Chapter 40: Shiba Kukaku, the Beautiful Bombmaster

(A/N: I'm going to get a lot of FAQ out of the way right now. First off, people, I KNOW Ichigo and Lelouch are both voiced by Johnny Yong Bosch and yes I do plan to do a joke about it. There just has not been a golden opportunity for it. Second, the 3rd bleach movie, Fade to Black, is negative continuity to me so the whole "Mayuri creating a second brain thing" does not hold water all that much. Thirdly, those inquiring about the CG characters. Lelouch, where the fic is now, was just BORN last December. Also please keep in mind that it is my intention to keep CG completely canonical otherwise it screws up the whole premise of Lelouch's Temporal Paradox. Remember that it's not normal for Soul Reapers to interfere with the world of the living activities, same goes for humans with powers. I imagine that anyone who wishes to survive the events will all hide in Urahara's basement until the whole thing blows over or a replica of Karakura Town will be created and kept in stasis until the entire thing passes. Also, yes I do plan to bring in the CG characters that died once the timing is appropriate. On top of that, let me make something official that I'm sure most of you will squee at hearing: I do plan to bring Yuna back. I haven't decided how, but she will return. Now with that out of the way allow me to return you to your regularly scheduled fanfic).

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or Code Geass

3rd Person pov

Ichigo and his team spent the evening preparing for tomorrow. The idea was that they would all go into the Seireitei and split up in different directions. Ichigo would have preferred everyone going in one big group, but Lelouch figured otherwise.

"If you all cluster together once your found that's it, but if you break into smaller, more maneuverable groups if one group is caught the others still have a chance of rescuing Rukia. Remember that is your objective: to rescue Rukia, not to go maiming every captain in the Seireitei. Speaking of which, none of you except Soifon should even think about engaging a captain. They're way outside your league." Yoruichi knew that she could engage a captain too, but she wasn't sure if Lelouch either didn't know about her ability to change form or just wasn't going to say anything the same that she had convinced Soifon not to.

Everyone broke into groups as follows: Ichigo and Kukaku would travel together east to northeast and then circle back towards the Senzaikyu where, by the time they would reach it, by Lelouch's estimate, Rukia would be. Uryu and Chad would charge straight north towards the center and Soifon, Orihime and Tatsuki would travel west to northwest and then circle back towards the Senzaikyu. Yoruichi stated that she would observe and watch for developments and that she moved faster on her own.

Since Kukaku and Ichigo were travelling together, the most important woman of the Shiba family figured it would be a good idea to get to know her travelling companion. Ichigo couldn't sleep, not while he knew Rukia was in danger. Thankfully, while in Soul form, he didn't need to. As the teen stood looking up at the Seireitei from the distance he and his group were at, Kukaku sidled up along next to him.

"Couldn't sleep, eh kid?" Kukaku asked.

"I'm too on edge. Rukia is in danger and it's my fault. That's why I have to rescue her. No matter what happens. I won't let her be executed because of me." Ichigo stated.

Kukaku took out her pipe and lit it. "Rumor has been circulating that you look like my brother. I haven't gotten a good look at your face yet." Kukaku said and took the pipe out of her mouth. "Mind turning around?"

"And, if I do, what does it matter?" Ichigo asked.

Kukaku did not like no for an answer so she grabbed Ichigo by the collar and slung him onto the ground and stood over him to get a good look at his face. She stared for a solid twenty seconds at him. The resemblance isn't as big as everyone's making it out to be. It's not like he's Kaien's spitting image like Rukia and Hisana. It's uncanny how identical those two look. Still, he's not a Shiba so what the hell gives for the closeness? Kukaku wondered. Kurosaki wasn't an uncommon, borderling rare, surname so she wasn't about to jump the gun that he had to be related to Isshin in some fashion. She took a step back to give Ichigo the chance to get up.

"What the hell was that for?" Ichigo snapped.

"When I ask a question you do as I tell you, got it?" Kukaku sneered. "I'm far more savvy about all of this than you are so if I give a command you better damn well follow it you brat, got me?"

"You think I'm afraid of you?" Ichigo challenged Kukaku.

Kukaku got right in Ichigo's face. "You do not want to start something with me." She said gravely.

"Bring it." Ichigo challenged.

"Take your best shot." Kukaku sneered.

"Ladies first," Ichigo responded, "I insist."

Kukaku made her first strike with a low blow straight into Ichigo's stomach. The teen crouched down low to where Kukaku then drove her knee into his face and knocked him out on the ground. She then stomped on his chest, and slammed her sword into the ground next to him. She looked down upon him and spoke with an embittered tone. "Listen punk, don't you ever try to think you're better than you are. I will kick your ass every day of the week, simply because I'm better than you. Delinquency?" Kukaku scoffed. She knew where Ichigo and the others were from, and the customs that went with it. "I spent six years in prison because my older brother was protected by Gotei law not to have to take the fall for our family. I'm only in this gig because Lelouch got me out of it because of his captaincy. So don't go acting like you're mister big shot. Let me tell you something Soul Society prisons don't have separate holding areas for men and women. I beat down punks like you on a regular basis. Don't even try to act like you're better than me. Understand?"

It would've made Tatsuki laugh to see Ichigo in such a frightened state. Then again, she would've been just as scared as he was just watching from the sidelines. Kukaku had made it clear that she was not to be messed with.

"I understand." Ichigo said quickly. Kukaku got up from bearing down upon him and put her sword away. She then turned back to look towards the Seireitei and put the pipe back in her mouth. "You do look like my brother, Kaien. You two fought."

"Oh yeah, man that was almost like looking in a mirror." Ichigo said rubbing the back of his head.

"How old are you Ichigo, fifteen?" Kukaku asked.

"Yeah, why?" Ichigo asked.

So it is possible. Kukaku thought to herself. "No reason." She turned around. "Anyway, I'm gonna try and get some shut eye, do you plan to stay up and keep watch?" she asked.

"Should I wake you if I find myself nodding off?" Ichigo asked. "I was told Soul Reapers don't need sleep every single night."

"If you need to wake anyone, wake Yoruichi." Kukaku said. "I will stab you in the throat as a reflex if you try to wake me."

"Duly noted." Ichigo said with a hint of fear in his voice.

"I swear I hope you fight well for someone who trained with Kisuke for five days straight." Kukaku had heard the story from Soifon. "See you in the morning." Ichigo watched Kukaku walk out of sight and then turned back towards the Seireitei, mentally preparing himself for tomorrow morning.

The Next Morning

Once Rukia was securely inside the Senzaikyu, Kaien went over to her to tell her something, before leaving. "You wouldn't know this without me telling you, but there was a bit of a mess that occurred at the gate the other day. More specifically, Jidanbo was defeated…and by your friend no less." Kaien told Rukia. "Oh, and I have a message for you from Lelouch." Kaien whispered his next statement, "The phantoms have risen again." Both pieces of information made Rukia happy. "Just sit tight Rukia. We're going to get you out of here." Kaien then walked out of the Senzaikyu and headed back for his division. If only I could get you out myself. He thought. I know why the Substitute Soul Reaper law is in place, but…to execute Rukia…it just doesn't seem right. A long term prison sentence maybe, but execution…it just seems unnatural. I wish I didn't have to rely on Lelouch or Ichigo like this. I wish I could just fight and save Rukia myself. Kaien thought as he walked. He stopped and looked at his open palm before clenching it into a fist. Maybe I could escape the pain I still feel because I couldn't save Miyako.

At this same time, Ichigo and the others were currently making their way underground.

"It's kind of roomy for a tunnel." Ichigo commented.

"Yeah, why did the Gotei never bother to close this off?" Tatsuki asked.

"They probably might not have any idea that it's here." Soifon interjected. "Lelouch covers his tracks well."

"Not to mention the tunnel itself was dug out over the course of time by yours truly." Kukaku praised.

"You dug this entire thing out?" Orihime asked.

"Sure did." Kukaku stated.

"That's rather impressive Kukaku-san. How long did it take?" Uryu wanted to know.

"Hmm, I'd estimate somewhere around fifteen years, give or take a few months." Kukaku stated.

"Fifteen years?" Ichigo, Tatsuki, Orihime and Uryu all cried out at once.

"Hey it takes a long time to dig this far underground to avoid being blocked off by the Soul Society's gate barrier, and to create a special latch to bypass the barrier when it's active." Kukaku held out her hand and began counting on her fingers. "Plus there's the lighting, the stability, the roominess as you noted it Ichigo, and testing to make sure spiritual pressure can't be detected this far beneath the surface."

"It's like I've always said, when you put your mind to something Kukaku you always do it to the best quality you can." Yoruichi said.

"That I do." The Shiba woman grinned.

About halfway through the tunnel Soifon stopped the charge. "This is it, right?" she asked Kukaku.

Kukaku nodded and felt around along the walls for something. "Aha!" She found a lever alongside the wall, cleverly concealed to look like a regular plant root, but was made of plastic. She pulled the lever and a bright blue glow shined in front of the group before peeling away. "Hurry up." She urged, "That opening doesn't hold for long." Ichigo and the others proceeded through before Kukaku let go of the lever and rolled forward into the opening before it closed behind them.

"What was that?" Ichigo asked.

"That was the special barrier formed by the Sekkiseki walls of the Seireitei." Kukaku explained. "The walls of the Seireitei are composed of a special rock that repels all forms of spirit energy. However, using a special formula, secretly co-developed between Lelouch and myself with technology taken from the department of research and development, we were able to develop a way to bypass the barrier should it be placed when the tunnel was used."

"How often was that?" Uryu asked.

"This is actually the only time not including yesterday that we've had to resort to this. The first and only other time that this tunnel was used we were already past this part of the tunnel." Kukaku explained.

"Hey, we can't waste time chatting about this. If you wanna talk do it while we're on the move." Soifon stated. The group picked up their pace and headed for the exit of the tunnel. Upon their reaching the end of the tunnel Ichigo saw a really large ladder.

"Please tell me we don't have to climb all the way up this." Ichigo groaned.

"Of course not." Kukaku stated. And walked over to the wall where there was another cleverly camouflaged switch along the wall. "Check this out." She lifted the switch and all of a sudden the ground began to shake.

"What's happening?" Orihime cried out.

"This platform was equipped with a jet engine system on the off chance that time was crucial. It could be used to sail straight through from one end of the tunnel to the other or, as I'm using it now, it'll rocket us straight to the top. However, the speed at which we'll be going will create a hefty change in our vertical velocity, thereby while the platform has stopped moving we won't, in which case—"

"In English please." Ichigo grumbled.

"Basically when the platform stops, we're going to get launched into the air. I suggest breaking into our groups now." Kukaku stated. The group did. Kukaku could feel the rumbling intensify. "Here we go ladies and gents. Three…two…one…launch!" The platform fired up from the ground as the tile used to conceal the entrance parted like it was the cover for a missile launching station. As Kukaku stated everyone was catapulted into the air.

Aloof mama bear that she had become, Soifon grappled Tatsuki and Orihime under her arms. Chad grabbed Uryu by the folds of his cape. His firm grip kept him from losing his hold on the Quincy. Yoruichi of course was simply prepared to land on her feet as all cats did. As for Ichigo and Kukaku they weren't holding onto each other at all. The orange haired teen, though twelve meters off the ground, was more or less prepared to think that Kukaku had some form of plan so that the two didn't wind up as pavement stains. Chad was prepared to use his powers to slow his and Uryu's descent at the last minute and Soifon and Yoruichi knew how to control her descent speed.

"So…how are we going to make sure we don't look like we're a wild animal that just became friendly with a truck's front tires?" Ichigo asked.

"Like this." Kukaku said. She motioned through the air and grabbed Ichigo by the collar. She then reached into the folds of her Shihakusho and pulled out what looked like a length of ribbon.

"And just what good is some ribbon going to do, there's nothing to grab onto!" Ichigo declared only to soon realize Kukaku wasn't listening and was fastening the ribbon to the pommel of Ichigo's Zanpakuto. With her arm around the kid's neck she pointed to the ground in between two thick partitions. "If you throw your Zanpakuto and lodge it into the ground we can use it as a fulcrum to propel us into the wall like a pendulum." She told him.

"Are you crazy? My blade can't support that kind of weight. It'll just as soon get lodged out of the ground!" Ichigo could not believe that this was Kukaku's master plan.

"Just do it!" Kukaku ordered.

Not wanting to argue with a woman who was easily able to kick his ass the night before. Ichigo did as he was told. However, just as he predicted the blade did dislodge from the ground, but the momentum he and Kukaku still had caused his blade to go sailing over the wall and lodge underneath the shingles on the opposite side like a grappling hook. This was then used to propel Kukaku and Ichigo, with their remaining momentum, over the wall, whereby they landed safely on their feet, completely unharmed. Ichigo pulled on the ribbon to get his Zanpakuto back and Kukaku cut the ribbon to allow Ichigo to have his weapon at normal size length.

"Now that's the second time I've known what I'm talking about. You need to learn to listen to those older than you Ichigo." Kukaku told him. "Now, let's get a move on."

Ichigo nodded and the pair headed off.

Elsewhere in the Seireitei, Chad's plan to keep him and Uryu undamaged worked like a charm. Of course, thanks to Kukaku's little elevator effort, he had no idea which way was north.

Uryu pushed up his glasses and looked up at the sun and then down at his and Chad's shadows. He pointed in a direction. "This way." He urged.

Being able to use the position of the sun to determine direction; Ishida sure has the right to call himself the smartest student in our class. Chad noted.

Soifon landed on a rooftop with Tatsuki and Orihime each clinging to either side of her. She gently let them get their footing on the ground on which they were standing. "You two okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, we're fine sensei, thanks." Tatsuki told her, flexing her arm.

"Good, follow me, I know this outlay of this place rather well." She urged. Her students followed her unquestionably.

As Kukaku and Ichigo headed east, the 8th seat realized something and stopped her dashing.

"What's the hold up?" Ichigo asked, wondering what her deal was.

"I have an idea that I think might work." She responded. "Unlike our companions, you and I are both Soul Reapers and to boot I'm a very well-known individual. If we act like normal Soul Reapers and just saunter around the Seireitei we might be able to get to Rukia without any trouble."

"But if we just mosey on along—"

"If we just mosey on along then the time we would normally spend fighting, and resting afterwards, is made up for by our slower pace. Word may not have gotten around yet about you so we might be lucky. "At most the Seireitei might be looking for strangely dressed individuals, otherwise called Ryoka, we might be able to slip through the cracks, but you gotta follow my lead." Kukaku told him.

"Are you sure this will work? You did get us launched pretty high up into the air. Not to mention the ground was shaking rather fiercely." Ichigo stated.

"The tremors would've never made it all the way to the surface. If anything the magnitude probably never would've penetrated higher than a four and that's nothing too serious. Also we got launched about four stories. It's not like we fell from the sky or something." Kukaku responded.

"I suppose you have a point." Ichigo said.

"Good, then we're set." Kukaku said.

She and Ichigo slowed down their pace only for them to come to a faux checkpoint. In other words, Ikkaku and Yumichika were sitting on top of a pair of roofs just waiting for something to happen and Ichigo and Kukaku just so happened to pass by.

"Well if it isn't Kukaku." Ikkaku grinned. Kukaku had a high level of respect catered throughout the 11th Division. She actually had beaten down Ikkaku, Yumichika, Shisato and Renji on several different occasions. Kenpachi had actually suggested to Lelouch that he transfer Kukaku over to the 11th Division because her potential was being squandered in his division. However, Lelouch and Kukaku stuck firmly to their friendship. Kukaku also said she's rather serve under her friend than be the apple of the eye of a bunch of battle crazed nut jobs. "You're in the wrong division. Didn't you get the memo? We could come under attack any moment so we have to be at our patrol stations. And yet here you are wandering around with some random Soul Reaper. I must say, that's awfully suspicious."

"Perhaps she and the young man are looking for a place more private. Speaking of which, I don't believe I've seen your friend before Kukaku." Yumichika stated.

Kukaku cleared her throat. "Ah, yes this is…Koizumi…Nero." She said, creating an alias for Ichigo. "He's a new 9th seat in my division so I was giving him a tour of the Seireitei."

"In the middle of a potential invasion Kukaku, how dumb do you think we are?" Ikkaku asked.

Kukaku pulled out her pipe, gave it a smoke and then stuck it into her cleavage for safe keeping. "Well, so much for covert operations."

"Wait, that's it? We're just giving up like that?" Ichigo asked.

"They're elite soldiers Ichigo." Kukaku told him. "They're not just gonna let us walk by. Pick a target."

"Then I'll take the bald guy." Ichigo said getting out his sword. "You can have feather eyes."

"What did you just say about my head punk?" Ikkaku raged and attacked Ichigo without hesitation. Kukaku and Yumichika jumped to avoid getting caught in the battle.

Both nodded at each other and Shunpoed to a nearby location. "That boy is a Ryoka isn't he?" Yumichika asked.

"Nothing gets by you does it Yumi?" Kukaku asked calling Yumichika by a nickname she had been referring to him by for the last decade.

"Tell me Kukaku, for what reason would you work with a Ryoka?" Yumichika wanted to know.

"If you wanna know, you gotta beat me." Kukaku jabbed a thumb at herself.

"How predictable," Yumichika sighed. "It seems violence is always the answer to your problems." He drew out his sword. "Bloom, Fujikujaku." Yumichika's sword released itself halfway.

"Explode with intensity, Kyodai Bakudan!" (Giant Bomb) Kukakaku's sword seemed to morph onto her right hand. Her arm was coated in a beige metallic gauntlet with sharp fingers. There was a tube along the arm and a panel in the palm.

"Now that's certainly interesting." Yumichika stated.

"Ah yes, this would be the first time you've seen my Shikai isn't it? Well," Kukaku said and held up her arm, "why don't we kick things off with a bang?" The tube flashed as a bomb seemed to grow inside the panel on the palm of Kukaku's gauntlet. She chucked the bomb at Yumichika at the speeds reaching 141 kilometers per hour. The 5th seat just barely dodged the incoming projectile as it exploded behind him with such force that it made a cherry bomb look like someone had just popped a balloon.

Yumichika was surprised by the extent of the damage, but engaged Kukaku in battle nonetheless. He struck forward with his multitude of blades, but Kukaku dodged to the side and prepared another bomb. This one appeared to be a powder blue rather than the shiny black most generic bombs generally were.

"This outta hold ya." Kukaku said and thrust the bomb at Yumichika, hitting him right in the back. The bomb exploded into a burst of cold air, freezing nearly everything around it. Yumichika wasn't frozen solid, but the bomb had managed to turn his entire robe into a frozen jacket. "Hmm, the igloo jacket," Kukaku rubbed her chin. "Somehow I see that becoming quite the fashion statement."

Arm stiff as a board, Yumichika freed his sword arm from the icy prison around him. "Sorry, but I'm not too keen on innovative fashion." Yumichika said and smacked the pommel of his Zanpakuto against the ice around his solar plexus, shattering the ice suit. "I'd much rather prefer the warm, fuzzy sensation of a jacket made of snow leopard fur."

"Spare me your fashion fetishes." Kukaku said and charged another bomb. This one was a sickly, asparagus green. "Choke on this!" She chucked the bomb at Yumichika who dodged. The bomb exploded and seemed to eat away at the ground it came in contact with.

"Acid?" Yumichika said upon seeing the dissolving liquid. "How revolting."

The unsightly view distracted Yumichika momentarily as Kukaku came up from behind him. "Sokatsui!" Yumichika stupidly turned into the attack at the last second and got blasted in the face. He drew away from Kukaku. His face was bleeding in three different places.

"You fight dirty, Kukaku." Yumichika told her.

"What can I say? I'm a pragmatist at heart." Kukaku said with a huge grin. She prepped another generic black bomb and chucked it as hard as she could. Yumichika dodged out of the way, but the shockwaves from the explosion carried him a little farther than he wanted to and that led him to be decked right in the face by Kukaku's gauntlet.

"My face, my beautiful face." Yumichika crouched down on the ground and began groaning.

"Ah, quit your bellyaching." Kukaku said and planted a swift karate chop to the base of Yumichika's neck, knocking him out. Kukaku checked for Ichigo's reiatsu and noted that he and Ikkaku were still going at it. "Well as long as carrot top is still battling I might as well have a smoke." She said. She took out her pipe and lit it up, using Yumichika's fallen form as a cushion. She exhaled with a please "Ahhhhh."

Halfway across the Seireitei, Soifon, Orihime and Tatsuki were running as fast as their legs could carry them on the path that Lelouch had instructed. Soifon knew she could dash up to ten times faster than she was going. In fact if she wanted to she could already be at the Senzaikyu. However, she was much more concerned with the welfare of her students.

"Hey, sensei." Tatsuki said as she, Soifon and Orihime continued to run. "Where exactly is this Senzaikyu we're supposed to be running towards?"

Soifon pointed off in the distance to a tall white tower sticking up on the horizon. "That's it there." She stated.

"It's so far away." Orihime noted.

"Just how big is this place?" Tatsuki stated.

"Let me put it to you this way." Soifon stated. "You could fit three theme parks inside the Seireitei and there would still be enough room to add a big top circus and three school houses."

"Jeez, whose idea was it to make the place this huge? And why is everything built like a maze?" Tatsuki asked.

"You're asking the wrong person." Soifon stated. "The Seireitei was built over two thousand years ago. I haven't been around for even a fourth of that time." It was at that point that Soifon felt a tremor of spiritual power. Jeez, Kurosaki's gonna draw all the guards to him like that. She thought to herself. She looked behind her to see Tatsuki trailing behind her and Orihime taking up the rear guard. She looked forward only to feel a spiritual body closely approaching her group. At the speed everyone was going it would collide right with Orihime. Soifon jumped over Tatsuki's head, grabbed her student and dodged out of the way just as a sword was about to slash Orihime in half. The man holding it was Ikkanza Jirobo.

"Are you okay?" Soifon asked Orihime.

"I'm fine, thank you sensei."

"Hey! What's the big idea you dumb gorilla?" Tatsuki asked. "Too scared to attack us head on you big dope?"

"Arisawa, don't taunt him that's—"

"Oh, my you've got quite a mouth little girl." Jirobo stated. "Just for that, perhaps you should die first." Tatsuki prepared a defensive stance and Soifon prepared to leap into action to protect her student, but Jirobo stopped. "But first…perhaps I shall give you till the count of ten to regret your actions for running into me. It's the least I can do. One…"

Before he could take another count, Tatsuki leapt into action and belted a nasty right hook across the man's face. She knocked him off the walkway and into the streets below. She leapt off the balcony and prepared to plant both her feet into Jirobo's stomach. "Ryusei Teika!" (Meteor Drop) Tatsuki landed on Jirobo's stomach with fiery battle energy. Bile spewed from Jirobo's mouth. Tatsuki back flipped off the man's abdomen and onto the ground. She stood around for a moment and waited. "What? Is that it? Pathetic." Tatsuki turned her back. The moment she did though Jirobo took the opportunity to get up and attack her.

"Tatsuki-chan!" Orihime shouted.

Tatsuki however saw the overcast shadow and leapt to the side, dodging Jirobo's strike. Jirobo cut into the partition Soifon and Orihime were standing on, forcing the high school teacher to take her student and carry her to a safer location. Tatsuki leapt up and struck at Jirobo's back. "Kaso Kobushi!" Tatsuki punched Jirobo right in the center of his back and sent him headfirst into the pile of rubble he had just created. "Are you getting up or are you staying down?" Tatsuki asked. "I don't have all day to smack you around."

Jirobo, while still face down, used Shunpo to get behind Tatsuki and struck with his sword. Once again though, his large shadow gave Tatsuki the timing she needed to deftly dodge his attack. She leapt up and back flipped away while driving her foot into Jirobo's chin causing him to stagger backwards. "Little girl, you are quite skilled to move so quickly. To have been able to land blows upon me three separate times is truly no small feat. What is your name, little girl?"

"Quit calling me little, I'm fifteen you know and my name is Tatsuki, Arisawa Tatsuki." Tatsuki answered.

"All humans and Soul Reapers alike are little to me for as you can see I am a very big man. I am Ikkanzaka Jirobo, fourth seat of Squad 7" Jirobo chuckled. "But enough formalities; let us end this." Jirobo held up his Zanpakuto. "I will show you the power of my Zanpakuto. Now Flap Away, Tsunzakigarasu!" He pushed down on the blade and it split into countless amounts of floating scythe blades. "Frightened? You should be. My Zanpakuto has blades that moves so fast that they—"

"Kyoi Oba!" Tatsuki slammed her leg into Jirobo's side with such force that he went slamming into the wall where Soifon and Orihime were with a thud. The blades dropped harmlessly onto the ground. "What kind of moron goes and gives a long winded speech about his abilities in the middle of a fight? I don't know if you got the memo, but we're here on a rescue mission so you can save your pretty speeches for someone who gives a damn."

While Tatsuki raged, Jirobo began to get the feeling back in his limbs and got back up. His blades began to spin and Tatsuki realized her mistake in staying around them.

"Tatsuki-chan!" Orihime shouted. The many blades converged on Tatsuki, slicing into her body. Tatsuki dropped to her knees.

Jirobo laughed. "Bahaha! Foolish girl. You should've moved when you had the chance instead of preaching to your opponent why they shouldn't preach."

Soifon had a right mind to go in there and help Tatsuki, but she could feel Tatsuki's reiatsu and it wasn't waning. If anything, it was starting to grow.

"Shut up." Tatsuki told Jirobo. Bleeding profusely, Tatsuki stood up and spoke with tranquil calmness. "What is it with every opponent I go up against mocking my skill? You, the last two hollows I've faced, and even a couple of people in the women's junior martial arts tournament." Tatsuki's reiatsu continued to rise. "I'm not weak, and I'm not a pushover." Tatsuki extended her arm out and bent her fingers so that the tips touched the top of her palm. She sidled her thumb up against her index finger. A fiery aura began to form around Tatsuki. "You attacked Orihime and then you go and act like I'm just like every other opponent you bounce out of the way without a second thought. Sorry, but I'm not just going to lie down and die." Tatsuki formed a bubble of spirit energy around her, blowing her clothes in an upward draft. "As Ichigo might say," Tatsuki tightened her gaze, "here's my resolve." Tatsuki's reiatsu blasted outward and blasted away Jirobo's scythes she then rushed in towards the Kamaitachi and struck forward, punching him so hard in the gut that he went careening through two walls. Soifon was forced to relocate her and Orihime as they watched Tatsuki fight.

"What happened to Tatsuki-chan all of a sudden?" Orihime asked.

"Evolution through fear, that's what." Soifon stated.

"Fear? But Tatsuki never gets scared." Orihime stated.

"Oh she wasn't afraid for her life, but in her heart she was afraid of being a failure, both to live up to my expectations and to protect you. You mean a lot to her it seems." Soifon told the busty teenager. "So long as you are within Arisawa's sights she will always get back on her feet to fight."

Back on the site of battle Tatsuki swatted away one of Jirobo's incoming blades with the back of her gloved hand, using the fiery reiatsu imbued within it to melt the blade as it came sailing towards her.

"What the hell happened to you? You were not this strong a minute ago!" Jirobo asked.

"You're right." Tatsuki stated. "I wasn't. I suppose I should thank you for that."

"M-me?" Jirobo was both scared and confused. Tatsuki's power was overwhelming as she stood on higher ground with fire in her eyes and fiery spirit energy wreathed around her like an incorporeal cloak.

"Up until now the opponents I faced that tried to kill me were hollows. The last Soul Reaper I faced made his wound shallow enough on my abdomen that I would black out, but not so much that it would be serious on purpose I think. However, in all those fights I was fighting to protect someone, the girl that my sensei grabbed before you hurt her. This isn't about her anymore though. Sensei is protecting her. Sure, it might have started out that way, but about halfway through the battle you made this personal for me. You represent all the challenges I have to look forward to if I continue down this path. 'Evolution through fear', that is what sensei taught me. For the second time, that appears to be true. I wonder how it will look on your résumé that you made a Ryoka stronger."

"Grr! You impudent little brat!" Jirobo converged all of his blades on Tatsuki's location. The teen merely flared her reiatsu, creating a burst of flame and setting all of Jirobo's blades on fire, causing them to fall harmlessly around her in gooey piles of melting metal. Jirobo, panicking, sheathed his sword and pulled it out, releasing more blades.

Tatsuki drew her arm back. Her flaming spirit energy seemed to conduct itself like waves on the water. She snapped her arm forward with a wrist flick. "Netsu-ha." (Heat Wave) The burning waves of Tatsuki's spirit energy burned all of Jirobo's blades and the intensifying heat forced Jirobo to cover his eyes. When he could look again, Tatsuki was in the air, her form dead center in between him and the sun. Tatsuki's entire body seemed to cloak itself in flame. She twisted forward at blinding speeds towards Jirobo. "Kaen Ryu!" (Flame Dragon) Tatsuki tore straight into Jirobo. She set the man on fire as she slammed into him like a large fiery bullet. When Tatsuki lost her momentum she turned her body and prepared to deliver an uppercut with her entire fist covered in flame. "Rasen Furea!" (Spiral Flare) The angle at which Tatsuki struck sent Jirobo sailing over her head, but not even by more than a meter. Tatsuki tensed her body up, forming her arms over her chest in a cross formation and bending her knees. She prepared to let out all of her potential spirit energy at once and did so just as the center of Jirobo's body came in contact with her eyes. "Jigokuo Abare!" (Rampaging Inferno) Tatsuki enveloped her and Jirobo in a thick sphere of flames that were so hot that it would've been like embracing the sun itself. Jirobo was fried into a crispy piece of Soul Reaper Bacon. As he collapsed to the ground like an overcooked hamburger that had just been flipped Tatsuki through a punch down at her side creating a small spark of flame. "It's over." She said aloud.

Soifon and Orihime appeared at that location. "Wow, Tatsuki-chan that was so amazing! He was like Rawr! And you were like Sssss! And then he was all Eeeee! And you were all, Burn! Burn! Burn!"

While Orihime went out into her own little universe, Soifon stood in front of Tatsuki. "You can't feel those wounds can you?" she asked.

Tatsuki then noticed just how much she was bleeding. "Now that you mention it, it doesn't hurt as much as it should." Tatsuki flexed her hand seeing all the blood pouring out.

"Awakening to new powers and abilities increases your endurance. Your spirit energy numbs the pain and allows you to keep going through what should otherwise be fatal wounds. Your endurance will never be as high as an actual soul, but it'll keep you from immediately dying from slash wounds that should otherwise be fatal to normal humans. However, in the future, try not to even get into such a state." Soifon lectured.

Tatsuki simply smirked. "So that was a fourth seat was it?"

Soifon flicked her in the forehead, which hurt a lot more than it should have on a normal basis, but Soifon wanted to show the difference in their power. "Don't let it go to your head. You're still no match for a captain and some of the more experienced lieutenants could still rip you apart."

"Okay." Tatsuki rubbed her sore head. "I get it."

"Inoue." Soifon looked

"Astral Finish!" Orihime suddenly shouted. She then looked at Soifon. "I'm sorry, what sensei?" she asked.

"Use the Soten Kisshun on Arisawa. The fast you heal her, the faster we can get going." Soifon explained.

"Ah right." Orihime said.

"Let's relocate first." Tatsuki said. "No doubt more Soul Reapers will come to check on this after all the spirit energy I released."

"Hmmm, true." Soifon stated. "I'll carry you then and we'll go to a safe location." She put Tatsuki on her back. "Let's go." The trio headed off into the daylight to take a short break and then it was back to rescuing Rukia.

In his office Lelouch sat patiently, wondering and waiting for some form of report to come in and alert him to what was going on. Until Ichigo and the others actually did something noteworthy he wasn't going to act like he cared or that there was cause for alarm. The Head Captain would find it uncharacteristic of Lelouch if he suddenly became overwrought by a few Ryoka that were as easy to swat down as the 14th seat of the second division Omaeda Marechiyo who had a reputation for being the squad's punching bag.

Then, of course, a hell butterfly flew into Lelouch's office window. It was from Shisato. Apparently Madarame Ikkaku and Ayasegawa Yumichika had just been beaten by the Ryoka. Ayasegawa was still unconscious and therefore no information could be given on his attacker, but Ikkaku had told both her and her captain about Ichigo. Lelouch knew then that Yumichika's assailant would logically be Kukaku. He told Shisato that she should make use of that information to get her squad to stand down except for her, Kenpachi and Yachiru.

"The invaders were able to beat both a 3rd and 5th seat. Therefore logically only the 4th seat has a chance of beating the former's attacker and the captain and lieutenant a chance of beating either of them. Unless your squad mates are looking for a sound beating they should keep themselves back." Lelouch was saying all this on recording to a Hell Butterfly. "If you yourself manage to find Ichigo and Kukaku before your captain, engage them in a faux duel and then 'defect' to their side. Once your captain finds Ichigo, I don't care how strong he is, he is going to need help. Remember, we're talking about a man that defeated his predecessor, Bankai active, in a single strike. Good luck." Lelouch finished his recording and then opened the window to let the butterfly fly out and go to Shisato. Lelouch went back to the chess board to which he moved two pawns forward and removed a few white pawns from the board. Both kings were off the board, but their bases touched the edges. At the white king's end of the board was a lone black pawn, surrounded by the more potent pieces. Lelouch fumbled with the two white pawns he had removed in his hand. "It looks like things are starting to play out exactly how we want them Aizen, but in the end your plan will be what makes my plan successful." He picked up the black non-pawn pieces and surrounded the white king with them. "And soon it will be my checkmate." He picked up the black king and slammed it in front of the white king.

To be continued…

(A/N: Today's lesson is that Kukaku and Tatsuki both kick ass. Women in Bleach can actually fight well and win battles. Anyway I'm going to go get lunch, see you later).