Author's Note: Before I continue with my story, I just want to say thanks to all those who reviewed "Emotion over Reason" as well as to those who have added it among their favorites or put it on alert! I really appreciate it and I'll do my best to write something worth reading!

Now a word about what this chapter contains: the mystery of what Kurotsuchi Mayuri is doing in his lab will be revealed. Also, I had to name his creations and I don't know if I managed to come up with the best Japanese words, I'm not that good at that language yet. But I hope I succeeded in capturing the essence. In any case, since you don't exactly know what I'm talking about, I'll just let you read and decide for yourselves if the names are appropriate.

Oh, one more thing: I am sort of stuck with the story, not due to a writer's block, but because I need to imagine how the Winter War ended and it's incredibly difficult…so many theories, one more unlikely than the other lol So I wanted to ask you how YOU think the conflict ended... Please send me your opinions, I'm sure it'll help! Lots of thanks in advance!!!

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach…too bad!


Chapter 3 Experimenting Trouble

In Soul Society, things were apparently as quiet as they were in the real world. Shinigami went about their usual business and everyone was enjoying the times of peace. The war had taken a big toll on both the real world and Soul Society and no one wanted to remember the horrible fighting…well, almost nobody, but the 11th division tended to be different from the rest. Zaraki Kenpachi, the captain, was the most disappointed with the peaceful – or rather boring as he called them – times. He had enjoyed the fighting and always yearned for more but he was alone in his opinion as far as members of the other divisions were concerned.

But boring was not quite the right way of describing what was going on within the 12th division headquarters. In fact, everyone there was as busy as one can get. All the officers in this division were part of the Shinigami Research and Development Institute and as their captain had a very important project on-going, they were working non-stop to monitor the progress, to register the data, to conduct tests…no one dared to do differently because their captain was known for his small regard of life and his tendency to use cruelty to achieve his goals.

In that particular Sunday, everyone was busier than usual, recording and analyzing the data coming from their latest test, done in the real world. That is why no one was watching the doors, and no one noticed a very stealthily figure shunpo-ing her way towards the main lab. However, someone did feel her presence. In front of the doors to the lab, the lieutenant of the 12th division Nemu Kurotsuchi stood firmly, and she addressed the now static figure.

"Konnichiwa, Soi Fon-taichou", Nemu bowed her head slightly. "May I assist you with something?"

"Ohayo, Kurotsuchi-fukutaichou. I would like to speak with your captain." The 2nd division captain tried to side step around Nemu to enter the lab, but the lieutenant blocked her path.

"I am afraid Kurotsuchi-taichou is very busy at the moment and cannot be disturbed. If you would kindly tell me what business you have with him, I might be able to help you", she said.

Soi Fon frowned at those words. Yoruichi-sama had been kind enough to visit her and ask about her health and also honored her by entrusting her with the mission of finding out what the outlandish 12th division captain was doing in his lab. She had told her about the strange reiatsu that was sensed in the real world and Soi Fon was just as suspicious about it as Yoruichi was.

Of course, she couldn't help but feel a bit grateful to Kurotsuchi Mayuri for making such an exquisite work with replacing the hand she had lost in the war, but that didn't mean she had to like him. She never had and there were few, if any, among the shinigami in Soul Society who liked him or who didn't want to avoid him at all cost. She was determined to find out what he was up to this time.

"I understand your concern for your captain, but I only need to speak to him for a few moments. I want to know if he's been doing any tests in the real world lately and if so, what the nature of those tests is." She didn't like having to tell a lieutenant what she wanted to know, but she preferred talking to Kurotsuchi's daughter than to the man himself. She was definitely one of those who wanted to avoid him, not for fear but for contempt for his unorthodox methods of doing things.

"I am sorry to say that the nature of Mayuri-sama's work is strictly confidential and I cannot share any details. Is there something else I might help you with?" Nemu asked obediently.

"No, but I don't have the answer to my first question, and I'm not leaving until I do" Soi Fon said, raising her voice just enough to let the shinigami blocking her path know that she meant business.

"Nemu, what's with all the noise? Get back here, we've got a lot of work to do", the infamous captain said, opening the door to the lab just a bit and then turning to go back in.

"Just a second, Kurotsuchi", Soi Fon said, stopping him in his tracks. "I want to know what you're doing in there and if you're testing something in the real world. I received a report from a very reliable source that a strange reiatsu was sensed this morning in Karakura Town and I want to know what you know about it".

"Oh…so a strange reiatsu was felt…" The captain's strangely shaped yellowish eyes gave a small sign of surprise, enough for Soi Fon to notice that he was interested in that piece of news and that he was definitely the source of the disturbance in the real world. "Tell your very reliable source that there's nothing to worry about, I am conducting some tests and it's got nothing to do with either of you." Again he turned to go.

"Allow me to disagree. I think it has something to do with me and everyone else in Soul Society if you're going to disturb the peace that was so hard to obtain and required so many sacrifices", Soi Fon said, reaching past Nemu and placing her artificial hand on his haori*, preventing him from leaving and reminding him of her personal sacrifice.

"I can't allow you to disagree, nor will I give you the information you seek. If you have a problem with that, feel free to address Yamamoto-soutaichou. He is aware of my current endeavors and if he chooses to share the information with you, I don't have any objections. Come, Nemu, this discussion is over", he said shaking Soi Fon's hand off and dragging a bowing Nemu after him, closing the door in Soi Fon's face.

Well, that went well. Soi Fon thought. I hate that superior attitude of his…I hate everything about him actually. Now what am I going to tell Yoruichi-sama?

She knew that she couldn't possibly go to the Captain-Commander and ask him about this, she didn't have the authority to question another captain's business when Yamamoto-soutaichou was already informed of it and apparently had given his consent, but she took a small comfort in knowing that if that was so, then whatever Kurotsuchi was doing in his lab was not something to worry about…theoretically.

*****

Inside the main laboratory, Mayuri and Nemu walked back to the prototypes they were experimenting with. The war had had indeed many and various consequences, and one of them was to make Kurotsuchi Mayuri take on a new challenge: to create an army of artificial shinigami that would do the fighting next time a war came to be, thus avoiding the loss of souls in battle. He had named his latest prototypes after the humans' word for artificial creations, "robots", thus calling them "jinin"*.

He had given a lot of thought to what kind of abilities his jinin should have. He had taken into account all the various threats that shinigami had had to face in the past and he also considered the different types of other fascinating creatures with special abilities that existed out there – Hollows, Arrancar, Quincy, Bounts, Vizards, Modified Souls to name but a few –, not forgetting to think that new threats may come in the future. With that in mind, he decided it was best to turn the enemies' powers against themselves and use them to the jinin' advantage. That is how he created his 5 prototypes.

"Nemu, report. How are my jinin doing?" Kurotsuchi asked Nemu when they reached 5 sealed cylinders at the back of the laboratory. Nemu went in front of the first cylinder, pushed a button that made the protective shield lift off the cylinder to reveal a humanoid form. The jinin had the body exactly as a human with a few differences. First, its "skin" seemed to be made of an extremely enduring metal and had a silver color. Second, its eyes had a silvery, transparent nondescript color, and last, it had no hair on its head. It was dressed in robes not unlike the shinigamis', but sleeveless.

"Gekitai* has been properly tested and his ability to repel any type of attack was confirmed", Nemu said after reading the data from the screen attached to the cylinder.

"Wonderful! I may not have Inoue Orihime as a test subject but I think I have managed to copy her ability well enough without her. What about the second ability?" Mayuri asked, rubbing his hands together in delight.

"The second ability was also confirmed: Gekitai can use the reverse form of any attack directed towards it on its opponents." Nemu confirmed.

"Perfect! Next subject", he demanded.

"Hensei* is also confirmed to be able to morph into any of the other jinin, and use their abilities while in their form. We have not tested its ability when it is into Repurika's form due to the fact that you haven't ordered Repurika* to be tested yet, Mayuri-sama", Nemu continued.

"Correct, and I want to test both Repurika and Hensei's ability while in Repurika's form as soon as possible. Move on", he said with a speculative glint in his eyes.

"Mahi Itami* is also functioning properly; its ability was tested earlier on in the real world against the hollow chosen by you, Mayuri-sama. As expected, the hollow was completely immobilized and couldn't avoid Mahi Itami's attack, and when it was hit it instantly felt excruciating pain, rendering it incapable of any rational thought and thus an easy victim to Mahi Itami's next attack."

"Good. As we haven't tested Repurika's ability to multiply itself yet, tell me how Surikireru* is doing" Mayuri said, moving along with Nemu to the last cylinder, skipping the fourth one.

"Its ability to drain reiatsu from its opponents and transform it into its own strength was confirmed." Nemu informed him.

"I'm glad to hear there are no problems. What about their weapons? Are they functional?" Mayuri asked, his strange face focused on the information.

"All weapons are 100% functional, including Repurika's one. Their resistance was also tested and they are as enduring as you have foreseen, Mayuri-sama. They are practically indestructible, their only observed weakness being ice. If an ice attack is used against them, followed by another very powerful destructive attack, unfortunately they shatter into pieces and cannot regenerate as they usually do from other types of attacks. This wasn't tested on them because their destruction must be avoided, given that each of them is unique, but when we observed that ice affected them so much, we simulated what an attack would do to them while completely frozen."

"Yes, I haven't been able to come up with a solution for that particular weak spot but there is no such thing as perfect in this world, as I once told that arrogant insect of an arrancar, Szayel Aporro Granz. I stand by my opinion that if perfection existed then there would be no room for imagination, and that a true scientist's job is to create better things, but never perfect. I truly loathe perfection. So the news that my jinin have a weak spot is not unfortunate at all. I will give the issue further thought and I am confident that in time I will find a way to overcome it. And then I'll find new ways to improve them."

"Still, I would say that the jinin are ready for battle, if it weren't for the issue of the remaining tests, and I am very intrigued by what that annoying 2nd division captain told me", Mayuri said with an unsatisfied look.

"Which of Soi Fon-taichou's words have caught your attention, Mayuri-sama?" Nemu asked politely, but her captain was lost in thought and did not hear her.

"She said that a strange reiatsu was felt in the real world…that shouldn't have happened…The jinin may have as power source spirit particles, a smart idea taken from our old acquaintances the Bounts, but they are not supposed to have reiatsu. They don't have souls, they don't and they can't have zanpakutous, so why would they have reiatsu? I don't like things that are unaccounted for. I wonder if they developed that on their own", Mayuri mused. "I did provide them with artificial intelligence, so theoretically they can evolve. But I don't like that idea at all. They are not supposed to evolve uncontrollably; it's my job as a scientist to improve them. If they are developing reiatsu on their own, what else might they develop independently?" This thought did not sit well with Mayuri, and impatiently he paced in front of the five cylinders, throwing short glances to the jinin every now and then.

"Nemu!" Mayuri suddenly called, stopping in his tracks. Nemu was watching her captain as he toyed with different ideas in his mind, not wanting to interrupt him, but she was quick to respond. "What is it, Mayuri-sama?"

"You haven't said anything about how their programming is coming along. I want to make sure that they understand the most important rule they have to obey: they must protect shinigami, plus souls and humans at all costs, from any type of danger. Have they assimilated this?"

"Yes, Mayuri-sama, the rules have been imprinted into their memories. They will protect and they will also obey".

"Good, make sure they know the hierarchy when it comes to obeying. With these two simple rules they should present no trouble and they should be extremely efficient soldiers…but I don't like the idea that they might evolve on their own. Monitor every single change and analyze it thoroughly, I want to know absolutely everything. The jinin are powerful and we would not want them out of control, understood?" Mayuri asked in a raised voice.

"Of course, Mayuri-sama", Nemu answered obediently.

*****

10 days had passed since the incident with the strange reiatsu, and Rukia was starting to relax again. Ever since that day she had been pretty tense, her nightmares had become more frequent, now haunted by a terrifying new threat that she couldn't define, and she was waking up in the middle of the night almost every night. Despite her attempts to keep quiet and move about stealthily to prevent Ichigo from waking up, he would wake up every other night and make a scene about her "stupid new habit" and threatening to throw her out.

She now felt double guilty: for waking him up in the middle of the night along with her, and for worrying him that there was a threat out there when apparently there wasn't one after all. She hadn't been able to appreciate the peaceful times at full value due to this stress, but slowly she was starting to fall back into her previous contentment with life as it was in the real world, by Ichigo's side.

They were returning from classes together, and Rukia wondered what was bothering Ichigo. It couldn't have been his English test result, he had obtained a very good grade. His scowl was deeper than usual, and he seemed very lost in thought. She was afraid that her pessimism was starting to rub off on him and she wanted to slap herself for ruining his mood which was not very cheerful on a normal basis in any case. Rukia preferred not to interfere in his life more than she already had, feeling that if there was something he wanted to share with her, he would do it in his own time. But suspecting it was her fault, she just couldn't keep quiet. She would have to confront him and clear the situation.

"Ichigo, I sense you are troubled…Care to tell me what's on your mind?" she feigned detachment, as she had had years on end of observing that behavior in her brother. She was hoping that by acting like this he would be more willing to open up, though she was certainly not ready for his following words.

"Yeah, you're on my mind" he said darkly. Rukia blushed ten shades of red, not understanding what he meant for a moment, but then she remembered her own suspicions and she made the connection.

"Oh…right…I actually wanted to talk to you about that" she said in a subdued voice. Then she started speaking very fast, to be able to get everything off her chest as soon as possible. "I know how you hate the fact that I wake you up at night because of my nightmares, and I really regret disturbing your sleep, but I was thinking about that and….well, you usually don't have problems sleeping and you don't wake up so easily, and you shouldn't wake up because I always try to be as silent as possible, so I believe that you're waking up because we've grown so attuned to one another. We've fought so many battles together and lived in close proximity so I think it would be best for me to move in with Orihime. She was always saying how she could sleep through anything, and I am sure she wouldn't mind taking me in if I tell her that I don't have anywhere else to…"

Ichigo cut her off, rolling his eyes and speaking in an annoyed tone: "There's no need for you to move in with Inoue, and when I said you were on my mind I was not referring to the fact that you wake me up early every now and then." Rukia blushed again, as this time she really couldn't find a logical explanation for his words… except something that she didn't have the power to think about right now. "I was talking about your nightmares, your stress and your worries, and your lack of sleep thereof."

"Oh…" Rukia's face returned to its normal color, though what he was saying was equally significant to her. He was worried for her?!? When she was worrying about him? But at least she got one thing right: she was the cause of his worries, only from a different point of view than she had thought.

"I don't like to see you so restless during this rare time when we don't have to fight hollows every day, nor is any other enemy threatening us. You should use this time to relax and enjoy life. These are the words that you told me not so long ago and I want to remind you that I'm not the only one with a life to live. So I will live and enjoy my life only if you do so also. Do we have a deal?" he asked, outstretching his hand towards her.

She couldn't believe that their roles had been reversed and now he was trying to make sure that she forgot all about the war and moved on. But she could feel that warm, sweet feeling in her chest again, and another smile turned up the corners of her mouth as she placed her hand in his. Her icy little hand seemed to fit perfectly in his large warm one, and when they shook hands, she felt a current pass from him to her…or was it the other way around?

Ichigo, you have warmed my icy world, Rukia thought.

Rukia, you have stopped the rain, Ichigo thought.

Their faces seemed to have gotten closer and suddenly Ichigo had a flashback of the dream he had forgotten when he was woken up by Kon: him holding hands with a raven haired, deep blue eyed petite girl, closing the distance between them. He felt an irresistible urge to not miss this chance to see what would have happened in his dream, so he willingly leaned down, very close to Rukia's face that had a bemused expression, and then they both closed their eyes while coming closer still and….

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! Rukia's phone was announcing a hollow alert.

Both Ichigo's and Rukia's eyes snapped opened and they stepped back from each other, their faces an assorted shade or red. Rukia's phone had already stopped ringing by the time she fished it out of the back pocket of her black jeans, but the alert was not the only thing that had distracted them. They had felt two very powerful and strong reiatsu and before either of them could say something they felt a third and a fourth.

"Let's go!" Rukia shouted. She took Kon out of her backpack and threw him to Ichigo, then popped a Chappy Soul Candy in her mouth and quickly shunpo-ed away in her shinigami form. Ichigo followed her lead after taking the modified soul out of the stuffed animal and swallowing it. He didn't even begin to hear what Kon was shouting as he distanced himself from him and Chappy.

But midway to the destination, the reiatsu disappeared, and he stopped with Rukia on a rooftop. They didn't know what to make of it, especially since they just had a conversation about forgetting suspicious events and relaxing for a change.

Rukia was the first to speak and she told Ichigo: "I hope you now agree that there's something strange going on, and even if these are just Kurotsuchi-taichou's test, I should check it out." She had already reached the conclusion that unless she had more information about this, she would not be able to relax as she had promised Ichigo, and that meant going to Soul Society to investigate. A bit of time spent away from Ichigo would also help her clear her head, as she hadn't forgotten what was happening before the hollow alert went off. This was the best thing to do, so she continued to speak calmly and decidedly. "I am sure that Yoruichi asked Soi Fon-taichou to investigate, but it's equally obvious that they haven't been able to find out anything useful. If normal captains don't have access to this information, then maybe a captain who is also the clan head of one of the noble families will know more or at least will be able to find out."

Ichigo groaned at the thought of Rukia's adoptive brother Byakuya. There was no love lost between the two, from either side, as Ichigo didn't stand Byakuya any better than the haughty captain could stand the substitute shinigami. Ichigo would never forgive Byakuya for almost sacrificing his sister for the sake of rules. He could not conceive such a thing himself and he hoped that Byakuya knew better now. Of course, he couldn't deny that Byakuya had saved Rukia's life on a number of occasions when Ichigo was fighting somewhere else and couldn't save her himself, but that didn't mean that he could forget about that time when Rukia was put through so much suffering because she gave Ichigo her shinigami powers and because of Aizen's wicked plans, not to mention Urahara's interference.

"I am going back to Soul Society to find out what is going on, it is my duty as the shinigami in charge with Karakura Town", Rukia continued. "I plan to stay only as long as it is needed and then I will come back to tell you what I have found out. I am sure our friends will also want to know what's going on, they must have felt the reiatsu themselves, so after I leave, please tell them that I have gone to investigate what this is all about."

Not leaving time for Ichigo to object, she opened the Senkai gate and a hell butterfly came through to guide her to Soul Society. She took a few steps, and then turned her head to say: "See you soon, strawberry" and she smiled to Ichigo.

"Yeah…and don't take too long, midget, or you can bet your ass I'm coming after you" Ichigo said with a grin. The gate closed behind Rukia and disappeared.


*haori is the white lightweight jacket that captains wear over their shinigami robes.

*jinin is a short form I came up with for "jinzo ningen" which means "robot" in Japanese; same form for singular and plural.

*Gekitai is Japanese for repel, oppose, confront.

*Hensei is Japanese for metamorphosis.

*Repurika is the Japanese form of the English word "replica".

*Mahi Itami are the Japanese words for paralysis and pain.

*Surikireru is Japanese for the verb "to wear out", "to exhaust"


Author's Note: Well, let me know if you liked the names and I'm waiting for your suggestions on how the Winter War ended. I hope to post the 4th chapter soon, but to give you a hint as to what it may contain - if you haven't figured that one out already -, the chapter is called "Visit to the Kuchiki Mansion".

Bye for now!