"GOOD MORNING KAIEN!" Ichigo launched himself at his son from the hallway only to collide with the wall. As Ichigo peeled himself off the wall, he glanced around the room and realized one very important thing…Kaien wasn't there.
"Kaien?" Ichigo called. He then glanced at the closet and grinned mischievously. He tip towed towards it, still bearing the grin.
"Well I guess Kaien's not here!" Ichigo yelled out exaggeratedly. He then threw open the closet door only to find…
"GOTCHA!"
"Rukia? What the hell?" Ichigo exclaimed as he found himself pinned to the ground, flat on his back, by his wife's petite form.
"I was feeling nostalgic and thought I'd crawl inside the closet for old time's sake. Then I hear you come barging in and thought I might turn the tables on you for once, Ichigo." Rukia replied with a smirk. Ichigo couldn't help but give her a blank stare.
"Is that why whenever I piss you off, instead of sending me to sleep on the couch, you crawl inside the closet?" Ichigo asked as Rukia smirked and shrugged simultaneously.
"I suppose that's part of the reason. I hadn't thought about it really." Rukia said as she sat up, still straddling Ichigo at the stomach.
"Well then, now that that mystery is solved, what about the case of my missing punching bag?" Ichigo asked with an implying grin. Rukia laughed defiantly with her arms crossed before looking away.
"He mentioned something, as he was crawling out the window I might add, that he was going to spend some time with his cousins today. He mentioned that he hadn't seen them on the last couple of days of school and he hadn't heard a thing from them so he was going to go check on them." Rukia explained.
"And what about his job?" Ichigo asked, still on the floor.
"His coworkers stopped by and mentioned that the store he works at closes on Tuesday so he's got today off." Rukia explained as Ichigo seemed thoughtful.
"Hmm." Ichigo hummed. This earned him a curious look from Rukia.
"What is it?" She asked curiously as Ichigo grinned.
"I guess I'm going to have to hunt Kaien down so we can fight. He should know by now that skipping out early won't save him from my wrath." Ichigo grinned with a smile that almost rivaled Kenpachi Zaraki's own, and that did not go unnoticed by Rukia.
"You know when you smile like that you look almost like Captain Zaraki." Rukia commented, causing the grin to change to a grimace.
"Mmm, speaking of which, I haven't heard anything from the guys the Soul Society sent. The most that I've heard was that Yachiru got sent back for medical treatment. But that's a load of bull, why didn't they just bring her here? I'm a doctor damn it!" Ichigo grumbled.
"So is Uryu, and he got here first. And no offence Ichigo, as great a doctor as you are, you just aren't qualified to treat the wounds of Soul Reapers." Rukia said as Ichigo sighed. He knew she was right. He remained silent for a moment before looking up at Rukia, still on top of him.
"Do you miss it at all?"
"Huh?" Rukia said confused.
"Do you miss being a Soul Reaper? Sometimes I wonder if my downtime is getting in the way of you doing what you were trained to do." Ichigo asked. Rukia looked down at him curiously. She then started fidgeting slightly.
"Well…about that." Rukia said, earning a curious look from Ichigo.
"What?" he asked.
"I've…I've been secretly going on patrol. Whenever I go to store or go somewhere alone, I use my old gikongon dispenser and send Chappy to the store while I go looking for Hollows." Rukia explained, Ichigo's eyes widened for a minute before he face palmed.
"That explains why, despite my constant begging, the only cereal you bring home is that damned Chappy cereal!" Ichigo groaned as Rukia laughed.
"Yep, that's why!" Rukia giggled before looking back down at Ichigo.
"You're not mad are you?" Rukia asked. Ichigo smiled up at her, brushing the hair on the left side of her head back to behind her ear.
"Not at all…well okay maybe a little for being left in the dark on it, but I'm not mad. I'm the one taking a vacation, not you. I know you've probably abstained from it because of Kaien and Hisana, but I'm glad that you're at least able to get out now and again. When Kaien and Hisana grow up and move out, and my time off has expired, I'll be back with a vengeance." Ichigo said with a grin, a thumbs up, and a wink, making Rukia smirk.
"I'll be looking forward to it…Captain." Rukia said as she leaned in for a kiss.
Unfortunately…
"Hey Mom, I was won-DAW MAN! I-DON'T-WANNA-SEE-THAT!" Hisana yelped as she walked in, saw her parents in the position they were in, recoiled and ran screaming out of the room, leaving behind a very embarrassed Rukia, and Ichigo about to have a heart attack from laughing so hard.
Meanwhile…
Kaien was climbing the stairs to a second story apartment in a nice two story apartment complex only a couple blocks from Karakura High School. Kaien had discovered that he could release Ametsuchi's Shikai form and then reenter his body, effectively stranding Ametsuchi inside with him. While he initially had done this as a cruel trick, curiously, he could sense that the twin Zanpakuto spirits were surprisingly okay with this.
"So run this by me one more time why you guys aren't raising a big stink about this?" Kaien asked quietly. He was wearing a simple dark blue shirt with the words "Nice Vibe" written on the chest, a pair of jeans, and his school shoes. The shirt was a hand-me-down from his father (A/N: See episode 10 of Bleach for a good look at the shirt).
"You've gotta have some time without us following you around." "And we are meant to be seen only when you're in Soul Reaper form after all." Ametsuchi replied, although Kaien had no clue which twin said what. He finally reached the door to the apartment.
"Thanks, I appreciate it." Kaien said back. He could hear the sound of guitar music playing from inside. Kaien couldn't help but smirk at the sound. He was about to knock when the door opened itself, revealing…
"I'll be back in a second with more-…Oh hello Kaien!" Orihime Inoue Kurosaki greeted as soon as she realized Kaien was standing there. She had changed a lot since the old days. Her hair was much longer, reaching her chest in length. She still wore her old hairclips, the two blue ones from her late brother on the sides of her head and the one white flower shaped one on the crown of her head from who was now her husband. She was currently dressed in a pink polo shirt and long red skirt with a white flower decal near the hemline on the left. Kaien respectfully bowed to her.
"Good morning, Orihime." Kaien greeted. She liked being addressed by her first name without any honorifics.
"What brings you out here today?" Orihime asked with a smile.
"Uh, well, I hadn't seen Sora, Sosuke, or Tatsuki in a while and I was getting worried. I should have called first, I'm sorry." Kaien said, bowing again. Orihime simply smiled sweetly.
"Oh don't worry about that. They're not here at the moment, but you're welcome to come in and wait for them. They should be back home any moment." Orihime said as she motioned for Kaien to enter. Kaien respectfully removed his shoes and walked inside.
"Thank you." Kaien said. The apartment was once Orihime's small, one person apartment but after she and Hanashiro got married, they bought the neighboring apartment and, with the landlord's (Cough-U-r-a-h-a-r-a-h-cough) permission, made the two apartments into one to support their family. Kaien almost instantly spotted his father's cousin, Hanashiro Kurosaki, sitting on the floor with a dark grey colored guitar in his lap. Physically, Hanashiro looked strikingly similar to Ichigo only with a few small differences such as a more pronounced chin beard of orange hair. However, unlike his cousin, Hanashiro's hair was worn swept back save for a single curly orange bang that dangled over the center of his forehead. In essence he wore his hair the way his father, Sosuke Aizen, had worn it after his betrayal and even at the time of his death. Hanashiro was wearing a simple white work shirt with the shirt tails hanging out and black pants. Hanashiro shot Kaien a friendly smile.
"I'm running to the store real quick. I'll be back soon." Orihime said as she walked out the door, closing it behind her.
"So, Kaien, what brings you around here?" Hanashiro asked as Kaien sat down across from him. For some reason that Kaien didn't know, Hanashiro intimidated him slightly. It might have been his nearly unflappable persona, retaining an eerie calmness at all times. Very few times had Kaien seen him angry. He was prone however to having excited outbursts, especially when there was a good song on the radio or playing in the background of whatever place they were in at the moment.
"I'm trying to find Sora, Sosuke, and Tatsuki." Kaien replied as Hanashiro scratched his bearded chin.
"Well Orihime said that she sent them out to run a quick errand. They'll be back soon." Hanashiro said as he started strumming slightly.
"Oh, okay then." Kaien said, looking away nervously.
"So, word on the grapevine is that you've gotten a job recently. I suppose that's why we haven't seen you lately." Hanashiro said, startling Kaien.
"Uh yeah. Who told you that?" Kaien asked curiously.
"Oh an old mentor friend of mine. Perhaps you've met him. He's here right now actually." Hanashiro said as they heard the toilet down the hall flush. Kaien arched a curious eyebrow at this.
"An old mentor friend?" Kaien asked curiously as they heard the bathroom door close from down the hall.
"Yeah, wait till you meet him." Hanashiro said as he and Kaien stood up. Kaien was then stunned by who it was.
"Hmm? Well-well, isn't this a surprise. Hyah Kurosaki." Gin Ichimaru said with a friendly wave, his foxlike expression plastered on his face. He was back in his substitute teacher outfit only without the jacket and tie. Kaien's jaw dropped and he suddenly started pointing at him in a stupor.
"What the hell?" Kaien yelped. Hanashiro only helplessly glanced back and forth twixt the unfazed Gin and the mentally combusting Kaien.
"Oh, you've met before?" Hanashiro asked curiously. Gin simply glanced towards him.
"I subbed for his regular High School teacher for a day before school let out." Gin replied as Kaien calmed down slightly.
"You were the creepiest teacher we've had, though oddly the girls just loved him." Kaien said as Hanashiro laughed.
"Aw, Captain you just can't seem to catch a break." Hanashiro said as Gin shrugged helplessly.
"Ah but I'm a one woman guy and I'm spoken for." Gin said as he checked his watch and for a brief second his eyes opened slightly in surprise and made a B-line for the door.
"Speaking of which, I promised said woman that I'd join her for a shopping excursion. I'll see ya later, Kurosaki…both of ya." Gin said as he gave a small salute and walked out the door.
"Later!" Hanashiro called as Gin closed the door. He then noticed that Kaien was looking at him curiously.
"What?" He asked.
"What was it you called him?" Kaien asked. He knew he hadn't heard right.
"You mean Captain? That's because he was. He was a Captain in the Japanese Navy." Hanashiro said with a shrug but Kaien knew better. Sora, Sosuke, and Tatsuki would have to wait; Gin just became his new focal point of the day.
"I see." Kaien said as he started for the door.
"Where're you going?" Hanashiro asked as Kaien opened the door.
"I just remembered I've got things at home to take care of. Tell the guys I'm sorry I missed them." Kaien said, closing the door behind him, leaving Hanashiro alone. Hanashiro glanced down at his guitar before glancing over towards a spot on the wall where a simple, round, oval shaped, polished silver object sat hanging. On the object was written the number one, and beneath that were the two kanji characters for Ban and kai, with plenty of room below it for additional characters. He glared at the object for a moment before he sighed with a scowl that only a Kurosaki could master.
"You won't be silent for much longer, Kuroseika. Soon your songs shall ring forth once again." Hanashiro said, looking at his guitar.
Meanwhile…
Kaien had caught up to Gin who was powerwalking down the street.
"Hey! Ichimaru! Hold up!" Kaien yelled but Gin kept going.
"Forgive me for not stopping Kurosaki, but I really am late." Gin replied, still smiling.
"I want to know something about you, Ichimaru. Are you really a Captain?" Kaien asked as Gin finally stopped.
"I was but not anymore. Ya might not want to talk to me, I've been bad." Gin said slyly as he opened his eyes to look at Kaien, but he wasn't fazed.
"What do you mean?" Kaien asked. Ichimaru checked his watch and glanced away his smile gone.
"How much have ya heard about a man named Sosuke Aizen?" Gin asked.
"Only what I've heard from Yachiru. That he was a traitor and that my dad killed him." Kaien replied as Gin scratched the back of his head.
"Well that's the watered down version if I've ever heard it. Come over here." Gin said as he led him to a nearby park and motioned to a small pond in the middle of a clearing. The pond itself was a perfect, round, bowl.
"Tell me somethin' Kurosaki. Can you sense a lingering presence here?" Gin asked, staring at the pond. Kaien quietly closed his eyes and relaxed. He stretched out and felt Gin's spiritual pressure right next to him, the feeling of the faint flickers of spirit energy within the other people in the park nearby, but as he really started to concentrate he found it, a faint yet very familiar spiritual energy coming from the pond and the area immediately around it.
"Dad?" Kaien said as he opened his eyes.
"Yep. This is where your dad, err crash landed after dealing the killing blow to Aizen. He made a crater in the ground, which, as you can see, has become a pond." Gin explained, causing Kaien's eyes to widen.
"That's why, whenever I pass this pond, I feel like my dad's nearby. It's because his spirit energy is still lingering around here from that fight." Kaien said as Gin smirked.
"Yep. That was twenty two years ago. Your dad was only a precious year older than you when he cut Aizen down, somethin' that no other Soul Reaper could accomplish. Ya see, this world, the Soul Society, and any others out there, are all held together and governed over by a single powerful entity, known as the Soul King, and the Soul Reapers are his appointed soldiers, keepin' the souls of the living and the dead safe, not to mention himself. Well Aizen hated the Soul King and had this grand scheme to try and kill the Soul King and remake existence itself in his image. He sure had a lotta spirit energy to do it too, only he needed one little thing. He needed a key to get to the Soul King, a key that could only be forged by usin' one hundred thousand human souls to make it, and Karakura just happens to be where the spirit nexus is located." Gin explained, but Kaien interrupted.
"What exactly does that mean?" Kaien asked curiously.
"Simply put, the spirit nexus is essentially the greatest concentrated location of spiritual bein's in the whole of the human world. It changes location every fifty years or so but at the present time; Karakura is the world's spirit nexus. Well Aizen had everything he needed to make the key, but there was always this one obstacle standin' in his way." Gin said as Kaien smirked.
"My dad." Kaien said as Gin nodded.
"Yep. Your dad, as stubborn as can be, never gave up. He kept on comin' back, slowin' Aizen's plans down until finally, in the very skies above Karakura, they fought against each other. In the end, Aizen was killed and everyone in his army was either killed or defected to the Soul Reapers ahead of time. I'm certainly glad I made the choice that I did." Gin said, his usual smile back on his face. Kaien's eyes widened in surprise at the statement.
"Wait, you mean that you-…you were on Aizen's side once?" Kaien asked as Gin chuckled.
"Perhaps I should reintroduce myself. Ex-Captain Gin Ichimaru, third division, of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. Though most of the Soul Society now calls me, traitor." Gin said.
"So you did side with Aizen." Kaien said as Gin turned towards him.
"Side with Aizen? Kurosaki, I was in on his scheme since practically day one. I betrayed Aizen in turn and the Soul King…well he decided to be merciful and simply strip me of my rank and title while permanently limiting my powers. Consider yourself lucky, Kaien. At least ya will one day have access to your Bankai. Me, I get to just remember when I used to have one." Gin said, smiling up at the sky, as Kaien furrowed his brow.
"About this Bankai, when will we be covering that?" Kaien asked as Gin glanced towards him.
"Oh that's not up for me to decide, Kurosaki. That's for Urahara to decide." Gin replied.
"One more thing. Why did Hanashiro call you Captain?" Kaien asked. Gin simply chuckled and scratched the back of his head.
"Ah that's because, back when I was Captain of Squad three, he was the squad's third seat. He kinda got in trouble for following in his father's footsteps and turnin' on the Soul Society…we both came to our senses though." Gin explained, causing Kaien to furrow his brow curiously.
"His father?" Kaien asked.
"I would tell ya, but I'd rather not be talkin' behind his back. It's rude ya know." Gin said as he looked at his watch and then turned to leave.
"So when do we continue my training?" Kaien asked as Gin started walking away.
"Oh we'll continue that after the weekend. Take the weekend to relax and build up your strength. You'll need it." Gin said as he walked away, leaving Kaien to his thoughts.
"Creepy fella, ain't he Kaien?"
"You can say that again." Kaien said before realizing who it was that had made the comment. Kaien whirled around and saw a certain Eleventh Division Lieutenant balancing herself on one foot on a stone next to the pond. She was wearing an orange sundress with a black armband on her left arm that had the number eleven stitched into it in white.
"What the hell? Yachiru? Where did you come from?" Kaien asked as Yachiru hopped off the stone and landed next to Kaien.
"I came from Kusajishi, silly. Doesn't the name kinda give you a clue?" Yachiru replied but Kaien only hunched over in confusion.
"Kusajishi? I thought that was your name." Kaien said.
"Well yeah, but that's also where I'm from. I keep forgetting that you've never been to the Soul Society before." Yachiru said as Kaien shrugged.
"Well anyway, what are you doing out here?" Kaien asked as Yachiru started pouting.
"Rei-chan put told me I wasn't allowed any sugar, but everywhere I go there's a candy store! It's sheer torture!" Yachiru whined, causing Kaien to chuckle.
"Well come on, I know a few places where you can get some sugar free candy." Kaien said as Yachiru thought for a moment then shrugged.
"Well…it's not the same as real candy, but I'll go with you anyway." Yachiru said as she hopped onto his back, her arms around his neck but her feet dangling beneath her. Luckily she was short enough, when compared to Kaien at least, that she could hang down from around his neck without her feet dragging on the ground.
"Um, not to sound rude, but I don't think I can carry you all the way there." Kaien said as Yachiru blinked at him with a skeptical expression.
"Are you implying that I'm heavy?" Yachiru asked slowly and with a dark grin on her face. Kaien could feel her spiritual pressure was rising quite dramatically and Kaien himself was astounded at how powerful she was compared to some of the others he'd been around. Hers was just off the charts! Kaien sweat dropped at this and immediately took off running.
"Hang on!" Kaien shouted as he ran, Yachiru giggling as she held onto his neck with her feet hovering in the air behind her. They didn't notice that they were being watched by a certain two Squad Eleven members nearby who had just noticed them.
"Isn't that the Lieutenant?" Ikkaku asked curiously. Yumichika nodded.
"Yes it is, and is that Ichigo Kurosaki's son she's hanging onto?" Yumichika asked.
"Yeah. She's never done that with anyone but the Captain." Ikkaku said, confused.
"Now that you mention it, she hasn't. I wonder…" Yumichika said, earning a curious look from Ikkaku.
"What?" Ikkaku asked.
"Oh, probably nothing." Yumichika said with a shrug and a broad smile. Ikkaku knew Yumichika well enough to know that he did have an opinion on the matter; he just wasn't willing to voice it at the moment.
End Chapter 12.
Soul Reaper Illustrated Guide…
Twenty Two Years Ago…
Lieutenant Karin Kurosaki sat at a desk in the Squad Six barracks, dutifully filling out paperwork when she heard someone knocking at the door.
"Come in." She replied. The door slid open, revealing fellow Lieutenant Shuhei Hisagi with an arm load of papers under his arm and a winning smile on his face.
"Lieutenant Kurosaki, as Lieutenant and acting Captain of Squad Nine, and the acting editor-and-chief of the Seireitei Newsletter, I welcome you to your post!" Shuhei declared happily (and possibly overenthusiastically) with a bow before her desk.
"Uh…okay?" Karin replied, taken a bit off guard by his reaction. She wasn't used to him behaving this way and she had seen him act normally around her, many times before. Shuhei then proceeded to hand her a magazine, still bowing as he said.
"As a welcoming gift, please take this free copy of the Seireitei Newsletter for your enjoyment. Also note that as a Lieutenant, your subscription fee is basically a year's subscription at half the cost!" Shuhei explained as Karin flipped through the magazine curiously.
"Hmm…Captain Kuchiki has stuff in here? Toshiro too?" Karin asked in surprise.
"Yes! Most of the Captains and Lieutenants submit things for the Newsletter. Some are very popular while others…eh not at all. As a human and a Soul Reaper Lieutenant, you could provide some interesting insight on the topic of humans and life in the World of the Living." Shuhei said as Karin pondered.
"My own column in the Seireitei Newsletter? Hmm…" Karin said thoughtfully. As a result, a new column began called "Life on the Other Side" a forum for Soul Reapers confused about human behavior and culture. For the readers of this story however, Shuhei suddenly slid onto the screen…
"Oi! Readers of The Crimson Heir, we will be starting a new Omake segment with the next chapter called "Life on the Other Side" Read and be awed!" Shuhei declared.
End
A/N: Please do not submit questions for the segment.
