Disclaimer- I do not own Bleach, but I do own the oc's. Thanks for reading, reviewing and following the story so far. Hope you like this chapter too.
Chapter 3- Finding A Way to You
Emiko's POV
"Are you sure you're capable of punishing anyone in the state you're in?" The voice was so familiar, but I knew it couldn't be that person.
"You better show yourself or be prepared to fight me." I say getting ready to attack whoever was in my room.
"You can be so naive at times." The person mocks me, "But that's one thing I always loved about you Emiko." I was starting to get annoyed. The relaxed feeling I had was starting to fade as the alcohol was wearing off. Whoever was playing this joke on me was going to get it.
"You're calling me naive. You must not know who you're talking to." I take a step closer in the direction of the voice, the moonlight shining on my face.
"It's a shame I can't stay longer, but I'm glad I could see you again." The person says and finally comes out of the dark. My eyes meet the pair of gold ones that I've been longing so much to see again. I could feel my chest get tighter and it became harder to breathe. Is it really you?
The next morning I wake up with a splitting headache. I feel like shit and what makes it worse is that I have to go to a meeting today. I get out of bed and walk to the bathroom. I quickly take something for the pain in my head and get into the shower. As the warm water runs over me I couldn't help but remember the dream I had last night. I had dreamt about her again, but it seemed so real this time.
~Last Night~
"Chiyoko." I whisper as she steps closer to me. My vision becomes blurry as tears run down my face.
"Why are you crying Emiko?" She asks wiping the tears away with her thumb. Hearing that voice say my name like that I couldn't help but continue to cry uncontrollably. "I'm sorry Emiko." She whispers and her arms wrap around me tightly and comforting. "I have caused you to feel so much pain ever since I left."
"Why did you leave me?" I murmur into her shoulder.
"I can't tell you the reason why yet." She answers looking right into my eyes. Her arms release me but I didn't want to let go.
"Please don't let go. Please stay."
"I can't stay Emiko."
"Let me come with you." I plead to her.
"You can't." She answers simply and steps back getting ready to leave again. "Continue on with your life here in Soul Society. I promise this is not last time we see each other Emiko. We'll be a team again one day."
"How long do I have to wait?" I ask and she smiles.
"It won't be too long." I frown thinking that she was lying. "Don't make that face, I'm not the only one you have. There are many people here that need you like Mayumi and the rest of squad ten. There are even some who like you but because you have been avoiding almost everyone else you haven't realized it yet." She finishes and I look at her confused.
"What do you mean?" I question and she starts to laugh.
"You'll know soon enough." She says as she walks over to the window."Oh and one more thing, if you're going to drink make sure you're with others that can keep an eye on you since I can't be there to tell you when to stop." She smiles at me one last time before she disappears. I was alone again but I didn't feel as lonely and empty like the first time she left. I think knowing that she was ok made me feel relieved.
When I get out of the shower and look at myself in the mirror. I notice my eyes are red and puffy like I really had actually been crying. They felt heavy and all I want is to go back to sleep but I know I can't. Instead I put on my clothes and got ready for the meeting. I leave my squads barracks and start my walk to squad one. As I walk by the fifth divisions barrack Captain Hirako and Lieutenant Aizen were just leaving to go to the meeting. Shinji notices me and waves as he walks over.
"Good morning Captain Kimura. How are you?" He asks and we begin to walk together to the meeting. I figured walking with him was the least I could do after feeling kind of sorry for what I had said last night.
"Tired." I answer.
"Did you not get enough sleep last night Emiko?" Aizen butts in.
"Jeez learn your place Sosuke! You can't call her by her first name like that, it's disrespectful. How many times have you been told that?" Shinji scolds him.
"I'm very sorry Captain Hirako and Captain Kimura." He bows his head.
"It's all right. I'm sure no matter how many times I tell you not to do that you'll still end up doing it. I'm happy as long as you remember to only come to my squad for something important from now on." I smile and Shinji looks at me surprised. "What is it?"
"Oh it's nothing." He smiles. I narrow my eyes at him but I decide to let it go and continue to walk with them. "Why are you tired, have you been up all night?" Shinji asks suddenly, remembering what I had said earlier.
"Yeah I had to finish some important paperwork." I lied.
"Oh really, paperwork for what?"
"You know, the usually stuff." I answer not sure of what else to say causing Shinji to smirk at me.
"You're such a bad liar."
"What do you mean?" I ask playing dumb.
"You weren't doing paperwork, so what were you really doing?" He asks again having seen through my lie.
"I was having a hard time getting to get sleep, so I had myself a few drinks to help me fall asleep." I answer which wasn't a total lie and he nods.
"And now you have a hangover?"
"Yes."
"So are your eyes red because you didn't sleep long enough."
"Yes." I answer again.
"If you came out with us last night that probably wouldn't have happened." He says and I remembered in my dream Chiyoko had said something about drinking with others instead of by myself. "I also wouldn't have had to listen to Kisuke whine about how he thinks you hate him." He sighs and I look up at him.
"Why does he think I hate him?"
"You're always so cold to him. He was also upset about what you said yesterday when you didn't want to go out with us."
"Oh, he doesn't seem like the kind of person to talk things like that so seriously." I say now feeling bad. "What can I do to make him feel better?" I blurted out without thinking. Shinji looks down at me and smiles mischievously.
"Ask him to go out with you tonight. Just the two of you."
"What?" Aizen and I say both at the same time. Shinji looks at both of us with his usual smile.
"You want to make him feel better don't you, and you never know maybe he can help you get a good night sleep tonight." He says suggestively. I couldn't help but blush before Aizen spoke up.
"You shouldn't say things like that Captain." Shinji looks over at Aizen.
"This doesn't concern you Sosuke. This is between us captains." He looks back over at me and smiles. "Here's your chance Emiko, Kisuke is right over there." Shinji points over to him on the other side of the street. Urahara finally looks over to us and waves. "Hey Kisuke, come over here. Emiko has something she wants to ask you!" Shinji yells over to Kisuke and he nods back then begins to walk towards us.
"Jeez how old are Shinji?" I begin to narrow my eyes at him, but then smirk.
"Why are you smiling like that?" He asks backing away from me. I walk closer and kick his legs causing him to fall on his back.
"You should be happy that's all I did." I say and turn around to face Kisuke and his lieutenant. Hiyori looks at me wide eyed then smiles in approval.
"I see you finally got what was coming to ya Shinji." She walks over to him and Aizen who was standing over him to make sure he was ok.
"There's something you want to ask me Captain Kimura?" Kisuke asks looking down at me. The other three weren't paying attention to us so I decided this was the perfect time to say it.
"Um yeah. I wanted to ask you if you wanted to go out with me tonight." I look at him trying not to seem nervous. He smiles and pats my head.
"Sure is Shinji coming too?"
"No it will be just us." I answer while trying to fix my hair. I look back up at him and his surprised expression.
Kisuke's POV
I look down at Emiko with wide eyes not sure if she was kidding or not. She wasn't the type of person who liked to joke around with us so I wasn't sure how to answer.
"I'm sorry. This was a bad idea. You probably don't want to after what I had said to you yesterday. I'm really sorry." She turns around and begins to walk away.
"Wait, Captain Kimura!" I yell while following after her. She turns around to look at me. "I'll go on a date with you." I smile at her making her blush.
"I never said it was a date."
"Oh then what would you call it?" I notice her checks brighten before she walks away from me again. She suddenly stops to say something.
"Then I'll see you at the Shinto Sake and Ramen Bar at six." She says and continues walking away.
Later after the meeting Emiko was the first to leave as usual. The rest of us stood outside talking.
"She's just like the last captain of squad ten. They would also be the first to leave right after the meeting." Captain Ukitake says.
"Yeah, I wonder if she's ok. Captain Shihoin cared for her and then she suddenly disappeared one day." Captain Kyoraku adds.
"Poor thing." Captain Unohana frowns.
"You can tell the last couple years have been hard for her." Yoruichi joins in.
"She is your cousin so shouldn't you know where she went?" Shinji asks her.
"I have no idea where she is now, but last night I did feel her spiritual pressure. She must have been checking up on Kimura-san. Knowing Chiyoko she probably left to protect that girl."
"Do you think they met face to face last night?" I decide to also join the conversation.
"That's possible. It's probably also the reason why her eyes were red and she looked so tired."
"Hmm that explains a lot." Shinji says more to himself.
"Do you think she'll be ok now?" I ask Yoruichi.
"I hope so. Chiyoko probably came as a way to assure her that everything will be alright." She answers and I nod. I hope going out with me tonight wasn't going to be a burden for her.
-That evening-
I quickly pace around my room not sure what I should do. I had thirty minutes until I was supposed to meet Emiko at the bar.
"Relax Kisuke." Shinji tries to calm me down.
"There must be something wrong with Captain Kimura. Why would she want to go out with you?" Hiyori snorts.
"You're just jealous nobody asks to go out with you." Shinji teases her.
"Shut up! I don't care about stuff like that." She yells back at him making me laugh.
"I guess I should get going now." I say walking to the door and leave the two of them to argue.
Mayumi's POV
At around 6:30 I walk into Captain Kimura's room and see her getting ready to leave.
"Where are you going Kimura-san?" I ask taking a seat on the couch.
"I'm going to meet someone for dinner tonight." She turns around to look at me as she answers.
"Like a date?"
"No it's not a date." I notice her face become a little flustered, but then she quickly returns to her normal expression.
"Oh, are you going to meet Lieutenant Aizen?" I ask assuming she was probably going to eat with him.
"No, Captain Urahara." I look at her surprised but sort of relived it wasn't with Aizen.
"Wow, I'm amazed you agreed to go out with him."
"I was the one to ask him." She says and I look at her confused.
"I'm surprised you would do that. I hope you have a good time." I smile happy that she finally wanted to spend time with others.
"Thank you. I'll probably be back late tonight so I'll probably see you in the morning." She says before walking out the door. I frown to myself not knowing what to do now. I lay out on the couch and decided to take a nap until she got home tonight. I didn't want to wait until morning to tell her about the good news.