Chapter 44: Facts Are Given

Ichigo glared up at the canon they were about to be fired out of. Next to him he could hear Uryu mumbling about how nobody sane would be something so stupid. Really? Ichigo wondered. Then what did that say about Uryu? He grinned evilly, his inner hollow appearing for a moment in that smile. I'm so teasing him about this later.

Next to him Verena looked at her brother with a raised brow. Why the hell is he grinning like an idiot? She wondered before briefly looking towards Yoruichi who was still whimping at how her tail was forever ruined. She then looked at Ichigo who looked at her with a raised brow suddenly. He didn't do that on purpose, did he? She knew he was adventurous, but teasing their teacher like that? Even she knew that was stupid.

"What?" he asked her, honestly not sure why she was giving him an accusing look.

Looking away, Verena shook her head at him. "Nothing." she stated as they all walked towards the elevator that took them into the canon. Well, this should be interesting. she thought as they all were instructed in what to do as Ganju began to chant. Moments later, they were blasted out of the Canon and into the air, heading towards their destination.

Rukia suddenly was jolted awake as as she felt her brother's energy begin to simmer next to her. Sighing, Rukia prepared herself for a tongue-lashing that she knew she probably deserved. However, there was so much she wanted to tell her brother about everything that had happened since being assigned to this post. She just hoped he wasn't too mad at her. Behind her Rukia could feel Renji's sleeping energy. Seriously, he could sleep though the end of the world. she thought as she raised her hand to bash him over the head, but decided against it at the very end. He's been through a lot. I'll let him sleep a bit long until brother awakens him.

"Rukia." Her brother's voice brought her out of her thoughts very quickly. His grey eyes were staring at her, making her feel a bit nervous. "Where are we?" he inquired as he allowed his eyes to roam over the room's surroundings.

"We are at Urahara's shoten, brother." she answered, only to get a disapproving look from him. "Urahara was captured by Captain Kurotsuchi after he threatened the Kurosaki children." Her brother frowned at her words before slowly sitting up.

Byakuya felt the weakness in his body almost immediately. He raised his right hand and stared at it for a moment. He couldn't feel Senbonzakura. The connection to his sword had been severed! His powers were gone! "Explain to me what happened." he told her, though he meant it as a question, it came out as a demand.

"Your fight with Lady Yoruichi has left you unable to use any of your powers brother." she explained. "She sealed them away by..."

"...by using a hidden kido art that seals the soul core, yet allows one to continue functioning." Tessai finished for her as he entered the room. Yuzu came into the room with a bowl of soup in her hands.

She ran from Tessai's side to stand next to Rukia. "So you're big Sis-Rukia's older brother." she said with excitement as she held out the bowl of soup for him to take. Byakuya raised a delicate eyebrow at this girl. She was most definitely human. "Rukia talks about you all the time to Vere." Rukia's face turned a light pink color in embarrassment. "She also talks a lot about that man sleeping behind her." Byakuya's head turned towards Renji before turning to the young girl.

"Really?" he inquired from her as he took the soul in his hand, since it would be rude not to accept the food. His stomach rumbled quietly. Besides, he was hungry. He paused as he realized that he was indeed hungry. "The seal?" he inquired, looking at Tessai.

"Has been in a slow released state since Yoruichi and the others left to retrieve the boss back." Tessai said, counting down in his head as to when the head of the Kuchiki clan would say something. He got to ten seconds.

"They went to Soul Society to break Urahara Kisuke out of prison?" he inquired, receiving a nod from Rukia. "They will not be successful."

"Brother..." This began but was interrupted by Yuzu.

"Yes they will." Yuzu said with optimism. "They'll return with Mr. Urahara because my big brother and sister went with Yoruichi. They're super strong!" Rukia smiled softly at Yuzu's words. "Even Mr. Urahara said they were as strong as most captain's there. They just need a push to reach the next level. Whatever that means." She shrugged before looking behind her as Karin entered the room with their mother. "Mama!" Yuzu ran up to Masaki.

"I came to check on everyone." Masaki said with a smile as she entered the room as Yuzu left with her sister.

"My brother just woke up Mrs. Kurosaki." Rukia answered for her brother before bowing her head at the woman. "Thank-you for helping in tending to him."

Masaki smiled softly at Rukia. "Of course I helped." she said as she touched Rukia's shoulder. "He is your brother and means a lot to you." She then looked at the red haired young man behind her. "I brought you a change of clothes. Why don't you go freshen up a bit and afterwards we can have some of the dinner I brought over." Rukia gave a nod. After she left, Masaki smiled at the two men. "You have a special girl there as you sister. I hope you realize that."

Byakuya sat the empty bowl of soup down. "Do you wish to speak to me?" he asked, his voice sounding annoyed.

Masaki frowned at him. "I am so glad Isshin never used that tone with me." As she spoke she placed both of her hands on her hips. "Listen to me young man. I know you think you know everything there is, but you don't know anything." She bent forward towards him. "So, before you go storming out of here like a child, I'm going to tell you a story. Afterwards, you can decide on whether or not Urahara is really the villain here or if it is a puppetmast that's been pulling the strings behind the scenes."

Staying quiet throughout the entire encounter Renji Abarai stayed continued to pretend he was sleeping as he listen to the woman as she wove a tale of deceit that even he was surprised by especially when she revealed who was truly behind all those disappearances all those years ago and as to the real reason the former Captain of the tenth had gone MIA nearly twenty years ago.

By the time Masaki left the shoten she had given the captain of the sixth something to think about. "Lieutenant Abarai." Byakuya called to his companion knowing he had been awake for some time now.

Sitting up instantly, Renji faced his captain. "Sir."

Byakuya touched his chin as he thought about the story he had been told. "What do you think of the information we have been given?" he asked, truly wanting his lieutenants thoughts on this information.

Renji crossed his arms over his chest. "It sounds like some malevolent forces have been interfering in these folks lives for awhile." He heard laughter coming from the other room and sighed inwardly at it, knowing exactly who it was. Rukia. He quickly returned his attention towards the subject before his captain could notice. "However, to say that Captain Aizen is at fault for any of this, it's impossible to say really."

Byakuya gave a nod in agreement. "I was once told by an older captain that if you have doubt in anything to look for affirmation in order to debunk the doubt or to have it founded." He looked at his lieutenant. "We have been given the seed of doubt, now we must find out if that doubt is founded or if it is not."

"Sir, in order to do that we would have to return to the Seiretei." Renji stated. "However, without your powers..."

"I cannot return." Byakuya said with some bitterness to his voice. Calming himself he looked up as the door to their room opened to reveal Rukia. "However, you both can." Renji seemed shocked that his captain was entrusting him with this type of mission, while Rukia seemed a bit confused on what she had stepped into.

Okay, so going into a giant canon ball created from spiritual power created by several very unstable people may have been a disaster waiting to happen. As they hit the shield that was made by the siekisieki stone wall they group got separated when the spiritual energy exploded. Getting shot across unknown territory was one thing, knowing there were hostiles everywhere just wanting to kill you, was another thing.

Ichigo grumbled to himself that he just had to land with two undesirables, Ganju and Hiyori. Great. He signed inwardly. Wonder who will kill us first? The enemy or Hiyori. As if sensing his thoughts the blonde haired she-devil glared at him.

"Pay attention, dummy!" she yelled at him. "And stop starting at me like a pervert."

"As if." he said with his usual cockiness. His hollow laughing at how stupid the girl was by trying to start a fight with them. Suddenly, he felt it, the intense spirit pressure that came from powerful beings. At the end of the street there were two people seeking to be waiting for them. One bald man and a purple haired man with feathers on his right eye.

"Be careful Ichigo." Hiyori said with a nervous quiet tone. "Those two are from the eleventh."

Ichigo recalled being taught by Urahara a few times about each division's. If he was right, the eleventh were people who lived for a good fight. Grinning he suddenly couldn't wait to test his strength against these two people.

"Oh?" the peacock-like man spoke. "Are my eyes receiving me? Is that former Lieutenant Sarugaki, Ikkaku?"

"Can't be." the Ikkaku man stated with confusion. "That midget was killed years ago."

Uh-oh. Both the hollow and Ichigo thought at the same time. Behind him, Ichigo could feel Hiyori's irritation and the spike in her reiatsu.

"What did you call me, baldy!?" Hiyori screamed out causing both of her companions to back away from her in fear. At the same time the men at the end of the street smirked at the imminent battle that was about to ensue.

M-Angel: So I was asked to update this story because it had been over a month since I had updated. I'm glad everyone is enjoying it. I am, however, trying to finish my Diamond Stars story. So updates for this and Double Trouble will be sparse until that one is finished.

Antex-The Legendary Zoroark - Yes, and I finished it. I am unsure how I feel about the ending. I mean, the feels are still so strong there.

Bluest - Actually, I did think about that, but I wasn't sure if I would do it or not. It's nice to see if would be well received it I do. ^_^

Mokushiroku115 - Thanks and I did. It just left me feeling too many feels once I finished it. -_-

GunBlade2018 - Isn't he always? I'm glad you enjoyed my twist there. Yes, it was about three hundred words shorter than my average, I think.

MungetsuIchigo - Yeah, I tried to hint at it without revealing too much.

Shea - Love your user name. I'm so glad that you are enjoying the story and that everything is going as well as it is. ^_^

Goku2134 - Glad you enjoyed it.