Chapter 7: Preparation…


"Ichigo…" whispered Rukia. Ichigo stirred in his sleep as he slowly opened his eyes. He lay in a futon in a room that was familiar to him. He was in Urahara's shop.

"Why… am I here?" he asked.

"Shin and I found you unconscious in an alley and this was the nearest so we brought you here. How are you feeling?" Rukia's voice was soft and full of concern. Ichigo couldn't help but blame himself for making her worry once again.

"I'm fine… Listen, Rukia… I think my reiatsu is back…" Ichigo said suddenly as he sat up from bed.

"I know… I felt your reiatsu before you fainted… But Urahara said that you haven't fully recovered your reiatsu…" explained Rukia

"Ohh… I was kinda hoping it would completely return…" said Ichigo as he sighed.

"Do you want to talk to Urahara about it?" asked Rukia. Ichigo hastily nodded and stood up. They made their way to the living room and found Urahara sitting on the tatami mats with Kosuke, Renji, and Shin and they were all playing cards as Ayame watched them. Soi Fon sat at the far back of the living room next to Yorouichi and the two were in deep conversation.

"Oh! If it isn't sleeping beauty!" teased Renji as the others laughed with him. Ichigo simply scowled at the red-head.

"How long have I been out anyway?" Ichigo asked Rukia

"About three hours…" she answered.

"Oh… Urahara-san I need to speak with you." Said Ichigo quickly.

"Take a seat then Kurosaki-san and let's talk. That is if you don't mind all these people listening in…?"

"Doesn't matter." Ichigo sat next to Renji as Rukia followed suit. The whole room was now focused on the center where Ichigo sat facing Urahara. Everyone kept quiet as they listened in.

"Ok then! What is it you wanted to talk about?" asked Urahara in his usual cheery tone.

"Is there something I can do to speed up the recovery of my reiatsu?" asked Ichigo straight forwardly.

"Reiatsu usually recovers itself in time… but in your case it is returning rather slowly. Hmm let me think…" Urahara lowered his hat and kept silent.

"But Ichigo-san was able to materialize his zanpakutou earlier… Doesn't that mean his reiatsu's back?" asked Kosuke as he turned to his father for answers. Urahara looked up from his hat.

"It's not completely back… He lost consciousness right after he used his Getsuga Tenshou and Kurosaki-san has used that move multiple times before with ease. It mean's he's still weak and he won't be able to fully manifest his powers just yet. But a way to fully recover a lost reiatsu is something that is possible… In fact there has been an instance where…" Urahara kept going on and on about incidences of shinigami losing reiatsu, Ichigo didn't really pay attention. The word weak pierced through Ichigo's being like a sword. He didn't want to be weak, he wanted to be strong! "But…" Urahara finally continued.

"But what?" asked Ichigo as the others stared at Urahara intently

"I think your reiatsu might come back if you trained again." Said Urahara as he smirked. Yorouichi whacked him really hard on the head.

"Oww!"

"So that's it? You shouldn't have rambled on and on if something as simple as that was the solution!" exclaimed Yorouichi as he glared at Kisuke.

"What? At least I was able to share some other info on you guys…" said Urahara as he massaged his throbbing head.

"That was sooo not cool Dad!"

"So… I just have to train again? Do you really think that would work?" Ichigo asked once more.

"I think so…" said Urahara. Urahara Kisuke may be a little loose and crazy, but he's usually right about things like this. Ichigo chose to believe in him.

"Then I'm going to train again. Can I start right away?" he hastily asked

"Ichigo! You just woke up! You need to rest more." Rukia protested but Ichigo ignored her.

"Sure I guess… You can use the basement if you like. But I do suggest that you have someone to train with you…It might be easier that way and also, just in case you collapse all over again…" said Urahara

"Me me! I'd like to train with Ichigo-san!" said a very excited Kosuke as he waved his hand back and forth. Ayame and Renji exchanged looks. Renji spoke up.

"Err its okay Kosuke I'll train with him! You don't have to do it! Right Ichigo?" Renji sent eye signals to Ichigo, which took some time for him to realize what he was on about. Then it hit him… 'The plan'…"

"Right… I appreciate it Kosuke but I don't want to intrude on your time with your parents…" Ichigo said honestly. It was not everyday that Kosuke could spend time with them… and Ichigo also had to go along with the others' plan for the blond kid.

"Oh okay then… But training with you is really fun though!" said Kosuke

"Kurosaki-san you should rest for now… maybe for two days and then you can start training."


Two days seemed to be longer than Ichigo thought. It had only been a couple of hours since he got home from the shop and he was already anxious to start training. Sighing to himself, he got up from bed and headed downstairs. He found Rukia watching TV in the living room.

"Rukia… Don't you want to go to the shinigami house?" asked Ichigo as Rukia looked up from the TV. Ichigo knew she missed her shinigami friends just as much as he would like to admit.

"Not without you I don't…" she simply answered not taking her gaze away from the TV. Ichigo smiled at her as he took a seat next to her on the sofa.

"Rukia… I'm sure they've told you… about your promotion…" Ichigo said softly.

"Yeah… Ichigo I…"

"I think you should take it…" he said as he looked at her with a serious expression on his face. Rukia's eyes widened in surprise.

"Are you sure? If I take it I'd have to go back to Soul Society…" she said

"Once I am able to be in my shinigami form again, I'll be able to go there as well."

"But I want to stay here with you… who knows how long it will take? I can't stand not being around you…" she whispered. Ichigo took her hands in his as she turned to face him.

"I promise you Rukia, It won't take too long… I'll do my best to get my powers back as soon as possible…" said Ichigo as he gently squeezed Rukia's small hands.

"Are you really, really sure Ichigo?" she asked once again.

"A hundred percent… This is your dream Rukia… You're finally a captain…"

"Then I should go talk to Toushiro about it… But…Who's going to take care of your sorry ass when I'm gone?" she said as she smirked at him.

"My sorry ass will just have to take care of itself then…"


"Rukia-chan, Ayame-chan, Yuzu-chan thank you for helping me with the party! I don't know what I'd do without you!" said Orihime as she peeled the potatoes.

"Yeah I appreciate it too. Think of the disaster Orihime could cause if she did this on her own…"

"Tatsuki-chan, stop being mean!" said Inoue. Rukia, Orihime, Tatsuki, Ayame and Yuzu were currently in the Shinigami house's kitchen preparing for the party later. Yuzu insisted on helping the girls cook for the party. A good thing too since she's really good at cooking.

"But I'm surprised though… You've become better at cooking, Rukia-chan! The last time you cooked, Kurosaki-kun spent two days going back and forth to the bathroom…" said Inoue. Rukia couldn't help but blush as she remembered that scene. Poor Ichigo… he was dehydrated for days.

"Yuzu's been an excellent teacher! Now I don't get complaints from that idiot Ichigo." She said with pride.

"It's only because you were really determined to learn Rukia-nee! Ichi-nii is really lucky to have you…" said Yuzu

"Enough talking about me! It's Inoue's birthday! We should be talking about her! So how are things with Ishida huh?" Rukia teased. Inoue blushed from head to toe.

"Really great! Uryuu is a really nice guy… He's taking good care of me!"

"I'm happy to hear that Inoue! If that guy's being a pain let us know okay? We'd beat the crap out of him!" said Rukia

"How about Tatsuki-chan then, are you seeing someone?" asked Ayame. Ayame has gone from a really timid and soft spoken girl to an out-going, gossip-loving girl. Renji must have been a huge influence.

"Me? Well…" she began to say

"She's dating Sado-kun!" Inoue squealed.

"Chad? Really?!" said a very surprised Rukia.

"Wow… Tatsuki-chan's first boyfriend! That's good to hear!" said Yuzu

"Where is Chad by the way? I didn't see him with the guys in the living room."

"He's out of town with his band…" said a now blushing Tatsuki.

"Is being in a relationship, fun?" asked Yuzu suddenly. They stared at her blankly.

"Well… It is at some point… Wait… Yuzu, are you thinking of having a boyfriend?" asked Rukia

"Don't tell Ichi-nii but… Jinta-kun and I just started dating…" said Yuzu shyly.

"Jinta?! I guess it's okay but… You should try and keep this from Ichigo in the meantime… He'd freak when he finds out…" said Rukia. Ichigo is overly protective of his sisters. Probably the reason why most of the twins' suitors stay away from him.

"Uh-huh! Thanks for understanding Rukia-nee!" said Yuzu as she smiled at her. Rukia saw Yuzu and Karin as her own sisters. She wants them both to be happy, even if she'd have to keep things from Ichigo.

"It's your turn again Rukia! What's up with you and Ichigo?" The girls all turned their attention on Rukia and they all had glints in their eyes, like they were paparazzi or something. Rukia had to admit; gossiping with the girls like this is something she would definitely miss once she goes back to Soul Society.


"So that's your plan?" asked Toushiro.

"Sssh! Not so loud!" whispered Renji. He, Toushirou, Shin,Ichigo and Ishida (who was dragged by Renji against his will) were huddled in the corner of the living room in deep conversation.

"What am I doing here?" said Ishida randomly as the others ignored him.

"So what do you think?" Renji asked Toushiro.

"I think… Your plan sucks…" said Toushiro simply.

"What?! No it doesn't!" whined Renji, trying his best to keep his voice down. He turned to Shin. "How about you Shin…?"

Shin hesitated for a moment before answering. "I hate to be honest but I have to agree with Hitsugaya-taichou… The plan is too obvious…" said Shin truthfully.

"….and too complicated…" added Toushiro

"Tch! But Ichigo already agreed with my plan!" said Renji, his voice now with a hint of irritation.

"I think his plan would be really effective…" said Ichigo

"Thank you Ichigo! See?! You think of something then!"

"I don't really know her that well but… I think she's the type of girl who gets jealous easily… and he's probably the same…" said Toushiro

"What do you mean?" asked Ichigo and Renji at the same time.

"I think I know where you're getting at…" said Shin as Ishida nodded in agreement.

"Why not make her jealous by hooking him up with someone else? That would make her realize her true feelings for him…" said Toushiro. Ichigo and Renji, who were previously confused, were now enlightened…

"Ehh? But how do we do that?!" asked Renji

"Yeah! How?" said Ichigo. Ishida pushed his glasses back in disbelief… For a shinigami captain, these two were surprisingly slow on the uptake.

"Why am I friends with these idiots?" said Toushiro as he told Shin. Shin kept himself from laughing. "We find a girl who'd pretend to be his girlfriend!"

"Ohh…. Hey that could work too!" said Ichigo.

"Yeah that's even better than my plan let's go with that!" said a now excited Renji

"…and it's simpler than yours too…" added Ishida, but was once again ignored.

"So who do we hook him up with?" asked Ichigo…

"I don't know! I thought of the plan, you think of the girl!" said Toushiro

"Hmmm…" the boys kept quiet… Renji looked around the room. The girls were busying themselves in the kitchen, except for one. Kurosaki Karin was animatedly chatting with Kosuke and they were laughing their heads off.

"What about Ichigo's sister? She seems to get along well with him…" said Renji as he pointed to Karin and Kosuke.

"What?! I don't want my sister involved in this!" complained Ichigo.

"But don't you want Kosuke to be happy?!" said Renji

"I do but... She's only 15!"

"She's old enough Ichigo!"

"Fine but... She won't do it unless you offer something in return..." said Ichigo

"Ok then… We should ask her… Shin, Ishida, go over there and drag Kosuke away for a while." Said Renji. Ishida glared at him as Shin nodded and made his way towards Kosuke. Ishida sighed and followed behind him.

"Shimada fuku-taichou, I word if you please…" said Shin.

"Sure! But Shin-kun call me Kosuke okay?" said the childish 12th division vice-captain as he stood up and followed the two outside the house. The instant they left the house, Ichigo grabbed Karin by her arm.

"Oww! Ichi-nii! What the heck?"

"Karin, we want you to do something…" said Ichigo as he led her towards the corner where Renji and Toushiro stood.

"Do we really have to talk here in the corner in hushed voices? We look like a bunch of stupid idiots!" protested Toushiro, but it was his turn to be ignored.

"What?" she asked. Toushiro grunted in annoyance for being ignored.

"We want you to pretend to be Kosuke's girlfriend…" said Renji

"What's in it for me?" asked Karin.

"Well… err… Toushiro will do whatever you want!" said Ichigo quickly. Boy, he was proud of himself for coming up with something that fast!

"Yeah he will! Like a slave or something! So will you do it?" asked Renji

"Hey wait just a sec! Why am I…!"

" I guess it's okay…" she said. Toushiro's eyes widened.

"But!!!"

"It's decided then! Operation 'KoSoi' is now in action!" said Renji

"Stop calling it 'KoSoi!'!"

Next chapter: More of Ichigo and Renji's stupidities… Maybe…!

a/n: Three words… I'm deeply sorry!

Don't want to make promises about the next update… since I don't know how long it's going to take… please bear with me!