BLEACH: Listen To Your Heart
Written By: FlexRhysode1
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I don't have anything to say…except thank you for reading!
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Bleach, or the Characters within it, or the song 'Listen To Your Heart' by DHT. All rights go to their respective owners, namely DHT, and Tite Kubo.
CHAPTER 10
PREVIOUSLY:
Her voice took on a Hollow's wavering, cold tone, and Ichigo shivered as it reminded him of his own Hollow's voice. "You better unleash your Hollow…or I might kill ya!" Hiyori said, and then disappeared. Ichigo blocked her blade, but his hands shook under the strength of the blow. Hiyori's mask seemed like a normal Hollow's mask…except it had a single long horn protruding from the forehead. Hiyori's eyes were black with gold irises in the eye-sockets of the Hollow Mask, and they glinted with malice. Then Ichigo felt her surge her Reiatsu, which was already monstrously strong, and that in itself nearly blew him off his feet.
'I'm completely outmatched!' Ichigo realized with panic. 'But I WON'T bring Hichigo out!' He thought fiercely. Hiyori seemed to realize what he was thinking, and her blade glowed blue. With a flash of energy, Ichigo felt his body burn and he flew backwards. He cried out, before he crashed into the wall…and fell to the ground.
Ichigo…didn't get up.
CONTINUATION:
Karakura Town
2 days after Ichigo's Escape
Karakura Cemetery
Rukia stood with the Kurosaki family, wearing a black funeral Kimono. Yuzu, Karin, and Isshin wore black funeral clothes as well. Isshin wore a black suit, while the girls wore funeral Kimono's as well. They were crying, even Karin was after she had seen the look-alike Ichigo in his casket. Isshin was doing a great job on acting, having just the barest hint of tears in his eyes as if he was trying to be strong for his little girls. Rukia allowed tears to flow freely down her cheeks, and she knew her eyes were red and puffy.
The Kurosaki family, Rukia included, stood directly to the side of the grave stone that Ichigo's name was carved into. It stood next to Masaki's grave, and both were lit with incense. But, there were so many people here that they lined the funeral grounds around Ichigo's grave marker for a good fifteen to twenty yards.
The story that Rukia had told had been that Ichigo had been on his way to school with her that morning when they had been mugged by a desperate man, and held at gunpoint. Ichigo had tried to protect Rukia, and had been shot in response. The gunman had fled, and the Police were trying to track down the non-existent man.
Almost all of Ichigo's classmates were there, and most were crying. Uryu, Orihime, Chad, Tatsuki, Mizuiro, Keigo, and even Chizuru were all gathered near the front of his schoolmates. Mizuiro, Keigo, Tatsuki, and Orihime were weeping openly…Chizuru looked tearful even, but Chad and Uryu both had poorly composed faces. Rukia hadn't told anyone about the brief instant she saw Ichigo seemingly disappear and then reappear before he was swarmed by Hollows…partially by request from Urahara. She had pulled him aside and talked to him about it, and he requested that she refrained from speaking about it until after the funeral. She felt low for not telling them, but it was necessary to make it look as real as possible. Especially since Soul Reapers were in the crowd.
Spaced out in the crowd, several Soul Reapers were in Gigai's. They wore business suits, and had grim faces as they listened to the end of the service. The sun peaked out from behind the graying clouds now and then, but it kept the service serious. Rukia spotted Renji, whose face was bleak. Standing beside him was Byakuya, face as emotionless as usual. He met Rukia's gaze, and offered her a soft glance, before returning his attention back to the priest. Rukia spotted Yachiru on Kenpachi's shoulder, Ikkaku Madarame, Ukitake, Kyoraku, Nanao, a sobbing Hanataro, and even Ganju Shiba. Ganju had red eyes, and was doing his best to seem tough. She saw Yoruichi, Urahara, Jinta, Ururu, and Tessai in a group as well.
Most of the Soul Reapers were there to comfort her, though they were also there to pay their respects to Ichigo. Ichigo had caused a lot of havoc in Soul Society…but he also earned a lot of respect for fighting through them just to save Rukia. Rukia turned her gaze to Isshin, who made sure to keep his face away from the Soul Reapers. He didn't want any of them to know it was him…though some may have already made the connection from 'Kurosaki'. No one showed any reaction, however, and Rukia suspected no one would recognize Isshin until they saw his face up close…and then they would realize Isshin's farce.
She returned her attention back to the service, biting her lip and staring at the mound of dirt that the Gigai was buried under. The service dragged on for another half hour, until finally…the priest left. The Kurosaki's approached the grave marker, and laid flowers in front of it, and then Rukia approached and did the same. She comforted Yuzu, who was only crying because the Gigai had looked so much like her brother it frightened her. Then, she and the Kurosaki's moved back while everyone else paid their respects. Tatsuki came over, and Isshin hugged her. Tatsuki cried into his shoulder and apologized for being emotional. She fled the scene quickly, crying the entire time.
Orihime hugged Rukia, the twins, and Isshin. When she was about to leave, Rukia called, "Orihime…meet at Urahara's in an hour!" Orihime looked confused as she wiped her red puffy eyes, but nodded and then walked away. Uryu approached Isshin carefully, followed by Chad, and they quickly introduced themselves to Isshin. He greeted them warmly, and Uryu and Chad both offered their Sympathies. Rukia passed on her message to them, and they agreed to meet in an hour. The procession continued, and Rukia comforted Keigo and Mizuiro, who apologized and ran off. They were as distraught as Tatsuki, if not even more so.
"Isshin…here they come." Rukia whispered, as she saw the long line of Soul Reapers approach. She looked at him, saw his eyes harden, and he nodded. "I'm going to go sit by Ichigo's grave. Girls, stay with Rukia." He said, and turned and walked away.
The towering Kenpachi was the first to approach, crossing the grassy ground in long strides. He looked down at Rukia, then at the girls, and he tried not to seem too intimidating. "I'm sorry for you loss." He told the girls, and bowed politely. Yuzu and Karin looked up at the towering mammoth with wide eyes, but bowed back. Then, Yachiru popped up on Kenpachi's back.
"I'm sorry for your loss. I didn't know Ichi that long…but I really liked him." Yachiru said sadly, her high pitched voice unusually serious. She bowed, standing on Kenpachi's shoulder. Yuzu and Karin's eyes widened even more when they saw her, but bowed as well.
"Captain Kenpachi Zaraki and Lieutenant Yachiru from Eleventh Company." Rukia murmured under her breath to the girls, as Kenpachi and Yachiru left. They waited off to the side for the remaining Shinigami, a good thirty yards away. Kenpachi and Yachiru spoke in low tones, and Yachiru patted Kenpachi's head soothingly. Rukia wondered what they were talking about, but then Kyoraku and Nanao stepped forward. Nanao hugged Rukia, and murmured, "I'm so sorry." Then she stepped back, and bowed to the twins.
"We are so sorry for your loss. We weren't close to Ichigo…but he made an amazing impression on us when we met him. We'll always remember him." Kyoraku said, as he bowed to the girls. They bowed politely, and then Kyoraku and Nanao left.
"Captain Kyoraku and Lieutenant Nanao of 8th Company." Rukia whispered to the girls. They nodded, and looked over as the bald Ikkaku strode over. He seemed uncomfortable in his Gigai, but he bowed deeply.
"I am sorry for your loss. I didn't know your brother long, but his passion and strength impressed me beyond more than anyone else in my life. I will keep his memory alive." He said, speaking with more eloquence than Rukia had thought possible. Yuzu and Karin both bowed and thanked him, and then he turned to Rukia. He regarded her for a second before saying, "Rukia…be at peace knowing he loved you enough to die for you. That's no easy sacrifice to make." He said, and turned. Rukia felt a lump rise in her throat, and wiped tears away quickly.
"That was Ikkaku Madarame of 11th Company. He's Assistant Adjutant, third strongest man in the Company, right under Yachiru." She whispered, and the girls nodded. She was explaining these things to the girls…just so they wouldn't feel completely out of the loop.
Then, Ukitake strode up to her. He looked pale, even in his Gigai, and sickly. But, he smiled sadly down at the girls and bowed deeply, his long white hair hiding his face for a moment. "I am so very sorry that you've lost your brother. He was a real hero…and a very honorable young man. I wish you the best of luck." He murmured to the young girls, and straightened. He threw his hair back over his shoulders, and turned to Rukia. He embraced her gently, and whispered, "If you ever want to come back, say the word and we'll have someone else protect Karakura. If it ever gets to be too much…" he trailed off, and Rukia hugged him tighter.
"Thank you, Captain Ukitake…but I promised Ichigo I'd protect his family. I belong here…for now at least." She whispered back, and he stepped back and smiled softly.
"I understand. Farewell." He murmured, and went to stand by the Shinigami off to the side. Finally, Renji walked up. He looked down at the girls, and knelt in front of them, looking them in the eyes.
"I know ya don't know me…but I knew your brother. My name's Renji Abarai. It's an honor t' meet the family of Ichigo." He said sincerely, and they smiled sadly at him. Karin said, "I really like your tattoos…" Renji laughed softly.
"Your brother thought they were weird." He said, and looked up at Rukia. She smiled softly at her red-headed friend, and he sighed. "You girls keep smiling, 'kay? I'm sure that's what Ichigo would want. Be strong." He said, and stood. He turned to Rukia, and hugged her fiercely. She had trouble breathing, but she didn't say anything. Renji was hurting too, and he needed comfort.
"Renji…" She said softly, and Renji stepped back and glared down at her.
"You be careful Rukia…you hear me? If you ever need help, any at all…let me know and I'll come running." He said, and she smiled at him. He placed his hands on her shoulders and shook her very gently, just to get his point across. "I will come." He whispered fiercely. She nodded.
"I know, Renji. I promise I'll visit." She said, and he seemed slightly placated. He nodded, and then sighed. "I'll be keeping an eye out for you, Rukia." He said, and walked away. He joined the others…and Rukia whispered, "Renji's one of my closest friends. He's the Lieutenant under my brother, Byakuya Kuchiki of 6th Company." She whispered, and the girls absorbed this. "He's nice." Yuzu said softly, and Rukia smiled and nodded.
Then, her brother stepped forward. He was still, calm, and polite. He bowed to the twins first, and said softly, "My name is Byakuya." Their eyes widened at this, but Rukia was thankful that they didn't react otherwise. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I met your brother briefly…but he was a great man. He helped me see what it meant to protect those you love…and I hope that you will learn from his sacrifice as I have. Keep your brother alive in your memories." He said softly, and then turned to Rukia. He held out his arms for a hug, and she practically tackled him.
He steadied them easily, and held her tight. "Rukia…I know it will be hard. So, I won't say 'Be strong' or 'Don't cry'. I won't lecture you about Kuchiki Pride…because if Ichigo were here to hear me say that he would hit me." He chuckled, and Rukia sniffled and laughed. She rolled her eyes, knowing it was true. "So…I will say this: Ichigo gave the greatest sacrifice of all, because he loved you. Remember him, mourn him…never forget him. Move on when it's time, but don't shut off your emotions to move on too early. Take exactly as much time as you feel you need…and live your life as he would want you to. He wouldn't want you to mourn him forever…that much I know. But still, remember him and love him…and keep him in your heart always." He said, and Rukia was stunned. He had never spoken this much before. She looked up at him and smiled. A tear rolled down her right cheek and Byakuya wiped it off gently.
"Nee-sama." She whispered. Byakuya smiled down at her, just a faint hint of a smile on his features, and he whispered, "You know you'll always be welcome back." He said, and she nodded. He let go of her, then turned and left to go stand by the Shinigami. Rukia didn't need to tell the girls who that was, they had guessed it already.
Then Hanataro and Ganju came up. They were both wearing Gigai, presents from Byakuya so they could attend the funeral. Rukia had invited them, and Byakuya graciously extended the invitations and offered Gigai so they could come. Hanataro bowed twice to the twins and fought back his tears. "I-I'm sorry for your loss. Your brother was very kind to me." Hanataro stammered. He blushed and wiped away a stray tear that rolled down his face. "We will all miss him." He said, and the girls bowed to him. Ganji bowed politely and said gruffly, "Your brother was a good guy. A little annoying at times…but a good guy nonetheless. He was one of the most selfless guys I've ever known, and I feel honored to be able to call myself one of his friends. Keep him in your memory…don't forget him." He said, and Yuzu and Karin stared wide-eyed at him. He was big, intimidating…but they felt he meant good. They nodded and bowed, and then Hanataro and Ganju turned to Rukia.
"Rukia…I'm sorry." Hanataro said, and then burst into tears again. Rukia hugged the small Soul Reaper, and he sobbed against her. "I-I-I w-will miss him!" He stammered, and Rukia nodded. "We all will, Hanataro. We all will."
Ganju cleared his throat and said, "Rukia…if you ever need a place to just get away from all the…uh…" He tried to convey Soul Reaper without actually saying it, so he just said, "OTHER stuff, you're welcome to the Shiba house anytime." He said, and Rukia smiled. "Thank you…I may take you up on that sometime." She let go of Hanataro, and he bowed again to Rukia and the twins. Then, he and Ganju walked away, Ganju patting Hanataro's back. Rukia watched as the Soul Reapers gave them a last glance, and then walked away.
Urahara, Yoruichi, Tessai, Jinta, and Ururu all walked up then, and exchanged bows with Rukia and the twins. Rukia idly noted that Jinta was trying extremely hard not to look at Karin. She smiled at the red-head, and then turned her attention to Yoruichi as she spoke. She was wearing a black Kimono, which Rukia was surprised at. She didn't seem like the Kimono type.
"You girls are very brave, doing this for your brother. I'm sure he appreciates you very much." Yoruichi said softly. Urahara nodded in agreement. "He will be back to visit, as soon as he's able to." He stated, and the girls nodded sadly.
"Do…do you think he's okay?" Yuzu asked tearfully, her lower lip quivering. Rukia fought the urge to hug the girl.
"Of course. Your brother, as hard-headed as he is, will be back soon." Yoruichi said, smiling kindly.
Urahara chipped in again. "Yoruichi and I both trained him…we would know better than anyone. Trust us. He's fine." He said, smiling. He then turned to Rukia. "I'll see you at one, Ms. Kuchiki."
Rukia nodded, and then Urahara said, "Come along, kids. Let's allow the Kurosaki's some peace." He spun, his coat flapping behind him, and Jinta and Ururu followed him. Yoruichi sent one last glance at Rukia, and followed Tessai and Urahara away.
Isshin walked back over, and he and the twins and Rukia dealt with the remaining people. It was almost one o'clock by the time they were finished, and Rukia turned to Isshin. "I have to go to Urahara's." She said, and he nodded.
"Go ahead." He said, and continued, "Don't worry, I'll take the girls home, and we'll have lunch ready for when you come home." He said, and Rukia bowed.
"Thank you." She said, and then turned and walked quickly away. She wanted to let everyone know Ichigo was indeed alive. After all…she had just barely caught Ichigo's escape herself, so it was no surprise with how the others had missed it. She just wished that it hadn't been so close that she had doubted it for a full day…because it made her feel weak and faithless. She wouldn't ever let Ichigo see her that way, or let herself feel that way again.
*******************************
She arrived at Urahara's door precisely at One o'clock, and she found Jinta waiting for her by the front door of the shop. "They're all in the back room, having tea. You're the last one to get here." He snorted, and turned away. Rukia fought the urge to hit the red-head, and walked into the shop. She nodded as she passed Tessai and Ururu, and went straight to the back room. As soon as she opened the sliding door, she saw Yoruichi and Urahara and Chad and Uryu and Orihime sitting around a table sipping out of tea cups. They all looked up when she entered, and she carefully shut the door behind her.
"Please, have a seat. I'll pour you a cup." Urahara said, and before she could decline, her tea-cup was set in an empty spot next to Chad. Uryu was on the left side of the table with Orihime, and Yoruichi and Urahara sat across from Chad and Rukia. They all sat quietly, sipping their tea, waiting for someone to say the reason they were all here.
"So what went wrong?" Orihime finally asked, her voice trembling. She looked around, and Rukia smiled softly at her.
"Nothing went wrong." She said, and Orihime looked confused.
"But everyone…was so sure." Orihime said, and Rukia bowed her head. Uryu and Chad were looking at her in surprise, and she saw hope on Chad's face.
"I'm sorry. I wanted to tell all of you…I really did. But I just barely saw it myself…and I doubted I even saw it. I'm not proud of that fact, but it's true. But, even when I realized Ichigo was alive, I had to keep the pretense that I was a heart-broken mess. It was better that you all thought he was dead, so your reactions were genuine." Rukia explained, clasping her hands in her lap.
"So…Ichigo's alive?" Chad asked, his voice clearly showing he was full of hope again.
"Yes. Right before the Hollow swarm completely covered him, I saw him disappear and then reappear again. It was like…he had just phased out of existence for half a second and then reappeared. Shinji must have flash-stepped Ichigo out of there, and taken him directly to the Vaizard's headquarters. Wherever that is." She said, and Uryu sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
"Well…that's certainly a relief to hear." He murmured, and allowed a small smile to show. "It happened so fast…I didn't even see him disappear. I just assumed he had been overwhelmed before Shinji could take him away, so Shinji just left." Uryu said.
"Well, thankfully, we know he made it out alive." Rukia murmured, and Orihime started to sob.
"I'm sorry! I'm…just…so happy!" Orihime choked out, embarrassed, as she tried to wipe her tears away. Rukia laughed softly, and walked over to Orihime's side and wrapped her in a hug.
"I know. I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier…" Rukia said, and Orihime waved her off.
"No, no. I understand you needed to. I'm not sure I would have been able to pull it off if I hadn't thought Ichigo was really dead." She said, and Rukia smiled at the girl.
"So Ichigo's out there right now…training?" Chad asked slowly, looking out one of Urahara's windows. Rukia let go of Orihime and nodded. "Yes. Just as we should be. We need to become stronger. Those Arrancar that we went up against…they're strong." She said, turning and looking at each of them.
"Chad, Orihime, Uryu…we need to train just as hard as Ichigo is right now. He's putting his life on the line, so he can protect us. The least we can do is do the same for him. Aizen's Arrancar's are so much stronger than we are right now…and when Aizen attacks, we need to be strong enough to repel them. We can't be the weak ones Ichigo always protects! We must be able to defend ourselves, hold our own, so Ichigo can move on to the stronger foes. I'm tired of being weak…and I want to prove to Ichigo that I'm not dead weight!" She said, her voice becoming louder, more firm and she snapped into 'drill-sergeant' mode. "So, I suggest we all use this time to improve! To show Ichigo that we can handle ourselves, and make him see that we weren't wasting our time sitting around while he put his life on the line!" She said, and Urahara smiled up at her.
"Well spoken." He said, and Chad nodded. "Right." He said, agreeing with Rukia.
"That's right…we need to get stronger so we can help!" Orihime exclaimed, standing up and clenching her fist in the air. Uryu gave them a wry smile.
"I agree. Though, I have no idea as to how strong these Arrancar are…I will train as hard as I can." Uryu said, pushing his glasses higher onto the bridge of his nose. He stood, tucking his tie back into his funeral suit's jacket. He looked rather intimidating, Rukia noted, but his eyes were kind. "I will go to Ryuken, my father, and ask for his help." He added, and bowed to Urahara.
"Thank you so much, for everything, Mr. Urahara." He said. Urahara nodded and replied, "You're welcome, Mr. Ishida. Please, if you need anything at all, feel free to stop by." He said, and Ishida nodded.
"I will take my leave now. Good luck, everyone." He said, and then turned and left quickly. Rukia was slightly taken aback, not having realized that he took her so seriously he was leaving to train now. Rukia looked at Chad, who stood towing above her.
"I don't mean to be a bother, Mr. Urahara…but…would you help train me, like you did with Ichigo?" Chad asked, and Rukia blinked in surprise. Urahara, who had brought out his fan and started to flap it…stopped his motions. His fan blocked most of his face from view, but Rukia could hear the smile in his voice.
"You are no bother, Mr. Sado…but there is a problem. When I trained Ichigo, he was a Shinigami. You are still human, and you lack a Zanpakuto. Not to mention, your strength level as it is now, in order to improve…you must pit yourself against a Bankai." Urahara said lightly, and Rukia chipped in.
"You have a Bankai, Urahara…it's mandatory before becoming a Captain, and you were a captain." She protested, because his tone obviously said, 'I can't help.'
Urahara's voice saddened. "Yes, that is very true, Ms. Kuchiki. However…my Bankai," He paused and she saw his face harden slightly. His tone took on a darker edge, and she shivered slightly as he continued, "Is not meant to help others or impart strength. My Bankai is not one that can train others to grow."
Rukia wondered just what his Bankai could do, but stopped herself from seriously considering it. She wasn't sure she wanted to know, judging from Urahara's words and tone. She looked at Chad, and wracked her brains for people whom she could get to help who knew Bankai…and her thoughts fell on one person. "Chad…perhaps…I could help." She said, and Urahara's eyes snapped to her.
"I don't know Bankai yet, I'll admit that, but I have someone who is going to train me to reach Bankai, who already knows Bankai. They were a Captain once, like Urahara…and I'm sure they wouldn't mind helping you too." She explained, and Chad nodded.
"I'd be grateful for any help." He said, and Rukia smiled. "Then why don't you come with me to lunch? I'm meeting that person." She said, and Chad nodded.
"Okay." He replied, and Rukia fought not to laugh at his monosyllable answer. He hardly ever spoke more than he needed to. But then Rukia remembered Orihime, and her face became grim. Orihime seemed energetic, but also downcast…and Rukia thought she knew why.
"Orihime…were you ever able to find and heal Tsubaki?" She asked softly, and Orihime's eyes darted away from Rukia's gaze. The redhead shook her head, and Rukia felt a stab of sorrow for the girl.
"N-no. I looked and looked…but I couldn't even find any pieces of him so I could try to heal him." Orihime whispered weakly, and Rukia pursed her lips. She wracked her brains, trying to come up with anything to help Orihime. Then it hit her.
"Orihime…what if we went to see Captain Unohana and Hanataro?" She asked, and Orihime brightened visibly. She knew Hanataro, and had even helped Unohana heal some of the wounded after they had rescued Rukia. After all, Ichigo and Chad and Ganju had all practically demolished two whole companies.
"Do you think they could help?" Orihime asked hopefully. Rukia shrugged.
"I honestly don't know. But, if Unohana and Hanataro can't think of something, we can always have Kurotsuchi analyze your abilities. Of course," Rukia saw Orihime's shudder and didn't blame her, "we'll have Captain Unohana by your side so he won't do anything extreme or painful. But he could help as well, and I'm sure that if I pulled some strings…we could get it done." She said confidently, and Orihime looked ready to cry.
"Th-thank you, Rukia." Orhime whispered, and Rukia smiled softly. "I'll see if we can go in a few days." She said, and Orihime nodded.
"Okay. Thank you, again, Rukia." She said, and Rukia laughed softly.
"It's no problem. I'm going to take Chad to the person who might help him…and I'll see you in after tomorrow at school, and we'll talk more there." Rukia said, and Orihime nodded.
"We'll see you soon, Ms. Kuchiki." Urahara called, as she tugged on the sleeve of Chad's suit. He followed her out of the shop, and down the streets. "What's this person's name?" He finally asked, and Rukia tried not to smirk.
"You'll see. Don't worry…it'll be fine." She said airily, and she saw Chad grow more alert as to where they were going. She tried not to laugh when they neared the Kurosaki house, and Chad's eyes got wider. When they finally stopped in front of the house, Chad's left eye was as wide as a dinner plate.
"This is Ichigo's house…" Chad said, stating the obvious.
Rukia didn't answer, but opened the door and called, "I'm home, Yuzu, Karin, Isshin!"
Immediately, Isshin came stampeding around the corner from the kitchen. "RUKIA!!!" he cried, tears of joy streaming down his face. Rukia tried not to laugh, especially at Chad's expression.
"Hello…Mr. Kurosaki." Chad said warily, and Isshin froze before he could wrap Rukia in a hug. Isshin seemed surprised, but Rukia knew he wasn't. He would have sensed Rukia and Chad's reiatsu well before they got here.
"Hello Chad…how can I help you?" He asked, his face drawing into a more serious expression. Chad didn't know he knew about Ichigo's 'other side', let alone he knew his son was a Shinigami. Isshin put on a half-mourning façade, and Yuzu and Karin peeked around the corner to see who it was. Karin's lips twitched upwards in a smile, and Chad noticed her too.
"Hey, Ichigo's little sister." Chad said, his deep voice trying to sound sad, but not quite pulling it off.
"Hey, Mister." Karin said, smiling openly. She wasn't wearing her funeral Kimono anymore, but regular day clothes. The same went for the rest of the Kurosaki's. Only Rukia and Chad were still in funeral clothes.
"Rukia brought me here." Chad said simply, and Isshin looked to Rukia, clearly wanting an explanation.
"Well, Mr. Isshin…." Rukia said, and Isshin interrupted her. "I TOLD you…call me 'Isshin'. None of this Mister stuff." He said roughly, crossing his arms over his chest. Rukia fought not to laugh…because that was exactly how Ichigo would have looked. Isshin, when he frowned, looked more like Ichigo than father or son would want to admit.
"Okay, sorry. Isshin…Chad needs help. We're all going to be training to get stronger," She was interrupted by Chad's shocked, "Rukia!"
She waved him off. "Isshin already knows everything, as do the twins." She said, and continued on. "and Urahara says Chad needs to train someone with the power of Bankai to improve. And…seeing as you'll be helping me, I was wondering if you wouldn't mind training Chad and I together." She finished, and Chad's jaw dropped.
"Y-you used to be a Captain?" Chad stammered, and Isshin nodded seriously.
"Yes. I left Soul Society behind for a human woman, faked my death, and had children. That's why Ichigo is so strong…purebloods, humans with one Shinigami parent, have enhanced reiatsu. It's uncommon, but not unheard of, to make a human pureblood. I was lucky, because Masaki had high spiritual power as well, and could see me. So, now all of my children have high spiritual power. The girls, enough to see Hollows and Shinigami, and Ichigo enough to be a high-powered Soul Reaper." Isshin explained, and Chad absorbed it.
"I see." Chad said slowly, and then bent at the waist and bowed low. "Please, Captain Kurosaki…I ask that you help me become stronger. I was too weak to stop the Arrancar…and I don't want to hold Ichigo back." Chad murmured, and Isshin sighed.
"For the last time…call me Isshin. I'm not a Captain anymore, anyways…" Isshin said, scratching his head. Rukia smiled, knowing what his answer would be. Isshin was too kind to turn Chad down. "Okay. I'll help you. But, I warn you: I'll push both of you beyond your current limits. I'll have to push you beyond the edge of exhaustion. I have to make you surpass all your current boundaries…if you even want to try to stand a chance against the Arrancar." Isshin said, and Chad rose from his bow.
"Thank you." Chad said fervently. Isshin grinned. "No problem. Would you like to stay for lunch?"
Chad thought about it, and then nodded. "That would be nice, thank you." He said.
"Great! I made too much food, accidentally counting Ichigo into our lunch plans, so we would have had to waste some food. But now with you here, I'm sure it'll be put to good use!" Isshin said, and Karin snorted.
"Dad, I have a feeling that you knew he was coming." She said, and Rukia smiled. It felt, even without Ichigo…just like a real family.
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*
"Come in." A monotonous, bored voice called. Ishida took a breath, and pushed open his father's office door. His father's office was an expensively decorated 'study' and had a large glass window overlooking Karakura. In front of that window was a large desk, which Ryuken sat behind. He set down a file as Ishida entered.
Ryuken didn't look surprised, seeing as he and Ishida excelled at sensing Spiritual Presences and Pressure. "Ishida." Ryuken said calmly, not rising. The sun was setting over Karakura now, and Ishida felt a wave of nostalgia. It had only been a few days ago that he had come to this exact office and promised never to involve himself with the Shinigami…just so he could have his powers back.
"I need your help." Uryu said calmly, and was glad when he saw his father's white eyebrows twitch upwards barely a millimeter. Good. He was surprised.
"And what do you need my help with?" Ryuken asked softly, his eyes piercing deep into Uryu's. He didn't even bother getting up, but Uryu strode over to Ryuken's desk and stood there, looking down at his father.
"I need help to surpass my current level. I need to become stronger." Uryu said firmly. He knew the next question before his father even opened his mouth.
"And why the sudden power-seeking? Do you intend to break your promise?" Ryuken asked, suddenly half-amused. Uryu shook his head, allowing his father to see that he was completely honest. He didn't hide his emotions.
"No. I need to get stronger to help Ichigo fight the Arrancar." Uryu said, and Ryuken's eyebrows twitched upwards again. More surprise.
"What do you know of the Arrancar? And isn't this 'Ichigo' the substitute Shinigami?" Ryuken asked, his voice suddenly frigid. He stood slowly, so now he and Ishida were eye-level.
"I don't know much about the Arrancar." Uryu admitted. "All I know is that Urahara said they were Hollows who removed their masks to gain Soul Reaper powers. They're incredibly strong, and have skin that even a Zanpakuto has trouble cutting."
Ryuken opened his mouth to speak, and Uryu could see his father was about to refuse to help. "And Ichigo is no longer a Soul Reaper. He has cut ties with Soul Society, and I do not desire to help Soul Society…I wish to assist Ichigo. He is my friend…and my pride as a Quincy will not let me stay weaker than him when he is training and growing." Ishida said quickly. He brought in the Quincy Pride, knowing his father knew how important it was. His father's mouth closed, his eyes narrowed, and he stayed silent for a moment.
"And what do you require assistance in?" Ryuken asked, and Ishida was slightly pleased at his progress. "I need to become much stronger…and I want to know if there is any way to increase my strength, to match Bankai abilities or even higher, without losing my powers again."
Ryuken turned around, looking away from Uryu. "There is." Ryuken stated simply. Uryu gritted his teeth. He knew what his father wanted…and he wasn't above asking humbly.
"Father…would you teach me?" Ishida asked, and Ryuken was silent. They both stood there, silent…until Ryuken turned back to Ishida. His gaze was aclm, controlled.
"Yes." Ryuken said. "Come to me every day after school…and I will instruct you. Now…leave me." Ryuken said, and Ishida nodded and bowed politely. He turned to leave, but stopped in the doorway. He felt honestly grateful to the man whom he often refused to call 'father'. "Thank you." He said, and then left.
**************
Orihime stood outside of Tatsuki's bedroom door, hearing the girl sob. Tatsuki's mother and father had allowed Orihime over, but had warned her that Tatsuki hadn't come out of her room since the funeral. She hadn't even come out of the room BEFORE the funeral. She had stayed in her room, crying and wanting to be left alone.
Orihime tentatively knocked on Tatsuki's door, and she heard Tatsuki cry, "What?"
"Tatsuki?" Orihime asked softly. Almost instantly, she heard Tatsuki run to the door. The door swung open, and Tatsuki stood a foot away from Orihime…her eyes puffy and red from her crying. She was still wearing her funeral Kimono, as was Orihime. Orihime felt her eyes start to tear as she saw how badly Tatsuki was hurting.
"Orihime…" Tatsuki said, her voice wavering. "Come on in…" She said, and Orihime stepped inside the room. The first thing Orihime noticed, is that Tatsuki's room wasn't as neat as it usually was. There were pictures all over the floor, almost every year's yearbook from the schools, there was a pile of VHS tapes next to her TV in the far left corner of her room, and her bed wasn't made. Lying on her bed…was a pair of boxing gloves with golden trim.
"Tatsuki…I…I came to see if you were okay." Orihime said, clasping her hands in front of her hesitantly. Tatsuki shut the door, and then laughed, only to have the laugh cut short by a sob. Tatsuki composed herself, and wiped away a tear.
"Okay? You of all people should know that I'm not okay. Heck…I should be the one comforting you! You had that monster crush on him for so long…but you look better off than me." Tatsuki said, and Orihime gave her a sad smile.
"That's because…I don't think he'd want us to sit around and mope. He'd be grateful if we mourned him for a short while…but he wouldn't want us to be hopeless wrecks. He'd want us to move on, but remember him from time to time." Orihime said softly. "Or at least…that's what I think he'd want." She looked at the tough, tomboyish Tatsuki…and felt a tear escape from her left eye and roll down her cheek. The girl was such a wreck…
Tatsuki walked over to her bed and sat on the edge, and asked, "Did you know that I saw him the night before he died?"
Orihime looked at her in surprise. "No…" She replied. She looked at the photos and yearbooks on the ground. All of the photos were of Ichigo and Tatsuki, at Ichigo's birthday parties over the years. The yearbooks were all opened to pages with pictures of Ichigo in them. Orihime walked over to Tatsuki's bed and sat down next to her…silent.
"Yeah. He took Mizuiro, Keigo, and I to the mall. It felt good, because he hadn't spent much time with us in a while. We played at the arcade, went to a fitness store…and he bought us each one thing. I could tell something was wrong with him, though, Orihime." Tatsuki murmured, looking down at her hands. Orihime looked at her, wide-eyed. She hadn't heard of this.
"I asked him what was wrong…but he didn't tell me the truth. I could tell." Tatsuki said, and she closed her eyes and looked up at the ceiling. Tears rolled down her cheeks, and she fought to keep going as she fought past the sobs. "I…I didn't push it though. I grabbed these off the shelf." Tatsuki grabbed the gloves off the bed, and Orihime looked at them. "I told him…I'd pursue my dream with these. I'd win the Champion Belt with these gloves…and he said he was looking forward to seeing me hold the belt someday. But now…now he can't!" Tatsuki sobbed, and clutched the boxing gloves tight to her chest. She bowed over, clutching the gloves like a lifeline.
Orihime wrapped her arms around Tatsuki, feeling her own sadness well up. She hugged Tatsuki tightly as Tatsuki cried, "I never told him how much he meant…" She sobbed, but couldn't continue. She was wracked by sobs again, and Orihime cried with her. "I never told him how I felt either, Tatsuki." Orihime whispered, and Tatsuki laughed.
"We're in the same boat then, Orihime." Tatsuki sobbed. "Both of us…never told the boy we'd had feelings for almost our entire lives…how we felt." Orihime was floored as Tatsuki finally admitted how she felt for Ichigo, and it made her cry with Tatsuki. To Tatsuki…Ichigo was now dead. Orihime would see him again…but Tatsuki would never get to see him again. She cried for Tatsuki, she cried for Tatsuki's unrequited feelings, and for Tatsuki's broken heart.
"I can…I can only imagine how hard Rukia's taking this." Tatsuki choked out, and Orihime nodded. She gently brushed a tear from her face, and sniffled. "Yeah…" Rukia was probably happy with Ichigo's family, content to wait while Ichigo risked his life and limb to grow strong and to kill his Hollow. Orihime couldn't help but feel a little bitter at how Rukia, the one girl who had Ichigo's heart…seemed least affected by all this. As much as she loved Rukia…she couldn't help but wish that maybe Ichigo had chosen Tatsuki or her. Maybe then he would have someone who really showed how much he meant to them.
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*
Rukia stepped out of the shower, and the absence of the hot water instantly made her shiver and the air seemed much colder than it was. She shivered, and reached for her towel. She grabbed the soft white cotton cloth, and dried herself off thoroughly. She dressed in a soft purple satin nightgown that stopped above her knees, and brushed her hair. She brushed her teeth as well, and then put her dirty clothes in the dirty clothes hamper.
She strode out of the bathroom, sighing. Today had been so long, after Chad had come over. Isshin had talked to them about their training, about what they should expect. Chad would expect a lot of hand-to hand combat, and reiatsu training so he could control his powerful blasts…as well as try to push him beyond his limits. Rukia would have it just as hard. She would be fighting her own Zanpakuto, Sode no Shirayuki. The method she was going to use was a 3-day crash course, as much as Yoruichi had told Ichigo she didn't believe Rukia could do it.
The 'doll' that Yoruichi had gotten would force the spirit of the Zanpakuto to manifest into a physical form…and Rukia would have to fight her Zanpakuto for three days and learn Bankai that way. It was the fastest way to learn Bankai, but the most dangerous. If the Zanpakuto Soul and the Soul Reaper fought that way and were unable to learn Bankai that way in the first three days…if they tried to go a fourth day, severe damage could be done to the Zanpakuto's soul. So, Rukia would have to put everything she had into training. Isshin suggested starting this Friday, so that they could all start a 3-day weekend.
Rukia wearily opened Ichigo's bedroom door, and spoke to the plush doll who ran over to meet her. "Good night, Kon." She yawned, and Kon made a 'hmph' sound.
"Y'know, ever since you and Ichigo explained everything to the twins…they discovered me! They won't stop bugging me, asking if I'll play with them! It's not fun!" He whined, and Rukia fought back a laugh. "You're a tough mod-soul…you'll make it through." She said, and walked over to Ichigo's bed.
"But…but…don't you love me?" Kon whined, and launched himself at Rukia. Rukia reacted purely out of instinct, spinning and planting a foot into Kon's face, and then smashing him and pinning him to the floor.
"No." Rukia said flatly, and let Kon up. He grumbled as he picked himself up off the floor. "Now that Ichigo's gone…can't I at least get his bed? I'm tired of sleeping in the closet." He whined some more, and Rukia glared at him.
"No! I had to sleep in that closet for a year…so now it's your turn!" She growled, and kicked him into the closet. She slammed the door behind him, and yelled, "Shut up and don't come out! I'm tired of your whining!" She huffed, as she heard Kon start crying like a child. She sighed. Isshin had allowed her to sleep in Ichigo's room for the past few nights, for which she was grateful. She hadn't wanted the twins to hear her crying every night.
She heard a noise from behind her, and her heart leapt to her throat. She knew the sound immediately: The sound of someone yanking the window open and then quickly slamming it shut. She spun, prepared to defend herself against a robber or some demented freak. But, she saw no one there. She looked around wildly, her heart hammering against her rips.
She took a few deep, calming breaths, and looked at the window. Her eyes widened as she saw the edge of a white envelope sticking in-between the window jam. She ran forward, wondering who in the world could have or would have stuck an envelope in the window, and jumped onto Ichigo's bed. She looked out the window, looking for signs of anyone fleeing.
A small movement caught her eye, and she looked across the street. Under one of the newer street-lamps, at the edge of the white light…she saw someone. They wore black slacks, a black long-sleeved dress shirt, a black tie with yellow stripes…and they waved airily at Rukia. Her eyes widened in shock as she saw the familiar grin, the golden hair, lanky frame…and realized it was Shinji Hirako. Then, he vanished.
She looked at the paper in the window, and grabbed it, ripping it from its firm trappings. She sat on the bed, cross-legged, and looked at the front of the envelope. In an elegant script that was obviously NOT male, her name was there. 'Rukia'
She bit her bottom lip as she fought to control her suddenly pounding heart. Was there something wrong? Had Ichigo failed? Had the Vaizard been forced to kill Ichigo because his Hollow took over? The questions ran through her brain before she could stop them, and she winced. She didn't want bad news. She realized her hands were shaking, and forced them to still. She took a breath…and opened the envelope.
She removed a folded piece of paper from the enveloped, and unfolded the creased paper. She took a breath, and read the letter.
Dear Rukia,
It took a lot of convincing for me to get them to let me write you this letter. But, they gave me a damn time limit to write this. Stupid…but I'll take what I can get at the moment.
The day I escaped, they started my training. They tried to get me to unleash my Hollow, but I didn't do it willingly. One of them knocked me unconscious, and Hichigo took over. By the time I came to, I was holding one of them by the throat and being held at sword-point by the other seven.
Next thing I know, they're having me exercise on this 'stair-master' type thing, that drains large amounts of spiritual power the moment you touch it. I went along with it…for about a day. Then I got ticked and kinda went off on them. I told them I could have gone for at least five days on that machine before I felt any strain. (Which was true.) So, I told them to just let me face my Hollow already.
Shinji babbled about how I had learned Shikai and Bankai just by leaping in, and figured this would be no different. Next thing I know, I'm unconscious AGAIN. This time, I'm in my mental plane. Hichigo's there, without Zangetsu. I got worried, because I thought Hichigo killed Zangetsu. Next thing I know, we're duking it out. The bastard explained that he and Zangetsu were the same. They're both apart of my spiritual powers, but one is dominant and the other 'dead'. When Hichigo became stronger, he was no longer the 'dead' side…he dominated Zangetsu and Zangetsu became dead.
Hichigo and I both fought like crazy…and he almost killed me and won. I'll admit that he was really strong. But…I pulled it together and killed him. I make it sound A LOT easier than it actually was, but still.
While I had been fighting Hichigo, my Hollow had been transforming my body into a REAL Hollow. The Vaizard fought me one at a time, and almost had to kill me. The Inner Battle isn't supposed to go longer than sixty minutes, but mine did. That's kinda besides the point though. Anyway, all I can say now is that they're training me to get stronger. I'm making progress very slowly, and I hope I can master this part of their training soon so I can visit you.
My time is up, Hiyori is nagging at me to get my butt back to training, so I have to go. Give my love to my family, even old goat-chin, and tell the other's I survived and hopefully soon I can come visit. Rukia…I love you.
Ichigo
Rukia re-read the letter several times over, memorizing every word. He was alive. He survived. She felt hope, and happiness surge through her, and she carefully folded the letter and put it back in the envelope. She laid back on his bed, smelling his scent, and imagined he was there with her. She clutched the letter tight to her chest and said softly, "I love you too, Ichigo." Then, she slept.
______________________________________________________________________
Thank you very much for reading thus far! I hope you've enjoyed it, and I hope to hear from you, readers. Next chapter will be up soon, I hope. :) (I put 'I hope' a lot in those few sentences, Hehehe.)
Ja Ne!