This chapter will mainly focus on Rukia and Rikuo, and how they met. It might take a while again before I can write again, because school is about to end and I have tons of shool work to do. But be patient! And thank you for reading!
Disclaimer: I don´t own Bleach nor it´s characters
It had been couple of years since Kaien died…no let me correct myself; when I killed him. Since then nothing changed; no one blamed me from it, they all said that I did the right thing. Of course they didn´t dare to say anything that would anger the Kuchiki. God she hated being a Kuchiki. Everyone were justo either afraid of her (which was very rare), or just simply annoyed by her existence (that was very common).
She didn´t actually mind what they thought about her; she had already gotten used to it. The worst thing was that the time she had spent with Kaien-dono, she had gotten used to being around everyone and everyone seemed to be in good terms with her. Maybe they still tried to be and it was only she who tried to take distance from them. Either way she was once again just Kuchiki-sama.
That all changed when he met Rikuo.
She was walking alone around Seireitei. Well actually she was going to meet his brother, because he had called for her, for some reason. She didn´t understand why her brother wanted to her to come some meetings from time to time. It´s not like he actually cared about her on anything like that, it was just that…
And my thoughts were stopped when I suddenly bumped into someone. I saw a lot of papers flying in the air and landing around the ground. Then she heard a very deep breathing and turned to look at the person who she had bumped into.
She almost wanted to scream, immediately when that person had noticed her, he had bowed in front of her.
"Oh! I´m so sorry!" The shinigami said and kneeled to the ground. Rukia wanted to puke; she hated this.
"It´s okay", Rukia said with really depressing voice and started then collect his papers from the ground. Rukia noticed that the person was slowly lifting his head.
"Oh! Rukia-sama! You don´t have to!" The person said quickly and rushed to Rukia, to take his papers away from her.
When she heard the title; she almost wanted to cut that person´s head of, but let it go with just a sigh.
It´s okay. I was in my thoughts and didn´t pay attention around me", she said and handed the papers back to him. The person looked at her with wide eyes, and then Rukia decided to leave the place, before he wanted to repay this to her in some way.
"Bye then", she quickly said and turned around, ready to walk away. The person seemed to recover from his shock.
"Is there something that I can do to repay you?" The shinigami yelled eagerly after her. Rukia wanted to stab herself; here it is. Still she turned around to look at him.
"There is really no need", she said with tired voice, and wished that he would leave it at that: of course she wasn´t that lucky.
"No! I insist!" The shinigami said with determined voice.
Rukia wanted to yell at the shinigami to scram, or in any way to scare him of; but that would just trigger a gossip that the Kuchiki princess was starting to attack other squad members, or something like that. Then she thought up something and almost smiled to her idea.
"Fine, anything?" She wanted to make sure, before saying her request.
"Anything", the shinigami said.
"Stop calling me Rukia-sama", she said and was actually quite proud that she had the courage to actually say it out loud. Then she turned around and started to walk away.
She was sure that the boy would just be shocked for a second, but wouldn´t definitely stop calling her –sama. All she had to do was be quick enough to get out of here.
"Then Rukia!" The shinigami suddenly yelled and it made Rukia turn around.
The boy was smiling widely at her.
"See you around Rukia!" The boy said and ran away. Rukia was quite shocked to see him call him by her name so easily. No one had done that before, except Kaien-dono and… She shook her head; there was no point in thinking about Renji now. She smiled after the shinigami and then continued to walk away.
Rukia was once again walking around Seireitei, but this time she had a job to do. She had to go to the living world with someone from the 12th Squad to gather some data. She had no idea why she had to do it. Usually she was never allowed to go to the living world, because it was so dangerous and everyone thought that she was unable to take care of herself, which was rubbish.
Well there was no point in thinking about it know, the situation was what it was nothing more nothing less. For a second she thought of running away and saying that she had some other things to do. She had to slap herself for even thinking something so childish and selfish. But the idea kept on growing and growing as she walked towards the Senkaimon.
When she finally got to the gate she was already at the point that she thought of running away immediately. For her luck the other shinigami wasn´t there yet. She had time to pull herself together and stop her urges to run away. She was so concentrated on her own thoughts that she almost jumped in the air, when she heard voice behind her.
"Rukia?" The voice asked very surprised. Rukia couldn´t believe her eyes, someone except Ukitake and Renji addressed her normally.
Rukia´s eyes were wide open from surprise when she turned around to look at the person behind her. Her eyes widened even more when she noticed who was standing behind her. It was the same shinigami who she had crashed the other day. The person had very uncomfortable look on his face and he seemed to struggle.
"Is something the matter, Rukia…" The shinigami asked and it seemed like he had wanted to add something after the Rukia.
Rukia had to shook her head again and get the stupid expression from her face.
"I´m sorry, nothing is wrong. I just didn´t think I would be seeing you again", Rukia had to say without thinking. But the shinigami didn´t seem to mind, in fact he started to smile as he walked towards Rukia.
"Good! I thought you were displeased that you had to accompany me to the living world or something like that", person said as he stopped right in front of her. Rukia was surprised how tall he was, she had to lift her face so that she could see his face. It was very pleasing sight she had to think.
Rukia didn´t know how long they just stood there to stare at each other, but then suddenly person coughed that woke Rukia up.
"Shall we go?" the person said and pointed at the gate. Rukia shook her head again and turned around.
"After you", Rukia said in awkward tune. Person nodded and walked past her. Rukia made sure that she followed exactly two steps behind him, when they entered in the gate.
The two of them walked in complete silence only their footsteps were heard until the person suddenly turned his head around to look at Rukia.
"You really don´t have to walk so far away. I´m not going to bite", the person said with a wide smirk on his face. Rukia felt as her face started to turn red. She was forced to turn her head away.
"I have just gotten used to walking behind my superiors", Rukia said without thinking.
"How do you that I´m your superior?" The person asked. Then Rukia noticed that he had slowed his steps and was now walking beside her.
"Well aren´t you?" Rukia asked lifting an eyebrow. The person scratched his head and seemed to think about it.
"Well you´re a Kuchiki so I suppose I´m under you", the person said and smiled.
There it was again the Kuchiki name, god she hated it.
"Well, if we think that I´m just an ordinary shinigami what about then?" Rukia asked seemingly annoyed by the conversation. The person just kept on smiling. Where did he get his confidence? He is completely a different person from the person he was when they first met. Then she realized something really shocking.
"I don´t even know your name!" Rukia yelled without thinking. The moment she had said it she wanted to slap herself, what was wrong with her today, why she said everything out loud.
"Well you´re right. I guess we haven´t been introduced yet", then the person suddenly stopped and Rukia stopped also.
"My name is Takami Rikuo 3rd seat of the 12th squad. Nice to meet you!" Rikuo said and smiled very widely. Rukia felt as her face started to turn red again, gosh what was wrong with her.
"Nice to meet you", Rukia said. Rikuo had to laugh.
"Well this isn´t the first time we meet, is it?" Rikuo asked while laughing. Rukia knew that he was mocking her but she didn´t care, she just wanted to smile at him but enough was enough.
"Okay, that´s enough of mocking me", Rukia said and slapped him behind his head.
"Ouch!" Rikuo said and held his head. Rukia just smiled at him and walked past him.
"Let´s go. We have a job to do", Rukia said and walked forward. Rikuo smirked at the miss bossy, but followed then after her without saying anything.
Rukia and Rikuo arrived at the living world without problems, but the worst was just about to come.
It was midnight when they arrived to the world of the living. It was full moon. Rukia love the full moon and wanted to stay and watch it for the rest of the eternity, but Rikuo woke her up soon.
"Let´s go dreamer. We have a lot of work to do", Rikuo said and used shunpo to disappear. Rukia had to sigh. Even though she was very fast there was no way that she would be able to keep up with Rikuo´s speed. Still she had to go after him.
After searching a while she finally found Rikuo at the abandoned warehouse. He was checking the place up very carefully. Rukia sighed again.
"Just get on with the thing you were supposed to do. I will finish on checking the place that´s the whole reason I'm here, right?" Rukia asked and Rikuo turned to look at her.
"I guess you´re right", Rikuo said pulled out his stuff and started to do something with them. Rukia just sighed again started to check the place, there was no reason to try and understand what the 12th squad was doing.
She tried sensing around the warehouse and the town for anything out of the ordinary. She also tested on sending her reaitsu out so that it would lure out any hollow, if there were any. She got nothing but she didn´t still let her guard down.
It took them almost the whole night until he was finally ready.
"I´m done Rukia, let´s head back", Rikuo said and started to back up his things. Rukia nodded but she had an uneasy feeling about the surrounding area. There was something very big out there, but she couldn´t tell what. The best choice was to leave as quickly as possible.
"I´m done", Rikuo said and Rukia started to walk towards him slowly but still checking around her. Rikuo had to smile; she was a little bit too paranoid.
"Rukia everything is fine let´s just head back", Rikuo said and got ready to pull out his zankpaktou to get ready to open up the gate.
Rukia couldn't shake the annoying feeling that there was someone watching them. And then she suddenly saw them hundreds of red eyes were watching them outside the warehouse.
"Rikuo?" Rukia asked and pulled slowly her zankpaktou out.
"I know", Rikuo said quietly. They were back to back and tried to count them.
"I would say about over hundred", Rukia said and felt as her hands started to sweat.
"I would say over thousand", Rikuo said and his voice sounded very nervous.
Thousand? There was just no way that they would get away. Rukia thought to herself. Rikuo must have sensed her anxiety.
"Rukia I try to lead them away. In the meanwhile open the gate and get out of here", Rikuo said. Rukia was seemingly shocked by his words.
"I could never run away!" Rukia yelled.
"You´re not running away go get help, I´m waiting for your return", Rikuo said and then he suddenly disappeared. After that Rukia heard loud noises and clashes, as Rikuo fought against the many hollows.
"I have to get help", Rukia said as she opened the gate and rushed through it; without noticing the three shadows which followed her.
Rukia ran like the hell itself was after her. Why am I running? Rukia asked herself and then she suddenly stopped.
"It´s happening again. I´m running away because I´m afraid. I´m pathetic!" Rukia said to herself and bit her lips.
"I can´t just stand here, I have to go and help him!" She said and turned around. Then a large light rushed towards her, she was just nearly able avoid it.
"Who is there?" Rukia yelled and pulled her zankpaktou out. She heard loud laughing and soon three hollow appeared in front of her.
"I´m amazed that you were able to avoid that. Well you´re shinigami I give you that, even though a very weak one", one of the hollows said while looking at Rukia.
"I can´t sense anything from her. Is she really even a shinigami?" the other asked.
"She has to be, she has that black kimono and sword too!" the third yelled.
At first Rukia couldn´t understand what they were talking about, until she noticed that she had been unconsciously suppressed all of her reiatsu. So that no one would notice her, what a coward. It angered her so much that she released all of her reiatsu at once, it seemed to shock the hollows. But Rukia didn´t give them time to recover.
"Mai Sode no Shirayuki!" She yelled and then her zankpaktou turned completely white.
"Tsugi no Mai! Hakuren!" She yelled and then wide ice wave came out of her zankpaktou. The hollows didn´t have the time to evade.
She finished them of easily and then rushed back the same way she had come.
"Wait for me Rikuo!" Rukia thought and rushed forward as fast as she could.
Rikuo was breathing heavily, he had no idea how many hollows he had taken out already but their number just kept on increasing.
"Damn there is no end to them", Rikuo said and bit his teeth together.
"Hahaha! Just give up shinigami! There is no way for you to beat all of us! Just let us eat you already!" One of the hollows yelled at him.
"But he´s not alone!"
After hearing a very familiar voice Rikuoa turned around to look behind him, he was just able to see Rukia jumping in front of him.
"Some no mai! Tsukishiro!" Rukia yelled and then the entire ground started to freeze. Rukia quickly grabbed Rikuo and jumped out of the circle. Most of the hollows froze right at the spot and then shattered to pieces.
"Wow!" Rikuo looked at all the hollows she had defeated all by herself. And then remembered the order he had given her and turned to look at with furious expression.
"Hey you…" Rikuo started but was enchanted by the beauty of her pure white sword. With the moon behind her she seemed like the death angel itself; with her violet eyes, raven black hair and pure white zankpaktou.
Rukia realized that Rikuoa was staring at him and turned to look at him with questioning face.
"Is something the matter?" Rukia asked and lifted her eyebrow. Rikuo shook his head.
"Everything! I told you to run!" Rikuo yelled at him. And for some reason Rukia´s eyes turned even darker and she turned to look away.
"Yes you did", Rukia said with her head turned away.
"Then why didn´t you listen to me! I wouldn´t have died! Now we are both in bad situation and you…" Rikuo yelled but he stopped when he realized the look Rukia gave her; it was dark and full of sorrow and pain.
"This fight wasn´t about protecting you pride, I can tell the difference. So there is no reason why I shouldn´t help you", Ruki said with low and painful voice. Rikuo was shocked by her voice and by the look on her face. What did she mean by it? Fight about pride?
"We can´t just leave them like this. They´re going to hurt the souls and humans. So what should we do?" Rukia asked and turned to look at Rikuo.
Rikuo shook his head to get his thought together.
"You´re right, if we don´t do anything it´s going to be trouble. But there´s no way we can defeat them all by ourselves. We should retreat and then call help", Rikuo said and stood up.
"Roger", Rukia said and then started to walk towards Rikuo. But she stopped when she felt someone and turned around just in time to slash an attacking hollow in half.
"You´re fast little Miss shinigami but that´s not going to be enough to defeat all of us" the deep voice said and soon they were surrounded by hundreds of hollows.
"Well I suppose our plan backfired little", Rikuo said and pointed his zankpaktou at the hollow.
"What now?" Rukia asked and glanced at Rikuo.
"Take them down one by one!" Rikuo yelled with confident smile. Rukia had to sigh but she agreed that it was the only way.
And so they started to slay the hollows. Even now Rukia wasn´t sure how many she had killed that night but all she saw was blood of the hollow. Everything else was blurred away.
Dawn was already breaking when they finally got the last of them. The morning sun lightened the bloody place and the two shinigami who were sitting at the middle of it.
"I suppose that´s that", Rikuo said and tried to stand up, his leg was broken. Rukia rushed next to him and lifted him up.
"Sorry."
"Don´t bother. Let´s just get out of here", Rukia said with tired voice and opened gate. Leaning on Rukia, Rikuo had to amaze the strength of the little shinigami but more than that there was something he wanted to say more than anything.
"Thank you Rukia, for coming to help", Rikuo said. Rukia sighed and lifted her face to look at Rikuo.
"Like I said earlier don´t bother", she said with a smile on her face. Then the two tired shinigami left the bloody scene behind them.