Description: Zakuro graduates the little training session and becomes an actual squad member. Ichigo hasn't mastered some katana abilities and still is training, she struggles with the thought of her friend getting better than her so quickly. Gin tries to comfort her.

Rating: T violence

MewMid: So sorry about my unbearably late updates, I'm struggling with my college classes and hardly have any free time. So I hope this chapter is worth it. :)

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Three Weeks later….

Into the golden light she stepped lightly, her stride elegant like always. She stood between two large doors at the back entrance of the first division. The hidden courtyard behind the first division was a beautiful garden with a cobblestone path down the middle. On each side of her were the captains and lieutenants lined up side by side.

Zakuro stepped down off the patio and onto the path, she faced the head captain that stood at the end of the short walkway. Yamamoto held up his old hand and waved her to come forward. Zakuro nodded and walked down the path quietly, all the captains gave her glances of approval or nods, or just eyed her as if they didn't understand.

Mayuri tilted his head, he had been dying to gather one of the girls and study her DNA and her abilities, but the head captain wasn't permitting it. Byakuya and Soi Fon were uncertain about her becoming a true member.

Komamura, Ukitake, and Kyouraku smiled warmly as she approached the head captain. They had been the captains that were closest with her through her training. Komamura had become rather fond of her, and had requested she be placed in his squad, now was the day he would find out if his request had been accepted.

"Fujiwara Zakuro."

Zakuro bowed her head as she stood before the large elderly man. Yamamoto continued in a raspy tone,

"You have completed your basic training and mastered the basic skills of the shinigami academy excluding Kidou. With further training in Kidou, you will become a powerful ally to your squad. But it has been found that you are ready to become a squad member in the gotei 13."

The wolf girl felt a small smile appear on her lips as she lifted her head to look into the old mans eyes. She took a deep breath,

"Thank you sir."

"You will be assigned a squad, and will follow all directions given to you by your captain and lieutenant. Your squad has already been decided. If you ever become powerful enough to rank in an actual seat position in your squad, you may or may not remain in the squad in which you are about to be assigned. But until that day arrives, you are hereby assigned to the 6th company."

Byakuya felt a small shock run up his spine, Yamamoto was giving him this girl?

The black haired captain looked over in her direction and she slowly turned to face him. She quickly turned back to Yamamoto and bowed once more.

"Thank you Yamamoto-suutaicho. I will do my best to fulfill the duties as a squad member."

Yamamoto grumbled at the girl and raised his hand, Zakuro hadn't noticed what was in his hand before. He held out a black rolled cloth, her shihakusho. Zakuro accepted it and thanked the captain again. Yamamoto then addressed Byakuya,

"Kuchiki Taicho, you will take this girl into your squad and further her training. She will become very powerful, train her well."

Byakuya bowed his head silently at the old man. He wasn't sure what to think about her being in his squad, and thought it was just one more person to train. Komamura was slightly disappointed, but was happy for her that she got into a good squad. He had prayed she didn't get put into Soi Fon's or Mayuri's squad, it would have been a horrible match.

After the ceremony, some of the captains congratulated Zakuro, and some just seemed to disappear. Byakuya waited for her outside the front of the first division double doors. Zakuro hugged Komamura and thanked him wholeheartedly for all his help. Komamura ruffled her hair and told her to come visit him when she could, and that he would miss training her. After speaking with him, she exited the first division and found her new captain and lieutenant waiting for her outside.

Renji smirked and held his hand up to wave at her,

"Hey Fujiwara-san."

Zakuro nodded at him, and then locked eyes with her new captain. Byakuya's cold dark gray eyes stared into her glassy amethyst ones. They stared at each other for a few moments, reading each other. Byakuya blinked and nodded at her, then turned and began walking toward their squad. Renji chuckled as they followed their captain.

"He doesn't talk much, you'll get used to it."

Zakuro nodded and walked beside the red haired man, "I see. He is powerful, I realized that."

Renji felt a bit confused, he looked over at her, "What? Just now?"

"Yeah. I had never formally met Kuchiki-taicho before now, and I could feel his power raging behind his dark eyes. I can feel it. Like a storm in a bottle."

The lieutenant cooed, "Thats quite something to say, but you're right, he is a powerful guy."

Ichigo sighed and stared out at the dazzling sunlight peering over the trees. She sat on the patio on the back of the third division. Her throat ached, she felt like a baby, but she was so confused. She had been living by the moment, but she felt overwhelmed now that she had some time to sit and think about everything that has happened. Zakuro had been told she was ready for the squad, but Ichigo wasn't. Ichigo hadn't mastered her sword like Zakuro did. Zakuro was great with a weapon that required special skills, Ichigo's weapon was a broader blast, so she hadn't had to learn any difficult maneuvers.

She also wondered what was happening in the real world. What happened to Lettuce, Purin, and Mint? What happened to Masaya? Had he been defeated? Had Deep Blue been vanquished? Ichigo had so many questions, and wanted to just see everyone again. Her eyes teared up, things were so different now. She had died. There was no going back. Would she ever be able to even see her friends?

Her thoughts were interrupted by footsteps.

"Ichigo-chan, what are ya' doin' out here by yer lonesome?"

Ichigo tried to fight her grimace and kept her head down,

"I'm just thinking."

Gin stared down at her curiously, this girl always intrigued him. He pondered for a moment about what could be bothering her. Slowly he sunk to the patio and sat beside her. The silver haired captain grinned out at the forest in front of him. Ichigo kept her head down, she didn't want him to see her. Her eyes watered uncontrollably, she bit her lip. Her heart ached, she wanted to see her family and see her friends. Just seeing them would make her feel better, knowing they were okay.

The captain sensed her unstable mood, his smirk didn't disappear.

"Ichigo-chan, Why are ya' lyin' to me?"

The red haired girl's eyes shot open, and she felt her mouth hang open slightly. The cat girl looked over at him, tears forming at the corners of her eyes. His smile faded as he looked at her, he wouldn't deny he loved the look of her face. Her crushed emotion was beautiful in a sad way, but Gin loved certain girls eyes when they cry. He hated seeing them upset, but loved the beauty of a womans tears.

Ichigo shook her head and bit her lip, "How did you know?"

The captain grinned again and looked away to the forest again, "I can jus' tell. Guess itsa' talent of mine. Ya' can tell me whats'tha' matter."

She sat for a few moments soaking in what he said. Tears rolled onto her cheeks, she shook her head.

"I'm just… missing home. I don't know what is wrong with me. I guess I'm just wondering whats happening, I want to see them all again. Even if just for a little while."

"Well, Ichi', that can be er'ranged."

Her head jerked towards him again, tears streamed down her flushed cheeks. Her eyes glowed in the dim light, Gin slowly looked over at her. His smile remained, she exhaled slowly and her body quivered,

"Are you serious?"

He nodded still smiling at the girl, "O' course it can. I'm a cap'n remember? I can see if I could get ya' back to the worl' of tha' livin'"

Gin flinched when she stood up and took a shaky breath, he slowly stood up after her. Ichigo rubbed her cheeks and sobbed quietly, she really missed her family, and her friends. It was all catching up to her.

"Ic-Ichimaru-taicho… I want to see my family so badly… My friends… Masaya…"

The silver haired man turned and stood in front of her, grinning at her madly like usual. Ichigo looked up at him, a weak smile, he nodded, "I'll be seein' what I can do fer ya' nex' time I'm 'round deh' head cap'n."

Ichigo smiled and fresh tears rolled down her cheeks. Gin reached out and stroked her cheek, wiping the tears off of her soft cheek. Ichigo took a sigh of relief and threw her arms around him, she knew she shouldn't be doing anything of the sort, but she didn't care. It had been a long time since she had hugged anyone and it felt nice to hold someone. Gin was stark still for a moment, he slowly returned her embrace, and then released her. He wasn't expecting the abrupt contact, but he liked it.

The cat girl released him and thanked him for his time, "Well could you let me know when you speak to the head captain?"

"I'll be seein' him t'morrow I believe, so I'll let ya' know after deh cap'ns meetin'"

"Thats great Ichimaru-Taicho! Thanks so much! That makes me so happy!"

Hinamori quietly entered the 10th divisions main office, looking for her old friend.

"Toushiro?"

The white haired captain sat at a desk and grumbled at her, no real words forming. He didn't look up from his papers. Hinamori walked over and stood in front of his desk,

"Toushiro, how are you?"

Hitsugaya looked up at her and had a bland expression on his face, he looked tired, "Momo, I'm working, what did you need?"

She seemed a bit discouraged at his bitter attitude, but he got like this when he was tired so it was no surprise, "I'm just curious about what you think of those two new girls. I heard from Unohana that Mayuri did some research about them and discovered three more girls still alive. I don't see them as that powerful, but everyone else does… I'm kind of lost."

"Well its not that they're powerful from what I hear, they have huge potential. And if they become very powerful, its likely the other three will be asked to join the gotei thirteen as well. Why do you care?"

Hinamori shifted uncomfortably, she wanted to mention how Gin was with her. She had found it so odd that the silver haired captain took such care for her. Hitsugaya sighed, "Momo-"

"Ichimaru-Taicho seems to take too much care of her, like she's a baby. The red haired girl? I don't understand it, why aren't they just in the academy like every other potential soul reaper?"

The 10th division captain was now flustered and dropped his quill, "look Momo, I don't have time to answer a bunch of questions, can we catch up another time? When I'm not busy?"

The black haired girl just weakly nodded, still unsatisfied with the response. She smiled at him and exited the room leaving the captain to his work.

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MewMid: I know im terrible with the updates lately, but I hope this was entertaining for you. :D