It felt good to laugh. Orihime did have some odd choices in food. They entered the market. Hoshi grabbed some noodles and soy sauce. She also grabbed some radishes . Hoshi and Tatsuki chatted while they shopped. It was good not to mention Aizen in a conversation for once. The normal talk was good . Hoshi felt happy.

They headed to the check out and paid for the food. As they walked towards Hoshi's house she said, " Thank you so much Tatsu for taking my mind off things. It feels good to be normal for a little bit. " Hoshi hoped Ichigo and Rukia were in school tomorrow. "Tatsu do you know if anyone lives close to me? I don't want to walk alone to school in case you know who might talk to me." She didn't want to mention Aizen's name out loud.

"I'll ask him tomorrow then. Sounds like a good idea. Dad said we don't have to always get out of our bodies to train. He said that we could meditate and train while in that state.He wants us to be ready for Saturday ." They had arrived at her house and it was safe to talk. She unlocked the door and invited Tatsuki inside. "I wish I knew who rang the door bell before I left. I could sense some reiatsu but I was too scared to focus. I shouldn't let it bother me. ' Hoshi put away what she had bought. "Ready to train?" She said . She hoped Ichigo was in school tomorrow .She had to ask him if anyone was nearby.

Hoshi was in the sun room sitting cross legged on the floor. " I'm ready if you are Ryu-chan." She said . Hoshi closed her eyes and tried to focus . Her zanpakto spirit's voice was louder this time and she went toward the light she saw.

Hoshi wasn't sure what to do either. She was in her inner world again. She looked around for Indigo Fog. Hoshi hoped they wouldn't fight this time ,maybe they could just talk instead .

Ryuenjin was glad to see Tatsuki once again. "what brings you here hatchling?" He asked, wanting to hear it from her own lips. He knew that she wanted to get an early start in training.

"I need help...I'm so far behind than everyone else in our group already..." she said, not liking the fact that she had to admit she herself was weak and needed help. This was one of the things that she swore she would never do.

Indigo saw Hoshi was back. She jumped behind her and gave a hug to Hoshi. "Glad you came to see me Hoshi! What brings you here? You look sad. Sit down and we can talk ."She exclaimed . Hoshi turned around to look at Indigofog and sat down. " I feel weak and afraid . Aizen keeps trying to contact me. I don't know what to do. "


"Don't say you are weak. I know you're not. In time you'll get stronger. Once you start training you'll have more confidence in yourself. Just be careful when you are alone. I don't want Aizen to contact you. I want you to be safe. I'm sorry I can't help you much now but I promise in the future we both will gain strength ."

"I know I have to be more vigilant. I will do my best to help us both I promise. " Hoshi said. She didn't expect to talk, but that's what she needed most. Hoshi broke contact and realized it had been an hour. It didn't seem like that long to her. Her dad would be home soon.

"Hatchling, thank you. I know that you think you're behind right now, but in actuality, you're not as far behind as you think you are." He said, not letting her know that she could easily gain the ability of bankai in a few months if she so wished.

Tatsuki was shocked at what her zanpakuto spirit said. "You mean all that?" She asked, surprised. It was rare for her to receive praise like that.

"I do. Now then, I know you're set to train on Saturday, but until then, I want you to try and raise your reiatsu levels until then," he said. "I know you already know how to manipulate your reiatsu into your punches and kicks, so can you try burning out your reiatsu?"

"But...won't that cause problems for me if I burn myself out like that?"

"Normally, yes. But you aren't normal and because of that I can help increase your reiatsu. If you burn out your reiatsu, then when you sleep I can help refill it and add a little everyday. Would you be willing to try?" He asked to which Tatsuki nodded.

"I'll try, but no guarantees and Ryu-kun," she said, pausing to get her spirit's attention. Once she got it, she continued, "Thanks," she said before heading out of her mindscape to see that an hour had passed, which surprised her.

Hoshi and Tatsuki had woken up about the same time. Hoshi was still thinking about what her zanpakuto spirit had told her. " How did it go Tatsu-chan?" She said. Hoshi had more confidence than she had before. She was going to be more vigilant and aware of her surroundings. If Ichigo wasn't in school tomorrow, she would go looking for him.

"So was mine. It wasn't like I expected it to be. It's 5 o'clock. I agree . It isn't fun. " Hoshi said getting up slowly. She was stiff."Dad should be home soon. He's making dinner and then we are going to visit grandma at the hospital ." Hoshi said sadly. It would probably be the last time she saw her grandma.

Tetsu pulled in the drive way. He grabbed his briefcase and the beef he picked up for dinner. He unlocked the door and saw Tatsuki and Hoshi talking to each other. He was glad she wasn't alone. "Hello Tatsuki. Its good to see you .Did you girls have a good day? " He said with a smile.He wondered if Shinji had contacted Ichigo yet. Tetsu hoped so. He had felt some reiatsu on the front step. He didn't recognize it but he was glad Aizen hadn't tried to contact Hoshi.

" I hope so" Hoshi said . She looked up and saw her dad had come home.

" I'm glad you girls did.Alright Tatsuki-chan. See you on Saturday or sometime sooner. "Tetsu said

"See you tomorrow Tatsu! Don't forget the stuff you bought that's in the fridge. " Hoshi said and waved as her friend left . The evening went quickly . They had dinner and then went to the hospital . There wasn't much change in her grandma's condition . Hoshi sat by her bed as her dad talked to the doctor. They came back home and Hoshi went to bed. She was sad that her grandma was dying, but she knew she would be in a better place. She hoped Ichigo was in class tomorrow . Why hadn't he come back ? She closed her eyes and tried to get some sleep.

Ichigo felt as if he was ran over by a bus...not only a bus but also a semi-truck. Whatever they did to him today hurt...but it was worth it. The only problem was that he still had to go back tomorrow. Shinji promised not to go to the school but to collect him and Rukia after school was over as an "escort" or something to that effect. If they wanted to come up with a story, he'd let them, but he didn't care one way or the other.

Rukia was carrying the orange-haired young man to his home, knowing that he was too tired and bruised to walk all the way home by himself. Once they got to the Kurosaki Clinic, she sent a small pulse of reiatsu to see if anyone was awake and when she received no reply, she had Ichigo unlock the front door with a house key before bringing him inside and directing him to the couch. Once he sat down on it, he was out like a light, not that Rukia blamed him. Getting a blanket out of the closet, she draped it over the young man before heading to his room and into her futon before heading to her bed . To think that he has to go back tomorrow for more training... were her last thoughts before she went to sleep as well.

Tatsuki nodded, glad to see that Hoshi's father was okay with all of this. She thanked Hoshi for reminding her about her groceries after replying with a quick "right back at you Hoshi." Since she was thinking on the...homework assignment Ryuenjin gave her, she would have totally forgotten about them. She headed towards the kitchen and opened the fridge to take them out. Thanking both, she slipped her shoes on and headed out the door

Morning came and Hoshi woke up with a start. She had no idea what woke her up so quickly. She got in the shower, and brushed her hair and teeth. She got dressed for school and grabbed her school bag. Tetsu was in the kitchen making breakfast.
" How did you sleep honey?" He smiled.

"Good ." She said sitting down. She ate her cereal and looked at the clock. Her dad offered to drive her again today. Hoshi declined saying that she would be fine. He gave a concerned look. But he didn't fight about it . Tetsu didn't sense anything unusual, like he did yesterday. "Be careful Hoshi and have a good day."

"You too dad. " She gave a smile and grabbed her lunch and school bag, heading out the door . She walked down the street , keeping an eye on her surroundings. She felt she was being followed ,but she was afraid to turn around.She felt reiatsu but she couldn't identify it. She hoped who ever it was wasn't going to hurt her.

Tatsuki woke up slowly, wincing lightly as she turned around, trying to get out of the sun's rays and a few minutes of sleep. She turned back over and groaned once again in pain. She slowly sat up, ignoring the protest from her muscles, knowing that her morning shower would take care of it. Heading into the bathroom, she turned the water on and waited for it to get hot. Once it did, she stepped inside.

I hope Hoshi-chan is going to be okay... she thought to herself as she let the water soothe her tight muscles, sighing lightly in pleasure. After staying under the water a few minutes and cleaning herself, she took a towel and dried off before heading back into her bedroom to put some clothes on. She locked her door and headed towards school. As she was heading towards school, she felt some reiatsu from behind her. Turning around, she didn't see anyone, but when she turned around she felt the reiatsu return.

Ryu-kun, is there some way you can wrap your reiatsu around me? she asked, hoping that by wrapping herself up in her zanpakuto's power that would deter whoever was keeping an eye on her.

"I could if you want, what's wrong?" he asked in a concern manner.

"Someone is tailing me and I can feel reiatsu from him or her. I was hoping... she asked before feeling him nod and felt heated reiatsu wrap around her. Thanks. she said, feeling safer already, as well as the reiatsu that was trailing her disappeared.

Hoshi arrived at school very tense. She did turn around while she was walking but she didn't see any one. She sat on a bench close to the entrance hoping to see her friends come . She wasn't sure if she should tell anyone what she felt. She didn't think the reiatsu was evil. Just a bit mysterious. Who would be following her? Hoshi hoped she wasn't losing her mind. She felt safer around the other students. She got a book out of her bag and read while she waited.She still felt the reiatsu. Hoshi hoped who ever was watching her would make themselves known.

Tatsuki walked into the schoolyard and felt Ryuenjin's reiatsu that was surrounding her leave as what they agreed upon earlier. Once it left her, she began to itch all over, but suppressed the urge, knowing that it was just the side-effects of the reiatsu leaving her. She then looked up before spotting Hoshi reading something. She headed towards the raven-haired girl and sat down next to her. "Must be a good book, if you don't even see me coming Star-chan," she said, teasing her friend.

Ichigo hid a yawn behind a hand as he dragged his feet towards school. He was beat and the fact that he slept on the couch didn't help manners either when he woke up with a sore body. Luckily, Rukia healed some of the bruises but she couldn't help cure the tiredness he had. He then saw Tatsuki and Hoshi sitting on a bench, both looking tense. He decided that whatever his problems were could be ignored for a few minutes and he went over to his friends.

Hoshi looked up and saw Tatsuki sitting there . " Sorry Tatsu-chan ." Hoshi said feeling embarrassed. " It is a good book. I got it for my birthday. I'm trying to calm down a little before school." Hoshi saw Ichigo coming over to where they were. She would have to tell him about the reiatsu she'd been feeling. He looked tierd . Hoshi was tense and noticed Tatsuki was too. Had she been followed too? What was going on here? "Why do it think that me and Tatsuki being followed has something to do with us becoming Shinigami?"She thought to her self. It was another random thought, but it bothered Hoshi very much.