Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.
Hello! I want to thank Sakura-Glow, ookamikage14, and Valerie-Michaelis for your reviews :) The story is finally beginning to progress again...
memories
'thoughts'
"talking"
Chapter 7
I live in an empty world. One where the only law is kill or be killed. Where the only constant is the pain. It is a world that only the strongest survive. Where only the heartless exist. There is no room for emotion to fill the agonizing void. No, the only thing to fill it with is the flesh and blood of those you kill. If the earth were not so dry and thirsty, the sandy ground would have been stained red long ago. Sometimes I wonder how it came to this. How I ended up in this frozen land, where the only sound is the agonized screams of others as they fall to the hunger of the rest. Sometimes I wonder… but then I remember that I am not supposed to care- not anymore at least. For so long I have wandered through this vicious world. For so long I have been utterly alone. Too many battles have I emerged victorious from. Battles that I am no longer sure that I wish to win.
As long as it has been I can still remember the times when it was not so. I can still recall the distant memory of the sun's gentle warmth on my face, of the soft caress of a breeze. I have not forgotten the sound of my brother's voice as he walked beside me, a slight smile turning up the corners of his lips. I can even remember the way my grandfather's eyes twinkled as he quaked with silent laughter. I can remember, but I choose not to. There is no use in recalling the past that is forever lost to the flow of time. It will not dull the pain. It will not help me survive.
The man that stands before me… there is no denying it… I am related to him. He bears the last name Kuchiki, the same last name that I carry. The kenseikan in his hair, the scraf around his neck…they are signs that he is the head of the Kuchiki clan. 'How could I have not noticed it before? No wonder he seems so familiar, the same blood flows through our veins, the same pride holds up our heads- that of a Kuchiki.'
My eyes slowly refocus on the grey-eyed soul reaper… the man that is my kin. 'Could he be my brother? No! He must be his descendant.' I watch as the man, Captain… Kuchiki, slowly turn his head to watch the other soul reaper, taking note of the faint disdain in his cold eyes.
"Zaraki-taicho, when you pass out in the middle of a battle does the opponent you are fighting not become the opponent of any nearby ally?" 'Another Captain? This could prove… troublesome.'
"Eh? So you did kill him? I didn't know you were strong enough to kill an opponent with his strength."
The man's, no Captain Kuchiki's, eyes narrow in irritation as he turns his body to face the other Captain.
"If I could not deal with such a weak opponent I would not be a Captain. However, this time I was not the one to destroy the espada." My eyes flicker to Captain Zaraki's face as he steps forwards with an annoyed look on his face.
"You-. Wait a minute, if you didn't kill him who did?" Captain Kuchiki inclines his head towards me before moving to stand closer to the raven-haired soul reaper. 'Wonderful. Now he's probably going to try to kill me…' Captain Zaraki gives me an incredulous look as he turns towards me and begins to walk closer.
"What? This little girl? She doesn't look very strong to me. Oh well, she might be strong enough for a little fun… Girl, you are going to fight me!" I ignore the man as I bend over to pick up my shawl and refasten it so that my hollow hole is once again covered.
Straightening from my bent position, I notice a blur of steel slashing towards my face. I jerk my head back and the metal slashes harmlessly through the air. 'Attacking me when I am not paying attention. Not very honorable, soul reaper' Captain Zaraki is standing a few feet away from me, his zanpacto draw and a viscious grin on his face.
"So, you managed to dodge that huh? You might be a little strong after all. I don't care if you are a girl, if you really are strong then fight me!" I stare at the man, feeling completely devoid of all emotion.
After a few moments of silence the man seems to get agrivated by my lack of response, and swings his zanpacto towards me once again. It seems almost as though the sword is moving in slow motion as it slashes through the air, and I can tell that the Captain is not actually aiming for me, just trying to provoke me so that I will fight. 'If he really wants to fight I suppose I could comply. No, he is not the one that killed him. Besides I my hands are already drenched in the blood of others, I do not need to add his to the mix.' I force myself to ignore the sorrow that floods through me at the thought of my dead companion, trying to remain focused on the soul reaper as his sword slices through the air an inch from my head. Captain Zaraki glares at me in irritation when I do not react to his false attack.
"What is wrong with you girl? Fight me or I will kill you." I meet his angry gaze with my own blank one as I reply.
"No" The soul reaper glowers at me as he steps forward menacingly.
"What do you mean no. I said fight or die!"
"Yes, and I said no."
"Then you will certainly die."
"No, I will not. You are the type that finds joy in fighting. For you there is no joy in killing, only in fighting. Since I refuse to fight you, you could kill me with very little effort, but you will not. Therefore I will not die." The man offers me a angry scowl as he takes another step forwards.
"Oh, and why won't I kill you?"
"If you kill me then you will never be able to fight me." With these words I stuff my hands into my pockets and turn and walk away, leaving the slightly shocked soul reaper behind. As I walk I hear a smothered giggle coming from the group of soul reapers, and, curious, I change direction to approach them.
The female soul reaper has one hand over her mouth as her slender shoulders shake from her not-so-silent laughter. Her violet eyes are dancing with mirth, and her face is turning red from her attempts to suppress her giggles. My eyes flicker to Captain Kuchiki's face as I silently wonder why the woman is laughing. His pale face is as emotionless as ever, but I can detect the faintest glimmer of amusement in his half closed eyes. 'Hmm? They are amused by what I said? How… strange.'
"Hahaha… That's… haha the first… haha… time… anyone has… ha… said… hahaha… anything like that… hahahaha… to him!" My eyes flicker back to the female soul reaper as she continues to struggle to stop her quiet laughter.
"Is that so? Then you are amused by his reaction?" The woman nods " I see… I would have assumed that he had been told that many times in the past…" I trail off as I find my mind wandering off to the topic I have been trying so hard to not think about… Ulquiorra's death. 'Why did you have to die? I miss you so much and you have only been gone for such a short period of time… I don't think I can stand to live in this world without you for much longer, my dear friend.' My attention is drawn from my musings as the woman speaks again.
"N-n-no. Everyone has either been to frightened of him or too polite to tell him something like that. Well, except Ichigo… but he usually just tells him that he is crazy before running away." The girl grins at me as she finally manages to stop her laughter. 'Ichigo… so she knows him. Perhaps she can be of use to me.'
"What is your name soul reaper?"
"Rukia. Rukia Kuchiki." 'Kuchiki?' My eyes widen in surprise at the sound of her name. 'She is also a Kuchiki? She must be a descendant of my brother… or I suppose she could be his wife. I wonder if my brother is still alive? Could this Captain Kuchiki actually be him? No, impossible… but the eyes they look just like his. Enough of this wondering, it cannot be him, but since there is the slimmest possibility I will find out. Yes, and there is only one way to know…"
"And yours? What is your name soul reaper Captain?" I turn to face him, my breath caught in my throat as I await his answer.
"I am the Captain of squad 6, Byakuya Kuchiki."
She finally finds out... really how could she have not realized it before? Hmm... now will Byakuya realize that she is his sister or will he remain ignorant of the truth? Anyways... I am going to be away in a place with no internet access for a week so the next update might be a little delayed.