A/N: A small group to thank for the last chapter: "A.M.P. 1008," Dragon and Sword Master, Rukia's Reflection, LoVe23, dragonlord1337, Draconias, and AnimeFreakAmanda. And thank you to anyone who put this or its author on their lists. A reviewer for one of my other stories suggested I do a recap so for those of you who have forgotten, the gang just got through defeating far too many demons than they were supposed to thanks to Kagome's airheaded-ness and Rukia told Ichigo that he was going to learn kido. He didn't object.
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
Once an Idiot…
Ichigo stood in front of some of the foremost experts in kido and couldn't help but feel embarrassed. After Sango Kazaana had left Urahara's, Rukia had called in Lieutenants Ise and Hinamori, hoping that they would have better luck teaching him how to focus his energy. So far they hadn't been any more successful than she had been.
"You remind me of Shiro-chan," Hinamori giggled, her gentle laugh adding to his embarrassment. Not that anyone could tell that he was thanks to the smoke that had yet to clear.
"In what way?"
"Grandmother said that before he went to the Academy, he couldn't control his power when he slept any better than you can. If it hadn't been for Matsumoto-san, Grandmother would be dead."
"I see," he said, scratching the back of his head. "How is that going to help me learn kido?"
"Captain Hitsugaya needed a reason to go to the Academy and learn to use the power he had been given. I am given to understand that your training thus far has not been in a structured setting," Nanao continued for her fellow lieutenant.
"No, it's been pretty much do or die," he said. "You know, find your Zanpakutou or turn into a Hollow, find your bankai or die by your Zanpakutou (in which case Rukia dies), learn to control your Hollow or have it kill you, and gain enough power or Aizen will kill everyone. Those have been my major training settings so far."
"Yes, those are rather extreme conditions. Can you explain in greater detail what Urahara did to make your regain your Shinigami powers?"
"Sure, if it'll help. When I became determined to save Rukia, I came here for help. The first thing he did was use his walking stick thing to take my soul out of my body. Afterwards, I trained with Ururu so that I could move freely as a soul again. Once that was completed, Tessai cut my Chain of Fate, tied me up in a kido spell that I don't remember the name of and then they threw me down a hole and told me I had seventy-two hours to become a Shinigami or what was left of my chain would corrode completely and I'd turn into a Hollow. I managed by the skin of my teeth but still ended up with one anyway."
"Interesting," the taller of his two new teachers murmured.
"Ise-san, what are you thinking?" Rukia asked, knowing that her analytical mind might be able to come up with a method that would work for him. That was one of the reasons she had asked the lieutenant of the eighth.
"Kurosaki-daiko's undergone extremely stressful training that has emotional and spiritual consequences of the life-threatening variety. Each time he has succeeded far beyond expectations. The only conclusion that I can come up with is that in order to learn how to do not only Bakudo but also Hado kido is to put him in the same situations. However, it is not that you lack the ability to learn the spells and their names; it is your inability to control your reiatsu enough to effectively use them that's the problem. Please study this manual for the next week while I devise a training regime worthy of your usual methods." Nanao dropped the large tome she was holding into his arms and adjusted her glasses. "I will contact you when I have everything set up. In the meantime, you are free to try on your own if you think it will be of any help."
"Thank you…I think," he replied, accepting the heavy volume.
"It was no trouble. Let's return for the moment, Hinamori-san," the elder adjunct said, waiting for her colleague to open a Senkaimon. "In the meantime, keep observing the Taisho clan. The soutaicho is not ready to trust them."
"Sure," the orange haired daiko agreed readily. He watched them leave before turning to his partner. "You ready to go home?" Ichigo asked, rolling his shoulders to get the stiffness out of them.
"Not yet," she answered, pointing to the textbook he held. "I'm going to quiz you first."
"On what, the names off all the kido spells Ise-san just gave me?" he cried incredulously. "That could take all night."
"Don't be absurd. I'm just going to see how many you know the names of, like the one I tend to use. Surely you've seen it often enough to remember what it's called." When he gave her a blank look, she pulled his arm until he was sitting across from her on the ground. She took the book and opened it, her gaze turning mischievous at it settled on a familiar name.
"I don't like that look in your eye," Ichigo said warily. "It always means trouble." For me, he finished silently.
"Oh, come now, this is one even the great Ichigo Kurosaki should remember." Positioning her hands in a pose he vaguely remembered, she grinned at him before starting. "Bakudo Number One: S…"
"Wait, stop, I remember that one! It's 'Sai' and it pinned my arms behind my back the night we met! I don't need a demonstration." Ichigo waved his warms back and forth as if to ward off her demonstration, surprised when she yelped and fell forward against him. "Rukia?"
"You fool! You used it on me!" Incensed, she growled under her breath and tried to sit up, using Ichigo's chest as leverage. He assisted her after a moment, the stunned look on his face almost worth having her arms pinned.
"I did, but how?"
"How? You said the spell name and waved your arms about like an idiot. Somehow you managed to summon it by just saying its name. Only experts in kido like my brother can do that."
"So, you're saying I don't need to say the incantation or even its number…" he mused, an arrogant smirk rising to his face.
"Yes, yes, be proud of yourself. It appears that you were putting too much power behind the spells to begin with and that's why they were blowing up in your face." Rukia sighed, silently proud of him and yet irritated all the same. "Now release me," she ordered.
"I don't know, I kind of like you this way. It prevents you from hitting me with your fists." He stood, setting her on her feet.
"I don't need my hands to hit you," she declared, aiming a kick to his head. The move pulled her off balance and she fell forward, taking him with her. They landed hard, her on top of him, his arms going around her instinctively to shield her from the fall.
"You seem to be having a problem," he teased, his breath tickling her ear.
Flushing, she snarled and struggled to sit up by herself. Her knee hit him low on the abdomen and she grinned malevolently. "Watch it or I'll make sure you never 'become a man,'" she threatened.
"That's low, Rukia," Ichigo informed the petite Shinigami, mentally cringing at her words.
"Is that so?" she pushed on bravely, knowing that they were headed into previously ignored territory. Looking up into his face, she took in his heated amber eyes and flushed face. Her own face became heated and she cleared her throat. "You're right, I'm sorry." He nodded slightly, carefully lifting her off of him. Before he could say anything, a tenor voice from above interrupted.
"It looks like we interrupted something, Okaa-san. Maybe we should come back later."
The partners in Hollow hunting sprang apart, not wanting anyone to get any more wrong ideas. "It's not like that!" Ichigo told the red haired kitsune as Shippou grinned down at him from the entrance.
"Sure, it's not," he teased, enjoying the bright glow of their faces.
"Shippou Taisho, you leave those children alone!" Kagome's sharp demand came from somewhere out of sight, making the fox demon flinch. "And take me down there," she added, almost as an afterthought.
"Yes, ma'am," he sighed. He really hated it when she spoiled his fun.
Rukia and Ichigo watched mother and son descend in a single leap, Shippou simply bending his knees to lessen the impact of the landing for his mother. The ground remained intact, not even an indentation as a sign that something had fallen from a great height. A demon's physical skills were truly impressive.
"I apologize for my son. His sense of humor leaves a lot to be desired sometimes." Kagome sighed, looking at her eldest sternly. "He learned a lot of bad habits from the men in his life growing up."
"Keh," Shippou scoffed although his tails drooped under her gaze.
"Anyway, is there something wrong with your arms?" Kagome asked, for the first time noticing that Rukia's arms seemed to be stuck behind her back at an odd angle.
"I was going over some kido spells with Ichigo and he accidentally used one on me."
"I see and I take it he can't undo it," the older woman said, smiling.
"Haven't got a clue," Ichigo admitted.
"It wouldn't be the first time someone used a spell and had no idea how to reverse the effects," Kagome laughed, tilting her head towards Shippou. "Isn't that right, Shippou-chan?" she asked, watching as color bloomed on his cheeks.
"Okaa-san, I told you not to call me that anymore!" he protested. "And it was only once," he grumbled.
"Let me see what I can do," the priestess murmured, studying the energy around the violet eyed clan princess. "Ah, this should do it," she said, touching the bounds that held Rukia's arms. The spell dissolved, allowing the ice Zanpakutou wielder full motor control again.
"Thank you," she said, rubbing her arms.
"You're quite welcome, dear. It's been a decade or so since I had to use my powers like that," Kagome admitted. "Kurosaki-kun, you really shouldn't practice on your friend without knowing how to release her."
"I didn't intend to," Ichigo said.
"Yeah, the fool just said the name of the spell, waved his arms around and voilà," Rukia said.
"I see Inuyasha isn't the only one who learns by instinct."
"Yeah, but you know what they say, Okaa-san," Shippou said, wondering how he'd be punished for what he was about to say. "Once an idiot…" he trailed off suggestively.
Always an idiot… Kagome finished mentally, watching as Ichigo chased after her son. "Sometimes I wonder about that boy," she sighed.
"I know the feeling."