Disclaimer: We all know it's not mine.
Chapter 6: A not so normal day
In a poorly lit enormous room, six shadows dance in the flickering light of a lone candle. The five kneeling in front of a man situated on a luxurious chair.
"Have you got the girl?"
"We have failed to capture her. Forgive us."
"She is just a mere brat yet you can't handle the job?"
"We almost got her but there were hindrances."
"Even so you should have cut down all that may come your way. She is something we cannot let out freely. We do not know what she may cause. She might be dangerous knowing what she is. I will not tolerate failures again. We must obtain her immediately before anyone knows. And remember, no one should ever learn of your identities and purpose."
"Yes sir."
"Leave now."
"Yes sir."
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"Poor creatures." These were the two words that came out from the lips of a maniacally grinning man. He stared on the gray ash at his feet that was being carried away by the wind. He shifted his gaze to the corpse of a woman then sighed. "How much longer is it going to take?" He asked to his companion.
"Getting tired of waiting, aren't you? We'll get to it, soon enough." The other man who looked far more gentle than the former answered. He stared off somewhere distant. "We just have to deal with the new distraction, and acquire that cursed creature he was itching to get his hands with. Then we can start the grand event."
"The old ones only get to have roles? That's too bad, I actually find those two very amusing."
"I didn't say they wouldn't have a part in the game. I had just made preparations for them. They would be taking part in the most remarkable act of this game, I assure you, you'll enjoy it." The two men formed a wicked smile as they anticipate for a great event to unfold in this game they have been foiling.
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Ichigo's gaze was still on Rukia's face for an immeasurable amount of time now. He doesn't know how long have he been staring or how long before dawn comes. He turned his gaze around the room noting that it was very simple compared to Rukia's rooms. He sat upright and stretched his arms. He didn't slept, well he doesn't need to. He wasn't that tired even though he was beaten up. He cringed at the thought, he, a shinigami got beaten up by mere bandits. What a shame! But he was glad that it was all that happened and he was the only one that got hurt. He scratched the back of his head then turned to look at the sleeping girl beside him. She looked like an angel, so peaceful, so different from the violent snappy midget he argues with. "Ichigo" she murmured and he jerked. He stared at her intently checking if she's awake. She turned to the other side, her back now facing him "Ichigo". Still asleep just talking, he mused to himself. Rukia was dreaming about him, he blushed. What the heck might this midget dreaming? He leaned to look at her face that was facing the shoji doors. He saw the changes in her expressions from relaxed to a frown, a disturbing sound escaped her lips then uttered a different name of a person he remembers that Rukia have not introduced to him. "Ka--Kaien-dono." She whimpered. "Kaien-dono, gomenasai." He frowned, even more. Who was this 'Kaien-dono'? And why was Rukia apologizing to this man? He sighed. Humans are so puzzling, he thought then lied down again. He doesn't have other anything to do anyway. It's still early, so he tried to do what Rukia suggested and closed his eyes, welcoming exhaustion and sleep overcome him.
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The red-haired man gripped the sake cup he was drinking from tighter. He glared at it as if it was the reason of his fury. "It's inevitable now." He said to the bald man sitting beside him.
"You should have realized that since she entered the temple." The bald man replied chugging down his drink.
"I know. And I know I should have stopped her, told her before she entered that forever committed life."
"And now all you can do is sulk. If you really did that we wouldn't be talking about this shit. Renji, sometimes you really prove to be an idiot!"
"Thank you, your very helpful Ikkaku! Don't forget I'm still higher than you!" This time Renji glared at his companion while said Ikkaku only snickered. Renji sighed and shook his head. Of course, his friend wouldn't understand. No one would understand his feelings. How can he stop Rukia when he saw the pain, hope and despair in her eyes, when he knows the reason why she wanted it so bad to join the clergy. To atone for her sin, her mistake, her failure, to uphold the Kuchiki name and to clean her own. She didn't have to, no one thought that she was guilty, it was all an accident, well except for her prick brother and the clan. That's why he couldn't stop her, he didn't want to hinder Rukia he promised he would always support her. But doing that hurts him in the process. Now that she is a full-fledged priestess he will never be able to tell her his true feelings. How much he cares for her and how much he loves her. And now she also has that carrot-top always on her tail, he's a shinigami but even so he's still a man. But knowing Rukia, she wouldn't do anything foolish, priestesses are forbidden to fall in love anyway. Romance and attraction are not to be associated with them. When they are accepted to the temple and blessed by the Spirit King their attachment to the worldly things are ripped of and so their life are only committed to their duty to the Spirit King and to the people. How aggravating! Too much thinking makes his head hurt. He poured himself another cup of sake and downed it with one shot.
"Go on! Drink and drown yourself to forget your misery! Just don't expect me to haul your ass over to your house when you get drunk!" Ikkaku exclaimed then murmured to himself. "Poor guy"
"Shut up!" Renji answered. He'll do that, drown himself in drunkenness, but even so he does he still knows it'll never go away. After all, misery loves company. He chuckled, thinking he's getting angsty and sappy, this is so not like him.
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Rukia sat upright stretched her arms and let out a yawn. She had a dream, a bad dream about Kaien-dono. Her eyebrows furrowed remembering the dream thinking why it suddenly popped into her mind during sleep. Then she remembered she also had a dream about Ichigo though it was not very clear and couldn't quite recall what happened. She brushed her eyes with the back of her hand then looked around. Right, they were at an orphanage at Karakura. She noted herself to ask Inoue Orihime some safe questions she summed up yesterday night to learn more about the oddness of the situation of the small town, and of course to drop by the temple there to give her respect. She turned to look beside her to see a peaceful scowl-free face of Ichigo laying straight at the futon facing the ceiling. His hands were on his chest. She couldn't help but smile to see that this is how her guardian spirit looks like when sleeping. Rukia lifted her index finger and traced Ichigo's face from his brows to his eyes down to his cheeks and jaw when suddenly he opened his eyes too fast that startled Rukia. He stared at her scowling. "Sorry" she whispered but still audible enough for him to hear. "What were you doing?" he asked. "Nothing." She bit her lip. Yeah, what was she doing? She doesn't even know why she did that. Ichigo sat up and faced her, confused then he shrugged. She stood up and started fixing her futon. Ichigo tried to imitate the gesture but failed miserably. "Don't worry I'll fix that." She told him without looking. He let go of the things and walked to the side of the room watching her patiently. "You can go down now I still have to do my…morning rituals, you know human things." Rukia looked at him now. "I'll just stay outside the room again. I'll wait for you, don't want to wander around here aimlessly and I have to always be by your side remember." He casually replied. "Oh, okay. You don't have to take it literally, you know, always being around me. We're just in a small two storey house with children as occupants, what could possibly happen?" It was a rhetorical question. "Even so. And you said it yourself this is an orphanage there's nothing to see here, more importantly I don't want to go down there if I'll just be a pony ride again." He said irritably remembering how he was 'harassed' by the children. Rukia chuckled. "Fine, you should have just told me that you were avoiding your impending persecution." She didn't wait for his answer as after speaking she exited the room and headed to the bathroom at the end of the hallway. Ichigo followed suit and exited the room too but only leaned on the wall across the room they came from. Geez, humans are troublesome, having such ministrations and all. He was thankful he was a shinigami not having to need such trivial things but a part of him was also remorseful of the fact. Remorseful because he envies them and mainly because…
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gomenasai – sorry
A/N: A cliffhanger and short, I know! Sorry for the long wait. I really had a problem on deciding what will happen on this chapter. I just wrote freely what flowed out of my mind. I hope you like it. Please review!