Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach
Authors Note:
I have done some editing to this chapter and to Chapter 2. After all, I want my story to flow very nicely. I have received reviews stating nothing but positive comments and to those who actually took the time to write me reviews, I very much appreciate. After all, it tells me what my fellow readers think of my story so far. I would appreciate it you would take the time to write me a review, so I can continue to improve my story. Remember, I accept all forms of criticisms. Have fun reading this chapter. Read well!
Chapter 3 – First time seeing the other
She knew that it was a dream, but as always it seemed more like a memory, a very clear memory. She knew that it was a dream, since she was unable to even see who the person that she seemed to love, clearly. She had also been dreaming of the same mysterious man for several months now. He was blurry enough to hide any specific details which for some reason included his hair, yet she could make out his tall and strong, athletic body.
If they were simply dreams and nothing more, she would have liked it to have stopped. If it was a vision of something to happen, she would at least like to know the identity of the man she supposedly loved. Or if she couldn't learn the identity of the man, then at the very least she would like some sort of detail that would help her determine the identity of the man. She did know a few things about him and could make out some details about him. He was taller than her, had brown eyes, had a strong and muscular body, and his skin color was light colored.
She opened the sliding doors, letting the bright spring light fill the room with its warm light and the smell of the cherry blossoms. The warm light illuminated the man whom she loved. To her, he only looked more handsome with his Soul Reaper uniform. He asked her what seemed like a silly question, but she knew that even after being together for quite a while, he couldn't believe that they were together. She knew that he sometimes believed that their relationship was too good to be true, and she would agree.
"My name …" she said, "My name is Yoruichi Shihōin."
She looked into his eyes as she said her name and saw only his love for her. She knew that today was an important day for both of them, almost as important as the other ceremony that would happen a few months after this one. She looked at the several cherry trees that filled the yard with their petals, the two ponds full of koi fish, the well kept grass and the other details that made the scenery beautiful. She never got tired of looking at the scenery and she was once again glad that their cabin had such beautiful scenery. She was surprised when he suddenly appeared standing next to her, even though he didn't use flash step. Even after she regained her speed and talents that she had as the Flash Master, and even after managing to surpass her old self, he was still faster than her.
Out of the corner of her eye she saw that he was looking at her, not the beautiful scenery that surrounded their cabin, which she was looking at. She turned towards him and was about to say something, when he placed his hands on her shoulders, and gently turned her so that she was facing him and kissed her. They both knew that if it was anything very fierce and passionate then they would be late, which wouldn't be good since it was a big ceremony. Their kiss was very simple, merely a simple kiss, but then again they loved it. They didn't need their fierce and passionate kisses that would have literally caused them to burst into flames to show that they loved each other very much, although they very much enjoyed them, and would have preferred it.
Feeling the touch of their lips touching was always pure ecstasy to both of them, but they both preferred not just their lips touching, but their bodies touching, skin to skin. Knowing that what she was going to do would probably make them late or make the night that they will have all the more pleasurable, she moved her tongue into his mouth and tapped on his tongue before pulling it back into her mouth. She opened her eyes because she wanted to see his reaction to her tease. Not one to refuse a challenge, he then moved his tongue after hers. When she felt his tongue touch her tongue she quickly, but gently bit down on his tongue enough so that he couldn't move, but that it would tease him. She saw him open his eyes, and then watched as his eyes met hers.
She expected that he would say that she had won because of the closing timeframe for the ceremony, but he wasn't ready to lose just yet. With his hands on her shoulders he gently started to massage them, which caused her to make a soft moan and slowly moved them down her back. Surprised at his reaction, she knew that they both were quickly approaching the point of no return in their teasing of the other, but she wasn't about to lose what she started. She slowly started to suck on his tongue very erotically, and pulled it into her mouth little at a time. His eyes widened very quickly, since this was something new she did. He quickly countered by quickly dropping his hands to around her lovely waist, resting his hands on her back, barely above her ass, which caused her to softly moan again.
She quickly ran out of tongue since his lips were touching hers, knowing that anything else would push them past the point of no return, she stopped. Surprisingly after he got his tongue, back he kissed her on the cheek and whispered into her ear
"Now why didn't you do something like that last night?" She quickly blushed and turned even as darker shade of red when he replied with "Now I am going to have to punish you, for not only teasing me, but from not using something like that during last night."
"Come on Yoruichi. Let's get going. We should have maybe twenty minutes till the ceremony starts. It shouldn't take us even one minute to get there. That is if you are ready Flash Master Yoruichi?" he replied teasingly.
"Of course I am ready. Are you ready, then?" she asked.
He replied with "For you? Always."
They quickly disappeared with a loud swish. They were both side by side, tied as they were on their way, but she knew that they both weren't even trying. Even if she were at full speed, if he wanted to, he could easily outrun her. They would be arriving at the courtyard of Squad 1, which was the largest courtyard in the Seireitei since its Captain was the Head Captain. Just before they appeared in the middle of the courtyard, Yoruichi looked back at the man who she loved. He was much younger than her, being more than a century older than him.
If you went by his age alone, you would call him a boy who was almost going to be a man. But if you looked at everything else that he had accomplished, you knew why he was called a man. Many of the things that he accomplished would have been labeled as impossible except for the strongest soul reapers. Even more so when you considered his strength at the time before he accomplished it. There were also many qualities about him that first attracted him to her. As time passed she only grew to love him more and more. His loyalty, strength, determination and willingness to protect people was nearly unbreakable. When it came to his friends and especially his loved ones, he was more than willingly to risk his life over and over again, and he would continue to fight on until he won. He would grow stronger, it didn't matter what type of power he had to gain in order to protect his loved ones.
She knew that when it came to her, he was more than passionate about loving her. He loved her with everything fiber of his being. He promised her that he would protect her from anything and everything that would hurt her in any way. Before he gained the strength that he now possesses, she was strong, one of the strongest people he knew. Even though he was now one of the most powerful Soul Reapers, he knew that she still strong, she was now stronger than she had previously been over a century ago.
While he would never be even half as strong as him, she was more than capable of protecting herself, but after losing the first, most important woman in his life, he wasn't going to let it happen as second time. He wanted to protect her, always and so he continued to train and grow stronger, even though he was one of the strongest people she knew.
Their relationship was always growing stronger as the days passed. When they realized that they were dreaming about the other and how their dreams, which they realized where actually visions of what was to come in the future, they knew it only confirmed what they felt ever since they truly saw face to face.
With a loud swish they appeared in Squad 1's courtyard. It was a large courtyard, there were several medium sized ponds filled with many koi fish, several large cherry trees which were blooming, offering many places of shade from the sun and the green, well-kept grass swayed in the wind. They both knew that were more than several minutes early since there were only three captains who were talking and their lieutenants, who were simply waiting. They figured that they would wait for the rest of their friends and comrades to show up for the ceremony.
The three captains were two men and a single female. The women had a youthful appearance with a large braid of black hair that was worn in the front. Her zanpakutō, which was attached to a large string, was slung over her shoulder. The first man was taller than the women and had long, white hair that almost reached his waist and it was somewhat parted in the front so that tended to fall over his right eye. He carried his zanpakutō underneath his sash on his left side. The other man was also tall, but he had long wavy brown hair and wore a straw hat. Unlike the other captains two he wore a flowered ladies kimono over his captain's haori. Also unlike his other two fellow captains, his zanpakutō were two separate swords that he wore also on his left hip.
Not wanting to bother them, Yoruichi and the man she loved went to a well shaded spot under a small group of cherry trees. Yoruichi leaned against the tree trunk and laid her zanpakutō next to her while the man also placed both his zanpakutō next to her zanpakutō and sat next to her. He then placed his head on her lap and looked into her eyes. Yoruichi's golden eyes met the brown eyes of the man whose head she lovingly stroked. They simply stayed where they were just looking into the others eyes to convey their feelings until they both heard a familiar male voice say out loud "Nice to see that you both are doing well."
Picking his head from Yoruichi's lap, the man she loved got up and grabbed both his zanpakutō and quickly slid them under his sash. He then turned around and gave Yoruichi his hand and helped her up and she then slid her zanpakutō behind her back. Sliding his hand around her waist, he pulled her next to him as though to protect her. Yoruichi looked at the source of the voice who was a man.
Approaching them was the man who just spoke out to them and he was holding a woman with his arm around her waist very close to him, and she looked similar to Yoruichi.
"Hi mom. Hi dad. What are you doing here?" replied Yoruichi excitedly.
Still holding Yoruichi next to him, the man said respectably "Hello to you too, Takeshi Shihōin and Megumi Shihōin. It's nice to see both of you."
Takeshi was light skinned, had golden eyes and he appeared to going into his middle years since his red hair was somewhat streaked with grey. He was just as tall as the man holding Yoruichi. He was also wearing a simple kimono which consisted of a black kosode and grey hakama. Megumi looked similar to Yoruichi in many ways. The most obvious one was how her body figure was exactly like Yoruichi's in that it was very sexy and they both had the same facial features. Her skin was much darker than the Takeshi's, but lighter than Yoruichi's. Her hair color was dark blue, it was in a ponytail like Yoruichi and was waist length. She wore a lovely kimono that was light blue and it had white lotus flowers embroidered on it. And like her husband, she showed signs that showed that she was nearing the beginning of her middle years, but she was still beautiful.
Yoruichi's parents stopped in front of her and her man, who was still holding her. Slipping out of her man's grasp, Yoruichi walked to her parents and hugged each of them happily. With Megumi holding Yoruichi arm's length away, she smiled a fabulous smile showing perfect, white teeth like Yoruichi.
Still holding Yoruichi arm's length away, Megumi replied with "What are we doing here? Why we are here to for the ceremony, after all. It is a big event after all. And besides, this is important to you so we would come."
Looking past Yoruichi, Megumi saw that the man was simply standing in the same spot, watching the family having their little reunion. She smiled and upon letting go of Yoruichi and walked towards him.
"What's the matter my dear, are you lonely? Do you need some company?" she said teasingly. The man let out a loud sign while Yoruichi turned around and nearly shouted "Mother! How many times to I have to tell you? He's mine. And only I can tease him." Megumi then tried to put her arms around the man's neck as though she was going to do something else, but he merely stepped out of her reach. Yoruichi quickly returned to her man's side where he immediately placed his arm around her waist again. Megumi returned to her husband's side, who slid his arm around her waist.
"So tell me young man, are you ready for the ceremony?" asked Takeshi.
"Of course." replied the man with his usual determination.
"So Yoruichi, do you still plan go through with the ceremony occurring in a few months after this one?" asked Takeshi who looked at Yoruichi.
"Of course, father! I love him and that is all that matters to me." Yoruichi replied quickly. "Why do you keep asking the same question over and over again? Do you not like him? Do you not approve of him? Hasn't he done more for the Soul Society than most captain class Soul Reapers have ever done? I love him! Isn't that enough for you? Do you not trust me to make my own decisions? I am after all, the head of the Shihōin clan." Yoruichi was almost in tears as she finished.
"Takeshi, now look at what you have done. You've made our daughter cry and before the ceremony even starts." scolded Megumi.
Takeshi realized that he made the question sound more like an interrogation and he sighed out loud.
Always hating whenever she cried, the brown eyed man who loved her gently moved her head so that it was laying on his shoulder and pulled her closer and tighter to him. He was going to comfort her when Megumi spoke before him.
"Yoruichi dear, your father –" as she spoke the word, she glared at her husband for making their daughter cry on such an important day and before the ceremony even began " – doesn't hate it or disapprove of him it's just that he simply wants what best for you and –"
"Like your mother said Yoruichi, I most certainly don't hate him. And while I don't disapprove, I don't fully approve of him. Although, you may have been pardoned from the crimes that you were accused of more than a century ago, you suddenly leaving damaged the Shihōin clan status as one of the four noble families. And while he is no longer a mere Substitute Soul Reaper, he isn't of any noble status. It's just that he may as well as be a commoner. And as such, all commoners come from the Rukon District and it is against the law to allow someone from the Rukon District into a noble family and it will further tarnish our family name. " Taking a deep breath since he had talked practically without taking a breath, he resumed. "My point is that if he were a noble, it would prevent further tarnish to our family name and perhaps even repair the damage that has be affiliated with our name from your disappearance. If he were of nobility, it would be a step in showing that the Shihōin clan does follow the laws of the Soul Society and help restore our family name."
"So basically Yoruichi, I don't hate him, I would lean more to approving him and if he were of nobility, it might help repair our family name. After all, as one of the four great noble families we must set an example to all of the Soul Society. Other than what I said, I have no quarrel with him." finished Takeshi.
Sighing out loud, the man Yoruichi loved knew that only if he was of nobility that everything would go a lot easier for them. He understood what was happening and why, but he hated it. He didn't like some of the laws of the Soul Society, and even though he managed to have some modified, it was very difficult. However, there were some laws that only the Spirit King could change and others were far too traditional to even considered being changed. Yoruichi's parents started talked among each them about the other important family matters, while Yoruichi was still crying on his shoulder. He placed a hand gently on her head and gently began to stroke it. Several minutes passed by and many Soul Reapers appeared in the courtyard, but all of them left them alone. He glanced down at Yoruichi and was about to comfort her again when he glanced up since he sensed that two Soul Reaper captains were arriving.
Yoruichi also sensed that the two captains were coming, and while normally she wouldn't have cared, but she sensed who one of the captains was and she wanted to make a good impression. Sliding out of the man's grasp, she quickly dried her eyes and asked the man she loved "Do I look all right?"
He replied with "You always look beautiful, no matter what you wear." He leaned forward and whispered in to her ear "Of course, you are goddess when you wear nothing." Hearing the statement, made Yoruichi turn very red and she had to look at the ground so that the people who were around wouldn't see her blushing. Yoruichi and the man looked at the spot where the two captains would arrive.
With a loud swish, the two captains appeared. The first captain was a man, but he was a bit eccentric both in his appearance, which looked skeletal, and his character. He had black and white makeup on, and since he was smiling like a maniac it revealed his golden teeth. He wore a large purple scarf and golden and round ear attachments and his zanpakutō was sheathed directly in front of him. The other captain was also a man, but his old appearance didn't reveal exactly how old he was. He had a very long, white beard and long white eyebrows, and his eyes were closed. His face showed the signs of scars and in his right hand he held a wooden staff.
"Hello Head Captain. Captain Mayuri." said the man next to Yoruichi.
The Head Captain was about to speak when Captain Mayuri interrupted him, since he was practically shaking with excitement.
"Unbelievable. It seems almost too good to be true, and yet the proof is literally standing right in front of me. I would love to get some samples and figure out –"
"Captain Mayuri!" said the Head Captain, banging his wooden cane on the ground to emphasis his statement, instantly silencing him. He looked out and saw that there were a decent number of people showing up.
Yoruichi asked "Head Captain Yamamoto. Is there a problem?"
Looking at Yoruichi, he replied with "There is no problem Yoruichi, however there is a matter that Captain Mayuri has discovered, which has come to light and must be dealt with." He took a deep breath and asked out loud "Can I have everyone's attention?"
Being the Head Captain, no one was going ignored him. Thanking everybody, he then said "While I thank everyone for coming, there is a matter that has arisen and it must be dealt with. Unfortunately, the ceremony is going to have to be temporary postponed."
As expected, cries of anger, outrage and other such outbursts arose from the crowd. The Captains who were currently present, looked at the Head Captain in confusion, but otherwise remained silent, except for Captain Mayuri who despite being silenced by the Head Captain was still shaking with excitement.
Head Captain Yamamoto knew that it would happen and replied loudly which "The ceremony hasn't been cancelled. It merely is temporary postponed. Now everybody, please return to your duties, until the time the ceremony will begin. Thank you."
Grumbling, many of the Soul Reapers walked away, going to their barracks or to wherever they belonged. Yoruichi glanced at the Head Captain. She couldn't believe at what happened. She and her man had waited for many months for this to happen and now it was suddenly postponed because of some problem. She wanted to know what problem would demanded that a ceremony of this magnitude to be postponed.
She walked to the Head Captain and nearly shouted, "Head Captain, what is this problem that demands that the ceremony must be postponed. What could be so bad as to stop the ceremony from beginning?"
"Calm down Yoruichi. Like I said before, it is no problem. In fact, what Captain Mayuri had discovered will in fact make many things easier for you. " replied the Head Captain Yamamoto who opened his eyes upon finishing his sentence.
Yoruichi looked at the man she loved, who walked next to her and gently placed his arm around her waist while she was talking. He then asked the question that Yoruichi wanted to know.
"What exactly has Mayuri discovered Head Captain. If it isn't bad, then what could it be that would concern with postponing the ceremony?" asked the man.
Chuckling, which is something that he almost never did, Head Captain Yamamoto looked directly at the man. He then replied with "What Captain Mayuri had discovered is actually something amazing that concerns you Captain Ichigo."
Somewhere in Karakura Town in a warm house, a female woke up. She tried to remember her dream that just happened and any details that might help her figure out the identity of the man. Although she didn't know, like someone else, her dreams were teasing her. She did manage to remember a few details about the man. She knew that he was taller than her, had brown eyes, had a strong and muscular body, and his skin color was light colored. Most importantly to her, she knew that he loved her with everything he had and would do anything to keep her safe and happy.
It was just like when he tried to save Rukia, but when Rukia's brother dropped the piece of his blade that he held, he knew deep down that he was powerless against him. Unlike before, he lay on his back with Mr. Hat and Clogs pointing his walking cane down at Ichigo's face. He didn't know why, but he felt an invisible blade almost like a zanpakutō, instead of a cane pointing at him. And like with Rukia's brother who easily defeated him, Mr. Hat and Clogs was far more powerful than him and Ichigo remembered what happened what amazingly happened only a few hours ago.
Ichigo was laying on his stomach, bleeding on the cold concrete in the rain. His zanpakutō lay broken next to him with most of the blade broken off by the very man who stabbed him. Only an hour ago Rukia had suddenly left, saying in a letter that she needed to leave and that they should try to keep a low profile. Kon made him realize that she would only leave if something bad happened with her and the Soul Society and so he transformed into a Soul Reaper to try and help her. In the end however, he would be useless.
He had arrived to find Uryū, bleeding from several cuts, about to be killed by a Soul Reaper with red long haired and black tribal tattoos, which partially showed on his head and somewhat on the sides of his neck. Rukia was also present but she was bleeding from a single cut on her check and other than looking scared, she appeared fine. From the way the red haired Soul Reaper spoke to Rukia, they obviously knew each other and Ichigo learned that the Soul Reaper was called Renji. There was also another Soul Reaper, but Rukia called him brother and unlike Renji he was calm. He wore a whitehaori, a white scarf and had intricate white headpieces on top and to the right on his head and he carried a zanpakutō on his left hip. When Ichigo was suddenly about to be defeated by Renji, a sudden and huge power boost happened to him, giving him the strength and speed to beat him.
Before he could deliver the final blow, most of his blade disappeared. Confused, Ichigo saw that Rukia's brother held the missing blade of his zanpakutō, but he was several feet away. He then seemed to instantly appear behind Ichigo, who felt his as though body pierced twice by a sword, but it happened so fast that he couldn't tell if he was stabbed from the front or the back. Rukia managed to save him again by telling her brother that it was unless to deliver the final blow since Ichigo would die soon enough from the injuries that he had just received. Rukia's brother apparently agreed since he said that even if Ichigo were to survive his attack he would be powerless. He apparently destroyed Ichigo's soul chain and soul sleep, all his power as a Soul Reaper and spiritual powers were lost. Unable to speak or even move, Ichigo could only watch as they disappeared, leaving him to die.
Ichigo was on a bed in Mr. Hats and Clogs home. He learned that both Kisuke and Tessai, one of Kisuke's employees at the Urahara Shop, had saved him from dying and bandaged him. Apparently Kisuke let Ichigo try to save Rukia to get first hand results that he was weak, very weak and would be unable to save Rukia if he stayed weak.
Mr. Hat and Clogs told Ichigo that he would help Ichigo get to the Soul Society to save Rukia, but he needed to regain his power first and afterwards, he would have to grow stronger within the time limit that they had. Ichigo knew that he needed more strength than he currently possessed in order to save Rukia, instead of having Rukia save him like she did just before she was taken away.
While Mr. Hat and Clogs was talking, Ichigo noticed a black cat walked in the room. It was only after Mr. Hat and Clogs finished talking before Ichigo noticed that the cat was staring at him as though it knew him. Looking back at the cat he then noticed that it had golden eyes, he didn't know why but he felt that the cat's golden eyes would become something significant. For some reason as his eyes met the cat's eyes, an understanding occurred. To Ichigo, it was an odd feeling, yet familiar. He brushed it off, since it was a cat after all, but that didn't stop him from looking back into the cat's eyes.
Authors Note:
I am well aware the Ichigo had only has one zanpakutō, Zangetsu. As for why he had two in my story, it will be answered if I write a sequel for this story. If there are any problems with my story, please tell me and I will correct them as soon as possible. Hopefully I corrected all my errors in this chapter.