"All I have to do is take this?" Rukia asked, squinting at the tiny pill she was carefully holding between her two fingers. It was small enough, but would it really help her achieve something to large? It seemed so insignificant in her quest.
"Don't you trust me?" Kisuke replied, astonished at Rukia's nonplussed expression.
"Let me think about that," she said, tapping her chin lightly. "NO!" She glared at him, remembering how she was almost executed because of his stupid Hogyoku. Aizen had successfully pulled the wool over Seretei's eyes. And Urahara was partially to blame. Did she trust him?
He sighed, "I guess you'll have to start sometime." He walked toward the spare bedroom, sliding open the door. He pointed to the bed, "I think it's best if you lie down after taking it."
Rukia peeked into the room hesitantly. She brushed past Urahara as she plopped down on the bed. It was softer than she expected. She ran her hands over the cool sheets. Rukia examined the tiny pill one last time. She met Urahara's gaze, "Tell me what to expect again?"
The blond man crossed his arms, as he began to explain, "You are basically going to sleep, but you'll journey to the zanpakuto spirit world. I've figured out how to access the portal to it, and this is my creation from that knowledge," he nodded toward the drug. "It's no different than sending you to Soul Society," he shrugged. "It's the same theory, basically."
"But you told me you do not know what to expect," she narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
"That's very true, Rukia-chan," he mused. "I've never tried it myself, per se. Since I don't need it, you know."
She did not like his tone or the unspoken meaning behind his words. "I know that!" she snapped. She reached for her waist, feeling for Sode no Shirayuki. She remembered that Urahara had placed the thin katana into one of his random devices. It was similar to her own sheathing, except for the wiring. "And why do you need my sword," she asked.
"Because," he gestured absentmindedly, "it's what I used to ensure that the portal would be open. You'll be directly linked with your zanpakuto spirit, Rukia." He rubbed his three-day-old beard thoughtfully, "I thought I explained all of this when I asked you to release your shikai? Before I placed into the machine?"
"You did, but I still don't trust you. Remember?" she shrugged her indifference. "Are you sure about this?"
"No." he replied seriously.
"What?" she yelled.
"An inventor is never sure about his creations," he explained. "But, worst case scenario, you'll wake up in a few hours after a nice nap." With that, he spun on heel and silently walked from the room, leaving Rukia alone with the tiny prescription. She studied it closely, could it really be that poweful? Did she really trust Urahara? She sighed her exasperation. She had no other choice. If he helped Ichigo, she was sure he would help her. She placed the tiny pill under her tongue, as he had instructed, allowing it to dissolve. She laid back on the bed, thinking about what she would say to her zanpakuto's spirit when they met. What did she look like? Would she be kind and warm-hearted? Or would she hate Rukia? Perhaps that's why she never showed her true self to her mistress…anxious thoughts began to fill her head. She didn't recognize the darkness that started to creep into her periphery as her head spun wildly. Soon, she plummeted into the subconscious world that awaited her.
Rukia looked at her feet. They were bare as she stood, surrounded by silently falling snow. The snow glistened as it descended to the ground, as if it were made of tiny crystals. She couldn't feel the cold, though she knew that snow was cold. She reached down and filled her hand with the soft white fluff. It didn't melt in her palm.
She felt something softly brush against her legs. She looked down to see two white pumas sauntering past her--their muscles quivering with their lithe movements. They walked slowly, swaying with each step. The cat on the left turned, staring at her with its blue eyes. It was beckoning her. Could she trust the animals? Before she could decide, she felt her feet move beneath her, as if the glistening white animal had enchanted her. She slowly followed the two deadly creatures, remembering their appearance from her fight with Kisuke.
Around her, trees lined her untraveled path. She wondrously gazed at the snow-covered trees--their icy tips reaching for the sky. The branches intertwined, creating a shimmering roof over her path. She felt like she was floating on air as she glided along the snow-covered earth, her two silent guardians guiding her way. She squinted as they neared what she thought was a…throne? It was majestic: bejeweled with icy gemstones and intricate carvings. Its silvery smoothness caused it to sparkle as she approached. She could see someone sitting in it, calmly resting with her arms on her lap. Rukia's silent feline companions trodded to the throne, weaving behind it and curling around the base—near the woman's feet. Rukia's feet discontinued their travel, leaving her standing at the bottom of the three-step ascent to the icy throne.
"Mistress Kuchiki," came the woman's soft voice. It was a melodical voice, barely louder than a whisper. The woman stepped away from the glistening throne, slowly descending the stairs toward Rukia. She floated toward the shinigami, as if she were a ghost. "Are you my mistress?" she asked, searching Rukia's violet eyes for her answers.
"Sode no Shirayuki?" Rukia unsteadily whispered, studying the graceful woman. She was taller than Rukia by at least two heads, her skin a ghostly pale. Her eyes were a pale blue. Her long hair was white--almost the same shade as her face, but with a bluish-silvery hue. She wore her straight hair clipped to one side with a pin that looked like a plum blossom made from hundreds of tiny crystals. The rest of her hair hung loosely down her back, softly floating as she moved—which she did with such poise and grace as her long, hooded kimono trailing behind her. The sleeves were longer than her arms, hiding her slender, pale hands. Her white kimono dragged on the crisp floor, but did not soil from the contact. A soft blue hem lined the sleeves of the kimono. White wisps of fur encircled her hood. She wore no makeup, her pale features beautiful enough. Her eyes were complimented by the azure blue obi that added a splash of color to her noble attire. She was a mystifying Yuki-onna. "Shirahime," she whispered.
"Please, Mistress, call me by my human name, Yukiko," she sang softly. Her eyes studying the newcomer. The two felines slowly descended the steps, sitting upright at Yukiko's side. She reached down and stroked their white fur.
Rukia bowed her head, "Yukiko," she lightly echoed. Her human name. It had been rumored that zanpakuto spirits were former shinigami who offered their souls for this purpose. Had Shirayuki once been a mere mortal who allowed herself to live for eternity in the spirit world—waiting for someone to become worthy of using her zanpakuto? "It is a pleasure to finally meet you," she said, her eyes focused on the blinding whiteness of the earth beneath her.
"No, Rukia-hime, the pleasure is all mine. What brings you here? To visit me?" she asked, her inflection demonstrating her concern for the shingami.
"I wish to ask for your help!" Rukia said, dropping to her knees.
"Oh no, my lady! Do not bow to me!" Yukiko's voice became more shrill. "I am your servant!" She rushed toward Rukia, placing a hand under the dark-haired shinigami's chin. "Please stand up!" Rukia looked up to find tears in the young maiden's eyes.
She slowly stood, her violet eyes searching the depths of Yukiko's gentle blue ones. "Please help me," Rukia pleaded.
"Help you? With what, Mistress?" came the tentative reply. "I will do anything in my power to aid you."
"I want to achieve bankai," Rukia replied calmly, the seriousness of her request illustrated in her facial features.
The yoki-onna studied the shinigami for some time. She lowered her eyes as they once again filled with tears, "I cannot help you," she whispered.
"What?" Rukia asked, her eyes wide with confusion.
"I cannot help you, my lady," her tears silently fell to the ground. They hit the white earth, instantly freezing into tiny shards of ice."I am very sorry."
"I-I don't understand," Rukia said, her voice rising. "How can you not help me?"
"Because, you are not yet ready," she replied cryptically. "I cannot help make you ready. You have to do so on your own accord, Rukia-hime."
"That doesn't explain why you refuse to aid me," Rukia replied, her voice becoming shrill with anger. "Aren't you responsible for my bankai?"
The woman returned her gaze. "It's not that I refuse to help you, it's that I cannot help you."
"Please explain your rationale," the shinigami demanded.
"Do not be angry with me!" the spirit pleaded. "You are not ready! You do not have the confidence to summon me, my lady."
Rukia didn't quite understand what Shirayuki was inferring. "Confidence?" she echoed.
Yukiko nodded, her soft white hair swaying in the invisible breeze. "You do not believe in me," she answered calmly. "You do not have enough faith or hope. You only need me out of desire to prove something, and I cannot be summoned on such a basis."
Rukia's face flushed her dismay. "I do believe in you!" she blurted. "You are very important to me, and I hold you very dear. Do I not treat you well? Do I not speak to you? I've relied on you during many occasions—some almost costing me my life," she argued, thinking back to her battle with a particular Espada.
"Yes, you have done all of those things, and for that I am grateful. But it is not the same," she sighed. Again, tears glistened in her light blue eyes. Her features softened. "But having belief and reliance is not the same as confidence and complete trust. When you find those things, I will come at your beckoning. I promise you that, Rukia-sama." She cast her hand out in front of her body, cutting through the air and bringing it back to her side. The snow around her began to swirl, as if an inivisible force was creating a wind vortex. The zanpakuto spirit started to fade, as the snow swirled around her pale body. Soon, only her eyes were visible. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I must leave you now."
"Shirayuki!" Rukia called, panicking that her zanpakuto was abandoning her. "I need you!"
"No, Rukia. You coming here to find me does not make that so. You must believe in yourself first, the rest will fall into place. Is that not why you came here? Because you rely on other too much?" she whispered, her sing-song voice disappearing into the breeze. The two pumas rose from their positions on the ground, slowly walking toward the large icy throne. Rukia called out to her zanpakuto spirit once again, but she received no answer.
Her eyes fluttered open, as she took in her surroundings. The quiet, tidy room reminded her of her failure. She covered her eyes with her forearm, shadowing the sunlight cascading through the window. She clenched her fists in anger. How could Shirayuki cast her request aside in such a manner? Rukia felt angry at the zanpakuto spirit's refusal to help her. Was she not a kind enough owner?
No, she told herself, it's not that she doesn't want to help you. She told you what she needs from you!
She shrugged the thoughts away, her heart heavy with rejection. She knew that Shirayuki did not intentionally refuse her request—she must have had a valid reason to be unable to help. Rukia mulled over her zanpakuto's words for a little longer. She hadn't noticed Urahara standing in the doorway, her katana resting in his hand. He was staring at her expectantly.
Rukia glared at the shopkeeper, angry at what had just passed. "Why are you staring?" she growled, her face dark with her disappointment.
"I assume it did not go as planned," he mused.
Before she could reply, she heard her name, "Rukia-san?" came the timid voice, as the young girl peeked in from behind the door frame.
"Yes, Ururu," she replied calmly. Ururu looked anxiously at her boss.
He pursed his lips before speaking, "I am sorry to have disturbed you so early, but it appears that Ururu is sensing a hollow nearby."
Rukia's eyes lit up with realization. "A hollow?"
Ururu avoided her gaze, staring nervously over her shoulder. "I-I don't like this feeling, Kisuke-sama," she whispered, her face pale.
"Ururu, what's wrong?" Rukia asked, smoothing her uniform as she stood.
Kisuke took a breath, "Perhaps I should be more clear, an Arrancar is in the vicinity."
"Arrancar?" Rukia repeated. She calmed herself, "How powerful do you think—"
"Oh! Quite powerful!" Ururu squeaked, blushing at her outburst.
The shopkeeper placed a hand on the young girl's shoulder, reassuringly. He looked at Rukia, his gaze steady, "Ever since her encounter with the Bount, she has shown a heightened sense to a Hollow's presence. So much that she can even depict its power or level. Right now, she thinks it's an Arrancar. And a powerful one at that." He held her gaze, his eyes speaking a million words.
Rukia understood the silent message. Ichigo was not available. Where could he be? she thought. "I will fight it, then," she promised, speaking softly at Ururu.
"There's something else, Rukia-san," Ururu whispered.
"What is it, Ururu?" she asked, carefully studying the nervous girl.
"I feel some odd rietsu as well," she chewed her lip, looking anxiously at Urahara again. Rukia was becoming irritated with this silent game of cat and mouse.
"Well?" the impatience was evident in her voice.
"It's familiar. Like Ichigo's, but not quite…" she began. Before she could finish, Rukia had flash-stepped past the two visitors, retrieving her zanpakuto in the process.
Kisuke spun around, looking for her. "Wait, Rukia!" he yelled, "You haven't heard---"
"—Forget it! Tell me when I return!" she called over her shoulder as she disappeared. She focused her spiritual energy, searching out any nearby spiritual pressure. She could see the long ribbons representing each person's spiritual energy. She knew Ichigo's bright red ribbon, which was nowhere to be found. Where is he? Is everything ok, Ichigo? Her mind raced. Suddenly, she saw it. A light mauve colored ribbon blinking in her periphery. That must be it! she thought as she used her shunpo to reach the incredible and chaotic spiritual pressure she could feel emanating from the evolved Hollow. She was familiar with the dark pink rietsu, and she knew that with that kind of spiritual energy, the two girls were constant targets of any stray Hollow. The ribbon disappeared briefly. Suddenly she could sense another, familiar energy, though she could not identify the person. How odd! I know it, but yet it's so alien to me! she considered the new rietsu. Just as it disappeared, the mauve ribbon snapped back into view. She knew it was imminent that she get there in time to save her! But, could she do it?
Everything. You haven't heard everything, Urahra completed his sentence. He sighed at his dismay, as Ururu stared up at him in terror. "Is…is R-Rukia-san going to be alright?" she asked. "It's dangerous!"
Kisuke nodded, he was tired of her hotheadedness. Between Rukia and Ichigo, he was considering retiring. He looked at the young black-haired girl. "Yes, Rukia will be fine. She should be able to destroy this Arrancar quickly, without trouble."
"But what about the reitsu I felt?" she asked timidly.
"I suppose Rukia will find out one way or another," he replied before going to look for something to drink. Preferably alcoholic. And strong.
I'm getting pretty good at these cliffhangers, yes? I'm not so good at the death threats that come with them ;) (I jest)
We will see more Ichigo, I promise. I want more Rukia skill building first. She's been missing for quite some time in the manga. I'm a bit disappointed. She better learn to kick ass soon. I want badass Rukia!!
Enjoy! Thanks for the reviews. Everyone is amazing. And I mean it!!