A/N: Hey everybody :) Yeah, weekly update! This might be the last one for a while since next weekened I start exams *murder me* but I'll try write a really good chapter to compensate. This one however... well just read for yourself. Let me know what you think! :D Thank you so much for all your reviews, favorites and follows, it means a lot to know people are reading my story!
so... here we go!
xXx
My eyes felt hot and dry when I woke up. I was on my back, with the ceiling rising high above me. It felt like a distant dream, so surreal. Maybe I was having an out of body experience? But I knew all too well that I was in my body; my sad, abused, filthy body.
I heaved over the side of the couch, and coughed as nothing came out, only a few hoarse sounds. I looked up and saw Byakuya looking down at me. His face was still a mask of cool, but his eyes seemed disturbed. I grimaced at the thought of his disgust being me.
"I want… I need" I said began, standing, shaking as I stood. My head was spinning, and my eyes were blurry. I held unto the rise of the chaise longue and watched Byakuya's wary face. He was ready to support in case I fell. Why even bother?
After a while, once he was certain of my stability, he said, "I have planned for Rukia, you and I to leave the asylum for a bit. Hopefully, it will help you clear your mind a little" then reached for his phone. He spoke to who I assumed was Hisagi, while I looked out the window. It was still grey.
It took me a moment to fully comprehend what he had said. Leaving the asylum? I looked over at him as he put the phone down and muttered, "Mayuri had better not start issues now"
He looked up at me and pursed his lips in thought, before he said, "Your bag is already in the car, you only need to wash up and we can leave" before standing up and approaching me.
I flinched away. It was involuntary, but I couldn't help it. I didn't want him to touch me.
He sighed deeply and walked to the door, waving me over, "You need to wash up"
I nodded and stalked to the bathroom down the hall.
xXx
It had been a rush to try getting me into the car without many of the patients noticing. It would have helped if those who were distant and consumed by their madness were those out for walks that morning. But no; luck was not on our side! As we walked out, it was Kenpachi standing on the porch in awe; a slight smile pulling at his thin lips. A small pink haired girl who was on his shoulders laughed and commented on my hair resembling a pineapple.
I cringed as I realized how much of a scandal this could be, but with a slight nudge from Byakuya, I ignored him and stepped into the tinted car. It started up and drove achingly slowly out the asylum complex and onto the the open road. The taxi driver was staring intently at the road, his elderly eyes narrowing at it. I sighed with irritation.
"So where are we going?" Rukia asked, staring out of the window of the car.
"To the airport, of course" Byakuya said gently to his sister, touching her head lightly. She looked confused as though this was a rare occurrence; it was obvious from how shocked she was that affection was scarce from her adoptive brother. I smiled a little.
"Where are we going with a plane?" she pushed, scrunching her eyes brows together so that they almost met in the middle.
"Okinawa Island" he said nonchalantly, squinting up at the sky.
"That's fancy" Rukia said, with confusion in her voice. Hesitantly she asked, "Where is the money from, Byakuya-sama?"
"You need not worry about that Rukia-Chan" he said. The pet name made Rukia and I exchange glances. He was so… out of character.
"Ok, Byakuya-sama" she said, turning to her window to watch little snowflakes soaring down.
xXx
The change in weather was dramatic. As soon as we got off the plane, we were hit with the warm winter air only characteristic of the Ryukyu Islands of Japan. I took a deep breath and just moved along as I was required to, as we picked out luggage, drove to the resort and checked into the room. I felt like a corpse, even when Rukia tried to be friendly and talk to me, I just thought she was animated and annoying.
We were each going to have our own rooms overlooking the ocean. I walked into my room and smelled the frangipani that was decorating almost every inch of it. Even the white pressed sheets had a flurry of pink frangipani. I took a sit on the soft bed and lied back, closing my eyes and sighing.
"Are you doing well?" Byakuya asked from the door. I sat up and nodded, rubbing my hands together.
"Well, dinner in five minutes" he said, leaving me.
I stood up and walked towards the large balcony, where only a shoji separated my side of the balcony from Byakuya's. I looked to the ocean and took a deep breath. The blue expanse stretched before me, glittering like a sequined cloth. It was so… beautiful. My spirit rose a little.
I changed into a black kimono that was light and airy. I walked to the restaurant with Rukia and Byakuya who were discussing matters of weather and plans for the next day. I pitied them, knowing that I was draining them of any happiness. They still tried however to involve me, though to little avail.
When we arrived, the waiter greeted us cheerily, lead to our seats, and we sat down. The ichijū-sansai was served immediately, and we began to eat.
"I wish to take you both to a sumo wrestling match tomorrow, after dinner. There is a ring not too far from here" Byakuya said, sipping his soup delicately and silently, "Rukia, I wish for you to dress in a traditional kimono. Renji, we can dress in suits. Giorgio Armani perhaps"
I stopped chewing for a second, shocked by the sudden revelation.
"Sounds good" Rukia said, just as perplexed as I was.
xXx
The sumo wrestlers showed each other their respect with a deep bow. I took a sip of my sake, before asking Byakuya, "Why did you bring us here?"
It was hot and stuffy, with men in business suits despite the heat, and women gliding gracefully in their kimonos. Smoke from cigars lingered in the air like ethereal spirits, swirling elegantly when people passed through it. There were loud and brash conversations, with men drinking sake to their hearts delights, while watching overweight men tackle each other to the ground. I was at ease.
"I want to show you something Renji," Byakuya said, setting down his sake.
"And what is that?"
"Look at the sumo wrestlers Renji, what do you see?"
I looked down at the ring, where the two men were to begin their match. They were large men; though they were both obese, one was far larger than the other.
"One is larger" I said lamely.
"Exactly. Can you guess who is more likely to win?" he asked, staring intently as the men circled one another.
"The larger man of course, he has the strength"
"That is where you are wrong. The smaller man will win"
"How?" I asked bewildered.
"Watch" was all he said.
I watched as the men charged at one another. There was a huffy struggle, the crowd cheering and aching with suspense as the men were equally matched. However, with one maneuver, it was the smaller man who took the larger man down. The crowd erupted in cheers, and Byakuya waited for the crowd to calm.
"You see Renji; the smaller man has the technique. It's not all about throwing ones strength around, but using certain techniques to put your strength in the more effective place. Sometimes our problems can towers over us and push us down like a larger sumo wrestler. But with the right technique, we will be the ones bringing our problems down. Of course, first we have to face... all of them" he finished whispering, which was inaudible over the cheers of the crowd.
I was watching him for several minutes after that, digesting what he has said, as Rukia excused herself and without Byakuya's noticing, followed a young, orange haired man that had been seated next to us, out of sight. She had winked at me before disappearing, I turned away and further lamented Byakuya's words.
"Renji, I hope you understand. Now, let us finish the match"
xXx
I changed out of my suit, which was damp with sweat. The sumo match was exhilarating, and I knew why it was so revered. We even gambled in secret with a group who were seated next to us, which included the orange haired young man whose name was Ichigo. Byakuya seemed to hold back a grin at the name, while I burst out laughing. Ichigo did not seem amused. However, the night ended with exchanged phone numbers and sake induced laughter.
I changed into some loose pants and T-shirt and crossed to Byakuya's room. He had asked me to come over after we got back. I knocked lightly on his door and he muttered something in response.
I opened the door, and stepped into a room identical to my own, with Byakuya standing at the balcony. He had already changed too, into a hippari.
"Please take a seat where you wish" he said, walking into the room and sitting on a cushion on the floor. There were papers strewn across a low table off to the side.
"Writing more haiku?" I asked, sitting on a small cushion on the floor. He picked up the pieces, gathering them neatly, before putting them away in a cupboard; an indignant look was strewn subtly across his face.
"It's an art" I said, looking at him. There was a pause, and as he opened his mouth to speak, I said quickly, "How were you able to get me out of the asylum?"
"I had to pull a few strings, saying that because you were doing so well, you could quite possibly leave. Your parents agreed of course, they want only the best for you"
"But I haven't been doing well" I said, feeling my chest get heavy.
"I am the only one who knows that" he said sadly. During hypnosis, I had described aloud the things I had seen. I was ashamed, though I didn't know why.
"Well, Mayuri couldn't care less so long as he gained something from it" with this he rolled his eyes, "The rest of my patients don't care, you see, they are all absorbed into their own madness, they don't notice the things around them. None of the patients do"
I grew angry, thinking of Hinamori and Kira, who were very aware, "I haven't heard you say something so ignorant before. They are aware; they register and understand things you know!"
He kept quiet, then said, "Sorry, I didn't mean to offend you"
"You didn't offend me; just everyone like me. All us crazy people"
"You're not crazy Renji" he said, looking into my eyes. I felt my lips twitch with insults that I wished to hurl at Byakuya. My face was heating up...
"You know… out of all of them, I see the most hope in you"
This took me aback, and my mask of anger dissolved into a look of curiosity.
I turned back to him, "How can there be more hope in one than in others?" I asked.
"Because of how each patient reacts to their madness. Some seem content to be in the asylum, like Yumichika. Some have embraced their madness like Rangiku. Some just seem to be comfortable in their own bubble, like Hitsugaya. There is no point in forcing them to heal, because they simply do not want to leave. But you, Renji… you want to leave. I can see it in the way you carry yourself. You argue with me at any chance, you are willing to get help… you are willing to rebuild"
I was quiet for an age,"Would it be too soon to ask for another session?"
"What you described to me wasn't all" he said, not posing it as a question, but as though answering one of his own. I nodded anyways.
"Are you sure its not too soon?" he asked cautiously. I shook my head and squinted slightly at him, in determination, "No, its not too soon, the faster we are done with this, the faster I can get out of the asylum" however, part of me wasn't sure if that was the reason I was doing this anymore...
xXx
In all honesty, this was a really hard chapter to write and organize, because this is not the original, this is the fourth and a halfth version, it may have been kinda sucky but please review, if any changes should be made... *sigh* Review please! :D
