1-4 Not a Drug

What's taking so long? Isn't he healed yet?

Can you please try to be patient?

I can't wait. You good to go, Ichigo?

Yeah.

You're not ready yet!

............

............

Orihime, don't! He'll kill you!

You should really listen to him! My Cross of Scaffold will easily break through your Santen Kesshun!

No, it won't.

Oh? Let's find out!

Shitenkoshun.

Gah...

It diffuses the impact of an attack by exploding the exact moment it's hit, then simultaneously responds with a reactive attack of its own.

An automated detonation shield? That was nasty.

You can call it whatever you want. My advice is that if you don't want to get hurt again, then don't try to attack me when I warn you not to.

Orihime... When did you...?

It's been over a year since you lost your powers, Ichigo. And it's not as though Chad and I sat around doing nothing for 17 months.

We never stopped believing in you. We both knew that one day you would regain your power to fight, and we've been preparing for that day.

Chad and I both made promises to ourselves that we wouldn't be a burden to you when that moment came.

So focus on the challenge at hand. Don't be concerned about us.

This is exactly what we trained for: so that you could focus your entire attention on regaining your powers.

All right. Thank you, Orihime.

Ready. Let's get going, Ginjo!

(He's figured out my longer reach makes in-fighting too difficult, so he changed tactics by moving in closer.)

(He's really at his best as a fighter when there's someone present that he feels he needs to protect.)

(But that's not enough.)

............

Yukio! Make me a table and chair! I wanna sit and eat my snack here, so hurry it up!

No way.

What?!

Uh, hi there! If you could make us some furniture, I'd appreciate it!

Okay.

Yukio, are you kidding me?!

You know, this girl has a very nice way of asking for what she wants, Riruka. Maybe this is a good time for her to teach you some manners.

Ughhhh! You just wait until I get out of here.

............

What are you looking at? Forget it. These are all mine.

Uh...huh.

............

Omm! Ahhhh... It's so good!

Well, that's all you get so don't eat it too fast.

Mmhm!

Hey! What did I just say?! You only get one, donut-hog!

............

Woah! All right, I get it! Go ahead and take as many as you want.

You have the worst table manners in the world! I can't imagine what type of rude parents you must have had.

Oh, haha. That's funny. I can't imagine them either.

What's that? Don't you have parents?

Nope, not anymore. My older brother said they were really abusive and he thought there was a good chance that they'd kill me.

So when I was just a baby, he decided to take me away with him and we ran away.

Oh, yeah? So I guess your pathetic brother got stuck raising you on his own, huh? I'd like to meet the poor slob.

Sorry. That can't happen 'cause he's dead.

That's enough! Your stories are so damn boring!

Huh?

How can you talk about something as depressing as that with such a big smile? Is there something wrong with you?!

No. I'm able to smile because Ichigo's already saved me.

He helped me change. Thanks to him, I'm able to talk about my past and laugh about it.

Hmph! That sounds even more stupid! You never know when to shut up, do you? God, you're so annoying!

Later!

Wait! Are you really going? Hey, there're still lots of donuts left!

No thanks! I was getting sick of those things anyway. If you want them, help yourself.

Thank you! You really are a very nice person!

What an idiot.