A/N: Here's the second part! It's a little early, but stats homework was killing me so I decided to post this up instead o.o I hope I wrote the fight scene well enough. Again, special thanks to xxfluffly for editing the chapter. Enjoy~

Characters in this chapter: Karin, Yuzu, Ichigo, Rangiku, Gin

Pairings in this chapter: again, a very lopsided GinxRangiku, more prominent in this chapter

Warnings: Violence

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach


Prisoners of Liberty


Chapter 4: Reminiscence of a Silver Lining Part 2


Karin and Yuzu, out of exhaustion, fell asleep on the benches. Ichigo was playing with them in the playground while Rangiku watched before they grew tired and decided to sit down. Ichigo was glad to see that there seemed to be less bruises on them than two years ago. He took off his jacket and placed it on top of them both. Ichigo's uncovered arm revealed the faded scars still present on his right arm. Rangiku sat beside Ichigo who was watching them sleep. Ichigo turned his attention to Rangiku.

"How's it going lately?" asked Ichigo tentatively, "How's…he…treating you?"

Rangiku remained silent as she fingered her scarf and gazed at the birds feeding on a small patch of grass, which made Ichigo worry even more. Rangiku sighed and began, "Gin's…" She paused, thinking how she should phrase the sentence, "Well, you know he wasn't as harsh on the girls as he was on you."

"So he hasn't changed at all," stated Ichigo angrily.

"No, he's been slightly better," Rangiku sighed again, "When you left, he seemed to have returned to his senses a little bit."

Ichigo snorted. "I don't understand why you still live with him," Ichigo crossed his arms, "I'm sure you can live on your own no problem. You don't have to let him do this to you." Ichigo pleaded.

Rangiku looked at a distance as she uttered sadly, "You…have to understand Gin," Rangiku fumbled with her fingers as she continued, "I love him, I really do. He was such a nice person back then. But…after the war…he just came back a different person." Rangiku paused, "I tried to understand him, but I couldn't. It's like…there's always something in between us.

"I thought he truly wanted to have a family, to live normally again. If I knew he'd be this way, I would've never adopted you guys and let him hurt you like that," said Rangiku regretfully.

"It's not your fault," Ichigo comforted her as he placed his hand gently on her shoulders, "If anything, I'm sorry that I couldn't do a thing back then. You helped me pull through those times."

"No, I don't deserve that much," Rangiku sighed, "I didn't help you enough. I should've stood up to Gin, but I couldn't. You wouldn't have to live on the streets."

"That's why I won't let this go on," Ichigo declared, "I will stop him. I won't let him hurt you or Karin or Yuzu anymore," Ichigo paused and then added, "At least I'm better at fighting now."

Rangiku frowned, "If I remember correctly, I definitely did not teach you that violence is the answer."

Ichigo chuckled for once, and Rangiku smiled in return, but a serious face soon replaced the smile, "Please, Ichigo, if you can, just give him a chance."

"No," Ichigo refused, "This must stop now. This is for yours, and Karin and Yuzu's, sake. I can't leave them both with that man."

Rangiku shook her head, resigned, "I guess that's your call." Rangiku looked up to the red sunset sky, lost in her thoughts while Ichigo sat there, thinking about his next move.

Minutes later, Rangiku announced, "We have to go," Rangiku woke both Karin and Yuzu up. The twins rubbed their eyes and said goodbye to their foster brother unwillingly, clinging onto him.

"Will you come back with us?" asked Yuzu hesitantly.

Ichigo sighed and shook his head regrettably. Yuzu and Karin looked sad, so Ichigo said, "I can visit you guys someday though."

"Really?" exclaimed the twins.

Yuzu said a little sheepishly, "We haven't moved, so oni-san can always come to visit us."

"Don't be afraid of Gin, we'll take care of him when you come to visit," Karin promised Ichigo, her hand balling into a fist. Rangiku and Yuzu frowned while Ichigo nodded. Karin and Yuzu gave Ichigo a last hug before waving goodbye to Ichigo.

Karin and Yuzu went on ahead, with Rangiku trailing behind them. Rangiku nearly left the playground when she suddenly stopped, "And Ichigo?" Rangiku said as she turned around to face him. A tear fell from her cheeks as she whispered, "Please don't kill him."


The sun continued to sink slowly below the horizon, the other side of the sky darkening fast. Ichigo sat on the bench and thought hard. He knew he did not reunite with his foster family by chance. Why Aizen had done this, whether out of sympathy or mockery, he did not know nor care at this moment.

This time, Ichigo did not even have to read the card to know what his next mission was:

"Deal with your Silver Fox."

The mission was curt. The meaning was clear.

Ichigo knew what had to be done.


For the five years he lived with Gin, Ichigo knew precisely where Gin always went. It was like a defence mechanism, avoiding Gin at all costs. This time, however, Ichigo used his knowledge to track Gin down.

The sky was completely dark. The streetlights of where Ichigo was drowned out the moonlight and starlight completely. As he expected, Gin went to the Ramen Restaurant down two blocks on a small street from where Gin and Rangiku lived. Ichigo scowled, his heart raced, as he spotted the silver fox's shadow as Gin exited the restaurant.

Gin never takes the main roads, preferring lesser known streets as he return home. Gin hummed a tune as he waltzed down the dark alleyway with minimal lighting. Ichigo, who pulled a hoodie over his head so he would not be noticed, followed him closely, and had so far been successful as Gin never once turned back. Gin turned to his right; Ichigo allowed four seconds before following Gin as well.

Ichigo was relieved when he saw that Gin was still in sight, but he was momentarily confused as the street was a dead end with only a small lamp, mounts of discarded garbage and flies abound. A foul stench, like moulded bread and rotten eggs, irritated his nose. Without warning, Gin turned around and threw a dagger at Ichigo. Although Ichigo knew Gin well, he only dodged it by a hair as he stepped aside quickly. Gin faced his stalker for the first time, scrutinizing him.

"Oooh, someone actually dodged my attack," Gin said playfully, "Aand who may you be?"

Ichigo said nothing. Ichigo thought that Gin had not changed much; the creepy smile that always hung on his face, the suffocating aura that Gin always carried around him. Slowly, he pulled down his hoodie and stared right at Gin. Gin opened his eyes a little, "Hm. Orange hair, brown fiery eyes, but you look so different from before, Ichigo-chaan."

Ichigo took out his switchblade and rushed at Gin. Gin merely stepped aside, dodging all of this stabs with ease, but he did not expect Ichigo to regain his footings immediately to send him a right hook kick. Gin blocked it with his arms, used Ichigo's momentum and swung him aside. Ichigo used the same leg to stabilize himself on the wall. Wasting no time, Gin threw a bag of garbage toward Ichigo. Ichigo swept it away, but Gin successfully distracted him as he delivered a kick on Ichigo's stomach. Ichigo coughed and dropped his switchblade.

Gin sneered, "Well look who's gotten better at fighting. But you're still too young-"

Suddenly Ichigo spun sideways in midair, as though to kick Gin with his right leg again. Gin blocked it out of instinct, but his head was kicked by the back of Ichigo's left leg. Gin lost his balance and nearly hit his head on the wall.

"I didn't quite catch that," said Ichigo, feigning cluelessness, "What were you saying about 'no match'?"

Gin took out another dagger from the pocket hidden on his thigh. They stood a few meters apart, weighing each other out, both panting slightly. The switchblade that Ichigo dropped was in between them. Gin said, "You've gotten quite a big mouth too. Tsk tsk."

"No thanks to you," Ichigo huffed, "Did you even know what you did to us – what you did to me – back then?"

"Of course I do," Gin countered, as though guiltless to his accusation, "And I savoured every moment of it. Life was boring without the kid who held himself after twelve cuts. The girls won't be able to take it." Gin grinned wildly.

Ichigo snarled, "You son of a—"

"Though I must say, you are a creepy kid, after all," Gin said playfully, cutting him off, "Who would've thought you'd come back for more? Did Rangiku send you here?" Gin asked carefully.

"No, I came here because I wanted to," Ichigo said defiantly, "You will pay for what you did," Ichigo inched closer to Gin, "It wasn't fair for Rangiku, Karin or Yuzu, to be tortured by a psychopath."

Gin chortled, "Haven't you heard? All's fair in love and war."

Ichigo growled, "You shouldn't have taken all that stuff from war and let it out on us."

Gin's grin faded for a moment, but a far more sinister smile replaced it soon after, "Sorry about that, Ichigo-chan, but you remind me too much of that kid on the war field. Besides, you didn't come here to lecture me, did you?"

Ichigo picked up his switchblade and lunged forward again. Gin blocked it with his dagger, "Always charging straight in—"

Ichigo right leg came swirling toward Gin's stomach. Gin buckled over to dodge the kick. Ichigo moved quickly and delivered a strong punch on Gin's chin, hard enough to lift Gin off the ground. Gin's eyes saw stars for a moment, but before he could regain his coordination, his head was slammed into the wall. Gin was too dizzy to see any more, let alone stand. Ichigo panted heavily. He picked up Gin's dagger and threw it far away.

"So that's it, huh? I must be getting old," Gin commented, sighed slightly. "Well, I earned it," he whispered softly.

Ichigo approached Gin slowly, cautiously. Gin, however, was too injured to move. His mouth moved a little as he whispered, his consciousness fading gradually, "Sorry, Rangiku…and you kids too…" Ichigo gripped the switchblade tightly, his hand sweating. His eyes never left Gin as he went closer and closer to him. He was about to plunge his right hand down toward Gin's neck, howling-

And his hand froze in midair. His hand trembled as he heard Rangiku's pleading voice played over in his head again. He could not do it. He stared down at the man he hated for so long, but he could not kill him.

Ichigo threw the dagger away angrily and let out a frustrating howl. Ichigo uttered to Gin who was barely conscious, "You don't even have the right to die." Ichigo just stood there, staring at the man who scarred his and his foster family's lives deeply. Gin remained silent, seemingly fainted.

Ichigo left Gin there and walked back out onto the main street. It was a rather windy night. The streetlights were a little too bright for Ichigo, who just fought in a very dark alleyway. He swayed about as he walked, as though looking for something. Eventually, he reached a tiny plastic phone booth. The wind died down as he stepped inside.

Ichigo stared at the payphone, pondering briefly about what he was about to do. Ichigo took a deep breath, inserted a few coins and dialled the number he wanted to call so desperately before, but never dared to until now. The phone rang three times before the operator at the other end of the line picked up.

Ichigo said shakily, "Hello? I wanted to call about a foster family living on Third Street? Yes, that one…I think you should go there and investigate the family, 'cause I think something wrong's going on…Bruises, cuts, that kind of stuff…I'd prefer if I don't give my name…yes, thank you."

Ichigo hung the phone up, sighing. Suddenly, he felt very weak. He slipped down from the side of the phone booth and sat on the ground. The guilt for leaving Karin, Yuzu, and Rangiku behind, which he held onto for two years, was finally liberated from him. Strangely, he wanted to cry, but he could not. He just sat inside of the phone booth for a long time, lost in his thoughts.


A/N: Thanks for reading this story thus far :) Review?