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A Beneficial Arrangement	By : vbruce Category: Bleach > General Views: 3827 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. That honor goes to it's original author and creator. Making no money from writing this.

Chapter List
- 5
- 6
- 7
The clash of so much spirit energy in a contained space soon brought an audience. It seemed like the Pack in its entirety had managed to squeeze into the observation areas around the smaller training grounds.
Those watching eventually included Ichigo and Rukia. As a current and soon to be member of the Royal house they were allowed on the grounds without challenge. Rukia had stared in mild shock when she realized who the opponents were. Byakuya had shed his Captain’s haori along with the hair accoutrements and scarf somewhere along the way and was bleeding a little from a myriad of small cuts. He was also smiling slightly as he pushed a small advantage only to be countered by the person he was sparring with. Inari was only slightly better with a few less injuries. Her hair had come unraveled from the braid she kept it in while training and was flying around just as much as Byakuya’s was as she moved.
“What brought this on?” Rukia asked, looking worried. It didn’t seem as though either of them were pulling any blows and though she fully trusted Byakuya’s abilities against Hollows or anyone else, Inari was a different subject.
“He wanted to ask questions,” Kali said. “You know how it works.”
Rukia nodded. “How long have they been at it?”
“Six hours, forty seven minutes, twenty one seconds so far,” Kali answered.
“And they’ve only been using the swords?”
“That and a good bit of close combat moves. I think if either of them used Kido or Bankai they’d probably kill each other,” the girl said with a shrug.
“True enough.”
“Y’know he might be worthy,” Kali said, watching as the blades locked up and Byakuya didn’t hesitate to put his elbow into Inari’s chest to unlock them. This was just before Inari tilted sideways slightly and kicked him hard in the solar plexus sending him flying backward. He rolled and was on his feet again in an instant but was down long enough for her to gain the advantage.
Ichigo put a hand on top of Kali’s head, rubbing her hair. “Yeah, he is, Kali. Don’t worry. He’s a pain in the ass and wound way too tight but he’s a good guy. I think they’d be good together.”
A loud voice suddenly rang out over the din of the gathered crowd. “All right, kids. Enough is enough. You can beat the crap out of each other later,” Isshin said.
Byakuya and Inari stopped immediately. Byakuya bowing to the sovereign of Soul Society while Inari put one hand on her hip and glared up at her brother.
“Isshin, you are the most annoying creature ever,” she called to him.
“Yeah, I know. You love me anyway though. Go get cleaned up then come to the dining hall. You too, Byakuya. We have guest rooms and clothing, you know. Follow Ichigo. Inari, with me.”
Her eyebrows went up slightly. It was unusual that Isshin made anything an order and that had obviously been one. She turned and bowed to Byakuya in proper form. “You are an excellent swordsman, Kuchiki-dono.”
Byakuya returned the bow. “The rumors of your skills do not do you justice, Denka,” he said. “It was an honor to spar with you.”
She chuckled. “An honor for me as well. Let’s see what Isshin wants and we’ll begin answering your questions. I believe there are . . .” she counted the visible cuts on her body. “Twelve you can ask of me.”
Byakuya nodded and watched as Ichigo and Isshin both came from the observation decks onto the training field. Ichigo collected Byakuya, steering him the opposite direction of where Isshin was walking with Inari.
Inari turned to look at her brother questioningly.
“When we’re somewhere we can talk,” Isshin said. Obviously this was a private conversation and Isshin wasn’t inclined to have it in the Wolf Pack’s territory. Too many things could be overheard and misjudged even though the Pack members would keep silent concerning anything seen or heard from the Royal family.
They took one of the tunnels that ran under Soul Society. But unlike the ones Ichigo had used to hide in while trying to rescue Rukia, these were specifically built so Pack members could get to and from the palace quickly without being seen. It was also a good way to get members of the Royal family to safety if it were ever to be necessary. Few places in the Universe were as secure as the Pack grounds. They were met by various guards and challenged to passwords only the family or Pack members would know, even though the guards knew them on sight. The tunnel finally opened up into a small room just off the wine cellar and they made their way to the above ground floor of the palace.
They continued on to Isshin’s private office, where he closed the door behind them and sealed the room with a wave of his hand. “Too much information has gotten leaked about this,” he said by way of explanation.
Inari’s eyebrows went up and she flopped down into the overstuffed chair on the other side of Isshin’s desk, which was scattered with stacks of paperwork at the moment.
“What’s this really all about, Isshin?” she asked.
“As long as you don’t break my nose again, I’ll tell you. Explaining to Unohana how it got broken twice within 48 hours is something I’d rather skip,” he said, sitting down in his chair.
“Again, what’s this about?”
Isshin sighed. “I know you don’t want to be married again . . .” Isshin began.
“It isn’t a matter of not wanting to marry again, Isshin. It’s not having any choice in the matter that got your nose broken.”
Isshin sighed again. “I’ve gotten thirty nine letters just in the morning mail today. All from various members of the Kuchiki family. Evidently, they want this to go forward badly.”
“I’d gathered that. Since when do you bow to the pressure of the nobles though?” she asked, looking at him very seriously over the tops of her glasses.
“Gods, don’t do that, you remind me of Ryuuken,” Isshin grumbled.
“Ichigo claimed it reminded him of Uryuu.”
Isshin shrugged. “Same family. Ryuuken’s just more vicious than Uryuu.”
“He has had more time to work at it, you know. What’s really going on with this, Isshin? It’s odd for a family to push so hard on a contracted marriage. Even with the nobility.”
“I’m not sure and it bugs the hell out of me,” Isshin said, running his hands through his hair. “Usually, it would have been at least fourteen days before anyone inquired about it from the family. This is really strange though.”
“Definitely something to ponder,” Inari said.
“So, what do you think of Byakuya?” Isshin asked, leaning back in his chair. “I’m a little surprised that he showed up at the Pack’s den.”
“Nothing like meeting a predator head on,” Inari said. “Truthfully, he most likely showed up because I was being sneaky. Or trying to be anyway. I took him an invitation to tea dressed in Maki’s clothes at his work so I could get a read on him without any undue interference.”
“But he figured out who you were anyway,” Isshin pointed out.
“I think that was due to the other part of trying to be sneaky.”
“Oh?”
“Didn’t get a very good read on him initially. He’s rather chilly as I’m sure you know.”
“I know. So, you tried to get a sleeping read on him? That took some stones, even for you. The Kuchiki grounds aren’t easy to get into or out of,” Isshin said.
She waved the notion away. “Child’s play. But the upshot of it was he got additional energy signature information, I’m sure. Even with Maki locking me down, enough gets out for a comparison. Since I sealed the invitation to tea with my ring I’m sure he made that connection and showed up today to see who I might actually be.”
“Not your best work, sis,” Isshin said with a grin.
“No. But I wasn’t actually working terribly hard at it. Just being nosey more than anything else. Though this whole marriage debacle brings up some questions in my head.”
“Like what?”
“Like Masaki and Rin’s deaths. Seriously, what are the odds of both our spouses being killed in hollow attacks within a year of one another?”
“If they’d been in the field as shinigami, I’d say the odds would be high. Considering neither of them were though,” Isshin said thoughtfully. “Masaki was in the real world and alive. Rin was a scholar and musician, he almost never left the library or the music rooms. Neither of them should have been in the path of a hollow in any way, shape or form.” He frowned heavily. “You think there might be something more to it.”
“I do actually. I didn’t think about it at the time because I was hurting too much to consider it. But you have to admit, it’s really strange. Now that I think about it, it seems like some kind of a set up, Isshin,” she said.
“I think you might be right. The question is why.”
“That is definitely the question. But as far as I know, no one would have the ability to set something like that up. Not without a lot of time, manpower and silencing anyone involved.”
“You think it was one of the nobles?” Isshin questioned.
“I don’t know. The ability would certainly be there. Add to the fact I don’t think any of them were happy that not only one but both members of the immediate Royal family of our generation married people thoroughly unsuitable as far as they were concerned. To them it would be weakening their ties to the Royal house. At least those in direct line to the throne,” Inari said.
Isshin nodded. “The fact that Rin was killed before you had children makes it even more suspicious. As any children you had would be secondary only to mine to ascend. If we’re functioning on that theory, I wonder why Masaki wasn’t killed sooner.”
“Maybe because they couldn’t get to her as quickly in the real world,” Inari suggested.
“Maybe. I don’t like this at all. I wonder if I should worry about the kids.”
“If we’re going on that theory, I’d say no,” Inari said. “Ichigo is technically marrying a member of the nobility. Even though Rukia was adopted, she’s still claimed by the Kuchiki clan. Not to mention, I’d like to see them try prying Karin away from Hitsugaya without one or both of them slaughtering the entire lot. Plus, removing people untrained in the combat of hollows would be ridiculously simple compared to trying to take out a Captain of one of the squads.”
“True enough. Have the Pack start looking into it. Since the nobles have no authority over them it makes things easier.”
“Happily.”
- 5
- 6
- 7
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A Beneficial Arrangement