"Again," he said disinterestedly.

Nanao panted, but launched herself into another shunpo sprint to one end of the field and back to where he stood. It was a sweltering day and she was glad she'd peeled the top part of her uniform off to work in the tank top she was wearing beneath. Even in that she was sweating enough to make the material stick. It was a Thursday and she was grateful that she hadn't had to attend Soi Fong's classes earlier today as the 11th had chose to be particularly brutal this morning and Hisagi had accidentally gotten in a good hard hit with the wooden practice sword right to the bruised ribs she'd picked up on Tuesday. He generally tried to avoid hitting her bigger injuries and had spent a solid minute apologizing as she wheezed. Now if she could just survive Kuchiki, who never apologized for anything, she could go home, shower, and head out to meet her brother in the Rukongai. She hadn't seen him for about three weeks now since he'd had to keep his distance in the tense situation that was her and the Higuashi family, but she'd gotten a message from Shin this morning when she was out at the family's home that Mamoru wanted her to meet him this evening. As much as she liked spending time with Shin while with the Higurashi, it just didn't match up to getting to spend time with her brother.

A sudden kido blast nailed her in the temple and blew the glasses right off her face. "Pay attention," Kuchiki commanded coldly.

"Yes, sir, sorry, sir," she said contritely, picking the glasses up off the grass, and trying not to rub at her stinging temple. She sighed at the bent frame and placed them in her pocket to fix later.

"Again," he said lightly, glancing down at the stopwatch he was using to time her. She launched herself forward and back, trying not to show the strain of it and trying to ignore his analyzing eyes. "That's enough sprints for now. We'll take a run around the Seireitei to work on your form and then be done for the day."

Nanao groaned internally, but then reminded herself that she had voluntarily signed up for this, and no one liked to let her forget it. The 2nd took particular joy in telling her she could quit whenever she wanted to, and Soi Fon didn't seem inclined to disagree with them. Nanao asked Kuchiki where he wanted to go and then started the run as he easily paced her.

"All the power comes from you core," he lectured sounding bored. "You need to use less motion to achieve the same distance. If you overreach your stride you'll end up out in front of your center of gravity. If you're out in front of yourself you'll naturally land on your heel and thus slow yourself down with every step as the ground absorbs your energy. Increase the time that you are in the air, not the reach of your stride, and you increase your speed. Try to land on the balls of your feet right below your center of gravity."

Nanao listened closely and tried to shorten her stride to fit her own height, but still maintain her speed. It felt awkward and she wondered if she'd ever be able to copy Kuchiki's steady flowing gate. He'd actually suggested dance classes to help her, but currently Nanao just didn't have time. She did get a little bit of pleasure imagining a young Kuchiki forced through a dance class full of girls though. She bet they'd all squealed over him whenever he was out of earshot.

"Increasing your air time is not the same as bouncing," Kuchiki corrected sharply with a glare to emphasis his point. "You're wasting energy if you're expending it vertically. Only move forward, not up. Soften your knees and keep the stride fluid."

Nanao tried to adjust again and felt uncomfortable as she changed her normal running form. "Stop," he commanded in a tone that sounded as close to exasperated as Kuchiki was capable of. Nanao paused and tried not to act too out of breath or disheartened. She knew she was doing better already in the past few weeks, but Kuchiki liked to harp on the negative more than the positive.

"Ise-fukutaicho?" a voice said surprised. "Er, I mean, hello Ambassador Ise."

Nanao glanced to her left and realized they'd come to a halt in front of the 8th division gates. Her former 5th seat stood with a few division members looking at her in surprise and she frowned. Kuchiki must be intentionally trying to embarrass her. She bowed politely to the man and hoped she didn't make too much of an ass out of herself as she turned her attention back to Kuchiki.

"All of you motion needs to be moving forward. It helps if you move with a constant slight lean forward. This uses gravity to your advantage pulling your whole body forwards."

Nanao sighed quietly, but leaned forward to try and force her body into yet another slightly unnatural position.

"No," he reprimanded coldly. "Not from the waist. That will just make you stumble."

"I'm afraid I don't know what you mean then, Kuchiki Taicho," she sighed, severely conscious of squad members' eyes on the interaction and hoping to get this over with as soon as possible. She'd have snapped at them to get back to work, but realized in the nick of time that she no longer had the authority to do so, and kami only knew if Shunsui was even assigning them work anymore. She'd heard through the grape vine about some of the parties the 8th had thrown over the past weekend and she shuddered to think of the mess inside.

Kuchiki looked annoyed at her confusion, but simply moved up closer to her and started to adjust her stance. His touch surprised her so much she simply allowed it without comment. Kuchiki had never been a hands on teacher, and it was peculiar as he moved her into a very slight entire body lean with a supporting arm around her middle since otherwise she'd have just fallen over without the forward motion of running accompanying it. "Lead with your hips," he said calmly, his arm warm and firm around her waist. "Your hips are your driving force and where they lead your body will follow." His free hand moved down to press her left hip and adjust her posture once more.

"Yes, Kuchiki Taicho," she said, trying to ignore the whispering that had started up around them.

"Good," he said dropping his arm and hand and letting her regain her upright position. "Now start again, and use your hips."

Nanao nodded sharply, more than ready to get going, and launched into her shunpo again trying to lean forward, bend at the knees, and maintain her center of gravity. Kuchiki kept pace and corrected her when necessary. She'd quickly learned that Kuchiki's highest praise was simply silence as he was not big on verbal compliments. It was an odd, but not entirely unwelcome change from Kyouraku's cooing over the slightest thing she managed to accomplish.

The lesson came to an end shortly thereafter and Nanao tried to hide her relief. They said their polite goodbyes before Nanao groaned, realizing she was on the other side of the Seireitei and was still going to have to shunpo home. She was sure Kuchiki had done it on purpose just to be a bastard. She was going to have to use some of her stored up vacation days and take a week off simply to sleep if this kept up. Nanao was trying not to get discouraged, but currently she just felt like one giant sore muscle.

A half hour later she groaned in the hot water of her shower and daydreamed about a massage for all her aches and pains. She cut the thought off quickly as it only led to a very specific person administering the massage and all the usual things those massages turned into. Kami, she was horny. Nanao sighed and tried not to think about it, but she was missing the easy comfort and the guaranteed satisfaction of a steady relationship. It'd been easier before she dated Kyouraku and didn't know what she was missing. Now she occasionally found herself getting slightly turned on simply when she got pinned to the mat during training at the 2nd. Shunsui had liked to torture her occasionally by holding her hands pinned and not letting her do any touching till his say so, and it'd always driven her mad with want. Not that she hadn't gotten him back with a few good kido bindings even he had to struggle to break. She started to dry off and quickly managed to jar tender spots, which at least managed to distract her from her hormones. It wouldn't last long if the last few days were anything to judge by, but at least she always had a bruise handy to poke and distract herself.

After washing and changing she started walking to the Higurashi family's main compound at least feeling slightly more human. It didn't take her long to navigate the now familiar streets and slip inside.

"Nao-chan," she heard her brother call, and smiled over at him as he approached.

"Hello, Nii-san," she greeted.

He whistled as he looked her over. "Shin said you looked liked you'd been getting the crap kicked out of you daily."

"You say the sweetest things," she quipped as she accepted his hug gingerly. "I've missed you."

"Back at you Nao-chan," he replied with a sigh. "But it'd look bad for both of us if we spent too much time together."

"So what's with this evening?"

"Ah, Kei ordered me to give you a special treat because the Shinigami-chan was working so hard," he said with a laugh. "Plus I think he was tired of my moping."

Nanao raised an eyebrow, but followed along after him. She still hadn't entirely forgiven Kei for setting her up at the fights, but she supposed she couldn't fully blame him for simply exposing her weaknesses. After all she really wasn't a part of the Higurashi family. They had no reason to play nice. She knew more than a few shinigami that would have done the same to a lone yakuza trying to enter their ranks. They rounded a corner and walked towards the horse stable where two grooms were standing with fully tacked up horses.

"Nii-san?"

"I remembered how much you liked riding when we were kids," he said with a shrug. "I know you shinigami shunpo everywhere and thus don't keep horses, and I thought you might like to go for a ride."

"Can we really?" she asked, unable to hide the childish glee that entered her tone. The one thing she'd loved more than any other when Tanaka had taken them in was learning how to ride. It was something she'd had to give up when she became a shinigami and had had to try hard not to think about so as not to miss it terribly.

Mamoru laughed and threw an arm around her shoulders, which made her wince from injuries. "Hey, you should tell them to go easier on you," he said removing his arm and looking concerned. "You're just a girl after all."
"You're a brat," she said punching his arm.

"Well you're a bully," he argued back. "You be good or I won't let you ride."

"You said Kei wanted to do something nice for me," she countered. "He's higher up than you so he wins, and I get to ride regardless." She stuck out her tongue and flash stepped to the groom's side.

"Ah, that was pretty good shunpo baby sister," Mamoru said grinning over at her. "At least all those bruises aren't a total waste, ne?"

"Hurry up," she whined. "I want to ride."

"Didn't anyone ever teach you patience?" he demanded.

"Patience is for sissies. Come on or I'll go without you." The groom gave her a leg up and she slid into the saddle. It felt strange and oddly right all at once.

"Get your heels down," her brother corrected as he mounted up with practiced ease.

"Why is everyone scolding me constantly lately?" she asked with an overdone pout.

"Because you're always wrong," he replied laughing. "You haven't ridden in years. You're going to suck at it for a while."

"That's a reoccurring theme in my life right now," she said making a face.

"Don't be so hard on yourself," Mamoru said leading them out of the gate and onto the streets of the Rukongai. "You and I both know if you decided to whip out some kido we'd all be begging for mercy."

"Oh man, what I wouldn't give to kido the smirks off the 11th division's faces," she said with a dreamy sigh. It was actually a fantasy that'd played through her head on more than one early morning endurance training.

"Nao-chan," he said and then sighed. "You know you don't have to do this right? Why not just do the job as it is. The Higurashi would be more than happy to feed you some unimportant information in exchange for you keeping the position and not giving anything of significance to either side. It'd be better than the Shinigami sending in a spy we'd have to weed out."

"We can help each other nii-chan," she said shaking her head. "The Shinigami and the Higurashi don't have to be enemies."

"I still don't see what getting your ass kicked has to do with anything," he grumbled.

"I have to gain their respect. You know I can't do that as I am. Beyond that I'm tired of having everyone jump in front of me trying to take the hits for me."

"You think all this training will stop us?" he asked with a laugh. "You're my baby sister. If I can protect you I'm going to, regardless of whether you're a match for the whole Gotei 13 or not. I'm sure, despite everything, Kyouraku still feels the same."

"That sounded vaguely like a compliment," she said darkly, making a face at her brother.

"Hey, you forget I initially chose him for you," Mamoru said with a shrug, leading them down a more abandoned path out of the houses. "He's a good Taicho in that he protects his subordinates. That was the whole point. I just didn't think you'd ever start dating or sleeping with him. So all the bad stuff was your own fault."

"All men are annoying idiots," she stated with a humph of displeasure.

"And all women are nagging, too serious, complicated messes," he shot back with a grin.

"Only because you men make us that way," she argued with a laugh.

"Keep telling yourself that," he said easily. "Now your form still sucks, but you think you can just hang on if we go for a run across this field?"

"I can," she said quickly. She didn't care if she couldn't. It'd be worth the possible fall just to run all out on horseback again. Shunpo was great, but there was something about the thrill of riding fast through an open space that nothing could match. Heck, if she fell it'd just be one more bruise for the collection.

"Alright," her brother said happily and gave a brief signal kick to get his horse going. Neither of the animals needed to be told twice, and Nanao found herself laughing and clinging to the saddle and the reins as they flew through the field.

An hour later they dismounted back at the Higurashi stables, and Nanao groaned as she felt the saddle soreness invade her thighs and butt. One more thing she was going to have to work on.

"You look like you had fun," Kei's voice called out.

Nanao glanced up from dusting off her pant legs and saw her brother greet the man fondly. She stiffened a bit, but said hello and thanked him for the opportunity to ride.

"I was surprised when your brother said you liked riding," Kei replied calmly, obviously not the least put off by her cold attitude. "I figured most Shinigami would find shunpo vastly superior."

"Depends on what you want to do," she said with a shrug. "I just like horses and like the feeling of riding."

"Then you'll have to do it more often," Kei said casually. "I'd be happy to ride with you whenever you like if your brother isn't free to take you out."

"Back to being nice again then?" she said narrowing her eyes.

"When was I ever not nice?" he asked shooting an overdone bewildered look at her brother. Mamoru just snorted and started taking the tack off the horses. "Ah, the fights you mean? How could I know the woman would challenge you or that you'd be so badly prepared? When you arrived you said you were ready to go the distance. I had also assumed that they trained you shinigami."

"Just because I wasn't used to physical combat doesn't make me useless," she defended harshly.

"No it doesn't," he said. "But it does mean you'll never understand our way of life. Don't you remember growing up in the Rukongai? Every day was a physical fight with others or even just yourself to endure and carry on. Strength comes in the will to survive in all its forms. Some people don't have that, which is fine, but they'll never be Higurashi. Well, maybe they'll be a Higurashi's woman if they're lucky, but not really one of us."

"Don't get your hopes up," she said letting disgust fill her tone.

Kei laughed riotously at that. "You think I'd want you? Frankly you look too much like Moru-kun for my taste, luv. Besides I like my women drunk, loose, and flexible. What Kyouraku sees in you I wouldn't know, and that's saying something as I know he and I have hooked up with some of the same women at different times in the 1st district. They like to brag about bedding Taichos."

"Pervert," she said. She snatched a brush from her brother and started grooming her own horse hoping he'd go away.

"Aw, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings," Kei joked lightly. "I'd probably still sleep with you were you to offer, if that makes you feel better."

"Who'd want to sleep with you?" Nanao demanded.

"Pretty much every woman I've ever met," he said with a grin.

"Kami, I don't know how they could," Nanao said lightly. "I'd be in constant fear of being smothered by your ego."

"You're just jealous. Besides if that's what you're afraid of you could always be on top," he said with a laugh and then had the audacity to smack her on the butt.

It was more instinct than anything else that had her throwing the brush in her hands at his head to make him block the distraction and then whipping down to kick his legs out from under him only to pin him to the ground with her sword at his throat a moment later. "Don't touch me," she snarled enraged.

His eyes, darkened to the color of a stormy ocean, glinted up at her and a smirk curled his lips. "No need to be rash. I already said you could be on top." She growled and he continued calmly. "You're getting better after all, Shinigami-chan. Your right knee isn't stable enough though. I could knock it out from under you and have you pinned in a few seconds."

She corrected her posture stiffly, but didn't remove her zanpakutou from his throat. "I don't like to be touched."

"I know," he said unconcerned by the blade against his skin. "They'll waste you entirely."

"What?" she demanded.

Before she could truly react Kei got a leg between her own and flipped her up over his head. He was on her and grinding her into the ground before she could get her air back, and she felt every aggravated injury scream.

"Kei-san," she heard her brother say sharply. Kei ignored him entirely.

"Don't make yourself too useful, luv," he rumbled. "We may just never let you go." That said he released her from the dirt and with the return of his usual smile put his hand out to help her to her feet.

She ignored it and stood up on her own. She had quite a few kido spells she'd like to test out on the overconfident smiling bastard in front of her. What was his problem anyway?

A gong rang out around them and suddenly the doors on a building a block down from them opened with children spilling out. "Evening classes are out. You going to kill me in front of a bunch of kids?" Kei asked.

"Don't touch me again, or I won't waste time wrestling you. I'll just blow off your favorite appendage and be done with it," she said stiffly turning back to her horse. Kei just laughed and said a polite goodbye to her brother.

"He's trying to push your buttons and test you you know," Mamoru said with a sigh.

"To what end?"

"Ever hear the phrase know thy enemy?"

"I'm not the enemy," she stated firmly.

"Guilty until proven otherwise out here," Mamoru said with a shrug. "You're shinigami, that's enough. Kei-san always has to know the measure of everyone. It's in his nature. You'd be surprised how much I hated him when I first came here."

"But now you don't?" she asked lifting up her horse's foot to check its hoof.

"Now I realize that I wouldn't be half of what I am without him pushing me. He's not exactly kind, but he's not Tanaka either. Besides he's family."

"Nanao-san?" a small voice interrupted curiously, and she glanced up to locate the source. A boy stood there staring at her. It took her a minute to place him as he'd shot up a good foot in height and while still gangly had filled out much more since the last time she'd seen him.

"Ren-kun?" she asked lightly. "What are you doing here?"

"Shouldn't I be asking that?" he demanded and she nearly laughed at the haughty attitude he still possessed. "Aren't you a stinking shinigami?"

"I'm a stinking ambassador from the shinigami to the Higurashi family now," she said with a small laugh.

"You're the shinigami that got her ass kicked?" he demanded wide eyed.

"Just the way I always wanted to be known," she said with a groan.

"It's not that bad," Mamoru said laughing.

"Yeah, only because you find it funny," she argued.

"Egami-san?" Ren asked hesitantly, and shocked Nanao to no ends by bowing low when her brother turned his eyes on the boy.

"What's your name kid?" Mamoru asked good-naturedly.

"Ren, sir," the boy said quietly, and Nanao lifted an eyebrow. She'd never seen the respectful side of the boy.

"How do you know my sister, Ren-san?" Mamoru asked tolerantly.

"You're his sister?" Ren demanded looking at her in surprise. "Why would you become a stupid shinigami then?"

"Hey, he was the one that put me in the academy," she said jerking a finger over at her brother, who it was becoming more and more obvious was hero worshiped by the boy.

"Why would you do that, sir?" Ren asked in aw.

"I didn't want her to be in any real danger if you know what I mean," Mamoru said with a wink. "You know how shinigami just lay around and eat all day. Barely even work at all."

"Stop telling him lies you ass," Nanao said with a laugh.

"You're going to let her call you that?" Ren asked surprised.

"She's my baby sister, kid. What can you do?" Mamoru said with a long-suffering sigh.

"When did you get here Ren-kun?" she asked ignoring him.

"About a year ago I guess," he said with a shrug.

"I tried to find you after I got back to the Seireitei," she said with a smile. "All this time you were right here."

"Yeah, well I wasn't joining no stupid shinigami," he said stubbornly.

"I would never have expected you to," she said with a fond laugh, ruffling the boy's hair.

"Hey!" he said grabbing her wrist. "People are watching."

She glanced up and saw a group of boys hovering next to one of the school buildings and watching them. "Aw, is Ren-chan scared of being seen with the shinigami?"

"You are kind of a disgrace," the kid answered bluntly with a grin that set Nanao laughing again. "But I guess if your Mamoru-san's sister you can't be too bad."

"Well thank kami for that," she said.

"We've got horses to take care of, kid," Mamoru said dismissing him. "Come hit on my sister another time, eh?"

"I wasn't!" the boy said looking mortified.

"You saying you don't like me sister?" Mamoru teased.

"No, sir, I wasn't saying that either," Ren defended.

"Stop being mean," Nanao chastised. "He's just joking."

"Oh," Ren said flushing slightly. "Well, I'll see you later I guess." Ren bowed nervously to Mamoru and stuck his tongue out at Nanao.

"Kid," Mamoru called as he started away. "You the one that told the shinigami Taicho where my sister was when that old bastard had her?"

"Yes, sir," Ren said blushing again.

"I'm teaching a combat class tomorrow morning if you're interested in coming and observing," he said with a shrug. "5 AM sharp."

"Yes, sir. I'll be there sir!" Ren said nearly tripping over his own feet as he hurried back to his friends.

"That was kind of you," Nanao said with a smile. "You often get admirers like that?"

"Contrary to what you believe," Mamoru said with a grin. "I'm actually considered pretty cool out here. I've been in some of the bigger skirmishes with rival families, and I'm one of the few with high levels of reiatsu. Is the kid worth anything?"

"He's got enough attitude to probably see him through a few hits," Nanao said with a shrug. "I don't actually know him too well."

Her brother hummed to himself. "I'll keep an eye on him."

"Let me know how it goes," Nanao said smiling fondly. "I'm glad he's off the streets, at least."

"Nanao?" her brother asked after a few moments of silence in which they continued to brush their horses.

"Yeah?"

"How are you doing?"

"I'm fine," she said confused.

"I mean really," he clarified vaguely.

She sighed. "I'm doing ok. I know I'm getting my ass kicked right now, but it feels good in a strange way. Like I'm finally doing something."

"And Kyouraku?"

"What about him?" she said trying to sound casual.

"You're over him?"

Nanao laughed. "Hardly. I think about him when I go to bed and when I wake up every morning, but at least now sometimes I can go five minutes without him crossing my mind."

"Am I allowed to say I told you so now?"

She laughed and rubbed her horse's neck. "Fine, get it over with."

"I told you so," he said.

Nanao laughed again. "I think I liked being an only child better."

"Liar," he said simply. "Come on, let's put the horses away and we can go find Shin-kun for dinner. You can cook."

"Why am I always the one that ends up cooking?" she demanded.

"Because it's soooooo good when you do," he wheedled.

"Fine, stupid nii-san," she said with a smile.

"Love you too, baby sister."

A/N: So I was planning on using my birthday on Sunday to ask for reviews… now I'm hoping to use it as an excuse as to why this is out late :( Oh well, a little mid-week pick me up.

As for Kuchiki's shunpo teaching, I just took that from regular running training and hoped for the best. Please review all the same!