perfect. The kind, healing captain. This fragile little flower is going to be so much fun to crush."

Isane looked back at Giselle, meeting her nervous smile with a hesitant wave, completely unaware of the viper she had just invited into her garden.

"Well, that concludes our selection," Kyoraku announced, "If any Captain has second thoughts or wishes to make a swap, my door is always open. No judgment." The captains all just nodded at this offer.

Kyoraku then gestured to the guards standing behind the Sternritters. "Return them to their cells. They will be formally transferred to their respective squads in the coming days, once arrangements have been made."

The guards approached each Sternritter and began the process of re-applying the black bindings.

"Oh, come now, must we? This is so dreadful-" Askin's protest was cut short as the gag was swiftly retied around his mouth. One by one, the other Quincies were similarly silenced and blinded. The stark white robes were pulled back over their heads to hide their identity.

One of the guards stationed at the door raised a hand, dispelling the kido barrier. With the path clear, the guards began to lead the prisoners out of the Captain's Hall.

Kyoraku watched as the last of the white-robed Sternritters was led from the hall, the heavy door sealing shut behind them. He let out a long, slow sigh, "That went… surprisingly smoother than I anticipated."

"Well, that concludes this assembly, you may now turn to your squads."

As the Captains began to file out, Mayuri paused at the doorway. "A most fruitful meeting," he mused, "I am… joyful that so many chose to cooperate. It would have been such a waste of pristine research material." His eyes gleamed. "And all those worn-out uniforms in the storage? They certainly won't go to waste now. We'll have to get them fitted." With that remark, he slipped out into the hallway.

Soon, the hall was empty save for Kyoraku, Ichigo, Orihime, Chad, and Rukia, who had moved to stand with her friends.

Kyoraku approached the group, his hands tucked back into his sleeves. "Alright, Ichigo,you've been patient. Ask your questions. Let's have them in a neat and orderly fashion."

Ichigo took a deep breath before asking "Why? Why are you doing this? After everything they did?"

Kyoraku's response was immediate. He pointed a single finger directly at Ichigo. "You."

Ichigo blinked. "Me? What did I do?"

A faint, weary smile touched Kyoraku's lips. "You, and that Quincy friend of yours, Uryū Ishida." He let his hand drop. "For over a thousand years, the relationship between Shinigami and Quincy was one of absolute hatred. It was a truth we all accepted. Then the two of you came along." He shook his head in quiet amazement. "You fought together. You trusted each other. You saved each other's lives, time and again. You proved that the impossible was, in fact, possible."

He looked at each of them in turn. "We captured these Sternritter in secret. And as I looked at them, I didn't just see enemies. I saw a question. If a Kurosaki and an Ishida could stand side-by-side, could we do the same? Perhaps Uryu's grandfather's dream wasn't so foolish after all."

Ichigo's eyes widened slightly. "Soken Ishida… Uryu always talked about his grandfather's dream for a world where Shinigami and Quincies could work together."

Kyoraku's smile grew a little warmer. "Exactly. A naive dream from a naive man… or so I once thought. Now?" He shrugged. "If even a handful of these Sternritter genuinely wish to atone, then I am willing to give them the chance to help build that world. It is a gamble, I know. But the potential reward… is greater than anyone of us could imagine."

Orihime who spoke next, "I'm for it." Everyone looked at her. She clasped her hands together. "I know they did terrible things… horrible things. But… if there's even a small chance they can change, I want to believe in that chance." She hesitated, "It's hard to say, but I mean it."

Chad nodded slowly beside her. "If it works, good things could come from it. I'm not that informed on the whole situation between Shinigami and Quinces, but I'm there for it."

Finally, Ichigo let out a breath he didn't realize. "Maybe… maybe you're right," he conceded. "It's a long shot. A really, really long shot. But… I guess we'll see."

Kyoraku's shoulders relaxed visibly. "Then that is all I ask," he said. "Let us see how the pieces fall before we decide to sweep the board clean.

"One more question for now." Ichigo asked.

"Yes?" Kyoraku asked in turn.

"How do you know about Uryu's grandfather? Seemed like a private situation to me." Ichigo stated, scratching the back of his head.

"There isn't anything that happens in Karakura Town without us knowing." Kyoraku said with a smile on his face.

The day's events weighted Ichigo, Orihime, and Chad down. It was all mentally exhausting. All Ichigo wanted was to go home, collapse on his bed, and try to process everything.

"Alright, Rukia," Ichigo said, "Mind opening a gate? I think I've had enough Soul Society for one day."

Rukia nodded, already moving to comply. "Of course. I think we all could use-"

"Ah, just a moment, if you please," Kyoraku's voice interrupted.

They all turned to look at him, confusion on their faces. Rukia lowered her hand. "Head Captain? What is it?"

Kyoraku didn't answer with words. Instead, he simply pointed a lazy finger towards the massive doors of the assembly hall. Everyone's eyes followed his gesture.

There, peeking through a tiny crack in the door, was a familiar striped hat.

"KISUKE!"

Ichigo's exhaustion vanished, replaced by fury. He shot across the room faster than a sonído step, yanking both doors open to reveal Kisuke Urahara standing there, fan waving innocently.

"YOU KNEW!" Ichigo roared, his finger jabbing accusingly at the shopkeeper's chest. "You knew about all of this the whole time!"

Kisuke took a graceful step back, his fan covering the lower half of his face. "Now, now, Ichigo, before you get too upset, you should know that Yoruichi knew too!"

"That doesn't make it better!" Ichigo shouted.

"I know," Kisuke sighed. Seeing the wrathful glint in Ichigo's eyes, he quickly reached into his sleeve and pulled out a pair of large, fake glasses, placing them on his nose. "But surely you don't have the guts to hit a guy with glasses?"

Ichigo's response was instantaneous. He snatched the glasses right off Kisuke's face. "These?" he snarled. And then he hit Kisuke over the head with them, the cheap plastic snapping in two

Kisuke rubbed the spot on his head, a look of genuine surprise on his face. "Oh my. That was actually rather clever. I didn't expect that."

"I don't care!" Ichigo fumed, tossing the broken pieces aside. "Why didn't you tell us? And what do you want now? I've had it with you keeping me in the dark."

Kisuke held up his hands in a placating gesture as Orihime, Chad, and Rukia rushed over. "I was sworn to secrecy! Squad 0 orders, you understand. Very strict." His expression then shifted into something more serious. "What I need from you all now is just a quick, little procedure. Won't take but a moment."

Ichigo looked at his friends, seeing his own drained confusion reflected on their faces. He ran a hand through his hair. "You guys up for one more quick thing?"

Orihime nodded immediately and Chad gave a single, stoic nod. Rukia, though looking as tired as the rest, squared her shoulders. "I'm a captain now. I should see this through."

Ichigo turned back to Kisuke. "Fine. Where are we going?"

Instead of answering, Kisuke turned and raised his zanpakutō. "Unlock."

The familiar crimson-edged Senkaimon tore open in the middle of the hallway,

"One at a time, if you please," Kisuke said, gesturing to the portal.

With shared looks of weary acceptance, Ichigo, Orihime, Chad, and finally Rukia stepped through the gate. The moment Rukia was swallowed by the darkness, the portal snapped shut, leaving Kyoraku alone in the Captain's Hall.

The Head Captain stood for a long moment. He walked slowly back to his seat and sank into it, letting his mind wander about.

"I wonder, Ukitake," he murmured to the silent, empty room. "How would you have taken all this?

Ichigo, Orihime, Chad, and Rukia stumbled as their feet hit a solid clean floor. They immediately threw their arms up over their eyes, blinded by the relentless white light that reflected off every surface.

"Ugh, what is this place?" Rukia groaned, squinting as her eyes struggled to adjust.

Kisuke stepped through behind them, the Senkaimon sealing shut at his back. "Why, it's my home away from home!" he chirped,. "A special little room they were kind enough to lend me in Muken. For the time being."

Rukia lowered her arm, her eyes wide with alarm. "Muken? The deepest prison? Why would they give you a room here?"

Instead of answering, Kisuke gestured with his fan toward the massive wall of reinforced glass. "See for yourselves."

Hesitantly, the group approached the partition. The view on the other side made them all freeze.

It was a hospital room, even more clinical than the one they stood in. Lying perfectly still on a white bed was Bambietta Basterbine. Tubes and wires snaked from below the blanket covering her, connecting her to a bank of monitors. Her vibrant hair was splayed across the pillow.

"Who... who is that?" Ichigo asked.

"That," Kisuke said, his voice dropping its cheerful facade, "is another Sternritter we managed to... preserve."

Rukia's breath hitched. "Bambietta Basterbine. The Explode of the Sternritters. She's... incredibly dangerous." Her voice was a hushed whisper. "She's the one who nearly killed Captain Komamura."

Kisuke nodded grimly. "Indeed. We found her after a certain... incident. An incident not even I can fully explain."

Orihime hugged herself. "What kind of incident, Urahara?"

Kisuke took a deep breath. "We found her, and all the other surviving Sternritter, after they had undergone a transformation..."

He paused.

"They had turned... into Hollows. Similar to Shinji and his group."

Rukia was shocked. "That's... that's impossible!" she insisted, her voice cracking in disbelief. "Hollows are toxic to Quincies! Their very existence is an anathema to each other! Forcing a Quincy to undergo a process like the Visoreds... it would kill them instantly! It can't be done!"

Ichigo's mind was reeling. "How? How can that even happen, Kisuke? A Quincy... a Hollow? They're opposites!"

Kisuke didn't answer immediately. Instead, he turned and walked to the seamless glass wall. He placed his palm flat against its surface. There was a soft, almost inaudible hum, and a perfectly rectangular section of the glass slid sideways, creating an opening just wide enough for a person to pass through.

Without a word, Kisuke stepped through into Bambietta's chamber. The group watched as he walked to her bedside. His back was to them, blocking their view for a moment.

The sight was more gruesome than any of them could have imagined. As the blanket was pulled away, it revealed that Bambietta's entire left side, from her waist down to where her arm should have been, was simply… gone. The area was a mess of tightly wrapped bandages and medical tubing draining fluids. On the edges where her dead flesh met her living, were signs of Blut Vene.

It was a miracle she was even alive.

Kisuke's voice was grim. "I have no idea how it's possible. The fusion of Quincy and Hollow reiryoku in their bodies… it's an abomination of spiritual physics. Trying to separate them could kill them instantly. But it happened. And the fact that they survived at all is the only reason any of them are still here instead of being executed."

He carefully replaced the blanket, covering the horrific injury, and walked back through the opening in the glass. With a touch of his hand, the partition sealed shut behind him, once again a seamless impenetrable barrier.

He turned to the group. "This is why I brought you all here." His gaze settled on Orihime. "Orihime. I would like to ask you to try and heal her."

Orihime flinched, her hands flying to her chest. "M-me? But Urahara, why can't you? Your medical technology is-"

"I could," Kisuke interrupted gently. "I could likely repair the tissue damage, even regenerate the lost limbs. But…" He glanced back at the comatose Quincy. "I don't want to risk damaging or overwriting whatever… this is. The hybrid nature of her spirit is unstable. Your power rejects phenomena. It might be the only way to heal her without destroying the very thing that's keeping her alive."

Orihime took a deep, shuddering breath. She looked at Bambietta and after a long moment, she nodded. "I'll do it."

Ichigo immediately stepped closer, placing a firm, reassuring hand on her shoulder. "If you're in, I'm in. Just… be careful, okay? We don't know what might happen."

Orihime placed her hand over his. "I understand."

"Everyone else, stand back," Kisuke instructed, his hand moving toward the glass controls to open it again.

BOOM

A massive impact shook the ceiling above them, raining fine dust down on their heads.

BOOM, BOOM

The impacts were getting closer.

"What is that?!" Chad yelled over the noise.

"I don't know!" Kisuke shouted back, his usual calm replaced with alarm. His zanpakutō, Benihime, was in his hand in an instant. Ichigo's hand went to the hilt of his own zanpakutō, while Rukia and Orihime fell into defensive positions.

BOOM-CRASH

The noise was right on top of them. A moment of silence was followed by the shriek of metal and crumbling concrete as a figure smashed through the reinforced ceiling, landing in the middle of the room.

Dust and debris billowed out. As it settled, Ichigo was the first to move, cautiously approaching the figure.

The figure was dressed in the black shihakushō of a Shinigami, but it was modified with the sleeves a vibrant red, and the kosode was open at the hips. The boy had long, flowing white hair that was now dusted with gray concrete powder. No zanpakutō was visible at his hip.

"Hey… you alright?" Ichigo asked, reaching out to tap the boy's shoulder.

The moment Ichigo's finger made contact, the boy's head snapped up.

Ichigo caught a glimpse of piercing red eyes before the stranger moved faster than sight. He was on his feet in an instant. He dusted himself off with quick then shook his head, sending a cloud of dust and rubble from his long white hair.

He then turned to the stunned group, a wide, easygoing grin spreading across his face.

"Hiya!"

Chapter Text

As the dust settled, the strange boy continued to dust himself off, giving them all a clearer view. He had snow white hair cascading to the middle of his back in soft waves. His skin was pale and flawless and he had ruby red eyes. His body is slim and androgynous, with delicate, feminine facial features and soft muscle definition. His modified shihakushō with its red sleeves and exposed hips was unlike any Shinigami uniform they'd ever seen.

Orihime was the first to step forward. "Um, hello," she said softly, offering a small, hesitant wave. "What's your name?"

The boy turned toward her, a wide, guileless smile spreading across his face. "I'm Ishiku! And I'm a bun!" he announced.

Rukia was not nearly as charmed. She stepped forward next. "How in the hell did you get in here?" she demanded. "We're in the deepest, most secure prison in the Soul Society! You can't just dig your way into Muken!"

Ishiku blinked at her, his head tilting. "I sensed Kisuke's spiritual pressure way down here. So I dug a diggy diggy hole down!" he explained.

Ichigo tore his bewildered gaze from the hole in the ceiling to look at Kisuke. "Do you... know this guy?"

Kisuke nodded. "Yes I do. It's... a very long and complicated story. I'll explain it in detail later, I promise."

Ichigo sighed, running a hand through his hair. This was just getting weirder and weirder. He noticed Ishiku was now spinning in a slow circle, peering at the floor and scratching his head.

"Uh... what's up?" Ichigo asked.

"I'm looking for my shovel," Ishiku said. "I had it with me when I fell."

Ichigo glanced up at the jagged hole in the ceiling, they were so deep that he couldn't see the surface. "Yeah, I have no idea where it could-"

SHIIIIIINK... THWACK!

A small, metallic shine appeared at the edge of the hole for a split second before a shovel dropped straight down, its wooden handle smacking Ichigo square in the face

"OW!" Ichigo yelped, knocked flat on his back. He sat up, rubbing his now-red nose. "The hell was that..."

"Yipppppyyyyy! My shovel!" Ishiku squealed with joy. He scrambled over, snatched the shovel off Ichigo's chest, and hugged it tightly to his body, nuzzling the handle. "I missed you!"

He then bounded over to Kisuke, holding the shovel up triumphantly. "Kisuke! Look! I found it! I found my shovel!"

Kisuke reached out and patted Ishiku gently on the head. "So you did,"

Ichigo rubbed his sore nose as stalked over to the cheerful Ishiku. "Hey! You should really take better care of your stuff before you go around hurting people!" he snapped.

Ishiku blinked as he was unfazed. "But I didn’t hurt somebody," he stated, pointing the tip of his shovel at Ichigo's reddening face. "So isn’t that advice is kinda void now? Also I didn't really hurt you, the shovel did."

Ichigo's eye twitched but before he could retort, Rukia stepped between them. "Enough! Both of you! We get it your both pretty so can we get back to the matter at hand."

Ichigo took a deep breath. She was right. He shot one last glare at Ishiku. "Fine. I'll deal with you later."

"You think I'm pretty :3 !" Ishiku said with stars in his eyes.

"I… eh… yeah let's go with that." Rukia said as her sarcasm clearly didn't get through to the white haired boy.

Kisuke, seeing the focus return, nodded. "Right. Back on track." He turned to the glass wall and placed his palm on it. The hidden seam reappeared, and the section of glass slid open once more. "Orihime, whenever you're ready."

Orihime took a steadying breath, her hands clasped together. "Alright."

"A word of advice." Kisuke added. "The moment you finish, I want you to turn and run back through this opening. Don't hesitate. She might still have some embers of her power."

Ichigo's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

Kisuke looked genuinely surprised. "You mean you didn't figure it out?" He glanced at their blank, confused expressions. "Ah. I suppose it wasn't immediately obvious." He adjusted his hat. "When Yhwach was defeated, the access to the source of the Sternritters' power was burnt out. Like a dying flame you could say."

A collective look of surprise passed over the group. Chad nodded slowly. "That sounds like good news for us."

"In most cases, yes," Kisuke agreed. "But it presents two problems. The first is I can no longer study how Schrifts functioned or if they could be replicated without a living linchpin. A personal downside, as I said."

His gaze then turned back to the unconscious Bambietta. "The second problem is her. We have no idea if she completely lost hers. For all we know, there could still be embers. So," Kisuke concluded, his voice low. "Heal her quickly. And then get out. Prepare for the worst."

Orihime looked at Kisuke and gave a single, determined nod.

"Okay. I'm ready. Just let me fix this first."

Her eyes then drifted upward to the gaping hole in the ceiling, "Sōten Kisshun", she thought. Two of her fairies, Shun'ō and Ayame, materialized from her hairpins. Both of them went over the edges of the hole and as they used their power, chunks of concrete and twisted rebar floated upwards, knitting themselves back together. Within moments, the ceiling was whole again.

"Just… needed to do that" Orihime said kinda nervously.

She then turned her focus inward, pumping her fists slightly by her sides. "You can do this, Orihime! You won't get blown up! You won't!"

She looked at Kisuke, "I'm going in."

Kisuke gave a curt nod. "Alright. Everyone, back up once more. Just in case."

Ichigo, Rukia, and Chad immediately pressed themselves against the far wall. Ishiku, after a moment of mimicking them followed suit. Kisuke remained near the control panel, his hand resting on the glass.

With a soft hum, a section of the barrier just wide enough for a person to pass slid open. Orihime stepped through.

The first thing Orihime did was approach the bed. She carefully pulled the blanket down again, exposing the horrific damage to Bambietta.

Steeling herself, Orihime raised her hands. "I reject!"

Sōten Kisshun formed as a dome of golden light that enveloped the destroyed area of Bambietta's body. The bandages and plastic tubing all seemed to dissolve into golden dust and for one second, Bambietta's internal organs were exposed to the open air. Then, her bone, muscle, and flesh regrow slowly. Bambietta's face even started to tighten up.

As Orihime was working her magic, Ichigo turned to Kisuke to ask the man a question.

"Alright, Kisuke. Explain. What's the real deal with them?" He jerked his thumb toward the unconscious Bambietta. "All of them."

Rukia nodded, her arms crossed. "Yes. We deserve to know everything you can tell us. No more secrets or half-answers."

Kisuke sighed, tapping his folded fan against his chin. "Very well. But it's not a pretty story." He gestured with the fan toward Bambietta. "During the war, a number of the Sternritter were exposed to a... let's call it a spiritual contaminant. They underwent a process similar to what Shinji and the other Visoreds endured."

"Bambietta here," Kisuke continued, "was patient zero. She was the first to transform. We know this because she was in the worst shape when we found her. She went on a rampage and the infection spread from her. Soon, the many other Sternritters began to transform as well. Any lower level Quincies were killed on exposure."

He shook his head, a rare look of genuine bafflement on his face. "How a Quincy could even survive Hollowfication, let alone how it started... I have no definitive answers. Their very souls should have torn themselves apart."

Rukia then chimed in. "But they seem... normal now. Or, as normal as they can be. How?"

"That's the other mystery," Kisuke admitted. "The transformation wasn't permanent. It subsided after a while, but tons of Hollow reiryoku is still within them and it left them fundamentally altered. And weaker. That's why I need to study them."

Ichigo's eyes flicked to Ishiku, who was now fidgeting with his figures. "Okay. Then what's his deal?" Ichigo asked, pointing at Ishiku.

Ishiku opened his mouth but Kisuke's hand shot out, clamping over the boy's mouth. "Mmph! Mmmph!"

"Even though he looks and feels like a Shinigami," Kisuke said calmly, "Ishiku is actually a Mod-Soul."

"Like Kon." Chad stated

Kisuke nodded his head. "Correct but also another Mod-Soul you're all familiar with." His eyes met Ichigo's.

A name clicked into place in Ichigo's mind. "... Nozomi." he said quietly.

Kisuke gave a single nod, finally releasing a pouting Ishiku. "Exactly. Ishiku is a Mod-Soul, in-fact he’s one of the most advanced and stable I've ever created. A true masterpiece of spiritual engineering." He reached out and pinched Ishiku's cheek playfully.

"Hey! Stop it!" Ishiku whined, swatting at Kisuke's hand.

Kisuke just chuckled, not letting go. "I made him for a very specific purpose." He finally released the boy's reddened cheek. "Ishiku was designed to watch over Bambietta during her rehabilitation."

Everyone stared, utterly confused.

Ichigo was the first to find his voice. "You made him? This wimp?" he asked, incredulous. "To babysit her?" He pointed at the volatile Quincy.

Ishiku instantly puffed out his chest. "I'm not a wimp!" he declared, though the effect was completely ruined by the adorable, angry pout on his face.

Kisuke just smiled enigmatically, fan waving. "I'm not going to spoil the surprise. You'll see."

Ichigo's shoulders slumped in frustration. "Kyoraku promised no more secrets!"

Kisuke brought his fan up to cover the lower half of his face. "Ah, but Ichigo," he said, his voice a sly whisper. "I'm not Kyoraku."

"Guys! I'm done!"

Everyone turned to look and on the other side of the glass, Orihime was wiping a bead of sweat from her brow, a tired but triumphant smile on her face.

Their eyes were immediately drawn to Bambietta. Her gaping wound was gone and in its place was her original flesh, the only trace of her wound being a single scar that ran diagonally across her left waist and hip. Her breathing now seemed more natural.

"She's still unconscious," Orihime reported. "I think her body was using all its energy just to keep her alive. Now that it's healed, maybe she'll wake up soon."

Kisuke gave a delighted clap, holding up a fan with a large 'O' printed on it. "One hundred percent correct, Orihime! A perfect diagnosis! Now, if you would please return to our side. Swiftly."

Orihime nodded and hurried back to the opening in the glass. The moment she stepped through, it sealed shut behind her. She leaned against the wall, exhaling deeply. "Whew. That took a lot out of me."

Ichigo rubbed his eyes, feeling tired himself. "Kisuke, just open the Senkaimon, will you? I think we all just need to go home and sleep for a week."

"Of course, of course," Kisuke said agreeably, already raising his zanpakutō. "I'll stay here and keep an eye on Miss Bombthrower for a bit. I also need to get Ishiku and his siblings prepared for the rehabilitation program."

Ichigo, who had been halfway to the spot where the portal would open, froze. He slowly turned his head, his eyes narrowing. "...Siblings? You made more Mod-Souls?"

"But of course!" Kisuke said. "One for every Sternritter! You'd think I've given one special treatment."

Orihime's eyes lit up with genuine interest. "Oh! Where are they? I'd love to meet them!"

Kisuke's gaze slid to Ichigo. A sly smile spread across his lips. "Well, Ichigo, you should know where they are."

Ichigo's brain, fogged by fatigue, worked for a second. Then, the color drained from his face. "...No."

Kisuke's smile widened. "Oh, yes."

"WHY?" Ichigo roared, lunging forward and grabbing fistfuls of Kisuke's green haori. "Why is it ALWAYS my room?!"

Kisuke remained unperturbed, patting Ichigo's white-knuckled hands. "It's a very convenient, spiritually neutral location! Now, now, no need for hysterics."

"Open. The. Gate." Ichigo growled through clenched teeth.

Kisuke chuckled and complied. "Unlock."

The crimson-edged Senkaimon tore open. Without another word, Ichigo stormed through it. Chad gave a weary sigh and followed him.

Rukia shook her head, a small, exasperated smile on her face. "Some things never change." She stepped through after Chad.

Orihime moved to follow but paused when she saw Ishiku trotting happily behind her.

"Are you coming with us?" she asked.

"Yep!" Ishiku chirped. "I wanna see this fabled room everyone's so upset about! It sounds fun! Plus I'm hungry."

Orihime couldn't help but laugh at his enthusiasm. "Okay then. After you." She gestured for him to go ahead. Ishiku went through the portal with a cheerful whoop, and Orihime followed, the Senkaimon shutting behind them.

"Well," he said to himself, adjusting his hat. "Better make this quick." He took one last look through the glass at Bambietta, ensuring her vitals were stable.

"Can't wait to see how they are settling in. This should be entertaining." Kisuke said to himself as he continued to work.

The Senkaimon deposited the group right outside the Kurosaki Clinic. Ichigo immediately made a break for the front door, knowing Kisuke invited unwanted guests into his room.

"Ichigo!" Rukia snapped, grabbing the back of his shihakushō and yanking him back. "You're in your Soul Form! Your body is upstairs!"

Ichigo skidded to a stop. "Oh. Right." He looked around, his eyes landing on his still-open bedroom window, the same one Rukia used to break in hours earlier. "Alright, plan B. Rukia and I will go in through the window. I'll get back in my body, you get in your gigai. You guys," he said, nodding to Orihime, Chad, and Ishiku, "just sit tight for a sec."

Without waiting for a response, Ichigo crouched and then launched himself upward, with him landing perfectly on his windowsill. He glanced down at his friends on the road below and gave a thumbs-up.

It was then that two arms shot out from his room. They moved with shocking speed, grabbing Ichigo by the shoulders and yanking him inside. The window slammed shut.

Everyone on the ground stared, stunned.

"ICHIGO!" Rukia yelled. Without hesitation, she replicated his jump, landing on the windowsill. "What's going on in-GYAH!"

Another pair of arms reached out and dragged Rukia into the room. The window slammed shut again.

Orihime's hands flew to her mouth. "Oh my goodness!" She knew Isshin Kurosaki was prone to bizarre, over-the-top antics, but he usually only targeted Ichigo. Dragging Rukia into it was new.

"Let's... let's use the door," Chad stated.

Yeah that's… a good idea…" Orihime said, almost stumbling on her words.

Chapter Text

Orihime led the way with Chad and Ishiku following her to Ichigo's home.

"Wow, so this is where Ichigo lives?" Ishiku whispered, "Kisuke talks about it a lot."

Orihime then climbed the steps to the clinic entrance and knocked.

A moment later, the door swung open to reveal Karin.

"Mmph? Oh, hey Orihime. Hey Chad," she mumbled, then her eyes went over to Ishiku, who was trying to peer around Chad's broad frame. "...Who's the new guy?"

Ishiku popped into view. "I'm Ishiku! I'm kinda new here!"

Orihime gave a slightly nervous wave. "Hello, Karin. Is... everything okay?."

"Hey," she said. "Everything's fine. Yuzu's being weird, but that's pretty normal nowadays."

Orihime offered a hesitant smile. "Oh, that's good! Um, we were hoping to see Ichigo-kun? Is it okay if we come in?"

"Sure, no problem," Karin said, stepping aside. "He's probably in his room. Though just a heads-up, Yuzu's running around claiming he's been kidnapped. I really don't know what's up with her."

Orihime and Chad exchanged a puzzled look.

"O-oh, I'm sure it's nothing!" Orihime said with forced cheer as she slowly stepped inside. Chad and Ishiku followed suit, the latter looking around with curiosity.

Karin then plopped back onto the living room couch without a care in the world.

The trio made their way upstairs. When they reached the top, they found Yuzu pressed against Ichigo's door with a cup held tightly to her ear. She was so focused she didn't hear them approach.

Orihime cleared her throat softly. "Yuzu? What are you doing?"

Yuzu jumped, spinning around with her eyes wide.

"Orihime! Chad!" she whispered urgently. "It's Ichigo! He's been taken!"

"Taken?" Orihime repeated, playing along for now.

"By a ghost!" Yuzu declared, her voice dropping to a whisper. "He went all limp earlier, you know, like his soul left his body? So I went to make him some food for when he came back, he's always hungry after that, but when I came back, the door was locked! And Karin said she didn't do it!" She pointed an accusing finger at the door. "Ichigo only locks his door when he's getting changed, and it's been over an hour! He's either been kidnapped, or he's turned into a nudist!"

"I mean she ain't far from the truth…" Orihime thought to herself before speaking.

"Is... is your dad home? Maybe he knows something?"

Yuzu shook her head. "No, he left a little while ago, he said he was going to see a friend at the hospital. I hope they're okay."

——————————————

"Achoo!"

"Someone must be talking about you Ryuken." Isshin commented jokingly, putting his hands behind his head.

"Oh shut it. You don't even have the manners to say bless you. " Ryuken snapped back, mad that Isshin once again is in his place of work just to bother him.

——————————————

That sealed it. Orihime looked at Chad, she forced a calm, reassuring smile for Yuzu's sake. "Yuzu, don't worry. Chad and I will check on him. I'm sure everything's fine. Ichigo is just… being extra Ichigo-ish today."

Yuzu looked at her for a moment, then nodded. "Okay… I'll be downstairs if you need me." She turned to leave, then paused, noticing Ishiku for the first time. "Oh! Hello. Who are you?"

Ishiku beamed, giving a little wave. "I'm Ishiku! I know Ichigo, but he probably wouldn't call me a friend yet. More like… an acquaintance!"

Yuzu blinked. "...Okay. Do you guys want anything? A snack? Some tea?"

Chad nodded. "Tea would be good. Thank you, Yuzu. We've had a… long day."

"I'll get it ready," Yuzu said, offering a small smile before heading down the stairs.

The moment she was gone, Orihime approached the door and knocked firmly. "Ichigo? Rukia? Are you in there?!"

There was no answer but it wasn't an empty silence. Orihime pressed her ear to the wood and held her breath. She could hear faint, shuffling movements on the other side. Someone, or something, was definitely in there.

She tried the handle, twisting and pulling with all her might. The lock didn't even jiggle.

Frustrated, she turned to Chad. "Chad, can you try? Please?"

"I could probably break it," he admitted. "But Ichigo would be angry if I broke his door. It's his space."

Orihime let out a soft sigh, rubbing the back of her neck. "Yeah that's probably a good idea…"

"You're right," she conceded, her shoulders slumping slightly. "We can't just break in. But… we have to know they're okay."

"I might be able to open it," Ishiku said. "Without any collateral damage."

Orihime blinked. "Collateral damage? Such a big word."

"What do you mean, Ishiku? What's up your sleeve?"

Ishiku didn't answer directly. Instead, he turned his head. "Karin and Yuzu... they're just normal humans, right? Not like you guys?"

Orihime nodded, confused. "Yes, they are."

Ishiku nodded back. He looked at Chad. "Excuse me, Chad, can you keep a lookout? Make sure they don't come up the stairs and see this."

Chad, ever reliable, positioned himself at the top of the staircase, blocking the view from below with his body. "Alright."

Satisfied, Ishiku dropped to his knees in front of the door and held up his right hand,

"Okay," he muttered to himself. "Just like Kisuke taught me." He took a deep breath.

Orihime gasped softly. Before her eyes, a sixth finger sprouted from the side of Ishiku's palm. Then a seventh, and an eighth, the digits elongating and thinning out like strands of clay.

"Ishiku... what are you doing?" Orihime whispered.

"Unlocking the door," he grunted. He carefully slid the mass of elongated fingers underneath the narrow gap between the door and the floor. They slithered out of sight. "The mechanism is simple... just a basic latch... gotta find the little lock thingy..."

He closed his eyes. A few seconds later, his eyes snapped open.

Click

"Got it!"

Ishiku let out a sigh of relief and began to pull his hand back. As it emerged from under the door, Orihime and Chad stared. His arm ended in a fleshy mass of a dozen or more slender fingers, all retracting back into his skin. They folded and merged until his hand was back to its normal, five-fingered state. He shook it out as if it had fallen asleep.

"See?" he said, grinning up at them, completely oblivious to their shock. "No collateral damage."

Orihime could only stare, she was shocked by what Ishiku did and though she wanted to ask him about it, knowing if Ichigo and Rukia are okay was far more important. She finally went over and opened the door.

She was greeted with Ichigo and Rukia lying side-by-side on the bed, seemingly in a deep, peaceful sleep. They were even tucked in neatly.

"Wh… what. This is no time for them to doze off?"

Orihime was so hyperfocused on the scene she was shocked when a hand gently touched her shoulder from behind.

Orihime yelped, jumping back and spinning around. Standing there was a girl she had never seen before. She looked to be about their age, with long, blue hair that faded into stark white at the tips that was put into a long ponytail, running down to her waist. She wore a modified shihakushō, but unlike Ishiku's, hers had deep blue sleeves. Her eyes were a piercing blue, and a single hairpin shaped like a water drop in her hair, most likely for style.

"Who are you?" Orihime demanded, her voice sharper than usual. "Why are you in Ichigo's room?"

The blue-haired girl held up her hands in a placating gesture. "Whoa, easy there. I'm not here to steal anything, promise." She gave a nonchalant shrug. "I just got bored waiting around at Mr. Urahara's candy shop. Figured I'd come pay the famous Ichigo Kurosaki a visit. See what all the fuss is about."

Before Orihime could process this, The girl took a quick step back and yanked open the closet door. "Turns out, the guy in here was an imposter."

Crammed inside the closet was Ichigo's real body, slumped over and tightly bound in bedsheets, his mouth gagged. Beside him, on a shelf, was a large glass jar. Inside, Kon was pounding his little plushie hands against the glass, his screams of protest completely silenced by the airtight jar.

The girl gestured into the closet with a thumb. "We found this little guy first, trying to pilot the main body. Had to put him in timeout. Then the real one and the shortstack showed up by the window." She jerked her head towards the sleeping Ichigo and Rukia on the bed. "So we put them down for a nap."

Orihime stared, her mind reeling. Then all the puzzle pieces started to fit in.

"You're one of Urahara Mod-Souls, aren't you?" Orihime asked.

The blue-haired girl looked mildly impressed. "Got it in one. Name's Aqua. How'd you figure it out so fast?"

"Urahara told us… well, he told us mostly everything," Orihime explained, the 'mostly' doing a lot of heavy lifting.

Just then, Chad stepped fully into the room. His eyes first scanned the room, landing on the sleeping forms of Ichigo and Rukia on the bed. "What happened here?"

A moment later, Ishiku squeezed past Chad. The moment he saw Aqua, his face lit up with delight. He raised his arm in a cheerful, exaggerated wave. "Hello, Aqua!"

Aqua's face softened when she saw Ishiku. She slowly sauntered over to him. "I knew that had to be you with those creepy fingers under the door," she said, a smirk on her lips. Before Ishiku could react, she reached out and vigorously ruffled his pristine white hair.

"Hey! Stop it!" Ishiku yelped, trying to bat her hands away. But Aqua was quicker, easily wrapping him into a headlock and continuing her assault on his hair. "No! Not the hair! I try so hard to keep it nice!"

After a moment of struggling, Ishiku managed to pop his head free, stumbling back a few steps. He immediately began frantically smoothing down his hair. "Look what you did…"

Aqua put a hand on her hip, completely unfazed. "Oh, relax. All you need is a little conditioner and you'll be fine. It's not the end of the world."

Orihime, seeing the dynamic between them, gently tapped Aqua on the shoulder. "So, Aqua is your name?"

"That's me," Aqua confirmed, turning her attention back to Orihime. She then gestured with her thumb toward the still-pouting Ishiku. "And I'm this goofball's oldest sibling." She paused, then clarified with a casual wave of her hand. "Well, we're not true siblings. We were just created and raised together. So it's basically the same thing."

Chad then gestured toward Ichigo and Rukia. "How did you do this? They were awake and struggling just minutes ago. We saw them."

Aqua, looking thoroughly unimpressed, stretched the back of her neck. "Oh yeah that." She strolled over to Ichigo's bed and dropped to her knees. With a tug, she yanked the bedsheet upward.

"Alright, we're caught. Get out," she commanded.

There was rustling from the bed. Two figures untangled themselves and crawled out, while a third remained. Aqua's face turned into a scowl. She reached under, grunting with the effort. "Damn, you're heavy…" she muttered, straining as she dragged the third person out by their arms. She unceremoniously deposited the limp form against the wall, where they slumped over, still completely unconscious.

Orihime, her eyes wide, took in the two new individuals. They also wore the distinctive, modified shihakushō. "Are you… also Mod-Souls that Urahara made?" she asked.

The first one, a guy with spiky black hair streaked with yellow highlights and amber eyes. The sleeves of his shihakushō were bright yellow. He gave a wide yawn and stretched his arms over his head. "Yep. Name's Volta," he said relaxingly.

Orihime put her hand out for a shake, but the second Mod-Soul zipped forward and enthusiastically grabbed Orihime's hand, pumping it up and down violently.

"Hi-hi-hello! I'm Chrysanthemum! It's so, so, SO nice to meet you!" she chirped. She had long pink hair that nearly brushed the floor, bright, ruby-red eyes, and warm tan skin. Her positive energy was practically buzzing in the air.

Orihime, slightly overwhelmed, tried to reciprocate. "It's nice to meet you too, uh… Chris-an… Chrys-an-thee…. Chrys-an-thuh-mum?"

Chrysanthemum beamed. "You're so close! But Chrys is fine!"

"Okay, Chrys! It's very nice to meet you!" Orihime agreed with a relieved smile.

Seemingly unable to stand still, Chrys then zipped over to Chad. She grabbed his large hand and shook it with the same violent enthusiasm. "Whoa! You're Yasutora Sado! I thought you'd be… I dunno, bigger? But you're plenty big! Hi!"

Chad, completely taken off guard, simply nodded. "…Hello."

Finally, Chrys turned over to Ishiku. "And hey there, Ishiku!"

Ishiku, who had been quietly fixing his hair, gave a small, friendly wave. "Hey, Chrys. Didn't think you'd show up."

Orihime's gaze followed Aqua's to the slumbering figure propped against the wall. It was a girl, in a shihakushō that was several sizes too large with dark red sleeves and the loose-fitting garment did little to conceal her. Her hair was a medium teal, all messy with bedhead, and her entire face was obscured by a gas mask, its glass lenses so dark Orihime couldn't see any of her facial features.

Hesitantly, Orihime approached Aqua, who was standing over the girl with a look of impatience. "Who… who is she?" Orihime whispered.

Aqua didn't take her eyes off the sleeping girl. "This is Somnia. And she's fallen asleep. Again." She finally glanced at Orihime. "She's also the one who's gonna wake your friends up."

"How do we wake her up?" Orihime asked.

"Oh, that's the hard part." She raised her voice, addressing everyone in the room. "Alright, everyone! Stand clear! Give me some room!"

Orihime, Chad, Ishiku, Volta, and Chrys all shuffled to the far side of the room, near the door. Aqua positioned herself a few feet from the still-sleeping Somnia, who was now softly snoring again behind her mask.

Aqua planted her feet, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. She raised both hands, palms facing Somnia. The air in front of her palms shimmered, coalescing into two swirling orbs of water.

With a sudden, sharp motion, Aqua thrust her palms forward and a jet of water shot across the room, hitting Somnia square in the chest.

"Gyah!" a muffled yelp came from Somnia as she was jolted violently awake. Her arms flailed up instinctively, trying to shield herself from the water coming her way. Water splashed everywhere, soaking her clothes and body

"Finally you're up." Aqua stated as the torrent of water weakened to a trickle and then ceased. Droplets pattered onto the now-damp floor. Somnia lowered her arms, her shoulders heaving as she caught her breath.

Somnia rose to her feet, her oversized shihakushō clinging to her and dripping water onto the floorboards. "Aqua... what was that for!?"

"You were in dreamland again," Aqua replied, hands on her hips. "We need the Shinigami awake. Now."

Somnia stretched her arms in front of her before speaking. "Acknowledged. Once I'm done I'll return to my nap. I was having a good dream, you know." She then began to shake herself vigorously sending droplets flying.

"Whoa, hey!" Aqua yelped, stepping back and holding up her hands. "Cut that out! You're... you're going to show everything!"

Somnia froze mid-shake. There was a moment of processing. "You're right. Could you…" Somnia then let out a yawn. "Ahhh… Could you dry me off please…"

"Fine, I'll try," Aqua said, a little flustered. She held her palm out towards Somnia. She closed her eyes, and tendrils of water began to rise from Somnia's soaked clothing and body. The water flowed through the air into a spherical bubble of water forming above Aqua's palm.

Orihime watched with fascination. "Aqua, that's amazing! You can control water! That's so cool!"

Aqua's cheeks flushed a light pink at the praise. "T-thanks. It's just... manipulating water molecules. I'm not very good at controlling the pressure or the volume yet." The floating bubble wobbled precariously

Volta strolled over, his hands tucked behind his head. "Yeah, not very good is an understatement. You nearly drowned her."

"It was a controlled stream!" Aqua retorted. "Look I'm sorry! I really am." She now held a basketball-sized orb of water, sloshing gently above her hand. "Okay, everybody move. Coming through."

She carefully maneuvered across the room. Reaching the window, she used her free hand to slide it open and unceremoniously let the water bubble drop and it fell to the street then slid the window shut.

Orihime, ever curious, turned her attention to the other Mod-Souls. "That was incredible, Aqua! What can the rest of you do?"

Chrys then stepped forward. "Ooh, ooh! Wouldn't it be more fun to find out as we go? Like a surprise!" she chirped.

Orihime considered this, her head tilting. She then looked to the large, still-wet patch on the floor where Somnia had been drenched. "You know, that's a good point. But maybe we should save them... controlled environment."

Before the conversation could continue, Somnia shuffled slowly towards the bed. With some effort, she climbed onto the mattress and positioned herself first over Rukia, who was still out cold.

Somnia began to slowly spin her index finger just above Rukia's mouth. After a moment, Rukia's mouth opened slightly and a wisp of violet smoke drifted out, coalescing into a small cloud above her face. The moment the smoke left her body, Rukia's eyes slowly started to open.

Somnia paid her no mind. She simply crawled over to Ichigo and began the same strange process.

Rukia, now mostly conscious, sat on the edge of the bed, clutching her chest. Her eyes scanned the room, landing on the group. "Wha... What happened? Who are you people?"

Aqua sauntered over her. "Good morning, Sleeping Beauty."

Rukia was confused, still a bit disoriented. "Who are you?"

Aqua ignored the question, instead nodding toward Ichigo. "Don't worry, strawberry is awake too."

"Strawberry?" Rukia repeated, baffled. She turned her head just as Ichigo began to stir.

Somnia, now holding two small, swirling clouds of purple smoke in her palms, closed her fists. The vapors dissipated into nothingness. "Alright my work is done. Night night." With that, she went completely limp, collapsing directly on top of Ichigo.

Ichigo's eyes fluttered open. The first thing he registered was a weight on his face and soon realized it was a girl's chest being pressed against his face. His brain, still fuzzy, short-circuited.

"WHA—?!" he yelled, his face turning bright red. He shoved the unconscious Somnia off of him with a heave. She rolled to the side, landing on the mattress, still fast asleep. Ichigo scrambled to his feet, his heart hammering. He looked around and saw tons of people he didn't know in his room.

"What the hell happened?!" Ichigo demanded.

Rukia, rubbing her temples, was equally lost. "Yeah what's going on…!"

Orihime stepped forward, her hands raised in a placating gesture. "From what we understand, you were both taken by Urahara new Mod-Souls! They put you to sleep. But... I'm not really that informed myself..."

Ichigo ran a hand down his face, the exhaustion of the day, both physical and mental, crashing down on him all at once. "Look, it's... great to see you guys, but everyone needs to get out of my room. Now."

Aqua, completely unfazed by his anger, strolled right up to him. "Urahara said he wants to see you after school tomorrow. For a proper introduction." She gave a lazy shrug. "Consider this the pre-show."

Ichigo's eyes twitched. "If you were gonna meet me tomorrow, why break into my room today?!"

Chrys popped up from behind Aqua, beaming. "We thought it would be funny!"

A low, guttural sound emanated from Ichigo's throat. "I'm gonna have a long talk with Kisuke tomorrow… a real long talk."

"Today has been information overload. I'm heading out." Chad stated, clearly out of it.

"Right. We're leaving too," Aqua said. She walked over to the bed and, with a bit of effort, hoisted the still-unconscious Somnia bridal style. "Besides," she added, a smirk, "we can now officially say we captured Ichigo Kurosaki. That's a good bragging right."

Before anyone could protest, Aqua strode to the window, shoved it open, and leapt out.

"Wait for me!" Chrys cheered, diving out after her.

"See yall." Volta gave a quick two-fingered salute and followed.

Ishiku was the last to go. He paused at the windowsill, turning back to offer a cheerful wave. "Bye bye!" And then he, too, was gone.

Orihime let out a long breath. "We should all rest up before tomorrow."

"Yeah... yeah, you're right," Ichigo mumbled, sinking onto the edge of his bed. "I'm just... gonna take the rest of the day to think."

"That is an excellent idea," Rukia declared. She turned to Orihime and Chad. "I can escort you both home. It will be faster."

Before they could agree or refuse, Rukia grabbed Orihime and Chad, one under each arm.

"W-wait, Rukia-!" Orihime managed to squeak out.

"Hang on," Chad scrambled.

But it was too late. Rukia sprinted for the window and launched herself into the street. The wind whipped past them as she landed on a nearby rooftop and began leaping from building to building at breakneck speed.

Ichigo lay motionless on his bed, the day's events going over him in an exhausting wave.

"Quincies, Mod-Souls… Things are really gonna get busy from now on.." He thought to himself. He turned his head and saw the mess of water on the floor. He shot up realizing there was a mess.

"Where did that come from!?"

But unseen, Yuzu was couching by the door with a plate of tea resting on the floor. It was left a bit open so she could both listen and see into the room. She stood their motionless, having no idea how to process what she just saw.

Chapter Text

Bambietta groaned as her consciousness returned. She noticed she was suffering a throbbing headache behind her eyes. She squeezed them shut for a moment before forcing them open. The world her then came into focus, but it was all wrong.

"Where...?" she mumbled. This wasn't the Wandenreich or the Soul Society. It was Karakura Town. She noticed the homes and streets and instantly recognized the environment. The realization hit her with a fresh wave of confusion. "Why am I here?"

Pushing herself up, she winced as a sharp pain shot through her leg. She must have injured it in the fight. Clumsily, she got to her feet, putting her weight onto her good leg as she tried to get her bearings. The silence was the first thing she noticed. It was too quiet. And the sky... it was night, but the sky was pitch black and there were no stars or even the moon in sight. The windows in the buildings around were also off as they were blackout as well, making it impossible to see the insides of the homes.

Hobbling forward, she tried to piece together her memories before this. It was like grabbing at smoke. "Alright what happened….. I defeated Shinji Harako…. I beat… the doggy captain…. Then I was sent flying…. then….. Giselle."

The memory surfaced, clear as day. A wave of nausea wracked Bambietta's body. She stumbled against a wall, dry heaving, the horror of what happened sinking in. "She tried to... she tried to turn me into one of her... her puppets," she whispered to the empty street. "I thought... I thought we were friends."

The nausea curdled into a cold, sharp panic that went into her lungs. "Am I a zombie? Is this what being dead feels like?" Bambietta started to panic as her mind raced down what happened to her but a biting freezing breeze shot up her spine that made her blood turn cold..

A wall of liquid darkness was rolling down the street. It was swallowing the buildings and cars into itself as if they were being erased.

"Run," her mind screamed. She tried, pushing off the wall, but her injured leg gave way, sending a spike of pain through her whole body. She could only manage a frantic hobble with each step being a struggle. "Come on, come on, you're gonna die!" her mind yelled, begging her to continue her escape.

As she desperately tried to get away her foot caught on a piece of rubble. Time seemed to slow as she fell, her hands scraping against the rough pavement. She tried to push herself up, to crawl, but it was too late. The darkness touched her feet. As it crawled up her the parts they were covered went numb and Bambietta lost all feeling in was like a part of her was simply ceasing to exist. She watched, helpless, as the void crept up her legs, past her waist, over her chest. It was at her neck when a final, defiant thought, born of pure, selfish will, flashed through her.

"I can't die like this. Not here. Not after everything….."

The darkness then closed over her head, and Bambietta then stopped thinking as her mind was consumed..

"AHHHHHHHHHHH NOOOOOO!" Bambietta yelled and thrashed her limbs fighting against the darkness. Her eyes then flew open and she realized she wasn't where she had been before.

She was in a bed. A clean, white hospital bed wearing a soft gown was draped over her. Some sunlight went into the room she was in from a window to her right.

"Oh…. It was a nightmare…." Bambietta said to herself quietly. It had just been a nightmare. A horrible nightmare indeed.

She tried to sit up further, to get a better look out that window, but a metallic rattle stopped her. She looked down. Her wrists were encased in thick, padded cuffs, chained to the rails of the bed.

"What the hell are these?" she muttered. She pulled, pulling her whole weight against the restraints. The bed shook, but the cuffs didn't give an inch. A frantic kick confirmed her ankles were similarly bound to the bed as well.

Bambietta stopped and tried to remember the nightmare she had and she realized not everything was made up. She then started to recount everything she could remember again, knowing she was in the real world again.

"Okay I fought with and killed Shinji and Wan-Chan ... then… Giselle tried to kill me…."

The betrayal was a blow, worse than any wound. Her bound hands clenched the sheets, twisting the fabric until her knuckles were white. "After everything..." she whispered, the words trembling with both rage and sadness. "After everything we did for each other. And that roach tried to kill me the first chance she got!" Her voice rose to a shout, echoing in the room. "And the others... they just watched! Candice... Meninas... were we ever even friends?! Was everything you all told me a F*CKING LIE!"

The door then slowly opened. A Shinigami woman stood there, a clipboard in her hand. Her eyes widened the second they met Bambietta's gaze. Without a word, the woman gasped and slammed the door shut. From the hallway Bambietta heard her running and calling out to someone, "SHE'S AWAKE! CAPTAIN! SHE'S AWAKE!"

"What on earth?!" Bambietta's attention then snapped back to the window. She strained against her cuffs. Past the glass, she could see the Seireitei, with many of the buildings in ruins with construction going on everywhere she could see.

"What the hell am I doing here?!"

Ichigo trudged down the hallway beside Orihime, his shoulders slumped and his eyes shadowed. "Are you okay, Ichigo?" Orihime asked. "You look really tired. How was your night?"

Ichigo let out a long sigh, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "I fell asleep super early. Woke up even earlier. Just... couldn't get back to sleep." His mind was a jumble of everything he was told yesterday, making sleep very difficult.

Orihime nodded sympathetically. "I fell asleep early too! But I made a special drink this morning to help me stay awake and focused."

Ichigo blinked, pulling himself from his thoughts. "A special drink? What are you talking about?"

"Coffee," Orihime declared. "Lots and lots of coffee."

Before Ichigo could process what she said, they reached their classroom door. Orihime stopped abruptly. Ichigo paused, following her gaze into the room. "What's wrong?"

She bit her lip, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Uryu."

"Right," Ichigo muttered. "Just... act normal. Don't let on that anything's different. I hate keeping secrets but we have no choice."

Orihime gave a determined, if slightly nervous, nod. "Right. Act normal."

They entered the classroom, falling into their usual routines. Orihime made a beeline for Tatsuki while Ichigo slouched over to his desk, dropping his bag and resting his head on his arms.

A few minutes later, the classroom door slid open again. Uryu walked in. He, just like Ichigo's other friends, recovered well after the events of the war. The only thing remaining was a patch on his cheek.

"Morning," Ichigo grunted, lifting his head from his desk.

"Good morning, Uryu!" Orihime chirped.

"Good morning to you too." Uryu took his seat without another word, taking out his work for the day..

Just then, their homeroom teacher, Ms. Ochi entered the room, clapping her hands together. "Alright, everyone, settle down! Let's get started."

As she began the lesson, Ichigo found he couldn't focus on the lecture. He took a glance at Uryu before looking down. After everything that happened recently, trying to focus on his normal human life was getting harder and harder.

The only noises that came out of Bambietta's hospital room were the rattle of metal and Bambietta's ragged grunts as she threw her whole body against the restraints. Anger and fear were boiling within her. She focused inward, trying to summon a surge of Reishi but nothing came out of that.

"Why... why isn't it working?" she gasped aloud. She stared at the plain, grey cuffs, and the truth dawned on. "Oh." The fight drained out of her for a moment, her body going limp against the mattress. "Sekkiseki stone." The Sekkiseki stone cuffs on her wrists and ankles were absorbing her spiritual energy as fast as she could muster it. In the state she was in now she couldn't create enough to overpower it.

Her mind began to conjure the worst outcomes she could come up with. "An execution on Sōkyoku Hill or the rest of my life Muken." She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block those thoughts out.

"NEVER!" she snarled to the empty room. "Nothing is going to stop me!" With a renewed burst of adrenaline, she began thrashing again, pulling against the cuffs.

Then the door hissed open. Bambietta froze mid-struggle, her chest heaving.

Standing in the doorway was Sajin Komamura. He stepped inside and closed the door behind him and proceeded to lock it with a key before pulling away in his coat.

"Wan-Chan?!" Bambietta blurted out in disbelief. "You're... alive?!"

Komamura let out a long sigh, shaking his head as he brought a hand up to his face. "Yes," he rumbled. "I am alive."

"But... I blew you up!" she insisted, her mind reeling. "No one could have survived that!"

Komamura took a few steps closer to the bed. "I had attained a more powerful form during our battle," he explained. "It allowed me to endure and survive the aftermath."

Bambietta could only stare, her shock at seeing Komamura alive quickly curdled back into her usual belligerence. "Wait, hold on," she said, her brow furrowed in genuine confusion. "The last time I saw you, you were a man. A giant man, but a man! Now you're a doggy again. How does that even work? You need to pick one and stick to it!"

Komamura let out another sigh. He pulled a simple wooden chair closer to the bed and sat down. "That is... a complicated matter," he began, his voice low. "And I have a great deal to inform you of. But first, I must ask you a question."

Bambietta immediately turned her head away, a dismissive scowl on her face. "Tch. I'm not listening to a dumb dog or Shinigami. Whatever you're selling, I'm not buying."

"This is not an interrogation," Komamura stated calmly. "It is an offer. One I genuinely hope you will consider. You may even find it... agreeable."

That got her attention. She turned her head back, her eyes narrowed with suspicion. "An offer? What could you possibly want from me, Wan-Chan?"

"I truly wish she would stop calling me that." Komamura thought. Outwardly, he remained impassive. "The Gotei 13, under the directive of Head-Captain Kyoraku and with the permission of both Central 46 and Squad Zero, is initiating a new program. We are willing to offer you a chance at rehabilitation."

Bambietta let out a short laugh. "Rehabilitation? What does that even mean?"

"It means we are willing to give you a second chance," Komamura clarified. "A chance to live a life."

"And what if I say no?" she asked, her voice dropping to a more cautious tone.

"Then the traditional consequence for a war criminal of your stature will be carried out," Komamura answered without hesitation. "Execution."

Bambietta had a moment to think to herself. "So that's it. I'm a prisoner, and they want to use me. Make me a pet Quincy."

"Bend the knee now," she thought, "Play along. Put on a sweet smile, act like the perfect little convert. Let them think they've tamed me. And when their guard is down… I'll sneak out to the World of the Living. That's my ticket out. A free life."

She finally looked back at Komamura. "A second chance, huh?" she mused. "It does sound... interesting. Alright, Wan-Chan. I might bite. How would this little rehabilitation work?"

"Should you agree," Komamura explained, "you will be assigned to one of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. You will follow the orders of its Captain and integrate into its structure. Your actions will also be monitored closely."

Bambietta gave an awkward, jerky nod. "Alright, fine. So, who would I be stuck with? The noble guy? That mad scientist?"

Komamura pointed a finger directly at his own chestplate. "You would be assigned to my division. The Seventh."

For a moment, there was pure silence. Then, a loud, genuine laugh burst from Bambietta. "You?!" she wheezed. "I have to take orders from you, Wan-Chan? Are you serious?"

Komamura brought a hand up to rub the brow of his head. "I must insist you stop referring to me as a dog."

"But it's your best quality!" Bambietta retorted. "It's the only thing that makes you remotely interesting."

"Whatever," Komamura grumbled, deciding it was a waste of time to argue with her on this matter.. "You have a few hours to make your decision. You were... unavailable... during the meeting where the other surviving Sternritters made theirs."

Bambietta's grin vanished. Her body went rigid. "Other Sternritters?" she repeated.

"Yes," Komamura confirmed. "A number of your comrades also survived the war."

Her hands clenched the bedsheets again. "Were... were any of the other girls?" she asked.

"There are four others, I won't disclose who they are for safety reasons." Komamura said.

Bambietta's eyes were wide, staring at nothing. "Alright."

Komamura wisely chose not to push this topic further. He rose from the chair. "I will return in three hours for your answer. I hope you do consider it." He walked to the door, unlocked it, and stepped out into the hallway.

The moment the door clicked shut, Bambietta slumped back against the pillows, her hands curling into fists.

"So... those traitors lived."

Orihime carefully packed her things as the school day was finally over. Both her and Ichigo were quiet and kept themselves away from Uryu, which made Orihime have second thoughts. "We're being so mean. He's our friend. We just have to be really, really careful about what we say."

As she slung her bag over her shoulder, she nearly jumped out of her skin when Uryu appeared beside her desk.

"Hello, Orihime."

"Oh! Uryu! Hello!" she replied.

"You and Ichigo have been rather quiet today," he noted. "Is everything alright? You both seem... fatigued."

Orihime's mind went blank for a second before an excuse tumbled out. "We're feeling good! Just... tired! I needed more sleep, and Ichigo didn't get much either, so we're both just... really tired." She offered a wobbly smile.

"I see. What kept you both up? It's unlike you to forgo sleep without a reason."

Panic flooded Orihime's chest. "It was nothing! Really! I just, you know, messed up my sleep schedule! It's not a big deal!" she insisted, her voice rising. She began waving her hands in front of her in a wide arc. "It's not like I have something to hide or anything! Nope no secrets here! Everything is normal"

Uryu's eyebrow arched as his mind lingered on one of her comments.

"Wait…. Go back. What do you mean by secret," he stated.

"Oh um….. It just slipped out!" Orihime wailed, clutching her bag to her chest like a shield. "I didn't mean it! It was a figure of speech!"

Uryu studied her for a long moment, then let out a soft breath. "Very well. You and Ichigo should ensure you catch up on your rest. College will be here before we know it. You both need to be at your best."

"Yes! Absolutely! Rest! I'm going to go get some right now!" Orihime agreed frantically. She gripped her bag straps tightly and speedwalked towards the classroom door. "Bye, Uryu! See you tomorrow!"

Before he could even form a reply, she was gone.

Uryu stood alone in the classroom with his arms crossed. A deep frown settled on his face. "What in the world is she hiding?" he murmured to himself. "She is truly, phenomenally awful at keeping secrets."

Chapter Text

Orihime's heart was still beating hard in her chest as she power-walked away from the school. "That was way too close," she thought, "Maybe I should take the long way... just to be safe."

Deciding that a bit of prevention was worth it, she took an entirely unnecessary turn. She looped around blocks, passed the same park twice, and added a solid twenty minutes to her journey in case she was being followed.

Finally Kisuke's Candy Shop came into view. She hurried up to the door, only to see the Closed sign hanging front and center. Undeterred, she knocked firmly. "Kisuke? It's me, Orihime! I'm here!"

From inside, she heard a heavy, grinding sound, like something large was being drawn back. The then door slid open a moment later to reveal Ururu, who offered a small, polite bow.

"Hello," Ururu said softly. "The boss is expecting you."

"Hi, Ururu! My, you've gotten so big!"

A faint blush colored Ururu's cheeks. "Thank you," she murmured, stepping aside to let Orihime enter.

As she stepped into the shop, Orihime watched, wide-eyed, as Ururu turned and effortlessly picked up a massive wooden pillar, a barricade that was easily three times Orihime's height, and slid it smoothly into a heavy iron slot on the inside of the door.

"Wow," Orihime breathed. "Kisuke really wants to keep this under wraps, doesn't he?"

Ururu nodded. "He always locks the shop down when he's doing something important." She said softly.

Their conversation was interrupted by another series of knocks, followed by a familiar voice. "Hey! Kisuke! You in there? Open up!" It was Ichigo who sounded a bit irritated.

Without a word, Ururu moved back to the door. She gripped the enormous wooden pillar and lifted it out of its slot and set it gently on the floor, leaning it against the wall.

Ururu then slid the door open to reveal Ichigo and Chad standing on the doorstep. "Hello, Ichigo. Chad," she greeted them with her usual soft-spoken demeanor.

"Hey, Ururu," Ichigo grunted, stepping inside. Chad offered a silent nod as he followed.

Once they were both in, Ururu turned and hoisted the massive wooden pillar back into its slot.

Ichigo spotted Orihime and gave a jerk of his chin. "Sup Orihime."

"Hello, Ichigo! Chad!" Orihime replied.

"I went home to drop my school stuff off first," Ichigo explained. "I did the same," Chad added on.

"I... took a different route," Orihime admitted, wringing her hands slightly. "And, um... I think I might have let Uryu know that there's something going on."

Ichigo's face fell. "Oh, no. What do you mean?"

"I don't think he knows anything specific!" Orihime said quickly, her words tumbling out. "But I panicked a little when he asked why we were so tired, and I fuddled."

"Damn, well we better tell Kisuk-"

"Greetings!"

Kisuke strode right up to Ichigo from the backroom, cutting off Ichigo. "So, Ichigo! How was your first proper meeting with my little devils? Quite the handful, aren't they?"

Ichigo's eyes twitched. "Why does everyone keep going to my room?!"

"Why, because it's really, really funny," Kisuke snarked.

"Stay. Out. Of. My. Room," Ichigo ground out, his fist clenching.

Kisuke brought his fan up to cover the lower half of his face. "I'll... think about it."

Ichigo was about to retort when a Senkaimon tore open right beside the shop's counter.

The portal sealed shut just as Rukia and Renji stepped through. Kisuke snapped his fan shut as he noticed them. "Ah, Rukia, Renji! Right on time. I believe that makes everyone."

"Apologies if we're late," Rukia said.

Ichigo's eyes immediately locked onto Renji. "Renji. you knew about all this too?."

Renji held up his hands in a defensive gesture. "Whoa, easy, Ichigo! I just got read into this mess myself! Rukia just told me.

Chad, who had been observing quietly, stepped forward. "If that's the case, then we're all on the same level now."

Kisuke nodded, tapping his fan against his palm. "A very astute observation. A level playing field is best for what comes next."

Orihime, who had been peering around the shop with a curious expression, finally spoke up. "Um, Urahara? Where are Ishiku and Aqua and the others? I thought they'd be here."

"But of course!" Kisuke chirped. He gestured dramatically with his fan toward the back of the shop. "They're in the back, just having a bit of dinner."

Without another word, Ichigo, Chad, Rukia, and Renji moved toward the back room. Orihime hung back. She approached Kisuke, her hands clasped nervously.

"Urahara," she began, her voice low. "About Uryu... I really think he might be on to us. I was... not very smooth at school today."

Kisuke tapped his closed fan against his chin, brain storming. "That is... not ideal. But don't you worry your head about it." A glint entered his eyes. "I'll make sure our Quincy friend doesn't learn anything prematurely. It's simply too early for him to be brought into the fold."

Relieved, Orihime gave a small bow. "Thank you, Urahara." She then hurried after the others.

The moment she was gone, Kisuke's demeanor shifted. "Jinta!" he called out.

A moment later, Jinta trudged in from another room. "What's goin' on?"

"Could you get in position," Kisuke stated, pointing to a spot next to Ururu. Grumbling, Jinta shuffled over and stood beside her. Kisuke looked at them both.

"Listen carefully. There is a person of interest who cannot be allowed entry into this shop. Under any circumstances. Do you remember Uryi Ishida?"

Both young teens nodded. "The glasses guy," Jinta muttered.

"Good," Kisuke said. "If he shows up, your only task is to ensure he does not get inside. Use any non-lethal means necessary. Do you understand?"

"We understand, Boss," Ururu said softly, while Jinta gave a determined nod.

"Excellent," Kisuke said. Then, a smile crept back onto his face. "Ah, just one moment before you take your posts." He walked over to the main counter and bent down, retrieving two large, clumsily wrapped packages. He handed one to Ururu and Jinta respectively.

"I know it's not the season, but you've both made me immensely proud recently. I thought you deserved your presents early." He leaned in conspiratorially. "And I have a feeling they might just come in handy for your... new assignment."

Jinta and Ururu stared down at the packages, both of them bewildered.

"Go on, it's alright to open them," Kisuke encouraged.

Jinta didn't need to be told twice. He tore into the paper to reveal the object inside. As he saw what it was, a grin spread across his face. It was a regular sized baseball bat that was forged from a polished metal and was adorned with crimson flame decals running from the handle all the way to the top.

Ururu, in contrast, peeled the tape back gently and folded the paper back neatly, revealing a long, heavy case. Inside was a massive anti-material rifle. It was wrapped in white bandages which covered is platinum finish, and a single talisman was affixed to the stock, bearing the kanji 滅 - Destroy.

"Thank you, Boss," Ururu said calmly as she held her new armament in both arms..

"Whoa..." Jinta breathed, hefting the bat. "This is awesome!"

"Let's just say the weapons you've been using up to this point were merely training wheels. These are the real things."

Jinta's grin widened. "I can't wait to knock some heads in with this!"

Kisuke leaned in close, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Now, remember. These are our little secret. No need to go telling the others, alright? I don't have presents for everyone."

Straightening up, he turned and began walking towards the back room. As he reached the doorway, he paused and called over his shoulder.

"Oh, and one more thing. Try not to hurt the boy too much."

Bambietta's thoughts were a toxic whirlpool, pulling her back again and again to the faces of the other members of her squad and how it had all been a sick, elaborate lie.

"Everything they ever said to me," she seethed internally, her hands clenching and unclenching in their restraints. "Every time they said they had my back. Every time they said we were close, that we were in this until the end... it was all a lie."

A hot, conflicting pressure built behind her eyes and in her chest. Her body didn't know how to process the maelstrom of grief and rage she was feeling.

"When I see them again," she said outloud. "I will make them pay. Giselle, Candice, Meninas, Liltotto... I will make every single one of you pay for the lies. For the suffering."

Unbeknownst to her, just on the other side of the door, Komamura and Isane were speaking to each on the situation at hand. "...she has been muttering to herself for hours." Isane commented quietly.

"The betrayal by her comrades seems to weigh on her more than her capture by us." Komamura added on

Isane wrung her hands slightly, as she looked at Komamura.

"Captain Komamura," she began, her voice hesitant. "If... if I may ask... why are you being so... kind to her? After everything she did, I would have thought... well, that you of all people would be the most angry."

She immediately clasped her hands over her mouth, her eyes wide. "Oh! I'm so sorry, that was terribly rude of me to say!

Komamura let out a soft breath. "There is no need to apologize, Your logic is sound. Under different circumstances, you would likely be correct."

He looked down at his own hands, searching for the right words. "But the truth is... if it were not for her, I would not be standing here today."

Isane's confusion was plain on her face. "I don't understand. She nearly killed you."

"She did," Komamura agreed, "But in doing so, she helped me extinguish a burning feeling that had consumed me for a long time. A rage that was as self-destructive as it was powerful." He lifted his gaze to meet hers. "It is difficult to explain. I do not believe she even remembers the specifics of our battle, nor the choice I made during it. But I remember. And because of that... I see some good in that girl. A potential for something other than the rage that once defined her, just as it once defined me."

Isane listened, her initial judgment softening into understanding. She gave a slow, respectful nod. "I see. I will respect your judgment, Captain. I hope you and the other captain were right about all of this."

Chapter Text

The door to Bambietta's room was opened and Komamura stepped inside. Bambietta quickly jerked her head up, using her cuffed wrists to awkwardly scrub the lingering tears from her eyes.

"Bambietta," Komamura greeted. "You know why I am here."

Bambietta let out a derisive sniff, trying to mask her raw emotions. "I know, I know, Wan-Chan. Get on with it."

Komamura moved closer to the bed before looking down at her. "Have you made your choice?"

Bambietta looked down at her lap, she then took a deep, shuddering breath. She lifted her head, her gaze meeting his.

"I have," she said. "I'll join your stupid program." She started quietly.

In her mind, the plan was already forming. "Just play along. Find Liltotto, find Giselle, find all of them. And make them pay for what they did."

A rare, slight nod of approval came from Komamura. "I am glad you have chosen to join us."

Bambietta's eyebrows furrowed. "Why?" she asked, suspicion in her voice. "Why are you happy about this?"

Komamura was silent for a moment. It was too soon to tell her, and she would never believe him.

Instead, he offered a half-truth. "I believe in discipline and order. You are powerful, but you are reckless and childish. I see it as my duty to... straighten you out."

A mocking smirk twisted Bambietta's lips. "Is that so? Funny, I thought people were supposed to train dogs, not the other way around."

"This is going to be tremendously troublesome," Komamura thought. Out loud, he simply ignored the jab.

"Very well. Then officially, as of this moment, you are under my command in the Seventh Division. Tomorrow, you will be transferred to a specially prepared room within my squad's barracks. Your rehabilitation begins then."

Bambietta shot a sidelong glance at Komamura. "Let me guess," she drawled. "This 'special room' is just a fancy prison cell."

"It is a secure room," Komamura corrected, "Nothing will enter or leave it without my knowledge."

"Yeah," Bambietta retorted, rolling her eyes. "That's a prison cell."

Komamura decided to cut their conversation short. He knew his presence agitated her, and for now keeping both sides calm is the best call. Still, one question burned in his mind.

"I will leave you to your thoughts," he stated, turning slightly towards the door. "But first, answer one question for me."

Bambietta waved a cuffed hand dismissively. "Whatever. Go for it."

"What do you remember from our battle?"

The question made her pause. She had already turned it over in her head. Deciding there was no benefit in lying, she gave him the truth.

"I was fighting you," she said, her gaze drifting to the wall. "I won. I remember you going down. Then... I went flying. Must've landed really hard." She skipped over the memory of her friend's betrayal. "Next thing I know, I'm waking up in this stupid bed."

She then threw her arms up as far as the cuffs allowed, "That's it. That's all I remember." She then let them slap back down onto the mattress.

Komamura listened. "Just as I thought. She doesn't remember…" He then gave a slow nod. "Thank you for your cooperation."

He turned and walked to the door. Just as his whole body was about to cross the threshold, he paused, looked back over his shoulder.

"If you won our battle, then why is it you who is lying in the hospital bed?"

He closed and locked the door before she could retort.

Inside the room, Bambietta froze. Her brain, so fixated on her ex-friend's betrayal, had never actually connected those last dots. He was right. She lost to him. Her face was then flushed into a deep pink.

"SHUT UP!" she screamed at the closed door, her voice cracking.

Out in the hallway, Komamura let out a long, weary breath as he walked away. He brought a hand up to his face, massaging his brow.

"Kids these days."

Ichigo, Chad, Rukia, and Renji all stepped inside the back of Kisuke's shop, in the corner, seated around a low table, were Aqua, Volta, and Chrys with empty white containers and chopsticks laying across the table. Aqua was picking at a piece of broccoli with a look of disdain, Volta was leaning back with his hands behind his head, and Chrys was enthusiastically talking to Volta, her hands waving animatedly, though it seemed Volta was trying to air her consistent chattering out.

On the other side of the room, Ishiku was halfway up the fridge, his fingers straining for a glass jar of cookies on the top shelf.

"Almost... got it..." he grunted.

Just as his fingertips brushed the jar, a massive shadow fell over him. Tessai reached out and effortlessly grabbed the back of Ishiku's collar and lifted him into the air like a misbehaving kitten.

"Hey! Let me go!" Ishiku yelled, his legs kicking uselessly.

"If you do not care for the dinner Urahara has provided, you are welcome to prepare your own meal," Tessai stated. "And cookies are dessert, not dinner."

"I hate Chinese food!" Ishiku protested before trying to bite Tessai's arm, but he didn't even flinch.

Unperturbed, Tessai carried the struggling Mod-Soul back to the table and deposited him firmly in the empty spot where a container of food awaited. "Eat."

Ishiku plopped down, puffing out his cheeks and crossing his arms, ignoring the food.

It was then that Tessai looked up and noticed the new arrivals. "Kurosaki. Welcome."

"Hey, Tessai," Ichigo greeted. "What's going on?"

"Things are proceeding smoothly," Tessai reported. "It is only that Ishiku does not wish to finish his dinner."

Ichigo let out an exasperated sigh. He walked over and crouched down on one knee next Ishiku. "Hey, listen. People work really hard to make food, you know? You should at least try it. You might end up liking it."

Ishiku stubbornly kept his head turned away. "No."

Ichigo's eyes twitched. "What do you mean no!?"

"Now, now, what's all this?" a cheerful voice interrupted. Kisuke and Orihime stepped into the backroom, Orihime looking curiously at the scene and Kisuke fanning himself with a smile on his face.

All eyes turned to Kisuke as he entered, his fan fluttered. "Well now, have my little helpers finished their dinner? I trust the others have already gotten started downstairs."

Aqua glided forward. "I'm done." Volta gave a lazy thumbs-up from the table. "Finished. Just waiting on the little guy." Chrys bounced to her feet. "It was super delicious! It's my new favorite!" she declared.

Volta smirked. "You say that about everything."

"It's hard to pick just one favorite thing!" Chrys retorted, her hands on her hips. "The world is filled with too many amazing things!"

Renji couldn't help but grin. "She's a cheery one, ain't she?"

Chrys zipped over to him. "Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference!" she proclaimed.

Rukia smiled softly. "That's a very good statement to live by."

Suddenly, Ishiku slammed his hands on the table. "I'M DONE!" he announced.

Tessai turned, his expression impassive. "I will need to see it to believe it."

Ishiku proudly held up his plate. It was spotless. "See? All gone!"

Tessai raised an eyebrow. "In that case, may I ask you a question?"

"Yerp!" Ishiku said.

Tessai pointed a finger at the table. "What, then, is that large lump under the table mat?"

Everyone looked. There was a very obvious, food-sized bulge hidden beneath the corner of the mat.

Ishiku's eyes went wide for a second before he composed himself. "I don't even know."

Tessai placed a hand over his heart. "You don't say. How unbelievable. I believe you are lying."

"It's the truth!" Ishiku insisted.

"Then you will not mind if I check," Tessai said, slowly placing two fingers under the edge of the mat. "If I lift this, I trust I will not find a single trace of your uneaten dinner."

"On god."

With a swift motion, Tessai flipped the table mat over.

The table beneath was perfectly clean.

Tessai stared, his brow furrowed in confusion. "...What?" He looked around. "Where did it—?"

"I told you I wasn't lying!" Ishiku said, hopping to his feet. "Now come on, everyone! Let's go downstairs!" Before anyone could question him, Ishiku darted past them and vanished down the stairs to Kisuke's training basement.

Ichigo and his friends stood in silence.

"What the hell did I just see?" Ichigo muttered.

Kisuke strolled over and placed a hand on Ichigo's shoulder, his eyes twinkling. "They really do remind me of myself at that age," he mused. "Don't you think?"

"This is probably nothing," Uryu told himself, adjusting his glasses as he walked. "Kisuke is just being his usual, invasive self, dragging them into some scheme."

Orihime and Ichigo's attitudes didn't sit right with Uryu. He checked Orihime's apartment and she wasn't home, and he swung by the Kurosaki Clinic and confirmed Ichigo was also not home. The only logical conclusion was Urahara's Shop.

He'd decided to treat this as a simple, friendly check-in. He wouldn't be able to rest until he knew his friends were alright, even if they were apparently keeping secrets from him.

Meanwhile, from a rooftop several blocks away, Ururu lay prone, her eye pressed against the scope of her rifle. The optics were crystal clear, bringing Uryu's figure into perfect focus.

"Jinta," she said softly. "He's coming. Just like Boss said."

Jinta, crouched beside her, hefted his new, flame-decaled bat. "Tch. The boss is always right. Alright, let's go jump him!"

Ururu lowered the rifle slightly. "Maybe... maybe we should try to sneak up on him? He's a lot stronger than we are."

Jinta scoffed. "That sounds lame. I'm going in. You back me up."

Ururu hesitated for only a second before nodding. "Okay."

With a fierce grin, Jinta leaped from the rooftop, bounding across the gaps between buildings to close the distance to his target.

Uryu, lost in his thoughts, suddenly froze mid-step. He sensed a powerful, concentrated mass of energy coming toward him. His head snapped up. "What is that...?" he muttered, his hand instinctively grabbing to the Quincy cross concealed under his shirt.

A figure landed on the street in front of him, kicking up a cloud of dust. Uryu didn't hesitate. In a moment he threw aside his bag and released his Heilig Bogen. It was the same spirit bow he used after Aizen's defeat but before he joined the Wandenreich which looked very similar to the bow used by his father.

"Identify yourself!" Uryu commanded.

As the dust settled, the figure became clear and Uryu knew who it was.

"Jinta?" Uryu asked as he lowered his bow. "What are you doing?"

Jinta rested the bat on his shoulder, doing his best to look intimidating. "What's up, Four-Eyes? This is official Urahara Shop business. If you know what's good for you, you'll turn around and go home. Right now."

"Why? Is this about something going on at the shop?" Uryu asked.

"You're askin' too many questions, Four-Eyes!" Jinta retorted, a cocky grin spreading across his face as he proudly brandished his new bat. "Check this out!"

"What in the world is he holding?" Uryū thought. It looked like a normal, if overly decorated, metal bat. "Jinta, I don't want to fight you," he stated firmly.

"Don't matter what you want!" Jinta barked. "Boss's orders!" With a sudden burst of speed that caught Uryū off guard, Jinta charged forward, pulling the bat back for a powerful swing.

As he did, the flame decals along the bat's length started to glow bright red and the metal itself ignited as plumes of thick, black smoke billowed from it.

Uryu's eyes widened. He barely had time to throw himself to the side, the heat searing the air where he'd just been standing. Jinta's swing missed, but the bat left a scything crescent of fire in its wake that scorched the pavement.

Jinta stared at his flaming weapon, a look of pure, unadulterated joy on his face. "This thing is AWESOME!" he yelled, his voice cracking with excitement.

He didn't pause, immediately lunging at Uryu again, swinging the bat in wide, furious arcs, each one trailing a torrent of flames.

Uryu weaved and dodged through the fiery assault. The heat was intense, and the unpredictable nature of the attacks made it difficult to find an opening. "This is your last warning, Jinta! Stand down!" he called out, mid-dodge.

"A job's a job!" Jinta shouted back, putting all his weight into another horizontal swing.

"I need to end this quickly," Uryū decided, preparing to do a counterattack. But his thought was abruptly cut short by a concussive blast of pure, concentrated reiatsu that struck him squarely between the shoulder blades.

The impact was immense, knocking the wind from his lungs and shattering his focus. "What was that?!" his mind screamed as his body was thrown forward, his balance completely lost.

"Take a Jinta Uppercut!" the boy roared, dropping the bat and driving a fist straight up into Uryu's stomach.

The air left Uryū's body in a pained gasp. The force of the blow lifted him clean off his feet, sending him soaring into the air.

Uryu's head spun for a moment before his instincts kicked in. Blue spiritual energy flared at his feet, activating Hirenkyaku and stabilizing him in mid-air. He clutched his stomach softly, trying not to put too much pressure on it. "That actually hurt... he's gotten stronger."

A quick flash of light in the distance, coming from a rooftop several blocks away, was followed by another dense beam of reiatsu screaming toward him. "Sniper."

Uryu nocked an arrow and fired. The arrow intercepted the beam mid-flight and resulted in an explosion. He didn't have a second to process what happened. "JINTA KNEE BREAKER!"

Jinta was suddenly airborne. He did a vicious roundhouse kick connected hard with the side of Uryu's knee, sending a jolt of pain through his leg and hurling him sideways through the sky.

Gritting his teeth, Uryu used the momentum, tumbling through the air before righting himself again.

"It's a two-on-one ambush. Jinta is the close-range brawler, and those reiatsu blasts... that has to be Ururu."

He fixed a cold glare on Jinta, who was now hovering opposite him, bat in hand. "That's enough," Uryu stated. "Don't make me go all out."

A wild, excited grin split Jinta's face. "Bring it on, Four-Eyes!" In a bizarre move, he reached out with his free hand and grabbed a handful of the flames wreathing his bat, peeling a chunk of fire away. He held the compacted fireball in his palm.

"Prepare for some Jinta Fastballs!" he yelled. He tossed the fireball high into the air. As it began to fall, he swung his bat and hit the fireball with perfect form.

The flaming projectile shot toward Uryu faster than a bullet. Uryu reacted instantly, firing an arrow to intercept it. But when his arrow made contact, the main fireball violently split apart, fracturing into a dozen smaller, equally aggressive fireballs that spread out in a wide cone, all still homing in on him with undiminished speed and force.

With no time for anything else, he threw his hands forward, weaving a hexagonal shield of blue Reishi in front of him. The shield held against the barrage of fireballs, which splashed against it in bursts of fire.

At that moment, Uryu saw the flash of light from the distant rooftop. "Another one." His mind raced. "Fighting Ururu at long range while dealing with Jinta at close range is tedious . I'll end this."

He let the Reishi shield dissolve into motes of blue light.

"What are you doing?" Jinta yelled, hefting his bat.

Uryu didn't answer. At the very last possible second, just as Ururu's blast would have struck him, he twisted his body, the beam of condensed Reiatsu shooting past him, close enough for it to damage his clothes. The moment it passed, Uryu bolted directly toward Jinta, closing the distance between them in a heartbeat.

Jinta's eyes widened. "Oh, he's coming to me!" He planted his feet in mid-air and reeled his bat back. The flames wreathing the weapon roared into a violent inferno.

"THIS SHOULD FINISH YOU!" Jinta bellowed. "HAVE A TASTE OF MY JINTA HOMERUN!"

He put his entire body into the swing, the flaming bat carving a massive, burning arc through the sky, aimed to meet Uryu head-on.

Uryu flew straight into the attack.

A loud boom ripped through the air as the flaming bat connected, triggering a massive explosion that lit up the evening sky.

On her rooftop, the force of the blast washed over Ururu as she lowered her rifle. She stared at the expanding ball of fire and smoke.

"Did you do it, Jinta?" she whispered to herself.

Chapter Text

The elevator descended down into the underground training area. It was a quiet descent for the most part but of course Kisuke, ever the one to break a silence.

"So, Ichigo," he began casually. "Have you been keeping up with your training?"

Ichigo shoved his hands in his pockets, slouching against the wall. "Besides putting down the occasional Hollow that pops up? Not really."

Kisuke nodded, unsurprised. He then glanced at Orihime and Chad. "And you two?"

Both shook their heads. "No, not really," Orihime admitted.

"That's perfectly alright," Kisuke said. "You have every right to live peaceful, normal lives, but you never know what might happen."

Rukia nodded in firm agreement. "The Wandenreich emerged from the shadows without warning. Complacency is a luxury we cannot afford. Everyone must be ready to fight at a moment's notice."

Ichigo let out a long sigh, but he couldn't argue with the logic. "Yeah, I know. It's just... college is right around the corner. I don't really know how it's all gonna fit."

Before the conversation could continue, the elevator shuddered to a halt. "We're here," Kisuke announced.

The group stepped out of the elevator into the underground training ground.

"So," Ichigo began, scanning the terrain, "where are these other Mod-Souls you wanted to-"

The ground shuddered violently. A hundred yards away, the earth erupted in a geyser of rock and soil, sending a shockwave that whipped through the air.

Kisuke, completely unfazed, simply smiled. "They're right over there!"

With that, he launched himself nimbly onto a nearby rock pillar, using it as a springboard to leapfrog toward the disturbance. In a flash, Ishiku, Aqua, Volta, Chrys, and Tessai followed.

Orihime turned to Ichigo, her eyes wide. "Should we follow them?"

Ichigo let out a long, weary sigh and stretched his arms over his head. "Yeah. Something tells me it's gonna be a long afternoon." He broke into a jog, heading in the same direction. Orihime, Chad, Rukia, and Renji quickly fell in step behind him.

Kisuke landed on a tall, spire-like rock formation that gave him a perfect vantage point. The mod-souls and Tessai gathered beside and behind him, looking down into the newly formed crater below.

The scene was intense as two figures were locked in a duel at the bottom.

The first was a young man with short, cream-colored hair and crimson eyes. The lower half of his face was obscured by tightly wound bandages. He wore a modified shihakushō with sleeves the same cream color as his hair. In his bandage wrapped hands, he wielded a massive ōdachi with its sheath strapped to his back. Intriguingly, four additional sheathed katanas were secured to his right waist.

His opponent was a girl with long, straight brown hair that fell to her shoulders and bright blue eyes. Her shihakushō, like her hair, was a shade of brown. She fought with a heavy glaive, however, the weapon was in a poor state as the blade was heavily rusted and chipped along its edge.

Below, the boy with the cream-colored hair and bandaged face held his blade at the ready.

"Time to finish this Poppi!" he yelled, his voice muffled slightly by the bandages. He crouched low and then launched himself high into the air, a white aura beginning to glow around him and his blade.

The girl, Poppi, gritted her teeth, her grip tightening on her weapon. "Oh no, you don't Jin!" she shouted, propelling herself upward to meet him.

The light around Jin's blade intensified into burning light of white. He began to speak, "One Blade Technique: Crescen—"

"Jin! Poppi!" Kisuke's voice rang out from the rock spire above.

Jin flinched, the white glow around his blade flickering. He turned his head slightly, breaking his focus. "Is it time already?" he thought.

"FOCUS!" she roared, not wasting the split-second advantage. She put her entire body into a horizontal swing, the rusted blade of her glaive slamming hard into Jin's side.

"Oof!" Jin grunted, the air driven from his lungs. The interrupted technique backfired, the gathered energy dissipating harmlessly as he was sent flying sideways like a shot from a cannon. He crashed into the far wall of the crater with meteoric force, sending a fresh cloud of dust and debris into the air.

Poppi landed gracefully on her feet, the butt of her glaive striking the ground shortly after.

Kisuke hopped down from his perch, landing lightly beside her. "Poppi! Always a pleasure."

She turned. "Hello, Urahara. My apologies. We must have lost track of time during our spar."

"Not a problem at all!" Kisuke said, waving his fan. "Might I ask where the others have gotten to?"

Poppi gestured vaguely with her free hand toward the landscape. "Shattered about."

"I see," Kisuke said. "Well, be a dear and round everyone up for me, would you?"

Poppi gave a nod. "Understood." Without another word, she turned and sprinted off into the distance.

Ichigo and the others finally caught up. Orihime pointed toward the fresh crater. "We saw that huge explosion from over there! Did something happen?"

Kisuke waved his fan dismissively. "No need to worry! Just a bit of spirited training. In a moment, you'll get to meet the rest of my devils."

Renji stepped forward, his arms crossed. "So these Mod-Souls... they're all like the kids who run your shop?"

"Mostly!" Kisuke agreed cheerfully. "But I'd say this batch has far more potential."

A voice piped up from directly behind Renji's shoulder. "We're powerful!"

"GYAH!" Renji jumped, spinning around to find Chrys beaming at him, having seemingly materialized out of thin air. "What the hell? How did you sneak up on me?!"

Chrys just put a finger to her lips and winked. "A girl doesn't reveal her secrets!"

From a cluster of nearby rocks, Aqua, Ishiku, and Volta all landed from above. Volta called out lazily, "We were hiding up above. Chrys just really wanted to scare you."

"Volta!" Chrys shrieked, running over and pummeling her Volta's arm with her fists. "Why did you have to tell him?!"

As everyone watched the squabble, a familiar voice cut through the noise.

"Hey there. Long time no see."

They all turned. Leaning casually against a boulder right next to Kisuke was Yoruichi.

"Yoruichi!" Orihime exclaimed, her face lighting up. "It's so good to see you!"

Ichigo just had a resigned look on his face. "I knew you'd be here."

Yoruichi chuckled. "Oh come on, not even a hello? And yall know Kisuke can't keep any secret from me for long."

"I do try," Kisuke sighed, though he didn't look particularly upset.

The commotion with Chrys and Volta suddenly stopped. Chrys had spotted Yoruichi. Her face lit up with pure, unadulterated joy and she sprinted toward her, arms wide open for a tackle-hug.

In a quick motion, Yoruichi sidestepped the charge and grabbed the back of Chrys's collar, holding the girl at arm's length.

"And what did I say about hugging?" Yoruichi asked.

Chrys stopped struggling, her expression turning sheepish. "Sorry, Yoruichi. But hugs are just in my nature!"

Yoruichi released Chrys's collar, "Alright, settle down. Everyone should be just about here now."

As if on cue, five figures landed behind her. The dust settled to reveal the new arrivals.

Four of the faces were completely unfamiliar to Ichigo and his group. The fifth was Somnia, who's her head was lolling forward, bobbing up and down as she was fighting a losing battle against sleep.

Poppi stood solidly in the center of the group. Slung over her shoulder was Jin. Ichigo's eyes scanned the new arrivals, taking in their distinct appearances.

The first was a dark-skinned teen with sleek black hair. His eyes were a shade of purple, and he wore a military-style cap on his head. A formal military jacket was draped over his shoulders like a cape, and beneath it, he wore a shihakushō with sleeves so deep a purple they were almost black.

Next to him stood a girl with vibrant, short red hair streaked with bold yellow highlights. Her eyes were a piercing yellow, and a white face mask covered the lower half of her face. The mask was printed with a deceptively cute smile, complete with a row of sharp, pointed teeth. Her shihakushō had bright orange sleeves.

The final new face was a girl with long, straight silver hair that cascaded down her back, and her most startling feature was her eyes, which were rainbow. In contrast to the others' modifications, her shihakushō had black sleeves, standard issue for most shinigami in the Gotei.

Kisuke's eyes landed on Jin, still slung over Poppi's shoulder. "Everything alright there, Jin?"

Jin managed a slow, shaky thumbs-up. Poppi unceremoniously set him down on his feet. A visible wave of pain shot through him, but he clenched his jaw, straightened his back with obvious effort, and muttered, "I'm all good."

"Excellent!" Kisuke chirped. "Alright, everyone, positions!"

At his command, the Mod-Souls went into action. Ishiku, Aqua, Volta, and Chrys quickly moved to stand side-by-side with Poppi, Somnia, and the three new arrivals. Kisuke and Yoruichi took a few steps back, giving them the stage.

"Now, just wait and see," Kisuke said to Ichigo's group with anticipation.

The nine Mod-Souls struck a synchronized yet individual pose.

Aqua placed her hands on her hips, one foot slightly forward. "Aqua! Ranger Blue!"

Volta cracked his knuckles and electricity crackled around him. "Volta! Ranger Yellow!"

Chrys bounced around, throwing her arms out wide. "Chrysanthemum! Ranger Pink!"

Poppi held her rusted glaive vertically beside her. "Poppi! Ranger Brown!"

Jin unsheathed one of his blades, though it did seem like he had some trouble with it. "Jin… Ranger White."

Somnia, despite her drowsy state, managed a lazy, two-fingered salute near her temple. "Somnia... Ranger.. Teal…"

The dark-skinned teen in the military cap dipped his cap lower, covering his eyes.. "Nox! Ranger Purple!"

The girl with the sharp-toothed mask just put her hands into her pockets. "Amber. Ranger Orange."

The girl with the rainbow eyes simply clasped her hands gracefully in front of her. "Iris... Ranger Grey

Finally Ishiku jumped into the air and Jin and Aqua held him up in the air. "Ishiku! Ranger Red!"

Then they all shouted in triumphant unison. WE ARE... THE QUINCY DEFENSE FORCE!

Silence fell over Ichigo, Orihime, Chad, Rukia, and Renji. They could only stare.

"Magnificent, aren't they?" Kisuke asked.

The pose held for a second before Ichigo's patience snapped. He lunged forward and delivered a fierce dropkick to Kisuke's back, sending the shopkeeper sprawling face-first into the dirt.

"YOU BROUGHT US ALL THE WAY OUT HERE FOR THIS?!" Ichigo yelled. "FOR SOME RIP-OFF SUPER SENTAI TEAM?!"

Kisuke pushed himself up onto his elbows, dusting off his hat. "Actually," he corrected, "they're based on Power Rangers. It's a different cultural reference point entirely."

"IT'S THE SAME THING!" Ichigo bellowed.

Jin's legs, already weakened from Poppi's earlier blow, began to shake violently. "I… I can't stand anymore…" he mumbled before collapsing in a heap.

His fall was like a domino effect. Ishiku, being held up by him, yelped as he was pulled down. One by one, the mod-souls toppled over.

Orihime immediately began clapping, her face beaming. "That was so cool! Are you all okay?"

Volta was the first to untangle himself, brushing dust from his yellow sleeves with a look of embarrassment. "He made us practice that for a month," he grumbled. "It was not cool."

Kisuke got to his feet, completely unbothered. "I'm just happy someone appreciated my artistic vision!" he said, gesturing toward Orihime.

Yoruichi shook her head, a smirk on her lips. "I told you it was too much."

Kisuke then turned his attention back to a fuming Ichigo. "Now, now, Ichigo, there's more to this than the showcase. The real point is that they wanted to train with you."

Ichigo paused and thought to himself. "It has been a while…" He then crossed his arms. "I'm up for a spar, but not for long. I have work tomorrow, and I've actually been doing a good job of showing up on time lately."

"Excellent!" Kisuke said, clapping his hands.

Orihime stepped forward, "Urahara, could I join in? Don't wanna see anyone get too hurt."

"I would also like to." Chad added on.

"The more, the merrier!" Kisuke declared. "Everyone is welcome to train!"

Rukia smiled, a determined glint in her eyes. "Good. I've been working on refining my skills. This is the perfect opportunity to show them off."

Renji cracked his knuckles, a wide grin spreading across his face. "Yeah! I've got some new tricks with my own Bankai I've been dying to try out on you, Ichigo!"

Ichigo turned to face his friend, a competitive smirk replacing his scowl. He jerked his thumb at his own chest. "Bring it on, Renji. Let's see what you've got."

The air was thick with acrid smoke. Jinta squinted, his eyes stinging as he tried to peer through the haze. He expected to see Uryu far in the distance. Instead, as the smoke cleared, he found the Quincy right in front of him, his face mere inches away.

Uryu's hand was clamped firmly around the shaft of the flaming bat, stopping Jinta's attack dead in its tracks. The flames burned at his arm, completely burning away the left sleeve of his uniform and leaving the fabric smoldering.

"Damn you!" Jinta snarled, straining against Uryu's hold. "No one stops my homerun!"

A confident, almost proud smirk touched Uryu's lips. "You've grown a lot in the last few months, Jinta. I'll give you that." He applied more pressure, forcing the bat downward. "If this were me from a year or two ago, you might have actually won."

With a final, powerful shove, Uryu used his left arm to push the flaming bat aside, completely breaking Jinta's stance. In the same motion, he lunged forward, grabbed the boy by the front of his tracksuit, and hoisted him over his head.

"But you still have a long way to go,"

He then hurled Jinta, putting his full body into the throw. The boy became a shrieking projectile sailing through the air directly toward the rooftop where Ururu was positioned.

From her perch, Ururu saw the entire sequence unfold through her scope. Her eyes widened slightly. Without a moment's hesitation, her hands moved, clicking several components on the massive rifle. The long barrel retracted slightly, switching from a single-shot sniper configuration to a fully automatic assault mode.

She shouldered the weapon, took aim, and opened fire. A storm of high-velocity reishi bullets bolted through the air.

Jinta, still tumbling head over heels, could only yell, "DAMN IT!" as he saw the rooftop and Ururu's hail of gunfire rushing toward him.

Ururu, realizing too late that her suppressive fire wouldn't stop Jinta's momentum and that he was now on a direct collision course with her, tried to scramble out of the way but she wasn't fast enough. Jinta slammed into her with the force of a cannonball. The two children tumbled together in a tangled heap of limbs, their combined momentum carrying them off the edge of the high rooftop. They plummeted down, landing on the roof of a shorter, adjacent building, where they lay in a groaning, dazed pile.

A weary sigh escaped Uryu's lips as the adrenaline began to fade. "First things first," he thought, "I need to make sure they're not seriously hurt."

He made his way to the adjacent, shorter building and landed onto the roof where the two had landed. They were lying where they had fallen, motionless. Uryu knelt beside them as he checked for a pulse on first Jinta, then Ururu.

"Strong pulse on both. Good. Just unconscious." He let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. Jinta was already developing nasty, dark bruises across his arms and torso. Ururu had a nasty gash on her forehead trickling blood down her head.

"Why would they attack me with such lethal force?" he wondered. "What is Kisuke involved doing?" He looked down at his ruined school uniform. "I can't go anywhere like this, thank goodness I have a spare set of clothes in my bag. I'll change before I find some real answers."

He turned, intending to leave Jinta and Ururu, but at that moment he felt a searing pain between his shoulder blades. The force of it drove him forward, over the edge of the roof.

He landed hard in the grimy alley below, the air knocked from his lungs. Gasping, he pushed himself up onto his hands and knees, his mind reeling. "A sniper shot? But how? Ururu is down…"

Uryu turned around as he felt something land behind him.

It was Ururu.

She stood perfectly still. The blood from the gash on her forehead now streaked down the side of her face. Her eyes were wide open, staring directly at him, but they were empty, like there was no souls behind them.

This was no longer Ururu. This was the Genocide Mode.