So this is a new story whose plot has been under development for quite a while. I finished the first chapter and decided to get it up and out of the way. I welcome all new readers and please review to tell me what you think so far.
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of the characters related to that universe. I do, however, own my OC's, of which only Ayumi and Ruka appear in this chapter.
Ether
Prologue – Skewered Sight
The truth about lies is something horridly simplistic, and it is a truth that many choose to ignore. Whether it is for the good of others, or to help themselves, there lies only one, consistent reason for the decision, a reason hidden deep down inside the terrible confusion of one's true nature. And the truth about lies was this; they were easy.
Easily told and spread, and easily listened to and accepted.
It was inevitable that majority of the Souls and Humans were blind to this knowledge, loath to accept their own characters. Those that did accept the truth were either considered mad or genius, and sometimes both.
Ruka Sasaki was one such of these people, although her current position thoroughly discouraged such a notion.
It was a humid day, with little breeze to cool her down, and so Ruka had found herself in a state of restlessness that only sleep could liberate her from. Summer days such as those often found her sleeping, stripped of all will to work, and her disturbed dreams of late only contributed to her night time wakefulness and resulting weariness during the day.
Ruka also loved to ignore her work. Unfortunately, for her, as Ruka's Division's Lieutenant, Hiyori Sarugaki, was partial to dumping paperwork – dumped upon her by their Captain – onto their procrastinating Third Seat. In that regard, the Twelfth Division's Kirio Hikifune was just like any other lazy body, and yet the system meant Ruka often had too much to do and not enough capable hands for her to order them to help her do it.
So it was that Ruka continued to snore for a good few hours longer than she meant to; breathing lightly at first, although a change in position did worsen the severity of her ungainly snoring. The various papers scattered over the desk, along with her own arms, acted as a cushion for her head, whilst her spine ached from the slouch of her back and Ruka's legs were marked from being pressed against her seat's wooden edge.
But those good few hours were over, and as if to portend to this, a heavy thump was heard in the office.
It was just past lunch when Ruka woke, alerted to the presence of another somebody in her office. "Get out." She mumbled, disregarding the fact that she did not yet know who she was addressing.
"That's quite rude," replied the other, "and honestly, it hurts me deeply to be rejected so quickly."
Ruka lifted her head higher, just enough to give the intruder a quick once-over.
A mass of hair that was a brown so light it was almost blonde hung over her shoulders, worn loose despite its unmanageable length. All this framed a heart-shaped face, whilst a heavy fringe and the unremarkable-ness of her other features only accentuated the bright blue of her eyes. There was no other word with which to describe this woman except beautiful, if one only had to look at her.
Ruka knew that the moment this woman, the vivacious Ayumi Kobayashi, opened her mouth, the illusion would be shattered.
"Go away." Ruka reiterated. "I'm sleeping."
Ayumi Kobayashi laughed loudly, in a very unattractive manner, and replied, "No you're not. Not anymore."
Ruka raised a thin, tapered eyebrow in question. "Fine then, I'll do work."
Again, Ayumi only laughed. "Wrong." She chimed.
Before she had the chance to prevent it, Ayumi bounded over to the desk and placed a palm against Ruka's forehead, before pushing her backwards. Ruka landed with a crash, backwards on her chair, and remained dazed until anger overwhelmed her and provided her the energy she needed.
"What the hell?!" she cried, clambering to her feet and then stopping when she noticed something else, "Ayumi!"
The woman did not heed her warning, instead turning her head around to flash Ruka a smile and cheeky wink. In her hands was the few piles of paperwork Ruka was meant to complete, and underneath her hands was, well, nothing.
"Don't you fucking dare-!" Ruka cried, but it was too late.
Ayumi had dropped the stack of papers out the window. Ruka hurried over, peering out and down towards the ground from her office in the Twelfth Division. A few of the documents were still drifting down, like giant, misshapen snowflakes, whilst the rest had been scattered in all directions.
Ruka turned to Ayumi beside her, who only continued smiling.
"You're not sleeping, and you're not doing work anymore." she cheered.
"And neither will you, when I find my swords." Ruka threatened, her voice so cold and low that it was far more frightening than her anger ever could have been.
Ayumi, who was used to receiving such violent statements, only laughed. "You don't even like the work-"
"But I have to do it! I would have if it weren't for you, you damn idiot!" roared Ruka, losing her calm at last, "Sarugaki is going to kill me, you bi-!"
Ruka was an expert at ranting, and when it came to admonishing Ayumi, there was not a single person more unofficially qualified to shout abuse at the frivolous woman. So it was that Ruka could have, and would have, continued her tirade but for the interruption of Hiyori Sarugaki.
The blonde haired girl tore the door open, exposing the Third Seat's office to the Division's members loitering outside. Hiyori didn't mind in the least, having been too caught up in her own annoyance at the stupidly high levels of noise emanating from the room.
Ruka was quiet for a moment, before she glanced at Ayumi just as she mirrored this movement. In synchronisation, they both uttered a soft, "Crap."
"What the hell?" Hiyori inquired, glaring at them both.
Ruka steeled herself, maintaining her typical disposition in the presence of her Lieutenant. "Lieutenant Sarugaki, Ayumi is being a pest and she threw all our paperwork out the window." Ruka explained.
"I did not!" whined the brunette, "Besides, Ruka was sleeping on the job again."
Hiyori's brown eyes flicked between them both critically, before she said, "I don't know who to beat up first." Afterwards, the world became a blur.
Since Hiyori – and Ruka expected this – came at them both, sailing towards them with her legs outstretched, Ruka knew she was going to attempt to hit both of the women at once. She very well would have, if Ruka had not moved aside.
Ayumi let out a shout that quickly died as a loud thud was heard. A short curse was uttered before Ayumi was no longer present in the room. An irritated Hiyori sprung backwards, pushing the woman away from herself and towards the window; conveniently placed, as Ayumi tripped and promptly fell through it.
"Now," began the short Lieutenant, facing Ruka, "get down there and help that dumbass friend of yours pick it all up!"
Ruka yawned, unfazed by the violent proceedings, before glancing around the room. "Wait- what's the time?" she asked distractedly, upon realizing a mistake she might have made.
Hiyori narrowed her eyes.
When she received no answer, Ruka strode over the window. Ayumi had yet to move, and still lay with her limbs splayed in all sorts of awkward directions that were most certainly not natural. Seeing the head above, Ayumi flashed a brilliant smile.
"What's the time?!" called Ruka.
Ayumi shouted back, "Lunch! That's why I came; we had a date!"
Ruka let out a low, irritable growl that was not just because of Ayumi's incorrect use of the term 'date'. Because of her nap she had not noticed the time, and now knew that Ayumi wasn't, for once, acting erratically annoying without reason. She felt a little bad for her callous treatment of her friend, yet not so much that she would apologise.
"-you even listening to me! Sasaki-!" stormed Hiyori, "Fine!"
A moment later, with a pair of small feet suddenly pressing against her back and a not so small force behind them, Ruka found herself tumbling through the air. It left her breathless; empty of all thought other that of a violent curse and deep hatred for Hiyori, who was certainly the one to have kicked her out the window.
Winded and sore, Ruka landed on her stomach. Something wet trickled from her nose, the name of said substance almost certainly being 'blood'.
As if I don't look bad enough. Ruka moaned to herself.
"Now pick up the paper work!" ordered Hiyori from above.
Moving onto her elbows, Ruka was too befuddled by anger to respond with anything other than an according shout. "You know what, Lieutenant?" Ruka called her that only because to call Hiyori 'kid' would be like ensuring one's own premature demise, "Screw you."
Ruka felt Ayumi's hands pulling her upwards onto her feet, before utilizing her own strength to help herself. Hiyori let out a frustrated scream of rage, yet it was too late. Ruka had grabbed Ayumi by her wrist, before marching away from the scene.
"It's mostly your work anyway!" Ruka cried, one final blow to ensure that the argument had been well and truly won.
Ayumi rolled her eyes, knowing that she should have expected such a move; Ruka never liked to lose arguments, and it was not often that she did.
"We should run." Ruka remarked, and so they did.
Utilizing the speed of shunpo, they made short the distance to escape the Twelfth Division's barracks and arrive in neighbouring areas that housed more desirable surroundings.
"You know," Ayumi drew in a breath of air, "that if you weren't so tired that wouldn't have happened."
Ruka managed a nod, only briefly acknowledging the escalation of the situation was partly her fault.
"My heart can hardly bear the sorrow of how easily you forgot me." She continued to bemoan.
Ruka snorted. "As if; you know I'm only here with you because you're paying for lunch."
Amongst the things the woman prioritized in life, food was what sat at the top, trumping all other earthly delights. Ayumi knew this, and also that her friends were of equal value to Ruka; it was why she continually forgave the constantly vexed woman.
"I think you're in denial." Ayumi countered, patting Ruka's hair; a dark, curly mess that stopped at her chin.
"Denial?" asked the Third Seat.
"Of your love for me." elaborated the brunette, matter-of-factly.
Ruka shrugged, unperturbed by the comment. "Believe what you want."
"I do- Ooh, what about this place?" Ayumi gestured towards a cramped noodle bar, steam billowing out from the entrance.
"It's fine with me." decided Ruka, who had stood by the philosophy that food was food and it was always going to be good.
Inside the bar they discovered that it was almost ten times hotter than it was outside, although neither of the women cared as hunger bettered them. Instead, Ruka and Ayumi took a seat in the corner, furthest away from the only other customers; a group of three men who shot them querying glances. The attention was most likely because the women were irregular guests, although it might perhaps, have been because they were highly Seated officers.
Whatever the reason was, Ruka wasn't bothered by it.
"So," Ayumi began, leaning across the table conspiringly, "is there something I should know about?"
Ruka cast her companion an odd look. "Where did that come from?"
Ayumi rolled her eyes, as if the answer were obvious. "You know what I mean." She said.
"No, I don't." Ruka insisted, crossing her arms as she relaxed into the seat behind her.
Ayumi nodded as if to argue 'yes, she did' and would have spoken but for the timely interruption of a greasy-haired waiter.
"Are you ladies ready to order yet?" he asked, smile painfully etched onto his face.
"Yup!" Ayumi replied, sitting to attentiveness.
Exasperatedly, Ruka rolled her eyes. "A bowl of ramen, and a bowl of somen noodles." She announced, forgetting her manners completely.
"And a glass of water as well, please and thank you." added Ayumi.
The waiter nodded, though he lingered by their table as he scribbled down the instructions. Ruka's stare became harsh, so that when the man looked up at her and he caught her glare, he left in a hurried rush.
Alone again, Ayumi proceeded with their conversation. "You didn't get much sleep last night."
"So?"
"Sooo…"
Ruka huffed impatiently. "Just what the hell are you trying to imply?"
This time, it was Ayumi who rolled her eyes. They returned to Ruka swiftly, blue eyes shining with mischievous emotions that were more preferable if non-existent. "Well, you were over in Division Five for the afternoon, so you know…"
"Know what?" hissed Ruka, who did actually know what and was choosing to ignore the insinuation based on its ridiculous and repulsive nature.
Ayumi smiled widely. "Did you and Shinji, you know-"
Ruka's expression contorted in anger, and her hands balled into fists that dared the brunette to continue. Seeing the challenge, Ayumi took it head on with reckless disregard for her own safety.
"Did you have a little…bedroom tango? A little canoodle- OW!"
With tears pricking her eyes, Ayumi whimpered at Ruka. She bent down, rubbing her knee. "Did you have to kick me that hard?" she whined.
"Yes, you big wuss." Ruka answered, smug at the elected reaction. "You're disgusting."
The brunette woman only continued biting her lip, before letting out a consistent low whine of exaggerated pain and humiliation. When seeing that Ruka wasn't paying attention, she gave up.
A fly buzzed by Ayumi's ear, which she swatted away, before sinking into a bored silence.
"You said 'canoodle'." Ruka pointed out, an amused smile at last finding its way to her lips.
Ayumi giggled and sighed, "Yeah."
"Besides, it was just bad dreams." Ruka sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose.
Ayumi's interest was piqued, and she once again leaned forward in an attempt to look serious. "What about?" She asked.
Ruka responded with a warning look that the brunette ignored, as she came to her own conclusions.
"That girl, Chizuko Takahashi, who murdered all those people in Rukongai, is being executed tomorrow." She began, appearing to be off-topic. Since Ruka glowered at the reminder, she knew that the nail had been hit on the head.
"It's not your fault-"
"Of course it is." Ruka interjected. "I was the one that found her; if I wasn't so damn brilliant at tracking reiatsu- and for heaven's sake; she's so young!"
"Anyone on the investigation squad could have been the one to find her." Ayumi reasoned, her words so oddly sensible that Ruka was shocked into a temporary silence.
"It's just," began the black haired shinigami, "…I can kill Hollows no problem. But another person; that's a different matter."
Ayumi nodded understandingly. "Exactly, and it's why she is being sentenced so harshly. That girl murdered innocents."
Ruka groaned, unable to convey her feelings properly through something as small as words. If Ruka were to accept such logic, should it not mean that she too should be judged? Or perhaps not, for Takahashi wasn't exactly a portrayal of the epitome of innocence. Confounded as to why she would hold any sort of philosophical debate with herself when it was so early – only midday – Ruka slumped over the table as if she were once again asleep in her office.
"What's done is done." Ayumi declared with finality.
"You're being too logical; it's almost frightening how much you sound like Izumi." Ruka said, lifting her head up from the table. "Are you sick?"
Ayumi frowned. "I'm not sure," she shrugged lightly, stupid smile playing across her features, "Oh, well."
"Never mind," Ruka mumbled, "you're back to your usual, idiotic self."
.
.
.
In a cramped bedroom littered with objects and other similar things that had been accumulated over years, Ruka Sasaki lay on her bed, pretending to sleep.
She had been persisting in the task for quite some time; long enough that her Division's members had all departed the area and all noise – the chirping of crickets exempt – had long since evanesced into the past. Alone, and exhausted to the point where she no longer could sleep, Ruka was left to ponder the labyrinth of choices that was life. One choice in particular.
She had to make a decision, and soon. Ruka had until the sun rose.
In truth, she knew exactly what path it was she would choose. It was plain to her mind, ready to be taken. But anyone who had ever made a decision knew the feeling; the loss of will. It is, Ruka decided, one thing to say what she should do, but entirely another thing to do it.
She kept telling herself things, truths of less importance than what she made them out to be. She could be caught, she would leave her friends, her life. Her entire world would change – something Ruka was knew was quite a literal statement.
Then the truth would inevitably arise in her thoughts once again; Chizuko Takahashi would die.
She would be led to the Sogyoku, a child who was not wholly innocent, yet not wholly guilty. The knowledge led to a warring of states within Ruka, a restlessness that had so far kept her tossing about in a vain effort to sleep.
It was a little after midnight when Ruka's incorrigible resoluteness bettered her.
She slid out from underneath her sheets, bare feet easily moving quietly against the wooden floor. Ruka dressed quickly and silently, sparing no thought for anything other than the task at hand. She had never been prone to thinking ahead of her actions; now was no exception.
Once dressed in her shinigami uniform, Ruka made her way to the end of her bed. As the time passed had allowed her eyes to adjust the darkness, she managed to pick up her two zanpakuto – a katana and mismatched long knife – and secure them to her obi without trouble.
Upon opening her window, she discovered that there was a cold wind pervading the streets. If she encountered trouble, Ruka hoped the howling of the wind could disguise the howling of someone unfortunate enough to meet Ruka.
There was little moonlight, another unexpected blessing of that night. Ruka thanked a god she didn't believe in, before jumping out of her bedroom and onto the ground below. From there, she knew her way well enough that the dark sky would be no hindrance. She had only to act once, the rest of her actions falling into place before she even realised what it was she was doing.
It was all too easy.
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