So, in an attempt to pace myself more so that I can have more consistent updates, I am changing to a bi-weekly schedule. since I have 4 moure chaapters in backlog this should give me some room to play around with my writing and hopefully have a consecutive chain of updates from now to the end of the fic.

Yoruichi was having another clandestine conversation with Shunsui. This time about the pressing matters that happened at the meeting Tokinada arranged.

"So he plans to have Hikone replace the Soul King?" Shunsui knew that Tokinada was off his rocker, but this? This was beyond what even he predicted.

"Not exactly. The current Soul King would still be the Soul King, Hikone would just serve as a public mouthpiece to him and those who join him," Which was just him, thankfully. Since the Yayahara were completely unaware of what happened in the palace, they couldn't pitch in, and the number of those who did know could be counted by hand. So this meeting was crucial. "Or at least that's what he said."

"And nobody joined him?" Yoruichi nodded at Shunsui's question.

Shunsui chuckled. Tokinada was always great at making enemies, but horrible at making friends. He was always a bully, pushing his weight around even as a kid.

"Aren't the goings-on of these meetings supposed to be secret?" Shunsui played coy. He knew Yoruichi wasn't above breaking rules. Hell, she was the one who gave Shunsui and Jushiro the means to stop the Sogyoku.

"As the 'defender of the realm,' I feel that the safety of Soul Society is at risk, and am acting accordingly," Yoruichi shrugged. At this point, the rules were getting in the way of doing what she thought was the right thing, and so she was ignoring them. Just as Kaien had taught her.

"Well, I'm not going to argue with that. My question is how do we plan to stop him?" There were still a lot of unknowns to Tokinada's plan. If they were to act now they'd be running in blind. They needed more to go on, but it was clear that this was all they were getting.

Yoruichi groaned in frustration.

"No idea, all we know is that Michibane and Xcution are a part of it," There was no way that Tokinada wasn't backing her. With his goals now known, it was plainly obvious what he had to gain by helping them. However, there was nothing pointing to how they were going to fulfill those goals.

"So run in with overwhelming force it is then," Shunsui hoped for a more nuanced solution, but this seemed to be the only option. Charge at him and adapt to what he pulls on the fly. At least he was really good at that.

"That's the thing, he expects us to do that," Running in blind on him like that was risky as hell. He likely has countermeasures and contingencies specifically to punish such a strategy. Yet time was also of the element. There wasn't an easy solution!

"Yamamoto taught us an idiom. 'Strive to ensure your foe has no good options.'" Shunsui recounted the saying from memory. Tokinada put them on the back foot.

"He seems to have taken that lesson to heart," Yoruichi spoke sarcastically. She didn't like where this was going.

Yukio was busy playing one of his plethora of games. Invaders Must Die allowed him to pretty much play any game on his handheld he wanted to, even if it didn't have the hardware to play that game. It made for a good way to kill time, especially since he was assigned the ever so boring task of guarding the hostages.

He didn't exactly like the plan Tokinada had proposed. He remembered how ballistic Ichigo had gotten the last time they decided to mess with them, and he wasn't entirely sure if Tokinada could withstand Ichigo at all, regardless if he was forced to hold himself back.

Tokinada said he had an ace up his sleeve just for that occasion however, so Yukio just kept his mouth shut and did what he was told, because that got the prick to leave him alone.

"Hey, asshole!" Karin's aggressive tone momentarily distracted him, just enough to get him killed in the game he was playing.

"Do you mind? I was in the middle of something," Yukio really didn't want to deal with her bullshit right now, and it showed in his tone as he waived the handheld that was the focus of his ability..

"Do I mind? Of course I do! You and your fellow assholes are the ones holding us captive!" Karin had gotten past the shock and now was firmly in the phase of making life hell for those who decided to make her a bargaining chip.

"Karin, maybe we-"

"Should what? Lay down and take it?" Karin was absolutely livid, and had accidentally snapped at Yuzu.

"Maybe we shouldn't piss off the people who hold our lives in their hands!" This caused a rare moment of Yuzu herself raising her voice.

Karin had caught herself. Only just now realizing she had snapped at her own sister.

"I…" Karin stammered as she didn't know what to do. Yuzu had rarely if ever gotten this mad, and never at her.

"No, you kept whatever the hell this is secret from me! Ichigo? Dad? I can at least understand, but you?" Yuzu's voice went from angry to betrayed. This completely disarmed Karin's anger. Her own betrayal having been brought up again.

"I'm leaving. If you need anything, I don't know, yell?" With that Yukio opened a door in the seemingly unbroken wall and left. He was not dealing with this right now.

Karin however was lost.

"Damnit… where do I begin!" Karin was having issues figuring out exactly how to explain this. Soul Society, Seireitei, mom, dad, their status as nobility, it was all overwhelming. Hell, it took Kukaku and Ichigo a full evening to do the same thing.

Oh shit!

White!

How the hell was she going to explain that?

Karin didn't notice Yuzu get closer and put her hand on Karin's shoulder until just now. The touch calmed her enough that she could actually think straight.

"Maybe… just explain why we're here first," Yuzu was hurt, but she wanted to hear the explanation, to finally learn why she was a target.

"Okay, I'll try, but it's… complicated," Karin smiled nervously. Better late than never.

"I'll try to follow," Yuzu then sat down. A bit further away from her than usual.

"Okay, remember how Ichigo and I can see spirits?"

Ichigo found himself unable to focus. Yuzu and Karin were at risk, and he was the reason why. At the same time he couldn't just stand by and watch as Tokinada brought ruin to the world of the living!Soul Society's system was fucked up and he refused to let it propagate beyond where it already had taken root.

Sure, he had his opinions on how the governments of the world did things, but Tokinada's plan was multiple steps backwards. Japan had become more democratic over the sixty years since the end of its imperial ambitions for example. It was stagnant, unchanging, and was definitely one bad push from an economic collapse, but it was a damn sight better than Soul Society if you weren't born to a big-name family.

Now Ichigo understood why Shunsui wanted the Shiba back in play. Sure, in the short term it moved power back into the hands of the Great Houses and away from the lesser houses and Central 46, but it bolstered the more progressive political elements at the same time. With the Shihoin, Kuchiki, and Shiba as a unified power bloc it meant that a lot of what made Seiretei and Soul Society so draconian could be ripped down.

But that didn't alleviate his worries.

There was a knock at Ichigo's door.

"What is it?" Ichigo had gotten used to servants coming to him for one reason or another. He figured it was Kukaku's way of preparing him for being the clan head. Something Ichigo really wasn't in the mood for.

"Master Ichico, Miss Kuchiki would like to speak with you," Grikiro's voice caused Ichigo to bolt up from where he was seated and blow past the head of the clan's servants.

Grikiro sighed as Ichigo ran past him. The young Shiba was certainly in need of some etiquette, but it was not his place to teach him.

Ichigo however couldn't care less. If Rukia had come to him it meant one of two things. Either A): She needed his help, and like hell he was going to leave her waiting if that was the case; or B): the Kuchiki elders have allowed them to marry. If that was the case? Ichigo didn't have the words to describe it.

When Ichigo arrived at the main foyer where Rukia was waiting he saw her almost immediately, and when she looked back her face said it all. It was the happiest he had seen her since she was pretending to be human, her smile beaming even brighter than it usually did.

"So, they approved it after all," Ichigo let a sly grin creep onto his face.

"Of course they did, how were they going to justify turning down 'the Hero of Soul Society?'" Rukia spoke as though the approval was a forgone conclusion. Though they both knew that was hardly the case.

"Oh, I don't know, probably some stupid reason like etiquette or the fact I busted down the doors to Soul Society?" Ichigo chuckled. He still hates the rules, even if he had to play by them now.

"And saved the Kuchiki princess from an unjust execution at the hands of an evil mastermind," Rukia played up the drama however. She glossed over the more unflattering parts as she played it up for drama. Like her displeasure at being rescued, or Ichigo throwing her like a damned javelin at Renji.

"Well, that's great. So, when's the wedding?" Kukaku could be seen grinning in the background. She would never let an opportunity to mess with them to go by untaken. After all, Kaien wouldn't either.

That caused them to both stop for a moment.

"You don't mean to tell me that neither of you have a plan? You're both high nobility, this demands a spectacle!" Kukaku poked at them. If it turned out they wanted a private ceremony, or if they didn't even want one at all, it was fine by her. This was for their sake, not for the sake of either clan, not that there weren't side benefits to it. The solidification of the Shiba as part of the Shihoin-Kuchiki bloc was a part of that, but that was strictly business between her and Byakuya for now.

"Oi, boss, were you expecting guests through the senkaimon today?" Ginjo interrupted the jovial mood of the day with his typical attitude.

"No, what's going on?" Kukaku was confused. The only people who had access to the senkaimon who weren't here were Isshin and Karin.

"It's Isshin. He didn't say why, but he looks pissed as all hell," Ginjo was somewhat worried, though it was well hidden under his voice.

Isshin barreled past Ginjo, his poorly lidded anger clear in the rigidity of his gate.

"Someone Kidnapped Karin and Yuzu!"

Ichigo's face went pale. His worst fear was realized. Tokinada made good on his threat, and he dragged Yuzu into this as well!

"Damnit, didn't think Tokinada would be that quick," Kukaku really hated how quick the Tsunayashiro were with making good on threats.

"Tokinada? You mean the asshole who killed Kakyo? Didn't they disinherit him?" Isshin was now somewhat confused. How could he act in this way, how could he kidnap them without anyone stopping him?

"Kind of a moot point when everyone ahead of him is dead or missing," Kukaku wished there was someone there to stop him, but with the way things were, Tokinada's authority was absolute within the Visuals Department. Of course that assumed he even used the Visuals Department to do any of it.

"Where are they?" Ichigo's voice was calm. But the same could not be said about his barely contained reiatsu.

"I wish I knew," There was so much they didn't know about Tokinada's plans. They could be anywhere and they wouldn't know.

All they could do was wait.

Ryuken was attending to his library, running an inventory check to see if any of his medical references needed to be updated. Being a surgeon, while a well paying job, was also a job that required a lot of time spent reading medical journals and references texts. This was a large reason why he had such a large personal library. The ability to store all of the old texts his father preserved was a fringe benefit. Even if he no longer considered himself quincy, preserving what history he could of them was still important to him. As much as Ms. Basterbine may say otherwise, he still had some pride in his heritage, it just simply was not beneficial to his health to identify with it, and as a surgeon he needed to consider those who needed his aid as well. One cannot afford to act so recklessly when your job involves saving lives.

Being a father to the proclaimed heir of Yhwach however was an important job as well, and it seemed Uryu came into the room to seek him specifically.

"You seem rather upset," Ryuken could tell that whatever had happened at Isshin's clinic was not something good. Isshin's reiatsu was absent from the ambient energies that flowed, and Uryu was struggling to keep a lid on his, a clear sign of emotional duress.

"Am I that obvious?" Uryu almost let out a nervous chuckle, though he kept himself steady.

"You rarely seek me out, and when you have it has been because you face a problem that you cannot easily solve alone," Ryuken had himself to blame for that, but what has happened happened, all he can do is be better now.

"Yes, I received an offer from… a person of interest who guarantees the continuation of the Quincy if I don't involve myself in their matters," Uryu recounted Aura's offer.

"Normally it would be wise to not involve yourself in matters that do not concern you, but I assume something has complicated that," Ryuken turned to look at his son, seeing the slightest of bags under his eyes.

"Yes, Karin and Yuzu have been kidnapped, and I now believe that the individual who made the offer was the one to have done it," Uryu's uncertainty was clear, and his youth made him unaware of how to respond in this situation.

"It is rather simple, they kidnapped quincy, that makes it a Quincy matter," Ryuken spoke directly.

Uryu was surprised at his father's direct answer. Not in that it was direct, but that it was to involve himself.

"I…"

"Wasn't expecting that? They made an offer for the safety of the quincy, if they knew the twins are quincy, that shows that their word is of little value. If not than it shows their ignorance may result in quincy being harmed anyway. A rather simple observation once one has the life experience to make it," Ryuken walked over to a table and sat down, inviting Uryu to do the same.

"I don't know if others will see it that way,"

"You can't please everyone, and if you are going to be serious about leading, then you need to understand how others will see your inaction as well," Ryuken did not make himself privy to the politics surrounding the fractured Wandenreich, nor his son's plans for them. However he didn't need to imagine how potential rivals may capitalize on either action or inaction. "If you respond, you can point to that and say you wish to defend the quincy, even if that comes at your inconvenience. Something your rivals may not be able to say, but that's enough politicizing."

Uryu sighed. His father was right on the political side. Inaction made him no better than his rivals, many of whom were reprehensible human beings. No, intervening was the course of action that had to be taken. They were quincy, and they were family, even if not close.

"And it's the right thing to do," Uryu smirked sardonically.

"You were looking for a reason to act. I simply gave it to you," Ryuken could recognize how Uryu was overwhelmed by the weight of the decision, and how his previous recklessness would have had him act without such hesitation. Though that was perhaps why he acted with trepidation now. After all, his son's pride was what led him to joining the Wandenreich to begin with.

Yoruichi was reading a book in her study. The shelves were filled with a plethora of reading material, mostly philosophy, and no one language had any serious majority. Though she was currently reading Camu, or was until her phone started ringing.

She picked up her phone to look at the ID and recognized Uryu's number.

She debated blocking the number then and there. The last time she and Uryu met he had pierced her with an arrow, a scar that was still fresh. However her mind as a general and an investigator both overruled her emotions.

"Uryu," her voice however conveyed her thoughts about him.

"I fear Aura Michibane may have kidnapped Karin and Yuzu," Uryu made no attempt to defend himself. He did what he did, and what they faced now was of greater importance to both of them.

Yoruichi was surprised. Was this why Ichigo was so nervous at the meeting? Tokinada tried to leverage him? She may not trust Uryu, but she knew he wasn't a liar.

"I appreciate the information, but why concern yourself with our business," She remembers both him and Ryuken refusing to involve themselves in matters relating to Soul Society on numerous occasions in the past, his cooperation with Sui-Feng being a notable exception.

"They're quincy just as much as they're shinigami," Yoruichi smiled at Uryu's answer, Tokinada had made hell freeze over.

and that's that. hope you enjoyed, also, feedback is always welcome.