Ichigo just turned 15, when Keigo suggested they form a band. The boy had only started to learn how to play the guitar two years ago and was now enthusiastically moving to the electric version.
They were a ragtag band, consisting of 'hime as the keyboardist and background singer, Tatsuki as drummer, Chad at Bass and sometimes at the guitar and Mizuiro at the synthesizer.
Of course, Ichigo would be the lead singer. She had performed, albeit reluctantly, once or twice at the piano, aweing all listeners with her skills and voice.
Though the initial chord made Ichigo winced, they had lots of fun experimenting on their individual styles and what would suit their band's own style. In the end, they decided they would go with Ichigo's style, who was adaptable to jazz, pop and rock.
Seirenes, they named the band, to reflect Ichigo's voice. They became popular in Karakura almost instantly.
Three years later, when they turned 17, Seirenes was discovered.
Chapter 7 - Sacrifice
Nearly a fortnight after Rukia had been found and taken back to soul Society, Renji found himself wandering Karakura, searching for the human that had stolen Rukia's powers. If they could find her, there was a minute chance that Rukia might be able to escape execution though the human would probably suffer from a heavier punishment.
Renji scowled, gripping his sword tightly. The problem was, Rukia refused to name the person who had stolen her powers, blatantly protecting the human. If she continued doing this, she will die.
In his head, he tried to think of ways to help her, rescue her but the depressing feeling of helplessness knowing that it wouldn't work kept him at bay.
A small sound distracted his thoughts and he quickly turned.
"Looking for me?"
Abarai Renji's eyes widen as tall young woman stepped out from the shadows.
Her long tangerine hair was bound at the nape by long strips of white cloth and similarly, white strips was tied around the hilt of her small slim zanpaktou, which was strapped to her side like every other shinigami. Eerily, it reminded him of Rukia's Sode no Shirayuki.
"I'm the one that stole Kuchiki Rukia's powers."
Renji's eyes widen at the confession.
Renji kept an eye on the young woman all way through the journey to Soul Society. She was quiet after she gave her explanation that she was surrendering herself.
They stepped out of the senkai gate, only to be greeted by a crowd of shinigami headed by his very own captain.
Renji looked over to his captain, wondering what Kuchiki-taichou would do. Like usual, the older man was impassive.
The young woman bowed gently.
"I am here to surrender myself to Seireitei," she said calmly, "but I have a small request."
The dark-haired taichou that so resembled Rukia said nothing. The young woman took it as a indication to continue.
"My request is that you let me plead for Kuchiki Rukia's freedom, for she only did this to save my family."
"If you are so willing to follow us," Kuchiki Byakuya said after a while, suspicious of this young lady's motive. "Why did you not surrender yourself earlier."
"I feared," she said, closing her unnervingly calm gold eyes, "I'm alive. Therefore I feared death. But now, now that I have settled everything around me..."
Byakuya's frown deepened as her words faded to a soft whisper and an affectionate expression appeared on her face.
"She saved my life. And now, I find myself wanting to save hers."
As they sealed the russet-haired shinigami's powers away, the long white strips around her slowly immaterialised.
Kuchiki Byakuya frowned as one such strip wrapped around his wrist gently and then disappeared completely. It was as if to remind him of his unspoken promise to try and save his sister. A promise he would have to break should Rukia's punishment remain unchanged.
Before Kurosaki Ichigo left with the jailers, she shot him and Renji a look. One that made his frown deepen. It was clear that she knew she would never leave Seireitei to see her family again. For some reason, this clarity that she possessed saddened him. This golden-eyed child who was only reaching maturity now, no more a girl but barely a woman.
Even days later, as his sister's execution date grew closer, Kuchiki Byakuya found himself unable to forget this Kurosaki Ichigo, who had surrendered herself willingly, in vain, to save his sister, someone whom she had not even known for long.
Ichigo settled down onto the ground, facing the small window high above.
The view is perfect, she decided. The high window was rectangular, long in length and narrow in height, giving a view of the buildings outside. A distance away from the prison, she could see a tall white building. The Tower of Penance. It looked exactly like what Yoruichi-sensei told her. That was probably where Rukia is being held.
'Just wait a little longer...' she thought, trying to project this to the dark-haired girl imprisoned there.
'Perhaps I should tell her that?' she pondered, touching her lips. A familiar smirk then etched itself on the subtle lips.
Her song spread out across her prison, making the guards outside pause.
The softness of her voice and the melodious gentle tune made them stop to listen.
"Sensai na ito de soboku na (A delicate thread ties me to)
Machi ni shibari tsukerareteta goro, (that simple village from back then)
Miageru tabi ni sora wa utsushita, (Every time I look up to the sky)
Haruka ni tooi sekai wo." (I see a shimmer of that far away world)
And slowly but surely, the song began to spread out to Seireitei, towards the intended recipient.
"Chiisana basho wo ato ni shitekara, (After I leave this place, how long)
Dorekurai mou tatsu no darou, (will it be untill I pass it again)
Home is calling..."
"What is that?" Kira Izuru asked, pausing in his step.
Hinamori Momo followed the other lieutenant's example, keeping quiet to hear to soft sound.
"Furusato kokoro no naka de ima demo (Even now my home is gently)
Yasashiku hibiiteru, (echoing throughout my heart)
Sabishi sa ga shimi tsuita (when I feel blue and lonely)
Yume no nai yoru ni wa, (On dreamless nights)
Anata wo yonde iru..." (I call out for you)
"Someone's singing," Kira breathed out finally, almost reverently as the voice carried by the winds got louder and louder. He found himself entranced and he turned to his companion to find her in a similar state like him.
"Hinamori?"
The brunette jumped at Kira's voice and was surprised to find tears on her face.
"Are you alright?" the blond asked, not unkindly.
"Ah.. un!" she hastily wiped her tears. Sure, she was a softie at heart but she wasn't a pushover. One can't become a lieutenant without a firm hand but as the words in the lyrics became clearer and clearer, she felt a tugging in her heart that just made her tear up uncontrollably.
"Tokai no sora ni yume wo takushite, (People sacrifice their hearts)
Kokoro wo gisei ni shiteru. (entrusting the city's sky with their dreams)
Yashin to ai no chouwa ga torezu, (unable to get peace from love or ambition)
Daremo ga samayotte iru. (Everyone wanders around)
Kazara nakatta seijitsu na hibi, (Why did take me so long to realize that I)
Kono goro naze ka koishiku omou, (loved those innocent pure days from back then)
Home is calling..."
Aizen Sousuke stopped and listened as the song washed over Seireitei slowly.
"Furusato taezu ni aishitekureta, (The faces of the people back home)
Sonna hito no kao wo, (constantly gave me the love I needed)
Mou ichido mite mitai, (Oh I'd love to see them once more)
Kyoushuu ni karare, (Giving in to my homesickness)
Anata wo yonde iru..." (I call out for you)
"Ah, it seems as if we have a little songbird in our hands right now."
"Ichimaru-taichou," the bespectacle captain greeted without turning around.
"The shinigami who took Kuchiki Rukia's powers," Ichimaru commented, refering to the owner of the voice.
"Pretty young th'ng too. Pity," he continued nonchalantly, tilting back his head to listen to the song.
"Kako to ima no aida no tobari wo (As I quietly open the curtain)
Sotto hiraite miru to (separating the past and present)
Sora no wareme kara koboreru hikari ga (a light shines throught a rift in the clouds)
Meguru jidai wo sashite ita (illuminating the passing time)
Home is calling..."
Matsumoto Rangiku paused, tea in hand as she listened to the song that drifted gently through the air.
"What a sad song."
Rukia's head snapped up.
'No, no, no, no!'
The dark-haired shinigami quickly got up from where she laid and stumbled unsteadily towards the long narrow windows.
"Furusato kokoro no naka de ima demo (Even now my home is gently)
Yasashiku hibiku yo." (echoing throughout my heart)
"NO!" Rukia screamed in despair as the realisation sank in.
"Ichigo-san..."
"Todomaru koto wo shira nai kibou ni, (I entrust my body to hope,)
Mi wo makasete ite mo, (letting nothing stand in my way)
Sabishi saga shimi tsuita, (when I feel blue and lonely)
Yume no nai yoru ni wa, (On dreamless nights)
Anata wo yonde iru... (I call out for you)
Home is always calling out my name!"
Abarai Renji paused, looking back to where the newest prisoner was being held. Striding in front of him, Kuchiki Byakuya didn't stop from his pace. Even as the gentle song continued to roll softly like waves across the courtyard.
"Damnit!" Renji cursed silently as once again helplessness curled within him.
"Sabishi sa ga shimi tsuita, (On dreamless nights)
Yume no nai yoru ni wa, (when I feel blue and lonely)
Anata wo yonde iru. (I call out for you)
Furusato wo yonde iru..." (Home is calling out my name)
Tsuzuku
The song is "Home" by Angela Aki and the translation is by Cherryblossom Garden(Ironic much?) Once again, you'll be able to fnd this beautiful song in youtube. sore ja, I'll be updating again soon in a month or so. keep ur fingers crossed that i dun lose interest or just review. It'll keep me happy and interested.
