Note: I do not own Bleach, if I did these would be the newest chapters, oh and Ulquiorra and Orihime would be on their honeymoon now.

Awakening

"Words so secure screaming like an alarm
Are you trying to wake me up
Now what was that you were trying to pull
Is it my arm
I do believe you're trying to wake me up

Now could it be maybe
It's not me sleeping
Could it be maybe you awakening"

-Sleepwalking. Blindside

A tower of riatsu rose from where Orihime was standing in the burning white light, and it sliced open the heavens. There was a sudden flash and everyone was left blinded again.

"What the fuck?" Noitora screamed as he looked at the scene in front of him. Orihime was GONE? Not only that but Ichigo and Nell were now a hundred yards away from where they had been standing a second ago. From a distance Hallibel and Noitora watched in amazement as they saw a brief blur, another smaller flash of light, and then the body of one of the invaders lying beside Ichigo.

"That's impossible!" Noitoira's voice was barely louder than a whisper, "I killed that big guy, and he was no where near here when he fell." Hallibel looked over at Noitora,

"Are you sure?"

"Noitora-sama is not lying." a weak voice called out. Tesla staggered towards the two espada, blood dripping from various wounds on his body. "I was there when he killed that one."

"But that isn't possible. Even if one of us were to sonido our asses to where I killed him and carry that giant back it would still take time and-" Noitora trailed off as another blur and flash of light appeared where Ichigo and Nell stood. A new body was laid beside the other, this time it was a petite raven haired shinigami. The eyes of the arrancar widened even further.

"That…"

"…That's the one Aaroniero skewered."

"But her body was inside the fortress…it's too far for any being"

"…it's"

"….impossible"

"Aizen, what is this?" Gin gritted his teeth but retained his trademark smile, as he felt an unbelievable amount of spiritual pressure.

"You can tell that the source of the power is far away but you can still feel its unearthly power can't you Gin?" Aizen smirked

"But what is it?"

"Why don't we just find out?"

"Ishida do you have another plan?" Renji asked as he dodged another attack from Szayel

"I'm think-WHAT?" Ishida stopped running and stared at the spot beside him where Peshe had been a moment ago.

"Ishida what the hell was that?" In response to Renji's question Dondo, the hollow at his side, too disappeared in a blur.

"What are you two doing? What is this power?" Szayel glared at his opponents. Renji and Ishida looked at one another, both surprised as they were about to ask Szayel the same question. Then before, Renji's eyes Ishida disappeared. There was no indication that he had ever been there, just a small flash and he was gone.

"I'm growing impatient, I should have known cowards like you would run but what sort of power is this to vanish?" Szayel made a move to strike Renji, but he connected with nothing. The shinigami had already disappeared.

"Where am I?" Ishida asked as he drew himself from a sitting position. He had been in the midst of fight when, within a blink of his lashes, he was removed and in another region of Hueco Mundo. He looked around and saw Ichigo, a strange woman that must be Nell?, Peshe, and Dondo, kneeling beside the bodies of… Ishida's stomach dropped. Then he turned to find Renji sitting beside him, Renji had appeared form nowhere and without a sound.

"Ok what the hell is going on here?!" The irate shinigami yelled, and then he too noticed the bodies, "RUKIA!!" he scrambled to where she was lying. "Is she? But she can't be…" he sunk to his knees and grabbed on to her lifeless hands.

"They both are." Ichigo's voice was hoarse as he looked at his friends, they had promised to come back alive but…

"They're dead?" Ishida stood beside Ichigo

"We can't just leave them there. We should destroy them; they look as confused as we are." Noitora commented to Hallibel.

"I agree" Hallibel responded and with that both her and Noitora made up the ground between them and their enemies. They charged the small group which had crowded around their dead companions and were prepared to strike when they connected with a bright orange barrier. The triangular barrier grew, and then stretched around the group inside like a giant cone, protecting them from all angles.

"Isn't this one of the woman's powers?" Noitora cried in frustration

"But I don't see her."

"I'm right here" A voice alled behind them

Noitora and Hallibel turned around, but as they did so a wave of riatsu struck them and they were thrown from their feet.

Orihime walked through her own barrier towards her friends. They all turned and stared at her.

"Inoue-san, your clothes…" Nell looked at the young woman in awe. Orihime's white arrancar outfit was gone. Instead her clothes were black and red armor, very similar to the attire of her fairy Tsubaki. The armor extended from her torso and protected both her neck and the bottom half of her face, only her eyes were visible. Her eyes were as shocking as her outfit; they were glowing a golden colour, and were hard and determined. They softened a bit as she looked at the bodies of Chad and Rukia.

"Everyone, can you stand aside please I need to heal them and quickly."

"Inoue-san that's impossible, they're dead." Ishida explained softly.

"I understand that, but I can change it."

"What are you talking about Inoue, you can't raise the dead!" Ichigo's pent up frustration and grief tumbled out as he yelled at her. Orihime didn't flinch she just walked slowly up to the bodies of Rukia and Chad and knelt between them. A soft golden aura began to surround her and then she stretched an arm over each of her dead friends. The aura seeped from her outstretched hands and covered their bodies, and almost immediately their wounds began to heal. In a matter of seconds their chests began to rise and fall as their lungs welcomed oxygen again.

"Inoue how can you?" Ichigo trailed off as the golden light spread over him and everyone else in the barrier. A soothing warm sensation passed over each of his wounds as they were healed.

"I can because I wish it to be so." Orihime replied. At that moment everyone realized what was making them feel uncomfortable. Orihime's voice no longer held it's melodic and cheerful quality. It was calm and distant. It did not suit their friend at all.

"Bravo goddess Orihime." Everyone looked up at the sound of one man's applause.

"Aizen! I'll kill you for what you have done to my friends!" Ichigo drew his sword. He moved toward the spot Aizen and Gin were standing, 20 feet outside of the barrier, but he couldn't make it past the wall.

"Inoue let me pass through." Ichigo called over his shoulder. As he did this there were small fluctuations of riatsu around Aizen as all of his espada took places around him.

"What is this Aizen-sama?" Szayel asked as he looked on at the great barrier before him.

"It seems the goddess's powers are beginning to awaken." Aizen smiled as he looked at Orihime.

"I will not let you pass through Ichigo." Orihime told him as she stepped beside him.

"Inoue-san you must let all of us go and fight them, or at least flee. Judging by the riatsu of those Arrancar, those are all of Aizen's uninjured espada. We must escape." Ishida tried to reason with her. Orihime looked around at all of her friends one by one, and then stared at Rukia and Chad where they lay, recovering.

"I will not let any of you be injured; no one else will be hurt for my sake." As she said that Orihime stepped through her own barrier.