"Come on, we're gonna late." Tansuko called as Yamaru opened his door.

"We are not going to be late," Yamaru replied. "There's no set time."

"How can you not be excited, this is our dream we're talking about." Tansuko said, hopping up and down. "We're wasting daylight here."

"Remember how we even got the invitation?" Yamaru questioned.

*** 3 Weeks Ago ***

"Black Shihakusho and medical kido. You girls must be Shinigami." Yamaru said, to the girl healing him.

"Correct." She replied, "I am Kotetsu Isane, Vice-Captain of Squad 4."

"Kireajiha Yamaru." He said, introducing himself.

"I've seen you many times leaving our barracks." She commented, finishing healing his collar bone and sitting upright.

"Well, thank you for fixing me up, Kotetsu-fukotaicho." Yamaru said, sitting up. He looked over to Tansuko who, by the looks of it, also finished being treated.

"So, whacha guys fightin' over." Asked a pink hair child who popped into Yamaru's view with a smile, giggling.

Yamaru hoped back in surprise, "It was a sparring match." He answered quickly. "How long were you girls watching?"

"About the time he tried to kick you in the chin." A black hair woman stated, adjusting her glasses. "But first we should get the introductions out of the way. I am Ise Nanao, Vice Captain of Squad 8."

"My name is Hinamori Momo." A young girl said, stepping forward and bowing. She had her hair up in a bun. "I am the 5th Squads Vice-Captain; it's a pleasure to meet you."

"3rd Seat of Squad 13, and Ukitake-taicho's most loyal follower, Kotetsu Kiyone." A petit, dark blonde hair girl said, standing next to Isane, who towered over her now that she was standing. "And this is my sister, who has already introduced herself." She said, motioning to Isane.

"Matsumoto Rangiku." A woman with long, wavy blonde/orange hair said, arching her back a bit to stick out her chest, which she let nearly hang out of her clothes. "Vice-Captain of Squad 10."

"Kurotsuchi Nemu." The woman who tended to Tansuko said, "Squad 12's Vice Captain."

"And finally, me!" The pink haired girl exclaimed, still with a huge smile. "You can call me Yachiru! Ken-chan's supported and Vice-Captain of Squad 11."

Tansuko stood up and bowed to the girls. "Amimono Tansuko, 6th year at Shinoreijutsuin."

"Yamaru, 2nd year at Shinoreijutsuin." He said, reintroducing himself. All the girls widened their eyes slightly widened; the fact that he was a second year betrayed their impressions of him. "What brings you ladies all the way out here?"

"We're on our way to Byakkun's house for our meeting." Yachiru said cheerfully.

"Meeting?" Tansuko asked.

"The Shinigami Women's Association." She replied, brimming with excitement.

"She's our President." Nanao said sharply, motioning to Yachiru who merely continued to smile childishly. "I am the Vice-President, they are all members, and Unohana-taicho is our Supervising Chairwoman." She finished, looking scornfully at Yamaru and Tansuko. "You two need to be more discipline the next time you decide to spar." She began, scolding them for their recklessness.

"Yes, ma'am." The two said in chorus, snapping to attention.

"Sparring matches are a way to figure out your weaknesses and improve upon them, not to try and hospitalize one another." Nanao continued. Yamaru noticed Rangiku in the background snickering at them playfully, finding much enjoyment in the scene. "Are you listening to me?"

"Yes ma'am." Yamaru answered, looking back at Nanao, but noticing Rangiku laughing harder out of the corner of his eye.

"You both are just fortunate enough that we happened to pass by." Momo said, cutting Nanao's scolding short.

"We really were." Yamaru agreed, as Tansuko nodded his head.

"But they seemed to be enjoying themselves." Yachiru said. "I wanted to see how it would turn out."

"Well, as long as you two have learned from this." Nanao said, adjusting her glasses again staring at Yamaru. "You said your name if Kireajiha-san, correct?"

"Yes ma'am." Yamaru replied, looking back to her.

"Are you truly only a second year?" She asked.

"Yes, I am Ise-fukotaicho." He answered.

"You have great skill; I dare say your Zanjutsu is better than most unseated officers within the Gotei 13." She complimented. "You could most likely become a seated officer in the near future."

Yamaru's eyes lit up, and he was unable to suppress his smile. "Thank you ma'am." He said.

"Both of you show potential." Yachiru said. "You should come visit sometime. I'm sure Ken-chan would enjoy it." She continued gleefully, giggling.

Yamaru and Tansuko looked at each other, eyes wide and mouths agape. Smiles spread across they faces as they snapped their heads but to the child Vice-Captain and said, "We would be honored."

"You guys should take it easy for a while." Isane commented quietly.

"I mended your broken ribs, but the fracture will take a few weeks to heal completely." Nemu added, talking to Tansuko. "I suggest eating plenty of food, and not engaging in rigorous activities until it does."

"Thanks, Kurotsuchi-fukotaicho." Tansuko said, reaching out his hand. Nemu instinctive pulled away, but then hesitantly accepted the handshake.

"Well Ya-Ya, Tan-chan, we're gonna be late for our meeting." Yachiru said, waving good-bye as she started to leave. "Come visit soon." She said, before running off, giggling.

"Ya-Ya?" Yamaru asked.

"Tan-chan?" Tansuko questioned.

"Don't mind her, she like to make up nicknames for people she likes." Momo said, bowing to them again. "Take it easy, and have a pleasant day." She said, before turning and following after Yachiru.

"After you guys graduate, look me up. We can go drinking." Rangiku stated, seductively waving to them and winking before leaving.

Isane, Nemu and Kiyone all bowed politely to the two, walking off in the direction their friend just did.

"Try not to kill each other next time you spar." Nanao said one last time before leaving.

"Yes ma'am." Yamaru and Tansuko both said, in unison again.

"Thanks again, Kurotsuchi-fukotaicho!" Tansuko yelled to Nemu as she was about to around the corner. Although she neither replied nor looked at him, she hesitated for a moment before disappearing around the turn.

Yamaru looked to Tansuko, a sly smile on his face. "What?" Tansuko asked.

"Oh, nothing Tansuko." Yamaru teased. "We should go to the Squad 4 barracks, just to get checked out." He added.

"Yeah, you're right." Tansuko said as he turned to leave with his friend. After taking a step, he stopped, realizing that he had step on something. "What's this?" He asked, picking up Yamaru's necklace.

"Sara-san's necklace." Yamaru replied, feeling around his neck for his necklace.

"It must have fallen off during our match." Tansuko said, handing it to Yamaru.

"Thanks." Yamaru replied, taking to necklace and stringing it around his neck again.

The two went to the Squad 4 barracks, just to make sure everything was alright with them, but merely got the same advice Nemu had old them before she left.

*** Present ***

"Yeah, of course I do." Tansuko said. "I still can't believe we get to go to the Squad renown for raising the best Zanjutsu and Melee fighting Shinigami in all of Seireitei."

"I can understand my reasons for idolizing the 11th Squad; my Kido skills are non-existent and my Hakuda is poor at best." Yamaru said, "But you excel in Hakuda and Hoho, why don't you go for the 2nd Squad and the Onmitsukido?"

"'If you see your allies losing, that's your chance. Don't step between them. Take the enemy down from behind. And if the enemy is so strong you can't even do that, then just watch your ally be killed. That's what it means to be Onmitsukido.'" Tansuko recited in an unusually cold tone, "Soi-Fong-taicho once said that, but I don't believe in it. If a friend is out matched, you help them, whether or not you can win."

"I see." Yamaru said, nodding his head. "I have to agree with you on that one." He said, closing his door. "You ready to go?"

"Only waiting on you." Tansuko said, regaining his usual cheer.

"Let's go." Yamaru said, as they set out toward the 11th Squad barracks.

NRawk's Notes:

And there we have it, another chapter done. Sorry for not establishing the time setting of this story before, but for those of you who haven't seen the updated summary, when Yamaru first awoke in Soul Society it was roughly 80 years before Aizen's Rebellion, so after the prologue, the story is set 40 years in the past.

Also, I know Nemu is suppose to have black hair, but the way they color it and everything makes it look like a dark purple to me, so bare with my insanity.

Anyway, Thanks for reading and submitting reviews, again I'm glad people are enjoying this.