Notice: I don't own Bleach.

Chapter 9: Souls in Revelation:

Masaki was glad Ichigo told her his story, but also knew he wasn't quite finished yet, since he said nothing about what made him come to Soul Society to save Ms. Kuchiki.

However, Masaki instead wanted to talk a little to a certain bespeckled youth and fellow Quincy. She took a sip of her drink. "So Uryu, how's life at the Ishida estate?"

Uryu was so focused on Ichigo's story that he didn't quite realise Masaki spoke to him. "U-Uh, excuse me?" He adjusted his glasses revealing himself a little wide-eyed. Masaki repeated her question; slowly. "I was just asking, how are things at the Ishida household?"

"Oh, yes, well, it's fine I suppose..."

"You suppose?"

"Yes...?" He was a little hesitant talking about his personal baggage, about the falling out with his father and death of his mother and grandfather.

"Well what about Kanae? How is she?"

"She's..." By the change in posture and his darkened expression, she knew something bad happened to Kanae.

"W-What happened Uryu?" Kanae was her friend, she needed to know what happened to her.

"She died, about six years ago. A short but sudden illness..." he looked blankly at her.

'A short but sudden illness? How!? She was fine the last I saw her, which was a few days before I died.' She was now deep in thought.

'I don't think it's a coincidence that we both died around the same time. And...considering I lost my powers...perhaps it was something like that for her? Still too many questions, not enough answers.'

Ichigo, was a little worried about his mother. She looked very serious, and was obviously thinking about something – what that was he didn't know.

"I'm sorry to hear that Uryu. Kanae was a good friend of mine, and I know she was a great mother."

"Thank you Mrs. Kurosaki" A small smile coloured Uryu's expression.

Then it occurred to him 'Good friend...great mother?'

Leaning in a little on the table, he adjusted his glasses: "Mrs. Kurosaki, you said that you're a Quincy, but how do you know my family?"

Masaki was about to take a sip of her drink, when she suddenly stopped.

"I mean we're Quincy sure, but I wouldn't expect all of us to know each other. In fact I'm pretty sure I've never met you before now."

'So a mutual pact between Isshin and Ryu is a given then.' She couldn't help but laugh, that her husband and Ryu worked together to keep things from their children. In Isshin's case, he must've kept the children away from the Ishida household, and Ryu must've made sure not to talk about, or mention the Kurosaki family. 'Then again, we didn't really say our last names, just said Aunty, Cousin and the like. I guess it also makes it easier since they were children too.'

"I guess my husband and Ryu didn't keep our families in contact then? Typical, the one time they work together, is when me and Kanae are already gone..." she chuckled, bitterly. Looking over at Ichigo, she knew this would be a sudden revelation for him too.

"Wait...mom? Our families knew each other? How come I don't know about this?"

'How indeed...' Masaki sighed, wanting to talk about this bit of news in a more private setting.

"Well I think it would be best if I told you two directly. We'll finish up here and you can come with me, so I can talk to you both. If you want to tell your friends after, that's fine with me, but there has been enough revelations in this room for one day." The boys nodded in unison. "Great, excuse us everyone."

Before Masaki left out of the door to the hallway, she turned to Kūkaku and Ganju, giving a look saying, 'sorry niece and nephew, you'll get your time with Ichigo after, but I have to do this first.' The Shiba Head returned her look, nodding her acceptance. Directing the boys over to her, Masaki, Ichigo and Uryu left the dining room.

Finishing her drink, Kūkaku spoke up. "Well everyone, that was an eventful meal, but I think it's time we all retire for the day. Ganju here can show you to some rooms, where you can rest." She pointed at her little brother, who had a dumb look on his face. Obviously the young man was confused about everything that was said here, and only barely registered his sister saying his name. "Eh? O-Oh yes sis, I'll show these guys to the guest rooms. Leave it to me!" Again he saluted her – as a cadet would to their superior officer.

'Overly enthusiastic, but at least he listened this time,' Kūkaku shrugged at her little brother's repsonse.

The group were lead to their sleeping quarters and retired for the day.

/Near Masaki's Room – Shiba Estate

The Quincy boy and Substitute Soul Reaper followed the Kurosaki matriarch down a hallway, turning when she turned. Both boys were anxious, knowing this was likely something very big, if she separated them from their friends and the Shiba siblings.

Masaki was mentally preparing herself for what she was about to tell them. After a few seconds Masaki stopped at a room. She opened the door wide, walked in slightly, and directed the boys inside. "Please come in, both of you. Feel free to sit on the sofa over there." The boys were a little hesitant to follow the instructions so Masaki encouraged them. "Don't be shy boys, come in and sit!" Smiling at her son and the bespeckled Quincy boy, the two of them slowly made their way inside, and sat on the cushions. They looked around and realised this was her bedroom.

"Mom, this is..."

"Yes son, this is my room here in the Shiba Estate."

Ichigo felt even more nervous, since the last time he was in his mother's bedroom, she was alive and well.

Uryu, was a little uncomfortable, not wanting to intrude on someone's living space – especially that of a lady! His Quincy pride and chivalrous nature was screaming at him to not look around too much, and to get out if able. He knew that wasn't going to happen.

Masaki wandered over to the end of her bed and sat down. She looked over the two boys and saw them both fidgeting. 'Aww, how cute, they're nervous!'

She smiled at the boys, but they didn't take notice – too caught in their fraying nerves to notice.

She cleared her throat, and started the much needed conversation: "Uryu. Ichigo." The boys were snapped to attention. "Our families are connected yes. The Ishida family and the Kurosaki family share a strong bloodline with each other. I guess you could say we're sibling families. You Ichigo, and you Uryu are therefore cousins," she gestured to both boys.

The Quincy boy and the Substitute Soul Reaper snapped their heads at each other, eyes wide, like animals in headlights. They were frantically pointing at one another, a mix of shock, anger, and confusion. Masaki looked a little worried, at the exchange.

"Are you two alright? I mean it is surprising to find out you have family you didn't know, but by the looks of it, you both still became good friends. I'm glad as family should always get along, right?"

Ichigo and Uryu grimaced at the words 'get along' and 'good friends.'

"Yeah right, like I could get along with this guy! Mom did you know he actually used hollow bait to swarm Karakura Town with hollows, and even attracted a frickin' Menos Grande – that's one of those super huge hollows!" he waved his hands around for emphasis on the word huge.

Uryu tried to defend himself. "Well, I was confident I could defeat all the hollows...well until it did get a little out of hand..." He sweat-dropped, his confidence wavering. "Hollow Bait wasn't supposed to attract a Menos...but at least it turned out well right...teamwork and all...cousin?"

"Ohhhh, it's cousin now, I thought you hated Soul Reapers eh!?" Ichigo flared.

"Well I do! Actually I remember you causing trouble at school, letting a Mod Soul run rampant across the school grounds! Didn't that guy use your body to harass the girls in class, and almost killed some children too!?" Uryu puffed out. He had to do something to deflect from his blunder, and not let Ichigo erode his pride any longer.

"And you charging at those Soul Reaper's like an idiot. I'm pretty sure you could feel their spiritual pressure, their mere presence, and you knew you didn't stand a chance. You're lucky you are alive right now. You know he let you live out of pity." Uryu tried to incriminate his newly revealed cousin, with his mother, but he realised his mistake was much bigger – albeit a miscalculation.

Masaki blinked – once, twice – looking at the boys. 'These two are unbelievable...' She was furious at Uryu for endangering the entire town (even though she knew hollow bait never attracted Menos), but also surprised, and annoyed at how careless her son has been with his life as a Substitute Soul Reaper.

She was angry, at her son and nephew. She gave an audible sigh and spoke up.

"I am disappointed in you Uryu, I thought Ryū and Kanae taught you better than to do something reckless like that!" Uryu was viably frightened by his aunt's tone – her expression, dark and menacing.

'It's like I'm being scolded by mother!' he shrieked internally. Ichigo was trying to contain his laughter – well that was until...

"And you Ichigo! Why have you been so careless about being a Substitute Soul Reaper!?" His head craned slowly towards his mother.

"I thought Ms. Kuchiki monitored your every move? Does she allow you to be all gung ho about how you conduct your duties?" she was definitely scolding him now – eyes blazing, fingers pointing, and her voice, raised in uncharacteristic anger.

"Mom...please!"

"No Ichigo!...And to top it off you let a Modified Soul, not only use your body without much supervision, but let him assault young ladies in your class, and almost kill children. I raised you to be more responsible than that!"

"Mom, you don't understand, that was hat and clogs – I mean Kisuke's fault. He gave Rukia a faulty Mod Soul, who gave it to me, since I needed to use my Soul Reaper powers, while not having my body lying around..."

"Did you say Kisuke? As in Kisuke Urahara!?"

"Yes...?" He was hesitantly optimistic that he might've been able to change his mother's focus away from him – and Uryu.

'I see if it was that man's doing then...' Taking in a deep breath, she calmed herself, but still wanted to present a stern demeanour.

"It seems we have even more to discuss."

Author's Note: Well, Masaki has just had a private conversation with her son and nephew. Ichigo and Uryu fumble around and get themselves in hot water with Masaki. Expect more antics in the following chapters. Also some of you might be asking why I've named each chapter with 'The Soul...' That's sort of my way of defining an arc. This is the 'Masaki in the Shiba House Arc' and since she's now a soul, it's what makes sense to me. Subsequent arcs will have naming conventions of a similar theme.