A/N: Just a handful to thank for reviews from last time: Lynansidhe, Kimori Takahashi, Rukia's Reflection, Dragon and Sword Master, and BiblioMatsuri. And thank you to anyone who added this or its author to their lists. Here's another one that hasn't been updated in what seems forever. Hope you enjoy the new chapter of my Inuyasha/Bleach crossover.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Bleach and Inuyasha characters, mangas, animes, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Tite Kubo et al and Rumiko Takahashi et al, respectively.
Secrets Abound
Sun, Sand, and… Demons
Ichigo and his friends made their way to an empty spot on the beach, setting up a blanket away from most of the people. A member of the staff came and propped a large umbrella over the area, asking if they wanted anything to drink or eat before bowing and leaving them to their fun. The daiko sprawled out on the blanket, lifting his head to the sun while his friends took off their outer wear and prepared to test the waters of the subtropical sea.
"Are you coming?" Rukia asked, dropping her cover up next to his head with the rest of her things.
"Not yet. Thought I'd relax and enjoy being away from Dad."
"Suit yourself. I'll let you know what you're missing." She gave him a haughty smile and followed the other girls into the surf.
Ichigo wasn't alone five minutes before he felt an unknown youki invade his personal space. Cracking open an eye; he studied the interloper with caution. "Can I help you?" he asked when the other man didn't introduce himself.
"Not really. Just checking out the high school brats Hisana-sama let win the contest."
"Hisana?" the orange hair teen questioned as if he didn't know who the man meant.
"The owner's mother. She met you when you and your friends arrived."
"Ah, you mean Taisho-san. If she chose who won the contest, I don't see what business it is of yours."
"Maybe not but it's awful strange that a group of no bodies would just show up to a first class resort. Not like you have the money to afford this place without help."
"Che, you're awful concerned about us. You wouldn't be spying on us by any chance, would you?" The demon flushed guiltily and Ichigo immediately knew that this wasn't one of Taisho's men.
"Of course not. Why would I be interested in you?"
"Beats me. Maybe it's the girls you're interested in."
"While I admit that big breasted one has her charms, I don't do underage girls."
Ichigo felt Ishida's reiatsu roll over him angrily and he sat up to see where the archer was. The Quincy was coming towards them slowly, blinking one eye rapidly. "Oi, Ishida, this guy is checking out Inoue. Don't suppose you brought your bow and quiver with you, did you?"
"I don't need such things to take care of scum. Hand me my glasses, Kurosaki. One of my contacts fell out while I was swimming."
The orange hair teen searched through his friend's things, handing the pair of spectacles over while his classmate took out the lone contact. "Better?" Ichigo asked, noting the redness of the other man's eyes.
"Yes, I should have gone without the contacts." Ishida's eyes focused once more on the uninvited guest. "I take it that this person is not associated with the hotel."
"Nah, he's just taking pot shots at the fact that we're high school students. I was going to tell him off nicely but then he made that rude comment about your girl, so…" Ichigo shrugged, as if to say that he'd changed his mind.
The stranger glanced between the two men, sensing that he had just made enemies out of a couple of guys who didn't need a lot of help in the fighting department. Although there was no indication that the men knew they exuded spiritual energy, the fact that one was an archery expert, led the demon to bowing out of his sudden investigation. The kid with the glasses might not know that he had powers but neither had Lady Kagome Taisho in the beginning. Now, she was the most feared priestess in the world.
"My apologies," he said hastily and excused himself.
Ishida watched the demon go, his eyes narrowed in contemplation. "Didn't think we'd be bothered the first day."
"Just goes to show you that there are idiots everywhere. Say, why did you try to wear contacts while swimming? You usually don't bother."
"I wanted my vision sharp, just in case. Inoue is attracting a lot of attention."
Ichigo glanced to where the girls and Chad were still swimming. "Maybe you should have gone with her to shop for a new bathing suit. Nothing against her tastes, but I think Rangiku-san had a hand in that one."
His friend frowned and rubbed his forehead. "I noticed a shop off of the lobby. Maybe I'll treat her." Ishida didn't notice the grin on his friend's face but could feel the amusement in the daiko's reiatsu as it fluctuated. "You know, for passing."
"Treat who?" Tatsuki asked, jogging up to them and grabbing a bottle of water.
"Inoue. Apparently the bathing suit she has isn't to Ishida's liking."
"You're the one who told me that I should have gone with her to shop for one." Ishida glared at Ichigo who was still grinning.
Tatsuki studied her classmates and shrugged. "Whatever. So, who was that guy?"
"Probably someone we should keep an eye on. He wanted to make trouble but backed off as soon as I mentioned Ishida's archery equipment."
"Speaking of your equipment, you didn't happen to bring them, did you?" Tatsuki asked, her eyes narrowing on a group of guys that had stopped Rukia and Inoue as they came out of the water. Chad made good use of his size as he came up beside them in silent support, the strangers backing up when they caught sight of the giant.
"I am always at the ready," Ishida said and turned his wrist so that the Quincy cross hanging from it glittered in the bright sunlight.
"Good to know," Tatsuki said as she passed out more water bottles. Rukia and Orihime drank deeply, their chests still heaving from their intense exercise.
"You brought archery equipment, Ishida-kun? How'd you manage to fit in your bag?" Tatsuki looked between her best friend and the archer. Orihime's grey eyes were wide with curiosity, making the others think that outsiders would never know that she was one of the top students in their class.
"It was a bit difficult but I managed somehow, Inoue-san," Ishida answered, a small smile making its way to his lips.
"You should have left everything at home. We're on vacation. You need to relax and have fun. Let's go swim some more." The Rikka wielder put her empty water bottle down and tugged on Ishida's arm, pulling him back towards the water.
"He's got it so bad," Tatsuki commented, the others nodding in agreement. "And if she doesn't let go of his arm soon, I think he's going to pass out." Her friend had Ishida's arm pressed against her chest, something that was clearly embarrassing the Quincy.
Ichigo started to laugh, unable to hold his amusement in. "Maybe I should go help. What do you think, midget; did you find anything to make me wish I'd come earlier?"
"The water is so clear here, Ichigo," she breathed, a truly happy smile lighting up her face.
"A lot different than back home, huh?" the daiko asked, getting to his feet and wandering with her back to the water.
"I'm not sure I'll ever want to swim in the ocean back home," she returned. "Maybe I'll have Nii-sama send me here for a vacation every year."
"I'm sure he'll do it if you ask," Ichigo said, no doubt in his mind that if Byakuya saw the look on her face now, he'd bend over backwards to put it there every chance he got.
"Are you saying Nii-sama spoils me?"
"Nah, but he would in a heartbeat if you wanted him to. He really cares about you. I wouldn't have believed it in the beginning but I think he came to realize that pushing you away wasn't helping his grief."
"Are you trying to butter me up, Ichigo Kurosaki?" Her voice became heavily laced with suspicion. Ichigo had never complimented her brother in her hearing before.
"Nope, just distracting you," he said before picking her up suddenly and tossing her into the surf. Rukia came up sputtering, her violet eyes flashing with the need for revenge.
"I'm going to murder you!" she screamed, uncaring of who was nearby.
"Now, now, remember what'll happen if you do that," her orange haired menace taunted back, his grin clearly stating that he didn't care what she did.
"Then I'll drown you!" she returned, stomping out of the water. She intended to do bodily harm to Ichigo and anyone watching the petite girl knew she was coming up with a devilish scheme as she made her way forward.
"Pretty sure that would be the same thing," Ishida stated and got an equally malevolent glare in return. "Just saying," he continued.
"You should probably stay quiet, Ishida-kun," Orihime whispered and winced when Rukia struck Ichigo's shin with what was clearly as much force as she could while in her gigai.
"I should be enjoying this but for some reason I can only sympathize," the teen beside her said and cringed as Ichigo howled with pain at Rukia's impromptu beating.
"That's because he's your friend," the girl of his dreams answered and tugged at his arm again so that they could swim away from the duo on the shore. She was pretty sure the last thing her Shinigami friend would do was drag her classmate into the surf and hold his head underwater until he couldn't breathe.
"If you say so, Inoue-san," Ishida relented and got a smile in returned. His face heated once more and he was sure that he was going to die of something before this trip was over.
"Uh-huh, now come on and help me find some seashells that we can bring home. We'll check back later to make sure she hasn't actually sent him off to the other world."
"Somehow I don't think Kuchiki-san's brother would appreciate that," Ishida muttered.
Orihime only laughed.
Tatsuki and Chad were enjoying the coolness of the shade and paused in their contemplation of a menu that some helpful hotel waiter had just brought them to watch Rukia beat Ichigo senseless. "You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd say he enjoys that."
"Mm."
"Have you noticed that while he has the strength to stop her, he doesn't?"
"Ichigo fears a part of himself so he is careful never to hurt her."
"Ah," Tatsuki said. She'd heard about the Hollow that lurked inside of her childhood friend. "That makes sense."
"Rukia!" they heard right before Rukia shoved Ichigo into the sea and held his head under."
Three minutes later Rukia dragged Ichigo back to the blanket and laid her dirt covered friend out next to Chad's tall form. "I may have gone too far," the ice Zanpakutou wielder said and frowned.
"As long as he's alive, it's fine," the martial artist reassured the other girl. "He is still alive, right?"
"Unfortunately," Rukia answered before her attention was caught by the menu.
"It's all good then."
Several meters down the beach a couple who had watched the whole thing sighed and shook their heads. "And they say demons are brutal," the man said, in complete sympathy with what had just happened to the young man.
"She could have been one in another life," his wife suggested, a smile of amusement curling her lips.
"That girl might as well be one now. Kind of reminds me of someone," he mused.
"I can dunk your head in the water too, if you'd like. Might help with that itchy scalp," his bride of several hundred years growled. Fangs glinted in the sunlight and her red hair blew in the soft breeze from the sea.
"Nah, I'll just content myself with this. Brings back memories of Kagome sitting Inuyasha when he annoyed her."
"You always did like stirring that pot."
"It was fun."
"Sometimes I don't know why I mated you," the woman sighed and went back to trying to keep her children from drowning each other.
"Hey!"
At the other end of the beach, Rukia was completely unaware of the trouble she'd caused. She was too busy enjoying the strawberry sundae she'd been given and keeping a watch over her unconscious daiko. "Fool doesn't know what he's missing." Chad, deciding to keep his own council, thought it might be best to go check on Mizuiro and Keigo. Better to go rescue those two than stick around and offer his opinion.
He rather liked staying alive.