First of, thanks to all those who reviewed/alerted from the prologue – I was really amazed at so much response just from that! I hope you like the story itself now :)
Please do review and let me know your thoughts – I really want to improve my writing so let me know what you like/don't like. Even if you just wanna tell me I suck, though if you do at least tell me why I suck and what I can do to improve it!
Lastly, pairings will now definitely be IchiHime/RenRuki, because this chapter was just asking to be written as RenRuki…
Anyway, on with the story. This chapter (and the rest of the story) is set ~14 months after the prologue. No-one has heard from Ichigo during this time, apart from occasional letters to his family to let them know he's ok. The Shinigami and Urahara have tried to detect his reiatsu several times, but have failed. But now, some news has finally reached Soul Society...
"Abarai-kun, you're awake!"
Renji blinks at the bright lights as the world slowly swims back into focus. White ceiling… white sheets… weird medicinal taste in his throat. Oh. Fourth Division. Not dead yet, then.
"Isane-san?"
The Division 4 fukutaichō smiles down at him. "How do you feel, Renji?"
The redhead coughs weakly. "Like I got kicked through a wall, then run through by a zanpakutou."
"Sounds about right…" Isane responds thoughtfully, then smiles shyly. "Still, we managed to patch you up again. You should be fine by tomorrow, but we'll keep you in overnight to be sure."
"Do you have to?"
The stern look she turns on him is enough to make him back down. Damn – she's getting good. She must've been taking lessons from Unohana-Taichō. That woman can even get Zaraki to lie still and shut up…
"H… hai, Kotetsu-fukutaichō," he replies meekly. The tall woman smiles and heads for the door.
"Ahhh, Isane…" She pauses by the door, looking back.
"What about… the rest of the squad? Did everyone make it?"
Isane smiles softly, warmly. "They're fine, Renji. Get some rest."
Relieved, the tattooed redhead relaxes back against the cool white sheets. They're alright. He'd kept them safe. This time… How many more? How many until finally an attack comes where he slips, where he's not strong enough? These new hollows of Aizen's are stronger every time. Next time you won't be enough… you won't be able to keep them safe…
He's about to fall back into fitful sleep when a small figure barges into the room, pushing aside the lower seated healer who'd been outside the door, and runs to his side.
Renji raises himself up to his elbow just in time to get a slap upside the head.
"Ouch! Fuck, Rukia!"
"Baka!" The dark-haired woman scolds him fiercely. "I came as soon as Nii-sama told me! Why didn't you tell me there was another attack? Why didn't you tell me you were hurt?"
Flopping back down, Renji raises both hands in a loose defensive gesture. "Ahhh, Rukia, I've only been awake for about 5 minutes, y'know…"
"That's no excuse! Honestly, Renji, getting yourself hurt like this, do you always have to charge into every situation sword-first like some… some… big dumb ox? What am I supposed to do with you?"
He can't help smiling as she continues to rant about his irresponsible behaviour, all while those deep purple eyes run over him, checking for every injury, noting every bruise.
"Rukia." He reaches out and catches her hand as she stops for breath, and to his surprise she stops speaking and just looks at him. Her expression is more of a knife through his heart than any words she could say – so filled with concern, concern for him, that he marvels at it even while he regrets causing that expression to ever appear on her face.
"I'm sorry for making you worry."
She looks away. "Baka," she mutters, blushing so slightly anyone who didn't know her so well might never have noticed. "Who'd worry about you?"
He gives her his most winning grin, pulling her hand to his lips. "You."
She glances at him from the corner of her eyes, resisting the smile that quirks at her mouth, then eventually gives in and turns back to him with a smile.
"Which just proves I never learn, right?"
He smiles as she leans in to kiss him lightly, then settles onto the chair beside the bed, her hand still resting in his, leaning her head on her other arm on the side of the bed.
"This is the second time this week you've ended up in the Fourth, Renji."
He forces a light laugh. "Yeah, well, just as well I got a thick skull, right?"
The joke earns him a poke in the ribs. "I'm serious," Rukia snaps. "You're pushing yourself too hard."
Renji sighs. It was true - he'd been putting himself forward for a lot of extra duties. "I know." He reaches across to ruffle the silken hair, searching for words. This place was his - their - home. Everyone he cared about was here. Those damned traitors want to tear it apart. He was no brilliant tactician, he couldn't out-think Aizen. All he could do was fight, but it was better than sitting around helpless.
"I just… I have to do something." he curses himself silently for his inability to express himself properly. Damned words. "I hate sitting around waiting for an attack. Like you said, I'm just a big dumb ox who goes charging in sword first." Rukia blushes and begins to stammer, but he waves her off with a grin before his face becomes serious again. "I gotta... I gotta fight if I can. This place is our home, right? I'm gonna do what I can to protect it."
To protect you.
"I suppose," Rukia murmurs. "I just… I wonder how much longer we can keep doing this. Aizen sits like in a king in Hueco Mundo, just sending monsters against us. It's getting harder every time, and there's never enough time to recover between battles anymore. If this keeps up…"
Her fist clenches on the sleeve of his uniform, as she presses her forehead against his unbandaged arm.
His fingers stroke her dark hair again. "You're thinking too much again," he reprimands softly. "None of us know what Aizen's planning, but you know the captains won't let Sereitei fall apart without fighting for it. We just gotta do our bit, that's all. So stop worrying, yeah?"
Her voice is muffled as she speaks into his sleeve.
"I just… I wish Ichigo were here."
A year ago, that would have sent a stab of pain and jealousy through him so strong he thought he'd break. But now, he simply lifts his hand to stroke through her dark hair again.
"I know. Me, too," he murmurs.
They sit like that for a while, her head resting against his arm, him caressing her hair, until a movement at the door catches his attention.
"Ahhhh, fuck. Can't they even leave me alone one evening?" Renji groans as the jigokuchou flutters to land on his outstretched finger.
"What is it?" Rukia asks at the puzzled look that appears on his face from listening to the message carried by the black insect.
"Gotta report to the Captain-Commander in the morning. New orders. Weird – since when has Yamamoto given me orders?"
Rukia shrugs, eyes wide. "I don't know. It does sound strange, though. Oh, wait – another one. Maybe this will explain?"
They watch the black butterfly as it enters the room. Renji extends a finger, but the insect ignores it and flutters toward Rukia, who looks startled as she holds out her own hand to receive it.
"Kuchiki Rukia, report to Division 1 at 9am for new orders. This is important." Chojiro-fukutaicho's smooth voice echoes in her head.
She looks up, startled, at Renji.
"What?" he asks with a grin. "Kuchiki-taichō ordering you home instead'a sitting around with his layabout lieutenant?"
"No…" she shakes her head. "I have to report to the Captain-Commander too."
The two of them eye each other with bewilderment.
"Must be something important. Some kinda new mission or somethin'." Renji breaks the silence first.
"I suppose so… but I haven't heard of anything."
"S'why it's new, dumbass," the redhead smirks at her, earning him another poke in the ribs.
"Idiot. I suppose they're keeping you in here tonight again?" She eyes the bandages around his chest and right arm.
"Yeah 'fraid so. Unless you wanna stay and take care of me…" he winks at her suggestively.
"Hardly," she returns keeping her face perfectly straight. Seeing his expression fall she leans in to kiss him fiercely.
"Get some rest. I'll see you in the morning."
She heads for the door, leaving him staring after her still open-mouthed.
To his surprise, Renji is at the First Division before Rukia in the morning. He smirks to himself, remembering all the times she's slapped him awake for being lazy in the mornings. Damn, I ain't lettin' her forget about this, her being the lazy one for a change!
However, this isn't the time – he needs to be professional in front of the Captain Commander.
So when she arrives, panting slightly, he just gives her a mischievous wink before offering a formal greeting and leading the way into the small office. He knows she understands the wink by the small scowl she shoots him before straightening her face into a perfect Kuchiki mask.
They both drop into deep bows before the figure seated throne-like before them.
"Yamamoto- sōtaichō. You asked to see us?" Renji asks, straightening.
The old man surveys them solemnly through his narrowed eyes, gnarled hands resting on his thick staff.
"Hai. Abarai-fukutaicho. Kuchiki-san. Something has happened, and I am sending the two of you to investigate."
Yamamoto leans forward, fixing each of them with his steel gaze. "Last night, in the human world, our instruments detected two powerful reiatsu surges in a town near Karakura. The first sputtered and died almost immediately, but the second persists and seems to be growing stronger."
"The analysis indicates that the first reiatsu belonged to Kurosaki Ichigo."
Ichigo.... Renji stiffens in shock, and hears Rukia's strangled gasp beside him. He longs to reach and take her hand, but it wouldn't be appropriate. Still, he can feel her slight trembling as the Captain Commander continues.
"The second reiatsu is like nothing we have ever detected before. It isn't hollow, Espada, shinigami or human. We fear it is another of Aizen's new monsters."
Yamamoto stands, stepping forward to peer at their faces, leaning heavily on his staff. "Abarai, Kuchiki, you both spent time in the human world. You are both familiar with Kurosaki. You will go to the location we give, and investigate the happenings there. If this new reiatsu is a monster, you will destroy it."
Rukia speaks up bravely, though her voice wavers slightly. "Genryuusai- sōtaichō … what about Ichigo? Is he…?"
"Kurosaki's fate remains undetermined. We have been unable to detect his reiatsu previously, so it's fading remains of little consequence," the old man shrugs, but strokes the leather-bound beard that hangs down his chest thoughtfully. "However, the reason I am sending the two of you is because you stand the most chance of contacting him."
The Captain Commander meets Renji's eyes directly and the redhead feels his spine straighten under that hard glare.
"If you can contact him, you will bring him back, by any means necessary. He is powerful. A great battle is coming, and we need all the power we can get."
Yamamoto turns away, moving back toward his seat, lowering himself onto it with the sigh of an old man whose bones ache and who has too much responsibility to bear.
"You have my permission to contact any of the ryoka – Kurosaki's friends – from the human world to aid you in this mission. You will report directly to me, or to Kuchiki-Taicho. Do not fail."
Renji bows low. "Hai, Genryuusai-sōtaichō"
He hears Rukia echoing his words beside him.
n.b. - Baka = idiot (to my misfortune, it's the most obvious translation of my own surname - remind me never to move to Japan, I'd never live it down)
Jigokuchou = hell butterfly
I tend not to drop too many japanese words in, mostly cuz I've only been learning for a few months and I can still just about manage to say I'm english and I got here by taxi, but if I do use anything you don't know without giving a translation just send me a virtual slap and I'll sort it out :)