Bleach: Two Worlds

Chapter 4: Ryoka

FLOOR BOARDS squeaked and footsteps resounded. Several Shinigami walked down the halls of a prison. Renji walked down the halls and a black butterfly flew toward him. Renji pointed his finger out and the butterfly landed on it. The butterfly flapped its wings twice and flew away. Renji continued walking and stopped at a cell.

Rukia sat on the floor of the small cell, clad in a white dress and was handcuffed. She wore an oxygen mask that had slits on its sides and had small oscillating disks in it.

Rukia did not turn when Renji came by.

"Rukia, I just received the order from Central 46; you have been sentenced to death. You have 20 days to live" Renji said.

"What'd you arrest me for?" Rukia asked.

"I don't know," Renji sighed, "I wasn't told anything,"

Renji took a seat beside the cell. Despite Rukia answering him, she had not turned to him at all. Renji was a little used to the way Rukia behaved when angry. When she shouted and looked angry, then you'd know you could talk your way out of it. The way to tell when she was seriously angry was when she would talk quietly and not react so much.

Or so Renji thought.

"Why'd you agree to capturing me then!?" Rukia yelled.

"Hey, I didn't know I was being sent after you," Renji said, "I was told to search for a specific reiatsu signature, that's all. When I found out it was you, I had no idea what to do, so I just followed orders,"

"And I thought you were my friend, ha!" Rukia snorted.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Ever since you became a lieutenant, you think you're high and mighty always distancing yourself. Heh, you've even changed your look with all those stupid tattoos!"

"The tattoos are not stupid!" Renji growled, "look at yourself, you're now so human that you need an oxygen mask to breath here,"

Rukia remained quiet. Renji regretted saying that; it was a bad move on his part.

"I'm sorry," Renji said, "but, if I didn't follow orders, we'd be in even more trouble than you are in now,"

"And death isn't trouble enough?" Rukia asked.

Renji turned away from Rukia. Rukia sat back and calmed down a little.

"Well, I guess you couldn't have known," Rukia answered.

"What did you do?" Renji asked.

Rukia didn't answer Renji. Renji got to his feet.

"Rukia, I'll go and find out what's going on." Renji said.

Rukia didn't respond.

"Hang in there," Renji said and he walked away.

WIND SWIRLED around and dust settled. Urahara stood before Ichigo with a sense of fulfilment. A blue energy was around Ichigo and his eyes, which had been glowing, returned to normal. Ichigo transformed back to his human form to his shock.

"What the hell?" Ichigo exclaimed.

"You just achieved Bankai. Your body will need time to recuperate after honing in so much reiatsu in such a short space of time," Urahara explained.

"Indeed," Yoruichi said as she jumped onto Urahara's shoulder, "what you have achieved today is tremendous. What takes royal-blooded Shinigami of exceptional skill years to achieve has been achieved in mere hours. You are truly something, Ichigo Kurosaki,"