{ SHURU'S POV}
In the 5th divisional office, Shuru was walking almost in full circle, as if he was possessed and had grown mad. Akamaru, who couldn't stand seeing her husband stressing over something, finally stopped him and asked:
" Sugar plum, what are you doing circling around like a madman?"
" Huh?", He asked, dumbfoundedly. When he stopped and saw his wife standing at the opposite of him, he replied, " Oh, sorry. It's just so frustrating and flustered about that kid. I mean when I was at the Desert of death, I thought there was some dying unicorn. As I got closer, that's when I saw him. He must've been unconscious due to the heatwave of this place, but I don't know how he got here."
" And you placed him into our house and the rest is history on how he ended up here, isn't it?" Akamaru asked and Shuru nodded. She took a deep breath and sighed before giving him an advice.
" Look, Sugar plum. As long as he's still here, we'll keep this secret to ourselves. Celestia knows what will happen if it spreads to the Old Captain." She stated, giving Shuru a shiver down on his spine.
" Don't get me started, especially when he's spirit energy almost crushed me a couple of days ago." Shuru gulped. By then, Akamaru got an idea.
" Say, why don't you send the boys back home, while I'll continue the investigation?" She inquired.
" Are you sure you'll take care of this? After everything that's happening to you and that whole being kidnapped by your former_____?"
" Don't be silly. I was tough then, and I'm still here in one piece. You don't have to worry about anything." She responded, not knowing it was Starrk and Yumikō who saved her.
After thinking for about a minute or so, Shuru finally approved Akamaru's request, not knowing the danger's lurking behind shadows.
~~~~~~~~
MEANWHILE....
Echoing sounds of coyotes and wolves disturbed the snowy night. Icy breeze blew twigs and `ghostly` winter leaves from the tree as tension rises. The triplets were surrounded by guards as they drew their weapons to them with no way out, despite they all wore different hanfus and carrying spears, arrows and even swords made of polished and sharpened sacred iron not from the Soul society. That's because they're Ramune's guards.
" Oh great, how can we surpass these guys on our own?" Yoshimura asked.
" It's not the same as beating the others. Now what?" Rangiku trembled, yet Ichitarō couldn't answer them.
In addition, Captain Ukitake held Tobimaru's small hand and a little boy looked at his confused father.
" Ā-pah? Will Gōngzhu's men going to hurt them? I'm scared." He asked, in which began to ease.
Captain Ukitake looked at his son, his only future, in a sympathetic and distressful tone. He doesn't tolerate violence with his son's presence, otherwise it might encourage him or worse. He turned and demanded one of the guards :
" You can send them back."
The first guard immediately turned his head and spotted the Captain and his son. He placed his spear on the wooden floor and kneel down before them.
" B-b-but, Fanzhen*. These kids must be punish for disobedience.", The first guard protested with his face down., " We only take orders by our Gōngzhu and her husband, otherwise she'll cut off our head and use our bodies as dragon food for winter."
" Hey, it's not our fault we got out!" Yoshimura shouted and both Ichitarō and Rangiku tried to shut her up.
Without hesitation, Captain Ukitake finally spoke as the icy wind twirling his white hair:
" It's alright. I'll talk to them. Stand up and send them back."
When the first guard slowly lifted his head and observed Captain Ukitake, he was frozen by terror with the look on his eyes. Most of the guards tilted their heads to one side, in order to hear the first guard's response. By then, it didn't take long for him to agree Captain Ukitake's decision.
" Very well." He sighed, then stood up and turned to his troops. He gave them a single nod, making them perplexed.
" What are you saying, Chan Huanguan*? You're going to take orders from him, now?" The second guard asked and all of them agreed. Whilst both Rangiku and Ichitarō were distressed, Yoshimura, on the other hand, have had enough as she rolled her eyes and stopped their conversations.
" Fine, we'll go by ourselves! Just don't argue like some stupid 5 year olds!", She shouted with frustration, walking away from them, along with her siblings. She halted for a second next to Ukitake as she spoke:
" Thanks for saving our butts, sir. We'll one day repay your debt."
" No, don't thank me. I'm just a father whose protecting his own flesh and blood." He coldly responded, before picking up Tobimaru and walked away.
The triplets watched his departure, when Tobimaru curiously looked at them. He even waved at them like any innocent child would. It took Yoshimura a while before realising what Ukitake meant, thus reminded her of their father's neverending search for his own children.
Yet, the guards didn't waste their time when they pushed the triplets forward to the cottage.
~~~~~~~~~~
{ JUPITER'S POV }
Hovering above the sky and over the Seireitei, was Jupiter riding a demonic manticore. It growled the moment it saw Soul reapers down below and flapped its bat like wings, while Jupiter began stroking its thick, crimson blood coloured mane.
" I know, Lord Bezel's pet. I despise their civilization and how quickly they've grown for over decades. Now their time will end and it's our Queen's turn." Jupiter smirked, grabbing a small black pouch from his pocket. He looked at it with a sense of pride and continued; " This is for you, Lord Aizan. They will surely regret ever attacking us again. I will avenge your death by destroying every single clan and wipe their existence from this forsaken place, called the Soul society. Especially that ungrateful, petty dragon name Phantom."
With a prideful smile appeared across his face from ear to ear, he dropped it in midair, creating a massive explosion that everyone could hear.
*BANG!*
" Wait, what was that? What is going on?!" One of the Soul reapers asked and just as they could figure it out, a turquoise smog appeared and panic resurfaced once again since the last attack.
Meanwhile in the outskirts of the Rukongai, Kazumi observed the beauty of destruction that Jupiter orchestrated in addition to her devious chuffed.
" It appears Jupiter had done his part. What now, my queen?" Bezel rejoiced. Hearing Jupiter's ambushing the soul reapers beamed her desire. She looked at Bezel and simply answered:
" Attack."
Bezel turned to Katsuya and his armies of sinners and the remaining fallen angels as he fastened his tie. He gave him a simple nod, whilst Katsuya gave a battle cry.
" FOR LORD AIZAN!! LONG LIVE THE QUEEN!!!" Katsuya screamed on top of his lungs before they all spread their wings and flew to the Soul society for another lethal attack.
~~~~~~~~~
The triplets marched back to the cottage, when they heard an altercation over their disappearance. Ichitarō immediately recognised one of them with their distressful voices.
" MISSING? WHAT DO YOU MEAN THEY'RE MISSING?!" One voice shouted.
" I-I DON'T KNOW, LIEUTENANT KUCHIKI! ONE MOMENT I WENT TO CHECK ON THEM, THE NEXT THEY WERE GONE! IT'S LIKE THEY'RE KIDNAPPED OR SOMETHING!" another voice trembled, in which she sighed.
" Very well, I should report this to Captain Kyōraku as soon as possible."
By the time the guards headed towards the cottage, the sliding door was pushed opened and the triplets were surprised that Rukia was there to check. As if her heart stopped beating, she wasn't unhappy on how they vanished like that.
" You should consider yourselves lucky. Otherwise, we'll paint your skins red!" Ranted the guard before leaving them, but the triplets ignored him amid they were reminded.
Rukia seemed worried, but glad they're okay. As soon as Ichitarō walked away from her without a possible explanation, apart from finding an arctic blue cat on Yoshimura's shoulder and learnt they'll never return home, unless Ichitarō could answer them, Rukia stopped him.
Immediately, Rukia asked him:
" Where the hell have you been this whole time? You're leaving me and everyone else without saying goodbye?"
" It's not what you think. We've been chasing that weird cat and Yoshimura is now holding it. It wasn't my intention to leave yet." Ichitarō answered.
She was upset at first. However, she discovered Ichitarō was telling the truth as she saw it with Yoshimura. Instead of shouting him or hitting him, like she did to Ichigo during her time at the world of the living whether he's sarcastic or felt hopeless, Rukia instantly hugged Ichitarō.
Ichitarō felt a warm, gentle hug from her with a sudden tears from her eyes closed through his kosode. To him, it almost felt like his mother was here.
" That's because you're taking care of yourself, doesn't mean you're alone. Don't you ever leave me again, do you hear me?" Rukia begged and surprisingly, Ichitarō answered :
" Hey, it's okay. I'm not leaving you, Mom."
Rangiku and Yoshimura were shocked when they heard what their own brother had said to Rukia, dropping their jaws open.
" What?" Rukia asked, opening her eyes. Eventually, Ichitarō pushed her away, realising it wasn't his mother. Ichitarō couldn't show off his emotions, but his face turned salmon red with embarrassment.
" S- sorry, Lieutenant Rukia.... I mean Kuchiki.... I... Uhh...Nevermind." He stuttered in frustration. As this was the first time he ever felt this way, he briskly went back to the cottage just to avoid any further complications. His sisters followed him and Rukia turned to them and asked :
" Ichitarō, are you alright?"
Ichitarō stopped at his own track and without turning his entire body. He remained silent at first. But then, he answered her, knowing he was lying about his true emotions:
" I'm perfectly fine. Don't need to work up like that."
Just as Ichitarō went inside, a powerful bang was audible along with a weird smog emitted from the sky, covering the surface of the Soul society and the black starry moonlight. When Rukia heard a terrorising scream, she and the triplets went to examine, as they suddenly saw the shock of their own life of soul reapers running in panic and struggling to breathe.
' Where is this smog coming from?' Rukia wondered, before the guards arrived and this time, they used a special cloth to cover their mouths and nose.
" Tù Nian* of the 13 division, there's a weird smog covering the entire area. We must evacuate immediately!" Huanguan requested, which bothered Rukia.
" What about the triplets? I can't leave them defenceless!" Rukia remarked. Huanguan agreed and gave Rukia the same pieces of special cloths to cover her mouth and nose.
" You must go to the 8th division and report this to Gōngzhu as soon as possible. We'll explain this to Zhângwò*. And Tù Nian, you can take the kids and guard them with your life. Now, go!" He requested and Rukia nodded before taking the triplets and left.