Music Inspiration: Shiro Sagisu- "Diamond Dust"

Bickering Scientists and Old Triangles

Ruka rubbed her left shoulder after the recent training session left her with achy joints. She preferred it that way since it was her body's way of telling her it was getting its butt kicked to become better. She might not be able to push her zanpakutō to his limit since he had a mind of his own but she could do it to her own body. She wasn't one for body modifications like Kurotsuchi but she wielded technology to gain the advantage. Thoughts of the twelfth captain brought the image of Nemu to surface as every attempt at conversation with her had been little and sparse. Unlike her friends, she was an incredibly quiet person and rarely displayed emotions. The woman could rival Byakuya in facial expression when she really thought about it and wondered how a staring match between the two would go. Oddly enough, she'd put her money on Nemu because Byakuya did tend to have a 'what the hell' face when his patience broke.

She needed to draw the violet haired woman away from the twelfth division to learn more about her. Maybe with another girl by her side in private, she could feel comfortable enough to show actual emotions. Well, not to the level of her outbursts or Yachiru's but something like Momo or Isane. Besides, part of her did desire to know her origins and whether any of Nanao's words did have some truth to it. Being a Kyōraku, the name itself carried weight and Ruka needed to know for its reputation before Mayuri marred it.

Probably Nanao, she's a good role model and Momo's too young to be a role model for Nemu, she thought approvingly as she strolled through her division. A record scratching rang through her head to her sudden brain farts and she groaned mentally, Crap, I sound like a mother! I can't be like sweet Retsu, that's impossible to achieve. I'd be like the mother hen that accidentally lets the coyote eat her chick rather than the swan that defends.

Child, that is sad and an insult to fowl kind, her zanpakutō butted in with a derisive laugh to the comparison. His cackling laugh only served to slump her shoulders when he questioned, Have I taught you nothing these past 140 years?

I've been too busy advancing my work, she justified indignantly since Byakuya was the only person from the current Gotei officers that had actually married someone. Everyone else was enjoying the single or dating life to even begin contemplating starting a family. Unfortunately, most marriages that she knew of didn't have the best of endings which wasn't comforting at all. Ruka had been interested in neither during her travels abroad and pointed out, Besides, you were there for my entire childhood. Between you and uncle Shunsui attempting to raise me, you can't be too surprised. It's because of Sajin and uncle Jushiro that I'm not cracking heads at every turn and drinking in a bar every night.

It would've made life more interesting, he replied with a deceptively sweet tone to convince her otherwise. She couldn't help but wonder if these same tactics worked on Senbonzakura and he replied bluntly, I have to wine and dine that one before it takes effect.

I didn't need to know that!, she muttered in dismay because she wanted that part of her zanpakuto's life to stay with him alone. Unlike their wielders, the two zanpakutō were blabber mouths with no censorship whatsoever.

Ruka's eyes brightened when a group of her division members strolled by and they greeted her. They were actually acknowledging her! Hastily, she returned the welcome eagerly at finally seeing true progress with her new division. Her zanpakutō quickly reminded her with a flat tone, Don't lay it thick or you'll look ridiculous, child.

Telling her zanpakutō to stuff his tail in his mouth, she waved happily towards the people walking by. Unfortunately, the cheerfulness was short-lived when she felt a familiar reiatsu treading near. It wasn't hiding itself at all and immediately, her division members cleared the area entirely. Throwing her hands up in the air as she suddenly found herself in a ghost town, she sighed aloud, "Oh, c'mon, he's not that scary!"

I still demand a vendetta for allowing him to kick you in the butt, Monosugoikaze reminded sharply to the dishonorable action and Ruka practically sensed his wings were arched. According to him, only he was able to send her flying and she should be ashamed if anyone else accomplished it.

Well, when you have a physical body to do so, feel free, she shot back humorously since he only existed as an observer in her realm. Due to his nature to frolic elsewhere and nap extensively, she added in, Besides, where were you when he decided to use me as a soccer ball-

"Ruka?"

The voice snapped her out of the contemplative thinking and she turned to find Nemu's 'father' behind her. Her partner demanded that she kick him around the courtyard for an hour or two but she said nothing. It was strange to find him outside of his own division and if he was, it usually did not bode well. After hearing the stories that accumulated while she was gone, Ruka did not want to find any of her division members being used as guinea pigs. If so, he would have a physical fight on his hands for meddling with her brothers and sisters.

Simply, she addressed him, "Captain."

The scientist walked up to her and spared her a mild glance, leading Ruka to stiffen her shoulders. She avoided his gaze since she still wasn't keen on having given up the rights to her creations over to him. Research and development required a part of you to go into each design, especially with the hours spent toiling with each, and Ruka didn't appreciate having to relinquish any of it. Every time they interacted, he wanted it to be about their work and she would abide by it. Regardless of their past, she would remain strictly professional and calmly asked, "What brings you to my division, captain?"

He didn't miss the territorial tone in her question and expected no less from one raised in the seventh division. With the motto of 'courage' in their insignia, Mayuri didn't doubt that she personified it. The recent venture of the ninth division was both drawing his curiosity and annoyance, leading him to reply frankly, "Your captain and I were merely having a chat about your project. I must admit that I initially expected it to fail but after studying your schematics. . ."

She wasn't keen on the pause if it only led to more insults and crossed her arms to state, "Captain, as much as I enjoy riddles and guessing games, I have numerous obligations at the moment so I'd appreciate the short and sweet version."

His golden eyes narrowed to her suddenly strict demeanor, wanting the sassy version instead, and he answered, "I must say I'm rather impressed. After dabbling into serums and physical enhancements, I never delved in embedding anything within one's uniform. I'm not surprised given the rings on your fingers which I'll take a gander on and say they're modified for combat as well?"

"Yes, but more for my benefit in comparison to my captain that uses them as offense" she replied earnestly but erred on the side of caution with him. He rarely complimented anyone and if he did, they were either the enemy or his specimen by the end of the week. Curious to his comments, she narrowed her gaze and inquired further, "Why tell me this?"

"It's your creation and although the petty side of me would indeed publicize this as my work, I'm a scientist" he stated simply with a noncommittal shrug of his shoulders to appear nonchalant. Unfortunately, none of his behavior or words were ever ordinary and she raised a skeptical eyebrow. For once, Mayuri had to scoff at the indignity everyone placed on his character and pointed out, "Taking credit for another's work is dishonorable and my claimed achievements are my own- nobody else's. As much as we've fought over our past, I would not do that to you or sully my own intellect by stealing ideas."

She had a hard time believing that after all the hurled vases in the past and asked, "What's your angle, Mayuri?"

"There is none, you silly twit!" he hissed to her suspicion because for the first time in decades, he was actually being honest. Maybe kicking her out of his office had been a tad too harsh but he had his limits. Still, he was not going to go attend those ridiculous anger management classes his division subtly kept mentioning to him at every opportunity. Ruka irked a part of him that no other could reach (except maybe the reckless Zaraki) and he admitted with reluctance, "I read over your work and as one scientist to another, we can determine when one is dedicated or half-assing their work. You've never been one for such and I can see it hasn't waned over the century so your project has intrigued me."

"You're serious?" she asked in surprise, her hands clasping together over her forehead. One of the feared captains of the Gotei 13 was actually giving her a thumbs up? To her? The same one she'd loved one and broken up out of fear of his work ethics? Wait, was that a good thing? Didn't most end up as his specimens in under a year if worthy for dissection? Her face reddened under his intense stare and she squeaked out, "Really?"

"Don't have a heart attack" he scolded sharply to erase the wild flabbergasted look off her face and she glared at him. Yes, he preferred that one. It was the most familiar to him in comparison to all the others. The others gave him weird flutters that were too close to heart palpitations for his liking. He'd spent years removing and growing impartial to emotions of any kind to prevent biases in his line of work, mainly against her. Waving a hand nonchalantly, he admitted aloud, "Instead of plotting a century long intricate revenge scheme against you, I've decided to bury it and start anew. What do you say?"

After hearing all of the horror stories, she didn't know what to think. On one hand, he could be telling the truth and in the other, he could be preparing a month long plan to have her buried six feet under in a ditch somewhere in Rukongai. He was a mystery to solve and frankly, she wasn't sure she wanted to be the one to solve it. She'd attempted it once and had discarded a lot of self-respect, not to mention tears, in the process to barely reach past the surface. Even now, she was having a tough time processing what he'd done as a captain to his subordinates after hearing numerous stories.

"You're so different to the point I don't know what to believe" she sighed softly and he crossed his arms, knowing the rumors were getting to her. He wasn't going to justify his actions since they'd earned valuable results that no other shinigami could rival. In his mind, he attained efficient results at any cost while she sought the smoothest painless way possible- or plainly put, the sissy's way out. She was the scientific type that preserved and flourished life while he destroyed it- they were bound to butt heads.

Shaking her head, she hoped she wasn't inadvertently shooting herself in the foot by admitting, "We're both very different now but the fact is we are allies in this Gotei. I don't approve of your methods for knowledge at all, Kurotsuchi, and I can't change your way of doing things but. . . please don't become worse or sacrifice something you'll regret in your means for scientific gain."

"I hate it when you try to change me" he muttered grimly and she directed a small smile to the floor. It wasn't hate that filled him, just distaste that she believed he could be a better man by not using any means necessary for success. He'd begun his road as a scientist far before she entered the ranks of the Gotei and he wouldn't push that aside for her sake or anybody else's. Pointing a finger in her direction, he snapped swiftly, "Plus, I hate it when you're meek around me. It's not you, go back to the smart-alecky mouth you had back in my office."

"So, colleagues again?" she smiled amicably to the thought of finally having a decent and stable working relationship with the man. He nodded quietly since it was best to achieve scientific success together than undermine and backstab the other. It was fun to psychologically torture, sure, but it grew boring after a while and he could do that during battle with enemies. Otherwise, he'd end up in Yamamoto's office for attempted murder of a seated officer. . .again. Thank goodness for signed liability waivers though.

Holding out her hand for a handshake, he blinked with perplexity to the odd action. People didn't often do that and with annoyed reluctance, did it for her sake. He wondered why she was so quick for physical contact with him, blaming the Kyōraku side of her, but then remembered she always planned a scheme in that brain of hers. Before he could pull his hand back, it was too late and she yanked his hand towards her.

With her free hand, all he saw was a flash of something silver being removed from her glove. By the next second, the long nail on his middle finger was completely gone. Did she just chop it off?! He cried out in horror to what she'd done and shoved her off as she grinned victoriously, "I got it! Seriously, that thing was freaky."

"That was the whole point! Don't make me look soft!" he growled protectively to his lost painted nail, lamenting its ability to safely prod things during observations, and she smiled amusingly. It was an odd but familiar return to dynamics they shared decades ago as he scowled and she grinned. Sheathing the knife that she kept concealed inside her right glove, she claimed success on preventing a future eye injury by that thing. He threw his hands up in outrage to having his fashion style modified and demanded shrilly, "What is it with everyone in the Seireitei? No one says anything about what Komamura is or Zaraki and that pink creature of his! But when the captain of twelfth alters his look, suddenly he's the maniac!"

"Pretty much" she chuckled in confirmation to the common rule and he rolled his eyes. Nobody complained about the other two scientist heads throughout the Soul Society but he was number one in the gossip mill. Her hands shot up to the action against his bone white skin and she grimaced, "Oh! That makeup makes your eyes and teeth worse than when we met. You should just leave it white or. . .did you shave off your eyebrows?!"

"Did I hear Nemu calling me?" he dodged quickly to drop the matter and she gripped his haori sleeve to prevent his escape.

"Stop wearing the makeup, it's only gotten scarier" she sighed with pity and shook her head to his costumed look. For all the time she'd known him, he'd never shown his true face outside of his officer quarters. The sad part about that was that he actually was handsome with his chiseled features when he removed the horrid paint. He began walking through the division grounds to escape the meddlesome woman and she tagged along beside him. At least that way, she could ensure he didn't harm one of her people as he left. Quickly, she piped up to offer ideas, "Or at least that metal stuff around your jaw line. It makes you look like a synthetic being-"

"What places have you visited?" he interjected casually but inside, he was eager to know what competition he held. He heard the two north Gotei were advancing well, mainly the Northeast, but his SRDI kept him as the top and most senior scientist in the Soul Society. Captains Chayton Bloom and Hale Östberg dreamed to be in his shoes while he'd brought a swift end to the Eastern Gotei's inkling of a scientific sector in a meeting and demolishing the site itself. If anybody even dared to mention Urahara, they would find themselves mysteriously poisoned by dinnertime. Ruka had befriended all of the scientific leaders but he could care less on amicability.

"Many places" she replied with a long sigh, missing her travels, and proceeded to tell him about the major areas with advanced technology. He simply let her blab on after being used to it decades ago and Ruka was more than happy to present all the current raves. Science often led her on endless chats and she facepalmed at realizing she'd gabbed all the way to the boundary walls of her division. Well, at least they survived one walk.

Glancing at him with dismay, she crossed her arms and muttered, "Why'd you let me do that? Most people would actually stuff a sock in my mouth."

He noticed her zanpakutō tied next to her waist by a sapphire obi sash and inquired casually, "Has Monosugoikaze behaved well over the decades? That zanpakutō spirit of yours is quite fascinating."

"Don't let him hear you say that or he'll shred you" she warned with a chuckle and patted the flat winged hilt proudly. Whenever she wasn't delving in science or pushing her body to its physical limit, he was ready to kick her butt to advance their zanpakutō abilities further. It figured that coming back home stirred him awake more often and she grinned impishly to say, "He's like me, has the potential but doesn't want it. If he doesn't want to try, I won't make him."

"Ruka, a zanpakutō has to evolve, it cannot stay the same" he reminded sharply, knowing families with noble lineages often had children with strong innate reiryoku. Shunsui had been the one of his generation to achieve bankai and Ruka's mother, from another clan, would have been next. It was expected of Ruka but she had four younger cousins born to her youngest uncle within Gotei ranks as well- two within the Kido Corps. The only one who never pushed her about it was her uncle Shunsui, whom she was grateful for. She frowned with annoyance at having her 'true potential' brought up again and he questioned, "Tell me that you've at least practiced attaining bankai over the years. I taught you the basics of shikai a century ago!"

She'd been having this conversation constantly over the years after the Winter War and it was tiring her. It wasn't laziness but personal choice and she cut him off with a stern tone, "I don't need this from you too. I've been taking this from everyone else ever since I came back and I don't want to deal with it anymore. I'm a capable fighter to serve as lieutenant and that's all everyone needs to know."

. . . "Again, have you-"

"Mayuri!" she protested and smacked his side with her hand to shut him up. Nobody had the right to know where her current skills were and the only one who came close was Yamamoto himself due to being Captain-Commander. Clearing her throat, she changed the subject by asking calmly, "So, can I rejoin the SRDI?"

"File an application" he declined bluntly since only twelfth division members were eligible. However, he could make an exception for her due to her old ties but he rather liked seeing her flustered. It helped to dull the lingering resentment of the past, especially when she decided to smack his arm this time. Shaking his head like a disappointed parent to the petty jab, he decided to irk her by teasing, "Hmm, hitting the president isn't helping your acceptance at all."

"C'mon, this is off-record" she retorted swiftly and waved her hand at him in dismissal. Despite their breakup, there was no question that the two shared an affinity for science. Whenever she traveled, there had to be a research laboratory nearby for her to tinker with her theories. Her current station denied her any chance of being in the SRDI and her tiny lab in the back of her barracks was not suitable. She knew she was practically begging the man to be let in through the doggie door as she pointed out, "You said you saw my work and you know I need the SRDI for this project. Past that, I won't be quitting my advances in improving life in Soul Society. Wouldn't you rather have me working with a team to fix or create and push past boundaries?"

"I don't fix! I create, enhance, and destroy!" he exclaimed with outrage since his inventions were not meant for anyone outside the Gotei. While Ruka aimed to improve life everywhere, he kept it to their Gotei 13 only. Attempting scientific work in the Rukongai districts is what landed him in the Maggot's Nest initially, after all. He would not return to that or help anyone outside the Gotei forces, something that Ruka sought to continue after helping both North Gotei improve their civilian sectors.

"I don't understand how you were content in the other squads, wasting your valuable potential" he remarked distastefully as his nose wrinkled to the thought of being trapped in the stale seventh division. She'd traveled from his to the thirteenth squad as well so he could only wonder what potential she'd wasted there, festering away her talents in a squad that held no special abilities. Ruka's gaze averted to that truth since she had to make that hard choice ages ago and stuck by it.

His voice cut through her thoughts as he reminded simply with conviction, "You were made to be in my division, Ruka, and nobody else's. It was why Urahara approved it and it is why I kept you when I purged the useless after his exile."

(112 years ago)

Ruka overheard two voices conversing inside the first floor laboratory and crept up to the open doorway. She already knew one of the voices belonged to Kurotsuchi and peeked over the doorway slightly to spot the fifth division lieutenant, Sōsuke Aizen.

"As of today, you're in charge of the twelfth division" the brunette lieutenant informed the young scientist as they stood in the middle of the lab. Ruka's eyes widened to the sudden news and her thoughts went to her captain immediately. Where was he? Was he safe? Had something happened? The morning had just started and her stomach sank when she heard, "Orders before Urahara's exile stated the Shinigami Research and Development Institute would become yours in the event of his demise and the Captain-Commander has granted it. He has also ordered for you to speak with his lieutenant later today on your new duties."

"Urahara will never return?" Kurotsuchi asked for clarification, not believing his ears on the surprising news of the morning. He'd woken up like he had every other day, expecting to see his annoyingly cheerful captain and his detestable lieutenant. What had he done to receive such a delightful gift?

"No" Sōsuke confirmed with a calm tone that unsettled Ruka and he nodded to her superior, "Congratulations, Lieutenant Kurotsuchi."

The scientist merely returned the nod, still surprised to the sudden turn of events, and the older lieutenant quietly exited the building. Mayuri waited until the door clicked into place to signal his exit before he turned around. Facing the doorway Ruka was hiding behind, he called out, "I know you're there, Kyōraku."

Timidly, she stepped out from behind as she was caught eavesdropping. She wasn't going to apologize for the guilty action but she had a right to know what was occuring and asked, "What's happened? There's been a ruckus since daylight."

"Apparently, our captain was convicted of illegal experimentation against four captains and he's fled the Soul Society" Mayuri explained with a frown as the words tasted odd to even say about the man. True, he was eccentric but Mayuri expected such actions to come from someone like himself first before the captain. She gasped in shock to such a horrendous crime since they were all colleagues meant to protect the Soul Society. Their captain was truly gone? And a criminal? She couldn't believe it, closing her eyes to the sad truth, but he brought her back by declaring, "I am now officially in charge of our division since Sarugaki was one of the experimental casualties."

"She's gone too?" she whispered with disbelief and quickly grabbed a nearby chair to sit down to absorb everything. Both her captain and lieutenant were gone? What was their division supposed to do? They were practically a chicken with its head cut off now! Urahara had been a friend for her since her childhood and a mentor once she entered the Shin'ō Academy. Weakly, she asked the only person that was close to being in charge, "What will we do?"

He cocked his head to the side to her apprehensive disposition, disliking it, and bluntly stated, "Follow me, of course! Time doesn't stop simply because Urahara decided to tinker in dangerous matters. I am your lieutenant now and I will begin achieving an acceptable bankai to become this division's captain. Are you with me, Kyōraku?"

Unsteadily, she stood up to take a deep breath and calm her fretful nerves. Her leader was gone and she was now under the command of a new one entirely. Her arms wrapped around his neck to clinch a confirmation as she broke protocol and she pressed her nose against his warm skin, "Of course I am."

"Your loyalty never wavers, does it?" Mayuri chuckled lightly and pressed his lips against her forehead to offer sentimental comfort. He might not have cared for it, finding it trivial, but he had learned to make space for it for her sake. Besides, his day was getting better by the minute now! A full-blown grin broke out over his black painted lips to actually wielding the twelfth division in his hands and admitted, "I didn't expect to gain everything this soon, it's actually quite funny to me."

"Losing our captain?" she asked sharply and peeked up at him with a glare to counteract his grin.

Urahara had picked her to be in his squad after she requested it personally and he'd worked alongside her mother as well. She respected him just as much as she did Captain Shihoin due to that bond, remembering peeking over tables as a toddler to watch all three talking in her home. He and the captain would often play tag and hide and seek with her whenever she popped out to greet them. It led her to wonder if her mentor in speed training was aware of the news? He was Captain Shihoin's best friend, her childhood friend, and it would crush Ruka if the same ever befell Byakuya or Nanao.

Mayuri rolled his eyes since his feelings weren't mutual at all and scoffed, "I never liked the man for a second. You, however, are a different topic altogether and I wouldn't mind having you as my lieutenant once I kick out all the useless seated officers. You reach shikai and I will reach bankai. It'll be interesting to catalogue it for specialization advancement."

"Only because our division requires leadership" she smiled softly to begin pushing her zanpakutō towards shikai. Nowadays, he mostly slept while she worked all of her hours in the SRDI. The only time she prodded him was at Byakuya's side when her friend wanted to practice since he sought to be a 'true shinigami' as he often teased her.

Mayuri leaned down to kiss her once, his lips lingering against hers for a brief second as she smiled, and let go. The cold temperature of the lab swept against her skin as he walked away with his head held high and she asked uncertainly, "Where are you going?"

"We have a lot of work to do today, Kyōraku" he reminded simply and walked off happily, laughing to himself in triumph of his new division. So much for expecting a century to pass before he could be its captain! His laugh echoed off the metal walls of the lab as he celebrated his new success and Ruka heard him declare, "We will make this division the scientific gem of the Soul Society!"

Four months later, Ruka would be packing her bags and sneaking off into the night to transfer into the thirteenth division.

(End)

"You know the reason why I left and I'm not going back to that" she stated vehemently on her past actions, which she would never apologize for. Each person had the right to live their life the way they wanted it and she had. There had been sad days indeed following her leave but she never questioned or regretted it. Not wanting to start another argument altogether, she waved her hands in the air to chuckle warmly, "I'm just glad to be back here without you trying to kill me. . .but seriously, you're not going gory on your methods while I'm around."

"But it's the best part" he insisted with a humorous pout to match and she shuddered to the idea of it being fun. Delight could be found in developing poison without having to harm anyone in the process. Just like carbon based humans and plants lived by gas exchange based on the atomic elements, the same applied with reishi for shinigami and their world. If she ever utilized live subjects, it would be on manufactured but inactivated synthetic cells. To call it fun was barbaric in her view.

She froze when she felt another familiar reiatsu heading her way and turned her head in all directions. Great, talk about history repeating itself with those two. Boy, she hoped the two were at least cordial in terms now. Running her fingers through her short brown hair, she groaned aloud with woe, "What does he want now? Most likely he's here to embarrass me, he lives for that in his cold icy throne."

Mayuri simply rolled his eyes, not keen to the new presence that would arrive, and questioned Ruka, "Were you with him?"

She turned to his unexpected question and scratched her head nervously to evade, "Define how."

That was all the confirmation Mayuri needed to settle old forgotten rumors that had circulated decades ago. His expression shifted from distaste to downright outrage in one split second and he snapped acidly, "Out of all the people-"

Byakuya Kuchiki popped up behind her, regal in appearance as always, and she turned to jump back in wide-eyed alarm, "Holy jumping bananas! You're going to push me into cardiac arrest one day, Kuchiki!"

"Rukia sent me to. . ." the captain informed calmly and noticed the twelfth captain's presence, pausing as his gaze narrowed slightly in disapproval. Why were these two in each other's company again? Hadn't everyone warned her to stay away from the man? He gave the not-too-happy scientist a small nod of acknowledgement and told the lieutenant flatly without cheer, "Remind you about the grand opening of the official Chappy Club. . .featuring Seaweed Ambassador. Hold for applause and smile."

She blinked awkwardly to the lack of a single tiny shred of joy in his voice and crossed her arms to frown, "You're not smiling. . .and you're not supposed to say your reaction either."

"I am a messenger, not an entertainer" he stated coldly to dismiss the matter entirely and she sighed dismally, seeing that he wasn't giving in. He always had a rebuttal ready for every comment she made, even when she was pointing out facts.

"You're a zombie, you know that?" she muttered flatly as she dropped her shoulders to stare at him with a deadpan look. Honestly, she was really tempted to poke him in the cheek to determine if his facial muscles were rigid from the lack of a single expression. The last time she'd seen the mask break was due to Ichigo unleashing a Getsuga Tensho on his property when Rukia was raising money for the Women's Association for a calendar shoot of the young hero. Hmm, that should've been a huge warning sign for Ruka that the two were heading towards dating. Property damage and a young dashing man always did tickle her own fancy.

In defiance, Byakuya simply raised his head and stated matter-of-factly with perfect calm, "I'm not the one biting people in the Seireitei."

Mayuri's bored gaze turned curious to that possibility and he asked with delight, "Have you been causing physical mayhem again, Kyōraku?"

When Byakuya glared heatedly at the scientist, Ruka quickly shook her head to shut down any compliments that would incense the other. While Mayuri enabled her destructive behaviors, it turned Byakuya towards maximum lecture and protective mode. They were like two negatively charged ions in Ruka's mind and she had to play the neutral game carefully to win on both ends. The twelfth captain grimaced with disappointment that she was attempting to be a normal person now and muttered, "It seems boring will be the new you."

Regretfully, she had to ignore that for the sake of saving herself a lecture from the other captain. It was far better to have a stoic Byakuya than one who decided to sit you down and glare at you mercilessly until you broke down and apologized for being in the wrong. He'd gotten way too good at it after a half a century.

"So you're joining us?" she cheered happily and reached out to prod her friend's shoulder but he dodged it. She almost tripped on the grass left in his wake, balancing herself on the tips of her toes, and cursed, "Damn it, Byakuya, you're going to get love bombed by me before the year ends like all my other friends!"

"Ruka, behave yourself" he reprimanded and she stuck out her tongue in protest. It was a constant battle for propriety with that woman and it irked the inner depths of his personality that demanded retaliation. Unfortunately, he couldn't put her in etiquette classes without her or Shunsui's consent.

"Fine, but you're carrying me there as the guest of honor: princess style!" she conceded with a maniacal laugh and the older captain simply vanished with shunpo to the club location. Her mouth popped open at the empty spot where he'd been seconds prior and gritted her teeth in annoyance. He left her?! Seriously?! She shook her fist like a grumpy old lady and yelled as loudly as she could, "I don't know the address, you jerk! You changed the damn venue from my choice! What kind of captain, not to mention friend, are you?"

She stomped her foot on the grass to pent out the frustration he left her with and groaned loudly with woe, "Why are you so mean, Kuchiki?!"

Turning to Mayuri, her expression did a complete 360-degree change as she flashed him a sweet smile and asked calmly, "So, I'll meet you at the SRDI tomorrow?"

"Were you with him? Did you two court and attend all those nobility parties you claimed to hate?" he demanded tightly and she could see his hand was on his sword's hilt. Oh great, was she about to be poisoned half an hour after they verbally agreed on peace? It would seriously rank as the shortest verbal peace treaty ever. Were those weekly horoscopes actually right? Would she have an accident now that Mercury was in retrograde? She pinched the bridge of her nose to collect her thoughts just as she heard his voice, "Ruka-"

If he knew the actual truth, he'd go on a rampage until she and Kuchiki were gagged with truth serum. She decided to play around with the truth, mostly downplay it, and reluctantly admitted part of it, "We did try the, um, casual dating scene after we broke up. It happened a lo-o-ong time ago when regular lizards were still legless snakes and I so do not have the hots for him today! Not to say I didn't yesterday, which I didn't, or the day before that and the day before-"

"You told me you would never be with a noble!" he shot back firmly to the hypocrisy and Ruka simply shrugged, not ashamed of that portion of her past either. Her love life was under her control and at the moment, it was on permanent pause like it had been for half a century. Her friend had carried on, married, and lived a happy for five years until tragedy struck. It wasn't easy for shinigami to maintain relationships due to the military lifestyle and danger they faced but it wasn't nonexistent. His golden eyes shined brightly against his painted face as he stated grimly, "I thought those were rumors back then."

"Nope, he was the exception by being there for me when I needed him" she justified since only her closest friends had known about that episode of her life. It's not like it even mattered now at all and she found it rather silly. They were meant to focus on important matters and move forward, reminding him, "No more arguing, the past is dead. You're here and I'm here-"

"And Kuchiki's always there!" he snapped tightly since he blamed the younger boy back then for always attempting to steer her away from their lab. Being young and loyal as well, Ruka had often left with him to learn from their families or partake in other 'fun' activities for their age. Ruka wasn't budging from her oldest friend anytime soon and the scientist chastised their behavior, "Hovering over you like a hawk to ensure you're obedient to his will and turn out honorable like he is. Now, you tell me you actually courted that callous ice pillar-"

"Are you jealous of him, Mayuri?" she teased gently with a cheeky grin and patted his chest, smoothing down his uniform. His lips thinned in a 'don't-push-me' scowl since he wasn't happy on having those ancient rumors confirmed. The fact that the two were still in ongoing contact irritated him and she stated resolutely, "He and I will always be friends. It's a promise we made as children and I'm sorry to say that nobody is breaking that."

With a humorous pout, she reached out to coax the nicer side of the scientist, "Don't wreck this little renewed friendship of ours over trivial things. Relationships fail all the time and isn't it better that it failed then than now? Besides, we only dated for like a year-"

"Year?!" he screeched and she winced to the piercingly loud volume of his voice. He would've preferred weeks than months! Gross, now he wouldn't be able to remove the image of a young blushing Ruka liplocked with the young overconfident Kuchiki.

"It was a ridiculously long time ago" she scoffed quickly with crossed arms and shrugged, "I'm pretty sure he'd never look at me that way again with my quirkiness."

(Flashback)

"Your uncle really has to renovate this place" Byakuya informed Ruka as he set down a hammer onto a study desk. He'd spent the day hammering away at loose floorboard pieces of Shunsui Kyōraku's two-level home that he created in the human world. The couple had gone there to spend their three-week vacation but the minute they entered, everything began falling apart and he became an unofficial handyman. So much for a romantic getaway. Cabinets broke off at the hinges, windows wouldn't open, window panes slammed throughout the windy night, closets were full of moths, the showerhead broke off on Byakuya's head and gave him a nasty bump, and the toilet was so horrendous that the two had gone to sleep with nightmares.

"I'll tell him to send a team or humans will start wondering why this house looks so old and decrepit" she sighed with disappointment and adjusted the fluffy white scarf around her throat. Her blue eyes gazed at the snow falling outside their bedroom window and grumbled, "We should be hitting the slopes instead of being construction workers. Who knows when we'll travel to Switzerland again?"

"After this, not ever" he refused with a snort and shook his head. The whole point of vacation meant relaxation and not extra work. If he wanted that, he might as well have stayed in the Seireitei! Ruka dusted off flecks of melting snow from his black wool coat with a curious eye and he explained, "Sharp icicles outside."

"Are you kidding me?!" she blurted and feebly pulled at the round silver buttons of his warm jacket. Now there were problems outside too? What was next, a hailstorm? He embraced her to soothe the sour mood settling in, rubbing her back gently. Her head rapped against his chest hopelessly and she groaned, "I'm never coming here again. I'd rather rent a room in those cute little inns for our safety. The mountains are gorgeous here in Valais, Byakuya, and I'm sure we could get a good view."

"Too tiny for my taste" he disagreed since he preferred space and her head shot up to glare at him. He'd rather stay in the death trap rather than a safe cute inn due to space? Was he insane? Quickly, her partner pointed out gently, "I may not like it here but we have room to wander and we're alone. If we head elsewhere, we'll be around actual humans and we've no idea on current events here. Plus, I'm sure they have a communal bathroom. . .no, thank you."

"Stop being picky because you live in a manor" she grumbled to his finicky nature and poked his stomach gently. Grabbing his hands into hers, she intertwined their fingers with a fond smile and sighed tiredly, "No more fixing, please? I don't care if we have to use only one room or floor of this house but we're going to relax. After a year, we deserve to celebrate our accomplishments, 3rd seat of sixth."

"I believe so, 3th seat of seventh" Byakuya replied amusingly and leaned down to kiss his girlfriend. Ruka blushed as she shared the affectionate kiss, threading her fingers into his silky hair. Now that they dated, he stopped bickering about having his ponytail undone. Nibbling playfully on her lips, he chuckled softly, "What do you have in mind?"

"Sledding" she suggested in between kisses and he shook his head, nudging his nose with hers. His partner had a taste for wilder adventures in comparison to him and he didn't want to break a gigai's limb while on vacation. Her lips lingered over his, pressing them lightly against his to coax a soft smile. With her own smile, she tapped the bottom of his chin to tease, "Don't tell me the Kuchiki heir is scared of snow?"

"No, I'm afraid you'll accidentally run me over" he joked to her odd moments of clumsiness and she leaned back to laugh. There was no doubt about that but she'd never intentionally harm the man she cared for. They had exchanged roles as the scamp now that they were adults and he frowned slightly, "My clan would hit the roof if anything happened to me. How about sipping tea on the doorsteps?"

"Or at the fireplace?" she brought up hopefully to add a little adventure to their day and his nose wrinkled at the idea. No, he was not smelling old wood burning on a romantic date. Their first attempt on using it the first day after dinner had been horribly disastrous but she assured him, "I'm sure we won't be covered in soot this time. . .or have it catch fire. . . or have the floor burnt."

"I'd prefer the outside" Byakuya decided with a fond kiss to her cheek and her smooth fingers caressed his tenderly. After decades of camaraderie, she was happiest being by his side but was sure his family was nagging about her back home. Except his grandfather, his acceptance was the thumbs-up they needed. She smiled at his stealthy rebellion, lightly grazing her lips over his porcelain cheek as he told her, "I'm willing to go through anything for you. . .except fire."

"Don't I feel loved" she muttered dryly and swatted his arm playfully for being forsaken to fire. He smiled pleasantly at her humor as she poked his chest to advise, "I don't care if your pretty hair catches fire, you save your girlfriend."

Byakuya hugged her tightly around the waist, her small form pinned against his. She gasped in surprise when her feet lifted off the floor and met his amused gaze as their heights suddenly matched. She squealed at being suspended a foot in the air and wrapped her arms around his neck securely as he grinned confidently, "I'll be sure to follow orders."

"Go make the tea while I grab a good blanket to keep us warm" she laughed to his boyish charm, delighted by his sense of humor, and pecked his lips. The smell of sakura petals never faded from his skin and she inhaled the intoxicating scent. His lips were eager to continue their exploration but she leaned back to tease, "Uh-uh, we still have our little date outside."

"Maybe we can head into town for lunch?" he suggested and she nodded enthusiastically to the idea of mingling with humans and eating different food. He knew she liked interacting with the humans and exploring their world so he wouldn't deny her that. It made her happy and in turn, made him happy.

"Can I drive the car?" she asked innocently as automobiles were rare in the rural community. They were mostly being used in Western Europe and North America but they managed to snag one at the last minute. The last time she'd visited the real world, cars weren't in wide use yet so it was exciting for her. They didn't exist in Soul Society so they were simply fascinating.

"No, you'll try to do something fancy and drive us off the mountain" he refused gently and kissed her lips as she pouted. Unfortunately, she probably would due to her curious knack to explore past any limitation. If it was up to her, Byakuya was certain she'd make that car fly. He chuckled in amusement to her deflated expression of not tinkering with human technology and he justified, "We just agreed that I'd go through anything, don't make it come true within hours."

"I wouldn't let you get hurt either" she spoke softly with fond smile and cupped his chin to draw him into another kiss. He was one of her best friends so she'd never let anything happen to him or she'd pulverize whoever attempted it. Besides, what kind of girl wouldn't save her handsome boyfriend from the clutches of danger?

"That convinces me" he chuckled softly to her affection as she framed his hair around his face the way he wore it. He'd been particular on having bangs frame one side of his face since adolescence and it carried into adulthood.

He set her back on her feet so she could skitter off and grab a thick blanket from one of their suitcases. Ruka couldn't wait to have another snowball fight and stir a competitive flush to his formal face from frustration. Pulling out a heavy blue blanket with swans swimming in a pond, it dwarfed her frame as she smiled at him, "You have your cherry blossoms, I have my swans."

Byakuya shook his head to her amusing personality and headed towards the first-floor kitchen. He absolutely hated the 19th century coal stove and spent hours with Ruka trying to learn how to work the odd contraption properly. In the end, they had decided to cook food in the fireplace which was another horror story in itself entirely.

Ruka watched him leave fondly but seconds later, she screamed in alarm when he fell right through the wooden floor. Quickly, she ran over to the gaping hole that had opened up to swallow her partner as wooden debris flew into the air. The odor of decaying and termite ridden wood wasn't lost on her gigai's sense of smell.

"Oh my- Byakuya, are you all right?!" she shouted worriedly and held her chest anxiously. The air cleared from below within seconds and she spotted him lying on top of the rotten wood on his back. Well, at least he found the kitchen. Kneeling carefully at a safe distance so she wouldn't tumble in on top of him, she called out, "Say something!"

Byakuya groaned painfully as his gigai took the blunt force, mainly in his spine, and called out to her, "Ruka, darling, be a dear and draw me a warm bath."

She nodded uneasily with concern to his safety and promised, "I'll come down to help you right now, okay?"

"I've been thinking. . . we should rent a room in town" he spoke loudly as a headache settled behind his head and kicked debris from his legs. At that moment, a modern communal bathroom was not so bad in comparison to a dilapidated house that was breaking faster by the hours.

She sighed gratefully to his change of mind and smiled, "Thank you, I'll make sure I send the bills to my uncle-"

"No, I don't want this going public in the Seireitei" he broke in swiftly since he wanted their relationship to stay out of the spotlight and gossip. Falling through a floor in the human world was not the best look for a new third seat. Not if he wanted to prove to his grandfather that he could be his lieutenant. Glaring at the open hole above him, he muttered under his breath, "I can't wait to leave this deathtrap."

(End)

"With you, we could blow ourselves up and totally defy the odds by being okay" she smiled perkily with a humorous lift of her eyebrows. He wasn't amused by the joke at all, coupled with the confirmation of her romantic past with a current captain. How had she gone from dating an intellectual groundbreaking man such as himself to an overbearing pretty faced noble? In his view, that was the kind of behavior that ruined talented scientists. Ruka tapped her chin in curious afterthought and murmured, "Though I have a feeling we have at one point in the past."

He didn't comment to her words and she could see his thinned lips practically disappeared under the white makeup. She sighed to his sourpuss face, not being the type to deal with that drama, and reassured, "You have to learn to share just like all boys and girls."

Mayuri had never been the type to share anything, choosing to hide or destroy what he deemed as his. It was why nobody knew of their old relationship, for both their safety and reputation. Ruka rolled her eyes to his vocal level 1 tantrum, cutting off a rise to level 5 maelstrom by informing him quickly, "Look, drama llama, I have to go meet with the Chappy Club. Now, give me your eerie 'I'll haunt you in your dreams' smile in farewell and I'll run off to track down that good for nothing captain."

"I'll see you another day" he replied coldly and visibly winced when she hugged him. People did not randomly hug Mayuri Kurotsuchi in open public and live to tell the tale. Most would be poisoned or paralyzed a second after but the woman carried a sharp mind. The lieutenant knew he could've just flicked her off easily like a bothersome flea but chose to complain instead, "Ruka-"

"Don't be a jerk. . .well, with me that is" she spoke softly as she added one last squeeze before releasing the annoyed scientist. He did not want his image of inducing petrified terror to be tarnished by the upbeat woman if any witnesses spotted it. His painted face held distaste for the absurd display of affection, as well as her request, and she reminisced, "Time changes people but you'll always be etched into my life. . .you're very hard to pry off. Hey, remember the goo?"

"It was an abomination" he sneered derisively but she could detect a hint of sarcasm. He didn't want to remember happier times because the bad ones also filtered in, souring his already annoyed mood.

"We're going to have fun this time so no dreary resentment crap" she declared perkily with an enthusiastic smile that turned his grimace into a frown. She was possibly even more cheerful than he remembered her and he suddenly felt the need to dissect his experiments to feel normal again. The woman could be infectious like a bothersome smiley faced disease, especially when she piped up humorously, "Remember that mission to the Eastern Gotei that went horribly wrong?"

Actually, that one wasn't so bad in his book. . .

(Flashback)

Mayuri and Ruka were called in to deal with a scientific horror mess for the Eastern Gotei's first attempt at having a scientific division. Needless to say, they ruined their first dangerous experiment by lacking containment units and appropriate backup plans. When Mayuri heard he had to go to a foreign Gotei for the first time, he was not pleased in the slightest to fix their mess. When he heard it was a shoddy attempt to match up to their SRDI, he practically glowed at the opportunity to show them why he was the master scientist in all of Soul Society. As usual, he had Ruka tag along as his assistant since she had a knack for befriending others easily while he had the polar opposite effect. The prospect of seeing another part of the Soul Society also intrigued her immensely, opening up the true world around her.

The moment they arrived at the division in question, Mayuri realized they shouldn't have even been allowed to properly handle scissors (let alone, a scientific sector) with the mayhem they created. When Hollow monstrosities were running amok in a Gotei, that was pretty much proving your incompetence as a shinigami. Entering the blood spattered building, Mayuri yawned into his hand without a hint of surprise to the destruction. The black clouds, fires, and screaming shinigami had taken care of that initial surprise upon approach.

As shinigami ran around the area in pure terror, Ruka clapped her hands to garner their attention and grinned, "All right, let's get this show rolling."

A mutated Hollow crashed through the wall to her left, attempting to swipe at Ruka with its claw-like fingers. The young scientist removed a blue vial from her glove and opened it to splash its white mask. The Hollow screeched in pain as it grasped its burning face and she yelled with a feisty edge, "No! Foul unclean creature, feel the sting of my purification solution!"

When it scampered away in the opposite direction to cause destruction elsewhere, the shinigami around them offered thanks. Any help was sorely needed at that point. Mayuri activated a protective barrier from one of his numerous creations, the white barrier glowing to shield the shinigami inside. It was clear and pathetic that he knew more in his first year as a scientist than all of the people put together inside that building. Ignoring the looks of awe and admiration, he informed sharply, "This barrier will protect you from the attacks while we prepare to fix your mistake."

Ruka smiled optimistically at their frightened faces as she stood outside the protective barrier and piped up sweetly, "Worry not, fellow shinigami, for in this bag," pointing to their large black medical bag, "we possess the purest, most powerful, and technologically advanced weapons of science ever to be assembled in one bag to combat evil."

Mayuri rolled his eyes to her peppy mood in the middle of a blood stained room and glared at the troublemakers, "We're perfectly safe as long as we-"

It was at this moment that another Hollow popped out from below the ground to yank away the bag into the dark abyss. The scientist's confident voice wavered slowly as their chance for success hit a roadblock, "have. . .the. . .bag."

With their best asset stolen by the enemy and the shinigami focused on the new gaping hole, Mayuri and Ruka's gaze met for a split second before he grabbed her hand to bolt the hell out of there. He could hear the shinigami protesting inside the barrier and he yelled quickly as he abandoned them, "You'll be safe in there for four days!"

Meanwhile, he and Ruka would have to regroup and form another plan . . . after lunch at their own Gotei.

(End)

He had to admit that was a rather 'fun' incident where he proved his superiority. Having his ego feathers fluffed, he waved her away and dismissed her, "Run along, Ruka."

"That's better" she nodded approvingly to the prospective chance of meeting another day and left the area for her club meeting.

Shinigami Extra:

"Thanks for taking the time to help me with this project" Ryo grinned with appreciation, clapping his friend on the back. Ruka waved him away like a pesky older brother as she soldered wires together with a highly powered laser pen on a table. She was winding two wires intricately before planning to connect them to a square metal device that lay a foot away. It held the master idea of Ryo's plan- well, the technological aspect- while the wire would require connection the main electric fuse box in Byakuya's private home. Despite the conservative home architecture of her old friend, he utilized electricity when he needed it.

Soldering the manually winded pieces into one with the laser, Ruka smiled to herself and joked aloud, "As long as this doesn't lead to my gravestone saying premature death by fire chicken or pink flower petals, I'm cool."

Ryo understood the latter since he'd joked about his cousin's zanpakutō ages ago but was puzzled by the former, "Fire chicken?"

"The Sokyoku!" Ruka reminded hastily to the gigantic phoenix death punishment that her uncles had destroyed to save Rukia. Although it had been destroyed over a decade ago, it didn't take long for Yamamoto's Commanders and the Kido Corps to create a new one. In Ruka's mind, they could've just saved the tax kan for the Gotei and had Yamamoto use his own zanpakutō- it was rather similar.

The captain simply waved aside the matter since his Gotei simply sent their executable enemies to the Prime's second division. In an innocent tone, Ruka changed the subject by posing the question, "So-o-o-o, how's your time at the Kuchiki manor?"

"Cold and lifeless like Byakuya's gaze," was his flat reply and the raven-haired captain crossed his arms in defiance. Yep, the flickers of Kuchiki stubbornness were still there. She couldn't exactly argue the comment when the sixth captain resembled an ice obelisk most often than not.

Pausing for a moment, she turned off the laser and raised the protective black goggles on top of her head. Grinning in return, she joked good-naturedly, "I think you're the first Kuchiki to delve into science. . .figures it'd be the embarrassing kind."

His secret project for the Kuchiki manor was underway as Ruka was halfway through its creation. Next, it would be up to both of them to secretly install and activate it.

"We've never been the science type" he admitted with a careless shrug since they were entrusted with keeping track of the history of their realm. Frankly, reading and organizing the chapters of old climactic battles and reading of heroic deeds were the only part that interested him. He'd fallen asleep when it came to generational trees and had gone to great lengths to convince a teenage Byakuya that he'd be admired for his photographic memory if he did it all. For once, his relative had actually listened.

Another voice cut him off and Ryo's green eyes widened when Mayuri walked into the private lab, "Ruka, are you still- oh."

Spotting the two working over some unknown technology, the captain was ready to demand their purpose when Ryo spoke up, "You must be Captain Kurotsuchi."

"My, was it the captain's haori that gave it away or your horrid sense of deduction?" the captain shot back snippily and Ruka stopped her work to shoot him a glare. Ryo furrowed his brow at wondering how the hell these two were ever in a romantic relationship. It wasn't feasible to him- Ruka was like a 7/10 while he was a -30/10. If his cousin ever found out the truth, Ryo could only imagine the shockwave of anger that would ripple through Soul Society. That, purchasing popcorn, and sitting back to watch the inevitable fight.

Ruka didn't have time for petty squabbles and the scientist snapped, "This is a private institute that requires approved access-"

His yellow eyes narrowed into slits when Ryo fished out a white plastic card from his pocket that allowed entrance to the SRDI. Was Yamamoto randomly giving out these cards to anybody?! His SRDI was a highly classified facility that scrutinized everyone for access! Before he could yell at the two for disobeying his work hour rules, Ruka pointed out, "This is Captain Ryo Kuchiki from the Northwestern Gotei 8."

"Another one of you? Is your clan intentionally planning on Soul Society domination?" Mayuri snorted at having to meet another dreaded noble in the military ranks. Byakuya Kuchiki was already enough to drive him into annoyance every time they were in the same room. He grew tediously bored of conversing with any of them, with only the Kyōraku clan being half-decent. Waving his hands in disgust, he muttered with a heavy scowl, "Every time I get rid of one of you, you multiply and come back with reinforcements."

Is he for real? We only have two here and last time I checked, 2 times 2 equals 4- not three, Ruka thought with dismay and placed her goggles back on for the mere purpose of rolling her eyes. If he was throwing a fit for the Kuchiki clan being in the Gotei forces, she didn't want to mention how many Kyōraku were stationed throughout Soul Society.

The raven-haired captain simply shrugged, leaning back against the table, and chuckled, "Beats me, I like to keep them far away like a starving honey badger."

Mayuri blinked with a mix of bewilderment and annoyance before glancing at Ruka to remark, "He's peculiar."

Ryo tilted his head to the side as he observed the one that caused Ruka heartache and terrified Soul Society itself. How his friend managed to find him physically attractive at all a century ago was beyond him. Had it been the intellect? He hoped to the Soul King it was that and not something related to the bedroom. Otherwise, he'd be vomiting in the nearest trashcan and telling Ruka that he'd reached his limit hearing about crazy relationships. Mayuri didn't like being placed under the visual microscope, gritting his teeth when Ryo crossed his arms to reply in nonchalant amusement, "Same to you."

"I don't like him- leave!" the twelfth captain ordered since he liked keeping an organized SRDI and two little ants fiddling around in it was a huge no. Ruka had only recently gotten his approval to work on a floor with Akon and his team due to their old camaraderie. His people were the only ones he would allow to work alongside her. For all he knew, the foreigners would steal his ideas and he'd have to save their asses all over again.

Ruka burst into amused laughter that echoed off the walls and she grinned to tease, "Captain, you don't like anyone."

"True, but that's not the point here" he agreed bluntly with a small shrug to his particular tastes. If his subordinates weren't competent, they were experimental fodder, and if they were, they'd best prove their worth. Ruka and Ryo shared a look of 'are you kidding me?' before he pointed to the nearest doorway and ordered, "Now get!"

"He's one of our unit trainers so he'll be with me in this lab when I need his help so like it or lump it" Ruka stated firmly because her division project was important but to save face, pulled that trump card to save the current project in her hands. She was bending her access to the lab for fun's sake but what was the point of being a scientist if you couldn't have a little fun once in a while? Mayuri was none too happy for her response since he expected to be obeyed at all times within his division's property.

When the scientist stomped off angrily, Ruka grabbed her little metal creation of wires to secure it in a cushioned box for safekeeping. Before Ryo could ask what was going on, she informed him softly with a hasty tone, "The thing about Mayuri is you never know when he's kidding so rather than facing a monstrosity of a guard dog he decides to unleash upon us, I think it's best to flee to construct on another day."

A/N: The shenanigans and horrors science can unleash has me giddy when the scientific heads all meet in one room when a mission brings them together- three in total, including Mayuri. As we can see, he and Byakuya tolerate each other on a professional level only (which seems to occur the majority of all the captains). I wanted to set the current foundation for the two men due to their entwined histories with Ruka as she maintains professionalism with one and friendship with the other. Unfortunately for Ruka, she needs Mayuri's fancy high-tech lab to create since she has squat. As one who is constantly researching and jotting down ideas, not having a lab can dampen one's potential which will be one of her major obstacles.

Thank you for the new followers and my last reviewer, I love the feedback!

WorldPeaceMan: Pinning down accuracy with the canon characters is always tricky so thank you for the compliment. OC characters are easier to give life to since they're your own and Ruka has some spunk to her. Depending on the type of story or what characters showcase, the followers/reviewers count vary but I'm ok as long as someone enjoys my work somewhere out there in the world. Haha. Ruka will definitely keep growing as a scientist, not to mention leader, and slowly shedding her tendency to hide abilities. The same will occur to the canon characters since this story will take place over several years.

Next time, we'll be seeing the first meeting of the Chappy Club:

"Sorry I'm late, your brother decided to be an ass and left me stranded without directions after changing the venue" Ruka apologized sincerely but shot the older Kuchiki a heated glare, which he promptly ignored. Rukia glanced at her brother with stunned surprise but he wasn't budging on his stance. Ruka had half a mind to hurl her sandal at his perfectly symmetrical head but the immature route would lead her to walking home with only one shoe.

Flicking her thumb towards the open doorway she'd exploded from, she added in, "I needed his help to bring in this but his noble highness couldn't be bothered to help a lil' lady in need. It wouldn't fit through the door so come on out."

Rukia counted herself as oddly lucky to being entrusted enough to watch her brother's shield come down in private with Ruka. The two weren't even halfway out the door and were quietly bickering with each other in hushed whispers she couldn't hear. Were they using their spiritual pressure to silence the extent of sound coming from their conversation? Rukia wouldn't put it past the two; they were like Yoruichi and Kisuke but with bickering and no nudity. If she had a camera, she could've made tons of money within a week to fund her club for a month! Hmmm, that was an idea to ponder over. Rukia stepped outside as the two moved aside to let her have the lead and her violet eyes widened, stopping immediately.

There were no words to the beauty she was witnessing before her. In front of the wooden clubhouse, there was a humongous white chocolate statue of Chappy itself that could barely fit through the doorway. It could've rivaled Captain Komamura's height! She'd never seen or dreamt of such a thing existing!

Her mouth opened in speechless disbelief and Rukia squeaked out, "Is that. . .?"

"Behold! A chocolate Chappy ready to be eaten" Ruka declared proudly to the prize of the day and gazed hungrily at the bunny as well. At this point, Byakuya thought both women were a little touched in the head for fawning over a chocolate rabbit. What could it possibly do to improve their club? As if reading his mind, Ruka clapped her hands together in glee and smiled brightly, "Thought it would make the first meeting more dramatically exciting."

Rukia clasped her hands over her chest, her feet practically skipping in place, and she shrieked with joy, "Oh! Chappy!"

Byakuya stared awkwardly as his sister squealed girlishly for the first time ever while her eyes admired the statue as if it were a god. Where did his sister, a capable Gotei lieutenant, disappear to? Her voice trailed off with complete awe as her purple eyes opened wide to glitter brightly, "Dreams do come true."