Greeting everyone! I'm glad to see that you all came back for another new chapter! Last chapter was rather short, so I'll make sure to fill this one up with a little more content.

A lot of things are coming for this story. I will correct myself right now and say that the coming chapters will focus on Natsu's establishment in the Soul Society and how he adapts to his new life as a Shinigami. I decided to give more depth to his situation and his developing relationships with the other characters before deciding to do a time-skip. O

Once that is done, the Acnologia centered-chapters will come, and I must say, I'm very excited to work on those. They are definitely something that I really look forward to write! But putting my excitement aside, I will address some of the latest reviews.

ShadowFlameDragon09:

Thanks man, your support means a lot. Also, the thought of comparing Natsu's lost of his arm with Future Gohan never crossed my mind, but now that I think about it, it sounds awesome. Great call out dude.

Guest Isa:

I'm excited about writing Acnologia, that I can tell you. I have great plans for the Dragon of the Apocalypse and a big twist of events for the time the story reaches the beginning of the Bleach series. I also had a few things in store related to Rukia's sister and Kaien, though don't expect much, I ain't planning to put a lot of focus in them aside from their involvement with Natsu. He's the main character of the story after all.

ShadeFireDragon:

Heh, well technically the prosthetic arm in Ikkakku is an anime-only thing. She doesn't have one in the manga. However, since the Clan Shiba has always seem very knowledgeable, I decided to take advantage of the status of the story as a fanfiction and came up with the idea. And thanks for the cookie! *Proceeds to eat my favorite cookie. *

BlackDragonShingami:

Glad that you are liking the idea Natsu and a young Byakuya interacting. It was an idea that has stayed in my mind for quite some time and I really wanted to see where I can take it. There's a lot of material I can work with them together, especially when you put their personalities into account.

erasenpai946:

So you prefer Yoruichi, huh? Interesting choice. I can see your point as to why you see her as a more preferable option. Also, just to clarify, time-travel doesn't affect Natsu's age. It is a common mistake around Fairy Tail fans, so it is understandable, but really, Natsu hasn't lived for 400 years, he just went from point A to point B in an instant.

Blacksword:

Where's Rukia? Well, she along with Renji are currently in the Rukongai, but that will receive a little more explanation later on. They will come back later on in the story, so no worries.

Dragonborn2704:

It definitely makes me happy to hear that you are enjoying the story, and I'm glad that so far everyone feels in-character, especially since I put a lot of effort in maintaining them like that. Yeah, I sure make a lot of grammar mistakes, can't say much about that. XD

surya25addanki:

Yeap, training Natsu with an entire new set of powers is definitely challenging, but I like to think that I'm doing a pretty decent job so far. Great thing that you took special notice in Natsu's current situation, you sure have a good eye for detail. And wow, a lot of people seems to have a mayor preference for Yoruichi. I will be sure to put your suggestion into consideration. By the way, thanks for your support. ;)

kawabanga258:

I really am grateful that you are enjoying the story so far. Natsu and Byakuya will surely have an interesting relationship, that I can tell you, and establishing the relationship between Natsu, Shunsui and Ukitake is certainly one of my favorite things in the story, so I'm happy to hear that you like it. Natsu will most definitely mature throughout the coming years, but not to the point where he's character will be unrecognizable. And quite frankly, I'm amazed by how many people want Yoruichi as a potential love interest for Natsu, so I might put it into consideration.

eltonalmeida9:

Any encounters between Acnologia and Aizen will surely end in disaster, but for who? Only time will tell. Knowing that, Natsu's relationship with Shunsui and Ukitake is one of my favorite things in the story, so I'm happy to hear that people is enjoying their interactions too. Kaien will surely be an interesting thing to work with. Also, Natsu and Byakuya are about same age, though, going by Soul Society years, Byakuya is definitely older. However, mentality wise, they are about the same age. Byakuya only commented about Natsu being too young because he was expecting a more veteran and older Shinigami as a sparring partner, and Natsu did not fit that criteria. Hot damn, another Natsu X Yoruichi request, these ones sure are coming in big numbers. Not that I'm complaining though. XD

Well, I guess that's it for now. Having said that, please don't forget to share your opinions! Suggestions and constructive criticism is welcomed! But most importantly, please enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 16: Unwanted Visitors

The outside garden of the Kuchiki Family Manor was surrounded by the incessant noise of wood clashing with one another. Charts of broken parts were throw into the air, along with the sound of something snapping in half.

"Dammit, not again." Natsu clicked his teeth, staring at the broken handle in his hand as he effortlessly blocked an incoming strike from his opponent's training sword with his other arm.

Byakuya frowned at the pinkette's lack of focus. "Don't take your eyes away from me." He warned him, feeling irritated that his previous attack did nothing.

"Hey, its not my fault. This thing can barely stand a few hits." The Dragon Slayer responded, waving the piece of wood around as if to prove a point before throwing it at a random direction.

Apparently the training swords weren't meant for the harsh treatment he was giving them and ended up breaking very easily with just a couple of swings. Shōkyaku was far more resilient then any of them, so the difference was as clear as day.

Byakuya couldn't help but roll his eyes. "If you aren't even going to take this seriously, then I don't really see the point of prolonging this so called training any further."

"Oi, I said that I would help you, remember?" Natsu reminded him, covering his now exposed wooden arm with the sleeve of his uniform. "Besides, its not like I need a stick to do just that."

"You want to spar with your bare hands, is that what you are saying?" The younger Kuchiki questioned with skepticism, almost as if mocking the very thought of him doing just that. However, what little humor remained on his voice disappeared when he saw him nod. "You can't be serious?"

"I am." Natsu blurted out plainly. "Now, try and hit me."

Byakuya gave him a puzzled look, unsure if he was only trying to provoke him. His grandfather brought the Dragon Slayer to help him further his training, so what benefit would there be if he were to spar with somebody who wasn't even holding a sword?

"This is a complete waste of time." Said Byakuya, sighing as he lowered his sword.

"You know how to fight somebody holding a weapon, I can tell." Natsu said with a frown. "But you don't have much experience fighting someone who only uses their fist, do you?"

"Fighting an unarmed opponent would be dishonorable." Responded the younger Kuchiki with mild annoyance, only to receive a smack on top of his head. "Argh-! W-What was that for?!"

"See that? I didn't need a weapon to hit you." Retorted Natsu with a mocking grin. "What if that's how your opponent fights, huh? What will you do then?"

Rather than answering, Byakuya attempted to hit him back, only for Natsu to avoid the attack by stepping to the side and giving him a quick chop to the back of his head. This action did nothing but further annoy the young heir.

"Try again, but this time try focusing on my eyes instead of my body." Scolded Natsu with a taunting smile.

"You will pay for that!"

The Dragon Slayer found himself dodging a continuous barrage of swings, all of which were pretty close to landing a successful hit. However, Natsu's latest training sessions with Ukitake were certainly starting to pay off, as he easily evaded contact with the incoming training sword without much effort.

"Now you are getting the hang of it." Complimented Natsu, dodging another strike from Byakuya after he grew desperate enough to attempt using Shunpo to land a hit from behind. But Natsu has already gotten used to the technique, so it hardly came as a surprise anymore. "Don't limit yourself to just using your sword, use your whole body."

"Shut up!"

Standing from a distance with a serene expression, Ginrei watched as his grandson attempted and failed to strike the Dragon slayer down. However, regardless if he succeeded or not, he was still somewhat pleased by the result.

Byakuya had a rough start at the beginning, but he was slowly starting to show progress in adapting to Natsu's unpredictable and unconventional maneuvers. Byakuya may not show it, but he was in fact putting in practice what the pinkette was telling him. Whether it was intentional or not, he did not know, but it was certainly improving his overall performance.

"Glad to see that I got here just in time." He heard someone speak, but Ginrei was by no means surprised.

Turning his head slightly to look at the new arrival, the older Kuchiki responded with a soft nod. "Captain Hirako." He greeted his colleague with expectancy. "You look better."

"Yeah well, those guys at Squad 4 know how to do their job." Responded Shinji, glad that he no longer has to go outside wearing those annoying bandages. Looking at the courtyard, the Captain of Squad 5 felt his interest rise at the sight of the two youngsters. "I see they already started."

Ginrei didn't offer a response aside from a silent nod before turning his gaze back to supervise the ongoing training.

"Thanks for doing me this favor, by the way." Said Shinji. "I know you noble guys don't approve having other people coming here, but I wanted to see just how far the kid has come."

"Understandable." Said Ginrei. "Seeing the state in which he left you in, it is only natural to be interested in how much he's power has grown since the time you both fought. Even I myself am interested to see his progress."

Shinji gave him a silent side-glance, and debated if wether he should question the elder Kuchiki any further. After all, to see the proud man this interested in someone outside the Noble Houses was a rare occurrence. However, after quick consideration, he choose to remain silent and leave the matter as it was, deciding that prolonging the discussion was just not worth the trouble.

"Hmm?" Shinji suddenly caught a moving blur from the corner of his eyes. "Did you invited her too?"

If the sigh that escaped Ginrei's lips was anything to go by, then it was clear that the answer was a no.

"That's it, you almost got it." Said Natsu, evading another swing from Byakuya's sword. He couldn't help but grin widely upon seeing how much better the young Kuchiki was getting at anticipating his movements while nearly matching his own speed.

However, Byakuya only saw it as a sign of mockery and an insult to his pride. "Stop making fun of me!"

Seeing another strike coming, Natsu quickly raised his right arm to intercept, however, much to his own shock, his entire prosthetic arm suddenly vanished from his shoulder without a trace. "What the…" Too distracted by the unexpected outcome, Natsu had no time to question what happened before a wooden sword painfully struck him in the middle of the face.

"Got you now!" Yelled Byakuya victoriously.

"H-Hey, no fair! My whole arm is gone!" Protested Natsu, holding his sore nose while his watery eyes moved around the compound attempting to find out what happened. Fortunately, he didn't had to look too hard before the culprit behind his missing prosthetic became known.

"Yo!" Standing on top of the manor's roof, Yoruichi greeted the pair with a playful grin. "What are you boys up to?"

"Yoruichi?" Natsu mumbled at the sight of the female Captain, but the surprise faded away as soon as he realized what she was holding. "Oi, give that back!"

Yoruichi blinked with fake surprise. "What, you mean this backscratcher right here?" In her hand of course, was his arm, which she was playfully waving around as if it was some sort of toy.

"I said give it back!" Natsu yelled.

Hearing the infuriated tone in which the Dragon Slayer spoke made the already wide grin that Yoruichi had even bigger. She was ready to taunt the pinkette some more, but she was forced to move out of the way to avoid an incoming wooden sword.

"Byakuya, I see you are as slow as ever." The Head of the Shihōin Clan dodged another attack from the younger Kuchiki without any effort. "Are you still mad for what happened last time?"

Glaring at the Captain with resentment, Byakuya grunted in distaste, "Don't think I'll forgive you that easily." His words only seemed to earn him a chuckle.

"Well, if you want this thing back so badly, then you two better start moving." Yoruichi laughed before looking at Natsu with a challenging gaze. "Let's see if your Shunpo has gotten any better, shall we, dragon boy?"

Natsu watched with his mouth agape as she disappeared in the blink of an eye. He could not believe that she actually went ahead and stole his arm just for her own amusement.

"O-Oi! Come back here!" Yelling in annoyance, Natsu cursed under his breath in frustration before deciding to give chase. No matter how one saw it, the Dragon Slayer was not someone to take lightly, especially with those who tried to make fun of him such as now.

But he was not the only one.

"That woman is always getting in my nerves. Not only is she constantly making fun of me, but now she's hindering my training too." Byakuya's fist were visually shaking. "I won't allow that cat-devil to get away with this!"

With that thought in mind, Byakuya disappeared soon after. Watching the retreating forms of the pair of youngsters as they disappeared from view, the two Captains stood in the clearing of the compound in an awkward silence.

"Weeell…" Began Shinji, unsure of what to say at this point, so he said the first thing that came to mind. "Your huh… Your boy's Shunpo is quite impressive."

"Yes." Ginrei responded with a suppressed sigh. "If only he could control that temperament of his."

"Yeah. I guess that includes Dragneel as well."

"Indeed."

Somewhere in the Seireitei…

"Ho? Now this is surprising." Snickered Yoruichi as she watched Natsu closing in from behind. "You are actually keeping up."

"Give it back!" Roared Natsu as he jumped from roof to roof. His Shunpo was getting better, but it was still nowhere as good as Yoruichi's. The fact that he was able to get this close to her was only because she allowed it to happen and he knows it.

Yoruichi was only playing with him.

"Tell you what, if you somehow manage to keep up with me to the very end, then maybe I will actually consider it."

Natsu wasn't feeling even a tad bit amused by Yoruichi's game of cat-and-mouse nor looking forward at the prospect of embarrassing himself in an attempt to catch up with her.

"How about this then, consider this as special training for your Shunpo technique." She offered with a semi-serious yet mocking tone. "How does that sound?"

Natsu looked at her for a moment before clicking his tongue. "Fine, I'll play your game."

Yoruichi chuckled to herself in victory, knowing full well how annoyed the Dragon Slayer must feel at the moment. However, she soon spotted something coming fast from behind, her eyes traveled past the pinkette for a brief moment and her smile turned into a full grin. "Well, look at just who decided to join the fun."

Natsu gave her a confused look, not sure of what she meant by that. Following the line of her gaze, the Dragon Slayer finally understood as he saw none other than Byakuya himself approaching closely from behind. "Don't think this is over, cat-devil!" Warned the younger Kuchiki.

Yoruichi of course laughed in response. "This turning out to be much more fun than what I first thought it would."

Warm enveloped Yamamoto's hands as he took hold of his cup of tea. The relaxing aroma that came from it was enough to make him release a deep breath, filling his mind with a calmness that he so much needed.

The Captain-Commander of the Gotei was enjoying what was probably one of the few moments of his busy daily-life that he would go as far as to consider enjoyable at most.

After dealing with nearly two months of full debate with Central 46, the involvement of their newest visitor from another world and the heavy losses that they suffered to a now hollowfied mad dragon, it was safe to say that it has been quite a difficult time.

Though he would not deny that he enjoyed taking the mantle of a teacher once more, no matter how short the time he spend training the boy was. And it all began the very day he decided to fall from the sky in a giant ball of fire.

Putting the cup back on the small table, Yamamoto released a sigh, glad that he could finally enjoy a moment of tranquility such as this.

How wrong he was.

The comfortable silence got completely overtaken by the a thunderous sound of a certain pink-haired Shinigami crashing through the window.

"D-Dammit that hurts!" Natsu grunted as he held his head in pain.

Having just slipped from a near rooftop, one would have expected to see him with more than just a simple bruise. It was fortunate that his body was much tougher than that of the average person. Getting himself up from the window's remains, he brushed some of the remaining debris off his clothes.

"Yoo-hoo! Over here dragon boy!"

Hearing someone call to him from outside the window, he looked just in time to see Yoruichi waving at him from another rooftop. She sent him a grin before once again disappearing using Shunpo.

He teeth clenched. "Oi, wait for me!" He yelled before jumping out of the window to continue his pursue. Watching the whole ordeal with no visible reaction, Yamamoto stood there looking at his now broken window in complete silence.

"I'm getting too old for this."

The sun was slowly starting to hide over the horizon, and after what felt like hours of endless chase around the entirety of the Seireitei, neither Natsu nor Yoruichi could avoid falling victims to their own fatigue.

Their wild chase lead them all the way to a small hill somewhere near the training grounds of Squad 2. That was where the Captain finally decided to make a stop.

"I…have you…now…" The Dragon Slayer was panting heavily, forced to use his own knees for support as he tried to regain as much oxygen he could get. However, he was nowhere ready to give up yet, even after losing Byakuya to the wrath of Captain Unohana.

Natsu now knew that entering the medical wing of Squad 4 was a terrible mistake, especially when remembering how mad the Captain was at them for coming in uninvited. He couldn't help but shiver at the memory, knowing full well how lucky he was as managed to get out in time. Byakuya however, was not so fortunate.

His sacrifice will be remembered.

"Not bad." Yoruichi said with a grin. "It's been a while since the last time I got tired myself, so I give you that."

"Huh… thanks, I guess?" Natsu was unsure of how to respond, though he had to admit, that was pretty good exercise. "Can I have my arm back, now?"

Yoruichi's face briefly adopted a contemplative look as she eyed the prosthetic in her hand. Natsu was not the most perceptive when it came to people, but even he found that to be kind of odd.

"Is something wrong?" Natsu asked with concern.

His words seem to have brought her back to reality, as she immediately adopted that same cheerful look that she always wore.

"Nah, just thinking." She said as she threw the arm back at him. "Though you are probably wondering why did I just put you through all of that wild chase just now."

Putting the prosthetic back on, Natsu gave her a curious look. "Wasn't it because you were simply bored?"

"Well, that's only half true." She admitted with a light chuckle. Natsu didn't feel even a little bit amused at all. "But honestly, I wanted to see how well you would hold despite your… condition." Her voice lowered at that last part.

"Is that so?" The Dragon Slayer crossed his arms over his chest. "Then as you probably just saw, I am doing just fine."

"That I can't deny." Yoruichi once again smiled. "You proved to me that you aren't letting what happened completely affect you, and I must say, that makes me… glad, I guess."

"Glad?"

"Yes, glad." She repeated more strongly. "After all, that last mission was my responsibility. It was me who requested the Head-Captain to have you join my squad and as such, I should have keep you closer instead of putting you in Soi Fon's team for the sake of some stupid joke."

Natsu could not help but look with wide eyes as he listened to what she was saying. Hearing the usually care-free woman express her own concerns this way was by itself shocking, but even more was to see her show something akin to regret.

"I've been a Captain for years now. You know what that means?" She didn't waited for an answer. "It means that I have made a lot decisions that have ended in the death of many of my subordinates. No matter how many times that happens, it never gets easy." There was a short pause, as the memories of the past were still fresh in her mind. "So seeing you lay there, bleeding to death and with a missing limb for no reason other than for my own childish amusement, I… I can't tell you enough of how sorry I am for what my mistake ended up costing you."

Natsu already knew that the Captain blamed herself for what happened back then, though he never understood the reason until now. He could see why she felt that way and he could somewhat sympathize with her in that regard. However…

"Are you stupid?" Natsu asked rather bluntly.

Yoruichi blinked at first before a tick mark appeared on her forehead. "Just who do you think you're calling stupid, huh?" She demanded as she forcefully pulled from his ear in a painful manner.

"S-S-Sorry! Ouch! I said sorry, dammit!" Natsu pleaded. "What I mean is that I lost to Acnologia because I wasn't strong enough to defeat him. It has nothing to do with where or who I was with!"

Yoruichi stopped as she gave the Dragon Slayer a look. Her eyes were still narrowed yet she waited for him to finish what he had to say.

"I… I mean, it's because of my encounter with Acnologia that I now know that I can't be content with my current strength. I need to get stronger if I ever hope to defeat him." Natsu said as he rubbed his sore ear. It hurt a lot. "Besides, if it were not for you, I would never have managed to save both Rukia and Renji in time, so I guess I'll have to thank you for that as well."

If he remembered correctly, Soi Fon told him that she left them at the nearest settlement, not far from where the fight took place, so he trusted that they must be alright.

"And don't forget that in the end you saved my life too, remember?" His lips turned upward, showing his grinning teeth in a display of reassurance. "So stop blaming yourself for something that you had absolutely no control over and just keep smiling like you always do, alright?"

Yoruichi's eyes widened slightly, taken back by how much of a good heart the Dragon Slayer has. It was surprising, really. Seeing him act always so joyful and full of energy despite the harsh times he has been forced endure brought a strange sense of warm to anyone near him. That of course included her as well.

She has even seen how much of a positive impact Natsu was having over Soi Fon, though she knew that the young assassin would never admit it. It was slow, but it was clear that her little subordinate was starting to get more adjusted to the Dragon Slayer's presence.

But it was not only just them, but everyone who has come to know him. The change was subtle, but it was there. She has seen it. The Seireitei was changing, and it was all thanks to him.

A thought suddenly crossed her mind. One that she has already considered a couple of times in the past, but never gave it much consideration due to believing that it was nothing more than a suggestive interest. That's what she thought at first. But now?

You know what, screw it. Yoruichi thought with a smirk. I may as well take this chance to lose some steam.

"What are you doing?" Natsu questioned as soon as he saw her reduce the distance between them.

While he could hardly be considered an expert when it comes to personal space, he knew enough to realize that this was not normal behavior. Especially when considering the way she was looking him. It was starting to make him feel very uncomfortable.

She gave him suggestive smile. "Well, I was thinking that seeing that there's nobody around, then perhaps we could do something fun?" Her body leaned slightly forward while her arms rested under her chest.

"Something fun?" His head tilted to the side, not entirely sure of what she was trying to imply. "What do you mean?"

Yoruichi couldn't help but roll her eyes. She had to admit, that innocent attitude of his was in a way kind of cute, but she would rather cut to the chase. A playful smile formed on her lips as she finally decided to go for it.

Her hand reached for the front of his robe and held him firmly. "Huh? What are you…" He barely had any time to say anything before his eyes widened in shock at what happen next.

Her lips pushed against his.

There was strange sensation building up inside him as this happened. He had no idea of what it was, so while it felt sort of weird, it didn't feel bad either. However, that was the last thing going through his head at the moment.

He was at a lost of words, having next to no clue as to what to do or how to react. Not to mention, despite the height difference between them, she still yet proved to be more than capable of reaching up to him all the way up. But that was not important. What mattered was a simple fact.

W-What the hell is going on?!

CHAPTER END

So that just happened. Wether there is any future for a real relationship between the two of them, I can't say. Only time will tell whatever the the story has in store for them. Though, do you guys honestly believe Yoruichi is the only one who may have a chance with Natsu? ;)

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed the the chapter as much as I had. It was definitely fun and I look forward to work on the next update.

Poor Byakuya though. The guy must be having a really bad time if he'a truly with our dear Retsu. Let's hope nothing bad happens to him meanwhile. XD

Having just said that, I hope to hear more from you guys soon. Please let me know what you think of the story. Constructive criticism is more than welcomed and either questions or suggestions are pretty much appreciated.

I'll see you all in the next update.