alright. so, here's the first chapter of Ichigo's lessons on how to not accidentally give everyone breathing problems, and our first introduction to one Tokinada Tsunayashiro. I hope you enjoy.
Rukia had spent the entirety of the week looking over control exercises she was familiar with, trying to find one that could actually get Ichigo's control to a desirable level. It was a difficult proposition. Nobody had bothered with Captain Zaraki, and Aizen already had superb control when he entered the academy. So she was going in blind.
As she worked through this problem an idea came to her. The spinning whistle. It would be a good practice tool for him. Lightweight, compact, and could be tied together with a string in the middle to prevent a more violent deconstruction.
There were other issues to contend with as well. His shikai was constantly released, and thus, his spiritual pressure was being expressed through it as well. If he could truly seal his zanpakuto, that could lower his reiatsu enough for the training to be more effective.
The issue was now finding a training area. Problem was that there simply wasn't one that had enough room to allow Ichigo to do what he needed to do to learn how to control himself without his immense reiatsu causing issues in the areas surrounding the training areas. There was also the matter that many of the training fields were under extensive use by Shinigami seeking to fill gaps in the command structure left by the war. Especially the thirteenth, as Haschwalth and Menias McAllon had done a number on a large majority of the division.
Rukia sighed. When she looked at the after-action reports that her late captain gave her after Ichigo rescued her. It was found that Ichigo and Renji were able to attain bankai completely undetected while still within the Seireitei. She guessed she would have to ask Ichigo directly. Rukia gathered what she would need to begin training Ichigo, and then sent a hell butterfly forward to inform Kukaku of her arrival. As she was leaving she grabbed Sode no Shirayuki, mainly to help demonstrate the process of resealing a zanpakuto if it ended up being necessary. As a captain-class shinigami she technically shouldn't have Sode no Shirayuki with her at all right now without approval from the head captain. However, as she was still a lieutenant it also technically didn't apply to her, thus her stark white zanpakuto was taken from its lonely place on the office's holding rack, and put once more by her side.
Her thoughts momentarily wandered to what was supposed to be next to blade on the rack, and who she was supposed to be sharing the office with, but she didn't let them linger. She didn't have time for those thoughts.
Rukia walked through the thirteenth, slowly taking stock of the division as she did so. Nothing had really changed. The thirteenth was severely undermaned, and was just barely combat effective at only just above half strength. The sternritter had slaughtered much of the thirteenth and had sent two more just to pin her and Ukitake down to allow it. The fact that only half of the suffered casualties of that day became fatalities was a statement to the fourth's prowess in the healing arts.
As she exited the division through the large gates that led into one of the main causeways, she came across someone she never wanted to see, Tokinada Tsunayashiro.
"Ah, Lieutenant Kuchiki, a pleasure to finally meet you," Tokinada was an individual Rukia had only seen a few times, and she never allowed herself to be found alone with him, following her brother's advice from decades ago.
"Hello Lord Tunayashiro, while I am honored by your presence, I have matters to attend to assigned to me by the head captain," she lied through her teeth as she bowed slightly. While she knew he was weaker than her, his presence gave her a feeling only one other person ever had, Gin Ichimaru.
"Ah, I have heard the news, you are to train Ichigo Shiba so that he may better control his power," he intentionally used his current legal name in Soul Society to get under her skin. She didn't show any reaction, keeping her face stoic, but underneath she was beginning to want to hurt him. "Fortunately I have business with Lady Shiba herself today. Let us go together."
Rukia nodded and walked at a pace to match the taller man's own stride. She simply hoped that he wouldn't talk on the way there, as refusing a clan head like him would be considered rude.
Tokinada was going to have fun with this. Rukia was just a delightful ball of trauma and insecurities, he had options on what to pick at her with. There was Kaien Shiba, her being tricked by Kisuke Urahara into carrying his hogyoku, there was being abandoned by her sister, oh, and there was Ichigo himself. Making a Kuchiki squirm was always fun. However, that reminded him of another fun topic.
"I have heard rumors lieutenant, that your zanpakuto is considered the most beautiful, I can see that even when sealed that the rumors seem true," Rukia felt the swell of pride at the acknowledgment, but knew he was going to say something that would send her crashing back down. "A shame it belongs to someone only pretending to be a Kuchiki."
There it was. Rukia knew this was an attempt to get at her. That didn't stop it from working however. She had always felt like she needed to prove that she was worthy of her adoptive family's name, that she needed to work twice as hard for half the recognition. The only people who she didn't feel this pressure around were Byakuya, Renji, and Ichigo.
"I believe I have proven myself worthy of that name," her reply was curt and to the point. She really wanted this to end, but sadly the Shiba estate was a long way from the thirteenth barracks. So she'd have to deal with this living refuse pretending to be a shinigami for a while longer.
"Yes, yes, your feats are quite impressive. Especially Areoneiro, I heard he wore the face of your departed mentor," he took the opportunity to pick at that scab. "That is an impressive feat, especially for someone of your pedigree."
He had moved on to backhanded compliments and picked at her late mentor and predecessor. He wanted to get a rise out of her badly.
"I take it you find enjoyment in the suffering of others, Lord Tsunayashiro?" She hated having to say the title. It was beginning to feel like ash in her mouth, but she was in the presence of one of the only people who could actually hurt her with no repercussions, and now that was beginning to become scary.
"Me? A sadist? Why make such an insinuation?" He so obviously feigned having been insulted.
"You are in charge of the family who is supposed to monitor the world of the living and ensure that they do not learn of Soul Society. You have authority over even the Central 46. Thus, over me. Why else?" She tried desperately to keep a lid on her emotions. Especially as they were far from anyone who could vouch for her.
"Ah, you caught me, though you did prove tougher than most. Sometimes I like having to work for my fun," the dark-haired man simply gave her a satisfied grin. "I wish you luck in training your student."
She hoped the rest of the walk would be quiet. She was mistaken.
Ichigo had been informed of the training to come. Zangetsu was wrapped up and ready to. He had been catching up with Chad who had delivered the last of his personal possessions that he wanted with him.
Ichigo wanted to believe he would be able to go home after all of this. Based on what he had been told, Central 46 would consider it based on his control at the time. He had no Illusions about this not taking a long time. He had immense reiatsu, he simply was too strong for it to be that quick, and he would probably need a limiter like the captains and lieutenants, or possibly even something like Kenpachi's eyepach.
It was especially concerning that Xcution was back in action again. This time as a religious cult seeking to spread the word about Soul Society. Chad then went to deliver this info to Kyoraku before he returned home.
So when the time can for Rukia to pick him up he hadn't expected his friend to just open his door, walk in, close it, and stare at him like she had been holding back her unbridled rage.
"Ichigo, pillow, now," she all but ordered him. He grabbed his pillow and tossed it to her.
When she snatched it out of the air she immediately buried her face in it and screamed. This was a scream of rage. Of someone who had been poked and prodded at, and had to take it all with a smile on her face.
"What happened," Ichigo was concerned. Not much would cause her to break her noble mask. Sure, he had seen her without it before, and it always seemed she took it off when it was just him and his friends. But he had never seen it shatter while it was on.
"That bastard Tokinada," Oh no. He and Kukaku had a meeting today, and the path from the Tsunayashiro manor to the Shiba manor just happened to take one by the thirteenth.
"What did he do?" Ichigo knew the guy was a colossal asshole. Kukaku was probably going to explode at him at least once if he lived up to his reputation.
"What didn't he do," Rukia let herself lay flat on the floor as she tried to calm herself. "He went after everything. My adoption, Kaien, my sister, Ukitake, Urahara, you," she rarely let her mask down. She rarely could find anyone she could let her mask down in front of. With Ichigo, she could never put it on.
Fortunately, Ichigo hated that shit anyway, so she could allow herself to slip around him. After all, the Rukia Kuchiki he first met was a lot closer to the real Rukia than the Rukia she had to be around nobles, or even to her subordinates.
"Wait, me?" Ichigo did not like the sound of this.
"He asked how it felt taking the life from a Shiba without killing them," she wanted to avoid the lead-up to that question. Mainly because he compared his murder of Kakyo Shiba, his own wife, to Kaien's death, and then complimented her for having one more to her name than he did. She hated Tokinada.
"That bastard," Ichigo knew that Rukia had initially blamed herself for dragging him into this world. It had taken a long heart-to-heart to convince her that this was what he wanted all along and that he would never hate her for giving him the power to protect not just his family but everyone.
"We should get going before rumors start," Rukia started standing up, then patted down the hakama of her shikakusho, then grabbed the bag she came in with.
"Didn't the rumors start after I saved you?" Ichigo remembers having been bitched at by Rukia over the issue, and then Byakuya giving him the older brother talk before he said that that was just a rumor and they weren't a thing. Not that he minded the idea. It just seemed infeasible at the time. Now however, he broke that train of thought. He and Rukia were nobles. There was a process, politics, and tradition, and he was still unsure if he was going to be staying or not. Rukia thought much the same. She wanted to keep him out of this situation. Not drag him further in. He deserved to be able to live a normal life. Not get dragged into this hell.
"Where did you and Renji attain bankai without the entirety of the Seireitei knowing?" Rukia stood by the sliding door as Ichigo collected his wrapped zanpakuto and connected it however it was supposed to be connected to that red string around his torso.
"Urahara made a training area under Sogyoku Hill when he and Yoruichi were younger, she showed me, then Renji. I can take you there if you want," Ichigo figured it was the best place anyway. No one really knew it existed, it had decent privacy, and it had the hot springs of healing. Oh god, this wasn't going to help the rumors if anyone found out.
Renji was training with his bankai. Sure, Soo Zabimaru was his true bankai, but he still had to learn what it could do, he still had to get used to it, and unfortunately, there really was only one place to safely practice a bankai that he knew of. Sogyoku Hill, or specifically, beneath Sogyoku Hill. The place where he and Ichigo attained bankai for the sake of ensuring Rukia didn't die.
His thoughts ran back to her more often than he was comfortable with. Sure he had apologized to her, sure, she accepted it after she smacked him for it, but that and the forty years of radio silence made things ice up between them. Especially as she wouldn't drop her mask in front of him.
The Rukia he knew was still Rukia, he could tell that just from what he and Ichigo shared over drinks, but she wasn't comfortable showing him that side of her anymore. It hurt, but he understood. Even though they were souls, forty years was a long time, and then the first time seeing each other was a rescue mission that turned out to be an arrest, it just made things complicated, and nobody really taught them how to deal with that.
Speaking of the devil, he could feel Ichigo and Rukia come into the training area. He didn't bother to drop his bankai. It wasn't like Rukia's. It didn't have a splash radius so he didn't need to worry about that.
"Hey Ichigo, Rukia, sup," he waved at them with his free hand, and thus with his bankai's massive arm.
"Wondering why you didn't tell me about this place sooner," Rukia looked at Renji with a look similar to when he and their friends would keep her in the dark about a heist back in Inuzuri. Well, less of a heist and more of a case of pantry burglary.
"Not my place to tell. This is technically the property of the Shihoins," Renji was right. The door bore the Shihoin crest. Though since Ichigo allowed her in, and it was clear that Yoruichi didn't write down that this existed given the lack of guards and the state of the seal on the entrance being weathered, she figured there wouldn't be complaints.
"You know I can keep a secret Renji," Rukia had that trademark glint in her eye when she knows she's got you.
"What do you mea-" Renji hitched, and it seems the color drained from his face. "point taken,"
"Do I even want to know?" Ichigo looked at the two like they were idiot kids just out of middle school, not almost ten times his age and in possession of incredible power.
"Let's just say we were short on beds back in Inuzuri," Rukia grinned mischievously.
"You're evil," Ichigo knew what would happen if she said that in just the right way. Byakuya would go ballistic. The thought of Renji being chased by a storm of pink petals came to mind. It was both scary and hilarious.
Renji coughed. Grabbing the attention of the other two. "Anyway, what are you two doing here, I figure it has to do with Ichigo's training."
"Yes, I am trying to help Ichigo learn how to reseal his zanpakuto. I'm hoping that will reduce his power enough to allow him to actually control it," Rukia politely responded. Her mask was once again firmly in place.
"Good luck, The area by the springs should be far enough away that he can focus," Renji pointed with Soo Zabimaru's sword.
They walk to an area just past the healing springs. Rukia noted that they looked quite relaxing, and she was tempted to take a dip, but she had a job to do.
"Ichigo, did Zangetsu ever tell you his release command?" Rukia asked. Unaware of the complicated situation around his relationship with his zanpakuto.
"About that," Rukia looked at him incredulously, but let Ichigo continue after a short pause. "My relationship with Zangetsu was… complicated until about a year ago."
"How so?" Rukia raised an eyebrow at his response. Then her eyes widened when he produced something from his pocket.
"This…" he held out a Quincy cross, like Uryu's, save for the slight patina that showed that it was older. "Was my mother's."
"Your mother… you…" Rukia stammered. The five-point mark was burned into her mind. Her brother's near death, the war so utterly brutal that they had used all of their last resorts. But this pentacle was held by the one who killed that monster, the one who finalized his fate worse than death. Who forced him to uphold all that he wished to dismantle. Then she remembered the stories about Masaki.
"Was that what you were hiding then… did… did He tell you?" Rukia remembered Ichigo's face after the first invasion. She knew back then something was wrong, something had shaken Ichigo to his very core. And Ichigo confirmed that with a short nod of his head
"He was why she died wasn't he?" The name didn't need to be spoken. Uryu had explained auswahlan, and how it had killed his own mother. Ichigo's mother must have also been a victim of it. She was now even more pleased he had been condemned to the fate that had been chosen for him.
Ichigo simply nodded. He put the cross back in his hakama pocket, and then began explaining. "What I thought was Zangetsu turned out to be the manifestation of my powers as a quincy, and that my inner hollow was my zanpakuto, at least that's how it had been originally," he then explained everything he learned about the Old Man, then about his mother. Rukia was simply surprised Ichigo trusted her with all of this.
"Why tell me this?" This information would be damming. It could very well doom the Shibas again.
"Three reasons," Ichigo held the same number of fingers to visualize this point. "First, you're someone I can trust to keep it secret. As you said, you're a Kuchiki," his ring finger went down. And while she felt happy that he trusted her with this information, she felt it was too risky to tell her at all. "Second, to tell you that no matter what happened, I was going to get roped into this world. The only thing that would have changed is whose side I might have been on," Rukia paled as she thought about that. She forgot that Uryu joined the Wandenrich, and that he now technically rules over its shattered corpse. The thought of Ichigo as a sternritter terrified her. "You made sure I was on the side that does the most good."
"I…" Rukia was floored. She had beaten herself up for a long time over taking away a normal life from him. He was showing her now that a normal life simply wasn't in the cards. While him saying he didn't care made her feel less guilty about it, the weight was still there. Now? It was like it vanished. He was telling her she did the right thing, and she was glad he did that. It made her feel slightly better about herself. Though they still have business to attend to. "How does this tie in with Zangetsu?"
"That's the third reason. What I had initially though was the manifestation of my powers as a Shinigami, the Old Man, was the one who told me the name of my Zanpakuto, and gave me my bankai. He was holding me back because he saw my reason for fighting as suicidal," That made a lot more sense. If it wasn't Ichigo's zanpakuto that told him Zangetsu's name, then the resulting shikai and bankai would be false, and if the release command wasn't told to him, he would be unable to reseal it.
"I see. I recommend getting that from Zangetsu then, meditate with your zanpakuto and let me know when you're done," Rukia began walking over to another part of the room to begin training with her own zanpakuto in her inner world.
Ichigo nodded, and then sat down before placing Zangetsu in his lap. He allowed himself to fade into the calm of meditation as he focused on his sword. Then, he was pulled into his inner world.
next chapter will have an IR funny, I promise. please remember to leave a comment if you have anything to say. also, yes, Tokinada is an asshole.