Disclaimer: All Bleach characters belong to Kubo Tite.
Rukia: My Life As A Rabbit
Chapter Thirteen –Cogito ergo sum
Rukia: Urahara, you greedy salesman! You've got a lot to answer for. You see if I don't report you to Consumers International!
If Urahara Kisuke thought there was something strange about Ichigo cradling a rabbit in his arms, he didn't show it. With one hand on his hip, encased in an archer's glove, and the other hand wrapped around a Japanese bow taller than him –the shopkeeper in fact appeared to be posing.
Well, that eliminated Ishida from Ichigo's suspect list. The idea of the Quincy using him as Shinigami target practice had crossed his mind earlier. He carefully set the rabbit on the ground. Before the shopkeeper knew it, Ichigo had both hands fisted in his collar and was successfully giving the taller man a good shaking.
"C-Calm down, Kurosaki-san! Let's talk about this like rational men." Urahara tried not to bite down on his own tongue as he spoke. He had dropped the long bow to keep his hat on.
"Like rational men, you say? What's so rational about you shooting such a freakin' large arrow at my head, huh?" Ichigo screamed into his face. The boy let him go –not because he was finished with expressing his annoyance, but so the shopkeeper could begin explaining himself.
"Surely there was no need for such violence? After all I've done for you too.." The man feigned a hurt look so badly that Ichigo could only take it as a mockery to his temper. "You've totally misunderstood me. I was just trying to communicate!"
The boy gave him a sarcastic look. "Communication –with a message on an arrow. Who do you think you're playing –Robin Hood? What's with all the uncivilized methods? Look at the paint on your front gate. It looks like a loan-shark threat!"
Urahara merely met the outburst with a chuckle. The shopkeeper expertly flipped open his folding fan and hid his mischievous smile behind it. "Araa, Kurosaki-san… You've got no sense of humor!" he teased. "Kyudo is excellent for spiritual development. You should be aware of that –being the friend of a Quincy Archer."
Ichigo tried to quell his first impulse to pound the older man. He wished he hadn't left the long arrow embedded to his closet. It would've been so convenient to have it at hand now; so he could stick it into the idiotic shopkeeper.
The boy quashed his temper and said, "Sandal-hat man, I need your help. It's about Rukia…"
oooOooo
"Don't worry, Kuchiki-dono! The shopkeeper will fix this," Tessai said confidently.
Somehow the muscular shop-assistant addressing the little rabbit with an honorific to her name made Ichigo want to crack up. He held back from doing so.
Urahara bent down to the rabbit on the floor. Rukia wasn't pleased because the gesture seemed to emphasize her current size to the room. She could already see that smirk twitching on Ichigo's lips even though he held up a hand to hide it. The fool.
The shopkeeper extended a solicitous hand to the rabbit. "Ah, Kuchiki-san… You must be very happy with your new form. I'm aware you're famously fond of Chappy the ra–! Oww! Oww! Leggo off my hand, Kuchikii-sann!"
"Oh, I'm sorry. Did I forget to mention that she bites?" Ichigo said with a wicked look on his face.
Rukia laid back her ears and gave him a look that could clearly be interpreted as; You want to be next, smart-ass? Ichigo shut his mouth.
Urahara held out his hands in the universal gesture used for pacifying small creatures. "It's okay, Kuchiki-san. I'm just going to verify your reiatsu."
If the man started to make 'Here Bunny-Bunny!' –sounds, Rukia would do more than bite his fingers off. That was a promise.
She allowed Urahara to place a palm on her head, slightly smoothing her long ears back. Then, there was the feeling of reiatsu creeping over her skin. It was distinctively Urahara's. As the probing energy seemed to seep within her, Rukia made to struggle out from under his hand. It was such an invasion of privacy.
"Don't do that, Kuchiki-san." The shopkeeper's unexpectedly stern tone stopped her. The rabbit didn't whimper; but she crouched low to the floor.
Urahara kept his eyes trained on nothing in mid-air. The shopkeeper looked as if he was deep in thought. But, as he finished, his gaze dropped to Rukia and he gave her a sharp, searching stare. "Hmm… cogito ergo sum?" he said, under his breath.
"Well? Can you fix it?" Ichigo questioned. The boy had been hovering anxiously by their side.
The shopkeeper released the rabbit. "Looks like she had the framework of her soul rearranged. None of the products Kuchiki-san usually takes could do this. It's something else. You're sure she told you that something malfunc– "
There was a quiet "Oops!" from behind. They all turned as one to the source. The fixated gaze of five pairs of eyes landed on Ururu. Her hands were clasped to her mouth in vague horror.
Her red-haired companion, and more often –bully, said, "I think I can guess what happened here." Jinta took in the guilty look written across the timid girl's face and added, "Oops. You did it again, huh?"
oooOooo
Urahara appeared to have recovered his usual roguish manner. He grabbed Rukia up and thrust the unhappy rabbit to Ichigo's face. "So, do you need me to explain anything again? Okay, Kurosaki-san –give Kuchiki-san here a kiss!"
The red-faced boy jumped back. "W-What? You pulling my leg, sandal-hat? A k-k-ki…" Ichigo's body appeared to spasm every time he attempted to speak the dreaded word.
A highly amused black cat lazing by the side was only too happy to play spectator to the ensuing comedy. Shihouin Yoruichi spoke softly in her low voice, "Should Kisuke really be holding Kuchiki-san up by the ears like that?"
The shopkeeper, who was clearly enjoying himself just as much, gave the boy an injured look. "Not just any kiss! Don't you know your fairy tales? The prince gives the frog a kiss and she turns into a princess."
"You've got it backwards, shouten!" his shop-assistants chorused.
"Details!" Urahara said, waving it off with a flip of his fan.
Ichigo wasn't merely suspicious of the shopkeeper's intentions. He had a look of utter disbelieve on his face. "What's a k-k…" he stuttered, and started again like a bad engine. "What's that got to do with anything? It can't be that simple. There's got to be your freakin' magic spells or something instead!"
Urahara smiled. "Of course it isn't simple, as you say. You have to think about Rukia's true form –what makes Rukia Rukia." Then, he slinged an arm across Ichigo's shoulders and whispered covertly, "And when you do that, please refrain from adding details of your own fantasy, hmm? No matter how much you may wish to." The man winked at Ichigo.
Ichigo's forehead wrinkled in confusion. "Hn? Add what?"
The shopkeeper gave him a sneaky look that was completely in contrast with the saintly tone of his voice. "Oh, just little details. Like making Kuchiki-san taller, or..." He coughed and continued delicately, "…more well-endowed, perhaps?"
Ichigo reddened nicely as Urahara patted him on the back. There was a vehement (and unheard) Hey! from Rukia.
oooOooo
Urahara took his hands away from Ichigo's forehead, pulling back the fine threads of reiatsu that bridged between them. "That's how you get Rukia out of her rabbit-form. Got that, Kurosaki-san?"
The boy nodded. Urahara made a show of pouting. "I still think a kiss would have been more romantic. Passio–!"
Ichigo pulled the shopkeeper's striped hat down over his face –ignoring the muffled protests. "Don't even think of exploiting me for acting out your perverted plays."
Then, the boy turned to the rabbit. Her long, velveteen ears were twitching out of nervousness. Ichigo knelt down and placed a reassuring hand on the top of her head.
Rukia felt it –the surging force of his aura. Ichigo's reiatsu was like the ocean. At first a rushing force like an incoming tide, and then a pulling back as he took careful measure to precisely form his own reiatsu into tenuous threads. Finer and finer –so that it wouldn't be as harsh as the slamming open of a door when it entered the structure of her soul.
His eyes were closed, familiar frown lines etched on his brow. Although he looked as if he were concentrating on a single focus, his mind was actually drifting rapidly through a succession of various memories.
What makes Rukia Rukia?
Hell if I know…
Death God. Partner. Companion. Friend.
"Don't move. Don't even try to move one step from there. If you try to follow me, I'll never forgive you."
Ichigo had always taken a silly sort of pride for somewhat being a lone wolf. He knew what it was like to lose someone. From that moment six years ago, he had made it so that he didn't need anyone.
But then, she came –appearing in his room like an ethereal vision out of dreams. His metaphysical angel, a Death God. He had felt the very foundations of his world shifting.
"I was just thinking how you were the person I have to tell this to the most. I've decided to remain here –in Soul Society."
Need –that crippling yearning that took you whether you wish it or not. He had learnt that there was no controlling need. And all of a sudden, his world wasn't the same without her.
And you ask yourself: Where was the beginning of all this?
It is not 'Shinigami'. It is 'Kuchiki Rukia'.
One Soul Slayer, one chance meeting between two souls.
oooOooo
Rukia sensed it. A calling. An unstoppable force that summoned her back to the one other form familiar to her. There would be no denying it.
She opened her eyes. Her hand reflexively reached up to rest on the boy's hands lightly clasping her face.
Ichigo said, "Welcome back… Rukia."
Author's Note: Chapter title –Cogito ergo sum is that famous line: "I think, therefore I am." Kyudo is the Way of the Bow. Next chapter: Epilogue.
To Syneiam who asked the good question: "Where's Rukia's gigai?" Please allow Urahara to explain that in the epilogue. ;)
LemmingRebel –Hello to you too. :) I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter.
cokeboi –Tried my best to keep it up. Never knew such an attempt proved to be quite nerve-wrecking.
seal-chan –I'm happy you like it. Just trying to share the Bleach love. ;)
Sousui –How Urahara plans to slither out of this eh? The snake better move fast because Rukia's going to catch him for some due explanation-time.
Atrophy –Yes, everything Ichigo did will probably be good ammo for Rukia's use in the future.
rukiaprincess –Wow, with your review –my ego may just balloon to the point where I won't be able to get through any door. I think writing fanfics really widened my knowledge –on a lot of odd stuff though (and very random topics. ;)
roxy-san –Sorry this update came a little late. Didn't want to overwhelm anyone with an explosion of IchiRuki fluff in the final chapter.
Zero-Vision –Yes, that's exactly how I feel. Took him about 12 chapters for 'truth to dawn'.
ShinigamiLenne –I was such a meanie pot for misleading you, forgive me? ;) Praise the maestro Kubo Tite for the creation of such a quirky character like Urahara. He's so much fun.
DigiChar –You've even given thought to actually being a rabbit in your own house! Now, that is imagination. (Smushed by avalanche of boxes and eaten by a cat?)
Ayume Yamashira –I'm glad you like this fic. I'm a Rukia-supporter too.
Ahria –I'm taking liberties to assume that "Wow…" wasn't followed by, "…the author's a certified nutcase with a fanfic account." ;)
Procrastinator-starting2moro –Alphabet spaghetti! –laughs!- If Rukia took that as lunch, she'd be 'eating her own words'. Heh. Forget I said that. The Infinite Monkey Theorem does exist. But how far it can be considered true… that's a different story all together.
