Tag

Disclaimers: Bleach is the
sole property of Kubo Tite. I only own this fanfic.

To make the scenes clearer:

*******

Followed by words in this font =
Past

*******

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Followed by words mainly in this
font = Present.

*******

Previously:

Time to put him in his place.
Slim brown fingers brandished a reddish stick the length of his thumb.

"My chalk... against your blade."

0o-------------------------o0

Past, meet Present

"Yo... Yoruichi..." stuttered the
teenager with bleached hair from behind her. She was going to have to do this.
No other choice. Kisuke would understand and so would Ichigo, after a few more
days. Poised to act, a voice like wintry blizzards raking a desolate landscape
stopped her.So different from the exclamation loaded with venom seconds earlier.

"...Ex-commander of the division
of Special Covert Operations, also the ex-general of the Correction Corps..."

Her eyes flickered sideways towards
the speaker.

"Shihouin Yoruichi."

Mouth hardening into a thin line,
what she initially saw was obsidian hues of the dofuku and hakama beneath a
white, billowing haori that all captains wore.

"Haven't seen you in a
while."

She finally looked into pitch-black
iciness, not uttering a single word at dull loathing in those flat statements.
Those eyes were like bottomless wells that gave away nothing, dark lashes
lowering but not hiding piercing accusation from the leader of the Sixth
Division. There's something very different about him... as if...

"Disappearing for over a hundred years... I thought you'd given up living a long time ago."

She wished he would shut up.

*******

"You wield your soul slayer;
I'll use this piece of chalk. At the end of this exercise, we'll know who has
been more skilful, judging by the marks left on each other. Don't hold back..."

He would wipe the mockery from
her insolent demeanor.

For the next fifteen minutes,
all was relatively quiet. The subdued hum of leaves rustled among sturdy
boughs, flowers swaying lazily on their stalks. Clear water trickled
reassuringly over smooth boulders into a large pond. There were only two
differences: The birds were no longer chirping. There was no wind.

If any passers-by were to peer
over long, high walls scoped with tiles and into the sprawling grounds of a back
garden, all they would see was beautifully spaced greenery and weathered stone,
separated by bamboo screens with woven rushes. Nothing would seem out of the
ordinary. However, on closer scrutiny it might be possible to see
almost-invisible movement that never stayed long at any one spot. Unless that
observer had minimal skills equivalent to that of the vice-captains commanding
Gotei 13, it would be impossible attempting to keep track of these two
entities.

Finally resting on tiptoe atop a large rock--the colour of a
mallard’s egg--in the middle of the koi pond, Shihouin Yoruichi smiled, as
nimble fingers twirled her choice of weapon in lazy circles.

Gazing at the other figure,
whose black and blue-gray garments were now decorated with enough crimson to
appear as if they were breaking into a rash, she had to resist the urge to
burst out laughing. Watching those enigmatic dark eyes widen as he took in the
sight of his soiled hakama, yukata and haori, before looking at her fully
intact clothing. Well, she was gracious enough to give him a minor consolation.

"Don't feel too humiliated,
Kuchiki-san. I enjoyed myself thoroughly in our game of Onigoto. Your shyunpo
isn't too bad... I was only joking about your speed. Good day!"

Vanishing in the twinkling of an eye, her high spirits were restored. Time to drag Urahara Kisuke out of his laboratory and indulge in an enterprising exchange of ideas. Then they could drink happoshu later by the
river. Oh damn, there was a whole mountain of paperwork to wade through first...

*******

No, she was not in a good mood.
Hearing rash lunacy from Kurosaki Ichigo was a welcome reminder of her mission,
but it also tested her temper. This child had no inkling yet of what true power
was, and she would not let him be slain by it.

"...Defeat him? With your current standard?"

Opening up a balled fist, she
glanced back at him.

"...Don't be foolish."

Ichigo's face blanched as his
insides seemed to explode in searing pain. He stared in disbelief at the arm
protruding from his bandages; sticky red liquid coated the skin of one he
thought was an ally.

*******

"Had a great day?"

"Definitely!"

Judging by the self-satisfaction
evident in her posture, his irascible friend had accomplished her mischievous
goal. Lying back on the grassy riverbank and staring up at starless night, he
decided to punish her via merciless teasing.

"I assume you succeeded in
breathing some semblance of humility into the man."

"Oh please, it's impossible
enough breathing life into him, let alone humour. Humility... I'd like to think I
was successful for at least a second. Fortunately it's only a one-off thing. I
have you to thank for the idea."

"It's nothing. You're my dearest
friend."

Contented silence blanketed them.

"Kisuke?"

"Hm?"

"I'll always be here for you."

A husky chuckle was his answer.

"Don't sound so serious, it's
not as if I'd consider asking for that kind of heavy-duty backup... yet."

*******

Rukia was horrified. So was
Hanatarou. The two captains were just as bewildered and shocked at the turn of
events.

She could read the questioning of
betrayal in those innocent eyes, just like the fact that he was about to pass
out. Trampling any murmurs from a conscience at this brutal method, she yanked
out her hand.

Forgive me, K-Ichigo... this is
the only alternative you left me. I will not let you foolishly throw away your
life and his aims here.

0o---------------o0

List of definitions by alphabetical order

Dofuku (that, plus the hakama, is what I conclude makes up the black clothing worn by shinigami): Comes in two types: there is a knee-length version (known as ko-dôfuku), and the ankle-length version that looks a lot like a dressing gown except with wider sleeves. Two sets of ties (one inside and one outside the garment at the waist) secure it closed. The skirt section is cut rather full and tapers out in a vague bell shape. The sides remain open until the waistline where the skirt begins. Worn by those pursuing spiritual or artistic matters and developed from a monastic garment. It's tucked into the hakama here. Of course, each individual modifies it slightly.

Gotei 13: Thirteen Court
Guardian Divisions.

Hakama: Skirt-like pants
comprising seven folds(five in front, 2 at the back.). All the folds have a
different symbolic meaning, which I’ll explain if asked.

Happoshu: Low-malt beer

Haori: short silk
button-less jacket falling to the knees, wide sleeves extending to the wrist.

Koi- colourful carp

Yukata-Summer kimono.
(Kimono: literally ‘thing to wear’. The word "ki-mono" was invented
in the Meiji era (1868-1912).

Zanpaku-tou: Soul Slayer

How the three pieces of clothing
are worn: the yukata is tucked into the hakama, with the haori worn like an open
coat over them. Here, Byakuya’s yukata and haori are black, while his hakama is
blue-grey.