Silas was a meticulous fellow. There was no chance he would openly extract the HMgyoku upon returning to the world of the living.

　　First, he had to ensure Kisuke wasn`t going to be present. Then he had to be positive; no one was going to trail him. Extracting the HMgyoku didn`t require much space or time. But he didn`t want to make a mistake.

　　The HMgyoku was a device that could fulfill wishes. Spending as much money as he already had was incomparable with that sort of worth.

　　And as much as he detested the idea, he had to spend time with Rukia. Some women were able to tell whether someone was infatuated with them or not. She was that type of woman. Had it not been for knowing so much about her, he wouldn`t have made it this far. Now, he had to prove his acting skills before he could secure the prize.

　　Rukia jumped on the plush bed, bouncing on the soft mattress with childlike glee. "This is insane, Ichigo! I`ve never imagined you`d take me to a place like this!"

　　Silas went to the kitchen to brew up some tea. After pouring it into one of their fine cups, he sat down by the window. A mask of amusement flickered across his face upon seeing how happy the girl was.

　　"Enjoy it, then," he said with a smooth voice.

　　Excited for what he had planned for her, the two left the room. There was so much this hotel had to offer them. Her inner child was unleashed as if she were in a candy store, able to buy whatever she pleased.

　　They first strolled through manicured gardens, giggling at koi fish chasing each other in the pond. Then they indulged in a decadent brunch, the taste of exotic meats erupting on Rukia`s taste buds. Silas had already become accustomed to eating food from Japan. Yet this didn`t taste nearly as authentic. Like everything else in this world, it all tasted like ash.

　　Nonetheless, the two shared smiles, even laughing at times.

　　Silas played his part well.

　　He told her stories of the different captains with whom he fought. But mentioning Soul Reapers caused her to feel a tad weary. It was almost like she was feeling homesick, so he changed the subject. He weaved tales of the different extravagant sights in the world.

　　Being that Bleach`s plot took place in the early 2000`s, she was enthralled by the information he knew. Insomuch that she made him promise to take her to those exotic lands one day.

　　The two would eventually return to their rooms to unwind. When Rukia jumped on the bed again, he joined her in a playful banter and pinned both her wrists. Their position caused her face to turn red. And when she looked at how tranquil his smile was, she beamed the other way.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

　　"Do you have to look at me that way?" she timidly asked.

　　Silas let out a soft chuckle, removing himself. He then took a seat at the edge of the bed, his gaze flitting to the hidden corners of the room. Rukia sat up, feeling a tad curious as to what would have happened had he not gotten off.

　　As the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and purple, they went to the balcony and shared a comfortable silence. Rukia, relaxed and content, leaned her head on Silas`s shoulder.

　　"Thank you, Ichigo," she whispered, her voice tinged with gratitude. "I needed this after all that`s happened."

　　"Do you regret leaving the Soul Society?"

　　"You could tell how I was feeling during lunch, huh? I`ll be blunt; I do think about it, but I don`t want you to think you did something wrong. I made my choice, and I`m sticking to it whether you like it or not."

　　Silas calmly rested his forearm on the railing, looking forward. "Escape is temporary, Rukia. But distraction can be valuable."

　　"What kind of romantic message is that?!" she laughed, punching his head. If there was ever a time to act like the real Ichigo, now was the time. So Silas placed his large hand over her head, squeezing a little. Rukia, relaxed and content, dared him to hit her.

　　She was about to make more threats until Silas placed an index finger over her mouth. His playful demeanor had been replaced by a confident resolve. He cupped her cheek, his touch sending a spark through her. Rukia leaned into his hand.

　　His thumb brushed against her lips, tracing the outline with a tenderness that made her heart skip a beat. It was clear that no one had ever coerced her in such a way.

　　The sunlight shone on his appearance, making his shining countenance irresistible. As he slowly reached her face, she stood there, her eyelids half closed. Their lips were only inches apart until her eyes blurred. Silas watched as she drifted off into slumber.

　　Inemuri.`

　　His fa鏰de of enticing her withdrew. What was a sincere look turned into a serious one. "Forgive me, Ashley... This was the only way."

　　Silas drew back, leaving her slumbering peacefully on the balcony. The spell he had cast was known as inemuri, with which the practitioner could cause the victim`s pupils to dilate several times until they fell unconscious. It was only ever used by Genryksai and wasn`t at all hard to execute on his first attempt.

　　If it hadn`t worked, Silas had more than enough ways to put her to rest. And as for who was Ashley? The only woman he cared about.

　　Their idyllic day drowned as the sun fully set. His expression hardened before he picked up Rukia to place her on the bed. Though now could have been a great time to extract the HMgyoku, it wouldn`t serve him well. There was still one more thing he absolutely had to take care of beforehand.

　　Not only that, there was a possibility Rukia would awaken. Contingency plans for after-extraction were set in place in case something went wrong.

　　Popping a soul candy in his mouth, he turned into a Soul Reaper. The artificial soul gazed around the room, seeing the sleeping Rukia. In a tone devoid of any emotion, Silas said, "It`s time."

　　Roughly five minutes were spent explaining to it a new strategy. In the event things failed, if it were to hear the words "Plan 82", the artificial soul was to follow what the plan consisted of. Like an obedient slave, it nodded its head.

　　Rukia might have had a spectacular day, but it was nothing more than a cruel illusion, a smokescreen for Silas`s motives. Their carefree day was anything but innocent. And as for why he needed to be extra careful now, it was because he was stepping back into the harsh truth of his predicament.

　　He was going to slay Kisuke Urahara!