It's Only Love
By Ryukansen
Chapter Two: Never Meant to Last
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Author's Note: Wow. Suddenly this one shot turned into a much more depressing story. Why do I usually write all these SAD stories? I have no idea….Maybe I'm just attracted to sadness. coughs Oh jeez. I took a look at my grades in Chemistry and Math, and they were BIG FAT C'S. I'm FAILING! (Asian stereotype.) Well…I am Asian….
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"W-What?!" Ichigo nearly shouted at the top of his lungs. Rukia and the other Shinigami winced as they found their hero enraged by their chief's action. "How can you do this?" The orange-haired man gritted his teeth and glared at everyone opposing him. Everyone seemed to be a little embarrassed by him, however Yamamoto kept his calm composure with a straight face alongside the other captains whom had had enough with Ichigo's complaints.
"You'll have to accept this." Hitsugaya cleared his throat, and looked away from Ichigo's eyes. "It's the only way to ensure her safety." He spoke softly, and his tone was filled with remorse yet rage. Ichigo's reiatsu only flared more, as the tenth division captain tried to ignore him.
"…Even though most of us are against it…" Matsumoto started to substitute her captain's silence. "There is nothing else we can do." She added, and let out a sigh. Ichigo faced her with annoyance, and looked away. "We're very sorry…." She tried to ease him a little bit; however, Ichigo couldn't possibly accept this apology. He couldn't allow them to erase Orihime's powers and memories. He wouldn't let them.
The captains had run out of words so quickly. The tenth division has already spoken up for them. No one could do a thing. "And what about you, Rukia?" Ichigo called out. He had to say her name. She stared at him for a second, and then gazed at the floor with humiliation.
"I can't do a thing Ichigo…" She replied quietly. "I'm sorry." She stated flatly and closed her eyes. She didn't want to see him angry, she never wanted to see him angry. So she thought it was best to just…blind his figure from her sight. Yet, his reiatsu….she could still feel it vibrating through madly through her body. She could still feel the anger that he possessed.
"So, is that it?" The orange-haired Shinigami asked with mockery and a little flare. Rukia did not speak, nor did she look at him. "So you're just going to let them erase Inoue's memories and powers, without her consent?" He whispered, his reiatsu had calmed down a little bit. She opened her eyes, and faced him. "Is that it?" He asked in a ridiculous tone. Rukia bit her lower lip. She had, like the others, nothing else to say.
"…We can not let this power go rampant." Yamamoto had finally spoken up to defend Rukia from Ichigo's harassment. The substitute Shinigami stared at him with a hint of venom.
"Since when was Inoue using her powers wildly?!" Ichigo defended Orihime, and gave a death glare at the old man.
"Ever since she received that power." Ukitake had spoken up, and gazed steadily at the young man. "We can not let a power, like hers, even exist." He murmured. "To have a power that resurrects and turn back time at a given place…that defies our rules." He bowed and looked at Rukia's direction. She seemed mortified at her own captain's words, but she knew it was the truth. "Inoue Orihime must lose all her powers and memories." He had given the final statement, and Ichigo could do no more.
He was quiet for a long time, but he finally had something to say. Rukia knew that they would never last. Their relation was, in the end, just temporary. She knew that it wouldn't last, and she knew that it would end right now, like nothing ever happened between them.
"Erase my memories and powers too then…" Ichigo murmured.
Now this caused quite an outrage between all the captains and divisions. Yamamoto was, in the beginning, taken by surprise and gazed at Ichigo's rash and audacious decision with…relief.
"If Orihime can't keep her powers….nor can I." He replied quietly, and awaited for a response. He crossed his arms, and gazed at everyone. Especially Rukia, who seemed to have understood that this would happen. His eyes bore to hers, and she just gazed at him…with nothing to say.
"…Are you sure?" The captain of the first division asked, as he gazed at the young man with an old gaze of experience. Ichigo knew that Yamamoto would never hesitate to do what he must. Ichigo nodded, and continued to stare at Rukia who just gazed at him with a small smile. She knew it could never last. "Very well." Yamamoto replied quietly. "Inoue Orihime and Kurosaki Ichigo will have their memories and powers erased, after midnight. All things associated with Soul Society that have made contact with these two, will be gone." His voice resonated through the air, and everyone who supported Ichigo looked at him with disappointment and concern.
After the final statement was made, everyone had their backs faced against Ichigo. They were in utter frustration with his decision, and most of them wanted nothing to do with him anymore. Even Hanatarou was a little depressed, and could not bare to face the man for he was both timid and slightly ashamed. "Rukia-san….she'll be so…" His voice slowly trailed away and he turned slightly around to face the two who were left alone together.
At first it seemed like she was going to yell at him for his brashness, but only a small smile escaped her thin quivering lips as she gazed at him with approval. "What, you aren't going to shun me like the others?" Ichigo asked with a small grin forming. She only let a laugh out, to defend the sadness that would soon escape once he left.
"It's your decision." She stated promptly and shrugged her shoulders, "I couldn't care less about them." She sighed and let out a peaceful smile. Ichigo just stared at her calmly and clenched his fists tightly. Was he so stupid as to defend Orihime? Of course not…either way he would have lost someone. Yet, why did he choose to leave Rukia?
"Yeah, whatever." Was his response and he just continued to stare at her miniature stature. He knew after this, the strength that he possessed would be gone, but more importantly the strength that she gave him, would be forever lost to him. He was stupid. He admitted it. He couldn't hide the fact that he had lost the most important person in his life, for someone who meant only a fraction of his heart. "I'm stupid, aren't I?" He coughed out, looking a little dreadful. Rukia stared at him wide-eyed.
"How could you say that?" She asked quietly. "You've done a good thing." She commented him, and tried to persuade that what he had done was perfectly fine with her. "If you didn't do this, I would find it hard for you to be Ichigo." She grumbled with a little laughter, and started to play with her sleeve. She felt uncomfortable with his presence. The fact that…it was their last time together, made it most uneasy.
It was unbearably quiet, and the two struggled to bring about words.
"It's almost….midnight." Ichigo finally broke the silent that had occupied the whole scene. Rukia shot her head up, after staring at the pebbles on the floor. A streak of horror yet relief escaped her eyes as she stared at Ichigo with unexplained feelings. "…I should start heading home." He muttered quietly and smiled at her one last time. Rukia did the same, and waved him off goodbye. "Who knows…maybe I'll see you again?" He chuckled and left through the portal. Rukia just faced his back and bit her lower lip. She didn't cry. She couldn't cry. She only respected his decision.
"Why don't you go after him?" A shadow loomed over her. She eyed Renji who had been analyzing the whole situation. A smile formed, but then it slowly faltered.
"It's best not to interfere." She sighed and looked away. "Let's go home." She murmured, and started to head to the Kuchiki Manor. Renji followed silently, and as they walked some small fragments of their childhood began to amend. His heart quietly fluttered as he found himself next to her. Like old times…
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He knew that she was in love with that orange-haired man. And he knew the pain that that idiot caused would make her unbearably depressed. "I request something from you, Yamamoto-sama." Byakuya had entered the dome and looked a bit messy. He had been signing lots of papers the past days without any urge to eat or properly clean himself, and after he heard what Ichigo had done he went utterly ballistic. Needless to say, all the papers signed were now torn to pieces.
"What do you request?" The old man asked patiently as he was about to issue Ichigo and Orihime's fate. Byakuya kneeled towards the elder quickly, and closed his eyes to make his statement.
"Please…erase Rukia's memories of Kurosaki Ichigo." He murmured quietly. Yamamoto knew that Byakuya would make such a daring move. He knew all of this would happen, and nodded quite quickly.
"If that is your wish." He replied quietly and stared at Ichigo who seemed to be staring at his ceiling wall with a hint of despair and grief. "It's time." The man announced with guilt and passion. "Goodbye."
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She stared at her ceiling wall, gazing with a blank face. "He's gone." She replied with a fake cheer in her tone. "He's gone, and I can't do anything about it." Rukia murmured reassuring herself that it was his decision and not hers. "…I can't believe it." She sighed, and closed her eyes.
A wave of some sort of reiatsu hovered above her. She reopened her eyes, and tears had suddenly started pouring. "….Wait." She grumbled angrily. "Why am I crying again?" She tried not to sob harder.
Another force wrapped around her, and she wiped the tears that were blurring her sight. "…I must be going crazy." She snapped and hid her head behind her comforter. "Why was I crying…?" She asked in humiliation. Her face turned bright red as she thought of some situation that would have made her reminisce and cry, and the only memory was Renji leaving her.
"Bastard." She grumbled and let out a deep sigh.
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Ichigo had found himself staring at the ceiling with uncertainty. "What was I thinking about again?" He asked. He stared back at the ceiling, but found it kind of comfortable to gaze at it. "Ah, whatever." He murmured and looked away. A sadness escaped his face, but he did not realize it as soon as slumber took over him.