A/N: Yeah! Chapter Five! I don't know about you, but I'm pretty excited.

xXXx

Chapter Five - Welcome to Rukongai

It was like the dog attack all over again as the two boys tumbled out of the Senkaimon and into the night, Shunsui becoming the mat for Jyuushiro this time. Of course, Jyuushiro felt extremely lucky for this as he most certainly hadn't hoped to be crushed by his much heavier friend. Though, he hadn't even noticed until he sat up and heard a muffled babbling coming out from underneath him. Curiousity getting the better of him, he stood quickly to observe just what it was that had given him such a soft landing.

"That was excellent!" Shunsui was instantly out of the dirt and grinning at a completely stunned Ukitake who slowly loosened and smiled as well. And then all at once the two were laughing together, loud and heartily, until something new came up and Ukitake's laughs turned into choked off dry coughs. When he had settled, he cleared his throat, spitting whatever it was that was clogging him into a small handkercheif that Shunsui had in his overnight bag, he began to shake. Through the white cloth, he could see a slight discolouration and opened it slightly to take a look, his heart almost stopping at the sight illuminated by the moonlight. Blood. There was blood in his handkercheif.

"Sh-shun...?" The shaking voice caught his friend's attention in no time. Showing Shunsui the bloody mucus, he began to shake violently and instantly Shunsui was holding him. It was such a warm embrace, one only a friend could manage. Truthfully, it was taking all that Shunsui had in him not to throw up. It had been an ugly sight, really, and he didn't want to believe that it would eventually take his friend's life again. He could see it clearly now; laying next to Jyuushiro in the sickroom in Fourth, the feeling of life slipping away. He also remembered that it had taken him six full days to drink enough alcohol to kill himself, and he had started around the time he first noticed that Jyuushiro's health had plummetted for what he knew was the final time. Jyuushiro hadn't seen him during the hardest time in his entire life until he had been experiancing the final hours of his expenetially long life.

"I know; that's what killed you, remember?"

Jyuushiro drew back quickly, as if Shunsui were on fire. "What are you talking about, Shun? I died?"

"Well... yeah," Both boys looked confused, neither knowing what the other was talking about. Urahara had promised that the doses would bring back full memory, but as it seemed, Ukitake had only recovered part of his. Shunsui made a mental note to kick Kisuke whenever they returned, which wouldn't be as soon as he thought it would be. "This is where we used to live... I think...."

"You... think...?" Jyuushiro looked around at the houses that surrounded them, built in a way that reminded him of his history textbooks. This place definatly had the feel of Feudal Japan, and he could tell that they were no longer home. He examined the place further, taking a few steps toward one house. For a moment, the village seemed to be deserted; and then there was movement around him. Shocked faces appeared, circling the two in their tattered kimonos and each of them pushing and shoving for a better look. Jyuushiro turned to observe every face, there had to be hundreds of them. The looks on their faces began to shake him, he wondered if they might suddenly change their minds and kill them on the spot. Shunsui's voice behind him pulled him back, somewhat of a relief in his little nightmare.

"Jyuu.... I don't think we're in Kansas anymore."

xXXx

Sitting inside one of the small huts, Jyuushiro waited patiently for the woman in front of him to finish steeping a pot of green tea. He was waiting for the explaination that she had promised to provide, more than he was waiting for a comforting cup of tea. He could smell it, definatly straight green tea... and then.... It stirred something in the back of his mind, a silent reminisence. He could smell the tea, but then there was a hint of sweetness to it... not sugar, but.... The first thing that came to mind was summerberry, and suddenly the sweet, and slightly tangy scent had a name. It was his favourite; and he could still taste it. Rukia had developed it just for him, and he was sure that she had gotten help from Unohana because it seemed to clear his throat and soothe it.

He felt a pulling at the thought of Rukia. There was something special about her, but he couldn't quite place it. He knew her face clearly. She was important in some way to him, and he just couldn't place it. On top of that, his mind was still being blocked by what Shunsui had said. He was dead? Had the Tuberculosis killed him already... or perhaps before?

That's stupid. There's no such thing as past lives. Then, Jyuushiro's eyes narrowed on Shunsui's bag that was filled to the brim with clothes and other random objects that would be completely useless in a place like this. This place is unreal.... I suppose it could be some kind of cheap trick, but the entrance was too real. I have to believe it. And besides that, these memories speak for themselves. If this is all real, then I died here.

"Captain Ukitake... Captain Kyoraku.... It's been twenty long years. Word had reached Rukongai that you two were dead." The woman set the glasses of tea in front of them and bowed low, her forehead brushing the dirt floor. "It must be true, you look younger than I've ever seen you. However did you come back? You must've been sent by the gods as a blessing!"

"If you could call Urahara a god...." Shunsui muttered, his eyes flashing to Jyuushiro's hospital nightgown. It was quite humiliating to be seen walking around with Jyuushiro in that paper gown, and it would've taken his ten seconds to get dressed. Fortunatly, Shunsui had been able to successfully break into Jyuushiro's bedroom and steal some of his clothes; he was almost grateful that he had, or else he'd have to travel with Jyuu like that until they could find better clothing. Shunsui blew out a strong, short breath, causing the woman to look up at him quizzically.

"Urahara? That exile that allowed the ryoka in, which caused massive damage and wreaked havoc in the whole Soul Society?"

Shunsui stopped for a minute, leaving the hut in silence. He glanced over at Jyuushiro who only shook in head in minor annoyance, and finally he knew what to say. "That sounds like him."

"You two captains best be returning to your positions, the Seireitei will be overjoyed to have you two home!" she chimed, beaming at them as if she were the sun itself. The woman's energy was almost overwhelming and both Shunsui and Jyuushiro were almost knocked back by it. It wasn't reiatsu at all, it was just how cheerful she had become in less than three seconds. It was... almost amazing. "And be sure to tell my Saki that I'm very proud of her, Captain of Eighth! I'll take you to the gate just as soon as your ready... and properly dressed, Captain Ukitake. That's not something someone of your standing should be seen in. For your height, these might just fit you both."

The woman jumped up, leaving the two alone in the room to listen to her shufflings. They could hear her every now and again complaining that she knew that they - whatever they were - had been back there only a few days ago. Jyuushiro had one fine, dark eyebrow raised, picking up his tea to sip gently at it while still wondering what the woman was doing. Shunsui had busied himself with examining the ceiling while sticking his finger in and out of the scalding liquid before him to see if it was cool enough to drink yet. About the sixth time he stuck his finger in, Jyuu slapped his hand, causing him to pull his hand back like lightning and look back down at Jyuu with a purely puzzled look. And luckily, it was just in time for the woman to make a loud exclamation and appear in the doorway with two black robes.

"They were my husband's shihakushos, from before his death. I was saving them for this day; I knew you'd return. I just knew it, and no one would believe me!" Handing the boys their new clothes, she ushered them into the back to try them on immediatly and didn't give either one a chance to protest. Jyuushiro, for one, was glad. It was much colder outside than he thought it would be, and the holes in the walls weren't doing much to help that. Both of them changed quickly, finding the shihakushos to be just the right size. The as soon as they had stepped out of the back room, the woman whisked them away, running off toward the gate.

Everyone was staring at them in complete wonderment. Men and women and children were gathered at the edges of the streets, watching the two former captains make their way back to the Seireitei. Ahead of them, the woman wore a proud grin showing that she had been right all along; she had said that they'd return, and they did. In truth, Jyuushiro wondered why they had been so great that the people had wanted them back so badly. He didn't remember yet that he was one of the greatest captains that had ever lived; just that he had been the captain of Division Thirteen of the Thirteen Court Guard Companies of the Seireitei. He remembered that he had a dire case of Tuberculosis, and that because of it, his physical performance suffered. Because of it, people doubted him, not his abilities, but him; and at one point he had gotten tired of the first question people asking him when he entered a room being, "Shouldn't you be in bed?" He also remembered that there was a bar not too far away from the his exact position that he and Shunsui used to go to almost every weekend.

Apparently Shunsui remembered as well because he began to hoot and hollar like a madman when it came into view, proclaiming that it was the best bar he'd ever been to, and that they were going there before they had to leave again.

At the mention of them leaving, the woman stopped and the crowd - which had only a moment ago been cheering - silenced. Her sudden halt caused Shunsui to collide with her, but she stayed standing, quite surprizingly. She turned and the look in her eyes was venom, making both boys shudder. "You won't leave. You can't. I won't let you." For a moment, Shunsui and Jyuushiro exchanged looks, and then glanced back at the woman. They weren't sure what she could do, but they decided not to test her; and Jyuushiro began to assure her that they'd stay in the Seireitei until their next death. Finally satisfied after a few moments of , she turned and began to walk again with the boys following after her, always exactly ten steps behind.

xXXx

"I feel something." Rukia murmured, keeping her eyes closed against the dark that surrounded her. She concenrated, trained on it and waited for it to come clear. It was something she hadn't felt in so long, it radiated out of the Rukon District and pulsed in warm, relaxing waves. It overwhelmed her, cradling her in it's unplaceable familiarity, and at the same time it made her stomach buzz and churn with the need to be near it. Throwing back the covers, Rukia rose and stepped outside onto the deck to watch the clouds float delicately over the moon and stars while still trying to place that reiatsu.

She watched the intricate sakura tree outside her room, bare-limbed from the cold. A few years after Jyuushiro passed away, she had moved back into the Kuchiki Manor by her brother's request. After accepting, she wondered why she always did what he wanted and shook her head at herself. Besides that, she had to put up with Byakuya's wife, which wasn't so bad; Yuka had formerly been a Kusagawari, in other words she was of lesser nobility, and therefore acted like it. Rukia actually enjoyed her company, but sometimes she just went a little too far, and had no doubt, taught her daughter to act exactly the same. The three of them all helped to set up traps around the Seireitei and watch as some unlucky shinigami was caught in them. More than once Byakuya had been caught in one of their traps, mostly ones played specifically on him.

Rukia's personal favourite had been when they caught Soi Fon in a hole that they had dug in one of her training feilds. The hole had been covered over with sticks, leaves and grass, and sitting on top of this throne of sorts was the coveted White Chocolate and Raspberry muffin. The one that Byakuya stole from the muffin basket every morning before Soi Fon could get to it. She had been waiting ninety-five years for that muffin, and apparently she wouldn't give up a chance now, no matter how suspicious it looked. The story speaks for itself.

Sighing heavily from the peace of the memory, Rukia lost her focus. She had almost forgotten the reiatsu, and when she fell out of her reminiscence, it hit her like a hammer and nails. She knew very well that it was cold outside. The clouds had finally settled in thick over head and snow was falling in tiny flakes around her. Yet, she was still warm. There was only one person who she could ever remember in her entire life that had that effect on her.

"Jyuushiro? Have you returned... after all these years?"