Pre-Note
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. This is for creative purposes. I do own this plot.
Reminder: Mature-rating. Mystery-themed. Light sexual content. Crucial to remain attentive to detail. This is for Rukia and her relationships.
Morbid Memories
The blocks of ice shattered like glass, fragments of gleaming ice fell to the ground as the lines of ice binding the rectangular prism together, slithered away. Renji quickly ran to her side as her eyes remained bright with shock as Jūshirmai's lips were pulled into a dangerous no-teeth smile.
She could already sense the satisfaction and arrogance within his vibrantly-shaded eyes as his stare caught hers and held it.
Words would no longer be used to communicate. She could hear him and he could hear her.
He was intending his departure.
("Isn't it funny how connected we are, Rukia? Isn't it funny how easily we can fool them? Coming here to expose you in front of everybody you supposedly 'love' is the perfect way to re-visit your past. You left everything behind and you expect to come out innocent? No, Rukia—no. I will not allow you to get away with this, unpunished.")
The group stared wordlessly at their mental communication.
("Why couldn't you just meet with me privately? Why do they have to know? Why? I promised I would finish it when the time was right and that time is not now. I am innocent. Stop making me look like the bad one. I did nothing wrong—nothing! What do you think everyone around me is going to assume after this? They're going to think I know something about this...about you...about everything if they find out.")
He replied as their actions were watched, carefully.
("But that's the thing, Rukia...I didn't want to meet with you in anywhere private because I wanted you to be exposed. I wanted the Gotei 13 to know that the Rukia they see, isn't the Rukia they know. When were you going to finish it? What guarantee do I possibly have that you will finish it if I leave you alone and attack the Gotei 13? Innocence is far from what you truly are. You are scarred, tainted, even darkened and that's what the Gotei 13 deserves to know. You left, Rukia—you left and when you were needed the most, you disappeared and left a bunch of loose threads for each one of us to dangle under with our feet tied and our bodies hanging. Your denial is highly unnecessary now that the Gotei 13 know that you know my name. Central 46 may even make a verdict against you and set you up for interrogation. Maybe even the Punishment Force will try to get involved and beat the answer out of you until you scream and tell them everything you know about my name. Aren't you going to finish what that man left for you to do, Rukia? You aren't even holding me onto a leash like the dog you both assumed I was.")
She replied.
("I don't even want to think about that. About you, those memories, everything I've become up until this point was to start over from that. These past few months were supposed to be my moments of relief. Coming here so unexpectedly was foolish on your part. Now you've got me remembering everything I detested over a year ago. Everything I wanted to forget temporarily!")
Jushirmai smirked.
"It seems that we'll have to have a chat another time, Rukia. The Gotei 13 are clearly very confused and I'm sure you have a lot to say to them especially after this little encounter." Jushirmai said.
"Rukia, what the hell is going on?!" Ichigo yelled but Rukia still wasn't willing to reply.
"She'll tell you soon enough, ryoka boy. I just hope you'll be prepared to hear the truth about the woman you saved from nearly being executed." Ichigo growled.
"As for the rest of you, I'm sure she and Abarai will tell you soon enough if you threaten them well enough." Renji's body tensed.
Rukia closed her eyes and turned away—wanting him to leave as soon as possible so she could run away.
"What?" Jushirmai asked in an amused tone. "Are you afraid of telling the Gotei 13 the truth, Rukia?"
You know the answer already.
"If that's the problem then I'll help you run away, maybe you'll have some time to think over what you've done and explain to the Gotei 13 your story once you regain consciousness." He smirked.
Rukia's eyes were forced open—wide and radiant like he had always known them to be. With a flash of his eyes, a halo of white shot into hers and suddenly, before she could even comprehend what he had done to her, her lids forced themselves shut again and she felt her entire body fall back.
Rukia had fully lost consciousness though her body never hit the ground. It was held in the arms of Ichigo.
"Rukia!" He shouted out to her as her head rested on his lap.
"Goodbye, Kurosaki Ichigo—we'll most definitely meet again." Jushirmai said.
"Hey wait, you bastard!" Ichigo yelled but he was already gone. A dark cloud had swallowed his entire body whole—leaving only a trace of shattered ice and a chilling air to possess the atmosphere.
The gang surrounded Rukia's body as she remained unconscious on Ichigo's lap. Orihime bent down in concern to see if she had any physical injuries before looking up to the concerned gang.
"There's nothing to worry about, Kuchiki-san is fine but for some reason I can't figure out how exactly that horrible man did it." Orihime said before looking down at her face.
"He's must've shown her something with his eyes." Uryū theorized. "They seemed to be mentally communicating with each other before with their stares. He must've shown her something she didn't want to see."
"That bastard—Renji, what the hell is going on here?! Who is he? And what did Rukia see?" Ichigo asked and Renji shook his head as he looked down at Rukia.
"I don't wanna talk about it right now. We should focus on Rukia." Renji suggested before Captain Hitsugaya agreed.
"Abarai's right, Kuchiki needs her rest more than anything. When she wakes up, we'll find out everything we need to know about Mizuri Jushirmai and put an end to this for once and for all before the whole Soul Society freezes over and dies."
Ichigo nodded his head before he looked down at her one last time. A familiar reiatsu swiftly attempted to leave the group before Ichigo called out to him to stop. Rukia's head was shifted to Orihime's lap before he flash-stepped so the figure wouldn't disappear.
"Byakuya! Hold up!" Ichigo called as his body appeared in front of him.
"You're in the way." Byakuya stated flatly but Ichigo wasn't going to let him leave.
"Hold on for a sec, Byakuya. Rukia needs you more than anything right now and going after that bastard in the mood you're in right now isn't exactly a smart idea. Take her back to your place and let me, Renji, Ishida and Chad handle him." Ichigo suggested before Rangiku intervened.
"Orihime and I will come as well and watch over her until more news arrives." Rangiku said as Byakuya stared at Ichigo.
There was no doubt that he was angry, Byakuya's faint reiatsu release wasn't something to be taken lightly of and Ichigo knew that more than anything.
She held a high level of importance to Byakuya—something that couldn't be ignored, but hidden if he wished. Whether he admitted it or not, Rukia needed him more than anything right now. He'd have to leave the ryoka to them, even if he didn't entirely want to.
His attention averted to Rukia, laying on the lap of Orihime.
He was not willing to leave her alone when he was unsure her condition was stable. The auburn-haired healer was indeed a very accurate source, but knowing Unohana Retsu longer only channeled the need for a professional's confirmation of her diagnosis. And even if he wasn't pleased with the fact that he was leaving this task to the others, it seemed he would have to retreat for now.
"Very well." Byakuya said before walking back to his lying sister as the gang cleared the path. Taking her in his arms like he once had before with the Bount, Yoshi, he flash-stepped away with Orihime and Rangiku following him behind into the noble home—leaving the rest of the gang to ponder and devise a plan.
They were somehow connected—Rukia and Jushirmai—may it be love, friendship, or hatred. But Byakuya could not force himself to trouble her now with questions. Not after this and his Lieutenant's surprised secrecy. He was not a man built from patience but he would indeed have to wait until Rukia was willing to comply and speak.
He would not force her.
He would not.
But the Gotei 13...well that was something he'd have to figure out on his own to make them comply.
"Captain!" Isane called. "Lieutenant Kuchiki is unconscious. Captain Kuchiki has requested your assistance.
"Lieutenant Kuchiki is injured?" Captain Unohana asked.
Isane shook her head. "No, but he, Captain Hitsugaya, Lieutenant Abarai, Matsumoto, and Kuchiki encountered the ryoka near the noble houses not too long ago. None of them sustained injuries but when the ryoka looked at her, Lieutenant Kuchiki fainted and has remained unconscious ever since."
"She fainted right away?" Captain Unohana questioned.
"I'm afraid so and we don't know why. Will you be leaving to the Kuchiki Manor to examine her soon?"
She nodded her head as she walked towards her Lieutenant.
"Isane, you must remain vigilant as there will be more patients coming your way. I hope you and Hanatarō handle them well in my absence."
"Yes, of course—we'll be fine. Are you going to the Kuchiki Manor alone or will you be accompanied by the 4th Division's members to help her?" Her Captain shook her head.
"I think Captain Kuchiki would prefer if I came alone. Considering the past, I think it'd be better if I examined Lieutenant Kuchiki alone. However, if necessary, I'll send a message with a jigokuchō." Captain Unohana said before departing through the doors. Isane nodded her head before looking back outside and sighing at how dreadful this entire night had become.
"Man, my head hurts like hell." She heard Ikkaku say as he attempted to get up but Isane was quick to put him down.
"You must rest, Madarame—your wounds haven't healed yet and the Captain wants you all to stay down."
Ikkaku scoffed as he laid down, looking at the ceiling above.
"Beaten and torn down by the enemy." He scoffed once more before turning to his left to see Yumichika.
"Eh, Yumichika! Don't tell me you're on your death bed yet." He said before Yumichika turned to face him with a bandage covering his left eye.
"You must be joking if you think something as hideous as that would be enough to take me down." He said in response with his familiar yellow and red feathers gracing his right eyebrows and right eye. "You should be more concerned about yourself, Ikkaku. You lost consciousness as soon as he told you his name and left."
"I could've gone on longer, but that damn hypothermia took over my legs and screwed it all up."
"I agree, but that ryoka's reiatsu is certainly something we can't avoid now, Ikkaku. He didn't even raise his blade."
"Our division members are still outside healing the injured and the amount of casualties are quickly increasing as we speak. I don't know how much more we can take of this, we're running out of room and Captain Zaraki still hasn't come back with the order from the Head Captain." Isane informed as she made room for herself to sit on Ikkaku's bed.
"Zaraki was here?" Ikkaku asked.
"He was the one who saved you and your division." Isane said.
Yumichika's eyes met hers.
"Lieutenant Kotetsu, did Captain Zaraki say anything after he dropped off our division?"
"Well, no. But he did mention something about someone being a coward, but I don't think he meant it towards you, Yumichika or you, Ikkaku."
"He's angry, we didn't kill a single ryoka tonight." Ikkaku said.
"But most of your division managed to survive, if you ask me that's a good thing. The 11th Division is the strongest direct combat division we have and a majority of them survived."
"I'm afraid Captain Zaraki isn't like your Captain, Lieutenant Kotetsu. He sent us with an order to kill the ryoka before any other division could and we completely ruined it." Yumichika said.
"Yeah, not to mention the 6th Division, 13th Division, and the 10th managed to encounter the ryoka and survive without getting hypothermia or crumbling from his reiatsu within seconds." Ikkaku said.
"Yes, that is certainly strange. And none of them managed to sustain any injuries except Lieutenant Kuchiki who fainted but what for? His reiatsu?" Yumichika questioned and Isane shook her head.
"I don't know. According to the report, they all met the ryoka near the district of noble houses when Ichigo and his friends showed up and then Captain Hitsugaya and Kuchiki, and Lieutenant Matsumoto and Abarai arrived."
"Wait a minute...Ichigo's back already?" Ikkaku asked.
"He came back a short while ago and he's currently chasing after the ryoka." Isane informed.
"That bastard!" Ikkaku stood up and Isane moved back as the covers were thrown onto the floor and Ikkaku clenched his fist. "I'll get him before he can even smell theryoka!"
"3rd seat, Madarame lie down! You just had surgery and your wounds need to heal." Isane said.
"Forget the wounds, I'll be alright."
"But, Madarame—"
"Eh, Yumichika! Are you coming or what?" Ikkaku asked and in seconds Yumichika stood from the bed before brushing a purple strand of his hair.
"I'm ready, let's go." He said.
"What are you both doing? You both need your rest!" Isane pleaded but her words were unheard as they prepared to disappear.
"Whadaya say, Yumichika. Last one out the door is a rotten egg or what?" Ikkaku grinned.
"That's simply too simplistic. I say last one out of the door deserves to eat a rotten egg." Yumichika said.
"In 3...2...1—go!"
"Wait!" Isane pleaded. "Hanatarō stop them!"
Hanatarō appeared at the door Ikkaku and Yumichika planned on running through with a laundry basket in his hands and eyes widening in fear at the stampede in front of him. "W-Woah, w-woah, w-woah, wait! 3rd seat Madarame, 5th seat Ayasegawa! Your wounds haven't healed yet!"
"Last one out the door eats a rotten egg!" Ikkaku laughed before the pair ran over the young boy with midnight-blue hair and a petite, but fragile figure that was left flat on the ground with the laundry basket thrown to the ground. And all Isane could do was sigh.
The Captain's going to kill me when she gets back.
Hanatarō squeaked.
"My, my this is brilliant!" Captain Kurotsuchi examined with golden eyes expressing nothing more but attraction at the contrasting photos that projected on the screen. "He disguised his face with a very interesting piece of technology."
"Based on Captain Kuchiki's report, the man was previously a holder of two different last names. One being Shiegeari and another being Okasake as acknowledged by Lieutenant Kuchiki." Nemu informed.
"Lieutenant Kuchiki acknowledged this?"
"Yes, they are past acquaintances as Captain Kuchiki and Lieutenant Kuchiki have now fully acknowledged. But I'm afraid I don't know how."
"What do you mean you don't know how? How did she say she was acquainted with him?"
"She revealed his other last name."
Mayuri scoffed. "How boring, I was expecting something much more interesting than revealing his useless last name."
"She fainted right after she said it because the ryoka wanted to buy her some time to avoid explaining the reason behind their acquaintance. She's now at the Kuchiki Manor with Captain Unohana, healing."
"She asked him to let her faint and he so easily complied?"
"Yes, I believe so and now the Gotei 13 are trying to find the ryoka along with Kurosaki Ichigo and his friends."
"Kurosaki Ichigo is back again?"
"Yes, he came from the World of the Living not too long ago after he found out about the ice consuming the Seireitei. He was sent by Urahara Kisuke."
He scoffed again. "That irritable man. Is he trying to find a way to melt the ice as well?"
"No, I'm afraid not. As of right now, he's trying to reduce the rising temperatures in the World of the Living while you handle things over here."
"How pointless." Mayuri said as his artificial daughter stared at him with blank eyes—waiting for further orders as her Captain looked back at the projected screen and the transformed Mizuri Jushirmai.
"What are we going to do, Mayuri-sama? Lieutenant Kuchiki seems to be the only one who knows about this man and as of right now she's unconscious in bed." Nemu said.
"Stay quiet." He ordered even though he silently agreed. Kuchiki Rukia was indeed the only woman associated with this ryoka and would most likely supply more information than he would need. Regardless, she still did not know how to melt the barrier-type ice but the information about the ryoka would help the Gotei 13. And now that she was unconscious, they had no other lead to proceed with finding any background information about the ryoka and his life beyond a soul reaper.
And now he wondered, what association did this troubling ryoka and the Lieutenant have?
Captain Kuchiki's implication was that the ryoka once loved her, but in the scientist's perspective, it was definitely something more than the simplicity of love and affection. He didn't believe the ryoka's story and motive could revolve around one person because of love.
There was something more to their story. Something more that was far from the word, love. It was story conveyed by different motives, emotions, and most importantly, unrequited and requited love. It was the foundation of their acquaintance—it had to be, because the simplicity of love was not the kind of story Mayuri wanted to hear. Because it was not the right one. It was the wrong one. It was the story the Gotei13never got to hear and he was not looking for the wrong one.
Nemu stared quietly as the scientist projected a 3D image of the unbreakable ice and examined it closely in silence before a thought crossed his mind. A thought about the three last names of Mizuri Jushirmai his Lieutenant had mentioned before the sound of a door opening caught his attention.
"Captain!" A 12th Division member called. "We were able to preserve a part of the ryoka's reiatsu in battle after his encounter with Captain Hitsugaya and Kuchiki as well as Lieutenant Abarai, Kuchiki, and Matsumoto."
"Place it over there." Mayuri said and the division member nodded his head.
"Urahara Kisuke will be back in the Soul Society soon—get back to work, Nemu and examine the ryoka's reiatsu before anyone else can." Mayuri ordered.
"Yes, Mayuri-sama." And with that, she held the small bottle of poisonous purple reiatsu and headed towards the other lab.
A hollow.
A lonely street.
Rain.
And there's a tree.
Where am I? And how did I get here?
I'm small and I'm wearing a kimono. It's pink—or no—purplish pink with polka dots and I'm on the street, alone and I'm calling for someone, but whom?
I tug on my black cardigan and pull it closer to my body. The clouds are silver, a streak of lightning flashes in the sky, thunder claps and I'm looking at someone, but whom?
My throat is parched and I can barely release a scream. My legs are running fast, but I don't understand why I'm running or why I'm trying to scream.
The rain pours down hard. I feel my entire body go wet with fresh water as I continue to scream, but why? Who am I calling? And why?
And there comes a hollow. It's tall, masked with black and white, it releases an ugly growl before a quick movement of its hand causes me to scream. Everything becomes a blur but I know I'm not alone. Something's there—something's quiet...I'm not alone—that, I can see. It's lying down—dead, bleeding, and completely still, I scream again and the hollow stares back at me.
"Oi, Renji!" Ichigo called as the gang flew in the air in search of the ryoka's reiatsu as snowflakes dashed wildly from the sky. A wine-coloured cloak—akin to the cloth wrapped around his forehead—draped the Lieutenant's figure as a gift from Urahara Kisuke to keep him warm and boy, did it help more than Captain Kurotsuchi's barrier-type blanket.
Ichigo, Uryū, and Chad all flew beside him—cloaked in their own coloured cloaks or as Uryū preferred to call them, capes—in the air without a single word to spare. Renji had tried his best to avoid any type of conversation necessary after Okasake Jushirmai had re-entered Rukia's life in a single moment and a single spot.
He couldn't help but feel like an idiot for not realizing it any sooner, it should've came to him—he should've known. The moment he found out that the soul reaper was named Jushirmai he should've known, but he knew a part of him, would've never wanted to believe in it.
It wasn't the person. It wasn't his face. It wasn't anything but his memory that truly haunted Renji's brain as his presence alone was linked to so many things, so many stories, so many images he knew Rukia didn't want to see.
It was secluded.
Left alone to become a bittersweet memory in her mind.
And now that he was back, all those bittersweet memories that were once closed and hidden became reopened again for Rukia's eyes to see.
And he fucking hated it.
Loathed it.
Despised it all at once because he was lying again. Lying.
Lying to his friends like they were nothing but foreigners instead of family.
But it was crucial.
A necessity.
After so many years, he had become protective of the fact—acting oblivious, curtailing his past, hiding Rukia. To scissor the promises he had made a while back was not something he intended on doing.
He had to lie to them about everything they witnessed. This was not something that was meant to be heard by them. It was meant to be hidden and Okasake Jushirmai was only bringing everything that was supposed to be hidden centuries ago back for everyone to see to hurt Rukia and incite the darkness.
"What's wrong?" Renji asked in an act of confusion, despite knowing everything that was wrong with their current situation. He was hiding something from him. Lying. And Ichigo being the most persistent man he knew, would never give up until he knew the whole-hearted truth.
"What the hell do you mean by 'what's wrong'? You know exactly what's wrong! Who the hell was that guy? And what did he do to Rukia?" Ichigo questioned and Renji cursed his luck for having Ichigo being such a direct guy. If he had beaten around the bush it would've been easier for Renji to conceive a proper answer to reply.
"What do you mean? He just told you his name, dumbass! It's Mizuri Jushirmai and his only acquaintance is the moon." He mocked the last line as a direct quote from Jushirmai's very words before Ichigo delivered a deadpan expression to his avoidant reply.
"I already know that, you idiot but that isn't the name Rukia said out loud. She called him Okasake Jushirmai and apparently he knows you too—so what's his deal, Renji?"
"He has no deal." He muttered. "I don't know him and Rukia doesn't either."
Renji lied.
"Don't feed me that crap, Renji. I know you know him and Rukia knows him too! What the hell are you two hiding from us? Why won't you tell us who the hell he is?!"
"I'm not feeding you anything—I don't know him and Rukia doesn't either."
"If you're going to lie to us, Renji then you could at least come up with a better lie." Uryū said behind him as the group formulated a pair at the front and a pair at the back.
"My lie was perfectly fine, Ishida—I don't know what you're talking about! Isn't that right, Chad?"
"Well...um, you sort of just admitted it was lie so, it isn't exactly...perfect."
"Whadaya mean by 'isn't exactly perfect', it was a masterpiece." Renji urged on.
"Yeah, you're gonna need to open up a dictionary and find the definition of 'a masterpiece' before you use it in a sentence, Renji." Ichigo said.
"You people are delusional, that was an A Class lie!"
"My kid sisters can come up with better lies than that." Ichigo said. "And my dad was the one who taught them how to lie to strangers in the first place."
Renji scoffed. "You people just don't understand A Class material when you see it. Let alone, hear it when it's suppose to be heard."
"That's because we didn't see or hear anything, Renji but your crappy lies."
"Well, damn Renji—you made Ichigo appear intelligent after saying one lie." Uryū said. "Next thing you know you'll be getting him an award for honorary student of the year."
"And what the hell is that suppose to mean, Ishida?"
"It means that Abarai's lies can somehow cure your lack of intelligence, Kurosaki." Uryū said. "You should lie to him more often, Abarai—he might become a genius."
"Excuse me?! I'll have you know my grades are perfectly fine! I'm doing a whole lot better than I was doing last year."
Uryū grinned. "With your grade point average, you'd be lucky enough to get admitted back into high school after last year's disaster at exams."
"It's gotten better!" Ichigo defended.
"By 3%?"
"It doesn't matter! It still improved!"
"By 3%." Uryū stated again.
"Well at least he's not failing." Chad intervened. "After everything that happened with Aizen, I was almost sure he wasn't going to make it past his 11th year."
"After I lost my powers, I worked my ass off to make it past my 11th year. I wasn't all about failing with Yuzu and Karin around. My dad even bought me a whole set of new books to study off of after I finally made it past my 11th year."
"You were lucky—I'll give you that, Kurosaki."
Ichigo scoffed. "Lucky my ass and hey—wait a minute, Renji! We're still not done talking about this!
"Not done talking about what?" Renji asked.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about! Who the hell is Okasake Jushirmai? And what the hell does he want with Rukia?"
"I already told you! I don't know!"
"God dammit, you do know! Tell me what the fuck Okasake Jushirmai wants, Renji. I'm being serious now—what the hell does he want with Rukia?"
"Look, I already told you I—"
"Don't know." Ichigo finished with a scoff as his frustration got the better of him and he looked away. "I don't understand why you're still tryna hide this, Renji. Rukia is going to tell us anyways so why can't you just speed up the process and make it a bit easier for us to understand?"
"She isn't going to tell you a thing, Ichigo—you can trust me on that."
"And why the hell not?"
"Because this isn't something she can just tell anybody, Ichigo—it's serious, she doesn't play around when it comes to the things that bastard was hinting at. And I know she won't definitely tell the Gotei 13."
"We're her friends, Renji. She can trust us with anything and she knows that."
"Trust me, I know that but this isn't something she's going to talk about naturally, Ichigo. This is something else."
"I think Abarai's got a point on this one, Kurosaki. When Mizuri Jushirmai finally revealed his true face she couldn't even look at him in the eyes, let alone say his name. And pressuring her now to admit anything or tell us anything isn't the best thing to do right now when her conscience is already at a weakened state." Uryū said in agreement with Renji before Ichigo mentally sighed.
He didn't understand what Rukia was trying to hide from him and frankly, he wasn't too comfortable with the fact that Renji was aware of something so exceedingly important while he, on the other hand was dangling on the other end of the thread.
It didn't make sense to him—none of it did and even if he knew he had to act patient, he couldn't help it. This was Rukia they were talking about here and she wasn't just the type to harbor any kind of secrets that he wasn't already aware of up until now.
He just wanted to know who this guy was. What did he do to her? And what did he want?
That was all he was asking, but not even his closest friend could even utter a single word without lying to his face about the man's presence as if it had never been there. And he wanted to know why.
Why Renji was all of sudden acting so secretive, why Rukia couldn't meet that man in his eyes, why were they keeping things hidden from him and their friends, and why was it so important to lie?
He just didn't understand.
And clearly, it was bothering him more than it should but it just couldn't be helped because—why?
Why couldn't he know?
What are you hiding from me?
And why can't I know?
What did this guy do to you, Rukia?
What did he do?
That's all Ichigo truly wanted to know.
But then again, was he truly prepared for it? Did he really want to know?
Ichigo muttered an 'alright' as they stooped down into the middle of the Seireitei—spotting a group of heartless soul reapers that immediately needed medical attention. The possible idea of Rukia lying quickly escaped his mind as he stared down at the pool of heartless soul reapers—she wasn't heartless enough to lie to him? She wasn't. But would she if she could?
No, she's Rukia—she would never try it even if she could.
The aura was cold. Bathed with a scintilla of colours resembling the shades of dandelion and apricot melded in the wakening dawn.
Traces of the miraculous amber light gleamed through the minuscule space between the shōji doors to grace the Rukia's room with a golden shine.
Motionless, her petite body, clothed in her usual white night robe, laid on the futon. Her face appeared far from peaceful with constant visions terrorizing her mind.
Dreams, memories, regret.
The stress was evident in her face which scrunched at times. She was asleep but her mind was far from it. There only came a few times when it seemed like she was at peace.
This was one of them.
The visions had appeared to subside for now as observed by Byakuya when he had come in to check up on her as night came.
It had been seven days ever since her fall and revealing of the ryoka, Okasake Jushirmai. Twenty-one meals missed, two important visits per day, and of course, the dreadful visions only she could remember and see.
Byakuya had been observant of her sleeping behavior over the past two days and he was not too fond of the abnormality he was seeing.
She was very troubled—that, he was aware of but the Gotei 13 didn't know. The constant alterations of her face inspired nothing more but concern, to the point where it would be noted as unwise to leave her alone.
The calm and assuring words of Unohana Retsu were the only things appeasing his mind. He remained faithful in her medical knowledge and assurance as the memory flashed back in his mind.
She had walked out.
Silent.
He had prepared himself for the very worst—unsure of what he was expecting to hear from the woman's mouth as it was pressed into a straight line.
He did not value pity, he wanted the message clear and direct so that it could be easily digested.
If Rukia was to be ill, he would not want the woman to smear her words with kindness.
He had taken note of the fact that the woman kept the shōji closed—wide open for him to see Rukia laying as she was, faintly breathing.
"What is it?" He had finally voiced.
Unohana Retsu had opened her mouth, fully aware that the longer she kept silent, the more impatience he would be. But she was being cautious—vigilant, to not deliver anything sounding too sweet as the Lieutenant had suffered something far from amiable.
"I sense a very strong aura of suffering and psychological practices in Lieutenant Kuchiki, but she is alright and in need of sleep. Her physical body has not sustained any injuries but it is her mentality that has suffered something greatly—a morbid memory I suppose."
"A morbid memory?"
"Yes, indeed. A morbid memory can be stemmed from quite a lot of things, Captain Kuchiki. In fact, most morbid memories have to do with psychological disorders or physical events that appear frightful to one's perspective or eye."
"I believe this is associated with her past in the Rukongai."
"It's most likely to be the appearance of that ryoka as well. I do not know much of Lieutenant Kuchiki's past in the Rukongai, but it would be wise to investigate it before someone else. As for the morbid memories that seem to be troubling her, I cannot identify the core of their strength however, I would like to ask you this before I offer my discreet and confidential help. Has Lieutenant Kuchiki ever asked you for psychological counseling?"
"No, it was not needed. And I do not believe it is needed now."
"Captain Kuchiki, I know this may sound distressing but Lieutenant Kuchiki...we must be careful with her. I fear the arrival of this ryoka has troubled her immensely to the point where exhaustion is overwhelming her physically and mentally."
"When do you predict she will wake up?"
"Unfortunately I do not know. But I hope she will wake up soon."
"Is there a limit to her exhaustion?"
"I predict it will dissipate soon. However, she must be fed some food and water. I suggest you offer her something she likes and do not pamper her or interrogate her until she has settled in."
"I will see to it that she is properly fed and handled."
"I am rest assured." Her lips had finally curved to form a smile. "I will visit her once she is awake and well but for now she must rest for as long as she desires before we can say or do anything about this problem. It is her stability that matters the most as of right now."
"Agreed." He had said as they stood on the porch smeared with the thinnest layer of ice.
That was a week ago.
Rukia had now missed twenty-one meals. He had tried to allow her to sleep in peace but he was not too content with letting her sleep empty. In fact on several occasions, the great and noble leader of the Kuchiki clan and attempted to actually pour the water by himself into Rukia's closed mouth.
Kurosaki Ichigo and his human friends had visited twice on the first day. Renji had accompanied them as well as Matsumoto, Captain Hitsugaya, Captain Ukitake, Kiyone and Sentarō, as well as the artificial daughter of Captain Kurotsuchi Mayuri.
Flowers had been placed beside her as gifts to nurture her healing process but Rukia still remained the same.
Rest assured, he valued Captain Unohana's advice however, the loose ends were not something Byakuya could take lightly.
After all, the hindrance their relationship had once retained was far from their path now. Although it was unnerving at times, he had learned to become flexible—lenient towards Rukia and dare-he-call-them 'friends' over the past year and a half. If there was indeed something troubling in Rukia's past he intended on figuring it out on his own although her words and explanation, itself would be much more endearing.
Her breathing was slow. It was barely above a whisper and not even he could tell if she was really breathing anymore. Despite the fact her face remained tranquil, it was her memories at war with each other.
Ones he could not see.
"How's Rukia?" Ichigo asked from the parted door with his human friends tucked behind him.
There was no doubt that the temperature in the Soul Society was still decreasing and the ice was not liquifying—much to Captain Kurotsuchi's dismay.
Byakuya turned around to meet the boy's curious glare.
"Her condition is stable however she is yet to wake." He disclosed as her human friends entered the room.
"We brought Kuchiki-san some more flowers and a get-well-soon card signed by everyone in the Gotei 13." Orihime said with a bouquet of flowers clutched in her hands and an extensive get-well-soon card held by the muscular man behind her.
"I made Kuchiki-san a new dress to match her new hairstyle for the next time she visits the World of the Living." Uryū announced before holding out the simple black dress he had prepared during his week stay in the Shiba home.
"And I got Rukia this Chappy the Bunny mug she's been wanting for awhile and these Lindor chocolates." Ichigo said.
"Would it be alright if we stayed for awhile?" Orihime asked quietly at the emotionless Captain before he spoke again.
"I will be gone for the rest of the day." Byakuya announced as he approached the group to leave through the parted door. "Do not let her leave."
"Don't worry, Byakuya—we'll take care of her, I promise." Ichigo assured before he spared him one last glance.
The group entered further in to watch her sleep. So many questions and theories were yet to be answered and the only person who could answer them was her—Kuchiki Rukia, a woman who was still asleep in her own universe filled with memories...memories nobody knew of...memories Ichigo wanted to understand.
Granted, she was not awake yet—she hadn't lied to him or try to deny anything yet and he had no reason to accuse her of not trusting him. After all, around the time when they had first met, she had given him his space—she had told him that when he was ready, she was ready to listen and now it was his turn to wait and listen.
He would have to...in order to understand. But Renji...Renji was a whole different story in his opinion because he was voluntarily avoiding him to dismiss the subject and he just didn't understand.
What was he hiding?
What was it that he didn't want anyone to know?
The Gotei13 had been patient—making the ice, the 11th Division, and Rukia their main concern. But Ichigo knew their patience would expire soon and after that, Rukia and Renji would have to fess up about who exactly that man was and what threat did he exactly hold against the Gotei 13.
During this past week, the temperatures had increased drastically—prompting colds, fevers, absences etc. There was no doubt the Soul Society was going through a well-known era in the World of the Living known as 'flu season'. And with the silver-tinted, clear, and a murky blue ice covering the land, many soul reapers stayed hidden in their barracks to avoid freezing or attaining a flu as many division members had.
There were no leads.
No traces.
Nothing.
The ryoka had disappeared and yet his presence was still linked in the air like a fragrance or scent.
Captain Kurotsuchi had gotten a hold of his reiatsu—a poisonous miasma of plum altering into the greyest and bluest of a stormy day. It was unlike any reiatsu the Captain had scanned before—filled with a combination of different DNA and purposes. It wasn't stemmed from the spiritual particles each soul reaper contained that was the volume of energy their soul contained. When it was released, it was immense like reiatsu but was able to disperse and locate its energy almost everywhere and anywhere.
With that portion of discovery, nothing new was disclosed. The Gotei13were left on the other end of the string, with the oblivion of who or what was holding the top end of the cord—knowing neither the sinner or the saint or the King.
Nebulous faces scarred with scratches and wood follow me.
I can't see their faces but I know they're after me.
I'm running fast and recklessly in the cold and heavy droplets of rain.
My black cardigan is lost, the warmth is discarded and now all I feel is the rain water being absorbed like a sponge in the pink-purplish kimono pasted on my skin.
My feet are bare—scratches and dirt cover the exposed skin, my face is smudged with dirt and my eyes do not dare to shed tears in my loneliness with the group tailing behind me with sticks.
They're old.
They're voices alone are sins.
I pant breathlessly in the rain as I make a sharp turn into another aisle with the sound of sticks.
I'm tired—breathless and in need of food and water but the rain water's taste is far from the taste of water.
Suddenly, a stack of sticks are thrown at my back—I react to the pain and collapse.
I struggle to get up as their voices get louder—my legs worn and tired from the chase.
I spit out some words of advice before I use my elbow to take a stance, but I collapse again and I feel a jerk on my limbs and awake.
They catch me.
Hand large and holding the stick-like figures known as my legs.
I struggle in their grip and kick and scream like the kid I am and deliver a punch to their face.
The opponent groans and I weakly land on my feet—avoiding the attempted attack with sticks from the other members of the pack before I sprint.
I run as fast as I can—sweat dripping, legs weakening, body tiring, eyes closing, heart pounding, and in the midst of turning, I slam my body against a shed and stop for air.
I pant and pant and pant for air—sleep taking over me, panic and fear taking over my mind, I feel like crying but Rukia does not cry.
The braced wood behind me suddenly tumbles down on my petite body by the force of another and I scream. I try to escape again as a hand catches a hold of my arm and I struggle again—endlessly in pain and resistance.
I scream and scream and scream and scream, my voice cracking towards the end at the screams.
I scream again and my voice dies at my throat as my eyes meet something red.
My eyes widen with fear and again I kick and scream again and again and again.
I scream again.
Nobody comes...
Nobody cares...
As I'm cornered by a pack who stare.
A grin forms on their faces—I feel like crying but regain my stance regardless at the taller figures.
I fire a kick and jump to kick the face of the other older men.
I jump into the air and land onto a crate—that breaks from the pressure and then my feet are stabbed with glass.
I scream but quickly suppress the pain as fine and large shards stick into my feet.
Blood clouds my vision as the pool of red grows as I try to remove the pieces of glass.
A man shouts and I look back only to start running again with my pride finally caving in and the tears spilling from my eyes.
It hurts so much.
The glass...my legs...my face.
I cry and cry as I run away with the shards injecting themselves deeper and the trail of blood leaving my path.
They'll find me eventually.
They'll find me...and by then, nobody will be around to hear me scream.
Pain was evident in her expressions at times, only to fade and re-emerge moments or hours later.
At times she would flinch, her body would quiver and her eyebrows would scrunch in confusion and fear. These signs were completely healthy, as claimed by Captain Unohana, but in the situation they were in, all he hoped for her to do was wake up.
Her maid, Chiyo had offered lunch though Ichigo couldn't bring himself to eat, even if he was surrounding her body with his friends. The thought of it felt uneasy with the cards and flowers not too far away from her head.
Orihime encouraged him to eat it, noting that 'Kuchiki-san would've wanted it' like she was dead. Uryū had agreed that he needed to eat and starving himself wasn't going to make her wake up from bed. Both times, he had denied because he couldn't stand eating without knowing what was going on in her head.
He wanted her to wake up.
It wasn't fair that they were eating and she was starving to death but couldn't do anything because she was stuck sleeping in bed.
It was wrong.
And he wouldn't eat until she woke up.
The feeling of uneasiness was not something he wanted to feel, but with a 'morbid memory' as Captain Unohana had said possibly replaying in Rukia's head as she laid, was not something he was fond of her going through alone.
As Captain Unohana had said to him in the 4th Division barracks, "morbid memories are usually stemmed from psychological disorders or physical events—similar to nightmares, but more intense. Lieutenant Kuchiki is most likely going through a string of morbid events right now which is why she is so exhausted and in need of rest. We must remain positive, Kurosaki Ichigo and hope for the best—I assume she'll wake up very soon enough at her best."
'For the best' was all he could hope for right now.
But as the seventh day began to fade away and the sun was slowly sinking down to welcome the moon, Ichigo's tiredness and waiting was getting to the worst of him as he now sat alone watching her sleep.
Chad had been the first to leave, but none of their absences were voluntarily as the Soul Society needed as much help as they could get in the situation that was hastily turning them into an Antarctic sea. A few members of the 5th Division needed some help getting a block of ice off their subordinates—they came in search for Chad's help summoning his leave.
Then came Uryū—his identical-in-personality twin, Nanao had suggested in joining forces with the quincy in order to find out the past of the Okasake name—a suggestion that Uryū had complied to leaving Inoue and him to watch Rukia.
They had stayed together for a long while thinking about theories of what Renji didn't want to say and in the midst of silence, she'd talk about cooking and recipes he in no way intended on trying to avoid an inevitable stomach ache. After that, they had talked about school until members of the 4th Division had requested her help to aid.
He could tell by her expression that she didn't want to leave, but the lives of others were strictly at stake and she knew her tremendous healing abilities would most definitely be in need.
That left him—sitting and waiting for that crack of violet to appear as the sun sank and the skies resembling ember slowly turned into late night.
"Rukia..." He called gently as he stared at her petite frame.
The sound of her name felt so lovely to hear despite the absence of her voice's response.
And although he knew he wouldn't get a response, he decided to talk to her out loud as he was now alone without Orihime, Uryū and Chad in the way. He could question to his heart's content about his outrageous doubts and ridiculous insecurities to find out what or who was exactly troubling her.
"Rukia, why couldn't you look me in the eyes that day?" He questioned softly as he stared down at her figure. "What...What was it that you didn't want me to see?"
"We've known each other for quite a long time, Rukia. You don't have to hide anything anymore, through death and beyond we're friends—don't forget that. You can tell me if you're afraid...you can tell me anything about that bastard, Jushirmai all you'd like—you know I won't judge. So why are you hiding this from me? Are you going to hide this from me, Rukia? I want to know what he wants."
He babbled on.
"Renji's been hiding—not even Byakuya has seen much of him ever since that day. He's been distancing himself. To where, I don't know but I don't like it and neither does he. Not that he'll ever admit it but you know Byakuya, he's full of surprises nowadays."
"The Head Captain hasn't even said a word ever since that wartime order was released days ago. Apparently they haven't seen much of him either since no Captain meetings have been held in the past four days and the old man hasn't even said a word yet about what to do next. Everybody's kinda over the edge, we have no leads, no evidence, nothing but his reiatsu and that's barely doing a thing."
"Ishida and Nanao haven't reported anything new yet and the 11th Division are now fully recovering at their barracks instead of Captain Unohana's. Ikkaku and Yumichika are back to their normal selves as usual and Kenpachi has been gone for days."
"I don't know what the hell is happening but everybody's so displaced."
"And then there's Yachiru who's fine as always—did you know she has secret passageways through and out Byakuya's place? When she came to visit she came through like five different holes. I'm guessing Byakuya doesn't know why she's all over the place."
Ichigo didn't know if she could hear him or not, but he knew what he wanted to hear her say—something along the lines of 'fool, I'm awake' but that voice never came.
However, despite the response, he continued to talk and announce his thoughts out loud. An hour of his time would be devoted to talking on his own until Byakuya came.
"Kurosaki Ichigo." Byakuya called in the doorway—frame tall, shadow casted darkly, sun setting slowly behind him.
He knew what it meant.
It was time to leave.
He had spent 1/2 a day with her. First with his friends to being on his own—questioning her, talking to her, like they were back in the World of the Living and resided at his home.
Ichigo turned from his seating position to see him before standing up to take his intended leave.
"You don't have to say anything, Byakuya—I'll leave." He assured him despite the fact he had hoped Byakuya would invite him to stay the night to watch over Rukia. However, he knew he lacked sleep and Byakuya would rather have him be gone and Rukia alone so he took his intended leave. "Rukia's been alright but she hasn't woken up yet.
"I see." Was all Byakuya said before Ichigo walked past him.
"Take care of Rukia." Ichigo said despite the fact he knew it was not necessary in the mood Byakuya was in. And besides, with the dedication and concern he had taken in for her healing, Ichigo knew that if anyone was capable of the task, it would be Byakuya for sure—it was what he believed.
Her perception was obscured by a silver-tinted miasma—a fog blurring the images of a certain face and allowing her clouded vision to come into terms of what was linked to realism and the artificial essence of a dream.
It was like two separate worlds apart—the smeared image of different faces being painted with a silken thread of her hair's black and the picture of something irritably bright and solely orange.
She could see the wrinkles on one of the man's faces begin to smudge like a finger rubbing against freshly black ink and a sign similar to the number one etched in gold with another inscription on its back. The silver tresses of the men's hair—the younger ones dyed with colour and familiar ones dyed red all were pushed together in a single image, prompting memories—certain memories to replay in her head.
She could see several things she kept buried deep unravel themselves in an enigmatic light—showing the elder faces wrinkled but still wise, the smiles and unhidden vibrancy in a child's eyes, an extensive and lush green land, the upside down images of a river, and most importantly, her acquaintance with a noble clan.
It was like she was breathing her last breath—her memories unraveling from childhood until then with the seven minutes of brain cells she had left.
Piece by piece it was like dissecting a memory put together back to one—reminiscing but fading with an artistic smudge on the picture. But as those memories continued to decipher and fade to black after each quick sight of a face, she also saw another face on the other side—the real side, not the virtual one.
His talking continued and she could've sworn she was crying his name but the parchness in her throat refused to let it out.
Ichigo.
Ichigo, I'm awake.
I'm here!
I just can't...I just can't open my eyes.
The other world on the right continued to play like a slideshow but she refused to look and see what she already knew—what she lived through. Her vision was focused on Ichigo...the Ichigo that was slowly slipping away and began to rise with his amber eyes looking away.
Damn, fool!
Don't move!
I'm awake!
Nothing could be said as Ichigo disappeared again—blackness cloaking the left side of the other world and returning back to its main focus—the right side of the other world, the memories of the dead.
Ichigo!
She could see it now.
A certain tree and a brown-twisted rope.
Feet dangling and a black skirt.
She would've reacted in fear, but fear was something she was reluctant to feel at this moment and stage. And as the straight pale legs continued to sway, the left side of the world reappeared again and she almost croaked again to say the person's name.
Nii-sama!
She saw stoic grey.
Byakuya.
The darkness finally started spreading from the other side and the last thing she could see was the darkness rapidly growing. It was thick and dripping like rain to cover the last real image besides the virtual memory on the side that she had to latch onto for light.
No...Nii-sama!
Ichigo!
Wait!
It moved quicker than expected, mixing in with the darkness of Byakuya's tendrils and the darkness of Ichigo's black kimono. She saw the brightness of his hair become dimmer in the light and the intense gaze of Byakuya.
Ichigo's skin kissed by the sunlight and Byakuya's skin resembling the moon became engulfed with a miasma of white as the black covered it like layering skin and inevitably she could not shake herself from the right side of her memories that were also beginning to intensify—even featuring sound.
Voices became heard and it was all just too overbearing to hear in her head.
Ichigo was gone, Byakuya was completely covered in the shade of toxic black, the left side of her world played like recording cassette tapes...voices, people, names, words, actions, places, things, everything—played like an old cassette tape left on a step.
Rukia struggled in her virtual world—trying to find the images belonging to reality and shift away the memories into the darkness but her struggling ceased to exist in her imagination and left a familiar face with day-old apple wrinkles stare at her with disappointed eyes.
She croaked for what seemed like minutes for help as her face felt numbed with ice—unable to express her pain and emotion as well as her desperation to escape from these toxic memories.
The world continued to spin and she could see the colours of red, black, orange, indigo, white, grey, and silver all blend into one before all she could see was a girl—no woman, approaching her death. A rope tied around her neck and head buried within her white...or no perhaps, grey tresses? She wasn't sure of the hair colour though she knew exactly what was being repeated again. With a final step, her entire body and last breath choked as the rope tightened around her neck and her body was jerked from the rope as the trunk of wood she once stood on, fell down.
Oh no...
Not this...
Please...
I don't want to see this again!
I don't want to remember this!
The body dangled from a tree—lifeless, forgotten, dead.
I don't want to see this!
I don't want to see this!
I don't want to see this!
It was a mantra being repeated in her head.
I don't want to see this!
I don't want to see this!
I don't want to see this!
Stop, I said!
And now she could see it...her hair wasn't white, grey, not even silver but black.
I don't want to see this!
Please stop...
Just...Just get out of my head.
A thick cluster of silken black tresses dangled over the woman's head.
Please...
Stop...
The image grew closer and her heart dropped in her chest, evident fear thumped quickly before Rukia released a piercing and high-pitched scream when the lifeless body voiced...
"YOU'RE NOT DEAD!"
Rukia screamed.
Her entire body jolted in a rush of adrenaline and surprise as she felt her eyes yank open and her body jump in the air forming an arch before slamming back down onto the futon.
The scream had been voiced. Loud to the point where the voice inside her head feltreal.
Felt...very much alive.
"Rukia." She heard a firm tone say but her eyes were too caught up in shock to even notice.
She did not tremble, but her body was still reacting to the fear.
You're not dead...
You're not dead at all...
You liar!
You coward!
Her conscience's voice continued to speak but eventually it simmered down. When it did, she blinked in perplexity at the new image she was seeing now. The virtual side no longer existed and she was no longer torn in between two different worlds but one.
She saw a ceiling, she heard a fountain, she saw gold, she was on a bed, and she could no longer see the image of that dangling woman as she laid down and looked up to see Byakuya's head.
Her eyes shifted—the fear and intensity lessening into tiredness as she met his eyes.
She was in the Kuchiki Manor.
Safe and hidden away from those torturous memories.
For a bit.
They stared at each other wordlessly for a while as Rukia tried to convey a message to say. Her lips trembled as she tried to say his name—still visibly troubled by the last imagery that presented itself in her brain.
"Byakuya..."
He did not reply to her calling. He just stared at her with absolutely no words to say—unsure if he should request the presence of Captain Unohana or stay.
Rukia stared at him in concern when he did not reply to his name, wondering how long he and Ichigo had stayed.
"Nii...Nii-sama?" She called out again eventually shattering his trance at her being awake.
"Silence." He simply replied and she blinked in response—waiting for the rest of the words he planned to say. But when he didn't say anything at all, she filled the silence once again.
"How...How long has it been?" Her voice sounded so parched and tired that it was almost too distasteful to even speak.
"Seven days." He replied.
I thought it was longer...
"Oh...I see." Rukia said. "What did I miss?"
"The ryoka, himself has disappeared however, his reiatsu still remains within the Seireitei's grounds. I believe he has hidden his physical body somewhere else where he cannot be detected to avoid his discovery until you are fully recovered."
Rukia wordlessly nodded her head and he continued.
"I do not know if you were able to hear what Kurosaki Ichigo had said, however the 11th Division are expected to make a full recovery and have returned to their barracks to recuperate instead. As for the 12th Division, they were able to gather a fraction of the ryoka's reiatsu for analysis and construct stronger and formidable cloaks to provide warmth with the aid of Urahara Kisuke."
"Stronger ones?" She whispered.
He grunted with a nod. "They are replicas of the garments Kurosaki Ichigo and his human friends were wearing when we first encountered the ryoka."
It required too much strength to even think however, she had discreetly remembered the arrival of her human friends wearing cloaks—or 'capes' as Uryū would've preferred to say it—providing them a good amount of warmth in comparison to Captain Kurotsuchi's barrier-type blankets.
"Has the ice gone away?" She whispered as she asked.
"The ice is still present as the 12th Division are yet to find a reparative solution to the climate change. However, the Soul Society is no longer in a dire situation regarding the decreasing temperature—it has slowed down in the passing days."
"That's a relief...at least the freezing has subsided for awhile so we can find a way to destroy the barrier-type ice."
"Indeed. However, in terms of finding the ryoka, we do not have any leads. And Renji has been missing for the past four days—or rather, voluntarily missing in the past four days."
"What do you mean?"
"He has been avoiding the Gotei 13 voluntarily to avoid being a victim of interrogation by the Punishment Force on the 16th."
"I guess that makes sense. Did he not tell you when he was going to leave?"
"He did not inform anyone of his 'leaving' verbally, he left his departure note on the table addressed to the Gotei 13."
"He'll be back." She whispered.
"I'm aware."
"And Ichigo?"
"Kurosaki Ichigo and his human friends have resided in the Shiba Manor until further notice regarding theryoka and your health."
"Oh..." She formed a delicate and small smile. "I'm glad they are alright, it puts me at ease."
He nodded and then her smile decreased. "Nii-sama?"
He continued to stare.
"What...What happened to me? Why was I out for seven days?"
"You do not remember."
"I remember looking at the ryoka and then suddenly I felt this powerful pain that surged through my body and brain and then suddenly, everything went black."
"You lost consciousness and remained in bed for seven days. Since then you've received several check-ups from Captain Unohana and visits from the Gotei 13. In regards to your health they have delayed the pursuit of the ryoka until you have made a full recovery and are able to answer their questions in bed."
"They're going to interrogate me?" Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"You will be interrogated here with me—there is no reason to feel dread."
"But...Nii-sama, I can't—"
"You do not need to worry. It will be quite a while before your body can make a full recovery. I do not believe the Gotei 13 will interrogate you until you are fully prepared."
"Nii-sama..."
"Kuchiki-sama?"
Chiyo.
Byakuya turned his head.
"F-Forgive me for interrupting, but dinner is ready...will you and Rukia-sama be eating in the dining room?" She asked before Rukia nodded her head despite the question being directed to her brother instead.
Rukia's body felt heavy, but even so she propped her elbows up to raise her head that felt like the weight of steel before wincing and closing her eyes to raise her body. Her neck pained in torturous ways but she could not allow herself to be so weak and a burden before Byakuya's voice stopped her right away.
"No." Byakuya replied. "You will distribute dinner here."
Rukia's eyes widened in surprise at his answer before Chiyo bowed and nodded her head. "Yes, Kuchiki-sama."
Chiyo then disappeared, leaving Byakuya to turn around and meet her face.
"Lie still." He ordered and Rukia lowered her body down onto the futon.
She stared at his face in the most surprised and curious way—earning a glance from Byakuya's impassive eyes in confusion at her strange glance.
"What is it?" He questioned.
"Um...nothing it's just, you're okay? With eating...here in the room, Nii-sama?"
"Did we not eat in a room seven days before?"
"Well, yes but...I can stand, really. We can go into the dining room, I'll walk."
"We are still in a dire situation, Rukia." He said with his eyes closed and green tea slurped in between.
"But...But didn't you just say the Soul Society is no longer in a dire situation regarding freezing?"
"Indeed."
She blinked at him in response to his words however he did not voice anything back. Chiyo appeared just shortly with dinner—bringing some of her favorites like onigiri to her plate before helping her sit up once again. She used the nearby chair to brace against with her back to maintain her stance before slowly eating.
They did not speak after that.
"The Okasake surname is the name of a noble clan." Nanao informed with a midnight blue cloak draping her figure and her index finger pushing up her lens.
"A noble clan?" Uryū questioned curiously after his eyes tore away from the book he was analyzing and met the eyes of the Lieutenant through her glass.
"Yes, the Okasake clan is one of the great four noble clans currently residing in the Soul Society."
"Like the Kuchiki clan or Shihōin clan."
"Essentially—however, their family name is much more significant to the Soul Society's history and operations besides the Kuchiki clan who are the oldest noble clan to exist."
"How did they serve in the Soul Society's history?"
"That's the problem, I can't seem to find any records regarding their involvement in the creation and operations within the Soul Society or out of it. But it is noted here that they had a very significant involvement in the Gotei 13's operations as a clan."
"Hmph, that sure is strange—do you think your Captain, Captain Kyōraku would know anything about this? He was one of the first captains."
"He probably does but he's far too drunk to remember."
"Then maybe we should talk to Captain Ukitake."
"I agree, he'd most likely be aware about all the noble clans involved in the operations of the Soul Society however, I doubt he'll be well enough to speak. The cold weather has taken quite a toll on his health."
"That leaves Captain Unohana or the Head Captain, himself."
"Neither would be willing to answer our questions right now in the Seireitei's current cold state, we'll just have to find the answers on our own."
"I see. That's going to be much more difficult than asking the Captains but maybe we can ask that psychopathic scientist, Mayuri to give us access to the Soul Society's database."
"I agree, we should head to the Department of Research and Development immediately before the next Captain meeting is issued and ordered."
Uryū nodded his head in agreement with the light in the room reflecting off their different shaped glasses before they used shunpo to disappear from the 8th Division's barracks and sway.
The 78th District of Rukongai was lifeless.
A village cold, isolated, quiet and most of all, colourless.
Frost as pale as the moon was mounted in every corner—leaving the streets deserted with liveliness but shivering men and women struggling to survive the harsh arrival.
Renji could feel a shiver—so cold, so heartless, so frightening—slip down the dent of his spine and prompt a memory—a good one, an optimistic one in the Rukongai.
It had felt so rare then to even feel anything optimistic about the Rukongai before but that had all changed in the last five years he and Rukia had spent there until the deaths of their friends which lead to their departure—but there was something much, much more secretive and painful to the reason they left.
The reason why...Rukia had left, that is.
A reason he didn't entirely know except, he knew she would've never left if it didn't happen.
It was like the ember of light she had always radiated had come to a fade.
She had lost herself.
Felt vain, useless, pain.
Remembering memories like that only seemed to dim his aura at how harsh the Rukongai had truly become.
He found it hard to believe that fifty years ago the Rukongai had ever gotten hope of being a better place.
A place where nobody had to cry.
It had hope. Lots of hope. So much that it had been revived.
It was painful to remember, but leaving had made him lose two best friends...not one—two.
Rukia and Raiden.
His friend...
Rukia's friend...
Probably the only person he had really cared about besides Rukia.
He was an ass. Dumbass, actually.
But despite his cockiness, it was safe to say he was equivalent to him by name, by personality, by interest, by anything and everything he could name.
If it hadn't been the barriers that tore their friendship apart that day, they would've never been torn apart and would remain friends till this very day.
Rukia, Renji, and Raiden.
And now he was in search of him.
After so many years of estrangement between the three, he planned on doing exactly what Ichigo had done for him and Rukia. Now that Okasake Jushirmai was back, he was sure Raiden wouldn't stay hidden in the dust for too long. Especially after, Rukia and him had left him.
He knew he was still around.
Not in the Rukongai District, but alive.
Either way, he knew he would always come to visit the Rukongai Districts. Reasons being that everything wasn't always what it seemed. And that small, but enormous village he had grown up in taught him otherwise about the operations of the Soul Society—as he mentioned before, everything was not always what it seemed.
And Raiden would come back.
Always.
He had plenty of reasons too in the absence of others, he just wasn't too sure if he'd be here at this specific time.
But the frost would summon him—he knew it all too well that it would.
The arrival of Jushirmai, the reappearance of the Okasake clan—Okasake Hirosuke, the frost, the stolen zanpakutō, Rukia, everything.
The past was deciphering.
Everything once hidden away, sealed away, and taken away from all life and existence was all coming back at the speed of light just by the mere arrival of Okasake Jushirmai, the former heir of the Okasake clan, the man entitled to uphold the Okasake twins' name.
It wasn't something Raiden could ignore or them. If Renji didn't know him better, he'd say he was investigating the matter right now. But where? Where the fuck could he find him?
Renji stared down the hollow street of the village, noting the fact that dried up splashes of blood resided on the weak and rough wood that made up some of the houses.
Raiden, where the fuck are you?
Are you back there? Still there? Even now.
It was already risky enough to stay here when the Gotei 13 were probably out looking for him, and the others as well—they would recognize him, almost immediately and he knew he couldn't afford to stay here any longer.
He walked down the lonely street, in search for the reiatsu of his friend—taking note of the fact that he hadn't felt his friend's reiatsu in years and that concluding the fact that he was dead, was not an option.
He was alive.
He knew it.
But where?
Byakuya had left.
After they had eaten, Byakuya had stayed a while longer—transferring his paperwork from his study to Rukia's room to finish before Captain Ukitake and Kiyone and Sentarō had arrived to see how she was doing and give her some more flowers and books to read.
They had opened up the giant get-well-soon card signed by everyone in the Gotei 13 and discussed about all the things they could do in the ice and snow before they decided to leave and let her rest in peace.
Soon after, Byakuya had come back again to make sure she was still in bed after she had made several attempts to get up without him knowing to one—get another blanket—two—because she was tired of laying down—three—she needed a change in scenery—and four—she wanted to find Renji.
But after several attempts to escape, Byakuya had found her all over again with sputtering and cheap excuses like wanting tea or needing a walk—excuses he had either denied or fulfilled himself like the tea.
Now she sat alone. With the tea set her maid, Chiyo had brought her and poured as well as her favorite blanket, coming straight from the Rukongai, to layer her body as she sat up from her bed.
A single breath of oxygen looked more like smoke coming out of her mouth as she stared around the vacant and enormous space of her room.
She wanted to get up and roam around the empty space of her room but she knew as soon as she stepped onto the floor and a single crack was heard from her small feet, Byakuya would be up and awake faster than she could even return back to bed.
It was cold.
Freezing.
But she refused to use her reiatsu to shield her body due to her loss of strength in the past seven days.
Her eyes and ears shifted to the clear frost mounting every corner of her bedroom walls, the sound of the wind whispering and brushing through the trees, the presence of the pure white snow stacked in every corner, and most of all, the slithering clear ice covering everywhere as she breathed.
The shōji was closed.
But even then when it had been parted and closed several times, the beautiful white haze of snow had met her irises in amazement but fear.
Okasake Jushirmai was still out there...still using his father's assets to attain power and control and now he was after her or at the very least, return her to where she belonged.
To own up to her responsibilities and rights.
In moments of skepticism she had come to think it was just a dream or nightmare, to be correct. That Okasake Jushirmai wasn't here, that he had never returned with his father's zanpakutō, that he had never come back for her power that was already dead but most importantly, she still had time.
But she knew it was too good to be true. This was far from just a simple nightmare, it was the truth—reality. The reality she didn't want to face.
Okasake Jushirmai being one of them.
And the Okasake clan being two.
But there was so much more beyond that because everything wasn't always what it seemed.
The Rukongai District wasn't what it seemed.
The Soul Society wasn't what it seemed.
Even the Head Captain wasn't what he seemed.
And it was the truth.
She laid back down on her futon before looking up at the ceiling.
After seven days of consecutive sleep, she had grown tired of the thought of closing her eyes again and to dream or see the previous memories she had seen before.
It was too risky.
She was alone.
She could dream of anything that could haunt her so bad she'd never want to sleep...just like before.
Now she laid restlessly, too tired to even try again because she knew she would wake Byakuya all over again and she didn't think he'd be too pleased after her five fruitless attempts to leave.
She was hungry—anxious, worried, concerned.
She knew exactly where Renji was going.
She knew exactly whom he was trying to see. The answers he wanted to achieve.
She couldn't deny it, she was hungry to know as well.
But after so many years and strong ties gone loose, she didn't know if Renji or even her would ever see their friend again.
Well at least, she assumed for now.
He was probably off doing his own thing—he wasn't always the type to stick around. He was still an SOS after all so of course, he was still with them.
But that instantly made her restless as she found herself remembering the place where Raiden was at. The painful memories came back again and the restlessness continued.
She propped her elbows up once again and looked around—unsure of what she was looking for or what she planned on doing. Her eyes lazily gazed at the wall far from her actual futon and sighed. She laid back down and stared straight back at the plain ceiling.
Ichigo...
Byakuya...
The Gotei 13...
What were they thinking about as of right now? What did they think about her?
Did they think she was lying?
Didn't they believe?
After all, theGotei 13 had made plans to interrogate her and yet they had gifted her with flowers and cards—as an act or resolve.
She didn't know what was happening. She didn't know if she could escape for awhile before the interrogation could proceed. But Byakuya appeared to be sensing her movements like a hawk and if she had any plans on escaping, she'd have to do it on either Ichigo's watch or Captain Ukitake's.
For now all she could do was rest—or as planned, wait and see what Renji disclose after coming back. Either way, she knew she could not return to the Gotei 13 after Renji's confirmation and assurance was confirmed.
Once she had her answers, there would be no turning back from now on. After her body healed, she'd have to leave—run away, fake her abduction, and leave the Gotei 13 on a loose thread once again.
And after minutes of just staring and coming to the conclusion that she'd have to run away again, she rose back up—getting impatient again that night was still present with the moon still hanging brightly in the sky.
She sat up and immediately closed her eyes in pain. unnecessary movements were constantly prompting her dizziness when she was rash.
The pain was sharp—quick and hurting but it was enough to make her wince with her right hand flying to her forehead.
She slowly reopened her eyes—vision kind of blurry, pain gradually fading—and met the cold, hard floor of her room.
Being this restless was getting her nowhere, she concluded before she turned her head towards the right with her vision suddenly blurred with the colour of red.
She stared up at the figure, in the assumption that it was Renji who had slipped in to deliver some news about their current situation regarding Jūshirmai instead however, despite the familiar flash of red hair, it was not Renji who stood before her...it was someone else.
Tall with a few daring tattoos, cloaked in snow white, eyes as green as olives.
It was a face she hadn't seen in a long while.
So I was right...you are alive.
She didn't know whether it was glee or fear that coated her eyes, but she was surprised to see him...it had been so long since she had last seen those eyes that it felt almost like it was her own brain summoning an illusion of him after her previous thoughts of him.
She had assumed he would want to talk to Renji first. After all, they were the closest among the three of them. Always had been because of their similarities—personality wise and interest wise.
And now he stood here.
So bold and serious that she had almost forgot what it felt like to see him smile. She didn't know whether he was angry at her or if he just assumed their friendship was dead. But she didn't like the way his gaze felt like a cold cut to her face—his green eyes so dark and unforgiving instead of bright and wild, even daring towards her face.
All the candles burning so brightly in her room had lost its flame, he had taken them out so quickly and quietly that she hadn't even notice a thing.
Her eyes shamefully met his, even if she had no reason to feel shameful for anything she did. A shudder suddenly seeped down her spine at the loss of the fire and the intensity of his gaze.
Her mouth parted slightly as a white puff escaped her thin lips before she croaked out his name.
"Raiden." She called.
He glared.
End Note
There are no Images for this Chapter.
Rukia's Character Role in TIM
Rukia's character role here will be a major component of this arc and story. Many plot lines within the story are connected to her and will be stringed with flashbacks that will add onto the story. The Rukongai District has always been a place to dislike in my opinion due to how poorly the residents are treated in their so-called 'afterlife' however, the idea and fact that the Rukongai District takes up a vast majority of the Soul Society's land does allow me to be creative.
'Everything is not always what it seems' and the Rukongai District has potential to be something greater than the Seireitei or soul reapers combined in my opinion due to the struggles and hardships they've been through before. I've always liked the fact that the Rukongai District offered something more secretive, something more unknown, something more powerful than anyone ever assumed or believed.
byaruki / tumblr.