It's really feels like I have the worst luck... My laptop got damaged, while I was working on multiple chapters.
That said, I want to address the main issue in the review by "Disappointed", chiefly their annoyance at the 'lack' of UlquiHime in the overall story. I went back and checked, and one or both of them appeared in/were involved in 22 of the first 33 chapters. However, I will admit that they've been less involved in the story after the events of "Back in Black". Counting this chapter, they've appeared in only 4 of the last 12 chapters, though the fact that they've been absent for 8 consecutive chaps was an unplanned side-effect of the ongoing reworking the story as the narrative has evolved and adapted.
I'll address the issue of the strong focus on Jushiro and Retsu in the closing notes. However, for now, I want to take a moment to thank RG-Guest and "movie lover" for taking the time to leave feedback. I'll also address some of RG-Guest's remarks in the closing notes as well, so you can expect my response to you there, RG.
TO FORGE A
BETTER TOMORROW
Chapter XL:
"Different Paths, Part 2"
"Oh... fuck." Ichigo cursed, slamming the lid shut to look at the small metal plaque. A moment passed as he gazed down at the short, four-letter word. Eventually, the teenager reopened the wooden case and gripped down on the molded black rubber handle of the gun.
He took a step back from the box, the entire time keeping his arm low and fully-extended as he peered down the length of revolver. "Oh my god..." Ichigo murmured grimly to himself. Being both Japanese and young, legit real guns were little more than a novelty- items that many of his generation had never seen in-person, outside of video-games and other forms of fictional entertainment. So to suddenly find himself confronted with one... Well, it was quite a sobering experience.
And yet, even someone as relatively naive as him knew enough about firearms, certainly enough to see that the gun was loaded. Looking down the gleaming metal length of the revolver, it was obvious to the teenager that there were rounds in it- six of them, housed in the cylinder. And in that moment, the youth was struck with a chilling realization as he held it up- the side of the weapon facing him.
He felt like he was in a cold sweat, as he stood there- registering the sensation of friction a he brushed the pad of his thumb against the threading of the hammer. "So... this is it, then..." Ichigo murmured out loud to no one in particular as he looked at the gun. "This... is the end, the Exit?"
The orange-haired teen felt it, through and through, as his entire body trembled with an overwhelming sense of fear and... an inexplicable anticipation? And then, as he stood there- Colt King Cobra in hand- Ichigo was suddenly struck by another realization- no, it was an epiphany.
Several epiphanies, in fact!
His life wasn't just his own: it was also his (fraternal) twin younger sisters Karen and Yuzu, his manic father Isshin, his crazy single mother boss Ikumi... and all the friends he'd distanced himself from over the last several months: Tatsuki, Chad, Keigo, Inoue, and the others...
Ichigo looked back to the gun in his hand, glaring. "No! Enough of this crap- a bullet's not the solution, and neither is running away from my problems!" He exclaimed. "I'm sick and tired of being scared, I'm done going through life like this- I'm done living my life in fear!"
Just as he'd made the declaration, the ratty dust-riddled curtains covering the wall before him suddenly parted with a rustle of dust- drawn aside by some invisible force- revealing a totally mirrored surface to the teen, the glass smudged and turning faintly green along the edges. Ichigo stepped back, the gun still gripped in his hand, as he looked at himself in the mirror.
Just then, his reflection started to shift and distort in the mirror, like ripples spreading across the surface of a lake- morphing into the horned, skull-headed demon from his nightmares.
The monster hissed at him and started to emerge from the mirror, transforming from two-dimensional to three-dimensional. "Fuck me..." Ichigo cursed under his breath, before quickly becoming angry and glaring defiantly at it. "No..." He declared. "Fuck you!" He exclaimed, holding the gun up.
"Get. The. Hell. Out of my life!" Ichigo yelled as he pulled the trigger.
The revolver fired off with a loud BANG!, leaving Ichigo's brown eyes wide (and his ears ringing) as the 357 bullet punched a hole through the demon. The boogieman letting out an inhuman scream before turning into smoke and abruptly dispersing, while the bullet continued on- piercing the mirror.
Ichigo looked at the smoking gun in his hand, before frowning and dropping it. He then cast his gaze toward the hole in the mirror. The teen watched as lines of cracks spread outwards in all directions...
The next thing he knew, the mirror shattered, thousands of shards clattering to the floor, leaving Ichigo to look into the dark void that was now visible before him- a black infinity just beyond the edge of the room. But then, a spotlight shined down, revealing Darkwood- the man somehow 'standing' in the void.
He stepped into the room and offered a hand to the teen. "Come with me, Ichigo." Darkwood stated calmly, his open hand extended towards him. "It's time to go."
After a moment's hesitation, he accepted, taking his hand...
...Only to suddenly find himself back in reality, along with Darkwood, back inside the same old room where the entire 'journey' had begun, except now, they were standing up. The teen swiftly turned to the older man, a look of confusion on his face as their brown eyes met.
"What was that?" Ichigo asked. "...What the hell just happened?"
Darkwood smiled at the teen. "That creature in your vision, it was a monster, one that you had to face." The man calmly explained to him. "We all face a variety of monsters over the course of our lives- some of them more literal than others." He elaborated, making his way to the door. "In your case, Ichigo, it was a monster born of your own feelings of self-doubt."
He paused before the door. "Doubt is a dangerous thing, it can lead to fear and uncertainty... And if left unchecked, it almost certainly would have consumed you in the end." Darkwood explained to him as he turned back to address the teen. "However, it would seem, you were strong enough to reject it. And in doing this, you were able to take the first steps in saving yourself."
Ichigo ran a hand through his hair. "So..." The teen started. "What's next- what happens now?"
"Now?" Darkwood countered, opening the door. "Now... we begin."
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Soul Society, Division Six HQ...
Renji and Shigeru Kimura were back in the former's quarters, as the Lieutenant produced a bottle of sake from a small cabinet in the room. "So," the Lieutenant began, filling up their cups. "If you don't mind talking about it... There is something I would like to ask."
The brown-haired man nodded, accepting the smooth cup as the two of them sat down in the middle of the 5.73m x 3.82m tatami (12 mats) room. "Of course, sir, ask away." He replied as Renji deposited the sake bottle onto the small low table situated between them.
The tattooed officer rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, you see... the thing is, I was just wondering... what exactly lead you to being able to accept yourself- you know, for who you are?"
The bespectacled man smiled, taking a sip from his cup. "Truthfully, sir.. when it comes down to it, it's really a lot less complicated than you'd think." Shigeru replied. "I was tired of trying to be something I wasn't, and I was even more tired of how much I hated myself for doing that." He explained.
"Aside from that," the Fourth-Seat Officer continued. "It's hardly a new story... I mean, all of history is full of similar cases." He added calmly. "Whether it's about the color of a person's skin, or someone of the same gender as yourself, or even someone of a different race entirely... There will always be people looking on disapprovingly at you." Kimura added thoughtfully. "In my case, it was the fact that I could only be happy with someone of my own gender... While you fell in love with a Hollow."
Renji blushed visibly at the remark, but made no attempt to deny the statement, instead opting to down the contents of his cup in a single gulp. "Everyone deserves to be happy," Kimura continued. "And part of that is being able to live your life the way you want to- with the person you want to be with."
The Lieutenant smiled and nodded. "Not in a million years, could I have ever imagined myself falling for someone like Arachne." Renji admitted bashfully. "And yet, in the time that I've been with her... It's made me happier than I've been in a long time." He added as he finished off the sake in his cup, then moved to refill both his own and the cup of the man across from him.
"So, Kimura-san," Renji continued, sipping from his cup. "As long as we're both sharing, there is one thing I am still curious about." He remarked. "Is there anyone in your life?"
Shigeru smiled and chuckled wryly. "Hardly." He replied. "What, considering my recent promotion to Fourth-Seat after the end of the war, plus all the extra responsibilities that came with it, I haven't really had the time to consider getting into a relationship." Kimura reasoned, sipping from his cup.
Smiling, Renji nodded at this. "Balancing a relationship and a career isn't always the easiest thing." The redhead commented. "It can be pretty difficult, trying to find the time for both your private and professional life." He lamented, before bringing his cup to his lips to take a quick drink from it.
"Still, if even a hopeless guy like me can find someone..." Renji continued as he set his cup back down on the table. "Then, really, there's hope for anyone." He offered self-effacingly.
Kimura, with his rectangular wire-frame glasses and his long warrior style ponytail hanging down in the back, chuckled at the declaration. "Honestly, Lieutenant, I'm amazed that you've succeeded as much as you have." He admitted. "And I'm sure I'm not the only one wondering how you manage it."
"Well, it hasn't been easy." Renji replied.
"I hope you won't take this the wrong way," Kimura started, taking a drink. "But your lady-friend, she strikes me as being... well, quite demanding, sir."
Renji regarded him for a moment. "More than you realize." He began dryly. "There's time when being with Arachne can feel like a full-time job." The inked man replied (almost wearily so), causing the man across from him to burst out laughing. "But like I keep saying... I wouldn't trade it for anything."
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
The Living Realm, Karakura...
Back in their shared apartment, Orihime was looking over a small bundle of documents- papers which comprised the legal details of the lease for their future accommodations. Both the young human woman and the disguised Arrancar Ulquiorra would be moving into a larger two-bedroom apartment.
Thankfully, they couldn't have picked a better time to 'make their move'. They'd really lucked out, as a two-bedroom apartment would soon become available- and on the same floor, no less. This meant they wouldn't have to worry about moving any of the furniture down from the second story of the complex, which would save the two of them a lot of time and hassle. Even after more than a year in the living realm, among humans, Ulquiorra was content to leave the matter of the lease to Orihime.
After all, in the time that they'd been together, he'd come to know her quite well- to a degree, he would certainly argue, better than her friends did. Hence, his belief that despite Orihime's somewhat eccentric (bordering on flighty) nature, the Cautro Espada knew she wasn't stupid- something that was reflected in the fact that Orihime's grades in school consistently ranked in the upper percentile.
That was why he had no qualms with entrusting her with their finances. The truth was that Ulquiorra was making decent money working part-time for Urahara- both behind the scenes, and in the shop- and that Orihime was similarly doing well in her after-school job at the bakery.
The new lease would last for two years- covering their remaining time in high school, plus the months following graduation, while they both decided on their respective next steps.
At the moment, however, Ulquiorra was much more interested in the cardboard box laying on the floor of the living room- featuring the image of a 20"x38"x24" birdcage on the front. Just as the dark-haired Arrancar was approaching it, Orihime looked up from the papers.
"I was wondering when you were going to notice that." She remarked with a slight smile.
"Orihime," he began, keeping his tone measured and steady. "What is this?"
The woman in question looked up from the coffee table- away from the documents- and smiled up at him, before setting her pen down. "That," Orihime began with a smile, gesturing to the box as she got to her feet. "Is the community cage for our finches, once we've moved into the new apartment."
"Wait..." He interjected. "Finches?" The Arrancar repeated the word, at a loss as to how to reacted to this bit of news, while Orihime just continued talking- as if what she were saying was perfectly normal, and that Ulquiorra was just foolish for not realizing this.
"I'd like to have another pair of Zebras," Orihime rambled. "Plus, it would probably be a good idea to get some Society Finches, and maybe even Spice Finches." The auburn-haired girl added.
Eventually, Ulquiorra managed to compose himself enough to speak up. "Wait... First off, what brought on this desire within you, wo- er, Orihime?" He asked, nearly slipping up with her name.
"Ulquiorra," she began pointedly, looking into his uncanny green eyes. "Considering everything that's happened to us, we've been very lucky." Orihime went on. "It's only because of my powers of Negation that we still have Ulqui-kun and Hime-chan with us." She explained to the Hollow, while a melody of chirps from the two birds in question punctuated her words.
"It wasn't until after loosing them, that I finally realized just how much the two of them had come to mean to me in the time that we've had them. And... how much they mean to you." The young woman smiled deviously as she spoke the last part. "And before you try to deny that, just remember that I still have a certain piece of video on my phone that would say otherwise."
Ulquiorra shook his head at this, making a sound that was half sighing and half-grumbling, reminding himself that that woman was never going to let him live down that little impromptu exchange he'd had with Ulqui-kun that afternoon. "Fine, fine..." The Cuatro Espada conceded, with the full understanding that this was 'battle' that he would never have a chance of winning.
However, the Arrancar remained determined to score a victory of his own, and decided it was finally time to play a trump card that he'd been holding onto for some time...
"As long as we're talking," Ulquiorra started coolly. "I happen to have an addition of my own in mind, something that I think would fit nicely in the living room." He continued, hints of a smile creeping into his normally stoic features- chiefly in the corners of his mouth.
"You see, ever since we started discussing the idea of moving, I've been reading up on woodworking and cabinet-building." Ulquiorra continued smoothly, the human woman's curiosity genuinely peaked at this new bit of information. "I must say, it seems quite an interesting pastime."
"Really?" Orihime inquired. "And what exactly brought this on?"
Ulquiorra ran his slender fingers through his full dark hair ad smiled. "Well, we're going to have more space to work with- including in the living room area." He answered. "The way I see it, we should have room for a new cabinet- between the bookshelf and the entertainment center."
Orihime listened intently as Ulquiorra continued. "I think that that space would be an ideal spot... for a proper shrine, one built to house your elder brother's memorial."
She momentarily fell silent at this, and Ulquiorra's piercing inhuman green eyes widened suddenly as her lower lip trembled visibly and her brown eyed welled up with tears. However, before he could offer any comment, she smiled gorgeously and threw herself upon him!
The sudden impact caused him to stumble backwards into the wall. Having lost his footing, he slid down the wall, with her still in his arms. He was about to speak, when she silenced further comments the Arrancar might have offered by way of a crushing kiss...
Orihime wrapped her arms tightly around his slender frame, the entirety of her soft warm body pressed against him as he lips bore down on his... This was all that the prompting the Cuatro Espada needed, as he was quick to encircle his own arms around her- returning both the kiss and the embrace.
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Central Chamber, Gotei Assembly...
The Captains of the Fourteen Elite Court Guard- or, at least, those of them who were still active- were gathered in the large hall to discuss various relevant matters amongst themselves. Between them, there was just over forty officers in attendance inside the large hall.
Among their numbers, were twelve Captains (eight of them Shinigami, three of them Vizard, and two of them Arrancar), with Lieutenant Sasakibe sitting in as the acting Captain of the First Division. There were also twenty-three Lieutenants (including two Vizard and a single Arrancar). The Head of the Kido Corps, the imposing figure of the Vizard Hachigen Ushoda, was also present.
The Officers gathered in the great hall were there to discuss a number of important issues: from the commonplace (to the progress of Soul Society's Tuntian agricultural program) to the downright sublime (the state the dimensional anomaly). However, it didn't take much for the line of the discussion to shift to the subject of the absent Captain of the Fourth Division...
In place of the conspicuously absent Captain Retsu Ukitake, was the woman's conspicuously present second-in-command- Lt. Isane Kotetsu. The tall, shy woman was unaccustomed to being the focus of attention. Thankfully, due to the combined efforts of Captain Byakuya Kuchiki and Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya, the focus of discussion was kept (for the most part) on-track.
"Well, the truth is, our ranks wouldn't be short yet another Captain," Shunsui deflected with a shrug and a disarming smile. "If not for the good Captain Ukitake leaving our illustrious colleague- the other Captain Ukitake- of the Fourth Division, indisposed." The Scruffy-faced Swordsman reasoned, much to the amusement of a number of the Officers in attendance.
After the meeting was concluded...
As the Officers began to depart, Jushiro waved to his friend. "Shunsui, my friend." The white-haired Captain called, gaining the other man's attention. "I really have thank you."
"Thank me?" Shunsui repeated. "...Thank me for what?"
"Well, more specifically," he replied. "I'd like you to relay my thanks to Ise-san, for taking time out of her busy schedule to keep my wife company." Jushiro added. "Though, I do suppose that I should also be thanking you for being so willing to part with her on such short notice."
Shunsui smiled roguishly. "Well, the truth is," he began, rubbing the back of his head. "That it was my was my Darling Nanao-chan's idea." He admitted. "She insisted upon it, in fact."
"Never the less, you have my thanks, both of you." He offered with a smile.
"Not at all, she enjoys spending time with Retsu," Shunsui started. "Or, rather, it might be more apt to say that she enjoys spending time with the other Captain Ukitake."
The other Captain blushed faintly at this. "Yes... we're both still getting used to that." He admitted to the other man, while awkwardly folding his arms. "Though, considering all the confusion over the fact there are two Captains with the same family name, I really have to commend my dear wife- as Retsu's been quite amiable throughout this, all things considered."
"It's hardly a problem." Shunsui replied, adjusting the brim of his hat. "If you just think about it for a moment, it only makes that you both be 'Captain Ukitake'." He went on. "Considering that both of you already have your own Lieutenant Kotetsu serving under you."
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
It wasn't everyday that Ulquiorra was surprised, and certainly not the degree that he had been when the woman had practically thrown herself at him in a display of tearful affection!
Nor, was it often that the woman took the initiative to such a degree that she was able to get the better of him in one of their verbal back-and-forths they seemed to end up in from time to time. Still, it wasn't as if he was about to complain, not when the end result was so... pleasant.
However, while he'd initially been surprised by the embrace, the contact was not unwelcome. Far from it, in fact, as Ulquiorra had been quite quick to return the gesture in equal measure. To say that Orihime was pleased with him would be quite an understatement! He unleashed an almost feral growl into her mouth as he felt her tongue against his own, smiling inwardly as he deepened the kiss.
Ulquiorra's hands moved along the curvature of her spine, down to the small of her back and he pulled her against him, her supple body flush against his own lean, muscular frame, eliciting a moan from the young human woman in the process. Orihime reached up to bury her fingers into his mop of dark hair, as she feverishly kissed the pale lips of the 'man' before her.
Finally, after a moment, Orihime drew back from him, her heart racing. "There's something important, something that I want to say- for a while now." She began, still smiling. "Being able to be with you like this, spending my life with you... This is the happiest I've been in a very long time."
"Orihime..." He started, before she silenced him with a fingertip against his lips. Ulquiorra had a good memory- from the crucial, to the seemingly insignificant- and so he'd made a point of remembering the fact that the Orihime seemed to particularly enjoy it when he addressed her by her given name.
The redhead smiled warmly at him. "Whenever I try to envision what my life will be like, years from now, It's impossible to imagine a life without you." She continued. "Do you remember: that night, back in my cell in Las Noches, when you asked me what 'the heart' was?" Orihime asked softly, pleased as she received a nod of affirmation from the Gigai-clad Hollow.
"This feeling, Ulquiorra," Orihime went on. "What I feel for you... that is the heart."
Ulquiorra was taken aback for a moment, unsure at first as to how to react to the alien sensation he felt in his chest in the wake of the woman's heartfelt declaration.
Composing himself, he reached out and cupped her jaw in his hands, moving in close as he looked into her brown eyes. "Since the moment that we first met... There was something about you, something that lingered in my thoughts." Ulquiorra revealed in low tone. "At first, I wanted to understand, but simply understanding wasn't enough... I wanted more, I wanted- no, needed to be with you."
"Every day that I spend with you has been an... experience for me." He continued, reaching down to bring her hand to his lips "You've shown me so much." Ulquiorra punctuated the sentence by planting a kiss on her knuckles. "The pledge I made to you: to always defend you and your honor, to prove myself worthy of you, and to build a future for us, together..." He paused. "I intend to keep that pledge."
"I know." Orihime replied softly, blushing as she spoke. "To think... that the powerful Cuatro Espada himself would fight for me..." The sunset-haired girl paused. "Just knowing that, the thought makes me feel so happy, so honored... and, well, also a little excited." He blush darkened at the last bit.
Ulquiorra smiled, feeling a rush of pride at the admission. "I would do anything to ensure that future for the two us, just as I would do anything for you." He declared, leaning in to kiss her.
Orihime smiled back warmly at him. "Of course," she countered, reaching out to caress the pale flesh of his face with her own hand. "Because you're my knight- my knight in shining black armor."
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Twelfth Division HQ...
Szayel was seated before a computer in one of the many labs within the main building...
"I hope I'm not disturbing anything important."
The sound of the unfamiliar voice, suddenly behind him, snapped the pink-haired Arrancar out of his inner musings and out of his chair. The Octavio Espada abruptly leapt to his feet, leaving the chair he'd just been occupying spinning, as he turned toward the source of the voice.
Before him was an overpowering pure white light, such that he reflexively squinted his golden eyes as he backed away from the glow. "You seem troubled." A disembodied spoke up, the same voice that had first addressed him. "Oh, yes, of course, I can see how this would be a bit much." The voice remarked casually, followed by the process of the light decreasing in intensity.
"W-what in the world?" Szayel muttered aloud.
Gradually, the light diminished, while in its place, a figure began to take form... Until, a "human" man stood before him, dressed entirely in white: including a pair of slacks and a suit jacket, over a matching button-up shirt and tie, and rounded off with a pair of dress shoes. He opened his blue eyes, smiling at the Arrancar as he ran a hand through his pure white hair.
He then cast his gaze downward, examining himself, and frowned mildly. "No, no... it's still not right." The stranger lamented, before moving to look at his reflection in a nearby monitor. "And this hair... Oh dear, this certainly won't do." He remarked, turning back to Szayel. "Yes, well, why don't we just think of this as a work in progress, eh?" The man reasoned with a disarming smile.
Szayel glared at the man. "Who the hell are you?" The scientific Arrancar demanded, clearly annoyed at this intrusion. "...And just what the hell are you doing in my lab?"
"Both good questions." He countered in amiable tone. "Who I am isn't really important, not for now, at least. As for why I'm here..." The man paused. "Let's just say we have a common interest in the form of those pulses you've been monitoring." He explained. "To begin with, I really must commend you for your dedication in trying to understand the nature of these events."
"Wait, you know about the pulses?" Szayel interjected. "Just what exactly do you know about them?"
"More than you'd guess... And yet, less than I'd like, I'm afraid." He replied cryptically, pausing to look over the data on the screen of the computer Szayel had been seated at. "Let's just say that it's part of my job to know about these sort of things, to keep abreast of current events." The man revealed.
"And in that regard," the visitor continued amiable. "I really must complement you on your dedication to bettering your understanding of both the pulses and the dimensional distortion."
"But of course." The Espada replied. "It would be criminally negligent of me to do any less." He added with pride, momentarily forgetting the circumstances. "However," Szayel resumed, suspicion returning to his tone as he went on. "You haven't explained anything to my liking- who or what you are, how you managed to infiltrate this facility, nor your motive for doing so."
"All good questions." He replied with a smile. "And I do genuinely regret that I can't tell you anything definitive... not yet, not when there are still so many unknowns." The man paused. "However, I can say with both certainty and sincerity, that we will speak again."
Szayel started to protest the statement, only for hold of his hand and wave. "Anyway, ta ta, for now," he resumed. "As I said, we'll be in touch." The man offered, before vanishing in a flash of light.
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
The Living Realm, Karakura...
It had been a week since Ichigo's 'breakthrough'. The teen had experienced the event while in engaged in a form of meditation, allowing him to explore the domain of his inner-mind...
"Before we get truly started," Darkwood started. "There are a few key points of interest that I would like to address." He stated to the teen, turning away from. "The world around us, the universe itself, is made of energy- everything around us, is energy- from ourselves, to the stars in the sky."
Darkwood then turned back to the teen. "Just think about that, Ichigo... You and I, we are composed of the same essential stuff as stars." He continued. "It is from energy that the fundamental building blocks upon which everything in the universe is derived." The bearded man stated. "The only difference is, the various forms it takes... And like light, not all are visible to the naked or untrained eye."
Ichigo arched his brows at this. "Wait just a secant... You keep on saying 'energy', but just what exactly do mean by that?" He asked the man. "Are we talking about electricity... or reiki?"
"I'm talking about all energy." Darkwood countered. "What you call 'reiki' is only a single spectrum, an aspect of a greater power." He went on. "A grand network of energy, that connects all things, an infinite matrix of power that infuses the universe." He explained cryptically. "Across the world and throughout time, it has been known by many names- the Taoist Dao, the Vedic Rta, the Egyptian Ma'at."
"And while you may have lost the ability to perceive and wield reiki, Ichigo, it is but a single spectrum within this greater universal truth." Darkwood went on. "There are always possibilities- others paths to walk, other disciplines to learn- a method of unlocking your potential."
"And you, you can help me to unlock that potential, eh?" Ichigo asked with a smirk.
"Yes, I can." Darkwood replied simply, resolutely. "I can show the way, the means of unlocking your true potential, Ichigo, powers greater than anything you've ever beheld."
"Tell me something." Ichigo began."If you really do know the secret to unlocking such amazing kick-ass powers... Then why are you running a small import-export business, when you could be running the this entire country- or, hell, why not the whole world, even?" He asked.
Darkwood shook his head. "Really, Ichigo..." He spoke with a sigh. "I would hope by now, you would realize not everyone's ambitions are limited to mere personal gain. Not everyone is so base. Some of us can see beyond our own horizons, to the larger picture." The man chastised.
"But first, before we can go any further," Darkwood added. "We need to be certain that you no longer harbor any doubts in your mind." He explained. "Because, if you still have any reservations about this, anything to make me doubt your commitment, then we can do nothing."
The orange-haired teenager was silent for a moment. "To be honest, I had my doubts, at first..." Ichigo explained, tucking his hands into his jean pockets. "But then, you helped me, you helped me to face my fears and move forward." He admitted to the man. "So... I'm in, for the long haul."
Darkwood smiled at this. "Good to hear." He replied. "I look forward to our journey."
(- End of Chapter XL... -)
To close this out, I want to address the increased focus on Jushiro and Retsu... This story was always conceived with UlquiHime as the heart of the narrative. However, they're only two people in a cast of (including my OCs) 70+ characters! In the case of UkiHana, my own fondness for the pairing (and of Ukitake in general) drove me to do so much more with them. The only thing is, I was so excited at the prospect of them becoming parents, that I didn't realize the pregnancy would become a sort-of 'time stamp', meaning I could end up making continuity mistakes with the timeline if I wasn't careful.
The only way I could think to avoid this was to work out the most efficient way of wrapping up the pregnancy and getting to the birth of the child. That said, the next 2 chapters will be the conclusion of the Ukitake family story-line for the time being. After that, you can expect more of a focus on UlquiHime and others. Again, I want to thank everyone who took the time to read the last chapter, and especially to those who left feedback!