A/N: A group to thank for reviews: Hidden Masked, Lalaith Quetzalli, TheIcecreamGeek, Draconias, Patcher, Rukia's Reflection, Rabe Addler, dragonlord1337, and AnimeFreakAmanda. And thank you to anyone who added this or its author to their lists. Take a deep breath, you're not imagining things. This is an actual update. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha and Bleach characters, mangas, animes, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi et al, and Tite Kubo et al, respectively.

Secrets Abound

Troubled Misgivings

The "Substitute Group" was thankful that the day was soon called to an end by Ochi-sensei. Having been ordered around by a powerful demon who they hadn't even known existed until that morning, the teenagers just wanted to go home and forget it ever happened. The priestess and demon slayer had smiled kindly at them and sent them off with a wave, while their husbands had cast them sympathetic looks. Obviously family was not exempt from Sesshoumaru Taisho's despotic ways.

They were silent on the way back home, each lost in their own thoughts. Rukia sent a more thorough report in to her superiors although she was sure her brother was giving the soutaicho every detail of what had occurred. Ichigo had put his ear buds in and was listening to his music in a vain attempt to avoid remembering what had happened. Orihime and Ishida talked quietly about the possibilities, Tatsuki interjecting a comment every so often to keep the busty ginger head from envisioning crazy things too much. Mizuiro and Keigo were still shell shocked, unable to comprehend the serious of the situation.

"Ichigo," Rukia said quietly, pulling one bud out so that he heard her above the racket.

"Hmm?" he acknowledged, turning down the volume and tilting his head so that he was looking at her.

"Why do you think they let us go through the war by ourselves? If they could have helped, why didn't they?"

"Aizen was one of the Gotei Thirteen, as was Ichimaru and Tousen. Maybe they thought that it was our responsibility to defeat them. I'm sure that if the world had really been in jeopardy, they would have stepped in. You sensed their power. Even the three humans of their group were strong. Two of them have spiritual power while the demon slayer has physical strength. I'm sure she could best Tatsuki in a fight even though she's supposedly really old."

"Maybe I should go back to the library and see if I can find that book again. Even though they gave us a shortened version of what happened five hundred years ago, I'm sure they left a lot of things out."

"You could try but I don't see how that would help us now. Maybe you could try to find out things about their clan. Taisho-san the elder seems to be in charge of everything although his younger brother isn't a push over. I'd like to know what kinds of abilities they really have. That sword of his makes me nervous."

"I'll go as soon as we get back to Karakura." Content with the small plan, Rukia put away her phone and leaned her head against his shoulder. "Your shoulder makes for a hard pillow."

"Then don't use it," he retorted, putting his ear bud back in and turning his music back up. She ignored him as usual and returned to the nap she had been trying to take when they'd arrived. "Stubborn midget," he muttered but didn't dislodge her.

The members of their little group watched the scene with varying reactions. Keigo wept crocodile tears, lamenting the loss of his "Rukia-chan," while Mizuiro shrugged and went back to texting his current girlfriend. Chad, while silent, knew that it was only a matter of time before they took things further than allowing her to sleep on his shoulder. Tatsuki frowned, on the fence about how she felt about the close relationship between the two Shinigami personally but angry at the same time on behalf of Orihime. The flower spirit wielder had only glanced at the pair briefly before turning to look out her window.

Ishida knew firmly where he stood but couldn't hate the two for feeling as they did. He was fiercely glad that Ichigo had no feelings for Orihime other than friendship even if the Rikka user harbored more than just that for the war hero. And being uncomfortably aware of what that meant made sitting next to her hard. Not that he would have been anywhere else. The only other member of their group that he would have trusted to stand guard over her was Chad and he was too large to sit with anyone in the train's small seats. Keigo and Mizuiro were out for obvious reasons and Tatsuki didn't have any powers to protect her friend should there be an attack.

Banging his head against the seat, the Quincy smiled grimly at the load of excuses and went back to enjoying the painful pleasure of sitting next to the girl he liked while contemplating the events of the day. Meeting the Taicho clan and being told that his method of exterminating Hollows had to be changed, did not sit well with him. He had been taking out the blighted souls for years without problems and intended to continue his duty as a Quincy. Personally he wasn't convinced that there was a better way. His arrows weren't made for purification.

"Ishida-kun?" Orihime asked hesitantly from beside him. She had seen his earlier agitation and was worried about what it meant. He was hardly ever disturbed.

"Is something the matter, Inoue-san?"

"You seem upset. Is it because of what that priestess said earlier?"

"I have been using my Quincy powers for a long time. I do not take kindly to someone who does not know me telling me that I need to change the way I use them." Dark blue eyes glinted hardly behind glasses.

Orihime stared at her friend, seeing the same side to him that she'd first caught a glimpse of in the Soul Society when they'd rescued Rukia. "But wouldn't it be better if the Hollows could be purified? That way all the souls they ate could find their way back into the reincarnation cycle."

He looked into her hopeful eyes and couldn't help the soft smile that came to his lips. Something about her made him want to be a more sociable creature than was his natural habit. "I suppose that would be a good thing, Inoue-san but I doubt it is even possible."

"But you would, if it were?"

"Yes, I suppose I would."

"Oh, good! Then you could take out as many as you wanted and no one in the Soul Society would mind! Just think, you and Kurosaki-kun could have a real contest and keep track for a whole month or even stretch it out for a year. And who ever won would have to buy the other something like an ice cream and…" She trailed off when he laughed, confused as to why he was amused.

"Ah, Inoue-san, that sounds like a great idea." When she beamed at him, he felt his cheeks warm.

"Do you suppose demons are anything like Hollows?" she went on to muse while her seat partner caught Tatsuki staring at him from the corner of his eye. The archer cleared his throat and sat straighter, intent on regaining his composure. The martial artist simply smirked at him and went back to her nearly one sided conversation with Chad.

"I would think that they can be far scarier and more troublesome. Hollows like to go after people with spiritual power. If what I gathered is correct, most demons don't have that requirement."

"You know, we haven't ever seen any demons around Karakura." Orihime put a finger to her chin and tapped it lightly.

"With so many spiritually powerful humans around, most are probably keeping clear of the town. It would be in their best interests to stay far from people who could kill them. And if there are such things as demon slayers who don't necessarily have powers like we do, there could have been someone roaming around without our knowledge. We haven't exactly been around a lot lately."

"True. I can't wait to find out what Kazaana-san can teach us. Yoruichi-san is a good teacher but this is probably something she doesn't know."

"I wouldn't mind learning how to take down a monster," Tatsuki interjected. She was still sore about not being able to defend herself against Yammy, never mind Aizen. "I bet I could take the taijiya."

"I'm sure you'll get the chance to find out, Arisawa-san," Ishida commented politely but was just as sure that she would get beaten without too much trouble.

"We don't do anything with them until Rukia gets back from the Soul Society. She's going to see if the Gotei has any information on the Taisho clan and what they're about." Hard amber eyes glinted in the lights from the train. "No one is to go alone." Ichigo put away his music, the train about to come into the station.

""I do not take orders from you, Kurosaki. Besides, it would be foolish to be alone with people we still know little about."

"Whatever, I just have the feeling they haven't told us everything. The last time we went into that kind of situation, most of us nearly died."

Ishida didn't correct him, knowing that the situations they got themselves into were treacherous. If they had known more about Hueco Mundo, they might have avoided some of the trouble. "Information is paramount. How long did she say she'd be gone?"

"She didn't. Stubborn midget fell asleep." Despite his claim, Ichigo carried her to the next train. "If Byakuya's doing what I think he is, he'll have the information waiting for her when she gets there. Give her a couple of days."

"In the meantime, we probably should ignore any invitations to train at Urahara's," Tatsuki added. "Especially you two," she said, looking pointedly at Keigo and Mizuiro.

"I'll stay far, far away," Keigo assured his classmate while the other male just nodded.

"I feel better with a plan," Orihime said, taking Rukia's small backpack. The petite Shinigami had been up until the early morning hours the night before and today had taken a toll on her too. Dealing with her brother often left her a little drained.

"Aa," Chad commented. It was always good to have a plan.

When Rukia next woke, she was being carried by Ichigo on their way home. Her bag bumped lightly against her back leg, the daiko's strong hands gripping her calves securely. "You can put me down now."

"You sure you're not going to fall asleep on your feet?" he asked, mild amusement lacing his voice. "I didn't know you had perfected the art of sleeping while standing."

"Funny. I'll go from here and leave my gigai with Urahara." Straightening her uniform, Rukia held out her hand for her bag. "Cover for me at school and don't do anything stupid while I'm gone," she ordered, walking away from him.

"You don't have to tell me that!" Ichigo shouted after her. Her only answer was a haughtily raised brow.

"Bossy midget," he muttered, continuing on to the clinic. It wasn't like he went looking for trouble.

It just seemed to find him.