What lay at the end of escape? It was a question she had asked herself many times, each time supplying without variation the answer.
Punishment. Execution.
What she deserved for breaking the law and giving Ichigo her powers- even if he had potential already. She had just tapped it, in retrospect changing his life forever.
So, wasn't that enough to be guilty?
She paused in eating the breakfast one of the Arrancar servants had unobtrusively stayed behind to make sure she ate every bite. That did bother her a little, being watched with such solemn, sad eyes. They were all eternally respectful, using the honorific -sama when addressing her and always excruciatingly polite entering and leaving.
Rukia supposed then that this proved Hollows could be domesticated in a sense.
She could think of a few others- Kisuke Urahara notwithstanding who would just love to get their hands on these specimens of evolved Hollows. Ulquiorra too. Somehow that gave her a shudder, thinking of the green-eyed Arrancar, his powers-sealed and en route to a laboratory within Seireitei. There was no doubt in her mind that her side would win the war...
But, then what would happen to them?
She had to pause at that thought and wonder just who was 'them'?
"I'm done." she said distantly, laying aside her chopsticks.
Them...nebulous as it was, Ulquiorra and Ichimaru-? Rukia barely heard the courtesy paid to her nor the squeak of the wheels as the cart was rolled away. How disturbing was the idea that she should be concerned about her captor?
(*)*)*)
"..Something wrong, Lord Aizen?"
The eyes narrowed on the pillar, resting place of the orb of distortion, lifted briefly, the look in them inscrutable. Gin knew another Hollow had been brought in. A small one by all accounts, so the rebirthing was going to take place immediately.
Gin noted the unusual silence on the other's part, raising his voice so that it echoed and rebounded in the great white room. "Is something wrong withthe Hogyoku, Lord Aizen?" The artifact had been the principal point of the man's interest so it was only conclusive to assume something of interest had occurred with it?
Perhaps it had fully awakened ahead of schedule-?
In which case, their plans could come to fruition.
But, there was no change in the man's expression. "Gin...how is Ms. Kuchiki?"
A little surprised, he kept his face smooth, the hint of a smile lurking on the edges. "My little Rukia-chan is fine. Been making some progress with her." The grin was back. Gin could never keep a straight face while talking about Rukia.
"..I see." Speculative. Aizen had a look in his eyes. A narrow tautness that Gin had only seen once when the man's plan had been close to unraveling from the seams. Aizen had of course foreseen the difficulty and avoided failure.
But, now-? Why the look? Gin tilted his head to the side, his smile slipping a little farther. "Lord Aiz-"
The doors opened.
The Espadas filed in. Some scowling like the teal-haired Sexta or impassive like Ulquiorra.
The green-eyed Cuatro did not look his way, eyes tilted ahead. Perhaps it was simply his nature to be so silent, since even Gin had to admit there wasn't much to look at around Las Noches. Nothing but sand and the moon outside their faux canopy-world.
Nothing to do but to play with Rukia-chan.
He forgot Aizen's mood just then, in favor of the violet-eyed little butterfly upstairs.
The smile came back. Wider than ever.
Gin could never help but smile so happily when thinking of all the new things to do with his little Rukia-chan.
(*)*)*)Living world(*)*)*)
That way.
"-A-As a friend! How else!" Ichigo could just feel Yoruichi's devilish cat-grin smirking at him behind his back. Just a friend. The whole designation remained unspoken. Urahara absorbed this for a moment or so.
Platonic was how he wished their relationship to be seen.
Failing Inoue made it so. For how wrong would it be to go the extra lengths for the survivor just 'cause she meant more than Inoue did?
"I understand." The shopkeeper watched his face, then lightly tipped his striped hat. "Please don't overexert yourself...Ichigo."
The man walked away. Just that? Amazed at the reticence showed, he began to wonder if age was affecting the elder's senses. What happened to all the mysteriousness? Certainly even a little tease was normal. So, then why-
Confusion clouded his face, aware of the woman standing to his left, less weighted bands on her forearms and calves.
Ichigo started to become irritated at the way Yoruichi looked at him- like she knew something he didn't.
"Just a friend!" he snapped, blurting out the denial even though his face felt hot. Damn the fake weather too.
The cats' eyes flickered, the slightest of nods dipping the violet ponytail. "I didn't say anything, Ichigo. But I do wonder.." the hint of a cocky smirk played on her lips, "who is it you're trying so hard to convince?"
The woman phased from sight in a crackling burst.
Leaving only her words to echo in his mind.
...who is it you're trying so hard to convince?
The teen stared down at his clenched fists, slowly raising them to open, palm up to the fake sky of the training ground. "Everyone...or myself?" he whispered.
-TBC...
AN: thanks for reading!
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