Chapter 8

Yoruichi stared at the ground as the group walked around aimlessly in the streets of Seireitei. She was now considered a criminal to one of the most powerful clans in Soul Society and that puts all of her newfound friends in danger. Hell, she was even worried for Byakuya's safety. Yet, every time that she tried to say that they should separate, Ichigo would stubbornly refuse repeatedly saying that they were in this together. So here they were, wandering Seireitei hoping to find some sort of safe haven where they could crash for the night. Byakuya suggested that they head over to a secret compound that only he and Hisana knew about where they could hide so that's where they were headed. The problem was that Byakuya was trying to remember exactly where the compound was in the city causing the group to try thinking of other ideas. Kisuke mentioned heading back to Rukongai, but Ichigo wanted to avoid that if possible due to the harsh environment there. Sleeping the streets wasn't an option for there were night patrols of the Great Guardian Core under the Central 46, which consisted of all trained Shinigami and was headed by the strongest known Shinigami. It was a bad situation all around.

"Yoruichi-chan?"

Yoruichi looked up to see Orihime looking back at her with a look of concern on her face. Yoruichi immediately put a smile on her face.

"What's up, Orihime?" asked Yoruichi.

Orihime gave Yoruichi knowing smile.

"You can't keep beating yourself up for what happened, we all knew the consequences and we're all here to help," she said.

Yoruichi smiled ebbed a bit, but she just shook her head to cover it and waved her hand dismissively.

"Ah I know that, don't worry about it we're in this together and all that jazz," she said.

Orihime just sniffed in humor before turning back around. As soon as she did, Yoruichi went back into a gloomy state.

"You do realize that everybody knows that you're acting like this, right?"

Yoruichi almost yelped when she saw Kisuke right next to her with the fan over his mouth and the hat shadowing his eyes. She quickly recovered and faced the other way.

"Hmph," she grunted.

Kisuke looked at her from behind his fan before sighing and closing it with a snap.

"You can't get caught up on what could have been, Yoruichi-san," he said, "The past is past."

Yoruichi didn't answer she simply continued to look the other way. Kisuke sighed and simply walked along side her in silence. Up ahead the group could hear Byakuya muttering to himself as he tried to remember the exact location of the compound. Ichigo had his arms crossed with a hard scowl on his face trying to figure out any other good hiding spots and Renji had his hands behind the back of his head while throwing snide comments towards Byakuya.

"Man, all this walking is a pain, are you sure you know where you are going?" asked Renji.

"Of course I do and I'm sure this is the building!" said Byakuya.

"Uh-huh like you said about the five other buildings we spent half an hour orbiting before you finally realized it wasn't it," stated Renji off-handedly.

"Uruse!" Byakuya growled.

Renji simply chuckled and looked up at the sky only to see that the sun was slowly starting to take an orange tinge as it neared the horizon. His smile ebbed a bit.

"Looks like we're running out of time," he said.

Ichigo looked up as well and sighed.

"And I can't really think of any place safer than Byakuya's compound… if it exists," he muttered.

"It exists," insisted Byakuya.

"Well then you'd better find it before the sun sets else we'll all be behind bars or dead," said Renji sarcastically, "No pressure!"

Byakuya felt a vein pop in his forehead as he rounded on Renji with a glare.

"Uruse! You are distracting me!" he roared.

"Well you haven't exactly had better results while I actually held my tongue," said Renji.

"Well maybe if you'd just be quite a bit longer I'll be able to find it!" growled the young Kuchiki.

"Sure and if I hold my breath for long enough I'll start floating in the air," said Renji offhandedly.

"You… wait what?"

"Children, please," said Ichigo trying to keep the peace.

Everyone else watched the whole ordeal with sweat drops.

"Matagu," said Rukia holding her head, "He really doesn't know when to shut his mouth does he?"

Kisuke simply started to giggle behind his fan while Yoruichi and Inoue looked at one another. Momo leaned against a wall in exasperation… or at least that was the plan until the wall caved in causing her to fall inside.

"Wah!" she cried.

Everyone immediately turned at her cry.

"Momo!" exclaimed Ichigo immediately taking a serious expression and running to the open doorway.

There they found Momo rubbing her back.

"Eta…" she whimpered.

"Momo, you okay?" asked Ichigo in concern as he helped her to her feet.

Momo nodded before looking down the hall, which seemed dark. Suddenly Byakuya pushed in front of Ichigo and Momo.

"This is it, the secret compound follow me," he said proceeding down the hallway.

The others followed close behind. Being the last one in, Renji closed the door behind them causing everything to go black for a little bit, but suddenly the torches that lined the walls lit up with flame brightening the place. The group proceeded down the steps until they reached another darkened corridor. As soon as Byakuya entered, a sudden lighting of flames revealed a gaping huge chamber.

"This is it," said Byakuya.

The group stood in awe at the sheer size of the huge hall.

"Wow… did the Kuchiki clan build this?" asked Ichigo.

"No, I found it while exploring with Hisana," said Byakuya, "It became our secret hiding place when we didn't want do deal with politics."

Yoruichi lifted a brow at that.

"Oh? And who was the one who didn't enjoy politics?" she teased.

Byakuya smirked back.

"Hisana," he said before looking back at the room, "She hates the policies of the nobles as much as you do and she also calls me a stiff sometimes and I would always say that I do it to honor my clan…"

Byakuya lowered his eyes.

"I wonder what she thinks of me now?" he muttered.

Yoruichi lowered her eyes a bit as well on that.

"Um… if you don't mind me asking… who is Hisana?" asked Momo.

"She's Byakuya's bride to be in order to strengthen political bonds between their respective clans," stated Orihime before Byakuya or Yoruichi could open their mouths.

"I believe you mentioned her name when you mistook Rukia for her right?" asked Kisuke.

"Yes, I treated Hisana for the same illness and since Rukia looked so similar to her, I simply assumed for a bit," said Orihime.

Rukia seemed to be intrigued by this.

"So this Hisana holds some resemblance to me?" asked Rukia.

Orihime looked back at her.

"Exactly the same… like twins," she stated.

Byakuya smiled.

"I think she would have loved to meet you," he stated.

"Indeed I do."

The group turned to the other side of the room to see four figures standing there. One was a small girl that looked exactly like Rukia purple eyes, black hair, and all, but the only difference was that she had more of a softer look to her rather than Rukia's harder look. The second was a boy with darker skin, black hair and purple eyes. The third had silver hair and green eyes with a foxlike grin. The last figure was man that was much older then all of the children. He had a black tuft going down the back of his head with the top of his head bald and a clean-cut goatee with piercing red orbs. All four of them wore the black shihakusho of Shinigami.

"Hisana?!" exclaimed Byakuya in shock.

Hisana gave a Byakuya a small smile before looking at Rukia who looked back gaping at the fact that an almost literal copy of her was standing at the opposite side of the room. Ichigo stepped forward earning looks from all of his comrades.

"Fancy seeing you around these parts, Sensei," he said.

The man looked at Ichigo for the longest time before smirking.

"Hmph, you certainly have done well for yourself, my young pupil," said the man.

Rukia's eyes suddenly widened when she realized the implications of the little spat between Ichigo and the man.

"Ichigo, is this…?" asked Rukia although already knowing the answer.

Ichigo didn't take his eyes off the man in front of him as he answered.

"He is the Shinigami that taught me everything that I know," said Ichigo.