Authors note: Hello everyone! I'm a little bit late with my timing on releasing this story. (I wanted to publish this on the 25th anniversary of the Berlin Wall). Although, it's still good. The story is about a 15 year old named Ichigo who lives in West Berlin in 1987. He meets and becomes close friends with a girl named Rukia, who escaped from the east. Rukia's older brother (a military captain) is determined to bring her back, even if it means killing the ones she loves. So in other words, this story is pretty much Bleach in divided Germany. Enjoy!

Divided by a Wall

Chapter 1: 1987

Ichigo Kurasaki.

Age: 15

Hair: Orange

Occupation: High School student

Ichigo Kurasaki was walking through the quiet streets of West Berlin. He could hear the leaves blowing and the faint sound of little children playing. It was Autumn, and he had just finished another day at the Realschule high school. He was one of the few japanese-german students in the school, moving to Germany because of his father's success as a doctor. Ichigo and his father moved when he was only two years old.

"Just another day in the life of Ichigo Kurasaki." Ichigo said to himself as he sat down on an old graffitied park pench. The Berlin Wall stood ahead, blocking his view of what was on the other side. "Man, I think my school sucks, I wonder what school is like in the east."

Ichigo opened up his backpack and grabbed a textbook and some homework. He went to this place every day after school. The old, abandoned playground let him sink deep into his thoughts. It was also much more quiet than at home.

"Hi Ichigo!" A voice says. Ichigo turned around and looks up at Orihime Inoue, another Japanese-german student.

"Hey Orihime, how's it going?" Ichigo slides down the bench and Orihime sits down.

"Good! I'm doing just fine!" She replies.

Ichigo smiles and opens up his textbook again. Orihime looks at the book.

"Ichigo, why do you always come here? I mean, this place seems like... Umm... Just not very... Comfortable. Especially in this weather."

Ichigo looks up at the wall.

"I don't know, I guess I come here for a couple of reasons. The main being how quiet it is compared to my house." He pauses for a second. "And I also like to imagine this park being united, along with the rest of Germany."

Orihime nods.

Two miles away, in East Germany

Name: Rukia Kuchiki

Age: 15

Hair: Black

Occupation: Homeless wanderer, run-away

"Are you ready, Rukia?" Renji Abarai asked.

"Of course I am, it was my idea to go tonight. Remember?" Rukia Kuchiki responded.

Renji grinned. "Good, because if we get shot at, I'm using you as a sheild."

"Ha ha, very funny." Rukia, who was clearly not amused, replied.

"Alright, I'll be serious now." Renji peeked out from corner of the building they were hiding behind. "If we can get past the traps and the fence, we should make it over easily. There is no watchtower in sight, but we could accidentally alert one if we mess up."

Rukia nods and smiles at her friend. "Alright, but you're the one going first."

"Wha- why me?"

"Because you seem so confident. Plus I'm the lady here."

Renji swears under his breath. "I guess there's no point in arguing with you." He took one final look around. "Here I go. Follow me."

The two of them slowly crawl beneath a small gap in the bottom of the fence. "Watch out for the spikes on the ground." Renji whispered. He and Rukia had previously made very thick modified shoes out of blocks of wood to get across the spikes. They slowly walk across the lawn of death, Stalin's Lawn, and remove the wood blocks from their feet once they finished.

"Alright, we just need to climb the wall"

They both climb over some small tank barricades and begin to walk. Suddenly, Renji falls. Rukia runs over to him.

"Rukia, watch out! Damn tripwire, they found us. Run!" Renji exclaimed. He is still laying on the ground.

"No! I'm not going over there without you."

Renji grabs Rukia's arm and pulls her close to him. "Dammit, go now! I think I sprained my ankle. I'll try to get across too, but for right now you need to move ahead of me."

Rukia, with tears in her eyes nodded and began to sprint to the wall. This was no longer a stealth escape, this was a race... And she was leaving her best friend behind.

"Come on Renji, you have to make it. Please Renji." Rukia thought to herself. She had made it to the Berlin Wall. She looked back and saw Renji about twenty five yards away, struggling to get up. "I can't leave him." Rukia ran back over to Renji.

"Rukia, why the hell did you..." Renji began.

"Just shut up, I wouldn't leave you behind to die."

"Like I said, I guess there is no point in arguing with you, Rukia." Renji put his arm around Rukia's shoulder, and together they begin to slowly limp to the wall.

A gunshot is suddenly heard in the distance, and five East German soldiers are running to them. Rukia and Renji make it to the wall. The german soldiers begin to fire their guns. Bullets fly past Rukia's face.

"Get on my shoulders! I'll help you get up." Renji instructed. Rukia got on his shoulders, and he lifted her up. She grabbed the top of the wall and pulled herself up. Renji, who is clearly in pain, fell to the ground.

"C'mon Renji, give me your hand!" Rukia screamed. Renji tried to get up, but a bullet hit his back and he fell motionless to the ground.

10 miles away, 2 hours later...

Name: Byakuya Kuchiki

Age: 24

Hair: Black

Occupation: Wealthy, yet powerful East German military captain

Byakuya Kuchiki sat at his desk, working on some paperwork. The golden lamp let out a dim light, the ancient katanas above his fireplace casted long shadows across the room. Just how he liked it. Despite being young, he had come from a family of powerful aristocrats and war generals. His family was known around the world.

"Sir, I... Have some bad news."

Byakuya looked up at his butler in the doorway. "I thought I said I was not to be disturbed."

"My apologizes sir, but it's very important. Your daughter... I mean sister... Was found."

Byakuya stood up and walked over to the butler. "What!? My sister has been found?" His sister Rukia was supposed to be his successor, until she was kidnapped a year ago. "How is this bad news? Where is she?"

The butler shifted uneasily. "You see... She wasn't kidnapped... She ran away."

The military captain stared at his butler. "What do you mean by that? How would the guards know?"

"Because... She climbed the wall and escaped."

To be continued in chapter 2...

Author's note: Well, how did you like it? The next chapter is coming soon.