The Long Way Home

Part Seven

Ichigo had expected Kenpachi to ease up on him a little once they had left squad 13's barracks, but he was finding that this was not the case.

"What the hell are you doing, Zuraki?" he said through gritted teeth. "Let go already!"

Kenpachi stopped and without letting go of the grip he had on his shoulder, he turned and leaned down and was almost nose to nose with him as he spoke quietly. "You always were crap when it came to sensing spiritual pressure! We are being followed, you idiot. We need to leave and go to the brothel in the Rukon district."

He turned and using his grip on Ichigo pushed him a little, letting go of him so he could walk in front.

A brothel! What the hell was going on!

Something happened back there that you didn't notice, idiot.

Ichigo frowned but kept walking now, happy to fall in to the roll of the intimidated Ruko so he could try and think for a moment. What had he missed? Whatever it was, Zurachi had seen it.

Byakuya had looked so angry though, thought Ichigo. He had probably realised for himself that maybe this wasn't all about getting rid of Ichigo. There was more going on than anyone realised.

Ichigo himself was fed up with all this too. It was so much easier to wield Zangetsu, to know what was in front of him and to put it all in to winning.

He followed Kenpachi in silence until they reached the stables. Told to wait were he was or risk having his head sliced off, Ichigo started kicking and swinging his foot in the dust on the ground. He wanted to break Byakuya out; fight someone. Instead he had to go with Kenpachi to do God knows what.

Eventually Kenpachi came out leading a horse.
"Hey, where's my horse?"

"Whores don't get their own horse when their being escorted off the premises." Kenpachi started laughing again. "You can sit up front of me. I'm paying you for some fun tonight, how I handle you in front of me can be your payment for a lift home."

Ichigo felt the rage building up inside him at Kenpachi's words, overheard by the stable hand who laughed.

Never had he wanted to kill Kenpachi more than right now, but he regretfully sucked it all up. As he awkwardly climbed up in front of the squad captain, he at least knew that somewhere ahead of him there was a conclusion to this madness.

Once Kenpachi had laughed himself out they rode in silence; through the Seireitei and out the east spirit gate. Ichigo watched as people who saw them moved out of their way as they passed through the more populated areas and then to the outskirts. He saw children running barefoot in the dirt and thought of Rukia and Renji growing up with no one to watch over them. He thought of Karin and Yuzu trying to survive this place and shuddered.

They turned down a side street and Ichigo saw a house that looked a lot better than every other house around it.

Kenpachi gracefully got off the horse.

"Home sweet home, Ruko." Ichigo tried to copy exactly how he done it but landed heavily on his feet.

Kenpachi then put his hand on the back of Ichigo's neck and pushed him a little, keeping his hand there as they stopped at the door. Kenpachi rang the bell.

A few moments later and the door opened to an elderly woman. It took her only a second to recognise who was standing in her doorway.

"Captain! It's...It's an honour to have you come to our establishment. Come in, come in."

Ichigo was pushed in through the doorway, stumbling to a halt. He turned and glared at Kenpachi and took an immediate dislike to the woman who seemed to look through him and had judged him already as no one of any importance. The door shut behind them and Ichigo felt a heavy arm placed around his shoulder.