Sorry but i do not own bleach ...
Two days before Ichigo awoke
Rukia sobbed silently next to Ichigo's broken body. She could still feel the warmth emanating from the puddle of blood she was kneeling in. How could she have let this happen to the man who had risked invading the soul society for her, who had saved her life on many occasions at the cost of much pain and blood? She knew she wouldn't be able to save him, but she could at least heal the wounds so that his family wouldn't see how gruesomely he died.
Flashback
Rukia leaped out of the senkaimon only to stop short at what the living world showed her. Her brother, Byakuya removing the tip of his sword from someone's throat, Soi Fon with a satisfied smirk on her face and Toshiro with his back turned to them both with a look of utter disgust.
She then focused on the body at her brother's feet. At first she couldn't recognize the mangled body until she noticed the bright orange hair on his head. Tears began to fall as she could only watch her brother clean his zanpakuto of the blood remaining before turning and opening a senkaimon himself and the three captains proceeded to return to the soul society.
Rukia slowly, as if she was in a dream walked to his body. She stepped in what she thought was a puddle only to look down at her foot and see her sock soaked in Ichigo's blood.
"Ichigo …" Rukia could only whisper, her voice sounded croaky as if it had been a long time since she had used it.
"H-how did this ha-happen to you Ichigo? You w-were so …" Her words were cut of by a sob as her tears started running freely down her face. They fell off her chin and mixed with the blood that was still flowing from his body.
She reached out her hand and gently cupped his cheek. His body still held it's warmth but it was nothing compared to the warmth she felt from him when he was alive. His reiatsu was turbulent and powerful, so much so that she needed to become stronger herself in order to be around him after he rescued her.
She let a small smile grace her face as she thought about that day. How he had been able to save her, how he held her and told her that no matter what she said he was there to rescue her.
"I was in love with you then Ichigo; I just didn't know it yet. You were everything to me. I left you here so that you could live, even if it meant I would die, but you followed me. You saved not only my life, but my soul as well. I only wish I could say I did the same for you … you were always so much stronger than I was …"
Rukia began to cry again.
End Flashback
"If only I had come back faster! If only I … I …" Rukia suddenly stood up emanating the pain and hate she had in her body through her reiatsu "If only I hadn't trusted URAHARA!"
With one last yell Rukia shunpoed away from the scene of the murder heading towards a particular candy shop.
The senkaimon opened and three Captains stepped out. The only one to greet them was the Head Captain.
"I am to understand that everything went well?" Yamamoto asked quickly.
"I have regained the honor of the Kuchiki" Byakuya stated plainly before shunpoing away from the Head Captain.
"Ichigo Kurosaki is now dead head captain. He was not a problem for the two Captains who ended his life.
Toshiro merely turned and began walking away. "I wasn't aware that you needed a third captain to kill one unarmed boy."
Soi Fon sneered at his comment but the Head Captain began to speak to her.
"I have another assignment for you Soi Fon." The petite Captain stood at attention awaiting her next instructions. "I am curious as to what our two Captains Ukitake and Kyoraku are up to. They have been strangely obedient recently and there is still the matter of where Jushiro was during our Captains meeting."
"I will begin investigating immediately Head Caption!" Soi Fon then shunpoed away to begin her mission.
"I feel that the two of you are preparing to stand up to me again, but this time I will ensure that you know who is in charge of the Soul Society."
"We guessed that she would leave as soon as you told her what the plan was." Jushiro sighed as he looked out at the 13th squads training grounds.
"I never got the chance to explain anything. She took off as soon as she heard that he was going to die. Not that I blame her. I just feel bad that the task will fall on Urahara, if he survives her wrath that is." Shunsui lay back lazily as he sipped on some sake. "I guess I don't really feel all that bad."
"I know what you mean. This whole predicament was out of our control. He will be able to calm her down and explain the situation more thoroughly than you would have Shunsui."
The flowery Captain only smirked at what his best friend said. He knew that he could have down a fine job explaining it, but it wouldn't have stopped her from returning to him.
"I just hope this all works out for the best Jushiro, but we need to be careful. Old man Yamo is going to be watching us, and you can bet he will have help."
"Yes. You are right." Ukitake sipped his tea before looking out again. "Everything is in Ichigo's hands now. We may end up killing him for real next time."
"If he chooses that path we will all be destroyed. Do you really think he would take it that far?" Shunsui looked at his friends face as he contemplated his answer. He couldn't help but feel love for his friend. They had been through a lot together, though, Jushiro was worse for wear.
"He has always let his emotions drive his actions. He will be very angry at what has occurred tonight. The Soul Society betrayed him, its savior." Jushiro then let a smile grace his face. "But one characteristic dominates every action he has made up to this point. He wishes to, and has done so, protect his friends. He never puts them in danger and charges in head first without a second thought to his own life."
Shunsui smiled. "There is one friend that I think he is especially reckless around. He has always been the most protective of Little Miss Kuchiki."
"Yes, and she of him. There is no use worrying about what may come to pass. We will just have to meet him head on when he does arrive."
Shunsui then finished the rest of his sake and stood up. "Well I suppose I should return to my barracks to get some sleep. Nanao will be furious if she wakes up and I'm not there."
Jushiro just smiled as his friend walked out of his office. "We can only hope you make the right decision Ichigo, but it is your decision to make."
With that thought in mind Jushiro stood up and made his was to his own bed.
Urahara could sense Rukia speeding towards his shop. He could feel the pain and suffering her reiatsu was emanating as if it was his own. He knew the truth about the situation but the pain it was causing her still brought him to the verge of tears. The he felt warmth and love as two arms wrapped around his neck. Yoruichi kissed his cheek and he could only smile.
"I would be lost without you my love."
"That is obvious Kisuke, but right now we have a pissed off Kuchiki rushing here and she doesn't seem interested in listening to anything we may want to say to her."
"She will listen. She not as hot headed as Ichigo, but all the same … I created the perfect defense for warding off a pissed off Kuchiki."
"Really, I didn't know you were so prepared for this Kisuke." Yoruichi smiled thinking about how smart and prepared he was for the events that seemed to be transpiring at such a fast pace.
Rukia could see the shop. The lights were on and she could see two people moving around through the screened door.
"How could they be living so calmly as one of the best people I know has been murdered? Cut down in the middle of the street by those he thought to be allies. Because Urahara had lied to me! My Captain lied to me!"
In one move she cut the door in half and stepped into the shop.
"Welcome Miss Kuchiki. We have been expecting you" sounded the jovial voice of the shop owner. Rukia's eyes were on the ground as she let the happy go lucky voice wash over her, fueling her hatred of the man further.
Rukia place a hand on her zanpakuto and began drawing it out of its sheath while closing her eyes. "You told me that you would take care of him. Made me believe that you would protect him." She pointed her zanpakuto at Urahara her head still lowered and her eyes closed. "I will" Rukia began lifting her head "not allow you" she began to open her eyes "to li-l- … what are you doing!"
She had opened her eyes and finally looked at the man she came to kill. He was wearing pots and pans on his body like a little kid would to pretend he was wearing armor. And for a helmet he was wearing a pot with what looked like an oven rack duct taped to the front to cover his face.
Yoruichi was in her cat form underneath a bigger pot that covered her entire cat body with a hole cut in the front that she stuck her head out of with the top of a tea pot strapped to her head looking very unhappy about her attire.
Rukia could only gape from one to the other as she stood with her zanpakuto slightly lowered in the broken doorway.
"Could you please put you're sword away so I can get out of this ridiculous suit of armor!" She glared at Kisuke as he smacked the pot she was in with the wooden end of a broom that was his "weapon".
"Nonsense Yoruichi." He pointed his broomstick at Rukia.
Rukia, stunned, sheathed her zanpakuto without even thinking about it.
"Well now that the danger has passed we can now take off these wonderfully made and stylish …" BANG!
Urahara smashed through a wall as Yoruichi hit him with the pot that had previously been her "armor".
"Stupid, conniving, perverted son of a bitch" Yoruichi then smiled at Rukia "Come in Rukia, I believe we have a lot to discuss."
Rukia didn't move. She couldn't move.
"Oh come on Rukia" Yoruichi put her arm around the smaller soul reaper and began walking her to the table Rukia's face turning redder and redder with each step.
"Are you ok Rukia you seem to be getting very hot and red in the face?"
"WOULD YOU PUT SOME CLOTHES ON FOR GOODNESS SAKE?"
Yoruichi looked down at the smaller woman and the realized that her breasts were rubbing right against the smaller and much more petite girls face.
"Oh you and Ichigo were made for each other. You know he reacted the same way when I first transformed in front of him too." She smiled at the other girl before noticing the change of mood that what she had said had caused. "Don't get so down Rukia. Let Kisuke explain and then you may find that what you think happened may not have actually come to pass."
Rukia looked into Yoruichi's eyes trying to read her mind. Trying to figure out what the older women meant when Kisuke limped back into his shop.
"That wasn't necessary Yoruichi. I was only looking out for you're health."
"I was only testing t durability of the armor you made Kisuke. Apparently" she held up the dented remains of her pot "it could use a little work."
"Could we get to the reason I am here." Rukia's anger was beginning to surface now that the shock had worn off.
"Ah yes, Miss Kuchiki. I am guessing that you talked with Shunsui but rushed off after hearing that Ichigo was going to die to try and help him before the nice Captain could finish explaining the situation."
Rukia remained silent letting Urahara know that he was correct. He than sat down next to a now clothed Yoruichi and pulled out his fan to hide his face behind.
"This is a long and very complicated story surrounding our friend Ichigo so I believe it would be best if you were to sit down and hear what I have to say before you attempt to take my life."
Seriousness finally crept into the shop owner's voice as he looked at Rukia waiting patently for her to finally sit.
"How do I know what you are going to say is going to be the truth? How can I trust you after what I just saw?"
Rukia slammed her fist into one of the beams in Urahara's wall glaring from one person to the other, fury in her eyes.
"The truth you say? Well if you want the truth about whether or not you can trust that what I am going to say is the truth then all I can say to you is to please listen to me. I cannot say anything that will make you trust me again. I know that by doing this I have hurt both you and Ichigo, but it had to be done for Ichigo's well being."
Rukia glared at Urahara before deciding that she should hear him out at least.
"Now as I said before, this is a long and confusing tail. I only ask that you let me finish. It is not a story you will like and not one that I take any pleasure in telling. This story is about the truth behind Ichigo's power, his hollow, and why Yamamoto would have him eliminated."
Yay another chapter done. Can you tell I'm trying to make up for my long absence. I'm also excited that I'm finally getting into the plot. The next few chapters should be a lot of fun to write and I hope you find them just as enjoyable to read! As always, let me know what you think. I'd like to hear how I could improve the story and and theories you may have about where I may be going with this! Ok back to writing!