Bleach: Derailed

[] Visit Kukaku and see what's up

Kukaku's house is... different when you approach it this time. It's a mile further down the road, and the arms making the great arching entrance gate are instead spread wide, as if waving. The gap between them is bridged by a long, thin pole that a banner hangs from, reading "Shiba Clan".

It still hits you like the first time when you get a look at it, how it looks like something your dad would do.

"Hey Kukaku? I had some free time, so I stopped by like you..." You step into the main room of the manor and stop. A boar as tall at the shoulder as you are lays draped across the low central table, on its back. All four of its trotters wave weakly in the air. Sitting across from it, and splayed back to half lie on the floor, is a man wearing baggy clothes that looks enough like your father that at first you think it really is him, just without the beard and with a broader nose. Both the boar and the man are obviously drunk out of their concious minds, given the bottles and saucers littering the table around them.

You step back through the door, and let the curtain fall closed behind you. Kukaku has to be around here somewhere. That table was set for more than one. Two. Does the boar even get a place, you wonder?

"Hello? Is there anyone here?" You call, louder this time, as you walk through the various smaller rooms. When you get back to the front of the house you see your cousin's two servants hauling the unknown relative and (presumably) his boar out the front door.

"Miss Shiba has just arrived, with a guest." One of them informs you. You thank him and then go back into the main room.

She's there alright, and so is someone vaguely familiar. She's a skinny girl maybe a few years older than you, wearing a soul reaper's customary black clothes. Her hair is also a dull black, and it has a somewhat disheveled look despite the obvious styling put into it.

You've met her before, but exactly where slips your mind. It was at a meal, you think. She looks at you like she does remember you, as you sit down opposite her and beside the older Shiba.

"Rukia Kuchiki, this is my cousin. Ichigo, this is Rukia Kuchiki." Kukaku says while lighting a hookah with a spark from her fingertip. She takes a long drag on the stem and relaxes back into her seat. "You've already met."

It clicks. "You're the girl who said I was puffing up my sword!" You accuse.

"And you're the drunk." She says in return, which hurts.

You wince, but keep going. "Still think I was lying about having shikai?"

Rukia takes a breath, but instead of returning fire she exhales low and slowly, and then she stands and takes a shallow bow. "No. That is actually why I am here. I want to apologize, formally, for my behavior that night."

Kukaku slaps your thigh after a second, and you stand to copy Rukia. "I uh, am also sorry about that. I should have kept better track of where Zangetsu was."

"So now that you're both squared with each other, I have a great idea." Kukaku says as a downright evil grin spreads across her face. "As the head of the Shiba clan, I've been in a few talks with the head of the Kuchiki, your brother, Rukia. We've both agreed that you two meeting like that is a good opportunity to bring our clans a little closer together."

Rukia's face pales, her already wan complexion turning corpse-white. Her purple eyes flick to you. She's fairly pretty, in a scraggly kind of way. It's nice. What isn't nice is the way she narrows her eyes at your cousin in the beginnings of anger. "Shiba, I do not believe that-"

"So from now on you two are going to meet at my house every so often and get to know each other."

Wait.

Wait.

It's your turn to look at Rukia with an expression of slowly dawning horror. She can't mean- you're only fourteen! But wasn't that old enough in feudal Japan? Just how backwards is Soul Society?

"No way." You say bluntly, arms raised in a big X. "No. Not happening."

"This is completely out of the question." Rukia agrees, nodding. "I should talk to my brother. There must be a misunderstanding."

Kukaku blinks. "You mean you don't want to train together?"

"You want me to train with him/her!" You both shout at the same time, slapping the table simultaneously.

"No way!" You continue. Then, realizing that maybe violently protesting training might not be a good idea, you continue, "I'm busy enough already. Zangetsu's got me working on a challenge before he'll let me use the full power of his shikai. I need to go on a hollow cleansing expedition to the living world this week. I'm not doing that great in my kido classes. I even need to rework my zanjutsu style."

You risk a glance at Rukia, who... doesn't look offended. "So I'm sorry, but I can't spare more time to train with Rukia, Kukaku."

Your cousin gives you a look best described as unimpressed.

You glare back.

Rukia excuses herself. "This seems to be a family matter. I wiiill... wait outside."

Five minutes later you limp out of the main room with one eye swollen shut. "So uh. I guess we're training partners. You can come back in now." You say.

The small girl tries not to laugh. She fails. You narrow your eyes, and she smirks.

"Great! Now as to why you actually came here... Sorry cousin, but I don't have that thing you asked for ready. I thought a friend would stop by that could arrange things, but apparently it's too hot to move right now."

"Okay." You say, but it's not okay. That's bad news, but... it could have been worse. For every two steps forward you take, you get pushed back one, but you're still moving forward to your goal, and that's the important thing.

Rukia frowns. "Are you discussing smuggling in front of a soul reaper?" She asks, baffled.

"Nope. This is a perfectly legal favor I'm doing for my cousin, and not smuggling at all." Kukaku says. You keep your mouth shut. Bluffing isn't your strong point.

"It sounds like you're discussing smuggling."

"I run a perfectly legitimate business."

"You live on the outskirts and your brother is-" Rukia falters, her accusation trailing off in the same way that all expression slides off her face. It's almost unnatural. You recognize it, though, and the last of your leftover irritation from that night vanishes.

The conversation sort of dies after that, because you can tell what survivor's guilt is from a mile away.

This week you're rising to meet Komamura's challenge. You could invite another academy student or unseated soul reaper along with you, if you want to, but you don't know many people.
[] Rukia Kuchiki
[] Takako Omaeda
[] Jirobo Ikkanzaka