Title: A revelation

Rating: G, action

Pairing / Characters: Kuchiki Rukia, Kuchiki Byakuya, Urahara Kisuke, Kyouraku Shunsui, Ukitake Jyuushirou, Hitsugaya Toushirou, Shihouin Yoruichi, Kurosaki Isshin

Word Count: 1, 054 words

Warnings: Spoilers for the arc before the Soul Society arc, don't know what manga chapter

Summary: Rukia wakes up, Kisuke discloses a revelation about Ichigo

A/N: Yes, I know you were all wondering where Rukia was. Read on, noble people, and you will find out…

'Nii-sama? Where – what day is it?'

Byakuya set down his teacup and studied his sister carefully. 'How do you feel, Rukia?'

'Just tired… a slight headache but nothing else. How long was I asleep for?'

'About three days,' Kisuke told her as Ururu set a cup of tea on the table.

Rukia was aghast. 'Three days?'

'Well you've been pretty out of it, Rukia-chan,' Shunsui pointed out, tilting the brim of his hat up and regarding her with bright eyes. 'We thought it best to let you rest.'

'Ah, you're awake. Please try not to move around too much, I don't think you're fully healed yet.'

Rukia glanced up at the familiar voice and her eyes bulged. 'You!'

Isshin's expression was wry. 'Why is that all people can say when they see me?'

Shunsui chuckled. 'Maybe because no one expected to see you – you're not really supposed to be here, you know.'

'Tell me something I don't know.' Isshin rolled his eyes expressively.

'You're Ichigo's father – and you're a shinigami – '

'All true,' he told her. 'And yes, I knew who you were from the moment you set foot inside my home.'

'You never said anything…'

'What should I have said, Rukia-san? If I had told you, would you have believed it?'

Rukia stared at him. 'Probably not,' she muttered.

'Precisely. Now, eat, and then I want you to get some more rest. You shouldn't overdo it. That's a lesson my stubborn son needs to learn.'

'Where is Ichigo anyway?' Rukia asked, picking up her tea.

'Recovering from his injuries,' Byakuya answered.

'He was injured?' Rukia said sharply. 'What happened? Why didn't you help him?'

'Calm down, Rukia,' Kisuke admonished. 'We'll tell you everything, just don't get overexcited.'

He sent Shunsui a glance. 'How's Jyuushirou?'

'Sleeping,' Shunsui answered slowly. 'Seeing that thing… it wasn't good for him, Kisuke.'

Kisuke sighed. 'I know. It wasn't good for any of us, but Jyuushirou is taking it particularly hard…'

His voice trailed away as the other occupants of the room save for Rukia remembered the screams that had awoken them in the middle of the night.

Some memories could never be erased, no matter how much time had passed in the minds of those who never forgot, and some people were more sensitive to memories than to anything else.

'It reminds him of Kaien,' Shunsui said abruptly. 'There have only been two moments when he wasn't able to do anything, and both times he could have died…'

Rukia tried, and failed to follow the conversation. 'Pardon my interruption, Kyouraku-taichou, Urahara, Nii-sama, but what thing? When was Ichigo injured? Why have I been asleep for so long? What have I missed?'

Shunsui rubbed his temples wearily. 'Why don't we start with the simple stuff? Three nights ago, you fought with a hollow but you sustained a terrible blow to the head. Kisuke and Isshin did what they could, but sleep was better for you. You haven't missed overmuch – the usual carnage that seems to follow us around, a monster from the depths of Hueco Mundo that Ichigo killed but nearly didn't, and an explosion that would have destroyed a part of Karakura had it not been spiritual.'

'What happened to Ichigo?'

'That thing exploded when he purified it,' Kisuke told her calmly. 'He'll be fine. Kurosaki-san is quite resilient even for a shinigami.'

'Are we any closer to finding out who is behind it all?'

The captains in the room exchanged glances, and Rukia frowned at their silent conversation. She could clearly see them wondering how much to tell her, and she shrugged inwardly.

There was obviously something deeper involved than what she had suspected, and they didn't know how to tell her.

'We don't know, Rukia,' Byakuya said at last. 'This is something we've never heard of, and we've already asked Soul Society to find out if there's been any new developments.'

Rukia frowned. 'New developments – Nii-sama – is it possible that a shinigami may be behind this?'

Kisuke stiffened. 'You mean Aizen?'

Rukia turned sharply. 'Is that what you think? Aizen may be involved? If he is does that mean the –'

'That's not what I said,' Kisuke said soothingly, although his eyes gave away his tension.

Shunsui defused the tense situation. 'Rukia-chan, what did you mean by a shinigami? You couldn't have meant Aizen, am I right?'

Rukia nodded. 'I was thinking of Ichigo, actually,' she replied slowly.

'Ichigo-kun? What would he have to do with this?'

Rukia bowed towards Jyuushirou as he walked in, hiding her shock at how tired he looked.

'Ukitake-taichou!'

Jyuushirou sat down between Byakuya and Hitsugaya who so far, hadn't said a word.

'What do you mean?' he repeated.

Rukia looked thoughtful. 'Taichou… when I gave Ichigo my spirit powers, he was… incredible, unstoppable. Even before, he managed to break a binding spell, and he could see hollows without shinigami powers, but afterwards… taichou, it was unbelievable. He defeated a Menos without even using shikai and he didn't even know what bankai was then.'

'Really?' Hitsugaya asked. 'I thought the Menos was just a rumor…'

Kisuke's eyes gleamed. 'No Hitsugaya-kun, it's not a rumor. It's the plain, unvarnished truth. It does surprise me to hear that he broke free of a binding spell, although it shouldn't. We've all witnessed his strength for ourselves.'

'He's not responsible.'

Yoruichi sat down. 'He's not responsible,' she repeated.

'Yoruichi, we can't be certain of it,' Byakuya said quietly.

'No, Byakuya, I am certain of it,' she said simply. 'Surely you must have seen it too.'

Byakuya froze, his mind going back to the battle he had had with Ichigo, something that had turned into one of the single most defining moments of his life.

The terrible swiftness that he had recovered with… the fact that he had been able to touch Senbonzakura without taking damage… the mask that had appeared from nowhere…

His eyes flew to Yoruichi, and then to Kisuke. 'Impossible…'

'Oh, it's possible, Byakuya,' Kisuke said carefully. 'It's very possible – as you are well aware of.'

'What's possible?' Shunsui asked sharply.

'Shunsui… in order for Kurosaki Ichigo to regain his spirit powers, some alterations were necessary to his spiritual makeup. These changes would not have been made possible if it weren't for his own natural strength.'

'What changes?'

'Kurosaki Ichigo is half hollow.'