Disclaimer: Bleach, its characters and its settings aren't mine

My first class of the day was kido. I'm no expert at kido, but I know a bit. It wouldn't be a problem to keep up with a first year class, even with the patch.

So I went to class.

"You, new boy," said the teacher. "I want to see you after class."

"Hai Sensei." I bowed.

My Kido teacher is Kuchiki Rukia.

Just how long have they been planning this?

Class went quickly, we were starting off with the theory around the lower end binding spells, stuff under the tens. Tricky enough, it requires a much gentler touch then I have.

I'm glad to say I wasn't the only one who looked lost. Kido theory is tricky stuff.

Kido practical requires strong control of your reitsu, something I don't have. I'm strange with kido that way, with my patches off I can handle a hado-90 Black Coffin, but anything that requires anything but full brute force I can't do at all. Healing? It'd be safer just to die. And my crimson fireballs and white lighting have a tendency to explode in my face or leave a trail of devastation a hundred meters long; I can't scale my kido down.

Pretty good with a cero though.

Rukia, it was so good to see her, even if it's a little strange. I associate Rukia's appearance with my highschool, I still tend to see her as a fifteen year old girl - she still looks like a fifteen year old girl, even if she is a hundred and fifty something. I look older now, I'm nineteen, as tall as my father and almost as heavy.

So I guess she's no longer an older woman, though there's always been something ageless in Rukia's eyes.

Rukia was my answer, I didn't need a copy of the manga, if I could only get her to notice someone with one...

We'd arrange it after class. The manga I'd read hadn't had Rukia in it; I assumed she'd be a swooning maiden somewhere. She'd get madder than Ikkaku.

Hopefully she'd have some useful advice. Shit this was getting complicated.

Rukia stayed in character the whole time. At the end of class she told me to stand behind her and not move a muscle while she had a few words with each of the few students that wanted to talk to her about something. She really seemed to care about these kids.

Kids.

If they hadn't been through the arrancar war they were kids. Didn't matter how much older than me they were.

I got a very curt gesture and instructions to follow her to her office. A bunch of people were grinning at me. Busted on my first day of kido theory.

At least it'd be weeks before we were allowed onto the training field. I wasn't looking forward to that.

Rukia's offices weren't that far but the wing they were in didn't have a lot of people in it. I guess there used to be more students then there are now.

We reached the offices. Rukia turned to glare at me. She snapped her fingers at me for failing to get the door for her.

"Sorry Sensei."

By the time I had the door closed Rukia had latched on tight, shaking and crying into my uniform.

"My Rukia," I whispered. I'll admit, I was almost overcome. "My precious Rukia, I've missed you so much."

She grabbed handfuls of my uniform, pulled herself up onto her toes. I kissed her, lifted her high enough to wrap her arms around my neck.

All too soon I had to put her down again, but she grabbed handfuls of my uniform again and wouldn't let go. We couldn't make any noise someone might overhear. Rukia didn't say anything, she was content to be held and dampen my jacket with her tears, while I had probably never been so happy in my life. She wouldn't let me talk though, Rukia just wanted quiet.

My Rukia is so strong, I feel so blessed when she shows me a hint of weakness, allows me be her strength. I've missed her so much. What I had to tell her could wait. I held onto her, glad at last to have the chance again.

An hour later she told me she had to go, she had another class. The entire time I'd held her as we stood there, she wouldn't let me let go. She could find me later, whispered a single warning for me to stay low for now, slipped me a paper that I burned afterwards.

It wasn't going well in the court. Whatever Renji and Ikkaku arranged it must have taken place completely off Seireitei radar. The Seireitei knew I was dead but they didn't know where I was, apparently that had them worried, really worried. There were politics going on. According to the note they were afraid I'd gone to Hueco Mundo. Renji was frantic, Ikkaku was desperately trying to figure out some kind of addendum to the plan. Vizard were supposed to be able to shield themselves from Soul Society's watchers, everyone was supposed to think I'd gone off to sulk and forget about me. Neither had counted on anyone assuming I'd gone to Hueco Mundo and whatever was left of the arrancar.

Needless to say now was not the time to put on a light show.

Rukia wouldn't come near me for awhile, months maybe. I could live with that, now that I knew she was near, and that nothing had chanced between us.

I own Renji, Ikkaku and all the others a massive debt, I've no idea what the penalty for something like this could be, but it had to be huge. If I'm caught I'm going to say I acted alone and do my damnedest to die fighting. The reapers don't go for half measures and I do not want to be questioned by Mayuri. The least I can do is make sure I don't take any of my friends with me.

I think if it comes to that I'll take Mayuri with me. Nemu would miss him terribly but Mayuri is a blight on creation. Eventually Nemu will understand.

Yeah, if it comes to a battle with the captains I'm going to trim their ranks just that little bit.