Chapter 11

Several years later

Yoruichi studied her friend and fellow captain. She had invited Kisuke over for a cup of tea to catch up.

"So Kisuke, how's the girlfriend?" she asked.

Kisuke smiled happily.

"She's great," he said. "She's busy training with squad 11 right now."

"How many years has it been now? Five? Six?"

"At least six," Kisuke said.

"And still going strong," Yoruichi said. "This is the happiest I've ever seen you, Kisuke. Ichigo is good for you. I'm happy for you."

"Thanks, Yoruichi; I'm really happy with Ichigo," Kisuke said.

"You seem more confident too," Yoruichi observed. "I bet hanging out with Ichigo helps a lot with that, eh?"

"Yeah, I guess," Kisuke said.

He flicked the plain white fan open and fanned himself. Yoruichi raised an eyebrow at him.

"Since when did you start using a fan?" she asked.

Kisuke blushed slightly and Yoruichi smirked knowingly.

"Damn, Ichigo has you wrapped around her pinkie finger," she said.

"I've had this since Ichigo and I became a couple, Yoruichi."

"You never used it when you were hanging out with me before," Yoruichi said. "Did Ichigo buy it for you or something?"

"Well, technically she took it from a merchant at the festival on our first date," Kisuke said. "He was trying to sell fake jewelry and Ichigo almost maimed him with her zanpakuto. In exchange for sparring his life, she took the fan and said it suited me more."

Yoruichi snorted in laughter.

"That sounds like her, all right!" she sighed fondly.

They fell in a comfortable silence, sipping their tea. They were interrupted by a hell butterfly. Yoruichi let it land on her finger and listened to its message.

"We've been summoned to a captain meeting," Yoruichi said. "It sounded urgent."

Kisuke frowned.

"Perhaps it's about the recent reports of missing soul reapers," he suggested. "They must've found something."

"Yeah," Yoruichi said, standing up. "Let's go, Kisuke."

Kisuke nodded and followed her out.


Ichigo grunted as she blocked another attack from Zangetsu. Zangetsu cackled as he leaned in. Ichigo had her sword in her hands; it was in shikai form. Zangetsu's own blade was identical, but it was white. Everything about Zangetsu was the opposite of Ichigo. He looked similar to her, but was inverted in color. His eyes resembled a Hollow's for a strange reason.

"You're getting stronger, Ichigo. Strong enough to not even budge from an attack from me," he exclaimed in his ever present double toned voice.

Ichigo scowled and pushed the spirit back. Zangetsu grinned widely.

"Nicely done!"

"When are you going to teach me a new technique?" Ichigo asked. "It's been more than five years now."

"You must learn to fight without any techniques first," Zangetsu said. "If you rely on techniques and specialized attacks, you'll only get yourself killed! Besides, you're just starting to get the hang of using dual swords."

Zangetsu rested the large black blade on his shoulder.

"Although, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to show you something that will be useful in the future," he said. "Brace yourself, Ichigo."

Zangetsu leapt up, flying towards Ichigo at lightning speed. Ichigo tensed as Zangetsu swung his white blade at her.

"Getsuga Tensho!" he shouted, cackling madly.

Ichigo's eyes widened as a massive burst of black and red energy flew at her. She leapt out of the way. Zangetsu landed and leapt after her using one foot. The black and red energy burst followed him and attacked Ichigo. Ichigo used her sword to cut through it. She winced from the sheer power of the attack. She crashed into the side of a sideways building. She stood up, using her blade to support herself.

"What...was that?" she panted.

Zangetsu landed lightly in front of her, grinning sadistically.

"One of my special attacks. If you do it all by itself, it creates enough damage. But a name makes it more powerful. The name of that attack is Getsuga Tensho, which creates a destructive burst of energy that, with enough practice, you can direct with your blade. Of course, the more spiritual pressure you put behind it, the more powerful it will be."

Zangetsu tched.

"That's the only technique you'll get out of me for a very long time," he said.

Ichigo smirked.

"It's good enough for now," she said. "Thanks, Zangetsu."

"Don't get so cocky! You nowhere near the level I am at! If you want me to teach you more, you'll have to earn it! And you can start by beating another seated officer that's a higher rank than tenth seat! Tenth seat is too weak for you, Ichigo. It makes you, and me indirectly, seem weaker than you actually are. It's an insult!" Zangetsu exclaimed.

"I didn't know you were so sensitive about that kind of thing," Ichigo said.

"I find it insulting to know you think you can just climb the ranks slowly like other seated officers. You have the power to be a higher rank and you can back it up easily." Zangetsu said.

"I'm only aiming for fourth seat," Ichigo said.

"For now, you mean," Zangetsu said. "Soon, you won't be satisfied with just fourth seat."

"Think whatever you want, Zangetsu," Ichigo said, sighing.

But she couldn't help but smile slightly in amusement; it wasn't very often she got to see the violent and sadistic spirit of her zanpakuto almost pouting.


Ichigo blinked her eyes open. She was on the patio in the courtyard of the Shiba mansion. She stood up, sheathing her zanpakuto as she did so. She stretched her arms before adjusting her shikakusho. She looked at the sky. It was midday.

"I suppose I can go visit squad 12," she muttered to herself.

Ichigo flash stepped away. Within a few minutes, she stood in front of the squad 12 barracks. She knocked on the door. It only took a minute for someone to answer.

"Ichigo!" the squad member exclaimed, smiling. "Captain Urahara is at a captain meeting right now, but Lieutenant Sarugaki is here."

The squad 12 member stepped aside to let her in. Ichigo nodded in thanks as the squad member directed her to the courtyard. Hiyori was fighting three other squad members.

"Come on! Your attacks are weak and slow! You need to keep your skills up! Pathetic! Weak!"

Ichigo chuckled. Hiyori growled angrily, glaring at the three soul reapers, who were on the ground, having been beaten in the three to one fight.

"Go train!" Hiyori ordered. "I won't have squad 12 slacking off just because we're a research lab now!"

"Yes Lieutenant!"

The three soul reapers dashed away. Hiyori grumbled.

"Frustrated?" Ichigo spoke up.

Hiyori perked up.

"Ichigo! I'm glad you came. Come fight me!" she exclaimed.

"Sure thing," Ichigo said, drawing her blade.

They clashed swords and began fighting furiously.

"You seem on edge," Ichigo exclaimed.

"You've heard about the missing soul reapers, right?" Hiyori ducked under a swipe.

"I heard about it from Yumichika," Ichigo said. "But there isn't a lot he knew."

"No surprise!"

Hiyori dodged a kick to the stomach.

"Hey! I'm the only one who gets to use that!" she exclaimed.

"You're the one who said a fight is never fair!" Ichigo retorted, grinning smugly.

"I'll wipe that grin off your face!" Hiyori yelled, attacking more vigorously now.

Ichigo laughed, her spiritual pressure tinged with her bloodlust.

"Bring it!" she exclaimed.

They fought until they were exhausted, neither yielding an inch to the other. When they finally stopped, they were both panting.

"Damn it, Ichigo. I can tell you were holding back a little," Hiyori said.

"Well, I can't crush the others with my spiritual pressure. That wouldn't be good," Ichigo said, wiping the sweat off her forehead.

"I suppose you're right," Hiyori sighed. "Man! I haven't had a good fight in forever!"

"It hasn't been forever," Ichigo said.

"It's an expression, Ichigo," Hiyori said, rolling her eyes.

Ichigo huffed as she sheathed her zanpakuto, Hiyori doing the same a second later. They flopped onto the patio.

"So, any progress with that zanpakuto spirit of yours?" Hiyori asked. "You told me he kept refusing to teach you any new techniques."

"Well, he taught me something when I visited him earlier today," Ichigo said. "He said he was reluctant because he doesn't want me relying on specialized attacks."

"He's got a good point. You also have that dual sword thing, right? How's that going?"

"I would say I'm getting good at it, but according to Zangetsu, I'm just starting to get the hang of it," Ichigo said. "He's so frustrating sometimes."

"You've been fighting with your own skills for almost a decade now without any specialized attacks and look where you are now? With specialized attacks, you'll be able to become a Lieutenant. And if you master bankai, you'll easily become a captain if a position ever opens up."

"You think so?" Ichigo glanced at her friend.

"Yeah," Hiyori said.

"Well, it looks like you two had some fun."

Ichigo tilted her head back to see Kisuke. She smiled.

"Hey, Kisuke," she greeted. "Just had a friendly duel with Hiyori; that's all."

Kisuke walked over and leaned down to press a kiss to Ichigo's lips. Hiyori grimaced.

"Get a room, you two," she grumbled.

Kisuke chuckled as he sat down on the other side of Ichigo. He wrapped an arm around her waist while Ichigo leaned towards him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"What was the meeting about?" Hiyori asked.

"Well, some soul reapers have gone missing in a certain area of the Rukon District for at least a month now. The head captain is sending squad 9 out to investigate it," Kisuke said. "We don't have much data to work with at the moment. The Hollow activity in that area has also increased a little. It's strange, but not uncommon."

"I hope it isn't anything too concerning," Ichigo muttered. "Soul reapers that go missing for no reason is rather worrying."

"I wish I could say the same thing...but something isn't right about this whole thing." Kisuke said.

Kisuke sighed.

"I guess we can only wait and see what Captain Muguruma has to report."