Hey everyone! ChocoChibi456 again here with a sequel to my first fic, Ukitake's Kitten. You see, my plot bunnies are real mean. They won't let me finish the last series I started, and insisted that I write a sequel to the previous one. Might as well call them plot kitties...
I hope you all are aware of the fact that today (21st December) is Juu-chan's birthday, and that is the only reason (other than you, dear readers =D) that I'm publishing this right now. So please wish our Ukitake Taichou a very happy birthday! ^^I hope you all enjoy this fic. And for those who haven't read Ukitake's Kitten, please go and read it, that'll make this sequel so much better!
One more thing: there will be quite a lot of ships in the sequel, unlike the previous one. If you want to know my ships, you can see them from my profile. =] No bashing, of course. If you don't like it, Shiro chan will be sad 'cause Shiro chan likes them very much. =^w^=
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. If I did, it will be all about Ukitake Juushiro and me X3 Oh well... on with the story.
It's been a year since the war against Aizen. The Shinigami were celebrating one year since their victory against the traitors of the Gotei 13. Drinking parties sprung everywhere in the Seireitei, and officials and unseated members alike, everyone was joining in the festivities.
The captain of the 13th Squad, Ukitake Juushiro, smiled serenely as he sat near the koi pond in his division. His thoughts wandered off to the days when a young teenage boy livened up the lives of the Shinigami, bringing with him chaos and excitement to the Soul Society. It's been almost a year since Kurosaki Ichigo lost all his powers. A year since he had won the war for the Gotei 13, at the cost of his own Shinigami powers. Needless to say, everyone missed the boy, and was thankful for what he had done for them.
"Mooning off again, Ukitake?" He snapped out of his thoughts at the sound of his best friend, Kyouraku Shunsui approaching. The captain of the 8th squad sat beside him, accompanied with his usual bottle of sake. Juushiro flashed him a gentle smile, and accepted the shallow cup of sake his friend poured out for him
"I have a lot of things to think about, unlike a certain someone," Ukitake teased, enjoying the burn of sake down his throat.
"Like…?" Shunsui grinned, downing his sake in one gulp.
"I still find it hard to believe that a whole year had passed since the winter war."
"Hmm? You make it sound like a year is a long time." Shunsui drawled.
"It might not be for us. We've lived for more years than we can count, after all. But for some people, like Ichigo-kun… I wonder how he's doing." Ukitake sighed.
"Why are you so worried about him, all of a sudden? Besides, it's not like you can't go and see how he's doing…" Shunsui flashed him a devilish grin.
Ukitake laughed. "You… keep quiet about it." The two friends laughed heartily.
"Miaow?"
"Oh, Shiro-chan! Have you come to join in the conversation?" Ukitake called warmly to his pet cat.
Kyouraku's eyes grew wide. "Whoa… Shiro-chan's grown so much since I last saw her. How old is she now, Ukitake?"
"Around a year, I assume. As she would have been a few weeks old when Kuchiki-san first gave her to me" He said as the cat happily tottered over to him. "She hasn't grown that much, though. She's still my little Shiro-chan."
"What? No way! Shiro-chan was just a teensy weensy lil' kitten when you got her. Now look at her. She's a full grown cat. Maybe you just don't notice 'cause you're always with her."
"Yeah, maybe that's why I can't see her growing." The two of them laughed.
Juushiro and Shunsui had been talking for quite a while when they were interrupted by the 8th Squad Fukutaicho, Ise Nanao. She flash-stepped behind Shunsui, and gave a well-aimed tap to his head with her fan.
"Taichou! I've been looking all over for you. There's something we need to discuss."
"Nanao-chan~ That was mean! And I don't want to discuss last year's budget… Maybe you could just make one up and write and give it to Yama-jii… He won't notice. Hell, I'm not even sure he reads it all, anyway. He'd be asleep before he reads the headings…" Shunsui said, rubbing his bruised head.
"I've already handed over the budget, sir. And that was last month. That wasn't what I wanted to discuss." Nanao adjusted her glasses.
"Well… I don't feel like doing paperwork right now. Whatever it is, why don't you handle it for me, my sweet Nanao-chan? Please?"
"….Alright. I'll inform the squad members that you don't feel like throwing a party tomorrow, and that we're going to spend the day helping the fourth squad clean up the barracks." Ise Fukutaichou turned around and started walking.
Shunsui gasped and stumbled up. With one quick motion, he had his arms around Nanao, and was hugging her tightly. "Nanao-cha~n! You're the BEST! You finally gave in to have a party in the squad! I'm so happy! Please let me take care of this! You're the best Nanao-chan ever!" Kyouraku sang happily.
Nanao pinched his arm, making him cry out in surprise. She turns to Ukitake and said, "Sorry, Ukitake Taichou. I'll be taking him away for now."
"Oh, it's alright, Ise kun. Have fun with the party." Ukitake smiled warmly.
"Of course, Taichou, you're invited. A party in 8th squad cannot be complete without you there."
"Sure. I'll be there." With a bow, Ise Fukutaichou exited, dragging her captain with her.
Ukitake turned, feeling a soft touch on his knee, to see his pet pawing him as if it wanted to tell him something. "What is it, Shiro-chan? Are you hungry already?" Shiro the cat looked at him in the eye, and started to pad away. Halfway across the yard, she stopped with a paw raised and looked at him again.
"Shiro chan, do you want me to follow you?" Juushiro asked. As he stood up, Shiro chan pointed her nose at the wall and back to him again. He started walking towards the little animal, and followed it towards the outer gates.
As he stepped outside the gates with his pet, Juushiro was met by the scene of the 6th squad fukutaichou, Abarai Renji, trying to sneak into the squad barracks over the wall. Getting curious, Juushiro stepped towards him and said, "Abarai fukutaichou, what are you doing?
In shock, Renji lost his grip on the wall, and with a shout, he fell on his rear. Rubbing his sore bottom, he cracked an eye open to see who disturbed his solitude, and found a very curious Ukitake taichou waiting for an answer.
"Ukitake taichou! I- that is, um, she, er…" Renji struggled, and looked at the outstretched hand as if it was going to bite him.
"Come on, now, stand up." Ukitake said in his gentle voice. Renji took his hand and stood up and started to brush himself off.
"Now, how about telling me what you were doing in such a cautious manner, Abarai fukutaichou?"
Renji sighed. "Actually, it's about Rukia. She's been kinda… quiet lately. Dunno why, but I feel as if she's thinking 'bout something, y'know? I told her I'd come by sometime, but all she said was that she needed some alone time for now. And I'm gettin' kinda worried."
Ukitake hummed in thought. "Do you have an idea what might be bothering her?"
"Nah. No idea. She's been like this for a coupla days now. I just want to talk to her, but she keeps askin' to give her some space or somethin'."
Ukitake smiled. "Alright, then. How about I talk to her for you, Abarai kun? Since she's my fukutaichou, she might find it easier to talk to me if this is about something professional. Is that fine?"
Renji looked flustered. "You… you will? That'd be great. Thank you, Ukitake taichou!" Renji bowed.
"It's alright, Abarai kun. I'll let you know what she says, okay?" Ukitake smiled kindly.
"Thanks again!" With a wave, Renji ran off.
Thinking about what the 6th squad lieutenant said, Juushiro walked towards his offices, with his pet cat right behind him. He had noticed too, even if not to the extent the ones closest to her did, that she'd been rather introverted lately. Although she had been spending more time near her desk, he had not been seeing much change in her pile of paperwork.
Juushiro slid open his office door, only to find his lieutenant sitting in her chair by the window, with her elbow on the ledge, deep in thought. He gently walked over to her, and said, "Kuchiki, may I ask what's bothering you?"
"Ukitake taichou! When did you- um, what do you mean?" Rukia questioned.
Ukitake sighed. "I've been noticing, Kuchiki san, that you've been rather troubled lately. I want you to know that you can tell me whatever is bothering you. Or you can tell your friends, if you're not comfortable with me. We're all here to help you, and we don't like seeing you like that, disturbed about something that we do not know." He reassured.
Rukia smiled and looked up at him. "Thank you, taichou. But it isn't like I'm worried about something. I'm just thinking about a few things, actually."
"Care to tell me what you might be thinking about?" Ukitake pulled up a chair and sat down, placing his cat on his lap. Shiro chan looked up at Rukia, and leapt on to her knees. She lovingly patted the cat's head. "I'm just wondering how Ichi- how Kurosaki might be right now. I wonder if he's alright? If he is, would he have forgotten about us? Will I ever be able to see him again?" Rukia trailed off.
Ukitake sighed. He smiled his signature warm smile, and placed a hand on Rukia's shoulder. "I might not have known Ichigo kun like you have. I may not know a lot about him, either, but, I can tell you one thing. Ichigo kun is not the type of person who would disregard anyone who has done a kind deed for him. He is not the kind of person who would forget a dear friend who had been with him during the hardest of times. And… I can't tell you how, but I just know that he is well and in good health. Kuchiki san, you need not to worry this much."
"Thank you, Ukitake taichou, for reassuring me. But I'm curious, how do you know that he's alright, when you haven't been to the Living World for decades?
Ukitake grinned and shook his head. "That, Kuchiki, is a story for another day. Regarding your last worry… you know what they always say. If you love someone dearly enough, it is certain you will meet sometime in the future."
"Ukitake taichou! You know clear and well that I don't love him! I only think of Re- *cough* I mean, he's way too young for me, and it's just unacceptable, and he's just an idiotic little…" Rukia looked as if she was about to burst.
Ukitake laughed. "Alright, Kuchiki san. I was just teasing you. Please don't blow your head off. I don't think I can find yet another fukutaichou again."
"That's yet another point. He looks way too much like Kaien dono for me to see him as anything other than just a friend." Rukia huffs.
"Okay, I get it, Kuchiki san. There, you're much brighter than you've been in a while. Why don't you take a few days off, to be with your friends? I've noticed that you haven't done that for quite some time now."
"Um, actually, no thank you, taichou. I have a lot of work to finish and…"
"Rukia san. This is not a recommendation. I want you to take some time off and hang out with your friends. I can see quite clearly that talking about your issues helps you a lot. I'm sure I can take care of the paperwork as I have been in good health since Shiro chan has settled in. Besides, I believe this will be good for all of us." Ukitake gave her an encouraging nod.
Rukia smiled. "Well, sir, if you say so… " she stood up with Shiro chan in her arms. Handing her over to him, she bowed. "Thank you, Ukitake Taichou. What you have said helped me a lot."
"Think nothing of it, Rukia san. I'm always glad to help." Ukitake smiled as Shiro chan climbed her way over to his shoulder, and gave Rukia a heartfelt miaow.
I hope you all liked this chapter. Please feel free to write what you thought of it in that little box down there, and post a review. Thank you! ^^