A/N: Ooo, a quick update, you must be wondering if I'm sick or something. Well, the answer is no, I just have a lot of spare time at the moment and the motivation to write!
You may have noticed that I added a little something to the summary, that's because I didn't think that it reflected what would happen in the story's future. Plus I was hoping it would make more people want to read it XD
Ichigo waited nervously outside the captains meeting. He leaned against the wall, watching Renji pace as he fussed with his new captain's haori. This was his first time wearing it and he just couldn't get used to it.
"Wasn't there meant to be another captain appointed today?" Renji asked into the silence, temporarily ceasing his movements.
"Yeah…" Ichigo confirmed, looking down the corridor. "I guess they're late."
Renji scoffed, "It's their head."
The silence returned as Renji went back to his relentless pacing. It was quite a while before the sound of sandals rapidly beating against the floor reached their ears. The pair stared down the corridor, waiting for the person to round the corner. It didn't take long. It was a girl with shoulder length, straight black hair and bright green eyes. She was tall for a woman, only an inch or so shorted than Ichigo. She came to a halt next to them, leaning against the wall next to Ichigo and breathing deeply.
"Phew, guess I made it in time!"
Before they could even respond, the doors to the meeting began to open and the three of them formed stood side by side, backs straight.
"Welcome Captain Katenashi of squad three, Captain Kurosaki of squad five and Captain Abarai of squad nine," Head Captain Yamamoto's aged voice boomed as the three proceeded to enter the room, taking their places in the two lines. "Welcome to the Gotei Thirteen."
Ichigo bowed, aware that Reni and the girl had too. As he stood back up straight, he caught the eye of Toushiro before swiftly looking away. That brief second was all he had needed to read the man's eyes, which were gleaming with pride as a small, barely even there, smile graced his features.
The captain's meeting was short, what with the lack of trouble in both the Soul Society and the World of the Living recently. There was little that needed to be said.
The captains filed out of the meeting room, offering their congratulations as they passed, Kyoraku and Ukitake asking them to attend a party that night that they had arranged in honor of the new captains. As they too left, the Katenashi girl fell into step beside Ichigo and Renji.
"Hi! I'm Akane, it's nice to meet you." She beamed, reaching over and shaking each of their hands.
"Oh, we're-," Ichigo began, only to be interrupted.
"I know who you both are! You're legends! Anybody who doesn't know who you are lives under a rock." The pair sweat dropped as the announcement.
"What squad are you from? I can't say I've seen you around." Renji asked, looking the girl up and down.
"I was the third seat of squad seven. I only graduated a year ago."
"Wow, graduate to third seat to captain in a year? Impressive. Did you get in with recommendations?"
Akane nodded. "I know Bankai, but obviously I'll still have a way to go before I master it completely."
The pair continued their idle chatter as Ichigo listened, adding his two cents where it was worth. This girl was impressive. He'd heard of prodigy's here before, one of them being his boyfriend and the other a traitor, but they were all well known around the Seireitei from being in the academy. Even Renji hadn't heard of this girl before.
Renji left the group as they passed the ninth division barracks as his long-time drinking buddy, and now lieutenant, Shuhei Hisagi waited for him at the entrance.
"Are you going to the party Captain's Ukitake and Kyoraku have arranged tonight? I was asked to go but I don't want to be the only newbie there," she laughed, scratching the back of her head.
"Yeah, I think so, but watch out, Kyoraku's a pervert in case you didn't know."
Akane giggled, "You shouldn't talk about other captains like that."
"Why not? They know it's true."
As they reached the fifth squad barracks, Ichigo waved goodbye to his new acquaintance and entered, suddenly very nervous about meeting his new squad. When he entered the courtyard, he was met by a mass of heads and shihakusho's, the only familiar one being Momo Hinamori, who stood at the head of the group with her lieutenant badge tied to her arm and a warm smile on her face.
"Welcome Captain Kurosaki." She said, bowing. Her action and words were echoed by the crowd behind her.
"Err, thanks." He stood there, looking at the crowds blank faces, taking a couple of seconds to realize that they were waiting for him to say something.
"Shit." He mumbled, before continuing loud enough for them to hear. "I err, I know that I don't know your names and faces, but I promise to treat you all fairly and equally. Just, I dunno, just bare with me while I learn the ropes? Okay…err…thanks for welcoming me, if you want to get back to your duties?" It was more a question than a statement, but regardless, people dispersed and went back to what he assumed were their jobs.
He headed towards the squads main building, Momo following him.
"How did I do?" He whispered out of the corner of his mouth.
"You sounded nervous, but it as good."
He nodded in response and smiled. Momo showed him the way to his office, following him in and explaining the basics of being the captain of squad five as well as providing him with a list of it's members, photo's and all.
"…but you can get away with just knowing higher up's names." When he looked at her confused, she continued. "You know? Seated members?"
"Oh yeah! That's cool."
Momo remained silent as he scanned through the first couple of pages, until she could no longer hold it in.
"How are things going with Shiro-chan?"
Ichigo groaned, "I knew this would come up. Can't you just leave it alone?"
She laughed, shaking her head, "Either you could tell me or I'll just ask Shiro-chan."
"He'll be angry that you keep calling him that."
"Stop avoiding the question! I'm only curious."
Toushiro had told Ichigo, a few weeks into their relationship, that he had told his lieutenant and Momo about them, claiming he could trust them. So far, that had stood true. Plus, Ichigo couldn't argue, because he had told Rukia so…
"Things are fine. We're happy."
Momo smiled, understanding that she wasn't going to get any more than that. They left the office so that Momo could show him his sleeping quarters and where the training ground were located and such and thus, his first day of captaincy began.
Toushiro sat at his desk, his hands clasped together in front of him. All his paperwork was done with and Matsumoto was sleeping on the sofa…as per usual.
He thought back to the captains meeting and how he felt when the doors had opened and Ichigo had walked in, his face serious with a light scowl in place, the captain's haori wafting behind him as he walked with the squad five emblem standing out vividly as his hair against the white material. He'd felt so proud right then, that he could have laughed in happiness. Luckily he had more control than that. No one else but their lieutenants and Rukia Kuchiki knew about their relationship, so things like that would just seem strange and out of character.
And then there was Renji, he may not be extremely good friends with him, but he recognized that he deserved his new position just as much as Ichigo did. He fought Espada and survived and he'd gotten even stronger since then. But that girl, he'd never even heard of her before. From what he heard from Captain Komamura, she was only a year out of the academy and had quickly risen to third seat. Such people like that wee normally well talked about between captain's when speculating what division the soul would join but he hadn't heard anything of the sort. It was strange, but obviously the academy had missed it.
He looked to the clock when he noticed the change in the shadows of the room, suggesting the sun was low in the window behind him. Sure enough it was six o'clock. The promotion party was due to start at about eight and he knew his lieutenant would want to have time to wake up and get ready. He stood slowly and picked up a wooden sword he's recently decided to keep. After that time she had head butted him, he wasn't taking any chances. He prodded her in the side a few times, causing her to stir.
"No Shuhei, don't poke me with that." She grumbled before turning on her side and burying her head in the back cushion.
Toushiro grimaced and spoke more to himself that to her, "I don't want to know what you're dreaming about."
He walked to the back of the sofa and, using the wooden sword like a lever, he rolled the busty woman off the sofa and onto the floor.
The woman woke as she hit the floor, making a pained sound as she landed on her back, and flung her arms over her chest to stop herself popping out of her shihakuso.
"Captaaaaain, will you stop trying to expose meeee? You're always giving me shocks and stuff." She looked up at him through sleep filled eyes, but she was obviously awake enough to tease.
"Whatever. It's six o'clock, I thought you'd like to know."
That woke her up quickly enough. She jumped up, flailing her arms in the air. "Why didn't you wake me earlier? I need time to make myself even more beautiful than I already am!"
Toushiro smirked, "I'm sure Shuhei appreciates the effort."
Matsumoto blush as she pouted and looked away, "I don't know what you're talking about. Just because you have someone who loves you no matter how you look."
"Hey, what the hell is that supposed to mean?"
She stuck her tongue out as she bounded towards the door, "See you at the party Captain!"
Toushiro scoffed, dropping down onto the sofa and staring out of the window at the slowly disappearing sun. His mind drifting off to the squad five barracks, wondering how Ichigo was doing on his first day.
MisaxMisa: Yay for the new captains! But who the hell is this Akane Katenashi?
Ichigo: Stop that.
MisaxMisa: Stop what?
Renji: Stop asking stupid questions like that. You must know who she is.
MisaxMisa: I don't o_O
Renji: You don't?
MisaxMisa: Nu-uh.
Ichigo: …I'm confused.