A/N: Hey guys sorry its been a while since my last update. I have not internet at home now so I have to update when I can. I also rely on amvs to inspire me to write...I haven't found any really good ones for Rukia and Ichigo lately. If you have any suggestions let me know. I also have to thank 27kirune12 for your review. It has been really nice talking to you. I am inspired also by reviews so please continue to give them. :P
Disclaimer: I do not own bleach.
"You're not giving me any kind of information that can help!" Ichigo yelled at the head Commander. "Do not raise your voice at me substitute soul reaper!" The commander's voice bellowed in the meeting room. "I have given you your instructions and that is all you need to know for this moment." The other Captains stood silent on either side of the red rug. One of them had gone missing and her place was vacant. Ichigo looked to that area. The Soul Society seemed to yet again be dismissing problems at hand for their greater good. Not that Ichigo thought the Second Squad Captain would have done any different. Hell she would have been the one to follow the orders to a T. But Ichgio wasn't like that. He couldn't just stand by while there was a life in danger as long as he could do something about it. "You are telling me to be on the look out for strange individuals but you're not telling me exactly what to look for and you're not letting me go to the Second division so what the hell am I supposed to do with that?!" Ichigo snapped. "You're dismissed." The head commander said. Ichigo left the room feeling more confused that when he had first arrived. Yoruichi jumped down from the ledge of the building when the doors behind Ichigo had closed and Rukia followed behind her.
"What did they say?" Yoruichi asked with a serious expression that was rare for her.
"Not a damn thing that would help." He replied.
"What do you mean?" Rukia asked.
"I mean they told me to look out for strange behavior but that's all they told me. They wont even let me go look at the Second Division to find clues. All they gave me was "Be on the look out" and that was all"
"Well that's stupid, though it doesn't matter. We are going anyway." The cat woman stated.
"We are?" The boy asked
"Yes. You nor I are tied by the laws of this place. Not really. We can do as we please. The most they can do is say that you are not a Soul Reaper anymore, which they are not likely to do. I wouldn't want to piss someone off as powerful as you. And I am really not bound by this place anymore. The least they can do to me is banish me and I'm already pretty much there. However," She looked at Rukia, "You are bound by the laws here. You will get into some serious trouble if you follow us. I'm not sure your brother, even as influential as he is, can keep busting you out of trouble. Your safest bet is to stay here and to try and gather information. Get anyone you can and that is willing to help you. Inform them this is to be on the down low. When Ichigo and I find something out we will let you know."
"Yes, alright" Rukia said feeling a little uneasy. She knew that Yoruichi was Urahara's woman but she still felt uneasy about another woman being around Ichigo alone. Most of all a woman like her. This was the woman who introduced her human form to Ichigo for the first time naked. It was understandable she felt a little uneasy. "We'll be fine" Ichigo said giving her a reassuring smile. He wished he could reach out and hold her, or hug her but she would probably freak out on him and wind up hitting him. He couldn't have that. He needed his brains in tact.
"Be careful." She said. "I will"
The two took off leaving the little dark haired woman behind.
"You two sound like lovers already."
Ichigo turned read. "What?!"
"Ichigo you should know by now that if you tell your master anything he is going to tell everyone else."
"I didn't." Ichigo said between his teeth.
"Oh right it was just so obvious that he could tell...that's right. Still even so you know he is going to tell everyone and everyone includes me, and when it includes me you know I'm going to help you get your woman."
"Whatever," Ichigo said a little embarrassed, "Lets just go find your play thing"
"My what?" She asked giving a little devilish smile.
"We all know that you and Kisuke have a little fun with her."
"I can't believe this is coming out of you Ichigo...I'm so proud..." She smile not shy at all about the fact she had just been outed.
She turned her head to find they had reached the point they were aiming for. They ducked behind a building and looked around the corner carefully. It was heavily guarded by the Second Division and a couple of others as well. "How are we going to get past all of that?"
"Don't be such a pessimist kid. I was after all the captain of this division."
"Yea years ago...your centuries old they have more than likely changed their ways."
"Not likely. The Second Division does not welcome change often. In fact Soi-Fon was hated for a long time by her division because of the fact it was a change."
"When did that change?"
"It didn't. Most of them do hate her, but that's the thing about her. She doesn't care if they do or don't as long as they respect her and they do. She is willing to die for one of them and they will do the same for her. That's all that matters. She is very strict and most of the honor that. They long for it. In this division they believe you have to be, she does her job well. She has their respect not their love and that's all she ask for."
"Complicated if you ask me. I would rather be loved."
"Perhaps but Soi-fon doesn't work that way. She is a loner and always has been. Now just wait until I'm ready and I'll let you in."
"How the hell are you-"
She changed into cat form and walked right past every guard, when she had reached the end she changed forms again and knocked every one of them out. "Oh that's how" he finished.
"Its not that hard when you're as awesome as I am."
"Yea whatever" he said rolling his yes. They went around quietly until they found the place that had been aimed for damage. The Captain's quarters. Yoruichi walked in and looked around. It smelled of old smoke, and it seemed damp. "Files have been burnt to a crisp." Ichigo said picking up what was left of a folder. "So I see...her reports have been too." They looked around the room at the fallen book shelf and chairs, the broken desk and picture frames and finally the broke door that lead to the back of the division's training grounds. "There was defiantly a fight. I don't understand how they could have gotten her though as tough as she is."
"She might be strong Ichigo but she isn't invincible. When they used an weapon on her it could have had some kind of sleeping drug on it. Or poison. There is no telling. They've probably taken it from her by now, but I don't see her sword around her so that means that she has it with her at least." Ichigo went to the last remaining bookshelf that was left standing. He put his hand to his chin. "What is it?" She asked.
"Isn't it strange that everything in this room has been tipped over...but this one bookshelf?"
"Not really...it could have just been missed."
"I don't think so. As small as this room is...everything should have been knocked over if there was a struggle."
"What are you saying?"
Ichigo began pushing on the bookshelf and moved the heavy thing out of the way to revel a hidden path.
"What if it was just made to look like a struggle?" Ichigo said smiling.
She smiled back at him but then began to look confused. "Why would they want to make it look like a struggle? And why they have to make it look that way? She would have put up a fight if someone had came in that wasn't welcome."
"But what if they were. This could be someone she trusted or someone that she thought she trusted, or it could be an illusion. This passage way doesn't look new."
"It has to be. I've never seen it before and I knew this place inside and out."
"Maybe you missed one" he shrugged.
"But if you say that what if this person was pretending to be you showing her this secret place? She would have gone without a fight and in order to keep people from looking around to much to find if she had left something behind they made it look like she was taken...so they would assume this was some hostile group to draw the attention away from themselves."
"Ichigo...you have good points but the only way we are going to know is by going in and finding out for ourselves what lies behind this bookshelf."
"We need to inform the others first. But I think we should keep this from the other captains for now. They might make a mess of things if the head commander finds out about this."
"Yes you're right. I will inform Rukia of what's happened. But Soi-fon's life could be in danger so you need to follow this. I will have Rukia and Renji follow you down there and I will come soon after. I might get the others from the living world. We may need them."
"That's a plan. See you in a while."
Ichigo began his descend into darkness.