Day 25. The Words, it Takes.

"Words may show a man's wit, but actions his meaning" – Benjamin Franklin.

"Do not say a little in many words but a great deal in a few." –Pythagoras.

I woke up and the room was empty and silent. I turned my head and saw Rukia. She had slumped over in the middle of the night. She must of stayed against the wall all night and fell over later on. I sat up and it hurt but I relaxed. I got to my feet and sat next to Rukia. "Yo Rukia, wake up."

She jumped and hit me. "What was that for, baka!"

"What's going on?" She shrugged. We got up and went into the room that Urahara was in. He offered us breakfast.

"Of course I want food." I sat down and ate all the food until I was full. I noticed that across the table Byakuya was eating slowly, very mannerly. Rukia had the same manners, she looked at me as if I was an animal for stuffing my face. What could I say? I was a Kuchiki, I hadn't been taught manners like that.

"So how much longer are you going to be staying?" Rukia asked her brother.

"I will leave sometime today. So how are your plans for the home you will be building?"

"Oh yeah, it's great. It's going to have 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, 2 half baths. There's going to be a beautiful living and dinning room."

"For what purpose?" He asked.

"I'm going to make friends and you and all of soul society is always welcome. I always found it ridiculous that there wasn't enough space in these things for visitors really." She complained to her brother.

"I'm sure it will be a great place. I would like to see it when it's done."

"Of course, you can even stay in a guest room."

"I am thankful for your hospitality."

"I am going to cook for you too!" She said. Rukia liked to cook. She wasn't horrible at it, it was actually pretty good.

They talked about all the nice things that happened in their lives. The cooks and maids that they liked, their favorite dishes. I could actually believe they were siblings as they talked about things they had done together. I could actually believe that they were getting alone now. I could believe that she liked her brother. All the fun times they had together, I think she liked it back in Soul Society. She lived 20 years there, in their time, so how horrible could it be?

I sat there and listened to them talk, eventually they stopped and looked at me. "What?" I asked her. She smiled in this knowing way. She hugged her brother and got up.

"I'll see you later, Ichigo. I have things to do. A hollow!" She hopped out the window and I wish she would have left her gigai with me, it would be a distraction. Now it was Byakuya and I there.

"Let us go outside and talk," he said.

"Why not here?" I asked him. He just looked at me. "It is a nice day outside." I think he smirked and we left.

"You are weaker than last time, which is surprising." Byakuya said.

"I haven't had a lot of opportunities; the shinigami assigned to this area didn't want me around. He thought I was interfering,"

"You didn't think to train on your own."

"I had no way to leave my gigai. He took any means I had with him."

"I am sure Urahara could have outfitted you with a standard mod-soul." Byakuya responded.

"I didn't think of that," I laughed. I never had. Rukia always yelled at me because I always found it better to leave my body around then to trust another soul in it, but whatever. I shouldn't make excuses, I was just an idiot.

"I'm sure you did not, or else you would be stronger." I didn't want to brag but I didn't need to be stronger to beat him.

"You're unpredictablity, stubornness and strength is very overwhelming. With good training and consistant practice I am sure you could actually get much better. Strong enough to become a captain if you wanted,"

"Yeah, maybe someday. For now I'm cool being a human here, helping Rukia if she needs it."

"Do you intend to get stronger?"

"Of course I do!" I shouted, what kind of question was that?

"Good, because I expect you to be stronger when I return?"

"When will that be?"

"My sister wishes to show me her new residence," he told me.

"So a few years then,"

"Doubtedly…"

"… how many years do you think?"

"A few MONTHS," he emphasized.

"Really?"

"Soul Society will spare no funds for my sister's housing construction," he told me. "That means anything she wants, and whenever she wants it, I will make sure of it." I wish my family was like that, Rukia was lucky to have people like Soul Society on her side. I had to say that her brother was doing better. "What are you thinking about?"

"I was just thinking about Soul Society."

"What about Soul Society?"

"If everything is better now, repaired and settled."

"Of course, a few months and everything was back to normal. It is all forgotten, however; no one is trusted anymore. It causes problems. My own shinigami fear that I shall betray them. It is hard to lead when no one will trust you."

"I can see how that is difficult."

"Most of them know better, but some still have difficulties wondering if they'll be a time when we are willing. I assure them daily that I am there for them, I am their superior after all."

"So why did you need to talk to me?"

"Rukia is my sister."

"Yeah, I knew that. You adopted her when she was in the academy."

"Correct, I have taken care of her every need and want for the last many years."

"Yeah, she has been well taken care of."

"I have made mistakes and I am thankful that you stopped me from killing her."

"Yeah me too." I told him. "It would be unfortunate if she would die."

"It would be a loss to all of Soul Society. We have her to thank for many things." Byakuya said. "The most of all is bringing you to help us in our times of distress and war."

"Hey no big, I guess we do have to thank Rukia for that. I owe Rukia a lot too though. I think we're about even."

"You two might be but you and I are not. Whatever you want, it is yours."

"I'll remember that, I might need to call in a favor sometime soon."

"What is it for?"

"If I need it I'll call, I'm not so sure."

"Alright then," he said. "I ask one more favor of you."

"What is it?" I asked.

"I want you to take care of my sister. I know she is more than capable of taking care of herself. For insurance, and my own reassurance, I insist you do."

"I'll take good care of Rukia. I won't let anything happen to her."

"More than anything, I expect you to treat her with the upmost respect. I expect you to be on your best behavior with my sister. You might be able to defeat me but I know a many captains who will not agree with such actions and…"

"I got it." I said, cutting him short.

"Good, now what makes you think you're worth my sister's company?" He asked.

"I don't know." I told him. "I'm better than a lot of people in this world. I have given my everything, my life to protecting Rukia and Soul Society. I died so I could go to soul society and save her. She gave me her powers so that I could protect my family. I fought off captains, lieutenants and tons of shinigami and fought several wars to protect people."

"That is true, you are that dedicated to not only her but Soul Society." Byakuya stated. "Is that good enough?"

"I think so," I laughed rubbing the back of my head. "How many people would do that?"

"None that I could imagine but giving your life for someone else, protecting the innocent, is what every shinigami does everyday." Byakuya responded.

"Yeah, yeah but I'm just a human. I didn't sign up for this. I didn't want any of this."

"You have a strong sense of duty, a sense of right. You do not stop, you are determined. You are strong although you lack proper planning and logic for attacks. You are not properly trained at the academy to be a shinigami."

"I am still a human. I actually don't plan to do the training when I get to soul society anyway."

"Why would that be?"

"I'm going to avoid it because I don't think I need."

"Is that so? With no formal training, you believe you should not attend the academy like every other shinigami."

"Yep," I relaxed, leaning against a building.

"You think you are better than everyone else who had to go through the academy?"

"I think I can pass the test without having to do the training."

"When that time comes, I would like to see that." Byakuya had a knowing smirk on his face. "So why should I trust you?"

"I am a dedicated shinigami, even though I am only a substitute and I have no real place. I have done nothing but help not only Soul Society but also Rukia. She is important to me. I am determined to protect her and help her with whatever she needs."

"Good but what makes you think you're worth it?"

"Worth what?"

"Her time, my time? Soul Societies time? Why should we keep you alive?" That's what I was concerned about.

"I haven't done anything wrong. I've been helpful during serious times and I protect Rukia and what is right even if it isn't what you think. I represent what's right, I'm the third party that comes in to help you be fair and reasonable." I explained. That made sense to me, hopefully it make sense to him.

"That's all I needed to know. I will be going as soon as my sister returns. I will return as soon as her home construction is completed. I expect you to be much stronger and of course, nothing short of strength and intelligence. As well as care and respect for my sister." I nodded as he disapeared. I continued to walk down the street. It didn't exactly make sense but I understood what was expected of me. I had the okay to be with Rukia. I don't think he got what we were yet but that was good enough for me. I'd let Rukia deal with telling him about our relationship. I had a lot to think about.

" Day 25. A Day to Themselves" (Author's note: This was intended as another chapter but I had a plan and well having 2 chapters isn't too bad?

I could hear Rukia's slow and relaxed breathing. Her head moving with each of my breaths, my chest rising and falling. She had curled up with me and fell asleep quickly with her head on my chest. It was early morning now, that is where she had fallen asleep. Her brother was gone now but he would back. He insisted it would be soon. Rukia would be very soon also. I could believe that now. Rukia had given her plans to a man who could get a lot of man and 24 hour shifts to work on it every day straight until it's done. A lot of it was prefabricated. I would miss her. I would miss having her with me all the time. That was the worst part of the plan that her brother had set up.

I watched her, laying as still as I could waiting for her to wake up. Eventually I noticed her face twitch. She was awake, but she was pretending to be asleep. "Rukia?" I asked her silently.

"Morning Ichigo," she said just as quietly. She turned her head to face me, a slight smile gracing her features.

"What's the plan for today?"

"I say we do nothing. A day to relax and spend together,"

"As much as that sounds nice, I think we need a new plan."

"Why?"

"My dad and sisters are going to be pests and spy on us. They're going to be suspicious and that's going to be annoying."

"What do you have in mind then?" She asked.

"How about I take you to an amusement park?"

"Amusement park? That sounds…"

"…don't say amusing." I told her.

"What do you do there?"

"They have rides, booths to buy things, play games and food, they also have a pool."

"How warm is it outside?" She asked.

"It's nearly 80, it's going to be sunny today."

"Well then I have to get a swimsuit," Rukia said smiling. "Can we go to the mall?" She asked.

"You aren't going to borrow something of Karin's?" She hit me.

"I'm a little old for that now, besides your sister is busy and we aren't exactly the same size and fit anymore." It was true. She could get away with that then but now Yuzu was tall and so was Karin. They weren't as tall as me but they were quite a bit taller than Rukia.

"Yeah we can go," I told her.

She grabbed her bag and we both got ready in the separate bathrooms and then we headed to the mall. She didn't seem super excited and ready to freak out like others did. I was glad; girls screaming at the sight of malls was not my favorite thing. She walked in to a mall and told me to stay in the normal clothes department and that she'd be back. A while later she came back consealing something behind her back. "Done already? I thought girls took forever." She hit me.

"I'm not a normal girl am I?" She told me.

"No, no, you aren't." I responded.

"Is that an insult?" She questioned, grabbing my shirt bringing me down to her level.

"No, of course not!" I said in my defense.

"Good," she let go and tucked the items in her purse after she paid. She was very careful to hide them from me.

We went to the amusement park and her eyes were wide. Rukia loved heights, and the tall rollar coasters and high attractions caught her attention. The first thing she wanted to do was the observation tower. She stood outside the fence that made sure the thing did not injure her. She looked almost straight up at it. "This ride first." She said in awe.

"Of all the rides, why this one?"

"It's so tall, I bet you could see the whole city!" she said. She grabbed my arm and pulled me into the doors once it came back down. "Where should we sit?"

"It makes circles so it really doesn't matter. Anywhere you want." She pulled me around testing all the seats but sat a few seats away from the guy who talked about the park so she could hear. Rukia was a tourist; she loved to learn as much as she could about everything and anything.

She loved the ride. When we stopped at the top we were allowed to stand up to look out. Rukia pulled out a camera from her bag and took several pictures as in circled. Not missing anything as the ride continued. I was amused just watching her. Everyone thought she was insane but I let her go, it was embarrassing but if she was enjoying herself. That's what mattered.

She dragged me around to the biggest roller coaster in the entire park. She looked up with it with wide eyes. "It's going so fast, how does it work?"

I shrugged. "It is pulled to the top and it has enough energy to make it through all the hills and turns. It's fun because it's fast and crazy."

"It's going to be great. That one was so slow."

"It was but you seemed to have fun." I told her.

"It was, you should see all the great pictures I have." She pushed the camera into my hands as we got into the line.

I was thankful that she had a digital camera this time. Last time Rukia wanted to take pictures she had a disposable camera and she was using the viewer but had only covered the lens with her finger. I remember how confused and angry she had been after that. I figure her brother had bought her the camera. Then again, she had money now so she could buy it herself after all the huge missions she had been doing.

"These are good, much better than your last time." I told her smirking. She crossed her arms and glared.

"I don't know why that stupid camera didn't show me through the little window my finger was in the way. This camera shows me!" I wasn't going to argue her. It was our time on the ride.

I climbed in the little seats. It was a little car one. There were not divisions in the seats for Rukia and I so I was squished against her. She was confused when I had her put on the seatbelts, lap bar, and shoulder restraints. "What are all these for?"

"Safety," I told her.

"Ichigo, why would I need them? Are we going to get in an accident?" I looked at her and she seemed panicked. "I don't want them to crash us."

It was one thing to be on a ride that slowly went up, turned around and came back down. "Rukia, this one makes loops, you go upside down and at high speeds they don't want you to fall out."

"Fall out!" She screamed. I sighed and took her hand in mine. We were already going up the huge hill.

"Relax, you're safe. It's not dangerous, they want to make sure, just in case."

She screamed the entire ride and I learned that she was not a fan of being upside down at all. She also didn't like the abrupt stop at the end. She was quiet. "Rukia… are you okay? Are you sick? Rukia…" I waited for her response.

"That. Was. Awesome!" She got off and pulled me back in line. "I love it so much. They should have these in soul society."

"They're kind of new century." I told her.

"When everyone visits my new house I'm having them visit this place. This ride too." We rode it 7 times before I had her stop. I was going to be sick if we did it any more. My stomach could only take so much.

"I'm hungry, let's go eat." I couldn't eat. All that riding made me sick.

"Let's relax first, how about the water park?" I suggested.

She agreed. Rukia loved to swim. We had never gone but she loved to swim. She had been talking to Byakuya about their pool and how she wanted one at her new house. She ran into a changing room and I went to the men's room to change into my black swimming trunks.

I came out first I was waiting for her. I went to the stand to pick up some towels. They offered some for people to use while they were in this part of the park. When I came out she still wasn't out so I sat at the bench. "Ichigo, pst!" I heard her yell. She was hiding behind the door for the ladies room.

"What's wrong?" I asked her, walking closer.

"I can't tie the back." What kind of swimsuit needed to be tied? Then it hit me. She was in a bikini. Dad didn't let Karin or Yuzu have one because he wanted the guys to stay away from them. I didn't blame him.

"Come here and I will." She had her hands crossed over her chest and walked over to me. She turned around so she was facing away from me and I tied the back of it. "There you go."

"You tied it tight, I don't want it to come off." She complained.

"Of course I did. You think I want idiots to stare…" as ironic as it was, I had to stare at her. She was gorgeous. I guess I hadn't had the chance to notice because of everything that had been going on. I knew she was prettier but this was different. She looked… more like a woman. She had the figure of a model. She was skiny, slightly muscular from fighting but was beautiful.

"Ichigo." She said calmly. I hadn't heard her. "Ichigo." She waited. "Ichigo!" She punched me.

"What was that for?"

"I called your name three times. You kept staring."

"Well do you blame me?" I asked her.

"Yes I do! You can't stare at me like that. Who do you think you are?"

"Your boyfriend," she crossed her arms.

"Oh now you use that as your title. You're abusing the position." I sighed and rubbed the back of my head uncomfortably.

"I'm sorry but it's just…"

"I know," she smiled and looked away. "This gigai is very fitting of my new looks. Clothes fit me now. I'm glad I didn't stick with my old one."

"The old one didn't grab my attention like this one, that's for sure." She punched me.

"Are you saying that I used to be ugly, Ichigo?"

"No I was not, I'm just saying you look better. It's a compliment." She hit my arm again.

"Stupid guys," she walked away and ran into the tidal pool.

I followed after her calmly. I sat on the edge of the pool watching her. She was just swimming around, staying under the water for extended amounts of times. She didn't need much oxygen in her gigai. It stored and held it well. The alarm went off to warn the swimmers that the waves would start. I wondered if she knew. She probably didn't know or hear it. I wondered what would happen. I got in the water, keeping an eye on her while she swam around, avoiding people carefully.

She came up for air but a huge wave hit her. She was flipped, feet over head. She went under water. I jumped to grab oxygen and avoid the wave and then dived under to go after her. She came up again, fighting to avoid the waves. The water was to choppy for her to swim and she was out of oxygen. She kept getting hit.

I swam faster and grabbed her by the waist. She was way over her head so she didn't have the ground to push off. She had been doing well to fight and keep up with the waves but she was not doing well. She was fighting to not get over her head with the waves. I pulled her back to the shallowed end and the waves started to calm.

"What kind of pool is that! It had waves! We're not at the ocean."

"It's a wave pool." I told her. "You didn't hear the alarm to warn you, did you?" I asked her.

"No, but that's a stupid idea. Did you see me out there? That was crazy."

"Most people consider it fun."

"I could have drowned." I doubted that. I remember that she was a master of the ice element. If she wanted she could just freeze all the water. I doubted the real threat to her. They did have lifeguards to guard lives after all, anyway.

"You alright?" She got out and pouted for a little while. I handed her a towel and she wiped herself off before throwing it over her shoulder. I laughed at her amusement at the different water rides. She wanted to play on the child's climbing area. I went in but the guy stopped me.

"I am sorry you are too tall." He told me.

"It's alright Ichigo." She was very disapointed.

"You're fine to go ahead, you're short enough." She punched the guy.

"I am not short. Not at all." I laughed.

"Well you can get in the kids park," she hit me too and spitefully walked out and played in the area. I watched her play with all the kids. She was having so much fun. She heard the bell ring and she looked around. I could only guess she was looking for the waves. Then the giant bucket dumped on her. She came out and threw a fit about it.

"I am officially running away from all the alarms!" She complained. She continued on this and then we found another calm ride. I promised her no surprised, it was just a little river in the park that you could make laps around.

"You can swim or be in an intertube."

"Intertube?" I pointed to a stack of intertubes. Her eyes lit up and widened. She ran over with one. It was huge for her. I'm sure three Rukia's could fit in the center. I could fit in comfortable, I wouldn't say two of me could at all.

She held onto it and climbed in. I climbed on top and relaxed in the sunshine. She had fun swimming around making laps. The little river had a natural current so I just laid out on my intertube and kept an eye on Rukia. Eventually she and I grabbed a two-person intertube and went around just laying out in the sun.

"Isn't this fun?" She asked.

"It is."

Rukia and I then got on a lounger to relax. She sunbathed. "So your gigai looks just like you?" I asked.

"Of course it is."

"How would he know?" I asked.

She shrugged. "It's not like we model or anything, the gigais are just intuned to our looks and appearance."

"Oh, that makes sense."

"I'm sorry I looked at you like that. I'm sure you don't appreciate it. I was told by your brother to respect your or else."

"Were you?" She asked, a smirk on her face.

"Something like that," I responded.

"Then I'm going to call him," she said looking devious.

"Rukia," I warned.

She went for her bag and I grabbed her. "No you are not. If you try I'll throw you in the wave pool when the waves are on, deep end."

"You wouldn't?" She said in a knowing way. I wouldn't but I could threaten. A few years back I would have but I liked being on Rukia's good side now.

"No," I turned her around so she was facing me and I kissed her. She kissed me back.

"Let's go do something else," she said after we had been kissing a while. We covered the entire park. I couldn't get the picture of Rukia with her bikini on out of my head the entire way. It wasn't the best image to have in my head.

We returned home and she and I had picked out different movies. We curled up together on the couch, she was in my arms. Her head was once again resting on my chest. I looked at her, she was back in her normal clothes. Her phone beeped.

I paused the movie and looked at her. She looked asleep, I don't think she heard it. I gently moved away from her, taking her phone. Leaving her to lay on the couch. I kissed her forehead and grabbed Toro's dispenser. "Watch Rukia, don't wake her up!"

"Okay," I went on my way out there. I watched the map until I got there. There was a small little hollow there. He was chasing after a man.

I took care of him quickly and went back in my body. Rukia didn't know what had happened, she was still dead asleep. I was glad to help her. I was just watching the gentle smile on her face.