Chapter 2
The yearning light of a new day squeezed itself through the curtains of her small, beige chamber, impiously tickling her long, arched eyelashes in a continuous attempt of awaking her. She just couldn't understand how inconsiderate the sun could be with her every morning, but she knew that it was time to face reality again and to wake up from her lazy dreams. The importunate light, still toying with her, finally imposed itself, impelling her to greet a new day. As always, she indulged and fell into its game. The entire room was flooded with light within a second, as she pulled the curtains away with a singular, short gesture of her hand. The air though, was smothering. There was an awkward pressure in the air, almost suffocating her. She slightly opened the window and took a deep breath, while gazing with her eyes half-opened at the newly risen sun. She felt at ease again. There was nothing that could bother her in that moment, nor make her adjourn the tremendous pleasure of just lying there. Not a sound…only the songs of the vivid little birds flying near her window.
Suddenly the door to the entrance was slammed to the wall. A peculiar shadow came closer to her as she stepped away listless from the window. Renji stepped in quietly, as almost trying to make up for the rude gesture of opening the door so impetuously.
" I see you've just awaken. Good, good… There are a lot of things that need to be discussed between us…especially about yesterday evening…"he said in an almost timid voice, avoiding eye contact.
Rukia stood still, facing him with utmost tranquillity shining from her eyes, looking through him as if he weren't even there.
"There's nothing special about yesterday evening," she quietly answered him, before he could even tell her what was on his mind. "Do we really have to do this now? I haven't even had breakfast…and I need my strength, you know?" she continued with a petit smile, easily evading the subject as if nothing had happened between them.
'Yes, we do have to this now!' he wanted to say, wishing she would for once choose to alleviate his agony, without artfully alluring him away from his imperishable dilemma: the two of them. For a second, he thought he had the power to respond to this impetus, but it turned out to be no more than an illusion. As much as Renji would have wanted to cross over the bridge separating their two worlds, he seemed to lack the audacity. He never seemed to find the way to overcome the insuperable precipice between them. So he restrained his feelings once more and said nothing of which he wanted to.
"Ok, sounds great." He said while trying to hide that dumb simper from his face. What else, could he had said to her? It's not like he could have told her to stop avoiding him, when she had that delicate, alluring smile on her face. Once more he felt he was impelled to leave his innermost anguish fade away. And he did.
But she spotted him and grabbed his hand, leading the way outside her room. She always knew how to make him forget about his worries.
The dining room was completely empty, as they seemed to be the only ones there. Late as always, what else could have been expected.
"What did you want to talk to me about yesterday? A new attack? I do hope that if there is one, you will tell me and I won't be left aside like last time," she said while drinking her milk and before having another bite from her sandwich.
"I just…you know…never mind…nothing important really, just another stupid thing of mine." He gradually regained his calm. "Don't bother yourself with it" he retorted, though it was clearly obvious that he was the one bothered by the way the discussion had turned around. "And no, there hasn't been an attack for months. So don't worry about all this war stuff." Renji tried to push the uncomfortable feeling away as if she could forget the way he reacted earlier.
"Well then, that's great…in a way…" She lowered her voice with a slight tone of regret.
"In a way? What do you mean? We are finally reaching the point of putting an end to all this chaos."
"Well yes, sure, as you say…"
"Really now?" He asked, seeing it hard to believe her.
"YES…really" she calmed herself, realising that she had once again raised her voice, becoming restless at hearing this subject rise again. "You know how I feel, so why are you even starting this discussion again? You already know how I've always wanted to catch those lousy bastards that killed my parents the day I was born" she continued, fearing that if she wouldn't have been sincere to him this discussion would have turned into an endless one. And she was probably right…
"Why Kuchicki Rukia…I never thought that one of our brightest angels would ever use such rough and inadequate language…" a familiar voice stroked her.
She raised her eyes from the handkerchief, in which she was hiding her look in complete shock. For the next two seconds, she was unable to react in any way, but as Renji pinched her hand softly, she rapidly awoke from her astonishment and jumped on her feet, hiding her face in the ground again.
"Byakuya-sama! I…well…I didn't mean to…"she was stuttering of emotion. "It just…slipped." She continued in a slower voice, talking more to herself than addressing the elder angel.
He didn't seem to hear the last part as he was already reaching for the exit, on the verge of leaving the dining room. "Thank God!" she thought, sighing in relief.
"I sure hope it just slipped." The elder continued, seeming that he heard clearly every word she said. " It must be from all these emotions of getting married so young or maybe the fact that you'll have to face life differently after being married…either way, I do hope you'll deal with it properly" he ended, leaving them staring at their feet, blushing shamefully.
Hours passed as they kept on staying there, barely touching their food after the unpleasant and shameful position they had been put in earlier. The clock stroked 12, when her alarm clock started yelling all of a sudden. She barely looked at Renji and jumped up from the table, as if it were an explosion, spilling almost the whole meal on her white satin dress. 'Damn it! I'm going to be late!' She told herself, while taking off in a hurry, never bothering to look back.
"Oi…Rukiaaaa…what's wrong? What happened? Where are you going?" Renji yelled after her, astonished by her sudden reaction.
"I'll be back soon. Don't worry…Enjoy your breakfast." A low voice came flowing closer to him from the distance.
'Not today, God. Please, not today.' She prayed, while turning left rapidly over the corner, pushing everyone aside as if she had been struck by lightning. She started running faster and faster, forcing herself over the edge, hoping for it all to end. The road seemed ceaseless and everything around her was sturing like in the middle of a mind-boggling whirl. Finally her eyes met the ivory door only 10 metres away from her. With her last breath, she struggled to reach it and pushed it open.
"I'm so …so …sorry. I …totally lost track of time. It …will…never happen again. I…promise!" She answered barely catching her breath.
She didn't even bother to look around as she entered the Hall of Judgement in such a rush. Stunned by seeing all of the angel captains waiting for her, Rukia walked in timidly, trying to conceal her astonishment.
"We sure hope it won't. Maybe being sent to Purgatory will sharpen your instincts and you won't lose track of time so easily." A toneless voice rose from the background, reaching her ears.
"Excuse me? " Her face turned blank all at once, as she didn't seem to understand what he meant. "Purgatory?"
"Well yes. Don't be so surprised. Why did you think we called you here today, to help you find a wedding gown? Kuchiki Rukia, you have been appointed for your first mission. We all expect no less than we know you have to offer."
