A/N : Hi! This is more less my first go at writing up a fanfiction. Apologies in advance with any mistakes with the Bleach-y terms and protocols; I try my best, I promise! That aside, let's get going! :3
"Come on, this way!" yelled Renji, trotting away briskly with an impatient wave of his hand at Ichigo, who was still bantering away with the trio of Vizards.
Ichigo whipped his head around to face the source of the sound and yelled back, slightly annoyed, "Hey, wait up! I'm going Bankai on your ass if I get lost in this place because you fled on me!"
Whipping his head back to the Vizards, he snapped at Shinji, "Point still not made, and I gotta go. Hopefully by the time I come back, you can explain to me in plain Japanese, not some philosophical gibberish."
Shinji grinned his characteristic wide grin and drawled, "Yeah, yeah. See ya later, Ichi." and after exchanging short goodbyes with Kensei and Rose, they shunpo-ed away to who knows where. Captains' office, congregating how to torture the guest-to-be?
Ichigo turned around, and started running full-speeds towards Renji's barely visible form. And thoughts started flooding his head...
Damn, Shinji, his stupid grin and even more idiotic philosophy was getting on his nerves already, and he's been in Seireitei for less than half an hour. He was still trying to understand what in the hell inspired the Vizards to join the Shinigamis again; for all he knew, they were worst enemies for the better part of last century or so. But then, it had been almost 18 months since the Winter Wars and from his experience, many, many things could have gone down in a flash in that amount of time.
For example, the last half hour. The grump of Commander General had granted his wish to take back Ginjou's body back to the human world. He had been genuinely surprised by the quick response; he didn't exactly expect bouts of shouting-matches and threats, but neither did he expect the simplicity and quickness of the decision. Not that he was complaining.
And then there was the temporary invite to Seireitei. After Ginjou's burial, he was to come back and get a look around the place and help out with the training sessions for a while. As powerful as the captains, vice-captains and some of the seated officers were, the rest of Shinigamis' skills might as well have been nonexistent compared to them. Or more importantly, to the large numbers of Adjuchas and and Arrancars, which, according to the 12th squad's freaky technology, were still roaming around the Hueco Mundo. The greatest threat of them all had been eliminated by then end of the war, but there were so many, many ways the worlds could screw up again.
Though he hadn't shown it, Ichigo had been elated by the invitation. After about 15 seconds of scowling and pretending to contemplate, he had accepted the offer. Past 18 months, he realized how much he missed his friends in Soul Society. Yes - friends. He knew for a fact that they would stand by him no matter what, accepting the differences between them and helping each other get stronger. He was fond of the bare, brute morals of Seireitei, based on life and death consequences. And he wanted to get to know them more about each of their pasts, goals, and their lives in general. It saddened him somewhat that he would rather spend his time with the shinigami than his family and human friends, but a small voice in the corner of his mind spoke up that he had enough of hiding his true identity and will. He couldn't possibly fit right back into the human world after all he's been through, after he's finally gotten his power back. Smaller part of that voice urged him to just sink into Seireitei for a long, long time, but he was sure to bat it back to silence every time. No more decision, not for now. He still had few more years to be an irresponsible teenager, didn't he?
But responsibility was more of what he would get when he got back to Soul Society. Training the weaker Shinigamis, he would certainly have his hands full. Wait, did he have to do all the paperwork too? He inwardly groans at the thought; he never liked anything to do with a writing utensil and paper. Dammit-
His train of thoughts, along with his run had been cut abruptly when Renji suddenly grabbed the back of Ichigo's shihakusho, bringing him to an awkward, abrupt stop.
"GGGGGGGGAAAAAAAARK, WHAT THE HELL?" Ichigo bellowed as his feet flew out from under him. He landed squarely onto his back, slamming his head onto the hard stone ground, his breath knocked out of his chest. He saw stars. Screw, his back might as well have been broken in half.
Bark of laughter, and then an amused voice stated "Running into a Senkai at a breakneck speed? Could kill ya real quick."
Ichigo stood up onto his shaky feet, rubbing his throbbing head and glaring at Renji, who was not at all trying to conceal his smirk. Still smirking, he continued on, "forgot already that we each need a Hell Butterfly to get through the senkai safely? Not even gonna check on the body you asked for? You're making no sense at all."
"Screw you. Lost in thought is hell lot better than having none like you." Ichigo growled back. He looked around and saw the glowing senkai gate, already open wide. Several Hell Butterflies, fluttering lazily in their small wooden cages. Small group of shinigamis, supporting a white casket. A coffin. Ginjou.
Ichigo felt something quiver inside of him as he thought of the recent, very recent turn of the events. What he felt when his Zangetsu clashed with the Cross of Scaffold was loneliness, hurt, humiliation among many other negative, even desperate emotions. Ginjou had truly hoped that Ichigo would understand him, and when he realized that Ichigo wasn't even close to achieving even a slightest bit of understanding, the life had literally seeped out of him, far before he was physically cut down. Ichigo couldn't help but to feel sorry for the other Substitute Shinigami, and he thought that the least he could do was to give him a proper burial. Along with an apology.
"Yo! Wake up!" Renji yelled, reeling Ichigo in from his thoughts yet again. , "there's your Hell Butterfly, so you can get going now. I'll see ya soon."
Ichigo blinked, rubbed a hand across his face, and gave a small smile at his friend before hardening his face into the usual determined mask.
"Yeah. Soon, Renji."
With that he entered the Senkai gate, followed by his Hell Butterfly and the small group of Shinigamis carrying the coffin. Striding through the bright white light did nothing to calm his turbulence of emotions as he approached the small black opening leading to the other side.
Thanks for reading, and laters!
