I decided to start with Byakuya so you could get a feel for what's happening in the plot, but the fic starts about two months before he visits. It will also most likely continue after that part as well. The story moves through different character(s), but I'll always say which character the chapter revolves around in the first sentence. Also, if your wondering my opinion of Ichigo being the fifth division taichou. It's obvious one day he will be a captain, and also Ichigo and fives just go together. There's no fifteen so why not five? (Ichi-go, 1-5) Oh and kudos to KittiKat626
P.S. "ICHI GEKI HIH SAH!!" means "ONE HIT K.O.!!"
Kuchiki Rukia was very, very bored. For the last few weeks she had been restricted to office duty instead of her normal shinigami duty. Why, you ask? Well on record, it stated; Kuchiki Rukia, of the thirteenth division, requires more office experience in her training to reach a higher position. Off record, though, was more like; Your brother is mad at you for spending too much time with Ichigo in the human world, and will do what ever he can to get you two apart.
Now Ichigo is a great guy and it's not like he wouldn't come to visit her, but every time he comes for unofficial reasons, her brother tracks him like a hawk. Which leaves little room for romance let alone any relationship, at all.
I t's not like she wanted to roll around on the floor with him every time she saw him, she just wanted something normal. 'Though that would be interesting.' she thought, then promptly mentally smacked herself. Yeah, something normal….well at least as normal as any relationship between a dead girl and a living boy. That was probably one of the bigger setbacks, that and the whole living on two different plains of existence. Well at least there was compensation for the later, thank Kami-sama for the gates. At about that time her train of thought was derailed by the sound of:
"Rukia-chan!!" being yelled by Tatsuki. Rukia nearly squealed when she jumped up from her desk to greet her.
"Tatsuki-chan!" Rukia cried. She and Tatsuki had become very close to each other over the years. This was due to all her training with Renji to improve her fighting and spiritual power."This is great! I'm so glad to see you, I was sooooo bored, wait a second and I'll go and take my lunch break now." She said now beaming. "Oi! Renji! You idiot, I know your lurking out side the door! Come in here, now!" she said changing her expression as he slinked through the door and moved next to Tatsuki.
"Idiot." Tatsuki added as she rolled her eyed at him.
"Ay! I thought you two would want to talk alone! How was I supposed to know she wanted me to come in!" the yelled with a hint of a blush.
"I don't know, maybe because you've known her for like, a century!" she yelled back. As they continued Rukia was thinking about how they made an adorable couple, just so cute and angry.
"Hey you two, I'm taking my lunch break." Rukia said breaking up their argument. They quieted down and followed side by side.
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They headed down to the thirteenth division training grounds, and moved straight to the ones in the back. They were used for private training and for higher level shinigami. This was where she and Orihime would train, the hill overlooking it was also a great place for lunch. Rukia walked to her favorite spot under a tree growing just before the steep slope on the hill began.
"Are you guys hungry? I think I have enough for all of us." Rukia said as she sat down. She looked up at Tatsuki, she had fist on her hips, and was making the typical super hero pose. She made a wicked grin and looked at Renji who was settling on the grass.
"I don't know Renji, I don't think I've quite worked up an appetite yet. You?" she said as he shivered, but before he could move she had kicked his head with all the force she could muster (without killing him). And off went his head like soccer ball, bouncing only once before he reached the bottom. He landed head in the ground, butt in the air. She raised her arms in triumph, and shouted. "ICHI GEKI HIH SAH!!!!!"
"Wow." Rukia stared at her wide eyed, she really had gotten stronger. She did that, and she didn't even use all her powers. Her thoughts went to Renji as she looked down the hill. Head still in the ground, he lifted his arm with a point of exclamation.
"That sooooo did not count!!!!" He said as he jumped up and went into a fighting stance. She raised an eyebrow and grinned fiercely and jumped straight to the bottom of the hill. Jumps, kicks, hits and punches went everywhere.
Meanwhile Rukia was enjoying her lunch. Though she had to admit she was quite jealous of the happy couple.
After Rukia had finished her lunch she noticed arguing coming from behind her. It was fast approaching and was loader then Renji and Tatsuki. After another second Kiyone and Sentarou, the two third seat shinigami of the thirteenth division, came rushing forward.
"I'm going to tell her!" Kiyone yelled.
"Not if I do first!" Sentarou yelled back.
"Taichou asked me to do it!" Kiyone protested.
"No! Taichou asked me to tell Rukia-sama!" Sentarou wailed.
"No he didn't!" she yelled.
"Boggier face!" he went.
"Loser!" she went.
"KIYONE-SAN, SENTAROU-SAN!" Rukia yelled over the two. They stopped cold in their tracks.
"Yes Rukia-sama?" they said together, but looked evilly at one another for copying the other. She acted quickly before the started again.
"Kiyone-san, please tell me what Taichou said." She said calmly, though Sentarou pouted. Kiyone sneered at her partner but continued with pride.
"Taichou said you will be returned to your normal shinigami duties as of tomorrow." She beamed, then realized what this meant for Rukia. "Wait that means you can visit-" she was cut off as her partner dragged her away, snuffing her glory.
Rukia just stood there and stared at nothing for a good minute and then she giggled, then chuckled, then she was full out laughing. She was rolling with laughter, literally, as she rolled around on the grass. She had no idea what was so funny but she hadn't laughed in a really long time, and it felt really good.
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Rukia woke up the next morning in a very good mood. She dressed in a hurry, and headed down to the mess hall, were she sat down with her friends. The mess hall was, well a mess in its organization. It was always assumed that in the beginning it was separated by division, but now-a-days the shinigami ate wherever they wanted. So she sat down with Renji, their eleventh division friends, a few from the fourth, thirteenth, tenth and fifth. Tatsuki was also at the table because she wasn't going back until noon that day.
Rukia had to admit the place was a mess, but it was way more fun then eating at the Kuchiki manor. Of course this was a new habit that had grown with in the last few years, though she did eat with her Nii-sama and Renji at the estate twice a week. A lot of the other, more down to earth (so to speak), taichou liked to eat with their ranks. Especially Zaraki-taichou.
"So, Kuchiki, I heard you're going back to normal duties today." He started and she nodded with a smile. "So can you tell Ichigo that he should come and figh--"
"Hey! What makes you think I going to see Ichigo! I have a job to do!" She said fiercely narrowing he eyes. Zaraki looked at her and let out a huge deep menacing laugh, within seconds everyone that had heard what she said was in hysterics. Rukia was ready to knock skulls.
"Kami-san! That's great!" Renji bellowed and he wiped away a tear with his finger. "Yeah, sure, that and Hitsugaya eats breakfast in Hinamori's quarters to talk about wage raises and politics!" He added, and sent the table back into in hysterics. Of course that was about the time that Rukia took out her zanpakutou and began beating Renji's face into his bowl with her hilt.
"See that's what you get for messing with a girl's feelings." Tatsuki said, pointing her chopsticks at him. Renji looked up at her.
"Didn't your mother ever tell you it's rude to point with your chopsticks." He said just before Tatsuki's fist met the back of his head and back into the bowl he went.
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Rukia had convinced herself she was not going to run directly to Ichigo, no matter how tempting that seems. That would prove everyone right. And they were WRONG! That's right she had a job to do! She had Hollows to destroy and souls to send!
The only problem she was having was that she couldn't find any Hollows, and she had only encountered two souls to send. Not only did she have nothing to do, but everyone's become so strong she could just stand on any roof and sense all of her friend's reiatsu. And of course the Kurosaki's as a whole gave of the biggest. She looked in their direction; the wind blew towards them in an almost suggestive way.
"Damn it! Stupid wind." She cursed at the southward gusts as she went north to a little park.
It was a small park, she didn't go there with Ichigo much, but she had sent a few souls there before she met him. It was square in shape and had a sandbox in the middle, with little slides and things around it. A sidewalk outlined the park, and then benches were spread out on the sidewalk. Just as she landed on one of the benches her phone beeped.
"Hollow." She spoke under her breath as she unsheathed her zanpakutou. She only had to wait a minute before she felt the Hollow approach from the east. It's white horned mask almost glowed under the street light, it ran on eight legs. It rushed towards her in full speed. She bent her knees in preparation to jump; she was waiting for it to reach the sand box.
But the Hollow never reached the sandbox. It was there a moment, then a bright flash, then it was in pieces then gone. She froze. She knew exactly what happened, another shinigami got to the Hollow first. And there they were, the other shinigami, standing in the corner of her eye. She refused to look, she wasn't really sure why but she was almost on the verge of tears.
"Rukia" they said, though not in a questioning way, nor addressing. More like she was being beckoned.
"Okay, that it!" she yelled as she charged him. She ran like a black blur of fury as she smacked into her victim, knocking him right off his feet, and flat on his back. "Ichigo, are you trying to put me on permanent desk duty?!"
"No, what does that have to do with me?" Ichigo said with a cough as he grabbed her around the waist to anchor her there.
"This is all your fault, idiot! Because Nii-sama thought I was spending too much time with you and not enough time working, so he got them to put me on desk duty!" she yelled
"Well that's because your brother is a stiff-ass, and doesn't want you to have any fun." He responded coolly.
"He is not! …all the time. Anyway I was trying to avoid you, and you're here trying to get me, aren't you!" She fumed.
"No offence Rukia, but you're on top of me, and I didn't put you there." He said with a chuckle, but his cool exterior would soon be ruined. Rukia tried to move only to find his arms around her. She narrowed her eyes at him as she started wiggling to escape his grip. This of courses lead to blushing, and for some reason he started blushing too. This of course led to ridicule.
"Gees Ichigo, don't get a nose bleed." She taunted him in a suggestive voice, as she drew little imaginary swirlies on his slightly visible chest. Needless to saw she was blushing too.
"Shut up, you jumped me!" He argued back.
"Yeah, well you deserved it!" she said with a glare.
"Pervert." He added.
"You can't call me that!!!!!" she yelled
"Why not." He said with a smirk.
"Because I'm a girl!" she said quickly. That remark was followed by a long steam of laughter. Though she hated being laugh at, Rukia actually sort of enjoyed the feeling of him laughing while lying on his chest, it was surprisingly fun. But he slowly came to a stop
"What about Chizuru?" he said as he raised an eyebrow. Rukia shuttered.
"Okay, you have a point." She admitted as her response slowed. She soon gave out a sigh and rested her head on his chest.
"You okay?" He asked as he let one hand move to mingle in her hair.
"You're making me sleepy, and you're stopping me from doing my job." She said.
"And we're in the middle of a public park, so what's the problem?" he said nonchalant. This received him a fist to the chest. "Ow." He added
"You're doing my job for me!" she said lifting up her head.
"Well then that way you don't have to worry." He replied softly as he put her head back down on his chest with protective tenderness.
"You're not going to leave me any Hollows are you?" she said in realization.
"Nope." He said with a smile.
"You--" but she was cut off by her phone sounding off another Hollow, and the two of them dashing out into the darkness of the night.