Chapter Two: The Heart
"Dammit! Help me!" a cry came from within the school.
It came from right outside the room in fact.
Rukia found herself rushing over to the outcry, almost too afraid of what she would see.
December 12, 2012
1900 hours
She expected to see a half devoured peer struggling to throw off an assailing zombie. However, the scream never came, neither did the sickening crunch of bone meet her tender ears. Not in this case.
She stopped herself before she rounded the corner, the glint of a blade catching her attention.
After a moment, the head of a zombie dropped to the floor, rolling around idly before the body momentarily collapsed next to it. Rukia's gaze was aimed at the floor where the zombie lay still. Her observant eyes could not tear away from the cleanly severed head. Whoever did this was no novice. Only an expert could have sliced away the cervical portion with such strength and precision. Her cautiousness overrided her curiosity, and it was all she could do to stop herself from facing the anonymous…and possibly dangerous person.
If there was one thing to know in a world full of disorder and carnivorous monsters, it was that zombies weren't the only adversaries out there.
Taking this self conscious rule seriously, she stealthily pushed her body up against the wall and gradually peered around the corner. Then, with painful slowness, her eyes scrolled upwards. As she looked, a steel katana came to view. It was soaked in a dark crimson, contrasting with the bright azure strip of cloth that crisscrossed around the hilt. The grip around the handle was tight as the other hand reached out to support the shaken girl- she recognized it to be Kotetsu Kiyone- to her feet. The savior was a man, Rukia realized as she observed the tan muscled arms and broad shoulders. He was facing away from her, and a mane full of black shaggy hair was the only thing that confronted her. Rukia froze in place, for she knew this man, and he could only be one person.
Lowering all her defenses, she was swept into a moment of oblivion and the only thing her mind saw, was Kaien Shiba.
"Kaien," Rukia sighed with relief.
Upon hearing his name, the man turned around with shocked eyes after hearing the human voice. Their eyes locked for a moment, a raging storm of emotions as blue and violet irises clashed. Kaien sheathed his sword and walked hesitantly over to Rukia, and she noticed his eyes silently scan her surface for what could only be an infection. It was a plausible precaution, seeing as she was covered in crusting blood. His stare reached her eyes again with suspicion, but Rukia gazed back with the same intensity. He seemed to be relieved after giving a small nod of approval, as if she passed some kind of test. Once within arm's reach, he warmly embraced her, as if she were the only thing keeping him alive. Rukia's katana clattered to the floor, and she melded into his arms, too afraid to let go. She was afraid. Rukia hated that fear that clutched her soul and controlled her like a puppet on strings. It was a natural feeling that she despised more than anything. However, being in Kaien's strong protective arms seemed to sooth that painful fear, if only for a short moment.
Kaien rested a large hand on top of her head before saying, "Thank God you're alive, Rukia."
Rukia didn't say anything, she didn't trust herself too. So they stayed in their little cocoon of security for a moment, neither one ready to let go. However, a small cough came from Kiyone, bringing the two back to reality.
"I hear them, they might find us," she whispered.
She was right. Behind the fragile layer of silence, the ominous humming of moans could be heard.
Kaien released his hold, and Rukia found herself sagging under the vicious weight of the world.
"Let's rest somewhere safe before we bust out of here. It's too dark to leave now," Kaien whispered to both of the students.
"...Hai, Kaien dono," Rukia said.
A warm sense of relief flooded her as she stared unbelievingly at Kaien's back, unable to capture the real image of his living, breathing body.
He's not dead.
Somewhere in her scattered mind, just seeing him brought some stability, and she grasped on to it like it was the only way for her to survive in the tornado of turmoil. In a way, it was so true. Maybe, just maybe, Rukia could still hold a small bit of sanity between her fingers in a world full of empty Zombies.
They walked for a few moments before Kaien whispered, "I see you managed to retrieve them."
"Retrieve what?" Rukia looked up in confusion.
Kaien gestured towards the two katanas strapped on either side of Rukia's waist.
Rukia looked up with surprise, "Oh I almost forgot! These are yours…"
With a bit of remorse, she stopped to detach the valuable commodities from her belt and presented both of them to its original owner with two hands. Instead of snatching the precious objects from her grasps, Rukia was left waiting when Kaien slowly shook his head and a small grin spread across his face.
"No. They're yours now, Kuchiki. You've earn them," He smiled warmly at her.
She blinked once, then twice as the words slowly processed in her head. Violet eyes widening in disbelief, her bottom jaw unconsciously fell and she was left standing in shock.
"I...I can't. They were Miyako's last gift..." Rukia finally protested weakly.
Kaien gently closed his eyes as he found enough energy to chuckle, "No, Rukia chan. They belong to you now, and I'll have a better peace of mind if they were in your hands."
Her eyes softened, but she was still rendered speechless. She met Kaien's eyes, and there she found a serious and unwavering mind. Slowly, a miniscule twitch made its way to her lips, and soon broke out into a fully fledged smile. Rukia leaped into the man's arms in complete elation, and he gladly returned the embrace. Once she returned to her feet, she returned both katanas to their original resting place and looked back up at her Sensei.
"A-arigatou..." Rukia finally stuttered.
A swell of pride grew in Rukia's heart as she looked down at her most prized possessions. She couldn't help but feel a bond between the two swords at her side, and an even stronger connection between her and Kaien. It was a feeling she couldn't place, but it was something bright, warm, and tender.
Something crossed her mind, and she whispered quickly, "Wait! Kaien dono, I have something for you."
Kaien looked back as Rukia pulled something from her front pocket. Between her fingers she held the photo she rescued from the office in front of him. It was his turn to express a wave of surprise as he stared.
"Thank you...Rukia," Kaien murmured and he quietly pulled the object from her grasp.
He gazed at the photo with an unreadable expression before tucking the small picture into his wallet.
Kaien snapped out of his stupor and smiled once again, patting Rukia's head affectionately while saying, "Thanks, Kuchiki."
"Come on, Kotetsu, Kuchiki, let's keep going," He gestured them to follow him once again.
The hallways were deserted. Mangled bodies too graphic for a proper description littered the floor, along with the signs of panic and disorder. Papers were strewn across the halls along with streaks of dry blood decorating the lockers. It was safe to say the school was literally a living nightmare.
Rukia shuddered as she misplaced her foot, causing her to step on a lifeless body. The crunching of the brittle cartilage was almost enough to set her off, and she quickly jumped away. Kiyone caught her arm and didn't let go as Kaien led them to a more desolate part of the Club building. He pushed aside a sturdy wall of desk and chairs to let the two girls pass before entering through the small fissure himself. As silently as humanly possible, he reassembled the barricade before leading them through the only door in the narrow hallway.
Kaien gave them a wry smile before whispering, "Welcome to the famous storage facility-"
He only just opened the door before an arrow propelled out from the darkness, and Kaien barely had time to dodge the precise aim. The arrow anchored itself in the wall behind Rukia, dangerously disturbing the air as it whizzed past her head.
"Woah, calm down Ishida kun, it's just me," Kaien whispered.
He took a step back and raised his hands up defensively in front of Rukia and Kiyone.
"Hmph, I thought we agreed on a password, sensei," Ishida frowned.
Kaien rubbed the back of his head rather sheepishly before saying, "Eh…gomen, gomen, I forgot. I guess I was just a little too excited after finding two survivors."
Ishida peered over Kaien's shoulder and inspected the two girls. He raised an eyebrow at Rukia, who was ornately splashed in blood, but trusted his sensei's word.
Kaien took this time to retrieve the arrow, and handed the deadly object back to Ishida, who quietly thanked him.
"Come inside girls, I'll introduce you to everyone," Kaien said cheerfully. Rukia stepped past Kaien and Ishida, entering the shady room cautiously.
The blinds were drawn shut, and, in the dim light Rukia could make out three more people.
"Sentaro!" Kiyone squealed.
She ran into a pair of arms that belonged to a dark haired man who fashioned a goatee.
"Kiyone…" Sentaro began softly.
"Are you an idiot? Don't shout so much or else the zombies will hear!" Sentaro poked Kiyone in the chest as he reprimanded her.
"W-Why you! You're being just as loud, hypocrite! Shouldn't you be happy I'm still alive? Baka sama!" Kiyone pushed the man away with a hiss.
"Hey! Don't call me a baka!" Sentaro scowled.
Kiyone proceeded to making a series of childish faces, "Baka, baka, baka, baka, baka, baka-"
Sentaro who appeared to be fuming scowled, "Stop that! If you say that one more time-"
"Urusai!" Kaien stepped in between the two as he pushed them away from each other.
"Kami, I almost forgot how obnoxious you two can be," He sighed and pinched the bridge of this nose between his fingers.
Without looking up Kaien whispered furiously, "From now on, no fighting, got it? And since I know that will never happen, if you guys do start fighting make sure that whatever you're doing, I can't hear you."
"Hai, Shiba sensei," The two said at the same time while saluting simultaneously.
They glared at each other and continued the conversation at hushed tones at the back of the room.
"Those two can never shut up," Kaien muttered under his breath.
"Anyway...you already know Kotubaki Sentaro and Kotetsu Kiyone. Let me introduce you to the rest of the gang. Ishida Uryu, Hinamori Momo, and Hitsugaya Toshiro, meet Rukia Kuchiki," Kaien smiled.
"Nice to meet you, Rukia. I'm a second year, I think we had the same home room," The shy girl named Momo voiced.
"I'm Hitsugaya, the third year representative…that is, before everything in this school went to hell," A short, white haired kid stated dryly.
"My name's Ishida. I was the fourth year representative. Sorry about the arrow," The man with square glasses said briskly before pushing a pair of spectacles up the bridge of his nose.
"Kuchiki Rukia. Hajimemashite Momo, Hitsugaya sempai, Ishida sempai," Rukia nodded politely.
The atmosphere between everyone was one of deep melancholy, for no one had the energy to start a friendly conversation. Rukia could almost see the expensive toll of loss suspended above their heads, each dealing with their own grief in secret. She understood perfectly. Her own heart was trembling painfully under the trauma of that day.
After a tired moment of silence, Kaien softly clapped his hands together, "It's been a…long day. Let's get a good night of sleep so we can leave bright and early tomorrow morning. We can discuss everything then."
"We'll have to take turns keeping watch, so I'll take the first shift," Kaien said.
The rest of the students agreed and tried to make themselves comfortable among the mass of objects in the storage room.
Rukia's knees buckled under her mental and physical weight as she sagged ungraciously to the floor. Kaien threw her a towel, which she tucked under her head in silence and drifted into an uneasy sleep.
Rukia found herself in a meadow, lying with her limbs eagle spread across the soft grass. The world around her was so bright and vibrant, even the shadows seemed none existent. Colors shimmered before her eyes, burning sharp images into the back of her head. The red poppies danced under the instruction of the lazy wind, swinging their bodies back and forth, back and forth. Looking up at the sky, Rukia noted that the vast heavens above her were an empty blue. The sun was a bright orange, sending its rays to gently touch the earth and vanquish the shadows of despair. Rukia wanted to touch those soft citrus rays of tenderness to keep the darkness away, to keep her warm and safe.
Suddenly there was a shift in the atmosphere, and ominous clouds reached out to steal the sun away from her, leaving Rukia in a state of dark uncertainty. She witnessed a flash of lighting and cringed, expecting to confront an earsplitting bang. Instead, a screeching wail pierced her ears, tearing down her falsely built sense of safety. The moaning winds turned unfriendly as it nipped viciously at her skin, and the poppies started to liquefy, leaving pools of maroon in its place. She stared forebodingly at the black skies, and it started to rain. The first droplet plopped on the side of her cheek, feeling thick and heavy. Rukia used the back of her hand to wipe it off, but froze as she stared with trepidation at the blood smeared across her hand. Before she had any time to react, the sky came pouring down on her, showering masses upon masses of the sticky substance. Each drop felt like ice as it leached away at her soul, sending permanent shivers up and down her spine. She tried to look for shelter, but the increasing lake of scarlet prevented her from moving anywhere, keeping her frozen in place as the blood crept higher, and higher…
Soon, the meadow transformed into a sea of dark crimson, engulfing Rukia and stealing her last breath away.
December 13, 2012
0530 hours
Rukia's eyes snapped open with an impossible force as she gasped for air. Relief filled her at the realization of the dream, but the moment was spoiled once she noticed that she was not in the safeguard of her home. Her ears picked up the steady breathing of other people, and the distance moaning of creatures lurking in the dark. Rukia's weary eyes adjusted to the obscure room, and they zoned in on a sitting figure adjacent to her.
Kaien noticed her sudden movements and quietly whispered, "Are you awake, Rukia?"
She was paralyzed as the effects of her dream failed to release her. It was as if she could still feel the slick blood encasing her body and the invisible hands of death clutching her throat. The experience of the harrowing dream left her too disturbed and unstable to speak.
At the edge of her senses, she could still feel the touch of his concerned gaze and he spoke again, "Rukia?"
She considered ignoring his question to feign sleep instead, but knew that it tactic would never work on him.
As if to prove her assumption, he said, "I know you're awake, Kuchiki."
Akin to magic, the third time he called Rukia's name, Kaien seemed to disrupt her moment of rigor mortis. Rukia decide she needed to hear his voice again, so in response she brought herself up to a sitting position.
"There you are," He whispered.
When the silence continued, Kaien continued, "Crazy stuff, isn't it? It's like our whole world has been thrown into a horror movie."
Rukia remained silent, unable to find the words to speak. She didn't understand how he could converse of things so casually, how he could remain so calm in the most tumultuous of times. In contrast, she was a wreck. It was like her heart was eating her from the inside out, killing her in more ways then one.
"You have blood on your hands, Rukia. Tell me, who were the faces you put to rest?" Kaien said softly.
Rukia turned her head away, desperately trying to tune out his question. She didn't want to admit her horrible, despicable actions to him, or herself.
"Don't be afraid. You're not alone," he whispered.
He was met with cold silence, however, Kaien waited patiently for an answer. Rukia felt like she was facing a jury, and they expected her to state her crimes so they could abdicate a proper punishment for her. Well, they could do anything to her, she was deserving.
"Tatsuki, and Orihime..." Rukia murmured.
As soon as she mentioned their names, the prominent images of her dilapidated friends flared before her eyes. She winced automatically, shrinking away at their empty eyes and gruesome faces. Kaien rested a compassionate hand on Rukia's shoulder, doing his best to ease the pain, and cast aside the dark thoughts swimming in her head.
"I could have saved her, but I was too scared…I was weak," Rukia grinded out the last word.
"But you did put them to rest...that takes strength," Kaien objected.
"Not if I could have prevented it. I just stood there, afraid and useless," Rukia shot back.
He withdrew his hand, and said calmly, "But aren't we all afraid?"
She snarled, "That may be true! But if I was ever their friend, I would have been able to overcome that small obstacle!"
Rukia vigorously shook her head and pulled herself into a fetal position, defeated.
"Why am I even here, Kaien? Why do I deserve to live? I let my own friends turn into soulless, heartless beings," Rukia bit back the tears that threatened to flow.
Kaien remained silent, and Rukia almost grew afraid that she finally convinced him what a coward she was.
"Where do you think the heart lies?" The question took her off guard.
What was he talking about? Didn't he hear what she just said?
"The way I think...this is where the heart lies," Kaien motions between the two of them.
"Every time you and I connect with each other, a little bit of heart is born between us. Heart isn't something inside of you. But whenever you think, whenever you remember someone, that's when heart is born. If you were the only one alive in this whole world, heart wouldn't exist, now would it?"
Rukia was about to interject, but Kaien wouldn't give her the chance.
"There's no reason to worry. If you truly love them from the bottom of your heart, then your heart is definitely here, and if your heart is here, then that's 'the reason for you to be here'."
His words echoed in her ears, changing her somehow. Her idea of the heart was permanently changed, and its importance magnified tenfold.
"Whenever you fight from this point on, there is one thing you must never do, and that's...to die alone," He said gravely.
"When we die, our bodies disintegrate, and when that times comes, where will your heart go? Your heart will be passed on to your friends. And if you pass it on to your friends, then your heart...will always live on within them."
As the sun began to rise, Rukia could clearly witness the distant look in his azure eyes. In that moment, she could understand. It was as if his philosophic words cleaned her festered wounds, healing the pain she inflicted upon herself. He always had the ability to do that- make the sun shine a little brighter.
"Thank you, Kaien dono," Rukia respectfully bowed her head.
Kaien put on a big smile, "Hey, it's nothing. I mean, a zombie apocalypse calls for a good heart to heart talk, don't you think?"
Rukia caught herself chuckling at Kaien's casual remark. It was never in his nature to be serious for too long, and that was what she liked about him. It seemed like nothing could deter his soul, he was so strong, and Rukia wanted to emulate him. Kaien started to chuckle in return, and the two found themselves laughing at what was a dismal situation.
A small yawn came from the corner of the room, and the boy named Toshiro asked sleepily, "Why are you guys laughing at a time like this? Maybe it's just me, but I do believe our lives are at stake here."
His sarcastic tone caused Rukia to blush in embarrassment, because she didn't realize that the two of them had created such a cacophony.
"Oh, lighten up Hitsugaya. We can't get too serious, otherwise we won't be able to have any fun," Kaien rolled his eyes.
"I question your state of mind, Sensei," Toshiro raised an eyebrow.
The white haired boy languidly stretched his limbs before falling back to the floor.
"I highly disagree with your 'fun', Sensei. If we get too careless, it'll get us all killed," Ishida whispered as he sat up from his position.
"You guys are such a buzz kill," Kaien stated.
Ishida ignored the only adult in the room and instead answered, "I'll wake up the others. We need to plan our escape."
After Kaien rolled his eyes, he turned his attention back to Rukia.
As she found herself staring absently at her idol, a thought occurred to her, "Kaien dono, did you get any sleep?"
The older man chuckled, "What do you think, Kuchiki?"
She observed the dark rings hanging under his drooping eyes and the restless slump of his muscles. Rukia shot him a worried look with her own tired eyes, but he only shook his head.
"Comm'on, I'm not that much of a pussy. I assure you, one night isn't enough to kill me, Kuchiki. However, I could use a nice cup of coffee right about now..." Kaien yawned.
Both of them looked up as they heard furious whispering on the other side of the room.
"W-what are you doing on my side of the floor, Sentaro?" Kiyone looked down in horror as she discovered Sentaro curled up beside her.
"Hey! This is my side of the floor, Baka!" Sentaro growled.
"Liar! Last night you were over there!" She pointed to a spot a few feet away.
"Was not-"
Kaien furrowed his eyebrows in annoyance, "Will you two cut it out?"
"Go...find some weapons or supplies, so we can hurry up and kill some zombies, Kami," Kaien sighed.
"Hai, Sensei!" They both saluted before competitively scrambling towards the piles of miscellanious objects in the room.
"I-I have to kill those things?" Momo whimpered as she gave an uncertain glance outside the window.
"What did you expect, Hinamori?" Ishida said seriously.
"But I know these people! How am I suppose to k-kill them?" She asked with scared eyes.
"They're already dead, and if you don't stop them, you'll die too," Ishida said matter of factly.
The reality of their situation hit Momo right between the eyes and she brought her hands to her face to catch her sobs. Toshiro shot Ishida an irritated look before going over to comfort the distraught girl. The poor thing couldn't seem to handle the heavy torrent of death assaulting her, and Rukia felt something akin to sadness as she beheld the innocent girl.
"You don't have to worry Momo, I'll protect you," Toshiro said, quietly patting her on the back.
She looked at him past her tears and said shakily, "Y-you w-will?"
He gave her a reassuring nod, "What do you take me for, a liar? You know me better than that, bed wetter."
Everyone could see the distant look in Hinamori's eye as her bottom lip trembled unconsciously. The poor boy was then immediately squashed under the weight of his friend's death hug, "Thanks, Shiro chan."
"I told you…It's Hitsugaya sempai!" He scowled.
An awkward cough came from the spectacled teen, "Can everyone converge? We need to straighten some things out."
As everyone gathered into a tightly woven circle, Ishida spoke up again, "Let's start off with what we know first, then we can decide what to do. These animated corpses-"
"Zombies," Kaien corrected.
Ishida sighed, "…These zombies infiltrated the school sometime during the afternoon, and now the remaining survivors are currently just us."
"I've quickly found out that the only way to dispose of these supernatural phenomena-"
"They're zombies. Zom-bies," Kaien interrupted.
Ishida noticeably twitched, "Sensei, I do believe everyone understands what I'm referring to."
"Well, I'm a simple man, Ishida kun, and I like simple terms," Kaien grinned.
"Fine. The only way we can dispose of the zombies is to decapitate, or destroy the brain," Ishida said irritatedly.
Toshiro added, "They also seem highly contagious. Any blood transfusion, or exchange of bodily liquids can cause immediate infection."
"Correct, Hitsugaya," Ishida nodded.
"In other words- biting is fatal, along with sex," Kaien said jokingly.
"I highly doubt any of us have necrophilia, sensei," Toshiro wrinkled his nose.
Rukia found herself rolling her eyes, and noted Ishida's aggravation over the Sensei's flippant remarks.
"Haha! That's a good one Sensei," Sentaro chuckled by himself.
"Pervert!" Kiyone slapped him on the arm.
"W-what? I wasn't the one who said that," Sentaro growled.
"Anyway, it doesn't seem like we have any communication access. I tried my cell phone but there's no connection," Sentaro said.
"What do you think could have caused all this?" Kiyone asked.
Rukia finally spoke up first, "It could have been anything, really. Maybe a virus, mutation, nuclear radiation, aliens, magic…who knows? Knowing won't change anything unless we can find a cure…"
"Rukia chan is right. We need a plan," Momo said timidly.
"Then where do we go? What do we do? Who do we contact?" Toshiro asked.
Everyone grew silent as they attempted to answer Toshiro's question. In truth, no one had the slightest idea and risk being wrong. This wasn't a game, there were no rules in an Apocalypse and in this game, it is easy to lose.
"You know, it's okay to ask the teacher…" Kaien shrugged sarcastically.
"Oh! Kaien dono, do you have a plan?" Rukia asked quickly.
He suddenly became serious, "Well first of all, I think it's best to find some source of government. I can't say that they're efficient or even that reliable, but it's the only thing we can do at a time like this."
"But what about our families?" Toshiro asked.
Kaien shook his head, "It's too risky. Have any of you kids actually seen a zombie movie?"
"I can't just abandon my grandmother! She's helpless, sick-"
"Exactly the point, Hitsugaya. We can't risk the lives of others for a hopeless cause," Kaien said regretfully.
"…Kaien dono, I wish to save my sister also. She's currently at the Karakura Hospital, and I know it's hopeless, but if I don't try, I would never forgive myself," Rukia whispered.
"My grandmother is at the Karakura Hospital, too. I think we should all check for family before we look for the government," Toshiro said decisively.
Kaien sighed tiredly, "I don't like it…but I'm not one to leave someone behind either."
"Let's do it Shiba Sensei," Kiyone and Sentaro agreed for once.
"What about you, Ishida sempai?" Rukia asked the quiet senior.
The teen turned away from Rukia, only leaving her with a glimpse of unease and inner turmoil.
Everyone glanced at each other for a silent confirmation, and since there was no objection, Kaien sighed, "Guess we're going to the Karakura Hospital."
"I guess we're going to Karakura Hospital," Shiba sighed.
No one objected his plain statement, and a quick murmuring of agreement took place.
"Any ideas on escaping?" Sentaro asked.
"…I think I know the quickest way out of this hellhole," Kaien said.
A/N: So, Kaien received the spotlight in this chapter with the heart speech. Personally, I love Kaien to death, and I wish Tite Kubo hadn't killed him off. I really had a hard time selecting the group of survivors. Personalities, and surviving probabilities had to be considered…I won't guarantee that any of them will survive, but be sure to count on multiple bleach characters coming in and out of the story! I said I would eventually pair Ichigo up with Rukia, and I mean it. However, certain events must take place before they meet up, so until then, please be patient.
Also, I'm sad to say, the next episode will be extremely tragic…well to me at least. The down side about writing an epic zombie apocalypse is that people must die. Can you guess who it'll be?
Review if your little heart so desires, it's how I abdicate whether to continue or not.
Constructive criticism/ love is greater than Mindless flames