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Falling Together
Chapter Fourteen- Revealed Tragedy
RELIEF NOTE: Something's wrong with my email…so I was a little depressed when I found no reviews. But thankfully I went back here to check. Thanks for supporting my story guys:D
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Orihime checked him once more while carrying a tray of one of his favorite meals. Curry. She let out a soft sigh as she found him staring lazily outside the window. It was raining pretty hard, and he seemed to detest the rain a lot today. "Ano…Kurosaki-kun, I've brought you your lunch." The woman replied a little cheerfully, he let out a deep scowl and turned away once more. She ignored his childish attitude and placed the tray on the nearby table.
"You know, I'm not hungry." He muttered a little agitated towards her. Orihime rolled her eyes and shrugged.
"Why are you always like this?" She asked and soon left his room. Ichigo snorted and heard the door click behind him. "Seriously you should have gotten over this." Orihime murmured behind the door and walked towards a guest room in which Rukia was occupying.
She turned the knob and found a giant lump underneath the covers. She walked towards it and slightly pulled the covers revealing a sickly looking woman. "R-Rukia-san?" Orihime asked a little surprised as she found the frail woman lay there emotionless. It was as if her soul and fiery spirit had been sucked up by some strange monster. "Are you okay?!" She asked frantically and helped her sit up. Rukia nodded and turned away from her as well.
She's just like you, Ichigo. The girl smiled to herself as the smaller one tried slapping her hand away from her. But because she was weak, Rukia couldn't hurt Orihime even if she tried her fullest. "Ano, I'll get Unohana-san!" Orihime spoke thoughtfully and was about to dash outside of the room, but Rukia caught her arm on time.
"No…it's alright Orihime-san…I'm just feeling a little tired today." Rukia let out a small smile that could crack any moment. Orihime watched her stare outside the window. Unlike Ichigo, Rukia seemed to enjoy the pouring rain. Her eyes shimmered as she gazed at the droplets bouncing off of the windowpane. "Ano…Orihime-san…?" Rukia whispered concentrating outside the window. Orihime gazed at the petite woman sitting on the bed. "Can I ask you a question?" Rukia asked.
Orihime couldn't believe what Rukia had asked. She was quite disturbed, but it was true. "Ano…Orihime-san, have you…and Ichigo…um…were you two in love?" Rukia whispered staring at her with pleading eyes. She wanted her to tell the truth, even if it would tear her heart to a million pieces. Even if it would mean that she would have a reason to kill him.
"W-What are you talking about???" Orihime sniffed while laughing. She wiped some tears from her eyes, and found Rukia looking a little disappointed.
"It seems like no one wants to tell me the truth." She muttered bitterly and lay back down on the bed. "Well…it's alright, Orihime-san. You may leave if you wish." She grumbled and tossed the sheets over her head. Orihime stared at Rukia and still sat on the small stool her rear was occupying. Rukia had closed her eyes, and heard the door close from behind her. She heaved a sigh and fluttered her eyes open, once more.
Orihime was gone.
She walked down the hallway while wiping her tears. Everything was so wrong, life was so cruel and twisted. Rukia should have never asked such a question and Ichigo should have stopped caring about her. It gave too much frightening memories back.
She opened her room and found Ishida sewing like a concerned mother. He had just finished a pair of white silk gloves and seemed rather happy to see her in the room. "Ah! Would you like to try this out?" He asked his wife and handed her the laced gloves. Orihime smiled sadly and shook her head. It seemed that she was in a bad mood. "Very well." He let out an upset sigh, but still managed to smile at her. "So…did Ichigo argue with you again?" He asked staring at her. She sat beside him.
"No. He just told me that he wasn't hungry. That was it." She answered honestly and lay her head on his shoulder. Ishida drooped his head down , feeling a little burden.
"What about Rukia…? Did she say anything to harm you?" He asked, biting his lower lip. Orihime made a small nod. "Was it about Ichigo?" He continued to ask her various questions, and soon it got somewhere. "So…it's about your past, isn't it?" Ishida whispered thoughtfully. Orihime nodded again. "Don't worry…I'll explain to Rukia about everything…you need not say anything." He smiled and soon left.
At first she wanted to protest to Ishida. How could Rukia bare to listen to such a heartbreaking story? But yet again…how could she bare to not know the truth? She let out a sigh and found her husband leaving their room.
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Kuukaku opened her eyes and found a relieved Hanatarou standing above her with glee. "YOU'RE ALIVE!" He shouted and nearly hugged her before she got up and shoved him off of her. "Ouch…" She heard him murmur quietly, but he soon got up with a wide smile. "I'm glad you are awake, Kuukaku-sama!" He bowed and sat on the stool that was beside her.
"I failed." She huffed and her fists clenched onto the golden post of her bed. Hanatarou gazed at his feet, he didn't know what to say. "I couldn't save that blubbering idiot." She angrily shouted and squirmed in her futon. She wanted to kill herself, but how could she? The stupid katana she had kept was confiscated and all the items in the room could not even kill an insect, not including the bed.
"I-I'm sure, Ganju-san is still fine!" Hanatarou tried to bring her spirits up, but he had failed miserably. Kuukaku did not want to listen. She never listened to him. He let out a defeated sigh and watched her act all depressed.
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Byakuya had blocked her sword so easily, and he had appeared behind her with an eased expression. "What are you doing?" He asked in a quiet tone, Matsumoto's eyes widened and she could feel sweat trickle down her forehead. How the hell is he THIS fast? She asked angrily and then calmed down a bit. His grip lessoned, and she found him turning away. "If you do this again, I will not let you live." He replied shortly after, and disappeared.
She huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. "You…" She muttered angrily and stomped off. How was he this powerful? Last time she had trained with him he wasn't that all good. She was the same age as him…maybe a little older, but she would never admit that to the public. "What did you do, Byakuya?" She asked concerned. "What did you do to yourself?"
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A knock was heard, and Rukia had asked the person politely, to enter. Ishida entered the room and pushed the rim of his glasses up with a little cold expression. "Kuchiki-san…may I speak to you…?" He asked in a proper manner. The woman gazed at him with sleepiness, but nodded slowly. "Arigatou." He whispered in relief and sat down near her. "I would like to discuss with you about…Kurosaki." He murmured.
His topic peaked her interest, and she found herself sitting up straight immediately. She was surprised that Ishida's main subject was her husband. He never fancied talking over men. "Y-yes?" Her throat was itchy, and she coughed violently. Ever since that stupid war she had gained some cold or fever. Ishida stared at the floor. He seemed rather uncomfortable, but he was willing to reveal everything.
"It…It happened two years ago…Somewhere in January." He grumbled and scratched the back of his head. Rukia listened intently.
January 14th : The Past Kept Hidden
Ichigo stared at her lovingly. She was his fiancée, his love, and his childhood friend. Orihime was dancing about around the fields of snow singing some folk song. "Oi. Don't go too far." He shouted at the woman who had lifted her head up to meet his gaze. She let out a wide smile and laughed gently.
"I wont." She let out a grin, and continued her path around the white field.
"It was a normal day…" Ishida replied bitterly and stared at Rukia who seemed a bit aghast at the moment. She knew it. Ever since Orihime had appeared, Ichigo had been extremely energetic after his awakening. She could feel his reiatsu rise, and slowly simmer down with calmness. Somehow…she knew all along those two loved each other.
Ishida stared off from his room. He was a guest invited by the Kurosaki family, and he had so humbly accepted their offer. It seemed that his father and Ichigo's father were making some sort of a treaty to prevent troublesome wars. And it would take a LOT of signing to make it legal. He sighed finding Ichigo so merrily with her. He should be envious of him. After all…he was in love with her ever since four.
"Oi. Ishida-kun…why don't you join with them?" Asked his father, as the man entered the room taking a few supplies out of his luggage. He detested such formality, so he politely excused himself and walked towards an isolated area.
Mean while Ichigo was eying Orihime who was making some snowman. She seemed to cherish the snow a lot, it was rare in her country, so she enjoyed ever second of it. As she patted her raw hands over the cold ball she could feel her warmth disappearing a little. Blowing on them to keep the heat, she found Ichigo's hands clasping onto hers making it warmer. Her eyes glistened and she blushed as she found her fiancée treating her too kindly.
"Is something the matter?" He asked as he found her staring at him intently. She shook her head and looked at their hands. His was nicely cupping hers, and she could feel the warmth he was spreading to her.
"Arigatou…" She managed to whisper.
Their eyes met each other's with such emotion, for the first time. Ichigo seemed a little bit embarrassed and let go of her hands. Orihime looked away blushing furiously and continued to make her snowman. Ishida at that time was on the hills gazing at the two with jealousy.
"I was extremely… jealous." He muttered feeling quite idiotic and started spitting fake coughs. Rukia looked at him with sympathy. She could understand his emotions, as she was in the same position right now. "But…I was extremely happy that they were so fond of each other." He smiled and she could see him hiding his eyes away from her.
"A-Anyhow! It was about supper time, and father called us back in." He stuttered and proceeded on with the story.
"Orihime…it's time to go back in!" Ichigo replied and took her hand gently. Orihime nodded and followed behind him, smiling widely. Ishida followed in their shadows and remained silent.
At that time…no one knew what happened. We were too busy with what was going on, to even realize what was happening to ourselves.
A huge explosion erupted from underneath the three, and the snow traveled up in the atmosphere. Luckily Ishida had estimated the timing of the snow and managed to dodge all the attempted attacks. As he slid down the ice he lifted his head to find the two stuck in the flames of frozen hail. His heart beat as he heard Ichigo's shouting in the fiery echoes.
I was too foolish to risk my life for them. I was a coward and watched him…no, them…suffer.
"ORIHIME!" He yelled at a limp figure and shook the girl furiously. His hands ached as the ice froze them, and he was finally able to realize what had happened. She was dead.
I could have laughed at his luck. But the fact was, I couldn't…because what he had lost…was the same as mines.
Ishida stood up and stared at him. He was yelling for help. But what could he do? His hands shook violently and he lifted a bow made of blue. What could he do with this? Ishida stared at the fiery pits and bit his lower lip.
"PLEASE SOMEONE HELP!?!" Ichigo's voice cried, and soon it faded away. Ishida's eyes widened and he let go of the arrow, it went through the flames…and no sign of Ichigo or Orihime was made.
A light of white appeared…in the most strangest situations. Nothing happened to me…I was just surrounded by the color…Ichigo at that time…was…
"Do you really want to save her?" A man asked staring at Ichigo with such a calm expression. Ichigo stared at that man, and clung on to the girl with all his remaining energy. "I will bring her to life…I will help you…if you give yourself to me." He replied with a small smile creeping up.
Ishida found Ichigo holding Orihime and talking to him. For some reason, he knew what he was up to. "NO ICHIGO! DON'T!!!" The boy shouted angrily and tried running to him, but a hand grasped onto his arms…and he turned around. A white haired soldier with a thin quick smile covering half of his face.
At first, Ichigo hesitated…but as he found Orihime's warmth disappearing he pleaded to him. Risking his everything. A laugh escaped the man's thin lips, and he agreed. "Fine then. You are mine to control." The man replied, and the light disappeared.
She was alive…with no memories of him. No love of him…and due to his risk, all the memories…that he was in her were replaced with me.
"Thank goodness you're okay!" Ichigo whispered, and wiped the blood that had spilt onto her face. Orihime fluttered her eyes opened and found him. She stared at him for several seconds and searched everywhere for that face. "What's wrong?" He asked as she asked him to let her go.
"W-Where's Ishida-kun?" She asked and searched frantically. Ichigo scratched the back of his head.
"Why are you worried about him?" He asked jokingly. She glared at him, something that she had NEVER done.
"He's my fiancée, remember?" She hissed, and then apologized.
"His life changed dramatically…and he explained everything that had happened to Orihime to his father and mines…they both agreed it was alright for me to engage with Inoue-san…but Ichigo kept on fighting back." Rukia closed her eyes. She could not listen any more, yet she wished to. "I was despised by Ichigo…but loved by Orihime…the woman I wished to spend my entire life with…so I did not know what to feel." The man continued. Rukia stared below her feet. If somehow…she could have changed the past.
"We got married, and I taught Orihime everything. She learnt about her past…how she was really in love with Ichigo, and not me. But she still was fond over me, and wished not to betray my side." Ishida gulped and Rukia let out a bitter smile. "And so…that is what happened." Ishida answered. "That is why…Ichigo is that man, who had killed your family and friend." And he bowed down apologizing.
"I could not save anyone…If I had reached Ichigo…I would have not made you suffered." He replied and bowed down. "I am sorry, Kuchiki-san." He whispered.
"It's alright." She replied, wiping her tears.