Reunion, Ichigo and Rukia

Reunion, Ichigo and Rukia is the fourty-first episode of the Bleach anime.

Statistics

 * Original Airdate: July 19, 2005
 * English Airdate: July 14, 2007
 * Opening Song: D-tecnoLife
 * Ending Song: Happypeople
 * Manga Chapters: Chapter 116, Chapter 117.
 * Kanji: 再会、一護とルキア
 * Romaji: "Saikai, Ichigo to Rukia"
 * Arc: Soul Society: The Sneak Entry arc

Summary
Ichigo's unconscious body is wrapped in several bandages, lies on a mat on the floor with Zangetsu on one side and Yoruichi watching over him on the other. Ichigo wakes up and Yoruichi greets him. Ichigo realizes that it was the cat who saved him and is the reason he is not yet dead. All of a sudden, Ichigo sits up but immediately doubles over in pain as his abdominal injury opens again and bloodies his bandages. Yoruichi reprimands him, but Ichigo exclaims that Chad is in danger. Yoruichi quickly pushes Ichigo back down onto the mat and informs him that Chad, Orihime, and Ishida are all fine. Yoruichi then tells Ichigo that he is lucky to be alive and even luckier that a certain object had absorbed much of the blows. Yoruichi pushes Ichigo's partly-broken Hollow mask towards him. Ichigo is shocked to see it as Hanatarō had previously thrown it into the sewer waters (against Ichigo's wishes). He had thought it long gone. Yoruichi eyes Ichigo carefully as he picks up the mask to examine it. Yoruichi tells Ichigo that he will hold onto it for the time being, but Ichigo protests saying that it has saved him on numerous occasions and he wants it as a good luck charm. However, the cat gives off enough blue aura and a stern glare and Ichigo immediately gives it back without further question. "It doesn't hurt to be on the safe side," Yoruichi says.

Ichigo changes the subject to Yoruichi's talent. He apparently carried Ichigo all the way to the cave. Yoruichi replies by telling Ichigo that in his original form, such a task is easy. Then Yoruichi realizes that he has never shown any of Ichigo's group his true form and decides to transform. After the smoke clears away, Ichigo is shocked to see that the cat with the masculine voice is actually a woman - one with no clothes... Yoruichi is clearly amused at Ichigo's reaction. Then, acting as if nothing is amiss, Yoruichi begins to explain how she carried Ichigo all the way to the cave. Ichigo, however, doesn't seem to be listening, only staring at Yoruichi's naked form as his entire face goes red. Minutes later, Yoruichi apologizes as she dresses, Ichigo stubbornly turned away.

Once Yoruichi is fully clothed, she goes on to explain that she carried Ichigo to the cave using a one-of-a-kind, hand-held device that allows the user to fly. All of a sudden, they feel the enormous pressure of Byakuya's spirit pressure coming from the Shrine of Penitence and Ichigo realizes the danger Ganju and Hanatarō are in as they attempt to rescue Rukia. He uses Yoruichi's device to burst out of the boarded-up entrance of the cave and fly to the Shrine of Penitence to save his friends. Yoruichi tries to call him back, exclaiming that his injuries are still too severe to fight, but fails nevertheless.

Back at the Tower, Ganju faces Byakuya on the bridge. Rukia tries to stop the fight, not wanting another member of the Shiba clan to die because of her, but being inside the Tower for so long drained much of her spirit pressure and she promptly falls to her knees from the stress. Byakuya slashes Ganju with his Zanpakutō but Ganju still stands defiantly. However, when Byakuya hears that Ganju is from the Shiba clan, he apologizes for not fighting seriously enough and tells Ganju that he cannot let him leave alive. Byakuya raises his sword and murmurs, "Scatter, Senbonzakura!" His sword glows pink before seemingly dissolving to the hilt. The small glowing pink "flower petals" swirl in the air and before Rukia can do anything to stop the attack, Ganju's entire body is sliced by the tiny, petal-like blades. A shocked Ganju falls to the ground, unmoving.

Hanatarō looks on in complete shock. Byakuya takes notice of the Fourth Squad Shinigami but Rukia gains enough strength to stand in front of Hanatarō and beg her older brother to stop. Byakuya, however, raises his bladeless hilt, readying to attack. At the very last moment, a strong hand stops Byakuya's from going any further. Behind the Sixth Squad Captain is Jushiro Ukitake, the Thirteenth Squads Captain. Ukitake requests that Byakuya halts his fight and then greets Rukia warmly. Byakuya then turns to Ukitake and asks what he is doing. Ukitake reprimands Byakuya, reminding him of that releasing one's Zanpakutō in such a place is a class one forbidden act. Byakuya informs Ukitake that a special wartime act has been enacted that allows the release of Zanpkutō. Hearing this, Ukitake is surprised that the Ryoka infiltration has become so serious and begins to ask if it was the Ryoka who killed Aizen.

However, before finishing his question, a large force is felt approaching, one that Ukitake cannot recognize. Rukia, though, is perfectly able to identify its source and Ichigo quickly arrives at the scene, confirming her thoughts. He lands on the bridge, walks past a stupefied Rukia, and asks Hanatarō if he is okay. After Hanatarō assures Ichigo he is fine, Ichigo moves on to Rukia and tells her that he has come or save her. Rukia begins to break down in tears and tells him that he should have stayed in the living realm and that in Soul Society, he had become severely injured. Turning away and looking at Ganju and then Byakuya; Ichigo tells Rukia that she can yell at him all she wants later, after he has defeated Byakuya. Rukia tries to stop Ichigo but he swiftly cuts her off and tells her that he won't back down for anything and that he will save her even if she wants to face the death penalty.

Suddenly, all the humor dries up two become serious. Rukia remarks that Ichigo hasn't changed at all and still refuses to listen to anything she has to say. Ichigo replies that's because she only speaks to worry about him. She should worry about herself more, especially in their current situation. After stating that he will not die, Ichigo moves forward to face Byakuya. After a brief exchange of words, the fight begins as Byakuya tries to make the same move he made on Ichigo in the living world. Having gotten stronger since then, Ichigo easily deflects the attack. Ichigo asks if he is surprised at his increase in power and skill, but Byakuya remains nonplussed and tells Ichigo to not get overconfident because of one lucky strike. Ichigo takes this as a challenge and attacks.

Rukia watches the battle unfold. She herself is shocked at how much Ichigo improves but still worries, knowing that Byakuya has only shown a tiny fraction of his abilities so far. Byakuya also acknowledges Ichigo's dramatic improvement and raises his sword again in preparation for Senbonzakura. Rukia yells at Ichigo to run but Ichigo is completely clueless to what Byakuya is doing. Once again, however, the attack is stopped at the last moment. Byakuya's sword is bound by a long bandage before it can scatter into thousands of pieces. The bandage being held by none other than Yoruichi. As all the others gasp in shock, Yoruichi stands and greets Byakuya.

Kon-sama's Ultimate Shinigami Illustrated Guide
The featured character is Ikkaku Madarame.

Characters in order of appearance

 * Ichigo Kurosaki
 * Yoruichi Shihōin
 * Hanatarō Yamada
 * Ganju Shiba
 * Byakuya Kuchiki
 * Rukia Kuchiki
 * Jūshirō Ukitake

Powers and Techniques used
Zanpakutō released:

Shikai:
 * Senbonzakura (千本桜, "Thousand Cherry Blossoms,"; a reference to Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura)

Techniques used:
 * Yoruichi's Feline Transformation
 * Yoruichi's unknown Flight Device
 * Shunpo (瞬歩, Flash steps)