Disclaimer- I do not own Bleach
A/N - for those of you who read Reincarnation, and I hope it's everyone since this is a sequel, and wanted to see Shiro become a captain this chapter should make you happy.
Chapter Three - New Captain
"Come on Kasumi," Shiro called out impatiently, turning back to see what exactly was taking his best friend so long. If they didn't get a move on then they would be late and that would simply not be acceptable. He'd been looking forward to this since that fateful evening when he and his best friend had attended a high school dance and lost their lives and he didn't want to miss the fun because Kasumi was taking her sweet time.
"Toushirou," Kasumi said, placing her hands on her hips and gazing over at him with an exasperated expression in her clear blue eyes. "I can't believe you want to go to your own wake."
"It's your wake too," Shiro said, not understanding why she didn't want to go. He happened to think that it was incredibly amusing to be able to attend your own funeral and had no intention of missing the opportunity. After all, it wouldn't present itself again.
"I know that," Kasumi said, fully aware that their parents were holding a duel wake for the two of them. Two families showing support for one another after the tragic loss of their children. Or at least that was what they wanted to portray to everyone who didn't know what had actually happened to the two teens. "But that doesn't make me want to be there. Besides, in case you've forgotten, I'm supposed to start classes at the Academy today."
"Oh come on," Shiro said. Shaking his head he walked over to the spot where she was standing, grabbed her by the hand and pulled her toward the door. "It's not as though seventy-five percent of the people there won't be able to see us anyway. I went to that stupid dance with you, which got us killed by the way, so you can do this for me. And I promise we'll be back in plenty of time for you to make it to class on time. Not that you really need to be there on the first day anyway. Take it from someone who's been there, all they do is talk and it's boring."
"I can't believe he's trying to equate going to a formal with attending our own wake," Kasumi thought to herself but none the less allowed him to pull her along. She would go because if she didn't then Shiro would never let the matter drop but that didn't mean that she had to be happy about it.
Together Shiro and Kasumi left Soul Society and made their way to the world of the living. Then, once they were back in Karakura Town, the two teens made their way to the Ishida residense where their memorial service was being held.
"This is so weird," Kasumi muttered as she opened the back door and led the way into the living room, which was crowded with people who had came to pay their last respects to the two teens. And at one end of the room, on top of a table, was a photograph draped in black.
"You have got to be kidding me!" Shiro exclaimed as his eyes fell upon the picture that their parents had chosen. It was the one that Orihime had taken the day that he and Kasumi had died, the picture of the two of them dressed up for that stupid dance.
As she too gazed over at the picture Kasumi smiled for the first time that day. "Aww I really like that picture. I'm going to have to get Mom to give me a copy."
"Ugh," Shiro groaned, shaking his head.
Ichigo and Rukia were standing in the center of the room, along with Uryu and Orihime, when the Captain of Squad Five caught sight of the two teens who had just entered the room. "Oh I don't believe this," he muttered to himself as he left his spot and made his way across the room toward his son. "What are you doing here?" he hissed as he gazed at Shiro.
Shiro shrugged. "I thought it would be fun."
"Fun," Ichigo repeated, shaking his head in disbelief. "Of course you did."
"Hey, I had to make sure that people were appropriately sad over my death," Shiro said in his own defense. Then he waved his hands. "Just pretend that I'm not here and go about your business."
Ichigo sighed and walked back over to the spot where his wife and their best friends were standing, once more shaking his head in disbelief. Leave it to his son to not only attend his own wake but to also drag his deceased best friend along. "You know," Ichigo thought to himself as he gazed at his son. "It's really hard to act appropriately sad when he's over there making faces."
"Well that was surprisingly boring," Shiro muttered after all of the people had departed the Ishida residence. He was loathed to admit this fact, since he'd been the one who'd really wanted to attend their wake, however it would probably have been more exciting if they'd just stayed in Soul Society. At least there he had Matsumoto to annoy, which was always good for a laugh.
Kasumi rolled her eyes in her best friend's direction. "I don't know what you were expecting. It was a funeral Shiro-chan, those kinds of things aren't generally exciting."
"I know that," Shiro said as he watched their parents walking toward the spot where they were standing. "But with our families and their history I thought for sure something of interest would happen."
"And it probably would have if we hadn't had the foresight to leave Kaien and Masaki with Urahara today," Ichigo said as he came to a stop in front of his son. "I can just imagine trying to explain to those two why exactly everyone was mourning the brother who was standing in the corner making faces."
Shiro chuckled, a mental picture of his precocious siblings entering into his mind. "Now that would have been funny."
"Toushirou," Rukia said in a reproachful tone of voice, her violet gaze focused on her eldest son.
Shiro shrugged, completely remorseless. "Well Kasumi I guess we should probably return to Soul Society. Head Captain Ukitake said that he wanted to talk to me after I'd had my little fun. His words not mine."
"Ukitake knew about this?" Ichigo exclaimed. "And he let you come?"
Shiro arched his brow at this statement. Honestly his father really should know better. "Oh come on. Like he could stop me."
Rukia shook her head. "I swear Ichigo that boy is JUST like you."
Both Shiro and Ichigo looked offended by this comment however Ichigo knew better than to say anything about it and Shiro never got the chance. Before the boy could even open his mouth Kasumi grabbed him by the hand.
"Come on Shiro-chan," she said as she pulled on his hand. "You have a meeting to get to and I have to get to class."
"Fine," Shiro said, allowing Kasumi to pull him from the room.
Uryu's gaze followed his daughter as she dragged her best friend from the room. Then he turned to face Ichigo, a horrified expression on his face. "Did she just say that she has to go to class?"
"Yep," Ichigo said, realizing in that moment that Kasumi must have neglected to tell her father that she was to attend classes at the Shinigami Academy. Not that he blamed her for that decision. He wouldn't want to be the one to deliver that particular piece of news either.
Later that day Ichigo and Rukia were playing with their twins out in the backyard when a black butterfly fluttered up to Rukia. Slightly curious Rukia held out her index finger and allowed the Hell butterfly to alight upon it. She gazed at the messenger intently for a few minutes and then watched as it flew away.
"So what's the message?" Ichigo asked as he watched the butterfly flutter off.
"Ukitake is holding a joint meeting for all captains and vice-captains," Rukia told him.
"Oh what now?" Ichigo exclaimed.
Rukia shrugged. "No clue. Guess we'll find out in a couple of hours."
At this moment Kaien began to tug on his mother's shirt sleeve. "You're not gonna leave us with Urahara again are you Mom?"
"Yea," Masaki joined in. "It's boring there."
"Don't worry Saki-chan," Rukia said, offering both children a reassuring smile. "We'll go to Soul Society now and see if you can stay with Momo."
"Yay!" the twins exclaimed in unison. Hinamori's daughter Ayana was their best friend, apart from one another and their older brother, and they were excited about the prospect of seeing her. Trips to Soul Society were few and far between and as a result of this fact the twins didn't get the opportunity to see their friend very often. The prospect of seeing Ayana always elicited an excited response.
"Well come on then," Ichigo said, not really happy about departing for Soul Society any earlier than was absolutely necessary but at the same time realizing that he was completely outnumbered on this.
Rukia nodded and she and the twins fell into step behind Ichigo, who led the way back into the house and downstairs to the Senkaimon that was located in the basement. Once there Ichigo activated the portal that would take them to Soul Society and together the family departed.
A couple of hours later all of the captains and vice-captains assembled together in the Squad One conference room. All that is except for one. Everyone was gazing around in confusion, curious as to why the Squad Three Captain wasn't present however all muttering stopped as Head Captain Ukitake stepped to the front of the room.
"I'm sure you're all wondering where Captain Erizawa is and why she's not here," Ukitake said as his gaze swept around the room. "Unfortunately Natsumi has decided that the stress of being a captain is just to much for her to deal with. She's resigned her post and is accepting a position in the kidou corp. Which unfortunately leaves us one captain short."
"So what are you going to do about this little problem Jyuu?" Captain Kyouraku asked, a broad smile on his face. "Are we going to hold a tournament to pick her replacement or something fun like that?"
"I've already found a replacement. All that's left is for me to run my choice by the rest of you and make sure that you all. . ." Ukitake began however his words were interrupted when the doors of the conference room suddenly opened.
"Oops," Shiro said as his gaze fell upon the assembled captains and vice-captains. "I swear I didn't mean to interrupt this time but Ukitake told me to meet him here and. . ."
Ukitake smiled at the boy. "Don't worry Toushirou, you've arrived just in time."
Ichigo's eyes widened as the significance of the Head Captain's words fully sank in. "You have GOT to be kidding me!"
"What?" Shiro wanted to known, a confused expression on his face.
"Why don't you go over there and stand by your parents Toushirou," Ukitake said, gesturing toward the spot where the two Squad Five officers were standing. "I promise things will be clear soon."
Shiro still held a confused expression in his blue-green eyes however for once he did as he was told without question. Shrugging his shoulders the boy walked over to stand beside his mother.
"Okay so as I was saying," Ukitake said. "Squad Three needs a captain and I have decided to move Captain Hisagi to that position. Squad Three has a large number of new recruits, fresh from the Academy, and therefore they need a level-headed and experienced leader and I think that Captain Hisagi will be best able to lead them."
At this moment Ukitake's third seat Kiyone walked over to her captain and handed him a white haori. Ukitake took the haori and in turn offered it to Hisagi. Hisagi removed the haori that was emblazoned with the number thirteen and replaced it with the one bearing the number three.
"Okay," Ukitake said. "Now that leaves Squad Thirteen in need of a captain and I've decided that Matsumoto will be the best one to fill this role."
Just as before Kiyone handed Head Captain Ukitake a white haori which he in turn offered to Matsumoto. Matsumoto removed her haori and accepted the new one, a broad smile on her face.
"Which brings us to Squad Ten," Ukitake said with a smile as he accepted a third haori from Kiyone.
"Wait a minute!" Shiro burst out, his blue-green eyes widening. He saw where this was going and he didn't like it. "You people have been trying to pawn this off on me for years and I'm still not interested. I don't want to be a captain!"
Ichigo saw the determined expression in Ukitake's eyes and he turned to his son. "You may as well give in Shiro. They won't give up until you do." He knew this better than anyone, having ascended to the rank of Captain in a similar manner.
"Come on Shiro-chan," Kin said, walking over to the spot where the boy was standing. "You'll make a great Captain."
Shiro still didn't look convinced however made no move to protest when Matsumoto took the haori emblazoned with the number ten from Ukitake and placed it on him. "You know," the boy said as he gazed down at the white coat that he now wore. "Ganging up on me isn't really fair."
"I know what you mean kid," Ichigo muttered, thinking back to the day when he'd faced a similar situation.
"Now," Ukitake said, addressing the group. "By a show of hands who supports Toushirou's appointment to the position of Squad Ten Captain?"
One by one the room was filled with raised hands, even Byakuya raised his hand although he was the last to make a decision.
Shiro sighed in resignation and took his place in line, with Kin standing just slightly behind him.
"Excellent," Head Captain Ukitake said, smiling as he surveyed the room. "Now that our vacant captain's position has been filled you are all dismissed."
"Come on Captain," Kin said, offering Shiro a bright smile.
Shaking his head Shiro left the room, his new vice-captain walking a few steps behind him.
"He doesn't look happy does he?" Rukia said as she watched her eldest son leave the conference room, the white haori that he now wore making him look even more eerily similar to his deceased counterpart, Captain Hitsugaya.
"I would imagine he looks much the same way I did when I was forced into taking the position of Squad Five Captain," Ichigo said, trying with all of his might to block out the flashbacks from that day.
"I can't believe he actually dragged me to our own wake," Kasumi muttered under her breath as she walked down a corridor in the Shinigami Academy. Her first day of Shinigami training had been uneventful and much to her surprise she'd taken to it almost immediately. And yet despite this feeling of accomplishment she still couldn't get over her best friend's actions.
"Kasumi-chan!" a voice called out from a few feet away.
Kasumi turned and watched as her new friend Rumi hurried toward her, accompanied by a couple of other girls that Kasumi didn't know. They were all dressed in the same red and white uniform that she wore and they all had excited expressions on their faces. "What is it?" Kasumi asked.
"One of the Captains of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads is standing out at the front gate," Rumi exclaimed in a breathless voice. "And he's absolutely gorgeous. Come see!"
And with this Rumi grabbed Kasumi by the hand and together the group of girls made their way toward the exit that led out to the front courtyard. "He must be new," Rumi said as they walked. "I've never seen him before but he's wearing the white haori that marks all of the captains. And I've never seen anyone so handsome."
When they reached the courtyard Kasumi's gaze swept the grounds, searching for this gorgeous captain that her friend had been gushing about but the only person she saw standing at the gate was Shiro-chan. "Surely they can't mean. . ."
Shiro's gaze fell upon Kasumi as soon as she stepped outside and he hurried toward her, his new white haori flairing out behind him as he walked. He arched a brow as he watched her gazing around as though she'd lost something. "What are you doing?"
"My friends said that there was a gorgeous captain standing outside," Kasumi told him. "But all I see is you."
A smirk on his face Shiro turned around and displayed the large number ten that was emblazoned on the back of his haori. Kasumi's eyes widened. "You. . . you can't be serious."
"Serious as a heart attack," Shiro said, beginning to grow uncomfortable with all of the stares that he was recieving. "Apparently that's what Ukitake wanted to talk about. So are you ready to go?" The group of girls were beginning to crowd around him and the sooner he got out of this place the better.
"Sure," Kasumi said.
"Then let's go," Shiro said, seizing her by the hand and pulling her from the courtyard.
A/N - and thus ends chapter three. Captain Shiro. And he has fangirls, I thought that would be too funny. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, please review and tell me what you thought. Til next time this is Hitsu-taichou signing out.