A/n: Hello people! Back again. Only a small amount of time between this update. My muse seems to have come back to me and allow me to write. So, I decided it would be better to add the flashbacks to this chapter, seeing as the flow is better that way. Well, that and it adds more to this chapter. I'm actually quite content with this chapter. It's rather amusing to be honest. I took different scenes from the manga I did not write, so I included them here. And I scrambled them up to fit the story, and add comedy. Especially in the first scene. xD I had to make it where Ichigo explained the juice box thing to Rukia. It's just too cute. Anyways, onwards with the story~! Oh, and there's a special treat added for you all as the final part of the dream. A future scene and a clue.
Warnings: My overactive imagination and insane ideas(._.;), Ichigo's mouth (she curses a lot), more people being hit with shoes (Seriously, Ichigo and Hiyori are going to get along so well xD), Rukia being confused about human world things, perverted Kon, Angsty!Ichigo again, Uryu being made fun of yet again (I love you, Quincy boy, don't get me wrong), more angst, future couple arguing, and Kukaku Shiba (Enough said ._.;)
Disclaimer: I STILL don't own Bleach.
Once again, italics are flashback/dream.
Ichigo's eyes began to furrow in her sleep. She had nodded off not too long ago and the dreams had already begun. She soon enough found herself looking at past events and reflecting on those times.
---
It was during the lunch period of Karakura High School, so everyone has already taken their respective eating places. Ichigo and Rukia both sat up on the roof. Ichigo was feeling her forehead, commenting about how no traces of the burn on her forehead that had been caused in the fight against Orihime's brother, Sora. She was back to using her male voice being that they were at school. She didn't want someone to overhear her real voice and give her away.
"Surprised", Rukia asked, eating her lunch while having a slightly arrogant air about her, "Well... I did have the best grades in my Kido Class. Healing that wound was easy."
"Grades", Ichigo asked in confusion as she sent Rukia a confused look, "What, like at a soul reaper school, or something?"
Rukia hummed thoughtfully as she messed with her food. "Something like that", she said absentmindedly, "By the way Ichigo... How do I drink this?" She held a cutely confused expression as she held up a juice box. She then stared at the little box in intense concentration. "Is there some special way to extract the juices inside it?"
Ichigo couldn't help the amused smile tugging at her lips. "You really don't know anything about human world things, do you", she asked in amusement as she held out her hand.
Rukia pouted cutely. "Shut up", she said in annoyance as she handed Ichigo the juice box, "I don't live here, remember?!"
"Right, right", Ichigo said in smug amusement. She took the juice box and held it up. She pulled the little straw from the side and held it up as well. "This is a straw", she pointed out holding up the little thing in question to which Rukia nodded, listening intently, "On the top of the juice box, there's a very small hole." She pointed out said hole and Rukia once again nodded, brow furrowed in concentration. "You take the end of the straw and poke it in the hole and then drink it through the straw."
Rukia nodded, eyes filled with awe at the concept. She took the juice box and the straw from Ichigo and proceeded to do as instructed. She grinned in triumph as she managed to poke the straw through the hole and drink from it. "I did it", she exclaimed excitedly.
Ichigo couldn't help but stare in amusement as Rukia practically glowed from accomplishing her task. She shook her head, briefly commenting under her breath about weird Soul Reapers and them not being able to understand anything remotely human world like. She was brought out of her musings by a familiar voice.
"Ah, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you two were in love", Mizuiro commented in amusement walking over to the two and sitting down next to them, a light smile on his lips.
"Mizuiro", Ichigo said with a light nod, a dark smile crossing her face, "And yes, you would happen to know better, now wouldn't you?"
Mizuiro shrugged with a smile. "People are still going to talk either way", he commented.
Ichigo snorted in annoyance. "If I gave a shit what people thought, I'd have died my hair black years ago", she commented dryly and in annoyance as she took a sip of her juice as Mizuiro gave a short laugh.
Her cunning classmate then turned his attention to Rukia with a charming smile. "Hello, Rukia!"
Rukia stared over at him for a moment, blinking in surprise. "Oh, hello", she replied, trying to remember his name, "Um, Mizuiro?"
"Ah, you remembered my name, and we haven't even been introduced", he replied with a smile, "Mizuiro Kojima, fifteen years old. Enchanted. My hobbies are-"
"Picking up chicks", Ichigo asked dryly, Mizuiro sputtering around in the background as Ichigo explained that her friend was a player. Mizuiro simply responded that he didn't go for girls his age, to which Ichigo once again told Rukia to watch out, with her sitting in the background in confusion.
"Oi, what's up", another boy from their class said as he walked over, "Mind if I join you guys?" He had short, brown hair and was wearing the customary boy's uniform for the school.
"Hey, Keigo", Ichigo greeted looking over at the teen in question.
"Hm, Chad's not here", Keigo asked curiously as he neared the group while the other two confirmed that he wasn't here, "Odd. Wonder where he is." He then set his sights on Rukia. "OH! Is that the beautiful new girl I see?! What brings you here?!" Rukia looked up in confusion still.
"Ichigo brought her here", Mizuiro commented in amusement.
"Eh, Ichigo did", Keigo asked in amazement as he turned to the strawberry headed teen, anime tears flowing from his eyes, "Good job~! Also, does this mean you've turned straight?" A shoe met Keigo's head a second later. Keigo whined as Ichigo replaced the shoe back on her foot.
Keigo then went off back to Rukia. "Hello", he said enthusiastically giving a salute, "I'm Keigo Asano! Welcome to the Garden of Manliness!"
Rukia sent an amused glance at Ichigo, the glare on Ichigo's face telling her to shut up. "What do you mean by that, per say", she asked in amusement, turning to Keigo and Mizuiro, "About Ichigo turning straight?"
"That's easy", Keigo said with a grin, "Ichigo's gay!" Keigo was once again met with a face full off Ichigo's shoe.
"At least, that's our speculation", Mizuiro elaborated, a smile curling at his lips, "Keigo and I came to the conclusion long ago that if Ichigo didn't even like Orihime-chan, there's no woman he COULD like... Plus, he's never denied it either."
"As I said before, Orihime is like a little sister to me", Ichigo ground out in annoyance. She glared at Rukia as the ebony haired woman stared up in amusement at the teen. Both snapped out of their musing as Keigo gave a curse and he stumbled forward after a knee connected with his back.
Behind him stood a punkish looking kid with orange hair, almost like Ichigo's. He had a rough face, three piercings on his left ear and one on his lip. His lip curled into a sneer as Keigo stuttered, referring to him as Oshima, saying he was off suspension. The bully sneered and kicked him out of the way, rounding on Ichigo, who had an annoyed look on her face.
"Oi, Kurosaki", he said with a sneer, "When ya' gonna' die that carrot-piss hair black? Why you always trying to look like me?"
Veins appeared on Ichigo's cheeks. "Who'd wanna' look like you", she said in annoyance with her own sneer vemon in her voice, "And, like I keep telling your stupid as shit ass, this is my natural color. I don't look anything like you and I wouldn't ever want to. Now, fly away drag queen before you piss me off."
Oshima growled in outrage as Keigo tried to desperately ward them off. Ichigo stood up slowly stepping around Keigo and Oshima immediately sent a punch her way, but Ichigo caught it with ease. She bent back Oshima's wrist in an angle it wasn't supposed to be in as he yelped in pain. She then threw his arm away, him cradling his hurt wrist.
"Fuck off", she growled darkly, "I ain't got time to waste on your worthless, pathetic ass. Now get lost before you really piss me off! 'Cause I ain't pretty when I'm angry."
Oshima glared at her hatefully and pulled brass knuckles out of his coat and charged at her turned back. He was then sent ceremoniously flying across the roof of the school only to come crash landing painfully quite a few feet away.
"I warned you about that crap", a deep voice said from the side.
Ichigo smiled lightly at the giant towering over her. Chad, sporting bandages, laid a hand atop her head in his customary greeting gesture. "Thanks, Chad", she said quietly.
"No problem, Strawberry", the gentle giant said with a nod, "I don't like people being attacked when their back is turned... Still, you should be more careful..."
Ichigo smirked lightly in amusement. "And you say I'm motherly", she commented quietly in amusement before noticing the bandages, "What'd you do?"
"Yesterday, an I-Beam fell on my back", Chad said quietly and calmly earning surprised looks from everyone else, "And today I hurt my hand grocery shopping... I ran into a motorcycle. The guy driving it got hurt real bad, so I carried him to the hospital."
"And you're telling me to be careful", Ichigo asked incredulously, "Jeez, Chad, what are you, a tank?"
Chad didn't answer and everyone sat down together, Chad taking something like a cage off his back. He set the cage on the ground, revealing a parakeet. "Hi", the parakeet chirped in a friendly tone, "My name is Yuichi Shibata! What's your name?"
Ichigo's eyes widened in surprise as in the background, Keigo was talking to the bird, trying to get it to say his name. Ichigo then asked Chad where he had gotten the bird, to which the gentle giant simply replied that a guy gave it to him. Ichigo studied the bird for a moment, a look of concentration on her face.
"Don't worry", Rukia said softly beside the teen, "There's something in the bird, but it's harmless... Probably a lonely spirit... Still, if left, it'll eventually become a hollow. We should perform Konso tonight." She then smiled over at Ichigo after making sure no one else was paying attention. "So, who's the big guy", she asked curiously.
"My partner in crime", Ichigo replied in amusement, "Yasutora Sado, or Chad as we like to call him... He's my best friend besides Orihime... And he's the other one..." Her lips twitched upwards in a small smile.
"Ah, so this is the other one", Rukia commented with a small smile, "This one another find out by accident?"
"No, I actually told him", Ichigo said quietly with a small smile, "When I first met him, I saved him from a bunch of guys who were beating him just because they knew he wouldn't fight back... Chad used to be so weary of his strength because he only managed to hurt people... But we made a promise to fight for each other and protect each other... And I told him my secret... He was initially shocked, but accepted me and the promise all the same... He's a good friend... I wouldn't trade him for the world..."
Rukia smiled, albeit sadly as she gained a far off look. She remembered her life in Rukongai, where she had, had no family, just her friends to rely on. A certain redhead appeared in her mind before she shook her thoughts away as Ichigo was being coaxed into feeding the bird, which she was yelling at Keigo to stop being an idiot.
---
Ichigo growled as she landed before her body, inhabited by this renegade mod soul that stole her body for a joy ride. She cut off the tentacle of the hollow stretching towards her body before it could strike. The mod soul blinked, asking why she was helping him before he was dragged up by the collar. "OI", Ichigo yelled in annoyance, "That's MY fucking body and clothes you're messing up, you ass! If you can't fight without getting hurt, then stay out of the fucking way!"
The two began squabbling after that, throwing insults at one another, the hollow in the background slithering closer to eat them before the mod soul panted his (Ichigo's) foot into the hollow's face as Ichigo stabbed the face mask with her sword at the same time. The hollow went flying back and the mod soul kicked it upwards for some reason and it disappeared.
Ichigo then began to rant about the mod soul kicking the already dead hollow just to save a bunch of ants. The mod soul stated his argument, saying he couldn't kill, or let anything die because of the fact he was sentenced to death right after he was created. He explained the torture he went through. Ichigo stared on with a hard look.
"Besides though, how would a guy like you understand me", the mod soul said in annoyance.
Ichigo snorted in amusement. "I may not understand you completely, but I can sympathize", she said softly, an amused expression on her face as the mod soul regarded her oddly, "And by the way..." She smirked and let her façade voice drop. "I'm not male."
The mod soul shrieked in surprise, crawling back with a look of horror on his (Ichigo's) face. "So you mean", he cried in surprise, "I've been walking around in a woman's body... and I didn't even realize it?!" He slapped a hand to his (Ichigo's) forehead. "How did I miss this opportunity?! I couldn't have felt my own body for comfort for cripes sakes!... Though, I did wonder why your chest felt so constricted." Ichigo glared at the mod soul in annoyance as she was seriously contemplating on hitting him over the head but couldn't since he was in her body. Ichigo's eyes widened slightly as she heard a chuckling from off to the side.
The blonde man who had helped Rukia since the beginning stood in the background. "Well, well", Urahara said in amusement, "Lookie here... We finally find you, and you're already incapacitated... We drug out all this stuff for nothing..." He then held up his cane and expelled the mod soul from Ichigo's body.
---
Grand fisher flew into the sky in the body that so resembled Ichigo's dead mother. Ichigo moved to go after him, but Rukia pushed on the teen's chest, telling her she couldn't follow after him. Ichigo tried to move her but ended up collapsing to her knees. Tears ran down her cheeks, mingling with the rain. She punched the ground with everything she could.
"GOD DAMMIT", she screamed into the sky, her natural voice flowing freely as it had been for quite some time now as she stood up, "COME BACK DOWN HERE YOU SON OF A BITCH! COME BACK DOWN HERE AND FUCKING FIGHT ME YOU FUCKING COWARD! COME BACK HERE!" Ichigo grit her teeth, eyes ablaze with fury.
Rukia held her back as she attempted to take off. Ichigo thrashed in her grasp. "Let me go", she yelled thrashing violently as Rukia held onto the teen, "Let fucking go! Let me fucking kill him! I'm gonna' kill that fucking bastard!" She struggled like this for a good few minutes before collapsing to the ground. Rukia held the trembling girl close as Ichigo let out an agonizing scream, said scream echoing through the air. The strawberry headed teen then erupted into choked sobs.
"Why couldn't I save her", she whispered brokenly as tears streamed down her face, mixing with the pouring rain. Rukia held her tightly in an embrace as Ichigo's body slumped forward. "Why couldn't I save her?"
---
"If you think my way is wrong, then stand back and watch from there", Uryu said, his back turned to Ichigo, "I will demonstrate... its effectiveness..."
Ichigo stared at him long and hard. She then stepped forward. "You", she began in annoyance as she raised her foot, "Talk too fucking much." She kicked his head into the face of a nearby hollow. He sputtered in annoyance. "Jeez, your story was so damn long I slept through half of it", she commented in annoyance, "And contradictory. The point is, your master's number one desire... wasn't to prove that the Quincies are better than soul reapers! He wanted them to fight like a team! And if don't do that now, we'll never get another chance. So be it if we're opposites. Fine. Fighting overwhelming odds... is still done better back-to-back." She pulled the Quincy to stand behind her.
Uryu sent her an incredulous look. "Back-to-back", he asked, "As in fighting together?"
"What did you think I meant, dumbass", Ichigo asked dryly, holding up her sword.
"That's ridiculous", Uryu said quickly, "We're like cats and dogs!"
Ichigo frowned as she laid a hand on his shoulder. "You're still hung up on that", she asked as she jumped up and over his shoulder, bringing her sword down upon the hollow that had come up behind Uryu. She turned and watched as Uryu took out a hollow that was behind her originally. "See?"
"Make no mistake", Uryu said in annoyance with a frown, "I shot him so he wouldn't hit me! I wasn't helping you."
"Fine", Ichigo said calmly, "This is kill, or be killed right now. And fighting alone is tough. We have no choice! We have to help each other." She looked over at Uryu with a serious expression. "And this doesn't change anything... We can go back to being rivals later... But right now, we need to get rid of these hollows. I may not know much about soul reapers, being originally a human... But I need to defeat these hollows and get stronger..."
Uryu regarded the teen closely. "Why is it you feel such a need", Uryu asked.
"My mother was killed by a hollow."
Uryu's eyes widened in surprise at the statement. He stared in surprise at the teen.
"Now you see", Ichigo said softly, "But... It's not only for her... I want to protect the people closest to me... I swore I would, and I will keep that promise... No matter what happens... I know I may not be superman or anything... And I know I can't protect everyone in the world... But, I still want to do what I can and protect all that I can..." She then turned to the Quincy with a frown. "This contest bullshit really does grate my nerves though... Endangering countless lives like this is irresponsible... But right now, we need to do what we can to stop the hollows... So, we'll join forces for now, and go back to kicking each other's ass later... So?"
Uryu shot a hollow behind Ichigo while frowning at her in annoyance. "You talk too much too", he commented blandly, "But I understand... So, I'll accept... For now... And if you survive, I'll show you up later..."
"Try me, gay-boy", Ichigo retorted in annoyance as she slashed at another hollow.
"I am NOT gay", Uryu yelled in annoyance as he shot an arrow at one of the hollows.
"Seriously, you SEW as a hobby", Ichigo said in annoyance, "AND you're creepy..."
Uryu's brow twitched. "At the end of this all, Kurosaki, I will kick your ass", he growled in annoyance.
---
Rukia kicked away Ichigo's hand from the bottom of Byakuya's shihakusho, or his soul reaper uniform. Ichigo, along with everyone else stared at her in surprise. "You're a mere human", she said, her Kuchiki arrogance coming back with a force as she tried to save Ichigo, "How dare you touch my brother's Shihakusho! Know you place, boy!" She turned away as Ichigo stared at her turned back incredulously. "Let us go, brother", she said coldly, "The boy's actions have awoken Rukia Kuchiki! Take me to the soul society. I shall pay humbly for my crime."
"Wh-what're you saying Rukia", Ichigo yelled in panic, trying to get up before being stomped back to the ground.
"Give up", Renji said with a sneer, "Stop flailing about and die quietly like a good little boy."
Rukia glared coldly over her shoulder. "Why sully your blade further on him", she asked, "He will soon breathe his last anyway. Let us go, brother."
"Wait, Rukia", Ichigo called in panic, "Quit joking around! Look at me dammit!"
"Be still", Rukia commanded harshly, "Move one inch from there, try coming after me..." She turned, her eyes filled with unshed tears and a look of sorrow on her face. "And I will NEVER forgive you." Ichigo's face softened at that look. "You don't have long to live. Lie there and think of happier times."
Byakuya sheathed his blade. "Very well", he said in an emotionless voice, "We won't finish him. With two strokes, I shattered his soul body's vitals, the saketsu chain, and the hakusui soul sleep. He's as good as dead. And if he does happen to survive, he will have no more power. No portion of your spirit energy—much less the stolen soul reaper power in him—will remain. Renji."
"Sir", Renji said with a nod as he stepped forward and pointed his sword away from himself, "Kaijo—Release!" Gates began to open, gates leading to the soul society.
Ichigo watched as the three stepped through the gates. As Rukia stepped through the gates, she hesitated and looked back, in which Ichigo called out her name in her feminine voice before she left. Rukia bowed her head and then disappeared. Ichigo's fist clenched tightly. She then let out an ear shattering scream of frustration. She had once again lost someone precious to her. And once again, she couldn't do anything to save her.
---
Ichigo was running along through halls of some sort now. White surrounded her in all directions as she ran. She ran along side someone through the halls who seemed to be guiding her along the way. She was scowling fiercely. "Can't you get in trouble for this", she asked blandly with annoyance in her tone.
"You should know by now, Kurosaki, I don't follow rules", the figure who ran along side her said, obviously male, "Besides, who am I going to be in trouble with?" Ichigo scowled and didn't respond. "Aw, come on, Ichi-hime. Don't be mad."
A fist collided with the side of his head as Ichigo stopped and aimed a well deserved punch at him. "Would you shut the fuck up", she hissed, dropping her male tone and letting her female tone flow freely with venom and bite to it as she grit her teeth, "You're so fucking annoying! You sound like Hichigo, and that is NOT a compliment! Remind me why I put up with you, you bastard?!"
"Because we're stuck together, like it or not, in case you haven't noticed", the male pointed out rolling his eyes, "No matter how many times I wish I had never stabbed you in the stomach with my arm..."
"Yes, because if you hadn't done that, we wouldn't be IN this mess", Ichigo growled out, "Therefore, I BLAME YOU." She pointed at him, yelling this last part.
"Keep yer fuckin' voice down, dipshit", the male said rolling his eyes, "You'll give away our position if ya' keep screamin'. So shut it."
"Well, gee", Ichigo said dryly, "I sure would be a lot calmer if you'd just shut the fuck up!" She waved a fist in his face.
"No times for you games, shinigami", the male said rolling his eyes as he continued on down the hall, "We've got work to do... And a certain bastard to beat..."
Ichigo followed him grudgingly. "Are you sure we're headed the right way", Ichigo asked quietly in slight confusion, "All these hallways look the same to me."
"Yes, I'm going to right way", the male said rolling his eyes, "I LIVE here, dumbass. So I know my way around this damn fortress." He flicked her forehead. "Use your brain, idiot. I thought I taught you that much." He continued on forward, with Ichigo shouting at his back how that was an underlying insult. He rolled his eyes before spinning on his heel, grabbing the fist aimed to his head with one hand. The other hand grabbed the back of Ichigo's head and lips met briefly, rendering Ichigo motionless. He then pulled back once more and brown eyes met cold blue ones. "I thought I said to be quiet, Kurosaki." He then turned on his heel and continued back towards his destination.
It took a few minutes before Ichigo registered her surroundings again. Her face heated up as she grit her teeth. "TEME! GET BACK HERE!" She then proceeded to run after said bastard.
---
"Ichigo-kun?... Iiiichigo-kun? Ichigo-kun! ICHIGO!"
Ichigo bolted upright quickly in surprise, only to knock heads with Orihime. She rubbed her head in pain, cursing her best friend's hard as hell head. "What", Ichigo asked tiredly, blinking over at Orihime. Her male voice was up once again.
Orihime pouted. "You were moving around in your sleep again", she said with a sigh, "Is everything okay?" Her look was one of concern. She knew her best friend went through a lot of pain when seeing what she saw. She would always thrash in her sleep, especially when in her dream, she was fighting someone. Which also normally led to Ichigo either falling out of bed or knocking something over.
"I'm fine", Ichigo responded with a sigh as she got up and stretched, "Just got a few visions of the past... And one of the future again..." As long as she'd been dreaming about her future, she'd always seen things of her far ahead future. And she'd always see one specific person with her in a lot of he far future visions.
"Him again", Orihime asked knowingly with a smile.
"Yes", Ichigo said with a sigh as she continued to stretch her muscles, "This time we were running through the place with the white walls again... We were arguing like always..." She gave a light laugh.
"You two always seem to argue in your dreams", Orihime said with a giggle, "And you seem to compliment each other with what you've told me so far... You're opposite to this person... Probably the reason you're always arguing... And the reason you're meant to be together... As they say, opposites attract~!"
"Somehow, that statement does not comfort me", Ichigo dryly as Uryu walked in the small hut.
"Ah", Uryu said with a nod, "You're already awake."
"Yes, why", Ichigo asked looking over at him with a neutral expression, "Where you expecting me to still be asleep? Or perhaps hoping to watch me sleep?"
Uryu's brow twitched violently. "I am not perverted, not matter what you think", he said in light annoyance, "Now get your ass moving. We have to leave soon."
"Whatever", Ichigo said rolling her eyes as she waved him off. She dusted herself off before following the others outside.
Yoruichi nodded at her. "You're ready", she asked.
Ichigo nodded lightly. "Let's go", she said quietly.
With that, the group set out. After a while of walking, questions began to fly around the group about if they were going the right way or not. Yoruichi explained that based on Kukaku's personality, the house was not built in civilization. Soon enough, Yoruichi pointed out the flashy house. Giant arms stood up holding a banner that read 'Kukaku Shiba'. Uryu also noted there was a giant smokestack like structure behind it but the top was covered. After meeting with the guards, them recognizing Yoruichi, they were lead downstairs to rooms underneath the house.
"Koganehiko", a voice called from behind the screen door as they arrived to it, "Have you brought me an interesting guest? Well, come in! What're you waiting for!"
The guard shot up. "Right away", he said quickly and opened the door for the group.
Inside the room, near the back, on a padded pillow like seat, sat a woman. A scarf like thing was wrapped around her head, with tuffs of her black hair poking out. Her right arm was missing and it had a sword strapped to the remaining upper arm. She had a tattoo on her left shoulder. She wore a very revealing red top that showed off her well proportioned breasts, and a white skirt. She also wore bandaging around her feet. "Hello", she said with a smirk, "It's been a long time... Yoruichi..."
Uryu, Orihime, Chad, and Ichigo all stared at her for a few moments before responding in unison. "WHAT?! Kukaku's a woman?!"
Hm", she asked raising an eyebrow, "Who're the kids?"
"Kukaku", Yoruichi said as she padded slowly over to the woman, "I've come to ask you a favor."
"Of course you have", Kukaku replied in light amusement, "That's usually the case when you show up. Trouble?"
"Probably", Yoruichi responded with a nod.
Kukaku chuckled softly. "We haven't had an exchange like this for too long", she commented, "Go on. Let's hear your story. I love trouble."
Yoruichi then proceeded to explain the situation and why they were there. She then explained their trouble with the gates. Kukaku lit up her pipe and listened intently.
"I see", she said taking a smoke of the pipe, "I get the picture. Fine, I accept."
"You do", Yoruichi asked in light surprise.
"Sure", Kukaku said with a smile, "If Urahara's involved, how could I possibly say no?" She paused for a moment. "Just one thing", she said, "I trust you, but... I'm not so sure about these kids... I'm assigning a man to oversee the operation. That's all right with you, isn't it?"
"Of course", Yoruichi said with a nod as the woman stood up.
"A man", Ichigo asked with a raised eyebrow. 'Though, it will even the odds of the genders in the group', she thought idly with an inner smirk.
"Yes", Kukaku said with a nod going over to the door behind her, "Actually, he's my little brother... He's a useless brat, but..." She turned to the door with an annoyed look. "Are you ready?" She asked as someone fumbled around on the other side, the voice sounding oddly familiar to Ichigo for some reason. "I'm opening it! You'd better behave!"
"All right, ready sis", the male voice said on the other side of the door. As the door was opened, Ichigo realized with dread why that voice sounded so familiar. Ganju sat there on his knees, smiling and on his best behavior. "Hello! My name's Ganju Shiba! It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance!" As he heard no response he looked up and noticed the group before him.
Both Ganju and Ichigo both stood at the same time. "YOU", they both shouted in unison, pointing at each other with a look of horror on their faces.
Kukaku blinked repeatedly. "Eh", she said, "You two know each other?"
Ichigo's eye twitched. "God damn my life", she growled in annoyance.
And there you have it. They meet again. Next chapter is where Kukaku explains about herself being a fireworks expert and such. AND, she finds out who Ichigo is. And Orihime has a seriously hard head, doesn't she? The only person who's butted heads with her and not gotten hurt was Yachiru. ._.; Also, I couldn't help laughing as I wrote the first scene with the juice box. xD It was too perfect.
Aaaaand, I gave you all a special scene. It'll help you narrow down who HE is, if it doesn't already tell you. And just to let you know, expect the two to argue a LOT. Once they meet and join forces, they're constantly on each other's case and provide most of the comedy later on. Soooo, my darlings, I'm off to work on my next chapter. Read and Review as always. Reviews make me happy. They also tell me if I'm doing something wrong. So, review my darlings.