Chapter 11: Joy

After what Ichigo did and said, Isshin was torn up. On the one hand, he hated Aizen for telling Ichigo everything about her mother and himself, but on the other he was no better for keeping this all a secret once Ichigo got his powers. He felt a sense of both anger and sorrow towards his daughter. Anger for calling the man that kidnapped and tortured her 'father' and sorrow that she felt the need to address someone else by that title and not him. What made it all worse was when Ichigo explained that Aizen treated her like his own child and she acknowledged him as such. Isshin felt ill. He couldn't do or say anything to reassure Ichigo of who she was , but that was the problem. Who she was is gone now, replaced with whatever Aizen did.

After that whole thing near the river bank, the pressure felt put everyone on high alert, especially the soul society. They decided to send captain Soi-Fon and the stealth force along with captain Hitsugaya and his lieutenant to defend Karakura Town. Along with the young captain and buxom lieutenant were also Ikkaku and Yumichika, along with squad five's lieutenant, Momo. The last person requested this assignment much to the behest of her childhood friend turned captain, still worried for her mental state.

The first thing the group did was head towards Kisuke's shop. While they were doing that, Soi-Fon and her forces patrolled different sectors of Karakura Town to ensure no surprises would rear their ugly heads.

The first thing to come from Toshiro's group was how Ichigo was doing and if that intense pressure was from her or not. Of course they told him and his group the truth and weren't any at all surprised when they wanted to place Ichigo into an isolated area within the soul society. That was bad news for Isshin, Kisuke, her friends, and especially Yoruichi.

Ever since that day, Yoruichi and Ichigo got closer. It was like the fact that Ichigo saw her as that woman who stole her and was using Yoruichi as a substitute went away in the former squad two captain's mind. For so long, Yoruichi had those thoughts in her mind. That maybe she was just a placeholder for Halibel for Ichigo, but now, that thought had long since dispersed from her mind. Ichigo spent all her time with Yoruichi as they talked about sweet nothings and spent their nights within each others arms.

Of course Soi-Fon was seething from the shadows.

After a week since Ichigo's transformation, things started to get a little bit uneasy. Both Soi-Fon and Momo had an altercation with Ichigo, and not in a peaceful way. Both came for different reasons and because of two different people.

For Soi-Fon, it was because of Ichigo's relationship with Yoruichi, her own personal goddess in the flesh. Ichigo didn't really pay the petite captain any mind as Yoruichi had been in the way each and every single time, but today was a different story. Yoruichi went along with Tessai to get some groceries and such since she had nothing else better to do and Ichigo was still asleep at the time. Soi-Fon used this opportunity to confront the former boy about Yoruichi. Soi-Fon caught Ichigo training in the underground area, completely unaware that the way the strawberry trained was very extreme all things considered. Soi-Fon challenged her for the dark skinned beauty, completely oblivious to the others suggestion of not doing this. Soi-Fon didn't listen and instead went for the win, while Ichigo went for kill. The fight was very one sided as Ichigo destroyed Soi-Fon and only stopped when she felt the familiar energy of Yoruichi enter the shop. Soi-Fon was quickly healed by Orihime who noticed that the woman had both her arms broken, her left leg shattered, many broken bones and even internal injuries. Safe to say, both Soi-Fon and Ichigo got a hard talking to by Yoruichi later on.

Momo later came at the strawberry demanding to know about Aizen. Turns out, despite her physical wounds caused by the man being completely healed, the mental and emotional ones were far from it. She was good at masking her anger and delirious nature towards the man, but in secret, she would almost be in a trance like state of madness whenever she heard his name. He was her everything and he treated her well back then. Now, to hear through Renji that he considered Ichigo like a daughter and she called him her father made her anger boil over. She confronted the girl and demanded anything she knew on Aizen right then and there. The girl was clearly obsessed with the man and wasted no time attacking Ichigo when said girl had nothing to say to her. It was an odd sight as Momo, in her blinded rage, attacked Ichigo only for said girl to easily flick her halfway across Karakura Town. That was something.

Right now though, both Ichigo and Yoruichi had decided to spend a day together away from the others. Just the two of them. No Soi-Fon spying on them in envy. No Momo with her delusional hatred towards Ichigo. None of the stealth forces watching them by order of their commanding officer.

Just them, and nothing else.

This had been the first time Ichigo went out of Kisuke's shop in a gigai since she got back. Despite the protest at first from the man and Isshin to have Ichigo in a gigai of his old body or in his actual old body, Ichigo never wanted that. She was comfortable in her own body now, nothing more, nothing less. She was wearing a simple outfit of a black shirt that hugged her figure well, and jeans that were also form fitting on her.

Yoruichi wore an outfit similar to what she always wore, only now it was just regular orange t-shirt and black leggings.

The two had went all around the place, visiting areas Ichigo hadn't seen in three years. Ichigo enjoyed herself as she and Yoruichi just hung out together all day. By the time they got something to eat for lunch, the sun was already setting. They went to eat at some burger joint not far from an amusement park and just enjoyed each others company. It was funny how things had gotten for the two today. On moment they're cramped in Kisuke's shop, the next they're having the time of their lives away from everyone. Yoruichi smiled when she saw how much Ichigo was smiling. This had been the most that the girl has done so since returning, and it made the dark skinned beauty happy.

If only things could've stayed that way for the entire date, but it seemed that fate was a cruel mistress today.

After they left to get back to the shop, a familiar pressure dropped on them that Ichigo immediately recognized. She looked out into the distance far into the rural areas of Karakura Town and scowled. Yoruichi saw this and was wondering if this was someone Ichigo knew. The pressure wasn't intense or baring down everywhere. No. This was focused on them, and only them.

Ichigo sighed as she knew what this meant. "They're here."

"Who?" Yoruichi asked, not liking what she was hearing so far.

"The one's father sent to bring me back." Ichigo answered in a somber tone.

Yoruichi, sensing her distress, sighed as well. "Well, if they want to take you, then they'll have to go through me first."

Ichigo was taken aback by this for a time before feeling one certain spirit energy that even Yoruichi remembered. Said woman barred her teeth in rage as she knew exactly who this was, and it made her angry beyond belief.

Ichigo's Shark tooth necklace glowed a faint red color as the pressure around them intensified. Ichigo went wide eyed as she knew eventually she would come for her. Ichigo just hoped her attack would have given her more time though, but it seems that that is no longer the case. Clutching the necklace, Ichigo closed her eyes as she tried to fight the urge to go to her. That urge to see the very woman that gave her love to her in the darkest of times.

"Halibel."

Okay then. The next chapter is gonna have an action scene I'm pretty excited to write about. Yoruichi Vs. Halibel.

That's gonna be good.

You guys are awesome, and as always,

PEACE!