Chapter 4: Hope or False Hope?
IchigoXOrihime

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.

Three Days Later….
Squad 13

Rukia sat at her desk with a forlorn look on her face as she struggled to complete the massive amount of paperwork on her desk. Every hour or so she'd glance at her captain's desk as if the man would remarkably come back from the dead and help relieve her of her burdens. She had no idea covering for an entire squad was so hard! Izuru and Momo made it look so easy. While many expected Rukia to quickly take over as Captain, she was against it. She had yet to master her Bankai and until she had she would not be ready to assume a captain's position.

She sighed as she stared out the window. The war had taken so much from her. Her home had been devastated. She'd thought her brother was dead in their darkest hour. So many of her subordinates were dead. Her captain, one of the best men she'd ever met, was dead. Orihime was dead.

Her eyes watered at the thought of Orihime. This was the girl who first befriended her when she was powerless in the World of the Living, who she'd helped train to give her a sense of worth. To Rukia Orihime was like a sister to her.

Rukia couldn't stop the tremble as she remembered Orihime's body going cold, the light fading from her eyes, her last words for Ichigo. "Orihime…" she muttered. She couldn't help but tear up every time she thought about her. Orihime had been so lively, so positive and energetic. Moving on in a world without her was harder than Rukia had thought. The past few nights she had nightmares of her failure to save Orihime.

She'd yet to speak to Ichigo. When he and Renji had left through the portal Yhwach had left behind, Ichigo had asked that she take care of Orihime. But she'd failed him and let her die right in front of her. She didn't think she could ever face him again….

Her depression was interrupted when a Hell Butterfly fluttered through the window, dripping from the rain outside. With tired eyes, the lieutenant sat up as it landed on her finger and relayed its message. Her confusion grew when she learned that the message was from Kisuke Urahara.

"Rukia. I need you to come to the Department of Research and Development. Now."

Putting down her pen, Rukia got up out of her chair and headed for the door. "This'd better be good, Kisuke…." Leaving her third-seats in charge, she left for Squad Twelve….

Minutes later….
Squad 12: R&D Department

Rukia entered the halls of the science labs, her outfit wet from the rain. She was directed by several assistants to a room at the end of the hall. "The others are waiting there. Kisuke Urahara said he'd be with you shortly."

"Others?"

Her confusion came to an end when she opened the door and saw to her surprise Renji, Chad, Rangiku, Yoruichi and Uryu sitting in the room. "What's going on? Did Kisuke call all of you too?" She looked at Uryu with distrustful eyes. "You sure you should be here, Uryu?"

Pushing up his glasses, Uryu answered, "Kisuke told me that the Head-Captain had given me a pardon from my involvement with Yhwach, thought I don't intend on staying here any longer than I have to. I only came when Kisuke told me that it was a matter of utmost importance."

Nodding, Rukia sat down in a chair next to Renji and looked at the two Humans. "So…how's Ichigo holding up?"

Both Uryu and Chad looked at the floor. "Well…" Chad said, unable to find the words.

Uryu picked up the torch from there. "He's been in a depression ever since then. Orihime's death hit him hard. He's been like this ever since we returned home. I don't know if he'll ever come out of it."

Rukia's face saddened. "I see…."

They were interrupted when the door opened, revealing Kisuke, who was dressed in a white lab coat. "Good. You're all here. Come with me. I have something you all need to see."

The group got up and followed him out of the room. "Kisuke, what's this all about?" Rukia asked. "Why'd you call us all here?"

The scientist was silent as they walked down the halls. "I've no words to describe it. You just need to see this. And try to keep the punching to a minimum." He opened up the door to Mayuri's lab and gestured for them to walk inside. When they all entered the room he closed the door. The lab was dark, illuminated only by the light of the computer monitors on the wall. A single lightbulb was on, directly over an examination table. On the table was an object, with looked suspiciously like a body, covered by a white sheet.

"When Captain Kurotsuchi asked me to assist him with his affairs, I noticed that he had this when I arrived." The group gathered around the table and Kisuke put his hand on the sheet, gently pulling it back to reveal the cadaver's face. "Notice anything?"

Everyone gasped when the face of Orihime Inoue was revealed. Rukia and Rangiku were horrified when they realized their friend's naked body was here in Kurotsuchi's lab like some experiment ready for dissection. "Orihime!" Rangiku whispered, turning away and putting her hand over her mouth to keep herself from vomiting over the sight of her deceased friend.

Rukia walked over to Kisuke and promptly slapped the taste out of his mouth. "How dare you! What have you and Captain Kurotsuchi done to Orihime's body, you sick, perverted, twisted, demented-" With every word she slapped the man, who just stood there and took it.

Finally, Kisuke had enough and grabbed her wrist before she could hit him again. "Rukia. I have not harmed Orihime at all. Captain Kurotsuchi recovered her after the battle and brought her here but we did not do anything invasive or depraved to her. I made sure of that, myself."

Uryu blinked as he stared down at Orihime's body. "Wait…Kisuke…I think I get what you're driving at."

Everyone turned to look at the Quincy. "What do you mean, Uryu?" Chad asked.

The Quincy held out a hand. Everyone watched as a stream of Reishi flew into his palm. "Here in the Soul Society, everything is made up of Reishi. When we come to here or Hueco Mundo, the machine Kisuke uses to open up a Senkaimon causes our bodies to become spirit matter. And when we die, shortly thereafter the bonds of Reishi keeping our bodies together become undone and we disintegrate, our Reishi blends with the atmosphere so that we're reincarnated in the World of the Living. Because it's a part of the Soul Society, that rule also applies to the Soul King's Palace."

Rubbing his sore cheek, Kisuke nodded. "Sharp as always, Uryu. So then," he looked at everyone before continuing. "It's as Uryu says. Soon after death, our bodies begin to disintegrate. Which begs the question…Why is Orihime still here?"

Everyone stared at Kisuke, then Orihime and then back to Kisuke. "So then…" Rangiku said, drying her eyes, "Orihime's not dead then?"

It was with sad eyes that Kisuke shook his head. "No. Believe me when I say that Orihime is deceased." When everyone glared at him he put the sheet back over Orihime's head and his expression turned stern. "I know you're all hurt, but this is reality. Orihime is dead. I'm sorry but I don't have the bedside manners to put it more gently, Rangiku. When I discovered that her body hadn't disintegrated and that Kurotsuchi had done little to her, I check, double checked, triple checked and quadruple checked to make sure she was deceased." He looked down at Orihime's covered body. "But I am confused as to why she's still here. She has been like this since she died. She hasn't even begun decomposing like a normal Human body. To figure this out, Kurotsuchi and I are studying her," when Rukia and Rangiku looked like they were about to strangle him he threw his hands up in the air, "Within ethical principles, of course, to determine what's the cause."

Renji spoke up, "So tell us, what have you concluded so far?"

"Well…" Kisuke walked over to a nearby chair and sat down. "Death has occurred, but her body seems to be almost in stasis. Other than that we haven't been able to draw any conclusions." He pulled his fan out of his pocket and flipped it open. "I called all of you here because I felt that you had the right to know. Captain Kurotsuchi and I will keep investigating. I promise that we will be respectful to her. If we learn anything, you have my word that I will inform you posthaste."

"Should Ichigo know about this?" Chad asked.

Kisuke was silent for a moment before shaking his head. "No. He shouldn't. If he knew that her body ended up here, I don't think he'd stop until me and Mayuri were both dead and dismembered. More importantly, he might get the wrong idea from the fact that her body is still here. Giving him false hope will only hurt him more. He's suffered enough as it is."

"Alright. Thank you, Kisuke," Rukia said. "And…sorry about smacking you."

"No need. I think we all knew I had that coming." As the group turned to leave he called out to them one last time. "Yoruichi. Uryu. Could you stay for another minute?"

The Quincy and former Soul Reaper looked at Kisuke confused before stepping back over to the examination table. When the others left, Yoruichi, who'd remained silent up to this point, crossed her arms and spoke, "Alright, Kisuke. What else is there? And exactly why did you wait until now to show us this?"

Getting back up onto his feet, Kisuke hobbled over to the table and pulled back the sheet again, revealing Orihime's face once more. "There's something else I discovered while I was examining her. I didn't know how to tell the others but I felt the need to inform you two since you're the most levelheaded. I…am at a complete loss with this." He pulled back on Orihime's eyelids and gestured to her. "See what I mean?"

Uryu just stood there slackjawed, unable to find the words.

Yoruichi's eyes widened in shock. "What the fu-"

Meanwhile….
Ichigo's Inner World

Ichigo and Orihime were sitting along the edge of the skyscraper. Orihime's head laid on his shoulder as she soaked up his warmth. Ichigo had spent the past few days in his inner world, not caring about anything that happened in reality. The rain had let up and he could feel happiness again. That empty feeling he felt was now filled by Orihime's warm presence.

But Orihime noted their time and looked up with concern. "Ichigo, don't you need to go home? I mean, aren't your sisters worried about you?" She could see Ichigo's hesitance to leave her here so she hugged him tightly. "It's alright. I'm not going anywhere. I promise."

Hugging her back, Ichigo buried his face into her hair and breathed her scent. "I'll find a way to bring you back, Orihime. I don't care what I have to do. I'll bring you back." He stood up and smiled. "If you need to talk, just give a shout."

Getting up, she kissed his cheek. "I'll be here, Ichigo." Slowly, Ichigo faded away from his inner world, leaving Orihime. The girl looked around and huffed when she saw more and more skyscrapers.

"Hmmm…this place really needs a shoe shop…."

Meanwhile….
Orihime's apartment

Ichigo's eyes snapped open and he sat up, his muscles feeling sore from being in Jinzen for so long. Sheathing his zanpakuto, he got up off the bed and smiled for the first time in days. Picking up his longsword, Ichigo headed out the window, closing it behind him and headed home. His thoughts were muddled as he struggled to comprehend what was happening. Orihime had become a spirit that was completely different than anything they'd ever seen and had managed to not only traverse through dimensions with a thought but had also entered Ichigo's inner world.

What in the world was happening?

His musings were interrupted when he heard a familiar sound: a Hollow's roar. "Looks like I'm back on the job," he said, drawing his longsword. He headed for the sound of the hollow's roaring, seeing it in a darkened alleyway. Jumping down, he saw that it was a relatively small hollow, with a serpentine lower half and four arms, it's triangular mask growling as it stalked a little boy, obviously a Plus.

As Ichigo gripped his sword he felt power surge through him. It wasn't like with Zangetsu fueling his strength. Rather, it was somehow different. Zangetsu's power felt darker in comparison to this. 'Is this because Zangetsu is gone? Or is it because Orihime is in my Inner World?'

The hollow hissed as it spun around and saw the intruder. Even though Ichigo hadn't fully recovered from his fight with Yhwach, having only let Rukia give him immediate first aid, Ichigo easily followed its slithery path as it tried to flank him, intending on sinking its teeth into him. "I don't think so!" Ichigo fired up his spirit energy and swung his blade. "Getsuga Tensho!"

Ichigo knew that he could still use the Getsuga Tensho from his fight with Yhwach. However, he wasn't exactly expecting it to be gold when he fired it off. 'That's the same color as Orihime's spiritual pressure.' Still, even though it was a different color it had the same effect. The hollow roared in pain as it was cut in two, its mask split apart. Ichigo watched as the hollow disintegrated and sighed.

He quickly performed Konso on the Plus, sending him to the Soul Society, before turning back to his zanpakuto. He tipped it and looked at Orihime's hairpins attacked to the hilt. 'Weird. Is it because of Orihime's Shun Shun Rikka hairpins that caused it? Or is it because Orihime's in my Inner World?' So many questions ran through his head as he stared at his sword until finally he decided to try something. Hopping up onto the roof so he could see better, Ichigo held both swords out in front of him and concentrated hard.

"Orihime."

A whirl of golden energy blurred the swords from view from a moment before they appeared again. The shortsword was now sleeker and thinner, with a white blade. The longsword now resembled a sealed zanpakuto, albeit with a curved, white blade and a hilt that was in the shape of Orihime's hairpins. Ichigo stared at his new swords in complete and utter astonishment.

"Is…is Orihime somehow my zanpakuto?"

"Ichigo?" Orihime called out from within. "Are you okay? I feel kinda funny."

"What's happening, Orihime?" Ichigo asked, concerned for his friend.

Inside his inner world, Orihime looked down at herself. She was…glowing? "I don't know. But I'm glowing all of the sudden and I feel kinda warm and tingly."

Ichigo stared down at his knew swords before sheathing them, the zanpakutos returning to normal. He decided to turn around and head in the opposite direction for Urahara Shop. He knew that the chances were slim and that he might be giving into false hope. But this was Orihime. He owed it to her to try. But first….

He needed to speak with Urahara. And more importantly he needed something in the man's possession to prove his theory once and for all. He knew what he needed to do. He had to bring back Orihime, no matter what the cost….

To be continued