Chapter 23
Take Me Down
Renji actually looks as though he's about to cry, and Rukia has her eyebrow raised at him unable to believe she's broken him to this point when he hasn't even been her bodyguard for more than two days. His eye is all swelled up and puffy like he got hit by a steam roller in the face or something equally as bad.
"Please Rukia…please stop making this the job from hell! Every time Kenpachi realizes we've lost you two, he takes it out on me! Look at this!" Renji wails, pointing at his fucked up eye, and Rukia rolls her eyes.
"Just quit Renji. I can find something for you to do in my new company if you really can't find a job after leaving ni-sama. My company could use some guards." Rukia says sensibly, and Renji narrows his one good eye at Rukia.
"I took this job because I'm aware of the dangers you're in! I don't want to lose a second friend!" Renji busts out, and outside of their hotel room, Kenpachi chuckles.
"That's right Abarai, play on their silly emotions!" Kenpachi's chuckle is diabolical but quiet.
His phone vibrates, and he sees his daughter is trying to call him. He walks away from the Kurosaki hotel room, but keeps the entrance to the room within his sight.
"Hi Yachiru…"
Back in the room, Renji is getting insulted by the lack of progress he's making with his childhood friend, she is more stubborn than a mule, and nothing he is saying is getting through to her.
"I've listened to what you've had to say Renji, and now I want you to listen to me. I am on my honeymoon. Get that? It's supposed to be about me and my husband. I really don't appreciate, no…I really hate that ni-sama has crashed my honeymoon by sending you halfwits to come protect me! This could have at least waited until I got back! My project hasn't even been announced yet! Ni-sama has gone way too far. So…in order to enjoy our honeymoon, the way we're supposed to, we're going to disappear on your ass over and over again, so get used to it, or stay out of Kenpachi's reach when he realizes we're gone." Rukia says, with her arms crossed, and Renji can't believe he spent so much time convincing her, only to get nowhere.
"You know we're going to have to report this to your brother…" Renji says, using the threatening route, and Rukia loses her temper.
"Take a picture and send it along with your report! I no longer answer to ni-sama no matter what he might think!" Rukia snaps, and Renji doesn't know what to say.
Nothing is working.
"Just give it up." Ichigo says quietly, and Renji's gaze moves to the man his friend married, who appears to have taken pity on Renji, even if only a little.
"Even if we are attacked, the enemies in our case like to do suicide bombings! That's how Ichigo's mother was killed, Renji! What are you and that big oaf going to do if they drive a car full of explosives at us? How are you going to protect us?" Rukia demands to know, and Renji blinks twice.
"Rukia…you don't know? Really?" Renji asks, and Rukia looks stumped.
"Know what?" She asks, and Renji lets out a little chuckle.
"It seems you and your brother inherited minds that are so alike it's scary. Your brother has already developed a thin layer of armor that can save us in an explosion." Renji says, and then he lifts up his shirt, revealing an interesting looking body armor.
"What crack are you on?" Rukia utters, not understanding how the thin layer of armor he's wearing could save him in an explosion.
"Any martyrs to their cause who come after you, will only kill themselves if we have any say in it! This is why we need to make sure you don't escape us all the time. We need to get used to this situation before it gets hairy, you know what I mean?" Renji asks, feeling a bit triumphant until Rukia balks again.
"After my honeymoon, maybe. But not now. Accept it, Renji!" Rukia says, and Renji sighs.
Kenpachi has gotten what he wanted. He has already placed a hidden camera outside their door that will alert him to when the couple are leaving. He steps inside the room, beckoning Renji over to him.
"Fine. You win." Kenpachi says, and he saunters out of the room, leaving Rukia to glare at him suspiciously.
"That was a bit too easy." Rukia mutters as the door closes, and Ichigo guffaws at her.
"You were arguing for a long time with them! What was easy about that?" Ichigo asks, since the whole thing had been uncomfortable for him.
"Something just doesn't feel right, Ichigo." Rukia says, and Ichigo gives her a grin before he comes up behind her, putting his arms around her from behind and resting them on her stomach.
"I know something that feels right." Ichigo says, and Rukia feels the corners of her mouth tugging upward.
Of course you do, Ichigo.
Rukia is still annoyed the next morning, until she realizes she can use Renji and Kenpachi in assisting her to train the FBI agents.
Why should those idiots get paid just to follow us around anyways?
"I wish we could stay in bed longer…naked." Ichigo mutters, not wanting to get up yet, but Rukia wrings up a towel and lets it snap right on his ass, which makes him immediately roll over to glare at her.
"You have to take it easy! My poor ass is already sore from what you already do to it!" Ichigo yelps, and Rukia giggles.
"I'm going to do a whole lot more to it if you don't get your ass out of bed right now." Her eyes show she's serious even if she is amused, and he knows it's time to listen.
Ichigo kicks the covers off of his feet, and sits up stretching, while Rukia watches him with a twinkle in her eye.
"Fine."
"Mr. Peterson!" Rukia exclaims, and the large man smiles when he sees her.
"You're early!" He says, and she feels Ichigo's eyes on her, since she'd been rushing him along only to get there early.
"Yeah!" Rukia says, and then Mr. Peterson looks astonished when he realizes she's got three men with her instead of just one.
"I thought it was going to be you and your husband…" Mr. Peterson says, and Rukia gets an annoyed look on her face.
"My brother has assigned me bodyguards. I don't like it but I figured they could make themselves useful in training today." Rukia says brightly, and Mr. Peterson nods, even though the larger of the two men makes him feel nervous, a feeling he hasn't had in years.
"If you think it's best…" Mr. Peterson trails off, deciding to trust the young heiress in her judgment.
"Once they learn a move, they can try it on him. If they're actually successful, they will have climbed the ladder in their training, that much is certain." Rukia says with finality, and Mr. Peterson nods.
"Who am I to argue with the small woman I've seen throw a man more than twice her size? I'm truly appreciative Mrs. Kurosaki!" He says, bowing his head in respect at her, and Rukia grins while bowing her head back.
"So am I, Mr. Peterson. Because of you, I'll get to do something really wonderful to better the world. I can't thank you enough." Rukia says, and the man looks surprised.
"I am always on board to help in making the world a better place. If there's anything I can ever do, to further your endeavors, you just call me. Take my card. My cell number is on there." Mr. Peterson says, before he goes to his observation post.
There are five men that are training with them today. Rukia wants to gauge just how advanced they are in hand-to-hand combat, and so she tells them how it's going to be from the beginning.
"Every one of you will spar with me. I will make note of your strengths and weaknesses, and then teach you each several ways to improve yourselves." Rukia says with a businesslike tone, and the men simply nod, unable to believe they're learning from someone small enough to be mistaken for a child.
"Mrs. Kurosaki…my name is John, and I'm not sure I can spar with you in earnest. I have a daughter about your size, and it just wouldn't feel right." He says, and Rukia smiles at him.
"I admire your sense of honor, but you're not ever going to improve with that type of attitude. There's a reason you're here to learn from me. You need to respect my credentials or you can get the hell out of this class." Rukia says, without any hesitation, and the man's eyes widen.
Mr. Peterson lets out an irritated sigh, and stands up.
"Guy! I know you haven't worked with Mrs. Kurosaki personally, but I guarantee you she'll make you look like a complete fool if you underestimate her. I have decided this is happening, and I'm your superior. You can either do what's expected of you, or we can put you on suspension!" Mr. Peterson's words seem to weigh heavily with the man in question, and Rukia watches his internal struggle, before he opens his eyes, and gives in the tiniest bit.
"May I go last, so that I don't feel as bad about what I'm going to do?" He asks, and Rukia nods her head yes.
"You can, however you will not be able to watch the fight. You want special conditions, you got them. You will turn your back and only listen to the fight. Then I'll test you myself, and see what makes you so worthy to have been chosen to be in the FBI!" Rukia says, challenging his sense of worth, but the man quickly agrees to her conditions.
A blonde haired man that Rukia met during her most recent mission gives her a smile.
"Pleasure to work with you Mrs. Kurosaki, I was there when you took Mike down at the meeting, and I'm anxious to work with you. I'm Brian." He says, making Rukia smile when she remembers how she took down the guy who'd dared to question her abilities.
"I was there too, my name is Roger." A man with light brown hair says, and Rukia nods with a smile playing on her face.
The largest of all of her students steps forward, and doesn't offer much emotion when he speaks, but his voice is very deep. "I'm Jed. Nice to meet you."
The last man steps forward, and he seems like he's all business.
"I'm Jason. I was also there when you got Mike." He doesn't show how impressed he was like the other man, he just speaks with a tone that says he's telling the facts.
"Okay gentlemen, thanks for your names. I'm Rukia, and this is my husband Ichigo. These guys back behind us here, are Kenpachi and Renji." Rukia says, making the introductions quick and to the point.
"Hey Guy, go ahead and turn around." Ichigo says, not liking how the guy had doubted his tiny but powerful wife, and he's looking forward to watching her school him in the art of combat.
"Jason, I'd like to start with you." Rukia says, since he struck her as the most businesslike of them all.
Jason steps forward and everybody else steps back, while Guy turns to face the wall.
It all happens very quickly, because Rukia uses her index finger to tell the man to come at her, and he doesn't hesitate for a second. If Ichigo had blinked he'd have missed the man's movement.
His wife doesn't miss it though, when Jason's hand reaches out to grab her, she ducks his grasp and then slides around him so fast, he can only turn his head in time to see her sweep his feet out from underneath him, and then she brings her foot high up in the air before bringing it down into his gut, making him cry out in pain even though he hadn't intended to show pain no matter what she tried on him.
Rukia whips a pair of handcuffs off the wall, and cuffs him while he's still trying to catch his breath, and then she looks at Jed.
"Your turn."
Ichigo inhales quickly as this man tries something totally different. He rushes at Rukia, and she appears to pull off some strange dance move, because one second he's charging straight at her, and the next second he's tumbling over her outstretched leg, his front headed for the pavement.
There are a second set of handcuffs in Rukia's hand before he even hits the ground, and she's on top of him the moment he catches his body with his arms. She positions herself in a choke hold, in order to truly incapacitate the large man, and once she does, the other two men watching exchange a look of awe.
They watch as he passes out and she handcuffs him without incident. They all notice that she grabs two extra sets of handcuffs, and tucks them in the waist of her shorts.
"Your turn Brian." Rukia says next, and the man looks determined. He crow hops at her, and then brings his leg up to kick her soundly, but the moment he's on one leg, she kicks his standing leg right out from underneath him, sending him crashing to his back. Rukia rests her foot against his most tender area, before issuing her orders.
"Hold out your wrists, or lose the ability to function where my foot is." Rukia says in a deadly serious voice, and he does as he's told.
"You're fast." Roger says, and Rukia fixes her gaze on him.
"It's your turn now." She says, and she sees him gulp nervously.
He goes for an old fashioned swing on her, but he finds that she's grabbed his wrist, and his bending it back before leading him around at an awkward angle by his wrist, hurting it by bending it back. She slaps the cuffs on that wrist and then applies a bit more pressure."Give me your other wrist or I'll break this one." Rukia's words aren't to be argued with. Brian sighs as he relinquishes his free arm, and Rukia cuffs him as well.
"You're in trouble Guy." Roger mutters as he goes over to the group of already defeated and cuffed FBI guys that Rukia has taken out without so much as an issue.
"Guy! Turn around." Ichigo calls out, and the man turns to see his comrades in cuffs, and the girl doesn't even have a red mark or a scratch to show for her troubles.
Ichigo feels his lips turning upwards as Guy surveys the damage and then looks back at Rukia with a disbelieving look on his face.
Rukia can read his expression well. He can't understand how she ended up victorious, and he doesn't intend to let it end that way for himself.
"Your turn." Rukia says, and she watches him like a hawk until he starts to move.
His decision was to use brute force to subdue her, but he quickly realizes the comments he'd heard about her being fast weren't embellished one bit. She ducks out of the way as he brings his fist down towards the top of her head. His hand nearly gets the ground, but he has no time to be pleased with himself that he stopped his movement in time, because Rukia's face comes up and pelts him across the cheek several times, in such a quick and powerful motion that he feels like his head is about to be kicked off.
He brings up his arm to protect his head, and Rukia slides in even closer, bringing her fist up as hard as she can into his chin.
Ichigo is sure the man is seeing stars. He pitches to the ground in a daze, and Rukia handcuffs him easily.
"I think it's fair to say that you all need improvement on your opening moves." Rukia says, and the ones who aren't still passed out, look away in embarrassment.
"They really aren't as pathetic as you just made them look!" Mr. Peterson calls out, and Rukia smiles at him.
"They aren't used to the speed at which I fight." Rukia explains, since she wasn't really surprised with the results.
Kenpachi clears his throat from behind Rukia.
"Not bad." Rukia hears him utter, and she turns back to give him a look of surprise.
"Don't worry gentlemen, when we're done here today, you'll feel a lot better about the next time you have to approach someone, I'm going to show you the right way to do it, and then we'll begin to practice." Rukia announces, and all of the men have come to at this point.
Guy is staring at her like she's an alien, unable to believe she'd beaten him so thoroughly and with such ease.
"Ichigo. This time you be me, and try to stop me from apprehending you. I'll start." Rukia says, and Ichigo watches her closely.
Rukia comes in at him, and Ichigo reaches out to grab her, but she wraps her hands up in his shirt and then tosses him to the ground while he's still holding her. The impact of the hit makes him let go, and Rukia slaps handcuffs on Ichigo before some dirty thoughts start running through her mind.
We'll definitely have to get some of these handcuffs! He's sexy when he's helpless...