Yachiro slid gracefully on the ice as she approached the fallen combatants.

Toshiro was vaguely aware of her presence as she stood over him.

'Is she here to finish me off?' he wondered. 'I've no strength to move.'

But instead of drawing her sword, Yachiro bowed to him.

"Thank you so much," she said enthusiastically. "Kenny had a great time fighting you, Whitey. It's been a very long time since I've seen Kenny have so much fun! I really appreciate it!"

She walked over to where Kenpachi Zaraki lay and lifted the large captain up.

"Try to stay alive, ok?" she said to Toshiro. "That way, maybe you'll get to play with Kenny again someday!"

She leapt off, carrying Zaraki on her shoulders.

"Everyone … here … is insane … " Toshiro muttered as his consciousness slipped away.

Uryu stopped.

"What is it?" Orihime asked.

He looked back. "I don't sense either Zaraki or Toshiro anymore. It seems the battle is over."

"Did … did Toshiro win?" Orihime asked nervously.

"I have no idea," Uryu answered. "For all I know they may have both killed each other."

"That's horrible."

Orihime began to cry.

"What's the point of fighting, if both sides get killed?"

Ganju spoke up. "The point is that we don't have to worry about that crazy captain coming after us anymore."

'I should have kept my big mouth shut,' Uryu thought. 'We can't afford to linger here in the open, not when we're this close to our goal.'

As if to emphasize his point, a group of six Shinigami appeared from around the corner ahead of them and attacked Uryu as his back was turned.

Uryu turned to look at his attackers. They had all swung their zanpakutos at him, but they were stopped by an orange barrier.

He spared a glance back at his teammates. "Orihime."

She stood with her hands outstretched. Tears were still flowing down her cheeks, but her eyes shown with steely determination.

"We may have lost Toshiro, but we're not going to lose anyone else," she said.

The six Shinigami moved back and readied themselves for another attack. Chad stepped forward and swung his fist at them. He directed an energy blast at the Shinigami, knocking them all out with one attack.

"Good work, both of you," Uryu said. "Now let's - "

A high-pitched voice cut him off. "Very interesting."

They stared as a figure literally walked out of the wall ahead of them. He wore a strange white hat which extended far to the side of his head in two points, and his face was skeleton-like, painted white and black.

But the most frightening part of his appearance was the white haori he wore.

'Another captain!' Uryu realized. 'This is the worst-case scenario!'

"Those were very interesting techniques," the captain said. "It's the first time I've seen anything like either of them. Tell me, how would you two feel about becoming my research subjects?"

He began walking towards them. "And is the person with that sand technique among you as well? I'd very much like to study him too."

"I'll limit administration of drugs to just eight times a day, and mechanical experiments to five hours a day. And I'll do my best to refrain from bodily alterations that carry the risk of death."

"This guy's as nuts as Kenpachi," Ganju said.

'A mad scientist,' Uryu observed. 'His reiatsu doesn't begin to compare to Kenpachi Zaraki's, but he must have a thousand more tricks up his sleeve.'

"Well, what do you say?" the captain asked. "I think these are quite exceptional conditions for mere research subjects."

Uryu had had enough. He disappeared and reappeared directly behind the captain with his bow drawn.

"So you're the Quincy I detected earlier?" the captain asked. "Quite a rare breed. I wonder how long it's been since I saw a live specimen. Unfortunately, I've already finished my research on your kind."

"Finished your research?" Uryu asked. "What does that mean? Who are you?"

"What?" the captain asked in surprise. "Did you ryoka just rush into your enemy's base without properly investigating first? I'd have thought you would have at least read up on the 13 people at the top."

"We know you're a captain," Uryu said. "Believe it or not, you're not the first one we've encountered."

"Are you saying you met another captain, and survived?" the captain asked incredulously. "Very interesting indeed."

"Very well. I am the Captain of Squad Twelve and Chief of the Technological Development Department, Mayuri Kurosutchi."

Uryu called out to his comrades. "Everyone, get out of here! I'll handle him."

"What?!" Orihime screamed. "No!"

"He wants everyone but me, so I'm the one he's going to get."

"No!" Orihime yelled again. "We already lost Toshiro! We can't lose you too!"

"You won't," Uryu assured her. "I promise you, I'm going to survive this, but the rest of you need to complete the mission."

"He's right," Ganju told her. "It's too dangerous for us."

Orihime looked down as tears once again fell from her eyes. "Uryu … if you die … I'll never forgive you!"

Ganju grabbed her by the arm and began to run away. Chad and Hanataro ran with them.

"Did I say you could run?" Kurosutchi asked. He extended his arm towards them. His hand shot out like a cannonball, attached to his body by a long cord.

The hand almost reached Orihime when Uryu shot it out of the air.

Kurosutchi glared at Uryu.

"I am your opponent, captain. And on my honor as a Quincy, you shall not lay a hand on any of my friends."

Yoruichi found Toshiro lying in the field of ice created in his battle with Kenpachi Zaraki.

"Oh dear, you've certainly made a mess of this place, as well as yourself," the cat observed.

"But against someone like Kenpachi Zaraki, you could not have expected any less. You fought well, and I am impressed."

Yoruichi looked out towards the tower with the Repentance Cell. "It seems that your Quincy friend is engaged in another battle, but I am afraid that I cannot help him without leaving you here to die."

Yoruichi began to glow.

"If we're gonna get to the repentance cell, we need to get to higher ground," Ganju said. "And I've got just the thing."

He pulled out a grapple. "This'll get us up there."

"I don't know," Hanataro said. "Can we do this without Toshiro and without Uryu? They were the smartest and strongest of all of us."

"We have to," Orihime said firmly. "If we don't succeed, then Toshiro and Uryu will have sacrificed themselves for nothing."

"They're counting on us," Chad said. "And so is Rukia."

Uryu had taken several hits after Kurosutchi had released his zanpakuto, but he could still move thanks to his ransotengai ability, which allowed him to maintain control of his limbs even after his nerve functions were severed.

But any physical pain was secondary to the anger and hate he felt towards the man before him, the man who he now knew was responsible for his grandfather's death.

"You may be a more interesting specimen than I first thought," Kurosutchi said. "I've decided not to kill you after all. I'll take you back to my lab alive."

'I can't beat him without releasing my Letz Stile,' Uryu thought. 'But if I use it, I'll lose my powers and won't be able to protect the others.'

Kurosutchi pulled his left ear off. The ear transformed into a scythe, which was attached to Kurosutchi's head by a string of flesh.

'Wait!'

Uryu felt something. It was faint, but recognizable.

'So, you did survive.'

"What are you smiling about?" Kurosutchi asked.

"Nothing much," Uryu said. "Now I know I can do what it takes to beat you without having to worry about my friends."

"Oh? And what is it you can do to beat me?"

Uryu reached for the release on his Sanrei Glove.

'I leave the rest in your hands, Toshiro.'

He pulled the release, and knew his battle was over.

Yoruichi stood over Toshiro's body.

"You'll be all right now."

The black cat looked back at the entrance to the hideout it had brought the boy to recover. "Hmmm. It seems Uryu has won his battle as well. Most impressive."

Yoruichi heard groaning and turned back to Toshiro. "Welcome back to the world of the living, in a manner of speaking, of course."

"Yoruichi," Toshiro said. "You saved me."

"Yes. Your wounds were quite severe, but you have an unusually strong life force. It kept you alive long enough for me to repair much of the damage.

"But this thing also played a part in saving your life."

Yoruichi pushed a mask towards Toshiro. The mask was white with three red stripes on its forehead. It was cracked open by the left eye from Zaraki's strike.

"That was in my kimono?" Toshiro asked.

"Yes. It stopped Kenpachi's blade from cutting you in half."

"Weird," Toshiro said. "I've never seen it before."

"Hmmm. Then if you don't mind, I'll hold onto it," Yoruichi said.

"I don't mind."

"Good."

Yoruichi looked at the mask with concern. 'It's probably nothing, but I can't be too careful.'

"How long do you think it will it take me to recover?" Toshiro asked.

"I'm not quite as skilled as Squad Four at healing, so you shouldn't move for the rest of the day at least."

Toshiro looked up. "Back home I'd probably be crippled for life with injuries like this. But here being out of commission for a day seems like forever."

"Kenpachi will also be healed quickly, but I do not think you will have to worry about him again. He will seek to get stronger before he ever challenges you again."

"That's good news, at least. Do you know how the others are doing?"

Yoruichi looked back again. "They seem to be doing fine. In fact, they're about to make it to the Repentance Cell."

Ganju and Chad knocked out the two guards who stood before the bridge leading to the repentance cell.

"We're here," Hanataro said. "Rukia's cell is just across this bridge."

"After all this time," Orihime said, "we're really going to see Rukia."

"It's strange," Chad said.

"What is?" Ganju asked.

"I don't sense anything from the tower in front of us. This close, I was sure I'd feel Rukia's presence. Could they have moved her?"

"That's just because of the sekkiseki rock the tower is made of," Hanataro said. "It stops people from sensing the reiatsu of others and lowers one's own reiatsu."

"It's the perfect way to keep someone with strong spirit energy like a Shinigami prisoner," Ganju said.

"I see," Chad said.

They ran across the bridge as fast as they could.

"Looks like it's a vault-style door," Ganju said when they reached the entrance to the cell. He turned to Chad. "Think you can break it down?"

"That won't be necessary," Hanataro said, producing a small wooden object from his kimono. "I borrowed this spare key from the storage room in the underground tunnel last night."

"It would draw less attention," Chad observed.

"But what happens if they found out you took it?" Ganju asked. "Won't you get in trouble?"

"Probably," Hanataro added. "But I thought about it last night. Toshiro keeps on getting beat up, but he keeps on fighting while I just run away. Everyone has fought, except for me. It's not very honorable of me."

"Hanataro," Orihime said.

"I want to save Rukia too," Hanataro continued. "But I haven't been doing enough to help. So I've decided that I'm going to give it all I've got from now on, even if it means breaking the rules sometimes and getting in trouble later. Of course, stealing a lousy key hardly compares to the fighting that you guys can do."

"I know exactly what you mean," Orihime said. "I feel like I'm always standing around and watching, but never helping."

"Don't sell yourselves short, either of you," Ganju said. "Without your healing and your knowledge of the sewers, we'd have never made it this far. And Orihime, your shield has saved us multiple times."

"The fact that we're here means you've done enough."

"Thank you," Orihime said.

Hanataro inserted the key, and the door rose.

"Now I'll finally see what all this fuss is about," Ganju said. "To tell you the truth, I've never heard of anyone going to such lengths just to save one person before."

"Rukia!" Orihime called. 'Are you here? We've come to get you out of here!"

A small figure in a white kimono stood at the far end of the cell.

"Orihime … Chad … " Rukia said. "What are you doing here?"

"We're here to rescue you," Chad said.

"How did you – " Rukia began to ask when Hanataro ran up to her.

"I'm here too."

"Hanataro?"

Orihime ran up and hugged Rukia.

"It's so good to see you again!"

Rukia stood in stunned silence.

"Come on," Hanataro said. "Let's get out of here. Ganju, do you – "

Ganju had not moved an inch from the entrance the entire time. He stared at Rukia with his eyes bulging and twitching.

"What's wrong?" Hanataro asked. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

Rukia looked the stranger over and saw a symbol on his pants.

"You're from the Shiba clan," she observed.

"Do you two know each other?" Hanataro asked.

Ganju's mouth twitched in something between a smile and a leer. "Yes, I know her. As if I could ever forget that face."

"The face of the Shinigami who killed my brother."

"What?" Orihime and Hanataro both cried.

"Rukia … Rukia would never do something like that," Orihime said.

"That's right," Hanataro agreed. "You must be mistaken."

"He had his throat slashed and he was stabbed in the chest," Ganju said, his entire body shaking with pent up rage. "And what's more, she admitted it."

"But that's –"

"It's all right, Hanataro," Rukia said. "What he says is true."

All of them looked at Rukia in horror as she said "I am the one who killed Kaien Shiba."

Ganju ran forward and grabbed the front of Rukia's kimono.

"Ganju!"

"You-you-" Ganju was so infuriated that he could not get the words out.

Hanataro grabbed Ganju's arm. "No! We came here to save her! Toshiro and Uryu are counting on us!"

"I don't care!"

"Let her go," Chad said softly.

All eyes turned to Chad, who had summoned his transformed arm. A torrent of energy streamed out of what appeared to be a vent by his shoulder.

"I don't want to have to hurt you, Ganju," Chad warned.

Orihime covered her mouth. "No," she whispered to herself. "We can't fight among ourselves."

Ganju grunted and threw Rukia to the floor. "Do what you want. But I'm – "

A shockwave went through them as the air suddenly became heavier.

They all looked out the entrance to the cell. Far across the bridge, a figure in white began to come into view.

"So," Toshiro asked, "how did you get me to this place? Did someone else help you carry me?"

"No," Yoruichi answered. "I have no trouble carrying people, especially children, once I revert to my original form."

"Original form?"

"Ahh, that's right. I've never shown you and your friends my true form. I suppose there's little point in keeping it a secret."

Yoruichi stepped back and crouched in front of Toshiro.

"Behold! Here is my true appearance!"

Yoruichi began to glow. Smoke rose from his font paws, partially obscuring him. He rose, gradually losing fur while standing more and more upright.

Toshiro stared in awe and shock as the cat assumed human form.

"You're a woman?"

"Yes," Yoruichi said. She had dark skin and purple hair. Only her eyes were the same color as when she had been a cat. "You're even more shocked than I thought you would be. I can't blame you though. People always seem to assume I'm a man because of the voice I use when I'm in cat form."

She began to walk towards Toshiro. "No matter how many times I reveal my true form, it's always fun to see the reaction I get."

Toshiro covered his eyes and looked away.

"Is something the matter?"

"Please put some clothes on," Toshiro muttered in embarrassment.

"Oh?" Yoruichi looked down. She was just as naked as she had been it cat form. "Ah yes, I do tend to forget that."

She walked to a cabinet by the wall and began to get dressed. "You can open your eyes."

'Ugh. I forgot how uncomfortable it is to wear clothes. I wish you were a few years older. Then you wouldn't mind seeing me naked."

"You are making me very uncomfortable right now," Toshiro said.

"All right, all right."

When she was finished getting dressed, Yoruichi sat next to Toshiro.

"This is how I got you up here," she said, handing Toshiro a stick with a small bird skull sticking out of the end.

"What's this do?" he asked.

"It's a flying device. If you concentrate and put your spirit energy in it, it allows you to fly."

"Really?" Toshiro asked. "You had this the whole time? It would have made everything so much easier."

"If there was only one or two of us," Yoruichi said. "There's only of these in existence."

"I'm guessing Urahara made it."

"That's a good – "

They stopped as a shockwave seemed to pass through them.

"This reiatsu," Toshiro said, recognizing the presence he felt. "It's him."

"It's coming from the Repentance Cell," Yoruichi said.

"That's where you said the others are!"

Toshiro shot up and ran for the exit.

"Wait Toshiro!" Yoruichi screamed at him.

He turned to her with a serious expression. "I know this man. He'll kill them all without a second thought."

"And what do you think you can do in your condition?" she demanded.

"Quite a lot," he stated firmly.

Toshiro held out the flying device and began to pour his energy into it. Bony protrusions extended from the bird skull as a strap wound itself around Toshiro's arm.

The bones extended fifteen feet, a cloth-like material spreading between them to form an enormous wing.

Toshiro ran out of the hideout and flew away.

"That idiot," Yoruichi growled under her breath.

"What's with this reiatsu?" Ganju asked.

"This is bad!" Hanataro said. "That's Byakuya Kuchiki, the Captain of Squad Six!"

"He's the one who hurt Toshiro and took Rukia, right?" Orihime asked Chad.

Chad nodded. He looked around at his comrades. All of them were struggling to remain on their feet under the pressure of Byakuya's reiatsu. Only he could still stand upright.

"Stay here," Chad said, walking out of the cell.

"Wait!" Rukia cried.

"What does he think he's doing?" Ganju asked. "He means to challenge the head of the Kuchiki clan by himself?"

Hanataro collapsed, and Orihime ran over to help him up.

"Ganju, can you help him?" Orihime asked.

"Um, sure."

"What do you think you're doing?" Rukia demanded.

Orihime gave her a look of determination. "I'm going to help Chad."

Chad and Byakuya each walked slowly across the bridge, meeting halfway.

Orihime, Ganju, Hanataro, and Rukia walked out of the Repentance Cell as Chad and Byakuya stared each other down from ten meters apart.

Byakuya spoke first. "I sensed a faint presence moving towards the Repentance Cell and I thought it was a powerful individual suppressing it's reiatsu to avoid detection. But it was only a group of bugs."

Rukia ran forward. "I've got to stop this or Chad's going to be killed."

She collapsed after running just a few feet.

'All the time I spent in the sekkiseki cell has weakened me,' she realized. 'I can't even move.'

"Move," Chad said firmly to Byakuya, "or I'll make you move."

Byakuya took a step forward, and Chad threw a punch. The blast released from his arm was even larger than the blasts he had previously unleashed.

Byakuya's eyes widened as the blast bared down on him. It caused an explosion as it struck.

Orihime, Hanataro, Ganju, and Rukia covered their faces as the wind from the blast reached them.

'I don't understand what's going on,' Rukia thought. 'Chad was always unnaturally strong for a human, but when did he gain this power?'

The place where Byakuya had been standing was covered in smoke.

Chad brought his arm back to fire another blast when Byakuya stepped out of the smoke.

'Impossible!' Chad thought in horror.

"He's not even scratched!" Hanataro yelled.

"You surprise me, ryoka," Byakuya said. "On this narrow bridge I had no way to dodge, and had I not protected myself with a kido barrier, your attack could have caused serious damage."

Byakuya drew his sword. "Forgive me for assuming you were not a worthy opponent."

"No, brother!" Rukia called out. "Don't do it!"

Orihime extended her arms. "Hinagiku! Baigon! Lily! Sotten Keshu I reject!"

The orange barrier appeared in front of Chad.

Byakuya held out his sword. "Scatter, Senbonzakura."

The blade of Byakuya's sword disappeared, leaving Chad dumfounded.

"Run away!" Rukia screamed.

One moment Chad was fine. The next he seemed to explode in a fountain of blood as cuts erupted all over his body.

Orihime dropped her barrier in her shock and horror at what had just occurred.

Byakuya raised the hilt of his sword to finish Chad off.

"Whoa there!"

A hand grabbed Byakuya's arm, preventing him from delivering the finishing blow.

"Phew. That was a close one," a captain with long white hair said from behind Byakuya. "Pretty dangerous."

"Captain Ukitake," Rukia said.

"Hi, Rukia," Ukitake called out with a smile. "It's good to see you!"

Byakuya lowered his sword. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Ukitake said. "Releasing your zanpakuto in a place like this is a first class offense, even if it is to repel ryoka."

"The wartime exemption allows the unrestricted use of our zanpakuto," Byakuya responded.

"Wartime exemption?" Ukitake asked in surprise. "Has the ryoka invasion gotten that bad? Was is a ryoka that killed Aizen?"

A shock ran through them as they sensed something approaching.

"What reaitsu is this?" Ukitake asked. "Clearly it's at the level of a captain, but I don't recognize it at all."

Rukia stood up in shock at what she was feeling. "It's impossible. This reiatsu couldn't be …"

A figure flew up from below the bridge so fast that it was a blur to all but the captains.

Rukia could not believe her eyes as the figure slowed down and descended back towards the bridge.

"Toshiro …" she whispered.

Orihime and Hanataro stared in awe as Toshiro landed next to Chad, the wing he used to fly folding itself back into the small device it had started out as.

Toshiro bent over Chad, examining his wounds. He then lifted Chad up and carried him back towards the others.

He carried Chad past Rukia to Hanataro.

"Can you start healing him, Hanataro?"

"S-sure thing," Hanataro stammered.

"Those are strange wounds," Toshito observed. "They don't look like they came from a sword."

He turned to Orihime. "Rukia's brother did that to Chad?"

Orihime nodded.

"Chad must have done pretty well to make Byakuya release his zanpakuto," Toshiro said.

He looked around, taking stock of everyone who was there. "Where's Uryu?"

"We ran into another captain on the way here," Orihime said sadly. "Uryu stayed behind to fight him."

Toshiro looked down.

"Toshiro?" Orihime asked.

Toshiro sighed and looked up again. "Uryu's smart, and he learns from mistakes. We just have to trust that he knows what he's doing."

Toshiro then finally turned his attention to Rukia.

"All that time spent trying to get to you," Toshiro said, "and now that I'm here I don't know what to say."

Rukia struggled to hold back her tears. "You-you fool, Toshiro! I told you never to come after me. I told you, I'd never forgive you if you did."

"Look at you!" she said. "You're all cut up, and there is worse yet to come! And you got Chad and Orihime involved!"

Toshiro looked at Byakuya as he responded. "If you're going to blame anyone for my coming here, blame yourself. I'm just doing what you taught me."

"I never taught anything about acting so recklessly!"

"Isn't that what you did when you gave me your powers?"

"I-"

Toshiro looked at Hanataro. "Besides, I had to come. They're making a sequel to The Incredibles, and you can't very well see it if you're executed."

He smiled at Rukia, who could not help but smile back. "You haven't changed a bit."

"Actually, I've changed a lot."

Toshiro's expression grew serious. "All right, everyone needs to get back in the cell."

"What?"

"It's not going to be safe out here when I start fighting Byakuya. Orihime, make sure to guard the door with your shield."

"Um, ok …" Orihime said nervously.

"Go," Toshiro ordered.

Ganju carried Chad as they moved back into the cell.

"Byakuya," Ukitake asked, "who is this boy? What do you know about him?"

"I know enough," Byakuya said. "He is nothing but a ryoka. I will destroy and this will all end. He'll be dead and his trifling invasion will be over."

Toshiro waited until Orihime had gotten her barrier up, then began to walk towards Byakuya.

"I don't know how you survived or how you regained the powers of a Shinigami," Byakuya told Toshiro, "but you should have remained in the world of the living."

"I couldn't do that," Toshiro said.

"So you just intend to throw your life away?"

"I'm not throwing anything away. I'm going to save Rukia from you."

"Don't talk so big, boy," Byakuya warned.

Byakuya disappeared from in front of Toshiro.

"Where'd he go?" Orihime asked from within the Repentance Cell.

"Flash step," Rukia said in fear.

Toshiro's closed his eyes and listened for footsteps.

He ducked as Byakuya's sword thrust through the air where his chest had been a moment before.

Byakuya's eyes widened in surprise as Toshiro dodged his attack.

Toshiro continued his descent, dropping to the ground. He shot his legs out, knocking Byakuya's legs out from under him.

The others watched from behind Orihime's barrier as Toshrio rose while Byakuya fell.

Byakuya disappeared again just as he was about to collide with the ground.

Toshiro look back across the bridge. Byakuya was standing ten meters away.

"What's the matter?" Toshiro asked. "Why are you backing off?"

"Don't confuse skill with a little luck," Byakuya responded.

Toshiro drew his sword. "Those with skill can make their own luck."

Byakuya flash-stepped again. Toshiro stood still, watching. He brought his sword to bear above the right side of his head, blocking Byakuya's attack.

"A-amazing," Hanataro said as he watched the fight. "Toshiro's got Captain Kuchiki fighting him as an equal."

'It's true,' Rukia thought. 'I can't believe how much more powerful Toshiro has become.'

'His wounding the Grand Fisher and a Menos proved that he was gifted, but to have advanced to the point where he can read Byakuya's flash steps is astounding.

'Still, Byakuya's powers go far beyond that. I have to stop this fight before Byakuya attacks in earnest.'

"Toshiro must be waiting for Captain Kuchiki to release his zanpakuto," Hanataro said.

Rukia looked at him. "What do you mean?"

"Toshiro wanted us to hide in here so we'd be safe when he released his own sword, but so far he's fighting with it sealed. So he must be waiting for Captain Kuchiki to release his first."

'Could that be true?' Rukia wondered. 'Even now, he's not using his full power?'

Byakuya and Toshiro broke off.

"You have clearly improved more than I would have thought possible," Byakuya said.

"So what are you going to do about it?" Toshiro asked. "I already know that you're five times stronger than you were when we first met, and thanks to your fight with Chad I've got a pretty could idea what your zanpakuto's ability is."

"But you still don't know what I can do," Toshiro declared.

"Don't get conceited," Byakuya warned, raising his blade. "You leave me no choice. Before you get too full of yourself, I will show you the difference between us – the gap in power you could never hope to bridge, even if you had a thousand years of training."

"Oh no," Rukia said.

"Scatter," Byakuya said.

A long cloth appeared out of nowhere, wrapping itself around Byakuya's blade and holding it in place.

Yoruichi appeared before Byakuya, crouched in front of him and holding the end of the cloth.

"Who is that?" Hanataro asked.

Orihime shrugged. "I don't know. I've never seen her before.

"It can't be," Byakuya said.

Yoruichi turned to him. "It's been a long time, Byakuya."

Author's note: The Mayuri/Uryu fight largely played out the same, which is why I only included a small part of it. I don't want to just repeat what the anime or manga did. I was debating whether to have Uryu and Kurosutchi fight at all, but decided to include the fight since losing his Quincy powers here is a big part of how he gets even stronger later on.

The story has actually changed quite a bit from when I uploaded the first chapters years ago. Originally the groups in Soul Society would have been split the same way they were in the anime, but when coming back to it now I realized that the chain on Hyonrinmaru, which was always going to be important in the fights, would give them the reach to stick together, and that's why Uryu and Orihime have been with Toshiro, Ganju, and Hanataro the whole time. Chad was always going to join them when he burst through the wall.

And speaking of things that have changed, my original idea was that Toshiro and Ichigo would swap places, meaning that Ichigo would be the captain of Squad 10 and he;d have his own subplot. But I find that writing Ichigo is much more difficult than writing other characters. So I've dropped that idea. So expect a different captain to come to the world of the living later on.