Fate (A Bleach Fanfiction)

Chapter 52: Rukia's Nightmare

3rd person's pov

Today is Rukia's first day of being a soul reaper. The others mock her behind her back because she was adopted into the Kuchiki clan, and was exempted from most of the tests she had to take. Lieutenant Kaien Shiba reports in and sends off a few shinigami who are gossiping. "It's nice to meet you. I'm new here." Rukia bowed and Kaien gets angry at her. "That's how you greet people? That is so lame!" He gives her a hard time and after she greets him the way he wanted her to, he asks her something. "So, what's your name?" Kaien removed his hand from on top of her head. "He treats me normally, unlike everyone else who treats me differently because I was adopted by the Kuchiki clan." Rukia thought to herself, "Anyways, my name is Kaien Shiba. My captain is Jushiro Ukitake and he is usually sick a lot, so you can call me 'Captain' by accident at any time." Kaien smiled down at her. Later, Rukia meets with Byakuya. "Well, I don't have a seat yet because of my current power." Byakuya is indifferent with her and dismisses her.

A little while later, Rukia meets up with Kaien by the river. "Do you want something to drink?" Kaien offers Rukia a drink. "Why are you so depressed? I'm asking you as a friend, not as your lieutenant." Kaien asked Rukia but before she could answer, they are interrupted. Both Kiyone and Sentaro show up drunk, "Aww, are you two on a date?" They teased Them and Sentaro notices that Rukia is depressed. "Listen Rukia, just smear boogers on whoever is talking bad about you." He said, so Kaien decides to throw his drink on them to sober them up. Rukia narrates a little and says that she was comfortable around Kaien. The next day, during a battle with a hollow, Miyako Shiba shows up to help Kaien and ends up helping Rukia. She is Kaien's wife. "I've always admired Miyako, she is such a strong woman." Rukia narrates.

When Miyako is sent off to on a reconnaissance team to investigate a Hollow, she promises that she will just be on reconnaissance, and she will leave the rest to the backup team. Later however, Captain Ukitake wakes up and a report comes in that the recon team has been slaughtered and Miyako is the only one left alive. Although she is unconscious, her life does not seem to be in any danger until she awakens and goes on a killing spree. Ukitake, Kaien, and Rukia answer the screams of the people she is killing and when they face her, Miyako runs off into the woods. Kaien decides to honor the pride of Miyako and go after her, so Ukitake decides to go with him, taking Rukia along. When they get out into the woods, they find Miyako's robes, and are suddenly attacked by a Hollow, called Metastacia, that is capable of speech, and taunts the threesome about killing and torturing Shinigami before absorbing them, Miyako in particular. Kaien decides to take the Metastacia alone and avenge Miyako. Kaien talks with Metastacia, "I have eaten more Shinigami than I can count, and I regret not torturing Miyako more before I ate her." He said making  Kaien very angry, releasing some of his reiatsu and attacks the Hollow first. He slices one of Metastacia's legs and moves to attack his tentacles, but touching one causes his zanpakuto to vanish before he can fully release it. Rukia tries to step in but Jushiro stops her. Jushiro explains to Rukia, "There are two types of fights--those to win, and those to protect pride. Kaien is fighting for the pride of those killed, and the pride of his wife."  Rukia becomes concerned for Kaien.

Soon Metastacia takes over Kaien's body and begins to attack both Rukia and Jushiro. "I swear to kill you first." He says to Rukia but jushiro gets in the way and blocks him with his sword. "Rukia, you need to get away from here." He said, "But what about you?" Rukia asked "Don't worry about me, just get out of here." He said and she runs off. Jushiro starts to fight off Metastacia, "I will kill you even if I have to kill kaien's body too." Jushiro said, as he fought with him. But before Jushiro could deliver the final blow, he spits up blood causing Rukia to turn around. Jushiro starts to cough more and fails to see that Kaien is now going after Rukia, who was coming back to fight him. Before he could attack her Kaien impales himself on Rukia's sword, which made her surprised. "Thank you Captain for letting me fight and Rukia, I'm sorry for putting you in danger. Thanks to you, I can leave my heart here." Kaien dies on Rukia, who started to cry for her friend. She began to believe that she wasn't worthy of his thanks and curses herself for not being able to save anyone but herself.

Back in the present, Rukia begins to feel selfish for what she believed she had done, which was kill Kaien and caused people to spill blood for trying to save her. But then she remembers what the Kurosaki siblings did, even though they hadn't listened to her.

~~

"You haven't changed at all, you still refuse to listen to what I have to say. Kuro is still her usual self too. You both really haven't changed a bit." Rukia said, "Well, you only speak to worry about us both." Ichigo replied, "You should worry more about yourself. Especially with the situation you're in right now." Kuroki brushed herself off, "Kuro-" Ichigo started, but she cut him off. "Do you know how much it hurt to see you leave?! You left us! You left my brother to die!! My twin!! You left with them and then you don't even turn around to say sorry!" Kuroki grew angry, as tears formed in her eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I dragged you both into this. If we hadn't of met this wouldn't be happening." Rukia looked down at the ground, "You idiot!" Kuroki stormed over to her and smacked her across the cheek. "What was that for?!" Ichigo yelled, "How could you say that?! How? Why would you be sorry? How could you say something like that?!" Kuroki grabbed her shoulders and bowed her head. "You are my best friend, Rukia. I'm so glad that Ichigo and I met you and that we became friends. I'm glad that I met these people but you, I don't want to lose you like I lost my role model!!" Kuroki yelled, as tears rolled down her face. "Kur-" Rukia was cut off when Kuroki gave her a bear hug and cried into her.

Meanwhile, Jushiro runs into Byakuya and tells him the bad news about Rukia's execution date being moved up. But Byakuya is indifferent, "It will only shorten your life if you worry so much. If she is to die, then that's the way things are." He says to Jushiro, leaving him stunned.