A/N: Evil laughter... 99 reviews! Haha :D
16 reviews this time? That is 115 reviews :D
That will be the perfect reward for a longer by 1k words than last round chapter :D
-X-
Numb
Chapter 8: Suffocation
It was two years since she became an esteemed Kuchiki, a year since she entered the thirteenth division and a few weeks since she killed Kaien-dono. It was ironic, really, the death of Kaien-dono. The first thing that she killed was not a hollow, but her most respected superior. She did it for herself, so that she would not be injured. The moment his blood stained her robes, she had another name. As ugly as it sounded, she knew deep inside, that it was true. Kuchiki Rukia was a murderer.
Rukia had wanted to become stronger. She wanted to show Ni-sama that she was worthy of his attention. She was getting stronger and faster under the watchful eyes of Kaien and Miyako. Then, suddenly, everything came crashing down. She killed a lieutenant, not just any lieutenant; she killed the head of the Shiba house.
It happened all too quickly. The moment Shirayuki was coated with red blood, the noble house of Shiba was kicked out of the system. She ought to be killed, she ought to be punished, but she was not, simply because she was a from the royal house of Kuchiki.
She was scared; she was afraid; she was a coward. She had waited for hours before she paid the dreaded visit to the Shiba family. She would never forget the expressions on the faces of Kaien-dono's youger brother and sister. The shock, the hatred. It was all because of her.
She was even more afraid that Ni-sama would be furious at her; it was a well-known fact that Ni-sama and Kaien shared a rather close bond. She had spent hours walking aimlessly along the darkened streets of Rukongai. As she walked into the 78th street of Rukongai, memories flooded back to her. She had wished that she was still a street rat, she never met Ni-sama, she never met Kaien-dono. Everything would be perfect then. They would never have to take care of a useless person like herself. It was all because of her…
She smiled bitterly before kneeling down at a particular spot. It was where she had collapsed a few years ago, before waking up at a warm bed. Ni-sama, he had suffered all the insults for adopting a street rat into his house, but had always shielded these rumors and insults from her. He protected her a lot, she knew, and she repaid him by killing his closet acquaintance. When she finally headed back to the Kuchiki manor, Ni-sama was already waiting for her at the entrance. Strangely enough, he wasn't angry, not at all. She was almost hopeful that he would say a few sharp words to her; she was hopeful that he would punish her severely, to relieve some of the sin and guilt she felt, but he did not. Kuchiki Byakuya had remained impassive while she briefly told him the death of Kaien. But she knew that he was also saddened with the sudden death. It was all because of her…
Life went on as if nothing had happened. The only changes that were made were the promotion of the fourth and fifth seats and the fall of the Shiba house. It was all because of her…
Rukia hated herself.
-X-
"He is dead. You should technically be mourning." Senbonzakura spoke softly, her eyes closed.
"I know, he has been dead for a few weeks. Even if I mourn, it is not going to bring him back, so why mourn?" Byakuya replied emotionlessly.
"She is dead." Senbonzakura continued as if her wielder had not replied.
"I know she is dead." Byakuya replied slightly irritably.
Senbonzakura opened her eyes and glared at her wielder, "I meant Rukia."
Byakuya met her glare evenly. "She is not dead. I just checked on her."
"Just? You meant a few days ago? Or was it weeks? Or perhaps the day she came back from her first mission when she accidentally killed her superior?" Senbonzakura shot back immediately, as her eyes glinted dangerously. "And you call yourself her brother, how hilarious."
"That is enough, Senbonzakura." Kuchiki Byakuya said, narrowing his eyes.
"What are you planning to do? Defeat me? I know you are strong enough to. Tie me to one of these trees perhaps? Go on. You really are vile and heartless, Kuchiki Byakuya!" Senbonzakura snarled. Taking a deep breathe, she continued, "You are so lowly, so disgusting."
Turning away, he inwardly sighed, "Senbonzakura, you do not understand."
Senbonzakura sighed, "I do. You say you cannot and must not love her. But why? Is it because of her identity, or because of the silly prophecy?"
"The house of Sugeti is the ugly half of the house of Kuchiki. Surely you would know that?" Byakuya questioned Senbonzakura. "If the elders know, she would be eliminated."
"Her parentage…" Senbonzakura said softly. "Byakuya, are you lonely? Does it hurt to be unable to love?"
Byakuya left her after replying. "It does hurt… a lot."
-X-
Rukia curled up in a dark corner of her room. She felt so ashamed of herself. She wanted Ni-sama to punish her, yet was afraid of it coming. She was even more afraid that the elders would punish her. It was suffocating her, she could not breathe, under her sin and her name.
The shoji door was pushed open gently. Rukia blinked at the light that was streaming in. She hated the sunlight, she needed to drown herself in darkness. Looking at the form at the door, she stood slowly before greeting in a well practiced, impassive voice, "Ni-sama."
Her own voice, it was so fake that it sickened herself. She never sounded like this, not until she entered the Kuchiki house.
Nodding, Kuchiki Byakuya said, "Come with me, bring Shirayuki with you."
Rukia followed her Ni-sama as he led her out to a secluded mountain top. Her sense of apprehension increase as he pulled out a thick envelope and a small gold seal bearing inscriptions out of his robes and passed it to her. Surely, he was not going to send her away? She wanted to be punished, but not like that. She wanted to still be able to see him everyday, to be able to watch him as he took a walk at night around the manor. She wanted to feel wanted by him, feel that he actually cared for her.
Bowing her head deeply, she received it with two hands. She repeated to herself again and again that she would not cry. She deserved her punishment. She deserved to be killed, to be hated by her ni-sama. She was a murderer.
Upon opening the envelope, she found a huge stack of the material world's currency. This confirmed her fears. She was going to be disowned, to be sent away. She would be stripped of her position as a Shinigami, as a Kuchiki and be forced to live a life as a human. A human who can see souls, see hollows attacking souls and even normal humans but can do nothing to help and to save them. A human who can never die, and will be deemed as a demon by other humans. To see people around her die of old age after a mere number of years. A cursed, never ending life.
This, she knew, was one of the worst punishments a normal Shinigami could receive, second to being burnt on the Soukyoku. She knew she should be thankful that Ni-sama had even given her a heap of money to keep her alive. She knew that other Shinigamis were simply cursed and dropped off at the real world, without anything. She ought to feel grateful, so why was she crying?
Although she tried she could not stop the next sentence from flowing out of her mouth. She asked, "Ni-sama, do you hate me for killing Kaien-dono?"
-x-
Byakuya frowned slightly, feeling slightly puzzled before understanding. Opening up a portal to the real world with a graceful flick of his wrist, he told her impassively, "Kuchiki Rukia, you will be punished for three months. During these three months, you will be sent away on a solo mission in the real world, you are to reflect upon your own misdeeds. When you arrive back at the end of your punishment, you have forgotten everything about lieutenant Shiba and will continue to work hard at being a Shinigami under the care of Ukitake-taichou. Do you understand my orders?"
Rukia could not believe her ears. Lifting her head up, she smiled at him widely through her tears. How long was it since she smiled? For a reason, her facial muscles hurt, she had not used them for such a long time. It must have been two years, from the time she entered the Kuchiki house. Reaching over and giving him a tight hug, which he responded to awkwardly she said, "Thank you, Ni-sama!"
Smiling inwardly but keeping his face straight, he said, "Go quickly and come back in three months."
Rukia drew back, and nodded as she made her way towards the portal. She beamed back at him before the doors of the portal closed.
Even after she left for more than ten minutes, he stood there, feeling the strong wind blowing on his face. He allowed himself to smile, for her scent was lingering on his clothes.
The peaceful silence was soon broken by a beeping of his phone. Pulling it out from his robes, he answered it. "Urahara."
The man on the other side of the line answered while waving his paper fan. "Kuchiki- soutaichou! Yes, your pretty, pretty, little sister has finally arrived at the real world. I was starting to think that she got lost between the two worlds."
Kuchiki Byakuya grimaced slightly as the all to cheerful voice blasted in his ear. "Make sure she does not get into trouble."
"Yes, sir! Of course she will not! The gigai that you ordered for her a week ago is completed, and I will personally patrol the whole of Karakura and rid it of all hollows just as I promised you the other day." Urahara continued. Then lowering his voice to a whisper he said. "She really is beautiful. I am starting to see why you love her so much."
Byakuya frowned, "Urahara, I am warning you…"
"I get your point. However, do invite me to your wedding. I think she will look lovely beside you. Have a nice day!" Urahara slammed the phone down before Byakuya could reply.
Smirking, Urahara scratched the ears of the black cat that was lounging on his lap. "I was just thinking; your precious Bya-chan is in love."
Stretching, the black cat replied, "About time too."
Urahara pulled his hat down to cover his eyes, "True." Then he continued in a cheerful voice, shall we go welcome our guest who is probably feeling very lost?"
-X-
Senbonzakura giggled. "How sweet of you, Byakuya. Why didn't you tell me that you were going to send her on a holiday?"
Byakuya clenched his jaw. "She is not on a holiday. She is being punished."
Senbonzakura smiled knowingly, "Then her punishment is not being able to see you?" Byakuya growled as Senbonzakura continued. "Then are you punishing yourself too? You must be very sad too, to be unable to see your beloved imotou-chan for three months."
Byakuya snarled, "She is not my beloved. I need to train. The day Aizen is waiting for is getting closer. I have to defeat all three of them before Rukia arrives back in Soul Society."
Senbonzakura sighed as she drew her sword. "Get rid of them before her life is in danger. Let's start the training."
-X-
Two men clad in shinigami robes and haoris stood in front of the huge desk of a dark office. A man sat behind the desk, in the shadows. He smiled as he pushed up his glasses. Then he spoke, "Tousen, you can start first."
The blind man spoke, "The hollows we created are becoming stronger by the batch. However, we still need to find the hougyoku that Urahara created many years ago before he was exiled. When we have the hougyoku, the hollows that are created cannot be defeated.
The man in glasses smiled, "Then it is going faster than planned. Very soon, Kuchiki Byakuya shall cease to exist. Ichimaru, your report?"
The silver haired man spoke up, "Aah, I do have some really interesting news concerning our dearest King."
The man in glasses, upon hearing the report, smirked. "Kuchiki Rukia, did you say? How interesting indeed…"
-X-
Next chapter, we shall see what our dearest Rukia does in the Real world and a Byakuya who misses Rukia alot :D
As for the sword releases that alot of you are asking about, it will be revealed in the coming chapters :D
Yups, there are 4 releases, 1st- Shikai, 2nd- Bankai, 3rd- Secret, 4th- Hollowfication
My dearest classmate suggested a Byakuya with horns :D
To the nice nice people who read and alerted or reviewed, THANKS!
It was nice to login to check the number of hits, which is near 3k, alerts, whether it is the author alert or the story alert, and the reviews which I recieved daily :D
THANKS ALOT!
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