- - Day Six - -

Early morning light through alley's and across roof-tops, attempting to illuminate the path that the lone Shinigami treads. The world begins to come alive around him as he walks...well, as alive as souls can be, anyway. Shops open and people begin to stir as the sun raises overhead and the seireitei grows bigger in the distance. Seven days of walking and he's getting closer.

He's left behind the outer Rukon for areas more familiar with and accepting of Shinigami. Children run and laugh, apparently finding Daisuke rather amusing as they do so. 'Filthy little brats.'

'They're just children.'

'They're pick-pockets and thieves. Don't lower your guard just because they're children, boy.' Daisuke sighs a bit in response and continues his walking. 'And another thing, stop and take a break for lunch before you tire yourself out and you become even more useless.'

'It's only been a few hours, Tenshi. I think I can handle a little walk.'

'I wasn't asking what youthink, whelp.' He sighs again and continues walking. 'Don't you ignore me!'

'Do you have any idea how difficult that would actually be?' He can almost see the scowl on her face and he smirks a bit in response. 'I'll stop in a few more minutes, Tenshi. Just calm down.' A snort sounds in his head and he sighs. At least he'd avoided an argument with her...for now. True to his word, he stops at a small shop, the first one he encounters.

Daisuke enters and takes a seat at a small table by himself. He removes Tenshi from his obi at his hip and gently lays her down beside him. For the most part, the waitress seems rather at ease around him, accepting his order and delivering it several minutes later. 'Don't over eat, boy, you'll put on weight.'

'Thank you for the advice, I didn't know that.'

'Don't get smart with me, whelp. If you get fat you'll get slow, and you'll get dead. Am I speaking simply enough for you? Is it sinking in? Do you understand what I'm trying to say, boy?'

'I didn't at first but thank you for explaining it.'

'That smart mouth is going to be the death of you one day, whelp! You'd better curb it before then!' Daisuke quietly eats his lunch, not paying much mind to anything else going on around him while he converses with Tenshi. That is, until a strange question causes him to give pause. 'Do you remember the first time I spoke with you, boy?'

Daisuke pauses, staring down at the meal in front of him. 'I do. It was the night after my run in with a Hollow, and with Captain Ukitake. You didn't tell me your name then...you didn't even try.'

'You weren't even close to being able to handle that kind of power, boy.'

'Yeah, but ten years after I graduate from the academy? You wait that long, let me suffer that many beatings before you decide to speak with me again? Up to that point I wasn't even sure that you'd ever talk again.'

'You weren't ready. I'd have waited longer but you wouldn't have survived that Hollow's attack if I had, now would you? Your team-mates abandoned you, turn their backs and ran whilst you lay bleeding to death. They left you for dead, boy. But you seem to ignore that lesson...reliance breeds weakness.'

'I rely on you, Tenshi.' She is silent for several moments, and when she speaks her voice is soft as it was when she urged him to Shikai and Bankai for the first time.

'As you should. We are partners to end, Daisuke.'

'...You know, for being partners you insult me an awful lot.'

'All to keep you in line, boy. Now finish your meal and let's be on our way. I'm sick of this place.' Daisuke smiles a bit in response and then nods softly. After finishing his meal he places some money on the table and slowly stands. After returning Tenshi to his hip where she belongs, he beings on the path back towards the seireitei once more...

- - Day Twelve - -

Days of traveling, more then a week an a half in total and finally he was back in the seireitei. The path to the Thirteenth Division is one that he can walk blind-folded, and before long it appears in the distance. Daisuke smiles as he draws closer and closer to the Division. It's noon by the time he enters the building, feeling right at home as he heads to Captain Ukitake's office.

He stops in front of the door and reaches up to knock on it, moments before it opens and Captain Kurotsuchi appears in the doorway. His smile disappears as he regards the man. "Well?" asks Captain Kurotsuchi. "Step aside, you fool!" After a moment he does just that and he steps out of Captain Ukitake's office, the man in question following.

"Oh, Daisuke," says Ukitake in way of greeting. "I'm glad you're returned. Please, step inside."

"Is everything alright, Captain Ukitake?" asks Daisuke, watching Kurotsuchi walking away. The two enter Ukitake's office and the sickly Captain takes a seat behind his desk with a sigh. "Captain?"

"Oh. Yes, everything is fine."

"...You're sure?" Ukitake laughs heartily and nods firmly.

"Positive." Daisuke nods. "Well, I'm glad you're back unharmed. Did you just return?"

"Yes, Captain. I'll begin my Division duties immediately."

"There's no rush, Daisuke. Take your time." Daisuke nods again.

"Yes, Captain." After a moment Daisuke glances back towards the door. Unable to sense any unfamiliar reiatsu he turns back towards Captain Ukitake. "If I may change the subject...how are you feeling today, Jushiro?"

"The same as always. Better then yesterday." Only in private does Daisuke refer to his Captain, his friend, by his first name. It seems that when Jushiro began looking out for him as a child, he never did stop. Not during his time in the academy and his many, many fights with the other students and twice with Instructors. He just kept bailing Daisuke out of trouble.

Though, after he graduated his first stop wasn't the Thirteenth Division but the Twelfth. That was where he met Kisuke Urahara, the man who taught him everything he knows about Shunpo, about concealing his Spiritual Pressure and fighting. He was his mentor, his first real friend when he thought he couldn't rely on anyone but himself and Tenshi. "That doesn't answer my question, Jushiro."

"I've been feeling much better lately." After a moment Jushiro chuckles. "You don't have to look after me. Unohana does a fine job of that, Daisuke." He nods in understanding.

"I apologize."

"Don't worry about it."

"I should be going, Jushiro. I've caused you to waste enough of your time." Jushiro smiles a bit.

"I don't consider time spent talking with a friend to be wasted, Daisuke." He nods again and then bows and turns towards the door. "And, Daisuke?" He turns to face Jushiro again.

"Yes?"

"I don't think I have to remind you but...make sure that you stay away from Captain Kurotsuchi. He never did get over that broken nose you gave him when you were in the Twelfth Division."

"That was over a century ago, Jushiro. You think he'd hold a grudge for that long?"

"You used to work closely with him, so you should already know the answer to that question." Daisuke smirks a bit. "Just...make sure you don't end up on one of his tables, Daisuke."

"I have your permission to end his life, then, Jushiro?" Both men smile a bit in response. "I'll make sure that I don't cross paths with him if I can avoid it. But I'm also not going to go out of my way to avoid him. I've proved I can kick his ass before and I'll prove it again if he's feeling tough." Jushiro laughs heartily.

"You're in high spirits today, I see."

"Aren't I always, Jushiro?" The two laugh cheerfully.

"Oh! While I have you, I don't suppose I could ask a favor of you, could I?"

"Anything." Jushiro shuffles the papers on his desk this way and that for a moment before sighing and then digging through the drawers of his desk. With an 'Ah-ha' he produces a letter and holds it out to Daisuke, who approaches and takes it. "What's this?"

"Could you please take that to Captain Unohana? It's a request for more of my medicine. I'm almost out."

"Uhh...would that be such a good idea?" Truthfully, Daisuke hasn't been to the Fourth Division since his last drunken episode with Renji, Ichigo and Ikkaku. "I mean, Captain Unohana still seemed a little angry after what happened." Jushiro can't surpress his laughter at that and the young man scratches the back of his head with a chuckle. "Who'd have thought she'd get so worked up over a few borrowed wheel-chairs?"

"Well, you did race them off of Sokyoku Hill."

"I know, I know." Daisuke tucks the letter into his kosode. "I'll get it there as quickly as I can, Jushiro." The door is suddenly thrown open and two figures come bolting in. Daisuke jumps a bit in surprise as two figures appear between himself and Jushiro, kneeling with their backs to him. "Hey, Kiyone, Sentaro, long time no see!" Though he greets them cheerfully, they ignore him. An irritated look appears on his face.

"Captain!" exclaims Sentaro. "I couldn't help but overhear the conversation just now! Please, allow me to take the letter to Captain Unohana! I promise that I won't-"

"No, allow me," interrupts Kiyone. "I'm much more capable then Sentaro!"

"No, you aren't! The Captain would never trust you with such an important task, butter-fingers!"

"Like he would trust someone as slow as you to run something somewhere! Now butt out!" Jushiro and Daisuke watch as the two throw insults at each other, boasting about their ability to carry a simple letter. Daisuke shakes his head and then turns, leaving the room and the arguing duo for Captain Ukitake to deal with...

Daisuke is no stranger to the Fourth Division, having spent many different times as a patient in the past. That said, he's always nervous around Captain Unohana, always has been. 'I don't like that woman.'

'You don't like anyone,' counters Daisuke. 'Anyway, why not? What did she do to you?'

'It's what she did toyou. I'm the only one who gets to beat on you, boy. Not her, not anyone else.' Daisuke chuckles a bit in response. As usual, Tenshi was staking her claim.

'Well, there shouldn't be any fighting. I'm just delivering a request for more medicine on behalf of-'

'Jushiro. I'm not deaf, I heard the conversation, boy. And technically, you four didn't run off of Sokoyoku Hill so much as you ran down it in the wheel chairs. It seems your stupidity knows no bounds when alcohol becomes involved. Not only did you smash the wheel chairs, but you attempted to return them to the Fourth Division! How stupid can you be, boy?!'

'Hey!...we tried to sneak 'em back in, not walk 'em through the front door. There's a difference.' Daisuke rounds a corner and nearly runs over a small Shinigami. The male falls backwards and grunts in pain.

"Ow," complains the male.

"Huh? Hanataro!" He looks up at Daisuke and smiles before accepting an offered hand that helps him to his feet. "Long time no see, huh, Hanataro? How've you been?"

"It's been a while, huh? I've been alright, what about you? You aren't here for treatment, are you?"

"No, nothing like that, Hanataro. I'm just here to deliver a letter to Captain Unohana from Ju- Captain Ukitake. Do you know where she is?" Hanataro nods and then motions down the hall.

"Captain Unohana's office is just down that way. First door on your left, Daisuke."

"Right. Thanks, Hanataro." The two part ways and Daisuke sighs. He'd met Hanataro when he'd come in after a particularly bad beating suffered during a drunken brawl in a bar. That was also the same night he'd met Renji and Ikkaku, but that was a different story. It only takes a few moments to reach Captain Unohana's office and he stands in front of the door for a moment, gathering his courage before reaching up to knock on the door.

"Come in," sounds a voice on the other side. Daisuke slowly opens the door and Captain Unohana looks up from the papers on her desk. "Oh, hello, Daisuke Arata. Come for treatment?"

"Uh, no, Captain." Daisuke reaches into his kosode and produces Jushiro's letter, approaching and hold it out to her. "Captain Ukitake asked that I deliver this letter to you." Unohana accepts the letter and slowly opens it while he stands in silence. After a few long moments she folds the letter up and places it on her desk.

"I see. He is in need of more medicine, then."

"It would appear that way, Captain." Unohana stands and motions for him to follow as the two leave the room.

"How is Jushiro?"

"The same as always, I assume. That is to say, he hasn't told me differently, Captain. Though, I doubt he would burden anyone else with his problems if he could avoid it. You know him better then I do, after all."

"Oh, come now. You're good friends, aren't you?"

"I would like to think so, Captain. He spends so much time looking after me, though. I really wonder if I'm doing enough to repay his kindness."

"Maybe...you're doing him more good then you think." Daisuke cocks his head a bit in confusion but Unohana doesn't elaborate. He follows her through the Division to a room filled with all kinds of jars and bottles. He waits outside and after several moments she returns with the medicine. "As usual, tell him to take this twice a day."

"I understand. Excuse me." Daisuke bows and then turns.

"Oh! Please, don't borrow any wheelchairs on your way out. We'll need them soon, I'm sure." A sweat drop appears at his temple in response as he walks away.

'She doesn't let things go, does she, boy?'

'I guess not...'