Hey guys, I have a surprise for all of you, your going to get TWO more chapters this month! Thats right, TWO more! First being this one, and the latter which will likly be up on the 30th, possibly the first of Augest. I hope you all enjoy what we have in them, I know I do!

Please leave any comments and criticism in the form of a review. We don't care if its positive or negative, We would really like to hear about how we handled this part of the series.

Thank you once again Greatkingrat88.

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo and Shounen jump. Fairy tail is owned by Hiro Mashima and weekly shounen magazine. I own NOTHING. This is all just for fun.

"Keep your guard up! Dodge, parry and slash! No slacking off- find that opening and destroy it!"

Rukia watched as Erza barked out her orders from the sidelines. Another night, another hollow hunt, and she had come along to see his progress. Ichigo was something to behold- less than two months ago, he had been an ordinary teenager with a lot of reiatsu. Now he was a shinigami, moving with purpose, dodging under its claws and vicious strikes with ease. Just a moment's hesitation, just being half a second late would get him cut down, struck almost dead. But he didn't miss, didn't hesitate, didn't let himself get hit. His movements were still clumsy and slow compared to an experienced soldier, but better by far than most senior academy students. Erza had taken him, and like a blacksmith with a lump of hot iron had hammered him into a weapon. This very hands-on approach would have been considered most irregular back at the Gotei, and there was no doubt that he would have benefitted from the theoretical lessons that academy students had…
But even so. Even so. He was handling a hollow, and a powerful one at that, without breaking a sweat. Weak though she was, Rukia could sense its power thrum through the air, thick and malevolent, and was sure that most ranked officers would call in a team to take it down, and even then expect some casualties. Ichigo handled it with ease.

Dodging smoothly under another cut, the beast- looking like an oversized gorilla- let itself be exposed, and Ichigo quickly stabbed into the opening, drawing blood. The hollow cried out, and quickly stabbed forward with its claws, but he was already on his feet, taking two short jumps back.

"What are you waiting for?" Erza barked harshly. "Finish it!"

She was a harsh taskmaster. Taking on a monster of this level would be expected of upper tier officers, and expecting him to do it faster…
But he could do it. Just five seconds later, he had cut the beast again, and this time his zanpakutou bit deep into its body, through skin, muscle and bone.

Erza Scarlet asked a lot of him. But not more than he could give her.

As the fight went on, Rukia stole a look at Erza. She was entirely focused, giving out orders every now and then, sharply analyzing his movements. He had come an extraordinarily long way in a very short time, and it was mostly to her credit.
Rukia couldn't quite understand her. Erza Scarlet, her longtime friend. Erza Scarlet, the concerned mentor. Erza Scarlet, the kindly and caring foster mother. Erza Scarlet, the self-admitted traitor. She had watched her, too, in their time together, and she was not making heads or tails of this. The Gotei left no ambiguity with regards to treason- theirs was a purpose greater than any other, to keep stability between the realms, and to turn your back on this was an evil act. Rukia was part of a noble house, and had never questioned this doctrine- the establishment she served had always, in her mind, represented righteousness. She was not like some others, who were quite drunk on their own sense of superiority, but everyone liked to think that they were justified in what they did, that their side was right, and Rukia had never been any different. The law mattered. What was right mattered. These two things had always, in her mind- and that of most shinigami like her- been directly tied to service of the Gotei.
So when Erza had been revealed a traitor, she had reacted with shock, then disbelief, then denial, and finally acceptance. She had grown bitter about the subject, infuriated that somebody she cared about could have harboured that kind of wicked intent without her ever knowing it. She had been angry that somebody so important had turned out so wrong. The Gotei urged no sympathy for those on the wrong side of the law, no nuances or shades of gray- you were in the right, or you were not. Erza Scarlet was a vile, evil traitor who had carried falsehood in her heart all along.
Then she had become stranded her, and come across her again. She had seen the affection she had for her family, the care she showed for Orihime, the same devotion and love that she had shown back when she served the Gotei. She did not appear false at all, and while it was possible that it was all an act, it seemed increasingly unlikely. Erza would have to be the most skilled manipulator there ever was, and… it just seemed too simple an answer. Too unlikely.

Which left her with a problem: Erza was a traitor. Traitors were evil. But Erza was also a good, loving person, every bit as firmly moral as she remembered.
The shades of grey ate away at Rukia's beliefs. She was not brainwashed; she could think for herself, and it was obvious to her by now that reality was… more complicated. Erza had always done what she thought was right. She still wasn't sure exactly what had caused her to run away, but she suspected doing the right thing had clashed with doing what the Gotei had wanted, and… well, doing the right thing anyway sounded exactly like something Erza would do.

As she watched Ichigo finally crush the hollow's skull with a single, decisive forceful blow, she realized there was something she had to admit to herself. She didn't want to turn her in. She would have suspected some form of manipulation, but Erza had not spoken with her often, had respected Rukia's wish to be left alone. All Rukia had seen was how Erza had interacted with everybody else. How, after all this time, she was the same. A good person. Somebody the people around her depended on.
So what would happen if Rukia turned her in? She would be hunted down, naturally. No matter how strong, she would be subdued eventually. There would be a thorough investigation. Everybody in her environment would be scrutinized. The second division might decide to simply purge everyone around her, perhaps believing she had been raising her own terrorist cell in her years of exile. Or twelfth might steal them away for research, and that she knew was a fate worse than death. Even if they took just Erza…

If they took just her, if nobody else was affected… she would leave a huge hole behind her, and it would be Rukia's fault. But, a part of her remarked in her mind, that one part that was almost as loyal as it was eager to please her revered older brother, turning her in was the right thing to do. The law was absolute; order above all else was what had kept the Gotei together for so long, and doing what was right was often not easy. Giving in now, out of sympathy, would be choosing weakness over righteousness. Her brother would never have hesitated. She shouldn't either.
But then she thought of the look on Orihime's face when she saw Erza, of Ichigo and all the small ways he looked up to his aunt, of the selflessness and devotion to her kin in Erza, and the little voice found itself overwhelmed.

Unless something changed, she realized, she would likely not let justice run its course. Here… here in Karakura, things were safe. It had guardian angels watching over it, none less thanher, and wasn't that the purpose of shinigami in the first place? To protect the innocent and the weak from the indiscriminate evil of the hollow?
Inwardly, Rukia groaned. It was bad enough to have lost her powers, but to be trapped in a moral dilemma on top of it was adding insult to injury.

The following day, Tatsuki found herself training once more in that cavernous, brightly lit cellar. It had been a couple of days since her little conversation with Yoruichi, and she had cursed herself over it since- she hadn't seen the woman since, and she wondered if she ever would. She had got too pushy, and…

…and there she was, suddenly having appeared as if out of nowhere at the corner of her eye. She was wearing plain black fatigues, which clung tightly to her form and left her arms free. Stopping mid-kick, Tatsuki nearly overbalanced. After a couple of most undignified seconds, Tatsuki stabilized. She looked at Yoruichi, and blinked. The woman had walked closer, slowly, and while there had been a hint of that normal grin just now, it had vanished from her face.

"Uhm," Tatsuki said, if only to break the silence, "uh, so…"

"You're talented." Yoruichi said plainly. "Very talented, even for a human. Powerful, too. You could come far under me."

"Oh. Um. Thanks." Tatsuki said confusedly. "So does that mean…"

"Do you know the price you pay, though?" Yoruichi continued, talking over Tatsuki's lame attempt to retort. "Power has a price. It always does. Gaining power makes you a potential target for enemies- as strong, or stronger than you. If you became strong, you might one day find that it was all for naught. You'd enter a world you could not come back from, one you can't possibly understand from where you are now. You could train under me- but do you understand the implications?"

Tatsuki blinked. Then, with some clarity, she said,
"You know, I'm pretty sure I've gone down the rabbit hole already. I'm not in Kansas anymore, and I haven't been for months. Maybe years, even if I didn't know it. It might not have been me that kicked down the wardrobe door, but I've fallen right into Narnia already. You know what I mean? This weird, weird world… I'm already part of it. Might as well learn to defend myself."

Yoruichi nodded, and the seriousness of her face was undercut by the slightest tug at the corner of her lips, that trademark grin not being far away.

"True enough, true enough."

"So…" Tatsuki said hesitantly. "I'll call you sensei from now on?"

"Ugh, no," Yoruichi said, waving her hand dismissively. "That formal crap, I hate it. Works for some people, not for me. I'll teach you, and you'll listen, and if you don't then you won't learn. Simple as that."

"I'll take it." Tatsuki nodded. "So when do we start?"

"Right away." Yoruichi said, and nodded. "There is just one slight problem, though."

"What?" Tatsuki said. She was eager to start, eager to get going- what was the hold-up?

"Your reiatsu- that's the scale of spiritual power, for your information," Yoruichi said, in response to the quizzical look on the girl's face, "is quite sizeable for a human. However, you have yet to achieve any real control over it. Quite normal for a human being, or even most souls, but without it, I can't do more than improve your martial arts skills, which won't really help you against a hollow."

"So how do I fix that?" Tatsuki said impatiently.

"The easiest thing would be to die, I think," Yoruichi said casually, and shrugged. "A soul separate from the body is always easier to mold."

"Whoa, hold up there. Let's not… get crazy, shall we?" Tatsuki said hesitantly.

"I figured that would be the reaction, yes," Yoruichi said with a nod. "I suppose I could try and goad it out of you, but that could take years, and it's really, really boring basic stuff that I don't have a lot of patience for. I'm an intuitive learner, not good at explaining technical stuff."

"…huh." Tatsuki mumbled, feeling a little defeated. "So um…"

"Well, well, well!"
The voice came from behind a rock, and the shopkeeper sauntered out, lazily spinning his cane as he went. He seemed to have come out of nowhere, and Tatsuki was a bit taken aback.
"It seems like you are in quite the predicament," he said cheerily. "All ready to begin your epic journey of teenage heroism, fully prepared to train, slay the evil overlord, get the girl, all that heroic stuff, and here you are, held back by cruel chance."

"Please don't pretend like you didn't hide behind that rock just so you could make an entrance when it suited you." Yoruichi said flatly. "For a scientist, you're kind of a drama queen."

"Never mind the plebe, Arisawa," Urahara said, his cheer undeterred. "She is a sad and bitter individual with no appreciation for dramatic timing."

Yoruichi shot him an unamused look, but Urahara ignored her. From behind his back, he pulled something out- a rod or a staff of some kind. It looked like polished wood, with black studs at each end, and it was just slightly longer than she was tall. Aside from looking well made, it seemed quite ordinary.

"Is that my magic wand?" Tatsuki commented. "Do I get a magical girl transformation, too?"

"You are a young woman to my liking, Arisawa," Urahara said, smiling amusedly as he twirled the staff around. "This is no wand, of course… but it's not too different. Touch it."

He held the staff out, and Tatsuki gave him a look.

"You want me to touch your staff. There's a joke in there somewhere…"

"I'm sure I have no idea what you mean." Urahara said innocently. "Go ahead. Take it."

Hesitantly, Tatsuki reached out, and firmly gripped the staff. Urahara let go, and for a second Tatsuki held it, feeling perfectly normal-
Then it hit her. A rush, a surge of indescribable, raw power coursing through her. Tatsuki felt as if she was about to explode, as if her body was about to tear itself to pieces. Shocked, she let the weapon go, and stumbled backward, falling flat on her ass.

"What-what the hell was that?" She burst out. "Are you trying to kill me, you perverted bastard?!"

"Kisuke is many things, but he's not a killer. Not for pleasure, at least," Yoruichi reassured her. "I'll leave the explaining to him, though.

"Very kind of you," Kisuke said, with the pleased smile of somebody who knew more than you, and was about to tell you just how much more.
"What you just felt wasn't the weapon itself. It was power, yes, but it was your power, fully unleashed and for you to use. The staff is a weapon, but more importantly, it is a conduit. It channels what you already have. Think of it as a bottle opener for a soda bottle."

"That was me?" Tatsuki burst out, getting to her feet. "What- what the hell?"

"I'll keep it simple. Ish." Urahara said, spreading his hands out. "Your closest point of comparison is Ichigo, of course. He is exceptional. As he is right now, trained, your power is at approximately forty percent of his. A conservative estimate, of course- my data isn't exact yet."

Tatsuki eyed the staff, lying on the ground, looking innocent. "Well, great. I'm not even half as strong."

"Tssk, tssk," Urahara said. "Power is not the same as strength, Arisawa. I cannot be sure just how strong you will be- but once you learn to control your own power, that gap will start to close. Strength is power plus control and discipline. It is my opinion as a scientist that your grasp of the latter two surpasses his."

"So… using this, I can…"

"Become strong enough." Yoruichi said. "A bit of warning would have been nice, Kisuke."

"Oh, lighten up," Urahara said dismissively.

"Why?" Tatsuki demanded suspiciously. "Why go to all this trouble for me?"

The shopkeeper shrugged. "I'd like to say 'out of the kindness of my heart', but people do not seem to believe me when I say that."

"Now there's an understatement," Yoruichi said with a snicker, and it struck Tatsuki how they both grinned the same way.

"I won't lie to you," Urahara said. "This thing is a weapon and a scientific instrument. It will measure everything about you. Your heart rate, your hormonal levels, your blood pressure, your spiritual energy and its fluctuations… it can't read your mind, but it can read just about everything else."

"Figured there was a catch." Tatsuki said sullenly.

"It's no big catch. You are a rare specimen, Arisawa- your power is strong, grown and cultivated by spillage from young mister Kurosaki, which is something with genuine scientific merit in itself. It's a simple deal- you will be my test subject, with no more participation or testing needed than to use that weapon, and in return you will gain the power you desire. With time, you might not even need this weapon, as you learn to harness it on your own."

"Right." Tatsuki said. She extended a hand to pick up the staff, but hesitated.

"I have been honest with you." Urahara added. "Something for something. That is the oldest, most reliable form of human exchange."

"Honest as far as I know," Tatsuki murmured. "Yoruichi?"

"He's not lying," Yoruichi said, and shrugged. "Not as far as I can tell. Not that I'm telling you to trust him, but it should be fine."

"Well, here goes nothing then…" Tatsuki murmured, and once again grabbed the staff. She had time to stand herself upright and plant one end of the staff in the ground before the surge came once more.
It was raw power, coursing through her entire being. This time she was prepared for the sensation, and took the time to feel it- it was tickly, itchy, running through her like ants under her skin. The first time had been much more overwhelming, unexpected, but now that she was ready…
It was strange. Really, really strange. This was what her actual soul felt like? It felt both good and bad at the same time; good because it was a raw, strong feeling, one that made her feel like she could move mountains; bad because it made her a little nauseous.

"This is…" She said, her voice trembling a little. She was almost at a loss for words; the sensation was unique, unlike anything she had ever felt before. With something resembling shock, she realized she was glowing, little particles running around her, like small imperfections running across your vision, only in their thousands.

"I imagine it would be quite a shock for a human," Yoruichi said knowledgeably. "Most souls grow into this sort of power with time."

"Uh huh," Tatsuki said, nodding.

"Here, try it out," Urahara said cheerily, pointing at a rock. It was large, nearly as tall as Tatsuki, and probably weighed several tons. "Hit it."

Holding the staff firmly in both hands, Tatsuki took a few steps forward, and then let out a cry as she thrust the weapon forward. To her disappointment, nothing seemed to happen- she had expected it to split in two, or maybe even shatter, but nothing came. Power, it seemed, had its limits.
"Well, that was underwhelming." She murmured. "Forty percent, was it?"

"Arisawa, please," Urahara said. "Look closer. Just yesterday, if you had punched a rock like that, what would you think the odds would have been of even denting it? A million to one, surely. Now, look closer."

Tatsuki inspected the rock more closely. A small crack had formed, running down the entire rock. It had not split in two, but it had cracked just a little, just from her strike.

"…you'd need a jackhammer to do that kind of damage." Tatsuki said, no longer feeling underwhelmed.

"Now imagine what you'll do when you've refined it!" Urahara said cheerily. "To that end, I leave you in Yoruichi's capable hands. Have fun!"

"Hey, wait!" Tatsuki said, but the shopkeeper had already turned around, readily walking off. He waved at her almost indifferently, cheerily spinning his cane with his other hand.

"Well, that solves that, doesn't it?" Yoruichi said. "Are you ready to learn the real thing, then?"

Tatsuki nodded affirmatively. "Yes, sens- Yoruichi!"

Yoruichi smirked, and nodded. "Quick learner. I like it. Just one thing- this tool won't be a permanent thing. Eventually you'll have to learn it yourself. Eventually you'll die, like everyone else, and then you'll have to find a new way to channel your power- like a shinigami. But until then…"

Tatsuki quickly thrust forward with her staff, and Yoruichi nimbly took a step back, easily dodging it.

"Until then, I learn what I can." Tatsuki said firmly.

"Good girl." Yoruichi said, and cracked her knuckles.

It was after school, and Rukia had taken refuge in Erza's apartment, along with Orihime. The setting did little to ease her doubts and inner conflict, but Orihime herself did. Something about that girl was uplifting- her sincere cheer, honesty and optimism reminded Rukia of something old, of a childhood almost forgotten. At this particular moment she was especially bubbly, excitably demonstrating her new powers. She had not gotten a good look at it the other day, but here, with no hollow to distort things, Orihime was free to demonstrate. The two of them were sat down on the floor opposite of each other.
Spirituality was a curious thing. Shinigami knew more of it than most, but it was a vast and strange field, filled with things you would never expect or guess. Orihime's ability, Rukia thought, was unlike anything she had ever seen before.
Around Orihime, six bright, golden lights were spinning. Quickly, almost enough to leave a trail behind them. Rukia looked closely, almost fascinated.

"They are the Shun Shun Rikka!" Orihime exclaimed proudly. She was sat on the floor cross-legged, looking at the lights with adoring cheer.

"What does it do?" Rukia asked. "It seemed quite powerful the other day-"

"Now you offended them." Orihime said. "It's all right, you guys. She doesn't know any better."

Rukia blinked.

"It's not an it, it's a they," Orihime explained. "They are people. Six of them. Introduce yourselves, why don't you?"

The six lights abruptly stopped buzzing about, levitating in front of Orihime, and Rukia could make out their shapes- little humanoid sprites, no taller than the height of her hand, each one looking different from the next.

"Ayame!" One cried, a female with a large, elaborate dress.

"Baigon!" The next asserted, and he would have looked rather rough and tough with his broad shoulders and half-masked face if he hadn't been so tiny.

"Hinagiku!" Another sprite exclaimed, a lean, lanky-looking thing in purple. He was male, and had an eyepatch.

"Lily!" Said the next sprite, a female in yellow, transparent glasses, what looked like a blue bathing suit, and bright pink hair.

"Shun'O!" Said the next sprite, blond and with its hair in a top knot, and Rukia could not quite make out if it was male or female.

"Tsubaki!" Said the last sprite, his face masked by a white scarf, and wearing all black.

"…I see. Nice to meet you all." Rukia said, a bit taken aback.

"Isn't it wonderful?" Orihime said happily. "They can do all sorts of things- just this morning, they helped me heal a little birdie with a broken wing, and Tsubaki chased off the cat that did it."

"So… they can do all sorts of things, huh?" Rukia said. A scientist, she knew, would be absolutely thrilled- new knowledge always did that. She herself was just curious.

Orihime nodded. "Um-hmm! It was all so weird after that time in the library, but that night, they started speaking to me. They came from me. They are my power, they say. And when they're not out like this, they're resting in my ear pins."

The sprites gave Rukia a suspicious look, and went back to levitating around Orihime.

"I'm only just getting the hang of it, really," Orihime said, and stood up, "but I'm pretty sure I can be useful now. I can use it to protect, to heal, and to fight, even. I just get up and say, 'I reject', and they listen. It's like- no, not like, I've totally become a real life magical girl!" There was a glimmer in Orihime's eyes as she dramatically began punching the air, no doubt imagining some scenario involving robots, justice, and magic.

"Well, that's great," Rukia said, and stood up along Orihime.

"I'm sure I'll find some way of magically transforming my clothes, too," Orihime said. She was elated, Rukia could tell, definitely living one of her fantasies to its fullest. "I've already started practicing twirling around."

Rukia giggled. "I'm sure the hollows will be glad to wait for you to finish twirling."

"Well, otherwise they are just rude," Orihime huffed. "I can't wait to show this to Erza!"

"I'm sure she will be thrilled," Rukia said diplomatically. She had not spent much time with Erza, but she was at least aware of how she felt about Orihime being in the line of fire.

"Here, look what else it does!" Orihime said excitedly. She held out her hand, and the sprites followed her will, and all melded into a golden light. It enveloped her arm and flowed outward, and within seconds it had taken the shape of a short staff. You could partly see through it, and it didn't look like solid matter- more like light having been given form. The staff itself was some four or five feet long, its top adorned with six pairs of wings, each pair pointing in a different direction. Light radiated from it, shining brightly, almost hard to look directly at.

"Come on, attack me!" Orihime said excitedly.

"What?"

"Attack me, I'll show you what it can do. It's like, sixty-four percent safe, I promise."

Looking at the big grin on Orihime's face, Rukia sighed, and decided to oblige her. How dangerous could it be?
She made a fist, raised it, and came at Orihime- gently, just in case. She needn't have bothered.

"Shiten Koshun, I reject!" Orihime said firmly. A triangular shield formed, and Rukia's hand connected with what felt like a sheet of steel. Surprised by the strength of the shield, and its sudden appearance, she overbalanced and fell backwards. She let out a startled yelp.

"Oh Rukia, are you all right?" Orihime exclaimed, and hurried to her friend's side. The light dispersed, and the staff seemed to disappear.

"Yes, yes," Rukia said, shaking her sore hand a little. "I'm fine."

As Orihime let out a flow of apologies, Rukia sighed a little inwardly. She really should know better than to even think things like 'how bad could it be?'

The next day, Rukia was sat deep in thought on a rock in the basement, watching Ichigo train. The young lad was putting his back into it, sparring with his aunt to the best of his abilities. His reiatsu was pulsing heavily, and sweat was dripping down his face. He was the spit-and-image of Shiba Kaien, and it twisted her heart like a knife to watch him- so alike, so equally honest, forthright, stupid, strong and brusquely charismatic- well, when he wasn't scowling at the world.
Rukia could put two and two together. Ichigo's appearance was no accident- his father was undoubtedly not just any shinigami, but the long thought dead Shiba Isshin, once a captain himself. It explained quite a lot- a shinigami father and a quincy mother; he had won the genetic lottery, born into raw power and immense potential. Under Erza, he had quickly bloomed, despite his form being so crude, raw and inexperienced.
She would take all of that away. If she did the right thing, the hard thing, and told on Erza, there was no way the Gotei would leave him alone, or anybody in his family. Isshin would be tried as a traitor. His family… would be lucky if they were just exterminated. The Gotei did not believe in mercy toward potential threats.

She balled her fists angrily. Why? Why did it have to be sohard? Why did the right thing have to be so wrong? Why? She had signed up to fight hollows and guide lost souls, to serve a cause greater than herself…
Not to ruin lives. If it were found out that she had kept this from her superiors, she too would be tried as a traitor.

But through her anger and frustration, she already knew. She couldn't do it. Gotei be damned, right be damned, house Kuchiki be damned, she couldn't do it. Just thinking about Ichigo, so much like Kaien, just thinking about Yuzu and Karin, and their loving parents, and Erza… imagining what she would do to them, she knew she would die of shame if she turned them in. Rukia was not drastic, overly dramatic or emotional; she had always considered herself practical and down to earth- but it was no exaggeration, she knew, to think she would rather be dead than cause this to happen.
It was a startling realization. In her heart, in this very moment, she was as much a traitor as Erza. The Gotei might never learn, but she would always know.

As Ichigo finished up, breathing heavily, Rukia hopped down from her rock, and walked up to him, nearly running.

"Quite the workout, isn't it?" She said, trying to sound casual- and, she knew, probably failing.

"Uh huh," Ichigo said, nodding and drawing a few deep breaths, before firmly planting the point of his sword in the dirt. "What's up, Rukia?"

Damn.
"Nothing, nothing at all," Rukia said cheerily. She was a good actor, she knew, but she wondered if he couldn't see right through it. "I'm just a little curious, that's all."

"If you're curious, ask." Ichigo said bluntly.

"She really works you hard, doesn't she?"

"Ain't that the truth." Ichigo grumbled. "You'd think she'd slow down a little now that I've got a handle on things, but no…"

"What do you think of her? As a teacher, I mean," Rukia said carefully.

"Sweat, blood and tears aside?" Ichigo grumbled. "She pushes me as far as I can go. She's probably not the most pedagogical teacher there ever was, but… she makes me strong. She hurts me 'cause she loves me. Sounds fucked up when I say it, but it's the truth. It's painful and I sometimes hate it, but it's necessary. It's a jungle out there, and if I'm not strong enough, it'll eat me- or the people close to me. If it makes my family safe, I won't complain."

Rukia looked at him. Something twisted inside her- it was like looking right into a younger Kaien, now more than ever. So bluntly honest and kind…

"You all right?" Ichigo said.

"Oh." Rukia said, and blinked. "Yes, I'm fine. It makes sense. What you said."

"Right." Ichigo said. He shot her a small grin, and lowering his voice a little, as if uttering some hush-hush thing about something he wouldn't want his mother overhearing, he said, "between you and me… I don't always like the training, but the power? I like that a lot. Makes me feel like I'm king of the world. Not that I'm looking to turn into some big-dick macho samurai Rambo, but… that's a perk I can live with."

Rukia smiled. "There is nothing wrong with appreciating your own strength. Just don't-"

"Don't let it turn into vanity, or you will defeat yourself and reap the consequences," Ichigo said, rolling his eyes, his voice mockingly taking on the formal, harsh tone of his mentor. "I got that covered. She'd beat me senseless if I let it get to my head, so I got that covered."

"She's been good for you, hasn't she?" Rukia said, her voice a little strained. "Your entire family."

Ichigo gave her a scrutinizing look.
"Look, I don't know what this is, between her and you… but you wanna know about Erza? You may have known her longer than I did, for all I know, but the Erza I know? She blew my nose when I was five years old, looked after me when mom and dad was away, put Band-Aids on when I scrubbed a knee or an elbow, read me stories… hell, it's like having a second mom. Yeah. She was good for us. Never did anything that wasn't looking out for us."

Rukia sighed. "What must you think of me, accusing your aunt like that…"

"What's between you and her is between you and her," Ichigo said. "You seemed to hate her back then, but she didn't seem to hate you back- and I don't know exactly what happened, but it's none of my business." He gave her a look, frowning slightly. "You're askin' now. People who made their mind up don't usually ask question. So now I'm asking- do you still have a problem with her?"

"I have… doubts." Rukia said tentatively. "She is a self-admitted traitor to our cause- a cosmically important cause. But… I can't for the life of me disbelieve what you've told me about her. It's…"

"Funny how things ain't clear cut?" Ichigo said. "Must be like being a teenager all over again, won't it?"

"Something like that." Rukia admitted, with a small smile on her face.

"All I know is, she cares. She kept this whole business from me, but that one was on mom."

"And there I was, telling your beloved aunt what a horrible traitor she was…" Rukia mumbled. "I should have known better."

"You know," Ichigo mumbled, somewhat awkwardly, "you know you saved our lives, right? Like, Tatsuki, Orihime and me, we're actually here, and not dead and eaten, because you were at the right place at the right time. You almost died fighting. I mean… that counts for something. You know that, right?"

Feeling somewhat awkward, Rukia shifted. "I was just doing my duty. There was nothing special about that."

"It was still brave, and it still means… um, everything." Ichigo said. "So uh… don't worry. You're still cool in my book."

"I take it 'cool' is a mark of significant status?" Rukia said with a coy smile, taking the opportunity to deflate the tension with a smart remark.

"Biggest one there is, if you're fifteen." Ichigo said with a grin. His face went serious after a few seconds. "Look… at the end of the day, we owe you our lives. I don't know what'll happen when you get your powers back, but maybe one day, I'll have to repay that favour. If I have to, I will."

"No need to get so serious," Rukia said. "I'm sure everything will be fine."

"Sure, sure," Ichigo said, and nodded. "I'm just saying… if push comes to shove, you can always count on me. Even if I'm probably going to be busy getting my skull caved in by my auntie's fist."

"Thanks." Rukia said simply. Her face held a warm smile, but on the inside, she felt something bittersweet well up. He was every bit the honourable Shiba- placed in a modern society though he was, he would fit right into that house.

The first day of training had been exactly what Tatsuki had expected it to be- painful, frustrating, exhausting, and exciting. Every time she touched her new weapon, her power surged, and she could fight- although if she let go of it for more than two minutes, it would vanish, slip out of her grasp. Yoruichi had already, as her first order of business, begun teaching her how to handle a staff, how to make it a natural part of her martial art.
She was covered in bruises, little scrubs, and she ached down to her very bones. But at the same time… she felt strong. Powerful. Spirit power was amazing, there was no other way to put it. She was literally superhuman when she used it- she had found herself moving faster than her mind could even register, leading to more than a few embarrassing tumbles. She had thrown punches she knew you shouldn't be able to throw, unless you were some kind of seven-foot-tall Icelandic modern-day Viking strongman, quite likely with 'Thor' in your name and arms the size of tree trunks. Her own slender, lean arms now moved with strength that would baffle athletes.

Which was why, despite the aches and pains, she was inspired, eager- zealously so- to continue. What was a little pain compared to this? Compared to real strength?
Yoruichi, for her part, was still unfazed. Not one of Tatsuki's punches or kicks, on the rare occasion that they landed, seemed to do any damage at all. Spirit power, she had explained, was a battle of numbers- it was your power versus theirs, and if theirs was a lot bigger than yours, then your own attacks would be proportionally weakened. With how Yoruichi seemed so unaffected, Tatsuki had to wonder just how strong she was.

They had trained in the basement, some ways from where Ichigo trained. Finally, Yoruichi had called it a day, insisting that Tatsuki had to ease herself into this. Tatsuki protested at first, but gave in soon enough- she didn't want to get pushy with her new not-sensei.
There was one thing, though. As she walked back, she saw Ichigo, coming back from a break. Staff in hand, she quickly approached him.

"Tatsuki," he said, giving her a surprised look. "You're… different."

"Stronger." Tatsuki said with a grin. "That perverted shopkeeper found a way." She firmly put her staff into the ground, so as to mark its importance.

"That's… great, I guess." Ichigo said. "What's going on here?"

"Found a teacher, and found me some power." Tatsuki said confidently. "Or not 'found', I guess… it's all my own, it's just that I can't normally use it."

"Well… good." Ichigo said. "It's always good to be able to defend yourself."

"I'll catch up." Tatsuki said firmly.

"Huh?"

In a swift movement, Tatsuki thrust her staff forward, aimed at Ichigo's face. As she had expected, he reacted in time, pulling back.
"To you, dummy," she said, not unkindly. "You may be freakishly strong, but one day… I'll be, too."

"Is this where we get some sort of dumb emo ninja rivalry, and one of us eventually runs off to train under an evil terrorist to avenge something?" Ichigo said, his voice in between sarcastic and befuddled.

Tatsuki snorted. "Try me."

"What?"

"I said, try me," she insisted. "Fight me. See where I am now."

"Uh, are you serious?" Ichigo said. "Seriously, that wouldn't go well for you. I don't want to hurt you."

He was right, and she knew it, but something inside her completely ignored rationality when she head I don't want to hurt you.

"I'm serious." She insisted. "Spar with me. Just a quick one."

Ichigo sighed. "Well… fine, I guess. But I'm not using my sword."

Tatsuki considered protesting, but decided against it. She would likely lose anyway…
The two of them took their stances, and Tatsuki, deciding not to wait- what would be the point of that?- lunged forward, using her staff to launch herself into a flying kick. It hit, a solid, strong double-foot kick right into Ichigo's throat. It was frustrating, then, when she felt like she had hit a brick wall, and Ichigo just stood there, barely even flinching.

"Do not stand around like some idiot." Tatsuki growled. "I hate that. It's condescending-"

In a blur of a movement, Ichigo showed his respect. His fist lunged forward, and Tatsuki reacted faster than her mind could process, just barely bending back to let the blow pass over her. Quickly she somersaulted backward. Ichigo went on, fast and furious, and Tatsuki rather felt like she was trying to fight a landslide. He threw one punch after another, and the odd kick. Her excellent reflexes let her keep up, just barely, but eventually- in reality, no more than twenty seconds later- he hit. She had collided with a car once, when she was a few years younger, and the tremendous impact of it, despite the vehicle's slow speed, had stayed with her in memory. Now, taking one of Ichigo's punches to the gut, the memory floated back to the forefront of her head, from the murky depths of her mind. Tatsuki let out a gasp, fighting to breathe. Saliva dripped from her mouth, as she staggered back, clutching at her gut with one hand, trying to keep her balance.

"Done yet?" Ichigo said patiently. In a real fight, it'd have been over- but then again, that was what training was for. Hammer out the mistakes…

"Again!" Tatsuki croaked. As strong and fast as he was, she could read him- just a little. She knew him, knew how she moved…
He came in again, and Tatsuki tried to deflect the first incoming blow. Strong, forceful, it came in, and as it slid past her, caught by her arm, she felt like she'd break a bone- but she deflected nonetheless, and quickly jabbed him in the throat, the solar plexus, the face. It felt like punching concrete, but she jabbed nonetheless. It seemed to work; Ichigo actually reeled back, looking surprised. Not wanting to give him a second to breathe, she launched forward, using her staff to strike at him, one piercing thrust after another. Now on the defense, Ichigo took a step back, and Tatsuki felt a victorious surge of pride rise in her chest. Could she actually win? Could she even-
Then he disappeared, as if having vanished magically. Not a second later he stood behind her, firmly grabbing her right wrist.

"Little shinigami trick." He explained. "Shunpo, they call it. I'm really basic with it, Erza says, but basic's good enough."

"That's cheating!" Tatsuki said, furiously trying to wrench free her hand, but Ichigo's grip was firm.

"You think a hollow's gonna care about fair play?" Ichigo said with a laugh.

Tatsuki grunted angrily, knowing he was right, yet still unwilling to admit it.

"Knock it off already." Ichigo said. "Let it go. You tried, and you failed, because I'm like… two months ahead of you in training, and way stronger. There's no shame in being weaker than somebody else, all right? We're not all born equal, not in that way."

With an irritable look on her face, Tatsuki stopped struggling. Well, what else had she expected?

"You cool?" Ichigo said.

"Yeah, yeah," she grunted. Relaxing his grip, he let go of her. Immediately, Tatsuki spun around, slamming a fist into his chest. It did as little as she expected, and Ichigo didn't even react.

"Feel better?"

"Friggin' stupid arrblghrbbll…" Tatsuki grunted, her speech turning into an incomprehensible grumble.

"Look, I gotta run," he said. "Aunt to beat the snot out of me some more, and all that. Keep at it, though. You'll do great."
Unceremoniously he turned his back on her, and walked away.

"Was that everything you expected?" Came the amused voice of Yoruichi, standing a few yards away, apparently having watched the whole thing.

"Just about," Tatsuki said irritably.

"You know…" Yoruichi said, "a bit of rivalry isn't bad. It gives you a goal. Something to live up to. Not that I would know too much about that, since I've always been the best at what I do-" she said it entirely unironically, Tatsuki realized, and she was inclined to believe it wasn't sarcasm, "-but it seems right. But… don't let it be everything you fight for. Don't let it consume you. Like he said… it's okay to be weaker. There's always somebody stronger out there. You, you're only just starting out."

"Yeah, yeah," Tatsuki muttered, still a little too peeved to take in her not-sensei's advice. "I'll just… go hit the showers, or something."

"You do that," Yoruichi said, with barely contained amusement. "And Tatsuki…"

"Yeah?" Tatsuki said, already having turned toward the basement's ladder.

"You made him use an advanced shinigami tactic to pull that win. He's stronger… but not that much stronger."

Tatsuki just nodded, but felt just a little uplifted.

Some time after Tatsuki had left, Yoruichi sauntered into Urahara's room. It was a messy place, notes, scribbles and whatever else he used to write down research and ideas strewn everywhere, along with dried-up food leftovers on plates that should have been washed ages ago. It was little more than an extension of his research lab slash sleeping place. It was strictly forbidden for anyone to enter at their leisure, including anybody in the shop- except her. She had always been the exception to all of his rules.
At this time, he was sitting leaned back in his chair, which he had tilted halfway back, standing it on only two legs. He was staring into the ceiling, deep in thought. He got like this every so often, his mind racing with too many ideas at once. Then, he'd get a stack of paper, fill them with ideas and data, most of which he'd never use, and then he'd invent something brilliant. Often unnecessary, pointless or overly complicated, but always brilliant. He was an inventor, always had been.

"So," she said, standing leaned in the doorway, "that certainly was one very dramatic timing."

"Yoruichi!" He said, the two front legs of his chair slamming into the floor as he sat up straight. His tone, at first startled, turned into cheer halfway through the statement. "Ah yes, that staff- working excellently, isn't it?"
The question was rhetorical, she knew- he was always sure his inventions worked, and usually, he was right.

"I might have appreciated a little warning."

"Warning?" he said blinking confusedly. "Did I really scare you with that entry?"

"I was in charge of a corps of ninjas," Yoruichi said dismissively. "You can not hide from me, Urahara Kisuke. Of course I knew you were there."

"Ah. Of course. So… then what?"

Yoruichi sighed. "That staff… quite an elaborate weapon, if it doubles as a scientific instrument as you say."

"Well, of course," Kisuke said, his tone quietly excited. "I do not build things halfway."

"Meaning you had to have started building it quite some time ago. You were sure I'd take her on, weren't you?"

"Oh. Oh." Kisuke said. "Oh, that. Well… yes. I've never been an expert on social matters, but… well, it was fairly obvious. A young, plucky, idealistic martial arts practitioner seeks your help in the one field you excel in more than anybody else. We may not be alike in our interests, Yoruichi, but… we share a pride in the excellence we both possess. When that Arisawa girl asked you, you remembered, did you not- how it felt to be the best at something, and passing it on. Did you not?"

"I suppose," Yoruichi said, furrowing her brows. "I don't see why you couldn't have told me, 'I'm making an instrument for that human girl, in case you decide to teach her everything you know', or something like that."

"What, and affect the process?" Kisuke said dismissively. "That had to be your choice. Not that it wasn't obvious."

"You are really annoying sometimes, you know that?" Yoruichi said, feeling less than amused. "If I'm that predictable…"

"Yoruichi," he said, his tone turning serious. "You've always been my friend. My only friend. The only one who actually understood me. I know you. That's not strange." He looked her in the eye, uncharacteristically serious.
"You always cared, ever since we were young. Even though I was a commoner, taken in as a patron, and you were a princess- you still treated me as an equal. You left a whole life behind to save my own, and you did so without hesitation. You lost much on my account."

"What, bureaucracy and a noble clan making demands of me at every turn?" Yoruichi said dismissively, doing her best to seem flippant. "I didn't lose that much, Kisuke."

"Yes, you did," Kisuke insisted. "You act like you don't miss any of it, and I think that's mostly true- mostly. But there were things there that you liked, that meant something to you, things you can't go back to. On my account."

"Look-" she started, but Kisuke held up a finger.

"No, no, let me finish, before I make a fool of myself," he said. "I'm not going all sentimental, but…" He was quiet for a moment, as if trying to find the right thing to say. "I have many failings. I'm egocentrical, arrogant, and I act aloof. I mock people for the fun of it, even when I shouldn't. I guess… at the end of the day, you put up with that like it's nothing, and… I figured you should have something to make you happy. Even if, um, it reminded you of something painful. That last part honestly made me iffy."

Yoruichi tilted her head, gave him a scrutinizing look. A moment later, she burst into laughter.
"You're doing something nice for me, by hiding things from me and explaining it when it fits you?"

"Like I said… not a social expert." Kisuke admitted dejectedly.

"That is so, so like you," Yoruichi said, her laugh dying out into a giggle. "So, you see me interacting with Arisawa, and you hurry off to make a weapon… for me?"

"Mostly, yes," Kisuke admitted. "I know you miss her sometimes. I just thought… taking on somebody new could be good for you."

"Well, another annoying thing about you is that you're usually right." Yoruichi said and shrugged. "Communicate though, you big dummy."

"Ah, but I move at so much of a higher level that mere mortals can hardly comprehend me," Kisuke said with a grin.

"You watch it, or I'll have to give you what for, Urahara Kisuke," Yoruichi said with a grin.

"'What' and 'for' are utterly subjective and therefore meaningless in rational discussion," Kisuke said, grinning back. "So, um…"

"Yes, I'm not upset," Yoruichi said dismissively. "You're right… I miss it sometimes. But I don't regret it, you know that."

"Sure," he said, nodding.

"I'll see you around," she said, giving him a grin. "I'll be busy teaching that girl, though…"

"Just as planned!" Urahara cheered, and Yoruichi laughed as she shut the door behind her.

It was night-time, and Rukia restlessly waited outside Erza's apartment. She should probably have given this more thought, let it simmer for a week or two- but then again, she could be called back to the soul society at any time, and she plain didn'twant to wait.
Before too long, although it felt like forever, Erza came toward her apartment, wearing her normal gigai. She had been training, Rukia knew- she trained by herself after Ichigo was done for the day. She was nothing if not diligent.
She showed no sign of surprise at Rukia's presence, and calmly walked up to the apartment door, acknowledging Rukia with a nod, and stepped inside. Rukia, having expected more than that, took a step after her.

"Hey!" She said, in between hesitant and angry.

"Are you coming in or not?" Erza said, casually taking off her shoes, stretching her limbs out a little. She let out a small grunt, and there was something infuriatingly disarming about her.

"I… well… yes." Rukia said. She was ready to fume at her, to lecture and shriek, but couldn't- didn't want to. It only made things more confusing.

"I'll make tea." Erza said, heading into her kitchen. "Close the door behind you, please."

"I- oh, sure…" Rukia said.
What had happened there? The growing doubts in her mind had left her so angry, so frustrated, so eager to try and convince herself of what she knew should be right- but here she was, following Erza's polite requests like it was nothing. Awkwardly, she sat down on the couch in the living room, and listened to Erza stirring in the kitchen. Before too long, she came back with two cups of steaming, hot tea on a tray.

"It's a black citrus blend, with a bit of honey," Erza explained, and set the tray down. "Great for relaxing after a busy day."

Hesitantly, Rukia took a cup, but didn't drink. She shot the traitor a glare, and received a small smile in return.

"You look like you could use a bit of relaxation. Try it," she said, and as if to demonstrate, took a sip herself.

Not sure what else to do, Rukia took a sip. It was actually quite good, she had to admit.

"Aren't you going to say anything?" She said accusingly. Erza looked back at her, with the face of a patient older sister. She had changed, Rukia thought- not in such an obvious way, but she looked… older. More restrained, more mature. Was it because of how she had went from being a soldier, to being somebody's family? Well… that didn't matter.
"Well?" She demanded again.

"It seems like the one with something to say here is you, Rukia," Erza replied, her tone mild. "Speak your mind."

"Well…" Rukia said indignantly. "You're a traitor!"

Erza only nodded solemnly in agreement.

"And you plotted to subvert the Gotei from within!"

"It is true." So damned solemn. So calm, as if at peace with all of her actions- when they should be held as detestable, loathsome, each one a great regret.

"I have to report you. You know that." Rukia said, putting on a hard front, not letting her doubts shine through.

"You've said that, yes."

"What will you do, then?" Rukia said angrily. "What will you do, when they send captains to hunt you, to take your entire family?"

"I will fight and I will die." Erza said simply. "Perhaps I can ask Urahara Kisuke to hide the others. But if doom comes my way, I won't run and hide."

"Just like that?" Rukia said incredulously.

"I have things I want to do in my life. Things I need to do before I die. But lots of people need things and never get them. The world does not revolve around me. And frankly… if I die protecting my loved ones, it's exactly the kind of death I'd want. I had that once already. I'm not afraid of it." She said the words, calm and resolute, and there was no doubting the sincerity in her voice.

"What is wrong with you?" Rukia burst out.

"I know where I stand and where I am going." Erza said simply. "When a body knows that, things like death, or the future, that can't ever scare you."

"The traitor is cowardly, weak of resolve, lacking morality and reason, vile and contemptuous, the scum of society," Rukia said, trying to keep her voice firm. The words were not hers, borrowed from teaching materials every student learned in academy. Loyalty, righteousness, trust… things they all knew by heart. Things that seemed so simple, in the best of ways.

"They are the bane of our great cause, and must be exterminated with extreme prejudice." Erza said, completing the quote. "And what do you think, Rukia? Do I deserve to die?"

The tone was not accusatory or aggressive, but Rukia wished it had been. If only she could be angry with her, it would be so much easier.

"The right thing isn't easy to do." Rukia said quietly.

"Very true."

"Condemning you and those around you, that is what the law dictates to be right." Rukia said stiffly. "It's what I should do."

"The law, yes," Erza said, nodding. "You can find right and wrong there. But… what do you know to be right, Rukia? In your heart, when you are honest with yourself, what is right to you?"

"It's not for me to decide!" Rukia snapped. "We submit to the wisdom of those greater than ourselves, and do not question it, for they are older and wiser, and better learned! That is the fundament the Gotei's military divisions are built on! Loyalty!"

"But here you are, debating whether to do the right thing or not." Erza remarked. "In my experience, people do not try to convince themselves that they are right unless they think they aren't."

"God damn you!" Rukia burst out. "I… I should turn you in! It's the right thing to do! It's what nii-sama would want!"

"What do you want?" Erza asked. The question was so simple, so forthright, and it took the wind out of Rukia's sails entirely.

"It's not about me." She mumbled, her voice barely more than a whisper.

Erza gave her a long, careful look. "Loyalty and obedience is a good thing, Rukia. But even wise people are still just… people. Sometimes, they are wrong. Unquestioning obedience is not a virtue. It's the kind of thing that gets people to do horrible things without feeling a shred of responsibility for it."

"I know what's right." Rukia said weakly. "But at the same time, I don't. Is this… is that what happened to you?"

"…yes and no." Erza said slowly. "I am a traitor, as you said. But… I had reasons. Good reasons. What you see now, that right isn't so plain and easy, that came to me soon. I saw evil being done in the name of good, and I never found it justified. So… I found a new path. It was the wrong one, but continuing down the one I was going would have been worse. Or maybe not."

Rukia shook her head.
"I… I can't do it. I've failed in my duty. I'm no better than you. And the worst thing is, I'm not even sure that's a bad thing."

"Where I came from, we believed in doing the right thing, rather than follow the rules." Erza said slowly. "You would have fit in, I think."

"Damn it all…" Rukia said, and sighed in defeat, taking a deep sip from her tea. It had gone a little more lukewarm, but it was still a good enough distraction. "I know what would happen. I can't live with that. That's the gist of it."

Erza nodded. "I'm glad." There was a smile on her face, genuine and warm, and Rukia was reminded again of the old times, when there had been no rebellion to come between their friendship.
There was a silence, long enough that it was nearly awkward, and Rukia downed her cup, and made a move as if to stand up.

"Sooo… I should probably get going." She mumbled. "I'm sure you have things to do…"

"Stay." Erza said simply.

"What?"

"Stay. You need someplace to be while you're here- and it might as well be this apartment. You're welcome here."

"It could be dangerous," Rukia noted. "If another shinigami sees me, recognizing you…"

"A small risk." Erza said dismissively. "I don't mind it."

"Well…" Rukia said. She paused, contemplating the thought for a second. Well… why not? This place was nicer than the one she used right now, anyhow.
"Sure. I guess."

"Good," Erza said with a smile, and Rukia felt as if she had just regained something long thought lost. Despite her failure, somehow she didn't feel too bad about herself.

I figured it was about time we finished the subplot with Rukia not trusting Erza anymore. It was fun, but it was nessarcy for it to end before the end of this arc. Tat and I felt that she wasnt getting enough screen time. I do hope all the fans of her character enjoyed this chapter which really developed her character, as well as the many shades of Grey that she had to deal with.

I also hope you all like what we've done with Orihime and Tatsuki. Orihime was given that "Light Staff." because I found a badass picture of her using one to fight Ichigo in Bankai. Im sure you can all find that picture that inspired it pretty easy if you type in "Ichigo vs Orihime." Im taking her fighting style a bit differently than the cannon one. Oh sure, she'll be able to do everything she could in the original...But why stop there? Why not do more?

As for Tatsuki, GreatKingRatt88 is the one to thank for coming up with the idea of Tatsuki needing a weapon to use her powers. She'll be able use her powers without it eventually, but for now, she needs it. Besides, it makes for a useful weapon, because unless your an arrancar, a quincy very skilled in Blut vein or Yoruichi/Soifon, fighting swords with your hand usually dosnt go so well.

Id say after all this, we have just a few more chapters till the end of The Substitute arc, and we go into the Soul Society one. Be aware however that things will be MUCH different this time around. I wont say what, but im sure you'll all find it enjoyable.

With that all out of the way, I eargly await to hear all your thoughts on this chapter in the reviews. We are SOOO close to 500, I cant belive that were almost half way to 1000 reviews! Im SURE we can get past 500 by the time the arc is over, but I can only do that if you all leave your feed back.