One Year Later

Ikkaku leapt back to avoid being sliced by Yumichika's sword. A lot had happened since his true zanpakuto had been revealed. After awhile, Ikkaku convinced Yumichika to tell their captain, Zaraki Kenpatchi, about his sword's real power. At first the feathered shinigami had freaked out, positive that he would be kicked out of the eleventh division that he had worked so hard to get into. But after much coercing, Ruri'iro Kujaku was released, and surprise, surprise, nothing bad happened. Kenpatchi was shocked, to say the least ("It scares me a bit that pretty-boy is the one with that much power…") but didn't mind at all. He actually started bragging to the other captains about just how strong his squad was, that his fifth seat could probably beat most of their lieutenants. As such, word got around pretty fast. Yumichika was offered many higher positions in different squads, but happily stayed as the narcissist, eleventh division fifth seat they had all come to know and love. Just a lot scarier.

He still used Fuji Kujaku quite a bit, but more because he felt sparring was more of a challenge than for fear of using his true zanpakuto. When on missions he never failed to use his sword as soon as he felt they needed it, often helping to heal the injured and many times turning the tides of battles thought lost.

The bald fighter brought his staff down at Yumichika's head, but was blocked and pushed back.

"Split and deviate, Ruri'iro Kujaku!"

Ikkaku fash stepped around the vines, trying to hold them off with Hozukimaru. He grinned widely, loving the new challenges their spars had become.

"You're gonna have at work harder than that Yumichika!"

A lot had happened between the two friends, also. Ikkaku noticed soon after word got out about Yumichika's sword that his friend seemed, well, different. It took him a while to realize that the vain shinigami was much more relaxed. He seemed more at ease with everything, like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. It made him happy to know that Yumichika had one less thing to worry about all the time.

Ikkaku dodged again, trying to attack his opponent without becoming entangled within the potentially deadly vines. Flipping behind him, the third seat swung Hozukimaru at the fifth seat's back. Luckily, Yumichika managed to flash step away just in time. He grinned.

"You think you can beat me, Ikkaku?"

"What, don't tell me you think you're going to win?"

Ikkaku's smile faltered. There was something scary about the look on Yumichika's face…That grin definitely spelled bad news…

"Uh, Yumi…?"

Yumichika's smile just grew as he held his sword out. Ikkaku's eyes widened.

"…Bankai!"

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The End

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