Hey all! Just to warn you all now, so you're not freaking out, this is where Ishida really starts going OOC. It's actually part of the story! Please don't freak out too badly! Remember, he's trying to find himself a life among whole other people, and he's playing with being strong. Really really strong. He has to find who he is all over again.

Anyway, please enjoy this chapter!

Disclaimer- Not me! I only wish!

Chapter 4

He woke early, eating then changing. The uniform was of course a hakama and haori, but they were white with red trim and stripes in some places. After putting the outfit on and looking at himself, he decided he liked it.

He looked at the clock. It was only nine. He sat and sighed, looking out of the window for a while, letting time pass him by as he thought about the others.

Inoue would be in school now. She was probably broken up. He sighed. Even in death he was causing her trouble. He looked back over at the clock, surprised to find it was fifteen till and headed out.

There were two other students staying there. One, a girl with long, medium brown hair and bright green eyes and a young man, white skinned with dark eyes and hair.

"Are you new?" the girl smiled up at him and he nodded, smiling at her. "I'm Ishida Uryuu. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Ishida? Why does that name sound familiar?"

"Does the name Kurosaki Ichigo sound familiar?" The girl nodded. "You're in his group! The quin,,cy..."

"Not anymore." Ishida smiled at her and she nodded.

"I'm Aerith." Ishida nodded. The young man leaning cooly against the wall looked over at him, his eyes narrowed as if he were bored. "I'm Sai." Ishida nodded. "It's a pleasure to meet you." He smiled and turned as Kira walked in. "You're all here. Let's go!" He smiled and they three followed.

They were at the building shortly after.

"I'll be your teacher for the first class. Kidou." Kira looked at them all, obviously happy to be away from the squad's paperwork that he always seemed to be submerged in.

Ishida took to the kidou quickly. By the end of the day Kira knew he'd been outdone.

"Try this one." Kira tried throwing out harder kidou and was honestly surprised when Ishida pulled off everything that was thrown at him. After three hours Kira took him aside, telling the other two to keep practicing a technique that Ishida had already done. "I'm going to lend this to you." He handed over a book and Ishida looked down, his eyes wide with anticipation. "A book of kidou?"

"Let me know when you've mastered everything in that book. People have graduated being able to do less than you've done and it's your first day. I'm impressed." Ishida smiled. Kira turned to the other two and smiled. "Alright! Class is over! We're going to lunch then on to swordsmanship."

They went to a small clearing in the woods and ate. Ishida was surprised at the onigiri. The rice was sweeter than he thought it would be, but it was good. He looked down at the nigiri, taking a bite.

Barbecued eel. It was better than he'd thought it would be. The food here seemed to be really good. Kira smiled at him and shook his head. "It's not what you're thinking." Ishida's eyes looked at him curiously, as he didn't want to talk with food in his mouth. "It's not the food, it's you. You didn't notice before because you were too busy, but it's your senses. That's how the shinigami have the ability to do so much. The split movements you've had problems with before. A shinigami's senses are a little higher. Take off your glasses." Ishida reached up, removing his glasses.

"You haven't even noticed, have you? You've had your glasses low, and you've been looking over them at people. You haven't needed them." Ishida looked down at the glasses, surprised. He looked around, for the first time since he could remember, seeing everything clearly with his own eyes.

He just sat there for a moment, looking around. The clouds here were so beautiful...

"You're looking more like Ukitake-taicho." Kira smiled and Ishida swallowed, grinning. "This is amazing! I can't believe things here. It's so..."

Kira was surprised when he laughed. Ishida was oddly happy.

Something in it was unsettling. Ishida didn't laugh. "Arigatou, Kira-san."

"Are you alright, Ishida?"

"Yes, it's just, It's so amazing." Ishida looked at Kira, the look on his face was gleefully dark.

After lunch they went back to the academy and Kira looked over the papers. "Your next class, your final class of the day, actually, is swordsmanship. Your teacher is... Kempachi-Taicho."

Ishida stilled, chills running down his spine. "Kempachi?"

"Yes, please try and survive." Kira sighed. Aerith ran up, looking Ishida in the eyes. "You know Kempachi-Taicho?"

"I do. We're about to die." Ishida frowned as he followed Kira. Aerith giggled before realizing the cold tone in the man's face.

"Oh, you were being serious, weren't you?" Ishida turned to her and nodded. "He's a machine. Kempachi's strong, I don't think he feels pain, or if he does it's not a bad thing. He's not the one you want to go up against."

They reached the arena shortly after and Kempachi grinned. "Ishida-kun! What are you doing here?"

"I'm in this class." Kempachi frowned. "I always knew Ichigo would get someone killed. Let's see where you are." Ishida froze.

"Seriously?" Kempachi nodded. "I know you're students, I won't kill you unless you really need it." He grinned and Ishida walked out, standing before Kempachi.

"Don't worry, Uryuu!" He looked down at the zampactoh in his hand before unsheathing.

"This is Kempachi. I can't take this lightly."

"I know of him! We can beat him!" Ishida frowned. "What?"

"Have some faith in yourself!" He sighed and looked up, surprised to see Kempachi staring at him. "Are you talking to yourself?"

"No, Ai." He held out the handle of the sword, showing Kempachi. "You're actively talking to your sword?"

"Yes. It's rude not to respond when someone's talking to you." Kempachi shrugged.

He ran forwards, pulling his own zampactoh from the sheath, tearing a gouge in the ground beside him. Ishida was able to shunpo out of the way quickly. "Kaze no Ai, Bure."

He felt the warmth of her reach up his arm, encasing him and he felt the skin on his other arm burn, as well as the skin on his lips. He pursed them, biting down as he reached up, grabbing the thread.

The first arrow tore past Kempachi, his eyes widening as he turned. Ishida showered him with arrows.

The third one was able to get him, skinning his right ear.

Ishida sat down, his bow in his lap. "Fight over." Kempachi looked at him, his eyes wide before he started tearing towards him.

Kempachi was about halfway to him when he slowed, his eyes wide. "Oh, wow..." He landed on his ass, staring at Ishida. Ishida smiled, bowing. "I'm sorry, I' don't really know how to fight with a sword, this zampactoh's abilities are the biggest help to me right now."

"It's shiny out here..." Ishida sighed, looking over at Kira who just stared. "He'll be back in about five minutes. I guess it gets worse the closer it is." Kira nodded, eyes wide.

Ishida looked forwards, a lot less surprised to be in the woods this time. "You know, there is another form, another shikai." Ishida looked at her with a smile. "Really?"

She stepped forwards, a grin on her face. "Yes, there is. You can call me out of the sword. I'll be beside you, your arms, your eyes..." Her hand reached out, cupping his cheek and Ishida blushed terribly. "Each zampactoh has something that makes it stronger, better, mine is lust. Lust of life, lust of battle. If you show your passion for your fights, I'll help you." He nodded.

"How? How can I call you to me like that?"

"Kiss me, Uryuu." She smiled and Ishida opened his eyes, looking at the monstrous Kempachi stand before him.

Ishida knew the spell was wearing off and stood, looking at the bow on his hand. He pulled it up, kissing the top and he heard her laugh.

Ishida turned, Ai standing beside him, her eyes trained on him. "Fight, Uryuu! Fight him with passion!" Ishida nodded, turning to Kempachi.

Instead of a bow on his hand, he was surprised to find a sword again, this one glowing with a light blue, the shape of it was more of a kitana than the original form. It was solid, the runes now only along the hilt. He looked at it and was surprised when Ai's hands reached for his, bringing them together.

Her chest pressed against his back caused him to falter and she grinned, biting his ear playfully. "I can see into your heart. I know what you want. I know you, Uryuu. You love the fighting. You love life. You can live, but you need to be able to kill."

"That's never been a problem." Ishida grinned, his eyes shooting towards Kempachi who grinned back at him. Her hands separated, his along with them, pulling out a second sword, a small dagger. Ishida watched amazed as she flung the dagger, the power more than the bows. It flew across the arena, shattering the wall behind Kempachi. "This form doesn't have the same side affect as the bows. It causes those caught in it's wind to fall into despair. We all have our passions, we all have our loves, but what if they were all taken away?" She looked at Ishida who smiled at her. "I don't think I'll use that very often. It's unfair to take away the parts of the soul like that. Your right, I have my passion. It's not my place to take it from someone else."

"Spoken like a true warrior." She kissed down his neck and he felt the power in the sword before him shift, grow. He looked down, seeing the sword glowing brighter and grinned, looking forwards. "Are we ready?" He spoke softly and Ai reached around, holding his chest. "Indeed."

He ran forwards, swinging the sword at Kempachi, who grinned, stepping out of the way. Ishida turned, his sword following around behind him and caught Kempachi in the side, slicing through. Kempachi stepped back, eyes wide. "You hit me!" He looked down, surprised his skin could be cut by the young man. Ishida stood, holding the sword before him and licked the blood from it. Ai's voice could be heard, moaning at the contact and Ishida ran forwards again, grabbing Kempachi by the shoulder. He jumped, landing on the other shinigami's shoulder, his sword falling into place as he jumped down behind him. "Kempachi-Taicho?"

"You're good." Kempachi grinned at him, eyes wide. "Sometime, when we're not in school, let's continue this."

"I'd love to." Ishida grinned, softly running his hand over the blade before it changed back. He sheathed the sword and walked to the side lines.

Kempachi looked over at the other two, staring ahead in disbelief. "Next." Kempachi grinned.

By the end of the day Aerith was about to quit and Sai was in the care of the fourth squad.

"How did you do that?" she looked up at him, her eyes watering, holding her bandaged hand. "I hit him. I hit him and hit him and I never got a cut! How did you do so much damage to him?!" She cried and Ishida smiled at her.

"Because I already knew I could defeat him."

"How could you know something like that?"

"Ai grants me courage and strength. I probably didn't really know at first that I could beat him, but I knew I had the upper hand with my bow." He smiled and she nodded. "I don't think I'm really cut out for this."

"You have to try. It's not easy, I may have just become a shinigami, but I've been training for battle, to have no fear of death or loss since I was a child. I'm more used to these conditions." He smiled at her and she nodded. "I just have to try harder. Alright, thank you, Ishida." She smiled up at him and he looked down at her, nodding.

"I'm going to sleep. You may want to sleep early tonight as well, seeing as Sai's not going to be attending, we're going to have more one on one time with Kempachi tomorrow.

"In that case, maybe we should practice?" She looked over and Ishida stilled, turning to her. "Are you sure?"

"You're kinder than him. I know you'll try not to really hurt me." Ishida nodded.

They met Kira in his office. "Kira-san, Is there somewhere we can spar? I don't want to damage the dorm." Kira looked at him and nodded. "The third squad arena. It's about half a mile that way." Kira pointed randomly and Ishida nodded. "Thank you."

"Wait, I'll come with you." He put down his pen and sighed, standing. "It's better to have someone watching over you." Ishida nodded, agreeing. "Alright."

"Let's go!" Aerith grinned and Kira looked at her, surprised. "You're really cheerful, aren't you?"

"Ishida's cheered me up." She smiled and Kira nodded, looking over at the raven haired young man. Kira nodded as they headed out the door.

They reached the arena shortly after and Kira sat on the side, watching as Ishida and Aerith started into battle.

They fought lightly, neither really wanting to hurt the other, each learning a little more intricacy with the lack of pressure in the battle.

They slept well that night.

The next day Ishida woke early and ate, returning to the room he changed and sighed. It was only eight. He looked out the window. He really didn't want to wait again today, letting his mind spiral him into the depths of hell.

Well, you know.

He stood and turned, leaving.

He was about at the Senkai gate when he heard an alarm go off. "All squads, there is a Menos Grand approaching the Senkai gate! Please dispatch!" Ishida turned, looking around, seeing it coming in from the woods. Ishida frowned, looking at it. They were a bit away from the city, it would take others a while to get here...

"Ai, Bure!" He hadn't even realized he hadn't used the whole name. The sword wrapped around his arm. He grinned, feeling the pull of the thread as his fingers made their way over. He jumped up, catching the Menos by surprise and shot an arrow directly into it's chest.

The thing looked at him and it's hand swung out, Ishida reached up, unthinkingly biting the tip of the bow, eliciting a moaning yell from it. He looked down in surprise, barely avoiding the next hit and he felt Ai's fingers erupt from his own. "Oh, Uryuu!" She breathed heavy, her eyes heavy lidded. He grinned at her and jumped forwards, sticking the edge of the now sword into the eye of the mask. He reached his hands together, pulling out a dagger and threw it in the eye of the Menos, jumping back.

The dagger exploded, the mask coming off in chunks around him. He looked up with wide eyes as Ai came down, wrapping her arms around him. "Uryuu, do that again!" She gasped and he leaned forwards, his head on her shoulder. He bit her at the crook of her neck and she reached up, entangling her fingers in her hair. "The others will be here soon." He looked up at her and she frowned. "Can't we go somewhere and be alone?"

"Not right now." He chuckled at her and she frowned, pouting. "Use the bite to hold you over?"

"I've been waiting for so long..." She looked at him, her eyes shining and he shook his head, cupping her cheek. "I'm sorry." She sighed and nodded, sucking back into the sword.

By the time she was gone it was back to the normal zampactoh. He sheathed it as Byakuya arrived.

"Ishida?" His eyes narrowed and Ishida turned to him. "Ohayo, Byakuya-sama." He bowed and realized.

"Gomen, Byakuya-taicho."

"You're a shinigami?"

"Yes." Ishida stood, looking at the man before him. "I always knew Ichigo would get someone killed."

I hope you enjoyed! Please read and review!

3

JaNe!

jasminflower69