Author's Blurbs

Yeah, as I was preparing all my luggage to move, I just couldn't sleep. So I crapped out this chapter. Hopefully you all like it. But my previous warning of an ensuing delay in release of material still stands.

Chapter 3: Bedroom Burglar

"Damn Kisuke..." Yoruich muttered under her breath for what seemed the millionth time that morning. How that man managed to glean everything, yet rarely, if ever, reveal his own machinations...well, to put it frankly, it infuriated her to the core. And he managed the whole damn charade in that eccentric, yet endearing, way that only he could do. It was like being bested in combat by some half-wit child that was missing an arm. Or two.

She was in her cat form, seated upon a rather innocuous telephone pole that just so happened to overlook a certain orange-haired former pupil of hers. She had woken up early this morning, and having heard from grinning Kisuke that her student had finally returned home to Kakura town, she had hastened over as fast as possible to his house, only to find herself at loss at how to broach the subject. Exactly how should she handle it? She was a creature of action, not used to dealing with such sensitive subjects.

There was always the possibility that her fears were unfounded, that the next few weeks would be rather uneventful (relatively speaking for someone that was now a substitute Shinigami) and the help Kisuke hinted at would arrive. But what if she was wrong? To have someone of that power running loose would be bad, very bad...

So there she sat, tail twitching with annoyance as she watched the orange-haired kid sprawled about his bed like some haphazard accident, snoring without a care. She had to admit it was a rather eye opening sight, to see the normally energetic kid look so peaceful. Yoruichi liked it far more than the loud mouth hot-head she normally associated with the name Kurosaki Ichigo.

She allowed her mind to wander a bit. Should she tell him of the real danger he was in? Or would it be better to just remain nearby, until a better idea came up? She knew that Kuchiki Rukia lived in Ichigo's closet. Maybe she could recruit the young Shinigami's help? Yoruichi dwelled on that thought for a bit, exploring the possible outcomes. She found it more appealing than just sitting about watching the small bubble inflate and deflate from Ichigo's nose.

With a satisfied purr that can only result from finally having a course of action to take, she leaped from the pole, noiselessly landing on the windowsill. It was child's play to extend a subtle thread of reiatsu snaking out through the glass, unlocking the window from the inside. I guess I give a new definition to the term 'cat burglar', she thought with sly grin as she heard the latch click open. Wedging her claws under the window, she easily edged it open and was soon walking about Ichigo's room like she owned the place.

Being it was the first time she had ever been in Ichigo's room, and the fact that she was a cat (curiosity and what not), she felt she could tarry a bit and poke around. It was only like three AM anyway.

She was amazed at how clean it was and that she actually liked how it smelled, her nose twitching here and there to try and catch all the subtle variations wafting about the air. It was a bit musky, with just the slightest touch of the cedar that his father or sisters used to clean. The smell was very close to that which hung around her orange-haired pupil when he was out and about, only it was pointedly more distinct, so she filed the smell of the room into the file of her brain reserved for Ichigo.

Acting on impulse, she leaped up on his dresser, only to be greeted with a disappointingly bare result for her efforts, for it only contained a single picture frame. Peering a bit closer at it, she allowed her eyes to slowly adjust to the darkened room, and momentarily her purring (something she often did involuntarily) stopped with surprise. It showed an obviously young Ichigo smiling with a freedom she didn't normally associate with him, and a beautiful young woman she could only guess was his mother hugging him and throwing the photographer a peace sign. Yoruichi could almost feel the love between the two, and she immediately felt guilty for her brazen breach of privacy, like she was witnessing something sacred that should only be for those involved. And it also surprisingly caused a twinge of jealousy in the depths of her heart, not that she would ever admit such a thing.

The rest of the room was remarkably bare for someone of Ichigo's age, almost devoid of personality. It kind of made sense, she figured. Ichigo didn't seem to be the smiling boy in the picture anymore, he seemed one to be out and about, not sitting in his room decorating. Doing her best to shrug off her negative feelings, she then padded over casually to the closet that she knew housed Kuchiki Rukia. Be rude...or polite...? After a few moments, she decided to catch this particular fly with honey.

Extending her claws, she started scrapping at the door, taking a bit of perverse pleasure at wood shavings that was the result. Harder, and harder until finally she was rewarded with a rather groggy "Wah? Wh– yawn What'dya want, Ichigo?" A bedraggled Rukia peered out of her closet, but neglected to look down.

The daughter of the noble Kuchiki clan...wears ducky pajamas...? It took all of Yoruichi's admittedly low willpower to not burst out laughing. "Down here, Rukia." she said, taking a bit of pride in the fact that she managed to hide the slight waver of a giggle that ran from her throat to the tip of her tail.

"Huh?" Rukia said, rubbing her eyes to clear the last vestiges of sleep, "What're you doing here, Yoruichi?"

"We have to talk. Mind if I...uh...come in?"

"Huh? Uh, sure." She opened the closet, looking a bit self-conscious at the whole "living in a boy's closet" thing.

"Nice place you got here." Yoruichi said, more to break the ice than anything else.

"I live in a closet." Rukia dead panned. So much for social politeness.

"Ah well, I guess you want to get down to business then?"

"I'm tired. So yeah, not meaning to be rude, but it would be really nice. I got a test tomorrow...err...today."

Yoruichi nodded and told Rukia her tale, though she tried to keep it as neutral as possible, deliberately leaving out the worst of her fears. The threat of total insanity and uncontrolled rampages usually had an opposite effect of keeping someone calm and composed. Still, by widening of her gray eyes and sharp intake of breath, it was obvious that Rukia probably came to the same conclusions Yoruichi had.

"This is serious...what can I do to help?"

Yoruichi had curled up on the pillow, turning her head and allowing her piercing yellow eyes to fall upon the pensive face of the girl. "Well, first let's start with the simple things. Should we tell him? You know him far greater than I, so I assumed it was wise to consult you first."

Rukia's lips pursed thoughtfully. After a few moments of thought, she shook her head slowly. "No, no I don't think we should. He has a lot of things to deal with. Not only does he have to worry about all the normal headaches of a teenage boy, but now he has a double life. The life of a Shinigami. If we can avert this without his knowledge, I say why not?"

Yoruichi nodded her assent. "Same conclusion I had. So, what should we do? Every time the hollow comes out, it wears down his defenses. Making it easier each time."

"Well," Rukia began slowly, saying her thoughts as they formed, "Why don't we...I don't know, try to avert such things? Like keeping any hollows he fought to a minium."

"That idea sucks...but I don't see much of an alternative." Yoruichi hastily added before Rukia could release her wrath at the harsh criticism.

"Well, then, am I to assume your help in this?"

Now it was Yoruichi's turn to get angry. "What?! Me? I already went out of my way to let you know all this. I don't see why I have to play babysitter too!"

"But I'm only one person, and Chad and Inoue hardly have the freedom to move about discreetly as you do. In addition, you're the only person, besides maybe Kisuke, around that can possible stop him if, knock on wood, he was to succumb to his hollow."

Yoruichi sighed, smacking her head in a very human-esque fashion, prompting a poorly concealed giggle from Rukia. Glaring at Rukia, she said. "Fine. What is it you want me to do?"

"What? You're asking me?"

"You know him better. Where would my skills best fit in?" Yoruichi smiled maliciously, let the Kuchiki brat be put on the burner.

"Uh...not sure. Why don't you just make up a reason to hang around him? Two is always better than one."

"So I'm a glorified babysitter?"

"Consider the alternatives."

She mulled it over, and with a grunt of displeasure, reached out a paw and opened the closet door with ease.

"If I am going to be here, might as well be comfy." With that, she jumped down, trotted noiselessly to the foot of Ichigo's bed. A quick wiggle of her haunches and small leap later, she was plopped rather comfortably on rumpled sheets on the corner. Circling a bit and pawing (cat habits die hard), she finally felt at ease enough to curl up in a tight ball, tucking her head in the folds of her own body.

It was a minor consolation that at least the smell of the room didn't drive her crazy. It was rather pleasant. With one last irritated growl, she allowed sleep to take hold, dreading what the morning may bring...