A/N: This is the longest chapter yet. Whoops- I just couldn't stop. Better settle down if you have lots of time and a nice cup of tea.
"Question"
"Captain Kyoraku. May I propose something to you?"
The First Division's captain was more accessible and informal than his predecessor had been, making it easy for Rukia to drop by his office unannounced. She stood poised at the doorway holding a large file of papers looking expectant, and Captain Kyoraku realized that he was finally about to be presented with the project that 13th company's vice captain had been working on privately for the past several weeks.
In addition to her regular duties, she had been steadily writing during every minute of her free time, skipping meals and social breaks to do research in the archives or to run to her office and furiously scribble down notes. When asked what she was working on, she would only reply that it wasn't ready yet.
She had been this way ever since taking a day's leave to visit the living world. Upon her return she had plunged back into work nonstop, and she seemed to show no interest in slowing down.
"Why, I simply can't refuse a proposal from you, can I Kuchiki-san?" he sang back.
She ignored his cheeky tone. "It is a proposal that I hope to present at the next general meeting of captains and vice captains," she said breathlessly. "I respectfully ask your help in being granted an audience."
He agreed to read over her proposal.
Despite the turbulent and frenetic state of mind she had seemed to exhibit as of late, the thick pile of papers that she handed over to him was neatly organized and the majority of the articles were accompanying references, annotations and news clippings from Soul Society and the Human world alike.
Rukia bowed to take her leave, and Captain Kyoraku opened the cover page of her presentation and began to read.
And read. And read.
When Vice Captain Ise came by to remind him of an upcoming appointment, he politely instructed her to reschedule it. Astonished to see her Captain so absorbed in working for once, she did not interrupt and waited patiently for him to complete the task.
He did not stop reading until he had checked through all of the accompanying research to the very last page.
Over two hours had passed when he finally looked up, rubbed his eyes and cleared his throat.
"Nanao-san," he called, and she appeared around the corner, vigilant as ever.
"Would you mind reviewing this proposal? I think the research could use your scrutiny."
Nanao Ise dutifully collected the pile of papers, glancing at the 13th company's letterhead.
"This is the proposal that Kuchiki-san has been working on?" She asked, noting the meticulous organization and annotations.
The previous Captain Commander would never have considered it. But Captain Kyouraku knew that in these unprecedented times, new methods and innovations were needed to challenge Soul Society's long-standing traditions.
"It's worth a look, as it concerns an issue that has plagued us since the war ended. It would be wise to consider such an in-depth plan of action."
Nanao nodded and hurried away to attend to her task, leaving Captain Kyoraku to turn to the window and stare down at the Seireitei, greatly diminished but still bustling with activity, slowly but surely being rebuilt.
"What a clever vice captain you trained, Juushiro," he murmured to the empty room.
The next message Ichigo received after Rukia left had read: "I will be unable to write to you for a while. I am sorry."
He tried not to dwell on it, focusing his attention on summer jobs now that the school year had ended. There was an uptick in activity at his construction job; he and the rest of the temp crew were being called into work almost every day to complete the finishing touches on the apartment complex. He spent the next several weeks painting apartments, laying floor and installing cabinets, room after room until he finally went home to sleep, only to wake up to do it all over again.
Hiro and Tai instinctively left the subject of Rukia's visit alone. Ichigo had been so tight-lipped about it that they assumed the worst and gave him space to recover from his "break-up".
He still checked the pager occasionally as time passed. Gradually the sting of disappointment at seeing no new messages gradually faded into a dull ache. He hadn't realized how much he had depended on her messages until they had stopped. He wondered if she had finally reached her limit, and she had decided to stop writing after all. But he still kept it close by, more out of habit than anything.
However, one night Ichigo was unable to sleep.
He tossed and turned, finally growing so frustrated at his inability to lapse into unconsciousness that he got out of bed, dressed and headed out into the night.
He wasn't sure where he was going, but he was sure to run into a Hollow or two eventually. There were always a few around in the dead of night, preying on Plus souls. Being so late on a weekday night, the streets were quiet and deserted, so even when Ichigo reached the downtown core it was easy for him to hear a spirit screaming.
The ghost of a young woman was being pursued by a lizard-like hollow, which crawled and crept in an obviously predatory fashion. She darted and weaved around corners and obstacles trying to lose it, but it simply climbed around, over or through them and was closing in on her fast.
Ichigo was irresistibly driven to pursuing the Hollow even though he was trapped in human form with no proper means to fight it. He followed with single minded intent, mind racing with half-formed plans: he could create a distraction, he could make the Hollow go after him instead, he could bait it to attack him and hope the strength of his soul would be too much for it to consume…
The Hollow's mask was cracked by two rapidly fired arrows and it was obliterated in a burst of light, stopping Ichigo short. To his chagrin he hadn't been able to discern the approach of the being that had fired them. He looked around and spotted Uryu Ishida emerging from an alleyway across the street.
"You didn't have to butt in," Ichigo said irritably as he approached.
"Then you should have done something about it," Uryu replied, making Ichigo fume.
"What are you doing here in Naruki-shi?"
"I've been pushing out further and further, clearing sectors of Hollows each night. I guess I went pretty far tonight." On closer inspection, Uryu looked extremely tired, with dark shadows under his eyes showing clearly on his pale face. He sported a white jacket with a subtle cross motif. Luckily he was not wearing his full custom Quincy regalia or Ichigo would have turned and walked the other way.
Uryu looked to the spirit who was cowering beside a mailbox, weeping. "What are you going to do about her?"
"There's nothing I can do," Ichigo replied, going over to her. He could see the chain of fate bolted to the plate over the ghost's heart, with only 3 links remaining.
She noticed him staring, and she seemed amazed. "You can see me?" She whispered. When he nodded, she began sobbing again.
"I don't know what happened… it seemed like just yesterday I was walking with my husband down this road… a car came around the corner so fast… it jumped the curb… and now I can't find my husband anywhere," she whimpered. "You have to help me."
Unable to provide the answers she needed to ease her confusion and grief, Ichigo advised her gravely,
"You have to stay quiet so you don't attract any more of those monsters to you."
Then with a more severe pang of anxiety he added, "If you see anyone wearing black robes and hakama and carrying a sword, you need to get their attention." The spirit collapsed to the ground in distress, and her sorrow was agonizing to behold.
An icy fist closed around his heart, Ichigo turned away from the spirit sadly, leaving her huddled on the sidewalk, bound to the street corner where she had died. She would never pass on without a shinigami administered soul burial. She might never see her husband again. He may have been the Hollow they had just killed.
Uryu walked with him in aimless silence for a while, until his resentment and frustration finally boiled over.
"It wouldn't be like this if the shinigami were doing their job," he muttered angrily. Ichigo glared at him but Uryu went on indignantly.
"It isn't enough to hunt the few Hollows that we can when we get the chance. There are places other than Naruki and Karakura that need protection. I've waited for the shinigami long enough. I'm about to start hunting full-time."
Ichigo was at once impressed and wary of Uryu's conviction.
"What about school?" He didn't think it was possible for Uryu to do anything that would jeopardize his academic career.
"Hunting Hollows day and night is already affecting my chances towards applying anywhere this year, I doubt a couple more years will make a difference," Uryu snapped.
His face suddenly softened and he gazed into the distance.
"…I haven't picked out a major yet, anyway."
"You haven't?" Ichigo blurted. It was the last thing he had ever expected to hear Ishida utter, and he was momentarily stunned by the disclosure.
"Orihime is going into pre-med."
Ichigo wasn't surprised by the news. Not many people knew that Orihime's grades had always been at the top of the class. He figured that Orihime's personality and genuine care for others would make her a brilliant doctor. He wondered if her powers might enable her to gain a little too much of an advantage though, and he hoped that she wouldn't capture the attention of government agencies, cults or other organizations that would want to harness her reality-defying power.
"And you aren't? I thought your Dad-"
The look on Ishida's face made him stop short, and Ichigo hastily changed the subject. "What does Orihime think about you hunting hollows every night?"
Even though they had only been dating for a year, Uryu and Orihime had settled into coupledom naturally, their shared experiences from Soul Society to Hueco Mundo and back bonding them together with a deep trust and easy understanding of each other. Orihime's vivacious and bubbly personality balanced by Uryu's stoic and even temperament making them an endearing and attractive couple.
Uryu was visibly upset.
"I haven't told her that I do it. Don't give me that look!" He snapped at Ichigo's incredulous expression. "I don't want her to feel the need to fight any more. You know what it was like after the war. She gets sick with worry. She's endured enough suffering to last a lifetime because of us."
"You think she's going to be happy if you keep this a secret from her?"
"Do you think I'm happy about it?" Uryu retorted angrily. "I love her. She is the most important person in the world to me. This is how I'm going to protect her."
Although he could empathize with Uryu's sentiments, the knowledge rested uneasily with Ichigo. Once again he wished bitterly- holding on to vain hope- that the shinigami would return and resume their duties in the living world.
"Don't do anything too drastic." Ichigo told him grimly. It felt strange advising restraint and caution, coming from him. Uryu's reaction showed that he felt the same, but he acknowledged the message.
"I won't- because I won't be the only one who gets hurt."
"Take care, Uryu."
Summer vacation came to an end, and Ichigo found himself focusing on the regular and mundane details of his life. Returning to the familiar routine of school, work and home was a stifling prospect and he was finding it harder than ever to remain complacent. He could feel resentment simmering below the surface, the terrible restlessness growing by the day as he reflected on his powerlessness and inertia. He had helped save Soul Society and protected the balance of the world, but at what cost to himself- already a war veteran at 21 years old?
Two days before the start of the school term, Ichigo awoke, quite unexpectedly, to the faint buzzing of a new message alert on the Soul Society pager.
He was up with a sudden start, searching wildly for the little device, not knowing what to hope or expect. The single sentence did not offer any more clues.
Come to Naruki-shi, Chiba-ku, 2590.
Luckily, it was an address that was close by and that he knew well. It was the apartment site which he had been working at for the past year.
All of the fixtures had been completed just a few days ago and it looked as though the building was ready to move in. There was already a moving truck parked at the entrance though the temporary fence surrounding the construction site was still there. Ichigo simply slipped past the chain link barrier and began to circle the building, searching for any sign of Rukia.
However, the first shinigami he encountered was not one that he would have expected whatsoever. It was Akon, one of the scientists of the Twelfth Division.
"Huh?" Ichigo burst out upon recognizing him.
"Huh?" Akon replied, looking equally confused.
There was an awkward silence until Akon remarked, "Uh… long time no see, Kurosaki. Interesting seeing you here… that is, why are you here?"
"Um…" Ichigo thought revealing that Rukia had summoned him here would cause a whole mess of problems regarding her secret communication with him, but he was relieved to realize that he had an alibi after all. "I used to work here. I did construction on this site up until recently."
"Huh." Akon still seemed rather surprised, but accepted his explanation. "I will be working temporarily at this site as well, recalibrating these Hollow detecting instruments for use in the human world." He gestured towards the moving van, which Ichigo could now see it was crammed with strange-looking electronic equipment including what appeared to be a tiny satellite.
"I see…" Ichigo answered, still not understanding. He was saved from more awkward conversation by the approach of another shinigami whom he did not expect to see.
"Oh… Captain Hitsugaya!" Ichigo exclaimed.
Toshiro Hitsugaya did not seem surprised to see him. "Fancy seeing you here, Kurosaki Ichigo." he replied calmly. "It's a small human world, after all."
"Pardon, but I never expected to run into you here."
"Why not? Naruki City is under 10th division's jurisdiction, after all." Hitsugaya crossed his arms and drew himself up proudly. "However, as of today I am relinquishing authority over this area to a new division."
"A new division?" Ichigo repeated blankly.
"A multi-division offset of the Gotei 13 to be exact," a voice answered, and Ichigo turned to encounter Rukia at last, dressed in full uniform and holding a small wooden box.
"It will be known as Earthbound Division."
Ichigo was dumbstruck. From barely seeing a single shinigami in the living world for almost a year to suddenly being surrounded by them, he thought he might be dreaming. Rukia seemed to be enjoying his reaction, smirking at the shocked expression on his face.
You could have told me sooner, he thought, furrowing his brows at her.
I've been busy, her eyes answered.
Akon had continued with his work, seemingly uninterested in the exchange. He had hooked up a laptop to several devices that looked like electrical transformers and he was calming surveying the code that streamed across the screen.
"These devices are now live," he reported. He pointed at the screen as if any of them could understand the rapidly scrolling code. "As expected, stationing these devices in the living world significantly boosts the feedback rate. Without needing to be relayed to Soul Society and eliminating the time lag of senkaimon transference, dispatch can be performed with increased efficiency."
"Ten years ago this wouldn't have been possible. But human telecommunications have come so far that they outpace Soul Society's instruments." Rukia added confidently.
"It'll be a load off of the communications department in Soul Society," Akon agreed. "Having an independent network specifically for Hollow dispatch in the living world will pay off in the long run."
"What does this mean?" Ichigo asked, still stunned but with an inexplicable excitement welling up inside of him.
"When the Quincy were still around they were able to respond to Hollow attacks in the living world with greater efficiency than the Soul Reapers. Their methods were ultimately catastrophic to the balance between worlds but due to the fact that they were better situated, their timeliness was crucial in mitigating casualties to human souls." Rukia explained.
"That is where Earthbound division comes in," she continued. "The law prohibiting a shinigami's stay in the human world is outdated. With regular use of a gigai, shinigami can certainly live amongst humans for an extended period. Urahara has confirmed with first hand evidence that there are minimal side effects and no resulting loss of power."
She moved next to Ichigo and gestured to the newly built apartment complex.
"We just bought this building."
"What!" he exclaimed.
"It would have been difficult to set up our operation in a building presently inhabited by humans. It also happens to be a good location, close both to a major metropolitan centre and the current spiritual center of the living world."
Ichigo marveled at the coincidence. Rukia looked bemused at the range of emotions that flitted across his face but continued,
"Up to 120 shinigami can be housed here while they are stationed in the living world. There will be no more slumming on the streets, begging around for temporary accommodations."
"Or hiding in people's closets," Ichigo muttered under his breath. Rukia elbowed him sharply, fighting to keep a straight face.
Hitsugaya pretended not to notice, but he held his hand out for the box in Rukia's arms. "You have the 13th division's contribution, Kuchiki?"
"Oh yes, I almost forgot." Rukia apologized quickly. She carefully slid open the lid for Hitsugaya to inspect the contents.
"Each of the divisions contributed to finance this operation," she explained to Ichigo. Inside the box, packed between layers of paper shavings was a single teapot with a beautifully vibrant, ruby red glaze.
"One of Captain Ukitake's teapots," Hitsugaya observed.
"His notes show that he acquired it in China during the Ming Dynasty. I think he would have liked to know it would be returned to its place of origin."
"It's an artifact, isn't it?" Ichigo blurted. "It's priceless."
Rukia chuckled, "Expensive in this current day and age, yes. There have been thousands of items procured from the living world over the course of history just sitting in Soul Society- an untapped resource."
As it was exposed to the open air, Ichigo saw the artifact degrade before his eyes, the shiny glaze and vibrant colour dulling but still in perfect, whole condition for a piece of delicate pottery from the 15th century.
"The object's spirit was well preserved in Soul Society, but it has resorted to its true age now," Hitsugaya stated. "And I'm going to meet our crew in finances to discuss resource management now, Kuchiki, let me take that…"
She handed over the crate very carefully, and with a nod to them both, Hitsugaya took his leave.
"These contributions are only to cover the start-up expenses. With the properties we acquire and investments that we make in the living world, the income will serve to maintain Earthbound Division's operations for years to come."
Rukia smiled at the expression of slight awe on Ichigo's face. She didn't want to let up; she was so pleased with all of her efforts coming to fruition that she wanted to tell him everything at once.
"I want to show you the installation in the lobby," She pulled his arm excitedly, looking rather giddy. "I wanted to have it put up as soon as the building was acquired."
He trailed after her, basking in her infectious enthusiasm.
"It's been a massive undertaking," She explained as they walked. "For the shinigami who have an extremely long tradition of keeping themselves apart from the human world it's a major paradigm shift. But we are all connected in the cycle of life and death. It just isn't morally right to ignore the importance and safety of the living world and call ourselves the balancers."
They entered the lobby of the main building and he could see a long, elegantly framed scroll hung above the elevators. It was veiled in a way so that only those with spiritual powers could see it.
In huge calligraphy letters, it read: From Where We Came, And To Where We Must All Return.
"The unofficial motto for Earthbound Division…" she said wistfully, beaming with pride. "...Do you like it?"
A wide smile split his face and Ichigo was happy, unbelievably happier than he had ever thought possible.
"I love it."
All of the Gotei 13 divisions would be represented in Earthbound Division, their numbers evenly maintained and shifts rotated on a regular basis. The mixing of personnel fostered teamwork among divisions, with the added benefit of the ability to dispatch the skills and specialties of every division for any given situation.
Although the faction had no acting captain, Rukia had volunteered to act as principal liaison and supervisor of this new endeavor, fitting of her vice captain rank.
She filled Ichigo in on all of this when they finally had the chance to be alone in his apartment.
"The Captain Commander has granted leave," she said happily. "Third seats Kiyone and Sentarou were graciously willing to fill in for my position while I'm away."
Ichigo listened to it all in contemplative silence, the news still verging beyond belief to him. Rukia mistook his silence for discontent, because she haltingly began to apologize.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. There was so much work to do to get the Earthbound project off the ground I couldn't possibly have been able to explain. I was so heavily invested in making it succeed that I couldn't let anything distract me, but I'm sorry I didn't write for so long."
"Stop apologizing, dummy," He admonished softly. They were finally alone together, blessedly alone, and he simply wanted to savour the gladness he felt now that she was here and that she had done so much to come back.
She clamped her lips together, looking indignant, but softened when he pulled her to him gently, bending to her height and surrounding her in a warm, blissful embrace.
"Did I ever tell you that you talk too much?" He murmured, hands sliding across her back and traveling upwards to stroke the nape of her neck, to run his fingers through her hair, to gently cup her face. Nothing mattered at the moment but the revitalizing joy of her presence.
"You might have," she mumbled, before his mouth covered hers and she was happy not to have to talk for a while.
As they basked in the afterglow of their reunion, Ichigo continued the conversation thoughtfully.
"So is Earthbound Division officially operational? Does that mean shinigami patrols will finally resume?"
"We're bringing in the first shift as early as tonight. Hollow eradication and konso duties will start immediately,"
She paused in her explanation, seized by a sudden desire. "Do you have any juice? I've missed the kind in the little boxes."
"Huh? Hold on," He got out of bed to pull on a pair of underwear and search, and Rukia had the added benefit of taking in the tantalizing sight of his muscular butt before he covered it up.
He found a single carton at the back of the fridge and tossed it to her. She made a display of showing that she knew exactly how to stick the straw into the foil opening and sipped contentedly.
"Shifts in the living world will last three months up to a year," she continued. "As Soul Society's liaison I will need to stay on for much longer."
"How long, do you think?"
"As long as it takes to see the finances settled, to get continental outposts established and to consistently train, educate and set standards for shinigami conduct in the living world." She considered carefully. "It could take years, even a lifetime."
"Sounds like a lot of work," he commented, lying down next to her.
She sprawled languidly across his sheets, feeling satisfied, complete, and very much at home. "I think I will enjoy it."
Ichigo was growing more and more used to the idea that the Earthbound Division and Rukia were here to stay, though the fortuity of the circumstance never ceased to amaze him. Of course, she had taken to informally living with him once more, settling herself into his tiny apartment as her personal base of operations and coming and going as she pleased.
It was similar to the arrangement they had had in high school, except she definitely wasn't sleeping in the closet any more.
When he informed her that he might hunt for a larger space as his lease was nearing its end, she waved away the notion.
"No need. I will be purchasing a property to inhabit during my tenure. I would like you to live with me," she said earnestly.
He protested. She seemed dismayed. He disliked the idea of not being able to contribute. She returned that it was repayment for the debt that she owed, for all the sacrifices he had already made on her behalf. He worried that the situation would create an unfair power imbalance in their relationship.
"It's not my choice," She confessed, exasperated. "As a Kuchiki, I am expected to abide by a living standard befitting of my status. I'm not even allowed to make a home in the Division headquarters as it is considered my workplace. I've never owned a home before, let alone a human dwelling. I don't know how to maintain one yet so I need your help, Ichigo. Please?" she pleaded, purposefully letting a cajoling tone creep into her voice.
He rolled his eyes, not buying her helpless act for a second. But he finally capitulated.
The first few weeks that Rukia spent in his apartment were ones that Ichigo would never forget. Simply waking up next to Rukia filled him with such contentment and wonder that he had to reach out and touch her sometimes to make sure that she was still there and not some delicate apparition of an ethereal, pale beauty.
Sleeping seemed to be the only thing she did in absolute stillness though, as being essentially the acting captain for Earthbound Division kept her constantly busy reviewing reports, organizing transfers to and from Soul Society and managing the daily schedule and briefing. However, being in a position of authority also gave her the ability to schedule her own free time around her duties.
On one of those occasions they arranged a small get together to reunite with their friends from high school. Ichigo arrived at the busy café early to find Orihime had reserved them a spot on the patio. It was a good thing as the beautiful weather had drawn out many patrons and the café was packed.
"Hi Inoue. How have you been?" He greeted her warmly.
"Great, Kurosaki-kun" she could answer honestly. Her heart didn't race uncontrollably at the sight of Ichigo anymore, and it was for the better. She still found him attractive- it was a hard habit to break- but she had settled into thinking of him as a friend, and it was a surprisingly comfortable feeling.
She was learning that love was a slow blossoming of discovery, not the nerve-wracking, one-sided infatuation that she had felt in the past. Being with Uryu had helped her to discover that being herself and behaving naturally was far more enjoyable than babbling nervously or having to slip into flights of imagination. And she finally knew how gratifying it was to be adored in return, to be able to say what was on her mind and have the same feelings reflected back to her.
"Where is Ishida?" Ichigo asked carefully. He hadn't heard from the Quincy since their run-in earlier that year, but he knew that Uryu wouldn't have missed the sudden reappearance of the shinigami.
"He said that he was running an errand, but he will be here soon. Oh! There they are!" Uryu and Rukia had arrived at the same time, appearing to have concluded a serious conversation. Rukia was holding a large, pristine shopping bag with fancy handles that could have only come from a high end boutique.
Orihime leapt up and grasped Rukia's hand as she approached, gushing with genuine affection.
"Kuchiki-san. It's so good to see you." She smiled rapturously.
Rukia returned the same wide smile. "Same to you," she replied, looking very touched.
Uryu was instantly solicitous, making sure the girls were comfortably seated before taking his own place beside Orihime, who leaned in to him affectionately.
"Did you get your errand done?" she asked Rukia pleasantly.
"We did, and Ishida-kun was a great help." Rukia answered, holding up the elegant shopping bag. Ichigo realized with a shock that the embossed logo read Giorgio Armani and Orihime made a politely impressed noise as well. "My brother has the task of meeting with the investors here in the living world and he asked me to pick a suitable outfit for him for when he is in a gigai."
She faced Ishida and bowed to him gratefully, "Thank you so much for your help."
Uryu flushed with embarrassment. "It was no trouble. Really, it was my pleasure. Have you two decided what you want?" He asked Orihime and Ichigo, changing the subject. "I'll go to the counter and place our order."
After collecting their requests he made his way to join the long lineup at the counter, leaving Ichigo to feel like a third wheel as the girls happily chatted to each other.
"He is being very considerate. Is he always like this?" Rukia murmured to Orihime with a conspiratorial smile.
Orihime looked pleased but bashful. "He used to not want to talk about planning for the future, but now he's being really adamant about things like preparing for medical school and moving in together." she said shyly.
Only Ichigo knew the truth behind it, and he hoped that Uryu finally felt free to pursue the way of life that he truly wanted.
Orihime was busy filling Rukia in on their other friends. Chad would be stopping by after band practice and Keigo and Mizuiro would be along shortly. The only one they were missing was Tatsuki, who had become the most famous of the group in her own right. She had finally snagged the top female ranking in the National Karate championships and was planning to compete internationally. Currently she was away training to gain her teacher's certification. Ichigo felt certain that he would never want to face her in hand-to-hand combat ever again.
When Uryu returned with their drinks, Ichigo was finally able to make a comment to Rukia as Orihime eagerly questioned Uryu about the snacks he had seen on the menu.
"I can't believe you went clothes shopping with Ishida," he muttered to her, mostly out of surprise at their familiarity.
"When you require specialized guidance, you contact an expert," she replied. "Besides, I want you with me on a much more important errand."
"What's that?"
"Going to the Urahara Shoten. I've commissioned a new gigai."
That same day, Ichigo found himself waiting anxiously in the sitting room of the Uruhara Shoten where he had been so many times before. Ururu performed the final gigai inspection with Rukia in the next room.
"It is top of the line, if I dare say so myself." Urahara called out to Rukia through the closed door. "Nervous system, circulatory and digestive systems all up to or exceeding standards. It is much like the type of gigai I use for myself, with a few added extras. Not anything funny, of course!" He added, seeing the suspicious look on Ichigo's face. "At your request, I also engineered it to exhibit heightened reflexes and strength so it will feel more akin to your shinigami form." He sounded as confident as a salesman closing a sale. This was Urahara's pride and specialty, after all.
"I haven't yet struck on a method to properly mimic human aging. So you may want to stop by every couple of years for some surface adjustments if you so desire. Though I must say, women do tend to age more gracefully than men," Urahara chuckled to himself.
"I am impressed; it feels wonderful, Urahara-san," Rukia called back.
"Ah- you flatter me, Kuchiki-san!" Urahara sang, fanning himself exaggeratedly.
When Rukia emerged from the room looking happily content with her new gigai, it was only then that Ichigo finally felt the significance of her presence in the living world sink in. This was her body, her physical form made to inhabit the earth. She had chosen to be where he was and had chosen to stay- creating a mission and purpose for herself which had never existed before.
He felt as tense and awestruck as a bridegroom, seeing her as if for the first time; a tangible source of love and strength that now had permanence by his side.
He didn't say anything, and she didn't ask for his approval for she could already see it on his face.
Earthbound Division's newly minted establishment and operations were running smoothly, the most annoying problem so far being the Urahara Shoten flyers that kept appearing mysteriously, slipped underneath every single door of the building.
Ichigo stopped by Rukia's office often, sometimes to help out if she asked and sometimes just to visit to the point where no one in the division even questioned his presence. As the first month of successful operations came to an end, they were able to receive a long-awaited visitor together.
Renji had arrived with the daily senkaimon transference, bringing with him a large quantity of things from Soul Society that had to be converted from reishi to physical matter. He noisily dragged an enormous crate directly into Rukia's office, to her annoyance.
He grinned to see Ichigo there, giving him a friendly punch on the shoulder in greeting.
"I volunteered to bring the Eleventh Division's contribution because I wanted to see the new headquarters for myself," Renji explained. "You'd think that Captain Zaraki was treating it like spring cleaning. All this random stuff used to belong to the former 11th Division captain. I guess he liked to collect swords."
Rukia took the manifest and began noting it carefully into a ledger, muttering,
"Luckily, Soul Society keeps very good records on everything that has been taken from the human world and converted into reishi."
"Eleventh division has a reputation for reaping the fallen at sites that have seen the most battle and loss of life in human history, take a look..." Renji pushed aside some of the wrappings to expose a collection of ancient blades, heavily chipped and blackened with age. Ichigo saw leaf-shaped roman gladius blades, short daggers with crumbling leather sheaths and traces of celtic designs and long swords with tarnished golden pommels still engraved with the Crusader's cross.
"Isn't it hard to give them up?" Ichigo asked. He had wondered as such about the many priceless items that he had seen passing through to finance the Earthbound Division. Renji simply shrugged it off.
"When you have lived as long as some of the captains in Soul Society, you see the rise and fall of countless nations, cultures and empires. These things we pick up as passing fancies have far more significance and value in the human world."
Renji was more interested in touring the building, taking an excursion to visit the lobby, the common areas and one of the ground floor apartments.
"Man, I wish a place like this had existed back when I did missions in the living world!" He exclaimed enviously upon returning. "The weird things that went on at the Urahara Shoten…" he visibly shuddered.
"Any chance you'll be taking a shift here?"
"Not any time soon." Renji seemed to puff himself up with pride. "I'm heading up my own project. We're assembling a team to sweep every sector of the Rukongai to search out spirits that have strong spiritual energy. We sorely need active shinigami recruitment. There will be no more children like us, Rukia," he told her solemnly. "Starving and suffering and not knowing how to live with their power. They'll be properly fostered at the Shin'o Academy."
"Oh, Renji- that's incredible!" Rukia was genuinely overcome with emotion and she hugged him tightly around the waist.
"Take care of yourself. Don't forget to write and tell me all about it." Her voice was muffled, but the fondness and gratification was felt all the same.
A warm smile spread onto Renji's face at that, and he caught Ichigo's eye over the top of Rukia's head. "You take care too, Ichigo. You live a dangerous life."
Ichigo blinked. "Sure. All we get around here are ordinary hollows, though."
"I didn't mean Hollows. I meant living with this one." Renji indicated the girl in between them.
The hug turned into a shove. "What did you say?"
"If you piss her off, she will definitely kill you." Renji continued in a serious tone, as if Rukia were not there.
"It's my future kids I fear for due to the amount of times she's hit me in the groin." Ichigo returned sarcastically.
"You too? The low blows are the worst. I think my knees have been fractured multiple times."
"She's got a lot of power in her high kick, too."
"She does this kidney shot…"
"ENOUGH!" Rukia hollered. Any adjutants that passed by the office at that moment were treated to an impressive sight: two fully grown men being brought down simultaneously with a single attack by a female shinigami half their size.
It seemed that in no time at all, Rukia had finalized the purchase of her home and they were moving in together.
Ichigo had seen the real estate booklets of vast estates and elaborate mansions that the Kuchiki family had wanted her to consider and he felt that Rukia had held up against the pressure very well.
She had chosen a modestly appointed apartment in a less ostentatious part of town, but it was the penthouse suite, the view being the one luxury that she had conceded to once she had seen it. Best of all was the large picture window that stretched the entire length of the main living area. The Earthbound Division's building could be seen clearly from the window, and at night the lights of Naruki City stretched out below them into the distance.
Ichigo's belongings took up only a fraction of the space in the vast apartment but Rukia was slowly beginning to accumulate her own possessions as well, taking to the freedom of spreading out into her own space with enthusiasm.
When Ichigo returned home one day from putting in an odd shift at the Unagiya (he still had not succeeded at getting fired despite all his efforts), he encountered the smell of dinner cooking and the babble of female chatter. Karin and Yuzu had come to visit.
"Ichigo! Welcome home!" Yuzu called out excitedly when he entered the room, though she did not move from her position at the stove attending several pots and pans cooking at once.
"Happy housewarming," Karin said, a little more subdued but still cheery as she and Rukia stood at the kitchen counter plating the various dishes. It all seemed like a carefully orchestrated activity, so Ichigo settled himself at the dinner table to await instruction.
"I was just telling Karin about the Shin'O Academy and how it might be a natural fit for her with her spiritual energy once she enters Soul Society," Rukia told him, "Not for a long while yet, though." She added hastily.
"In the meantime, I want to ask Urahara about creating a weapon similar to a zanpakuto that might be usable by humans," Karin said casually.
Ichigo felt a sudden rush of protective anger well up inside him.
"Karin, do not let Urahara turn you into a shinigami," he ordered fiercely, remembering his own traumatic experience. "Don't go into his weird training room in the basement!"
"I know that, aniki," Karin answered disdainfully, waving away his concern. "I just want to be able to fight Hollows in case I need to."
"It's too dangerous-" Ichigo had begun to object when Rukia's gaze caught his eye and she smiled at him calmly.
"Don't worry about your sisters," she reassured him, "The talent runs in the family, after all."
The truth of it made him pause. Karin was almost 16 years old- the age Ichigo had been when he had come fully into his shinigami powers and was already tackling opponents within Soul Society's Seireitei. Though still apprehensive, Ichigo was instantly subdued by Rukia's affirmative gaze, which made Yuzu and Karin exchange sly glances. They never got tired of seeing this remarkable exchange between Rukia and their big brother.
"Dinner is ready," Yuzu announced, breaking the silence. "Ichi-nii, go set the table."
They sat down for an unusually domestic dinner, this strangely spiritually empowered family, but as Ichigo looked across the table at the three girls chatting happily over Yuzu's excellent cooking, he found himself feeling extraordinarily content.
Ichigo returned to the apartment after seeing his sisters off on the train back to Karakura and encountered Rukia dutifully tidying up after their gathering.
"I hope it wasn't too much of a bother, having the girls over," she fretted.
"Why would it bother me? They're my sisters," he sighed, moving to help her.
"I just didn't want to overstep. We've barely moved in together and I'm inviting your family over without telling you." She started awkwardly putting dishes into the dishwasher until Ichigo silently took over, correcting her haphazard placement and slotting them into their proper places.
"It's your place just as much as mine. In fact, it is your place."
"They were just so excited to come over. They kept telling me over and over how much they liked our new living arrangement. It seems to be their opinion that we should get married," she remarked wryly as she gathered up the leftovers.
"Did you want to?" he asked, sounding curious.
She seemed to consider his remark. "I've learned that in the living world all types of living situations are considered normal. Marriage no longer seems to be a prerequisite for couples living together so I'm not sure if there's a need-"
She turned from storing the food in the fridge and was stopped short by encountering his outstretched hand. It took her several seconds to realize that he was holding a small gold ring between his fingers.
It took even longer for her mind to comprehend the implications of this unexpected gesture.
"Ichigo. What. Is. That." She stuttered out, the synapses in her brain firing wildly.
"It's a ring," he said bluntly. "It's what one typically uses to propose."
"I know what it is. Why do you have it?" She was feeling slightly panicked.
"It was my mother's," he said, frowning slightly. "My dad passed it to me because I'm the eldest. If you don't like it…"
"It's not that," she said frantically, now feeling hysterical. "What are you doing with it? A-are you proposing to me?"
"That was the idea," he said slowly, wondering if perhaps he had been too impulsive.
"Oh… I… think I'm going to pass out," she wavered, slumping against the countertop for support.
"Rukia!" he cried, aghast. "That is not what someone wants to hear when they propose!"
She tapped her chest weakly, stammering "No, no, my heart is going so fast… is there something wrong with my gigai?... I just can't believe it… I feel…" He grabbed her quickly, feeling her knees give way, and he was alarmed to see tears welling up in her eyes.
"Calm down." He told her anxiously. "You don't have to answer right away."
"-so happy," she gasped, finishing her statement. She was smiling uncontrollably through the tears, her face flushed a bright and blotchy pink. "I want to. So I will. Yes, I want to marry you."
He was so ecstatic that he lifted her onto the countertop, kissing her passionately as she clung to him, giddily accepting the onslaught. He had caught her completely by surprise but it felt right, it felt like just what she always wanted but could never dare to ask for. The joy was indescribable.
"It wasn't much of a proposal though," she informed him cheekily when they paused for breath.
"…Well, what's done is done," He muttered resignedly. "You knew what I meant."
She let out a small snort of laughter. "Right, because we know each other so well." But looking back, she couldn't help but marvel over how close they had become over the past five years.
"Although this… I didn't even know that I wanted this for myself." She said softly.
He presented her with the golden band that he had clasped in his fist and she tentatively tried it on her finger. It looked too loose on her small hand, but it could be adjusted, Ichigo thought vaguely.
She stared at the little circlet contemplatively, leaning into his shoulder, legs wrapped around him and holding him close. "You are surprisingly traditional. I would never have guessed from the first time I met you." She touched her forehead to his. "Either that or you have changed."
"You changed me," he murmured against her lips, and their entire history was invoked in that simple statement. Her decision to stab him with her zanpakuto the first night they met, imbuing him with power and awakening him to his purpose had changed his life forever, and he never wanted to go back.
"We changed each other," she answered in a low voice. For many years she had borne Kaien Shiba's memory, feeling undeserving and envious of the love that she had witnessed between him and his wife. Now, she realized with wonder, her fate had come full circle, that her dying vice captain's wish had been for her heart to find peace. She wondered if Kaien's soul would smile, seeing her joined with one of his kin.
For a moment they were lost again in a blissful haze of kisses and caresses before she hesitantly spoke again.
"In the spirit of tradition, I wonder if you made your intentions known to the head of the Kuchiki family? That would be my brother, Byakuya."
Ichigo's mind went blank and he felt a jolt of panic surge through him. He swore under his breath fiercely and Rukia looked nonplussed.
"I guess… it would make a lot of sense to do that," he said stiffly, a nervous ache beginning to build in the pit of his stomach.
"Well, you will get your chance very soon," she informed him. "He is visiting the human world tomorrow."
He went with Rukia to headquarters the next day and at her suggestion, waited outside the meeting room where Byakuya was receiving reports from his subordinates in the Earthbound Division. As the briefing ended and the adjutants filed out in an orderly fashion, he steeled himself and stepped into the doorway after the last person had departed, coming face to face with Kuchiki Byakuya.
"Kurosaki Ichigo. I had no doubts that our paths would cross again," Byakuya commented by way of greeting. He had not lost his imperious demeanor, but Ichigo felt that they had reached some kind of mutual respect and that he was no longer viewed as a troublesome upstart teenager. At least, he hoped so.
"Byakuya…san. I have something important I need to tell you," Ichigo stated, stumbling over the honorific.
The captain gave a single nod and motioned him inside the room.
"You can tell me now."
Byakuya was in his gigai and was just as intimidating in an exquisitely tailored Armani suit as he was in a captain's haori. He could see why Ishida had been happy to go shopping for such a thing- there must have been no expense spared to pick out the finely woven, subtly striped wool suit, handmade oxford shoes and flawless silk cravat.
He looked as though he should be playing the part of a billionaire playboy instead of a foreign investor, though according to Rukia, Byakuya had inherited the financial genius of the Kuchiki clan which had kept the family prosperous for generations.
Ichigo suddenly felt exceedingly shabby in his casual clothes.
Instead of a zanpakuto, Byakuya was holding a handsome leather briefcase. According to Rukia, he had several important appointments in the human world to attend so Ichigo got straight to the point.
"I've asked Rukia to marry me. And I would like to ask for approval from the Kuchiki family... and from you." He finished his statement nervously, realizing that he may have gone about this wrong way.
Byakuya's face didn't move a muscle, which was alarming. If he had been armed, Ichigo would have been nervously watching for any sign of attack.
When he spoke, the room temperature seemed to drop several degrees.
"Kurosaki Ichigo. The first time I saw you, you had the audacity to defy my assistant captain with your borrowed shinigami powers and tried to prevent him from carrying out his mission to return Rukia to Soul Society, where she belonged."
He spoke in a deliberately calm, inflectionless tone of voice, enunciated clearly for emphasis.
"The second time you faced me, not only did you disparage of my character and my judgment but you uttered dire threats, claiming that you would crush me to keep me from upholding my honor-bound duty and Soul Society's laws."
Ichigo suddenly remembered that even in a gigai, Byakuya could still obliterate him with kido.
"Would your actions have been the same back then, knowing that you would be posing this question to me today?" Byakuya asked solemnly.
Having his exploits recounted to him in such a way made Ichigo recall the situation vividly. He remembered the anger that he had felt towards Byakuya, and even though it certainly made the present situation much more awkward, he also remembered why he had felt and acted in that way. It had been the only course of action available to him, considering whose life had been at stake.
"Yes." He replied grimly.
Byakuya considered him for a moment, studying Ichigo's insolently scowling face. His own expression did not change, but when he finally spoke his tone was much lighter.
"If you continue to care for Rukia's wellbeing with the same determination as you did then, I see no reason to object."
Ichigo was momentarily stunned, and his mouth dropped open soundlessly before he finally managed to blurt out,
"T-thank you!"
Byakuya looked unaffected, and was subtly adjusting the fit of his jacket, unused to the restrictively slim fit and tight sleeves of the garment.
"You are still young so there are expectations that you need not be concerned with immediately. But I would advise you to make the ways of the Seireitei's nobility known to yourself, given that you are descended from the Shiba clan on your father's side. The Shiba were known for their strength of character, as well as their pride. The union would be controversial but deemed acceptable under the tradition of the noble houses. Since I have not had a mind to re-marry, it is possible that I may not eventually produce an heir, in which case the task would fall to Rukia, whom I have named my successor. It would be your responsibility to provide one to her."
Ichigo did not fail to miss the gravity of this responsibility, and Byakuya looked vaguely uncomfortable about the notion as well. However, with his pronouncement finished, Byakuya checked an expensive looking timepiece on his wrist and said curtly.
"I must go, but I will see you again, Kurosaki Ichigo."
Ichigo bowed deeply and kept his gaze fixed on the floor until Byakuya departed, one factor of etiquette that Rukia had counseled him to do when a noble takes their leave.
It was a welcome excuse to hide the reddening of his cheeks, and to let the shock and relief surface onto his face.
All things considered, it had gone better than expected.
A/N: You got this far, why not just read the last chapter?
Next chapter: Human After All