Someone had plastered an article on the school bulletin board and now it was all over the school: the Blood Lion was at Karakura University. Rukia sank down in her seat a little, trying to disappear. She hadn't told anyone, and no one seemed to have figured out that the reason she had transferred in in the middle of the year was because her brother, a police chief, had sent her here undercover. Then who had spilled the secret? One thing was for sure - she had to gauge Kurosaki's reaction to this.

"Ryo! There you are! Have you heard?" I looked over to see Jake strolling across the campus lawn with Ichigo in tow. The orange-headed teenager looked exhausted and half-asleep.

"You mean about the Blood Lion?"

"They say he can take on a one-hundred people at once in hand-to-hand combat! Tall frame, long ginger hair, and bloodshot eyes... the spitting image of a lion thirsty for blood. Everyone knows he's out for something, or someone. But the Blood Lion's attacks never make any sense. Sometimes he hurts the police, sometimes he destroys gangs, and sometimes he does both. You know, I bet he's searching for his soulmate."

"Soulmate?"

"Yeah! Like, a rival. Someone strong enough to stand up to him,"

"Naw, you stupid? No one's strong enough to fight the Blood Lion," one of Jake's classmates butted in. All this while, Ichigo's head had sunk into his chest and he seemed to have fallen asleep standing up. I studied him in awe. Was he really the Blood Lion? He acts like he could care less. I have to give him some bait...

"I've heard Bryers Bank was recently attacked and the Blood Lion claims to have done it," I added, "Looks like his next attack is Trafalger Tower. At least, that's what the newspeople are guessing. I doubt Blood Lion would show his face at such a public monument though." Before I had even finished, Ichigo's head shot up. I tensed. So he was listening...

"Trafalger Tower?" Ichigo mumured to himself, "Why there?"

"Isn't there a real pricey painting locked up on the highest level somewhere?" Jake guessed, "Blood Lion could be looking for blood money."

"Eh? Then why attack the bank before stealing the painting? If he robs it before, isn't he just upping the security?"

"There's that risk," Ichigo suddenly joined in, "But the Blood Lion's smart. Obviously, he's got a client willing to pay lots of dough for that painting. He figures that his client's money should still be locked up safe in the bank. The question is which bank. Once you know, it's all matter of stealing it at the right time. No one would think a con man would double-cross his client before even getting a bargaining chip, right? So while the buyer isn't suspecting anything, the Blood Lion steals the money and the painting all in one go and-"

"Winner takes all," Jake marveled with bright eyes, "Man, that's genius!"

Ichigo didn't smile though.

"Trafalger Tower, huh?"

It can't be him, I decided to myself. He acted as if the Blood Lion's next attack location was completely new to him! Or he could just be acting. But if he's acting, why mull so long over it? No one suspects him! And there was the whole giving-away-the-Blood-Lion's-plan thing. Ichigo wouldn't have revealed himself like that if he was the Blood Lion! Rukia sighed. This was giving her a headache. Oh well, guess I'll see soon. It's showtime. The clock tower read 9:00 PM and a series of chimes began to sound through the air. Rukia was standing outside Trafalger Tower. About a hundred feet away, her brother was watching her, armed with a sniper rifle, as he stood behind a window. Even then, Rukia could feel Byakuya's cold gaze reach her. Everything was silent, save for the soft whispering of the wind.

The tower stood out from the rest of the gray city buildings. It was definitely the tallest, its sharp needle point pricking the sky. All along its slim structure were glowing lights that illuminated the tower like a rod of white light. Surrounding the tower were two helicopters, circling around and around like sharks. Rukia gulped and yanked at her tie. She had come dressed in a tuxedo because even now she needed to be undercover as "Ryo", but she was more anxious about how things were proceeding inside.

"All quiet in here, Moon," the radio receiver crackled. Rukia smiled lightly as she recognized her childhood friend's voice.

"Got you, Foxtrot. Wait on standby,"

"Sure reminds you of the old times, huh? When you were part of the team? Man, those were good raids. We'd always bag at least six slimy bastards-"

"Foxtrot, maintain radio silence," A familiar, cold voice ordered sharply. Renji immediately shut up and Rukia refrained herself from laughing. They waited a little longer in the darkness. When was he going to come?

Thirty minutes later, the night was still silent. Rukia's eyelids kept drifting downwards and she struggled to keep her eyes open. I can't miss this. I have to clear Ichigo's name...she thought wearily. That was when it happened.

An abrupt, orange explosion. First, a wave of heat sweeping outwards like a tsunami. Then came the pieces of raining cement, chunks of red ember, and in that light, a soundless white echo.

BAMMM!

And then the silence broke. It was screaming of broken electricity lines, crackling flames, terrified people - Rukia stumbled around, bewildered. Someone was screaming in her earpiece but she couldn't hear. Then she looked up and her heart squeezed. Someone was dangling out of the window, someone with long red hair. Renji! Without hesitation, Rukia ran towards the stairwell. Another explosion hit the air and she flew back, tumbling across the pavement. Her skin scraped away and she felt a raw burn. Maybe she was bleeding - the ground was dark with some liquid anyway. It couldn't be helped, she had no time to take care of that. Racing again to the stairs, Rukia dashed up as fast as her legs would move.

"Kuchiki Rukia, get down here right now!" Byakuya's voice roared over the radio. She ripped out the earpiece and continued running. Oh my god Renji, please be okay. I'll never forgive the Blood Lion if he takes you too!

"Kuso!" Byakuya swore. He never lost his emotions, but right now, he was watching his sister run straight towards a cold-blooded killer without a second of hesitation. And he was trapped behind the window, helpless. He closed his eyes and tried to control his breathing. At last, he lowered his heart rate. Lying back down, he stretched out and leveled his eye with the scope. It wasn't totally helpless. He could still mark her and maybe protect her from harm.

Shit! The door was locked. Rukia slammed her fist against the metal barrier, almost in tears. Her breaths came out in ragged gasps and an intolerable pain wracked her insides. God, why? A scream came from within the room. Rukia heard voices. Someone laughed and then more screaming. Renji! she thought painfully. Her fists suddenly assailed the door without relent and she began to shriek. She no longer cared if she died... I can't stand by and watch someone I love disappear before my eyes! Not again! Not again! The door flew open and Rukia tumbled forward. She scrambled around.

Standing above her was a beautiful, tall figure.

He was handsome and had long dark lashes. His jaw was prominent and his bones looked sturdy. His shoulders were broad. But it was the eyes that struck Rukia the most. Black, deep, and pit-less, like coal. There was no emotion there whatsoever. He smiled and offered her a hand up. Rukia eyed it and then looked back up at the mysterious figure. Something in her knew exactly who this was. Knew the man before even more intimately than the mere title society had bestowed upon him. He was more than that. Her body recognized it.

"Hello. I'm the Blood Lion,"

"..."

"Rukia! Get away! What are you doing here, idiot?" Renji's strained voice flooded in from the open window and Rukia let her gaze snap to her childhood friend. His long hair was untied and flowing loosely through the air, draping across his long face. The crimson strands seemed like red ribbons flying in the sky. Rukia saw he was bleeding from a wound to the head. She made herself look back at the Blood Lion. A hard feeling replaced the stunned paralysis Rukia felt earlier, and she glared at the Blood Lion without fear.

"You're a bastard,"

He smiled.

"Thanks," He left me and walked over to a painting hanging on the wall. He touched it, his expression indifferent.

"Why is this painting...so valuable? It's nothing but oil marks. The arrangement isn't even atheistically pleasing." He sighed and turned toward me.

"What I'm here for isn't here. I thought for sure I would find him, but he hasn't come. How disappointing."

"What are you talking about?" I snapped. He ignored me and proceeded to untie Renji's bonds. Is he letting us go? I thought, suspicious. Renji evidently was cynical as well. He caught my glance and pleaded with me to leave. I shook my head softly. Renji's eyes were crestfallen but he knew he couldn't change my mind. Suddenly, he yelped. As a bond holding him against the railing fell away, Renji dropped several feet through the air. I screamed and ran forward but the Blood Lion instantly snapped out a kick to my stomach. I crumpled to the ground, momentarily breathless. Renji was now only attached to the railing by two knots. The Blood Lion methodically began working on the first one. I squeezed the tears out of my eyes and painfully gathered myself into a sitting position. Although I was breathless, I wheezed out a few curse words. The Blood Lion laughed.

"Don't try anything, girl. You'll just annoy me."

Defeat tasted bitter.

"Just why are you doing this?" I asked, "Who are you? What has the world done to you?"

"Me? Haven't you figured it out? I'm looking for someone who will stop me," The Blood Lion turned towards me, black eyes glinting, "Someone who truly deserves the name 'Blood Lion'...someone who will be the fire to my ice, the light to my darkness, the good to my evi-"

I swung my fist and stumbled forward into nothing as the Blood Lion easily sidestepped my punch. He grabbed my wrist, twisted my arm, and popped out my shoulder. I screamed. Then his fingers closed around my neck. The world spun dizzily and blackness crept toward the center of my vision...