"Looks like it's all finally over."
Ichigo nodded, looking up to the large crack that hung overhead, and had been hanging overhead for the past hour and a half. The Garganta itself was hard to see, so thoroughly clotted up by the flood of Hollows back into its depths it was. Their white masks revealed the awful fear they carried so clearly, Ichigo could see it from where he was leaning against one of the walls of the balcony that wrapped around the academy. Those Hollows that were either too foolish or too blood-lusting to flee in fear were now few in number, and easily cut down by Zangetsu's long, sharp edge. Before long, he and his friends were able to find a spot to rest after the chaos of the day.
"Finally!" Lisa exclaimed, sliding down the wall until she was sitting down next to Kisuke, an exhausted sigh escaping her lips. "I thought it would never end!"
"No kidding," Ichigo agreed, still staring up at the crack in the sky that was slowly closing, the last of the smaller Hollows leaping up into its gaping maw. "I don't think I could exorcise another Hollow without passing out. Damn, I need a break." Kisuke nodded to his friend and student, giving him a short glance. However, as he glanced, a small, amused and borderline evil smirk curled up onto his face, his eyes shining mischievously.
"Well, Ichigo, why don't you let Yoruichi down, then, hmmm?"
Ichigo's eyes widened, and instantly he snapped his vision down to the dark-skinned girl he was carrying in his arms. When he had gone to her after feeling Kaien's reiatsu stabilize again, the Shihōin girl had fainted, just having enough time to grip his shirt tightly in her hands, crying softly. He had been carrying her for so long, and she was so light, that he had forgotten she was even there. Her eyes were still peacefully shut with a small smile of tranquility upon her lips. Her hands were still tightly bunched up in the folds of his robe, still clinging to him in her sleep. Her deep violet-colored hair fell down in a frame around her face, only a single lock straying across her brow and down to her left eye. As Ichigo stared down to her, he couldn't help but see the dark-skinned, flirtatious Goddess of Flash from his past life. Despite the flirting, the teasing, Ichigo just saw a calm, peaceful, beautiful…
Ichigo snapped his face back to the crack above, his skin as bright a red as his namesake. He hadn't expected his thoughts to go the way they had. Personally, he blamed Hichigo. Yoruichi was still just a friend and mentor him, and that was it. It wouldn't change, it wouldn't become anything more than that...would it? Regardless, Ichigo kept his gaze on the sky and his arms around the dark-skinned girl, and responded to Kisuke as calmly as he could. "W-well, Yoruichi grabbed onto my shirt before falling asleep, and now she won't let go, so I just decided to let her stay where she was." Yeah, that sounded right. It definitely wasn't because he didn't want to let go of the flawless, beautiful, lovely-Ichigo mentally smacked himself clear of the thoughts, while both aspects of his Zanpakuto laughed at his expense.
"Then why don't you wake her us, Ichi-kun, hmmm?" Kisuke asked, his sly smirk straying a slight bit longer on his face.
"Because that would be rude, now shut it, Kisuke!" Ichigo's reiatsu then rose, not enough to cause the others to panic, but enough to make the annoying blonde to stop any comments he was even thinking of voicing. Sighing in aggravation, the orange-haired young man turned back to the others, his familiar frown returning to his face. "Anyway, we should probably try to make our way back to the rest of the academy. You know, that way they aren't thinking we're all dead or dying."
Kisuke nodded, slowly pushing himself back up onto his feet, while Lisa grappled with the wall, trying to keep from falling over on her still-weak knees and feet. "All right, Ichigo," Kisuke said calmly, surprising Ichigo once again by how fast he could turn from sneaky Shinigami to serious soldier, "which way do we need to go, then?"
"I believe I can help you with that."
If Kisuke and Lisa were struggling to get to their feet just a few seconds ago, they certainly didn't show it. Both of the young Shinigami students leapt onto their feet and spun around on the balls of their heels, staring wide-eyed at the speaker behind them. Lisa fell into a ninety-degree bow, while Kisuke simply scratched the back of his neck nervously and bowed his head slightly. "Shihōin-taicho," they said in unison, Lisa with respect, Kisuke with embarrassment of a sort. Ichigo, however, turned slowly towards the newcomer, one thought bouncing through his head.
Shihōin-taicho? Ichigo thought in shock, his Hollow Zanpakuto chuckling again.
Wow, Kingy, Hichigo sneered, smirking at his wielder, not even been with her for a whole day yet, and already you're meeting the family! You're a faster worker than I thought you'd be! Oh, you're making me so proud, Ichi!
Shut up, Hichigo! Ichigo mentally shouted, scowling, before he turned to meet the Shinigami captain. The man was tall, probably six-foot-six easy, with the powerful frame of a runner. His skin was the same richly dark brown Yoruichi's was, his eyes the same bright golden. His hair was styled in a way that reminded Ichigo instantly of a cocky, overbearing Kuchiki from his time, the locks colored a deep navy blue, and absent of the decorative hair piece. He wore an outfit similar to the one Ichigo remembered Sūi-Feng wearing in his past life, however with the inclusion of sleeves similar to Ichigo's bankai cloak, and a vibrant red scarf wrapped around his neck. Bound to the obi around his waist was his Zanpakuto, a shorter blade with an ornate golden hilt and a deep black sheath. Add in the white and orange haori of the Second Division and the confident aura he seemed to emulate, and there ended all doubt that the man before them was a noble, powerful captain of the Gotei 13.
Captain Shihōin remained silent for a moment longer as Ichigo studied him. The orange-haired young man could bet the man was studying him just as thoroughly as he was the captain. Finally, the dark-skinned captain's face cracked into a sharp smirk and he looked down at the ground, shaking his head.
"So this is the legendary Ichigo Kurosaki I've heard so much about?" he asked, glancing up at Ichigo, a wry smile Ichigo had seen upon Yoruichi's very often now on his face. "My name is Inazuma Shihōin, the Shihōin Clan Head, Captain of the Second Division, and father of the girl you are currently carrying in your arms. And let me say, Kurosaki-san, that you're exactly how my daughter described you." Ichigo raised an eyebrow at that, wondering just what the future Goddess of Flash had told the captain, her father, about him. For some reason that he couldn't quite place, he wanted to believe she'd told him only good things about him...though by the way he was smiling at the orange-haired Shinigami seemed to state that for itself.
Suddenly Ichigo remembered, if only for a moment, his manners, and bowed slightly to the Captain and Head of the Shihōin Clan. It was hard, because of Yoruichi still gripping tightly to his robes, but he managed. "Thank you, sir. It is an honor to meet you, Shihōin-taicho," he said softly, embarrassment riddling his entire body. The captain, however, chuckled and shook his head.
"You're quite welcome, but you don't need to act so proper, Kurosaki-san. I don't mind how you speak to me. I'm not Ginrei Kuchiki, after all." Even Ichigo could catch the jab at the Kuchiki clan, and felt a small smirk form on his face as he stood his full height again.
"Um, excuse me, Shihōin-taicho," Kisuke said, deciding to cut in for a moment, "but what are you doing here? You didn't just come to say hello, right?" The captain's eyebrows twitched upward from the blonde's question, and slowly turned to the speaker.
"Why do you think I'm here, Urahara-san? I came with a small company of my Division's members to help with the situation here at the academy, and when I felt Yoruichi's reiatsu call out in fear, I rushed to give her aid." Smirking, he turned back to Ichigo, who was still carrying the sleeping Shihōin princess in his arms. "Though, when I got there, I found she was already in good hands." Still smirking, he turned back to Kisukeand nodded down the hall. "So, with that done, I think it'd be best I lead you all to the bunker where the other students are being accounted for."
Kisuke and Lisa nodded to the powerful Second Division's captain and swiftly fell into step behind him as he began to walk the rest of the way down the balcony. Ichigo, however, stood frozen, his mind still trying to figure out the captain's words. Did he accept Ichigo? Did he approve of him, and for what? And why was Ichigo even having these thoughts to begin with?
"Kurosaki-san," Captain Shihōin called back to him, dragging the poor boy from his thoughts, "don't just stand there, keep up!" Ichigo nodded and turned back to the captain, quickly racing up after him.
"Got it, sorry, Shihōin-taicho," he replied, falling in behind Lisa and Kisuke. The captin gave him a small smile again and turned away. However, he didn't move forward. Instead, he bowed his head forward, a small smirk playing on his lips, and voiced one last remark.
"And Yoruichi, my darling daughter? You can 'wake up' now."
Shiki glanced around at the somber-faced Shinigami students congregated in the emergency bunker. Much to the surprise of the other Shinigami in attendance, the number of souls unaccounted for were very low; only twenty of the near two-thousand Shinigami students had been confirmed as being killed by the masked Hollows that had attack the academy, and another six students were unknown as to their whereabouts. Still, lives had been lost, and that appeared as a failure to Shiki no matter how many he and the other Shinigami had saved.
"Don't get down on yourself, Kyōraku-fukataicho," Kiseki said softly, walking up to the brown-haired Shinigami lieutenant, puffing on the end of his long pipe. "You save many of my students, and pushed back every Hollow that dared to come to our compound. You should be proud of what you have done, Shikiyōrin Kyōraku."
Shiki nodded faintly to the Shinigami teacher, but sighed, shaking his head. "I just don't like the thought of having failed even one soul, let alone failed twenty souls. I can't live with myself if I find that the other six students missing aren't recovered before the end of the day, or that they've died."
"Well then you can quit your worrying, Shiki!" Isshin shouted, walking down the steps to the inside of the bunker. Behind him were Kaien and Miyako, the Shiba youth leaning gently on the girl's shoulder, both looking tired but relieved. Shiki turned around sharply, a relieved grin on his face. Instantly he leapt forward and embraced his childhood friend in a friendly chokehold.
"You lousy Shiba! 'Bout time you got back!" Looks to the duo. "And it looks like you found your nephew and his girlfriend. So that just leaves the last four."
"H-hey!" Kaien said sharply, his face red. "Mi-Miyako-chan isn't..." He stopped, looking down at the black haired girl he was leaning on. She was sporting a brilliant blush similar to his, but her eyes spoke a tale very different than the embarrassment he felt. Sighing, he shook his head and just fell completely silent. Shiki smirked and turned back to Isshin, who was frowning slightly.
"'Last four'? Who are the last four, Shiki?"
"Kisuke Urahara, Yoruichi Shihōin, Lisa Yadōmaru, and Ichigo Kurosaki," Kiseki said, walking over to the lieutenant, a small frown on his face. "It seems, Shiba-fukataicho, that your other cousin and his friends are still missing."
Isshin frowned, sighing. "Well, if it's just Ichigo missing, then I wouldn't worry too much. I felt his reiatsu before getting here, and let me tell you; even if there were Hollows still out there, they wouldn't hold a candle to him. Heck, even Kaien here beat an entire room full of Hollows on his own just a little while ago!" Suddenly, long streams of tears began rolling down the Tenth Division's Lieutenant's face as his face broke into a grin. "I have never been so proud of my little nephew!" Kaien glared at his uncle, fists curling threateningly.
"Hey, how many times have I told you, I'm not your 'little nephew'?!" Isshin just waved him off, turning to Kiseki, who was frowning at this news.
"A student, defeating an entire room full of Hollows on his own...surely you jest, Shiba-fukataicho. There is no way that your nephew could have accomplished such a task. Not unless they had suddenly gained unbelievable...powers..." Kiseki's words froze in his throat as they were surfacing, his wrinkled, withered features glowing with understanding and shock. Isshin nodded, smirking.
"That's right. Kaien gained his shikai today. My little nephew is finally a Shinigami!" Isshin cheered, before suddenly feeling a foot plant itself on the back of his head, sending him hurtling across the room. Kaien glared over at his uncle, lowering his foot back to the ground, Miyako staring at him in shock.
"Maybe that'll teach you not to call me that anymore, Uncle Isshin!" Kaien growled at his uncle. Isshin frowned in mock hurt from his nephew and pulled himself back onto his feet, dusting himself.
"Fine...on that note, I'll be making my leave." Sighing, he turned to the other six members of his squad, and instantly the mask of leadership fell onto his face, transforming him into a very different person. "All right men, time to move out. We're heading back to the barracks." Getting a solid nod from everyone, the Shiba Head flashed out of the room with his company, leaving Shiki alone again. Kiseki sighed as the Tenth Division men left, puffing on his pipe again.
"And now, we just have to wait for the last four," he thought aloud, blowing a small cloud of smoke up around him.
Not even a second later, the doors of the bunker opened again, however this time in strode the tall, proud, and powerful captain of the Second Division, Inazuma Shihōin, followed closely by four Shinigami students Kiseki instantly recognized as the last four missing. Kisuke was a the head of the group behind Captain Shihōin, looking like he would collapse from exhaustion at any second. Beside him was Lisa, looking just as exhausted as he was, if not more-so, with several long slashes across her body that would certainly need treatment. And then, behind them, walking side by side, were Ichigo and Yoruichi, both of whom were wearing bright red blushes. Kiseki could guess what that meant, after years of being a professor at the academy, he could pick up on chemistry between students. And boy, did the Kurosaki boy and Shihōin princess have chemistry, probably enough to blow the roof off the place. Honestly, the old Shinigami couldn't be prouder or happier for the two of them.
Shiki, however, found his gaze captured by something other than the way the two were standing and acting with each other. No, his gaze turned to the two swords that were strapped across the orange-haired youth's back, the black weave grips hovering over the bridge of his shoulders. Where there were two sealed Zanpakuto, there must be two shikai Zanpakuto as well. If so...then this boy, no, this man, was the third dual-wielder in the entire history of the Gotei 13. Shiki had a feeling his uncle would want to hear about this.
Smiling to Ichigo and Yoruichi, Captain Shihōin turned to his company and flashed out, followed by the rest of his team. Shiki followed quickly after him, his mind on his newest find, the newest piece in the on-going chess game, and was soon followed by his company. Finally, an aura of peace fell on the building.
That was, at least, until Ichigo and Kaien felt the prying gazes of their peers on them, especially from those who were their closest friends. Sighing, the two of them glanced each other with a shared look of understanding.
They had a lot of explaining to do.