Chapter Twenty-Six: Memory Redux
Back in the Soul Society a short time later, Ichigo left Rukia at the Thirteenth Division barracks, promising to return so they could discuss Urahara's theories at length. The Thirteenth was abuzz with the previous day's events.
Rukia had assembled the entire division and surprised the unranked soldiers by asking all the ranked officers to participate in a demonstration similar to the one the officers had watched the day before. The ranked officers complained loudly that they should not have to demonstrate their skills in front of the enlisted troops until Rukia had informed them that she, too, would participate in the demonstration.
"Kuchiki-taicho!" said Kiyone, bowing deeply to Rukia. Sentarou, not wanting to be outdone, did the same.
"They haven't stopped talking about the demonstration yesterday, Captain," said Sentarou, bowing again. "You were incredible."
Rukia laughed, "You two didn't do too badly yesterday, either." It was true. Both Kiyone and Sentarou's strength had grown considerably in the ten years Rukia had been gone. She was sure that one or both of them would be ready for a vice-captaincy in the next few years.
Kiyone handed Rukia a stack of evaluations from the demonstration matches for her review. "When you have a chance, can you please let me know what groupings you would like for the new training program? Sentarou and I have made a few suggestions you may want to consider, Captain."
"Thank you," said Rukia, impressed at how much the two of them had accomplished in just a day's time, "I'll definitely review your suggestions. Oh, and Kiyone," she said as she turned to leave for her office, "would you mind bringing me some tea when you have a minute? I've got a bit of a headache."
"Of course, Captain!" responded Kiyone crisply, looking at Sentarou with triumph, "I am happy to serve you." Kiyone trotted off quickly in search of tea, followed closely by Sentarou, who looked slightly crestfallen. Rukia smiled and headed to her office to review the papers.
As she reached her office, Rukia felt a sharp pain in her head. "Damn," she said, rubbing a temple with her free hand and closing her eyes for a moment. The headaches were getting worse. As she put the papers on her desk, Rukia made a mental note to herself that she should ask Unohana about the headaches when she had a chance.
It hit her a moment later. Blinding pain this time, and she felt her knees buckle slightly as she tried to grab the corner of the desk for support. She missed, and landed soundly on the floor, hitting her head on the side of the desk as she fell.
Her prison. The bright light still hurt her eyes. She had fallen asleep after hours spent trying to find a way out, an exit. As always, there had been none, but she had walked and walked, scouring every inch of the room that she could, hoping to find a door or even a window. She couldn't remember how long she had been here. Time did not exist in this place.
"Kuchiki-Rukia," said a voice from far away. "Come back. You are needed."
The light of the room slowly faded. Rukia could see nothing but darkness. Her eyes, so accustomed to the bright light, could barely make out the features of the place where she lay. Slowly, she realized she was in her room in Las Noches. An Espada, dressed in white, stood in the doorway, waiting. How had she gotten here? Had she been dreaming?
"Aizen-sama wants to see you," said the Espada, his expression cold.
Rukia stood up with difficulty, her body stiff and her mind slightly foggy. She followed Ulquiorra down a long corridor to the great room where Aizen held court. She found Aizen, as always, seated on the dais overlooking the huge room. He smiled at her.
"Rukia-chan," said Aizen in a patronizing voice. "It is time for you to serve your purpose."
"Purpose?" she asked, still feeling slightly disconnected, sleepy, "What purpose?"
"Something very important, child." And then Aizen was standing next to her on the floor. "Come." Aizen gestured to the Espada, who created an opening using Garganta. Aizen took Rukia's arm and walked through the opening with her.
They were in the Soul Society. Rukia could tell just by the feel of the place. She felt a sense of elation like she had not felt since she had left. She was home!
They had arrived in a densely forested area. Aizen led Rukia forward to an extensive clearing. A large stone structure stood in the middle. It looked very old, and some of the huge stones which formed the base of the structure were crumbling. The edifice had been built in an oval shape, with huge pillars supported by monolithic square blocks of rock. The pillars looked as if they had once supported a roof, but none remained. Rukia did not recognize this place.
Two shinigami wearing uniforms unlike any Rukia had seen before in the Soul Society stood guarding the structure. Neither guard seemed to have any idea that she and Aizen were there.
"They cannot see us," said Aizen, anticipating that Rukia might try to speak to the guards. "They cannot hear us, either." Rukia knew, instinctively, that Aizen spoke the truth. She knew the power of his zanpakuto.
Aizen led Rukia up the stone steps to the main platform of the structure. They stood in the center of the platform, and Rukia could see the clear sky above her.
"Now, Rukia-chan. You must release your bankai," said Aizen, still smiling at her.
Through the fog that still clouded her mind, she asked him, "Why?"
"Because, Rukia-chan, you must do this to fulfill your purpose," was the reply.
She felt numbness spread through her body and she felt suddenly very tired.
"I must do this for him," she said to herself and, focusing her reiatsu, spoke the word, "Bankai." She felt the familiar sensation of pleasure and power vibrate through her body.
"Thank you, Rukia-chan," said Aizen. And, as he said these words, he drew his zanpakuto and plunged it into her chest, directly through her heart. The pain was agonizing, and she fell to her knees in front of him.
"Why?" she asked him through the pain. Everything went dark.
"Rukia!" It was Ichigo's voice. "Rukia, are you okay?" She heard fear in his words.
She opened her eyes and the world slowly came back into focus. She was in her quarters in the Thirteenth Division, lying on her bed. Ichigo was seated on the bed, holding her and looking very worried. Kiyone and Sentarou hovered over Ichigo, concern etched into their faces.
"I…I'm fine," Rukia said, her head clearing. "I…fell."
"I'm taking you to see Unohana," Ichigo said.
"No." The resolve in her voice surprised even her. "I'll be fine, Ichigo." Rukia extricated herself from his arms and stood up.
"Can I get you anything, Kuchiki-taicho?" asked Kiyone, who looked at Ichigo inquiringly, apparently hoping Ichigo would intercede.
"I'm really fine, Kiyone. I think I just need to get something to eat. Why don't you and Sentarou see if you can start putting together some sparring groups based on your recommendations? The paperwork is in my office." Rukia smiled at them reassuringly. They looked at each other and, confident that Rukia was in good hands, left the captain's quarters somewhat reluctantly.
"You're not getting rid of me that easy," said Ichigo, eyeing Rukia with suspicion.
"I didn't intend to," she said, looking directly at him. "I really am fine, though."
"Then why did Kiyone and Sentarou find you passed out cold on the floor of your office?" asked Ichigo, brows slightly furrowed.
Rukia walked over to the bedroom door and closed it. Then, turning back to Ichigo, she said, "It was one of those headaches again. Only, this time, something strange happened."
Ichigo said nothing, waiting for her to continue.
"The pain was much worse. I…I guess I passed out. I think I hit my head on the desk," she said, rubbing the back of her scalp where a large bump was growing.
"That's why you need to have Unohana take a look at you, Rukia."
"No," said Rukia, unequivocally. "I don't think there's anything wrong with me, Ichigo. I'm…remembering things. Things that happened when I was in Hueco Mundo."
Rukia hoped this would set Ichigo's mind at ease. It did not.
"So when you remember things that bastard did to you – you pass out? And that's okay?"
"Yes," she said, looking him square in the face, her eyes narrowed and the color rising in her checks and her voice becoming louder with each word, "I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself without your interference. I am Captain of the Thirteenth Division and I can kick your ass in battle. Kurosaki Ichigo, I do not need a father and I do not need a babysquatter!"
Ichigo laughed.
"What are you laughing about?" she demanded, taken aback by his abrupt change of attitude.
"It's 'babysitter,'" he said, grinning. "Not 'babysquatter.'"
"Damn you, Ichigo. I'm serious about this."
"I know," he said, sighing. "I guess it's kind of an instinct for me. Worrying about you, I mean."
"Hmmmph," she said, glaring at him and crossing her arms.
"You look awfully cute when you're pissed at me," he said, smiling at her. "How about I make it up to you. I'm pretty good at the making up part."
She glared at him again. This time, however, she uncrossed her arms and sat down next to him on the bed. She really had the damnedest time staying mad at him.
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"You know," said Rukia later, her head on Ichigo's bare chest, "you are damn good at the making up part." He smiled.
"Are you going to tell me what you remembered?" he asked. He had felt the turmoil brewing inside of her as they made love. He knew she wasn't sure if she was going to tell him.
Rukia, for her part, had resolved not to tell Ichigo the entire truth of what she had remembered. She had felt the intense fear that Ichigo hid, deep inside his soul. The fear of losing her.
Reluctantly, Rukia told Ichigo what she had remembered. Of Aizen's summoning her from her prison, and of their entry into the Soul Society which had gone undetected. Rukia described the place where Aizen had taken her, and she told him of the guards that could not hear or see them.
"I don't remember anything else," she lied, and she pulled him closer to her so that she could feel his skin against hers, feel the warmth of him and the beating of his heart.
For all intents and purposes, she had died at Aizen's hands. It did not matter that she had been able to regenerate and survive the thrust of Aizen's zanpakuto. She could not bring herself to reveal this to Ichigo. Not now.
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Dawn came quickly. At the first hint of light from her window, Rukia got out of bed and showered. Ichigo was still asleep as she left her quarters and headed out onto the empty Seireitei streets. The air was cool and crisp, and she breathed deeply, steeling herself for the inevitable confrontation to come. She was headed to the First Division to see Captain-Commander Yamamoto.
She was just about to head up the walkway to the Division One barracks when she heard footsteps behind her. She turned around quickly, one hand on her zanpakuto.
"A little jumpy, aren't we?" said Ichigo, grinning. Then he gave Rukia a probing look and said, "I thought we weren't going to keep secrets from each other anymore." Rukia's pulse quickened as she wondered if Ichigo had somehow found out that there had been more to her recollection than she had been willing to reveal.
"You should have waited for me. Did you really think I wouldn't want to ask the old man about the Oken?" Ichigo looked slightly disappointed.
"I'm sorry," said Rukia, realizing that Ichigo was right, "it's hard to break old habits. I guess I'm just used to doing things on my own. We should work together on this. You're right."
Ichigo smiled broadly this time and gestured for Rukia to lead the way to the front door. They walked, side by side into the front office, where a young shinigami showed them into the Captain-Commander's anteroom. They waited in silence for several minutes until the Captain-Commander's assistant came to escort them to see Yamamoto.
Yamamoto was seated at his desk. Even sitting, he was an impressive figure. There had been a time when Rukia had found herself intimidated to the point of speechlessness in his presence. After all she had been through since she first met Ichigo, though, she had come to see Yamamoto as a man: powerful, but with flaws. She found that she had come to respect him even more in this light.
"Kurosaki-taicho. Kuchiki-taicho," said Yamamoto, acknowledging their presence.
Rukia spoke first. "Captain-Commander, sir. We would like to speak with you about the Oken." She had expected some sort of reaction from Yamamoto, but there was none. His face was impassive.
After a minute or two of silence, during which time Rukia and Ichigo both wondered if they would be summarily dismissed from the impromptu meeting, the Captain-Commander spoke. "I have been expecting this visit, of course," he said.
Rukia took a deep breath and gathered her thoughts. She had not expected such a direct approach. Deciding that she, too, should be direct, she said, "Sir, we believe Aizen has discovered that the Oken is not a thing, but a person. More specifically, we believe he knows that the Oken is a vizard." Yamamoto raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.
"Sir, I personally believe that Aizen Sousuke tried to use me to open the gate to the King's Realm some years ago, and that Aizen succeeded in infiltrating the Soul Society to do so."
After Rukia had finished speaking, there was silence again, during which time Yamamoto sat and watched them. Several minutes went by, and Ichigo found himself fighting the usual angry frustration. Before he could say anything, however, the Captain-Commander spoke.
"If you believe these things with so much conviction," he said, "you do not need me to confirm them for you."
Ichigo couldn't help himself any longer, "You owe her an explanation, old man!"
"I owe her nothing," Yamamoto said, unimpressed by Ichigo's outburst. "Kuchiki Rukia is a shinigami. She has sworn her allegiance to the Soul Society and she will die to protect it if she must. You know this. You have taken the same oath. You would do well to remember it."
"Her sacrifice would mean nothing if Aizen is permitted to enter the King's Realm," said Ichigo testily.
"That is none of your concern," said Yamamoto, his voice now forceful. "I am well aware of Aizen's aspirations." Ichigo glared at him.
"We should leave, Ichigo," said Rukia, uncomfortably. She bowed to Yamamoto, "Thank you, sir, for your time."
"Old man, if you think that I'm just going to sit back and let Aizen hurt the people I care about, you are sorely mistaken," growled Ichigo.
"I will not hear any more on this subject, Kurosaki-taicho. Neither of you are to interfere in this," said Yamamoto, now rising from his chair. "That is an order."
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As they left the First Division, Ichigo was still fuming. "Nothing changes in this place," he said, fists clenched. "We all blindly follow the powers that be and no one challenges the status quo. What a waste of time that was."
"I don't think it was," said Rukia thoughtfully as they walked. Ichigo looked at her, eyebrows raised. "The Captain-Commander did not deny any of the things that were said. The Oken is a vizard, and Yamamoto knows that Aizen has tried to open the King's passage already. I am sure of it."
"So that's it, then? We just keep our mouths shut and go about our business as if nothing has happened?" Ichigo had stopped walking and was now blocking Rukia's path.
Rukia looked at him quizzically and then she grinned and kicked him, hard. "Of course not, fool." Ichigo looked surprised.
"Did you think I would just sit around and do nothing? You haven't learned anything, have you?" Her arms were crossed and she tapped her foot as she said this. "We must locate the entrance to the King's passage."
"Any suggestions as to how we do that?" said Ichigo, scowling again.
"I have an idea," said Rukia, grinning.