Chapter 60: Unexpected Guest

Ichigo had done it. It was hard won, but he'd managed to force his Hollow into submission at last. No longer would have to worry about losing control in the middle of a fight as he had done against Grimmjow and Yammy. He could focus on protecting his friends from the Arrancar when they eventually returned.

That said, there was still a lot of work to be done. The Vizards had done exactly what they had said they would, but Ichigo still had a lot to learn when it came to controlling his Hollow's powers. He'd seen Kirara utilise her Mask against him in a fight, maintaining it with ease. He had almost expected the hard part to be over.

Ichigo's yell carried for a short distance as he fought to keep control of the Mask he had summoned. To his frustration, it shattered once more, and then Hiyori was suddenly in front of him. His yell was cut off abruptly when she kicked up, catching him on the chin to send him tumbling backwards, straight into a rock.

"I told you not to undo your Hollowfication!" she yelled, landing and charging straight towards him. Her own Mask was balanced on her head, boosting her power.

"What are you, stupid?" Ichigo yelled back as he shook off the debris that had landed on him. "It was dangerous if I hadn't!" he argued, only to be kicked once again and sent flying backwards by Hiyori, who yelled angrily at him as the rest of the group watched.

"He's not doing too well," Kirara mused idly, looking up from her book to watch. "Was it really a good idea to let Hiyori train him?" she wondered, watching as Hiyori continued to kick Ichigo about without mercy. To his credit, Ichigo took each hit and just yelled back angrily each time.

"You could have volunteered," Shinji yawned, his head on her lap. Seeing that she was distracted, he took the book from her and started reading.

"That's way too much effort for my liking," Kirara shook her head. Idly, she scratched her arm where the bandages were wrapped neatly, hidden under the hoodie she'd retrieved from upstairs.

"How you were once so popular with students is beyond me," Shinji said quietly. Kirara flicked his nose.

"And I'd rather not have to fight Hiyori to get the opportunity," she added as he caught her hand, tracing the scar down the back of it. "Between you and Ichigo, she screams enough as it is," Kirara said as she finally tore her gaze off the two and looked down with a smile. "Can I have that back please?" she requested. Shinji looked up at her, and smirked.

"The book or the hand?" he asked, and Kirara rolled her eyes.

"Surprise me," she answered. Shinji hummed, seeming to deliberate, before he released her hand. Kirara shook her head, but didn't lose her faint smile as she just resumed watching Ichigo being thrown around by Hiyori.

"You two are reaching new levels of sickeningly sweet, you know," Lisa said nearby, and Kirara turned and stuck her tongue out at her in response. Shinji just ignored her, flicking through the book with a bored look. Kirara's hand found its way to his hair, as she seemed to enjoy it as much as he did. The bored look faded, and Shinji felt his eyes growing heavy.

"You've got some kind of magic," he groaned, and Kirara grinned.

"I have to get my book back somehow," she replied softly.

They all looked over as Ichigo shrieked once more, barrelling past in the opposite direction. Hiyori charged after him with an angry scowl.

"Those two are getting along unexpectedly well," Rose commented through a mouthful of food.

"Yeah," Love agreed, a little concerned for Ichigo. He'd already proven he was tough, but Hiyori was merciless. He just hoped she didn't go too far.

"We should restock the first-aid kit," Kirara considered, wincing when Hiyori caught Ichigo across the face with her sandal with enough force for him to smash through more of the rocks that were scattered around the training area.

"Hurry up, Ichigo!" Hiyori shouted a demand at him, already racing towards him. "One more time!" she ordered. Ichigo growled softly.

"Shut up! I know!" he braced himself and pulled a hand across his face to summon his Hollow Mask. Ichigo did so just in time, managing to raise a hand to block Hiyori's kick. "That hurts!" he snarled at her as she glared back.

"I keep telling you that the first move you make after you take out your Mask is slow!" Hiyori shouted, angry that he hadn't improved at all in that respect. "If you get hit, it's over!" she bombarded him with kicks until one hit its mark and he was sent skidding through the dirt with enough force to create a small cloud of dust and dirt.

"His reaction times are awful. Yoruichi really lets him admit that she helped train him?" Kirara wondered aloud, in disbelief of how slow Ichigo's reflexes were even with his Hollow Mask.

"The time he can maintain that state isn't getting any longer," Hachi observed, looking a little nervous as he watched Hiyori battering Ichigo. He knew exactly who was going to be responsible for patching him up.

"Well, he won't make immediate progress," Shinji yawned as he lowered the book to watch. Ichigo sailed through the air after another kick, and his Mask shattered, vanishing.

"Four seconds," Kensei announced, responsible for timing Ichigo's Hollow form.

"That's quick!" Shinji exclaimed, and Kirara giggled as he sat up to watch properly.

"So much for not making immediate progress," she shook her head. "He's not making any progress. He really does suck at this," Kirara said.

"Say, say, why is Berry doing this?" Mashiro spoke up. She was lying on her stomach with her legs kicking up behind her as she watched the abuse Ichigo was enduring.

"This training is to help increase the time he can stay Hollowfied," Kensei was the one who answered. "You did it too, remember?" he glanced at his former Lieutenant, who shook her head.

"I didn't do that," she denied simply, making him scowl.

"What? You liar…" he growled.

"It's true," Shinji defended the woman who was pouting at Kensei. "Mashiro was able to stay Hollowfied for 15 hours from the beginning. She's the only one who didn't train to maintain Hollowfication," he reminded Kensei, whose scowl grew as he tried to remember.

"Really? I forgot about that," he admitted with a shrug, turning away. Kirara was surprised that he had - it was a little terrifying that Mashiro was so connected to her Inner-Hollow that she could stay Hollowfied for so long. Kirara could manage almost four minutes, and the longest any of the others could hold their Mask for was 5 minutes.

"See? Stupid Kensei, you grouch!" Mashiro taunted, pulling faces at him. Instantly he turned around with the scowl growing into a proper glare.

"Why you-" he snarled.

"Fighting again, Kensei?" Kirara smirked lazily as she looked over at him.

"Stay out of it, brat!" he snapped at her, which only made Kirara start to giggle. She enjoyed tormenting Kensei far too much, especially when he was already riled up.

"Now, now," Hachi tried to defuse them before Kensei lost his temper. However, he was suddenly distracted, and with a confused hum, he looked around quickly.

"What's wrong, Hachi?" Shinji noticed his distracted behaviour, wondering what had earned the massive man's attention.

"Someone has slipped through my barrier and entered this building," his warning surprised them all. His barrier was powerful; nobody should have gotten past it.

"Is it a Shinigami?" Love asked as he abandoned his lunch and prepared himself for the intruder.

"No…" Hachi denied, but he had a puzzled look on his face as he tried to think about it. "The Hachigyo Sogai placed around here is a technique I created after I became a Vizard. It's impossible to disperse it with Shinigami Kido," he explained as he tried to figure out what had happened.

"And you have to let us inside," Kirara got to her feet and dusted herself off. "So it was someone who wasn't a Shinigami who destroyed it?" she wondered, looking over to the stairs that led back upstairs.

"A Vizard like us?" Kensei demanded, eyes wide as he jumped up too.

"I don't know," Hachi admitted with a shake of his head. "They didn't do that, Kirara," he said, which made her tilt her head as her face scrunched up in confusion. "Rather than destroy it, the intruder…slipped through it," his explanation only made them all more confused. "Even a Vizard couldn't do something like that," Hachi considered, thoughtful but concerned that someone had bypassed his barrier so easily.

"Then who in the world is this intruder?" Kensei wondered. All of them turned to watch the stairs as a dainty figure started to make their way down the stairs. Kirara's hands went to her mouth, and for a moment she thought Kensei was about to pass out.

"A…"

"A human?" Kensei breathed, staring at Orihime as she looked down at the group watching her arrival. She hadn't expected such a strange group to be waiting there, and it made her gulp nervously.

"Oh…um…s-sorry, where's the bathroom?" she asked, and laughed nervously. "Just kidding!" she exclaimed.

"Huh?!"

"She said she was just kidding," Lisa said when Kensei's stunned face changed to an angry glare again. "It's a joke. Don't get mad, Kensei," she warned him.

"I wouldn't be joking around in a situation like this," Love commented, crossing his arms over his chest.

Kirara couldn't help it. Her initial shock vanished, and she burst out laughing. Her arms wrapped around her stomach, and she doubled over as her laughter grew louder.

"Are you alright, Kirara?" Rose turned to her with a look of concern on his face. He didn't know what had prompted such a strange reaction, but before she could try to answer, there was a rumbling crash a short distance away that made Orihime jump.

"What are you doing, Ichigo?!" Hiyori's scolding carried across the area, and Orihime's eyes widened as she saw a familiar face groaning on the ground.

"Ichigo!" Orihime exclaimed with a mixture of both surprise and relief. Hearing her, Ichigo looked up quickly and stared at her.

"Orihime?" he grunted, sweat pouring down his face as he couldn't believe she was there.


Kirara finally managed to stop her hysterical laughter as Ichigo took a break from his training. Hiyori wasn't happy about it, and she was even less happy to see Orihime there, but gave in and allowed them to talk if it meant getting her to leave.

"So who is this girl?" Love asked as they left Ichigo and Orihime to talk privately.

"And just how the hell did a human get through Hachi's barrier?" Kensei growled, irritated that they still hadn't gotten an answer on that.

"Who knows?" Kirara shrugged, still grinning. She was impressed that Orihime had not only managed to track Ichigo down, but had somehow managed to get past the barrier intended to deter prying eyes.

"After all that laughter, you're no help," Kensei grunted, and Kirara flashed him a smirk.

"I know more than you do," she taunted, and Shinji lightly batted her over the head.

"Stop baiting him," he warned. Kirara just winked at Kensei, before turning away.

"Why you…" Kensei growled. Kirara didn't acknowledge it, but she did find it just as curious as the rest of them. She knew that Orihime's powers were truly strange - just as Chad's were - but to easily slip past a barrier designed by a Vizard was a whole other level.

'You could become a truly formidable person, Orihime, if not for that heart of yours. And I think everyone is grateful for that,' Kirara thought as her smirk softened.

"Alright! Let's resume training, Hiyori!" Ichigo called, earning their attention again. Something about him seemed more determined, even as he fought with Hiyori.

Orihime watched Ichigo with wide eyes for a moment, before she rose to her feet once more and dusted off her skirt. Before she could leave, a voice called out to her.

"Hey, Orihime!" she jumped, and her eyes widened as Kirara leapt from her perch and walked towards her with a cheerful wave.

"Kirara!" Orihime exclaimed. Despite their last interactions, she smiled a little at her.

"I knew it! Kirara, you do know what's going on!" Orihime jumped as Kensei exploded, glaring at the two. Kirara just laughed and reached Orihime before putting a hand on her arm to guide her away.

"Best stay away from Kensei. He's cranky at the moment," she said, loud enough for him to hear and grow even angrier. "Come on," Kirara chuckled, and Orihime nodded as she let Kirara guide her up the stairs.

"So this is where you went," Orihime said softly as they began to walk up the massive stone steps.

"This is where I belong," Kirara corrected her patiently. "I told you, they're my family," she said, and Orihime nodded slowly. "And…I'm sorry," her apology caught the young woman off guard, and she tripped before almost falling back down. "Whoa!" Kirara caught her hand with a laugh. "You okay?" she asked. Orihime blushed crimson.

"Ye-yeah," she nodded. "Thanks," she said quietly as they made their way up to the top of the steps. Once they were there, Kirara turned to her.

"I mean it. I'm sorry," Kirara apologised again. Orihime stared at her, confusion in her large eyes. "For pushing you away. For what I said about giving Ichigo privacy. I'm sorry," Kirara said, her words genuine. She'd wanted to apologise to her from the moment she'd had to turn on her.

"You don't need to apologise. You were helping Ichigo, right?" Kirara's eyes widened, and she looked back up at Orihime in shock. The orange-haired girl was smiling warmly at her. "You helped us in the Soul Society, and you're helping Ichigo now. You even protected us from your friend," Orihime pointed out, and Kirara went red at her words.

"I-I guess," she stammered, embarrassed by both the look and what Orihime was saying.

"I understand now that you were trying to help Ichigo. You and Hirako. I don't know what exactly is going on, but his power feels less scary now. So thank you," Orihime told her. Kirara raised her hands quickly.

"Whoa, Ichigo did all the work himself. We just…gave a bit of guidance," she said, her face burning. She hadn't expected it to be turned into gratitude. She jumped, when Orihime grabbed her hands and looked at her with an earnest look that was so innocent it made Kirara think of Hanataro.

"Kirara…we're still friends, right?" she asked hopefully. Kirara stared back at her.

"Orihime…" she breathed, a little overwhelmed. She then smiled, and squeezed Orihime's hands. "Of course we're still friends," she said, and Orihime's eyes lit up happily at her confirmation.

"I'm so glad," she admitted, and Kirara chuckled, letting go of her hand to pat her shoulder lightly.

"Me too. Thank you, Orihime. And don't worry, Ichigo's in good hands here. We're…well, we're idiots, but we know what we're doing. We'll help Ichigo get stronger," she promised, and saw hope well up in Orihime's gaze.

Not trusting herself to speak, Orihime just nodded and started towards the exit, only for Kirara to catch her wrist suddenly. "Wait," she called, her eyes lighting up. Orihime turned back, tilting her head. "I have a favour to ask."


Kensei was still fuming a few minutes later, ready to go charging up the stairs and make demands to know just who the girl was, and how she had gotten past Hachi's barrier.

"Ever consider yoga, Kensei?" he jumped almost a foot in the air, spitting out a myriad of colourful curses as Kirara seemed to materialise behind him. She had her hands behind her back, and a devious smile on her face.

"Kirara! I told you not to do that!" Kensei snapped, trying to steady his pounding heart. She just grinned in response. "What the hell is with that woman? Who was she?" he demanded.

"Orihime Inoue. Ichigo's classmate," Kirara answered simply, and he narrowed his eyes.

"You know damn well that doesn't answer anything," he told her, ready to drag her off for a proper sparring match. Especially as she kept her sweet smile on her face.

"Well, I think it's pretty obvious that she's also one of the maniacs who broke into the Seireitei," Kirara answered. It still didn't answer Kensei's question, but it did reduce his anger as surprise mingled in. If she had gone to the Soul Society, then it meant that she had powers of some kind.

"You're in a good mood," Rose accused, knowing the devious smile all too well.

"Shinji's being an idiot again, you know," Lisa warned Kirara, hands on her hips. Rose shot her an exasperated look as Kirara turned to the man in question. He had his back to them, but had visibly frozen at Lisa's words.

"Ah. Talking about how cute Orihime is again, huh?" she accused, hands still behind her back as she walked around to look at Shinji's face.

"What the hell is wrong with you people?" Kensei groaned as Rose looked concerned.

"Not like I have to worry. You could never get someone like her," Kirara teased Shinji. He rolled his eyes, his usual deadpan expression across his face.

"I-" he stopped abruptly, eyes widening. It hadn't registered in his mind at first. He was just preparing himself for Kirara's chaotic mood, hearing it in her voice the moment she had startled Kensei. He half expected her to go challenge the short-fused man to another fight. It finally dawned on him that the hoodie that she'd been wearing had gone, leaving her in her black vest. "How…" Shinji murmured, reaching out to touch Kirara's left shoulder.

The web of scarring, caused by Kirara's own Zanpakuto and made worse by her attempts to break free of it, was completely gone. The scarring had been deep, and there was no way in hell it would ever have completely faded by itself. Kirara's devious smile softened to something else entirely. Something more vulnerable.

"I asked Orihime for a favour," she said quietly. For a moment, Shinji stared at her, caught off guard entirely. Kirara savoured the look, rarely managing to throw him like she had just done.

Kirara knew that Shinji never really cared that she had so many scars. In fact, he seemed fascinated by half of them. All of them bore a collection of scars, and as former Onmitsukido, Kirara probably had the most. She wore them with pride, never having minded that she even had them on her face.

But the scar on her shoulder was a symbol of how helpless she had been. How she'd been at Aizen's mercy, and he had kept her alive for the sole intention of killing her later, just to make him suffer.

So Kirara had taken to hiding it as much as she could, but it wasn't always possible, and it always struck somewhere deep in her chest when she saw his expression flicker at the sight of it.

"You…damn you, Kirara," his voice was a hoarse growl. Right then and there, Shinji didn't care that the others were still there, not knowing what was happening. He yanked her into his arms and up into a heated kiss that stole Kirara's breath.

For just a moment, Kirara had the upper-hand against Shinji. But the kiss was so heated, so loaded that it sent fire through her body, and all she could do was cling to him as she kissed him back with as much heat as he gave her. Even though the others were right there, she was completely lost to it.

"Must you?" Rose rolled his eyes as they all grimaced and turned away at the sudden intense display.

"Assholes," Kensei muttered, knowing he definitely wasn't going to get any answers now.

"Mind your own business," Shinji finally pulled away to shoot the words over his shoulder, before looking down at Kirara. She looked at little dazed, which made his grin return full force as she went bright red. "You really will be the death of me, you know that?" he told her seriously. Kirara's smile returned.

"I know," she said simply.


Hope you liked it!

Please review!