Haunted
By
Mojo-licious
Chapter One
Release
Blood.. the warm liquid coated his hands and dripped down his fingers. Anguished brown eyes gazed into a pair of violet that struggled to remain open. He knew it was inevitable, not even Inoue or the captain of the fourth division could help him now. He was losing her; losing her after all this time.
"I-chi-go."
She was struggling desperately trying to voice her final words, but he couldn't stand hearing her broken voice. The sight of her raw flesh made him wince as he realized how painful it must have been for her to speak, to even call out his name.
'Rukia,' he cried internally. Leaning down he placed his forehead against hers.
"Sshh, Rukia don't strain yourself," he whispered, but he knew better. She would fight him tooth and nail to speak her mind, to tell him what she wanted to. It had been that stubbornness that broke down his walls so many years ago; it had been an annoyance at times and a source of strength during his moments of doubt. Even now despite her weakened state, she pulled the edge of his kimono in defiance refusing to remain silent. She was a Kuchiki after all, he surmised with a small smile. He held her closely as she whispered to him, committing everything about her to his memory. He had promised himself that he wouldn't cry, but her words were ripping him apart. These last few words were sealing their fate. He could feel her reitsu disappearing. Desperately he clung onto her as they shared their final kiss. Just as she closed her eyes he whispered to her, his voice straining. Her chest fell one last time and her eyes closed, her hands falling away from him; her reitsu was gone.
He didn't know how long he had been staring at her. His mind was numb with disbelief as he clung onto her hoping, praying, wishing that somehow she would return to him. His vision blurred as his grip on her tightened.
'Rukia,' he pulled her up, pressing her body against his as he hugged her fiercely.
It wasn't supposed to be this way.. They were meant to be together, after the long wait it was only fair that they unite. His moment of reflection ended as he felt them.
On the edge of his peripheral vision he saw them, felt their familiar reitsu's surround him. Even his sister Karin was there. He ignored them when they called to him.
"She's gone," were the only words he whispered and once again there was silence. A hand was placed on his shoulder and given a small squeeze. He looked up to see Abarai Renji, the sixth division vice captain and Rukia's childhood friend, trying to offer some comfort. If there was anyone who understood his loss, it was Renji as he too had loved the short Shinigami. The said vice captain's eyes widened and Ichigo realized that the man was no longer looking at him, but rather at the person he held.
"Rukia," Renji whispered, causing Ichigo to look down. Brown eyes widened in shock. Rukia's body seemed to be fading.
"RUKIA! RUKIA!" Ichigo shouted frantically as she was disappearing right before his eyes.
The others stood rooted to the spot not really knowing what to do. They had never witnessed this before, normally there was a body to be buried, but this was beyond anything they had seen or heard of.
Desperately he tried to clutch her body and keep her in his arms, but even there he was failing. Her body disappeared in a flash and Ichigo was left clutching the air.
"RUUUKIIIIIIIIAAAAAAA!"
He looked up screaming to the heavens wanting them to know his pain, to know his anger for taking her so completely away from him. His reitsu flared, almost bursting from within him as rage consumed him. He was unaware of those around him, of their struggles to maintain their balance in his presence. He was oblivious to the cries of his sister screaming at him to stop and the others calling to him to control his powers; all he could see was red and all he could feel was rage; he was being consumed by his grief.
'Ichigo.'
He froze. His scowl disappeared and his eyes widened in shock as he had heard her. His powers subsided and he looked up at the skies searching for her. A single feather floated down. Without thinking he reached out and caught it. It was violet and unlike anything he had seen.. He paused in his thoughts realizing that he had indeed seen such a colour.
'Her eyes,' he thought dully.
"Rukia," he whispered clutching onto the small gift while looking up at the clear skies.
'Wait for me,' came the barest of whispers followed by a gentle breeze.
It took him a few moments to understand the meaning of her words and it brought a resurgence of hope within his battered soul. Closing his eyes, he raised his head to the heavens.
"Always," he whispered clutching the feather tightly.
Weakened, he crumpled to the ground and even as the others shuffled to his side, his brown eyes looked at the violet feather in his hand.
'This isn't goodbye,' he thought before succumbing to exhaustion.
To be Continued...
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