I will tell you guys now, I hated writing this chapter. Hopefully you won't be able to see any repercussions from that, but let me just say that mixing canon and my own plotline, while like 8 different people interact and have their own conversations in little groups with different subtle messages hidden beneath the yelling and brusquness of cough some people freaking SUCKS! Especially when some of the characters i don't write well already!
But anyway, R&R an I hope you enjoy! :)
Ichigo's eyes widened as he stared down at the sword tip poking forth from his chest. His mouth hanging open he reached down and grasped the pure white weapon, free of his blood but full of reiatsu, with both hands before raising his eyes to meet his father's.
"Why d-?"
"Turn around Ichigo. You should be able to see them now."
At his father's words, and seeing the smile on his face, Ichigo turned his head to look over his shoulder and met those same violet orbs that had given him his greatest gift so long ago. A small smile crept over his face as he took in his partner, lieutenant badge, short hair, and all. Then he spoke, the same smirk as that day now resting below his confident amber eyes.
"Hey, shinigami."
Rukia's purple eyes sparkled brilliantly as she met his smirk with one of her own and said.
"It's not shinigami. I'm Rukia Kuchiki."
Abruptly both she, her hands still on the magnificent sword, and her orange haired partner were consumed by his yell and a pillar of reiatsu. The black and white tower screamed towards the ceiling of the world and then spread out in an ever widening spiral, darkening the sky over the observing captains.
When the sky finally began to clear, and the reiatsu began to drain away from the two, all those present looked on with smiles as the two, in each other's arms, began to come into sight through the dust and smoke. They broke apart long before they were anything but shadows amidst the chaos to the onlookers, but every one of those watching knew that they had witnessed something miraculous by the identical smiles resting on each of the two shinigami, yes two shinigami, now standing next to each other before them.
After the dust was finally blown away by a pulse of Ichigo's new reiatsu, he looked down at his body on the ground, and frowned, his snarky comment on Rukia's new height and badge stopped in its tracks. Eyes narrowed and growling softly, he said,
"Oi. Hat'n'Clogs. Why exactly does my body still have a hole in its chest?"
At this, all the shinigami present, including Ichigo's father, turned to Urahara with expectant, slightly angry gazes, Ichigo's new look completely ignored. The shopkeeper merely waved his fan in front of his face and gave a nervous chuckle.
"Why, Ichigo-kun, because you were just stabbed of course!"
Silence...
"Are you telling me that I just killed him."
Normally, hearing the terrifying voice of Unohana Retsu coming from the diminutive Kuchiki would have garnered some interest from at least a few of the shinigami present. As it was, no one so much as blinked as the two partners, as well as Renji and Toshiro, took angry steps towards the Geta Boshi.
"Oh hahaha, of course not Miss Kuchiki. He is merely having a near death experience at your hands!"
Waving his fan and smiling even wider, he took a step back as the pissed off listeners began to advance towards him. As they neared him, he opened his eyes completely and said, much more normally,
"He will be fine of course. Unless you all don't trust his will to live."
At this, there was an audible sigh of relief from several of those present. One notable exception being Ichigo, who joined Rukia in shooting one final glare towards Urahara before turning to the assembled Captains and Lieutenant.
Rukia gave Ichigo's hand a final squeeze and a smile before returning to her Kuchiki facade and joining her brother at his side. As soon as she turned to face the renewed substitute, her mask broken only by an ever so slight upturn of the lips that was mirrored on her Nii-sama's face, Ichigo bowed deeply.
"I want to thank you, all of you, for returning to me that which I hold so dear. The ability to protect those I care about under my own power is something I will always accept, and will seek to use to the best of my ability."
Standing up straight, he gave them all a cocky smirk and continued.
"And considering the news I've been hearing, it sounds like I'm going to have to save all your asses again, huh?"
The reaction was instantaneous. Byakuya's hand went to his sword, Rukia's foot went straight to his shin, Renji's growl could be heard in the shop above, and Toshiro's frown reached paperwork levels...Kenpachi just grinned even wider and gave a short laugh.
"You moron! Show some damn respect! I thought for a moment there you had learned to be polite, but I was obviously mistaken you overgrown strawberry!"
The 'fun sized' woman's tirade was met by a hopping Ichigo, holding his leg and hissing in pain.
"What the hell Rukia! Why the hell did you have to go and kick me like that you goddamn midget! It was just the truth and you know it!"
Ignoring the continued bickering and yelps of pain coming from his sister and the orange-headed moron, the elder Kuchiki turned, along with his lieutenant Renji and Hitsugaya-taicho, towards the still grinning shopkeeper. Eyes and face blank, he asked,
"Urahara Kisuke, does Kurosaki know of the former substitute Ginjo?"
At this Kisuke slowed his fan down until it was almost motionless, his eyes darkening as he met the cold gazes of the commanders before him. Having some idea of the motive behind the question, but still having trouble believing they would even need to ask, he answered,
"As I have been making almost weekly reports to Ichigo-kun at his request concerning spiritual matters, he is quite aware of Ginjo's position and possible motives. May I ask why this is a necessary question?"
Completely ignoring the shocked look overcoming Isshin's face at the revelation of his contact with the substitute, the exile watched closely as the Kuchiki alone of the three shinigamis remained motionless at the subtle jibe. Renji visibly flinched, and the guilty look crawling across the young prodigy's face spoke volumes. Byakuya began to answer the inquisitive exile, but was cut off before he could start.
"He's asking because the old geezers back in Seretei are worried about his loyalties!"
Byakuya's glare could have killed a lesser man, but the bloodthirsty captain of the 11th continued like nothing had happened. His gruff voice easily reaching them from his new position behind the group.
"The old farts wanna know if Ginjo has told him about the stupid surveillence, and whether he'll split off."
Kenpachi scoffed at the idea he seemed to be proposing before shaking his head, bells ringing.
"Ichigo may be a fighter and an asshole, but he's a pretty smart asshole, no way he hasn't figured it out by himself right now. No clue why their questioning the kid's loyalties though. Ha!"
With that final comment and a satisfied nod, Kenpachi turned away from the small group he had walked up on. Presumably to try and return to his division.
At this Isshin, who had stayed silent to that point, scowled pointedly at the implication that his son might turn on them. Ignoring the stern gaze of Isshin and glaring for a moment longer at his fellow captain, Byakuya quickly composed himself and turned back to the now serious Kisuke. Bowing so slightly it was almost imperceptible to the elder Kurosaki in apology, he continued for the berserker,
"Indeed, what Kenpachi-taicho said is accurate if... lacking in certain details. The leaders of soul society have instructed us to inform him of the former substitute and the continued surveillance through his badge if he didn't already know, and observe his choice. If he chose to side against the Soul Society, we were to eliminate him. No more."
Now meeting the steely eyes gazing at him from behind that ever present fan, Byakuya, along with his two companions, raised their heads and waited. Urahara hesitated a moment longer, trusting Isshin to stay silent, before answering the unspoken question. His voice low and emotionless, he answered,
"Ichigo did indeed realize that something was wrong with his badge early on, when it failed to garner any sort of respect or recognition from the stationed shinigami. He quickly came to the conclusion that it was something along the lines of what you have just stated and questioned me concerning its use just recently."
At this point, his stern look faded slightly and an amused chuckle escaped his lips before he continued,
"And you know what he did Bya-boy? He-"
"Laughed."
All five turned to look at Ichigo, quickly taking in his bored look, and sad eyes. They were quickly hidden behind a smirk, but everyone present noted them as he continued.
"I laughed my ass off because Ukitake-san acted so guilty when he gave it to me, and it finally made sense. He's too kind to be asked to do stuff like that you know? But anyway, Ginjo approached me this morning."
Even Byakuya's eyes widened slightly at this and Renji and Toshiro both began to speak at once.
"What did yo-"
"How did-"
Ichigo cut them both off, smirk even wider,
"I basically told him to shove it. I've got nothing against him, maybe even a bit of sympathy, but I've got no grudge to hold and I refuse to help him with his against those who allow me to protect what I care about...Idiots."
Renji's sigh of relief was audible to everyone present, and while Byakuya turned his chastising gaze towards the now sheepish Lietenent, the easing of the posture of all three was quite evident. Almost immediately, Toshiro turned and joined Kenpachi several paces away where he had been impatiently waiting. Holding Hyourinmaru out in front of him, he thrust it forward, into the world between worlds, and twisted, opening a senkaimon.
"Captain Hitsugaya? What are you doing? I thought-"
Rukia outburst was quickly answered by the pipsqueak in question. He turned away from the gates, through which Kenpachi had already passed, and answered her coldly.
"Lieutenent Kuchiki, our orders were to observe Kurosaki Ichigo's choice and react accordingly. Nothing more. We are finished here."
Turning away once more from the chastised and slightly torn Rukia he began to walk through the senkaimon, followed by the rest of the shinigami. After he, Byakuya, and Renji had gotten through, he was stopped when Ichigo spoke out in a deadpan voice. As though he were stating a fact, Ichigo said,
"Toshiro, You hurt Karin and I kill you."
The white haired captain spun around angrily and started to say,
"That's Hitsugaya-tach-"
When he finally comprehended the words spoken. His face drained of all color and his eyes widened as he started to speak and reach out his hand...
To the closed gates of the senkaimon.
On the other side of the now closed gate, Ichigo smirked and shared a look with Kisuke about his little threat, before turning and looking down to where Rukia still waited, apparently torn with some decision. Finally appearing to make her choice she looked up quickly, a smile on her face, and said,
"It's good to have you back strawberry."
Ichigo returned the smile quickly and met her playful gaze with one of his own.
"It's good to be back, midget."
With that comment, she turned and quickly opened her own senkaimon, striding through immediately. There was silence for a moment, then,
"MY BOY'S FINALLY A MAN! Such a touching moment with my third daughter, boy! I'm proud of you for-!"
Interrupted by Ichigo's foot in his face, the teen continued like nothing had happened, his leg still raised and in position.
"Oi, Oyaji. Sorry I didn't tell you about meeting with Kisuke, but I've gotta wait around while he fixes-"
At this he glared at the smirking shopkeeper.
"-the hole in my chest. So head on back and let Karin and Yuzu know how it went. I'm sure Yuzu's anxious, and Karin will be as well, she just wont show it. She wanted to be here after all."
Allowing his foot to fall back to the floor, he was met by the serious gaze of his father. Isshin's eyes were narrowed and they cut back and forth between Ichigo and Urahara.
What the hell? What's he so suspicious about all of a sudden? Did I say something or did something happ-
King you MORON! Since when do you call Urahara anything other then Hat'n'clogs or Geta Boshi! Throw that in with the recent info about your meetings, and even the old goat's gonna get suspicious you idiot!
At this Ichigo internally broke out into a sweat. Fighting to hold his bored look and his father's gaze, he waited, praying desperately for Isshin to just accept it as a consequence of his meeting with Urahara each week that he was acting more familiar with the man.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of waiting to Ichigo, and, unbeknownst to him, Kisuke as well, Isshin's gaze returned to it's normal laidback self and said.
"Will do son. I'll let your sisters know."
Not bothering to throw another ridiculous comment his son's way, he utilized shunpo to disappear from the underground facility. Breathing a sigh of relief, Ichigo turned to the shopkeeper and grinned.
"So, assuming you do know how to fix my body, how the hell does this thing work?"
After saying this Ichigo tugged open his Shikausho and gestured to one of the bands of black material that formed a cross pattern across his chest, as well as the ones on his arms and neck.
Urahara just smiled, fan waving, and gestured for Ichigo to follow him up into his shop.
AWKWARD! Sorry i just didn't enjoy this chapter as much as I should have. Blending Cannon and my own story so closely sucks! I don't know how many times I changed this one around, but I hope it's ok. If you think it isn't, send me a flame, thank you for your review, and fuck you. I spent way too much time struggling with this one to deal with flames this time. Sorry. LOL
But anyway, I will be greatly diverging from Canon at this point, even more so than before, so let me know how you think it went. I need all the help I can get. so remember to review, and I hope you enjoyed. :)