This is the action part of the story. I hate writing fighting scenes, always takes me so long to write. But I finally finished it, phew.
You will see a lot of old characters here. I tried to match the Soul Society timeline, and here's what I figured:
Yamamoto (1st D) is the oldest Captain
Ukitake (13th D) and Kyouraku (8th D), probably Unohana (4th D), 2nd senior captains
then there's Isshin (10th D?), Urahara (12th D), Yoruichi (2nd D)
Mayuri and Soi Fong became captains after Urahara and Yoruichi escaped. Aizen who was a Vice-capt, later became 5th-D captain.
Later Byakuya (6th D), Ichimaru (3rd D.), Tousen (9th D.), Komamura (7th D.) and Zaraki (11th D.) became captains, but they joined pretty recently.
Improvised character: Hirashi, 11th D. Captain
Taichou: means captain
fuku-Taichou: vice-captain
Rukongai: rural areas of Soul Society. Community areas outside Gotei 13
little explaination: in soul society, people (or souls) do not need to eat. Only special souls, ones with potential power to become a Shinigami, need to eat because they are constantly spending energy. Rukia, in this case, has that power. And when someone as powerful as Urahara is around, Rukia's power will get 'consumed' by that stronger power, as a result she would feel faint and hungry (As was explained in the Manga). So Urahara increased his reiatsu a little, to overpower Rukia's, and placed the Hou Gyoku-infected riceballs on the river bank because he knew she would be hungery and go eat them. See? it's his little smart plan.
Edit: ok, there had been some confusion about 11th Captain... Zaraki Kenpachi was not the 11th Division Capt at the time Urahara and Yoruichi were in Soul Society. Kenpachi only became taichou recently, after killing the previous 11th taichou. So I made up a character (Hirashi) for the 11th Capt. ...hope that clears things up a bit.
HABITS: Chapter 2
"Stop right the-!"
Yoruichi knocked the guard flying. She glanced sideways to see how Urahara was doing. He had his Zanpakutou out, but was merely disarming his opponents. They made their way through the crowd of guards, trying not to harm them unless necessary. Alarm wailed throughout the entire Gotei 13. Soon they would be surrounded. Urahara still carried a wound from the battle this morning, and his reiatsu was still recovering after being inside the spiritual-power-sealing prison.
This is stupid. Yoruichi thought in annoyance and punched the nearest guard. She called out to Urahara, who nodded briefly at her. She took him by the hand and speeded into flash steps, blurring past the confused guards.
"Looks like I won't be able to bankai Benihime anytime soon." Urahara waved his sword and sheathed it.
"Let's head straight for the West Gate." said Yoruichi, her steps unfaltering.
"No. We have to go back to the 'cave'. The Hou Gyoku is still there." His eyes looked worried.
"That area would be heavily guarded by now."
"But I can't leave the Hou Gyoku behind."
She turned and looked at him as she leaped over a long gap. "Alright, let's go." And they headed for the cave without another word.
They stopped before the cave. Making sure no one was around, they entered. They had not been there for ages. It was their secret playground in their younger days. They built the cave to train and improve their powers. No one knows about it, which was why he chose to hide it here. Urahara walked around the cave and fetched a wooden box from under a rock, opened it, checking if the Hou Gyoku was inside. Then he placed it inside his robe.
"Got it?" Yoruichi called from the entrance.
"Yeah. Let's go." With one last look at the masterpiece they had created, he turned around and joined Yoruichi. He would miss this place forever.
"What are you planning to do with it? You can't take it along with you."
"I know. But it's unsafe here as well." Urahara could feel the little burden he carried getting heavier at each step. It was his fault it existed at all.
Beyond the horizon, dawn was breaking. Parts of Gotei 13 were already up in chaos. Shouts could be heard and specks of light could be seen in a distance. Yoruichi and Urahara reached the West Gate. Once they cross beyond it, they would be safe...
"Going somewhere, Urahara Taichou?"
A figure appeared afar in the morning mist and paced towards them, unsheathing his sword as he went.
Yoruichi narrowed her eyes, "Kuchiki Byakuya!"
"Yoruichi of the Shihouin House, surely you have not degraded to as such?" Byakuya stopped in front of them. "Helping a death prisoner escape? The Noble Houses will not be pleased."
"The Noble Houses are not pleased ever since the evil little princess took over the Shihouin clan." Yoruichi readied herself. "Kisuke, you go on ahead. There is no need for two taichous to take on a fuku-Taichou."
"Neither of you are leaving tonight." And in a blur, Byakuya shifted behind Urahara and Yoruichi and slashed his sword in between them, who both jumped out of the way just in time.
"Ah, I see you have learned a new trick, Byakuya-bo." Yoruichi landed, as flawless as usual. "Been practicing flash steps, haven't we?"
"Goddess of Flash Yoruichi, today will be the day you lose that title!" Byakuya disappeared again reappear where Yoruichi was a second before.
Yoruichi leapt over him and laughed.
"We'll see about that." Her steps shifted and in a blink of an eye, appeared right beside Byakuya. She aimed to kick his chest, but he vanished and landed few meters away.
Byakuya pitched his sword, "Scatter, Senbozakura!" Hundred petals of blade materialize in the sky and slashed down at them.
Urahara stepped in front of Yoruichi and drew his sword, "Benihime!" A blood red shield appeared before him, blocking the attack in a powerful blast. The hundred blades disintegrated into tiny pieces of light that fell silently before Byakuya's astonished face. No one had ever able to block every single one of his blades before.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, using such a deadly technique against a lady, that's very harsh of you, Byakuya-san." Urahara lowered his sword. His voice was calm, but his eyes grew slightly menacing. "Now if you don't mind, we will be leaving."
Yoruichi speeded forward and muttered a Kido. Byakuya blocked the spell, and in a shocking realization, found Yoruichi standing right beside him with her dagger-like Zanpaktou drawn. There was a gush of blood. Byakuya fell on his knees. Blood flew freely from his side.
"Don't worry, it's not a deep cut, but the poison on my blade will paralyze you long enough for us to escape." Yoruichi sheathed her sword and start towards the gate with Urahara. She turned around and smiled. "Sayonara, and may the glory of the White Heavens guide your path, Byakuya-bo." It was the Noble House's special beatitude.
"I'll remember that," said Byakuya, and watched as they blasted open the gate and stepped into the blinding light. And they were gone.
"Byakuya!"
Ukitake came running, along with Hirashi taichou of the 11th Division, Isshin taichou of 10th Division and his fuku-taichou Aizen Sousuke.
"What happened here?" Ukitake noticed Byakuya was wounded.
"Felon Urahara along with Shihouin Yoruichi of 2nd Division have escaped... I failed to stop them."
"Damn, guess we came a moment too late." said Hirashi, disappointed, and sheathed his Zanpaktou. "I always wanted to take on those two. And now they are gone forever."
Isshin turned to his fuku-taichou. "Aizen, go fetch Unohana taichou, and tell her to bring a strong antidote for paralysing poison."
Aizen nodded and was gone.
Ukitake turned to Byakuya, "My, my, that was bold of you, Kuchiki fuku-taichou, to take on Soul Society's strongest duo all by yourself." He sighed and looked over at the blasted gate afar. "Old man Yama is not going to be pleased."
Urahara and Yoruichi wandered through Rukongai. As long as they surpresses their reiatsu, they would blended in with the people there. They changed out of their Shinigami uniforms, for they would draw too much attention. The sun was already up, the early villagers were up and about, buying things from noisy morning markets.
They can't linger here. The news of their abscond would reach Central 46 by now. But there was still one more thing….
Little Rukia ran through the streets, shaking her little fist. "Renji you bastard! Come back here!" The boys running ahead of her turned and made faces at her. They pushed through the crowded street with the angry little Rukia chasing after them, who accidentally bumped into Urahara. They muttered "sorry" carelessly and scrambled as soon as they saw Rukia catching up.
"Hey! You guys so gonna pay for this!" Rukia ran past Urahara and Yoruichi, who both widened their eyes.
"That girl looks almost identical to Hisana!" said Yoruichi, indicating Kuchiki Byakuya's fiancee. She stared after Rukia in astonishment, then noticed how Urahara grew tense.
"What is it?" she asked, as Urahara started after the girl.
Urahara grinned darkly and took out the wooden box with Hou Gyoku from his robe. "I think I found it a hiding place."
Rukia stopped by the river to catch her breath. Stupid Renji and the others, where have they gone to...
All of a sudden, she felt faint. She leaned on a tree nearby to stop herself from falling. Her stomach growled. Oh great, she thought, I just ate breakfast... It must be that stupid power of hers, which she had learned to be the cause hunger in the spirit world. She would have to go find food again, maybe steal something from the market, but stealing is always such a chore... Then she noticed the bundle of rice balls on the riverbank. Someone must have forgotten it there. People here liked hang around the river and sometimes leaving stuff behind by accident. Guess she's lucky today! Rukia budged slightly towards the rice balls, making sure no one was around (just in case the owner returns), and jumped on the rice balls and shoved them into her mouth.
"Rukia! What are you doing! We are going to the bridge, if you don't hurry up we'll leave you behind!" Renji called from a distance.
"Coming!" Rukia stuff the last rice ball into her mouth and ran to join Renji. She would never suspect what she just ate would change her life, forever.
Urahara surveyed the whole scene, then jumped down from the tree he was hiding in. Yoruichi landed beside him.
"That's very cruel of you, tricking a little kid like that." she said. The Hou Gyoku was stuffed into the rice ball.
"I don't want drag an innocent child into this either. But extreme circumstances calls for extreme measures. As long as none of the bad guys, or Gotei 13, or anyone else find out about it and come after her, her life will not be in danger!" Urahara said in a sarcastically cheery voice, and waved that little fan of his which he just bought from the market.
Yoruichi sighed, "Anyways, if we ever want to get out of here, we'd better hurry."
"Right. I think this place will due."
This would be the last time he perform this trick. Urahara took out Benihime and 'sank' it into the surrounding instead of simply stabbing the air. The rift around Benihime expanded into a circle, revealing the 'tunnel' between the Soul Society and the Real World.
"Let's go."
They ran along the tunnel. The other end was not far away. Urahara stopped at the opening to the Real World. Yoruichi drew level with him, and looked out at the unfamiliar world beyond.
"Looks like another rainy day." she said. And they stepped into the rain.
Meanwhile...
"Yoruichi-sama!" Soi Fong slammed aside the door.
Nothing. The room was empty. The bed untouched, the curtains drawn, and a pot of tea was left steaming on the table, which the servants brought in every morning. Everything seemed so normal, just the way it had always been... Except, Yoruichi-sama was not there.
Maybe she was playing a prank on her, just as she always did. So she waited, half expecting Yoruichi to pop out from behind the bed and scare her, but nothing happened. Nothing. Only her own breath panting in the soft, deafening silence. She did not know if she felt lonely, sad, betrayed, or angry. All she knew was the void that crept through every part of her body, suffocating her.
The news of how the felon Urahara Kisuke had escaped with the help of Shihouin Yoruichi had spread this morning. Central 46 had made sure of that. But she didn't believe it. It couldn't be true. How could her Yoruichi-sama, whom she admired so much, who had been the reason she joined the Covert Ops, throw away everything for one man? How could she have abandoned her, and so suddenly, without as much as a goodbye?
"Why, why didn't you take me with you... Yoruichi-sama!" Soi Fong slid down to the ground and cried...
...