Ochi sighed as she watched Uryu, Orihime, Sado, Keigo, Tatsuki, and Mizuiro gather at the end of the graduation ceremony. They were no longer her students, but rather mature adults about to go out into the world. She was happy to find that she wasn't surprised by their post graduation plans. After all, it meant as a teacher she had an excellent understanding of her students. Tatsuki, Uryu, and Mizuiro were all going to Tokyo University. Tatsuki was going to study teaching before returning to the Isshin Dojo as a full time karate teacher. She was also keeping her career in the competitive side, wanting to become the strongest woman in Japan. Mizuiro was going for economics. He was going to make his own business, the boy had the intelligence for it. Uryu had yet to outright say what he wanted to go for, and many students assumed it would be medical school, but Ochi knew that wasn't the boy. He liked to help people, but she knew from how he acted every time someone brought it up that he didn't like the idea of being a doctor. He would probably go for design. Orihime meanwhile was going to a vocational school for cooking. She had a long list of things she wanted to be, but she thought that would be the easiest starting point. As for Sado and Keigo, they were going to join the police academy together.

It seemed such a shame, to stand here and watch these six having made it to the end, but not getting to see the rest. Ichigo, Rukia, Chizuru, and the others had all worked so hard but she would not get to see the fruits of their labor. It was a bittersweet day. Now she would have all new students and watch them grow. The teens laughter caused her to look again. She could see Uryu's father standing nearby, a displeased look on his face as Ichigo's father took another picture of the group. Tatsuki's parents along with Keigo's stood nearby, watching them with smiles and Keigo's older sister looked like she was so proud.

xxx

"Dad! That's enough pictures!" Karin scolded her father as he took another one of the graduates.

"But Ichigo will want to see them!" Isshin protested, looking down at the camera.

"Speaking of which, why did you even come. It wasn't any of your children graduating." Ryuken said with an icy tone. Uryu gave his father a reproachful look wondering why he would be so cold to his friend who was clearly sad that his son couldn't be there, but Isshin just smiled.

"They are all like my children! They have all been coming to my home for the last few years. It's not just Ichigo I'm proud of. Oh that reminds me, I only got one picture of Uryu's speech!" Isshin said, turning back to the camera. As the Student body president and the top of the graduating class Uryu was one of the ones that had to give a speech. He didn't really want to do it, but Orihime said it would be great, so he did it for her.

Honestly the teens were surprised they managed to graduate. After they first went to the Soul Society to rescue Rukia; Uryu, Orihime, and Sado hadn't really thought about graduating high school as an option. They were just trying to survive. Then Tatsuki, Keigo, and Mizuiro got pulled into it as well. During the Quincy incident, Uryu had even given up on having a life, choosing to die to protect his friends. This was a day that didn't seem real until they stood here.

"Are we late?!" yelled Ichigo as he, Rukia, and Renji came charging in, wearing their shihakusho's. The teens figured they were in their spirit forms, so no one but them could see the three shinigami.

"Just a little." Mizuiro said. Ichigo frowned.

"I told you we should have left earlier!" Rukia yelled at him.

"Yeah yeah, I'm an idiot I know." Ichigo yelled back. Renji ignored them and turned to the graduates.

"Congratulations you guys." he offered. Ryuken scowled and pulled out a cigarette.

"Hey, you can't smoke in here." Isshin told his long time friend, but the elderly Quincy glared and pulled out a lighter, lighting the cigarette and taking a deep inhale. He wasn't going to be rude to the shinigami, they were Uryu's friends after all and he was trying to patch things up with the boy. However if he was going to tolerate their presence he needed a cigarette.

"Thank you Renji! I'm so glad you all made it!" Orihime said excitedly. Renji scratched the back of his head. He thought about telling her about Rangiku and the other women shinigami sending her their regards, or about how they had been planning on sneaking off to see their graduation but Byakuya must have known because he actually met them this morning to tell them to just go, but he decided not to tell her any of that. It wasn't necessary.

"Come on, let's go celebrate!" Rukia yelled, grabbing Orihime and Uryu's arms and pulling them away. Ichigo nodded to Sado, putting his hands on his sisters heads and steering them after the others, Mizuiro, Keigo, and Tatsuki behind them. Renji looked at Isshin, Ryuken, and the other confused parents who were completely lost on why Mizuiro and Orihime started talking to air and then the six kids left with no explanation of anything.

"Are you coming?" he asked. Isshin glanced over at Ryuken then smiled back at Renji.

"Nah, you kids have fun." he said. Renji nodded and took off after the others. Ryuken let out another long breath of smoke.

"What do you say we go and get some food?" Isshin asked Ryuken. The silver haired man glared at him and through the cigarette to the ground.

"Are you paying?" he asked in a tone that said he would refuse otherwise. Isshin chuckled.

"Sure." he agreed.

So I've been away for a while, I'm sorry. This semester was a lot more difficult for me than I thought it would be. I thought I had taken an easier math but ended up struggling majorly in it. However I pulled off a good grade so I'm really happy! Anyway, I hope you're all doing well and for any of you that haven't heard there is apparently going to be two new bleach novels. The first is about Rukia and Renji's wedding, which is cool and all, but I'm way more excited for the other one that is coming out in the spring! It's all about Shuhei!