Author Notes: This is going to be the first part of Ichigo's real training as a Soul Reaper and Orihime learning more about her Shun Shun Rika powers. She's also beginning to diverge from the more defense powers of the original manga and the more combat oriented ones that will become more prominent in this fanfic series later on.

Also Yoruichi is able to use the Electric Cat Girl form on her own without Urahara's help. Really made their interactions awkward after that particular scene of Kisuke degrading her to a pet he could control at will. If you're thinking Yoruichi is going a little extreme with Orihime- remember she's training her with the intent of having her surpass Yoruichi and to back up her Reality Rejection powers with awesome power. Made more logical when you consider she's both technically a Visored due to Ichigo's influence and Lisa's "help" along with Kisuke's animal soul stitched restraint to quell the Hollow. Her powers aren't like Full-Bring by the way in this fanfic- they're something else, that relates to an archer group, though in a different manner than you're expecting.

Chapter 21: 6 Faery Paths/ Zanjutsu1


30 minutes after beginning the fight

Ichigo was not running as reckless as he did before when he began fighting with Jinta and Ururu- he stepped away from certain spaces where he predicted the projectiles would land and slanted in the opposite direction of where the kanabō would attempt to strike.

I got the number of shots it can fire between intervals now and how that red-hot hot brat uses that club of his, Ichigo thought himself as he slowed down to ponder on what to do next. Jinta got impatient and jumped in the way with his kanabō raised vertically behind him, not noticing Ichigo had raised his left arm above his head with a grasping palm gesture.

Ichigo then clenched the kanabō, disarmed the boy of his weapon as pulled it faster than Jinta could pull back and grabbed the boy's shirt with his other hand.

"Were you going to smash my head open. That's not a thing you should be taught in schools.," Ichigo scolded the boy with a stern expression. He considered spanking him, but held back due to the belief that he'd be no better than the kid if he resorted to that pettiness.

"You don't know how I feel to be-," Jinta explained his Freudian Excuse angrily until he chopped the back of his neck with his free hand.

"To be absurdly strong and see ghosts. Yeah, yeah. Go take a nap.," Ichigo explained Jinta with an irked tone in his voice, knowing exactly what he went through- since he was similar. As he placed Jinta on the ground, he turned to Ururu.

"You're...stronger than him aren't you?," Ichigo inquired Ururu with a perceptive mindset.

Ururu nodded, tossed the missile launcher aside and took a boxer position.

"It really gets Jinta mad, knowing that I'm better than him.,"Ururu said shyly to Ichigo as she curtsied as a polite gesture.

Ichigo then bowed as a response to honor the duel that was about to occur. Then she sniffed Ichigo's scent to his confusion.

"If it's about the sweat, it's kinda understandable when you're running- FROM FREAKIN' MISSILES!," Ichigo spoke to Ururu before yelling in exasperation at the end.

"You have Hollow Spiritual Power...," Ururu told Ichigo in a spacey tone, ignoring his shouting.

"I died by a Hollow and almost became one. It's now apart of me-," Ichigo explained to the girl with some hesitance until he was cut off by her next statement.

"Regardless, I must kill you...," Ururu told Ichigo as her eyes began to take a blank eyed expression of a trance.

"Uh...," Ichigo spoke in blank eyed bewilderment.

"...Conclusion- exterminate!," Ururu said in a mechanical manner that contrasted her earlier meekness.

"Wha?," Ichigo responded confused as the blank eyed Ururu then zoomed towards him with a solid right to his astonishment at her speed.

Ichigo dodged it in time to see a medium sized crater from the impact.

"Ok, you're much stronger than Jinta...as I thought. The unexpected ones usually have more skills than the ones that show off- damn you Keigo and your manga!,"

"Exterminate- Hollow Spiritual Power.," Ururu said as she prepared another punch this time to her left.

Ichigo then did something opposite than striking back- he slanted to the side opposite to where she would hit. This continued for a few minutes until Ururu fainted from exhaustion.

"Mission Failed- Response: Damn you- how could did you know?," Ururu asked with a furrowed expression looking at Ichigo.

"Where did you learn that- you're around these weird people, especially the Hat and Clogs one. If you're the strong one, why did you pretend to be long range instead of close range- you just don't have the stamina for the long haul.," Ichigo estimated as he explained from what he saw from the fight.

"Conclusion- A shame that you are considered an ally, Hollow like one...uh, night, night.," Ururu said with some reluctance before resuming her usual personality and falling to sleep.


Ichigo then noticed a large Spiritual Pressure behind him- it was the star shaped haired man with mirrored sunglasses and wearing a green jogging shirt and pants with white exercise shoes. It was Rabu Aikawa, otherwise known as Love.

"Guess I won the bet. The others said that you'd underestimate them and it would last a whole day. You're a true Shounen Jump hero- always going past your set limitations. C'mon, time to go to learn Zanjutsu.," Love said as laid-back as possible as he gestured Ichigo to follow him.

"I thought Shinji would be my teach since he mentioned it first. Also want to thank for last night.," Ichigo asked the man with a puzzled expression.

"Sorry, but out of all of us- me, Lisa and Hiyori are the only ones are able to teach you in that technique, because fighting you means getting serious. The others are specialized in the other fields. Rose, Kisuke and Shinji are even more specialized in a case of their own.," Love answered om a mellow tone as pressed the "blue sky" to open a doorway leading to another room.

"By the way, what you thought last night with Orihime and Lisa did happen. It was for your sake, won't go any further for now.,"

These words caused Ichigo to run very quickly past Love in panicked revelation to what he had discovered.

"Guess, it was too soon.," Love suggested to himself in a mild voice as he followed the boy. The "sky" door closing behind him.


Another Room with Levitating Platforms

Orihime was facing off against Yoruichi Shihōin, the dark-skinned former captain of the 2nd Division and losing badly in spite of her black belt skills because her opponent was beyond human limits- rather, she was a Soul Reaper who likely had even more grueling training than Orihime did at the dojo training with Tatsuki. Yoruichi was just more experienced and skilled in finding the weak-points of an enemy than she .

Yoruichi leaped up and pushed her arms back as far as she could before plummeting down.

"Raiōken (Thunder King Fist)!," Yoruichi declared as she released a flurry of punches towards Orihime on the platform below.

"Shiten Kōshun (Shield of Four Heavens' Resistance)!," Orihime shouted instinctively as Hinagiku, Lily, Baigon and Tsubaki joined forces.

She combined the attack and defensive powers of Shun Shun Rikka powers. As Hinagiku, Lily and Baigon formed Santen Kesshun to protect her from the incoming attack, Tsubaki was positioned into the middle of the pyramidal shield to resonante with their powers. As the shield felt the sensation of the incoming attack, Tsubaki released a combustion explosion that rushed towards Yoruichi striking her with the opposing force to repel the offense force of Yoruichi's attack. Thus, negating Yoruichi's intended force and surrounding her in a flash of expanding cloud light.

Orihime sighed for a moment until she heard these words.

"Shunkō (Flash War Cry).," Yoruichi said calmly as the cloud dispersed to show the woman unharmed as an electrical aura destroyed her orange over-shirt to reveal a backless black top underneath with the same energy emerging from behind her. Orihime looked in awe of the static aura power of the woman.

"Shunkō is the highest form of the Hakuda technique you will learn along with your techniques- even if you're not a Soul Reaper. Still, you need something more to back up that Shun Shun Rikka powers you possess, something like this. It comes in elements, lightning in my case and wind for my successor- then adding it with Kidō or in your case, your rejection powers that reject the boundaires between the element and yourself, into one's arms and legs to boost its powers. Once mastered, it can be fired or be contained to boost physical stats.," Yoruichi explained her abilities so Orihime would get a hint to fight properly.

"A-Are you asking me to become strong like you?," Orihime asked with some stuttering in her voice.

"You're missing the point of this training.," Yoruichi said as she seemingly vanished from her position to appear in front of Orihime.

Orihime's eyes widened in shock at the woman's incredible mastery of velocity.

"You're learning to surpass me!," Yoruichi declared as she raised a fist from her right, looking dead serious as she did so.

"Sant-," Orihime tried to recite before she was suddenly punched with enough force to let out blood and a few teeth as she flew over several platforms until she landed on one.

"That was a warning. You're nice-, but you need to have more resolve in order to be strong enough to remain with Ichigo as he grows stronger. The resolve to not hide behind yours powers and face the enemy head on- a lot of people watched your fight so they'll know your skillset- evolve or be left behind- that's life in battle.," Yoruichi lectured Orihime as she clenched her fist.


After using Soten Kisshun on herself, she turned to her Shun Shun Rikka for guidance.

"I guess I'm supposed to become a badass too. I bet Tatsuki won't believe it when I tell her about this.," Orihime told them with a half-hearted shrug.

She then slapped her cheeks to remain focus on the matter at hand.

"Okay, how to get better at fighting. What you guys able to do?," Orihime asked them with a determined expression to the little Shun Shun Rikka.

Hinagiku thought for a moment and then answered-

"There's the the Roku Yōsei no Kyūkyoku no Bōei: Tenshi (Ultimate Defense of Six Fairies: Angel) and the Go Tate kyūkyoku no ken: Seijin (Ultimate Sword of Five Shields: Saint) Lady Orihime."

"Ok, thank you Hinagiku that's a big help.," Orihime smiled back genially, causing the little Shun Shun Rikka to fluster with her gratitude.

"Your praise is greater than anything I could hope to accept.," Hinagiku answered as he bowed to her with reverence.


Yoruichi then said to herself in a sombre expression, "Shunkō: Raijin Senkei (Flash War Cry: Thunder God War Form)."

Instantly, she gained a circle of electrical energy in the shape of Raijin's drums attached to her back as her bangs rise to form horns.

I'll go up a notch. I can't be too cautious with an ability like hers. Better to finish this up quickly., she thought herself as she flexed her hands and then placed her right palm in front of her

Yoruichi unleashed a giant column of concentrated electrical energy from the palm to engulf her opponent in a vertical wave.

You'll probably use your shield again. I'll loop from behind and call it a day., Yoruichi thought mundanely as she didn't take her that seriously at the point.


Orihime then recited loudly these phrase that Hinagiku suggested to her,

"Roku Yōsei no Kyūkyoku no Bōei: Tenshi (Ultimate Defense of Six Fairies: Angel)- I Reject!"

The six Shun Shun Rikka went upwards to a form a vertical line that expanded into an six winged white skinned female humanoid to Yoruichi's surprise. This mouth-less woman with yellow pupil-less eyes had long straight, orange hair that flowed down to the platform floor, wore regal robes of a noblewoman from Ancient Japan and 6 massive streamlined wings emerged from her back.

Suddenly, she manifested a orange orb between her raised palms, which expanded outwards from her being and grew in magnitude as it then absorbed the electric strike before it could reach the destination.

Yoruichi dodged the expanding sphere before it caught her, which slowed down at around in a complete sphere of orange energy that range around 20 feet in diameter with Orihime in the center.

That girl, she had that under her sleeves. Relying on that alone is dangerous-, Yoruichi internally critiqued Orihime's choice of attack.

"Go Tate Kyūkyoku No Ken: Seijin (Ultimate Sword of Five Shields: Saint) I Reject!," Orihime's voice commanded as one of the Shun Shun Rikka- Ayame phased out of the winged woman's forehead. The words caused Yoruichi to widen her eyes in shocked disbelief.

The female humanoid's attire then became that of an armored Shogun stylized to tightly fit around her figure and expose her midriff. She wielded a 7 meter long katana in both of her hands.

She vanished from her position and reappeared behind Yoruichi to the fast woman's surprise.

"What in the h-," Yoruichi gasped as she suddenly experienced an orange energy cut diagonally from a large katana swipe.

Yoruichi was slashed from the front by the samurai figure's sword, causing her to land on the nearest platform.

"Are you ok? I hope it didn't go too far.," Orihime asked with concern to the woman laying on the platform.


So you managed something clever. Guess it's time to use this...I'll probably lose sight of myself if I do this., she pulled a black pill from her hair and swallowed it.

Shunkō: Raiju Senkei: Shunryū Kokubyō Senkei (Flash War Cry: Thunder Beast Battle Form: Flash God Black Cat Warrior), Yoruichi internally recited as she swallowed a pill. Suddenly, a lightning bolt from the top of the room struck the former 2nd Division Captain to Orihime's shock.

When the lighting strike disappeared Yoruichi had taken on the form of a hybrid of Shunkō and her black furred feline was clad in jagged electricity- her arms and legs, her forearms past the elbow and her legs up to her thighs, each ending with claws made of electrical energy. The energy formed her hair into the form of cat ears and she grew a black tail from her backsideand her feet became clawed cat paws. This form sheathed her in an aura of electrical energy.

"Ms. Yoruichi..are you ok?," Orihime asked with surprised concern.

"Meow.," replied the woman in a blank eyed stare of a curious cat.

So she's now acting like a cat...Ok..., thought Orihime with some underlying sarcasm as a single sweat drop fell from her brow.

To Orihime's shock, this form gave Yoruichi the mentality of a cat and allowed the cat nature of "fickleness" to manifest in her Spiritual Power.

To her astonishment, Yoruichi then swiped at the samurai being with the ease of a cat slicing a mouse, slicing the entity diagonally in half and causing the Shun Shun Rikka to separate back into five individuals and returned to Orihime as the cat lady lunged at her, ready to strike.

Summoning Soten Kisshun, she blocked the powerful strikes of the woman-cat. It slowly cracked from the pressure of the attacks. It eventually broke to Orihime's startled gaze as the feline female grinned

Yoruichi proceeded to give Orihime a very one-sided beating of claw swipes until she was tossed the girl to another platform once she got bored with her and went back to the platform she had landed earlier.

Orihime then thought to herself with a battered and heavily scratched face.


Since I met Ichigo...I followed him.

I followed him to the karate dojo.

I would watch quietly as he went to beat people who were doing wrong to others.

When he would come to school.

And I want to continue following him.

That's not entirely it...

It's because of Ichigo I was able to go outside the world once brother died

To meet Tatsuki and the others.

If going with Ichigo means I have to accept fighting as my destiny,

Then I'll gladly step in, into the world of conflict alongside him.

With both a shield to protect him and a weapon that's able to make me stand with Ichigo as his equal.

And become as indulgent in blood-lust as he is.


Suddenly, the Shun Shun Rikka began to change in form- becoming more human sized as they landed in front of Orihime as silhouetted forms.

"Attachment (Ayame), Suffering (Baigon), Imagination (Hinagiku), Bliss (Shun'o), Instinct (Lily) and Passion (Tsubaki), each of the Shun Shun Rikka spoke when referring to their names.

Yoruichi looked at the creatures with hesitance.


A Kendo Dojo Style Room

Ichigo looked at the three people he was about to face- Love, Lisa and the girl named Hiyori.

Orihime's Spiritual Pressure just change, I can't believe it's the same person., Ichigo thought, not paying attention to the fighters before him.

"Love, this was gonna be a sword fight right?," asked Hiyori irritated by the boy's lack of concentration.

"It's the requirements for the training. What are you planning?," Love responded with a mellow tone.

"I say let's go beyond that- he'll pay more attention if you show him something more interesting.," she replied with a smirk, causing Love to raise his left eyebrow.

"Don't blame me if the others scold you later.," Love said with a sigh of reluctance as he complied.

Ichigo's attention got shifted back to the fight once the three released their Zanpakuto powers.

"Crush Down Tengumaru (Long-Nosed Goblin).," Love said calmly as his Zanpakuto transformed into a large black kanabō, more than twice the height of Love himself and much bigger than Jinta's. It was covered with bladed protrusions in a way that resembled a cactus, and the handle itself was almost taller than Love. He wielded it with one hand as it rested on his shoulders.

"Kubikiri Orochi (Beheading Serpent).," said Hiyori as her Zanpakuto turned into a large cleaver with a serrated saw-like blade.

"Smash Haguro Tonbo (Iron Drink Dragonfly).," said Lisa as she slammed the hilt of her Zanpakutō into the mouth of its scabbard before twirling it over her head with both of her hands. As she then twirled it around her body, the Shikai command prompted it to quickly lengthen into an exceptionally long pole arm outfitted with a blade reminiscent of that of a Monk's spade on one end, and a heavy ball on its other end. This allowed the bladed end to be used much like an axe, and the weighted end to be used as a smashing implement

"Zangetsu (Slaying Moon).," Ichigo responded as he unsheathed his large black Zanpakuto blade from his back.

I guess worrying about her won't matter much. By the end of this, we'll be bigger monsters than the ones we face yesterday. Don't know if I should be happy about this., Ichigo thought with a smirk.


Chapter 22: 6 Faery Paths/ Zanjutsu2