Hello my dears! Here you have the 3rd chapter. It's a long one...and i though a lot before publishing...since i don't know if this will suit your tastes...or if it respects the label of the story...still i'm remaining faithfull to my ichiruki addiction...i just like to torment my charcters a lot before giving them a moment of hapiness.
Byakuya kept listening to the monotone tic-tac sound of the clock. That was the only sound he was hearing. He looked around him and saw his whole clan around the big table. He was seeing their lips moving, their eyebrows frowning and their hands gesturing frenetically, but he didn't want to listen to them. He didn't have the patience for it anymore…
"Tic-Tac…Tic-Tac"- that was the only sound he wanted to hear…and yet:
"Go on! Give him the money! Give him the whole inheritance and he will waste it in a few years! And then to whom will he come to borrow? To the Rioying's, right?
"They will not come to you!"
"Then to who ? To Lord Kuchiki himself?"
"I think they will prefer him instead of you!"
"You make me laugh Katsuya!"
"So ,why were they discussing ,again the problem of Nanakum's son inheritance ? This supposed to be a meeting concerning the financial plan of the clan in the third trimester of the year." They were always getting lost in such insignificant details; they were always letting themselves devoured by the family quarrels. That's way he hated so much the "les entretiens " with the Elders. Nobody knew that, but he did! He truly hated them! Discussions didn't lead to any solution in this clan. The fragile peace maintained in this family was the result of his carefully attention and supervision of its members and which could only be done after the doors of this hall was closed and everybody was back to their house, searching to attaint their own interests.
He stood straight and dignified at the top of the table, as a symbol of impartiality and equilibrium. It was his role and he always fulfilled conscientiously, even if in his heart he knew that all was just a waste of time. Their presence here was futile. Half of the time will be spent on family conflicts and the other half will be a slalom between small gossips and some weak attempts to put up a financial plan. It was truly useless since, on the first hand, he was already aware of the all the conflicts and gossips in the clan and on the second hand, the only financial plan that he was willing to accept it was already conceived. It was not like he needed their opinion anymore.
"You can't deny the right! It's his right to have the inheritance!"
"He's too young. And too immature to gestion such an amount of money!"
"And who should gestation them better? You, Goroza Rioying?"
"Katsuya, you have to admit that there is still an absence of a will, which makes me, as a brother ,the first legal inheritor"
"So it loud then, you want the money for you!"
"Tic-tac….Tic-tac….These irritating and vulgar voices seems to disturb that peaceful and monotone sound again." Byakuya told himself.
He tried again to empty his mind by ignoring the noise, but then, the door of the hall opened and one of the guardians announced: "Kuchiki Rukia, Lady of the Kuchiki House and vicecaptain of the 13th Division".
Byakuya slightly lift his head and watched the brunette women dressed in beautiful kimono, who was heading with small and elegant steps to the head of the table. More then half of the members at the table got up at her sight.
"Good evening…Please excuse my delay. I was detained by my vicecaptain duties at the 13th Division. Please, be seated. There's no need to disturb the meeting"
He didn't draw a gesture, but he was pleased. She knew how to make an elegant entrance, even when she was late. Nothing more than he expected from a true Kuchiki. He watched the empty seat in his right. It was the seat she was approaching and the sit reserved for the Kuchiki inheritor. Before taking it, she made a subtle bow and elegantly said: "Good evening, Lord Kuchiki"
"Good evening, Rukia" he answered.
Yes: Rukia. That was he way he called her. He was the only one in the clan who had the privilege of calling her name and he liked making that difference: Rukia, the Lady and the proud of one of the most powerful families in Seireitei was his own privilege. It was natural for that seat to be reserved for her only.
"Lady Kuchiki, we will make a resume of the subjects debated on this meeting until your arrival. We had briefly discussed the matter of the land partition in Pheeyan family and now we were concentrated on Nanakuma's son inheritance.
While one of the Elders spoke, she gave Byakuya a discreet yet meaningful look. Just like her brother, she didn't like to intervene in the family conflicts as she founded them a waste of time.
"Thank you, but there's no need for a summary. You may go on with the discussions and I will do my best to catch up with them during the meeting."
"Then with the accord of Lady Kuchiki and Lord Kuchiki, of course, we will continue on the Nanakuma's inheritance"
The voice in the room raised again in arguments and contra arguments:
"It will be best for the boy to keep the money especially when he's thinking to start a family of his own"
At those words the whole room burst into surprise. Byakuya was the only one to remain calm and impartial as the so called "news" were no longer news for him. He already knew about Nanakuma's little idyll and he was less interested about it. He turned, though to Rukia, who had her eyes wide and amazed:
"Nanakuma-kun it getting married?" she asked. "To whom?"
Tic-Tac…Tic-Tac…
The conversation was heading again to irrelevant directions. But still…watching the inheritor seat which Rukia had just occupied, the monotone clock seemed no longer interesting. He started to recall the long journey she had taken in order to gain it. It's true: he had given her this honor, but it's was only the honor that she deserved.
He had taken her in almost 60 year ago and she was just a child back then. A child who looked so much like the women who had just came to death and for which the feelings he had held did not died with her. So, he couldn't bear the presence of that child. Every time when the evil curiosity pushed him to go and meet her, he forced himself to recall in mind, her image in the day he found her in Rukongai: a dirty, scared and unmannered street rat. It was an image which produced him repulse.
Back then he had adopted her in order to fulfill the last wish of his dying wife. He had never intended to gave more then his name, which came only with a room to sleep, food to eat and a minimal future insurance by introducing her in the 13th Division ( he didn't even put the effort of adding her to his own division). As a Kuchiki member, she had no right and no recognition. As a matter a fact the only thing she had the responsibility of not embarrassing the clan of which name she held. With this decisions in mind and the image on Rukongai personalized in her being, he had kept himself away from her in order to not remember the rules of the clan he had broke by adopting her and ,above all, to not see Hisana in her anymore. In this manner, as if she never existed for him, 50 years have passed.
And then one day he finds out that she gave her power to some human person and that she will be executed. He remembered that he received the news with a stoicism that even he was surprised of. Even though her gesture was first of all, a black stain on the Kuchiki's honor, he couldn't help himself to be relieved: He knew that no matter how much he tried to demand the recalling of the execution decision, his powers were meaningless. And as he promised on the grave of his parents that he will never again broke the rules of the Kuchiki Clan, he could just wait with resignation for all this to end.
This nightmare… this masquerade of adopting Hisana's sister will be over.
But then something he did not see coming happened: the man to whom she gave her powers came in Seireitei to save her. A romance idyll, perhaps? But he wasn't alone. Other human friends were with him. Yoruichi was on their side! Renji, himself achieved bankai and risked his like in order gave her a chance to live!
It seemed as the whole world was fighting to keep alive that little girl he ignored.
He couldn't abstain himself of asking, if he, the head of the Kuchiki clan, were to day one day, how many would truly risk their lives in order to save him? He was afraid of receiving an honest answer. So again he put himself the most pertinent question: What did this girl have so special that could make so many die or tear apart worlds for her? Because he had seen it in their eyes, while fighting them! Renji…That men, Kurosaki, they were both willing to die for her. It scared him that thought: to have missed the essential which for 50 years lied next to him. The essential he had refused to observe.
So in that moment her turned himself toward her and pushed by that curiosity more than any other promise or moral that he should have followed, he made a thing he never did before, for anyone: he put himself between Gin's zanpakuto and Rukia, in order to protect her.
He felt himself bleeding to death. He felt the pain numbing all his senses and yet he had no regret because now he could finally saw Rukia.
He looked into her eyes and in one second, all the fears he had hidden for 50 years vanished: This girl was nothing like Hisana. Her eyes were purple and wide, looking at him with a scared and worried expression as if she feared his life with her own life. Her hands were little but so strong and delicate at the same time …and she kept calling for him: "Nii-sama! Nii-sama! Nii-sama! Don't die! Nii-sama, stay with me!"…
He was shocked. After all this treatment she was still calling him "brother"…
"What a mild little child" he told himself that day, before telling her everything about her past.
But what he discovered after that incident was that Rukia was no longer a child, but a strong woman, and a very gifted shinigami. Shortly the days of the war came and he watched proudly her victories in battle and the elegancy with which she obtained them. He haven't forget for a second, that her strong zanpakuto, remained also, the most beautiful one.
Something slowly started to change inside him and as slowly as it changed he had to admitted, that Kuchiki Byakuya was not only the head of his clan and the captain of the 6th Division, but also a person…with feelings. He had thought that after Hisana died, that half of his heart died with her, and the other half gradually faded away. He had thought that the only things left of him was the proud of his family that he needed to protect and the strength to lead in a correct manner his division…without this, he feared he would have remained empty…and he would have just acknowledged his loneliness. He had never been more aware of that fact, but in the moment his Senzonsakura lost its most precious characteristic: the subtle and refined fragrance of sakura petals in its Shikai form. His inner world gained more and more power, but it lost his charm, fantasy and emotion. He was sure that the spoiled, hot-tempered, full of life child he used to be, was gone forever.
But then he saw Rukia and he saw the determination with which she endeavored to become part of his life, the effort she put in order to never disappoint him, the admiration with which she called him "Nii-sama"… He slowly started to wonder if he was as lonely as he though. With Rukia near, he experienced again the felling of a family, the feeling of having something to be fond of and to care about, knowing that your feelings will be returned. That big, elegant manor, for the first time in years was getting close to the warmth of a home and the other half of his heart which he believed faded, was still aive.
A hope was reborn.
He didn't acknowledged this fact until the day he came back home from the Espada Incident where for the first time, the pride he had to protect was a person and it was Rukia.
Returning home, he visited his inner world in order to regain his equilibrium after the fight and then, the shock came: the sakura petals , which for such a long time have been only deadly blades, regained their delicate fragrance.
For the he first time in years, he smiled.
That day, sitting in his study and knowing that Rukia was still in Karakura watching over Kurosaki loosing his powers, he admitted to himself that if in 50 years he hadn't notice her presence in the manor, now it was hard to deal with her absence.
He knew she preferred Karakura, because of that human, Kurosaki and he couldn't blame her for it. He was a cold person, but that didn't mean that he had a short mind. He knew that his feelings were expressed only across an overprotective attitude and it would have been normal for her to be more at ease around people like Kurosaki Ichigo. But he didn't like him: He was too unmannered and straight-forward for his tastes. One thing he needed to admit though: he sure treated a whole world and a single person he had to save with the same importance. He had the determination to turn the earth upside down if that would keep safe his beloved ones and because of this determination he also had the power to do it. But above all this, he trusted Ichigo because he had the same pure heart as Rukia. It was the innocence that he had lost years ago, along with half of his heart.
So he wouldn't have been surprised if one day she wouldn't have come back from Karakura.
A shocked was for him to see her returning home, after Ichigo left Seireitei for good, 6 years ago. She came to his study and stopped in front of the door with a hurt expression and a relived smile on her face, saying:
"I'm back… I'm back for good!"
So in that moment, looking at her, he no longer saw the little scared child taken from the streets, but a proud and refined person who had the Kuchiki ways in her veins more then a born one. He saw the most elegant vicecaptain who succeed to defeat an Espada. He saw the person who changed the history of Seireitei by giving her powers to a human…and more important than everything, he saw his family, he saw a friend. In that moment as his lips spoke, he made his decision:
"Welcome back…The Kuchiki Masion had missed its Lady…"
And then his heart added:
"And I did to…missed her…you,i mean…"
He smiles thinking back of that moment. His words were so unrefined…sharp and honest, just the way they burst out from his heart. She looked at him shocked as he called "Lady of the Kuchiki Manor" but when he admitted his feelings her eyes were instantly filed with tears, as if she already forgot about Ichigo, as if her true heart end efforts were lying here, by his side. Filled with emotion, she made a step toward him with arms wide open as if she was ready to embraces him. But since he didn't hug a person in decades he didn't know how to react and they both blocked. They remained one in fort of the other, as she continued to cry repeating: "Tadaima!...Tadaima!...Tadaima!" and he was answering her tireless: "Okaeri!...Okaeri!...Okaeri!".
That moment, 6 years ago, was the most emotional memory that he held in the last 60 years.
"Tic-Tac…Tic-Tac… Again that clock!"
He came to reality and observed without enthusiasm that the discussions concerning the land partition and the inheritance were not over yet. He looked at Rukia who was implicating herself in the debate and who was listening carefully to what the others had to say. She always did that, even if she didn't like it. Ever since the day she entered the Elders Council, she didn't relax for a second. She knew it was one of her duties and she was treating it seriously. That is why he chose her!
"Only Lord Kuchiki may change the will!" a voice shouted.
"So now you are asking our Lord's favors?" another one riposted.
"With who will Nanakuma marry?"
"Enough, we should pass to he financial plan now! Enough on this subject! Another one raised.
Rukia slightly gasped and looked at Byakuya. He nodded then and decide to intervene:
"Firstly …" he begun and the next second the whole council remained silent looking at him "…Concerning the inheritance of Nanakuma's son, i've decided that one quarter of the total amount of money will go to Lord Rioyang, and the difference along with all possessions will go to his son, offered to him gradually in a period of 15 years…Secondly :at this moment here's no need to discuss the Nanakuma's son marriage, since the details have not been decided with my councilors…And thirty I want to inform you that among all the options that were presented to me for financial plan of the 3rd trimester, I chose Rukia's. If there aren't any objections I propose to pass directly to voting process…
The meeting was almost over…
Ichigo stood helpless in the middle of his college room watching the disorder of his stuff. It never seemed to bother him, but now, gave that he had to go back in Karakura for the summer, he needed to start to pack his belongings. It was a nightmare to search for his laundry, his books, his clothes in that chaos, especially when he wasn't in the mood for cleaning. It's been two days already since the party, but he didn't feel like he was fully recovered. At first he thought it was an extension of the hangover…but then he finally admitted that it was more than that. In someway he felt troubled…and nostalgic. It was as an unnamed, hidden thought was scratching the backs of his mind, not giving him peace:
"What on earth made me say that day…the best thing I never had was…"
Suddenly the door open and Orihime entered caring two bags from Golden Wok.
"Back already?" he said.
"Yes…I found a nice fast food on the way, so I thought it would be better to have some noodles…then to have me cook"
Ichigo turn to her with a meaningful grin on his face:
"You thought well!"
Neither of them could lie about her cooking talent or more precisely about her lack of talent in this subject.
"So what were you doing sitting like this in the middle of the room?"
"Cleaning I guess…or making order trough my stuff…You know that Friday we're going back…"
She put the bags on the table.
"That's two days away…"
"Yep…he added…and honestly I don't think they're enough to pack all this…"
"Yes….perhaps you're right…" she added with a low voice. In some way it seemed to him that something was bothering her.
"Inoue, is something wrong?" he asked.
She nodded frenetically, but then she low her face again. After a few moments of uncomfortable silence she decided to confess:
"I was thinking…I mean I know that you miss Karakura and your family…but since I'm already here, maybe we could stay a little longer…"
Ichigo looked at her a little confused:
"You mean here…in Tokyo?
She blushed.
"I just wanted to see once again the Tokyo Tower and the city…But it was just an idea…forget about it! …we're going home on Friday!" she added quickly and started to unpack the food.
He looked at her distrustful and sight:
"What do you mean a little longer?"
She stopped. She hesitated for a second but then she honestly answered:
"A week. "
Again they stood in silence.
"Fine!" he concluded "…Let's go see the Tokyo Tower. Choose an evening in this week-end…It's better on the night view"
"Really?" she shouted happily and jumped into his arms. "Oh! Kurosaki-kun, I love you so much"
He smiled. It was an honest smile…and yet, he wasn't in the mood for anything.
The meeting took longer than she expected. She got home almost by midnight so she jumped the dinner. She told 'good night' to her brother and went directly to her room.
"Oh! It's so nice to be home!" she said joyful to the maid servant that was expecting her in front of her room.
"Welcome back, lady Kuchiki!"
"I can't believe the meeting took so long!" she started to complain the moment she entered the room and put herself in front of the dresser. The maid immediately approached and started to undo her complicated loop of hair. "I don't know if it shows but I'm exhausted. I went to the meeting directly from the headquarters…I didn't even had the time to eat lunch"
"Would you like me to ask to have you prepared something to eat, my lady?"
"I don't know…Lord Kuchiki also skipped dinner and I'm not eager to eat by myself…I could eat if you'll keep me company, Mariko!"
"Oh! I couldn't! It wouldn't be appropriate, my lady!" immediately the maid responded bowing her had.
"Mariko…." Begun Rukia with a bored air." Cut all this cold politeness! Especially tonight! I'm too tired for it!"
The maid Mariko hesitated for a second, but then she asked:
"Was the meeting with the Kuchiki Elders that tiring?"
"Name me a meeting with the Elders which was not something else that tiring"
The maid slightly giggled and Rukia turned to the mirror watching her reflection attentively:
"Oh my! Did you saw the nest that I have in my hair? Hurry up put it down!"
The maid giggled again.
"I think our Lady it's beautiful in everyway"
"Really!" she added sarcastically. "I believe that a stork it's about to lay her eggs on my head!"
The maid couldn't stop and laughed.
"Honestly, I'm telling you Mariko…I miss the days when I could walk only in my shinigami robes"
"But these kimonos make you look gorgeous, mu lady …"
"Mmmmm…But am I not gorgeous anyway?" she added ironically and the maid laughed again.
"My lady we did missed your presence in the house!"
Rukia turned to the maid surprised, but the maid smiled:
"Indeed my lady…the house is so full of life when you're around! I'm gland that you're back from the real world!...Everyone looked forward for you're return because we were all getting so bored without you…When you are here even our lord seems to be in a good mood!"
Rukia at her looked more surprised.
"It's the truth, my lady!" the maid continued. " As a matter a fact ( and here she approached Rukia and lowered her voice) …The days you were gone the Lord was very tense and nervous as if he was scared that you'll never returned…Believe me, I know the lord ever since he was little and no matter what others will think he's so bad at hiding his….
But here the voice of the maid was interrupted by a knock on the door.
"Rukia, it's me…" the voice of Byakyua was heard from the other side of the door.
Both women widen their eyes.
"Speaking of the devil…" added Rukia with a smile, but the maid looked scared:
"Do you think he heard our conversation?"
Rukia shrugged her shoulders.
"Yes, Nii-sama…I'm changing my clothes. I'll be out in a minute!" she answered to her brother.
"No need for that!" Byakuya answered. "I just wanted to ask you if you are willing to accompany me in my night walk…"
Her eyes widened but then they melted in a sweet smile.
"Of course! I mean: yes, I will, Nii-sama"
"Very well…I'll be waiting for you in the garden"
She heard his steps moving away, but that sweet smile still lingered on her lips as she was looking at the closed door. The maid couldn't help but notice:
"It seems that you also missed our lord, my lady"
Rukia instantly blushed and turned to the maid:
"Wh- What …do you mean by that?"
"Nothing, my lady….nothing at all! Come on let's finish brushing your hair!"
He heard. He herd all the conversation and he though of changing Rukia's maid. She was too indiscreet.
He kept himself composed and cool as usual, but in his inner self, he was pretty tense.
The time she was away he was truly worried. Not because something might happened to her, but because it was for the first time in years that she was heading back to the real world. He did remember her words 6 years ago :"I'm back…I'm back for good!". For him those words had the value of a promise but still, he couldn't help but worry. He never forgot that a part of her was still bounded to that place. He did everything in order separate her from it, to makes her not to care about what she left behind. She didn't protest. As a matter a fact she wanted the same thing. But the fact itself of trying so hard didn't mean that she was still strongly bounded to it? Things should have come naturally but sometimes for her were an effort. She didn't want him to know…but how could he ignored it? He was afraid that a visit in that place, will flame again her old passions, and everything that he tried to build with her back home, will become fragile and it will ruin just like a sand castle.
He stepped into the silent garden.
He enjoyed that silence. Il cleared his thoughts and made him have less worries. He always did these night walks all by himself. He couldn't say that they were his privilege and that he enjoyed that much his loneliness…He just never encountered someone who could share his pleasure for nocturne silence…he had never encountered someone to whom he could have shared his thoughts and break from time to time that silence…he had never encountered someone for whom the could have find the patience and the interest to listen back…
He thought that things will stay this way forever, until a few years ago,when, in one of his nocturne promenades he found Rukia sitting in the garden all by herself, watching the starry sky.
"I thought of taking your example and come here to clear my thoughts…"
"Did something wrong happened, Rukia?"
"Not really…but sometimes I fell like emptying my mind and sit here only to enjoy the nature and the beauty of the night sky. It makes my heart feel a lot lighter as if nothing bad had ever happened to her…as if nothing had ever hurt me"
It was like she had spoke from his thought back then. He approached and sat next to her that night. They had nothing in common to talk about, exept the pleasure of sitting in the chilly nocturne breeze. It was more then enough for both of them to begun and built a little universe for their own. Ever since that night he started to share his walks with her and he discovered a lot of things that he might have in common with her and a lot of things of her own that he could captivate his interest. Their discussions were not only about their shinigami of kuchiki duties. They also begun to talk about books or philosophy…and then slowly they started to gossip about the news in Soul Society and the people they had in common…and lately both of them had slightly started to open their hearts in front of each other.
He did enjoyed this nocturne walks…This little universe they had only for them…And he was pleased that he had finally found the time for it. Rukia was already back for 2 days and she seemed troubled by the mission she had in the real world. He knew he promised to listen to her during the dinner, but unfortunately, due to Nanakuma's heritage and the agitations in the clan that dinner never took place. So it's been 2 days since she was back, and also 2 days since he hasn't saw her.
"I'm here Nii-sama"
Byakuya turned and saw steeping out of the porch a lovely lady dressed with an elegant night kinomo. Her hair was long, dark and loose over her shoulders. She seemed to be carrying a tray with…food.
"Neither of us had the time for dinner…so I asked the kitchen to have us prepared something light" she said.
Byakuya looked at the food in the tray: Sushi with wasabi.
"Indeed the meeting lasted more than I expected…but congratulations for the financial plan!" he answered.
"No, Nii-sama…it's you, who asked me to do it…so it's not like…"
"I meant congratulation to have persuaded the elders in order to accept it…"
"Oh!...Thank you!...I guess now we have one less thing to worry about."
"You can put it this way, it you want…"
"I wonder if the Nanakuma's family will succeed to recuperate their heritage…"
"By their self , certainly not. That's why Nanakuma's son had come to my yesterday. I'm sorry, Rukia that was the reason I couldn't make it to the dinner yesterday"
"Don't mention it, Nii-sama. You have your duties as the head of the clan"
Byakuya didn't answer and took a sushi from the tray. After that they both sat under a tree, next to the koi pond.
"You wanted to talk with me, yesterday during the dinner…" begun Byakuya.
"In deed, Nii-sama. It was about the spiritual pressure in the real world."
"You told me that it seems to decreases…"
"I'm not sure about it…but Ukitake-sama had already sent an observation equipment there who will calculate the variations of the pressure level during two weeks."
"Then, we should wait for the results."
The silence fell again between them.
"How was it your trip in the real world?" finally Byakuya asked.
Rukia lifted her head with a puzzled expression.
"It was…fine, Nii-sama…"
"Fine, you say?" he repeated distrustful.
She bowed her head.
"Actually I was looking forward to come back home"
His eyes involuntary open widely in surprise.
"I promised you already, haven't I? " she said. "To come back here, whatever will happen…because this is home for me..."
"You're saying that you missed your home?"
"I always carry this place with me everywhere I go…And it doesn't hurt to miss it because I know that no matter what will happened, I will end up here…But this time I really wanted to come back here sooner…"
"Your words surprise me…weren't you the person always willing to spend time in the real world?"
"That person is gone…just like the world I used to love back there…" Rukia answered with a determinate voice.
"In other words you're trying to say that Kurosaki Ichigo has changed." Said Byakuya in his detached manner.
At the sound of his name, pronounced by the lips of his brother her heart started to beat strongly. She bowed her head and the long strings of her black covered her face. In that moment Byakuya knew that everything that he had built here was no more than the sand castle he was afraid of.
And the silence fell again.
Slowly Rukia lift her eyes and looked silently at the beautiful garden around her:
"I wished that sakura will bloom every season" she finally said. "This way, this garden…and the two of us here will always be as beautiful as a dream…"
"You wish to believe that this could be a dream?"
"I wish to believe that this dream could be a reality… You and me here, in peaceful days…having time to enjoy our existences…having time to search the beauty. Maybe my heart it's still tormented, but that's why I'm happy to know that I'm home…because here I'm away from everything that could trouble me…"
"But is this the true place that your heart lies?" asked Byakuya.
Rukia looked at him surprised and she hesitated for a second before answering:
"If i can't be in that place anymore…where else could my heart be, but here?"
"In a beautiful dream that you had just asked to turn into reality" Byakya answered and got up.
He suddenly become serious and put his hand on the handle of his zanpakuto.
"Nii-sama , what happened?" asked Rukia worried.
"Stay put , Rukia" he said with a grave voice and then he remove the zanpakuto from the sheath. "Shire, Senzbonzakura!"
Rukia with a tense expression looked around for the enemy, but the next second the millions blades of Byakuya dispersed in the whole garden making a calm and gorgeous hanami spectacle. The sakura petals were slowly falling making a phosphorescent pink rain.
Then Byakuya calmly sat again next to her. She was still shocked looking at the sakura petals.
"Is this like your dream?" he asked with a low voice.
"It's more…" she answered without thinking but then regaining her senses she looked at her brother: "Nii-sama….you shouldn't….i mean…it's so beautiful…but you shouldn't have used you zanpakuto just please me…"
"To please you?...I wonder in what kind of person you have turned me to…" Byakuya said amused.
"I would never try to change you Nii-sama…I…i..i'm sorry If I said something to offend you…"
"No …you haven't, Rukia…But if you said that this is the place that you heart chose you can consider this sakura rain a 'welcome back home' gift"
Her faces became red.
"Thank you Nii-sama…" she mumbled bowing her head.
He didn't answer to her gratitude, but instead he added:
"You're right…sakura should blossom every season…"
Rukia closed her eyes and inhaled their delicate fragrance.
"Well if you are around…for me they could blossom everyday"
Byakuya open his eyes widely.
"Nii-sama, I never knew that your zanpakuto had the fragrance of the sakura flowers"
He didn't answer. He got up and made his way to the house. Approaching, he saw on the porch the servants watching fascinated at the beauty of the his sakura blades.
"Neither do I…I thought that their fragrance and beauty was lost forever" he added to himself.
Before entering the in the house, he stopped for a second and looked back at Rukia.
"But then…you came…"
He saw her playing with the sakura blades, trying to catch them in her hands. She was charmed by their beauty and she forgot how sharp they were. She caught one in her hands, but instantly it cut her and the red blood started to flow from her fingers. Somehow ,watching that scene made his heart heavy.
Senbonzakura was the form of his soul. It was strange: no matter how beautiful and charming it was, it will never stop to hurt her…
Ichigo took the phone and dialed the number of his home.
"Kurosaki residence, what can I do for you?"
"Dad…could you stop answering the phone in this manner? I always got the impression I'm calling to hotel or something…"
"Ichigo?...Is that you, son? " Isshin begun in his classic manner. "I'm so happy that you called! I was just thinking about you…How are you? You're coming this week-end right?... With Orihime, right? I hope she arrived well in Tokyo…I was so worried when she said that she wanted to go all by herself . Give her a kiss from my part! Oh! You called to tell me at what hour the train will arrive?...I let Karin take from the train station…I would pass her to the phone, but she's still out with her boyfriend and i…
Ichigo sighed. The attempt to follow his father, was worthless:
"As a matter a fact i called you to tell that I will not be home this week-end…"
"Huh?,,,How's that? What happened?"
"Inoue…said that she wants to stay another week here to visit…so…" he said with a monotone voice.
"Ahaamm…I see! You lovey-dovey children! Have fun then and we'll see the next week-end!...But take your time to pack…and don't forget anything valuable there, ok?"
"Yes, I will dad…" he answered in the same manner.
"And take good care of Orihime!"
"Yes…I will"
"Ok…then see you next week!"
"Yes…next week…but…dad?..."
"Yes, Ichigo…is it something wrong?"
"No…not really…I was just wondering if you've seen Rukia lately…"
The silence was heard for a couple of second from the other side.
"Rukia?... Are you serious? I haven't see her in years…What's all this sudden?"
"No…nothing! Nothing at all!"
"Ichigo….what happened?"
"Really, nothing!" he shouted. "See you next week, bye!"
And he hang up.
He remained for a couple of minutes with the phone in his hands.
"I'm going nuts!" he told himself.
He didn't want any Tokyo Tower…or any Tokyo at all. He just wanted to go back in Karakura. He had the weird impression that if he will go there he might find her. It was a crazy idea. It's been years since he she put her footprint in Karakura…and yet in his mind that was the closest place in order to approach her.
""I'm going nuts! I'm going nuts! I'm going nuts!"
Isshin put the phone in the fork and turn to kitchen table. There, in the moon light, stood a blond man with a weird hat on his head.
"Was that Ichigo?" asked the Urahara.
"Yes it was…and his voice seemed strange"
"Strange?"
"He asked me If a saw Rukia lately…"
"Mmmm…Kuchiki-san you say…She was here until 2 days ago…with a routine mission"
Isshin frowned his eyebrows.
"I didn't felt her reiatsu"
Urahara didn't answer.
"So is Ichigo back this week-end?" he asked cheerfully.
"The next one…"
"Well I guess it's better this way"
"Better?" Isshind wondered.
"Yes...he needs to stay away from problems, since his shinigami powers are sealed."
"It that serious?" asked Ishin.
"I don't know yet, but the spiritual pressure seems to drop considerably"
I don't know if i ruined it introducing Byakya's point of view. But next to Ichigo, i find him an interesting character and i couldn't ignore him.
So, this time, i really need your opinios ( since this story it's written for you and not only or my amusement)...so R&R .
Next time...(i Hope it will be a sooner update) you'll have for sure the reunion of Ichigo and Rukia...some action, bankai ...and a gelous Orihime.
Next time!