The Noble Sort

A/N: Once again, everything important lurks in the first two chapters' notes, and everything important for this week's update is located in the previous chapter.

And I once again apologize for any errors; I beta and edit and check these chapters but occasionally something skips through merrily. Feel free to point them out and I'll change them. Except for the usage of reiatsu and reishi; I know there are some errors there, and I'm trying to fix my usage of the two terms. I'm still sometimes unsure of which I should use.

R & R if you like! They've definitely been helping me through writer's block (not to worry, I don't even have half of what's written posted yet!).

Enjoy!

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"The Noble Sort"

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She could hear him, sitting at the low kotatsu in the dining area off of the kitchen. There was a sound eating made, somehow, that musical lullaby of plates and chopsticks and cups hitting saucers.

She was afraid to go in there.

Everything in her past had been settled the night before—but the future…

But she was carrying her zapakutou, too. When the tears had finally stopped, and he had helped her up to her bedroom—which hadn't changed since she had left all those years ago—he had left Hidaruma with her, right by the bed. It had been an unspoken signal that she could have the sword, and she was grateful.

She felt funny wearing her human clothes with it, but she didn't dare put on one of the old shinigami uniforms in her closet; she wasn't a shinigami, and like Shinji, she wasn't sure she would come back if they said she could.

Her hatred of them wasn't deep like his—only Aizen had caused her betrayal. Central had not threatened to lock her up or kill her.

She might be lying to herself, though. Part of her relished in being home, in just being back.

Leniency. I could always go back to the "parole" plan.

And she probably should. Behave as well as she possibly could until she found out what their plans for her were or until she saw a clear chance to escape. She doubted it would come soon, but there had been bigger surprises in her life.

Still, it all just brought her back to the big question: was she a prisoner?

Hikaru bustled by, smiling at her after giving her human clothes a funny look, and she shot a tentative smile back.

How stupid she must seem, standing outside the room like this.

She took a deep breath and approached the door, standing silently in its frame.

He 'harrumphed' before reaching for one of the rice balls Hikaru had just set on the table.

"Are you going to eat, or stand there and stare at me like a fool?"

She looked away, a wistful smile flashing across her face.

She approached the table, going around to the other side and sitting on his left. It had always been her place, although it was strange without her mother across from her.

She was the epitome of politeness and propriety this morning, hoping that would not only help her case but also disarm any anger that might have lingered after yesterday's events.

"Your hair is very long."

She glanced down at the long ebony strands floating over her shoulder and falling softly below her breast. It was long, much longer than she had ever worn it.

"I grew it out. It was an easy way—" she stopped, not wanting to bring it up.

"To hide yourself, yes?"

"Hai, Gen-oji-san."

"I have not seen it that long since you were a little girl."

She smiled at him, and he went back to eating. A hushed silence fell, only broken by the sounds of their eating.

"It is…strange without kaa-san," she said, her voice low.

He looked up at her for a moment before nodding and returning to his meal. It drove her nuts, too—he was the only person she had ever seen be able to convey a look without his eyes. Crazy old man.

"She had not eaten with me for years before her death. I have not stayed in this house for years, other than for a short rest now and then."

"Another thing I have to thank Aizen for," she muttered.

He set his chopsticks down on the small saucer holding his bowl of miso, and just looked at her.

"I had not known you knew about her."

"We got news, Gen-oji-san. You know Urahara."

He huffed.

"Yes, I know how he is," he chuckled. His deep, raspy voice was something she had missed. Sometimes the guilt was too much; she had missed her uncle more than her mother, although it was her mother's fault too. Her mother was frequently too busy for her child. After her father's death—she was so young, and she couldn't really remember him—her uncle had really been the one to raise her. It was why her bedroom was in his home, instead of her mother's, why her things were here. As soon as she had been old enough she had moved in here.

Her mother had eaten breakfast and dinner with them every night, though, before going to her own home. Minako had sometimes wondered if it was guilt over their failed relationship.

"I think he knows what goes on here before even you do, oji-san," she said playfully.

He flicked his chopsticks at her.

"Insolence," he muttered, but she could hear the teasing tone in his voice.

They ate much of the meal silently, a few muttered observations passing between them, and she silently wondered where all her anger had gone. Had it really all been settled so quickly?

Maybe. Maybe not.

She feared it might just be lurking underneath the elation she felt. It had been years since she had been here, and she had convinced herself that she loved her little life in the human world, but she had always known that she missed her family, her friends here.

Suddenly the door slid open, and her uncle looked up at the newcomer, nodding his head and gesturing to the seat on his right.

My babysitter, perhaps?

Ukitake-taichou nodded and smiled at both of them.

"It is a beautiful day outside, Genryuusai-sensei," he said, his tone upbeat and, as always, happy and content.

"Hm."

She looked at both them, exasperated.

"I take it you are my babysitter today, Ukitake-taichou?"

The pale man looked up at her, shocked.

"Babysitter? Of course not, Minako-san. I am your escort for today." He smiled at her, and she had the feeling that this man was used to his mere presence lighting up a room. "I have been told you are to visit Unohana-san, and then we have a meeting at the First Division."

He looked up at the ceiling, as if he was trying to remember something.

"Ah, yes! Ise-san also mentioned that she wanted to meet you for lunch, if Genryuusai-sensei approved. I get the feeling she is bursting to talk to you, although you would never know it from looking at her."

Minako smiled, delighted at the idea of lunch with her old friend.

"Gen-oji-san?" She looked at him, questioning, and received a grunt in the affirmative.

Excellent.

Her uncle suddenly sat his chopsticks down and finished off his tea, rising from the table. She struggled to stuff the last of her rice ball into her mouth—she still felt hungry—and she and Ukitake-taichou rose as well.

Like two children knowing exactly what their parent was preparing for—which they did, considering how long they had both known the man—they followed him to the front door.

"Behave yourself, Minako." He turned to look at Juushirou momentarily before stepping off the porch. "Take her to the human realm; get whatever she wants to keep from that thing she calls a home. I'll see you both this afternoon."

"Gen-oji-san—!"

It was too late; he was already gone.

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Less than an hour later they were in the human realm, appearing in an alley right down from her apartment building. She was anxious, not understanding whether or not she needed to grab just the things she wanted for a few days or everything she wanted.

She settled for the idea of just grabbing what she would wish to have with her if this stay turned into a long one. She was hoping to see her apartment again soon, and would have to either way to deal with the furniture and landlord.

As they finally approached the door, the walk having been spent in contemplative silence on her part, she muttered, "I don't think he realizes what he's asking."

"You have that many things, Minako-san?"

She looked at him, his calm and content face staring back and her, and nodded.

"I'm female."

He looked perplexed, and then his facial expression cleared, realization finally dawning on him.

"Of course. My sisters are the same."

She sent him a grin before entering and felt Hidaruma wake simultaneously.

What are you so happy about this morning? This smiling idiot?

Baka! She shouted in her mind. Stupid shishi. He's one of the strongest taichou in Seireitei. Do you not remember him?

Not really. I, he chuckled darkly, definitely don't remember you having that reaction to him.

Shut it, you overgrown tanuki.

He huffed.

Ruri and Kiri bounded up to them as soon as they entered, meowing.

"I think they'll have to be taken to Urahara's for a while. Yoruichi and Ururu will take care of them. I can't just leave them here, all alone."

She walked down the hall to the closet, the kittens close to her the entire time, and pulled out a very large, very red suitcase.

"This'll have to do for now, I suppose."

She glanced at him, bent down to the ground so he could tease Ruri.

"I'll concentrate on clothing and toiletries, if you could get the things on the table, there."

She pointed to a thin but long table that rested against the wall in the kitchen. It had most of the important things on it; furniture and everything else was replaceable, but those were special.

"Hai, Minako-san."

Once he was busy with that, she turned quickly to her bedroom. She grabbed a small bag from underneath her bed and hurriedly threw all the things she needed from the bathroom into it, and then started on her clothing.

In the top drawer were some photos and a lacquer box, which had to go with her, but she had to make sure that they weren't seen. If anyone ever found out about the Visoreds—or some of the other things hidden in the box—before she was ready, it would be a problem.

She folded them up in a haori and put them at the bottom of the suitcase.

She was in the middle of packing some of her more human clothing when she heard her phone, now perched on her dresser, beep loudly.

She quickly crossed the room, glancing at the screen.

14 missed calls, it read.

Shit!

Scrolling through the list, she saw most of them were Lisa, one from Hiyori, and the occasional call from Rin. They had either thought she would escape or be let go fairly quickly. There was one from her boss, as well, although it didn't really matter now—she would end up having to look for a new job either way.

She quickly unplugged the phone from the charger and dialed Lisa's number, hoping she could at least let them know she was well and to take her cats to Urahara.

"Minako. We've been calling you—"

"I noticed. How many times, huh? Worried about me?" she replied, amusement thick in her voice.

"Making sure you weren't dead."

"Not dead, obviously. But I'm not here long; I have to go back."

"Then why are you home? Fucking shinigami, always—"

"I had to get some things. But I'm currently not in jail, and I'm—"

"Minako-san?"

She whirled around, coming face to face with Ukitake-taichou.

"Ukitake-taichou! You startled me."

"Ukitake-taichou is in your house?" She heard Lisa shout through the phone.

His face had lost the calm exterior from earlier, and he looked worriedly at her and then at the phone near her ear.

"I'm not sure you should be talking to anyone right now."

"Shinji said you weren't in trouble. I knew it, I just knew I couldn't believe the stupid bastard. He's such a liar."

She quickly brought her hand up to cover the speaker on the phone, hoping he hadn't heard Lisa or her ranting already.

"I was just making sure a friend of mine knew to take the cats over to Urahara's. It won't take long."

He gave her a look, but he grudgingly backed out of the room. She was sure, though, he was staying in listening range so he would know what she said.

"Listen, I've got to go. Just get the cats to Urahara's for me? I don't know when I'll be back, and I don't want them to be here alone."

"I'll take care of your stupid cats. But seriously, Minako, if you're in deep, you need to just tell me. I'll help you out."

"I really don't know yet," she murmured.

"Take your phone with you. Call if you need anything. And don't clean out your bottom drawer; if I have to take care of your cats, I deserve a reward."

"Of course. Bye, girl."

"Be careful."

She pushed the end button and made sure he wasn't able to see her when she threw the phone in with some of the clothes.

He appeared a few minutes later, all of the items securely packaged and stored in a small box. He had even taken the time to wrap some of the more fragile items in dishcloths she kept on the small shelf next to the sink, something she was thankful for. Every one of them had a special meaning.

"I think that's it, really. Other than the cats, and I have someone coming over to get them soon."

They walked out of the apartment, and she locked the door behind her. They made it all the way out of the apartment before he glanced over at her, the worried look back on his face.

"Who was that, just then? On the phone?"

"Oh, just a friend." Even she could hear the shakiness of her voice, and she cursed herself. Really need to get back in the swing of lying to the uppers.

"Her voice sounded familiar."

They entered the alley, stopping and waiting for the door to appear.

She looked over at him, her bitterness clearly written on her face.

"Of course it did. She knows Urahara. We traitors stick together."

His mouth dropped open and then clicked shut quickly. Obviously, he had nothing to say to that.

It didn't matter anyway. Juushirou had already recognized the voice on the phone.

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This was turning into the day that wouldn't end.

They had quickly taken her things back to the house and left them in her room, and then hurried over to the Fourth. They were already running late, apparently, and if she wanted to make lunch with Nanao she would have to be quick about this. Although, something told her lunch wouldn't happen, not with it being almost eleven now and them having to be in the First Division's HQ by one.

There were quickly ushered through the building to a large, open examination room that was in the very back of the medical quarters, close to Unohana-taichou's office. This was her personal room, usually reserved for severe cases or the upper echelon of the shinigami forces.

Unohana-taichou was waiting on them patiently when they arrived, although there was not even a remote attempt at small talk before she began. She had Minako up on a medical bed before she could blink, sitting there while the taichou's reiatsu flowed over her body. Ukitake-taichou was pointed toward a chair in the corner, out of the way.

Isane was in the room as well, sitting at a small desk and writing down anything Unohana-taichou said. She did look up once, though, and smiled brightly at Minako.

Minako was just happy one of her oldest friends was not in trouble, happy to see her, and willing to continue the friendship. She wasn't sure how many of her former friends in Seireitei would even speak to her now.

"I understand now, Minako-san. It does read as if you are pregnant." She nodded at the medical taichou, used to the observation. "Do you still suffer from symptoms?"

"No. Urahara said it was most likely my body trying to adjust."

"He is probably correct," she murmured, still focusing on the readings she was getting.

"It is—not separate from you, really, but distinct. Much like a fetus. It is attached to you but also…on its own. This is very strange."

The awe she felt was clear to everyone in the room.

"Isane," she motioned toward her fuku-taichou, "come try yourself. Tell me if anything seems to have changed from the first time you examined Minako-san."

Isane, blushing, did as she was told, her reiatsu flowing over Minako as well.

"No. It's still the same. Although—it feels—calmer, maybe? I'm not sure how to explain it."

"It is very likely that the foreign reiatsu settled after being in position longer," Unohana said, putting her hand on Isane's shoulder and turning her back toward the desk.

The taichou did not bear any resentment to the females for their deception, but she had to focus and she would not be able to do so if they were too busy focusing on each other. It would detract from what they were trying to accomplish.

She separated some of her own reiatsu, molding it in a way only medical shinigami were able, and focused it directly beside the small ball of foreign reiatsu. As if giving her own reiatsu a finger, she poked the foreign ball of spiritual energy tentatively.

Tell her to stop that.

There was no discernable reaction other than a slight tightening of Minako's eyes, so she poked at it again, this time with slightly more force.

Minako tightened her hands on the side of the bed.

I'm serious. Tell her to stop that.

Unohana-taichou's reiatsu was then pulled back and reshaped, and she tried to fully enclose the other in her own. She was trying to build a small reiatsu shield that would come between Minako and the foreign object.

That's enough! Make her stop, now!

"Unohana-taichou, please stop," Minako forced out between her gritted teeth.

"I am sorry, Minako-san. For us to figure out what this is, I must examine it."

Examine? She's gonna kill us!

Minako was ready to agree with Hidaruma. She could feel her heart rate increasing, her breathing becoming labored. The feeling of fire just underneath her skin was becoming overpowering, and she would have to calm down soon.

Unfortunately, Hidaruma was freaking out. What one felt, the other felt. It hadn't been like this before, but it was now and they had gotten used to it after decades of experience. Whatever Unohana-taichou was doing, it was hurting and scaring Hidaruma, which meant her own emotions were reacting as if she was scared and hurting.

The medical taichou once again tried to fully engulf the foreign reiatsu, and Hidaruma screamed in agony.

Minako shut her eyes, trying to focus on her breathing.

"You're hurting him," she hissed, her voice breathless and raspy.

Unohana-taichou looked up but continued to try and slide a barrier of her own reiatsu between the foreign one and Minako's soul chain.

Then, out of nowhere, an air of tension came over the room. Something shifted, and everyone in the room tensed.

"You're hurting me."

All three shinigami looked up from the scan to Minako's face, disbelief clear in their facial expressions.

"I don't know who you are, but if you do that again I'm gonna hit you, lady."

Unohana-taichou quickly drew back her reiatsu and backed up a few steps, bumping into Ukitake-taichou, who had since abandoned his chair to see what was going on.

"Who are you, then?" she asked.

"I am her. She is me. You are hurting me. So you are hurting her. Stop it."

"You are Hidaruma," Ukitake-taichou said breathlessly.

"Sometimes." The dark voice they could now hear spoke with heavy amusement. "Sometimes I am the baka-shishi. I wish to be called Kagutsuchi, but she will not allow it. I even would have settled for Agni—she thinks it would be too much for my ego."

The last bit was said mournfully, as if it was a heavy blow to the sword spirit. Both of the taichou would have smiled at the petulant tone had it been any other situation.

"This is impossible, Unohana-taichou." There was fear in Isane's voice.

"It should be, Isane, but remember that before Muramasa's intervening, we believed they could not be out of their sword form, either, at least when visible to others."

Unohana stepped closer to Minako.

"Is it your reiatsu, then?"

"Of course it is. I wouldn't allow anyone else in here. What kind of zanpakutou do you think I am?"

"You should not be in there," Ukitake-taichou said, sounding as if he was scolding a disobedient child.

"You," the voice said wryly. "I have many things to say to you, most of which you will not like."

"What have I done to you?" Ukitake-taichou said in disbelief. But it was soon gone, once again replaced with the scolding tone of a parent. "You need to listen and get out of her body."

Minako shut her eyes, and her head shook back and forth.

"Not yet, my dear. I must finish this conversation."

"You are controlling her then, Hidaruma-san?" Unohana asked.

"I would not dare!" he said, affronted. "But she wants to speak, and I am not done yet. It's rude to interrupt—no, Minako, let me finish."

"She will learn not to prod at me again." The voice was suddenly as cold as ice, sending tremors racing through the shinigami. "You wish to fix in a few hours what we have dealt with for almost a century. If you continue, you will reap what you sow, the same way that blond idiot did."

"Urahara-san, you mean?" Unohana-taichou asked.

Minako nodded slowly.

Juushirou, a sudden thought hitting him, quickly moved back to the corner and shouted in surprise at what he saw.

The sword was not in its sheath.

"How did you do that?" he said, his disapproval evident.

"I am sorry, Hidaruma-san, but you must leave her body. It is not safe for her."

Unohana's voice had taken on a touch of steel, and her reiatsu once again flowed into Minako's body. She didn't even get it close to the ball of foreign reiatsu, which was now glowing brightly and much more intertwined with Minako's soul chain, before the screaming started.

It was an eerie, otherworldly sound, two voices coming from one body. And it was pure anguish, as if she had not just approached the soul chain but tried to sever it.

She quickly cut off her reiatsu, fearing either a backlash or an attack, but the only reaction she got was the collapse of Minako, who folded over herself and hugged her stomach with her arms.

She was breathing harshly, and her skin was red and blotchy from what was identified as a high fever once Unohana felt her skin. Her pulse was thready and quick, her carotid pulsing quickly.

Minako suddenly gasped, and then she slumped to the left, almost falling off the bed. Fortunately Ukitake-taichou moved quickly enough that he was able to stop her fall and get her back on the bed in a steady position.

"You shouldn't—shouldn't have done that," she rasped.

"How—"

"We're joined. He knows everything I do, and vice versa. And when you prod at him, it flares it up. Makes the connection easier."

She raised her head to look at them, and they gasped at the sight of her eyes. The pupils were cracked and had a brushed look to them, no longer gleaming black. And the typical dark maroon shade of her irises, too red to be brown, had faded to a dull yellow.

Both eyes had a slimy white film over them, looking much like cataracts but at the same time, different. It covered all of the eye, not just the pupil, and was obviously resting at a different layer.

"You'll have to heal it as quickly as possible. Th-the dark, not being able to see—it's—I'm glad I knew where I was and who I was with."

She chuckled dryly.

"Just be thankful I won the argument. Otherwise, you'd be through that wall right now. Hidaruma has nothing against striking when you least expect it."

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A/N: Lisa's personality is going to be just a little different. She's going to still be, well, standoffish, but they would have both been in the Eighth at the same time for years, so I'm giving them a past together as friends, as we've seen in the Pendulum arc that she was a little more open at that point. She was also the only one who wanted to speak to someone from her past—I don't think those connections are as buried as she might want.

And the Japanese Lesson for this week:

Gaki is child, usually meant in a derogative way, like immature

Sudoku is a puzzle game with numbers

Jii-jii is "old man" or "gramps"

Ahou is fool

Haori is a coat or heavy shirt, can be a jacket

Oji-san is uncle

Ichi is one

Kaa-san is mother, a very informal way to say it

Kotatsu is a winter table with a blanket to keep it warm underneath

Onigiri (rice balls) are a traditional Japanese food with rice and usually something inside them like fish or bean paste

Baka is idiot

Tanuki is a raccon dog

Visored is the Kubo way of spelling Vizard, according to the soul book

Kagutsuchi is a fire god

Agni is an Indian fire god, related to Buddhism which is popular in Japan

Muramasa was a filler-arc character that tried to lead a zanpakutou uprising, very interesting if you want to see their human forms