Urahara's Secret“I thought we had some matters to discuss,” said Ukitake.Byakuya stiffened. His thoughts had been elsewhere and the old captain’s spiritual pressure had been almost completely obscured. The streets outside the Twelfth Division barracks were otherwise entirely deserted, but he still checked around. “It’s alright,” Ukitake reassured him: “Kenpachi’s retired for the evening. We should walk the long way home. What do you say, my friend?” They fell into step.It was an old friendship and one that had altered its shape and balance many times. Ukitake had once been a mentor of sorts to Kuchiki B
Yachiru x Toshiro ch1 part 1The war was at its end everyone was relived at that, they have had a lot of injuries and deaths, But Two missing in action.Who? The two people most unlikely to dissapear. Toshiro Hitsugaya Tenth division Captain. Yachiru Kusajishi luitenat of the eleventh division adoptive daughter of Kenpachi Zakari.They sent a search party out for them but to no avial so they assumed they died.So they avenged their deaths in the War and were respected highly."So *Pant* just Gin *Pant* And Aizen left." Nanao asked."Yeah Not long 'till this war's over."Shunsui replied.They suddenly felt a wild Reitsu."Is that Ichigo's spiritual pressure."Soi fon asked."No i
On Our OwnByakuya hurried through the darkness towards the Twelfth Division barracks.Twelfth Division was responsible for research and development and, as such, their buildings were full of the latest technology; nearly every room appeared, to Kuchiki Byakuya, as a homage to those decadent systems: low lights, glowing screens, meaningless sequences of numbers. Not only were the people subservient to their machines here, but, as Byakuya stepped inside he recalled that the sharp contrasts of light and shade in these halls were disorientating. No other division’s barracks were designed with so little respect for the men housed within.Deep inside t
First DanceChad came past Rukia at a sprint. She paused in the dark street, turning to watch him. She could sense Ichigo and one of the arrancar up ahead, but she didn’t think it was fear that made him keep running, avoiding her eye contact.The air around her was alive with spiritual pressure. The instincts that allowed her to overlay this world and its heavy solidity with the lights and currents of the spirit realm tonight let her see where the other shinigami were stationed. All those who could would fight, she realised, would fight. This was the first incursion.In the next street, she found Ichigo.She had to force herself past her initial sh
Finding You“Please, help her,” Byakuya said: “Please.” The tall woman turned towards him, her eyes a little wild as she saw just one more desperate figure standing amidst the carnage.The Squad Four barracks were in chaos. A fire had started in one of the poorer districts of Rukongai and, hot on its heels, riots had broken out in the streets. Security forces in the Rukon were being stretched. On top of that, an unsuccessful mission in the human world was bringing in a steady flow of casualties. And Byakuya was no-one special here. There were other officers who needed urgent treatment and, if he was but an officer, then the girl h
The Winter WarWhat was that expression? Surprise? Doubt? Had she caught him at a bad time? What an imbecilic thought! What exactly was a good time to step into someone’s life and turn it upside down? He was right to be wary of her.A few months had past since they’d spoken on that perfect blue night in the grounds of the Shiba mansion and later, with the sounds of laughter in the hall below them, she’d thanked him for saving her life and he’d thanked her, in his own way. Things like that, they didn’t fade away, but sometimes she found herself doubting that they had all actually happened. They were too much like dreams. But, wi
Losing FocusThe following day brought with it a clear, blue afternoon. An open sky, polished clean by the winter sunshine was filled with the scent of the pines growing around the shrine. Rukia shifted where she sat on the roof. From the ground, the temple had looked perfect, but, once you were up here, you could see the chips in the tiles, signs of wear and tear, of he many stormy nights it must have weathered above the ebb and thrall of the city.The pressure in the air changed.The weight of the empty sky was suddenly so great she almost fell. One tile came loose and went skimming and clattering to the ground before she was able to regain her senses.
It Changes and It Stays the SameIchigo was different. Rukia was immediately aware of the change. She watched him walk home from school, head down, face set in that perpetual frown she’d become so accustomed to. It was his eyes she noticed though. They were harder than she remembered and they held a strange breed of fear, buried deep, but still so clear to her. And then there was his reiatsu; it was obscured. For most shinigami, such a technique would take years to learn, but she sensed that Ichigo had developed it out of necessity. He was smothering his own energy, denying it. He kept it concealed even when he killed a small hollow that afternoon. He could have finis
The Captains' MeetingRukia lost track of Renji on the outskirts of Rukongai. One moment, he was ahead of them; the next he had vanished. Their little party broke up just within the gates of the sereitei and Hisagi spoke up, untangling himself from his companion as he did:“I’m going to report this. It may be that the Department for Research and Development are already aware there was a hollow in Soul Society, but I’m not happy that was an ordinary hollow.” Kira nodded agreement:“Better to be safe.”“Forgive me,” said Rukia: “But I wondered: could there be any kind of link between a creature like that and the
And the Past Stares BackByakuya’s eyes rested on the image of his wife, on the straight lines of smoke rising from the incense and the red berries arrayed in sheafs about the shrine. It was a time of year that was not convivial to flowers, but the servants had done a fine job in ensuring that the shelves were still adorned with colour. Even so, he did not see them or the picture. In his mind’s eye, he saw a scroll of paper bound with the seal of First Division. He saw the afternoon sunlight streaming in through the windows of the audience hall. He saw Juushiro Ukitake kneeling opposite him with an expression both apprehensive and sad.“What is this
Where the Real Ghosts AreA small bar on a backstreet in the second district of Rukongai became even smaller as two death gods stepped inside. Two patrons who had been nursing drinks at one of the three tables quickly downed them and left, abandoning their money on the counter. The owner, however, an elderly woman, only beamed at the new arrivals. The three shinigami already present, squeezed into a corner of the room, had drunk themselves into stupors, but were still not running low on coin, so the addition of two more seemed to her a blessing rather than a hindrance.Rukia hesitated.“Let’s go and celebrate,” Renji had said. It had been her first d
Bleach Fanfiction: Just a Governess Chapter 7A/N I don't own Bleach nor do I make any profit from it.Chapter 7 – The new Lady*****************************************************************************************As expected, Isane came over that night. She rushed to my side, worry shining in her eyes."Lady Sara, are you all right," She asked. I nodded. A servant was standing next to my bed and I looked up at her."You may leave now," I said politely. She nodded silently and walked out, closing the door behind her. I turned back to Isane."Captain Kuchiki told me that you that you were unwell," She said, grasping my hand. I smirked slightly."There's nothing wrong with m
The White Blade, Death and the GirlThe light that fell in shafts from the slanting windows was already thin with the shards of winter, and it was cold, uncomfortably cold, in the darkened training hall. Except that Rukia had never felt the cold.She knelt seiza at the far end of the room, eyes closed. Anyone entering might have been forgiven for assuming the place was empty, though the improbable stillness of the figure in black nevertheless held a heavy presence. She had the hall to herself and, for now, that suited her needs. She had no desire to discuss recent events with her colleagues and certainly had no intention of letting them see her train when her energy was at suc
Darling, Everything's On Fire pt.1 Darling Everything's On Fire Part One: Forget Some people have wondered just how many blows to the head it would take before Ichigo Kurosaki gets perminant damege, and now, that question has been answered..."Ichigo!" Rukia shouted as she watched her partner slam into a group of buildings, she snarled at the Menos they were fighting and finally froze it over long enough to slice the mask in half before running over to him, "Ichigo!" she shouted again as she landed beside him, he was beaten up pretty badly from that fall, his head was bleeding and dented and he was covered in dirt and dibree, she cursed under her breath, she knew she w
Bleach Part 62 - A Pattern and a PurposeBarely five months ago, Rukia had been here, in this very room. Barely five months ago, she had been awarded a commission in the human world: the first that she would undertake alone.So much had happened since then."Kuchiki! What are you doing here?" She span round as Ukitake stepped in from the gardens, her memories dissipating like smoke. And she bowed formally:"I didn't know if you would be up, Captain.""I'm hoping to see the ryoka off. Are you" – he shook his head and then moved into the room: "What are you doing here?""Reporting for duty, Captain."He looked at her warily:"Hm. There was some talk of you leaving with the ryok
Bleach Part 61 - The House in the MountainsThe mountains were beautiful. The sky was clear and blue, the harvest was ripe in the fields and the whole landscape rippled gently in a soft breeze. The journey was so much easier than Rukia remembered. Every stop softened the memories a little, overlaying them with new ones. She had wanted to walk this path ever since the day when Kaien pointed it out to her. She had wanted to walk it, with him at her side, showing her all the things he remembered from his childhood. Since that would never be, she would have to try and remember for him. And it was in such a frame of mind that she arrived, alone, at the house in the mountains.Just as on th
It's A Lie It's A Lie "A dare? You're actually daring me?" Rukia laughed, "How old ARE we? Thirteen?" Rangiku frowned, "If you don't accept the dare we'll-" "I'll accpet it, I just mean... well it's awfully juvenile..." "Say wat you will! But you have to do the dare!" "Fine, fine, wat is it already?" Rangiku giggled, "You have to go to the living world and tell Ichigo that you're leaving forever! Kiyone will video tape it for us so we don't ruin it and you'll also be timed for how long you can go without telling him the truth!" "Wat if he asks why?" "Lie to him," "But this is MY dare not his! Ichigo hasn't done anything wrong, there's no reason to t
Bleach Part 60 - The World RevolvesRukia woke to the sound of familiar voices. Very familiar voices that filled her heart with relief.She'd had a couple of hours sleep, she guessed, back in her own bed for the first time in nearly a year. And now she rose, listening to a heated discussion outside, and dressed in a purple kimono with violet and green flowers winding across the fabric. This would be the first time Ichigo had ever seen here wearing her own clothes. She wondered idly if that affected her choice in any way. She tied a green sash about her waist and stepped outside. The two men, who had been bickering, at once fell silent. "Good morning," she said and sat down on
Welcome to the Black ParadeSoft winds flowed through the large town, shuffling the fallen colorful leaves about. Shaved ice stands had shut their doors and every coffee shop was pushing their seasonal drinks. Trees were decorated with orange and red leaves, while some sat without a leaf at all. Warm fluffy coats were now being pulled out of hiding, and thin attire was being packed away. Fall was here in Karakura town, and it was as beautiful as ever. Standing quietly outside an old memorial place, Ichigo couldn’t help but watch as others began the journey he had just completed. Countless new students shuffled into the high school, each with excitement and nervous
Bleach Part 59 - Wherever You Need to GoIt was dark outside. A single oil lamp illuminated the upstairs room where Rukia knelt at the bedside of the man who had asked her to call him 'brother.' She had let him continue speaking despite the obvious cost to his strength. His face was flushed now, as if with fever. He tried to sit up and grimaced. At least his pain gave her something to concentrate on in the whorl of her thoughts. She took a pillow from beside the bed; then, with one hand about his shoulders, took his weight to slip it between his head and the rest of the cushions. He sat back, breathing hard through gritted teeth and, without thinking, Rukia took his hand in both her
Just a A Governess: Chapter 5A/N I don't own Bleach nor do I make any profit from itChapter 5 – Clashing Ideas******************************************************************************************The next day, I walked down to breakfast with Isane following close behind. I was highly anticipating this breakfast. It was because I would actually get to observe Rukia and Lord Byakuya's relationship. As I walked inside the large dining area, I noticed that Lord Byakuya had already seated himself at the table. He glanced at me, making me shiver. I tried to hide it."Good morning, Lady Sara," he uttered quietly, "I trust that you slept well?"I looked up at him
Hisana's Story 19 - FootprintsIt was the most selfish she had ever been and yet it was the only way she knew to survive. Do not weep, do not give in, do not give up, and do not feel unless I give you permission to do so. What she could not stand was to see him grieve before she was even dead. That seemed like too much of a travesty and, to stay sane, she needed him to be strong, as he had always been in her eyes. So that when she cried, he held her, and when she lost hope, he was still there, making promises, at the end of everything. Their world was crumbling at the edges and instead of pulling it back together, she was forcing him to hold it for her, never once daring t
Just a Governess Chapter 4A/N I don't own Bleach nor do I make any profit from it.Chapter 4: Lady Sara*******************************************************************************************As I reached the Kuchiki mansion, a chill went down my spine. It wasn't unpleasant, as the mansion was the most beautiful place I have ever seen. We pulled up outside of the mansion, in front of two, large double doors. I turned my head and saw the silver haired young woman who often accompanied Captain Unohana, "Lieutenant Kotetsu," I was rather surprised to see her there. She gave me a low bow before extending her hand to me, helping me out of the rickshaw. I stepped out a
Hisana's Story 18 - Half LifeHisana paused, the brush hovering above lines of feathery script. The hand was ugly; the sentiments were far from profound. She wished she could think of something worthwhile to write."What are you doing, Hisana?"She looked up with a gasp. Byakuya had been away and, where she might once have run to him, she now levered herself up slowly, while he crossed the room and encirlced her in his arms. Every time he was gone, she was afraid she grew a little older. He never changed though; his features smooth and always so calm. Three months had passed since she'd woken in a hospital bed. Unohana's medicines had worked, clearing the infection in
Sta.sh
