Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ This Light I See ❯ Memories ( Chapter 3 )

Title: This Light I See

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, any of the characters or their likeness. Don't sue me. You won't get much anyway. I only own the original characters that have been created by me and my friends.

Parings: Multiple

Warning: Rated Y for violence, language, and some slight sexual content. Rating may change in later chapters.

 

 

Chapter 3: Memories

 

 

 

Mikaze sat in class, reading the text book on kidou that was assigned to the class. There was gossip in class about some first year student with white hair, very young, possibly younger than she was. Mikaze listened to the gossip but thought they might just be rumors. One of her classmates had said that the boy had already bonded with his Zanpakutou and it had only been a few weeks for him at the academy. Mikaze surely didn't believe this story one bit. No one had ever been that powerful in all of Soul Society history. She didn't believe their gossip until she saw a white haired boy once she arrived in the cafeteria at lunch time, not much younger or older than herself, with a sword strapped to his back from around his chest, the sheath a darker blue than the hilt and the guard in the shape of a four pointed star. The rumors were true then. Mikaze found herself staring at the boy as he sat alone at lunch. For some reason, even just looking at him made her feel at peace. Not only did she think he was cute, there was just something about this boy that put her soul at peace, just made her relax. The lunch bell had startled Mikaze out of a trance and she noticed that the boy was gone from the lunch room. She dragged her feet to class and sighed, she'd never feel the same ever again after that experience. She felt so calm and she thought that maybe, just maybe, she would have been able to bond with her Zanpakutou at any time just then, but alas, the feeling didn't last.

One day, the teacher had requested a joint session with one of the other classes so that the students could work on techniques against other opponents since they had all gone against each other already before. As the class went outside to one of the practice fields, Mikaze saw him again, the boy with white hair. She finally got to see his eyes. They were amazing, a cold teal, like an ocean after a storm. The blue haired girl couldn't help but stare at him and she became calm again.

“Kawahone.”

Mikaze was forced out of another serene moment.

“Verses Hitsugaya.” The teacher said.

Mikaze blinked. What was going on? Who was Hitsugaya? She looked over at the boy as he stood. No way, he couldn't be the one. The teacher was paring them together to duel? No freaking way! Mikaze started to panic a bit until she looked at the boy again. He was more powerful than she was since he had already bonded with his Zanpakutou. Had he already know its name? No, he most likely didn't since he was still in the same classes as she was, but then, there probably was a waiting time to be transferred into a higher class.

“Ready?” The teacher asked.

Mikaze unsheathed her sword and readied her stance. Hitsugaya took his stance and Mikaze noticed that it started to get a bit cold on the field. Everyone could see their breath and some of the other students started to panic, but Mikaze remained calm just by looking at Hitsugaya.

“Begin.” The teacher commanded.

The mock battle had begun with Hitsugaya charging at the girl and she blocked with everything she had. He truly was strong and unless she could bond with her Zanpakutou, he would over power her in the battle. Mikaze's mind became clear and she was suddenly getting faster and faster with her own strikes. Hitsugaya looked at the girl's face as she fought against him; she was now in her inner world, bonding with her Zanpakutou.

 

 

Mikaze seemed to be floating above the clouds. She wondered a bit how she was floating, but then she realized she wasn't in the field she was just in a moment ago. She wondered where she was.

“You are inside yourself.” A voice said from behind her.

Mikaze turned around, but saw no one behind her.

“What are you talking about? How can I be inside myself?” Mikaze asked the air.

A little girl who was smaller than Mikaze with reddish-brown hair and purple eyes appeared in front of Mikaze. Mikaze noticed that this girl was not a normal girl, she seemed a bit impish or fairy like with her pointed ears and small wings on her back. The girl wore a small pastel green dress with gold ribbons everywhere. Her hair was up much like Mikaze's with green flowers at the base of each pig tail and small braids at the sides of her face.

“I am the spirit of your sword. This world is your spiritual world or your mind.”

Mikaze liked this girl, she was very kind and Mikaze felt calm talking to her and just being in this world.

“I am afraid this is all that I can tell you for now. You must now return to your world.”

Mikaze didn't want to leave the peaceful world of her mind, but she had no choice.

 

 

Mikaze came back to reality and looked around the field to find Hitsugaya sitting on the ground in front of her. Mikaze blinked down at the white haired boy as he pointed to her left side. Mikaze looked down at her left hand and saw that her sword had changed. The color of the hit on her sword had become white in color and the guard was still round in shape, but now had a four pointed, flower-like design on it. Mikaze smiled as she realized what she had just done.

“Your power is amazing, Kawahone.” The teacher told her. “That is enough for today. We will do this again tomorrow. Class is dismissed.”

Mikaze watched Hitsugaya as he stood up and sheathed his sword then she sheathed her own newly transformed Zanpakutou. Mikaze walked out off the field into the evening sun. It was almost time for dinner, but she didn't know if she wanted to go to dinner. Mikaze wasn't very hungry, but she was tired so she decided to go to her dorm room and lay down on her bed. She drifted off to sleep quickly and didn't even hear her noisy roommates come in when it was curfew.

That night, Mikaze dreamt of the boy with white hair and cool teal eyes.

 

 

The morning came quickly for the blue haired girl and she groaned as the alarm rang in her ears. Her green eyes glared at the clock next to her bed and she threw the pillow over it to shut the thing up, which didn't work. Now she was just uncomfortable without a pillow to lie on so she sighed and sat up, removed the pillow from the alarm clock, shut the clock off and got up. Mikaze reached for her toiletries and headed for the bathing room. A nice hot bath would wake her up and then she could be ready for the day. As she got into the hot water, it felt extremely good on her aching muscles, which she didn't know were even sore. Her muscles hadn't been sore the night before when she went to bed. Did even just bonding with a Zanpakutou drain so much from a person that they felt like crap the next day? Mikaze realized that she had a bit of a headache too, only just slight, but it was there nonetheless. The blue haired girl wished she could stay in the hot water all day, but she had classes to attend. Once she was somewhat satisfied with her bath, she dried off and got into her uniform. Mikaze had to put her things away and grab her Zanpakutou before heading to class.

Once Mikaze arrived in class, she was met by the teacher who pulled her aside. The dark haired man had told the girl that she was going to be transferring to an intermediate classes.

“Transferring? What for?” Mikaze asked.

“You've already bonded with your Zanpakutou and you're very skilled in kidou, but you're only being transferred to the intermediate classes.” The teacher informed.

“Alright. That's good, though, isn't it?”

“Well yes, but Hitsugaya Toushirou is transferring to the advance classes.”

Mikaze was a bit shocked. Was he really that powerful?

“I heard it was one of the Captains that got him transferred to the advanced classes. He thinks that Hitsugaya has the potential to graduate within a shorter time than anyone else.”

“Do you think he has the potential?”

“I don't know. I'm not his teacher.”

“Do you think I have the potential to graduate within as short a time as Hitsugaya?”

“If you were to obtain Shikai before Christmas then I would say yes.”

“But he hasn't even obtained shikai, has he?” Mikaze asked, thinking it a bit unfair to think that Hitsugaya was more powerful then she was even though neither of them had obtained the first release of their swords.

“As far as I know, he hasn't, but it wasn't up to me to place him in the advanced classes.” The teacher said. “If it was up to me, I'd keep you both in beginner classes so that you could learn properly.”

After the teacher had finished talking to Mikaze, she was escorted by another teacher to one of the intermediate classes and she saw Hitsugaya being escorted to another class as well, but he was on his way to an advanced class.

 

 

Christmas approached quickly and Mikaze still hadn't obtained Shikai, every time she would go to her spirit world to talk to her Zanpakutou, something had interrupted the girl from learning the name of the sword's spirit. Mikaze had learned that Hitsugaya had already obtained Shikai just after Christmas and that caused her to become even more determined to obtain the first release of her sword. The only thing was that when she talked to the spirit, she would tell Mikaze that she wasn't ready to know her name yet. Mikaze didn't understand how she wasn't ready when she had trained like crazy for days on end, sometimes not even resting or eating. Mikaze lay down on her bed after training all day and started drifting off into sleep.

`I'll catch up to you, Hitsugaya. I'd like to be near you again…' Mikaze's mind drifted off into thoughts of fighting alongside Hitsugaya as she fell asleep.

Mikaze woke to the sounds of students talking outside; one of her roommates had left the window open. Since it wasn't snowing at the moment, the winter air was somewhat refreshing. The small girl looked out the window and noticed that fresh snow had fallen over night, covering everything in white, making everything look innocent and clean. Sure, Mikaze liked winter, but her favorite season was spring. Spring symbolized new life and everything looked so pretty in the colors of spring. Mikaze thrived in the spring weather and she felt the calmest in spring even though everything usually seemed a bit hectic.

Mikaze watched students throwing snowballs at each other and noticed one student in particular. Hitsugaya was walking to the library with another student; this student was much taller than the white haired boy. He had black hair that was tied up a bit messily. Mikaze wanted to go to the library just even to see Hitsugaya, but she thought against it. That might make her seem like a stalker and she didn't want the boy thinking that she was stalking him. She seemed to be infatuated with the icy boy, but how could she not be? She seemed to be in a different world just when she looked at him. Something about him just calmed her, made her feel safe, even though she didn't know him whatsoever.

Before winter was over, Mikaze had heard that Hitsugaya had learned Shikai and that he would most likely learn Bankai soon as well. Although it was not required to learn Bankai to graduate, it did happen on occasion. Hitsugaya had to be powerful if he had learned Shikai so soon after bonding with his Zanpakutou and Mikaze hadn't even learned Shikai yet. She sighed in exasperation and frustration. Why wouldn't the sword tell her its name? She wanted to graduate with Hitsugaya so that she could be near him, she didn't want him to leave her behind.

`What am I thinking? He doesn't even know who the heck I am, he probably only cares about leaving this place and finding a Division to join.' Mikaze thought.

 

 

Spring was approaching, but still, Mikaze had not learned shikai. Frustration was setting in on Mikaze's mind and she was exhausted.

“Stop trying to push it. Just let it happen naturally.” A voice said from beside her.

Mikaze looked to her left side to see the white haired boy sitting next to her. She felt like she was about to pass out from excitement, but became calm again the moment he looked at her.

“Forcing Shikai will only cause you to become fatigued, which you obviously are. You should go rest while it's spring break.” Hitsugaya said before taking a bite of food.

Mikaze started blushing suddenly, her cheeks looking very red due to her skin being so pale from fatigue. He was talking to her, giving her advice on how to obtain Shikai. She nodded at Hitsugaya, took a few more bites of food, got up and went to her room and slept for two days. Her roommates started to worry, but when she woke up, she was a little bit more cheerful and was a lot more rested. Her face had gained its normal, healthy color again.

Mikaze went to meditate to find her piece of mind. Once she was in her inner world, she saw the spirit of her Zanpakutou.

“You look much better today.” The little fairy-like girl said.

“I feel much better.” Mikaze stated.

“You are ready to hear my name.”

Mikaze looked at the tiny girl and smiled. “It's all thanks to a friend that I've relaxed.”

“Yes. He might even have been your savor. From now on, you will know my name, Hikari no Ten'yo.”

“Hikari no Ten'yo.” Mikaze repeated.

The tiny girl nodded. Mikaze opened her eyes and smiled. She had just learned the name of her Zanpakutou, which meant that she could now use Shikai.

Mikaze saw Hitsugaya once more in the lunch room before graduation and then he was gone, but Mikaze was more determined than ever to obtain Bankai, but she kept his advice in her memory. The blue haired girl didn't force her Bankai; she just let it come naturally to her, which was a huge improvement.

 

 

Mikaze came back to reality and smiled.

“Remember what you told me during spring break back at the academy?” Mikaze asked.

“About your shikai?” Toushirou asked.

“Yeah.” Mikaze nodded.

“Forcing Shikai will only cause you to become fatigued.” Toushirou said.

Mikaze looked over at Toushirou with a smile on her face. “After you told me that, my skills improved greatly. That summer I learned the name of my Zanpakutou, gaining Shikai. They enrolled me in advanced classes the next year when I had proven to them that I had indeed obtained Shikai. During winter of my last year, on your birthday actually, I learned Bankai. At the time I told myself that that was a present to you to say thank you for helping me. That fourth year I was at the academy, I graduated with Shikai and Bankai. All of my teachers thought that I should have taken the Captaincy test, but I didn't want to. I knew exactly where I wanted to go. I wanted to be near you and since I found out that you had already become the Captain of Division Ten, I wanted to go there.”

Toushirou smiled back at Mikaze. “I only told you that because I liked you and I wanted to see you succeed. I was hoping that it would have caused you to graduate with me, but you weren't ready until you were ready.”

“I'm glad you gave me that advice. I don't think I would have obtained Shikai when I did if you hadn't. I might have killed myself trying to learn the name of my sword.”

“I'm glad too.” Toushirou said as he kissed the girl in front of him. “Let's go back.”

“Yeah.” Mikaze agreed.

The two of them smiled as they returned to Urahara Shouten with the news of the little girl's soul sent to Soul Society and no Hollow attacks. Urahara looked at the two young Shinigami and noticed that they were both very content. He also noticed the small snow flake charm that dangled from Mikaze's neck and smiled.

`Good, he gave it to her. Now all he has to do is give her the other thing.' Urahara thought.

“What's going on with you two? Is there something going on that you're not telling me, Taichou?” Rangiku asked.

“There's nothing going on between us. I am simply helping Kawahone become familiar with the material world.” Toushirou said, annoyed at his Vice-captain for prying.

Rangiku pouted, her planning was going nowhere with the two. She was trying to help them get together and she was failing miserably. Shiori knew on the other hand that there was in fact something going on between the white haired Captain and her blue haired friend. Shiori pulled Mikaze outside to the back of the shop.

“Toushirou gave that to you, didn't he?” Shiori asked pointing to the necklace that Mikaze now wore.

“Um, no, I bought it when we were out. I really liked it so I bought it at a jewelry shop that we were passing.” Mikaze responded quickly.

“Right.” Shiroi answered in disbelief. “Don't think I don't know what's going on here, Mikaze. I know there's something going on between you two. You can't hide it from me, ya know. I've been your friend since we graduated and came to the Gotei 13.” Shiori looked Mikaze straight in the eyes. “You can't lie to me, Mikaze.”

Mikaze sighed and looked away. “All right, you got me.”

Shiori smiled. “So, what's been going on between you two?”

“Not a lot really. He just kisses me sometimes.” Mikaze smiled. “He's so sweet and he's not as cold as he acts.”

“I've seen the way he acts around you, the way he treats you. Hell, even though he gets mad at Rangiku, he still cares about her and he wouldn't want anything bad happening to her. He cares for a lot of people and I can see through his iciness.”

Mikaze quickly realized that she had just told her best friend that she and her Captain were in a relationship. “You better not say anything to anyone about what I told you.”

“Don't worry; I won't say a word to anyone.” Shiori left out what she was thinking. `Yet.'

“Thank you, Shiori-sama.” Mikaze said.

“How many times do I have to tell you that you don't have to be so formal with me? I'm your best friend after all.”

“I love Toushirou so much.” Mikaze said.

“I knew that already.” Shiori said.

“How?”

“I'm your best friend remember? I can read you like a book.”

Mikaze sighed as she remembered the first time she met Shiori.

 

 

It was a beautiful day, such a nice day that the teacher took the class outside to practice kidou.

“Hiya!” A cheery voice said from behind Mikaze.

Mikaze turned around to see a taller girl with purple hair and eyes behind her. “Um, hi?”

“So, you must be Kawahone Mikaze. My name is Noriko Shiori. It's nice to meet you.”

“Likewise.” Mikaze said as the girl she now knew as Shiori patted her on the shoulder. Shiori was the first person, besides Hitsugaya Toushirou, to not just stare at her and whisper things behind her back. Mostly it was about her hair and eye color since her personality, even as shy as she was, was sunny and warm.

Mikaze and Shiori had spent the rest of the year together. The two would enjoy each other's company when they weren't in classes. Shiori enjoyed sneaking up on Mikaze to scare the living daylights out of the small girl. Before they knew it, graduation had finally come. Along with Division recruitment fliers, Mikaze and Shiori were received the robes of the Shinigami, the shihakusho. Seeing as how Mikaze didn't really have any friends other than Shiori while she was at the academy she somewhat felt small in the large place, surrounded by so many other people. Had there really been so many other students? Mikaze didn't know who she was standing next to since they had been told to line up in alphabetical order by last name. Shiori wasn't too far behind Mikaze, but they were far enough away from one another that they couldn't even talk; they couldn't even see each other very well. Each of them was instructed to find the person with the same symbol of the cards they were given. Fortunately for Mikaze, Shiori had the same symbol that she did. Each team was sent on a specific mission which would have them going to the human world for a long period of time. The two didn't know where they were going or doing, but they went anyway.

Once the two girls were out in the human world, they spent some time looking for a place to make camp.

“So, do you know what Division you're gonna join?” Shiori asked the shorter girl.

“Not yet.” Mikaze responded.

“You should come with me. I'm planning on going into the Division One.” Shiori said.

 

Some years later, Shiori and Mikaze had finished their mission in the human world and were on their way home, to the Seireitei. The two were escorted back by another Shinigami and then Mikaze saw him, the white haired boy from school, Hitsugaya Toushirou, but there was something different about him. What was that extra white coat looking thing he was wearing? Shiori found Mikaze staring at the white haired boy.

“That's Hitsugaya Toushirou.” Shiori said.

“What is that extra white piece of clothing he's wearing?” Mikaze asked.

“That means he's a captain.”

“Eh?! Captain?! Whoa…” Mikaze said.

“Yeah, he received the title not long after he arrived in Seireitei. He's pretty powerful and his Bankai is amazing.”

Bankai? He had reached Bankai already? Of course he had. He was pretty powerful. Mikaze felt a bit pathetic compared to Toushirou.

“Looks like you're interested in him.” Shiori said.

Mikaze blushed. “What are you talking about?”

“You're staring at him.”

“It's just that… I kind of knew him back at the academy. We were first years at the same time and I actually bonded with my Zanpakutou because of him. The only thing is that I took longer than him to graduate. He graduated a year before me.”

“Damn, he became Taichou quickly after graduating and he had graduated before you. Whoa, that's major power.” Shiori said.

“I want to be in the Tenth Division.” Mikaze said, still watching the white haired Captain as he walked.

“Well, when they go and ask you where you want to be place, you can tell them then.” Shiori explained. “And you're next in line.”

Mikaze was nervous now. She really wanted to be in Division Ten, but would they ask her why? If they did, she didn't know the answer.

“Next please.”

Mikaze stepped up to the woman and looked up at her. She wore the normal shihakusho, glasses, and her hair was up in a sort of up sweep kept in place by a clip.

“Division placement?” The woman asked.

“Um, I would like to be in Division Ten.” Mikaze responded.

The woman looked at the Division rosters, looked back at Mikaze and said, “Very well, please follow Matsumoto FukuTaichou.”

“Thank you.” Mikaze said with a bow and looked back at Shiori who gave her thumbs up and followed another woman with large breasts and strawberry blonde hair.

“Hi there, I'm Matsumoto Rangiku, FukuTaichou for Division Ten. What's your name?”

“Kawahone Mikaze.”

“Well, you'll be the youngest member of the division besides Hitsugaya Taichou.” Rangiku said.

“Really?” Mikaze asked.

“Yeah. Oh, did you know that he became captain only a short time after graduating from the academy? Amazing, ne?” Rangiku said.

“Yeah, very amazing.” Mikaze responded as she followed Rangiku.

“When did you start at the academy? They usually don't take people before a certain age since most kids don't start to show signs of strong reiatsu until they're a bit older.”

“I only started a few years ago.” Mikaze said.

“Really? Did you go to school with the Taichou?” Rangiku asked.

“Well, I suppose we were there at the same time, but I didn't really know him.” Mikaze said. She didn't really know him personally, she had only dueled with him and he had given her some really good advice before he graduated, but other than that, she hadn't known anything about him except for his name.

“You'll like it in our division. Taichou isn't usually too strict about anything; he's just a bit of a pain sometimes.”

“Who are you calling a pain, Matsumoto?” A voice said from behind Rangiku.

“Ah, Taichou! We have a new member to the division.” Rangiku said.

Toushirou looked at the girl next to his Vice-captain and was a bit shocked. He hadn't seen the girl in what seemed like a long time.

“Welcome to Division Ten.” Captain Hitsugaya said.

“Thank you.” Mikaze said with a bow.

 

 

“Hiya!” Shiori said from behind Mikaze.

“Why do you like to sneak up on me so much?” Mikaze asked.

“It amuses me. So, how do you like it in Division Ten?” Shiori asked.

“It's fine. Matsumoto FukuTaichou is a bit strange, but I like it.” Mikaze said.

“You mean you like the captain.” Shiori said.

“Wh-what? No!” Mikaze said as she blushed.

“It's written all over your face. I can read you like a book.” Shiori said as she smiled. “How long have we been friends? You're lucky. I don't have many friends, although everyone seems to say they like me. Not many of them really do like me.”

“Really?” Mikaze asked, trying not to sound like she was prying. “Where did you grow up?”

“I grew up here in the Seireitei. I'm the granddaughter of the SouTaichou.” Shiori said. “But don't let that stop you from being my friend or make you think that you have to be my friend just so you don't hurt my feelings or anything.”

“You're the granddaughter of the SouTaichou? Why didn't you ever tell me? I should have been addressing you more formally.” Mikaze said as she bowed. “Shiori-sama.”

“Oh, stop it. You don't have to be so formal with me. Just keep calling me Shiori as usual. Really, I don't mind.” Shiori said and she tried to get Mikaze to stand up. “Stop it, people are staring.”

Mikaze stood up and looked up at Shiori. “Sorry, I'm just used to be formal. My family isn't very formal, but at school I guess I got used to it.”

“What's your family like?” Shiori asked.

“Well, I have lots of brothers and sisters and being a big family and the smallest of nine children, although not the youngest, and having a twin brother, my parents never paid much attention to me.” Mikaze said.

“That's terrible. You're parents didn't pay attention to you?” Shiori was shocked.

“No, but I had my brother. Oh, I went to see him the last time we could leave to visit family and he gave these hair beads.”

Shiori examined the beads in Mikaze's hair. “I've wondered about those. They're very nice. He must have loved you a lot.”

“Yeah, Tensei always looked out for me and protected me. None of the other family had shown any signs of having reiatsu though. Tensei said that my mom and dad didn't even know I was gone.” Mikaze said, a bit sadly.

“I'm sorry.”

Mikaze shook her head. “Please don't be sorry for me. That's the way I grew up and I dealt with it. I'm here now and that's all that matters to me.” Mikaze said, looking a bit more positive.

“Hey! We should go see your family. You can introduce me to them and everything.” Shiori said.

“Yeah, that's a good idea.” Mikaze smiled at her new friend and Shiori smiled back.

 

 

Mikaze and Shiori made their way to the fifth district of Rukongai to visit Mikaze's family. Shiori gasped in shock as she saw a house in shambles and turned to Mikaze.

“Is this your house?” Shiori asked.

Mikaze stared at the crumbled house in shock. As she looked around at the rubble for signs of life, she saw her twin brother lying on the ground near a pile of wood.

“Nii-san!” Mikaze screamed as she ran to his body. “Nii-san! Nii-san! Wake up. Please wake up.”

The boy stirred slightly and opened his eyes only a crack.

“Nii-san.” Mikaze smiled.

“Kaze-chan?”

“Yeah, it's me nii-san. What happened?” Mikaze asked, tears in her eyes.

“A freak storm… I think… Hey… you became a Shinigami. That's great.” Tensei smiled at his sister. “I'm proud of you, Kaze-chan and know that I love you.” Tensei closed his eyes again. “I'm so tired.”

“Nii-san, don't fall asleep. Please wake up, nii-san.” Mikaze started crying as she realized that her brother had just taken his last breath and died in her arms.

Mikaze held her brother close to her as she cried.

“Nii-san…”

Shiori touched Mikaze's shoulder as they watched as Tensei's body disappeared in sparkles.

“He will be reborn as a human child now.” Shiori said.

Mikaze nodded solemnly and stood up. Shiori walked in silence next to her friend back to the Seireitei. Mikaze had no family left in Soul Society; all she had now was the Seireitei and the Shinigami.

 

 

Mikaze cried a little at the memory of her dead brother and remembering when she found him dead. Shiori hugged Mikaze.

“Sorry, I just remembered when we went to see my family and that was also when Tensei died…” Mikaze said.

“Yeah, I know. I didn't mean to make you remember that.” Shiori said.

“It's okay.” Mikaze said as she wiped the tears away. “It's good to remember loved ones, even if it is sad.”

“Yeah, I guess you're right. Although, I don't think of my parents nearly as much as I should, but then again, ojii-san raised me for quite a long time.”

Shiori let go of her friend and they walked back inside, with everyone staring at them.

“What?” Shiori asked. “I had to talk to Mikaze to clarify something. Sheesh.”

Mikaze sat down next to Rukia, not noticing that the white haired Captain was watching her the whole time. Shiori was the only one, besides Urahara, to notice that Toushirou was staring at Mikaze the minute she walked back through the door and sat down.

“So, did anyone else find anything interesting today?” Urahara asked.

“Nothing really.” Rangiku said.

“Same goes for us.” Renji said.

“So no Hollow attacks.” Urahara said. “Interesting. There haven't been too many Hollow attacks lately, but there have been quite a few souls roaming.”

“Do you think it could be the work of Aizen?” Toushirou asked.

“It could be, but I don't think so. Aizen is much more cunning than to make us think that he's planning something as simple as this.” Urahara answered.

“Besides, he's been defeated.” Renji said.

“We know that it seems that he's been defeated, but he's cunning.” Toushirou said.

Everyone was silent in thought, but no one could think of anything.

“We better eat while the food is still hot.” Urahara suddenly said.

“But Tessai just brought it all out here.” Rukia said.

“Yes, therefore we should eat while it's still hot.” Urahara answered.

Everyone served themselves some food and ate with a bit of light conversation. After dinner, Rangiku asked Mikaze to join her in the other room for a drink. Mikaze didn't know exactly what her FukuTaichou meant, but she joined the blonde in the other room.

 

 

Thanks for reading this chapter. This one took me awhile to fix since I had to try to get timelines straight with my friend, but I did it. Anyway, please R&R. Thanks again. Oh, and this chapter is dedicated to What-if-it-was on FanFiction.net and her fic called Dreams of Ice. If it wasn't for that fic, I wouldn't have had the idea I did for this chapter. Thanks. Much love to her even though I don't know her personally. ^_^