I know... it's been some time, but i finally updated. Hope you didn't lost your interest.
Thank you for your reviews...
adamxero (i'm afraid the one devastated will not be Renji. I know you won't like this new chap),
purplepam ( did you really wanted Renji and Ichigo to kiss, haha?)
zero09q ( you don't like Haruna... i don't know if you should in this moment, because she's quite selfish. But she will come around, you'll see) et bien sur... Rndd (oui, je sais... j'ai mal écrit Senbonzakura... et tu sais, l'ironie est que ni à ce moment j'ai pas corrigé ma faute ... je suis tellement paresseuse ! )
Here's a new chapter. Enjoy... and let me know your opinion.
As Byakuya remained alone, stoned and shocked wondering if his heart was still beating, a hell butterfly came to him. It was from Yamamoto who requested an audience. He turned and shunpo-ed to the main headquarters. It was a good think that he was a cold, emotionless character. This way he succeed in remaining calm after the scene he just witnessed a minutes ago. A blowzy Rukia with Ichigo's reiatsu all over her body. Yes, he was calm…composed, but only on the outside. Inside, he was screaming. He was torn apart by his own feelings. Not only the feeling of jalousie… but also the feeling of guilt:
He, Kuchiki Byakuya in love with his sister?!
His own sister?! …
Hisana's sister…
He knocked on the door of Yamamoto's while Haruna's words kept coming repeatedly in his mind: "You shameful brother… you poor soul…"
"Come in, Captain Kuchiki…" the harsh voice of the head commander answered from inside the room.
He entered and approached.
"What is matter for which you have requested me?" Byakuya asked coldly.
Yamamoto remained silent for few seconds and then, he finally spoke:
"Kuchiki… you know that as the heat commander of the Gotei 13 I have never interfered with the way of the nobles…"
"Each of them has their own duties and rules to follow…" Byakuya added.
"Indeed , Kuchiki… but Rukia it's a shinigami and a noble at the same time…"
Byakuya frowned.
" So the reason for which you wanted us to meet is Rukia?"
The old man, remained again silent for a few moments.
"Kurosaki Ichigo hasn't made his choice yet, but my instincts are telling me that he will never do it. He wants to keep on living at the edge of the two worlds…"
"And when does Rukia come into this discussion?" Byakuya asked sharply.
"You must already know since you are her brother, that the substitute shinigami has feelings for her…"
Byakuya remained still. No emotion could be seen through his face, but inside he felt as something hard just hit him. Had this become so obvious that even the head commander had noticed it? It was for the first time someone was saying out loud the reason for which Kurosaki Ichigo have been always so close to Rukia.
"Kuchiki you know the laws of Soul Society better than anyone… and you understand the consequences if the relation of Kuchiki Rukia and Kurosaki Ichigo will fructify…"
"I do." He replied coldly. "That's why a relation of that nature between those two will end before it could 'fructify'…"
"Still…" Yamamoto added. " If Kurosaki chooses to become a shinigami, there won't be any reasons to interfere between them."
Byakuya suddenly gave his superior in icy glare.
"I understand what you are implying… but Rukia will never be used as an instrument in order to convince Kurosaki Ichigo to remain in Soul Society!"
Yamamoto didn't answer.
"As you said on the beginning of our conversation, Gotei 13 should never meddle on noble families' matters. With all due respect, I believe this meeting has ended!" Byakuya concluded and headed to the door.
"Still…" Yamamoto added calmly. "If Kurosaki decides to keep doing the substitute shinigami duty… for her own safeness, Rukia should be kept away from him."
Byakuya stopped.
"I will not come across with a noble's decision… You know your heart better than anyone" Yamamoto continued. " I am sure that, as her brother, of course adoptive and unrelated … you will know what is best to do"
He blocked, facing the door. First Goroza, than Nene-cha… now Yamamoto… When did his heart had become so transparent in front of the others?!
"I will take my leave now…" Byakuya finally said.
He will not have it their ways! The only way he knew was his own! Still… he needed to confront Ichigo! Immediately!
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Ichigo got dressed in his shinigami robe and started to pack Ukitake's. He thought of sending it back… As matter of fact he was thinking of many things and all of them were related to Rukia. Rukia in wedding dress… Isshin's reaction on the news… A honey moon destination… list of the wedding guests…
He packed off and exited the room.
"I'm off Renji! See ya later!"
"Leave already….i wanna sleep!" Renji growled with his face buried on the futon.
He shunpo-ed to the 13th Division's headquarters. His thoughts turned again to Rukia…and her wedding dress so he didn't paid attention to the fact that it was Sunday and that no one was supposed to be at the headquarters. He just kept thinking of his future wedding.. and wife. He had never liked these sorts of girlish things, but Rukia as a bride was just a great idea.
He entered the building and headed to Ukitake's office… and then he saw her. She was coming across on the hallway.
"Ichigo… is that you?" Rukia begun with a wide, cheerful smile.
"Rukia!" he stated exited… Will you ma…."
But then, he suddenly stopped, biting hardly his tongue. He had almost said the magic words in such in an improper place and moment. He was slowly going insane from his love butterflies.
"Will I what?" she asked when she arrived in front of him.
He looked at her with wide eyes blinking stupidly.
"Are you alright, Ichigo?" she asked.
He blinked again.
"Hellooo!" she snapped.
He grinned. Again, it was a stupid grin upon his face. Then she lowered her gaze and saw Ukitake's kimono.
"Have you come to return this?"
He opened his mouth, but then he shut it once again, as the only words he could think of on that moment were " Marry me! Marry me! Marry me!".
She gasped:
"And there is me… thinking that you were here looking for me…"
"I was! I am! I will!...But will you…m…!" he snapped and stopped himself again biting his lips.
She looked at him confused. He felt so embarrassed. It was as if he was back in highschool. He growled annoyed.
"It must be special! It must be planned before!" he talked to himself out loud.
" Ichigo… Have you met with Kurotsuchi and he did something on you?"
"Huh?" he hissed turning to her confused.
Suddenly Rukia became worried.
"Ichigo…don't tell me… you have second thoughts about what happened last night!"
"Yes!" she replied almost shouting.
Her eyes widened scared.
"Yes! I have second thoughts… some thoughts…" he continued nervous, unable to notice her chin which started to tremble. "Yes..second thoughts…but not in a bad way! they're important… and I must confess them to you…I mean ask you… propose? Do you understand? No! No! No!..."
Rukia suddenly took a step back. She didn't understand a word from what he was mumbling. Finally he gasped with a hopeless expression.
"You know what, Rukia?... Let's meet and talk later, ok? I mean, please… later!"
She didn't answer.
"Moreover, I have to return this to Ukitake!"
"You know that it's Sunday today…and he's not here, right?" she asked.
"Oh, right! Then I must hurry to his home! He replied with a stupid smile. "See ya, Rukia!"
He shunpo-ed and Rukia remained alone. Worries started to fill her heart. What if he really had second thoughts about last night? What if he was avoiding her?...
It was a horrible afternoon. First, Byakuya… now ,Ichigo.
With heavy steps she returned to her office.
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"You are the absolute idiot! The king of idiots! The crowned one!" Ichigo was scolding himself for his early behavior, while he left the kimono in front of the captain's office with a thanking note.
"The most idiot among idiots! More idiot than Renji himself!" he continued to scold himself when a hell butterfly stopped in front of him.
"Kurosaki Ichigo. I am expecting you at my estate immediately. I believe the reason it's obvious. Do not push my patience by making me wait for you. Kuchiki Byakuya, 29th leader of the Kuchiki clan and captain of the 6th Division"
"Great! So he knows my intentions before I could even have the chance to express them!"
He exited the headquarters and headed without enthusiasm to the Kuchiki manor.
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Holding tightly her zanpakuto , Haruna was wandering around Seireitei, in shunpo, trying to locate Ichigo. Suddenly she stopped.
"Here you are!" she told herself. "Wait… isn't that the direction of Toto's house? Never mind!"
And she fastened her speed so she could reach him. She found him near the Kuchiki estate, walking slowly. She watched him for a couple of seconds, hiding her reiatsu. Then she saw him stopping in front of the entrance into the big gardens. She looked around. There was no one else.
"The perfect moment!"
She raised her zanpakuto and while she shunpo-ed in his direction she whispered:
"Rappelle!"
Her zanpakuto blade disappeared for a second and then recomposed into shinier, sharp blade.
"You're mine!" she hissed.
But then, the moment she attacked, Ichigo disappeared from her sight.
"What?!" she growled, trying to turn and look around but then she felt her wrist grabbed.
"You!" Ichigo growled.
She turned and saw him next to her. A few moments of silence passed between then after which she finally said:
"I wasn't expected that from someone who didn't practice shunpo in years…"
"Drop your zanpakuto!" he snapped coldly.
"Or what?" she replied annoyed. "You don't even have your zanpakuto with you… and you don't look like someone who masters kido!"
"Drop it!"
She cocked her eyebrows.
"Get your hands off me!" she snapped with disgust. "Do you think that I was about to kill you? How stupid do you think I am? Aizen himself couldn't kill you… so I know where my limits are!"
"You weren't trying to kill me? You were certainly attacking me!" he shouted in reply.
"I wasn't attacking you, brat! I was trying to help you!"
"Help me…" he stated ironically.
Haruna moved her trapped wrist and waved her zanpakuto.
"This is Nenomori… And it's not a zanpakuto made for fighting!"
"Then for what is it used? For the Fencing Olympic Game?" he snapped icily.
"Ha… ha… how sarcastic!" she replied annoyed. "Release my wrist and I will show you its use"
"You already know that I won't do this… not until you tell why you attacked me!"
She rolled her eyes annoyed.
"You are really giving me some hard time and i haven't got all day …"
He didn't loosen his grip.
"Are you nuts?" she finally shouted. " Oza and the other Prisoners are free wondering around in the human world and you are wasting your time on stupid questions?!"
Hearing the Prisoners being mentioned, his grip suddenly loosened.
"That's better! Thank you!" she replied ironically.
"What you do know about the Prisoners? You also mentioned them last night! " he asked.
He looked into his eyes. Her mouth opened, but then she hesitated.
"Speak!" he shouted.
"They must be destroyed!... And you can't do it without bankai… They are much stronger that you imagine, because with the energy a shinigami needs to release the shikai form, they could reach bankai…imagine if they'll use the reiatsu a shinigmi needs for bankai!"
"How do you know these things?"
"Does it matter?" she snapped. "I'm here to help you freely so absolve me from your stupid and irrelevant questions!"
"Helping me by attacking me?!" she snapped exasperated.
"Helping by restoring your power you idiot! This zankaputo does not have a killing blade because its blade does not pierce the body but the soul!"
Ichigo was confused. She raised her zanpakuto and during a moment on which he did not paid attention she tried to stab him. He, back off immediately but her blade touched a little his right fingers. He didn't felt a physical pain. Instead all his memories of the feeling he had when he was thinking or proposing Rukia came back to him like a cold shiver on his back.
"So you are thinking of proposing someone…" she stated emotionless. "Another little scratch and I will also know who the lucky bride is!"
He took a step back with his eyes widened.
"Now you get it? There's no pain." she finally said. "Nenomori pierces the soul, allowing me to see all the feelings and memories of person I stab."
He looked at the fingers touched by her blade.
"Moreover, it permits me to erase all the memories of the victim and also restore anything he had forgotten on my wish." She continued.
He frowned:
"And that's how you are planning to restore my powers, by making me remember them?"
"Finally, he got it!" she exclamation exasperated.
"Then, there's no need for your help,." He added. "I will destroy them anyway… and I will also restore my powers by training, so I don't need your help!"
"By training?" she replied with disparagement. "Even a prodigy like you will need a week to reachieve bankai and you don't have that time left! Trust me, even at this particular moment Oza is thinking of a way to enter Seireitei and the others prisoners must be destroyed before he gets here!"
"Who is Oza? Their leader?" Ichigo asked.
She didn't answer.
"I don't trust you!" he suddenly said.
"You don't even have to!" she replied. "It's possible for us to not face each other, after this meeting. And that it's fine with me! We don't have to be friends; you don't have to like me! It just happened for us to be able to help each other…
"I already said that I will catch the Prisoners, but I don't need your help" he concluded.
Haruna didn't say anything. She put down her zanpakuto. Then Ichigo finally turned thinking of leaving. He took a few steps, but then Haruna frowned and shouted:
" Rappelle-lui Nenomori!"
Before he knew, he was stabbed.
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Byakuya was in his study waiting Ichigo with stiffed air, when he sensed a familiar reiatsu. He turned brutally to the garden. It was a released zanapkuto. He knew it so well but…
"It's impossible!" he hissed and shunpo-ed out of his study.
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She stabbed him right in his heart. His eyes suddenly widened trapped into the expression of someone who see his soul being torn apart. He felt her blade in his mind, in his thoughts. He closed his eyes and wished to hide himself and his soul. His memories… his feelings… the faces of people he loved… the smile of the girl he wished to see as his bride. He wanted to hide that from that burning blade. And then he slowly started to see in front of his eyes, clearly as if it was all happening in front of him, in that particular moment… the fight he had with Aizen… with the Espadas… with the Captains while he arrived in Seireitei for the first time … he remembered every second of the training he had when he reached bankai… and along with his mind also his body started to remember all the training, the movements…
He suddenly remembered how he used to shout "Bankai".
Haruna retreat her zanpakuto.
" It' strange, I don't know anyone who could ever went against my Nenomori. Normally I'm the one controlling the soul I stab, but this time it was you who controlled my zanpakuto… you allowed my blade to touch only the places you wished. The fights… the moment you achieved bankai… nothing more, nothing less. It's strange and a pity at the same time… I was really curious to see the face of the girl you wish to marry…"
Ichigo was confused. He put a hand over the place he had been stabbed. There was no trace of a wound. Not even his clothes were ripped.
"Did you remember it?"
"…Y-yes…"
"And it hurts, right?"
He didn't say a word, but the lost expression of his eyes was a clear affirmative answer.
"Of course it did… you broken heart…" she said.
He looked at her dazed, but then Haruna turned her gaze to the near Kcuhiki garden.
"He's coming already!" she hissed.
Ichigo also turned and sensed Byakuya reiatsu.
"Go! Haruna shouted. "Go! He can't see us together! Go and return as soon as you can to the real world! And don't forget, let Oza alive! Go, Ichigo!"
Ichigo didn't react, but she pushed him away and finally he turned and left with a fast shunpo.
Haruna then took a few steps, approaching the garden. Immediately ,she saw Byakuya. His eyes were fixed on her zanpakuto.
"Who gave that to you?" he asked icily.
"Toto !" she exclaimed cheerfully.
"This zanpakuto was confiscated. Who gave it back to you?" he asked again with the same voice.
"A friend…" she replied untroubled by his cold glare.
"Ukitake!" Byakuya growled.
"I wouldn't go that far…" she replied.
He frowned.
"Haruna Ryoing… what are you planning?"
"Hmmmm… I was thinking of stealing some memories from you and show them to Rukia…Some memories from Paris…"
She displayed a wide charming smile, but Byakuya kept his poker face.
"Or do you prefer some memories from the Dominican Republic?" she added.
He frowned annoyed. She cocked her eyebrows.
"With this behavior… it's obvious why she isn't getting close to you. Myself, If wouldn't have known you since you were born, I would have kept myself away from you…"
Suddenly his expression mellowed.
"You were nicer back then… any girl would have fallen for you, even Ru…" she continued.
"Nene-cha…" he interrupted her with a low voice. "Please don't try to make Rukia…"
But here he stopped.
"…falling in love with you?" she completed his sentence. "Why not? The only happiness I care in this world it's yours…"
He didn't answer.
"Come on…let's go inside and eat some dried fruits" she finally said.
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Ichigo's mind was full of questions. Who was Haruna? How did she have that power? Why would she help him? Who was Oza?
He left the Kuchiki estate heading to Ukitake's house. He needed to inform him that tomorrow morning he will go back to Karakura. If Haruna was right, he couldn't waste any more time on parties and other social reunions…
He reached the porch of the captain's house and then, for the second time in that afternoon he met Rukia.
"Ichigo!" she called him.
He sighed. That was not the best moment to face her. All his thoughts were focused on the encounter he early had with Haruna.
"We meet again…" he begun.
"Yes…" she replied with a girlish smile. "Are you feeling better? You sounded strange in the morning…"
"What? Oh …that…" he replied. "Yes, I better. Thank you…"
Rukia frowned. His voice was strange.
"So what are you doing here?" he asked.
"I took back the kimono you left at the headquarters…" she replied concentrated on his reactions and tone of voice. He was really acting strange.
"Oh… I see… that's… good. Thank you" he said but his eyes focused on Ukitake's house.
"Ichigo…" she gasped. "Are you alright?"
"Rukia… I will go back to Karakura tomorrow" he said as he didn't hear her last question.
"I see…"
"Yes…Tomorrow…" he added to himself, and then he turned his gaze to Rukia. " Could we meet later? I have some things on my mind in this moment..."
She didn't answer. She just watched him go.
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Renji heard a knock on his door. He was still buried on his futon, in the same position Ichigo left him. He didn't move. But the person behind the door insisted. With an annoyed growled he finally got up and crawled himself to the door.
"Rukia?" she said surprised, all his hangover disappearing in a second.
"Hi, Renji…" she said with a smile. It was one of her fake smiles.
"What happened, Rukia?"
"Nothing…"
"You always say that…you know you can't fool me anymore."
"Renji…" she gasped. "Renji… do you know if something is happening to Ichigo?"
He suddenly put a displeased expression on his face and returned to the house.
"Why do you ask me about such things?" he asked from his room.
"Well he's staying at you, right?" she replied from the threshold.
"Yes… but that doesn't make me his nanny…"
"He acted strange the whole day… I'm under the impression that… he's avoiding me…"
"I don't think he's avoiding you… He's just freaking out about the marriage thing" he replied.
Her eyes widened scared.
"What marriage?" she snapped.
Renji looked at her confused.
"Rukia… you and Ichigo are closer than me… I was actually jealous last night when you were next to him… don't tell me that he didn't tell you about his big plan of proposing…"
"Proposing to whom?" she asked with trembling voice.
Renji bit her lips.
" I'm sorry Rukia…" he whispered. "I thought you knew…"
Rukia's heartbeats slowed down. Renji could already see the fear in her eyes.
"Rukia I know how you feel about him…" he said without facing her.
"Do you?" she asked with a white voice.
" I don't want be the one giving these news to you…" he said.
"But?..."
"He will marry Orihime… He told me this morning…"
Rukia totter a couple of times, and then she felt on her knees. The only thing that was crossing her mind were her words:
"Ichigo, don't tell me you have second thoughts about last night."
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So that was for the moment. Hope to come back tomorrow with another chapter.
Until then... waiting for a feedback. :)