Dark Moon CH. 21: Night on the town
"Let's see…Viva la Vida…nah. Be your girl…hmm…nope. Hey, Rukia, help me out over…here-?" Kiyone looked up from the song selection in the Karaoke bar. A frown creased her forehead, "don't tell me you're still moping! Mr. Urahara was kind enough to give us a day of rest after you've been training so hard!" She gently chided, getting up from the violet sofa in the lounge and going over to where her silent friend stood, staring out the small window.
"You've worked just as hard…Kiyone," Rukia admonished, breaking away from whatever morose thoughts that had mired her mind. Three weeks. Three weeks of training until she had doubled over, coughing up blood, until Urahara had relented. Sheathing his sword, the red aura vanishing just as Sode no Shirayuki's did seconds before.
Not strong enough.
She wasn't.
She knew that.
She had every right to wish Aizen and his hellish brood dead.
Sister…
Brother…
Clenching and unclenching her fists at her sides, she remembered the man's kindly smile, bitter bile rose in her throat.
Once he'd been her Uncle.
That much was sure.
Before the last travel book on Romania, he was as he appeared. Gentle, loving, a bachelor whom was looking to start a family late in life, had he known the horrors that the creature that possessed him in some dark corner from that place would do? Destroy his sister's family until a single girl, all that was needed to relinquish the darkness holding sway over him and offspring, might live.
It wasn't fair.
Rukia bit her lip.
He was still-no matter what had assumed his identity-her flesh and blood.
And then there was…
"—Hey! Are you listening to me?!"
Startled, Rukia jolted a little, an apologetic smile curving her mouth, "sorry. Just thinking." Kiyone looked unconvinced, "you were staring something fierce out that window—at first I thought maybe you'd seen some thing."
Hearing the deliberate separation of the word. She had to sigh and shake her head, "no. I didn't see any of them."
"Mr. Urahara said we might. After all, Ms. Yoruichi in Hueco Mundo reported no change. The house was still unoccupied which probably means—"
"They're still in Tokyo."
"Yeah."
Kiyone looked downcast, her usual bubbly cheerfulness that everyone found so infectious was gone, replaced by weary heavy heartedness. The conclusion to centuries long war was riding solely on their participation, if they allowed failure, the world would fall. Seireitei knew Aizen was planning something that would start the night of Karakura High's winter ball. In less than eight days.
"Can we do this?" her friend whispered, staring out into the falling night. Rukia opened her mouth to speak then closed it several times; unsure of what words of comfort she could speak when she herself was at a loss. How could she be forced to kill the body of her Uncle?
Ichigo?
Her eyes closed and her lids trembled, it was just too much.
With some effort, she turned away resolutely from the view of the city, taking Kiyone's arm; she led her back to the Karaoke song selection. "Let's forget about it for a while." Rukia managed to add a shaky smile to her words, "I bet they have Broken Wings."
Kiyone grinned, "me first!" she joyfully cried.
~~~*~~~
Damn Ulquiorra, Ichigo thought. The last rays of sun were departing and he stalked forward on the building across the street from the Karaoke lounge. The black-haired boy had left for Hueco Mundo without waiting for orders. Rubbing his stomach sourly, he scowled. The wound may have been undetectable but the memory was still there.
Damn him, he'd pay for it.
A small face appeared at the mid-level window, discernible only to his far sight. It was Rukia. So she was out from under Urahara's thumb, Ichigo crouched down. The bacillus must be getting thicker in her blood. He'd been able to smell her from over five miles away. He frowned; Seireitei was probably planning on having her fight as a hybrid for on that night. They'd be cutting it close to the true hour of her awakening. Were they really that desperate?
To come close to her becoming a vampire and losing her human self all for the smallest hope of crushing them? What fools they were…
Ichigo leapt down to the street. Passersby missed his decent and as such allowing him to blend in easily among the crowd. He had no problem strolling to the street corner and Sonido-ing to the wide double doors of the lounge. Tossing carelessly a wad of cash to the bored looking girl sitting behind the counter in the main lobby, he gained access to the door and hallway where the small cubicles were.
Notes of music and a few human voices warbling came from behind several closed doors. The girl-Kiyone, he saw exit one of the rooms toward the end of the hall, brushing past him, she barely muttered a distracted sorry before disappearing out into the lobby.
What luck.
He'd have time with Rukia alone.
~~~*~~~
/Kikou wa nori no warui/~English translation: (I'm not so fundamentally enthusiastic)
/Watashi ga sanka suru/~English translation: (Even I will participate in this)
Rukia didn't raise her head as the door to their private lounge opened, expecting Kiyone, she asked over the din of the song, "back so soon? Did you get the drinks, Kiyone?"
/Kare mo kuru no/~English translation: (Everyone is excited)
/Myaku ga ima wa nakutomo/~English translation: (He's coming too)
Ichigo silently stepped behind her, leaning forward, he whispered, "I'm not Kiyone."
/Zettai ikimasu tomo/~English translation: (I may have no chance with him now, but I'm definitely going)
Startled, she twisted around, "I-Ichigo?" On the next breath, she began to reach mentally for her sword.
(Sugoi sugoi pookaa faisu dato shitara. Aru yo nante/ English translation: (If you've got a good pokerface, then there will be something/
She was sure he couldn't feel the summoning, but…
/…Koo-to no kisetsu nanoni konchigai shiteru/~English translation: (Even though it's coat season, he is completely misunderstanding)
"Don't do that!" he said sharply. Dumbly she held still while he neatly hopped over the back and promptly sat down on the empty cushion beside her.
/Doushite nano? /~English translation: (What's going on?)
"Why are you here?!" she rounded on him, her eyes flashing angrily. Ichigo threw his hands up in the air innocently, "shall I lie? Even if I told you the truth, midget—" her fists clenched. "You wouldn't believe me."
/Konna ureshikute/~English translation: (Being this happy)
"Try me," Rukia said haughtily.
/Chigiresouna hodo waratte iru noni/~English translation: (I'm laughing so hard I might burst)
"I missed you," he shrugged.
/Kare mo senaka mite wa mune tsumaru/~English translation: (I get choked up when I see his back)
Her breath caught hard in her throat; was he lying?
/Taenai egao no utsu no naka de/~English translation: (In the whirlpool of an endless smile)
A slight smile curved his mouth, "what? Don't believe me, midget? I knew you wouldn't. Guess I'll just have to show you again." With that, he leaned over and captured her lips in a rough kiss.
~~~*~~~
Two immediate impulses presented themselves to her in the space of the first seconds when she was still in control. Slam her fist into his stomach or better yet—in a more vulnerable area. Or simply let it happen. She chose neither. Once he realized she wouldn't attack, he lessened the desperate hold he had maintained on her.
"Sorry," he commented when able, sounding not at all repentant, "it's been too long."
/Step by step kimi to deatte toki wasurete odoriakashita/~English translation: (Step by step, I forgot the times we met by chance and danced until dawn)
The next track had begun to play, hearing the opening lines, he grinned slowly; "this seems to be our song. Wouldn't you agree, Rukia?"
/Hoshi ni yadoru sadame wo shirazuni-I can't stop falling in love/~English translation: (Without knowing the fate that dwells in the stars-I can't stop falling in love)
"Speak for yourself." She muttered, disconcerted to find her thoughts lingering in almost the same place as his.
/Fujitsu na tsuki no kaketa moraru ni tersareru no wa michiru desire/~English translation: (Illuminating complete desire in the fading morals of the insincere moon)
"I am. That is, speaking for myself." He said gravely.
/Sadame wo daita boku wa sakenda-wherefore art thou Juliet? /~English translation: (You embraced fate, I cried 'wherefore art thou Juliet?')
He seemed serious enough so that she glanced quickly at his face. "If that were true…then could it be that…you're in love with me?"
/Oroka na koi da to azawarau ga ii saa subete nagedeshite imasugu ni iku kara-Oh my Juliet/~English translation: ("It's foolish love," they sneered but it's okay, because I'll sacrifice everything and go right now-Oh my Juliet)
"Do you really want to know?"
"Yes."
"No. You don't. Because then you'll question everything that's happened up until now. Maybe," he Sonido-ed to the door, "you shouldn't have to ask that question. You should know my answer by now."
"What do you—"
Kiyone opened the door at that moment; Rukia saw him smile briefly back at her then disappear in a swift blur past her friend. "Did something happen?" Kiyone asked, glancing out into the hall behind her. Rukia shook her head, "nothing. Other than I've been a fool not to see it."
"Huh?"
~~~*~~~
You're my enemy.
I was born to defeat you.
I hate you as I hate the one who created you.
I will avenge them and not let anyone else suffer what I have.
But…her thoughts were in a blur, faces of people angered as she ran past them along the crowded sidewalk staring at her like she was crazy. She ignored their vicious yells, her mind only dwelling on the place he would go to, somewhere to be alone…the Cemetery.
~~~*~~~
"There you are," he was up high on the branch of a pine tree.
"And here you are," she said quietly, her hand tight on the scabbard behind her back. Ichigo glanced down at her, smiling faintly, he leapt off with fluid grace landing on his feet silently in front of her. "So…" he teased, his eyes passing over her body once, then to her stiffly held arms, "you've decided to do it?"
Rukia knew the time of acting on pretence was over; they were enemies. "If I kill you now, then that's one less I'll have to do later."
"Ah. Smart girl. Lessen the enemy's ranks by sweet kisses and then strike them down, did Urahara teach you that? Is that all you ever do is pretend?" he sounded angry, he walked a few steps, his back to her.
"Wha-what do you mean?" she was genuinely confused.
Ichigo spun lightly around to face her, the midnight black blade tainted with a faint red ochre at his side. "You pretend and pretend—or is it…that I'm really fooling myself?"
"What are you talking about?! Just—"
"Tell you? Because you're so ignorant?"
Their swords clashed, the repulse shaking her wrists.
He was strong. Much stronger than she was…
"If you want to know so badly then tell me." Desperation had seeped into his voice; her gaze went up to his face, startled by the pain flitting nakedly through his inhumanly beautiful amber eyes.
"Do you love me?"
"N—" she realized it was a lie as the weight of understanding bore down on her. Ichigo as the little boy in the photograph; Ichigo through all his coldness and care in her Uncle's house and then in Tokyo in Dr. Shiba's office. Her grip of her sword became slack, the blade slowly tilting down.
"N-No. I…"
But I…She felt the tip of Shirayuki's gleaming white tang rise, surprise and horror reflected in her eyes as she realized what he wanted her to do.
"Finish telling me, midget."
She hated how he ordered her around. "I l-l-love you," her voice was barely above a whisper but he heard anyway. "Good," she saw his smile under the weak moonlight; his fingers grew taut on her sword, plunging it in suddenly through his chest.
…I love you. Don't. I don't want to kill you.
"I'd prefer you…freeing me…Rukia."
Her hand twitched, involuntarily opening and releasing the hilt. He slumped down, impaled on her sword; blood began pooling at her feet. Her ears heard the sound of running, breathless gasps of Kisuke and Kiyone, both reaching the gate she had vaulted over twenty minutes before.
"Rukia! Oh my Gods—that's—"
"Ms. Kuchiki…you?"
She couldn't stand their questions, her sight filled with the image of his still body; his black sword lay where it had been let go of. "I didn't—I didn't mean to—I didn't—" her knees gave out suddenly, her body crashing heavily down beside him, "—want this!!!"
~~~To be continued~~~
AN: no. He's not dead. :) Thanks for reading and reviews are appreciated.