Hoshi tensed up with that news." How can we prevent that from happening?" She been asked having the feeling that's what she had been dreaming about.

"We're trying to figure that out now. The best I can say is to not use your bankai, because that is what allows them to steal your spirits. Shikai I've seen is safe to use," Rukia responded, although she didn't see the thinking that Ichigo was doing.

'I wonder...Hichigo doesn't technically count as a Zanpakuto spirit...' he thought to himself, wondering if his Bankai would still work against the Vandenreich.

Hoshi nodded. She would fight her hardest using her Shikai, though knew it would be a tough fight.

" Why would they want to steal Bankai?" Saya asked confused. She from what she knew it wasn't possible to do that to a Shinigami.

"I think they want to have an advantage for whatever they are planning for. From what I remember, it was the fact we could use our Bankai as much as we wanted instead of them using their final form only once. Although that's only a theory of mine," Rukia said as she answered Saya's question.

Saya nodded. She was going to say something but the bell rang telling them to go back to class. She liked Rukia, hoping they could be friends.

Tatsuki listened into the conversation, but didn't offer any advice of her own since she had none. Once she heard the bell ring, she got up with the others and headed back inside. 'I wonder if they were able to find Rue...' Tatsuki thought to herself, keeping the thought away from her Zanpakuto spirit.

Hoshi took notes and worked in her homework in study hall. She hoped they had an idea where Rue was being kept, and was worried about how her friend was doing. She was glad when the bell rang for the day and waited by the door. The strange feeling was stronger and knew something was about to happen.

Saya was tense at the end of the school day. It felt too much like the day those people disappeared. She kept her guard up, just in case the was a trap set for her.

Once class resumed after lunch break, Ichigo sat back at his desk and continued to take notes and finished his homework during their study hall period at the end of the day. Tatsuki had taken Orihime home earlier that day claiming that her friend wasn't feeling well and she didn't want anything to happen to her. Hearing the bell ring, Ichigo saw both Saya and Hoshi getting up and leaving the room. He was about to head out the room himself when he felt a sense of dread all around him. 'What the hell...?' he thought to himself as he grasped the skull pendant in his pocket.

Hoshi had asked Saya if she had sensed the feeling of dread. She clutched the star pendant that was in her skirt pocket, wanting to be ready just in case some thing did happen.

Saya was clutching the pendant on her wrist as she waited for Ishida, and had her guard up high. She kept close to Hoshi, in case this was an ambush.

Rukia noticed the tension in the air quickly and seamlessly changed into her shinigami form, a harmless mod soul taking over the Gigai that she used to keep her body safe. She hoped that none of the Vandenreich were coming, but was surprised when she felt the temperature in the room to start dropping.

" We should get someplace safe to transform." Hoshi said to Ichigo in a low voice. She had a feeling that a fight was about to start.

"Good idea," Ichigo said as he saw Ishida head towards Saya, knowing that he would help keep her safe.

Saya kept quiet as they walked toward where Ishida's house. She had a bad feeling that she was in danger.

Rukia got her zanpakuto out quickly and settled into a fighting stance. "Who are you?" she asked.

" None of your business. I'm looking for something important and I intend to find it. " A female Quincy said in a superior tone.

"You're talking about Saya-chan, aren't you?" she asked as she drew Sode and uttered the sword's shikai command phrase. She hoped that she didn't have to test out Kisuke's new invention yet, but with Bankai out of the question, she may not have a choice.

The female Quincy scowled , thinking no shinigami would know the girl's name. " You are correct. I have a feeling you might know where she is.


Saya wanted to fight, but knew doing so would put her in danger. She remembered what her aunt had recently told her about the wisest thing a Quincy can do, is to avoid things that threaten their safety. She knew she was safe here.

"Perhaps I do, but then again, perhaps I don't," Rukia responded, waiting for the female quincy to make the first move. She just hoped that she could distract the Quincy long enough for Saya to get somewhere safe.

" Then I'll just have to look for her. " She said. She hoped Saya wasn't with any of the Ishida's. She still had to try to to get them to join their effort. She had tried to get an American Quincy to join, but it had proven to be a failure. She hoped none of the renegade Quincy decided to fight against the Vandenreich.

"And you think I'm just going to let you have the time to look for her, hm?" Rukia asked.

"How about here?" Ichigo asked as he pointed to an old closet in the school building that no one used anymore. It wasn't the best situation to leave his body, but it would be better than leaving their bodies out in the open.

" I think it would work. There's one next to it that isn't used too much either that I can use. . Hoshi said, not wanting to start any rumors.She didn't know why she was so worried about people talking about her lately. Maybe Keigo was making her a little bit paranoid.


"I know you won't. That's why I'm prepared to fight you Shinigami. " The female Quincy said in a condescending tone. She could sense this Shinigami was stronger than she had planned.

Ichigo nodded, blushing lightly as he made the same connections that Hoshi had. Coughing lightly, he agreed that that would be a good idea.

Rukia giggled a little at the idea of the female Quincy preparing to fight only her, knowing that both Ichigo and Hoshi would be there soon.

Hoshi went into the closet and got out of her body. She waited for Ichigo and was ready to help Rukia.

" What do you think is so funny. " The female Quincy said as she readied to use her bow.

Ichigo went into the closet before placing his skull medallion at his chest, getting out of his body. Opening the door, he saw that Hoshi was ready and waiting for him. Soon after, the two of them vanished.

"Because I'm not the only one you should be worried about," Rukia replied with a smirk.

The female Quincy had tensed up, though not showing it to her opponent. She knew there were other shinigami in the area, but was wondering how they knew of this fight. She fired a succession of arrows once she saw others in the distance. She would not let them keep her from the second key.