Byakuya, Disappearing with the Cherry Blossoms

Ichigo finds Rukia Kuchiki injured in the world of the living, whilst a strange woman, who uses Rukia's abilities, is attacking her. It is revealed that this woman is in fact Rukia's zanpakutou, Sode no Shirayuki. Ichigo successfully forces the renegade zanpakutou into submission, and Sode no Shirayuki retreats back to the Soul Society. Ichigo brings Rukia to Kisuke Urahara's shop, where she reveals that the Soul Reapers' zanpakutou have attacked their masters and that her brother Byakuya Kuchiki was seemingly defeated by his own zanpakutou, Senbonzakura. Yoruichi Shihouin returns from investigating the Soul Society and reveals that everyone who met with Muramasa has survived. The remaining Soul Reapers of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads have regrouped to the fourth division headquarters while they try to reestablish their defenses and learn more about the zanpakutou rebellion. Urahara observes that only the zanpakutou in the Soul Society are affected and that those in the real world are unaffected, and decides to try to capture one of the materialized zanpakutou in an attempt to learn more about their new enemy. In the middle of the night, Rukia leaves for the Soul Society, apparently in search of Byakuya. Ichigo and Yoruichi leave in an attempt to go after Rukia and to save the Soul Society.