2: Troubled

"Damn it, Shinji! You almost lopped off my arm! What the hell is your problem?"

"Ne, Ichigo. Isn't it time we got some rest? We've been going at this for nearly 8 hours now. You may carry on if you choose to, but I want catch the 9pm thriller."

"What the hell? You're abandoning me for television?"

"Ichigo..."

"No! Come at me again!"

"Ugh. Forget it. There's something stressing you out right now, and it's not a lack of training. Go home, Ichigo. We'll continue this next week."

Combing his hand through his straight blond hair, Shinji disappeared up the staircase from the training battle grounds, leaving one spiky-haired male standing there by himself, disbelief in his features.

Grunting with annoyance, Ichigo stuck his sword nearly a quarter meter into the ground, sending dust swirling about his feet. Heading towards the mini onsen a couple yards away, he untied his obi and shed the sticky clothing. He slipped into the pool of cool, clear water and leaned back, his eyes gazing at the mock sky above him and sighed.

Shinji had hit the nail right on its head though, he was too troubled to concentrate on the fights. More than thrice now, he had suffered a bloodied slash from his opponent's fierce attacks. He'd managed to roll out of harm's way in time before a follow-up blow, but it had cost him valuable energy and had sealed up some optimal chances for striking his foe. His anger and frustration must have shown, for Shinji had seemingly become more disinterested in the fight after the first few close calls.

Ichigo ran water through his hair, trying to wash out as much dried blood as possible. His Vaizard training, coupled with the fact that Soul Society seemed to require his help on an alarming basis, had taken a serious toll on his relationship with his family and school grades.

What the hell were the captains doing? Weren't they supposed to be astoundingly powerful, ass-kicking honour graduates? Why couldn't the boss of bosses, head kingpin Yamamoto simply raze the enemies' HQ to the ground just like he did the Sokyoku?

Karin and Yuzu were growing up so fast, they hardly even needed their brother anymore. It was as though the Kurosaki family had moved on with their lives, and he'd missed the train, all while he'd been busy saving strangers' asses left and right.

In school... his rank had fallen to the bottom quarter, even dunce Keigo was ahead of him! Not to mention that his frequent absenteeism, his degrading smarts and vibrant orange hair had made him a hit amongst girls thinking him a rebel. Popularity was nice, but not when it tried to kiss you or drag you to ridiculous dances.

Speaking of which, there was the winter prom coming up in 3 months time... Ichigo groaned. He would have to find a new place to hide after fan-girls had tore through the last one. Maybe... Here? It was secure, after all.

The training grounds was disturbingly similar to where Urahara had once trained him when he had first lost his Shinigami powers to Byakuya, where the grinning bastard had almost gotten him killed with an impromptu Hollow transformation. Maybe Shinji had commissioned him to set it up? Sandal-Hat did seem to attract eccentric people, such as one annoyingly liberal woman-cat-man.

He surveyed the barren landscape, the place where he had fought against death for survival...the memory of the soul-chain parasites popped into his mind's eye, and he shivered. That had been plain terrifying. Damn Byakuya for making him undergo that. He was lucky Ichigo didn't have enough money to sue for PTSD.

And... For taking Rukia, his own sister, away to the executioner's blade. It was a good thing he had redeemed himself by protecting her from Gin, that fox-faced asshat, else Ichigo would have probably torn his wounds open again.

But after the Aizen crisis, Poker-face had once again exerted his "I'm your older brother" iron-fisted control over Rukia, by banning, BANNING, her from leaving Soul Society. And of all things, claimed it was because she needed to undergo etiquette classes. As if flower vases were going to save her from the damned Espada!

Though... If he knew her well enough, which he did, he figured she could probably protect herself by flinging the sharp ends of stalks like a rain of deadly blades at her enemies.

The very thought of it made him grin. It was a genuine smile that actually reached his eyes, not the patronizing ones he'd been using recently to brush off girls. Ichigo plunged his head into the water, feeling a rush of tiny bubbles tickle the sides of his face.

Rukia... What are you doing now?

"Damn it! How dare Renji mock me about my lacking a Bankai? I was locked up away in the Tower of Repentance, for criss' sake!"

Rukia paced about the room, grumbling and muttering angrily to herself, her feet wearing a patch in the tatami mat. She pondered over several delightful thoughts on how to get him into more trouble... Stealing his Soul Slayer? Leaving strands of red-hair outside the women's open-air onsen? No, those were all too trivial. She wanted something stronger... Something that would leave him sulking on more than a dirty cloth and sake-stained clothes.

And that's when it hit her.

"Of course! Why didn't I think of that from the very beginning? Renji managed to do it, why can't I? And I'll make sure that I achieve my Bankai in a shorter time. "

The longer she considered the idea, the more perfect it seemed. Except...

"How do I go about doing it anyway? Definitely NOT Renji. But... Byakuya Nii-sama would probably refuse to teach me, since he knows that I would rather choose training over classes anytime. I can't trust any of the other captains to not rat me out to him. It's a pity that Ukitake-Taichou has taken ill again..."

Rukia knew that Shihouin Youichi had taken Ichigo under her wing for Bankai training but after the recent battles, she had disappeared along with Urahara on one of their Epic-let's-train-around-the-world adventures again. And if the teacher's gone, that would leave the student...

Kurosaki Ichigo.

She felt a smile warm her face. The last time she had seen him, he had become absurdly powerful. And if he could achieve Tensa Zangetsu in only 2 days, he would be the best teacher of them all. Surely he could spare out a few days to help her.

Clapping once, she announced loudly to no one, her voice full of pride. "That's it. I've decided. 6th Gotei Squad Fukutaichou, Abarai Renji, you'd had best watch out! I'm going to shock you silly." She grinned to herself.

"Now, all I need is a plan to sneak out of Soul society for a few days..."

"Lady Kuchiki, Sensei was just looking for you. It's about the simulated training session she mentioned in the last lesson.."

"Ah. Ok, I'll be right there! Thanks!"

And that, Rukia thought to herself, smiling, was the best thing she had heard all day.

The upcoming reunion! The Strawberry and The Midget clash! Hang on to your seats, folks.
Haha.

Faie.

Ps: I've never had the time to watch all the way to Ichigo's training as a Vaizard, so if I've made any mistakes, pls do enlighten me. Thanx.