The next morning, the kids learned they would be able to stay for the day. Karin and Nan kept making fun of Bess at the breakfast table for taking so long to get ready.

"It's not pathetic, Nan, my hair has to be brushed 36 times!" Bess said.

"It is rather dumb, Bess; I mean, who counts how many times they brush their hair?" Ameil argued.

"Only grownups," Nan said. "My mom used to."

"We are almost grownups, and you too Ameil, but girls mature much more faster then boys."

"I still think it's dumb," Nan insisted.

"Well, I'm never planning on growing up," Karin announced proudly. Nan rolled her eyes and countered, "We all have to whether we like it or not."

"I am never growing up!" Karin yelled and disappeared to kick around her soccer ball. The other kids looked at each other.

"Why's she so crabby?" Bess asked.

"Maybe your girly ways annoy her," Nan teased.

"Nah, she failed the french test," Ichigo said dismissively as Daisy entered the room. Demi skipped over to her.

"Where have you been?" he asked. "Brushing my hair," Daisy said proudly. Bess smiled at that; she and Nan had been trying for years to make Daisy either girly or tomboyish.

"That means nothing," Nan said through a mouthful of fried eggs.

"Come on, Nan, let's go back to the creek!" Bess said, happily getting up. "I'm coming," Ameil announced.

"Me too!" Bobby and Ichigo said in unison. It was night when they all got back to Plumfield.

"I hope Grimmjow sends Bobby here," Karin said happily.

"He did say he was thinking of it."

They were all settling down for the night when Yumichika walked in.

"Hey guys, come to the classroom. Byakuya sent a surprise."

"REALLY?" they all said, excited. "Coats please," Ikkaku sighed. He rather would have stayed in for the night. When they all got to the classroom at the top level of the barn, Byakuya's gifts were waiting for them: a bunch of crates. When the kids opened them eagerly, they were pleasantly surprised.

"Books!" Ichigo and Uryu said in unison. They enjoyed reading the most. The kids had fun picking through the old books.

"Look Nan, one on bugs," Chad said, handing it to her.

"Ikkaku, here's one about fighting!" Ameil passed said book to Ikkaku, who seemed to be enjoying himself as well.

"Hey Dan, look at this one on survival in the wilderness," Nat said. He and Dan had once gone on a survival trip for the weekend with Toshiro and Kenpachi. Then he dug out a thick dusty book.

"Sherlock Holmes!" he said joyfully.

"Ururu, Yuzu, you should both read Little Women," Ikkaku told them as he dug through the books. "Wow," he said in amazement, lifting out a familiar book. "The Little Prince! I'm going to read this for you in French class. It's a favorite."

"Is it about fighting?" Dan asked.

"No Dan, I like books that are about things other than fighting, like this one," he said, handing Dan 2000 Leagues Under the Sea.

"We will all be writing thank you notes." Ikkaku announced. "I have an idea for our new assignment. You will all have to do a good deed, write about it, and present it to the class."

"Aww," the class chrorused in disappointment. They were always writing.

The next day at lunch, they were introduced to the new carekeeper.

"Koga!" Uryu said in surprise. "Isn't he a Bount?"

"Yes," Ikkaku said. "But he will also be carekeeper of the grounds and help make sure chores get done. And that the animals get fed," he said, glaring at a few of the boys. The rest of the day was spent outside doing a nature walk while picking berries. They were learning about rocks and how they naturally formed. Shockingly, they were all listening attentively instead of darting around. Before supper, the class sat on the grass while Ikkaku read the first few chapters of The Little Prince. Jinta even got to join them for a bit.

"All right, free time, make sure the chores are done!" Ikkaku announced. He added, "Dan, the pigs can't feed themselves."

"Yes sir."

"Nan, Bess, Karin, Ameil, and Ichigo, I need to see you all." They groaned in response, having known that this was coming.

"Considering you were in your parents' care, Nan, Bess, and Ameil are off punishment. However, I must warn you; if you EVER go to Hueco Mundo again without telling an adult, I will see to it that you are severely punished," he said seriously. When the three departed, he turned to Ichigo and Karin.

"You two were in my care and as such, I am making you pick your punishments. You have until tonight to decide," he told them before leaving.

"Ikkaku," Karin said suddenly, following him inside. "Can we send a crate of books to Bobby in Hueco Mundo, please?"

Ikkaku thought for a brief moment. "That's an excellent idea, Karin. If you pack them up you can count that as your assignment." "Ok!" she said, smiling.

Meanwhile, Bess and some of the boys were listening to Koga's adventures. "Come on, Nan, let's go do something," Nat whispered and ran off.

"Come on, I'll race you!" Nan said, laughing. They were running outside when Nan suddenly disappeared and screamed.

"NAN! Are you ok?" he yelled down the well she had fallen in, panicked.

"I think I twisted my ankle," she shouted back. "I'll go get help!" he said and ran off. Fifteen minutes later, he returned with Ikkaku and Mayuri, followed by Koga.

"Hang on, Nan, I'm coming!"

Mayuri lowered himself down with the help of Koga and and soon Nan was back up and safe.

"Oh Nan, thank goodness," Ikkaku said, hugging her and draping a blanket on her shoulders. She was lucky that all she had was a twisted ankle.

"I'm sorry, Ikkaku," Mayuri said when all was well and everyone else was in bed. "It's fine, as long as she's ok," Ikkaku said and laughed, remembering their youth. "We've had worse."

Nan hobbled to class the rest of the week. Ikkaku decided that even with all that had happened, the school year had started off well. Within a few weeks all was back to normal.

However, there were a few changes. To Karin's joy, Bobby finally got to come back to Plumfield. Grimmjow was happy to drop him off and thank the kids and Ikkaku for the books. It was already almost November and the trees were changing color. Ikkaku insisted they all use the extra blankets on the beds.

Ameil had argued, "But Ikkaku, I'm not cold at nights!"

"Yeah, and teachers are always cold," Nan added. "That's not true," Ikkaku had said defensively, pulling the blanket tighter around his shoulders. Then on the next day, Saturday, Ikkaku went to train his other students. Nan and Nat went to go find some new adventures in the woods. Jinta, Ururu, and Yuzu spent their time watching Ikkaku train. Due to Jinta having been sick for nearly three weeks, Ikkaku refused to let him wander off too far. Bobby and Karin were playing ball in the field while the highschoolers trained and the others were off doing their own thing. Little did they know that life was about to get exciting again, but in the meantime, they heartily enjoyed themselves as Ikkaku looked on with a smile.