A.N.: This is a request by draxon.

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.

Chapter Twelve

Much later…

Ichigo opened his eyes, the pain in his stomach waking him up. "Ughhh…where am I?" He saw that he was in a small dark room and sat up, hunching over in pain. "What happened?"

His memory started to come back to him. After recovering from his fight with Renji, he and Hanataro continued their trek to Rukia's prison cell, only to be intercepted by the captain of Squad Eleven, Kenpachi Zaraki.

Telling Hanataro to go on ahead, Ichigo engaged the psychotic captain. After a series of ups and downs, including being stabbed in the chest and being forced to fight his own dark shadow, Ichigo managed to fight Kenpachi to a draw, blacking out after getting stabbed in the stomach.

Something that worried Ichigo was the dark shadow Ichigo had to fight in order for Zangetsu to lend him his strength again. The shadow's spiritual pressure was very similar to that of Halibel's…

"Finally awake, eh?" When Ichigo turned around he saw the familiar talking black cat trotting up to him.

"Yoruichi…you saved me?" Ichigo asked.

"You can thank your own will to live. A lesser man would've died instantly from those injuries." When Ichigo tried to get up, the cat bristled. "Don't move! You're in no condition to get up!" the cat warned.

"I have to go. Chad and Ganju…" During the battle with Kenpachi, Ichigo felt his two friends get taken down. "I've gotta help them!" He was stopped though when Yoruichi bopped him in the face with a paw.

"Calm down!" the cat told him. "They're alive. As are Orihime and Uryu. They fought the right people. Just lie back in the force field and rest," Yoruichi ordered.

"Wait, Yoruichi," Ichigo suddenly had a question. "How'd you manage to carry me here with such a tiny body?"

The cat scoffed. "It wasn't too hard in my original form. You're quite light for someone with a lot of muscle."

"Wait…true form?" Ichigo blinked.

"Yes. I've kept it from you this whole time but since there's no point in hiding it…" Yoruichi's body began to glow. "I'll show you…my true form!"

Yoruichi disappeared in a puff of smoke. When he reappeared Ichigo was stunned beyond belief. Because he…was a she!

In truth, Yoruichi reminded Ichigo very much of Halibel, with her dark skin and piercing eyes. Her hair, purple like lavender, sprawled down her front. Ichigo stared at the woman in all her glory. Though she wasn't quite as stacked as Halibel, she did have a pretty ample bosom and legs that didn't seem to end.

"Surprised?" Yoruichi asked, clearly expecting Ichigo's stunned reaction. "Most folks assume I'm a man by the sound of my voice in my cat form. Revealing my true form is always a delight," she chuckled. "I love getting everyone's reactions."

"So this is who you really are?" Ichigo asked, staring in awe at her naked body.

"Why yes I-" It was then that Yoruichi realized she was naked. "Whoops! I tend to forget that I'm naked in my cat form. I haven't worn clothes in a long time." She walked over to a crate and grabbed some clothes. As she put them on, she noticed something though. "You know…" she turned back to Ichigo, who was watching her intently. "I was thinking you'd react a bit more prudish."

"What gave you that impression?"

"Oh, you kind of come across as a bore," Yoruichi said bluntly, much to Ichigo's chagrin. Cracking a smile, she turned back to Ichigo as she put some pants on. "So tell me, was that the first time you've seen a woman naked before?"

"Second," Ichigo said before realizing it.

Yoruichi continued to smile. "Fifteen and you've already seen a woman naked. And from the look on your face," she said while narrowing her eyes. "I'd say you've done more than seen a woman naked…" When Ichigo blushed and looked away she knew she'd hit the mark. "Oh my. Fifteen and you've already gone to bed with a girl? Tell me, who is it?" she teased. "Is it Orihime?"

"No, we're just friends."

"Aww, I'm sure she'll be heartbroken to hear that," Yoruichi said. Even though she was teasing, she decided to dig a little deeper. She still wanted to know what it was that Ichigo was keeping from her and Kisuke and felt that this might help solve the riddle. "Was it your best friend, Tatsuki? Or one of your other classmates?"

"What? No!" Ichigo sputtered, suddenly feeling hot under the collar from having this woman dig into his lovelife. "Anyway, how'd you carry me here?" Yoruichi showed him the gadgets she used to carry the boy to safety. Yet the more Ichigo heard, the more it made him question his ally. "Yoruichi, you can change forms. You heal wounds and you've all sorts of gizmos. Just who exactly are you?"

Yoruichi stared at the boy intently for a moment before reaching into her pocket to pull something she grabbed off Ichigo's person. "The better question is…" she held up the bracelet. "Who exactly are you?"

The interrogation was interrupted when they felt a massive burst of spirit pressure. "This spiritual pressure!" Yoruichi gasped.

"It's him!" Ichigo said, recognizing the presence of the man who'd robbed him of his powers. As quickly as he could he got up, enduring the pain in his stomach.

"Ichigo, no!" Yoruichi protested.

"He's going after Hanataro and Rukia!" he insisted. "If I don't go, who else can save them?" he asked, grabbing her flight gadget.

Yoruichi watched him fly away into the distance and cursed the boy's impetuousness. "Fool!" Pocketing the bracelet she lifted from Ichigo, she followed him towards Rukia's cell, hoping she wasn't too late…

Much later…

"Phwaaa…" Ichigo breathed as he sank into the hot spring, relaxing after a long day of training. "This feels so good…"

To say that Ichigo's rescue attempt was disastrous was an understatement. Although he managed to reach Rukia and Hanataro in time to keep Byakuya from murdering the Squad Four healer, Yoruichi arrived and broke up the fight before Byakuya could release his zanpakuto. Despite Ichigo's insistence to leave the fight to him, Yoruichi shoved a drug into Ichigo's opened wound to knock him out, carrying him away before Byakuya could kill all of them.

When he recovered, Ichigo's anger was abated when Yoruichi told him of a way to become stronger in three days. She took him to a cave similar to the one Kisuke had under his shop and explained Bankai to the boy before letting him begin his training.

He noticed that his wounds began to heal the more he sat in the water. "Hey! What kind of hot spring is this?! Incredible!" He dunked his head underwater to heal the cuts on his face. When he came back up for air he saw Yoruichi standing at the edge of the spring. "How's the water?"

"It feels amazing," Ichigo breathed, sitting back.

"Good, you've earned it." Yoruichi reached for her own clothes. "I think I'll have a soak too." She stripped in front of Ichigo and sat down next to him in the hot spring. "So then…" she leaned uncomfortably close to Ichigo, giving him bedroom eyes. "Why don't you tell me more about this mystery girl of yours? Perhaps you can show me a little of what you gave her?"

Ichigo felt really hot and not because of the hot spring. As much as he liked the offer, he could tell that Yoruichi was still prying into his private affairs. "I have something I need to ask you," he said, hoping to get the perverted werecat from prying further. "This room reminds me a lot of the room beneath Urahara Shop."

Sitting back, Yoruichi nodded. "I imagined it would. He based it off this room after all."

"It was?"

"Of course. This was mine and Kisuke's secret playground. He built it secretly underneath the Sokyoku Hill."

"How'd he "secretly" build something this big?"

"Kisuke's always been crafty."

Ichigo frowned. "I knew it. I knew he was a Soul Reaper. He knew too much about this place for it to be coincidence."

"Yes, he was a former captain actually. He was the captain of Squad Twelve and the creator of its R&D department. He's always kept himself at a distance to everyone."

"Why didn't he tell me?" Ichigo asked.

"It wasn't important. He has his reasons. Like I said, he's crafty." The two sat in silence before Yoruichi turned to the boy next to her. "What was that bracelet, Ichigo?" she asked bluntly.

"Why do you want to know?"

The werecat's golden eyes narrowed. She knew that Ichigo was on the defense and knew that she couldn't afford to lose his trust by future prying. "Never mind. I can tell that it's personal."

"Thank you," Ichigo said, grateful for his friend not prying to deeply. He didn't have a good excuse for the bracelet so he was afraid he might trip over his own words.

"Now then…" Yoruichi leaned forward again, her lips inching closer and closer to Ichigo's. "Why don't I show you my skills?" she teased. She knew that most men couldn't resist her charms.

But Ichigo was not most men and as badly as he wanted to accept, he just couldn't. He pushed her away and shook his head. "I'm sorry but…" his mind drifted to that night with Halibel under the fireworks. "I like someone else."

Yoruichi was surprised. Rare was the man who rejected her advances. 'Whoever this girl is…Ichigo must really care for her. That or she has a better body than mine.' Finding a new respect for the boy, Yoruichi backed away, giving him a courteous nod before standing up. "You should get out soon and get some rest. Tomorrow is going to be tougher than today."

Ichigo watched her go before sinking back down into the water. Looking down at his reflection, he couldn't help but think about his secret mentor, wishing she was here to help him.

"Halibel…"

To be continued

A.N.: Before you start writing how Ichigo should've given in to Yoruichi's advances: No. Ichigo is better than to cheat on Halibel like that. And besides, if he did give into temptation, he'd have to deal with a vengeful Halibel.