Bleach – When Fate took a Twist

Rukia walked along the dim-lighted path to the bright room filled with candles. The air was chilly,

so she put her coat around her dark blue kimono, the same color as her eyes. The moon was shining brightly, like a gleaming fluorescent pendant, casting light on her dark hair, making it shimmers in the night.

The girl knocked the wooden door twice, and a low, attractive voice said, "Enter"

Rukia took a deep breath before coming in her stepbrother's bedroom. The light inside was warm and welcoming, yet Rukia didn't feel any better. She was too nervous, after what had happened today.

Kuchiki Byakuya was sitting on his silky white bed, cloaked in a light ochre robe, on his hand a mug of steaming tea.

"You called me, nii-sama?" Rukia asked warily.

Byakuya nodded, and gestured at her to sit on the chair next to his bed. Rukia obeyed, and Byakuya angled his sitting position, facing her.

"It's not your fault," Byakuya said quietly without looking at her, "You do not mean it."

Rukia bit her lip, tiny tears forming at the edge of her eyes, "Nii sama, I-"

"Both Ukitake and Kaien," Byakuya continued, "Will be proud at you,"

Sobs escaped her, and Rukia burst into tears at her brother's shoulders, her whole body shaking with unfathomable sorrow. She had been holding this tears for a whole day, and now a cascade of them escaped her.

Byakuya didn't say anything, but he put his arm around Rukia, patiently listening to her sobs. Rukia didn't know how many minutes- or even hours had passed before she stopped crying. It was difficult- difficult to know that the person you've always trusted, the person that cared about you very much- is gone.

"You should sleep," Byakuya remarked, seeing her tired, red eyes.

Rukia stifled a sob as she nodded weakly, untangling herself from her brother and stood up shakily.

"Thank you, nii-sama, I-" she began, but Byakuya held up his hand, and surprisingly, he smiled.

"I don't blame you," he said, "Go to sleep, no need for further explanation. Leave."

Rukia bowed respectfully and leave the room, walking slowly to her own. She sighed as she turned off the light, remembering that terrible event…

The same event repeated all over again.

Flash

"A hollow!" someone burst in the room where Rukia, Ukitake, and Kiyone sat, drinking some tea.

"Hollow?" Ukitake's brows furrowed.

"Yes. A Menos perhaps." The soldier replied, "I think it's the same species as the one which killed Shiba Kaien. It's bigger, though,"

Rukia's eyes widened.

Kaien-dono…

"You two stay here," Ukitake said sternly, "I'll go by myself. Do not wander off. Especially you. Understand, Kuchiki?"

"Yes, sir," Rukia answered although she had no intention of staying here. There could be a possibility… that the hollow was the same as the one that killed Kaien. And she will avenge him. It would be a piece of cake now she had a Shikai.

Rukia watched as Ukitake strode away, in his hand his Zanpakutou. As soon as he disappeared out of sight, Rukia stood up.

Kiyone looked at her, "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to kill the Hollow, of course," Rukia answered, running outside.

"But the captain said-"

"I'll not do anything rash," Rukia gave her superior a reassuring smile, "I promise,"

Kiyone grinned, "OK. Protect the captain, will you?"

Rukia nodded before disappearing from the doorway.

Outside was in chaos. Rukia squinted to see where the hollow was, and someone said that it's in the middle of the forest. With lithe steps, she ran to her captain's aid.

"Kaien-dono, I'm going to avenge you," Rukia murmured to herself, and smiled when she saw Ukitake- and the hollow.

The hollow was big. Its mask were half-broken, and its arms and legs were gigantic octopus-like. Just like the hollow that killed Kaien twenty three years ago. Rukia gritted her teeth as she ran at the hollow, stabbing one of its many tentacles.

The hollow roared, and Ukitake turned to look at her. Anger creased his grey eyes, "Kuchiki! What are you doing?"

"I'm helping you, captain," Rukia answered, dodging the hollow's attack.

"Go away," Ukitake shouted, "This is no ordinary menos. This is an Evolving Hollow. It could take your soul,"

Rukia didn't hear this, and suddenly the hollow turned to her, lolling out its tongue in her direction…

"NO!" Ukitake ran in front of her, and the tongue entered his body. For a moment, the white-haired captain only stood there, dumbstruck, but then his whole body jerked and his smiling grey eyes turned dull- and lifeless.

"Captain Ukitake!" Rukia shouted, horrified at the sudden change in him. Ukitake's eyes widened, and suddenly he grinned.

The grin wasn't even human.

And he laughed.

Ukitake, with the hollow inside controlling him, rush to her, and scared, Rukia raised her sword. Her lips struggled to say the words that would unleash her Shikai, but her tongue failed her. It was like seeing Kaien charging at her two decades ago, that rainy night, when she had killed him.

Ukitake has the same wild eyes now, and Rukia couldn't even raise her sword to defend herself.

Please… she murmured to herself, and closed her eyes.

Then something happened.

The air suddenly turned warm. Rukia opened her eyes, to see Ukitake and herself encaged in a vast, icy, transparent orb. Amazed, Rukia touched the icy walls, and it shimmered under her palm. She looked at Ukitake; the captain was silent, apparently struggling with himself.

The hollow inside him was moaning, "Cold… so cold…"

Ukitake's gray eyes started to regain its shine, his expression still confused. A faint smile creased his lips as he looked at Rukia.

"Ku… Kuchiki?" he asked quietly, now with his own voice.

A grin broke off Rukia's face as she stepped forward and hugged her captain tightly.

"I'm sorry," Rukia said.

Suddenly she felt cold. She opened her eyes and gasped. In front of her was a smiling icicle, of what used to be a man.

Her eyes widened in horror, her lips parted in a silent scream. Rukia looked at her hands; then at her frozen captain…

"NO!" she screamed, tears brimming in her eyes. Her whole body shook as she cried inside the icy orb, in front of Ukitake's smiling face…

No more than a block of Ice.

Rukia didn't know how many hours she had passed crying in front of her captain, but suddenly she felt very tired, and the icy orb disappeared.

A voice, "Ku-Kuchiki…?"

Rukia turned around to see Kiyone and five troops of the 13th protection squad standing before her, their expression horrified. What's more, the trees near her, all of them, were turned into ice.

"What happened to the captain?" Kiyone asked, her eyes widening seeing her icy hands and Ukitake's frozen form.

Kiyone frowned, taking a step backward, "Kuchiki, did you-?"

Rukia held up her hand, her lips shaking, "I can explain… I didn't-"

"You said you're going to protect him!" Kiyone shouted. Never before had Rukia seen her like this, "But you killed him! Just like you killed Kaien!"

Just like you killed Kaien…

Tears splattered her cheeks as she saw her comrades' hostile gaze. They thought she was a murderer… maybe she is.

A murderer…

Flash End

Rukia sighed, staring at the ceiling. Today was the most horrible day in her life. Everybody had accused her. And Ukitake…

Ukitake's dead.

Sure, she had achieved her Bankai. Sure, tomorrow she'll be promoted as the 13th captain, but still…

It's not worth it.

I'd give anything for Kaien and Ukitake to smile at me again.

Rukia closed her eyes, falling into a happy dream. A dream where only she and Kaien exist, and when the world belongs entirely to them.

There. My Second fic. Hope you like it. It gets really cool in the middle, so keep reading...

Reviews please.