Me: I'm pretty sure this chapp gave me juvenile arthritus.
Rukia: (rolls eyes) Oh, what EVER.
Me: I hope y'all are enjoying the cake i gave you! Not to name names, because i don't want ANOTHER mob in front of my house demanding equal distribution of cake. AN AUTHOR'S GOTTA EAT TOO, DAMMIT!
Ruki: (sweatdrops) ...Enjoy.
The next day was, according to Byakuya, the last day of their mission. So Chiyoko was rather clingy.
In fact, Peyton spent the first half of the day carrying her around, having Rock-Paper-Scissors Tournaments, and helping her work the iPod.
Finally, Chiyoko decided to go give Matsumoto some attention (who was in a much better mood today, by the way).
As soon as she was far enough away, Peyton let out a sigh of relief, and Renji rolled his eyes. "You're WAY too nice to kids, you know that?"
"Hmm?"
"Why not just say 'Look, kid, I gotta fricking have room to breathe for a minute!'?"
"Firstly, that's mean. Secondly, it's not like a kid would LISTEN. They'd think it was a game."
"Well, then, pretend to kill them and give them Soul Burial. Game over."
Peyton sweatdropped. "See, THIS is why Ichigo said you should never reproduce."
Renji huffed moodily. "What makes YOU the kid expert?"
"Because she might as well BE one still," Rukia replied. Peyton nodded brightly. "She's so right!"
Renji nodded as well. "Well, I can't argue with THAT ONE..."
He and Rukia soon got onto the subject of juice boxes somehow, and Peyton was just considering asking Ichigo for a ride when she heard a rather loud "PSSST!"
She turned around with a sweatdrop to look at Senna. "Hey, got a minute?" She asked, waving spastically to get her attention as if Peyton wasn't already looking RIGHT at her.
"Umm..sure."
She walked towards Senna, who then proceeded to drag her until they were a good three yards behind Tetsuo and Arisu, who were talking in quick, quiet voices.
For a split second, Peyton wondered what was so serious that they could be discussing, but then Senna abruptly stopped, snapping her back to the issue at hand.
"Yeah? What's up?"
"I have a bit of a problem..."
"...Okay..."
"I think I'm getting the hots for a guy that I can't get them for, while still holding on to another one, and it's driving me INSANE!" She wailed.
Peyton cocked her head. "Who, Ichigo?"
"Well, yes and no...See, I've always sort of cared for Ichigo that way. ALWAYS. But now..."
She nodded, putting two and two together. "You're caught in the middle between him and Shiro."
Senna's breath came out in a whoosh. "Yes!"
"And so now you have to choose."
"Yes."
"And you don't wanna choose. On one hand, you've got Ichigo, who has a girlfriend."
"Which is you, who I happen to like quite a bit."
Peyton sweatdropped. "Well...Yeah, I kind of figured I was his girlfriend. But...Wait...Why is Shiro unattainable?"
Senna laughed. "Are you kidding? He's a NOBLE."
"So?"
"I'm from a village even poorer than the Rukongai! And he's a Noble. It just doesn't work here." Senna sighed, her amber eyes turning down a little at the corners.
"It's so cliché..."
Peyton grinned. "Exactly. Usually, the girl in love with the rich guy somehow finds out she's in fact royalty. OR she waits on a fairy godmother to help her out. Soooo, why don't you tell cliché fairytales 'Kiss my shinigami ASS!' and make the first move?"
Senna's usual mischievous grin returned. "...Hmm..That IS more my style!"
"Exactly!"
"But what if he doesn't feel the same?"
Peyton waved her off. "Bah, that's what an amateur worries about! You are a damn PRO, my friend. Besides, anyone with eyes can see the feelings are mutual. ...Well, except...I'm pretty confident that Shiro doesn't have many feelings for Ichigo..."
Senna chuckled at that, then clapped Peyton on the back. "You know what? You really are something else, even for human standards."
She smiled. "Just here to help."
FIVE HOURS LATER...
"Are we there yet?"
"No."
"Okay. ...How about now?"
"NO, Ms. Cullen."
"...And now?"
"No."
"Now?"
"No."
"Now?"
"No."
"Now?"
"No."
"Okay, NOW FOR SURE."
"Sorry, but no."
Rukia sighed and rolled her eyes as Peyton opened her mouth to continue. "Peyton, my brother has an unnatural tolerance for questions like these. He's not giving up any time soon."
"It's called patience," Ichigo added. "Ever heard of it?"
"No, and I'm surprised YOU of all people have," Peyton shot back.
"That's because I'm wise beyond my years."
"Oh, then you must be still in the infant stages. I TOLD YOU he had the maturity level of a five year old!" Matsumoto informed Toshiro, who smirked as Ichigo's temple throbbed.
He looked to Peyton, who just nodded proudly. "Yep, and I'm SIX!"
He sweatdropped. "Thanks for sticking up for me..."
"It's what I'm here for!"
"You're doing a great fricking job."
"I know. Hey, Captain Kuchiki, are we there yet?"
"No," he replied from a few feet ahead.
"Oh. And now?"
"No."
Ichigo groaned. "Oh, give it a rest already!"
"No way, it's too much fun!"
"How the hell is that FUN to you?"
"Because it's pissing you OFF," she replied, her smirk deepening as Ichigo's temple throbbed.
"Are we there yet, Byakuya?"
"No."
"And now?"
"No."
"Okay...NOW NOW NOW NOW NOW!"
"...No."
"Damn, I thought for sure I would be right that time. Okay, HOW ABOUT now?"
"No."
Ichigo finally just put a hand over her mouth. "Please, Byakuya, for the sake of all those in a five-mile radius...NEVER answer her questions ever again. EVER."
"Kurosaki, I outrank you both in social class, shinigami ranking class, and just plain class. I would apppreciate it if you wouldn't attempt to give me orders."
"He said please," Chiyoko pointed out from beside Matsumoto matter-of-factly.
Rukia stifled a laugh as Byakuya sighed as quietly as possible. "...Yes, I am aware he said please. That does not change the fact that it was a command."
"But if it were a COMMAND, he wouldn't have said PLEASE," Chiyoko insisted.
"She phwas a foint," Peyton added, muffled by Ichigo's hand.
"What?"
"I THAID-"
"What was that?"
"Feez, twat's da mavver wiff yoo!"
"I'm sorry, I speak English, Japanese and a little Spanish. I have no idea how to speak RUH-TARD, Peyton."
"FAMMIT, HICHIGO, GET YOUR VAND OTT OV MY MOOF!" Peyton yelled, making him laugh and remove his hand.
"I SAID...She has a point," she concluded importantly before glaring at Ichigo. He just ruffled her hair. "Didn't want you to get hoarse asking Byakuya if we were there yet over and over."
"Oh, well aren't you kind."
"I know. I think I was born with it."
She rolled her eyes. "Debatable."
"Yep. Some would disagree and say I was LESS KIND in their eyes, but you and I know better, hmm?"
"If you were so kind, you'd give me a ride."
"Hop on."
"You really ARE kind when you wanna be!" She exclaimed happily as she jumped on as if it were daily routine.
Which, by this point, it was getting to BECOME daily routine.
"They're the funniest lovers I have ever seen!" She heard Chiyoko whisper to Matsumoto, who just chuckled.
"That's because they're the stupidest."
"HEARD THAT," They both snapped, making Chiyoko giggle.
LATER THAT NIGHT...
"Well, we have finally arrived, right on schedule. The safer safehouse," Byakuya announced. Several yawns were heard, along with the distinct sound of Ichigo narrowly escaping a punch from an unconscious Peyton as he attempted to wake her up.
"Crap, your aim's gotten better!"
"Hmm? What happened?"
"We're here."
She immediately snapped out of groggy mode. "Yay!"
Matsumoto didn't even bother waking Chiyoko up, but handed her over to Senna, who had been empty-handed during most of the trip.
"Your turn with the deadweight."
Tetsuo chuckled and bowed his head as a sign of thanks for their help; both Soul Reapers returned the gesture.
"Captain Kuchiki, I cannot thank you enough for your services. And for bringing with you such a magnificent squad."
Byakuya was about to give his modest reply when they heard shuffling and the door to the safer safehouse open from the inside.
Out poked a head, on which was beautiful features and wavy brown hair. She grinned at them all. "Ah, you have finally arrived. We've been waiting for my father's and siblings' safe return."
Tetsuo immediately rushed to greet her. "You and your mother? You're here, you really are!"
Byakuya's brows furrowed. "I thought the other family members were to be placed in a different safehouse."
Peyton and Renji looked at each other. "Does anyone else have a red flag popping up in their head?" She whispered.
Senna inched closer towards Arisu and Shiro protectively, nodding. "I feel it too. Something isn't right."
The woman waved Byakuya's question off with a laugh. "I missed my father. Is that so awful?"
"No, but endangering the well being of your Noble House is," Rukia replied.
The woman's eyes narrowed just a bit as she hugged her father, and the knot in Peyton's stomach grew a little.
Those eyes weren't narrowing JUST towards Rukia. Watching tons of episodes of Lie To Me back-to-back had finally paid off!
"Oh, forgive me. This is my daughter, Yashuu Miyamoto."
She nodded at the others; Arisu moved to greet her sister, but Senna shook her head. "No, wait. Something just does NOT seem right about this..."
Peyton realized why something felt so off. She touched Ichigo's arm. "Listen."
"...I don't hear anything..."
She nodded. "Exactly. No bugs, no animals, no wind...nothing."
Byakuya eyed the partially-closed door suspiciously. "Miyamoto-san, where exactly is your mother?"
She waved him off with a laugh. "Why, Captain Kuchiki! Inside, of course. You are more than welcome to take a look. Stay the night, even. I am positive you and your squad are weary."
Tetsuo pulled away from his daughter to open the sliding door, and walked in. "It is quite dark in here, Yashuu..."
"IDIOT, GET THE HELL OUT OF THERE!" Ichigo shouted, running for the entrance.
Peyton felt static in the air; it was about to storm.
The Soul Reapers now had their zanpakutos drawn, tensed up and ready for battle. It was quite obvious SOMETHING was wrong...
Sure enough, they heard Tetsuo shout, and clashing of blades. Hoping it was an enemy Ichigo could see, Peyton ran in anyway and strained to see in the dim light.
He was currently fighting one floating blood stain of a ninja, but couldn't see the ninja approaching his right. She took that one out for him, and Tetsuo was in the corner, kneeling beside something.
"Get him outta here!" Ichigo told her, finishing off the other ninja. Peyton nodded and approached him before sucking in a breath.
He was kneeling beside a body. It must've been his wife, because he kept saying "Dearest Yae" between sobs.
She gently grabbed his arm and dragged him to his feet. "C'mon, sir. You're of no use to her dead, she needs you to keep going right now, alright?"
"No...Not my Yae..." He muttered in reply. She sighed and pulled him out. Ichigo wasn't far behind, and when they got outside, they were greeted with an interesting sight.
Yashuu was branch-hopping and occasionally flash-stepping towards a wooded area, the Soul Reapers hot on her trail. All save for Senna, who was doing her best to fend off assassins.
Tetsuo collapsed as soon as they were outside, a sobbing mess. "Yae...Why, Yashuu, why your mother? WHY?"
Ichigo glanced in the direction of the wooded area, and Peyton gave him a little shove. "Go."
"But-"
"GO."
He hesitated, then nodded. "You be careful."
"YOU be careful," she replied. He squeezed her arm before running after the others. Peyton sighed and looked down at Tetsuo.
"Sir, no offense, but this isn't a good time to blubber. Your children are in danger now, too. I suggest you come with me and get close to them, before they lose their dad, too."
She and Senna were soon on opposite sides of the remaining Miyamotos, who were either sobbing, asleep, or shocked into wide-eyed silence.
Peyton was being careful to use her ability as little as possible, relying mostly on the martial arts Urahara and 3rd grade karate had taught her.
She had a feeling something bigger was coming.
But for now, there were at least forty ninjas around them. One move after another, she helped take them out, saving Senna's ass on more than one occasion and having her own saved a few times as well.
Finally, only two remained. Senna took him/her out, but not before getting yet another wound. This one was down her leg, and was losing blood quickly.
Peyton took care of the other one, whose blade was inches away from Shiro's head, then saw Senna's shoulders slump a little more out of the corner of her eye.
"You're losing too much blood," Peyton informed her as she ripped off a few strips of her jeans and tied them tightly around the ones losing the most blood.
"Thanks, Captain Obvious," Senna replied between pants.
"No problem. I never thought the health class I'm taking for more credits could ACTUALLY pay off any time soon..."
"Credits? What are those?"
"A sick little game invented by those in charge of education. Consider yourself lucky you don't know about them," Peyton replied with a temple throb.
Senna smiled a little at that, but they felt reiatsu swiftly approaching. They turned in that direction to see a man that looked rather important approaching.
"Very interesting. Well done, Soul Reapers."
Senna was about to reply there was only one, but Peyton nudged her with her foot as a sign to let it go.
Peyton's old habit kicked in; the one that made her say stupid things under pressure. "You know...You look like a samurai and ninja mashed together. Ran over by Green Day."
"Excuse me?"
"Well, you know...With that armour on your arms and legs, and all the black...But with the colors and style, I could SO see you playing drums for 'American Idiot' or 'Basket Case'. You know, Green Day."
"What kind of insane ramblings are you speaking, woman?"
"Hey, I'm not INSANE, I just have a different reality than you! Literally. I mean, I think you've got guts to dress like that. In my world, you'd probably end up getting whacked over the head with a lead pipe in an alley somewhere."
"WHAT?"
"That's a New York City welcome. In my old town, you'd probably be a victim of firecrackers. Maybe a roman candle. I'd take the firecrackers, if I were you. That's a Southern Boy welcome for you."
"...I DON'T UNDERSTAND!"
"Don't feel bad. No one does. Not even me! It's just the way things work in the South. But we have sweetened tea, so it's all good!"
The strange guy drew his sword with a shake of the head. "Enough of this. Your mind games will not work on me."
"Mind games? Trust me, if I were playing mind games with you, you'd be in a lot worse shape. But I'm in a bad mood, so I feel like doing something worse to you."
He smirked and gripped the hilt a little tighter, forming a battle stance. "Then, let us begin."
"Um...Peyton...I dunno if this is a good idea..." Senna whispered. Obviously she thought she was going to have to save Peyton's ass.
She was about to reply, but then lightning lit up the sky, and her smirk grew into a rather insane grin.
Hollow Ichigo would be proud.
"...Perfect. Lightning. Let's dance, douchebag."
MEANWHILE...
This Yashuu chick was a lot harder than they thought. She was bending in and out of auras, flitting around them so quickly it made it hard to see.
Finally, Byakuya landed a blow to her arm, making her falter a bit.
Rukia took that chance to land one across her middle, and that pissed her off quite a bit. She flipped to perch onto a tree, looking down at them.
"Why'd you do it?" Ichigo asked. "What's the point?"
Yashuu shifted her gaze down to him. "Point? The POINT is for rank. I am the eldest; I should be the trusted daughter, next in line. I even joined the Soul Reaper Academy, and was excelling! Yet Arisu, my younger sister, is still favored as the next in line. It is not logical! I am the eldest; ME. I should be respected..."
"So you killed your mother for respect? How the hell do you figure that one's gonna work out!"
Her green eyes flashed angrily; they could see it all the way down there. Lightning continued to flash across the sky, and the wind was picking up.
"You think I killed my mother for respect? She was collateral damage; she found out about my alliance with the Iga Clan."
"So YOU are responsible for the assassins," Matsumoto clarified.
"You catch on fast, Lieutenant Matsumoto," was her reply, zanpakuto drawn.
"You see, as far as the rest of the shinigami are concerned back in the Seireitei, we were unfortunately overpowered by assassins in our safehouse. My mother was missing, and I was the sole survivor. I traveled here, prepared to finish off my siblings myself. Along the way, I found my mother in the woods, half-starved. I played the role of a good daughter, helping her along. We stayed here, waiting for your arrival. But the Head of the Iga Clan came to me during the middle of the night two days previous, discussing your strength and how none of his assassins were returning. Save for one. My mother overheard the whole thing."
Yashuu brushed the bangs out of her eyes, tucking them behind her ears. "What was I to do? Let all our hard work go to waste? So I disposed of her; merely an hour before your arrival, as a matter of fact."
Ichigo gripped Zangetsu even tighter. "That's just despicable. Doing all this, letting your family die, all for a social rank. What the hell's wrong with you?"
Yashuu narrowed her eyes, then nodded. "Now I remember. You must be that substitute shinigami everyone was talking about a while back; the one with bright orange hair that helped expose Aizen. Kurosaki Ichigo. No wonder you are so naiive to the workings of Soul Society and its leaders."
She then glanced up at the sky as the lightning was accompanied by a sapphire-purple flash, streaking across the sky, one after another.
She smirked. "That must be the girl the surviving assassin mentioned. The one who could see the auras. It all makes sense now. She should be plenty of fun for the Head."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
Yashuu just chuckled and shunpoed to stand beside Renji, landing a blow to his side before he even knew what was happening.
"Gah! I should've seen that coming," he groaned as he quickly recovered and nullified her reiatsu-packed combo attack.
As an all-out battle ensued, Ichigo heard Hichigo in the back of his head between attacks. "You heard the psychopath, King. The Head. She must mean the Head Honcho of the Iga Clan. Does our Peyton really stand much of a chance?"
"Shut up, she can take care of herself."
"Oh really? You know this for a fact, do you? You don't know how many ninjas he could have backing him up right now. What if the other chick already KO'ed? That leaves our little old Peyton, all by herself, fending off the most lethal of the ninjas."
"Shut up! And she's not 'ours', you dickhead!"
"Tch, shows how much YOU care about her whereabouts, ya asshole. C'mon. You'll never win in time if you don't lemme help you."
"I don't need you, and Peyton doesn't need me!"
"How would you know? Urahara may be a former Captain, but we don't even know for a fact what she DOES. She could shoot out fucking rainbows and kittens or something for all we know. She doesn't stand a damn chance, and you know it."
"Yes she does, now shut the hell up!"
Hichigo's voice turned into an all-out smug tone. "Just five minutes. Come ooooonnnn. You knooowww you're doubting her. Just lemme have control for five minutes, King."
FORTY MINUTES LATER...
The creepy samurai-dude took a much longer time to get to his feet. Peyton formed a ball of the spirit energy in her hand, panting heavily but still managing to glare rather ominously at him.
He gripped his sword and chuckled. "You are quite the challenge. I knew you could see the auras, but I had no idea you could harness such a power."
She shrugged, wincing as pain shot up her shoulder. "I thought ninjas were supposed to always be prepared, and expect the unexpected?"
They resumed battle, charging at each other. She burnt the side of his face, he landed a blow to her temple.
Another streak of lightning flashed in the sky, and she harnessed its energy again, blasting him in the chest.
He flew back, and this time, he didn't get up.
Peyton shuffled over to the Nobles, who were still stunned speechless. "...I think we should be alright now," she informed them, ignoring Senna's "WATCH OUT!" and landing another blast in the samurai's face as he tried to sneak up on her.
Arisu finally found her voice. "...How did you know he would attack?"
Peyton smiled and slid to the ground, exhausted. "When you've watched scary movies for as long as I have, you learn a few things. The bad guy almost always 'comes back to life' for one last scare."
She used the back of her hand to wipe away some blood that came close to trickling into her eyes and sighed heavily. "Well, that was fun."
Senna laughed, and Chiyoko inched a little closer so she was between Peyton and Arisu, nearly in Peyton's lap.
"I don't know what the hell you did, but you sure impressed ME," Senna commented.
Peyton smiled. "Thanks. That's what dad and my math teacher said when I passed my winter finals with flying colors."
She looked towards the wooded area, where the clash of metal and shouting could still be heard over the thunder and wind.
"Do you think they're okay?" Chiyoko asked worriedly.
"Yep."
Arisu cocked her head. "You aren't worried about Kurosaki-san?"
Peyton shook her head brightly before yawning. "Of course not. Ichigo always wins."
TEN MINUTES LATER...
Toshiro was the one to land the final blow. Yashuu collapsed, struggled to her feet, took two steps, and collapsed again.
She trembled as several zanpakutos were raised at the ready, but then she smiled a little. "You know, I was going to kill them in their sleep. That way, they wouldn't know what happened. Maybe that way they would sleep forever, and the pain wouldn't be so bad..."
Ichigo lowered his zanpakuto slowly. "That's a good theory."
He put it back in its sheath; she was pretty close to death, anyways. "But I still hold no respect or sympathy for the likes of you."
She frowned. "I wouldn't expect an Outsider to understand how Nobles must go through life. You humans have it lucky, remember that." A few moments later, she was dead.
Byakuya was the last to sheath his zanpakuto, and Matsumoto made a clicking noise with her tongue. "How ironic. She killed to get respect, but died without any."
Toshiro nodded. "Well said, Leiutenant."
Matsumoto smiled a little, then her eyes widened. "Oh, wait! What about Peyton and Senna, and the others?"
Everyone headed for the safehouse, but Toshiro lagged behind to walk with Ichigo, who was currently trying to get a gash on his chest to stop oozing.
"How did you resist the urge to unleash your Hollow? I am almost certain he would have used Peyton to gain control."
Ichigo shrugged. "Simple. He's full of shit, and I know she'd win."
"How do you know?"
He rolled his eyes. "This might be hard to believe, but I actually happen to believe in my girlfriend. Besides; Did you see all that purple stuff in the sky? I saw the same thing when she defeated Bount Boy. I'm sure she could kick a ninja's ass any day."
Toshiro chuckled. "Well, I guess there's always that. AND there's always the fact that she can harness electricity in the air to flow through her and aid her in attacks at will."
Ichigo stopped mid-step. "...She can WHAT?"
Toshiro kept walking, and he ran to catch up.
"Wait, wait, no no no NO! That's not fair, that's so cool! WHY THE FUCK CAN'T WE DO THAT? DON'T YOU EVEN TRY TO TELL ME MAYURI HASN'T FIGURED OUT HOW YET!"