Rukia awoke with a start.
Her head was a mass of confusion; filled with muted pain and hazy, almost feverish dreams- dreams of running, of the feeling of damp leaves between her fingers and the unmistakable copper scent of blood. Slowly, with screaming protest from every one of her limbs, she sat up and slowly began t process her surroundings.
She was on something wet, almost slimy, and her skin was covered in something weirdly crunchy. Had she been feverish after all? Disgusted with the thought of sweaty bedsheets, she opened her eyes.
Only she wasn't on her bedsheets. She wasn't even in her apartment, let alone her bed.
She was on a muddied pile of sodden leaves and her bare skin was crisp with mud. That's right; she was completely and utterly naked. And lying in the woods to boot. Forget having a phone to ring for help, she didn't even have a scrap of fabric covering her modestly. Despite being sompletely alone, Rukia's pale cheeks flushed red and burned at the thought of her indecency.
Suddenly, a voice broke through her silent embarrassment, "I think she's awake. Grab me the clothes and the wet-wipes, then wait over there. No peeking either, she's probably freaked out enough without your perversion adding to it all." The slosh of footsteps on soggy undergrowth sounded closer, and Rukia did her best to clutch at whatever dignity she had left. A young woman dressed surprisingly light for the cold season approached her slowly, almost cautiously, with a warm smile. She had a strikingly beautiful but kind face, and when she spoke, Rukia recognised her voice from before.
"Hi there," The strange woman began softly, "Stay calm, okay? I mean you no harm. I know you're probably confused and frightened right now," She said, her pretty yellow eyes roving over Rukia's bare form. "And probably quite embarrassed. But I've got some clean clothes here for you, and you can wipe away the mud with these." She placed the wet-wipes and neatly folded pile of fabric close to Rukia, before politely turning and walking a few paces away.
Five minutes later, with the worst of the grime gone from her peachy skin, and the surprisingly soft woollen jumper and jeans hanging loosely from her petite form, Rukia felt calm enough to speak to this mysterious woman who had somehow known where she was.
"Thank you," She began, and the woman turned around to face her with a wide grin, quit unlike her previous cautious smile.
"It's no problem chic! Us lot have to stick together after all!" She paused, pulling on her purple ponytail. Looking thoughtful, she asked "So, to breach the difficult subject, do you know what 'us lot' are?" Rukia shook her head nervously. "Well, it's gunna be a rather difficult story to tell here. My name is Yoruichi, by the way, and the man hiding in the bushes over there is Kisuke." She swivelled on her heel and shouted towards the tall hedge "You can come out now Kisuke. And if I find out later you peeked, you're in hella trouble."
A sheepish looking man tripped out of the bushes, rubbing the back of his head with a grin. He had the weirdest dress sense Rukia had ever seen; a bizzare green and white striped hat, and a long, dark green coat, with- were those sandals? In November? Though, she reasoned, the Yoruichi woman wasn't dressed much better, in a tight black shorts and top combo with black ankle boots.
"Ah, I didn't see a thing, don't you worry!" Kisuke eyed Rukia evenly, with a suddenly serious gaze. "And what's your name, pup?" Yoruichi gave him a hard look at the word 'pup' and he winced.
"Rukia. Rukia Kuchiki." Unbeknownst to Rukia, the pair exchanged glances at the mention of her surname.
Kisuke nodded and smiled again, if it seemed a little forced this time. "I see. No doubt you have lots of questions to ask, like how we knew you were here, blah, and so if you'd like to come with us, we can talk in a nicer venue," He eyed her bare feet. "And we can get you some shoes." Rukia blushed.
Could she really follow a pair of total strangers? What if they were psychopaths, and were going to kill her? Though, she reasoned, they had their chance in this secluded forest already. Plus, why go to the trouble of bringing her clothes; and how did they even know she would be here, without any clothes? This appeased her logical mind, though deep down, she hadn't even had to think about it. On another level, an unconscious level, she felt strangely safe with these people. Almost like they were kin- like she knew them already, somehow. Cracking a small, weary smile, she nodded, and the trio began to walk.
Eventually, Rukia had stumbled through the foliage with the help of Yoruichi and Kisuke, and they had eased her into a new-looking Jeep that sat, engine growling quietly, on the side of the road that led them outside of town. The large seats were suprisingly comfortable, and the 4X4 truck had a soft, woodsy smell about it that she found soothing. Strapping her seatbelt across her hips, Rukia finally felt calm for the first time that morning. As soon as Kisuke was in the drivers seat, the Jeep took off, it's large tires cruising easily over the cracked and pot-hole ridden road.
"So," Yoruichi began, "You're a Kuchiki huh? As in, Byakuya Kuchiki, head of Kuchiki and Son Solicitors?" Rukia nodded in reply.
"You've heard of my brother then?" She asked softly, her interest peaked. Yoruichi looked at Kisuke with a strange glint in her eye.
"Oh yes. We've both known your brother very well for many, many years indeed. Long before he married your sister, even."
Rukia's eyebrows ventured even further up her forehead. "You know about Hisana? But-"
Yoruichi laughed, and it was a loud, throaty purr. Kisuke intercepted over the sound, "We've even met you before, when you were tiny! However, I never imagined we'd meet gain under such... circumstances." He eyed Rukia's borrowed clothing and still slightly muddied skin. "Yes," Kisuke mused "Never in my life did I think this would happen..."
Yoruichi looked at him with a sharp expression that was obviously a warning, and the young woman in the back of the Jeep was even more confused. She couldn't recall these people from any time of her life. Ever.
"Are you business associates of my brother then?"She asked, it being the only reasonable explanation. Yellow eyes lit with mirth.
"Oh yes, I guess you could say we are." The buxom older woman replied. "Never got along too well though. Your brother can be so stubborn and he holds one hell of a grudge." Rukia nodded in agreement.
"Oh yes. Nobody knows anger until they meet my brother." She glanced out of the window, not recognising the still-woodsy landscape, and realised how fast the Jeep was travelling. "Um, speaking of, where are we going? I didn't return home last night, and he's bound to be worried."
"We need to get you fixed up first." Kisuke said before Yoruichi could reply. "You're scratched, bloodied and confused. You can't go home in a state like that."
Rukia sighed quietly. She knew she should feel afraid. Nothing in this situation was adding up, and Kisuke and Yoruichi were definitely hiding something. Any normal person would be petrified by now, but she just couldn't shake that feeling of warmth and safety she felt with them. It was one of the weirdest sensations she'd ever felt.
Yoruichi added, "You're no doubt wanting answers about what happened last night, no?" The black-haired woman nodded her head slowly.
"Yes, you're both right." Rukia agreed. "But couldn't you just have told me in the woods and given me a lift home? Surely that would be easier."
The older pair exchanged a glance. Yoruichi suddenly looked more somber. "I'm afraid, Rukia, that it's not really something you can explain. It's something you have to... show. It's not as simple as I wish it could be."
She paused, as if considering continuing. Yellow eyes met violet, and Yoruichi added softly. "Your life is changing as we speak. What happened last night is something you won't be able to remember for quite some time, but when you do, it will change everything you ever thought you knew, Rukia Kuchiki."
"Forever."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I must admit, I'm really looking forwards to writing the next chapter. Thank you for reading!