Chapter 3: The White Lady in the snow
Rukia opened her eyes. Oh I'm here. She silently thought.
"Yes you are here Rukia-chan" Came the familiar and haughty voice of Sode no Shirayuki. Her Zanpakuto's spirit was dressed in her normal outfit.
It was a long white robe that covered her tall and elegant form competently. She walked barefooted, seemingly not bothered by the white snow under them. Her sleeves where long, yet her delicate and feminine hands were uncovered. On her head she wore not only a hood, but also a veil that coved her face completely, Rukia had never seen past her veil, and the image she presented was one of almost pure white. Rukia remembered she been quiet hard to find when she had entered her spirit world for the first time for that very reason.
As Rukia looked around her spirit world, she realised that nothing had really changed since she been there last with the exception of one thing. It was still a realm of snow, a hilly land covered in constant blizzard. But one of the hills seemed different and changed...
"I see you have noticed Rukia-chan" her Zanpakuto's spirit spoke as she walked towards her. "It been here since that night you met that boy and stabbed him with me."
Rukia stared at the former hill. While it was heavily covered in snow , it was undoubtedly now a skyscraper.
"Is this something of Ichigo?" Rukia asked while motioning to the building.
"One would assume yes." She spoke with a annoyed air. "And I can not enter it."
She turned and looked towards Rukia, through her face was unreadable because the veil.
"Why did you leave me so weak for a human boy?" Her tone was demanding, aggressive and hurt.
Rukia stared at the snow covered ground.
"It was life or death..." She said gently while struggling to raise her head. "It was turn him into a Shinigami or let him and his family be murdered by a Hollow Sode no Shirayuki..."
"Nice story, but one flaw Rukia-chan.." She said with accusing tone. "You didn't just give him enough power to fight, you gave him everything!"
Rukia looked up at the spirit.
"I didn't mea..." Rukia started only to be interrupted.
"Mean to give him everything?" She said with an increasingly aggressive and angry tone. "But you did. You kept letting him have a little more... and a little more and before long it was all gone! Because he sucked us dry and you let him Rukia-chan!"
Sode no Shirayuki words hit harder than any punch.
"He needed it!" Rukia shouted fanatically "I couldn't risk leaving him weak Sode no Shirayuki.."
"But what about you Rukia-chan?" she replied, her tone becoming somewhat calmer. "What about your strength, your weakness? By giving him so much power, you left yourself completely at the mercy of a stranger.. Explain that Rukia-chan."
"Ichigo would never betray me!" Rukia shouted back in anger. "I would entrust him with anything!"
"And how did you know that on that night Rukia-chan?" Sode no Shirayuki said with a sharpness and harshness in her tone as she spoke words that Rukia found hard to counter.
Rukia stood there staring at her as the winds of her world started to build up and the snow flacks become thicker in the air.
"How did you know to trust Kurosaki Ichigo Rukia-chan?" the spirit spoke as her outline became increasingly difficult for Rukia to see in the growing blizzard. "Tell me before we both fade away from this fatal poison. I need to know why you trusted him over me. Why you placed your faith in a stranger instead of your Zanpakuto."
Rukia continued to stand there as the snow flacks struck and stung her so hard that Rukia struggled to keep her eyes in the harshness.
She was afraid to reply and she was afraid to let her thought ask why.
"Answer me coward!" the spirit screamed, seemingly from all directions at once. "Tell me why you trust Kurosaki Ichigo over me!"
Rukia stood there in the harsh blizzard, frozen more by fear than the growing cold.
"Are you not a Kuchiki? " She continued to rage on. "Are you not Lady Kuchiki Rukia, Shinigami of the thirteenth division of the Gotei thirteen!"
Rukia stood there thinking, shaking in thought. Finally thinking, finally realising....
"Because I wanted to make amends for failing Kaien-dona!" She screamed out "Because I failed him and I loved him and Ichigo so like him and was so weak and helpless... I thought I could make amends Sode no Shirayuki! Give him life to make amends for the death I gave him before!"
Rukia dropped onto her knees and buried her faced in her hands as she cried.
"Guilt and regret." Sode no Shirayuki spoke firmly from the blizzard around Rukia, it was now impossible to tell from where. "Are scars upon our hearts. Love can bring us great pain as it can bring great joy and even the most level headed warrior can have her mask broken by the bonds of affection."
Rukia slowly to rise her head up.
"There no shame in having a heart that leaves you open to guilt driven choices Rukia-chan." The spirit firm voice continued to speak from around her. "But I ask you one more question. What of your feelings for the recipient of your guilt driven choice?"
"Ichigo..." Rukia quietly murmured to herself in thought as the snow flacks hitting her face started to ease in fury . "Is not Kaien-dona. This I'm sure of now. But he also a man of honour, a man of kindness."
Her voice grew stronger.
"He also may be a bit of barbarian at times and he really needs to work on his manners... but his heart is a strong and warm one! When he says he protect someone, he means he protect them with his life and soul! When he faces terrible adversity, he just tries harder! And while he sometimes acts a bit childish, I consider him a noble man and I would happily follow him to hell and back if he asks me too!"
The blizzard eased off.
"Thank you Rukia-chan." The spirit's voice was only coming from ahead of Rukia now and was far more gentle. "Open your eyes and see my true face."
Rukia opened her eyes to see that Sode no Shirayuki's veil was now thrown back. She had perfect skin and eyes of a cool and pure blue. However onto this picture of perfection was one serous and major imperfection...
"A true warrior's heart always have scars Rukia-chan." She spoke simply to Rukia as she looked over the nasty scar that went from her forehead to her cheek. "But that because a true warrior suffers for others Rukia-chan."
Rukia continued to stare at Sode no Shirayuki. It was a dam nasty scar, it looked like she been burned and cut at the same time, but she still looked somewhat beautiful despite it. Rukia bit her lip and started to speak.
"No you didn't cause it Rukia-chan" Sode no Shirayuki. Said with a soft smile on her face. "Feel no guilt over this wound."
A smile passed over Rukia face before recent events passed her mind and turned her joy to a sign.
"Its a shame really..." Rukia said with depressed air.
"What is Rukia-chan?" the spirit inquired.
"If I had tried a little bit harder to get closer to Ichigo's strong and warm heart, perhaps I have more rather nice memories, but instead I always lacked the drive to try..." Rukia explained sadly.
"And what's stopping you from getting more in the future Rukia-chan ?" The spirit enquired with a mischievous look in her eyes. "Because your poisoned and going to die?"
Rukia stared at her as the only possible reason for that mischievous look came to mind.
"Your going to give me Banki?" Rukia asked, hardly believing her own words.
"You answered all my questions Rukia-chan and open your heart to me." Sode no Shirayuki said softly. "I'm willing to give you the power you need to live and to protect your charges Rukia-chan, if you just make me a promise."
Such a demanding ZanpakutÅ, Rukia quietly thought to her self before speaking.
"What you want me to promise Sode no Shirayuki?" Rukia asked with both her eyes on the spirit.
"Promise to take control of your life with both hands instead of one Rukia-chan". She stated simply to Rukia as she pull her Shikai form thin air and held it outstretched towards Rukia.
"I promise." Rukia said firmly as she took the blades handle with both hands while staring deep into Sode no Shirayuki eyes.
Once again Rukia world went white, but this time there was one word on her lips as she awoke to world of the living....
"Ban-ki!" Rukia screamed with all her might.