Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or it's characters, that right belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. Nor do I own Bleach or it's characters, that right belongs to Tite Kubo.

He was late. But he didn't care; there was only one of the potential recruits he was interested in. And from what Shisui had said in passing after the graduation ceremony, the girl had wanted to join his Squad regardless. The thought had a feral grin pulling at the corners of his lips as he strode down the hall to the main training hall where the wonderful sounds of fighting echoed from.

He slid the door open to the training hall, bringing everything to a halt with his appearance. What he saw was rather shocking. The girl, Kagome, he had learned, was standing in the middle of the hall looking a bit haggard, but was readying to spar against his Lieutenant. Her face a contorted mask of anger.

Not saying a single thing, Kenpachi made his way to his seat and plopped down. With a wave of his hand to indicate that they should continue.

She was seething. It was not easy to fight her way through a bunch of simple-minded, muscle-bound men. Already her body was feeling exhausted. And when that familiar prickling of power against her skin had her body jerking stiff as a board, while her eyes never left the arrogant, cocky bastard before her. Kagome wondered why she was just now feeling it again. It had been months since the last time she'd felt it. Whoever it was had come to enjoy hiding and watching her training sessions with Sesshomaru... no White Fang in that clearing in the forest.

When the Shoji door opened to the training hall, she saw the way the bald man before her smiled and looked past her. With a bit of care, she took a quick peek and felt that seething rage start to boil harder. There was no mistaking that white robe. Her 'voyeur' of the last year had been none other than the 11th Squad's very own Captain. Oh, this was some icing on the cake as she let her gaze return to Ikkaku Madarame.

She caught a faint movement from where her Captain sat. From the way the Lieutenant had returned his attention to her, she knew this was just going to be a bit more complicated. Though she did have an ace up her sleeve. Not once had she released the Shikai form of her Zanpakuto. And it had her smiling wide enough that it could be considered a snarl at the man.

"Oi, Kogame, show some respect to our Captain," Ikkaku said, lacing it with a load of snark.

Giving a shake of her head as she brought White Fang up, she spat her words out, "Why should I give respect to a fucking Voyeur? Besides, respect is something that is earned you walking Cue Ball!"

Her words had him narrowing his eyes and rushing at her. Apparently, something she said struck a serious nerve by the sound of most everyone gasping. Though she was more worried about how weak her arms felt after he delivered the first blow to her exposed blade, sending her back a few feet.

"Do not call me Cue Ball!" Ikkaku shouted at her as he reigned down a flurry of blows in rapid succession.

Narrowing her eyes at him, Kagome spun out of the way of the next wave of oncoming strikes.

With a low hiss as she kicked out, forcing him to move away from her foot, she hissed at him. "Than get my name right. It's Ka-Go-ME!"

Each syllable of her name was punctuated with her retaliation strikes. She was going to use what she had learned both in the Academy, her training with Sesshomaru in that little world of his, on top of what she recalled from watching Inuyasha fighting. It was a mixed-up, mash-up. And completely random, but it worked for her because she knew that her small stature and speed would mean nothing against the man before her.

Ikkaku didn't know what to think of the short guy as he had fought through the ranks — doing much better than he had imagined. Though after a good twenty minutes of watching the boy take out one after another of the unranked members of the Squad, he stepped up. Each member of the 11th Squad was known for their strength. They didn't rely on Kido or anything else.

So, the moment he had everyone's attention, he addressed the short guy. Asked him why he wanted to be in the 11th Squad. Only to feel as if the floor had opened up a portal the abyss under him. When he got his reply from the boy, it was in a girl's voice. They promptly told him that they wanted to fight and be strong. To enjoy the rush that comes from wielding a weapon in a fight. Though the tone they used told him to go play with himself.

Which led to his current situation. His Captain was now watching. And though he looked bored, Ikkaku knew that Kenpachi Zaraki was highly amused and more than a little intrigued. It showed how his Reiatsu kept fluctuating up and down. It was damn near oppressive. And he could hear the soft groans of those who couldn't handle it as they passed out. He quickly saw that it didn't affect the girl.

Jumping away, Ikkaku stood there and looked at the girl. Not once in any of her battles she released her sword. Nor had she pushed out her Reiatsu. No, he could tell that she was keeping it close to her person, contained. Though what few brushes of he felt while attacking her was gentle, soft. Just like she looked.

"Why don't we use our Zanpakuto Shikai form," he stated.

His eyes watched as she narrowed her eyes for but a moment as they glazed over. It was like she was communicating with her Zanpakuto. It had him sneering that she would be asking for permission to use the released form. Laughable that she had no control over her weapon, making while she could put a decent spar, in a fight, she more than likely would fail horribly.

"If that is what you wish. It is your funeral," Kagome quipped at him, a smile on her lips.

He sneered at her as he spoke, "Grow, Hōzukimaru."

He felt as though his sword elongated into a polearm, which he flourished before going still and waiting on her — noting that she seemed to be communicating with her sword again before rolling her eyes and looking annoyed at it.

"Whisper, White Fang," she said, her voice like a soft chime.

He could have laughed. It went from looking like a rusted, dinged and dented piece of junk, to a long silver blade that had a gold pommel at the end of a red wrapped hilt. He couldn't even feel any of her spiritual pressure coming from it. The damn thing seemed like a toy.

When the girl pursed her lips and looked at him, Ikkaku rushed forward and swung Hōzukimaru in a downward arc towards her. Eyes wide as she didn't move until the last minute. Her body was spinning in towards him as that blade cut the air in a high pitched whistle. He was twisting his body to avoid being seriously injured as it connected with his body.

Cold washed through his body, what little fatigue he had left his body it as he felt the sword connect and slide straight through his thigh. Only to see her smiled impishly at him. Mocking him openly as he looked down. There was no wound. The blade had passed through his person without being stopped.

"What the fuck was that you little twit?" he snapped at her.

The way she arched a single eyebrow, before replying had him going on guard. "My sword. You asked for its Shikai... Do you not like it? I mean, you are no longer fatigued, right?"

Growling Ikkaku thrust his own Zanpakuto at her. This time he let a bit of his killing intent leak out. This had her eyes going wide as she ducked and rolled away from him. Her body was moving in an agile like the grace that said she still has plenty of energy even if she looked tired. Not letting up, he kept striking at her, thrusting, parrying, and striking over and over and pushing her back until she stumbled and went down. Deciding he would end this, he spun Hōzukimaru above his head and swung it down.

"Howl, White Fang," the girl muttered just as his weapon crashed into her upraised blade. In the next instance, Ikkaku found himself on the other side of the training hall, embedded in the wall. While on either side of him was a deep furrow tearing up the wooden floor and obliterating the wall letting in the cold air of the evening.

When he finally looked back at the girl, he saw she was standing there leaning against a different sword. Its blade reminded him of Ichigo's original sword. Those this one was more of a white, with a tuft of off-white fur and red handle. And to boot, this sword was almost as tall as her, giving off a dark aura. One that swirled in a protective shield around the girl.

"I tried to warn you. He won't let anyone harm me," Kagome said.

Ikkaku watched as she quickly lifted the blade and set it on her shoulder, her knees only bending slightly under its apparent heavyweight. She was making him wonder just who the hell this little girl, no Kagome, really was.

He hadn't been let down. No, Kagome held her own against his Lieutenant. Though at times it was questionable. When she released her Zanpakuto Shikai form, he was at a loss of why it was that tiny little blade. Which left him narrowing his eyes as he watched it slip effortlessly through Ikkaku's body, leaving no mark behind. His brain kicking over, telling him that what she said was off from all the other times he had watched her train in that clearing.

When the battle picked up, and Ikkaku went in for the 'finishing' blow, Kenpachi flashed a toothy smile and sat up. The words spilling from her mouth were ones he had wanted to hear. A flash of light temporarily blinding him, Kenpachi felt that familiar dark aura. When he was able to see again there, she stood behind that giant sword — leaning on it as if she was enjoying a nice break while his eye took in the devastation of his main training hall.

He knew that she had held back. Or rather that sword held back. The moment she spoke up, Kenpachi burst out laughing. She would fit right in with his Squad. And he knew that he'd not lack for entertainment or exercise. No, he planned on sparring with her to see the extent of her abilities.

"I would shut it if I were you, Captain Voyeur," he heard her snap at him.

This had him looking at her and laughing even louder. The girl was almost fearless. And he knew that she had the respect of his officers. So, Kenpachi stood up and walked over to her, clamping a hand down on her shoulder, squeezing it hard.

"I do not think I will regret putting in for you to join my Squad, Higurashi," He said.

Then letting her shoulder, he walked out of the room, issuing orders to have the hall repaired and the newbies to be shown to their rooms.

TBC!