Chapter 11: The Destruction Begins

She is walking through a field of long green grass and wild flowers. From what she can tell she is alone, the solitude is welcoming. However, although she is enjoying being alone she can't help but feel that she is missing something or maybe someone. She looks around the field and sees pinkish colored mountains with snowy peaks surround her. In the center of the field is a sapphire blue pond. She walks to the pond and looks in the water and notices her reflection. She is startled by what she sees for the person looking back at her she does not recognize. She hears a noise that sounds like the ruffling of feathers behind her. She turns around and sees a large fire bird staring at her. "What will you do" it asks her. She replies, "I am not sure what you mean who am I and who are you?" The bird stares at her quietly "you were shown already what must be done, you must allow your mind to wonder into places it may not want to. When the time comes I hope that you will be ready." With that final statement the bird flaps its massive wings and flies away. The girl stares up at the sky confused unsure by what the bird meant.

Rukia wakes up with a start confused as to where she is at. She looks around and realizes that she is in Ichigo's bedroom and that he is lying next to her. Ichigo stirs briefly, but then turns over and starts snoring quietly again. She can' believe what she and Ichigo did last night, their relationship has truly changed. Will they act differently towards each other now, time will tell she thinks to herself. Rukia glances at the clock and notices that it is 4 in the morning and curses herself for being up this early. She had a dream that woke her up, it was unlike any dream she has had before. The memory of what the dream was about faded as soon as she opened her eyes. All she does know is that it left her feeling like she was lost and confused. Not wanting to risk waking up Ichigo, she slowly gets out of bed to go to the closet, however, Ichigo grads her by the hand and pulls her back into bed with him. "Let me go Ichigo, I can't sleep and I don't want to wake you up" she tells him. "Be quiet Rukia and go back to sleep I bet if you close your eyes you will fall asleep in no time" he tells her. "Well don't blame me if I keep you awake" she mutters to him. She sighs as she lays her head against his chest, and was sound asleep in 5 minutes.

Rukia awakes again later that morning to find that Ichigo is no longer in bed with her. "I wonder where he is" she says out loud to herself. Just as she is about to get out of bed Ichigo walks through the door with scrambled eggs, toast and milk. "Here I made us some breakfast" he tells her "I guess after we eat we need to get dressed and head over to Urahara's." Rukia nods her head in agreement and thanks him for breakfast. She wonders of she should tell Ichigo about her dream, but decides against it because it was the first dream like it she has had. "I wonder how they will take the news that the soul society is being destroyed. One thing we failed to discuss was the ramifications that it may have on this world. With the soul society for this area destroyed, what will become of the souls that reside in this area," Rukia wonders aloud. "I am not sure. To be honest I did not even think of that. Is the image of the phoenix still on your side because Yamamoto said that the phoenix burst from the girl? I haven't seen any bird flying out of your body yet. Of course, that may not be what he meant." Ichigo asks her. Rukia pulls up her shirt and the phoenix is still there. "I don't know. Let's get dressed and head to Urahara's," she tells Ichigo.

They walk together arm in arm to Urahara's shop. Neither one is talking, but the silence is comforting not awkward. They enter Urahara's shop to find that their friends have already arrived and take a seat together on the couch. Orihime can't help but notice that the two of them are sitting closer together than usual. As a matter of fact every time Ichigo looks at Rukia there is a tenderness in his eyes that wasn't there before and when Rukia smiles at him her entire face lights up. She wonders what has changed between them. She notices that everyone else is staring at the two with surprised but knowing looks. Yoruichi smiles wickedly at Ichigo, "so I take it you are no longer a boy" and starts laughing hysterically. Rukia's face turns beat red, Ichigo, however looks bored "are we here to talk about my personal life or talk about what is going on" Orihime is confused as to what Yoruichi means when suddenly it dawns on her, "oh wow you guys had….had sex" this causes Yoruichi to laugh harder. Rukia looks mortified but with as much dignity as she could muster tells the group, "enough of this talk. We are not here to discuss the relationship between me and Ichigo. If someone says one more thing about it I will let Ichigo kill you and not feel bad about it." "I may kill them anyways" Ichigo mutters angrily. Urahara walks in "they are right we can talk about them behind their backs at a later time, but for now let's get down to business."

Urahara informs the group of everything that has occurred over the past several days. "I have gotten reports form the soul society that there is in fact a phoenix flying in the sky raining fire down. Many building have caught on fire, but the soul society had started I guess what you would call a fire brigade to combat the flames. The division of research is trying to come up with a way to fire proof the capital. The phoenix has not started flying over towns outside the capital so for now those are where the captains have set up base. In the center of the capital there is a pillar of flame that seems to be where the phoenix burst out of the ground from. So everything seen in the dream realm is coming to fruition." Urahara reports to the group. "What will the effects be in this realm" Rukia asks. "That has yet to be determined. It is thought that if the soul society is destroyed this realm will become overrun with souls and hollows that it may trigger some sort of disaster." Urahara tells them. "So what are we supposed to do just sit around and watch it happen" Ishida asks annoyed. Yoruichi responds "no we are not going to sit around and let this happen we work on a solution somehow we will defeat him." Just then they hear a deep laugh coming from the doorway and turn to see that Xinitix standing in it, "I admire you determination, but there is nothing that you can do to stop me. The soul society will be destroyed and with its destruction so too will this world be destroyed" and with that he disappears. Everyone stares at each other wondering the same thing, what do they do now.