As a celebration of me completing the NaNoWriMo challenge successfully for the first time (Yay!), here's the second installment!
終わり: 目ざめる
The End: Wake Up
Rukia felt cold, considering that she had been a mistress of snow zanpakuto.
She also felt weightless, floating. It would have been relaxing, if only she didn't feel so lonely. Since dying, she had not seen even a glimpse of the friends and family she knew had already died. Not even Sode no Shirayuki's voice was here to keep her company.
Did her death mean that her zanpakuto was lost forever? It was a tormenting thought.
This current state is not so different from being alive, in fact. Coming here was like waking up after she fell asleep in Toushirou's arms, save for the fact that she was sure she felt her body shudder before drawing her last breath, followed by hearing Toushirou scream her name as the last vestiges of life left her.
She did not expect that her death would cause her friend so much pain.
"You promised me, Rukia! You said you'd stay with me!"
Even until now, Toushirou's desperate screams still made her choke air into her non-existent lungs, the memory of his stoic, chiseled face in tears making her ache all over.
H-he'll be fine. Please, Toushirou-taichou, you have to be fine. Rukia silently pleaded. Don't let my death go to waste. You have to help the others. You have to save the world…
"We fear t'is far too late for that, young snowflake."
A voice boomed over Rukia's head, so deep and resolute like a thunderclap, her surroundings echoed with it.
"What the—?" Rukia stood on alert, tensing her muscles and reflexively reaching for her sword, only to realize that she no longer had it.
Ignoring the pang of loss, the girl clenched her fists to the side, eyes darting around warily. There was nothing around her but a space of night sky, a painting of luminous dark purple shades and twinkling stars of different sizes, shapes and colors. "Wh—who's there? Show yourself—!"
The feeling of eyes behind her made her stop and turn around, and it took all self-restraint to stop herself from screaming.
Behind her was a huge head, about five times her size, its skin the same color of the space around her and its blank, dark eyes looked at her tiny form below its round nose.
Said tiny form swallowed. This being radiated power beyond anything she had ever experienced, Yhwach included. "Who— what are you?"
"Ah, that in itself is a complicated matter. We shall put it in a manner you can understand. We are...the balance."
"The balance?" echoed Rukia.
"You are aware of the normal flow of the souls, yes? A soul from Soul world is born in the Human world then dies to be reborn in the Soul world, and so the cycle continues. Did you ever not wonder where souls come from to begin with?"
Rukia frowned. "I always thought that since the Soul King is in charge of regulating the cycle—"
"Yes. The Soul King. Taishakuten. The Lord of the Heavenly Realms. But even the Taishakuten came to be from somewhere. Even he is finite, as is his foolish son."
"Taishakuten? The Academy never said he had a name."
"Not a mere name, but an identity. The Soul King represents the will of the balance and connects your world to us: the balance, the source of all things, the heart of the universe, the cauldron of the galaxy. That who is Taishakuten rules, the balance creates...and destroys."
The girl's head shot up at that. "D-Destroy?"
"That is our role, little snowflake. Those that upset the balance are removed, more so those that put at risk the worlds we have made. Look around you," A flash of light made her blink her eyes in surprise, before her surroundings changed. All around her were hundreds, maybe even thousands of glowing spheres, each ball made up of a multitude of microscopic glowing balls rapidly moving but still maintaining the round shape.
"These are the multitude of worlds and the countless souls we have created. No two worlds are alike, and even when what makes them unique from the others is different. One world can be entirely different from another, while the second may be a near perfect replica." Rukia's head was spinning with all this information being given to her. She was about to say something just stop her brain from spinning when one of the spheres floated towards her; one that looked the same as the rest, if it weren't for the huge black crevice slowly consuming it.
"Is this supposed to look like that?"
"Naturally not. Which brings us to our dilemma. That sphere represents your world."
Rukia's eyes widened in shock. "What?! But how—? Why does it look like-?" Her brows then pinched in comprehension and she spat out. "The Wandenreich."
"The waywards of your world had done the unthinkable in their pursuit of their false paradise. They have destroyed your Taishakuten, and have created a darkness that if unchecked, can burst forth and corrupt the other worlds as well." The voice explained. "The foolish son had not only defiled the cycle in your world, but had also absorbed the Soul King, which is, if you remember correctly, the balance's connection to your world. The possibility of him knowing the existence of the other worlds and corrupting them is unacceptable."
"B-But my friends, the others at Soul Society, they're still fighting him! They couldn't have—!"
"They have already lost. Your world is no more." The voice said coolly. "And your death had been the final catalyst."
The balance may as well have torn her to pieces with those words. "Wh—what? Me? But how—?"
Without warning, her mind became filled with images and threads of memories.
A maddened blizzard.
A rain of pillars of light.
An almost smile of melancholy. "So this is... how it ends. Kanae...Uryu…"
A silver arrow lost.
Renji taking an attack for a friend. "NO! RENJI!"
"I'm sorry. This is...all I can do…" Isshin ending the blizzard out of mercy.
Yhwach's Almighty withstanding and absorbing Ichigo's powers for good.
One last tear over the shattering cold.
An all consuming darkness...
"Rukia…I..."
"NO! NOOOO!"
Rukia fell to her knees (how in the world was that possible in a groundless space is beyond her), clutching her head, screaming herself hoarse.
That was not how it was supposed to happen! They were so close, for Seireitei's sake! The arrival of Isshin and Ryuuken was supposed to finally turn things around! Ishida and Ichigo should have ended Yhwach's madness together! And yet…
Toushirou-taichou. Rukia's eyes squeezed shut at the weight of his pain and her guilt. Toushirou had been right. She should have just stayed in Seireitei. She may have saved his life, but she had only delayed the inevitable.
"It wasn't your fault Toushirou-taichou. It's all mine. I...I'm the one who should be sorry. I've caused you so much pain...because of my selfishness, it cost everyone everything..."
"I wouldn't go that far, hime."A gentle voice whispered from behind with a hand on her shoulder.
This voice… "Sode no Shirayuki!"
Her elegant snow maiden zanpakuto spirit smiled tenderly at Rukia as the raven head dove into her arms. "Forgive me for worrying you, Rukia-sama. I would have been by your side as soon as you have passed on but I got caught up in the rage of Hyourinmaru-dono's reiatsu."
"But it was my fault! Toushirou-taichou was right! I shouldn't have insisted on coming along, then maybe none of this would have happened! Ryuuken-san wouldn't have died and Ishida would have gotten the arrow and helped Ichigo finish Yhwach for good!"
"The consequences of your choices beyond your control are hardly your fault. Hitsugaya-sama and Hyourinmaru-dono would have said the same." Sode no Shirayuki sighed sadly. "And I am sure that if faced with the same situation again, you would have made the same choice. Or do you mean to tell me that you now regret saving him? That you rather have let him die?"
Rukia flinched. "N-no, never!" It didn't matter if Toushirou would have died eventually. There was no way she was going to let him die if she could do something about it.. "But it doesn't change the fact that, if only I had been strong enough to protect him and live..." Rukai clutched at the white kimono.
"There is a way."
Both zanpakuto and wielder looked up in surprise, just remembering that there was someone else in their midst.
Rukia huffed bitterly. "How then? You just showed me that everyone's as good as dead already. If you were planning to take care of Yhwach yourself, it's far too damn late for that, isn't it?"
"Rukia-sama!" Sode no Shirayuki said warningly but Rukia merely glared on defiantly, hardly caring she was being uncharacteristically rude, and to this all powerful being, of all things.
But instead of being insulted, the balance smiled broadly. "Still have spirit. Good. Very good. You will need it. If you do feel guilty for the events that transpired after your death, we have a task for you. One that will decide the fate of your world."
Rukia and Sode no Shirayuki traded uneasy glances as the being went on. "Going forward, the course of your world is set to certain doom. If so, then our only course of action is to obliterate your world-and all the souls in it-completely. But," The voice sharply rose over Rukia's noise of protest. "If you so choose to accept it, we could send you back."
"Send me back?" The black haired girl echoed in confusion.
"We cannot directly interfere with the events of any given world. To do so would leave this realm vulnerable to disturbance, and no single reality is worth that. But we can manipulate the state of realities in each world we have, including its passage of time. However, because of the vast number of souls in existence at any given moment, it would be damaging to one if we do so, unless we have a point of reference."
"And that would be?"
The giant eyes appeared to twinkle. "Your hogyoku."
"The hogyoku? But that thing was destroyed when we defeated Aizen a long time ago!"
"Not completely. The arrogant Shinigami did not realize that he was unable to acquire the complete hogyoku when he forcibly took it from you." Its head moved down as if pointing at her. "Even until now, we can sense the power of the remaining fragments within you."
Rukia turned to Sode no Shirayuki for confirmation, only for the snow spirit to look just as disturbed by the news. "My apologies, Rukia-sama. I...I never sensed the hogyoku's reiryoku after it had been taken from us. I never would have expected—"
"Because it had become part of your power. The pieces found a way to fuse with your latent energy in a way that you would not have noticed, other than an increase in strength that comes naturally from training. Still, like shards of glass in a stream, barely visible but they do exist. They will serve as your bridge.
The balance continued. "We will send your consciousness back to that point, as well as all your memories and a limited portion of your current abilities. We can only go back as far as the earliest moment the hogyoku had been broken off without severe repercussions: the time after it was ripped away from you."
Rukia could scarcely believe it. Is such a thing like this truly possible? "You're sending me back in time? You can really do that?
"Not without a price, hence the task we have for you." It replied. "In each world, there is a being that serves a connection between this place and theirs."
"The Taishakuten, what you called the Soul King."
"All Taishakuten representatives in each world has its agents to ensure its safety. The Taishakuten's role in the world is to maintain the extension of the balance. Its agents are meant to eliminate all threats that could disrupt it. The Heavenly Guardians. The Four Kings of Heaven. The Shitenno."
Great, another thing they didn't teach at the Academy. "The Shitenno?"
"Jikokuten of the East, Koumokuten of the West, Zouchoten of the South, and Bishamoten of the North. Normally, only one of the Shitenno are awake at one time, as their powers, especially that of Zouchoten and Bishamoten, can vastly overwhelm. But with the threat of the arrogant Shinigami, the foolish son and their ilk, we have decided that, along with your return, we will release all four of the Kings. You, therefore, are to gather the Shitenno to destroy the threats to your Taishakuten."
"Wait a minute!" Not that Rukia didn't look forward to the opportunity, but, "How am I supposed to know who they are if I don't know the first thing about them? I didn't even know about the existence of the Shitenno until now!"
"You already know all of them, and one way or another, you will find your way to each other, though at least two of them will take longer than the rest. It is but a matter of awakening them to their destinies."
"I...do?"
"You are free to turn away from this path, of course. It is not without its own hardships. So what say you, child? What do you choose?"
Rukia fell silent, trying to process all the information she had been given.
Everything was just so...too much. But there was no way to pass up on this second chance, if it would save the world and keep her loved ones alive. It is too good an opportunity, despite the hardships she knew would be coming along the way.
But I'll be better prepared now! I am stronger, and I will continue growing to be so! I'm not going to let them down again! This time, it's my turn to protect!
Sode no Shirayuki gave her an encouraging nod. "I will support whatever you choose, hime."
"Thank you, Shirayuki." Rukia smiled at her before turning determined eyes at the balance. "I accept this mission."
The giant face nodded, making a bright white light suddenly appear before it, which then floated down at Rukia and Sode no Shirayuki.
The two ladies watched in awe as the light changed shape, its glow fading slightly enough for them to see its new form: a shimmering crystalline katana, its handle snowy white with intricately embedded scales wrapped around it, ending with an elaborate hand guard that fanned out to the left in a way that resembled both a wave of twirling ice and a wing, and a thin yet sharp looking blade that hummed with the power it possessed.
"It is ready. You need only touch the sword."
Its beauty rivaled that of Sode no Shirayuki's shikai. Rukia thought. So beautiful, she was almost afraid to touch it.
Nevertheless, she drew a breath to steel herself. "Understood. Anything else we need to know?"
A mirthful sound echoed the hall, like a titter. "There may be. There is one other reason you are perfect for this task, but that is for you to find on your own."
The young lady rolled her eyes. Of course it chooses to be cryptic. "It's not anything life threatening, is it?"
"No, but we will say this: you have so much more potential left untapped. You only need to strengthen your spirit to be able to wield it fully. Acknowledge that you are have far more worth than you think, and you will understand."
Rukia shook her head skeptical. She could believe that she had the strength, Sode no Shirayuki was enough proof of that.
But worth? She was a Kuchiki in name only, hardly acknowledged and a constant source of conflict between her Nii-sama and the other nobles, despite the great pains Byakuya took to hide it all from her.
She had her friends, but she didn't have any illusions that she was indispensable, attributing Ichigo's fervent desire to save her from execution only because it was just like him to do the same with all of his friends. Renji already had friends other than her, and a vision to reach the top that she would never dream of holding back.
And if she went back in time, she could make sure that Rangiku and Hinamori wouldn't have to die, so Toushirou wouldn't be alone, and wouldn't need her, in the first place.
She blinked away the painful thought. "Let's go, Sode no Shirayuki."
"Yes, Rukia-sama."
Two hands grabbed the katana's hilt, and the room was bathed in white, and the flowing movement of souls in the corrupted sphere that was their world halted, then, rapidly, began to spin backwards...
Rukia woke up to the scent of fresh linen.
Even with her eyes closed, she could easily pick the clean scent of the sheets covering her and the pillow on her head. A luxury, considering that it had been so long since she had been in a proper bed from wandering from one district to another on the run with Toushirou.
But wait, where is here?
"Uhn…wha…?" The girl forced her eyes open, squinting a little when a bit of sunlight hit her eyes. She didn't know what to expect, but at least she hoped to see the familiar form of her travelling companion somewhere.
Only to find that she was not only alone, but also lying in a comfortable futon, surrounded by the very familiar walls of her room in the Kuchiki manor.
Which should have been in ruins for what felt like ages ago.
What the hell?! Rukia shot up in shock and confusion, only for her body to bite her back for the rash movement through a massive headache. "Ah, darn it! My head."
/Please take it easy, Rukia-sama. No sudden movements. We just got through a violent hurdle to get back to the past./
Sode no Shirayuki? Rukia felt the gentle caress of a cool breeze through her body relax her slightly as she tried to gather her thoughts. What do you mean...the past? Then it suddenly fell into place for her. The past! THE PAST! Shirayuki, are we actually—?
/We have returned to the time right after Aizen and his group left Seireitei with the hogyoku, hime. I have regained my memories in time to see you discharged from the Fourth Division. I have been waiting for you to reach me ever since./ The snow woman's voice was light with happiness. /T he balance's plan worked./
Rukia's eyes burned again, her heart overwhelmed by so many emotions. They were back! They were really in the past! They were all alive! They had a second chance to save everyone!
/Yes, Rukia-sama. And this time, we won't let them die. Not if we can help it./
"We're back...we're really back. They're all alive…" Rukia mumbled slowly before peals of mirth broke through her throat, which turned into full blown laughter. "We did it! Gods, the balance, whatever you want to call yourself, thank you! Oh thank you! Thank you so…!"
/Rukia-sama? / Sode no Shirayuki called when she felt the hitch in the Shinigami's laughter.
"...What am I doing? I'm happy! We got back in time. We could stop everyone from dying and Soul Society from getting destroyed." But the tears still came with a vengeance and the sobs forcing its way into her laughter. "I'm supposed to be happy! So why? Why am I…why does it still hurt so much?"
/Oh, Rukia-sama./ She felt Sode no Shirayuki's ghostly embrace on her shaking form.
It doesn't make sense, Shirayuki! I can make things better again, so why am I falling apart like this? Why do I keep seeing everything that's happened during the Quincy war when I have the chance to make sure it never comes to pass?
She hated herself for being weak, for not being able to stand against the onslaught of conflicting logic and emotion, happiness and sorrow, hope and loss slamming against her consciousness. But at the same time, she felt exhausted, very much in pain and so very cold.
/Because even if we have the chance to change fate, it cannot change the fact that everyone you loved had died at one time. You never had the time to fully deal with the grief and guilt with the war surrounding you. But don't stop it, just let it all out. Let it all out so we can truly begin anew./
And let it out, she did.
At least no one came into her room at the time to wonder at the sight of the Kuchiki princess, skin and breath as cold and white as snow, smothering her face with her pillow and sobbing her heart out.
It's called PTSD, Rukia. It has found you and it's not going to let you go for a while. All hail the angst!
Huzzah, it is done, with the first chunk of 4K2's (that's what I'm calling this fic from now on) mythology added in. The inspiration to add this came to me when Gin referred to a certain someone as a reincarnation of a heavenly guardian, who will—spoiler alert—obviously be one of them. But who exactly, who the others are and how does Rukia fit into equation is anyone's (but mine) guess at this point.
The idea of using the hogyoku as point of reference for the time travel was partly inspired by the process of using system restore in the PC. Yes, I'm a geek like that.
Forgive the info overload but I just needed to put it out there, and it's not like the Bleach manga itself doesn't do it! There's still a good deal more secrets to be found!
Feedback will be greatly appreciated! :D
OMAKE:
"Curious child."
The balance thought long after the two spirits in its domain had gone back to their own.
"She is strong, spirited, yet blind to her own radiance." Its gaze shifted to one of the the colored orbs of light he had summoned back into the circle. "Even you have been drawn in, however long it took. But it is to be expected."
The azure orb flashed briefly at that, making the giant being hum thoughtfully.
Indeed, this is how it has always been for the Kings of Heaven.
The spinning of the souls in the sphere had slowed, the seeping darkness that had once taken half of it receded to two dark pulsing splotches.
It gave the glowing sphere another glance before inclining his head to the floating colored orbs.
"You have a world to save. Go. Find each other again."
The orbs dispersed with no delay hurtling into the newly repaired sphere.
