A/N: 80 pretty reviews by next Sun? That's 15 more reviews :D
Numb
Chapter 6: Freedom
"I wonder what our ancestors, would say, if they found out that such an animal was adopted into the royal clan of Kuchiki." Rukia looked at the people surrounding her in a tight circle. Everyone was dressed formally, and their faces were all blank and empty.
"What? Adopted? Who?" Rukia turned to face the person.
"Kuchiki is a name that demands respect; a name that is carefully protected by generations of Kuchiki. What a pity, to be dirtied by the adoption of a streetrat." Another person continued, as if he was having a conversation with another person, and Rukia was not there at all.
"It is an honor to become a Kuchiki of the main bloodline." Rukia looked to her left, at the person who was speaking to her. The woman's face was blurred, but she knew who it was, her "mother" when she was on the streets. Rukia shut her eyes in desperation. No one knew how she felt. Surely this torture could not be an honor?
"Okaa-san, this is not an hon-" Rukia said in desperation.
"Oh yes, dear, it is, an honor." Rukia's "mother" interrupted.
"Take your chance for a better life, Ruk, it is really an honor and a blessing bestowed upon you." Someone behind her said.
"Renji, you don't understand! I don't want this at all!" Rukia screamed, turning around.
Renji shook his head sadly. "It is the best for you." Jerking his head in the direction behind her shoulders, he continued, "He can provide everything that you can possibly want or need in your life."
Rukia turned to look at the presence behind her. "Byakuya-sama."
Kuchiki Byakuya narrowed his eyes. "I believe that it is Ni-sama. It is really an honor to be adopted by the royal family, to become the princess."
"It is an honor, animal." Someone said.
"An honor, street rat." Someone sneered.
Rukia whirled around to look at the person, "Stop it, please…"
"My dearest daughter, it is an honor!" Rukia's "Mother" happily exclaimed.
"Not you too, Kaa-san." Rukia pleaded, near tears.
"Don't give up the honor, Ruk."
"Please, Renji, stop it!" Rukia cried.
"It is an honor, Imouto…"
Rukia could not take it anymore, "Ni-sama, you can't…"
He smiled before leaning down to whisper in her ear, "Yes, I can, dear Imouto…"
Rukia's breathe hitched before she screamed, "Stop it!"
Rukia sat up on her bed, gasping. Hopping out of her bed, she quickly ran to the toilet. Splashing water on her face, she looked at her pale reflection in the mirror and repeated slowly, "It is not an honor. It is not an honor…"
Unknown to her, a pair of grey eyes were watching her silently.
-X-
Byakuya awoke from his slumber when he heard Rukia scream, "Ni-sama" Hurriedly pulling on a black bathrobe over his pants; he silently pushed open the shoji door that connected their rooms. He watched as she twisted around on her bed before screaming. As she sat up, he stood silently in the shadows of her room. He followed her as she made her way to the bathroom and closed the door behind her. Quietly, he pushed open the door just in time to hear her repeating to herself.
Lowering his eyes, Byakuya padded back to his room. At this point of time, he really wondered if it was really a wise choice to adopt Rukia into the cruel and cold clan. The moment she agreed to the adoption, or rather, she was not given a choice, she was bound by rules that every Kuchiki must follow. He never really understood how harsh the rules were. From the day he was born, he followed the rules, he never ever had freedom to embrace. He remembered the day where they formally talked to him about the rules…
XFlashbackX
"Byakuya-sama, you had the honor of being born a Kuchiki. So in return, you must follow the rules that every Kuchiki follows." Ukitake smiled at the small Kuchiki who was sitting on a chair such that his legs were dangling in the mid- air.
Byakuya stared at him emotionlessly before speaking in a well trained manner. "I already know the rules of a normal Kuchiki, a Kuchiki from the main bloodline, rules of an heir, and the rules, of a King."
XEnd of FlashbackX
He was bound by rules, rules so strict that he became numb, immune to it. He never knew what freedom was, he never even knew it existed until he saw her. Byakuya still did not know what it was, but he knew… it made her happy.
It was something that allowed her to skip happily along the corridors of the Kuchiki manor singing, something no servants have done and managed to live to see the next day. It was something that allowed her to dip her dainty feet in the koi pond and wave openly at him, causing her to loose her balance and fall right into the pond. He had to fish her out and dry her, but she was still laughing when she resurfaced. But, above all, it was something that allowed her to smile, to laugh, to be happy, to enjoy herself. It was something that allowed her to dance on the melting snow, and climb the newly blossoming cherry blossom trees in his private garden.
Byakuya realized that he did something so unfair to her only after hearing her scream because of a nightmare he caused, and after hearing her chant to her own reflection in the mirror.
He had taken away what made her happy, what made her smile. He had taken away her freedom.
She was now like him. Bound by rules, forever…
But he had no choice. If her true identity was ever found out by the elders, not only her freedom would be taken away from her. Everything she owned or thought she did would be gone. Sitting down on his bed Byakuya thought, it would be better to take away her freedom, right?
As he threw the covers over himself, he realized he was really disturbed when he could not find the answer.
-X-
As Rukia made her way out of her room, she reminded herself again and again, she was a Kuchiki now. As she thought about the predicament she was it, tears began falling no matter how hard she tried to blink them away.
Suddenly, Rukia felt a warm hand on her shoulder. She turned around and saw a man with the longest white hair she had every seen. He smiled kindly at her and said, "Kuchikis don't cry, not once they are in the presence of other people. But, it is alright to cry. Better than to keep it all bottled up. I am Ukitake Jyuushiro."
Rukia was about to bow and greet him before he stopped her. "Rukia, along with some benefits of being a Kuchiki is that, you will never need to greet anyone again, except your Ni-sama." Rukia nodded.
"Your brother wishes for me to accompany you to his private sword collection to choose a sword." Ukitake announced as they walked down the corridor.
Rukia stopped walking. "Sword? For who? Me?" Rukia exclaimed disbelievingly.
Ukitake smiled, "You will be allowed to graduate after finishing your year at the Academy. You will be allowed a straight place in the thirteenth squad, which is, by the way, my squad."
All this information was too much for Rukia to digest. She simply nodded her head.
As Ukitake lead them down another corridor, he came to a stop in front of a room. Smiling reassuringly at her, he slid open the door.
Rukia gasped. Swords, old, new, long, short, were hung artistically around the room which could easily fit in a few large training areas. It had to be the dream of every swordsman to just enter the room and have a look.
Ukitake chuckled slightly at the expression on her face. Putting a hand on her shoulder to get her attention, he spoke, "Now, all you have to do is choose a sword that you want or like. Choose carefully, it will be your sword for life."
Rukia glanced at the walls around her that hung easily over a thousand swords. Turning her attention to the eccentric Ukitake, she asked, "How am I supposed to choose the sword?"
Ukitake smiled kindly, "Some people choose their swords based on the appearance. However, try not to do that, many of these people find that their sword does not fit them."
Patting the handle of his sword fondly, he continued, "I chose mine through instinct. It just seemed to catch my attention."
Nodding her thanks, Rukia looked around the room. Then she saw it, the perfect sword for her.
It was placed in a dark corner of the room, on a stand that could place two swords, which meant that someone had the other sword. It was probably the oldest, rustiest and ugliest sword in the whole Sereitei, but, it was calling to her.
As Ukitake prompted her, she pointed to the sword and smiled, "Could I have that please?"
As Ukitake saw the sword she wanted, his face turned deathly pale. Nevertheless, he nodded his consent, and took a step back as she reached for the sword.
Ukitake felt a great sense of déjà vu as he watched her reach for the sword she wanted. As her nervous fingers gently ran over the blade of the rusty sword, the blade turned completely white. A sheet of ice started to form on the walls of the room. On observation, Ukitake realized that she was too enchanted by the sword in front of her to notice the phenomenal. He heard her whisper softly, "Sode no Shirayuki…"
Ukitake shook his head. What was he going to say when Kuchiki Byakuya asks for a report?
-X-
Byakuya frowned. Ukitake stuttered, "As I was saying, her sword's name is Shirayuki! It cannot be just a coincidence!"
Sighing inwardly Byakuya waved Ukitake out of the room. Then, narrowing his eyes, he growled, "Senbonzakura!"
The lady clad in pink, red and white appeared. Unlike her usual self, she was now quiet and solemn. She said softly, "This is highly unexpected."
As Kuchiki Byakuya glared at her warningly, she continued, "I knew she would catch your attention, I knew she was what you were looking for, but I never thought she would be the wielder of Shirayuki."
Byakuya snarled, "Do I need to remind you of the prophecy?"
Senbonzakura replied worriedly, "If the elders find out about the prophecy, Rukia might be killed. In the eyes of the elders, she is, and will forever be just a street rat. Surely you know that? It is not a well known fact that the wielders of Senbonzakura and Shirayuki are meant for each other. Only Jyuushiro will know that. However, the similarities between Shirayuki and myself cannot be missed. It is too obvious that we are a pair. Most of the Shinigamis know, or understand that when that swords come in a pair, their masters will also be a pair."
Byakuya frowned, "Speak to Shirayuki, see if she can change the command of her sword."
Senbonzakura disappeared slowly in a thousand petals…
-X-
When Rukia walked into the Academy, everyone shunned to the side, whispering in their little groups. She frowned, surely, news haven't traveled so fast?
That was when she learnt two words, fat hope.
-x-
A/N: So how was it? Changed the silly line breaks which can't appear in the doc manager when you upload it :D
Preview for Chapter 7
Rukia knew that she would never be the perfect Kuchiki like her ni-sama. Ni-sama's manners might be uninviting, but they were perfect. Ni-sama's perfect wielding of Senbonzakura. Ni-sama dressed appropriately. Ni-sama knew better than to run in the manor, trip and fall, and knock over the expensive vase. Ni-sama knew everything that was happening in the Soul Society.
Little did Rukia know, Ni-sama knew everything that was happening, except one thing.
He did not know that he was slowly falling more and more each day for her.
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