A/N: I've brought myself to write for Bleach again! Recently I've been guilty of straying over into the KHR camp (But Gokudera is so sexy!) so I hope I can bring myself back into the Bleach atmosphere. This chapter's super wordy, so brace yourself people! And yes, Kaien appears here!

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach

Chapter 4

A sigh escaped his lips as Kaien rubbed his temple. His fingers flipped through the stack of letters again, mostly concerning trivial matters like invitations to weddings and stuff. Then the flipping paused, right at one specific document. Kaien's eyes scanned through the page.

Not believing what the letter just mentioned, he skimmed through it, more slowly and carefully this time. No matter how many times he read it, the words remained the same; the same cold, unfeeling daggers stained onto a piece of paper.

Kaien stared, blankly this time, at the offensive letter. Then, he released a breath he didn't know he had been holding. Such is the way of the Bushidos, there is no turning back once the katana is held, his soul serves the country till the end.

"Sh...Shiba-sama," Rukia's muffled voice travelled into the study from outside, breaking Kaien out of his thoughts. "Your morning tea."

Preparing himself by plastering on a smile, he called out, "Come on in."

Rukia slid open the door clumsily, and scampered in. She presented the tray of antique-looking china on the table. "Today the kitchen serves chrysanthemum tea."

Kaien elegantly took the cup in his hand and downed the contents. "Aromatic as usual," He commented.

But Rukia could tell her master wasn't enjoying the beverage. For one he wouldn't have finish the tea in one sip; he would have savoured it instead. "I... Is there anything wrong with the tea, Shiba-sama?" She enquired.

Kaien looked at her, before flashing a meager smile at her, the best he could come up with, "No there isn't. It's as usual, isn't it?"

"It is," Rukia bowed again. But she knew, that the small crease at the corner of his eye was not usual.

"Ah," Kaien started, straightening his back. "Have I told you? My nephew's coming over to stay with us for some time." He was trying to avert the topic. "He's staying to sit for the imperial exams or something. He's about your age, I think you two will make good friends." He grinned enthusiastically at her.

Perhaps, this was the best for her.

"Nephew? I didn't know Kaien-sama had any brothers..." Rukia commented, although she was mumbling it more than she was saying it.

Kaien laughed. "It was more like sworn-brothers actually, but our relation's good enough to be called brothers. But that son of his, might be a bit peculiar though." His eyes were on the ceiling as he recalled any recollections he had of his nephew. It had been quite a few years since he last saw him.

"Peculiar? What do you mean?"

Kaien was about to open his mouth, when a third voice joined in from outside, "Shiba-sama. Visitor."

Before anyone could react the door slid open. Rukia's eyes widened at the sight of the boy. The boy, tall, lean and perhaps a bit barbaric-looking, had on the same exact features as Kaien. It was the same eyes, same nose, same mouth; it was as if they were twins, no, mirror images of each other. The only striking difference was the hair. The visitor had an idiosyncratic colour of orange for his spiky hair. "Yo," The man greeted nonchalantly.

"Long time no see, Kurosaki Ichigo."

Ichigo strolled along the path home silently, Rukia trailing behind. It has been a few weeks already, and they were quite used to being in each other's company now. Although Ichigo has been persuading her to wander off to relax once in a while, she never once did heed his advice. But he figured out that if she's happy with following him, there's no way he could stop her from doing so. Practically they never really did leave each other, except when he's in the showers. If one of them was absent the other would feel rather uneasy.

"Have you realised how you walk past people on the streets?" Ichigo started, half attempting to start a conversation, half trying to get her to realise her death. Ichigo had been trying to get her to remember her death everyday,

"Th... There's ghosts on the s...streets?"

But as days passed, he gave up more easily.

Ichigo laughed, before teasing her, "No, I'm just trying to tell you how skinny you are. You should eat more." Of course he knew that no matter how much a spirit eats they would never get fat, he just needed to make something up to carry on the conversation.

Rukia's face was flushed a shade of scarlet. "Y... Yes, Shiba-sama."

Ichigo tilted his head back to inform her that he was just joking, and noticed a man in trenchcoat standing on the street when he turned back. The oddity of the situation suddenly sent chills down his spine, and he quickened his footsteps, not hoping to encounter the creepy figure. Ichigo sees ghosts, but none as eerie as this man. Perhaps it was because all he could see was a sillouette of him, black and faceless from the distance. He was still as a stone, not moving even an inch.

Ichigo almost lost his grip on his schoolbag when they approached him. He'd caught a clearer glimpse of the man's face now - it was the spitting image of him. Ichigo's heart went wild as adrenaline flooded his body, urging him to walk faster. Heck, forget about walking, run.

"Kurosaki Ichigo."

The said boy froze. He didn't even feel the slight knock on his back when Rukia clumsily bumped into him.

"And Kuchiki Rukia."

Rukia pivoted around in reflex. And she stood, face to face, with a face that was so familliar and desired for. She too, remained stupified.

Ichigo only remembered to move when he heard Rukia's small gasps. Gulping hard, he demanded, "Who're you...?"

Kaien sniggered, burying his hands in the pockets of his trenchcoat. "Shiba Kaien. Long time no see, Kuchiki Rukia, and Kurosaki Ichigo," He flashed a grin and patted her head.

"Get your dirty hands off her," Ichigo barked, unhappy at the sight of Rukia being touched by a sinister-looking man. Hang on, how come he could see her?

Rukia was still too flabbergasted to process anything at the moment. She remained still, locked in her gaze at him. "Shiba...sama?" It was barely audible.

Kaien gaped longingly at her, before uttering gently, "Hey, Rukia."

Shiba Kaien. The name finally rang a bell in his head. Shiba Kaien, wasn't he the statue he saw the other day? This... This person was Rukia's master? But, but it was illogical. Shiba Kaien would have been dead for centuries, and this man did not appear like a ghost either. He's a real living man, with a face creepily alike to Ichigo's, someone who claimed that he was the ancestor of him and the master of Rukia, and was now acting all intimate with her. Ichigo was obviously getting madder by the second. "I rephrase my question," He declared, "What are you?"

Kaien looked up at him, before explaining, "I'm one of you. Or rather, you're one of us."

"Huh?" Ichigo's face was twisted in misunderstanding.

Kaien sighed, and started narrating, the way he usually did with rookies, "I come from an association. The Shibomuzakura Association. We are in charge of the matters of the dead."

Ichigo's eyebrows furrowed. He remained silent, but Kaien could tell he was listening. And so he continued, "You can see ghosts can't you?"

Ichigo replied, a little confused. "You can too, right?"

"I think we're getting on the right track," Kaien remarked, relieved that his job was half complete. "Our powers bound us to a duty, you can say that our powers are like a contract."

"What're you getting at?" The hostility in his voice weakened.

Kaien carried on, "It is our responsibility to guide the lost souls of the world back to another dimension."

Ichigo scoffed, "I knew that. I've led lots of other ghosts back to enlightenment too." Although he was starting to get a bit curious. Sulking that he had to appear stupid, he asked, "Whe... Where do they go to actually?"

Kaien chortled, much to the displeasure of Ichigo. "As I've mentioned, another dimension. I can't tell you as yet what it's like."

Ichigo rolled his eyes, sticking his hands on his hips to show a little bit of authority, "If you continue treating me like some stupid retard I'm going to pummel the living daylight out of you, and perhaps by then you can tell me what it's like when you're dead." He started to grow a little smug at the retort.

"It's not because I've not died, I've died before, many times," He suddenly announced. Ichigo paused, and grew more bewildered. Sensing the bafflement of the orange-haired boy, Kaien elaborated, "You see, the main point of sending them into the other dimension, is simply for the sake of reincarnation."

"Reincarnation?"

"This is to balance the cycle of human flow in this world. Humans are born as babies unto this world, and when they grow old and die, their souls reincarnate and they become foetuses in their mother's wombs as babies again. Such is the cycle of life; to maintain a steady supply of the human population, and to continue to contribute to nature."

Ichigo blinked at him as though he had just tried to teach a high schooler university-level topics. But he understood, vaguely at least. "So, you're really Shiba Kaien? Rukia's... Rukia's previous master?"

Kaien pulled on a smirk, "More or less."

Ichigo, with wide eyes, shot a glance at Rukia, who appeared to not be following the conversation. "Th... Then are you trying to reincarnate her?" He glanced up at him with overwhelming apprehension in his eyes.

"Technically, no, we leave that to those fellows up there, but either way, I'm still going to bring her to the other dimension." Kaien noticed the resentment overflowing inside the teen's body, but he had seen too much of these unwillingness in his career.

Ichigo quickly clutched Rukia's elbow, jolting her from her trance. "What if I don't let you?" He challenged. Rukia only realised now that there were two Shiba-samas, and her head started to throb with an approaching headache.

Kaien sighed, tired that he would have to go through this scenario over again, "Do you know what happens to spirits who stay in the world for too long?"

Ichigo remained silent, and contined glaring menacingly at him.

"Their bonds for this world grows stronger, and it gets harder for them to be reincarnated. Their chances of living like a normal human again dwindles, and not only that, their memories would slowly fade away with time. Soon they would just become an empty vessel loitering in our world, with no clear goal or aim. They are just hollow boxes who are anchored deeply to stay in this world. And this girl here," He pointed at Rukia, "She has been a ghost for almost a thousand years."

Ichigo was too aghast to speak. Strength ebbed away in his hands as he loosened the grip on Rukia, and eventually having them fall limply by his side. He didn't have the courage to look at Rukia anymore, he felt that he had betrayed her, that should she suffer any consequences it would be the result of his selfish wrongdoings. Sorry, Rukia, I'm so sorry. He never found the power to say it out.

"Do you understand now, why we have to take her away from you?" Kaien's voice was tinged with slight guilt. He marched towards her. "Some of her memories are still intact, but her bond in this world is very strong. It will take some time to break it," He studied. "It's really a miracle, but there's still a glimmer of hope."

Ichigo's gaze remained fixated on the floor, unable to say anything. He's going to stand there, and let a man he never knew take Rukia away.

Kaien chanted some spells, and in a moment his palms were emitting a soft, warm glow. Rukia peeked curiously at the intriguing light, and suddenly all her headaches were dissipated. The glow gave her such a soothing feeling, she felt so relaxed, so tranquil...

Kaien's hand made contact with her wrists. He held tight onto her wrist, and with he free hand, wiped past the air. The glow left a trail of an even brighter light when he did, and the ends of this glow extended. In a few seconds the palm width hole expanded to a door-sized portal.

"Go on," Kaien nudged Rukia, "Step in there, and you'll find back your reason in living. Leave this world with no guilt, and enter again with hope."

Ichigo clenched his fist, not daring to look up, and yet, his soul was screaming at him to do so.

Kaien slowly brought up her hand. From there on she would be absorbed into the space, and would find a new lease of life. Her fingertips made contact with the door of brightness.

The light shattered.

Ichigo whipped his head up, unable to take it anymore. Kaien stood there, mouth agape as the shards of broken glass-like material scattered on them. This wasn't supposed to happen. He had chanted to spell meant for breaking the bond. There ought to be no mistake. He quickly casted a glance at Rukia. She seemed startled by the sudden accident, clenching her eyelids shut and tensing up her muscles. She seemed perfectly normal.

"Rukia, are you alright?" Ichigo dashed over and clutched her trembling shoulders, trying to comfort the shaken girl. "Is it... over?" Ichigo probed. "Is she supposed to be still here, like this?" His leer fell onto Kaien's contact with Rukia. He still could not help feeling jealous.

Releasing his grasp and brushing his shirt, the ends of his lips were tugged into a smile. He knew the reason now. "No, it's not over, and she's not supposed to be still here like this," He answered. "But I guess one of the reason she can't leave is not because of the bond connected to this world. And I think that reason would explain pretty well why her memories have not faded as yet."

"Why?" Ichigo was getting impatient with his constant beatings around the bush.

"Because her bond is not in connection with the world, but with someone. And that someone, would be you," Kaien answered. Somehow there was a hint of regret in his words, but Ichigo was too overwhelmed to notice that.

He fought hard to keep his quivering lips from smiling when he peeped at Rukia again. But his smile faded when another thought struck him. "But..." He started, "She thought I was... you."

Kaien chuckled, sounding quite empty this time, however no one noticed, "Ghosts don't differentiate people by their appearance. However it still remains quite a mystery as to why she calls you my name."

Ichigo's eyes were downcasted again. Kaien spotted that, and added, "If you're fretting, let me assure you that the one she longs for is you, Kurosaki Ichigo. My eyes, and my memories don't fail me."

Ichigo looked up, feeling slightly better. Rukia's shivering had died down, and her eyelids were closing sleepily. Kaien chortled again, "That girl, still as clumsy as always. Well, I'll get going now, there's still other spirits I have to take care of. Oh, and this," He reached into his pocket and fished out a small card. "This is the name card of the Shibomuzakura Association. It's not really a business, more like an organisation. It's open only to people like us, so we would welcome you to join anytime. Sa, see you soon. I'll still try to find a way to bring her back." He pivoted around.

"Wait, hang on!" Ichigo called out. He had so many other questions left unanswered. "How come you remember your past lives while I don't? Why did you guys find out about Rukia only after so many years? Oi don't leave!"

But Shiba Kaien, the man in trenchcoat, vanished from sight.

A/N: Finally I've found the Ichigo and Rukia bunnies! I hope I have explained quite a lot in this chapter, and perhaps this would mark the beginning of the climax of the story. (Not that I have planned out the entire plot yet. *cries*) I have planned for this to be a relatively short story anyway, perhaps lasting about 10 chapters. But thank you guys for all your support and favourites and alerts and reviews and even just bothering to read this fic! It is with all your support that I have continued this far, aarigato kosaimasu!

There's not going to be a lot of historical references and the sun and moon nonsense now, simply because I'm too lazy to research and think of metaphors. Plus it's like 2.50 AM and I have school tomorrow. XD

Once again, thank you very much for reading and I hope you like it!

P.S. To all of your who supported me for my exams, thank you very much! I have not touched my books since chapter 3 *guilty* but I will still try my best! Thank you guys, you're the best! :D