Chapter Nineteen

"Yuzu? It's great to see you again…" Ichigo said, smiling brightly at his younger sister as he walked in. Yuzu seemed excited about something.

"Ichigo! I've been working on my abilities with Ishida-san! He said he would teach me Quincy powers… Though, I suspect he's only doing it to annoy Dad."

"So, you've learned to be a Quincy?" Ichigo asked. Yuzu nodded, taking a deep breath, and manifesting a bow.

"My archery skills are still a little iffy, but I'm getting there. Ishida-san says that I'm pretty good. He has an entire exercise regime for me. I'm exhausted these days, but he says that I'll get over it. He also says that my reiatsu control is good."

"That's great. Quincies need a great deal of reiatsu control. Uryu always… Damnit… That asshole may have been a traitor, but I miss him…" Ichigo muttered angrily. "Damn you, Uryu… Why'd you have to turn on us!" He demanded. Yuzu hugged Ichigo tightly.

"C'mon, Nii-san… Wouldn't Quincies go to Soul Society as well?" Yuzu asked. Ichigo's eyes lit up.

"You're right! Normally, they would probably go to Ywach's soul. Quincies all contain slivers of Ywach's soul. But, since Ywach is dead, they might go to Soul Society!" He shouted, seeming really happy about this. But what would he say to Uryu? Would Uryu remember him? Or would Ichigo just be a Shinigami captain to him.

"Yuzu!" Karin shouted, running in, hugging Yuzu.

"Karin-chan! It's good to see you again! How is school going!?" Yuzu asked. Karin smiled.

"It's going pretty well. I just recently moved to the top of my class. I moved up two years in school. I hope I don't fall behind now. But I've got Toshiro to help me. He's working with me on weekends… Probably not his idea of a date, but he's been pretty good about it."

"Karin-chan! You have a boyfriend!? That's great! Do I get to meet him?" Yuzu gushed. Karin sighed.

"I guess I could introduce you to him. In a bit."

"Hey, Nii-chan! How is your job going?"

"Pretty well. It's a lot of work."

"I thought it might be. How's Rukia nee-chan doing?" Yuzu asked. Ichigo smiled.

"She's doing pretty good. I hear she's being considered to be a captain, herself."

"Really? That's great!" Yuzu exclaimed. Ichigo nodded.

"I'm nervous about her becoming a captain. She's got more than enough talent, but I'd be worried that she'll get hurt."

"Fool! You're the one we always need to be worried about! Your tendency to get yourself into sticky situations is almost legendary in Soul Society! I'll be fine! Captain or Lieutenant or whatever!" Ichigo sighed at this.

"I know. I love you, though, so naturally I worry about you." He said quietly. Rukia was honestly touched by this profession of affection for her.

"I… Y-you still don't need to worry about me. I've been approached by the Captain-Commander about becoming Captain of Third Squad. I'm not sure I'm interested, though." She said, turning to Yuzu, smiling happily about seeing her again.

"It's nice to finally see you again, Yuzu. Karin, you too. How is the Academy going?" Rukia asked. Karin scowled.

"It's actually going great. I've heard that I might graduate within a year. My training with all of you has been really helpful. I'm actually pretty excited." Karin said brightly. After a moment, a young man about Yuzu and Karin's age came in… Well, he looked about the same age. It was impossible to tell for sure when people aged so slowly in Soul Society.

"Excuse me, Miss Kurosaki?"

"Yes?" Karin and Yuzu both said at the same time.

"Karin Kurosaki…" He said, looking at the piece of paper. He was a slender young man, standing about 5'5" and looking like he weighed about 120 pounds. He had black hair and green eyes, and was carrying a pair of kerambits with him. Ichigo sensed a strange presence coming from him. His Reiatsu was darker, more oppressive than most.

He clearly wasn't a Hollow, or a Vizard, but his Reiatsu was deathlike in appearance. He was a little bit intimidating, even to Ichigo.

"What do you want with Karin?" Ichigo asked, clenching his fist.

"O-oh, Captain Kurosaki! Um… I was sent here by Captain Soi Fon to ask if Miss Kurosaki was going to be training with her today."

"Oh… Um… M-my sister just came by from the Human World. Tell Soi Fon I'm sorry."

"Of course, Miss Kurosaki…"

"And stop calling me Miss Kurosaki! Just call me Karin, damnit!" Karin snapped. The young man nodded, and seemed to disappear in a flash. Karin sighed. Soi Fon was going to be annoyed with her later when she came to her next training session.

"Hey, Nii-san… Can we walk around the Soul Society?" Yuzu asked excitedly. Ichigo nodded, looking at Rukia, who smiled, seeming happy that Yuzu was so excited.
"Sure… Was there somewhere in particular that you wanted to see?" Ichigo asked. Yuzu shook her head.

"Just, anywhere you think is a good place to go."

"Well… I need to head over to the Division 2 Barracks." Karin said. "Captain Soi Fon is probably pretty annoyed that I didn't call ahead to cancel. "I could have been spending my afternoon with Ms. Yoruichi!" She'll mutter, and then probably end up abusing her lieutenant a bit."

Ichigo laughed at this. Karin did a pretty good impression of Soi Fon.

"Well, we'll start there then." Ichigo said, putting his sandals on and going out the door with Rukia, Karin and Yuzu in tow. Yuzu seemed impressed by things in Soul Society that Ichigo had long since just gotten used to. After they had been walking for about ten minutes, they ran into Kenpachi, who grinned maniacally at Ichigo.

"Hey, Ichigo… Ya wanna spar with me!?" He asked. Ichigo smiled nervously.

"I can't. I'm showing my sister around. This is Yuzu."

"Hello, Kenpachi-san." Yuzu said, bowing politely. She didn't seem scared at all, despite Kenpachi's very intimidating appearance. Kenpachi looked down at her, leaning over and smelling her.

"You smell like that black haired glasses guy… You a Quincy?" He asked. Yuzu squirmed nervously. She had never had someone smell her, much less someone as large and frankly frightening as Kenpachi.

"Um… Um… Y-yes… I-I am… I'm not sure why I smell like… The man you mentioned… But maybe it's my Reiatsu… Quincies have a very distinct Reiatsu."

"Mm… Maybe we could fight sometime… That Quincy kid was tougher than he looked. He was skinny like a pencil, but he worked for that Ywach guy, so he couldn't have been weak. Maybe you'll gimme a good fight." Kenpachi laughed. Yuzu smiled nervously.

"I… Appreciate it, but I'll have to pass. I'm just on a tour through Soul Society." Yuzu said, smiling, hoping that Kenpachi would accept her answer.

He didn't seem like he was necessarily a reasonable person. Zaraki just grinned, though, and nodded.

"I'll spar with Noa, then. I need a workout." Kenpachi said, walking off. Ichigo sighed in relief. He had been sure that Kenpachi was just going to attack him.

"Just don't destroy the Seireitei with your fight." Ichigo said. Kenpachi laughed at this. "No promises!" The huge, spiky haired captain shouted, hurrying off with Noa to spar.

Of course, the way those two fought, it could possibly end in the deaths of one of them, most likely Noa. Ichigo had never met anyone who could beat Kenpachi, other than Unohana… Though he had only heard about that fight from a friend. Ichigo nodded to himself, and headed straight for the Second Division barracks, where Karin broke off from the group, heading over to Hinata.

"Hey! Hinata-san!" She said loudly. Hinata looked up, smiling.

"Oh, hello, Miss Kur… Karin-san… Captain Soi Fon is still here, I think. I'm sure she still has time to spar with you. If she's anywhere, she'll be in her office."

"Thanks…"

"Oh, hello… You must be… Yuzu Kurosaki… Your brother talks about you and Karin a lot. He never told me just how beautiful you are, though…" Hinata said, bowing politely to Yuzu, who blushed slightly. He was so charming.

"Perhaps you would do me the honor of allowing me to show you around the Seireitei, Miss Kurosaki…" Hinata said politely. He had only just met her, but already he was smitten.

There was something about her that was very special. He sensed something in her reiatsu. She must have been spiritually aware. She wouldn't have been able to withstand the powerful Reiatsu in Soul Society if she wasn't. Was she just a human, or did she have special powers?

"Oh, I would, but Nii-chan is showing me around. I don't get many chances to see Nii-chan anymore. We're both so busy these days. I'm sorry."

"Oh no. I completely understand. Please, have fun with your brother." Hinata said, feeling silly now, and more than a little disappointed, trying to flirt with Yuzu, especially in front of Ichigo, though the orange haired captain didn't seem to be paying attention. Still, he was sure that Ichigo was keeping track. The orange haired captain was known for his fierce reputation. Still, he didn't seem too angry.

"Maybe another time…" Yuzu said with a smile.

Hinata was strange, his reiatsu felt odd, but she could tell that he was a nice person. Even Ryuken said she had a unique ability to discern people's motives. He had been training her for a while, now, and he often said how impressive her abilities were, even compared to Uryu's, who acquitted himself well when push came to shove. Although Ryuken often said in the past that Uryu didn't have the talent, he worked to show that he did, and always came out on top.

Even still, Yuzu seemed to be a natural. Maybe it was the combination of Quincy and Shinigami blood in her that allowed her particular sensitivity to spiritual particles. Or that was one of his theories. Isshin still didn't care for the fact that Yuzu was learning to be a Quincy. He had already lost Ichigo and Karin to Soul Society. He didn't want to lose Yuzu as well. She may never die, but she still would be constantly fighting Hollows, and he didn't want her in that kind of danger.

"It would be my pleasure, Miss Kurosaki…" Hinata said, bowing and kissing her hand lightly. Yuzu's eyes widened slightly. Such an old-fashioned sense of manners.

"Please, call me Yuzu…" She said. Hinata nodded.

"Of course… Yuzu…" Hinata said, his pale skin turning a light shade of pink.

"May I ask how long you will remain in Soul Society?"

"Oh… I'm not sure. But I can give you my home address in Karakura Town." Yuzu said, taking a piece of paper and writing down an address on it, handing it to Hinata. She was really quite charmed by him. His Reiatsu was a little strange, but he seemed like he was a nice person. And she didn't know enough about Shinigami Reiatsu to say whether a strange one was a bad thing.

"Are there any times that are not good for you?" He asked nervously, not wanting to blow it now. He found his heartrate increasing, his breathing becoming labored.

"Well… As long as I'm not in school. I usually am home by 6 o'Clock. I have archery after school, and I'm top of the team, so I can't miss it."

"I look forward to being able to see you, then. Enjoy your time with your brother." Hinata said, bowing again and going back to his work.