The leader of the attack shows up!

"...so why weren't you this strong against the Hollow that attacked my family before you lent me your powers?" Ichigo finally asked Rukia as she walked back to him.

She gave him a flat look. "In case you forgot, Ichigo, I had yet to use Shikai, as I assumed it was a Hollow I could handle within it it. And that would have been true, but your presence kind of complicated things. By the time I realized how out of control the situation was, I was already wounded badly enough that it wouldn't make a difference if I released my Zanpakuto. In short..." she blushed and looked away. "I got careless, and paid for it."

Deciding against poking her further, Ichigo noted, "That said... Your Zanpakuto looks rather pretty... No wonder the Lamp put you in white. Unless that's the color it goes with for everyone?"

"Nope. It picks the one most suited to the genie at the time," Rukia nodded. "It takes the genie's preferences into account too." She then blushed again. "And thanks. I'm very proud of the beauty of Shirayuki."

"Many Soul Reapers consider Lady Rukia's Zanpakuto to be the most beautiful in all of Soul Society. Pure white like the snow," Chappy noted. She then ruined her serious tone by adding, "Hop."

"...way to ruin the mood," Ichigo grumbled.

"And it's not just beauty she has going for her either," Chappy plowed on. "She has the skills to be a seated officer, but because that work is more dangerous, her brother decided to pull some strings to remove her from candidacy. Hop."

"Exposition clearly isn't your thing," Ichigo told Chappy flatly, before turning back to Rukia. "Let's go help the others," he told her, ignoring Chappy's irritation at his critique.

Rukia nodded, before they both stiffened, feeling a Spiritual Pressure that dwarfed the other invaders right above them. "Seriously? D-Roy got himself killed already?" the Arrancar declared as they looked up to see him standing in the air, but laughing instead of angry. "Oh well, I'll just have to kill you all myself! I'm Arrancar No. 6, Grimmjow!" he declared as Ichigo and Rukia readied themselves, aware that this would be a much more difficult fight than the last.