Chapter 1: A New life. But First: Death.
"Dying is suppose to hurt, right? Why doesn't it hurt? Oh now I see, that's why."
Orihime looks down at her dead body before raising a ghostly hand in front of her face. So this is what it feels like to be a soul. Looking around the deserted sands of Hueco Mundo she sighs before starting to trudge through the annoying white sand.
Finally cresting over a large hill she takes a deep breath. "So I can still "breathe" in this state, it just feels…different." Orihime had often wondered what it felt like to be a soul but never had the nerve to ask her many death god friends. Now she gets to know first hand and it's…confusing to say the least.
Momentarily unsure which way to go she remains where she is but her eyes widened as she senses the spiritual pressure of a hollow making its way to her. Then it occurs to her: she's a pure soul. Having been recently deceased she is no match to face even a low level hollow. She is chow; very pure and spiritually strong chow. Thinking furiously of how to keep herself from becoming a hollow chew toy Orihime begins running down the other side of the hill she'd just climbed.
Stumbling, she rolls the rest of the way down, sand flinging this way and that as she rapidly descends. By the time she stops moving it's too late, the hollow is upon her. But before she can let out any sound a shriek from her pursuer startles her. She stares in surprise as the hollow dissolves a few feet from her. When its body fully disappears Orihime's eyes widen when she sees who her rescuer is.
"Lieutant Hinamori," she whispered, still in shock from going to be consumed to…proper death? She's still confused on the technicality of it all. Life and death used to be black and white to her, that was until she got involved with Soul Society.
Shaking her head to dispel her confusion Orihime stands only to bow her thanks to the petite soul reaper.
She didn't know much about Momo Hinamori other than three things. One: she is lieutenant of the fifth division and her captain is the visored Shinji Hirako. Two: she is friends with tenth division lieutenant Rangiku Masumoto who is also Orihime's friend. Three: she is the captain of the tenth divisions' one and only love.
Personally to Orihime, Momo is blind to Hitsugaya's love. Yes, Toshiro can be distant, a bit cold and calculating but that is all on the surface. He truly is a good person who cares about her deeply but Momo is blind to it, only seeing him as a friend. Orihime knows what that feels like. Momo is as blind to Toshiro's love and Ichigo was to Orihime's love for him.
"Ichigo," Orihime whispers softly looking at her hands again. She shakes the sadness away and smiles slightly. After the death of the first substitute soul-reaper and fullbringer, Gingo, as well as the death of the owner of book of the end, Tsukishima, Orihime had decided to deal with her feelings for Ichigo.
She came to a conclusion and though it hurt it was also liberating. After much crying and a whole lot more ice cream with red bean paste Orihime had come to accept Ichigo cared for her, maybe even loved her, but wasn't in love with her and never would be.
Yes, he was protective of her, but he's like that with everyone, even his male friends. So she'd decided there would be no more heartache over him for her. She would move on instead of waiting forever for something that would never happen.
Orihime smiles more realizing she definitely made the right choice considering her current outcome.
"Inoue."
Momo voice calls out softly, a little weary at the odd look on the healer's face, as she pulls out her Tobiume. She of course knows whose soul she is looking at and though she doesn't know Orihime all that well what she does know is that she has an extremely good heart. She knows there will be many who mourn her loss.
Stepping closer to the girl she asks softly, "Are you ready Inoue?"
Orihime smiles and nods her head in understanding about what is to come. Without further delay, the hilt of Hinamori's zanpakuto touches Orihime's forehead. With a blissful smile plastered to her lips she vanishes, traveling to a place she had been before but as something new.