DISCLAIMER: I don't own Bleach. Although I DO own this computer, the shirt I am currently wearing this half eaten doughnut, the other eaten half of the doughnut now digesting in my stomach, and the frogs staring at me from their tank. One just stuck its tongue out at me...
Well anyway I'm sorry it's taken me SOOO long to update but between all of my tests and the end of Science Fair and this essay I had do I BARELY had enough to type this up! I actually took the time to WRITE out the first 1,468 words. The other half I just typed!
"Waaaaaah! Waah!" was the sound Rukia awoke to. Her little baby squirming in her arms and crying.
"Shh! Shh! Yoro, its okay." Rukia cooed. The baby calmed down while Rukia rocked her back and forth in her arms. Although, the baby was still a bit upset.
Ichigo - being awoken by his daughter's cries and his wife's movements - rubbed Yoro's tears away with his thumb. "Yoro, you're fine baby girl. No need to cry." Yoro's little violet orbs stared into her father's amber eyes. Ichigo moved a bit to get a better look at his midget wife's face. "Do you think she's…uh…hungry?"He asked. "Maybe." Rukia replied.
"I can turn us around to face the wall to give you some privacy when you're feeding Yorokobi. No one can see you then." Rukia nodded in response as Ichigo turned them all around towards the wall of the now cool boxcar. Since it was night, it was freezing. And since there were some many people in the boxcar, the body heat made the cramped space take on a cool air instead of a freezing one.
Yorokobi was only three months old, so breast feeding was the only option. Although, while Yoro was gaining liquid and nutrients, Rukia was losing them both. Hopefully they could get off the train soon; food and water were being craved and needed by all onboard the train.
When their daughter finished eating, Ichigo and Rukia returned to their original position. Ichigo's back, neck, and legs were extremely stiff and sore from sitting on the hard wooden floor of the boxcar. On the other hand, Rukia was safe and comfy in her Strawberry's strong and protective arms. Yoro was snuggled in Rukia's arms and Ichigo's chest. Rukia rested her head on Ichigo's shoulder as the train headed down the rickety rails.
"Ichigo," Rukia started, "how is your wound?" She was looking at Ichigo's other shoulder – the makeshift bandage having a dark red splotch stained into it.
"It's okay, I guess. I mean it doesn't hurt, and since the bullet went clean through, I don't need surgery to remove it. As long as it doesn't get infected too badly, I should be fine."
"So, it really doesn't hurt?"
"Nope not at all."
Rukia poked the middle of the red splotch on the bandage – Ichigo winced.
"Okay it throbs quite a bit and it stings if I move too much."
"That's what I thought you stubborn idiot." Rukia smirked in victory – a yawn made its way up and out of her mouth.
"C'mon Rukia, get some sleep. You're probably going to need it." Ichigo whispered before, he too, yawned.
"You too, Strawberry." She said snuggling into said Strawberry's chest.
"Alright ya midget. Love you." Ichigo kissed the top of his wife's black hair.
"Love you…too…" Rukia said as she fell asleep. Ichigo soon followed her into the realm of dreams.
"Alright Jews, get up and out! Schnell!" came the horrid voice from the opening of the boxcar. It smelled of human waste and was deathly hot inside.
Ichigo's eyelids fluttered open as he took in his surroundings. The Nazi soldiers were going around, kicking or hitting people to get up. He stood with Rukia still in his arms, and was herded out with everyone else toward some trucks.
'Great,' thought Ichigo, 'even more trucks.'
Sometime later, Ichigo jostled Rukia awake. They had reached their destination – it looked like the first place they were sent to stay for the night.
Rukia looked around groggily. Dozens of cinder-block barracks and yards and yards of barren land. Just dirt and barracks – guarded by Nazis and surrounded by barbed wire fences. Her eyes widened – as well as Ichigo's – in horror at the sight before them now. Hundreds of people in rags and were literally skin and bones were coming out of the barracks. This was no "resettlement", this was Hell. And they were headed inside along with dozens of others from the train ride.
Everyone was forced off the back of the truck and pushed into the place no known to every Jew as Hell.
"Separate! Men here; women and children 10 and under there! Schnell! Why aren't you moving? I said, SEPARATE!" Bellowed a large Nazi.
Soldiers had to raise their guns to get people to separate from men from the women and children. Wails, cries, screams, and sayings of goodbye were passed between separating groups.
"Rukia, go. Take Yorokobi and go with the woman and children." Large violet and tear-filled eyes gazed into blood-shot and glassy amber ones. Rukia could see in his eyes how hard it was for him to say those words.
"No."
"Rukia, you have to! They'll hurt you, or Yoro!"
"I won't leave you!"
"I want to stay with too Rukia, but I don't want either of you to be harmed." His eyes were beginning to water.
'He never cries. This must be so hard for him. I feel the same way. I only wish we didn't have to separate in this horrid place.' Rukia's face saddened even more. "Fine," she said with tears streaming down her face.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
They kissed passionately – tears flowing from both their eyes.
"I love you too, my little Yoro." Ichigo said taking her from Rukia's hold. He kissed her forehead, held her close, and then returned her to Rukia's grasp. Yoro looked around – she looked confused and the expression on her face was hysterical. Rukia chuckled a bit through her tears. Ichigo hugged them tightly and then let go. The soldiers were coming towards them. He turned towards the men's barracks. "See you when this is over," he said looking back with his teary amber eyes. "Yes." The one worded response from Rukia was filled with emotion as she, and the other women and children, were herded away.
Rukia walked away holding her baby tight – they were headed towards a dilapidated barrack. The closer they got, the stronger the horrid smell became – her mind was blank as well as her expression. As bad as the smell was for everyone else, it didn't seem to register in Rukia's mind.
They were all shoved inside the already cramped barracks. It looked exactly like the barracks she and Ichigo had to sleep in the night before. Except there were deep red stains everywhere - God only knew what, or who, they were from. Dozens of other women and children were there as well. All of the women were bone thin, cheeks gaunt. The children were a bit better off. They were probably getting extra food from their mothers.
A hand grabbed Rukia's shoulder. She jumped, but turned around. "Momo!" she squeaked out.
"Rukia, thank God you're okay! I hadn't seen you; I thought you were somehow sent elsewhere. Oh my! How did you manage to find her?" Momo blurted out and then gestured towards Yoro.
"I'm not sure. I can't exactly call it luck now can I?"
"I have to agree with you there. So, was your brother with her before you found her?"
"N-no…he wasn't I have no idea where he is. I'm not even sure if he's still alive."
"Oh I'm sorry Rukia! I'm assuming someone else had her than?" Rukia nodded.
"Is Ichigo okay?"
"Besides h-having t-to leave, his mood was fine. Although, o-one of th-the soldiers sh-shot h-his sh-shoulder," Rukia said through the lump in her throat and the tears threatening to fall. She held them in; she didn't want to show how weak she was.
Momo's eyes went wide – growing a bit wider and then showing no emotion at all at Rukia's next question.
"Is Toushiro-kun still okay, I mean besides having to separate from you?"
Momo's face showed no emotion. "A soldier hit him with a gun and broke some of his fingers. Gave him a black eye too."
"Oh I'm sorry Momo! I had no idea!"
"It's alright; I mean Shiro-chan is probably better off than Ichigo at the moment."
"Yeah I guess." Rukia looked around the barracks. "Is that Rangiku?" Rukia squinted her eyes to make sure.
"I-I think so."
"Hey!" Yelled the busty young woman. "Momo-san, Rukia-san! Over here! It's the only shelf left." The two short women made their way through the mass of boney people. Rangiku was sitting on the shelf, a solemn look on her usually peppy face. Her husband, Hisagi, was over with the men. She had no other family in the camp so for her to find two people she could call friend was pure joy. She informed Rukia and Momo that their friend, Unohana, had been sent off somewhere else to heal soldiers from the war; this was only allowed because she wasn't Jewish – she was only friends with them. Rangiku, Momo, and Rukia told each other about all that had happened to them on their way to the place they were now.
"Goodnight Momo-san! Goodnight Rukia-san! Goodnight and sweet dreams lil Yoro!"
"'Night Rangiku-san!" Rukia and Momo said in unison. They fell asleep on the cramped shelves, dreaming about their loved ones and fearing what would come the following day.
Ichigo was shoved inside the putrid smelling barracks along with the other men. He was showing no emotion – his famous scowl set on his face. He didn't want to show any weakness in front of the other men. He was too stubborn for that.
He glanced around the cramped space, looking for someone he knew. His eyes landed on the familiar tattooed faces of Renji Abarai and Hisagi Shuuhei. Ichigo made his way through the bone thin men towards his friends. "Renji! Hisagi!" The two glanced in Ichigo's direction.
"What the hell? Ichigo is that you?" Renji practically screamed.
"Yeah, it's me."
"Jeez, what the fuck happened to your arm?" Hisagi asked.
Ichigo's expression became grim at the memory. "Some bastard Nazi slapped Rukia so I punched him. The guards wanted to "show us a lesson" and he shot me. I'm just glad Rukia is okay. Same with Yoro."
"Yoro? You mean Yorokobi? As in… your daughter Yoro?" They asked surprised.
"Yeah. We found her with some woman, probably from Viosk where Byakuya lives. He wasn't there with her though. Rukia seemed a bit worried at the time, but she hasn't made a big deal about it. I just hope she's fine now."
Hisagi gave him a sympathetic look. He knew what he was going through. His wife, Rangiku, was in the same place Rukia was. Renji almost looked kind of left out of the worry party going on in front of him.
"So…uh…anyone see anybody else we know?"
"From what I've seen, Ichigo, there hasn't been anyone I know. I mean I did see Toushiro but that was before we even got near the trains. He was in the same truck as me and Rangiku. We lost him at the train stop though."
"How about you Renji?"
"I saw that one chick from the party there. Oh Damnit…what was her name? Oh yeah that Arisawa girl."
"Tatsuki? Where'd you see her last?"
"Um…I was sitting kind of close to her on the train, but I couldn't find her in the crowd when we got here so I'm not sure where she is now. Some other big guy was there. Sado was his name…I think."
"He prefers Chad, Renji."
"How the fuck am I supposed to know that? I mean I barely even know what he looks like let alone what the hell his name is! Cut me some slack Hisagi."
"C-could you please k-keep it down. W-we d-don't w-w-want the N-Nazis c-co-coming in h-her to m-make you b-b-e quiet." A brittle looking man said from the shelf next to the one they were sitting on.
"Oh...uh…sorry. We'll keep it down. Trust me; I don't want them in here either." The man looked at Ichigo's injured shoulder as Ichigo spoke. Ichigo turned back to his "friends" as Hisagi made a crack at Renji's face and hair.
"What do you mean by Amazon pineapple? At least I don't have a sex position tattooed on my face!"
Hisagi turned bright red. "SHUT IT! You and I BOTH know that's not what it means!" Renji couldn't stop guffawing at the color of his face.
"Would you two shut it? Do you want those bastards to come in here and make you shut up?" Ichigo whispered angrily.
"Uh…sorry Ichigo!" "Yeah sorry!" The two idiots immediately dove further back in the shelf and fought over who slept where.
Ichigo wasn't sure what was worse; being stuck in this place without his wife and daughter or the fact that he's going to be stuck with those two idiots. He sighed at the thought and decided to lie down while said Idiots bickered. Tomorrow is going to be one hell of a day.
A/N: How was it? Huh? Huh? Was it good, awful, a sad excuse for a story that took forever to update even though it's a piece of crap? TELL MEE! I will send you an imaginary cookie if you review! (Or a gummy bear...whatever floats your boat! 3)
DRABBLE: Okaiis! I JUST finished watching the Darker Than Black series today and I must say it was AMAZING! I love how dramatic it is. I only wish the final episode of the STORY LINE was better. I liked how in the last episode ever that _ found out _ real _! (You'll have to find out by watching the series!) I am no OBSESSED with the second opening, "The Hero Without a Name" Look it up on Youtube and its by Kakusei Heroism!
Update mii story sooner now! Go on and review yuu lil flying piggies! ~AF134
