Renji had no problems finding Ichigo and that was a surprise. The surprise is when he walked in there what he found. People were running around with broken arms. "Have a seat please, sir," He hardly recognized the young girl. She was grown up now but he recognized her.
"Yuzu?" Yuzu looked up from her current patient and looked into Renji's eyes. There was faint recognizition and great amount of surprise. She grabbed his armed and pulled him into the house.
"What are you doing here? I haven't seen you in… almost ten years?" Yuzu said. She looked around. "Is she here?"
"Who?"
"You know who! Rukia!" She yelled angrily and then quietly.
"No, she's not here." He answered. "What's going on in there?"
"It's the clinic. Dad retired when Ichigo finished college and could take over. It's really busy. Can you just stay here and keep quiet until 5. It's a long time but I need to prepare him." She frowned. "It's been rough."
"Has it?" He asked.
"He misses her."
"Does he really? Even now?"
She nodded and walked back into the clinic. She watched her brother with the life that was only in him when he was saving lives. If he wasn't protecting someone at least he could save them. Maybe that's what her father thought too. She could only imagine. She missed her father but he was with their mom in Soul Society. It made him happy and he was here often enough.
Ichigo noticed Karin and Yuzu were secretly whispering and staring at the door. But he worked through his shift and they blocked the door. "Okay, but you're not going to want this and expect this…" They opened the door and he pushed through. He stopped when he got down the hall and saw Renji.
"What's going on? Is someone hurt? Is the worlds in danger?"
"Only one person's, but you might want to listen to the case just the same." He frizbee'd the envelope to Ichigo who caught it.
"Who could it be that it warrented a trip by the lieutenant…"
"Captain of the Sixth Division now, it's been 40 years in Soul Society," Renji explained.
"Then who in the world can get you as a captain to come here to see me? And what could I do?"
"Neither they nor I know exactly what you could do but if anyone could figure it out it would be you." Ichigo sat down at the table and looked at the envelope. In perfect calligraphy was his name 'Ichigo Kurosaki'. But it didn't hit him until he opened it why he knew that handwriting. 'Byakuya Kuchiki formally invites you to the wedding of his sister Rukia Kuchiki to Kai Renhamon'.
"When is the wedding?"
"Six months from today, this is the very earliest she could have told you…"
"Six months which is… about two months from now in our time."
"Roughly, yes."
"She sent you to get me?"
"Not exactly, I'm here to see if you can do anything. And I guess if you want to come." Renji set the pile of other envelopes on the table. "You and all your friends. It'll be a huge event."
Ichigo crushed the paper in his hand. He was angry. So he punched Renji. "How could you let this happen?"
"Me?"
"Yes you, you were there for her. Supposed to protect her, take care of her. You know I would have if I was there. I would have fought for her until I died and you know that! I couldn't be there. You were!" Ichigo yelled.
"Ichigo…" Yuzu started. He turned to her.
"You don't know Rukia, Yuzu. She would never disappoint someone."
"Especially her dying brother," Renji added in. "And after everything he's done for me, I couldn't do it to him. Neither could she. No one stands up to Byakuya Kuchiki. Even as he's dying but there's an exception…"
"Me," Ichigo answered. "I would do it. I would stop it for her. I'm the only one."
"You are, and anyone could beat him now but who is going to?" Renji threw in.
Ichigo stomped out of the house and blew off steam blowing up buildings and punching things. Once he was calm, and exhausted he returned to the table. "Okay, tell me about this guy. No wait," Ichigo grabbed a bottle of sake and drank the bottle down. "Okay, I'm ready."
"What do you want to know?"
"Is he handsome?"
"Do you just want to know what she thinks of him? It's not the truth by the way."
"Tell me the truth and then what she thinks,"
"He's brilliant, smart, kind, understanding, strong and very handsome. Every woman in Soul Society is jealous of her and wishes that she was Rukia. He's a really great guy. I mean he's a noble and no shinigami but I don't think she could do any better".
Ichigo drunk another bottle. "But… I assume there is a but to this," he spit out.
"She hates the guy. She says he's a spineless unspirited animal. Or something like that. She complains every day after she has to deal with him. He would let her do whatever she wants to, defends her from the elders, and is always so kind and supportive. He wants to make it work with her. I think he loves." Ichigo kept drinking until he was drunk. Renji could only shake his head.
Yuzu and Karin made sure Renji was fed. "So Rukia is getting married?" Yuzu asked as she opened and read her invitation.
"Not if your brother can do anything about it, but do you think he will or can?"
"I don't think it will be immediately but he won't let her get married. At least I hope so." Yuzu started. "I mean he loves her so much. Where has she been?"
"She was banned from ever coming to the human world ever again after her last few trips. I believe it was her brother's and the elders of the clan. I mean being a princess, and probably a queen so it only make sense that he picked someone for her and wanted to keep her from Ichigo and this world that she loves more than anything."
Ichigo didn't go to work the next morning but Karin had called their father so he covered. No one blamed Ichigo. I mean after 6 years of not seeing or hearing from Rukia this is what he hears. It was hard to take something like that. They understood that. Renji especially understood that. He and Rukia had a rough relationship sometimes not seeing each other for many years but he could see her, and she could see him. This was different. Rukia couldn't go to Ichigo and Ichigo couldn't come there. That had to be rough.
Renji could only imagine how angry Rukia would be at Ichigo for reacting like this. For drinking himself sick. Yuzu and Karin seemed surprised and shocked at their brother's behavior but again, no blame, just understanding. They cared for him gently all day and by the end of the day he could deal with it.
"How is she doing?"
"She was promoted to lieutenant of her squad, I think she's improving her bankai. I know she can release it but I don't think it's actually combat ready. But she's really doing a captain's job with Ukitake sick all the time." He nodded. "She disappears a lot. She refuses to tell anyone what's she doing or where she's going. I mean it wouldn't be hard to figure it out but she always responds when we need her and whatever she's doing it keeps her sane so we don't interfere. But it's strange." Ichigo stared at the table and could only smile thinking of her.
"She still a midget?"
"Of course, Rukia hasn't grown any since I've met her." They both laughed this time. "So what are you going to do?"
"I'm not sure." Ichigo unclenched one of his fists to let Renji see his pendant. Rukia had given it to him so he could get to soul society whenever he needed but she warned him that doing so without being expected was dangerous. He knew that but she couldn't help but remind him. "I need to talk to the others. Tracking them down in going to be a pain in the butt but I will and we'll see if they're up for yet another trip to save Rukia."
"Don't call it saving Rukia. She's very proud of herself now. Call it… I don't know but rescuing might be kinder. She's not in danger, she just needs an escape."
"So she's the same old Rukia?"
"I mean she's still annoying, full of energy but she's changed a lot. A lot stronger, a lot more serious, kinder, happier sometimes with this, and a lot prettier." Ichigo didn't change his face, he had learned a lot of control in the years that had passed.
"What's changed with you? You're a captain, not a surprise though."
Renji was surprised that Ichigo wasn't as hostile or angry maybe it still some of the alcohol in his system. He was very subdued and less erratic and undisciplined. He wondered if Rukia would take this as a good or bad thing. Maybe a little of both. He wondered if they would get along better or worst. He didn't think it would matter. Renji knew that no matter how the two changed they would still be the same to crazy people. And that made him smile.
"Nothing much, I do lots of paperwork and fighting. Throw in some dates and time with Rukia and that's about it for me. You seem busy in there. Take over the clinic for your dad?"
Ichigo nodded. "I studied to be a doctor. Yuzu is too but having two of us wouldn't be bad. Dad covers if I need time or space. Karin isn't sure but I think she'd like to play soccer professionally and then who knows what." Renji nodded listening to the lives of regular people. Is this what had become of their hero Ichigo? A doctor at a small corner clinic? It was unbelievable to see him settling down here but then again it seemed like something Ichigo would do in the absence of the crazy life of a certain shinigami.
Renji and Ichigo laughed and made jokes. Renji was making sure he was up to date on everything changing in soul society. He shared as much as he really knew about everything that was going on in Rukia's life but he knew so little. Rukia was so quiet. He was shocked when she asked for his help. Both of them were. One of the things they had in common was their determination to do anything for Rukia. They wouldn't let her down.
"So tomorrow we get the others, train up and the next day we're off to Soul Society. We'll train on our own. I don't want you getting in trouble for this. I mean we don't want the captain to come into any problems." He patted Renji on the back. "It was good to see you Renji. I mean it. Sometimes I think it never happened, like it was a dream or something. Seeing you brings it back."
"I don't think that's a good thing. Everything from the beginning to the end was more like a nightmare." Ichigo laughed.
"It was the best nightmare I've ever had." With that they got ready to find everyone else. Thankfully Rukia had tracked them down for them.