Disclaimer: I own nothing, nada, not a thing. I just like pulling the strings while the real owners are not looking ^_^
A/N: Okay so here is my first one-shot… I'll probably do more about these character's so I may put it into a type of one-shot collection at some point, tell me what you think on that idea ^_^ Also this is my first time writing these character's so if there is some OOC-ness from them I'm sorry.
Title: Welcome to the Thirteen Court Guard Squads.
Summary: A (few) new Captains, A few new Lieutenants, A few new families for the Seireitei with a whole lot of time skipping.
Ichigo stared at the shinigami in front of him, their red hair and tattoo's the only indication that this was Renji, new Captain of Squad 3 only because Izuru wouldn't take it and Renji was the only one willing to fill in Gin's place.
"I'm the new Captain of Squad 5, Momo Hinamori is my Lieutenant and I have to leave my home to prepare for the initiation ceremony." Ichigo repeated for the 7th time.
"Yes, you have to be there. Don't worry, there will be people watching your family. It'll be fine, Kenpachi probably won't harass you, and you know as well as I do that being in Karakura at the moment isn't good for you. You are dead."
Ichigo snorted; trust Renji to make a plain statement over his status. His thoughts turned to the fateful battle with Aizen a few months ago, he'd managed to protect his family and friends as well as save the world, kind of, and he'd also died in the process. With a sigh he nodded and jolted as Renji clapped him on the back.
"Just check in with Momo as soon as you reach soul side and she'll help you from there. Rukia may want to see you as well, but she's being promoted to Lieutenant of Squad 13 so I can't be sure." Renji stepped away and saluted him before disappearing back to Urahara's.
"Sure. Whatever." Ichigo muttered as he dragged a tanned hand through orange hair. The next few weeks were going to be hell. Aizen and fighting he could deal with, age-old traditions and formal occasions not so much.
-I can always make an appearance- Ichigo sighed and pushed his hollow to the back of his mind, letting him out was only going to make the situation worse and not better. -Spoil sport-
~~^v^~~
"I'm being transferred?" It was the only thing that Major Ravyn Redbird could process at that moment; it didn't seem as if it could get any worse than this.
"Yes, you are to be transferred to the Asian branch of the Soul Kingdom, there you will be the Lieutenant of Squ-"
"I'm being demoted?" Ravyn interrupted and received a cold glare from Colonel Michael Rodger's.
"Yes you are being demoted" he lifted his hand to stall what she was going to say next, "this is only because the next rank would be Captain and that to us is Lieutenant-Colonel level. They have Captain's, Lieutenants, seated and unseated officers. Now will you sit back down Major Redbird and let me finish."
Ravyn sat back down slowly still getting her head around the rankings; Lieutenant-Colonel was the rank above hers with Colonel being above that. The ranks of both Captain and Lieutenant were below hers so did this mean that if she had still been a Captain she would have been a seated officer in the Asian branch?
"-I hope you understand now the reason for your transfer, do you have any questions Major?"
Ravyn looked up into the calm blue eyes of her Colonel and shook her head, she didn't have any questions because she hadn't been listening, "Permission to speak, sir?" he indicated for her to go on, "The Asian branch, if Lieutenant-Colonel is their Captain, what is Colonel equivalent to?"
"I should have said that Lieutenant-Colonel and above would be classed as Captain in the Asian branch. Now Major Redbird the files that you need to read before your transfer will be on your desk, Captain Theodore Baker has been promoted to Major and will be taking over your position." Ravyn nodded and then stood at the dismissal, with a salute to him she turned on her heal and left the room in a swirl of green and grey material.
She didn't like the thought of being transferred to the Asian branch but she didn't have a choice, with a sigh she reached her office and flipped open the file reading quickly she rolled her eyes. If the Asian branch had bothered to ask for help Aizen wouldn't have become such a problem, no one from the European branch had seen his shikai and so would have been a major tactical advantage in the war.
She read a little more, they'd lost three Captain's during the war with Aizen and all three had been filled by different member's and the hybrid that helped win it, that had left an opening for her new position. With another sigh she sat in her seat and read the file more thoroughly, if she was going to be stuck there for kami only knows how long she'd need to know all she could, she wasn't a Major for nothing and she didn't lead the tactical and covert operations division for nothing either.
~~^v^~~
"Kurosaki-taicho here's some more paperwork that needs your signature." Ichigo looked around the stack in front of him and suppressed a groan at the pile of papers in his Lieutenants hands.
"Thanks Momo, I can't believe that even after 3 weeks on non-stop work we still have so much to do." He rubbed his tired eyes and could practically hear the apology about to come from his second-in-command, "It wasn't your fault that you were confined to a hospital bed after the war, and it wasn't your fault that during the war it got this bad either. It just couldn't be helped."
Momo nodded before leaving the pile of papers on a chair and leaving, Ichigo sighed why he had a Lieutenant that blamed herself for every little thing that goes wrong in the Squad he didn't know. Looking towards the clock on the wall he sighed again, the new transfer was arriving in a few moments and he and Momo had to be at the Senkaimon to welcome them and get acquainted with the new Lieutenant.
"Momo we have to go to the Senkaimon to welcome that transfer from the European branch," He got up from his seat and walked out of the room, "Momo?" he called before she appeared with a tea tray, he smiled slightly, "We have to go, and we'll have tea when we get back."
"Is it really, well we be better not keep everyone waiting Kurosaki-taicho." He nodded and they left the barracks, getting a few waves from the member's scattered about. It seemed that nearly everyone was back from the world of the living to see the new transfer and what they could do.
Upon their arrival Renji came to stand with him along with Rukia while Momo went to Rangiku, "You're late Ichigo." Rukia said as soon as she joined them, the orange haired shinigami just rolled his eyes.
"Do you know how much paperwork I have to catch up on, as well as go to meeting's and check that everything is running smoothly within my Squad, I barely get time to sleep let alone arrive anywhere on time." Ichigo replied causing Renji to smirk before Rukia hit both of them on the arm.
"You are not the only one who is late. The transfers are late as well." Ichigo looked down at the Lieutenant, "Transfers? I thought it was just one for Byakuya?"
"No there's one coming from the Australian branch for Hisagi-taicho as well." Rukia explained causing Ichigo to nod before the doors of the Senkaimon opened and two hell butterfly's appeared with two shinigami.
The woman wore black jeans with a grey top, she was also wearing a soft green Captain's haori with a gold crown on the shoulder showing her rank, and her black hair was pulled up with a ribbon that held green, black and grey beads on the ends. The man with her had a dark red suit with silver stripes on the shoulder's showing his position within the Australian branch; his blond hair fell to his shoulders. Neither of them had their zanpakuto on them.
"Good afternoon. I am Major Ravyn Redbird from the European Division." Ravyn's voice was cultured and there was an underlying hint of an English accent, Ichigo estimated that she'd lose it within a few weeks, he watched as she bowed politely to the gathered Captain's and Lieutenants. He felt his hollow side at the back of his mind and mentally winced as it wolf whistled, -King, she's hot- the only thing he said as he continued to be a spectator in the proceedings.
"G'day. I'm Lieutenant-Commander Andi Kim from the Australian Division." Andi's voice was filled with his accent and Ichigo was sure that the man would never lose it. The one thing that confused the new Captain was their ranks, were they stronger than the Captain's? And if so why were they taking the position of Lieutenants?
"Welcome to the Asian branch. I'm Genryusai Yamamoto, Captain of Squad 1 and Captain-Commander of the 13 Court Guard Squads." Ichigo watched as the aged man with one arm bowed quickly to the new comer's, "I trust you have both read the files and know your new duties and Squads." With two nods Yamamoto nodded and indicated for their Captain's to come forth and introduce themselves. Ichigo sighed, this was going to take ages and he had so much paperwork to do, his hollow just laughed before disappearing already seeming to have had his fill of the new Lieutenants.
~~^v^~~
Ravyn smiled one last time to the Squad member and closed the sliding door to her room; stepping away from it she sighed and turned to face the cobalt blue room. When she'd seen the colour on Captain Kuchiki's haori she thought that he just liked that colour, he was nobility after all, but after getting a tour of the barracks she realised it was the Squads colour. Her green gaze fell on the new uniform sitting innocently on her bed, there was no way in Hueco Mundo she was going to wear it, not all at once anyway, she add bits of it to her uniform at the moment until she'd made a full transition into it. Maybe even cut it up a bit, the way one of the Captain's had been wearing his was similar to her uniform at the moment.
Waving a hand over her shoulder she released the kido she'd used to hide her zanpakuto from sight, it had been a new spell she'd been working on for reconnaissance missions. If spiritual pressure could be hidden why not material things, like weapons and people? Removing the weapon from her back she placed it onto the stand beside the door and pulled off her haori, hanging it on the hook.
The day had been long and she had so many names she had to remember, at least she knew Lieutenant Andi Kim and her own Captain Kuchiki, she remembered the others by sight but it'd take a while for her to get everyone's names. She had a creepy feeling about Squad 12 and she liked the look of Squad's 5 and 10, the Lieutenant of Squad 10 looked fun and she only liked Squad 5 because of the colour.
She looked towards the clock and groaned, it was already the early hours of the morning and she was to have an early day to begin her new duties, she only hoped that someone from the European branch managed to transfer her accounts and were sending her belonging's, it was daytime where they were after all.
A few hours later and Ravyn was leaving her room and her haori behind, her Lieutenant badge wrapped around her leg just above her knee, she was still wearing her black jeans and top but her hair was down and the ribbon with the beads tied around her upper arm. Her zanpakuto was strapped to her waist as she made her way towards Kuchiki manor and her Captain, she knew he wanted to talk to her and get her started. With a sigh she flash stepped her way to the manor gates and followed the servant to the manor's meeting room, this was going to take a long time.
~~^v^~~
"How can she be a Lieutenant she has no spiritual pressure at all, now that other guy? When he walked past I could hardly breathe, it was like standing next to one of the Captain's" Ichigo sighed this was the 17th person he'd heard complaining about the new transfer, well one of them, he supposed it was because they didn't know that she used to be the equivalent of Soifon back in the European branch and so had learnt to hide her spiritual pressure.
"Kurosaki-taicho, this is the last lot, and then you can begin your rounds. I'll be leaving for the world of the living afterwards." He looked up and smiled at the small pile of papers in Momo's hands; in the few months since the new Lieutenants had arrived he'd managed to get all the paperwork sorted.
"Thanks Momo, have a safe journey." He watched as she smiled and left the room, looking at the top paper he began to sign away. Within a few moments there was a knock on his door, with a sigh he looked up and watched the figure that was just in the shadows.
"Yes?"
"Kurosaki-taicho the Lieutenant of Squad 6 has a missive for you from Kuchiki-taicho." The shinigami looked down the hall, "It's pretty urgent from the amount of shinigami that escorted the new Lieutenant here."
Ichigo lifted and eyebrow before standing and following the shinigami along the halls and into the courtyard outside, just as the shinigami had said there was the new Lieutenant surrounded by Squad 6 member's, by the gates were Renji and Rukia. The hollow part of him chuckled darkly -seems the new Lieutenants gotten into a bit of trouble with the Captain-
Ichigo sighed and looked towards the English shinigami, her uniform had been changing over the past few months from her old one to the Asian branch uniforms although she had made modifications, like the tightness of the hakama and the sleeveless shitagi and kosode (A/N: think Hisagi Shuuhei's clothes with tighter pants ^_^). It also showed the tattoo on her arm, a skull with thorned roses wrapped around it. Like the first time he had seen her, her zanpakuto was missing, he wondered briefly if he'd ever seen her carrying it.
"Okay, so what was so important that Byakuya sent all of you to me?"
"Kurosaki-taicho, Kuchiki-taicho wants Lieutenant Redbird to socialise more by spending time with the different Squad's Lieutenants and Captain's. This was met by a severe disagreement and led to half of Squad 6's barracks being destroyed." Rikichi, the only unseated officer, spoke from in front of the now smirking Lieutenant, Ichigo frowned as he looked towards her again, she didn't look as if she'd been in a fight and he noticed she now had her zanpakuto although he had no idea how she'd managed it.
"There were no spikes in spiritual pressure to show a fight had broken out between Byakuya and Redbird, if what you said is true then how was no one alerted?" He asked, Rikichi just shrugged and glanced behind him towards his new Lieutenant, Renji and Rukia had stepped forwards into the courtyard and his own Squad were coming to see what the commotion was.
"I can answer that Kurosaki-taicho. I simply cloaked the spiritual pressure, much like how I'm hiding my own at this moment in time. I didn't expect my calm Captain to explode in a mass of pink petals, and I certainly didn't expect him to use bankai when I defended myself against his attacks." There were a few gasps at this statement and Ichigo looked closer at her, she did seem to be favouring her right leg and there was a wariness he hadn't noted before. He watched as her image flickered just before she collapsed on the floor at Renji's feet, where before her uniform had been perfect it was now a mass of scrap material and blood clots.
"Tell Squad 4 now!" Ichigo called as he flash stepped to the fallen Lieutenant, Renji and Rukia, "Do you have any idea what made Byakuya do this? Is Byakuya alright?" he spoke quietly to them both as Renji picked the English shinigami up and they all flash stepped to the Squad 4 healing rooms. What a way to start his freedom from paperwork, he just hoped all his peaceful days weren't so eventful. –At least it's not more paperwork- his hollow supplied happily.
~~^v^~~
Ravyn opened her eyes to the stark while walls of the Squad 4 healing rooms, she groaned softly as she began to slowly sit up only to have a hand rest on her shoulder.
"I would not get up so soon Lieutenant Redbird, not many can survive the wounds you sustained, or cloak them for as long as you did." Ravyn looked up into the kind face of the Captain of Squad 4 before stopping her struggles against the surprisingly strong hand. She breathed deeply and felt the ache of wounds newly healed, it seemed she'd overdone it a little with the match against her Captain. After all the 'disagreement' and really been a way for them both to assess their skills against each other and it really had gotten out of hand when the Captain had told her to socialise more with the different Squad's. It had seemed he thought she was like his old Lieutenant, she scoffed slightly and winced.
"It was common practice for my division to be able to cloak all wounds, spiritual pressure, weapons and people. I'm sure that the cloak is still hiding wounds from view and for that I am sorry Unohana-taicho, they are only small from the feel of them and I can heal them myself when I return to my room."
"Not at all Lieutenant Redbird, I don't mind not healing them but why did you not come for healing the moment you dropped off Kuchiki-taicho?" Unohana was patient as she waited for the young Lieutenant to respond, after all if the wounds she had tended to on the both of them were anything to go by she was surprised the young woman had the stamina a skill to fool even her for as long as she did.
"Kuchiki-taicho had already given his orders before the fight and so I had to follow them, even if I did collapse and couldn't pass on the message, although it was still passed on by another Squad member." Ravyn frowned slightly, "Do you believe I should socialise more with the other Lieutenants and Captain's? I know that Lieutenant Kim has been seen drinking with Kyoraku-taicho and Hisagi-taicho but I-"she stopped and frowned.
"Do you believe you need to socialise more with the other Squads, bearing in mind that you may go on missions with different Squad member's and may even be transferred to another Squad in the future." Unohana watched as Ravyn's face changed and then became blank.
"I guess you are right, Unohana-taicho, but to be perfectly honest the only people I will remotely get along with would be the members of Squad 2." Unohana nodded softly, the girl did have a point. With her previous position she could help Squad 2 with their tactics and kido work, maybe even help them train.
"You could possibly be surprised by the people you meet, you shouldn't stereotype the Squad's." Ravyn smiled and nodded, "Now Lieutenant Redbird I suggest you get some more rest, I will not take no for an answer." Ravyn nodded once again before closing her eyes, Unohana stayed for a while waiting for her breathing to even out before she left the room. She had a few Captain's, Lieutenants and Squad member's to inform before she could begin questioning Captain Kuchiki on why he did not alert her to his Lieutenants state of medical emergency, he had been coherent when he'd entered the barracks of Squad 4.
~~^v^~~
Ichigo watched once again as Renji paced the floor at the foot of Byakuya's bed, the man had woken just after Lieutenant Redbird had been rushed to the operation room and had been told everything. Ichigo was also sure that the cold aristocrat was leaving out a few details on the real reason behind their stay in the healing rooms.
"Goddammit Renji, quit pacing. Unohana-taicho will not be happy if you wear a path in the tatami mats." Ichigo watched Rukia silently as the small Lieutenant grabbed Renji's arm and forced him into a chair, to be perfectly honest the remark about Unohana-san would have had him sitting faster than anything. The Captain of Squad 4 had to be even scarier than Kurotsuchi from Squad 12, she could kill you with a smile on her face promising healing and a swift recovery; he shuddered slightly and earned a raised eyebrow from Byakuya.
"I can't help it. How powerful is that girl if she can cloak not only her spiritual pressure but her weapon, wounds and a battle between a Captain and Lieutenant? It doesn't make sense, no-one here can do that, not even those in the Kido Corps can do that." Renji burst out; his ever present energy needing a release not Rukia had stopped him from pacing.
"She is of Captain Class, as she was working towards her next rank before she was transferred. She has achieved bankai but needs to practise with it to control it more, she has learned that the only way to practise is to be against an opponent but due to her zanpakuto's abilities she could kill them accidently." Ichigo turned towards Byakuya and tilted his head slightly.
"So you are saying that she'd be a Captain if she could fight and gains more experience with her bankai?" He asked, Byakuya nodded and Renji let an explosive breath out.
"Not only that but she would have been a tactical advantage against Aizen if Captain-Commander Yamamoto had asked for the help of the European branch, if her file is correct she would have been in one of the first groups sent to us." Byakuya continued and was about to say more when there was a cough from the doorway, they all looked up to see Captain Unohana stood there her eyebrow raised and a soft smile on her face.
"She woke up, which means she's recovering nicely and should be back on her feet in no time. Her cloak is back in place so I cannot see the status of her wounds but she assures me they are mending perfectly." The Captain's and Lieutenant breathed a sigh of relief, "Now you can inform the rest of Squad's 6, 5, 9, 3 and 11 that she is fine and will be back at work soon."
Renji, Ichigo and Rukia stood and nodded, they all knew a dismissal when they heard one, plus it was their Squad's, be they previous or a friend's Squad, which were out there waiting for the news and Squad 6, were the worse off.
"Now Byakuya Kuchiki, I would like to know why you didn't inform me of the medical condition of you Lieutenant. As her Captain, and the one she fought with, you should have known of the wounds you'd produced on her." Byakuya took a deep breath and gulped; now he knew why Ichigo Kurosaki had a fear of the Squad 4 Captain.
~~^v^~~
A few more months had passed and Unohana had gotten to the bottom of the wounds that Byakuya and Ravyn had suffered, it seemed the wounds were a result of Ravyn's bankai only half forming. Ravyn had become more sociable and could be seen with Izuru and Hisagi; she also spoke a lot with Captain's Kyoraku and Ukitake, although about what no-one except they knew. Squad 6 barracks had been rebuilt and as soon as Lieutenant Redbird had been released from Squad 4 she'd helped out, even talking some of Squad 11 into helping with the heavy lifting that the members of Squad 4 couldn't do.
With all this Kenpachi had been looking for her, after hearing of her skills he'd wanted to test them himself, it would break the monotony that had become the Seireitei's way of life since the war had ended and peace had returned. Captain Kurotsuchi had been hoping to get a new lab rat and had taken to getting as much information on the Squad 6 Lieutenant from other people as he'd never been able to get close or even locate her.
Ichigo had taken to spending his time between paperwork and trying to talk to the woman, he was finding it frustrating how she'd always be in a full discussion with different Squad member's or even training with Squad 2 and the Kido Corps, he'd even heard her give a lecture at the school.
Throughout all this Ravyn Redbird was trying to keep to herself, she'd found out from various trips to the library, at least the areas she could access, had told her of shinigami who possessed weapons similar to her own, and so had sought them out and getting guidance and little tips on how to train better. Each night she returned to her room to communicate with her zanpakuto and gain a better bond so the next time she had to go bankai she wouldn't harm another accidently again.
The past few months had been a busy time for all and even with the peace that had settled the hollows were slowly making their way back to the world of the living.
~~^v^~~
"Captain's order's, we are to head to the world of the living to assist with the students training. We are not to interfere unless it is deemed necessary; the Captain of Squad 5 will be joining us along with members of Squads 4, 12 and 9. We are there only to assist and provide back-up if things get out of hand with the training." Ravyn looked at the eager faces of her Squad members and grinned, "Of course if you want to give the student's pointers I'm sure they'd be appreciated. Now let's go, we've got to be at the Senkaimon in three minutes."
She watched as the members left to grab their zanpakuto and head to the Senkaimon, she waited a while and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, she'd made a full transition into the new uniform and although she still got looks from her Captain with how she changed the original style he was coming to accept that this was how she was.
Her Lieutenants badge was wrapped around her arm today and her hair was up and out of her face, being tied by the same ribbon and beads she'd had since she first came. Her zanpakuto was strapped to her back and her wrists were bound in leather, metal glinting from it in the sunlight. After making sure her team were gone she flash stepped to the Senkaimon and appeared beside Captain Kurosaki, she liked him as he didn't stand on ceremony and the few times she had spoken to him she found him to be funny and a huge source of entertainment when he was drunk, when he did get drunk. She felt he needed to loosen up a bit more otherwise she'd have another Captain Kuchiki on her hands.
"The Squads are assembled and ready to go." She said softly and smirked as he jumped, she along with another woman called Yoruichi were the only ones who could successfully sneak up of everyone, although Yoruichi still couldn't sneak up on her. Her training was far beyond that of the Asian branches.
"I wish you wouldn't do that Ravyn, you could give me a heart attack and I'll die." Ichigo complained and tilted his head at the smirk on the Lieutenants face, it was rare to see the woman with her hair up, she preferred it down of only half of it tied back.
"If you did die, you'd get reborn and then as soon as you do I'll just sneak up on you again, and if you die once more I'll perform a konso and I'll meet you back here to sneak up on you again and if you d-" Ichigo placed a hand over her mouth.
"I get it; you'll never stop sneaking up on me if it gives you so much pleasure in seeing my reactions." He looked towards the Senkaimon where most of the group and student's had already left, "We'd better go, some will be sure to get lost within the dangai."
"There's always one, which is why I asked Lieutenant Kim to lead them through and we'd take up the trail making sure no one gets lost of left in there for the cleaner to pick up" Ichigo looked at the woman beside him, Ravyn looked back blinking green eyes at him. She looked like a female version of Ulquiorra it was slightly scary, he was sure that if they had met Renji would have made bets to see who would come out as the victor in a fight between them.
"You just think of everything don't you Major." He watched as she smiled at the use of her old rank, he was the only one who used it as she still wrote it in her signature, even if Byakuya had spoken to her about it several times.
"What can I say? As the leader of a tactical division I need to know all the angles, even the obscure hardly there ones. So shall we go?" He watched her walk away and shook his head, this was going to be a simple mission or this was all going to go to hell. His money was on it all going to hell.
~~^v^~~
"Just ask her. The worst that could happen is that she'd release her bankai and you'd be in Squad 4 for a few days a week tops." Ichigo glared at the red haired Captain across from him, he took another gulp from his bottle finishing it and reached for the next one he had lined up.
As he'd predicted the mission with the students had gone to hell, they had been there for only an hour when a proper hollow, not one of the training dummies that Squad 12 brought with them but a real live hollow had gate crashed the lesson. He and Ravyn had ordered the removal of all students and officer's while they dealt with the problem, he just hadn't expected the Arrancar to appear from nowhere and almost kill him, if Ravyn didn't have her training he was sure that the Arrancar's zanpakuto would had taken his head off. As it was he'd had a small cut where the blade had nicked him before Ravyn had begun her fierce battle with him. When it was finally over it had begun to rain and they just laughed, it seemed that nothing was ever peaceful when they were together.
"I can't do that. We've only spoken a handful of times."
"You've spent most of your time with her drinking and socializing. You're the only one who can call her Major, someone tried the other day and he ended up in infirmary for a broken jaw. Just tell her."
Ichigo snorted as he processed what Renji had said, it was true he'd been drinking with Ravyn a few times in the past and they'd gotten along well. There were also days where she'd even come and help him with his paperwork and they'd spend the time after it was finished talking about different ways to improve things around the barracks and even within the Seireitei. Ichigo groaned, he'd fallen hard and fast for the green eyes English woman and there had been no warning or way of stopping it.
"I'll tell her in the morning, at the moment I need the courage to do it." Renji cheered and ordered more sake, -King, you're a wimp- Ichigo just took a larger gulp of his sake in response to his hollows comment. In a room down the hall Ravyn was having a similar conversation with Rangiku, Hisagi and Izuru.
~~^v^~~
Three days later Ravyn woke to the sound of knocking on her door, she'd just got back from a mission to the world of the living and she was tired, it hadn't helped that on the first day of the mission she couldn't do anything due to a stupid hangover that was all Rangiku's fault. She refused to believe that it was her own; she had started drinking before the Squad 10 Lieutenant had arrived with her usual drinking buddies.
Opening the sliding door she blinked at the bright orange hair that belonged to Squad 5 Captain Ichigo Kurosaki and mentally groaned, she'd been delaying the inevitable she knew but she'd wanted to do it when she wasn't drained and about to fall asleep.
"Ravyn, can I speak to you for a few moments?" She smelt the sake on his breath and realised he'd had a drink beforehand, whether to give him the courage to say what he had to say or because he could was unknown.
"Sure." She moved aside and watched as he had to duck slightly when he entered the room, "What do you need to talk to me for?" she continued to watch as he fiddled with the leave of his haori, she tilted her head as she leaned against the now closed door.
"I wanted to tell you something before you left for your mission but I was unfortunately indisposed and couldn't see you. I am sorry for the lateness of this visit but I couldn't wait until tomorrow" Ichigo turned to her abruptly and she waited patiently as the Captain chose his words.
"I would like to court you, I know that we've only known each other a few short months, but I-"
"A year."
"Pardon?" Ichigo looked confused.
"We've known each other a year." Her head tilted towards the clock that showed it was now one in the morning, a year after she had first come to the Seireitei.
"Really?" She nodded and he continued, "Well we've known each other a year and I was wondering if you would like to spend an evening with me on your next day off."
Ravyn reminded herself to breath as she took in his hopeful expression, words would not come to her and she nodded becoming rewarded by a brilliant smile for Ichigo. He stepped forward and raised her hand to his lips, kissing the pale knuckles before leaving the room, Ravyn sighed and grinned as the door slid shut flopping down onto her bed she closed her eyes, a smile still on her face as she fell into a peaceful sleep.
~~^v^~~
Another year later and Ichigo was pacing the floor of the corridor in Squad 4's healing rooms, he'd just found out that his girlfriend had been in the middle of some training with Squad 2 when she'd been brought to the Squad 4 barracks after a bout of dizziness and loss of consciousness.
"Kurosaki! Any news?" Ichigo looked up to see the Captains of Squads 3, 6, 8 and 9, with the Lieutenants of Squads 10, 7 and 13 along with Madarame Ikkaku and Yumichika Ayasegawa the 3rd and 5th seats of Squad 11.
"What are you all doing here?" He asked, it was a strange collection and he was sure that all Squads were accounted for except Squads 1, 2 and 12 as they were already in Squad 4's barracks and Captain Unohana was in the healing room with Ravyn.
"I'm enquiring after my Lieutenant." Byakuya spoke slowly as if speaking to a child; Ichigo just rolled his eyes and looked towards the others.
"It seems that Ravyn made a bigger impression on the different Squads than she thought." Rukia stated when no one was forthcoming with why exactly they were there.
"We're just here 'cause she'd Captain's sparring partner and he'd be depressed if anything happened to her." Ikkaku spoke finally as his companion nodded before looking at his reflection in the window. Ichigo was about to say something when the door opened and the Captain of Squad 4 appeared, followed by 7th seat Yamada Hanataro.
"Oh my, you seem to have multiplied." Unohana smiled softly, "Lieutenant Redbird will be fine, although in a few months she will have to stop going on missions and training."
"Why?" Ichigo asked, he found it strange that if Ravyn was perfectly alright why she would have to stop training in a few months. Unohana just continued to smile as she turned to face him solely.
"Congratulations Ichigo Kurosaki, you are to become a father in around 7 months." Ichigo felt his mind go blank. He was going to be a father? Her was going to be a dad in 7 months? Wait! Ravyn was pregnant! His world went black and he was sure he heard "Kuchiki-taicho!", "Abarai-taicho!" and "Ikkaku!" along with his name.
-Welcome to fatherhood King!-
~~^v^~~
"It's not funny!"
Ravyn continued to laugh as she looked at the three men in the beds before her, she'd been released from the administrations of Captain Unohana only to find her Captain, boyfriend and one of her many sparring partner's being carried into a room until they all woke up. It seemed the news of her coming child had shocked them all, and for different reasons.
"Okay, okay," she smirked at the mutinous expressions on their faces, the other's had all congratulated her and left to tell their Squads and to tell Captain Zaraki that he couldn't fight her until after the year and a half mark after her child had been born.
"So why did you all collapse, I'm sure I'll be back to training a few months after the birth and I'll be able to go on missions then as well. It's not like the paperwork won't be done so I don't see why you collapsed Captain." She turned to Ikkaku, "I suppose having to tell Kenpachi the news of my pregnancy would cause anyone to faint, and Ichi I already know why you collapsed."
"I did not faint, Redbird, I simply closed my eyes for an extended moment of time." Ravyn rolled her eyes at her Captain's response she'd definitely get to the bottom of why he fainted at some point; she turned her gaze to Ikkaku and raised an eyebrow at him.
"It's not the thought of telling the Captain you can't fight him, it's the thought that you're moods are going to get worse with no output except to throw books and rip up paperwork." Ikkaku shivered and Ravyn smirked.
"I'll be sure to throw the books at your bald head, so don't feel too left out." She turned to Ichigo and sat on the end of his bed and Ikkaku started to splutter protests that his head was shaved and NOT bald.
"What about you? Are you ready to be a dad?" She asked softly, watching Ichigo's wide brown eyes closely. It was really a conversation that they should have had in the privacy of one of their rooms but with the situation that had arisen it seemed logical to have it now and not later.
"I don't know. What if I'm a really horrid dad? What if I turn out like my dad?" He looked up and Ravyn smiled, "We're going to be parents and we don't even live together."
"I'm sure we can get a house somewhere, and I'm sure you'll be a great dad, no matter what you're like." Ravyn replied with a shrug before she turned her head to her Captain, she watched as he nodded and was glad he'd understood her unasked question. The Captain would help her with looking for a place to live as with Ichigo's responsibilities and her soon to be pregnant state they wouldn't have enough time to do it alone.
"We've done it the wrong way round, but I'm sure we can make it work." Ravyn turned back to find Ichigo sitting straighter in the bed and grinning, she smiled before tilting her head to the side.
"The 'wrong way round'? What do you mean?" She watched as Ichigo's grin became brighter.
"I mean, will you marry me Major Redbird?" Ravyn's eyes widened and it was her turn to blackout to the shouts of her name, although she was sure she heard Ichigo mutter, "I'll take that as a yes."
~~^v^~~
It was a long 7 months later when Ichigo was once again pacing the corridor outside of the room that Ravyn had been rushed through a few hours earlier, they'd both been looking around on of the houses that Captain Kyoraku had recommended when her water's had broken and he'd carried her to the Squad 4 barracks. The news had spread and all those who'd found out with him were sat in the seats next to him, switching between watching him pace and staring at the door in worry.
It had been a few hours since they'd heard anything from inside the room, and it was only after Ichigo had been pushed back by a bolt of kido that they had realised Ravyn had put up a kido barrio to stop them from hearing and entering the room. Ichigo was slightly frantic; Captain Unohana had bluntly told him that he was not allowed in the room and to not wear a mark in the tatami mats.
-King, it will be fine. If the barrier is still up that means she's still okay- Ichigo snorted and felt everyone's eyes fall on him, with a sigh he leant against the wall opposite the door and glared at it. Out of everyone who'd tried to get him to stop pacing it had been his hollow, it was funnily ironic. He closed his eyes slightly and sensed the tension rise; opening them again he found the calm eyes of Captain Unohana looking at him.
"You can go in now, Lieutenant Kotetsu will tell you all you need to know," Ichigo didn't wait a moment more before he was in the medical room, looking at the form of his fiancé feeding their child. Isane Kotetsu was stood to the side filling in a form and looked up when he came in, smiling at the awestruck expression on his face.
"Are you going to stand there all day or are you going to come and see you're son?" Ravyn asked from the bed and Ichigo stepped to the side of it, looking at the blue bundle and the hand against her breast. A mop of black hair was sticking in every way imaginable with a few orange strands spread throughout; he smiled and reached out a hand to stroke the silken strands before kissing Ravyn on the head.
"We did well." He said and felt his hollow nodding in the back of his mind, before disappearing once again.
"We did, but we still need to think of a name for him." Ravyn's voice was grainy and he was sure she'd been screaming for the many hours during the duration of the barrio being up.
"How about Akatsuki, Akatsuki Kurosaki?" He suggested and was rewarded with a tired smile.
"Our little Akatsuki." Isane marked the name and left the new family alone, being sure to place a kido barrio on the door so they wouldn't hear the cheering of the gathered Squad member's when she told them the name of the new member of the Kurosaki family.
A/N: Well it's finished, all 18 pages of it on word *sigh* it took me a while to write this but it wanted to be heard, my next update will be on Tuesday with another drabble (it's the only on-going on where I can update) and the one-shots will be uploaded as soon as they are finished and edited. ^_^
-Paige.