I DO NOT own Bleach

I don't exactly know why I brought Byakura and Ichigo in this early –apart from showing that certain things have changed.

Chapter 4

As she sat in contemplation, there was a deafening roar. Izumi was startled back into full consciousness –she knew that sound.

A Hollow was nearby –she could sense it. But what was it doing here in the Soul Society? So much for Takezoe's promise that she wouldn't have to worry about them again.

Izumi scrambled to her feet and hurried to the edge of the platform. Below her was a small hamlet, away from the usual dangers of Zaraki, and a spider-like white-masked creature was chasing souls as they ran.

For Izumi, the path was clear –those were innocents. And she had sworn to protect innocents.

She may be unwilling or unable to kill humans, but this Hollow was a monster.

She raced down the slope, drawing her sword as she went. She pushed through the crowd racing in the opposite direction.

A small boy had fallen in the confusion of the crowd, and the Hollow was closing in. It swung at the boy, intending to kill, but it only hit a sword.

"Get away from here!" Izumi told the boy sheltering behind her, who picked himself up and ran. The Hollow backed off, slightly surprised.

"You're no Soul Reaper," the Hollow screeched. "Just who are you?"

Izumi didn't answer in words –she launched an attack on the Hollow. But she wasn't fast enough –the Hollow was able to dodge her blade and, before she could counter, swung at her.

The blow was forceful enough to draw blood from her right arm as she automatically raised it to block the claw from slicing into her face.

She was barely able to land properly, and her arm was almost too painful to allow her to grip her sword properly.

"Damn," she panted. This wasn't going well.

"Look at you," the Hollow almost laughed. "You're so pretty covered in your own blood like that! I'm going to enjoy eating you."

She rolled out of the way as the Hollow attacked her again. It barely missed, and turned quickly.

"I love playing tag," it guffawed.

'I have to survive this,' Izumi thought. 'I have to, for Hibiki.'

As the Hollow reached for her, a red aura surrounded her. It was powerful, easily close to the level of anywhere from 3rd to 6th Seat in the Court Guard Squads.

"So you have some spiritual pressure," the Hollow said. Its eyes glinted with relish. "Now I'm really going to enjoy this!"

The aura faded as suddenly as it had appeared –Izumi was startled by it.

"So you have no control over your own spiritual energy?" the Hollow laughed again. "What a waste!"

It swung at her, and she wasn't fast enough to dodge out of the way. She collided solidly with the wall of one of the shacks and fell to the ground. She lost her sword in the process.

'I can barely see,' she thought as she struggled to focus on the Hollow. It raised a scythe-like claw, ready to stab her.

Izumi couldn't help it –she let out a yell of fear. If she couldn't defend herself against one Hollow, how was she ever going to avenge Hibiki?

She closed her eyes, waiting for the final blow.

"Scatter, Senbonzakura," said a calm voice from nearby. Pink cherry blossoms seemed to dance through the air, surrounding the Hollow.

When the air cleared, the Hollow was gone.

The blossoms retreated and returned to the hilt of a sword held by a man with long black hair, some of which was in a kenseikan (1). He was wearing the same sort of kimono as Takezoe had been wearing, but had a haori (2) over it. Around his shoulders, he was wearing a white scarf –silk from the look of it.

Izumi caught a glimpse of grey eyes before she lowered her gaze –for some reason, she was unable to look at the man.

"Byakura!" someone else called and another man appeared on the scene. He looked as though he was in his twenties, had bright orange coloured hair and carried a huge sword, as tall as he was, shaped like an oversized cleaver. He too was wearing a haori over his kimono (3).

"Was there really a need to release Senbonzakura here?"

The first man just looked at his companion and began to walk away.

"Hey! Where are you going?" the second Soul Reaper asked.

"OUr job here is done," the other said. "We should head back to the Seiretei."

He disappeared into thin air.

The second Soul Reaper swung his sword onto his back.

"Typical Byakura," he muttered. "He does whatever he feels like, and then just walks away."

He glanced over at the crumpled Izumi.

"Momo!" he called. A moment later, another Soul Reaper was at his elbow.

"Yes, Captain Kurosaki?" she asked.

"See what you can do for this girl, will you?" he asked. The other Soul Reaper knelt at Izumi's side. Her hands began to glow as they hovered over Izumi's injured arm. In a matter of minutes, she noticed that it was nowhere near as painful and the bleeding seemed to have stopped.

"I'm afraid you still have the scars from this," the girl said. Izumi moved her fingers -it didn't hurt.

The ginger-haired Soul Reaper -Captain the girl had called him -knelt in front of Izumi.

"I am Captain Ichigo Kurosaki of Squad 5 of the 13 Court Guard Squads," he told her. "This is my Lieutenant, Momo Hinamori."

"I am Izumi Kihara," she responded.

"You certainly have a lot of spiritual pressure," Kurosaki said. "Have you ever considered entering the Spiritual Arts Academy (4)?"

"Would they really allow a Zaraki to enter?" Izumi asked.

"They take in anyone with spiritual pressure," Ichigo said. "And it's a much better life than in Zaraki, right in the Seiretei."

"And how would you know that, Captain?" the girl, his Lieutenant asked, giggling.

"Give me a break, Momo, I did study kido there (5), remember?" the Captain said, momentarily distracted and turning magenta.

Izumi was considering it -this Academy sounded like a good idea.

"So how do you get into this Academy?" Izumi asked. The Captain turned his attention back to her.

"I'll met you at the North Seiretei gate in a week's time," he told her. "And I'll put in a personal recommendation for you. Then all you have to do is raise your spiritual pressure to the level you did a few minutes ago, answer a few questions, and you're in. Sounds simple enough, right?"

"I suppose so," Izumi said. "Thank you."

"No problem," Ichigo said, getting to his feet. "We should go now, Momo. Let's catch up with Byakura."

The two vanished in a flash. Izumi pulled herself up against the wall, retreived her sword, and headed for her retreat.

If she was to enter the Academy, she had to train. After all, she was supposed to be a Zaraki. Fighting and winning was in every Zaraki's blood.

(1) White headpiece worn by nobility

(2) Captain's coat.

(3) Ichigo Kurosake is now Captain of Squad 5, and aged slightly before dying and coming to the Soul Society.

(4) The full name of the Shinigami Academy is SHINOREIJTSUIN, sometimes shortened to Shino, also referred to as Soul Reaper Academy. It changed when it incorprated training to the Stealth Forces and Kido Corps.

(5) Just for the story, Ichigo attended the Academy for two years training to master the basics of kido.