Fluid and sinking…

I melt into the light…

With nothing but space…

Then my soul can take flight…

If she could describe it, she'd say it felt a little like drowning. It was as if she was floating along, slowly sinking as if the water were soaking into her garments and dragging her down. But that initial impression always only lasted for a moment before it felt as if she were simply melting into it, adjusting to the thick pull of something solid and corporeal. There was always a light, something bright and blinding that managed to deaden that particular perception. She had no idea why there was the blinding whiteness. She wasn't sure if anyone really knew. But once she could see again, everything was alright. She could do everything she'd done before, no problem.

But this… This felt different. She really hadn't noticed it until after the light had dissipated and left her feeling strangely… weighted. The edges of her vision were a little blurry, not so much that she couldn't see but enough that it was noticeable. Moving required real effort on her part. She felt sluggish, lethargic as she blinked slowly and lifted her hand to study it. Her entire arm felt heavier than she was used to and the tremor running through her fingers was a testament to that fact.

"This doesn't feel like the gigai they have at the academy," Rukia murmured before sighing heavily and letting her hand drop to the medical table she was currently resting on.

"That's because it isn't like the practice gigai at the academy," came the slightly amused voice from somewhere outside her scope of vision. She heard the clacking of the man's geta as he walked slowly into view. His hat obscured the upper half of his face from view and cast a shadow over the lower portion so that all she could really see was his smile. "The gigai they use to train with aren't nearly of the same quality as a field one."

Rukia frowned, her fingers rubbing the soft white cotton of her robe thoughtfully. 'I didn't know there was more than one type of gigai to use."

Chuckling, he shrugged before tucking his hands into the pockets of his pants. "There are a few different types, actually. There are the training ones for the academy. Then, there are the standard issue ones that are used by unseated Soul Reapers. All captains have custom made gigai, tailored exactly to their spiritual energy for better movement whenever they have to enter this world. Of course, that's not including some of the, ah… custom modified gigai that exist."

"Hm, I see. So, this is a standard issue gigai then? I'm not sure I like it. Or perhaps I'm just used to the ones the academy uses."

The smile instantly turned into what could only be called a childish pout. There was no doubting from the way his lower lip curled out that what she'd said had offended him, though she couldn't for the life of her figure out how. "Aw, now you've hurt my feelings. This is a one of the kind gigai, designed by yours truly."

That caused Rukia to arch a brow as a slow, humoring smile came to her lips. "You made this gigai?" she asked, an edge of laughter creeping into her disbelieving tone. For some reason, she just didn't see this man creating anything as intricate as a gigai.

A wide grin full of pride stretched across his thin cheeks as he boasted, "I most certainly did! This is a top-of-the-line, one-of-a-kind Urahara Kisuke original model. You're actually one of the first Soul Reapers to use it, Miss Kuchiki."

"Great… I'm a test dummy."

"Hardly. It's a marketing ploy. If someone from such a noble house as yourself likes my work, I'll have customers flocking in for these babies like there's no tomorrow."

Rukia couldn't help the smile and trickle of laughter that escaped her over his words. This man, Urahara Kisuke, was definitely the most unique person she'd ever encountered in her life; equal parts relaxed and sharp at the same time. "Fine, I'm not a test subject. I'm a walking advertisement for Mr. Urahara's Gigai Emporium."

Urahara chuckled lightly as he rubbed the back of his neck. "That has a nice ring to it, actually. So then, Miss Kuchiki, what complaints do you have about my product?"

"For one thing, it feels… heavy." Rukia grimaced as she forced herself to sit up, letting her legs dangle over the side of the table. She smoothed her robe down over her thigh to keep it closed while clenching and unclenching her other hand experimentally. "It's as if my reflexes are working on a delayed reaction to what my brain is instructing."

"Hmm… Well, this is a customized model. It's to be expected that you'd have to get accustomed to it. However, it very well could need a few minor adjustments to the reiatsu settings. Sit up straight, please, and hold still." Rukia had to force herself not to turn so as to keep him in sight as he circled behind her. She stiffened when she felt his palm press against her spine, pausing for a moment before pressing just a little to the side.

After a few minutes of him pressing, moving on and pressing again, his hand fell away from her back. "Okay, I found it. Just give me a second and we'll see if this does the trick."

Rukia nodded, peering over her shoulder when she heard him rummaging around in the drawers lining the counter space behind her. She frowned when he pulled out an odd, disc shaped instrument that was perfectly smooth save for the circular creases etched into its polished surface. "What's that?" she questioned, half curious and half wary of what he was holding. While she wouldn't deny his kindness in allowing her to use the gigai, she didn't know him and therefore didn't trust him.

Urahara gave a curious hum before following her gaze to the disc in his hands. "Oh, this? This is just a tool used to break up a knot of reiatsu inside a gigai."

"I don't understand," she persisted, still looking at the instrument with some trepidation.

"As they probably drummed into you at the academy," he began as he twirled one finger in the air to indicate she was to turn around again. "Reiatsu looks a lot like ribbons when it's visualized. Sometimes when a Soul Reaper slips into a gigai, these ribbons get tangled together, forming a knot. This knot can cause slight response issues with the user."

Rukia snorted lightly and said dryly, "There isn't anything slight about this." Granted, there wasn't much she could do to track down and destroy Hollows at that point in time, seeing as she was stripped of her energy at the moment, but she hated feeling so… helpless. Rukia flinched when she felt the metal disc through the fabric covering her spine. She jerked upright when a cool, stinging sensation made its way through her skin, radiating outward from the point of contact and spreading throughout her entire back. The closest she could come to describing the invasion was to liken it to a bitingly cold winter wind that was not only burning along her skin but worming its way into her very being.

She had no clue as to how long it actually lasted, but it felt like forever before Urahara stepped away from her abruptly and said as she all but fell over panting, "I think that'll do. Give it a try and see how it works for you."

Sweat was beading across her forehead and cheek, a contradiction to how very cold she felt all over. Slowly, Rukia lifted her hand and made a fist. Her hand reacted almost instantaneously. She gave it another squeeze and rotated her wrist, a frown still etched across her lips as she watched the reaction. "It still seems off," she commented.

Urahara circled around to the front again, frowning as he tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm… The realignment helped a little bit, correct?"

She nodded and flexed her hand once again. "It's definitely easier, but it's not nearly up to par."

"Mm-hmm. In that case, it's simply a matter of getting yourself used to the gigai. Naturally, you have to take into consideration that you were about two minutes away from dying a couple hours ago."

Nodding, Rukia straightened her legs out in front of her experimentally before letting them drop when her calves began to shake. He did have a point there, she'd give him that. She shivered, her eyes closing as the emotions tied to that memory surfaced once again. Never had she ever been so terrified in her entire life. It was a type of fear that left her feeling numb inside, as if even her emotions were shutting down in preparation for the inevitable. That boy, the one who had leeched her powers from her… She had to find him again, and as soon as possible. Until her reiatsu balanced out, she needed him to cover for her. Otherwise…

Rukia swallowed hard at the thought of someone finding out she'd given her Soul Reaper powers to a human. As Renji used to say, she was in deep shit and sinking fast. She needed a plan, and she needed it fast. Who knew how long it would take her spiritual energy to repair itself? She didn't need Urahara to tell her how close she'd come to dying that night. It was a shame the authorities in the Soul Society wouldn't buy 'near death' as an excuse to transfer her powers.

Sighing, Rukia glanced over at the man standing in front of her, her eyes narrowing at the little smile teasing at the corners of his mouth. "Didn't you mention something about tea?" she asked, adopting the tone of voice she used with Renji when he was being particularly stubborn.

Urahara's smile widened into a full out grin as he bowed. "I believe I did. Care to join me in the living room, Miss Kuchiki?"

Nodding, she pushed herself off of the table… and promptly grabbed it again when her knees began to give out. An arm reached out to circle her waist to keep her from slipping all the way to the floor. Eyes wide, Rukia looked down at her bare feet in shock at the nearly numb feeling running through her legs. It felt as if she'd swallowed a weight that was now sitting in her stomach and dragging her downward. It was vaguely nauseating. "What in the…?"

"Careful now! Remember, this gigai wasn't made for just anyone. It'll take some getting used to in order for you to use it properly."

"Who would ever want a gigai like this?" she snapped, irritated beyond belief that she needed help standing. Gritting her teeth, she used his arm to brace herself as she forced her legs to untangle themselves and support her. The movement pushed her further against his shoulder and side, but he didn't waver an inch under her clumsy extra weight. By the time she was leaning on the table once again, she was breathing hard and feeling thoroughly exhausted.

Urahara remained nearby, obviously in preparation of helping her again should she need it. "This gigai," he explained slowly while watching her under the shaded brim of his hat. "Was made for those who need to disappear."

"Disappear?" she panted, blinking in confusion. A small curling of fear began to make itself known in her stomach. He didn't mean disappear as in die, right? No… He'd said earlier if he wanted her to die all he had to do was sit back and watch. It didn't make any sense whatsoever for him to bother with her if he was going to kill her later anyway. Unless, of course, he was a sadist. Rukia's gaze darted to that patient smile and hidden eyes warily. Images of being strapped down while he skinned her alive flickered through her head before she could stop them. Stupid overactive imagination! He wasn't going to skin her alive. Her brother might if he found out she wasn't using a standard issue gigai… or that she'd given her powers to a human… or that she'd failed on her first solo mission…

His voice cut through her rising panic over what Byakuya would do when he learned she hadn't returned to the Soul Society as he explained, "Meaning, this gigai masks the reiatsu of the user. It takes a little time to fully activate, but eventually no one will be able to trace you. You'll feel just like any human."

Rukia's head whipped around as her jaw dropped at his explanation. "You… It disguises reiatsu? How did you-"

"It's simple logic, Miss Kuchiki. Something stripped you of the ability to return to the Soul Society. I know very well how strict they can be about details like that. You'll need time to recover yourself, time you won't have with every Soul Reaper in the area looking for you. I thought perhaps a gigai that masks your presence might be in order for that reason."

She was torn between being incredibly grateful for his consideration and unquestioning help… and suspicious about what he meant by 'very well'. She wasn't so naïve as to think the Soul Society was without its criminals. Hell, if she wanted to be technical, then she was currently in that same category. But still… "What sort of businessman offers his clients an untraceable gigai?"

His smile immediately made her think of a cat that had just caught a canary. "Only the very best sort, naturally. Now then, how about the tea I promised you? It's a short walk, but it'll help you get used to how the gigai functions. Here, give me your hands, please."

Rukia stared at his hands, palms facing up and waiting for her to take his offer. She hated it, being weak. She hated the fact that her legs were shaking still and her arms were straining to keep her in place. It was perhaps the most loathsome thing in the world that he even offered her assistance… but she wasn't a fool. If she expected to leave the room, his help was necessary. Her lips thinning to a small, irritated line, Rukia released the table and fell forward once again, forcing herself to relax and trust that he wouldn't let her drop.

Her faith was well founded for a change. Urahara took her hands quickly, his grip tightening a little to keep her from falling to her knees. Heart pounding and muscles aching, Rukia managed to gain her footing, using the hold she had on him in order to do it. It wasn't until she was standing relatively of her own will that he loosened his hands around hers cautiously. "Tell me when you're ready to walk, Miss Kuchiki," he instructed, his hands closing over hers again as she began to tilt to the side.

She regained her balance quickly enough and paused to center herself before giving the nod to proceed. Slowly and taking small steps, Urahara began to guide her out of the room and down the narrow hallway that led further back into the residency. As much as Rukia wanted to look around and examine the place, it took all of her focus just to keep walking.

The few feet they moved felt like an eternity to her. By the time he stopped to slide the door open to her left, Rukia was so exhausted all she wanted to do was collapse. Tea didn't even sound good anymore. Sleep… now that would be a welcomed thing! A startled gasp tore from her throat when she suddenly found herself hoisted off her feet and carried into the warmly lit room. "What are you doing?" she demanded shortly before he settled her on one of the many cushions scattered around the low table.

"I apologize, Miss Kuchiki, but the tea was getting cold," Urahara answered pleasantly, either oblivious to the glare she shot at him or uncaring. He took the spot across from her, flicking his jacket back to fan out behind him as he reached for the porcelain tea pot situated on a tray in the middle of the table. "Ah… Looks like Tessai brewed up his special blend for us tonight. He only ever makes it when we have special guests in the shop."

"How nice," she said sarcastically as she took the cup he offered her. She inhaled the scent of the tea… and promptly changed her mind about not wanting it. Whatever this 'special blend' was, it smelled heavenly. A little floral, a little citrus and something else that she couldn't quite recall ever smelling before. She took a careful sip from the steaming cup and groaned in thanks as the warmth immediately began to ease away some of the lingering chill.

Several minutes passed in which her host simply sat silently across from her while she nursed the warm porcelain cup between her hands, occasionally sipping the warm contents and reveling in the feel of it heating its way down her throat and lungs. Her eyes slid closed as the first bit of calmness she'd felt since all of this had started began to creep over her. No doubt this 'special blend' he'd made mention of had some sort of relaxant in it. It wasn't very strong, otherwise Rukia would have called him out on it.

"Now then," Urahara murmured as he poured himself another cup of tea, glancing at her to ask silently if she wanted more. Rukia held her cup out and all but purred as the porcelain cupped between her hands began to grow hot again. "I believe I said I would answer any questions you might have over tea. That offer still stands, Miss Kuchiki."

Rukia traced a fingernail around the smooth edge of the teacup thoughtfully, a small frown turning her lips downward as she regarded the man kneeling across from her. "You said you were from the Soul Society, correct?" At the slight nod from him, she continued speaking. "Then how is it you're here in the human world?"

"Ah. I should have figured you would start there." There was nothing at all reassuring about the embarrassed chuckle that came from him or the way he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Well, Miss Kuchiki, that is a rather complicated question."

"There's nothing complicated about the question, Mr. Urahara, which leads me to believe that it's the answer which is so complicated."

"Well said."

"So… Either you're a renegade shinigami or a criminal. Which is it?"

Urahara shrugged, his lips curving into a mischievous smile. She could just detect the equally devilish gleam in his eyes under the shady brim of his hat as he said quietly, "Perhaps a little of both. Does that make you uncomfortable, Miss Kuchiki? That you very well could be in the presence of a criminal from the Soul Society?"

It was now Rukia's turn to shrug indifferently as she blew the steam away from her tea. "I'd be lying if I said I was fine with that possibility. I don't trust you."

"You would be incredibly foolish if you did, and you don't strike me as the type to behave foolishly."

"However… I have no choice but to put my faith in you for the time being."

He nodded his agreement and set his teacup on the low table between them before settling his palms on the table top. He was being careful, she realized, to make certain she saw his hands at all times during their conversation. This Urahara was trying very hard not to come across as threatening, a fact that she did appreciate considering her unease around him. "There's always a choice, Miss Kuchiki. You could have chosen to disregard my offer for help and simply died."

"Have you ever been on the brink of death before, Mr. Urahara?" she demanded tightly, her fingers tightening around the porcelain cup in her grip so hard that her knuckles bleached white. Just the very thought of simply giving up was… disgusting. Unthinkable, in fact. 'Simply dying', as he had put it, was not an option for her.

"Yes, on more than one occasion. I meant no offense by what I said, though. I was merely stating a fact. You could have told me to leave and I would have honored that request. However… You didn't. And yet you say you don't trust me." He laughed softly, but Rukia had a hard time seeing what he found so amusing. "You're an awfully strange woman, Miss Kuchiki."

Rukia pinned him with her most haughty glare, one that she had been perfecting under her brother's watchful eye. When all she got from him was a smile and quiet chuckle, she said coldly, "Don't confuse an act of desperation with one of trust, Urahara. As you said, I was near death. I would have taken help from a Hollow at that point."

For some reason, her sarcastic comment sobered him instantly. She could have sworn before he ducked his head down enough to obscure his face from view that he'd winced. "Fair enough. Well, Miss Kuchiki, may I inquire exactly how it is you ended up on the brink of death?"

A flush touched her cheeks as she shifted anxiously where she sat. She wasn't particularly proud of what had happened, considering it had been her first solo mission and everything. It was embarrassing that she'd been unable to keep that boy from leeching all of her powers away. That was, of course, excluding the fact that she'd been forced to relinquish her powers to begin with. If anyone in the Soul Society found out she'd given her powers to a human…

Then again, hadn't he hinted he was a criminal himself? As such, it wouldn't do him any good to turn her over to the authorities, not if it meant drawing attention to himself in the process. Besides that, she felt she did owe him some sort of explanation, seeing as she was borrowing a gigai from him. Sighing and closing her eyes as her fingers curled tighter around her teacup, she mumbled, "I was critically injured during a fight with a Hollow. In order to stop it from rampaging further, I was forced to transfer my powers into another vessel."

"And this vessel was…?"

"A boy with… well, rather impressive spiritual abilities to be honest. I managed to use what little energy I had left to wipe the memories of his family of the incident but that was about all I could do."

She glanced up as Urahara let out a long, low sigh of breath, a twinge of nerves circling her stomach as he scratched a hand along his jaw thoughtfully. "I see," he murmured, rubbing his thumb over his lower lip as he spoke. "And you have no idea who this boy is."

Even though it wasn't phrased as a question, Rukia still responded by shaking her head. "All I know is that he could see me, break through a binding kido and has orange hair."

"Hmm… I wonder if that would be Kurosaki's boy… Did he happen to have two younger sisters?"

Rukia's eyes widened as a wave of utter shock washed over her. Her hands dropped limply from her teacup and her lips parted in a silent gasp as she stared at the man who sat across from her, patiently waiting for an answer. It took her several tries of opening and closing her mouth before she managed to whisper, "Yes… That's right. How did you…?"

Urahara's lips curved into what could only be termed as a coy grin as he shrugged and tapped the fingers of one hand across the tabletop idly. "There's very little that I don't know about Karakura Town, Miss Kuchiki. That's one of the many benefits of being under the radar, so to speak. It's fortunate for you, however, that I do happen to know of the boy you just described. He's a student at the local high school. And, if what you say is true about his dormant abilities, this could prove even more advantageous for you than you might think."

"And how do you figure that, Mr. Urahara?" she demanded skeptically, trying her best to ignore the little puff of hope that was daring to surface. She refused to trust in it now, seeing as everything so far about this assignment was going completely wrong.

Urahara leaned forward across the table, his eyes locking on hers as a sly smile crossed his lips. "If the Soul Society notices that the Hollows in the area aren't being dealt with, they'll send someone to investigate the reason for this. That means you'll be discovered long before your powers have a chance to return, which, as has been already established, doesn't bode well for either you or this boy. However, if you can perhaps talk this young man into assuming your duties until your recover…"

"… Then it will either keep anyone from finding out or take them longer to discover what had happened," she finished in a soft, breathy voice. It was an insane plan. No… it was brilliant. It was insanely brilliant, and it was so simple. All she had to do was find that boy again, this Kurosaki that he'd mentioned, and persuade him through whatever means necessary to work with her. I would take the Soul Society at least a couple weeks before they figured out she was still missing. But by that time, her powers should be returned to her. This was it. This was her only option.

Smiling to herself, Rukia brought her cup to her lips and drained off the rest of the cooled tea. "Then it's settled. Tomorrow, I'll find this Kurosaki and make him do my job until my powers return!" She slammed her teacup down on the table with a loud thud and a triumphant little laugh.

"A moment please, Miss Kuchiki," Urahara interrupted, holding up a hand to get her attention. "First of all, I believe I'm right in assuming this is your first unsupervised excursion into the human world, correct?"

"Your point?"

"My point is… You hardly look the part of an average human girl attending high school. You'll need to blend in to escape detection."

Rukia arched a brow and crossed her arms over her chest, a small smirk touching her lips. "Let me guess, you just so happen to have the necessary items to make me blend in… for a price, of course."

Urahara chuckled and spread his hands in an I-give-up gesture. "As it so happens, I do happen to have a Karakura High uniform in stock. But I won't charge you for it. In all honesty… I'd be much happier just to see you in it."

"And what does that mean?" she snapped, not at all comfortable with the slight leer he directed her way.

"Oh, nothing! Forget I said anything," he said quickly, waving his hand as if to chase off the comment. "The uniform is still yours though, if you're willing. And I can also provide you with the necessary documentation to enroll you as a new student. Once you're in the school, however… It's entirely up to you to locate the boy and speak with him."

Rukia nodded slowly, still not fully believing him that his comment was 'nothing'. The plan sounded good but then again so had the plan for entering the human world to begin with. Still, she couldn't very well allow a juvenile human boy run around with her abilities unsupervised, now could she? And Urahara did have a point about blending in. Simply masking her reiatsu wouldn't be enough, not if those sent to track her down knew what she looked like. It would only be easier to pinpoint her if she stood out from the crowd.

"Once I find him," she said slowly after several seconds of thoughtful silence. "How do you propose I separate his spiritual half from his physical?"

Urahara tipped back the rest of his tea in one go before setting the cup back on the table with deliberate care. Rukia couldn't suppress the light shiver at his smirk as she rubbed her hands together under the table to stimulate some warmth. "Why, as it so happens, Miss Kuchiki… I have just the item for the job," he replied with feigned innocence.

"Really?" she drawled, her eyes hardening as her lips pursed into a thin line. "And the cost of such an item?"

"Is negotiable and will only be discussed after you get some rest. Enough business has been conducted for one evening, don't you think?"

Rukia couldn't help the little smile in answer to his suggestion. Shaking her head as she glanced toward the open door of the room, she noted that the light in the hallway coming from a nearby window was now the dull, cold grey of early morning. She hadn't gotten any rest in over twenty-four hours now. The combination of that with the stress from the night before was finally catching up with her, and the thought of sleep sounded like paradise itself. "Yes, that sounds just fine."

"Unfortunately, I don't have any guest rooms but if you'll accept you're more than welcome to take mine."

She declined by shaking her head and curling up on the cushion she was sitting on. "I'm fine here," she mumbled, tucking her arms under her head as her eyes closed heavily. Sleep was already sucking her under, uncaring that she was technically sleeping on the floor in a stranger's house. She hummed sleepily when something was settled over her, something light weight and body warm. It wasn't until the door to the room slid closed and her fingers were curling into the soft silk covering her that she realized she was using his coat for a blanket. At that point, however… it didn't really matter. All she wanted was sleep.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: It has been sooooo long since I've read the beginning of Bleach, so I apologize if any information is off. If it is, I TOTALLY wanna know so don't hesitate to say so! Thanks for reading!