She wanted to run.
She wanted to scream at the gods for the amount of misfortune that had just been laid upon her.
What on earth could a nobleman, a Kuchiki, want with her, Rukia from the slums?
The door in front of her was mundane enough, wooden with paper screens, like any other in the school, but she was afraid of what was behind it.
She clenched her fists into her red hakama, taking a deep breath. All she could do was apologize for her transgression. She had no idea what it was, but why else would a noble family be here to speak with her? That's right; all she had to do was apologize…
Rukia slid down to her knees in a bow before the closed door, told her heart beat to slow the hell down, "Rukia of Inuzuri is here, sir. I humbly ask permission to enter."
"You may enter," said an elderly voice through the door. She inhaled, gulping back her fear, and opened the door.
She didn't look at the people in the room before turning around immediately, still on her knees, and quietly shut it before turning around and stooping into a low bow.
"Rise. We can hardly speak with you if your voice is directed at the floorboards," said the same gravelly voice, though not without some warmth.
Rukia nodded, lifting her head. Her eyes flickered upward, trying to take in the people as quickly as possible. There were two shinigami in shihakushou, but they didn't seem to be anything special. There was a man slumped with age, stern eyes behind a pair of glasses. He must be the owner of the voice that had spoken to her.
And then there was the fourth man. She quickly took in the white haori he was wearing; not marked like a captain's, but decorated like a noble's. 'He must be the important one here,' Rukia concluded quickly before lifting her eyes to match his.
Instantaneously she was overcome with a crushing power. 'Reiatsu,' she thought, the arms supporting her from the ground began to shake; she was gasping, trying to regain control of her body. 'It must be his,' she realized, her vision going blurry, 'What incredible power…and it's being directed at me…He must be furious…' She was so close to fading into darkness…
"Byakuya-sama," the old man said quietly, "She cannot right herself under this pressure,"
As suddenly as switching off a light, the pressure was gone. Rukia struggled to her feet, her eyes back to the ground. What had she done? Was she about to be killed by this overwhelmingly powerful shinigami noble? Was he a captain?
The old man spoke, "We are glad you could make this meeting on such short notice, young lady."
"It is-," her voice rasped, dry. She coughed, "It is my honor to meet you," she bowed again.
"I suppose we should get straight to business," the man continued, as though he hadn't heard her speak, "As you know, we are from the Kuchiki-ke. This is Kuchiki Byakuya-taichou of the 6th Squad, and he is the lord of our house,"
Rukia's heart skipped a beat – he was a captain, "It is an honor." Another bow.
Once again she was all but ignored, "You possess certain qualities, Rukia, which our lord finds suitable for our house. We offer you a proposal today: if you find it favorable, you would be allowed to join our clan, as Byakuya-sama's younger sister."
'What the hell?!'
"W-what?" Rukia asked, sure someone was playing a prank on her. Was it some of the nobles training at the school, trying to make her feel insignificant? Like someone who deserved pity from a noble clan? She debated whether or not to feel insulted that a stranger had just referred to her as 'Rukia', with no honorific. Was that allowed for nobility, who were so high above everyone else?
The old man sighed, smiling in a way that almost seemed false, "It's just as I said. Should you accept our offer, you would join the Kuchiki-ke, and therefore adopt our name. We'll have them graduate you right away, and arrange your acceptance into the gotei juusantai. You would be expected to always honor the clan and our laws, of course, but that is the offer as it stands."
Rukia stood there shock still, staring downward. Adopted? Into the Kuchiki-ke? For what? What qualities did she possess that would make this captain, this lord of a noble clan, take any notice of her? It was stupid! She could almost feel the powerful man's, Kuchiki Byakuya's, eyes leering at her icily. His reiatsu was still there – suppressed, but she knew how potent it really was now. If he wanted her to be his sister, then why the hell did he practically attack her from across the room the second she walked in? What was this guy's deal?!
She cleared her throat, considering if it would be horrendous to tell these nobles to shove off with their offer, "I—,"
"Rukia! How do you like me now!" the door slammed open, and Rukia whirled around, seeing Renji running into the room, "I passed the second phase! Now if I pass the…next…"
He had stopped, and was staring at the scene before him, his beyond excited expression frozen on his face. She met his now-confused eyes for a second before turning away. What was Renji going to think? He was so proud to be doing so well…so ready to graduate ahead of her…
"Oh," the old man said, his voice suddenly turning from vaguely friendly to icy, "it seems we've been interrupted."
Rukia heard Kuchiki Byakuya shift in front of her, before walking towards the door, the swish of his haori catching briefly on her leg before unfurling away.
The old man started to follow, but returned his attention to Rukia. She looked towards him, daring to look him in the face for a moment, "Well then," he said, "we shall be awaiting a favorable response," some of his previous amiability crept back into his voice and half-real smile.
She felt the captain's reiatsu spike again, not as high as before, but definitely less suppressed. She stood there frozen. This guy's sister? Did she want to be the sister of this cold nobleman? Did she want him as a brother? Wasn't a brother supposed to be a little more…kind?
'Like Renji,' she thought to herself, her heart clenching. She turned, walking a few meters before stopping in front of her best friend, who stood stiff on the spot, trembling slightly. That man's power was too much for him too, it seemed…
"Renji," she said, trying to bring him back to earth.
He jumped slightly, "Oh, Rukia. Pretty heavy atmosphere back there, huh? What were you talking about just now?"
Rukia looked away. Could she tell him the truth? She didn't want to abandon the only person she knew, the person she'd grown up with. Could she trade this brother, who she'd survived for years in the slums with – laughing, fighting, living – for the stoic captain she knew nothing about?
Renji grew impatient, sounding concerned, "What the-?!"
"The Kuchiki-ke," she interrupted, not looking at him, "asked me to be adopted into their clan."
Renji didn't say anything. Rukia continued, feeling drained and weightless with the absence of the captain's omnipresent reiatsu, "'We'll have them graduate you right away', they said, 'and arrange for your acceptance into the gotei juusantai.'"
She felt the tears coming. Dammit! She couldn't cry. She was strong! And now that her head was becoming clearer, she was starting to become more certain – no way in hell was she choosing nobility over Renji. Why should she?! "Renji, I-,"
His strong hands clapped onto her shoulders, "You did it, Rukia!"
Rukia looked up, shocked. He looked ecstatic.
"The Kuchiki-ke's one of the top noble families! You hit the jackpot! If you get adopted into a place like that, you can spoil yourself stupid!" He waved his hand around dramatically, as though his joy could not be contained.
'This is what you think, is it, Renji?' Rukia thought, the tears starting to line the rims of her eyes, 'Do you care so little that you'd be happy to send me away to the nobles? You'd rather that, than brag to me every day about how you're so superior?' Her eyes threatened to overflow, 'You fool.'
"Sou ka," Rukia murmured, fighting to keep her expression blank. He was still rambling on about how jealous he was. The fool.
She raised her hand to his arm, lifting it from her shoulder. He cut off mid-laugh, watching her push his arm back to him.
"Arigatou," she whispered, letting him go, and running out of the room.
Only then did she let the tears fall freely.