Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or its characters, i own Kyoko, Haruki and Kuma.

Chapter 2

Haurki was waiting patiently outside the entrance to the first squad barracks, he turned and walked beside Kyoko as she exited the building and started making her way back to the tenth squads barracks. Glancing behind her Kyoko noticed that he was acting a bit fidgety and nervous; finally she put him out of his misery and talked to him.

"Hey, thanks for talkin' ta Captain Unohana for me, thanks to you she have some medicine ready and waitin' for me before I even asked her." Haruki visibly relaxed and a small smile spread across his face.

"I didn't say anything to you because I wasn't sure how you'd react."

"Man, ya gotta stop bein' so nervous Haruki, what would I have done? Fed ya ta Kuma or somethin'?"

"That's what made me kept quite the most." Kyoko laughed after this comment, since she knew full well that it was true, nobody bothered her in a bad mood from fear of being devoured by her terrifying pet. They discussed the new twelfth squad Captain and argued over how much hell Hiyori was going to give him for the rest of the journey, as they entered the barracks they were greeting by an infuriated scream.

"SOMEONE GET THIS BEAST OFF OF ME!!!!"

"Hmm, guess it didn't take Ikkakku long ta come back for a rematch," Kyoko commented as the mentioned Soul Reaper began shouting every insult under the moon for the whole squad to here.

"Kuma is definitely your pet Captain, I can tell just by looking at his favourite targets list. Every time I go to the ninth squad Captain Muguruma threatens me to tell you to keep that dog in a kennel or take him to puppy training or something." Haruki grinned as the sound of pounding foot-steps came tearing down the hallway.

"KYOKO! GET THIS CREATURE AWAY FROM ME!!!" The bald third seat of squad eleven came careening towards them, both Captain and Lieutenant couldn't help but laugh at how ridiculous the man looked with half of his left trouser leg missing.

"I think your new look suits you Madarame" Haruki snorted as the culprit of Ikkakku's make over pranced over to his mistress and placed the shredded trouser leg on the floor at her feet.

"Shut it Yamada! That thing just attacked me for no reason!"

"Awww you were only sayin' hello weren't ya my fuzzy little trouble maker, weren't ya baby" Kyoko cooed as her pet rolled on his back and let her rub his belly.

Anybody standing watching them would have thought that a creature like Kuma looking really silly lying on his back like that. Kuma was a spirit that took the form of a large wolf those shoulders came up to Kyoko's elbow, a mane of long crimson red hair ran down his back and shoulders, standing out starkly from the main colour of the rest of his fur, white. He had four black socks and black lines over his sides, similar to a tiger. He had a vaguely heart shaped black marking on his chest and his tail had striking black v-shaped markings that ran to the crimson red tip of his tail, underneath his piercing white-blue eyes there were light grey ticks that had swirling markings of the same colour that extended from them and down his cheeks, his ears were red and black rimmed and three lose bangs of crimson mane hung over his eyes. The thing that made Kuma stand out most in a crowd was his horns; they extended from just behind his ears and were the same shape and texture of those of a ram.

"What kind of pet greets people by ripping their clothes apart!?"

"Mine does" Kyoko replied as Kuma sprang back to his feet and skipped over to Haruki, he butted the Lieutenant's hand with his horns when all the man did was greet him formally. Kuma was much more intelligent than the average animal, and he seemed to share the Soul Reapers longevity, though he always hid it from others with his "I'm only a pet" facade.

There were only a handful of people that he would actually allow to pet him, and only a few of them knew that Kuma could communicate telepathically, though he had only ever used the technique with Kyoko.

Haruki patted his head cautiously, Kuma growled at him, telling Haruki in his own way not to be so nervous. Kyoko wasn't surprised that her subordinate was still nervous around the wolf, it was only recently in the last year that he had been admitted into the group of people allowed to pet him.

Kuma had been patrolling the Rukon District of Kusagishi when he had been surprise attacked by a group of thugs. A traitorous Soul Reaper had hired them to capture him to use as a hostage, they would not have stood a chance against the wolf's strength if the Soul Reaper hadn't been specialised in kido. Haruki had arrived at the last second and sent the thugs running for cover and then seriously injured the traitor. Later Kyoko had gone to finish off the traitor personally.

"Good morning Kyoko, Haruki" Yumichika said as he joined the group, "really Kyoko, I wish that you would just do something with your hair, it could look so nice if you did something with it."

"Sorry Yumichika, but it's too much trouble ta do anythin' in the mornin' and then I just don't have time during the day."

"That's a shame.

"Hey what are ya trin' ta say?"

"I'm just saying that you could look much more attractive if you actually made an effort."

"Ya know, you're goin' the right way for a smack at the moment" Kyoko replied, a small smile on her lips.

"Are you two done? We didn't come to exchange fashion tips you know" Ikkakku interrupted their conversation, "I came for a rematch!"

"Ikkakku was getting impatient and we had nothing better to do today" Yumichika explained after seeing the questioning look on Haruki's face.

"Impatience seems ta be a common trait in squad eleven doesn't it" Kyoko remarked as she walked past them and headed towards her room, Kuma trailing at her heels. "Haruki, could ya go and open up the trainin' ground, I'm just gunna go and get Amaya."

"Sure."

Kyoko stretched and yawned widely as she walked around the corner; she reached in her pocket and pulled out the pot that Unohana had given her. She didn't want to take them, but it was beginning to look like she didn't have much of a choice. Kuma sniffed at the pot and licked her hand, the action being much more supportive than anything he could have said. She scratched his ear affectionately.

"Kuma!? Kuma are you here?" Kyoko looked up in surprise as one of the new recruits fresh from the Academy came wondering down the hall, calling out for him. Kuma wagged his tail and bounded up to her, licking her face in greeting, it was when Kuma looked back at her still wagging his tail that Kyoko realised that the girl must have been the friend that Kuma had made when he had wondered over to the Academy. Still, she was surprise at the reaction the strawberry blonde haired girl got out of the wolf.

"I was hoping that you would come and see me here! I didn't think that you would since I didn't know if the Captain would tolerate you coming in and out but I'm so glad that you came anyway!" The girl chattered as she wrapped her arms around his thick neck, an action that actually made Kyoko's jaw drop, she had never seen Kuma let anyone other than herself hug him like that, except in certain circumstances.

Kyoko cleared her throat loudly, making the young Soul Reaper practically jump out of her skin.

"Captain! Umm, this wolf, he's, err..."

"I'm guessin' that you are the kid that Kuma's been tellin' me about" Kyoko said as Kuma gave her a toothy grin and turned with a swish of his tail, continuing towards her room.

"Telling?... Wait, he's your pet Captain?" The girl's eyes shone as all of this new information came to her; she obvious wasn't sure whether to be delighted or nervous.

"Yep he is, though he normally doesn't listen to me and normally just wanders off as he pleases. Ya don't have ta call me Captain by the way, I hate all of that formal shit, just call me Kyoko okay?"

"Okay" the girl replied as she began to relax a bit.

"What's your name?"

"Rangiku Matsumoto."

"Rangiku, that's a nice name" Kuma reappeared as Rangiku smiled brightly up at her Captain; he was carrying a sword with a silver guard and hilt wrapped with red and a red sheath in his jaws. "Thanks" Kyoko said as she took her zanpakto from him and wrapped the rope attached to the sheath around her waist, she carried her weapon horizontally across the bottom of her back, similar to the way that many of the Stealth Force carried theirs.

"Come on" Kyoko motioned for the girl to follow, "this is a perfect excuse ta take a break from work, not that there's much ta do on Sundays anyway."

"What's going on?" Rangiku asked; she had to jog to keep up with the Captain as she strode back down the hall and towards the training ground.

"Every other month or so Ikkakku from squad eleven comes here and won't leave until I've had a sparring match with him. I saved his life back when I was in squad four and all he said was that he didn't need help from a "weakling from squad four." Let's just say that afterwards he had ta stay in the hospital a lot longer than he would have. Ever since it's kinda been a tradition that he comes back for a rematch, and everyone, even from other squads, uses it as an excuse ta get some time off work."

When they reached the ground Kyoko gave Rangiku directions on where to get the best seats, she noticed that the girl was looking a bit uncertain about the whole thing so she told Kuma to go with her.

"No doubt you were goin' ta go with her anyway" she added as she walked into the battle area.

OOO

Kyoko side-stepped as Ikkakku struck again, sparks flew into the air as he blocked her counter attack, their swords rattled as they fought against each other, neither willing to back down easily. Ikkakku threw himself back and charged forward again for another attack, using both his sword and its sheath to try and catch Kyoko off guard.

Kyoko ducked down, dodging both attacks, and back flipped away to put distance between them so that she could move forwards with her own attack. By this time they had many spectators, mostly from their own divisions and the neighbouring ninth division, but also from further squads like the twelfth and thirteen, even some from as far as the third and fourth. It was amazing how little people seemed to have to do on Sundays, even if they were on duty.

Kyoko spun and barely missed being cut, but when her body stopped spinning her head just seemed to keep going. She staggered from the dizziness and nearly lost her balance. That was all that Ikkakku needed as he sprang forwards once again for a final strike. Kyoko was too disorientated to notice what she was doing instinctively as she moved forwards with her own attack. The battle ended with each participant having a blade against their throat.

"Tch, a draw" Ikkakku said with distain as he took his blade away and sheathed it. "Guess it can't be helped, I'll come back again soon, when you look like you can fight without getting dizzy" he finished his statement under his breath as he turned and walked out of the training ground to a chorus of cheers from his fellow squad eleven members.

Kyoko sheathed her own sword and grinned up at the crowd.

"Okay funs over, get back ta work you lazy slackers!"

"What work Captain!?"

"I'll find some for ya if you want" Kyoko laughed as the spectators immediately began streaming away, no one wanted to stay and she if she would put her playful threat into action.

"That was amazing!" Kyoko turned as Rangiku came running onto the field, a huge smile on her face. "Could you teach me to fight like that?"

"Sure" Kyoko answered, she was growing to like the young girl that stood before her, "at some point I'll see what your swordsmanship is like so far but..."

"Whatever ya do don't let her try and teach you kido, you'll probably end up blown up."

"Let me finish my sentences!" Kyoko cried as she smacked Shinji across the back of his head.

"C'mon, ya know that's what you were goin' ta say Angel."

"Whatever, what are ya doin' here again anyway?"

"Delivering an assignment."

"Using the fight ta get outta work."

"Kinda, I wanted ta know where half my squad had disappeared to so I told the guy from squad one that I would take the order since I was heading this way anyway."

"Who are ya and what have you done with Shinji?" Kyoko said as she backed away.

"Hahaha" Shinji laughed sarcastically, "I can be helpful if I want to, anyway here." He handed her a formal looking envelope that she opened and began reading, "hey, who's the kid?" Kyoko looked up and saw that Rangiku was watching them intently.

"Is that an order? Can I go?"

"Sorry, Rangiku, but this hollow's already killed ten Soul Reapers, I'm gunna have ta send seated officers out on this one." The girl looked disappointed, but after hesitating she turned to Shinji and asked the question she really wanted an answer to.

"How's my friend Gin doing? I'm worried; he hasn't contacted me at all since we left the Academy." Shinji looked confused for a moment before realising who she was talking about.

"Oh that little smart-ass, he's doin' fine, it's kinda scary." Shinji winced as Kyoko discretely stamped on his foot; she turned to her young squad member, who looked confused about how to feel about the answer.

"Go on, if ya don't have anythin' important that needs ta get done ya can go and see him now." Rangiku practically glowed as she danced out of the training ground and off toward the fifth squad's barracks.

"Ya want ta make sure that Aizen doesn't go near her" Shinji said to Kuma who was looking uncomfortable about the situation, he shared both Captains dislike of the Lieutenant. "Just make sure ya don't eat him" Kuma made his dislike a lot more obvious.

Kyoko and Shinji walked side by side back towards the tenth squad's barracks; the trees cast long shadows against the mid-day sun, making the scenery look surreal and disorientating. Kyoko clutched her head and slipped, she grabbed the nearest tree branch and regained her balance, but the jolting movement caused the container that Captain Unohana had given her to fall out of her pocket and roll away across the mottled floor.

"Yeah, typical, that didn't happen in the fight but it happened here. I can't believe that I forgot about them!" Shinji picked up the pot and looked at it, a surprised expression on his face.

"It's really that bad?" Kyoko snatched the pot from his hand and stormed away, she sensed him follow her all the way through the barracks until she reached her Captain's quarters.

"Will ya stop followin' me?! Just leave me alone! I don't want ta talk about it!"

"I'm not gunna make ya talk ta me about it" Shinji said as he walked up to her. "Just make sure you take them and actually get some sleep. Go and sleep for a bit now, don't worry, I'll talk to Haruki and he can take out a team ta deal with this hollow." She didn't like the sound of that, she didn't know why, she just didn't like it. However, she was too exhausted to argue. Instead she hugged him and kissed him on the cheek before turning into her room and going for a much needed rest.

Too tired ta comment, plz review.