Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. If I did, Ulquiorra would've lived.
Five Years
Five years had passed. Five years since Rukia stood in front of the orange haired shinigami and said goodbye. Five years since she disappeared from his sight and she choked back tears as she ran through the portal behind her brother. In five years, she went through severe depression which led to her training most of her days. Surprisingly, she attained a bankai and was promoted to lieutenant of the 13th division. She had been offered the opportunity to try for captain but she didn't feel ready for that yet. She saw Renji cucle through numerous girlfriends, Rangiku mourn Gin's death, Hinomori heal from the war and her nii-sama loosen up a little with her, occasionally having a pleasant conversation with her. She saw two shinigami get promoted to captain, filling the spots previously held by Tosen taicho and Ichimaru taicho but no one dared to fill the spot held by Aizen taicho. There were rumors that the spot was haunted though Rukia knew people were just making up silly theories. Rukia dated a few men, laughed with friends, visited Rukongai and played with the children there but through all five years she felt empty. She told herself that she missed the wonders of the human world, she missed her friends, the strange food and the school. However, she knew in her heart she missed the orange haired ex-shinigami, the boy – well man now – who stole her heart without her knowing. In these five years she dreamt about seeing him again, fighting beside him again, leaning close enough to feel his warmth, and finally telling him how she felt about him.
So here she stood, Kuchiki Rukia, lieutenant of the thirteenth division with hair now reaching past her shoulders, purple eyes shining brightly, framed with slightly dark rims from lack of sleep, and an order in her hand from the first division. It simply stated that she is to be stationed in Karakura town for the next year as they felt that she was ready and she had gotten over her previous attachments to the place. Little did they know, she thought bitterly. Rukia shunpoed to the Kuchiki manor to find Byakuya and inform him of her order. She took out Sode no Shirayuki and looked at it making sure it was fit for her new assignment. She then looked at herself in the mirror and wondered what Ichigo would say about her new appearance, if he would even see her at all. She ran her fingers through her hair and straightened her uniform. She walked out of the Kuchiki manor towards the portal. She didn't look back as she walked into it. Kuchiki Rukia smiled as she went through and thought – I can't wait to see you strawberry.
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