A/N: IT'S THE LAST CHAPTER! I'm kind of relieved and sad at the same time. And I'm so, so sorry about the extremely late update. I had writer's block and a whole lot of extra homework due to science expo and crap. The sequel will be written once my muse returns.
Meanwhile, in the much less chaotic Living World…
Ichigo mentally vowed to slaughter Urahara once this was over. If Rukia didn't kill him first, that is. "Um, hey Rukia?"
"Yeah, what?" The tiny girl snapped, annoyed that she had been interrupted from the "Living World research" that she had been working on so diligently.
"Well… you know how your squad doesn't have a vice-captain anymore?" He should have known he was treading dangerous water. Kaien was a touchy subject for Rukia. So maybe he should have expected for a drawing pad to launch itself across the room and collide with his face- but he didn't. "OW! What was that for, midget?"
Rukia stood on the other end of the room, death glaring and brandishing her fist. "What about Kaien, Ichigo?"
"N-nothing! I was just asking if you knew," he stammered hastily as some kind of apology.
"You were asking if I knew that my squad has no vice-captain?"
"Yeah." Renji, you had better get here soon.
Back in the Soul Society, the Red Pineapple still couldn't figure out how they did it.
"So you're saying that my captain, my captain, agreed to let you promote Rukia when he has never agreed to do anything in his entire life? Without getting shredded in the process?"
"It was really Yoruichi who did most of the convincing. I'm still not quite sure how she did it. But yes, Captain Kuchiki agreed in the end. He's unconscious in my office right now," Ukitake explained, laughing uneasily. Renji's eyes bulged out of their sockets. "The Senkaimon is open. You know what to do?" the older man asked, temporarily snapping the redhead out of his shock.
"Yes, sir. Go to the world of the living, drag Rukia kicking and screaming out of Ichigo's house, and bring her back to the Thirteenth Squad barracks," Renji recited his orders.
"I suppose it would be useless for me to ask if you could do without the kicking and screaming part," Ukitake said, frowning slightly.
"Yep."
"Alright. You'll probably end up more heavily injured than Rukia, anyway. Try to get everyone back in one piece." Renji nodded and saluted to Ukitake before disappearing through the Senkaimon.
After a few minutes, Ichigo, who was being held in a headlock position, heard a familiar voice outside his bedroom. Thanks be to everything holy.
"ICHIGO! Are you going to open the window, or do I have to dress up like a cop again?"
"IT'S OPEN!" Ichigo yelled in return. The panes rattled against the walls as Renji slammed them wide open and beheld the other boy's situation.
"Do I even want to know?" Renji asked, one tattooed eyebrow raised. Ichigo shook his head emphatically. "All right, then. Come on Rukia, Berry Boy, it's time to leave." Ichigo looked so relieved to be saved that he didn't even respond to the nickname. Rukia wasn't such an easy case.
"So you think you can just walk in and tell me what to do and where to go? Is that it, Renji?"
"Don't force me to make it an order, Kuchiki," Renji said, deciding to mess with her a little bit before the official promotion. Rukia kicked him, hard.
"DON'T YOU DARE PULL RANK ON ME, ABARAI!"
"I'M SORRY! HAVE MERCY!"
"Hey, you two, can we PLEASE just leave now?" Ichigo asked, scowling ferociously. A few red faced apologies and grudging truces were made. It was for the best- Renji had been pushing the limit too far. At least he was still in one piece, although that was subject to change as soon as they made the trip back to Juusanbantai. The room was dark when Rukia opened the door. This wasn't what Ichigo or Renji had been expecting.
"Uh…"
"Ukitake…?"
"What's-"
"SURPRISE!" The lights came on. Rukia was so startled that she nearly fell down. The redhead boys jumped, then looked around the room in disbelief. The practical Thirteenth Division had been utterly transformed into a modern, Living World social club. Every person who had helped with Yoruichi's plan was there (well, Soifon and Kisuke had been there, but got caught up in another one of their "arguments" and were nowhere to be found.) Even Byakuya, who had finally woken up, was there, death glaring everyone who got within ten feet of him. In the middle of the table there was a massive cake reading: "Congratulations, Juusanbantai Fukutaicho!"
The only emotion that could be seen on Rukia's face was that of extreme confusion. "I'm sorry, what's going on…?" That was when Yoruichi decided to help her out.
"Well, I guess what we're saying is, in short, congratulations on your new promotion!" she said, grinning ear to ear. Byakuya's death glare intensified by several watts. When Rukia still looked confused, Ukitake stepped forward and handed her a wrapped package.
"Open it now, please."
"Uh… yes, sir." The paper was hurriedly ripped off the paper to reveal… "A vice captain's badge?" She looked up at him quizzically. He beamed back down at her.
"Congratulations, Kuchiki." Comprehension flickered across Rukia's face, and then she stared at Byakuya like he was some kind of monster from outer space.
"You can't be serious…"
Captain Kuchiki sighed resignedly. He might as well make it official. "I, Byakuya Kuchiki, as the head of the Kuchiki clan, hereby give you, Rukia Kuchiki, permission to assume the title of Thirteenth Division vice-captain. There, I said it." The death glaring resumed. The newly promoted Rukia only had a second to marvel at her brother's out of character behavior before she was yanked into the thick of the party. Byakuya watched from the sidelines, being his normal antisocial self, before Rukia and friends dragged him into some idiotic human game called "karaoke". Rukia seemed to enjoy the game quite a lot herself; she did several solos and duets with just about everybody before she turned on him. Resistance was futile and somehow he found himself singing, actually singing, a duet with his little sister. After much cheering, begging, pleading, and pestering, he also did a solo, and although he would never admit it to anyone, actually enjoyed himself a little bit.
He could see, though, that he wasn't the only one being forced. Yachiru had somehow gotten her entire "family" to sing songs with her. Momo could be seen pleading with Captain Hitsugaya after she finished her solo. Byakuya knew he would give in. If Toshiro had a weakness, it was her.
"Oh, come on, Shiro-chan! It's so much fun!"
"I said no! And stop calling me Shiro-chan!"
Sure enough, five minutes later, the white haired boy was up on the stage, wondering how he had gotten there. Kiyone had to leave when Ukitake stood up to sing, absolutely convinced that she could hear Kaien's voice singing with him. Meanwhile, Byakuya was choking down a piece of cake that Yachiru had shoved at him and was now watching him closely to make sure he ate it all. I hate sweets. But he still managed to stomach it.
All seemed to be well when an unbelievably loud alarm bell sounded throughout the division.
"ATTENTION, ATTENTION ALL SQUAD THIRTEEN MEMBERS! YOU ARE NEEDED IMMEDIATELY IN THE 76TH DISTRICT OF THE RUKONGAI TO FIGHT AN ARMY OF THIRTY MENOS GRANDE!"
Yoruichi chuckled. "Well, I guess our guest of honor is off now. Do we want to continue with the party, or-" Byakuya's face was priceless.
"There is NO WAY I'm letting-" he stopped talking, realizing that Yoruichi had started laughing hysterically.
"False alarm, Byaku-bo, false alarm. I just wanted to see that look on your face, and it was totally worth it. Not letting go so easily, are you?" She smirked.
"DEMON CAT! Why, you-" The guests spent the rest of the party watching a very amusing chase between the were-cat and a finally broken Byakuya.
All's well that ends well.
A/N: Yes, I know my conclusions are horrible, you don't have to tell me. They're my weak point when it comes to writing- my English teacher comments on it all the time. Anyway, yay for happy endings, right?
Yeah, the karaoke… I couldn't resist adding that in. ALL OF THE SOLOS AND DUETS MENTIONED IN THIS CHAPTER ARE REAL SONGS! The Bleach Beat Collection. I'm dead serious. Here are some of the songs if you want to look them up.
Byakuya solo: Yozora no Kawa
Byakuya/Rukia duet: Listen to One Story
Rukia solos: Kaze/ Ten no Hoshi/ Hibiku
Ichigo solos: My Blade, as My Pride/ SKY HIGH/ Tattoos on the Sky
Rukia/Orihime duet: Holy Fight
Orihime solo: La la la
Renji solo: Standing To Defend You
Ichigo/Rukia duet: Memories in the Rain
11th Division quartet: We
Yachiru solo: Funny Days
Kenpachi solo: Come to LIKE it. This FIGHT now.
Hinamori solo: Momoiro no Hana
Toshiro solo: This Light I See
Rangiku solo: Ranka~ RANKA
Ukitake solo: Kotonoba
Kaien solo: Nimorebi
Ukitake/Kaien duet: Fuu~ Inochi
There are also songs for some of the Espada and a few other characters.
Okay, one last time, I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed:
The Crazy Chick In Black, Sk8rnerdbleach, tlg, Insanity Lord, Renji9031, OkamiKunoichi21, Kaiser Washington, acer-sigma, Neverwinternightsgirl777, othchick11, Lord Slayer, phoenix-aerith, Illidan the Half Demon, darklover, Master Solo, scorpioneldar, and Bag o' Moon Frogs!!
I would especially like to thank all of you wonderful, awesome, amazing people who review every chapter! You have no idea how much I love you guys. Also, thank you in advance to the people who review this chapter!
Goodbye for now!