Disclaimer: I do not own any Bleach characters. The only character I have created in this chapter is Sapphire Ukiuno. Tite Kubo owns everything else.

Growing Up For Death BeYoNd Death

Official Mission

"STAND UP KISUKE!" Sapphire couldn't help but laugh at Yoruichi Shihōin as she shouted at the blond who lay helplessly on the floor, in an uproar of dust. Unfortunately for the young women, her giggles attracted the eyes of her trainer Yoruichi.

"Damn it." She whispered to herself, as the cat like lady's eyes pierced through the blue eyed brunette.

"I dunno what you're laughing at, you have to do this in a minute yourself." Even though Yoruichi could scare the living daylights out of Sapphire sometimes, she always had the up most respect for her. She bowed her head at the tanned female and stuttered a 'sorry'.

"Captain Shihōin, please let me rest, I've been at this for hours now." Kisuke Urahara started to stumble to a kneel. He panted a little as he searched for the air to talk.

Yoruichi's face tensed for a moment, but she remained calm and crouched to be eye level with the tired man and softened her expression and voice. "Kisuke, we've been friends since the dawn of time, so how many times do I have to tell you. It's just Yoruichi." Indeed, this princess was one of a kind. "We'll take a break then."

Sapphire watched the purple haired women disappear from sight, as she sped up and out of the cave they had been training in. It was Kisuke's first attempt at creating an underground training place, and it turned out fantastic. The brunette rushed down from the rock she stood upon to tend to Kisuke. She gave him a cup of water accompanied with a gentle smile.

"Thanks." He returned the smile and took the water from her hands.

Both Kisuke and Sapphire were new members in the 2nd squad and childhood friends of Yoruichi who was only slightly older than them, but stronger at the time. Since Yoruichi knew them, she pursued in training the both of them personally. To Sapphire, Yoruichi was like an older sister and a role model for her. She wanted to be better then Yoruichi, but right now, she couldn't even beat Kisuke.

"You're doing really good." Sapphire couldn't think of anything else to say to the young man. She just wanted him to know that she's supporting him all the way, and always had been.

"Yeah, but 'really good' isn't good enough for Captain Shihōin." His face dulled a little.

"You know she hates being called that." Sapphire sympathized for her friend.

"I know. That's why I call it her." Kisuke gave a toothy grin before looking up at the artificial sky that he had casted over the cave with his Kido.

"Grow up Kisuke." Neither of them were children, but they both had their times when they acted so childish. Sapphire smiled playfully at Kisuke who just continued to stare at the fake blue sky.

He looked back down into the cup of ice cold water. He saw his reflection in the cup and frowned. He strives to be more stronger, but at the end of the day, he was just plain too lazy! Therefore, he knew that the only way he was gonna get off his butt and train, is if Yoruichi pushed him to do so. He sipped a little of the water and sighed once taking the cup away from his mouth.

Sapphire looked at him questioning his thoughts. Normally he would be more vibrant, but today he just looked like a miserable sod. She placed a cheesy grin on her lips and slammed down her hands on his shoulders shaking him a little.

"Why so glum genius?" She ruffled his blond hair, causing him to narrow his grey-ish blue eyes. He tensed a little and then knocked her hand away from his head.

He held on to her wrist for a moment and their eyes locked for a short second. Gloom and misery pulsed from his aura, dampening her spirit, but her will overcame the depression he was spewing. Her body took on a more serious stance as he let go of her. He stood up and turned his back to the girl, but before taking any other action, he looked over his shoulder and gave her kind smile.

"Don't worry about it Sapphire." With those words he grabbed his Zanpaku-to and held it in front of him, resiting the wakening command to release the power of his crimson princess. "Awaken, Benihime!" As he spoke, Yoruichi dropped down the entrance of the cave, a smirk laced upon her lips.

After a few hours of painful training, the day had faded into a lively evening weekend in soul society. As the three took to the surface of the land, their nostrils were suddenly ambushed with the thick smell of sake scenting the air. Their ears twitched with an obnoxious sound of snoring coming from behind a willow tree. Yoruichi's sharp eyes caught site of the edge of a straw hat and a pink flowery shawl siting upon the grass.

She stealthily made her way beside the tree, seeing a bottle beside the bright pink shawl. She kicked it only to find it light, therefore indicating it was empty. Her head peered around the tree and she chuckled in her throat.

"Captain Shunsui Kyoraku!" Her loud and shrilling voice caused the brown haired captain to awaken from his sleep with a jolt.

He rubbed his dark eyes in the shadow of his hat and gave out a yawn, quickly followed by a stretch. He tipped up his hat a little to look at Yoruichi. He gave her a warming smile then took to his feet, noticing Sapphire and Kisuke stood behind her.

"You know Yoruichi, it's not a nice thing to be shouting in one's ear when they are blissfully asleep." His speech stopped to allow another yawn out. "It doesn't matter how pretty you are, it doesn't excuse you for being impolite." It appeared that Shunsui was in a playful mood.

"Stick it Shun- Kun. Shouldn't you be getting back to your squad before Lisa starts to worry?"

"I don't think she'll be that worried about me actually." He smiled a little. "But I guess you're right, I should get back." He stepped aside to look at Kisuke and Sapphire, then looked back at Yoruichi. "Who are them two?"

"What you haven't met them yet?!" The princess stared at him wide eyed. "This is Sapphire Ukiuno and Kisuke Urahara! Two of my best friends."

He studied them for a moment. "In that case, I have a mission that they might be interested in."

The Captains pulled away for a moment and exchanged comments. Sapphire glanced over at Kisuke for a short second before darting her eyes away again. The guy picked up on this and turned to her.

"Is there something the matter?" He asked.

"Nothing at all!" She folded her arms and pouted. "Why do you ask?"

"Cos you suddenly looked at me." Sapphire's eyes widened as nerves settled in.

"So, I was just making sure you was alright, because you didn't seem to be earlier." She smiled inside believing she had covered up the true fact for glancing over at him.

Urahara just burst out laughing at her. "You're always so concerned about me, but you're forgetting, I'm the stronger one here!"

Her temper sparked, as he had hit a tender spot. She knew he had already been given a seat, yet she wasn't considered strong enough. She grabbed him by the collar and pulled him towards her with a coarse expression deep in the scrunchies of her face.

"Listen here Kisuke, just because you have a fancy number next to your name, doesn't mean you're stronger than me." OK, that was a lie, but she didn't like the idea of that 'idiot' being stronger than her.

He smiled at her and pulled away from her grasp. He laughed once more but not in a mocking way. Before he could speak, Yoruichi and Shunsui returned to their sight with smirks. The Stare that they were given from the two captains were sort of creepy...

"Kisuke Urahara! It is your job as a seated member to complete this mission I'm about to give you and Sapphire Ukiuno, if you really want a seat in my squad, you need to complete this mission along side him! Do you bother understand?!"

Both nodded in agreement, despite not knowing the first thing about this mission. None of them had experienced a mission that involved going to the world of the living, but something told them that they were about to get a full blown adventure on Earth. It was quite confusing why a Captain from another squad would have THEM of all people, for fill a mission. However, it was neither of their places to question this.

"I want you two to go to the land of the living." They smiled at each other, for both of their thoughts were right, and it would be their first time there on duty. "You're going to Western Tokyo!"