Sitting on a tree branch across from Ichigo, Rukia silently muttered a spell for a kido and was surprised when a barrier flared into existence around them. However once it was in place, ensuring that they could speak privately without being overheard- she then looked at Ichigo and internally cringed a little bit at what she saw.

Because despite the years that they'd known one another, she sometimes forgot just how very young the other girl was compared to herself.

"So...how are you feeling? Your body holding up okay?" Rukia asked cautiously.

She and Kisuke already spoken in length about things and had an idea of what had happened to bring them to this new world. And while they both understood that they appearance in this place was both a direct result of- and apparently a simultaneous subconscious one as well- she couldn't help but wonder if Ichigo was even aware of what she had done.

True, she had broken the Hogyoku to prevent it from falling into enemy hands and being used to destroy them and everyone else in both the living world and the Soul Society.

But she wondered if Ichigo was fully aware of the repercussions of breaking something that as Kisuke so bluntly put it- was like a parasite- that had the power equivalent of ten thousand nuclear bombs.

From what she had been told by Kisuke; Ichigo had not only absorbed a fairly large portion of that power into herself and survived the backlash of it. But she now commanded it's immense power as well as her own.

The two had somehow merged.

Which meant that trying to extract the Hogyoku's power from her would undoubtedly kill her. And letting Kisuke create another Hogyoku and letting Ichigo try and place the absorbed power into it, was out of the question as well.

"I seem to be doing a bit better thanks to you healing me a bit more. Thanks for that."

Rukia smiled at her, feeling pleased that she could help her. Even in a small way. "No problem Ichigo." She said before then letting her smile slip a little bit and then saying, "I've noticed that you're still in your Getsuga Tenshou form. Why haven't you changed back yet?"

"I'm not sure," Ichigo said honestly as she looked down at her hands for a moment with a frown. "I've been trying, but-"

"But?" Rukia prompted.

"But for some reason, I just can't seem to. I-It's like my spiritual energy has been dipped in some heavy duty super glue or something. I just can't seem to get it to change." Ichigo said awkwardly as she raised her eyes to meet Rukia's again.

The smaller girl frowned and then asked if it hurt her whenever she tried to change back.

Ichigo shook her head and merely likened the sensation to something like a pull. It was a little bit uncomfortable, and it felt as if her nerve endings were burning a little bit, but it wasn't exactly painful. Just...strange.

Whatever the hell that meant.

"Well, try not to let the fact that you can't change back worry you too much. I'm sure that Kisuke might be able to see if he can help you. In the meantime...what all has Yoruichi told you?"

"She told me about...Karin," Ichigo's voice took on a defeated tone that Rukia didn't like. But understood nevertheless. After all, Ichigo's sisters meant the world to her. Just as much as her friends. Losing even one was a crushing blow to her. Not just as an older sister, but a protector as well. "Uryu, Orihime-" That was two more crushing blows. "Tatsuki, and Keigo." By this point Rukia was certain that she didn't wan to hear anymore but let her go on anyways. "And Kenpachi."

Rukia blinked at the man's name, her expression incredulous as she blurted out. "Holy shit! Kenpachi?! Kenpachi-Kenpachi? Badass killer, Kenpachi?"

Ichigo's lips twitched a little bit in a small semblance of an amused smile as she said, "I know, right."

"I thought that he was too damned evil to die!"

"Yoruichi told me that he took out several thousand people and finally died with a grin on his face."

Rukia was a little bit lost for words, so she said the only thing that she could think of. "Good for him."

The two girl's lapsed into silence for a heartbeat or so. Ichigo's eyes flickering away from Rukia's face to see what All Might was up too since the fuzzy thingy had told the man to stay close to them and watch them.

Which was what she found him doing from where he stood several feet away from the tree that they'd climbed. He was observing them with a slightly calculating gaze that sent a weird chill down Ichigo's spine.

"How good is this barrier?" She found herself asking suddenly. Suspicion slithering through her mind the longer she looked at the man.

Rukia hummed absently before replying, "Well, we can be seen-"

"That's what I was afraid you were going to say."

"Huh?"

"I think he's reading our lips." Ichigo said. Rukia twitched so violently that she damned near fell out of the tree when she looked over at the hulking blond man and got a smug looking smile from him.

Ichigo's hand shot out to grab her and steady her as the smaller girl found herself feeling suddenly angry at the man for spying on them. Their conversation was meant to be private!

As in no giants- besides Chad if he'd been present- allowed!

"You jerk! Is there no such thing as privacy anymore! Go away!" Rukia screeched as she shook a small fist. Ichigo made a weird little choking sound and All Might's smug expression suddenly melted into a oh shit look that was utterly comical.

Apparently he didn't think things through as far as getting caught went because one second he was standing there and the next he was making an awful fast beeline for...somewhere he could hide?

Really? Ichigo thought in bemusement.

Which was quickly followed by Rukia breaking the barrier and jumping down from the tree and running after him at an impressive speed for a 'human' girl. She managed to not only catch up to him, but take him down with a flying kick to the back, eliciting a started/indignant squawk from him before he hit the ground face first.

Ichigo watched the whole spectacle with a grin that slowly morphed into hysterical laughter as Rukia doodled a squiggly mustache on the poor man's face. Once she was done scribbling on his face, she turned and walked back to the tree and swinging herself back up into the branches and growled out, "That'll teach him to spy on us."

Ichigo simply patted her on the shoulder and gasped out, "Y-Yeah. You showed him." And then resumed laughing.