The next morning, Ichigo eyed Orihime as she entered the classroom, greeting her friends cheerfully. She seemed fine, the smile on her face looking genuine. Satisfied she hadn't had anymore nightmares, he moved his focus back to Keigo, who was blathering about beaches and watermelons and babes. It was almost summer and his ever excitable friend was, well, excited. "So are you coming or what Ichigo?" Keigo asked. "To where?" Ichigo frowned, and Keigo deflated as Mizuiro laughed.
"The BEACH HOUSE Ichigo. Sand, ocean, gorgeous babes!" Keigo lit up again just thinking about it. Ichigo shrugged, thinking for a minute. "When? Who else is going? How'd you get a beach house?" "It's my mom's place" Mizuiro interrupted. "Not far out of town. We're going the first day of vacation, but we'll be back for the festival. Chad, Uryuu, and Orihime are all coming. Chizuru is visiting family, and Tatsuki is going to a tournament." He paused, contemplating something. "I suppose...it would be good to invite Rukia and Renji too...we do have room." He looked at Ichigo uncomfortably "Can you like...call them, or something?" "Rukia is in town, so I can ask her." Ichigo shrugged.
"Ask me what?" The petite woman walked towards the group. "Do you and Renji want to come to Mizuiro's beach house with us?" Ichigo asked. Rukia bit her lip. "We do have some vacation time coming up..." Ichigo raised his eyebrow "Since when do soul reapers get vacation time?" "Since the war. The head captain decided all lieutenants and captains get two weeks' vacation a year. As long as both the captain and lieutenant for a squad aren't gone at the same time." Rukia explained "And obviously we're to be back at a moments notice should anything happen." "Huh. Who knew the old man had a heart." Ichigo mumbled, ignoring Rukia's glare.
"Well, see if you can get some time off and join us!" Mizuiro said cheerfully "The more friends the better. Think we could all use some relaxation after...everything." He sobered a little and Ichigo frowned. He hated that his human friends had all gotten caught up in the war. At least Aizen was gone now. "I'll tell Renji. I can go back tonight." Rukia said as the teacher walked in. "Time for class everyone! Please find your seats."
Ichigo was walking home when his combat pass started chirping. He scowled and ducked into an alley, then carried his body onto a rooftop before taking off in the direction of the hollow. He landed just in time to see Orihime's fairy slice through it. It looked different somehow, he noted. "Nice one." He complimented, and she whipped around, the fairy halfway to his face before it stopped. He raised his hands in surrender, grinning at her as she gasped "I'm so sorry Ichigo! I didn't realize you were so close!" She called her fairy back to her "I was so focused on the hollow..." "No worries, seriously. I crept up on you." He assured her, but she frowned "You shouldn't be able to do that."
"Don't be so hard on yourself" a familiar voice rang out. "You took down that hollow well. It was pretty strong." Rukia landed next to them. "Thanks." Orihime blushed. "Are we training tonight?" Rukia shook her head "I'm going back tonight to talk to Renji." she paused, then looked at Ichigo. "You could train with her." He paled at the thought "I don't know..." his eyes flickered to Orihime in time to see disappointment wash over her face. "Do it. She can handle you, just don't pull out the big guns." Rukia demanded. He scowled at her but said "Fine." "You don't have to Ichigo I'm sure you're busy-" Orihime protested "What time will I meet you at Urahara's?" Ichigo asked, ignoring her. "Umm does seven work?" she asked timidly "Perfect. See you at seven."
He turned and walked away, hearing Orihime hiss at Rukia "Rukia! What'd you do that for?! He doesn't have time for-" "Yes he does." Rukia said confidently and he rolled his eyes, falling out of earshot. He always had time for his friends, but Rukia didn't have to make assumptions...
After dinner, he made his way to Urahara's place and found Orihime already in the basement, her fairies flying around erratically as she sat cross legged, her eyes closed. He dropped out of his body and walked towards her, watching her eyes flick open. "Hey" he greeted her as she stood up. "Hi" She said, seeming oddly shy. He swallowed nervously. He really didn't want to attack her.
"Go on then! Pretend he stole your last cookie Orihime!" Urahara chuckled from his perch above them. Ichigo scowled "What are you doing here?" "In my own basement?" Urahara challenged, grinning. "Well I'm here for the show of course!" Ichigo rolled his eyes and reluctantly unsheathed his sword. "Show me what you got" He said firmly to Orihime. She bit her lip "T-tsubaki!" She commanded, and the fairy flew towards him, screeching to a halt in front of his chest. Ichigo frowned "What the..." "Orihime, don't hold back. You won't even penetrate his reishi like that." Urahara chuckled. She smiled sheepishly "Sorry!" Ichigo met her eyes "I can take quite a beating Orihime, relax." She nodded shyly and prepared again.
She closed her eyes for a minute, and then, without opening them, commanded "Tsubaki!" This time, her voice was much more determined. Ichigo's eyes widened as Tsubaki flew towards him, looking much more powerful than before. He moved to raise his sword but his momentary surprise left him unable to block in time and he took the full force to his chest, flying back several feet as the fairy pierced his chest. "I'm sorry!" Orihime exclaimed, wincing at the small trickle of blood that appeared. Ichigo looked down, investigating the shallow mark. Urahara laughed loudly "Don't underestimate her or she'll kick your ass!" he warned. "And Orihime! Stop. Holding. Back." Orihime bit her lip, looking at Ichigo. He grinned at her "Bring it on. You can put me back together later." He joked, getting a small smile in return. "Okay...alright." she took a deep breath "Tsubaki!" she called fiercely.
The fairy flew towards him and he quickly blocked, taking the time to flash step towards Orihime, blinking in surprise as the fairy appeared in front of him again, shooting at him. He dodged and swung his sword at Orihime, his nerves subsiding as she blocked him effortlessly. Out of the corner of his eye, too late, he saw the fairy coming at him again and he got hit in the shoulder, getting tossed to the ground. "Nice!" he heard Urahara exclaim as he clamored to his feet just in time to dodge another hit. He dodged again and again, sometimes parrying the hits, but was unable to get any closer to Orihime.
"Use Getsuga!" Urahara called and he glared at the store owner incredulously. "are you nuts- argh!" he was hit in the shoulder, the fairy going right through him. Orihime gasped and he quickly took the opportunity to flash step to her and point his blade at her chest. He felt his stomach twist at the thought of hurting her but pushed it aside to say "Don't get distracted." Orihime knocked his blade away with her arm and shot Tsubaki at him again, making him flash step away. His gaze landed on her arm, which was now encased in an orange sheild, slowly healing the mark left there.
'Can she fight and heal at the same time?' he wondered, and his question was answered as Tsubaki split into a three pronged attack and shot at him. He had nowhere to dodge and instinctively said "Getsuga Tensho!" The shots were dispersed and his breath caught in his throat as his attack hit her shield. The dust settled, and there wasn't so much as a crack in it. She finished healing her arm and summoned Tsubaki again, but he blurted out "Wait!" and she immediately stopped.
"How many times can you split him? You couldn't always do that..." He asked curiously. "Three at full power, but I can do four small ones too." She answered, eyes on his wound. "I suspect she can do more if she keeps training" Urahara interrupted, eyes sparkling. "She's gotten very strong Ichigo" She blushed at that. "I've been wondering just how much damage her shield can withstand." Urahara tipped his hat over his eyes "Take a shot at her with the mask on, will you?" "No!" Ichigo snapped immediately. "She's not some experiment you can just-" "Please?" Orihime asked quietly.
Ichigo looked at her like she was nuts. "I won't stand behind it" She assured him quickly. "I can protect, like, a rock, or something..." "Orihime, I...I'm not even sure this place could withstand that..." Ichigo muttered hesitantly. Urahara waved his fan cheerily "Oh yes it can! I upgraded! It can handle ten of you I'm sure" Ichigo scowled at him for a moment before sighing. "Fine. Bankai!" he kept his eyes on Orihime, making sure she was alright under the pressure of his reishi. She summoned a sheild twenty feet away from them, in front of a rock about her size, without so much as a murmur.
'Interesting' He thought to himself 'She's definitely stronger...' He took a calming breath. "I'll do it in bankai first, okay?" She nodded, turning her focus to the shield. "Getsuga Tensho!" Ichigo threw the attack directly at the sheild and it ground into the rock in front of the shield, but when the dust settled, nothing behind the orange wall was displaced, and it was still standing strong. Ichigo raised an eyebrow "Okay, now with the mask, if... you don't mind." He glanced at Orihime, who smiled reassuringly at him.
He looked away and summoned his mask, unable to meet her eye. "Ready?" he asked in his raspy voice. "Yep!" Orihime said cheerfully. He flash stepped to put himself between her and her shield and said quietly "Just in case it gets out of control" He aimed at the shield again "Getsuga Tensho!" a huge black wave destroyed everything between him and the shield, but to his surprise, the orange wall prevailed again.
Flashing towards it, he struck it with his sword directly, infusing his hit with another getsuga. This time, the shield split perfectly down the middle, but did not shatter. He stepped back, removing his mask. "Wow." "Impressive, isn't she?" Urahara called from the door as he left. Ichigo turned to Orihime, his face unreadable. "I'm sorry" he said and she blinked at him "I underestimated you." he explained. "Oh" she squeaked "It's okay." He smiled gently at her. "Want to keep going?" She nodded excitedly.
They trained for another two hours, Ichigo staying in his bankai and pushing Orihime to her limits. He forced her to work at a speed she never had to comprehend before and she had to use both her shield and Tsubaki simultaneously, something Rukia had said she needed practice with. As he rested the dull side of his blade against her neck he frowned. "Too easy. You're tired, time to call it for the night." he fell out of his bankai state
"But Ichigo!" she argued, but he shook his head at her "Orihime, you can't burn yourself out. We have plenty of time, right?" He smiled at her and her breath caught in her throat. "You mean we can do this again?" she asked and he nodded. "Thank you!" she said excitedly before clearing her throat. "Umm, thank you." She looked at his shoulder that was still slowly bleeding from her attack earlier "Can I heal you?" He looked conflicted "Don't waste your energy..." "It's not a waste" She smiled, the warm orange glow enveloping him. "Thanks" he murmured, watching his skin slowly knit back together.
"Let me walk you home." Ichigo insisted after he got back in his body. "Oh I'm okay, really..." she assured him "It's late" he said in a tone that left no room for argument. She nodded and allowed him to accompany her home, cheerily waving at him before shutting and locking her door for the night. She hopped in the shower, lost in thought over the night as she shampooed her hair 'He wouldn't look at me with his mask on.' She bit her lip 'I don't want him to think I'm afraid of him. I'm not afraid anymore.' She realized 'It's just Ichigo. He's the same. He's always had a dark side, I just never saw it before Hueco Mundo.' Letting out a sigh, she stepped out of the shower. 'I just have to convince him'
Once she had on fresh pajamas she crawled into bed warily, lying down and waiting for the nightmares.