A/N: Right, so I promised you a playlist, here are a couple of songs: L'arc en ciel, Anemone. My Chemical Romance, Demolition lovers. Matchbook Romance, Tiger Lily. Devotchka, This Place is haunted. HIM, Heaven Tonight.
Well those are just a couple of them, I'll post more next time. The drama wama...yeah I know I'm lame, but I like to rhyme...will begin in CH5
Two figures stood staring at a lake, the image of them blurry and unclear. One of them was a girl, her hair fell just above her shoulders and she was short; the other one was male, he was taller than the girl, and had shaggy black hair that fell down to his neck, both were in their teens.
"You were away longer this time."
"I'm sorry," she said turning away from him, her voice just above a whisper.
"I understand, it's not your fault."
"I missed you," she said turning around to face him again.
"I missed you too." They were both quiet for a couple of seconds; the silence was awkward.
"You…you look different, more grown up," she said blushing furiously.
"Really? The others still treat me like a child."
"They just like to pick on you, you know how Grimmjaw is," she drew closer to him, their faces were very close now, "you're nothing like the kid I remember, you look so tall, and your eyes they're so-" she cut off quickly and looked away blushing. The fog faded, revealing the girl to be an identical portrait of Rukia Kuchiki.
"Yes, but you, you never change, you're so short, are you ever going to grow up?" He asked laughing; the fog cleared from his face, revealing him to be a much kinder and joyful version of the Espada Ulquiorra, his skin wasn't so pale, and there was a light in his eyes that made them look caring…
…
"Hello, earth to Rukia!" Said Rangiku waving a hand in front of her; Rukia snapped out of it.
"I'm sorry Rangiku, I was just-"
"This is important, don't you understand? We need to find the perfect music for your wedding," said Rangiku. Rukia and Rangiku were currently in the world of the living searching through CD's in a music store. They were planning to find a musician they liked, bring them to soul society to play, then erase their memory after they finished.
"I still don't see why we didn't just choose traditional Soul Society wedding music," said Rukia flipping through more CD's.
"I'm telling you, this music is much better. Do you really think Ashido would want a boring traditional wedding?" Asked Rangiku taking out another CD.
Rukia sighed, Ashido, her soon-to-be husband, the man she would spend the rest of her living days with. She loved him. She honestly did, it was stupid that Ichigo even doubted that. He had changed her life completely, took her out of the routine, sure Ichigo had done the same, but Ashido did it differently, while Ichigo did it through screaming and insulting, Ashido did it with warm caresses; he had awoken a part of her that she didn't even know existed. A soft, kind, vulnerable, side.
Her relationship with Ashido was much more different than the one she had with Ichigo. Her relationship with Ichigo was dramatic, passionate, fierce, adventurous, while her relationship with Ashido was peaceful, warm, comforting, safe. After much thinking, Rukia came to the conclusion that Ichigo would always be the love of her life, but Ashido was her true love…the man she was meant to spend rest of her life with.
The difference between both loves? She would always look at what she felt for Ichigo as her first, it was immature, irrational…but pure and strong, a love whose story you tell when you're old and your grandchildren ask for advice on their first relationship, the kind that you never forget. What she felt for Ashido was calm, quiet, a love you wake up to every morning, and welcome as a breath of fresh air, something as strong as the toughest steel but soft as a flower petal, the kind you keep forever. Yes, there definitely was a difference.
"What about me? Where do I stand in all of this?" She heard the voice of a man in her mind; she shook her head, and then wondered… "what would Ashido think if I told him I dream of another…and it's neither him nor Ichigo, but the fourth Espada?" It was now clear to her who the children in her dreams were, that they were her, and him…
She had known for a week now, after seeing him at Universal Studios, her dreams had become more clear, faces, names, were all beginning to reveal themselves. What she didn't know, was how to interpret them, it was absurd for her to take them so seriously, right? They were after all, only dreams, scenes that her brain had pieced together from remnants of her memory, but not pieced together accurately, that much was obvious, if it was meant for dreams to be taken seriously, we would never face our true realities.
"Rukia, hello!" Yelled Rangiku again, waving a hand in front of her.
"What?"
"You keep on spacing out, don't you care what music we get?"
"Not really no, I still think you're taking this much too seriously, all that matters to me is that I'm marrying Ashido."
"Yes, but your wedding needs to be, how should I put this? Magical," said Rangiku handing her a CD, "here, start listening to these," she said giving her a stack of them; Rukia sighed and rolled her eyes at her, scanning the barcodes of the CD boxes under the CD sampler.
"Fine."
She didn't like half of the music she was listening to, but didn't voice her complaints. It was about thirteen CD's later that she found one that intrigued her; she flipped the CD over to see the name of the band, Muse, and the song was titled Unintended.
"You could be my unintended choice to live my life extended, you could be the one I'll always love, you could be the one who listens to my deepest inquisitions, you could be the one I'll always love…"
"Rangiku! This one's perfect!" Said Rukia taking her headphones off; Rangiku walked over to her and listened to it for a bit before putting the headphones down.
"It's beautiful, but, you really think that could be a wedding song?"
"Sure, why not?"
"Because, it sounds…forced."
"Forced?"
"Yes, personally I think it sounds like he's just settling, you know? 'first there was the one who challenged all my dreams and all my balance', that sounds to me like he's weary and tired of mopping around for somebody and he's just using the girl to forget."
"I don't know, it doesn't sound like that to me. It's like, he thought he was in love once, but now that he met this other girl he knows what real love is."
"… I'll be there as soon as I can but I'm busy mending broken pieces of the life I had before'….?" Asked Rangiku raising an eyebrow, "clearly he hasn't gotten over the other girl."
"Don't you think you're reading too much into this?" Sighed Rukia annoyed.
"Nope Rukia-chan, it has to be perfect," smiled Rangiku patting her on the head, and she handed her another stack of CD's.
"Why couldn't Momo and Nemu come instead?" Mumbled Rukia to herself.
"Because Captain Hitsugaya and Captain Kurotsuchi forbid it, remember what happened at that theme park?" Asked Rangiku appearing behind her with a large grin on her face. Of course, how could Rukia forget? It resulted in Momo's deflowering and Nemu's temporary kidnap.
Captain Hitsugaya was furious, as was Captain Kurotsuchi. There were tears, blood, and shattered glass. Captain Hitsugaya nearly killed the blond that poked his Momo and Captain Kurotsuchi tortured the three that kidnapped Nemu, stealing some of their organs while he was at it, luckily they weren't any vital organs. After that, the two girls were forbidden from leaving Soul Society while in the company of Rukia, Rangiku, and Nanao.
"Don't remind me," sighed Rukia.
After much searching, Rukia and Rangiku finally found the perfect song, it was a song by the band L'arc en ciel, which oddly enough, was titled, Anemone.
"Do ya think you're prepared?" Gin asked Ulquiorra. They were both inside Gin's office in Hueco Mundo.
"Yes. I do have…a couple of questions though."
"Shoot."
"Who in reality is Rukia Kuchiki?"
"Well, ya know very well who she is, Bya-kun's sister of course, a valuable member of soul society, and nobility."
"She is trash like the rest of them. It is futile to waste our time and energy on her."
"Rukia-chan is more powerful than ya think Ulqui-kun, I bet ya you'll be impressed by what she's capable of. Her abilities are dormant, and that is why we need to find that demon-"
"Amaymon?"
"Yeah, that's his name, he will bring it all back to ya."
"When will you tell me the truth? How will that demon awaken our powers? And why must Kuchiki Rukia be protected from the winged ones?"
"Ulquiorra, if I told ya anything about your past, it would make it harder for ya to remember, that has to come to you on its own. Why? Have you remembered something?"
"Nothing in particular, only a house, and a girl."
"A girl?" Asked Gin sitting up more straight and looking intrigued.
"Yes, I do not know who she is, and it does not matter, probably trash anyway."
"Hmm…I wonder how much our dear Rukia-chan has remembered," said Gin to himself thoughtfully.
"I forbid you to see or even think about any of them, again especially that boy. From this day on, that family is dead to us, do you understand?!"
"But-"
"Do you understand?!"
"Yes, I understand."
Why was she crying? She couldn't understand why. As soon as she heard that conversation in her mind, her eyes welled up in tears…she just couldn't understand…why. Rukia was sitting outside of her room. The moon tonight was beautiful, not only was it a full moon, but it was also new; its light illuminated all of Soul Society radiantly. She felt an odd pull from it, as if it were calling her name whispering to her, cradling her.
Rukia stood up and looked up at it intently, she reached her hand towards it, and her skin seemed to glow in its light, making her feel warm all over. How strange. She had never felt it that strong before. Ever since she first learned her Zanpakuto's name, and learned of its abilities, she suspected Sode no Shirayuki had properties that involved the moon. She knew her zanpakuto was of snow; she had even made a comment to Kaien Shiba about her suspicions once; he laughed and patted her on the back, he told her that her zanpakuto was of snow, and had nothing in common with the moon.
Yet…she always felt strengthened by the moon, like that large sphere in the sky was watching out for her, healing her, giving her company, and empowering her. Rukia gazed at the moon, her violet eyes sparkling, the tears in her eyes levitating towards the sky in a silver glow.
"Rukia?" Rukia gasped surprised and turned to see Ichigo standing in the middle of her garden, "Ichigo, what are you doing here?" She asked quickly wiping the tears away from her eyes; he stared at her speechless for a moment.
"You do know your tears were floating, and you were…glowing…"
"What? I think the full moon is playing tricks on you."
"Whatever, so, why were you crying?" He asked walking towards her.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Don't lie, I saw you."
"It was nothing, I don't even know why I was crying, I guess I'm just a little nervous, with the wedding an all."
"That's a sign."
"A sign of what?"
"That you need to dump Ashido and get with me," said Ichigo smirking; Rukia smacked him on the chest annoyed.
"You're wrong strawberry, I happen to love Ashido very much."
"Do you really?" He asked drawing closer to her.
"Yes, I do," said Rukia; a second later she found herself enveloped in Ichigo's arms.
"I don't believe you. Ashido is just a cute little fairytale…and you're in the mood to play princess," he said cupping her face, "but…I'm pretty capable of playing prince charming. If you give me a chance, it won't be like last time. I'll be more detailed, romantic, just…give me that chance," said Ichigo lowering his face to hers to the point that their lips were merely an inch apart.
"Why are you doing this to me?"
"Doing what?"
"Making it harder for me, don't you realize what I'm going through, I'm trying my best to be the perfect wife to Ashido, to give him all my heart, but you and him have to go and try to ruin that!"
"You want to know why?" He asked; she nodded.
"Because, Rukia, you're doing it to me. You see, I know things about you that you don't even know, and…I know there's something that connects you to me. You'll never be happy with anyone else; I'm just looking out for your happiness here Rukia," he said very seriously for a moment, but after a while he couldn't keep himself from laughing.
"What's so funny strawberry? Do you enjoy that much playing with my feelings?!"
"No, it's just, Rukia, sweetheart, we've grown past that fluffy fairytale shit, I can't believe I said that shit a moment ago. Love really does make you say crazy things," he said thoughtfully, "but I wasn't lying about the fact that Ashido is just a new pet, and about us being destined to be together."
"You really believe all of this is preordained?" she asked rolling her eyes at him.
"Of course," said Ichigo sitting on the floor.
"And how may I ask, do you know that?"
"Masaki."
"Masaki?" She said thoughtfully, it wasn't so much a question for Ichigo than it was for herself.
"Yes, my mother, remember her?"
"Yes it's just…what did she tell you?"
"I just barely remember, but she told me someday I would meet a girl with the saddest eyes I had ever seen, one that reminded me of the saddest flower, and that I should help her, I remember her words very clearly though, 'protect that fragile anemone' I never put much thought into what she said, but then I met you, and I couldn't help but be curious."
"She really told you all of that?"
"Yep, she did, that's why I need to look out for you Rukia, I promised mom I would. I may not know what's going on with you, but I trust you'll tell me when the time is right," said Ichigo turning to look at her, "that's why I know we will always be in each other's lives, even if your marry Ashido. That's why I came to tell you, you have my blessings, I sincerely wish you the best of luck."
"Thank you Ichigo, that really does mean a lot to me," she said smiling at him; he looked hesitant for a while, but then he wrapped his arms around her and embraced her for a long time.
"May everything fall into place for you Mrs. Kano," he smirked; she punched him on the arm playfully.
"You fool, I'm not married yet."
"Oh, but you will be, soon there will be little Rukias and Ashidos running all over Sereitei, what a menace."
"Whatever," she said rolling her eyes at him. And they both remained silent, a pleasant peace between them. Rukia looked up at the moon, it had watched out for her yet again, bringing Ichigo to her when she was in the need for comforting. But she couldn't help but wonder, was Ichigo's mother, Masaki Kurosaki, the same Masaki talked about in her dreams? And if so, could she really have known that Ichigo would meet her someday? Could she have known, then, the truth behind the dreams she was having, now?