Chapter 2: Orihime hunts

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.

Meanwhile…

Ichigo Kurosaki hopped up onto a building and looked around. His badge had gone off, signaling a hollow nearby. After swapping places with Kon, he headed for the spiritual pressure of the hollow, wondering what it was doing here and who it was attacking. He was quickly joined by Rukia, who'd received the warning from the Soul Society. "Ichigo, you'd best prepare yourself."

"It's just a hollow, right?"

"Yes, but it's not just any hollow. The Soul Society believes that this hollow is Ortho Candaru."

"Ortho what?" Ichigo asked with a confused look.

"Long story short, it's an Adjuchas-level Menos Grande. From what I've been informed, it is a hollow that is not to be taken lightly."

Ichigo scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, but it's not an arrancar. How bad could it be?"

"Captain Zaraki was sent to dispatch him thirty years ago and even he couldn't kill it."

"What?" Ichigo gaped. "How could Kenpachi not be able to kill a simple hollow?"

"Apparently its hide is hard enough to withstand a zanpakuto. Its mask is its hardened spot. From what we've guessed, Ortho Candaru evolved to the point where a zanpakuto could no longer kill him. He's not powerful like the Espada but he is certainly durable."

"So then how-"

"GRRRRRRRRR!"

A rip in the sky erupted above the two friends and Ichigo saw why Kenpachi might've had trouble killing this hollow; even Kenpachi would be hard-pressed to kill a dragon.

Shaped in the image of an eastern-style dragon, Ortho Candaru barreled towards the two, its hideous eyes staring at the hated Soul Reapers. Its black and white scales gleamed in the afternoon sun. Ichigo and Rukia leapt off the roof as Ortho Candaru chomped at them with its sinister teeth. Moving through the air like a serpent through water, it swung its tail at Rukia, who flashstepped to another roof. "So, Soul Reapers, you come for me once more!" it bellowed in a deep, male voice.

Ichigo unwrapped Zangetsu and leapt off the building. "Your scales are supposed to be indestructible? Let's test that!" He landed right on the head of Ortho Candaru and swung Zangetsu downward, intent on piercing through the Adjucha's mask. "What?!" he gasped when Zangetsu bounced off of the mask, not even leaving a mark.

"You think that toy can hurt me? Let me show you some real weaponry!"

The scales at Ichigo's feet shifted before he realized what was going on. "Gahh!" he cried out as the scales suddenly shot out of Ortho Candaru's body, blasting him off his head.

"Ichigo!" Rukia shouted, hopping down to where Ichigo fell. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Ichigo said, picking himself up. "Just got startled, that's all."

"I told you! You can't just attack its head!"

Ichigo glared. "Then how are we supposed to beat him?"

"YOU DON'T! " Ortho Candaru roared before coming in for another attack run. The dragon hollow opened its jaws and a red Cero began to form. "DIE!" When it blasted off its Cero both Ichigo and Rukia readied themselves.

"Getsuga Tensho!"

"Tsugi no Mai: Hakuren!"

The two attacks collided with the Cero, causing it to explode in front of them. Both Ichigo and Rukia gasped when the hollow emerged from the smoke, intent on killing them. "Here he comes!" Rukia shouted, readying another Hakuren.

Ichigo threw his arms out and raised his spiritual pressure. "BAN-"

"SURPRISE!"

A golden blur appeared above the Soul Reapers and slammed against Ortho Candaru's head. Ortho Candaru let out a scream as its impenetrable mask was shattered by a single punch. Ichigo and Rukia watched in complete shock and confusion as the massive hollow crashed into the ground, landing in a construction site, the workers already gone for the day thankfully. The two hurried over to the construction site to see what had brought down the fearsome hollow. Imagine their surprise when they saw, sitting on the destroyed skull of the hollow like it was her personal throne was…

"Orihime?"

The orangette grinned and waved at her friends. "Hi guys! Sorry for interrupting! I just wanted to get a good hit in." She looked down at the hollow, clearly dead from having its head crushed. "Guess I don't know my own strength."

"I…don't even…" Rukia sputtered. "Orihime, what on earth happened to you?!" She was completely taken aback by Orihime's bestial appearance. Her muscular body, her new ears and swishing tail and the hungry look in her eyes was something she'd never imagined Orihime would look like. "You look like you fused with Rangiku's zanpakuto!"

"Teehee! Not bad, huh?" Orihime gestured to the belt on her waist. "It's this belt I got. When I put it on, I get stronger, faster and more powerful!" She hopped off the dead hollow, already beginning to disintegrate, and walked over to her friends. "How do I look?" she gestured.

Ichigo felt his blood rush to his face, his eyes not sure what he was seeing. He'd never imagined Orihime being strong or sexy but the belt had really changed her. Thanks to her small shirt and shorts he could see her arms and thighs were muscular and built. She wasn't a bodybuilder but she had a body that would make Tatsuki envious. Turning to the dead hollow, watching as the last of Ortho Candaru's body disintegrated. "You defeated that hollow…with a single punch?" he gaped.

"Yep!" She held up an arm and flexed it, liking the feel of her strong muscles. Her cat-ears twitched as she felt a surge of power flow through her. "I'm super strong now! Now I fight alongside you guys from now on!"

Rukia stared at the belt with a concerned look. 'She was able to crush a hollow that Ichigo and Captain Zaraki couldn't even scratch. What is that belt?' The more she thought about it the less she liked the idea of Orihime wearing it. It wasn't that she didn't like Orihime to be tougher and more confident. But she had been alive longer than both of her friends and she knew that power had a price. "Are you sure it's okay to wear that thing? Where did you get it anyway?"

"From Kisuke."

Ichigo narrowed his eyes. "Figures."

"Why?" Orihime grinned and leaned forward. Rukia gulped when she saw the look in Orihime's eyes, like she was a predator sizing up prey. "Jealous, are we?"

Ichigo looked at Orihime alarmed. This Orihime was not the one that he was friends with. This Orihime was something else. Putting a hand on her shoulder, Ichigo looked at her with eyes full of concern. "Orihime, maybe you should take it off."

Orihime spun around and glared at Ichigo. "No, I will NOT!" she shouted. Ichigo and Orihime took a step back out of alarm. Seeing her friends look at her fearfully snapped Orihime out of it and she shook her head. "Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry!" she looked down at her belt and frowned. "Maybe I've been letting all this new strength get to me."

She reached for the belt and moved to take it off. Again, she found it hard to take it off of her. 'Wait, do I want to take it off?' she asked herself. ' So much power…'

But she remembered the scared look on Ichigo's face and decided it wasn't worth it. She removed her belt and sighed as she returned to normal. Ichigo caught her as she swayed from side to side, her body tired from the loss of strength. "Wow…"

"You okay, Orihime?"

Regaining her balance, Orihime slung the belt over her shoulder. "I'm fine. But…um…could one of you help me back to my apartment? I need to get ready for Tatsuki's birthday party tomorrow and I…kinda leapt over buildings to get here."

"I'll help take you home." Ichigo turned to Rukia and smiled. "You should let the Soul Society know that hollow's been destroyed."

"Okay. I'll inform them that Ortho Candaru was dealt with. I'll spare them the details. If they found out Orihime was the one who defeated him, it'll cause a lot questions."

Ichigo nodded and lifted Orihime up, carrying her bridal style. A few well-placed flashsteps later and they arrived at Orihime's apartment. "Orihime, are you okay?" he asked. "I don't mean if you're tired. You didn't seem like yourself when you were wearing that thing."

Blushing, Orihime looked down at the belt, "I don't know. I was so strong, so fast and so powerful that part of me didn't want to take it off. I mean, yeah I look half-lion but…"

Ichigo put a hand on the belt. For a moment it glowed brightly, as if it was enticing him to put it on but he squashed that voice in his head. He didn't need the belt and neither did Orihime. "Do you need me to bring it back to Kisuke?"

Before she even knew what she was doing she was shaking her head. "No, I think if you did he'll think I stole it from him. I'll wait a few days and then leave it at his shop when he's not there." She could see the concern in his eyes and smiled. "Don't worry. I promise I won't put the belt on anymore. Oh and um…I'm sorry for snapping at you like I did."

Nodding, Ichigo smiled at his friend, glad that he had talked sense into her. "It's alright, Orihime. I understand perfectly. I'll see you at school tomorrow."

It occurred to Orihime that now was the perfect time to tell Ichigo how she felt, what with nobody around to ruin the moment. But her moment came and went as Ichigo turned around and flashstepped away, leaving a disappointed Orihime standing in front of her apartment all alone. Sighing, she walked back into her home. She looked down at the belt and frowned. She remembered when she was talking with Ichigo and Rukia she felt a desire to prey upon the black-haired Soul Reaper like she was food, to show her who was the weak one between them. "Guess I let all that strength go to my head, huh?" she said to nobody in particular.

Walking over to her backpack, she put the belt into it and headed into the kitchen to make dinner. Her transformation had made her hungry. Even as she began to cook the urge to put the belt back on and begin the hunt again continued to run amuck in her mind. But she remembered her promise to Ichigo and steeled her resolve. She would not be putting the belt back on again.

To be continued