A/N: Sorry guys, but this one is gunna be short. I haven't been motivated at all lately. But I'll make it up to you guys... eventually.

Also, I want to thank my Beta Reader, Simplistic Nostalgia. She is absolutely amazing! I've been able to bounce a lot of ideas off of her, and I'm so grateful to have her help! I hope she decides to stick with me until the very end of the entire series! that's right folks! I'm making more stories but they're going to be about other people in the same AU.

Now, we're back to Orihime so onto the next chapter. :)

I do not own Bleach.

The End is Only the Beginning

By: KawaiPanda

Chapter Eight: Inner Strength

"Miss Kasumioji, you may wish to prepare yourself." At that, the students scattered, leaving Orihime by herself in the center of the room, the boy circling around her, already in fighting stance.

"Kya!" And with that, he attacked.

Orihime was already slipping into a defensive position when he rushed towards her, her instincts kicking in. While she might not have been the strongest person around, Tatsuki made damned sure Orihime was able to protect herself. And it was kind of like a second nature for her. Despite her being rusty from not practicing much, she was capable of defending herself. And when he threw the first punch, it did so in slow motion to her. She moved her head out of the way, his elbow centimeters from her cheek.

It was when he paused momentarily to register the shock of missing his target that she shifted from defense to offense; as he pulled his arm back to his torso, she executed a roundhouse kick, the hit landing just before the socket of his shoulder. The sickening sound of it dislocating was her reward. When he dropped to his knee, clutching at his injury, she snapped out of her trance-like state. Her eyes widened in shock.

"Oh! I'm so sorry!" She fell to her knees before him, grimacing at the damage she had just done to his shoulder. She gingerly reached out to touch his bicep. "Really, I didn't mean to-"

"Miss Kasumioji, you've done enough," the teacher snapped.

Orihime jerked as if the woman had slapped her, watching mutely as two students rushed forward, assisting the boy, and leading him to the infirmary.

Without a word, she got to her feet and headed over to where Hitoshi and his friends stood.

"Wow Hime! That was amazing! I can't believe you took out the teachers pet in one kick!" Orihime blushed, feeling a bit uncomfortable.

"I didn't actually mean to hurt him like that." However, Hitoshi kept on and on about it, causing her to want to escape his presence.

XxXxXxXxX

Twelfth Division
Captain Kurotsuchi's Office

"Captain!" The young woman from yesterday was in his office, kneeling to Mayuri. He frowned upon recognizing her.

"You... What do you want?" The young woman gulped at his harsh voice, grateful to still be alive.

"The problem has been fixed... but captain?" She hesitated.

"What? Spit it out already!" He demanded. If she had screwed up one more time...

"There's a problem, Sir."

XxXxXxXxX

Rukon Districts
With Ichigo and Rukia

After the incident earlier, Ichigo had calmed down by threat of his girlfriend kicking his ass but after a few hours, and they started for the seireitei for the night, he was getting more and more desperate.

"Damnit! Where is she?" At his raising voice, Rukia glanced over to Ichigo. He had a man up by his shirt, yelling at him! And he looked like a nobleman!

"Ichigo..." Her tone was a warning, and gripping her zanpakuto helped. He dropped him. "I'm sorry sir for this imbicile. We're looking for someone." She helped him up, glaring at the orange haired shinigami.

"I know he's at least seen her. He made a comment on my hair saying it reminded him of another who came here not too long ago."

"You've seen her?" Rukia asked.

"H-Hai. She had orange hair and a large bust..." At Ichigo's eyebrow twitch, the man turned red and continued. "She was also wearing a school uniform."

"That's her! It has to be! She died in her uniform..."

XxXxXxXxX

Twelfth Division
Captain Kurotsuchi's Office

The man in paint, sitting behind his desk, was strumming his fingers on the surface of the desk which was filled with paperwork. "So. You're telling me that someone had unautorized use of an Senkaimon and we're just now finding out."

"H-hai."

"Do you at least know who did it?"

"W-we're still working on it." His fingers halted their movement and the girl ran from his office before he could decided to kill her.

XxXxXxXxX

The rest of the class period seemed to drag on. The instructor left Orihime well enough alone, but she still felt as if she should have let the guy hit her.

Maybe then, she wouldn't be getting those stares from her fellow students. Stares of awe, jealousy, rage... among other things.

And when it came time for Zanjutsu, Orihime once again showed them that she was more than just what she appeared to be. Ever since the incident, she withdrew into herself. She'd wanted to show them she was normal and wouldn't use her previous connections to excel. But now, she wanted nothing more to get out of here. She decided enough of holding back. She wasn't going to inform them of who she really was, but she wouldn't pretend to be weaker than she really was. After all, the pyhsical wasn't really different from the academic, was it? And she excelled at that in the human world... She was now using what she'd been taught fighting wise, and she could excelle at that too.

After class, Hitoshi led her to the cafeteria for dinner, and she blushed under the stares of her fellow students.

"Orihime!"

"Kaiya, Hanna." She greeted.

Kaiya threw herself at Orihime, embracing her tightly. Hanna sighed and nodded at her.

"Oh my GOD! You will never guess what's happening!" Kaiya exclaimed.

"What's going to happen?" Orihime asked.

"Well -"

"A captain or vice captain is coming by the school to check a certain student out." Hanna interrupted.

"Who's the student?"

"You!" Kaiya giggled happily at the look on Orihime's face. It was one of shock and hints of terror maybe?

She still didn't know how she was going to tell her shinigami friends... and she didn't want them to use their influence to get her out early, but then if things kept escalating, she might have to take their assistance. After all, it wouldn't due to fight all of the time. And teachers try to make examples of her. She liked being here, learning, but unless people could accept the fact that she was a bit... different, she wouldn't be able to stay.

"Oh."

"Oh? How can you just say, oh?" Kaiya demanded, her hands on her hips.

As Orihime opened her mouth to reply, and maybe inform them of her past, somewhat, Hanna spoke. "Let's get something to eat."

That thankfully changed the subject.

XxXxXxXxX

Rukon Districts
Ichigo and Rukia

"So, someone paid for her meal?" Rukia asked, smiling politely.

The waiter nodded. And she pursed her lips, thinking.

"And you really can't tell us who it was?"

He shook his head. "No, I can't. Against policy."

"Thank you." Rukia smiled and waved as she left the resturaunt.

"Well?" Ichigo demanded upon seeing her exit the fancy place. Rukia wouldn't let him in due to his behavior so he was leaning against the wall, waiting for her return.

"She was here alright. But someone paid for her meal, meaning, it was a noble who wanted to either marry Orihime or adopt her into their family, and we'll have to find them in order to find her."

A/N: So, what do you guys think?

Special thanks to Moodymel, Nypsy, KurosakiCrystal18, and Simplistic Nostalgia for reviewing the last chapter as well as all those who took the time to review other chapters, and favorite and alert my story! :)

Any feedback is welcome and much appreciated. :)