Rukia's Arrival
Entering his room, Silas patiently waited for her arrival. He could already sense the Hollow lurking around. Rukia, who was still a weak Soul Reaper, didn't have the right means to face it alone. This was all calculated by Aizen. The fact that she was even here and that the Hollow Aizen sent was also the same only meant that the story was following exactly as Silas needed it to.
What Aizen wanted was also what Silas needed: for Rukia to commit a grave taboo and transfer her powers to him. If she does this, Aizen will have the political heads of the Soul Society put her on trial. And her sentence? Death!
• • •
As Silas sat down, observing Rukia race closer and closer, he stood up, ready. If he fails, she won't bestow her powers on him. Not a moment too soon, Rukia phased through the wall and into the room. Sword at her side, black Soul Reaper clothes, and fair skin. She was exactly like Silas had remembered. Even more, she had a serious look on her face as she tried to scan where the Hollow might have gone.
"It's near," she said, ignoring Silas's presence.
"Why's a strange girl with a sword suddenly in my room?"
Rukia turned to face Silas. She had a confused look on her face. In comical fashion, she tilted her head. Silas kept eye contact as he said, "And now she's acting weird."
"Ya… You can see me?"
"Am I not supposed to?"
"Uh… No! It's not possible for ordinary men to see me."
Rukia spent the next few moments explaining herself. She even went so far as to bring out a piece of paper and draw what she was saying. This was her exact same actions as in the tale.
"I see," Silas said, feigning ignorance. "So, you're a Soul Reaper from a place called the Soul Society. And you're after a Hollow that's close—" Silas was suddenly interrupted when he heard that same Hollow down the stairs. Rukia, having her senses dulled because of Silas's spiritual pressure, paused to ask what was wrong. She was then alarmed at the sound of the Hollow.
"Stay here," she said. "I'll take care of it."
"No," Silas demanded. "Whatever's happening, Yuzu's downstairs being attacked. They're my responsibility."
As Silas walked toward the door, Rukia placed two fingers out to cast a spell: "Bakudō number one: restrain!" An invisible force suddenly tried tying Silas's arm. Knowing she would do this, he quickly released a little bit of his spiritual pressure to break the spell. She was shocked beyond measure, wondering how he broke her bind so easily.
Before she could question anything, he raced past her and ran across the halls. There, he saw Karin trying to limp upstairs. She had blood on her head and a slight smile on her face. In a faint voice, she apologized to Silas for whatever she might have done to make him upset.
"I'm happy, Ichigo... I'm happy because it hasn't come here. Please, live on... Get away before it comes. I just want you to live a good life." At those words, she fainted. It was evident that all she wanted for her brother was to stop acting so distant from the family. She truly loved Ichigo, despite never saying those words. Silas, however, felt no remorse.
He ran right past her and made it to the kitchen. There, Isshin had collapsed, and a giant hole was in the wall, leading to the outside. Silas could see the Hollow. Its name was Fishbone D, and it was holding Yuzu's entire body with one hand. Rushing in with a weapon, he purposefully let himself get knocked back by a punch from the Hollow.
"Are you that strong Soul I smelled?" The Hollow asked. It then pounced at Silas. Rukia, who had been observing things, swooped in and cut the Hollow's forearm with her katana, forcing it to drop Yuzu. Silas didn't hesitate to get up and catch her. She had already lost consciousness.
Rukia then screamed at Silas not to lose focus on the situation. She tried to assure him that Ichigo's family was safe. But Silas already knew that, so he played along, saying, "That Hollow spoke. It asked me if I was that strong Soul or something. Is it really after me?"
Rukia turned around to answer yes. The moment she did, Fishbone D smacked her, sending her body crashing into a brick wall. The Hollow then placed its attention on Silas. Without hesitating, Silas shielded Yuzu's body. Fishbone D extended its neck, ready to devour him. If things went according to plan, he had nothing to worry about.
And they did. Rukia jumped in front of the attack, getting bit in the process!
Silas immediately ran toward her side after the Hollow backed away. Her garments were tattered, and she was covered in blood. In a faint voice, she apologized to him for having been so careless. Silas, showing a concerned look on his face, told her to stand and fight. But she wasn't able. The damages she sustained wouldn't allow her to.
Silas feigned his frustration. When she saw just how serious he was about wishing to defeat the Hollow, she asked him if he wanted to save Ichigo's family.
"Not just them!" he screamed. "You're important, too! If you know of a way, then tell me."
The scene Silas had been waiting for finally presented itself. Rukia lifted up her Zanpakutō. She was going to transfer some of her powers to him. Explaining that he should become a Soul Reaper, Silas accepted it without question. Fishbone D was getting closer by the second. As she held her blade in front of him, he kept up his fake smile. "By the way, my name is Ichigo Kurosaki."
"And my name is—"
Before she could finish, the world around Silas came to a complete halt. It then slowly lost its saturation. Silas had only been millimeters away from gaining Rukia's powers!
As he looked around to see what had happened, the manifestation was standing directly behind him. It had the look of disappointment as it asked, "What are you doing?" Silas gave it the same look. Out of all the things to stop this crucial moment, it would be the manifestation.
"All this time, I thought you were planning to watch from the background," Silas answered.
"I gave you Soul Reaper powers already…" The manifestation's tone was resolute, even to the point of anger. "So again, what are you doing? Why do you not fight? Why are you playing the damsel?"