A chinese style wooden door was opened by Ichitaro as Excalibur dismissed himself, which hault Shunsui and Ramune from their conversation. When they saw a crow and Ichitaro exiting, they both wondered why was he following it so late at night.
Ramune got up and freaked out on what she'd witnessed. Shunsui, also stood up and grabbed Ichitaro's dizzy, tiresome body as if he's hugging Ichitaro's body. Both of them were puzzled in an aghast manner.
" Excallibur...wait...for...me.", Ichitaro mumbled, yet his voice was different., "Must...find...last...item...Bring...my...hogyōku...back."
" Excallibur? The last item? Hogyōku? What's he talking about?" Shunsui asked.
" I have no idea." Ramune answered, yet noticed Ichitaro's hands holding on a notebook and immediately recognised who it belonged to.
When Excallibur suddenly foresaw Ichitaro not moving, he turned around and reckoned he was right. He spread his wings and headed straight towards the couple. Shunsui swiftly shielded Ichitaro's cold sweated body by drawing his zanpakuto, pointing it on Excallibur for protection.
However, his wife forced herself by using her injured hand and activated a spell, but in her style. Shunsui saw her raising her hand and worried if it'll kill her when she activated her kido. But she didn't when she chanted:
[ BAKUDO 28: NAGENAWA ]
Instead, she used her left hand and pointed on to Excallibur. A deep red rope appeared from her two fingers and wrapped around him in a dexterous way. Out of every spell, Ramune's spells were painless to those that doesn't cause any harm. Excallibur couldn't leave Ichitaro in their hands, hence was captured.
" Well, that was easy. " Ramune said, then turned to her husband and continued., " Just place him back. We'll discuss this with Captain Mayuri tomorrow. "
Shunsui agreed as he placed his zanpakuto back to its scabbard and lifted Ichitaro's body, heading back to the cottage.
Once Ramune was left alone with Excallibur, she picked him up and stared at him dead in her eyes.
" Alright, buster. I don't know who Excallibur is, but I'll never allow a child froze itself to death. Do you understand?" She requested, which Excallibur cawed and took a `yes` for an answer. As she was heading back to the cottage, they were more questions that needed to be answered.
Was he actually leaving the Soul society for good during a bitter cold sleet? If so, why was Ichitaro be brave enough to risk his life? Could the crow be involved? Answers remained uncertain until the next day.
~~~~~~~~
{ ICHITARO'S POV}
The winter morning began with a heavy snowfall downpour the Soul society. Despite the freezing bitterness outside, everyone tried their best to keep themselves warm. They gathered wood and enlightened stoves for warmth inside.
Inside the cottage, maids prepared a nice warm bath for the triplets. Both Yoshimura and Rangiku woke up and stretched their arms. Ichitaro woke up as well, except his eyes remained shut with a minor headache. He scratched his head and ran through his hands, realising it was gone.
Presumed it was a dream, Ichitaro tried opening his eyes when an unfamiliar voice stopped him.
" Hey there, Ichitaro. It looks like you'll be stuck here with those Soul reapers for a long time." It giggled. Ichitaro wanted to asked that strange voice, but it stopped him again.
" Hold on a second. I know you have so many questions, but don't ask me yet. People might think you're crazy. My suggestion is you should focus on your mission to get you and your sisters' back home and I'll do the rest." It stated before it disappeared and Ichitaro couldn't asked it.
He rubbed and opened his eyes slowly, almost caused blurry images. Once his visions were cleared, he looked around and noticed the notebook was, indeed, gone. He slowly got up and headed outside to see if he'd left it there. Yet, he was disturbed when a hand pated on his arm.
When he turned, he realised it was his sister, Yoshimura. Looking through her eyes, she was worried about him....a lot. They remained silent for a while, until a maid arrived. She told them their baths were ready before leaving. Wasting no time, they followed the maid to the open spaced bathroom for their bath time.
Each bathroom has its own private space and four bathtubs, avoiding the triplets from `embarrassments` . Rangiku was already in the bathtub, large enough to cover her body and her pigtailed hair transformed into a straight hair.
Both Ichitaro and Yoshimura went separately to the bathtubs and took off their clothes, before plunging their bodies into the bathtub.
Few minutes passed and there's a lot happening in Ichitaro's mind. After a ` stunt` he pulled off yesterday, he couldn't help but felt bad. Even though Yamamoto chuckled at his request and learnt he was telling the truth, Ichitaro now knew his gut feeling was correct, but was baffled on whether or not he'd to continue his mission. italic
It doesn't took him long before Yoshimura finished her bath time and went to him. She was covered with a clean dotera*.
" Hey, Ichitaro. Are you alright?" She asked.
" Huh? Oh. I-it's nothing." He answered.
" You know you can talk to me about anything that's bothering you, right? That's because we're apart from Tanjirō, mom and dad, doesn't mean I can't look after you. "
" I know. If I tell you, you'll never believe me. No one does. "
" Ichi-san, I'll never believe you, if you don't tell me. Just tell me what's been bothering you and why did you disappear in the first place. I'm your twin sister after all." Said Yoshimura, placing her wet hands on Ichitaro's arm. Ichitaro was emotionally cheerful, despite his expressions remain unchanged.
He took a deep breath and asked:
" Alright, I'll tell you. Remember that day when I vanished and wound up here?"
Yoshimura nodded and as Ichitaro was ready to explain everything, an audible sound of a door barged open was heard and seven people arrived ( Hēimă was one of them). They can hear maidens pleading those people, yet Hēimă sounded reassuring to them.
Their expression changed into a sense of dread when heavy footsteps grinding the wooden floor. Once it headed towards their bathroom, they were confused when they saw an anthropomorphic fox like entity wearing a Soul reaper captain outfit.
" Get up! It's time for all three of you to get ready for your training!" He demanded.
The triplets were so astounded, Rangiku nearly staggered her feet as she covered her shoulder with a dotera.
" Y-you want us to come with you, Mr fox sir?" Rangiku stammered.
" IT'S CAPTAIN KOMAMARU TO YOU, LITTLE GIRL!! AND YES, YOU ALL ARE COMING WITH ME!! Head captain's orders!!" He bellowed, which terrified Rangiku. Yoshimura was comforting her sister, when Ichitaro suggested something, even when he's in the bathtub naked.
" You know very well we don't have anything to wear. We're not supposed to arrive here in a freezing cold weather and wearing the same yokai king's clothes again." Ichitaro stated. But, captain Komamaru already had it under control.
" Your new sets of clothes are ready for you. I'll wait for you three to finish. Besides, this isn't the world of the living. There's no place for sloths." He said before leaving the triplets, afraid and puzzled.
~~~~~~~~~
Still, the snow downpoured heavily, until it sprinkled itself lightly as Captain Komamaru and Hēimă arrived at the Zanjutsu training hall with Ichitaro, Yoshimura and Rangiku. Komamaru lead the triplets inside rather than outside.
Wearing only white student type shikakushō and thick tabi socks and boots, but Yoshimura and Rangiku wore red hakama and Ichitaro wore a blue one, even though it isn't his favourite colour. However, underneath their shikakushō, they only wore at least two or three kirin furred woven into a shitagi.
Their training session will begin within five minutes as the Soul reapers gathered around in the arena like flock of birds. All of the remaining captains and lieutenants, watching the training commences.
One of the soul reaper gave the triplets bokken*, which was different from the world of the living. This gave them enough to practice their bokken and lucky enough, they've done this method by their mother when they were about six years old.
Meanwhile, Shunsui felt uneased at his discovery last night. Nevertheless, his wife was there next to him and wrapped her mitten covered hands around his hand. Then again, it almost completely warm and Shunsui asked Ramune:
" We sure had a rough night. Isn't it, sweet rose? "
" We did, my dear Zhàng fū*. I wondered what those kids were hiding. Especially that Ichitaro kid. " She answered.
" Why was he carrying Koro's things, yet questioned Old man Yama about his death? It just doesn't make sense." he remarked.
" Don't worry. Mayuri is figuring out the code. We're going to find out the truth before Shīfù does."
" Celestia knows what Old man Yama is up to. At least he has the power to spare their lives." Said Shunsui, placing both his hands on Ramune's `mitten` gloves. italic
Meanwhile, as Ichitaro swung his bokken, he saw Head captain Yamamoto, sitting in the front. After a catastrophic night, he felt like he could dig a hole and hide for eternity. Otherwise, the old man might be mad at him, yet couldn't remember what else he'd done.
Yoshimura noticed Ichitaro's hands were almost clammy, she immediately grabbed his right arm and went to the old man for an apology. He saw what Yoshimura was doing, but he couldn't escape her robust grip. She stopped to where Yamamoto was and finally spoke:
" Old captain? On his behalf, I'd like to apologise for when my brother asked a question. He was grieving for the death of his closest friend. And we'd like to thank you for giving us a place to stay. I hope you're not too mad at him."
" You know, I can never harm an unarmed and innocent intruders. I couldn't stay mad at him forever either." Said the Head captain. Ichitaro felt as if a weight of guilt was lifted on his shoulder and Yoshimura was relieved.
" However, there is a strict protocol you three must follow. That's because I'm allowing you to stay at the Soul society until the war is over, doesn't mean you'll be sloths for eternity." The head captain continued and it startled Yoshimura and Ichitaro.
" Wait. Y-you mean____?" Asked Yoshimura and Yamamoto slowly nodded his head, giving her a quick answer.
" Your first training is to defeat as many members of the 11th Division as possible. From the unseated to the 3rd seated soul reaper."
' Wait, WHAT?!' Yoshimura and Ichitaro wondered in unison. Both were flabbergasted and their eyes stared wide open. The remaining captains and lieutenants were incredulous at Yamamoto, nearly creating outburst.
As crowded footsteps dashed towards the training hall, Rangiku turned her back and saw unseated soul reapers heading straight to them, yet all of them had bokkens as well, part of the triplets' training. The triplets had no choice but to attack them.
One of the members of the 11th Division lifted his bokken to Rangiku, Ichitaro immediately raced to the figure and side kicked him in the face using his bokken as his stick like support. The figure rolled himself out of the stage and the remaining captains were astonished by Ichitaro's moves.
" Did mom taught you those moves? Or is it Ichigo? " Rangiku asked.
" No. I saw what dad did when those thugs almost robbed us. I've been trying it since then." Answered Ichitaro, as he landed on the ground.
" In that case. Let's beat these guys!" Yoshimura beamed.
The triplets swiftly ran to the other 11th Division soul reapers, holding their bokkens like weapons. One of the members, swung his bokken to Yoshimura, but she quickly tilted her upper body before giving him an uppercut and sent him flying.
Another soul reaper went to Ichitaro and he immediately blocked his bokken and hit her in the stomach. He then drop kicked the other incoming soul reapers and does a kick flip and attack other soul reapers.
Rangiku blocked her bokken as well on two other soul reapers and pushed them away. They stood up and were about to attack her, but she jumped on top of their heads and collided their heads. She immediately hit the other soul reapers on their side cheeks and back of their heads.
Meanwhile, Yoshimura cartwheeled when another soul reaper was attacking her. She does a somersault and heel kicked her on top of her head, before hitting the others on their thighs and abdomen.
As the fight intensified, the remaining captains and lieutenants watched in awe, yet Captain Byakuya noticed something odd. Sai sensed it too and cooed on his haōri.
« I know that, Sai. Those techniques seemed, weirdly familiar. Between the Wills of Kishida and the Red Prince's mysterious abilities, there's no way they were related to the Red Prince himself. I'm not sure how they got those techniques in their early age either.» Byakuya wondered, telepathically.
~~~~~~~~~
Hours passed by and the triplets were worn out in fatigue. Lucky for them, they won't be facing the 3rd and 4th rank seated soul reaper, due to circumstances. Then again, they have to face the 5th ranked seated soul reaper as the substitute.
A young man, in his mid 20s, arrived at the arena. He had a blue violet hair coloured bob cut with red and yellow feathers on his eyelashes and eyebrow.
Wearing only an orange coloured turtle neck like piece of clothing that connects with the orange sleeves on his right arm underneath his loosely uniform, he wasn't pleased at his fellow members at all.
" You've got to be shitting me. Being beaten by three useless teenagers? So naïve.", He commented on his members lying down in bruises. Then turned and stared at Ichitaro coldly, as he sneered." As for you. Getting my old friend, Ikkaku, in trouble. All because of your ` injury ` ?"
" What am I supposed to do? NOTHING?! He was actually ____." Ichitaro begged, but the young man cut his words.
" I've had enough of your excuse! For I, Yumichika Ayasegawa, will never let a cantankerous brat like you DISRESPECTING IKKAKU!!!" He snapped.
without hesitation, Yumichika charged against Ichitaro, letting him to defend himself.