"Actually, I have a better idea." The voice was none other than Byakuya, he had been silent for majority of the time. And now he speaks.

"If it's another sand structure contest, please count me out Captain Kuchiki. I don't want to get buried again."

"Ease yourself third seat of Zaraki's squad, this is just something for fun. It is a game where we strike a colorful sphere to the opposite side of a barrier in order to have it crashing onto the ground of the opposing side. Shall we begin?"

"Wait, are you talking about volleyball?" Ichigo asked.

"If you want to call it that, then yes. Let's begin!"

The teams were Ichigo, Ikakku, Renji, and Byakuya versus Rangiku, Mizuho, Soifon, and Rukia. The girls team were first to serve, Rukia bumped the ball and it came towards Renji who bumped it back. It headed for Rangiku who smacked it into the air and it headed for Byakuya.

"Byakuya hit it!" Ichigo shouted. The sixth captain tried to smack it, only for it to hit the net and roll towards his foot.

"One serving nothing." Byakuya sarcastically called out.

The girls had served again, Mizuho bumped the ball lightly while it was evenly hit back between the two.

"C'mon! We can't lose to the girls!" Ikakku whined.

"Volleyball is something that girls play more often than guys Ikakku, relax." Ichigo replied.

"Well, that's what you want to do. But where I'm from...we don't believe in losing! So take…" Ikakku struck the ball with a fist instead of a palm, "THIS!" This was a mistake, his determination added with his strength sent the ball through the net and into Mizuho's stomach. The others gasped at this.

"Oh no! That was an accident!" Ikakku and the others rushed to her aid, "You doin' alright? How bad did it hurt?"

"Oh...darling. You're so...strong, it was an accident...darling! Hah hah…I'm gonna go to sleep now."

'I'm in debt to this woman, she gave me shelter and food when I would've been in a cot.'

Ikakku picked her up over his shoulder, "You guys keep playing while I lay her down somewhere."

Mizuho recovered later on, game was fair until someone became a bit irritated with the repetitive play. It was Soifon's turn to serve, "Nineteen serving twenty! Game point! Prepare to die!" Soifon threw the ball high into the air and leaped to match it's height of about twenty-four feet. The other ones were astonished.

'W-wait, what's she doing?' Ichigo frightfully wondered.

Soifon thrusted her foot towards the ball and it dashed towards the sand so fast, not even the strongest man could stop it. The males jumped out of the way! It's impact was so rough that it left a crater in the ground!

They went to view the crater, it was decided that they should just do a normal routine of swimming in the ocean. The guys were the first one to go into the cold water, except one.

"Hey! Guys! Aren't any of you coming in? We need more than three people to have fun!" Ichigo sang.

"I am not getting my hair wet, it takes too much time for me to get it the way it is." Byakuya brushed his hair back. "I prefer sitting here in the sun, there are not many times that I can relax and release my worries.

Ichigo stepped out of the water and approached Byakuya, "C'mon Byakuya, you don't want to get sunburnt. You're just standing there looking around, like some sort of freak."

"That's laughable. But I think I've told you enough about talking big. Boy." Byakuya flash stepped into the water, Ichigo wondered why he was too lazy to walk but he began to feel a searing pain on his hip. He glanced to see what it was, and he discovered a crab pinching him. He went from being calm to running around and screaming.

"AH! GEDDIT OFF! GEDDIT OFF!"

"Captain, what's up with Ichigo? He was fine before you walked over here." Renji asked, Byakuya returned with his signature glare which always said 'don't bug me'.

The ladies were enjoying their sunbathing, the guys were swimming (excluding Ichigo). Ichigo continued running around until he finally flopped down next to his lover.

"Worst...day...ever." He said muffled with his face in the sand.

"You got pinched by a crap and almost murdered by a ball, big deal." she said

"You've just been concerned with nothing, I see you're trying to look sexy for me. A tan blonde, but you're just as hot either way."

"Ooh, well thank you babe."

"In fact...why don't you and me play our own game?" Ichigo suggested slyly. He crept up onto Rangiku and wrapped his arms around her, nuzzled her for a bit and to his surprise Rangiku tackled him onto the sand.

"Hey I was gonna do that!" Ichigo said, "And I'm the man so..." He rolled over and positioned himself on top until Rangiku threw him off.

"So you wanna fight eh?" Ichigo said slyly.

"Don't be afraid Ichi..."

Ichigo picked up Rangiku by her legs but Rangiku kneeled him in the stomach. He picked her up and gently flipped her onto her back. Rangiku leg swept him and got on top of him.

"You give up?" Rangiku said with a smirk.

"Not quite, not until you kiss me." Rangiku leaned in but she had let her guard down and Ichigo rolled Rangiku over on her back. She gave up.

"You like to be dominant that's for sure." Rangiku pulled his head to meet hers, Ichigo cupped her breast and slid his other hand down her bikini shorts. They laid there making out and rubbing each other's bodies until Toshiro flash stepped next to them.

He had knew what was going on, but he didn't expect to see it in his own eyes. Thank the Soul King they weren't naked. "Hey! Don't you two see me?" Ichigo opened his eyes and seen the child prodigy, Ichigo responded by raising his index finger telling Toshiro to wait and went back to making out with Rangiku.

'This is ridiculous.' Toshiro thought. He picked up a clump of sand and threw it at the two. They coughed and glared at Toshiro. "What the hell was that for?!" Ichigo shouted.

"Yeah we were in the middle of something!" Rangiku added.

"Enough. You need to listen to what I'm telling you. And don't interrupt me either. Anyway here's the deal. Since you've been spending time with Ichigo, you've been backed up with paperwork and missing your Women's Association meetings. I'm not too concerned about that last one but you need to get work done as a lieutenant."

"Wait...she's leaving?"

"Ichigo...her work is-"

Ichigo pulled Rangiku close to him and held her hand. "Toshiro. I mean..Captain Hitsugaya. Is there any way that she can stay here longer? She's the only one who makes me happy."

"Ichigo, I have to talk to Rangiku alone. I hope you understand why."

"I...I understand."

Toshiro flash stepped to a mile away from Ichigo and took Rangiku with him. Ichigo sat down on the sand and stared at the sand as if it were someone, there was no one else for him to talk to. He just sat there moping. This caught the attention of Byakuya, he had sensed Toshiro for a brief moment then it vanished. He walked over towards Ichigo to see if he knew anything.

"Ichigo...may I ask you something?" The noble asked, Ichigo raised his head as to see what the question was. "Did you see Captain Hitsugaya anywhere?"

"He said he needed to talk to Rangiku about something. Then he took her to talk in private."

"I see…" Byakuya turned to go back into the ocean but he wanted to be sure of one more thing, "Ichigo, I hope you are not still upset with me attaching a crab to you. I thought it was a way that you all have fun here in this world."

"No, you're fine."

Byakuya turned around again, but he couldn't help but notice something was different. He hadn't told Byakuya to piss off or shut up. "May I ask if something happened?"

Ichigo looked up at the noble, Byakuya was the last person he'd tell but he had to get it off his chest sooner or later. Ichigo stood up properly. "Rangiku, might be going back to the Soul Society soon."

Byakuya raised an eyebrow, "I don't understand why that is depressing to you, a lieutenant has many duties to fulfill. A higher position and better salary comes with a few cons as well. Why should that be a reason?"

"You don't understand, she's the only person I can confide in. No one else here gives a damn about me."

Byakuya rest his hand on Ichigo's shoulder, " That's where you're wrong young Ichigo."

"Huh?"

"Rangiku is not your only crying shoulder. You may not know this, but others in the Seireitei consider you to be reliable."

"Reliable? Oh wait, let me guess why that might be...because my room is their storage area."

"That's one of them." Byakuya said under his breath.

"Huh?"

"No. It's your determination and how you're unwilling to lose. You always see things to the end, even risk your life for people you barely know. I've never planned on telling you this, but I have great faith in you whenever you're battling or doing something else."

"Captain. You do?"

"Not only me, but your friends in this world. Renji, Zaraki's third seat, all of us have faith in you and will be here whenever you're not in the right mind."

Byakuya managed to let out a small, warm smile. It wasn't too big. "Thank you, Captain Kuchiki."

Byakuya nodded his head and headed towards the water before turning around one more time. "By the way Ichigo, it's Byakuya."

Ichigo had been confused, all this time Byakuya whined about the suffix being used. But openly welcomed his first name, could it be that he truly deemed Ichigo worthy?

That was the good part, it really came down to whether Rangiku was going to stay with Ichigo or go back to the Soul Society and visit each other. It depends on the act of Toshiro.

So there you have it fans, you guys get to choose if Rangiku stays or goes. Should she leave or not? I leave this up to you.