a/n: Moon-chan here. This is the second chapter of the fic. Enjoy! I thank ChevalierAirumel for beta-ing.
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach and its characters. Tite Kubo-sama owns it.
Some notes for this chapter:
* The definition of Newton's first law of motion came from Wikipedia.
(1) hakama and gi are the normal shinigami attire and waraji are the Japanese socks
(2) uwagi is the captain's vest
(3) jinbei is a summer attire that has the same function as pajamas. It is usually worn by men.
(4) 'The number one warrior' would be said something like 'Ichiban ga tsuwamono'. That's the reason Ichigo said that.
(5) The yukata is a casual kimono. It's the one worn by women when they go summer festivals and such.
(6) Bakemono is monster in Japanese.
Without further ado, I give you the second chapter.
"A body continues to maintain its state of rest or of uniform motion unless acted upon by an external unbalanced force."
Chapter Two: Law of Inertia
The following is an excerpt from a historical play a few years before the letter was written. This part is most appropriate to describe the situation of that time.
After the death of Commander-General Yamamoto, a young ambitious man took the departed general's place. This young man vowed to look over Soul Society and protect it from harm. His first few years proved that he was indeed capable of surpassing Yamamoto's accomplishments. He was wiser and definitely more skilful. These first years were considered the Golden Age of Soul Society. However, like all great men, he soon became intoxicated with the power at his disposal. Having such power, he feared that people might snatch it away from him. Afraid that his fear might become reality, he hid himself in the comforts of his fortress, the Court of Pure Souls. Soul Society soon fell into chaos without their guiding leader.
Soon, what the young general feared most happened. An old seer came to him one day and told him of the boy that would kill him, take his place and rule over Soul Society. Prophecy spoke of the boy as the one who would bring peace and order back to soul society. He would stand blameless in character. His bravery would even put the lion to shame and his feats would impress even the highest authority in the land. However, until the last minute his identity will be unknown.
Prophecy reveals that he will emerge from the lowest of all low during the time of famine and poverty. He would appear when society has plunged to its lowest, when crimes were prevalent, and when Soul Society is at the brink of its destruction. It would be a time of chaos and instability. Yes, it is indeed a time when people needed a hero most. He would come into soul society as an exile. However, he will rise into the ranks and gain power far greater the any man in Soul Society. No one in the court of Pure Souls would fail to experience his entry. He will claim his title as the one sent by the gods to deliver Soul Society.
In response to this, the young general decided to hold matches in the eightieth district of Soul Society such that whoever wins those matches will immediately be executed. After ten years, no boy of prophecy emerged. Nonetheless, the gears of destiny were turning. The young general knew his executioner was out there somewhere. And as the wise old Jedi said, "Fear is the path to the dark side." However, this time, there would be no hope of redemption. The young general knew he was condemned to death.
Years passed. Unlike the general, the people no longer believed of the coming of the prophesized boy. But, they too they were condemned to death. They knew what they had to face. Already they had to struggle for on their own just to survive. Soul Society had plunged into poverty and crime soared. The end of the Golden age of Soul Society had paved the way for dark ages and the general soon became known as the protector of the dark end of Soul Society.
I was at the the top of my game. I grew into the reputation long been established by the previous Owarino; fearless, skilful, talented, cunning, and merciless. I had become a person all men feared. I spared none of his enemies. I drowned myself in the crowd's cheer and intoxicated myself in my comrades praises. No man could ask for anything more.
Of course, riches followed after fame. Kashira-sama favoured me. The old man pampered me with sake, clothes, and everything a person could ever want. I was really on the top of the world. There was nothing more that I could ask for. I no longer paid my respects to the person who saved my life, Abarai Renji. Even his essence no longer lingered at the back of my mind.
However, too much of a good thing cannot last that long. And it was when I least expected when everything I had was taken away from me. Correction, I was just forced to return everything that I borrowed.
Every month, I and a few tsuwas would accompany Kashira-sama to the seventieth district to buy weapons and new clothes. We would travel for a week and stay in the district for two days before returning home. It was during one of those monthly voyages that the life I became accustomed with was gone forever. It was already late afternoon that time and the group was nearing the end of the eightieth district, when a platoon of shinigamis blocked our path.
The old man thought it was just some kind of check point to make sure that there were no smuggled good was on board. But, my instincts told me something was wrong. As soon as Kashira-sama got off the stage coach we were riding, I took hold of all the money and valuables I could put in my pockets. I secured my sword and observed the shinigamis that stopped our ride. There were about ten of them all wearing black hakamas, gi, and waraji. (1) I was not able to see all of them but I could tell which of them were the superiors and the subordinates.
The lesser of the two superiors was a white-haired boy probably no older than a high school student. He carried a katana on his back and wore a white uwagi (2) with a kanji 'ten' on its back. While the other was a small woman with black hair. She kept her katana on her side and wore a wooden block on her arm. Written on the block was the kanji 'one'. I was not ignorant to not know who those two people are. The child was Toshiro Hitsugaya, captain of the tenth squad and the woman was the lieutenant of the first squad, Rukia Kuchiki. They were two of the most powerful people in Soul Society.
"Sir," Hitsugaya-taicho said. "We have reason to believe that you have in your care is Ichigo Kurosaki. He is a dangerous man and our intelligence report says he plans to kill the general. You may show your sincerest cooperation by surrendering him to us. However," The child captain unsheathed his sword and placed it on the old man's throat. "If you do not hand him over to us, I'm afraid we have to charge you of treason. And as decreed by the general, all traitors shall immediately be executed."
"I don't know of any Ichigo Kurosaki." The old man begged for his life. Without hesitation, Hitsugaya slit the man's throat. The entire stage coach panicked but the shinigamis remained attentive. They rounded up the tsuwas including me and forced us into a straight line. Hitsugaya frowned in a corner seemingly disappointed with the old man. The woman now did all the talking.
"Well," she began in a dark tone. "I assume the old man knew nothing. However, one of you might be good friend of this Ichigo person." No one responded. The woman cleared her throat. "Speak up. Anyone here that could tell me anything about Ichigo Kurosaki will be spared. I am certain that is not an offer you can't resist." Still no response. "Fine, this is the last chance. I'll ask you one by one and if you don't answer, you know what will happen." She grinned.
Rukia Kuchiki began with the farthest warrior from me. And after giving the lieutenant a useless remark, she struck him down. The poor man was literally split in half as blood spattered everywhere. The person beside him pleaded for his life. Rukia took out her sword again and this time beheaded the man. The headless corpse fell to the ground. Another pool of blood formed. "So, who's next?"
Finally, the lieutenant thrust her katana into the torso of the man beside me. The man's lifeless body fell to the ground. I watched in shock as the image of the lifeless Nozomi flashed before my very eyes. More visions of corpses crossed my mind. I was at the verge of breaking down when the woman called me back to reality. Another image formed in my mind. It was Rukia Kuchiki. I gave the woman a puzzled look. The woman raised a brow.
"Do I know you?" she asked.
"Impossible ma'am."
"Well, do you know an Ichigo Kurosaki?"
My knees were probaly shaking. I was no match for a woman like that. I was stuttering. Though I was almost twice her height, I felt like she could squish me just by her presence. It was a mistaken to accidentally made eye contact with her. It was only then did I recall something from my high school days. Rukia Kuchiki was the name of my classmate. She and this woman was the same. Another movie played in my mind: passionate kisses, warm caresses, and ecstatic moments with the same woman. I needed to stop these images.
"Let me ask you again." She said. "Do you know Ichigo Kurosaki?"
There was an unmistakable passing of looks between us. And somehow, I completely understood what the woman was trying to do. Without provocation, I drew a shinigami's sword and threatened to kill anyone that would get in my way. I had enough sense to injure first the white-haired captain. I took down the other shinigamis by cutting at least one of their limbs. I ran as fast as my feet could carry me and I tried not to look back.
I had to stop when I reached what appeared to be the end of the road. It was a cliff and beyond the cliff was an infinite desert wasteland with no sign of life as far as the eye could see. I turned around. I was between the devil and the deep blue sea. I saw her standing before him. She held the bloody katana with her bloody hands. I gazed at her. I just could not find the right words to say.
"What are you waiting for?" she said flatly. "Hurry up and go before I change my mind."
"The thing you did back there," I said. "You killed those people! You would never—"
"Ten years is a long time... even for a shinigami."
"But, you killed those people!"
"Why?" she took a step closer. "Were you any different?"
I took a step back and accidentally slipped and rolled down the cliff. I managed to grab on to a tree branch. I heard their conversation. Whether or not she knew I was there, I do not know.
Rukia Kuchiki wiped the blood of her katana, still showing no emotion as she returned it back into its sheath. After few seconds, Hitsugaya Toshiro appeared tending the wound I gave him. He coughed to catch the attention of his superior, "You let him go. What if he's the one that the prophecy speaks of? If the general found out about you just did, I'm sure he would be very angry."
"I assure you, captain, he is not the one." She replied. Whether she was lying or telling the truth no one would know, not even Hitsugya. He dared not contend her. She was, after all, the wife of the general. "But, why did you spare him and only him? What made him different from the others?"
"I have my complete trust in you, captain." She paused. "I pray that you would not share this with anyone." She scanned her area to make sure no one but the young captain was present. "He saved my life... I have saved his. Now, we are even."
Knowing that I would die in either situation, I chose the slow and painful death. Hopefully, I could reach the other end of the desert before I die.
The desert was no man's paradise. I now knew that from experience. When it was hot, it was scorching. When it was cold, it was freezing. I really had no idea how many days I was in that wretched place. Without food and water, my body finally gave up and he collapsed on the cracked earth. I was about to die when I felt something cold and flowing that dripped. I got up on my feet followed a trail of the heaven given water.
With all the energy I could muster, I ran after a pair of horses carrying what appeared to be a bag of cool and refreshing water. I was so relieved that the horses were not accompanied by humans. I jumped on one of their backs and drank all the water in its sack. Though it wasn't enough to quench the thirst, I knew that these beasts of burden would take me to a nearby reservoir. And of course, I couldn't be more right.
I found myself at some sort well and with some grazing animals. I splashed my head into the well quenching all my thirst. I could have drunk all the water in the well, if I wasn't disturbed by a noise. A pair of thugs was threatening a young dark haired boy wearing a maize coloured jinbei. (3) The men were accusing the boy of stealing their horses. I, being Ichigo Kurosaki, intervened.
"Hey guys," I shouted as I slapped the steeds. "Are these yours?" The pair of animals ran into the open desert. The two thugs ran after their horses.
"Thanks, mister." The child bowed.
"Don't mention it, kid." I replied scratching my head. The boy was familiar to me. Unlike the other times, I knew that I had met the boy somewhere. What was the name? Hanarou? Hatarou? Natarou? I was certain that the boy's name had a kanji 'flower'. I coughed. I just had to ask the boy his name. "Hey kid, what's your name?"
"Hanatarou Yamada." The boy bowed again. "And you, sir?"
"Ichi—I mean the number one kariru tsuwamono in the eightieth district, Nozomi Owarino!" (4) I said with a proud pose while hoping that the boy would not recognize who I truly was. Though I remembered Hanatarou to be a kind boy, I could help but doubt the child's innocence. He might be conspiring to capture me. Hopefully, depending only on the fact that I changed my hair colour would be enough to hide my real identity.
"Sugoi!" Hanatarou awed. "Ichimaru-sama sometimes watches those fights. Follow me. I must introduce you to him." The former seventh seated officer dragged me and led me to a set of nearby tents. Before we could reach the apparent master of the household we bumped into an endowed strawberry-blonde woman in a loosely tied blue yukata. (5) As soon as she saw me, the fruit tray she was holding fell to the ground. I had to know her. Why else would she react that way? If I wasn't mistaken, she was once the vice-captain of the tenth squad. A name popped out of my head: Rangiku Matsumoto.
"I don't believe it!" Matsumoto shouted and hugged the surprised me. "Gin will definitely be pleased to see you." Gin? Who the hell was Gin? I reflected a little. Gin, as in Gin Ichimaru, the accomplice of Sosuke Aizen, thief of the Orb of Destruction and the one who plotted to destroy Karakura town? I felt that I forced myself into a corner. I knew he was no match for the former third squad captain. Perhaps, it would have been better if I just died in the desert.
Though Hanatarou could not believe that I was indeed Ichigo Kurosaki, I finally revealed my true identity. I had no choice but to reveal to him anyway. The two former seated formers where so excited that they dragged me through the tents and ogled over me like I was some long lost puppy. They commented everything about me, from my new hair to my poor choice of clothing. They stopped (and I was so glad) when a silver-haired man stood before us.
"Ah, Kurosaki-san," the man greeted. "Pleasant seeing 'yah here in the desert."
I was taken aback. I had pretty much recalled the very thing I needed to know about the man. I gulped. I anticipated that Ichimaru would draw out his sword and pierce the hell out of me. I was surprised when the former captain offered me a handshake.
"Yah' lookin' at me like I'm some sorta bakemono." (6) The silver-haired man laughed. "I think 'mah wife here hasn't told 'yah what's goin' on in Rukongai. Have you, Rangiku-chan?" The woman shook and head. "Then," Gin smiled. "Let's be gettin' inside for some cool oolong tea or maybe some sake. A sand storm's comin' pretty soon, 'yah know." I bowed in gratitude and proceeded into the tent.
"What have yah' learned so far?" the former captain said after a sip.
"I know so far that after General Yamamoto's death, a new general took over Soul Society. He managed to solve the overgrowing hollow problem and he got crazy with his power and... That's pretty much about it."
"I see." He paused. "Rangiku-chan, would you close the door please?" Ichimaru's wife closed the curtain of the tent after she and Hanatarou left.
"What I am about to tell 'yah is going to be hard to accept." The silver-haired man continued.
"Ten years ago, after the Great War, yah' were heavily wounded. The fourth squad had no choice but to send yah' back to your world but of course there were 'complications'. Anyways, with the death of the general, Soul Society was in shams. The rest of the captains, including me elected a new leader. And as the many privileges of the general, he married the adoptive sister of the Kuchiki noble."
"And who was the new general?" I asked. "Do I know him?"
"With great power comes great wantin' for it more." Gin ignored the my question. "He became 'fraid of someone grabbin' the power from him. Then a seer went comin' to him one day and told him that someone was destined to take his place. He panicked. Yah' should have seen the look on his face. There were a lot of executions in the followin' months. Many us didn't like wha' he did. Many left him, including me."
"Maybe I am the one to stop him!" I said angrily. There was a string in my heart when I heard that Rukia was married to the general. "I cannot forgive him for what he did. He has no right to go on killing other people! He can't just go on marrying people as he pleases. I'll stop him myself!"
"I warnin' yah'. Though your intentions may appear to be good, I can assure yah' that no man is one hundred percent selfless. So, what do yah' wanna have after killin' the general? Yah' should know, this ain't no game, kid...coz' when yah' go down that way, yah' can't turn back. It's a one way trip to hell. I'm telling 'yah. I learned it the hard way."
"What makes you think I want to gain something?" I replied surprised with Gin's advice. "I would never—
"Ain't sayin' yah' are but, mind yah' a stone falling down a cliff can't stop itself. We ain't in some shonen manga anymore. I think yah' should start thinkin' about the consequences of your actions." Nozomi looked at Ichimaru Gin in despise. The captain just smiled. "I betcha thinkin' I'm the bad guy. I'm only tellin' yah' this 'coz I want mah' family to live. My little girl has her whole life ahead of her. I don't wancha to doin' anythin' stupid. But I ain't stoppin' yah'. It's your life, after all."
"You know what?" I shouted back. "Maybe I'm the one that's going to stop the man. Maybe that's the reason I survived. Renji was right. It is my destiny to stop him. I will never forgive him for turning Rukia into this killing machine. I'm going."
"Very well," Ichimaru replied removing his hands of the sleeves. "Take one of the stallions with yah' and do what yah' think yah' gotta do." I bowed and left the tent. I prepared to set off for my next journey. But, there was something bothering me. Why didn't Ichimaru answer who the general was?
"Ichigo-san," Hanatarou caught with me just as he was about to leave. NI took a glance at the boy at grunted implying I was all ears with whatever the boy had to say.
"I wish to accompany on your journey." Hanatarou knelt down. "I have already asked permission from Rangiku-dono. So, please take me with you. I promise that I won't be a burden to Ichigo-san. I really do want to help!"
I scratched my head. I cleared my throat. "First of all, it's Nozomi Owarino. I don't call myself Ichigo Kurosaki anymore. Second, who the hell is this general? He has some nerve if he thinks he can tame Rukia. No offense in Rukia's part." The Nisshoku waited for Yamada to answer.
The fourth squad seated officer laughed after realizing his silence. He scratched his temple and replied, "It won't matter in the end. You'll kick his butt anyway, right?"
"Yeah, you're right." I sighed. By this time, I was beginning to wonder why two men refused to give away the general's identity to him. Was it forbidden, but even then Yamada had no reason to hide from me (though Ichimaru he could forgive) the identity of the general. Could it be possible that all the people were conspiring to kill me? Were they all following the general's orders? Why did the general what me dead? A single question led to more questions. However, it boiled down to the million dollar question.
Who exactly was the general and what relationship did he have with me as Ichigo Kurosaki?
a/n: People, please review! It inspires Moon-chan to write more. I don't care if you tell me how bad you think my fic is (because it will tell me what areas I should improve in). So, drag that mousey to the lower left corner and click!
FYI, the general is NOT an OC. He is a character we all know... and maybe even cherish.
Randomness: I can't wait for the next bleach movie entitled 'Goodbye, Rukia: Fade to Black'. People say it's something ichiruki fans should not miss! There already a lot of trailers on youtube and...wah. The way Ichigo screamed Rukia's name; I think he was on the verge of crying. The movie will be showing on Dec. 13. I can't wait! Too bad though, I have to wait for the release of the DVD and it will take like a year before I can watch it! :'(