A/N: Hey guys! I'm back with a new chapter… you want to curse me right? I understand. I understand. But I started my degree and I'm in the middle of my final exams for the semester. I've been very very very busy these past months. But I promise I won't leave this story unfinished.

Enjoy!

The Moon That Embraces The Sun

Chapter –25

How…could he…do this? The words repeated over and over in her head, making her head spin. She stared at the lifeless eyes that stared back at her, as if blaming her for her unfortunate death. She sent an innocent woman to her doom. She killed a person, as indirect as it was; she was still the person to blame. She should have known that Aizen was capable of anything. From what she had gathered so far, this was a plan that had begun since years ago. He had been evaluating, planning and plotting since she was a kid.

All of a sudden, other faces like Nozomi's appeared in her mind. She staggered a few steps back but she held herself firmly.

What was that? What was all that blood and human carcasses? What animalistic injustice was that? Was that really something she witnessed or was she having nightmares when she was still wide awake? Who was that woman who looked a lot like her, covered in blood and smiling at her? Why was she hiding behind a door?

Her head throbbed and she saw Nozomi's lifeless eyes once again. It hurt her so much. What was happening? How does she get out now? Where was Rangiku?

Where was Ichigo?

"Do you see now?" the soft caress of his breath tickled her ear. Rukia's immediate reaction was to jump away from him.

"You!" she glared accusingly at him.

"The more you try to run away from me, the more people will get hurt, I can assure you."

"Are you threatening me?" Rukia narrowed her eyes into slits and drew her lips into a thin line. "I swear to you, I will bring you down in the cruelest way possible. Just watch me." She turned around and headed towards the room she was being held captive.

There was no way she was living under his claws, being his little puppet and let him do whatever he wanted to her family. If he thought she'd sit idle after this, he was dead wrong. She was going to fight her way through his numerous guards and run back to her family.

He will not hold her captive anymore.

But in the back of her mind, she knew only her willpower wasn't enough. Nevertheless, she wasn't going to give up escaping.

::

"Ichigo." He heard his mother's voice. He didn't look up.

"Ulquiorra. Escort her majesty out." He ordered firmly, slamming his seal down on the scroll.

"I have something to tell you." She said frantically. From the corner of his eyes Ichigo saw Ulquiorra grab the hilt of his sword and his mother went silent, her eyes wide. Ichigo narrowed his eyes, still staring down at his seal.

Thinking about it now that he was calm and composed, there was something fishy going on. Why would his mother give a position as powerful as imperial regency to someone like Aizen? His mother wasn't stupid. She wouldn't do something like that unless she had a valid reason to do so. But what reason did she have to do what she did? Was she threatened? That was the highest likely possibility he could think of. But who will? Who will threaten his mother? Who was brave enough to do that?

Later that day, he knocked on his parents' door. A maid opened it for him and went inside, gesturing Ulquiorra to stand outside. He ordered the maids to leave. Once the door closed he turned around to face his father, lying on the bed, probably sleeping. His condition didn't seem to be getting better since that day at the hall but the doctor said it was just a regular fever and he couldn't detect anything abnormal. He was no doctor, so he could only nod.

"Ichigo." His mother called softly, her back to him as she sat on the edge of the bed, holding his father's hand.

Ichigo took slow steps towards the bed.

"Yes, mother." He stopped behind her.

"Are you calm enough to listen to me now?" her voice was firm and he could hear the tiny bit of anger in it.

"Yes." He nodded and she turned her head sideways to look at him.

"Your father is very ill. All the responsibility falls on you. You shouldn't focus on anything else but make this country strong again. Have you seen how our people are suffering? Your father gave me the job of managing the palace only. It was originally Rukia's job but since we don't know where she is, that responsibility fell on me again. So you shouldn't let feelings get in the way. Stop being so rash all the time and please look around you. I know how smart you are but do I have to spell it for you, that we are not alone here?" She whispered the last part and he barely caught it.

"I know, mother. I understand." He dropped his gaze to the floor in shame. He shouldn't have let his anger take over. But it was the rational thing to do at that time.

"So please get you head straight and make things right." Their eyes met through the mirror on the bedside table and her eyes flickered to the door. It was open only an inch apart.

Ichigo narrowed his eyes. He left Ulquiorra there. He has ordered not to let anyone disturb them then why was the door open? Could he be the one threatening his mother?

"I'll keep your words in mind, mother." He bowed and turned to leave, watching as door closed slowly. He wouldn't have noticed if he hasn't been staring at it.

As he left, Masaki squeezed her husband's hands.

Please let our son be safe! She shut her eyes and brought his hand to her forehead, as the tears fell in a neat line.

She almost jumped up when lord Isshin pulled his hand away from her grasp and pointed his finger to the balcony.

She looked up at his face and saw his eyes were only half open.

"Tell Ichigo to stop standing there." He spoke weakly. "Tell him to come inside." A puzzled look over took her stained face.

"I–I don't understand. Ichigo just left, darling." She looked at the balcony but only saw the drapes being ruffled in the wind. There was no one there.

She ran her fingers through his hair and smiled gently. "You still need more rest."

::

Aizen sat on the high platform, a cup of tea in his hands. The chatter of the higher officials of the court filled the otherwise silent room. He brought the cup to his lips, hiding a smirk.

"Gentlemen." He tapped on the glass with a spoon and the room felt silent. "I invited you here for this feast is to discuss something very important."

"We are here to hear and obey your commands, your Excellency." One of the officials replied.

"I was wondering whether I am fit to be the emperor." Aizen announced nonchalantly.

Laughter was their reply.

"Surely you jest, your Excellency." One of the officials said through fits of laughter.

Aizen's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"I'm sure everyone by now knows that his Excellency doesn't joke." Gin spoke up for the first time. "I'm in favor of his Excellency becoming the emperor. There is no other man more suitable than his excellency." Gin raised his cup of tea in the air.

"That's right. Since her majesty died, his majesty has been neglecting the country. We need a better emperor."

One by one, the officials began to agree. Aizen leaned back in his chair with a satisfied smirk.

"Therefore, in the next court meeting I want the emperor to abdicate."

There was a chorus of agreement.

Aizen gulped down the rest of the tea in his cup. Except lord Byakuya, Lady Shihoin and Lord Urahara, he had the rest of the court in the palm of his hands. It would be easy to force the emperor to abdicate as it was what the majority of the court wants. Besides, with his vote the emperor will have nowhere to run. He was the imperial regent, the second strongest figure after the emperor, after all. As the night began to deepen, Aizen stood up and walked behind the screen that was placed on the side of the room. His eyes fell on the figure sitting behind it, tied to a chair and gagged.

"Did you hear?" He asked smugly as he pulled the gag down.

"You little piece of shit." She cursed at him, her fiery violet eyes ablaze. "I will never let you do that to him. Never!"

"Oh you will." He took a step closer to her. "You will do it willingly."

"Rot in hell, Aizen." She opened her mouth to scream but he put the gag back in her mouth, muffling her screams.

::

Ichigo sat in his office with Sado, Uryu, Grimmjow and Renji surrounding him. Their faces were serious and grim.

"So this Ulquiorra person really is our enemy." Grimmjow summarized what they had discussed for the past few hours.

"Yes, I'm sure." Ichigo replied. "Why else will he be eavesdropping on me and mother? He was afraid she might tell me something. But I still need to know what mother knows. She knows too much and I'm afraid it'll jeopardize her life."

They nodded in agreement.

"Grimmjow, I need you to guard my mother at all times. Renji, I want you to take care of my sisters."

"Got it."

"Understood."

Ichigo stood up and left. He entered his empty room. The silence was too thick, it was suffocating him. Memories of him and Rukia began to play as he stood on the doorway. He missed her. He missed her so much. He didn't know where she was, what she was going through. She didn't know if she had eaten, taken a shower or if she practiced her fighting skills like she used to do back when she was with him. He missed her so damn much, it was destroying him. He felt all his strength gave away. He shut the door and leaned against it and slid down until he was sitting on the floor.

Ichigo had never felt so vulnerable before.

"Brother! Brother!" he woke up to the sound of someone banging on his door.

Ichigo felt a strong pain on the side of his neck due to the position he was sleeping in.

"Open the door, brother!" It was Karin's voice. He quickly stood up from the floor, and opened the door.

"What happened, Karin?" he asked groggily, yawning.

"Something's wrong with father. You have to come right now."

Ichigo jolted up straight, fully awake and darted out of the room, Karin hot on his tail.

"Did you notice anything unusual, your majesty?" he heard the doctor ask as he neared the door.

"Yes. He keeps talking to himself a lot lately. And the fever keeps going on and off. I don't think the medicine is working, doctor." He heard his mother's panicked voice.

"I didn't think this was possible so I have been careless. Forgive me, your majesty."

"Explain!" Ichigo bellowed as he barged into the room with the air of a powerful emperor. All the maids, nurses and the doctors bowed at once.

"Your majesty." They greeted.

He turned them a deaf ear as he took in the blood around his father's mouth.

"What happened?" he asked sharply.

"Your father began to couch up blood all of a sudden, Ichigo. I think the fever is too severe." His mother replied, holding his father's hand. Yuzu was sitting beside her on the bed, her eyes watery.

"Explain." Ichigo turned to the doctor who only bowed low.

"Forgive me your, majesty. It's not a fever."

Ichigo and the rest of his family threw him confused glances. "What?"

"It's poison."

There was a moment of silence. His mother was the first to speak.

"W-what did you say, doctor?"

"P-poison, your majesty. I couldn't notice it because it was given in small amounts. Probably a pinch in every meal his majesty took. That's why it was unrecognizable."

"Where's the antidote then? There should be a cure right?" his mother's eyes flickered to doctor Unohana. She only shook her head.

"His majesty is beyond saving. Coughing up blood is the final stage. No antidote can save him, your majesty."

"Father…" Yuzu sobbed.

Ichigo took a step backwards.

No…

This wasn't happening. He heard it wrong. He heard it all wrong. This was just a bad dream. He was just having a nightmare. He was going to wake up soon. He slapped his face a couple times and winced when he felt the stinging pain increase with every slap. This wasn't happening. He felt the tears trickle at the corner of his eyes but he bravely blinked them back.

"Is there…is there really no way to save him?" Karin asked, her voice shaking. She turned to face their mother, who was standing as still as a pole, probably still in shock. "Mother, we can ask prince Toshiro for help. Their country is best at medicine, mother. We have to ask them for help immediately." She spoke frantically.

Doctor Unohana shook her head. "He is beyond saving, your highness." She repeated.

"But who the hell will poison him, damn it?!" Karin exploded, throwing her accusing glare around the whole room.

The maids and servants bowed even deeper.

"Karin-chan. Calm down." Yuzu pulled at Karin's sleeve, her tear stained face red and puffy.

Ichigo's eyes landed on each and every member of his family. He only had two sisters. What a little family. But why were people so bent on destroying his little family. It was Rukia first. Now it was his father. He felt a part of his heart tear apart. The part that was still alive felt hollow and empty. He felt empty. This was all too much to take in so suddenly. He was being robbed of what little he had. What did he even do to deserve this? What was his sin?

A few days later, Ichigo and his sisters sat on the floor of their parents' chambers. His mother was dressed up prettily like she always used to. He noticed that she was wearing the hairpin his father gifted her last year. It was beautiful and suited her perfectly. She was sitting on the edge of the bed, his father lying on her lap. His eyes were smiling at them.

"I knew…" he spoke weakly. "I knew I was poisoned." There was no one in the room or even in the vicinity except for them. "I saw them putting the poison. I didn't want to put you in danger by telling you. You're all I have. I can't lose you. Any of you. I will take the blow if it means you all are protected."

"Hush, dear. Don't talk anymore." His mother said; her voice shaky and strained.

But his father only gestured his mother to be silent. His heart dropped to his stomach. It felt like he was saying his farewells.

"Ichigo." Ichigo looked up at his father. "I know what you're capable of. I believe in you. I believe that you will make things right. You are born to be a great leader. Strive forward. Don't let anything stop you."

"Understood father."

"Yuzu. My dear Yuzu. Please don't cry. It pains my heart to see you sad."

Yuzu wiped the tears and nodded. "I won't cry. I won't cry."

His father smiled. It didn't reach his eyes but there was happiness in them. It was as if it took all his willpower to even move a muscle.

"My beautiful Karin. I hope one you become a great swordsman one day. Protect your mother with that skill, will you."

"Yes father. I will, I promise you." Karin's voice was firm unlike Yuzu but there were tears brimming in her eyes.

"I…" his breathing was beginning to get labored. Ichigo looked down at his lap, unable to watch his father suffer. "I…" he stopped and coughed up blood.

"Stop talking!" his mother cried. "Please."

"I love…you all." his voice faded and the strength in his body gave away. The arm over his stomach lost its power and fell on the bed, bouncing once as the life faded away.

His eyes dropped close and a satisfied smile took over his face that seemed to glow.

"Father!" Yuzu cried and stood up but Karin grabbed her hand, forcing her to sit back.

His mother rested her head on their father's chest, her head turned away from them. But the silent tremors of her body betrayed her. Though Ichigo and Karin's tears were silent, their pain wasn't any less.

Their father, the great emperor of Karakura passed away at the young age of fifty. It was a fact hard to accept. But Ichigo only clenched his fists over his knees and pressed on. He had so much work to do. He won't disappoint his father. He will make Karakura rise again.

He promised.

A/N: Chapter's a little short. I decided to cut this chapter in half. It'd be too long otherwise. I hope this was up to your expectation. I'm sorry if it wasn't. I think I lost my touch. But I'll be done with my exams in two weeks so the next chapter might turn out a little better.

I'd like to know what I'm missing. Hope you could tell me what questions you want answers for. It's been quite long since I last wrote a chapter of this story so I might have forgotten some things I want to include.

Sorry for the mistakes. I just wanted to update ASAP.

Thank you for waiting so patiently. I hope I haven't lost any readers. Hehe…

Love, zhera.