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Shinji glanced around feeling angsty. He wasn’t the only one, a glance around showed his fellow Captains reacting to the tension. It has been a week since Ichigo’s powers has been restored and all of them had been forbidden by the Captain-Commander from going to see her. It itched at him, being denied, of not going to explain his absence for the last two years, of having his little sister think he didn’t care when he was busy trying to fix her soul. Still, he was a Captain again, and that meant he couldn’t just storm off, his pack, his makeshift family’s wellbeing depended on his good standing. So, he shifted minutely, kept his jaw clenched and waited for the stupid clown to arrive with the reason for this meeting.
Finally, the doors opened, but the twelfths Captain was nowhere to be seen, instead a machine is pushed forward, a big sphere with more wires than Shinji can count at first glance. “Captain Kurotsuchi, report” The Captain-Commander rumpled. Peering from the back of the sphere the clown grinned proudly. Something that could be called premonition slivered down his spine, he knew, just knew what ever this thing was for, it was not good, not good at all. “It works Captain-Commander, the Space-Viewer is undetectable! And its locating system is top-notch! It works in all three worlds with 100% accuracy! Even through the most paranoid Kido barriers!” Alarm blared in his head, warning! Every instinct screamed; he could just imagine the damage such a machine could cause in the hands of the Central 46. Panicked he slowly glanced around to see the reactions, mollified that none of the Captains looked happy with this. Unohana finally spoke “Just what is the intention of this machine?” Shinji was glad he didn’t have to ask that; he wasn’t sure he would have sounded half as calm.
“This” the Captain-Commander gestured “Will be the future of Soul Society, with it all threats will be under watch and justice will be final, there will be no-one that can escape punishment.” Shinji broke out in a cold sweat, if this abomination works as stated, he and the Visored would have been dead, hunted down with no way to escape. He shifted restless, wondering why they were informed of such powerful weapon, it seems unlike the Central 46 to let anyone know, unless they were so sure of their success that it is now shown to illustrate how helpless they are in face of their might. That was not a comforting thought.
“Captain Kurotsuchi” The Captain-Commander began “Will now demonstrate.” Kurotsuchi nodded and began fiddling with dials on the side. “I have the best test subject! Someone who keeps breaking every sensor we have tried tagging them with in the past.” The Commander only nodded, seeming not caring who they tested but Shinji was suspicious, granted he was always suspicious, but this sounded like Ichigo or maybe Kisuke seeing as the clown talked about paranoid Kido. Regardless he might have to kill him after this, one was almost his little sister the other a good friend, who he owed his life.
Slowly the machine began glowing, projecting a scene in the air that seemed spherical and based on the reluctantly impressed noises it was from all angles and 3D. Shinji was too angry to be impressed, because in that clear image where even the dust on her sneakers could be seen, was Ichigo. “Kurotsuchi!” Shinji snarled and to his hidden glee the clown cowered back at his anger. And he was not the only one, Kuchiki had one hand on his sword even though the rest of him was still, around the room tension kept rising, one word from an explosion. “Enough!” The Commander barked, “This is a test to the machine’s efficiency! Captain Kurotsuchi, how long to be sure of its accuracy?” Kurotsuchi still cringing away from the room’s animosity, answered, “Till the light beeps Captain-Commander, anywhere between 15 to 45 minutes.” The Commander hummed, then with his Reiatsu rising heavily, commanded “Then we will watch!”
Shinji glared at the ground as the command settled on his shoulders. He will watch, and then he will kill the stupid clown and break the machine making sure it cannot be recreated. Looking up he saw Ichigo walking down the road, carrying what looks like a present? It was a big box with green wrapping and a red bow. By the furious glare on the redheads face it was not well received. Taking a moment Shinji looked at Ichigo. She looked good, looked healthy, less burdened and even angry she looked happier than the last time he had seen her. She had also grown up. She was taller, her limbs leaner and more muscled, her hair now hanging at her waist instead of at her shoulders. A tension he hadn’t been conscious off slid of his shoulder seeing her healthy and safe. She was an adult now and he had missed it, but before sorrow could take a hold too deep, confusion replaced it, seeing her head down familiar streets. Why would she be looking for Kisuke?
Not long after that realisation the redhead arrived and promptly kicked in the door. He wasn’t the only one who realised where she was, and with a shout of “Oi! Geta-boshi!” Everyone was aware, as there was only one person who Ichigo called that.
He spotted Kisuke in the corner, coming from the lab no doubt, and the quality of the image is remarkable for something so violating, because he caught the clenching of his hand around his fan, something he only caught from how well he knew him, but that threw him a bit. Why was Kisuke nervous? Nervous enough to have a tell, even if few knew what to look for. “Ah, Kurosaki-chan to what do I own the pleasure?” With the fan covering his face and the hat shadowing his eyes it was hard to see his expression, but there was something in his body language that screamed anxious to Shinji but that might just be because he knew him so well, Ichigo must sense something because she shifted, and her frown softened slightly.
“Can I come in?” She asked irritated, as if she hadn’t kicked in his door, but Kisuke must know what she meant because he didn’t comment on it, only gestured her into the living area. Shinji can’t help but be curious, he knew both of them and this is not normal behaviour.
Placing the box on the living room table she glared at him. “You left this on my doorstep.” Shinji felt his eyebrows rise, why would Kisuke be leaving Ichigo presents? And wrapped that obnoxious to boot? Kisuke was rarely that blatant, he was missing something. Glancing at the machine he frowned, as curious as he was, he respected Kisuke and Ichigo too much to peep on what was obviously a private matter, but the machine had yet to beep or light up or whatever thing it was supposed to do, so he looked back to see Kisuke throw up his ‘I am an idiot smile.’ “Did I?” He asked lightly, looking unconcerned. Ichigo just glared, looking unimpressed, but waited with patients she doesn’t naturally possess.
Shinji hoped that they could stall the conversation until the stupid machine beeps, but he can see Kisuke weakening. “I didn’t think you’ll be this upset” he finally mutters. Ichigo rolled her eyes “You left it on my doorstep” She glared at him, real anger in her eyes. Shinji can see something click for Kisuke, something in the phrasing finally making sense, even though Shinji was still very confused. “So, it’s not the present” he stated as if looking for a specific answer. “No, it’s not the present” Ichigo affirmed.
Shinji can see the gears in Kisuke’s head spinning, can almost see the moment he connected the statement to Ichigo’s anger and receive an answer he never even asked. But that was normal, as was the fact that Shinji was still very confused about the whole conversation. Softly he mentions “There’s a Kido on the box, only you can open it.” Shinji can see the moment the anger left Ichigo, her whole body relaxes, and he was surprised to note Kisuke relax as well, he hadn’t even noticed he was that tensed at all.
“I wouldn’t have let your sisters see it” Kisuke mutters, and Shinji kind of wants to know what’s in the box that had Ichigo kicking down Kisuke’s door if her sisters saw. “Sorry” Ichigo muttered but not really sounding sorry, not that anyone expects her to, her overprotective tendencies towards her sisters were legendary.
Walking around the table she reaches for Kisuke and then Shinji’s brain shuts down. Because on this damned piece of machinery his little sister had reached Kisuke and with a quite muttered of ‘thank you’ kissed him, and not a chaste kiss on the cheek either. Shinji wishes he didn’t have to see this, he could have lived in ignorance, He really wishes he could ignore how Kisuke doesn’t startle, how he doesn’t pull away or stutter or stop. How his hands are sure as they settle at her waist, how he confidently tugs her closer, how passionately and utterly possessive he kisses her back. He wishes he didn’t see his sister sink into the kiss, his stubborn, headstrong, and impossibly willful sister surrendering control to someone else, trusting him with herself.
And Shinji wishes the machine will burst into flames with his glare. As shocked as he is, as much as he wished for ignorance, this is private, this had nothing to do with them, and Kisuke will go on a rampage if he ever discovers this, never mind Ichigo.
“Why would I be upset at all?” Ichigo questions when they were seated on the sofa. Shinji tries to think what she could be referring to, but maybe his brain is still broken because he honestly couldn’t make sense of the question. Kisuke understands though, shifting slightly and tugging his hat down, but to his surprise, answers without deflecting. “You’re not as naturally ruthless as me.” Once again Shinji wishes that he had context to the conversation. “Kisuke, you gave me the gift-wrapped head of a man that tried to sexually assault me, why would I be upset with you?” Shinji was sure Kisuke had replied but he couldn’t hear it over the roaring of his inner Hollow, baying for blood. Sexual assault, someone had tried to sexually assault Ichigo, his baby sister, the youngest of his pack, his family, someone had dared. Shinji was from Rukongai, a soul eats soul world, he knew these things happened, but something inside him wanted retribution, wanted anyone involved crushed by his own two hands. Reigning in his Reiatsu, he tried to concentrate on the screen.
“What did you do to the others?” Ichigo asked, seeming unconcerned. When Kisuke opened his fan though instead of answering she frowned. “Kisuke” She warned, but he only hummed. Something seemed to occur to her though because she warned “I better not get one every day like the 31 days of Christmas Kisuke!” Kisuke lowered his fan slightly, looking somewhat put out, “But it’s a classic!” he whines. Shinji tries to cope with the fact that more than thirty people was involved. Ichigo groaned but didn’t bother to hide her fondness. “I thought there were forty of them though” she frowned, once again causing Shinji’s heart to suffer an attack. “Forty-five” Kisuke corrected, “but a few heads are missing a few jaws for saying inappropriate comments, so I didn’t include them in the present.” Ichigo seemed to soften, even her eyes always frowning relaxed and she softly cupped Kisuke’s face. “You ridiculous man” she muttered softly. You had to be blind, deaf, and dumb not to hear the fondness in it though, to not hear how much she loved him. “I will kill anyone that looks at you the way I look at you.” Kisuke vowed “Destroy anyone that tries to touch what is mine.” You had to be blind, deaf, and dumb not to hear the threat in his words, the warning to all that might have had ideas about Ichigo. But Shinji could hear the promise beneath it, promising to shield and protect and support. After all, Kisuke is from Rukongai as well, and guarding what is yours with your life and mostly by spilling blood is instinct, something you never outgrow.
Suddenly the machine beeped loudly and then, to the horror of Kurotsuchi, smoke started pouring out of the sphere. The images flickered wildly before disappearing, a loud crack sounded before parts of the machine fell off the suddenly shaking contraption, the smoke turned black and only a hastily cast Kido barrier shielded the Captains.
Shinji was vindictively amused, serves the clown right. That saved him the effort of breaking the machine himself, now he only had to deal with the clown. Maybe he could talk to Yoruichi, she would be interested in keeping the machine from being reinvented, and glancing at his fellow Captains, might not even have any opposition. Even Sui-Feng looked satisfied with the outcome, and she was always a sticker for the rules. The Captain-Commander looked furious; Shinji did not envy Kurotsuchi. As the meeting closes and they are dismissed, Shinji heads down to the fifth, his head full of plans.
First, he needs to find a way to get rid of any possible way for the machine to be recreated. Second, he needs to go talk to Ichigo, find out how she is doing in person, as well as apologise for his absence. After that, he needs to interrogate and threaten his friend, even if he doesn’t think he would hurt Ichigo, but well that was a brother’s job after all.