I do not… Okay I have done this on every chapter. Everyone knows what I'm going to write. "I do not own bleach and I give full credit to its creator." There yah go. Thank you reviewers for reviewing. And thank you readers for reading. But it's not over for a long shot.
Chapter Eight.
Kumiko wished she didn't get on Ichigo's back. She wasn't hurt but there were a lot of close shaves. Byakuya had suddenly stopped only to hold up his kantana. The kantana was glowing a faint pink.
"It's no use Ichigo! Run!" Rukia said, desperately. Ichigo wasn't sure what to do.
Suddenly a white cloth strip wrapped around Byakuya's blade and a black woman landed in front of him holding the cloth restraining the kantana.
"You!" Byakuya said, wide eyed.
"It's been awhile, Little Byakuya," Yoruichi said, looking over her shoulder.
"Shihouin Yoruichi," Byakuya said, narrowing his eyes. Kumiko flash stepped to Yoruichi's side.
"Eh? You two know each other?" asked Kumiko looking back and forth.
"Yeah," Yoruichi said as Byakuya jerked his kantana down, breaking the strip.
"Another one of your unfortunate victims," Kumiko said, innocently.
"No," Yoruichi said, color rising in her cheeks.
"Right." Kumiko said, smirking. Suddenly she felt something strange. She felt shaky.
Yoruichi suddenly spun around and knocked Ichigo out, putting him on her shoulder.
"Yoruichi, what do intend on doing with him?" Ukitake asked seriously.
"Ukitake." Yoruichi said, softly.
"Yoruichi, that child," Byakuya said, eyes narrowed, "Who is she?"
"That is none of your business," Yoruichi said, bending down.
Kumiko had closed her eyes not listening to the conversation until she felt a hand on her shoulder.
"Follow me, block out his reiatsu," Yoruichi said softly.
"What ever you are doing is useless," Byakuya said, dangerously, "You will not escape from here."
"Oh," Yoruichi said teasingly, "You've learned to talk big, Little Byakuya. Was there even a time where you could beat me at tag?"
"Shall we see…," Byakuya said softly.
Kumiko took a couple of deep breaths and the feeling subsided. She followed Yoruichi's flash steps carefully. She dodged Byakuya to ensure her safety. She flash stepped to the top of the building where Yoruichi stopped.
"Three days. Three days and I will make this boy stronger than you. Until then consider your fight postponed. Try to follow us if you wish. Shihouin Yoruichi, Goddess of Flash, is not going to be caught by the likes of you." Yoruichi and Kumiko then disappeared, but not before Kumiko gave Byakuya a searching look.
Byakuya stared up where they had stood for a moment and then walked away.
"Oh Captain Kuchiki, didn't you come to arrest the ryoka!?" Ukitake yelled.
"I've lost interest. Do what you like," Byakuya said walking away.
"Man, he really is spoiled as ever," Ukitake said, rubbing the back of his head.
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Kumiko sat watching Ichigo fight. He was trying to obtain bankai. Kumiko liked watching him fight. She liked being on his shoulder too but she wasn't allowed to this time. She sat cross legged next to Yoruichi who was also watching intently. She held a string that glowed green. Kumiko watched Ichigo slice at old man Zangetsu only for it to be blocked. Poor Ichigo, having waste your energy by running around. Kumiko just usually stayed on Ichigo's back conserving energy to use Flash steps or her Zanpakutō. She watched as suddenly old man Zangetsu suddenly turned into a card board human like figure. She jumped down with Yoruichi and walked over to Ichigo.
"That's the end of day one. Go over and take a bath smelly," Yoruichi said, putting the no longer glowing string in her hair.
"Shut up," he mumbled walking over to the spring. Kumiko giggled and watched Yoruichi go and pick up the card board figure. Kumiko became bored instantly and thought of something to do.
"Damn, I can't tell what time it is in here. It so disorienting," Ichigo said splashing the water onto his face. Suddenly he felt the wound on his cheek heal.
"Hey what's with this spring?! My wounds are closing up! Amazing!" Ichigo kept splashing the water on himself, his wounds closing up.
"I wonder what will happen if I drink it?" Ichigo wondered, scooping up water and drinking it but not swallowing it.
"Hey Ichi-nii-san!! How's the water?"
"Hm-hm-mh-ahm!!" Ichigo said waving his arms. Kumiko took this as a good reply.
"WEEEEE!!" There was a big slash and Ichigo spat out the water.
"NANI!! Kumiko!! What are you doing!!?"
"Jumping in!"
"You-you can't come in here!!"
"Why? I have something on."
"Yeah I don't care!! Get out!!"
"You meany!! It's a healing pool!!"
"Kumiko! Stop tormenting Ichigo and come over here for a minute!"
"Fine!"
Kumiko got out soaking wet and walked to where Yoruichi was.
"Kumiko I need you to stay here for a while," Yoruichi said, patting her head. Kumiko knocked her hand away and frowned.
"What are you going to do?" Kumiko said, cocking her head.
"Nothing you need to know about," Yoruichi said, walking away. Kumiko sighed and sat down on top of the boulder.
"Seven… six… five… four… three… two… one," Kumiko whispered, counting down on her fingers, she heard a yelp.
"Knew it," Kumiko said as she heard Ichigo's yell, "She really does know how to push it." She fell back on the boulder and fell asleep still soaking wet.
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Byakuya looked at a dark haired woman's picture. The room was dark except for the candles by the picture frame. He looked mesmerized by the picture.
He was disturbed by two things. One, Rukia's execution. He was no longer sure what to do. He had simply obeyed so far keeping his parents promise. But he felt horrible for not keeping Hisana's. This had been disturbing him for a while now. But he kept his silence.
The other was the child. The first time he met the child her power almost reminded him of a noble's. But when he clearly saw it was too restrained for such. He put it out of his mind.
But now the child's power was different. Her power was no longer restrained and uneven. No her power was now even and had proved to be of noble status. He was disturbed also by Yoruichi's words.
"That is none of your business." She knew something, which was obvious. The tone in her voice proved it. The child was clearly from a noble family. It couldn't be Yoruichi's child. If it was, Kurotsuchi would have never been able to get his hands on her. It certainly wasn't his child. Hisana was not pregnant with any child and she had died. He thought through the rest of the noble families. Not one had a child taken from them or was even married.
This was very befuddling.
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Kumiko stirred as Ichigo picked her up. She did not wake up to Ichigo's relief as he brought her over to the futon. He placed her on it and brushed back a strand of her hair. She had been through a lot, he was sure. She was very upset when she told him her adventures through Seireitei. This brought him to another topic.
Why did they want Kumiko? Surely if she was with him, she would end up with the same treatment. There must be something else going on. Ichigo walked around and found Yoruichi watching Kumiko from a boulder not to far away.
"Hey, Yoruichi-san," Ichigo said. Yoruichi looked at him as he sat down.
"What is it Ichigo?" Yoruichi asked, looking him dead in the eye.
"What is going on with Kumiko?"
"What do you mean?" asked Yoruichi sharply.
"What connection does she have with Seireitei? What secret is there behind her? Whether it has to do with her being in the real world, her being a shinigami, or parentage I want to know."
"Ichigo this is none-!" Yoruichi said her eyes angry and … was that fear.
"Yeah it is my business because if there is something you're hiding from them, it's not going to help if she gets caught again. I need to know so I know what to do if she is with me or somebody else. Yoruichi!" Ichigo shouted as she went to move away. She stopped and looked down at Kumiko sleeping.
That is it! Review even if you have already reviewed. I want to know what you think. Please O_O!
