As you can tell, I have decided to continue on with this story. I'd like to thank all my reviewers who have provided very encouraging feedback!
Urahara dusted off his trusty, worn out green hat before placing it on his messy blonde hair. (He was in desperate need of a new one.)
"When do you think they well be arriving through your Senkaimon Kisuke?"
Urahara looked down at the seemingly normal black cat that approached him. Except of course, it was no ordinary animal. In reality it was none other than Shihoin Yoruichi!
"Should be right about now my friend," Kisuke said as he brought out a hand fan from his pant pocket. Because although the training grounds underneath his little shop was rather magnificent in size and terrain, it was still awfully stuffy and hot. Not really something you can easily have an air conditioner fix, unless you wanted a gigantic electric bill to go along with it. Not even Byakuya's fancy silk scarf would be able to cover the expense for too long. That's if he even ever offered it to the shopkeeper. Which the chances of that ever happening being virtually slim to none.
Sure enough, a minute later, the Senkaimon within the underground training facility opened up, and the unit carrying Ginjo's body exited the Dangai. The entryway between Soul Society and the World of the Living.
Renji walked ahead of his unit with the body in the casket being carried by a couple of unknown low ranked members within Division 6. Followed by another dozen or so members guarding the casket as if something was going to magically jump out of the Dangai and take the dead body.
"I'm more than sure Yamamoto-tiacho informed you of our expected arrival," Renji told Kisuke.
Yoruichi, who was still in cat form, jumped up from Kisuke's shoulder onto Renji's. She curved her black tail around the heavily tattooed man's neck and purred. "Don't be so uptight. We obviously know. Otherwise we wouldn't have been waiting in this spot for your arrival. Leave it to us to plan the burial and ceremony for today."
Renji could feel his face turning a slight red color in embarrassment. Yoruichi tended to have that affect on him. He just couldn't get used to a talking cat. Especially one with a manly voice that sounded nothing like her usual voice when she was in human form.
"A-Alright well then I leave it t-to you guys. Take care," Renji sputtered out quickly. He cursed inwardly before snapping his fingers to motion his unit to gently place the casket on the ground.
"Oh and Renji?" Yoruichi purred out.
The Lieutenant slowly and hesitantly turned around to face the black cat. Her creepy yellow cat eyes glared at him. "Yea?"
"Tell Byakyua-bo I said hi," she said teasingly.
Renji bowed to the cat-woman before him. "Will do Yoruichi-sama."
Urahara chuckled and covered his smile beneath his flowery fan. That guy was just a funny as Ichigo sometimes. What an idiot for listening to Yoruichi.
XXXXxxxxXXXX
Ichigo crinkled his nose in annoyance. Something kept tickling his face and it was bothering him. He didn't feel like waking up for school just yet, even though the sun was starting to shine in through his window.
The tickling sensation continued. He slapped his face to get rid of the troublesome thing that was bothering his rest. "Damn it! Why can't I get some sleep for once old man!"
That is, until he realized it wasn't his annoying father trying to get him up. And he wasn't in his room back in the Human World. Ichigo looked at his right hand. He had mercilessly squished a black hell butterfly that was just doing its job in trying to relay a message. Its little legged twitched slightly before becoming completely motionless. He wiped his hand off on Renji's bed sheets, hoping Renji wouldn't notice later on when he came back from the Human World.
"Shit!" Ichigo's eyes grew wide. "No I forgot! The meeting with Yamamoto-san is suppose to be right now. I'm betting that dumb Hell butterfly was going to remind me," he yelled out loud in realization.
He frantically pulled on his robe, fixed his ruffled orange hair the best he could, grabbed his Zanpaktou, and kicked the door open to shunpo out towards the First Division meeting hall.
Genryusai Yamamoto sighed in annoyance. The stupid ryoka boy was late for the meeting. Sasakibe, his lieutenant, looked toward his superior.
"Shall I go and fetch him sir?"
"No need to. He is already here."
Within a second of mentioning that, Ichigo burst through the doors huffing and puffing.
"I'm sorry! I slept in and didn't realize it! My sincere apologies gramps," Ichigo said inbetween breaths.
Sasakibe looked towards the orange-haired shinigami angrily. Had he no respect for the Captain Commander's rank and name? If he could, he would have made the boy get on his knees and properly apologize.
"It doesn't matter now as we cannot go back in time. Let's get down to unfinished business from the day before."
Ichigo nodded. Encouraging him to continue on talking as he had his full undivided attention this time.
"The conditions I have of you is quite simple. If we ever encounter another war, and we are in need of your assistance, I ask that you come at once to help with the situation not matter what it is."
"My powers are meant to protect. And while I mainly gained them to protect those I cared about early on in the beginning, I have also realized that there is more that needs protection. That includes Soul Society, so I will be happy to accept this condition."
Yamamoto raised his eyebrows slightly in surprise. He smiled underneath his long facial hair. Though the boy was quite brash and disrespectful at times, he showed another much more likeable character when he was needed to act serious. He coughed before continuing.
"As for the request, or so called favor. I ask that within the month, you arrange your matters in the human world."
Ichigo titled his head slightly and squinted his eyes in confusion. "Why?"
"Because with the restoration of your new powers, I ask that you come and live in Soul Society and earn your rank as a real officer here."
Sasakibe fell off his chair in shock at the Captain Commander's request. He just wondered how the substitue was going to take it. More than likely, it wasn't going to be pretty.
Ichigo stood silent as his brain clicked and registered the request. He would have to give up his human life, his family, and his friends to serve this old man and the rest of Soul Society. Hell to the no!
"No," he said in a whisper.
"I did not ask if you agreed to it or not. If I recall, you were willing to do anything to allow Ginjo, a mere shinigami representative, a proper burial. Isn't that right Kurosaki?"
"But why would you need me here? You have all the current captain spots filled with very capable people." Ichigo could feel the anger bubbling up inside. He was ready to fight the Captain Commander out of pure frustration.
"You may have reached a high level of power in a short period of time, but you lack the training to hone those skills to a higher potential. I want you to learn and master kido. I want you to learn and master the art of hand-to-hand combat. There are times when a Zanpakuto cannot help you, and you must learn skills that will help in those bleak and desperate times. It can mean the difference between life and death Kurosaki."
Ichigo gritted his teeth in frustration. He didn't want to leave his family. Yet, there was something inside him that liked the idea of moving to this dimension. When he regained his powers, he realized living a normal human life just wasn't for him. It was just hard to accept that fact earlier. Now it made more sense.
Yamamoto continued on talking. "Yes. I do realize that our Captain and Lieutenant positions are at full capacity. But how long will that last before one of our own falls once more? It takes a long time to find another Captain of such a high caliber. Your job would be to learn from each and every one of the Captains."
"What good will that do? I still don't understand. You mention all of this but I feel like I am missing the point."
Yamamoto sighed. He took a seat behind his desk. "Sasakibe."
"Yes?" His Lieutenant answered.
"Can you go fix some tea please?"
Sasakibe got up from his chair and bowed. "Yes Tiacho. I'll be back soon with the tea."
Ichigo folded his arms. He was tired of the rather long conversation and he was tired of Yamamoto taking so long to get to the point. He did not feel like staying to chat and drink tea like old friends reminiscing of the good old days.
"Gramps just tell me already. I have other matters to attend to," he said defeated. He didn't want to be late with his meeting with Rukia at Sokyoku Hill.
"There are two reasons I want you to do this."
"Go on," Ichigo said impatiently.
"During the Winter War with my encounter with Aizen, I realized that although I have many that fight under my command, I myself am not invincible either, no matter how many centuries of training and fighting I have experienced. Anything can happen."
Sasukibe placed the tea before Ichigo and the Captain commander. He poured each a cup before taking his seat once more by the two with a cup of tea of his own.
"If the Commander falls in battle, what happens Kurosaki?"
Ichigo thought carefully for a moment before answering. "The Commander holds everyone else together. He is the pillar that provides stability to the rest of the squads in his command. If he falls, so does the rest under him."
"Exactly. Everything falls apart. If I die, I cannot have that happen to Soul Society. Otherwise, both this world and the Human world would collapse, and the Spirit King would be jeopardized. So my first reason for having you do this is because I want you to take my position if that was ever the case."
Sasakibe spit out his tea. Ichigo choked on his.
"Why me? Why not have the noble Byakuya or other Captain take your position. I mean Ukitake and Kyoraku learned from you! You were their mentor so I am more than sure they would be suitable!"
Ichigo couldn't help but think the old man went mad. It was ridiculous to have him running the place in the event that he were to die.
"Ukitake is sick right now. He can barely do his own Captain duties as it is Kurosaki. You should surely know that. As for Kyoraku, I know for a fact that that man will outright refuse this position. And yes Byakuya is a noble, but so are the other two as well as myself. In fact. All Captain Commanders are of nobility. They come from highly prestige families."
"But I am not a noble! So that means I am not favored for the position Yamamoto-taicho," Ichigo replied angrily. Him saying honorifics meant that it was really serious. "I thought it was the job of your Lieutenant to take over." He pointed at Sasakibe, who was frantically trying to wipe off the spilt tea from his clothing.
Sasakibe stopped what he was doing and stared at Ichigo. "I am not fitted for the position. My job, as I took, was to serve Yamamto-taicho until death. I made it clear I would serve no other person afterwards, nor would I show my bankai unless needed to protect him."
"That still doesn't answer the fact that I am not a noble. I still won't be able to take the spot because of that."
"This is where reason two comes in Kurosaki Ichigo," The Captain Commander said after taking a sip of lukewarm tea.
Ichigo felt like tearing his own hair out. He was tired of this man.
"I want you to learn about your past. Then and only then will you realize this spot is destined for you. I can assure you that you are of nobility."
Ichigo was stunned. This day was certainly full of shocking news. He could be a part of a noble clan? How?
"What Clan do I belong to then? How do you know I am of nobility and no one else in Soul Society knows this?" he asked earnestly.
Yamamoto set down his tea and stroked his beard. "That is a question to ask your father. After all, he was a former captain before defecting to live in the World of the Living. He is not the only one that knows of it though. Many close to you have kept it a secret."
"So he obviously told you then. Just tell me what he said."
"That is where I cannot provide further information. You see, before your father left, he had me swear to secrecy never to reveal any information of his life here. I can assure you that he has sworn everyone to secrecy, otherwise you would have been informed long ago."
Ichigo stood up from his seat and set down his tea. His hands were shaking.
"This is why I give you a month to get everything in order Kurosaki. It is up to you to find the truth, because either way, you will become the next Captain Commander. I have chosen you because I see you hold potential, even if you do not see it yourself just yet."
Ichigo was at a loss for words. He felt numb. As if this encounter was just some big scary dream he was having.
Yamamoto tapped his staff twice. "You are dismissed!"
Ichigo merely nodded and walked out the door. He still had plenty of time before meeting up with Rukia. Yet, considering he didn't want to talk to anyone at the moment, he decided to head to Sokyoku Hill earlier. Maybe mulling things over in his head would help him stay calm.
If you have any questions about this chapter, feel free to ask. I might just answer them :p