Chapter Eleven: The Mistress of Fireworks

Sometime after he left and Yoruichi reverted back to her feline form Ganju and his pack of goons fled into the night. The way Chad told it the one with the greasy hair had a clock strapped to his back, how'd he miss that? When the alarm on the clock sounded they fled with their tails between their legs. Ganju promised to be back for Ichigo tomorrow so they could discuss their problems like rational adults.

Yeah right.

After explaining the plan to Ryosuke the rest of the night passed by without as much flare as the evening. Everyone rose early the next morning and prepared to head out. Orihime yawned sleepily as Chad stood stoically near her. Yoruichi sat almost protectively on Ryosuke's shoulder with her head against his. Uryu was talking quietly with the Elder who had shared his home with them. The Elder pointed to his home and Uryu walked inside.

He stalked out a few minutes later cursing Ichigo most vilely.

"He's not coming!" he snapped.

Yoruichi immediate snapped to attention from her perch," What do you mean he's not coming!"

"He says he wants to wait for that idiot Ganju! He doesn't want to look like a coward and seem like be backed down! That stubborn fool!" he pointed furiously at the house.

Just as Yoruichi unsheathed her formidable claws Ryosuke set her down and drew his zanpakto from behind his right hip.

"Don't worry," he growled," I'll take care of it. I should have nipped this in the bud last night."

"Please don't destroy my house!" the elder pleaded looking worried.

Ryosuke kept his mouth shut. He wasn't about to go and make any promises he couldn't keep, but he opened the front doors as wide as they would go.

Just in case of course.

Ryosuke didn't say a word. He just stood there brandishing Arashiryo in a reverse grip and glaring open fury at the boy.

He didn't appear to be phased.

"I'm not going!" he declared.

Ryosuke leveled his zanpakto at him and uttered the release phrase.

"Crash down upon the frozen sea," Arashiryo.

He spun his sword around him like a spear until it lengthened in a splash of water into the twin crescent moon halberd. Both curves on either side of the frozen point crackled with lightning and the water circling the shaft roared like a waterfall. The curved blade at the end served at the served at the focus of the raging water.

"Oh ye of little faith," he said ominously.

Ichigo caught a lightning bolt to the chest and rode it all the way through the front door. He clipped the frame on the way out and spun end over end until he crashed painfully on his shoulder to the dusty street. The door hung crookedly from a single hinge.

"Ichigo!" Orihime cried.

Ryosuke leapt from the front porch twenty feet into the clear blue sky from a standstill. Both his and Arashiryo's spiritual pressure screaming for blood as he wind milled the spear before bringing her crashing down to sunder the boy in twain.

Ichigo rolled away at the last second and Zangetsu's cloth sheathe uncoiled revealing the massive blade.

The earth split asunder in a shower of rock and fire and the sound of thunder. Ryosuke leapt from the crater and both zanpakto met in a shower of sparks.

"What the hell are you doing!" he yelped.

"Beating some sense into you! You have got to be the most ignorant excuse for a warrior I have ever met!" he shouted in the boy's face.

"What the hell are you talking about!" Ichigo shouted back," You're the one going crazy and attacking people!"

Ryosuke drove his fist deep into Ichigo's belly and the wind flew from the boy's lungs. Without breaking contact he opened his hand and placed it palm first against his stomach and began to chant a spell.

"Sprinkled on the bones of the beast! Sharp tower, red crystal, steel ring. Move and become the wind, stop and become the calm. The sound of warring spears fills the empty castle! Hado number sixty-three, Raikoho!"

Lightning flared down his arm to form a glowing ball of energy. Before he even fired it the contact was enough to make Ichigo writhe and jerk as he was enveloped in the web of energy. The ball lightning flared brilliantly before Ryosuke discharged it into the boy's midsection.

There was a massive, violent explosion as a column of energy blasted from his palm to engulf Ichigo in a shower of destructive energy and send him flying to incinerate the debris left over from his conversation with Yoruichi last night. The fallen house went up in a towering pillar of fire.

He had held back. A lot.

Ryosuke walked calmly, heedless of the other's outrages cries. He knew better. He knew Ichigo could take a lot more than this and shrug it off. He dialed down his spiritual pressure just enough to reach into the conflagration unharmed. Plucking Ichigo out by his left arm he held him there and allowed the chill of his pressure to pour through the boy's arm. He saw Ichigo flinch and shiver violently among the flames. Both of their pressures were too high to worry about being burned and no natural fire could compare to Ryo's frigid spiritual pressure. Ryosuke had to yell to be heard over the roaring flames though.

"I guess we'll all just wait here until Ganju gets back won't we? Meanwhile Rukia, you remember her right? The girl you were so desperate to save yesterday, will rot in her cell contemplating her death. I suppose it'll be a cold comfort on the executioner's block that, while you weren't in time to save her, you managed to saved your damnable pride!"

Ryosuke dumped him in the street. Save for a minor burns to his abdomen and shihakusho he was reasonably alright. He knelt in the street and looked at Ryosuke like a scolded puppy.

"This isn't a game boy. This isn't some schoolyard fight like you're so used to. This is war in all but name. When you fight it's not with fists but with blades. When you strike you strike to kill. When you press forward you cut down all who are in your path. If you falter even once you will die. Do you understand me boy? They will kill and leave your corpse bleeding in the streets and this time no one will come to save your sorry ass!"

He glared down at the boy and pointed Arashiryo's tip at him.

"So, what's it going to be? Am I going to have to beat more sense into you or are we ready to go?"

Ichigo didn't move for a long time. Those words we so similar to what Zangetsu had told him that he was struck dumb. The silence went on so long in fact that Ryosuke was about to renew his cold attack on him. Then the boy stood and ineffectively brushed off the front of his shihakusho and grinned at Ryo.

"Let's go save Rukia."

He laughed and ruffled the boy's hair almost paternally," That a boy."

Ryosuke turned to find Uryu's bow, Chad's arm, and Orihime's Shun Shun Rikka aimed directly at him.

Fortunately before it turned into an incident Ichigo stepped up.

"Its fine," he said," Let's go on to this Kukaku Shiba person's place."

They breathed a sigh of relief and dispersed their respective arsenal.

Ryosuke breathed a soft sigh. Not of relief though. Well, maybe a little.

Later on the road……

The group crossed a broad field of knee-high grass toward Kukaku Shiba's home. Here and there boulders dotted the landscape. The last of the huts were vanishing rapidly behind them.

"Hey!" Ichigo called," We're heading away from the village. Are you sure we're going the right way?"

"Shut up," Uryu called from the head of the group," According to the map the Elder gave us it's around this area. If you don't like it by all means," he offered the map," lead the pack oh fearless leader.

"I was just asking," he grumbled.

Ryosuke smiled. This kind of camaraderie brought a rush of nostalgia to him, it was almost like being in a squad again. Without realizing it he had assumed responsibility for these humans. Yoruichi rode comfortably on his shoulder while he took up the rear with Orihime. Her shields combined with his would deter any attack thrown at them from behind. Uryu took up point, his Quincy bow making up a formidable defense of it's own. While Chad and Ichigo took center so they could jump forward or back to assist in the fighting.

Not that they had to worry about being attacked. By now word had spread about their feats at the Hakutou Gate and everyone was giving them a wide berth. Especially after his talk with Ichigo this morning. He put out the fire though, well, mostly. Thankfully that house had been abandoned for many years. After the Elder had seen them off and provided them with a map they lest the main part of West Rukon and had hardly seen any people. Now that they were heading deeper into the mostly uncharted fields people were going to be scarce indeed.

Save for Kukaku of course.

Ryosuke began to notice that Orihime was starting to lag behind. She didn't seem tired or injured. She just seemed to be in heavy thought. He leaned over and whispered to Yoruichi to go on ahead. She jumped off his shoulder and padded to the head of the group and began to tell them a little about Kukaku Shiba. Yoruichi kept it vague enough to keep them going, but offered nothing concrete.

Ryosuke slowed his pace until he was right beside the young woman. He leaned over and whispered gently," Do you need to rest?"

She gave a little shriek of surprise and jumped looking at him awkwardly.

"N-no I'm fine!" she said a little too loud," I was just thinking how weird it would be if there were snakes in the Soul Society. I bet they'd be really weird ones too. Like they'd have wings and spit acid venom over thirty feet! And they'd have legs! No wait!" she paused," If they had legs then they'd be lizards wouldn't they," she gave it a moments thought. Maybe they'd be fire breathing lizards! That'd be cool huh!"

All he could do was smile and nod.

"Um, I guess so….?"

She smiled and then her mood darkened again. She glanced sidelong at him.

"Um, Mr. Hitsugaya?"

He shuddered," I know I've been around awhile, but it's just Ryo okay? Mr. Hitsugaya makes me feel old."

"Oh! Okay," she gave an embarrassed little laugh," You Don't look that old. I mean you don't even have hair growing out of your ears. Unless you trim it. Do you have ear hair Ryo? If you do what's it for? Can you trap your enemies with it?"

He had to work hard to keep up with her. Even then he felt she was leaving him in the dust.

"I, ah, don't have ear hair Orihime."

"Oh," she almost sounded disappointed.

"Orihime? Your question?"

"Oh right!" she seemed to turn in on herself as if trying to figure out how to phrase her question without insulting him. What she did end up saying threw him for a loop, it was the last thing he expected her to ask.

"Do you, do you hate Ichigo?" she asked almost sadly.

He took a minute to regain his mental footing and catch up to her.

"No, not at all. Why would you think that?" he asked.

"It's just that," she shifted uncomfortably and walked around a large rock in their path," you beat up on Ichigo a lot and you seem like you enjoy it."

He had to fight not to laugh, feeling that it wouldn't be the right thing to do in this situation. Even so he couldn't stop a small twitch from developing in his lips.

"Its not that I enjoy it," he paused," well maybe I do a little, but he deserves it. I'm trying to teach him that if he drops his guard or forgets his purpose here he'll lose everything. Rukia, his life, even his friends. I don't want that to happen. I think he's a good kid with a good head on his shoulders, but he needs to grow up a little you know?"

She nodded almost to herself.

"I know it's wrong to ask a kid, hell anyone really, to do so much," he said gently," but if anyone can do it he can. He just needs to grow up a little. People like you and me are here to help him do that," he smiled and patted her head," You're a good young woman Orihime, which is exactly what Ichigo needs right now."

She smiled with no small amount of pride.

"Don't worry Ryosuke I'll whip him into shape! I'll be the roughest, toughest trainer he's ever seen. Even tougher than you and Mr. Urahara were! I'll break him like a clay pot and put him back together again."

He laughed pleasantly, "I'm not sure it will work out like that, but you have the right idea."

She was about to say more when Kukaku's house came into view. Her unique choice in architecture made everyone stop and stare. The field was behind them and behind Kukaku's house a dark tree line loomed. Kukaku's house was a simple two story building with a clay tile roof and white washed walls.

That's where normalcy had decided to take it's leave.

A large chimney more like a smokestack than anything else rose prominently from the backyard. He knew better. If he knew Kukaku at all that would be where she stashed her firecracker cannon. The top of the "chimney" was sealed with a ginjohan, the steel cloth, to prevent wind and rain damage.

Strangest of all though, were the two massive arms reaching up from the ground over forty feet into the air. Tied to the knuckles by a thick rope a large banner was strung between the sculptures. Only two words were printed on it's face in bold lettering.

Kukaku Shiba.

"Oh," Yoruichi said amused," this time it's human hands holding up the banner. That's pretty good."

They were almost to the front porch. Ryo suppressed a shudder as he imagined one of those massive fists smashing him into the dirt like an insect. Uryu looked at Ryo to try and make some sort of sanity from this madness.

Ryo shrugged," Hey, be glad it's this. Last time it was feet. Think of how weird that looked."

Everyone, including the normally statuesque Chad flinched at the mental image.

"Hold it!" someone called.

Ryosuke looked up and perched on each of the fists of the arms was the Shiba Clan's teacher's and guardians. Their clothes were eerily similar save for Koganehiko wore a white shirt and Shiroganehiko wore yellow. Both men wore a red hat trimmed with gold and a white tassel on the top. A blue scarf adorned each man's neck.

"Who are you?" Koganehiko demanded.

"They look suspicious," Shiroganehiko said," we let no one whose suspicious pass through the Arms of Shiba. Let alone two soul reapers. Leave now, or you will die here."

"Tch, what is it with the guards in this place?" Ichigo asked as his hand found the hilt of his zanpakto.

Yoruichi padded forward and smiled at the two men. Which was an incredibly eerie expression for a cat.

"Master Yoruichi!" they both gasped.

"Please," she asked them," this group is with me. Allow them to pass. Surely you recognize Ryosuke Hitsugaya don't you?"

She turned to look at Ryo and their gazes met his. A flash if recognition sparked in their eyes and they fell to their knees in a bow of utmost gratitude.

"We remember well and honor beyond measure the great Tempest Dragon," tears sprang to their eyes as they groveled in the grassy lawn.

Everyone turned to look at the former lieutenant, who shifted uncomfortably at their stare.

Long ago, on a dark and rain washed night, a hollow plagued the Soul Society with hit and run strikes. Several recon squads fell victim to the beast. Finally it fell upon Squad Thirteen to exterminate the hollow once and for all. The team included Miyako Shiba, the wife of the squad's third seat Kaien Shiba. Days went by with absolutely no word of their fate. Until one night she staggered back alone, bleeding and half dead from exhaustion. They tended to her wounds but could do little else.

Later that night she rose up and started indiscriminately slaughtering members of her own squad. When confronted she fled into the night. Ryosuke and Jushiro Ukitake gave chase along with Kaien.

They found remnants of her bloody shihakusho deep in the woods several hours later, along the hollow who'd devoured her.

His name was Metastacia and he had possessed and devoured Kaien's wife. A six limbed, green skinned beast with a flock of tentacles on it's back and flame patterns around it's eyes. Kaien immediately leapt at the monstrosity while Ryo and Jushiro reluctantly held back. This was a battle for his wife's, and thereby Kaien's, honor and because of that, they were forbidden to interfere.

To go against that dictum was to go against the very core of the two men's souls.

Even so, the following fight was horrific.

Kaien's zanpakto broke under the unique influence of the hollow's powers. Despite this he fought on scoring several devastating injuries and earning more than a few of his own. Growing desperate the hollow possessed him too. Ryosuke and Jushiro leapt into the fray and tried to subdue the fallen reaper, but with the hollow's powers augmenting his own he was a formidable opponent. He managed to escape them as Jushiro fell to another one of his fits of coughing. Blood sprayed from the captain's mouth as Kaien fled into the trees.

Kaien came face to face with his student, Rukia Kuchiki.

The girl, concerned for her mentor and friend, followed them in pursuit of the third seat. They were so intent on chasing him down they didn't even register her spiritual pressure behind them. Now she was about to be cut down as well by the bestial possessor.

Except she wasn't.

By fate or luck she managed to draw her sword and pierce Kaien Shiba through the heart.

Time seemed to stop in that moment. Blood, so bright, began to flow. Rukia's eyes wet with tears. Ukitake's ragged cough in the background. The splash of water and the rustle of leaves.

In his desperation to reach his subordinate he threw Rukia aside and took Kaien in his arms. He bit deeply into his thumb and performed a much weaker healing kido than he owned today. Slowly, ever so slowly, the terrible wound began to recede. Kaien sucked in a deep breath and fell still.

Jushiro walked over and inspected his work while scolding the girl for following them. Then in the next minute he praised her for her help.

They returned, battered but alive, but Kaien was forever a changed man. The hollow was purged from him, but never the memory.

Never the memory.

He held up a hand," Please this is unnecessary. Rise and take us to Kukaku. Our mission is urgent."

"Right away!"

Shiroganehiko stayed behind while his brother escorted them down a flight of stairs toward a sliding door. Above them firefly creeper vines behind plate glass lit the hallways which were bare save for sliding doors at regular intervals.

"Please, wait here a moment," he told them.

Just as he raised his hand to knock an old, familiar voice came from inside the room.

"Koganehiko? It seems as if we have rare guests. Open the door and be quick about it."

"Immediately Mistress," and he slid the door back.

"Mistress?" Ichigo echoed.

The room was immense. Both walls on the left and right were made of the same wood and paper construction as the door they just walked through. Straight back the wall was solid wood and plaster with another doorway in the center that led deeper into the Shiba Mansion. On a simple pallet surrounded by pillows adorned with the Shiba Clan symbol sat Kukaku Shiba. Looking smug as always and not a little surprised to see them.

She had tied her messy black hair tied with a white strip of cloth. Her white skirt revealed just enough to tempt and showed her lithe legs which were crossed in front of her. A red shirt with an extremely low cut threatened to reveal her ample chest, the Shiba Clan symbol decorated it's front. She was a beautiful woman, more so than he remembered. Though behind that face was a violence that most who didn't know her wouldn't guess at. She was even more intolerant of ignorance and fools than he was.

Ryo silently worried for Ichigo.

"Long time no see Yoruichi," she drawled.

Everyone, save for the two old friends, was reeling from the fact that Kukaku was a woman. Apparently she didn't live up to their expectations.

They would soon learn.

Kukaku looked over the humans, appeared unimpressed, and turned back to Yoruichi.

"Who are these kids?"

"Never mind them for now. I'm here to ask you for a favor." Yoruichi told her.

Kukaku shrugged and took a hit from a jug she'd set down beside her. She seemed to relish the taste and sighed contently when she reluctantly set the bottle down.

"I figured as much. Isn't it always the same when you come around?" she said wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, "Is it complicated?"

"I believe so," Yoruichi said softly.

The Mistress of Fireworks laughed causing the humans behind them to shift uncomfortably as they wondered if she'd help them. Ryo knew she would, it was a done deal.

"It's been a long time since we've had a conversation like this. Very well, I'll do it. I love complicated stuff."

She stopped, her eyes on Ryosuke, and she paled. Slowly she rose from her sitting position and walked toward him. Her grey eyes were wide with disbelief and her mouth opened and closed several times without a sound.

He'd been getting that reaction a lot lately.

"Ryosuke?" she finally managed to ask.

He smiled softly at her," Hello Kukaku. Please don't hit me."

He flinched visibly as she rushed forward, but much to his surprise she threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. Her wooden arm felt surprisingly warm.

"Thank you," she said thickly," because of you my older brother is alive today."

Ryosuke awkwardly laid his hands on her arms and squeezed them gently. Kukaku was obviously grateful for helping Kaien, so what happened to Ganju to make him despise soul reapers so?

"You don't need to thank me Kukaku," he said gently," I was helping my brother too." he smiled at her warmly," I've known Kaien for many years. He's had my back in the worst possible situations imaginable. What kind of Lieutenant would I have been if I left him to die?"

She pulled back wiping her eyes, but she still held his arms.

"Still, what you did was amazing. Jushiro Ukitake filled me in on everything. If you hadn't been there…." she trailed off as her lip started to quiver.

"But I was," he said softly." That's all that matters."

She wiped her eyes and turned back to Yoruichi," So, fill me in on this favor. You know I love complicated stuff."

A little while later Kukaku was sitting on her pallet and staring at them contemplatively. She listened quietly to their story, apart from asking the occasional question or two.

"I think I understand," she said," I'll accept the job."

The humans breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

"Since Urahara's a part of this I can't really refuse. While I trust the two of you," she inclined her head behind them," That doesn't mean I trust those kids. I'm sending one of my men along. I trust there are no objections?"

"None," Yoruichi confirmed.

"Right, he's my little brother. He's a punk and not worth a whole lot so I guess he'll have to do."

Ryosuke winced visibly. Oh, this wasn't going to end well.

She rose and banged on a door," Hey! You ready in there? I'm opening the door so be civil!"

"Ye-yes sister."

Damn it, that was about right. He thought everything was going to smooth, bout time the Universe threw a wrench into the works. She slid back the door, and who should be there but Ganju Shiba. He was on his hands and knees bowing low enough for his forehead to touch the floorboards.

"Hello everyone!" his voice dripped with honey," My name is Ganju Shiba. Pleased to meet you," he raised his head.

Ichigo noticed him first.

Then Ganju noticed Ichigo.

They both stood up screaming in outrage and pointing at one another.

"You two have already met?" Kukaku asked surprised.

Ryosuke laughed ever so softly.

The universe had spectacular timing for kicking you while you were down.

Author's Note: This chapter went on a lot longer than I thought it would. I intended for them to get to the Seireitei in this one, but it didn't quite work out. Still though, I'm happy with it. Once again we see Ichigo forgetting his duty in the face of his stubborn pride and Ryo had to, once again, beat some sense into him with one of my favorite kido spells. I really enjoyed the dialogue between Orihime and Ryo and tried hard to capture her personality, but she's just so for lack of a better word, Orihime, that is was harder than I thought. I took some here and there from Mr. Kubo's manga but added some new dialogue to compensate for Ryosuke. I figured as devoted and the twins were to the Shiba House, that they'd be grateful to see the savior of the eldest son. I also thought this would be especially true of Kukaku and it turned out better than I could have hoped. Even I expected him to get his again, but sibling love won out. Then Ganju was thrown into the mix and it started going downhill ~laughs~