"What do you mean you 'lost' them?"

Yoruichi could feel her blood run cold, her eyes flickering as she lifted her hand to the communicator in her ear. "How could you suddenly just lose them?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," Urahara's voice crackled in her ear. "All we know is that they suddenly lost their spiritual presences only a second ago. It was too sudden for them to have just walk out or escape."

This wasn't something we could have accounted for, she told herself, taking a deep breath. It's not good… but… "Alright, so what is our plan now?"

"Operation Real Estate is off. Best bet now is to do an old-fashioned raid."

"I can't believe you actually decided to call it that."

"Hey, it was a fitting title, what can I say?"

Rolling her eyes, Yoruichi peered around the corner, signaling for Dordoni to join her. "Let's just say I'll be in charge of naming next time."

Urahara's laugh filtered through. "Whatever you say. Reinforcements coming your way. Signal back if you encounter sudden activity."

Well, at least he sounds calm about it, she thought. With the way things had been going, she was afraid this change of plan would be devastating.

"What is our plan, amiga?" Dordoni materialized beside her, an eager look on his face. "Are we setting up to infiltrate?"

Flashing him a smile, Yoruichi stood up. "It looks like our previous plan has changed."

"What?"

"The first team's signatures have gone missing, along with your friends and the Fullbringers." She stretched her arms over head, cracking her neck. "We're waiting for reinforcements to arrive before we head in."

But Dordoni turned away, distraught. His hands ran through his hair, gripping at as he tried to come to terms. "Dios mio, I knew I should have gone in as well!" He turned back, agitated. "I knew letting them go in alone was-!"

Placing her forefinger to his lips, Yoruichi shook her head. "Not so loud," she said. "And even if you had gone, you would have probably gone missing as well." Certain he was going to stay quiet, she pulled her finger away. "Besides, we aren't quite sure what's going on. It could be interference for all we know."

"Why do you seem so calm?"

"Because I have confidence that we'll find them, one way or another." She gave him a confident smile, patting him on the chest before turning away. "Have a little faith, Dordoni. This isn't my first time on stealth missions, after all."

A Few Moments Prior

"Change of plans?" Isshin's voice sounded harsh. "What do you mean? What's going on?"

It was clear the others were starting to panic as well, just by their expressions. "There's no need to panic yet," Urahara tried to reassure. "A number of things could be behind this. But it does mean we will have to change our strategy." He shrugged slightly. "Meaning, a much more direct approach."

"Are you saying we just storm the warehouse, then?" Cirucci's head leaned against her hand, giving Urahara an annoyed look. "We should've done that from the beginning, would've saved us a lot of headache."

Ash nudged her. "Don't be like that," she whispered. "He didn't know."

"What?! I spent almost two hours getting your disguise ready!"

"Shh! Let him finish!"

As Cirucci rolled her, Urahara cleared his throat. "Yes, in a way." Pulling his fan from his billowing sleeves, he snapped it open, waving it sluggishly. "We will still have to proceed with caution. We don't know the situation they left behind." He looked up. "It's hard to tell if they left anyone behind to keep guard. The whole warehouse is essentially a large blank space in terms of spiritual energy now."

Snapping the fan closed, he pointed towards the group. "We'll send in a sizable team." He then pointed towards each person as he spoke, the tip of his fan swishing through the air. "Lieutenant Matsumoto. Lieutenant Hisagi. Hiyori. Ash. Cirucci. Wonderweiss." He pulled it back, tucking the fan back in his sleeve. "You will all be going in as our first round of back up."

"Wouldn't those bastards get suspicious if we go in with two known Shinigami?" Hiyori asked, standing up almost immediately.

Urahara gave her a look. "They're already suspicious of us if they've hidden the party's spiritual presences. We've already passed that threshold."

"Well… I guess it beats sending us in as a real estate agent," Ash muttered, pulling pins from her hair and letting it fall to her shoulders. "I'm still not sure that would have worked, anyway."

Cirucci shook her head. "It was such a dumb idea, but I did work hard on the disguise, so…" She shrugged, her head now resting on the back of her hand. "Oh well."

"And I doubt I could have passed for Dr. Kurosaki's wife," Mizuho muttered, glancing at Isshin. "No offense, Dr. Kurosaki."

Isshin groaned in resignation. "None taken."

"We have no time to lose." Urahara sat down, hands resting on the table. "Every moment our entry team remains unaccounted for, the larger the possibility that grave harm could come to them. Yoruichi and Dordoni should be on the ground, already waiting for you. I don't think I need to tell you to be on high alert."

"Of course not." Standing up, Shūhei smoothed his hand over his uniform. "Even with a small group like that, it would be suicide to underestimate them at this point."

Grumbling, Cirucci stood up as well, glaring at the two lieutenants. "Fine, but don't you think for a second I'm going to take orders from two Shinigami. I have my dignity to uphold." She crossed her arms of her chest, her nose in the air. Beside her, Ash shook her head, giving the now glaring Shinigami an apologetic smile.

"Wait a damn minute!" Hiyori pointed to Wonderweiss, who had now joined the group, his mouth slightly agape. "Why're we taking… him with us?" She glared up at him, hands on her hips. Wonderweiss merely looked back, head tilting to the side in curiosity. "He's like a toddler, a liability if ya ask me!"

Urahara paused for a moment, looking to Gin, who had remained uncharacteristically silent the entire time. The frown on Gin's face warped, that familiar sly spark coming to the surface, though briefly.

"I wouldn't be so quick to judge Wonderweiss, Hiyori," Urahara said at last. "He's far more useful than you can imagine."

Wonderweiss chirped, as if trying to confirm Urahara's sentiment. He reached out towards Hiyori, his curiosity building, but she dodged him, giving him a look of disgust.

"Fine," she said through clenched teeth, "but I ain't gonna be the one to take care of 'im if he wanders off."

As the team filtered through the door, a small exchange occurred. Nonverbal, of course, eyes locked in a moment of tension. Though brief, Rangiku's eyes caught Gin's, who silently watched them leave. Crystal blue irises peaked through pale lashes, long silver hair spilling down his back as he turned with her. He almost looked ready to stand up, to follow her. But the way she looked back dissuaded him entirely, a hard glint in her eyes as she passed the threshold and beyond.

Gin's fingers curled under his palm, his head slowly turning back, though hanging low.

"As for us," Isshin said at last, noting the few faces that still sat by the table, "what do we do?"

Urahara smiled. "We wait."

"For what?"

"Oh, I suspect that there is far more to this than we see right now." His expression was mysterious. "I always like to keep a couple cards up my sleeves."

Present Time

Shūhei was the first to land in front of the warehouse, his feet hitting the old asphalt mere seconds before the others. The silence was unsettling, the anxiety in his gut heightening.

"There you are."

Yoruichi Shihouin's voice broke the silence, her form materializing before him. "We were wondering when you'd get here." Dordoni appeared behind her, a somber expression on his face.

"We got here as fast as we could," Shūhei countered, looking past her towards the warehouse. "What's our run down?" He folded his arms over his chest, eyes shifting as he took it all in.

Without missing a beat, Yoruichi turned on her heel, pointing to the second floor. "Our friends were congregated on the second floor. Our first team, plus Orihime and a few unexpected guests." Dordoni shifted uncomfortably behind her, holding back his worry. "From what I could surmise, our targets are six in total. And nearly all disappeared in a flash."

"Nearly all?" Hiyori's voice cut in. She placed a hand on her hip, asking, "I thought they all disappeared?"

Yoruichi nodded. "We thought the same," she replied, "but whatever is blocking out the others is so strong that we almost didn't notice that two stayed behind."

"So, we have company waiting for us." Rangiku, her expression serious, rested a hand on the hilt of her zanpakuto. "We're going to have to be careful when entering."

"I presumed we'd have to be careful anyways," Ash added, "but this certainly complicates things a little."

Cirucci scoffed. "Are all of you seriously worried about two strays?" She waved her hand in the air, leaning casually on Ash's shoulder. "We can wipe them out easily."

Glaring at her, Dordoni turned. "You mistake the situation, Cirucci. They are most likely here to counter us before we can figure out what is happening."

Cirucci merely rolled her eyes, staring down at her nails. "Whatever. They shouldn't be a problem."

Babbling to himself, Wonderweiss emerged, going silent as he realized that all eyes were now glued on him. Lavender eyes widened a bit, looking into Yoruichi's scrutinizing eyes. "Whose idea was it to bring him?" she asked, looking up at Shūhei.

"You can thank Kisuke for that one," he replied. "He thought he'd be helpful."

Yoruichi shrugged her shoulders, not thinking much more of it. "We should head in." She stretched her back, eyes fixed on the top floor. "The longer we wait, the more time there is for things to go wrong."

"I'll go first." Unsheathing his zanpakuto, Shūhei stepped forward, his mouth set in an uncertain scowl. "Anything downstairs to worry about first?"

"It's empty."

Shūhei grimaced. "I suppose that makes it easy."

Upon opening the front door of the warehouse, Shūhei felt a sudden shift in the air. It was stale and heavy, as if something were in there, waiting for him. Any confidence that he had before entering shook slightly, his eyes narrowing. There was nobody in there from what he could sense, but the spiritual concentration was so thick it felt as if the darkness was filled to the brim with people.

"What are you waiting for?"

Rangiku's voice nearly startled him, forcing him to suppress a startled gasp. "Open the door already, Shūhei." She gave him an odd look, blue eyes narrowing. "What's the hold up?"

Hesitating for a moment, Shūhei then quickly shook his head. "Nothing," he replied. "It just feels… strange." He didn't bother to look back again, taking that dreaded step forward.

It was a completely different world in that darkness, the thin stream of daylight doing little to illuminate the vastness of the room. Normally, Shūhei was fine when walking in the dark, his eye sight usually adjusting by that point. But there was something wrong. He nearly walked head first into the staircase, his hands hitting the wooden railing, startling him. "This way," he whispered, hiding his concern reasonably.

The air was still, the creak of the stairs under Shuhei's feet a sharp disturbance as he led the way. The weight of Kazeshini's unreleased form pressed heavily in his palm, the tip of the blade mere inches above the ground. There's no reason to be so on guard, he told himself, his hand reaching for the doorhandle. And yet the weight of the atmosphere felt so oppressive, as if whatever resided behind the door was watching. Waiting for the door to open before they struck.

His hand pushed against the door, and to his surprise, it opened with little resistance. The hairs on the back of his neck were standing up straight as he stared into the dark, fully furnished loft. Everything looked neat and in place, with shadows overlapping across furniture that sat scattered.

Something's wrong, Shuhei's brain continued to scream. Somethings' wrong, wrong, wrong…

A single light flipped on, illuminating a small place in the distance, where a tall figure stood, waiting. Candle light flickered, shifting the shadows on the man's face. A dark sash covering one eye, the other drooping and stoic, the man stared at the group unaffected.

"Greetings, Shinigami." Giriko's voice was gravelly and calm, his body barely moving at all. "We were expecting you."

Meanwhile

"We have always existed." Tsukishima's voice carried through the great expanse, even in its low tone. "Infiltrating every culture and era, a staple in the Human world, whether they chose to believe it or not. Fullbringers have been arbiters of change, of history, of discord." He paused, hands resting in his pockets. "Without us, perhaps humanity would never even be faintly aware that there is an afterlife, no matter how they choose to acknowledge it."

"Ugh, enough with the history lesson!" Annoyed, Jackie cut into his monologue, arms folded over her chest. "I can't stand to hear you go on and on about this for much longer. Just get to the point already, will you?"

Giving her a pointed glared, Tsukishima cleared his throat. "Well, I suppose our time is far more limited that I would like."

"I think what I'd rather like to know is why you're here." Tatsuki spoke up at last. She looked ready to pounce. "Why're you messing with us? Why even try to recruit us in the first place?"

Pondering Tatsuki's question for a moment, Tsukishima went silent. Then, his lips split open once again. "Karakura Town has unknowingly become an even larger target for spiritual attacks today. Do you want to know why?"

Tatsuki folded her arms over her chest, glaring at Tsukishima. "I'd guess it's because of the war, right?"

The smile on his face made her want to punch him even more than she already did. "You are partially correct, yes," he said. "But there's a bit more to it than that. You see, the reason that Sōsuke Aizen targeted Karakura in the first place is because it is the current jūreichi, meaning that it has the highest concentration of spiritual beings living or occupying a single place on earth."

"Wait, what?" Mizuiro was so shocked he piped up, an eyebrow raising. "How and why would that be the case?"

"I may have an answer for that, but just bear with me." He glanced up, noticing the static on the screen where Yukio had once been. "Ah, your friends must be here by now."

"Quit wasting time, then, Tsukishima," Jackie demanded, stretching her arms behind her, bored. "Who knows how long we may have."

Tsukishima's expression never wavered. "As I was saying, Karakura Town is the current jūreichi, meaning that you already see a large population of spiritual beings teeming within its borders. But the Winter War created an interesting scenario that I'm not sure that the Soul Society could have ever predicted." He paused, glancing between the humans present. "Tell me, have you noticed an uptick of humans becoming sensitive to the presence of spirits? Anything out of the ordinary?"

The question wasn't one that Tatsuki was expecting. "I can't say I really have," she said, her words drawn out. She had to think back, trying to recall anything weird. "Although, I guess people have seemed a bit on edge."

"I haven't noticed anything particularly," Chad added.

"Neither have we," Keigo said. "I mean, we don't go out too much, but even then."

"Interesting." Tsukishima lifted his head, as if perplexed mildly. "Perhaps if you were paying more attention, you would have noticed the rise of spiritual sensitivity within the 100-mile radius, because I can assure you it's skyrocketed since November."

Tatsuki's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "How would you know that?"

"Because they were the people who would attend our faux recruitment meetings."

Her body stiffened. "What?"

He laughed upon seeing her expression change. "Did you think we would waste our time bringing in Humans just to provide ourselves with a decent cover?" Tsukishima shook his head, turning away. "No, we knew there would be a plethora of Humans who possessed slight shifts in spiritual awareness. Some were even on the verge of becoming a bit more than your average Next, as well."

"Ok, so you were gathering Nexts," Tatsuki said. "But I'm still confused as to why. If none of them were powerful enough to join Xcution, why even bother with a large call out to the general public? Why not just find individuals on your own?"

"That's quite simple, really." His head turning towards them, part of Tsukishima's face was visible. "We weren't recruiting them."

Before Tatsuki could say a word, Mizuiro piped up from behind. "That makes no sense, then." His dark eyes were serious now, hands interlocked in front of him as he tried to rationalize what he was hearing. "If you knew this, and invited these people here, what possible purpose would you have to do so? I would assume you wouldn't want to be found out, especially since you are so distrusting of the Soul Society."

"Ah, a good question." Fully turned back, Tsukishima raised a hand. "Do you remember what I told you about Fullbringers? About how their powers work?"

"Fullbringers use their abilities to manipulate spiritual matter," Mizuiro began, tracing back to Tsukishima's explanation a few moments before. "Everything and everyone contains some, even in miniscule amounts, meaning that their abilities draw from their physical bodies, unlike Shinigami and Arrancar."

Coiled like a snake, Tsukishima relished the exchange. "Yes. And how does one increase their strength when it comes to their Fullbring?"

Mizuiro raised a finger, tapping it against the back of his hand. "I would assume an increase in stamina. The strength of the body would allow for ease of use in one's Fullbring."

"That is certainly one way, yes. And many of us have followed that path." Tsukishima drew closer, putting the party on guard. "But there is another way, a way that we don't tend to use often. I'm curious if you can figure it out. You have all the information you need if that helps."

His brows deepening, Mizuiro hesitated. For once, he looked mildly perturbed. "Well… if a Fullbringer has the ability to manipulate souls, it's entirely possible that a strong one could manipulate the world around them to cater to their needs. I would think that could depend on their ability, of course, but if they were strong physically, they could perhaps manipulate other spiritually aware beings." He paused again, his tone somber. "Is that what you're getting at?"

The snake looked ready to strike, forked tongue sliding between his teeth. "You're so very close. Nearly on the threshold."

Mizuiro went silent, thinking again. And then, mere moments later, his face went pale. Tatsuki had never seen Mizuiro so spooked in her life, so seeing his expression change so drastically made her heart leap in her chest.

"You can… you can steal their power, can't you?"

Tatsuki's blood ran cold.

"I knew you would be able to figure it out." Tsukishima's smile was too wide, too confident. "Yes, if a Fullbringer is able, they can transfer power willingly, or steal power from those that do not have the ability to fight back. It simply comes down to the person."

"You stole whatever power those people had." Tatsuki's voice shook. "You brought them here. You used them, drained them of whatever power they may have had, wiped their memories and then let them walk out of here none-the-wiser." Her anger returning. "You bastard."

"Come now," Tsukishima urged. "Do you really think those people even knew that they were able to see spirits? Do you think they would have wanted that burden?"

"So, you made that decision for them?" Chad countered, his tone nearly matching Tatsuki's. "You drained power from these people, for what? Aren't you powerful enough on your own?"

Even Keigo looked disgusted. "That's, like, a couple levels of messed up, man. There's got to be some level of ethics that comes with things like that."

"Ethics?"

This time, Jackie cut in, her tone sharp. She approached Keigo, her eyes burning. "Listen up, kid. I don't know what kind of life you were living before you started seeing spirits but consider yourself blessed." Her gaze transferred to the others, seething. "Those of us who realized we were different understood that being able to see things that others couldn't made us targets. We have always been in danger." She threw her hands up in the air. "Hell, I used to wish I didn't have this power when I was younger. I wished someone could take it from me so that I wouldn't wake up and see a Hollow dangling over me while I sleep, or that maybe they wouldn't have tried to devour my brother's soul the moment he died!"

Her voice echoed for a while, leaving the group in silence for a moment. "You don't know the full scale of pain that comes with being both alive and aware of what happens beyond normal sight. Not even an iota, or you wouldn't've made such a dumbass comment about ethics and decisions." Jackie took a deep breath, taking a step back. "No one wants to be the weird kid who sees things that aren't there. The one that brings suffering to your family because your very existence attracts attention from monsters. So don't go lecturing us on ethics. Those people should be THANKING US!"

"Jackie."

Tsukishima's calm voice somehow was louder, clearer than Jackie's, cutting through like a sword through bone. She whipped her head to face him, her rage boiling. "I think you've made your position very clear," he said. "The boy meant no harm, I'm sure. He's ignorant to our world, after all."

"So why are we here?" Tatsuki's voice was low, dangerous. Tears glittered on the edges of her lower eyelids, threatening to spill. "Why did you bring us here? Why did you reach out to Orihime? What was our purpose?" Golden light fluctuated just beneath the skin of her arms, pulsing as her heart rate began to rise. "Were you going to drain us too, just like you did the others?"

"Of course not." Tsukishima waved her off. "We are genuinely extending a welcoming hand to you and your friends. We want you to join us. You are Fullbringers, after all. We want to preserve our kind the best we can-."

But Tatsuki brushed past him, making a beeline for Orihime. Her hands gripped Orihime's shoulders, their eyes meeting. "Orihime, tell me you're rethinking all of this," Tatsuki said in a low voice. Her breathing was shaky and fast, her grip tense. Orihime looked back with wide eyes, her mouth agape. "The Orihime I know would never side with people who would willingly use and abuse other people like this. She wouldn't even dream of it."

"B-but he-!"

"There are no buts about this, Hime." The tears were starting to spill down Tatsuki's face. "These are Humans that Tsukishima's using. He's not even hiding it. You cannot seriously think this is okay."

Biting her lower lip, Orihime looked away, meeting Riruka's eyes.

"Orihime!" Tatsuki's voice cracked, her eyes drooping. "Please, listen to me!"

"Mr. Tsukishima has always been there for me." Orihime didn't even look at her, almost slinking away. "He's been like an older brother to me. He must have a good reason for doing what he did. He must…"

"But you don't know him, Orihime." Chad joined in this time, only a foot away. "Tatsuki's right. You've never met him until recently."

Pulling away from Tatsuki, Orihime shouted back, "You're lying! Mr. Tsukishima's been the only person I could rely on!"

The words rang sharply in Tatsuki's ears, her heart sinking further. He… was the only one… She didn't even attempt to stop the tears that were falling down her face, her vision blurring. "How could you forget?" Tatsuki managed. "How could you forget the people who were there for you?"

Riruka reached out to Orihime, glancing back at Tatsuki. "Hey, come on, Orihime," she mumbled. "There's no reason to be upset."

"If Tsukishima really was the one to help you through all of this," Tatsuki blurted out, "then tell me what Ichigo means to you!" The words were bitter, but she knew they would mean something. They had to, surely.

Orihime froze. "Ichigo…" Her voice cracked as well, as if stumbling across something she hadn't recalled in a long, long time. "Ichigo… Ichigo was the one…" She turned back to Tatsuki, tears flowing down her cheeks as well.

"You have always had a thing for Ichigo, remember?" Tatsuki wiped her face. "He was your reason to come to school every day at one point. You always wanted to catch his attention, or what little of it you could. Hell, you avoided him when you found out he and Rukia…" She paused, her lips pressing together. "Didn't you even tell me you wanted to get stronger because of Ichigo? That you would train so you could fight by his side? Remember?"

There it was. A glittering sense of familiarity rippled in those gray eyes, Orihime's shoulders rising a bit. "I… I think…" She paused. "Who's… Rukia?"

She doesn't remember Rukia?! Tatsuki didn't even know what to say about that.

"Come now, my friends." Tsukishima's voice wormed its way in, slithering between them like an unwelcomed pest. "There is no need to bicker and talk about -."

"How did you do it?" Tatsuki turned on him, her eyes burning. He was only a few inches behind her, his head lowered. But she pointed a finger in his face, determined to fight back. "How did you wipe her memories, huh? Is that one of your fuckin' Fullbring powers or whatever?"

It was like staring down a pit viper. The coldness in his eyes seemed to liven up at the suggestion, laughing as she drew closer. "You give me too much credit if that's what you believe, Tatsuki Arisawa." The way he said her name was long, drawn out. As if tasting it. "Perhaps you put too much stock into your friendship with your precious Orihime." He raised a finger, head tilting. "Oh, I'm sorry, I meant to say your one-sided relationship. That one little thing that you've kept hidden from her since you first met."

Tatsuki saw red. She lunged, ready to rip him to shreds. Sparks flew as her bones snapped, sinew and flesh rippling as her fingers extended, prepared to tear into his flesh.

"TATSUKI, WAIT!"

"TATSUKI!

"STOP HER!"

She was prepared to ignore them all, ready to tear him apart until there was nothing left. But all she was met with was empty air. His body had dematerialized, air surging past her as she lunged and fell toward the ground. Tatsuki rolled, catching herself and landed on her feet. "You're not getting away that quickly, you-!"

Her vision narrowed as she looked back, seeing Tsukishima standing mere inches from Orihime with his hand on her shoulder. In his other hand, however, was a drawn blade, hovering over her neck. Orihime's eyes were wide, hands frozen in the air as she realized what was happening. She stared at Tatsuki, almost silently pleading.

"Ts-Tsukishima!" Riruka reached out, her eyes wide with shock as well. "Hey, what are you-?!"

"Stay back, Riruka." He said it calmly, his eyes lilting downward as he studied Orihime's terrified expression. "Don't pretend like you don't understand what is happening."

"GET YOUR MITTS OFF MY ORIHIME!" Kon rushed Tsukishima, his felt feet bouncing off the floor. "IF YOU HURT HER, I'll-!" But Chad caught him before he could make it past Tatsuki, ignoring Kon's tiny paws beating against him as he protested. "HEY, LET ME GO, DAMMIT!"

To even Tatsuki's surprise, Moe rushed forward, a panicked look on his face. "Com'on, Tsukishima, you can't be serious! She's one of us now!"

"Let her go." Nel's voice was far more serious now, seething as she watched on. "If you kill her, we'll be forced to retaliate, even in these conditions."

Starrk growled slightly, unsheathing his zanpakuto once again. "About time," he muttered. "I call dibs on the oily bastard."

But Lilynette blocked him off, standing in his way. "Don'tcha lay a finger on Mr. Tsukishima, ya hear me?!"

"Come now." Tsukishima began to laugh. "I would never dream of killing our precious Orihime. She's far more valuable than any of you could comprehend. And it would seem our Xcution has grown quite attached to her." He looked up at Riruka and Moe, as if to mock them.

"Then let her go," Tatsuki demanded, her fists raising. "You don't need to hold her hostage."

An eyebrow rose on Tsukishima's face, as if amused. "Hostage? No, not hostage. But it's clear that you don't understand just what is at stake. We are not forcing you to join us but know that actively standing against us is not something I would advise."

"That sounds like a threat to me," Chad said.

"Yeah, the wording on that sentence needs some work," Keigo added.

Sighing, Tsukishima closed his eyes once again. "You are trying to confuse her," he said. "She's coming into her own. She doesn't need any of you. She doesn't need Ichigo. We are her support system. We always have been." He looked down at Orihime, caressing her face. "Haven't we, Orihime?"

Orihime couldn't speak, terror washing over her. She looked like she wanted to speak, but her tongue was frozen in her mouth.

"You are being given the opportunity to join her," he continued, looking back up. "Join her and the world will be at your fingertips. Even the Soul Society will be at your fingertips. You will suffer no more loss because of who you are."

"And if we don't, you'll slit her throat?!" Tatsuki shouted.

Tsukishima didn't miss a beat. "Death is not the worst thing that can happen to a person, Tatsuki. Believe me." He pressed the blade into Orihime's throat, Orihime shuddering and letting out a small whimper. "There are far worse fates. Now, decide."

It was not a question that often went through her brain. In fact, Tatsuki cursed herself for even thinking it. But the situation itself was too dire for it not to slip in unwanted. What would Ichigo do in this situation? It made her sick to think it, comparing herself to him in such a way. But the fear in Orihime's eyes was too much to bear.

He wouldn't give in. He wouldn't hesitate to do what needed to be done.

Steeling herself, Tatsuki's foot dug into the ground. I'm fast, she thought. But am I fast enough? The energy in her limbs was building, the electric feeling filling her jaw, her ears, every nerve in her body on fire. Maybe I don't need to be fast, she thought. Maybe…

Her lips parted, eyes glowing golden. "There's no way in hell I'd ever dream of joining a man like you." Then she struck the ground as hard as she could, her fist slamming the blue grid.

The ground rippled beneath her feet, shooting up in all directions. She could no longer see Orihime or Tsukishima, blocked by chunks of stone and digital fragments rising in the air. Chaos stirred around her, followed by shrieks and cries and clamoring. Tatsuki nearly fell backward, but instead caught herself, launching herself forward, determined to reach Orihime.

She spotted long, reddish blond hair amongst the wreckage, bolting. "ORIHIME!" Her hands stretched out, reaching for her. She didn't see Tsukishima anywhere close by, yanking Orihime with her and pulling away to somewhere safer.

"Orihime!" Tatsuki pushed hair away from her friend's face, desperate to see if she was still alright. She hadn't moved once, her body languid in her arms. "Orihime, are you-?!"

Gray eyes were lifeless, flesh ashen and cold. Even her vibrant hair had seemed to dull down. This wasn't the Orihime Tatsuki knew. There was nothing there. Frantic, Tatsuki checked for a wound, a gash, anything. But there was nothing. Not a scratch or a bruise. She was intact physically, but there was no life in those once bright eyes. Both hands grabbed Orihime's face, shaking gently. "Hey, hey! Orihime, answer me! ORIHIME!"

No response.

Her head weighing heavy in Tatsuki's hands, she seemed to sway to one side, her body trying to give out.

The crunch of footsteps approaching was all but white noise to Tatsuki, who sat in abject horror. She couldn't fathom what was happening, her chest tightening. "No… no! ORIHIME, NO!"

"Is she alright?!" Chad was right beside her, reaching out for Orihime. "Is she-?"

"No." Tatsuki pulled Orihime in closer, letting her head rest in the crook of her neck. "No, she… she can't be… There's no wound. Nothing. Nothing…"

"Oh my god." The skirting noise of Mizuiro's wheelchair as it came to halt grated on her ears. "Oh my god, Orihime!"

Mizuiro wheeled himself closer. "Is she okay?!"

"Orihime!" Riruka appeared, hovering over them nervously. "Hey, what's going on?!"

"She's not bleedin' or anything from what I can tell," Moe added. "But she's not respondin', is she?!"

"ORIHIME!" Kon pounced, worming his way between Tatsuki and Orihime, trying to shake her awake. "Come on, speak to us!"

No one noticed as Jackie and Tsukishima stood apart from them, watching emotionlessly as the group had gathered around her. Lilynette clamored up Tsukishima's back, trying her best to get a glimpse of what was happening. "I told you," Tsukishima said at last. "You should have listened to me. You didn't give me a choice."

On the other side of the group, Starrk and Nel watched in horror. Breaking her silence, Nel turned to Dondochakka and Pesche, eyes blazing in rage. "Dondochakka?"

"Y-yes, Lady Nel?"

She reached out her hand. "My zanpakuto, please."

Dondochakka didn't hesitate, reaching down his gullet and retrieving the saliva covered sword and handing it to her. "I want the two of you to find a way out," she commanded, turning her attention back to the group. "There has to be an opening somewhere. A weakness."

"Yes ma'am!" Pesche bowed slightly, grabbing Dondochakka as he bolted away, leaving the two Espada to themselves.

"What's your plan?" Starrk asked, his voice low. "It seems like Orihime is still alive."

"Yes, but there's something wrong." She glanced up at Starrk. "Are you planning to approach Tsukishima?"

He met her gaze, his expression answer enough.

"That weapon of his is somehow nonlethal," Nel added, unsheathing her blade. "Stay cautious and vigilant. Don't let your desire for revenge overwhelm you to the point that you are not alert to your surroundings."

Starrk turned away. "I'll be fine. It's Lil I'm more worried about."

From the group, Tatsuki couldn't move, couldn't speak. It was as if the world had suddenly stopped. This can't be, she thought. She's not dead. She's not moving, but she's not dead. What's happening? What happening…?

She didn't notice as the world around her began to fray. She didn't notice as her friends looked away, clearly confused as to what was happening. Even when her knees once again touched the familiar wooden floor of the warehouse, she didn't even once pull away from Orihime. Everything that had mattered, that did matter rested against her, motionless. Cold.

"What the hell is that?!" Jackie looked shocked, watching as the digital landscape disintegrated behind her, spreading in all directions. "Is Yukio bringing us out early? That wasn't part of the plan!"

But Tsukishima remained calm, watching as the warehouse came back into view. "This is not Yukio's doing." His smile faltered slightly, a blue glow reflecting in his brown eyes. "No, we have someone bringing us back ahead of schedule."

The others had no idea what was happening, watching in stunned silence. All eyes were glued to the far end, where a blue glow emanated. The glow lessened a bit, revealing a figure standing a foot or two away, translucent hair billowing in the air. A bright blue glow formed at her hands, white eyes staring straight ahead. Darkness shifted beneath her feet, warping the world around her.

"Sorry." Hollow words trickled from Ash's lips. "I hope I am not interrupting."

A/N: Hi guys!

I hope everyone's doing well, and that you have enjoyed today's chapter. I just wanted to give y'all some news: I have found a new place and am in the middle of moving. I'll be out by early July and hopefully by the end of July I'll be settled enough to get to work on the next chapter (I hope omg). I cannot express my gratitude for y'all's patience and I hope to be able to finish this story this year.

Sorry if this chapter wasn't entirely coherent, either. I've been on and off writing parts between work, moving and other stuff, so I hope you'll understand. Until the next time I post, take care of yourselves!