Author's Note: IMPORTANT INFORMATION! This story is set a week after the Xecution arc in the Bleach timeline (NO VANDERIECH) and a week after the Arcobaleno Curse/Representative Battles arc in the KHR timeline. I haven't watched either anime in a while, so if there is too much OOC behavior, let me know ASAP! Also, I'm going to use as many characters as possible, so even though this story is centered around Ichigo and Tsuna, a lot of their friends are going to have a rather large part in the story. Thanks!
Rating: K+
Warning: OOCness, gen, Ichigo-centric chapter
Summary: What do a substitute shinigami and mafia boss in training have in common? Absolutely nothing…aside from the fact that they've both been kidnapped right under their friends noses and have only each other to rely on to survive.
Coincidence
Ichigo didn't know what to make of his fellow prisoner.
The kid was young, only a few years younger than himself, and he certainly didn't seem like a threat before or after his near panic attack – Ichigo's first thought upon waking up was a despairing I'm never gonna hear the end of this because there was no way in hell any of his friends would let him live this down – but then again, the orange-haired teen knew better than anyone that looks weren't everything.
There was a quiet power that hummed beneath the younger teens skin, warm and fierce, familiar and completely unlike any energy Ichigo had felt before, and it wasn't until Tsuna spoke that Ichigo knew he was no pushover.
But that didn't explain why either of them was here.
Ichigo was just a regular human high school student (when exactly he'd started specifying human he would never know) with a normal family, a few strange absences, a penchant for trouble, and an odd case of cardiac arrest or two. From what he could see, Tsuna seemed like a normal middle school student, maybe a bit shy and soft-spoken, but for a brief moment Ichigo saw something like potential shine in him.
As far as he knew, no one outside of his friends and allies knew of his moonlighting as a shinigami, and if they did, what did they think they would gain by imprisoning him?
They probably want to study me or something. He grimaced at the thought, remembering the leering glares he would get from Mayuri, or how he would sometimes catch Urahara's shrewd, calculating stare from the corner of his eye.
After hearing Tsuna's story, his mind immediately thought no such thing as coincidences, this is just a huge set-up but who, or what, would have so much influence over both worlds? Not only would their information network have to be extensive and professional, but the money, planning, and time it would take to create such specific opportunities for their friends to be gone at the same time while making it seem completely random…these people were definitely not half-assing anything. It would take another four days, at least, for any of their friends or family to notice their absence.
All this work just to capture two seemingly average teenagers… if they did find out something so impossible about him – a human shinigami with hollow powers, one-of-a-kind, Ichigo mentally snorted – what could Tsuna be hiding?
Assuming that they know about my situation and that Tsuna is more than just a middle schooler, they probably have some pretty damn good spies if Urahara or Yoruichi didn't mention anyone watching us before they left. Having those kinds of contacts means influence. Influence means power and money. Yakuza? Crazy, rich bastard with too much time on his hands?
In a dark corner of his mind, Keigo's annoying voice shouted it's the government! They're watching us! and Ichigo was inclined to agree, although he was thinking of a different government.
For a brief moment, the bright haired teen had suspected Soul Society had something to do with his kidnapping, but the doubt left as quickly as it came. Rukia had impressed upon him the fact that even though Shinigami came and went as needed, not even the Four Noble Families could extend their control to the material world. Those laws were as old as the foundations of Sereitei, laws that Central 46 couldn't amend, and trying to do so would therefore be an incredibly stupid thing to do.
Which lead him back to square one. He sighed in frustration, irritated that he didn't have enough information, but he didn't need his instincts to tell him he and Tsuna were probably in over their heads.
Ichigo frowned pensively, leaving that train of thought for later. From their short talk, he got the feeling that this wasn't Tsuna's first time involved in something dangerous (after all, what kind of kid his age should be reassuring someone older than him that they'd be saved, that his friends were coming to help?), but that didn't mean the brunette deserved to be in this situation.
He was a good kid, compassionate and morally sound and other things that Ichigo respected. There was something else too, an overwhelming kindness that couldn't be mistaken for vulnerability that the Visored recognized because it strongly reminded him of Orihime, of her everlasting tolerance and patience and sweetness that held a degree of solidarity he, Chad, and Ishida relied on in almost every battle. Seeing it in Tsuna was unexpected but only cemented the idea in his mind that Tsuna was different, but that couldn't be the reason he was stuck down in a dungeon with Ichigo, right?
That was why, when those six men had walked down the corridor, Ichigo kept a close eye on the brunettes' reactions. The way the younger teen stiffened, eyes wide with wariness and mouth turned down in alarm, was a clear warning before Ichigo felt what Tsuna must've picked up on.
The smell of death.
As the group casually made their way down the corridor, Ichigo instantly scowled again, expression darkening when he saw Tsuna's discomfort at being stared like one of the Twelfth Divisions' experiments.
"Look what we have here…" the youngest one leered.
Ichigo figured he was the youngest, anyway, but the man was easily into his late twenties or early thirties. The other two men, one silent as the grave holding an intimidating boar's head cane and the other standing with a proud stance much like Byakuya but too arrogant to be similar, were probably in their fifties with salt and pepper hair streaked with grey and stern lines etched deeply into their craggy faces. The two guards from earlier came up in the rear. The last man was too far back for Ichigo to see clearly, wrapped in the shadows of poor lighting, but he was the one that had most of Ichigo's attention.
"Kurosaki Ichigo and Sawada Tsunayoshi." The youngest ones smile took a maniacal edge, drawing their attention, "I'm flattered you two have decided to drop by…my two guests of honor."
Ichigo leveled the creepy one talking with an irritated stare for distracting him, lifting his wrist and rattling the heavy chains, "I'd hate to see how you treat your prisoners." He retorted blandly, catching Tsuna's half-incredulous, half-exasperated expression of oh-my-god-what-are-you-doing and I-knew-this-was-going-to-happen (and maybe a bit of you're-going-to-be-the-death-of-me), but his shoulders were no longer tight with tension.
Creepy sneered and the guard from earlier stepped forward with a snarl, "Watch yer tongue when yer in the presence of the Baron, boy, or I'll rip it outta yer mouth. We don't need ya here to talk after all."
One of the middle-aged men, the quiet one, raised a hand and the guard immediately quieted, not even glowering at Ichigo as he stepped back into line. The second one with a haughty smirk spoke better Japanese than the guard, but his words still held a guttural accent Ichigo couldn't place, "Fret not, you both are far more valuable than mere prisoners." He jerked his head, and the two guards moved forward to Tsuna's cell.
Tsuna didn't look scared or intimidated, which was what Ichigo would've expected of anyone else, but he did look a bit worried as the guards stood imposingly over him with a pair of black handcuffs. Ichigo watched carefully and clenched his fists tightly when Tsuna sagged in exhaustion as soon as the cuffs made contact with his skin.
Ichigo's jaw clenched tightly, muscles tensing, "What did you do." It wasn't a question or request, but a demand.
He felt his reiatsu pressure rise, and by the wary expression on the guards faces, they were feeling the raging ocean of energy inside him stirring angrily. The young man stepped back, face twisted into a sneer, but before Ichigo could repeat himself, the sixth man in the shadows flashed forward in a blur with a speed his human body wasn't accustomed to defending against. He jerked back and dodged the first attempt at restraining him with what looked like cuffs made of white stone, but his back hit the all at the same time the restraints were secured around his wrist.
His eyes felt heavy immediately and he felt the chilling numbness that surrounded him slowly seep into his soul, Zangetsu and his hollow's already muted voices quieting to nothing.
"Stupid gorilla! Go back to the jungle!"
"Watch it, shrimp! I'll duel you now and take my rightful spot as Ukitake-taichou's third seat!"
"Ha! You couldn't beat me with my eyes close and both hands tied behind my back, you stinking caveman!"
"Please, like I'd be afraid of a little mouse like you. Go eat some lettuce, little rabbit, and let the real shinigami take care of the work around here."
"Why you-!"
"Kotetsu-san, Kotsubaki-san, please quiet down."
Both third seats immediately straightened at the sound of their vice-captains kind but stern voice. "Hai, Kuchiki-fukutaichou! My apologies!" Almost immediately, they glared at each other for speaking at the same time, oblivious to Rukia's amused gaze.
With a sigh, she waved her hand. "Carry on."
Rukia didn't have time to enjoy or get annoyed by their usual antics today seeing as she was almost late for the vice-captains meeting, followed by the Captain's Council right after. Even though it would be her fourth time in attendance, she was still nervous and excited to be there. Not even two years ago, the Captain-Commander would never have allowed any seat below captain class to be present. The thought brought a smile to her face, remembering her reaction upon first hearing about the procedural change from Ukitake-taichou.
Ukitake smiled reassuringly at her, "There's nothing wrong, Rukia-chan. We were just informed by Yamamoto-soutaichou about a few changes he's making to the Gotei 13."
Rukia blinked, "Changes?"
Ukitake settled more comfortably behind his desk, features relaxed with a healthy color on his cheeks due to his improving health, "As you know, captains typically meet once every two weeks to discuss important issues within our specific divisions and Soul Society as a whole." Rukia nodded, a tad impatiently, earning her an indulgent chuckle that made her face flush, "As decreed by the Captain-Commander, starting now for as long as the Gotei 13 stands, vice-captains are permitted to attend Captain's Councils on the first week of every month."
The young Kuchiki stared, wide-eyed and star struck for a moment before shaking herself, "Vice-captains a-are what now? I'm allowed to attend a Captain's Council with you? I-I thought only the Central 46 could make those decisions."
Ukitake smiled again, kindly with a touch of wistfulness that she didn't quite understand, "Change has come, Rukia-chan, for the Gotei 13 and all of Soul Society."
Ichigo, expression set in unwavering determination and bull-headed stubbornness, came to mind.
The Thirteenth Division captain's expression shifted for a moment, as if he had heard her thoughts and agreed, "The new Central 46 is much more liberal with their rulings, and although we are no longer under Martial Law, Yamamoto-soutaichou has much more freedom with the divisions than before. After everything that's happened, most of the captains agreed that the vice-captains should be much more involved."
Even sentenced to Muken, wrapped in darkness for nearly twenty millennia, he's still influencing us…Rukia thought bitterly. If anything, destroying the previous Central 46 was probably the only good thing Aizen had done even though she could only admit it in the darkest recesses of her mind, a thought so traitorous and ugly that she couldn't help but feel dirty for even believing it. But it was true.
"I see. So when will the first meeting be?"
Ukitake's smile became ever so slightly devious, and Rukia had learned early on from Kaein that that particular expression never boded well for those on the receiving end.
Ukitake-taichou is one of the oldest shinigami in Sereitei, Kuchiki. He's gotta keep himself entertained somehow, right?
"Tomorrow."
Rukia blinked once. Twice.
Her captain's serene smile never wavered.
"TOMORROW?!"
Vice-captains were used to attending meetings – it was an unwritten prerequisite for any seated officer, though second seat had the most responsibilities – within their divisions or collaborating with other Shinigami, and sometimes even attending social gatherings. Every once in a while, lieutenants would have their own assemblies to help their captains run things smoothly and get along internally within the ranks of the Gotei 13, making plans and trading ideas in case any of their captains were unable to continue with their duties and the lieutenant had to carry on.
It was much less formal than the Captains Council, and often times only nine out of twelve would attend regularly when not on a mission, so when the Captain Commander mandated that lieutenants be in attendance with the captains in First Division Headquarters once a month…it was safe to say more than a few felt unprepared and a little nervous.
The vice-captains had no problems with their own division leaders, but dealing with more than one captain was intimidating. Seeing all thirteen in one room, stone-faced and professional, flooding with insurmountable power, control, and skill, was absolutely nerve-wracking.
Thus their Lieutenant's Assembly began, a consensus falling over all vice-captains to have a brief, organizational meeting before the Captain's Council to gather information in order to present it in a much more structured manner in front of their captains and the Commander as well as lessen the chance that they'd make a fool of themselves in front of the highest ranking Shinigami in Soul Society.
Rukia was so lost in thought that she didn't notice the other shinigami before they collided, nearly sending her to the ground. She noticed the flash of flaming red hair and immediately kicked the offender in the shin, savoring the satisfying yelp, "Watch where you're walking, Renji."
Renji glowered at her, rubbing his shin. "Hey, I was just coming to make sure you made it on time. You know how uptight Shuuhei gets when one of us is even a minute late."
Rukia smirked, "I thought you'd be more wary of Ise-fukutaichou after she chewed you out last month. She is head of the Lieutenant's Assembly after all."
"I was giving Kuchiki-taichou overdue paperwork!"
"And why was it overdue?"
"I – well, he – uh…" The redhead stuck his tongue out at her and continued to banter as they made their way to the Eighth Division barracks.
"You're late."
Renji quailed under Ise Nanao's stern gaze, discreetly taking a half-step behind Rukia as the petite woman towered over them both with the same glare that more often than not got the Eighth Division captain to do his paperwork.
Rukia swallowed hard and nodded politely, "We apologize for the delay, Ise-fukutaichou."
She emphasized her 'we' by jabbing an elbow into Renji's side, who gave a pained grin in apology.
Nanao glared them down for another moment before relenting and turning her attention back to the assembled lieutenants watching in amusement. Despite adding three captains to vacant divisions, not much had changed in the vice-captain ranks except for Mashiro's presence sharing Hisagi's seat in the Ninth Division (which was more for Kensei's sake rather than there being any doubt to Hisagi's ability to run the division).
"All right, time to begin the fourth gathering of the Lieutenant's Assembly. First Division."
Chojiro Sasakibe straightened where he stood, "Present. No new news regarding the disappearances of the three First Division unseated officers, Kanjiro Hirose, Mina Sekozawa, or Ikku Kokan. Fourteenth Seat, Rei Numata, reported the residents of Kusajishi, North Rukongai, have also disappeared. Twelfth Division members are analyzing the area."
Nanao nodded, lips thinned into a hard line as she swiftly took notes on her clipboard, and Mashiro fell silent.
Rukia couldn't blame them – the incidents and disappearances, which had started nearly three weeks ago, were too much like one hundred years ago, when whole districts used to vanish because of Aizen's experiments. "Second Division."
Omaeda swallowed a mouthful of chips, "Present. No disappearances or deaths in the Second Division, but a few Onmitsukido members returned injured a week ago with severe burns. They've been hospitalized but none have woken up yet. No information so far."
And so it went, with every division vice-captain giving his or her report – except Kira, who was on a mission in the southern districts with a small squad of four under his command and not expected to return for another five days. Nearly everyone was grimfaced by the end, each division reporting strange situations or disappearances of seated and unseated officers. The Fourth Division vice-captain, Kotetsu Isane, divulged that Unohana was having trouble treating the wounds on some of the seated officers that were injured in the field like the Onmitsukido members, but more would be revealed at the Captain's Council.
The most disturbing report was from the Twelfth Division.
Kurotsuchi Nemu was impassive, "The Twelfth Division has multiple teams analyzing reports and collecting samples from North Rukongai, District 79, and West Rukongai, District 80 where Omaeda-fukutaichou and Matsumoto-fukutaichou reported souls disappearing. Raw data indicates that residents did not disappear but were killed and their reiyoku was degraded. Reports are inconclusive as to what could cause such corrosive damage not already recorded in the Twelfth Division's files. All other information is classified."
Everyone was silent.
Renji sighed, rolling his neck to relieve the knots he could feel building and dispelling the tension in the room, "Well, better get going. Don't wanna keep the captains waiting."
The other lieutenants nodded in agreement and headed out.
"ICHIGOOOO!"
Said orange-haired teen sighed and with a disinterested expression, swiftly clotheslined his hyperactive friend before he could get even more rambunctious.
Keigo had gotten better over the year and a half, able to reign in the impulsive urges that used to get him slapped by every female within ten feet of him (Ichigo didn't like to think about it because he knew Keigo's maturity was partially due to Aizen's influence), but sometimes he reverted to his young, freshman self. He ignored the pathetic choking noises his friend made as the group settled on the rooftop without a glance at the familiar scene.
"Kurosaki-kun, what are you doing over break?" Orihime asked, bright and bubbly as usual.
Something less than brilliant still lingered in her gaze, remnants of Tsukishima's meddling in her memories still plaguing her (and even deeper, the nightmares of her capture and the war), but she was better overall and smiled in a familiar, sweet way.
"Tatsuki-chan invited me to a mixed martial arts tournament! They have these cooking classes in the building across the street for free to teach proper nutrition for athletes! I'm so excited!"
Ichigo held back a snort – those instructors were in for a real treat when they saw what Orihime tried to feed her friends on a weekly basis.
"Sounds fun. Going to assert your dominance over the other contestants, Tatsuki?"
The black haired martial artist smirked in reply, "Nah, but my coach scored me some backstage passes to meet some of the seminar instructors in person. I'm gonna challenge every one of them to an arm wrestling match if it's the last thing I do!" She flexed her arms for good measure and dragged Keigo into a loose chokehold, eliciting a round of snickers and nervous laughter from the captive teen.
Ichigo glanced at Chad questioningly, silently giving him his cherry tomatoes Yuzu packed extras of, and the gentle giant nodded in thanks, "The school accepted my request to be a student representative to Mexico. I'm leaving a day before break begins." His intention to visit his grandfathers' grave, to made amends after what the other Xcution members had done, was understood and left unsaid.
The general question turned to Keigo, now free of Tatsuki's terrifying hold, "I'm stuck going to a bunch of my sisters stupid Student Council meetings out of town. Mizuiro's only coming cause his new girlfriend lives out by where our main stop is."
Mizuiro smiled politely – with an edge of sadistic amusement, Ichigo noted – as their usual banter began.
The group was used to their shenanigans and turned to the Quincy sitting among them. "What about you, Ishida-kun?"
Ishida's proper posture became noticeably rigid and Orihime opened her mouth to backtrack but the Quincy merely sighed, relaxing slightly as he did so, and reluctantly divulged, "My…father and I are traveling to Tokyo for the majority of the break to attend a medical conference."
Ishida's usual stern expression gave nothing away but Ichigo knew him better than that and saw the lines of tension around his mouth as well as the flash of anticipation that flickered through his steady gaze. The Quincy wasn't nearly as put-off as he tried to make himself sound, but he wasn't exactly jumping for joy at the prolonged, isolated contact with his father.
"He's going to teach me more about the Quincies history as well as a few techniques," his eyes sharpened with amusement and some exasperation when he sent a pointed look at Ichigo, "and he wants to keep me far away from bad company for as long as possible."
Ichigo scowled as his friends laughed, but his expression melted into one of content. Okay, so maybe he wasn't the greatest influence in the three worlds, but it he didn't make the younger Quincy fight – although he was partially to blame for the many incidents surrounding Karakura.
Orihime turned to him expectantly and he gave a half-shrug. "Yuzu won some prize drawing and got a few tickets to a beach side resort for a week."
Orihime blinked in surprise, "So you're going to be out of town too?"
Ichigo shook his head, "Not interested."
As much fun as it would've been to lie in the sun and just relax with his family for once, the orange-haired teen found the idea unappealing.
It wasn't just him being suspicious of the sudden good fortune going around (which he totally was and, with his luck, it was completely justifiable) or him just being a stick in the mud (also justifiable), but he needed some time to himself.
He was thankful to have his powers back, grateful to the shinigami that had put their faith in him, and glad that he could finally help protect Karakura with his friends again, but adjusting to his previous lifestyle after months of living without it (without the comfort of half his soul, without the power that hummed beneath his skin, without the ability to protect) wasn't something he wanted to do in a hotel. He wanted to be by himself without dwelling on the 'what ifs' that had dominated his life for the last year and a half. He needed time to reconnect with his soul and explore the new realms his Fullbring had opened.
Tatsuki rolled her eyes at his offhanded answer but didn't say anything.
She'd run into Yuzu, quite literally, the day the young girl got the tickets and listened as Yuzu babbled cutely about how much fun it would be to go on vacation with her sister and father but that she would miss Ichigo and Tatsuki-nee, can you make sure Onii-chan is okay while we're gone? When Tatsuki had asked why Ichigo wasn't going with them, Yuzu brightened, face glowing with adoration for her big brother that made Tatsuki smile. There were five tickets so Onii-chan suggested taking Jinta and Ururu instead since Urahara-san and Tessai-san are out of town. He says he wants to stay home and relax but he's just being nice again!
Tatsuki knew that wasn't the whole reason (and note to self, she really had to figure out who the hell Jinta, Tessai, and all these people were, she'd known about Soul Society and Shinigami for over a year now dammit), but she wouldn't push it this time.
Instead, she leered, "Yeah right. You just don't want your old man to hook you up with any beach bunnies and cause a scene."
Ichigo rolled his eyes and grumbled half-heartedly as his friends laughed and soon he was laughing with them, but something in his chest coiled tightly despite the happiness that flooded him.
His friends were happy, his family was safe, and he could finally do his duty as a substitute shinigami again.
So why did everything feel so wrong?
Author's Note: Thank you for your patience, my wonderful readers. Stay tuned! Faves/reviews are greatly appreciated! Let me know if there are any grammar errors or discrepancies in character behavior or timeline events.
