Ermm…would it suffice to say I have no excuse for late updating save for writer's block and a reluctance to face my writer's block? I've noticed my plot is starting to stray from Uryu…so I'll fix that right away…just for any of you who started to notice that, I thought it was, anyways…oh and since I've recently read the…what is it, 314th chapter of the manga?...I now officially dub this fanfic an AU! There.

There's a little bit of wonderful Ishihime in this chapter. Doesn't that make you happy? It makes me happy…I'd eat Ishihime for breakfast, lunch, and dinner if I could…and maybe a little elevensies in between…

Disclaimer, though he annoys the...um...cough, unmentionable stuff out of me, is for Ichigo today! Mainly because I want to make fun of him…kukuku.

Ichigo: Er…yeah, well that's not disturbing.

Me: Yeah, well…URYU (is greater than) ICHIGO! Oh, pwned! (I couldn't enter the 'greater than' arrow thingy in here...wah, I am sad...)

Ichigo: What the hell?!

Me: Stop cussing! –hits with fake hammer– Meh, you're too much trouble. I'll disclaim it myself. Ahem, I don't own Bleach. No, duh. If I did, Ichigo wouldn't live after losing about ten pints of blood in every battle. That fact in itself defies logic in every possible way.

Ichigo: Someone's jealous.

Me: …For those Ichigo fans out there, I shall refrain from replying. But I can't resist doing this! –hits again with fake hammer –

Ichigo: Aaah!

Me: Read on, my dear readers, read on! And have fun…I think this chapter turned out decent. Oh, and it was about ten pages long, so brace yourself. Get a sandwich or a cookie or something. ;)

-Kimsa

Eleven

The Storm Clouds Gather

"My name is Skinner 12-D, and I am here for Yume Yamazaki."

"What makes you think that we'd let you have her?" Hitsugaya asked coldly. His eyes flashed challengingly, pale fingers tightening around the hilt of his zanpakutou.

Skinner narrowed his own eyes, his thin mouth widening as he let out a hiss of a laugh. "Why wouldn't you?" he returned. "She just attacked a captain of the Gotei 13, a direct violation against the Seretei; why would you defend her?"

"How do you know what Yamazaki has done?" Hitsugaya demanded. Skinner smiled again.

"I have my ways."

Uryu suddenly felt hot anger sear through him, and without thinking summoned his bow. "You will leave now," he hissed, pointing the weapon at the Hollow, "or we will make you leave."

Skinner turned his gaze to him. "Please," he scoffed disdainfully. "The last time we fought, you were left lying in a puddle of your own blood, Quincy. If I beat you once, I can beat you again."

Uryu narrowed his eyes, but remained silent; he wasn't going to let the Hollow see how angry it had made him.

"You talk like we don't outnumber you thirty to one," Hitsugaya spoke up. "We overpower you in both number and skill. So," his eyes flashed once, "explain yourself!"

Skinner sighed. "Fine, fine," he said in a bored tone. "I come on direct orders from Aizen-sama, Lord and Master of Las Noches, Hueco Mundo. With me, he sends a message: the siege of Soul Society is to start in one week. We will come then, pillaging and destroying your cities and homes. You can either resist, or submit; one will prolong your suffering, the other will soothe it. It is your choice, but either way, you will not win. There can be only one outcome: victory. And it is not yours. Join, or die; turn, or be turned; step down, or be brought down. It is your choice."

There was stunned silence for a moment. One week? The war was going to start in only seven more days? Soul Society had known that it was approaching, but still, the realization of what was going to happen, and in such a short period of time, numbed everyone to their cores.

"…There is no possibility, whatsoever, of any of us ever joining sides with the Hollows," Hitsugaya finally said grimly. "Tell Aizen we're ready for him."

The Hollow's thin mouth drew back in a sneer. "Fine," he grunted. A long, spider-like finger whipped out as Skinner swung his skeletal arm around to point at Yume, who was still huddling behind Byakuya.

"But I take the girl," he snarled.

"Hitsugaya…" Yume said softly, using the captain's real name for the first time since she'd met him. "Don't…"

"Shut up, insect!!" Skinner exploded. Yume's flinch was barely noticeable, but it was the only sign of fear that she showed; her eyes shone with hatred and a willingness to fight that was as strong as Kenpachi's could be.

"No," she said forcefully, stepping out from behind Byakuya. "Not any more, Skinner."

Hitsugaya frowned slightly as she turned to face him, but she matched the coldness of his gaze with an imploring look of her own. "Hitsugaya-san," she said formally, "I know I attacked Byakuya-kun. I know that it's probably enough to throw me in jail for a very long time, or even enough to get me executed, but I really didn't mean for it to go that far. I didn't even mean for it to happen. Now I know that sounds crazy and completely unbelievable, but it's true. And I'll be able to explain, but only you don't let Skinner take me away."

Hitsugaya remained silent for a moment after she'd quieted. Then, with a rigid, wary air about him, he turned to face Skinner. "I'll ask again," he said, "What makes you think we'd let you have her? What is your reason for asking in the first place?"

Skinner did not answer immediately. Uryu could almost see the Hollow's shrewd mind ticking away beneath its colorless skull, its talons flexing in a nervous reflex as it carefully pondered its response.

"My reasons…are my own," Skinner finally replied. "I'm sure if I asked you your reasons for anything, you would keep them to yourself as well. Just know that they should become apparent if you do choose to keep her; though I would not, if I were you. The insect can be quite…troublesome, at times."

Uryu looked over at Yume, taking in her stiff appearance. She held herself tall, for one whose future might be decided in a moment, and he could see firm resolve in her vivid blue eyes, in her squared shoulders and set jaw. His gaze traveled to Hitsugaya, whose attention was also riveted on the black-haired girl. The short captain turned away from her after moment, a silent understanding passing between the two, and faced the hulking Hollow.

"Yamazaki stays with us," he said calmly. "We will accept any consequences that come along with her. Even for one such as herself, who has committed a heavy crime against the Gotei 13, imprisonment in Hollows' company is too severe of a punishment to be enacted against her. She will stay with us, for how ever long she may choose to. And we will be ready for Aizen's army."

Uryu expected Skinner to explode upon the refusal of his demands, to suddenly rear up and attack with fury to match that of a maelstrom's. Yet as he watched in slow, mild surprise, the skeletal Hollow simply trembled once, sharp rage flashing in its ruby-colored eyes, and drew back towards the black portal awaiting it.

"Have it your way," he said quietly. "We will retrieve the insect either way; the punishment will just be twice as painful, in return for your refusal."

Then, without another word, it strode backwards with its long, sharp-angled limbs, and vanished into the ebony recesses of the portal. The rip in the air sealed up silently, like a toothless zipper sown from hushed shadow, closing just as easily as if someone had smoothed its rumpled edges over with a calming hand.

Yume let out an explosive breath and wiped at her pale brow, shaking slightly with fragile mirth and the after-effects of the tense situation.

"For a second there, I thought you were going to let him have me, Shorty-chan," she told Hitsugaya. He returned her relieved gaze for a cold, reproving one, and she gave him a weak smile.

"Ehheh…heheh…I'm still going to have to explain my actions, aren't I?"

Of course, Hitsugaya answered with a firm "yes." It was decided that he would ask Yamamoto to hold a captain's meeting for Yume to confess her reasons to the entirety of the Gotei 13's top shinigami. Yume was reluctant, but relented because of her promise; she'd been granted permission to stay in Soul Society for the time, and in exchange, she would have to explain herself, no matter how much she did not want to.

"Do you eat steroids for breakfast?!"

Kenpachi frowned down at the blue-eyed girl staring him straight in the eye, her raven-haired head bent backwards at an almost painful angle so that she would be able to look at his face. The man's familiar feral, mad-man grin split its way over his jagged face, casting a dark shadow over his face that would send any Hollow running for the hills. Renji, who was about to enter the meeting with Ichigo and the others, took one look at the grin, turned on his heel in mid-step, and left the building.

"No, kid," Kenpachi rumbled. Yume jumped slightly at the sound, gaping up at the huge man as though he was a mountain that had gained the ability to speak. Most people, if they heard Kenpachi talk for the first time, would think so too; Uryu had nearly twitched in surprise the first time he heard the scarred man speak, and Kenpachi's rugged appearance did nothing to alleviate the feeling of impending doom one got from catching his crooked grin or leering gaze.

"Oh," Yume said weakly. Then, seeming to regain her composure: "Do you think Ichigo would lose his baby fat if he ate steroids for breakfast, too?"

Ichigo, stationed only a few paces away, chose that time to conduct an impressive bout of gasp-choking. Uryu leaped at the opportunity and slapped him hard on the back, earning him a dark glare from the orange-haired boy. He returned the glower for a dry smirk.

The sound of Yamamoto's cane striking against the floor resounded like a gunshot throughout the cavernous room, silencing every captain's anxious muttering, and making Yume jump like she'd been jerked off her feet for a moment by taut puppet strings. Each captain lined up in their order on either side of the room, Uryu and company backing up until they were behind Yume, who was standing alone in the center of the room. Yume blinked once before twisting to face Yamamoto, who resided in his high-backed chair at the head of the room.

"I am Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryusai, Captain Commander and leader of the Gotei 13, which resides in the Seretei," the elderly soul reaper said. "Speak your name."

Uryu knew the Captain Commander was anything but weak, but even so it startled him every time he heard the man speak; one did not expect to find so much conviction, so much commanding power, in the voice of one who looked to be over eighty years old. Yume seemed uncertain as well; she gave Uryu and the others a brief glance before fully turning her body so that she faced Yamamoto head-on.

"My name is Yume Yamazaki," she said formally, bowing low to show her respect.

"Yume Yamazaki," Yamamoto said, "you have, as of yesterday, recently entered our home for the first time. Not twenty-four hours later, you attacked a captain of the Gotei 13. Your explanation?"

"Err…it wasn't…me?" Yume tried.

Uryu could feel the old man's reiatsu intensify in a single moment, flaring up about him in a stifling fog. Yume squeaked, drawing in upon herself as the air grew hot and compressed itself around her.

"It…was not…you?" Yamamoto repeated in a deadly tone. "Are you trying to deny what dozens of people saw, Yamazaki?"

"No, no, you don't get it!" Yume said hastily, beads of sweat running down her panicked face. "I…I'm not one…person. I'm three. Me, Setsuna, and Zazie."

Yamamoto's reiatsu dwindled away, fading as though carried away by a swift breeze. Mutterings ran through the gathered captains, reflecting their confusion and surprise. Uryu could feel those very same emotions coursing through his veins, now, drawing his eyes to stare in disbelief at Yume. It was not an entirely unbelievable statement, though, when he thought on it; she had seemed like different people at times, usually whenever she touched those bells tied around her neck…

"Elaborate," Yamamoto said shortly, raising his voice over the others occupying the room.

Yume repeated the story she'd given Uryu and the others back at Orihime's apartment, but with a small twist: her sisters had died, just as she'd said, but she had called upon her new-found powers at the moment their souls fled their bodies. Somehow, her power had drawn them into her body like a vacuum to dust mites. She admitted that she did not understand how, but that she could call her separate identities forth with the bells: one for her, one for Setsuna, and one for Zazie.

For a moment after she finished explaining, silence fell over the large, wood-paneled. Yamamoto did not hesitate to break it.

"Show us," he commanded. "If those bells really do summon forth the souls of your sisters, demonstrate with one of them. Preferably the one that tried to attack Kuchiki-taichou."

"She's kind of sulking right now, so she might put up a fight," Yume cautioned, "but I'll try."

Uryu watched as the ebony-haired girl closed her eyes and gripped one of the bells with slender fingers, her mouth moving minimally as she quietly uttered a single name.

"Setsuna."

The change in reiatsu was almost immediate. Uryu stiffened as an entirely different kind of spiritual pressure entered the atmosphere, replacing Yume's warm, bright aura with one that was so cold, so strictly precise and severe, that it made his hair stand on end. When Yume next opened her eyes, her gaze was that of the girl he had seen attacking Byakuya: vivid, almost electric green.

Yume, or Setsuna as she now was, straightened and grew stiff as a plane of ice as everyone's attention latched onto her and remained there. She narrowed her eyes at Yamamoto, who was simply looking at her with half-open eyes.

"On custom," she said coldly, "most people do not imprison and interrogate frightened girls when they have done nothing wrong."

"On custom," Yamamoto replied dryly, "most frightened girls do not inhibit alternate entities that run around attacking captains of the Gotei 13."

Setsuna gave him a condescending frown, lifting her chin slightly. "What is it that you've called me forth for?" she asked abruptly. "The condition of my soul is not so strong that it would hold undiminished should I continue to control my sister's body. Ask your questions, then let me return reign over this being to my sister."

"You will not rush me, child!" Yamamoto barked sharply, his voice snapping through the air like a three-pronged whip. Setsuna did not flinch, though Uryu felt Orihime do so violently at his side. Yamamoto's anger was not something most people sought to invoke, in order to avoid a most frightening wrath, but Setsuna did not seem to care that she'd upset him. She stood as tall as she had a moment ago, and met his gaze with the same disdainful aloofness.

"Explain yourself," Yamamoto said. "Give us your reasons for attacking Kuchiki-taichou, and we may let your sister live."

The silence was heavy. Setsuna remained as mobile as the walls that restricted her from fleeing, for that was exactly what Uryu thought she was going to do for a moment. He tensed, hoping to any higher power that she would not; Yume was already in enough trouble as it was. The black-haired girl's eyes were half-lidded in a dull, uncaring stare, but other than the original rigidness of her posture, she did not look like she was tensed to run. Finally, after what seemed a millennia but what was probably only half a minute, Setsuna relented with a short, light sigh.

"My sister and I are two of a set of triplets," she said quietly. "Some people believe that, thus, we share a kind of special bond, and we do. It strengthened all the more when Zazie and I were restricted to Yume's body. Sometimes I can sense that certain objects or people will cause my sister great harm or grief; Kuchiki was one of those people. I sought to relieve my sister of any potential danger, which, in this unfortunate case, was that captain. That is my reason, and if you disapprove or think that I lie, then I will take the blame, because it is the only thing I have to say on the matter."

"I assure you, our captains only ever cause anyone…harm…if that person is a danger to the Seretei or the whole of Soul Society itself," Yamamoto said after a pause. "Your reasons, though possibly true, are not enough to excuse your actions. I would restrict you to a detention cell, but it would not only be you suffering, it would also be your younger sisters. And, however wrong and misguided your actions may have been, they are not enough to punish all three of you. So it is now that, considering the Hollow named Skinner 12-D also had an interest in your sister and it would therefore be unwise to entirely thrust you from this world, I say that we hold a trial for you and your sisters."

"A trial?" Setsuna repeated, raising one eyebrow. "With whom as my defense? Quincy and fairy-girl over there?"

"Cease your interruptions and snide comments lest I decide to hand you over to the Hollow Skinner after all!" Yamamoto barked. "Your trial will not be decided by a juror's diction, but by combat; I trust you have a zanpakutou, after you've shown us your…interesting…ability?"

"Yes," Setsuna replied. "Yume's zanpakutou can mimic any form, acquiring all of the attached powers and skills along with it."

"…A dangerous power," Yamamoto said. "And one that only someone here would be worthy of combating. So, who is it going to be? Who will fight Yume Yamazaki tomorrow?"

For a long time, no one spoke. Uryu could feel the tension building up in the deathly quiet silence, like a band drawn to the point of snapping. Looking around the large room, he patiently observed everyone's expressions, taking in the amount of confusion, apprehension, and indifference in pace. No one seemed to be willing to take the challenge, and he thought Yamamoto was going to just up and appoint someone to the battle, when Soifon stepped forward from her spot in the line.

"I will fight Yume Yamazaki," she said confidently, holding her sharp chin high in the air. Setsuna gave her a cold stare, and Soifon unflinchingly returned it.

"Since no one else is willing to stand up for the reputation of the Gotei 13, I will gladly defeat her," the second division captain stated. "I will uphold the pride of the Seretei."

"Very well," Yamamoto said with an air of finality. He raised his cane once, just a little, and let it thud against the floor, echoing loudly in the cavernous room.

"Tomorrow, ten o'clock sharp, Yume Yamazaki will fight against Soifon-taichou, in a trial for her freedom…and life."

Sisters. They were her sisters.

Uryu closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath as he let the cold winter wind wash over him, filling his lungs and electrifying them with a sudden blast of oxygen. He stood just outside the main building where the Gotei 13 held their captains meetings, letting the brisk air pulse through him and ease the dull pain his aching head was feeling. Ichigo and the others had exited at the same time he had, and by the grim expressions on their faces, their thoughts were following the same bumpy, crooked path his were.

By now, everyone had been informed of Skinner's war declaration. People rushed everywhere, giving orders and shouting for supplies, reminding him of a hive of wasps suddenly kicked into activity. Zanpakutous seemed even more prominent than before, and even the lower ranked shinigami were being allowed to carry theirs with them at all times. The air, still so cold with winter's frigid breath, seemed to thicken and solidify with the tense atmosphere.

"So this is the 'calm' before the war," Uryu heard Ichigo say, the orange-haired teen standing straight and tall as he surveyed the scene with grave eyes. "Huh…there's nothing calm about it."

"I don't think we've seen the 'calm' just yet," Uryu replied quietly. "But we can guess that it will come, if not before the very first blow falls."

"Yeah…" Ichigo sighed. "Alright, that's enough of war talk. Everyone, we should be going somewhere, doing something. Oy, Renji — what can we do to help?"

The red-haired lieutenant, who had been waiting by the building's single door throughout the entire meeting, blinked thoughtfully for a moment before squaring his shoulders and nodding sharply. "Right. I should be with Byakuya-taichou; he's still inside the meeting with the Captain Commander and Yamazaki…don't know what for, though…but in his temporary absence I should be leading the sixth division. I'll take care of that. Chad…huh. Why don't you go with Ichigo to check up on Rukia? She should be in her division at the moment. Ishida, Inoue, you…Inoue, you can heal people, right?"

Orihime straightened and set her delicate jaw, slanting her eyebrows downwards in a ridiculously stern gaze. "Yessir!" she said sharply. "I'm really good at that."

"The fourth division for you, then. Get yourself acquainted with Unohana-taichou and the rest of the squad. I have a feeling you're going to be spending a lot of time with them."

"And me?" Uryu prompted. Renji turned to look at the black-haired youth, scratching his head as he frowned.

"Huh. Then there's you. Uhh…no offense, but is there anything really helpful that you can do? I mean yeah, you're great in a fight against guys like that pink-haired freak Szayel, but how can that really assign you to a temporary division?"

"Ishida-kun can sew!" Orihime announced brightly before Uryu could say anything in reply. He felt his face heat up as Renji raised tattooed eyebrows at him. Was that even possible?

"Alright, fourth division for you, too," he said decisively. "So let's get to it, then!"

Ichigo and Chad were already hurrying into the growing crowd of shinigami, barely sparing their friends a 'see you later' before they were gone. Uryu dimly heard Orihime chattering excitedly by his side, her rapid words sliding off of him like slick butter; his attention, like Renji's, had suddenly been caught by someone, or two someone's, exiting the meeting building.

Yume looked downright exhausted, both mentally and physically. She walked with an uncharacteristic slump to her slender shoulders, her raven-black hair falling in front of her face and shielding her tired eyes from the outside world. Byakuya showed no weariness, mental or otherwise; his eyes, such a cold, dusky-black color, were as glacial as his hard expression. Uryu could see frigid fire flaring in the sixth division captain's gaze, though what Byakuya was angry about, he had yet to find out.

Yume looked up at Byakuya with a soft, apologetic gaze, but he simply gave her a short, disdainful frown, and turned on his heel, white captain's robe swirling at his feet. Renji followed his captain and left without another word, obviously noticing that now was not a time to try and inquire the taller man about the meeting. Yume winced as she watched them walk away, and shuffled dejectedly over to Uryu and Orihime.

"I think he's mad at me," she muttered sadly.

"Well, you did try to kill him," Uryu reminded her, "and lied to Soul Society, both about your identity and your sisters' past."

"I didn't lie about that!" Yume protested, her head lifting as a bright, defiant spark entered her blue eyes. "I just…forgot to mention it."

"Right," Uryu said bitterly, his words laced with hot sarcasm, "sorry."

"Are you going to be mad at me, too?" Yume asked quietly. Her pleading words brought the harshness of Uryu's words to his attention, and he sighed, slowly shaking his raven-haired head.

"No. Sorry, Yamazaki-san. It's just…a lot of things have been happening lately, and it's been getting to me."

"Everyone's going through hard times, Ishida-kun," Orihime said softly, looking up at him with understanding in her warm grey eyes. "Kurosaki-kun, Sado-kun, Kuchiki-san, Yamazaki-chan…and me."

"Right, right," Yume said enthusiastically, bobbing her head up and down in agreement. "So let's still be friends, even though I basically tried to kill a captain of the Gotei 13, lied a little about my sisters' death, and have a huge Hollow thing on my heels every moment of every day. 'Kay?"

Uryu smiled fondly, shaking his head again. "I don't know how you're able to stay so cheerful during these kinds of situations, but I'm glad you can. Of course we'll still be friends, Yamazaki-san."

"And now that we're still friends," Orihime said happily, "we'll have to stick together. Come with us to the fourth division, Yamazaki-chan!"

Yume's smile immediately wavered, and she made a disappointed face, sticking her pink tongue out of the corner of her mouth. "Oooh, sorry, but I can't. See, during the meeting…err…well, I kind of got assigned to Byakuya-kun."

"Assigned?" Uryu repeated. "What do you mean?"

"Umm…he's my warden. My assistant…no, that's the wrong word…bodyguard? No…"

"Supervisor?" Uryu suggested, raising a single eyebrow as he struggled not to smirk with dry mirth. What use could Yamamoto have of assigning Byakuya to watch over Yume? Maybe he wanted to see if Byakuya could trigger any other hidden qualities Yume might have, or maybe he wanted to see what 'danger' the stoic captain posed to the high-spirited girl.

Yume nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, that's it! He's my supervisor. And I don't think he's too happy about it. Actually…I think that it's against his patrol, not being with me right now… Uh oh, I don't want to get him into any more trouble than he's already in, so I've got to go now. But don't worry, Inoue-chan, I'll see you tomorrow, during my trial, okay?"

By the time the last sentence had popped out, Yume was already off, waving as she hurried in the direction Byakuya had taken. Orihime blinked uncertainly, frowning slightly as she called out, "Wait, Yamazaki-chan! How are you going to win the trial against Soifon-san? She's the 2nd division captain…I heard even Yoruichi-san had a hard time beating her."

"I'll be fine!" Yume replied with a wide grin. "I bet I'll win in five minutes! Watch! I'll bet you! Besides, the trial's rules are simple: if I lose, I die, and if I win, I don't die. Okay, I'll see you tomorrow! Bye!"

Uryu gaped after the bright-eyed girl, gawking at her simplistic cheerfulness. Orihime giggled and said, "Ishida-kun, if you don't close your mouth, flies will land on your tongue and build a city!"

Uryu quickly snapped his mouth shut. "That girl…" he muttered. "She's…odd. Who was 'Yama-sama'?"

"I think that's her nickname for Yamamoto-taichou," Orihime supplied. "I'm a little worried about her trial tomorrow. I know she's strong, but some people in the Seretei are scary-strong."

"She'll be fine," Uryu said with a calm shrug. "She managed to land a hit on Byakuya."

Orihime nodded in agreement, frowning even so. "I hope so."

Uryu looked down at her, taking in her slightly worried expression, and the way she was wringing her wrists. That always meant she was anxious. Gently taking her elbow, he tugged her in the direction of the fourth division before quickly letting go.

"We should go to the fourth division, as Abarai suggested," he said.

"Right…" Orihime replied.

They walked the short distance, occasionally being jostled to the side by shinigami struggling to prepare for the war. By the time they'd reached the fourth division, however, the hurried bustle had slowed to a calm, steady stream, as everyone belatedly gathered their wits about them and realized the attack was not going to happen any moment soon.

As they were nearing the fourth division, Uryu noticed that Orihime seemed to be having a hard time with something. She would frown, scrunch her eyes shut, vigorously shake her red-haired head, and wrinkle her nose in a way that he could not deny was cute. He tried to contemplate what would make her react in such a way, but could not come up with any reasonable explanations. Orihime was like an exotic, beautiful bird in that way; strange, unfathomable, and undeniably captivating, drawing those around her like bees to sweet honey. Uryu could not understand why she did what she did half of the time, and he understood even less of what she said. She was utterly confusing, so much that it was aggravating for him not to be able to understand at some times, but she would never make him angry. No, Orihime could make him feel things that he'd never felt before, make him care when he would usually turn a blind eye, and make him stay when he wanted nothing more than to run away, but she never would, never could make him angry.

And the honey bee with its honey, and the researcher with its rare, exotic bird, would do anything to protect its most beloved, precious treasure. Uryu was sure of that.

"Inoue-san?" he finally asked, deciding to simply ask her outright, "Is something wrong?"

"N-no!" Orihime immediately replied, before blushing and shrugging slim shoulders. She entwined her fingers around each other, clenching tightly before releasing them slowly, one by one. "Or, well…I'm worried for Yamazaki-chan. She acts very confident, but I don't know if she can win the trial tomorrow. Soifon-san is very fast, and very strong. If Yamazaki-chan doesn't win tomorrow…"

"She'll win," Uryu assured her. She blinked up at him, warm grey eyes showing just how concerned she was. He gave her a gentle smile to soothe her, and Orihime relaxed.

"I'm sure she will, Inoue-san," he said. Yet even as he said this, he felt a prick of doubt. He did not know much of Yume's powers or abilities, nor their levels. What if Orihime was right, and Yume was no match for Soifon? What if she…lost?

Looking up at the pale sky, he frowned, azure eyes crinkling at the edges as he watched dark storm clouds creep across the blue expanse above them. A storm was coming.

"…She has to win."

A/N: Yes, well...ahem. I don't know how that Orihime-honey-bee-bird paragraph turned out. I wrote it in like, what, two minutes? Maybe not even that...meh, let me know what you think. If you don't like it, I'll go back and change it. Though I am loathe to do so (behold Kimsa's laziness!). For a preview: the next chapter will be completely and totally, 100 percent, Ishihime and ByaxYume. Mainly Ishihime. Need I remind you that the ByaxOC in this story is purely platonic - meaning there's not going to be any romance between Byakuya and Yume. If there is, it's probably accidental. That or I was in a "Ah, what the heck?" mood.

Sorry if any of you are disappointed...I thought that those two names at the very, very top of the page and the genre 'romance' was sufficient proof that the only romance going on is between Orihime and Ishida. If this was ByaOC romance, it'd say something like "Byakuya" and then the genre would be "romance." I'm not too keen on OC romance stories; other genres are fine by me, and I like original characters, but romance OC's make my hair stand on end. Meh. Something about Mary Sues...dunno if there's a manga term for that...

Reviews are loverly. Constructive crits are even better.

Next chapter: Strawberry Vanilla

-Kimsa