Chapter 27: Ten Days Pt. 1
Shiro felt his left eyebrow twitch in annoyance as the Quincy explained why he was coming. It had nothing to do with Rukia but his own arrogance in wanting to have revenge for his grandfathers death that could have been prevented by Soul Society. Whatever. he thought as he turned his head away from the other teen. If he goes, he dies. I don't care.
Liar. he heard his Zanpakuto spirit mutter nonchalantly.
I don't care. he told the hollow spirit who gave him a look that told the teen the spirit didn't believe him.
Ichigo on the other hand seemed genuinely upset that his friends wanted to go on this dangerous mission. "You guys do understand that there's a madman in Soul Society and Rukia is in the crosshairs of his plans."
Orihime stepped forward. "We do and we wish to help." she touched the hairpieces on her head. "Rukia helped when my brother tried to hurt me." She looked between the brothers. "You both protected me, so let me protect you this time!"
"Ichigo." Chad spoke. "You and I made a promise. So let me keep it."
Ichigo's shoulders dropped slightly in defeat. Shiro chuckled before punching his brothers arm. "Looks like we have no choice." he grinned. "'Sides, what's the worse that can happen? 'Sides death, dismemberment or torture?" Ichigo glared at his brother, meanwhile all three humans started to look a bit nervous. They apparently had not thought about all that happening to them.
Somebody cleared their throat causing the group of teens to turn towards Urahara. "Now if I may..." he began as he explained the precipice world and the cleaner. This was when Yoruichi jumped out of nowhere to the center of attention.
"I'll be the one who will be taking you through to Soul Society." she told the group.
"I thought Urahara would be-" Orihime began only to be interrupted by the feline.
"He has other things to do." Yoruichi stated quickly not wanting to drag a whole story out into why Urahara couldn't go. She was also sparing his feeling on this subject. Her friend appreciated it. With that said with the help from Tessai, Urahara managed to create a gate into the precipice world for them to pass into. With one last word of advice the group took off into the unknown, never looking back nor seeing the look of worry pass over Urahara before the gate closed on them.
Upon coming to Soul Society the group found it to be a lot different than the world of the living. For one, it seemed everyone was still living in the Edo era and another, electricity seemed to be nonexistent. This time it was Shiro who seemed to be glum. He didn't like this, not at all.
"Well, lucky us." Yoruichi's voice caught everyone's attention. "We seemed to have appeared long before any trouble."
"How do you know?" Ichigo inquired, still taking in the sights of everything.
"While you were all getting back on your feet, I gathered some information." she answered with a smirk. "Rukia only arrived a day ago. This gives us some time to get in some more training and I know the perfect person for this."
Ichigo looked at her blankly. "More training?" he asked, not sounding too thrilled.
I can't imagine who she has lined up for that. Shiro thought ruefully as he began to follow the black cat with Ichigo down several alleyways.
They eventually came to an old looking house where Yoruichi greeted the owner. The two brothers gave each other confused looks before finding a place to sit down and rest at. The old man looked at the two boys but didn't comment on them. "What brings you here, Yoruichi?"
"I'm looking for Kukaku Shiba." she answered. "I know her brother visits often."
"Oh yes, he does." the old man sounded annoyed. "He should be here at any moment."
"I hear he's quite the character." Yoruichi grinned at the annoyed look her old informant held on his face.
"He's no Kaien, that's for certain." the old man stood up and walked over to the two boys. "You two look familiar."
"Not possible." Ichigo muttered. "This is our first time here."
Shiro turned his eyes upon the old man and grinned. "Sorry, we're from out of town."
The old man touched his chin and looked at the two very closely. "If I didn't know better I'd say you were Kaien Shiba's children. You both look just like him, except..." he looked Shiro over once more. "he didn't have those eyes. However, I know for a fact that he and Miyako didn't have any children." He walked back over to the firepit and stirred the pot bubbling over the blazing fire.
Suddenly a commotion caught their attention as a man riding a boar through the door, crushing it. Inside the two boy's went for their weapons only to pause at the sight of the large pig at the entrance.
Outside their friends came running towards the building because of the noise; however upon seeing the sight before them they all froze in place. A pig? Uryu wondered in amazement. A pig broke the door down?
Ichigo stood suddenly as a man got off of the floor after having been thrown off. "Ahhh, it seems I've gotten thrown off of my pig again..." The man turned around and looked at the older man. "Yo, long time no see old man! " he greeted the man as his hand inched down to his blade on his hip.
The man wore a do-rag upon his head, a green scarf around his neck with a sleeveless green haori vest jacket that had odd symbols upon it. On his hip was a short sword, his pants were dirty and he had nothing on his feet. "Ganju Shiba!" The old man yelled angrily at him, the vehemence in the old man's voice caused the other man, Ganju, to take a step back. "What are you doing knocking my door down? Go back home you idiot! "
Ganju was about to say something when he took notice of Ichigo standing nearby. "What-" He narrowed his eyes. "is that punk shinigami doing here?" He stepped in front of Ichigo, ignoring the obviously hostile looks from Shiro next to Ichigo who was beginning to feel the need to rise and protect his brother. Ganju spoke again. "Yo, " His voice taking on a deeper tone. "say something. I asked you a fucking question." He tapped Ichigo's face. "What is a punk ass shinigami like you," He grasped Ichigo's face by his chin. "doing in a place like this!?"
Both his annoyance and temper won out in this as Ichigo just swung his fist once and punched Ganju in the face. At the entrance of the building, his friend's watched the altercation silently. "What hell!?" Ganju cried out as he landed on his back. "Why did you punch me in the face? Are you trying to start a fight?"
Everybody felt sweat drop down their necks at this statement. The same thought coming to their minds. Wasn't he the one trying to do just that?
"That's my line you pig-riding bastard! Suddenly barging in here like an idiot! Who the hell do you think you are!?" Ichigo yelled right back, his fist raised to smash it into the guy once more.
Ganju seemed to understand now, that this guy has no idea who he was. "You really don't know who I am?" he asked. "Alright, I'll tell you."
"Didn't the elder already say his name though?" Uryu asked Chad who nodded.
"I'm-" he began only to be interupted.
"ENOUGH! " the old man yelled. "He is Ganju Shiba, brother to the leader of the Shiba clan, Kukaku Shiba and the deceased former leader Kaien Shiba."
"The guy you said we look like?" Shiro asked the old man causing Ganju to finally take notice of him.
Whoa. He thought as he took in his eyes. Talk about creepy.
Ichigo's anger seemed to die down. "Shiba?" he inquired before calming down slightly. "Any relation to an Isshin Shiba?" Everyone looked between the two as the pieces of a puzzle began to fall into place.
Ganju frowned at the question. How the hell do either of these two know those names? he wondered. "He was my uncle." he answered after a long moment. "Why?"
Ichigo and Shiro both grinned. Before they had left both of their parents had sat them down to give them the whole story of how they had met and how the hollow had gotten into Masaki before being reborn as Shiro. "He is our father." Shiro answered from him.
He spun around towards her. "Bullshit!" he yelled at him as he pointed a finger at him. "No matter what you say, you can't trick me! I know he died childless!"
"Isshin Shiba is their father." came Yoruichi's voice. "The mark of the Shiba clan is on their swords." Both teen's looked at their swords.
"Isshin's spirit dwells within these two." the elder declared in a somber tone. "Ganju," the elder spoke the other young man's name to gain his attention. "take them to your sister."
"But-" he began not liking this at all, especially since they wore shinigami clothes.
"I can always tell your sister what you've been up to." the older man's voice asked as it took on a dangerous tone.
"N-No." Ganju stuttered. His shoulders slumped in defeat as he waved for the group to follow him. Yoruichi grinned at how the older man still seemed to have the ability to make others do as he said without raising a hand to them. Information was king here in the Rukon and the more you had the more dangerous you became to people. Curiously she wondered how the old man could know so much without ever leaving his home.
M-Angel: Originally I was going to post this around Thanksgiving but the holidays became too hectic and I was unable to do so.
Eyilin - Oh yes. He defiantly will.
Mukuro - Thanks!
AngelElmarlienHenning - Thanks, I'm glad you do.