A/n: Good fucking god. Dx I have not updated in forever. Jeez. I am SO sorry everyone. My muse abandoned me in this chapter. And then I couldn't figure out what I wanted to put and what I didn't want… I had to edit it twenty times because Ichigo seemed idiotic so much during this chapter, so I took out a lot of the original things I had put in and decided to save them for after the soul society arc. Because, then it would make more sense.
So yeah, fail on my part. I did love writing parts of it. xD Uryu, honey, you are TOO fun to make fun of. So is Ichigo on that note. Anyways, onwards with the story. Also, may add more to this chapter later on, so be prepared if I do. Also, I keep forgetting to add, there are bits of Yaoi in the story in general, but it's sprinkled through later on. And one of the pairs is quite obviously canon and we all know it. Our favorite pair of the eleventh division... They should be coming in within the next three or four chapters.
Warnings: Violence (Mild this time, Just Ishida getting shoes thrown at him), LOTS of making fun of Uryu on Ichigo's part, a playful Chad (Him making fun of Ichigo with 'Hime), angsty Ichigo, and a Psycho Orihime.
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. It belongs to Tite Kubo.
Ichigo sat silently on the small hill over looking a good amount of the Rukongai district they resided in at the moment. The sky was lit up by thousands of stars as the night reigned over the sky. Ichigo's lips quirked into a small smile as she watched the stars shine along the night sky. She turned her head as she heard movement behind herself.
Orihime grinned as she sat beside Ichigo on the hill. "What are you doing up so late, Ichigo-kun", she asked softly.
"Just sitting here thinking", Ichigo responded softly before noticing Chad and Uryu sit down by her as well, "Well, seems none of us can sleep." Chad nodded slightly in her direction while Uryu gave a passive look.
"What were you thinking about, Ichigo", Orihime asked softly and curiously. It was unlike Ichigo to be up so late thinking. Then again, a lot had been happening lately, so she wasn't that surprised to find her friend out here. Besides, there was the fact that the group had suffered a rather long day, yet none of them were too terribly tired.
"All that's happened in these last few months", Ichigo responded with a light snort, turning to her briefly before looking back out over the expanse of land, "There's been so much going on ever since this all began..." Something glinted in Ichigo's eyes for the briefest of moments as she leaned back on her hands and gave the smallest of sighs.
"I know that tone, and that look, Ichigo", Orihime chastised lightly with a pout gracing her lips. "Don't start blaming yourself again! If you do, Chad and I will have to knock some sense into you! Right, Chad?" Orihime grinned over at Chad to which the giant gave a light nod to her.
"Dirty traitor", Ichigo said in slight annoyance mock glaring, more like pouting, up at Chad, "You're supposed to be on my side, not hers!"
"Sorry, strawberry", Chad said, a light smile tugging at the corners of his lips at his friend's antics, "But I have to agree with her on this one... So this time, you're outnumbered..." It was rare occasions when he and Orihime got to gang up on the hard headed teen, so they always took the chance while they had it. Normally, Ichigo and Orihime were the ones ganging up on him, so this was a nice change for the giant.
"Thanks", Ichigo commented dryly with heavy sarcasm, "Just thanks..." Ichigo's eyes then reflected pure amusement and she adorned that devious smile from before. That smile always scared the other two considering it meant that nothing good was coming out of whatever Ichigo was thinking, which they learned the hard way the first time. "Tora-chan."
Chad just gave a soft sigh at his accustomed nickname and shook his head as Orihime giggled softly. He never did figure out why Ichigo started calling him that, only that she got amusement out of it for some strange reason. He supposed it was the fact his first name was Yasutora, which was most likely the reason. "Not funny", he said softly, to which Ichigo chuckled out of pure amusement, obviously satisfied with the reaction she got from him.
Off to the side, Uryu watched the group in slight amazement, wondering how the three could possibly become so close and stay that way. They were so much like... a family... Uryu continued to study the three for a few more moments before speaking his thoughts to them, to which he earned a slightly surprised look from the group before they sent each other specific looks, talking to each other through her eyes.
"Should we go ahead and tell him", Orihime asked curiously looking between Ichigo and Chad as she spoke, "I mean, he's going to find out soon enough anyways..." She knew that it would only be a matter of time before Uryu caught on, so it would be better to just let him know ahead of time. Besides, he was slowly, though he may not have realized it yet, worming his way into their little group and becoming accepted. She could also tell there was less animosity between Uryu and Ichigo, yet the occasional banter and arguments, which were absolutely normal considering their conflicting personalities and Ichigo's creative remarks about everyone and everything.
Ichigo looked over at Uryu, studying him for a moment. She thought back to when she had first met the Quincy, and how much she had hated him when they did. She really started disliking him after he had that stupid contest bullshit which ended with the two fighting a Menos Grande together. While he was arrogant and a bit of an anti-social bastard, he was rather intelligent. She respected him slightly for that as grudging as it was for her to admit. "He probably already figured it out", she commented offhandedly, "Uryu may be very girly, but he isn't stupid..."
"I am NOT girly", Uryu said, adjusting the glasses on his face with a look of light annoyance. She had to ruin it with the girly comment, he thought in annoyance. He swore the comments about his hobbies and tendencies were starting to grate his nerves and he was very close to strangling Ichigo just to shut her up. Besides, would it kill her to give a compliment without an insult attached to it?!
Ichigo sent him a bored look. "Please tell me you're kidding", she said in a disbelieving tone, "You have to be THE girliest guy I know... I swear, Uryu, I know no other man that SEWS as a hobby... I still rest with the opinion that you're gay..." Yep, that comment did it.
"FOR THE LAST AND FINAL TIME, I AM NOT GAY!"
"Sure you aren't", Ichigo said dryly, sending the Quincy a look that clearly stated she did not believe as single word he said. Which, in the end, she really didn't. She went through the mental checklist every time he denied he was gay and all points led to that he was. Therefore, she stuck to her opinion until proven otherwise.
"Kurosaki, you have to be THE most aggravating person I know, besides that idiot in our class, Asano or whatever the hell his name is", Uryu said in annoyance, eye twitching violently as regarded the strawberry headed teen, debating on strangling her or not. The thought was becoming very tempting.
Ichigo regarded him curiously for a moment, picking up on something he said. "You weren't specific", she noted softly, "You said 'Person' with no sign to gender recognition... Why is that?" Her brown eyes were filled with a curiosity laced with confusion, head tilted to the side. She already knew the answer to said question though.
Uryu cleared his throat before regarding Ichigo once more. He adjusted his glasses once more before responding. "Because", he said simply, "Without confirmation to my suspicions on your true gender, I don't wish to identify you wrongly..." He then stared out over the hill as a brief silence lapsed over the group, closing his eyes in the silence to revel in it.
"Yes, Uryu, I am female."
Uryu's eyes shot open and his head turned sharply to look at Ichigo in shock. He certainly hadn't expected her to actually admit so openly and easily to being female, much less in a feminine tone to match. He blinked multiple times, uncomprehending at the moment. He noted that Chad also wore a look of slight surprise, probably not having heard this voice before either. He also noted that at the same time, Orihime smiled softly at Ichigo and giggled lightly.
Ichigo's lips curled into a smirk of amusement. "What", she asked the two males to their group, letting her natural voice flow freely, "Are you honestly that surprised I have a female voice? Lord..." She rolled her eyes lightly, muttering about simple-minded men could be.
Uryu continued to blink repeatedly. "You", he began, but didn't finish his sentence.
Ichigo's amused smirk kept its place. "Very articulate, are we", she said with humor in her voice, loving the fact of how flustered she'd managed to make the Quincy. To get a rise out of him was becoming far easier, which made teasing the Quincy all the more fun for the strawberry headed teen.
"Sh-shut up", Uryu barked in annoyance, a light reddish tinge coming to his cheeks out of embarrassment. He wasn't going to let himself be outdone by Ichigo of all people. He'd rather die than take a blow to his pride like that. And it wasn't the gender thing that bothered him; it was the soul reaper part that made him more antsy and agitated. A Quincy does not lose to a soul reaper, so he'd be damned if Ichigo got the best of him.
"So this is that famed true voice you talked about", Chad asked quietly breaking some of the silence, studying Ichigo closely. Never before had he heard his best friend's true voice and knew she didn't let it be heard by just anyone. To show her true side to people was her way of showing her utmost trust and faith in those people. Chad knew that better than anyone and was honored to have Ichigo's truest faith and trust in him.
Ichigo nodded with a slight laugh, rubbing the back of her head. She ruffled up her unruly orange locks a bit. "This would be it", she confirmed looking up at Chad with a light smile, "Different, ne?" She already knew it was. She had always used her male voice around her friends, and now she knew she could trust them with her female voice.
"A bit", Chad responded quietly with a slight nod. He smiled minutely before placing a hand on top of Ichigo's head in an affectionate gesture that he only used for Ichigo or Orihime a few times. Ichigo gave a soft laugh at the familiar gesture her best friend always used.
"So I was right from the beginning", Uryu commented finally regaining his composure as he adjusted his glasses once more, "So, how on earth do you manage to disguise yourself as a guy?" He was genuinely curious now at how Ichigo had managed to hide her true gender for this long now and for such few people to know the truth.
"It's NOT difficult", Ichigo commented dryly shifting to a more comfortable position, propping her elbow on her knee, "Chest bindings do wonders..." She propped her chin in the palm of her hand, giving Uryu a bored look.
Uryu gave a light snort. "Is there really anything to hide", Uryu commented quietly, more so to himself as his gaze flickered off to the side. He was met with a sandal to the head, thrown by an aggravated Ichigo, who had veins pulsing in her forehead and cheeks. Really, he just had to go and be a smartass.
"Now, now, Ichigo-chan", Orihime said with a smile, placing a hand on Ichigo's shoulder in a comforting gesture. She was always the one who knew how to calm Ichigo down, no matter how irritated or pissed off the teen was. She could feel Ichigo's shoulders ease and slacken in their tension ever so slightly.
Despite relaxing oh so slightly, Ichigo's eye twitched violently at the accursed nickname, namely the unwanted chan added to her name. "I swear to god, EVERYONE has to have twenty nicknames for me", she said in aggravation shoulders shaking slightly under Orihime's light grip, "And quit adding fucking –chan onto my name. You KNOW how much it irritates me, 'Hime." Ichigo sent a sharp glance at the sunset haired girl.
Orihime giggled softly at her friend's predicament before smiling knowingly. She decided to have a little fun with this while she could. "Would you rather I add chan to you name, or would you rather hear your OTHER nickname", she asked, batting her eyelashes repeatedly to further aggravate Ichigo.
The corner of Ichigo's lip twitched. Her shoulders sagged, to which Orihime knew it was her victory. "I hate you so much sometimes", Ichigo said in annoyance mock glaring at Orihime. She was now sorely aggravated that she hadn't been able to make a decent comeback for that. Normally, that was her specialty, to make annoying comebacks to piss people off.
Orihime's smile widened, internally rejoicing at her victory. "But you know you love me", she said sweetly fluttering her eyelashes playfully before adding in a devious tone, "Momma Ichigo..."
Uryu coughed holding a hand over his mouth as he averted his gaze from the group, smothering his desperate urge to laugh at not only the nickname, but the murderous expression Ichigo now wore. He earned another sandal to the head for his troubles, but it was damn worth it to the Quincy.
Chad's eyes filled with amusement as Ichigo glared at Orihime in pure annoyance. "It is rather fitting, isn't it", he commented softly. He reflected briefly that the nickname did reflect Ichigo's maternal side which never failed to show itself when either of her friends were hurt in some manner. She was that way simply by nature, always protecting her friends and family from everything she could. He supposed that had to do with Ichigo being the older girl, taking the role of the mother when hers had died when she was still very young.
Ichigo glared up at Chad now, annoyance in her eyes. She sometimes wondered why she bothered with those two. "God damned traitor", she said in aggravation, lips turned down into her trademark scowl.
"Sorry, Strawberry", Chad replied with an amused smile, reaching out and ruffling her unruly locks while Ichigo attempted to swat his giant hand away.
"No you're not", Ichigo said rolling her eyes, before glaring holes into Uryu's back as he was still attempting to hold back his laughter, "OI! Quit laughing, damn you!" This was beginning to grate her nerves, and it was really showing. She knew it wouldn't be much longer before she snapped.
"And miss this golden opportunity to witness your humiliation", Uryu asked in amusement, looking over at Ichigo with a smirk, "Not a chance, Kurosaki..." He then turned back to the three, managing to finally compose himself. "Now, back to our earlier topic", he continued in an even voice as he adjusted the glasses on his face once more, "How do you actually manage to hide your frame?... I mean, you most likely have a woman's thinner and curvier body structure... So how exactly do you hide it?"
"Loose clothes, how else", Ichigo commented dryly with a look of boredom on her face as she stared at the Quincy, "But you know, I retract my earlier statement Ishida... You're bi, and you're a pervert..." Both of Ichigo's sandals were tossed back at her head for this comment.
Uryu's eye twitched violently. "One more word on my sexuality, Kurosaki, and I will NOT hesitate to chase you around Rukongai firing spirit arrows at you", he threatened in annoyance. The comments were starting to really grate his nerves, leading to wanting to strangle the strawberry headed girl making said comments.
"Yeah, yeah", Ichigo said rolling her eyes and looking away from him, giving off the feeling she was already bored to which Uryu glared at her for in annoyance. Silence reigned over the small group for a few moments as they all contemplated their own thoughts.
Uryu was silent for a few moments before finally speaking up the question that had been bothering him for a while. "Why", he asked quietly, "Why do you dress as a boy and pretend to be one? What's the real reason behind the façade?" Dark blue eyes locked with brown for a few moments as the two shared an intense stare.
"I wasn't always so adamant about being a boy", Ichigo said softly after a moment, shifting her weight to her hands as she leaned back comfortably, "It was only after my two sisters were born when it became more noticeable... My mother always protected me when I was a small child, always so warm and caring... I wanted to protect her too... So, I tried to convince my dad to teach me to fight... He laughs every time he thinks of me as a small child, my five year old self stomping my foot and demanding to be taught how to fight...
"By that time, my hair was a little past my shoulders in length... Dad said, and I quote 'Ladies shouldn't be taught to fight. They are meant to be protected.'... Of course, that only fueled the fire in me... So, after he turned me down, I found the scissors and cut my hair like a boys in this spiky cut I have now, though very messily I might add which mom fixed for me later, and then went back to him. I told him 'I don't care if I have to be a boy, teach me to fight!' He cried over the loss of my hair, but he agreed to teach me nonetheless.
"So, for these past ten years he's taught me how to defend myself... I've tried to get him to refer to me as a boy since I pretend to be one, but he still refuses... He was crying and whining when I started school and demanded to wear a boy's uniform instead of a girl's... Though, because of him, I've learned skill and stamina like you wouldn't believe... But, when I began to learn, mom noticed dad could only teach me so much, so they enrolled me into a dojo to train me to be a fighter. That's how I met Tatsuki." She smiled lightly at the thought.
"I must say, when I first took lessons, I really did suck", Ichigo commented with a light laugh, "I always lost in the beginning, especially against Tatsuki... She beat the shit out of me a lot... That girl is damn stubborn and hard to beat..." Orihime laughed softly at this. "But as I progressed further through the training, I began to get better and started winning some... Even though she still didn't think I needed to learn to fight in the first place, mom was always proud of me and always congratulated me when I won or consoled me when I didn't... It always made me want to protect her more... Then, that day came..."
Ichigo paused for a moment, sucking in a deep breath before continuing. "It was raining that day", she said softly, pain in her voice, "I was nine then, so still very young and I still couldn't distinguish the difference between a ghost and a human... That was also when my dreams, which I still didn't understand were glimpses of my own future, were becoming more and more vivid..."
"Glimpses of your own future", Uryu asked softly, curiously.
"Yes", Ichigo said softly with a nod, "For as long as I can remember, I've been able to see my future as it comes to me... I've seen anything and everything, from becoming a soul reaper, to meeting you all... But that week was when I had it worst... The entire week I had been having the same nightmare over and over again... I could see us walking in the rain, me running off after something and then waking up to see my mother dead... I woke up every night screaming and crying, several times a night to those dreams... Mom and dad were both starting to get worried as my dreams had been right before...
"Then the day came... Mom and I were walking home after practice... We were walking by the river... She and I were making small talk and she was being the same she always was... Kind, caring, loving... I looked off to the side for some reason, and I noticed a little girl standing there, about my age it looked. She looked like she was going to jump into the river. I pulled away from mom, with her yelling at me to stop. I yelled at the little girl, telling her not to jump in. I almost slipped and fell in the river, but mom pulled me back and I passed out... W-when I c-came to... she was a-already..." Ichigo bit her lip. "D-dead."
Orihime's arms surrounded her frame and Ichigo continued in a broken voice, trying to keep in the tears that threatened to fall. "I can remember calling out to her so many times, trying to wake her up... But she wouldn't open her eyes... I remember when the police found me, took me home and told dad what had happened... Then they had to tell me she wasn't ever going to wake up from her eternal sleep... I still remember the agonizing scream that came from me... From that, I learned to never ignore my dreams ever again... But I can't also help feel bitter about my gift... No, curse. Why do I see everything that I do? And what's the point in this ability? I feel so damn frustrated when I see the things I do... and can't do a damn thing about them." She paused lightly before finishing her story.
"For months, I did nothing but circle the spot my mother died... I looked for her ghost there... And every moment from the time she died, I never again smiled for everyone... I turned cold... And my resolve to be a boy only grew to new heights... I blamed mom's death on myself... I deemed myself to be too weak to protect everyone... So, I trained harder, fiercer... I did everything to make myself stronger and the person I always hoped to be... a protector... And look at me now..." A bitter laugh escaped her lips.
Orihime took Ichigo's face in her hands with a fierce look on her face as she jerked Ichigo's face up and made Ichigo look at her. "Don't you start blaming yourself with Rukia's capture", she said, tone livid and fierce as she was no longer going to listen to Ichigo berate herself, "You are NOT weak... If you were weak, then you'd have been dead a long time ago! You are no longer the same little child you once were, that is true... But you are so much more now..."
"No I'm not", Ichigo said bitterly pulling away from the sunset haired girl's grasp, "I'm no stronger now than I was then... I'm still so god damn useless... What good can I do when I'm weak as I am now? Nothing. I should have just never come here. This was a mistake. We'll never get out of here with Rukia still alive."
The sound of a sharp and very loud slap echoed off the hill. Ichigo gingerly touched her cheek, an angry red mark making its appearance, her eyes dilated in shock. Orihime's frame shook violently in anger, her hand stinging from the force of the slap. Her bangs clouded her eyes. Both boys sitting to the side stared in absolute shock. Neither could believe what had just taken place. Uryu opened his mouth to voice his shock but Orihime's words stopped him.
"Who do you think you are", Orihime said, shaking violently, her eyes lifting to meet Ichigo's with an angry fire in them reflecting an eerie crimson color, before beginning to shout, "Who the hell do you think you are?! And what the hell did you god damn come here for?! Get your head out of your fucking ass and open your god damned eyes!"
Ichigo blinked in surprise, shrinking back as Orihime stood up halfway through her rant. She had never seen her best friend so livid. She had always seen the kind gentle side of Orihime. This was a new side to Orihime she had never dreamed was there. Ichigo's eyes were filled with absolute confusion and shock. And Orihime was spitting curses at her too? She knew for a fact that if Orihime ever swore at her, she knew she had really fucked up. She hissed in surprise when Orihime butted their heads together with a strong force. Ichigo clutched her head in pain, while Orihime seemed completely unaffected seeing as she was really hardheaded.
"What the hell happened to you", Orihime hissed lividly, hair flying wildly around her hands clenched into fists as something else inside of her took control, "When did you turn from the badass bitch who doesn't take shit from anyone to this whimpering self wallowing idiot?! What happened to the person who's been the only thing keeping me going after my brother's death? What happened to the person who is the older sister I never had? What happened to the person whose strength I admire most in the damn world?! WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?!... And it's all because they took Rukia away. So damn what! That just gives you the challenge of saving her, and proving who you are and what you'll come to be. Not a sign for you to give up like a pansy. Wake up, Ichigo! You're the only one who can save Rukia now. If you really doubt that you can save her then go home! We'll save Rukia instead."
She paused after a moment and took a much needed breath. She then looked at Ichigo with determined eyes. "Ichigo Kurosaki, pull yourself together", she said with a strong voice, "There is nothing we can't do, you have to remember that… Our power is yours as yours is ours... You are not alone. We are a group and one that will stick together, no matter what. So wake up and see it." Her eyes then became their honey brown color once more.
Orihime blinked a few times in confusion. She opened her mouth before covering it with her hand abruptly. "I-I'm s-sorry", she apologized quickly and a slight fear in her eyes, "I-I don't kn-know wh-what came over m-me." She bowed in apology quickly as she lowered herself to the ground to sit down once more. "I-I d-didn't mean to-"
"Orihime." Ichigo's tone was calm, almost detached as she stared at the ground. Her gaze lifted from the ground to meet Orihime's and the look in Ichigo's eyes was one of slight apology. "Thank you." Orihime's eyes widened further as she was hugged tightly by Ichigo.
Orihime's arms encircled Ichigo's frame, hugging the teen to her. As the two embraced silently, tears leaked down not only Orihime's cheeks for her best friend, but also Ichigo's for the first time in a long time. Neither Uryu nor Chad said a word for a long time. The two girls stayed in their embrace for quite a long time before Orihime slowly released Ichigo.
Ichigo smiled in thanks at Orihime and in apology. She then turned to the other two after she had wiped away the tears and smiled in apology to them as well. "Sorry about that", she said softly closing her eyes, "I'm sorry you had to see all that..."
A hand was placed on Ichigo's head, to which the strawberry headed teen opened her eyes. Chad smiled softly down at her. "It's all right Strawberry", he said quietly, "We understand completely... It was something you needed to get out of your system and we get that..."
Uryu nodded in agreement, which surprised Ichigo slightly. "It's a wonder you haven't gone insane, Kurosaki", he commented closing his eyes to which Ichigo threw him a slightly annoyed look, "Any normal person would have buckled under the pressure and strain of seeing such things... To be able to stay as strong as you have, for as long as you have... is quite an accomplishment in itself..."
Ichigo blinked a few times in surprise. Ishida... was complimenting her? She couldn't begin to fathom why the Quincy could ever be prompted to do such a thing. She crawled around Chad and reached up on impulse to feel Uryu's forehead, he giving her a weird look in the process.
"What are you doing, Kurosaki", he asked with a raised eyebrow at the strange motion.
"Checking to see if you have a fever", Ichigo said with a blank look as she removed her hand, "Because you'd have to be sick to even consider complimenting me..."
Uryu sent her an annoyed look, eyebrow twitching. "You had to go and ruin probably the only time I'll ever compliment your abilities", he said rolling his eyes, "Fine." He turned his head away like a sulking child, to which Ichigo pointed out blandly with Uryu firing back for her to shut up.
The strawberry headed teen stood up soon enough and stretched a bit. "Well, it's late", she commented, voice reverting back to its male tone, "We need to go get some sleep... We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow..."
"Right", Orihime chirped brightly as she and the other two stood up.
Ichigo turned from the group, before pausing and turning slightly back around. "By the way, Uryu", Ichigo commented with a trace of humor to her tone as a smirk crept onto her face, "You forgot something earlier..."
"Eh", Uryu asked, blinking in confusion. He had forgotten something? Since when? And what did he forget exactly?... And why was Ichigo giving him that creepy smirk?
"In our conversation about how I managed to hide my frame", Ichigo commented in amusement, "You threatened to chase me around Rukongai firing spirit arrows at me if I said one more word on your sexuality... But... you never did deny you were a pervert..."
Orihime laughed in mirth as five seconds later, Ichigo was running at high speeds to avoid a pissed off Uryu who was shouting death threats at her. Soon enough, the chase was ended as Uryu gave up after he quickly realized trying to catch Ichigo was futile. They all said their goodnights and went off to their respective places to sleep.
Above everything and on top of a nearby roof, sat a figure, dressed in a black robe, hood brought up over the face. Two hands reached up and removed the hood soon enough. Long, silvery white hair gleamed in the moonlight as did the figure's pale skin. Lips turned up into a smile and violet eyes sparkled. "Kurosaki Ichigo", the voice, clearly female, "Be strong, my dear... You journey will only get tougher from here on out... Keep your allies close... And follow your heart... For only you can save us all from destruction and chaos... And when the time comes, you and him will save the three worlds... Good luck, child." And a second later, the figure was gone.
A/n: Three guesses as to who that was at the end. Anyways, I might add on the flashbacks to this one, or the next. I'll decide and repost this chapter if need be.
And before you people yell at me for the psycho moment with Orihime, read back in the text and maybe you'll notice that it says her eyes reflected a crimson color and later when back to their normal color. That's the important part. It wasn't technically her speaking. Really, it was more like the seer trying to knock some sense into Ichigo's dense ass, and using Orihime to do it. Also, ignore the seer's cryptic clues for now. You'll only hurt your head if you try to understand her. She's a puzzling person and does things on a whim. For now, she isn't very important, but she will be later.
Also, did anyone else notice Uryu did not deny he was a pervert? xD I noticed that as I kept editing this chapter and I read it for the thirtieth time. I read it and was like, 'Huh. I think I'll use that at the end.' Thus, I did. Making fun of Ishida was the sole highlight of this chapter. xD Sorry Quincy boy, but you're too easy to annoy. Anyways, I will be starting on the next chapter soon enough. Again, sorry to have made you all wait so long for this chapter.