AN: this chapter, is going to be so fun to write :3 you guys, if it isn't much to ask, i want to know what you guys think so far :] it isn't much. you just have to click a button and type in some stuff. anywho, enjoy~
I sat in the carriage in dead silence, only listening to Kisuke's hums. Across from I was Sado, who stared idly out the window, alongside Uryuu who played with a piece of twine. Kisuke sat on my right, banging his cane against the seat annoyingly, muttering the lyrics of a forgotten song. I glanced at the three men around me, feeling anxious. I did want to meet Doctor Kurosaki, but at the same time, I did not. The last time Kisuke had told me that something was interesting was Kenpachi. He was not interesting. Not in the least bit.
I fidgeted, watching the snow fall. Doctor Kurosaki, the Young Master, Lady Inoue, Miss Yuzu and Miss Karin had been in the carriage in front of us, possibly conversing. We had been doused in silence, watching each other quietly. The sun had descended quite quickly, the white specks very hard to spot now, only glimmering in the lamp light. The carriage buckled and squealed with each bump, lifting me out of my seat. All of a sudden, a low growl caught our attention, each of us turning to stare at each other. "I see we are all hungry?" Kisuke asked, chuckling as he waved his hand in front of his face. I rolled my eyes, nearly falling out of the cushioned seat. "Blasted Hell..." I muttered, smoothing out my dress.
We unlatched the door and left the carriage, my spine tingling at the sudden cold. A man dressed in a trench coat followed the Young Master's bright orange hair, my intuition suspecting that that man was Doctor Kurosaki. Kisuke placed his hand on my shoulder, blocking the greedy winds as we entered the high class restaurant. Lady Inoue had been guiding the two Young Misses towards the door, smiling pleasantly as we all squished into the door. The heat breathed onto my face, a sudden change of temperature causing my skin to crawl. A large table had been set in the farthest part of the restaurant. A large oak chair had been situated in the front of the large table with the large plates and possibly large utensils. The trench-coated man nowhere in sight, I glanced around the restaurant, seeing many highly pampered house wives. They sipped their tea pompously, noses in the air. This had vexed me beyond belief. I had been a noble, and here, powder-nosed, powerless wives of unseated men of the city council feeling as though they were the best. I scoffed, turning away.
My nobility. The one thing that had granted me access to virtually everything, thrown out the window. I suppose it was like an uneven scale; requesting one thing whilst losing the other. I had given up nobility for swordsmanship. And here, the Young Master had both. How I envy him. The Young Master caught my violet eyes, motioning for I to sit next to him. Was it because I was his maid? Kisuke followed behind closely, taking a seat on my right side, across from Uryuu who sat in between Lady Inoue and Young Miss Karin. The trench coat that had been previously draped over broad shoulders had been placed atop of the chair's cold shoulders.
A hearty laugh came from nowhere, a leanly-built man stepping from the dark corners of a storage room. Deranged fool, what was he doing back there? The man was tall, with black hair and a chin covered with black stubble. He smirked while he strut towards the table, taking a seat at the head chair. Sweet Mother of God, is that Doctor Kurosaki? "Kisuke..." I muttered, nudging the body next to me. "Yes?" Kisuke whispered in return, raising an eyebrow. "Who is that man?" I asked stupidly, Kisuke holding back his snickers. "That, Young Miss, is Doctor Kurosaki." I refrained from gaping, seeing no similarities, other than the body build, between the Young Master and Doctor Kurosaki. "Is Master Kurosaki... adopted?" I asked impulsively once more, the wheat color-haired man holding in his giggles. "Of course not, Young Miss. Master Kurosaki takes after his mother."
I nodded, seeing as we all glanced at each other. The Young Master scowled as usual, Lady Inoue fidgeting with her forefingers, Uryuu occasionally pushing his glasses up. Sado had his arms crossed protectively, scanning the waiters and waitress' all the while, Young Miss Karin and Yuzu muttering to each other. Doctor Kurosaki sat in awkward silence, grinning like an idiot. Kensei shoved Mashiro from his lap, cursing loudly.
Propping an elbow down heavily, Doctor Kurosaki caught everybody's attention. He turned his head towards I, my spine shivering at his sudden gaze. Everybody began to whisper to one another, both the Young Master and I glancing at the famous doctor. "I see, Son, that you have found yourself another maid." He stated a matter of fact. The Young Master nodded slowly, furrowing his orange brow. "Why is she so young?" He asked as though I was not there. "If she can work, anyone is hired." The Young Master answered simply.
"Yes, I understand, but what of the other maids I had hired?"
"They were a bother."
"I do not approve of a girl your age working in my house hold."
"And I do not approve a woman your age working where I live."
There was a sudden silence as I watched as the Young Master contradict his father. If I had defied Brother, he would have slapped me.
"You dare talk back to your father?"
"Only if my father dares talk to me."
A sudden wave 'oo's' burst. Doctor Kurosaki suddenly roared in laughter, slamming his fist on the table making it shudder underneath his fierce touch. I cringed, turning to Kisuke who raised an eyebrow as his lips curled into a grin. "Ah, what is her name, may I ask?" The Young Master turned to me, narrowing his eyes slightly. "Kuchiki Rukia, sir." I managed to say, his eyes widening. "'Kuchiki', you say? What a surprise!" He exclaimed. I nodded slowly, fingering the silk table cover. How could this man be the Young Master's father? Well, I suppose personalities skip a generation. "What is a noblewoman doing in such a position?" Doctor Kurosaki asked, obviously intrigued. I swallowed hard, fidgeting as I stared at the white table, trying to think up a lie.
Yes, I had thought lying was bad, but I was not going to tell one of the best doctors in the world that I stepped down from my high position. What idiot would do such a thing? Only I would. But that is a different story. I had dropped my nobility for the sake of swordsmanship, but if I had told him, he would have surgically remove my hands! "I...—"
"She came to work because she had felt like doing so, Father." The Young Master answered for me, my face flushing. I, a Kuchiki, rendered speechless in front of an insane doctor! What are the odds? Things were silent for a moment, my face flushing when Doctor Kurosaki commented once more. "Son, as long as Miss Kuchiki is here, I do not want your hormones acting up." The Young Master scowled, a light color appearing on his face. "Father!" He exclaimed nervously, the chuckles of his father illuminating the dark situation. "Unless your hormones act against Lady Inoue!" The Young Master's face flushed red, his glare intensifying while Lady Inoue nearly fainted. Was there something between the two that had triggered such emotions?
Looking back to the first time I had met Lady Inoue, I remembered the two had been together... alone. What a thought. A menu was brought out to everyone, different colored eyes glancing at the many items. What was with this mad menu? There were things such as lamb testicles and raw potato soup. Just to clarify for the imbecile who had created this menu, once a potato is in a boiling pot, it is no longer raw. I had decided to order what seemed most normal; the same thing Kisuke ordered.
It was mainly— as Kisuke explained to me, for he had been here once prior to our coming— a pasta dish with a side of boiled potatoes in mixed greens. I hoped it was as normal as it sound. I glimpsed around the noisy atmosphere, seeing so many people devouring the most outrageous items of food. How could these people stand the horrendous appearance this restaurant calls 'food'. I shuddered at the thought, swinging my short legs. The Young Master ill-mannerly sat with his legs crossed, knuckles holding his scowling face up. He seemed rather in peace, knowing that his father was done teasing him.
Glasses of water were passed around the table when the Young Master requested a sparkling drink of some sorts. "May I have one as well?" I spoke up, the sensation of many eyes dawning upon my petite figure. I shrunk back into my seat in embarrassment, the waitress nodding as she scurried away. Kisuke chuckled, patting my shoulder in a reassuring way. A sudden chill came across the both of us, even the Young Master stiffening. I glanced up at Kisuke who held a steady grin, fingers shuffling in his pockets. I took a glimpse at the others, Young Miss Karin seeming to be bothered. Uryuu grunted and Sado shifted uncomfortably. Even Lady Inoue had looked around nervously, fidgeting more now than before. Had they been apart of us as well?
Kisuke pulled out a silver coin, twirling it between his fingers. I had always been vexed watching somebody do that, complaining on how I could not. "Heads or tails, Young Miss?" Where was Kisuke getting at? "Tails." I answered bluntly, watching the coin shoot into the air, landing abruptly onto the palm of his calloused hand. "Heads." Kisuke said absentmindedly, his eyes growing hard and dull. "Heads or tails?" I had always been in favor of tails. "Heads." Kisuke threw the coin into the air once more, catching it with a quick swipe of the hand. "Heads." Two heads in a row, what were the odds? Kisuke's grey eyes scanning the restaurant in anticipation.
"Heads, or tails?" He asked once more, a sudden pressure rising in my stomach. "T-tails..." I muttered quietly, the uneasy feeling surfacing in my spine. The coin flew and plummeted back to earth onto Kisuke's hand when he stared grimly at the coin. "Heads." Everything stopped, the Young Master rising from his seat quickly. An ear piercing snarl erupted from the front door, the music, clatter of China, muses coming to a halt. The women and few men turned their attention to the stained glass, wood framed safety, feeling anxious. Could it be?
The glass shattered loudly, a few screams burst from the unsuspecting 'noblewomen' as countless, hideous and lanky figures monkeyed their way into the restaurant. Another crack of thunder that called it self as screams shuddered through the corridors of the building. Doctor Kurosaki escorted the Young Misses as well as Lady Inoue, looking over his broad shoulder every second. The black-coated demons attacked a few of the unprotected women, clawing away their dresses as they gnawed on their flesh. How disgusting.
Kisuke's cane shifted into its true form, stabbing the devouring bodies brutally. The Young Master, being the 'gentleman' he was, helped the women and a few children. I looked around in fright, wondering in the back of my head how Kisuke had predicted this attack and how he was so ready. The circular sheath of Benihime rolled to my feet as I looked up at Kisuke who winked. I grinned, taking the hollow, yet heavy sheath into my hands. The Young Master had been pushed into a closet by many cloaked beast, giving me the opportunity to use my swordsmanship in secrecy. I slashed the Hollow in the back of the neck, watching it fall to the ground with blood squirting from its lips.
With one foot planted on the ground, Benihime pierced the skull of a Hollow, Kisuke kicked off of it. What a merciless man. And to think, that the first day I had met him, I had thought he was the sweetest man in the world. I suppose not anymore. As I watched Kisuke pitilessly knock away a Hollow's head, a pair of awkward and bony hands scraping the skin on my neck. I bit back a scream, Benihime's sheath falling to the ground. Just as the nails of the foul beast was going to pierce my fragile skin, it cried out in distress, the lanky body falling to the ground.
"My, my, Miss Rukia," A familiar voice chuckled, rough fingers touching the scratches on my neck. I whirled around, seeing Toshiro stand with his hand in his pocket, Hyourinmaru propped on his shoulder. "What a pleasure to see Lady Kuchiki in such a fine restaurant on such a pleasant night." Curse him and his way with words! Toshiro smirked at my sudden uneasiness, calloused fingers reaching out to touch the drying blood on my neck. I cringed at his touch, the blood rushing quickly to my face. I was beginning to have mixed feelings for Toshiro.
A sudden cry outburst behind us, a bloody Hollow running towards Toshiro's back. "Look out!" I cried, but without turning around, Toshiro had hacked away one of its legs. What a talented boy. "No need, to worry Miss Rukia, I have everything under control." There was a loud snort of amusement, the Young Master coming from the back. "'Under control', you say? What can a mere child do to keep things 'under control'?" I swallowed hard, getting ready for the metaphoric battle to begin. "'Boy?' How rude." Toshiro said, turning away with his arms crossed. "It is not rude if I am complimenting a child. It is the gentlemanly thing to do. Now, move aside so I can finish things as the man."
Toshiro laughed sarcastically, turning to face the Young Master with narrowed eyes. "'Man'? More lies. I am more of a man than you are." The Young Master turned his head to the side, the usual scowling appearing. "How can you be a man when you are no where near the height requirements?" Toshiro rolled his eyes, turning to the side once more. "A real man is distinguished amongst others by talent, such as my swordsmanship, unlike yours." He said nonchalantly, the boiling fury glowing brightly. "What an arrogant boy you are." The Young Master said, leaning forward with his hands in his pockets. "I am only arrogant to those who return the favor." The Young Master howled with laughter that dripped sarcasm. "Clever as well. Who taught you? The wolves? How about you return home... in the forest where you belong."
Kisuke stepped in between them, an anxious look on his face. "Master Kurosaki, Toshiro, must we be fighting the Hol— er... foul beasts juxtaposed to each other?" He said nervously, running his fingertips along the wooden rims of Benihime. Both Toshiro and the Young Master turned to shoot him a dirty glare, Kisuke shrinking back cowardly. "What a man, you are, Kurosaki. Having people work beneath you. A true man works by himself." The Young Master gaped, narrowing his eyes. "That is quite true, but however, when you are a man with money anything is granted." The Young Master retorted, emphasizing the 'man' and 'money'.
"A real man does not need money nor does he need people working beneath him!" Toshiro exclaimed, crossing his arms. "You only speak that way because you have never had money nor power." Toshiro gasped, scowling as he narrowed his icy eyes once more. "Will you two stop acting like children?" I yelled impatiently, throwing my arms up into the air. This was ridiculous. How immature can two get? The Young Master scoffed, hitting me in the head. It is funny how one can get quite accustomed to habits so quickly. "How many times must I say? Insolence is intolerable, you troll." I gaped, narrowing my violet eyes. Just as I was going to counter, a warm arm wrapped my shoulders. "How dare you talk that way to Lady Kuchiki? She who ranks higher than you should be respected! Not only that, but she is a woman! And you call yourself a man! Humor me!" Toshiro said, hugging my shoulders slightly. Where had Lady Kuchiki come from?
The Young Master rolled his eyes ever so slightly, crossing his arms as he turned away. "To end this! I propose we see how old the two gentlemen are!" Kisuke exclaimed in the silence from underneath a table. Why was he underneath the table in the first place? Both the Young Master and Toshiro agreed quickly, Kisuke climbing onto one of the damaged tables. It is a shame that we are discussing ages instead of helping the injured people. "Well... I have worked for Master Kurosaki when he was still a child, and have helped Princess bake a cake for his birthday which is the fifteenth of July. I have also known Toshiro since he was... well, actually, born. He was born on the twentieth of December. I do believe Toshiro shall be turning eighteen in less than three weeks, thus, giving him the true title of a 'man.'" Kisuke smiled pleasantly, obviously pleased with himself that he had ended this petty feud.
Snorting, Toshiro turned to sneer at the Young Master. "It was a pleasure seeing you once more, Sir Kurosaki, but I do believe it is my time to depart." Toshiro said in a mannerly tone, sheathing his sword as the Young Master turned away. "Miss Rukia, I shall be seeing you soon?" I swallowed hard as he smirked, turning away without an answer. Kisuke grinned cheekily, jumping from the table. "Well, now that was settle. How about we get home? I suppose the Doctor does not want to be liable, is that not so, Master Kurosaki?" Kisuke asked, skipping merrily out of the damaged restaurant. I looked around, seeing the Young Master staring out the window. "Are you that disappointed?" I asked, walking towards him. He did not respond nor turn around, only breathing heavily. "No. Just... come now. Let us get home. Have a real dinner."
We walked out into the moon light, seeing that all of the injured civilians were being tended by Doctor Kurosaki. Uryuu had been helping as well, Sado escorting few of the tended women to their carriages. Lady Inoue had accompanied Young Miss Yuzu and Karin, Kisuke entering their carriage with a bright smile. We stayed for an hour more, only leaving to come home at nearly nine o' clock.
The next morning was dreadful. I had caught whatever Yoruichi had caught. As I sluggishly fumbled out of my sheets and covers, I glared at the hideous figure in the looking glass. Coughing violently, I entered the Young Master's bedroom, only to see him cringe at my condition. "Bloody Hell, woman, what has happened?" I scowled and narrowed my eyes, taking the glass of water he handed me. "A cold cough you blasted cough idiot." I managed to say as he grimaced. Rolling his eyes, the Young Master wiggled out of bed, he said, "Take the day off. You are in no condition to work. I do not want you giving whatever you have to either of my sisters nor Kon or myself. Get plenty of rest." With that, I had been left with a day to waste. Had I seen a hint of sympathy in his eyes?
I thanked him as I stepped out into the halls, seeing that the windows had been dusted with snow. Nearly tripping over my feet, twice, I had made it to the kitchen where Yoruichi was lively and cooking. She grinned at I, only to grimace. "Miss Rukia, you look... rather well?" She managed to say as I sat atop the stool, Kisuke emerging from their bedroom. Both Yoruichi and I cringed at the sight; messing wheat-colored hair, dull grey eyes, and a smug set of lips put the wrong way. "Not you too, Kisuke?" Yoruichi asked worriedly, handing the both of us a glass of milk. "What do you ever mean?" Kisuke remarked sarcastically, rolling his eyes. Yoruichi scoffed, turning away to face the stove.
"I suppose we postpone my training?" I thought aloud, both Yoruichi and Kisuke turning to gaze at I. "It seems like." Kisuke answered, laying his head onto the table. I sighed happily, my eyes temporarily fogged by the steam that came from the plate of hot food that appeared in front of me. A few of the butlers entered quickly and left, the three of us eating in silence. The sun was bright in the early winter day, almost a bit too bright. I believe it was the sickness. Curse winter and it's ability to render I vulnerable to floating germs in the air. Mister Yoruichi crawled through the windowsill, paws soaked with half melted snow. She meowed loudly, catching all of our attentions as Kisuke glared. "Mister Yoruichi. Bad table manners. Shoo, shoo." Kisuke said hoarsely, picking the cat up to put her in the back room where I believe Maneko had been.
Just as I finished my breakfast, a loud noise had rattled the China plates as well as our bodies. "Rukia!" Oh bloody Hell. I dropped the plate in the large dish and ran as fast as my sickly body could. Nearly running into many of the other butlers, I made it to where the Young Master's door was closed. He boomed once more as I opened the door, his face red from lack of oxygen. My chest heaved from fatigue, as well as my languid state, something behind his back. Blasted Hell. Was that... was that Sode no Shirayuki? I swallowed hard, violet eyes widening.
I shifted uncomfortably, staring at the unknown item in his hands. Kon scurried from behind the bedroom door, clawing at the Young Master's pants legs. The unknown object fluctuated in his hands, my face boiling with anxiety. I breathed through my mouth because I was so frightened, and that my nostrils had been filled with snot. I had not blinked, afraid that if I did, I would be killed in a matter of seconds. They were becoming annoyingly dry. The silence grew while the Young Master's amber eyes narrowed accusingly. Sweet mother of God, I do believe it is my sword! I was about ready to kill the silence that mocked I. The hairs on the back of my neck rose, my back becoming hot with anticipation, the palms of my hands growing sweaty. Is the bloody fool trying to kill me with this bloody silence? The Young Master's fingers shifted once more, only adding more uneasiness to my heaping pile. The silence grew longer and more awkward, if it hadn't been possible. It was as though time had stopped, only the both of us being able to breath.
"Rukia. What. Is. The. Meaning. Of. This?"
AN: OH CLIFFHANGER! :D lol sorry for such the long delay, i had a math test, like seven hundred poems to write... all in all, i was busy. =A= i meant to finish this yesterday, but i guess time flies when you're watching bleach. LOL. REVIEW :]