Chapter 16

The Senkai Gate opened before them and the two males went out into the night. There were still several traces of reiatsus here and there, but no one was fighting anymore. It seemed the Shinigamis had finally gotten their zanpakutous back.

'I'm ashamed of myself.' Ichigo heard Muramasa's voice inside his head. 'I should apologize to everyone… though I don't think they will ever forgive me for using them.'

"We won't know until we try." Ichigo simply voiced inside his head before he and Byakuya started to walk.

Just then, many reiatsus came approaching and Ichigo stopped in his tracks when he recognized the other Shinigamis' reiatsus. Byakuya stopped beside him and they quietly waited for the owner of those reiatsus to appear. The owners immediately did after some more seconds. The other Taichous and Fukutaichous appeared before them and their haori and Shihakusho fluttered behind them when they suddenly stopped.

"Byakuya Kuchiki and Ichigo Kurosaki," Soi Fon stepped forward. "The Soutaichou is awaiting your report."

Renji and Rukia immediately followed and padded towards Ichigo. All of them were still beware of Byakuya who appeared unfazed by all the gawks and stares.

Ichigo stepped forward and everyone's attention turned to him. "Everyone, I am here in place of Muramasa, who apologizes for his wrongdoings. He doesn't need your forgiveness, all he needs is for you to hear his apology." He bowed quickly in apology before he straightened up again. The others were about to argue and complain, and most likely ask why he was doing it for a rogue zanpakutou, but Ichigo's expression remained unreadable.

"Ichigo Kurosaki, I believe that chatter will have to wait." Byakuya voiced coolly when the others started asking questions. "The Soutaichou is waiting."

"Yeah, I know." Ichigo said before he waved his goodbye to the others.

Ikkaku narrowed his eyes. "Why is there another zanpakutou on Ichigo's back?" Renji and the others also saw that but they decided that questioning Ichigo would have to wait later. Only Rukia realized it. The reason why Ichigo apologized on behalf of Muramasa was because the teen was now Muramasa's master. It seemed the others would either respect him more or fear him more.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Ichigo paced back and forth as he waited for his turn. After a while, the door opened and Byakuya walked out with elegance and grace befitting for a noble like him. Ichigo watched as the other man passed him without uttering a word, though dipping his head a little, and disappeared into a corner before the teen entered and closed the door behind him.

He had been inside the soutaichou's office once, back when Juushirou was still alive. And now that he thought about it, it felt like a long time ago when that happened. His life still wasn't as complicated… and wasn't as agonizing. He let out a long sigh before he walked over to Yamamoto's table. Chojirou Sakakibe stood behind the soutaichou like a bodyguard just like the last time.

"Before we start, I want to confirm where your allegiance lies." Yamamoto started. "Aizen said that you know who he is. But you never told anyone about it."

Ichigo's eyes hardened. "My allegiance is with the comrades of my father." He sighed before he continued. "I haven't told anyone because I believed that you see Aizen as someone so kind and exemplary in everything he did. It's my words, a child who grew up in Rukongai, against his, one of the Gotei 13 Taichous. And besides, I have no evidence to prove my testimony. It will only create a ruckus." Yamamoto looked thoughtful for a while before he nodded. Ichigo fiddled with his hakama. "And… actually, I did tell someone." Yamamoto arched an eyebrow. "Eh, Kenpachi… But he told me not to tell anyone else because it might become troublesome."

Yamamoto's eyebrow arched higher at that. Chojirou wanted to blurt out some outrageous things but chose to stay silent as he sighed. Of all people to tell, why did the kid have to tell Zaraki-taichou?

"Why Zaraki-taichou?" Yamamoto was the one who voiced out the question.

"Well," Ichigo scratched the back of his head. "Because I trust that Kenpachi will not tell the others. Actually, there's also Renji but I don't want him to get involved in case it's something big. Kenpachi can take care of himself and has the ability to act like nothing is wrong, like he doesn't know anything. Renji would have surely felt uncomfortable around Aizen if I told him, and the Taichou would have suspected something."

Both Chojirou and Yamamoto nodded. "Anyway, Kuchiki-taichou told me of your little stunt." Yamamoto said. "I believe that I cannot have Muramasa, who has been a trouble for a while, be handed over to you. We do not know if he will once again try to create such chaos in Seireitei. He needs to be sealed away."

Ichigo straightened as he clenched his fist. "I believe that Muramasa deeply regretted using the other zanpakutous for his own benefits. He only did what he thinks is necessary to have his master freed. He lives in my inner world now and I believe that he will never cause any ruckus again."

Yamamoto's eyes narrowed. "What made you think so, akambo?" And he let out a little of his reiatsu for intimidation, which unsurprisingly didn't work at all on Ichigo.

"…Because I can hear his voice." He answered plain and simple as he stared at Yamamoto's eyes.

"Is that so?" The soutaichou asked. He knew from Ichigo's eyes that the teen wouldn't waver from his decision. And as such, he could make use of it. His eyes gleamed as he spoke. "Very well then. I'll allow you to have Koga Kuchiki's zanpakutou as its second master, but in two conditions."

Ichigo thought about that for a while. He felt that he might already know one of those conditions. "Please let me hear it."

Yamamoto nodded. "First is the fact that you will take all the responsibility for Muramasa's actions from now on. If he ever does something like this again, I expect you to be the one to chase after him and seal him for good." Ichigo was about to react but Yamamoto didn't let him. "And second, you will be part of Gotei 13 so we can watch over you and the zanpakutou."

Ichigo opened his mouth as if to say something but he only let out a sigh in the end. "So I'll be an unseated officer? Yama-jii, I don't have to attend the Shinigami Academy, right? You know how I hate that."

"No and no." Yamamoto could feel his amusement over Ichigo's innocence and truthfulness. The teen blinked at him, and he continued. "No, you will not attend the Academy since I deemed you knowledgeable enough of the arts and all the things they teach there. You have had Kaien Shiba to teach you for eight years after all." Ichigo's eyes widened at that. It seemed the boy didn't know that every major decision the Shinigamis made was reported to the soutaichou. "And no, you will not be an unseated officer."

Ichigo's eyes narrowed at that. "What do you mean?"

"I'm sure you've already guessed what I mean, akambo." The corner of Yamamoto's lips twitched when he saw Ichigo scowl at his nickname. "You will replace one of the Taichous' vacated positions."

Ichigo knew that it was coming, but he couldn't help but gape. "B-But Soutaichou, you know I can't! I'm young and that's a lot of responsibility!" He flailed his hands wildly as if to make his point.

Yamamoto arched an eyebrow at that. "Comes with great power a great responsibility, Akambo." Ichigo scowled again. Zangetsu always kept on saying that to him. Maybe Zangetsu was a seer, one who could see the future. And he was always saying that statement to refer to this instant.

'No, Ichigo, I'm not a seer.' Zangetsu voiced inside his head. Ichigo's scowl deepened when he heard Shiro snicker in the background. Even Muramasa was laughing at him. Great, now there were three spirits who would laugh at his idiotic ideas.

"Well?" Yamamoto asked when Ichigo looked like he was having a second thought. The old man knew that Ichigo wouldn't let Muramasa get sealed so he used it to make Ichigo join the Gotei 13. It's not a matter of watching over the infant and the new zanpakutou. It's always a matter of practicality. Ichigo was strong. He was now even stronger with his additional zanpakutou and he was needed in Gotei 13 where Shinigamis were short in number.

Ichigo sighed. Well, he might as well do this. He looked at Yamamoto straightly again. "Well, if I have to be a Captain instead of a mere unseated officer, I'll have a condition too. Two of them, actually."

Yamamoto let the corner of his lips twitch again. The boy was more cunning than he looked. "Let's hear it."

"The first is the complete elimination of the charges against Kisuke Urahara. We all know that he wasn't the one who did the Hollowfication experiment but Aizen. He was framed for a crime that he did not commit, just like me." Ichigo voiced steadily and calmly, as if giving a report. "And second, that the rest of the Vizards can return here once more as Shinigamis. They have been experimented on by Aizen and it's not just and fair to exile them because of their new power. I'm a Vizard too, as you all know, but I am allowed to be a Captain."

Yamamoto thought about it for a while, or at least it looked like it to Ichigo because the man was not answering to his conditions at all. Hell, the soutaichou wasn't even batting an eyelid.

"Why?" Yamamoto finally asked after a while. Ichigo blinked at him, confused at his question. "Why would you care about them? They have been exiled by Soul Society at least a century before you were even born."

Ichigo exhaled softly. "…Because if it wasn't for them, I'd still be stuck in the living world mourning over the loss of chichi and the weaknesses that I have. And Aizen would have completed his plan. Shinji and the others trained me and told me that I am their comrade… and that they will always be there if I ever need them. They were the ones who helped me achieve both Bankai and my Hollow powers. And hat and clogs," Yamamoto arched an eyebrow. "I mean, Urahara-san was the one who helped me get back here again. Urahara-san was the one who helped save the Vizards from becoming Hollows and thus he is also the Vizards' comrade."

Yamamoto nodded.

"Though the second condition… It's only applicable if they even want to return here once more." Ichigo added quietly. "After all, their fellow Shinigamis abandoned them, and even now they still harbor hatred for Seireitei."

Yamamoto nodded again. "Yes, that will be a problem."

"So, do we have a deal then?" Ichigo looked hopeful.

Yamamoto nodded again before he added. "Tell Shinji Hirako that he can have his former position as the 5th Division Taichou back if he agrees." He said. "And you, akambo, will be the 13th Division Taichou."

Ichigo's face darkened, not because he hated the position but because it would always remind him of his chichi. "Um, doesn't being a Taichou require at least six Taichous' recommendations and three other Taichous' approval?" He asked. "I can understand Shinji's case, because he has already been a Taichou before. But I'm new."

Yamamoto nodded again. "Yes, actually, I talked to the Taichous one by one. Eight Taichous recommended and approved of you to be the 13th Division Taichou. Minus the three traitors and Ukitake-taichou, only one Taichou didn't approve that you should be in that position. Care to guess who that is?"

Ichigo's eyes narrowed. He felt that Yamamoto was messing with him. Of course, Yamamoto would be out of the question because he was the one who wanted Ichigo to join Gotei 13 in the first place. His first assumption would be Byakuya. The older man had always been cold and harsh in his words and actions towards the teen, showing Ichigo the noble's dislike for him explicitly. But then Soi Fon also didn't like him much, and he hadn't spoken yet to Komamura or Kurotsuchi even though they knew one another. He shook his head. Yamamoto was definitely messing with him!

"Uh… who..?" He asked as he gulped.

"Kurotsuchi-taichou." Yamamoto answered. He continued when he saw Ichigo's inquiring look. "Because it is forbidden to perform any experiment on a high-ranking Shinigami." Ichigo's eyes widened at the implication of that before he shivered. He would definitely not go anywhere near the 12th Division. "He believes that you will be a great research experiment because you are born a Vizard and not made as one. He begged me for it the whole week that you were unconscious too. Only Unohana-taichou was able to make him stay away from the 4th Division barracks."

"You didn't approve, right?" Ichigo asked, unsure. He didn't want to come out of the 1st Division Office with Kurotsuchi tailing him.

"I made you a Taichou, right?" Yamamoto arched an eyebrow at the question.

"That's nice." Ichigo nodded as he sighed in relief. "I think I'm starting to like the position more." Yamamoto agreed.

He went out of the office after that and immediately went to his house. He felt happier that he could once again display Juushirou's things. Normally, one would put those things away. But Ichigo felt that he didn't want to lose sight of the familiar things that Juushirou owned. He immediately took Juushirou's things out of the boxes and put them back to where they were before.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

He let out a long and heavy sigh before he opened the door. All heads turned in his direction and some of the Taichous grinned when they saw him. He kept his gaze in front, however, lest he wanted to blush in embarrassment, and walked forward. He stopped just in front of the Soutaichou's table.

Yamamoto nodded at him as he stood from his seat. "I now hereby declare from this day forth that Ichigo Kurosaki-taichou will be the one to lead the 13th Squad." Ichigo bowed to everyone. "You may take your post, Kurosaki-taichou."

He nodded again before he went, to his horror and annoyance, beside Kurotsuchi who was the 12th Squad Taichou and thus would be next to him in every meeting. His white sleeveless haori fluttered behind him and he remembered the awe that he felt when it was handed to him yesterday, the day after the conversation he had with Yamamoto. He wore a sleeveless Shihakusho now too because his Bankai always made him lose the right side of his sleeve and replaced by a black chain coiled around his arm.

The meeting started and everyone, Ichigo noticed, immediately busied themselves from daydreaming or thinking of other things. In short, doing anything except listening. Not that he could blame them. He could feel his drowsiness starting to overwhelm his senses when Yamamoto started talking about monetary funds and he knew he had to think of something to not sleep on the spot, especially when the daily reports about Rukongai and other noble family activities were talked about.

After about an hour and a half, which felt like a whole day, the meeting had finally ended and Ichigo thought he was already free. How wrong could he get?

"So, you're a Taichou now." Kenpachi grinned as he put an arm over Ichigo's shoulder and the teen's knees almost gave out from the weight. "How about a spar? I heard you acquired a new zanpakutou?"

Ichigo sighed as he removed Kenpachi's arm over his shoulder, only to have another arm swung over his shoulder, this time from Shunsui. "How about a drink, Ichigo? Ah, let me rephrase that, Kurosaki-taichou." The older male grinned before he turned to Kenpachi. "You too, Zaraki-taichou." Kenpachi looked thoughtful for a while before he grinned. Then Shunsui called some others as well, namely: everyone except soutaichou and Kurotsuchi. Toshirou and Komamura accepted while Unohana politely declined, having to attend to some of her patients. Soi Fon flatly refused and Byakuya coldly accepted, much to everyone's surprise. "Alright! Let's go!!"

Ichigo sighed. "Don't I have any say in this?"

"Nope." Shunsui grinned.

"I won't drink though." Ichigo

Then he heard a click of a tongue behind him. "If only you rejected the offer to become a Taichou and became my favorite research subject." Ichigo shuddered as he felt the penetrating gaze that the man was giving him from behind.

"Sorry to disappoint you then, Kurotsuchi-taichou." Ichigo answered as they all left.

Ichigo opened the 13th Barracks and almost jumped when multi-colored confetti exploded on his face. Everyone grinned at him and his eyes widened. They prepared a party for him.

"Congratulations on becoming a Taichou, Ichigo!!!" Rukia and Renji shouted but then Renji added, "I mean, Kurosaki-taichou!" Everyone else greeted him enthusiastically and many others started to sing for him, and some even had the audacity to pat him on the shoulder. Kiyone and Sentarou cried on his shoulder and said that they would follow him anywhere. That made a shiver ran down his spine for some unknown reason.

Ichigo grinned shyly and everyone else gaped. It seemed they didn't think Ichigo was capable of making such an expression. All they knew about him was the normal and assumed-to-be-permanent scowl. "Thank you."

"Alright, let's drink!!" Shunsui exclaimed and everyone else cheered in assent before they all sat in a seiza at their own row of low tables.

Byakuya, sitting together with Komamura, Kenpachi, and Toshirou, watched as Ichigo was dragged from table to table, everyone trying to make him drink alcohol. But the teen always politely refused. Somehow, even Renji managed to shoo away some of the Shinigamis who wanted to give him a juice mixed with alcohol. The other fukutaichous, together with Rukia, Ikkaku, and Yumichika, sat together and were having a nice chat while talking about Ichigo. They were laughing to themselves and the orange-haired teen somehow wondered what Rukia was telling them to make them have that kind of reaction.

In the end, Ichigo and Shunsui sat together with the other Taichous and they cheered for him. Of course, Byakuya and Toshirou only raised their cup but didn't join in the cheery conversation. Somehow, the conversation had centered between Komamura, Kenpachi, and Shunsui who was talking non-stop now that he had drank sake. Ichigo watched as everyone, even his soon-to-be subordinates, drink and have fun to their hearts' content.

He wondered what Juushirou or Kaien would have said now that he was a Taichou. He had always told them that he would never become part of the Gotei 13. And they always believed him. Or maybe they didn't. Maybe they thought from the start that Ichigo would soon join, if only because of them.

He sighed. He was supposed to be having his celebratory party and yet he was thinking of melancholic things.

His eyes darted on Byakuya and saw how the noble still appeared, well, noble, despite the fact that he held a cup of sake. He held it as if it was tea and the elegance and grace of his fingers were very remarkable. Ichigo found himself comparing the noble raven to Shunsui, who was chatting non-stop while holding the sake a little brashly, though still magnificently, and Kenpachi whose sake was spilling from his cup and onto his Shihakusho because of his brashness. The teen wondered how Komamura could even begin to chat with the two while not feeling embarrassed about his companions. Shunsui was talking about women and pornography while Kenpachi talked about gruesome bloodiness. Toshirou had a vein of annoyance popping out of his forehead as he sipped a little of his sake.

After a while, Shunsui wasn't contented with the cup anymore and he immediately took the whole bottle and started to drink from it instead.

Byakuya, on the other hand, watched as Ichigo looked around him. It didn't look like the teen was uncomfortable or anything. But it still felt like the teen wasn't part of the party but a mere observant. Byakuya knew what a wall was, and he knew he had one. It was visible and cold and no one was able to even make a small dent on it, except maybe Ichigo when the boy fought him. But Ichigo… He also had it, the wall. It was invisible so no one could see it, but it was there all the same. And Byakuya knew that Ichigo's wall was way thicker and higher than his. It's somehow saddening that a boy like Ichigo had something like that while still so young. He now wondered what could have happened to make his defense so high like that… aside from Juushirou's death.

Ichigo's eyes softened when he saw Renji and Rukia. The redhead was talking to the female raven and he had a soft blush on his cheeks. It was annoying and at the same time adorable, if he said so himself. Renji should just confess his feelings and get it over with. Rukia seemed to like him too anyway. Rangiku, Shuuhei, and Kira were having a drinking contest and it looked like no one would win by the end of it. Yachiru kept running in shunpo all over the place and stealing foods from table to table without the lower-ranking Shinigamis ever realizing.

"Byakushi!!" Yachiru chirped as she landed on Byakuya's lap, much to the noble's horror. His eyes slowly widened and he was about to lash out when the pink-haired girl hopped from him to Kenpachi, who was much used to it.

The noble darted his glare from Yachiru to the silently laughing orange-haired teen. Ichigo immediately stopped when the raven glared daggers at him, but the corners of his lips still twitched one in a while, much to the noble's annoyance and, he might not be aware of it, amusement.

The party lasted until midnight. Ichigo was the only one sane enough because he's the only one who didn't drink, maybe aside from Yachiru. No one was able to make him, no matter how much they pleaded, and Renji was much too happy about that. He had not forgotten the reason why Ichigo refused. And with Ichigo's reiatsu now, there was no way he'd let his friend ever drink a single drop.

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"Ichigo, as much as I'm happy to hear that, I'm afraid I cannot go back now." Ichigo's shoulder sagged slightly when he heard Shinji's reply.

It had been a week since he was formally appointed Taichou and it was just now that his approval to go to the living world was given. Of course, he had to have eighty percent of his reiatsu sealed by the Gentei Reiin, as the seal on his left chest, a snowflake, implied. He immediately went and told Shinji and the others of the event concerning Aizen after he finished his conversation with the annoying perverted hat and clogs, and of course his biological father and sisters. It was a touching reunion between siblings. Or rather, it would have been if it weren't for Isshin's constant way of trying to annoy the hell out of him.

He knew the Vizards might not be pleased to return right away but an outright refusal was shocking.

The Vizards exchanged glances at one another. They still held grudges against Soul Society and they felt that it was still too early to return, if ever they would. But Ichigo's dejected form was a little too hard to look at.

"If you dare mope here, I will slipper-slap you!" Hiyori exclaimed and Ichigo looked at her and smiled.

"I'm not moping." He said but his smile alone disagreed with his words. It was a sad smile. "I understand your reason. Urahara refused to leave his house here in the living world too, though he promised to make contact with the soutaichou one of these days."

"I see. We want to, Ichigo." Shinji said. "But a century of a grudge is not so easily erased."

Ichigo nodded. He understood their reasons completely, though it still felt like he was personally rejected. After all, he was the one who made the condition to Soutaichou that they could return. "Anyway, I also returned here to thank you for everything." He said after a while.

Shinji nodded before he grinned. "Of course, we're your comrades after all."

Ichigo then stood up. "I have to go back now. I was only given three hours. I've spent two hours in Urahara's shop thanks to Goat-face." He waved goodbye at the others and turned around to leave but Shinji's voice stopped him.

"Well, if we will come back, it'll be because of you and not because of those Shinigamis." Shinji said, grinning. Ichigo blinked at him. "I think a position in the 5th Squad is truly remarkable." Ichigo still blinked at him, not knowing what he meant.

Hiyori sighed. She knew Shinji wouldn't be able to refuse Ichigo. "It means that Shinji is accepting your offer, idiot." She said before she sighed again. "And if Shinji's going… then I'll go too."

"I knew you like me, Hiyori. But please don't be too obvious about it." Shinji teased. "Girls need to have a modest attitu–" And he wasn't able to finish his sentence anymore because he already received a slipper-slap from Hiyori.

"Idiot!!" But she was blushing.

Kensei scratched his head. Shinji was truly a headache sometimes, though he knew where the blonde was coming from. It was a little saddening that Ichigo was alone in Seireitei, the sole Vizard there. "Alright, I'm coming too." He grumbled.

Mashiro cheered. "Yey!! I'm coming too!!" It seemed she really wanted to come back. She was just shy about it because everyone else didn't want to. Lisa nodded her assent distractedly, not bothering to look up from her porn manga. Both her nostrils had tissues stuck in them from nosebleed.

Rojurou smiled. "You don't have to hide it, everyone." He turned to Ichigo. "From the start, we've been really happy that you did that, Ichigo. I also want to return."

Hachigen looked sad. "Sorry, Ichigo. But I want to help my Taichou, I mean the former Kidoushu Sosui and Dai Kidouchou Tessai Tsukabishi. I was his Fuku Kidouchou after all." He beamed. "I will visit Soul Society one of these decades, don't worry."

Rabu also had an apologetic face. "Ichigo, I'm sorry. But I have no intention of ever coming back to Soul Society again. I'm teaching in Karakura Academy now and I'm happy with my job." Lisa knew though that the only thing Rabu liked about that Academy was the fact that females' skirts were really short that sometimes one could see their underwear when the wind blew a little harder. If the Shinigami Academy had those kinds of uniforms for females, she knew that Rabu would like to return too.

"I'm sorry you have to be separated from one another because of my offer." Ichigo said sadly. It was saddening that the Vizards who stuck together through thick and thin from becoming Vizard had to part.

"Idiot!!" Rabu yelled. "I said I have no intention of coming back to Soul Society anymore. What I meant is that I don't want to live there! But I didn't say I will not come over there one of these years for a simple visit!"

Shinji grinned. "So, Ichigo? What are you waiting for? We don't have all day, right?"

Ichigo grinned as well. "Thank you!" And they said their goodbyes to Hachigen and Rabu before they left.

A week after that, the Vizards became officially part of the Gotei 13. There were many Shinigamis who still feared them together with Ichigo, but those were the new recruits who were also afraid of their own Taichous. Many were happy that they were back though, and that was all that mattered.

Shinji Hirako was appointed back to his former position as the Taichou of the 5th Division. Momo was still convinced that Aizen was a good person and that Gin and Kaname were the ones who turned him evil. It seemed though that the shock of Aizen's betrayal had made her a little mentally unstable. Sometimes she believed that Aizen was dead and that Ichigo killed him while there were times when she believed that it was Gin and Kaname who plotted everything and killed her beloved Taichou. She refused to have another Taichou and resigned from her position. And as much as Toshirou hated to see her suffer so much, he knew that what bed-wetter Momo needed was space and relaxation of the mind. Thus, her decision to resign might actually bring her good. And thus, the position was occupied by the former 12th Squad fukutaichou Hiyori Sarugaki.

Ichigo saw how Shuuhei's eyes widened when he saw his idol replace his former Taichou. Kensei arched an eyebrow when he saw a similar tattoo like the one on his stomach on Shuuhei's face. The fukutaichou was much too happy that he immediately welcomed the former 9th Division Taichou to the post. Everyone smiled knowingly where Shuuhei's over-enthusiasm and respect would lead to. Mashiro became the third seat but she didn't mind. It was more fun to tease her fukutaichou about Kensei after all.

Kira, on the other hand, blushed when he saw who his new Taichou would be. Of course, everyone understood. The former 3rd Division Taichou held much charm and beauty. Rojurou Otoribashi and Kensei Muguruma immediately became part of the Shinigami Women's Association's weekly magazine after that.

Lisa became Soi Fon's fukutaichou and, surprisingly, the two of them got along very well despite the vast difference in their personalities. Omaeda became the third seat and his two superiors always combined their womanly strength to bully him. That was one more reason why the two got along well. They both had the same sadistic understanding that it was fun to bully the obese man.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Kurooosakiii-taichouu? Are you heeeeree?" Ichigo scowled. Rukia was annoying him again. It seemed the female was still elated that he picked her to be his fukutaichou. She was really shocked yesterday at the meeting hall. It was also yesterday that the proclamation of the Vizards to be part of Gotei 13 was officially made.

"What?" He growled as he looked up from his paperwork.

Rukia knew she was disturbing Ichigo from his paperwork. But hell, the guy had been working nonstop ever since he became a Taichou. She knew there was so much paperwork to do but it shouldn't really deter him from going out and relaxing. She talked about it to his nii-sama one morning and Byakuya told her to just continue annoying Ichigo and all would be fine. Of course, she wasn't one to doubt her nii-sama and she knew that it was the only way to make Ichigo pause from his work.

"Nii-sama is really a genius." She thought as she entered the office. Though if she could only read Byakuya's mind at the time, she would immediately know that Byakuya only heard the part that it annoyed Ichigo so he approved of it.

Rukia was about to open her mouth to tell Ichigo that he needed a break when an explosion shook the whole office. Rukia's eyes widened. "Wha–?"

Ichigo growled. "Kenpachi." He immediately stood up from his table and walked out. Rukia immediately followed suit. "It has only been two weeks since I became a Taichou and I already had to have the walls of my barracks repaired twenty times!"

Rukia bit her lower lip. She couldn't tell Ichigo that it was the other Shinigami's way of communicating with him, to make him come out of his barracks once in a while.

What they saw made their eyes widened, however, because it wasn't Kenpachi at all. Shinji grinned. "Yo, how about a spar, Ichigo?"

"Hirako-taichou!" Rukia exclaimed as she eyed the vastness of the damage. It seemed Shinji did a good job of destroying the 13th Division's wall. And it looked like he was doing a way better job than Kenpachi.

Ichigo's left eye twitched as he crossed his arm over his chest. "You know you will pay for that, Shinji." He felt that he would now have two annoyances breaking his wall every day. Kenpachi was bad enough as it was. Shinji… Well, he's a Vizard. He's way worse than Kenpachi could ever be.

"Of cours–!" But he wasn't able to finish his sentence when a foot landed on his face from the sideways and made him stumble some feet away. At least Ichigo was thankful that there was someone willing to "take care" of Shinji for him.

"You idiot!!!" Hiyori shouted as she stomped towards the face-down-on-the-ground Shinji. "You haven't even started your paperwork yet, and you're already working on making it double!!" She held both his shoulders and shook him hard. "You'll pay for this mess too, you hear me!?" And she dragged him away without waiting for his answer.

"I am so glad Hiyori is not my fukutaichou." Ichigo shook his head, remembering the training he had in the living world before he shivered involuntarily. Rukia felt praised at his statement.

"Ah!" Rukia blurted. "Let's go to my house together with Renji!! Let's have some time together! We haven't had any time to hang out yet, you know!" And before Ichigo could even react, he was immediately dragged away by a grinning Rukia. Now the 13th Division Taichou wondered if he was really glad that Hiyori wasn't his fukutaichou. Rukia should've been Shinji's fukutaichou instead since both of them liked slacking off so much.

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.tbc.

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