Long Way Home: A Desperate Tale of Survival
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any characters. We should know this by now.
Escape
"Alright, let's get to work!" Ichigo nodded as he drew his sword. With a quick swipe, the manacles on her hands fell and her tired arms with them.
Rukia marveled at the craftsmanship of her rescuer's blade. Incredibly long and slender, the blade extending nearly as long as she was tall! Not to mention the strange cross shaped guard and completely black blade. Also to note was the way Ichigo so expertly handled such a long and seemingly cumbersome weapon, sliding it back into the sheath on his back with ease. And the most astounding feat, it had cut through her steel manacles like they were cloth, without injuring her in the slightest.
What kind of sword was able to do that?
Ichigo reached into his kimono and pulled out a small package. "It's not much but it'll have to do for now," he said as he unwrapped it and tossed her black robe.
Rukia instantly realized that she was fully exposed to him and turned away, pulling off the remains of her old kimono. Ichigo stood up, leaving the candle next to her, and crossed to the door. He cracked it open and glanced out.
"It's clear. It's now or never." He whispered to himself before turning back.
To his surprise, Rukia was already right behind him, his hat in her hand. The black robed he provided was a bit long for her, but as long as they moved slowly it wouldn't be a problem. She was lucky her hair was black; it helped blend her into the darkness. She lifted the candle and with a smirk she said, "Now I see. The reason you have the hat is because your hair's more visible in the dark."
Ichigo scowled and snatched the hat away, tying it back over his hair. "So? That a problem?" he grumbled, taking the candle from her.
"Not at all," Rukia replied, "In fact, I'm quite impressed. You really thought all this through. If you weren't here to lead me out, I'd be worried." She suddenly narrowed her eyes, "But rest assured, if you're leading me into some kind of trap, I will make sure to snap your neck before you have the chance to—".
"Save the threats," Ichigo protested, grabbing her wrist. "If you want to live, stay close to me and do exactly as I tell you." He blew out the candle and darkness covered them. Although initially shocked, Rukia quickly accepted the situation and gripped his arm. After all, this would be their only chance. She heard the door open and a rush of air. Just as they were about to leave, she heard his voice again.
"Trust me."
"Trust is something to be earned," Rukia replied, unwilling to concede. A short huff reached her quickly afterward.
"Alright then, I'll earn it right now."
Ichigo tugged on her arm and they fled out of her cell.
"How do know where we're going?" Rukia asked, suspicious of the darkness.
Ichigo gently pulled her directly behind him, maneuvering easily without the aid of light. "I memorized the castle's layout." He tapped the wall lightly. "And I'm using the wall as a guide just to be safe. I left notches in the wall to help lead us back."
"And what about sentries? Surely they won't leave an entire wing of the castle unguarded," Rukia speculated as he pulled her around a corner into what she believed was a long hallway. She heard him give a light huff of annoyance.
"I may be able to feel my through this place, but I doubt that any of Tsukishima's men could without light." He explained, "If there were sentries, we'd see them coming a mile away. And since we're blending in, we'd have time to find a place to conceal ourselves long before they reached us."
Rukia couldn't help but be astonished by his resourcefulness. They moved quickly and he never stumbled in his directions. The darkness was piercing but it felt as though they swam through it without any resistance or hesitation. Looking around, she noticed that there was no light coming from any direction at all. The dark was all that greeted her senses.
"Not even a hint of light," she mused, not sure if he heard her whisper.
"It was designed that way," Ichigo replied, confirming he was listening. "This section of the dungeon is structured like a maze. Dead ends, traps, endless darkness. This is where only the most unfortunate of prisoners are kept."
They turned another corner as he continued, "The only way through is to have some form of light because the exit to the maze is actually hidden behind a wall. And if you can't see the marking to indicate which wall it is, you'll wander around until you eventually die." He began to slow his pace. "Most of the guards don't patrol down here because it's a natural defense. Enough to drive the sanest man mad."
Rukia shuddered, wondering how many unfortunate souls had tried to escape this death trap, only to be caught or killed or died of starvation. Being submerged in the endless black brought about a realization for her. Ichigo had traversed this sea of darkness to find her. Not only that, he had somehow managed to find her cell, among all the others in the place. Against all the odds, he risked his life and his sanity, just to find her and bring her back to freedom.
It was true that he was motivated to help her as a way of assisting himself, but in the end that wasn't really the point. Even if he was a criminal, marked by her clan. Ichigo came to this hell to save her – nothing would change that.
"We're almost at the main castle," Ichigo reported, coming to a stop with her nearly bumped into him. "Give me a second."
He released her arm and Rukia suddenly felt something she barely recognized – fear. Without him guiding her, the darkness felt as if it was going to consume her very being. Although she detested feeling this weak, Rukia could not stop her body from trembling in the cold blackness. If there was a hell on earth, she had been confined to it for nearly an entire evening.
Suddenly, a burst of light as Ichigo lit a candle. Rukia had never been more relieved to see light. Her eyes squinted, pained from the abrupt light stinging her eyes. As her eyes adjusted, she saw Ichigo patting the wall, looking for something.
"This is the exit?" Rukia asked.
"Yeah, but I have to find the right stone."
Ichigo set the candle down and searched with both hands, pressing any point he thought would move. After watching for a bit, Rukia joined in feeling around for anything unnatural. Her fingers glided over something smooth and she pressed it in a bit.
"Is this it?"
Ichigo turned to her and rubbed the spot she indicated. Under his hat, Rukia saw a grin form on his usually scowling face. He pressed it inward and suddenly, the wall gave way and swung open slightly. A rush of air hit them and Rukia sighed happily at breathing the fresh air. Even more pleasing was the sight of dim light cracking through the exit. Small torches lit a staircase leading upward, hopefully to freedom.
Ichigo gave an amused huff and said, "You've got good instincts."
"I try," Rukia said with a smirk.
Blowing out the candle, the pair slowly began to ascend the stairway. Ichigo was surprised that Rukia could keep pace with him, considering her condition. However, when he turned back to see how she fared, a pair of strong violet eyes met his, questioning him even. He turned back and shrugged before a grin overtook his features. There was a reason this woman hadn't lost her mind down there, it was her pure strength of will. No wonder Tsukishima wanted her taken alive, he reveled in breaking that kind of will. And Ichigo just loved disappointing that man.
As they reached the top, voices echoed in the distance.
"What's the point in patrol that hell hole? It's a death trap. No way the Kuchiki girl's gonna find a way out even if she did manage to escape."
"True, but as long as we stay near the entrance, no one will know we didn't actually patrol."
Ichigo and Rukia halted, turning in the direction of the guards. A dim light from around the corner signaled their approach and Rukia prepared to surprise them when Ichigo grabbed her and pulled her into a dark corner. He pushed her against the wall, covering her body with his own. She could feel the heat from his skin as he wrapped his arms around her and pressed their bodies together, flattening against the wall.
"W-What are you—?!" she frantically whispered, her heart beat quickening.
"Don't move! Trust me!" he insisted, tipping his hat back to hide his neck.
Rukia squirmed and tried to get free but Ichigo held her tight. Just then, the guards rounded the corner and their candle illuminated the hall. The warrior woman's eyes widened she watched through the sides of Ichigo's robes as the guards closed in on them. The guard's light soon illuminated the back of Ichigo's robes and she gritted her teeth in frustration. Just when she thought they were going to reach them, the guards turned and descended the stairs down to the dark maze.
Utterly surprised, Rukia barely noticed that Ichigo had moved back and sighed in relief. "Close one," he muttered.
Rukia quickly regained her wits. "How could they miss us? We were in plain sight," she said, glancing at the stairway entrance.
"Like this."
She turned to see that Ichigo had disappeared. Panic quickly set in and her eyes bulged as frantically searched for him. Then, a shadowy figure moved away from the wall. It took a moment for her to realize that it was actually Ichigo, his hat turned down to hide his bright hair. Lifting the hat for her to recognize him, he pulled his robes toward the torch on the wall.
"Do you see now?" he asked, having her inspect the cloth carefully.
"There's no reflection," Rukia realized, astonished.
Ichigo nodded, "Yeah. I don't know exactly how it works, but my robe is made out of material that hardly reflects any light. So when I press against a dark surface," he flattened himself against the wall again, nearly disappearing right before her eyes. "It becomes nearly impossible to distinguish me from the wall."
"That's how you made it in here without being discovered. I have to say, I'm impressed." Rukia admitted.
"Do you trust me yet?" he questioned, a bit offended. She figured her earlier comment had struck a nerve but this was almost childish.
Rukia raised an eyebrow and replied, "After we've gotten out of the castle town, then I'll be more inclined to trust you." Ichigo looked as if he wanted to say something but she cut him off. "You're a wanted criminal. You shouldn't be so surprised."
Ichigo scowled and sighed, exasperated. "You're right. I shouldn't be." He gripped her arm and looked into her eyes. "But at the very least, believe that I'm going to get you out of here. It's all I'm asking right now."
Rukia thought back to the endless darkness he'd trudged through and sighed deeply. "What choice do I have?" she groaned as she grasped his arm, ready for him to lead her. Ichigo nodded firmly and turned around, his hand roaming the wall as they proceeded onward.
After ascending another set stairs, the pair came to a long hallway. However, this one was well lit and Ichigo's special robes wouldn't be able to hide them if they were discovered. He released her arm and motioned for her to follow, since they could see the path clearly now. Wordlessly, Rukia allowed her guide to lead her onward. Halfway through the hall, Ichigo stopped and crouched against the lower wall.
"What are you—?" Rukia began to ask before he held up his hand to silence her.
She watched as he lightly tapped different sections of the wall. Soon Ichigo found what he sought, the sound of hollow wood. With a smirk, he ran his fingers over bottom edge and grasped something. Pulling upward, he grunted while trying to uncover the panel.
Narrowing his eyes, Ichigo quickly drew his sword and used it as a wedge to leaver the panel open. Underneath it, Rukia saw a long tunnel that led into more darkness. However, fresh air from the outside reached her nose and she knew that freedom was close. Ichigo sheathed his blade and stood up, gesturing to the tunnel.
"You go first. It's the straight path."
"Why did you build the tunnels in the first place?" Rukia questioned, suspicious of the dark tunnel.
"An associate of mine helped dig these tunnels. He's been using them to gather information on Tsukishima's activities," Ichigo informed her, "I've only used them a few times myself but its not difficult. Also, it gets wider the further it goes so don't worry about getting cramped."
Rukia nodded and crouched down but suddenly stopped. She shot her gaze to Ichigo's sword and realization washed over her.
"I can't go yet."
Ichigo raised an eyebrow. "Why not?" he asked suspiciously, "We don't have time to mess around. If we get caught in this hall, we'll never make it out. I can't fight off the entire castle just to get you out!"
"My sword," she insisted, standing upright. "I need to get my sword back."
"Are you insane?! It's a sword. You can buy another one, you've got plenty of money."
Rukia sighed, exasperated. "I don't exactly have my funds on me. And besides, it's a special sword. One of a kind."
Ichigo tipped his hat down, controlling his frustration. "If its custom crafted, you can have someone forge another one once we get out of—,"
"It's one of the renowned blacksmith Muramasa's weapons, one of five that he made before his death." Rukia finally revealed, "I'm not leaving without it."
Ichigo groaned and replied, "Then it's regrettable but I'm not risking my life for it. I understand that it's rare. Trust me, I do. But we don't have the time to—".
Rukia suddenly grabbed his collar and pulled him down to her. Shaking him, she said "It's a memento of my late sister. I refuse to leave it behind." She pushed him aside and moved onward. "Go ahead and leave if you want. Now that I know where the exit is, I'll get my sword and follow after you later."
Before she got even a few steps, Ichigo suddenly grabbed her with both arms and pulled her back. Locking her arms behind her back, he dragged the struggling woman back to the tunnel and shoved her inside. Securing his hat behind his head, he then slid inside next to her before quickly replacing the wooden panel from the inside of the tunnel. Rukia grit her teeth and was about to protest when he slapped his hand over her mouth and held her down.
"Quiet!" he whispered harshly.
His tone convinced her to comply, glancing out the small opening in the side of the panel. Footsteps sounded and a pair of guards walked by, their voices muffled. Rukia's eyes widened, realizing the guards had come from the direction she was about to head in a moment ago. She glanced to Ichigo, who sternly waited for the footsteps to fade. Rukia sighed as he took his hand away and finally exhaled his breath.
"Do you get it now?" Ichigo said, glaring at her, "There are sentries posted all over the castle. Not to mention I only have the lower levels memorized. Going after your sword is way too risky."
Rukia knew he was right, she knew that they needed to get out quickly and this was their chance. However, none of that mattered to her. "I know that, but I can't leave it behind." She returned his gaze and narrowed her eyes. "My sister gave it to me on her deathbed. I promised to keep it safe for her. I refuse to break that promise."
She crawled toward the panel and reached for it but Ichigo pulled her back by the arm. Rukia jerked her arm free and snapped, "This doesn't concern you! I'll handle this myself!"
"Have you forgotten that you're my 'passport' to get back home?! I didn't risk everything just to have you run off aimlessly and get yourself captured again!"
"I never asked you to do anything for me."
"But you gave me your word. Are you going to break you word?!"
At that, Rukia clenched her fist and punched him in the jaw. Groaning, Ichigo clutched his face and glared at her furiously.
She stared back at him with fiery determination and said, "Don't you dare accuse me of doing something so dishonorable. I have never broken my word and I won't start now. I'm going to get my sword back, return here, and then we can make our escape. Perhaps you should trust me more."
Ichigo's gaze never faltered, listening to her declaration. "You're insane, you know that?" he said, finally lowering his hand.
"No, just confident. And if you're so worried about your 'passport' getting captured, maybe you should concentrate more on how find my sword so that I feel more inclined to keep my word." Rukia answered, moving back toward the panel. Again Ichigo grabbed and stopped her. She prepared to kick him to release her when she saw him pointing further down the tunnel.
"There's another tunnel that leads to the other side of the castle. It'll at least put us closer to wherever your sword is."
Shocked, Rukia turned around and asked, "How do I know you're not just trying to fool me into leaving without my sword?"
Ichigo grit his teeth and seethed, "The faster we get your damn sword, the sooner we can get out of here. Besides," he released her and scowled, "I promised to get you out of here and I never go back on my word either."
He shifted and was about to start leading the way when he cocked his head back toward her and said, "And another thing. I may have saved you for selfish reasons but the least you could have done was thanked me."
He turned and began crawling down the tunnel, leaving Rukia stunned. She shook her head and slowly began following him. As she watched him carefully navigate them through the tunnels, she lowered her head and sighed deeply.
"Perhaps, I'm the one who needs to learn to trust."
Rukia trailed behind Ichigo silently as he led her to another wooden panel. He shifted and placed both feet against the wood before pushing lightly. Giving way, the panel was now able to be easily removed and replace. Ichigo glanced out and welcomed the darkness that lay on the other side. He pushed the panel aside and peered out, looking around.
"Do you see the armory?" Rukia asked.
"No," he answered swiftly, "That's on the other side of the castle."
"Then what the hell are we doing here?" she demanded, clenching her fists.
"Do you really think someone like Tsukishima would keep one of Muramasa's legendary swords in the armory?" He replied, placing his hat back on his head. "No, he'll keep it in his treasury. Hopefully he's not keeping it on his person. That would complicate things, even more than you already have."
Rukia scoffed, "Well then, if he does have it with him, we'll just have to liberate it from him personally."
Ichigo sighed, "It better not come to that. I've got enough to worry about with a demanding 'passport' like you," he quipped as he slowly began to pull himself out of the tunnel.
He flattened against the wall to hide himself before scanning the area. Not a flicker of candle light until the end of the long hall. He figured it should be safe enough. He knelt down and extended his hand into the tunnel for Rukia. She huffed and pushed past his hand.
"I'm capable of taking care of myself, you'd best remember that." She insisted as she began scanning the area herself.
Ichigo scoffed but said nothing. He tried to remember the layout of this area, even if the tunnel was newly dug. More than that, it bothered him that such a usually well guarded area was seemingly vacant. Walking to the end of the hall, he peered around the corner and saw a set of double doors complete with a candle on each side. More importantly, the doors had Tsukishima's crest on them. He tapped the wall to get Rukia's attention and signaled her over. She crept along the wall and he moved to allow her to see.
"We're in luck. It looks like they're not guarding the treasury," she surmised, relieved.
"Yeah, but it's strange. Why leave it unguarded?" His eyes suddenly widened. "Shit! They probably found you were missing! It's nearly dawn and Tsukishima probably sent someone to check on you!"
Rukia's gaze shot up to him. "Then we need to hurry!" She leapt out and ran to the doors. Ichigo grunted in frustration at her but quickly followed, keeping an eye out. The warrior woman pulled at the handles but the doors refused to budge. Her eyes landed on the thick padlock below her and she cursed under her breath.
Suddenly, a flash of black whirled and the lock fell to the floor, split in two. Rukia looked up to see Ichigo sheath his blade and nod to her. She did the same before pulling the doors open and rushing inside. It was pitch black and just as she turned to fetch one of the candles, Ichigo handed her one and kept the other for himself.
"I'll check the left side, you go for the right." Ichigo suggest, already moving to that side.
"But you don't know what you're looking for," she protested, which he ignored for a moment.
"White blade and sheath, a long ribbon the length of the blade attached to the hilt. I got it!"
Rukia's eyes narrowed as she asked, "And how do you know that?"
"Aren't we in a hurry?!" Ichigo snapped, sifting through the treasury frantically. He quietly pushed boxes around and searched behind corner and in barrels, occasionally slipping pieces of gold and other trinkets into his pockets. "I'll tell you all about how it after we find the damn thing and get the hell out of here! So hurry up!"
No matter how much she wanted to question his knowledge of her and her sword, Rukia knew it was best to follow his advice. Time was short and she rushed to the other side of the room, searching desperately. After a few moments of looking, she realized just how tired she had become. The poison in her body hadn't completely dispersed and she was losing energy fast. Learning on a box, she took deep breaths to regain her composure before glancing up.
Her violet eyes widened as she saw her beloved sword, Sode-No-Shirayuki, sitting on a pedestal on the wall. A bright smile lit up her face as she climbed on top of the box to reach her sword. Gently taking it down, Rukia caressed the white blade and held it tightly to her chest.
"I'll never leave you again," she cooed to her blade.
As she held the sword, she thought about Ichigo's insistence of leaving it behind which made her frown. At first she wondered how selfish he was being, using her as a passport, but then a new thought crossed her mind. What would have become of her if he hadn't been there to rescue her?
Thinking back on it, Ichigo had taken a huge risk in bringing her to the treasury. After all that had happened, she couldn't refute that her primary concern had been for her own needs. She only imagined the struggle it took just for him to free her, and then having her demand he take a greater risk to recover a prized possession that meant nothing to him. She sighed and felt a bit ashamed. Using their agreement to practically force him to help her wasn't something she wanted on her conscience. After all, he had been faithful and lived up to his word all this time.
"Perhaps, I was a bit harsh," she whispered before beginning her descent. She heard soft footsteps behind her and said, "Ichigo, I believe that I owe you an apolo—".
Rukia stopped midsentence, gasping as two guards stood right in front of her, sneering.
"Don't let her escape!" they shouted.
The first charged and reached for her but she quickly reacted by extending the base of the sheath out and ramming it into his stomach. The guard immediately stopped and coughed. Taking the opportunity, Rukia grabbed his head with both hand, jerked him downward and crashed her knee into his nose. A sickening crunch was heard as the guard fell back and smacked his head on the corner of a large box, red oozing from his skull as he slid down to the floor.
Out of breath and energy, she hunched over and inhaled deep breaths. The other guard snarled and lifted a wooden horn to his lips, intending to signal nearby allies. However, a pair of hands appeared out of the darkness behind him and grasped his neck tightly. An audible snap rang out as the hands twisted the guard's head sharply.
The guard's body crumpled to the ground to reveal that the hands belonged to Ichigo.
"You alright?" he asked, his voice sincere.
Rukia continued to breathe heavily and she replied, "What…took you…so long?"
Ichigo scoffed. "I'm glad you're okay too," he said, voice dripping with sarcasm. He noticed the blade in her hand. "Looks like you got it. Alright, let's get out of here before—Are you alright?"
Rukia breathed even more heavily, struggling to keep upright. Her vision blurred and she felt her body sway. Without warning, she collapsed forward. Instinctively, Ichigo caught her as she fell, her blade slipping from her fingers. Even in the dim light, Ichigo could tell that her face was flushed. He pressed his hand to her forehead and his eyes widened.
"Idiot! You've been poisoned the entire time! Why didn't you say something?!" he demanded, supporting her against his chest. As she tried to regain her breath, Rukia gripped his robes tightly and looked up at him. Her eyes had nearly glazed over and her expression was one of regret.
"I'm…sorry…" she whispered before her head fell back against his chest and she lost consciousness.
Ichigo grit his teeth for a moment before sighing and flashing her a melancholy smile. "You're one stubborn woman alright."
He wasn't sure if she heard it or not, but that really didn't matter at the moment. Quickly picking up her sword and thrusting it into his sash, Ichigo lifted Rukia onto his back and ran for the exit. When he got outside the treasury, he saw the flickering of candles coming from the direction of the hall with the tunnel.
Thinking quickly, he hid behind the outside of the treasury door, coving Rukia and himself with this special robe. The guards rushed to the treasury and, seeing it wide open, rushed inside to find their dead allies. The moment they were inside, Ichigo sprang up and slammed both door shut, slipping a golden rode he had plundered between the handles to keep the doors closed. As the guards shouted to be let out, Ichigo quickly gathered Rukia before speeding for the secret tunnel.
After pulling the panel out and sliding Rukia inside, he climbed in and closed off the tunnel.
The early morning air reached Ichigo's nose as he pulled Rukia along with him to the end of the tunnel. By now the entire castle was probably in an uproar and that meant that his plan to sneak her out that morning would need to wait. Not to mention he needed a way to neutral the poison. Why couldn't she have just told him in the first place?
He huffed and thought that it was probably because he would have insisted they leave her sword, which he would have. Rukia was not only stubborn, but very smart. Two things that made her both dangerous and a valuable asset. And to think, Tsukishima thought it was better to cripple and sell her instead.
Poor stupid bastard.
As Ichigo pushed open the tunnel he looked down to see the huge drop that lay before him. He had scaled that wall easily last night in order to access the tunnel but with an unconscious woman with him, it seemed so much more daunting. Even if Rukia was pretty light, it didn't make this drop any shorter.
"The things I do for a passport," he quipped as he secured her to his back and jumped. Unfortunately, he underestimated gravity and the moment his feet hit the ground, the force of Rukia's weight smashed him forward onto his face. Groaning, Ichigo picked himself up and her along with him. As he stood up and put weight on his ankle, a sharp pain shot through him.
He winced and said, "Dammit, I really didn't need this right now."
Ignoring the pain, he shouldered Rukia and limped off toward the castle town.
Even though the sun hadn't risen yet, a commotion rang out all throughout the town. Everywhere guards and soldiers ran along the streets searching for the missing captive.
Ichigo peered out from behind one of the buildings before quickly darting to the one across from him. He'd stuck to the alleys and always made sure to be in darker spots, prepared to hide at any moment. However, he was severely slowed by his pained ankle and wasn't moving as fast as he'd wanted.
Suddenly, he heard rustling and quickly pressed himself and Rukia against the wall, hiding them both with this robes. A few soldiers passed by them but one of the men suddenly glanced in their direction. Ichigo froze but kept his hand steady, prepared to have to draw his blade at any time. The soldier separated from the group and slowly approached, reaching his hand out.
"Don't fall behind! We need to find the girl!" the squad leader abruptly shouted, getting the stray soldier's attention.
"Yes, sir!" the soldier said as he fell back into formation, not even glancing back toward the wall.
Ichigo breathed a sigh of relief as he quickly picked Rukia up and sped off toward his destination. Finally, he came to a moderately large house and knocked violently on the back door. A moment of silence seemed to last forever and Ichigo found himself kicking the door furiously.
Just then, a voice called back angrily, "We're not open for another few hours, come back later!"
"Dammit Uryuu! Open the damn door!" Ichigo whispered furiously.
"…Who is this?" the voice behind the door questioned.
"You know damn well who this is now open the damn door before I break it down!"
An audible sigh sounded before the sounds of the door being unhinged were heard. The door slowly opened to reveal a young man with dark hair and glasses raising an eyebrow at his guest.
"You know, if we go to the trouble of having passwords, perhaps you should use them—", he said before his eyes focused on the person that Ichigo was carrying. "Well shit, you actually went through with it. And here I thought you didn't have the guts."
"Now's not the time for that!" Ichigo insisted, glancing around. "She needs medical attention. They poisoned her."
Suddenly, Uryuu's demeanor shifted to utter seriousness and he gestured his friend inside. The moment Ichigo was inside with Rukia, the door slammed and was firmly latched. A moment later, the guards passed by the back of the house as they continued to aimlessly search the area.
To Be Continued…
So, they made it out of the castle but how will they make it out of the town without being discovered? You'll see next time.
A second chapter down! I'm really rolling with this one! It's been nice to have something other than complete comedy to write. I seriously needed to get some serious action and drama written to balance myself out. I'll post a new chapter of "Chappy Rukia" soon. My play begins next week so it'll be crazy but I'll make time to write!
Thanks again to everyone that favorite/followed my stories or me in the last week. Seriously, it's a confidence booster! ;)
Leave a review for any reason, be it for advice or just to say how much you like the story.