Chapter 4: The First Wish


Hello everyone!

Once again, I am terribly sorry for the long waits in between each new chapter, but what with the end of the semester, my time has been rather occupied. Hopefully, if my work schedule doesn't change too much during the winter break, I should be able to devote more time to writing for a while until school starts back up in January.

On another note, if you were hoping to see a lemon in this chapter, then you will be disappointed. I know that many of you were very supportive of the idea of a lemon, but after doing some thinking I decided that it is waaaay to soon in Ichigo and Ikumi's relationship for them to start getting down to business. However, since so many people did in fact voice their approval for a lemon, I will go ahead and confirm that there will be some steamy scenes later on in the story. I just want to develop the relationships more.

Thank you for understanding, and I hope you all enjoy!

AlucardsBro OUT!


Something soft tickled his nose.

Scrunching his face up at the sudden sensation, Ichigo slowly opened his eyes, and was promptly greeted by the sight of a head of raven-black hair. A warm body was draped across his left side, and a pair of long and slender arms were wrapped securely around his midsection.

Oh, right…

Last night hadn't been a dream then.

He had made out with Ikumi…

He had confessed his attraction to her…

And he had grabbed several rather generous handfuls of her luscious rear end.

Blushing lightly as the memories of the previous evening returned to him, Ichigo took a brief moment to actually look down and observe their state of dress. His shirt was currently off, but thankfully his jeans were still covering his lower half.

As for Ikumi, he could feel that she had at some point discarded her own sweatpants, meaning she was now only clad in a pair of panties and his old sweatshirt.

Speaking of the ebony-haired woman, she suddenly let out a long breath, which tickled the side of his neck. Watching as his employer slowly awakened, Ichigo couldn't help but once again marvel at how incredibly beautiful she was. However, just as Ikumi let out a yawn, the orange-head finally realized a very important detail.

Desiree was nowhere to be seen…

A nose nuzzled against his collarbone, momentarily bringing his attention back to the woman in his arms.

"Good morning," Ikumi mumbled through a tired smile.

The former Substitute returned her smile with one of his own. "Morning to you too."

"What time is it?" the older woman inquired, reluctantly pulling herself out of the young man's grasp and rolling over to glance at her alarm clock. The sheets fell away from her form, which in turn gave Ichigo a much-appreciated view of her heart-shaped ass.

He definitely had to admit that despite her age, Ikumi had a body that most girls his own age would kill for. Of course, her physical beauty wasn't the only thing he admired about her. That being said, the former Substitute was still a hot-blooded young man, and as such the sight of an absolutely gorgeous woman's derrière was something he could most certainly get used to.

Unfortunately, the view didn't last for long, and his boss let out an unexpected screech before leaping out of the bed.

"It's already ten o'clock?!" she voiced in disbelief, running over to her closet and pulling out the first pair of pants her eyes landed on. "I can't believe we slept so late!"

"What's the big deal?" Ichigo asked, folding his arms behind his head. "It's Sunday, and I know for a fact that you're closed on Sundays."

The older woman's head whipped in his direction, and she offered him a slightly irritated expression. "Kaoru will be home soon! You need to get off your ass and get dressed!"

The orange-head blinked.

Oh…well crap.

Throwing aside the blankets, Ichigo prepared to get up and find his missing shirt. As he did so, Ikumi took a momentary pause in her task and spared a brief glance in his direction.

For someone his age, the orange-head was extremely well-built…

Shaking her head to clear her mind of that particular train of thought, the ebony-haired woman attempted to once again preoccupy herself with getting dressed before Kaoru got back. Her precious little boy already had an obvious dislike for Ichigo, and that would only increase if he were to walk in on the two of them staring a bed while in various states of undress.

Even so, she wasn't about to immediately give up her newfound relationship just because her son disapproved of her choice in partner. She and Ichigo would simply have to keep their activities a secret for the time being.

Speaking of which…

"Ichigo, I feel like we need to make something clear," Ikumi suddenly spoke up, turning to once again face her employee.

The young man in question gave her a curious look as he finished pulling his shirt over his head. "Sure, what's up?"

"It goes without saying that the two of us would get into a considerable amount of trouble if anyone found out about this," she replied a bit nervously, anxious to see how he would accept her terms. "Aside from the fact that I'm considerably older than you, there's also the issue of you being my employee. Such relationships are often frowned upon in the professional world…"

Ichigo's brow furrowed, and Ikumi felt a brief pang of guilt pierce her heart. "Please understand that I'm not ashamed of you in the slightest…it's just…I want to protect both you and myself from how people may react if they found out…"

Before she could continue, the orange-head quickly crossed the room and swept her into his arms. Almost immediately, her worry and anxiety melted away, and she closed her eyes and let out a content sigh as she leaned against his firm chest.

"Don't worry," he assured her, running a hand along her spine. "I understand, and I always intended to keep this a secret from the beginning. I suppose we'll just have to make the best of the time we can spare."

Ikumi nodded, pressing a kiss against his collarbone through the fabric of his shirt. "Thank you." She continued to remain in his arms for a few more moments, before reluctantly extracting herself from his grasp. "As much as I'd like to lounge around with you all day, we really need to clean up before Kaoru gets home."

Ichigo smiled and nodded, but not before reaching around to give her ass one final squeeze.

The older woman chuckled and playfully swatted his chest, before silently watching him move away into the living room. If she had discovered anything about Ichigo during the course of their passion last night, it was that he was particularly fond of her backside. Of course, he had only actually gathered the courage to grope her once she'd given him her full permission; but after she'd done so, he had spent a good amount of time palming her cheeks as they'd made out.

Ikumi bit her lip.

Who knew that her young employee could be so good with his hands?


As he entered the living room, Ichigo finally found the other woman he was looking for.

Desiree was hovering in the air over the couch, facing the blank television screen. Her arms were crossed underneath her breasts, and a slightly irked expression was adorning her face.

"Hey, you feeling alright?" he asked quietly, after making sure Ikumi was occupied elsewhere.

The genie's crimson eyes darted in his direction for only a fraction of a second. "Never better; I'm glad to see that you took my advice and enjoyed yourself last night," she replied curtly.

Ichigo frowned.

Was…was she giving him the cold shoulder?

"What's eating you?" he snorted, a slightly frustrated edge coming to his voice.

"I have no idea what you mean, Little Master," Desiree replied, still refusing to meet his eyes. "I have simply been enjoying some much-needed alone time while being forced to listen to the sounds of unbridled passion echoing from the next room. I am perfectly fine."

"Then why won't you look at me?"

The spectral woman let out an annoyed huff and merely turned to face the opposite wall.

Okay…this was going to get old real fast…

"Desiree, I command you to look at me," he said firmly, watching as the genie's shoulders went completely rigid. He hated pulling out the 'Master' card, but if his ghostly companion was going to ignore him and act like a spoiled child, then he didn't really have much of a choice.

Slowly, the emerald-skinned Spirit turned to face him. Her annoyed expression had been replaced with a look of hesitance, and Ichigo could tell that she was actually afraid that she'd managed to incur his ire.

Letting out a sigh, the orange-head took a step forward into her personal space and looked her directly in the eye. "Now, tell me what is wrong."

Desiree bit her lip. "I…well…that is to say…"

"I'm listening."

Sighing in resignation, the ruby-eyed genie finally met her Master's eye. "I suppose…well…I suppose that witnessing you and your employer locked in a display of utter passion last night has left me somewhat longing for my humanity again. It has been a considerable number of centuries since I was last able to do something as simple as eat a piece of fresh fruit or feel the sand between my toes. And of course, I am somewhat envious of the fact that you are able to partake in the pleasures of the flesh while I am forced to do nothing but listen."

Ichigo reddened, promoting the Spirit to chuckle mischievously.

"So, you just miss being human?" the orange-head asked.

Desiree shrugged slightly. "You might say so; but make no mistake, I am well aware of the fact that my time among the living came to an end long ago. There is no place left among the masses for an ancient relic such as myself anymore…"

Ichigo frowned.

He hadn't ever really given too much thought to Desiree's rather unique circumstances. Everyone in Soul Society, be they normal citizen or a member of the Gotei Thirteen, were still able to do very human activities such as eating and sleeping. Desiree, on the other hand, was unlike any kind of spirit he had ever encountered; her soul did not travel to the Soul Society upon her death, nor did she transform into a Hollow.

She was truly one of a kind…alone in the world with no one like herself with whom to spend her eternity…

"How about this," the former Substitute spoke up, once again drawing his companion's attention, "once we leave, I'll use my first wish to make you human for a full twenty-four hours."

Desiree went deathly still, and her ruby-red eyes slowly widened to such a degree that Ichigo genuinely feared they would pop right out of her head.

"There is no need for you to do that, Little Master…" she whispered quietly. "I would not want you to waste a wish on something as trivial as that."

Ichigo frowned, folding his arms across his chest. "I don't think it's trivial at all; I once spoke with an old friend a few years ago, and he told me something I doubt I'll ever forget. 'Never take the small things in life for granted, otherwise you'll miss them even more once you lose them…'"

Desiree's eyes widened even more, before ectoplasmic moisture began to collect in her eyes, and her lower lip started to quiver against her will. "Little Master…I…"

Unfortunately, whatever she was going to say was cut off when Ikumi finally entered the room, her hair slightly damp and a hand towel hanging loosely over her shoulders. "Who you talking to?" she grinned, turning to Ichigo, while completely oblivious to the presence of the green genie floating barely three feet away.

"Uh…my dad," the orange-head quickly replied. "I thought I'd call him and let him know where I was last night. If I know him like I think I do, he's probably got a damn search party roving over the entire city."

Ikumi laughed, stepping forward and standing on the tips of her toes to plant a quick kiss on the younger man's cheek. "I wouldn't fault him for that…it's a parent's job to be overbearing and protective when it comes to their kids. Trust me, I would know."

Ichigo smiled slightly, resting his chin on the top of his new…err…girlfriend's hair. Should he call her his girlfriend? The older woman was still technically his boss, which made thinking of her as both his significant other and employer a bit weird.

Seemingly sensing the young man's internal distress, Ikumi slowly pulled away and reached up to ruffle his hair. "Don't think too hard on it, okay kid? I'm still your boss, and you'll continue to work for me just like you always have. Now though, I hope I can give you a bit more incentive to come in to work on time." As she said this, the dark-haired woman grinned roguishly and pressed her arms together, which of course had the effect of pushing her breasts forward.

Ichigo blushed slightly, and despite the fact that he'd been quite handsy the previous evening, he coughed awkwardly and looked off to the side. "Y-Yeah…sure…"

Laughing, Ikumi pinched her young partner's cheek before turning and heading into the kitchen. "Good boy. Now, I hate to be like this, but you should probably go ahead and get going. Kaoru will be here any second, and I doubt either of us wants to deal with the questions he'll ask if he sees you here this early."

The former Substitute crumbled and rubbed his cheek. "Yeah, I wouldn't want him to hate me even more."

The older woman paused, her face taking on a very…complicated expression. "He…Kaoru doesn't hate you, you know. It's just…when he was old enough to start asking questions about why all of his classmates had fathers and he didn't, I tried to explain the situation to him as delicately as I possibly could. Let's just say…he has issues trusting adult men now, especially if they're close to me…"

Ichigo's expression softened. "So, he's just trying to look out for his mom?"

Ikumi turned to glance at him over her shoulder. "Yeah…and while I appreciate it and love him for it, that attitude has made putting myself back out there a bit difficult. No man wants to deal a child who actively tries to chase them away."

Desiree chuckled, but of course only Ichigo heard it.

"Piece of advice, Little Master?" the genie offered, folding her arms underneath her bust. "It appears as though if you want to fully capture this woman's heart, then you must be willing to act as understanding towards her child as you can."

The orange-head paled significantly.

Despite Ikumi's insistence that Kaoru didn't hate him with every ounce of his being, Ichigo was inclined to think otherwise. Every time he was at Unagiya Shop and Kaoru was home from school, the little terror would literally go out of his way to make the former Substitute's job even harder…

A missing box here…

A misplaced label there…

One time, he'd even found his shoe stuck in the garbage disposal…

But of course, Desiree was right. While Ichigo knew for a fact that both of his parents loved him with every fiber of their being, Kaoru's father had skipped town right after he'd learned that Ikumi was pregnant.

At least, that's what she'd told him last night…

If he wanted to make this thing between them work in the end, then he needed to somehow get a ten-year-old boy with fatherly abandonment issues to like him…and didn't that sound like a fun adventure?

Letting out a sigh of resignation, Ichigo turned and slowly headed towards the front door. "Alright, I'll get out of your hair for now; just call me if you need anything."

Ikumi snorted. "Ichigo, I've had certain needs that have been left unattended for nearly a decade…are you offering to sate them?"

Desiree howled with laughter as her Master's face was illuminated by an atomic blush.

"You know what I meant!" he barked, ignoring his boss' satisfied smirk as he quickly opened the door and hustled down the stairs to the street. Stuffing his hands in his pockets, the orange-head stalked down the sidewalk towards his house, finding relief in the cool air that assaulted his face.

"My, my…you certainly are a peculiar individual," Desiree tittered in amusement. "Last night, your hands appeared to have a mind of their own as they caressed every inch of your employer's body. Yet now, you are once again as easily flustered as a virgin schoolgirl."

"Shut up," Ichigo growled halfheartedly, his left brow twitching in irritation. "Weren't we going to do something about your problem?"

The genie's amusement quickly melted away into surprise. "I thought you were simply jesting…"

The former Substitute frowned, pausing in his stride to properly face his companion. "You thought I was just teasing you about giving you what you dreamed of? Do you really think so little of me?"

Desiree's eyes widened. "N-No, of course not! I think the world of you, Little Master; it's just…I suppose I thought it too good to be true. Do you truly intend to restore my humanity?"

Ichigo nodded. "For a full day in the very least. Somehow, I doubt our bond would allow anything longer than that, if what you've told me about it is true."

"That is understandable," the green Spirit accepted. "Do you have any time in particular you wish to make this wish?"

"Eager, huh?"

"A little…"

Smiling softly as his companion fidgeted excitedly in midair, Ichigo shrugged. "I guess now is as good a time as any, right?"

Desiree literally squealed.

Clearing his throat, the orange-head looked her directly in the eyes. "Desiree, I wish for you to be returned to human form for approximately twenty-four hours."

Swallowing the lump in her throat, the genie crossed her arms over her breasts and nodded once. "So you have wished it, and so it shall be…"

A column of green smoke engulfed Desiree's form, and Ichigo was forced to cover his face with his arms to block the whipping winds that blew in every direction. Nearby trees shook, as did a few power lines. At least one car further down the street even starting blaring its alarm.

As the winds died down, Ichigo slowly brought his arms away from his face and attempted to peer through the emerald haze. A distinctly humanoid shape was finally outlined in the center of the smoke, and as the final remnants of the genie's magic faded, the orange-head finally caught his first glimpse of Desiree's human form.

And once he did, his mouth fell open.

When he'd first met her, Ichigo was immediately aware that Desiree was easily one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen, right up there with the likes of Yoruichi, Rangiku, and Nelliel. As such, he had never given thought to the idea that she could ever be more beautiful than she had already been in her Spiritual form.

Boy was he ever wrong…

Where her skin had once been a deep emerald hue, it was now an exotic dark brown, reminiscent of someone from the Mediterranean or Middle East. Her hair was still a midnight shade of black, and it fell across her back and shoulders like a cascading waterfall of pure ebony silk. Her eyes, previously ruby-red, were now light green, like pools of liquid gemstones the seemed almost hypnotic.

There was also one more thing that Ichigo realized…she was completely naked.

"W-What the fuck?!" he shrieked.

Desiree simply raised her hands and regarded them curiously, an ecstatic smile stretched across her face. "Ahhh, it has been so long since I have had the pleasure of feeling the wind kiss my skin and tousle my hair." Looking up to thank her Master, the former genie frowned once she noticed his abhorred expression. "What troubles you, Ichigo?"

"What do you think?!" he asked, slapping a hand over his eyes. "You're completely goddamn naked!"

The ebony-skinned woman looked down at herself, as if just realizing this fact. "Hmm, so I am. My garments as a Spirit were purely ectoplasmic manifestations of the attire was familiar with wearing when I was still alive…I suppose that once my magic disappeared, they did as well."

A mischievous gleam suddenly flashed through Desiree's eyes, and she hefted her large breasts up in her palms. "My word, it has certainly been quite some time since I have felt the effect these have on my back. They're so firm…so heavy…wouldn't you say, Little Master?"

Ichigo whimpered.

The dark-haired woman grinned predatorily, and attempted to take a step forward. However, after centuries of becoming accustomed to floating around wherever she pleased, she was unprepared when her sense of balance was sent completely out of commission. Letting out a cry of surprise, her knees buckled, and she toppled towards the concrete.

Fortunately for her, she was scooped into a pair of strong arms before she could hit the ground.

"Are you okay?" Ichigo asked, concern filling his tone.

Desiree flushed slightly, rather impressed with the way her Master had managed to overcome his embarrassment in favor of rushing to her aid. "Y-Yes…I am well, but it has been quite some time since I have had to support my own weight. I doubt I will be able to walk confidently for a while."

Kneeling into a crouch, Ichigo gently set his companion on the ground before taking off his jacket and draping it around her torso. After doing so, he picked her up once again and began walking down the street. "That's fine, but we seriously need to get you some clothes."

"I am content with wearing this," the former genie offered, picking at the sleeve of the orange-head's jacket.

Ichigo scowled. "I'm not…I don't want some pervert trying to catch an eyeful."

Desiree felt her heart thud at the unexpected possessiveness that filled the former Substitute's tone. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she rested her head against his shoulder and allowed him to carry her to whatever destination he had in mind.

"As you say, Little Master…"


After a few minutes if walking down the back alleys and side streets of Karakura Town, Ichigo and Desiree finally arrived at the clothing store the orange-head had been heading towards.

From what Ichigo understood, REVOCS was currently the rave concerning all things fashion, and almost all of the girls from his school possessed at least a few articles of clothing from the well-known store. Hell, even Karin had a pair of jeans from this place, and she hated the mere thought of being associated with anything remotely girly.

Pushing through the front door of the moderately-sized shop, the former Substitute quickly carried his ebony companion back towards the dressing rooms. Thankfully finding one that was unoccupied, he set her down on the bench inside. "Wait here," he instructed, "I'm gonna try and find someone who can help us."

"Very well, but please do not take too long," Desiree conceded.

Nodding once, Ichigo closed the dressing room door and walked back out into the main area of the store. Rows upon rows of pants, shirts, blouses, jackets, and various other articles of clothing lined the hangers and shelves, some of which looked expensive enough to put him into poverty.

The orange-head silently prayed that Desiree would settle for something moderately simple…

"Hello there, is there something I can help you with sir?" a voice suddenly spoke up from behind him, nearly giving him a heart attack.

Turning around, Ichigo came face-to-face with a relatively short woman with dark skin and vibrant purple hair. She wore a sharp white suit, which contrasted rather curiously with her complexion. And, to top it all off, a pair of tinted aviator shades sat comfortably on her nose.

Hmm…weird…

"Uh, hey," Ichigo replied. "Yeah, my friend had a bit of an accident with her clothes, and I just wanted to try and get her a new pair. Ya know, to keep weirdoes from staring at her."

The woman cocked a brow, but otherwise did not question his story. "How noble of you, sir. Do you have any idea what your friend's measurements are?"

"Her what?"

"I see…it appears we will have to this the hard way then," she sighed. "Nui!"

Seemingly out of nowhere, a young girl in a frilly pink dress suddenly appeared right next to the dark-skinned woman.

This time, Ichigo actually did let out a shriek.

"Golly, you sure are easy to scare mister!" The blonde, apparently named Nui, giggled before turning to her coworker. "What's up Rei; how's my favorite stick in the mud doing today?"

Rei sighed and sent the younger woman a sharp glare. "We don't have any time for your nonsense right now, Nui. There is a woman in the back of the store who requires some measurements. Go and see what size she needs, will you?"

"Sure thing!" the chipper girl replied, offering a salute before appearing to disappear once again into thin air.

Ichigo blinked. "How did she…?"

Rei sighed, reaching up with one hand to massage her temples. "I find it easiest to not try to understand that girl."

The orange-head merely nodded, sinking down into the nearest chair he could find. A few minutes later, Nui reappeared once again, shaking her head in an utterly distraught fashion.

"How terrible!" She cried, clutching her hands to her chest. "The poor lady says she has no idea what the current state of fashion is! A woman should never be forced to go through her life without staying up to date on what's trendy!"

She suddenly turned to Ichigo, glaring at him with her one good eye. "Honestly, you should be ashamed for keeping your girlfriend in the dark for so long!" she huffed, puffing out her cheeks in irritation.

The former Substitute choked on air. "S-She's not my-"

"Oh well!" Nui shrugged, her attitude doing a complete flip. "At least now I get to introduce another lost soul to the wonderful world of fashion! Your lady-friend would look absolutely delicious in this new line of lingerie our designers just came out with!"

"L-Lingerie?!" Ichigo cried.

"Mhm! Thigh-high stockings attached to a frilly garter belt over a barely-there thong!" The blonde girl described animatedly, completely oblivious to the fact that the young man in the room was slowly turning a deathly pale shade of white. "The brassiere also turns sheer when the body heats up, making for some truly fun times in the bedroom. Of course, color is a big deal when deciding what would look best on each individual woman…hmmm, I think purple would go really well with your girlfriend's skin tone, don't you?"

"I think you broke him…" Rei mused, gesturing to the almost catatonic form of Ichigo as he slumped in the chair.

"Gee," Nui giggled, completely unapologetic. "Some guys just can't handle it I guess."

"Indeed," Rei nodded, before going into business-mode once more. "Now then, since you have rendered this young man inoperable for what I'm going to assume will be at least several minutes, it looks like it will be up to the two of us alone to provide his companion with a set of new clothing. Let's get to work."

"Aye-Aye Captain!" the younger blonde cheered excitedly.


"Are you quite certain this outfit is practical?" Desiree questioned, looking over herself in the mirror. "I need only something that will serve its most basic purpose…."

"Nonsense!" Nui argued, handing the dark-skinned woman a black leather jacket. "A woman should always have something that can function in more than one situation. You need to look good, as well as knock the socks off of your boyfriend out there! This ensemble will keep you warm in the winter, while serving the dual function of warming him up when it's time to churn the butter."

"Churn the butter? Would it not be unwise to cook in such an outfit?" Desiree frowned in confusion.

Nui blinked several times before bursting out laughing. "Golly lady, you're a riot! Funny, sexy, well-built…it's no wonder your boyfriend snatched you up before anyone else could."

"My what?"

"You know, your boyfriend? He is your boyfriend, right?"

The former genie paused in a moment of thought. The pattern of speech in the modern world had changed significantly since her time on Earth, and as such there had been many times in the past few days when she had been left wondering what something had meant. However, the term boyfriend seemed fairly straightforward; Ichigo was a male, and the two of them were indeed friends. Therefore, did that not make him her boyfriend?

"Yes, indeed!" Desiree declared proudly, smiling confidently at her reflection in the mirror. "Ichigo is most certainly my boyfriend, as am I his girlfriend!"

Nui giggled, clapping excitedly. "That's the spirit!" she cheered, before moving forward alongside the older woman to inspect her attire in the mirror. "So, what do ya think?"

Currently, Desiree was clad in a deep purple blouse, which in turn was covered by a pristine black leather jacket. Her long legs were adorned in a pair of slightly torn blue jeans, and a brown belt with a silver buckle was wrapped around her slim waist. A pair of brown, calf-high boots concealed her feet, and the entire ensemble was completed by several gold hoops that hung from each of her wrists. And, of course, Nui had made sure to convince her to include the lingerie set she had mentioned earlier…

"It is wonderful Nui!" the dark-skinned woman nodded in satisfaction. "I am most grateful for your assistance in this matter. Do you think Ichigo will be pleased?"

The younger blonde snorted. "Oh please, he'd have to be the most idiotic man on Earth to even think about taking his eyes off of you while you're wearing this. I bet he'd be even more appreciative of it if you took it off, though."

Desiree hummed thoughtfully. "I shall keep your words of wisdom in mind, then."

Nui smiled, patting the older woman on the back. "Alrighty then, let's go show your man your new and improved wardrobe!"

"Right then, onward!" the former genie declared, snatching up Ichigo's jacket before marching confidently out of the dressing room and back into the main sales floor, with her fashionista companion in tow.

Her head swiveling in several directions, Desiree's eyes finally locked on her orange-haired Master, and she quickly rushed over to show him her current attire. "Ichigo!"

The former Substitute slowly looked up, having been staring at the ground to avoid all of the curious stares from the other women in the store. Once his eyes finally landed on Desiree, they comically widened to the size of dinner plates. "Holy shit…"

"So, does my state of dress please you?" the ebony woman smiled, striking a somewhat seductive pose.

Ichigo subtly looked at the other patrons of the store, all of whom were watching the scene with various stares of envy, fondness, and even downright lust. He quickly turned back to his anxiously waiting companion. "Yeah, you look beautiful."

Whatever response Desiree had been expecting, that certainly hadn't been it. She flushed slightly, and straightened her posture. "Ah…thank you."

"Excellent," Rei smiled in satisfaction, before looking down at Ichigo. "Now then, let's discuss your payment."

The former Substitute let out a truly pathetic whine.


Shopping for women had to be the most financially draining thing he could imagine…

The money he'd spent at REVOCS had been worth four weeks of paychecks from Ikumi, but in the end, he supposed it was worth it. Aside from the fact that Desiree had desperately needed something to wear, she also appeared quite thrilled with her new wardrobe. And of course, the smile on her face made it all but impossible for Ichigo to remain in a foul mood for very long.

Currently, the ebony-skinned woman had her arm hooked through her Master's, excitedly pulling him down one of the main streets of Karakura Town. It blew the young man's mind that she was completely oblivious to all of the incredulous and longing looks she was receiving from nearly everyone they passed on the sidewalk, and Ichigo had already been forced to send several fierce glares in the directions of multiple young men whose eyes had traveled where they shouldn't.

"Ah, isn't it wonderful Ichigo?" Desiree sighed blissfully, pausing briefly to close her eyes. "The sights…the smells…the mere sensations? Oh, how I have missed being human!"

The orange-head smiled at her enthusiasm. "Yeah, I guess it is pretty great."

"Indeed, it is!" the former genie cheered, pressing herself closely against her Master, who in turn blushed furiously when his arm was caught in the valley of her breasts. "Let us commence with merrymaking! There is much I wish to do before the day is done!"

Opening his mouth to reply, Ichigo never got the chance when he was suddenly pulled forward as Desiree continued with her march. "Woah there, take it easy. We still have plenty of time before your day is up," he chided her slightly.

"That may be, but I do not wish to waste a single second!" she responded, not even bothering to face him. Suddenly, her head snapped to the side, and she charged forward, dragging Ichigo along carelessly. The duo quickly came to a stop outside of a café window, where an assortment of baked goods was displayed in glass cases for potential customers to see.

"They look soooooo delicious!" Desiree moaned, pressing her face right up against the glass. "It has been so long since I have had the pleasure of partaking in food and drink…"

Ichigo looked to the side, where several people were pointing curiously at the fully-grown foreign woman who was all but slobbering on the window of a respectable eating establishment. Sending them a scowl, he turned back to his enthusiastic companion. "You wanna go in and buy something?"

The former genie tensed briefly, before whirling around and all but flinging herself at her Master, her eyes sparkling. "Yesssss," she moaned once again, the sound sounding uncomfortably sensual.

Flushing lightly, Ichigo pried the dark-haired woman off before steering her in the direction of the café's front door. A bell chimed as they entered, and Desiree's eyes darted around as her senses were nearly overloaded by the sights, sounds, and smells of the small shop.

Her orange-haired companion couldn't keep himself from smiling at her enthusiasm.

"Ichigo, is that you?"

The former Substitute froze at the familiar voice, before turning to glance at a table situated against the far wall of the building. Chad, Uryu, Orihime, and Tatsuki were all looking at him in obvious surprise, and even Chizuru, Mizuiro, and Keigo were there.

The majority of his friends were staring at him alone, but Orihime's eyes were firmly locked on Desiree, who herself came up behind Ichigo and draped her arms over his shoulders.

"Ichiiiiiigo…" the dark-skinned woman whined. "Come on, I'm so huuuuungry!"

When he failed to immediately respond, she frowned for a moment, before finally noticing the collection of teenagers staring at both herself and her Master. Narrowing her eyes marginally, she immediately recognized three of them from Ichigo's classroom the other day, as well as the short-haired girl from their walk to school. The remaining three, however, were a mystery.

"Ah, who are all of you, then?" she spoke up, feigning ignorance.

Blinking several times as he finally overcame his surprise, Uryu was the first to respond. "W-Well, my name is Uryu Ishida. This is Chad, Orihime, Tatsuki, Chizuru, Mizuiro, and Keigo…we're all Ichigo's friends from school. Who might you be?"

Internally sneering, Desiree couldn't help but reflect on the irony of the fact that these children still considered themselves Ichigo's friends, yet none of them had apparently made any attempt to contact him regarding this little get-together. Her emerald eyes snapped over to the orange-haired girl, Orihime if she recalled correctly, and immediately noticed that the young woman's eyes were glued to the point where she was draped over her Master.

Grinning predatorily, the former genie tightened her grip on the orange-head, pressing her cheek against his own and squishing her breasts against his back. She couldn't help but smirk in pleasure when the orange-haired girl winced.

"Charmed to meet you all…I am Desiree. Ichigo's girlfriend."


Oof.

Desiree finally shows her vindictive side and gets a teensy bit possessive. If you are wondering why she actively encouraged Ichigo to pursue Ikumi, while at the same time showcased her closeness with him directly in front of Orihime, it is due to the fact that she is aware that Ichigo's friends have been spending far less time with him since he lost his powers. She feels pity for him in that respect, since she herself knows what it feels like to be abandoned by those close to you.

Now, it might seem like I have it out for Orihime, but I will go ahead and assure you that this is most certainly not the case. I love her as a character, and I would never wish anything bad upon her, but the Ichihime relationship has been stretched to the absolute limit when it comes to fanfics.

In my personal opinion, fanfiction is where you can come up with something that you are well aware would never occur in canon. Therefore, I find it a bit tiresome that soooooo many people write strictly Ichihime fics. Of course, Ichiruki is far more popular statistically, but it too is also something that has been done time and time again. That is why I will never write an Ichihime or Ichiruki story, unless I feel particularly generous and someone I like has issued a request.

That aside, I received a review stating how it would be incredibly unlikely that the relationship between Ichigo and Ikumi would work out, since she would obviously choose Kaoru over Ichigo if it came down to hit. This is definitely true, but like Desiree said early in this chapter, Ichigo will be forced to gain Kaoru's trust. He might be able too, but he also might not; only time will tell.

Once again, I am very sorry that this chapter came out so late. I had planned to update this story several weeks ago, but studying for finals became a much higher priority than writing fanfiction. Then, after the semester ended, my numerous nights of staying up too late finally caught up with me, as did my repressed stress, and I think I had a miniature panic attack…

I'm feeling much better now, though, and I plan on writing as much as I can during the winter break before school starts back up again. I will be updating the Professor Kurosaki Rewrite next, and then I hope to finally get back to The Song of Our Nature, which I was also forced to neglect in favor of schoolwork.

I want to thank everyone for their patience, and I will see you all next time. Will Desiree's possessive and devious sides win out, or will everyone be able to get along?

AlucardsBro OUT!