I do not own any of Bleach, Tite Kubo does.
Chapter 5
I heard someone snap their fingers. I looked up and saw a pale hand. Pointing at me.
Jushi-chan leaned towards me. "Kyouraku, doesn't she look familiar?" He looked up a bit surprised, "Eh? From when?" "Remember? Your little holiday trip to the human world. You brought back two friends." Shunsui looked up at the sky. "But my friend that was over a decade ago. I haven't heard or seen anything from him. For a long time." Jushi-chan turns to me, "I'm sorry I didn't catch your name?" "Oh! Um... Higetsu Ichiru."
Ichigo's P.O.V.
Oh SHIT! I have NEVER seen Ukitake or Shunsui this shocked before. How are they involved in this?
Ukitake looks up with a pained eyes. "H-higetsu?" Kyouraku looks at her, closely examining her. A little bit creepy. Like Shinji. Suddenly he slaps his forehead, "Have you been to see your father he would be ecstatic to see you! Everytime I see him, he talks about you." Yeah Kyouraku went on like this for a while. They walked while they talked.
Eventually they ended up in a district in Rukongai. Every now and then Ichiru sneaked glances around. Finally-
Ichiru's P.O.V.
"Come on out ! Ichigoo!" I heard him land on the ground behind me. Toshiro was still eyeing him as though he was jealous, Ichigo got too close. But truth be told, Ichigo got to my body before Toshiro. I sighed and turned to him, "You know it's rude to eavesdrop and just plain creepy to stalk." He scowled at the ground.
"SHUNSUI!"
A man I recognised so well, ran down from the upstairs window after shouting Kyouraku's name. He still had the same haircut that he had all those years ago. Except maybe the hair in front of his face was longer. His haircut was similar to Ichigo's; except as I said longer. Kyouraku hearing this man's cry ran to meet him halfway on the path up to the door. They hugged it out. His hand rested on the captain's shoulder. The man exclaimed, "Ahh... Shunsui, you should visit more often." He looked at the rest of us. Scratching his head he added, "Looks like we have a whole gang with us." He came up to us, the order; Jushi-chan, Toshiro, Ichigo and, finally, me. He had a smile that turned his eyes into slits. He turned to me, "Hi! I'm Higetsu..." Kyouraku pretended he was curious why my dad stopped mid sentence. He tipped up his hat to glance at the sight before him. "Ahh. Ace why you so startled? It's just my new friend." My dad suddenly cried out with joy. He grabbed me and pulled me into a hug. I felt tears slide down his face and run off my strands of hair. "Hi dad..." It came out weakly and as the most sincere thing I had said in a few years. His hand stroked the hair on the back of my head. "I'm so sorry. My little Ace. I'm so sorry..." I pulled away, still facing him. "Who was the captain?" "Oh, he left Soul Society over a hundred years before."
I saw Toshiro leave. But not in the direction of the Gotei 13. "Oi! Toshiro! Where are you going?" He stopped in his tracks and didn't turn around. I am going to visit someone." "Ok, see you later." He waved a calm dismissive hand.
The end of the day
My dad had invited us inside. I told him about what happened after he died, and that I was NOT dead. He asked about my zanpakuto. I told him about it. He had heard of a girl soul reaper with the same powers as young Mr. Ichigo here. You saved Miyuki." Suddenly realising that I hadn't seen Miyuki here and I said I would visit. "Dad, where is Miyuki? I told her I would come and visit her if I ever got the chance." "She's in the courtyard of the Gotei 13. Probably visiting Squad 6." "Ok, if you don't mind I would like to see her. I'll take Ichigo with me, as you would probably want to talk with Jushi-chan and Kyouraku." I got up and bowed to him. I nudged my head toward the courtyard. Off we went.
Turns out Miyuki was visiting a captain. Kuchiki Byakuya. They had a special bond. Don't know what it is. I knocked on the door, "Excuse m-" I heard a shrill shriek. Next thing I know arms are wrapping themselves around my neck. "Ichiru!" She screamed into my ear. Then turned back to apologize to Byakuya. SHe walks right up to him and whispers in his ear; though not too quietly, "This is my cousin, Ichiru. The one I told you about who saved me. You might lllllike her." She did that thing Happy from Fairy Tail does. Whenever he says that Lucy or Natsu like another. Anyway. Byakuya straightened up immediately and a red blush came to his face and mine. We stayed and talked. After Ichigo led Miyuki out of the room, I turned to Byakuya. Both of us thinking about Miyuki's earlier comment. "Thanks for not getting angry with her earlier." "Oh, it's no problem. I don't anger easily." "Anyways thank you, I have to leave now. We are going back to the human world. This was the best birthday ever." His eyes widened as they glanced at me. "It's your birthday." "Yeah." I put my hands behind my head. I look up at the ceiling. Sigh, now I have to leave. I leaned over the desk and kissed him. His lips were tense at first but then melted against mine. We pulled away. He looked so cute. He was flustered. I took a tip of his black hair and twirled it with my finger tips. "Bye..." I left him in his office, still looking flustered.
I went to pack a few of Toshiro's shirts in my bag. I like his shirts and he said I could take a few. Anyhoo, now all of us are here, seeing my dad and Byakuya walking up to us. The finally reach us and my dad had a box made out of ice. I looked at Toshiro. He backed away slowly. "What is this?" "We have a present for you." He opened the lid of the box and inside was a miniature ice dragon, with a crimson red crystal in it's mouth. It's eyes were a magnificent turquoise like Toshiro's except with a hint of green. Engraved on the side was "Tenshi no Hogo-sha" It means An angel's guardian. "Aww... Thank you guys!" I pulled them all in for a group hug. Toshiro and Byakuya were a little annoyed. Well, Byakuya was more shocked than annoyed. When I let them go, Byakuya looked at me and, "I pulled some strings at the Shinigami Research and Development Institution and got this." He stroked the engraving on the side and the purple marble like sphere started to glow in it's mouth. Suddenly a small roar of purple erupted from it's mouth. It was attracted to me. It floated through the air and danced with my fingertips. "Woah..." My dad scratched his head. "Well... we wanted you to go off with something to remember your birthday and first visit to Soul Society." I pulled them in for one more group hug before I left, then I had to say goodbye. Well to my dad and Byakuya.
Heading back was way easier than actually getting there. Toshiro and them went back to Urahara's, while Rukia, Ichigo and I walked back to our street. I invited Ichigo and Rukia in, but Rukia had to do stuff to her gigai. So only Ichigo was at my house with me. He started yelling a bunch of crap, but I could tell it was at himself or more specifically his hollow. I tapped him on the shoulder. "Huh?!" I smiled at him, "It's annoying to have them there. They just start giving commentary at the most random times." He sat down on my couch with me. "Yeah... This guy's especially annoying." He pointed crazily to his head. His back suddenly straightened up. "What's yours like?" I sighed. "Probably even more annoying and controlling than yours." "No way!"I looked up. "Huh?!" "No way is yours more ANNOYING THAN MINE!" I got up in his face, inches apart; both of us breathing heavily. "OH YEAH?!" "OH YEAH!" "Well, mine was giving freakin' weird comments while we were in here the other night." "Oh yeah well mine distracted me during a fight by telling me he thought yours is beautiful!" "Wait-! What?! He said it was beautiful ! How nice of him." I slapped Ichigo hard. "Don't be mean to him." He looked down and sighed in defeat. Why's he being all depressed? It's been a few minutes and he hasn't said anything?
Ichigo's P.O.V.
Jeez... Ladies' man aren't you? Hichigo just shrugged. "I can't help it. Really I'm just your personality except more wild and..." Crazy. "No! More spontaneous!" A huge grin spread across his lips. "Yes... Spontaneous..." He got that crazy grin he gets before he does something that is gonna either get me in trouble or embarrass me. My hand suddenly jerked toward Ichiru's hand. Before I could stop it, he got my other and I found myself stroking her hand and rubbing my thumb calmly across her hand while holding it. She looked up at me. Her beautiful eyes, clouded with loneliness and sadness. She grabbed my shirt and sobbed softly into it. "Why couldn't I bring myself to ask him? She pounded her fist on my chest. "Why?!" I grabbed her by the shoulders. "Look at me..." Her gaze turned up towards me, tears streaming her face. "It wasn't bad, that you didn't ask him. It shows that you had the courage not to break down with that delicate subject so close to trumping you. Now do you really need to know? I mean, it would be comforting to know but do you honestly need it?" A thoughtful look caressed her face. She shook her head slowly. I pulled her into a tight embrace, there she fell asleep.