HAPPY SUMMER! What a MARVELOUS way to begin it by reading chapter 7 of The Stray! I'm sorry it took so long. School was kinda sucking me in with all the exams and presentations and parties and whatnot. Now, I have chapter 7 up! I'm sorry it's so short, but I just LOVE cliffhanger! It's a great way to end a chapter and leave you in suspense and get your brains working! Anyway, don't get sunburnt. Enjoy!
Ichigo froze in place as he laid his eyes on the barrel of Byakuya's gun.
"I said, get out of here you low-down piece of shit!" Byakuya shouted. Feeling his heart jerk against his chest, Ichigo lunged forward and shoved Byakuya out of the way, bolting out the door. Heaving, Ichigo ran down the hall and in his blind hysteria, shoved Renji, who was on his way to his room to see what all the yelling was about, into the wall hard and he slid down in a complete shock.
Ichigo raced down the stairs and ran for the door, accidentally stepping in Chase's tail, causing the dog to yelp loudly and snap at Ichigo. The flash of Chase's snarl sent Ichigo's mind flashing back to the day he was attacked by that huge German Shepherd and he smacked the dog, sending him yelping and tumbling backwards.
"Ichigo!" Allison screamed, running to her dog, but Ichigo ran straight out the door and into the woods, hyperventilating with tears spilling from his eyes.
Rukia watched in horror from the window as Ichigo ran and disappeared into the brush. She couldn't let this happen. She had to go after him before something bad happens to him.
"Ichigo! Wait!" Rukia went to go run after him, but Byakuya grabbed her arm with a tight grip. "Byakuya, let me go!" she screamed, but struggling was useless, Byakuya was a hundred times stronger than she'll ever be.
"Let him go, the little rat!" Byakuya growled, pulling Rukia back and slamming the door closed. Rukia was panting in fury. What the hell just happened?
"Byakuya! What the hell is your problem?! What the hell did you do that for?!" Rukia screamed. Byakuya glared at her.
"He's a murderer, Rukia! I will not allow a killer in my home!" Byakuya yelled. Rukia gasped. How did he know that? There is no possible way he could've known what Ichigo told her a few minutes ago. How did he know?
"Byakuya... how do you even know what happened?" Rukia said between labored breaths.
"How! I'll tell you how; I had Izuru run a profile on him." Byakuya said, anger in his voice. Rukia's eyes widened.
"N-no..." she breathed, taking a step back.
"That's right. I knew there was something about him from the start and I was right. The little rat murdered his family and then ran like a coward." Byakuya's words made tears spring from Rukia's eyes. Her heart jerked at what Byakuya was spitting at her. "He belongs in jail, Rukia. He deserves the death penalty for what he did. I have a right to hunt him down and turn him in myself-!"
"You don't understand!" Rukia suddenly screamed at the top of her lungs. Byakuya was taken aback at this. He's heard Rukia scream before, but never like this. "You jumped the gun, Byakuya! You never got to know Ichigo like I did. You never understood the pain he went through. You didn't get the entire back story!" Rukia screamed.
"Oh, so you're telling me you believe the lies he told you? What did he tell you, Rukia? Tell me the load of bullshit he told you." Byakuya said spitefully. Rukia felt intimidated. Her fists clenched and she wanted to scream her lungs out at him. How dare he do this. How dare he go behind her back and lie to her about what he's been doing!
"I know he wasn't lying Byakuya... unlike you! Who was living a secret life behind my back this whole damn time!" she screamed again.
"I had my reasons, Rukia Kuchiki, and I expect you to understand them."
"Understand what?! That you're an asshole?!" she yelled. Byakuya felt his eye twitch in anger.
"To understand that I was trying to protect you. As my sister, it is my responsibility to ensure you are safe."
"I am NOT your sister!" Rukia screamed. Byakuya's eyes went wide. His sudden spark of anger made him grit his teeth and glare down at Rukia.
"Rukia Kuchiki, I-"
"No! I am NOT a Kuchiki. I am not your sister! If this is what family is like, then I don't want to be in this one!" Rukia screamed, running past Byakuya and running out the door. As Rukia ran down the hall to her room, she saw Renji and Yoruichi, staring in shock. Rukia glared at her purple-haired friend.
"Rukia... I'm so sorry..." Yoruichi said in a hushed cry. Rukia only shook her head and locked herself in her room.
Tears stung Ichigo's eyes as he blindly ran through the woods. A rumble of thunder made the ground shiver beneath his feet.
"DAMNIT, WHY!" Ichigo yelled. He couldn't believe what had happened. Why it happened. He really thought his life was going to take a turn for the better, but yet again, it didn't and curved for the worse.
Ichigo jumped a fallen tree and continued running, his heart aching so bad it physically hurt his chest. He didn't have a clue where he was going at this point, but he had to get away from here. He had to.
"Why didn't I listen to you? Why?! Why was I such a complete moron to not heed your warnings?!" Ichigo screamed. He closed his eyes tight and gritted his teeth hard to prevent the loud cry from escaping his throat. He jumped another dead tree and continue running. Ichigo didn't know how long he was running, but he didn't care. He had to get away from here as fast as he possibly could.
'You said I could trust you, Rukia! You said I didn't have to run anymore!' Ichigo mentally screamed, running even faster as Byakuya flashed through his mind. 'You said you'd protect me!' Ichigo kept running, far from the place he thought he could finally call home. Why hadn't he just fled when he saw Rukia at first glance? He wouldn't be in this situation in the first place. As Ichigo kept running, he felt his body start to shut down. All the energy he had all burned out. He was out of adrenaline.
"I can't do this anymore... I can't. I can't keep running like this." Ichigo cried, slowly coming to a halt. He panted hard for air. He can't remember the last time he felt his lungs burn like this. It hurt. It hurt bad. The thunder suddenly boomed loudly, making the ground quake under Ichigo's feet. He looked up and in horror, noticing just how dark the sky had become. The clouds bundled in a mass of dark-grey covering over the normal docile sky. The trees seemed like weak little sticks under this stormy atmosphere.
"I gotta get out of here..." Ichigo groaned, walking forward. "Then again... If I stay, maybe I'll be lucky enough that the lightning will kill me." Ichigo said aloud, practically wishing for death. Every last grain of hope had diminished in his body. Death seemed like his only ticket to freedom at this point. Freedom from the pain and suffering he's experienced. Why hadn't he seen this coming? Why had he trusted Rukia? Why had he even met her in the first place? If he would've run, he would've never had to feel this pain in the first place. Ichigo began to question why he was born. Why he was here and existing. What his purpose was and why all the bad things happen to him. He questioned if God hated him personally for something that he had done, or if he was just God's little toy. One he could control and torture at will. Ichigo felt his throat close and his eyes become watery again. He needed to get out of here, but he couldn't run. His body wouldn't allow him to. Not anymore...
'I'm too tired... I... I can't...' Ichigo felt his legs shake and give out. He fell forward in a heap of pain and dust. He curled in a ball on the ground. His tears soaked the dry earth in tiny droplets. 'Why is this happening to me?' Ichigo felt his mind wander. 'How am I supposed to protect what is important to me if there is something in the way of it?' his eyes became heavy and darkness started to cloud his vision. 'Why the hell am I even still alive? All I am is a waste of a life... that's why everyone hates me... that's why...' Ichigo let his eyes finally close as he felt the ground shake one last time from the oncoming storm that he prayed will end his life.
The dark skies surrounded the small home in the middle of the woods. Rukia sat, her knees to her face, on her bed, sobbing softly. She wished everything that happened was just a dream, but it wasn't. Byakuya had really done this. He had chased away Ichigo, and the possibilities of what could happen to him haunted Rukia's mind.
"He doesn't understand... he could be dead... he could be dead or dying. Damn you, Byakuya! You have no idea what you've done!" Rukia cried. She couldn't believe her own brother would stoop to such a despicable level. And worse yet, get Yoruichi involved and have her lie. To look Rukia in the eyes and lie like that. It broke Rukia's heart.
Rukia rubbed her eyes, smearing the tears on her pale face. "Ichigo... Ichigo, please come back. Don't do anything stupid!" Rukia sobbed. His story made her fear for his life. When he told her he tried committing suicide at such a young age, she wanted to hug him. Ichigo didn't deserve any of this. He deserved a home where he could stay, and someone who loves him... someone like Rukia...
But all that was crushed now. Because of Byakuya, Rukia may never see Ichigo again. Her only friend who brought her back gone just like that. All because of one stupid, stupid man.
"You bastard, Byakuya!" Rukia cried again. Thunder roared outside and Rukia gasped. She looked out her window and felt her heart jerk suddenly. "No..." she breathed. The clouds looked as if they were turning black and white flashed behind them. A major storm was on its way, and it looked merciless. "I can't let him bear the storm like this. I have to find him!" Rukia said to herself, wiping her face. She ran to her drawer across the room and opened the top shelf. After digging around it, she found her pocket knife and slammed the drawer shut. She then grabbed her coat and buttoned it up, shoving the knife in her pocket. Letting out a shaky sigh, Rukia opened her window.
'I wish I didn't have to do this, but...' Rukia didn't take a second thought and jumped down to the roof of the porch. She was glad the home she lived in wasn't too high off the ground. Rukia has never sneaked out of the house before, and the threat of Byakuya possibly kicking her ass for it didn't shake her. She needed to find Ichigo before it was too late. Not before the storm, but for something possibly worse.
Rukia, silent and stealthy, jumped the eight foot drop and landed on her feet on the damp ground. With a huff, she stood up straight and began running off into the woods; in the direction she saw Ichigo run after the confrontation with Byakuya.
'I hope I'm not too late! Please be okay, Ichigo!' Rukia thought, panting with tears flying from her eyes as she ran into the darkening woods. The clouds above her, as if sensing her sin, let out a loud roar of thunder, making Rukia's heart skip a beat. She honestly had no idea what she was doing or where she was going, but she knew she had to find Ichigo at all costs. Even if her life is at risk.
She reached into her coat pocket and gripped the knife. It was a present from Byakuya when they first bought the home.
"Whenever you feel doubt or fear, just remember me by this when I'm gone, and I promise when I return, I'll be there for you, Rukia. You are my sister, and it is my duty to protect you. Always remember that, Rukia."
Byakuya's words made a lump swell in Rukia's throat and she had a hard time swallowing it. Betraying Byakuya like this killed her inside, but what he did was inexcusable. Ichigo needed her; needed them.
"I'm sorry, Byakuya." Rukia cried before running further into the forest, the sky growling in protest and making the Earth tremble.
Somewhere beyond civilization, the clouds gathered and hovered darkly over the barren field of dead trees. They flashed and roared, making the atmosphere intimidatingly frightening. With a loud crack, a violent white streak struck the Earth in the blink of an eye and black smoke wafed in the dry air. Seconds later, the trunk of a dead tree started to glow orange and soon fire started to whip upwards. The dead, black stalks that outstretched forward in multiple directions were not spared by the devil's pet and they too were caught in the blaze. Within minutes, the dark clouds above were joined with thick black smoke and the smell of burning wood. Flames shot out in multiple directions, traveling fast with the mixture of healthy and deceased plants and trees. The thunder rumbled triumphantly as the clouds moved along with the wildfire, as if guiding it along its path of destruction.
Nothing in the path of the fire was spared its life and what caught ablaze shriveled in agony and only livened the fire even more. The fire cackled and cracked loudly, hissing as it engulfed the land hundreds of feet per minute in its relentless journey of havoc. The smoke was rising and beginning to block the already darkened sky with its poison. Small creatures were starting to flee from their hiding places and birds flapped and cried out in terror as the element of Hell swallowed and destroyed everything that it came into contact with.
And only a few short miles away, a sleepy town had no idea of the deadly threat closing in on them.
Byakuya paced in his room in a silent rage. He couldn't believe Rukia's behavior. He should've never allowed that scoundrel to live in his home. He knew Ichigo was going to change Rukia for the worse. On top of that, he was a murderer. A cold-blooded murderer to his own family. Not something Byakuya would ever allow in his home.
"That dirty little rat. He's lucky I spared his life. He was guilty right on the spot the way he ran." Byakuya spat through his teeth. He fisted his hands, threatening to punch something. Why couldn't Rukia see how despicable that thief was! Damn her and her pity for others. To think he taught her not to be naive and she goes and act like this. How immature of her.
The frantic ring of Byakuya's phone made him snap and he picked up his phone violently.
"What!" Byakuya shouted in the phone.
"Byakuya, you idiot!" Izuru yelled on the other end. Byakuya gritted his teeth harder.
"How dare you disrespect me like that, Izuru! I have the right to-"
"Byakuya, you didn't read the rest of the articles!" Izuru cut him off. Byakuya froze.
"W-what?"
"An article published six years after the fire, which is when Ichigo disappeared from his hometown, claimed the fire started in the boiler room of the home. The family's death was accidental and Ichigo was blamed because he was the only one who survived. " Izuru explained. Byakuya was speechless. "Ichigo is innocent. He was accused of murder at just eight-years-old." Byakuya felt a lump swell up in his throat. "Byakuya, please tell me you didn't do anything stupid."
"I..." Byakuya cut off. He couldn't believe it. Byakuya got it wrong. ALL wrong. And Rukia was right. He didn't do anything.
"Byakuya, what did you do?" Izuru demanded. Ichigo let out a silent gasp as he stood motionless and wide-eyed in the middle of the room.
"Izuru, I have to go..."
"Oooookay! I've had enough!" Allison yelled after hopping to her feet as a reaction to the loud clap of thunder. Renji stood up next to her and started to rub her shaking shoulders.
"Hey, it's all right, Allison. It's just a little thunder. It's not going to hurt us." he tried to reassure her, but... he failed.
"I don't care!" she yelled at him. "You know I don't like thunderstorms and I don't want to be anywhere near this one!" Allison protested. Chase whined and trotted over to her, nudging her leg with his nose. "See! Even Chase doesn't like it!" she yelled. Renji sighed in defeat.
"Okay, okay, I'll take you home. C'mon, get Chase's leash and I promise we'll make it there before the storm comes." Renji said while slipping his coat over his shoulders. Allison didn't waste time scooping the dog in her arms and making her way to the door.
"Forget the leash! I'll pick it up later!" she yelled before running for his car. Renji sighed and grabbed his keys. He didn't know how to react about what happened today. It scared him and Allison and he didn't know how to react. And seeing Rukia so upset...
"Renji?" Renji turned his head to see Yoruichi cowering in the doorway to the kitchen. She looked like she was drowning in guilt, which she was. She didn't mean to lie to Rukia like that. Or have Byakuya explode on her and Ichigo like that. She didn't mean to hurt Rukia in any way. It just happened, but she was part of the reason why it did.
"Are you leaving?" she asked in a hushed voice. Renji frowned. He knew she didn't want to stay here, but he couldn't take her along with him.
"... yeah..." he finally replied. Yoruichi sighed and dropped her head. Her arms were behind her back as if she was a little kid ashamed of what they did. Renji could feel her pain. They were both close to Rukia and Byakuya both and to see them fight right in front of them was astonishing. "I know, Yoruichi... I'll come by soon to check up on things. If anything happens, just give me a call and I'll come by in an instant... if Allison doesn't beat me there first." Renji smirked. Yoruichi worked up a smile and chuckled a little.
"I didn't think it would end like this..." Yoruichi whispered.
"Neither did I, and I don't think Byakuya expected this either, but... we have to accept the fact that Ichigo is gone now." Renji said. Yoruichi nodded slighty.
"But what about Rukia?"
Renji went silent. Rukia was not going to cope well at all with this.
"It's all a matter of time for her..." Renji whispered. Yoruichi nodded. She should've never gotten involved in this... or she should've at least told Rukia what Byakuya was up to. This was all her fault, and when the realization hit, Yoruichi broke down. "Aw, Yoruichi... please don't cry. You know I'm bad with girls and crying." Renji pleaded.
"I can't help it, Renji... this is all my fault! I'm the one who suggested it to him. Why did I do that?" Yoruichi cried. Renji sighed. He hated this. Being stuck in the middle the way he was. A sudden honking broke him from his thoughts and he jumped a little.
"Yoruichi, I have to go. I'll call you later tonight, okay?" Renji waved before rushing out the door, hoping Allison wasn't trying to drive herself. Manual isn't her thing. Yoruichi was left standing alone in the middle of the living room, crying about what she's done.
Upstairs, Byakuya was battling his own emotional trouble. He had to apologize to Rukia and admit his mistakes, but he didn't know how she would react. What had he gotten himself into?
With a deep sigh, Byakuya gently knocked on Rukia's door.
"Rukia?" Byakuya called softly. "Rukia, I have to talk to you, can I come in?" Byakuya asked. There was no response, not that he'd expect one after what he did. "Rukia, I have to talk to you. Please open the door." Byakuya said, this time in a firm voice. When there was nothing but the thunder replying to him, Byakuya gripped the doorknob. "Rukia, I'm coming in." he warned, but when he pushed the door, it didn't budge. "What the hell?" Byakuya said under his breath, pushing harder on the door. Rukia had locked it. He wasn't surprised.
With his good shoulder, Byakuya barged in the room and froze when he saw Rukia's room vacant. She had vanished. "Rukia!" Byakuya yelled. The only clue was Rukia's open window. He ran to the window and looked down, seeing dim footprints in the damp soil that led to the woods. "Rukia!" Byakuya yelled. He spun around and ran out of her room and back to his. He picked up his phone and dialed Rukia's number.
'Pick up, damnit!" Byakuya prayed. If she ran off, he doesn't know what he would do. Unfortunately, Byakuya got her voicemail and he slammed his phone down on the table. "Damnit, Rukia! Where the hell did you go!" Byakuya yelled, running out the door.
Downstairs, Yoruichi sat with Kon in her lap, hugging him tightly.
"Kon, what are we gonna do?" Yoruichi whispered. Kon meowed pitifully and balled himself up in her lap. Even he felt the uneasiness in the home.
"Renji!" Yoruichi jumped at the sound of Byakuya's shout. She hopped to her feet with Kon scurrying off to God-knows-where again.
"Byakuya?" Yoruichi stood in shock as she watched Byakuya race down the stairs, pale as snow and sweating bullets. "Byakuya, what's going on?!" Yoruichi demanded.
"Rukia's gone!" Byakuya nearly yelled. Yoruichi froze.
"Gone? What do you mean gone? Where is she?!"
"She went after Ichigo. She jumped from her window and ran into the woods." Byakuya said in a panic. Yoruichi shuddered. This wasn't good. It was about to wreak hell outside and she left?!
"Well, what do we do? Do we go after her? We don't even have a clue where she went and it's about to storm out there." Byakuya glared at her.
"Like I don't already know that?!" he yelled. Yoruichi took a step back. She's never seen Byakuya in a complete rage before, but she had a feeling she will tonight. "We need to find her. I don't care what happens, I have to make sure she's safe." Byakuya began pulling his coat over his shoulders and grabbed his keys.
"Byakuya, you can't drive your car in the middle of the woods!" Yoruichi protested. "You'll crash into a tree! What are you thinking!"
"She's my sister, Yoruichi. I have to find her." Byakuya said in a serious tone. Yoruichi held his glare, finding a new defensive feeling in her.
"I realize that, Byakuya. She is also my friend and though I want nothing more than to go out there and save her myself, I will not jump into it so drastically. Just like you did not that long ago!" things went quiet after Yoruichi's statement. Byakuya was speechless, yet kept a dangerous look on his face. She was right. He looked away and dropped his keys on the table.
"You're right..." he admitted. Yoruichi, realizing what she had just done, was shocked at herself. Where the hell did that come from? "I just... want to make things right." Byakuya whispered.
"Right?" Yoruichi repeated. Byakuya looked at her again.
"Ichigo didn't do anything." Byakuya said. Yoruichi gasped. "I got it all wrong. I accused him... I overreacted... and now I realize the consequences of my actions." Byakuya turned away again, leaving Yoruichi speechless.
"Byakuya, I-" the sound of the phone ringing startled Yoruichi. It was Byakuya's phone. He picked it up in a hurry thinking it was Rukia.
"Hello?" Byakuya answered.
"Byakuya!" Renji shouted on the other end of the phone. As if Byakuya wasn't pissed enough.
"Renji! What the hell is your problem!" Byakuya yelled back.
"Get out of the house!" Renji shouted. Byakuya blinked. "There's a wildfire heading towards the town. Get out now!" Byakuya's body went stiff and his blood ran cold.
"Byakuya..." he barely heard Yoruichi's cry. "Rukia...!"
"Ichigo..." a heavenly voice whispered. Ichigo lied unconscious on the ground and slowly came to. "Ichigo, wake up." the voice demanded. After an internal struggle, Ichigo summoned up the strength and will power to open his heavy eyes. He was met with a bright yellow-white light and though bright, he barely squinted.
"Huh?" Ichigo lifted his head and looked up. An outline of something came into his vision. For a minute, Ichigo was scared of this apparition. He was scared of the whole thing. Where in the world was he anyway?
"Ichigo, stand up." the voice, now deeper and more clear, demanded. Ichigo flinched for a moment, still trying to figure out who was speaking to him. "Ichigo, get on your feet." the ghostly figure finally became clear and Ichigo gasped when he laid his eyes on the spiky black hair.
"Kaien!" Ichigo gasped and finally jumped to his feet. His older cousin smiled at him.
"Glad to see you finally up." he whispered. Ichigo started to pant. What was Kaien doing here? He was dead! He died long ago the night of the fire. There is no other explanation!
Unless...
Frowning, Ichigo dropped his head. Maybe this was for the better. Now he doesn't have to go through anymore pain and perhaps... see his family again. Kaien's already here. Maybe the rest of his family is too. He wondered if his sisters had aged. If they got older after their early tragic death. And his mother... oh how he wished to see her smile again.
"Why do you look so sad, Ichigo?" Kaien asked. Ichigo jumped a little at his question. Isn't it a little obvious?
"K-Kaien... it's kinda easy to see... isn't it?" Ichigo said, feeling a little awkward talking to a dead person.
"Nope. Not the way I see it." Kaien answered. Ichigo was taken aback. He did see they were both dead... right?
"Then... how do you see it?" Ichigo asked.
"Well, the way I see it is you're depressed from running from Rukia." Kaien said. Ichigo gasped. He didn't run from Rukia! He... he...
"I didn't run..." Ichigo said tilted his head.
"Oh?" he narrowed his eyes slightly. "Then what are you sad about? Correct me if I'm wrong." Kaien said. Ichigo felt a bit challenged. He's never felt this defensive before. Maybe it has something to do with Byakuya accusing him? However, it wasn't just Byakuya. It was practically the whole world.
"I'm dead..." Ichigo blurted out. Kaien began to laugh softly, squinting his eyes in amusement. "What's so funny? We're both dead. Why are you laughing?" Ichigo said, stumped.
"You aren't dead, Ichigo." Kaien said. Ichigo's eyes went wide. He wasn't? Then, where was he? What is all this? "You made a wrong decision, Ichigo." Kaien sounded disappointed. What decision did he do wrong?
"What did I do?" Ichigo asked innocently.
Kaien replied, "You ran."
"I had to!" Ichigo suddenly yelled. "Byakuya was going to kill me! Plus, he found out about me. About what happened to us! It wasn't fair! I didn't do anything!" tears leaked from Ichigo's eyes. Everything that went wrong hurt him and Rukia... that just broke his heart.
"I understand that you're hurt, Ichigo." Kaien spoke sympathetically. "However, you promised to Rukia that you'd stay. You promised yourself you'd fight for her."
"But how can I fight for what I love if there's something in the way of it?" Ichigo sought desperately for answers. Wait a minute... for something he "loved"? Kaien smiled again.
"I never said it would be easy, Ichigo." Kaien said. Ichigo was speechless. "That's why you need to fight. Fighting is never easy and it doesn't always end after the first battle, but the results are so well worth it." Kaien finished. Ichigo looked away. He was right. He did promise her he would stay. After all she did for him, he was just going to run out on her like that? What kind of man is he?
"Kaien, I... I... I gotta go back." Ichigo realized. Kaien looked at him proudly. "I have to go back to her. I have to go back to Rukia!" Ichigo started to look around frantically for an exit. "How the hell do I get out of here!" Ichigo yelled. Kaien chuckled.
"Now that, I can help you with."
Ichigo awoke with a sharp pain in the back of his head. He felt like someone took an ice pick and just kept nailing it into him. Groaning, he shifted on the ground and slowly uncurled himself from the ball he passed out in. His muscles felt tight and his throat was sore. That was weird. Why was his throat sore? And what was on his nose.
With his eyes still close, Ichigo reached up and wiped the residue away from his face. He cracked an eye open to see his finger tips smothered in red. A nose bleed? Struggling, Ichigo sat up and heard a familiar, daunting noise.
'Smoke!' Ichigo realized as he smelled the air. He looked up to see the sky covered in a thick black cotton. Hearing the cackling coming closer, Ichigo whipped around and saw among the trees the bright glow of orange. Instantly, his heart started pounding and his stomach did a complete flip-flop as he hopped to his feet. "Fire!" he screamed as he began to run forward. This was not happening. This couldn't. This had to be a dream. This had to be! This can't be real! His nightmare was coming true!
LOK LOK LOK! So, what do you think? Will Byakuya find Rukia? Will Ichigo and Rukia ever reunite? And will they make it out alive? Only I know, and you must be patient! I big thanks to all the awesome and positive reviews I got. Really made me smile. Don't worry! A new chapter will be up soon!