Disclaimer: Yes. I do NOT own any Bleach characters, weapons, etc.

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Falling Together

Chapter Three - Resolution

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He stared at the floor with confusion, his crimson hair covering his eyes. Why…? He questioned himself. How could this have happened? Was what he asked to nobody, and still expected a decent response. "Rukia…"

Renji clenched tightly onto his sword and stood up straight staring at the full moon. "I'm coming for you." He whispered and quickly left the Kuchiki Kingdom.

"Heh. I told you that he wouldn't stay here when he found out!" Matsumoto let out a sigh but still managed to smile. A figure next to her leaned against the marble wall with ease. "Have you anything to say, Taichou?"

"Nothing." Hitsugaya replied calmly, crossing his arms. "Nothing at all."

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She sat next to him during the meeting. War preparations, and such. She couldn't care at all, since it wasn't her kingdom to protect. It was his and his alone.

"What do you think we should do, Kuchiki-sama?" A woman questioned after realizing she existed. Ichigo grunted, as if knowing her pathetic answer. And of course, she replied rather childishly.

"Hm? I couldn't care less." Rukia announced and stood up. Ichigo rolled his eyes, and took her by the arm tugging her down, literally forcing her to sit back on the chair. "What's with you?" She sneered, but all she received was a lazy stare.

"Shut up, and give a better response." He quietly whispered and commanded. Rukia flicked him off and stood up once more, running out of the door. She hated it. Everyday she had to put up with something she wasn't involved in, or something she couldn't handle. Everyday she was listening to his complaints, his commands, his stupid ideals. "HOI! RUKIA come back here!" Ichigo shouted, and got up himself.

"Ichigo! Let her be." A woman murmured from under the shadows. The orange-haired man turned around and gazed at the militia leader. "That is a command." She grumbled, and he sat down like a tamed puppy.

"Yoruichi-san…HOW CAN SHE ACT LIKE THIS! It's fucking damn important, and she's making it WORSE!" Ichigo protested getting up once more. The woman quickly used her speed and appeared behind him. Her hands clutching onto his arms with massive strength. He could feel her enormous power, he knew better and quietly sat down once again. She'll get a lesson from me. He thought to himself as the discussion went on.

"AS I WAS SAYING!" Soi Fon announced, after being interrupted nearly three times she became a little irritated. "The war most likely will start in two to three months." Everyone gazed at each other, except the Kurosaki head and Yoruichi, with confusion and anxiety. "We must complete our soldiers examinations AND we ALSO must prepare our battle strategies." Soi Fon added in a rather deep tone. Ichigo gazed at her with an irritated expression.

"You know we don't have that much time to finish any of those." He added to her conversation. Soi Fon's eyes glistened with great unease. She held desperately onto her white cloak and bit her lower lip. It was embarrassing to admit to her king that their army was no where close to their enemies strength. But she knew there was nothing else they could do.

"Unfortunately, we must do it." She responded to his cold gaze calmly. Luckily enough, he had had enough of the stupid meeting (such as did Rukia) and so he left with no one able to stop him, not even Yoruichi.

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The door opened abruptly and Ichigo found himself gazing at an unknown figure with anger and yet again with relief. He needed something off of his mind. It was troublesome to think about wars, especially one's that involved his kingdom. "Who the hell are you?" He asked gazing at a man with odd red hair and a long blade.

"ME?" The man asked, his eyes covered by his bangs. He seemed pissed off, which delighted Ichigo a little more. Nothing better than to find another human as frustrated as he was. "I am…Abarai Renji." He replied coldly, and within a second he was near Ichigo - his blade nearly cutting him in half, if it wasn't for the man's sword who blocked it quite easily. "SHIT!"

"You think, I can't defend myself, bastard?" Ichigo spat with a cocky grin on his face. His eyes shimmered with amusement as he found the man referred to as Renji stare angrily at him. "I'll teach you how to fight." He smiled and used shunpo.

To his dismay, Renji quickly reacted and used his speed to avoid his slices. Instead of cutting Renji's whole left arm, Ichigo managed to destroy the family portrait. Shit. The king grumbled to himself. At that time, their commotion attracted much people. Rukia, who arrived last found the two fighting and seemed quite aghast.

"How dare you take HER away from me!" The man shouted, Ichigo who had no idea of what he was speaking about quickly dodged his other attack. Which lead to a very expensive vase to break. And then after that a chandelier, and after that it ALMOST…I say ALMOST killed one of the servants who seemed awestruck of their awesome abilities.

"That's enough, idiots!" Rukia angrily hissed getting between the two and punching both on the head. Ichigo blinked twice while Renji coughed and looked away. "BAKA! Why are you here?" She asked distastefully at the man who had invaded her home. Renji turned scarlet and his mouth opened but no reply arrived.

"How the hell do you know him?" Ichigo asked a little surprised and annoyed. Rukia rolled her eyes, and passed him. No way was she ever revealing her personal past life with him. "YOU BETTER ANSWER ME BITCH!" Ichigo's voice echoed throughout the hallway. Rukia ignored him, and kept on walking.

"I'll tell you how she knows me." Renji muttered angrily, and retreated his blade. Ichigo gazed at him rather lazily and withdrew his sword as well.

"Start spitting shit out, bastard." The orange-haired boy grumbled and sat down on the floor, a little improper for a nobility. "Well?"

"I'm her damn bodyguard, dumbass." Renji rubbed his temples, and a howl of laughter was coming straight from Ichigo. "Why the HELL are you laughing!"

"Why would she need a bodyguard?" Ichigo asked. "After all, she has me." He smiled. He obviously wanted Renji to reply with venom. He liked to see someone suffer in pain. Especially heartfelt ones. "I mean…-" The man cut off of his sentence and pointed his blade at him once more.

"I was assigned to protect her…from you." He responded, annoyed by Ichigo's attitude. Why…? Why the hell was she paired up with such a son of a bitch?

"ME?" Ichigo stuttered, a little flattered in a way. "Why do you need to protect her from me?" He asked, wanting to know more.

"Ichigo. Remember, our kingdoms hated each other before we got married." Rukia replied behind him, and kicked him several times. Renji, so far, had completely revealed most of her past. And now, she thought it was a good time to arrive before him once more.

"So you hated me that much?" He sneered with a smile. She snorted and kicked him again, this time a little harder. "Ow, bitch." He grumbled and rubbed his backside. "After he goes away, I am SO going to get you." He grumbled. Rukia laughed and continued to kick him a little more. Until, of course, he took her foot and completely embraced her leg, which made her panic due to the strange sensation and flee at least two meters away from him.

"So. We're married. You don't need to guard her anymore." Ichigo whispered in a rather dangerous tone. He held some jealousy in it. A little, so no one could really tell if he meant it. Renji let out a small frown staring at him.

"BUT I swore." He replied, calmly. Ichigo gazed at him. "I swore I would protect her from you." He responded. Ichigo stared at him rather bored. "So what do I do now? I swore to protect her for all eternity! It was my job, my goal! So what do I do now?" He shouted angrily, Rukia turned a little crimson which unluckily for her, Ichigo noticed and got a little more envious.

"I know, what you should do." The man replied, with a still annoyed look on his face. "You should go back to your stupid kingdom and protect her bastard brother." Ichigo smiled. A vein popped on the side of Renji's head. He gazed at Ichigo with hatred and clenched tightly onto his sword. Though he had no reason why to attack that man again, after Rukia angrily asked him to stop.

"…I don't want an answer from you." He muttered, and his eyes stared at her violet-blue orbs. She gazed at him silently, and stared at Ichigo who seemed to be rather strangely ticked. Such, life is cruel. She thought to herself and spoke.

"You have met your goal, a little early." She replied. "But, I am in no need of your care…" She whispered, her eyes sinking as she saw his shocked expression. Ichigo smiled, triumphantly. At least she KNEW what she was doing, he thought. "But, however." She added to her sentence. The two stared at her. "However…if you would like to be by my side, you can at least protect me by joining our army…we are in great need of someone with your caliber." She was absolutely idiotic. Ichigo knew that, but in a way…she was helping him too. He knew it.

"…Very well." Renji replied, a little half-heartedly. Ichigo stood up and grunted. He was in no mood now. Obviously at night, he was going to teach Rukia a lesson or two. Maybe give her some adult experiences, if she could handle it due to her childish ways.

"…Idiot." Ichigo grumbled, whacking her on the side slightly. Rukia rolled her eyes, while Renji paid absolute attention at their relation.