Chapter 5: Home Part 2
"Ichigo are you forgetting what you yourself said?" Rukia asked as she poised herself for battle.
"No I remember perfectly, but given the situation I doubt that it will matter." Ichigo replied as Renji alternated a confused glance between the two.
"Rukia am I missing something?" Renji asked oblivious to how Ichigo was dealing with his loss of friends.
"I'll explain later, for now we'll need to finish this quickly." Ichigo blurted out.
"So you are prepared to attempt to finish what you started then?" Uryu asked as he narrowed his eyes on Ichigo.
"Uryu! Do you really think Ichigo would turn on you all like that!?" Renji shouted as he drew his zanpakuto.
"Well you merciless Soul Reapers have him brainwashed." Orihime stated.
"Like hell they do!" Ichigo shouted bitterly.
"Hey you can't talk to her like that!" Uryu shouted.
"Can it before you really piss me off!" Ichigo shouted back.
"Ichigo, are you really that intent on fighting us?" Chad asked with a firm resolve in his eyes.
"I'm intent on doing what I must." Ichigo replied just as Karin returned with a few other friends Ichigo left behind.
"Chad, Uryu, Orihime, I'm back, and I brought Tatsuki and Keigo." Karin stated, but the sight of more of his friends coming to fight him left a bad taste in Ichigo's mouth.
"Karin, Tatsuki, Keigo, you would be wise to flee." Rukia stated sternly.
"Rukia!? Not you too!" Keigo shouted in despair.
"We aren't afraid of you Rukia!" Tatsuki shouted.
"Enough! Hado number one! Sho!" Hisagi shouted from a side street before his kido slammed the six humans off of their feet. "Ichigo, Renji, Rukia, we're leaving! That's an order!" He shouted before he, Rukia, and Renji vanished, but Ichigo hesitated for a moment before following after them.
"Damn, they got away!" Karin growled.
"No, they spared us… That fourth one, he was a captain, and they're known for their strength and cunning in battle." Chad explained.
"You're wrong Chad, they didn't spare us, they insulted us. They don't even see us as worth the trouble." Uryu stated as he helped Orihime to her feet.
Meanwhile the group of Soul Reapers hastily returned to Urahara's shop. "God, I can't believe they were that serious about fighting us." Renji stated as he sat down at the small wooden table.
"I tried telling you, but no-one listens to the man that knows everything." Urahara stated as Ichigo stared intently at the gigais.
"Urahara, you say these will change our appearance?" Ichigo asked.
"Yup!" Urahara explained.
"Good, I'm going back out… There are still some things I need to look into." Ichigo replied.
"Ichigo that wouldn't be a good idea… We've done what we came here for, now we should head back." Hisagi stated as he narrowed his eyes on his lieutenant.
"I don't care, I need to do this." Ichigo replied sternly.
"Ichigo, I believe that while this is something you may need for yourself, I believe the answers you'll find will only bring you more pain." Byakuya replied.
"You don't think I know that?" Ichigo asked as he turned to see that everyone had a concerned look on their face. "I… This is something I have to do… Forgive me." He stated as he entered the gigai, and immediately he changed in appearance, his eyes were no longer amber, and his hair no longer orange, but instead he had green eyes, and silver hair. "I'll be back before long." He finished, but Rukia held him up.
"If you insist on going, then I'm coming too!" Rukia exclaimed before entering her gigai, and like Ichigo, her appearance changed, and she appeared as though she could pass as Tatsuki's twin. "Byakuya, we'll be back before long." She stated as she followed Ichigo when he left the shop.
As the two began to walk they were eager to take in the sights of the town, and before long they found themselves at the park where Ichigo fought his first Menos Grande. After the park they soon found themselves in Ichigo's old neighborhood, and they decided to stop in at the clinic. "What will we say?" Rukia asked.
"Look, call me Kenji, you'll be Sakura, and when I knock on the door I want you to act like you have a severe headache." Ichigo explained and Rukia flashed him an impressed smile before he knocked on the door to the clinic.
"Can we help… Oh, are you alright?" It was Yuzu that answered the door, and much to Ichigo's relief the disguises were working like a charm.
"My wife, she has a very bad headache, but we have no car, and the hospital is too far away, please you have to help her, Sakura is everything to me!" Ichigo exclaimed as he put on his act.
"Oh, well come on in, Dad! We have an emergency!" Yuzu called out before Isshin appeared in the doorway.
"Right, Yuzu bring her with us, as for you, make yourself comfortable, and leave everything to us." Isshin stated with a wink making Ichigo wonder if he saw through the disguise.
As Ichigo watched Rukia walk off with his dad and sister, he couldn't help but worry if Rukia could keep up her role. "Rukia…" He uttered under his breath.
"Did you say Rukia?" Karin asked from behind, and Ichigo's heart skipped a beat as he began to panic before a brilliant idea came to mind.
"Well I was a classmate of hers for a while, and I really liked her, and I also overheard her tell that Ichigo guy that she used to live at a clinic and I was just wondering if this was the one." Ichigo lied.
"Oh, for a second there I thought you might be one of… Oh well, never mind I don't want to bother you with those details." Karin replied as Ichigo breathed a sigh of relief.
"So did she live here, or is there another clinic?" Ichigo asked as he followed Karin into the living room.
"Well she did, but you seem awfully concerned about Rukia for someone with a wife." Karin pointed out.
"Well… Don't tell her this, but Rukia was my first love." Ichigo lied as he sat down in a chair. "Hmm? Photos of the family?" He asked as he picked up a picture frame. "I'm jealous… I don't get along well with my family, so I haven't seen family photos in so long, and Sakura hates having her picture taken." he continued. "Hey, why's the boy's picture scribbled out?" He asked.
"Oh, that's Ichigo, he's become a disgrace in this town." Karin replied.
"Why do you say that? I mean he is your brother isn't he?" Ichigo asked not sure if he wanted to hear her thoughts on the matter.
"Well he helped kill a friend of the family, of course he didn't take the life himself, and so he couldn't be arrested for the crime, but we will never forgive him for helping that bastard gang of murderers kill Shukuro." Karin replied.
"Don't you think that's just a little unfair to him? I had a couple of sisters that I adored before I became at odds with my family, but if this Ichigo fellow is anything like me, then he probably cares a lot about you, so why are you so quick to choose a bond of friendship over your family bond?" Ichigo asked.
"Well simple, Ichigo doesn't see us that way, and he'd kill us if he didn't think himself above us." Karin stated.
"Surely you can't believe that?" Ichigo asked as his heart sank.
"Sure I do, Shukuro told me he was falling in with a bad crowd that would only want him to kill us, and well he's joined that gang now." Karin replied.
Ichigo couldn't reply after that, and for a half an hour they sat in silence before Isshin lead Yuzu and Rukia into the living room. "Well she's all better. Would you two like to stay?" Isshin asked.
"N-no, we couldn't." Ichigo replied embarrassedly.
"Nonsense, I remember before my idiot son and his friend fell in with that gang it was so lively around this place. It'd be nice to go back to that… What do you say?" Isshin asked as a cocky smirk permeated his lips.
"Sakura?" Ichigo asked.
"Well it is pretty late Kenji, maybe we should accept their offer." Rukia replied with a warm smile.
"Fine, but they sleep in Ichigo's room." Karin stated.
That night as Ichigo and Rukia laid awake in Ichigo's old bed they both felt an overwhelming awkwardness. "This feels weird." Rukia stated quietly as she turned toward Ichigo. "I don't think I'll be able to get to sleep tonight." She stated.
"I know… Honestly I wasn't expecting them to act so casual, I mean I know we're in disguise, but I figured they'd pick up on either of our mannerisms. I mean we're lucky they didn't, but it kind of disappoints me to know they didn't." Ichigo explained.
"Oh… Well I was talking about the current situation… We're sharing your old bed." Rukia stated as her face slightly pinked. "Ichigo, we can't do much of anything back home until we're married, but we aren't home right now." She continued, and Ichigo started to blush.
"Rukia, are you sure you want to?" Ichigo asked, and Rukia merely gave him a seductive smile.
After an hour the two disguised Soul Reapers were panting heavily. "Ichigo… That was amazing…" Rukia uttered breathlessly.
"Well you were really great too…" Ichigo stated, but he quickly held his breath when he heard a knock at the door.
"Ichigo, I need to speak to you." Isshin called from the other side.
"What! How did they find out!?" Rukia whispered in horror.
"Relax, I think he knew from the moment he saw us arrive… I can also safely say he wouldn't expose us in front of the girls, so stay here, but if you sense my reiatsu peak I want you to get out of here." Ichigo explained as he got dressed before leaving the room.
"We'll talk downstairs." Isshin stated quietly as he led Ichigo down into the kitchen.
"What's this about?" Ichigo asked.
"Well I was concerned… You're a fool if you don't think I noticed you today. I just want to know how you're feeling after seeing your sisters." Isshin stated with a solemn expression.
"Well, while it hurts to hear them refer to me so negatively, I am relieved to see that otherwise they are doing great." Ichigo replied. "Dad, can I ask you something… Why are there so many humans trying to gain power?" He asked as he rubbed his eyes.
"Well… I don't know much being as how no-one can know I'm like you, but the thing is… I overheard Karin on the phone a while back, and I guess they're planning on a trip to the Soul Society." Isshin replied, and Ichigo cringed at the thought. Here in the human world he may have been successful in influencing the others not to fight seriously, but Soul Society would be a completely different story when the humans would be regarded as intruders.
"Dad, if Karin and the others come to Soul Society, they will be targets of execution. As I'm sure you know there is a captain that has a stealth force of assassins known as the Onmitsukido, and they won't care that other Soul Reapers value their lives." Ichigo replied. "And don't even get me started on how bad Captain Kurotsuchi wants to study a fullbringer." He continued as a grim expression covered his face.
"I'm aware of that, but Ichigo, you don't need to worry, Urahara keeps giving them the run around. He won't let them enter Soul Society. Though Ryuken Ishida, is a different story. I heard from Urahara that Uryu's been trying to get his father to help in the matter." Isshin replied.
"Damn… Is there anyway you could intervene?" Ichigo asked, and Isshin gave him a smirk.
"Don't you think I'm already working on that?" Isshin asked confidently.
"I'm glad to hear it. I don't know what I'd do if I had to lose everyone all over again." Ichigo replied.
"I know what you mean, but Ichigo there's something else… I've felt the presence of a lot of hollows in the city recently, but the thing is they don't seem intent on causing trouble. I haven't had a chance to look into it yet, but I think there may be some serious implications from there presence. Namely that the humans are siding with the hollows." Isshin stated.
"Why!? How could Orihime, Chad, or Uryu even think about going to them for help!?" Ichigo asked with a raised voice.
"Ichigo calm down, I was mere putting the worst case scenario out there. Though it is still in fact a possibility, and the hollows are all pretty strong." Isshin stated.
"Tsukishima… If that bastard has influenced them to seek help from the hollows, I will seriously make him suffer… Wait, of course I nearly forgot! Dad has Tsukishima's soul been in contact with any of the others?" Ichigo asked.
"Well now that you mention it, I think I've sensed his presence near Orihime's house a few times." Isshin replied.
"How long ago?" Ichigo asked.
"Well it's been a few weeks… Though if he sticks true to the pattern he should be visiting her tomorrow." Isshin replied, but a moment later the two were distracted when they felt the rapid approach of several high reiatsus.
"What now?" Ichigo uttered as Karin came running down the stairs.
"And what do you think you're doing?" Isshin asked as he glared at his daughter.
"Sorry dad, but I wouldn't expect you to understand." Karin stated with a glare of her own as she hastily put her shoes on.
"Karin! Your dad asked you a question." Ichigo barked.
"So what? And since when is it the business of guests in this house?" Karin stated as she opened the door to allow Chad, Uryu, Orihime, and Tatsuki to enter the house.
Ichigo watched as the five began to converse. "So we're leaving tonight. My father has finished the method of travel that will allow us to bypass the Dongai Precipice World." Uryu explained.
"You're foolish!" Ichigo shouted catching several puzzled looks as Rukia came down the stairs.
"What are you talking about?" Orihime asked as Uryu narrowed his eyes on Ichigo.
"Oh don't mind him, Kenji's not involved." Karin stated, but a second later Uryu drew his bow on Ichigo.
"Who are you?" Uryu barked.
"Uryu, we don't attack humans!" Orihime stated desperately.
"I don't think he is a human, he knows what the Dongai Precipice World is." Uryu stated.
"Tch, well I guess the cat's out of the bag." Ichigo stated before giving Karin a soft smile. "I'm glad to have had a civil talk with you tonight, it's been a real treat, but alas I can't hold up my charade any longer. Rukia now! Expel!" He exclaimed before revealing himself to the others.
"Right, expel!" Rukia followed his example.
"N-no way!" Karin stated breathlessly as a horrified look covered her face. "They were here the whole time?" She uttered as Uryu fired several arrows that Ichigo deflected with Zangetsu.
"I will not stand by and watch as you recklessly throw your lives away!" Ichigo shouted as he blocked an attack from Chad.
"Hey, I know they're the enemies, but we can't drag Yuzu into this!" Karin exclaimed as a halt came to the fight.
"Tch, she's right." Uryu stated as he dispersed his bow.
"Why would you be foolish enough to enter Soul Society?" Ichigo asked, and a wave of horror spread over Rukia at the thought of having to watch her friends fight the other Soul Reapers.
"Why? Because you killed our friend that's why!" Uryu shouted.
"Why you-" Ichigo was interrupted by Rukia.
"Ichigo! Don't worry… They won't come." Rukia replied.
"Oh really? And are you going to stop us Kuchiki?" Uryu asked irritably.
"No, but I just know you won't. Unlike last time you have no noble goal in mind in the point of view of a Soul Reaper, and therefore you won't receive any help from Yoruichi nor Urahara, and unlike last time, there is no threat of Aizen's circumstance to deter the full attention of every captain. While it didn't matter to you before things this time around will have changed drastically, and as such you'll have no hope of leaving. Even then…" Rukia paused as she let a rush of power flow from her body. "Anyone who wishes to attack Ichigo will be met with a reckoning they've never thought possible." She stated. "For two years he's been tormented by how things ended, and I refuse to watch him go through that again!" She shouted as she drew Sode no Shirayuki.
"Rukia, let's go, we need to prepare for the invasion. It's obvious to me your words fall on…" Ichigo trailed off as he felt a familiar reiatsu that pasted a smirk on his face. "Tsukishima." He stated in a tone of satisfaction.
"What!? Uryu, didn't you tell him to avoid using his ability for the time being?" Orihime asked, and the smirk faded from Ichigo's face.
"So the bastard is still using it huh?" Ichigo wondered. "Rukia I need to face him, go on without me!" He shouted before rushing past the others.
"What!? I don't think so!" Uryu shouted as he raced after Ichigo aided by Hirenkyaku.
As soon as Ichigo left the house he had entered an obstacle course of sorts as he had countless arrows flying his direction from Quincys that had been attracted by the feel of his reiatsu. "Damn, they're not going to make this easy." He thought as he jumped from rooftop to rooftop while he homed in on the location where he had sensed Tsukishima. Though by the time he managed to arrive, Tsukishima had vanished, but in his place were several fullbringers. "Damn, this is bad." He thought as he looked back at the Quincys closing in on him, and moments later he found himself completely surrounded.
"It's over Ichigo!" Uryu shouted as he glared daggers at Ichigo.
As Ichigo held his ground he couldn't think of any way out of his predicament. "Damn this is really bad." He thought as he tightened his grip on Zangetsu.
Just as things seemed their worst he was relieved when he felt a somewhat familiar reiatsu appear not too far from where he was, but a confident grin slowly formed when he felt another reiatsu appear followed by one he knew all too well. "Reduce all creation to ashes, Ryujin Jakka!" Yamamoto bellowed when he appeared in front of Ichigo.
"Old man…" Ichigo uttered as Yamamoto held his ground just as Soifon arrived followed by Kyoraku. "Everyone, what are you all doing here?" He asked as his eyes widened.
"We're here to bring you back for insubordination by refusing an order from your captain." Yamamoto replied irritably.
"That's right Ichigo, now sting your enemies to death, Suzumebachi!" Soifon called out.
"Yup, and don't worry about that guy Shukuro Tsukishima, we've already dealt with him." Kyoraku stated with a grin as he drew his zanpakutos.
"Fall back!" Uryu called out as a glare covered his face.
"But Uryu, there are only four of them, even if they are captains we should be able to overwhelm them!" One of the fullbringers called out.
"No! If you stay here you'll die." Yamamoto warned them as the flames intensified.
"Like we're really scared of some old man!" A Quincy called out before Soifon struck him in the chest. "Wha-what is this!?" He cried out as a butterfly appeared on his chest.
"All you need to know is that you don't want another. Now leave us!" Soifon shouted before the crowd of humans began to flee.
"Ichigo, your return to Soul Society is not up for debate." Yamamoto stated sternly as Ichigo hung his head low before Ukitake appeared with Rukia.
"Oh you found him, I'm glad." Ukitake stated in a wheeze.
"Right, now isn't it about time we went back?" Kyoraku asked, and before long the group had returned to Soul Society.
Back in the Seireitei Ichigo was being reprimanded for his insubordination. "Nothing, I repeat, nothing gives a lieutenant the right to refuse a captain's orders." Yamamoto stated. "Regardless of your own personal feelings on this matter, you should not have engaged the humans so willingly." He stated.
"But Yamamoto, the humans were and maybe still are planning on entering the Soul Society for an invasion! I just wanted to urge them not to." Ichigo replied.
"Be that as it may, you will receive a two-week suspension from squad activities, and for three years you are forbidden from entering the human world. Is that clear?" Yamamoto asked with a glare.
"Yes Head Captain." Ichigo replied before leaving Yamamoto's office.
When Ichigo left Yamamoto's office he was greeted by Rukia and Byakuya. "Do you see Ichigo, this is why you must follow your captain's orders to the letter." Byakuya stated sternly.
"Yeah I figured that was what Yamamoto was trying to say when he told me the same thing." Ichigo replied sarcastically as they made their way back to the Kuchiki manor.
"Ichigo, you are alright aren't you?" Rukia asked as a look of concern covered her face.
"Yeah, it's just… Why does a power like Tsukishima's even exist?" Ichigo asked as he grew frustrated.
"Well don't get too down, and honestly I really don't see them being foolish enough to invade the Seireitei." Rukia replied. "Now, let's go home and put this matter to rest." She finished.
"Yeah, let's go home." Ichigo thought as a calm smile spread over his face as he took Rukia's hand.
Two months following, Rukia and Ichigo had their wedding ceremony, but a few weeks later they would soon receive wonderful news. "Well Ichigo you can relax, Mrs. Kurosaki doesn't have an illness, but you are going to be dealing with her being sick for a time." Unohana stated after she finished examining Rukia.
"What do you mean?" Ichigo and Rukia asked in unison.
"Well… I don't mean to beat around the bush, but you might want to start thinking of some names." Unohana replied with a warm smile.
Ichigo and Rukia were no fools, they knew exactly what Unohana had meant by her comment, and within seven months they had a baby boy. "Well Ichigo, Yuichi seems to bear your features." Rukia pointed out as she held their son in her arms.
"Yeah, but he has your eyes." Ichigo stated as he admired his son closely.
When the two Soul Reapers finally brought Yuichi home from the hospital, it seemed as though everyday they were receiving visitors. "Well he looks like Ichigo." Kyoraku stated when he visited with Nanao.
"Well I'd say he has his mother's eyes." Nanao replied as she made a few funny faces that seemed to amuse Yuichi.
Though it was when Soifon came to pay her respects a few months later that the two parents received a great shock. "Well he isn't much to look at." Soifon stated absentmindedly.
"Captain Soifon how could you say that!?" Rukia asked in horror.
"What, I'm only being honest." Soifon replied.
"Soifon do you always have to be abrasive?" Ichigo asked.
"Hey you said you wanted my honest opinion." Soifon replied.
"Captain Sui Feng, your opinion is greatly respected, however, I believe they were expecting a compliment." Byakuya replied.
"Well what can I say? Well I have high expectations of him if that helps." Soifon stated in a panic. "I'm just not great with kids, or have you wondered why I don't have any?" She asked.
"Soifon, Soifon." The four Soul Reapers let out a gasp when they heard Yuichi utter his first recognizable word.
"What?" Ichigo and Rukia uttered in unison.
"Soifon!" Yuichi exclaimed contently forcing the strict captain to crack a smile.
"Well, he's very smart to pick up on names this early, how many words does he know?" Soifon asked as she turned to the boy's parents.
"Well, that was his first word." Ichigo replied somewhat deflated that it wasn't daddy.
During the next few years Yuichi began to grow rapidly, and in one month they had to buy him bigger clothes six times as he quickly outgrew everything.
On Ichigo's and Rukia's tenth anniversary they decided to go to a fancy restaurant, but while Ichigo didn't mind to bring Yuichi along, Rukia insisted that they find a babysitter. "Rukia are you sure about this?" Ichigo asked as they waited for the babysitter to arrive.
"Well Yuichi's too hyper for the maids and butlers to keep up with, and Byakuya is still on his mission with Renji. Besides, she's grown up a lot in recent years." Rukia replied as she put on her kimono.
"But you still haven't told me who it even is." Ichigo stated as he made sure his own black kimono was on perfect.
"That's because I knew you'd reject the idea." Rukia replied.
"You know that doesn't exactly enhance my feeling of security." Ichigo retorted as he turned to see Rukia in a stunning white kimono.
"What do you think?" Rukia asked as she spun around.
"Well, you certainly look beautiful." Ichigo replied before they heard the doorbell ring.
"Oh, she must be here. Can you make sure the maids let her in?" Rukia asked before Ichigo left the room.
When Ichigo answered the door he was somewhat horrified by the identity of the babysitter.
"Oh! Good evening Ichi, you certainly look swanky." Yachiru stated as Ichigo's eye began to twitch.
"Rukia! Were you expecting company aside from the babysitter?" Ichigo called out before Yachiru let out a few chuckles.
"Ichi I'm the babysitter!" Yachiru exclaimed as she walked past Ichigo and into the house. In recent years Yachiru did in fact grow a little older, and now she closely resembled a twelve year old girl.
"You're joking right? When's your babysitter coming along?" Ichigo asked before receiving a glare from Yachiru.
"Hey! I may be the youngest lieutenant and we may be the same rank, but I still deserve at least a little respect!" Yachiru shouted before Rukia came down with Yuichi glued to her waist.
"Momma why can't I go too?" Yuichi wined as Rukia struggled to move.
"Ichigo, a little help please." Rukia stated, but upon Yuichi noticing Yachiru, he immediately let go of his mother.
"Who is she?" Yuichi asked as he pointed at Yachiru.
"This is Lieutenant Yachiru Kusajishi, and she's going to be your babysitter tonight. I do trust that you'll behave right?" Rukia asked as he gave her son a stern look. "Now, why don't you introduce yourself?" She asked with a caring smile.
"Um, m-my name is Yuichi Kurosaki, and I am nine human years old." Yuichi replied.
"Well my name is Yachiru Kusajishi, and I hope we have a lot of fun tonight." Yachiru replied as she knelt down in front of Yuichi.
Yuichi blushed when he looked into Yachiru's eyes before retreating up to his room. "Awe, he's bashful." Rukia stated. "He must have taken a quick liking to you Yachiru." She added on making the pink haired lieutenant blush.
"Well don't you two need to be off? If it's a date you don't want to be too late otherwise the stores selling Chappy dolls will close for the night." Yachiru stated, and Ichigo shot her a glare as Rukia's eyes widened.
"Ichigo we better hurry before the stores close! Yachiru if you have any trouble just raise your reiatsu and we'll be home swiftly. Also Isane will be coming by later to check up on how things are going. Now Ichigo let's go!" Rukia exclaimed as she pulled Ichigo away.
"Whew, safe!" Yachiru thought as she heard the door close. "Hmm, but what to do about him? I don't want him to stay locked in his room all night." She thought as she looked up the stairs just before Yuichi's head peered out of his room before retreating back inside. "Well he certainly is an amusing kid. Ugh, if only I could get the guys closer to my age to fall for me as easily." She thought as she sat down on the couch. "Now what?" She uttered as a stillness set in around her. "Hey Yuichi? Hey sweetie if you're feeling hungry let me know, I doubt your parents will approve, but if you're really good I brought some candy with me, and I wouldn't mind sharing." She called up to his room.
"Candy?" Yuichi called back before poking his head out once more.
"That's right, now why don't you come on down and tell me a little bit about yourself?" Yachiru asked before Yuichi hesitantly crept down the stairs.
"Well my birthday is June twenty-second, I'm going to be a strong Soul Reaper according to Uncle Byakuya, and I've already begun training to learn shunpo." Yuichi replied.
"Really? Shunpo at such a young age? I'm impressed." Yachiru replied. "So what squad do you want to join when you grow up?" She asked as she looked down at Yuichi.
"Well I was thinking of joining Soifon's squad, number two right?' Yuichi asked as he held up two fingers.
"That's right, but why do you want to join that squad?" Yachiru asked.
"Well I've also been learning a lot from Soifon, she's almost as good a teacher as Uncle Byakuya!" Yuichi exclaimed. "She said when I get a little older I can start learning how to perform this thing called shunko!" He continued.
"I see… Well what about joining Squad Eleven? What do you think about that?" Yachiru asked with a grin.
"Hmm, well Captain Kenny is really cool!" Yuichi exclaimed, and Yachiru let out a chuckle.
"You know, that's what I call my captain, Kenny is the most important person in my life, and he really respects your dad." Yachiru replied.
Before long Yuichi had insisted in showing Yachiru his toys, and while she saw his actions as adorable she was relieved when Isane finally arrived and she had an intelligent adult to talk to. "Well he is an energetic child." Isane stated as she watched him running in circles for the fifth minute straight.
"Come on Yuichi please stop that, if you get sick your parents will kill me." Yachiru pleaded.
Before long both Soul Reapers were completely exhausted and had fallen asleep by the time Ichigo and Rukia came home to find Yuichi reading a book in front of the two girls. "Momma, Poppa, welcome back!" Yuichi exclaimed as he ran over to his parents.
"Wow, I must say I wasn't expecting Yachiru to be out cold, and Isane said that she could only stop by for a few minutes." Rukia stated before gently nudging Yachiru awake.
"Yuichi stop running!" Yachiru exclaimed sleepily as she sat up quickly.
"Wow, he out-hypered Yachiru!" Ichigo exclaimed as he watched Rukia trying to keep Yachiru awake.
"Where am I? What time is it?" Yachiru asked as she finally came to her senses. "Unh, Rukia?" She asked when she finally gained a firm grip on her surroundings.
"Well we decided to come back early, but don't worry, we aren't upset that you fell asleep on the job, and thank you for keeping the house in order." Rukia stated, and Yachiru's eyes widened to find that the house was completely clean.
"But when I sat down earlier to take a break the house was a complete disaster… Did Yuichi clean the mess himself?" Yachiru wondered as Rukia woke Isane.
"Oh no! I can't believe I fell asleep when I was supposed to spend time with Kiyone!" Isane stated, and after bidding a hasty goodbye to everyone she left for the night.
Things continued much the same way for years only changing ever slightly as the months came and went, but eventually the time came for Yuichi to enroll in the Soul Reaper Academy. "Are you excited Yuichi?" Rukia asked as he readied himself to leave the house.
"Oh hell yeah! It's about time I enrolled now hurry up you slowpokes!" Yuichi exclaimed as he finished getting ready.
"Hold your horses now." Ichigo stated with a scowl as he grabbed his zanpakuto.
When the family left the house Yuichi quickly ran off ahead using shunpo. "He sat there barking at us to hurry up, and he runs off ahead anyway." Rukia pointed out as they walked casually.
"He's just excited. He's been counting down the days until the enrollment period." Ichigo pointed out. Over the passed decades Ichigo became quite familiar with the practices in Soul Society and forty years prior he had been promoted to the rank of captain when he bested Hisagi in battle. Though even losing his captaincy to Ichigo, the two men still remained as close friends.
After a few weeks classes officially began, and Yuichi knew that he was going to have to work hard to accomplish his goals. Alright I'm definitely going to be the top student!" He exclaimed before two more students joined up with him.
"Hey Yuichi, how've you been?" One of the girls asked with a beaming smile as she brushed her brown hair out of her face.
"Oh, Mayu! What are you doing way over here? Isn't your house on the other side of the academy?" Yuichi asked as he met with the girl's jade colored eyes.
"Hey, is that any way to greet your best friend?" Mayu asked as she glared at Yuichi.
"Mayu you're always so hyper, and that's why you aren't Yuichi's best friend." The other girl stated as she narrowed amber colored eyes on Mayu.
"Mayu, Ayame, quit fighting. Who cares who the best is, I mean you're both pretty good friends of mine, why can't you be satisfied with that?" Yuichi asked as he glanced between both girls.
"Yuichi, you don't need to be considerate of that beast." Ayame stated as her shining silver hair caught a gentle breeze flowing into Mayu's face.
"Why can't you do something about that hair before I burn it off with kido?" Mayu shouted as she challenged Ayame.
"Why can't you two stop bickering?" Yuichi asked in exasperation. "They're lucky maturity is not a deciding factor in the admissions tests." He thought. "Come on you two, you'll need to quit fighting, for the next couple of years the academy will be like a second home, and you don't want to embarrass your parents do you?" He asked before running on ahead.
"Hey, wait for me!" Both girls called out in unison as they raced to catch up to Yuichi.
Chapter 5 end - So how was that, I know it's been quite a while, and to be honest I wrote this chapter long before I posted it, but my old computer was too slow to upload without freezing so… Anyway I really struggled to get through this chapter, and unfortunately I know I was pretty random with how I directed the story, but I needed to explain a few things from the sequel. Anyway, as I'm typing this my internet is down, so hopefully by the time I upload I'll be uploading quite a bit. Also next chapter I will be refocusing the story attention on Ichigo's friends as of a few days after Ichigo was taken back to Soul Society.
(Shunpo to… Okay maybe just this once I'll use Sonido.)
Disclaimer: I do not own bleach, if I did… Sorry I don't have anything funny this time… All rights to Tite Kubo.