A/N: Well, its been a long time since I've updated. (I'm terribly sorry. Life got crazy.) Anyway, now that things have somewhat died down, I'm ready to present my newest chapter. Enjoy.

(Re-written as of 3/1/13)

Disclaimer: Bleach belongs to other people.

Chapter 6

The Soul Society Part 3

One week later

When Soi Fan stated that she would pack in years of training into a week course, she failed to mention that years equaled centuries in this world. Apparently, one week in the Soul Society was the equivalent of one day in the living world. So, in retrospect, Kiki had been forced into taking on more than a hundred years worth of rigorous training in the time frame of one day in the living world.

Obviously the task of learning all that Soi Fan had to teach wasn't easy. In fact, it was the most difficult course Kiki had ever taken in her short life. Even so, she worked hard and did her best to show her reluctant instructor that she had what it took to be a captain despite her inexperience.

Kiki collapsed on the couch within her office. It was late evening. Her eyelids felt heavy with exhaustion. She realized that Soi Fan would be strict, but she never thought the woman would be as ruthless as a cobra chasing after a defenseless mouse. Seriously, the crazy lady had picked apart every move she made, from her fighting stance to her switching of techniques in the middle of the training sessions. Over the course of the week she'd been beaten up a good fifty times, both physically and verbally. That was definitely a new thing for the young woman. Back in the living world, she was almost always praised for her fighting skills. Maybe Soi Fan just had over the top standards no one could measure up to.

Even so, life in the Soul Society hadn't been too bad. Sure, she was drowning in paperwork and her so-called lieutenant had no clue what he was doing, making him absolutely no help at all, but Kiki still had a positive attitude about her current circumstances.

Of course, no matter how positive the attitude, the effects of the past week weighed heavily on her. She was already covered in bruises and scraps due to Soi Fan's training and the paperwork had given her a migraine that hadn't ceased yet. Ichigo's lack of involvement didn't help matters either. If she were to be honest with herself, she'd say she were overwhelmed, but there was no time for that. Between training and paperwork, she had to establish some sort of relationship with the squad members. So far, she hadn't been able to do squat about the 5th's squads attitude towards her. It was clear they thought her imcompetant, unworthy, and just plain stupid, but Kik was determined to prove herself...even at the expense of her sanity.

"So…tired," Kiki muttered, burying her face in a pillow. "Just need…five minutes to rest."

And that was when Ichigo decided to burst in through the door.

"Yo! Kiki, get up!"

Kiki wanted to cry. "What do you want now Kurosaki? Can't you see that I am trying to rest." Honestly, was five minutes too much to ask?

"There's no time for that," Ichigo replied, providing the answer to Kiki's mental question. She barely turned her gaze toward him. He had another huge stack of papers in his hands.

"Please tell me that I don't have to deal with all that," Kiki pleaded, her expression revealing her inner horror to seeing such a massive stack.

"I'd be lying if I said that."

A blood vessel threatened to pop out of the young girl's head. Her temper was starting to get the better of her, but she did her best not to show it.

"Can't you just do it for me?" Kiki asked him. It was her last attempt for a nap.

The orange haired teen shook his head. "That's not my job. Besides, I'm trying to get to know everyone in squad five so that if we ever go out on missions they'll trust us and all that."

Kiki scoffed as she sat up. "I doubt we'll be sent on any mission Kurosaki. With my lack of experience and your lack of common sense, this whole setup is an utter disaster." Ichigo glared at her comment, but the young woman simply ignored it, stifling a yawn. "Surely Captain Yamamoto knows that."

"That's no excuse for being unprepared," Ichigo replied, handing her the paperwork. "I'm gonna grab some ramen from the market. Want some?"

Kiki didn't answer. What she wanted was an explanation. She wanted to understand why the head captain assigned her as captain of the fifth squad without receiving any kind of training other than from Soi Fan. She wanted to understand why her mother fled from Hueco Mundo, though she supposed the answer was semi-obvious. She wanted to understand why she had become a soul reaper to begin with. Was it hereditary because of her father? Would she become an Arrancar because of her mother's blood flowing within her veins? And her sister, the sole purpose for all the fighting she'd done, if she was dead, what should she fight for now?

"Those questions may never be answered," Kiki thought sadly, rising up from the couch, paperwork in tow. She laid the stack on her desk and slumped down in the wooden chair behind it. The stress of regaining her lost memories as a Soul Reaper and being a captain was definitely wearing her down.

"Kiki?"

"What?" Kiki asked, weary and beyond tired of dealing with the useless man in front of her.

"I asked if you wanted any food," he told her.

"No, I'll be fine Kurosaki," Kiki sighed, rubbing her temples before looking over the first sheet of the paperwork. Her violet eyes scanned the page in clear contempt.

Ichigo wasn't sure why, but he felt compelled to stay. He hadn't helped her much since she'd become captain. It wasn't because he didn't want to aid her, it was just because he wasn't certain of what needed to be done. Even so, he realized Kiki knew as little about being part of the Gotei Thirteen as he did.

"I'll be back," he stated after a moment. "Once I get our food we can work on that paperwork together."

"You wouldn't know where to begin with all of this," Kiki answered, her eyes still scanning that first sheet. "Besides, I'm not hungry."

Ichigo shrugged, hesitating at the door. "Then I'll just eat your food then."

With that said, he left, leaving Kiki to the mountain of paperwork. Her gaze didn't leave the piece of paper in her hand. She scanned it over and over.

Unfortunately, she didn't know where to begin with this paperwork either. Nothing that was on the sheet made any sense. Sure, Kiki was a Soul Reaper but she had gained her powers on the Earth plane. The Soul Society was a whole new world with a whole other set of rules she was unaware of. With the added stress of learning that she herself wasn't human, well that was pretty hard to swallow.

Even without her memories, Kiki was certain of the dark powers within her. She had known what an Arrancar was without being told because they were the monsters that had attacked her mother and sister all those years ago. They left a scar that still resides on Kiki's forehead after all, the source of the amnesia she'd been ridden with in the first place.

Of course, when regaining her memories, she had realized that the night before the Arrancars attacked she had seen a vision of her mother's past within a dream. The truth about her birth, which her mother had lied about time and time again. Now that she was older, Kiki understood why her mother had lied, but it still didn't explain how her parents met, nor did it explain why she saw her father the night the Arrancars attacked.

"His face haunts me," she thought with a shiver. "Deep in my heart, I feel like he may have caused what happened to my family. Then again, maybe he tried to protect us and just did an awful job of it, but..."

Kiki shook her head and returned her attention to the paperwork. Worries over her father and his place in the madness weren't going to help her current situation. Truth be told, nothing was going to help her when it came to the paperwork.

"Darn it," she muttered irritably. "Why the heck do I have to keep looking over these useless documents anyway? Oh, forget it!" She went to the bottom of the page and signed her name and did the same to the next page without even looking at it.

Toshiro entered the room around that time, looking bored as he gazed at the newest captain.

"Captain Uzumaki?" he questioned, seeing that she was signing papers that belonged to the captain of squad twelve, otherwise known as the head of the research and development department. He let out a sigh, knowing that Ichigo had probably grabbed the wrong stack of papers...again. "What do you think you're doing?"

Kiki didn't glance at him, still signing the papers mindlessly, never knowing she was probably approving off the wall experiments. "What does it look like Toshiro, I'm working."

Toshiro's cold eyes narrowed. "You shall refer to me as Captain Hitsuguya, Uzumaki."

"What do you want?" Kiki asked, ignoring the short captain's previous statement. "It better be important."

Toshiro's glare slipped into a grim frown. "It is. An emergency captain's meeting was called a short while ago. If you don't hurry we'll be late."

Kiki raised a suspicious brow as she finally lifted her gaze from the paperwork. "An emergency captain's meeting? What's the emergency?"

"THAT'S WHAT THE MEETING IS FOR!"

"Okay," Kiki droned, "no need to explode Captain Hitsuguya." She finished signing a document before rising to her feet. "Go on without me. I don't want to make you late."

"Negative Uzumaki," Toshiro answered irritably. "The head captain assigned me to assist you in the ways of the Soul Society as well as guide for you since you've only been here for a week."

"Please Hitsuguya, I've been running around constantly since the moment I became a captain," Kiki told him, passing by him as she left the room. Toshiro followed as she began her trek down the hall.

"Don't insult my intelligence by sticking by my side when there's no need to," she continued as she walked. "I know my way around just fine."

Kiki turned to the left, but Toshiro stopped her by grabbing her wrist.

"The meeting is in the other direction Uzumaki," he stated, a groan slipping past his lips as a blush rose on Kiki's pale cheeks.

"I knew that," she answered, leading the way once again. Toshiro still ended up redirecting her a couple of times throughout the trip, but eventually the two of them arrived in the meeting room. It was the same circular room that Kiki had met all the captains in one week earlier. The main hall and capital of the Soul Society.

Captain Yamamoto sat on the throne just as before. Unlike before, his expression was one of concern and it wasn't one that Kiki liked. Nonetheless, she took her place between Captain Retsu Unohana and Byakuya Kuchiki, the captains of squad four and six respectively. She didn't know either of them really well, but earlier that week she had encountered both of them on two separate occasions. Kiki and Unohana had hit it off fairly well. The captain of squad four was a nice, soft-spoken woman who wouldn't hurt anyone unless provoked. Byakuya, who happened to be Rukia's step-brother, was one guy to steer clear of. Quite frankly, Kiki was scared of the guy. Of course, she idly thought he was handsome, hot even...not that she'd admit it aloud. That would be unprofessional.

Petty thoughts on Byakuya aside, Kiki didn't like the tense atmosphere around her. Everyone was quiet and even the easy-going Shunsui Kyōraku, who was the captain of the eighth squad, seemed nervous.

Yamamoto glanced around the room and noted that every captain was present, including the newest addition. With a sigh, he rose from his chair and began to speak.

"Our worst fear has come to pass," he stated, the weight of the news descending on the room like a tidal wave. Kiki didn't understand what the head captain was talking about, but judging from the intense crease in his forehead and the way his fists clenched around his walking stick, something big was about to go down. Kiki glanced about the room, noting the looks on each of their faces. Their expressions ranged from excitement to absolute horror making it impossible to discern the gravity of the situation.

"Souske Aizen has escaped from his prison. He is alive and has regained all of his shinigami powers. He has fled from Hueco Mundo to attack Kurakura town as he did before, but his reasoning for this is unclear at this time. Some of his Arrancar minions, have returned, seemingly from the dead, to wage an attack on the city. As we speak, innocent souls are falling victim to them."

The room was silent as Yamamoto paused. Kiki's stomach dropped to the pit of her stomach, the horror of the situation grabbing at her heart. Arrancars, the monsters responsible for her sister's death and mother's disappearance, were wreaking havoc in the city she lived in. Still the mention of this Aizen character...

"Head Captain, may I have permission to speak sir?" Kiki asked, breaking the silence of the tense atmosphere. Soi Fan sent her a stern glare, but Kiki didn't care. For some reason, the young woman had a feeling that something sinister was afoot.

"Permission granted," Yamamoto answered.

"Sir, can you tell me why this Aizen guy is attacking the town? Is he an Arrancar as well?"

Yamamoto didn't speak for a long moment. His eyes closed as he stroked his long beard. The silence dragged on, threatening to eat away at the teen's already stressed sanity.

When he opened his eyes, he set his cold gaze solemnly on her.

"He is searching for his daughter," Yamamoto answered finally. "He is searching for you Kikelia."

Kiki felt her knees buckle slightly. "Old loony toon say what?"

The sound of soft laughter filled the room then. Everyone inclined their hard gazes upon the captain of the eighth squad, the most flamboyant captain of them all.

"Sorry," he amended with a light chuckle still on his lips. He tipped his straw hat down a little. "I just couldn't help myself. Old loony toon? That's classic."

"I wasn't trying to be funny," Kiki thought aimlessly while rolling her eyes.

Likewise, Yamamoto wasn't happy with the eighth captain's behavior either, but the proper time to scold him had passed. "Kikelia, Sōsuke Aizen was the former captain of squad five. He is also your father, but that discussion will be saved for another time…"

"Another time!" Kiki shouted. "You drop a bomb like that and then expect me to not want an explanation."

"Enough!" the head captain roared, his voice echoing within the room. Kiki wasn't fazed by the display, but she kept her mouth shut.

Yamamoto took a deep breath and calmed himself. "Captain Uzumaki, I shall speak to you on that matter at another time. As of this moment, there is a more pressing issue."

Kiki nodded. "Understood."

"Now, Kurosaki's friends returned to the World of the Living a few days ago as you all know," Yamamoto stated, not missing a beat. "They are fighting against Aizen's forces, which have regrouped and doubled in size. I am not certain of how Aizen managed to escape, only that it shouldn't have happened, but somehow…he was summoned back to Hueco Mundo by another force, a force beyond my comprehension." His gaze locked back on Kiki. "I imagine that his purpose in attacking Karakura town is to find Captain Uzumaki and take her staggering powers for himself. Apparently, this was his back-up plan."

Kiki couldn't say anything. She was too shocked by the news.

"I will be sending four captains to the World of the Living in order to aid Kurosaki's friends," Yamamoto continued. "The first shall be squad two's captain, Soi Fan."

Soi Fan nodded.

"The second, captain of squad ten, Toshiro Hitsuguya."

Toshiro nodded in the same way Soi Fan had.

"The third, captain of squad eleven, Kenpachi Zaraki."

Kiki cringed as the tall, spiky haired captain licked his lips.

"And lastly I'll shall send Byakuya Kuchiki, captain of squad six."

Byakuya simply nodded in respect.

"This meeting is now adjourned," Yamamoto proclaimed, stomping his walking stick on the floor. "Those of you who are going to the World of the Living, you may bring your lieutenants with you to the scene and however many members of your squad you want to help in the situation. Remember, Aizen may not be as powerful as he once was, but he is still a great threat to the living world. Your orders are to kill him on sight. Understood?"

"Understood," the four captains responded.

With that said, the captains began to leave the room.

However, Kiki couldn't move from her spot. Her mind was in a state of complete and utter shock. She simply couldn't fathom anything that had just been discussed. Was this the reason why Yamamoto chose her as captain of squad five? Was it because she was the daughter of the rogue Soul Reaper. Could it really be true?

"Kikelia Uzumaki."

Kiki looked up toward the old man. He was gesturing for her to follow him. The other captains had departed, leaving her the only captain remaining. With slight hesitation, she followed the old man to his main office.

Once inside, he gestured for her to sit. She sat down on the floor by the coffee table in front of her. A few seconds later, a servant brought two cups of hot green tea. Kiki nodded at the servant, thanking him before taking hold of the steaming cup. She kept her gaze steady, watching as Yamamoto sat down across from her.

"How long have you known?"

He sighed. "Aizen fooled all of us into thinking he was a respectable and honorable man. However, he was corrupt from the start."

"That doesn't answer my question old man," Kiki groaned, throwing aside all formalities. She took a quick sip of her tea before setting it back on the table. "How long have you known. When did you realize that I was this guy's daughter?"

"From the moment I felt your spiritual pressure shake the Soul Society a little over a week ago," Yamamoto answered. "The discovery of him having a child was made a while back. Many years ago."

"How?"

"At the time, Hollows had been growing restless in Hueco Mundo," he began. "As it is the duty for Soul Reapers to destroy these creatures, I had Aizen as well as many other soul reapers go to the world of the Hollows to put an end to those creatures in order to protect the living world. However, I noticed when Aizen returned he had become a different man."

"How so?" Kiki asked, narrowing her violet gaze again. "What happened?"

Yamamoto sighed. "He fell in love."

A/N: And this is where I end the chapter. It's somewhat of a filler chapter, but the next one will be full of intense action and possibly romance. But the only way to find out is to read the next chapter.