Kumiko was looking around the unfamiliar division 2 barracks she was being led through by urahara. Surprised lightly by how different it looked compared to the 2nd. There were no trees lining stone paths, no open green fields, blades of grass dancing in the wind. Every street was bare and grey, looking exactly like the one before it.

I definitely would have gotten lost if I came alone she decided

turning into a rather large courtyard, stone slabs making up the entire floor, two rows of tall stone columns framed the path leading to a daunting set of stairs, leading up to their desired destination.

It looks more like a castle than a work Barack kumikos inner monologue was saying

following urahara jogging up the stairs, taking two at a time, Kumiko easily kept up with his pace.

"the whole place looks so.. grand". Kumiko uttered walking into the building. Sand coloured marble floor under their feet, very tall ceilings stretching up so high Kumiko had to lean back to see. A scattering of expensive looking vases sat atop smaller columns, otherwise identical to the ones outside. A long deep purple rug led the way to another staircase at the end of the massive hall, Urahara leading them down it.

"Yoruichi was born a princess of the Tenshiheisōban," urahara explained "the Shihōin Clan is one of the four noble houses. This place was built to represent their wealth. Yoruichi hates it"he added gleefully

arriving at the top of the staircase, Urahara pushed open the large dark wooden door, letting himself into their final destination, the room was decorated more warmly than the spaces Kumiko had seen previously. Warm orange drapes lined the walls, plump looking cushions scattered around a low table, where Yoruichi was lazily laying on her side, talking quietly to a kneeling Lieutenant Sui-feng at her side.

"Kiske". She greeting warmly "come join us" the black haired woman told him. Joining the pair at the table, Kumiko sat on one of the soft cushions , bowing lightly to their host "captain Yoruichi, it's nice to see you again"

"this is my Lieutenant, Sui-feng." Yoruichi made the introductions. Said woman bowed deeply not saying anything, eyes darting back to look at the powerful woman, adoration in her eyes. "Has this idiot been looking after you?" She asked Kumiko, causing her to smile

"yes, he's been very kind" an almost undetectable indignant huff came from the lieutenant

"why is that even a question?" Urahara laughed "of course I'm looking after her, I don't routinely beat up my subordinates like you"

"lady Yoruichi!" Lieutenant Sui-feng finally spoke, "you shouldn't let him speak to you in that manor! It's not right! "

"relax Sui-feng ," Yoruichi laughed "I think she's still a bit smitten with you, Kiske" she added as the woman wasn't privy to their conversation

a small blush appeared on both Sui-fengs and Uraharas checks, the latters hand going up to rub the back of his head.

"that, that's not what I ment lady Yoruichi!" Lieutenant Sui-feng tried again. "He's lazy and weak and should speak to you with more respect"

an embarrassed laugh left Urahara, catching eyes with an amused Kumiko. "Yes, I read about it in your love novel you wrote about him". Causing Kumiko to laugh, remember the document urahara had told her about over dinner

smelly and unkept she recalled him saying

ignoring Lieutenant Sui-feng choking on her own words, Yoruichi asked of her friend "did you catch up with shunsui?" Remembering the captains meeting the previous day

"yes, he's fine. He calmed down and joined us last night to discuss what happened, shinji should be safe". He laughed at Yoruichis loud bark of a laugh

"I'm guessing that's why your here?" She continued "am I next to see how my Reiatsueffects you?" Asking Kumiko directly

"if you don't mind? If your not busy" Kumiko said gently to the intimidating woman. Not only was Yoruichi incredibly beautiful, slim figure with a well endowed chest. She was also a very strong captain and commander of the stealth force. Kumiko couldn't help but feel she came up short to the women,

waving her off Yoruichi stood, stretching her long limbs above her head. "How do you want to do this," she asked Kiske, who was pulling out some papers and a pen from his inner coat pocket

"if you could both stand over there away from us, and just slowly release your Reiatsu" he asked, setting himself up from the table " I'll ask some questions after" Kumiko got up off her pillow, following Yoruichi, further back into the room, standing a small distance away from her.

"when your ready, Yoruichi ". Kiske called to her

smiling kindly at the shorter woman, Yoruichi started to release her her Reiatsu.

Kumiko felt the woman's power wash over her. Skin almost vibrating across her body at the sensation. Kumiko jittering slightly at the adrenaline coursing through her veins, she felt like she could take on the world and win. Smiling up at the captain, eyes wide, mischievous look on her face. Hands shaking lightly with the excess energy.

"that should be enough Yoruichi," urahara called, stopping her outflow of Reiatsu. Returning the smile Kumiko was giving her.

Returning to the table, Urahara asked Kumiko "how was that? What were you feeling?"

"I'm not sure how to describe it, it was like a sudden surge of the best adrenaline." She tried "I felt like I could do literally anything. I had absolutely no fear, I just wanted to do something, anything to use that adrenaline". She laughed Relieved "I'm so happy it was a good feeling"

"this is promising,". Urahara said, smiling at the relief on his friends face "it seems not all of the reactions would be debilitating to you, even if you can't resist them" scribbling down more words on the paper

"Sui-feng". Yoruichi got the attention of her lieutenant

"lady Yoruichi?" The woman asked, standing to attention

"I want you to try now" she proclaimed, nodding her her to where she stood with kumiko previously

"lady Yoruichi?" The lieutenant questioned again

"I'm not sure" Urahara started, but was cut short by is friend

"you said that Kumiko can be effected by captains, and possibly lieutenants, I have a lieutenant here, we may aswell test to see if she'll have an effect on Kumiko while we're all here"

"it's fine," Kumiko said softly "captain Yoruichi is right, it makes sense to do them both at the same time, especially since it wasn't a bad reaction to the first" she reasoned with her overprotective friend

"if your sure?" Urahara said, pulling a new piece of paper to the top of his pile,

"when your ready ladies". He added to the two woman in their position

Sui-feng started releasing her spiritual pressure, eyes locked on the woman before her, noting her relaxed stance, she increasingly pushed out more, frowning slightly.

Kumiko could feel the power coming from the woman, but that's all she could feel. Laughing lightly she turned to Urahara "nothing"

"nothing?" He echoed, sharing her wide smile. Sui-fengs Reiatsu coming back to herself

Kumiko smiled lightly at the lieutenant in thanks, before walking back to the two captains, "absolutely nothing " this really is the best outcome that could have happened today she thought gratefully at what ever god decided to shine down on her. Gathering his papers, Urahara stood up "that's wonderful, if we head back now, I could write up the report and get it to the head commander for dinner"

"no" came from Yoruichi

"no?" Questioned urahara

"you've monopolised enough of kumikos time the past week. I'm going to steal her away for a while. We need a girl chat" Yoruichi explained her reasoning, smiling at Kumiko

"I'm not..ouch!" Urahara tumbled to the floor clutching his throbbing head left behind from the laughing captains quick thump

"idiot, I wasn't asking permission. Kumiko will return to you safely later in the day, after a nice soak in my private hot springs. She's spent long enough in the sole company of boys" Yoruichi proclaimed


Hair thrown up in a lazy bun to avoid getting wet, Kumiko sighed contently slipping into the steaming hot springs, just outside of captain Yoruichis private room. Towel wrapped snugly against her body, Kumiko leaned back letting the hot water sooth her body. Adverting her gaze slightly as the completely naked and completely unfazed taned skin woman entered the spring after her, sitting gently a few feet from Kumiko

letting out a content sigh, Kumiko turned to face the now covered by water captain

"thank you for this captain Yoruichi. I didn't realise how badly I needed to relax"

"just Yoruichi, is fine". The woman with the cat like featured offered "I know how single track minded urahara can become, he sometimes forgets you need to enjoy the life your living" throwing her arms up to rest stop the stone edging of the spring

"so tell me, are you sleeping with him?" The unexpected question startled Kumiko, head snapping back to the woman at such force she's surprised it didn't snap off

"sleeping with who?" She questioned embarrassed

"urahara"

shaking her head at the notion, Kumiko replied "no, we're just friends"

"that's a shame" Yoruichi said lazily, disappointed in the lack of gossip. Ignoring the blush on the other woman's uncomfortable face. "He's quite good in bed"

"you.. you slept with Kiske?" Kumiko asked, careful not to push the boundaries

he sure kept that quiet she thought

waving her off lightly Yoruichi continued "many, many years ago, before he started wearing that silly hat" she said amused

"what about shunsui " came the next question from the naked woman.

"what about him?" Kumiko dared to ask

" are you sleeping with HIM?" Trying to fulfill her desire for some interesting girly gossip

"no, I'm not sleeping with anyone" Kumiko stated, mortified at the line of questioning

"do you want to sleep with him?" She pressed, completely unfazed by how uncomfortable the woman was getting

"I, I don't. That is. I've not" Kumiko stuttered around trying to form a coherent sentence, mercifully spared by Yoruichis loud laugh.

"have you slept with captain Kyoraku?" Kumiko dared to ask, unknowingly holding her breath waiting for her answer

"no" the woman easily answered "his lecherous flirting never really did it for me" she laughed, missing the sigh of relief coming from Kumiko

"I imagine he would be quite good though," she mused "given his reputation"

"his reputation?"

"of being an incurable horndog " she laughed "he was quite famous in the academy for chasing girls around. Got into trouble more than once with the head captain"

Kumiko let that sink in. She knew shunsui was a bit of a flirt, having been on the receiving end of his advances. She didn't know, however, that he apparently flirted with anyone with a pulse

I'm I just another notch on his bed post she thought bitterly, not wishing to be just another faceless conquest to add to his resume

sensing the woman's battling thoughts, Yoruichi added, trying to redeem her friend "he has calmed down considerably in his old age though. I can't remember how long it's been since I saw a love struck woman draped on his arm"

that did relax Kumiko slightly, but how many woman are we talking? Dozens? Hundreds?! The thought twisted up in kumikos belly.

"his Reiatsu had quite the effect on you we were told". Yoruichi pointed out at her silence

"it was mortifying" Kumiko whined "I had never been so embarrassed in my life"

"it could have been worse," Yoruichi pointed out "there are a lot worse men you could've had that reaction in front of. For all their faults, Jushiro, shunsui and Kiske really are great men." She said kindly

"don't tell them I said that though, they would never let me forget it". She smiled at the laugh she had gotten from the woman, both again relaxing in the soothing spring.


Several hours later, warmth still clinging to kumikos skin, the woman had arrived back at the 7ths captains office, stopping at the door having walked into the end of a conversation

"I don't see why I've got drag my ass all the way to the first" lieutenant Hiyori was grumbling, both arms thrown behind her head, ignoring the envelope in Uraharas hand, "get one of the lower seats to do it if your too lazy to do it yourself"

Kiske sent her one of his sweetest smiles. "It's very important this ends up straight in the hands of the head captain, there's no one else I trust as much as you to ensure it gets to where it needs to go, please, Hiyori-san"

Light blush rising on the young girls face, quickly covered up by a glare, she snatched the envelope out of his hand, turning to storm out the room, grumbling about "lazy ass captains" passing by Kumiko without a glance in her direction,

"she didn't kick you in the head this time" Kumiko laughed walking in to the room "that's an improvement"

"I told you, she loves me really, she's just not ready to admit she has feelings". He laughed in return "how was your girly day?"

"really fun, mortifying and relaxing. But overal fun, I didn't realise how much I needed to unwind". She finished, moving to sit down at the table

"why was it mortifying? " urahara laughed joining her

"where to start?" Kumiko laughed "did you know Yoruichi prefers to soak in the springs completely naked?"

Urahara laughed loudly at that, his friends lack of humility has always been something he enjoys, "I am aware, I didn't think to warn you. Yoruichi has absolutely no shame when it comes to her body or sexual appetite "

"or anyone else's sex life apparently, she asked if I was sleeping with you" Kumiko said, blushing slightly at his loud laugh "and captain Kyoraku "

"the woman really has no filter. It won't be the last time she asks you to share intimate details like that." Urahara promised her

"she also told me you two had sex, you kept that quiet ". She said mischievously

"did she now?" He enquired with laughing eyes "I'm surprised it was worthy of her remembering it. I'm afraid I'm not as sexually experimental as she is". He laughed, thinking back to the impossible positions the woman was trying to get him into with a shake of his head

"you not jumping at the chance to experiment?" She joked "I don't believe you"

" im a simple man with simple desires, miko-san" he said standing up to get them some drinks. Rummaging around his small fridge his hand clasped around some peach Ice tea, deciding that would be perfect for this hot day. Returning to the table, passing Kumiko a filled glass he continued "I don't need to make something blow up to have fun in the bedroom."

"good to know " she laughed "that would be an awfully embarrassing scene to explain to the head captain when he asks me how my captain blew his ass off"

enjoying their easy laughter, Urahara continued on the conversation "what else did Yoruichi say?"

Thinking back to their long conversation, trying to pick out something they could speak about, finally settling on

"Yoruichi-san told me about captain Kyorakus.. reputation with the ladies " she gave happy that the smile on his face didn't waver at the revelation

"I don't think he will ever live that reputation down" Urahara said gleefully "he's not as bad anymore of course. But his outrageous flirting has done absolutely nothing to help himself."

"it's actually been a while since I've seen him with a woman" he mused out loud "maybe he's loosing his touch" laughing at the notion his friend was struggling to captivate a woman.

"has he had loads then? Of woman, that is" she asked, trying not to look as interested in the answer as she was

"not like, hundreds". Urahara laughed "a few one night stands over the years, and as I understand, a few friends with benefits situations. Its not like he has a different woman in his bed every night like the stories go"

"do you think he wants that with me?" Kumiko finally Said what was plaguing her thoughts "just another one night stand?"

"I can't answer for him Kumiko. You'll have to ask him yourself. Don't let idle gossip sway you one way or another, miko-san. Get to know him and draw your own conclusions. If that is something you both wanted though, I don't see the problem. you're both adults, so long as your both consenting, who cares? " He shrugged

"I definitely don't need any details though," he added scrunching his nose up and the intrusive thoughts of his two friends going at eachother. Causing. Miko to laugh. "I'll spare you the dirty details of any sex I may or may not have in the future."

"was that the report of today you sent to the head captain?" Kumiko asked, referring to the envelope Hiyori begrudgingly took with her.

"It was. That should keep him happy for a while, it'll give us some time to start your training, I was going to visit with ukitake shortly to ask for his assistance tomorrow"

Kumiko nodded, "I'm not sure how good I'll be at resisting" she offered honestly "I've never been able to before"

"have you seriously tried before?" He asked interested

"not really,". She allowed "back in the special task force I was in, there were only two out of the other four people who were stronger than me who made me have reactions." She told him, careful to not let herself think too deeply of her dead friends

" what were those reactions like?" Urahara enquired interested;

with a smile Kumiko remembered fondly her called friend Sota, a tall energetic man, who was incredibly playful, always quick with a bad joke. He reminded her very much of the man sat opposite

it's probably why it feels like I've known Kiske longer than I have she mused their silliness is very similar, I think they would have gotten on. God knows the mischief they could have gotten into together

"Sota was similar to you. He made me feel very joyful, though it didn't make me laugh quite as much as your spiritual pressure. Very much like the man himself, it just made me very happy"

Urahara noticed immediately how she referred to the man in the past tense. The man was clearly no longer among the living, not wanting to upset his friend, he let it slide.

"it seems as though the person's personality has an effect on how you experience their spiritual pressure." Urahara thought out loud " more research would have to be done, of course, to confirm my suspicions, but it seems likely thinking of the reactions you've had thus far"

Kumiko thought about the results different people has had on her, realising she had not thought of it that way before. She supposed that's why he was the genius and she was not

"it's scary how smart you are, you know?" She laughed at him. "I had never made that Correlation before, it does make sense though, taking your personality for example, you make me laugh all the time, harder than most people can"

"and ukitake, he's one of the most calming and protective people I've ever Met. It makes sense his Reiatsu would feel similar" urahara contined his musings "Yoruichi is very energetic, always ready for the next adventure " he smiled at the description of his oldest friend "and Kyoraku is, well, Kyoraku " he laughed at her returning blush

"definitely something I'll be keeping notes on going forward" he added

"what about the second person in your group who was stronger than you? How did they effect you?" The slight stiffening of her back caught his observant eye. She's definitely nothappy remembering this one, he thought solemnly

" I hate the way he makes me feel. Kage made me feel incredibly paranoid, like I couldn't even trust my own thoughts. Or what my own eyes could see". She shivered slightly, "it was incredibly unpleasant, I couldn't focus on anything around me other than the intrusive thoughts. I'll die happy if I never have to feel that again" she finished

she speaks of this one as if he's still here Urahara thought, wondering what his friend has gone through but knowing it wasn't yet time to ask her about it

"and does that go with his personality?" He asked, feeling it wasn't too far off subject to upset her

"actually, yes" kumikos eyes unfocused slightly, thinking back to her time spent with the man "he very much enjoyed throwing people off, making them question themselves. The feelings I had from him, actually, were very similar to his zanpakutos powers." She remembered, shivering slightly at the man that plagued her nightmares

"what can his zanpakuto do?" Urahara questioned, careful not to push his friend too far down memory lane

"it could conjure up shadow demons, they could twist and manipulate your thoughts and perception to the world. It was like being trapped in your very worst nightmare. I think he said he was able to discover a persons deepest fear, and use it against them. His banki could manifest the shadow demons to change into your worst fear. Scared of wolfs? The shadow demons would form into vicious animals ready to tear you limb from limb" she finished with a wave of fear captivating her. Remembering the smile he wore on his face when he explained his banki to the group

"we don't have to speak about it any more miko" urahara said gently, noting the fear on her face "thank you for sharing with me"

heaving a deep sigh to shake off the remnants of the bad feelings, Kumiko started to rise to her feet, Urahara jumping up to meet her. "Thank you". She said, grateful to her non pushy friend, wrapping her arms around his waist, needing him to hold her together for a moment. His own arms wrapping around her, gently resting his scruffy chin on top of her head.

Slowly pulling back from his hold, Urahara noticed the single tear that has escaped her eyes, while hidden in his chest. He gently wiped it away using the sleeve of his captains coat. She smiled up at him at his caring gesture. Stepping further back she said, smile on her face once again "didn't you have a date with captain ukitake?" Looking to the clock he saw the work day would end in the next half an hour, if he wanted to catch him in his office he had better leave now.

"come on", he said, holding her hand in his, walking them both towards the door "I'll walk you home on the way"

Kumiko smiled at him, knowing full well the 13th district where ukitake was working, was in fact the opposite direction to where she was staying in the first