Rising early in the morning in his bedroom was Renji Abarai. This particular Soul Reaper served as the lieutenant to Byakuya and was also one of Ichigo's closest Soul Reaper friends. How much has changed since Silas's arrival.
Before departing, Renji looked in a mirror, his brown eyes staring at him as if something was wrong. He couldn't quite put a finger on it, so he tied his crimson hair into a ponytail like always.
Renji was never the type to overestimate a situation. He was as dynamic as his appearance, being both smug and disquieted before and after fights. Due to the shift in balanced power within the Seireitei and his childhood friend about to face execution, he truly couldn't tell what he was fighting for.
It was Ichigo that had helped him find a new resolve to standby those he cherished. But without him, all he had was the determination to surpass his captain. It's that same determination that's been driving him to grow stronger, compounded by the philosophy he holds from squad eleven, his former squad. Considering Byakuya was for the execution and Ichigo no longer existed, he didn't have anyone to sway his heart.
Walking casually across the courtyards of squad six, he was greeted by many of his coworkers. It paid well to be a lieutenant, having almost everyone bow as they passed. This was the standard for the squad: to maintain order and obey the rules of the Soul Society. Renji's personality never truly fit, but his skills and talents did.
"Good morning, lieutenant Abarai!" an unseated officer greeted. This Soul Reaper's name was Rikichi Yuki, and he had a tattoo above his left eye in admiration for Renji. "Where are you headed off to, lieutenant?"
"That's none of your concerns. Don't you have business elsewhere?"
Rikichi scratched his head, forgetting what he was even doing. Apologizing, he let Renji go, a tad worried for his lieutenant's behaviour. For awhile now, Renji has been acting cold to everyone. Almost like he had to take out his frustrations on everyone else since he couldn't find what the problem was.
Renji was headed to a high tower near the center of the Seireitei. That tower was called the "Palace of Penitence". It was also where Rukia Kuchiki had been moved to after Aizen faked his death.
Pale light filtered through the only window within Rukia's cell. Outside was a giant guillotine waiting to be used on her. As she stared at it, someone opened the door. Rukia's head turned to see, unsurprised to find that it was her childhood friend, Renji.
Rukia was shrouded in white prison robes. To him, she looked more like a fragile doll than a condemned criminal. "Rukia," Renji's voice crackled with barely contained fury. "Tell me again why you gave your powers away. Your life! For what? Some man you barely knew?"
Rukia flinched, her gaze flitting to the floor. "Renji, I told you already. He wasn't just any man. He and his family needed help."
Renji clenched his fists, his voice shaking. "You could have run. But no, you chose to sacrifice everything for a stranger."
"Not a stranger," Rukia whispered, her voice barely audible. "His name was Ichigo... and he was more than that."
During Rukia's imprisonment, Renji had only visited her a couple of times. There hadn't seemed to be any debate or regrets then. Only now was he acting more unruly, despite having read the reports on Silas.
Renji scoffed. "And what? Was he your knight in shining armor? Did he whisper sweet nothings in your ear before stealing your identity?"
Rukia's eyes flashed with defiance. "Don't talk about things you don't understand, Renji. You wouldn't believe the things we went through. Besides, it's all in the past now." A smile crept on her cheeks. "I've moved on from it."
The air crackled with silence, emotions hanging heavy between them. Renji saw the unspoken truth in her eyes—a flicker of something deeper than mere gratitude. It was something that twisted his insides like a vice. After all, the two were written to have gotten married.
"Moved on?" he spat, the words tasting sour on his tongue. "You barely knew him! What could you possibly have felt in such a short time?"
For a split second, he saw something flicker across her face, masked by her forced smile. "Friendship, Renji. Just... deep friendship. You of all people should remember what that felt like."
Those words hung heavy in the air, suffocating them both. Renji knew Rukia better than most people. He saw the way her gaze lingered at the mention of Ichigo's name and the way her voice softened when she spoke of him. On the day that he told her that a ryoka matching Silas's description was present, she remained calm, hiding her true thoughts.1
Renji slammed his fist against the wall, the dust brushing past the air. "Darn it, Rukia! Why do you have to be so blind?"
There wasn't a single change in her expression. "It wasn't your burden to bear, Renji. Besides… I made my choice. And I accept my punishment for breaking the rules."
Rukia's answer was a declaration of independence that felt like a dagger to his heart. He then understood, with a sickening certainty, that the Rukia he once knew was going to die, and there wasn't a single thing he could do about it.
Who could he fight? Where would he run? How long could he survive even if he escaped with her?
Once the judgment to execute her was made, there was no overturning Central 46's decision. Rukia had become no more than a woman whose life was going to end because of a stranger. That thought bellowed in Renji's thoughts. He turned to leave, his heart a tangled mess of anger, confusion, and a gnawing, unfamiliar ache.
As he reached the cell door, Rukia's voice, soft yet resolute, called him back.
"Renji," she said, her eyes pleading, "If you see him, tell him to go home, to stop fighting for my sake... I don't regret a thing."
He looked back at her, at the girl who used to share dreams of becoming Soul Reapers, at the woman who now wore the chains of her own choices. With furrowed brows, he stepped out of the cell with one goal in mind: to kill Silas!
1 Yes, the author used the names correctly here.