Girl-of-Action- I do not own bleach and never will.

It had become somewhat of a tradition between the two of them. Every morning for the next several days, Shiro would drag Rukia off to the same cafe. There they would take the small, two-person table in the far corner. Finally, over two cups of coffee, they would proceed to discuss anything and everything regarding the afterlife. Just as Shiro hoped, the irony of having a conversation about life and death over two steaming coffee cups has had an effect on Rukia. She began to relax considerably on day two. On day three, she even started bringing a notebook and markers to help her illustrate her points. Shiro, thinking this rather funny, would often comment on how 'cute' her drawings are. Encouraged and bashful, Rukia is now all too eager for their morning sessions.

"And this is Kenpachi Zaraki, Captain of the 11th Division." Shiro is not sure how he does it, but he does. He keeps a straight face while regarding Rukia's newest sketch. He even crosses one arm over his chest and taps his chin with his other hand, as if the picture has inspired deep thought in him. In truth, all he sees is a big bunny with a jagged sword. The bunny's ears are black with bells hanging off of them, and there seems to be a scar under one of its eyes. The bunny's teeth are bared in what Shiro suspects is supposed to be a fierce expression.

"He seems, eh… Tough," Shiro hazards to guess. Rukia nods adamantly, ecstatic that Shiro is able to pick up on even that much.

"Oh, yes! Captain Kenpachi's division focuses on Battle. They say his reiatsu is so monstrous that he can crush almost anyone just by standing next to them!"

Shiro's interest is peaked, although naturally he is doubtful of the validity of these claims. Nonetheless, he can't help but smirk in eager curiosity. "That right…?"

"Quite! And this is his lieutenant. You wouldn't think her to be a Shinigami, much less a lieutenant, yet in truth…" Over these last few days, Shiro has evidently learned many things. They've spoken of the Soul Society, Hueco Mundo and their correlation to the World of the Living when it comes to the balance. They've spoken of plus souls and how they may turn into Shinigami or hollows, given the right (or wrong) circumstances. Next was the Central 46 and Gotei 13 that oversees the balance. They've spoken at length on many of the captains, especially Captain Byakuya of the 6th division. Although Shiro loves their little chats, that is a conversation he hopes he never will have to repeat. I swear, if I have to hear Rukia squeal 'Nii-sama!' one more time… Shiro had thought in agitation after leaving the cafe that day. He decided then and there that he hates the guy, Byakuya Kuchiki.

At one point, Shiro even manages to get Rukia to draw a rough map of the Seireitei for him. Of course, he has to have her rewrite it several times until he's satisfied. The first few attempts contained more random bunny drawings on them than landmarks and proper details. Finally, though, Shiro is satisfied, and every night since has taken it out of his nightstand drawer and carefully examines it. Suffice to say, Rukia's stories regarding the Soul Society fascinates Shiro in the same way a fairy tale would for a little kid, not that he would ever admit it on pain of death.

It is Thursday evening, a week exactly since Shiro's and Rukia's first informational meeting at the cafe. Now the last school bell of the day rings and students file into Karakura High's halls, eager to get going. Among them is the quartet consisting of Shiro, Tatsuki, Orihime and Rukia. The group has become rather tight knit, causing faculty and the student body alike to catch notice and raise eyebrows.

"I don't get it! How does a scary guy like him get all the cute girls?!" Keigo whines all too loudly from the side-lines as he and his friend Mizuru watch the group pass by. He falls to his knees dramatically. "Cruel world! What happened to the days when girls actually went for nice guys like us?"

"As long as he isn't with any sexy older women, I don't care," Mizuru states breezily, typing away on his cell phone as per usual.

Shiro quite suddenly aims a glare directly at Keigo, triggering the male to freeze mid-rant. Shiro smirks at him. The expression does nothing to ease Keigo's fear, which in fact skyrockets in response. "They aren't my 'cute girls'..." The albino drawls, setting his black sunglasses over his eyes in preparation for leaving the building. "They're my lady friends. Show some respect, will ya?" Keigo babbles something in apology as Shiro and his 'lady friends' leave.

"I wish you'd stop calling us that…" Rukia mutters under her breath. Rukia is obviously less than thrilled with the label that Shiro has given them as of late, feeling it still hinted at him being romantically involved with all three of them. Unfortunately for her, she has been unsuccessful in dissuading Shiro from using the term. She has yet to give up though, and now glances at the other two girls for support.

"I don't think there's anything wrong with it," Orihime hums in response as she fiddles with a strand of hair. She isn't nervous, so this opinion isn't stemming from Shiro's intimidating (in Orihime's case) presence. The orange-haired girl honestly believes this for some reason that Rukia can't fathom (having found the term of endearment mortifying). Rukia turns her gaze to Tatsuki.

Shrugging, the tomboy smirks. "I actually find it kinda funny. I never would've guessed you'd take my sarcastic comment the day you left the Red Hawks so seriously, Shiro."

Shiro chuckles lightly as they step out the front door of the high school, his book bag slung over one shoulder. "Anything for my dear first lady," he teases offhandedly. Tatsuki elbows him playfully.

"You're going to my tournament tomorrow, right?"

"Of course. Kuchiki-chan's coming too."

"I am?" Rukia inquires, befuddled and wondering what this tournament is for.

Shiro shoots her a warning look. "You are," he confirms.

Rukia smacks her right hand on top of her opened left palm, as if just remembering something. "I am!" Rukia exclaims with all the bubbly enthusiasm of her high school girl persona. Tatsuki smiles in amusement and is about to say something when Orihime runs slightly ahead of the small group.

"Yay~ Fresh air! It smells so nice, and I feel so light~" She does a twirl right in front of them, blocking their path. Rukia smiles at the scene while Tatsuki rolls her eyes fondly and Shiro patiently waits for Orihime to calm down. He's in a good mood today, and feels he can afford to wait. Finally Orihime comes to a halt, although now she's frowning. "But wait- that's not right. I really do feel lighter…. Let me see…" She quickly unzips and shuffles through her pink backpack's contents. "Oh no!" she yelps, flailing her arms some. "I left my history textbook inside! Be right back!" She makes a beeline for the high school entrance, kicking up a bit of dust in the process. Shiro watches in wry amusement of this and Tatsuki's long-suffering expression.

Their attitudes abruptly change however, when Chizuru pops up out of nowhere and ambushes Orihime on her way back inside. "Why that damn-" Tatsuki starts muttering, working herself into a frenzy as she rolls up her sleeves. She takes a single step toward the pair, only to be stopped by Shiro. "What-?"

"Hold on a moment, Tatsuki," he murmurs with a calculating expression, brows furrowed in thought. "Let's see what she does," is the suggestion while Rukia strides up to his side.

Tatsuki is aghast. "Are you crazy?" She briefly pauses. "You know what? Don't answer that. I'm going and you-"

Orihime's voice rises, snatching away Tatsuki's attention. "Chizuru-san, you need to stop."

"What? But whyyyy? Don't you like me?" Chizuru pouts, holding Orihime around the waist and now picking her up. Despite her innocent-sounding words, there is an obvious leer in Chizuru's eyes.

"Not like this. What you're doing is very inappropriate, and you need to stop," Orihime states firmly, and Tatsuki is so shocked by her friend's tone of voice that she actually slows to a stop herself. Chizuru, unfortunately, is not so hindered as she continues to babble nonsense in her usual perverted fashion. "P-please stop," Orihime tries again, growing increasingly nervous when Chizuru continues with her antics. It isn't long before the redhead crosses the line.

The sound of a harsh slap reverberates around the school courtyard.

Various after-school conversations patter off to an unexpected end. All the remaining students still in the vicinity turn to see what the commotion is about. There Orihime stands, trembling and with her hand still raised, much like she did with Shiro over a week ago. Chizuru has stumbled back a few paces, a red sweltering mark on her left cheek. She numbly raises a manicured hand to touch the sore spot, wincing slightly as she does. She moves her stunned gaze up to Orihime, as if to confirm that this ditzy, whiny girl had truly meant to hit her hard enough to bruise. When no apologies are immediately forthcoming, Chizuru realizes that yes, it was intentional.

Seeming in a daze, Chizuru wanders away. Slowly, the background murmur of various students' conversations return, although most with an entirely different topic than previously possessed. Orihime for her part, has stopped trembling. She picks up her backpack and slowly makes her way back to her friends, face downcast and shadowed.

Understanding floods to Tatsuki's mind, and she whirls to confront Shiro. "You knew this would happen," she accuses, shoving a finger in Shiro's face.

He wrinkles his nose in disapproval of the invasion of his personal space. Nonetheless, he responds in a flippant manner. "What'd'ya mean? I'm not psychic in that way."

"Don't bullshit me, Shiro," she hisses in a dangerous tone, taking a threatening step closer. "What did you do?" Shiro wears an unconcerned mask, although that cracks somewhat when Orihime of all people comes to his rescue.

"What are you mad at Kurosaki-kun for, Tatsuki?" she asks out loud, smiling brightly. This gives them all pause, Rukia and Tatsuki because she's smiling after what just happened and Shiro because this is the first Orihime's ever called him 'Kurosaki-kun'. When Tatsuki fails to instantly reply, Orihime continues on. "All he did was help me see that I could be stronger if I really wanted to. Now you don't have to worry about me so much, ne~?" Shiro isn't sure how, but somehow Orihime's smile becomes all the brighter.

Tatsuki is still at a loss for words, so Orihime gracefully changes the topic to allow her friend time to recover. "Well, let's go~!" She twirls and begins marching away from school. "My favorite show is on tonight, and I've got the greatest idea for a snack-"

"What about your history textbook, Orihime?" Tatsuki blurts out in question.

"Oh, I'm ahead in my reading anyways," Orihime lightly chimes, not even bothering to turn around. Her long hair sways behind her as she walks and there is a slight bounce to her step. Rukia and Shiro share a knowing glance before catching up to the girl, dragging along a gobsmacked Tatsuki behind them.

Later that evening Rukia hums to herself while browsing the selection of candies in the Urahara Shoten. Owner of said establishment is seated on a green mat not too far away, finger hovering over a calculator as he studies his most frequent customer as of late.

"Your mood seems to have significantly improved since the last time I saw you, Kuchiki-san~" Urahara notes casually, calculating gray eyes shaded by his striped bucket hat. Rukia shrugs nonchalantly, neither confirming nor denying. Just the same, Urahara knows his words to be true. The improvement of the girl's disposition is undeniable.

When Rukia chooses a chocolate bar, Urahara pulls his hat lower to hide his surprise. He hadn't thought the girl would actually choose something. The last thing he would expect from a Kuchiki noble is to indulge in any sort of earthly pleasures. Either the Kuchiki clan as a whole has changed greatly since Urahara was exiled (and this little fact has somehow escaped his notice), or Miss Rukia Kuchiki alone has been changed by her time in the World of the Living. Kisuke feels the answer is clear. Nothing in Soul Society escapes his notice, even when exiled to an entirely different dimension.

Rukia walks up to the shopkeeper with her treat. "This and my order, if you would please. I assume it is in by now?"

Urahara smiles pleasantly. "That it is, Kuchiki-san. Ururu, go get our customer her order please. It's in the back- the box labelled 'new goods'."

"Yes, sir…"

The next morning Rukia introduces Shiro to the artificial soul. "And you're sure this thing will act just like me?" he questions again, sounding unconvinced. He stares suspiciously at what appears to be a pez dispenser. He wants this to be true, since he understands just how dangerous it is to leave his body around when out fighting hollows. Nonetheless, he can't help his distrusting nature, and it doesn't help that Rukia won't tell him where exactly she's obtaining these supplies. All she ever answers with when asked is 'the Soul Society'.

Rukia allays his suspicions for the third time. "It's completely safe!" she says.

"It's completely safe, you said!" Shiro mocks as they run after his wayward body. They have been doing just that, for most of the morning now. It is terribly embarrassing, especially since for some reason Rukia's memory replacer doesn't seem to work on Orihime nor Tatsuki. They saw his possessed body make a total fool of himself!

"That's what I was guaranteed!" Rukia defends herself.

"Who?! Who guaranteed you?" Shiro demands. "And no more of this Soul Society bullshit. I want the name of your contact!"

Rukia shoots Shiro a glare. Nonetheless, she feels it's a fair request considering what has happened. "Kisuke Urahara, owner of the Urahara Shoten."

Shiro, for once, is dumbfounded. "That rundown, dinky little candy store?!" Shiro has always thought the infamous little candy shop was host to something sinister. He's suspected everything from highly illegal, experimental drugs to child prostitution. Admittedly though, this particular scenario has never occurred to him. He resolves then and there to confront the owner. Not only does someone have to answer for what has happened, Shiro also wants to learn about the underbelly of the afterlife. The Soul Society's black market… This should be interesting.

By this time it's in the early evening. Finally, Shiro has cornered the runaway on top of an elementary school building... Only for Urahara Kisuke to intervene and pop the artificial soul right out of Shiro's human body. "What will you do with it?" Shiro scrutinizes the tiny pill the shopkeeper holds.

"Why, what is always done to defective merchandise- destroy it."

"Wait. Out of idle curiosity, that story he gave me about his origin… is it true?"

"Does it matter?"

Shiro shrugs. "What can I say? I'm a curious person."

Flipping open his paper fan, Urahara uses it to shade his face. "It's true," he admits. It seems there would be no holding back the punches, as he sounds entirely unrepentant.

There is a pregnant pause.

Shiro extends a hand with a leveled look. "Give it here," he orders, doing the 'gimme' gesture with the extended hand.

"Whatever for?" is the subtle challenge, his voice lilting.

"Does it matter?" Shiro mocks. "It's not your property," he goes on, blowing Urahara off without a care. "No one is asking for a refund, either."

"What can I say? I'm a curious person," Urahara mocks right back, not to be outdone. "Could it be that you feel sorry for this little thing?" Urahara then taunts in a guise of innocence, holding up the tiny green pill between two fingers. It is clear how incredibly easy it would be for him to smash it then and there.

"Maybe I find it amusin'."

"Oh? Do you usually curse so vulgarly at things you find amusing? I overheard some of what you said while chasing it down..."

Shiro's smile grows, eyes narrowing in a predatory gleam. He knows exactly what Urahara is trying to do. "It could be useful," he fires back mildly.

"You could trade it in for a less troublesome one, free of charge!" Urahara flutters his fan coyly. Shiro is grasping at straws now and he knows it.

"I'll have to talk to Kuchiki-chan first."

"Hmm..." He closes his fan with a snap and using it to tap his chin. His other hand slips into his pocket with the mod soul and his head tilts in thought. "I wouldn't have pegged you for someone who lets others make his decisions for him, Kurosaki-san."

Shiro clenches and unclenches his hands. "We've barely met. How've you had time to peg me as anything?" The interrogation is turned on its head as the younger becomes the aggressor. He leans forward, posture screaming dominance. "It almost sounds like you've been watching me…" The accusation hangs dangerously in the air, and it's obvious that Shiro thinks he has the upper hand from the lopsided smirk he wears.

Urahara lowers his fan altogether, abandoning its meager protection. A sound originates from the man's chest, starting off soft, only to quickly grow in volume and tempo. He is laughing heartily, countenance entirely patronizing. Shiro's blood runs cold. "Oh Kurosaki-kun, I'm always watching." And with that cheerfully delivered warning, the blonde drops the modified soul onto Shiro's hand and disappears into thin air.

Shiro is in a bad mood by the time he and Rukia return home and the latter slips the pill into Yuzu's lion stuffed animal. After a bit of useless shenanigans, the modified soul proceeds to name itself Kai. "I couldn't care less what you call yourself. Just get out of my house."

"... w-what?" The self-proclaimed Kai stutters, taken aback. Isn't this the guy who saved him from being destroyed? That's what Kai was told.

"I said GET OUT!" Shiro motions swiftly to the door, as if he's cutting the air with his arm. Kai shrinks away in fright at the command and Shiro's consequent reiatsu rise.

"Shiro, calm down," Rukia soothes quietly, taking a step forward and laying a comforting hand on the albino's chest. When he doesn't immediately shake her off, Rukia takes this as a good sign. She tilts her head down toward Kai. "Kai, why don't you step outside and let me talk to him?" Rukia suggests, hand still on Shiro's chest. The boy is refusing to look at either of them. He stares out the window, glaring darkly at nothing. The expression is rather terrifying. Kai wastes no time stepping outside. Rukia returns her attention to Shiro. "Now, care to tell me what that was all about?" she prompts in a neutral tone that Shiro is thankful for.

"It's an annoying little shit. That's all the justification I need." Rukia crosses her arms in an unconvinced manner, leveling him with a cool gaze. "Tch." Shiro rolls his eyes at her silent insistence. "The thing is obviously perverted. There are four females staying in this house. Do I really need to do the math for you? I'm not suggesting a… refund or whatever. Just kick him out and buy another."

There's a few moments pause, during which Rukia studies his expression closely. Finally, she sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose with it instead. "I'm not made out of money, you know. Buying that one took up the last of my funds."

"I have yen you can use," he states flatly, apparently not taking 'no' for an answer.

"Shiro…" Her voice trails off at his red eyed glower. She sighs again. "Just give me a week to find somewhere else for him to stay, alright? Then, if you still feel the same way, you'll never have to see him again." She waits for his response in anticipation, giving him a pleading look. He stares at her for a full minute.

"...Fine," he finally relents. "One week."

Girl-of-Action- Hope y'all enjoyed! I love to hear from you guys, so if you have any constructive criticisms, general thoughts or suggestions in regards to this story, please be sure to tell me! This chapter was betaed by the awesome vinoliepie.

Thanks for reading~