A/N: Heeeeeey! I live, this story lives, and you have a chapter! Ain't life great? And, yeah... This took a ridiculously long time for what it is, but I wanted to have Yoruichi give her input on the situation. Everything should be picking up from now on, so bear with me, please (as if you haven't been doing so already *gets bonked on the head*)!

Also! I now have a tumblr, which you can check out for my update schedule instead of stalking my profile~! I may also post little scraps and omakes of fics at some point, so check it out! (Not much up there yet, though.) I'm Fins-Illusion, since my pen name was already taken...

Chapter 4

A rest: a moment for silence and appreciation; a break

~IiI~

Exhausted from an unexpectedly stressful and tiring week, the Quartet was definitely ready to relax.

"Damn," Ichigo mutters, "can you fit any more people onto the temple grounds?"

The others can't help but agree. Everywhere there are people – parents with running children and soccer balls, couples, and friends.

"Shut up, Kurosaki. It's not like we can't move."

"Yeah, yeah." Well, it isn't as if they were truly comfortable in their human bodies. Their spirit forms, the ones they had fought in, were injured in, and grown stronger in, were much more comfortable. It isn't that they couldn't access their respective powers in their human bodies, but it took more effort and is simply constricting.

The black cat that was tailing the group could sympathize. It had taken her years to fully adjust to living in a gigai for any length of time.

"Fine, let's go," Ichigo finally took off into the treetops, his friends following him to a relatively isolated grove. The black cat also follows, though at a discrete distance. Still, the cat snorts a little as she thinks inanely of the humans' reactions to the possible defilement of their trees and the sacrilegious acts of sitting within the branches. Well, Yoruichi mentally counters, it wasn't like the Shinigami weren't considered deities…

~IiI~

Silence reigns over the group as they welcome the relative peace while ignoring the presence of a certain black cat. Yoruichi was tasked with keeping an eye on the part humans, if only to keep them from discovering the plans Kisuke and Isshin had set into motion for their sakes. The teens may or may not realize this, she isn't certain. Either way, they know Isshin, Ryuuken, and Kisuke are more than likely plotting.

She drapes herself on a branch of a neighboring tree, making herself comfortable, so that the men and woman can see her just as easily as she can see them. It does nothing these days to try and tail them by only their spiritual pressure.

Watching the teens, Yoruichi remembers the plan the men have created. She severely disagrees with keeping anything regarding the teens from the teens, especially something that affects them so directly (again * cough * Kisuke * cough * – ooo, hairball…). Given their previous manipulations from Kisuke and Aizen, she would completely understand their inability to not create their own solution. Yoruichi is certain, actually, that they have (and slightly surprised that they're even bothering to allow the adults to do anything). Still, they gave the men a chance to repent and she'll give those men as much of an opportunity as she can – unless they go too far. She hasn't yet bothered to find out the scheme, but her observation of the Quartet today may very well change that decision.

~IiI~

"Ochi-sensei is driving me crazy by watching us all the time!"

Ishida is the first to begin venting. As the long-range fighter, it obviously makes him especially nervous to be in the midst of such an uncontrolled and uncertain situation in close quarters. While it isn't the first time it has happened (invasion of soul society anyone?), it goes against his general style of fighting.

Ichigo grimaces. "I know. It isn't helping the rumors that are going around the school. Everyone is watching us closely, especially when we're noticeably different from...before."

The teen remained quite for some time, before Orihime sighed and again asked, "Is there anything we can do?"

All four of them grimace at this question, while exchanging looks.

"Not...really." Ishida is forced to admit. "There is only so much we can admit to and attempting to suppress our reactions has proved futile, partially because those reactions have saved our lives in the past and continue to do so every time we face a Hollow."

Ichigo nods. "Also, anything we do at this point will be moot. The rumors have been circulating for a while and the teachers have already reacted. Any attempts at damage control will be useless."

Chad finally speaks. "There's also the question of what Dr. Kurosaki and Dr. Ishida will do."

"Yeah. I told Oyaji, but I'm not sure exactly what he's going to do. However, I bet he'll be working with Geta-boshi...so anything that is planned has some reliability to succeed." Yoruichi can read between the lines – they aren't going to say anything more on that subject with an unknown so near. Especially an unknown that lives in the same shop as one of those mentioned. A small cat smirk graces her muzzle. She has taught the teens well.

~IiI~

Orihime sighs again, in tandem with the guys, frustrated over their lack of control.

Yoruichi could sympathize. There are many elements of the current situation and conversation that are similar to the time Kisuke, Tessai, the Vizards, and she had fled Soul Society. It is also apparent that all the teens are incredibly frustrated by their lack of respect and social weight in the human world. While their situation wasn't excellent in Soul Society, they at least had a few reliable comrades (the Kuchiki girl and the Pineapple came to mind) and had proven themselves in battle. Here, in the human realm, they are forced to rely on parents that have either proved to be unreliable in the past, are too distant to actually deal with his child, or simply not their parents.

The situation is even worse for Orihime and Sado, whom she had discovered are legally emancipated and therefore have no one to truly rely on aside from their friends. Given the current talks, it seems that this time the elders are likely to actually prove their reliability, but the teens don't know that likelihood.

~IiI~

Silence engulfs the clearing for a while as the warriors take what time they can to relax. Yoruichi is equally content to sun herself for the time. Life is, for that moment in the trees with the breeze, sun, and clouds, simple and welcome.

~IiI~

Yoruichi is sure that there had been covert hand signals for another meeting, but ignores it as much as she can. An old rule of the Onmituskido applies here: if she doesn't know, she can't report it. Therefore, she can try and prevent anyone from interrupting their future meeting. They don't need any more paranoia. (The jaded part of her laughed as she recalls a modern response to such a statement. Really, it shouldn't be called paranoia if someone's actually out to get you.)

She shakes her head at herself and makes to turn back to the Shouten. However, Ichigo catches her eye before she leaves. He stares at her, calculative and wary. She holds his eyes for a moment before nodding to the speed demon and returning to the shop. She will help her student (her son) and his comrades (his siblings), not that she hasn't been planning to so already.

Thanks for reading! Please leave a review?

~Illusion~ (or Fin)