This chapter's really going to twist everything up and probably confuse most of you, but bear with me, please! The confusion is mainly associated with the whole Tatsuki thing, but even that'll clear up after... the next chapter or so. For now, you just get inklings of what happened. XD
Disclaimer: I hold no possession over Bleach... And all of you should be all on the floor, thanking God that I don't. XD
"They're back." Only two words were spoken, with a pathetic number of syllables.. And yet, they maintained their significance.
A dark-haired teenager stepped out from the shadows of a willow. "Where?"
"In the bar down the street." A second figure shrugged off a bag he was carrying. "There are six of them. All unseated officers, I think."
Tatsuki nodded courteously, shouldering her own bag as she stepped forward. "I'll be back in an hour."
The second figure paused before settling aquamarine eyes on the teenager before him. "Are you going to kill them?"
Tatsuki paused, before her eyes gentled. "Don't worry about it, Daiyo." She reassured him, promising him nothing as she spoke. "I'll be back soon."
The child stared up at her. Wary dark eyes finally turned away in resignation. "I'll see you later then, Tatsuki-nee."
"Later." Tatsuki hurried down the path to the bar.
The child beside her slipped away as she left.
- x x x -
The lamp - a fraying yellow with leaf patterns surrounding the wax paper – was lit. Yellow light expelled into the room.
Tatsuki sat up in bed - feeling the bedcovers crumple into wrinkled sheets in her clenched fist, brow furrowed - throwing dark shadows over her features from the wan lamp light.
"Why do you have to leave, Tatsuki?" A resigned whisper echoed across the brick walls. "None of us know where you're going half the time, and even when we do... None of us know if you're coming back..."
"Of course I'd come back." Tatsuki replied, nonplussed. "What good would death ever do me?"
"Then why would you kill them?"
Tatsuki glanced up sharply, only to meet solemn aquamarine eyes with her obsidian ones. "What do you mean by that, Daiyo?"
"Do you?" The child replied, defiantly.
Tatsuki turned to the desk, changing the subject, impatient. "You're bugging me." She twirled the pencil in her fingers as she turned away from him. "I'm busy, you know..."
"But do you, Tatsuki?" The child persisted.
"Go away," Tatsuki replied, stonily. A hint of finality embellished her words. "Or I'm kicking you out."
The child's figure stiffened. "But will you return next time?"
There was a small pause, before the pencil in her hand clattered to the marble floor. "Do you want me to return?"
Silence embraced the room...
And the child quietly stepped out of the room.
Tatsuki stepped quietly out of bed, her dark eyes haunted by the misanthropic past.
She couldn't go back to change anything... couldn't go forward to forget anything. She was always caught in the crossroads - the distinct mark wavering somewhere between the past and the future - locked somewhere in a meticulous present, where memories were abounding, and seldom left her....
Tatsuki flicked the lamp light off, standing up again, glancing at the clock that beeped neon numbers: 7:53. It wasn't too early, really... She just had to occupy herself....
Taking her Shinigami uniform in hand once more, attempting to leave - she couldn't help but plan something to relax her mind. "If it'll ease my conscious, I'll buy everyone doughnuts. Rich jelly doughnuts. I'll even get one…" she paused her thoughts with a bitter smile. "… For Ichigo." She needed all the leverage for Karma, anyways.
: xxx :
"Yo!" The call was brisk and clean - a quick greeting. "Rather early today, aren't you, Tatsuki?"
Tatsuki couldn't help but smile. "You're one to talk, Ichigo."
The Kurosaki shrugged. "I got bored." He glanced absently in her direction. "You?"
"Bad dream." She waved it off absently, before lifting the bag she held in hand. "I got everyone doughnuts on the way."
"Doughnuts?" Ichigo quirked an eyebrow. "Again?"
"Jelly doughnuts." Tatsuki waved vaguely with the other hand at the bag. "One of a kind. There's one for you, too, Ichigo."
"Oh… Yay…" Ichigo cast a disinterested look at the bag. "… I don't really want mine. Let Inoue-san or Sado-san or Kuchiki-san get an extra. I'm not so sure about Quincy-san, but at least someone will be able to get an extra."
"I haven't poisoned them, you know..."
"Damn… I wanted to see the Quincy roll on the floor, clutching at his throat, and turning blue in the face before dying a slow, painful death..." Ichigo paused. "You haven't even poisoned mine?"
"Why'd I want to poison the Captain of my Division?" Tatsuki asked dryly. "Mayuri, I get. But, you... Not so much."
"Sure, sure. Just checking. Can't have the kids dying from food poisoning 'cause they wanted an extra doughnut." Ichigo stifled a yawn. "What time is it, anyways?"
"8:30."
"Shit. So we have to wait another thirty minutes?"
"Yeah. But it's not that bad, really, Ichigo. All we have to do is play the name game aga-"
"Soul Society forbid." Ichigo interrupted her. "No. I refuse to go through that ordeal again. I-I'll just... set up the doughnuts. That's all."
"Are you sure?" A small smile tugged at Tatsuki's lips. "I mean... The game's not too bad, in fact, I co - "
"Am I sure? Positive. Never been surer of anything in my life. Now, can you pass me a plate please, Tatsuki?" Ichigo called distractedly, placing the plastic bag of doughnuts on the table.
Tatsuki smirked. "I'm sure you could use a recital..." Cajoling, if not faintly amused.
"Tatsuki," Ichigo interrupted her. "I love you very much. I really do. But in this case... just... No. Never again, Tatsuki, never again."
: x x x x :
They emerged individually - not in the clustered groups he'd expected.
Now that he observed them, he could see the faint hesitancy had gone away, their characters strengthening since the apprenticeship. Inoue's darkly shaded gray eyes turned briefly towards him before turning away amiably - unconcerned.
It was quiet - even as Inoue quietly stole into the clearing, quickly accompanied by Kuchiki - both of them inspecting the two apprenticing teachers for a moment before turning away, satisfied - all of this done in utter quiet tranquility.
Tatsuki was the first to break the silence.
"'Morning.... Inoue-san, Kuchiki-san... You're both rather early, aren't you?"
"Ah... I was taking a detour here..." Inoue blinked up in surprise. "How about you, Tatsuki-san?"
Tatsuki grinned. "I'm always early. Right alongside Kurosaki-taichou here... ne, Ichigo?"
"Please don't involve me in this. I don't wanna talk to the brats any sooner than I absolutely have to."
"...And if I told you that you absolutely had to right now?"
"I'd hit you. Hard. Don't tempt me."
Tatsuki quirked an eyebrow. "You're rather moody all of a sudden, aren't you, Ichigo?"
"You offered to play the name-game with me for almost a whole thirty minutes. While I was dishing out doughnuts. And now I remembered that you just kicked Kuchiki-san off my team for the day and left Inoue-san in mine, so I have to go over reiatsu-bending again." Hazel eyes turned accusingly to the first speaker. "Admittedly, I'm not the happiest ray of sunshine you'd ever see in the world."
"...Okay?" Tatsuki shook her head. "Information overload, Ichigo. Really unnecessary. The same goes for the sarcasm."
"I'll keep it down to a minimum next time, then." Ichigo agreed.
"Alright." Tatsuki turned away. "So, Kuchiki-san! Why are you so early today?"
"Ah... I... went fishing! Yes!" Rukia grasped futilely for an answer. "All those salmons in the lake..."
Tatsuki frowned. "You know... It's the wrong season for salmon this time of year...."
"If you wanna lie, Kuchiki, do it convincingly," Ichigo advised. "The '...I was... um... salmon-hunting. Yes! With big pitchforks!' kinda killed it."
"Oh, shut up." Rukia snapped. "If you really wanna know, I was bored."
"So really, you mean that you missed us?" Ichigo called. "Awww... That's so sweet of you, Kuchiki-san... If it were Kuchiki-taichou, I'd keel over and die, but it being from you... Well, I -"
"Kuchiki-taichou?" Rukia blinked. "I'm not a Captain..."
"....Errr... Not you. There's another Captain in the Seireitei that has the last name Kuchiki..." Ichigo paused. "Speaking of which... Tatsuki? Did ya know why they got the same last name?"
Tatsuki coughed, discreetly. "I'll tell you some other time."
Ichigo's eyes lit up in comprehension. "When the brats aren't here?"
"...Well... I wouldn't phrase it like that..." the fuka-taichou murmured, rolling her eyes at the immaturity her taichou was displaying. "But, technically... Yes. When the apprentices aren't here."
"Yeah, yeah. Same difference." Ichigo shrugged. "I can wait."
"I never knew that…" Rukia paused, settling on a rock fragment. "…The great Kurosaki Ichigo has the capability of being patient. This is front-page news stuff. Mind-blowing. Staggering. I am simply amazed..."
"Shut up."
"But... ah! His patience has an end and a sting! His stingy words, 'Shut up,' would strike a chord in anyone's heart... And so, the moral of this story: Never test the ends of Kurosaki Ichigo's patience." She paused. "Huh, I should become a writer. Make a book. Titled, 'The Ends of Patience.' I could make millions..." She stood up as she visualized it. "And it'll have a big blue cover..."
"Kuchiki..." Ichigo called warningly.
"... And thousands of people will read the book... And I can buy a mansion..." Rukia looked up at the skies dreamily. "... And there'll be a movie... A 5-star academy-award winning movie..."
"No, really, Kuchiki. Shut up."
"Oh... Fine." The Kuchiki petulantly blew air from her mouth - setting her bangs to the side. "But I don't wanna..."
Ichigo fixed her with a steady glare, before sighing. "Never mind." He turned away. "I'll let you have this moment of victory. It's not like you're on my team anymore."
Rukia stumbled backwards for a moment before recovering. His words had broken through her happiness like a sword cutting through paper. It's not like you're on my team anymore. His words had broken through the cocoon of cajoling, teasing happiness - exposing her to reality once more.
"Y-Yeah." Rukia called, acting almost as if she was alright, fully recovered from his blow. Her acting was almost perfect, except for the slight stutter. "It's not like I wanna be on your team anyways, Kurosaki-san. You're a horrible teacher."
"I'm hurt." Ichigo replied, dryly. "If I'm that bad of a teacher... Shouldn't I just permanently switch you out to Tatsuki's team?"
Something inside her tripped. "Well, I haven't been taught by Tatsuki-san yet now, have I?" A teasing fake grin spread across the Kuchiki's frame. "If she's worse than you, I'll have to revoke that statement, Kurosaki-san."
"Oi, oi." Tatsuki turned skeptically to Rukia. "You're calling me a bad teacher without even having been in one of my lessons? Ouch."
"Ah... I-I didn't..."
"I know, I know. I'm just messing with you." Tatsuki smiled, warmly. "Although you did technically just say that if I'm worse of a teacher than he is, you'd run back to Kurosaki's team… which kind of stings."
"She never said she'd run back," Ichigo pointed out logically.
Tatsuki laughed. "I know. I'm just having a bit of fun. I let you have your fun, don't I?"
"Just barely." Ichigo agreed reluctantly. "Go ahead, then. Have your fun messing with the kids. Have you tried the queer pitch on Ishida yet? It's hilarious, I swear. You ought to try it..."
Tatsuki blinked. "I'll... errr... keep it in mind. Thanks, Ichigo."
"Anything to help a fellow mischief-maker in need." Ichigo waved it off. "And speak of the devil...."
Tatsuki glanced over her shoulder to look around in Ichigo's general direction, before feeling a smile light up on her face. "Hey, Ishida! Early much, are you?"
Ishida was emerging from the bushes nearby, striding to the midst of the clearing - his uniform a stark contrast from the greenery nearby, being a plain white embroiled with blue.
"It seems that I'm not the only one early today, Tatsuki-san." Ishida inclined his head towards the apprenticing teacher, before quickly switching back to pleasantries. "How are you?"
"Good, thanks." Tatsuki smiled, feeling the deceptive turn of words work in her favor. "You?"
"I'm fine."
"Inoue-san took a detour here and Kuchiki-san was bored. And Ichigo and I here always come early." Tatsuki gestured towards the group before directing her attention on the Quincy once more. "And you, Ishida? It's a pretty novel experience, being early, isn't it?"
"If you say you were bored and so you came early, I'm chucking you in the piranha lake." Ichigo called, loftily. "There's no way you'd come up with a reason to spend additional time with me, even in that deranged little head of yours. You're not Kuchiki."
Ishida's eyes narrowed. "I finished my quota for the week," he remarked flippantly. "And since I didn't have anything better to do, and I recollected this meeting, I came a little bit early. Rest assured that my reasons for coming early have nothing at all to do with you, Kurosaki."
"Touchy, touchy. Someone's angry today."
"Oh, shut up Ichigo." Tatsuki rolled her eyes. "Don't mind Ichigo too much, Ishida. He's always like this."
Ishida settled his glasses higher up on his nose. "I noticed it after the first few minutes of the apprenticeship, actually. But, thanks for the belated warning." He nodded curtly. "At least we have one sane person here."
"...Does he mean that I'm the sane one?" Ichigo called hopefully.
"No... I think he means me, actually."
"Aww..."
"Cheer up, Ichigo. You have plenty of time for revenge, or whatever you call it..."
"Can I feed him the poisoned doughnut?"
"For the last time... It's not poisoned!"
"...So that's a no?"
"No, Ichigo." Tatsuki stressed the word, aggravated. "That is a no."
"Awww..."
"Oh... Get over yourself." Tatsuki turned to Ishida. "What did you mean about quota?"
"Dolls."
Tatsuki blinked. "Dolls?"
"I'm president of the sewing club at Karakura High." Ishida clarified. "I finished my quota for the week, though."
"Really?" Tatsuki smiled tentatively at the Quincy. "What kind of dolls?"
"Anything, really." Ishida waved a hand carefully, calculatingly. "There wasn't anything specified."
"What did you make, Ishida?" Ichigo called. "I wanna know..."
"Dolls of all variety." Ishida replied. "Stuffed kittens, cotton rabbits... Anything I felt like making."
"You felt like making kittens and rabbits? What... Do you have some kinda fetish? You don't seem like the rabbits-and-kitties type..."
"It's for a campaign." Ishida said delicately. "We're donating the dolls to people of less.... stature and wealth than us, in average."
Comprehension lit up in Tatsuki's eyes. "How many dolls did you make?" Tatsuki asked hesitantly. "Your.... quota, I mean..."
"Twenty-five."
"In one week?"
"Yes." Ishida glanced at her briefly before opting to change the subject. "...What time is it?"
"Err.... Give me a minute." Tatsuki glanced down at her watch. "8:55."
"Sado-san's not here yet?"
"He's punctual, more than anything. I don't think he aspires to come early, but rather just at 9."
"So we're stuck waiting?" Ichigo asked.
"More or less… yes. We're waiting."
"Shit." A single syllable of profanity escaped into the clearing, the word contrasting oddly with the brisk morning air.
And silence ensued.
: x x x x x x x :
The moon waned from darkened clouds, heavy with rain.
Two figures stood alone - opposite each other - both dressed in the common kimono that Shinigami wore. Both had their katanas drawn.
Silence.
And then one of them spoke.
"They're going to kill me, Tatsuki." The voice was strangely calm - would have been a perfect balm on the nerves...
...If only his words hadn't been so dramatic.
"Tell them it was a mistake." Tatsuki ventured to say. "Tell them you never meant to... They'll forgive you if you had a fuka-taichou vouching you..."
He smiled wanly at her. "Your reputation would be in disrepair if you did that," he reminded her gently. "It's far better to just let them execute me, isn't it?"
"I can't allow that." Tatsuki replied. "Just promise them that you'll never do it again. Tell them that you're sorry. If I vouch for you... The worst that'll happen to you is probation for a year... That's it! They won't kill you if you just say it's a mistake, that you'll never do it again..."
"But I'm not sorry." The figure smiled. "Remember, Tatsuki? I'm the DT Killer of Twentieth. They won't forgive me, and even if they tried to..." His head was tipped back towards the sky - she could never forget that picture of grace - as he laughed. "...I wouldn't let them."
The soft dreary words... that echoed so easily, so quickly, in the darkness of night...
Something in her froze.
"What do you mean?" Her words sounded wonderfully controlled, despite the turmoil that brewed within her. He couldn't have been honest...
"I would kill them." An angelic smile was superimposed on his harsh features. "And if they find it within themselves to forgive them again..." His eyes hardened into diamond slits. "...You know what I'd do."
Her eyes darted across the street. "Would you even kill me?"
A pause constricted the atmosphere, as the figure before her paused, calculating, and analyzing. And then he bowed his head, apologetically. "I might, though I'd live to regret it, I know."
"And why would you kill me, as well?" Her voice restored some semblance of order to this chaos... Her head throbbed painfully even as she spoke.
"To prove to the Shinigami that I'm not below killing a vice-captain to get my point across."
He wouldn't allow them... He'd kill her, even... Here, Tatsuki realized belatedly, was a creature in which cared not for the wonders of life, of being...
"Would you really?"
He was cruel, unforgiving, a killer...
"I would." There wasn't any hesitation, just a sad mournful tone… Practically, there wasn't much emotion in it at all.
Picturing him now, preserving him forever in this state of madness, as he finally unveiled everything - Something changed within her.
Tatsuki closed her eyes for a moment, before snapping them open – violet orbs of color glowing eerily at the dead of night. Her eyes devoid of mercy to the being before her, she stated a few precise words, as the innermost being of her soul wondered if she truly meant it… "Then I'm sorry."
And she found herself slipping just a bit closer into the darkness with him.
I'm really sorry the chapter took so long in updating. D: RL got in the way n... yeah. DX
Nonetheless, the chapter's out now n all's well n done, isn't it? :D
I'd like to thank Aiko HanaKai for beta-ing the chapter. :D The editing was flawless n the contributions magnificent. Thanks! :D
... Did anyone notice how all my line breaks from my earlier chapters ran away? Odd..... I should rewrite them sometime.... later, anyways. -______-;
So... Drop off a review n have a nice day~! :D
