I Am So Sorry! The chapter wouldn't upload to the Document Manager last night. I sent it to Support and they must have fix something because I was able to do it this morning. Enjoy!

A/N: I have get another group to thank for reviews: Bluewater7, NieveDrop, Haru000, Assault Godzilla, Dragon and Sword Master, and MugetsuIchigo. And thank you to everyone who put this or its author on their lists. Do I really need to put a warning up at this point?

Disclaimer: I do not own the Bleach characters, manga, anime, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Tite Kubo et al.

The Twelve Days of Christmas

Eleven Ladies Fainting

Ichigo was silent during his dinner with his cousins, the selection process having taken more out of him than he'd originally liked. With his final ten chosen, the daiko had gone to Kukaku's with lead feet, too tired to even care that she'd once again made a monstrosity out of the dwelling. His food disappeared slowly and when he chanced to look up, he found his elder's gaze narrowed on him.

"You've been here for nearly an hour and haven't said a word. What did you want to talk about?" the Shiba head demanded. "My time's precious now." She'd received official confirmation of their noble status that afternoon.

"For Rukia's sixth present I wish to have wells dug in Inuzuri."

"I imagine there are already wells there, crappy place though it is."

"But residents have to pay astronomical prices for small jars of clean drinking water. They can scarcely afford to do that and the orphans that are scattered there have no way to procure them but to steal. Rukia used to tell me about how she and her other friends used to struggle. Now that I have some money and influence, I want to change that. No one else will."

"Thought you spent most of your money on her gifts," Ganju put in.

"Sure, my Living World money. And I did spend quite a bit of the money I have here on her gift for tomorrow, but I think I have enough to get things rolling. Rurichiyo promised to get the materials I'd need if I got her the money. I just need to find a way to claim the land I chose for the wells and keep it."

"That's easy," Kukaku said. "You fight for it. Don't think you'll have any trouble there. Most probably would just give it to you rather than go against you. Your reputation is good for something."

"Yeah, me and the boys could keep an eye on them while you're away, make sure no one tries to stake a claim." Ganju's friends nodded, the idea of free drinking water resonating with them.

"Thank you, I was going to ask that you do. I'm not sure how to go about actually doing the digging though."

"You need experts, of course. You wouldn't hire amateurs to do fireworks, would you?" Kukaku lifted her pipe to her lips and inhaled while she thought. "I know a crew that could use some work. I'll get them together and have them draw up plans while you're off at the manor tomorrow. Once I know how much material you'll need, I'll send word to the Kasumiōji clan and let you know to drop off some funds."

Ichigo sighed in relief and took a swig of his tea. It had grown cold during their conversation. "Thanks, Kukaku. I don't know what I would have done without your help."

"No big deal. There is something I want in return."

"Yeah?" She'd offered her help so easily, he should have figured she'd want a favor.

"I'm going to give you an address tomorrow. I want you to go check it out after you're done at the Kuchiki estate."

"Sure."

Everyone gave her puzzled looks, but she refused to explain why. Figuring she'd only get angry if they pressed, both Ichigo and Ganju held their tongues. They'd both learned not to question her when she was being that serious. The tone suggested the reason might have been related to the wars.

The rest of dinner passed in good natured conversation and teasing, Ichigo's romantic streak a favorite topic. The Soul Society residents weren't sure his laid-back approach would win Rukia's hand but had admitted the wells were a good way to up the ante. Keeping the other families on their toes and guessing would increase the chances of them screwing up. They might even go back to what they knew and heap grandiose presents on her that she would absolutely hate.

When Ichigo left it was late and he carefully made his way back to the city. The night was clear and cold, his reiatsu keeping him warm despite the low temperatures. No one was there to block his entry and once he was inside the limits he flash stepped to the barracks. Those on duty didn't bat an eye at his lateness but a certain spiritual energy let him know someone had been waiting for him and she wasn't pleased with how long he'd taken to get back.

"There you are," she stated, her violet eyes cool with irritation. "I have a bone to pick with you, Ichigo. You left the manor before I got a chance to talk to you."

"Had an errand to run." A really long errand, he amended mentally. "Was it something important?"

Rukia studied him briefly before sighing. "No, but you disappeared for the rest of the day and I wish you'd told me where you were."

"Sorry, but I was on gift business. Besides, all you had to do is call my cell. Dad had Urahara fiddle with it, so it works here. Plus, my reiatsu is strong enough to be felt nearly everywhere, right?"

"It's permeated my office, so it was a little difficult. Not to mention it tends to linger all over the place." Sitting at her desk, Rukia looked with distaste that the pile of papers that had already appeared on one corner. "I forgot your phone has mutated."

"Don't say mutated. It's been 'upgraded' with the latest technology Soul Society has to offer."

"I wish my office was upgraded. Those copy machines in the Living World would come in handy with the paperwork."

"Computers and a printer would be good too." Ichigo watched in amazement as an unseated soldier came in with a new stack reports, plopping it next to the one already on Rukia's desk. "Where the hell does it all come from?"

Rukia looked at him ruefully and shrugged. "I haven't figured that out entirely yet; however, we oversee Karakura, and a great deal of Japan in general. Captain Ukitake decided after my tenure there that it would behoove us to be in frequent contact with the soldiers stationed in the Living World. I do not think he realized that it would have this effect."

"I promise to try to not create more than necessary," he vowed and began sifting through the piles to see if anything had to do with their friends or his family. Filling them out or signing them would be the least he could do.

"Thank you," she smiled, mentally consigning the promise to the nearest fire. Ichigo wouldn't mean to create mountains of paperwork but if he was in the heat of battle, incident reports would be the last thing on his mind. "I suppose since I'm here I should complete them."

"No way. You're going to go home and get some rest. They aren't going anywhere and if you did them now, you'd likely make mistakes. It's nearly midnight, midget."

Rukia glanced at the clock, glanced back at the piles of paper and nodded. "Alright. Normally I'd protest but it's not like I can use my quarters here when I was finished anyway."

Ichigo grinned, leaning against the desk as she prepared to leave. "You could but it'd be hard to explain why you were sharing a room with me." She'd placed him in her unused quarters so he wouldn't have to share space with someone.

"Baka," she muttered, but it was missing her usual bite. "Be here bright and early so we can get this done."

"Yes, ma'am." He watched her leave before turning back to finish finding his part of the paperwork. Once he was done he closed the office, blowing out the lantern at the door before shutting it and locking it with the key she'd given him when he'd first gotten there.

Lying on the futon in her Chappy decorated room, he stared at the ceiling. He regretted not having enough to get her the computers and other equipment that would make her job easier, but he'd have to keep it in mind for next year. Surely by then he'd have refilled his bank account here and could do something about the lack of efficiency. The idea making him feel better, he rolled over and let sleep finally claim him. As the last bit of consciousness fled, a chime from the clock signaled midnight.

Day five had arrived.


Ichigo was at his assigned place diligently doing his paperwork the next day when Renji popped in to visit. Glancing up at the redhead, the orange haired teen frowned at the interruption. "Something happen?" he asked, wondering what could possess the other man to skip out on his own work.

"Nope, just came to see what you were doing. It's almost lunch time and the guys want to eat with you."

"The guys?"

"Yeah, you know, Ikkaku, Yumi, Iba, and Shuuhei. They haven't gotten to catch up since you got here."

"Wait a minute. Aren't those four part of the SMA?"

"Well… Yeah."

"And isn't Shuuhei the editor of that magazine?"

"Yeah…"

"They just want to gossip!"

Renji looked at his friend and shrugged. "Probably. Or drink, or both. Can't always tell with those guys. So, what do you say?"

Sighing, Ichigo looked at the stack of reports he still had to go through. "If I can get this done by lunch, yes. If not, they're out of luck."

"Deal."


Fifteen minutes later Ichigo silently cursed as he signed the last report. Renji just grinned at his look of chagrin and helped him bring all the paperwork to Kiyone and Sentarou. Not waiting to see whether Ichigo would bolt at the last second, the elder man wrapped an arm around Ichigo's shoulder and forcefully pulled him toward the exit.

The others were waiting for them at a noodle shop not far from the divisions, the sea of black and white speaking of the place's popularity. "Yo!" Ikkaku greeted. He'd already ordered drinks, the only tankard not filled with some form of alcohol was the one he ordered for Ichigo.

"Ikkaku, Yumichika, Shuuhei, Iba-san," he greeted. Ichigo didn't have much to do with Iba but knew the man from meetings held during the post-war clean-up. The man had lost someone he greatly respected and was still adjusting to his new role as leader of his squad.

"Ichigo, my friend, come and tell us all about this suitor challenge. I am most interested in knowing what sorts of things have been presented." Yumi took a sip of his sake, eyes focused intently on the young daiko.

"You mean Rangiku-san hasn't said anything?" The greatest gossip in the dimension and no one knew every detail of what he'd done? "Is she slipping? No, she was there yesterday so she must be keeping up with things."

"We applied to her, but she just said we had to wait until it was all over. Quite unlike her," Yumi mused.

"I demanded an exclusive for the magazine, but she hasn't summited anything yet either."

"Which means she's plotting something with that group of hers," Iba concluded.

"They were really helpful early on. It's only fair that they get to tell the story." Ichigo drank deep of the water in his drinking vessel, looking up at the waitress that came to take their order. When the woman did nothing but stare at him for several seconds, he looked around the table. The others were smirking in amusement, clearly entertained by his affect on the unsuspecting female.

"You're Ichigo Kurosaki!" she gasped quietly.

"Yeah…"

"You're participating in that suitor challenge for the right to court Lady Rukia Kuchiki!" she continued in hushed urgency.

"I am…"

"And you're winning!"

"So far…" Apparently too excited to stand still any longer, the young woman dashed off to spread the news that the Ichigo Kurosaki was in her establishment. She came back several moments later, recalling that she hadn't taken down what they wanted to eat.

Once alone, the full time Shinigami began ribbing Ichigo, having fun at the younger man's embarrassment. As tempted as he was to dump Ikkaku's half empty tankard over his head and toss the jar of sake the others were splitting out the window behind Iba, the daiko managed to continue drinking quietly.

"So, have you finished gathering all the gifts? At least tell us that much." Shuuhei leaned forward, his reporter's instincts having been alerted by how unwilling Ichigo was to talk about the whole thing.

"Not yet. There are still some things I need to work out but it's nothing to worry about," the teen admitted, stretching the truth a bit.

"What about…" Renji started before remembering his promise and slamming his mouth shut.

"Kukaku's got that covered. Anyway, I just want things to progress quietly. I'm sure once the winner is chosen things will blow up but until then, I just want to go in, give Rukia the gifts, and get on with the day. Every time we gather as clans, it's such a production. The only upside is now the Shibas and therefore the Kurosakis are nobles again. That should put me on a more equal footing with the other contestants."

The other guys were about to comment on the announcement, but a crash of china and hot soup jerked their attention to the center of the room. Their waitress stood in shock, other women around the room equally stunned. "You're a noble too?" the young woman asked, her voice a squeak.

"As of yesterday," he answered truthfully and watched as the female population collapsed in disappointment or astonishment, he wasn't sure which. He could see the paperwork looming.

"Rukia's going to kill you," Renji commented off handedly.

"Killing him doesn't really work," Ikkaku pointed out.

"Just means she gets to try more than once," Yumi added.

"True," Shuuhei mused. Ichigo stared at each of them in turn, the truth of their words finally sinking in. He could practically feel the cold of her bankai now.

"Kuso."


"Would you care to explain how the hell you manage to make a room full of women faint?" Rukia demanded on their way to her estate. She had opted to walk with him so that she could ream him out. Ice had followed in her wake the entire distance from the barracks, several people getting a free skating lesson as they encountered the surprise sheet of glass.

"Beats me."

"Ichigo…"

"I don't know. One minute the guys are making jokes and the next the waitress and the others are fainting after they find out I'm a noble. I didn't know it was such a bit deal."

Rukia opened her mouth to continue to interrogate him but snapped it closed when a thought occurred to her. "Well, damn," she hissed, continuing her uncharacteristic swearing.

"Midget?"

"Right after you defeated Ginjo, the SWA's newsletter declared you 'The Most Eligible Shinigami.' It didn't seem to matter that you weren't even out of high school yet nor that you just got your powers back. They showered praises on your head and even suggested you were looking for a girlfriend."

"Ah…" The whole thing made sense now. "So, does that mean you'll stop covering the flagstones with ice now? I think the tenth person to slip just broke their ankle." Ichigo received a glare in return before she spun on her heel and went to administer first aid. He took the opportunity to continue to the Kuchiki estate, hoping that her temper would be cooled, and the atmosphere warmed by the time she caught up with him.

Today's gathering was just the candidates themselves, the Kuchiki elders wanting to see how they comported themselves without their relatives there to coach and encourage them. Ichigo's elevated state had earned him a front row seat, giving Rukia plenty of opportunities to give him deadly looks that promised pain of all kinds. She'd been scolded by Fumi-obaasan for being late and he had a feeling that his gift might not find favor that day. Had he not gone for the five gold rings, she might have immediately tossed the others' aside. So far one lord had gifted her with five tsumami kanzashi, their petals five in number, doubling the theme and pleasing the elders who always wanted Rukia to dress more feminine. That he wasn't Shihoin or Minato worried Ichigo, making him think someone had sided with the enemy.

Yoruichi's brother had gotten things right this time, five little stuffed bunnies were propped up near Rukia, each cuter than the last. So far, they were the only ones he could see beating him this time. There was one other possible contender for today's round and that was Minato. The lord was looking far smugger than usual, leading Ichigo to conclude that the fool had finally done some research.

"Lord Kurosaki, please present your gift," Fumi-obaasan said, her voice clear in the audience room. Byakuya gave him a bland look, far too use to their interactions to pay them any mind. The captain knew that if they were in the company of others, nothing inappropriate would happen.

"Yes, Lord Ichigo, please show me today's gift. I am so excited to find out what it is." Rukia's sarcasm had Renji, Byakuya, and even Fumi-obaasan wincing in sympathy.

"Ah, knock it off, midget. You're just miffed you lost control of your reiatsu. I'm sure the ice will melt at some point," Ichigo retorted. Like in the spring, he thought. He might like egging her on, but he wasn't suicidal. There was no way he'd say that out loud.

"Ichigo…"

"Fine. Here, greedy woman. You're lucky you're so adorable." The compliment threw her off balance and she accepted the box in silence. Ichigo caught Byakuya's raised brow out of the corner of his eye and he lifted one corner of his mouth in a slight grin. He knew his midget. She wasn't used to being told she was pretty, so to tell her in front of others would make all thoughts of maiming him leave her head.

Murmuring from the other elders indicated that they didn't like the blatant show of affection. He ignored them in favor of watching her reaction. As with his other gifts, the wrappings were quickly disposed off and the little card that had accompanied each gift was lifted so that she could read the little message.

On the fifth day of Christmas your true love gave to you… Five golden rings! Yes, I went there.

Laughter bubbled out of her throat and the three males that loved her most sighed in relief. "You dork," Rukia whispered and set the note aside. Lifting the necklace out of the tissue paper, she twirled the chain in her hand so that each ring glittered in the light. "I see. Each ring is different."

"And removable. This is a Kasumiōji original. Look at where the rings are attached to the chain." She did as he directed, finding tiny clasps that hooked the rings onto the length of gold. Prying one open carefully, she held the ring up so that she could examine it closer. "Try it on," he encouraged.

"Try…?" curious, she slid it on to one of her ring fingers and marveled at how it fit. The gems were inset so the display was flat, making it easier to use her Zanpakutou in an emergency if necessary. There was nothing to catch on her clothing, making it nearly impossible to lose a stone. "Oh, wow."

Ichigo smiled, ready to go sit down again. Movement behind him alerted him to danger and he swung around, prepared to defend himself and Rukia. Lord Minato stood momentarily frozen, the danger in Ichigo's reiatsu forestalling any forward motion. He found his voice quickly, anger thick in its tone.

"Cheater! There is no way you could afford an original from the Kasumiōji clan! And even if you could, there is no way you could know what size Lady Rukia wears!"

"It so happens that I have money here in the Soul Society thanks to Captain Ukitake. It also just so happens that I do my research when it comes to what a girl likes. It wasn't so hard to find out what her ring size was." In all honesty it was thanks to Yuzu, the younger Kurosaki having played detective for him.

"Liar!" Minato charged.

Byakuya stepped forward, his commanding aura halting any further outbursts. "Lord Kurosaki, your honor has been impugned. Do you wish to take issue?"

Ichigo glared at the other lord for several minutes before turning to Rukia's brother. "I can easily provide proof of both statements so there's no reason to continue arguing. If I were to 'take issue,' I'd likely kill the guy with one swing. It's best just to let it go."

"Very well," Byakuya stated. Turning his attention fully on Minato, he used his best 'noble' voice to continue. "Lord Minato, you are hereby disqualified from these and all future proceedings. Your lack of decorum was dreadful enough but to accuse the Hero of All Wars of lacking in honor puts you beyond all that is decent. Leave my estate immediately."

Ichigo and Rukia, along with Renji stared at the Sixth Division taicho in stunned silence. Not only had Byakuya sided with him but he'd also granted him a new title. That he had disqualified Minato simply because he had called Ichigo a cheater was amazing. Glancing at the elders, the daiko saw that they were equally stunned. Fumi-obaasan met his gaze and nodded approvingly.

"Lord Kurosaki, I would have a word with you after this," Byakuya said before returning to his original spot.

"Very well, Lord Kuchiki," he replied. Giving Rukia one last look, he returned to his assigned seat and waited out the rest of the presentations.

Rukia went through the remaining five quickly, wanting to get back to her division. Those were all five in number and pleasing, making today's choice harder than any other previous ones. "You have made things very difficult, my lords. This is not something that can be settled now. Please, return to your families and I will have word sent to the winner. Congratulations to you all on your successes."

The rest of the crowd seemed pleased and went away without complaint. Rukia watched them go with misgiving, wanting to choose Ichigo's out of loyalty but knowing it wouldn't be that easy. She caught his sleeve when he would have followed her brother and he looked down at her with one orange brow raised.

"I don't know who to choose."

"It doesn't have to be me this time."

"But…"

"Look, wouldn't it be odd if I won every round without a single bit of trouble? If you like the kanzashi better, choose that other guy as the winner today. Or those stuffed rabbits Yoshino gave you. I'll admit it was a little dorky to choose the five golden rings."

"They got their acts together and made things hard. They weren't supposed to be smart enough to do that."

"They probably aren't. Maybe they finally listened to the women in their families." He gave her shoulder a squeeze and nudged her into Fumi-obaasan's keeping. "Gotta let the old guys have one, it's only fair."

"I still don't like it. Go, talk with Nii-sama and come back to the barracks as soon as you can."

"I have to go check something for Kukaku first, but I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Check what?"

"Some address she gave me. She wouldn't explain what was there and by the tone of her voice it was only inviting death if I asked." Ichigo showed her the paper with the address on it and Rukia's eyebrows rose in surprise.

"That's the old Shiba estate. I have no idea what kind of shape it's in now but maybe Nii-sama does."

"I had a feeling." He nodded a goodbye and went to track down Byakuya.

The elder Kuchiki sibling was in his study, two cups of steaming tea on his desk. "Sit."

Ichigo sat without complaint, feeling the other man's irritation in his reiatsu. Grey eyes studied him for several minutes while both men drank the hot beverage. If the captain was trying to make him squirm, it wasn't going to work. He was passed being intimidated by the man.

"You have shown great maturity today, Kurosaki."

"It was rather difficult not to clock the bastard. He's been bugging me from the beginning, but I couldn't figure out why."

"Perhaps because he has never made a secret of his disdain for my sister until this competition. I was greatly disturbed to learn of his involvement. I must thank you for giving me a reason to eliminate him from the contest."

"You're welcome."

"Even though you are by far the more powerful fighter, do not be surprised if he tries to do battle in some manner. His pride has been injured by losing and I doubt he will take it lying down."

"I'll keep an eye out. Say, do you know anything about the condition of the old Shiba estate? Kukaku wanted me to check it out after I was done here."

Byakuya raised a brow but rose and went to his book shelves. Selecting a thin volume, he handed it to Ichigo and returned to his cushion. "I purchased it sometime after the fall of the clan. It has sat uninhabited since. I do not know what the latest war did to its grounds or buildings but tell your cousin she may buy it back at value when she is ready."

Surprised at his generosity, Ichigo stood and bowed lowly. "I don't think you know what this will mean to her. She's proud like Yoruichi-san but being thrown out of her home must have hurt badly. On behalf of the Shiba and Kurosaki clans, thank you."

"You are welcome. There is one condition, however."

"Yeah?"

"She is never to design any buildings that may need erecting."

"So, you've seen her style. Absolutely hideous, isn't it? I'll let her know." Ichigo tucked the volume away and bowed once more before leaving. He followed the directions his cousin had given him until he came upon an abandon set of gates. One of them hung by only two set of hinges and he figured it wouldn't take much for it to come down. Entering quietly, he came to a stop in what used to be the front gardens and sighed unhappily.

The landscape was barren and scorched, winter only partly to blame for the destruction of what should have been a peaceful oasis. A small stream was littered with debris, creating an overflowed pond on the east side of the grounds. What should have been a grand manor was nothing more than a dilapidated ruin, each of the out buildings in the same or worse condition.

Pulling out his phone, he scrolled down his contact list until Kukaku's name came up. Waiting for her to pick up seemed like an eternity and he momentarily thought she'd forgotten about the Soul Pager his dad had given her for Christmas. "Is it bad?" she asked instead of greeting him.

"Completely ruined," he answered. "Looks like it's another casualty of war," he continued apologetically.

"I was afraid of that. I need you to go see if the statue near the Senkaimon is still there."

"Where was that?"

"Side garden. There should be a large flagstone path from the gate to the main house. If it's still standing, the statue is of one of our ancestors who looked remarkably like Uncle."

He followed her directions, coming to a stop near the base of what used to be a marble statue. "The base is still here."

"Good, try touching the very bottom of it," she instructed.

He did, yanking his hand back quickly when a barrier shocked him. "What the… There's some sort of kido here."

"Excellent, leave it be. Your Quincy powers likely triggered it. If I know the barrier is still intact, I can forget about trying to buy the estate back. Uncle mentioned when I was at your house that he forgot to grab what was beneath before leaving."

"It might not be as hard to get this place back as you think."

"Oh?"

"Byakuya bought it a long time ago. From what he said, it sounds like he's been keeping it in trust. He told me you could buy it back at value when you were ready. From the looks of things, that value isn't very much."

"Well, isn't that interesting."

"Yeah, there's just one condition."

"Oh?"

"You don't design any of the new buildings."

"What's wrong with my sense of style?"

Ichigo winced but took a deep breath and jumped into that quagmire. "Kukaku, you're probably one of my favorite Shiba cousins but your house is hideous."

"I'm one of only two Shiba cousins you have left, smartass. Fine, tell Byakuya I accept. Also tell him to get his assessor to figure out the 'value' and let me know."

"Will do. So, did you find the crew?"

"They're working on digging the first well now. Guess they had some of what they needed already. Sent a list of the rest to Kasumiōji. It's going to cost you about five thousand gold coins."

"The Living World stopped using those a long time ago. Is that expensive?"

"Depends on where you live around here. In the Seireitei, it's a pittance for us nobles. In the Rukon, it would be like spending a single tensho oban."

Ichigo felt his eyes widen as his history lessons briefly kicked in and he realized that he was just about to fork over enough for someone to live in comfort for forty years. He also sighed in relief because he knew he had at least that much left in his bank account. "Ouch. Guess building materials are at a premium right now."

"It's evened out a bit now that it's winter."

"Speaking of winter, why is the ground so soft? I noticed when I tested it to find the best spots. The air is freezing, and it sometimes snows but the ground never really freezes."

"That would have to do with spiritual energy concentration. You have an abundant amount so if you stayed in one place long enough, you'd thaw the ground out. In the places where seki seki rocks are harvested, the ground would be impossible to dig through this time of the year. You must have leaked just enough to get things going in Inuzuri."

A sudden crash sounded through the phone and Kukaku stopped talking long enough to yell at whoever made the noise. From what he heard, things were not progressing as smoothly as they should be in her opinion. Several voices whined back at her and something that sounded like thunder resounded over the air waves. Obviously, she wasn't taking backtalk.

"Ah, Kukaku…" Ichigo began, feeling distinctly uncomfortable standing in the abandon ancestral grounds doing nothing while she ordered workers who were clearly not cut out for what they were doing.

"Relax, I'll see they get things right. It's just a mess because all eleven of them wanted to work on this project so they're getting in each other's way. Their father's really in charge and once the old man gets back from his break, they'll stop messing around. You just get that money to your friend, so she can get those materials delivered."

"Going now," he answered and said a short goodbye before hanging up. With one last look at the estate, Ichigo left, making sure the door was as secure as possible. It would have been good if he knew kido, but he supposed that if he'd locked the entrance, someone might think there was something of value in it. Better to leave it as it was just in case someone saw him leave and wondered why he'd visited in the first place.

When he returned to the barracks, he went to the woman in charge of his bank account. The blonde woman looked up from behind a counter, frowning momentarily at being interrupted. Once she recognized him, she became more congenially, setting aside the ledger in front of her to give him her full attention. "Kurosaki-daiko, what can I do for you?"

"I need to send another payment to Rurichiyo Kasumiōji."

"I assure you, sir, I sent the full amount of your gift to her the first time."

"I know, this is for something else."

"Oh, well, let's check your account." She disappeared into a back room and returned several minutes later with a large volume. On it was his name with the number three, making him wonder why there needed to be three volumes for one measly account.

"Ah, Miss…"

"You may address me as Fifth Seat Goshino."

"Goshino-san," he began again, skipping the rank. "Why are there three volumes?"

Goshino paused skimming the page to look up at him. "Because there have been a lot of additions and subtractions over the last two plus years, young man. Every time you or one of your friends destroyed a building here in the Seireitei or the Soul Society's resources were used in the Living World because of something you and your contingent did, the costs were deducted from your account. You didn't think you got off scot free, did you?"

"Hadn't really thought about it," he admitted. "It's only fair," he added when she looked like she wanted to scold him.

"Of course, it is. How much did you need to send?"

"Five thousand gold coins," he said hesitantly, watching her wince at the amount.

"What the devil are you up to now?"

"Sorry, that's confidential until tomorrow's gift giving."

"Oh, my apologies. I will make sure a draft is sent immediately. I must warn you though, Kurosaki-daiko that your account only has fifty thousand gold remaining. That will not take you far here in the Seireitei."

"Yes, I know. Wait, fifty thousand?"

"It seems your soldiers had quite the battle yesterday and were rewarded thusly. Don't forget to pay them."

"Great, I have to pay the others? Why don't they have accounts of their own?"

"Do you wish to open ones on their behalf? Their rewards wouldn't have to be taken out of your account then. I know they do not visit often but these accounts never go inactive on my watch as I'm always finding ways to invest the money people don't use."

"Let's do that and then tell me how much I actually have."

"Please take a seat, this will take a moment."

He did as she wanted, wondering how a simple thing could have morphed into such a complication. And why hadn't she told him he was sharing the account with his friends? Between the necklace and the building supplies, he'd just forked over nearly a hundred thousand gold coins. He hoped some of that didn't belong to the others.

It was a half hour before Goshino called him back to the counter, fresh new ledgers with his friends' names on them at her elbow. "I am happy to report that you did not spend any money that rightfully belongs to your friends. Unfortunately, that only leaves you with a few hundred silver coins in your own account."

"That's after this new payment to Rurichiyo?" he asked, mentally crossing his fingers.

"Exactly. I have drawn up a concise statement for each of your friends so that they know where their accounts stand. Please deliver them when you return to the Living World." She handed them to him and he carefully tucked them away to add to his luggage later. Thanking her for her help, he left to check in with Rukia, only to find the entrance busy with soldiers running out.

"Ichigo, take group three and head to East Rukon District Three. Sentarou, you head to District Seven with group two while I'll take group one to District Five. These are regular Hollows but don't let your guard down," Rukia ordered, coming up behind him and pointing the way. He didn't ever recall being in that district, but he could have just flash stepped through it once and not known it.

Having forgotten that their division had patrol duty outside the city that day, he merely nodded and went to find the people waiting at the end of the courtyard. "Fill me in," he demanded as they made their way east. One of the young members launched into a lengthy explanation, a tinge of fear in his voice. Ichigo was pretty sure he was one of the few unseated officers to make it through the Quincy War alive. "That's enough. Those of you who are proficient in kido, go tend to the injured. The rest of us will take on the Hollows. If you get into trouble, call for help. Don't be proud and try to do it yourself. This squad helps each other. There are battles for life, and battles for pride. You're fighting for the lives of the Rukon residents so there's no place for your pride in this battle. They come first, understand?"

"Yes, sir!" they chorused.

Coming to a stop at the trouble spot, they saw several civilians huddling behind broken buildings, their fear permeating in the air. Those that could perform first aid went to carry out Ichigo's orders while he took the rest to cut masks. There were a half dozen of the creatures, all large, and all ugly. Thankfully there didn't seem to be any intelligence among the lot and the group of Shinigami were able to take them out relatively quickly.

Once the dust settled, Ichigo searched out Rukia's reiatsu, nodding slightly when it seemed her group was in the clear. He didn't know Sentarou's enough to search but no Hollow energy seemed to linger in the area but his, so he figured Group Two had cleared out their problem has well. About to order everyone back to the Seireitei, a rather disturbing and familiar reiatsu broke over them.

"Well, well, it if isn't Kurosaki," Grimmjow commented, his demented grin made worse by the jaw bone on his face. "Rumor had it you were visiting. Thought I'd come and have a looksee."

"Grimmjow, you bastard, did you send these Hollow?"

"Nope. Halibel and Neliel are kind of strict about that. They just came on their own. I just came for that rematch."

"You think you're a match for me?"

"One way to find out," the arrancar answered, in no way short of confidence.

"You maniac." Putting both of Zangetsu's blades away, he prepared to defend himself. The dumb guy was bound to use his fists first so maybe he could cut down on the damage. "Do you know how much paperwork this is going to generate?"

"Paperwork, who cares about paperwork?"

"I do, you moron!" Turning back to his group, he pointed towards the city. "Clear the area of everyone then meet back up with Rukia and tell her what's going on." The only thing he wanted to do was go back, do the report on the Hollows then spend the rest of the evening figuring out what he how he was going to buy the rest of his gifts on only a few hundred silver coins.

Grimmjow, apparently a little more patient than he'd been in the past, actually let the soldiers go. He'd never liked to fight weak opponents when he had someone strong nearby, so he was clearly content to let the others live. "Ready now, Kurosaki?"

"Yeah, come and get your beating."

"Ha! It's you who will be beaten!"

"Not on your afterlife," Ichigo shot back.

Later he'd realize he wasn't just talking about the fight.


A/N: The kanzashi mentioned are a specific type of hair ornament. Fabric is folded like origami and are put into sets ranging from five to seventy-five petals, depending on the flower made. The silver and gold coins mentioned are an old type of money used during the reign of Hideyoshi Toyotomi. A tensho oban was the largest coin in the world at the time (before the gold, silver, copper coins that came directly after) and is said to be able to keep a samurai going for forty years.