"And so I said, "Then you put some oatmeal in with the rest" and she said "Oatmeal? Are you crazy?"" Orihime related to Tatsuki as they went to morning classes. The orange light leaked into the hallway as the sun lazily dragged its way into the sky.
"Is that the Inoue-sempai you were talking about Haruna?" the first year student whispered to her friend.
"Yes, I heard the rumor straight from Mahana, and she was eavesdropping on her and that dorky Student Council President talking the other day," she said, laughing a bit.
"She sure doesn't look like she's pregnant," she put her finger to her lip.
"Well you don't show until you're really far along, you know?" Haruna said, but gulped a bit as she felt a deeply scary aura behind her, and they both slowly turned to find Ishida behind them.
"We're so sorry," Haruna clamored to turn around, only to run into Tatsuki who had turned around and come back, feigning a need to talk to Uryuu.
"Starting rumors, especially those that are grossly inaccurate and could lead to misunderstandings, is unforgivable. By my pride as a Student Body President, I can't allow you to continue this unabated." he adjusted his glasses.
"Haruna," Tatsuki interrupted noticing Ishida's irritation, "you should know better than to spread gossip. I'm going to wear you out in club activities this afternoon," a smirk crossed her lips as she tapped her fist into her palm.
Haruna gulped.
The two escaped, returning to their own section.
**story break**
The room, freshly painted, stood silent as a tomb. Its lone occupant gazes out toward the Kuchiki estate as the breeze teases the curtains to and fro. A fragile hand shakes as if it will shatter in an instant. It glides over the dark secret that would crush her either way the ill winds of fate blew. She draws out a picture hard concealed within her clothing. It is a picture of herself and a bond she shares. The bond is old, but strong as iron. Its chains drag at her heart and weigh her almost to tears. A knock comes to the door and the picture disappears once more.
"Message for Kotoku-dono," a voice called from the hallway.
"Come," she called back, stifling the dread crawling over her and choking her throat.
"Your meeting will be first in the morning as per the request of your brother," he kneeled and spoke after moving aside the door.
"I understand. Thank you," her red brown eyes never leave the sky outside.
** story break**
The form of Kurotsuchi alights upon the balcony of Yamamoto's office.
"Have you made any progress?" Yamamoto's eyes cut to the bizarre figure haunting the shadows.
"Of course I have. What do you take me for?," he hissed.
"What have you found?" he turned to face him.
Kurotsuchi produced a file from his haori and tossed it onto the old man's desk contemtuously.
"They were so clumsy this time. My lowest grade technician could have found them. It was almost an insult to my cognitive faculties. They left their reiatsu hanging everywhere in that room," he folded his arms contemptuously.
Yamamoto's eyes parted in an unusual shock at the contents. In a flash of cape and cane, the Captain-Commander departed.
**story break**
"Ummm…" eyes peered helplessly at the large guards attending the gate.
"You lost small fry?" one of the massive guards leaning on his halberd said with derision.
"I was asked to come here to help Kurosaki-san. See fourth squad," he indicated his satchel, every word trembling and shaking from his mouth.
"I didn't know he was sick," the guard scratched his head.
"I didn't hear anything either," the other one looked puzzled and suspicious, scratching his chin.
"No no! I'm only here to give him a physical for entrance into the Gotei 13. It's really just a formality. They knew he would be busy for the next few days, so they sent me to give it before so he could join his division more quickly afterward. I've treated his wounds before, so he asked for me to be the one to come out here." Hanatarou shook like a leaf on a tree.
"Let me call this in. Messenger!" the man's voice rang out.
"That won't be necessary," Byakuya appeared in a flash, but continued his steps with his usual grace.
"Kuchiki-sama!" the guards straightened up.
"He is allowed. I will escort him personally," Byakuya strode off toward the estate with Hanatarou, ghastly white, following close behind him.
"Kuchiki-taicho", Yamamoto appeared in a burst of speed, "I must warn you of something of grave importance."
Yamamoto had barely finished his sentence when they felt Kurosaki's reiatsu spike wildly. At this, Byakuya and Yamamoto disappeared in flash steps with Hanatarou, the color that had just returned to his cheeks draining once more, did his best to keep up as they ran toward the main building.
**story break**
Kurosaki slumbered peacefully in his room. The house was silent save for the few guards and a handful of attendants attempting to please some of the more demanding charges. A dark figure slipped in the room. A glint of gold reflected what light the moon cast into the room.. From within his clothes he produced a jitte. Measured hands drew the hilt from the boshin to reveal a hidden blade.
"Please forgive me your majesty, I do this to protect someone dear to me. I think you of all would understand," he raised his weapon and kneeled next to Ichigo.
The blade began downward, but as he began his strike three kunai pierced his arm and a kick drove him headlong into the closet. The blade fell and bounced impotently off of Ichigo's naturally reiatsu hardened skin..
"I'm sorry I couldn't protect you," the assailant's eyes glazed over a little as he ripped one of the kunai from his arm and attempted to take his own life, but was prevented by the quick work of the guard.
"Satomi-san," Ichigo started from his sleep in astonishment and turned the light up to show a bloodied and struggling Tsukiken held down.
"I'm more than just a pretty face, Ichigo-henka. I'm also a Royal Guard." she said grimly. "Bakudo 63: Winding, Binding Chains," she bound him and removed her blades.
"Like I hadn't already figured that out," Ichigo rolled his eyes.
"Clever boy," she poked his cheek.
At this point, Byakuya, the Captain-Commander and Hanatarou arrived onto the scene to find the deed done and over with.
"You there, Fourth Squad member," she shouted at Hanatarou.
"Yes m'am?" he stuttered.
"Patch him up. We're going to need him alive." she ordered him to which he obeyed instantly, much to the rage and struggle of the would be assassin.
Satomi was dressed rather provocatively, but that did not affect her concentration a bit.
"Ichigo," Rukia burst through the house guards, shaking a bit.
"I'm fine," he stroked her hair. "Don't worry about me so much," he laughed a bit.
"I wasn't worried in the slightest. I just wanted to make sure you didn't overdo it," she said with a pinch of indifference and mild annoyance at him messing with her bed hair.
"Whatever you say, midget" he hugged her tightly. Her head left his chest and peered over at the Royal Guard member and Tsukiken.
"Who is that?" she looked over at Satomi.
"Royal Guardswoman Satomi," he answered
"What's with the outfit?" she looked up at him quizzically.
"That's a bit of a difficult story," he scratched the back of his head and chased that butterfly again..
**Flashback**
"Oh come now, your father wasn't so prudish. He enjoyed my company to it's full extent," Satomi smirked, stroking Ichigo's chin
"I-I love Rukia," he snapped at her.
"Oh come on," she let a strap slide.
"Don't touch there!" he almost shouted.
Tsukiken outside raised an eyebrow at the weird noises he thought to be dream speak.
"Now, how am I supposed do my job as an oiran if you keep blocking me?" she smirked.
"Just get back in the closet," he pointed back at her temporary home.
**Flashback**
"Now, who do you work for?" she gripped his head.
"You won't get anything from me," he said with a mix of venom and despair.
"We shall see about that," she let his head slump.
*story break*
The surge of reiatsu startled the young woman lying in bed. She sits bolt upright, doused in cold sweat.
"No… no… you didn't have to…." she whispered into the dark of the night. Her hand drifts to her stomach with a pinch of resolve. From her bag she draws a small tube disguised as lipstick. Her eyes close and she rises to her feet. A loud roar crashes and a surge of light emits from the room.
"It's time," a tear rolls down her cheek.
**story break**
A bright light shines in on Tsukiken in a dark cellar as he remains bound and seated in a chair.
"You can go back to sleep. I can handle this from here," Satomi stretched in preparation.
"No, I want to stay. I want to know who is behind these threats on my family and friends," Ichigo stated solemnly, but with a fire unquenched in his eyes.
"I'll stay by your side," Rukia clasped his hand.
"You don't have to," Ichigo said.
"We're going to be family soon. This concerns me as much as you," her resolve was apparent.
"I could be at this a while and it isn't going to be pretty," she looked back over at the two, but the two would not budge in the slightest.
"Alright then, stay quiet and don't complain. You were the one who asked how the sausage was made," she stretched gloves on and arranged her implements.
"Before I start, I'll ask you one more time who you're working for," she lifted his chin.
He looked into her eyes and remained perfectly steadfast.
"You'll save yourself a lot of trouble if you give in now," she reached for something diabolical looking.
"Never," he spat at the floor.
"If that's how you want it," she started, but was interrupted by loud crashes outside that turned up the eyebrow of the Captain-Commander.
At once the cellar door smashed and a red-brown eyed lady in evening gown wielding a sword burst through the wreckage and swung her blade at the interrogator who brushed aside the attack. Seeing the failure of the attack, she sped behind Rukia and held the blade to her throat.
"Let him go or I'll kill her," she panicked, breathing heavily and her eyes afire with fear and tears.
"You'll do no such thing, " Rukia turned her finger toward her assailant.
"I have my blade at your throat and you…," she was interrupted.
"Bakudo number nine, Geki," she called out and her opponent froze, allowing her to slip out from the tactic and take the blade from her hand.
Tears poured out of the woman's eyes. Her body was paralyzed but not the swirling mass of emotions within her. Despair set in and she screamed in horror.
"Kotoku-dono," Tsukiken teared up and lost his composure, "Why did you come!"
"I couldn't bare to stand away and let you be taken from me! I couldn't bare the thought of you not being in this world," hot tears streamed down her face.
"But now we're both undone," his voice and hands shook with utter defeat.
"I couldn't help myself," she collapsed to the floor as the kido was released and new restraints were placed on her.
"I think it's time you two started to talk," Satomi tossed aside her gloves.
"There's no sense hiding it from you now," Tsukiken started almost laughing with an almost morbid relief.
"Who sent you? You're obviously did this because someone forced you. That blade had no killing intent," Rukia crossed her arms.
"It was my brother," she gained a bit of composure.
"Kotoku-dono!" Tsukiken shouted.
"It's alright now," she said with a sort of relief, " either way we weren't going to survive this… and please call me Aiko. Like you said, there's no sense in hiding anything now."
"I'll tell you everything. Maybe that will buy us some leniency. Just knowing you are alive somewhere would be peace enough for me," he took a deep breath and began.
"I was once a servant of the Kotokus. My family has served theirs for generations, but fraternizing between the two clans was strictly forbidden. The nobles wanted to keep their bloodline clear of what they called mongrels. In spite of that, the two of us grew up together and were rather close. I volunteered for anything I could do to help Aiko. Eventually, her brother, a cruel man, came to power and knew well my love of her. He sent me to be a spy in your household just in case something were to happen, and to keep me away from his little sister, though I would meet her when I would run errands. He told me that he was planning to overthrow the Spirit King by killing his only son, and that he would kill Aiko if I didn't comply with his wishes. I was stuck between treason and letting her die. I couldn't let her die, so I struck at you. I would not blame you if you took your sword and cut me down right now," he slouched with the weight of his words lightening his soul.
"Why didn't you come to me?" Byakuya stared him down, much to the surprise of everyone.
"If I had, he would have killed her. I'm not the only spy he has and I have little knowledge of the other agents he uses," he looked up. "Besides, who would believe a commoner's word against a noble's?" he sighed.
"It's true," Aiko's head rose, "my brother has all but ruined the family paying all of his agents, though some he keeps in line with intimidation and blackmail."
"What shall we do with them?" Satomi hovered over the two.
"I shall see to it that they never see the light of day," Yamamoto tapped his cane. "They will spend their days hidden away at the Maggot's Nest."
"Wait," Ichigo extended his arm, "I will give them a pardon on one condition."
"What is it?" the two bound in the cellar said almost simultaneously.
"You will remain here, together under our protection and answer any questions we may have," he commanded leaning a foot on a stool.
"Yes, your majesty," they agreed.
With that, there was a large surge of power outside as a thunderous slam hit the ground as if an asteroid landed.
"Come out and face me Ichigo Kurosaki," a voice boomed.
Yamamoto and Byakuya drew their swords.
"He's mine," Ichigo slipped between the two.
"Ichigo," Rukia called to him.
"Don't tell me to stand by and watch this," he drew his sword.
"No, get out there and crush him," she made a fist.
"Yes ma'am," he smirked and looked outside through the busted door.
His reiatsu skyrockets and Zangetsu glows.
"Shatter fate, Zangetsu!," his sword swelled and took its normal form as he leapt forward.
**Omake break**
"Why does everything get so scary when I get anywhere near Kurosaki," Hanatarou gripped his head and hid in a dark corner.
A dog walked up and licked his hand and sat next to him and spooked him.
:"I just want to go home," he sighed,
