The Invitation IX


Hiyori was sleeping in her room a few hours later when she heard the knock, "Hiyori-san, are you ready to leave?" she sat up and threw her teddy in her special bag and got up and opened the door. Urahara smiled down at her. "Were you sleeping?"

Hiyori blushed, "yes, I'm ready." She pushed her way past him and out of her home, ignoring his second question.

Urahara laughed, "You seem awfully eager to go Hiyori-san."

Shinji appeared just then with a small school bag in his hand, "Ready?"

Hiyori frowned, "I've been waiting for you!"

Urahara stepped between the two of them, "Okay, let's pretend to be nice to each other for Captain Commander Yamamoto."

Everyone went upstairs and found Ichigo waiting for them working in a school book.

Shinji spoke up first, "Ichigo, let's go."

Ichigo put the book away and stood up, "Okay." He lead the group of Vizards out with Urahara to an empty alley about 8 blocks away from the warehouse and when they turned the corner Renji and Rukia were waiting for the group. Renji was leaning over her talking to her whatever they were saying looked important and urgent from their expressions. "Morning Rukia, Renji!"

"Good morning Ichigo," Rukia said backing away from Renji who had straightened at the greeting and was moving away from her as well to opposite sides of the narrow alley.

"Morning Ichigo," Renji looked behind Ichigo to see the ragtag group telling one another they would see them soon, no one looked like they would believe it and the woman with glasses on hugged the little girl. He sighed, they obviously didn't believe that their friends would be coming home. Renji looked over at Urahara and greeted him, "Morning Urahara, are you prepared to leave?"

Kisuke smiled blandly at Renji, "Yes, I am. Will you be giving us the tour of Seireitei when we get there?"

Renji looked confused, "Tour?"

Rukia rolled her eyes, "You won't need a tour it's exactly the same."

Hiyori interrupted their conversation, "Let's go already, or don't you know how to open the Sekai gate?"

Renji frowned and growled low in his throat. Shinji jumped in front of Hiyori and looked Renji up and down menacingly the two stared each other down until Urahara stepped between them. "Friendly, friendly remember Hiyori-san!" The reminder caused the men to calm themselves.

Renji stood next to the gate Rukia had opened, "Ichigo, you first we'll follow last."

Hiyori frowned and turned to Shinji, "See, we're prisoners!'

Shinji smiled, "If you remember that is the way it is for any traveler to Seireitei."

Hiyori didn't like it but agreed it was true. It was a humid day in Karakura town but when she walked through the gate the humidity was gone and the sweet smell of Seireitei surrounded her. As they followed Ichigo to the First Division's barracks she got closer and closer to Shinji until her shoulder brushed his arm. The girl Rukia was wrong, Seireitei had changed subtly: different stores, the wood planks were a different color some faded and some replaced with fresh bright brown wood, the barracks looked different and most of all the people were different. Suddenly they were in front of the first barrack's doors. Ichigo led them in after being called to enter.

Hiyori sighed inwardly; at least Commander Yamamoto was the same. The captains were lined up only a few were familiar. The head of the second division was the old lieutenant Soifon, it was always nice when promotion happened from within the division. Unohana, Ukitake and Kyoraku were all still there and the sixth's captain looked like the new Kuchiki a rather handsome man with a bored but sad expression but what offended her the most was the Shinigami with the white face and blue hair, "YOU!"

Captain Kurotsuchi smiled, "Little lab assistant, how are you?"

Hiyori looked at Urahara who looked like he knew all of this as well as Shinji, and decided to calm down she'd yell at them later, besides her body hurt. With all her luck she would have the flu and living in the real world all this time kept it dormant but now that she was back in soul society it was going to make her sick. She smiled with sarcasm and responded, "I'm fine, how are you Mayuri?"

The captain frowned, "It's Captain Kurotsuchi now Hi-yo-ri."

Hiyori ground her teeth, "Yes, yes, congratulations Mayuri," she said and walked away ignoring him.

She smirked inwardly knowing she had won this fight until Shinji elbowed her near her collar bone. "Behave, Hiyori, everyone is counting on us, remember that."

Her smile fell and she shook her head clearing it then nodded at him, he was right, everyone was counting on her, especially Hachi, he missed Seireitei the most.

Ichigo moved behind them and suddenly they were in front of Yamamoto, Urahara who stood to her left bowed then Shinji bowed so she followed suit.

Yamamoto cleared his throat, "We offer our apologies to you, former captain Urahara Kisuke. It is rare that mistakes be made at this level but they happen and when they do we apologize. We offer you the ability to come back as a Shinigami and take up captaincy over either the 3rd or the 9th divisions."

Kisuke looked shocked, he obviously had not expected this change in events. He looked stunned so Yamamoto went on, "You have time to think about it. I am aware you have a business in the real world as well and we thank you for aiding Shinigami who are assigned the Karakura area. Tell me your answer and if you need council come to me and you will surely find it."

Kisuke bowed, very low, "Thank you, thank you very much." He stood up with a thoughtful look on his face.

"Hirako Shinji, former captain of the 5th division, we choose to get to know you better but should all go as well as Ichigo claims the Fifth division has a Captain's seat that is open and ready to be filled." Before Shinji could respond Yamamoto went on, "Former lieutenant Sarugaki Hiyori, I cannot offer you a captain's seat at this time, but as with Hirako, I ask you stay so we can learn about your abilities as Vizards. From what I understand you are the leader of the Vizards in the real world?" he asked

Hiyori shook her head gently, "We're a fam-"

Shinji cut in, "She leads and I help."

Hiyori looked at him and thought about it and agreed, over the years she had led them she just never realized what she had been doing. "I guess I have been leading."

Yamamoto's eyes twinkled and his lips smiled for a moment, "Should all go according to plan we will need someone who is a leader should anymore Shinigami turn like Kurosaki Ichigo. We have decided to give that position of leadership to you. Of course you will have to take a captain's qualification exam to show your preparedness."

Hiyori nodded then frowned, "What about the former captains Otoribashi, Aikawa and Muguruma who are still in Karakura town?"

Yamamoto nodded and smiled this time not hiding it, "It is a good skill to care for your underlings, Sarugaki-san, they will be offered positions too, although from what I understand not all of them would want to take them."

Hiyori knew she should keep her mouth shut but she couldn't lead her friends into trouble, "Please don't put them in the Maggot's Nest."

Yamamoto's smile vanished and he quickly drew in a breath of air, "That was never to be the plan, Sarugaki-san, worry not."

Hiyori sighed and smiled then bowed low even though her legs were killing her, "Thank you, so very much, thank you."

"We have planned rooms for you in all the barracks, which ever division you would like to stay with and the captains are all to entertain you," Yamamoto said looking directly at a scary man with bells on his head, where he was standing told Hiyori he was the new Kenpachi. "Welcome back to Seireitei," Yamamoto said then slammed his staff down.

All of the captains surrounded them, most to gawk but some who knew them to say hello. Soifon was speaking with Kisuke and while Kyoraku Shunsui and Ukitake Jushiro planned on drinking with Shinji and introducing him to everyone Unohana came over to Hiyori. "Welcome back you look like you're in pain," she said softly so as not to embarrass Hiyori.

Hiyori nodded, "It started in my calves now my arms hurt and my thighs, and my back and sides. I don't feel sick though, I just hurt, like I've been practicing too long or too hard or something."

Unohana nodded and was about to speak up when Kurotsuchi Mayuri came over. "You will join me in my lab. We're going to find out why you have stopped growing."

Hiyori frowned, she wasn't going near him without another captain and Shinji. "Not ri—"

Unohana interrupted her, "The spirit particles were not being absorbed properly in the real world she has already begun to grow, Captain Kurotsuchi."

"I have not seen the evidence," he countered.

"Look at her hair," Unohana reasoned, "And former captain Hirako's hair."

Hiyori looked at Shinji and was shocked to find his hair had already grown a centimeter longer, covering the back collar of his shirt.

Unohana smiled at her, "that's also why you are in pain, your growth is highly accelerated. We should get you into a warm moist environ to keep your skin soft and muscles warm. Would you like to join me in the 4th division's hot spring?"

Hiyori nodded then went to tell Shinji where she was going as she walked over she noticed a beautiful woman who reminded her of Risa standing between but slightly behind Shunsui and Jushiro. Shunsui noticed her first and told her she could come with them they were going to tour Seireitei and have sake with the lieutenant of the 10th division. Hiyori smiled at the invitation, her face was even aching at this point. "No, but thank you, I've accepted Captain Unohana's invitation to enjoy the 4th division's hot sprints. Apparently," she turned to Shinji specifically with a gleam in her eyes, "I'm growing, and it is causing a bit of pain."

Shinji looked at her closely, then smiled brightly, her bust had become noticeably bigger, and she was a bit taller. The most noticeable thing though was her hair it was a mess from growing because the new length could not force its way into her pig tails. Then he frowned for Hiyori to admit to being in pain must mean she was in a great deal of it, "I agree, Unohana can take care of your pain. I will meet you there later then, or you can find me if you want, I'll be with them," he said indicating the three he was with.

Hiyori nodded looking at the beautiful brunet lieutenant distrustfully, after all Shinji did have a habit of falling in love all the time.

Shinji noticed her watching him look at the woman and knew she mistook the look for interest for a different form of interest, or at least that is what he would say to anyone who would be dumb enough to ask. "You noticed it too, how much she resembles Risa," the woman's head popped up sharply at Risa's name. Shunsui and Jushiro stopped talking at her name as well.

Shunsui spoke up first, "How is my Risa-chan?" While the words came from his mouth it was the beautiful woman who seemed to wait for the answer with baited breath.

Hiyori nodded, "Risa is happy and healthy. She still recalls you and the 8th division fondly," she left off the fact that it was rare for any of them to say anything positive of the gotai 13 and or soul society.

Shunsui nodded then put his hand to the small woman's lower back, "This is Ise Nanao she is the 8th's lieutenant and she was under Risa's care when Risa was still here."

Hiyori nodded and smiled now it all made sense, "I wondered why you resembled each other so much."

The small woman, Nanao smiled and spoke with a calm and cool voice, "I am glad to hear she is happy, I often worry about her. She was very kind to me when I was a child. When she left I didn't know what I was going to do, fortunately the 8th is a good squad and has good people in it and we take care of one another."

Hiyori nodded, a good squad was very important when a member was lost. "How old were you?"

Nanao smiled weakly, it was odd telling this woman who was older than her but looked younger, "nearly thirty years but I came here shortly after birth."

Hiyori gasped, she had never quite seen how stunted her growth was, this woman was a little girl when she left and was now a fully grown woman. She wondered what Akon looked like, they were the same age or they had died the same year at the same age. She shook her head with a smile on her face ruefully and decided that this conversation was a little too weird even for her, "Well, please take care of Shinji, Captains Kyoraku and Ukitake and Lieutenant Ise. Shinji," she said turning to him, "You know where I will be, I might come join you later, it just depends."

Shinji nodded, just since their conversation began her hair was really becoming quite a bit messier and she was growing taller still. "I'll find you later tonight then."

Hiyori nodded and walked back over to Unohana, "Sorry for the wait."

Unohana smiled gently like a saint would, "Nothing to apologize for, shall we retire to the 4th division? You seem pained."

Hiyori nodded gratefully, "I am, thank you."