Disclaimer: - I don't own Bleach. Kubo Tite owns Bleach.

WARNING MASSIVE SPOILERS

Please Read And Review

Slightly longer than usual. Due to the site not letting me upload the next chapters nearly done.

Sin of Otaku: Nah the letters are just generic letters between family members. Not crucial to the story but if you really want to see them I can always make them as one offs.

Spelling of Names: In regards to character names I generally go by the wikipedia spelling. If it's wrong blame them D -palms off responsibility- even though I have seen various spellings elsewhere for certain characters.

Meetings

Five days passed in relative peace for Kurosaki Ichigo. That is if you considered daily shin kicks, uppercuts and jabs to the stomach, from a certain raven haired young woman, peaceful. Kenjimaru had become wary of Ichigo ever since the duel avoiding Ichigo as best as he could. However the man was never far away and had started to pay an unusual amount of attention to Ichigo, constantly watching him from a distance. Whenever their paths did meet Kenjimaru was always sure to properly address Ichigo as 'Kurosaki-sempai' and promptly leave. But Ichigo knew he was being watched. Not only was he being watched by Kenjimaru now, but ever since Rukia had told him about Saito, he knew he was also being monitored by Byakuya. That's when Ichigo had decided to take the group to this place, to train and to get some privacy.

It was incredible that such a large underground cavern could be hidden deep within Seireitei. The spacious underground cavern was surprisingly well lit. The very rock that it was made from seemed to emanate a glow of its own. The smell of sulfur wafted through the air from the lone, hot spring situated at one corner of the cavern. It had surprised Hyou, Yukino, Orihime and even Ganjyu that Ichigo knew of such a place. Hyou was sitting down next to Yukino and Orihime, all three intently watching Ichigo and Ganjyu sparring. "They're very good…" Hyou pondered loudly. "I wonder if we can ever catch up to them in Hakudo (1)"

Yukino smiled at him and nodded. Orihime seemed to stare off into the distance, lost in thought, watching the pair spar. "Inoue-san…Inoue-san…" Hyou waved a hand trying to attract her attention.

Orihime's expression changed suddenly, she looked worried, then pale, then screamed out "No… Captain!! Turn the ship… No!!!…. Watch out for the Iceberg ..NOOO!!!!"

Surprised, everyone focused their attention at the young busty, brunette. She snapped back to reality, realizing that all the attention was now on her. She gave a limp smile of embarrassment and giggled. "Haha!... Sorry, I must have started daydreaming again!"

Ichigo started laughing. "You never change do you!" His smile and laughter, although rare, was infectious and soon everyone was laughing in good natured mirth.

Orihime loved the way he smiled, on the odd occasion he did. It made him look young and carefree, hiding the years of pain and war that normal teenagers only saw in nightmares. The pair walked back over to the group and plunked down heavily beside them. Sitting together in a group they started on lunch. Conversation soon filled the cavern as the group talked and laughed. "Hey! Stop hogging all the food Ganjyu!" Ichigo screamed at his companion through a mouthful of rice, "I knew you ride pigs, but do have to eat like one!"

"Ha! I'm not the one holding an Onigiri (2) in each hand punk!"

The two glared at each other menacingly. Yukino waved her arms frantically till the two of them noticed her. She was pointing to the ground where she had scrawled some words with a stick, 'Made Plenty for everyone'. She began pointing to herself and the words and began motioning her hands in a cupping motion.

Ganjyu and Ichigo looked at her guiltily and nodded. Orihime looked around at her companions and tried to diffuse the situation. "Hey, Yamada-kun was very good at Hakudo wasn't she!"

"Yeah! She was very good." Ichigo smiled at Yukino sheepishly.

"But not as good as me!" Ganjyu said pointing his thumb back at himself and puffing up his chest.

Yukino nodded and half smiled, her eyes held a kind of pain that Ichigo had seen in himself and few others. Her look was also noticed by Orihime who placed a gentle hand on Yukino's arm and asked in a soothing voice, "Yamada-kun, What's wrong?"

Yukino shook her head and slowly got up. She gave the group a smile, signaled that she was going for a walk, before bowing and walking away. Ichigo was puzzled at what had just happened. Hyou saw the reaction on his companions faces and decided to offer an explanation. "You all really don't know?" The blank looks staring back at him was all the answer he needed. "Yamada-san can't speak."

"We know that already" Ichigo replied testily.

Hyou drew a deep breath as he began his lengthy explanation, "She can't speak, so she can't cast kidou. As you know Kidou has at least two of three requirements. Incantation, Somatics and Material composition. Each has its own unique function in forming kidou spells. She can handle the somatics and material composition easily enough, but she can't call the incantations."

"So she can't become a Shinigami?" Orihime asked with genuine concern on her face.

"No. She still can. Not being able to cast a kidou spell means you fail Kidou class and you'll be unable to advance in Kidou class. That leaves her with only four divisions she can join if she wants to become a seated Shinigami. This also applies to you too Kurosaki-san, if you fail."

"Me?" Ichigo asked. He frowned in thought. "What divisions are they?" He didn't think he'd like the answer but he needed to know.

"2nd, 4th, 11th and 12th Divisions. The 12th Division will seat officers for scientific research, meaning she's got to be a genius to get into there. The 4th Division will allow her to be seated without kidou only if she has natural healing abilities. The 2nd and 11th Divisions accept seated officers due to combat ability meaning she needs to become really good at Zanjutsu (3) and Hakudo at the very least to become seated there."

"Great!" Ichigo growled angrily, "Psycho scientist, Psycho killer, Psycho policewoman or sewerage duty."

Ganjyu felt very guilty about his ill timed jest. He hadn't realized he'd accidentally hit a raw nerve and his mind raced to think of a solution, some method to make it up to her. Hyou continued, "Even if she were to get into one of these divisions, she still cannot be seated unless she can call out her shikai."

Realization struck the three listening to Hyou. It was Ichigo who broke the mute atmosphere that had befallen them. "So she needs to become strong enough to call out her Zanpaktou without calling before she can become seated."

Hyou nodded. "She's got it harder than the rest of us. On average it's at vice captain levels before anyone can call out their Zanpaktou's without calling."

"What happens if she can't be seated?" Ichigo asked.

"Well then she'll forever be stuck with menial tasks and be used as a foot soldier for the rest of her life. The pays also pretty bad." Hyou answered.

Orihime wanted to get up and go after Yukino after hearing all this but was abruptly stopped by Ganjyu. "No, you, Hyou and Ichigo should go meet Yoruichi-san. They should be here already. I'll go find her, I was the one being a jerk…"

Shihoun Yoruichi, marched regally out of the large captains hall. Her long purple hair, splayed out behind her, from the pony tail she kept it in. Her dark skin contrasted heavily against her yellow, feline eyes. Looking like a predatory herd, she marched with her entourage towards the 2nd Division headquarters where they had each been assigned guest rooms for the duration of their stay. Her companions comprised two young men and a woman. The tall, lanky male dressed in white, with black hair and glasses was Ishida Uryu - a Quincy. However he had become known now throughout Soul Society as 'Ishida - The Destroyer' or 'Ishida - The Grand Executioner'. The brown haired male with slight stubble walking beside the Quincy was Asano Kiego and the short, black haired female with dark piercing eyes was Arisawa Tatsuki. Together they made up the Representatives of the Real World.

They had just left a meeting with Captain Yamamoto and all the captains. Their escorting Shinigami looked nervously and with a bit of awe at the group, treated as if they were captains or vice captains themselves. Ahead of them, a group of four stood in a line completely blocking the walkway, the grim look they used to eye the representatives frightened the young escort. As he approached them he found the courage to call out confidently, "Stand aside, these people are guests and VIP's and I am under…" he paused when he felt the hand of Yoruichi grab him firmly on the shoulder.

Head cocked, she released the poor man, stepped forward and crossed her arms across her sun coloured top. "Ichigo… Long time no see!" she called out.

"Yoruichi-san!" he replied stepping forward with a grin on his face.

Just like that the tension in the air broke down, the escort was surprised by what unfolded before him. He was sure three of the four newcomers were academy students, having no visible unit markings. The last one however, he realized was the noblewoman, Kuchiki Rukia. "Tatsuki-chaaaaaaannnn!!!!" an excited girl screamed, rushing past him.

"HIME!!" Tatsuki delighted ran forward and the two embraced warmly. "It's good to see you!"

"You look great!!" Orihime stood back to view her smiling companion.

"She's got a boyfriend now." Ishida remarked with a hint of a smile forming. "I heard women glow when that happens." His eyes never left Orihime.

"Got a problem with that!" Tatsuki hiding the redness in her cheek with anger. This seemed to make Orihime smile even wider.

"Ichigo, been getting into trouble lately?" Yoruichi asked by way of greeting.

Ichigo laughed. "No, Yoruichi-san."

"Rukia, how have you been? Ichigo been giving you lip?" Yoruichi asked, a glimmer of mischief dancing in her eyes. "Teach him to be a good man yet?"

Rukia choked, coughing out her reply, "Yoruichi-san!!.. No.."

She laughed at Rukia apparent shock, "Just joking. It's good to see you…" her eyes caught the sight of an unfamiliar face. "and this is?"

"Hyou" Ichigo answered for him. "He's a classmate of mine at the academy."

"Hyou…?"

"Just Hyou, Yoruichi-san. I don't have a family name." Hyou answered her pause.

Yoruichi nodded in understanding, returning a sad smile to the young man. "Come. We should all go to the Soifon's place and catch up!"

To this they all nodded and began walking, chatting like long lost friends all the way. Hyou noticed the casual way that Yoruichi had addressed the captain of the 2nd Division, but that wasn't surprising considering the woman's history. What surprised him however was that they were going to 'catch up' implying a long time of prior association with each other. He had promised himself not to be surprised by Ichigo anymore, but the more he found out about his mysterious room mate, the more he felt dragged into the strange, new events. It was just his luck that of all the 300 odd, new academy students in his year, he had ended up sharing a room with two of the most mysterious people in it. He made a secret pact to himself, then and there, to search the academy archives and library to find out.

They stayed at Soifon's many guest rooms, eating and chatting away merrily. The short, dark haired captain was strangely subdued around the group. Hyou noticed this, she was nothing like her reputation said of her. On the one occasion that a messenger came to report to the captain, she stood up, her bearing and mannerisms changing completely. Her tone became cold and commanding and her eyes flashed dangerously at the messenger. But around the group, she was rather normal and almost subservient to Yoruichi.

"When did you start drinking so much Keigo?" Ichigo asked, eyeing his drunk friend.

Keigo was on his fifth bottle of sake and it was barely evening. "I am? I grew up I guess." Kiego replied a sad smile crossing his features.

"Grew up?" Ichigo stared suspiciously at Keigo, "Don't tell me… Girl problems?"

"There are more important things in life than girls, Ichigo."

"Wha…" Ichigo was stunned.

"Look I'm not the girl crazy jerk I used to be Ichigo." Keigo snapped. Ishida flashed a look at Ichigo, shaking his head slightly. Keigo, ashamed at his outburst smiled weakly, grabbing another bottle of sake. "Sorry Ichigo… Umm… It's been a long day so I think I'll go to bed now." He stood up with his bottle as Soifon nodded to him, summoning a guard to escort him to his room.

The room was quiet for a moment. Ishida finally broke the silence and adjusted his glasses as he spoke. "He's been like that ever since Mizuiro died."

"Two years…" Ichigo wondered out loud. He remembered his young effeminate friend's death and the impact it had on the whole group. Keigo had taken it hardest and had become depressed for a long time.

"Six months after that he seemed to snap out of his depression, "Ishida seemed to be able to read the question looming over Ichigo, "and he came to Urahara's shop asking for training."

Urahara Kisuke was a shady Shinigami shop keeper, never seen without his beloved green and white pinstriped hat and wooden sandals. He was also a close friend to Yoruichi and his shop had become a battlefield headquarters of sorts, to those fighting in the real world. "Urahara and I trained him." Yoruichi added in. "He was very serious about it. Like you once were. I guess Mizuiro's death affected him badly."

"He was serious?" Ichigo asked surprised. Because of the raging war, Ichigo hadn't had much contact with Keigo and had often wondered what had happened to his friend since.

"Yes… very serious." Yoruichi finished off another bottle of milk, preferring it to alcohol. "He put his life on the line for it." She looked away wistfully into the yard through the open doors, lost in thought. "I was the first one to reach him when Mizuiro died. The place was like a war zone. Everything destroyed and the earth ripped up."

She turned back to fix her gaze at Ichigo. "When I got there the hollows had been defeated, but Keigo was all bloodied from wounds. He was cradling Mizuiro in his arms and crying… Mizuiro was dead, the damage to his body was horrendous, but what was worse was Keigo seemed to be on the edge of his sanity… He kept crying and crying, the only words he spoke were 'I'm so weak, Sorry Mizuiro, so weak…'. No one could get close to him for a long time."

"I see…" Ichigo frowning thoughtfully.

"If only I was there…" Orihime murmured to no one in particular. Tatsuki reached over and patted her friends hand, comforting her.

Ishida coughed softly and decided to lighten the air, changing the topic. "Inuoe-san, I got those things you wanted." A slight blush crept into his cheeks, he turned to fix his eyes on Rukia and Ichigo. "I also got some for you, Kurosaki and for you Rukia-san (4)"

"Really!" Orihime almost shrieked, excitedly.

"Got what?" Ichigo and Rukia asked curiously. They frowned at each other in disgust. "That was my line!!"

The group laughed at the two's sudden telepathic prowess, as Soifon motioned for a guard to bring in Ishida's belongings. When they were brought in, Ishida removed a large package for Orihime and two smaller ones for Rukia and Ichigo. Orihime tore away at the package happily, it's contents spilling out onto the smooth floor. It was clothing from the real world and Orihime sorted through the contents like a child at Christmas. She thanked Ishida. "Thank you Ishida-kun, there all so nice and you even got the right sizes too!" Holding up a lacy pink bra to her chest, she asked innocently. "How did you know?"

Ishida blushed as Tatsuki teased him. "Should've seen him at the department store. He asked me to come along to get that. I didn't think he could be so shy! He even knew the strap sizes and cup sizes!!"

Fighting to regain his dignity he countered, "I am a tailor, I can judge a persons size simply by looking."

"Oh! You looked?" Rukia chimed in. The group laughed at Ishida's obvious discomfort.

"WHAT THE HELL!!" Ichigo scream turned everyone's attention to him as he raised a T-shirt up into the air. "Why the hell does all my clothes have the Quincy symbol on it!!"

"I made them myself."

The rest of the night was spent in subdued and general conversation. Hyou had remained quiet all night taking in the talks. It was obvious to him that Ichigo knew these people for a long time and that he had fought in the war in the real world. The question that Hyou pondered was why and how. He wondered if Ichigo, like Orihime, was a real world warrior who had died and been buried to Soul Society and if so, how much of his power transferred across with him? Orihime was known as a genius Shinigami here in Soul Society and if she was the measure, then by what it sounded like, Ichigo was better.

Kuchiki Byakuya stood beside his aunt Kuchiki Megumi in the large Kuchiki meeting hall. Although slightly shorter than her nephew, the middle aged woman's eyes easily matched his in intensity. Her hair fashioned in a top knot, was captured and held in place by a myriad of golden hairpins. Her ruby red lips curled in a snarl as she spoke. "Father, it has come to my attention that certain people within the Kuchiki clan are acting in ways unbefitting our noble stature."

"To whom are you referring, Aunt Megumi-san?" (5) Byakuya stared at her, expressionless.

Kuchiki Enyou, father of Megumi and grandfather of Byakuya, raised his large scarred hands to silence the two. As head of the Kuchiki clan he looked imposing in his purple silk robes and long wispy grey beard. His face was hard and slightly wrinkled, but his deep grey eyes still commanded respect from those it rested on. Sitting on his large throne like chair he spoke, "I have heard. I am old but I am not blind, nor deaf Megumi."

"Father." Megumi bowed slightly, "I am only concerned for the reputation and integrity of the clan."

"Are you referring to Kurosaki Ichigo?" Enyou asked gently stroking his beard.

"Yes father."

"Have you met him before?"

"He is in the same year as my son, Minosuke."

"Grandfather," Byakuya calmly interrupted, "I do not think it is a problem."

"When Rukia was adopted into the clan I could not intervene." Megumi's eyes were coal, her rage seething below the surface of her comments. "But I will not stand by while someone from the head family associates herself with commoners."

"Kurosaki is no mere commoner Aunt Megumi-san." Byakuya too, hid his anger behind his calm visage. "The Chamber of 46 and the Gotei 13 all consider him to be valuable and talented."

"Even still, do you think it appropriate Byakuya-kun, that someone of her status throw herself at someone such as he, like some commoner. Is this the example the head family wishes to show the other branch families?" Her tone dripping with venom.

"She may be young and a little immature." Byakuya conceded, "But I assure you she has done nothing to disgrace the family or head family."

"Are you protecting her because of your promise to Hisana?" The mention of Byakuya's dead wife caused him to wince a little. "Oh we all know about that promise Byakuya-kun."

"As I said she has done nothing wrong. She is merely friends with Kurosaki."

"Since when have you been one that knows about friendship? Are you being lenient on her because she's Hisana's sister?" Megumi grinned wickedly, knowing she had struck a nerve with Byakuya.

"ENOUGH!!" roared Enyou. "You will not drag my dear grand daughter in law's name into this!"

"Forgive me father." Megumi bowed, her face showing no signs of remorse. "I merely wished that the heir to the Kuchiki name show no bias in his decision making."

"I have none." Byakuya answered her stare with one of his own.

"That's good to hear. I'd hate to think that the future heir would be unworthy to become head of the Kuchiki clan."

"That's enough. I have come to a decision." Enyou's voice rose like thunder in the empty hall. Turning to look at Byakuya he said, "The Chamber of 46 and Captain Yamamoto have both expressed to me Kurosaki's importance and worth. I have no reason to doubt their words. He has also become the focus of our clan and we have been ordered to protect him at all cost." Byakuya nodded in reply. Closing his eyes Enyou began stroking his long, fine beard again. "However I do agree that people can misinterpret Rukia's behavior towards Kurosaki. It may or may not reflect badly on us. I do not know. However I think we should be safe, if she were to refrain from such conduct in future." This gained a smile and a slight nod from Megumi. "But Rukia being of such a strong personality would not stand for it and I do not wish to create an unseemly scene. I do not want the Kuchiki name to end up like some Kabuki (6) play,…. However…although I ask she not approach him" Enyou turned his gaze on Byakuya, a slight smile, "I will approve of Kurosaki to court her through the normal means, if he so wishes to do so."

Megumi, aghast could only bow as she excused herself and left the room. Byakuya took his leave, thanking Enyou for his time, but secretly he wondered how he was going to break this news to Rukia. He was snapped out of his trance when he noticed the form of Fujiwara Saito approaching him. He obviously had more news to report to him about Kurosaki.

End Chapter 5

How was it? Please Read and Review. Constructive criticism welcomed as I really need the help. I'm really interested in what you think of my pacing? Story and sequence pacing?

(1) Hakudo – Shinigami Hand to hand martial arts. Guess you could consider it Shinigami Karate, Death Fu, Tae Kwon Death etc...

(2) Onigiri – Rice ball with filling or plain with salt, wrapped in see weed. Much nicer than it sounds.

(3) Zanjutsu – Shinigami swordsmanship

(4) I decided to upgrade his closeness with Rukia, he normally calls her Kuchiki-san. After all years of war and battling together can do that to people. However I don't think Ishida's pride will allow him to call Ichigo anything other than Kurosaki.

(5) Properly he would've called her Oba-san or Oba-sama but if I did that to keep uniformity in the story she'd have to call her father Otou-san or Otou-sama. Iwanted to keep this as direct in English as possible so I decided on Aunt Megumi-san as opposed to Auntie or Aunt-san or Auntie-san as these don't sound formal enough for the strict way in which nobles talk. The only one I kept was Rukia calling Byakuya Nii-sama (It's so damned cute)

(6) Kabuki – A style of Japanese theater. Generally for the common folk and shunned by the upper class until much later past the Meiji restoration. Noh was the stuff the upper class preferred though Kabuki was more fun to watch. Kinda like Theater vs Opera in the west.

A/N: Can anyone guess what Orihime is daydreaming about? D