The Illness
The day after the Anti-Ichigo and Rukia Movement's second failed plan, the group were finding it harder and harder to find a better full-proof plan. Byakuya was raking his mind for a better plan in order to separate them, especially when they were attending the Captain's meeting; so much so he couldn't hear anything Head-Captain Yamamoto had to report. He did hear the last words of Yamamoto however.
"Is there anything the Captains would like to report?" He asked in his gruff elder voice. Then an idea struck Byakuya, and almost punched his hand into the air, missing Captain Komamura's canine head. "Yes, Captain Kuchiki?"
"I want Rukia Kuchiki to return to the Soul Society immediately, and end all relations to the Substitute Soul Reaper, Ichigo Kurosaki." Byakuya announced. This had half the Captains raise their eyebrows or mutter.
"What is it you have against Kuchiki and Kurosaki?" Ukitake asked. "As Kuchiki's Captain, I have the right to know."
"I disagree with the two being together." Byakuya said.
"Is this because of our efforts at the Women's Club, Kuchiki?" Asked Soifon.
"What efforts would that be?" Asked Komamura.
"Captain Kuchiki commissioned the Soul Reaper's Women's Club to take pictures of Kurosaki and Kuchiki to justify his belief that the two are a couple." She replied. She took out the infamous kissing picture. "This was what gained us the most." Nearly all the Captains reacted positively to this. Ukitake was smiling with joy at this, as well as Captain Unohana. Captain Kyoraku was laughing merrily at this. Kenpachi, however, remained silent.
"Ahhh, young love." Said Captain Kyoraku.
"I wouldn't have guessed it in my lifetime." Ukitake said happily.
"And you wish for them to cease their love, Kuchiki?" Asked Yamamoto.
"Correct." Byakuya answered.
"One cannot decide the love for another just by orders, Kuchiki." Unohana replied with wisdom.
"I agree." Komamura said. "Their love is no reason to separate them."
"We shall cast a deciding vote then." Yamamoto announced. "The separation of Ichigo Kurosaki and Rukia Kuchiki. Accept or deny?"
"Deny." Soifon said. "It's triviality won't affect the Soul Society in the slightest."
"Deny." Unohana said simply.
"Accept." Byakuya decided stubbornly.
"Deny." Komamura answered.
"Sorry, Kuchiki, it's a deny for me too." Kyoraku said.
"Deny." Hitsugaya decided. "Putting their love aside, the two's purpose is to defeat Hollows. Anything aside their post is not important."
"Gotta follow the crowd on this one." Kenpachi growled. He gave a look at Byakuya, and winked with the eye that wasn't blocked, revealing he too is against the two.
"I don't really care for this matter." Mayuri, Captain of Squad 12, finally spoke up. "Whether we agree or not, it's just Captain Kuchiki's idiotic gain, and not anybody else's."
"It's for that reason I deny too." Ukitake decided. "Plus, I'm responsible for the welfare of the Soul Reapers in my care. Separating the two forcefully will have an impact on them both."
"It is decided. They will not be separated." Yamamoto announced. "Meeting adjourned." Byakuya stormed out of the meeting room in anger. But during the whole facade, Toshiro Hitsugaya was growing ever more curious on a certain matter.
Byakuya went straight to the Anti Ichigo and Rukia Movement meeting room, along with Kenpachi to discuss more ideas. The members were sitting on the table, brainstorming ideas, until they seen the two Captains join them.
"Captain." Renji said in surprise. Yachiru, instantly jumped back onto Kenpachi's shoulder, with a loud 'Kenny!'
"How did the Captain's meeting go?" Asked Shuhei, seeing Byakuya's angry expression.
"I asked the Head Captain to cease Ichigo's relationship with Rukia." Byakuya announced. This made everyone gasp.
"And?" Asked Renji. Kenpachi laughed.
"It went bust, that's what!" Kenpachi laughed. "All the other Captains are sweethearts for the two!" The non-Captains of the group sighed in despair. Byakuya came in the room, closing the door on the way in. But when he was ready to collapse in his chair, a knock was heard on the door. This alarmed Byakuya, as he quickly Shunpo'd to the door and opened it discreetly; he was surprised to see Mayuri Kurotsuchi and his daughter, Nemu.
"C-Captain Kurotsuchi!" Izuru uttered in surprise.
"Is this the location of the movement against Ichigo Kurosaki's interest in the young Kuchiki?" Asked Mayuri deviously. Byakuya tensioned at this.
"It is."
"Good. I have knowledge that you seek more members!" Mayuri replied happily. Kenpachi looked up.
"Thought you didn't care." He said suspiciously.
"I lied!" Mayuri replied.
"Why do you seek membership to break my sister apart from Ichigo Kurosaki?" Byakuya asked.
"Oh, it's nothing personal." Mayuri explained. "It just so happened I was ready to conduct research on the way humans indulge in love. Rather than sending my own men to do the research, it would be beneficial if I were to do it." Mayuri said this with a large grin. Renji stood up in protest.
"We're trying to break them up, not dissect them!" He hollered.
"Come now, come now." Mayuri spoke. "I wasn't thinking of such the thing!"
"I find that hard to believe." Ikkaku muttered to Yumichika.
"As I was saying..." Mayuri continued. "I was planning to research on the two, but I remembered that Nemu here had experience with them, so I ran through her data banks, so I no longer have a need for researching the love section. What I really want to research on is the breaking up part."
"And you can guarantee their separation?" Byakuya asked.
"I have a plan in mind as we speak." Mayuri said deviously. The group remained anxious about Byakuya's decision, before Byakuya opened the door fully.
"Tell us your idea."
The next two days were really calmed down for Ichigo and Rukia; they remained ever more cautious of anything extraordinary which would lead to their hating for one another. Ichigo and Rukia were walking back home from school; it was nearing sundown and the two were lost in thought.
"Do you think maybe it was coincidence?" Asked Rukia. "Lieutenant Hinamori burning my drawings and Orihime receiving intel on us?"
"Maybe." Ichigo replied. "We won't really know until it happens again."
"Do you think my brother would be anxious about us?" Asked Rukia. Ichigo smiled.
"Nah. If there's one thing I know Byakuya for, it's not mixing himself up in what we do." Ichigo said. "I mean, let's face it, if he did find out, he'd probably be using his Senbonzakura to turn me into sushi about now, right?" Rukia gave a small giggle.
"True. But that's not very nice you know!" Rukia laughed, Ichigo copied. They kept making jokes until they reached home. And once again, for the unlucky couple, they were being spied on by Mayuri and Nemu; the two hid themselves on the rooftop of the adjacent house to spy on Ichigo and Rukia stealthily.
"Interesting." Mayuri smiled. "Their relationship's still burning strong after two attempts at them."
"Will our plan really work, Master Mayuri?" Asked Nemu. The freaky Captain just punched Nemu in the cheek, which she masked the pain as best she could.
"Are you doubting my ingenius methods, Nemu?" He growled maliciously.
"No, Master Mayuri." Nemu replied.
"Now, you will be the one to do it, Nemu." Mayuri said.
"Very well, Master Mayuri." She said humbly, jumping off the roof with stealth to initiate her father's plans.
Yuzu Kurosaki, Ichigo's younger sister who acted as the replacement mother of the household, was readying dinner for the family, whilst humming to herself sweetly. She took the food from the oven and set them delicately on dinner plates and bowls and readied the table in the dining room. When she was finally done, she rubbed her forehead of the sweat and smiled at her work.
"Perfect!" She cheered in happiness. She walked briskly upstairs to notify everyone that dinner was ready. Unknown to the kind, loving Yuzu, the secretly stealthy Nemu entered the Kurosaki household through the back entrance into the kitchen and with great care for her footprints, made it to the dining room. Nemu took from the insides of her Soul Reaper uniform, a vial with purple bubbly liquid and emptied it's contents into the food she was sure was Rukia's meal (She was absolutely sure, because her food was the same as it was during her spying mission a few days previously). The liquid turned odorless and colourless so it was virtually impossible to detect. Then, she heard the footsteps of the family approaching, so she retreated for the kitchen and out the back entrance.
"Ahhh! Everything looks lovely, Yuzu!" Rukai praised.
"Yeah!" Ichigo agreed. Ichigo's father, Isshin, however, couldn't stop hugging Yuzu.
"That's my little girl! Isn't she the best?" He yelled in joy, before being whacked in the head by Karin.
"Your being an idiot again!" She informed. And so the five went to consuming the meal set by Yuzu, as Rukia ate what concoction Nemu delivered without even knowing.
Nemu climbed back up the roof where Mayuri resided.
"Mission successful, Master Mayuri." She said.
"Excellent!" He hissed in delight.
"What was the potion, if you mind me asking?" Nemu asked, looking at the vial, with no label or indication of name.
"You really are useless." Mayuri growled.
"My greatest apologies." Nemu replied.
"As I said in the meeting, it is an extremely powerful potion designed only for Soul Reapers under Captain level." Mayuri explained. "It makes the consumer ill beyond human understanding."
"How will this break her up with Ichigo?" Asked Nemu.
"You twit!" Mayuri yelled and punched her in the cheek again. "Listen closely, like you were supposed to at the meeting. While the girl is ill, your colleague, Renji Abarai, will deviously sow seeds of doubt into the girl's head, thinking it was the boy who was the one who made her ill. If all goes accordingly, she will bid farewell to him." Then, the Kurotsuchis seen that the two returned from their meal.
"Ahhh. Yuzu really knows how to work up an appetite." Rukia said with content. Mayuri took from his Captain's coat a small pocket watch.
"The potion will take effect in..." Mayuri said, looking at the watch expectantly. "...3...2...1...now!" And indeed, Rukia reacted slightly, putting her hand to her head before she could go into Ichigo's wardrobe, using the wall to keep her balance.
"You okay?" Asked Ichigo. "You look a little dizzy."
"Y-Yeah, just a little light-headed..." Rukia said feeling a little woozy. Then, Rukia collapsed on the ground with a hard thud.
"Rukia!" Ichigo screamed in terror, going to his fallen girlfriend. Mayuri smiled in victory.
"The miraculous thing about it is it's not lethal." He said evilly.
The following day rolled in, with Rukia sleeping on Ichigo's bed. She was conscious, but her breathing was hoarse, the colour in her skin was extremely pale and her touch was extremely hot. She had a thermometer in her mouth as Isshin was treating her, or at least trying to, since he was a doctor. Ichigo, Yuzu and Karin were outside Ichigo's room while their father did the analysis, worrying over Rukia's condition.
"Face it." Yuzu wailed. "It was my food that made her like that!"
"No way, Yuzu!" Karin said. "You've been cooking for ages, so there's no way you could make bad food now."
"Yeah." Ichigo added. "And if it were, how come none of us are sick?"
"I just feel bad." Yuzu said, with her spirits low. At this, Isshin finally came out with a grim look around him.
"How is she, old man?" Karin asked.
"That's my line!" Ichigo yelled in worry.
"Not good." He said, slightly more serious now. "Haven't seen such an illness, so it's going to be hard to treat her." Ichigo was shocked at this and punched the wall in anger.
"Damn it!" He yelled.
"The only thing I can do for her is to let her sleep, have plenty of liquids and plenty of fresh air." Isshin said.
"Can I see her?" Asked Ichigo.
"Sure, shouldn't be contagious, at least." Isshin said. Ichigo walked quickly to see how her Hollow-fighting partner was. She looked very peaceful sleeping on his bed, with the thermometer hanging from her mouth, but it pained him to see her so ill.
"Rukia..."
A few hours passed and Rukia was beginning to awaken from her sleep.
"Ughhh..." She groaned.
"How are you feeling?" She heard the delicate words of Ichigo ask. Rukia looked over weakly to him.
"I've been better." She croaked. Ichigo took Rukia's lifeless hand and held it closely.
"Don't worry, Rukia. I'll see to it that you get better." He said with resolve. Rukia smiled at Ichigo's determination.
"How yah feeling?" Said a rather rough voice that came from the window. The two turned to see Renji at the window. He jumped down onto Ichigo's floor.
"Oh, Renji." Ichigo said with surprise.
"Heard you got yourself quite the illness, Rukia." Renji said. "Thought I'd come in and pay a visit."
"Thanks." She said weakly.
"What do you think could be wrong with her?" Asked Ichigo to Renji.
"Hell if I know." Renji said. "I'm not a medical expert like Captain Unohana." Then Renji paused. "Though I do know of one illness that I've heard." This raised the attention of Ichigo and Rukia.
"What? What is it?" Ichigo asked desperately.
"There's an illness that goes around called 'Spirit Energy poisoning'." Renji explained.
"Spirit...Energy poisoning?" Asked Rukia in confusion.
"Yeah." Renji replied. "It's a rare condition where Soul Reapers being exposed to large amount of Spirit Energy in a long amount time. They experience symptoms like what Rukia has." While Renji explained this, Rukia looked over to Ichigo. He was indeed one to leek out large amounts of Spirit Energy, being an amateur at controlling it.
"Th-That can't be true..." Rukia whispered.
"Well..." Renji said. "Your best cure is to head to the Soul Society. If you're exposed to more Spirit Energy in this state, it could be long-term." He headed for the window and made his escape. Rukia was shocked by the analysis made by Renji.
"Could it be true?" Asked Rukia to herself. But as Renji was heading back to the Soul Society, someone else was lurking in the shadows, witnessing the event. Just then, a different Senkaimon opened before the figure, to reveal the 4th Squad Lieutenant, Isane Kotetsu.
"You called me?" She asked tenderly.
The next day, Rukia called Ichigo to his room; he wanted to give Rukia space to heal properly, but she had different ideas.
"Please take me to the Soul Society..." Rukia croaked, with a hint of sadness in her voice. Ichigo gasped in shock.
"You can't believe anything Renji could say, right?" Ichigo countered. "We don't even know if it's Spirit Energy poisoning or not!"
"Ichigo..." Rukia said to calm him down. "I don't want to go, but the last thing I want is to be forever ill with this..." Ichigo looked to Rukia with sadness. He didn't know how long Rukia would take to heal, nor the methods used. "Please..." Ichigo was ready to make his decision, but just then...
"Ummm..." They heard a gentle voice mumble. Both looked up to see Isane poking her head out of the window. "Hello..."
"Lieutenant Kotetsu..." Rukia coughed.
"What are you doing here?" Asked Ichigo. Isane then proceeded to climb into Ichigo's room, but she ended up tripping and falling painfully on the floor.
"Oww...ow..." She muttered, before being helped up by Ichigo.
"Next time, just use the door." Ichigo said in annoyance, helping the helpless Lieutenant. "Now can we help you with something?"
"Ummm...I received intelligence that Ms. Kuchiki has fallen ill." Isane started.
"What gave that away?" Asked Ichigo sarcastically.
"Fortunately, I am trained to counter many kinds of illnesses, so may I run a diagnostic?" Isane asked.
"Ummm, sure..." Ichigo said before leaving them in peace. Isane lay Rukia down flat, opening the shirt on her pajamas out slightly and performed a Kido spell to her chest.
"Why do you want to go to the Soul Society to heal, Ms. Kuchiki?" Asked Isane.
"We believe the illness could be Spirit Energy poisoning, Lieutenant." Rukia explained. "The Soul Society's said to-"
"That's not true..." Isane cut in.
"Sorry?" Asked Rukia suddenly.
"There's no such thing as Spirit Energy poisoning." Isane said. "If it were, the Soul Society, a place of great Spirit Energy would be virtually inhabitable." Rukia widened her eyes of such a fact.
"If it's not Spirit Energy poisoning, what is it?" Isane focussed slightly, going down to her stomach.
"It's a toxin." Isane identified. "A very hard-to-brew toxin..." Rukia was shocked by this.
"Are you sure?" She asked seriously.
"Captain Unohana didn't make me Lieutenant of Squad 4 for nothing." She replied.
"Is it curable, Lieutenant?" Asked Rukia.
"Every toxin has an antidote." Isane said. She took out a syringe from her pocket, unscrewed the safety pin from it and pierced Rukia's arm with it, sucking a tiny portion of her Gigai's blood.
"What are you doing?" Asked Rukia, masking the pain.
"I am going to extract the traces of the toxin in your bloodstream, and hopefully mix up both an antidote for you, and take it back to the medical labs to see if we can't implant our future Gigais to withstand future poisonings." Isane explained. "I just need silence..." She went to Ichigo's desk and took out a chemistry set and began to mix up some chemicals, using a good supply of Kido to help her. "But...I can't place my finger on who would poison you..."
"I was thinking the same thing..." Rukia said to herself. Finally, Isane prepared a test tube of a green liquid.
"Gulp this down and in a few hours, you'll be as right as rain." Isane finished. Rukia looked at the pale green fluid strangely, before holding her nose, and gulping it down. She threw up in her throat slightly when she finished.
"Eww..." She muttered. "Does this mean I can stay here?"
"Of course." Isane smiled. "Your in good hands with Mr. Kurosaki looking out for you." Rukia smiled at this comment.
"Yeah..." Rukia said to herself, already feeling the antidote's effects. "Oh, Lieutenant."
"Hmmmm?" Asked Isane, as she was about to ask Ichigo to come in again. Quickly, Rukia took a pencil and paper and drew a quick sketch, folding it up and giving it to Isane.
"Please give this to Lieutenant Abarai." Rukia requested. Isane took it and respected Rukia's privacy as she pocketed.
"Very well." Isane said. She went to Ichigo and he came back in.
"Sorry for the trouble, Ichigo. I'll be staying here." Rukia said happily. Ichigo smiled.
"Great." Ichigo said with equal happiness. Isane climbed over Rukia and was ready to leave. "Thank you."
"Your wel-" Isane said happily, before tripping out of the window with a scream. Both looked out to see Isane sprawled out in pain. "Oww...oww..."
Later, Renji was walking through the Squad 6 barracks, on his way to the Anti Ichigo and Rukia Movement meeting; he still felt bad for doing what he did, but it had to be done. Just then...
"Renji! Renji!" Called a familiar voice. Renji turned to see Isane, running towards him.
"Oh, hi, Lieutenant Kotetsu." Renji said carelessly. Isane stopped at Renji, puffed out.
"Ummm...Ms. Kuchiki wanted me to give you this..." Isane said, taking out the folded paper. Renji took it expectantly, but was shocked at the contents: Rukia drew a picture of Ichigo and Rukia, in bunny forms, standing over the dead body (Evident with the swirly eyes) of a bunnified Renji. And the words at the top read 'You are so dead!'. Renji shivered in fright, confusing the 4th Squad Lieutenant.
At the same time however, Byakuya was walking to the same location, coming back from a Calligraphy Lesson, when Toshiro Hitsugaya was walking towards him in the opposite direction. The two passed without a word, but then, Toshiro broke the silence.
"I'm on to you, Kuchiki." Toshiro said with malice in his voice. Byakuya stopped in his tracks.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Byakuya lied.
"You know fine well." Toshiro said, turning to the Squad 6 Captain. "Is it a strange coincidence that you demand your sister to leave Ichigo Kurosaki a few days ago, then she becomes gravely ill that she is beckoned to come back for healing?"
"Then I find it a great coincidence, Captain Hitsugaya." Byakuya continued to lie.
"What gain do you get by forcing these two apart?" Toshiro continued.
"What gain do you get by defending them?" Countered Byakuya.
"I'm warning you, Kuchiki! Cease your actions! Or so help me, I will crush all your plans!" Toshiro growled. Byakuya paused, turned away and walked in his destined direction.
"No human, Soul Reaper, Hollow or Arrancar will stop me, Captain Hitsugaya." Byakuya said. "You may as well know your place and stay out of my way." He was now out of sight as he turned the corner.
"So be it..."