Chapter 42: Shiba Family
First off neither Ichigo nor Verena were prepared to see the eccentric looking building that was the home of the Shiba clan leader. It was shocking. Two giant arms sticking out of the ground with staircase going down into the household. That alone should have set off alarms in their heads. Surprisingly Shinji and the others were quiet about the buildings architecture. They definitely were not expecting a dark haired woman to take hold of them and hug them both to her overly sized chest.
"I'm so happy to finally meet you both!" the woman cried out. She smelled slightly like liquor and sweat.
"S-Sis!?" Ganju questioned with a shocked expression. "You know these people?"
"Eh?" the woman questioned sounding a bit annoyed. "Yoruichi keeps me in the loop of things." she explained before spotting the black cat. "Along with other things."
Yoruichi chuckled. "Always a pleasure in seeing you, Lady Kukaku." Her voice had a teasing tone to it. "However, as much as I like seeing Ichigo change fifty shades of red, you may want to release him and Verena. "
Seeming to have forgotten the two teens she was holding in her arms, Kukaka chuckled at the young man's red face. "Well aren't you two cute." she stated as she released them before grasping Ichigo by the chin and giving him a good once over look. "You don't really look like Isshin." she told him. Looking at Verena she smiled at the two. "You both jmus get your looks from your mother." Crossing her arms over her chest she backed away from them, giving the two Kurosaki twins a good look at her. She wore wraps around her head to keep her hair in place. She wore a red top with an odd marking on it, the same marking Ganju wore on the haori vest her wore. Her right arms was a prosthetic that she had a dagger embedded into. She may have given a first impression of aloofness , but both teens could tell she was a woman you did not want to mess with. They could sense a strong power radiating within her body, but she had a tight grip on it. She then took out a pipe from behind her before waving for everyone to sit. "So, what is this about?"
Everyone looks at Yoruichi. "Urahara needs our help." she told the other woman before going into the lengthy story of what had transpired. Kukaku was silent during the entire tale as she smoked from her pipe. When Yoruichi ended the story, she continued to stay quiet, though she seemed to be in deep thought.
"Er..." Ganju began. "Sounds like-"
"Urahara could use the Shiba family's help." she grinned at Yoruichi who gave a sight. "Since it's Kisuke we are talking about, how can I refuse to help him?" The entire room seemed to give out a sigh of relief. Her eyes then turned towards Shinji. "However," She narrowed her eyes. "I want somebody to explain why my hollow charms have turned red." She pointed towards the red glowing charms on the walls.
Yoruichi have her a dangerous look. "That's another story entirely." she answered her friend.
Kukaku grinned. "We've got time, right?" she stated as she took another drawl from her pipe. Gaining a nod from her old friend she then yelled. "Koganhiko! Shiroganehiko!" Two very large men who looked similar to each other suddenly appeared in the doorway. "Show our guests to their rooms. Tomorrow we will begin training!" She leaned forward, looking at the Kurosaki twins. "I hope you two are up for some fun."
Ichigo flopped onto the futon in the shared room he was sharing with the guys of their group. Most everybody was sound asleep from having passed out. Kukaku's training was intense, just like it should be. Tomorrow they were going use some sort of orbs to create a shield that would pass through the shield around the Seireitei. The only thing he really cared about was finding Kisuke and getting him safely out. Of course that meant he'd have to fight through dozens of soldiers and quite possibly a dozen captains. Wonder if that includes Jushiro and Shunsui? he thought as he remembered the pink clad captain and his companion.
You up for this King? his hollow asked as he came to the forefront of his mind.
Inside his inner world the two spirits stood side by side, waiting for his response. It's not like we have a choice. he thought back. Getabushi sacrificed a lot in protecting Shinji and the others. He became my teacher when he didn't have to. He basically said into Pop's spot in helping in supporting Mom and us kids. Ichigo paused as he realized just how important the quirkie scientist had become to his family. He's like an uncle, which makes him family and I protect my family.
The hollow nodded. Good ta know King, cause we've got a few tricks we have yet ya teach ya and we'll need that guy around a bit longer if we're talking do that.
Tricks? Ichigo inquired, oh that sounded like fun. A grin spread across his face with this news.
Get some sleep, Ichigo. Old Man Zangetsu stated as he felt his master's excitement at the prospect of learning something new. Turning to his companion he gave the hollow a admonishing look. The hollow just have him a wide grin in response before disappearing into the deeper parts of Ichigo's inner world.
Verena sank into the deep pool of water. She really shouldn't have been surprised to see Lisa and Hiyori were both already in the deep spa pool. It had been Yoruichi who had suggested her to come her in order to soak any aching muscles. Her mind went blank as she sat back against the pool edge and soaked. In her inner world she found herself standing in a new landscape. The green grass was beneath her feet, trees surrounded her and off in the distance she found see that there were buildings everywhere. Getting closer to a cliff edge she looked down and realized that she was actually on top of a skyscraper. Each skyscraper had a jungle on top of it. Chuckling, Verena turned around and saw the blue tiger morph into a woman with chin length azure blue hair, striped tattoos on her body and blue stripper fur for a top and black slacks for pants. Her feet were bare and on her hip was Verena's sword.
"No more running away," Verena told her. "you said you'd tell me your name. " She stepped towards the other woman.
"You have earned the right to know my name." she agreed. "Before I tell you it, let me explain why I never gave it to you. Your power is wild and untamed, just like me. You had to prove to me that you could control this power. Your quincy powers are strong, so are your Shinigami ones. Unlike your brother, who has two spirits to act like a buffer against his power, there is only myself in here. You needed to learn control and you have learned to do so." She began to circle Verena. "However, that wasn't all you needed to prove. You also needed to prove to me that this power wouldn't be misused." She grinned before stepping forward and whispering in Verena's ear her name before Verena suddenly woke up back in the pool. Both Lisa and Hiyori looking at her with worried looks.
"Are you okay." Lisa inquired as she touched Verena's face to see if she was overheated.
Brushing the hand away, Verena gave her a reassuring smile. "I'm perfectly fine." she said and for once, she really was, because she had just learned the name of her zanpakuto and she'd never felt better in her life.
Ichigo found himself standing next to a monk, Ichibei Hyosube. With him are his friends, but oddly both Verena and Uryu are missing. He knew this was a dream, it had to be. In front of him were Ganju and Kukaku and a very big canon. Looking towards the sky, Ichigo felt his stomach drop as he realized they were about to use that thing to launch themselves into the air. As the door to the canon was about to close Ichigo heard Ganju ask his sister if she is okay with this.
Kukaku answered. "I am." her voice was tight. It's her next sentence that has Ichigo pause slightly. "If Ichigo doesn't go, the next attack on Soul Society could destroy us all." She looks over her shoulder towards him. "Therefore I must let him go, even if it upsets Uncle. "
The scene vanishes and once again Ichigo finds himself in the room with everyone. Another one of those dreams. He thinks to himself. Feeling within himself he barely feels either of his spirits. They're exhausted. Sighing, Ichigo tries to sleep once more, but finds himself just laying there. I've had those dreams for years, but it seems the more I use my powers the more I have them. Throwing his arm over his eyes Ichigo thought back to the first time he told Urahara about these dreams. He never did explain to me how theory on why he believed I was having these dreams. The sound of movement caused Ichigo to look towards Uryu's bed, the other boy seemed restless in his sleep.. I'm not the only one having them either.
Feeling like he wouldn't be sleeping any longer, Ichigo stood from his futon and left the room. Walking down the empty halls, Ichigo came to a room with the lights on. Knocking he enter when prompted. Inside he found Lady Kukaku drinking same with a passed out Yoruichi. "Never thought I'd find someone who could out drink Yoruichi." he stated jokingly as he sat down.
"She's worried." Kukaku told him. "I have her an extra something. That's why she's passed out." She held out the same bottle. "Want some?"
Ichigo frowned at her. "Too young." he told her. "I couldn't sleep is all." He explained as she gave him a look that asked why he was up even as he pushed the bottle away. "I don't need a drink. Just couldn't fall back to sleep."
Kukaku sighed. "Had you grown up here, you would be drinking with me." She smiled sadly. "Of course Uncle would be alive as well. "
"Mom wouldn't." Ichigo said in a matter of factly tone.
She stayed silent for a moment before speaking. "Your father was the leader of our clan." she grinned. "He hated it. Loved being a captain, but hated being our leader. It was mostly the clan elders that he hated. Too many rules, he once said. Couldn't do this, can't do that. Hands always tied when he wanted to do something. He felt like he was nothing more than a figurehead." She took another sip from her cup of sake. "They wanted him to marry, but he refused because he wanted to marry the woman who he loved with every ounce of his being." She smiled at Ichigo. "I suppose he got his wish in the end."
Ichigo smiled lightly at this. "Yeah. He did." he agreed. "I remember his always acting so weird around Mom, just so he could get her to smile or laugh. " He shook his head. "Vere and I came up with a nickname for him when he acted like that. Goatface. We'd call him it only for him to start shinning like a child."
Kukaku chuckled. "I was just a kid when he went missing." She frowned. "Though I suppose we should've suspected something when we were told this. It never crossed our minds as to what really happened. "I
"Our family likes to keep secrets, don't we?" he asked, gaining a wide grin from her.
"We do." she agreed. "I am curious though. Who is older between you and Verena?"
Ichigo grinned, his eye sparkling with mischief. "I am, and it drives Verena nuts." This caused Kukaku to burst out laughing. The two shared a smiled afterwards before Kukaku went into some stories about Kaien and Isshin. How the two would get into trouble from the clan and how Kaien took to becoming the next clan leader after his father due to Isshin not having any heirs. Then how she became clan leader because her brother and wife died childless. Ichigo yawned as sleep suddenly began to come over him. Kukaku smiled and waved him off. As he went to leave, in the back of his mind, Ichigo wondered why she's told him all that about the former clan leaders. He just hoped she didn't get any idea's of him or Verena becoming the next clan leader because that was not gonna happen; ever.
M-Angel: I'm so sorry for the very late update. I have been busy with a Christmas story on AO3 called Raiju's Christmas. I did finish it on New Year's Eve, but then I got sick and then I had to go back to work. This chapter took a few days to write and I do hope everybody enjoyed it. I'll soon reveal Verena's zanpakuto name in the next few chapters. I haven't decided it she will be with Ichigo and Ganju when they meet Ikkaku and Yumichika or not. It will be a surprise. ^_^ Next chapter will deal with training with that orb, plus a discovery is made. Also, I won't be doing any Q&A in this chapter due to it being so late when I posted this chapter.