Okay, here's anotherchapter of Savage. That's the better part of 20k words in the past week or so, and I'm honestly surprised how much I've been writing for this one story. I enjoy it, of course, but I normally flit between fics far more often than this, and I don't expect to keep updating at this rate simply because I'd rather not overtake my PJO fic with this one as well as my Harry Potter fic, sicne they've bothbeen out for longer than Savage.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter, and that you forgive me for a certain part of it that I didn't really like writing (I really like Soi Fon, or I wouldn't be writing with her as one of the main characters) and know that it will, eventually, be made right. I'm aware that there's some flawed logic in that conversation, and I did that on purpose!

Let me know if you've enjoyed it, please, through Follows, Favourites and Reviews.

-()()()-

Hichigo/ Bleached Zangetsu (It's inconvenient to call both Zangetsu)

Old Man Zangetsu

Nejibana

-()()()-

While Ichigo was trying, and failing, to have an argument with Nemu Kurotsuchi at the entrance of the barracks of Division 12 about whether the odd actions of Yoruichi Shihoin and Soi Fon were down to something her father did, the two females in question were stood, awkwardly, in the office of the Second Division's Captain; an office that both had occupied.

Soi Fon was stood behind her desk, trying to decide whether she should sit down, and what message that would give to Yoruichi. She did not want to give the impression that she was trying to be in control of this conversation that may well be a confrontation, but she also did not like the idea of meekly surrendering to her ex-mentor after the older woman had called her a Bitch for no discernible reason. Yoruichi already had the upper hand, since she had been the one to pick the office as their meeting place; Soi Fon had tracked her Reiatsu to the barracks, and Yoruichi had been leant against the far wall, as she was now, when the shorter woman appeared. As if that was not enough, Soi Fon could still feel the heat on her cheeks that told her the blush that Ichigo's sudden appearance induced had not faded properly at this time. Her authoritativeness did not benefit from the addition of burning red flesh.

Yoruichi, meanwhile, was glaring at her protege, and had been since Soi Fon had arrived. She was not necessarily angry with Soi Fon; it made sense for the girl to interfere, Yoruichi was certainly not happy about the situation. Her eyes narrowed further upon the current captain making her decision, and sitting down behind her desk without a word. In return, Yoruichi walked closer to the table, and decided to turn the tables as she put her hands on her hips and turned the glare on full force.

All of a sudden, Soi Fon felt like a child in need of a scolding.

"I thought I taught you better than this, Soi Fon," Yoruichi said, disappointed. Her choice of words certainly did not help Soi Fon with aforementioned feeling. "I did not expect you to be so inconsiderate. So... selfish." She shook her head, and turned a sad gaze on the girl sat before her. "Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

"I'm sorry, Yoruichi-sama." Soi Fon said, and she hung her head in shame.

"And I'm sorry to say that you should be." Yoruichi gave a fake, sad smile. "You won't get anywhere in likfe if you continue to only think of yourself."

"I... I did not think that I was being selfish, Lady Yoruichi. Please forgive me." Soi Fon looked up, with a pleading gaze.

Yoruichi turned, with a sigh, and walked back to the wall she had been leant on. Imagining that there was something interesting on the wooden surface, she stared at it in order to give Soi Fon the impression that she was deep in thought on whether or not to forgive her ex-protege. This, in turn, increased the guilt that Soi Fon felt, despite having no idea what she had done wrong.

"I can... in time." Was Yoruichi's reply, as she turned golden eyes back onto the black haired girl sat behind the desk with desperate eyes that had, for a brief moment, gained a spark of happiness only to be crushed under Yoruichi's heel at the continuation of her sentence. "I can only hope that you won't do it again."

"Th-Thank you, Yoruichi-sama." Soi Fon bowed her head to show her gratitude, and then froze. "U-Umm, Yoruichi-sama?"

"Yes, Soi Fon?" Yoruichi asked, still without a smile.

"I-I am sorry if this sounds rude, but what is it I did to upset you so?" She asked, in confusion.

"Was I not clear enough?" Yoruichi walked forwards, and took the seat in front of the desk, her golden eyes meeting the grey of Soi Fon's as she did. "I always tried to teach you to share," She ignore the fact that this had never been one of their lessons, and pressed on. "And your actions in ruining my moment with Ichigo suggests that you have not learned this lesson."

"..." Soi Fon blinked at Yoruichi, her face expressionless.

"But I am glad to head that you won't do it again in the future." Yoruichi gave a small smile to the girl, as Soi Fon's mouth began to open and close much like a goldfish.

"You..."

"Yes, Soi Fon?"

"You... and he..."

"Well, not yet," Yoruichi admitted with a shrug. "But we've been dancing around it for a while now, and I would have kissed him had you not interrupted." At this, she directed a small, mostly playful, scowl at Soi Fon sat across from her.

"NO!" Soi Fon exclaimed all of a sudden.

"No?" Yoruichi blinked, confused. She smiled at her student, and continued. "What do you mean n-"

"No! I won't let you... and him..."

"Oh, Little Bee..." Yoruichi shook her head, making an assumption. "Isn't it time that you got over your crush?"

"Got over it?" Soi Fon repeated, her temper fading, briefly, in exchange for confusion. "I've only-"

"I mean, I know that we've only been reunited for a few weeks," Yoruichi continued, kindly. "But I would have thought that your attraction would have faded in the century between my leaving and now."

"N-No, th-that's not what I meant." Soi Fon denied, red in the face.

"Oh?" Yoruichi blinked. "Oh, there's no reason to be shy about it, Soi, I don't mind. In fact, I encouraged it when I was still here because it was one of the few times you seemed happy, when you were drinking in my appearance."

"No! That's not what I was talking about!" Soi Fon interjected, interrupting the woman's slightly narcissistic rant.

"I've already told you, there's no need to deny it, Little Bee. It wouldn't work between us, of course, but that's no reason to deny that you like me." By this point, Soi Fon heavily resembled a strawberry.

"No! I'm not... denying it. I-I did have a crush on you," She swallowed nervously. "I might still have a little one, but that's not why I was saying no! I-Ichigo's... he's the first man I... the first person I might..."

"The first person you might..." Yoruichi raised an eyebrow. "Love?" Soi Fon reddened further. "Really?" She gasped, and a grin spread across her face. "Oh! That's wonderful, you've picked a wonderful... wait... Ichigo?" She suddenly realised who they were talking about, and her brow sank into a frown. "So you meant you didn't want someone to be with him?" Soi Fon managed a nod.

"I... He's..." Soi Fon gasped out, unevenly.

"You can't love him already, Little Bee," Youichi shook her head. "You must just be infatuated." She said, with a slightly condescending smile.

"I know that." Soi Fon hissed, suddenly, as she exercised some great control to catch her breath. "But it's the first time I've felt like this! He makes me feel..." A thoughtful frown scrunched up her face, and Soi Fon threw her arms in the air. "I don't know! I've known him for so little time, and I just feel... good when he's around. Like I'm safe again." She closed her eyes, and thought hard. "I didn't even realise it was like that until he fought his Zanpakuto! I just knew I liked being around him, and that he wouldn't leave my thoughts since that day you and I fought. When he... ah... held me against him." She mumbled something under her breath that, to Yoruichi, sounded like 'not even in my sleep', but she chose to ignore that. "Then, he had to go and show that he was strong. Able to match me, I'm certain, and I haven't seen his true power, I am just as sure of that."

"It still sounds like a crush to me, Soi Fon." Yoruichi said. A lie, but one she felt compelled to tell. "Obviously you have some feelings for him, but it's a bad idea to rush things like this when you're so... inexperienced. He could hurt you, both emotionally and, in certain regards, physically."

"Do you honestly believe that?" Soi Fon questioned, disbelieving. "That there is any chance of Ichigo hurting someone he l... cares for?"

"I... stranger things have happened, Little Bee. Besides, there are ways that he cold hurt you unintentionally. From what I have seen, he is quite... large, and you have always been petite." Yoruichi commented, with a look that told Soi Fon to think about what she was saying.

"Th-That's not what I meant!" Soi Fon spluttered out. "And that could be overcome!"

"Yes, but Ichigo might not have the patience for such things. What about if he chose someone else instead of you?" All of a sudden, Yoruichi felt a pang of guilt at her selfishness. That she had said this, despite knowing for a fact that Ichigo was not the type to act in such a piggish manner, to try to get Soi Fon to stop sabotaging her time kissing Ichigo made Yoruichi feel terrible. She, too, liked him; more than she could believe, but they could have had a rational conversation on the matter, instead of her coming very close to attacking her friend because of jealousy that Soi Fon had already kissed Ichigo, and frustration that she had twice been interrupted in attempts to do the same.

That comment struck home for the Captain, who steeled her face into a mask to hide the hurt. That had been the reason she had most hated the idea of Yoruichi kissing Ichigo, for who, after having contact with the Goddess of Flash, would ever pay attention to her? Yoruichi was perfect, while she was angry and... and boyish. She did not have Yoruichi's curves; did not have her flirtatious nature.

No wonder Ichigo had not kissed her back.

With that, Soi Fon's hopes died, and she made a decision to avoid Ichigo at all costs while this rebellion was going on and, after that she would find some way to get rid of these irritating feelings.

"Please do not court Kurosaki-san any more before this rebellion is done, Lady Yoruichi," Soi Fon requested, her voice cold as she slipped on the mask of her Captaincy again. "After that, I will do what I can to remove these affections from my being, and you may do as you wish."

Yoruichi blinked, and the girl was gone. She had a horrible feeling about that. With guilt in her expression, Yoruichi looked out the window, and found that the sky had darkened into night without her notice, and that only the smallest amount of moonlight shone on her face; the light was dulled by a thin layer of clouds, and the moon seemed... disapproving, somehow, of the conversation's outcome. Maybe that was just Yoruichi's conscience, though.

Neither she, nor Soi Fon, was aware of the small voice in the latter's inner world screaming her objections to her wielder's conclusion. Suzembachi would give the silly Shinigamis a piece of her mind as soon as she got the chance.

-()-

Elsewhere, Ichigo had been hit by a wave of fatigue, telling him that it was night-time, and so was heading back towards the Shiba household, while tuning out the words of his Zanpakutos with a grimace at how loud they were being.

'BASTARD!' Hichigo exclaimed, not for the first time. 'STOP POKING ME YOU BITCH!' He demanded.

'Why would I, you Neanderthal?! You could have killed Ichigo with that attack!' Ichigo knew, by this time, that poking meant that Njiebana was stabbing Hichigo with her Shikai form and, based on the footsteps that were echoing through his mind, was fleeing from her wrath.

'I didn't though! SO PISS OFF!' Hichigo roared.

'You have not even apologised! I won't piss off until I have you on the end of a kebab! Kikoo has promised to roast you for me once I have you on the end of my trident!'

Ichigo couldn't help the smile that appeared on his face at the following, happy chirp Kikoo gave at being included. Then, she cooed at the fact that she had made Ichigo happy, and that made him even happier. Ichigo was truly glad to have one Zanpakuto that was just so... pleasant. Calming.

'HEY! FUCK YOU, KING!' Obviously, Hichigo had heard that thought.

'Shut up, you imbecile! That is exactly the thing that annoys Ichigo!'

'What annoyshim, is having a HIGH MAINTENANCE BITCH in his head!'

'You take that back!'

'MAKE ME!'

Ichigo was also amused by the squeal of pain that followed this exclamation from his inner Hollow. He could bet that that meant Nejibana had thrown her trident at Hichigo, and the three-pronged spear had found its mark.

'YOU BITCH! I'M GONNA GUT YOU FOR THA-'

Ichigo, shunpoing his way towards the Shiba compound, stumbled and fell upon a mighty, angry roar resounding in his head.

'FUCK! I'M SORRY! Don't hurt me!' And Hichigo had, somehow, hit Tabigarasu, and was now literally running for his life. Tabigarasu wouldn't kill him permanently, but that was only because it was not possible for one of them to die, as they were bound to Ichigo. His Hollow would, however, be silent for a while if he was too slow to get away from the savage spirit.

Jesus, his head was a loony-bin.

-()-

Kukaku's greeting was as exuberant as ever, as Ichigo knocked on the door, if slightly less than those Ichigo was used to receiving in the Human World.

"Oniisan!" She yanked him into a hug, and Ichigo sighed. No matter what he tried, he could not convince Kukaku that he wasn't her brother, and so he relented and hugged her back. To be fair, though, it seemed that the title bothered him less now than it had in the past, simply because he was spending time in the Soul Society. That was the reason he believed, at least, since it was inspiring feelings of familiarity in him from his time as Kaien. Even so, he had not regained his memories, and that was rather annoying.

"Hi Kukaku," Ichigo returned, as he hugged the woman. As her arms tightened, Ichigo hastily added an honorific. "Chan. Hi, Kukaku-Chan." His not-sister's hold on him loosened, and she drew back with a smile that quickly fell away.

"What's the big idea?! Leaving without telling anyone is RUDE!" She raised her hand, and grabbed Ichigo's ear, inspiring a hiss of pain and pulling him inside the house and past the retainers that had announced his arrival. Soon enough, they reached the dining room, and Kukaku shoved him onto the ground before yelling, once again, at the top of her voice. "Ganju, ya dumb-ass, bring Oniisan some food!"

Ichigo didn't quite make out the returning shout, but Ganju soon arrived with a bowl of Ramen noodles.

"Where did ya go, Ichigo?" Ganju asked. He was better at separating Ichigo from Kaien than his sister, though he still held him in unreasonably high regard because of the similarities with his older brother.

"I was needed in the Seiretei," Ichigo replied. "The Zanpakuto were rebelling, and I had to search out some of mine."

"And you didn't think to let us know before now?!" Kukaku demanded.

"They kept me busy!" Ichigo replied, in an attempt at justification. "I had to round up three different spirits as well as talk with the captains and recover from being attacked by a treacherous Shinigami!"

"Bastards!" Ganju instantly replied, placing blame on the shoulders of Soul Reapers more than on Ichigo because of the grudge he still held.

"You could have stopped by to let us know! Or told us before you left!"

"This is quite far out of my way! And you were asleep when I left, and I thought it was just going to be a meeting with the Captains, not a full-scale rebellion, so I didn't want to wake you!" Ichigo scowled. "I was being considerate!"

"We were still worried about you!" Kukaku said, with a small glare.

"Well... sorry." Ichigo relented, realising that he hadn't actually apologised. "I didn't mean to worry you, and should have left a note or something before I left." He admitted, apologetically.

"Thank you," Kukaku smiled at her not-brother, and continued. "Now go get some sleep; you look like crap."

"Charming." Ichigo muttered, sarcastically, as he stood. "G'night." He waved a hand half-heartedly as he left the room, and walked straight to his assigned bedroom glad of the chance to get some more sleep. His body needed some rest, and Ichigo wanted to talk to Old Man Zangetsu about something relatively pressing; he would have spoken to him while conscious, had Nejibana, Hichigo and Tabigarasu not been rather loud.

-())(()-

"Ichigo." Zangetsu greeted, as Ichigo appeared in his inner world, as was typical of him while asleep. While he would occasionally just go to sleep in here as well; exhausted, Ichigo would generally converse with whichever of his inner spirits stayed up with him in order to become better attuned with them, though the extent of this with Tabgarasu and Kikoo had previously been limited. Because of this, the stoic man assumed that Ichigo would take the chance to properly converse with the two and was surprised when his wielder made a beeline for him, though he did not show it.

"Hey, Zangetsu," Ichigo smiled at the taller man. "How're you since you came back?"

"I am fine, though it has been noisy in here since Hichigo returned." He answered, without preamble. "Why is it that you have sought me out?" Zangetsu was somewhat separated from the others, as Nejibana and Kikoo conversed, and Hichigo continued to run from Tabigarasu.

"I wanted to talk to you about the Reiatsu manipulation that I managed to use during our fight. It's obviously useful, and all, but I have some questions before we get to training."

"Ask whatever is on your mind." Zangetsu knew Ichigo well enough to guess what he would be wondering, but it would be best to let Ichigo make the inquiries.

"Thanks. Well, I expect that everything'll be covered in the training, but there's one thing I want to make sure I ask. If I was to use it as a weapon, would the souls that fell to me be destroyed? Like with the Quincy techniques?" That was where the technique originated, after all, and this was something that made Ichigo... nervous.

"That is up to you, Ichigo," Zangetsu began, with his typically stoic tone. "It is rather simple to explain; you are a hybrid, and therefore have the Reaitsu of a Shinigami inside you. That means that you can act as a... converter in order to prevent the destructive nature. If you use your Reiryoku, any technique that you use will act as though it is Kido, and that includes Ceros as well as the manipulation of spiritual energy, and they will be purified."

"Okay, so I can only use my own reserves?" Ichigo asked, not particularly bothered by that since he had such extensive amount of Reishi reserves, though it did limit him; he would not be willing to exterminate a soul, after all, unless there was literally no other option lest they kill innocents, and people he cared about.

"No, Ichigo," Zangetsu said, with a frown at the information that Ichigo was missing. "What are the abilities of Quincy that you know? In broad terms?"

"Uh, let's see... There are defensive techniques such as Blut Vein, variations of which can be used to attack as well, and they have their own speed technique... the prominent ability, though, would be the spiritual weapon formation. That's an exension of their ability to manipulate Reshi, right?" Zangetsu nodded, but maintained an expectant expression. "I'm missing something..." Ichigo assumed. He thought to himself, and rubbed his chin in thought as he searched his mind for what he had missed. "That would be...

"Oh! They can absorb Reishi, can't they? At least at higher levels... that means that I can what? Filter the Reishi through my own body and change the nature so that it can purify?" He half-stated, half-asked. Zangetsu gained a small smile at the deduction, and nodded.

"That is right," Zangetsu nodded. "It will be slower, of course, than using the pure Reishi, but that means you can avoid destroying the souls. I know that you would dislike killing them, after all." Zangetsu did not have the same reservations, nor did the other spirits, but they knew well that their wielder would not feel right in the destruction of a soul.

"Excellent," Ichigo grinned. "In that case, shall we get started in training? I expect that I'll be better able to master the techniques of the others if I learn how to manipulate Reishi properly, after all, so I reckon I should give it a priority for now." Ichigo reasoned. "And, more importantly, it'll help me be... stable."

"It will, Ichigo." Zangetsu nodded. "Let us begin."

The others gathered around the pair as Ichigo's instruction began, with Hichigo maintaining a wary distance from Tabigarasu, and shooting suspicious glances at the taller spirit.