Taiyou (Sun) kuromeru(Black)

Nagame (Long rain) Momorio (Pink)

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Bleach or any of their characters. All bolded sentences towards end from Fade To Black Poem and in Italics is from bleach anime/ manga

It's raining,

I hate rain.

Some people think that it is beautiful or it's relaxing. All I see is pain, loneliness and the emptiness that's followed me all my life. My name is Taiyou Kuromeru and I'm 17 years old. I'm a high school student in my last year. It's not as great as it sounds. My dad goes on and on about what my life is going to be like for the next four years of college.

One problem, I haven't even decided what university I'll go to let alone what my field is. He then proceeds to talk about giving him grandchildren of which I respond by punching the living daylights out of him. It's times like these I prefer to be alone. I have no siblings you see, only child. My mom died when I was smaller. Not something I like to revisit. As I am saying this I decided to visit her grave today. It's not the anniversary when she died but it's still a place I like to go to sometimes.

As of late I've been going to the cemetery amongst other places more frequently. The cemetery is definitely high on my list though, in terms of places I visit more often. Going there helps me clear my head. I can't explain it. There is a certain calmness to this particular spot. Which is the strangest thing since it is a cemetery.

Another thing you should know about me. I see ghosts; lots of them. I help when I can most of the time. Other times they just want to bother me since I'm the only one who can see them. It makes for a very annoying and embarrassing situation when I'm yelling at an empty space. I see and converse with more of them than I do with people who are alive. It's nice to converse with some ghost now that I think about it. They are in no rush, they listen and well, they are complete strangers; no one to judge you.

But the problem is when they are popping up more I get migraines. The more times I come into contact with ghosts the more these migraines occur. It is not just the migraines that have been troubling me either, I have these dreams. They are blurry most of the time but there are times I can make out certain individuals. They remain the same, constant, these people. They talk to me so casually as though we've known each other for years.

It's a strange sensation but not something I mind. Places in my dreams also seem to become more clear .These places I could only imagine in my wildest dreams; deserts with a black sky and a moon. A place with white walls holding thousands of white buildings and a huge tower with a single window, they were so strange and yet so familiar. But others are not so made up. Some of the places I've dreamt about are right here in my home town. It drove me crazy for years why places I past seemed so familiar and yet when I asked, I was given a resounding "No we've never been there". Until one day I passed a clinic and realized that this place was where a lot of dreams started. This clinic was the hearth of my dreams. It would begin and end there. As I climbed the hill and walked towards my mother's grave my thoughts diminished as I saw a girl on the top. A girl, with short hair, standing before two graves. As I move closer I see she is wearing a black shihakusho with a white covering on top of it. I didn't realize I was staring until she turned. She blinked.

"You..."

"Sorry?" I asked, hoping she wasn't going to chew me out for staring. Her eyes widen then slowly relaxed.

"Sorry, it's just you look familiar, but you are not him." Him? What is she going on about.

"Him?" She looked tired, older for her age though she didn't look much older than him.

"A friend, a close friend." She turned to the graves. I turned and read the names. Ichigo Kurosaki and

Orihime Inoue Kurosaki. Husband and wife. Something about those names seemed familiar, I brushed it

aside because as of late everything seem familiar and it was getting starting to piss me off.

"Well I'm sorry for your loss." I genuinely meant it. It was hard enough to come here on my own I can only see what it was like for her. Her eyes were so lifeless and sad. She lost something that meant a great deal to her. Those eyes, reflected my own. Perhaps that was why I didn't keep walking. She smile slightly her eyes gazing at the stones

"Thank you" She turned "I'm being rude, I never asked what your name is." I was shocked that she thought she was the one being rude.

"Taiyou Kuromeru ." She nodded and smiled to herself.

"What's yours?" I was interested, sue me. Her mouth parted as naturally as you could reciting your own name. But she caught herself before she uttered a sound. Her brows furrowed slightly.

"My name is of little consequence as I am dead." Now my eyes widen

"You mean your ... your a ghost?!" She grinned

"Not exactly but yes technically speaking I am dead and your just talking to air." My hand flew up in there air

"Why is it always people who are dead I end up conversing with!? For once if I bump into someone couldn't they be alive! " Her eyebrow raised slightly amused. There was a sparkle in her eyes.

"Would you prefer me to leave you to pout?" My head snapped back at her

"Watch it midget" Her grin widened

"Oh yeah? What do you plan on doing to someone whose already dead smart guy?" I opened my mouth and all of a sudden a rock hit me square in my face.

"OUCH! WHAT THE HELL!" In her hand was another missile ... I mean rock... ready to launch.

"Don't call me midget, stupid." I glared at her. She dropped the rock and dusted her hands.

"Now you've learned your lesson..."

"Thanks a lot mid-" I saw her glare with another rock in her hand, slightly bigger than the first. I shut up instantly. Her eyes had a little life in there in that moment.

"That's what I thought"

"Who are you then? Or what are you if you're not a ghost?"

"I'm a Shinigami from the Soul Society."

"A shini -what? Soul what?" She laughed. I liked her laugh.

"A Shinigami. A Soul reaper. I help send spirits to the Soul Society which is what you might think of as an afterlife. I also kill hollows or monsters who harm humans and spirits." My dumbfounded expression was not leaving me.

"You're making this up. You sure you're sane?" Her eyes twitched. All of sudden the sword on her hip (of which I failed to notice) came flying up with the tip angled towards my neck.

"You want to try that again?" She threatened. It suddenly felt a lot colder. Shakily I put my hands up

"... I'm good..." She smirked lowering the sword back into the sheath. Damn, she's dangerous.

She turned back to the graves. I noticed that she looked at the man Ichigo Kurosaki's grave more than the woman's. I had to ask

"Was this Kurosaki guy really that important to you? It says he died about 25 years ago and yet, I don't mean to pry , you look as though it was yesterday." Her eyes lowered and her shoulders deflated a little.

"He was my closet friend. It was indeed something that cannot be explained by words, our relationship. Some wounds, don't go away that easily."

"Wait, if he died 25 years ago, how did you two meet? You don't look much older than me and he must have been well in his thirties."

"He met me when he was 15 years old, I was already dead at the time. He had the problem of seeing spirits and well our encounter was eventful. It changed his life forever." She paused a small grin appeared "But he was stubborn, loud, a complete idiot and yet this compassionate heart and will to protect all life is what won over people, changed them for better. He was someone I'd do anything for."

The way she spoke of him, it almost seemed like she had loved him more than a friend. That this guy, whoever he was, was the love of her life. It irked me that he was causing her this much hurt even though he was the one dead. I wondered if he even knew how she felt about him. If he did, did he feel the same way? Why did he marry someone else if he loved her? Or did he just ignore her? I contemplated till her eyes met my own. They started right through me as if she was looking at someone else. Did I remind her of him? Was that why when she looked away her eyes were misty.

"Well since he died, isn't he in that place you come from, the Soul Society? You could meet with him again?" I can't say I was too thrilled about my idea of her going to see him again. I wondered if he deserved her sadness over his death. She shook her head.

"It was strange, when he died, when they both died neither of them returned to the Soul Society. We couldn't find their spirits. It was as if they were gone from the face of this earth, lost. It seems that their spirits were not ready to pass over yet. Something deep inside was looking for something on this earth. So instead of returning to the Soul Society they would reincarnate. Be different people. It would continue as a cycle until they found what they were looking for." I stared at her.

"So you haven't found them yet?" She shook her head once more, a small smile played on her lips.

"No unfortunately I haven't. And if I did, they wouldn't recognize me." She took a breath "Enough about me, tell me why are you here." My eyes widened a bit and I scratched my head.

"Well I was going to visit my mom's grave." She nodded

"When did you mother die?"

"When I was 7. Car accident"

"I'm sorry. I won't ask more of it. It's hard enough to tell someone, let alone a complete stranger about these things." I wanted to say that I didn't think of her as a stranger. She seemed easy to talk to. Easy for me to connect with but I didn't say a word. I must have had a strange look on my face because she asked

"That wasn't all that is bothering you, is it?"

I turned to her. I can tell her anything. It was comfortable, she's not an enemy... Wait enemy? Where did that come from? I shook my head.

"I can't explain it really. I've been having these dreams as of late." She nodded "And in these dreams I'm in different places fighting monsters protecting spirits like you. There are people in my dreams of whom show up every once in a while. I can't see their faces but they seem so familiar. I also get visions, a flicker of another life when I pass these places. The river, a park, my school, the townhouse, and the Kurosaki Clinic are just some of the places I see. As of late it's getting worst"

I kept the part of the graveyard a secret because something about this place was different than the rest. And well, I didn't feel like sharing that bit. She perked up

"Kurosaki Clinic?"

"Yea" I paused "This is Kazui's father and mother right?" She turned to the headstone and nodded.

"You know Kazui Kurosaki?" I scratched my head

"Yea, well one night I passed by the clinic and decided to go in. Well, uh he caught me standing inside the clinic doors wandering around and almost fainted." She giggled and then started laughing

"Hey! It wasn't funny! I could have been arrested for trespassing!" She stifled the laugh. Her laughter, it was nice.

"You wouldn't be arrested by him, more like invited to dinner" I stared at her blankly. She shook her head.

"Well did anything seem familiar there?"I wondered why I would be invited to dinner and why she changes the subject so quickly!

"Not in the house..."

"You were invited into the house?" she grinned

"It wasn't my idea!" I was blushing, but why would I blush?

Laughing she said "Sorry go on"

"...Fine " I paused to see if she was going to do something else. She raised her eyebrow with a smile

"Really, I'm all ears" I didn't believe her, there was something mischievous about her. However I continued.

"It was outside the clinic" I started , her eyes lost a little light and glazed over " and well, it's dark. I have sisters in this dream and something happens to them. A monster is after us. I ran to protect my sister and I'm about to die, I feel it." I looked to her. Her expression is intense. It began to drizzle as I spoke. "As the monster comes at me someone else jumps in the way. It's a woman wearing the same clothes as you do, she saves my life but the wound she received is immense." I paused to look at her face again. The look she gave me left as quickly as it came; longing. But for what?

"And what brought you here?" She wasn't looking at me. She was looking at the grave of Ichigo Kurosaki. I was taken aback, how did she know that this was one of the places I come to. Cautiously I answered

"Somewhere near I felt relieved at one point. It's by the staircase next to the forest pathway. No memories or dreams just a feeling. That something heavy was lifted off my shoulders, a burden I did not want to carry was given relief. And I felt whole in that moment." She looked up the sky. Quietly she said

"It rained that day too huh?" My eyes shot up. A picture began to form in my head. Rain, yes it rained it was cold and bitter but how...

"How do you know that?!" I was done playing dumb. She knew something I didn't. She turned her head, her eyes blank.

"Who was Kurosaki Ichigo to you and what were you to him! Why did you confuse me for him! Why, when I told you my stories, you were not surprised! And how come every time you look at me you seem as though you're the one looking at a ghost! What do you know about all of this!" I was angry. Angry she knew more about my situation than I did and didn't bother to explain it to me. Before I could ask her more I heard someone yell.

"Kuromeru-kun! There you are!"

I turned it was Nagame Momorio. She had long brownish orange color hair. She was a good friend of mine from high school. There was one problem, I saw her as my friend but she saw me differently. You see she's had a crush on me for years. I spotted that easily and well, I just haven't been able to reciprocate her feelings. She was running toward me and stopped.

"I was looking all over for you!" She smiled. I nodded

"I was going to visit someone then head home."

As we conversed out of the corner of my eye I felt the women's stare. She began to turn away. I panicked

"Wait!" She stopped, her back facing me. Nagame stopped mid sentence.

"Kuromeru-kun? Is there something wrong?" I was facing air , well to Nagame I was facing air. I didn't turn my head.

"No," I watched her back. She wasn't moving but I believed in she would be gone just as easily as she came.

"Well Kuromeru-kun, I was wondering if you would like to go visit a restaurant sometime today?" I turned, she was blushing. I couldn't say no outright.

"Oh uh the whole gang going to be there!" She added quickly. I sighed, is this how it's going to be all the time? She would invite me then say everyone is going to be there because usually I would respectfully decline.

"Sure." She looked a little deflated by my answer. Nagame added the dinner was in 10 minutes. I shook my head. I told Nagame I'd meet her at the end of the hill. She perked up and jogged down. As she left I turned to the woman. She still hadn't turned back to face me.

"You didn't finish answering my questions." I waited

"You should hurry to your dinner. She likes you, your friend." I was surprise by the coldness in her voice. There was something else I heard

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Taiyou, live a good and long life." She began to walk away. I can't let her go.

"Wait! Please." She stopped. There was something not right. It was like every fibre in my being was yelling at me to make sure she didn't leave. I knew there was something different about her. How I felt around her was something I've never had with someone else. She saw the little things people seem to ignore. The way she looks at me... I'm missing something.

"You can't just leave like this."

"I can't stay here. I have duties of my own to attend to."

"So what! A hello, some nice chit chat and goodbye maybe we'll see each other again!?" I couldn't contain the anger in my voice. She didn't say a word and took a step forward.

"Wait!" I stretched out my hand like in my dreams as the shinigami walked away.

Dreams? ... That's right, in my dreams, she is there

I know her

There's no way to forgot I know this woman.

"... You came to protect the soul society, thank you"

"Make them see that despair holds no power over you!"

"Even if you can't see me I'll be able to see you"

"Fool!"

"Aren't we friends!"

"It's been a while"

"Why didn't you wait for us! Aren't we your Nakama!?"

"That's the kind of man you've been in my heart!"

"I won't thank you! You fool!"

"Just lay there a little while longer while you still have life in you"

"By the way, what is this festival for?"

"Until my powers return you will take over my shinigami duties!"

"See you later..."

The memories that were carved deep into the depths of my soul were floating...

"...Rukia" I breathed. She froze . It was as though I was asleep for so long. I've waited and waited to find her. I need to hear her, I need to see her with my eyes. I need her.

"Wait a moment Shinigami." I slowly walked towards her. All those years put a great distance between us, but it wasn't enough to tear us apart. Every moment we've ever shared flooded back. I felt whole again, something I haven't felt in a long time. The rain finally stopped.

As she turned I saw the eyes, those purple eyes filled with the fire I once had known. Those eyes, knew me, understood me, loved me.

"It's not Shinigami, my name is Kuchiki Rukia." My hand rested on her cheek. My face inches from hers

"I am Kurosaki Ichigo" and finally I kissed the one woman whom I loved longer than life itself.

I finally found you.

Thank you ... Rukia

Time goes on but these bonds will never break