Genre: Romance, AU
Characters/Pairings: IchiRuki, IshiHime, Byakuya, etc.
Rating: T
Disclaimer: Me no own Bleach!
Warning: As this is an AU story, many of the situations are changed to fit my idea. I'll try to make the characters as in character as I possibly can do. All of the captains are here (that means Aizen, Gin, and Tousen) but I added a division (thus Gotei 14 instead of 13) and the vaizards, quincy, and everyone else. The setting is in Seiretei and no one is living in Karakura. The timeframe is somewhat feudal, so no technology stuff except for what the 12th division uses.
Summary: In the middle of the war against the Arrancar in Seiretei, Kurosaki Ichigo laid siege to the district of the noblest of all nobles. The mission: to capture and take as hostage the sister of his enemy, Kuchiki Rukia. The problem: the hostage herself.
…
…
…
Recap of previous chapter:
"It can't be." Rukia muttered to herself. "It can't be true." There is no way Aizen Sosuke was a monster as Kurosaki Karin painted him to be. What if it was a frame-up or a misunderstanding?
What if it wasn't?
Rukia shivered. Burrowing back into the warmth of the bed, she pondered on how to go about unearthing the mystery behind the reason she was brought here.
Tomorrow. When she finally got a decent night of sleep.
…
…
…
"Rukia-san!" Inoue cried out as she ran to her friend.
With approval of Kurosaki Taicho, the two women were finally allowed to meet each other and talk. Inoue's face was alight with happiness. "I'm glad to see that you're okay."
"Same to you, Inoue." Rukia replied. It was embarrassing to say it out, but she was worried about what might happen to her gentle friend. "Did they treat you well?"
Inoue smiled, "Oh yes, they were very kind, Rukia-san. Especially Ishida fukutaicho."
"Really?" she asked, hiding a smile of her own. It was quite obvious to her that the fukutaicho of the 14th division was besotted with the sunny and kind-hearted Inoue. "And I suppose Ishida fukutaicho kept you company?" she teased.
Without surprise, she saw her friend blush ten shades of red that was more than the color of Abarai Renji's hair.
"He brought me books to read." Inoue said shyly. "He even asked Arisawa-san to bring me a change of clothing as well." She added, referring to her new attire; a green kimono with white petals embroidered in it. Happily, she noted that her noblewoman friend was wearing a new change of clothes as well, though the design seemed more suited for someone younger "I was thinking of cooking him something as a thank you gift…"
A flash of mischief flared in Rukia's eyes. "Never mind Ishida, give it to Kurosaki Taicho."
"Eh?"
Rukia nodded emphatically "Well, it is HIS order that we're being treated fairly. Besides, he hasn't ordered us tortured yet. It's only fitting that you give him your specialty dishes as thanks."
There was a moment of hesitation before Inoue smiled brightly. "You know what? You're absolutely right, Rukia-san! We have to show our appreciation to Kurosaki Taicho!" the busty woman stood in an enthusiastic pose, one hand on her waist, and the other fisted in the air. "I'll have to send him my curried chicken and wasabi-miso ramen! Of course, because it's my special dish, I'll have to make my red bean choco-custard bread topped with jelly and deviled eggs for dessert."
"Exactly." Said Rukia "But it would be better if you don't tell him what it is – because it's a surprise."
There was no stopping Inoue now. She had a fire ablaze in her eyes as she imagined presenting the dish to the Taicho. Hopefully, he'd share it with Ishida. "Yes! I can do it! I will do it!" Quickly, she turned to her friend. "Excuse me, Rukia-san; I have to prepare."
"By all means, Inoue." Rukia said graciously. "Who am I to hinder such a culinary endeavor? You may proceed." She barely held on to her composure as Inoue curtsied to her and dashed off to find the kitchen.
"Take that, you orange-haired bastard". Rukia thought in approval. If Inoue's cooking doesn't kill you… probably nothing will. Rukia repressed a shudder as she remembered the first time she got a 'sample' of Inoue's food. If it wasn't for her discipline, she probably would have keeled over and thrown up everything. Fortunately, she was able to give her friend a smile for her efforts.
Then she made sure Inoue never set foot into the kitchens again.
Now alone, Rukia wondered if she could be allowed to the gardens, or if she was confined only to the manor. Was no one assigned to look after her? Rukia was tempted to think that she can use that to her advantage to escape, but that required long planning.
Yes, Inoue would provide a welcome distraction for both the Taicho and the fukutaicho. As well as whoever was invited to partake in the meal she was planning to make. Should the household erupt in chaos, Kuchiki Rukia will be there to take advantage.
Rukia decided to head off to the gardens anyway. She was sure that Kurosaki Taicho needed her alive; so if she was prohibited to leave the manor, well, the worst that could happen was that he'd blister her with scathing comments.
With that in mind, Rukia went on, hoping not to meet up with anyone along the way.
As she walked to her destination, Rukia chanced upon a man who was seated under the shade of a tree, reading something. He didn't look like a shinigami, as he was wearing a rather plain yukata and he was barefoot.
"Yo!" the man greeted her.
Rukia stopped abruptly. "Good morning." She said simply, looking back at him to see why he was talking to her.
"Nice day, is it not?"
There was a pause. "Yes."
The man stood up and walked towards her. "You don't look that pleased with the weather."
Rukia blinked at his audacity to treat her with familiarity. "It's a fair weather." She conceded, wishing that he would stop the chitchat. Unfortunately, her current status made it seem ridiculous to her to ask him to shut up and let her enjoy the peace. So she just gave him a cool glance; she was a Kuchiki after all.
The man peered at her closely. "So… You married yet?" he asked excitedly, looking at her up and down.
"Excuse me?" aghast at the nerve of the man, Rukia forgot to give him a glare and instead just gaped at him in disbelief.
Realizing her train of thought, the man laughed in embarrassment. "Oh NO, I'm in love with my dear wife, departed she may be! I was just thinking that if an enchanting, graceful, and beautiful lady as you is still eligible –
"I'm afraid I'm spoken for." Rukia interrupted dismissively, "I will be wed soon, as a matter-of-fact."
"But you're not married yet." He persisted, smiling like a crazed maniac "How would you like to marry my son? He's rich, he's strong; good-looking – but not as handsome as me, of course – but he's got that look that makes girls swoon…"
Rukia raised an eyebrow at the rambling. Try as she may be, this old geezer was not really as annoying as she wanted him to be. Raised in the Kuchiki household, Rukia was never given the opportunity to interact with people below their station. Even those who came from nobility were treated with polite indifference. Her servants were allowed to be so familiar with her. When she got to her division, it only got worse. A noble such as herself was discouraged to talk to them unless necessary and the other shinigami were too intimidated to open up to her as well.
She never wanted to admit it, but Rukia was hoping for some degree of familiarity with others.
"-Well, he's not exactly a ladies' man, you know, but my son has this magnetic ability to attract females! I say he got it from me. Didn't hurt that his mama was the most beautiful creation ever made…"
"That's nice to hear sir, but I'm afraid I'm not eligible for your son." Rukia said, giving him a hesitant smile. The man was such a stage father, she could only wonders how smothered with attention his son was.
"You have a beautiful smile." The man said quietly and seriously. "You should smile more often. You look more arresting with a sunny face that a cold façade."
Rukia couldn't help herself, she gasped.
"Well," he said chirpily, changing behavior in an instant. "If you decide to leave that man you're going to marry, let me know. I'll send a matchmaker to you so you can meet with my son. I'll be just here, among the flowers of these wonderful gardens." The man bent and gave her an exaggerated bow. "I hope to meet such an angelic vision once more!!!!!!"
"But… that's not going to happen…"
"Oh?" the man asked, raising an eyebrow in question. "If there's anything I've learned, being alive for many centuries and all, is that life has a way of settling things."
"Perhaps." Rukia finally said to placate the man.
It did the trick. "Excellent! Now I'm off to find that wayward fruit of my loins and tell him I just met a woman that can give his mother a run for her money in looks!"
Rukia couldn't help it but smiled at the flattery. She returned the other's enthusiastic wave awkwardly as the man decided to head off somewhere else.
"See you soon, Rukia-chan!!!!!"
Whoever that weird man was, he sure was funny. She wondered if everyone in the division knew that she was already here. The way the man was acting, they probably did. Well, it was expected. Who would not gloat over the fact that Kuchiki Taicho, the most popular Taicho in all of Seiretei had his district breached and his castle seiged? Not to mention the fact that the ice princess herself, his sister, was captured. The gossip mills will be having a field day.
As she walked on, another distraction appeared, this time in the form of frenzied screaming.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!"
"Bostafu! Come back!!!!! You need to be washed!!!!!!!!!!!"
Turning around, Rukia was able to see in time, a yellow thing hurl towards her – aimed towards her chest. Nimbly, she stepped aside, avoiding collision. The yellow thing crashed onto the ground.
"Please, stop it!" the owner of the voice called out, a young lady as tall as she was.
On reflex, Rukia lifted her foot and caught something under it. Upon closer inspection, she found out that it was a lion plushie whose tail was now caught beneath her.
There was a mild breeze and it whipped the hem of her kimono slightly. Suddenly, the plushie turned around and gave her a cheeky smile. "I can see your legs, nee-san!"
"Way of destruction –
"Nee-chan!" The girl called out as she finally reached them. "Thank you for holding Bostafu for me." She said, bowing before grabbing the plushie. "I'm sorry if he bothered you."
"Don't call me BOSTAFU!" the plushie hollered angrily as he was lifted from the ground. "How many times do I have to tell you – my name is KON! Okay, so I didn't like the name, but you can't go around changing my name when I just got used to it!"
"Alright, Kon. Now, let's go wash you up."
"NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You'll dress me up like a pansy!!!!!!!!!!!"
The young girl laughed for a while. "I promise not to do it, Kon. You should have said you didn't want it earlier." The girl turned to Rukia and smiled, taking notice of the yellow kimono for the first time. "Oh, so you were the one who needed something else to wear; I'm glad my kimono fits you."
The bastard Taicho made her wear a child's clothing?!
Rukia was fuming inwardly. No wonder she got weird looks earlier. It might have been because of the dress that her glare was not working with the old geezer previously. By all the gods in heaven, Rukia swore that Kurosaki Ichigo will pay dearly for this humiliation. His list of transgressions was piling up, one after the other. Inoue's cooking seemed too good as a punishment as of the moment.
Rukia gave the girl a cool stare that said nothing, hinted nothing.
To her credit, the younger one was unfazed. "I'm Kurosaki Yuzu by the way."
"Kuchiki Rukia."
Yuzu blinked and stay silent for the moment. Even the plushie Kon gave her a beady look before it placed a paw on Yuzu's arm protectively.
Utterly ridiculous; a Kuchiki never acted inappropriately even when directly provoked. Besides, did the idiotic plushie actually think that she was stupid enough to cause Kurosaki Yuzu pain while she herself was held in Kurosaki Taicho's division as hostage?
Giving the younger girl a dismissive look, Rukia turned around to continue her way to the gardens.
"I don't believe it…" Yuzu mumbled.
Instinctively, Rukia held herself up straighter. She would give Kurosaki Yuzu a chance to say things to her and she won't say anything back – at least she could gain insight at why they thought Aizen Taicho killed their mother. But if things turned violent, Rukia was going to defend herself; Kurosaki Taicho be damned. Slowly she turned to face a red-faced Yuzu.
"I can't believe Onii-chan didn't even get you a good dress! That's one of my less stylish kimonos and it's not fit for a grown woman!"
Rukia blinked.
"Mou." Yuzu pouted. "Men; trust them not to know anything about fashion!" Yuzu suddenly grabbed the Kuchiki noble by the arm. "Let's get you something else to wear. You're not going to join us have dinner wearing THAT!"
Bemused, Rukia looked at the girl. "Dinner?"
"Father says you and your friend should join us for dinner. They talked earlier when Orihime-san mentioned she was giving nii-chan a gift."
Oh god, if Kurosaki Taicho's father and sisters eat Inoue's cooking…
"Maybe we can have someone alter mother's old kimono; I'm sure Ishida-san will help us…"
As Rukia was led to the manor again, she wondered just how far her immunity would go after tonight's would-be dinner fiasco.
Carefully, Ichigo walked along the hallway. Careful not to make a noise, he crept into the dining hall as stealthily as he could. If he got ambushed …
"ICHIGO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Only Ichigo's fast reflexes ensured that he survived having his face smashed into the back of his skull by his father's foot. "What the hell are you up to now, old man?"
"Heh. You're late." Kurosaki Isshin reprimanded as he grabbed the front of his son's haori and dragged him into the dining room. "You know that family diners are very sacred in our home, and you have the gall to show your mug late? How dare you worry my precious little Yuzu?"
"Shut it, will you?" Ichigo shouted. "I'm a Taicho. I'm a busy man. Hell, how could you NOT understand the scope of my responsibilities, when you had been one yourself?"
Isshin grabbed his son in a decidedly undignified headlock. For the life of him, Ichigo could not figure out how his father became a captain when he remembered that he was a lax and lazy shinigami who preferred to have fun than running his division.
"Heh." Isshin also shouted. "Like I was late for dinner before? I was never out so late that my family had to wait for me until the food got cold."
"You and I are not alike, old fool!"
"Do you two mind, we're starving here." Karin's irate voice grated out.
Grudgingly. Isshin released his hold on his son's orange hair before he headed to his seat at the head of the large table. The family was joined by Ichigo's seated officers.
"Well, why isn't Rukia-chan here yet?" Isshin asked petulantly.
"She's just changing her clothes." Yuzu explained, giving her brother a disapproving look.
Ichigo just ignored his sister.
Suddenly, the doors to the room were once again opened as Inoue Orihime arrived, carrying a tray of food. As the others looked on in confusion, she made her way across the room to stand behind Ichigo. "Taicho?" she asked tentatively. "Please accept this as thanks for the hospitality you have shown Rukia-san and I."
"Oho." Isshin chuckled as he watched the blushing girl hand him the tray. Well, Inoue Orihime was a really cute girl; plus she had a body any woman would die for – well, most women of course; personally, Isshin knew a couple of more women aside from his beloved Masaki who had such a spectacular physique.
"Er… Thanks." Ichigo said uncomfortably.
Ishida pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, but said nothing as the others laughed at his Taicho's discomfort.
Beside him, Keigo moaned "Taicho is SO lucky to have the attentions of the lovely Inoue-san!"
Whatever conversation Inoue's arrival might have led to, it was halted as Kuchiki Rukia herself stepped into the room.
The noblewoman stood quietly.
Ichigo noticed that she changed into a familiar-looking sapphire-colored kimono with a lemon-colored obi. Her raven tresses were brushed to a glossy sheen that fell about her shoulders softly. Her snowy complexion stood up even more, giving her a luminescence that had nothing to do with cosmetics.
She raised her violet eyes and meets his. Unabashedly, she held his stare with a curious one of her own. It was a look that could see through a person's soul. This was, without a doubt, the glance that lured men to drop to their knees and proclaim their undying adoration to her.
Despite his better judgment, Ichigo was forced to admit that it was a lethal distraction.
Strangely, regardless of the fact that she was the captive, it was him who was caught and overwhelmed in her presence.
"Ah! Rukia-chan, we meet again!" Isshin's enthusiastic voice boomed out, breaking the spell that held the two.
Rukia blinked back an exclamation of surprise as she saw the man she met earlier. Oh gods, THIS was Kurosaki Isshin? This was the former Taicho of the 14th division, known for his ruthlessness in battle and monstrous strength? If she had known her nii-sama to have a sense of humor, she would have thought that he was joking or exaggerating his stories about this man.
The son he was talking about was, Kurosaki Ichigo?
Rukia remembered hearing him say that his son is good-looking but not handsome. Though she would never admit it even at the pain of death, Kurosaki Ichigo was a man who carried an appeal that was noticeable. True, he had a weird hair color, but the orange hair was a beacon that drew attention. And when it did, one would be surprised to see defined and angular features that were very strong and masculine; amber eyes that was filled with tempered fire; thin yet well-shaped lips that were decidedly sensual –
Wait! Why was she thinking THAT way AGAIN?
Rukia contemplated in mortification as she tried to keep the urge to blush at bay. She had seen an assortment of men parade at her, all preening in the hopes of winning her hand. Most of them were good-looking. Even her betrothed Aizen Taicho was considered as striking by many. Her own division's Taicho, Ukitake-san was also a good-looking bachelor that was sought after by ladies. Heck, she even grew up in the presence of the incomparable Kuchiki Byakuya. So why she acted like she never was saw a handsome man before?
"Please, have a seat beside me." Isshin said happily, indicating the place that was directly across his son's. If anyone wondered why he sat her beside him than one of his daughters, they gave no indication to it. "I see that Ishida altered Masaki's favorite dress… Excellent! I'm thrilled to see it used once again."
Hesitantly, Rukia sat down. "Thank you for inviting me, Kurosaki-dono."
"My, my," Isshin tittered, "Why so formal, Rukia-chan? Call me uncle, it sound nicer." He nodded his approval at her attire, "I must say, you do look enchanting tonight, Rukia-chan."
"Thank you… uncle."
Smiling, Isshin turned to his son. "Well? Aren't you going to say something?"
Ichigo gave his father a death glare. "Let's eat? I'm starving." He said dryly as he grabbed his chopsticks.
Conversation start to flow as the servant brought out heaps of food on elaborate trays. Before Ichigo could get his meal, Isshin pushed the tray that Inoue gave him. "Nope." He said, waving the servant away. "You'll act like a proper host and eat the food that Inoue-chan painstakingly made for you. She's very excited to let you taste her specialty, so don't fail your saintly mother boy, and eat it all up."
Ichigo looked back longingly at the food that was taken away from him. His scowl was set in place as he came face to face with the weirdest-looking food that he had ever seen. Several chairs away from him, Inoue beamed appreciatively.
"I hope you like it, Taicho" the sunny girl chirped. "It's curried chicken on wasabi-miso ramen and red bean choco-custard bread topped with jelly and deviled eggs for your dessert."
There was an uncomfortable silence in the room before chopsticks were gripped tighter, and the others scrambled for the edible food placed on the table. No one wanted to try the 'specialty' of Inoue Orihime. They would rather face a legion of menos while smeared with hollow-bait all over in the middle of Hueco Mundo. At least they would die an honorable death…
"Eat it." Prodded Isshin "Don't you dare embarrassed our guest now; not when she spent half of the day in the kitchen for it."
Ichigo wanted to shove the tray in his father's face and reminds him that the women were CAPTIVES, not guests. But at the moment he spied a flicker of amusement that lit up Rukia's eyes, he glared at her instead.
Everyone looked at him expectantly. He wanted to look enviously at their meal.
Suddenly, Rukia reached out and grabbed a piece of chicken off Ichigo's bowl. "Perhaps Taicho is concerned that this is a plot to murder him by poison." She said simply, before popping the meat into her mouth. Chewing daintily before swallowing, she gave him a challenging smile. "As usual, Inoue outdid herself. It's delicious."
Inoue smiled gratefully.
"Oi, Ichigo taicho." Tatsuki said impatiently. "Eat it so Inoue can start with her dinner already."
Slowly, Ichigo lifted a piece of chicken and placed it in his mouth. He continued to chew it carefully without saying anything. Inwardly, he was cringing at the absurd taste. Forlornly, he revolved if he was going to die from a stomach upset later on. The evil bitch, Rukia was grinning at him and yet her eyes were glint with malevolence that he was very certain the others could not see. How the hell was she able to stand the awful taste, he had no idea.
Like a man led to his execution, Ichigo forced himself to take a couple of bites.
This means war, he thought to himself. Without second thoughts, he was clearly aware who put Inoue to the task of 'cooking' for him. His hands itched to strangle Kuchiki Rukia. Mentally, he counted his bites so that when it reached ten, he'd ask for a different food.
"I'm glad you like it, Taicho." Inoue gushed. "I'll try to cook you food once in a while –
"NO!" Ichigo shouted.
He blinked as everyone squinted at his sudden outburst.
With grim thoughts, he glared at a Kuchiki Rukia that was quivering slightly with barely suppressed mirth. "Err… please don't bother, Inoue." He said quickly. "We have a household staff that can do that."
"But I handle the kitchen." Yuzu said innocently.
"Yuzu, you're my sister, it's your responsibility to take care of the household."
"So… Rukia-chan." Isshin said pleasantly, turning to the noble and beamed. "I hope everything in our home is up to your standards –
"She's a friggin' captive, old man." Ichigo said angrily as Karin raised an eyebrow at their father. "Why are you talking like this is a vacation for her?"
Isshin shot his son a death look. "She's a Kuchiki, idiot! What would Byakuya say if we gave her less than 100 silk sheets?"
"She can sleep in sackcloth for all I care!"
"You'd sleep in the sackcloth first before I let you do that to Rukia-chan!"
"It's alright…" Rukia whispered quietly in a broken voice, drawing everyone's attention to herself. She slowly set down her chopsticks. "I can sleep on sackcloth…" Keeping her eyes downcast, she clenched her hands tightly, before moving it to be hidden under the table. "I'm not supposed to be treated with such hospitality; Kurosaki-dono… someone like me should be thrown into the dungeon and given paltry rations of moldy bread and stale water; given a thin straw mat over a hard concrete floor…" She then looked up to Kurosaki Isshin, with tears falling down her face. "I apologize for causing a disturbance…"
Beside her, Yuzu was wiping moisture from her eyes "Ichi-nii, you're SO mean…"
Ishida looked back on his plate in time to see Inoue burst into a full-fledged cry-fest. "Inoue-san…" he said weakly, handing her his hand-embroidered handkerchief.
"Well I hope they don't give us separate cells… I'd be lonely on my own…" Inoue sobbed.
Ichigo felt a vein throb painfully in his temple. Why in the world did people buy Kuchiki Rukia's act? Did everyone conveniently forget that she was a smart, manipulative bitch? Suddenly, his father grabbed him by the head. And why the hell was Inoue crying too?
"MORON!" Isshin bawled. "You made Rukia-chan cry!" He then let go of his first-born and rush to a portrait of his wife that hung in the dining area. "Masaki, my love, my darling, joy of my heart! Please forgive me for failing to raise our son properly! It's my entire fault he's such an insensitive jerkwad! How dare he do this to Rukia-chan, our new third daughter!"
"Third daughter?" Karin echoed in disbelief. "Are you adopting her?"
"Really?" Yuzu asked, her eyes glistening, "I always wanted an older sister!"
Tatsuki shook her head "Yuzu, you have Karin already."
"But she's my twin. It's not like she's really older than me."
"Congratulations, Kuchiki – er, Kurosaki-san!" The enthusiastic voice of Keigo piped up.
Wearily, Ichigo slumped back against his chair as the dining room exploded into a frenzy of conversation. But not before he noticed Rukia give him a triumphant look.
A dark cat jumped off a tree before starting towards a dirt path.
The cat looked up at the night sky, the moon reflected in its eyes.
It then resumed its journey.
"Arisawa-san?"
Tatsuki nodded to show that she was listening. After dinner, she volunteered to escort Rukia up her room, so as to put considerable distance between her and the irate Taicho. In amusement, she wondered who needed protection from whom: Ichigo or Rukia. At that moment, they were fortunate enough that Isshin-san delayed his son in the dining area; thereby eliminating the possibility of Ichigo succeeding in strangling Kuchiki Rukia.
Of course, everyone heard him scream that she was dead when he got her alone. He howled it fairly loud enough. But if Tatsuki would be asked to place a bet, she'd place all her earnings with Rukia. With luck, she'd cash on her winnings as she was sure the smaller woman could beat her Taicho into a bloody pulp – all with a silly smile on her face.
"Arisawa-san," Rukia asked again, "what happened on that day… when Masaki-san was killed?"
Tatsuki paused in her tracks. "It's hard to believe, isn't it?" she asked the other. "He doesn't seem like a guy who'd kill a defenseless woman, does he?"
"I don't know what to think anymore." Rukia admitted silently, staring at the carpet to hide the confusion in her eyes. "All I want now is to know the truth."
"Aizen went here to find Ichigo's father." Tatsuki replied. "Isshin-san was helping Urahara Taicho of the 12th division escape to the human realm after he was exiled. They knew that someone was after Urahara's invention, the thing that caused him to be exiled in the first place, the Hyogokyu."
"The crumbling treasure? Isn't that just an old folk take?"
"One hundred years ago, when Urahara invented it, it wasn't."
Rukia gasped. "It existed that long? I heard that it was a dangerous thing…"
"Yes, it can make a shinigami acquires hollow powers and vice-versa." Tatsuki explained. "For a long time, Urahara hid its existence as he tried to find a place to hide it. Until Urahara found a way to seal it; but not without Aizen knowing."
"Why would Aizen want the hyogokyu? Surely not be a hollow?" Rukia mused aloud. "Wait, why would he be after Masaki-san when Urahara had it?"
Tatsuki looked at her uneasily. "I'm afraid I am not in a liberty to tell you. I apologize, Kuchiki-san. Perhaps you should ask Ichigo Taicho instead. No one has ever spoken about the details of the incident since he became a Taicho."
As the shinigami officer left, Rukia walked quickly to her bed and snuggled under the covers. It seemed like she had to deal with the stubborn Taicho first before she got any information from him. The most logical thing to do was to ask him outright, of course. However, the idea of digging up decades of filth was a task that even she was hesitant to do. Without Tatsuki saying it, Rukia knew that the incident altered Ichigo and reminding him about it would probably cause him to be enraged with her.
"Why do I even care, anyway?" Rukia said to herself angrily. Frowning, she contemplated on Aizen Taicho until she slowly fell asleep. It was then that she arrived in the realm of her dreams…
"Hold out your hand, Rukia."
Obediently, Rukia complied, and an intricate box was placed on her small palm. "Sosuke?"
"Open it, if you're curious." He said with a smile. "It's something a subordinate of mine brought from the human realm."
Slowly, Rukia undid the ribbon and opened the lid. A small glass globe set on a short pedestal was inside. Reaching out, she took the object and inspected it. It was filled with a liquid of some sort – water, perhaps and there was a miniature castle fixed at the center. "It's very delicate and pretty, Sosuke." She said, looking up at her betrothed. "Thank you."
Aizen Sosuke smiled anew. "You have to shake it first, Rukia."
Bewildered but decidedly curious, Rukia did so, and was surprised to see small; white things flutter around the castle. "It's… snow…" she breathed in amazement. "I have never seen anything like this before…"
The man beside her nodded in approval. For the first time after almost 40 years, the Kuchiki façade slipped and Rukia allowed herself to show emotion. Her appreciations for her present an obvious indication. "I'm glad it pleases you, Rukia. It's called a snow globe. When I saw that, I immediately knew that it must belong to you."
"Thank you."
Sosuke stepped closer to her in order to peer down her eyes. "I do not have the ability to provide you with a home that is as opulent as Kuchiki Taicho's as of the moment, so I hope that my gift will do."
Rukia felt herself feel a bit embarrassed to hear such things. Of course, Aizen Sosuke was supposed to say them; after all, they were to be married several months in the future. Yet, she felt uneasy about something now that they were betrothed to each other. Especially so whenever he smiled at her – even if it was the most gentle and kindest smile that she had ever seen.
Mentally, she shook her head; perhaps she was just nervous about the wedding; yes, that was probably the only reason…
"The war against the Arrancars is unavoidable, Rukia." Aizen answered finally, with a trace of disappointment in his voice. "Despite my effort to prevent us from using force, Seiretei is left with no choice. It will only be a matter of time before it is decided that we go to war."
"Sosuke…" Rukia muttered hesitantly, trying to find the right things to say. After all, she knew that he was against violence and bloodshed. "I am sorry…"
"I know, Rukia." He replied somberly, placing a hand on her shoulders, before slowly pulling her form against his. "I promise to keep an eye on your brother, your Taicho… as well as return safely." Running a hand through her hair, he murmured, "Then when I return, we will be wed."
For the life of her, Rukia could not understand why she felt her body turn cold all of a sudden. It was as if she was dropped into a freezing lake.
Suddenly, Rukia gasped as she sat up. Angrily, she shook her head. This thing about Aizen Taicho was bothering her to the extreme! Why was she dreaming about him this often? Not only that, but the nature of dreams all focused on her deep, hidden, and irrational fear of the man. She was supposed to be impartial, but why did she now doubt Aizen Sosuke? The man did nothing but show her kindness and understanding. However, as she watched the Kurosaki family, she couldn't help but wonder about the possibility of Aizen being a murderer as real.
The answer lies in the Hyogokyu. If Rukia could better understand the truth that was hidden in the myth, perhaps she could find a way to know the truth about Aizen and the Kurosakis.
Carefully, she reached for a small box from under her pillow; it was only one of the few things she was able to carry with her when she attempted to escape her home. Opening the box, Rukia looked at the memento Aizen Taicho gave her – the snow globe. Quickly she shook it, anticipating the soothing feel that came afterwards when she saw the fake snow swirl around the picturesque castle. Surprisingly, there was none.
Without another thought, Rukia pushed herself out of bed. Fluidly, she straightened up and donned on her dressing gown over the yukata she wore. She was going to the library to research about the Hyogokyu… and perhaps checks out some books on Kido as well. For a rich family like the Kurosakis, they were bound to have some rare books stashed somewhere.
Ichigo was busy with a lot of things. As a Taicho, he was given a multitude of tasks that require his utmost concentration. However, no matter how busy he was, he took time to reflect on his life in front of his mother's portrait in their large library. Of course, he was also impatiently waiting for a reply from Urahara on just how he could avert any further confrontation from another Taicho apart from Aizen.
Thus it was that he found himself stepping inside his hiding spot (no one would DARE think that he stayed in the library most of the time; reading the works of a playwright who lived in the human realm centuries ago – William Shakespeare). It was only during midnight that he felt comfortable enough to grab a book from the library.
Perhaps he should read Much Ado About Nothing… If there was anyone who needed a diversion, it was him. After all, dealing with a scheming Kuchiki can cause one to lose sanity if exposed to the annoying noble for an extended period of time.
As Ichigo locked the door, he sauntered over to his mother's portrait. He gazed at it for a while before he made his way to the shelves. However, he stopped in his tracks as he spotted something he was surprised to see.
Kuchiki Rukia was curled up on the carpet, sound asleep. What the hell was she doing, sleeping in the library instead of her designated room?
"What is wrong with you, midget?" he half-whispered to himself as he walked over.
The noblewoman was lying on her side, her hand clutching a book in a death grip. Carefully, Ichigo tried to make sense of the title.
Advanced Kido: Things You Never Thought; It Is Possible!No wonder she was that proficient in kido; she obviously spent hours studying. It was weird though; she seemed more interested in being a shinigami than attending many parties. Slowly, he pried the book from her hands and set it on a table. Casually, he opened the pages to check which part she was currently in. These were really advance stuff, mused Ichigo. "Now why is it you're still an unranked shinigami, midget?" he mused silently, remembering how she outwitted his soldiers and released her shikai without even calling its name out loud.
"Because Nii-sama didn't want me to be one." A voice called out sleepily.
Ichigo turned to face Kuchiki Rukia who was still lying on her side, her eyes yet to open. It seemed that he woke her up and she heard his apparent question. Before he could stop himself, he blurted out: "Kuchiki Taicho didn't want you to be a seated shinigami? But isn't that a worthy position for a noble anyway?"
"I heard it accidentally when he talked with Ukitake Taicho." Rukia replied in a slumberous tone, wiping her eyes languidly. "He said it himself, he wanted Taicho to remove my name from the list of potential officers…"
It seemed to Ichigo that Rukia's guard was down when she just woke up because at that moment, she gave a small yawn. This would never have happened if she was fully awake and had her wits about her.
Damned if she didn't look any cuter.
"Nii-sama said that he didn't want me going on difficult missions…"
"He's over-protective?" Ichigo questioned, surprised at how Byakuya cared for his younger sister.
"Nope. He doesn't believe in my skills." Rukia corrected him absent-mindedly, curling her body into a fetal position, still in the threshold of her slumber.
"He's your brother," Ichigo said quietly, pressing his advantage over the still vulnerable Rukia; wanting to know something about this enigma. "He's allowed to be over-protective."
"Maybe for you; but not for nii-sama…" murmured Rukia. "As long… as I can… remem… ber, nii-sama never… cared for me once…"
Ichigo frowned. That really wasn't possible, older brothers were supposed to care for their baby sisters, protecting them from harm.
"Envy… Karin… and Yuzu… have … brother … cares for… them…" Rukia said incoherently.
For a while, there was only silence. Ichigo peered back at Rukia who remained motionless, except for her deep breathing. The orange-haired taicho examined her even closely. Strange as it may, he preferred seeing her asleep. Maybe it is because it was when she looked relaxed and at peace.
"Well…" Ichigo murmured in a low voice as he brushed back her bangs from her face, so it wouldn't obscure her features. "I can take care of you if you want…" he started to say, but immediately added "since the old man called you his third daughter." Knowing that it sounded all too lame especially in his ears, he quickly reached for a shawl that was lying on one of the chairs and covered her with it. What the hell was he thinking, telling the annoying woman he could take care of her?
Maybe he felt the injustice of an older brother ignoring his baby sister. Yeah, right, he snorted; Kurosaki, you're starting to sound like that Tousen-taicho with your shitty-injustice speech.
"But I'm sure your brother cares for you, in his own ice-block way, of course." He murmured finally, deciding it was the most prudent thing to say. Not that he ought to, mind you. The midget was asleep, so there was no need for him to justify his thoughts to her in the first place.
With that, Ichigo tucked the shawl around her one last time before he left. "Pleasant dreams, midget."
Once the door was closed, Rukia opened her eyes.
C. LeShay's corner:
Hope that wasn't too fluffy for everyone! And yes, Rukia was awake all the while. Draw your own conclusions!
Did you guys watch episode 160 of the Bleach anime? WOOT!
I so wanted to write a valentine's day fic; but I really am too busy to even think of another fic when I have this one going on. At any rate, happy Valentines Day even if its late.
I added the Kurosaki family and KON; I so love Isshin. I miss him and his weird antics.
I dedicate this fic to my beta: my e-dad, Kaya, my e-mom 07Janina07, and my e-sister CooWings. Likewise, I'd like to introduce new members of my family: my e-great-great-grandmother, Bunnisteffi, her twin (my e-great-great-grand aunt Laurie B.), and my e-godmother MitsukaiMizuno!