A/N: So in light of ffnet's enforcement of a certain rule, I've been squeezing out the lemons, so to speak, from this fic, and I have to say there was some enjoyment to be had from the process―mostly because it enabled me to try out some writing stuff I haven't done before, and it's also to see if the happenings in the fic would still make sense despite their removal. It certainly lost some of the oomph and pomp, but it's all done so that this fic can stay in this site. The full unedited original versions of those certain chapters can be found in my livejournal (link in my profile).
In other news, I went to an anime convention this summer and got to see Johnny Yong Bosch and Eyeshine! Pretty awesome XD (and I hope Funimation gets him and Stephanie Sheh to reprise their roles in the Eureka Seven AO dub).
Flashback order: 14, 2, 9, 13, 17, 3, 15, 11, 8, 7, 6, 5, 12, 4, 10, 16.
Disclaimer: Bleach belongs to Kubo Tite.
Chapter 23: Measure
There was no horizon to look at, but what there was to see was the sublime infinity of the shining river that crossed worlds. At the bow she stood, wind blowing her auburn hair as the boat meandered steadily past rows of stone docks on either side that led to godly abodes.
She nursed a goblet of a fruity beverage against herself, thumbs tracing the rim trimmed with filigree, listening to the chatter surrounding her of which gods were fighting with each other, which gods were sleeping with each other, of whom had traded their services and what they had gained from it, of how long clouds usually took to condense in the air and where would one find particularly fluffy ones and how hard would it be to herd them...the last―a rhetorical one from the Goddess of Time aimed at nobody in particular―earned a look of puzzlement from Orihime but she kept her face forward.
Is that really possible? she thought. Are clouds like sheep? And then realized that of course, it would be possible to be able to touch clouds if one were a god.
With a sigh, she strolled the perimeter, one hand trailing on the rail while the other held her cup, and slowed as she reached the stern of the boat where the Goddess of Snow and the Arts sat with her legs drawn up, her drawing paper on her lap, a look of intense concentration upon her face as she looked up once in a while to the gods that sat across from her.
Timidly, Orihime peered over Rukia's shoulder, and gasped, her eyes darting from the page and onto the scene before them. She marvelled at how eerily identical the portrait was to the subjects. Upon the sheet were the gods carousing merrily, their expressions lively with their enjoyment and celebration of the visitation of the Goddess of Time. It took Orihime's breath away to see the details so uncanny in their resemblance―except for the rendition of the gods as rabbits. Or possibly bears. True to form though, the Goddess of Time was depicted as a horned sheep, complete with a fluffy behind.
With one last stroke of her paint brush, Rukia brandished her work of art over her head, inspecting it at arm's length. Looking behind her, she addressed Orihime, "What do you think?"
Orihime couldn't help clapping her hands in delight. "It looks wonderful, Rukia."
The Goddess of Snow preened with pride. "I hope Neliel likes it."
"I'm sure she will," reassured Orihime. "It looks absolutely adorable."
"Thank you." Rukia smiled, inscribing her signature on the corner with a flourish.
She took a sip from her goblet as she leaned back against the stern. "Rukia..."
The Goddess of Snow began to clean her brushes. "Hm?"
She opened her mouth a few times, trying to gather her scattered thoughts. "N-nothing. Sorry."
Rukia looked over her shoulder. "What's the matter?"
Orihime scratched the back of her head. "Ichigo...is he...um..."
Rukia sighed, a frown marring her features. "What did he do this time?"
Rounded eyes guiltily shifted away from her. "Nothing! I just...it's nothing."
The smaller woman rose from her seat and took Orihime by the shoulders. "I know he's an idiot, and he can only be forgiven so many times for any number of the stupid things he does. And I know he's committed them more than usual lately, so if by chance you feel as though you're having trouble keeping him in line, please don't hesitate to let me know and I will be more than happy to act as the fist that will strike him down."
Aghast, Orihime vigorously shook her head. "It-it's nothing like that. Please don't hurt him." She wrung her fingers together worriedly. "Please?"
With an exhale, Rukia sat back down and patted the space beside her. "Come and have a seat, Orihime. You know you can tell me anything that's bothering you, although I have to say that I can't promise how I'd react towards Ichigo."
Obediently, Orihime tentatively perched on the edge of the seat. "I'm just worried about him, that's all. The last few days haven't been easy..." she trailed off with a small deprecating chuckle.
"What do you mean?"
"I―" she swallowed, wincing at her suddenly parched throat, and downed the rest of the drink before placing the empty goblet beside her. "I-I finally learned why..."
"'Why?'" prompted Rukia.
"Why―how everything began. With me, I mean. Um, the marriage between me and the Death God, I mean."
"Oh."
"And about the Goddess of Autumn."
Rukia's lips tightened as she set aside the papers and brushes into the basket that Renji had procured for her earlier. "I see."
"I've seen how you and the other gods act at the mention of her, but I never realized or even thought just how everything connects together."
"..."
"Until yesterday morning."
"Are you worried about her coming here? That she would do something to you?"
Orihime turned to her. "To be honest, I don't really know how to feel about her."
Hands finally free from tidying up, Rukia crossed her arms. "Well, I personally don't trust her. When she was with Ichigo, we never really got along. We tolerated each other to an extent, but..."
"Yes?"
The eyes of the Goddess of Snow roamed the expanse of the boat as she thought. "You know by now that if a god requires the assistance of another god, they bargain with each other. I guess you could say that part of me didn't feel as though it was an equal trade between them."
"I'm not sure I follow."
"In a trade, we use our powers, or aspects of our powers. For example, between me and Rangiku: in exchange for the use of her power over fertility―or in this case temporary infertility―I'm going to be using my power over art. It's an equivalent exchange of power. But with Senna, she uses her body when she wants something, offering physical intimacies instead of her power."
"Oh."
"Gods are free to use what ever they feel like in a trade, provided it was agreed upon by both parties. But all the same, I can't help but feel that there was a lack of honour to what she'd done."
"Do you hate her?"
"To be honest, 'hate' is too strong a word. But 'dislike immensely' is what I would go for."
Orihime scooted the rest of the way onto the seat in order to lean back against it, drawing her knees up to her chest. "If there's anything I do feel, it's that I feel bad over the fact that she must have been hurt herself because of all that had happened."
Rukia's lips twisted in a wry grin, releasing an exasperated sigh as she reached over and gently poked Orihime on the forehead. "You have a kind heart, Orihime. But I don't think that she would be grateful for your pity."
Her bare toes curled at the ground, weaving and mashing against the fallen leaves upon it. One hand held a basket while the other trailed against the trunks and leaves of the apple trees that graced the expansive orchard of the House of the Goddess of Autumn.
It was forever fall there. Everything was swathed in fallen leaves of glorious gold, brown, and red, and scattered here and there was the occasional hint of green. A slight breeze issued from her gait, and the sea of leaves parted to show her a path that led to her prized treasure, the greatest tree that bore the fruit that those who had had the pleasure of eating it had dubbed it the 'apple of truth' or the 'apple of knowledge' or the 'apple of beauty' or the 'apple of joy,' and Senna smiled.
At the unexpected summons from the Goddess of Time the night before, Senna had immediately set forth for her house. She couldn't say she was surprised at the message she was given―it was common knowledge for newly made gods to be invited up into the sky of the Sun God, and this hadn't been the first time she along with the other season gods have received a call from Neliel for an impromptu meeting.
The Goddess of Autumn reached up and plucked a plump golden apple from the tree, inspecting it for any imperfections before setting it into the basket. Reaching up again, she took a red apple, almost the colour of blood, and smiled before placing it beside the gold one. She harvested more of what she deemed as the best from the great tree in her orchard, giving a nod of satisfaction at the collection before flash-stepping her way straight to the dock of her house where the God of Destruction waited.
Setting the basket down on the top step, she sat beside his languishing panther-form and scratched behind his ear.
"Are you coming?" she asked.
He snorted. "I'm not invited."
"Then why are you here? To see me off to my doom?" she remarked jokingly. "Don't tell me you're worried about me."
"You assume too much," he jeered.
"Oh, you." She couldn't help laughing, muffling it through his fur. Subsiding, she leaned her cheek on his warm back. "Nothing will waylay us from our plan. You can rest assured they'll not try anything to me, not while the Messenger of the Sun God is there." She felt him tense beneath her, her heart skipping a beat at the reaction even as he tried to hide it by forcing himself to relax. Pretending as though it hadn't happened, she continued, "To offend her is tantamount to offending the Spirit King himself. And as I am her guest, to cause harm to me is akin to causing harm to her, thereby inviting the wrath of the Spirit King."
After a few seconds in which he uttered no reply, she asked in a subdued voice, "Why didn't you just greet her last night when she visited?"
Grimmjow rolled his head to give her a bleak stare. Mind your own business, his eyes seemed to say before turning back to watch the river. After a fashion, he replied gruffly, "There's nothing for us to talk about, and pleasantries aren't my thing."
"You still harbour affection for Neliel?" she pressed in a noncommittal tone.
At the mention of the Goddess of Time's name, he pounced away from under her, jostling her from her perch as he jumped to restlessly pace back and forth behind her. "What we had ended a long time ago," he responded in a clipped voice.
Straightening herself back on her previous spot, she smoothed her garments and reached for the basket to make sure the apples were unharmed. Despite the danger the pursuit of this line of questioning presented, she couldn't help prodding further. "But you miss her, don't you?"
The hairs on the back of her neck rose, feeling as though any second now he would swipe those great claws of his right at her jugular. Why can't I stop? she asked herself. A deprecating grin stretched the corners of her mouth. A death wish, perhaps, she thought. At the feel of his breath against her neck she came to the realization that his sharp fangs could just as easily do the job, and she couldn't help swallowing nervously.
"What's there to miss? She's always around," he growled softly, but with an edge of malice. "I just have to look up into the sky to see her."
"But she's unreachable. Untouchable."
She felt his jaws encase her neck, a sharp pain piercing her, and all she could utter was a strangled gasp. She felt the trickle of blood flow out, and then there was the roughness of his tongue upon the wound as he lapped at the ruby drops.
The pressure on her neck eased as he backed away and she gingerly touched the sore spot, her fingers coming away dry. Her wound had closed up.
"And you think I should do something about it?" he said, a fog of moisture covering her neck as he breathed behind her.
"I..."
His head turned sharply as he spied the oncoming boat drifting down the river. His eyes narrowed for a moment, and then he swiftly turned and pounced out of sight.
At the bow stood the subject of their conversation, merrily waving with a huge smile on her face as the boat smoothly alighted beside the stone stairs. Senna stood, wiping her face of any expression but an answering smile, grabbed the basket with one hand while taking the proffered hand of a Scribe with the other, and boarded the boat.
She presented a countenance courteous and friendly as she greeted the Goddess of Time, an arm held out for an embrace and the kissing of cheeks, reaching into her basket to present a golden apple to Neliel.
The Messenger clapped and giggled with delight, and graciously took the gift, her eyes darting behind Senna's shoulder, trying to peer through the white columns and the colourful trees of the House of the Goddess of Autumn. "Was that Grimmjow just now?"
Senna turned her head, a white feline speck ghosting along the edge of her vision. "Yes, it was," she responded as she faced Neliel again.
The Goddess of Time cupped the apple with both hands and heaved a deep sigh. "Are you happy with him?"
"What's not to be happy about?" The Goddess of Autumn tilted her head to the side. "It's open between us, if that puts your mind at ease."
Neliel directed a small smile towards her before glancing back to the receding dock, spying her former lover camouflaged upon the white gable of the sheltered balcony, and gave him a short nod of acknowledgment. "What was that saying?" she whispered. "'First loves never die.'"
"Did you say something?"
The Goddess of Time shook her head and tucked an arm on Senna's elbow. "Come then, let's see the rest of our peers."
Directed to the middle of the boat, she greeted the carousing God of Summer, the Goddess of Love and Fertility, the God of Invention and Knowledge, and the Goddess of Cats, and handed each of them an apple from her basket, being careful not to get splashed by the contents of the goblets they clinked happily and obliviously together as they greeted back. A haggard Scribe with a jug of wine in his hands gave her a courteous bow as he stood close to the quaffing gods. On a seat on the starboard side sat the God of Spring, his eyes briefly flickering up to her in greeting and to the apple she placed beside him before returning to his book. A little ways behind him sat the God of Winter, eyebrows knotted in concentration as he examined a scroll before him, reaching down to dip his quill on the inkwell beside him as he made notes back on the parchment, looking up only to give her a nod as they passed by, catching the apple she tossed to him without looking up.
And at last she found herself face to face with the bane of her existence as she and Neliel reached the stern, who'd stood up as they drew close, and gave her a deep bow with her eyes cast down, while the Goddess of Snow remained seated and gave her a pointed stare.
"Rukia," she greeted warmly.
"Senna." There was an almost palpable tinge of ice as the Goddess of Snow greeted back.
Neliel gestured to the newly-made goddess. "This is Orihime, Ichigo's wife as I'm sure you know."
She released a small chuckle. "How could I not, when it's the talk of all the gods?" She reached out and tilted Orihime's chin up with a finger, finally meeting her eyes, morbidly pleased to see Rukia tense up at her action.
Senna couldn't help but feel as though she was a wolf who'd ensnared a helpless little sheep as she gazed into the round eyes of the former human. But she knew all too well that Orihime was far from helpless; nearly all the gods in the boat were on the side of the Death God and they would wreak judgment down upon her should she make a wrong move. It was only the presence of the Messenger of the Sun God that prevented the stifling pressure in the air from suffocating them all.
Retracting her hand, she reached down into the basket that hung on her elbow and procured from it the blood-red apple. "My wedding gift," she offered.
Hesitantly, Orihime accepted the apple with both hands. "I―thank you, goddess."
Senna bowed her own head in response, her orange eyes expectant.
Eyes huge and worried, Orihime gazed back at her.
"Will you not try out my gift to see if it's to your liking?"
Rukia finally stood and grabbed Orihime's wrist.
The Goddess of Autumn turned to the Goddess of Snow, an eyebrow quirked up in amusement. "What's the matter, Rukia? You think it's poisoned?"
"I wouldn't put it past you."
"Rukia, that's mean," admonished Neliel.
"I'm sorry if it offends you, Neliel. But I don't trust Senna."
"You know very well there's only one who has power over death," countered the Goddess of Autumn. "So there's no need for me to stoop so low. Besides, I'm offering the apple as a gift symbolizing many things, Rukia. Among them is my wish for amends. To have what has happened in the past to stay there." She turned to Orihime. "Do you not agree? All of this has been a fresh start for you, is it not?" A small chuckle escaped her. "You might say that, true to my function as a god of change and the rebirth of the natural world, I was the catalyst for your life's transformation. Of course, I'm not going so far as to imply you owe me your gratitude at gaining so elevated a status... And so, dear bride of death, will you not accept my token of friendship?"
Watching her former lover's wife, Senna had to admit that a minuscule grain of pride swept over her at the directness that permeated Orihime's gaze, washing away the worry and uncertainty, and in their place was trust, whole and unconditional. The challenge she'd presented was accepted, and inside she smiled at the helplessness invading Rukia's tone as she murmured Orihime's name, her head shaking and her hand falling away from her hold on the former human's wrist.
With both hands raising the fruit up to her lips, Orihime bit into the apple.
APPENDIX
Orihime - formerly a human, now a goddess by association for marrying a god
Rukia - Goddess of Snow and the Arts
Neliel - Goddess of Time, Messenger of the Sun God
Spirit King - God of the Sun, Ruler of All Gods and the Natural Order of the World
Senna - Goddess of Autumn
Grimmjow - God of Destruction
Shunsui - God of Summer
Rangiku - Goddess of Love and Fertility
Urahara - God of Knowledge and Invention
Yoruichi - Goddess of Cats
Hisagi - a Scribe (servant to the gods)
Kira - another Scribe
Byakuya - God of the Night and Spring
Toshiro - God of Winter
Thanks for reading :)
Oct/2012