Arthur's Notes: I have gotten a lot of positive reviews about this story and I like the way Naruto is not playing a direct role in the story other then training Ichigo how to fight.
I also got a few complaints about my grammar, just saying sorry about that because I use word it likes to change things.
Chapter 2
The Troubles of a Shinigami
"Ichigo," Naruto says walking into the clearing to see Ichigo looking down at the stone that has sat in the middle of the field that they use to train. "What brings you here today?" Naruto ask moving next to Ichigo.
"Hollows were once real people," Ichigo answers not taking his eyes off the stone, "Actual people that were alive."
"I know," Naruto tells him sadly as he puts a hand on Ichigo's shoulder. "Do you want to talk about?" Naruto offers as Ichigo looks to him his eyes reflecting sadness as he gives a brief nod before sitting back against the stone telling what happened with Orihime's brother. "I see," Naruto says calmly as he walks to the middle of the clearing, "it must have been hard to face someone you knew."
"Yeah," Ichigo relies as he looks towards the sky. "I understand that we save them when we defeat them with our zanpakutou, but I don't like the idea of killing something that used to be human."
"Then don't think of it as that," Naruto tells him as he looks back at Ichigo whose looking up at him. "Think of it as saving the once that got through the cracks."
"Through the cracks," Ichigo questions as he stands up and moving towards Naruto.
"Yeah," Naruto responds as he takes a thinking pose. "They are the ones the real shinigami missed and are now lost," he explains as he holds out his right hand making a long sword with a bone hilt and pink orb at the end of it appear, "You then use your ability to save them and guide them on their way."
"I feel a little better thinking of it that way," Ichigo mutters drawing his oversized sword as he readies himself for battle, "But it doesn't mean I have to like it."
"No one ever said you had too," Naruto tells him as he gestures for Ichigo to attack him. "You just got to be able to do it and save those you can."
"Alright then," Ichigo replies charging with a low a downwards swing that Naruto stops with his long sword easily holding Ichigo back.
Watching from the Tree line
Yoruichi watches Ichigo spar with Naruto, slowly getting stronger and stronger under his guide.
'He's training him to adjust to different battles,' Yoruichi thinks to herself as she watches Ichigo thrown clear across the field where he lands on his feet and raise his blade to barely block Naruto's. 'He's also taught him to predict possible attacks and defend accordingly.' Yoruichi then curls up into a small ball eyes watching the fight.
Several hours later
Ichigo lays on the ground warn out from the sparing he had just been through as he has his head turned slightly to a fully energized Naruto who is drinking a bottle of water.
"Your getting better Ichigo," Naruto says calmly as tosses the bottle to Ichigo, "But your still relying on your mind to much."
"What do you mean by that," Ichigo questions gulping down some of the water as he sits up.
"You think you can win just by talking it out with your opponent," Naruto explains sending his blade away as he walks towards Ichigo. "You need to focus on getting your body just to react and not think about it," Naruto continues as he walks towards the tree line. "Take the rest of the day and tomorrow to get to know your Zanpakutou."
"Alright," Ichigo replies with a large yawn as he moves out of the clearing, but stops before reaching its edge. "Why do you stay here," Ichigo ask as Naruto looks to the carrot top with a sad smile.
"Its because everything I have left is here," Naruto answers weakly looking to the stone. "My friends and family have long since died and turned to dust long ago," He says as he turns to Ichigo, "I am the last that carries their memory and I don't want to loose it by leaving here."
"When my mom died," Ichigo says weakly as he looks to the sky. "I blamed myself, heck I still blame myself for it happening." Ichigo turns to look at Naruto his brown eyes focused and calm, "But even though she's gone I still feel here hear," he points to his heart, "Remembering everything she taught me and moving a bit forward each passing day."
"I have been alone so long," Naruto says as Yoruichi looks to him from the forest, "I don't even know how the world has truly changed since I came here."
"Then head out sometime," Ichigo suggest calmly before smirking, "Get yourself a girlfriend or something."
"Haha, Mr. Dense as a brick," Naruto replies glaring at Ichigo half heartedly. "I believe you said something about Orihime stuttering all the time, then theirs the Shorty shinigami in your closet your hiding from dad."
"Orihime and I are just friends," Ichigo shoots back annoyed as he crosses his arms red faced, "And Rukia is just someone I work with."
"Yeah sure lover boy," Naruto counters turning away as he gives a half hearted wave as he heads into the tree line. "You better get back to the Shorty and Hime before they notice your gone," Naruto says mockingly as he eyes Yoruichi sitting under a tree just outside the clearing.
"Asshole," Ichigo mutters jumping into the air and dashing away towards town.
Yoruichi and Naruto
"So what brings you here Kitten," Naruto ask Yoruichi who jumps on his shoulder.
"You gave him some decent advice," Yoruichi responds ignoring his questions as he heads to the small shed, "But it makes me curious about something."
"And that is," Naruto ask as he glances at the black cat.
"Why do you stay here," She asks as Naruto looks away towards the sky. "Its not like their anything keeping you here." Naruto looks towards her with a sad smile before walking towards another part of the field with Yoruichi turning her gaze to where they are going before going wide eyed as they enter a clearing. "This is…" She mutters as Naruto nods.
"The graves of my comrades," Naruto says looking towards hundred upon hundreds of graves. "All I have left of them are their headstones now though," he adds as he walks forward eyeing several stones as he goes.
'Uzumaki Kushina,' Yoruichi questions as she looks to Naruto as he goes towards a giant flame statue in the far end of the graveyard.
"I am the last to carry the will of fire," Naruto tells Yoruichi as he touches the statue, "and I can't bring myself to leave this place thinking I'd loose what connection I have left."
"It will still be here if you leave," Yoruichi replies as she jumps off his shoulder turning to her human form. "Its not like," She starts as the mist clears around her starts to clear to see Naruto holding out his hoari, "They would want you to remain here," she finishes as she takes the hoari and wraps it around herself.
"I know," Naruto mutters as he looks at Yoruichi seeing her series yellow eyes looking back at him. Sighing Naruto looks away, "Your not going to drop this are you?" he ask as Yoruichi just smirks evilly. "If you can get Orihime and Ichigo together," Naruto shoots as Yoruichi gives him a curious look, "Or the Shorty shinigami, maybe both."
Yoruichi just smirks as she walks away shaking her hips as she moves. "Then it'd be a double date," she tells him before she vanishes in a blur.
'Wonder if I should have told her I have never lost a bet in my life,' Naruto thinks as he turns away with a small grin before leaving the grave site.
With Ichigo
"Hey their Ichigo," a female voice says getting the orange haired teen to stop walking down the side walk and look back to see Yoruichi in a black belly revealing T-shirt and tight denim jeans.
"Um who are you," Ichigo questions as Yoruichi walks up to him with a feral grin on her face.
"Shihouin Yoruichi," Yoruichi tells him running a finger over his chest. "A friend of Uzumaki Naruto," she adds causing Ichigo's eyes to widen. "I need a favor from you."
"And what would you need from me," Ichigo ask as Yoruichi circles like a predator over its prey.
"I need you take either Rukia or Orihime out on a double date," Yoruichi responds calmly as Ichigo just stares at her as she turns away from him. "It's to get Naru-kun out from his little training area," she tells him causing him to hesitate slightly.
"Why don't you just force him," Ichigo ask as Yoruichi looks at him with a mischiviouse grin.
"Because he made the rules and the rule is you got to get dragged along with us," Yoruichi responds calmly as Ichigo starts to twitch.
"Is this some sort of game," Ichigo questions angrily as he clenches his fist, "Playing with people's feelings?"
"Its not you I am trying to get a reaction out of this," Yoruichi counters as she turns to face Ichigo annoyed. "I am trying to get that blond idiot to leave the place more then an hour," She tells Ichigo who looks at her confused.
"You're the one that wants to go out with him," Ichigo points out crossing his arms, "and your using me to get him to come out."
"Sort of," Yoruichi says as Ichigo shakes his head.
"I agree with you on the fact he needs to get out of there for a few hours," Ichigo tells her looking towards the sky, "But I don't want to take advantage of Orihime or Rukia in that way."
"You really are dense aren't you," Yoruichi mutters shaking her head as Ichigo looks at her confused. "I don't think Orihime would mind you ask her out for a small day of fun," she tells him as he gets more confused. "She cares about you dumbass," Yoruichi shouts annoyed at the ignorance of the boy in front of her.
"I guess I could," Ichigo starts before Yoruichi interrupts him.
"Great," She shouts patting him on the back happily as Ichigo just shakes his head.
'What have I gotten myself into now,' Ichigo thinks as Yoruichi gives him a big feral grin.
Next day at School
"Why are we here Yoruichi," Naruto, in his fox form, ask a black cat next to him.
"So we can get you out of the little sanctuary of yours," Yoruichi responds as she sees Ichigo making his way to Orihime. 'The balls in your court Gaki,' she thinks.
Inside school
"Orihime," Ichigo shouts getting the large chested orange haired girls attentions.
"Um Yes Kurosaki-kun," Orihime stutters out in surprise as Ichigo grabs her hand dragging her away from a dark haired girl.
Taking her to a place out of the way Ichigo looks at Orihime breathing slowly. "Orihime," Ichigo starts calmly as the girls brown eyes look at him, "I need your…."
"ICHIGO," a female voice shouts getting their attention as Rukia comes running up. "I need to talk to you," she shouts as Ichigo tries to stop her before dragging him off leaving a confused Orihime.
In a near by tree
"Hollow alert," Naruto says smugly as Yoruichi gives a sigh.
Over the course of a week, Ichigo made seventy eight attempts to ask Orihime out and all of them ruined by either hollows or his idiotic friend Keigo.
"Man this is entertaining," Naruto says as Yoruichi twitches at another failed attempt to ask Orihime out due to Keigo flying out of no where to talk to Ichigo.
"Shut up fox," Yoruichi mutters as she lowers her head.
"Should I have told you I never lost a bet in my life," Naruto tells himself as Yoruichi twitches more annoyed then anything. "But I give you points for trying," He tells her as he turns away.
"Where you going," Yoruichi ask as she eyes him, "We still got a lot of light."
"I got something to do tomorrow and I won't be able to watch the show Kitten," Naruto replies as she jumps out of the tree.
'Something you got to do tomorrow,' Yoruichi questions looking to where he was.
The next day
Naruto sits in front of a tombstone looking at the name of Kurosaki Masaki with sad eyes. "I failed to protect you," Naruto mutters looking down at the ground. "One of my own family," he says weakly before his head shoots up to see the Kurosaki Family approaching minus Ichigo.
"Its such a beautiful day," a light brown haired one says somewhat sadly.
"Yeah," a black haired man with a five o'clock shadow mutters wearing a suit, "She's smiling down on us today."
"Hmmm," a dark haired girl hums as she spots Naruto.
"What is it Karin," the light haired girl ask as she spots the fox sitting in front of her mothers grave. "KAWII," the girl shouts as she dash at the Naruto.
'Shit,' Naruto thinks taking off towards the trees. 'Don't need to become someone's squeeze toy,' he thinks glancing back
"Yuzu," Karin mutters walking up to the pouting girl, "Leave it alone."
In the woods
"So why did you come here Fox," Yoruichi's voice asks as Naruto glances up at a limb.
"That is none of your concern Yoruichi," Naruto responds as he walks into the woods deeper, before stopping.
"You feel it too," Yoruichi ask as she looks to a hill near by.
'Its him,' Naruto mentally shouts jumping into the woods leaving Yoruichi to follow behind him.
"Naruto," Yoruichi shouts as they come back to the graveyard to find Ichigo fighting a large hollow with lots of hair. "A grand Fisher," Yoruichi comments as she hears a growl from the fox next to here, "Naruto…."
"ITS HIM," Naruto shouts as Ichigo leads the fisher into the forest away from his sisters. "I'LL KILL HIM," Naruto says again as his blond fur becomes crimson and several more tails appear before taking off after the fisher.
IN clearing
"ICHIGO," Rukia shouts as she watches Ichigo get stabbed by the fisher's nails.
"Foolish Shinigami," The fisher says as it holds Ichigo in place, "A blade dulled by anger could never defeat me."
Ichigo can only look into the eyes of the Fisher as a voice rings out. "Calm yourself Ichigo," the voice of the old man instructs as Ichigo holds back the fisher's nails with his sword. "You won't beat this hollow without my help," the old man in forms Ichigo.
'Then please old man,' Ichigo thinks as he tries to force back the fisher, 'Lend me your strength.'
"I am Zangestu, Ichigo," the old man says calmly as Ichigo's eyes go wide as he glances at the man.
"Zangestu," Ichigo mutters as the old man smiles.
"Yes Ichigo," Zangestu replies calmly as he stands behind Ichigo placing a hand on the teens shoulder. "Now force this hollow back and call out my name…."
"AAAAHHHH," Ichigo shouts as he pushes the fisher back with a powerful push before jumping back as he raises his blade in the air.
'Ichigo,' Rukia, Naruto, and Yoruichi think as Ichigo's zanpakutou starts to shine.
"ZANGESTU," Ichigo shouts at the top of his lungs as he brings the blade down cleaving the earth towards the hollow.
"What was that," The fisher mutters missing half its body to the release as dust cloud around Ichigo slowly starts to descend.
Sidelines
"Ichigo," Rukia mutters as she goes wide eyed at Ichigo's zanpakotou's new appearance. 'He activated Shikai….'
"Way to go Ichigo," Naruto says calmly giving a foxy smile as his anger dissipates.
"You knew he would awaken his Zanpatokou's true form," Yoruichi questions as Naruto glances over at her.
"Nope," Naruto replies calmly, "But I did know he'd need the right trigger to do it though."
With Ichigo
"Zangestu," Ichigo questions as he raises the cleaver like blade eye level. "Is this your…." He starts to ask before Zangestu interrupts him.
'Yes Ichigo,' Zangestu tells him as he sends power into Ichigo to slow the bleeding, 'but for now you have something to finish.'
"Your right Zangestu," Ichigo mutters glaring at the fisher as he raise Zangestu into the air. "You will pay for what you've done fisher," Ichigo shouts as he grabs the hilt of Zangestu with hands and swinging down, "I'll make sure of that."
Several Minutes later
"You idiot," Rukia mutters as Ichigo lies in her lap as she heals him, "You never could do anything small could you."
With Naruto and Yoruichi
"He has taken to much after you," Yoruichi says calmly as she and Naruto look at the giant gash in the earth that once held the grand fisher.
"Maybe," Naruto says in agreement before turning away from the scene of Rukia and Ichigo, "But I only guided him to this result nothing more."
"I guess so," Yoruichi responds as she walks along side him.
"Hey Yoruichi," Naruto says calmly getting the felines attention. "Would like to get something to eat with me tonight," he asks causing Yoruichi to go wide eyed. "Could be pretty lonely eating by ones self," he adds as Yoruichi just smirks.
"Sure," Yoruichi responds as both begin to speed up. "No ramen though," she tells him as he fakes being hurt.
"I'm hurt you'd think I'd suggest Ramen," Naruto tells her in a pleading look.