Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach and RWBY. Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo. RWBY is owned by Rooster Teeth and the late Monty Oum (rest in peace you saint of a man).
A question one would ask why type this up? Simple – why not?
Chapter 6: The Shiba Clan
Ichigo and Ruby came to and found themselves on top of a groaning Jidanbo. Ichigo was fine, but he was more concerned for Ruby's well being. She was still breathing and kicking beside him. The others ran to them, and Ren jumped onto Jidanbo to check on Ruby.
"You okay, Ruby?" asked Ichigo.
"I'm fin-" said Ruby before a spiking pain on her chest choked down her words. Her hand was over the where Gin's blade made contact, and gasped when she found her own blood. At last second, Ruby's Aura gave out, leaving a nasty flesh wound. It wasn't deep, but the pain was enough to keep Ruby down.
"Ruby!" cried Ren, picking her up. He hopped off Jidanbo followed by Ichigo.
"Ruby, you're hurt." cried Ichigo.
Ichigo helped Ruby to her feet while Ren supported her by carrying her weight from her left side. As much as she tried, her injury caused her too much pain to stand. Orihime ran over to her to heal Ruby's injuries with her powers, but Ruby shoved her away.
"You don't need to waste your power on me." groaned Ruby, "Once my Aura gets back, I'll be healed."
"Until that time comes," said Yoruichi, "that wound still needs to be treated. We need a-"
"Hey look." noted Orihime.
They looked to where they pointed. The street that was once empty was now filled with people of all ages. They spoke in a storm of chatter that Ruby couldn't pick up.
"They must've been hiding until now." said Uryu.
"But why?" wondered Orihime.
"We frightened them." said Yoruichi, "Souls that come to the Soul Society illegally are called Rioka, and are said to be the root cause of all the troubles of Soul Society."
"They must think we're their enemies." said Ichigo.
Ren reached for one of his dual blades while holding Ruby's weight and the rest put up their guard. From the crowd approached an old man.
"Please stop." said the old man, "Allow me to introduce myself. I am the elder of the Rukon District. All of us witnessed the events that transpired that occurred just now, and we would all like to welcome you as Jidanbo's true saviors."
"True saviors?" asked Ren, "What is your connection to the gatekeeper?"
The elder explained. "The Soul Society is full of Soul Reapers who are rotten and corrupt. Jidanbo, a native of the Rukon District, is not one of them. He's always been so kind to us."
Jidanbo finally came to and sat up. His eyes were wide in surprise at the crowd of people.
"Guys," said Jidanbo, "what are you doing here? Gin could be - oh right. The gate."
Jidanbo looked at Ruby and Ichigo. "Thank you, my friends for fighting against Gin and saving me from his blade."
"You're wel - gagh." cried Ruby in pain as her injury spiked with pain.
The elder spoke. "You're injured. As thanks for protecting Jidanbo, follow me to my home where all of you may rest."
The Rioka stayed at the elder's home that afforded enough space for all of them. Ruby rested in another room with her wound treated as she waited for her Aura to regenerate. Ren had no need to stay by her and so sat with the rest of the group in the living room where he drank tea the elder offered. Ichigo and Yoruichi were discussing a change of plans.
"What?!" exclaimed Ichigo, "You want to quit getting passed the gate."
"Not completely." clarified Yoruichi, "Once the gate has been opened, it's only logical there is tighter security on the other side. The same for the other gates, which means continuing with the same strategy isn't the best option."
"I have to agree with that." sided Uryu. Ren only nodded in agreement as he sipped his tea.
"Then what the hell are we gonna do?" asked Ichigo with a hint of attitude.
"Naturally," said the cat, "we must enter another way. Elder, do you know the whereabouts of Kukaku Shiba?"
The elder was wide-eyed with shock. "What? You can't be serious."
"As you may know," said the cat, "she is someone who likes to change her place of residence. I don't know where she currently lives."
The elder tightened his knuckles. "You don't mean to go through the wall that way."
Ren glanced in the direction of a rumbling coming closer. As it got closer, his tea started to shake and Ichigo noticed it too.
"What is that noise?" exclaimed Ichigo.
The rumbling stopped but then a buffed man smashed through the door and tumbled into the room. He was followed by a boar with a red bow on its head.
"What the-," exclaimed Ichigo, "What the heck is a boar doing here?"
"What do you know." said the man, picking himself up and wiping dust off his clothes, "There's gotta be a better way to get around with Bonnie. It's been a long time, old man."
"Ganju," said the elder, "what are you doing here? You should go home."
"What gives?!" said Ganju, "Is that any way to treat an old friend? What are your guests here going to think?"
Ganju turned to see Ichigo and his attitude totally changed once he took off the sunglasses. "What do we have here? Would someone explain to me why there's a stinking Soul Reaper here?"
Ren could sense a rotten tension between them. After a few exchanges of words, they started exchanging fists. Their fight woke up Ruby from the other room in a bad mood. Ichigo and Ganju paused for a moment when they felt an ominous mood descend the room and Ruby made her appearance.
"What the heck is going on here?!" exclaimed Ruby, "Can't a girl sleep in peace?"
Ren had never seen this side of Ruby before. It definitely proved that Yang and her were sisters as he saw the same fury in her silver eyes. Her jaw was clenched, and her eyes were twitched like she was cranky. In an instant, Ruby kicked Ganju and Ichigo out of the house.
"If you're gonna fight, then stay out." yelled Ruby, "Unbelievable."
"Uh, Ruby." said Orihime, pointing to Ruby.
Ruby looked down and her face went red as her surname. Her top was missing since Orihime treated her and she covered up the wound with bandages but that left plenty of bare skin. She instantly wrapped her arms around her chest, but did little to cover her entire torso.
Ren turned himself around to face a wall and drink his tea. To further distract himself, he studied the Kido book that Kisuke gave him. He knew that he ever looked at another girl like Ruby was, Nora would know and beat him senseless. It didn't matter if they were worlds away.
Ganju and Ichigo continued their fight for a while until he suddenly left at 9 o' clock. He and his gang rode off into the distance, and Ganju swore to finish the score with Ichigo, who swore to kill him.
The following morning, Ren, Uryu, Chad, and Orihime were outside. They were wondering who Kukaku Shiba was that they needed to meet. Uryu thought the he was a warrior of great strenght, Chad thought of him as a monk of great wisdom, and Orihime's guess was... unique. However, none of their explanations were as precise as Ren's.
"You do realize that this Kukaku is a woman?" said Ren.
The three gave Ren blank stares of bewilderment.
"How do you know that?" asked Uryu.
"I pay attention." Ren stated, "Yoruichi referred to Kukaku as she, not he."
Even Uryu was amazed at this sense of attention. He was usually the one to catch up on things like this with his composed attitude. Their attention was caught by a scuffle in the house. They moved the doors open to find Ruby pulling on Ichigo.
"Come on, strawberry." said Ruby, "We have to go."
"No way." argued Ichigo, "I'm staying here and waiting for that Ganju to show up so I can beat the crap out of him."
Yoruichi moved so fast and swiped Ichigo's face with his sharp claws. He jumped out of his grip on the floor and cried in pain (I know how that feels).
"What's wrong with you?" cried the cat, "Have you forgotten why we came here in the first place? Don't you remember that Rukia's fate is in your hands?"
Ichigo was silent, and Ruby could tell his submission to Yoruichi's words. Before they knew it, Ren, Ruby, Ichigo, and company were on their way led by Yoruichi to Kukaku's current location. They all wondered why someone like Kukaku would live so far from town. Yoruichi gave them a surprising fact that no matter where she lives, her houses are usually the same.
"Ah." said Yoruichi, halting the group, "It looks like we've arrived."
Ruby, Ren, Ichigo, and Uryu were wide with shock. Before them was a normal house but in the back was an over-sized chimney. The most shocking detail were two giant stone arms that held a banner above the roof.
"What kind of person of person would want to live in a house like that?!" exclaimed Ichigo.
"I know a few people who would." noted Ruby, thinking how much Yang would appreciate Kukaku's taste of housing. Ren just wasn't that much surprised; being with Nora allowed him to see everything.
"Building houses like this one it's no wonder Kukaku doesn't live in town anymore." said Uryu.
"I bet he's not even supposed to live in town anymore." added Ichigo.
Yoruichi moved on followed by Ruby, Ren, Orihime, and Chad, but Uryu and Ichigo stayed behind. Ruby heard them grumbling about not telling anyone about this. She held in a snicker toward their obvious embarrassment.
"Halt, strangers."
It was two men of the exact looks and voice, probably twins. These men jumped down before the entrance and towered above them like giants, but not as tall as Jidanbo.
"I, Koganehiko-" said Koganehiko.
"-and I, Shiroganehiko-" said Shiroganehiko.
"-can not allow you passage into this building." they both said.
'I guess this what life would've been if I had a twin sister.' thought Ruby, 'I want one.'
Ichigo prepared himself for a fight. The twins mood changed when they saw Yoruichi waving up at them.
"Master Yoruichi." they exclaimed.
They practically pushed them into the entrance, which was just a flight of stairs to a living home underground. Koganehiko, or Shiroganehiko, led the way and seemed apologetic to the cat.
"Forgive us, Master Yoruichi." he said, "We had no idea these travelers were your servants."
"It's my fault." replied the cat, "I should've sent word that we were on our way here."
They entered a brightly lit hall with wooden doors and floors. One of the twins stood by a sliding door with a nervous look.
"Uh, Master," announced the twin, "we have visitors."
He got a signal from the inside of the room, and he slid the doors open for the Rioka. Sitting alone was a woman in a red outfit, turquoise eyes, and a smoking pipe in her mouth. Ruby noticed that her right arm was a wooden prosthetic like Yang's arm.
"It's been a long time." greeted Kukaku Shiba.
"Kukaku's," exclaimed Ichigo, Orihime, and Uryu, "a woman?!"
"I told you so." noted Ren.
"Hmm." said Kukaku, her gaze on the group behind the cat, "Who are these-"
"How does this arm work?"
Kukaku almost jumped to find Ruby at the her side fangirling over the wooden prosthetic. Like always, Ruby was trying to find some hidden mechanism in the prosthetic, like a blade or muzzle extension.
"What the-How?" barked Kukaku, trying to shake Ruby away, "What are you doing, you brat?"
Realizing her disrespect, Ruby stepped back a little and poked her fingers. "Sorry. It's just that my sister also has a robotic arm and it has a bunch of features on it."
"Ruby, get back here." shouted Yoruichi.
"Sorry, sir." whimpered Ruby, rushing back to the others with her Semblance.
Ichigo leaned to Ren and whispered. "Is Ruby always like this?"
"Yes." said Ren flatly, "You should've seen her at Beacon Academy. I don't know how she got through the halls when she's so distracted."
"Right then." said the cat, calmer, "Kukaku, I have a favor to ask you."
"That is usually the case when you find me, Yoruichi." said Kukaku, "Is it dangerous?"
"Most certainly." blurted Ruby.
Kukaku smiled. "Well, well, my friend. Luck for you, I enjoy danger."
Ruby was surprised by this character from Kukaku. She reminded her of Yang so much. Besides the prosthetic arm, Kukaku and Yang also shared that same thrill for danger as she expressed. Ruby was relieved knowing she was going to help them, but slightly nervous in what maniacal plan that Kukaku was cooking up that was so dangerous. Yoruichi briefly explained the situation and their entire mission in general. After hearing everything, Kukaku smoked from her pipe, leaving a silence in the room.
Kukaku smiled. "Ah, what the hell? I'll help you." She stood up and looked at the kids. "I trust you Yoruichi, but I don't trust these kids. Especially roses over there. So I'll bring along an overseer just so you can keep an eye on them for me. I call him that, but he's just my kid brother. Kind of a doofus and not all that useful, but he'll do."
Kukaku walked to the wall on her left side and knocked on it. "Are you ready in there?"
"Yes sis," said an awfully familiar voice, "I'm ready."
Kukaku slid the wall aside, and Ruby and Ren were wide-eyed with surprise. Ichigo didn't see it, but the two recognized the bowing man as Ganju from yesterday in more formal wearing.
"It is an honor to meet you." greeted Ganju with manners, "My name is Ganju Shiba."
Ganju lifted his head and there was a long pause in the room. His eyes didn't blink as he recognized every face, and they were locked on to an all-too familiar teenage Soul Reaper with orange-hair. Those two stared at each other in awkward silence and then suddenly stood up.
"You!" they exclaimed.
Kukaku was stunned. "You two already know each other?"
The whole room watched as Ichigo and Ganju had a rematch brawl, trading blows that made Ruby wince. Ichigo threw Ganju through one of the walls, but he got up and got Ichigo with a kick to the face.
"Take a hike, fat boy." shouted Ichigo as he punched him through the door they came through.
"Why you orange-headed moron!" exclaimed Ganju, charging back.
Ruby and Ren could notice the situation escalating to dangerous levels. Ren was tempted to use Kido to bind them, but he could tell that Kukaku was going to take care of it soon. As the woman watched causally smoking her pipe, her attitude suddenly changed to one of terror as the brawl made her drop her pipe. Ruby noticed and the color left her face when the pipe was smashed and she saw the veins bulging on Kukaku's forehead in rage. The sythe-user knew that look all too well from Yang.
"RUN FOR IT." cried Ruby, using her Semblance to get the hell out of there.
Uryu, Orihime, Chad, and Yoruichi followed Ruby up the stairs. Ren had prepared a full incantation of Kido ever since the brawl started just in case.
"Bakudou 81: Danku."
Ren was protected from the fire blast that was sent from Kukaku punch into the ground. A pillar of burning reiatsu ascended through the roof of the house. Soon, the reiatsu went away and the others returned back into the house. They found the whole interior burned to black charred wood, with only the area Ren shielded himself intact.
Ruby and the others peeked from the door and saw Kukaku pick up a burned Ichigo by his head, who was shaking in fear.
"Listen, you idiot." barked Kukaku at Ichigo, "You're in my house now. If you don't like what I do here, then just get the hell out. Are we clear?"
"Y-Yes, ma'am." whimpered Ichigo.
Kukaku let go of Ichigo, who collapsed to his knees onto the floor.
"Your sister is a real piece of work." said Ichigo.
"Tell me about it." replied Ganju.
"You should meet my sister." added Ruby.
Kukaku brought everyone to a large, dark chamber where in the middle was the giant 'chimney' they saw earlier. Ruby felt her fangirl senses tingling at the sight of the thing, telling this was no chimney.
"Forget about getting through the wall." said Kukaku, "With this launcher, I'll get you all over through the air."
"The air!?" exclaimed Uryu, Ichigo, and even Ren.
Ruby's eyes dazzled. "Are you saying this thing... is a giant cannon!?"
"Sure as hell." confirmed Kukaku, "Or my name isn't Kukaku Shiba, fireworks expert of the Rukon District."
The twins above opened the ceiling to reveal the light of day, and the floor they stood on shook as it was raised to the surface. In less than a minute, the Rioka found themselves on ground-level again.
"Did that scare you kids?" said Kukaku, "This is my one and only enhanced fireworks launch pad."
"The flower crate cannon." announced Ganju, but was then kicked in the head by his sister.
"My line." she growled.
Ren was speechless. It slightly terrified him that there was a person out there that had the same level of insanity as Nora. Uryu was skeptical of the whole thing as he stepped forward to voice himself.
"I know that you're a pyrotechnical wizard," said Uryu, "but I'm still not convinced of it. The idea of shooting-"
Uryu was cut short as Kukaku threw a crystal-like ball into his face. It bounced off and landed in Ichigo's hands. On closer inspection, there was a red symbol of a crane.
"What is this?" asked Ichigo.
"That's a spirit core." said Kukaku, "All you have to do is pour your spiritual energy into it."
Ruby was getting some Jaune deja vu as Ichigo strained to somehow put energy into it. Ichigo gave up and looked at Kukaku with a flat look.
"Can someone tell me how to focus my spiritual energy?" Ichigo asked.
By how Kukaku reacted, it sounded like it was supposed to be an easy job. It was came to a shock to Kukaku once Yoruichi said that none of the kids had any experience using spiritual energy.
'This is gonna take a while.' thought Ruby.
Finally I've been off for a couple of days. Just catching up with life.
Next Chapter... I don't know what to call it yet.
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