This english it's killing me!
Anyway! Another soon update! enjoy!
The light at the end of the tunnel appeared.
"Are you ready?" asked Rukia.
"You bet" Ichigo answered and before he could make that last jump he grabbed her hand. He wanted to tell her that starting this moment he "will ever let go of her hand again" but then the light surrounded them and the next thing he knew was that he entered in Soul Society. He suddenly begun to hear voices, whisperings, enthused exclamations and as his sight become clear he saw In front of him the whole Gotei 13: "It truly is Ichigo!" , "Finally he arrived!", "Thank god!" , "Now can we move on ,please?"
His eyes widened shocked. Everyone was there: Ukitake, Kyoraku and Nanao, Unohana and Isane , Shinji, Kinsan, Haisagi, Hinamori, Hitsaguya and Rangiku, Kenpachi along with Yachiru and Ikkaku …even Soi fon with her lieutenant and Kurotsuchi were there… And surprisingly, they all seemed excited to see him.
"It's been a while!" said Ukitake as he approached to greet him.
"My, my… the boy looks quite shocked" Kyroaku added. "Maybe we shouldn't have barged in like this…"
" He's the one who barged in! Soi fon commented stiffed. "And now that we gave our greetings we should go back to our posts!"
"Ichiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!" Yachiru yelled and jumped in Ichigo's arms. "Tell me! Tell me! Did you bring candies?"
Still shocked, Ichigo smiled politely, still unable to answer.
"Drop the candies, Yachiru…" a harsh voice replied. " Ichigo and I, we have a fight to finish."
Ichigo lift his gaze and saw Kenpachi. His smile suddenly disappeared.
"No!... No fight it's allowed until I'll make some investigations." Kurotsuchi answered annoyed and he approached Ichigo. "My boy, don't misunderstand me… I don't like either this slushy and noisy reunion … the only reason I'm here it's because I need to investigate your body and see the state of your reiatsu…"
Ichigo instantly backed off scared. Kurotsuchi gasped annoyed.
"Don't start with this again!.. Nemu, bring the tranquilization!"
Ichigo's eyes widened, but the next second Unohana appeared behind them.
"Kurotsuchi Taicho… any investigations of any kind, concerning Ichigo's body will be held at the 4th Division's headquarters."
"I don't want to hear it!" Kurotsuchi replied annoyed.
"I said… any investigations of any kind, concerning Ichigo's body will be held at the 4th Division's headquarters" Unohana repeated herself giving him her specific frightening glare.
"Oi! Oi! … You are suffocating the poor boy!" Shinji intervened. "Even though I must confess, Ichigo… I'm a little envious of all the attention you get!" then Shinji turned to the others. "So that's it people… now back off…back off!"
"Well it took you some time to get here… We've been waiting for you for almost an hour, now." A voice said.
"What?! An hour?!" Ichigo shouted astonished and saw next to him the red haired lieutenant.
"Renji!..." he hissed.
"Well don't stare like this!" he replied with a frown, but before Ichigo could add something Renji turned around shouting: "Oi! Rukia! Where are you going?"
That was right, in this agitation he almost forgot about her. He looked around but she wasn't anywhere.
"Well… come to your senses already, Ichigo!" Shinji added and dragged him. "It's time!"
"Already?" Ichigo said, thinking at the inevitable meeting with head commander.
"Well… I told Nanao and Rangiku that it's a little too early… But hey! Who can refuse a party anyway?" Kyoraku said.
"A party?!" Ichigo asked confused as he was being dragged by Shinji. "I thought that I was required to see the old man Yamamoto…"
"Don't worry, we'll get to that too!" answered Ukitake.
"Now it's paaaaaaarty tiiiiime!" Rangiku shouted.
"Matsumotoooo!" Hitsugaya yelled annoyed. "When are you going to give up organizing illegal and improper parties?"
"As a matter a fact this party it's being supported by the Shinigami Women's Association!" Nanao replied stiffed.
"And by the Shinimami Men's Association!" Tetsuzaemon added, but of course no one paid attention to him.
"And let me guess… if the SWA arranged this so called party, where will take place? At the Kuchiki manor?" Soi fon commented in her specific manner.
"Actually, that's impossible…" Yachiru answered as she climbed on Kenpachi's elbow. "Bya-kun has been in a bad mood lately… you know since Rukia-chan it's been away !"
"Since what?!" Ichigo hissed.
"Don't worry! Now, that she's back he'll recover…!... Soooo, Ichi, have brought candies?"
Ichigo's eyes widened.
"Come on! Let's hurry and get over with this party!" Kenpachi commented. "I want more time for fighting!"
Ichigo then looked around at all those happy and enthusiastic faces. He asked Shinji to put him down and stopped for a second.
"I want to thank you…" he said suddenly.
Everyone turned to him surprised.
"I didn't think that you guys would be so glad to see me! I mean, I thought you'd all would start to preach me for reaping the sealer… instead you all waited for me an hour and you're even throwing a 'welcome party'…"
"Don't get too carried away just because we waited for you an hour!" Ikkaku replied.
"And don't get the wrong idea… " Soi Fon added. "Not everyone it's here… Komamura and Kuchicki are missing!..."
"That's because Komamura Taicho it's away in a mission…Otherwise he would have come! And Kuchiki Taicho…I guess that's just him!"Ranguku replied as she took Ichigo in her arms almost suffocating him with her breasts. "
"Rangiku-san… I believe you are asphyxiating him…" Hinamori said worried.
"But I juuuuust can't help myself! Ichigo has grown in such a cute and handsome man!" she replied.
"I'm not cute!" Ichigo hissed as he was choking.
"If you don't like cute, than, maybe you prefer hot? I know! I will call you hottie!"
"Matsumotoooo!" Histsaguya growled. "Behave yourself!"
"Oooh!,,, I think this will make Rukia jealous" Yachiru commented. "… But where is she? I don't see her…"
"She left already…" Kenpachi answered.
"Maybe she went to see Bya-kun…"
.
.
Holding a big bouquet of flowers Rukia entered the Kuchiki manor, heading to Byakuya's study. She knew that the room was empty because at this hour Byakuya should have been already at his headquarters . Even so, before entering, she knocked on the door. Given that she received no answer, she finally entered and approached his desk, where she would find Hisana's memorial shrine.
"Happy Birthday, One-san" she whispered and headed the flowers, but then she stopped with her eyes getting bigger. The shire was missing.
She remained there for a couple of seconds, looking at the empty spot and then a crazy idea crossed her mind. 'No, that couldn't be possible!' she told herself. Even so, she got out of the study and headed herself to the backyard where the main Kuchiki shrine was. She approached and with more than surprise she discovered Hisana's picture next to the others memorial stones.
'Does this mean that Nii-sama has finally freed himself?'
"Such a useless thing to celebrate the birthday of a dead person isn't it?" a voice spoke behind her.
Rukia startled and when she turned around, her heart skipped a beat.
"Nii-sama…" she hissed.
"I see you haven't forgotten your sister, Hisana… But now the time had come for her to find the peace and the rest of her soul"
Rukia's eyes widened.
"What's wrong, Rukia?...Are you surprised to see me?" Byakuya asked impassively.
Rukia opened her mouth a couple of time, and then she looked at her sister's picture. Indeed it was a surprising gesture from Byakuya, but nonetheless a welcomed one. She thought that words were useless in this situation so she decided to act as if nothing extraordinary had happened.
"Indeed, Nii-sama … it's surprising to see you here. I was expecting you to be at your office"
"I'm in my lunch break" he replied emotionless.
Rukia lift her eyebrows confused. A lunch break during morning? Then her eyes widened again: 'Impossible! Did he skipped work to be here!'
"How was your trip to the real world?" Byakuya asked.
"A lot happened…" she asked with a tired voice. " As you already know, Ichigo ripped the sealer… For the moment everybody seems to be in a good mood. They're even throwing a party … so at least for the moment, I don't have to worry…"
"You worry about him?" Byakuya asked clearly unpleased.
She turned her gaze to the direction of the Gotei 13's headquarters with a dreamy expression.
"You wanted to attend the welcome party?" he asked.
"Oh!..i.. I'm sorry!" she replied immediately. "I didn't mean to…"
"Don't worry, Rukia… we have our own party to attend to…" he added.
"A party?" she asked surprised.
"Indeed. But we'll discuss about this later…Now I want to know if anything strange happened into the real world, unrelated ,of course, to Kurosaki Ichigo."
"Well…" Rukia begun.
"Perhaps we can do this while serving a cup of tea" He added. "Because, considering the hour, I believe you already have breakfast"
"Actually…" she begun and a slight blush appeared on her cheeks.
"Don't tell me Kurosaki Ichigo isn't feeding you properly." Byakuya replied slightly annoyed.
"I…i…He…" try Rukia to say.
"I will ask for breakfast to be prepared immediately." He concluded and headed to the house.
They both walked side by side and after a couple of silent minutes during which each of them took the time to feel at ease around the other, they started to talk.
"How were these two days for you Nii-sama?"
"I would say… eventful…"
"So as mine…I even released bankai in a fight…"
His eyes widened.
"Were you able to control it?... Tell me more about it!"
"Oh!... I believe I'll have to start with the beginning… So, I was on my way to the Kurosaki residence when the whole town was filled with…"
.
.
"She opened her eyes and before that terrible headache could take control over her, she encountered Lieutenant Renji Abarai's sleeping face. Then she noticed that she was laying on the top of him. A slight frown appeared on her forehead as she tried to recall what happened last night. The last thing she remembered was that she was watching Renji's struggles to make feel at home in his room. In that moment she was thinking of how much she enjoyed spending time with him… and how hot those tribal tattoos were… but of course, she didn't thought for a second of how drunk she was. Then the next thing she remembered was that she turned off the light and pushed him on bed… than everything went black in her mind. Did something actually happen last night? Renji was half naked… Her dress was unzipped. The possibility was high. She pulled her dress and looked in her décolletage.
"Hmmm" she stated. "Nothing happened after all'
She was still wearing her bra. That was her main clue that the moment she lost her memories was also the moment she blacked out… She never puts on her bra on after a passionate night. Actually she never put her clothes on after that… Usually she just sleeps naked.
She smiled. Renji had an interesting expression when he was sleeping.
"I'll see you again…" she whispered and kissed the top of his nose. After that she got up, and before leaving the room she wrote him a note: "Thank you for having me here last night. To return the favor I'll let you an invitation to a party that my family it's giving this Saturday. Your captain will be there too, so there will be at least two familiar faces to count on. I'll be waiting for you. Haruna"
"Stop day dreaming!" a voice shouted annoyed.
Haruna startled and the memory of her romantic morning was dispelled. Back to her house, in the main room, along with her younger sister, younger brother and her mother she prepared herself to listen to her old man's preach.
"It's been less than two days since you're back and you're already skipping the nights from home!"
"I've been sleeping at Toto's…" she answered with boredom.
"You're lying!" Goroza Ryoing replied. "You've been drinking all night!"
Haruna's eyes widened and she immediately put a hand over her mouth.
"You can sense it? It's my breath?" she hissed.
Goroza rolled his eyes with a hopeless expression. Then he approached his son who was silently reading a book.
"Please do something about her!" he begged.
The boy raised his eyes from the book with an impassive expression.
"Why me? Ask mom."
Then Goroza turned himself to the middle aged lady who stood in the corner, sewing tapestry. She raised her eyes surprised:
"I'm not meddling into this! You're the one who's getting along with her!" she replied.
The man gasped annoyed so the youngest daughter got up and approached Haruna .
"I know what would cheer up our father, Haruna!" the girl said. "Let's review the guest list for the welcome party!"
"Well , it's simple…" Haruna replied. "We'll invite Toto…"
"Of course! He's at the top of the list!" Goroza said proudly.
"… And his lieutenant, Abarai Renji. I just met him! Interesting person…" Haruna added.
A deep frown appeared on Goroza's forehead.
"So it's him the one you spend the night with!" He snapped.
Haruna rolled her eyes with boredom.
"Renji Abarai…" the youngest sister stated thoughtfully. "I know him … He kind of looks like your type…" then she approached her older sister whispering: "Did you truly sleep with him?"
"Of course she did…" the brother stated objectively.
Goroza growled exasperated and then the whole family entered into a long discussion concerning Haruna's lovers and improper behavior. Choosing to not meddle herself into this, she turned her gaze to the window. A slight frown appeared on her forehead as her eyes looked into the direction of the Gotei 13's headquarters.
"Something's happening there…" she stated.
"It's the party the captains are giving for Kurosaki Ichigo…" Goroza replied.
"And who's this Kurosaki Ichigo?..." she asked confused.
"A human…" the father answered.
"A human? In Soul Society?! And the captains are throwing a party for him!" she commented stunned.
"Well… he saved this place a couple of time. I believe it's only a natural courtesy..."
Haruna was still confused.
"Well, darling… a lot happened during the 60 years you've been gone…" the father added and he started to relate the whole story of Aizen's betrayal and the war with the Vandenreich . As this Kurosaki Ichigo character became clear in front of her eyes, a deep frown approached her eyebrows.
"So this boy beat up the whole Soul Society and Hueco Mondo with bare hands…" she concluded thoughtfully. "I see… than be aware to put him on the guests' list!"
"What? But why?...Since you gave up being a shinigami we haven't interact with anyone from Gotei 13… except, of course, from Ukitake… but he's been a family friend so it doesn't count…"
"I said…I want Kurosaki on the list!" Haruna concluded coldly and took the list from her father's hand. She took a look at the written names while she took a pen in order to expand the list: Kuchiki Byakuya… Kuchiki Rukia…Katsuya Yamato and the family…Ukitake Jushiro… But then her gaze turned to the second name which she didn't recognized:
"Who's Kuchiki Rukia?" she asked.
Goroza made a weary face: "Hisana's sister…"
Haruna's eyes widened.
"Don't …tell…me… He did found her…" she hissed astonished.
"Right after you left! And ever since she's been a nightmare for me!"
Haruna looked at that name, beautifully written on the paper.
"A nightmare?..." she whispered. "You never hated Hisana… is her sister so different from her?"
"Different?! Ha!" he snapped. "If there wasn't for that stunning similarity in their physic appearances no one could have ever said that say they were once sisters…"
Haruna lift her eyebrows.
"He even made her the heir of the clan!" Goroza added scornfully.
Haruna turned to him and blinked confused.
"He couldn't!" she gasped.
"But he did…"
Then Haruna frowned.
"Is she that amazing?"
"She's the Lieutenant of the 13th Division… Ukitake's lieutenant…"
Haruna smiled with sarcasm.
"A women who looks like Hisana but who's also a strong shinigami… I can see why you are hating her… Not even Toto could resist in front of that!…"
Goroza didn't reply.
"And I can also see why you are trying to stop my cousin to marry that Shokun lady!" She snapped with a loud laugh.
Goroza's eyes widened.
"Don't look so surprise! Toto told me everything!... Stop bulling some poor children just because Toto and I didn't get married! A marriage which by the way, if you remember, I called if off, not him!" she shouted annoyed and threw herself on the couch.
" I know very well why you called off that wedding! So don't try to fool me by making Byakuya a victim!... And don't you even think on meddling yourself in Nanakuma's marriage!... I'm not going to accept a wedding who will give Byakuya the chance to….create a precedent!"
Haruna lift her eyebrows with a malicious expression.
"So you fear this … Rukia, don't you?... Then I can't wait to meet her!"
"You're unbelievable!" Goroze hissed. "Are you really enjoying hurting yourself?"
Haruna turned instantly her gaze, not able to face her father. She stood silently for a second then she got up from the couch.
"Put Nanakuma and his fiancé on the guest list!" she said while she was heading to the door.
"Never!"
From the threshold she stopped for a second.
"Oh, daddy…" she began with a fake sugary voice. " Why are you afraid to create the precedent of an incest marriage in the Kuchiki family… when I'm back?"
"Don't tell me you want to marry Byakuya!" the youngest sister gasped.
"Of course, she doesn't…" The brother replied impassively.
But Haruna didn't answer. She silently exited the room.
.
.
When everyone was drunk already, Ichigo pulled himself together and got on his feet. He left the party trying to find Rukia. He didn't find her at her headquarters so he figured out that there will be only one place in which she could be: he shunpo-ed to the Kuchiki Manor. The moment he stepped into the gardens, for a second, he found it hard to breathe as two reiatsu were strongly released. Ichigo didn't even need to recognize them, because the next second he saw in the backyard Byakuya's and Rukia's bankai released. Confused, he made took a few steps forward and he saw all the Kuchiki's servants aligned, clapping their hands with enthusiasm. 'What the f…' Ichigo thought as he approached one of them.
"Sorry, what it's actually happening here?... Are they training?"
"No,…" the servant replied. "Lady Kuchiki is showing to our Lord how bravely she defeated her enemy from the real world!"
Ichigo's eyes widened distrustfully, but when he looked closer he saw inside Byakuya's bankai , he saw a huge mascot made from his sakura blades which had the shape of… Seawood Ambassador. His astonishment became bigger as next the pink Seawood Ambassador he saw another mascot, an enormous chappie, made from Rukia's white reiatsu of.
"Lord Kuchiki it's playing the enemy's part!" the servant added with enthusiasm.
Ichigo cocked his eyebrows as he watched Chappy fighting Seawood Ambassador. Slowly his face became straight. Indeed this was the… Kuchiki family. One of the strongest… but also one of the weirdest.
"And then the Prisoner told me: "You stupid shinigami dog! I am no longer one of you so I can have a name…I am the prisoner nr 10!" Rukia said as she was manipulating the chappie with her zanpakuto. " And I replied to him: "Wery well prisoner nr 10…I will teach you what it means to speak in a improper manner to the heir to the Kuchiki Clan. You will die now!"
"That was a very good reply, Rukia!"Byakuya commented.
'They're both nuts!' Ichigo told himself and left the garden considering that it wasn't a good moment to see Rukia. He was half distance to Ukitake's headquarters when he received a message through a hell butterfly: " Kurosaki Ichigo you are expected at the main headquarter. The Head Commander wants to see you". He changed the direction and in a couple of minutes he was already in front of Yamamoto's office. He entered and found the old man sitting silently at the window.
"Do you know why you are here, Kurosaki Ichigo?" he asked.
"Because I broke the sealer and released my shinigami powers?" Ichigo replied.
"And do you know the consequences for that?"
"Aaaaam…I guess I must die?" he replied with a sarcastic smile.
"It means that you must choose Kurosaki Ichigo…"
Ichigo lift his eyebrows.
"You may return to the real world and be a human… or you can stay here and be a shinigami. The arrangements had been already made and you would be seated the 4th officer of the 13th squad. Of course the perspective of promotion exists…"
"You mean to work under Rukia…" he added with a slight laugh.
Yamamoto turned to him surprised by his reaction.
"Does her presence here have a big weight in your final decision?"
Ichigo was blocked. He couldn't answer.
"I see" Yamamoto stated. "Then I have nothing else to add… I will wait for your decision" and he turned again to the window.
Ichigo remained silent for a couple of seconds, and then, after he took a deep breath , he said:
"I've already made my decision!"
Yamamoto turned to him:
"And what would that be?"
"I decide to protect everything that it's dear to me! And as long as my family belongs to the real world, I can't cut the ties with that place…"
"You can't have everything, Kurosaki Ichigo…"
"With all due respect… I will remain the substitute shinigami I've always been"
"I'm afraid that's not possible anymore"
"And I am afraid that this it's not something you or anyone in this place could decide for me. Old man, you don't understand! My heart does not belong to me but to the ones I love… and they need my protection… So you can't make choose between my family, my friends… and Rukia!
Ichigo suddenly stopped as he acknowledged that he mentioned her name…again.
"So it is, indeed, about her… Even so , you are still forced to chose. I don't understand. You should have been grateful that the captains gave you this opportunity. The law says clearly that a human cannot be a shinigami!"
"You have my decision. After this conversation it's over, I will go back to Karakura and fight those prisoners. It's my duty to protect my home!"
Yamamoto remained silent for a couple of minutes.
"We know few things about this new enemies, you should considerate all your options before attacking "the old man finally spoke.
Ichigo smiled.
"Then you're ok with me continuing to be a substitute shinigami?"
"For the moment I'll say that our priority it's to catch those Prisoners."
With a satisfied smile Ichigo turned to the door prepared to leave the room.
"But don't forget Kurosaki Ichigo, you still have a choice to make!"
"We'll see about that later… after I catch those prisoners!" he replied and left.
.
.
When everyone retired to their room, Ryoing Goroza also left the room and headed to Haruna's old study. As he expected, he found her there, sitting in front o bunch of old pictures. He approached her and noticed she was holding a particular one, of three men dressed in festive kimonos. One of them looked a lot with Goroza.
"You still haven't forgotten…" the father commented.
"How could i? Wasn't that also the ability of my zanpakuto?" she replied as she put the pictures back into their boxes. Then she turned to her father and suddenly said: "Oza has escaped!"
Goroza remained silent for a moment then he replied:
"Of course he did… otherwise you wouldn't be here!...I know you very well and you're not the kind of person who makes courtesy visits!"
Haruna turned to her father with a sorrowful expression:
"Then what kind of person am i?" she whispered.
The fahter's eyes widened and he approached her, because he was never able to see her pained. He even tried to embrace her, but she rejected him.
"Don't torment yourself for my mistakes… I'm begging you!" he said.
She didn't answer. Then her father asked her:
"What are you going to about him?"
Again, she didn't answer.
"Not matter what, we must all remain silent… Do you understand that, Haruna?" the man insisted.
"Don't worry dad… I might have betrayed all my lovers, but I never betrayed my family…" she finally said and headed herself to the door.
"No matter what your plans are… it would be dangerous to involve Kurosaki Ichigo in them!" he said from behind.
"Why's that? A little power in your corner won't bring any damages" she replied and closed the door.
So... what do you think? Ichigo made up his mind, Rukia's back home... Haruna doesn't seem to be as innocent as she looks...
Next chapter will bring you the Ryoing's party!
Once again, thank you in advance for reading... and until next time, R&R!