Disclaimer: I do not own any of Tite Kubo's work. If you see a name you do not recognize it is an OC.

Chapter 3

"I would like to send a few Soul Reapers to the world of the living to find out what this Valentine's Day is about." Head Captain Yamamoto said at the captains meeting several days later.

Shunsui raised his hand. Seeing it Yamamoto nodded, giving Shunsui the go ahead to continue. Shunsui lowered his hand, "Do you want any particular Soul Reaper to go or just random?"

Yamamoto sat in silence, contemplating what Shunsui just asked. Finally after several minutes he spoke. "I do have one particular Soul Reaper in mind, but I will let you decide who else will go with her."

"How many do you want to go?" This time it was squad ten's captain Toshiro Hitsugaya who spoke.

Yamamoto looked at him, "Are you volunteering?"

Toshiro nodded, "Yes, I am because I know Rangiku will want to go."

Yamamoto sighed, "I only want ten at the most. You need to more." Yamamoto stood, "Think about who you want to send and report back to me in three days, captains dismissed." Yamamoto left the room, leaving the other captains to think over what he just ordered.

"Two more, I wonder who they should be." Shunsui speculated.

Toshiro looked at him, "Not you."

Shunsui dropped his arm and looked at him funny, "Why not me?"

Ukitake and the others laughed, "I think he has a point." Ukitake said as he scratched his cheek. "You would hit on all the girls." he chuckled.

Komamura at that moment swiveled his ears. Everyone noticed and quieted down. "What do you hear?" Ukitake asked as Soi-Fon got up and headed in the direction Komamura's ears indicted.

Komamura smiled as they heard children squealing. Soi-Fon returned, carrying the two intruders, Harumi and Ayame. Placing them down in the middle of the room, she placed her hands on her hips, "Why were you eavesdropping on a captains meeting?" she demanded.

Shunsui smiled, remembering when Lisa, his first lieutenant, would do the same thing. Harumi and Ayame crosed their arms and glared up at Soi-Fon. "We weren't dropping eaves on the captains meeting." Harumi said as she turned her head away in a pout.

Soi-Fon sighed and pressed her fingers to her temples in annoyance as the other captains broke out laughing. Soi-Fon wondered who they took after. She didn't remember Yuizoran or Shuhei acting like Harumi and Ayame do.

"You know, she has a point. Shusui said as he leaned back and shoved his hat up. Watching Harumi and Ayame run up to Komamura he continued, "Ever since Yuizoran retired from captain, we haven't had this much fun."

Ukitake nodded as Komamura scopped the two girls up, "I think Harumi will end up like her mother while Ayame will be like Shuhei." he said as he placed his chin in his hand.

Shinji leaned back against the wall, "I have always wondered, Komamura," Komamura turned to look at him as Harumi and Ayame dug their fingers into his fur around his neck, "Why is it Harumi and Ayame aren't afraid of you?"

Komamura looked up towards the ceiling then looking back at Shinji shrugged his shoulders, "I'm not sure. When they were just babies they weren't even afraid of me then."

Rose stood up, clearing his throat. Everyone turned to look at him, "I think..." he started to say but was cut off by Ayame.

"Oh, oh, Komamura-sama, guess what." Ayame said as her eyes sparkled.

Removing her from his shoulder Komamura looked at her sternly, "Hasn't your mother and father told you not to interrupt someone when they are speaking?" Knowing this was true because he had heard them telling them several times.

Ayame looked down and said quietly, "Yes."

Komamura turned her to face Rose, "Then what should you do?"

"I'm sorry Rose, for interrupting you." Ayame said as she rubbed her fingers together.

Rose walked over and laying his hand on her head smiled, "It's all right, Ayame. Go on and tell us your news, it sounds more important than mine."

Ayame brightened instantly, "We're going on a trip!" she said as she raised her arms above her head and smiling.

Rose stood up and chuckling said, "So your new was more important than mine."

Shunsui spoke up, "Who were you thinking about sending, Rose?"

Rose turned back to the others, "I had thought about sending Kedera and Soi-Fon. But Soi-Fon won't work."

"What about Hanatora?" Unohana asked gently. The other captains turned to look at her. Before she continued, Komamura interrupted.

"Sorry, but I think I'll take these two out." Komamura said as he took Harumi off his shoulder and held her hand.

"You do that." Kensei said. Turning back to the others as they left, he asked, "So who all do we send?"

"I think Hanatora and Renji." Unohana turned to Byakuya, "Unless you have some objection to Renji going."

Byakuya shook his head, he knew if he objected Unohana would just persuade him to let Renji go. Kurotsuchi slapped his hands together, causing everyone to look at him, "Now that is decided, I'm going back to my research."

0000000

"Mother, what do we need to pack?" Chisaki asked as she stood in front of her closet, hands on her hips.

Yuizoran smiled as she walked by with a stack of Harumi's and Ayame's clothes. Stopping in front of Chisaki's door she said, "You need to pack a few changes of clothes. We will be gone for a week." Yuizoran turned back down the hallway walking to her and Shuhei's room.

Looking through her closet, Chisaki chose a few colorful kimonos and placed them in a bag. Zipping it shut she walked out of her room as Yuzuki got back from school. As Yuzuki headed for her room, she asked Yuizoran, "When are we leaving?"

Yuizoran poked her head out of Harumi's and Ayame's room, "We leave when your father gets home." she walked out of the room with another stack of clothes, "The other Soul Reapers will join us when the captains decide on who to send." she said as she walked down the hall. Stopping she turned back to Yuzuki and asked, ""How was school?"

Yuzuki reached for a card that was sticking out of her book. "It was okay, here's the report card." Yuzuki extended the card out to Yuizoran who took it and looked at it.

Smiling she looked at Yuzuki, "It looks as if your teachers have nothing but praise for you."

Yuzuki blushed, "It's nothing." turning to the stairs she said, "I'll go pack now." with that Yuzuki walked up the stairs to gather her clothes.

0000000

As they left the Senkai Mon, Kisuke walked up and giving Yuizoran a hug said, "It's been awhile since you have graced our home with your presence!"

Shuhei grabbed Kisuke by his neck and pulling him away glared at him, "That's my wife you're hugging!"

Kisuke smiled up at Shuhei, "I'm sorry did you want a hug too?"

Shuhei let Kisuke go as he crossed his arms, "No, I just don't like how you greet Yuizoran."

Just then they heard a voice from the door, "So you finally made it."

Looking over everyone saw Ichigo leaning against the doorpost with his dad, Isshin. Seeing him standing there, Ayame asked, "Is he the human that stole Rukia's powers, sent her to her death and then saved her at the last minute?"

Ichigo pointed at her and asked Yuizoran in shock, "Where did she hear that?"

Yuizoran smiled, "They are teaching about it in school." but then Yuizoran got a questioningly look on her face, "But Yuzuki should be the only one that knows that." she turned to the twins, "how do you know that?"

Harumi stared up at Ichigo, causing chills to run down his spine. "Kedera took us on tour of the academy and they were teaching that on the day we went."

Yuizoran slapped her forehead, "I guess I need to talk to Kedera."

Isshin picked up the girl's bags and said, "Let's go girls and boys."

As they walked down the sidewalk towards the house that the Soul Society had purchased next to Ichigo's house, Harumi and Ayame grabbed Ichigo's hands surprising him. "What are you two doing?" Ichigo asked as he looked at the two girls.

Harumi and Ayame looked up at Ichigo in awe, "We just wanted to hold your hand since you're in history and all."

Ichigo asked as he continued walking, "Why don't you hold your mother's hand then? Isn't she in the history books also?"

Yuzuki spoke up from beside Chisaki, "To them you are a hero figure straight from history. Our mother is in the history books yes but to them she is just our mother."

"Oh, well then what about everyone else that was there when Yuizoran transformed?" Ichigo asked.

"We see them every day. We don't get to see you." Harumi said matter-of-factly.

"Oh great. Now I've become a celebrity in the Soul Society." Ichigo mumbled as his expression changed to a glum look.

"Don't worry about." Yuizoran said in his ear, surprising Ichigo. He turned to look at her, but she wasn't beside him. Looking over his shoulder he saw her walking beside Shuhei. Seeing him looking at her, Yuizoran waved. Ichigo frowned before turning back to look in the direction he was walking.

Ayame tugged his hand at that moment. Looking down, Ichigo asked exasperated, "What?

Harumi and Ayame asked excitedly at the same time, "Can we ride piggyback?!" Ichigo stopped walking to look at them in shock. "Pleeease?" they begged.

Ichigo looked at them for a little bit longer before saying, "I guess, we aren't to far from the house now."

Ichigo bent down, letting Harumi and Ayame climb on. Standing back up he started walking again. At that moment Harumi poked him and asked, "Is this your real body or is it just a gigai?"

Annoyed Ichigo growled out, "It is my real body."

"Oh," Harumi said disappointed, "I was hoping this was your gigai."

Ichigo looked at her out of the corner of his eye, "Well, if we see any hollows I'll come see you in Soul Reaper mode, how's that?"

"We would love that." Ayame said excitedly from his other shoulder.

Eventually Ichigo noticed they had gotten quiet. Shuhei walked up and reaching over removed the sleeping Harumi from his shoulder. Ichigo maneuvered Ayame so he could hold her up front. Isshin finally asked the question that had been on his mind the whole time they had been walking, "How can you tell the two of them apart?"
Yuizoran chuckled as she placed over fingers to her lips. Looking over at Shuhei she asked, "Do you want to tell them?"

Sighing, Shuhei said, "Harumi has a left golden eye while Ayame has a right golden eye. That is the only way to tell them apart."

Yuizoran ran turned to Ichigo and asked, "So Ichigo how is college working out?"

"Oh, it's not to bad. It could be a little more fun." Ichigo said as he looked up towards the setting sun.

"Him and Orihime are going to get married and take over the family business like I knew he would." Isshin rubbed his tear filled eyes. "He's such a good boy."

"Shut up old man. If I wasn't holding Ayame, I would kick you." Ichigo growled.

"Ah, here we are." Isshin said as he stopped in front of a house. Taking the bags into the house he placed them down and said, "Make yourself at home. Yuzu will bring dinner over for you." he waved as he walked to his house, leaving Ichigo standing there in shock.

Later after Yuzu brought dinner over and they had eaten, Ichigo asked, "So who all is going to be coming?"

Yuizoran sighed as she rolled her eyes, "Well, Rangiku is, so that means Toshiro. We aren't to positive about the other two. Why?"

"Just wondering." Ichigo said as he stood up, "Well, I'll see you after school tomorrow." he waved as he walked back home.

As he climbed into bed, he heard a faint hum of a guitar. Looking out his window he saw Yuizoran and Shuhei playing together and smiling.

0000000

Yamamoto sighed deeply as he slid into the hot springs. His lieutenant looked over at him concerned, "What is it Captain?"

"Finally some peace and quiet for at least a week." Yamamoto said as he laid his arms over the side of the tub.