Chapter two

A Fine Blade?

Raika woke up from the day before and yawned her long blond hair was out of its ponytail it fell messy around her face. It was messy and course hair her mother had always told her she had her fathers eyes and hair, but her face. For the first time since she had come here. Raika felt happy with her progress the day before. As she stood up she tried to flatten out her hair slightly when it failed she pulled it up in a high pony tail like she normally did. Her mother had told her a story about the Shigami when she was a child it was then that she had decided she would do anything to become one. She got dressed quickly as she still was not a full Shigami thus she did not have the Shigami robes. Instead she wore what all new recruits wore a white kimono with baggy pants. She walked to her door and opened it.

As she walked down the halls of the soul society she watched as full Shigami walked past her. Most of them ignored the white clad recruit but a few who had seen her before laughed as she past she had been there the longest without getting her Zanpakto yet. Most knew why she hadn't received hers yet and they found it funny. She sighed and tried to make herself as conspicuous as possible, but it was hard when your wearing white while everyone else was wearing black.

---

Ichigo sat in his office staring at Renji's blade. His brown eyes where hazed over as he thought a soft knock came to his door and he was suddenly pulled out of his thoughts

"Come in..." he said lightly as he tried to look busy with the paperwork on his desk.

"Ichigo..." a female voice said as the door swung open. In the doorway was a woman she was just as beautiful as the day he had met her. She had black hair that hung and framed her face. He smiled and then dropped his papers.

"Rukia...whats up?" he asked as he stood up and walked over to her. She smiled lightly and then pulled a piece of hair behind her ear.

"I heard...your training one of the new recruits?" she asked. Ichigo nodded slowly then grinned in a mischievous manor.

"Yes...her name is Raika Tonari" he said with a laugh. Rukia frowned lightly as she looked at his desk with a sigh.

"Ichigo you still haven't replaced your self its been almost ten years...Ichigo!" she said exasperated. Ichigo looked at her then shrugged.

"there hasn't been any new people to reach bankai yet..." he said frowning lightly "I wont put a captain in who doesn't have a bankai" he looked at the woman lightly. She sighed and then nodded.

"Fine Ichigo...are you going to actually join me tonight or not...last night you disappeared on me..." she frowned. Ichigo chuckled slightly.

"Ah..ya sorry about that Rukia...its just i had to make up some work...who knew running the soul society would have so much paper work" he shook his head slightly. Rukia frowned at him lightly. He had calmed down a lot as he had aged but he was still a slack off at times. She shook her head then smiled softly as she walked up to him and kissed him on the cheek.

"If you join me tonight...I'll make it worth your wild" she smirked. Ichigo laughed then nodded.

"Eh heh...I would love to Rukia...but I might have to stay late again..." he frowned. Rukia shook her head then turned to leave.

"Well then see you later Ichigo" she smirked. Ichigo watched her leave with a bemused smirk on his face. He then grabbed Zabimaru from his desk. Slowly he walked to the door to search for Raika.

---

It didn't take Ichigo long to track down the beginner soul reaper. She was sitting alone while the others around her chatted in groups eating. It was a cafeteria of sorts.

"Hey...what are you doing here alone?" he said with a smile she looked up. As she did she noticed almost all of the soul reapers where staring at both of them but then again there leader was standing there talking with a joke of a beginner. Ichigo seemed to notice it as well he placed The sword Zabimaru in front of her.

"come on...lets go train" he chuckled. Raika nodded and grabbed the sword grinning. When she raised to her feet and Ichigo turned to the majority of the people everyone turned back to there plates as if guilty. Ichigo lead her towards the training rooms with a grin.

"I take it...people avoid you because they think your weak right" he asked with a smile.

"Ya...It's been like this since I came" she frowned. He nodded as he listened to her.

"You know Raika...me and you are more alike then you think...When I got here I was a bit of a joke..well until I beat every one of the Captains single handedly." he looked over his shoulder at her smirking lightly. Raika frowned slightly as she thought about him being laughed at. She really couldn't see that.

"Why did they laugh at you?" she asked with a frown he smirked slightly as he walked.

"Well...For one my Zanpakto was huge...I've never been good at hiding my spiritual pressure." he said with a frown. "And for two...Well lets just say I wasn't really suppose to be a soul reaper..." he shook his head lightly. Raika looked at him with wide eyes.

"...I hope i get my Zanpakto soon" she said lightly as she walked behind him. They where at the door to the training room. Ichigo stopped and Raika ran into him slightly.

"I'm sorry Ichigo-sensi" she said he looked at her and shook his head motioning for her to go in. she walked into the room and turned to look at him.

"are you in a giga?" Ichigo asked as he smiled at her. The girl shook her head slowly.

"N-no...actually...I have my own body..." she said lightly. Ichigo chuckled that was one thing he had changed before him only already dead souls could become reapers now select humans with high sensitivity where also allowed. He pulled his Zanpakto from his back and put it on her forehead. Suddenly her soul separated from her body. Her body lay on the ground as she stood there. She was now in the Shigami robes on her hilt was a Zanpakto. She looked down at it as Ichigo to looked at the sword both sweat dropped as they saw the size. It had to be no bigger then a dagger.

"...that has got to be the most puny Zanpakto I have ever seen" Ichigo said slowly looking at it. He then started to laugh. The girl however looked down at it and smiled.

"Ichigo! I have a Zanpakto!" she said brightly. Ichigo looked at her then smiled lightly at least she was happy.

"It's a fine blade..." he sweatdropped.