(With Isshin)
A few hours after the first attack was when Hiyori finally returned and Rin left. Why the kid was crying as he ran through the Senkaimon, he wasn't sure but he felt like he should blame Lisa. It was also good that Urahara was a fast and efficient worker. Rin was able to fix and modify gigais, but he didn't have the materials to make them. That's one thing he regrets not asking for when he took his station.
"And here you go dumbass." Hiyori said as she revealed Ichigo and Orihime's new disguise gigais. The only distinguishing difference was that they were older looking versions of themselves with different hairstyles. Ichigo's was still his messy, spikey look but it was longer, like he went a couple months without a haircut, and Orihime's was shortened to a ponytail with a bob cut. "Now they can pass for adults."
"I know this wouldn't fool the neighbors, but Karakura's a big place and we're only trying to fool people that don't know them." Isshin said, feeling like this was a mistake somewhere but not sure where. "Ah well, someone deliver these to Ichigo and Orihime." He ordered as one of his squad members saluted and took the bodies. "Now to wait for those assassins to try again." He said as he spared a glance to Tsukishima. "We'll end this soon enough."
(At the safehouse)
"That was so much fun!" The young princess cheered as she sat down at the table. She was enrolled in a nearby middle school, Urahara being some kind of miracle worker with plenty of connections still around, with a constant watch of her attendants. The excuse there was... pretty much the truth in that she was sheltered and they were her attendants to make sure nothing bad happened. The school system simply accepted it when the principal gave the okay... and then his creepy insistence that it was okay. After classes let out, she was picked up by Ichigo and Orihime who were both in their disguise gigais, and earning the attention of all the students there solely on their looks. Feeling a small bit of jealousy she actually ran to them yelling mom and dad. Afterward, they kept their word and went to the mall, going into various stores and spending a little time in the arcade. "The world of the Living is filled with so much wonder! You're lucky to be here." She said to her two false parents, with Kenryu and Enryu crying tears of joy.
"It truly is a wonderful world." Orihime said as she passed out the curry dinner she made. "Now, eat up while it's hot." Rurichiyo quickly gave thanks and took a big spoonful of the rice and curry.
"Wow! This is delicious!" She said with elation. "This is the best meal I've ever had! I can relax and enjoy it, so much better than those stuffy aristocratic dinners." Kenryu looked like he wanted to protest to Rurichiyo's actions but stayed his voice as she continued to enjoy her meal. Until she stopped when she noticed something she didn't like.
"Rurichiyo, is everything okay?" Orihime asked, prompting the princess to scoop up a slice of carrot.
"I do not like these." She answered, looking down at the vegetable on her spoon.
"That's too bad." Ichigo said, not sternly but not too gentle either. "Eat everything on your plate Rurichiyo, it's rude to everyone that worked hard to make that meal. From the farmers that grew those vegetables all the way to Orihime cooking it." This earned a look of surprise from the girl he was protecting.
"Farmers grow all of these?" Ichigo could only look at the young soul in surprise.
"Yeah, and it takes a lot of work to grow even a single plant." He told her before turning his glare to the two attendants who starting sweating under his gaze. "What have you two been telling her?"
"Well, uh... we just... we didn't want to..." Kenryu stammered while Enryu started signing like crazy.
"Don't bother Ichigo." Rurichiyo spoke out, tired but also hurt. "They never tell me the whole truth about anything." Everyone looked at her with surprise, and guilt in the case of the Kasumioji attendants. "I may not have ever given any thought as to where my food comes from, but I am not a fool. I know that the Kasumioji don't warrant the full time protection of a lieutenant class Soul Reaper, but you're still here so it must be something terrible." She looked at the two with tear filled eyes as she demanded answers. "Why do you two still try to keep me in the dark!?" She was soon pulled into a warm and enveloping hug by Orihime.
"There there Ruri-chan." She said, stroking the girl's hair soothingly. "How about you and I go out for ice cream and we can talk. Does that sound good?" Rurichiyo slowly felt herself cling to Orihime as she slowly nodded. The exorcist smiled and took the girl by the hand as she guided the princess outside to get them both some ice cream. "Ichigo, would you mind having a 'chat' with Kenryu and Enryu?" She suggested before leaving. The two attendants were torn between being devastated that they hurt their charge so much, and utterly terrified as Ichigo sported a malicious grin.
(With Orihime)
"I know they mean well, but I'm tired of being treated like a child." Rurichiyo said, idly licking her frozen treat while talking about her troubles to Orihime as she sat in her lap. She never thought about anything because she was never told about anything. If she knew about how much effort and care went into anything in her life, she wouldn't have been so selfish. Now they're lying to her about her safety, that a lieutenant's protection was normal for a noble like herself, but even she's heard about the hybrid that brought change to the Soul Society.
"I know what that is like Rurichiyo." She said with a nostalgic and sad smile. "When I was younger, all I had was my older brother. We were in a terrible situation with our parents and he took me away from them the first chance he had. From there, he was my version of your attendants. We didn't have the same luxuries that you've enjoyed, but he made sure I was happy with what I had. Eventually, I was tired of him treating me like a child and I yelled at him when he gave me these hairpins. Later that same day, he was in a terrible accident." Rurichiyo turned to look at her protector as a thought of losing Enryu and Kenryu passed through her mind. "I was never more scared in my life, terrified that I would lose my brother and the last thing he would remember of me was that I yelled at him. All because he wanted to see me happy."
"I never thought of it that way." The princess said as she looked down at her ice cream and thought about the happy memories she had with her two attendants.
"You're important to them Rurichiyo, you just need to remember that they care for you." The exorcist said with a caring smile. "As for why we're protecting you- Baigon!" She started before immediately calling out one of her shields and blocking an attack from another dark clothed man. He had a regular katana blade, but Orihime was more concerned with the large cloth wrapped paddle shaped thing on his back. "Word of our squad protecting you should've reached these people." She said with an edge to her voice. "I'm guessing they need to be reminded on why it's a bad decision to attack squad 15." She flicked her wrist and the shield pushed against the assassin, sending him back several feet.
"Orihime!" Rurichiyo cried out as the 6th seat set her aside and strode out confidently to their attacker. "Please be careful." She whispered before she was trapped in a triangular pyramid of Orihime's shield barriers.
"Don't worry Rurichiyo." She said as her Kenten Koushun blade appeared. "We've got this." The assassin threw away his sword to reveal the thing on his back. A large Guandao spear with buzzsaw teeth on the top of the blade. What was odd about it was the short handle with a large bent portion at the end. Orihime watched in disgust as the thing spat out a fleshy tendril with several smaller tentacles and the assassin plunged his hand directly into the monstrosity, becoming one with the blade.
"That was gross." Tsubaki said to no one in particular. The assassin slammed the blade into the ground and sent a torrent of green energy at her. Orihime took a breath and swung her reflection blade and managed to send the energy back to the assassin, just as the energy solidified into stone.
"I'll be honest, I'm surprised we could do that." Orihime said, blinking in surprise. The power wave broke through the stone wall it created with twice its original force and mixed with the debris to become a shrapnel filled wave of pain as the attack returned to the assassin. Orihime felt sick to her stomach as she heard the pained cries of her attacker. The dust slowly settled as Orihime saw the mangled and bloody wreck of the assassin. Behind her, she heard Rurichiyo gag and puke as she felt her own stomach turn at the sight. Hollows were one thing, this was not what she ever wanted. Isshin and Tatsuki soon arrived on the scene, Tatsuki froze while Isshin went to the healer.
"What happened?" He asked, not harshly, not demanding. He was gentle and trying to help Orihime get herself back together, lest she break.
"I... I reflected his attack back to him... and...." She said, numbly as she tried to process what happened. "Isshin... I... I didn't..." She went silent as Isshin pulled her in for a hug.
"Breath Orihime. In and out, I'm right here." He instructed, guiding her to calm down and gather her wits. "You did your job Orihime. You kept Rurichiyo safe. It's going to be okay."
"M... maybe I can still heal him." Orihime said, knowing she was grasping at straws. Isshin was going to say something when Shun'o and Ayame showed up at their mistress's side.
"You can definitely do that." Ayame told her, making Orihime look hopeful while Isshin was gobsmacked.
"Our barriers never really healed per say Orihime." Shun'o continued for her fellow spirit. "We just 'rejected' the damage. We're the flower petals of 'rejection'. Rejecting attacks, enemies, and events was part of our title for the contract. If you wanted, you could reject someone's entire existence. So, as long as there's remains, you can even reverse death." She finished with a smile while everyone was looking at the spirits in shock and awe. "We haven't met anyone that had that kind of heart and will though. Wanna be the first?" It took her a second to shake herself out of her shock but Orihime sprinted towards the corpse with the others close behind her.
"Shun'o, Ayame, Souten Kisshun!" She knelt by the body and called out to both spirits, making them split into twos to double the healing effect as she got to the assassin just as kido flames began to erupt on his body. Just as progress was being made, an explosion of smoke engulfed the four and blinded them. After a few seconds to shake off the surprise, Isshin waved his arm and dispersed the smoke cloud with a gust of wind.
"Is everyone okay?" He asked, taking a quick scan of the group.
"I'm fine pops." Tatsuki said, coughing out some last bits of smoke.
"I am fine as well." Rurichiyo said as she opened her eyes. When she did, she saw the same thing that froze Isshin and Tatsuki. The assassin's body had burnt to ash, and Orihime was gone.
(Seireitei)
"I told you to retrieve the princess." The head assassin under Kumoi said to his subordinate, Orihime laying unconscious between them. "Her disguise had her with orange hair, so I would be forgiving in this circumstance considering there were two girls with orange hair. Not so much with how you mixed up a child with a teenager!" They were in an abandoned field on the Kasumioji grounds, but still private property outside of the Gotei's range.
"My apologies lord Hanza." The kidnapper told his superior. "However, it seemed like the rumors of her odd abilities were also true. She was actually resurrecting the last assassin that attacked them." Hanza took a moment to digest this information.
"I am going to be lenient since we can use this girl to deal with that Kurosaki boy." The scarred assassin said, an idea forming in his mind. "But, if what you say is true, then you just brought us an invaluable test subject for our Bakkoto."
"Lord Kumoi will be pleased with this then." The unnamed assassin sighed in relief. Just then, a crushing pressure suddenly appeared. The air was forced from their lungs and the air felt more solid than before. The two were suffocating as they tried to process what was happening. They were looking around until Hanza froze. There, standing in the sky with burning black wings and swirling dark Reishi was the truest image of a Shinigami that the assassin had ever seen in his life. The assassin fled for his life, feeling a sense of fear he had long since buried climb its way back up and made him run as far from that Reaper standing in the sky. The other one was frozen, stuck in place after seeing that piercing golden stare. Almost instantly, that Reaper was standing just a few feet away from him. He instantly recognized this being was the hybrid that Kumoi's benefactors wanted dead, Ichigo Kurosaki. The boy's face was impassive, but the energy he was unleashing was anything but stoic and his black and gold eyes promised only death. The assassin dropped to his knees as his vision became hazy, cloudy as the hybrid walked toward him.
"N...no....p...please...." He choked out as he tried to move out of the way of the hybrid. Ichigo ignored the man as he suppressed his Reiatsu upon reaching Orihime's unconscious form. He gently lifted the girl in a bridal carry, taking care to make sure she was still alive and smiling upon confirmation of such. He began walking away again, a Garganta opening before him as the kidnapper took his chance to run. He took one step before a black box engulfed him.
"Hado #90, Kurohitsugi." Ichigo said as he left the Soul Society. The kido faded as an unrecognizable mass of flesh remained before burning away.
(Central 46 Chambers)
"That boy needs punishment!" One of the judges yelled at Yamamoto. "He is your student yet he lacks discipline."
"Invading private property, causing undue panic amongst the populace, we knew he was going to be trouble." Another of the sages said. "He cannot be allowed to roam free, even as a member of the Gotei."
"Tell me, members of the Central 46," Genryusai started, "are any of you fully aware of the circumstances that led to Ichigo Kurosaki's actions?"
"Yes yes, a member of his squad was found on the Kasumioji grounds. Where is the so called kidnapper?" Another judge asked. "Without evidence, that boy is facing criminal charges."
"That 'boy' has done more for Soul Society than this office ever has." Yamamoto spoke, anger burning in his tone. "And currently, there is an investigation on numerous assassination attempts on the Kasumioji heiress. Several eye witness accounts and memory recordings prove someone is after the young princess's life."
"And that let's that child do whatever he pleases? He trespassed on private-" He was interrupted with a loud crack as Yamamoto fractured the ground once again and brought the weight of his Reiatsu down on the group.
"His squad member was kidnapped. She was found unconscious with two mysterious figures on the Kasumioji grounds. Rurichiyo Kasumioji had given him permission to enter her lands, of which we have a recording. My student has done NOTHING WRONG!" He yelled, increasing the pressure in the room. "He knows he is not above the law. I know that I am not above the law. No one is above the law, something the nobility seems to have forgotten. Your duty, is to study and keep the law. If you are incapable of doing that, than I will." He growled at the judges, turning and leaving while the 46 shook in terror. The only man that they could've influenced to keep the hybrid in line had just made it clear that he was on his student's side. The Central 46 began to question just how strong their authority really was now.
(Illustrated Guide to Soul Reapers)
Isshin's note
Ichigo and Orihime got their new bodies for their disguises and did a quick look over of their new bodies.
"Older Ichigo looks ho~t." Orihime moaned, looking at Ichigo examining his faux body. "Double Ichigo fu~"
"Take a cold shower Orihime." Ichigo said, trying to avoid looking at Orihime's gigai and thinking similar thoughts. Just then, he noticed a note. Conveniently placed on his groin like a censor bar. He pulled it off of himself and read what it said.
"Do not think about bedroom fun with these. You have a child now. Wait until she's deeply asleep or at a friend's place. That's how you got your sisters."
-Soon to be Grandpa Isshin
"Pretty sure I'm going to actually kill him this time."