Ashido's plan unfolds...enjoy=)
It has only been two weeks since Rukia stumbled into this new town, and so far she was fitting in quite nicely. Though, when she first came it was more than a little rough, she spent the first two days sleeping on the streets, desperately searching for any type of job available in the area when there seemed to be none.
The village people were so close knit, they all knew each other and Rukia could tell many of them were weary of her, and many still are. Simply because she's an outsider means they fail to place any source of trust in her. She ran away from her original town, a town filled with murderers and scum, only to face adversity in a civilized town, a clean and innocent town. A town where, if there were bloody corpses lining the street people wouldn't simply step over them or kick them out of their way like they would in her old town. They would panic; they would investigate and bring their killers to justice but not before giving the victims a proper burial. When she first set her sights on this town, Seretetei, she felt her spirits soar, her hopes at an all time high; she thought that maybe, just maybe she could make a new life for herself. A life that didn't consist of stealing or sleeping in a different place every night; that was a life that she was seeking. And that life seemed to fall right into her hands on her third day in Seretetei, with the help of a man named Jyuushiro Ukitake.
She remembers it wasn't too long ago when she met him…she was sitting in the town center simply watching the bustling crowds as they selected and purchased fresh fruits or hand made clothing or healing herbs from the many different vendors, preaching their product's greatness from behind the safety of their carts. Rukia sat there, her back against a stone wall, the only thing in her possession were the clothes on her back and a makeshift sketch pad that she poured her drawings, ideas and visions into. So, she was simply sitting there, her thoughts now engrossed into the drawing she was creating on the blank paper; each stroke definite, made softly with the tip of her pencil. Her thoughts and focus on the masterpiece interrupted when a man with stark white hair approached her, his energy wafting off this enormous feeling of compassion and goodness, he was the first person in a long time that she could picture herself trusting.
"Hello, there." He had said, his hand extending, offering a peaceful introduction; she shook his hand haphazardly, her mind swirling with unanswered questions. Her lips trembled over her name shakily as she introduced herself to him, and she couldn't help but feel a little self conscious when he peered, with curiosity at the drawing she had created on her paper. His eyes taking in the delicate sketch of the panda bear, as it seemed to come to life with the bold strokes and perfect details she had added to the animal. Though, Rukia couldn't help but blush when the man stared at the drawing with awe, complimenting her talent before she saw an idea practically click in his mind, she could see it though his eyes, through his expression.
Rukia remembers how he saved her life that day, restored her hope when it seemed to sink in the dusty corners she resorted to sleeping in. He had said, "Wow, that's some talent you've got there. You know, I've been looking for an art teacher for the orphanage, I have scholastic teachers but these kids need to express themselves and I'm not much help with that field. I'm wondering, would you be interested…I mean I came over here after seeing you engrossed in that drawing, I knew you must have a passion for it, so…would you be interested in being paid to teach the children…?" Rukia pondered the idea for a moment, and only a moment, she immediately agreed to the proposal, jumping to her feet and shaking his hand with complete appreciation. It sounded too good to be true, he explained she would be paid, work around children and get funding for all her art supplies. Along with all those amazing details, he explained that she would live in a room in the orphanage, no charge…it was included with the job of art teacher.
This job, Rukia knew, couldn't be any more of a perfect match for her. Not only did she love children, but she was one of them, she was an orphan, abandoned at birth and desperate for a family. One she never did find, though, most of her life all she had was herself and her drawings, that was all she allowed herself to be exposed to…she lacked the ability to trust anyone or to rely on anyone. And to think, now she can help those children who suffered the same issues that she did, she can help them express themselves, help them discover their inner happiness and ambitions…she could give them the kind of attention they deserved, the kind she never received. Needless to say, Rukia felt like the luckiest girl on the face of the earth, she couldn't imagine a better life for herself than the one that she had been invited into; all because of this kind and amazing man Ukitake. Even yesterday, when she had wandered off into the woods without notice, he worried about her whereabouts, he felt concerned with her well being…she hasn't been cared for like that before, he was becoming more and more like a father figure to her, and she couldn't help but feel like, for the first time in her life, she came home.
Rukia sighed with a smile, staring at the ceiling of the small room supplied to her. She couldn't help the thoughts that ran back to the man she met in the woods yesterday, Ashido… 'Ashido…where have I heard that name before…?' she pondered, 'and what is he?' Rukia came to no conclusion; she started to regret not taking the chance earlier to ask Ukitake about the strange man. But, most of all, she knew she heard his name before; her mind raked through this past week trying to come up with any traces of him. Anything that she'd heard, that she'd been told, any small whispers of legends circulating through the village about a god who lived amongst them in the woods… "That's it!" she exclaimed out loud, sitting up in her bed as her thoughts returned to the day before yesterday…
"A sacred ritual?" Rukia questioned, her eyes displaying her curiosity.
Ukitake pondered for awhile, no doubt articulating how he would go about explaining tonight's event to her. "Yes, exactly that. The local farmer always sacrifices the best cow in the whole village every month to appease the forest spirit."
That explanation simply teased her curiosity more without sating it, "Forest spirit? What do you mean, there's some sacred spirit that haunts the forest?" she questioned, peering out into the distance, the trees shielding the view of the inner workings of nature.
"No, ha, he doesn't haunt the forest, he embodies it…he protects it and maintains balance. He is a demi-god that lives in the forest, he's…"
Just then, Ukitake's mouth moved but the words were drowned out by the loud drumming, making Rukia jump and try to question him again over the noise, to which, villagers urged them to the sacred tree. Ukitake simply shrugged at her, knowing that his voice couldn't possibly reach her ears over such a ruckus. Rukia shrugged it off as well, whatever it was, she told herself, she'll learn in due time when the opportunity arises, she figured it was most likely an urban legend or myth that just wasn't true…
It all came back to her…Ashido, yes she's heard that name spoken before, she's heard his name slip from the mouths of the praying and the desperate. He was the demi-god that protected the forest, the spirit that roamed the earth, though she never learned of the full legend; of why and how he became a god, she still knew of him. But, apparently, nobody has ever seen this man spirit…so why did he choose her of all people to reveal his true form to? Why was there a flood of sadness behind his eyes when she gazed upon them? What secret or what element of his past is he trying to escape from? All these question bombarded Rukia's mind, like a fire that wouldn't cease until the rain of answers drenched down upon her. But she knew all she could do is wait to discover the answers, some she may never discover through the villagers alone, but maybe by asking the spirit, himself. Though, she doubted she'd be lucky enough to come across the majestic spirit twice.
"Ukitake-san, you must come at once, the spirit asks something of you…" the man informed him, his voice frantic as the words slipped from his mouth.
Ukitake was puzzled, what could the spirit possibly want from him? He didn't have any power in the village, he was simply another inhabitant, there was nothing prominent about him. Ukitake simply nodded at the man and began a brisk walk as he followed behind the messenger. He followed the man all the way through the village, ignoring the hushed whispers and stares from the crowd of villagers. Ukitake simply blushed, spitting out greetings as he scratched the back of his neck, he couldn't help but feel nervous and embarrassed at all the attention that was directed to him.
The messenger led him through the crowds, never slowing down his pace as he led Ukitake to familiar surroundings. Ukitake stopped in his tracks, his eyes widening as he took in the scribbled words, written in blood, all over the trunk of the scared tree. With a heavy sigh, the messenger moved to the side, allowing Ukitake a full view of the writing, his gaze searching the shocked elder in front of him. The whispers of the surrounding crowd gathered into the wind, blowing all around Ukitake as his heart beat faster and faster in his chest, his hand coming up to clutch at the fabric covering his chest in a failed attempt to calm his nerves. His eyes reading over the writing once again, for the fifth time:
'Jyuushiro Ukitake, I expect to meet you in the woods tonight half past midnight. Listen carefully, you must be led by a small handful of villagers into the heart of the woods wearing a blindfold, your guides must leave exactly two minutes after you reach the destination. Further instructions will be given to you by me, personally. If you fail to complete these instructions properly, the whole village will pay for your mistakes.'
"I am to accompany you, me and four men who volunteered," the messenger informed, bowing solemnly at Ukitake before walking away from him, leaving Ukitake standing before the sacred tree, his thoughts were whirling around in his head. 'What could the spirit possibly want from me?' He thought, his fingers running through his hair roughly, before clutching the locks in nervousness. 'No,' he swallowed down the fear rising in his throat, he felt he was about to be sick, 'I must be brave, the fate of the village rests in my cooperation,' he told himself. And with a sigh, Ukitake stood tall, walking past all the villagers, ignoring the sympathetic looks they shot him, as he headed back to the orphanage to prepare himself for tonight.
"What's going on?" Rukia asked Ukitake, a worried expression covering her face. She had stumbled into the living room, where she heard and watched the bustling of numerous people, fussing around Ukitake as they draped him in expensive and prestigious clothes, his expression was void of any emotion. Rukia studied the man before her, he refused to turn and address her, but, his eyes met her worried gaze through the mirror he was gazing into.
"Ukitake-san, where are you going? It's almost midnight…" Rukia said, her gaze traveling to the window, where her eyes took in the darkness that hung heavily on the night air. She couldn't help the worry that consumed her entire being, everyone around them was frantic and Ukitake looked as though he had been sentenced to death or something.
"No need to worry Rukia-chan, I have a very important meeting is all. Nothing to be concerned about, go back to bed." He consoled her, though his face betrayed him because he looked extremely pale and nervous.
Rukia simply nodded at her boss, turning to leave him as she heard the pitter patter of little feet on the wood floor of the hallway. Stepping out of the room, Rukia slid the door closed, concealing the frantic workers and a worried Ukitake from her view. Feeling a slight and small tug on the side of her kimono, Rukia jumped and cried out in shock. Her eyes glancing down at the tiny dark form that clung to her side, its small arms wrapped around her legs tightly, its little face buried into the fabric on her body. Rukia's eyes adjusted to the strict darkness, blinking rapidly as the form became more recognizable, the image of the small child clutching itself to her like a lifeline made a small smile grace her face.
"Kohaku," she consoled with a sweet voice, stoking the child's soft hair and hugging him to her, "What are you doing up this late, go back to bed sweetheart."
Kohaku sniffled, small tears flowing down the small boy's face as he clung to the woman tighter, looking up with those wide, watering eyes. This worried Rukia, she tried her best to calm the boy, hugging him and shushing his cries as he sobbed into her kimono.
"What's wrong?" she asked with worry, crouching down in front of the little boy she had come to know this past week.
"Ukitake…I-I don't wan' him ta…ta die!" the child cried, hot tears running down his cheek once more as his entire body shook with cries, his tiny hands covering his tiny face.
Rukia shot the boy a concerned glance, confusion taking over all her senses, "What are you talking about Kohaku, Ukitake is just fine. He's not going to die, why would you say such a thing?" she inquired, gently peeling the child hands from his face and looking into his eyes.
The child let out a few cries before answering his teacher's question, "Tha village, thay say he's gonna die! Cuz' Ashido wans ta sees him!" the child sobbed, burying his face into his teacher's chest as Rukia caressed the child's hair lovingly. But, his words pulsed frantic thoughts through her mind, especially when the child said that name, 'Ashido.' 'Would Ashido really kill Ukitake…?' She questioned herself, 'But why, what did Ukitake ever do to him, no, he wouldn't kill him, would he?' Rukia simply put a smile across her face and held Kohaku's small face in her hands, looking into the worried child's eyes as he sniffled and hot tears ran down his face.
"Listen, I promise nothing is going to happen to Ukitake. Okay, you trust me, right? Nothing is going to happen; he's going to a meeting with a friend, okay? They're just rumors." She assured him, kissing the child's forehead softly. The small boy beamed at her, wiping his tears away with the back of his hand, his eyes shining with happiness at his teacher.
"Kay! Ruki-chan!" Kohaku exclaimed, hugging his teacher.
"Okay, now get to bed, little one." She said, ruffling the boy's dark hair playfully as he giggled and ran up the stairs.
Sighing at the small retreating form, Rukia couldn't help but wonder what was really going on with Ukitake, is it possible he really is going to see Ashido? And if so, then why? What could he possibly want from an owner of the town orphanage? Rukia stared at the closed door behind her, squinting she could hear the bustling workers inside, no doubt fussing over Ukitake's appearance. Rukia decided to ignore her pestering thoughts; they were just rumors, right? There's no way Ukitake is meeting with Ashido, it's simply silly. With that thought in mind Rukia traveled up the stairs, prepared to go and get a good night's rest.
Ashido smirked, staring at the half crescent moon in the sky, its face leering down at the forest god as he slipped into the darkness of night. Pulling the black hood over his head, Ashido pressed his back up against a tree, facing away from the direction from which Ukitake would soon approaching from. It was almost half past midnight and Ashido felt his nerves clench into a bundle, he didn't know why he was so tense, this should be easy for him. He knew what he wanted, and he was going to get it, years of worship had built up his ego to the point of superiority, he felt as though he could ask of anything from those people that they owed him as much. Then, Ashido sensed the presence of the humans as they approached him, though he dared not to glance around the tree, the last thing he wanted was for one of them to see his actual form, he wanted to keep that a secret from the villagers. Just like instructed, the group of humans led Ukitake to the center of the woods, waiting some before retreating from the meeting place, and when Ashido sensed they were far enough from them he chose to speak.
"Jyuushiro Ukitake," he stated, "Do not speak," he instructed when he heard Ukitake open his mouth to speak at his statement.
"Do not speak, just listen," Ashido ordered, his back pressed hard up against the tree feet from Ukitake. "You have two options that I will offer to you with courtesy, you can either surrender Rukia Kuchiki to me, or you can choose to punish the whole village."
Ukitake froze, his eyes searching the tree Ashido was shielding himself behind. His mind went blank and he felt completely and utterly helpless; he knew the only option he really had was giving Rukia to him, and he didn't want to do that either. 'What could he possibly want with her? Why Rukia?' he thought in utter shock, the wind blowing around his body, ruffling the dangling fabrics that covered his body.
Sensing Ukitake's confusion at his orders, Ashido blurted out, "You may speak."
Ukitake held his breath for a moment, before releasing the air from his lungs, his head spinning with questions, his heart filled with all sorts of contradicting emotions that left him speechless. But, he had to compose himself, so taking a deep breath and gathering his courage he took the chance and decided to ask the god a question that pestered him, "What do you want with Rukia Kuchiki?"
"That is not important." Ashido answered, though he didn't quite know the answer to the question himself. Ever since his eyes fell on Rukia, his mind was conquered by thoughts of her, she was all he thought about; when he looked at her, this feeling in the pit of his stomach arose that he hadn't felt since he was alive. He felt hollow until he first met her, though it was brief, being a god, he was an amazing judge of people and the feeling Rukia gave off confused him. She seemed so pure, so honorable and different than everyone else; for the first time in a while he felt hope, though he didn't understand why. And she gave that hope to him; it was like fate delivered her to him, it dictated that they should meet and he never dared to question fate.
"You shall have tomorrow, until 7 in the afternoon, to come to a decision, if she is not present in this very spot by 7 tomorrow, I will assume you chose your other option, and you will pay greatly." Ashido warned him, resting his head against the tree as he sensed the frantic man a few feet behind him.
"You are dismissed." Ashido informed him when he still felt Ukitake's presence.
"Very well, Ashido-san." Ukitake nodded, turning to leave his spot, the spot where he would have to leave Rukia tomorrow. In his mind he knew he had no choice, he must surrender Rukia to Ashido, but in his heart he was suffering. How could he simply hand this innocent girl over to this monster, this man who had so much power over humans that it was frightening.
As he sulked back to the village, Ukitake felt the urge to run back. To kneel before the god and beg, beg for him to reconsider…but, he knew the man would not change his mind; the god was hell bent on receiving Rukia tomorrow.
Ukitake sighed, feeling utterly ashamed and completely helpless, all he could think of was the fate of this one, innocent girl and the fact that her fate rested on his shoulders.
Ukitake knew what he had to do, he just couldn't bear the thought of it…
Hope you enjoyed it so far...i'll update as soon as i can=)
