[Since when has having a realistic chance made a difference to him? Even in the face of logic and all probability, Ichigo fights! And if Orihime is good enough to stand with him against Yhwach, he's more than happy to have her beside him in this... weird-hero-battle-world. He forgot the name of it already.]

Kyouraku-san's here? For that long?

[Finally, good news, and more confirmation that this place is definitely transplanted from normal time and space. As goofy as Shunsui is, he's more than capable of understanding a situation and guiding people appropriately. Just this once, there's a damn good chance Ichigo will fall in line and do as he's told, if he's the one giving the orders.

...But first, he needs to sit down with Orihime in his entirely normal, unremarkable, boring room where nothing exciting will ever happen, much like his room back home. Where they will eat snacks.]

They must. If it ever got out that everyone they took here is stuck here, there's enough of us here that things will get ugly, fast.

[Open rebellion, pretty much. Ichigo assumes most of the heroes are falling in line because that's the only thing they can do, but an alliance like this is highly tentative. It may not even last forever the way it is...]

I'm not worried. If they're a problem, I'll just keep away.

[ Ah, Ichigo...don't worry! She'll be one of many who will repeat the names until they stick. Or until he comes up with a suitably ridiculous nickname for them. It's one of his endearing qualities, really.

Orihime nods, then remembers he can't really see that, can he? ]

Mhm. He's been here a while...I don't think anyone has been here longer than a year, though.

[ She thinks that's comforting, right? Although she also hasn't heard of anyone that's left and come back, or what happens really when they leave at all. So...who knows. She wants to be optimistic about it.

Oh! That sounds so scandalo--...or not. But, you know, there's never a bad time for snacks. She'll try not to make a mess. ]

They do seem to do a lot to try and accommodate us. I want to believe it's out of a genuine concern for our well-being.

[ Everyone's been very nice thus far. That has to bode well for something, right? ]

K-Kurosaki-kun...

[ Ah--yes. The social butterfly, Ichigo Kurosaki. She laughs a little awkwardly. ]

Well...we wouldn't want you to be without a place to stay. Um. [ Offering her room would be weird, wouldn't it? ] I've heard of some Heroes buying houses!

[ ...That he's got no money for! ]

...Not that that would be your only option! Of course...

[Silly Orihime, a place is not a good friend with a quiet disposition, he can't just give it a random nickname! Unless it's hard to remember or pronounce, then yeah, he'll call it something silly. Just don't call it endearing, it's... functional, yeah, let's go with that.]

That's good to know. If we can get enough bits of information like that, we might be able to put something useful together that'll help us out.

[A year... some people have been stuck here a year. He doesn't let it enter his voice, but knowing that makes his heart sink a little. It seems as though they may be in this for a long haul, barring an early release for who knows what reason.

This is serious enough that snacks may even not be enough to really cheer him up.]

That's... good. It's better than them intentionally making things worse.

[If they were really concerned, they might have asked first, dammit. This whole naked arrival, dropped right into the deep end thing is too much of a shock.]

Huh?

[What? What did he say that's worth that laugh he's heard so many times when he's being particularly difficult?]

It's- it's alright, Inoue, I'll deal with whatever happens. [Buying houses? Nope, no way, that's like laying down roots, Ichigo is a Karakura boy 4 lyfe.]

If I've really got problems with whoever I'm rooming with, I'll just ask and see if they can move me somewhere else. No problem.

[ Functional works. It's one letter of of E, really...

She agrees, though. If they were really supposed to be captives across dimensions or something, then they definitely wouldn't give them food and a place to live. Of course, those are kind of the minimum requirements, but the fact that their presence has brought enough popularity to warrant their status as near celebrities has to mean good things, doesn't it? People like them! ...Sometimes for no reason, but still! ]

I think so. Most people seem really happy that we're here. I think they just...didn't know what to do, you know? They were looking for someone to turn to and they had this power so they used it.

[ However that may turn out in the end. ]

...Oh. I hadn't thought of that. [ Can they switch rooms? To be honest, she thought the whole having a roommate deal is kind of neat. Ignoring the whole waking up naked fiasco. ] I wonder if all the rooms are filled up? I guess not, since I know that mine has one stop open, but it was full before. I've been lucky with my roommates so I hope you are with yours too, Kurosaki-kun. Maybe we can all meet each other?

[That's his story and he'll be sticking to it.

Yeah, they could be locked in cells and given bread and water, not left mostly to their own devices with curiously-stocked vending machines and Orihime-made mystery meals. All things considered, it's not that this is bad, it's just... it's sudden, it's intrusive, and it's really obnoxious having to come in and deal with everything without any warning. And then there's rewinding the time on Orihime's clock a year and a half!]

...Ehhh. Can't just leave people to get completely rolled over, but as soon as we know everything's under control, the people in charge around here don't get to use that as an excuse for keeping us around anymore.

[Huff. He's a hero, but it's still rude!]

If I make my case, they should be reasonable. ['Should.' Maybe these dumb rooms are part of their destinies, it'd make as much sense as everything else.] Hopefully I won't need to. I'll try to get to know them before I make any decisions. A meetup might be a good idea, too, I'd like to know who you're rooming with. [And glare at any of them that might try to take advantage of her Orihimeness.]

[ It is sudden and it is intrusive, she wouldn't argue otherwise. It's definitely been a confusing experience from the get go, and maybe it'd have been a little more exciting if the timing hadn't been so horrible. But the fact that they really weren't given a choice isn't something they can ignore, no matter how much she wants to believe intentions were and are good.

That's just like Ichigo! Everyone will be held responsible for their actions, especially the Powers That Be. ]

Well...Heroes are generally well-liked right now after the last battle, so people might be more willing to answer questions. Minister Teddy even left me a gift!

[ It was surprising, but a nice gesture all the same.

But at his agreement of a meet up? The Orihime equivalent of "hell yes!" ]

That would be great! We should meet in the dining hall over lunch sometime. Mondays are the best!

[ Meaning: Mondays are questionable and literally only Orihime likes them. Be careful, Ichigo. ]

[Timing really is everything. The two of them might be from different time points, but boy are they both really bad time points. That seems to be a common thing with the Karakura kids, really.

If only their magic was a little bit better, if they'd brought them here with powers intact, just think of what Ichigo, Orihime, and Shunsui could do, though. It's really not far, they could have saved the day and been home for lunch.]

That's good to hear. Better than having everyone around here mistrust us. [Now they just fanboy/girl them...] What kind of gift did you get?

[Not that he wants to be totally paranoid, but, well... he does have experience with gifts secretly having ulterior purposes. He trusted Ukitake and understood why the Shinigami badge was meant to observe him, but if Orihime's getting spied on by some weird minister guy, Ichigo gonna be mad.]

Monday at lunch, that'll be alright. And we'll probably see each other around plenty, huh?

[Nothing wrong with Mondays in this place, Hime! It's a brave new world, full of strange wonders and wild adventures.]

[ Life is always suffering...or it feels like it could be, if they didn't have such good friends! She will forever be grateful for that. They are her family, so having him here is very important to her, selfish as it may feel.

She really doesn't understand how or why they've been stripped of their abilities, though. It does seem counter-intuitive to the fact they're all brought there to fight. Maybe it's a side-effect of the transportation? ]

I got a camera! [ She'll just switch this to video so she can show him. It's pretty neat! ] I've got no idea how to use it, but figuring it out should be half the fun, right?

[ Orihime pretends to take a picture, making a comical "click!" sound before setting it aside. ]

Mhm! Maybe I'll be lucky enough to go on a mission with you sometime.

[Yes. It's good to have friends. Even if Hime has been her usual lovable self and made all the new friends here, he doesn't envy her for having to deal with coming to a strange place all by her lonesome, poor lonely her. Her fellow dorks would never want her to go through that.

It's gotta be a lack of magical teleportation energy that's stripped them of all their cool powers. Or maybe they're afraid of what unleashing the full potential of this many people with crazy abilities. Either/or, it still sucks so hard.][Oh, hey, now Bearit's projecting a video display. That's kind of bizarre, but if it works, oh well. The camera is... huh, it looks more like an art display than a functional piece of machinery. It's cool, though!] Looks old-timey, you'll probably need to get some film, or... whatever they used before film.

[Huh. He actually doesn't know all that much about photography, that's something to look into. After they go home. And after, you know, their entire existence isn't threatened.

Oh, but it's time for a smile and that trademark Ichigo affirmative laugh.]

Yeah, of course we will. If we're doing these missions, we gotta do them together.

[He took her to fight Yhwach with him, he obviously has high confidence in her abilities. The fact that she's two years younger is... momentarily forgotten.]

[ She has most definitely made friends in her month stay in Caissa, but it isn't quite the same. They've all been through something special together, and she's known Ichigo for years. Yes, people here are nice, but it's different. She is glad that he's around now. ]

Film? Oh, you're right. And I'll need a dark room to develop the film like they have in those forensic shows....do you think they have those here? Or maybe a spell that develops it?

[ Orihime does want to play around with it. It's a gift from their superiors, after all. She feels like she's supposed to.

Since this is two years before that fight, before she even knows the name Yhwach, hearing that? It's...it's one of the best thing she could. After being told by Urahara she's being taken from battle, after working hard to prove herself otherwise--

Now that there's a live video feed, he can see her face light up. Her smile brightens and she nods, before giving a deep bow. ]

I won't let you down!

[Make new friends but keep the old and so on. It's a good saying to live by. Never fear, Hime, Ichigo will never leave you to fend for yourself and be lonesome, because he is Ichigo!]

I... couldn't really tell you. Maybe, they've definitely got some kind of technology around here, so they probably take pictures.

[It's always nice to have a functional gift, and it'll probably make whoever out there was impressed enough with her to give her a shiny thing happy to see it used. This is a good idea, make it happen!

Seeing her face brighten up is always good for cheering up anyone, she's got that infectious smile. Ichigo knows for sure that she's a useful fighter, and more importantly, she's someone he knows to be dependable. After all the times they've fought together (some of which are in the future), he knows he can count on her!]

I know you won't. I won't, either: you've done these missions before, right? So you know what to expect?

[ This is why Ichigo is the best! She's not biased at all! ]

I guess I should do some research before I take a bunch of pictures that I can't do anything with, huh? This might be a good excuse to explore downtown more! Have you had a chance to get out yet?

[ Arriving is tumultuous enough, she wouldn't blame him if Ichigo has mainly stuck to the Halls. It's a place where they're expected and accepted at all hours, at least.

Orihime nods. ]

I've done one, at least. They gave us a little time to train and prepare beforehand, but it was only a couple of weeks later that they brought us to a different kingdom. The Noir Empire was attacking their border, which was actually a very large stone wall. We were all assigned to different teams--there were... [ She counts them off one by one on her fingers. ] Attack, Defense, and Support. I was on the Support team. We were stationed at and around the wall and tended to any sounded soldiers.

[ She let's her hands fall to her lap. Her smile is a little wistful, but not non-existent. ]

I've never see so many people on a battlefield before. It seemed like it was organized at first, but as more and more people fell, even the Noir Empire started getting a little...chaotic? I'm not sure how to describe it. There was so much going on...But we successfully defended the wall in the end and Gammon is still its own nation. That's what's important, right?

[Clearly, she isn't.]

You might as well take the pictures just in case they can develop them, right? Can't hurt anything. [He's so encouraging!] But, no, I haven't really gone out and really explored the place, not yet.

[He's been kind of reluctant to really do anything that might get him attached to the place, honestly. As unrealistic as it's slowly becoming to him, he's still holding out that they might be able to get out of this world and back where they belong sooner rather than later.

He listens without comment (aside from the occasional nod) as she describes her adventures. It sounds like she handled herself okay, and sticking her in a place where she can take care of the wounded with her magic leek stick makes sense, but he's still stuck feeling a little peeved he couldn't be there to make sure she was okay. It's dumb, he knows she can take care of herself, but leaving friends to deal with this wild crap on their own doesn't sit right with him.]

Yeah. That's right, you guys saved the day, and your team must have done a lot to get those soldiers back home. Can't really ask for a whole lot more than that, can you?

[He's a little proud, he'll admit it.]

[ So he leaves himself open for an all out friendship attack! ]

Would you like to come with me, then? O-Only if you have the time! There are some neat places I could show you if you're interested. There's a bakery and a bookstore and a wizard's shop and a store with fish swimming around...

[ All the important things to keep track of, really.

Orihime did feel most comfortable being on the support team, to be honest, with a real lack of understanding how the magic in this world works. She has to think about others who had only just arrived and were told to stand on the front lines. What was it like for them?

She'd be lying if she said she hadn't thought about what Ichigo would have done in that situation. Really, Blanc is lucky to have him here.

At his assurance, she brightens up a little more and nods with a smile. ]

Mhm! I hope the rest of our missions go well, too. They don't always send us into battle, though. They give us jobs that we can do if we'd like to earn more money, or on quests to retrieve items or discover new areas! I haven't done much of those, but I've heard about them. People here really want to rely on us, Kurosaki-kun. I--

[ She pauses. ]

...I want to go home, but I can't help but feel like it would be turning my back on people here too. I know it's impossible to do both at the same time, but...

[Press X to accept press O to cancel?]

I don't really have anything but free time, so, sure. Show me around.

[A bakery... well, they need food, same goes for the fishies. And the other places might be good for information, clearly. Wizards are known to be wise and full of knowledge, it's a fact. Plus, they get to walk around and catch up on what happened in the month she's been here, while he, er... considers telling her about what happens in the future. It may or may not be a good idea to do so, still weighing it.]

They're definitely keeping us busy, aren't they...

[Which is. Not necessarily a bad thing, but not automatically good, either. Learning more about this place is more than likely a positive thing, but this isn't their world. Their home. They don't belong here, they shouldn't be wasting time earning money that won't be of any use once they leave, everything he's doing is done so darn begrudgingly.

But, then-]

I know, I know how you feel.

[It's frustrating! He cares, because he's a big hero dork, and leaving people behind to suffer is obviously a bad thing. There he goes, being all begrudging again, and he definitely has the thin-lipped, resigned half-grimacy look people get when they're grudging, but of all people, he would know best that he's going to relent and make sure the day is saved before going back and saving another entirely separate day.]

We're going to have to figure out a way to keep all these people safe before we go. There's so many of us 'heroes' here, someone's gonna come up with some bright idea, then we can get back where we belong without worrying.

[ Something like that...

Still, she's overjoyed to hear his response. Getting to spend time with Ichigo is always a good thing! But getting to spend time with Ichigo when it isn't directly related to a current mission or battle or whatever is even better! ]

That's great! [ Yes, she is pleased. ] There are so many places I want to show you!

[ She doesn't want to usurp too much of his time, but she could easily spend a day showing him around to all her usual haunts, even if a lot of them are food related.

Orihime knows that he would understand. Ichigo is a very caring person who always wants to do the right thing. He wants to help people, it's like he's made to help people, and nothing gets in his way when he's set his mind to something. He won't let anyone down here, not if he can help it, strangers or not. It's one of the many things she admires about him. ]

...You're right. I'm forgetting that there are other people here for the same reason. It's not like we have to do this alone, huh? Some people even want to stay!

[He might as well face it, he's stuck in this joint and he can't be On at all times. Sometimes, he's gonna have to just hang out and relax, and who better to do that with than his oldest friends?]

You've been scoping the place out, huh? [He laughs. Why wouldn't she?] Alright, we can set aside a day or two and just walk around. Not like there's school or anything to worry about.

[And when she doesn't have his attention, he'll... probably be slamming his face into books at the library looking for something useful for their situation. The good library, not the cursed one where people get charmed and students get lost forever. Let's never go back there again.]

Mm. [Nod, nod.] I've talked to a couple people around here. A lot of them are smart, and they've been around here a while, they can figure this out if we can't.

[Not that he's giving up and letting them do all the work, of course! He's going to do everything he can to find a way to end this war, save the day, and get everyone- well. Almost everyone back. His expression sobers up a bit.]

Someone mentioned... there's people that get brought here before they die, back in their own world. I guess they wouldn't be in any rush to get back where they came from.