Ch 12: Face Off

Rukia and Ichigo slowly trudged along behind Renji headed for the one place neither of them wanted to go, the Kuchiki manor. As he walked, Ichigo weighed the options in his head. On the one hand, he could face a furious Byakuya. That would be a definite check in the "no" column. On the other hand, he could try to outrun Byakuya, which might be possible if he used his bankai hollow mode. The only issue was finding an open portal out of here. Rukia had mentioned the fan mob perhaps they would help for a small fee. So it was angry Byakuya or fawning fan mob. The mob was looking less and less scary with every step he took toward the noble estate.

Ichigo was still debating the relative merits of his options when the gates slammed behind him and he was looking up at the impressive edifice of the Kuchiki Manor. Flight was no longer an option. The trio silently filed up to the front door, which was promptly pulled open by an obsequious servant. They had been expecting them.

Stately stark halls ran in precise lines away from them in both directions. Renji had disappeared at some point leaving Rukia and Ichigo to follow the servant down the lonely corridor. Rukia's face had turned as unreadable as her imperious brothers as soon as they had entered the house. Her violet eyes stared impassively forward. Only a small crease along her brow indicated any consternation.

Finally, the servant stopped and gracefully opened a door to a small tatami mat lined waiting room. Rukia walked to a prepared cushion and sat with her knees folded politely beneath her. The servant bowed and silently slid the door closed leaving them alone in the room. Ichigo noticed another cushion placed almost as far away from Rukia's as possible in the small room. He sat down Indian style and studied the room, simple but obviously expensive. A small alcove in one corner held a vase of flowers, thankfully not cherry blossoms. Ichigo had received a whole new perspective on that particular flower after experiencing Byakuya's bankai. An experience he would rather not repeat.

Time ticked by and the two sat in stifling silence. "What kind of torture was this?" Ichigo wondered. He stole a glance at Rukia who still remained taciturn. A door opened with a soft hiss of sliding wood. Another servant bowed to the room.

"Miss Kuchiki, if you would please follow me." She moved aside as Rukia stood and moved gracefully forward. Maybe it was the effect of this formal house or the strain of the situation but Rukia seemed entirely changed, all silent formality and noble grace. It was beautiful but terrifying to see her so cold and distant. What power did Byakuya hold over her? Ichigo thought as she disappeared around the door and it clicked shut.

Without Rukia the oppressive solemnity of the room doubled. Ichigo could not sit still, he paced the mats. Occasionally pausing to listen for any sounds from the other side. The walls were only wood and paper but not even a muffled word permeated them. Time crawled by with increasing tension.

Ichigo was tempted to burst into the room and see what was happening. Was Rukia Ok? He doubted the situation could get any worse may as well satiate his curiosrity. He approached the door ready to yank it open when it slid open of its own accord. The door glided back and the servant was again bowing to the room.

"This way please, Mr. Kurosaki." She stepped aside as Ichigo hurried into the room. His eyes searched quickly for the small familiar form of Rukia but he saw only a solemn black robed figure at the opposite end of the large room. Sun light glinted off his noble kenseikan. Byakuya's pale face was unreadable but the menacing reiastsu was signal enough. Ichigo approached with caution. He tried to feel for Rukia's reiatsu but encountered only the crushing disdain of Byakuya.

"Sit" He said in a voice both cold and blazing with indignation. Ichigo was compelled to take a seat on a cushion placed in the center of the room. His legs folded neatly below him in a formal seiza. He noticed that a door behind where Byakuya was seated stood ajar. Perhaps Rukia has escaped alive. He felt a small sense of relief but it was short lived.

"It has come to my attention that you might have inappropriate designs on my sister." Byakuya accused his stern face unchanging. Ichigo looked at the wall behind Byakuya anything to avoid his biting grey stare.

"Inappropriate designs? Who did Byakuya think he was, Uryuu? He had never designed anything and certainly not for Rukia" Ichigo felt a bit puzzled but tried to match the impassive face Rukia did so well.

"Rukia is the daughter of a noble family and cannot be caught up in your unseemly habits and behaviors." Byakuya continued by way of explanation. He pulled out a paper from a large pile beside him. Ichigo could clearly see Rukia's head lolling in his arms. "Just what were you planning Mr. Kurosaki?" Byakuya's voice ran chill thought the air.

Ichigo felt cornered. The spirit pressure had grown steadily stronger and the weight of it pressed painfully on his shoulders and folded legs. His mind fumbled with Byakuya's archaic words "inappropriate designs, unseemly habits…" Ichigo was struck dumb. He stared at the picture of Rukia and her burgeoning chest, Byakuya's eyebrow twitched.

The silence stretched and Ichigo squirmed under Byakuya's stare. "Bya…I mean Kuchiki-taicho, I am not sure what you mean but…that article has it all wrong." He managed to respond. Byakuya watched him in icy silence, clearly unconvinced.

"It all started when Rukia needed her gigai repaired. There was a misunderstanding and the new gigai was made wrong and then there was a little incident at the restaurant that lead to that picture." Ichigo explained vaguely as he tried to side step any potential potholes that might incriminate him.

"You call this a little incident?" Byakuya demanded.

"Um,yes…sir?" Ichigo added still reeling under the furious reiatsu.

"What are your intentions towards Rukia?" He asked bluntly and Ichigo swore he saw faint cherry blossoms glitter just at the edge of his vision. He quivered at the thought of their razor sharp edges.

Intentions? He had never thought about his intentions towards Rukia. Sure she was an annoying midget who usually only brought him trouble but he was somewhat happy with a bit of trouble every now and then. Her ridiculous drawings and Chappy obsession were silly but he had to admit, at times, a bit cute. But somehow none of this seemed like anything Byakuya would want to hear. Byakuya's grey eyes narrowed in disapproval as if he was reading Ichigo's very thoughts.

"She is an excellent shinigami and a vigilant guard of Karakura town." Ichigo started. "I intend to help her protect it while she is in the real world." He explained in what he hoped was a neutral matter-of-fact voice. Best stick to business.

"Is that all?" Byakuya pressed. Ichigo nodded. "What will you do when she leaves her post in the real world?" He asked suspiciously. Ichigo felt his palms grow cold and sweaty. Was Rukia leaving? He had never thought about that possibility. He surreptitiously whipped his hands against his legs.

"When she leaves?" He repeated lamely.

"Yes. I am thinking the sooner the better." Byakuya said icily. Ichigo was at a loss for a few moments. What would life be like with out that annoying midget drawing silly pictures, harassing him in school, and backing him up while rounding up hollows? It was not something he liked to think about.

"I will continue to guard Karakura town until she returns." Ichigo decided. Rukia would only be angry if he followed her.

"And if she is never to return?" Byakuya proded.

"I will continue guarding Karakura town until I die too." Ichigo replied firmly. Byakuya seemed to approve of his answer. The reiatsu subsided a bit and Ichigo took a deep gulping breath. He might survive this yet.

The widening silence was broken by a firm knock. Without waiting for a reply, Ukitake strode in with his usual smile in place. "Good morning, Kuchiki-taicho" He said walking closer. "I did not think you would be home so late in the morning but here you are." He loosened his smile a bit and looked over at Ichigo as if just noticing him for the first time.

"Oh, Mr. Kurosaki! How fortunate." He beamed turning away from Byakuya. "Urahara has sent word that he needs you back in Karakura town." Ukitake wagged a finger good-naturedly at the surprised red head. "Can't be away from your post too long. In fact," He turned to Byakuya. "That is just why I am here. Rukia was called off to investigate a disturbance in the real world and wanted me to pass that on to you." Ukitake looked back and forth between the two silent men and then shrugged. "Well, I have passed that on and now I must be going. If you like Ichigo, I will set you up with a portal back to Karakura town. I will wait for you outside." Flashing another disarming smile Ukitake slipped out as abruptly as he had come.

Ichigo stood to leave but Byukuya as already up and beside him. The two men stood shoulder to shoulder facing opposite directions. Ichigo could almost feel Byakuya's cold stare. "Remember, Rukia is a shinigami, a noble, and my sister. You are a mere mortal boy standing in for a shinigami. Act accordingly or next time, I will not be as forgiving." Byakuya's voice was deadly quiet and as soon as he finished he flash stepped away allowing Ichigo no time to respond. The words were left to float ominously in the empty space. Ichigo shook himself to remove the spell and released a sigh of relief. Now it was time to get the hell out of this place. He could only hope Ukitake had the portal ready.

********Urahara Shouten*********

Rukia opened her eyes and sat up. The new gigai responded smoothly. She stretched out an arm and gently flexed her fingers. Everything seemed to function normally and the build was back to her normal slim boyish figure. She smiled.

"So you are satisfied with the gigai Ms. Kuchiki?" Urahara said more as a statement then a question.

"Yes, it will do but I expect a steep discount for the trouble you have put me though as a result of mistakes on the previous gigai." She said gruffly staring accusatorily into his shaded eyes.

Urahara raised his hands in mock surrender. "Of course, anything for an important customer like yourself." He bowed and Rukia turned on her heel and left.

As soon as the doors closed, Yoruichi appeared leaning lazily on the doorframe listening to Rukia's feet crunch across the shop's courtyard.

"You about done causing trouble for those two?" She drawled as Urahara sat down and pulled out a bottle of sake.

"Would you deprive me my chief form of entertainment?" He asked, as if genuinely hurt.

"I don't know if I would call that entertainment but I am tired of wasting my skills following those two like some sort of voyeuristic paparazzi." She said dropping a small camera on to the table in front of Urahara. She plopped down into a cushion and swiped the sake bottle. "Do your own dirty work from now on." She stated then threw back her head and took a long swig. Whipping her sleeve across her mouth she handed the bottle back.

Urahara smiled innocently but Yoruichi could see a devious sparkle in his shaded eyes. Some people never tired of playing games.

A/N: Finally Byakuya and Ichigo meet...and neither one dies. Sorry there was no epic battle, I am terrible at that sort of thing. This is pretty much the end but I am working on an "omake" chapter to finish it all up. I must say 12 chapters is a new record for me. I feel 13 will end it on a nice unlucky number. So stay tuned and thanks for reading.

A Note on a Japanese Words:

seiza - formal sitting posture where knees are folded under and the person sits back on their heels. Often used in tea ceremony etc.

I think that was all this chapter. ^_^