The sun was setting over the Seireitei for the day and three people sat on a porch, watching the brilliant rays disappearing into the horizon. Ichigo Kurasaki, Rukia Kuchiki and Renji Abarai sat in a companionable silence that usually fell over them this time of the day. The arguing between the two young men and young woman had faded to grumbling and then to peace as the sky darkened.

"Do…do you guys ever talk to your Zanpakto?" Ichigo asked, breaking the quiet of the evening. Renji and Rukia shared a confused look.

"Of course we do. Every Shinigami talks to his or her sword. It's part of being a Shinigami." Rukia said, a bit disdainfully because it was common knowledge.

Ichigo didn't respond to the edge in her voice with his usual defensiveness, just nodded and stared thoughtfully out into the Kuchiki gardens. Rukia glanced at Renji to see if he thought the behavior was a little odd but Renji was staring into space as well. She mentally shrugged it off and thought about her plans for the next day.

After a few moments, Ichigo spoke again. "Have you… have you ever argued with your Zanpakto?" he asked, startling the other two.

"Yeah… sometimes they can be pretty stubborn, especially when I was trying to learn Bankai." Renji admitted after a moment.

Rukia frowned and looked at Ichigo, wondering what was on his mind and what the purpose to the questions were but Ichigo was again staring off into the gardens, his face in a frown of deep thought. She sighed softly.

"Our Zanpakto are part of us right? Part of our souls?" Ichigo asked. Both of his companions nodded and he continued.

"Well wouldn't that technically mean that when we talk or argue with our Zanpakto that we are talking and arguing with ourselves?"

Both Rukia and Renji looked surprised. They hadn't really considered it that way and it was a good point.

"Hey don't they say that people who talk to themselves are crazy?" Renji asked. Rukia shook her head.

"No, it's the people who argue with themselves that are crazy. Just talking to yourself makes you eccentric."

"Does that mean we are crazy?" Ichigo asked, a serious frown on his face. He had been contemplating the idea since earlier that day when a chance remark from some Shinigami had made him actually consider how sane he was.

The other two stopped and stared at him, mouths agape and he could tell that they hadn't thought about the idea of insanity before.

"You know… if that does make us crazy… wouldn't that make Kenpachi-taichou the only sane one? You know, cause he hasn't talked to his Zanpakto before?" Renji asked hesitantly and the other two turned horrified wide-eyed stares in his direction.

Rukia laughed nervously. "Of course not." She answered weakly.

The trio fell into silence once more, contemplating a world where Kenpachi was the only sane person.