Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ Your Memory is My Revenge ❯ The Battle ( Chapter 7 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any Bleach affiliates.

 

(A/N: Continue to read and review! *She said as she smiled at the keyboard, then dropped face down onto it…zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz due to a large lack of sleep… but other than that, I'm okay peoples…*)

 

Chapter 7

 

“I wish I could have seen her, just once, just once before I die.

 

I wish I could see her… and then I can rest in peace.”

 

It was near evening before Rukia felt she could go out again. She had stayed on her bed mostly, restlessly tossing and turning, unable to sleep, unable to dream, unable to close her eyes for fear of the memories engulfing her once again.

 

It was Sadae who had finally convinced her to come out of her room and come to the place she needed to see.

 

The shrine was a small one, a tiny pagoda surrounded by white flowers propped inside vases. There were some pictures and paintings as well. A young boy, a woman, a teenage boy, and an old man; and in the very center, a simple drawing, charcoal on a wood slat, placed inside of a picture frame, of two girls, one who looked almost exactly like Rukia, the other of an infant girl.

 

“The villagers erected this in memoriam.” Sadae said sadly, she was standing behind Rukia, who was staring at the images, her face clouded in unreadable emotions. “When you and Hisana died, the entire village mourned your deaths. After a few years, when it happened again, the village was plagued once again with an interminable sadness. It seemed as if the monster who attacks these innocent people comes whenever the village gets over their loss.”

 

“But the monster,” Rukia said quietly, “Attacks at large intervals, only every ten or fifteen years, does it truly take so long for people to recover?” She asked.

 

Sadae nodded, “I understand… someone like you has seen death hundreds of times, you are no longer affected by such trivial matters as life and a persons' expiration.” She came forward and touched the petal of a wilting flower. “In a community like ours, still attached to the older times, we cherish the friendship and companionship of the people around us. When a person dies, even of natural causes, we mourn their deaths for a very long time. We feel their loss almost every day. Even if it was the person who placed little flowers in a window or lit incense at their door or even drove a fish cart to the city every week, we feel their loss daily, we feel the empty area they vacated, and we cannot get over it. And if the purposeful murders of the innocent are coupled with the natural deaths of the sick and elderly, there is rarely a time where we are without sorrow.”

 

Rukia nodded, her mouth a line of sadness. “I see… the pain never leaves this place.”

 

Sadae nodded, her eyes depressed. “Yes, pain is always present.”

 

Rukia frowned and felt her fists clench. “It never, ever leaves… it feeds, it feeds on the fear and the sadness… it eats it up until it grows and grows. And its power is exponentially increased.”

 

Gasping, Rukia swung around and grasped Sadae by the shoulders. “The attacks… Sadae-sama, when was the last attack?”

 

“What do you mean?” The woman asked, startled by the sudden life flowing out of the girl.

 

“The attack—the last one to die, when was it?” Rukia cried, bringing the old woman forward and shaking her.

 

“I-It was three years ago.” She sputtered.

 

“And the one before that?” Rukia demanded, her fingers tightening.

 

“Five!”

 

“Before that?”

 

“I-I think it was eight!”

 

“Each time it happened, what was the weather like?”

 

Sadae definitely looked frightened now, her old and wrinkled face was pale and her hands were shaking like mad. “I-I don't know, it-it might have been raining! B-but I, I am not sure!”

 

“Rain!” Rukia gasped, her eyes brightening with a wicked light. “Of course! The rain!” She pushed Sadae away and clumsily ran her hand through her hair. “Of course! Rain would hide everything, it would hide the footprints, the blood, if it was thick enough it would even conceal the spirit energy of the Hollow! No wonder no one was assigned to the case, no one knew it was even a Hollow, they just assumed it was nothing…”

 

“A… Hollow?” Sadae whispered, her hands going to clutch her face. “A monster?”

 

“Worse.” Rukia muttered darkly. She whipped her head back to Sadae, “The years of the attacks have decreased, the Hollow's power is being increased, slowly but surely. If it has been killing for over one hundred and fifty years its powers must have grown to enormous heights. It is feeding on your sorrow… and the more it feeds the more it needs.”

 

Sadae swallowed, “The years have been decreasing, slowly… eight… five… three…”

 

“One.” Rukia murmured, her dark gaze hardening to a deep and destructive blackness.

 

A faint shout echoed around the town, Rukia and Sadae looked up and swung their gazes over towards the far end of the village. It was a woman Rukia vaguely recalled seeing earlier. She had been holding a child, a little girl, in her arms.

 

“Hiromi?” The woman called, reaching her hands up to her mouth and calling. “Hiromi, where are you? Hiromi?”

 

Rukia bit the bottom of her lip as she felt a single raindrop fall from the dark sky. The pregnant clouds above her were ready to let the let loose the torrential rains of heaven.

 

“Oh no.” Sadae whispered, her hands clutching her face in fear, “Not Hiromi.”

 

She spun around and cried, “Rukia, we must—”

 

But Rukia was gone.

 

 

Rukia had rushed into the inn and threw the contents of her backpack onto the ground, furiously, her hands searched for the soul candy she had brought with her.

 

Upon finding it she thrust one down her throat and felt her Shinigami form projected forward. Her hand gripped the hilt of her sword and she jumped out of the window, shouting orders to the modified soul to stay put.

 

Hiromi is going to die next. Rukia thought desperately. I need to go and help her, I need to destroy the Hollow… for Hiromi… for Hisana….

 

For me.

 

Rukia rushed towards the stream, the driving force of the rain slammed against her face and doused her clothes. Lightning crackled and thunder boomed as she ran, faster and faster until the rain seemed only a blur. The trees were coming up, she could hear the furious rushing of a stream.

 

A scream echoed into the night, muffled by the rain and the wind, but Rukia could hear it, clear as day she could hear it.

 

A large roar ripped through the night, the unmistakable thunder of a deadly and powerful Hollow. “I am Hollow, you are food, I only wish to hear you scream.”

 

Rukia lashed forward, her muscles screaming in protest, her heart thundering with desperation.

 

She drew her sword and cried, “Sode no Shirayuki!”

 

 

Ichigo ran to the first place he saw with actual lights shining in the windows. The rain was coming down in sheets, drenching his hair and running down his clothes, mud was everywhere, turning this dusty town into one giant mudslide—he had already fallen twice.

 

Cursing the stupid rain and the stupid town he ran towards the stupid house. Ichigo grabbed the handle and burst through the door.

 

Dripping on a tiny carpet in the foyer, Ichigo wiped the water out of his eyes and tried to shake some off of his clothes.

 

“Oh wook, it's Kuwosaki Ichigo!”

 

Ichigo's head snapped up and his eyes widened. “Rukia!” He cried, rushing forward and grasping her arms. “Rukia! Thank Kami I found you! You can't believe how worried I was, you stupid girl! You can't just leave without telling anyone. You stupid, stupid—”

 

Rukia grinned hugely and clapped her hands in front of her face, Ichigo stopped and stared at her, her actions weren't right… she should be hitting him right about now. Ichigo then thought back to the sound of her voice, which he hadn't noticed in his spurt of relief.

 

“Wukia isn't here wight now! Pyon takes a message!” The modified soul cried, grinning stupidly at him.

 

Ichigo released her arms and ran one had through his hair. It was a good thing he figured out who she was, because he had been ready to kiss the girl in front of him, thank Kami she—

 

“Wait,” he cried, gripping her arms again, only tighter, “If you're her modified soul, where's Rukia?”

 

“OUT!” Pyon cried, jumping up and down, a huge grin present on her face.

 

“Out where?” He screamed, “Where did she go?”

 

“She went after the monster.” Came a soft voice from the back, Ichigo looked up and saw a wrinkled old woman, her shoulders slumped and her form seemed to be weighed down with sadness. “Hiromi was taken and Rukia went after the monster, the monster who killed her… she called it hollow.”

 

Ichigo's breath caught, “A `Hollow?'”

 

The old woman nodded, “Hollow, yes, Hollow… Hisana… unmistakable death.”

 

“Oh no,” Ichigo gasped, within moments he was fumbling with his Shinigami representative pendant, he pressed it against his chest and his Death God form sprang out. The old woman gasped as his body fell to the ground. Pyon let it fall and instead went to the woman, who began to crumple in surprise.

 

In an instant, Ichigo was outside, running towards the faint spirit energy he felt looming about a mile or two away.

 

“Rukia…” he growled, his hand on the hilt of Zangetsu, “Whatever you do, don't get yourself killed.”

 

 

It was difficult, Rukia would later discover, to fight a powerful Hollow while trying to hold onto an unconscious young girl.

 

She had gotten there in time, just in time to save Hiromi from the deadly claws of the Hollow who had killed her over one hundred and fifty years ago.

 

It was a grotesque thing, it had spindly arms that were easily three times the length of its small and sound body, the claws at the end of its long, tapered fingers, were as long as Rukia's own arm and easily as sharp as Ichigo's Zangetsu…

 

Ichigo…

 

The Hollow roared once again and lunged at her, its legs were powerful and its speed was immense. Rukia was just able to dodge the attack and keep Hiromi in her grip before jumping out of the way.

 

“You smell familiar.” The Hollow shrieked.

 

Rukia's breathing was hard and her teeth were clenched. “I should.” She hissed vehemently. “You killed me once before.”

 

The Hollow stilled and threw it's head back, it released an ear splitting roar of laughter, Rukia's teeth gritted even harder and she lunged forward, swinging her Zanpakuto towards the beast, it did not stop laughing but swung his hand, catching one of its claws on her pant leg, Rukia barely heard the ripping of the fabric, the rain and the screeching sound of the laughing was drowning out all of her other senses.

 

“I will just have to kill you twice… and this time will be your last!”

 

It swung another claw towards her and Rukia ducked, moving underneath the hand she thrust Sode no Shirayuki through the fleshy palm of the Hollow's dark green skin.

 

It roared in pain and drove its other hand at her, Rukia's eyes widened and she clutched Hiromi tighter, gripping the hilt of her sword, she rammed it through the bone and sinew of the Hollow's palm and shoved it into the other, the Hollow screamed again and began to flail wildly. Rukia's sword remained inside of it, she would not let go of the hilt and flew as the Hollow threw its fingers around in pain.

 

Rukia braced her body in preparation to hit the rain soaked ground, only when she hit, she did not hit the muddy bottom, but rain soaked cloth and warm flesh.

 

“Rukia!”

 

She slammed into his chest and propelled him backwards, driving him into the ground and spraying muddy rainwater everywhere.

 

“Ichigo…” Rukia breathed, turning around slightly before turning around to face him. There was mud on his face, his hair was soaked, and his clothing was dripping. Oddly enough, he had never looked more handsome.

 

“Rukia!” He cried, quickly, he elevated his chest and grabbed the back of her head. Before she could protest his lips covered hers in a heated and sensual kiss.

 

There was nothing she wanted more than to wallow in his kiss, to taste and to touch him… but she couldn't, not now, not ever.

 

Swallowing painfully, she wretched her lips off of his and pushed him back into the ground. Within seconds she thrust the still unconscious Hiromi at Ichigo's chest.

 

“Take care of her,” she said breathlessly, her voice being drowned in the constant fall of rain, “This is my fight.” She called, raising her voice so he could hear her. “Do not intervene.”

 

“Rukia!” Ichigo shouted, he rose holding Hiromi close to his chest, Rukia was running away now, towards the Hollow.

 

It lunged at her, its claws missing but slamming into the trees surrounding the area. Rukia cried out and lunged towards the Hollow, her sword grazing its shoulder, blood spouted from the wound but the monster hardly seemed to notice.

 

“I killed you once,” the Hollow howled, “I killed you as a baby and I killed your sister.”

 

Ichigo gasped and rose to his feet. This thing did what to Rukia?

 

“She screamed, I enjoyed the taste of her blood, you cried, but you did not scream, I and I loved your blood.” It swung at her again and she dodged, her sword swinging again, this time drawing more blood and cutting off a chuck of fleshy sinew.

 

“I have searched over and over, trying to find blood as tasty as yours…” The Hollow brought its tongue out, bypassed the large fangs protruding from its mouth, and licked its lips. “I want your blood again, your blood was so delicioussssssss.”

 

“Shut up!” Ichigo shouted, running forward, desperate to help her.

 

“Fall back Ichigo!” Rukia shouted grasping the hilt of her sword tighter and tilting the blade towards the Hollow, her face was emotionless and still. “I need to do this. I need to do this for all the people who have died, for Hisana… and for me.”

 

She closed her eyes for a moment and drew in a deep breath. Ichigo swallowed and nodded, it was almost painful for him to allow her to fight while he watched from the sidelines.

 

Suddenly, her eyes opened wide and she lunged forward, her sword was put to the side as she swung it with great force, “First dance, white moon!” She cried, moving in dangerously close to the Hollow and releasing her Zanpakuto's power.

 

The Hollow tried to get out of the deadly circle of ice flowing around it, it flailed his hands around wildly but Rukia dodged them, sweeping backwards and landing away from the blinding light. Ichigo rushed forward and stood behind Rukia as the Hollow before them disintegrated into tiny pieces.

 

It screamed painfully and shouted, “I wanted you blood, your blood! Give… me… your… blood!”

 

Rukia's face never changed as she listened to the shouts of the dying Hollow.

 

The two of them watched as the final bits of the Hollow evaporated.

 

“For Hisana,” Rukia murmured as the ice chips floated away into the sky.

 

Ichigo ran up and looked down at her, his arms still tight around Hiromi, “And for you…” he murmured, inching closer and closer to her, she did not move away, and the two of them stayed still, watching in the rain.

 

The light did not go away, it was supposed to go away after the ice's purpose had been achieved, but it didn't evaporate, like normal. Rukia frowned and took in a sharp breath of air as the white light before her and Ichigo began to congregate, coming in closer and closer into the shape of a human.

 

Rukia's hand loosened around the hilt of her sword and it fell soundlessly to the ground. Ichigo turned towards her and saw her amazed face, her eyes were open wide and her mouth was undone.

 

“Rukia…” he murmured, going closer to her. “What is it?”

 

A strangled sound came from her throat, barely heard in the rain. “H-Hisana.” She murmured, her feet inching towards the bright light.

 

“What?” Ichigo whispered, and looked back at the white light, now taking the form of a human girl. The light soon tinted, the colors becoming more apparent. A raven black head of hair, a blue kimono, violet eyes, and pale skin.

 

Kami, Ichigo thought wondrously, she looks just like Rukia.

 

Rukia inched closer, until she was only a few yards away from the ghostly form of her sister.

 

“Hisana,” Rukia murmured, her hands coming up to brush the bright air above her. “Is it really you?”

 

The ghostly figure, still above their heads, blinked and looked down at the two people below them.

 

“Rukia?” The voice was small but traveled into their heads, ringing until every word was as clear as newly shined bell. The person above them, now smiling softly, whispered. “Yes, it is you… it is my little sister.”

 

Rukia swallowed and a smile creaked onto her face. “I'm not so little anymore.”

 

Hisana nodded and closed her eyes slightly, “Yes, yes, you are quite the woman.” She took in a shuddering breath and slowly bowed her head. “I am so sorry Rukia, words cannot describe the regret I feel. I can barely look my own sister in the eye for the shame I feel. Please, to forgive me would be too much to ask, I do not deserve it.”

 

Tears were now flowing down Rukia's face, she stepped forward, her hands reaching up towards the figure that was quickly disappearing.

 

“No, Hisana, please, I forgive you… I read it, I read your diary, I know how you searched, please, I forgive you. I didn't suffer, not like you, I lived a happy life. Please, I should be asking for your forgiveness.” She cried brokenly, reaching her fingers closer and closer towards Hisana's outstretched hands.

 

“Rukia,” Hisana murmured, “You grew up not knowing the love of a family, of a sister, of anyone aside from your friends. Please, I know you have a chance to be happy, please, as a favor to me, take that chance. I want you to be happy, I want you to smile at any chance you get. Please Rukia, be happy and live as you want to live.”

 

“Yes, Hisana, I will,” Rukia said softly, the tears were falling freely now, “I will, Hisana. Just please, don't—don't go…”

 

“I have to go Rukia,” Hisana whispered, she drew in a shuddering breath as her final form began to disappear. “I've seen you now, I can finally rest… in peace.”

 

Without another word, Rukia's sister disappeared. The rain continued to pour as Rukia stood, her eyes open and her body stiff. Ichigo saw the pain in her eyes and softly set Hiromi on the ground, the girl had a small lump on her skull, but other than that, she was fine.

 

Ichigo stepped beside Rukia and slowly turned her towards him, she came without protest and he wrapped his arms around her small frame.

 

She curled into his chest and cried.

 

“Shh, shh, shh…” Ichigo whispered, holding her tight. “Come on, I'll take you back.”

 

Rukia nodded, she reluctantly moved away from his embrace, but he never took his hand off of his shoulder, slowly, she bent to pick up her sword. As she straightened, she gave a small cry of surprise, Ichigo had swept her off her feet, curling her to his chest using one hand, while gently carrying Hiromi with the other.

 

“Let's go back.” He said quietly.

 

Rukia nodded and placed her forehead against Ichigo's chest. Oddly enough, his presence was calming, soothing, and reassuring. She could feel her tears quickly drying as her sisters words came back into her mind:

 

“Please, I know you have a chance to be happy, please, as a favor to me, take that chance. I want you to be happy, I want you to smile at any chance you get.”

 

Rukia curled her fist into Ichigo's Death God uniform.

 

She could be happy.