"Why are you glaring at me Ichigo?"

Ichigo was still red as a strawberry, still fazed from Arata's actions with Yoruichi. "Why!? You were acting like a pervert!" he exclaims.

"No I wasn't"

"Yes. You were"

"No I wasn't. If anything, it is you that is the pervert"

Not only was Ichigo blushing from embarrassment, he was now blushing in annoyance. "How the hell am I the pervert?!"

"Because you assume I did it out of lust and arousal. I touched her out of curiosity at her transformation" Arata explains.

"Yeah, sure. Whatever you say" Ichigo said, not convinced. He already had Kon, Keigo, and Chizuru to deal with. He didn't want another pervert to associate with.

"Glad you agree" Arata says, irking Ichigo. Orihime, who was walking between the two, decided to break the ice with something different.

"So Arata, what do you want to eat tonight? I'll make it for us"

"Whatever, I guess"

Orihime chuckles. "That doesn't really help me figure out what to eat. C'mon, what do you want to eat? Don't hesitate to say"

"Fish then. With Rice"

Simple but not exciting was all Orihime thought. She smiles and shrugs though, knowing that she already bought groceries in bulk prior to tonight.

"Minimal do you think?" Ichigo questions.

"Yeah but after the... 'extravagant' dinner I had last night, it's needed" Said Arata. Ichigo, knowing about Orihime's "unique" style of cooking, nods in understanding.

"You thought it was that great? Oh Thank you Arata!" Orihime said happily, oblivious to the true meaning behind the masked man's words. Ichigo and Arata both felt a bullet of sweat drop off their foreheads.

"Yeah, it was great" and the group continued walking until they separated saying their goodbyes, with Ichigo heading back home with Arata and Orihime walking back to her apartment. Orihime looked up at Arata, more specifically, his mask. Yoruichi said it was that of a hollow and the thought unnerved her. She didn't want to be afraid of Arata. She could sense that underneath all that terror and muscle was a good man.

"Sooo..." Orihime drew out, wanting to talk about something.

"What is it?"

"Your mask... why is so precious? You don't seem to ever take it off" Orihime questioned.

Arata just continued to walk, staring straight ahead of him. "It was a gift from my mentor"

"You mentor? What was he like?"

"She," Arata corrected. "She was... if I had to describe her, it would be with only one word: Scary"

The thought sent a shiver through Orihime's body. This man was already really intimidating as is, so if he described someone as "scary", she couldn't imagine what kind of person they were.

"To say it simply, she trained me. Made me into the man I am today and this mask was the only gift she gave me" Arata said. "She even carved this out herself".

"She made a hollow mask?" Orihime asks confused.

"No... I don't know what happened but somehow it went from a wooden mask to this" he said, indicating to his mask.

'I don't suppose you know anything about this voice?'

I don't really understand anything that's been going on. I was going based on instinct. But I assure you, that mask is natural. Nothing is wrong with it.

'Again, why should I trust you? Especially since you won't even tell me your name?'

I... I just CAN'T. This is something you have to figure out yourself

"Figure out yourself"? Arata frowns. Everything in the past two days was so confusing. No one is giving him answers or even a straight explanation. And even when he gets one small lead, more is revealed confusing him more.

"What was her name?" Orihime asks.

"...Her name was S-"

A pressure in the air stop the two in their tracks. With every passing second, it grows more and more prominent until it crashes behind them. Orihime and Arata turn to see a sort of monkey hollow with horns on its mask.

At least there was one thing Arata did understand: big and killable monsters.

He rushes the beast, much to Orihime's protest. The hollow tries to smash Arata with its hands but executioner dodges before uppercutting the monkey, pushing it back. Thanks to the voice, Arata's reflexes are more sharp, along with his strength and speed. He rushes in again, punching the masked creature in its mask hard but not enough to break the white surface.

At the corner of his eye, Arata catches a studded tail coming to his side but before it could make contact, Orihime blocks it, using the shield from her hair pins. The tail bounces off the shield, causing the hollow to howl in rage. It throws a powerful punch towards Arata but although he block it, the force pushed Arata far away until he skidded and fell on his back.

"Arata!" Orihime yells out. In her distraction, she did not see the tail coming to her back side before it was too late. It hit her against a nearby wall, dazing her until she saw the monkey raise its fist against her. With her back literally against the wall and the hollow being fast, she had no choice but to put up her shield and block the incoming attacks.

Arata groans as he gets up only to see Orihime struggling to hold off the hollow, her shield cracking with every hit. He runs up to the hollow monkey and cannon kicks it with both legs, pushing it off Orihime.

I have an idea.

'What?' Arata thought.

That boy Ichigo-

'I am NOT waiting for help'

I know! Let me finish damn it!

The monkey hollow gets back up and grows spikes on his fist, readying himself to attack again.

Thanks to Ichigo, I was able to use just a portion of his energy to make something. It took a lot out of me to do so but I think I got the result I wanted.

'And that is?'

Just press your mask into your face.

Arata hesitates before seeing the hollow approach them. He sighs before pressing his mask into his face. A sudden surge rushes through him as his clothes suddenly change, turning into a standard soul reaper shihakusho with a katana and sheath at his waist. Orihime snaps her head at him. To say she was shocked was an understatement.

Arata meanwhile was shocked too but with his surge in spiritual power, he wasn't questioning his new duds. He smiles underneath his mask, feeling his power and quickly becoming accustomed to his power before turning towards the monkey who stopped approaching once he saw Arata change. The executioner ran to it and after regaining its senses, the monkey ran as well, raising his spiked fist at Arata. It did not however make contact as it soon felt it being cut in half at the midsection before falling down, dead and disintegrating.

The sinister aura that surrounded Arata increased tenfold and it washed over Orihime felt it wash over her like a tidal wave. By instinct, she was fearful and felt the urge to run away before regaining herself. His reiatsu was a blended mix of hollow and soul reaper. That confused Orihime though. His energy was hollow-like but now it had soul reaper energy mixed in as well. It was so mixed that she couldn't determine if he more hollow than soul reaper and vice versa.

Arata perches his sword on his shoulder and turns to the stunned Orihime. "That... that felt good". He then whipped his sword, clearing the blood from the hollow and hearing the satisfying sound of metal flying through the air. His zanpakuto had a white hilt with a golden hexagon guard, with skull designs embedded into it.

"H-How?" Orihime questions.

Arata shrugs.

What do you say to people who've helped you?

'You still didn't say your name.'

Like I said, in time.

Howls rang through the night, making the two stand in attention as they soon felt them approach their position. Orihime then heard scary chuckling coming from Arata.

"Good. I wasn't even close to finished"

Soon, multiple hollows converged at their location and started attacking them, mainly Arata. He dispatches them with ease and brutality, severing limbs from their bodies and leaving them in suffering, or cutting through their masks as if they were made of cardboard. Orihime was attacked as well but not for long as Arata soon took care of them. She watched in a mixture of horror and awe at his fighting style. It swift like that of an assassin but yet strong like that of a brute. He even punched some the hollows but this time, now that he was apparently a soul reaper, he can punch them so hard, their masks crack to the point of breaking.

Ichigo and Renji appear where the waves of hollows were coming to, in their soul reaper uniforms. Like Orihime, they were shocked to see Arata in a soul reaper uniform with a zanpakuto in hand. They then went to assist Orihime as they saw Arata taking care of the hollows by himself.

The hollows continue to surge in for about six more minutes until all were gone. Arata sighs in contentment. He missed the feeling of a weapon in his hands. Of fighting with the odds against him and coming out on top. Of killing his enemies, bringing death.

Before he could continue to revel in this feeling, he feels a shift in the air and blocks an attack from Renji.

"Start talking. Now" the red head demands.

"About what? Our dreams?" Arata sarcastically says. Renji pushes buts Arata does not relent but pushes him back.

"Both of you, just stop. There's no need to fight each other!" Ichigo argued.

"This guy shows up and not only doesn't tell us jack shit but also reveals himself to be soul reaper? Hell no!"

Orihime went behind Arata and tried her hardiest to pull him away from Renji but to no avail. Ichigo was doing the same with Renji.

"Well now, isn't this a surprise to behold" Added a new voice. All turn their heads to see Kiuke Urahara and Yoruichi standing on a rooftop.

"I expected you to have powers Arata but this is certainly a surprise" commented Kisuke.

Arata stops his blade lock with Renji by pushing him off. He then spoke but kept his eyes locked on Renji. "I just found out about these powers a few minutes ago"

"And why should we believe you?" Renji questioned.

"You don't have to but what I say is the truth"

"The offer still stands Arata. How would you feel about me and Yoruichi helping you with your new powers? Now that we know what they are, your training will be a breeze"

Arata looks at them questioningly. "And why would you help me?"

Kiuke grins. "Well, to be honest, you intrigue me and I'm curious about your powers"

'I don't trust him. He's hiding something"

Takes one to know one huh?

'They don't need to know about my world'

The voice sighs.

Maybe. But in any case, you should take this opportunity to train with these new powers. And don't give me the 'I can do it myself' bit. You and both know we can't be at our full potential without knowing the basics.

Arata sighs in frustration. "Considering I know little about these powers, I'll train with you two". He then started on his way to Orihime's apartment. "Come on woman"

"Come by the shop whenever you're ready to learn"

Arata waved his hands dismissively as he walked away with Orihime by his side. "Yeah, Yeah"

After the two of them walked far enough away, Ichigo approached Kisuke. "What's your game here Kisuke?" the teen questions.

"Whatever do you mean?" he playfully asked.

"Why are you offering to train him?"

The grin on Kisuke's face shrinks by a bit. "Let's just say I want to keep an eye on him. There's something about his spiritual pressure that seems... familiar". He then turns to Renji. "You gonna report this to the Soul Society?"

The red head sigh. "Yeah. Can't imagine how they'll react to a new unauthorized soul reaper"

"What do you mean about his spiritual pressure being 'familiar'?" asked Ichigo.

"You might not have picked it up but deep within all that hollow and soul reaper energy is something. Something I feel like I know but not for certain" Kisuke explains.

Ichigo shrugs. "You're smart Kisuke. You'll figure it out"

Kisuke's grin grows. "Ah, you think I'm smart Ichigo? Thanks!"

"Don't ruin it" groaned out Ichigo.

After Ichigo and Renji left, Yoruichi and Kisuke walked back to the shop. "I assume you're gonna get hands-on with Mr. Takahashi?" teased Kisuke.

The cat-lady merely smirks, already concocting ideas on how to train Arata. She chuckles "Oh, you know it"

"You're gonna beat him up are you?"

"Hey, he needs to be punished for his disrespectful behavior from before" Yoruichi said smirking.

"For touching you or saying your body isn't 'special'?"

"Oh you already know the answer to that"

"That I do".