Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ Epilogue ❯ Responsibilities ( Chapter 2 )

Epilogue

Chapter Two: Responsibilities

One week earlier

She blinks in surprise at her reflection, as if the mirror is somehow lying to her. What she sees cannot possibly be her, yet the girl standing behind her smiles reassuringly, as if to say “yes, that's you, Rukia.”

“You're beautiful,” Ichigo whispers from behind, nuzzling her neck. It's unlike him to be so affectionate, so she's taken back by the comment.

“I'm not,” she chides, gently pushing him away. “You're just saying that.”

His face turns serious, and it kind of scares her. “I mean it.”

“Kiyone,” she asks, fidgeting, “what do you think?”

She can see her vice captain's face light up. “You look wonderful, captain!” she answers honestly, clasping onto Rukia's shoulders. “I had no idea your hair was so nice.”

Rukia frowns slightly, not enjoying the added weight on her head. “It's odd wearing brother's kenseikan. It is...heavy, and uncomfortable.”

“Well, you are the head of the Kuchiki household now,” her subordinate softly adds. Rukia's head lowers, and Kiyone panics, fearing that she may have upset her captain again.

It still hasn't sunk in for Rukia that her brother was dead.

She shakes her head at the thought, trying not to get her vice captain too worried about her. She couldn't allow herself to show any sign of weakness, especially now that she heads her adopted brother's family.

Rukia is not ignorant; she is fully aware that her adopted family, despite her brother's past efforts, has not fully accepted her. She is not deaf either. She can hear them whisper, of her being a dirty commoner, a girl unfit to preside over such a distinguished noble family. She knows about the lies and rumors they attempt to spread, but she allows it to continue, knowing that she cannot risk a power struggle to erupt within the family. It's better for them to be left occupied with their hate instead.

It's her duty to take care of her brother's family, even if they truly hate everything about her.

“I'm sorry captain,” Kiyone quickly apologizes, bowing her head profusely, “I didn't mean to-”

Rukia turns around and smiles at her vice captain. “At ease, Kiyone. It is alright, do not worry.”

Kiyone smiles hesitantly, and Rukia feels strange addressing her friend in such a formal manner, but she knows it is necessary. Imitating her brother's mannerisms is difficult but necessary if she wishes to uphold the family name properly.

A breeze enters the room, and Rukia turns her head to see Sentaro has entered the room using flash steps. She feels as if something is wrong, and it's confirmed when Sentaro lifts his head to show a worried expression on his face.

“Captain Kuchiki,” he says, voice shaking, “your presence is urgently required in the captains' chamber.”

“Captain Kuchiki,” Ukitake says respectfully, his voice calm and pleasant. “Rukia is doing an excellent job in my unit.”

Her brother nods wordlessly before departing, and Rukia feels like all her efforts have been for naught. Her brother does not even acknowledge her presence.

Ukitake pats her gently on the head, seemingly able to sense her disappointment. “That is just the way he is. Do not think that he does not care.”

She disagrees with her captain, but she chooses to remain quiet.

She's silent, until realizing that he was referring to her; she is not used to her new title yet. “Involving what?” she manages to say evenly, although she can't help but worry about what could be bothering her long time friend.

He's sweating now, and it almost looks like he's about to run away in fear. What could be troubling him so much?

“Involving what, Sentaro?” she asks him again, her voice cracking.

“Ichigo Kurosaki.”

She's already gone by the time he finishes, leaving only a faint residual sign of spirit energy in her wake.

-

A wind rustles into the room, followed by Rukia materializing before the rest of her peers in the captains' meeting area. All of them have already lined up in place, leaving her the last person to arrive.

As if it was the plan all along.

She narrows her eyes, glancing from captain to captain, realizing that none of them are looking at her, except for Captain Ukitake. There is a pained expression on her former captain's face, only adding to the unease she feels as she takes her place between Captain Hinimori and Captain Iba.

“When the time comes, I'll be the captain of the sixth division,” Renji boasts, pounding on his chest proudly. “They'll be in awe at my bankai!”

Rukia raises an eyebrow to this remark. “You can't even control it fully, idiot!” She does her best to deflate his ego, knowing that if she doesn't he will become lazy.

He frowns at her, looking quite pissed off at her harsh remark; of course, he could never be mad at her for too long, and she, being the good friend she was, takes advantage of this fact whenever she can.

Absently she wishes that Renji was in her place instead, but she tries not to dwell on her fallen friend. He deserved to take over the sixth division, not her.

“It is good that you have joined us, Captain Kuchiki,” Captain Sasakibe says, breaking the awkward silence in the room. “We've been waiting for you.”

She bows respectfully to the first division captain. He is a good man who tries his best to keep order among the captains, much like his former captain. He is not nearly as powerful, though, but everyone is used to having the first division captain be the voice of reason during a meeting.

“Why was I not informed of this meeting earlier?” she asks, trying not to sound indignant.

Captain Hinimori cuts her off coldly. “It did not concern you until now.”

Rukia flinches, taken back by her comment. Hinimori has grown cold over the last fifteen years, and the scar that covers a part of her face is a reminder of why she is no longer the same person.

“She's right,” adds Captain Matsumoto softly, “but what she means to say is that the situation is sensitive. We didn't call you in until we had reached a decision.”

“A decision?” she echoes. “A decision about what?” And then she remembers why she came here so quickly. “And why does it concern…Ichigo?”

“Ichigo Kurosaki,” Captain Kurotsuchi says with a grin, “must be dealt with.”

He is one of the few captains to escape death in the last fifteen years, and some say it's because of his cowardice and fear of death. No one dare tells him this to his face, as he is prone to experimenting on those that annoy him. Besides him, the only other senior captains left are Ukitake, Unohana, and Soi Fong; everyone else is dead.

“Dealt with? What do you mean by that?” she asks, her voice betraying her distress.

“Explain what the situation is, Captain Ukitake,” Unohana says in a motherly tone of voice, and Ukitake is broken out of his trance. The pained expression on her former captain's face does not bode well for what he is about to say.

“Rukia, we've been observing Ichigo ever since the beginning of the Aizen incident. His power is astounding for a human, as you know,” he says.

She nods knowingly, and he continues. “After the destruction of Hueco Mundo, all Hollows disappeared. It appears that without that dark realm powering them, they became ordinary souls.”

Rukia knows this, because she was there when Ichigo closed off that place with just his sword and his willpower.

His face darkens. “But not all the Hollows disappeared,” he says quietly. “There is one left.”

She puts a hand to her mouth in shock. “No…”

“Ichigo Kurosaki,” Captain Ise continues, “is a liability.”

Rukia can barely restrain herself from yelling, “He's not!”

“He is a threat to the peace we have fought so long for,” Captain Iba murmurs, unable to meet Rukia's eyes. “We cannot allow him to live.”

Captain Hisagi nods along. “As the last remaining Vizard, his soul is half Hollow. There is always the chance he will go rogue again.”

She cannot believe what she is hearing. “Ichigo saved us all! He is the reason we're all still alive!” she cries out, frantically looking around at her fellow captains for some sign of sanity.

Even Captain Kusajishi has her small, pink haired head lowered. She is too young to be a captain, but with most of the eleventh division dead she was naturally selected by the council.

“Ichi! Play with me!” Yachiru cries out, latching on this back.

Rukia laughs as he struggles to throw her off. He is good with children, always has been.

She wonders what his children will look like.

“That is not all,” Ukitake says. “He has never properly managed to contain the immense spiritual energy within. Much like how he first affected those around him, there is the possibility that his Hollow side will breed new Hollows.”

“But Hueco Mundo is gone! There haven't been any sightings of Hollows anymore-” she tries to say, but she is cut off by Soi Fong.

“Yet Ichigo is half Hollow…and he is still around,” she shoots back, her face colder these days since the death of Yoruichi. “He is a loose end that must be tied up.”

She realizes that there is more to Soi Fong's words. There is a pain in them, a pain she knows far too well.

“The decision was unanimous, Rukia,” Ukitake finishes, his voice tinged with a similar pain.

“After meeting him, I am not surprised that you decided to stay there,” he tells her, and she looks up from what she was doing.

“I don't understand? What do you mean captain?” she responds curiously.

He smiles gently. “He is like Kaien.”

“The life of one person can be taken when it means saving billions of souls from damnation,” Soi Fong adds evenly.

Each person in the room has lost someone dear to them, because of a Hollow or something like it. There is not a single person there, not even Kurotsuchi, that hasn't lost someone that meant something to them.

She understands that their combined decision was not taken lightly.

“I assume that he won't be coming to Soul Society?” she asks quietly.

“No,” Captain Ise answers. “His soul is tied to the Hollow. He cannot be purified the normal way. If he comes to Soul Society, the chance of his spirit corrupting those around him is highly probable.”

Her head lowers. “What will be done?”

She can feel Kurotsuchi's eyes on her. “We will destroy his soul.”

Her body trembles, and she wants to attack him for saying such a thing. With the power she has gained in the last fifteen years, she could probably kill him.

“I've developed a method based on the research I've done on the Quincy tribe,” he explains excitedly, “it took me a few tries, but I managed to perfect a poison that will destroy his soul, preventing him from entering Soul Society.”

“Bastard,” Rukia mutters under her breath, causing the masked captain to smile sickeningly at her.

“I've elected to be the one to do it,” Ukitake says painfully. “I-”

 

The sight of Captain Ukitake distraught is something she never thought she would see.

 

It is her fault that her captain is quieter, more reserved than before. She is responsible for the death of Kaien, not him or that Hollow that invaded his body.

 

The only person she can blame is herself.

 

Rukia cuts him off, stunning the white haired captain. “I will do it. He is my responsibility.”

 

“But Rukia, you can't-” he tries to reason with her, attempting to spare her from the pain.

 

She lifts her head up, her expression unreadable. “As the person who set him on the path he is on, I alone carry responsibility for him, Captain Ukitake. I will deal with him.”

 

“I love you,” he tells her, hesitantly at first. “I love you.”

 

She is not used to him being affectionate, but he is not the same stupid teenager now. It is five years later and he's grown into a fine young man who is about to start his medical career.

 

She doesn't know what to say, so she lies to him. “I love you too.”

 

At least, she thinks she is lying.

 

“I will deal with Ichigo,” she tells them.

 

Sacrificing one life to ensure everlasting peace...

 

It seems logical enough.

 

“I love you,” she tells him, and this time she feels like it's not a lie.

 

But logic has no place in matters of the heart.

 

To be continued