Ryuuken and the Vizards other than Hachigen were allowed to exit the fake Karakura Town. Then the pillars were destroyed, and fake Karakura Town and the real Karakura Town swapped places, each returning to where each belonged.

An efficient way to bring them all to Soul Society. For debriefing, the Captain Commander said. Ichigo didn't care about that. When they got to Seireitei, Byakuya offered to let him and the others stay at his place. He had a lot of spare rooms, it seemed.

Ichigo didn't analyze the offer and hardly noticed the immensity of the house. He ate a little food and collapsed in a guest room next to Chad. Bad dreams weren't enough to stop him from sleeping well.

When Ichigo woke, he, Chad and Ishida were all spooning. He hurriedly slipped out, wishing he had a camera to take a picture of the two of them, glad no one had had a camera to take a picture of him.

He sniffed himself and left the guest room. It might be rude to take Zangetsu with him all through the house, but he did it anyway. He didn't like the idea of being without his zanpakutou. Not after the savage hell that was yesterday.

He found a servant (it was weird to think of people having servants, and servants who they actually called 'servants,' instead of 'the help,' or some euphemism like that) who directed him to a bathing room.

He hopped in wearing his shihakusho, and the water turned rusty from all the dried blood. He filled the tub again.

A servant, who wasn't eager to talk to him, helped him fill the tub again and offered to see to his shihakusho properly.

Ichigo said alright to that, and the servant returned with a fluffy towel and a green yukata that would do him fine until his shihakusho was ready.

Rather than a tooth brush, there was a weird foamy spray that fizzed over his teeth. He didn't like the idea that one of Urahara's inventions might be inside his mouth, but it got the job done and he felt a lot better for being clean.

He asked about food, and was given the option of several formal dining rooms. He asked about Rukia, and was directed to a kitchen.

That worried Ichigo, because Rukia shouldn't be cooking. She could make toast, given strict instructions. Her rice and eggs were likely to be edible, if overcooked. Past that…

He found her in the kitchen the servant had indicated, laying into onigiri, fish and pickled daikon.

"Did you cook that?" he asked.

"Of course not."

"Good." He took an onigiri.

She smacked him. "Who said you could have one?"

"Your brother offered me hospitality. I'm pretty sure that includes multiple onigiri. And fish too." He took a slice. Smoked salmon, he thought.

Ichigo looked around. It was just one of the kitchens. The one next to the 'casual dining,' room. But larger than his kitchen at home. "This is a big damn house."

Rukia nodded.

"No wonder you think my room is small."

"Your room is tiny by objective as well as relative standards."

"And no wonder you don't know how to cook." If she had servants to do it for her and all. "What about before though?" Before she'd been adopted.

"I didn't cook before either. When we found something we could eat, we mostly just ate it. But if you give me an open fire, a dead animal and a sharp stick, I'll know what to do." She bared her teeth, and Ichigo grinned.

"A bunny?" said Ichigo, expecting a reply of horrified indignation.

"There's good eating on a bunny," she said. "And you can make a cute hat with what's left afterward."

Ichigo's smile faded. She'd never told him her life story, but from various comments, he knew it'd been rough, that she'd done things had to survive that she'd rather not have.

It was nice that she understood. That she understood it better than he did. Nice, and horrible too.

Inoue came into the kitchen, hair brushed, wearing a blue kimono with a pattern of white lilies. She hesitated before saying, "Good morning, Kurosaki-kun. Good morning, Kuchiki-san." She looked at the food on the counter. "Is there anything to put on that?"

Rukia jabbed her thumb at the fridge behind her. "I don't know what's in there, but help yourself."

Inoue opened the fridge. There were light bulbs too, and the stove was gas. Seireitei surprised him like that sometimes. It would seem so old-fashioned, like Edo Japan, with everyone writing with brushes and ink stones, and then he'd see someone at a computer like it was the most natural thing in the world, and he'd remember Rukia's cell phone. He kept having to remind himself that the Chappy cartoon and the Chappy comics and the Chappy line of plastic merchandise were all native to Soul Society.

Inoue found red bean paste to put on her smoked salmon and stood at the other side of the counter, away from him. Nervous. She'd always been nervous around him, and he'd never known what to make of it except that she was awkward and shy but not afraid of him in the way some other people were.

He'd thought that maybe that was because they were both friends with Tatsuki and she wanted to make a good impression on him.

But that was gone. Changed. She was a little frightened. She hadn't been frightened of her Hollow brother, but then, he'd been her big brother. And she hadn't seen him kill and mutilate anyone.

Ichigo was glad Yuzu hadn't seen. That would be hard to take, if Yuzu were afraid of him. He bet she would be.

Ishida and Chad came into the kitchen together. Chad's clothing had also been taken for cleaning, and the yukata the servants had found him was too small, the hem hardly past his knees.

Ichigo finally began to relax.

#
#

Byakuya was, by his standards, in good cheer. The war was over and won, Aizen was dead, and everyone he liked was alive and whole. Ichimaru Gin had confirmed Esapada 10's claims to be the real Espada 0, once it had released its Resurreccion, and that meant he'd single-handedly defeated the most powerful Espada of them all. That should keep the elders off his back about remarriage for a few more decades.

Rukia's heroics had won her a great deal of glory, which should permanently silence grumblings about her place in the family. Byakuya was looking forward to dishing out a hearty helping of dignified and subtle I-told-you-soes.

He was pleased to find Rukia in the informal kitchen with all the Ryoka. He knew well how near-death experiences could fuel amorous passions, and had braced himself to find Rukia and Kurosaki Ichigo locked in nude embrace. Fortunately, they weren't touching, and weren't even exchanging any longing or flirtatious looks.

He said, "The Captain Commander will see you now. All of you."

#
#

The Captain Commander first debriefed Kuchiki Rukia on what had been done with Aizen inside the barrier, given that she was the only witness who was truly under his command. Following that recital, he dismissed her and called in the Captains. That was propriety, and they were all fast and accurate and knew exactly how to get it over with quickly.

Then, one-by-one, he called in the others.

The Quincy boy. The strange, tall boy with powerful fists. The healer girl who'd been the spark that brought them all to grips. Much more a girl than the others were boys, he decided. But she would likely grow up, as most girls did, and whether she did or not, her abilities were very useful. He sent her to Captain Unohana with instructions to inquire about the disability list. He'd have her in the Gotei, sooner or later, though he'd presumably have to wait until her death. She gave a high-pitched, hysterical giggle when the Captain Commander asked about expediting her inevitable move.

He called back in Kuchiki Rukia, who'd covered herself in glory a mile thick, for a more in-depth interview. And Abarai Renji, who hadn't covered himself in glory, but could at least say he'd been part of it all, and had gotten his arm back courtesy of Inoue Orihime.

Finally, he called in Kurosaki Ichigo.

#
#

Ichigo took a seat in the Captain Commander's office, sprawling casually out. The old man intimidated him, but he didn't intend to let that show.

The Captain Commander asked questions, and with the old man's gray-haired Vice-Captain taking notes, Ichigo related his invasion of Hueco Mundo in detail, except that he both praised Nell and de-emphasized her, since he didn't want the Gotei going after her, and he glossed over his internal deliberations with his Inner Spirits.

The Captain Commander let him. Those matters were private. Though Ichigo didn't know it, to press another shinigami for details of his relationship with his zanpakutou would be the greatest possible faux pas.

Still, when he'd finished relating his fight with Ulquiorra, the Captain Commander said, "So you are no longer a Hollow at all."

Ichigo said, "Nah. I think I'll always be a bit Hollow. A bit of bleach on my black. But I'm not like the Vizards. Not really. I think they've got real Inner Hollows. Mine was probably always the partially Hollowified portion of my zanpakutou. It's not quite the same."

The Captain Commander said, "You can purify Hollows and perform Konso?"

"Haven't checked since, really, but I'd be shocked if the answer were no." He thought about Wonderweiss. The Arrancar had been tough, and it had been the Fox Captain who'd finished him off, purifying him.

The Captain Commander said, "And you do not desire to consume souls?"

"Hell no." said Ichigo. Though a little voice inside, which was entirely his and not Zangetsu's at all, asked how he could know for sure until time had passed.

"Good. You are a shinigami."

The pronouncement had all the strength of iron, all the force of law, and Ichigo's back straightened. A word had been missing. The Captain Commander hadn't fit the word 'substitute' in there.

"In regards to your invasion of Hueco Mundo…" The Captain Commander's expression became very stern. "Unofficially, you're a half-cocked disaster who nearly got all your comrades killed. If you had obeyed my orders and waited just a little while, you would've gone to Hueco Mundo with the Captains and been in much less desperate straits."

His expression not softening at all, the Captain Commander said, "Officially, well-done spearheading the invasion of Hueco Mundo. You defeated three Espada and played a key role in the defeat of the Arrancar Wonderweiss, who Ichimaru informs us may have been the most powerful Arrancar of all, and in the destruction of the traitor Aizen Sosuke."

Ichigo said, "First off, I may have been reckless and half-cocked, and I may have nearly gotten my friends killed. But I would've waited if you'd told me you were planning a rescue mission. And I didn't disobey any orders, because you don't have the right to give me any. I'm not part of the Gotei 13."

"Yes," said the Captain Commander. "That badge doesn't cut it."

"It's a cool key chain," agreed Ichigo. It didn't seem to mean much, and Urahara could give him a device to knock him out of his body if he liked. But he should probably be protesting that the badge was plenty. He wasn't sure he liked where the old man was going.

The Captain Commander said, "Join the Division of your choice. Perhaps the 13th, with your friend Kuchiki Rukia? Or the 6th, with Lieutenant Abarai and Captain Kuchiki?"

Ichigo hadn't expected that, but he wasn't surprised either. Joining the Gotei wasn't a new thought. "I'm alive." Sort of. He did wonder from time to time about the fact that Urahara had broken his Soul Chain. "I've got a human life to live."

"We are willing to be flexible," said the Captain Commander, with a sternness that suggested no flexibility at all. "If you wish to be assigned to the human world for the next 50 to 70 years, we have no issue. You will be paid, of course, to the tune of a third Seat."

"You can't buy me," said Ichigo.

The old man waved a hand. "No. But people should be paid for their labor. Regardless of your decision, we'll give you back pay, dating to the night Kuchiki Rukia first gave you her powers. It is only just."

Ichigo could see what the Captain Commander was doing. He was being awful transparent. Which was part of what made it hard to say no. Besides, Ichigo was going to keep on purifying Hollows and Konsoing Pluses no matter what. It was only right that they paid him for it. And the idea of his part-time job as a shinigami actually paying him was really nice, even if the exchange rate was sure to be shit.

Ichigo said, "I'll think about it."

The Captain Commander said, "Whatever you do, much of your reiatsu must be sealed when you're in the Human World. Just as we seal that of our Captains and Lieutenants when they enter the Human World. Urahara, Yoruichi and the Vizards have all reached their own arrangements."

Thinking about what he knew of how cumbersome the limit on Captains and Vice-Captains was, Ichigo said, "I'd rather use their arrangement."

"You're not a Captain or Vice-Captain; that's allowable. Regardless, you should have a liaison. A shinigami permanently posted with you. Do you have a preference?"

"Rukia," said Ichigo. "If she wants to. I don't wanna hold her down if she has stuff she'd rather do here."

#
#

The Captain Commander reclined back in his chair with a cup of tea. His interview with Kurosaki Ichigo had been interesting. The boy saw a great deal for one so young. The Captain Commander was determined to get him fully into the Gotei 13, but to a millennia old being like him, waiting a few years or even a decade hardly counted as waiting at all.

If it got up to over a decade without the boy joining them permanently, officially and wholly, he'd have reconsider his options.

He called in Urahara Kisuke.

The man exclaimed over his office, asked Sasakibe about his grandchildren, and generally played the part of a genial, absent-minded fool who wasn't any good outside the laboratory, just as he had as a Captain.

Too late for that. Urahara had orchestrated the war from beginning to end, and though he claimed no prior knowledge of it, had seemed thoroughly unsurprised by Gin's betrayal. And Urahara's earlier recounting of the measures he'd taken to end Aizen absolutely had been chilling.

"Sit," said the Captain Commander.

"Hai, Hai," said Urahara, taking the proffered chair. "How can I be of assistance?"

The Captain Commander said, "Retake your position as a Captain."

"As Captain of Division 12?" said Urahara, serious and unsurprised.

"Captain Korutsuchi fills the position competently." Though if truth be told, and it never would be, the Captain Commander had assumed that at least one Captain would die, and had been hoping it would be Korutsuchi Mayuri. "But there are three other open positions."

"Ara, ara, such an honor, Captain Commander. But I have my shop, and so much inventory to clear, and I've already paid up my membership due for the year for my local Go club, so it really isn't possible at all."

The Captain Commander scowled. They still had three Divisions without Captains. He'd like to order Urahara to take a position, but Urahara was still officially, legally, in exile, and after everything Urahara had done to save them all from Aizen, he could hardly threaten him with discipline.

The Captain Commander dismissed Urahara and spoke to three more of his wayward subordinates. Shihouin Yoruichi and Tsukabishi Tessai were uninterested in returning to the Gotei. Not if Urahara was staying in the human world. The man's ability to inspire loyalty was yet one more reason the Commander wanted him as a Captain.

Shiba Isshin pleaded that he couldn't possibly leave the human world, as he had two young daughters to look after. He laughed uncomfortably and cried fat tears while yelling about his dead human wife when the Commander pointed out that his daughters were half-shinigami and could live much longer lives in Soul Society.

Determined to have them reincorporated somehow, the Commander called the four of them all back in together, and made them an offer hard to refuse. When those arrangements were concluded, he called yet again for Kuchiki Rukia.

#
#

"You have two options."

Rukia blinked. She hadn't expected to have any options at all.

The Captain Commander continued, "First, you have demonstrated substantial skill, and your Captain trusts you. If you remain in the 13th, you will become a Vice-Captain in short order."

Rukia let only a flicker of surprise cross her face.

"Or you may accept a temporary assignment to the Human World Affairs Office. It's a new organization. Urahara Kisuke will be its first Chief. Shihouin Yoruichi will be Chief of Intelligence. Tessai will be Chief of Kido. And you, if you accept, will be Agent Number One. Your primary responsibility would be to liaison with the Shinigami Kurosaki Ichigo, and his comrades, but you would have other duties as per Urahara Kisuke's discretion."

Rukia knew which she preferred, but that didn't matter. She said, "In which role would I be of more service to the Gotei 13?"

Yamamoto said, "Kurosaki Ichigo requested that you continue to be his liaison, but only if you preferred it."

That was an answer. If Yamamoto hadn't thought that that having her with Ichigo was more important, he would've ignored what Ichigo wanted. He was giving her the choice simply so when Ichigo asked her if she'd been given a choice, she would say yes.

Rukia had been a Kuchiki for decades. She could read politics. Could read power. Ichigo had played a huge role in winning the war. At the age of 16, he was already stronger than most Captains, and he had resolved his Hollow problem. To the Gotei, he was an incredible asset. Much more important than her.

Rukia said, "I respectfully decline the opportunity to be assigned to Human World Affairs."

#
#

"A party?" said Ichigo.

"For everyone involved in the operation," Rukia confirmed. "At an expensive restaurant, but we'll all eat and drink as much as we like for free."

"So how come you're not in some fancy noble kimono?" She was in her usual shihakusho, as was Ichigo. Ishida and Chad were still in yukata, and they'd found Chad one that fit.

"This is a shinigami party, Ichigo. Of course we'll go in uniform. And it will not be very formal. Are you ready? Nii-sama will worry if we're late to arrive."

"Byakuya is coming?" said Ichigo. He couldn't imagine Byakuya at any sort of party, except perhaps as the unwilling host of a very formal dinner party, which clearly wasn't it.

"Obviously. He was a key part of the operation. He's already gone there. But he likely won't stay for long."

The five of them –Chad, Inoue, Ishida, Rukia and Ichigo, met at the Estate's gates and proceeded at Rukia direction to the appointed restaurant, conversation consumed by discussion of Seireitei itself, Rukia playing tour guide.

When they reached the restaurant, which was expensive and an odd mix of modern and very traditional, the party was already in swing.

Soi Fon was talking to Yoruichi, resolutely ignoring the fact that Yoruichi was sitting on Urahara's lap. Byakuya was next to Unohana Retsu, listening patiently as Yachiru stood on the table in front of him relating 'Ken-chan's' fight.

Ichigo did a double take, but Byakuya really did look as if he was used to it and didn't object. He thought of how Byakuya's wife had died and Byakuya had never gotten the children he must've been expecting.

Kyouraku was drinking heavily next to Ukitake, who was speaking cheerfully to him as he played a game of Go with Nanoa. Isshin, who Ichigo had hardly seen since passing into Soul Society, was talking to Toshirou, who somehow didn't look annoyed at all. The Fox Captain, who Ichigo had since learned was named Komamura, was speaking quietly with a dark-haired female Vice-Captain, a blond male Vice-Captain with a weepy face, and Tattooed Vice-Captain.

Ichigo wasn't great with names.

Sunglasses Vice-Captain was tending to Matsumoto as she chugged sake` and complained about how it wasn't fair that Gin was still in jail.

Renji stood up from the bar, grabbed Ichigo, and pushed him into a seat next between Ikkaku and Renji.

Renji turned, holding a cup of sake`, already half drunk. Seeing Inoue, he stood, hugged her, and thanked her for his arm.

Chad firmly removed said arm from Inoue's shoulders and returned Renji to his stool.

Grinning at Ichigo, Renji roared at the barkeep, "A cup of sake` for my friend."

"I don't drink," said Ichigo. Unlike most Japanese youth, he didn't just ignore that law. He thought he might try soon, but he planned to start with beer, not something strong like sake`.

"Come on," said Ikkaku, thrusting a bowl of clear liquid at him. "Be a man."

"Sure," said Ichigo. "Nothing quite like doing something I don't want to because a bunch of assholes say so to make me a man."

From next to Ikkaku, Yumichika laughed. "He's got you there."

Chad and the others went… somewhere, and Rukia said, "Shove over," said Rukia, pushed Renji aside, stealing his chair, and took the place next to Ichigo.

"Don't get drunk," said Rukia. "Getting drunk deadens. But drinking just a little may loosen. That helps many people."

She turned to Renji and said, "Good job surviving long enough for Mayuri to save your ass."

Renji reddened and Ikkaku burst into laughter, and Ichigo was alone with the sake` and the decision.

Ichigo raised the bowl to his lips and tilted it back. When he lowered it, all the sake` drunk, his throat burning, Ikkaku and Renji were cheering.

That's enough," said Rukia. And then to the nearest barkeeper, "Tea, and whatever food you recommend with it."

Ichigo ate, and he was feeling pretty good. Detached, like, and happy to be alive. Speaking to no one in particular, Ichigo said, "It was pretty tough. That hiero they had. Wish I had that. Hard to cut through. At first I just used Getsuga Tenshou to try and break through, but I figured out if my intention was sharp enough, you know, I could just cut them normally, and then use Getsuga Tenshou once Zangetsu was inside them." He shrugged. "Made a boom."

"Yeah?" said Ikkaku.

"I didn't kill you." He pointed to Ikkaku. "Or you." He pointed to Renji. "I was careful. A little. Hat'n'Clogs told me shinigami are tough to kill with cuts so long as you don't cut our heads off. But those Arrancars. What can you do? I needed to do that, right?"

"You should be proud of it!" said Ikkaku.

"Should I?" said Ichigo, considering the thought.

Rukia said, "Ikkaku-san, how strong was the sake`?"

"The strongest."

"Bartender," said Rukia. "More food please, and tea without caffeine."

Ichigo said, "Rukia almost died, you know. She beat Espada 9, but she almost died doing it." Turning to Rukia, he said, "Why did we split up? Splitting up was stupid."

Rukia said, "When facing far superior forces, scattering is often the best option. If we hadn't scattered, it would've been too easy for them to mass and crush us."

"Oh," said Ichigo. "They still could've crushed us if they'd wanted to. If Aizen hadn't been playing games." He raised his tea. "A toast to Aizen for playing games when he should've been fighting a war! A toast to Gin for removing his chest!" He shivered. "Do you think Aizen would've killed my sisters? I think he would've. Or captured them or experimented on them. He would've gotten around to them eventually, don't you think?"

"Yes," said Rukia.

"Do you think I should be proud of it?"

"I think you should know that what you did was necessary."

"Yeah," said Ichigo, turning to Ikkaku. "That sounds better than being proud."

Rukia said, "We defeated that madman and his army, and not one of us died. Not one. That's a miracle."

Ichigo grinned. He rested a hand on Rukia's shoulder. She looked up at him in startlement. He said, "I know there was something extra for you. Something hard. I won't ask you. I don't know a way of trampling into your heart without getting it dirty. But if you want to speak, I'll be ready to listen."

Ichigo stood and pointed at Yachiru. "There's his daughter, so where's Kenpachi? I wanna fight him."

Rukia went after Ichigo, hoping to keep him well away from Yachiru, thinking Kenpachi couldn't be far away, but she was too slow to get out of her seat, and he'd already begun speaking by the time she caught up to him.

Not, however, to Yachiru. "Hey. You're the healer Captain."

"I am Captain Unohana Retsu," the Captain said, slowly putting down her cup of tea, her conversation with Byakuya broken off.

"I wanna learn that. Healing. The rest of the Kido stuff sounds fine, but Healing especially. My dad's a doctor." He pointed at Isshin. "Sorta. So I'm CPR certified and I know all about first aid, but I don't know about healing with Kido. If someone were dying, there wouldn't be anything I could do."

Unohana said, "We'll be happy to train you."

Smiling, Ichigo pushed away from that table. "Toshirou! Toshirou! Don't talk to my stupid dad. He's a bad influence."

Rukia went after him, thinking that sloshed Ichigo was more entertaining than a typical night out.

Then Captain Kyouraku insisted she have a little sake`, and shortly after she was holding onto Ichigo's arm, laughing along with him.

#
#

The next day, Rukia found herself counseling depressed females.

"What was it like?" Hinamori wanted to know.

"Clinical," Rukia said. "No extra suffering."

"Did he call for me?"

"No," Rukia lied.

Matsumoto wanted to talk about Gin. "He's the big hero!" she said, "So why is he still behind bars?"

"I wonder," said Rukia, blandly.

"He swears up and down that he had no idea Aizen was going to slaughter Central 46 until it had been done."

"Do you really believe that?" said Rukia.

"Of course not. He bloody well knew. But there isn't any evidence to contradict him, not even Tousen's testimony."

Rukia did not say that she had always feared Gin and felt better with him imprisoned.

The only conversation she sought out was with Orihime. The girl had said earlier that she was fine, that nothing really horrible had happened to her, but that had been in front of the boys.

Rukia filled her with food, plied her with wine and sympathy, and haltingly, but in detail, the story came out.

Inoue had been alone, isolated and terrified, but she had not been raped. She'd been hit around a little, but nothing worse than what might happen in a rough sparring match.

Rukia knew very well that the same swollen cheek and split lip hurt a thousand time worse when it was the result of a malicious attack that you were helpless to defend yourself against than when gained in a friendly bout. So she listened carefully, gave Inoue reassuring touches on the shoulder, and told Inoue that it had been bad, but it was over and she was safe.

It ended with Inoue crying in her arms, Rukia rubbing her back and murmuring gently.

When Inoue had cried herself out, she wiped his her eyes and said, "Look at me, crying like this when I know you went through so much worse, Kuchiki-san."

Rukia smiled, equivocated, told Inoue to call her Rukia, and did not speak of it.

The fourth and final female was something Rukia hadn't known had a gender at all. Rukia was called into the Captain Commander's office, wondering whether they had follow up questions, or whether, the Captain Commander intended to press her to join HWA.

When she entered the Captain Commander's office, Rukia realized it wasn't either of those things. It wasn't just the Captain Commander there, but his Vice-Captain as well, and Captain Soi Fon and Urahara Kisuke. On the table was an open box. In the open box was a black sphere. The Hougyoku.

"It's not hidden yet?" said Rukia. The only thought in her head was that they wanted to put it in her again, though that was obviously insane.

"Soon," said Urahara. "In a better place than before. Safe. Nearly inaccessible. But it would be better if she went to sleep. But she's very on edge after the battle. I hoped a familiar presence might calm her."

At Urahara's direction, Rukia picked up the Hougyoku and stroked the little ball that had been the object of so much strife, murmuring reassurances to it.

It did not speak. She had no words, with her ears or with her mind. But there was something, a presence, an agitation. So Rukia turned away from the others and sang quietly to it, a gentle lullaby. And slowly, its agitation ceased.

#
#

The lot of them ended up eating breakfast with Byakuya and Rukia every morning, and over fish and eggs, Byakuya commented that Ichigo's reiatsu suppression was abysmal. Rukia looked worried, and said that she'd been planning on helping him with that, but Byakuya reminded her that she needed to report to her Division shortly. Rukia assented, though still worried, and Byakuya had Ichigo fetch Zangetsu from his guest room before leading him into one of the Estate's training yards.

Ichigo wasn't thrilled about learning from Byakuya, but when he'd fought Renji the second time, Renji had explained about why Vice-Captains and Captains were put under limits when they went to the Human World, and it'd been a nagging fear ever since, so Ichigo took to the material eagerly.

Byakuya didn't offer long, detailed explanations, or keep up a constant stream of feedback, but Ichigo preferred it that way. Byakuya seldom spoke unless the words were important.

Ichigo didn't worry about why Byakuya was teaching him. Ichigo certainly hadn't done any of it for him, but it didn't take any imagination to see why Byakuya might feel himself to be in his debt, and this was an easy way for Byakuya to discharge it.

It was a productive hour and a half, and when they went inside, Ichigo headed for the stairs, intending to grab the book Isane had given him and go to the 4th to watch them work again.

Before he reached the stairs, Byakuya said, "Kurosaki Ichigo. Do you play shogi?"

Ichigo turned, not hiding his astonishment.

Byakuya sat cross-legged at the low table the board was on, and the invitation, or more like demand, was clear.

"Occasionally," said Ichigo. He won more often than not, except against Chad, who he split with 50-50, but he assumed he'd be steamrolled by any member of the school's shogi club.

Sitting, Ichigo said, "Don't you have to go to your Division?"

"A properly organized Division can run indefinitely without a Captain's input."

Byakuya made his opening move, and not wanting to embarrass himself against Byakuya, he focused a lot more than he did against Keigo, or even Chad.

The silence had nearly stopped being uncomfortable when Byakuya broke it, asking him questions. Weird questions, about his home life and his hobbies and stuff like that. Byakuya was clearly as uncomfortable asking the questions as Ichigo was getting them, but Byakuya kept on persevering, getting eventually to what was likely the heart of it.

Byakuya asked about Ichigo's Hollow mask.

"It's handled," said Ichigo. "Permanently. I don't have a mask anymore."

"And how, in the first place, did you acquire it?"
Ichigo almost told Byakuya to mind his own business, but Byakuya had fought against his Inner Hollow controlled self once, after all, so Ichigo began to tell him about Urahara's training in the vaguest possible terms, and Byakuya interrupted him to say, "Your Soul Chain was cut?"

"Yeah. I know." Ichigo shrugged. "Seems to be fine, though."

Byakuya moved a piece, and Ichigo gave the broad outline of the rest in a few sparse sentences before considering his own move on the shogi board.

Piece wise, they were still pretty equal, but Ichigo was beginning to have real reservations about the arrangement of said pieces. His seemed to be in their own way, and Byakuya controlled the center of the board.

It wasn't long after that until Ichigo's defeat, and he went to Division 4 as planned.

#
#

After four days in Soul Society, Rukia entered the room Nii-sama had set aside for Ichigo and found him packing his things. Books sent over from Shino Academy by the Captain Commander, and gifts from any number of people.

"Hurrying back to your sisters?" Rukia said. They must be going crazy with their brother and father both missing.

"No," said Ichigo. "'Ryuuken' has been looking after them, apparently, and they'll stay with him for a few more days." He shook his head. "I had no idea my dad and Ishida's dad are basically friends. Or committed enemies, maybe. Apparently 'Ryuuken' is the hotshot hospital director Goat Chin yells at over the phone all the time."

"Then where are you going?" said Rukia, puzzled. "There's no need to seek other accommodation. I know Nii-sama glares at you, but that's just him. He's really very shy. He likes you, in his way."

"First, I don't wanna hear about your brother liking me or being shy. Second, I'm not staying in Soul Society. You heard what that maniac said about my mother."

"Wa-wasn't he just shouting anything he could think of?"

"Maybe. Probably. But we know the Grand Fisher ate her. And Goat Chin fought the Grand Fisher after we came back from Soul Society. Purified him. So that seems like it should free her. Except he was an Arrancar when Goat Chin purified him. Meaning Aizen had experimented on him. For him to draw out Shiba Masaki's soul in order to play with me and dad… it sounds like him, doesn't it?"

Rukia said, "You're not going back to Hueco Mundo by yourself."

"Of course not. Dad's coming. And Urahara, since he and Mayuri are probably the only ones who can understand Aizen's 'research materials,' and no one trusts Mayuri. And since Urahara's coming, Yoruichi is coming too. And it took a bit of doing, but Ichimaru Gin is going to be our guide."

That surprised Rukia. It seemed to her that Gin should be in prison, at least until a verdict was handed down. Tousen had been interrogated, and from the rumors Rukia had heard, had stated that Aizen had told him decades ago to distrust Gin, and most people were eager to accept the idea that the man who'd done the most to slay Aizen was a good person who'd been nobly working against him from the inside the whole time, but there was no question that he'd committed horrible crimes while working as Aizen's stooge.

That was probably part of why he was being sent to Hueco Mundo. Another proof of his loyalty. More fruits of his 'undercover work.' More excuses for the Captain Commander to ignore all the murders and reinstate Gin as a Captain and get on with business with as usual.

That would be one Division sorted out.

Rukia said, "I'm coming."

"It's supposed to be a small group," Ichigo said. An elite group, he didn't say.

Her eyes narrowed. "Do I have to remind you that I helped invade Las Noches just last week? When it was much more securely held. Besides, you need a field medic. I'd be the only certified field medic on the team."

Which was bullshit. Urahara and Yoruichi may have let their certifications lapse, but they were more than capable. And he had to know it was bullshit, but he grinned anyway and said, "Well, if you're coming, you'd better go and tell your shy, misunderstood Nii-sama about it."

:::

The obvious place to safeguard the Hougyoku is the royal palace. But I'm afraid we'll never see that. I didn't think the Soul King stuff much improved the story, and I presently have no intention of doing the Quincy arc.

There is a sort of story in which the MC kills all the people who are inconvenient to him and he's right to do so and has no regret and everything is hunky dory. The MC is always right about everything and likely marries a hot, mentally unstable woman who's thoroughly obsessed with him. I have enjoyed stories of this type, but I don't much respect them.

This is that sort of story, except we will make-believe that killing always has weight, always carries a tragedy, and the always-right MC above is an annoying ass of a polemic. This explanation is my way of saying that in this story, things will go unreasonably well, wish fulfillment will happen, and the characters will have as much of a happily ever after as is possible. Or a little happier, really.

In most stories written for minors, the children or teens are treated as equals by adults. They have agency, make decisions and do important things. That's one of the central fantasies of most kids books and, to a lesser extent, Y.A., whether there's magic or not. (Home Alone is really interesting from this perspective.) We forget that they are kids.

Take off this blinder as well, and 'Holy Crap, she's 12!' we all say. The mentor/enabler/facilitator figure becomes an evil, manipulative creator of child soldiers, or some such thing. And so that blinder, I intend to keep on. To me, it's a little too sacred to the genre. Removing it doesn't alter the tone of the story. It fundamentally changes what the story is.

I love reviews!