Chapter 04.

There had been a new face wandering the spirit world; one that she hadn't met yet. Rukia had given her powers to a human. The same human Ayeka had given her lock of hair to. After seeing the damage a human could cause with soul reaper powers, she became instantly fascinated with him. Rukia was on trial before the Great Council. There was no doubt in her mind she would be put to death. She had broken one of the greatest laws you could break. But when it comes to death sentences in the spirit world, it takes time. Death here is not like human world death. There is no after party. If you die, you cease to exist. The end is really the end.

Isien had been flying below the radar and there wasn't much word or activity regarding him. He took a back seat to Rukia's case. Ichigo would fight for her; that was clear. But he was coming to a point of exhaustion and having doubts he could actually win. But he was willing to die trying.

He walked in a confused manner toward the main temple where the trial would be held. Everything was working against him. No matter how far he walked the temple stayed the same distance from him. He had been going for hours. Someone was keeping him away. Soul reapers were ordered to use their powers against him and keep him from the trial. A real good use of their time I'm sure. He had been unknowingly walking in circles.

Sweat dripped from his brow. As we walked the repetitive wall on his left changed. He stopped. A section of the wall was overgrown with wild flowers who's roots and vines weaved in and out of the stones until you could see them no more. The flowers crept over the wall and spilled out onto the walkway at his feet. A large slice of paradise lay here on the stone, basking in the sunlight.

He walked through the flowers and stopped in the center. He knelt to touch one of the flowers and caressed her check. She sat up from where she lay. Her skin was soft and glowing. Wild flowers embraced her curves and covered what needed to be covered. Pink and blue bursts of glittering pollen and powder decorated her skin. Her hair curled wildly down her back, a golden yellow that put the sun to shame. Flowers intertwined throughout her locks. She was a flower come to life. He stood and swayed to one side, suddenly dizzy. She stood and steadied him. He looked at her dazed but relaxed.

"You…I know you?" His words slurred and fatigued.

"Shhh, its alright." Her words surrounded his head like a velvet blanket and he listened intently under her euphoric gaze.

"Tell me Ichigo, why did you sign the contract?"

He thought hard, the contract Rukia had, he signed in blood, and then he was….

"I…"

She touched his cheek; he was still holding hers.

"I was stupid. I don't know…I was just…"

She smiled. She could feel his honesty.

"What did you get in return?"

He met her eyes again sadly.

"Heartache."

She frowned knowingly. She knew what that was like and could empathize.

The misery sobered him. He backed away and turned his back to her. He closed his eyes and tried not to think of Rukia in that cell. She approached him and put her hand on his shoulder.

"Listen. You didn't do it for greed, or power…you did it for love…"

He turned toward her again and she smiled back brightly.

"…and that puts God on your side."

Her eyes penetrated his soul. He felt empowered. He smiled back at her and nodded. He took a deep breath and began running again toward the temple, already gaining more ground than all the hours before combined. He had gotten a new wind and wasn't stopping till he won.

She sat down in the little field, looking around at all the smiling faces she had created. She smiled back. It felt good to help him. He was so full of life, so full of love. She wished she could fight for someone too, just to feel those sensations.

He knelt down and took her chin in his hand. Their hearts raced in sync with each other. He kissed her softly at first. As he began to savor her taste, he wanted more. He put his hand around her waist and pushed her to him, completely filling any space left between them. She ran her fingers through his hair. He began to kiss her with more force, with more hunger. They parted for a second of air but even that was too long for them to be apart.

They came at each other with more intensity than before, as passion radiated from their bodies. The wind blew in praise of this moment and the sweet aura of the flowers blanketed them in a world of their own. Finally, before suffocation could claim theses lovers' hearts, they parted. He laid back into the flowers, put his arm out toward her, and tilted his head to the side, leaving a perfect spot just for her against his body. She lay back and put her head on his chest; he wrapped his arms around her and they breathed heavily.

She had seen the passion and love in the human's eyes and sat there in her flowers longing for those feelings herself. And so her white haired angel came and whisked her away from those sad feelings and brought her to a place of exhilaration and happiness.

He put all of his love for her into passionate kisses. He told her everything she wanted to know from him. That he would fight for her, that he would die for her, and that he lives for her. She closed her eyes and tried to copy his breathing. She wanted to be one with him in every way. He lay looking down at her biting his lip trying to stop smiling.

They had kissed before, but he knew this time was different. Not only because he initiated the kiss but because of what he told her through it. He couldn't help but be cocky because of the reaction he got out of her. He was in love with the Grand Master Kai, like so many others. But this was different, because she loved him back.