Chapter 1 – Wrong Impressions

(The flashback in this chapter has the exact dialogue from the manga. All bolded dialogue in the Kisuke section of this chapter belongs to Tite Kubo-san ONLY)

Asano

"What can I say about Orihime? What is there to say? Look at her. Like really, take a look at her and tell me about her. No, I'll tell you! She's smoking hawt! A perfect ten. No, our Karakura High Goddess breaks the scale of loveliness. LOOK AT HER! Her body speaks for itself!"

Ichigo overhears this flowery nonsense and punches Keigo right in the nose as he walks to his seat.

"Aww my nose… Ichigooooooooo" Asano cries.

"Shaddup"

Chizuru

Lustful lesbian plan of the day.

1. Scope out Orihime's chest.

2. Find my goddess when that cow, Tatsuki, isn't hovering over her.

3. Attack

4. Do not relent until my hands are swelling in Hime's plump breasts

5. Repeat as often in 1 hour as I can.

6. Repeat all day, everyday

"muahhhahaha, this is the perfect plan indeed," Chizuru laughs aloud.

*punch* "whatever you are thinking about doing to Orihime, just stop you over-sexed lesbian pervert!" [Tatsuki for the win]

Yoruichi

Orihime is a sweet girl. How else would she put up with Ichigo's obliviousness and idiotic ignorance of her feelings? So naive and kind. She is our healer, the glue in a way for this ragtag group that Ichigo's skyrocketing powers had initially brought together.

She must be protected, that kind soul. But she isn't a soul yet, that is the problem. If only she was a Shinigami too. I could toughen her up, & not feel so bad while I whip her into shape. I could get her ready for the upcoming battles. But she is like a little sister to me, my giggling pupil. She doesn't have the fighters spirit.

I look over to the silent girl as Kisuke callously extinguishes her remaining self-confidence.

Orihime, just stay safe.

Uryu

Inoue-San is weird. For all the vocabulary at my considerably vast fingertips, there may not be another word in the Japanese language that can describe Inoue as aptly. In any language maybe. She is an open book and a mystery, and oxymoron. Intelligent, kind, empathic to the nth degree, spacey, yet highly observant of the happenings of her friends, and their moods.

Such a girl. I look over to her as she sits in her window seat during class. She must be daydreaming again since a line of drool is forming on the side of her dreamily wistful smile.

'I'll never understand you Inoue-san. But I know I will protect that smile.'

Kon

Hime-chan…. Hime chan…. Ah my goddess Hime-chan. Please bless me with your presence. I need some time nestled within the valley of the gods. I wonder if she is out of class yet? Will that baka Ichigo invite her over today? I haven't seen that killer bod in forever. Soon my goddess I will find you.

Urahara

**Flashback**

Orihime: "I too want to get stronger"

Kisuke: "I thought so, so I will tell you Inoue-san. As for you I will have you removed from the war front"

Orihime: ….

Kisuke: "Tsubaki…. He has not been fixed correct?"

Orihime: "H-Hai." she mumbles softly

Chad tries to defend Orihime at this point but Kisuke stops him with one sentence.

Kisuke: A soldier who has lost his power is only a burden"

Eyes downcast to steel herself to these harsh words, and to hide the turmoil evident in her gaze. She can feel her world skew right alongside her crumbling self-confidence. Yet, Orihime only compliantly replies with a demure, "I understand Urahara-san."

"I've done the right thing to counter Aizen." Kisuke says to himself as the auburn headed girl leaves the training grounds.

Renji

What can I say about our other, bubblier and less idiotic/dumb orangette? She is a kind girl. She brings out the best in people, even myself but I've noticed it most around Rukia. Only she brings the living and soft shine she used to have when we were kids running in the streets of Rukongai.

Too kind for this world, and too soft despite her previous and current involvement with the Soul Society. I don't even know how she made it back in the invasion when she was just a ryouka. Dumb luck I assume. Even so I feel sweat pour down my back as anxiety takes hold.

Kisuke has just dropped one hell of a blow on the girl. All she wants to do is fight and protect her friends and this town. Just like the rest of us. Yet, she just isn't suited for it. We all know it but … I commend her on her inner strength regardless. It takes a strong person to have their standing stated so bluntly, and to smile after having their hopes dashed like that. Zabimaru couldn't have sliced her as completely as Kisuke's words

Tatsuki

"Tatsukiiiii- chhaaaaannn!"

I look up to the balcony of Orihime's apartment building, only to see Orihime leaning halfway over the railing waving both arms at me, with the goofiest smile on her face.

I smirk to myself, 'I should tell at her for being reckless since she could fall, but I'm just so glad she is back. Thank you, Ichigo.'

"Let's go silly, we don't want to be tardy for your first day back."

"Uhn!"

On the walk to school I steer her away from all the dastardly cracks and phone poles that she doesn't notice while daydream-walking. You would think she would remember them all with her eyes closed since she's been their unfortunate victim daily since moving into her current apartment.

"Hmmph" I almost forgot how hard it is to protect her.

Protect. Her face darkens as she says that word. 'protect. Yeah right. I only guard her from her own clumsiness, and from the wiles of men … and some women.'

'Only Ichigo truly protects her. I still have no idea what truly happened though that hat and clogs guy gave me a brief fantastical story.'

"Tatsuki?"

I'm startled from my dark thoughts by Hime's worried tone. "yes?" I try to smile.

Orihime stares into my eyes. I feel like shrinking into myself as those cinnamon orbs bore into my own darker ones. 'She truly is perceptive.'

After an awkward few seconds she smiles and points towards our ever-closer school. "we're almost there Tatsuki."

"yeah"

Almost back to normal.

Ichigo

It's hard being here. Looking at all my classmates living their lives normally, while I deal with the aftermath having just been through the Winter War.

'Well I guess I better get used to it. Normalcy is my new way of life. My powers are gone.'

After everything that has happened… no I won't dwell on that. Inoue is back with us. She is safe at least. Karakura town is still safe. I couldn't live with myself if I didn't at least save her from the arrancar.

'And that was before I learned she was taken more to get a rise out of me… a ploy in Aizen's test of me.'

I feel a radiant presence entering the room.

It's not like I can sense any spiritual pressure without my powers. So, who is it?

Ichigo turns and sees Inoue entering the room. Almost every head does the same upon her entrance, stops and takes note of her.

'Hmm. At least I saved you and this town.' I turn away never noticing Inoue's eyes upon me or the smiling greeting she was going to give me. Nor do I ever see the pain she hides deep inside.

Orihime

Weak. That is the self-adjective of the year, in Orihime's mind. After the entire horrible ordeal in Hueco Mundo, Orihime finds herself trying to assimilate into high school life.

All I do is cause trouble. I am a burden on Kurosaki-kun and my friends. Just like I was a burden for Sora.

Thinking about walking into class after the wars with the arrancar and ultimately Aizen, just feels so surreal. 'Smile Orihime, you do not want to worry your friends any more than you already have.'

She notes Ichigo looking in her direction and is about to greet him when his chocolate eyes turn sad and look away from her. 'Heh Heh. So, some things have changed. Kurosaki-kun can't even look at me now. I'm still a burden. I can't even repay him for saving me by returning his powers to him.'

Her orange head drops low, fighting back tears. 'No, I must keep my head up, being sad now will cause everyone more trouble.' She steps farther into the classroom.

"Not everyone thinks I'm weak," Orihime whispers as she catches sight of a head of shaggy brown hair towering over all the other heads. 'Not even after all the beatings and bruises and all. He also went through hell to save me from that horrible, cold, and sandy place. I mustn't forget all my friends did as well'

But even before she went with the arrancar. 'Chad stood up for you Hime, even went so far as to raise his voice when Urahara-san took me out of the fighting. Sado-Kun is so strong and silent, him adamantly defending me will always be in my heart. So, buck up Hime! Before the gnomes take up residence in your ears!'

With that the Karakura high school goddess walks into her class with a bubbly, "Ohayo Minna!"