Chapter 9
A.N.: I will be getting to Isshin, Yuzu and Karin's reaction in the next chapter, so don't comment about how I wasted an opportunity by not showing him.
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.
Six Months Later….
Squad 1: Head-Captain's chambers
The lieutenants were all gathered in their meeting room, most of their captains assembling in the Head-Captain's main office. The group turned their heads when they heard footsteps coming towards them and a shadow emerged in the doorway. "The meeting start already?"
Renji grinned from ear to ear. "No, they're still waiting on you and Captain Ukitake, Captain Fon," he said teasingly.
"Shut up, Renji…" Ichigo grumbled, clad in Soi-Fon's Haori. He sighed as he walked past his friends and the other lieutenants, heading for the main chamber. "I still don't see why Yoruichi can't do this instead of me…."
Rukia, sitting in a chair, crossed her arms and cocked her head to the side. "Well, Mr. Casanova, she's not the one who got the Commander of the Stealth Force pregnant, now is she? You did tell the Head-Captain you'd take responsibility, right?"
Ichigo glared at his friend. "I don't think this is what I meant, Rukia."
Izuru stopped the quarreling friends. "Ichigo, you shouldn't delay here. You're needed with the captains."
Nodding, Ichigo continued onward. "Right. Thanks, Izuru…."
As he entered the main chamber and to his spot next to Captain Unohana, he felt all eyes on him, some with curiosity, some with amusement and some, mainly Byakuya, with annoyance. Ichigo felt uncomfortable. He'd never wanted a position within the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, intending on just continuing his Substitute duties. Nowhere did he imagine things winding up like this. As both Soi-Fon and Ichigo had feared, the Head-Captain was not exactly happy with the fact that Soi-Fon had become pregnant….
Six Months Ago….
"Captain Soi-Fon, how could you be so reckless?" the elder man admonished. In front of his desk were both Ichigo and Soi-Fon, with the other captains standing to the side, minus Kurotsuchi, who were watching the two get chewed out. "Under normal circumstances I'd congratulate you, Captain Soi-Fon; but in this case your lack of caution is offensive. You are not only the Captain of Squad Two but the head of the Stealth Force as well. You are a major military asset for the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. Any period where you are out of commission for a length of time is unacceptable!"
Soi-Fon, not used to being chewed out like this, merely stared at the floor. She felt numb, both with the news of her pregnancy and the fact that she would probably be considered a disgrace to the Squads. "Head-Captain…I…." For the other captains, seeing Soi-Fon embarrassed and at a loss for words was a first. Kyoraku and Ukitake were looking at her incredulously.
The Head-Captain turned to Ichigo, who gulped and tried to speak, only for the Head-Captain to stamp his cane into the floor, silencing him. "Ichigo. Did I hear you correctly when you told Captain Soi-Fon that you would take responsibility for getting her pregnant?"
"Um…yes?" Ichigo said, not knowing where this was going.
Yamamoto glared at the boy, coming to a decision to teach the boy a lesson in what responsibility really is. "Very well then. Captain Soi-Fon," he turned to the woman. "You will instruct Ichigo Kurosaki in the affairs of both Squad Two and the Stealth Force. When you reach the point in your pregnancy when you are unable to fulfill your duties, he will fulfill your role as is his responsibility!" he declared.
Everyone stared at the old man with their jaws hanging low. You could've heard a fly buzzing in the next room; such was the shocked silence that settled. "He…Head-Captain!" Soi-Fon sputtered. "You can't possibly mean that-"
"I do. As of this moment, Ichigo Kurosaki will be the Acting-Captain of Squad Two and the Commander of the Stealth Force until you give birth!" he declared.
Kyoraku stepped forward. "Uhhhh…don't you think that's a little premature, Yama? Ichigo doesn't know the first thing about leading a Squad. I get that you're angry but doesn't the phrase "Boys will be boys" apply here?" he said, hoping to try to maybe get the two lovers out of this mess.
That hope died with the Head-Captain's next words. "Captain Soi-Fon and Lieutenant Omaeda can instruct him in their ways, and you can assist him with learning the duties of captains then, Shunsui, since you feel so inclined to defend the boy. The boy is already at the level of a Soul Reaper captain so he will make an able substitute for Soi-Fon while she's incapacitated."
Ichigo and Soi-Fon were dismissed, walking out of the room and standing outside the room in shock. "Wow…just…wow…." Ichigo stood there, feeling like his feet were made of lead. "Soi-Fon, you okay?"
"I think…I think…I need to sit down…" she murmured, not sure what just happened. She took hold of Ichigo's hand and led him to the Fon family Mansion, where she needed to inform her family. The two spent the remainder of the day sitting under their tree, not speaking at all and just trying to shake off the shock while holding each other….
Back to the Present
Ichigo was bored out of his skull as he waited patiently. Ukitake had yet to arrive yet, what with being so sickly, so the waiting was causing him to become restless. Fighting the need to fidget, he looked down at the ground and took deep breaths, hoping that everybody would pay him no mind. He'd started taking over Soi-Fon's role as captain of Squad Two after she'd entered her second trimester, unable to move freely anymore with her growing baby.
Unlike the Head-Captain, the Fon family had been ecstatic to learn that Soi-Fon was with child. Already happy to hear that Ichigo and Soi-Fon were solidifying their relationship by having Ichigo stay in the Soul Society, the elders were overjoyed to hear the news. However, not wanting to cause a scandal among the nobility, they insisted on Ichigo marrying Soi-Fon before she gave birth, and quickly began to plan their impending wedding. Ichigo, too shocked with so many revelations being dropped onto his shoulders at once, was not exactly glad to hear that when he married his last name would change to Fon. He didn't want to abandon his mother's name.
As instructed, Soi-Fon and Kyoraku began to teach Ichigo the responsibilities of being a captain. After they'd recovered from the shock of Yamamoto's orders, Soi-Fon, together with Ichigo, had gathered her men in her Squad's training grounds and announced that in due time, Ichigo would be taking over her role as captain. To Ichigo's shock, most of the men were actually okay with this, knowing of his strength from his battles with Kenpachi, Byakuya and Aizen.
However, there was one voice of resistance to Ichigo's appointment….
Previously….
Squad Two Training Grounds
"This is ridiculous!" Omaeda shouted over the heads of his men. Soi-Fon glared at her lieutenant as he stepped forward. "I'm the lieutenant! The one who should be the Acting-Captain is me! Not some meddling Substitute!"
Ichigo turned to Soi-Fon. "He uh…does bring up a good point. Wouldn't he make a better substitute for you then me since he knows your squad better?"
Crossing her arms, Soi-Fon shook her head. "It's the Head-Captain's orders, Omaeda. I don't like this any more than you do. But it occurs to me…" she tapped her chin with a finger as a devious idea popped into her head, a wicked smile on her face. "A show of strength should be able to convince the Head-Captain otherwise. If you're able to defeat Ichigo in a one-on-one fight, I'm certain he'd let you take over in Ichigo's place."
Omaeda paled. "Whaaaaaaaat?" He looked at Ichigo and gulped, remembering the last time they fought…when Ichigo beat him with a single punch.
Soi-Fon turned to the other men and barked orders, "Clear the sparring circle. Omaeda will be facing Ichigo Kurosaki. Stand aside!" she ordered.
Knowing what she was thinking, Ichigo whispered into her ear. "You're evil, you know that? You just want me to beat up your lieutenant."
"He has had it coming for a long time…" she said vindictively, watching Omaeda, scared out of his skull, walk over to the center of the ring. "Besides, the men need to see your strength if you have any hope of having them follow you. So it's a win-win."
Nodding, Ichigo picked up Zangetsu and walked into the center of the ring, facing Omaeda. "You ready?" he called out.
The fat lieutenant drew his sword. "It's not going to be like last time! This time I'll wipe the floor with you!"
Soi-Fon walked to the edge of the ring and held up her hand. "Begin!"
"Smash him: Gegetsuburi!"
Omaeda's sword morphed into a large ball and chain. Ichigo kept his stance up and waited. Omaeda, spinning the ball around to add centrifugal force to it, hurled the weapon at Ichigo. Just when Soi-Fon was about to wonder when he was about to move, Ichigo sidestepped at the last minute and grabbed the chain.
The hapless lieutenant tugged on his weapon but Ichigo wouldn't let go. "Hey! Give that back!"
"You want it?" Ichigo taunted. "Here, have it!" As Omaeda made a hard tug Ichigo let go of the chain and dodged the metal ball as it screamed past him….
"AHHHHHHH!" Omaeda screamed as his own weapon hit him, sending him flying. Soi-Fon watched with smug satisfaction as her lieutenant it the dirt feet away, knocked out by his own zanpakuto. The other men looked at Ichigo with awe at how he defeated their second-in-command with such ease.
"Using Omaeda's own weapon against him with cunning and speed," Soi-Fon noted. "Maybe you will make a good commander of the Stealth Force after all, Ichigo," she praised. She turned around and faced her men. "I assume that there are no other objections to Ichigo's skill?" she asked.
Not one person spoke up….
Back to the present….
"So Ichigo…."
The boy turned his head to see Captain Unohana smiling at him. "Have all the preparations for your wedding been completed? We're all anxious to see you and Captain Soi-Fon tie the knot," she said, being one of the few people who didn't hate on Ichigo for getting Soi-Fon pregnant.
Ichigo nodded. "Yeah. Everything's set up. The wedding's planned for next week."
Happily smiling, Unohana patted the boy on the back. "Well, I look forward to it."
The others were interrupted when Captain Ukitake walked in. "Sorry for the lateness, everyone," the kind man apologized. "I had to break up a fight between my third-seats." Stepping into line, he smiled at everyone, particularly Ichigo, and nodded for the Head-Captain to begin the meeting.
Ichigo's mind wandered as he listened to the other captains argued and bicker over the cost of damages to the Seireitei caused by all the recent fighting. Even though it had happened over a year ago, much of the destruction caused by the Bounts, rogue Zanpakuto and Reigai had yet to be repaired. Ichigo's mind turned to the events of the past few months...
Ichigo had been swamped when he'd been forced to take over for Soi-Fon. True, in the months prior she and Yoruichi had been training Ichigo in how the Stealth Force members acted and he and Kyoraku would spend nights going over a captain's responsibilities. When the time came, Ichigo thought he was ready to handle the job; or at least keep the squad from falling apart for a couple of months. That notion quickly died during his first week, when he had to fulfill missions with Soi-Fon and Yoruichi advising. Being a full-frontal brawler, he wasn't used to sneaking around and acting like an assassin. However, he was doing better now and had earned the men's trust. Except for Omaeda, who kept his distance.
The other captains' feelings towards Ichigo's sudden captaincy were mixed. Shinji thought the whole thing was hilarious and would tease Ichigo whenever he got the chance, though he did help Ichigo whenever he was able, along with Kensei and Rose. Byakuya had reacted with distaste for the whole matter. He did respect Ichigo, but he believed the boy had brought this on himself and he was secretly enjoying Ichigo's struggle. Toshiro and Komamura were supportive but were often critical of Ichigo's decisions. Unohana, Kyoraku and Ukitake tried to be as helpful as they could, especially during that first week when they saw how Ichigo was being overwhelmed by all the responsibility. Mayuri…was Mayuri and had no comment.
Surprisingly enough, the biggest source of Ichigo's support came from Kenpachi of all people. The man would show up whenever Ichigo was on the verge of screaming in frustration or tearing his hair out and giving him a good hard smack to the back of the head and calm him down, helping Ichigo figure out whatever problem he was having….
The meeting ended without further incident and Ichigo left, needing to go check on Soi-Fon. He moved past everyone and headed straight for the Fon Manor and headed inside, many of the servants addressing him as Lord Ichigo, much to his chagrin. He hated being called that, as it made him appear all high-and-mighty. He stopped one of the servants when he poked his head into their room and saw no Soi-Fon. "Excuse me, have you seen Soi-Fon?"
The servant bowed out of respect. "Yes, Lord Ichigo. She went out some time ago. She seemed to be on edge and said she was going to go relax… but she seemed to be in a foul mood," she said fearfully.
Ichigo sighed. Soi-Fon had been increasingly moody. She never snapped at Ichigo or anything but everyone else was fair game to her scorn and very wild mood-swings. The boy leaned back against the wall and looked up in thought. Whenever Soi-Fon was in one of her moods she'd do one of three things. She'd go to the clan's bathhouse and bathe in the hot springs or would go to the Shihoin Manor and see Yoruichi, who had decided to stay there for the time being to keep an eye on her bee when she learned Soi-Fon was pregnant. Ichigo stuck his head out the window and saw that no attendant was waiting outside the bathhouse. And if she had left to see Yoruichi, she would've informed a servant to tell Ichigo.
Which just left option three, the final way Soi-Fon relieved stress….
Meanwhile….
"This is ridiculous…" Omaeda grumbled as he walked along the forest path, munching on rice crackers. "Having to take orders from that lowly substitute…I wouldn't have to go through with this if Captain Soi-Fon learned to keep her legs closed instead of acting like a total slut!"
A voice emerged from the forest, "So I'm a slut, Omaeda?"
The wind picked up as Omaeda turned around, his heart thumping in his chest with fear. He started to shake when he saw her captain, dressed in her Stealth-Force uniform since it was more comfortable, was glaring at him with vengeful eyes. She looked a little different, what with her growing stomach and her boobs bigger from producing milk. "Here I was, trying to take a relaxing walk through the woods and I find you , criticizing and insulting your commanding officer."
All Omaeda could do was stand there as Soi-Fon's body glowed white from her activating Shunko. "Cap-Captain, I-"
"Save it, Omaeda!" Soi-Fon held up a fist. "Talk to the hand!"
Omaeda saw his life flash before his eyes as his captain swung at him….
Back to Ichigo….
Ichigo heard the deafening roar from Soi-Fon's attack and turned around, watching a twister erupt from the forest nearby. "Yep…looks like she ran into Omaeda again while strolling through the woods…" he said chuckling.
"Better him than me…."
To be continued
