Chapter One--Meet Virginia
I suppose, Rukia, I should tell you about how it happened. When your sister told me, I could hardly believe my ears. It was more bizarre than their engagement. But I suppose I am being too forward. You will have to forgive me, my dear. I cannot help it. I shall try to keep to the story as much as possible. Your brother and sister's affair began much earlier than their engagement.
She was a lowlife Rukon then, just trash beneath his shoes. That was when she had you. Hisana was brave, but foolish. The city was full of people, hustling and bustling. They did not care for anyone else in that high level hellhole, just themselves and perhaps those chosen few who they labeled family. Family. She snorted. What an odd term. For those in the Rukongai, family was a label, not a relationship. Only a select few remembered their human lives, and even a smaller group reunited with human family. No. For those in the Rukon districts, family was a close group formed out of survival necessity rather than kinship.
This was not at all how she imagined her life would turn out. She never clung to allusions of grandeur and opulence as a child, but she had dreamed of something…more. Not this everyday waking up and working for men with leering eyes and lecherous hands. She had not wanted much as a girl, but she had wanted more.
A bath house. She worked at a bathhouse. A bathhouse where she was forced to bathe old, cantankerous men, fat and leering men, grabby men…and their wives. It was not the life she had ever wanted. The voice in her mind told her it was better than fending for herself on the streets…that's what she had been failing for the first seven years of her life in the spirit world. Who knew the afterlife would be so hard? Hisana knew that her role in life was due to her horrible actions not even a year before. It was only fair. She had abandoned her infant sister in order to save herself.
She lugged a large sack filled with the day's groceries. They fed all of the staff, and most of the customers as well. The Madame of the house had created a separate building just for the kitchens. Only the most exquisite food was served to the honored guests. Slightly poorer guests received slightly worse food. And so it continued down to the staff. While what they received to eat was not table scraps, it was no gourmet meal, either. Not that she expected one. That was one of the reasons Hisana loved being sent to the city to fetch food. She got to taste all of the tasty treats that the vendors made. Most of them knew her, and didn't mind giving her a freebee every once in a while. Sometimes, it was beneficial to be sweet and poor. She never wanted to leave the city, with its sensational smells and breath-taking sights. But she did.
Now was one of those times. Hisana stood before the bathhouse laden with groceries. She needed to get back up to her duties. Every day from sunrise to eleven, they scrubbed the large tubs, and the floors, prepared rooms for those who wished to be pampered for more than one day and could afford it, kept the house in immaculate condition…the list was endless. After a quick respite and a light lunch for those souls who could eat, they slaved away, tending to client after client until well after midnight. Sundays, their day off, were blessed and much needed days.
With a firm look etched on her face, she pulled herself away from the beckoning foray and into the bathhouse. The world came to life. Cooks bustled in the oversized kitchen, preparing enticing meals for the wealthy guests. Faceless forms in uniforms flew about, whether by a cook's bidding or some previously ordered chose. She heard the quick footsteps of the custodians who vigorously cleaned the floors. The hums of the washer could be heard over the dull roar of the pots and pans, as linens and towels were freshly pressed in anticipation of another night. Hisana breathed in deeply, wallowing in the smell of cinnamon and detergent. This was her home; her whole world.
"There you are, you worthless girl!" Maki cried, "I've been awaitin' those groceries a half hour too long!"
"That's when you sent me out for them," she reminded the head chef cheekily.
Maki grabbed the bag from her arms. "Be gone with yeh before I box yer ears for impudence,"
Hisana didn't need to be told by the toad faced man twice. With a perky bob of her head, she scampered up to her room. Workers at the bathhouse lived on the top two floors. The only person who lived above them was the Madame. Below the workers were three floors reserved for overnight guests, and beneath that were the baths. Sixty baths covered two floors. Hisana's room was just beneath the Madame's personal bath. Thankfully, the loud woman preferred her baths in the early afternoon, when Hisana's and her roommate Kaeko were far below.
Not stopping to look around, Hisana pulled off her nice clothes. She replaced them with the light, flowing pants that all the staff wore. That way, they did not get so hot in the steamy rooms. As she trotted down to the fist level where Kaeko was waiting for her, she tugged her dark hair into twin braids.
"Sorry it took so long," she said as she slid down into the deep tub. "Town was hectic,"
"Isn't it always?" Kaeko grinned as she tossed Hisana a brush.
Hisana thrust it into the bucket of warm, sudsy water. "Yeah. A great pain,"
Kaeko laughed. It was a beautiful laugh. "Tell me all about it,"
Hisana shrugged as she scrubbed the bottom of the tub with all of her might. "Oh, you know. The usual. Grabby men. Over priced food. Longs walks where every one steps on you and your delicate little toes. The usual,"
Kaeko laughed. "I think that it is only usual for you to be stepped on. The rest of us are normal height, not the size of a twelve year old."
"Hey!" Hisana slapped the water at her friend. "I can't help it. Besides, us short people are adorable. And, we're the last to get rained on." She stuck her tongue out a Kaeko. There. Take that, sweet cheeks.
"Yeah," Kaeko muttered, "You're also the first to drown."
"Not fair!" Hisana cried indignantly.
"Life isn't," Kaeko laughed.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Dust clouds swirled around her, rising up over her head. Hisana coughed as the dirt filled her lungs. Rukia was jostled up and down. The tiny child was clutched desperately to her chest. Hisana was not completely sure if Rukia was even her sister, or a random baby she found. She thought that the girl was her true family, but one could never be sure. Hisana ran as fast as she could, through the bustling throng. No one cared that they were running for their lives, as long as they weren't in harms way.
"Come on, pretty girl!" one of the men chasing her called.
"Here pretty girl! Come here, pretty girl!" his buddy called.
Hisana held Rukia, and ran as fast as she could. She was scared, but not as scared as she was when she first found herself in the seventieth district. Men chased her all the time; it was a weekly occurrence now. Adrenaline still pumped through her veins, but it was not as terrifying as the first time it happened five years ago. Just keep running. If she kept running, she would get away. They were not very persistent attackers.
"Here pretty girl, pretty girl, pretty girl…" The men called out to her as if she were a dog. It was denigrating, and it got old quickly. Still, she ran, hurtling over bodies and pots. The filthy ground was littered with blankets, trash heaps, and the occasional slumbering soul. It was a disgusting place to live, Inuzuri, but it was where Fate had placed her. She must have been a horrible person in her life to deserve a place such as the Seventieth District.
"Hold on, baby girl," she whispered to Rukia. The child had gotten used to the bouncing. During their first months in the Rukongai, Hisana had had to run a lot. She was new, and therefore, she was easy prey. It had taken months for her to even learn how to personify someone who wasn't a target. Now, she only had to run from the drunk idiots.
Rukia stayed quiet as Hisana ran. She ran far and fast. She heard the men behind her fall away, tired of their chase. But Hisana was no fool. It was a trap. The lecherous men would fall back, feigning exhaustion in order to trick her into stopping. Then, they would attack. She kept running, father and father away, through four districts she ran. She would loose them. She refused to be a victim. Exhaustion swept over her. Her legs gave out as she collapsed in the mud. Rain poured down from the dark, cloudy sky. Hisana pulled Rukia close to her, trying to warm the child. The mud was excruciatingly cold, but she did not have the strength to move. Lightning flashed in the sky above. That was the last thing that Hisana remembered before darkness overtook her.
She woke up to an evil chuckle. Cracking one eye open, she groaned when something poked her side. There were several snickers. Her body involuntarily tensed when she realized what was about to happen.
"So, yer finally awake are, yah?" a deep, scratchy voice muttered into her ear.
The hair on the back of her neck stood up. She suppressed a shiver than ran down her spine. Anything to get them to leave her alone. They had found her. She hadn't lost them. These men where much different from her previous attackers.
"We ain't fooled by yer lil' act, right there," the same man said standing up. "We've been watching you fer a while, now."
Oh God, no. They had herded her, and she played right into their hands. They must have been from the Fortieth District, or somewhere around there. They flushed her out of familiar territory to somewhere better suited for them. Hisana peaked her eye open. She saw four shadows looming all around her. She wanted to swear and swear loudly. How the hell did she end up in situations like this? Fear coursed through her body. She had never been caught in such a compromising situation before. It scared her.
"Come on," someone grunted.
Two hands grabbed her arms, hoisting her up off the ground. She blinked her eyes open. There was no use in feigning sleep now. Keeping her eyes closed would be a detriment to her escape. There were four men, varying in height, age and physical appearance. They were all dirty, just like her, and they all were common thugs. She knew exactly what was going to happen if she did not get away, and get away fast. They were dragging her to the wooded area of the park where they could do their unspeakable act in peace. They did not expect much of a fight from her. They all seemed to be muscled and tower over her. However, Hisana was naturally strong and she was quick. All she needed to do was wait for the opportune moment.
The men dropped her to the ground when they were twenty meters in the dark grove. One started for the ties of his hakama and that was when she made her move. She swiped his legs out from under him. The others watched in horror as he fell to the ground with a startled cry. They returned their attention to her just a second later, but by that time, it was too late. She was far gone. She ran as fast as she could, dodging trees, but trying to stay in a straight line. You went faster if you went straight, she remembered from her human life. She did not remember anything else but that.
Braking through the line of trees, Hisana ran into town. Her pace quickened even more as she dodged people now. This was the thirty-ninth district, and the difference was astronomical. Even though these people were poor, it was nothing compared to the destitution that the upper districts faced. She heard the men ranting behind her. They had the balls to follow her into the slightly better off district. That should not have surprised her, but it did. She foolishly screamed and darted into an alleyway, hoping to escape her pursuers. She had no such luck when the alley dead ended and she turned to face three furious men.
Achingly slow, they began to advance on her, savoring her wide eyes and terrified expression. They were monsters. One man grabbed her robe and tore it. She shrieked and clawed at his face. Her nails raked down his face, scratching him deeply. Blood flowed from the five marks. He grinned sadistically at her.
"Kitty's got claws." He licked his lips. "I love a puss with some fight in her,"
"Shut up and grab 'er, Nomui," the one on the left said. "We ain't got time to play,"
"Here, kitty kitty," the one--Nomui--called out to Hisana. She was walking backwards, clutching what remained of her robe, desperately trying to cover herself. She shook her head no.
"Over my dead body," she hissed as she cowered into a corner. And she meant it. She would rather die than be subjected and humiliated by rape.
The leader glared hard at her. "That can be arranged," he threatened.
Hisana reached behind her. She fumbled for anything that might count as a weapon. Her fingers danced over trash and refuse; there was nothing: no sharp object, nothing blunt or hard, just crumpled paper and heavy bags. Her luck was not improving at all. Fuck. Hisana drew back her arm, ready to punch. It would not be a very good one since she was trying to keep her robe up, but she would take what she could fight. If she was going down, it would be kicking and screaming. She was kicking someone in the nuts and rendering them impotent for life.
Nomui jumped her. She screamed as she flew back in the air. She faced a devilishly handsome man. His pugnacious eyes glared down on her, glimmering with triumph. Resolutely, she yanked up as hard as she could, slicing his face with her jagged nails. The man in front of her howled in pain.
"You bitch," he yelled, slapping her face. Hisana's head swerved and hit the wall behind her. Her head felt like it had exploded. She saw stars. It hurt to think. Slowly, Nomui walked toward her. In one last attempt, she shoved against him with all of her might. He stumbled back- but only about a step. Hisana slumped against the wall, unaware of her attacker's close, haunting presence.
"What's the matter, sweetie?" he asked in a low, ragged voice. He slowly walked toward her, obviously enjoying himself immensely. "No where to run? Nothing else to fight with?" He laughed mercilessly as he stopped in front of her. He stood there for a moment, doing nothing. And then, he suddenly grabbed her by the arms, pinning her effectively. She tried to scream, but he forced his mouth onto hers, his tongue pushing her lips open.
She tried to fight against him, but there felt out numbered when a pair of arms encircled her upper body. His friends were joining in on the fun. She bit down hard on the tongue that had invaded her mouth and jerked her mouth away, spitting his blood out. He growled at the injury and slapped her hard across the face. "You little bitch," he said.
Before she knew what was happening, the man yelled. Hisana blinked, staring at where the man had once been. She squeaked when the brigand behind her was suddenly gone as well. They were at the end of the alleyway, lying as a mass of tangled limbs. What the…She did not have time to analyze. All Hisana knew was that someone had given her mercy and come to her defense. It was such a rarity that she was taken aback. She could only watch as a dark haired man flung her third assailant onto the pile. She blinked. It was not out of fear, but surprise.
He was a ginormous man. His dark hair hung down low, fanning out over his broad shoulders. He must have been at least twice her width and was so tall that she had to cran her neck up al the way in order to look at his face. A ferocious smile flitted across his face; he meant it to be friendly, but it served to terrify her more. It looked like he was going to eat her. Her dull blue gaze flitted to them on the ground. Her mouth dropped in horror. She hadn't noticed it at first, but they were all covered in blood. Their own blood. The large gashes were visible all over their bodies. He had killed them.
She squealed in fear.
"Don't worry, girl," he said in a gruff voice. It was hard from battle, and from the tough life. "I ain't gonna hurt cha,"
He turned on his heel to walk away. She saw the scars that littered his body. He too knew what it was like to fight to survive in the harsh world. Fate had abandoned him as well.
"Thank you," she called. That seemed to surprise him, but Hisana did not know why. It was all she could do to not offer herself to him. She knew that that was probably the only way she could properly thank him, but she was too vain to voice the thought. She had to thank him, however. He had saved her life, something few were prone to do, and she was eternally indebted to him.
"Eh," he shrugged his large shoulders. "Don't be. I was just lookin' for a good fight is all." He kicked one man's corpse. It was Nomui. "Not that I got one,"
"What is your name?" she asked him as he reached the edge of the alley.
"Kenpachi Zaraki," he said.
He did not look back.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Hisana joined Kaeko's merriment, but her own mood soured. Kaeko was right. Life wasn't fair. Every day that Hisana was alive was proof of that. Hisana was alive while her sister was out there, most likely dead, because Hisana abandoned her.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Hisana had sat in that alley for an interminable amount of time. She was stunned from everything that had happened. Her body shook from the left over fear and adrenaline. Three dead bodies stared at her from their misery, accusing her with their dilated eyes. They blamed her for their deaths. If she had just lay there like a good little girl and taken it, they would still be alive. They did not want to kill her, and they would not have. But she indirectly killed them. They would have let both her and Rukia live--RUKIA.
Hisana shrieked as she leapt to her feet. Her infant sister! She had left her there to rot! Running as if death himself snapped at her heels, she vaulted over the corpses, the trash, and the urchins. She did not have far to go. Hisana burst into the clearing. Her baby sister was lying in the mud. The babe squirmed as she wailed. Hisana picked her up with shaky hands. Rukia was ice cold to the touch.
The girl started to cry as she held the baby to her chest. Opaque tears fell from her eyes as sobs wracked her body. She failed her sister for the last time.
"I'm sorry, Rukia," she whispered as she lay the swaddling babe on a doorstep. "I can't take care of you any more. I just can't. I can't protect you. I can't protect me. I'm sorry,"
With that last sob, Hisana turned on her heel, and ran as fast as she could away from what she knew would be the biggest mistake of her life. On Rukia's stomach lay twelve golden coins…the money the bathhouse gave her in return for a seven year tenure.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
"Go back to scrubbing so we can maybe get done in time for super," Kaeko ordered with a cheshire grin. Hisana obeyed, but not without a glare.
Business was always booming at the bathhouse. Kaeko had heard a rumor that the Madame's was the only one left in the entire world. It certainly seemed that way. Scribe complained all the time about the horrors of book keeping. Hisana was never trained in numbers or advanced words, so she did not know. But at six o'clock sharp, she heard the great brass bell at the front of the house ring. Eiki and Thalia pulled open the wall sized doors to allow the guests to enter into the front hall unhindered.
Hisana leaned over the ornate windowsill to see how busy they would be tonight. One side of the bathhouse faced the Rukongai. It was a constant struggle to keep the dark mahogany building face clean from the filth of civilization. The other side faced empty nothingness. Hisana had not known that the land kept going on. She never dreamt it possible for civilization to end and the world not. She now saw it every day, the vast edge of blank space. It terrified her. The only thing that separated society from the nothingness was a thin river that trickled. It had no name, and no one knew where it began or where it went. It was just there. But every night, spirits came for Hisana to care for. Many came from the city--but even more came from down river. Hisana always wanted to know what lay just beyond the horizon. She knew she would never know.
No matter how many times a guest may visit, they were always amazed by the myriad of colorful lights that were strung over the veranda, the exquisite dress of the other guests, the music played with nimble fingers, the merry atmosphere. It was as if every night was a festival, and the guests lived in a moment of abandonment that was scarce at their homes. It was a marvelous sight. Hisana doubted that she would ever tire of it. Jaunt and Jolly pranced about, playing their flute and violin gaily as carriage after carriage rolled into the gates. Valets helped the silken clad forms out of the ostentatiously adorned black carriages before the drivers took the vehicles around back to be stabled for the night. Servants flew right and left, carrying bags and food. Hisana was pulled away from the frivolity by Kaeko.
"Come on, kid. We've got work to do."
"I know, I know," Hisana waved her away. "Bathe the rich people who are too lazy to do it themselves,"
"It's not that bad, you know," Kaeko said as she lifted the towels out of the bureau. They were large, and fluffy, soft to the touch. Every time she wrapped in one, it felt like Heaven. She did not have the luxury often, however. Work was much too strenuous for that. Hisana plugged the large tub, and pulled the lever. It began to fill with finger burning hot water. It literally melted the stress and bodily damage away. Some people called it miracle water, and every one who worked there knew it was. "Most of the clients are very nice, respectful, and they give great tips. We only have a few who are grabby."
"It's those few who stand out, though," Hisana answered. She tossed a handful of soothing bath salts into the tub. They relaxed the skin and made soothed the muscles. They also helped to scrape of the dead layer of skin, making it smooth and soft: perfect skin for any noble.
Kaeko laughed. "That is true enough,"
Hisana glanced at her friend. As she pursed her lips, she commented. "You are always laughing."
"I believe that life should be happy."
"It's hard to take you seriously if all you do is laugh," she said.
"You have to learn to laugh even when times are tough, Hisana," Kaeko said. She did not laugh, but her eyes were. They laughed loudly at Hisana. "Laughter makes you live longer, and it is good for the soul. In times like these, we need all the joy we can get. You can't stop living just because life isn't good. If you don't face the bad times, then you can't appreciate the good ones."
Hisana scowled darkly. "I wouldn't know the good ones," she muttered.
"You just haven't experienced them yet," Kaeko comforted her. "I promise, your life will get better. Before you know it, you'll wake up with a rich husband and beautiful children who love you. You'll finally have that sister of your back, and your life will be perfect. I promise."
Kaeko's friend snorted. "I'll believe that when I see it."
"You'll see it one day, Hisana. I promise that you will."
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
That day did not come for a long time, Rukia. Many, many years. But you already know that. You are more interested in your sister's origins. I do not blame you at all. She and your brother had a long road to travel before they found their happily ever after.
BAM! Suddenly, something that sounded like a crash sounded on the first floor. She sat bolt upright with a start, her heart beating madly. Her hair was swirling around her face in tangled waves. Irritably, she began combing it with trembling fingers. She looked around. It was pitch black, well after midnight. They had had a particularly late night, and all Hisana had wanted to do was sleep. It figured that that would not be happening. Her luck really was horrible.
BAM! There was the noise again, this time much, much closer. "What the hell?" Hisana gasped.
Kaeko scrambled up off the floor. "I have no idea," she said as she ran a hand through her caramel locks. BAM! Eyes wide open, Kaeko jumped up off her pallet. "No!" she cried.
"What?' Hisana scrambled to her feat. "What's wrong?' she cried.
Kaeko grabbed Hisana's arm. With all of her might, she shoved Hisna into the shadowed corner of the wall. It was right behind the small chest that housed their uniforms. Kaeko pushed Hisana far up against it, and got down in the shadows beside her. "Hush!" she demanded. "Be quiet, Hisana. It's just a raid."
"A raid?" Hisana echoed.
"Hai, a raid. They happen every once in a while. It's a bunch of people from the highest districts. They pillage everything that makes money. We have to be careful: they rape, rob, pillage and plunder like the best of them. It only takes a few minutes but when they're gone, it's like an earthquake hit."
Just then, someone shrieked, a terrible wail that rose all the way up to the third floor, making the hair on the back of Hisana's neck stand up. More screams soon followed, accompanied by the sound of heavy footsteps on the floor. She closed her eyes and listened carefully. Her eyes flew open as she heard her own door bang open. Kaeko handed her a small dagger. She motioned for Hisana to remain quiet. The small girl nodded her head slowly.
Shaking with nerves, she listened and got her knife into a ready position. She could hear her blankets being flipped over, and then a second person enter the room. "Akenu, what are you doing there?" asked a gruff male voice.
"There's someone in here, methinks," a second male voice answered. "Here, feel this, the sheets is still hot."
There was a sound like dry leaves crackling under someone's foot. She guessed that one, or both, of the men were laughing. "This looks like a girlie's room, that's for sure," one of the men said, she couldn't tell who.
"Yeah," the other man agreed. "Oh, come out, come out, my pretty, we know you're hiding here!" he said a touch louder than his regular speaking voice. "Come out for poor Akenu and Silva, we only want to have a look at you."
One of the men laughed. "Now, be honest, Akenu," the man called Silva cried. "You're being naughty and lying to the poor little girlie. Come out, come out, sweetheart, you can't hide forever!"
Hisana's heart beat faster and faster as she heard the painfully slow footsteps of one of the men. They only thought that there was one of them. Slowly, a gruff appearing man appeared to her right. She turned around to face him. He was a short, stocky man, with a straggly dark brown and dirt smearing his pale face. All of his features were course, as were the rough animal skin clothing that he wore. His eyes were predatory. "There you are, my sweet," he said, walking towards them.
She was not sure which one it was, but it did not matter. He grabbed Kaeko by the wrist. Hisana's friend and mentor, jerking her out of her hiding place. "Here we go, Akenu." He pulled her into the dull moonlight. "Ain't she a beaut?"
He turned to the corner on a whim. His gross face contorted into a misshapen delight. "Well, well, well…Akenu," Silva leered at her. "This is our lucky night. She's got a friend,"
"Really?" Akenu walked over to the corner. "I think you're right, Silva. And she's just as cute,"
Kaeko didn't give him the chance to step towards her friend. She whirled her own dagger around and hit on the opposite side of the head, hoping to knock him out. He groaned and fell to the floor. She didn't know if that had done the trick, but she wasn't about to wait and find out. Following her lead, Hisana thrust her knife into Silva's stomach, thusly freeing Kaeko. He let out a bellow as he clutched his midsection. Hisana screamed as blood flew everywhere. It splattered all over her tan sleepwear and her face as it gushed out of his stomach.
Silva lunged for Hisana. "No!"
Kaeko, the woman who screamed, grabbed his wrist. She jerked it back. The two women winced as they heard it snap. Silva howled in pain. "You bitch!" he screamed.
Akenu slammed Kaeko against the wall. Hisana winced for her friend. Kaeko's coral lips formed a large 'O' as she slumped down, unconscious. Now it was up to her to defend the two of them from the brigands. She was ready to fight them with all of her strength. With a feral war cry, Hisana raised her own suddenly very tiny knife. Akenu--obviously the more proficient fighter--grabbed Hisana by the neck, and began to choke her. The knife clattered on the floor when she clawed at his arm, trying to free herself. She tried to scream, but no sound came out. "I ain't gonna kill you, precious. I need yer help carrin' Silva back ta camp."
He released her and immediately, she heaved for air. "Bastard!" she hissed, clutching her swollen throat.
He gave her a toothy grin. "It's my mum's fault. Now," he ripped Kaeko's outer robe of her. Hisana grabbed for the robe in protest, but Akenu shoved her back. While she stumbled back, he pushed it on his friend's weeping gut. "Help me carry this oaf back'ta camp."
She nodded numbly. Shaky fingers managed to press against the outer robe. Her fingers were quickly covered with her attacker's blood. She felt queazy, but there was nothing she could do to stop it. So, Hisana shut up and did what she was told. Hopefully, they would let her go. She would not be victimized again.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
"Kaeko!" someone called.
A hand was slapping at her face. Something was shaking her shoulders. "Kaeko!" There was an urgency in his voice. Her face was suddenly pressed in something warm but hard, and a frantic hand was caressing her face. "Kaeko!"
"Ugh…mwuagh?" she groaned out. Kaeko slowly blinked her light brown eyes. Her vision swam, and her body felt like jelly. The entire room seemed to be spinning. The light hurt her eyes. She just wanted to go back to sleep. Whoever was holding her tightly had woken her up from the best sleep of her life.
"Kaeko!" the voice cried in relief. She was pulled even tighter to the hard chest. "My Kaeko!"
"Nuwh?" she groaned again. Pushing away, she slowly sat up. Rubbing her eyes, Kaeko blinked, trying to figure out what was going on. The lamp was lit, and it burned bright in the night. It was night, she realized. They should be sleeping. Dawn would come fast, and she and Hisana needed their rest so that they could work. Work hard, make money, get the hell out of the slums. Work. Kaeko's eyes widened in alarm. Hisana! She jumped to her feet. "The raid!" she cried. "Where's Hisana? Where's my baby?" she cried.
On the floor, kneeled Takari, Kaeko's clandestine lover. Friends that had progressively turned into love, he looked at her with love and fear. "Are you okay?" he stood up. Cupping her lovely face, he studied her carefully, searching for any sign of injury. He immediately saw the bruising on her face and the scratches along her neck. He frowned.
"Yes, yes," she swatted his hands away. "I'm fine. Where is Hisana?" Kaeko demanded. Her eyes flitted around the room, analyzing the damage, searching for her adoptive sister. "Where's my girl?"
Bunko, a small, timid boy looked between the two of them. His twin sister, Haruhi, took his hand. It was amusing how much larger she was than him. She was the protector of the two, the stronger one. "She's gone," Haruhi said plainly. She was never one to sugar up things, or spare someone's feelings. "They took her last night,"
Kaeko's mouth dropped open. Her weak knees shook and gave away. As she collapsed on the floor, she felt her man's strong arms wrap around her. "No," she shook her head. Denial coursed through her veins. Her body shook. It was impossible. They could not have taken Hisana. Not her precious little girl. People taken in raids rarely came back. They suffered horrendous fates, gut wrenching tortures, and unspeakable disasters. Those few who luckily survived were often sold into slavery. That could not happen. Not to her precious Hisana. The little girl had suffered so much already--adding this to her burden was an abhorring crime.
"No!" she screamed. Large tears rolled down her cheeks. "NO!"
"Sshh," Takari patted her head. He held her close and let her cry. She needed to let it out. "Let it out, let it out," he comfortingly whispered.
Kaeko jerked out of her lover's grasp. "We have to go get her," she announced.
"What?" her practical man blinked in surprise. This was not what he expected from his distraught girlfriend.
"Be reasonable, Kaeko," Haruhi said. "You can't storm the castle and rescue the damsel. There are too many of them, and you are too weak."
Beat red, Kaeko turned on her heel. Shoulders indignantly squared, she marched out of the room. "Now, Takari!" she bellowed.
The surprised bath attendant scrambled to his feet and followed his beautiful and feisty lover.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
She had never been in this situation before, and she had no idea what to do. Hisana was back at the raider's base camp. Twenty or so men loomed over her, watching with their hawk-like eyes as she ministered to one of their own. Hisana herself had never done anything remotely medical in her life, and was unsure how to proceed.
"I'm sorry," she said, turning to their leader, Jun. He was a tall, barrel like man, with large, burly arms and a horse-like face. His body was littered with scars, tattooing his position as leader. At his hips hung katanas so large that Hisana was not sure that they were actual katanas. His dark eyes bore down at her, ripping holes through her soul. "I cannot heal him," she muttered. "It is beyond my ability,"
"You are a woman," Jun gruffly replied. He took a step forward, grinning malignantly as she shrank back. He lived off the fear of others; seeing the terror on a woman's face made his blood boil. Hands gripping his double-edged swords, he cracked his neck. "Healing," he spat out, "Is as natural to you as spreading your legs,"
Hisana wrinkled her nose in disgust. Though he was the head of the renegade marauders, he did not seem to have the manners that normally accompanied his station. Spittle was caked on the cracks in his lips, so it looked like he foamed at the mouth like the rabid dog he was. Lovely.
"Having breasts does not mean that I come prepackaged with magical healing capabilities. The only thing I know to do is clean it and sew it up, something any moron could do," she shot back. Really, it was probably not the best time for that particular comment, but they did say that hindsight was twenty-twenty. Besides, she was a little too pissed off at the moment to care. How dare they kidnap her and expect her to play nurse? Just because she was the one who stabbed him--something Akenu made sure they all were well aware of--did not mean she knew how to undo the damage.
Jun raised his caterpillar like eyebrows. He did not seem to like Hisana's tone. Not hat she blamed him. Men like that always loved to see fear, not to have their authority usurped. When anyone, especially a woman--who he seemed to think inferior, spoke to him like that, Jun only had one response: beat them with his fists until they were a pile of pulp sniveling on the ground. Jun popped his knuckles. That seemed like the perfect solution to this problem.
Hisana saw it coming. It was a look she had seen numerous times. This was nothing new. The beatings, the derision: it was all part of life at the bathhouse. Bullies lived solely to torment those they deemed weaker. The fear, the screams, and the pain of their victims was like ambrosia to them. It was better than anything else in the world, and they were all desperate to get back to the high. She first met Takari when he saved her from Chou. The beautiful woman and one of the five resident geisha at the bathhouse enjoyed tormenting all of the bath attendants, especially those too weak to defend themselves. Hisana had seen the look on Jun's hideous mug on Chou's many times. It was relish. He was going to enjoy every second of Hisana's fear.
Well, she thought with a smug look, she'd best him there. If fear was what he wanted, she would make sure that he sure as hell wouldn't get it. He wanted to control the situation, and if he could control her fear, then he was golden. He wanted her fear, but he could not have it. Schooling her features, Hisana watched his with her wide blue eyes, never budging once as his beefy legs brought him closer. Her hands fisted in the fold of her hakamas. This was going to hurt.
Jun's large fist swung down like a pendulum, striking her with the force of a train. His large hand should have been synonymous with small boulder, because that was what it felt like. She went reeling back, hitting the top of her shoulders to the cold ground. Her entire body was arched as her head reeled. She literally saw stars, an expression that she thought was over exaggerating. The bone on his wristband had scratched her high cheek; she touched the abused area as she struggled to sit up. Though she could taste blood in her mouth, she glared at him through the tendrils of hair stuck to her sweaty face. She refused to show any sign of terror or weakness. If he saw her fear, he would beat her even harder, and she wanted to walk away as unscathed from this as possible.
Jun glared down at her. She was making him look like a wuss in front of his men. That was not allowed. Tightening his fist, he drew his arm back for the punch. It was always much more effective than slapping a bitch. Women. They all needed to be taught their place: on their knees. All around him, his men were jeering him on. They too, had to be taught their place. Once more, Jun's trustworthy fists had come to the rescue.
A firm grip caught his wrist midway. Jun turned his ugly eyes to look at the devilishly handsome face of another man. His cold gray eyes pierced Jun's flesh as his hand broke Jun's wrist. "I think that you should stop," he said in an icy voice.
Hisana blinked. She had no idea who this man coming to her aid was. No one ever helped someone else in the Rukongai. It was preposterous to do so; survival screamed to only do things that were beneficial to you and you alone. Helping a random stranger out was not self-preserving.
Jun jerked his wrist out of the man's grasp. Whoever it was was a shinigami. He donned the official black uniform. A lieutenants badge was secured to his upper arm. This guy was strong, and he was serious. Jun gave him a poisonous grin. It did him no good, however. No matter how well he had been trained, he was just a pretty boy. Pretty boys never beat his gang, not while he was in charge.
"I don't think it's yer business, pretty boy," he spat out. Literally. The man blinked before wiping the spittle away with repulsion.
"Protecting innocent people is," he stated. "I do believe that she," he cast a look at the bleeding Hisana, "Falls into the category."
Hisana glared at him. She did not need some obstinate, self-adoring shinigami to come in and save her. She was tough, and she could most certainly take care of herself. In fact, she was just about to beat the living daylights out Jun, thank you very much. The stupid-ass, male shinigami swooped in to save the day and ruined her chance to get even. Typical men.
"She ain't yer concern," Jun cracked his knuckles menacing. Hisana rolled her eyes. Great. The old standby; when being a real man didn't work out, he just fell back to being an asinine bully. "She belongs ta us,"
The shinigami scanned Hisana from head to toe. "I see no indication that you are telling the truth. There is no wedding band nor loyalty to you in her face," he said indifferently. His eyes were dark and calculating. He sized up the twenty men present, wondering how difficult it would be for him to defeat them all. They were lowlife ruffians in his mind, not fit to walk the ground he stepped on. Trash was the correct term. That's what they all were to him, Hisana glared. Trash. He thought that they were mindless scum, unfit to breathe the same air as him. If he thought so poorly of them, then why had he felt the need to step in? Logically, he would have let them kill her and have one less piece of trash dirtying up the streets.
Jun and all of his men chuckled. "I didn't mean it like tha', kid. Yeh obviously don't get out much,"
The shinigami's eyes narrowed. "Slavery was outlawed long ago," he whispered.
Jun shrugged. "Meybe it was behind those fancy walls of yers. But, here, in the real world, pretty boy, it's still real. She's ours, and there ain't nothing you can ta stop it. So, just skip on off." He brushed his hand in the air for effect.
"I am afraid that I cannot do that," the shingami replied stiffly.
Jun drew one of his bulky katanas. "I wasn't askin',"
The shinigami raised an eyebrow out of amusement. He seemed to find the situation more humorous than serious. "I do not care. I shall take the woman and we will leave."
"She ain't goin' nowhere," Jun snarled. As if on cue, his band of brigands sprung forward. They all were poised and ready to attack, as deadly as a coiled garden snake. Yet, still, they drew their weapons faithfully like the pitiful snake baring its miniscule fangs. The shinigami surveyed them all with mild disdain. They were no match for his superior capabilities, and it was painfully obvious to them all. Yet he gave them the courtesy of acknowledgement by the nod of his head.
The shinigami's eyes narrowed. Without warning, he vanished. Reappearing a second later, he was already sheathing his glowing katana when Jun doubled over in pain. His small eyes had grown wide from pain as he clutched at his midsection. It took Hisana a moment to realize that the shinigami had cut the marauder in two. She grunted, unaffected by the death. Again with the killing. It seemed like every time she got herself into trouble, some idiotic man had to come rescue her and he ended always killing people in the process. Maybe one day, they would realize that words could solve some problems.
Who was she kidding? They were men, for goodness sake. Their testosterone laden bodies could only handle so many words. There was no way that they would ever forsake violence for civilized conversation. It was against their nature. That was one of the many reasons why Hisana hated men. Not only were they stubborn and pugnacious, but they were rarely open to change. Living in Inuzuri taught her to be wary of men, and every encounter she had with them only entrenched her dislike of the masculine sex.
The men roared as one as they leapt to defend their fallen commander. Maybe, they thought, once they killed the lowlife shinigami, they could get the woman to sew him back up. He would live and they could continue raping, pillaging and plundering their heart's content. Yeah. Definitely a good plan.
The shinigami made quick work of them. His beautiful sword glinted only once in the moonlight; he swung is so fast and wielded it with such poise that it was barely visible. He, too, was like a ghost, flitting in and out of reality. He made it look like a macabre dance, enchanting and temporary.
"Too slow, shinigami!" one faceless man foolishly cried. Having announced his plans loudly for the entire street to here, he rushed to ambush him, swinging a broadsword maniacally.
The shingami did not seem startled at all. He boldly sidestepped the attack, and did not turn around as the man stumbled by. He was too busy defending himself from the onslaught of four at once. Hisana watched, enraptured, at the deftness of his movement. Even she dismissed the stumbling brute too loud for his own good. He certainly did not miss Hisana.
"I'd fergotten about yeh," he grunted.
Hisana jerked away from his grasp.
"Best put you to some use," he mumbled. He stumbled towards her, greedy hands outstretched. Oh hell no. Hands behind her, she fumbled along Silva's waist. She could not see anything, so she had rely on touch. It was only a miracle that her fingers danced across a small dirk.
"Aagh!" she screamed as she thrust the dirk at him. He yelped as he jumped back.
"You bitch!" he yelled. "That's Silva's poisoned knife! Be careful where you put that!"
"Mwuh?" Silva sat up from behind her. Unlike Kaeko, he was one of the few people who came to instantly alert. He saw Hisana--the chit who stabbed him--kneeling before him. His dirk was clutched in her little hands. He did not like that at all.
"What the hell are yah doing?" he muttered. His hands encircled around her waist. He groped at her waist and tried to find the dagger. All he found was the sash keeping her robes closed.
"Aahh!" she screamed. Pivoting with her waist, she began to scream, "Bastard! Let go of me!" She began to smack him with the blunt side of his own dirk. "Lemme go! Lemme go! Bastard!"
"Hold still, yeh priss," Silva grunted. Rolling his eyes while as the petite girl fought, he took his fist and bonked her on the head. Hisana stopped, startled She looked at Silva with wide, round eyes. That was unexpected.
"Give me that," he yanked the knife from her hands. "It's mine,"
"Lemme go!" she demanded.
"Gimme the knife and then I'll let you go," he demanded.
"You first," she shot back.
"I'll end it," the shinigami coldly interrupted the argument. Hisana jerked back out of Silva's grasp to look around. Bodies surrounded them. Blood ran through the streets like a river, staining the hem of her robes. It smelled foul, like war. Everyone was dead except for her and Silva. She was not sure if that was good or if it was bad. You could never tell with shinigami.
"Not if I do it first, shinigami," he leapt up, now clutching his dagger. The shinigami was once more unaffected by the threat. Suddenly terrified for the shinigami though she had no reason to be, Hisan looked around, hoping to be of some contribution to the fight. She found Silba's katana. It had once lie beside him, but he had forgotten about it in his struggle to get his knife back. Steeling what little resolve she had, Hisana grabbed the dull sword. With a feral scream, she thrust it through his midsection.
Both warriors seized fighting. Each dropped their weapons. Hisana took her hands off of the katana's hilt so that she could back away from the scene. She had scared herself more than she helped the shinigami. Probably not the best thing she had ever done. So slowly that it looked like he barely moved, Silva turned his sweat covered head. "Fool," he let out a strangled whispered. "It was poisoned." He gasped in pain. It was a struggle for him to get the next words out. "They're all…poisoned," he hissed.
Without thinking, Hisana rushed forward and pulled it out. It slid out with a squelching noise. She grimaced. Silva collapsed to his knees, holding his hands over his freshest wound. This was the second time in a matter of hours that the woman had stabbed him. This time, it was fatal. With a gurgle, he fell over dead. What startled Hisana out of her stupor was the shinigami. He fell over seconds after Silva's death. His squinted eyes were now wide out of agonizing pain. Dull blue eyes traveling his form, she was forced to do a double take when she saw the crimson blood flowing from his gut.
She had stabbed him, too.
On accident, of course.
She barely caught him as he fell forwards, unconscious. Now what the hell was she supposed to do, Hisana thought to herself. She was sitting on a dead man, propping up a soon to be dead man. Thinking fast, Hisana set him down on the ground and ripped open his haori. Under normal circumstances, she would have admired his sculpted body. All she could think of doing was getting the blood to stop long enough to so she could get him back to the bathhouse and cure the poison. Logic said that it had to be a slow acting poison. It had to be or else if Silva accidently cut himself, he would have time to administer the antidote.
Pulling a flask off a corpse, Hisana took a manly swig to make sure that it was alcohol. Satisfied, she poured it over the semi-large wound in the man's abdomen. Even in his unconscious state, he grunted from the pain. Hisana winced out of empathy, but was undeterred. Taking his haori, she tore it into long straps. Balling one up, she pressed it firmly on the wound. She took the other straps and tied it securely around his stomach. By the time she was finished, it would take a katana to get it off.
Which reminded her…Grabbing the shinigami's katana, she put it back in its sheath. She grabbed Silva's katana as well. Maybe the ridiculously intelligent Bunko or Kaeko--who was surprisingly adept in things of this nature--could figure out what type of poison it was somehow. Hisana had no idea; this all was as foreign to her as the man laying on the ground, dying.
"Ugh…" the man groaned. He began to writhe on the road, trying to stir himself into consciousness.
Hisana dropped to her knees. She ran her hand along his face, wiping the sweat off his brow. "It's okay," she whispered. "You're safe now,"
"I wasn't…" he panted, "In any danger…" He had to pause to catch his breath. "Until you…" Another gasp. "Stabbed me."
Hisana flushed. "I am sorry about that. For now, rest. I'm taking care of you,"
"That's not…" Panting again, "Very comforting." Here he winced in pain.
"It'll have to do," Hisana admonished. In a softer tone, she continued, "I am Hisana,"
"Byakuya," the shinigami muttered before slipping into darkness again.
Hisana took a minute to stare down at the face of her charge. He was a handsome man, and though his body was well fit, it was easy to see that he was not used to physical labor. There was a stern peacefulness surrounding him, something that drew Hisana to him. There and then, Hisana vowed to heal him. She was the reason that he was in this situation. She would drag him back to the bathhouse, and nurse him back to health. She'd keep him safe from the madam, too, and the other attendants and geishas that would swoop in like vultures. They would try to seduce him. As a shinigami, he had access to the outside world, and there was nothing any woman would not stoop to if it meant getting out of hell. Well, she would not let that happen. Hisana squared her shoulders with determination. She would get him back to health in secret and then send him packing.
That way, they all could forget that this ever happened.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
A/N: Another chapter done. I know…it is long. All the chapters for this story will be fifteen pages or longer. I was going for twenty here, but thought that it wrapped up better here. If that makes sense. I appreciate all you guys who are reading it. And, if you would be so kind, please take the ten seconds it takes to review. Reviews make me happy. And we all know that happy writers write faster.
Oh, and as a warning: This story might be bumped up to 'M' for language and possible nudity. I'm not sure yet myself. Be warned. (The possible nudity would be for humor purposes, in case you were wondering. I haven't planned lemons for this. And if one's in the works, I'll let you know. It's possible that one might grow. )
