Long Way Home: A Desperate Tale of Survival
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any characters. We should know this by now.
Guilt
"Get inside, quickly."
Uryu lifted Rukia out of the cart and allowed Ichigo to pull himself out. Rain had begun pouring not long after they had departed from their meeting place and it only grew heavier with time. Uryu pushed open the door with his elbow and went inside a small, rundown shack at the edge of the village and near the ocean.
Even with the small space, there were two rooms. The doctor opened the door and Ichigo saw that the other room was quite small and held a single cot. Gently laying the unconscious woman atop it, Uryu spread a thick blanket over her and pressed his hand to her forehead.
"Hmm, it's a miracle she doesn't have a fever, considering her condition," the doctor speculated, retracting his hand. "A few more hours of rest should be all she needs, aside from a few good meals."
He stood and turned back to Ichigo, who had been watching carefully all the while. At this time, Uryu noticed that Ichigo was holding his side tenderly. The doctor narrowed his eyes and moved past his friend and into the larger room.
"While we wait for her to awaken, I'll have a look at your injuries."
Ichigo cringed and replied, "They're really not that—".
"Don't lie to me, Ichigo. I'm as great a doctor as I am a tailor, with an exceptional attention to detail." He pointed to his friend's bandages and continued, "The way you're carrying yourself tells me that your injuries are more severe than you'd like me to know. So stop being so stubborn and let me do my job already."
Ichigo reared back a bit but sighed and gave in. Uryu directed him to a chair and he sat, unwrapping his robes. As he pulled the material off, his friend's eyes widened as he saw what was plaguing the orange haired man.
The bruise from Ichigo's wound had expanded and now covered almost all of the area around his chest. Several of the cuts and wounds from the battle at the checkpoint had reopened and blood-soaked bandages littered his abdomen and sides. And most horrifying was that, even at a glance, Uryu could see that Ichigo had indeed dislocated a rib.
As Ichigo sat there, letting his friend look over his injuries, he fully expected the doctor to berate or even shout at him for his foolishness. Hell, a mockery of his idiocy was more than called for and he had been sure that Uryu would deliver it soundly.
However, the doctor said absolutely nothing and merely stood up and moved to a large box in the corner of the room. Uryu opened it and reached inside, pulling out numerous tools, bandages, splints and what appeared to be antiseptics. Without a single word, the dark haired doctor set them all out in a row beside him and began his work.
Uryu unwrapped and replaced the bloody bandages with fresh ones, but not before sterilizing them with a liquid that burned upon contact. When this was done, the doctor gently touched the bruised area and poked at the center. Ichigo hissed and his friend looked up at him, glaring.
"In some ways, you were fortunate. Your rib seems to be dislocated instead of broken or fractured. That's why it's bruised so much, the bone is extending outward against your muscles instead of inward toward your lungs. Even more fortunate is that it's not as bad as other's I've worked on."
"So… you can fix it?" Ichigo said through his teeth, holding in his agony.
The doctor placed his hands on Ichigo's chest and side, lightly pulling a bit. A sharp pain shot through Ichigo and he cried out in agony.
Uryu retracted his hands and sighed. "To answer your question, yes, I can force the rib back into place. However, as you've just discovered, this is going to be immensely painful."
His hands clenching, Ichigo gritted his teeth and looked to his friend. "I can handle it. Just get it over with already," he said, turning his body completely toward Uryu.
"Alright, then. I need you to stay quiet and endure the pain," Uryu told him, reaching to his side and grabbing a small wooden block. "Bit down on this and do your best not to scream."
Ichigo opened his mouth allowed the wooden slab to be gripped in his teeth. He bit down hard as Uryu gently placed his hands on his chest and side again. For a brief moment, they shared eye contact before Ichigo nodded firmly. Taking that as confirmation, the dark haired doctor gripped his friend's chest tightly and twisted the rib back into place with an audible snap.
The wood in his teeth indented and he could have sworn it cracked as he bit down and screamed against the block. His agony was clear but when Uryu moved his hands away, he knew it was done. Spitting out the block and breathing heavily, the orange haired man looked to his friend and managed to say, "Thank you…"
Uryu scoffed and turned away, but Ichigo had seen the faint smile on his friend's face. Very slowly, Ichigo pulled his robes back over his upper body and let it hang loose over his shoulder, not bothering to pulled his arms through the sleeves.
As he finished this task, his friend picked up his medical tools and replaced them in the box. Turning around abruptly, Uryu said, "So, are you going to tell me why I had to relocate a rib and carry the two of you further away from the Kuchiki's territory, or are you planning on staying mysterious?"
Uryu's gaze bore into Ichigo and even though just thinking about it brought back painful memories, he gestured to a seat and said, "On the way to the border, Rukia and I met two people who had more honor and loyalty than anyone else I will ever meet in my entire life."
The doctor took a seat and listened carefully.
"You've grown…into such a…beautiful woman…Lady Rukia."
"Like my wife before me…I leave my heart with the two of you!"
Rukia's eyes snapped open and she gasped as those words echoed in her memories. Bolting upright, she stared straight down at the blanket covering her and sucked in labored breaths. Her heart ached as her dreams reminded her of the sacrifice the Shiba's had made. She balled her fists and gritted her teeth.
"Dammit," she whispered softly. It was then she heard a shuffling near her and her eyes shot to the corner of the tiny room. A stool had been placed there and atop it sat Ichigo, watching her carefully.
"You okay?" he asked, his voice melancholy.
Rukia pulled herself up and sat comfortably before looking to him. "I'm fine," she insisted but he sighed in response, causing her to glare at him. "You should be more concerned about your own injuries."
"Uryu already took care of it," he replied, "It turns out that, luckily, my rib wasn't broken or cracked. Just dislocated. Beyond that, he said a few days of rest would be required before he would let me leave."
Rukia tried her best to hide a sigh of relief before saying, "Then you should focus on getting better soon so that—".
"Yeah, well, it's difficult to focus on my own recovery when my partner isn't taking care of herself."
She shot him a glare and replied, "I can handle myself just fine—".
"Then why won't you let me help you?" Ichigo proclaimed, stand abruptly and taking her by surprise. "I know that I was injured and needed your help but you wouldn't even listen to me when I told you to rest! And then you passed out from exhaustion, again! If we hadn't of found Uryu, we both would have died out there—!"
"I know," Rukia replied, her voice and demeanor icy. "But we didn't have a choice. And you know that."
Ichigo suddenly lost his ferocity as he looked into her eyes. Her glare was harsh and cold, but deep inside he could see how hard she was fighting to stay calm. A bit ashamed that he'd lost his temper, the orange haired man grabbed the stool and brought it over next to her cot. He sat next to her and met her gaze.
"I know that we didn't have any other choice," he finally answered, "But that doesn't mean that you have to bear the burden all on your own. After all, you're not the only one who feels responsible for…Kaien and Miyako."
The raven haired woman flinched at his words, as if he'd cut into her with a hot knife. She turned her face away from him and said nothing. Ichigo regretting bringing it up but he knew that the survivor's guilt was plaguing her. He could tell because he had done the same, many years ago.
Slowly, he stood and turned to leave the room. "Get some rest for now. I'll be in the next room if—".
"You're wrong." Ichigo stopped as Rukia's words reached him, making him turn back to her. She kept her face away from him as she continued, "It was my fault that Kaien and Miyako died. They died so that we could live, but no matter how much I try justifying it—".
Finally, Rukia looked back to him with nothing but pure sadness and agony on her face. "—it will never change the fact that I allowed them to help us." She chocked back sobs, refusing to let them come out, "Sometimes, I think that if I hadn't of accepted your offer to let you lead me home…they might still be alive—"
"Don't you say that ever again!"
Rukia suddenly stopped and shot her gaze to him, unable to look away. At the same time, something inside Ichigo began to twist as he saw the noble and strong woman, whom he had accepted as his partner, try to take all of the blame. At that time, all the feelings of guilt and anguish he'd been suppressing rushed to the surface.
He clenched his fists and said, "If anyone is to blame for all this, it's me!"
He abruptly screamed and bashed his fist into the nearby wall. The wood cracked and he grunted but was otherwise uninjured. Slowly retracting his hand, the orange haired man let his arm drop and his head hang.
"I won't ever regret that I chose to save you from Tsukishima's castle, and that has nothing to do with what happened. The fact is, I wasn't strong enough to protect them," Ichigo said quietly, "When they needed me the most, I was useless and couldn't even break down a stupid door."
At this point, Rukia interjected with, "But that's because you were injured at the checkpoint thanks to my reckless actions—".
Ichigo's fierce gaze slowly panned to her and he said, "If I had helped you rescue your friend Renji, instead of trying to stop you, I may not have been hurt at all. So in the end, it was my own selfishness that caused my injuries."
He slumped against the wall and slowly slid down, resting on the floor. Rukia opened her mouth to protest but he cut her off and continued.
"The point is that I failed them. I swore that I would never let anyone else die. That I would be strong enough to save everyone I cared for." He grit his teeth and nearly shouted, "All these years I've spent training and getting stronger, believing that I could protect what was important to me. But in the end I wasn't able to save anyone! Just like I couldn't save my mother!"
Rukia watched as the man who had rescued her from the darkness and led her on the journey home, began to sob and allowed tears to spill from his eyes. In the dim light of the tiny room, his sobs echoed. As the despair was just about to overtake him, he heard footsteps and looked up to see Rukia standing over him.
To his shock and awe, she was smiling down at him. Her smile was soft and fragile but also strong and determined. In one fluid movement, Rukia knelt down and wrapped her arms around him, squeezing him tightly to her body. Although stunned, Ichigo found himself eagerly returning the embrace, gripping her robes tightly and resting his head on her shoulder.
Seeing Ichigo like this made Rukia realize just how selfish she had been acting. Ever since Kaien and Miyako had passed, the only pain the she could register was her own, never giving thought to how her partner must be grieving as well. She thought that if she bore the burden of their deaths, somehow it would relief Ichigo of any guilt, since she truly believed herself to be solely to blame. She embraced him tighter and felt ashamed that she had ignored his agony for so long.
For a long time, they stayed like that, feeling the warmth and comfort that came from the other, knowing that they understood the pain of this tragedy.
After quite a long time, they pulled back from each other. Rukia slowly stood up and as she did, she heard Ichigo say to her, "You're not going to ask?" She gave him a quizzical look. "About what happened to my mother?"
To this, Rukia shrugged and gave a soft smirk. "No, because that won't help you right now. Right now, you and I need to support each other above all else. That means not trudging up old wounds that have yet to heal." This made Ichigo's eyes widen as she slowly continued, "It's the only way we'll survive."
Her smile widened but it was warm and inviting. "If you're hurt, I'll support you. If you can't move, then I'll fight in your place. And if you're in pain—". Rukia held out her hand for him and finished, "—I'll bear your pain with you. That is what it means to be partners."
Ichigo stared up at her as she offered him that hand. Slowly, he replied, "You're right...Partner."
It took him all of a moment to reach out and grasp her hand. At that time, the gaping wounds of guilt that plagued the both of them, slowly began to heal.
"Are you sure the patrols won't be searching the houses again?"
Uryu sighed and lifted his glasses with his middle finger, annoyed by his orange haired friend's constant nagging of the matter.
"For the third time, yes. Most of the soldiers in this area aren't even concerned with finding you two," Uryu informed the both of them.
They sat around a small fire in the middle of the shack and were just beginning to eat. For Ichigo and Rukia, it had been nearly five days since they had a proper meal. Surviving off of rations and scraps had been hard and getting a full meal would certainly speed up their recovery. As they ate, the dark haired doctor looked to the both of them suspiciously.
When he had returned not long ago, he had found the two of them lighting the fire and preparing the food he had left for them. All the while discussing their next move. It was a shock because after Ichigo had informed him of all that had occurred, including the deaths of their caretakers, Uryu had expected them to be overcome with despair.
In all honesty, Uryu had seen that Ichigo was close to his breaking point when he had relayed their tragic story and was worried if they would even be able to continue their journey at all. However, he saw in front of him two people that had faced their despair, and though it was obvious that they were still affected by the events, they were still moving forward.
Uryu wondered exactly what had happened between them in the short time they'd been away from him. Three weeks ago, when they left his company on the road, they had been at each other's throats. Now, they acted as if they had known each other for years, instantly reading the other by their actions and words.
In such a short time, an unbreakable bond had formed between them and it gave Uryu hope that they would survive this harrowing journey.
As the meal came to a close, Uryu was the first to ask, "So, where will you head to from here?"
Ichigo and Rukia shared a look and nodded. "Do you happen to have a map we could borrow?" Rukia asked politely, "We need to see exactly where we are and how to proceed north from here."
Uryu pursed his lips before getting up and moving to his bag. He pulled out a large map of the country and laid it out for them to see. He pointed to the southern edge of the map, next to the ocean.
"This is where we are now," Uryu explained, tracing his finger upward to indicate the northern mountains, "This is where you told me you wanted to head to next, correct?"
"Yeah," Ichigo replied, looking over the map and seeing the areas they needed to cross just to get over the mountains. His finger stopped on the forest that they passed through after getting out of the river and he asked, "Do you know any routes that take us through the forest? Going around would probably be more dangerous and time consuming."
At this, Uryu gave a defeated sigh. "Unfortunately, most people tend to stay out of that forest. It's rumored to have a vicious pack of wolves and most people only travel on the outer rim at best."
"If it's so dangerous, why were you there when you found us?" Rukia asked.
"Because this forest has rare medicinal plants that only grow near the river's edge. I was actually near the outer rim of the forest but still kept my guard up."
"Ah, so that's why you had the sleeping mat set up behind the cart?" she pondered, earning a nod from him.
"Yes, I had a bit of meat hidden away there in case the wolves discovered me. I planned on escaping on horseback and leaving my cart if need be. Luckily, I noticed you before the wolves did," Uryu fully explained, nodding in approve of his own plan.
Ichigo rolled his eyes but went back to the map. "So, should we avoid the forest then?"
"That's the best option at the moment, but I'd recommend avoiding the roads too." He pointed to the marked roads that lined only one side of the forest. "This road was heavily guarded when I came through about a week ago and with your failed escape at the checkpoint, they'll probably still be on guard."
"What about this path?" Rukia said as she pointed to the edge of the forest that seemed to line the sea. Uryu looked it over and his face grew grim.
"That path is almost sheer cliffs. It follows the treeline but since it offers no path of escape if attacked by the wolves, most people tend to avoid it."
"Are the wolves really that dangerous? You'd think that a few traps or hunters would be enough to stop them," Ichigo pondered, eyeing the route by the cliffs.
Uryu sighed and replied, "If only it were that easy." His exasperated tone caught the pair attention and the turned to him. "You see, the wolves in the forest have been acting strange lately. Moving in larger groups, seemingly coordinated attacks on anyone that ventures inside, retreating when it's clear they are outnumbered. It's almost as if someone is guiding them."
"Is there anyone in this country who could be manipulating these wolves?" Rukia asked, earning skeptical looks. "What? Is it that odd of a question?"
"Yes." Rukia glared at Ichigo for his blunt answer but he merely shrugged.
Before another argument broke out, Uryu interjected, "The wolves in this country are notorious in a lot of ways. From attacking villages in search of food, to plundering towns under heavy guard. If someone was behind all those attacks, Tsukishima would have a hold on them already."
"Then again, it could all be ruse devised by Tsukishima for his own twisted amusement," Rukia pointed out.
Ichigo's scowl deepened as he pondered the notion. "That does sound like something he'd do but I'm just not convinced."
"Add to it that I've heard that Tsukishima's been hiring hunters from all over, even other countries, just to get rid of these wolves and it doesn't add up," Uryu added.
Rukia turned her attention back to the map. "In any case, I have to agree that the route above the cliffs is the most favorable."
"Well, if you're going to be poisoned, at least we get the honor of choosing," Ichigo said half-heartedly. Uryu folded the map and handed it to Rukia, who took it almost apprehensively.
"I'll trust you to look out for my map, since a certain idiot lost it in the river."
"Hey! It was her pack that got lost with the map in it, not mine."
"Yes, but perhaps if you had been more careful then she wouldn't have lost it in the first place."
"I was kinda trying to keep us from drowning!"
"Oh, and another thing," Uryu said, completely ignoring Ichigo and reaching over next to his bag to pull up their cloaks. "I've repaired and modified both of them for you two." He handed them back to their owners and allowed them to look over his handy work.
Ichigo scowled and raised an eyebrow at the cloak. "It looks the same to me—".
"That is because you don't possess a trained eye for detail," Uryu cut him off, pushing up his glasses and pulling the cloak from his hands. The doctor then proceeded to display the robe to them both and said, "I went over them in great detail and managed to fix any holes or tears that you caused during your travels."
He flipped open the material to show a thin fur casing along the inside of the cloak. "In addition, I added a new layer of rabbit fur to help keep you insulated during your travels to the north. After all, it gets quite cold up there."
Uryu then directed his attention directly at Ichigo and pulled up a hood behind the cloak. "Finally, since you were foolish enough to lose your hat, made from materials that I can't acquire in only a few days, I added a hood to yours. Since your natural hair seems to have a tendency to spread misery wherever it goes."
"Why you—".
"Thank you, Uryu. I don't know where we'd be without all your hard work," Rukia cut him off, taking the cloak from Uryu and slipping it on before adjusting it accordingly.
Ichigo scoffed but quickly groaned as she elbowed him in the side, glaring at him. She tilted her head toward Uryu, demanding a thank you from her companion. With a defeated sigh, Ichigo choked out, "…Thanks."
The cloak was instantly thrown into Ichigo's face, almost knocking him over.
"You're welcome."
Time seemed to roll on slowly as Ichigo and Rukia sat in the shack, doing their best to stay preoccupied while Uryu was away at the market.
"I think I'm healthy enough to go," Ichigo complained as he sat on a stool in the shack, reorganizing his pack for the fifth time.
Across the room, Rukia was cleaning and sharpening her blade, but took a moment to look at him and sigh. "Uryu told you to wait until he thought your injuries were manageable, and I trust his judgment." She lifted and examined her sword carefully and said, "Especially considering that we won't have many more opportunities to see a doctor if you tear open your wounds."
"It's been three days! And I feel fine—".
A small sharpening stone struck Ichigo in the chest and yelped in pain. He lifted his head and angrily glared at Rukia, who was glaring back. Their staring match lasted for a few moments before they the raven haired woman huffed and said, "If something like that can hurt you, then I'd say you do need more rest."
She turned away from him and continued refining her weapon, ignoring the scoff that he let out as he leaned back. Lifting the sharpening stone, he threw it back at her and was unsurprised when her hand flew up and caught it without even looking. Being cooped up in the tiny shack for the last few days had been nearly unbearable but at least their habits had become clear to each other.
Ichigo would practice swordplay in the morning, despite the tiny space, and Rukia would watch and examine his technique. In turn, Rukia would do physical exercises each morning before sunrise, and Ichigo would sometimes join her. Both of them were constantly on guard if anyone tried to come near the shack, which many in the village would believe to be empty when Uryu was away at the market.
Luckily, no soldiers had come to investigate and being on the edge of the village, next to the ocean, the sounds of the waves often drowned out their arguments.
"I thought we needed to hurry," Ichigo tried to persuade her, "The sooner we go, the faster we can get back—".
"We're not having this discussion again, Ichigo." Rukia finished sharpening and cleaning her blade before replacing it in the sheath. Only then did she turn to look at him just in time to see him scoff. Narrowing her eyes, she said, "I want to get out of this accursed country just as much as you do but we can't risk it. I know it's not easy to just sit and wait, but that's what we need to do."
This was the sixth time that Ichigo had insisted they were ready to leave but Rukia refused, waiting for Uryu's go-ahead. After being so reckless and irresponsible, the raven haired woman was determined not to make any more foolish choices, especially when it came to their health.
"But like I told you before, waiting will only increase our chances of being found. I can rest on the way, when we have to," Ichigo countered, already appearing as if he was ready to leave.
With a heavy sigh, Rukia replied, "Right now, all our enemies know we'll be heading north, so they aren't looking to the south. As long as we stay near the southern edge of the country, we should be able to hide away for the time being."
Ichigo sighed through his teeth and slumped back against the wall, unable to refute her logic.
Knowing that, Rukia said, "We only have to wait a few more days. Uryu said that after a few more days, we should be able to sneak past the nearby patrols when—".
"Unfortunately, that's no longer an option."
The pair turned to see Uryu entering the shack, a grim look on his face. He slowly made his way to a stool and sat next to the fire, glaring at it intensely. Rukia and Ichigo pulled closer to him as he sighed and said, "It seems that I'll have to leave sooner than I had anticipated."
"That means we'll have to head out too," Ichigo surmised, since he was the one bringing the two of them food so they didn't attract attention.
"Why the sudden change?" Rukia asked, hoping it wasn't as horrible as it sounded.
Uryu scoffed and he grew frustrated. "I had been planning on taking a ship to travel to one of the nearby territories surrounding this one. However, the only ship that will be coming within the next few months if from the Kuchiki's territory and it will arrive tomorrow."
Rukia eyes widened as she heard this news and couldn't help but ask, "But if that's true, couldn't we stowaway on board and simply head back by sea?" She knew just by Uryu's somber attitude that it probably wasn't possible but the glimmer of hope still shined brightly.
However, that hope was dashed when Uryu replied, "Recently, one ship that has been leaving this port has been inspected from top to bottom. And if any stowaways are found, the stowaways and crew of the ship are locked below deck…and then the ship is set ablaze."
"They're really going that far?!" Ichigo proclaimed, almost unable to believe this.
"I watched it happen only a few days before you arrived," Uryu explained, his attitude growing fouler, "I even heard women and children onboard when it sank!" He slammed his fist onto his knee and grunted in anger.
Rukia gritted her teeth and breathed heavily, containing her anger. Beside her, Ichigo's fingernails dug into his palm, almost making him bleed. After a few moments of silence, Rukia lifted her head and said, "Then we'll just have to by land. It's not worth risking the lives of so many people just to help ourselves."
"Yeah, keeping a low profile is the best thing we can do right now," Ichigo concurred, "Not to mention just sneaking aboard could be just as dangerous."
Rukia nodded in agreement. "The entire village would suffer if they found us trying to sneak aboard. Not to mention that we'd be placing Uryu in needless danger."
To this Uryu gave an amused huff and replied, "I'm not as weak as you make me out to be. But your concern is appreciated." The doctor set a satchel in front of them and opened it, inside was a large amount of healing ointments, bandages, food and water. Ichigo and Rukia's eyes widened at the sheer amount he procured for them and looked to him, as if questioning if it was alright to have this.
"Don't look at me like that. I wanted to wait until Ichigo had completely recovered but now it seems that we don't have a choice," Uryu said, disregarding their skeptical looks. "You'll have to go this evening. It'll be too dangerous to wait until the morning."
Ichigo and Rukia looked out through the cracks of the shack and saw that the sun was already beginning to set. Exchanging a look and a nod, they moved to prepare their packs. Uryu had been kind enough to lend an extra pack to Rukia, given their situation.
Before they began to pack in earnest, Uryu's voice got their attention. "Before you go, I want to prepare something special for you."
They turned back and saw him unfold a package that he'd brought home with him. Upon unwrapping it, they saw a large raw piece of meat that was already cut into tender sections. Holding it up for them to see, the doctor smiled and said, "How about one last meal before you venture off without me?"
Ichigo was taken aback by his friend's sudden offer. The slab of meat looked expensive and obviously wasn't something that Uryu had come across by accident. This was his way of wishing them well and doing what he could before he was forced to let them fend for themselves. Even knowing that, there was a part of Ichigo that wanted to refuse, since they now seemed to be heading back on track.
Luckily, he turned to Rukia and saw her with the same perplexed look on her face. She turned to him and somehow, the answer instantly came to both of them. Taking a seat next to their friend, the silently pulled out their cooking equipment and began to prepare the meal. Uryu only smiled and helped to prepare the meat and vegetables.
After the meal had been served, the three of them finally started to talk again.
"What will you do now, Uryu? After you get to the Kuchiki's territory?" Ichigo asked, finishing off the last of his food. His dark haired friend adjusted his glasses and sighed deeply.
"I planned to head for Lord Byakuya's castle and see if I could gain an audience," Uryu replied, drawing Rukia's attention. Before she could speak, he continued, "If I can convince him that you are alive and well, I might be able to get him to move against Tsukishima before you reach the border."
Ichigo huffed and replied, "That's quite noble of you, but I don't know if the Great Byakuya Kuchiki will even bother to listen to you, especially if you mention the name of his supposedly deceased sister."
"Even so, I have to try." Uryu gave his friend a stern look, which Ichigo knew all too well. Ichigo appeared to be debating with himself about what to say next when the doctor continued, "It's been five years. A lot has changed since we were last in the Kuchiki territory."
"…You're right," Ichigo replied, sneaking a glance at Rukia, "Be careful though. I don't want to have to stage another rescue because my friend got himself in over his head."
Uryu scoffed and said, "Even if you did, I'd rather rot in a cell than be rescued by an idiot like you."
"Who are you calling an idiot?! I just may have to rethink coming to bail your sorry ass out if you do get arrested for suspicion!" Ichigo countered, glaring at his friend.
As they continued to jokingly argue, Rukia noticed that something deeper was going on between them. Uryu seemed almost nervous to be heading to her home territory, and Ichigo was obviously concerned over it. Why was that?
As far as she knew, Uryu was only a doctor and tailor, not a criminal. Perhaps that hadn't always been the case, seeing how deceptive and elusive the doctor really was, but something told her it wasn't quite as simple. As she got lost in her thoughts, it took a moment for her to realize that Ichigo was calling out to her.
"Hey, Rukia! You okay over there?" he asked, making her shake her head before nodding to him, "Just don't forget that we need to go as soon as we finish eating."
"You're right. I'll get my pack ready and see if I can fit any more provisions in," she replied, finishing her meal and standing to get to her pack. She moved to the next room and slowly shut the door.
Ichigo exchanged a look with Uryu and the doctor held a stern gaze and shook his head, as if trying to convince Ichigo of something. The orange haired samurai dropped the issue, though he was still clearly worried about her demeanor. After quietly thanking Uryu for the meal, he went to prepare himself.
Unbeknownst to Ichigo, Uryu smiled at seeing his friend worry so much for his companion's safety. It was a welcome change from the detached attitude Ichigo had displayed when he'd brought the Kuchiki heir to him nearly a month ago.
If only for that, Uryu knew that they would be fine without him. At least for a little while.
Uryu slowly opened the door to the shack and peered out. The crashing of the waves was all that he heard and there wasn't a soul in sight. Pushing the door open all the way, he gestured for his companions to move out.
Ichigo and Rukia emerged from the shack, their hoods up and packs hidden beneath their repaired cloaks. It was a cloudy night and that added to their advantage, the black cloaks hiding them so well that even Uryu had a difficult time seeing them. Signaling for them to follow, the dark haired doctor quickly led them along the outskirts of the village.
They spotted a patrol near the edge of the village. Luckily, since no one was expecting to find the fugitives in this area, the patrols were light and easy to avoid. They had to wait until the patrol decided to leave but in the end they only lost a few minutes as they headed for their destination.
As they reached the path that led along the forest and to the cliffs, Uryu turned back to them and pointed further up the path.
"This path will lead you all the way along the top of the cliffs. After that, continue to head north and you should make it to the mountains within two days," Uryu told them, and they nodded in understanding. "I have to get back before anyone notices I'm gone."
The doctor began to head back when Ichigo caught his arm and looked him in the eye. "Don't do anything stupid, Uryu. If you can't gain an audience with Byakuya Kuchiki, then just wait for us to come home."
Uryu almost protested but sighed instead, gripping Ichigo's shoulder. "Then just be sure to make it home alive. I don't want to be the one to tell your family that you got yourself killed."
They exchanged a smirk and a huff before disengaging. Uryu turned to say farewell to Rukia but found her holding out a sealed piece of paper for him.
"Take this with you when you go to meet my brother," she informed him, "I don't know if it'll help convince him but at the very least it should gain you an audience. The rest is up to you from there."
Beside her, Ichigo glared and said, "This had better not be like the last one you had me carry—".
"Don't insult me, Ichigo." Rukia thrust the letter into Uryu's hands before turned and narrowing her eyes at her orange haired companion.
"Do you really think I would come this far, just to give up all over again? And besides," she adjusted her cloak and smirked at him, "Someone has to keep you from getting yourself killed before you see your family again."
"Please do that. This idiot will need all the help he can get," Uryu chided, causing Ichigo go glare at him before he continued, "And thank you for the letter. I'll do my best to get it to Lord Byakuya."
"You have my thanks," Rukia replied with a deep bow. Lifting her head, she said, "Take care of yourself."
"Likewise. Keep each other safe…and I'm sorry I could do more." Uryu's tone was soft and the pair could see that he truly didn't want to abandon them here. At this, Ichigo scoffed and tapped him on the shoulder.
"You've done more than enough. Now's the time to look out for yourself," he grasped Uryu's shoulder and finished, "I know I never really said it, but…thank you for always being there for me. I never would have survived in this country without you."
Uryu gave a fake scoff and replied, "I didn't do it for you. I just didn't want you to get yourself killed and make your sisters cry. Honestly, this whole thing has been such a pain. That being said, please try to use your head and don't do anything foolish. I won't be coming to save you this time, after all."
Despite his mocking, the doctor couldn't help but smile at his friend. Ichigo gave his friend one final smirk and said, "I'll do my best." Ichigo took his hand off Uryu's shoulder and held it out for him. The doctor glanced at it and raised an eyebrow. "Just humor me, will you?" Ichigo proclaimed, still waiting for his friend.
With a heavy sigh, Uryu grasped his hand and answered, "Just this once, Kurosaki." They shook and stepped away from each other. Uryu turned and headed back to the village but as he left he looked back to them and smiled before disappearing behind a corner.
A heavy silence fell over Ichigo and Rukia as they looked back to where their friend had just been. After a few more moments, Rukia looked up to her companion and said, "Are you ready for this?"
"Yeah," Ichigo nodded firmly and adjusted his cloak and pack, "Time to head home."
"Just be sure to keep up," Rukia half-joked as she moved ahead of him and led the way down the path above the cliffs. Ichigo sighed and glanced back toward the village one final time before smirking to himself and racing to catch up to her.
Unbeknownst to Ichigo or Rukia, deep inside the forest, many sets of large yellow eyes watched the pair as they entered their domain. The hunt had begun.
To Be Continued…
So I really wanted to get this out sooner but ran into some complications. I just wasn't satisfied with this chapter for so long and that caused a huge delay. Overall, I finally got it to where I want it and I think that I've finished the "arc" the last few chapters have established.
Now I can really get into a few scenes that I wanted to write since I first imagined this story! So look forward to those in the coming chapters!
Oh, and Chappy Rukia fans! I know it's been a while since I updated that but now that this "arc" is finished and out of my head, I can now focus on Chappy Rukia more! Look forward to a new chapter or two in the next couple of weeks; I'm really pulling out all the stops for that one! :D
Finally, a huge thank you to everyone who reviewed, favorited, or followed my stories. I can't express how great it makes me feel to know that you all enjoy my work so much. I appreciate all the support so please leave a review to tell me what you think of any of my stories! Keep on smiling my beautiful readers!