Warning: Lots of plot and some fluff (I think).
-The White Zanpakuto, Chapter III-
Ichigo was standing next to him. He did not look to meet his eyes but instead stared out ahead, "Behave yourself," he said in that protective manner he reserved for his sisters. This time however he spoke for the girl next to him.
Kaien did not look at him either, this was meant to be a serious moment, and the fact that they did not have to search one another's eyes for deceit projected their trust in the word of the other.
"What else could you expect of me but good conduct?" he asked, a smile playing on his lips. "Besides," he said as he glanced at the girl in question. "She's not my type."
Ichigo scoffed. "Like I'll believe that." He looked to the girl. "Rukia, I'm going now. Get acquainted with this guy here and don't hesitate to kick his ass if he tries anything."
The girl, Rukia, blinked and shot Kaien a baffled look. "Do I have to?" she asked Ichigo in whispering tones…that did not pass Kaien's ears. "Why can't I go with you?"
"Because," interjected Kaien. "Getting to know your comrades before venturing anywhere with them is of outmost priority." She looked at him as if she were seeing a new person. He grinned. "I can be serious too, kid," he informed.
Ichigo sighed. "Kaien, stop fooling around." He met Rukia's eyes. "You already know Hisagi and I, so now you have to do the same with Kaien."
Said man laughed and threw an arm around Ichigo's shoulders. "She doesn't have to, she gets to," he corrected.
Armed with a disgusted grimace Ichigo threw the offending arm off. "Kaien, stop being an idiot." To Rukia he sighed. "Try and endure it, I won't be gone long." With that said he Shumpoed off, leaving not a trail of dust or anything in his wake.
Kaien crossed his arms over his chest and smiled at the girl. He had lied, this girl was a pretty intriguing type that he might like to possibly venture. But he supposed that the Ichigo warning had been for a reason, the one being that perhaps his friend was interested?
"I go by Shiba Kaien," he said when she had yet to speak. "I am Thirteenth Squad's Vice-Captain, it's good to meet you." He waited for her to greet him back, but found that the response he was awaiting would not happen unless he grasped her attention by his own means.
At the moment she was looking over his shoulder, gazing in the direction Ichigo had gone. She wore a puzzled expression, as if she was trying to work out a problem in her mind.
To his distaste he found his eyebrow twitched involuntary. He was being ignored, which quite possibly had never occurred to him, It was reason enough to be ticked off.
He tapped his foot, trying to pry her daydream from the vicinity, which failed as she did not as much as blink. He glowered. "Hey, brat," he spoke loudly. "I just introduced myself, why not show a little courtesy and do the same?"
She jumped at his voice and bowed hastily when his words dawned understanding. "I-I'm sorry," she apologized.
He waved his hand. "Nah, don't be. Just tell me your damn name." He supposed that maybe adding a bit of language in there had not been a good choice, he surmised that she had gained a little bit of fear from it judging from how she kept her bowed position. "Rukia," she said so soft. "My name is Rukia."
He nodded and casually walked to her, she had yet to rise so he decided to play around a bit, hoping that maybe due to that she would become more at ease. He stood next to her and leaned sideways to rest his arm on her head. "Have you become immobile or do you need me to order you to stand up properly?" he asked.
He removed his arm and she hastily straightened herself. Now that he was in close proximity to her he realized that she was quite a small girl. In fact everything about her seemed to be little. "And I thought Kiyone was tiny," he said aloud to himself. "But you take the cake, brat."
He took her hand and pressed her palm to his. "Geez, I'm like a monster when weighed against you," he marveled at the contrast between her hand and his. "My fingers look like logs compared to yours." He grasped her wrist and touched her pinky. "I bet you're great with a sword, you have really nimble fingers."
He looked to meet her eyes and found that she was staring at the ground, however she could hide her eyes she could not do the same with the blush that graced her cheeks. He berated himself. "Sorry," he apologized, releasing her hand. "I'm not trying anything, but if you want you can take a shot to compensate for embarrassing you," he offered as he gestured at his cheek. "Want to sock me one?"
She looked up and frowned. "No thank you," she replied.
He sighed. "Wow, I got you to hate me already. Ichigo's going to undoubtedly have a laugh when he finds out."
She shook her head. "I won't tell," she said.
Kaien smiled. "That so?" he asked to which she nodded. "Well, then, to celebrate lets start over," he suggested.
"Start over?" she voiced, staring at him with quite a passive expression in her eyes. "Yeah," he said. He extended his arm to her, offering his hand. "Shiba Kaien," he said. "Nice to meet you."
She tentatively took his hand. "Rukia," she said. As soon as she did he shook hers, she let him do all the work. "And?" he said, waiting for more before he relinquished her hand.
"And?" she asked, looking confused. "You're supposed to say 'glad to be working with you' or something like that," said Kaien.
She looked at their joined hands and blushed. "I'm glad to be working with you Vice-Captain," she said while looking away.
He grinned and flicked her forehead. She stepped back in alarm and covered her abused temple with both her hands. She blinked and then abruptly turned away from him. "I don't like you," she said. "Leave me alone."
He coughed, not sure if he had heard correctly or not. "What?" he asked, stressing the word. She shook her head from side to side and began to walk away to where he recognized as the path Ichigo had taken to leave. "Where are you going?" he asked even thought he already knew the answer.
She didn't look back. "To find Kurosaki san," she said. To that Kaien was rendered to sigh. Pissing her off hadn't been his intention, but obviously it was how she felt at the moment. He Shumpoed a pace and stopped when he was in front of her, stemming the flow of her steps. "Don't be mad at me this is your fault," he informed. Because in his opinion it really was. He had after all done nothing incredibly wrong. He had introduced himself only to find that he was being ignored and then when he tried to get to know her like he was supposed to she decided to get offended. He told her this, all in a drawlingly mocking voice.
She merely gazed nonchalantly as he spoke and remained cold when he finished and waited for some sort of apology. She spoke not and he in a high of annoyance grabbed her by the sides of her arms, compressing them against her body, and lifted her as high as he could.
She didn't scream, but began to kick and struggle. This gave Kaien a difficult time as he tried to secure her. "Stop moving!" he yelled finally when her knee digging into his chest became unbearable. "What the heck is wrong with you?" he demanded. "Why are you walking away from me? Why do you claim to hate me? Explain to me so I can do something about it!"
She had ceased her movements as he yelled, however she continued struggling as soon as his voice faded at his inquiries. She kicked his side and wriggled her shoulders, trying hard to escape. He growled, annoyance reaching the pinnacle point in his thermostat. She glared at him and somehow raised both of her legs to press the flat expanse of both her sandaled feet against his chest. She pushed and he was forced to let go from the momentum of the shove.
She wasted not a second and turned to run away from him as soon as she settled herself when she landed awkwardly on her feet. He stumbled backwards and soon regained his balance. He spared no moment as well and dashed after her, somehow Shumpo slipping from his mind.
For being short the girl was fast, and a part of his brain reasoned that it must be due to her slim build. 'And strong legs,' he though as his chest throbbed where her feet had made connection. 'She better not have left an imprint!'
He was gaining on her, and once she noticed the fact she made an effort to run faster. 'To bad for her,' he thought with a grin, 'I'm not a Vice-Captain for nothing.' He sped up as well and once she was within range he raised his run's tempo once more, easily passing her. He could almost feel her surprise as he intercepted her. She had no room to stop and ran right into his outstretched arms.
He caught her in a bear hug and lowered his head down slightly so that when they fell backwards his back would receive the full brunt of the impact.
His plan worked to perfection and they both lay there for a moment, Kaien reveling in his genius and the brat in what he supposed was stupor. Soon she started struggling against him. Her hands pushing in a futile effort against his chest. "Let me go!" she yelled, her voice ringing in his eardrums. He grinned and flipped them over in a motion that he was sure would leave her baffled senseless.
It did. She lay beneath him quite still, as if not comprehending what just occurred. "Trapped," he whispered to her, lowering his head to blow soft wind into her ear. She shivered and then began to push against him again, this time using her legs as well, digging her knees into the flesh of his stomach. "Stay still," he ordered and maneuvered his body as to push her legs together, he held them put by sandwiching them between his thighs. "Play nice," he said when she was rendered motionless; her legs incapable of movement and her arms held together high above her head by one of his own.
He raised his head and met her eyes, which he found to be wide with fear. His own widened as well. "No," he said hastily. "I'm not doing this to do something to you. I just wanted to straighten things out, and this was the only way I could come up with since you were so intent on running away from me like I was some kind of psycho rapist." Once he was sure she had calmed he let go of her hands, instead he placed the flat surface of his palms on eigher side of her head.
He breathed in deeply. "So don't be afraid." She blinked and looked away from him, "I suppose I got much too carried away," she confessed. "I apologize."
He nodded. "But you mind telling me why you ran?" he asked. She blushed. "Like I said, I didn't like you. You made me really nervous, and made me seem really dumb, or I suppose I worked that out myself with the whole introduction. And my hands…" She trailed off and a hue of pink appeared on her cheeks. "Your hands?" he asked.
She looked to him and met his eyes fully. "I, I'm in reality horrible with swords. I always have to stay behind for extra instruction when we practice with them."
"Oh," was all he could say. "Then it wasn't really me, right?" he asked with a grin.
She turned red this time and her eyes narrowed. "Get off," she commanded, which was by far the most forceful he had ever heard her say.
A shadow cast over them. "Am I interrupting?" questioned an un-amused voice from behind them, rendering Kaien to hastily scramble off Rukia.
Looking sheepish, he scratched the back of his head in embarrassment, "Not what it looks like, Ichigo," he laughed as he bent down slightly and offered his hand to Rukia who was pulling herself to a sitting position on the floor.
She took it and was immediately pulled to standing. "Thank you," she said and retrieved her hand from his abruptly.
Kaien smiled widely as Rukia dusted herself off, a deep blush evident on her creamy skin. "Well, I suppose we're almost leaving," he said, with a hint of question in his voice that Ichigo caught.
"Yeah," he affirmed, his eyes still glaring. "Hisagi will be here momentarily, and once he arrives we'll be on our way."
Kaien scratched the back of his head again, "Sounds good," he shrugged. He felt a slight pull on his hakama, and abruptly turned to see what it had been. It was the brat, who was gazing at him with an unappreciative look.
"You still haven't told me why I'm here," she reminded him in a deadpanned voice.
Kaien faltered, a puzzled look overriding his features, "I haven't?" he questioned of her.
"No, you haven't," she assured impatiently. "Not truly. All I know is that the Human World has something to do with it."
Kaien smiled then, proud that she was more forward with him, more comfortable. "Well brat, you're here to accompany us on a trip to the Human World, it's so that I can administer a test to Hisagi, just to see if he really does have the makings of a seated officer," he explained.
Rukia's eyes widened, "Hisagi sempai is going to become a seated officer?" she said.
Kaien winked at her, "Maybe, maybe not, it depends on him kid."
She nodded, understanding, and then like one of those curious creatures…prairie dogs, yes, those funny little animals he loved watching spring up, she lifted her body with a flounce of a movement and searched around with her blue gaze. "He's gone," she spoke through pink lips.
"Gone?" he repeated, snapped out of his musings, "Who's gone?"
"Kurosaki san," she clarified, confusion riddling her face. "Do you know where he went, Vice-Captain?" she asked.
Kaien shook his head, "Nope, no idea where he went, but don't worry he's probably off brooding somewhere," he assured, recalling the look on his face when he caught himself and the brat a few minutes before.
Rukia raised a thin eyebrow, "Brooding," she said, disbelief quite evident in her voice.
"Yeah," said Kaien with a smile, "He does that sometimes."
Rukia looked unconvinced, "He doesn't seem like the brooding type," she said, "He seemed more like the take-my-rage-out-on-my-surroundings sort of person to me."
Kaien laughed, "He's that too," he assured, "But that's not it, he most likely went of to look for Hisagi."
"Oh," she said.
"Kurosaki Ichigo," said Kaien loudly, "Third-seat in my Squad," he elaborated slightly.
Rukia nodded, she walked a bit from him, in the direction that he was sure Ichigo had left. He let her stray, knowing that she would not attempt to run again.
Kaien watched as she clasped her hands behind her back and walked around in an effort to sustain the boredom of the wait Hisagi was putting them through. 'Graceful,' he thought idly to himself, 'She could easily pass for nobility.'
She abruptly stopped, and settled her blue gaze on him, "Vice-captain?" she inquired, "What is Kurosaki Ichigo like in your opinion?"
He raised an eyebrow, "Find him cute?" he teased, a broad grin easing on his lips, expecting a glare from her.
To his surprise, she blushed. "No," she corrected quietly, "I was merely curious about his impression on other people."
"Why?" asked Kaien, curious himself.
She did not answer immediately, but looked away from him to settle her sights to the sky. She continued her walking for a few minutes, and then once more desisted in her trek.
"I just want to know how he does it. How he can seem like such a pillar of strength. Maybe it was something about the way he speaks," she said at last. "His stance, and expression as well."
"Why he is how he is?" asked Kaien, not entirely comprehending.
"He seems so comfortable - he was with me - insulting me before he even told me his name. But it doesn't seem like its just confidence because he's superior to me…I don't understand why I can't decipher how he does that," she said, walking towards him, "So I want you to tell me about him, maybe then I can comprehend."
"Comprehend what makes him seem so strong?" asked Kaien.
"Yes."
"But why exactly?" he inquired. "What would you get out of that?"
She stopped a few inches from him, raising her features to look at him.
"He told me a little about his time here," she said, sweeping her arms to gesture the academy's expanse. "It seemed to me like we had a common ground. He said he preferred to be alone and that he wanted to leave here as fact as he could possibly have managed. He described himself a lot like me, and I wondered how one manages to be like me and then become so sure of who they are, confident and strong, like they could take anything on." She closed her eyes. "Like they could save anyone just because they wanted to." She smiled sadly at him, her eyes deep blue. "It's always been hard for me to approach people like he seems to do. I guess I'd just like to know how he does it, how he manages to portray that confidence in everything he does," she finished explaining, and he could see her shield clearly now, built as insecurity in its finest malleable glass.
Kaien put his hand on the girl's head, effectively bringing her back from her musings. "I'll tell you about him, maybe then you'll figure out how he does it," he agreed. "But you in turn have to tell me more about you."
'You're interesting. I'd like to know more about you…'
She nodded rapidly. "I don't mind," she said.
"Good," he agreed. "Then let's start from the beginning."
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If ever there were something that Kaien took the most pride in, it would be Kurosaki Ichigo.
He had know him since he joined Thirteenth Squad and later on they had become increasingly closer. Kaien, with a smile would tell anyone that he considered Ichigo to be like a brother.
Although it had not always been that way.
The boy had come to Thirteenth Squad straight from the academy like most people, but the off thing was that he had not finished it. He had left after his first year, just like Kaien himself. That had impressed him until he found out that he had been exempt from the entrance exam all rookies from the academy took to be placed into the Gotei Thirteen. The boy had started off as Eight Seat.
'The Nobles think they can do anything,' was something that was heard a lot during that time, after Ichigo's rank climbing.
But what really made the eyebrows rise was the fact that after a few days of Ichigo's initiation the current Third seat officer -Junko Miyako- had been pulled from her position and demoted to the empty Fourth seat so that Kurosaki Ichigo could be given the command of third rank.
Given, he disliked the boy before he even met him.
His attitude did not sit with him too well either when he did.
"You're too moody," he had chastised drawlingly during their introduction, "How do you expect your underlings to follow you if all you do is glare at them?"
The orange-haired noble scoffed. "I don't expect them to follow me…I expect them to do as they are told."
Yes, he really did not like him after that. 'Typical of a person from a high-ranking family…snotty to the bone, confident only because he's so high up.'
Ichigo knew it. One cannot be charged at with a sword and not notice such a thing. Needless to say, Ukitake Taichou had not been too happy either.
--
"I expect you to exercise self-control, Kaien," admonished Captain Ukitake. "It's not befitting of a Vice-Captain to attack his own comrades."
Kaien bristled with indignation, "But captain, if you had heard what he said you would have wanted to chop off his head too," he protested. "It wasn't as if I attacked him with no reason."
Ukitake sighed heavily, "Be that as it may, it was something embarrassing. How do you think other squads will think of us if I have my Vice-Captain and Seated Officers fighting with each other, especially with the Winter War so close at hand?"
Kaien groaned, "Badly," he answered. "But-"
Ukitake shook his head decidedly, "No excuses," he interjected. I will have no more fighting amongst my squad, is that understood?"
"Yes," relented Kaien, although not happily.
--
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"Let's start over," said Kaien, not quite understanding why he was doing what he was doing.
The orange-haired Third-Seat raised an eyebrow, "What?" he questioned.
Inwardly, Kaien told himself to stop, now that he had the chance, but the part of him that was people loving told him that he at least needed to make an effort to get to know the boy.
He extended his hand, "I'm Shiba Kaien, glad to be working with ya," he mustered with a forced smile.
Ichigo surveyed the outstretched palm with disinterest, "Nah thanks," he scoffed. "I don't need friends that could at any moment stab me in the back…and I meant that literally."
With that, the boy walked off, 'Sauntered away more like it,' he thought angrily.
That was the beginning of war. In two senses if one pleased to say.
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"And what happened after?" asked Rukia, caught up in the story. "This was during the Aizen War, was it not?"
With a devilish grin on his face, he reached out to pat her head. "It'll have to wait kid, Hisagi and Ichigo are back," he explained, inwardly laughing fondly at her disappointed frown.
"Until when?" she demanded, pulling on his sleeve to grasp his attention.
"Well," he drawled, setting his arm on her head to rest it mockingly. "I guess if we get done early. But I think I'll just have to visit you later on…and I'll even bring the orange monkey, how's that sound?"
She pushed off his arm good-naturedly and raised an eyebrow inquisitively, "Orange monkey? - Oh! You mean Ichigo san!" she realized.
Kaien grinned and nodded. "Who else?"
Rukia nodded - then smiled uncertainly, "What's a monkey?" she asked.
To that, Shiba Kaien faltered. "You don't know what a monkey is?" he asked, a bit taken aback. "You're from Rukongai right, you never saw one when you were alive in the human world?"
Rukia shook her head. "Umm, I don't think so, Vice-Captain"
Kaien opened his mouth to inquire further but was detained by a comment from Ichigo. "You can't claim to have killed that reserved streak in her, towards you at least, if she's still calling you 'Vice-Captain' Kaien," he said laughingly.
Said man looked appalled, "I completely forgot about that," he realized.
Ichigo shook his head with a smile and approached Rukia. "Everyone in our squad calls him 'Kaien-dono' and I mean everyone," he informed.
Rukia tilted her head, "Does that mean I should too?" she inquired of Kaien.
"Nah, you don't ha-," began Ichigo but was cut off by Kaien who slapped the palm of his hand across his mouth, "Yes, yes it does! - from now on I'm 'Kaien-dono' to you…got it brat?"
She looked like she might protest so Kaien let go of Ichigo and approached her. He lowered his mouth to her ear and whispered a bribe.
Her eyes widened, "Really?" she asked.
Kaien nodded.
"Fine…Kaien-dono," she agreed. Said man grinned brightly.
Ichigo rolled his eyes.
Shuuhei raised an eyebrow. "So, let's get going shall we?" he said.
"Alright Hisagi, but before we start, when we get there we're gonna have to make a little pit stop, that okay with you?" asked Kaien.
"Its fine," agreed Shuuhei, "But to where are we going?" he asked.
"Surprise," said Kaien.
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The human world was unlike anything she had ever imagined.
As soon as she had stepped out of the shoji doors, she had been greeted by the most amazing, if not a bit frightening things.
She made her way past Kaien-dono to stop at the edge of the pavement to stare at those strange…moving things.
But not all of them were in motion, there were a few lined up and immobile. She walked up to one, curious as to what it was.
She squatted down and poked the thing with her pointer finger, feeling warm metal. "It's called an automobile," said Ichigo as he squatted down next to her. "It's what the humans of this time use for transportation," he elaborated. "This one goes as the Tin Lizzie, or Model-T."
"Automobile, Model-T," said Rukia slowly, as if savoring the taste of something foreign.
Ichigo rolled his eyes and stood up, offering the small girl his hand to set her on her feet. She took it and looked out to the other automobiles, the ones that were moving in two lines - in an opposite pattern to each other. "They're rather noisy," she commented.
"Yeah," said Ichigo, "Because they're not an old invention yet, - but at the way all the technological stuff is progressing now, I'm willing to bet that the human's will catch up to our Twelfth Squad eventually. Here things constantly change, soon this automobile thing will probably be able to run without making all that noise." he prophesized.
"There are things like the automobile in the Twelfth Division?" Rukia asked Ichigo.
"More like what's inside, the motor I mean, it's what makes it run," he explained. "It's not like we need cars. Shumpo is enough.
He watched her splay her hand on the black surface of the car, "What interesting things the human world has," she said softly, her eyes alight.
Ichigo rolled his eyes, "You're too easily amused," he remarked as she took away her hand.
She glared at him, just as he hoped she would, and opened her mouth to say something he wanted to be biting. Her glare melted into a grin like the one he had just worn, "You are an idiot Kurosaki Ichigo san." The girl knew - she did not need to be cleverly sarcastic as long as she had something up her sleeve to tick him off - formality worked on him to such a level.
He glared and he opted to respond, however he was cut off by an arms being throw on his shoulders, "Oi, Ichigo, stop flirting, we have to go - and besides I'll let you have her all to yourself later…okay?" whispered the very annoying voice of Shiba Kaien.
With a growl, Ichigo shoved Kaien off him, "Shut it idiot! - And fine, let's go already. You ready Hisagi?" he asked as he walked up to the guy.
"Yes, but we still have to make Kaien-dono's pit stop right?" he reminded.
Ichigo faltered, "Oh, right," he deadpanned. "Hey Kaien, lead the way then."
"Sure," agreed Kaien as he pulled Rukia along behind him by the hand. "C'mon brat, stop lagging," he chastised good-naturedly.
Ichigo rolled his eyes once more - he was beginning to sense a pattern - and raised an eyebrow at his Vice-Captain. "Shumpo?" he asked.
"Shumpo," concurred Kaien.
He turned to look at Rukia, who was trying to pull her hand free. He let her go, and was surprised that she did not fall when he did. "I can't do Shumpo," she declared. "I'm a first year remember?"
Kaien frowned, "You kidding?" he demanded. "Ah, fine…I'll carry you on my back," he growled.
Squatting down he grumbled, "Get on."
Of course she didn't - not that Ichigo had expected her to - and judging from the way Hisagi shook his head as Kaien tried to convince the girl, neither had he.
"I'm not getting on your back Kaien-dono," she refused, a blush fluttering on her features, "It's embarrassing that a man of your age wants to give a piggy-back ride - I'm trying to salvage whatever is left of your image," she explained.
Kaien twisted his head around a bit so he could see her, ignoring Hisagi's attempt to disguise his laughter through fake coughs - and definitely not noticing Ichigo's wide grin, "Get on Rukia - or else," he barked.
"No!"
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--
Some Shumpo and half a dozen minutes later Kaien set the brat down gently on her feet from where he had thrown her over his shoulder impatiently. "It's your fault, you know," he drawled as she swayed a bit, and was steadied by Ichigo who held her by the shoulders.
She glared bitingly at him, "Jerk," she mumbled, which made him grin. "Mind your tongue kid, I'm your superior," he taunted.
Another glare that melted into a sweetly-fake smile, "Oh, of course oji-san," she gushed, "Forgive my language…it's a trait of the young, so you wouldn't understand."
Ichigo laughed from behind her, "Good one - wouldn't you agree Kaien?" he said, "Oh wait, I mean - Oji san," he corrected smarmily.
Kaien scowled, "Yeah, sure, keep encouraging her, whatever," he grit out, grabbing Rukia's hand. "C'mon brat let's get this over with," he said as he led her in a jump from the ground and over a tall wall.
"Shall we?" said Shuuhei to Ichigo, gesturing to follow.
"Yeah, I want to know what exactly Kaien wants to do here," he shrugged.
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"Well?" inquired Kaien, "What do you think?"
She looked uncertain; the way her eyebrows creased told it all. "I expected something different," she admitted.
"We came to a Zoo to look at an Orangutan?" deadpanned Shuuhei, to which Kaien nodded. "Yeah, the kid's never seen a monkey - oh wait, I think you refer to these as Apes…well anyway, I though I'd fix that while we were in the human world."
Ichigo walked into the room rolling his eyes - again - and walked to stand next to Rukia. "Can we go now?" he asked, "You've seen your chimpan-whatever enough already."
She glanced at him curiously, "I was just told this was an ape…so this chimpan-whatever you speak of is also another term to refer to the Ape as?"
Ichigo inwardly slapped himself - another pattern identified - "No, this is an ape…a chimpan-whatever - I mean Chimpanzee, is something else," he corrected.
She frowned, "Then why would you call the ape a chimpan-whatever? Do you not think the ape might find it offensive?" she demanded.
Ichigo smirked, "Not as offensive as you calling it an ape repeatedly - this species of ape is called an Orangutan - say it with me shrimp - oh-ran-guh-tan," he sounded out mockingly.
In that moment - which would be one Ichigo would remember always - was the first time Rukia kicked him in the shin, which resulted in the following:
"You - little - midget - shrimp!" he growled as he hopped around holding his abused appendage. "What the hell was that for?!"
She stood defiant, an offended look covering her features, her eyes fiery with indignation. "Don't speak to me as if I was a child…or stupid," she hissed, "Because I am neither."
Ichigo glared as he set his foot down gingerly, "Really now - I could beg to differ…"
Rukia smiled dangerously, "Do go on," she egged. "I'd like to see how the orange monkey fares against such an impossible challenge."
"…"
To her words, Ichigo found himself halting. "W-what did you just call me?" he growled, feeling heat rush to his face.
"Orange monkey - shall I spell it for you moron?" she retaliated, not noticing his embarrassment.
Ichigo shook his head at her and rounded on Kaien who he could see had been keeping amused by the argument he and the shrimp had just been having.
"You told her about that name!? - A-are you telling me we're here because she wanted to see an orange monkey to compare me to?! - Y-you moron!" he growled.
So it seemed to Rukia that Ichigo was having a difficult time with words. "He merely referred to you as an 'orange monkey' and promised to take me to see one if called him by Kaien-dono, since I had never up until now seen a monkey (or an ape)…however I must admit to being disappointed - I was hoping for an Ichigo san look-alike - I see now the allusion was invoked by the color of hair and not looks," she explained, hoping to help a bit.
Ichigo stood stunned, "So that's why you agreed to calling him Kaien-dono?" he asked of her - to which she nodded. "And you? - YOU!" he growled at Kaien. "I'm going to kill you! How could you tell her something as embarrassing as that name?!"
Kaien shrugged, "It seemed funny."
Ichigo lunged and there really was nothing more to say…
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--
"Are you sure it's alright to leave Rukia san all alone with him?" asked Hisagi as he followed Kaien.
They jumped in unison across the roofs of an abandoned construction site, "Yeah, it's alright…it's not like Ichigo will try anything, too shy. The most he'll probably try is to teach her some sword move or something."
"He strikes me off as strange," voiced Shuuhei.
Kaien smiled to himself, "Oh?" he said, "How?"
He thought about it, "He seems…unapproachable, and yet there's something about him that doesn't make me gag - you know with all that sarcasm he throws at you, it's like…"
"Like his confidence is welcoming, and his sarcasm is his way of familiarizing," cut in Kaien.
"Yeah," said Shuuhei. "Like the way Rukia san is."
"Yeah, they're kind of alike," agreed Kaien. "Great friends they'll be."
"Shall we start then?"
"Yeah, let's see what you've got," grinned Kaien.
--
--
--
"Kaien-dono told me that you didn't take any examination to join the Gotei Thirteen," said Rukia as they walked. "Why was that?"
To her words Ichigo found himself halting. "He told you that?" he asked, his forehead furrowing in discontent.
Rukia realized that maybe she should not have said that but continued. "He did," she affirmed.
Ichigo shook his head. "What else did he tell you?" he asked, and she knew that he would have demanded it if she had been anyone else. She had come to know this back at his hide-out. "Nothing else," she said. "Merely the beginnings of how you two met."
He turned and fixed her immobile with his gaze. "Ask me," he stressed. "If you want to know, then just ask me. There's no reason to gallivant around and inquire of anything that moves."
Her eyes widened for a second, then she glared heavily at him. She would not shrink under his eyes. But hold her ground against him, just as she had been encouraged to do, even if it was in opposition to the person who very well saved her from going after Inuzuri. "Fine, then tell me yourself as to why you were omitted from performing a task that everyone must?"
He glared now. "Because," he snapped. "Because I'm a noble."
She was rendered speechless at his outburst. "Noble?" she said at last, when his eyes thawed a bit.
"Yeah," he said. "I'm a noble. Not by choice, if you must know, it's just the social standing I was born into," he shrugged.
She looked away. "I did not mean to sound accusatory," she said. "I was just curious."
"Yeah," said Ichigo. "I can understand that. I don't really like to talk about myself, I'm sure you've gathered that. You'll have to ask if you want to know."
She nodded and walked a few steps, to come closer to him. She stood still when she halted and waited for him to move again.
He didn't, but merely kept his eyes on her. "If you must know," he said. "I wasn't given a choice in the matter. And that was simply because it would have been a waste of time. Considering my range of skill, and the conflict that was happening then it would have been idiotic to trial my level just to satisfy everyone."
She looked to the ground, ashamed that she had thought he had used his status to get ahead unfairly.
He laughed at her expression. "Don't feel bad," he said. "It's nothing to worry about."
She looked back up. "But what about Junko Miyako?" she asked.
Ichigo winced. "Yeah, well that's the same thing. No one knew that Ukitake Taichou did that on his own will, and gave me the rank when she was off in the Human World helping control the Arrancar cases. Word then was that my family had paid Yama-Jii to have that happen."
"That's what Kaien-dono thought," said Rukia. "But I'm guessing that he recognized his mistake?"
Ichigo shook his head. "That was our rough time," he said. "He didn't care even when the truth was out. All he knew was that he didn't like me. And me? Well, I reciprocated the feeling."
Rukia sighed. "And Junko?"
"To put it simply," said Ichigo. "Ukitake Taichou decided I should have the rank because when displaying our skills I came out the winner. That was it, no money or bribery, it was just that simple."
"You were the best," stared Rukia with a smile.
Ichigo nodded and reached out to pat her head, ruffling her mane so that it spread messily. She looked up to him, through tendrils of hair, and the obstacle of his fingers. She smiled widely.
"That," said Ichigo, suddenly grinning. "That is the more natural you. Let her out more, shrimp."
She blushed. "You don't know the natural me," she said. He scoffed. "Then what was that at the zoo? From what I gathered the real you is sarcastic, annoying, funny, and likes to smile like now."
She turned away from him. "Don't say things like that, it's embarrassing," she said. She glanced to look at him and found him to be in the same state as she, red imposing on his cheeks.
He coughed. "Well anyway, I have something for you." Rukia walked to him and waited for him to say more. "Why?" she asked.
He smiled. "Because shrimp, we're going to start your training now. It's a prefect chance you know. Deserted place and time for me to teach you a few things." He gestured to the vacant construction site, rows of unfinished building surrounding everything.
A crash went off and Ichigo sighed. "Well I guess it's not deserted if Kaien and Hisagi are using it." He motioned for Rukia to follow him. "C'mon lets go find somewhere else."
She didn't move. "First," she said. "What was it that you wanted to give me?" He blinked, suddenly remembering. "Ah, this," he said as he extracted a small sash wrapped parcel from his pocket. "If for you."
He handed it to her and Rukia took it tentatively. "This is a sword," she said. "But we're not allowed our own swords until fifth year," she said. Ichigo scoffed. "Then just keep it a secret. Or better yet I'll just bring it with me every time we meet."
She nodded her agreement and unwrapped the katana. 'It fits her height perfectly,' thought Ichigo. "When you wield a sword," he said. "Always use it to protect. That is my Philosophy, and as my student you'll share it."
She traced her fingers over the metal of the sword. "Yes," she agreed. "I will do so."
--
--
--
" I gotta say I'm impressed," grinned Kaien. "You really seem to know what you're doing, Hisagi. There's no doubt about it, you'll become seated upon your integration test to the Gotei Thirteen."
Shuuhei smiled, inwardly beaming like he never had before. "I'm glad," was all he could say.
Kaien sheathed Nejibana and raised an eyebrow. "Hey, don't be so modest. I'd say you deserve praise for working so hard."
The Sixth Year smiled a bit more widely. "I'm just glad, there's nothing more than I can express with something as simple as words."
Kaien laughed. "Suit yourself, then. But at least act a bit more regal with Rukia, I bet you can get her to congratulate you with a kiss on the cheek."
Shuuhei didn't know how to respond to that and remained silent. To his mute response Kaien had decided that maybe his subordinate was being shy. "You like the brat, Hisagi?" he teased.
Kaien laughed harder when Shuuhei turned red. "Kaien-dono," he objected, blushing wildly. "Don't say something so ridiculous."
"Fine, fine," pacified Kaien, his hand waving a gesture of dismissal.
Shuuhei sighed, relieved and made a move to sheath his own sword. "Shall we go find them the-"
He was cut off by a pulse of reiatsu, his eyes widened and saw that Kaien-dono mirrored his reaction. "Dodge," his superior shouted.
No sooner than he had complied the ground he had stood on broke apart forcefully. He landed on the roof of a half-finished building and readied his sword by means of a defensive stance.
Kaien glanced at Shuuhei and was satisfied by the latter's handle of the situation. The thought, however was fleeting, it had been meant to assure himself that Hisagi could comply to how the battle willed.
Debris from where the crash had formed floated along the air, the concrete had been reduced to airborne-capable pieces. The ground shifted and another crash soon came, pummeling into the asphalt. 'Is it a Hollow?' thought Kaien. 'If it is then why can't I feel one near here, much less in front of me?'
"There was a pulse," shouted Hisagi. "It's a Hollow, I know it. I've felt this energy before."
Kaien was confused. "Before?" he asked. "Where?"
"Here," said Hisagi. "About a month ago when I brought the academy first years, the incident where many were killed."
Kaien watched as Hisagi suddenly leaped from his building onto his. "But I thought that all the Dummy Hollows had been taken care of by Eleventh Division," he said as he landed.
As soon as his feet touched down the building he had escaped from shattered, as if some invisible catastrophe had just rammed through it.
"Then you can sense them?" asked Kaien, to which Shuuhei nodded. The first grinned and twirled Nejibana. "Then tell me where to aim."
Shuuhei nodded. "But we'll have to be careful, these Hollows can hide their reiatsu."
Scoffing, Kaien advanced a step. "And that," continued Shuuhei. "Is the basic ability they all posses."
His eyes widened. "What?" he asked. "You mean to say they have enhanced abilities? Like what?"
"That," said Shuuhei as he pointed out where the Hollow was. "Remains to be seen."
Kaien nodded, smiling cockily. "Then let's get moving, the sooner we're done, the sooner you get your first kiss from Rukia."
'At least,' thought Shuuhei. 'At least I have the decency to blush.'
--
--
--
They had found a practice area that Ichigo genuinely favored. It was an open space that extended about a mile in every direction. It was there that Ichigo had released a Dummy Hollow.
"Go for the head, Rukia!" he called out as he paused, only to Shumpo again when he knew she received his shouted message. He encircled her and her prey, keeping an eye out in case anything went wrong.
She wasn't bad, he though, but her sword skills could use some hands-on training. She wavered too much, based more than what she should on what she saw rather than felt. "It has more than one tentacle Rukia!" he shouted. "Feel its reiatsu, it surges before it attacks!"
She dodged a tentacle and ran behind it, her intent to go off with its head. "Good!" he yelled, "Now finish it!"
She didn't. In a split moment it disappeared, and Rukia, confused by the sudden action lowered her guard.
"Damn," he cursed and shumpoed to her, he drew Zangetsu and blocked the monster as it invisibly lunged a frontal assault. His blade cut through the skull, cracking it like a teaspoon on a delicate eggshell.
It reared back and howled, its reiatsu spilling like a duster, blinding and painful. He waited until he was sure it was gone before turning to face Rukia. His grip on Zangetsu tightened, damn he was angry.
"The hell, you shrimp?" he yelled. "What possessed you to leave yourself so open, just because it disappeared didn't mean it went! Hollows posses different abilities! Man, do you want to die?" At once his anger dissapitated; she had fallen to her knees, her arms hugging her stomach. "I'm going to be sick," she gasped.
"Crap," he said and hurriedly channeled reiatsu to his palm, he pressed it against her belly and let the energy flow within her, seeking out her malady. "Seems like you're just nauseous," was his verdict as he quit the flow of energy to his hand. Still, he held it against her, hoping to steady her sickness. "Probably from the energy that Hollow just gave out. You've never felt it before, have you?"
She shook her head and shakily pulled his hand from her. He didn't resist and helped her on her feet. "Geez, you're going to be a tougher student than I thought."
She smiled. "I never did say anything about making it easy on you." He lightly kicked her shin. "Well, the same can be said from my part."
"Oh?" she asked, and he could tell by her voice and how it wavered less and less by the minute, that she was getting better.
"Ah," he agreed, holding her shoulders. "Especially with swords, as of now you suck, and no student of mine will ever walk around with that over their heads."
"So you'll try your hardest too?" she said, sighing.
"Hey," he demanded. "What's with that sigh, you better love your training, or I'll just give you more so the love is pounded deep into your every aching pore."
She shot him a disgusted grimace and pushed his hands off her shoulders. "How very nice of you," she stated.
She knelt down and picked up her Asauchi from the ground, where she had laid it as she felt the pangs of illness. "Never claimed I was nice," he said, grinning.
She scoffed. "I can see why."
Ichigo offered her his hand, which she took and pulled her to her feet. "Feel better shrimp?" he asked.
She nodded. "I do."
"Then I guess we better head of then, I'm sure Kaien and Hisagi are done by now."
Rukia began walking, leading the way. "What seat do you think Hisagi sempai will get?" she asked. "And what division?"
Ichigo thought about it. "Well, I've never seen him fight, but I know he has experience and the leadership skills, so I think he'll rank pretty well. As for what division, that's decided after the initiation test."
"The one you didn't take?" she asked. "Was the fact that the Thirteenth Squad wanted you and had your agreement also a reason that you were exempt?"
He nodded. "Perceptive," he said. "But anyway, about squad placement…"
"Yes?"
"Well, a representative from each one, usually the Vice-Captain, or if manageable, the Captain, comes to watch each candidate. When the test is done you receive your scores and told whether you pass or fail. If you pass then you submit an application to the squad you want, usually three, and they decide if they'll take you or not."
"What happens if you fail the exam?" she asked. He scratched the back of his head thoughtfully. "I'm not sure, but I think you get sent back to the academy, and after a year get a second change."
"And if you fail then?" asked Rukia.
"I know this one," said Ichigo. "You get sent into Fourth Squad."
"The Fourth?" asked Rukia. "I was under the impression that they specialized in medical care," she said.
"They do," said Ichigo. "But they're also Soul Society's maintenance crew. They are the ones who keep Sereitei so grand."
She was frowning. "That doesn't seem fair," she said.
Ichigo shrugged. "That's what I thought too."
"Thought?"
"Yeah," said Ichigo. "But the truth is that most of them are horrible with swords, about a million times more worse than you, and because it's a waste to send people with reiatsu back to Rukongai, healing and maintenance is what they are assigned."
She huffed. "I guess being in Sereitei and being useful in some aspect is better than Rukongai, but it still seems horrid."
"Well it's not horrible. I'll even prove it to you."
"You will?"
"Yeah, I'll introduce you to a friend of mine in that squad, his name's Yamada Hanataro…you'll like him."
She nodded. "Fine."
"Ah," he exclaimed when she made a move to continue. "Wait a second."
She ceased and watched curiously as he held out his palm and closed his eyes. At once a black Hell Moth came fluttering down from above. "How did you call it?" asked Rukia.
He rolled his eyes. "Couldn't you tell? With Reiatsu idiot. It's very simple since everything in Soul Society is spirit matter."
She glared. "That doesn't explain how it came, how exactly did you call it."
He shrugged. "When you are accepted into a squad and are somewhat proficient at controlling your reiatsu you are taught how to summon one. Basically you shoot of a small dose of energy into the sky and wait for one to come to you. The nearest one will absorb the energy and follow to its source, hence why a million aren't appearing as we speak."
"I see," said Rukia.
"Yeah, well you'll learn it soon. In about a year right," he smiled.
She blinked, a bit surprised by his comment and smile. In a second she returned the favor with one of her own. "Yes."
He closed his eyes and stood still for a minute. Then he opened them and the Hell Butterfly fluttered off. "Just telling them that we're on our way," he explained.
She nodded and began to walk again.
"But why must one wait until they are accepted into the Gotei Thirteen to learn to summon a butterfly?"
"Because, if you taught students they'd just use them to talk to each other…and they are needed for more important things, like leading back spirits to Soul Society and relating messages among the Gotei Thirteen."
"I see," she murmured.
"Anything else you'd like to be informed of Baroness?" he asked.
"Well, only if you're willing, Lord Baron," she said retaliating.
He grinned. "Shoot," he relented.
"Tell me about the Aizen War, Ichigo."
He sighed. "You want to know that badly, huh?"
She huffed. "You told me to ask you, so here I am asking."
"Oh fine," he grumbled. "Once upon a time, a handso-"
He didn't finish, and Rukia instantly knew something was wrong. A split second later her premonition was proven true…the ambience had become compressed, and dark reiatsu leaked behind her.
She gripped the handle of her blade and unsheathed as she turned. "Ichigo," she gasped when she caught sight of him.
He was crouched on his knees, his sword a few feet behind him, and blood dripping from between his fingers as he clutched at his side. "Damnit," he gasped. "Where'd this guy come from?"
A Hollow had a appeared, a being armed with thick tentacles that moved sharply across the air. One of them, she noted, was covered in blood. 'Ichigo's,' she though.
It screamed, high pitched and riddled in pain. Meanwhile, Ichigo walked carefully to his sword, trekking backwards as to keep his eyes on the suddenly appeared monster.
Again it screeched and Rukia fought off the impulse to cover her ears. The sound had brought tears to her eyes. 'Why does it sound like it is in so much pain?' she asked herself. 'The books or lessons never said anything about that.'
Ichigo picked up his sword, a thin, finely sculpted katana. He pointed it at the Hollow and took a charging stance. "Now you're gonna get it," he vowed before disappearing within the confines of Shumpo.
Ichigo became visible to her once he stopped moving with the light, he was high in the air, his arms outstretched above his head, his sword a second away from cutting through Hollow skull.
He failed. In a second the Hollow betrayed the sense of sight and disappeared. But Ichigo didn't deter like Rukia had and continued to slash down. A piercing cry shot through the air as well as a spray of blood. Ichigo had cut off one if its tentacles, and in pain the monster came to be visible once more.
The Hollow swayed angrily. Its many arms swinging sharply through the air like ripping air currents, then it fell, shaking the near vicinity. Ichigo landed on the ground at ease, but continued to hold his sword in a defensive way. "Bastard," he muttered. "There's something wrong with you."
She didn't know what he meant. Something wrong? What different? She wasn't sure. "Ichigo," she said, calling to him from where she stood. "What is it?"
His eyes widened at her voice, where was she? He looked frantically and found her to be directly in front of him. The Hollow's back was turned to her. "Idiot," he said sharply. "Why are you just standing there, you could have gotten hurt!"
"Huh?" she said, baffled incoherent by his change in mood.
"Never mind, just go and find Kaien, tell him to get over here so we can suppress this Dummy Hollow."
"Suppress?"
"Yeah," he said. "This guy's like a mod-soul pill, but only in the sense that it comes in capsule form. The difference is that they gain the shape of a Hollow when they are exposed to a strong shock of reiatsu, whereas mod-souls work when put into an inanimate body."
"Oh," she said.
He sighed and lowered his sword. "Idiot shrimp, get moving and find Kaien and Hisagi. I'll stay here and guard this guy."
She blinked, her visage expelling confusion at his orders. "Ichigo?" she said, "But you're hurt. Let me heal you."
She stepped to him and too lowered her own sword. She felt the gritty surface of pavement under her foot as it touched down lightly, and in a second too sudden, the wind being torn from her lungs.
His eyes widened, somehow unable to fully comprehend the sight before him. 'One step,' he though, 'She took one step and then…then?'
The Dummy Hollow answered him. It thrashed violently, its tentacles pressing to the pavement as it began to lift itself to its feet. 'It can make parts of itself invisible,' he concluded hurriedly as swipes in the air were made by something unseen.
He sheathed his sword and stepped as well, a flash of Shumpo quick enough to beat Rukia as she rocketed horizontaly through the air. He caught her, her head bumping against his chin as he did so.
He touched down in a crouch, momentum propelling him on backwards, wearing the soles of his sandals as they scraped against the concrete as he slowed down. "Rukia," he yelled, gripping her shoulder roughly when they stopped. "Wake up."
She opened her eyes on his command and coughed violently, her cheeks becoming pale from exertion. "Idiot," he growled. "See what happens when you don't listen?"
She was panting. "Shut up," she managed between breaths, her face ceasing to be blanched by her coughs.
The Hollow had managed to get up and was slowly making its way to them. Ichigo sighed and uncoiled his arms from Rukia. "Stay here and don't move," he ordered. "You might have broken something."
It was clear that he was angry, his tone and the hiss layered in his voice laid it out for her ears to take in and her brain to process and understand.
He Shumpoed again, moving in what to her eyes were unseen footfalls. As he charged he drew his sword. "Let's finish this you bastard," he yelled. He stopped then and extended out his arms, his sword being held as if it were an line intersecting through the plane of his stomach. "Mae, Zangetsu!" he commanded.
'Shikai!' thought Rukia. 'He's unleashing his Shikai!'
The white sash that covered the blade released its hold on the cutter and swung back to extend as a ribbon from where the band was tied tightly around the handle of the Zanpakuto. Light surrounded the cutter and once it waned she saw that it had become monstrous in size, the length of its wielder.
He ran again and once impetus allowed he leapt high into the air. "Getsuga Tenshou!" he shouted. At once the blade expelled a wave of energy, its shape a crescent moon that Rukia could only look in awe to.
The blast connected with the bone of the Hollow's mask, it shrieked as it cracked. Ichigo landed on the ground and lowered his sword. He stood calmly, waiting for the mask of the Hollow to fall apart, effectively destroying it.
Pieces of white rained down and disintegrated as they plummeted. The mask was falling apart slowly, and in response the Hollow screamed its agony to the skies. It thudded about, crashing the ground below with the weight of its body. The tentacles swung madly, cutting into the air with a force that rivaled the power of Ichigo's Shikai.
Suddenly the mask completely shattered and as it did so Ichigo turned his back to the Hollow. Rukia tried to get up as he took a step towards her. "Hey!" he called out. "I told you not to mov-"
She gasped and slumped back down, shock rendering her attempt to rise useless. "Ichigo!" she screamed and the name echoed in her mind, rebounding on the bone of her cranium.
His Zanpakuto dropped out of his hand, the ribbon cascading through his palm as his grip loosened. The white of the ribbon rapidly stained with red. The Hollow! It had penetrated Ichigo with one invisible arm, tearing through skin and bone to cut through his stomach.
His face read surprise. His deep eyes were wide from the feeling. His lips were slightly parted, questioning on the tip of his tongue. So soon the Hollow extended back its appendage, lacerating trough his body in a sick rewind form. He fell to his knees, then lost balance and lay crumpled flat against the gritty floor.
Her body responded before her mind; heart pumping faster, then her limbs began quaking, her face drained of color…all from fear. The Hollow roared and Rukia looked to it, her eyes wide and trembling.
She watched, unable to move, 'just like how he wanted,' as he with strain raised himself to his knees and hands.
The Hollow then reared back the blood-laden tentacle, swinging it rashly through the space of air between it and Ichigo. The arm connected with his back and propelled him far from where he had been before. His hand, somehow, had not relinquished complete hold on his sword, and by the sash he grasped the giant weapon flew with him.
He rolled as he touched down to the pavement, blood coating the ground he made contact with. In what seemed like an eternity he ceased his flight, and much too soon the Hollow began to trudge along to him.
Rukia's mind buzzed white with fear. Fear for him, for the man that lay bleeding on the ground yards from her. She shakily scrambled to her feet and ran clumsily to him, almost tripping at every other step. She unsheathed her sword instinctively, the sword that Ichigo had given her so that she would be able to protect, and continued to race as fast as her unsteady feet allowed. She approached the monster and leaped, her intent to sever its head from behind just as basic slaying rules dictated, just as Ichigo had instructed with a sour look on his face.
Her Zanpakuto never made connection. The Hollow never turned to face her, and yet slapped her away with precision. She was sent flying, her body careening low to the ground, on impulse she lowered her chin to her chest and wrapped her arms behind her head, an effort of protection. She landed on her back and wasted no time; trying to get up she was on all fours, her knees and palms supporting her off the ground.
The backs of her hands were bleeding from where they rushed against the ground as momentum drove her across the pavement. Behind her she heard the thunderous steps of the Hollow, but in her muddled state that only instinct ruled she could not decipher to whom they headed to. To me? To him?
She raised herself to her feet and looked for her sword. She scanned with frantic eyes and found it far from her, it had flown it the opposite direction. It lay broken. Pieces of lithe metal strewn, haphazardly lacerated beyond use. The tentacle had met the solid steel, hence why her body did not lay broken.
She sought the Hollow and found that it was parallel to her, and heading slowly to Ichigo. It moved sluggishly, taking its sweet time. Rukia angrily wondered if it was gloating victory in its walk.
She picked up again, running awkwardly to catch up to the Hollow. She did so in a few moments and passed it when ire fueled her blood. It had not noticed her, to it she was insignificant. Something to ignore.
She made it to Ichigo, who was breathing harshly and barely moving. She dropped down before him and tentatively laid her palm on his rugged looking hair. His soft mane was matted in sweat and blood, it covered his half-lidded eyes. "Idiot," he murmured, "You're shaking."
Indeed she was. She had not noticed it until he commented. At his words she looked and found her hand quaking metrically.
"Ichigo," she said, her voice low in whisper. "I don't know what to do," she murmured.
He breathed in shakily. "Shrimp is an idiot," he said to himself. "Run, Rukia," he said to her.
The Hollow was close now, its steps shook the ground she was on, and she could hear the tentacles slap the air they coursed through. "Ichigo," she whispered.
Her heart felt swollen. With fear and something she couldn't name. It felt like it was choking her lungs, constricting her to stem the nature of breath. Tears blurred her vision and suddenly Ichigo's orange hair muddled to her eyes. She whispered his name and he said nothing. She drummed her fingers carefully, almost unconsciously on his scalp, feeling the texture of his hair tease her digits with softness where blood was not present.
She closed her eyes. She felt defeated beyond recognition. More than when she was humiliated and could do nothing about it. More then when she watched Renji run ahead, leaving no hope for her to reach. But she would not run away. She would not leave Ichigo to die alone. Not when unlike Renji he had given her hope and a place next to him. His reiatsu was low, but somehow his sword had not reverted back to its sealed from.
His Zanpakuto. His partner in battle. The one that knew Ichigo best. She reached for it and wrapped her hand around the handle, lifting the weapon from the ground where it lay next to Ichigo's pale hand.
She clambered to her feet and steadied herself when she swayed. The Hollow was close, in a minute it would reach out and kill them both, but she would not just sit tight while it did. She would try to do something. She would attempt to save Ichigo, because he deserved it, and because he had saved her in a way she would always be indebted to. She swayed again, and tipped the tip of the sword on the ground ahead of her. She would not be able to lift it. The cleaver-like Zanpakuto was as tall as its master and most likely heavier than she.
She closed her eyes and extended the sword as she had seen Ichigo do, it barely lifted from the pavement. "Please," she whispered. "Help me, help Ichigo. Please, help us."
She shivered as a wave of frost snaked down her spine. Wintry air blew into her right ear as someone whispered words to her. Her shoulder ceased quaking as a cool hand steadied her. "Dance, Rukia," said the voice.
On her left shoulder a warm palm held her still. "Call upon the white moon, girl," spoke a man.
She gasped as the sensations combined, the feeling of heat and cold running molded through her blood, pumping through her heart, lining her thoughts, controlling her mind and body as she crouched low and drew her arms back, as a phrase came to her mind and lay on her tongue.
"Mae, Sode no Shirayuki," she spoke. As she did the sash trailing at the end of the sword sprightly wrapped around the blade. Light shone through the material and in a burst of energy the sword compressed. The white of the wrappings sunk into the blade, which had shrunken down from an exaggerated cleaver to supple Katana. The blade, hilt, cross-guard and tsuba were all distilled to white.
The Hollow was ten feet from her, its mouth rearing first as if it wished to bite through her to reach her soul; devour her entirely with a cavern of a mouth and jagged teeth.
The man's voice rung again, echoing in her thoughts. "Call upon the white moon," he said again. She did so. "Tsukishiro!" she whispered.
A pillar of ice shot up from the ground to the sky, as quick as lightening, as powerful as an avalanche. It petrified the Hollow, its mouth frozen still, an arm span away from her person.
"Rukia, y-you did it!" a voice behind her called out weakly.
She wanted to turn and face him. To show him the white sword in her hands. To tell him about the voices and ask why there had been two instead of one. But she did not. Could not. Not when the Hollow had torn out from the confines of her ice. Not because it had sunk its teeth into her open body.
She went numb and instinct came out to once again play. Her mobile arm raised and with it so did the white Zanpakuto, she impaled it into the mouth of the monster, lacerating through the soft flesh behind the mask.
It screamed, deafening her with the power of its cry, and released its hold on her by separating its mouth from her body; it disappeared into an opening in the air behind it. She fell on her knees and then toppled down fully to the floor, a feeling of déjà vu ensnaring her as she recalled Ichigo falling prey to the same actions after the Hollow had pierced him.
"Rukia!" she heard him say breathlessly. His voice reached her in a half-muted tone. Pain seared through her every time she breathed and buzzing filled her ears. His voice calling her name sounded so far away.
Ichigo crawled to her, using the last remnants of his strength to reach Rukia. He moved slowly, overcome with the labor of the action. 'Rukia!' he repeated in his mind, the name reverberating in echoes. He had almost reached her when a rip in the air introduced the Hollow to his eyes once more. It clambered out and Ichigo covered Rukia's body with his own, knowing that when the Hollow tore through him she would still die as well. But it didn't matter. He just wanted to hold her and whisper that he was sorry he could not protect her.
He closed his eyes as the footfalls of the Hollow ceased and breathed in the scent of Rukia's hair as he heard a tentacle draw back violently, readying for the attack.
"Suiten Sakamake!"
He knew in that instant that they were saved. He did not need to raise his head to see the coil of water that would run through the back of the Hollow's head, killing it effectively as he had failed to do. Shiba Kaien had just rescued them with Nejibana.
He felt the strange reiatsu disappear, and footsteps running their way. 'Saved,' he though. 'That's good.' He was nodding off, his face resting into the crook between Rukia's neck and shoulder. 'Rukia,' he thought. 'Hold on a bit.'
"Ichigo!" he heard Kaien call, but he didn't have the strength to get or look up. All he could do is count the pulses Rukia pumped through the vein in her neck. 'Don't die,' he thought. 'Or I'll never be able to see you happy you dumb shrimp.'
She was so small beneath him, so thin that he could feel the texture of her spine through her clothing. She was bleeding streams, rapid waterworks running from her body to the solid ground beneath her, soaking his already blood-clotted clothing with fresh gore. Her hand was near his and with newfound strength he grasped it with his own. Her flesh was cold, it matched his own.
"Hisagi, open the gate!" yelled Kaien, and the words barely made any sense to Ichigo. "I'll get Ichigo!"
He felt himself being lifted from Rukia's body, her hand fell from his hold and he tried weakly to regain it. "Don't move Ichigo, you'll bleed more," said Kaien as he lifted said man on his back.
"The gate is open," Shuuhei informed, "Go through," he told Kaien as he rushed to Rukia. He picked her up bridal style, careful to avoid her injuries. He lifted her up and noticed that she held a ribbon in her hand, and attached to the sash was a pure white sword. 'What in the world,' he thought. 'Is that Zanpakuto hers?'
"Hisagi, hurry," said Kaien who had already stepped through the Shoji doors. Shuuhei took the sword from Rukia's hand and sheathed it into the deep pocket of his robes. "Let's go, Fourth Squad should be awaiting us."
Ichigo could feel Kaien's shoulder, his cheek was resting limply on him. His eyes would hardly open, but he forced them to do so in time to see the shoji doors close on the blood-strewn ground beyond them. He looked to his side, to Hisagi who held Rukia in his arms.
He could not see her face, so he focused his eyes on her limp hand. It dangled like a wilted flower, lifeless and waning. 'Idiot,' he thought, 'Don't die.'
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Well I suppose I have some explaining to do. However do keep in mind that this story was labeled AU (Alternate Universe) for a reason. Remember that and we'll be in for a fun ride with this fic. Well, I'm having fun
Shout-outs!
Denebtenoh: Thank you so much for all your kind words! You should have seen the idiotic smile I had when I read your comment…believe me it was killer wide. You said you posted a drawing dedicated to my Rukia, and I'd love to see it. Problem is that I can't access my e-mail account from my computer, so if you could, would you review to give me the url to where you posted it so I can link it from my profile page here and on my LJ account? I've never gotten fanart before so I'm super exited! Ps. Sorry it took three weeks instead of two. Gosh I'm a bad updater .
Carrietheninja: Thanks so much. And yes Rukia will get that bratty noble! Go Rukia! If I may say, I've heard about your story and will be checking it out this week. I'm looking forward to it!
Nemesis: Thank you for reading!
NnieTHM: I really hope I don't make you regret getting back into Bleach nervous You ranked the sneak preview as juicy? Yay I hoped it would be!
KarenKate-Kitty: I'm glad this was worth the wait. I hope this chapter was as well.
Acer-Sigma: Awesome, you noticed the role-reversal. I'm glad I got that across last chapter, It was to brace you guys for this installment )
Honey-Vanilla11: I'm in love with it too. Well duh, I should be. Yay Harem story! Thank you for reading!
JadeRent: I love your comments! Cruel in an awesome way is something I will use from now on. Will you sue? I hope not! A novel? Yes, I can't stop myself from writing. Thank you for reading this chapter!
Terms:
Oji-san: I think this means old man. Here it is used to make fun of Kaien.
Asauchi: Shinigami who are still in training--those who do not yet belong to any of the Thirteen Divisions--all wield generic Zanpakuto swords called "Asauchi," or "Shallow Strike." Asauchi swords have no special powers, and it is not known whether or not there is a being or beings empowering them. This seems unlikely, given how all of these swords share the same name. (I got this info at h t t p / c o m m u n I t y . l I v e j o u r n a l . c o m / s o u l s o c I e t y / 2 0 5 6 6 2 . H t m l from the user Dosetsu…checking this out is really worthwhile).
Katana: The Katana is a curved, single-edged sword. (Info from Wikipedia h t t p / e n . w I k I p e d I a . o r g / w I k I / K a t a n a).
Mae Zangetsu: Means Dance Cutting Moon if translated. You might notice that mae (dance) is Rukia's Shikai Command in the Series. In this story I'm as I'm sure you've realized making this phrase Ichigo's as well. This serves well since Ichigo's powers get passed onto Rukia. But why is Zangetsu involved? Because it was the sword Rukia was asking help from. Hence Zangetsu helped and due to that Shirayuki awakened. Everything else will be answered in the next chapter…so no worries. Yes, this is partly an IchiRuki role-reversal story. Disappointed? I hope not!
Shikai: Is to simply put it the initial release of a Zanpakuto.
Getsuga Tenshou: Lunar Fang that Pierces Heaven.
Mae, Sode no Shirayuki: Dance, Sleeve of White Snow. Rukia's Command phrase.
Tsukishiro: First dance, white moon.
Suiten Sakamake: Kaien's Command phrase: Uncoil the liquid heavens.
Nejibana: Kaien's Zanpakuto: Twisted flower: Screw flower.
Shoji (door): A rice paper screen in a wooden frame used as a sliding partition or door in traditional Japanese houses
I hope those def's were of some use.
Thank you for reading! This time I have no preview, but one should show up within the next week on my profile. Also, I humbly request a few weeks for the next chapter. Think you can wait that long?
R&R Please, you would make my day and give me the urge to write (who knows, maybe I'll update sooner!)
-cf-
