05

Never in Ino's life had she been an early riser. She just didn't see the appeal of waking up earlier to do stuffs that could be done just fine later. However, that blissful early morning she spent at the balcony together with him was an exception.

She snuggled closer to his not so warm body as she gazed at the beautiful view of the sun starting to rise. It was quite a surprise, though that he had allowed her to be this close to him. He didn't even seem to mind earlier when she braved herself to take his arm and wrap it around her shoulders. The rare serene expression on his gorgeous face remained unchanged, and it put a smile on her face. Just being with him like this made her feel genuinely happy. If somehow she could spend every morning like this, she wouldn't mind becoming an early riser.

But fate was cruel. She was willing to try, but what's the point if it had already been decided that there was no future for the two of them to be together? She didn't know what came after her, but she suddenly felt desperate. There must be something she could do.

"Hey, Toushiro. Train me." It came out spontaneously.

"Why?"

It seemed like the peaceful moment was coming to an end. The boy braced himself to endure another nonsensical conversation. As for the girl, she wondered if she could ever have a talk with him without getting agitated so easily.

"To be stronger, duh."

"Why do you want to be stronger?" He was honestly curious, because with how proud she seemed to be of herself especially her appearance, he didn't see her as the type of person who wished to improve.

"Uh you see... There's this close friend of mine. We've been friends since we were little. Back in the days, she was so pitiful that I had to back her up most of the time. Then the time came for her to be able to stand on her own. She didn't need my help anymore. We drifted apart, and even hated each other for quite some time because we liked the same boy. We made up eventually, but our rivalry never stopped. Somehow after the boy left, she became so determined to be better. Lady Hokage even took her under her wing. From then on, she started to become the superior one between the two of us. I've been trying to hide my jealousy with my flawless acting, but still... At the very least, I just want us to be even again." Oh who was she kidding?

She very much wanted to get the glory she so deserved as the most desired kunoichi! And the Shinigami Captain didn't fail to see that.

"Boy problems... girlish scuffles... childish rivalry... jealousy..." He sighed tiredly. "I should've known better than to expect something decent from you."

"Well, forgive me for not being a heartless duty-obsessed jerk like you! I'm just a girl, okay?" A very pretty one, though.

"It's okay. I will consider training you once you become an adult." And he was being serious.

With her still prominent immaturity, she was far from ready to handle her full potential. Of course, she had no idea about this. She thought he was just being condescending as usual, and she had had enough of this.

"Excuse me?! I am pretty much an adult. I don't live with my parents anymore. I have a job. I've killed people. I've had sex plenty of times. Heck, my body should be an obvious prove of how much of an adult I am!"

To further prove her point, she took his hand off her shoulders before touching it all over her curves so he would realize how much of a fool he was. He'd admit that she had an exceptionally nice figure, but nothing more. It proved nothing to him.

"Pretending to live like an adult doesn't automatically make you one. Seriously, don't make me laugh. Having some curves and being sexually active only show that you have reached a matured physical state. Look, you're still too young, but there's nothing wrong with that. Just enjoy your life, and quit worrying about how strong you are."

He didn't see the point in continuing the conversation, but as he tried to leave, her grips on his hand tightened. Tears gathered in her eyes as he glanced back at her. She looked honestly pitiful, but the sincerity and determination in those light blue eyes were truly enchanting.

"What is wrong with you, Toushiro? Please, stop looking down on me. It hurts... I want to get to know you better. I want to be closer to you. I want to make you like me back. I want to be with you... I don't want you to die! That's why I want to be stronger. I want to help you, protect you from your evil comrades. I will fight those stupid Gotei 13 if I have to!"

She wiped her tears with her sleeve, mentally bracing herself for the inevitable mocking. And he didn't disappoint.

"... That's just... stupid. The Gotei 13 is the strongest military unit in all realms by a long shot. We could wipe out your entire world - you included - without even leaving Soul Society. Fortunately, some of us - me included - are not evil enough to disregard a crying girl's honest feelings. What a surprise. You've proven yourself to me. You sure grow up fast, Yamanaka."

It took her a moment to take it all in, but once she did, she smiled brightly. And without thinking, she threw herself at him, hugging him fiercely around his neck.

"You bet I do, darling! So I take it you agree to train me?"

"Considering that I'm currently on a mission, I don't have time to waste. So this will be a one time only deal. If I find you whining even once about the training, I will end it immediately, and you will not ask me to give you another chance. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yeah yeah. When will we start?" Never before had she been enthusiastic with training, but if it was with him, she felt ecstatic.

"You have ten minutes to prepare yourself."

The girl tried desperately to refrain herself from whining then as she ran to the bathroom.

Technically they would only be gone for a few hours, but he still left a message for his subordinate who was still asleep in the next room. There was no need to worry though. He knew how capable the little girl actually was. At her age, her power was already on par with her older sister back when she was still alive.

He should concentrate on his new task as a teacher for the time being. To be honest however, he doubted it would be worth the effort. It was highly possible that the training would end before it could even begin. Really, he was rather surprised of how cruel he was for getting her hope up like that when he knew so well that it would be crushed mercilessly. After all, there was no chance a girly girl like Ino Yamanaka wouldn't be freaked out once she fully comprehended what he had in store for her training. He wished he could train her normally, but there was just not enough time.

Thankfully, the girl seemed to understand that he really didn't have much time to spare. She managed to prepare herself with a few seconds to spare. It was close, but still a great feat for her. Normally, it took her at least one and a half hour until she deemed herself presentable enough. This time though, she couldn't bring herself to care all that much. She always looked stunning no matter what anyway.

"Where are we going really, Toushiro? Be nice once in awhile, would you? Take me to somewhere romantic."

Wherever it'd be actually didn't matter that much to her as long as it would be just the two of them there, she thought. Oh, if only she knew...

"A place that will surely test your resolve."

He thrust his Zanpakuto forward then, and suddenly, a mysterious door opened before them. A brief glance was the only thing she got from him before he calmly stepped through it. And she hesitated for a moment as she watched him disappeared without a word.

"How rude! Leaving a girl behind just like that. You should have at least hold my hand, you jerk!"

After a deep breath, she braced herself, and went through the door that to her surprise, immediately disappeared once she got to the other side. She quickly noticed then that he was actually waiting for her, and it made her smile. But he didn't seem to care as he walked away through the dark path with his sword still drawn as if expecting something to come in any seconds.

"Stay away from the walls."

"A cave? Really? You took me to a cave? I know it's not a date, and I don't mean to whine or anything, but I expected better, Toushiro. Wait, where are you -" She gasped suddenly. "What the hell is that?"

There in the distance, something as huge as the caves passage itself with a bright golden light coming from its upper-center was speeding up to them. Unlike the cowering girl, however, the Captain still walked calmly as if he prepared to greet it... with his sword.

"Ryusenka!" The icy blast froze the destructive object completely along with the wall around it before it hit them.

The girl stood in complete awe, witnessing one of his famous technique that she had only read from the Shinigami database. He looked just as cool as the first time she watched him fight. Seriously, this boy was so unbelievably attractive. She wouldn't outright admit it, though. As if!

"Hmph, show off. Now would you please tell me where we are?"

"Welcome to the Dangai, the dimension between Soul Society and the world of the living. The object I froze earlier is called the Kototsu. It appears periodically to eliminate any intruders. Now that I've disabled it, I just need to stop the Koryu, the highly dangerous current that encompasses the walls."

Then carefully, the Captain performed his improved version of Kaikyo Kotei that didn't require him to stay connected with the tools to fixate the current. All the while the girl watched him anxiously as she tried to understand her predicament. She had a bad feeling about it

"If this place is that dangerous, then why did you take me here? I know you didn't force me to come with you, but... What are you planning to do with me, Toushiro?" Her mind unconsciously replayed her encounter with the scary Toushiro in her dream.

"If you think I intend to rape you or something, I'll throw you out."

"No! Well, kinda... But that doesn't worry me if that's what you're planning!" And it wouldn't be a rape because she wanted it much more than him.

He looked at her as he finished the preparation. It puzzled him that she seemed to be afraid of him all of a sudden. Then again, it mattered not to him.

"If you try hard enough, it will take approximately one year for you to reach your full potential. Not only I can't afford to waste time, I also don't have that much time left. Fortunately for you, there's a solution. The density of time within the Dangai is extremely high. One hour passes in the outside world is equal with over two thousand hours in here."

"Wait. Don't tell me we're gonna be here for one year..."

"Within the Dangai, our bodies behave like those of Pluses and normal souls for unknown reason. In this place, we won't feel any physiological needs like hunger. So you don't need to worry about your survival."

That didn't necessarily make her feel any better. It was a nightmare. It would still be one year without changing clothes, without bath, without sex! Seriously, could this Shingami player himself endure one year with no sex? Though maybe they could help each other with that...

Nonetheless, she would rather endure it all than to keep being looked down by him.

"I hate you... From now on, I will seriously hate you. But I will not back down, Toushiro! You hear me?"

"Good. I fully expected that you would. So this is more than good enough. You just need to cooperate, nothing more than that."

"I will forgive you though, if you treat me to dinner once I got my own Zanpakuto."

"I will never be forgiven then. You're a special case, Yamanaka. Technically, your current self can be considered as a pseudo-soul. So, I'm afraid it is not possible for you to obtain a Zanpakuto, and to become a full-fledged Shinigami." Though he believed by possessing a fraction of his power, she had the potential to become far stronger than average Shinigami.

"You're kidding, right? Oh come on! After I read about how amazing Zanpakuto is, you're telling me there's no way for me to get one?"

"Don't be discouraged. Even for Shinigami, it is common among us to specialize in other aspects of Shinigami skills. For example, Lady Yoruichi Shihoin is one of the most skilled Shinigami I've ever known, but I've never seen her using her Zanpakuto even once. Just trust me. Once this is over, you'll be nearly invincible against any living beings."

"That sounds kinda overkill... But I'm glad you finally realize that I deserve such greatness."

―

What was wrong with him? That was what she asked.

And he found himself pondering the question, but in different contexts.

Ever since he accepted this mission, he had been making more and more unprofessional decisions. Utilizing the Dangai without authorized permission was the perfect example. Somehow, it felt like the rules were not even relevant to him anymore. And it was way out of character for him to be that way. Before this, the only time he ever broke the rules was back when he ignored the protocol to pursue Kusaka. He admitted it was rather immature of him, and he had changed.

For years, he had been trying hard to be in complete control of his emotions so it wouldn't get the better of him again. Interestingly enough, his recent non professionalism was not solely based on emotionalism, and not even once had he strayed away from his rationalism. Regardless, he would always be responsible for his decisions.

Months had passed by in the Dangai.

Since the beginning, he had already decided that he would make her an expert in Hakuda, Hoho, and Kido. Fortunately so far, she had been true to her words. He could tell she really hated him for the strict and harsh training he gave her, but it mattered not to him. As long as she listened to him and stopped with her nonsense, things would go as planned.

He had noticed something interesting with her Reiatsu recently. At first, it was hard to notice since it took her a considerable amount of time to at least be decent at managing her Reiatsu. It was not until she began learning Shunpo that it became more apparent. He supposed it was only natural. The majority of her spiritual power originated from him after all. She would learn more about it if only she stopped wasting her time.

Well, it was partly his fault in the first place that she became this unreasonable, trying and failing miserably to cast a certain master-level Kido spell.

"Hado #88. Hiryu Gekizoku Shinten Raiho!" She had said the incantation correctly, gathered the required amount of Reiryoku, and showed off more than enough confidence, but the result was nothing more than a small puff of smoke.

"Aren't you embarrassed already by now, Yamanaka? How many times have you tried it? How many times do I need to tell you that spells above number seventy five are designated only for Kido Masters?"

"Just shut up! Why don't you start thinking about where you're gonna take me out for our date, darling?"

It was obvious how frustrated she was in more ways than one, but she had never felt this motivated. And it was only because he offhandedly remarked that he would take her out for a date if she could perform that particular spell. She was so excited to hear that after having failed miserably with her advances for so long. It would be good enough for her. She might be sexually frustrated, but she refused to be desperate.

And her determination was so surprising that the boy couldn't help but consider that if she kept trying this hard, she would succeed soon enough. It really needed to stop as soon as possible. He didn't want to get her hopes up more than he did already.

"Alright then. I actually wanted to tell you an interesting discovery, but it's fine by me if you don't want to listen. Go ahead. Watching you embarrass yourself is quite amusing." It was a cheap move, he knew.

It worked. The girl's attention was focused on him. And as she looked at his ever impassive but very much alluring features, she was in a mental conflict about whether to punch him or kiss him senselessly.

"One of these days I will turn you into a practice dummy, Toushiro. Tell me what it is already!"

"If you stop being so emotional for a moment, you will notice it yourself. Every time you release your Reiatsu, the temperature will drop considerably. Since your life is sustained by a piece of Hyourinmaru, it is only natural that you posses an affinity to ice element. Technically, we could even say that you have become the embodiment of Hyourinmaru's crescent blade, another reason why it is not possible for you to have your own Zanpakuto."

"So you're saying I'll be able to use Ryusenka too? Or maybe Sennen Hyoro?!" Such magnificent techniques would suit her perfectly in her opinion.

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Yamanaka. Those techniques were originally exclusive to my Bankai so the level of difficulty is quite high. It was not until Daiguren Hyourinmaru reached its completion that I manage to use them freely." Though he was confident that the girl would be able to use them too eventually.

"Geez, you sure know how to stomp on other people's hopes. Oh well, I need to keep practicing Hado #88 anyway. It promises me a date~"

"DON'T! Ahem. I mean, since you have become quite an expert in Kido, I suggest we substitute your Kido training section with Reiatsu manipulation training if you really want to learn those techniques." That was close...

Even the not so smart girl found his behavior suspicious. She looked at him for a moment - really looked at him - to understand what he was up to. Only to find herself lost in those beautiful teal eyes. It made her remember the true reason for going through all of this nightmarish training.

"Fine, but if I succeed in learning those techniques, you have to promise me that you will disobey Soul Society for once. Promise me you will fight for your life, Toushiro." She put all of her feelings into this one request because this might be the only opportunity for her to change his mind about his fate.

To his surprise, he found his resolve wavered, hearing this human girl's silly request. This was unacceptable. He realized he had become a bit too close to her, and that was something he had to fix immediately.

"Who do you think you are to ask such a thing from me?"

"I... So what we have been through together all this time means nothing to you? I don't believe that."

"Does it even matter? As long as we still benefit each other, I will tolerate your nonsense, but I don't see the point in making things more complicated."

She flinched. His words struck deep. She had been trying to believe that he did have a soft spot for her just like what his superior said, but it was nothing more than delusions after all. He only used her after all. It hurt, and all she could think about was to hurt back.

"Chiniku no kamen, bansho, habataki, hito no na o kansu mono yo! Soka no kabe ni soren o kizamu, taika no fuchi o enten ni te matsu! Hado #73. Soren Sokatsui!" Sadness, that was the only thing she felt as she fired the twin bursts of blue energy.

A huge explosion ensued, threatening to consume the space of the Dangai that the Captain occupied, but he emerged soon later completely unscathed.

"That was the first time you managed to cast Soren Sokatsui faultlessly. Keep it up."

He then walked away from the training area, leaving her alone.

―

As someone who was widely known unfortunately as the most stuck-up person in Soul Society, it would be a great shock if Captain Byakuya Kuchiki said he had a friend. He would never say it, of course. However, if he was being honest with himself, there was someone whom he didn't mind to be called friends with.

It was Captain Toushiro Hitsugaya, the only person he would honestly consider as an equal even though they came from very different backgrounds. In the climax of the Quincy Blood War as they fought side by side, somehow he understood how alike they were. They had similar personalities and philosophies, and shared the same vision. The younger Captain was the one he frequently had discussions with regarding various matters, from something trivial like plants to something bothersome such as politics. Therefore, just like their superior, he fully supported the Tenth Captain to be their new leader.

The news that Captain Hitsugaya had admitted a lawbreaking act definitely surprised him. Of course, he wasn't surprised that his honorable comrade did the right thing by admitting his fault. The problem was not that he broke the law, but the reason for breaking the law. In the past, both of them had defied the protocol once. But each of those situations was for a reason that solely stemmed from their personal sense of responsibility. It was simply hard to believe that the boy all of a sudden decided to disregard fundamental matters, and chose to play as a hero.

Nevertheless, he obeyed the Commander's newest order, and departed to the newly discovered world of the living as soon as possible. Fortunately, the S.R.D.I. had finished their reprogramming of the Jigokucho in time so he didn't have to travel through the Dangai to get there. Unfortunately however, the infamously too loud little S.R.D.I. member was the first to greet him as soon as he arrived.

"CAPTAIN KUCHIKI!"

"Nemuri Hachigo. Where is Captain Hitsugaya?"

"HE'S ON A DATE WITH - Oops! NO! He's currently in the Dangai to train Miss Ino."

The Captain looked at her in suspicion. The possibility that Hitugaya had feelings for a human female had never crossed his mind since it was simply absurd. Still, it would be unwise to easily disregard this.

"Is that the name of the human he saved?"

"YES, SIR! She is a very nice lady. I would have saved her too if I was in Captain Hitsugaya's place."

"It barely matters what kind of person she is. I just found it rather out of character for Captain Hitsugaya to go as far as utilizing the Dangai without permission for her benefits. There must be a hidden reason behind it."

In his opinion, the boy had already done too much for the girl, and should've stopped associating himself with her already. He already had all too many females waiting for him, more than willing to keep him company back in Seireitei. So, there really was no point in keeping the human female. It was clear that she only brought him troubles.

Meanwhile, the little Shinigami looked at the scary Captain worriedly, having something to ask.

"Is Captain Hitsugaya really going to be in trouble, sir?"

"It is not my place to decide. However, I am sure he doesn't want to see you sad." It was rare, but he tended to be soft to children ever since he had a niece.

"UNDERSTOOD, SIR!"

"Now return to your post. I will notice Captain Hitsugaya's presence once he comes back. In the meantime, I'm going to do my own observation of this place."

"Have fun, Captain Kuchiki! KONOHA IS AN AMAZING PLACE!"

Secretly, the silly girl hoped that just like her favorite Captain, the stoic Captain would also meet a nice lady so he would be able to smile once in a while. But obviously, it would be best if it didn't come to his attention.

The nobleman gracefully descended from the air, and started walking among mere mortals in this village.

Amazing is wholly subjective, he obviously knew that very well. Perhaps he was just too accustomed to the highly civilized life in Seireitei, but to him there was nothing amazing with the unorganized ninja village. He wouldn't even bother to comment about the destructed section of that place. Anywhere he went to, he encountered chaotic mess of civilians wasting too much time and energy for things that should've been simple. It was still quite early in the morning, but he could barely stand hearing their loud voices already.

The ones supposedly to be the ninjas also seemed to be disappointing. Most of them appeared to be too casual and unreliable. Not to mention, there were only few of them possessing decent enough spiritual awareness to sense spirits. He really couldn't understand his sister's strange fascination with them.

A headache was coming soon later so he decided to find somewhere quite. In any case, it would be more productive for him to be alone and think about the information he knew so far thoroughly.

Not long after, he found it rather ironic that he a Shinigami ended up at a cemetery, but it was irrelevant. The peacefulness of the place already did a good job preventing his headache. He also found a nice wooden bench under a tree for him to sit on. To made it better, there was no one else other than him. But it soon changed when a woman around his apparent age came with a bucket of flowers to visit one of the graves. He noticed that she had enough spiritual power to see him so he closed his eyes, hoping that she would mind her own business and leave quickly. It might seemed silly for a man of his standing to pretend that he didn't notice someone, but he didn't care because no one would dare to point that out to him.

Surprisingly, the woman was brave enough to approach the not so happy Byakuya Kuchiki.

"Excuse me, mister. Would you mind if I sit here?"

"As much as I want to say yes, I am fully aware that I have no ownership of this bench." Though he could easily buy it if he wanted.

"Thanks... I suppose. Well, I don't mean to be rude or anything, but I don't think I've seen you before. I would appreciate it if you tell me about yourself."

She had figured that the man was exceptionally powerful, but since his eyes still closed, she took the opportunity to have a look at the exquisite-looking sword laying beside him. Big mistake.

He commended that at the very least, she was sensible enough to take a sit on the other end of the bench. However, he didn't appreciate her boldness. He surprised her then as he suddenly opened his eyes, and focused his piercing gaze right at her crimson orbs.

"I have no obligation to tell you anything. And your interrogation is meaningless. If I mean any harm to this village, none of you would be alive by now."

"My apologies. I couldn't help being a bit cautious. As you can see, everything has turned badly for us, and it's only getting worse."

"... You have lost someone in this conflict." He could tell that easily, but not just because he saw her coming to the cemetery.

"Yes... I've lost him. And it's hard to not blame him for leaving me alone like he didn't even care about me and our unborn child. I don't know what to think any longer. The world has become so dark to me. There's no light for me anymore... Oh, I'm so sorry! It was inappropriate for me to make you listen such a thing."

"Perhaps you will see the light again once your child is born. You just need to believe it."

Sometimes, he couldn't believe how soft he could be, unintentionally going as far as trying to cheer up every sad person he met. It made a different, however, even though it was not his intention. The woman was shocked that instead of getting angry, the man showed a semblance of sympathy.

"... Is that so? I'd really love to believe that."

"I have no answer. I figured it was only appropriate for me to offer some sort of motivational words. It's irrelevant to me whether it made any difference or not"

It was true that the man was too stoic and somewhat hostile. But still, his questionable attempt to cheer her up was rather sweet to her. She decided he was a good man. Really, someone wearing such sophisticated kenseikan on his hair couldn't be a bad person, she thought jokingly.

"It still means a lot to me. Thank you, Kenseikan-dono."