I had everything pretty much planned out for this chapter and I got all excited and etc. so this chapter came out pretty fast. I hope you enjoy, and if you're continuing from the first chapter, this is not a direct continuation of that prologue.

11:24 AM, Ichigo's room, Kurosaki Clinic

"Ahhh–! What about this one?"

She pointed to the small graphic on the newspaper.

SWEETcake Pâtisserie now hiring part-time!

"Are all the jobs you can find at pastry shops?"

Orihime fidgeted, "No... it's just more eye-catching to me."

"Hey, Ichigo, this okay?"

Personal trainer wanted! Next to it was a self-taken photo with a rather robust women.

"Chad, for all we know, she could be some crazy unmarried women who owns like 20 cats." Ichigo sighed. "Seriously, how am I ever supposed to find a job?!"

"I heard Ishida-kun started going to T. University."

The two stared at her.

Things were never the same after the war. Sure, he had defeated Juha Bach (with some pain, though, he had pretended to be Zangetsu for these couple years), he had saved Soul Society from the brink of extermination, andhe had met the Soul King, but– nothing, nothing was the same. Ishida had gone to the Vandenreich, believing the quincies' cause was worth fighting for, but once again, the quincies were suppressed, not easily this time, most of them ran off and disappeared; moved to a foreign country, or simply, gone. Meanwhile, their former classmate faded into the shadows, having been beaten by the now Captain-Commander, Kyoraku-san, also losing his quincy powers. They haven't seen him since, not even at their Karakura High School graduation. Orihime enrolled in the local college, also working part-time at Yamazaki Bakery, and Chad just still living on his own, working on and off at construction sites. Ichigo was trying to find a suitable job too, part-time of course, but nevertheless well-paying, so he himself could move out soon, not wanting to be a burden to his dad and Yuzu and Karin.

Orihime continued, "His father wants very much for him to take over the hospital."

"Where did you hear this though?" Chad's voice was steadily rising. He couldn't control his anger.

Neither could Ichigo. After all they've been through together, being betrayed by one of their closest friends took its toll. His face contorted into rage and jumped up.

"WHERE?!"

But Orihime was not the fragile person she was a year or two ago; she built her independence into a rock-solid and impenetrable core, as not to rely on everyone else to do the hard work.

She snapped back, "HE CALLS ME SOMETIMES!"

Both of them were nearly huffing and catching their breath.

"You know what," Orihime finally said in a calm voice. "Let's not focus on that. We need to find a job for you now, right, Ichigo?" She smiled a small but genuine smile.

He gulped and nodded and Chad grunted in favor.

Yuzu popped her head into the doorway, carrying a tray of empty dishes, "Is everything alright here, Onii-chan?"

"Everything's fine, Yuzu."

"Okay." She disappeared with a cheerful smile.

"Now, where were we–"

CRASH!

All three flinched and immediately got onto their feet.

"What was tha..."

Chad's question was answered as soon as they rushed out the bedroom door.

Yuzu was collapsed on the floor with small cuts and scratches where the shattered dishes had fallen. But Karin... Karin, Karin.

One inhuman, ghostly pale hands grasped her by the waist, and another brandishing Zangetsu.

The thing that stood before them, was...

Tier Harribel.

Now that was exciting, wasn't it? Haha, but to be honest, I thought of Harribel being there at the very last second. Everything else is gonna be explained later, so, yes you'll have to keep reading. Thank you though, for reading at least two chapters, that's farther than any other fanfiction I've done. Also, the 83 views and two follows as of now (6.13.13) mean a lot to me too, because the only feedback I've ever gotten on here was a profane review. So thank you, again, for all that stuff c: