I AM SOOO SORRY THAT I WASN'T ABLE TO RPELY TO YOUR REVIEWS. I had been busy and wasn't able to go online for a couple of days (after I posted the previous chapter). So as a gift to you guys, I give you another early update! Yay!

Thanks to everyone who reviewed for the previous chap: Apathetically Concerned, gangsterforever, kaijin-taichou, somebody, Hachimitsu-sama, rukiaichigo15chappy, RaiChia, Cherrylossom snow, rukia death kuchiki, Powerful-phoenix, Crimson Quincy, CrystalICE1, None (the anonymous reviewer), Lynn, Hana-Tenshi, wavebike, AnimeMaster24, da archer, Draven NightHawk, ..., Believing Is Seeing, Jay95, AniMomo, Lori, findingjenny and KiANA.

Special thanks to:

somebody for reviewing chap 8.

Lori the wonderful, wonderful review!

Please know that all of you are greatly appreciated. Thank you so much, everyone! :)

Oh yeah, I have finished gangserforever's requested fic. It's a short UlquixRuki oneshot. I hope you'' read that, too. :)

Sorry for the OOC-ness.


"RUKIA!!"

The said raven-haired woman's eyes widened, the fear in her heart increasing as each second passed by and realization was slowly dawning upon her. Shit. Ashido!

The stoic man remained calm, not even a single reaction could be seen from him at the presence of the other shinigami. He stared at the woman in front of him, judging through her surprised reactions that he had not been betrayed. Rather, the other man was just plain stupid, trying to meddle with other people's business instead of minding his own. He could've been in his home, sitting by the window, sipping his cup of tea. But no, he would rather meet his doom just because he was too curious—or rather, he was too concerned for this little shinigami. "I see."

Both death gods turned their attention back to the arrancar, both fearing what he was going to do to the other.

Rukia, thinking that Ulquiorra was suspecting her of treachery (and perhaps was now plotting how to kill Ashido), nervously blurted out, "H-He didn't learn it from me! I-I didn't tell him!" Don't kill him, it was left unsaid.

Ulquiorra stared at her, long and hard. "You telling him or not matters little to me. It does not make any difference."

Amethyst eyes widened again in alarm at the implications of his statement."Ashido! Run!" She screamed in full force. In a flash, her hands were free, and the man standing in front of her was gone. Ruki immediately looked at the direction of the maroon-haired man, and there he stood behind Ashido, blocking the shinigami's sword with the bare back of his hand...

..

..

Ulquiorra was silently assessing his opponent's strength. He tried to finish him off in a single strike, so using sonido, he disappeared from his position in front of the petite woman and appeared behind the maroon-haired shinigami, only to have his strike blocked by his zanpakutou...

..

..

Ashido knew about the Espada. The hollows in the forest of menos always talked about them. But something was strikingly familiar with this particular Espada. His trained eyes were able to see him disappear in a blur and knew he was going to attack from behind. He blocked it with his zanpakutou, and in their close proximity, he finally realized why this being was familiar...

..

..

Images of the past—his comrades' last day in Soul Society—came rushing to him.

"Y-you.." He hissed.

Ulquiorra disappeared one again and showed up a few feet away from the shinigami. His face held no interest with what the other had to say.

"You were the one...You were the one who led that attack...I remember...You were...You were still a vasto lorde back then..."

Rukia gaped upon realizing what Ashido was talking about. That day...when hollows attacked Seiretei...and he and his nakama were lure into entering Hueco Mundo..and he was the only one who managed to survive. And now, it seems he finally found the root of everything...It was him. Ulquiorra.

The Espada showed no sign of recognition and continued looking with boredom at what he deduced was another trash.

In a fit of blind rage, Ashido fiercely attacked the still calm and composed Espada, all the anger at his friends' deaths claiming his entire being. He let out a battle cry and swung his zanpakutou upwards, ready to thrust it at the waiting arrancar.

Only, it never hit its mark. The stoic man stopped the soul slayer with his thumb and pointer finger.

"I do not remember such insignificant events. But I would not doubt your words. I believe I o not pass up on a chance to eradicate...trash." His other hand started glowing a fiery red, and his reiatsu was shooting sky-high.

Gran Rey Cero.

Rukia started panicking. What could she do? She was still weak! But she couldn't just let Ashido die—especially because it was her fault he was here—now--in the first place. But what could she do? She couldn't even change to her spiritual form for crying out loud! She only had one option—one she was sure without a doubt would be of little to no help at all. It was the only thing she considered herself really good at, and it was better to try than to just stand and watch her friend's second death unfold.

The two men were too caught up in their little fight that neither of them actually gave attention to the raven-haired woman with them.

Oh ruler, mask of flesh and blood, all creation of the universe, fluttering of the wings, ye who bears the name of man!

Ashido was slashing widely at the Espada who in turn continued to block his attacks while concentrating his reiatsu in his hand.

Scorching heat and disorder, evolve the transposition of the southern sea barrier.

Ulquiorra raised his hand, ready to shoot his cero.

"Hadou no sanjuuichi: Shakkahou!"

There was a huge explosion, and the surrounding walls and the ground shattered like fragile glass pieces at the impact. Ulquiorra stared at his now burnt hand. His cero was redirected to the wall, thanks to the kidou blast—a suspiciously strong kidou blast—the petite shinigami fired at his arm. His cold eyes slowly looked at her now panting form, obviously exhausted by the attack she made. The maroon-haired man was now at her side, his sword in a defensive stance.

The stoic man idly placed his hand in his pocket and stared at the petite woman. "Shinigami..."

Rukia's gaze shot up from the floor where her knees and palms were resting to the arrancar she feared she had angered.

"I need not remind you of the consequences of this, do I?" His statement, though monotonously delivered, dropped with murderous intent.

Rukia involuntarily shivered. She knew what that impulsive action entailed, be she had no choice. She had to save Ashido! It appears she had no choice but to tell everyone about this, or I she doesn't, ashio will. If they survive, that is.

"What is he saying, Rukia?" Ashido asked the small woman without looking back at her.

"Very well." Ulquiorra interjected. "Let me remind you of what you have forgotten." The Espada was in front of the maroon-haired man before any of them could blink. His hand was piercing Ashido's chest, as blood spewed out of the maroon-haired man's mouth. Ashido coughed roughly, surprise and pain written all over his face.

Time seemed to slow down as Rukia watched her comrade fall down, a pool of his own blood forming below his body.

Ulquiorra watched with obvious boredom as the male shinigami struggled to live. He turned to face the woman who stared wide-eyed at her dying friend. He took slow steps towards her shaking form, and then held her by the neck. "I have warned you, yet you do not heed."

Rukia's eyes closed on its own accord as the man choked her. She felt her body being thrown away and slamming to a hard wall, one that actually managed to survive the explosion. She was on the brink of unconsciousness when Ulquiorra approached her again.

"I will be back sooner than you expect, so keep watch." His form started to disintegrate, and vanished completely within moments.

Thank goodness he was gone. The cero must have used a large part of his spiritual energy. Rukia was mulling over these thoughts when she remembered her dying comrade. She force her eyes to stay open. She needed to get help. She needed to get Ashido some help. Staggering to her feet and cursing under her breath, she made her way to Ashido's fallen form, all the while berating herself for not bringing her Soul Pager today of all days. With much difficulty, her blood flowing from a gash on her head upon its meeting with the wall slightly impeding her vision, Rukia put one of Ashido's arms around her shoulders and held his waist, letting his full weight rest on her. He needed medical attention, and he needed it right now. To spiritually unaware passersby, she might look stupid, holding on t something...not really there at all, and walking like she was drunk. But that was the last thing on her mind at present...

..

..

..

..

Four Soul Pagers went off at the same time.

"Go get it, Ikkaku." Rangiku chirped, too engrossed in the fashion magazine resting on her lap.

"Eh, why me? You were the one who noticed it first." The bald shinigami retorted, yawning after.

"I thought you might like some action." The buxom strawberry blonde reasoned.

"That's probably just some weak hollow. That's hardly what I could call action."

"Ne, you're just too lazy to get up."

"You're one to talk! Yumichika, go get it!"

The said narcissist flipped his hair and ignored them.

A vein threatened to explode from a certain red-head as he listened to his lazy companions passing around their duties. He slammed his fist on the center table when he finally lost his patience. "Dammit! Kuchiki-taichou and Hitsugaya-taichou would yell at us once they come back from their rounds when they find out we're a;; passing our duties to one another!"

"Ne, I don't think Kuchiki-taichou is capable of yelling, Renji."Rangiku said.

Renji resisted the urge to pull his hair off. "That's not the point, Rangiku-san!"

"Why don't you go get it then, Renji?" Ikakku interjected.

"Fine." The red-head scowled at them. However, as he was about to stand up, the insistent ringing of became frnatic, a signal of an increase in released reiatsu. Four heads immediately shot up, each grabbing their soul pagers and running out the door without so much as a notice to the blonde shop owner of the place they were currently staying at...

..

..

..

..

Urahara and Tessai immediately rushed to the door upon hearing the hysterical yells of a certain petite woman. The blonde captain was surprise at the bloodied state of Rukia and Ashido, and instantly ushered them in the shop. Tessai took Ashido from the small shinigami and wasted no time tending to his wounds. Urahara's observing, calculating eyes left Ashido and landed at Rukia.

"What happened, Kuchiki-san?" He cautiously approahed the tired and wounded woman, healing kidou already glowing in his hands.

Rukia refused to talk. She should know Ashido's condition first before she would blurt out anything. She averted her amethyst orbs from Urahara's intent gaze to Ashido who was currently under Tessai's care. She saw some of his wounds heal, yet the deepest, most fatal one on his chest refused to stop bleeding.

"He was hit in a pressure point. It's really, really deep..." Tessai trailed off.

Rukia found her voice then. "W-will he die?"

Tessai shook his head. "No, but he won't probably wake up for a long time."

The relief that washed Rukia for a moment was gone in the next. "Wh-what? Isn't there anything you could do?"

"I'm sorry. All we could do is let him rest and heal his wounds on his own. He is slowly stabilizing now, but he wouldn't wake up anytime soon."

"Now, now, Kuchiki-san, could you tell me what happened?" Urahara inquired again.

Rukia looked at the blonde captain, weighing the pro's and con's of telling him the truth. She badly wanted to tell someone, but she just wasn't sure if Urahara was an option.

"Well..." She gulped nervously, still unsure of what to do. However, the shoji doors opened before her mouth could.

"Dammit, it was your fault, Rangiku!" Ikkaku complained.

"Me? It was you who was too lazy to get up and get it!" Rangiku defended.

"Stop it, Rangiku-san, Ikkaku-san." Renji shouted.

Yumichika opened the door to the shop's main room and found maroon-haired shingami lying on the floor, Tessai tending his wounds, and a raven-haired woman, bloodied and bruised, talking with Urahara.

The three stopped their argument and looked at the sight.

"Rukia! What happened?" Renji immediately rushed to his childhood friend's side, scanning her body for other wounds.

"I-I'm okay, Renji...Ashido and I just..." With all these people around, Rukia couldn't help but feel..intimidated. She felt like saying the truth would e too degrading—that they would look down at her...pity her...be disgusted at her. Sure, they were her friends but...who's to say they'll be able to accept it easily? So, she did what she deemed best at the moment. "We just encountered a really powerful hollow...and Ashido took a strong blow...and...and now, he's hurt..."

"Was it the hollow in the abandoned building?" Rangiku took a seat next to Rukia who nodded at the strawberry blonde's inquiry.

"Ah. Figures. We went there, but there was no more sign of the hollow, nor of the shinigami who killed it. If only we arrived earlier, we could've helped." The buxom woman glared at the bald head at the end of her statement.

Renji looked at his childhood friend, still uneasy about what has been said. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Rukia nodded weakly—she would've smiled if she could afford it at the moment just to reassure her friend. But she couldn't.

Just then, the two powerful captains arrived.

"Taichou, what have you found out?" Rangiku immediately asked.

Toushirou sighed in obvious exasperation. "Nothing. Everything seems to be normal, especially now that the communication is back." He paused to look around the room and found his two wounded comrades. "What happened, Kuchiki?"

Rukia's eyes widened as she felt the stare of her brother on her. He was the foremost reason why she didn't want to tell them. Yes, their relationship as siblings had greatly progressed. But in spite of that, what happened to her was something she still wasn't sure how her brother would react to.

"They fought a hollow, and both took bad blows." Renji answered for her.

"I see. Well, if it wasn't anything out of the ordinary, I fear we need to go back to Soul Society now. We need to give our reports and see what they have found there." The white-haired prodigy announced.

"When do we leave, taichou?" His lieutenant inquired.

"Now." He sighed in resignation.

"H-Hitsugaya-taichou, Kuchiki-taichou, can I...stay here?" Renji sounded almost pleading.

Toushirou looked at Byakuya who was staring at his sister. The small captain rubbed the bridge of his nose before replying. "I'm afraid you can't, Abarai. We were ordered to return as soon as we find out the condition of the living world. We will all be in trouble, not to menton you will definitely receive a punishment for overstaying."

Renji looked down dejectedly. "H-Hai."

"Let us leave now, then."

The members of the advanced shinigami troop stood up and walked towards the door. Rukia, Urahara and Tessai turned to give their farewells.

"Rukia..." That was the first word Byakuya muttered throughout the entire time.

Rukai immediately looked up at her brother, wondering if he had seen through her lies. Byakuya took a step towards the petite woman, and to everyone's surprise, put is hand on top of her head.

"N-nii-sama..." She gasped.

He leaned in, so only she could hear what he had to say. "Take good care of yourself. And never hesitate to ask for my help." he said everything in the same emotionless monotone, but that didn't matter to Rukia. She could clearly see the concern in his soft eyes. She nodded fervently at him.

"Hai. Arigatou, nii-sama."

Renji opened the familiar shoji doors that ed to Soul society. Six hell butterflies flew out and guided them back. When the portal closed, Urahar quickly turned to Rukia.

"No, Kuchiki-san, I'm afraid Ashido-san needs to stay here."

"I...I understand." She said, not really sure where he was taking the conversation.

"It is quite dangerous for you to live on your own, Kuchiki-san, so I guess we do not have a choice."

Rukia just blinked at him. "Are you saying that...I should stay here as well?"

Urahara immediately reverted to his cheerful persona. "Of course not, Kuchiki-san! We're all busy here and no one's gonna be able to look after you!"

Rukia huffed at his statement. "I don't need anyone to look after me. I'm not a child."

"Of course you do! This world isn't safe for cute girls like yourself, Kuchiki-san."

Rukia frowned at him, suspecting his schemes. "Then what do you suggest I do?"

"Why, go back to the Kurosaki house of course!"

"Wh-what?! But--"

"RUKIA-CHAAAAAAN!"

Rukia's eyes widened at the familiar voice. "How did you contact him? I didn't see you leave!" She hissed at the blonde captain.

Urahara flipped open his infamous fan. "I have my ways, Kuchiki-san."

She narrowed her eyes at him but before she could retort, she found herself enveloped in a tight bear-hug.

"Oh, my beautiful third daughter! I am so glad you're finally coming home! Masaki! Our daugher's coming home!"

All thoughts of suspicion flew out of Rukia's mind as she struggled to breathe.

"Now, now, Isshin-san. It's getting a bi late, don't you think? You two should head home now. I'll ave Kuchiki-san's things delivered to your house first thing in the morning."

"But, Ashido--"

"He'll be fine with us, Kuchiki-san. Now, off you go!" The blonde businessman pushed the two all the way to Isshi's car.

"I came as soon as he said you were coming home." Isshin said as he drove. "I'm glad you're finally back, Rukia-chan. They would all be ecstatic when they see you."

"Aa." her mind drifted back to the Kurosaki home. What would be waiting for her there? Will Yuzu still be as warm as she used to be? Will Karin continue...snobbing her? Will Ichigo be happy or pissed off? Will Orihime—that's right. Orihime was still there. Rukia groaned to herself. She hadn't solve one problem yet, and now she's heading to another one. She was so deep in thought that she didn't know they had arrived if isshin had not told her so.

"Ah, we're here."

Both opened their respective car doors and went out, walkings side-by-side towards the Kurosaki front door. Isshin pressed the door bell and waited for one of his children to open the door for them.

Not a moment later, the knob turned and the door opened, revealing a young girl with shoulder-length black hair. Karin.

The said girl smirked as she saw who was at the door. "Welcome back...Rukia-chan."


There. Not much of a cliffy, ne? Next chap would be revolving Rukia, Ichigo and Orihime. Another character will be introduced so watch out for that. In the meantime, please review this one! Take care everyone! :)