Rain Rain Go Away:
Chapter Five
April Showers bring May FlowersDisclaimer: I do not own Bleach, nor Rukia or Ichigo, or…..lists long names of Bleach characters yeah you get the idea
At the kurosaki Household
Sounds of scuffling up and down the stairs of the kurosaki clinic could be heard half way across town, not to mention the cheers and songs Isshin Kurosaki sang along with Yuzu ecstatically. They had boxes of all sizes and kinds filled with decorations, cookbooks, games and much more fun party stuff. Yuzu of course role-played the mother in these chores, as she got right to work on the cooking. Karin was in charge of the cleaning and preparations such as decorating. She was forced against her will to work with her dad. Because of her big brother, she had to miss out at playing baseball with her friends and then hitting the arcade later. This was one of those times she just wanted to look up her birth certificate and prove that she was really adopted and somewhere far away was her normal or athletic superstar family waiting for her. She was deeply disappointed to find her father's face right up close to hers with that goofy idiotic grin of his plastered on his face. He wanted to make the chores and festive preparations a father-daughter competition. Karin scowled as veins popped in her neck. She did a sharp uppercut to his father's chin sending her father down the stairs sobbing and crawling up the masaki poster talking nonsense as usual to the poster of his deceased wife. Karin detested the idea of a party for her brother more and more as the day progressed. He didn't deserve a party for the way he just walked out of the house, totally ignoring them all and went to mope about mother. Here it was his birthday and all he could think about was how 'he killed her', and how much he destroyed the family. It made Karin want to go up to him and beat him to a pulp for acting so emo. Half the time, Karin imagined just how many times each year he planned to commit suicide. That selfish, depressed bastard! He only thinks about himself. Did he ever once think how much the death of Masaki affected them too? Karin sighed as he probably did, but that would only cause him more grief. Why must her brother carry a burden for so long? She truly deep down did not like to see him sad. More than that, Karin wanted to see him smile. Even though it was a long time ago, and Karin was merely a toddler at the time, she remembered how her brother was always happy and light-hearted. He was filled with innocence and spirit. He loved to play games with her and Yuzu and play fight with their dad. They were always together when mother was around. Every night they would go to a park or see a movie. They would be outside until the sun went down. Even before bedtime, Mother made it fun. She would make everything into a game or a race. She would give whoever brushed their teeth and was in bed first, a little gift. She would also read until they were asleep. However those precious memories were lost in the tide with unforgiving rain. Karin had to feel some sort of sympathy for her older brother for he only tried to save a little girl from falling into the flooding waters but Mom's cries of fear and bewilderment had not reached Ichigo. Mom rushed to protect his son from falling in to, but some unseen force struck her. Ichigo passed out but awoke to see his mother's limp arms protectively wrapped around him, and her eyes closed. Karin instantly knew something was wrong when her older brother returned that one fateful night for he looked much more somber and did not dare look anyone in the eye. When toddler Karin and Yuzu looked at him with concern and curiosity, he told them between his sobbing, that he killed mom. By then, all of them were crying and none of them could sleep that night. Karin snapped out of her brooding when she looked at the time. The party was in less than a half hour and Ichigo was nowhere in sight. For once, this was a good thing. Isshin decided to throw a surprise party for his son. Now, you may think this is a thoughtful thing for him to do but guess again. For all but two of the invited were single, hot female high school teenagers. He wanted for him to find a girlfriend that night because his son was too distant and he seriously needed a woman in his life. Karin; with haste, finished what she had started. After that, she went into the bathroom to wash up.
Yuzu had finished cooking dinner and the deserts and now she was washing up in the sink. She finished washing her hands before sitting down at the table and turning on TV hoping something good would be on. She flipped through the channels idly until something caught her attention and she put down the remote. It was the news, and the breaking news was that pools of blood were found in the park near their house. The police were still investigating as to what happened. They suspected that there was a murder of some sort but no body was found. Police dogs were still sniffing out for any leads. Yuzu sighed, tired of hearing of such violence. She turned off the TV and decided to see how her pops was doing. He had bruises all over his face with courtesy to Karin but that tireless grin was on his face. He was turning on some party music and grabbed Yuzu to dance with him. Yuzu was happy to see her dad so happy, and the two danced around the room. Karin; disgusted after coming down the stairs to see this, kicked Isshin again, this time in the shins. Yuzu scolded Karin for hitting their dad, but of course Karin gave the usual scowl and grunt before leaving the room. Yuzu, with haste tended to her father but looked up to see Karin exiting through the back door. "Just where are you going Karin?" Karin sent a look over shoulders, one with no emotion whatsoever. "I'm done with my chores, gonna play some baseball with the guys." Without waiting for an answer Karin shut the door. All the guests and including them were advised to leave through the back door since they figured Ichigo would come through the front as usual. Karin looked up at the sky. The rain was still falling hard. She began to notice some flooding in areas that were flat and right near the river. She reached for her umbrella and sheltered her head from the rain. Her shoes kicked forward water as she ran faster and faster to the park. When she got to the park though, her friends were nowhere in site. "Cowards," said Karin venomously. "All too scared of a little rainfall." Seeing as there was clearly nothing to do in the park, she thought she would take a little walk. It seemed there would be no end to this rain and the sun was nowhere in sight.
Miss Kuchiki was found in the garden of the Kuchiki estate. Next to climbing to high places, taking naps or just daydreaming next to flowers, was her next favorite way to kill time. It was the only place after all that she could sit under rows and rows of flowers and not be seen by anyone. Her Kuchiki poise was somehow lost when she would maybe romp through them like a cat or play with them. Flowers always sort of made Rukia feel together and complete. She looked at a flower, any kind whether it be as beautiful as a rose or as ugly as a weed, she knew she could relate; for like a flower she blooms best in sunshine and flourished with water so she can grow. However as the flower ages and petals fall, that beauty dulls and fades as the life ceases to exist. Like a flower she knows her life is but a line stretching into eternity into a never-ending cycle of life and death. At night she dances with the moon, and in sunlight she absorbs the heat but would also prefer the shadows. Miss Rukia is a flower indeed, if only she would bloom once more, or open up. But right now it seems she is wilting slowly, barricading herself from happiness, anger and sadness. She puts on a pretty dress and she will even force a smile, but that smile is only but sorrow and lost innocence. Her petals are dropping and her grace is falling. Rukia Kuchiki is a dying flower. However as depressing as this may sound to you, not all is lost, because this little flower is about drink in life for a second chance. She tensed as she felt her brother's reiatsu getting closer and closer. She was sure she would get beaten now. She dishonored the Kuchiki family and must be dealt with severely, but something did not make sense. If her nii-sama wanted to scold her, he would not walk up to her or look for her. She would walk to his den to talk to him. She could only wait and find out. Maybe he could also tell her why Ukitake-taicho was here. The minute that Byakuya nii-sama walked out into the garden, Rukia stood up respectful of her brother, before he sat down. Rukia followed, and sat down as well. She did not make eye contact, for that was a sign of disrespect and ignorance. She did not jump on him by asking him the questions; she would wait for him to speak first since he was older than she. "Rukia, as you might already know, Ukitake-taicho stopped by not too long ago." His words were emotionless and drawn out slowly. Rukia's heart skipped a beat. Did he know she was there spying on them? "Yes nii-sama. I may have notices his spirit pressure while I was out back." Byakuya waited a moment. "I made sure you were exempt from any testing and you are to join Ukitake's division. However, I have not let him give you a seat, as you are far too young for such danger. You are to report to the 13th division headquarters as soon as possible. I have notified your teachers and they have approved." Rukia withheld from showing any signs of surprise or emotion in front of her brother. She drank in the words. She had not expected such to happen for many months. She was only a first year and had much to learn yet before graduating. She then thought of Renji who was still in the human world and she smirked. That bastard, wait until he finds out that I am more special than he thinks! Rukia bowed her head and stared at her brother's back as he walked away. She went into her room and decided she would leave right then, but first she would wash herself. First impressions were always important with the etiquette of a noble. She did not take long, and took a quick bite to eat before leaving. It seemed that only a week ago, she and Renji were both to go to the academy and now she was a step closer to her dreams. She would finally become the guy she saw when she was younger. He was from the rukon district like she was, and he became a death god too. She had passed out from his presence. She was awed by such spirit power, that it stuck with her. She had ever since concentrated her spirit energy so she could be just as strong. She wanted to prove more than anything; she was neither a stuck up rich brat, or a Rukongai rat. She was Rukia, just simply Rukia and nothing more.
Rukia finally noticed how long she was taking, and she rushed with a small bag in her hand of a few necessities while she was working. She knew she always had a place at the Kuchiki mansion, so there was no need to over pack. She made sure not to dress nice, but professional. She knew that by walking over to the squad well known as the reconnaissance division, in a dress was like walking into a battlefield in with a death wish. She replayed everything her brother taught her over the years and walked outside her court and out the main court. She was now on the streets of seireretei. She flashed stepped to the thirteenth division's main court to be greeted by Joushiro Ukitake and his two lower seated lieutenants.
She only knew him from that one night. She was given the chance to join him and Kaien to find the hollow that killed his wife. She was still young and inexperienced. She was certain that he would think twice about her now, since she had to kill his vice captain. She was sure that he did not want her due to that he didn't want her to face that sort of situation again. Ukitake-taicho knew how much Kaien meant to her no matter how many times she only wanted a lieutenant-officer relationship, an acquaintance sort of relationship but that grew much deeper, and killing him struck her in the heart hard. That nightmare was carried over many times, over the past few decades since then, the heavy burden almost overwhelming her. They flanked her on either side. They flashed her a look and told her to follow them. She obediently did so without a word. She stopped when the captain created a gate, using a special key that linked the soul society to the living world. Rukia was tingling with excitement at the prospect of going on an important mission by the looks of it so soon. Once they all stepped in, a light engulfed them and the door closed behind them.
So this is what death is like. Huh…and no welcome wagon? Where's God? Where's the devil? Or do I just belong in between? Do I not deserve eternal rest and peace, nor everlasting misery and torture? COME ON! Ichigo looked at his hands and everything around him. He had only been dead for one day, and this was NOT how he had thought death was. He imagined something more normal and soothing. He expected soft words telling him to come into the light or for him to fall into a black hole and be burnt to a crisp. Better yet, he should actually have paid attention when he was younger. But how was he supposed to know that there was actually an afterlife. Would he walk around forever with no certainty of whether he would rest peacefully or be bound to where he was born forever. He took in a breath and let out, but his breathing was decreasing fast. He walked through trees not feeling the slightest phased. His hands swung lifelessly at his waists.
Death had no luxuries, decided Ichigo. Besides being able to walk through stuff, it didn't add any excitement to him. In fact whenever he walked through an object that was still alive, he felt a chill throughout his ghostly body, and it exhausted him. It also made the chain on his chest severe more. He finally decided that moving became pointless. So he decided to go where he normally hung out, the rooftop of his school. He ran there as fast as he could. He was happy though that he didn't need to break in to get to the top. Instead he decided on walking up the walls there. When he got there, he felt finally at peace, and the pain in his chest stopped for the time being. He lyed down on his back, with his hands behind his head. Then he closed his eyes and was ready to rest.
With a rip into the time and space continuum, unnoticed by anyone, stepped out the thirteenth gotei thirteen captain and his subordinates. He had a hand at the hilt of his sword, tightening his grip around it. They were told to explore the area of Karakura town and to be on the look out for any hollows. This was no big deal, as Ukitake Taicho was used to doing such missions. They weren't expecting anything big. It was perfect for Rukia since this was her first time out in the real world since she died. Ukitake inhaled oxygen and let it out. Where they were, there was a dead silence and calming atmosphere that had a chilling affect on his team. He let a small smile show through when he saw how controlled and mature Rukia was handling this situation, but then again Rukia WAS indeed over 100 years old. However that moment of peace was gone, when a blood-curdling howl tore into the sky, making the thirteenth division turn their heads instantly to the sound. Ukitake led his squad to the location, keeping a close eye on Rukia as she was still young and inexperienced and very likely to distance herself and get herself hurt. Rukia though still wasn't fazed, if not startled she was definitely more focused and determined to expose of this hollow. Rukia, like her captain did not think much of this. Ukitake looked down at his 'cellular phone' to find just where this monstrosity was located. When they turned a sharp corner, there it was. Rukia sniffed at how disgusting it looked. The hollow was relatively tall, an average height for a hollow. The hollow had a green and yellow mask and a purple body. There was the hole where the heart was supposed to be; the hollow's signature feature. Rukia unsheathed her zanpaktou that she was given before she left school. It was in it sealed form, and it would be that way until she saw her zanpaktou's physical manifestation herself so she can call out its name. With a quick look at Ukitake, she asks him, "Ukitake-taicho, let me kill this hollow!" Her voice was gruff and raw with determination. Ukitake did have to admit that she had guts and did not seem slightly scared. He sighed as he examined the hollow, and it was a garden variety hollow. Rukia could take it easily, even with her being not as experienced with swordsmanship. Ukitake nodded his reply and Rukia nodded back in understandment. "Get along with it Kuchiki-san." Rukia put both hands on the cross guard and grounded her feet well before leaping into the air, and with a battle cry she cut the hollow in half at the top of the mask skillfully. Rukia gave a smug smile as she saw she made a successful slaying. She only wished that Kaien were here to witness it. This was the first time she had slayed a hollow alone. She watched it disintegrate into nothing, and once again there was silence until Rukia looked around and saw what appeared to be a high school for mortals. Burning with curiosity, she looked back at Ukitake. "I'm going to patrol over here Taicho!" Ukitake dipped his head again and turned his back. Rukia defied all the laws of physics as she gracefully leapt from tree to tree, birds passing her by. The sun was just rising. The ground was damp and flooded with rain, but the rain had stopped and that's when Rukia realized as she looked up at the rooftop, she was not alone. She could just make out orange hair.