Legends of Darkness I

by Hagashi Abarai Productions

7 years after the fall of Talpa, Aizen stretches his reach into the Dynasty. As the human world and the Seireitei are threatened, Sotaichou sends out his captains to investigate. Two women are the key; Claudia, who can see ghosts, and Kima the Destroyer.

36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

Sage stared through the window of the den at Claudia. She was sitting on the front porch steps in place of Ryo and Cye who had ventured back inside quite suddenly. She was leaning forward on her knees, her cell phone clutched in her hand. She'd pulled her hair back a bit, removing most of the dark brown locks from her face. She looked so…lost.

"She's a mess," Sage murmured as Rowen joined him at the window. "And I can't say that I blame her. Do they seriously think Renji will live through this? Those injuries…" Sage turned his head to look back out through the window, frowning as it began to rain. "Doesn't it do more harm to give her false hope? I mean, look at her! There's no life in her. She's just a blank page in a book right now,"

Rowen sighed quietly as he gazed out at her. "She does look miserable and I can't blame her either. Seeing him hurt and not being able to help him, it has to be killing her. And I agree, I really don't see how Renji could possibly be all right,"

"Soul Reapers are tough cookies," Ichigo said from behind them. He didn't look at either one of them, he was staring out through the clouded window to Claudia. "I've seen Renji come back from worse, believe me,"

"From worse?" Sage asked, not convinced in the slightest.

"Yeah," Ichigo rolled his shoulder and huffed quietly. "It isn't the first time he's nearly died. I nearly killed him last year, so did Byakuya. He came back from those injuries stronger than ever. He'll come back from this. He's already healing. Minazuki's special technique is that whenever she engulfs an injured being, their more fatal injuries heal while inside of her. The life threatening injuries are healed, but the rest will take time,"

Sage and Rowen stared at him then looked back out through the window. Could that be true?

"Inoue passed out!" Uryu suddenly cried and the trio at the window turned to see the woman clutched against the Quincy's chest.

"She's spent," Shuten murmured from the corner of the room where he was sitting on the floor with White Blaze. "Let her rest. She's done enough healing for tonight,"

Kento moved off the couch to help Uryu get Orihime across the hall to the guest room to tuck her in. Ryo sighed quietly and went into the kitchen, coming back a few minutes later with a half full bottle of tequila and two bottles of sake.

"I think we all could use a bit of a pick-me-up,"

"No thanks," Ichigo murmured, as he leaned against the window sill and looked back out at Claudia.

"Someone should sit with her," Rowen murmured quietly. "She's scared to death. She shouldn't be out there alone."

"She's not alone," Ichigo whispered, sighing quietly. "Zaraki-taichou is out there,"

"He stayed? Everyone else went back, didn't they?"

"Most of them," Ichigo agreed. "Unohana-taichou, Zaraki-taichou, Hanataro and Ikkaku are the only ones still here aside from Toshiro, Rangiku and Yachiru. Urahara and Yuroichi will head back to Karakura Town in the morning. We probably will, too, but I want to stay until Renji wakes up."

"Wakes up?" Sage gasped. "You really think he will? This soon?"

"Probably will in a few hours. He's a stubborn ox. Besides, I told you, Soul Reapers are tough cookies. Even I have come back from some serious injuries before. It's not easy, this line of work, so you learn to toughen up after a while. You find yourself tolerating and surviving more and more as time goes on. Renji will be fine, he just needs to fully heal. Believe me, he'll be back to his old self again in no time,"

"And what about Claudia? How many times has she been told since we all got back that he's going to be okay? She doesn't look at all like the reassurances are helping her," Sage muttered, folding his arms over his chest. "I'm not entirely convinced she can handle your 'line of work', Ichigo."

"You've seen her fight, Sage. She's been training for this all of her life. Any other person, me for instance, and it wouldn't have affected her as badly. She loves Renji, so it hit her hard when she saw him fall. She can handle it, she's handling it now, she just needs a little support because she's not used to it." Ichigo pushed off from the window and turned away as he saw Zaraki coming up through the rain to sit next to her on the porch. "She'll get through it. Have faith in her,"

...

Claudia stared blankly at the cell phone crushed between her hands, her lips parted slightly, her body as still as stone. She couldn't cry anymore, she'd cried her tear ducts dry already. She couldn't really think any more either. All she could do was stare, worry, and wait. They kept telling her he would be fine, that he was already healing and coming back from it, that he'd suffered worse several times before.

But how could she even hope he'd be okay considering the state he was in? He was so pale, so weak. He was in pain but he couldn't wake up, could barely breathe. He'd lost so much blood from the moment the blade had pierced him until now, that his heart was barely beating.

He would be all right? How?

The rain had just begun to fall from the sky when her fingers curled around her phone and her shoulders shuddered violently as she silently began to cry again. The dark locks of hair she'd pulled back from her face came loose and fell forward as the rain water splashed onto it from a crack in the roof of the porch. She buried her face in her left hand and wrenched her eyes closed, willing the horrifying image to go away, to close out the world and the sound of his cry, of his pain, of the sound the sword had made as it had torn through him. The look on his face as he'd stared over at her.

And then seeing him in that bed, bruised and battered and barely alive while Hanataro and Unohana scrambled to clean and bandage all of his wounds. The pain at the sight of it, the whispered words of reassurance from Ikkaku when she'd panicked over seeing it. She hadn't been able to take it, so she ran.

The rain lasted maybe five minutes, sufficient enough to dampen the air and the ground, but not enough to really be noticed. It was a weaker shower, dropped by a dark cloud as it passed across the starry sky.

Footsteps in the distance drew her eyes open and she was surprised that a few tears managed to slip down her cheeks. She still had a few more to cry after all…

"The phone will do you no good if you crush it,"

Claudia's fingers loosened over the cold piece of electronic carpentry and she lifted her head a little so that Zaraki-taichou could see her a little more clearly. There were still tears, but her face was blank, stuck in a hollowed, lost expression.

"Why don't you use it?"

Claudia licked her lips and shook her head. "I'm too much of a coward,"

"Had me fooled," Kenpachi muttered as he came to a stop a foot from the bottom step of the porch and glared down at her. "You're holding it with the intent on using it, so use it,"

"I can't," Claudia murmured, unable to meet his eyes. "Not tonight,"

"Then why do you have it?"

"Something to hold onto," She whispered, the lump in her throat rising again. She fought to keep the misery and the grief away. Kenpachi was the last person she wanted to show weakness to, but she didn't really know why. Nothing could hurt her at this point after what had happened to Renji. What else could possibly be taken from her?

Claudia reached up and quickly wiped the tears from her eyes, turning her head away from him. When he just stood there in silence, Claudia's control slipped at last and she let the cell phone clatter down the steps and into the wet grass while she sobbed into her hands relentlessly, barely able to draw a full breath.

"Onii-chan?" Yachiru peeked out through the open front door and frowned at the shuddering, hunched form of the older woman, hearing the depth of the grief and the pain. In a second she was behind her, her tiny arms wrapped around the woman's shoulders, squeezing tight.

"Please don't cry, Onii-chan! Abarai-kun will get better!" Yachiru insisted, turning her huge child's eyes upwards to Kenpachi. "Right Kenny!"

"Hm," Kenpachi nodded.

"See, Onii-chan?" Yachiru said as she loosened her hold on Claudia's shoulders. "If Kenny says he's going to be fine, then he really is! You'll see!"

Ikkaku and Yumichika slipped out onto the porch then, both with bottles of some kind of alcoholic beverage in their hands.

"Here," Ikkaku bent down and shoved a shot glass underneath Claudia's nose, smiling broadly. "This'll help!"

Claudia reached out and took the glass, downing the shot and taking it like a champ. It wasn't smooth, but the burning sensation in her throat as it went down helped to clear her head a bit and she held it out for another.

"Patron," Ikkaku offered when she glanced at the bottle. "You sure you want a third?"

She nodded and once that shot was down, she passed on the glass and leaned back on her elbows on the steps. She was calmer, clearly everything they'd done had helped quite a bit, but it would be a good while before she was all right.

Zaraki's face remained carefully neutral as he met her clouded gaze. He'd better wake up soon or she'll fall apart.

"That's better, onii-chan!"

Claudia actually smiled a little as she looked over at the tiny, pink haired lieutenant. "Since when did you start calling me sister?"

"Well, you are!" Yachiru grinned widely at Claudia before turning that grin onto Kenpachi. "Isn't she, Kenny?"

Claudia chuckled as Kenpachi nodded his head slowly. "Sister it is then,"

"Yay!" Yachiru clapped her hands then hugged Claudia again before dancing her way back into the house to see what Rangiku, Mia and the other women were doing. She was pleased to see that Yuroichi and Lady Kayura were still up and were gathered around with everyone else.

"Everyone should cheer up!" Yachiru announced very seriously. "A great battle has been won!"

"Won?" Ryo muttered, shaking his head. "What are you talking about? We didn't accomplish anything!"

Yachiru reached up and smacked him on the head. "Baka! Claudia killed the arrancar! Dais is also gone! That's two big enemies we've gotten rid of!"

"Both of them were killed by Claudia. Notice how there's no we in that?"

Yachiru reached out and decked Ryo again for good measure. "Stupid! We all helped! We all made it back alive,"

"Not all of us,"

Now Kento earned a good smack. "We knew Kima-san was going to pass, but she's in the Soul Society now. We'll see her again! You all stop moping and being sad! There's enough sadness from Claudia and Hitsugaya-taichou for all of us!"

"Hitsugaya-taichou," Cye grumbled bitterly. "To hell with him! He acts as if he's the only one who feels the grief of her passing! He acts as if he's the only one that cared about her, that he's the only person who Kima really loved! Well I've got news for him, he's not! I loved Kima! I loved her very deeply and I'll be damned if-"

Cye fell back into the couch with an outcry of pain and clutched his broken, bleeding nose with both hands.

"Why don't you have a little more to drink and shut your whining mouth?" Claudia shouted at him as she rubbed her torn knuckles, grasping Yachiru's tiny hand as she pulled the pink haired girl behind her protectively. "You asshole! Show some fucking respect! Kima is dead and her blood has barely dried on the ground and you're acting like some spoiled rotten drama queen! We all feel her loss! Some of us just handle it differently!"

Cye stared up at her, struggling to breathe through his mouth while at the same time trying not to let the blood seep in.

"Do you really think we could have gotten this far without Toshiro's help? Without Renji and Kenpachi and Byakuya? Without any of these people?" Claudia demanded as Ikkaku, Yumichika and Kenpachi flooded into the room.

"He could have stopped her,"

"Kima made the decision on how to give back your armors before she met Hitsugaya-sama," Shuten pointed out from the corner of the room.

"With no help from you!" Cye seemed to be getting a little dramatic so before Claudia could break his face, Urahara casually stuck him in the back with a suspicious looking object. He grinned as Cye slumped forward on the couch.

"That's enough of that," He said cheerfully. "I think we're all getting a little wound up. Besides, Yachiru was right. Despite what everyone might think, we have gained quite the victory. It's not over. Not by a long shot, but we've gotten through the first wave. All we can do now is train and prepare for the next one,"

Claudia left the room shortly after that and headed upstairs with a bottle of hot sake she'd snatched from the kitchen before Cye's bitter outburst, pausing in the hallway in front of the closed door into the bedroom she'd shared with Renji. Even through the closed door, she could hear the labored breathing and the quiet whimpers. Hanataro and Unohana were still working and she still couldn't bring herself to go back into the room, so she turned and headed for the stairs into the attic.

Toshiro was there, hunched over in quiet pain, his face pressed into his arms, the fingers of his right hand clutched tightly around something. She stared at his hand for a moment before frowning. It must have been Kima's armor orb, but she couldn't sense the spiritual presence that it usually would exude. His spiritual pressure must have been masking it.

Claudia sighed quietly as she carefully climbed through the attic window and moved along the sloping roof to sit next to the short, spiky white haired captain, while still trying to keep from spilling the bottle of hot sake she held in her other hand.

"Thought you could use a little nightcap. Figured I'd grab a bottle before the boys finished them all off. It's a drunken emotive party down stairs," Claudia chuckled quietly as she poured a shot and handed the bottle to Toshiro who reached out for it and took several long sips of it. He set the bottle between them and continued to stare out towards the trees. The Dynasty gate was gone now and there were no physical signs on the ground around where it had been that it had ever been there.

"What happened to your hand?"

"Mouri got mouthy." Claudia said simply as she knocked back another shot.

He noticed the worried look on her face and nudged the bottle back towards her.

"How is Renji?"

"Better, thanks to squad four," Claudia murmured as she poured herself another shot and followed his gaze out to the trees. "I still can't wrap my head around that word. Better? After what happened, after those injuries…" Claudia shuddered a little and looked away. "Unohana-taichou wants to get him back to the Seireitei as soon as possible to help the healing process along more quickly."

"Will you be joining us?"

"Yeah. According to Kenny, wherever Renji goes, so goes Claudia,"

Toshiro gave a hint of a small smile as he reached for the bottle of sake again. "I think you've found a big brother in Kenpachi-taichou."

"Must be why Yachiru is suddenly calling me sister. Oh hooray," Claudia muttered as she leaned back on her elbows. "She's not gone you know. She's in the Soul Society. We'll all see her again soon,"

Toshiro nodded, frowning. "We'll have to find her first. There's no telling where in Rukongai she ended up or how far from the Seireitei she is,"

"It's Kima, she'll just march straight up to the gate and break it down," Claudia giggled, smiling. The alcohol was definitely helping to calm her down. "She'll make it easy for us to find her,"

Now Toshiro actually laughed a little. "Yeah, I guess you're right." Toshiro shifted on the rooftop to lie back on the shingles next to her, his arms folded behind his head while he stared up at the stars. "Claudia, I meant to ask earlier…your bankai…"

Claudia blinked and glanced over at him. "What about it?"

"You were only training with Byakuya for a few hours. How did you manage to learn bankai in such a short amount of time? Renji and Ichigo learned it in a few days and that was a feat no one expected to ever see accomplished, but a few hours? How did you do it?"

Claudia shrugged, looking away. "Byakuya said I learned Bankai or I died. I chose not to die, but it hurt. It hurt like hell. That zanpakuto of his is a wicked thing. I thought my fight with Kenny was hard all those days ago, but fighting Byakuya was a totally different experience. Even if Kenny had been fighting with the intent on killing, which we both know he was, it wasn't the same as with Byakuya. He's got a deadly kind of grace that scares the shit out of me. Don't tell Kenny, but I'd rather fight him to the death than Byakuya any day. Kenny doesn't scare me, not like Byakuya does." Claudia took a deep breath. "But to be honest, Toshiro, I didn't actually manage bankai with Byakuya. Sarubimaru just wouldn't form all of the way. I'd get part of the way there and then collapse. It was like the energy had been completely sucked out of me. But Byakuya wasn't satisfied until I managed to cut him. Renji told me when he fought Byakuya last year that he nearly died just trying to cut him, but that he'd managed it in the end."

"I wasn't there earlier today, so I don't know what happened, but you managed your bankai. I talked to Ichigo, he said the look on your face scared the hell out of him, so much that his own bankai slipped away. He said there was something in your eyes, something so wild and furious that he couldn't breathe to see it,"

Claudia shuddered a little at his description of the event. "I wondered what could have shocked him so much that he'd lose his hold on his bankai."

"What happened, Claudia?"

She shuddered again. "Renji told me once before that the Menos Grande was hard to defeat, even for a captain sometimes. So when it appeared I got worried. Renji fought it on his own for a while and Ichigo and I took care of the nether soldiers and the hollows. In the end, it took his bankai to get rid of it. And he did, but even then he struggled. He was hurt, his arm had been sliced open, but he won, took the whole injury like a champ. We didn't even get a chance to enjoy or acknowledge the victory before…" Claudia closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I wasn't facing him when I heard that god-awful sound. The sound of a sword ripping through flesh and bone. I heard Renji cry out, Ichigo curse, and then that sound again. And then the arrancar started laughing. Laughing." Toshiro could feel the heat rising from her as she remembered the events and he reached out and wrapped his fingers around her wrist, using the cool temperature of his body to keep her calm. "When I turned around to see what the hell had happened…there was blood, so much of it, everywhere. Renji was so pale, so motionless and he was staring right at me. And before I could even comprehend what I was seeing, that son of a bitch drove his sword through Renji again. I was completely frozen in shock and he just fell. Seeing it…seeing him lying there so pale, dying, I couldn't take it. Something in me just completely snapped."

"Ichigo said he didn't actually see what your bankai did. He said your spiritual energy was too wild and uncontrolled and way too bright for him to see. So he chose to shield Renji and use his own spiritual energy to keep him alive for you. Claudia, what does your bankai do?"

"I always wondered about the form my zanpakuto took," Claudia murmured as she took a swig of the cooling sake. It burned down her throat, but she savored the feeling. "Byakuya said the blade's shape was mostly due to my spiritual pressure, but that the chain of spiritual energy that binds them when I attack is a trait handed down through my family. Shuten's kusari-gama, for instance, inspired Sarubimaru I guess. Anyway, when it comes to my bankai, it's very similar to Byakuya's Senbonzakura in a way. When I called on the bankai, the blades completely disappeared. All I was holding was a very solid very heavy chain. The blades had evaporated into the air, but I could still see the bits and pieces floating in the mist around me. They glowed with my spiritual energy and I could see that there were millions of them, millions of tiny, sharp blades. And there was this weird hook at the end of the chain that glowed with my spiritual energy. I didn't even think about it really, I just slung it towards the arrancar and attacked him head on. When the chain started flying towards him, it became intangible so that he couldn't destroy it. Then it wrapped around him and solidified again. Once the hook at the end of the chain slipped into place within the links, all those millions of tiny blades seemed to be drawn to him like magnets. They moved so fast even I had trouble seeing the movement. And then it was over,"

Toshiro smirked a little. "That's why you didn't bring Dorian's body back,"

"There was no body to bring back," Claudia muttered, looking away. "After that I was done. I was done fighting. I didn't care anymore. If Renji was dead what was the point? So I stopped, fell by his body and just lay there crying. Renji was still breathing, but it was so shallow and his heartbeat was so faint… When that kid from squad four and Unohana showed up and started tending his wounds… I didn't expect any good news. But then Ikkaku said with a little rest that Renji would be fine,"

"Hanataro is a very talented little healer," Toshiro admitted as he released her wrist, satisfied that she had control over her anger again.

"Yeah, he is," Claudia murmured, sighing heavily. "Then Unohana-taichou put Renji into Minazuki's mouth and said that would help heal his more fatal injuries. She brought us back here. I'm sorry that I wasn't there for the last battle,"

"What are you talking about, Claudia? Your battle was the last battle," Toshiro stared over at her. "Didn't you know? As soon as you killed that arrancar, all of the nether soldiers disintegrated. All that were left were lower level hollows and that didn't take much at all to handle,"

"What? You're serious?"

Toshiro nodded and looked back out towards the forest. "All of those soldiers were connected to the arrancar. They were like puppets. Once the puppeteer was gone, the puppets could no longer move. They evaporated. It didn't matter in the long run. Aizen still managed to punch a gate through into the Seireitei. Once that happened, the gates around the world began to disappear. We got the hell out before this gate could close on us. Several of us were hurt, but we're pretty tough soul reapers, so we made it out pretty well. The Ronins are bruised and battered, but judging from the party down below, no worse for the wear."

"You sound surprised,"

"I doubted them. After Kima passed, I doubted them," Toshiro admitted before sitting upright again. "But when they joined efforts and created that Inferno armor, my doubt was vanquished. That armor is fierce and unbelievable."

"Kima said it would definitely be something to see. I'm sorry I missed it," Claudia glanced up when a shadow fell over them, staring up into Urahara's grinning face. "Someone's getting into the party spirit. Just how much of that sake did you have?"

"Not sake, rum,"

Toshiro and Claudia grinned and announced at the same time, "why is the rum gone?" then proceeded to laugh out loud at themselves. Urahara blinked at the two in amazement for a moment before he stumbled forward and wedged himself in between them. At least the sake was loosening them up.

"How's your arm?" Toshiro questioned as he glanced over at the injured former captain.

"It's fine. Almost good as new!" Urahara grinned again before draping a friendly arm around Claudia's shoulders and letting out an obnoxious sigh. "How are you feeling, beautiful?"

"Like I could punch a drunken shop owner down the side of a two story house," Claudia muttered with a lazy shrug as she smiled and removed his uninjured arm from around her shoulders. It was too much like what Renji usually did, and even the alcohol couldn't make that go away. If any arm was going to be draped like that over her shoulders, she wanted it to be Renji's. "Will you be going with us to the Seireitei?"

Urahara snorted and shook his head, his green and white hat falling a little further down on his face. "Nope. I'll be heading back to Urahara Shoten in the morning. I can't afford to lose any more business. Besides, I was exiled, remember?"

"I'm sure they'd make an exception considering all of the help you've given us. Besides, didn't Aizen frame you?"

"Yes, but that was only part of the reason I was exiled. I created the Hogyoku, remember? And now Aizen has it."

"What do you think he plans to do with it?"

"If that arrancar was any indication, I'd say we should expect to see more of their kind in the near future. The one that took Dorian's body was incredibly strong for an arrancar, meaning Aizen is trying to perfect them. I had a bad feeling that this situation may be over for now but will be much worse in the future. We're going to need the help of the Ronin Warriors again, that much I know."

"I never asked, did Aizen ever show his face?"

"No," Urahara said grimly. "But Gin Ichimaru and Kaname Tosen did. As the gate to Hueco Mundo closed, we saw them standing there just beyond it. They wanted us to see them so that we would know they were there. They took Cale and Sekhmet back with them before the Dynasty began to collapse. You were right, Claudia. Aizen does want their armors. If I were you, I'd hold onto Dais' a little longer,"

Claudia flinched as Toshiro turned an icy stare in her direction. "He gave you his armor?"

"Yes,"

"And you didn't think to mention this to anyone?"

"I didn't exactly have time to explain. Besides, I didn't think it was important so long as Aizen didn't come after it. He probably doesn't even know I have it,"

"Your spiritual pressure must be masking its power. I can sense the Ronins' armor orbs but I can't sense Dais'. It's a good bet that Aizen doesn't know you have it," Urahara pointed out with a shrug as he draped his arm back over her shoulder and squeezed her.

"Pardon my intrusion," The three turned to look over their shoulders at captain Unohana as she approached them on the rooftop. "Claudia, Renji is awake and he's asking for you,"

"He's awake? Are you kidding?" Claudia moved to get up and growled as Urahara decided to give her a "hand" in light of her drunken lack of balance. "You pervert! Let me go!" She tore away from him and sent her bare foot into his back right between his shoulders, sending him careening down the side of the house and into the yard. "You jerk!"

Toshiro cracked a smile while Unohana giggled quietly. Claudia wasn't amused at all, considering the reason she'd jumped up so quickly.

Toshiro leaned over the side of the roof to smirk down at Urahara's twitching form. "That's what you get for messing with Claudia like that! I told you not to push your luck!"

"That was hot, shut up!" Urahara called back up, grinning stupidly from his place in the grass. He didn't need to be allowed near any more alcohol for the remainder of the night. He was a pervert without it, but that added bit of mindlessness just amplified it. Claudia growled again as she stomped up the roof and went back in through the attic window, Unohana following her closely and quietly.

"Renji hasn't had the proper time to heal. He is still very weak and is still having some trouble breathing. He's fighting the healing kido I placed on him. Claudia-sama, he needs to rest so make sure he stays as still and as calm as possible until the kido's effects finally take him,"

Claudia nodded as Unohana opened the door to the room where they'd put Renji when they'd gotten back to the house and she slipped quietly inside. Unohana was right, he was still having a hard time breathing, so he wasn't aware she was in the room until she walked around the bed and plopped into the chair next to it. Hanataro scrambled nervously out of the room, sure the two would want to keep the conversation as private as possible.

"Hanataro!" Claudia called, grinning nastily. "You might want to run outside real quick and patch up Urahara. I think I may have kicked him over the edge,"

The short black haired boy from squad four blinked in confusion before he nodded, bowed and bounded through the door. Claudia snorted a little before she turned her attention back to Renji and saw that he'd turned his head to look at her. He was still so pale and looked like he was still in a good bit of pain from his injuries. Of course, if he hadn't been, she'd be a little worried that he might have been paralyzed so, odd as it seemed, she was grateful to see the pain creasing his brow.

"Hey stranger," She said gently as she leaned forward and combed the red locks of hair from his face with her shaking fingers. The alcohol wasn't enough to muddle her emotions now. He was awake. He was getting better. He was actually going to pull through like Unohana and everyone else had promised. She smiled, and the tears spilled free again. "You're supposed to be asleep,"

He just watched her, reaching up with a shaking hand to cup hers against his face, his eyes closing. He was savoring the feel of her skin on his, a welcomed change to the pain that bombarded his body.

"Y-you're…a-all r-right?"

Claudia nodded and smiled softly at him while he struggled to get his fingers around hers.

"Slow down, Renji," She whispered as she slipped her fingers between his and squeezed hard enough that he'd know she had him. "I'm here, it's all right. I'm not going anywhere,"

"I'm s-sorry…I c-couldn't-"

"Shut up," She grumbled as she rolled her eyes and fell backwards against the back of her chair to glare at him. "Don't start that crap. That stupid fucking arrancar took us all by surprise. You can't help what happened. Besides, I took care of it. I managed my bankai, Renji,"

He stared at her but he was struggling too hard to swallow and breathe to actually voice a response. Claudia sighed quietly in disdain. She'd never seen him in so much pain. She'd never seen him so helpless and desperate for her presence before. Claudia pulled her hand free from his, much to his distress, and moved to turn out the lights and pull the curtains over the balcony doors before she returned to the bed and crawled in beside him. She draped her left arm gently and carefully over his chest and felt the relief flowing off of him as he raised a hand to cling to her arm.

"You're s-scared,"

"Go back to sleep, Renji. We're going back to the Seireitei tomorrow so you can heal faster. Inoue would do it, but she's completely spent. She knocked out after she took care of the others." Claudia leaned forward and kissed him gently, before settling back down next to him. "Go back to sleep,"

...

Renji blinked his eyes open and stared up at the familiar ceiling of the squad four infirmary and groaned quietly in response to the pain that greeted him upon waking.

"The pain killers will kick in in just a few moments, Abarai-fukutaichou,"

Renji turned his head towards the voice and watched as Hanataro disposed of his old bandages, stained red with his blood.

"Thanks to Unohana-taichou, your injuries are healing much quicker now. You should be able to get up and move around again in a few hours," Hanataro took care of the basket of soiled bandages and disappeared for a few minutes, leaving Renji alone in the room. He was back in the Seireitei. How long had they been back? How long had he slept?

"You're awake,"

Renji blinked and stared over into Rukia's friendly face. She was leaning against the doorframe and was smiling at him, her arms crossed over her chest. Ikkaku Madarame was standing next to her, that same smug smile on his face.

"Rukia," Renji sighed quietly as he forced himself upright, much to Hanataro's loud disapproval. "I missed you on the battlefield,"

"I know," Rukia smirked a little, closing her eyes. "I had some training I needed to do before I could get back onto the battlefield. I'm still having a hard time getting back into shape after so long without my spiritual powers. Nice work on that Menos. Your bankai is getting stronger,"

"It was a little easier to control this time," Renji agreed, ignoring the pain that radiated from his torso. He was used to these fatal kinds of injuries nowadays anyway. He could bare it until the pain killers that Hanataro had mentioned finally kicked in. He also noticed how much easier it was to breathe now.

"I have to admit, Renji, that Claudia's bankai blew yours right out of the water. As similar as your zanpakuto might be, your bankai forms are completely different," Ikkaku mused as he leaned back against the doorframe opposite of Rukia, still smirking.

"Claudia?" Renji seemed to suddenly realize she wasn't in the room. Had she come back to the Seireitei with them? Had she even been allowed? "Where?"

"She's with the captains. Head Captain Yamamoto called a meeting earlier this morning. They've all been in session for a few hours now. Must be an interesting meeting," Ikkaku chuckled, grinning.

Renji looked down at his hands and frowned a little. Was this a good or bad thing?

...

Claudia shifted her weight between her feet and chewed on her bottom lip for a few moments while head captain Yamamoto stared her down ten feet in front of her. She was under scrutiny from all of the captains, save for the few she'd worked with in the past few weeks, but for some reason, this old man's stare was more nerve wracking than any of the others. How long had it been since she'd walked into this chamber and they'd all just stared at her? An hour? Two?

Didn't any of them ever talk? Of course it was obvious that old man Yama, as Shunsui had jokingly called him before they had come in for the meeting, was assessing her spiritual energy. She could feel the faintest touches of his as it danced over her skin, analyzing and assessing. Then, at long last, his gaze shifted and she could tell that he'd made some kind of decision about her and Claudia was dying to know just what that was.

"You have the vote of confidence from captains Zaraki, Kuchiki, Ukitake, Kyoraku and Unohana. It is very clear that they trust in you and your abilities. Gaining the trust of so many captains in such a short amount of time is almost unheard of. Especially for Kuchiki-taichou and Zaraki-taichou," Old Man Yama turned his gaze to the two captains, giving them an assessing look for a moment before he turned his attention back to Claudia. "As you are aware, there are three ways to gain the rank of Captain; The first is to take the captain proficiency test, which requires the ability to perform bankai. While it is clear that you have achieved this already, I have my doubts on your ability to summon it and control it. Your brief training with Kuchiki-taichou may have shown you that you had the ability to summon it, but it wasn't until Abarai-fukutaichou suffered fatal wounds that you were even able to summon it completely. This is something you will need to work on very carefully. I have already scheduled that training for you in the next few days." Old man Yama shifted a little on his feet, another decision made about her that he didn't care to share. "The second is to have personal recommendations from at least six captains and the approval from at least three of the remaining seven. As you may have noticed, we are short three captains at the moment. And while you may have the approval of five of our captains, it is not enough. Since you were not born within the Soul Society or formally trained in our arts, taking the captain proficiency test would be useless. Therefore, in order to give you the rank of captain, whether you want it or not, you are required to defeat a captain standing within this room in one-on-one combat. All of the Captains will be present for this battle, as well as at least two hundred witnesses from the opposing captain's division. Is this understood?"

"Yes," Claudia murmured, watching him very carefully.

"With that said, the captain you will face off with this afternoon will be," Claudia tensed a little but she had a feeling she already knew the answer. "Myself,"

There were a few quiet gasps from behind her, obviously not everyone had been expecting that, but Claudia merely smiled and bowed respectfully.

"And the time?"

"You have three hours to prepare, child. This will not be a battle to the death, but if you wish to join the ranks of the Shinigami as your great-grandfather, Teijiro Doji would so wish, you must satisfy me that you are worthy. You will willingly summon your bankai. When you can accomplish this, you will be granted the rank of captain, at which time I will determine which of the three captain-less divisions you will command. Please be aware that all three need quite a bit of work now. Their training was a bit lax in the beginning, I have discovered. You will be charged with whipping them into shape. I assume you'll be able to handle such a task should you achieve victory in our battle,"

Claudia nodded and bowed again as Old Man Yama dismissed the meeting. Once he was gone, she cocked her head to the side and glared over at Zaraki.

"What the hell are you so smug about?" She grumbled as she turned and matched his stride to the door and out into the warm air. "I have to fight the head captain and you get to sit around and watch it. This must make you very happy in the pants. It does, doesn't it?"

Zaraki grinned widely. "You fighting the head captain makes everyone happy in the pants. He's never found the need to fight someone directly to allow them the rank of captain. You should be honored. He must have revered Teijiro Doji a lot to have done this,"

"Remind me to thank my dearest grandfather for pointing this all out to everyone. Shuten and I will be having a few words when this is over and done with," Claudia muttered as she and Kenpachi headed in a roundabout path to the fourth company infirmary. Kenpachi sensed she'd probably need a few extra minutes to figure out how to inform Renji very gently about the situation. Poor guy would probably have a heart attack when he found out.

"SHE'S GOING TO WHAT?"

"Renji! Lie back down!" Rukia's voice drifted out through the doors and Claudia growled quietly in response. She and Kenpachi moved into the room slowly and upon seeing Renji trying to get out of bed, Claudia glided into the room and planted her foot right on his breast bone, sending him back onto the bed.

"Lie your ass down!" She shouted, glaring down at him while he just stared up at her, struggling to get back up and knock some sense into her.

"Are you crazy? You can't fight head captain Yamamoto! He's too strong!"

Claudia glared at him and removed her foot, shaking her head. "So much for having a little faith. Gee, thanks, Renji."

"That's not what I meant!"

"Uh-huh," She muttered as she folded her arms over her chest and sat at the end of his cot, her chin in the air and her face turned away from him. "Whatever."

"Claudia…"

She rolled her eyes and looked at him, frowning. "It's not like I picked him to fight. I'm ballsy but I don't have that much brass. Believe me, I don't like it any more than you do, but he says if I can willingly summon my bankai and control it against him, then he'll be satisfied,"

"Oh, well," Renji relaxed a little, smiling. "It shouldn't be a problem then,"

"Idiot," Kenpachi muttered. "It might be a bigger problem than you think,"

Renji blinked and stared up at Claudia. "What is he talking about? You said you used your bankai to stop that arrancar!"

"I did, but only because of you,"

"How do you mean?"

"I was only able to summon it because I was so upset and furious over what he'd done to you. If you hadn't been hurt like that, I might not have been able to summon it at all. Quite honestly, I don't think I can do it again,"

"C-Claudia!"

"It's true," Claudia shrugged a little. "Look, Renji, honestly, as long as he lets me stay, I don't care. I don't need to be a captain! I don't even really want it. I only just found out about all of this, what I can do, what I am."

"Shinketsu," Zaraki stated matter-of-factly, as if the simple fact that she was a true blood justified everything.

"Even so, Kenpachi, I don't really care. I don't have the proper training and I don't know half as much as the rest of you,"

"Never stopped him!" Ikkaku announced loudly. "Zaraki-taichou doesn't know any more than you! He gained the rank of captain the same way you will today! He's the only person to have ever done it before!"

Kenpachi reached out with his right hand and planted it on top of Ikkaku's shiny bald head, effectively face planting him into the floor.

"Shut up,"

"S-sorry, Zaraki-taichou!"

Claudia chuckled quietly and leaned back against the wall, wiggling a little as Renji's bony knees dug into her rump. "You need a cheeseburger," She muttered as she looked back at Kenpachi. "Is that true, Kenny, what Ikkaku said?"

"Of course," Kenpachi smirked at her and closed his eyes, his big arms folded over his broad chest. "No one else in the history of the shinigami has ever accomplished it. Most achieve the rank through the captain proficiency test or by being voted in by nine of the captains or all of them unanimously. Me, I just beat my way in."

"Hmm," Claudia reached out and absentmindedly traced circles around the hilt of her zanpakuto with her fingertips, lost completely in thought.

"Claudia?" Renji pushed himself up on his elbows, grateful that the pain killers were finally kicking in. That sharp pain was just a dull throb now, more tolerable than before. "You could decline,"

Her fingers stopped on her zanpakuto and she was quiet for a long minute before she turned and looked at him. She was silent for a moment longer before she smiled softly and shook her head.

"No I can't, Renji. Seeing the disappointment in your eyes isn't worth all of that. I'm not scared, I just don't know how I can possibly live up to his expectations. Teijiro must have been one hell of a shinigami to have gained so much respect and reverence from that old man. That's the reason he's wanting to fight me himself, right Zaraki-kun?"

Ikkaku's eyes went wide at the informal nickname, sure that Kenpachi would go after her for it, but he was even more surprised when Kenpachi just chuckled and nodded.

"That's what I gathered from what he was saying. He'll be fighting you and training you at the same time. He sees the potential in you just like the rest of us. He wants to nurture it, not diminish it. No, Claudia, by the time this fight is over you won't have anything to worry about except the idiots in the squad you end up with."

Claudia smiled a little. "Hitsugaya-taichou warned me that I'd be getting a big brother out of you,"

"Would you rather a father figure?"

She snorted. "Hell no! Oh, good night, I just got a sick image of you sitting in a rocking chair on a front porch with a shotgun because Renji brought me home late,"

Kenpachi howled in laughter, Rukia giggled uncontrollably and Ikkaku grinned stupidly. Renji just scowled because he knew Kenpachi would get a kick out of doing that.

"I can bring her home however late I damn well please, thank you much," He grumbled, glaring at the three having insane laughing fits across the room. "Oh, get out!"

Claudia laughed as Rukia herded the other two out of the room and shut the door behind them, leaving Claudia and Renji alone at last.

"Claudia, you can decline! You don't have to do this! I wouldn't be disappointed-"

"Liar, shut up," Claudia grumbled, driving a light, playful punch into his thigh. "I know you pretty well, Renji, and you'd be super giddy and excited if I got Captain, so don't even try to hide that."

"But I don't need-"

"That doesn't matter. Look, if the head captain wants to train me out of some old sense of obligation to great grand pappy Doji, then so be it. I'm not going to pass that up, besides, I could learn a lot from him. If I just so happen to get captain along the way, then great. Being a captain isn't something I care about in the long run. As long as I get to stay with you, wherever that may be, I'm good to go,"

Renji sighed quietly and nodded, relaxing back into the cot again.

"Am I going to have to drug you, Renji?"

"You are a drug, dammit!" He growled and she giggled. "I'll be there to watch it if I have to crawl all the way there!"

"Yeah, I thought you might say that," Claudia muttered, deciding to give his poor legs a break from her weight. She got up and sat down on the floor, pressing her back against the cot. Renji watched her silently for a moment before he reached out with his left arm and draped it around her shoulders.

"You'll be fine, Claudia. It's not going to be easy, but you're going to do fine out there."

She smiled softly and rested her head back as he gave her a gentle squeeze. "Thank you,"

...

Two hundred people my ass. The whole fucking Soul Society is here. Claudia scowled at the crowd that formed a giant circle around her and Yamamoto. She was nervous enough as it was, did they really have to add to it so obnoxiously?

She glared over at Renji where he stood with and half supported by Ikkaku and Rukia.

"Stubborn ass!" She called and folded her arms over her chest. It helped to calm her shaky nerves a bit so she was grateful when he snapped back with, "spoiled brat!"

When she smiled and shook her head, Renji smiled, too. She was loosening up a bit now, and remained so even as old man Yama decided it was time to begin. What had he been waiting for? Surely there was no one else in the Seireitei that had been late in getting to the scene? She didn't see that Shuten had arrived, joining the crowd to watch as well.

"Draw your zanpakuto!"

Claudia reached over her shoulder and pulled Sarubimaru from her back, blinking in slight surprise. It was so light in her hands now, it must have been because she was within the Soul Society. It would be even easier to use now than it had been in the human world.

She chuckled quietly. The human world. What a strange thing to think when she'd lived out most of her life there without even knowing she wasn't actually human.

Feels like an episode of Doctor Who gone wrong. She thought absently. When she looked up again, she saw that Yamamoto had removed his shihakusho. She smiled a little, clearly impressed. For an old man, he was in amazing shape.

"I know what you're thinking!" Ikkaku laughed out loud and she grinned as she looked over at him.

"I bet you don't!" There was a rush of wind and she struck out with Sarubimaru, one hand pressed against the flat side of the second blade as she turned her head to see Yamamoto on top of her, his own wicked zanpakuto bearing down on hers. The fight was on now. The crowd was completely silent as Yamamoto leapt backwards and attacked again. All joking aside now, Claudia focused completely on the task at hand. She had no idea at all what the head captain might throw at her but she was determined to be prepared, if that were even possible.

The fact that he wanted her to perform her bankai successfully against him, she knew whatever he planned to do wasn't going to be simple or easy to deal with. If it dealt with bankai it generally wasn't a good thing.

I can feel it in the way your blood and heart beats

My body's cold and it thinks that I'm already gone

Or is it in the way your body moves

I'd like to tell you

But I think that you already know

"Ryujin jakka!"

"Gallop Sarubimaru!"

The crowd was tense as the special abilities of the zanpakutos were released and entered the battle wildly. The ring of fire created by the head captain's zanpakuto was hot and intimidating, but Claudia had gone through too much to be scared by it. In all actuality, the only thing that scared her anymore was the thought of Renji possibly getting so devastatingly hurt again that he'd die on her. If someone as strong as Renji could fall the way he had, how easy would it be for her whom had had no formal or proper training? Everything she'd learned, she'd learned within the confined time frame of one month, and that hadn't been enough time at all to learn everything that she needed to. But thankfully Ichigo and Yoruichi, and a little from Byakuya, had been able to teach her a basic and effective flash step, so it made dodging some of the head captain's attacks much easier.

But as the time ticked on, the head captain's attacks grew much more intense and fierce while she struggled to put more strength behind her own. This was going to wind up being a pretty quick battle if she didn't get it together and fast.

The words I drag out from your mouth speak

So listen up world, listen up world

In her vision I have given company

They see no evil in leading their bodies from home

"What do you think, Kenny? Can she do it?" Yachiru was perched comfortably on his shoulder, using his head as her arm rest as she watched the intense battle taking place only 100 feet from them.

"She's lasted this long without trying for her bankai. It won't be easy, but yeah, I know she can." Kenpachi was smirking as he said it and he folded his arms over his chest as he watched the fight. Claudia had to be tired, but she didn't show it. "Woman's got some balls,"

"She's been taught by her brother all of her life how to fight, and we've taught her all that we could manage in that short month. She's ready," Renji said confidently, his red eyes glued to the playing field. "When the time comes, she'll get the job done. There's too much at stake,"

Kenpachi gave Renji a sideways glance before turning his attention back to the fight. Renji was right, she had a lot to accomplish here and this was just the first obstacle in making sure she got to stay. She might only just be beginning to realize it, but she'd been training for this her entire life. Dorian had to have known what they were or he wouldn't have pushed her so far.

"BANKAI!" Head captain Yamamoto's cry brought everyone to attention. Moment of truth.

Believer, you'll leave her, in leaving them all

No but I don't buy it

Like anything you do, as anyone you are

Ten Speed, if I must... then I must

Believer, you'll leave her, in leaving them all

No but I don't buy it

Like anything you do, as anyone you are

Claudia gasped as she was thrown backwards, hitting the ground hard and just barely managing to barrel roll to keep from getting slammed by the wicked ring of fire that came soaring after her. Old Man Yama didn't play. Not a bit.

She had barely a second to wipe the blood from her bottom lip before she had to roll away from another vicious attack. His method of training was similar to Kenpachi's, except there was a method behind it when Kenpachi just attacked with the ruthless intention of killing no matter what the cause. If you didn't win against Kenpachi it was because he killed you first. That was how he trained his company, it was how he had trained her that first time they had fought. So she knew how to avoid getting killed, she just didn't have a very effective way of fighting against someone so powerful.

She was starting to lose confidence in her ability to defend herself when the scenery around her suddenly changed.

"What the hell?" She stared around her, frozen as she stared across the rocky terrain and the dark purple sky that suddenly surrounded her. Where was she?

"This is your inner sanctum,"

Claudia whirled around and stared as Sarubimaru strode up to her and threw her head wildly for a moment.

"S-Sarubimaru?"

"Every shinigami has an inner sanctum. You've been here before. There's a reason this is your inner place,"

"The fields beyond our old house in the countryside. Dorian used to bring me here to practice all of those fighting techniques he taught me. The last time I was here with him, the sky was really dark like it is now,"

Sarubimaru bowed her head again.

"How did I get here? What about the fight?"

"This is a dimension outside of the real world. No time is passing at all." Sarubimaru moved forward and nudged Claudia gently and she reached up to stroke her zanpakuto's spirit form carefully. The flames of her mane didn't burn at all as Claudia touched them, but power flooded into her as she touched them.

"You can do this, Claudia," Not Sarubimaru's voice. Dorian's. As she whipped around to face him, she was suddenly back on the battlefield, throwing Sarubimaru out to stop yet another attack that sent her careening backwards.

"You can do this, Claudia."

If written wrote me even chance

And the choice to save you

I wouldn't answer if it even had to ask

In her figure I've instilled a taste of my own

So listen up world, listen up world

To make it easier to take what life I'm owed

As the curse has returned from the hell of your

Heart and your soul

Claudia's eyes were closed.

She stood stock still as the flame flew towards her. She could feel it's vicious, overwhelming heat, but still she remained unmoving. Something in her stirred, a warmth that flowed from the center of her chest and outward along her limbs. That warmth reached her fingertips, her toes, and flowed back up and into her chest, settling there, the thrumming warmth of her spiritual pressure beating in time with her heart. She could almost hear it. It was the most incredible feeling she'd ever had, like floating in the air at zero gravity with a thousand tiny feathers dancing along the nerve endings of her body. And then that warmth flowed outward along her arms and into her zanpakuto.

The fire was almost upon her now, but she didn't move, not until the last second.

Her senses keenly attuned now, she heard Renji's sharp intake of breath as the flames danced close enough to singe her shihakusho. Her eyes opened.

"Bankai,"

Spiritual energy erupted in a torrent around her body, shooting upwards into the air as the blades of Sarubimaru dissolved into particles, floating freely through the air. She barely gave the chain enough time to fully form before she whipped it mercilessly towards head captain Yamamoto.

The crowd was dead silent and she could see the look on Renji's face out of the corner of her eyes. He was stunned by the form and technique of her bankai, but there was so much pride in his eyes that that was all she could focus on. That was all she needed. Yes, she'd originally performed bankai because Renji had been fatally injured, but now she knew she didn't need that to get her through it. That pride in his eyes alone was all she needed now. Her spiritual energy spiked as the chain chased Yamamoto around the circle he was dancing. She wouldn't catch him, no way, but it didn't matter anymore. She'd done what he'd asked.

Believer, you'll leave her, in leaving them all

No but I don't buy it

Like anything you do, as anyone you are

Ten Speed, if I must... then I must

Believer, you'll leave her, in leaving them all

No but I don't buy it

Like anything you do, as anyone you are

Nobody knows but you

Nobody knows but you

'Cause I don't want to ride tonight...

No I don't want to go

I don't want to ride tonight...

Or maybe I don't want to go

He was still dodging her attack when her spiritual pressure began to drop. The amount of energy it took to command the damn thing was something she hadn't gotten used to and it would probably be a long time before she ever did. Still, it was a wicked attack that, once perfected, would kick so much ass it wouldn't be funny.

The tangibility of her chain was beginning to fade out, so was her strength. Tired and wobbly, Claudia yanked the chain back to her and stumbled, breathing heavily while she tried to keep herself going. Yamamoto didn't seem to be satisfied, which scared her. She didn't have the energy to do anything else.

"But are you going to kill her off?"

"It's not your decision. I love the character, she stays."

"Yeah, well the only thing love's done is put you in this position; I say kill her off!"

"Yeah, but you say a lot of things... and how does that work? You're a bicycle"

Believer, you'll leave her, in leaving them all

No but I don't buy it

Like anything you do, as anyone you are

Ten Speed, if I must... then I must

Believer, you'll leave her, in leaving them all

No but I don't buy it

Like anything you do, as anyone you are

Cause I'm...

Ten Speed, of God's Blood & Burial

Ten Speed, of God's Blood

He was on her in a second but her bankai vanished and she slammed the blades of Sarubimaru into the ground as they reformed just to stay upright. It didn't matter what happened now, she'd face him standing up no matter what it took.

Yamamoto stopped with Ryujin jakka barely a centimeter from her face and stayed there for several long minutes.

"You've passed," He lowered and sheathed his zanpakuto, taking a small step backwards while Claudia's hold on her zanpakuto slipped and she hit her ass on the ground, huffing and puffing in exhaustion.

"Arigato," She managed to get out before she fell backwards into the dirt, her arms spread out beside her.

"I grant you the rank of captain. You will undergo formal training over the next several weeks before you officially claim a division, but you will be a captain." Yamamoto looked over towards Renji and Ikkaku and nodded once as he turned, replaced his shihakusho over his shoulders and strolled back towards the living quarters of the Seireitei. "Is there anything you wish that I might grant you in return for a glimpse at your true power?"

Claudia blinked rapidly in surprise as he waited for her response. She was still lying on the ground, unable to get back up at the moment. "I…y-yes! Kima, the woman that commanded the armor of Destruction, she's in the Rukongai somewhere. Please grant her admission to the soul reaper academy. She'd be a great asset,"

Yamamoto nodded once, sharply. "Granted. Once she has been found within Rukongai, she will be immediately admitted to the academy,"

"Arigato!"

Most of the crowd dispersed with him, but a good little bit of them stayed behind to talk about what had just happened.

Claudia blinked as a form blocked the sun that was burning her eyes and squinted up at Renji's grinning face.

"Stop grinning like an idiot and help me up!" Claudia groaned, wrenching her eyes closed. "I can't fucking move!" She squealed in surprise as Kenpachi yanked her up and threw her over his shoulder, Renji still didn't have the strength carry himself around, let alone carry her, and she tried vainly to elbow him in the back of his head.

"Not like that, you jerk!"

"Take what you get and shut your trap," Kenpachi laughed as they turned and leapt back towards the squad four infirmary. Yachiru took hold of Sarubimaru and followed the group as they headed back inside. The blade, to her, was unusually heavy which just gave her hint of how much spiritual energy Claudia must really have. She hadn't heard very many stories about the Doji family, but she knew they had been pretty powerful, so it wasn't that much of a surprise. Yachiru wondered just how strong Claudia would become now that she was in the Soul Society and would be getting the proper training for her gifts.

She wasn't the strongest captain among them, she had a long way to go before she even thought about claiming that title, but one thing was for sure; Yachiru sure as hell didn't want to have to fight her any time soon.

...

"How do you feel?"

Claudia groaned as his voice penetrated the haze of her sleep and she rolled away from him, burying her head beneath her pillow.

Renji just smiled and chuckled as he reached out and pulled the pillow away from her. "You've got to get used to this early rising thing. Captains have meetings and other things they have to attend to in the morning,"

"I've got the rank, not the assignment," Claudia muttered as she snatched the pillow away from him and pressed it back against her ear.

"Yeah, well, still," Renji crawled onto the cot next to her, clearly healed and in much better shape now, and wrapped himself around her. "You should get up. Hitsugaya-taichou wants to get out into the Rukongai and start looking for Kima this morning,"

Claudia sat up quickly which forced Renji onto the floor. He howled as he fell, groaning when he hit.

"Thanks, Claudia,"

"Why didn't you say something!" She cried as she jumped up and scrambled around the room for her shihakusho. She blushed as she turned to face Renji who was still sitting stark naked on the floor. "Put on your clothes, baka!"

He grinned at her and got up onto his feet, giving her a naughty little wiggle as he moved for his own shihakusho. She was still blushing as she glared at him and smacked him on the back of the head. Renji managed to get fully dressed before she threw the sliding door open and marched outside to find Toshiro waiting for them at the end of the path, perched casually on the railing of the walkway, his arms behind his head. He looked completely relaxed and he was actually smiling.

Renji was tying off his hair and applying the bandana when he caught up to them at the gate to the Rukongai.

"You guys ready?" Toshiro questioned when it seemed that Renji was finished dressing himself.

"Yeah, let's go," It wasn't just the thought of finding Kima out there that had Claudia excited. It was possible they'd also find Dorian, though she wasn't getting her hopes up. The Rukongai was virtually endless. It was vast and would take several weeks to completely explore, possibly months because of the sheer amount of souls that inhabited it. There were so many different districts throughout, and even more land beyond it to explore.

Although, it didn't matter how long it took so long as she found him eventually. Urahara had told him to join the soul reaper academy, but it seemed that he hadn't yet done that. Maybe now that she was there, word would somehow reach him and he'd find a way there. She'd love to see him amongst the soul reaper ranks, possibly even have him in her own company one day. That would be a grand role reversal. She in charge and he the follower.

She giggled to herself and Renji threw her an amused glance. "What's funny?"

"I'll tell you later," She looked around as Renji reached out and slipped his hand into hers. The action was a little foreign to her, he usually just threw his arm around her shoulders like Kento would with Cye, so she had to stare at their hands for a moment while they walked before she adjusted herself to it.

"How long do you think we'll have to look?"

"Not long," Toshiro mused as they crossed into the fourth district and gave it a quick look over. "If I know Kima, she would have been storming towards the Seireitei from wherever she ended up. She'll probably end up meeting us halfway. Not that it matters how long we're gone. I left Matsumoto with all the paperwork,"

"And when has she ever actually done it?" Renji chuckled. Toshiro shrugged a little as they walked through districts five and six and headed off in a different direction from district seven. There was no sign of Kima or Dorian anywhere, but they still had a very long way to go.

"So what's the plan, Claudia? What are you going to do?"

Claudia shrugged a little as they walked through another larger district. "I've still got a few more weeks of training to get through until Old Man Yama actually gives me a squad. Beyond that, I don't really know."

"How are the kido lessons coming along?" Toshiro questioned, sincerely interested in her progress. It had been three weeks since her fight with head captain Yamamoto and he was curious as to how far she'd progressed. Whenever he saw her she always looked stronger, more confident, but she also looked worn down, so he always forgave her for her late rising in the mornings. Not only was she being trained by Byakuya Kuchiki, she was also being trained by Old Man Yama himself sometimes, as well as Kenpachi, Kurotsuchi and Komamura. Soi Fon had even taken part in her latest training session with kido. It was no wonder the woman was exhausted. She barely gave herself time enough to rest before she was jumping right back into it again.

Toshiro smiled a little. Aside from all of the training, she seemed extremely happy to be here, though a visit to the human world every now and again was definitely something she hoped for. The girl liked to party and there weren't exactly any dance clubs within the Seireitei. And she still had her adoptive parents to think about. She couldn't just disappear on them. Well, she could, but she wasn't the type of person to do that.

And what about her relationship with Renji? How far would it go? How far did they want it to go? They were pretty much inseparable these days and there was just too much between them for anyone to deny they were together for good. They were just alike in almost every aspect possible, and Toshiro already knew what Renji eventually wanted. It was Claudia that didn't really announce her intentions. Renji didn't either, but he damn sure didn't hide them.

How long would it be before Renji let his control slip and she ended up heavy with his kid? Or kids?

Toshiro chuckled out loud, gaining a curious glance from the couple, but he gave them nothing in return. He was still smirking an hour later as they stopped to take a break in their search for Kima and Dorian.

"The people around here don't seem bothered by the presence of soul reapers," Claudia observed as she leaned against Renji and closed her eyes. She was more tired than she'd been letting on, but neither men planned on pointing that out to her. She may claim that Renji was a stubborn ass, which was completely true, but she wasn't any less stubborn.

"Soul reapers patrol through every now and again, but not very often. We don't usually interfere with what goes on in the Rukongai unless it's serious, but there hasn't been any need for that kind of intervention in a few centuries. Not at all since I've been a captain," Toshiro shrugged as he sat back on the bench and folded his arms over his chest. "There might be a few more patrols through the outer districts because of the number of souls that passed through because of Aizen's little game, but other than that, there's really no need for us to make any visits. Honestly, the Shiba clan pretty much keeps the place in check. Though Ganju tends to get a little rambunctious,"

Renji snorted but didn't offer any insight into that experience. Claudia was too tired to ask. He smiled at her as she started to doze and leaned back against the bench, taking her into his arms.

"Claudia?"

"Hm?"

"What would you say if I asked you to marry me?"

"Hm," She chuckled quietly. "That you're damn crazy, but yes," She was snoozing quietly a second later and Renji had to turn his face away from Toshiro to keep the captain from seeing the happy wetness that had welled up into his eyes. Toshiro still caught sight of it, but he just snorted.

"Freaks,"

"Be nice to them! That was sweet!"

Claudia snapped awake and leapt forward, throwing her arms around the blond haired woman as if she'd been shocked by electricity.

"Kima!"

The woman grinned at them as she hugged Claudia. "The one and only!"

...

End Chapter