Hello again, fellow readers!
Thank you so much for the reviews, favorites and follows. Its very positive and encouraging.
bathroomconcert- I can't tell you how elated I was on receiving a review from someone who's the author of one of my favourite Ichiruki fictions. Thank you so much! Yeah, the prologue seems very different from the summary. Strawberry and midget are not canon, right? Somehow, I find the Ichiruki bantering in the manga to be diametrically different from what is often portrayed in fictions. I hope to do it justice!
ilovebks- Hey, I too love books! Not study material, of course. I am glad you find it intriguing. Thanks!
hunterofcomedy- I feel really happy about receiving a review from you. Thank you so much for the encouraging feedback!
I just love the current plot in the Bleach manga. Everything finally seems to be coming together and we get to see so many emotions from Ichigo! His mom is just awesome, BTW. High respect for her and Isshin.
So here's the first chapter. I have used a few authentic Japanese terms. Don't worry, there's no 'Oi' ' Arigatou' etc. Just words like shinigami, obi etc. may be there.
Enjoy!
Chapter 1
.
.
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I just met my Prince, who is offering poisonous apples.
Should I take them?
"Rukia!"
Said girl turned around-an ear-splitting grin plastered on her face- before turning back to jump over the black parapet, her feet breaking into a steady run. The fall of her gown continued to be mercilessly dragged across the smooth wooden floor, her rushed pace creating a cacophony of noises.
Oh Hisana-nee is going to be SO angry.
"Rukia Kuchiki! COME BACK HERE!"
The petite girl frowned a little. Why was her sister still pursuing a race she knew she'd already lost? It was bad for her health! She had half a mind to turn around and stick out her tongue in a bid to discourage her sister, but previous experiences had taught her to know better. So instead she held up the pleats of her 'gown' a little higher and increased her speed.
When her foot got caught in the gown's length, she snuck a quick contemptuous glance at it.
Ugh! What's with this stupid outfit? All it does is make me fall and stumble anyway! And most of all, why do I have to even wear it? Nobody here wears it!
The window finally entered her line of vision. A relieved sigh and grin later, Rukia stopped and gave a quick glance over her shoulder. The empty halls stretched behind, with no older look-alike version of her chasing her like a possessed woman.
At least that's how she imagined Hisana must have been looking at the moment.
"RUKIA!"
An involuntary shiver ran down her spine.
Angry Hisana was scary alright. And her thundering voice seemed to be drawing closer. Taking in a deep breath, Rukia turned back to the window, climbing over the sill and stepping onto the freshly mowed grass.
Ugh. My feet are so done for today.
Once again picking up the pleats of her dress, the raven-haired girl resumed running, the late afternoon sun bathing her being. Warm air caressed her face as she quickly made her way to the gates, her way to the outside, to freedom. Adrenaline filled her veins as she pushed herself further, only the gates and the world beyond it filling her vision as Hisana's voice died away in a series of muffled noises.
And that's when the sight of the estate guard's round face staring at her in bewilderment registered in her mind. She flashed him a grin which he reciprocated with a look of recognition and fear.
"Rukia-hime! You can't do this again!"
"Watch me." Was her simple reply as she ran past him.
"But Kuchiki-sama will fire me!" he caught up, bushy eyebrows raised, blocking her way. Rukia's brows furrowed as she tried moving around him, careful not to hurt him. "Don't worry, he won't! If he had to, he would have done it the first time round!"
He shook his head, sweat beads beginning to adorn his brown temples. "But Rukia-hime, you are not even in the condition to run-"
"Please please please please please" she interrupted him, deciding that if he wasn't going to give in, she would just have to resort to pestering him with pleas. "Please please please please-"
"No no no!"
"-Please please please please please please-"
"But... no no no!"
"- Please please please please please please please please please please please please please please-"
He huffed and slouched, defeated.
"Alright." He replied sullenly. "But just this one time!" he tried saying it sternly, but his black eyes reflected fondness when he saw the smile on Rukia's face.
"Thank you Kaito-san! And it's just Rukia, not Rukia-hime." She smiled a toothy smile before taking off through the gates, her feet hitting the hard stones beneath. Withholding a grimace she continued weaving her way through the streets, a destination fixed in her mind.
Wearing a thousand yen gown and running these streets, I must be looking deranged, she thought as a few faces with widened eyes and gasping mouths entered her sight. Beginning to feel a little embarrassed, she ducked her head a little and continued, a sheepish smile adorning her lips.
And when her feet finally ditched the heated stones for the soft mud of a barren field, she broke from her run into a jog and sighed.
Now that she had broken out of her momentum, the effects of the long run seem to descend on her at once. The world suddenly seemed short of air as she bent and held on to her knees for support, squeezing her eyes shut.
It started to dawn on her just how fast and far she had run. Her heart beat like crazy, heat seeping through every pore of her body.
Remind me again, why was I running once out on the street? I could have just walked normally and people wouldn't have even bothered looking my way-
Oh wait. They would have. The petite girl opened her eyes and straightened up, her heart beats starting to normalise. I am the famed little adopted sister of Byakuya Kuchiki after all.
...that, and this strange outfit.
"Kuchiki?"
Rukia's lips reflexively curved into a smile.
Kaien-dono.
Kaien Shiba. Extensively recognized as the vice-captain of 13th squad of the thirteen court guards. Being the second child of the current generation of the Shiba family, formerly a noble family, he was blessed with the signature Shiba traits- long eyelashes and black hair. He was widely respected for his abilities, honour and friendliness.
But more than anything, he was the man Rukia had known and revered since her days as a Kuchiki.
The smile on her face softened as her heart started picking up pace all over again.
He never fails to make me feel this way, does he? It's been this way since the first time we met…
That smile faded the moment she felt a weight on her head. "Ow! What are you doing Kaien-dono?!"
The young man continued grinding his fist into her head. "Is that how you treat a senior? Ignoring him when he- hey!"
Rukia had managed to separate herself from the Knuckle of Pain- as she personally called it- and put a good two feet between her and the irritated man. "I am sorry Kaien-dono!" she started, her smile not looking very apologetic, "I will take care next time."
He looked at her suspiciously for a few moments, succeeding in making her conscious. "W-what?"
"Why are you so happy?"
Would you believe me if I told you it is because you are here?
Instead she said, with some embarrassment in her voice, "I ran away from Hisana-nee."
Sigh. "Again?"
Grin. "Again." She confirmed.
He looked amused. "And what is it this time?"
Rukia simply lifted the fall of her gown. "This." She grumbled, making a face at the gown.
He looked at it, noticing it properly for the first time. "This…" There was an element of wonder in his voice. "What is this?"
"An outfit from the human world," the petite girl drawled out, looking immensely unhappy.
Kaien nodded his head. "No wonder I haven't seen it before!"
"Hisana-nee has been making me try these strange outfits since yesterday!" Rukia continued, lost in her woeful narrative. "For some reason she asked for some from Matsumoto-san-"
"Figures. That woman would definitely have something like this." Kaien mumbled, still studying the dress with great interest. To him, it looked like a Kimono bloated up from the bottom. The only differences were a thin partition in place of the obi and a figure-hugging pattern. There were no sleeves either.
Kaien's brows furrowed.
Byakuya Kuchiki was a man of very conservative mind when it came to his sister. He would never, ever make her dress in an outfit that exposed skin.
"Kuchiki."
Rukia had long ago stopped talking and was currently in the process of adjusting a fabricated rose on her bosom, silently grumbling something about fancy props. On hearing his voice though she stopped murmuring and looked up at him with attentive eyes.
"Did Captain Kuchiki allow you to wear this? It doesn't cover your shoulders."
Rukia blinked, before looking about her. Realization dawned on her face. "Oh no," she whispered, eyes widening, "I think I forgot that piece of cloth which is supposed to be draped on my shoulders..."
Kaien shook his head. "You are lucky captain Kuchiki is on a mission."
"But Hisana-nee is still here!" she exclaimed. "She will have my head for this impertinence!"
"Well, you should have thought of that before taking off, Cinderella."
Rukia bit her lower lip a little. She understood his Cinderella reference- it was a famous bedtime story in the human world. Just a few days back Hisana had made her read it, insisting that it was a masterpiece of a fairy-tale.
Human world... why is Hisana-nee suddenly so interested in it?
She somewhat understood the fascination a shinigami would harbour for the human world. It was a world that was constantly evolving and modernising- coming up with new inventions, fashions, knowledge and developments. Unlike the Soul Society, which was stuck in the feudal era, bound by its traditions and practices.
But Hisana's sudden fascination with the Human World was resulting in some serious repercussions for Rukia. First the story, now this outfit- what would the next time bring? Probably something worse-off.
Why could her sister not be happy with the Soul Society life?
"So shall we begin?"
Rukia blinked, snapping out of her thoughts. "Huh?"
"Kido training." Kaien helpfully supplied, smirking at her. She returned the favour, before frowning and looking down at her attire. "But this dress is..."
He grabbed hold of her hand and started dragging her along, ignoring her incredulous exclamations. "You just need to stand in one place and aim! Just how difficult can that be?"
Rukia looked at the tanned fingers grasping her arm, their heat putting her nerve endings on high alert.
A warmth rose in her chest, and she gave a half-hearted protest of "Kaien-dono!" even as he ignored her. Her eyes traveled up his back- to those broad shoulders which seemed so strong, sturdy and reliable at the moment.
In that moment something happened- every other thought about the dress, Hisana and the human world flew out of her mind. All she could think of were those clear aquamarine eyes that would send her heart racing at miles, that manly grin that would make her feel protected, those strong arms that would warm every inch of her being, those shoulders that she would love to lean on someday…
But for now, even this distance would do. It was never enough, and it would probably never be enough- but she knew her heart was too greedy for its own good. Maybe, just maybe, someday when she could garner confidence from the invisible reserves within her, she could take that step forward and close the gap. For now…
For now, even these moments…I could live them for an eternity.
And she once again prayed to the super existent power, the one beyond the realm and comprehension of death gods like them, for this happiness to stay forever with her.
She knew her prayers would not be in vain.
They never had been.
It's red, it shines and it attracts me.
I really want to take it….even if it ends in a regret.
So here it is. On a personal note, I am kind of dissatisfied with this chapter- I feel the chapters written ahead are better...
Anyway, if there are any grammatical errors-please point out. Other than, I would love to know your opinion. :)
Till next time!
