Disclaimer: Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo.

Chapter 11: His silent wish

" Our numbers are dwindling. This is not good." The head bishop tells the grand priestess solemnly. The usually happy-go-lucky head bishop is finally showing a bit of worry in the situation before them. " The dark shadow seems on a rampage and he's squaring out the temple knights every single night. This is a direct attack to the temple. Do you think that massacre years ago will repeat again?"

The temple massacre twenty years ago, the first time that the dark shadow attacked the temple directly, wiping out nearly all the bishops and half of the Templar Knights along with the people inside the temple. It was nothing but a blood bath. A bishop has been overtaken by Dark Shadow and ran amok inside the temple, taking everyone by surprise.

It is a known fact that dark shadow possess a person to thrive however the requirements for such an event to happen, they only know of one thing: a weak, unguarded heart that makes it more susceptible and vulnerable. If a man is possessed, dark shadow takes full control of him and turns him into an omnipotent killing machine—but dark shadow can be cunning as it can hide itself in the depths of the possessed human soul and only reveal itself when he wishes without even that person knowing he had already been possessed. However, the possessed human's mortality remains. The possessed human can be killed with a holy sword though the spirit of dark shadow, the very root of its power and existence, will only flee the body and move on to his next vessel.

People who have holy powers should be less vulnerable to the possession than others. That is why, a bishop being possessed was a big shock. This incensed the people of the land to fear the dark shadow even more and this included those dwelling and working inside the temple.

" I can't say for certain that it can't happen again." The grand priestess answers his query and it is obvious that nobody likes the answer to it. Despite being the one who said the answer, the raven-head woman sounded as though she hated every word of it.

Kyoraku Shunsui notices how the grand priestess seems tenser and on edge these past few days. After Kurosaki Ichigo's appearance in the temple a month ago, she seem to be more troubled and devoid of sleep—the dark circles around her eyes are dead giveaways. " Are you worried about the Kurosaki lad? I heard you've never once gone to see him after that day. No…more like you've been avoiding him."

She flinches at the sudden comment and whips her head towards the curious eyes of the head bishop but does not answer then looks away from him again towards the window where the training grounds can be seen. There she could see the blearing bright orange hair of the male she has been watching the moment she entered the head bishop's office an hour ago. It is something that she is not allowed to admit although her actions say otherwise as she has been coming to the head bishop's office every day for a month now. " He needs to focus with his training with Shihoin Yoruichi. He may be a bloodline bearer but if he can't even use the sword properly, it will only end up as a tragedy." Her voice shakes as she says this.

" You two seem to be having a serious talk. Mind if we intrude a bit?" A new voice joins in the conversation, prompting the two heads of the temple to look back to find Kurosaki Isshin standing by the door with Urahara Kisuke in tow.

" Not at all. Please come in." A playful smile appears on the head bishop's face, tension obviously easing as he invites the new comers inside his office, gesturing them to sit on the couch in the office. " Fancy to see my two seniors pay me a visit in my office. This is actually the first time since you've both returned to the Central Temple."

" Seniors? You're making us sound older than you when that's not the case. We only happen to have been ordained in our positions earlier than you did." Kurosaki Isshin tells the Kyoraku Shunsui as the two takes his invitation to sit down. Then the Kurosaki male looks around the office and comments, " Feels like forever since I've last been in this office. But I guess twenty years is indeed a long time."

" I'm still trying to get used to see someone our age as head bishop." Urahara Kisuke points out. " I've always been under the impression that someone as old as Yamamoto-san will always take on the role as head bishop but I was proven wrong."

The comment makes the current head bishop laugh as he takes the seat across them. " I should feel honoured then. Yama-jii had been Ukitake's and my teacher in another domain before he had been promoted to bishop and had to move here in the Central Temple. Although, me taking over such an important role may have been due to luck more than anything else." Then his face turns sullen. " However, this luck of mine had been a result of a very unfortunate incident."

" We were spared only because we weren't here during that time for the mission given to us by you and Yamamoto-san. Otherwise, there's a big possibility of us meeting the same fate as our previous colleagues." It is Urahara Kisuke who says this. " Who would have expected Bishop Shiba to have bee—" He stops himself when he feels Kurosaki Isshin place a hand on his shoulder. Then the two males who sits side by side look at the grand priestess who keeps her back at them as she keeps her focus outside the window. The blond bishop clears his throat. " What I'm saying is that, the incident of the past seem to be repeating again the moment the Central Temple got their hands on to the bearers of the goddess bloodline. We have to think of a plan to protect them at all cost. Given the current trend of dark shadow's attack, it seems that he has somehow learned of this episode and there's no telling if he has actually managed to identify or has the ability to identify them."

" He doesn't have the ability to detect them." The grand priestess finally joins in the conversation. The certainty in her voice seem to have surprised the men in the room. " The only way anyone can be able to identify any bearer of the goddess bloodline is only when one is able to use the miracle of directional tracing just like what I did. There is no other way to determine if anyone possesses the goddess bloodline as even if the bearers of the bloodline bears children, the ability does not easily pass on either. Thus the reason why the dark shadow has not managed to come after the Kurosaki children even after he had killed my predece—I'm sorry." Her words are directed to Kurosaki Isshin who shakes his head at her.

"That does explain why Ichigo was spared that night of the attack in our village then." Urahara Kisuke brings forth the topic. " And also serves a proof that the dark shadow is unable to identify or detect bearers of the goddess bloodline. It was already a miracle when the boy was actually spared amidst that carnage for no special reason but if he were identified as a bearer of the bloodline, there's no imagining what could have happened to him."

Kyoraku Shunsui hums thoughtfully and then speaks. " But how was the dark shadow able to know that the previous grand priestess was a bearer of the bloodline then? According to the records in the archives that was the conclusion they have drawn as to the reason why he attacked the temple directly more than twenty years ago and that attack in your village as well I suppose could be linked for the same reason."

" He is able to retain the memories of the people he possess. That is one of his abilities which allows him to hide himself and dwell amongst the people during the day while impersonating them to perfection. Also the main reason why we cannot easily detect his identity." Urahara explains.

" And the reason why nobody suspected Shiba Kaien to have been possessed by him until he massacred the people of the temple." It is the grand priestess who speaks such these things with a shaking voice. Even her hands tremble on her sides. Isshin looks at her with wide eyes as Kisuke quietly regards her. Her mentioning the very name of her beloved mentor is not something that the two are expecting. But Rukia ignores their reaction and bravely continues to speak in warning. " That is why all of you must never let your guard down as he could be anyone. A person maybe your most precious friend or ally one day and the next day he may be conquered by dark shadow and bring the death to you and those who you wish to protect."

-000-

Ichigo finds himself by the lake near the Shrine of Reflection again. He had been coming here every night ever since he has known of the place. Just like the night when he first came to the Central Temple, the place is dark and serene and the moon remains full and bright. It's been a month now since then and she has not come to see him since then, not even once. He has learned the outline of the temple grounds as well but he never happen to meet the grand priestess even by accident when he wanders around. Whenever he asks his father or Yuroichi-san about the grand priestess, all they tell him is to continue to focus on his training as per the grand priestess' instructions. He has also met Abarai Renji just yesterday but that did not help alleviate his mood either.

" Yoh, Kurosaki Ichigo!" The bright haired male hears the familiar voice of the red hair knight call out to him, the first time he has seen him again after nearly a month. " If you didn't own such a remarkably bright coloured, I would have forgotten how you would have looked."

It is obvious how the older male seem to have a lot going on in his plate given how tired he looked. Given all the reports that had been coming in regarding the Templar knights being murdered mercilessly by Dark Shadow, it is understandable how the personal guard of the grand priestess will also take toll of the situation, just like everyone else in the temple who seem worried about the dire situation. The Kurosaki lad just raises his brow at the night as his amber eyes immediately float to his side, his perpetual scowl deepening in the process.

" The grand priestess isn't with me." The red-haired knight points out to him.

The hope Ichigo did not know he harboured was immediately shattered to pieces. " I wasn't looking for her."

" Oh? Okay then." Then Abarai Renji shrugs, immediately dismissing the subject. "Well I gotta take my leave now." The knight bids him and turns to leave but is immediately stopped by Ichigo's hurried question.

" How is she doing?" Kurosaki Ichigo asked. He wanted to see her, to make sure she was okay with his very eyes. " Shouldn't you be guarding her right now?" The question left his lips rather impatiently as he clenched his fists on his side.

Renji blinks at the teen's change in demeanour and lets out a chuckle. " She's been cooping herself in shrine in hopes of regaining her holy powers much faster as she's worried about the situation. But she's taking the situation much better than what you're thinking so don't be too worried about her. I'll make sure she's safe against anything at least." He places a hand on Ichigo's shoulder. " Instead, you should focus on your training and improve fast so you can help her…you're the only one that can help her." He did not even hide the frustration in his weight of his hand against Ichigo's shoulder gets heavier but then he immediately retracts it and walks away without another word.

The young male looks at the shrine at the distance—knowing that she is inside those walls doing her job as grand priestess or so he was told. It's near yet it feels so far for him. She has always been like this, appearing and disappearing whenever she pleases…never considering his feelings even though she knows of them. He has always been aware of everything about her that is why he could tell, with the way she reacted that night, which she knew that to him she is his futu—Ichigo's musing stops as he notices her presence and makes an outline of her petite form against the moonlight. It does not take long for his legs to decide to move on their own towards her, like always, going after her. He wonders if could actually wait for that time, the time when she could answer as Rukia and not as the grand priestess, like he told her that night when he is like this—going to her side immediately when she is in sight and looking for her when she's not there. Rather than a grand priestess, she should be called a witch.

His footsteps stop in front of her along with his train of thoughts as he meets with her amethyst eyes glistening like jewels against the moonlight. For an instant he then wonders if she is nothing but a figment of his imagination. He lets out a sigh, frustrated with how weak he is against her when she's not even doing anything in particular.

" What's with that frustrating sigh?" Alas, he hears the familiar voice spouting those words with obvious irritation. " You seem like you hate the fact that you've met me here by accident." She tells him, " I can just leave, you know." And stays still.

" No!" Ichigo immediately yells his protest as he grabs her both her arms. But suddenly realizing his action while feeling the warmth of his skin against her, he blushes and lets her go immediately. " Don't leave." He still manages to say.

" Idiot." The grand priestess lets out a chuckle of amusement. " You grab people when they walk off. Not when they're just standing still."

"S-shut up!" He berates her feebly and says nothing more as he takes her image in his mind, burning every detail of it. But then he notices how she's grown thinner than the last time he's seen her. He wants to ask her why she has not come to see him in the past few days but stops himself. Instead, he chooses to enjoy the sudden silence that ensues the both of them.

But she breaks the silence with a question. " I heard from Shihoin-san that you've been doing quite well in your training. You look like you've grown a lot since I last saw you."

" I'm guessing they're not giving you plenty of eggs and cucumbers here."

Rukia lets out a rich laughter at his comment. " Are you worried about me?"

" I'm more worried that you won't grow any taller if you don't eat properly or sleep well." He is expecting to receive a powerful jab in the gut with the words he spouted but none came. So he adds awkwardly, " By the time Yuzu and Karin sees you again, I'm sure they'll be taller than you will be in the future. So you should eat well and sleep well. If anything is worrying you, I'll take care of it so…so…" He trails off.

" I'm sorry." He hears her say in a small voice, like she wants to cry but is holding it back. Then Ichigo feels her hand hold onto the hem of his sleeve and not let go, gripping it only tighter. " I'm really sorry." She says again, her voice near cracking.

Ichigo gives up and pulls her towards him into a hug. " Just allow me this much." He feels her stiffen in surprise but feels her relaxing herself almost immediately. " I'm glad you're alright but please take care of yourself for me." He whispers over her head. " I'm fine if you don't come find me but as long as you take care of yourself for me, I'll be alright." He feels her warmth and could sense the faint scent of lavender in her hair. If only time could stop at this very moment, he silently wishes.

A/N: Keep safe everyone! God bless you all.