Hello! New chapter's out! ( the longest so far)
I believe that grammar/ spelling problems won't be a problem starting now, since CJ4675 has offered to beta this story. So a speacial thanks to CJ.
Et Rndd, merci pour ton soutien, comme d'habitude. J'espere que tu aimeras ce nouveau chapitre.
Otherwise... enjoy!
The 12 captains along with head captain Yamamoto were standing in their formal positions at the principal headquarters listening to the message that the 13th lieutenant had sent. The information was quite clear: Kurosaki Ichigo's sealer was indeed broken and in 2 days he would be brought back to the Soul Society in order to analyze the conditions in which he destroyed the necklace. The only thing that didn't seem to fit in the picture was Kuchiki Rukia's formal tone of voice, interrupted by the nonchalant voice of the substitute shinigami: "If they really want to see me so badly why aren't they coming here themselves?" followed later by a "This looks kind of hot!... I didn't know you had clothes like this, Rukia! I really want to see you wearing it!...What?... "Don't tell me that Byakuya bought you this to!" Hearing the last line, a few captains suppressed a slight laugh, while others had turned to Byakuya with a meaningful look. The captain of the 6th Division was the only one who remained composed throughout the message waiting for the final decision of the head captain to bring a close to the captains meeting.
"Since it has been over 6 years since he had last trained I suggest that we carefully analyse both the spiritual and physical capacity that Kurosaki Ichigo has now before he were to return to his shinigami duties." Yamamoto said.
"If we are going to give him the opportunity to retake his position…we should also give him the same choice of renouncing this duty" Soi Fon added with a stiffed voice.
"I concur with the 2nd Division Captain in this matter" Hitsaguya intervened.
"I think it will be interesting…Having Kurosaki-chan choosing yet again…" Kyoraku said.
"Very well then!" Yamamoto concluded.
Even though it didn't show, Byakuya was rather stiff by the end of the meeting given how most of the captains seemed so eager to see how Kurosaki Ichigo might have changed over the years.
"Rukia seems to be getting along with Ichigo rather well! It's kind of funny after all these years they still share such a close bond with one another…don't you think, Byakuya?" said Ukitake with a relieved smile on his face as he was preparing to leave the meeting hall.
"If by "getting along" you mean acting like two irresponsible children…Then I suppose you are correct." answered Byakuya rather coldly. "Now if you will excuse me, I have a meeting that I must attend to."
"What's wrong with Kuchiki this morning?" asked Ukitake.
"It seems Kurosaki-chan's comment regarding Rukia's clothes has bothered him" answered Kyoraku with a slight smile. Hmmmmm…I wonder what kind of clothes Rukia would look…what was the word again? Ah, yes!...hot in!"
Ukitake turned to his friend with a scowled expression.
"Relax, I was just joking!" Kyoraku defend himself.
Rukia was sitting down in bed with that picture in her hands and her eyes fixed on Orihime. She opened her mouth a few times in an attempt to say something yet, no matter how many times she tried no sound came out. Orihime approached her with her big and curious eyes. Rukia immediately lowered her head:
"I'm sorry!" she finally managed to say. "I'm…..so sorry! I came in here without knowing what I was doing and I fell asleep! I didn't have any intention of…"
Orihime simply frowned and put a finger over her mouth.
"Shhhhh! You'll wake Kurosaki-kun! I know he didn't get any sleep last night because he left the house and you were out with him, right?"
Rukia's eyes widened as she felt as if all of her body was melting in front of Orihime's serious expression. It was even scarier considering this expression was rarely ever seen on her face.
"You were both out there looking for those zombie creatures, weren't you?" Orihime lowered her head sadly with a worried expression as she looked at Ichigo.
"He must be exhausted…" she whispered as she pated his ruffled hair.
Rukia took a deep breath, relieved that Orihime didn't have any other suspicions, but when she saw Orihime's hand on Ichigo's cheek something ached inside of her.
"You must be just as tired…so get some sleep as well. I need to leave for work now." Rukia's lips started to shake as she felt so ashamed of her jealousy.
"And you don't have to excuse yourself for being here." Orihime added. "This room was yours long before it was ever mine, right?"
Rukia lowered her head looking down at the picture of the "happy couple". At that moment it was more than just jealousy. It was the awkward moment when she finally understood who, the person enjoying Ichigo's love and gentle touches was. It really hurt to look at that picture, but with her being so tired the only thing which could comfort her right now was the feeling of deep sleep. Rukia no longer had the strength to move into Karin's room. Slowly her eyes had closed shut yet again.
Before closing the door Orihime stopped for a second as she watched the strange scene of Rukia holding that picture of her and Ichigo. It wasn't an image which brought her too much happiness or comfort yet somehow she didn't feel the need to allow herself to ask what was happening right in front of her. Deep down she decided best not to burden her heart with such useless jealousy. "Rukia must have only liked a lot the picture of her dancing… maybe Rukia also enjoys dancing". She told herself as she closed the door behind her and made her way downstairs to have breakfast.
"You know…Rukia didn't sleep in my room last night!" Karin's voice was heard from the kitchen.
"Then where did she sleep?" Isshin asked alarmed.
"She's in my room…sleeping with Ichigo" Orihime answered as she entered the kitchen.
The next second Karin nearly choked on her food and Isshin's eyes sparkled as If his favourite football team had finally won the championship.
Yuzu turned to them both gasping: "I wish I could also see Rukia-chan! I'm so envious of you!"
"What do you mean by sleeping together?!" Karin replied clearly shocked.
Orihime looked at her with a rather confused expression and then turned to Isshin who gave her a meaningful grin.
"It's not what you both think…" Orihime immediately said understanding starting to sink in.
Karin slapped her forehead annoyed. "At least tell me that the three of you slept in that room last night!"
"Karin!" riposted Isshin. "I will not tolerate such perverted thoughts over breakfast!"
"Oh! Shut up you old pervert! You're the only one thinking that kind of stuff! Didn't you tell us that Rukia used to sleep in the closet? She could have taken the closet while Hime-chan and Ichi-nii slept together in the bed, Right, Hime-chan?"
"Actually…" Orihime mumbled. "Ichigo wasn't home last night…I think he left with Rukia to fight those creatures"
Isshin's and Karin's faces suddenly became serious.
"Would you like some rice on your bento, Orihime?" Yuzu asked.
"Familiar" that was the perfect word to describe it. A perfect word in which he hated. If this meant familiarity then he had to admit that he was never familiar with Rukia, even though he had known her long before Kurosaki had. He had never yelled at her, nor had a fight just to taste the blissful felling of reconciliation. Neither had he made a firework spectacle out of his feelings and as a consequence he had never once seen her act at ease around him. As a matter a fact the primary reason for his dislike of Kurosaki was the fact that before Rukia had encountered him, he had been blind to the fact she was not being herself when in his presence. He never knew that Rukia was so expansive, communicative, and loud, that she had a sharp tongue and could become violent when she was pissed off. To put it simply Kurosaki Ichigo seemed to succeed where he, Kuchiki Byakuya, had chose to be blind. Even if it was impossible to imagine Rukia ever doing such things with him he somehow felt envious of the substitute shinigami.
With these thoughts, Byakuya entered the gardens of his mansion.
"Welcome home, Kuchiki-sama" said one of his servants. "Would you have me prepare lunch for you?"
"Why would I have lunch at this hour?" replied Byakuya coldly.
"My Lord…" the servant began. " Lord Ryoing is already here"
At the sound of that name Byakuya stopped for a second before headed into the dining room.
"My Lord…" the servant added in attempt to stop him.
Byakuya slightly turned his head and frowned his eyebrows.
"He's not there, is he?" he asked coldly before changing his direction to his personal study.
He opened the door and stopped in the threshold looking at a dark silhouette which was standing up against the light between his desk and library, right in front of Hisana's memorial shrine.
"You know…when I look at this picture I don't see the similarities" said the grave and harsh voice of Ryoing Goroza, head of the Ryoing family. "Everybody always mentions how Rukia resembles the late lady…and yet I don't see the similarities between the two. See, Byakuya?" he added as he pointed his finger towards the picture. "Their eyes are just so different…"
"I thought we agreed this meeting was to take place during the afternoon" Byakuya answered in an icy tone. He was unable to make up his mind on which he despised more: having someone enter his study while he was away or receiving such inappropriate comments regarding his late wife.
"I thought the same, however it seems that some unexpected events have occurred…not that you would be interested in them" Ryoing answered before stepping out of the light so that Byakuya could clearly see the aging, yet firm and rigid face of the Elder.
"Indeed. Not the slightest bit of interest." answered Byakuya. "So I wonder what else do you believe would entice my interest since I have already made my position clear on Nanakuma inheritance issue."
Ryoing smiled. "Byakuya…" he begun with a fake sugary voice. "If I hadn't known you since you were little I would have thought you were playing stupid with me. Do you think that I have slightest need of my dead brother's money? The quarter amount of the inheritance that you gave me is useless to my family. I have already signed the papers in which I donated it all to my brother's son's future child"
"A very philanthropic move on your part… That's rather curious…" Byakuya coldly replied.
"Curious you say? Curious, it's indeed to hear you talking about philanthropy when it comes to me. Don't we both know each other better than that? I'd rather call this a genuine 'lack of interest'."
"And yet this so called "lack of interest" gave birth to quite a quarrel within the clan."
"That's because everyone thought that all the misunderstandings were regarding the money, but as you should already know, money consists of "a lack of interest to me". My opposition on giving Nanakuma's son the inheritance, which was otherwise well deserved, was in fact a tactic to prevent him from getting married."
Byakuya looked at him with his emotionless eyes.
"He wouldn't get married if he had no money, right?" said Ryoing with an evil grin.
Byakuya remembered in that moment Rukia's words after the meeting she had with Nanakuma's fiancée.
~~Flashback~~
"And why was Miss Shokun so eager to visit the Kuchiki manor? He asked"
"She asked for recognition of her engagement"
"I am afraid that this would not be possible"
"I don't understand…She said that she didn't obtain the recognition because the relatives won't give Nanakuma his inheritance, but as far as I know you had already offered him the money and all the possessions"
"You're correct" he said as he was signing one of the documents. "The story that Miss Shokun told you must have been a lie that Nanakuma had told her so that she wouldn't be scared away. But still, I am afraid the engagement is not possible and the reason it's not regarding the inheritance."
"Then what is the reason?"
"Nanakuma and Shokun are cousins."
~~End Flashback~~
"Which is even more curious… Having you against an incest marriage…"Byakuya finally said.
Ryoing grinned and dozens of wrinkles appeared around his half opened eyes. "Byakuya… you unburdened yourself with your shinigami duties and all the problems of the clan and in doing so, you became blind to the issues that concern you directly."
Then Ryoing dropped all the introductions and approached Byakuya, who remained still, letting no emotion or thought to be read upon his face.
"This marriage will create a precedent which I will not allow!" the elder said firmly, without any others fake smiles or grins.
"A precedent?" said Byakuya with a slow and cold voice, almost menacing. "Weren't you agreeing with this "precedent" a few decades ago?"
Ryoing frowned his grey eyebrows. "I see…so it's as I thought…" the elder growled. "You do empathize with this marriage! You do want for this precedent to be created but mark my words Byakuya! If decades ago I was almost begging the council to accept the marriage between cousins, today there will be no such wedding within this family!
Byakuya didn't answer, but a slight fold appeared on his forehead.
"I won't allow it! It would be my own revenge!" the elder shouted angered.
The fold on Byakuya's forehead disappeared and his eyes turned to the picture of his wife.
"I see…" he said as he once again approached the shrine. "I wonder how this revenge will satisfy you since the suffering will be brought upon your relatives and not upon me…" said Byakuya
Ryoing also approached the shrine. "The suffering you say? If it comes to it then I could say that fate has already brought me my revenge…"he said still looking at the picture of Byakuya's deceased wife. "But since fate has stubbornly given you another chance I started to wonder to myself if there is indeed any justice in this world."
Byakuya again stood silently.
"Doesn't it seem a little ironic how this whole situation seems to be a case of deja-vu?" he added with a harsh whispered voice ad he leaned forward. "You know…when I said that I never liked her, it was only because I was angry of your actions and choices. This woman was never a threat. However the same can't be said about her sister…"
Byakuya turned his face to Ryoing with eyes slightly widened.
"This Rukia… I truly dislike her" continued the elder with his eyes still fixed on the picture, as if he was talking to himself. "And this is because I might fear her. She's so different from Hisana… She seems to succeed in every way that Hisana had failed."
Then Ryoing straighten his back and turned to Byakuya. "Do you honestly think that I care to whom my nephew will marry? For all it matters he could marry his mother, I could care less! But if today the head of the Kuchiki clan would accept an incest marriage… what would stop him from becoming a part of one sooner or later?"
Byakuya's face was straight, but more his usual lack of emotion, there was the speechless attitude in front of the words he didn't expect...words he might even fear.
"My Lords, lunch is served."
Dazed Byakuya turned to the door, realizing that he had forgot to close it. In the threshold a servant woman appeared and made a bow.
"There's no need for that" Ryoing said. "I have someone else expecting me!...Perhaps I should take my leave." The elder turned his back and took a few steps towards the door.
"Perhaps we can serve you a drink?" the servant insisted.
As he was about to exit the room, Ryoing suddenly stopped and turned to Byakuya as if he had forgot to say something important.
"You see, Byakuya… You said the unexpected event that made my visit here earlier didn't give you the slightest interest. I'm telling you now, as a person who took care of you for years: one day this ignorance of yours will be repaid to you tenfold. You won't be able to bear the consequences with that heart of yours which you only pretend to be made of stone."
Byakuya was still staring with the blank expression at the elder, which simply sighed. He turned and took a few more steps towards the door. And stopped once again, this time without facing Byakuya.
"Given all this, I shouldn't even be telling you… but "Nene-cha" is in the Seireitei"
Suddenly, before he could even control his reactions, Byakuya's eyes widened.
"What could have been more unexpected than this?" the elder added with a slight smile, maybe the only honest smile during that visit. "Have a good day Byakuya!" And then, continued out of the room.
"My lord?..." the servant who wasn't yet dismissed said with a small voice. "Shall I bring your lunch here?"
With eyes still open wide, he turned to servant: "G-E-T …O-U-T!" he growled.
With a scared expression the servant disappeared in a hurry without even closing the door behind her and Byakuya remained frozen and alone with his eyes fixed on emptiness.
Ichigo opened his eyes as some long strands of hair started to tickle his chin, slowly driving his sleep away. He blinked confused seeing the dark color of those strands of hair and began asking himself: "When did Orihime dye her hair?" But then as he slowly remembered last night a warm and happy smile appeared on his face. He reached his hand to put it around her but suddenly he stopped, fearing that the slightest movement or noise would wake her up and this dream of his would tear apart. So he remained still just watching her as she slept, relishing the feeling of having her so close. So that he could feel everything, from her warmth all the way to rhythm of her heartbeat.
'But isn't it a little cruel how we are both so weak when it comes to our feelings?...How we would make a mess of our lives and tear apart other people's hearts just so that we can have a couple of hours together to spent like this… I'm so helpless and irrational when I'm in front of you, Rukia…and yet… I will never have any regrets as long as you are here by my side"
He slowly approached her and began to lean his head onto her back.
Slowly sunlight had flooded the room and his eyes had closed as he fell into yet another restful sleep. No dreams about fighting hollows, no rain, no pain and sorrow. It seemed that for the moment he held next to him everything he had ever wanted.
Renji was nervous and looked as if he was beginning to lose his patience. He was in his captain office looking through the dozens of papers sitting there. He knew that Byakuya left the headquarters shortly after the captain's meeting so he permitted himself to enter while he was away. Renji was looking for the latest reports and archives hoping that he would find out something new about the escaped prisoners. This issue was no longer a secret among the division; however except for the captains no one else had any clear information about it. Usually 'Taicho' would sacrifice a bit of his time to explain to him what was really going on, but lately he didn't seem to be in any kind of mood for conversation. As a consequence, Renji was in a situation in which if he needed something he had to get it himself. This wouldn't have been a problem, except for the fact that he was forced to read through all the documents and archives. It had already been two hours since he had started and he had yet to have any success. He was way better at using his sword rather than having to use his brain to collect information. However he felt that he had no other way to gather any new information since Rukia was still away. His Taicho was not in the mood to see his face, and he didn't have any other "smart" friends. "Ok, maybe not friends exactly …but acquaintances none the less" he added thinking of the relationship he had with Byakuya.
He slowly felt like he was going mad. "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhahahhahaa !" he growled annoyed as he put his hands on his head. "I will never get through this…"
But he suddenly froze as he heard the office door slam.
"Taaa-daaaaaa!"
He lifted his eyes, hands still held over his head, and saw a gorgeous lady standing against the threshold, with a hand on her hip and the other one lifted up in the air, just like a movie star that was making her entrance on the red carpet that he had seen on Ichigo's TV.
His mouth instantly hung open. The lady seemed to be dressed with clothes from the human world. She also wore a traditional silk haiori and looked at him for a second before putting her hands down with a rather confused expression. "You're not Toto…" she said.
Renji shook his head negatively. The lady then, stepped into the office looking around rather curiously: "Well isn't this the 6th Division's barracks?" she asked a bit intrigued.
Again Renji didn't answer. He just stood there astonished by the beauty of the women standing in front of him. She was tall and her skin slightly tanned, she had long legs coming out of her blue haiori and her thin waist marked out by her summer dress. Her long slightly wavy sandy brown hair was brimmed over her back.
"Well of course this must be the 6th Division's barracks. I've been away for over 60 years but I haven't lost my memory that badly" she answered to herself and turned to Renji. "And you must be the captain, right?" she said as she leaned over to him.
The first thing he noticed was that she had grey eyes and somehow the color and shape looked so familiar to him. The second thing he noticed was that he was still sitting at the desk as a stranger had just entered his captain's office without permission. He immediately got up from the desk and took a formal position. She skeptically raised her eyebrows and took a step back.
"No madam, I'm not the captain" he finally spoke. "I'm the lieutenant of the 6th Division, Abarai Renji"
Her face immediately enlightened and a smile appeared on her sensual lips. "Oh! I see…So he must still be the captain…" she told to herself and then approached Renji again. "Well…it's a pleasure to meet you Abarai Renji." and without invitation she shook his hand. "My name is Ryoing Haruna …used to be Lopez until last year but since my husband had passed away from old age, I decided to retake my original family name"
Renji who was already amazed by her beauty had now started to become a bit intimidated by both her daring and careless attitude. So once again, he stood there speechless.
"I wonder how long I will be able to keep it this time…" she added to herself. "Tell me Renji, will your captain be back soon?"
Renji blinked confused. "Do you have an appointment with Kuchiki Taicho?" Lately Byakuya had been passing off to him all of the secretary duties, so he knew all of the people who had requested an appointment. However he didn't recall any women. Especially ones dressed in human clothes.
"Tell me honestly, Renji" she began with a surprisingly familiar tone. "Do I look like a person who would make an appointment?"
'No, you look just so…beautiful' he said to himself however he ended up just biting his tongue.
"Really…I appear out of nowhere after 60 years and you expect me to put myself on a waiting list! You're quite funny, Renji! I like you!"
Hearing those last few words, his face instantly turned the same shade of red as his hair. Finally able to compose himself, he began to act serious.
"Madam, if you don't have an appointment how did you even get in here?" he asked formally.
"I shunpo-ed" she nonchalantly said. "And don't 'madam' me… just call me Haruna"
'Haruna?' he told himself dazed as he watched her putting her curved back on the Taicho's desk as if was her own sofa. "Yeah… Haruna! I like it!" Yet again he bit his tongue so that he could regain his senses.
"You shunpo-ed?... So I take it your also a shinigami?" was all he could muster
"Hmmm…you could say that. More precisely I used to be. My father insisted on it. He had this crazy idea of marrying me with a noble shinigami so he wanted me to become one in order to stand a chance in front of him."
'I think it would be impossible to find the existence of a man, which you wouldn't stand a chance with' he told himself with an evil grin.
"But I never liked it though…" she continued.
"Who, the guy?" he asked, not knowing when he started to take part of this conversation.
She started to laugh. "No, not the guy… being a shinigami. The guy I always liked but not in a romantic way...Anyway, that's part of the past. Now that I am no longer a shinigami, I kill my time as a dance instructor in Rio…or at least that is what I've been doing for the past year…since my husband died… Anyway, tell me, Renji, will the captain be back soon?"
"He's been away for quite a while…" he mumbled confused by the story he was hearing. 'Rio?...Did she meant Rio de Janerio?"
"I see…" she said as she got up from the desk. " Then I'll leave you some stuff to give to him"
She disappeared for a few seconds in the hall and when she returned she brought two heavy suitcases with her. She started take out several boxes and bags which she placed into his arms. "They're all souvenirs… You can check them out and if you happen to like something you can keep it. I'm sure he won't even look at them…But I guess it's the thought that counts, right?" Renji blinked confused, unable to answer.
"Well….it's been a pleasure Renji and I while I would like to stick around a bit longer maybe even grab a drink, I really have to go now. I'll see ya around!" she said before she grabbed her suitcases and disappeared with a shunpo.
Standing there dazed, holding the bag she had given him, he remained frozen for a couple of minutes looking at the place from which she disappeared.
"Yeah…." He mumbled "I'll see you around!" he said with a stupid smile on his face.
Rukia opened her eyes with a terrible headache. 'I must overslept' she told herself as she raised her head from the pillow. "4.13 p.m." displayed the electronic clock on the bedside and next to it, again that picture of the happy couple dancing. She rolled her eyes annoyed and turned again to the clock: "4:14 p.m."
'Great! More than half of the day wasted!' she told herself as she took her face into her palms; she was not used to sleeping this late as she normally didn't stay up until sunrise. Even on the New Year's Eve parties, around 3 a.m. she was already headed to bed. After she stretched herself out a bit, she sat up in the middle of the bed. Next to her, she saw Ichigo who was still sleeping, mouth half open and an amused smile appeared on her lips and she slowly approached that big mouth of his: "Wake up, Ichigo!" she whispered.
"Shut up, Rukia!" he mumbled his eyes still closed. "I'm tired!"
Rukia then bit her lips and approached him even closer…"Ichigo…." she whispered.
"Hmmm…." he growled like a spoiled cat.
"WAKE UP! YOU'LL BE LATE FOR SCHOOL!" she yelled. He immediately sat up with an alarmed expression ready to get out of the bed and grab his school bag. But then he heard the sound of laughter next to him.
"I will never get tired of this!" Rukia said as she started heading towards the door.
Still tormented by his brutally interrupted sleep, he looked at her confused. It was strange how the only alarm clock that ever really seemed to work for him happened to be a certain midget one. "You really need to stop doing that!" he mumbled annoyed.
"Well …then you should stop sleeping so late." He turned his face to the bedside clock but before could see the time; he saw his picture with Orihime. He remained still for a couple of seconds all while staring at his and Orihime's happy expressions. After hesitating several times he finally reached his hand over towards the picture, flipping it around so that the picture was no longer facing him. He then yawned loudly before throwing himself into the bed again.
"I'm going out for a while." Rukia said.
"Huh?...Wait, where?" he asked raising his head from the pillow.
"To Uraraha's…I do need a gigai, don't I?" she said as she exited the room.
"Oi!...Wait! I'm coming too! I haven't seen that old man in years!...Oi! Rukia! Didn't you hear me?"
"Hurry up then!" Rukia shouted from downstairs. "I'm counting 'till 10 before I…"
"Wait! Wait!" he yelled as he jumped up out of the bed. "I have to take a shower first!"
Ishhin was at his desk in his consulting room with a concentrated expression as he was looking over what seemed to be the schedule for his employees this week.
"Hmmm…He seems like a good guy…I'll give him the afternoon off tomorrow so she can replace him…So 8 + 4…is 12…Damn it! I can't make her work more than 12 hours…She'll still be here around dinner time then…" he was mumbling to himself as he was franticly trying to change the shifts. A knock on the door was heard.
"Come in!" he said without lifting his face from the timetable.
"Dad?..." a lovely voice was heard.
"Orihime!" Isshin said with a wide grin all the while trying to hide the timetable. "What brings you here?"
"I've just come to say that I've finished my shift and that I'll be heading home…"
"Oh! I see… Good then!"
"Do you want me to cook something tonight?" she asked
"Why?" he asked worried. "Is Yuzu not going to be home this evening?"
"No, she's home…but I was thinking since everybody's home tonight maybe I could make something special."
Isshin looked at her with a rather worried look. Orihime simply blinked looking confused. "At least, ask for Yuzu's help…" Isshin added.
"Ok, dad!" she said with a lovely smile and turned to the door prepared to leave. After a few steps she stopped and asked. "Dad… I was wondering… given that Rukia is here…Can I have off the afternoons this week?"
Isshin forced a smile on his face. "Afternoons you say?"
"Yes…This morning I saw Rukia looking at the picture Karin took of us at the dance hall…and I was thinking of surprising her and Ichigo"
Isshin's eyes widened. "Well…we'll see about it!"
"Thank you, dad!" she said happily."I'll see you at home!"
"Yeah…Yeah!" he said, but the moment she left the room he retook the timetable. "So the afternoon….Hmmm…So I'll give her the night shifts…This way, his room would be empty… and during the afternoon she'll be too tired for any other activities…"
"Again?!... coming up with your stupid plans?"
Ishhin startled scared to death. He raised his head and saw Karin standing over him with an emotionless expression.
"K-K-arin…It's you…When did you…enter?"
She leaned over and took a glance at the timetable which he was working on. "I see…You're giving extra shifts to Orihime so Ichi-nii could enjoy more time with Rukia! How romantic!..." she added sarcastically.
"No, I'm not!"
"Oh, Really?" she added with a not so convinced tone. "Have you ever thought of what a perverted and immoral father you are?"
Helpless, Ishhin put his head on his desk starting to fake a cry. "How can my own daughter think of me like that?"
But Karin remained composed, untouched by his father's crocodile tears. "I wonder why you are taking Rukia's side?" she said.
"Why are you taking Orihime's side?" Isshin riposted with a childish voice.
Karin lifted her eyebrows. "The only side I'm taking is Ichi-nii's!" she said and slammed a bento box down onto the desk. "You forgot your lunch in the kitchen. I was just passing by to give it to you! I'll see you at dinner" she added and headed to the door.
"You know…I'm on Ichigo's side as well!" Isshin shouted annoyed.
Before closing the door, Karin stopped for a second, but didn't add another word.
The moment Ichigo and Rukia passed through the gate into Urahara's shop, they saw two adolescents making out. After a better look they both recognized the gown ups Jinta and Ururu. The couple stopped as they knew they were discovered and Jinta immediately pushed his girlfriend away: "Why are you climbing on me, Ururu?...J..Ju…just…go and finish your house work!" the boy shouted with a red face as the girl was looking at him with rather confused expression.
Ichigo and Rukia watched the whole scene with straight faces and speechless mouths.
"Kurosaki-san! Kuchiki-san! What a pleasant surprise!" Urahara's voice was heard as he pulled open the door to his shop, but Rukia and Ichigo were still looking at the two adolescents. "Oh! Just ignore those two…They have had some trouble lately with expressing their feelings!"
Ichigo still surprised pointed a finger in their direction with a curious expression: "Are they…I mean…for real?"…
"I know, time flies by so fast!" Urahara added with a sugary smile. "Come on the both of you, let's go inside!"
As they were walking, Urahara turned to Rukia: "You put on quite a show last night! Nice bankai…somehow it reminds me of your brother's…"
"Told you!" Ichigo intervened. Rukia just remained silent.
"I also sensed your reiatsu" Urahara added turning to Ichigo. "So the sealer is finally broken! What are you planning on doing now?"
Ichigo looked at him confused. "What do you mean by that? Am I not returning to my shinigami duties? I thought that was the deal…"
Rukia's eyes widened while Urahara put on a thoughtful expression.
"You'd be surprised Ichigo, to hear that you also have other options…"
Ichigo frowned his eyebrows, while Rukia lowered her face so she could hide the worry in her eyes.
"Anyway, I have already prepared everything you need here, Rukia!" Urahara concluded as he took a big package and placed it into Rukia's arms. "I even gave you a discount!"
Rukia took the price tag and the next second her eyebrows lift distressful. "A discount?! This is even more expensive than the last time!"
Urahara grinned with a guilty look.
"He's been doing this extra charge ever since he found out that I'm the Kuchiki heir and that I don't rely on my shinigami salary anymore!" she mumbled annoyed while looking at Ichigo.
"Well I also threw a few extra things as well!" Urahara defend himself.
"Such as?..." Rukia asked annoyed.
"A reiatsu sealer for Ichigo…Just like the one you are wearing now"
"What?! No way!... I'm never wearing another sealer again!" Ichigo began
"Don't be dumb, Ichigo!" Rukia intervened. "If you don't conserve your spiritual pressure you will collapse here since the spiritual pressure in the atmosphere hasn't been restored yet!"
"Kuchiki-san is right!" added Urahara. "The prisoner's absorbed all of the spiritual pressure and even if Rukia had destroyed them all it will probably take anywhere from 7 to 10 days for it to be completely restored."
"The prisoners…" Ichigo repeated. "Are either of you going to tell me the story behind them!"
Urahara smiled, as Rukia frowned annoyed all while making signs to Urahara to remain silent.
"What!" Ichigo said annoyed as both shinigami were giving themselves complicity looks.
Rukia finally gasped. "I don't think there will be any need for the sealers…"
"Hmmm…" hissed Urahara.
"I don't get any of this!" said Ichigo irked.
"Are you sure?" Urahara insisted looking at Rukia.
"I'm positive!" she answered firmly. "Ichigo will not be using his shinigami powers until…"
"…Until you receive the Gotei 13' agreement?" added Urahara.
"…Until Ichigo is ready!" concluded Rukia.
Ichigo growled irritated. "It's not up to you to decide that!" he shouted.
"Oh, really?!" she said raising her voice. "As long as you are a shinigami assigned to the 13th Division, you're under my command!"
"Ha!" exclaimed Ichigo. "You're bringing that bullshit up again! I thought we were friends! Not superior and subordinate!"
"We are friends! And that's why I'm trying to protect you!"
"Hmmmmm…." Said Urahara. "I think I'll make some tea until things are set straight between you two"
"I don't need protection! I'm the one who has saved you how many times now?" he shouted annoyed
"Look who's bringing up bullshit now!" she riposted3
"What?!... Saving you was bullshit?! Maybe I should have let you die and seen if you liked it better that way!
"It's bullshit that you think you still have the strength you had back then, you blockhead!"
"Ok… I think it's time I get us that tea" Urahara intervened, talking more to himself. "Green tea or black? The green one is better for calming spirits…" he added as he was heading towards the other room.
Rukia gasped annoyed as she looked in Ichigo's amber eyes.
"Why are you trying so hard to protect me?" he said softly when they remained alone.
She gasped again.
"Weren't you the one who gave me this power? Weren't you the one who told me that there's no turning back?"
Hearing those word's she looked into his eyes again with a hurt expression and she spoke the words she had avoided saying for so many years: "Ichigo…You're a human…"
She expected those words to be so awkward that it would make him back off, she lowered her face. But Ichigo just blinked looking confused.
"So what?" he said nonchalantly. "I'm also a substitute shinigami!"
"I can't believe things are so simple for you…" she said annoyed.
"Yeah…I know.. It's only you that makes my life so complicated!"
She turned to him her mouth hanging wide open and kicked him.
"You can kick me until you get bored of it, but that won't take away my right of knowing what's really happening in Karakura. After all it's my home I need to protect it"
"I believe Kurosaki-san is right here!" Urahara said from the threshold as he was carrying a tray with a teapot. "I believe the both of you should know the whole story…since you Rukia, might also be in danger"
"In danger?" repeated Rukia confused.
"Ok!" concluded Ichigo as he started to lose his patience. "What are these Prisoners exactly?"
Both, Urahara and Rukia turned to him.
The Kuchiki mansion remained as silent as a tomb given that the "Lord" was not in a good mood. After the short visit he received in the morning, he had locked himself in his study. There was gossip among the servants that he might have spent all this time contemplating his deceased wife's picture. Others started to wonder if he was feeling alright since music from the real world was heard from the study.
In the afternoon, though, something 'unexpected' had happened. A silhouette appeared on the main porch of the mansion. All the servants gathered with astonished expressions, whispering: "Is she for real?"… "Should we go and announce it to the Lord?" … "It's impossible!"
But the silhouette put a finger on her smiling lips, making them remain silent, as she headed towards Byakuya's study. In front of the door she stopped and silently pulled the door open, in such a way that she could only show her face. "Toto…" she whispered with a mesmerizing voice.
Byakuya who stood at his desk calmly lifted his head and saw in the threshold a pair of typical Kuchiki grey eyes. She smiled and pulled the door open all the way, showing herself: The women dressed in a summer dress, over which she wore a blue haiori. "What is it, Toto?…" she said "Don't tell me, you don't remember Nene-cha?"
Slowly, on Byakuya's emotionless face, a slight smile appeared.
"I knew it! " she exclaimed happily and jumped into his arms.
So... what do you think about Nene-cha?
See ya next time. Until then, waiting for your feedback!