AN: Sorry for the delay, lots of work to do. Anyway, not too happy with this chapter, but the firsts hints of true clues start to come in, so it is a somewhat important chap. I hope you guys like it. Oh, and the character that I will put in based on what you guys suggested will be... you know what, I'll let you find out on your own :P
News: For any who follow Endless Darkness, I have put it on hiatus temporarily because I have no idea where I am going with it. Once I figure that out, I will start it back again. However, I did start a new story (Case Law) if any of you are interested.
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.
Can't erase the tears from memory
Even this sound of darkness probably won't heal anymore
Somehow knowing that...
Tears come running down again from the memory
Look around
There's probably no one to live for now...alone
Ichigo looked down at his food absently. He still wasn't hungry. Ever since he had gotten the frame, he hadn't felt hungry at all, just confused and frustrated. What the hell was going on? Why did all of this have to happen to him? It just didn't make any sense. And what's more, he didn't want it to stop; he wanted to figure out who was behind all this crap: the frame, the letter, all of it. But he had no idea how to go about figuring it out.
"Ichigo, aren't you going to eat?"
Ichigo looked up from his food at the one who had spoken. Tatsuki sat across from him, watching him worriedly. He shook his head, not bothering to speak.
"You trying to lose weight, carrot-top?" Renji smirked from next to Tatsuki. Ichigo glared at him.
"Shut it."
"Geez, what's your problem?" Renji mumbled, taking a bite of his food.
The group became quiet, awkward tension filling the space on the roof where they ate lunch. Ichigo had no problem with it, he simply retreat within himself and began thinking about the letter again, but the others began to grow uncomfortable. After a few more minutes, Renji broke the silence again.
"Hey, anyone here like butterflies?"
Ichigo tensed, looking up at Renji.
"That's a weird question to ask," Tatsuki stated, giving the new kid a strange look.
"Well, there was one over behind carrot-top, and it was getting a little awkward up here, so…."
"I didn't see a butterfly," Orihime stated, looking around curiously.
"Nor did I," Uryuu agreed.
Ichigo turned to look behind him, but there was no butterfly in sight. Was that comment meant for him?
"Hmm, I must've been seeing things then," Renji chuckled.
Orihime smiled and nodded. "I do that all the time! I like to imagine that I'm a robot and that there are these monsters after me that I zap with my lasers and-"
"That's nice, Orihime, but how about we save that story for later…" Tatsuki cut in, ending what was likely to be a very long, very strange story about a war between monsters and humans with robotic body parts.
Ichigo looked back at Renji, who was smiling at the two girls. Who was this guy really? What was that comment for? Ichigo shook his head. It could have just been an innocent question. Ichigo again looked back at the red haired teen to find that this time he was smirking at him instead. Ichigo tensed again. There was no way that it was just an innocent comment.
After the bell rang, the group began picking up and heading back to classroom, but Ichigo waited behind, as did Renji, who was cleaning up his trash. When he was sure they were alone, Ichigo walked up to Renji, grabbing his shirt and pushing him against the wall.
"Who are you?" Ichigo growled, glaring at the guy before him. Renji grimaced, but looked back at Ichigo with anger in his eyes.
"What is your problem?!" he yelled back.
"Who are you and what are you doing here?!" Ichigo asked, pushing Renji against the wall once more.
"Are you an idiot?! I just introduced myself yesterday! Now get the hell off!" Renji shouted, pushing Ichigo away. He glared at him turning and walking back towards the door, mumbling about how he was a berry headed nut job.
Ichigo slammed his fist against the wall. He wasn't getting anywhere. He was so desperate to find answers that he was becoming paranoid. But why had Renji smirked at him like that? Ichigo stalked towards the door, slamming it behind him as he walked through. He needed someone to talk to about all of this, but the only person he could talk to was in Tokyo, and he wasn't very high on Ichigo's list of people to confide in…
As he walked into his class and over to his seat, Ichigo noticed that there was an envelope on his desk. He glanced around the room, but no one was looking at him, and Ochi-sensei was still out. He picked it up and opened it to see that a single piece of paper was in it. He reached in and pulled it out, finding that it was a picture. He stared at the picture, unable to move or think. Looking back at him was an old picture of Rukia and himself walking down the street, glaring at each other as if they had been arguing.
"Wow. Who is that? There is no way that is your girlfriend; she's too cute for someone like you."
Ichigo looked over his shoulder to find Renji looking at the picture as well. When Ichigo said nothing, Renji continued.
"Why haven't I seen her around here? Did she get tired of having to see your ugly mug and finally run away?" Renji sneered, looking for a rise from the orange haired boy.
"-ut up."
"Or was it that you forced her to go out with you and she couldn't take it anymore, so she just went and kil-"
Ichigo fist connected with Renji's mouth, cutting him off and sending him toppling back against the desk. Renji glared up him as he used the desk to hold himself off of the ground, his lip now bleeding. The other students looked over with surprise and apprehension.
"—ard"
"Just like I thought, you talk big, but don't have the strength to back it up. That didn't even hurt," Renji chuckled as he grimaced slightly, rubbing his chin.
"You bastard. What do you know? You talk like you know what Rukia was thinking, but you didn't even know her. How could you possible know what someone you never met felt?! You have no idea what kind of person she was!" Ichigo said, raising his voice until he was shouting.
Renji looked up at the teen whose orange bangs covered his eyes. He hadn't been expecting this reaction.
"If you ever talk about her again," Ichigo said quietly, "I will kill you." With that he walked out of the room, leaving all of his belongings on his desk, not bothering to make eye contact with any of the people watching him. As he disappeared around the door, Renji pulled himself up, looking down at the picture now on the floor. If he looked hard enough, he could see the faint traces of smiles resting on both of the teens faces. He sighed, rubbing his chin again.
I'm sorry… Rukia.
Chapter Four: Suspicion
Byakuya read the letter once again. No matter how many times he read it, he could not convince himself that it was just someone playing a guessing game. It may be obvious that he was cold, but who would have known that Rukia had always sought his approval other than himself, Rukia, and perhaps that impolite boy he had met with yesterday. And then there was the threat at the end. It bothered him. Kuchiki Byakuya was not used to not being able to solve his issues. Normally, he would just call someone to take care of them, or he would deal with it himself. But no one could help with this, and he had no idea of how to go about fixing this issue.
He set the letter down next to the framed butterfly sitting on his desk. He could not figure out what the connection between the two might be other than Rukia. Things were becoming increasingly aggravating. After a few minutes of staring at the butterfly, a name popped into his head. Perhaps…
Byakuya quickly pulled out a phone book and began to search for a number. He continued to flip through the pages until he found the name he was looking for and punched the numbers into his phone. The line rang twice before a laid back, happy sounding voice came across the line.
"Urahara Shoten. How may I help you?"
Byakuya grimaced at the familiar voice, but he had already made up his mind to do this.
"Urahara."
"Hmm? Is this who I think it is?"
"Kuchiki Byakuya. I wish to hire you."
"Well now, it's been a while, hasn't it, Bya-bo?" Urahara stated happily.
"Let us proceed with business," Byakuya said coldly. He really hated that nickname.
"Why rush?! We have to catch up first!"
"No. We do not. I am hiring you to do a job for me."
"Oh? And what sort of job is that?"
"I am aware that your business is used as a front to a criminal business."
There was a pause on the line before Urahara's good natured chuckles came across the line.
"What gives you that idea? I'm just an innocent candy shop owner."
"I know that you cover up criminal activities. If you do not wish for me to reveal this to the authorities, you will accept this job," Byakuya replied simply. There was another pause on the other end of the line.
"I'm listening."
"I wish for you to discover the source of a package. There are neither return addresses nor prints."
"Discover the source? Now there's an unusual request. May I ask what the package is?"
"It shall be sent to you once you accept."
"I accept! It's been boring around here lately. Are there any connection to the package that you know of?"
"It is connected to Rukia."
"I see. Is there anything that might connect her with someone? Maybe she liked drawing? Or did she like butterflies? Anything that might help?"
Byakuya narrowed his eyes at the mention of butterflies.
"No. That is all you need to know."
"You're not making this easy…. I'll let you know when I find something, Bya-bo," Urahara said happily before hanging up.
Byakuya sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He always hated talking to that man. He looked back down at the frame on the table. He would have to be careful when he sent it to Urahara. When he mentioned butterflies, Byakuya had gotten a strange feeling. Was it just an innocent question, or was it something more?
A small amount of light spilled through the blinds from the streetlight, showing the dust floating through the room. The sounds of muffled traffic filled the room, but that was all that could be heard. In the almost nonexistent light, a lone silhouette sat at the center of the room, unmoving. The sound of a door creaking open broke the silence, but the silhouette still did not move.
"It seems that paranoia has finally set in," a voice said from the place where the creak had come from.
The room remained silent other than the sound of a car horn in the distance.
"Perhaps it's time… for you to finally reveal yourself again."
AN: I know, it was kinda short and not the best. Sorry guys, I'll do better next time. And as you can see, Urahara was the character that I saw the name of the most in the reviews, so he will play a part now :) But anyway, please review to let me know what you think. I can't improve without your feedback (and the reviews make me happy XD). Thanks everybody!
