Updated: 21st June 2019 (mainly cosmetic changes)
Hello! Loooong time no see!
You must hate me, don't you, ahahaha…
I'm terribly sorry for such a long delay!
However right now I have a decent amount of free time, so I think I won't neglect this story so horribly from now on. Woohoo! Summer holidays! Even though I'm working, it isn't that bad. I have quite a few days off a month, so I'm not complaining ;D And I'm in a gorgeous place – Isles of Scilly. Perfect place for holidays, nevertheless the water in the sea is too damn cold! Can't swim in it! I went in as far as knee-deep and couldn't go farther… Freezing!
Anyway, many thanks to the reviewers! You're all wonderful and I'm a lazy arse…
Red Princess, Auel Nader, Tourmaline91, MistBlueFlowers, phoenix-aerith, CookieMonster666, ColourPearl, Wait-For-Sleep, DarkMagic10, SweetestChick, SoraXNamine, Anjiska, Sweet Scrifice, SnowLion no Miko, Breseis25, kookey, Ps e, scarlet white cross, utility, FireyFlames, sadbird, Teenager, deirdre's dreams, Belle Marionette, A, annikacan, Picttus, Kita of Nature, Sai Mei, Yuki Miyazawa, yume girl 91, oxXAnimeXxo
THANK YOU ALL!
Also special thanks to Teenager who drew me a FANART! (Do draw some more, please! ;) Link is in my profile, so go and check it out!
But now onto the story!
Second part of the Ichigo and Co.'s point of view!
Enjoy!
朝霧 -Asagiri-
The Frozen Whisper
by Asagiri
Chapter 6
Rising Sun
Captain-Commander Yamamoto looked into the distance at the sunset and exhaled wearily.
"I see, that's regrettable," he said after a pause.
In the end one of the things he had feared the most happened – they had lost a very valuable man. Though still young, Rukia Kuchiki had had a bright future before her. She had shown many talents, and with time undoubtedly would have become a splendid lieutenant, and one day perhaps even a captain. Unfortunately she had been deprived of the possibility to flourish, and they – to witness it.
Her death was not only a loss to Soul Society's forces, but also a severe blow to her friends, whom, even if she didn't have many, she was very close with. It might affect them deeply.
He prayed they wouldn't succumb to the thirst of revenge. It clouded better judgment and blinded to joys of life, making those obsessed with it lead a sad, empty existence. During his long life Captain-Commander Yamamoto had seen many men obsessed with revenge, who, after getting it, lost any reason to live and ended up dying like a dog.
Though the worst would be if they lost their resolve for anything. People who let themselves drown in guilt, they turned their backs on the world, blaming themselves for everything, even for things that weren't in their might. All they had the strength to do was perversely keep losing themselves in memories of the idealised past, trying to find solace within them, but in the end hurting themselves even deeper. It was just a matter of time before they became shadows of their former selves. They were just shells with no life inside. Like Hollows.
Captain-Commander Yamamoto didn't wish to see those youngsters live an empty existence. He hoped they were strong enough to live on not only for their own sake, but also for the sake of those who hadn't been given this chance. They should remember the dead ones, but at the same time shouldn't forget there's future ahead of them. Making the fullest of it should be somewhat of an obligation towards those who had already left this world.
Fortunately none of them was alone – they had each other to rely on in the darkest of times.
Captain-Commander Yamamoto sighed heavily. He felt very old and tired. When the war with Aizen and his Arrancars ended, he might consider retirement.
"Captain Zaraki and Captain Unohana, I'll ask you to stay for a little bit longer," he instructed, and then turned to the comers from Human World, "The four of you will stay here for the time being. You're strictly forbidden from leaving Soul Society. No acting on your own. Everything should be discussed with me beforehand. Do I make myself clear?" he asked sternly, but didn't wait for their response. "Rooms for you have been prepared in the 4th Division's barracks. Hanatarō Yamada, take them there."
"Yes, sir," the boy saluted in a low-spirited voice, which sounded even meeker than usual. He had already calmed down, but still his eyes were filled with tears and his nose was dripping.
"Good. There is a meeting tomorrow at eleven o'clock. Make sure to be there. All of you," Captain-Commander Yamamoto said, and after a pause added in a gentler tone, "Now go and get some rest. You're dismissed."
・
Without a word, Byakuya was the first one to leave. He would have to inform the Clan elders of Rukia's death. Not that they would care, he was perfectly aware of the fact that they never had approved of her, just like they never had approved of Hisana. The old bastards would probably be relieved to hear that the 'dirt' in their family had at last been removed completely.
It filled him with bitterness. Even though he was the head of his Clan, he could have never made the Kuchiki household a proper home for neither his wife nor adoptive sister. Not only he couldn't have protected them from death, he couldn't even have protected them from the cold treatment of the rigid elders.
He had failed on so many levels.
・
Orihime and her friends slowly walked towards the 4th Division, guided by Yamada-kun. Everyone were quiet, deep in their own, troubled thoughts.
She was so exhausted, both mentally and physically, that she was unable to cry any longer. Her chest and head felt empty, and all she could do was focus on the pain that emptiness shed. Weren't it for Kurosaki-kun's supporting arm, she would most probably fall to her knees. And once on the ground, she didn't think she would be able to muster any strength nor will to try and stand up again. She would be content with just staying right there, waiting for an end.
It was all her fault. If it hadn't been for her, this wouldn't have happened. She was the reason why Kuchiki-san had come to Hueco Mundo. In order to save her, Kuchiki-san had fought and in result had lost her life. For her, Orihime's, sake.
If only her Shun Shun Rikka had the power to reject death…
But it didn't.
It was her fault Kuchiki-san had died. Her…
・
For now Renji accompanied his friends. He needed to talk with Ichigo. If his instincts were correct, the redhead had some doubts regarding Rukia's demise, just like he had.
"Here we are, welcome to the 4th Division," Hanatarō announced, when they arrived at the front gate of their destination. "I have to ask which rooms exactly have been prepared for you, so please wait a bit. I'll be right back."
They all nodded their heads and watched as the 7th Seat disappeared behind the corner.
Renji wanted to discuss his concerns with Ichigo right away, but he decided to wait until they put Inoue to bed. The girl looked completely worn-out already, and any mention of Rukia's name could throw her into another crying fit, which, surely, wouldn't be any good for her. She needed rest more than anything now. Any more worry could make her seriously ill.
They didn't have to wait long for Hanatarō to return.
"You have two rooms. One is for Ichigo-san, Ishida-san and Sado-san, and the second one is for Orihime-san," he explained as he guided them inside the 4th Division and towards the barracks.
・
When they reached Inoue-san's room, Uryū opened the door and switched on the lights. After quickly locating the bed, he pulled the sheets aside, and watched as Kurosaki gently helped her lie down.
It wasn't that late yet, the sun had just set, but she had little strength in her left, drained from pain and sorrow. Today's events had been too much for her. He doubted that sleep would bring her any solace, but at least it should refresh her enough to help her face another day. Their fight wasn't over yet, after all – they had plenty of things left to do, and more obstacles to overcome.
Uryū took off her shoes, something that would never cross Kurosaki's oafish mind, and covered her with a blanket. He wanted to ask if she was all right, how she was feeling, or if she needed anything… but couldn't find it in himself. Her grief-stricken face held all the answers, his mundane questions would only add to her anguish.
So he gently squeezed her hand, and said quietly, "You should get some sleep, Inoue-san."
There wasn't much he could do, but at least he wanted her to know that he was there for her, if she needed him.
Yamada-kun shuffled beside him. "I brought you a sleeping draught," he told Inoue-san, handing her a small vial. "It'll help you fall asleep and will keep bad dreams away, so you can rest throughout the night."
・
Orihime could only force her lips into a small smile. Even though she was unable to express it properly the way they deserved it, she was truly grateful to them all.
"Get some sleep, Inoue," Kurosaki-kun told her gently.
She nodded her head automatically. Everyone's faces were full of worry and sadness. She wanted to comfort them, to reject all the bad things that had happened, but right now she wasn't even able to mask her own pain. Fearing it would swallow her like a black hole, she grasped onto the phrase her brother had always said every time things weren't going well.
There's always sunshine after the storm.
With that thought she drank the sleeping draught, closed her eyes and, before she knew it, she was locked in the embraces of dreamless sleep.
・
The boys left Inoue's room as quietly as possible. Ichigo, after a last look at her to reassure himself that she was finally safe, turned off the light, and followed the rest of his friends.
Their room was three doors away down the corridor. Tired, the first thing they did was to choose their respective beds and sit down – or throw themselves on one as that was what the substitute Shinigami did. Renji and Hanatarō chose to sit on the floor, resting their backs against the wall.
Ichigo sighed, finally able to calmly analyse the ambiguities regarding Rukia's supposed death, which he clung to in hope.
Firstly, according to Ulquiorra she and her opponent had killed each other.
That was a lie, he knew it for a fact, because he had checked and he was sure he had felt Rukia's reiatsu then, faint and waning, but still… It was only natural to confuse an enemy. Ulquiorra had used a basic tactic like this to distort his rational thinking and get him to fight him – successfully. Now he could only regret he hadn't ignored the Espada, and gone to her aid, when she had still been undeniably alive.
Secondly, according to Byakuya (and on account by an Espada) Rukia had been devoured.
She had become a prey to an Arrancar that had already been at the scene, so Ichigo believed it was safe to assume that that Arrancar had been, in fact, the 9th Espada – Rukia's opponent with whom she had exchanged killing blows. However she had been still alive after that. It was possible that the 9th Espada had been as well, but he was pretty sure he hadn't sensed anyone's reiatsu near Rukia when he had searched for hers. At the same time, he couldn't rule out the possibility that Espada's reiatsu had been simply too faint for him to sense it, especially when he had been agitated by Ulquiorra.
Thirdly, why would Espada kill his fellow comrade?
Rivalry? Internal strife? He supposed that for an Arrancar those reasons were enough to kill. Still, he was ninety-nine percent positive that Rukia's opponent had been dead by the time he had heard Ulquiorra's goad. So the one, with whom Byakuya had fought, couldn't have killed the 9th Espada.
Why the lie then? To deceive them?
What did they need Rukia for?
He sighed deeply. So many questions, but hardly any answers.
Ichigo looked at the faces of his silent friends, their gazes distant. They all seemed to be mulling over today's events.
"Oi," he said, looking for their attention. "Tell me about your fights, especially when…" he trailed off, unsure how to continue without sounding too desperate.
・
"When Rukia was claimed to have died?" Renji finished for him, eagerly waiting for the validation of his own doubts. Hope kept tugging at his heart, but before he allowed himself to fully embrace it, he needed someone else to give him the push into its arms.
"Yeah…" the redhead replied, looking at him curiously. "How did you learn about it?"
"The 8th Espada we were fighting with somehow was able to learn that Rukia and her opponent killed each other. He said he got a report…"
Ichigo sat up, and explained what he knew, "Ulquiorra, too, said he received a report, it was a cognition synchronisation or something called like this… Apparently it was some kind of ability of the 9th Espada. Were you able to sense Rukia's reiatsu then or afterwards?"
"Unfortunately, I don't think neither I nor Abarai will be of any more help here," Ishida said. "We were trapped in a room where our spiritual pressure was restricted, and we couldn't sense anything that was going on outside."
"Once we got out of there, it didn't occur to me to search for her," Renji added bitterly, unable to hide the regret from his voice. "I thought she was fine, and the report about her death was just some sick taunting by the enemy."
He clenched his fists in anger at his own powerlessness, while silently praying for his hopes to turn valid; for a chance to save his best friend.
・
"I get it, I thought so, too," Ichigo said in understanding. Then he turned to Chad, "What about you?"
"I was unconscious that time and only learned about Kuchiki's demise from Hanatarō, I'm sorry," Chad answered in a downhearted manner.
"It's all right," the redhead smiled reassuringly, and looked at the medical Shinigami. He might be holding the pieces that could help him solve this puzzle. With Byakuya he had arrived later, so perhaps he had different perspective. "Hanatarō? Can you tell us everything you know? What was Soul Society's plan of action?"
・
Hanatarō stared at Ichigo-san, unsure what was asked of him, and why he was asked anything in the first place. He stayed with them because of some sort of consolation he drew from their company. They were all mourning Rukia-san, just like he was. If he went to his quarters, he would be surrounded by people unaware of his feelings, going on with their lives, when Rukia-san was dead. A juxtaposition like this would make everything even more painful.
Everyone kept waiting for his reply, so he mumbled, "Well… Um…" and fell silent, his mind in turmoil.
Seeing the growing impatience on Ichigo-san's face, though, he collected his thoughts, and eventually reported, his voice hollow, "Captain-Commander Yamamoto, having learned that you went to Hueco Mundo, anticipated that you'd need help, so he quickly held a meeting and organised a backup team. Captain Kurotsuchi opened a Garganta gate and so we arrived in Hueco Mundo."
"I see…" Ichigo-san commented, and after a pause asked another question. "Once in Hueco Mundo, have you immediately gone in search of us?"
"Um, yes. Captain-Commander Yamamoto predicted that you would most likely separate, so before leaving Soul Society, the captains decided whom they would aid, to save the precious time. Why?"
"Did you search for Rukia's reiatsu?"
"No. Captain Kuchiki took off the moment we arrived, and I focused on following him."
"So Byakuya knew where to go?" Ichigo-san asked carefully with an edge to his voice he was unable to decipher.
"I guess so," Hanatarō answered slightly puzzled, starting to wonder why he was on the receiving end of so many questions.
"How long did it take you to get to Rukia?"
"Um… I arrived there in about thirty minutes, but Captain Kuchiki used Shunpo, so I guess he got there in fifteen minutes, maybe less… The way was like a maze, so I'm not sure."
"What did you see, when you arrived?"
"It looked like a bloodbath," he whispered, shuddering at the memory. "Blood and ice everywhere. Captain Kuchiki standing in the middle of the hall, his white haori blood-stained. And on the side a grotesque body of a huge Arrancar."
"Rukia's zanpakutō?"
Hanatarō shook his head. He didn't remember seeing her sword anywhere, but then again he never really paid heed even to his own.
・
Ichigo nodded, taking in and analysing all the information he obtained from the medical Shinigami. The puzzle was slowly unravelling, revealing small details that could be a proof that Rukia was still alive.
Ishida looked at him closely. "What is it, Kurosaki? What's on your mind anyway?"
He hesitated, unsure if he should tell them his theory now, and wondering what their reactions would be. A curt "Spit it out, Ichigo" from Renji made him realise that there wouldn't be a better time than now, and with their inputs perhaps they could form a plan together and rescue their friend.
"I… I don't think Rukia got killed there." Once he spoke those words, a sense of certainty washed over him, and he was ready to argue with anyone who thought otherwise until they were on board with him.
"Kurosaki," Ishida replied carefully. "It's hard for all of us to believe that Kuchiki-san is dead, but…"
Ichigo raised his hand, silencing the Quincy. "Look, I know that at first this might sound bonkers, but there's enough things that don't add up here."
He got up from his bed and started pacing around the room, while telling them all his doubts. They didn't interrupt him even once, closely listening to what he had to say. Finally, he concluded, "And last but not least, according to the report, she and her opponent killed each other. But when Byakuya arrived in Hueco Mundo, a long time after the report, he knew where to go. Meaning – he had sensed Rukia's reiatsu!"
Silence fell.
・
Despite himself, this time Renji didn't shun the hope that hit him with renewed strength. Ichigo had quite a few valid points, and he really wanted to believe them to be true.
"I had my doubts as well, even before you brought yours up," he declared.
"You did?" Ichigo asked, surprised.
"Yeah," Renji confirmed. "But now that there's two of us, who have independently found something fishy about all this, I think it's safe to say the probability that Rukia's supposed death was enemy's ploy is not zero anymore."
"Lieutenant Abarai, Ichigo-san, is that… is that for real? Is Rukia-san… alive?" Hanatarō asked in disbelief mixed with hope. Tears – this time of joy – started brimming in his eyes.
"I guess," Ichigo replied with a quirk to his lips, and Renji nodded his head.
Ishida cleared his throat. "I hate to be the devil's advocate here… And don't get me wrong, I want Kuchiki-san to be alive as much as any of you, but it would mean that the enemy had only up to fifteen minutes to hide her. Wouldn't Captain Kuchiki have noticed that she was moved?"
"I get you, it does seem to be quite a feat, but I don't think it would be impossible. Captain must have sensed Rukia's waning reiatsu and then focused solely on Shunpo to get there as quickly as possible."
"There are capable people in Aizen's army, too," Ichigo added. "I'm sure Ulquiorra could have achieved that, and there are Espadas we don't know yet, that could be even more fast-thinking and fast-acting than him."
"Still, it sounds like a bit of a stretch…" Ishida muttered, clearly displeased that he was arguing against his friends.
Renji was a little bit annoyed with him, but at the same time he understood why he was doing this and the necessity of his counterarguments. They could hope, but they couldn't allow themselves to become overcome with it in case this hope turned out to be false. It would just double their pain and nothing more.
"I'll try to confirm this with Captain tomorrow morning," Renji said, knowing it was crucial to straighten out the facts, though inwardly he wasn't keen on the idea of disturbing Captain Kuchiki's already shaken peace.
・
Uryū agreed that it would be best to clear their doubts first. Planning a rescue without confirmation that Kuchiki-san was still alive would be like chasing an illusion that could lead them off of a cliff and into a gaping hole of pain and disappointment. He didn't want that for his friends, and especially not for Inoue-san, who was most sensitive of them, and was already blaming herself for the loss of Kuchiki-san.
So, as miserable as it was making him, he continued to play devil's advocate. "Also, what would they need Kuchiki-san for? She's quite strong, but she doesn't have abilities that would be somewhat outrageous and useful for Aizen…"
Ichigo sighed. "I don't know…"
"Perhaps to bring our morale down?" Abarai suggested. "Tomorrow whole Soul Society will know that Captain Kuchiki's sister has been killed, even though four captains have gone to Hueco Mundo to bring her and her friends back. That can sound quite discouraging."
"Yes, but they could have just killed her, instead of bothering to—" Uryū started, only to be cut off by a knock on the door.
・
Renji looked at his friends in puzzlement, and being the closest one to the door, he got up and opened it.
"Captain Unohana," he greeted his superior, straightening up, though he couldn't completely mask his surprise at seeing her. Behind himself he heard everyone hurriedly get to their feet and greet her with a choral, "Good evening, Captain Unohana."
"Good evening, boys," Captain Unohana replied with a gentle smile. "Shouldn't you be fast asleep already?"
"We were just… talking. It's been a long day," Renji said dumbly, only to realise, that they were so preoccupied with their discussion that they hadn't noticed that the world outside the windows had become engulfed in darkness of the night. Suddenly he felt that the fatigue from the eventful day was taking its toll on him, and he was sure he wasn't alone in this regard.
"All the more reason to rest. Now, all of you to beds," she ordered. "Abarai-kun, return to your Division's barracks, and Hanatarō, off to your room."
"Yes, ma'am," Renji saluted. He felt intimidated by her and she was only smiling. With a curt "We'll talk in the morning" to his friends, and a "Good night" to Captain Unohana, he quickly left the room. He didn't want to make her angry. There were rumours about her and not all of them were pleasant.
"Good night, Captain," Hanatarō said nervously, and after waving his friends goodbye, he followed after Renji.
・
Captain Unohana looked at the remaining trio. "How are you feeling?"
"We're as fine as we can be," Ichigo answered for them all. "Exhausted, but I don't know if any of us will be able to sleep tonight."
"That won't do, you need to sleep," she told them gently. Reaching into her sleeve, she pulled out three little vials and handed them to the trio, one for each of them. "I'll have you drink this then, it'll help you fall asleep. You need to be rested for tomorrow, it'll be an eventful day, I think. And don't forget there's the meeting. I'll be waiting for you ten to eleven at the main gate of my Division. Please, don't be late."
"Of course, we'll be there."
"Good. Now, to beds," she turned to leave, but was stopped by Ishida's question.
"Excuse me, Captain Unohana, but how is Inoue-san? We've been quite worried about her… Have you got the chance to check up on her?"
"Yes, I went to her before coming to you," the captain of the 4th Division replied. "Physically she's fine, she doesn't have any injuries nor there are any signs of… abuse. Mentally, however, she's burdened greatly. The exhaustion from today also has its impact on her present state. Good sleep should do her some good, but… she will need you. Losing a friend is a devastating blow, after all. It will take time, but with your help, she should recover."
"Thank you," Ishida said. "We'll do everything in our might to help her."
"Yeah," Ichigo agreed resolutely. "She can count on us."
"Besides, she might not look like it, but Inoue is strong," Chad added.
Captain Unohana smiled. "I'm really happy to hear that. It's really refreshing to see a friendship like yours. Now end of this chatter. Go to sleep. You'll be of no help to Orihime-san if you'll be on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion."
"Yes, Captain Unohana," the three boys replied simultaneously.
"Splendid," she said and turned to leave. "Good night."
"Good night, Captain Unohana." Once again a chorus.
The captain of the 4th Division smiled, turned off the light, and left, closing the door after herself.
"Guess it can't be helped…" Ichigo whispered. "And there's no point having such an important discussion without Renji and Hanatarō."
"Sure, you're right," Ishida agreed.
"Yeah. Good night, then," Chad said.
"Good night."
And without even changing their clothes, they sat down on their beds, drank the sleeping draught and lied down. Before their heads hit the pillows, they were sound asleep.
"Kurosaki, time to wake up."
A voice. One that often pissed him off.
"Oi, wake up."
Another one. Gruff and annoying.
What did they want from him?
A hard poke in the ribs.
With a loud growl, Ichigo reluctantly lifted up his eyelids only to see Ishida, Chad and Renji standing above him and looking at him impatiently.
"Whadya want?" he mumbled incoherently, just when an understanding hit him and immediately he was wide awake. "No, never mind," he said, sitting up. Memories of yesterday's events flooded his mind, stirring him up with a purpose.
"Go take a shower, Kurosaki," Ishida advised. He and Chad had already changed into Shinigami robes they had been provided. "We don't have much time, so hurry up. The meeting is in less than two hours."
"Right…" Ichigo muttered more to himself than to any of them, and got up. "How long have you been up?" he asked, while picking up fresh robes and heading to a small bathroom connected to their room.
"Half an hour, I guess," Ishida replied. "Abarai woke us up when he came in."
"Why didn't you wake me up earlier, then?" he asked with a slight reproach in his voice.
"We tried, really, but you wouldn't budge an inch," Chad defended them.
"Whatever," Ichigo waved his hand dismissively, and entered the bathroom. After a quick, cold shower which washed away the remains of the sleepiness, he returned back to the room ready to face whatever the day would bring.
"So, do we have any new information?" he asked, looking hopefully at the crimson-haired Shinigami.
・
"We do, actually," Renji said. "I asked Captain about his actions after arriving in Hueco Mundo, and he said he did sense Rukia's reiatsu, but she wasn't alone. Someone else's reiatsu was there with her. Someone strong, too."
The look Captain Kuchiki had given him, when he had mentioned Rukia's name, would haunt him for the rest of his days. He was surprised he had even replied to his questions instead of mincing him with Senbonzakura.
"Hm, it couldn't have been the 9th Espada, then, could it?" Ichigo asked with a frown.
"Wait, there's more," Renji quickly continued, eager to tell everything he had learned this morning. "Focusing on his Shunpo, Captain lost Rukia's reiatsu for some time, but when he tried to sense her again, he couldn't find her. But that strong reiatsu was close, going back to the place where he sensed her last. And that's not all! Then one more person appeared – it was Captain's opponent. And then… wait for it… the strong reiatsu just walked away!"
"So there was a third person? Someone we didn't take into account before?" Ishida asked, his hand under his chin and his eyebrows furrowed in a deep thought.
"Yup."
Ichigo concluded, "So it's confirmed, they lied, most probably to hide something – a little fact that they had captured Rukia."
"That must be it!" Renji shouted, ready to depart for Hueco Mundo at any time.
"But why?" Ishida asked, still playing the devil's advocate. "I still don't think they would capture her just to bring our morale down… After all, they would have achieved the same effect if they just killed her, and it would be less troublesome than this elaborate scheme. Besides, they haven't announced they have her. Yet, at least. Moreover, I don't think Kuchiki-san's death would affect the whole Soul Society, only us and other people close to her…"
・
Yasutora, being the silent type, closely listened to his friends' discussion, and even though he wasn't offering his own observations, he was analysing the situation as much as any of them. At first it struck him odd that they weren't noticing it, but when he gave it a little bit more thought it made sense.
The three of them, especially Ichigo and Abarai, were always on the front lines, always going head-on, more focused on their goal than on the means of how to achieve it. That was why sometimes they lacked the bigger perspective. He, on the other hand, like Inoue, was usually in the back, serving as a support. Sometimes it gave him a better outlook on things, showing him details that they might have missed.
"Inoue," Yasutora said, startling his friends with his sudden input. "They want a leverage on her, to get her back. That's why they captured Kuchiki."
They all stared at him.
"Inoue?" Ichigo echoed.
After a pause Ishida slowly nodded his head, and said, "You might be right. Aizen once went through the trouble to make her come to him, then why wouldn't he do it again?"
"Yeah, but why haven't they announced they have Rukia?" Abarai asked. "Why haven't they asked for an exchange for Inoue?"
"I don't think they want Soul Society to know," Yasutora voiced his thoughts. "It seems more… personal."
"Yes!" the Quincy agreed and, pacing around the room, explained quickly, "The main addressee of their scheme is Inoue-san, and only she. They're cunning, and they're far better than us at this kind of underhand… games, let's call it. Because no matter how you look at it, it's just a game for them, they can't lose anything. Inoue-san might be useful for them, but she isn't necessary. And they haven't announced anything, because they left clues, anticipating that some of us, Kuchiki-san's closest friends, would notice them and guess their intentions. This isn't between them and Soul Society, but us, between them and Inoue-san. Soul Society wouldn't act only on a suspicion, but we would. They don't want an exchange. What do you think Inoue-san will do if she hears our doubts regarding Kuchiki-san's death?"
"She'll go to Aizen, without a second thought, whether it's an exchange or not," Yasutora said out loud what everyone were thinking, what he would do if he were in Inoue's shoes. What any of them would do, really, once confronted with a ploy like this.
"So, once again they want Inoue to come to them of her own free will, right?" Abarai growled, clearly fuming. "No, wait! There's no will at all! Bastards are forcing her to come, or else Rukia gets it! That's just vile!"
"What do we do then?" Yasutora asked, though he knew there was only one thing they could do – save their friend.
・
Uryū sighed, adjusting his glasses. "Well, we're hopeless in cases like this, aren't we?"
"That's our high merit, I'd say," Kurosaki commented, making the rest of the boys laugh in agreement. It was a cheerless laughter, though. The stakes were too high to make light of this situation.
"They will regret picking a fight with the wrong guys," Abarai declared in a low, dangerous tone. "We'll make them pay."
"Definitely!" the redhead concurred, determined. "They have abducted and upset our friends. Not to mention the ones they have hurt are girls! As men we simply can't ignore that! We can't let them get away with this!"
"Since when are you chivalric, Kurosaki?" Uryū smirked, receiving a glare from his friend. He quickly changed his tone, however, voicing one of the more – if not the most important matter, "Never mind that. What about Inoue-san? Will we tell her?"
Silence fell. Uryū felt that they all were of the same mind in this – they wanted to protect Inoue-san from Aizen and his cruel clutches. Yet she was hurting, thinking that Kuchiki-san was dead and that it was her fault. She didn't deserve this pain. They had to give her hope, so she could smile again. With her smile as their support, they could move mountains.
Kurosaki was the first one to break the silence. "I don't know," he said, ruffling his hair. "I'd like to keep her away from this, but… she has the right know."
"She should know," Sado agreed firmly. "How would she feel if she learned that we left her out?"
"I don't want her to become a tool in Aizen's game, but Sado has a point," Uryū added, carefully contemplating pros and cons. In the end, however, he just didn't want to lie to her. "Besides she might help us. Perhaps she knows something about Las Noches and Aizen that we don't."
"I think she should know. Friends don't keep secrets from one another," Abarai said.
The Quincy nodded his head. "So we all agree to tell Inoue-san everything we know. There's less than an hour until the meeting so I suggest we go to her now."
"Yeah."
"Oh, and Kurosaki, there's breakfast for you," Uryū pointed at a small table by the wall. He and Sado had already eaten their own, when they were waiting for the redhead to awake, and somehow he forgot to mention about it before, too many things on his mind.
"Really? Great, 'cause I'm starving here," the substitute Shinigami said happily, and grabbed the tray with his meal. "Anyway, let's get going. I'll eat in Inoue's room, no need to waste time."
Abarai opened the door, just when panting Yamada was about to hurriedly knock on it and run into their room, causing the boy to trip and fall over. He helped him up and prodded him out, saying, "You're just on time, kid, let's go."
・
Hanatarō was confused, but let them guide himself in the direction of Inoue-san's room. "G-good morning… Lieutenant Abarai… Ichigo-san… Sado-san… Ishida-san…" he greeted them between his breaths. "I would have been earlier, but had chores to do…"
"Morning," they all replied in chorus, apparently in higher spirits than last night. This gave him hope he was so afraid to clutch on to during the restless night.
"Have you come up with anything? Or have you found some new clue?" he asked them quickly, but quietly, so no-one around would hear him. He inwardly prayed for the best. "I have been thinking, I really have, I couldn't sleep, but… I came up with nothing. I can't remember anything useful apart from what I told you yesterday." He lowered his head in shame. "I'm sorry."
"Don't worry about it, Hanatarō," Ichigo-san said, gently patting his shoulder, clearly trying to cheer him up. "Along with Inoue, you're about to hear everything we have determined during our morning discussion. We're still at the starting point and there's many thing we, and that includes you too, will have to do, but eventually, we'll get there."
Hanatarō nodded, suddenly feeling optimistic about this, as if Rukia-san was already back in Soul Society.
Orihime woke up to sunrays seeping through translucent washi paper covering the window panels of her room. At first, sitting up and looking around, she didn't know where she was nor how she had ended up here. Her memories of the past few days were covered by impenetrable mist of oblivion. She stared at her hands and at her white dress with black trimmings, and second after second, minute after minute the mist slowly cleared, revealing the horrible truth. Regret and guilt overflowed her anew, and fresh tears started streaming down her face.
She was unforgivable.
Because of her ugly self a wonderful person had lost her life. How could she ever atone for the wrong she was responsible for? Was it even possible? How could she face the rest her friends? She felt that even Tatsuki-chan, who wasn't involved in the current affairs, would look at her with disdain should she ever hear about her fault.
"I'm so sorry," Orihime whimpered into her knees she held to her chest. Another quiet sob shook her body.
If Tatsuki-chan were to condemn her, then Kurosaki-kun would surely despise her! Ishida-kun and Sado-kun, too! Not to mention Abarai-san… She knew she deserved it, yet she feared it, and wanted to reject it.
Orihime kept unconsciously squeezing and folding the hem of her dress, when she eventually stared at it as if she noticed it for the first time. The sudden urge to take off this Arrancar outfit was too strong to subdue, so she stripped and threw it on the floor. She was about to grab a blanket to cover herself with, but she noticed a set of Shinigami robes prepared for her, and next to it a tray with breakfast and a note from Captain Unohana – there was a meeting at eleven o'clock. A quick glance at a clock told her it was 09:06.
A thought of breakfast filled her mouth with a taste of ash, so she decided to skip it and move on to cleaning herself and making herself look somehow presentable.
She lost the track of time, standing under the shower. Warm water flowing down her body was almost like an embrace, even though it mixed with her tears and couldn't wash away her sadness. She felt miserable and lost like she hadn't felt since her brother's death. She didn't know what to do. Her thoughts were in chaos, leaning towards despair. So unlike her… When she should be the optimistic one, supporting her friends throughout the hardships.
That's right! She wouldn't be of any help to anyone, if all she did was wallow in self-blame. This way she wouldn't be able to atone for what she had done, nor it would be fair towards Kuchiki-san who had given her life for her. Even if she was shunned by others, she couldn't let her sacrifice end up in vain!
Feeling slightly better, Orihime finished her shower, dried herself and put on fresh clothes. She tried to smile at herself in the mirror, but it looked and felt forced.
Back to her room, she frantically began pacing around, wondering about Kurosaki-kun and rest of her friends. Where were they? How were they feeling? Were they awake yet? Should she go find them? How could she make them feel better?
Concerned about them, she dared to slide the window open just slightly to check out what was going outside. She was instantly blinded by the morning sun. Shielding her eyes with her hand she looked at Soul Society.
Everything seemed normal, like any other day. No-one was in sight, but she could hear a hum of activity around. It was as if they didn't know Kuchiki-san had died. Then again, they probably knew. After all she was a part of a noble family and a younger sister to Captain Byakuya Kuchiki – any gossips were bound to spread like a wildfire and news of a tragedy like this wouldn't be an exception. It was just that they weren't close to her, and thus didn't really care. It was nothing personal, Orihime knew, yet she felt a prick of indignation that the world kept on going, even without Kuchiki-san.
Closing the window, she lay on the bed without as much as a glance at the breakfast.
Could she live on after Kuchiki-san's death?
Right now she wasn't so sure, despite her resolution to not let her friend's death be in vain. Unlike Kuchiki-san, she was weak.
She didn't know how long she spent staring at the white ceiling and wondering just what Kuchiki-san would want her do. To live on seemed difficult right now, but she didn't want to disappoint her.
Suddenly there was a knock on the door and she heard a brash, "Inoue, are you awake?"
She would recognize this voice anywhere.
"Not so loud, Kurosaki!"
And there was Ishida-kun, too.
Orihime sat up, panic rising inside her – suddenly she didn't think she could face them. However it seemed she didn't have a say in this, as before she could respond properly or hide in the bathroom (or respond while hiding in the bathroom), the door opened and five boys briskly entered her room.
"Mornin', Inoue!" Kurosaki-kun greeted her with a smile. "How are you feeling?"
She looked at him weirdly, unable to comprehend why he was so cheerful. And why was he holding a breakfast tray? She smiled unsure how she should react to such an unsuitable behaviour. "G-good morning, Kurosaki-kun," she returned the greeting and turned to the rest of her friends. "Good morning, Ishida-kun, Sado-kun, Abarai-san, Yamada-kun, how are you?"
・
"We're okay," Uryū replied, and looking at her worriedly, he asked, "More importantly, how are you?"
"I-I…" Inoue-san looked down at the floor, clearly hesitating. "I… I don't have any wounds or even bruises, so… I'm fine… I guess…" She laughed nervously, scratching the back of her head.
He smiled slightly at this. It was so much like her to try not to worry anyone, even though she was suffering the most out of them all. He hated seeing her like this, so to ease her pain, they needed to tell her everything at once. She deserved to know, even if it was just a theory or their wishful thinking.
"It's all right, Inoue-san," he tried to comfort her, and her smile faltered for a second.
"Inoue, we have something important to tell you," Kurosaki started, his expression now serious.
"Yes?" she said meekly, and lowered her head to hide her face from their eyes.
"This might be difficult to believe, and we don't know if it's really the case nor how it will turn out… And, mind you, don't get your hopes too much up… but we think Rukia is alive," the redhead announced.
A few silent seconds passed. Then Inoue-san raised her head so fast, Uryū thought her neck almost broke off, making him wince inwardly. The mixed feelings of disbelief and hope shone in her eyes.
"What? Really?" she asked.
"That's right," Abarai added. "We have every possible basis to believe so. Rukia is alive."
・
For Orihime the world around her started spinning as if she was inside of a kaleidoscope, and before she knew it, her body was on the bed and the gush of colours changed into blackness as she almost passed out. Voices were calling her name, but they sounded like they were coming from a very far away. Someone was also squeezing her hand and gently patting her cheek, but it too seemed detached. But after a while those sensations became more real. When she opened her eyes she could actually see her friends, though they were blurred a little.
"Inoue, are you alright?" Kurosaki-kun asked, worry written all over his face.
"She might be weakened," Ishida-kun guessed, concerned as much as the redhead. "Have you eaten your breakfast, Inoue-san?"
"I'm so glad… so glad…" was all she could utter. All grief and heartache that had enveloped her disappeared as if by magic. Tears that couldn't have stopped falling from misery now couldn't stop falling from joy. Her mouth turned into the widest of smiles, and she gave out a choked laugh.
・
Ichigo exhaled deeply, relieved. Inoue sure gave him a scare when she had almost fainted, but seeing her brilliant smile, he couldn't help but grin with her. Actually, everyone gathered were now grinning like idiots, and Hanatarō was also crying.
"Once you calm down, we'll tell you all the conclusions we have arrived at," he told her.
In return she nodded her head vigorously several times, and then slowly exhaling and inhaling, she wiped her eyes and cheeks with sleeves of her Shinigami clothes. Before long she was all ears.
Ishida, spotting her untouched meal, pointed at it and asked, "You still haven't eaten your breakfast, Inoue-san. The meeting is soon, so you better eat it now, while we explain everything."
She laughed, looking slightly embarrassed. "If you don't mind… I'm famished, actually."
"No, not at all," Ichigo grinned, and sat down on the floor near her, putting the tray with his breakfast on his lap. "And I brought mine to keep you company."
Smiling, Inoue followed his suit, and then the rest of their friends, and soon everyone were sitting comfortably on the floor. While the two of them ate their meals, Ishida, backed here and there by Renji and Chad, explained everything to her.
・
Orihime listened closely, even though she didn't feel the need to know everything. Their statement alone that Kuchiki-san was alive was enough for her, other details weren't that important. She also instantly believed that these were facts and not their assumptions. She rejected the unclear "might be alive" in favour of "is alive", and no matter how naïve or blind her approach was, she wouldn't have it any other way.
"So this is it," Ishida-kun concluded. "We believe that Aizen wants you back. That's why he captured Kuchiki-san."
Orihime didn't need much time to analyse what she had just heard. She perfectly knew what she had to do. It was the only right thing to do, after all.
"I'll go to him," she declared in a firm voice and with solid determination shining in her eyes.
Kurosaki-kun smiled slightly. "That's what we thought you'd say… But we can't let you go."
On any other occasion, if she received a smile like this from him, she would falter a bit, blush and start speaking nonsense. But right now, nothing was more important than saving her friend from the clutches of enemy. She couldn't abandon Kuchiki-san! "But—"
Ishida-kun cut her off, "It isn't an exchange. Aizen won't let Kuchiki-san go. We can't lose both of you. And this time you're not alone, Inoue-san. You have us. You can rely on us, though we aren't too much of a help."
Orihime understood what they were trying to say, but she didn't want to acknowledge it. "What about Kuchiki-san? We can't leave her like this!"
"We can't and we won't," Abarai-san replied. "But sending you there all by yourself is plainly stupid. It would make our rescue mission and Rukia's plight pointless. And I'm sure she wouldn't want this. We need to come up with something that will allow us to save you both. We can't sacrifice one for another."
"I don't want to interrupt," Yamada-kun cut in timidly. "But soon we need to meet up with Captain Unohana…"
All eyes went to the clock. 10:48.
"We better not to keep her waiting…" the boy added, scratching the back of his head.
"Yeah, let's go," Abarai-san agreed. "We'll finish this when the meeting is over."
A/N:
This is it!
I hope you liked how it came out.
There won't be any more inserts like this, unless you wish for some more!
Next chapter will be purely focused on slowly (veeeryyy slooowlyyy) growing romance between Rukia and Ulquiorra, hahaha ;D
But hey! It is growing!
Bye!
朝霧 -Asagiri-