Lee spotted Ichigo weaving through the busy foot-traffic of the market and promptly flipped out of his upright push-ups to flash him a beaming grin. It was the second day after the attempted kidnapping. Ichigo had joined Lee and his team yesterday and this morning for early practice and had agreed to meet again after lunch. He was still in his training uniform but, from what Lee could tell, was looking much more relaxed, which was a relief. It was good to see Ichigo finally settling into Konoha. It had been most distressing the other day in the Hokage's office to realize he thought himself expendable.
"Afternoon," said Ichigo with a nod.
Ah, well, Ichigo's conversation skills had yet to improve, but one could always hope.
"It is a most glorious day," confirmed Lee hoping to inspire his friend. "I see Kon has not joined you for our excursion?"
Ichigo shrugged. "He went to the hospital to see Karin. He said watching you guys kick my butt at hand-to-hand managed to get old."
Privately, Lee suspected that Ichigo was holding back quite a bit when it came to taijutsu, especially after the display with the kidnappers. But then, perhaps Ichigo was concerned about hurting them if he went all out. He still had yet to spar again using his bokken though he still carried it everywhere. It was a thought to share with his team later though it would do little to soothe Neji's pride.
"Your Fires of Youth burn higher with each bout," cheered Lee. "You improve with each bout." Which was true and a little frightening to watch.
Ichigo never hesitated when he struck, and he when did hit, well, Lee thought of it as using the best strike possible. Ichigo was not dedicated to any one style but instead used whatever worked in his current situation. Lee had been astonished to some of his own moves from their very first bout used against Tenten. Ichigo had even used one of Neji's gentle-palm strikes to knock a kick off course in his bout with Gai-sensei though he had not been able to apply the devastating chakra-strike to a tenketsu point.
The whole thing reminded Lee strongly of his first Chunin Exam. Uchiha Sasuke had demonstrated similar skill when replicating one of Lee's attack combinations. But Sasuke had possessed the natural advantage of his sharingan while Ichigo was simply that good. Though Ichigo claimed no such title, Lee suspected he was a natural combat genius along the lines of Sasuke, Neji, and Hatake Kakashi.
Ichigo looked vaguely amused. "Thanks."
"So Karin and Yuzu are both well?" asked Lee.
Ichigo snorted. "Yeah. They both collapsed after dinner. Neither one is used to this sort of training."
But Ichigo was used to training just as hard and possibly harder. The thought lay fallow between them.
"So, were you doing pushups on your thumbs just now?" asked Ichigo to fill the silence.
"Yes!" said Lee grabbing hold of the subject. "I promised to do two-hundred pushups before you arrived, or else I would run ten laps around Konoha. I only reached one hundred fifty eight, so I must set aside some time later."
Usually that sort of statement prompted eye-rolls from his fellow shinobi. Instead, Ichigo cast a longing look toward the wall surrounding Konohagakure.
"Outside the walls?" he asked. His tone was very nearly wistful.
Oh dear. Lee almost flailed in his arms in panic. That was not the response he had been expecting or wanting. "The route outside the walls is longer and more useful for training, but should you desire to fan your Inner Flames by running, I must suggest in the inner route for security purposes."
"Right," said Ichigo.
His shoulders slumped, only a tiny amount, but as a person trained to utilize and know every aspect of the body, Lee saw it. That was distressing. Ichigo hadn't looked so unhappy when kidnapped. Angry? Yes. Disappointed? No.
"Do you have some issue with the Noble Wall that defends our village?" asked Lee. He was truly curious. Even if he wasn't a spy, he was still a shinobi. Information was their life's blood.
"The only place I've been with a wall like that is Seireitei," said Ichigo.
"Seireitei?" repeated Lee.
"The capital of Soul Society," said Ichigo. "The place my father was born."
The place Ichigo and his sisters were fleeing, as far as Lee could tell. Well, that was most un-Youthful. He certainly did not want Ichigo to associate Konoha with a place like that, even if it did have an intriguing name like the Court of Pure Souls.
"Your own village did not have a defensive wall?" asked Lee hoping to buy time for his team to arrive. Surely, they would have a suggestion.
Ichigo blinked in surprise. "You mean, Karakura Town? No. I mean, why would they? There hasn't been a war on Japanese soil in almost fifty years."
Lee's jaw dropped. No war? In fifty years? The Hidden Villages went to war every ten to twenty years. There was still a silent truce after the end of Fourth Shinobi World War, but everyone knew it would not last forever. Fifty years without a war was unimaginable. How different the world must be beyond the Elemental Countries.
"But you've had training," said Lee. "You've fought against Soul Society."
Ichigo gave him a look that was hard to interpret. Part of it was sorrow. And part was pity.
"A couple of times, yeah," said Ichigo blandly. "I mostly fought for Soul Society. Those wars were different. Shorter, for one thing. And most people don't know they happened."
That was different from the wars Lee knew. Most of the wars between the villages went on for years, and they were all but unavoidable. For all that they were shinobi wars and supposedly secret, everyone was affected from the lowest villager to the greatest daimiyo.
"Lee! My student, what surprise has Ichigo gifted us with today?"
Gai-sensei had appeared. Tenten and Neji trailed along behind him. Lee felt his world slide back into focus. With his team, he knew how the world should work. Still, Lee wasn't sure how to answer. How would Gai-sensei, who had seen the end of the Third Shinobi War, so much different than the Fourth, react to the idea of fifty years of peace?
"Lee said mentioned he had to do ten laps around the village. I asked if he would be going outside the walls," said Ichigo also skipping the talk of war.
Neji and Tenten also looked alarmed, but Gai-sensei only looked thoughtful.
"While you are under surveillance, the hokage has not restricted your movements," he said. "With a proper escort, it could be a good idea, especially since it is a deviation from your normal routine."
Ichigo snorted. "You mean holing up in the apartment or wandering aimlessly around the village."
Lee winced. It was true that Ichigo had very little to occupy his time outside of meeting with Team Gai every day. And, unlike his sisters, he had found no way to apply his previously learned life skills since he denied any desire to join the ranks.
"That is correct," said Gai. "Pay attention, Lee, a change of scenery is often all that is needed to rekindle the Fires of Youth!"
"Yes, Gai-sensei!" shouted Lee. He turned wide eyes on Ichigo. "What do you think? Can you make it ten laps around the village?"
Lee ignored the groans from Tenten and Neji. They always complained about his training regime, but for something as simple as a run, they would be more than capable of keeping up. Not to mention, the slouch had disappeared from Ichigo's shoulders.
"It shouldn't be a problem," said Ichigo with a wry twist to mouth.
As a group, they moved away from the busy city-center toward the outer walls. Team Gai fell into a loose formation with Gai at the head, Lee in the center with Ichigo, and Neji and Tenten at the back. If Ichigo noticed they were deliberately surrounding him, he gave no sign. Lee, as always, kept one ear open for Gai-sensei as he illumined Ichigo with the many virtues and dangers of the forests around Konoha. But he could not help but overhear the conversation between his other teammates.
"With Ichigo around, I thought we might finally have a team activity that didn't involve training," said Tenten.
Neji snorted, a rather inelegant sound from the normally composed Hyuuga. "It's to be expected. He's the only person to train with Gai-sensei and Lee and come back for seconds."
"Other than us, you mean?" teased Tenten.
"Obviously," said Neji with a sniff. "We're non-optional."
Lee couldn't decide whether to roll his eyes or smile. Naturally, he decided to smile. The Springtime of one's Youth should be spent on activities that one enjoyed. Training with his teammates was Lee's favorite thing to do. Why wouldn't Ichigo agree? But he was pleased to hear, once again, that deep-down Neji felt the same way.
Once outside the village, it was easy enough to find the track Lee used for his training. It was harder than strictly necessary, perhaps, and Lee had had to practice many times before he could complete the circuit on his hands as he often promised, but Ichigo had proven to be quite athletic and should have no trouble at all.
Indeed, half-way around the circuit Ichigo confirmed Lee's opinion aloud.
"Ten laps will take forever at this rate," mused the redhead.
"Oh?" asked Lee. "Do you think you can go faster?"
Ichigo opened his mouth to respond but paused and looked back at Gai instead. The jounin looked amused.
"If you desire to race, then it should not be a problem. If you encounter trouble, we shall catch-up soon enough," said Gai.
"Not if we catch you first," said Lee. "Let's go!"
He took off his an excited whoop and was pleased to see Ichigo fall in step beside him. Neji was generally too dignified for such displays, especially with Tenten about to watch, and Gai-sensei's age was slowly catching up though his experience more than made for his lessened speed. It was good to have someone to race against again.
Lee upped his speed just a hair. He was delighted when Ichigo kept pace. Every few hundred meters, he pushed just a little more until they were almost flying. He had not honestly expected to lap his team with Ichigo in tow, but after their sixth circle of the village they finally managed it. The expression on Neji's face when they passed by was priceless.
Half-way through the eighth lap of the village, Ichigo suddenly dropped out of sight as they leaped over a clearing. Lee quickly turned around and searched out his friend.
Ichigo was standing in the center of the clearing bent slightly at the waist and pressing his palms against his thighs to hold himself upright. He was shaking slightly, and Lee was alarmed by the scent of blood in the air.
"Are you alright?" asked Lee.
"I think I broke something," muttered Ichigo. He coughed and blood burbled between his lips. "Maybe a couple of somethings."
Lee was horrified. "We must get you to Konoha at once!"
"No," said Ichigo. He spat out another gob of blood. "Just wait a minute."
Lee frowned. If Ichigo had broken something important, then they should definitely not wait a minute. He was prepared to say as much—and haul Ichigo to the hospital if he decided to argue—when the other man closed his eyes. There was a brief flare of dark energy like the kind Lee sensed other day just before Ichigo broke his confinement. Then it was gone and Ichigo was straightening up and wiping off his mouth on his sleeve.
"See? All better," he said.
Lee gaped. "You cannot be all better. You were bleeding internally! What happened?"
Ichigo blinked in surprise. "Who knew you'd be such a mother hen? Look, I was going too fast and broke a couple of ribs. But I fixed it. No big deal."
"No big deal?" shouted Lee loud enough to disturb any nearby animals had there been any. "What did you do?"
Ichigo opened his mouth to explain but quickly snapped it shut and whirled. "Who's there?"
Lee looked up. At the other end of the clearing, three unfamiliar shinobi walked out of the trees, two men and woman. They were dressed vaguely alike in dark shades of blue and grey. None had any outstanding weapons that he could see. One man was tall with broad-shoulders and dark hair and dark eyes. The other was shorter but just as broad with pale brown hair and grey eyes. The woman had the same brown hair and eyes as the second man and was lean with muscle, which suggested an emphasis taijutsu training rather than seduction.
Lee glanced at their forehead protectors. All three bore the symbol of Takigakure, the Hidden Waterfall Village, and all three bore the slash mark of missing-nin.
"Ichigo, get back," said Lee. "These people are missing-nin and very dangerous."
Ichigo nodded moving behind Lee. The taijutsu specialist hoped his team would arrive soon. Were he on his own, he would be more than fast enough to evade his attackers and rendezvous with his team. Normally, he would say the same for Ichigo, but he had so recently been vomiting blood that Lee was concerned about the result should he try.
"Hand over the Uzumaki, and we'll grant you a quick death leaf-nin," said the dark-haired man in front.
Lee hid his surprise. He knew that missing-nin did not go around picking fights with no reason, they could draw too much attention to themselves that way, but he had not actually expected them to be after Ichigo. They were actual missing-nin—real, living people—rather than the strange fakes that had attacked two days ago.
Lee spared a glance over his shoulder to see Ichigo's reaction to this revelation. He was not afraid, as many civilians would be in such circumstances, but his face had taken on a grim countenance. Lee might have gone to describe Ichigo's stance as resigned, but was distracted by the sight of a cloth-wrapped hilt poking over Ichigo's shoulder. It was not the hilt of Ichigo's bokken because that weapon was planted solidly in the ground a few feet away.
The missing-nin took the opportunity to attack and Lee found himself dodging a handful of shuriken thrown by the squad's leader. The second man attacked Lee with a kunai while the kunoichi launched herself at Ichigo. Lee disengaged from the close range attack and crashed into the woman instead. He had never wished so desperately for some skill at throwing weapons. There was no way to keep the attention of all three. None of their attackers had used any chakra yet, so his teammates would not have any reason to hurry.
Out of the corner of his eye, Lee saw Ichigo draw the weapon from his back. It was enormous. As long as Ichigo was tall and nearly the breadth of his shoulders at the base, the weapon was single-edge and lacking both guard and pommel. The piece of cloth wrapped around the tang was the only grip but that hardly seemed to bother Ichigo. It looked oddly similar to an over-large kitchen knife.
Ichigo held the massive blade parallel to the ground with surprising ease. Lee was reminded heavily of Suigetsu's Kubikiribocho, the large weapon once wielded by Momochi Zabuza, one of the seven ninja swordsmen of the mist.
"You sure you know how to use that kid?" asked the leader derisively.
"Zangetsu is a part of me," said Ichigo.
The second man snorted. "Not for long, it ain't."
He threw himself at Ichigo, kunai extended. Lee couldn't move to help him, entangled as he was with the enemy kunoichi. He feared what would happen once the missing-nin got inside Ichigo's range. A weapon that large could only move so fast. However, it seemed he had no reason to worry.
Ichigo moved the impossible sword as quickly as his bokken, perhaps even faster. He deflected the shinobi's attack and countered in a single swift movement scoring a slash on his attacker's arm.
Lee was shocked and impressed. He aimed a punishing kick at the kunoichi's side, knocking her into a nearby tree despite her attempt to block, and dodged another set of shuriken from the leader. He rushed the man now that he was less concerned for Ichigo's safety but still hoped to the end the fight quickly.
"Down!" shouted Ichigo.
The taijutsu specialist responded instantly. He darted to the side and dodged a water bullet by a hair. Lee had to jump out of the way again as the earth fell away beneath his feet, courtesy of the kunoichi—she must have been more resilient than he expected—but landed within striking range of the leader. He hit the man in the elbow, shattering the joint, but the shinobi was determined, if nothing else, and ignored the wound to strike at Lee with a kunai held in his back hand.
Lee was too close to dodge completely, even with his speed, and was preparing to take the strike to the shoulder, when Ichigo was suddenly there, blocking the hit with the edge of his blade. Startled, the enemy shinobi withdrew to the other side of the field and Lee regained his footing.
"Ah, my friend, you truly have been holding back in our fights," he said cheerfully.
"Not really," muttered Ichigo despite having crossed the distance at a speed Lee would find difficult to match even without his weights.
"By now they have realized, I am not equipped to deal with long-range attacks," said Lee quietly. "They will mostly likely attempt to attack with ninjutsu or thrown weapons."
Ichigo's eyes were bright even as his mouth twisted into a scowl. It appeared as if he could not decide choose between elation and disgust at the battle. He brought Zangetsu to a ready stance.
"Lucky, for us, I'm great at long-range attacks," he said casually. "Do you think the hokage will be mad about the forest?"
Lee twitched in concern. Ichigo had suffered serious injury only minutes before, and Lee knew of no way to use a sword as a long-range weapon, unless he tried throwing this one too. Part of him wanted to protect Ichigo as an at-risk-civilian while the rest saw him as a comrade-in-arms. Still, they could not hold out forever against three enemy shinobi capable of using ninjutsu.
"I do not believe she will be concerned," said Lee at last.
"Good," said Ichigo raising his blade. Lee swore he saw the edge of the sword glowed red.
"You have more skill than we expected," said the leader. "But we will not lose now."
The enemy shinobi raised his working hand and began to form a series of seals. Lee was impressed despite himself. He knew one-handed seals required a great deal of skill, even if he could not use them himself.
"Fire Release: Great Dragon Flame Technique!"
The dragon head formed and Lee considered the irony of a Leaf-nin being killed by fire-technique performed by missing Taki-nin. This technique was all about control. Even if he and Ichigo tried to run, the dragon would follow them. They had no way of judging their enemy's range either.
"Getsuga tenshou!" shouted Ichigo bringing his sword down in an arc.
Moon fang heaven-piercer, Lee translated mentally watching in stunned awe as a black crescent of pure energy tore through the ground. It hit the flame dragon and consumed it utterly. The enemy shinobi had almost no warning and less time to react. It was a sign of his skill that managed to dodge at all though he was not completely successful.
Lee stared astonishment when the attack faded. It left behind a deep scar in the earth extending at least twenty meters. The dark-haired leader was lying at the edge of the pit missing one of his legs and part of his previously wounded arm. The other two shinobi were nowhere in sight.
"Should have known they couldn't dodge it," muttered Ichigo.
Lee glanced at him and followed his gaze into the pit. There were the other missing-nin, or what remained of them at least. They must have used Earth Release: Hiding like a Mole doubtless intending to capture Ichigo and pull him underground while leaving Lee to be fried by the dragon on the surface.
The earth shifted, and the kunoichi tumbled out of her make-shift tomb. Less than half her body was intact, and what Lee could see of her face was surprised. There was no way for them to have anticipated Ichigo's attack or the way it dug into the ground. There had been no great build-up of chakra. Hidden as they were, they might not even have seen the attack that killed them.
"At least it was quick," offered Lee. It was meager comfort, but from the way Ichigo acted, he doubted this was the first time the other had killed.
Ichigo snorted but said nothing. Instead he turned his gaze on his sword. He flicked the heavy weapon up and out as easily as Lee could move a stick. The piece of cloth trailing from the hilt twisted and sinuously wrapped around the blade. Ichigo laid the weapon across his back as any shinobi might sheathe a normal sword. When he let go, it disappeared from Lee's view.
Ichigo didn't move as though he had an invisible sword strapped across his back, and Lee was watching very carefully as Ichigo picked his way across the battlefield to retrieve his bokken. Lee could only conclude that it wasn't actually there. If it had been, he or Neji would have hit at least once during one of their bouts. It was a puzzle for later.
Lee moved to the leader of squad. To his surprise, the man was still alive. Ichigo's attack must have cauterized the wounds somehow. The man was staring blindly at the sky in shock. Lee decided to keep an eye on him and wait for the rest of his team before preparing to move the body. They could hardly be far away now.
"Lee, Kurosaki." As if summoned by Lee's thoughts, Neji burst out of the tree line followed closely by Tenten and Gai. "Are you alright?"
"I am fine," said Lee. "But you might wish to examine Ichigo."
Neji focused his byakugan gaze on Ichigo. "No injuries."
Lee blinked and whipped his head around to stare at Ichigo. The redhead countered Lee's disbelieving look with a challenging gaze of his own as if to say: I told you so. Lee wasn't sure if he should be relieved or worried that Ichigo had the ability to heal his own wounds. He would mention it in the report to the Hokage and let her decide.
"What in the world happened?" murmured Tenten as she overlooked the scene.
Gai's gaze swept over the newly broken ground resting briefly on the dead shinobi and the still living one at Lee's feet.
"Neji, secure the prisoner," he ordered. "Lee, report."
"Ichigo and I were approached by three missing-nin , who stated their intentions to capture Ichigo and kill me. I ordered Ichigo to stand back and engaged the ninja myself. I was unable to occupy their attention fully and Ichigo entered the fight with a sword-like weapon I did not recognize. We fought to a stalemate and withdrew. The enemy attacked with a fire release, which Ichigo countered with an attack of his own design killing two of the enemy and seriously wounding the third."
"Is that so?" asked Gai. His voice was perfectly neutral and he was looking at Ichigo like he had never seen him before.
Lee looked back at the crater and supposed that it was not an untrue sentiment. He had known that Ichigo was more than a regular civilian. The hokage had told them as much if their own experiences weren't enough. But to do so much damage with one attack…only the sannin could manage it or one of the jinchuuriki. Ichigo's expression had slowly closed until he looked as emotionless as Neji on a bad day.
"I'm sure the Hokage will have questions of her own," said Gai slowly. "But congratulations on surviving!"
"Thanks," said Ichigo voice flat.
"Incoming," said Neji cutting through the building tension. "Naruto, Kakashi, two ANBU, and Kon."
Ichigo grumbled. "Karin must have sent them. She was the one keeping Kon today."
"She sent them?" asked Gai. "How did she know something was wrong?"
"Same way they did before. She and Yuzu probably felt it when I released Zangetsu," said Ichigo.
Gai opened his mouth, no doubt to ask what Zangetsu was, when the group Neji spotted burst onto the scene. Naruto was in the lead blue-eyes wide and frantic with Kon clinging desperately to his shoulder. He was followed closely by Kakashi, who looked grim, and behind him were the two ANBU. Naruto made a beeline straight for his cousin and gave him a once over checking for any damage.
"Ichigo!" shouted Naruto practically in his face. "Are you okay? Karin said you were in trouble."
"I'm fine," said Ichigo. "A little deafened now, maybe."
"Are you sure?" demanded Naruto.
"Neji already checked me out," said Ichigo looked vaguely annoyed. "I'm fine. Lee was hurt more than me."
Naruto whirled on Lee, who mustered a cheerful grin and thumbs up. "Fear not, Naruto. I was not injured in the slightest thanks to the actions of your cousin!"
Naruto turned back to Ichigo. "Are you absolutely sure because—whoa, what's with this hole? Did one of the guys who attacked you do this?"
"I did it," said Ichigo.
Naruto stared at Ichigo. Then at the gaping wound in the ground. Then at back Ichigo. Alarm and pride mixed visibly on his face. Then, to everyone's surprise, Naruto gave Ichigo a quick hug and stepped back.
"It's fine," he said mysteriously. "You're alive, so it's fine."
Ichigo looked startled and maybe a bit embarrassed, but he had lost some of the stiffness to his expression. Kon, meanwhile, had taken the opportunity to transfer to Ichigo's shoulder and peering down at the furrow.
"Wow, Ichigo," muttered Kon. "You've really lost your touch. This is barely a scratch compared t—Oof!"
Ichigo tightened his grip around the plush doll. "Shut up, Kon," he hissed.
The toy screamed a few muffled protests but didn't say anything more when Ichigo let go. Surely, the redhead knew the rest of them had heard something, and that there was no way the ANBU, at least, would let it go. But they were all willing to let it rest until they returned to Konoha, especially when Naruto's challenging glare stopped them from asking any questions.
Lee asked them in his own mind as he examined the trough once more. What would a more impressive attack look like? Would it reach deeper into the earth? Extend a greater distance? If Ichigo had tried, could he have spread out the attack to reach the third shinobi also? Asking Ichigo outright would no doubt be met with a refusal to answer. Perhaps Naruto would know.
Neji remained behind with one of the ANBU to examine the site more closely. The other ANBU had sealed away the bodies and, after casting a sleeping jutsu on the remaining prisoner, was carrying him across his back. He kept pace slightly behind the group rather than going on ahead. Kakashi and Gai were in front while Naruto and Ichigo held the middle with Tenten and Lee at the rear. No one commented on Ichigo's skill at tree-jumping though only a few days ago it would have been a completely surprise.
"Now that we have your skill first hand, we must definitely spar again with your favored weapon," said Lee cheerfully.
In front of him, Ichigo flinched slightly. On his shoulder, Kon whipped his head around and made frantic "stop" motions. Apparently, Lee had stumbled on to a touchy subject though he wasn't sure how.
"I'm not sure that's a good idea," said Ichigo quietly.
"Really?" asked Tenten. "I was hoping for a go at someone who didn't think fists were the be-all-end-all of taijutsu for a change."
"I'm not very good at sparring, not the way you think of sparring, even with the bokken," replied Ichigo.
"What does that even mean?" demanded Naruto, who seemed determined to find out more about his cousin even as Kon warned him off.
Ichigo glanced briefly at the ANBU moving with them then heaved a sigh. "That attack back there would have barely registered for the people who trained me. They believed in do or die. Emphasis on the die. Maybe it would be okay with you, Tenten, but I'd rather not risk it on an unarmed opponent, especially one I'd have to fight as seriously as you, Lee."
Lee knew he shouldn't be offended. He had just seen three highly skilled shinobi destroyed by that attack without ever sensing it coming. He should be appreciative that Ichigo considered his skills serious enough to pose a threat. Not every shinobi was impressed by his no-chakra taijutsu. Still, it rankled just a bit.
"That's not a stance most shinobi would take," said Kakashi idly.
"Well, I am not a shinobi," said Ichigo bitterly.
"I suppose not," agreed Kakashi. He kept going intentionally oblivious to Ichigo's darkening mood. "So, Ichigo-san, if that little hole back there isn't one your stronger attacks, what's the most impressive thing you've ever broken?"
Lee saw Gai-sensei glance at his self-proclaimed rival, but no one said anything to put a stop to the questioning. Not even Naruto despite his troubled glances.
When he answered, Ichigo sounded wistful. "I killed two people today."
Lee's face wasn't very expressive, except when he put real effort into it; it was simply too memorable for him to take undercover missions. He suspected no one looking at him would sense his confusion, but he felt it was plain to see. Certainly killing people was unfortunate, but they were shinobi. The death of others meant life for the Village. He caught Tenten's eyes. She gave him a half-shrug equally confused. Naruto looked oddly conflicted, and Lee could see the sorrow written in the lines of tension on Gai-sensei's back. Who knew what Kakashi and the ANBU thought behind their masks?
"Fair enough," said Kakashi at last. "But you don't find many philosophers in the ranks, so perhaps a more literal example?"
"Ah, well." The tips of Ichigo's ear flushed pink with embarrassment. "I've destroyed a lot of stuff over the years. Something in Soul Society, probably. What do you think, Kon?"
The little lion snorted. Even expecting it, it was strange to hear the doll reply. "Ichigo, you broke Soul Society, period."
"Hey, we didn't cause that much damage," protested Ichigo sounding put out. "Rukongai is basically fine, except for that area they switched out with Karakura."
"That's not what I meant," muttered Kon. "But, let's think. How about that time with the mountain?"
"I don't think that should count," said Ichigo quickly.
"The thing with Oin?" offered Kon.
"I wasn't the one to break the seal," said Ichigo. "Hitting it again just stopped it from working for a little while."
"You broke through the barrier surrounding Seireitei," said Kon. "You know, the one that destroys whatever gets too close?"
Ichigo waved a hand. "That definitely doesn't count. The whole gang helped with that and we used Kukaku's special cannonball kidou."
"Ah, you broke the arbor of the Sōkyoku. I don't think anyone's ever managed that before," said Kon.
"I don't think anyone's ever tried that before," replied Ichigo. "Besides Shunsui and Juushiro were the ones to actually break the Sokyoku. I mean, most of what I broke was random buildings or seals. Nothing really…"
Ichigo trailed off suddenly. Lee was curious about the mountain. Did Ichigo destroy a mountain? Did he not? He barely recognized half the words Kon was using. They must have been places and artifacts from the land Ichigo used to live, or more accurately, Ichigo's father's homeland as there was apparently some difference. Privately, Lee thought Ichigo's father's people must be quite arrogant given the names they bestowed upon their lands and tools.
"Did you think of something?" prodded Kakashi.
"The gates," said Ichigo quietly. "That probably did the most damage."
"Gates?" asked Kon. "What ga—oh, yes. That caused a serious problem. And you broke them twice. Going in and coming out. Not to mention all the damned souls that could have escaped and all of the hell energy that was released into Karakura. Of course, most of Karakura was probably screwed from their brief visit to Soul Society, not to mention you living there for eighteen years, so that probably wasn't as bad as it could have been."
"What gates?" demanded Naruto. "What are you talking about?"
"The Gates of Hell," said Ichigo idly.
Naruto missed the next branch and went crashing to the ground prompting the whole party to stop and stare. Lee was especially concerned. He lacked the chakra control necessary for tree walking, but even he could recover more gracefully than that. Naruto was back with them in less than a moment, shaking off the twenty foot drop like it had never happened.
"Are you serious?" yelled Naruto. His voice reached new heights of alarm beyond what he had already displayed for Ichigo. "The Gates of Hell? What were you even thinking?"
"Ah, some people kidnapped Yuzu, and I had to get her back," said Ichigo.
"Would this be the incident that made your sister so…insistent?" asked Kakashi.
Ichigo nodded. "Yeah, the atmosphere's pretty bad there. I suppose you could say she got infected."
"What are you talking about?" asked a hopelessly confused Lee. "The Gates to Hell? What are those?"
"It's a prison," said Ichigo. "It's nominally run by Soul Society and but has a very specialized staff. The gates were thought to be unbreakable, until I had to go in and get Yuzu."
"What did people from Hell want with Yuzu anyway?" demanded Naruto. "She's so nice!"
Ichigo blushed faintly and ducked his head. Lee realized he was embarrassed and wondered why. On Ichigo's shoulder, Kon started chortling.
"Some of the prisoners saw one of Ichigo's fights and how much of a mess he made," explained Kon. "They wanted to use Ichigo's power to bust them out and tried to kidnap Karin and Yuzu so he would go in after them. Ichigo's just embarrassed because he played right into their hands."
The back of Ichigo's neck was bright red. Lee could only assume his face was the same. It clashed horribly with his orange hair, even Lee could see that. Ichigo reached back to tug nervously at his hair. It was remarkably similar to one of Naruto's nervous tics. Lee hadn't realized things like that could be inherited. He glanced at Tenten, who was looking back and forth between the two having noticed the same thing.
"It's Yuzu," said Ichigo. "It's not like I wouldn't have gone after her, even if I had known about the plan."
Gai took a moment to flash Ichigo a thumbs-up and Naruto was beaming in approval. That was the Konoha way, after all, to put your comrades first no matter the odds. That Yuzu was family was incidental. Lee felt his heart swell in response. Ichigo's burning desire to protect his sisters was most Youthful.
"I don't understand," said Tenten. "If they could sneak out to kidnap Yuzu and Karin, then why did they need you to break them out?"
Ichigo waved his arms pointing to an imaginary manacle. "It's the chains they use. The, ah, wardens can use them to track the prisoners even if they escape. Breaking the Gates was probably a distraction for Soul Society; they really wanted me to break the chains."
"The chains Yuzu summoned to use on Anko," Kakashi began.
"Look a lot like the ones in Hell, yes," agreed Ichigo. There was certain finality to his tone that suggested he would not be answering anymore questions.
"Ibiki will be thrilled," said Kakashi mostly to Gai. It seemed he recognized Ichigo's resolve. "He's already looking for a way to make Yuzu more intimidating. An escapee from Hell sounds like a nice route."
"A most beneficial coincidence," agreed Gai. "But one must imagine how mighty and how horrible a prison it must be to deserve the name Hell."
Naruto let out a strange burble but managed not to fall out the trees again. After a moment, Lee decided he would shift his concern from Ichigo to his future hokage. Ichigo seemed more than capable of taking care of himself. Naruto, on the other hand, well, he was obviously regressing. Lee could keep an eye out for him, just until they got to the Tower. Tsunade-sama would be able to fix whatever was wrong with Naruto, even if took a solid hit or two.
-0-0-0-0-0-
Tsunade tapped a nail against the varnished wood of her desk. The group of shinobi was virtually identical to the other day. Just missing Neji, who was still scouting the attack site, and Shikamaru, who was working with the limited information they had garnered from the cart drivers. Hopefully this new prisoner would have more for them to work with.
Lee concluded his after action report and rejoined the line. Tsunade shifted her gaze to Ichigo.
"You are supposed to be the one staying out of trouble," she said.
Ichigo scowled. "It's not like I go looking for it intentionally."
The little lion doll on his shoulder snickered. Tsunade shot it a suspicious look. Kon gulped and ducked away out of sight.
"Be that as it may," said Tsunade. "If you were running around Konoha and you encountered missing-nin, why not keep running? Or at least head back to the rest of the team? I thought you were trying to avoid fighting."
Lee stepped forward again. "I apologize, hokage-sama. In my excitement, I did not think to report that part of the encounter. We had stopped because Ichigo displayed signs of injury, presumably internal bleeding indicated by vomiting blood. When the missing-nin appeared, I did not think it wise to resume running and was unable to avoid engaging in battle."
Tsunade gaped, and she wasn't the only one. Every shinobi but Lee was staring at Ichigo. She was out of her seat with the green light of healing chakra surrounding her hands before she knew it. But still, Naruto managed to cut her off.
"What?" he screeched. "You said Neji checked you. He said you were fine."
"I am fine," snapped Ichigo automatically, obviously fed-up. "I fixed it." His expression softened slightly at Naruto's panicked expression. "I really am fine."
"Hmph," Tsunade grunted. She circled around her desk and gave Ichigo a quick check nonetheless. He scan came back negative. "You really are fine. Just like the other day."
Tsunade leaned back against her desk and crossed her arms. "So what happened to you other than an attack by missing-nin? Since someone failed to accurately report the situation."
Ashamed, Lee stared at his feet. Tsunade let him wallow. She was the best medic-nin in the Elemental Countries. The part about the missing-nin mattered, but the healing was actually important.
Ichigo heaved a sigh. "I broke a couple of ribs because I was going too fast. It's not something I usually have to worry about when I'm a shinigami—
There was a squeak from someone in the room. Tsunade's head snapped up. None of her shinobi would admit to making such a pathetic noise in her presence. But discounting Naruto, who was still exuding anxiety from every pore, all eyes were locked on Ichigo.
"The ranks of Soul Society are referred to as shinigami," said Tsunade. She thought she heard someone whisper "arrogant bastards," and she definitely saw Ichigo's mouth twitch into a smile. She nodded. "Keep going."
All hint of a smile vanished. "When I'm acting as a member of the Court Guard, I don't need to worry about that sort of thing. I just forgot."
"And how did you heal yourself?" asked Tsunade. "That's not a Quincy technique, and Lee would have noticed if you had used one of your sister's spells."
Ichigo looked guilty. He even shifted from foot to foot where he stood, something she had never seen from him in any of their encounters thus far.
"Instant Regeneration," he said. "It's a Hollow ability."
Tsunade was floored. She knew she had read every page on Uzumaki Mamoru's journal. Hollows were deceased spirits that lingered on earth until they became corrupted and started to eat other spirits to sustain themselves. Nowhere did it mention those sorts of abilities being possessed by living people.
"How did," she began and cut herself off. "No. Is there anyone else who has anything to add about the missing-nin? Or what happened this afternoon? No? All of you, out. Kurosaki, Naruto. You stay. The rest of you, shoo. You too, Kakashi."
She waited until the silver-haired jounin had shut the door behind him and turned to face Ichigo. He was looking wary. He probably knew this sort of thing was a deal-breaker, which was why he had avoided mentioning it before. Then Naruto stepped up beside him with a determined glint in his eye.
"I already said that I wouldn't turn him away for being strong, baa-chan," he said.
Tsunade saw Ichigo lose some of his tension at the words. She sighed and moved back to her chair. Curse her motherly affection for Naruto.
"How exactly did you acquire Hollow powers?" she asked.
"I died a little bit," said Ichigo. "But I got better."
"You seem to be good at that," she said drily. "Is it going to be a problem?"
Ichigo looked wary. "What do you mean?"
"Are you going to start eating people?" she demanded.
Ichigo looked scandalized. "No! Of course not. I'm still human. I still have my heart. So I don't have to worry about that sort of thing. My Hollow isn't interested in eating people any way."
Tsunade quirked a brow. "And what does interest your Hollow?"
Ichigo blushed. "Fighting people." He continued over her snort. "When I died that time, I died with my heart full of regret. I regretted that I was too weak to protect Rukia or myself. And I regretted that I couldn't keep fighting. So my Hollow's greatest desire is to fight."
Tsunade understood that regret. She knew Naruto did too from the look on his face alone if nothing else. Well, that probably wouldn't be a problem then.
"Do you have any other powers I should know about?" she asked. "Beside your Quincy gifts, your Shinigami powers, and your Hollow abilities?"
Ichigo crossed his arms and thought about it. He really needed to think about it! Tsunade could scarcely believe it and it was happening in front of her nose.
"I also have Kushanada powers and Fullbring," he said. "Kushanada powers are what let me break up Yuzu's chains. And Fullbring, well, it's this power humans can have if their mothers are attacked by Hollow while pregnant. I can't do very much with that though just increase my speed a little and walk on stuff that shouldn't be walked on. That sort of thing."
"Awesome," said Naruto bouncing a little in place.
Tsunade pinched the bridge of her nose in a vain attempt to keep her headache at bay. There were two of them. There really was someone as powerful as Naruto and just as oblivious about the implications. She thought about it for a moment, looking again at the scowling Ichigo. No, he recognized his power; he was here because of it, because some fools in the afterlife of another dimension were afraid of it. But to Ichigo, power was secondary. Using that power to protect his family, his friends, that obviously came first.
That fit quite nicely into Tsunade's plans. She leaned forward.
"Kurosaki-san, I have a proposal."
He immediately looked wary. "Yes?"
"By tomorrow, I will have a dozen Clan Heads in here raising a stink about your stunt in the forest. I can always order them to shut up, but I have an idea that might work better," she explained.
"What is it?" he asked.
Tsunade met his eyes. "I want you to enlist as a shinobi of Konohagakure no Sato."
Ichigo's response was immediate. "I would make a horrible ninja."
That wasn't a "no." Tsunade held up a hand. "Hear me out. The report from T&I says those cart-drivers were bribed to smuggle out the only untrained Uzumaki in the village. That would be you. If you become a shinobi, it may make the people trying to kidnap you rethink their plans."
Ichigo's expression was flat. "You don't really think that."
"It certainly won't hurt," said Tsunade firmly.
"And what if, since I'm a full-fledge ninja, they decide to go after Yuzu or Karin?" he asked.
"Karin is in the hospital when she isn't in class. Pretty soon Yuzu will start working with T&I. The only place in the whole village with more shinobi is the Tower," said Tsunade.
Ichigo still looked reluctant. "I'm not kidding about being a horrible ninja."
So he was still thinking about it. That was good. "You'll be a genin. Never offered promotion. Genin mostly do D-rank missions, which are chores the villagers need doing, carrying messages, organizing the missions desks, simple things. Occasionally, a team will complete C-rank missions, which are outside the village and therefore more dangerous. You wouldn't be doing many of those."
Ichigo looked doubtful. "That sounds like my part-time job in high. I don't think I'll scare off anyone that way."
Tsunade leaned back in her chair. "Two months from now are the Chunin Exams. There are two genin, Sarutobi Konohamaru and Hyuuga Hanabi, who for various reasons have not been able to complete the Exams. Passing them outside of the Exam system would be seen as a weakness during peacetime, since both are so strong.
"If you become the third member of their team, get them to the final round, and show off your skills in the elimination round, no one will doubt you are a Chunin-level shinobi, even if I don't try to promote you. Not to mention the Hyuuga and Sarutobi clans, both of whom are very influential in the village, will support you if the other clans still want to raise a fuss."
Tsunade watched Ichigo. He was still scowling, but it was a thoughtful look rather than an unhappy one. Beside him, Naruto was all but vibrating in place. The blonde kept glancing between Tsunade and Ichigo like they were exchanging blows in a sparring match. Tsunade was honestly concerned that he might explode.
"This would be permanent?" asked Ichigo. "Not just through the Exams?"
"Genin are required to serve ten years in order to pay back Konoha for their training," confirmed Tsunade. "The amount of time would be less if you were promoted, but that won't happen in your case."
"And I'll just have to do D-ranks and the occasional C-rank once the Exams are over," clarified Ichigo. "No, assassinations or anything like that?"
"There would of course be an exception in times of war," said Tsunade. "You would have to go into situations where you will potentially fight and kill other people then. But I expect, in that case, you would have no objections?"
Ichigo shook his head. No, she hadn't thought so.
Tsunade gave him another look. "You know, it surprises me that you would even think of being asked to assassinate someone. You're not exactly built for it."
Ichigo was too loud. Too vibrant. And she wasn't referring just to his hair. Now that he wasn't sinking into the dark gloom of depression, he seemed to fill up a room just by being there. Naruto would probably be better at an assassination attempt. At least he had the training for it.
There was a very peculiar expression on Ichigo's face.
"Ichigo," said Naruto carefully. "Did Soul Society ask you to assassinate somebody?"
Ichigo flushed. "Well, no, well, yes. There was already a battle going on, and I was just supposed to wait for an opening…and anyway it didn't work." He coughed and cleared his throat. "I will agree to your proposal with one condition."
Tsunade waited. And waited. And waited…
"Yes?" she asked.
Ichigo blinked. "Oh, if there is ever a certain problem in Soul Society, I may have to go back. But it shouldn't be a problem."
Tsunade shook her head slightly. Oh, to be young and deliberately cryptic. But he had agreed. That was enough for her.
"Very well," she said.
Tsunade reached down into her desk and pulled out a blank application form. This hadn't been an idle thought of hers. She had given it serious consideration ever since the Kurosakis arrived in Konoha and he admitted to having military training. But she hadn't been so sure to fill out his name on the form. She did that now and handed it over.
"Fill that out and give to the Mission Desk," she said. "They'll issue you a hitai-ate. As of this moment you are genin of Konoha."
Ichigo snapped to attention and performed a perfect salute. Eerie. He must have been watching Lee. He was the only shinobi to salute sharply like that.
"Report tomorrow to Training Ground Ten to meet your team. Naruto, escort our newest shinobi back to his apartment. He's going to need to get ready. Dismissed."
Naruto and Ichigo both saluted. Naruto, for once, left using the door. She looked at the backs of the two boys as they left. Ichigo's orange hair and blue tunic were a remarkable contrast to Naruto's yellow hair and orange coat. Those were the shinobi of the future, and it was looking bright.
Tsunade quickly pulled out a bottle of celebratory sake and filled a saucer. Raising the cup she toasted the newest ninja, and pouring another round she toasted herself. Licking her lips, she grinned. Score one for the Hokage. She might be old, but she still had it.