The Iced Moon Arc Bleach

by tending

Lieutenant Kuchiki has a secret. A variety of secrets that the Gotei 13 do not know until a figure of her past and present tips them off and then a story is told, a past. A past connected to the very creation of the Soul Society from the Soul King to zanpakutos. Soul reapers are not the utmost rulers after all.

37. A Little Compassion

Pre-Note

Long but I was very adamant to separate it into two chapters.

I also wanted to say thank you to Talia! I appreciate your words very much! I truly can't say thank you enough for your consistent input! It's very motivating (heart).

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. This is for creative purposes. I do own this plot.

Reminder: Mature-rating. Mystery-themed. Light sexual content. Crucial to remain attentive to detail. This is for Rukia and her relationships.

---

A Little Compassion

Past

What in the world did he mean by murder?!

"For attempted drowning." Sensei specified. She glared at the little thing that feigned a spectacular look of innocence.

("Little fucker." Ichigo cursed.)

"I didn't drown him." She said in disbelief.

Before he could respond, the little thing pulled on his father's pants. "She did! Because he," he sharply pointed at the Lieutenant, "told her too!"

"You're lying." Rukia accused. "He didn't tell me to drown you. I didn't touch you." She then addressed Sensei, "you got this whole thing wrong. When we came back the Lieutenant just made…" she didn't know what word could sum up the Lieutenant's comment so she went with, "a joke—he took it out of context."

"If she had attempted to drown you, you would have not lived." The Lieutenant added beside her.

The toddler flashed a face of hurt before it cried.

"See!" Tears brimmed in his eyes. "He told her to hurt me!"

"There, there," Sensei gently comforted it by stroking the toddler's hand. He resumed glaring at them seconds later, it reeked of disgust. "Imbeciles!" He put his whole head into insulting them, "such an immoral deed. How dare you both corroborate to execute my son? The heir of the Soul Society!"

("He really fucking believes that…" Ikkaku said.)

"We didn't do that." Rukia argued. She had to push some confidence into her or else she'd probably have to spend days in a cell!

"It was a comment of humor." Lieutenant Kuchiki mundanely explained beside her. "It is lying to you."

He jerked forward in fury. "It?!"

"It was harmless." Rukia tried to convince him. "We didn't mean for him to take it literally! And I never touched him like that."

"It would like you to believe that she intended on drowning it on behalf of me though that was a comment I had made after she returned here."

"Sensei…" she called nicely, "it's just a misunderstanding. He's lying to you!"

(Rukia was really trying to get him, the real him, to listen to how ridiculous he sounded.)

"You deliberately tried to execute him but failed." He castigated.

Rukia opened her mouth but the Lieutenant stopped her, "if she had set out to drown it, it would not be here."

Sensei scoffed, unimpressed.

Captain suddenly appeared near the doorway. His body had barely made it in before Sensei acknowledged him.

(Ichigo was surprised when they saw him. It had been awhile since they had.)

He wasted no time in saying, "they are your responsibility."

He stopped.

Rukia figured he had no idea what he had walked into.

(Interestingly, Rukia flashed a face which seemed to transpire her annoyance with the whole thing.)

He closed his eyes.

"They are being trialed for attempted murder." He explained to him. "They attempted to drown him. A defenseless child without any ability to defend himself."

He pointed at them, "they took advantage of him!" He paused for a few seconds before pointing at them again, "they pointed their blades at my kin!"

("I don't think we've heard him yell before." Shuhei said.)

The passion in his tone only meant that he was far more gone than she had imagined.

"Sensei," she called again, "Lieutenant made the comment when we got back, I didn't do anything to him when we were there and he was fine when we got here. The gardeners can testify! They saw me walk in with the thing holding my legs. Now why would he do all that if I had attempted to drown him?"

"You frightened him!" He accused her harshly. "To survive he was without a choice, he had to act as though nothing was wrong!"

"If your boy was bright, it would have run." The Lieutenant remarked. Rukia unknowingly nudged him, making comments like that would only provoke him.

(When Rukia nudged him, Ichigo realized she was trying to avoid being snarky with him despite also being annoyed at his accusations.)

Sensei scoffed, addressing him directly he said, "as if he could do that against—" his hand flicked in her direction.

"The Lieutenant and I just made a silly comment, we didn't hurt him or planned to hurt him. He just….doesn't understand."

(She was evidently trying to repress herself, forcing kindness into her words.)

"Does not understand what?" Sensei asked. "That you both were trying to get rid of him?"

Before Rukia could reply, he interrupted her, "not a word. You laid your hands on my kin. I would have never expected such unruly, such," he was trying to find the words, "disreputable behaviour from you."

She kept her mouth shut.

(When he spoke like that, reminiscent of the Head Commander she knew who would scold others with that same tone, it seemed that it forced her to be quiet.)

"To even imagine that you would set out to harm my pride." He stopped. "And to think the boy merely likes you and you have such malice for him as if he has ever done anything to you."

His eyes averted to the Lieutenant. "And you. To come under my roof and order such a heinous act using a member of my own family. Where is your respect?"

(That comment was the strongest indication of them all that he was very far gone.)

"Sensei, he just didn't understand what we were saying." Rukia calmly explained. "He's lying about me attempting to drown him and he's lying about the Lieutenant's comment being an order for me to do it too. He's right—we did talk about drowning but it was just a joke."

"That is how you communicate?" He asked her furiously. "With threats of death?"

Rukia puffed air through her nostrils. Her first sign of being 'fed up' since this crazy accusation session started.

("She might blow before he does." Ichigo noted.

"Well it is no wonder." Captain Ukitake said.)

"I use sarcasm all the time, ask anyone!" Rukia put her arms out. "I don't mean what I say, it's just talk. Now, the Lieutenant didn't indicate his humor but none of you do…ever!" She said in reference to each of their mundane speaking tones. "It really wasn't that big of a deal," she wailed.

(That point about none of them indicating their humor was very true. All of their tones were so flat, Ichigo had no idea how Rukia knew they were being humorous at times.)

He grunted in disbelief, "you expect this execution attempt of yours to be written off as my son misreading your intention?"

Rukia raised her shoulders to shrug, "yes…?"

(Now she had dropped the act of kindness, it was very evident that everyone saw this outburst as a joke.)

He spun around, pacing back and forth.

"Do not make a fool out of me." He warned.

("Who's gonna tell him he's doing that all on his own?" Ikkaku asked.)

Rukia didn't know how to communicate to him that he had already made a joke out of himself by believing the thing.

"Your task was not victorious so you are attempting to lie your way out of it by brushing it off as a misunderstanding of tone." He accused them.

"He's—" she tried to find the words before pointed at it, "a child! What does he know about silly conversation humor?"

Something sparked in his eyes.

She was finally getting to him.

Good.

"That is true." The Lieutenant validated her argument. "It took our words as truth because it could not detect the humor in it."

("He's getting back on track now." Captain Kyōraku observed.)

His face was starting to loosen up, they could tell, so they went on.

"Do you really think I would ever try to take out your son?" She wanted to, of course.

"Even if you believe that I would ask her to do so, she would not agree." Lieutenant Kuchiki said in her defense.

"And if I really had a grudge against your son and wanted to get rid of him, what makes you think of all the methods in the world I would choose drowning?" Rukia asked him.

("They got him now." Uryū said.)

Seriously! She could think of a bunch of other grotesque methods she'd choose.

"The time does not match either." The Lieutenant pointed out.

"Right! You saw us leave! How would he have told me to drown your son when you were there the whole time? A hell butterfly? There was none that came to me in that time frame. You can check."

"I had made the comment upon her arrival."

"Sensei, he really just didn't get the joke." Rukia pleaded.

He didn't speak for some time. He observed them in scrutiny for a few moments but it eventually transitioned into defeat.

The toddler stared at them with a blank expression on its face. Sensei stared down at it.

"You must be careful next time, my boy." He calmly consoled him. "You must understand their humor. They do not wish to hurt you."

Rukia grimaced. Oh boy, how she wished she could.

(Ichigo smiled when he saw the face she made because he knew she really wanted to.)

"They are your friends." He quietly assured him. "They want nothing more than for you to succeed and become our heir."

An apology could be read from his expression almost instantly when he looked up.

"I got carried away." He admitted quietly.

Nobody answered.

It became a bit awkward before he addressed the toddler, "we should go."

Rukia saw that as her ticket to leave. She had been working in the fields when she was suddenly suctioned into a portal in front of all those people. They probably would garble the whole thing.

She had to go back before rumors spread.

(Byakuya's grandfather finally opened his eyes.)

Rukia bowed to the Captain's side and the Lieutenant's and spun around.

She was in the clear.

(He moved to step in but then stopped.)

Until she wasn't.

There were scratching noises and then voices from a recording were heard.

She spun back around instantly and stared at the recorder she had given the Lieutenant earlier on his desk with Sinna's dream recap. How did it record that?

("He was recording them the whole time?!" Kon asked.

"It came from the same recorder she gave former Lieutenant Kuchiki." Uryū said.

"How'd he…switch it on when—")

I thought you'd drown it for me.

Rukia began to panic—feeling naked—as she heard her own voice acrimoniously reply, next time.

In horror, she looked at the Lieutenant, who was just as surprised, and then at Sensei far ahead of her who had paused.

No one said a word.

When he turned, she silently gasped, her stomach was in knots.

("Oh no…" Momo said.)

Once she caught sight of those eyes she felt that deep down he knew that she'd probably have done it the next time or any time for that matter.

---

Present

When Alum arrived inside the black cave, she first caught sight of the loose, damp fine strings of black which stuck onto the rock resembling the inside guck of a pumpkin.

Then came a foul stench tangled up with spices.

Tiny beds were lined up in rows of two against the wall. They were empty. Spider webs covered them all as if they had never been used but considering where she was and who she had come to find, she knew it was normal.

She walked further into the cave. She saw a cauldron, a red blanket hanging over some wood above it and a fireplace.

She would've thought it was empty until she heard a clink belonging to pots and pans behind the blanket. Moments later, the person she had come to confront came out behind it.

For the first time, she had almost caught her with her veil off. She didn't know the woman well but she dealt with her enough times to say she was a regular customer.

It had been brief but underneath the veil seemed to lie a middle aged woman.

"I don't like visitors." She crudely shared.

She threw some powders into whatever was boiling and smoking inside the cauldron from stone bowls.

Alum swung her arms back and forth as she approached her with a wide smile, "and I hate paying customers."

Through the veil she saw the woman give her a sharp look from her right eye before her attention resumed to the contents of the pot.

"I see, you think I didn't mean that." She replied blandly. As she tapped the wooden spoon against the rim of the pot, Alum peered inside it.

"What's cookin'?" Alum inquired.

"Nothing for your species."

"We bats like lots of things." She informed her. "Like animal blood."

"The meal's not for you." She lifted the pot off of the rail.

"Well if I can't get a meal, can I get a confession?"

"A confession?" The sovereign repeated with a high pitched tone of amusement. "What for?"

"That bottle of lich haze I sold ya." She sat down on a chair in front of the platform the cauldron had been on. Her arms rested above the railing. "You sold it to our little friend."

"Yes and?"

She raised her hands up, "hey, none of my business. Can't control what the customer does with the product once it's sold. I just came down to confirm you were the one and to tell ya Yōsuke knows about it and got the solution."

"Seems like you wasted a trip, Adachi Alum."

"Maybe not," she leaned back and stretched her legs, "I'm kinda curious, what got you to give it to him?"

"That would be between me and the customer." She answered.

Alum chuckled, "customer confidentiality, I got it but as your regular supplier, don't you think I ought to know?"

"I don't see where you fit into this equation."

"Once the Ministers and Head Commander get involved, I'll have to open up."

"I'm protected, you wasted your time even if that is true."

"Oh yeah?" Alum asked, playfully intrigued, "by who?"

She didn't answer.

"You got an awful lot of secrets, sovereign." She stopped throwing her ball.

She merely eyed her.

"A little too much." She lifted her legs up over the chair and to the side as the sovereign disappeared behind the red blanket.

Alum stood up and walked out the cave which led her into a clear dome where the sovereign's spider subjects were being treated outside.

The first thing she noticed upon entering was a doctor hovering one of them.

She observed him for a short time, it wasn't long before he noticed.

"Oh, sorry." He said to her. "Can I help you?"

"Nah, I'm good." Alum replied with her hand on her waist, "quite a few patients you got here."

He scanned them.

"How much she payin' you to check them out?" She inquired the tall doctor.

"Nothing." He answered. "Just returning a favor."

"Can I ask what kind?"

He hesitated. Kindly shaking his head he then answered, "too complicated to say. Let's just say it's a big one."

She nodded her head, "I got it."

"Short of any supplies?" She asked him right after.

"No, I'm fine. Thanks though."

She turned around. "Well I'm gone, just wanted to give ya my card."

The red slip went flying into the air and into his hand.

"Adachi Alum." She introduced herself. "Adachi House of Spiritual Garments. Free shipping, fast delivery and we're never out of stock."

He flipped the card over, "Urahara's competition."

"Oh?" Her voice was filled with pleasure. "You know me."

"Barely." He answered.

"If you know about him then you know about me."

"If you say so." He replied, slipping the card into his back pocket.

Considering he was a customer of Urahara's meant that he wouldn't need it but kept it anyway. Or maybe he wasn't that loyal of a customer.

"You know," she scanned his face, "you're a dead ringer for somebody else I used to know."

He got stiff.

"That's really," she gave him an honest smile, "what I wanted to tell you."

---

Past

"See." Rukia forced a confident tone. "We were just joking."

Someone had to break the silence. How she hated it had to be her though.

(They could vividly see how nervous she was.)

"This recording and the wording indicates that this occurred after she had returned."

"You both are repugnant for using dark humor like that in front of a mere child." Sensei criticized. "If it happens again there will be consequences."

("It is fortunate that he did not go any further with this." Captain Ukitake said.)

"Understood."

Once they turned into the corridor, she thanked the skies for setting them free.

She could finally breathe.

Captain turned to them. She sensed that he was not impressed. "An adequate suggestion would have been a burning."

Rukia could only arch a brow.

"When you consider the context, the appropriate response was drowning." The Lieutenant replied.

"Uhm…" That was odd coming from him. "That would've made this whole thing ten times worse."

Captain stared at her. "There is no law against burning land of that kind."

("They could never be tried for actually doing anything to it." Rangiku realized. "Even drowning if he actually went through with the charges.")

"Hmm…I never thought about it like that." Rukia admitted with a mischievous smile. "I could probably do lots of things to him and get away with it."

Some very enticing ideas came to mind.

"Wait—" she turned to the Lieutenant, "do you have any actual proof that it is land?"

("So long they provide evidence that it is what it is..." Tōshirō began.)

"You mean proof that would be admissible in court to prove that it is not a person?" The Lieutenant asked, she nodded her head. "No, I fear not."

("What?" Rangiku was surprised.

"How would he not have proof that the heir is what he says he is?" Shuhei asked.

"How'd he find out?" Ichigo asked.)

Rukia shot him a concerned look. "…you should probably look into that."

("Well he did specify evidence admissible in court." Tōshirō said, "but…I don't see how any evidence he found to confirm it would not be.")

She resumed day dreaming. "Once we have that…I can pretty much do anything to him."

"The burning." The Lieutenant suggested.

Rukia snickered, "I could bring him to the Rukongai District and give him the beating of his lifetime."

"There are explosives which could be useful in this matter." Captain said.

The Lieutenant suddenly took the recorder and tossed it in a glass of water next to him. Rukia and the Captain stared at him.

"Just a precaution." He assured them.

---

Present

When Haru landed back down for what felt like the umpteenth time for the night on the round balcony, he battered down the feeling of exhaustion which swept him after hours upon hours, days after days of just fighting against a blob of darkness, animal bones and the cold.

He was unable to rest for even a moment.

Secretary of State Ouchi had praised his endurance. She was not known for offering compliments to many which alerted him of how long he had been going at it.

Time became nonexistent once he got used to it.

Some of his division members and the fifth were all wilting away—making careless mistakes because of fatigue. Their brief immunity against the cold, provided on their clothing, was starting to dissipate.

Even he could feel the sharpness of the cold begin to numb his legs and wrists. Goosebumps were starting to rise. He had to alternate techniques.

Wildfire had crossed his mind many times despite how attentive he had been to his surroundings, leaving room to think of nothing else.

She likely would not be released until he was able to reach Sensei and explain to him the situation.

He leaped into the air, using a katana—the representative weapon of the fifth division—to slash the soul shadow with otter bones. He slashed another to his left and right, spun the sword round and round like a fan above his head and got rid of dozens.

He flipped back down as one charged at him.

Even the heat outside of his body was not enough to get rid of the goosebumps which had now come down to his wrist.

He felt a sensation coming from them. Someone was here.

He spun around.

Minister Kuchiki.

This was the first time Haru had seen him since his return. Naturally, it was hard to breathe at first. He was facing him which was not something he'd usually do.

Haru knelt to the ground once he got ahold of himself. He cleared his throat, "Minister Kuchiki."

The yelling of officers lost inside the black murk ruined the moment. Snow gently fell onto the frosted ground which made their meeting much more enchanting; however, once the aesthetic was removed, all he could feel was cold.

But cold air was not all he felt.

There was an energy. Something being communicated coldly to him in silence.

It took Haru a few seconds to remind himself of what he had done. The key appeared in the particles of snow in front of him.

He looked up. The Minister's back was to him. The symbol of the sixth division from his haori struck Haru in a way that repulsed him. It had been centuries since he last felt so…ashamed…of himself.

"You will be dismissed from your position once the war is over." Minister Kuchiki informed him in a low voice.

Haru bowed his head further. His fist pressed against the cold ground as he closed his eyes. The snow on the ground seeped through his clothes and wet his knees.

"That is all."

Haru squeezed his eyes. He accepted his decision with an even deeper bow as he felt the Minister walk away from him.

With each stride he took, further away from him, the bigger the ball of revolt and shame grew inside of him.

Secretary of State Ouchi, unknowing to him, stared at a distance.

---

Past

Sensei's desk was facing the wall to her right when she stepped inside the study around nine. He was wearing his long-sleeved white haori for home use.

"Morning." She greeted him as she took a glimpse at the Lieutenant's desk.

He wasn't here yet so no key.

In midst of realizing the Lieutenant's absence, she resumed her attention on Sensei ahead of her who slightly shifted to see her.

She caught sight of those eyes.

They were pale cyan.

This was Sensei Okasake Hiroshima.

Rukia stopped walking immediately. Her limbs grew stiff upon realizing.

"Sit." He instructed her.

Rukia finally noticed the setup ahead of her. It wasn't Sensei's desk, it was a low coffee table.

There was a cushion of cerulean on the other end, meant for her and porcelain tea cups and bowls of white, lavender and blue.

("Is this his apology?" Shuhei asked.

"We don't know if he's normal yet." Ichigo said.)

She noticed those little cups of deep purple were filled up to the rim of diced plums and that breakfast made up the contents of the glossy trays, all squished onto that table.

"Hmph?" The strong scent of coffee filled her nose. Neither Senseis drank coffee.

Was this the other one? The one he controlled.

"Sit," he gestured to the cushion. "Hirosuke is on our side today, as per usual. I thought I'd fix us up something since it will just be us and perhaps Cornel here for today."

("Sounds normal." Shinji said.)

Rukia approached the cushion and knelt as she asked, "what about…?"

He folded the newspaper he had been reading. "He's on a time out, your volunteer hours for this week will be completed with me."

("Time out?" Ikkaku scoffed.

"Ha-ha," Kon teased.

"Does he get locked in a room or something?" Uryū asked.

"How would he have been able to confine the heir into a room?" Rangiku asked. "The heir runs him.")

Time out?

Before Rukia could question it, he moved on, "we will dedicate some hours to your sheatsu training as well. I am well aware that we are behind due to my schedule and yours."

They were busy people.

("It could very well be the heir's doing himself." Mayuri hypothesized.)

He pulled up a napkin, "we also have not had the time to properly sit down and chat, this week will be good for us."

("If the heir's gone then he's back to normal then." Momo said.

"Why give them the opportunity to get him out of its possession, I wonder?" Uryū asked.

"Maybe it's a test." Kensei said.)

Rukia loosened up, this was the real one. She could sip some of the tea now and nudge at one of the pastries on the three story tray.

She didn't know what 'time out' genuinely meant for someone like the heir. The fact that he would listen to that request was even weirder but she'd naturally get her answer later when she told the others so she didn't ponder about an explanation.

Sensei seemed to have no recollection of yesterday, which meant that it was safer not to push.

"That's fine with me." Rukia said kindly.

His eyes fell on the pastry she was nudging and scowled, "I do not know why Hirosuke keeps accepting these 'gifts' from Sasakibe."

("Nice to know Lieutenant Chōjirō is still friendly with him in spite of everything." Captain Kyōraku said.

"Yes, I agree." Captain Ukitake drew a small smile.)

Rukia just smiled, "I like them!"

"And there is his reasoning." He said before sipping his own tea.

"I will work here for the week, you will be the messenger." He explained. "You will not have to travel far. What I have is related to personnels here in the Seireitei."

"You're behind, aren't you?" Rukia asked.

"Well, certainly, yes." He dipped a biscuit into his tea. "This week will be good to me as it will be for you. We must advance your sheatsu training. I regret not making time for it."

Rukia shook her head, "I probably wouldn't have had time for it either. Things have just gotten…busier."

"Ah, yes, you're running classes over here now. I had almost forgotten." It felt so nice to catch up with him like this. How she missed this version of him. "You have those complaints you're addressing and your duties here too. My, my where did the time go?"

It did happen pretty fast.

To think she started off with a five hour babysitting job and complaint files.

"It's already October." Rukia emphasized.

"Yes, indeed it is." He realized, struck by it he put his glasses down to think. "We really are behind."

Rukia wiped her mouth and stood up. "We'll be here so we can finish this up when I get back. What do you want me to do?"

He pulled up a big yellow envelope, "when you return, we should also discuss that training I wanted to do with you. For now, this is your first message."

There was a number two on it.

"You'll recognize the forms I need to be signed there." She opened the envelope and pushed the papers up to see them. "They're long overdue. Do tell her this is her last warning."

"Okay, anything else?"

"I will give you each file personally. This is the first one. When you return, let us just focus on your sheatsu." Sensei said.

Rukia bid him farewell. "Oh, okay. I'll be back."

###

When Rukia entered the large doors of the second division, she was met with rows and rows of second division members wearing a non-Capital form of assassin wear, kneeling.

At the end of the hall was a big chair of purple velvet and gold.

Yoruichi sat on it in a position no noble would ever dare be caught in. Her right leg was on the seat pointing left while her other one was hiked up to form a sharp angle. She casually leaned against the chair, bored.

("Yoruichi-san?!" Ichigo shrieked in surprise.

"Well," Uryū pushed his glasses up, "this is something. This was back when she was Captain."

Captain Ukitake chuckled. "It must seem a little odd to you."

"Always thought of her as, you know, the freelance killer cat at Urahara's place." Ichigo said. "Not a Captain.")

When she noticed her, her lazy eyes lit up. A smirk curved on her lips. The second division greeted her with a bow once she got closer to Yoruichi.

"How've you been?" Yoruichi asked.

"Fine, I guess." She answered before observing the kneeling members of the division. Even their heads were still down…gee.

She handed her the folder. "Property renewal forms. Sensei said this is the last time he'll warn you about not submitting them in time."

Yoruichi sat up, visibly annoyed about having to do the whole thing.

Rukia liked how she was unlike any noble she'd ever met. She was the princess of her clan and she hated it. She acted the way she wanted.

("You know, it's easy to forget she was a noble or is a noble." Shinji said.

"You see that's what I'm saying, it's hard to imagine." Ichigo said.)

Rukia aspired to do the same.

Her lack of obligation towards the title amused her but despite not being fond of her own princess title, she could never neglect her duties the way Yoruichi did.

After she scribbled her signatures, without actually reading the agreements, she handed them off to her.

She heard a swish sound behind her and some footsteps.

("No fucking way—" Ichigo's jaws dropped.

"URAHARA?!" Kon rushed up to him. "YOU PUT THE HOGYOKU INTO NEE-SAN'S BODY TO STEAL HER POWERS HOW COULD YOU—"

"This has been…an experience." Uryū said.)

She turned.

It was the clumsy Urahara Kisuke.

"O-Oh! Why hello, hime-sama." He bowed with his fist pressing against the red rug. "I didn't mean to intrude."

"It's fine." Rukia replied. "We were just finishing up."

(Ichigo clenched his teeth. He couldn't get past the fact that the hogyoku inside Rukia had so much meaning.)

"I'm glad to see you." Kisuke stood up, his hand rubbed the back of his head. "It's been awhile, hasn't it?"

("He looks different." Chad said.

"It's the hair!" Orihime said.)

Rukia thought about it for a second, "I guess. It's been like a month."

"Oh," he smiled, "really? I'm embarrassed."

("Same ol'Urahara to me." Ichigo said.

"Really, Ichigo?" Shinji asked.)

"Don't be." Rukia said before turning to Yoruichi. "I'll see you around."

"See ya." She replied which made Rukia grin mid-spin.

Kisuke had his hands up at a distance, asking her to stop.

"—actually, Sensei, I've been meaning to ask you something that's been on my mind. It's about—"

Something like cloth grazed her feet. When she looked down, she saw a division member bowing in front of her.

("Captain, is that you?!" Ōmaeda yelled.

Sui-Feng cleared her throat as she blushed. "What I did was appropriate. She should not have answered Urahara Kisuke.")

"Please do not listen to this halfwit, Urahara Kisuke. He does not know his place."

Rukia was too surprised to reply. Fortunately, Yoruichi did.

"Give it a rest, Sui-Feng." Yoruichi said while throwing a ball of yarn up and down. "Go on about what you were gonna ask her."

The girl stood up, adamant to have him continue. "But Yoruichi-sama—"

"Relax." Yoruichi told her.

("Ha, she told you, Captai—" Ōmaeda's comment was interrupted by a punch.)

The girl opened her mouth again but was interrupted by Yoruichi again who warned her by calling her name, "Sui-Feng."

In defeat, the girl or woman named Sui-Feng closed her eyes.

Kisuke continued, "I kinda wanted to ask you if you knew of an alternate way to poison my blood."

Rukia was intrigued.

"I was thinking what it'd be like if I could somehow have the blood I release capable of reflecting the poisonous effects of other toxins I'd choose. Naturally, I want to do it without accidentally killing myself. Got any suggestions?"

("So…Urahara wasn't always a scientist?" Ichigo asked.

"Oh please, the bane of my existence." Mayuri rolled his eyes. "The Research and Development Department didn't come into fruition until he became a Captain."

"Urahara was a Captain too?!" Ichigo shrieked before he grew calm, "well…I guess that isn't surprising."

"Strange how we learn more about the guy here than in the two years of working with him." Uryū said.)

Sui-Feng shot up, "how dare you ask such a personal question to a Sensei outside of—"

"Sui-Feng." Yoruichi scolded in irritation.

Rukia decided to intervene, "it's okay," she told Sui-Feng. She watched her shoulders lower and eyes become transfixed with her. "I can answer."

She looked at Kisuke.

"There really is no other way around the first option. You'll need to inject it with whatever poison you want and survive it to adapt something like into your element. I suggest mixing bender root and otine, they're a strong mix but there's lots of solutions to deal with it if you really get in trouble. It's a good opener, whatever else you inject after beating that will be less of a challenge."

"Why thank you, Sensei." Kisuke slightly bowed. "I'll do that."

Her eyes fell on the small woman in front of her who blushed and bowed on the floor.

"You can stand." She told her.

"O-Oh…" she nervously stood up with twin blush stains.

"By the way," she heard Yoruichi say, "where's the kid?"

"Apparently on break." Rukia answered honestly.

"What for?"

Rukia shrugged, "I don't know. He didn't say."

"You mean the Okasake heir…" Sui-Feng whispered quietly behind her.

Rukia nodded her head.

"Won't he tell you if you ask?" Kisuke asked her.

Sui-Feng snapped her head back in Kisuke's direction, irritation consumed her.

"Sorry." Kisuke said, an apologetic expression dawned on his face. "Am I not allowed to ask that?"

("I will say he does act a bit strange." Uryū said.

"He looks a bit…clueless." Chad added.

"One could say he was pretty easy going." Captain Kyōraku said.

"He was Hiyori's punching bag for a good time too." Shinji shared.

"You mean back when you weren't?" Ichigo asked.

"Yeah…sure.")

Rukia opened her mouth to respond but Yoruichi cut her off.

"I've been thinking of letting him in. What do you say?"

("Guess they dodged a bullet with that one." Uryū said.)

Rukia paused. She didn't have authority like that no matter how she appeared. The heir problem was only told to a few people who had a profound connection to him in ways she did not entirely know. Others were add ons personally selected such as herself who also was eligible following her own connection to him.

She was sure only Sensei Okasake, Minister Asa and the Kuchikis could permit people to know. Maybe the Li clan too but otherwise…

"That really isn't up to me." Rukia replied. "You're gonna have to ask them to know and provide a good reason."

She stretched back against the chair. "Guess I'll ask Ginrei-dono when I see him."

"That's your best shot." Rukia said with a smile. "I'll get goin' now."

She found herself in awe of Sui-Feng who had an adorable little expression of innocence on her when she said, "see you around."

It was as though she had shot cupid's arrow into her heart when she did.

"I'll let you know if I live." Kisuke told her on her way out.

"You will." Rukia assured him. "Don't forget to dilute it!"

(Kon huffed, "all that just to try and steal her powers!")

###

When Rukia returned to the study, Sensei Okasake immediately led her out of it. The environment changed and white grid lines began to form beneath them against a completely black backdrop.

"Today we will cover a lesson I should have started long before," Sensei Okasake began to say, as he traversed ahead of her. "You must listen carefully. This technique is the highest honor, the most important one you will ever learn."

Though there was no true middle to the room, considering it was just a never ending space of darkness with white grid lines, Ichigo would assume he stopped in the middle.

He faced her and indirectly, them.

A grey rectangular machine popped up behind him. There were several computer screens attached to it that were blank.

"As you know, when Hirosuke and I came here we birthed this land with our life and pure light. The land is our body, it is our space and creation." He told her.

He pressed a button on the machine and surveillance of the Soul Society popped up.

"That is our world, that is our soil, that is our creation," he explained proudly, "which we have the utmost responsibility and authority over because we created its controls. Controls you know were separated and manifested into the body we call the Soul King." He explained to her. "Each aspect is fundamental to the life of the Soul Society but also our other neighbouring dimensions like the human world and such."

He moved his head to stare at her from one eye. "As you know the heir of the Soul Society is expected to take on the task of carrying the spirit which Hirosuke and I do separately. He carries the legs and arms and I do the heart."

He resumed staring at the screen, "that spirit serves as our linchpin. It is what holds and controls our world, the entire scope of our existence, life on earth and life in any other dimension or form."

Ichigo gulped nervously. It was one thing to hear about this through Ukitake and another to hear it from the hoarse old voice, equally croaky and deep, belonging to the Head Commander of the Soul Society when he was in the right head.

"For that reason we protect the spirit." He then added, "we must protect the spirit. It is equally fragile as it is powerful. It must maintain its purity for the Soul Society and others to maintain theirs. Welcoming even a small dose of darkness could result in dire consequences that would quite literally make us and everyone else fall apart."

Ichigo couldn't stop thinking about the heart.

He looked back at her. "If that were to be the case, we would have little time to do anything to save it. The spirit would take us all down at once because it holds us which means we would quickly have to come to its defense. In other words, become the linchpin."

"This might be one of the techniques Kuchiki plans on using in present time as our defense." Tōshirō realized.

"It is not to be used unless there is a direct threat upon the Soul King spirit. It should not be used for anything else but the body." He said. "Hirosuke and I are the only ones who can do it thoroughly; however, Gureta was also taught how to do it just in case."

"This will not be easy." He warned her. "Although you have breezed through your previous lessons, this one will not come to you as fast. It requires quite a lot of things. You will have to use your sheatsu to its fullest extent and push your mind to its limit as well. How much did Hirosuke permit you to use?"

"Twenty-five percent." Rukia answered. "He said it was best I didn't go over fifty, even if I was challenged."

He put his hands over the head of his cane. "And do you know how much sheatsu we are limited to releasing regularly?"

"I was told ten percent."

"Ten percent for him, fifteen percent for me. I admit with great distaste that he has the stronger sheatsu." He said to her which reminded Ichigo that he was the one with the stronger zanpakutō. "Now you see here, the furthest you can release your sheatsu is up to twenty-five percent regularly and less than half when you are in battle. The technique I will teach you today requires you to mobilize all of it."

He began to roll up his sleeves. "Naturally you know that is very dangerous. You could end up doing more harm than good if things go wrong. It is a very big entity to control."

"We consider this defense mechanism a cover, a magnet which keeps everything in place. We mobilize the size of our sheatsu, our spiritual energy and layer it across each aspect of each world. We glaze it with our sheatsu and hold everything in place with our minds." He gestured to the computer screens which showcased an example of violet tinted sheatsu lined with a mulberry purple covering acres and acres of land.

"If you lose concentration, even for a moment, it will break. That is why it is dangerous, that is why it requires immense concentration." He said. "There will be a day when you reach the level Hirosuke and I have where you will be able to do it without having to immerse yourself in your inner world to avoid distractions. That will be the day you will also be able to do it without having to focus on it."

"And yes," he paused, "it will hurt. Your mind will be pressured. Stretching your sheatsu to its maximum size will stress it out. You will only be able to try it twice per day. You will also only be able to hold it for a few seconds before it starts to hurt. The tricky part is not the act of doing it, it is the act of maintaining it which is why I wished I had told you about this sooner to get a head start."

"Won't medicine work though? If I took medicine to cure my headaches…" Rukia asked.

Ichigo saw the answer in his eyes before he said it—no.

"You will be getting migraines, not headaches. As for taking medicine while doing the act, that will not work because you will lose your concentration just by taking it. Your mind will briefly recognize that you are consuming something and there goes the entire universe."

"That's way too sensitive." Uryū criticized. "It takes one minor deviation to undo itself."

"How about after? You said I could only try twice." Rukia said.

"You are welcome to try any medicine you'd like to cure the aftermath of your attempts; however, I do not believe even your most innovative mixtures of herbs will cure you of the exhaustion and pain—enough to want to try it again. In fact, once you feel what it does to you you might never want to try it again."

Ichigo got nervous on behalf of her.

"Is it really that bad?" Rukia asked. Though Ichigo could only see the back of her, he felt it—she was intimidated.

"You will have the honor of telling me yourself." He answered. He twisted left to allude to a space on the black and white grid ground that had a silver circle pop out.

It was some sort of machine device.

Rukia approached it.

"Kneel." He instructed her. "We must stretch your sheatsu out first."

He positioned her shoulders and had her skirt pulled to the ring of the circle. The white sleeves of his haori were now rolled up to reveal his thick toned arms.

He smoothed out her skirt. "Now you won't have to think very far. You will have to familiarize yourself with other sites in the Soul Society to effectively do this; however, we will start small and move our way up."

"How far do I go?" Rukia asked him.

"You will close your eyes and imagine up to the Seireitei's gates." He told her with his hands on her shoulders to fix the slouch again. "Which means you will consider the noble houses and anything you can remember within the court. Once you get the hang of it, you will not need to imagine any places. It will work for itself."

He pulled out something which glinted like jello and was shaped like a tetrahedron. There were more. They were moss green and very small. He popped them out like they were gum from some foil.

"These will help me keep track of your activity." He explained to her and gestured to the computer screens. "Sometimes you will not feel the pain entirely until you stop. It is best to know your limitations now so we can work through them."

He stuck them onto her neck from what Ichigo saw.

"We are both ice types so when we release our reiatsu or sheatsu or both, there is a cold air which follows them. You must suppress that aspect of your sheatsu as well or else you will end up leaving frost behind from the glaze."

He stood up and put the remaining foil which carried the jello looking things on the machine.

"Once you start, I do not want you to communicate to me with words. If I see you're going through pain or if you feel the pain becomes too much, stop." He pulled out a device which looked like a fragrance diffuser. "Name a scent that calms you."

When she made a face, he added, "I need you to be the most relaxed when you do this."

"Lavender." She answered.

He put the setting onto lavender. "I want you to close your eyes and free your mind. Release your sheatsu slowly—even if you do not feel pain when you extend it far, do not push it." He pulled out a timer with a chain. "I will start timing you the moment it comes out. You likely will not make it to thirty seconds so do not fret when the result comes out."

She nodded her head and did it. Slowly, her body was outlined with violet and mulberry, it slid down her and began to stretch across the ground in a circle. It grew and grew and grew. On the monitor, it showed it stretching across the Seireitei.

About twenty seconds in, the sheatsu drew itself back in an instant as her hand touched her forehead. She leaned forward.

She was in pain.

"There, there," he calmed her down. "I will put a cloth over your head. Do not look at the light."

He took a black cloth and put it over her.

"It is a sharp pain." He said to her.

"God…" she managed to say.

"I am here." He answered, holding the cloth. "I reckon you do not wish to try that again."

###

Hours later, she had recovered from the migraine which quite literally destroyed her. She was nauseous enough to actually throw up.

Now she went back and forth trying to forget the pain she experienced, executing tasks for Sensei who could not help but remind her of it.

Upon her return into the study again, Sensei handed her what felt like her fiftieth folder of the day.

"Ginrei."

"Can't you just give it to him at the meeting tonight?" Rukia asked, loosely handing the file back to him.

He threw her a look translating into a 'you're kidding' in an apathetic glare.

"My dear, Ginrei has not spoken to me in two hundred years nor casted a respectable look my way in six hundred. Go."

(Captain Ukitake laughed, "that's true.")

Rukia clenched her teeth before easing her face into a smile.

"And you can tell him I said that." He added before she walked back into the sunlight which stretched over the veranda and manor.

The hardest part of her day since her migraine had been facing the light of it. She was glad the sun was starting to set.

Sensing the Captain's reiatsu nearby, she walked out of the manor and down the path towards the spider lily field. She spotted him just outside the large silver doors which guarded his manor where the clouds fortunately shielded the sun.

"For you." She handed him in the folder.

He scanned it.

"Sensei's back to normal, he's catching up on work." Rukia explained. "Apparently the thing is on some time out."

("We haven't heard an explanation for that yet." Uryū pointed out.)

He slid the papers up the folder. "I asked him to give it to you at that meeting tonight but according to him you haven't spoken to him in two hundred years nor looked at him respectfully in six."

He glanced at her as she chuckled, "don't look at me. I'm just the messenger, he wanted me to tell you."

("She's not asking him…" Ichigo realized.)

He reviewed the papers shortly.

"I have no beneficiary." He slid the papers back in and closed the folder. "He is aware of that."

Rukia flashed an expression of discontent at the wasted trip before she realized the state Sensei was in.

She took the envelope back. "He probably just forgot. He doesn't even remember what happened yesterday."

She then reminded herself of the Lieutenant's absence. "By the way, if this 'time out' lasts for the whole week then the Lieutenant has lots of chances to get him back to normal. If he has time this week, he should try talking to him."

("I don't think they know what it means either." Rangiku said.)

He gave her a nod. Shortly after, she bid him farewell and went back to the study—this time she flash stepped.

Upon arrival, she handed Sensei the folder, "Captain says he isn't renewing his ownership with another member after he passes."

He took it from her.

"He must produce a beneficiary by noon tomorrow, regardless of whether it is a member or not." He replied. "I will no longer leave division ownership claims until a will ordains it. It is best to get rid of these arrangements early. If he or anyone else does not produce a beneficiary by that time tomorrow, the property will automatically belong to the state, being us, or in his case, either us or the Haruyoshi clan."

Rukia leaned back, "tomorrow?"

"I will not reopen it until the next period."

The next ownership renewal wasn't scheduled until the next century. Wasn't that a bit insensitive?

"Sensei…isn't that a bit…"

His head shot up, "you are a messenger. Messengers are not defenders, they just recite messages."

Rukia glared at him.

"I wasn't defending…"

When he gave her another 'you're kidding' look, she grumbled and spun around—the light needed to be gone soon, it was killing her.

She flash-stepped this time. Fortunately the skies were purple now.

"He says you have until tomorrow at noon to give him a beneficiary or else your division and stone house will legally go to him and Sensei or the Haruyoshi clan on file." Rukia informed him. "He won't budge since he's already behind on all those renewals so…there really isn't much I can say or anything he'll let me say. You'll have to wait until the next renewal period to make any changes."

When he didn't say anything, Rukia sighed.

"You're not one for extending deadlines either." She pointed out. "But just to be safe, can't you put one of your clan's elders' names temporarily? It's not like you're going anywhere any time soon, you can change it the next time."

"They cannot agree on who." He replied.

Rukia didn't get it, "can't you just pick one for the papers? It's not like they'll know. Whomever it is doesn't even have to sign anything."

Darn Kuchikis…

"Fine," Rukia said, "if you're so into being honest in everything then why don't you just put your successor's name for now and change it later?"

The silent staring ensued to the point she got irritated.

"Not even Lady Kuchiki?" Rukia asked in disbelief. "Oh," she crimped her brows, "you're really your own barrier sometimes you know that?"

In defeat she stepped back, "I'll talk to him."

###

It wasn't too long until Byakuya's grandfather appeared in front of Sensei Okasake and wordlessly handed him a paper.

Sensei Okasake opened the envelope Rukia gave back to him earlier and began to scribble down something until he paused.

"You cannot use Rukia as a beneficiary." He said to him, Ichigo guessed that what was on that paper was her serial number.

Moments later, Byakuya's grandfather would break his two hundred years of silence, "she is not a legal member."

He then disappeared. Funny enough, Rukia appeared just moments later through the door, clearly still agitated by the light outside.

She was near one side of the parted door when she caught the accusatory look on Sensei Okasake's face.

Immediately, she put her hands up, "I didn't sign anything."

He grunted, "therein lies the problem."

Ichigo understood he was talking about her not being formally adopted into the clan.

It took her a few seconds to grasp what had happened. She stared at the spot Byakuya's grandfather had left from and back at Sensei Okasake.

He held a paper in one hand and another, rearranging them. "He is a genius, an absolute genius, I will give him that much."

He shuffled the form and put it back, "you do not need to actually claim it or address it until he dies. If you do not claim it then, we or the Haruyoshi clan will take over and they will lose all their ownership rights to everything there."

Rukia scowled.

"It is as I said…he is a genius."

###

The sun had finally gone down when Sensei decided to have some tea outside. The garden came alive with honey flared lights and crickets.

The manor was quiet and peaceful. With most of the maids gone and the lights all out except the study, it felt as though they were watching the gardens after a storm had passed.

Rukia sat next to the right side of the parted doors with Roger, Sensei sat in the middle and Lieutenant Kuchiki, who had come to work his charms on Sensei, sat on the left side of them.

Their knees were all buried in their respective cushions while inside, other Sensei Okasake was working on something quietly. Minister Asa also stood near the doors behind them, slightly leaning.

A plum blossom incense stick burnt in the background.

Sensei reminisced about the day. "Today was quite eventful."

He sipped his tea, "I cannot remember the last time I had this much to do."

The tone of his voice complimented the atmosphere, mellow and nostalgic.

"Hirosuke is far ahead of me." He informed them gently. "It is insulting."

Rukia lazily beamed at the fact he was insulted by his brother's progress. This is the type of thing she liked to hear. Amid all their talk and aristocracy was a family of twin brothers who occasionally had their competitive sides and differences.

Minister Asa then murmured, "it would not be that way if you had some sense."

She was scowling, her thumb repeatedly rubbed against the black key in her hand. Her cold eyes were patronizing.

"I should finish those renewals by tomorrow." He went on. "Then, we," he put his hand on her knee without looking, "will do some practice before I get on with those hybrid cases."

He removed his hand before her maid leaned down, having come in from the study, with the pills she asked for on a tray and a glass of water.

That migraine from earlier truly refused to give up. She felt woozy.

She took them quietly as Sensei went on about his day.

"I do not know what it is but despite it all, I felt…quite myself today." Sensei said, sounding almost fascinated. "I suppose it has been awhile since I sat and worked from home."

(Ichigo felt sorry for him. He spent so much time being possessed by the heir that he had practically forgotten himself.)

"Hmm," he thought, "I should have some clams tomorrow. It feels as though I did not wallow in our summer's sea gifts enough. I cannot remember the last time I had them."

The medicine she took was starting to make her drowsy. Her lids grew heavier and heavier as he went on. She wanted to stay up to hear him talk though.

That's what they were all here for…to hear him, the real him.

"And you are coming." It took several blinks to realize that he was referring to her. Coming where? "No arguing."

Rukia didn't have the energy, "I'm not in the mood to argue this week so keep it coming."

She had no idea what he was signing her up for but if she was going to practice that technique all week then she might as well be a little pampered.

Feeling sore, she took a chance to ask, "permission to sit informally?"

He cleared his throat, "granted."

With some struggle, she pushed herself up to have her legs one by one rest in front of her. Her back now leaned against the door.

Minister Asa subtly called a maid and muttered something to her. Rukia looked up, figuring it had something to do with her.

"Peppermint," she murmured slowly, reluctant to admit her concern, "to get you through the night."

"Thank you."

Sensei in front of them almost wheezed, "I almost killed her today."

(They watched everyone freeze at his comment.)

Rukia wanted to roll her eyes because yes, she had been on the verge of death after experiencing that migraine. The most she could do was flash an unimpressed look to his back before she drank her tea.

In the midst of it, she recognized something peculiar about the atmosphere. Minister Asa and the Lieutenant had gotten stiff.

Rukia whispered, "he doesn't mean literally."

("Can't really blame them for thinking otherwise, can we?" Shinji said.)

They relaxed.

("Well it eventually gets to that point so they're not too far from it." Shuhei reminded him.)

He turned to the Lieutenant, "I am teaching her the glaze trick."

"The pain trick." Rukia corrected flatly.

"No matter what you call it, you still have to do it." He said.

"Naturally." Rukia responded.

"The peppermint should work." Minister Asa informed her in a low tone.

"It is not a normal migraine, Cornel. Nothing works to dim it."

Coldly she glared at the back of his head, unbothered.

The maid bent and slid a tray with the bundle of peppermint and a glass dropper bottle of amber. Rukia figured it was peppermint oil.

Another tray was slid towards her with something new. It looked like small ovals of candy. She glanced up, confused, until she heard the Lieutenant speak.

"It will ease some of your aches."

She picked one up and observed it, it was sort of shaped like a bear.

"One a day." He instructed her. "Do not mix it with any other pills."

She set it back down. "Won't take one tonight then."

She yawned soon after. Her hand went up to block her mouth when she did.

"Get some rest for the night." Sensei advised, "you will need to be well rested for tomorrow."

Rukia didn't hesitate to stand up once he said it.

"Thanks."

The maid put the things Minister Asa and the Lieutenant had given to her into a brown bag.

"Do not forget. Nine sharp, tomorrow." He said.

"I'll be here." She assured him mid-yawn as the maid handed her the bag.

She held it with her two arms loosely wrapped around it, now standing to the side of him where he could see her.

"Today was fun. I will not overwork you tomorrow since you will try two times." He informed her.

She arched a brow, feeling sick to her stomach already.

"No objections."

Rukia unrolled the bag with one hand and peered inside.

"The pain does not get any easier to bear overtime." Sensei gently explained to her. "Not until you fully master the technique."

"You mean from now until then I'm going to be a zombie." Rukia clarified.

"Well," he paused, "in your terms…likely."

###

She arrived at nine sharp, had breakfast with Sensei Okasake and did a little messenger work before being hurled back into that training room of black to try again.

She tried once and barely made it. Sensei said that her body was starting to automatically repress its ability to stretch her sheatsu because it knew what pain it would cause. That made everything harder because mentally, she was no longer willing to push it to go further.

With her head against the pillow, Rukia closed her eyes and tried to rest as the pain of the migraine rippled through her body in the study.

She had been so woozy that the maids brought out a futon and had her lay there. Sensei left a crack open between the parted doors which were typically left wide open because of the brightness of the sun.

Today, and everyday until Monday of next week, was predicted to be full of bright, orangey sunshine to her dismay.

The weight of her head was like lead. The moment she leaned into the pillow, it sank her down. She had no appetite, no will to move and not even a wink of sleep in her eyes. And yet, she wanted nothing more to close them.

The scent of lavender repulsed her now. She urged Sensei to take the fragrance dispenser off the moment she caught a whiff of it.

Everything made her head hurt.

A maid even came to put a white cloth over her eyes. As time went on, she fell asleep.

###

The first thing Roger caught sight of when he was called in through a portal was the empty study and Rukia's body, laying with a white towel over her eyes.

He turned left and saw his caller.

He slithered forward to get a better look of his master's body. "What is wrong with Rukia-sama?"

"She is resting." Lieutenant Kuchiki answered. He paid no attention to him when he did.

"That…glaze trick," Roger began slowly, "isn't it?"

A deep 'hm' was the response.

"You will stand in her place today." The Lieutenant announced.

He spread photos like a deck of cards on his desk.

Roger peered over them. "I see."

"Four are here, the other four are from the Rukongai District." Lieutenant Kuchiki explained.

The first four photos were headshots of the nobles, the other four were off guard photos of the villagers.

"I was not able to find their serial numbers." He explained in regards to the Rukongaiers. "You will have to find them as you see them."

He pointed at each photo, in order he listed, "sixty-fourth, twenty-second, sixty-one, fifty-three." That was in reference to their district number.

"You have a physical form—" the Lieutenant began to say. Roger pulled himself back and looked away.

"I do not show my other physical form." Roger said with great detest. "I am sorry."

"Why not?" He questioned him.

Roger didn't answer.

("I'd called that suspicious!" Kon enviously announced.)

"What is your age?" He asked him.

(Ichigo smirked. "You sure you're not just jealous she likes him more than you.")

Roger shyly looked at him, "I am not old if that is what you are implying."

("SEE! LOOK! HE'S AN OLD GEEZER JUST LIKE THEM!" Kon shouted. "—T-THAT CREEP!" He corrected himself shortly.)

Moments later, he confessed, "I am more of a butler if that provides descriptive imagery to you but I will not show it."

("A cobra waiter?" Ichigo was intrigued, "that's kinda cool. I bet you he looks like one of those old time ones ya know, like the ones from sixty years ago—human time.")

The Lieutenant looked at his papers, "I suspected it."

"R-Really?" Roger asked. "How come?"

As he wrote something down, he answered, "your speech."

"I see." He slithered closer to the desk, feeling comfortable. "Do not think of it as a secret. Rukia-sama and her acquaintances all know it. You are welcome to use me as such if you please."

"I will do no such thing." He answered, which surprised him. His eyes averted to the photographs, "you will have to watch over the following people. They are merely individuals I deem in need of our services."

"There is no reason?" Roger asked.

He looked at him. "We are moving upon intuition now. These are mine."

"Oh, I see." Roger said. "That girl named Sinna has not drawn since our encounter with her."

"I have made arrangements to have her moved to the north side of the Rukongai District." The Lieutenant explained which shocked him. "She will be working near sea."

"O-Oh my, does Rukia-sama know?"

He briefly glanced at her body at the other end of the room. "I have not had the opportunity to share."

"I see." He then remembered something else,"—Would you happen to know what that time out means? Rukia-sama did not know either and was looking to ask but it seems that she too has not had the opportunity to speak with you about it."

"It has not happened before." The Lieutenant informed him.

("So they really don't know…" Isane was quite concerned.)

Roger hummed. "Then, could I make an assumption?"

He looked at him.

"It might be regenerating."

"The regeneration process does not take long." The Lieutenant refuted.

"Perhaps not for normal mishaps but…Rukia-sama did quite some damage to the other face when it came to the Rukongai District. Considering it came from her, it might require more time." Roger said.

The Lieutenant thought about this for a moment. "I have not seen his usual face since that encounter. The toddler version is an exception to this."

("Even if that's the case, he shouldn't be this quiet." Tōshirō said. "She only injured half of his face.")

He scribbled something down.

"That is a possibility though we would have to check again to ensure it is consistent." He concluded. "The annual noble heir gathering is scheduled for next week. It would have to fix its appearance before that to appear in the photo."

("That's the first photo Rukia takes at the gathering too." Ichigo reminded them. "The one we saw.")

"I see. I suppose he appears there regularly."

"It is mandatory for current and future heirs to attend." The Lieutenant explained to him. "Even though it is undecided, it is their representative heir, it has appeared in each photo since its adoption."

("I'm guessing he would've known that they'd ask Kuchiki-san to be a part of it too since she's semi-standing in his place at the manor. If she appeared by herself, it'd be like handing off his title to someone else." Uryū figured.)

"The five great noble clans must also take a separate photo amongst each other." He added.

"Then it is more definite than likely he would have taken the time to fix it to ensure he would be there." Roger said. "To appear in this photo is just his way of authenticating his heir status indirectly. He would not miss it."

###

Days went on and Rukia would come in, do work for Sensei Okasake, attempt to do the glaze trick again and fall asleep.

The older Sensei had made a habit of giving her sleep medicine to fall asleep quickly and forget all about the pain though, it was clearly making it harder to investigate for Byakuya's father.

Though this Sensei Okasake appeared to be the normal one, there was something strange going on.

Her interactions with everyone else had been significantly cut.

It felt as though she was out of touch with everybody. Even Renji and her friends. Somehow there was an intention behind the Sensei's action despite there not being one.

Sooner or later Ichigo felt that they would catch on and start to question if this was really the real one.

It ensued the next day.

Rukia was asleep again with a towel over her head in the study, Byakuya's father was working on his desk and the older Sensei Okasake was working on his near the center of the room.

"You should lay off the medication." Byakuya's father suggested. He was referring to Rukia.

Sensei Okasake glanced at her once and resumed reading, "she consents to it, Sojun. It is the pain, it is massive."

"I am aware." He replied. "However I am in need of her assistance for a project."

"Project?"

He idly went back to work. "You are off duty. What project would you have in need of her assistance? She must work on her training."

"I have taken on a few cases."

"That does not sound like a project." Sensei Okasake pointed out.

"They make up a bigger component." He explained.

While marking something up, he declined, "that is out of the question. She must work on the glaze trick, I need her full and undivided attention. You can find someone else to assist you."

Byakuya's father lowered his eyes, "there is no one else who would be of better assistance."

"Well I am sorry," Sensei Okasake said. "I cannot spare her. This will take awhile for her to master."

"You could practice with her bi-weekly. She would be able to work normally that way." Byakuya's father suggested.

"No." He denied firmly. "I do not want her to stop. The moment she does, her body will reject any attempts of her stretching it out. She has already become hesitant in her releases."

"Then perhaps you should let her try once a day instead of two."

"That is also out of the question. I want her body to get used to it." He argued. "I am certain you can find someone else to assist you with your project. Why not ask Shira?"

(Again with that Major.

"Hmm…he's very adamant to spare Kuchiki." Tōshirō said. "What if this is the heir's tactic while he's away? To separate them."

Uryū considered the possibility. "The heir did speak to her twice about not working with him…")

Somehow his face grew more serious as if it wasn't stoic enough already. "I will not give Jūshiro any opportunity to go on with his tales."

(Captain Ukitake beside Ichigo blushed and chuckled. "I-It's not me…")

"Jūsh—" Sensei Okasake paused. "Oh, my…I have not seen him in quite some time, I almost forgot his face. Him and ah, the other one," he thought for a moment, "Shunsui."

("Glad to see you too." Captain Kyōraku greeted while lowering his hat. )

"Regardless," Sensei Okasake said. "You must find someone else."

"How will she complete her community service hours?" He inquired.

"I will work with her until that boy comes back." He explained. "Once he returns, she will complete her five hours with him and then practice with me."

("He seems normal though." Rangiku said. "It doesn't sound like he's saying no because he doesn't want her too.")

"And her obligations to the Rukongai District?"

Sensei Okasake discarded his questions easily. "We will work around that. I must be strict with her. Do not think I do not know."

That comment struck some anonymity around it because what did he know?

Byakuya's father leaned back, uncertain of what he meant.

Sensei Okasake raised his right hand, "Ginrei obliges to her, Hirosuke coddles her, you fake your neutrality, Cornel idolizes her, Eisen adores her, you all are unable to push her because you see her way too often. This technique requires time and resilience. It is painful, she needs to be pushed. I am the only one who can do that for her. It would take less than a week of pain for Hirosuke to axe the attempt, Ginrei is fortunately more austere and would limit her practice to a week per month or once every other week as you suggested but at that rate she would not learn the trick or even have much incentive to do it until she is old and grey like me, and you—" he paused, "well you are telling me right now what you would do, suspend her training in totality."

(Captain Ukitake felt more convinced after hearing his little speech. "He does sound like Shima-sensei…")

Byakuya's father tried to intervene, "I am not saying to halt her training entirel—"

"—Cornel sees her divinity and thinks that she can do it whenever she pleases. She thinks nothing of the task because she has what we have and though I can agree with her on that, she cannot be pardoned because of pain and Eisen, well," he shrugged it off, "he never knows what goes on out here or anywhere but that room but he too would do what Cornel would."

"It is the tradition of this house." He added bumptiously. "She has to learn it even if it does impede your plans."

Ichigo still found it suspicious. He showed all aspects of the one he had come to know.

Strict, regal, disciplined.

There was nothing off about him wanting Rukia to stay focused but somehow there was something nudging at the back of Ichigo's head, telling him there was an intention despite his explanation here as to why he needed to keep her doing it.

"You are aware of my teachings." Sensei Okasake reminded him quietly, he looked at him, "this attitude of mine should not come to a surprise to you."

Ichigo reminded himself that he had been Byakuya's father's mentor.

"You did not let me finish." Byakuya's father argued. "I am only asking you to temporarily halt her training so that I may finish this project."

"And when do you presume you will be finished with it?"

Byakuya's father was unable to answer it. Obviously.

"If you could just reduce her attempts to one—" Sensei Okasake would not have it.

"Enough of this." He curtly interrupted. "I did not know she was aiding you with anything but that obligation must end here."

("Okay but is he always this determined?" Shinji asked.

"What if the heir is using him without actually controlling his responses itself?" Tōshirō asked.

"Could be…" Uryū muttered. "It'd be easy to cause trouble like this because everyone would assume he is being controlled.")

Again, Byakuya's father drew into silence.

"Perhaps if you would stop injecting her—"

Sensei Okasake sharply glared at Byakuya's father.

"Do you believe that I am drugging that child without her consent?" He asked accusingly.

("Well shit, wasn't expecting that." Shinji said.)

"Seems pretty angry…what do you think?" Ichigo asked.)

"That I am deliberately putting her to sleep? Exaggerating her symptoms?" Each question was followed by a long pause. It was as though he was giving Byakuya's father an opportunity to respond when he did.

("Too early to say if it's the heir or him." Uryū answered.)

"I said no such thing." Byakuya's father responded.

"You seem as if you are begging to imply that I somehow," he glanced at Rukia, almost at a loss of words, "want to keep her here in bed, manipulate her into thinking that she cannot avoid her pain or neglect her duty to learn this."

("He sure got the memo pretty quickly." Izuru said.)

"You are misunders—"

"You know what you are implying, do not act ignorant, it is beneath you."

In defeat, Byakuya's father eased into it, "she is asleep longer than she is awake."

("That's gonna strike a nerve." Ichigo noted.)

"It is the pain, the maids see it themselves, Hirosuke may testify how painful the act was when we first tried it, I cannot help if she wishes to fall asleep to not feel it." He explained angrily. "Take it up with her yourself if you do not believe me."

("He would be offended if Sojun was ever to imply something like this." Captain Ukitake said.)

"That is just it," Ichigo could tell he was trying to explain it in a way that was less offensive, "we do not see her."

Astonished by his response, Sensei Okasake leaned forward, "and that is somehow my fault?"

("He is pissed about it, too bad we can't tell if it's real or not." Shinji said.)

"I…" he was trying to find the words, "am not accusing you of anything it is just—"

Sensei Okasake flicked his arm in the air, brushing off his attempt to cool him down. He grabbed his papers, shuffled them into one big pile and stood up.

"I will not be insulted like this in my own house." He spat as he walked out the small opening into the corridor.

(Captain Ukitake's shoulders lowered, "I think it really was him.")

Byakuya's father exhaled as Byakuya's grandfather came in through the side door. Ichigo figured he had been listening in to observe whether that Sensei Okasake was the real one. He approached his son's desk with his arms crossed.

"It is him." Byakuya's father confirmed. "Despite how deliberate it might seem, that is the way he is when it comes to practice."

("He was testing him." Tōshirō realized. "What he said was intentional.")

"It is odd how his normal behaviour is somehow intervening with our tasks now."

("Which means he's just using Sensei Okasake's normal behaviour to throw them off." Rangiku said.

"That would naturally cause more trouble for them since most would be adamant to believe it is him." Captain Ukitake reiterated dreadfully. "Like now.")

"He introduced a new condition for the ownership renewals." Byakuya's grandfather informed him. "He removed the option of keeping the beneficiary vacant until a will was formally produced."

("That was something new he changed.." Tōshirō remembered, "he said that he was no longer going to do that anymore so maybe the heir is still controlling some parts. Why did he decide to change it now?"

"Regardless if he had provided a beneficiary or not, his only options would result in the Kuchiki clan losing their full ownership and rights to their property because the beneficiary would be a non-member." Sui-Feng explained.)

Almost nervously, Byakuya's father stared up at him. "What did you do?"

("The heir would've loved that to happen." Tōshirō said.)

"It is in her name now. I came to Hiroshima myself and disclosed it." He answered. "Though, I did not think he would write it in."

("At the time, she had no legal relation to a family which allowed the Kuchiki clan to indirectly maintain ownership of their assets via her without sharing it with any family. She had no last name or relatives at the time either." Sui-Feng added.)

Byakuya's father took a brief second to think, "if he was not in his normal mind, he would not have written it."

"But he did."

("Which would imply that Okasake was still conscious at the time if he did put it in." Tōshirō said.

"I told you it must be him." Captain Ukitake said.

"Starting to think we're all just getting bamboozled." Shinji muttered.)

He leaned back, trying to piece everything together. "…our only option is to speak with Rukia and tell her to stop taking that sleep medicine. It will be suspicious, perhaps offensive to him, though that is the only way we can get her to stop."

###

"You must stop taking that medication." The Lieutenant advised her the moment she stepped into the study.

Her heart leaped upon hearing his voice at six in the morning. He was usually here by nine or ten.

"Well…" she couldn't stop the sarcastic response from leaving her mouth, "morning to you too."

She pulled the tiny drawer open and retrieved his key.

"I would have greeted you if you were not taking medication to sleep." He responded.

Rukia frowned while she handed him the key. "It's not my fault, it hurts."

"And the matter we are handling…"

Rukia flashed an apologetic look, "I'm sorry…I didn't expect it to hurt that much but Sensei wasn't kidding."

"How is he?" He suddenly inquired.

"Still his usual self." Rukia answered. "Think he's going to stay like that until the thing comes back."

"I see." He lowered his eyes. "You will have to bear it, we are far behind."

"Lieutenant, if it was that easy I would've done it already. I heard Roger was helping you out, how'd that go?"

"Moderately well. He observes them, nothing more." He answered. "Nonetheless, you do need to find some time to thoroughly talk to them."

Rukia slumped, "I'm not sure I ever will. Sensei's really determined for me to do this. He doesn't even allow rest days. More importantly, the moment I try it I get that migraine and can't do anything else."

("If he isn't allowing her rest days, is that supposed to be his normal self or the heir self?" Kensei asked.

"What if it's both?" Isane asked. "Either version means that she has no opportunity to rest or do other things.)

"Prolong it then." The Lieutenant said. "You can practice at night."

"Sensei doesn't want to do it at night. He's got his own busy schedule so he wants to make a habit of doing it around noon so it becomes a part of his daily schedule." Rukia explained.

("See isn't this getting overly suspicious?" Shinji asked. "Not even night's an option here when it would make sense to have her knock out at the end of the day and be up in the mornin'.")

He studied her, "you are sure he is himself?"

("He's still suspicious." Kensei observed.)

Rukia nodded her head, "I can't sense anything off about him. His rigorous training methods just confirms it and with the way he's moving, he just might continue with this training even when that thing does come back."

("That would make it impossible for them to work together." Tōshirō said. "That's exactly what the heir wants.")

"It feels intentional in spite of it."

"You think?" Rukia paused. "But I don't think he's being controlled or anything. I just take that medicine 'cause I can't handle the pain. He makes me do it twice now, which is the daily limit."

("Daily limit or no daily limit, that's still damn weird." Ichigo said. "You can't tell me he doesn't feel sorry for her. I mean she does it every damn day."

"And when she does it twice she needs to knock herself out." Orihime said.)

"Do not take it today." It almost felt like an order. "He might take some offense to it but we are without a choice."

"Why would Sensei take offense?" Rukia asked, his expression shared bits of regret.

"I tried speaking with him to ensure it was not the thing controlling his decisions about your training." He admitted. "He took some offense, believing that I had implied he gave you medicine without your consent."

Rukia leaned back, "oh no…" she clenched her teeth, "he must be in a bad mood then…I have to take it. If I say no a day after you spoke to him he's gonna think—"

"I am aware." He interrupted her. "Though I must test if that is indeed him."

"He hasn't really given us any reason to think it's not him." Rukia said. "This is his training style and I doubt he knew I was helping you with something anyway, he's never here when the thing becomes his priority."

"What about his sudden change in the ownership renewal protocol?"

"That?" She asked in surprise. "I caught up with Sensei a few days ago, other one, and he told me that Sensei, this one, actually had that change planned months back. They agreed it was a lot of work to keep up with so they planned on changing the conditions from then. They didn't get the board Ministers' approval 'cause they weren't really up for a debate on it so that's probably why Captain didn't know. I guess after Sensei got controlled by the thing again, other Sensei decided to put that decision on hold until he was back to normal."

(Tōshirō wasn't buying it. "This would make sense but it sounds too perfect of an alibi. I don't want to say it is planned but so far, he's evaded any suspicious that he isn't himself.")

"I see."

"There's really nothing to go after." Rukia said. "I guess it just seems suspicious 'cause now we can't investigate like we used to unless Sensei forgets about it when that thing comes back."

("That is what they were acting on." Uryū was starting to believe it.)

"Take your medication today." He instructed, "and the day after that. We will wait until it returns."

("That is reasonable." Captain Ukitake said. "When the heir returns, it will take hold of him again for real. They will not have to be so uncertain anymore and can avoid offending Shima-sensei just in case.")

"Sensei said this time out was supposed to last a week but it's well over that."

"It will be back by next week." The Lieutenant said.

"How do you know?"

"The annual noble heir gathering is next week. It will not miss it."

"—Hello, my dear," Rukia turned to see a rather cheerful Sensei step out, "we should start early today, I prepar—"

He halted his steps. He stared coldly at the Lieutenant behind her. The maid holding a tray of tea for her bowed beside him.

He grunted, he stuck out his right hand in the maid's direction, "Sojun, would you like to evaluate her tea for poisoning or drugs while you're at it?"

What the…Rukia felt tense.

"No." The Lieutenant responded behind her. "I will admit that I got carried away."

"That is an understatement." He harshly chided. "To even suggest it, let alone think it is despicable."

The maid appeared by her side and had her take it while Sensei talked.

His animosity was fervent. "Though while you are here, I will tell you here and now of my plans for her this week so you may hear her consent for yourself."

"My dear," he addressed her firmly, "as I have completed my week's work with your assistance, I can no longer give you hours. As that boy is yet to return, I have relocated you to that soul reaper academy in the meanwhile. They are holding their fall examinations this upcoming week and will need assistance. Once you complete your work at the academy, you will return here and complete your other duties and then we will meet to practice. After that, what you do with your spare time is your own doing."

("He's letting her go?" Izuru asked.

"Forget that, he's having her do work at the soul reaper academy?" Shuhei asked. "Guess he doesn't hate us as much as everyone made it seem."

Captain Kyōraku disagreed. "I can say he did hate us just as we made it seem. Lieutenant Kuchiki will probably work with assassin soul reapers."

"That plan still doesn't make sense." Ichigo said. "After practice she won't have any spare time to do much 'cause she'll be exhausted and in pain.")

"Did you hear that, Sojun?" Sensei asked him, his eyes wide with disdain. His gaze shifted back to her, "if you wish to sleep, you will have to try on your own first before I am accused of giving you drugs. If you do take any pills from me, you will sign a consent form with five other witnesses so I never have to hear such abominable accusations so long I live."

("A little dramatic but I guess that helps." Shinji said.)

He stretched his neck, "are we clear, Sojun?"

When he didn't respond, he addressed her, "did he tell you of his thoughts?"

Rukia was unable to answer.

"So long you do not believe it. I will be out in the gardens."

He disappeared.

Rukia spun around slowly, the Lieutenant was staring back at her. She stretched her arm out, "do you want to check the tea?"

("He's probably gonna take it." Ichigo guessed.)

He was silent for a moment. "I will take a sample."

She eyed the test tube he brought out.

("A test tube?" Uryū asked.

"Yeah, he definitely still doesn't believe it's him." Shuhei said.)

###

A week went by of her volunteer work at the academy, helping the staff prep for exams by printing and organizing and what not. Sensei reduced her practice to just one time a day that week so she attempted to help the Lieutenant but he would not let her.

He was now suggesting she rested as well, ensuring her that he would go visit more people himself with Roger so long she remembered to search herself for more.

With that obligation lifted from her, she realized just how absent she had been from the Rukongai District. Choda was likely throwing a fit since she usually let him run things regarding their garden with Koda, Oda and Uzi when she was away. Especially now with winter coming, demands and trouble would be hot.

She needed to go back.

The only problem was her migraines which made it difficult to work. She wouldn't be able to withstand it with the sun.

Sometime in the week she explained to Sensei her problem and with his blessing, she got a few days off from practice in secret. After spending yet another week with him, Rukia was certain that it had been him all along.

His leniency was not surprising. No matter how strict he looked and was about her practicing the glaze trick, she knew she would be able to soften him up once she spent more time with him and she did spend a tremendous amount!

She couldn't believe he had told the Lieutenant that the other Sensei 'coddles' her, separating himself as though he was no different.

They were all alike when it came to her, she would admit. There was a soft spot but it was shown in their own, personalized ways.

Giving her four days off, starting on Saturday of the same week was proof.

She would not be back until Wednesday.

###

Tuesday was the annual noble heir gathering photo and as they had seen when she arrived there and as Rukia detailed twice, Byakuya's grandfather and Sensei Okasake appeared in the middle of the busy street market to get her.

Byakuya's grandfather had come in front of her and Sensei Okasake had come behind her and quietly, she followed them as the crowd gave their own little reactions to the scene.

When she was taken to the Seireitei, she was back in her uniform and the same conversation they witnessed earlier (AN: Night of Disruptions) ensued before she stepped on there.

When the thing appeared next to her, she only glanced at him once. The older Sensei Okasake was too stoic for them to tell whether he was still his normal self but he did reach out and put his hands on the heir's shoulders. The other Sensei Okasake did the same, pulling her a bit back.

Seeing Byakuya and her side to side for the first time for the photo didn't bother him the way it had when he first saw the photo or when the little snippet of this was shown to them by the Head Captain awhile back.

Creepy? Yes. But seeing everything unfold in chronological order made it a lot better.

His mind ran on their zanpakutō spirits stating that they had first seen each other when Rukia and Byakuya were side to side at the annual noble heir gathering—this. But he didn't know how that could've happened since they only stood beside each other for like one photo.

Then, he saw something—it was brief, it lasted milliseconds. She accidentally shuffled too much to her side and her shoulder lightly touched his arm but she moved away from it immediately.

The camera flashed once, the cameraman approved of it and they were on their way—away from each other that is.

They wouldn't meet until like two hundred years later.

Back at the Okasake manor, Rukia was at her desk for the first time in a while when Sensei Okasake came and handed her an envelope with a texture like sandpaper.

"What's this?" She asked while opening it. It was the noble heir photo. She studied it and grimaced.

She chucked the photo back in the envelope in distaste.

"Keep it." Sensei Okasake urged her. "You like to collect memories, this serves as a great one."

She slipped the photo back up again, turned it upside down and began to rip it. When she was done, the heir was ripped out of the photo but only the heir. Ichigo figured that Sensei would be ripped out once he completely switched.

"Lighten up, one day you will look back and laugh."

("Right." Ichigo sarcastically remarked.)

If only he knew, she'd look back at it and think it was the creepiest thing ever.

###

It was Wednesday. Fall examinations began today. Her volunteer job would last until the final exam on Monday.

Today through Friday were for written tests, Monday was for physicals.

She and the other volunteers who were spaced out would be dealing with assassin-soul reaper trainees. The staff in white coats and red keychains would deal with the normal students and soul reaper trainees.

Students, who could see her, would approach her and the others at the long white desk outside, they would tell her their name, show their student identification card and she would retrieve their exam.

The others were to do the same.

The way the academy worked was simple. Students would enroll in the academy as normal students, learning what was necessary to retrieve their diploma which covered the basics of Soul Society knowledge. At the final stage, they would enrol in specialized classes, which focused on physical tests, to become full bred soul reapers.

Level one to four was typically for preteen students.

Level five to nine was typically for teenage students.

Level ten to thirteen was for students who wished to advance and become soul reapers. This was also the stage where others outside the curriculum could enrol. They would alternate between knowledge and physical classes whereas others who went through the curriculum would solely do physical ones.

There were also advanced classes for those who were set on learning the curriculum and advancing their soul reaper knowledge.

She had stumbled upon a considerable amount of AP exams during the first examination slot for level one to four which tended to be for noble children.

She managed the names from I to L but worked at the end of the desk to the left because they had randomized the space for assassin volunteers.

It was seven in the morning.

The area was bustling with activity. Students from the academy helped themselves to drinks in paper cups and snacks.

The first exam for level one to four students was to commence at eight.

One by one assassin-soul reapers, naturally donned in the academy's uniform, lined up and told her their name and handed her their cards.

At eight, the yard was practically empty with only the staff and the volunteers sparking conversation amongst each other. Rukia took the opportunity to catch up on her journal entries since she hadn't been writing since she started practicing the glaze trick.

The exam was over at ten, the next one for level five to nine students was at ten-thirty. The remaining students came out of the exam hall and dropped off their exams with them at the desk. Most people finished in an hour and a half so there wasn't too much to collect as the next batch of students came in.

One by one she handed off the booklets in plastic to the student who came with their cards.

She didn't pay much attention to their faces until one came nearly three minutes before the exam was about to start.

He was panting, "Kujou."

(Captain Ukitake was shocked by his appearance. "The Kujou boy?"

"Who's he?" Shuhei asked.

Captain Ukitake looked back at Byakuya but didn't explain what exactly was so fascinating about him.)

His face was bright red, his forehead rimmed with sweat, he wasn't even wearing an academy uniform—he was wearing a soul reaper one.

He handed her a red and white identification card which she scanned to file his attendance into the system and locate the cabinet. She bent down to pick up his exam from the cabinet built into the desk and brought it up.

It was an AP one.

("He looks a lil…" The kid radiated a vibe that reminded him a lot of Hanatarō. A bit jittery, a little clueless, kinda frail—that type but he didn't know him well enough yet to say it was true.)

Rukia took a glimpse at the computer profile that popped up as she scanned the barcode on the plastic cover.

He was a noble.

He was classified as a 'returning student'.

But that wasn't all. The preview of his academic record at the bottom of the screen showed a list of back to back failures at level five. He was still a teenager or at least looked like one but his record made it seem as though he would be in his late teens or early adulthood considering he's been registered as a level five student for sixty-four years.

"Weird, huh?"

Rukia twitched in surprise, his voice belonged to that of a teenager.

"Sorry…" Rukia said as she handed him his exam.

"It's alright." He kindly replied, his voice was fairly scratchy which Rukia attributed to his hiccups. "It happens all the time."

Rukia glanced at the grand white clock towering over the academy hall, "you better go."

("He should be back in a few minutes." Captain Ukitake said.

"Is he one of the heir's forms?" Izuru asked.)

His head shot up at the time. "O-Oh, right! Bye!"

He scurried off. Rukia exited his profile, thinking it was too invasive to go through it. After all, not everyone was school smart, he probably tried his hardest to pass each year.

("Not quite." Captain Ukitake answered. "At least I hope not.")

Once he left, two other students came up in a rush to get their exam before running towards the hall.

(Captain Ukitake scratched his forehead, "I don't know how he would have any relevance to this unless the heir was involved all along."

"What about Izuru's idea about him–the kid–being one of the heir's forms?" Shuhei asked.

"Not sure how he'd be able to spin that." Captain Kyōraku said.)

When the clock arrow hit six, the yard was quiet again.

Rukia leaned against the rim of the grand rectangular stone pot filled with bushes. She resumed writing in her journal. She took a few glances at the clock to take note of the time, eventually becoming too engrossed in her work to notice it.

"I'm doneee!" Someone announced, Rukia's head fired up to see the same boy she had seen just minutes ago.

Dazed, she looked at the clock, the long hand was at nine, it was ten-forty-five! That's impossible.

"You're done?" Rukia asked as she closed her book.

She took the booklet and put it through the processor.

"Pretty quick, huh?" He chuckled, his hand rubbed the back of his head.

Rukia took a good look at him. His hair was spiky but not too spiky, it was ink black and styled straight up. His eyes were a dull green, very dull with streaks of a zestier bright green near his pupil which restored life in them. Around his neck he had a talisman of some kind, there was a stone like a pear faceted emerald.

The processor read the exam quickly and imputed the results. Rukia gasped when the label of white came out and the score was a hundred! Beneath it was the completion time which read fourteen-zero-three and to the side was his seat number, one-hundred and eighty-three.

Rukia looked at the computer, appalled by the results, but it had recorded the same.

"What'd I get?" He asked her.

("A hundred." Captain Ukitake slowly mumbled to himself.)

She scrambled to click on the mouse and print the sheet out before she put the booklet into its plastic wrap. "Uh, just give me a second."

She hated looking so unprofessional but the results did make her feel…weird.

Once the sheet came out, she handed it to him and watched him erupt in glee. "OH YEAH! RIGHT ON!"

Rukia stared at the computer, was it a glitch? The exam today was only multiple choice so the machine was used to automatically scan the answers and produce a result. There were two-hundred and sixty-two questions on that AP exam, there was no way he could've come out that fast.

"Wait—" Rukia called for him but he was already on his way.

With no one around, she bent down into the cabinet and brought out his booklet. Each response had a green stamp of approval.

She grew more suspicious and stood up.

This had to be a glitch.

###

"Do you believe the boy cheated or not?" Sensei inquired.

She was back at the manor, her cushion at the side of his desk while he worked. The maintenance worker she had called up after the boy left confirmed the systems were running fine thus the exam results had not been a glitch and yet there was this feeling which took her and told her something was off.

"No." She said quickly, "yes," she then corrected and in irritation, she yelled, "I don't know!"

"He's been doing level five exams for like sixty-something years," she explained to him. "It's not…odd that he'd be able to breeze through the thing even with the questions changed but…to finish that fast? And to get every single one right? It's just not possible."

("A cheating story now?" Shinji asked, unphased.)

"So you do believe he cheated."

"Yes!" She exclaimed in frustration, "no."

She lifted herself up a little and went back down in her kneeling position, "it's just…I don't understand."

"You should inquire about such things if they are suspicious." A monotone voice advised, he walked past her and went straight to his desk.

The Lieutenant.

He knelt into his cushion and began to rearrange his things, "the academy Head will see to it that it is thoroughly investigated. I will leave him a request if you are willing to provide a testimony to add to the case."

Testimony?

"Hold on," Rukia instructed as though she was warning him, "I need to sort this out first. He's been at level five for sixty-something years, he's failed his exams each year since then, what if he's just…slow? Not everyone is school smart and yes, he's an AP student but like…almost all nobles that came today were AP students and I highly doubt all of them got accepted because of their grades. He could've been pressured into doing it and well…it took some time to learn."

"Are you justifying his decision or is that your defense against the possibility he didn't?" Sensei asked, which immediately made her scowl.

"You are too compassionate." The Lieutenant said.

Rukia exhaled, "look, I'm not saying he didn't cheat."

"So he did cheat." Sensei said.

"No!" She cried. "Yes," she corrected, "ugh, I don't know anymore, alright? The circumstances are too weird."

"Request an investigation into the matter." The Lieutenant advised.

"No," Rukia declined, "not yet. Besides, there was somebody else who finished around the same time too. What if they get roped in the investigation too? I don't want to make it that big of a deal."

"What was the boy's name again?" Sensei asked.

"Kujou. Kujou Kotaru, he's a noble." Rukia answered.

The Lieutenant suddenly stood up. The blank expression on his face did not help her identify what was wrong.

"What was his seat number?" He inquired.

Rukia leaned back, hesitant, "a hundred and eighty-three."

He walked around his desk and out the parted doors.

"Why is he in such a hurry?" She stared at his back as he disappeared down the walkway, she turned to Sensei on her left, "I didn't say I wasn't going to request an investigation, I just needed some time."

She huffed. "Are they such crusaders of justice they can't wait a single second to let anyone think?"

"Well," Sensei brought down his glasses, "they are our original law enforcers. It is their family's calling."

Rukia just scowled in response.

"Though, I do believe this 'rush', so you call it, is personally motivated." He added, Rukia loosened her expression.

"What do you mean?"

"His son is a level five student who is also in advanced placement." Sensei informed her.

Rukia dropped her crossed arms, "really?"

("Okay," Ichigo said, "this is weird, like creepy weird.")

She scoffed in disbelief, "oh come on!" She emphasized slowly. "He doesn't actually think—" she stopped. "The chances of that are so unlikely, totally unlikely, completely unlikely! K-U-C, K-U-R, that's like," she pretended to count, "thirteen, fourteen, spaces away from each other. There's a bunch of people with K-U in their last names, doesn't matter if it's advanced placement or not."

(Captain Ukitake laughed, "you'd be surprise.")

"He did ask you for the seat number." Sensei pointed out which immediately made her nervous.

"But—" she looked outside again, "he finished in fourteen minutes! The academy called it the fastest exam completion time in history for that category, what are the chances the other one who finished is—"

Sensei gave her a look which only made her feel more frustrated.

Rukia watched outside nervously, unknowingly shaking her foot, "what are they gonna do to him?"

"Oh," he moved papers, "nothing bad. The penalty for cheating is expulsion."

Rukia stared at him, the guilt taking her eyes.

"But—" she was determined. "Let's say he did attempt to cheat, how would he have been able to do it?"

Rukia shuffled closer to him, "like you said, he's Captain Kuchiki's grandson, he wouldn't be easy to cheat off of, right?"

("Okay seriously, it's getting weird." Ichigo said.)

"I was referring to his academic achievements and record." He mundanely responded.

Rukia shrunk down, feeling terrible.

"He's gonna know it's me." Rukia mumbled.

"How?" Sensei asked. "There are others who would've seen the results and find it suspicious."

"Oh please," Rukia said, "I made it so obvious that I saw something off about it when the results came out."

"Well, it is not wrong to have been suspicious."

She crossed her arms. "Maybe not but I wish I didn't have to feel like the one who tattle tailed or something."

After some thought, she stood up.

"Where will you go now?"

"Kujou manor. If he really did cheat, I want to hear him confess it himself before that investigation starts."

###

There was a broad open field of tulips and lilies near the gateless Kujou manor which allowed the breeze to brush through the tresses of her hair without constraints.

Kujou Kotaru approached her from afar, leaving what appeared to be a garden or backyard celebration for him.

His cheeks were flushed again, atop his head was a gold crown with emerald stones embellished into it, a big necklace made of real flowers was strung around his neck on top of the talisman she had noticed earlier.

He jogged to her excitingly, his left hand kept his crown in place against the wind.

The image practically broke her heart.

("He certainly looks jolly for a cheater." Uryū said.

"Ishida, you're not actually taking this seriously, are you?" Ichigo asked.

"Why not?" He replied sluggishly. "Cheaters like yourself shouldn't be able to just get by like that."

"NOW LISTEN—")

"Sensei!" He greeted.

"Kujou." She faked her enthusiasm. "Con…gratulations!"

It was an ugly thing to say considering what she had done or at least, what she was going to ask.

"Why thank you, Sensei!" He said. "I'm sorry I didn't invite you, the elders wanted to throw something small but my grandfather says he's going to throw an even bigger celebration after exams and invite everybody!"

He sounded so proud and happy, she couldn't believe she had trekked all the way here to break his heart.

("Hold on." Ichigo paused. "He got perfect on one exam and they're throwing him a party?"

"You're only surprised because you've never had one." Uryū replied.)

She fiddled with her hands, trying to find a way to ask him.

God, she felt horrible.

"Oh…that's fine," she replied slowly, "I'm not into noble parties anyway."

"Oh…" his expression became solemn, "well, grandfather plans on inviting everyone! I asked him personally to send an invitation to the Okasake clan."

That's so sweet…

She mentally shook her head to wake herself up.

"Look," Rukia began but he interrupted her.

"I-It'll only be for a few minutes!" He reasoned.

("Noble stuff aside, he's only known her for less than two minutes and he wants her to come to some party? That sounds like the heir's work." Rangiku said.)

If the case was different, she would have shown up but there would be no celebration after they found out what he did.

She saw his heart drop with his shoulders, "...no?"

Rukia took a deep breath, "look," she called quietly, "I'm gonna ask you something and I want you to respond as honestly as possible."

He waited.

"Did you cheat on the exam?"

The sad expression she had left him with did not waver.

"I know it might seem invasive but those results…" Rukia offered him an apologetic look. "I know you've been at it for sixty-four years and though the questions change, the concepts are still the same so yes, it isn't surprising that eventually you'd be able to pass but a perfect score? I checked your record, every time you did the exam you either barely passed or were right under it."

He remained quiet, the festive aura had vanished.

("I suppose he gets points for acting like he actually got the mark after inputting the effort." Tōshirō said.

"Not you too." Ichigo said.)

"And…" she felt really bad, "finishing it all up in the time that you did? It's…just a bit odd."

Man, she had really turned him into stone.

"I…think you should confess." Rukia advised. "You'll probably still be expelled but I'd like to think it would count for something. Besides," she attempted to cheer him up, "you still have your assassin profession to fall back on. I read your file, you've been an assassin for a while now and you can always use a zanpakutō as one! No need to spend all your time studying for a level five exam here."

"And…If…the academy Head sees your record and results, they'll request an inquiry and probably tell your family about it but if you confess, you can keep it on the low. And…" she twitched in annoyance, "considering that there's already someone on the way to do that…" that darn Lieutenant, "you should do it quick."

His eyes which had been lowered to the ground shot up.

She tapped her right knuckle against her left palm. "I really didn't mean too…it's just—" she dropped her hands, "I forgot where I was," she explained in distress, "and—" she pressed her index finger on his chest, "of all people, why'd you have cheat off the heir of the most prestigious noble clan in the Soul Society?" She wailed. "I would've been able to come and tell you to confess before someone else went and request an inquiry if—"

She paused.

"What are the chances you just snuck a paper inside of there, huh?" She asked him. "Please tell me that's what you did."

When he didn't answer, Rukia eased into her apology, "I'm sorry. I'm really really sorry, to be honest, I don't care about the fact you cheated after having to do the same thing over and over again for years but at the very least you could've gotten a decent amount of them wrong so it wasn't suspicious."

Rukia took a deep breath, waiting for him to speak.

He was stone serious, "let them launch the investigation."

"What?"

"I would rather take my victory with my name cleared." He said which confused her.

"I couldn't have cheated off of anyone on that exam because my exam was different from everyone else in that room." He explained, with a deep, lordly intonation that was much different from his usual speaking tone. "You're right, I am an assassin but I have been trying to fast-track my soul reaper education for decades therefore, I was granted a special exception. I only come in for exams, I am home schooled. Therefore, all my exams are completely different from anyone else to aid with that process."

("You hear that?" Shuhei asked.

"His voice changed…" Rangiku noticed.)

"But that doesn't make any sense." Rukia argued. "One, why do you even need to complete level five to nine when a, you're already an assassin and b, the soul reaper academy's curriculum starts at level ten? Why go through all that trouble? You could've just enrolled in level ten from the start. Two, even if your exam was different, you finished it in fourteen minutes, got everything right, despite having a terrible track record with passing it, how?"

He turned away and walked alongside the tulip field, no longer worrying about his crown flying off from the wind. Rukia slowly walked behind him as he spread his arms out.

"I am a returning student because I have often neglected studying for exams." He explained honestly. "I was already an assassin by the time I enrolled in the academy so it was easy to ignore it. I only had to appear for the exams so I'd often show up knowing next to nothing on it."

That made sense but why…

"You asked me why I did not enroll in the soul reaper academy and chose to go through the entire curriculum from the start well…I was fulfilling an obligation. My father was a soul reaper, he did the entire curriculum so he wanted me to follow his footsteps and do it too so I did. When I got to level five, my father was killed by a hollow during a mission. After that, I did not take much interest in completing my diploma, I only appeared at exam time to take it just in case I'd actually pass it."

Rukia felt bad for being so invasive but she had to ask, "so…what changed?"

He didn't speak for awhile.

"I got ill after an injury severely damaged my throat." How awful…Rukia didn't need to ask to know it was fatal. "Anyways, I decided to complete it before anything bad happens so I studied hard to ensure I'd make up for all the times I did it and didn't pass. As you mentioned, I knew the concepts well enough to get through it so it was a matter of putting in the effort."

"I am home-schooled now because it can be quite distracting to the other students when I hiccup." He added quietly.

Rukia rushed forward, "I'm so sorry."

He turned around, "It's fine."

Rukia saw it in his eyes, he meant it but…

"Even if you didn't mention it, the people I was beside would've told somebody after seeing how well I did. I was a bit nervous." He admitted shyly. "I got fidgety."

"And," he rushed to add, "the Kuchiki heir finished around the same time so it was bound to look suspicious either way. I am certain I heard him mentioning my movements when we got out."

Rukia felt so relieved.

She smiled, "I'm…really glad to hear that. I still feel responsible for getting that investigation started early but at least you'll be in the clear once they get it over with. The academy Head might even remember you're a special case."

"Yes," he grinned, "so…will you come to the celebration? It will be after exams, of course."

Rukia nodded her head, "you must've studied a lot, tomorrow's the written one, how fast do you plan on getting out?"

"Well," he held his arms behind his back, "I will have to write lots but if I could finish in under an hour that would be impressive."

"Suppose I'll see you then." Rukia said, "I should go, I need to let them know before they start their inquiry."

"You are welcome to tell them of my personal reasoning as well, they can verify it here." He offered kindly.

He really was the sweetest.

And cute.

###

Rukia approached the Lieutenant at the front desk of the academy and informed him of the different exams. He confirmed that he too was told the exact same thing from the receptionist at the front though still found his results suspicious so Rukia explained the whole thing quietly.

He was initially not convinced so Rukia told him to check with the Kujou clan. Instead, he requested the receptionist to read out his entire academic record since his enrolment to see what his grades were like prior to level five.

After some of her badgering, he agreed that the story did make sense however, it was wrong for the clan to group him with other students knowing he might disturb them, which Rukia felt was personally motivated.

In the midst of that, Rukia had noticed Major Shira down the hall, conversing with a professor. Upon mentioning it, the Lieutenant asked her why she had announced it, much to her annoyance, to which she had asked, "is there a law against recognizing people now?"

"No." He had answered.

They parted ways soon after.

###

It had been a long time since they had skipped over a slot of time instead of watching it happen naturally.

Major Li Shira and Byakuya's father were walking side by side now down a pathway. He was looking through a binder she had brought him with photos of abandoned places and rundown houses in the Soul Society.

"This timeout was unusually quiet." She noted slowly. "The regeneration process might have forced it into dormancy."

"It is too early to consider that a possibility." He dismissed. "It benefits from god uncle's return. Its silence is not only intentional but needed."

("They'd been working on this all this time…" Captain Ukitake stood amazed by the fact. "I…found them here but they didn't—")

She eyed him. "So you do believe that it is our Head Commander."

Byakuya's father was hesitant to answer.

"It fluctuates." He admitted sternly. "When he was reluctant to give her any opportunity to rest, I might have believed that he was himself if I had not been the one to ask."

"That is not surprising." She rebutted, unconvinced, "his mentor days are not far behind him."

"Not even then, Shira was he unable to provide some leniency when I had asked." Byakuya's father argued.

"She is who he is training." She reminded him.

He thought about this for a moment, "I suppose you are right."

"Let me finish." She flatly scolded. "His desire to obey you is failing. That is concerning. She was only given some time off in her district after she had personally asked."

"That is why I have some doubts about him." Byakuya's father repeated. "He was not allowing her rest days then changed his mind sometime later."

"He must have had a breakthrough after you accused him." She muttered.

Unhappy with what she was implying, he came to his defense firmly, "I did not accuse hi—"

Captain Ukitake with his hair drawn back into a ponytail appeared at the middle of the pathway near a bench. He looked rather happy seeing them there.

"It seems as though you are never at work." Byakuya's father commented upon his arrival.

Major Li brushed past him.

"It's nice to see you too, Shira." Captain Ukitake greeted as she walked away. He returned his attention to Byakuya's father, "You're a lot busier now than you were when you were a Lieutenant. I visited the manor a few times to check up on you but you were out each time I went."

"I am at godfather's from morning till noon." He explained to him. "I work there."

("You really never went there and saw Rukia?" Ichigo asked the Ukitake beside him.

"No," he lowered his head, "I went a few times but…there was no trace of her, Hiro-sensei never mentioned he had a granddaughter and well…Sojun…I suppose they had gotten used to it, there was nothing to tell.")

"Oh, I see." Captain Ukitake said, "I should visit, I haven't seen Hiro-sensei in some time now."

"You are welcome to." Byakuya's father responded. "I am there often."

"I will make a note of that in case I forget, how is Hiro-sensei?" He asked him.

"He is his usual self." Byakuya's father responded.

"And Shima-sensei?"

That garnered a less immediate response.

"So long he is healthy." Captain Ukitake said. "If you're at the manor later, I might stop by. I heard Byakuya-kun and another student were almost tied for the fastest completion time of their exam in history, as you would imagine, he's a bit furious."

Byakuya's father smiled, "It was less than a second, the academy will likely take the last millisecond count out for the papers."

"For our sake, I hope." He chuckled, "that Kujou boy is quite interesting. I would not like to doubt him but…for him and Byakuya-kun to finish at the same time while sitting next to each other…"

"I have already investigated the matter." Byakuya's father assured him.

Through Rukia, Ichigo muttered in his head.

"It seems that he is cleared." He said.

"Oh, well that's good to hear." Captain Ukitake said. "This is all quite exciting. I'm sure they're celebrating, they are quite…festive."

"Indeed."

Captain Ukitake suddenly grinned, his eyes upturned into slits, "so…are you and Shira talking now?"

He walked past him as both Ukitakes chuckled.

"Oh, if only I had known she'd been helping him with Shima-sensei's son…" Ukitake, beside him, wistfully said. "He could've told me, I'd seen him enough times but…"

"You weren't always around." Captain Kyōraku pointed out. "I'd say combined both you, I and Unohana spend the most time at the barracks than anyone else."

"This entire thing operates in relation to the assassin realm, a side you were not on." Tōshirō pointed out.

"Even so it's just…odd," he exhaled, "looking back at the situation now like this, I see moments where I could've pressed more, things I did not understand but didn't pursue, information like this which came off so easily to me I just—"

"Well how were you supposed to know that he got that information from present Lieutenant Kuchiki who went after that Kujou kid who just so happened to be sitting beside present Captain Kuchiki?" Rangiku asked.

"Yeah!" Momo balled her fist. "And how were you supposed to know that former Lieutenant Kuchiki was working on a project about the Okasake heir who you thought was just a normal, messed up kid?"

"Not to mention, figure out that he and his ex-fling were doing it together?" Rangiku added.

"And if you didn't see any trace of her at the Okasake manor then how is it your fault for not knowing?" Ichigo asked. "They didn't tell you about her either."

"You're right but," Captain Ukitake couldn't explain it, "I was close with both of them, all of them. Hiro-sensei's secrecy doesn't come to a surprise but Sojun? He could've mentioned that Hiro-sensei had informally adopted a granddaughter, I would have sought out to meet her. He also had every opportunity to mention the heir problem but didn't. I just feel odd knowing how entangled my Lieutenant was in all of this, even down to something as simple as this had some of her influence back when she had no relation to us."

"What do you think that Kujou guy means to this story anyway?" Shuhei asked. "He's some sick little happy kid that probably has a crush on her, but what's that to us?"

"Beats me," Rangiku said, "unless the heir gets a lil'jealous."

"Guess this ties in with what the younger her in present time said about the heir disliking the type of people she talked to (AN: Contrite Apologies), he's probably one." Izuru said.

"Won't that break his heart?" Rose asked.

"Well she doesn't really have a choice, Captain." Izuru replied.

"We wouldn't be seeing him if he was irrelevant." Tōshirō assured them. "And I doubt it has anything to do with a love story, he could very well be planted here by the heir. It'll come in due time, we should focus on the others who play a role in this. Li must have been tasked with identifying his hideouts."

"Are you sure that isn't just a one time thing? The timeout never happened before nor did his week long silence." Rangiku said.

"Even if that is the case she identified these places rather quickly." Captain Komamura said.

"I would argue that Major Li is a regular member." Captain Kyōraku said.

"She's still alive, right?" Kensei asked.

"Who? Shira?" Captain Ukitake asked. "Yes, she is."

"Good, at least we got somebody else who was a real time witness of this shit that isn't six feet down under." Kensei responded.

There was a loud noise which shook the ground. First they thought it was a part of the memory but turns out it was for them.

There were three different slots open now. The one ahead was outside the academy where Rukia was working at the long table, to their right it was the infamous meeting room with Byakuya's father and his godfather working on their respective tables and to the left was of Major Li and Major Haru approaching an isolated ward which seemed as though it had been cut off from some manor.

"There's three different places now." Orihime said. They were only separated by a thin fog.

"Do we just step into any?" Ikkaku asked.

"Better not be some game." Shuhei muttered.

"I say we go right." Izuru said. "Whatever happens in the left and centerwill always go back to the Okasake place."

"I guess but…Major Li and Haru probably found something in there that could help us understand the heir's powers if not introduce us to new people." Rangiku said.

"My guess is that it only gets much more…" Isane lowered her eyes, "gruesome."

"In that case, let's go left." Ikkaku said.

"But each slot is moving…" Captain Ukitake observed.

"Look, everybody should just go wherever the fuck they want and see what happens." Ikkaku argued. "It'll cut time."

###

Slot 1 - Center

Kujou came running towards the desk exactly three minutes before the written exam for his level was about to start. He cheerfully greeted and assured her he was going to finish in under an hour because he brought his father's pen to use.

Rukia wished him good luck and watched him run into the hall from far.

###

Slot 2 - Right

Sensei Okasake and his god son were working meticulously on their own desks with the parted doors wide open as per usual.

The gray clouds above would submerge the exterior of the manor into their first gloomy day of October which had come very late.

###

Slot 3 - Left

Major Li and Haru approached a desolated ward that had been viciously ripped off a manor a long time ago, having been thrown miles and miles away from it to rot.

Fungus bloomed all over, wood rot stained the bottom up to the top with brown, black and yellow stains. On top the chipping white paint of the house were faint hints of sky blue shaped like puddles.

It was located on an uneven section of ground, almost buried into it due to parts of the bottom which were broken and left like sharp right angle triangles, forcing it to tilt right.

A crow cawed from somewhere the moment they approached the closed shōji doors that had numerous holes punctured in it.

###

When everyone entered their space of choice, they found that they could still see each other, it was as though they were on the same ground at the same time but not.

"What's going on?" Kon asked.

"It's the same thing." Ichigo noted.

"Are we supposed to see everything at once?" Uryū asked.

While observing each area, Shinji muttered, "maybe something happens that's all connected."

###

Slot 2 - Right

The older Sensei Okasake appeared with the toddler in the study where his brother and Byakuya's father were at work.

After observing the place quickly he asked, "where is Rukia? It is time for her to watch my boy."

"Guess he's back to 'normal'." Shinji said.

"You gave her work at the academy." His brother answered. "She will not be available until Tuesday to watch it."

"Academy?" Sensei Okasake questioned.

"He doesn't remember." Ichigo observed.

"We can see that, Kurosaki." Uryū dryly replied.

"She has this boy to watch, she cannot go around doing task to task when she gave her word that she would mentor him for her service hours." His tone was harsh, unforgiving.

"She did not give her word," Byakuya's father corrected, "you gave her the case and refused to switch it."

"You arranged for her to do some hours at the academy while the boy was away. You promised her that she would finish it even if he did return." His brother explained but obviously he wouldn't remember.

Byakuya's father's eyes fell on the toddler who was innocently staring back at him with big round eyes. Ichigo couldn't deny the kid—thing—looked adorable.

To think behind it was an old man, a personification of a genetic error was hard to digest when you looked at it.

As annoying as the thing was, it acted like any toddler would behave.

"I did no such thing." Sensei Okasake argued before he peered down at the heir, "I will go fetch her for you, I will have her nowhere near anything soul reaper related."

"I will do it." Byakuya's father announced. His godfather eyed him immediately. "The task." He added.

Sensei Okasake was clearly moved by it.

"Well…" it struck him, "it is nice to see you have finally warmed him up to him however, this boy needs to play, he needs sunshine, you cannot hoard him up here and do nothing like the last time."

Byakuya's father merely glanced outside, "there is no sun today, I will take it out for an activity."

The toddler looked up, "but what about Wukia?"

It even sounded cute.

"Ah," he looked down at him, "I will find her later and bring her back to you."

He addressed them both, "I will be off, have fun."

Once Sensei Okasake left the toddler just stared at both of them with an adorable, innocent look as it waited for one of them to say something.

"I will use this as an opportunity to note its behaviour." Byakuya's father explained to his godfather. "I have a few others on my list that I can search for in the meanwhile."

"This toddler version seems to be a completely clueless entity." Tōshirō said. "It's just a child that acts upon its parent's interests in its own way."

"Well if Kla is any indication of what it means or does then…it's pretty much useless." Ichigo said.

"But it still is him, whatever they say, the other one hears too." Rangiku said.

"What will you do with him?" His godfather asked.

"It will find something to do on its own." He answered.

His godfather hummed, "be careful. Do not do anything exciting."

"I do not intend on playing with it if that is what you are asking." He responded, unimpressed by his implication.

"It is merely a warning."

###

Slot 3 - Left

As Byakuya's father and the little heir left the manor, they turned their attention to Major Li and Haru who had already ventured into the ward.

It was even dirtier on the inside, light came in from the punctured spots in the walls which reminded Ichigo of the shed in Rukia's district where Sensei Okasake worked underground.

There was nothing but old furniture draped with cobwebs and broken frames with no pictures. Mice squeaked and sped across the floors upon being disturbed.

At first he assumed they were looking for something but it seems they already knew what this place was for.

"It is here." Shira announced, staring down at the dust covered floor.

The floor cut a circle in itself shortly, having her manually lift it up like it was a round door sealing a passageway. A gold light beamed from the space, there was another room down there or maybe a cave.

"This is quite interesting." Major Haru commented as he stared down into the hole.

The light casted shadows against the walls and contoured their faces. The cool room of a lifeless blue came alive.

"Ladies first," he gestured kindly as Major Li jumped in, he followed shortly.

The Gotei 13 surrounded it.

"It looks like that dimension we were in downstairs." Momo said.

"It's probably a cave." Yumichika said.

"So are we going in or what?" Ikkaku asked.

The ground beneath them alternated to the academy's gates.

###

Slot 1 - Center

Upon exiting the academy, she spotted Kujou leaning against the large white gates.

When he spotted her, he ran up to her with a wide smile.

"Oh, hi, Sensei!" He greeted her.

Rukia returned his warmth, "hi…what are you doing here?"

"Would you like to take a walk?" He asked her.

When she didn't give an immediate response, he added, "you're going to your manor right? I can walk you there."

She was supposed to meet Renji, Raiden and Wildfire at the cafeteria for a very late lunch.

"Um…" she could always just flash-step or take the portal back, "sure."

("Exams for the day should be over now, that's the time skip." Uryū said.

"So basically…Major Li and Haru are investigating that place at the same time as this or…are they investigating the same time as Byakuya's father watches the creep?" Ichigo asked.

"See that's assuming that he started watching him the same time that Kujou kid did his exam in the morning." Shinji pointed out.

"Ah, fuck—" Ichigo shook his head in annoyance, "this is too fucking complicated, can he go back to showin' us everything in order?! My head is fucking spinning.")

Rukia felt all bubbly inside though she was uncertain why.

"Any word on when the results will be out?" He asked her as they began to walk.

("And if it's been that long he can't still be watching." Rangiku said. "Unless…"

They looked to the second slot to the right.)

"None. They do have a lot to mark." Rukia said. "I don't think you're going to hear anything back from that one until exams are done."

("He's at his own manor, he is done." Captain Ukitake said.

"So where's the heir?" Isane asked.)

"O-Oh well, that's alright, I know I did good but I'm not sure if I got perfect." He responded.

"Is that also something you have to do?" Rukia asked.

("He'll probably show up right around here." Ichigo muttered.)

"Get perfect?" He clarified before he chuckled, "no, I don't think anyone cares about what I get other than my grandfather. The Kujou clan has only ever had blood assassin members so this isn't a huge concern to them if you know what I mean."

Rukia thought for a moment, "they don't like soul reapers?"

"More like, they don't acknowledge soul reapers. My father and everyone else who ever was a soul reaper all had other credentials which made them well liked."

"Your father married into the clan." Rukia realized.

He turned to her with a smile, "right."

"I'm guessing they didn't let him keep the last name as a soul reaper."

("That might be some use. Ukitake, do you know this kid's father?" Ichigo asked.

"No, I don't know that clan too well." He answered.)

"Even if they didn't, father would have chosen his own." He shared, "he comes from a family of soul reapers who emerged a century after soul reapers were created, their history goes back to the Seireitei's expansion. That is…all he has ever known."

("Well if he's under a different last name maybe you did know him but didn't know his son." Ichigo said.

Uryū pushed up his glasses, "you can't expect Ukitake to know everybody, Kurosaki."

"Not my fault Ukitake's friendly with everybody!")

"I'm kinda surprised your clan accepted him, I mean, that means they would have relations with a clan of soul reapers. Some anti-reapers can't see past the profession part, I'm amazed they accepted him based on his credentials alone."

"Well," his voice faded, "they actually didn't accept the family, they only accepted him."

"What?"

"I didn't see my father's side of the family for a long time, my mother also didn't like them either. I had met my paternal grandfather secretly with my father until my mother found out and I guess she persuaded my maternal grandfather to let me meet them."

"Which grandfather is the one throwing you your party?" Rukia asked.

"Both actually." He felt embarrassed. "They eventually bonded over some things and my paternal grandfather was given permission to visit me. I don't visit his manor though, at least, not a lot. He usually comes to the Kujou one to see me."

"Well that's good." Finally, a noble story about compromising and mending differences in spite of very conflicting opinions for the sake of a loved one. "I'm guessing that's how you were able to start your soul reaper training."

"Yes, I'd likely have to train in secret if they were to oppose."

"It isn't quite that different, is it?" Rukia inquired. "Soul reaper…and assassin training."

He was struck by her comment, "we do the same thing," she went on, "power and technique wise is a little, sometimes a lot different but I mean…it's just the zanpakutō difference and sheatsu."

"You do not speak as though you are the granddaughter of the Head of the Soul Society." He said which struck her.

What's that got to do with anything?

"I would assume advocating for soul reapers in any form would be considered blasphemy for you and anyone who lived there." He added, his lively aura had been dimmed by curiosity.

"It's my own opinion." Rukia answered. "There's no law against mentioning it. Besides, I was handling assassin-soul reaper type exams at the academy, you should have guessed I didn't hate any of them."

He looked down. "You're right, you wouldn't have been that nice either. Or—" his head shot up, "are you always this nice to people?"

Rukia didn't know what to say.

"I heard you are from the Rukongai District," he looked down and said to himself, "I suppose you're nice to everybody."

Gee, if only he knew that place was rotting with bad personalities, criminals and the most annoying people on the planet.

"I guess." Rukia agreed. "I don't think about it too much."

"A-Ah, well don't!" He stammered. "I-I didn't mean anything I was just…trying to tell you were nice for considering soul reapers people."

He had a cute little expression of panic on his face as though he had said something horribly wrong.

"It's fine, I didn't take offense." She assured him. "I'm glad you think I'm nice though, where do you stand with them? Do you not like them?"

"Me?" He was taken by surprise. "Oh, well," almost lost, he looked around, "I don't really care."

He sneezed, "sorry, I didn't mean to do that."

Rukia repressed a smile, "it's okay, you don't have to apologize."

"You're too nice—" he sneezed again.

"After you graduate, are you going to work as an assassin-soul reaper?" Rukia asked as he blew his nose.

"I'm not sure, I don't think so. I'm already an assassin on the other side and I have a Major's sheatsu so I have a higher chance of being promoted over there than here."

(Ichigo stiffened. Major?)

"Really?" Rukia became intrigued, "can I ask what rank?"

"W-Why yes, of course, it's second."

(They froze.

"He…" Tōshirō was shocked, "he's the pure light!")

Rukia swallowed, "that's…huge. You're very strong."

("Him?" Ikkaku grimaced, completely unimpressed.

"Guess now we know why he wasn't able to do much damage to the heir or pass it on." Shuhei muttered, equally as unimpressed as Ikkaku. "What a waste."

Kon wheezed.)

"Coming from you, that's a little funny." Rukia didn't get it until she remembered.

("See Lieutenant Kuchiki being the one to wield it would make ten times more sense than this guy." Shuhei remarked. "He looks worse than Yamada."

Momo was disappointed that she was wrong. "I was so sure it was her all along."

"Me too." Orihime said. "I can feel him now…")

Woah. That was the first she ever really considered how big her sheatsu was in comparison to everyone else. Major sheatsu was the equivalent of a Captain's reiatsu size times three, that was the type they dealt with the most along with Secretary of State type.

Despite having to do the glaze trick, being fully aware that her sheatsu could stretch all over, it hadn't fully hit until she realized that someone like Kujou who was so friendly and lively but frail and quite jittery had access to such tremendous power.

He was really strong.

"Oh well…I don't think about it." Rukia replied. "But you…what division are you from?"

(They turned to Orihime now, "he's really weak." She confirmed.

"Hm," Uryū thought, "if Inoue-san can feel his heart then it really is him.")

"Seventh, my Sensei's a doctor, isn't that funny?" Sensei Seo. "When I got that injury he had nursed me."

("His heart's very warm." Orihime said. "Kind and gentle."

"Well gee this gotta be the biggest disappointment of them all." Shuhei said.

"All that ambiguity over some short kid with throat problems." Shinji muttered.)

"The seventh division doesn't have a Major at the moment or a Secretary of State." Rukia said. "You could definitely be promoted."

"I…" he lowered his head, "don't think I'll be around for that long but it's the thought that counts."

("Wonder when they find out it's him. They're not actually searchin' for the pure light let alone an actual solution." Ichigo pointed out.)

Her shoulders shrunk, "don't say that, you really don't know that."

("That's what I find strange." Tōshirō said. "They're too focused on the people he's toying with. There must be someone trying to find a weak spot.")

"Even if it isn't certain, I won't make plans like that, I just like to hear the idea of it." She hated that she couldn't argue with him, she didn't know what life looked like to him now that he knew he was on a time limit.

("Just so we're clear this kid's dying, right?" Ikkaku asked.

They stared at him.

"What? It's a good fucking question.")

"I'm sorry." Rukia said.

(Kon gasped. "What if they find out it's him just when he's about to die?!")

"What for?"

("That would explain a lot of shit." Shinji said.)

"Mentioning it."

"D-Don't be!" He looked almost scared, "I didn't mean to—I'm sorry, I'm the one who's to—"

("Even Hanatarō could take this guy." Ichigo said.)

"Calm down." Rukia said, she caught sight of the spider lily field and turned to him, "is it alright if we flash-step to the entrance?"

He was worried. "Did I bore you?"

"No, no," she laughed, "I'll walk you to your manor. That field beside those spider lilies can get us to the one outside your manor, no?"

They'd make a right turn next to the silver wall which surrounded the Kuchikis and head straight down.

"Unless you don't want to walk on grass." She added.

"Sure…I walk beside my field all the time!"

They flash-stepped to the exact spot the spider lily field cut off.

###

Slot 3 - Left

"Back to the interesting part, finally." Ikkaku remarked as they transitioned to a narrow red cave underground where Major Li and Haru were walking ahead with torches.

"That was seriously a letdown." Izuru said.

"None of that pure light shit bothers me now." Shuhei said. "The universe puttin' it in some boring teenager with two friendly grandfathers and expecting him to be some god-like celestial being is the biggest joke of this entire thing."

"What does the universe even stand for?" Yumichika asked. "It obviously happened by chance."

"It's shit bad luck." Kensei said.

"Well there's gotta be a formula for something." Ichigo argued. "Inoue said the kid was some saint on the inside, that's special."

Orihime looked up at him, surprised by his mention of her ability. She blushed, "he felt innocent."

"Come on, there's gotta be someone else who's that insanely pure to have it." Ikkaku said.

"No one here is entirely pure, of course! Complete purity is not commonly found even if you managed to come here." Mayuri said. "You could be rotten to the core and still make your way to this world."

Then what's the use of hell then? Ikkaku thought.

"We know, somehow you're here." Uryū said with his eyes closed.

He sneered, "that's enough of you, quincy!"

"Despite his appearance, he is a rare soul." Tōshirō said.

"Guess we solved that mystery, huh?" Shuhei said. "Lieutenant Kuchiki's got the rarest sheatsu form, this kid is the real rare one, he's a hundred percent a pure guy."

"Kuchiki still birthed it so that is quite…terrifying." Captain Ukitake said.

"Didn't say she wasn't, Ukitake." Shuhei said, "I said it made more sense for her to have it than him."

"Glad to see you finally converted to the other side." Ichigo said, "took you long enough."

"Well my bad, I didn't know shit then." He replied. "Now that I know the damn story I think the universe fucked it all up. If the Okasakes gave birth to the Soul Society with both, she should've automatically got the second feat."

"Lieutenant Kuchiki is really pure." Momo said. "She's kind and generous."

"Nee-san is so wonderful," Kon complimented with sparkling eyes, "it should've been her who got that light instead of that phony macho man."

Uryū cleared his throat, "I…agree."

Captain Ukitake wistfully smiled in agreement.

"I sure know if I got a chance to play princess, I wouldn't go back to that shithole in the Rukongai District." Izuru said.

"She came back for them—us, I guess." Shuhei added, "that's a lot to take on as the younger Captain Kuchiki said."

"I do think he should've given it to her permanently at the very least." Isane said. "Though," she lowered her eyes, "that depends on when they found out he was the one."

"The clan would protect their ownership." Byakuya, surprisingly, informed them.

His first sentence in a while.

"Oh yes," Captain Ukitake reflected on the situation, "they would not hand it off so easily or at all. It is too rare."

"Yeah but like, we can't apply normal noble behaviour onto this, can we?" Ichigo asked. "I mean the Okasakes run the place, if one of them says to give it up, they have to plus the kid really likes Rukia so he probably would hand it off to her himself."

"I know it may seem like the Okasakes have the final authority over everything but we do have fundamental rights, Ichigo-san." Captain Ukitake said. "They cannot force him to do anything like that. It is unethical."

"Noble clans are protective of their extraordinary talents." Sui-Feng said.

"Little sucker probably listened to his grandfathers and refused to give it up." Shuhei said.

"Or forced him not to give it up." Ichigo reworded. "All this noble clan business is tirin' me out. There's no individuality!"

"They are his authority figures, Ichigo." Shinji reasoned. "Can't get too upset when he's just a kid."

"Speaking of which Byakuya—" Ichigo craned his neck to the left spot behind him where he was, "—did you ever end up meetin' that kid again? After exams n'shit?"

Captain Ukitake intervened, "Byakuya-kun was supposed to formally congratulate him but…" he repressed a smile.

Ichigo smirked, "you were that petty, huh?" He turned back around, "was just askin' in case there was some other instance where you could've met Rukia since she probably started hangin' out with him lots."

"We shouldn't conclude anything yet, Ichigo-san. Who would've thought she knew Kujou and that he would've been the pure light?" Captain Ukitake said. "I can see why the younger her in present time is so appalled. I wonder how Ginrei-dono told her about her future," he chuckled, "she must have gone mad at the thought of Byakuya-kun being her brother."

"Not to intervene in your business n'all but like considering this is her past and this is where she's coming from there's no wonder she's a bit bat-shit mad about it like what are the chances?" Shuhei asked.

"I agree she is rather justified in her behaviour towards all this." Captain Ukitake said. "After reflecting on the behaviour of the one we know before all of this, specifically when I asked her to be my Lieutenant, it makes sense now."

Ikkaku put his arms above his head. "I gotta ask, did you ask her to be your Lieutenant before you had it printed in the newspapers or after?"

Captain Ukitake tittered, "I-I didn't think she'd say no."

"Gee, Ukitake, you broadcasted it to everyone before even asking her?" Ichigo said.

"I told you before…I got excited." Captain Ukitake said. "It's been a long time since I had one and well—"

"Did this cave just get narrower?" Uryū asked, feeling stuffed.

"We—they—must be getting closer." Ichigo said.

"If his hideout is separated by a fucking door I'm really knocking myself to sleep." Ikkaku said.

When they followed them down the narrow right turn, in a single file line they were back upstairs.

###

Slot 1 - Center

"Why do you wear a soul reaper uniform?" Rukia inquired.

They were nearing the next field.

"Grandfather gave it to me, since I probably will never wear one or use one, he suggested I wear it for exams."

("Hmm, something must occur at the exact same time." Tōshirō said.)

"Which grandfather?" She asked.

"Both!" He cheerfully responded.

("Probably how they learn he's the pure light." Shinji figured.)

How fortunate of him to come from a good family.

He suddenly soared past her with his arms out and dived backwards into the spider lily field beside them.

"What are you doing?"

The breeze blew softly. He stared up at the clear blue sky.

"You think these will grow after I die?" He asked her.

The question practically stunned her.

"I asked my grandfather to bury me in our field. I like it there." He explained.

"I'm not sure that's how it works." Rukia muttered quietly.

"So how does it work?"

(Ichigo felt someone come behind him. Both Kon and him turned around.

"His father is Jo Ichibei of the third division." It was Byakuya.)

Rukia hated that the only reason she knew of it was because of that guidebook page that he told her about, "they're supposed to grow after a final meeting takes place, a final goodbye. I'm not sure if they really grow after something like that or if it's just a myth. Besides, you already have tulips and lilies all around there, where would it have the space?"

("Jo Ichibei…" Captain Ukitake repeated slowly. The memory came into fruition. "Oh my…I—he was—" he turned to Byakuya, "Sojun's classmate."

"But you," Ichigo addressed Captain Ukitake, "—and—" he looked at Byakuya, "your father had no idea Kujou was his kid. You think that has anything to do with the fact that they hate soul reapers? Or did they not stay in touch or something?"

"Not much of a name difference if you ask me." Kon said.)

"I'd like there to be some meaning surrounding the space I am buried." Kujou said. "Something natural, such as evidence that I am, that isn't a gravestone."

("It is short for Jouchi." Captain Ukitake explained. "As for your question, it is likely that is the reason. I did not know him too well to say I knew of his family."

"But wasn't his family one of those soul reaper clans who helped build the Seireitei?" Kon asked.

Captain Ukitake laughed, "yes that's true however, I do not know everybody.")

"Well, tulips and lilies mean stuff too." Thank goodness for her flower knowledge. "Lots of things. Meanings even differentiate by colour!"

("He discovered that he was his father after we met his grandfather." Byakuya explained.

"That's quite interesting." Captain Ukitake said. "Now that we know of a connection…" his eyes averted to Kujou.")

"I only know the tulip symbolizes rebirth. My grandfather likes that one because of it."

"Which grandfather?"

He smiled as he watched a cloud high above move, "my paternal one."

"Wasn't expecting that response." Rukia said as she lifted her skirt and stepped into the spider lily field. She knelt by his side.

"What else does it mean?"

"Tulips?" She asked. "Hmm, let's see. Rebirth is one, deep love is another and…charity? I'll have to double check that one." She answered. "Yellow tulips mean happiness, white tulips mean stuff like forgiveness, respect, honor, purity, purple tulips mean luxury—"

"You know a lot about flowers." He interrupted.

Rukia shrugged, "I like them."

"Which ones do you suggest I have around me?"

"It'll look a little funny to have a few random ones somewhere so white tulips for purity, yellow lilies for joy, calla lilies for strength and—hold on," she dug her hand into her pocket to pull out her guidebook. She flipped through it to a certain page, "ah, trumpet lilies for protection."

"May I see that book of yours?" He asked her.

Rukia stretched both of her arms out, "take it."

He took it and flipped through, "why are there so many crossed out?"

"Oh," she tittered, a little embarrassed, "those are the ones I found in the Rukongai District. A challenge if that makes it easier to understand."

"What page are spider lilies on?" He inquired as he skipped through.

Rukia grew serious, "page 404."

("If he wasn't the pure light, I'd find that suspicious." Iba said.)

She relaxed her face before he glanced back at her.

He turned to it, "it is not crossed out. You did not find it there?"

She shook her head, "surprisingly no."

Considering what it meant and all, she was surprised that she couldn't find it anywhere in her district despite searching for one at every corner. That was too much of a luxury for the Rukongai District it seemed.

He took a few seconds to read what it meant.

"I take it I will die outdoors. During a mission probably or on a walk. Even if I'm not buried there, it'll grow." He closed the book and handed it back to her.

"We should go," she suddenly remembered Renji and her friends, "I have something to do after."

"O-Oh!" He shot up. "Sorry for taking too much of your time!" He dusted off his kimono and gave her one big grand old apologetic smile.

###

Slot 3 - Left

"We're back down here again." Shuhei acknowledged.

Major Li and Haru were about to make a left turn. One by one they walked in a single file line outside of the narrow space they had been confined too. As each of them got out, they spotted the dead end that both Major Li and Haru had found.

"Well that all went to sh—" Ikkaku stopped talking.

They looked at the space above Major Li and Haru. A blob of something thick and black covered the ceiling of the cave. There were eyes peeking from it of a deep marmalade orange with a sclera of ruby red.

"What the fuck is that?" Ichigo asked as the thick liquid oozed down onto the floor like syrup.

Major Li and Major Haru flash-stepped further away from the spot.

The moment it touched the floor, it ripped a part into hundreds and hundreds of bodies of black with heads shaped like a sharp right angle triangle that quite literally charged against both Majors.

Their arms could elongate themselves, resembling tree branches. The space ahead of them had been engulfed in black.

"O-Oh no, they're coming…" Ōmaeda warned nervously, moving far back.

"Relax, nothing that happens here can touch us." Shuhei said.

Momo's body pounded against the hard rock behind them. A round hole was made into her chest, belonging to the long black arm of the creature.

Tōshirō's eyes wide with shock called, "Hinamor—"

An arm shot through his kidney.

"THEY'RE TOUCHING US!" Kon screamed.

"Shit!" Ikkaku yelled as a deep cut was made onto his shoulder blade.

Shuhei had been gutted by two arms and tossed to the side, his face was left frozen in horror. An arm shot through both of Mayuri's wrists leaving double holes, several were punctured into Kenpachi's, Rangiku had one in her stomach, Iba and Izuru had been punctured by the same arm in their chests, Kensei got one through his knee while Captain Kyōraku was able to shield both him and Ukitake.

"Not the face!" Yumichika shrieked as the deep wound spilled blood.

Orihime froze in fear, feeling them brisk past her. She got six slashes, three on each side of her waist and fell down onto the floor. Amid the attack, she pushed herself up and forced her shield to come up but it was barely holding anything because of the pain. Uryū had been cut at his side while Chad had been thrown kilometres back.

Only Sui-Feng, Captain Unohana, Byakuya, Captain Ukitake, Captain Kyōraku and Isane, with the help of Captain Unohana, were able to flash-step in time without getting a single cut. Though, they were forced to flash-step more as the creatures lunged at them.

They were tremendously fast.

Ichigo had been shocked into stillness. He merely looked back at them with wide eyes, trying to comprehend the slaughter that had happened in mere milliseconds. Nothing was passing through him, not even Kon's yelling. The sound had been lowered. Specks of blood from the others smeared onto his face and some parts of his uniform.

All he could stare at was the growing pool of blood beneath his feet that had spread from Momo on the floor and merged with everyone else's.

"Kurosaki!" Tōshirō yelled to warn him as an arm came hurling towards his back but Ichigo was too late to notice.

He woke up, the sound came back and he could hear Kon's yelling in full. He whipped around as the arm shot through his stomach. Kon jumped up in fear as it cut through him before the figure slipped past.

Ichigo swallowed, looked down to feel the circle it had cut into his stomach but saw nothing.

What the hell?

Kon looked down at Ichigo's stomach. "It didn't cut you!"

His hand touched his stomach, he felt nothing but his body.

Tōshirō and anyone else who could move scrambled to their feet and took out their swords, flash-stepping with great difficulty.

"They're too fast!" Tōshirō shouted out. He took another slash to his back.

"What the fuck is happening?!" Ikkaku yelled as he slashed some of them.

"Why couldn't it cut you?" Kon questioned as more whipped past them but fell right through his body.

"Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime called. She was on the floor, faced down, practically bleeding all her blood out but still maintaining her shield.

"Inoue!" Ichigo took out his sword from his back and attempted to slash some of them but his sword went through and did nothing.

Uryū managed to pick Orihime up and then Chad. Sui-Feng gathered the rest who were unconscious and piled them together as the remaining Gotei 13 members formed a defense circle around them.

"Have any fucking idea why we can feel these things?" Kensei asked as they moved in the circle.

"Certainly an interactive experience." Shinji said.

"I-I have some medical equipment on me, I can h—" A hole was punctured through Isane's side and she fell.

"At least Kenpachi's having fun." Ichigo muttered as he watched him soar through a bunch of the things, clearly enjoying the fight.

"Are zanpakutōs are useless in here." Captain Kyōraku explained.

"Ishida, how about you?" Ichigo asked.

"I was already thinking of it before you said it." Uryū said.

"Then go ahead and do it, you idiot!"

"Two of us should leave at once." Sui-Feng advised in reference to the circle.

"Kenpachi's already got about a hundred of those holes in him, it's only about time before he falls." Ichigo said.

"I ain't got time for that." Ikkaku cockily stepped out, "Yumichika! Let's get on with it!"

They came out and vanished into the black murk.

Orihime whimpered on the ground, struggling to hold up the shield, in pain from her cuts but also enduring a sharp migraine which took hold of her. She was starting to feel them too strongly.

"Kurosaki, Kuchiki, can you cover me?" Tōshirō asked.

"I can't do shit." Ichigo answered. "My zanpakutō doesn't work, it goes right through them. Byakuya can help you."

"Well that's just great, Ichigo." Shinji sarcastically remarked.

"WELL IT'S NOT MY FUCKING FAULT! IT'S NOT WORKING!" He shouted.

"I've got you, Shunsui, go." Captain Ukitake said.

"We need someone to watch the bodies." Captain Komamura reminded them.

"Unohana's got that one covered." Captain Kyōraku replied.

"Whenever you're ready." Shinji told Kensei.

Orihime's whimpers were starting to get louder. She was curled up, holding her head.

"Something's wrong with Inoue-san." Uryū pointed out. "I think it's the bodies, it's affecting her somehow."

Kon jumped down and leaned over her. "What's wrong?"

Her reply was inaudible. She was mumbling something but he was unable to make it out. Sweat trickled down the sides of her face, her eyes were shut tight.

Rocking back and forth she mumbled, "I…I…"

"What is it?"

Ichigo heard Ikkaku before he fell. His entire body was covered with slashes, he was no longer conscious. Yumichika came flying moments after.

This was really bad.

"Don't think too much about their injuries, Kurosaki." Uryū advised. "Our bodies are with the others, Yamada will heal us. They'll know we're in trouble."

"I got that, Ishida but how the fuck are we gonna end this shit?"

"I'm going in." Uryū announced kindly.

"W-Wait!" He was already gone.

The team guarding the unconscious Gotei 13 members were gone. He looked back at Captain Unohana who was merely standing behind the pile of bodies calmly. Something about the whole thing freaked him out.

More creatures whisked past to do more damage to the bodies. Ichigo tried to intervene but his sword went right through again.

"What the fuck is—" he stopped, glaring down at his chest.

The pin Rukia had given him. The citrine stone. It was glowing.

"F-Feel…I-I…f-feel…" Orihime choked out.

"Feel what?" Kon shrieked as one of them trampled past him. He then asked, "them? Do you feel them?"

"T-Too…" she whimpered, "stro—" she started to scream as the circle became non-existent. There were thousands and thousands who just flew past, slashing everything and anything. Amid it all, she continued to scream—jerking like a fish caught on a hook.

She kicked like a child, fighting her way out of the bind.

"It's the pin!" Ichigo shouted. He tried to slip it out but it was stuck.

"Do something!" Kon screamed as he jumped atop Ichigo's head.

"They're fucking fast." Ichigo said as he flash-stepped despite them not being able to touch him.

"Take it off!" Kon screamed.

"I'm trying, you idiot! It's not coming off!"

Lost in the murk, Ichigo forgot that Major Li and Haru were also fighting the creatures at a pretty amazing rate. They were three times faster than them.

"Kurosaki!" He heard Uryū yell from somewhere. He couldn't see him but from his voice Ichigo could tell he was being overwhelmed. "What's wrong with Inoue-san?!"

"She says she feels something!" Kon shouted. "From them!"

"Well one of you shut her the fuck up!" He heard Kensei yell.

Orihime's high-pitched scream only got louder and louder.

Ichigo looked down, "it won't come off! It's like a shield or something!"

"What did Nee-san say it does?!"

"She didn't really explain it. She just said it had powerful abilities like guidance or some shit! Something to do with me when I lost my powers!"

"YOU DON'T REMEMBER?!"

"It's the stone citrine! Tell me what the fuck it means!"

"HOW SHOULD I KNOW?! NEE-SAN TOLD YOU!"

"I'm thinking goddamit, wait!"

"It's got something to do…something to do…" he muttered to himself.

A ring of green charged against him. It belonged to Major Li who had gotten rid of most of the creatures which gave him a clear view of everybody's location.

Everyone was down except Shinji, Kensei, Byakuya, Sui-Feng, Captain Kyōraku, Kurotsuchi, Ukitake and Unohana. Yachiru and Kenpachi were nowhere to be found. Uryū was blocking a wound and Tōshirō was fighting his way through the pain of his many injuries but he didn't look too good.

"They keep coming." Shinji said.

"Shira's fast." Captain Ukitake assured. "She'll get rid of them."

"This isn't part of the past, this is part of our present." Kensei reminded. "We're not here to them. They won't see this much."

"If we can't get rid of them—" Tōshirō began to say but the creatures soaring out of the black glob interrupted them, giving Tōshirō his final cut before he slid down to the side.

"Do you remember now?!" Kon asked.

Ichigo closed his eyes. He had to dull the noise of everything to remember again, even Orihime's screaming. Slowly, the colour of the pin began to outline him.

When he opened his eyes, they were glowing pale yellow.

He looked up, distracted.

"What's wrong, Ichigo?" Kon asked, following his gaze up at the ceiling.

"We're right under it." He muttered.

"Right under what?"

"We're right under it!" He yelled.

"Under what?!" Kon shouted.

He flash-stepped and picked up Tōshirō who still had some fight left in him to stand on his own. He went and grabbed Uryū and Orihime, who was still screaming. He rounded up everyone to a specific spot next to the wall. The pale yellow light glowed beneath him and stretched into a half circle.

They were protected.

"We're right under it." He explained once everyone was back in the same space again. "That tulip-lily field beside the Kujou place. We're right under it." He looked up. "I can see it."

Tōshirō glanced at the pin, "that's your gift from Kuchiki, no?"

Orihime, who had resumed whimpering, struggled to speak, "it's…it's…"

They heard a noise. Their attention was drawn to the side where Major Li was excellently whipping past each one of the creatures at such a speed, Sui-Feng had to compliment her, "she is an excellent assassin. One of the fastest."

Captain Kyōraku wiped his forehead, "I'm starting to think all our time in here has dulled us out."

"I'll say." Captain Ukitake agreed. "We're not nearly as fast as them. Shira hasn't suffered a cut and Sojuro is flawless as expected. It's that liquid that is the problem."

Uryū's voice was meek when he said, "if it's infinite, it might be generated from the heir's body…" he looked at Orihime, "Inoue-san feels them, she feels every single dark thing they're made up of. They're just particles of his."

"That explains the screaming." Kensei muttered before Ichigo looked up.

"I'd say these fiends must be composed of whatever he collects from that soul collector of his as opposed to his own reishi." Mayuri said.

"That was for the heart." Uryū refuted.

"If he's been around for that long he has more than enough for that heart, why not make use of the extras?" Mayuri asked him which posed a good enough question for Uryū to stay quiet.

"Something's gotta happen here." Ichigo said. "Rukia and Kujou should be somewhere near."

"Can you get us up there?" Shinji asked him. "Try to move everybody up at once."

Ichigo closed his eyes. Seconds later, one eye shot open to see them all staring at him, "quit staring at me! I-It's weird."

"We gotta close our eyes now for you, Ichigo?" Kensei asked.

"N-Not exactly! Just quit with the—"

They were moved upstairs into the tulip and lily field beside the Kujou clan. To the far left, Ichigo saw Rukia and Kujou approaching the manor, Byakuya's father was strangely waiting in front of the gateless manor with his back to them.

"What's he doing here?" Ichigo asked, waiting for a response from Ukitake or Byakuya.

Captain Ukitake stepped forward, "this can't be the same day he went to congratulate the Kujou family."

"Any particular reason why?"

An elder stepped out from the doors. This was the kid's maternal grandfather. Upon seeing Byakuya's father, he smiled.

His hair was silver, short and styled upwards, a thin streak of black fuzz made up his mustache. Beneath his black kimono and sleeveless white haori he was wearing something lime green.

Rukia and Kujou were getting closer. They were yet to spot the two having a conversation.

Something was about to happen. This was where it would all intersect.

They were here.

The ground shook. A giant circle busted from underground. It drew all their attention. Out came a long hand with it, as tall as a tree with a body craning forward—eyes wide. The arm was punctured into the right side of her. It was Major Li.

Major Haru came rushing up and slashed the arm as it tossed her. She fell into the field.

Rukia and Kujou ran into the field, staring at the creatures which swarmed out of the hole like ants.

"What the…" Rukia said.

"Waaah—" Kujou stumbled back and fell, too startled to speak.

Almost immediately, Rukia blasted her sheatsu towards them to beat them down. They were like bees, swarming the place at intense speed. Major Haru helped her out. She let her fan chain blades simultaneously fly and do some of the work.

The fast-paced blur of the creatures blocked them from seeing Byakuya's father and Kujou's grandfather all the way through.

"They're not touching him." Shinji noted in reference to Kujou who was still laying down on the ground, paralyzed.

Byakuya's father appeared beside Major Li who was faced flat down on the ground using flash-step.

"He's not supposed to—" Captain Ukitake stopped himself from speaking, remembering it was fruitless.

He grabbed her by her uniform and disappeared.

Captain Ukitake's shoulders shrunk though Ichigo was uncertain why.

He got his answer moments later.

The slot for Byakuya's father from before was still open. It fast-tracked to him being out of breath, unable to properly breathe on his own as he leaned into one of the picnic benches near his manor. Byakuya was there, so was his grandfather.

He panted heavily, looking down.

Ichigo finally realized how serious his illness actually was. It made more sense to him now than ever as to why he was granted a break from it.

Byakuya's grandfather stared at him while he tried to explain himself but couldn't.

He eventually asked, "did you flash-step?"

He was trying not to believe it but it seemed that had to be the reason. Ichigo could get the hint that he was disappointed by his choice to be that reckless.

Unable to speak, he just nodded his head, gasping for air. While the furious teen Byakuya asked him why he did it and chided him for it, Byakuya's grandfather slowly got the memo.

"Take him back to the manor." Byakuya's grandfather instructed before he disappeared.

By the time that portion played, Rukia and Major Haru had suppressed the creatures back into the hole. Kujou's grandfather came to his grandson's aid as the creatures were forced back underground.

All that was left was one giant hole in the ground and smoke.

The slots closed.

###

Rukia stood in front of the spider lily field's tree explaining to Captain everything that had happened after the 6th Division, led by Major Haru, came and blocked off the entire area. Kujou had been too shaken up to speak so his grandfather had picked him up and carried him inside.

Though she didn't show it, she too was shaken up. Those things, whatever they were, were so fast. They were without much of a face and yet those eyes and thin contoured lines which tore wide to scream were horrifying enough.

She only felt worse when she learnt that the Lieutenant had been there as well.

"What?" She jerked back. "Lieutenant Kuchiki was there?"

She had no memory of seeing him nor sensing his reiatsu.

"Is he alright?" She asked, concerned.

"He is recovering." Captain answered.

She reflected on the moment, "I don't even remember sensing his reiatsu. Does he keep it down?"

He gave her a nod.

"Oh…" in the midst of a deep exhale, "well, I hope he's alright, they were really fast. I had a bit of their body guck on my blades and combined it with Haru's to give the lab a sample to evaluate, everything else just slid down back into that circle. We probably won't get a full report on it until next week. Minister Asa thinks they were made by the 'evil' land rot of the Soul Society, also known as the areas in which the thing pollutes and I think she might be somewhat right. She went down to talk with Kujou's grandfather about that field 'cause he wants to be briefed about the whole investigation since it's on his property. Major Li just underwent surgery so she won't be up for awhile, I heard that arm went straight through her right lung. I'm heading down to the Li manor to see her after I eat something at the manor."

"I didn't tell Sensei about it yet." She added. "He's been really busy. I won't tell him till he gets back from there, he took on Sensei's work too so he might not be back for days. I don't know where he is either but I hope he doesn't show up. The manor's pretty much empty now, Renji, Raiden and Wildfire are there now so we'll probably stay for a few hours, eat and then leave."

His eyes averted to the basket she was carrying that had some things in it.

"Stuff for Major Li." She explained. "Minister Asa said she really likes honey so she sent me to some specialized honey shop in the middle of the Seireitei since she apparently only likes honey from there. She put a bunch of candles and 'celestial' ornaments to ward off evil and 'help' with her recovery. I'll probably add some wallflowers in the mix 'cause you know…Li family."

When he said nothing, Rukia twisted her lips. "You don't like her very much, do you?"

Air puffed out her nostrils, "I had a feeling," she admitted, a bit saddened by it, "every time I mention her a bit of your aura changes if you know what I mean."

She really liked her so it made her a teensy bit uncomfortable.

"I really like her." Rukia chirped, "she's nice and quiet, at least to me. I get the same vibe from you around Chancellor Fujii and Sensei Haruyoshi too. Chancellor Fujii makes some sense 'cause he's a passionate anti-reaper but Sensei Haruyoshi is kinda funny considering you left your entire division to him."

He was radiating a vibe which told her he was not in the mood for conversation.

"Anyways—if I hear anything new, I'll let you know. I'll probably do some digging myself if the lab sends back an early report. I'll be back here tomorrow 'cause of exams and on Monday too."

"Do not tell Hirosuke of his condition until he returns." Captain instructed her very coldly.

She nodded her head, "I won't." Feeling unnerved by it, she made sure to add, "I hope he feels better soon. I'm really sorry about not noticing in time."

"It was his own doing." He brushed past her.

Her stomach dropped but she didn't want to make a big deal about it since she had to consider that his son had likely been badly injured by those things and his poor health meant that it had probably been very life threatening.

She bowed as he left and went her way to the Okasake manor to eat with the others.

###

Upon entering the room, she spotted Major Haru standing in front of Major Li's body on the futon. The room was smaller than expected and much simpler too.

It was themed pale yellow and cream. In the center, Major Li laid in her white robe on the futon. Metal black candelabras stood in the corners of the room, white candles were lit on top of them.

She bowed respectfully as the maid put a cushion in front of Major Li's body.

"How is she?" Rukia asked as she knelt into it.

"The surgery was a success, she has orders to rest for now." The maid responded.

Rukia addressed Major Haru, "what were you both doing under there?"

He cleared his throat to signal the maid to leave before he answered.

"We were investigating a potential hideout, the place where the heir seems to sleep and work." He informed her. "As you would expect, it has plenty though," he lowered his head, disappointed, "we have never found them."

"Our task today was merely to confirm any sign of recent activity beside its miasma." He further explained. "We have never encountered anything but it. Those creatures today were a first, an eminent sign of some life down there that it either created or was down there long before."

Rukia stared at Major Li's face. "Chasing after that just seems pointless."

"We pursue it in hopes of discovering its weakness." He explained, she looked up.

He took out a binder and had it flown to her. Photographs of dark caves, abandoned houses, empty towns and more were in it.

She flipped a page, "finding his hideout for real might only provoke him in a way we're not prepared for."

Major Haru never considered that despite it being their reason for not publicizing the matter.

"What do you suggest then?"

She stopped turning, surprised by his question, "nothing wrong with looking for hideouts, I'm just saying. He won't make it easy. Even if you aren't getting any closer to it, he'll send something down to make it seem as though you are. We need to be careful."

She closed the book, "He's having all the fun in the world right now watching us try to figure him out. It's just one big game to him that he knows he's winning right now. He'll only get serious when we figure out his cards, make them useless or get rid of them completely. Finding his hiding place might ruin any opportunity to do that."

###

Kujou came running three minutes before his exam for Friday was about to begin.

He panted, "are you alright?"

She quickly retrieved his exam, "I'm fine, what about you?"

He blushed, "I-I'm okay, now! It was a little hard to sleep with that hole outside but it's fine because grandfather is letting me stay over my paternal grandfather's place in the meanwhile. He doesn't want me to be around until they finish the investigation and seal the hole."

"Well that's good to hear, you better get inside."

"O-Oh right!" He ran off as Rukia giggled.

She brushed off some dry purple leaves which had fallen onto the desk from the wilting tree and thought of him.

He had tremendous powers and yet he was quick to scare. Rukia took back her comment about him being able to become Major, he was too frail for the job now.

He'd likely become fearless with age. She hoped he made it that far to grow out the tenderness.

For now, he was just a true and genuine sweethea—

Something squeezed her legs. Her head fired down and saw the irritable toddler. It pouted as it stared up at her with those big brown eyes just waiting for her to say 'yes' to play.

"What the heck are you doing here?" She questioned it venomously.

"Wukiaaa," it whined, "let's play…I wanna play."

"No." She sternly denied. "I'm working right now, later."

It lowered its head and picked up its ball. She hated how much she felt compassion for the thing. It looked like a child, a real child. If it was any normal one she would've squished its cheeks and hugged it to death.

It walked around her and hopped onto the rectangular block. It swung its little legs back and forth and pouted.

Rukia hated her heart right now. She hated her sensitivity. She was fighting the urge to hug it and make it smile again. It was practically killing her with that look.

It was so annoying and yet…Her heart got all mushy inside and wondered if caring for this clueless child meant anything.

When her hand twitched, she realized that she was more sensitive than she thought. Maybe the Lieutenant was right, she was too compassionate.

She approached it and put her hand out for it to take.

"Let's play."

---

End Note

There's actually more to this chapter but I couldn't make this any longer than it already was. I was already contemplating splitting this into two. Sometimes you really can't pace how summaries of chapters will turn out into writing.

I wanted to note here that I know I'm missing characters like Hiyori, Lisa and Mashiro who are a part of the divisions but it's difficult to always remember to include different character inputs, especially when it's so centered on Rukia and the ones who really concern her at the forefront of it. On top of that, it's been years since I revisited Bleach episodes in full so remembering their personalities precisely to forge a connection is too difficult. I had to keep the espada characters out naturally too. I know I'm a bit late in mentioning it since it was already obvious but better late than never.

Until the next one!

byaruki / tumblr