Background

[skycrane]

Shiba Kukakuu, Head of the disgraced Shiba Clan, Kidou Master in exile, Fireworks Master, shameless exebitionist, enthusiastic drinker, lover of strange architecture, purveyor of over-sized and highly illegal canons, sister, woman, violent bitch. 

Its easy to forget that Kuukaku has been living on the outskirts of Rukongai for over a century now. With the exception of a few close friends and allies, nobody has seen her for a very long time. Hell, if it werent for her little brother Ganju and his galavanting, many would've thought the Shibas dead and gone by now. Its not like, despite the massive cannon and the strange features that change with every move, Shiba Kuukaku has made herself easy to find.

Maybe its her way of mourning her brother, her parents, thats what she tells herself occasionally. A different story from the "fuck Yamamoto/shinigami" routine she spits out to Yoruichi, or the hermit in the woods bit she spoon feeds Ganju, though she suspects that her little brother isn't as stupid as he acts sometimes.

But things have changed. Even if she parted ways with Seireitei and the Kidōshū over a 80 years ago, she can't ignore the events of the past two years, the shifting politics in the Gotei, or ignore her little brother throwing himself headfirst into the conflict like the brave little moron he is. She can't look away from the powers that now control both life and death. And she definately can't ignore the silent halls of her home.

So, maybe its time to stop ignoring and start some doing

In more recent times, Kuukaku's life has changed significantly.

Most pertinant is the revelation that her once-thought-dead uncle, Shiba Nobuu, was actually alive and well and in the Living World where he had managed to spawn three children, one of them being none other than Kurosaki Ichigo. The less than passing resemblence to her dead older brother seems to be brought on by blood, rather than some freaky reincarnation deal. Thank goodness.

Still doesnt change the fact that she now has to deal with her wayward uncle, who abandoned Soul Society and his family over a century ago for reasons of his own. His departure caused a lot of things to happen that lead to the Shiba's fall from grace and their loss of nearly everything they held dear. Its a complicated mess that Kuukaku finds herself reluctant to get dragged into, but will most likely find unavoidable in the long run if she wants to protect the new additions to her family.

In addition to this, thanks to the miraculous powers of Inoue Orihime, Kuukaku has regained her right arm. What this means for her future or her plans has yet to be seen.