"All right, now who can tell me Newton's Second Law of Motion?"

One hand shot up. "I can! I can!"

"Ok, Toshiro. No need to get so excited when no one else is even raising their hand."

Orihime turned her head and looked at the empty seat of Uryu Ishida. The young Quincy had been absent from school for some time, ever since the Shinigami showed up.

'I knew Uryu didn't want to help the Shinigami,' she thought. 'But I didn't think he hated them so much he'd skip school just to avoid them. It's not like any of them other than Rukia are even coming to school with us.'

When the bell rang, Orihime quickly gathered her things to leave.

"Hey, Orihime."

Orihime looked up from her desk to see Tatsuki standing over her.

"Oh, high, Tatsuki."

Tatsuki spared a look at Toshiro, who seemed to be bouncing with energy as he left the classroom.

"What do you think's up with him? It's kind of weird to see Toshiro actually acting like a little kid for once."

"Yeah," Orihime said uncomfortably, "it's weird."

Tatsuki looked at her with a serious expression. "What's going on, Orihime?"

"Huh?"

"First day of school this semester you start hanging out with Rukia, which I understand, with Chad, someone you never hung out with before, and Toshiro, someone you used to be to scared of to even talk to. You never want to hang out after school anymore, saying that you're busy. Then the last few days Toshiro starts behaving like a totally different person, like he's actually happy about something, and you start avoiding him again.

"I'll ask you again, what the heck is going on between all of you?"

Orihime looked away. "It's very complicated."

'How can I tell Tatsuki that that's not really Toshiro, that someone else is inhabiting his body while he's away on an important mission?'

Zilla had taken to the freedom afforded him over the last five days with unexpected gusto. He turned out to be smarter than any of them had expected, which was at least good for Toshiro's grades. He was also far more social than Toshiro was capable of being, being willing to talk to anyone about almost anything.

He was even attempting to put his speed and kicking abilities to use by trying out for the school junior varsity soccer team.

But no matter how social Zilla was, the fact was that Orihime had gotten to know the real Toshiro over the last few months, and seeing someone else in his body was disturbing. So she avoided Zilla.

"Complicated like when the three of you showed up to fight off those monsters that killed all those people in the park?"

Orihime gaped at Tatsuki in surprise.

"Did you think I wouldn't remember? That big guy was talking about killing me, and the next thing I know Toshiro's there carrying this big sword and growing wings, and you and Chad came right after that."

"We're doing something very important," Orihime said. "I wish I could tell you more, but I can't."

"Why not? Maybe I could help out with whatever it is you're doing. You know how tough I am."

"I'm sorry," Orihime said sadly. "But you really can't help. Sometimes I don't even know if I can even be of any use."

"Use to who?"

Orihime stood up. "I'm sorry, Tatsuki."

"Orihime … "Tatsuki said as she watched her best friend leave without saying goodbye.

'What happened? She used to tell me everything, but now it's like there's some wall between us that I can't break through.'

Orihime was sad when she arrived home from school.

'I can't let Tatsuki get involved when she doesn't have any powers,' she thought. 'But then, would I really change my mind if she developed super-kangaroo punching powers tomorrow?'

'Is this how Toshiro felt when he tried to talk me out of fighting, why he seemed happy Uryu had decided not to stay and fight with us?' she wondered.

Orihime opened the front door to her house and stopped. She heard raised voices coming from the living room.

'What's going on?' she wondered. 'That's Captain Ukitake's voice. But it sounds like he's talking to their head captain!'

'It's so loud. Not like they're talking by cell phone. It's like he's really here with them!'

The very thought of the Shinigami Head Captain Genryusai Yammamoto made her skin crawl. The first and only time she had ever met him had been when he had approached a gravely wounded Toshiro to say that he still intended to execute the boy.

"Very well, we're counting on you, Captain Ukitake," she heard the head captain say.

"I will do my very best, sir."

Sensing that the conversation was ending, Orihime hesitatingly opened the door to her living room.

Ukitake and Rangiku stood in the center of the room in their gigais and wearing human clothing. In front of them was a large screen that covered the entire wall.

"Oh, um, sorry," Orihime said very quickly. "I didn't mean to barge in or to eavesdrop. I only heard the very end. And I mean, this is my house, so I really should be able to come and go as I please-"

"That's all right, Orihime," Ukitake said. "As a matter of fact, your timing couldn't have been better."

"It couldn't?" Orihime asked.

"That's right. There's something you can do for us. Do you know where Toshiro is?"

Orihime froze for a few seconds.

"No, I don't."

Ukitake looked at her seriously. The truth was that she really did not know where Toshiro was, but she still knew more than he did.

"So you're also going to play coy with me," he said in resignation.

"What are you talking about?"

"I can't get a straight answer out of Rukia either about where that boy's gone off to. It's quite unexpected. Rukia's never been anything less than fully honest with me before."

He walked over to Orihime. "I could order Rukia to tell me everything, but I've decided to trust that you and her have a good reason for keeping Toshiro's current whereabouts a secret. But if you do see him, we need you to deliver a message to him."

"A message?"

Ukitake nodded solemnly. "It's very important."

Toshiro and Shinji stared each other down.

Each opponent had one hand on their sword. In unison, they raised their other hand over their faces and summoned their hollow masks.

Then they both disappeared.

Most of the other Visoreds sat and watched as the two zipped around the training grounds, appearing for just brief instances as their blades collided.

Seeing that neither of them were gaining the upper hand, Toshiro broke off from the confrontation and held out his free hand towards Shinji.

"Hmm?" Shinji wondered, stopping to watch what Toshiro's move would be.

"Hado Number 33: Sōkatsui!"

A torrent of blue energy burst forth from Toshiro's palm.

Shinji stood still as the energy wave approached him. He held up his fist, which began to glow with a red energy.

Toshiro's eyes widened at the sight of the red energy emanating from Shinji's hand.

"Ohhhh!" Mashiro yelled in excitement from the sidelines. "Shinji's using it!"

Shinji held out his glowing hand. The energy surrounding his hand completely negated Toshiro's attack.

Toshiro's concentration broke and his mask cracked apart, revealing the startled expression on his face.

Shinji appeared behind Toshiro, still wearing his mask. He kicked the boy in the side, knocking him twenty meters across the ground.

"Don't lose focus, even for a millisecond," Shinji said, lifting up his mask to speak clearly. "If this was a real fight you'd be dead now."

Toshiro grimaced as he got up. He turned and glared at Shinji.

"That was a cero you were preparing, wasn't it?"

"So what if it was?" Shinji asked. "We're former Shinigami who have gained hollow powers. Of course we'd pick up abilities like the cero after a hundred years."

He grinned. "Or do you just want to learn how to do it too? I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you. You've got to be able to maintain your hollow mask for at least a full minute before you can even think about controlling a cero."

Toshiro walked past Shinji towards the other Visoerds. "Fine."

Shinji let his mask dissolve and regarded the boy closely.

Toshiro had needed almost a full day's rest after his encounter with his inner hollow. After he woke up he went back into his inner world to talk to his zanpakuto spirit, a conversation which had lasted hours. As a result, it was a full two days before they could begin training the boy to master his hollowification.

Hiyori had wanted to take charge of his training, no doubt looking for some payback. But it was decided that only those who had held the rank of captain be allowed to spar with Toshiro.

No one would say it out loud, but they were scared of what Hyorinmaru could do. That was part of the reason they trained without releasing their Shikais.

Toshiro's shock at seeing Shinji use a cero had caused him to lose his hollowification after just fifteen seconds that time, but he had previously managed to hold it for a hair under twenty.

Shinji's use of the cero accomplished another goal. It put them back on an even footing by showing Toshiro something about the Visoreds that he would be afraid of, just as they were scared of his power.

Toshiro picked up a bottle of water and began to gulp it down. In the Soul Society his body had been sustained by the reishi that made up the entire realm, reducing his need to eat and drink. But in the world of the living even his Shinigami form needed to drink a lot of water to stay hydrated while training.

Toshiro wiped his mouth with his sleeve when he had drained the bottle. "I'm sure the Arrancar will get quite a shock if you use their own attack against them."

'There he goes again,' Shinji thought.

"I gotta ask, kid, why are you so determined to get us to help you fight Aizen's Arrancar?"

"We need allies. It's as simple as that."

"Do you?" Shinji asked. "Do you really? From what I've seen, you're the sort who's better off facing an entire army alone than fighting one opponent with an ally at your side."

Toshiro tossed the water bottle in the recycling bin Hachi had brought down and looked at Shinji with narrowed eyes.

"Can you guarantee that there won't be any innocent people within a ten mile radius when I take on said army?"

"That's war, kid," Kensei said. "There will always be casualties."

Toshiro glared at him. "Is that your answer, to nuke everything?"

"Hmph. If it works."

"Does it really matter if a bunch of stupid humans get killed?" Hyori asked. "Their lives are so short anyway it doesn't make much of a difference if they kick it now or in a couple of decades."

"Watch it," Toshiro said angrily. "I'm a human too."

"Is that so?" She grinned, showing off her long fang. "Then I guess you won't be alive to be a pain in our asses for much longer."

"I think that's a long enough break," Shinji said, breaking up the discussion. "Let's get back to training."

Orihime had been in this part of town before, back when she and Chad had first trained to use their powers with Yoruichi. The then-cat had thought that they would draw less attention. She guessed that the people Toshiro told her about had had the same idea.

She stopped in front of an old, dilapidated warehouse.

A stray cat was walking in front of the building.

'That cat looks like it's walking next to an invisible wall,' Orihime thought. She looked around. No birds or even bugs would come within fifteen feet of the warehouse.

'There must be a forcefield there,' she thought.

Orihime stepped forward and put her hand on the invisible shield.

'What an incredible barrier this is. It's very powerful, but it feels similar to my shunshunrika shield.'

She pushed her hand forward, and her fingers slid through the barrier like water.

The Visoreds watched as Toshiro and Shinji clashed again.

"The kid's good," Love said, "but he's nowhere near as scary when he's not making the sky go all black."

"He relies too much on his Bankai," Kensei said. "It's made him soft."

"I don't know if I'd agree with that assessment," Lisa said. "Not after his first fight with Hyori."

The smallest Visored glared at Lisa and mumbled something under her breath.

"He's simply overthinking things," Rose said. "He's too focused on the future instead of on the here and now."

"And what's wrong with planning ahead?" Mashiro asked.

"Nothing," Kensei answered, "as long as you also keep focused on what's in front of you."

"We may want to think a little more ahead ourselves," Love said. "If it comes down to us and the Soul Society, whichever side controls the heavenly guardian will be the side that wins."

"Do you really think it'll come to that?" Mashiro asked.

"They've wanted us dead for a hundred years," Kensei said. "There's no reason to think they'll stop chasing us when this is all over. From what I've heard they're planning on killing the kid too once he's outlived his usefulness to them."

Hachi looked up at the stairway suddenly.

"What's the matter, Hachi?" Kensei asked.

"There's a problem," the large man answered. "Someone just slipped through my forcefield and entered the building."

"Is it a Shinigami?" Love asked.

"No. The special barrier I put around this location is a technique I developed on my own after I became a Visored. It can't be broken by the kido of a Shinigami."

"So who is it?" Kensei demanded. "Are you saying that it's another Visored like us?"

"I'm afraid I really don't know," Hachi said. "The thing that really puzzles me is that whoever it is didn't get in by destroying the barrier. They simply walked right through it! A Visored wouldn't be able to do that."

"You're right," Kensei said. "Then what the hell is it?"

They all turned to look at the stairs.

"Here it comes," Kensei said in apprehension.

They gaped in shock as Orihime slowly descended the stairs.

"It's a girl!" Kensei yelled. "A human girl."

"Wait," Hachi said. "I think I recognize her. She was in the park that day."

Orihime smiled nervously.

"Hi! Do any of you know where the bathroom is? Hehe, just kidding!"

"Say what?" Kensei growled.

"It was a joke, Kensei," Lisa said. "Calm down."

There was a crash of thunder as the combatants' blades collided again.

Toshiro and Shinji reappeared in front of the Visoreds, both breathing heavily beneath their hollow masks.

Orihime looked at the smaller figure. 'That looks like Toshiro, but that mask he's wearing is so scary.'

Toshiro's mask cracked and broke apart.

"Not bad," Shinji said. "I was sure you'd lose your concentration when your friend arrived."

Toshiro sheathed his sword and looked up at Orihime, who smiled at him.

"So it is you!" she said.

Toshiro and Orihime went off to the side to talk.

"How'd you find this place?" Toshiro asked.

"Oh, it wasn't that hard. I just looked for the coldest reiatsu in town."

Toshiro sort-of-smiled in embarrassment. "I guess I do have a distinctive smell."

She looked at the Visoreds, who were all staring at them. "So Shinji from our class is actually a Shinigami?"

"That's complicated. They want me to join them. I want them to join us. And now we're at an impasse."

"And that mask you had on before, what was that?"

"They helped me get the hollow inside me under control so I can use its power in battle. It's not as useful as it sounds, but with enough training I'm hoping it will last long enough to give me an edge in a fight."

"How have things been going upstairs?" he asked. "Is Zilla behaving himself."

"Oh, yes, actually. He's doing well, but I think you'll be the school's star soccer player when you finally get back."

"Soccer?" Toshiro asked. "I never play sports. What's he thinking?"

"I guess that he can kick really hard and wants to do something with that ability.'

Toshiro closed his eyes in exasperation. "Yeah. I guess I can't tell him not to have fun if he's not breaking any rules."

"Are you and Chad still training together?"

She nodded. "Rukia's been training with us."

"That makes sense. How's that working out?"

Orihime put her finger on her chin and looked up in thought. "Well, it's different from training with you. Rukia's zanpakuto also makes ice, but she can only do a couple of really specific attacks with it. She can't fly or make walls for us break through like you do. So we do more straight-up fighting."

"I see."

After a pause, Toshiro asked "So what brings you here? I doubt you sought me out to talk about Zilla playing soccer and training with Rukia."

She nodded. "Captain Ukitake actually asked me to deliver an important message to you."

"And what is the message?"

"The Soul Society thinks they know what Aizen's real goal is."

Toshiro looked at her with a serious expression. "What did they find?"

"Captain Ukitake told me that they found that Aizen was researching how to create this special key that opens the way to the realm of the Soul King."

Toshiro rubbed his chin. "No one ever mentioned anything about a Soul King or his realm."

"No one was standing in heaven to begin with. Not you, not me, not even a god."

"However, that vacancy on the throne of heaven will soon be filled. From now on, I will rule in heaven."

"So it's deicide he's after, to kill this Soul King and take his place. He thinks by doing that he can become a god."

"There's more," Orihime said, growing nervous. Toshiro realized that the worst news was still to come.

"They said that to create this key, Aizen will need a place in the human world where there is a high concentration of spirit energy. He'll destroy the whole area and turn of all its spirit energy into this key."

Toshiro's eyes narrowed as he followed the thought to its logical conclusion. "And this area with a high concentration of spirit energy – "

"Is Karakura Town. Aizen's going to turn the whole town into a giant crater," Orihime said.

Toshiro looked away.

"Toshiro?"

"At least now we know we're fighting for," he said in an eerily emotionless voice. "This was probably the perfect time to find this out."

'If I had known about this during the Arrancar attacks, that hollow inside me probably would have been able to take over,' he thought to himself. 'It would probably say that destroying the town on its own would be the best way to foil Aizen's plan.'

"Captain Ukitake said one more thing. He said Aizen won't move until the Hogyoku he took from Rukia is fully awakened, which they think will be in four months. In the winter, they're going to war."

Toshiro could hear in her voice that it was the word 'war' which terrified her the most.

He stood up. "We'll beat them. Don't worry."

"How can you be so sure?"

Toshiro smiled at her. "Four of us went up against the whole Soul Society, and we won without losing anyone. This time we'll have a whole army of Shinigami fighting alongside us, and we've got four months to prepare instead of just ten days like last time."

"We're gonna work and train as hard as we can so that when Aizen and his Arrancar show up, we'll make him regret the day he decided to mess with us."

Orihime nodded and looked at him with a resolute expression. "Right. We're gonna kick his butt."