do not own Bleach

Twelve months passed by. The Soul Reaper Captains dismissed the case of the Garganta opened in the World of the Living as a cold case, a one-off event that was isolated and would never occur again, after a few months of dead-ended investigation. But still Izumi had the image of Ichimaru in the back of her head. She didn't want to approach anyone with that –she wanted to gather more information first, put together a real case.

So she had focused on her studies. She had easily passed the First Year exams and cleared the Advanced Placement examination; her scores were second highest. It came as no surprise when Raidon came in Top Student of the Year. She didn't hold it against him –he had a lot more pressure on him. He would one day become Captain of Squad 6.

So they had jumped from First to Fourth Year, both securing places in the Advanced Class. Now both of them could openly wear their zanpukto now, and trained in the open rather than behind closed doors.

Both had shown tremendous capabilities –they had achieved high-level Kido spells, able to Discard the chant and keep a high level of power at half-power. Their flash-step technique and speed had improved to the point where they could remain several steps ahead of the rest of class. They could match multiple members of the Stealth Force hopefuls.

Already the eyes of the Captains were turning to the two genii as potential Ranked officers.

The relationship between the two had changed over the course of a full year. They had come from friendly rivals to close friends. Some students whispered that they were more than friends.

Maybe they were right –neither of them answered either way when directly asked. And indirect contact (spying on them) was pretty much out of the question –even some of the Fourth Years who were the elite in Hoho struggled to keep pace with them when they hit Flash-step speed.

They were always formal around each other whenever passing or speaking to one another, only using one another's first names –like any other friends.

The only one who knew the true shape of their relationship was Naomi, and she closely guarded the secret. Her sister was happy, and she was happy. Anyone who tried to disturb that happiness would have to answer to her.

Izumi had learnt that she wouldn't be expected to relinquish her Zaraki title –in fact, Zaraki should consider it an honour to one day have a Soul Reaper who was interested in their affairs. Right now, she was training in her secluded area.

One of the dummies exploded from the impact of a hado attacking spell fired without the chant. It may cut her power to half on release, but it was increasing in power. Izumi was getting more and more talented when it came to kido.

"Wow. I wouldn't like to get on the wrong side of you," said a voice from behind her, just before a pair of arms wrapped themselves around her.

She knew precisely who it was before she felt the kisses to her neck.

Their secret affair had started over the summer break, when Raidon had first located her training ground in Zaraki and seen how she was treated like a noble by the gang around her, and how she was revered by the people. He had seen the changes in the people's lives, and guessed that Izumi was behind the plan to rid the place of poverty and fear.

Training together that summer, they had (somehow) arrived at an even deeper relationship.

They knew it could never be made public –they were of different worlds. The Kuchiki clan was one of the four greatest Houses, marriages arranged at a very young age. There would be objections from the Elders of the clan if they ever learnt Raidon had taken a secret lover from one of the four poorest Rukon districts (1).

Both of them understood this, and yet they continued to see each other in secluded locations.

They never did more than hold each other and kiss in secret, but they were enjoying defying every rule in the book.

Winter ended all too quickly, and they suddenly back to the civil behaviour of any ordinary boy/girl relationship. Lectures were harder, assignments longer and looming behind every corner, leaving them with less free time and less chance of seeing each other in private.

Two weeks after the start of term, they were standing against a wall enjoying the brief warmth of the sun that marked the beginning of spring when they was students hurrying towards the Academy gates. They quickly joined the joustling crowd.

"What's going on?" Izumi asked one of the other students.

"Two of the Captains are coming to review the Fourth Year group," he said. Izumi noticed briefly that he too was a Fourth Year, a nameless face who sat near the front in each lecture.

"Two full Captains?" Izumi repeated.

A hush went through the crowd as they parted to form ordered rows that stood in line and to attention. Raidon stayed at the back while Izumi found herself in the second row.

It wasn't just Captains: two Lieutenants followed the Captains. Their armbands reflected their Squads were the 5th and 10th.

Izumi automatically recognised Lieutenant Hinamori and Captain Kurosaki without paying any attention to the armband or number on the back of Ichigo's haori.

It was the other pair that caught her eye.

The Lieutenant was a big-breasted woman with strawberry-blonde hair. She wore a pink scarf over her shoulders and a chain-like necklace.

The Captain was about half Ichigo's height, carrying his sealed zanpukto on his back. His hair was snow-white and his eyes were a catlike green. And for someone who looked so young, his eyes and face were as serious as an old man's.

As they passed by, Izumi felt his chilling aura and shivered –it was so different from Raidon's Umashiro, much more sinister and deadly. She subconsciously raised her own warm reitsu and wrapped it tightly around her like a blanket.

Ichigo noticed the subtle change and grinned to himself –from what he had heard from the Academy and just felt, she had become very capable of controlling her reitsu flux, even as a beginner.

"I hate coming to the Academy on review," Captain Hitsugaya moaned quietly to himself. The two Lieutenants were whispering together, and didn't notice his comment.

Unfortunately for him, there was another pair of ears that weren't so dismissive.

"Come on, Toshiro," Ichigo commented. "You won't have to do it again for another century if you don't want to go again. And it was you who wanted to see how good the potential new recruits are."

Toshiro ground his teeth –he missed the days when he could pull rank on the then-Substitute Soul Reaper. Of course, that had had no effect on the orange-head. Ichigo was now a Captain, and a popular one. When he had been voted in to be Squad 5 Captain, there had only been one objection and that had been from Byakura, due to Ichigo's inexperience and previous disrespect. But the difficulties and differences between the two were now a thing of the past, and the two could now work as a seamless team.

Toshiro still knew how to make his fellow Captain squirm.

"And you're only here to favour Kihara," he shot back. Maybe it wasn't the best retort, but it did hit the nail on the head.

Ever since Ichigo had found the powerful Zaraki girl and got her into the Academy, he had been keeping a close eye on her. In fact, he had only agreed to this review when he had learnt that Izumi had been transferred into the Fourth Year class.

He blushed, but before he could retort, the teacher stepped into the room to inform the two that they were ready for the Captains.

Toshiro watched Ichigo the entire lesson, and was entertained to see that he kept his distance from Izumi for the entire hour.

(1) Each compass direction point has 80 Districts, so since Zaraki is in North Rukon, it is only one of four Number 80 Districts where the standards of the living are the poorest.

AN I had to put a little romance in somewhere for Izumi-i'm just not sure yet whether to continue it or not. you choose