Two Souls, One Story

Chapter 20

Renji watched as Rukia chatted with a vaguely familiar-looking orange-haired kid. Where... had he seen that kind of colored hair before? Well, whatever. Time to make their presence known and get his girlfriend home! "Well, there you are, Rukia!"

Rukia paused and looked over her shoulder at Renji, her eyes lighting up before realization dawned on her. "Renji..." She looked up at him from where he sat on a light post... What was he even doing up there? "What are you doing?"

"Well, I'm here to collect you, of course!" He said cheerily, a lopsided grin on his face.

Ichigo poked at Rukia's shoulder. "We got another weirdo over there..." He pointed at the building behind Renji where Byakua loomed over them all. "Who are these guys, and why is that one talking so familiar with you?!"

"That over there..." She pointed to the redhead. "Is the love of my life!" She grinned cheekily. "My darling, delicious, red apple!"

Renji's face flushed at what she said. "Rukia!" He shouted.

"Nee-chan... Please, never call someone 'delicious' around me... ever again," Ichigo pleaded with large, horrified, possibly PTSD-filled eyes. "Wait, I thought you and Aniki were...?"

Rukia cackled loudly... She could say some things about how Renji was actually pretty... Yeah, she's gonna stop that train of thought before she blushed herself. "Wait, hold on." A record scratch went through her mind as she registered his words. "No, me and Izuru?" She made a face. "That would be like dating my sister."

"But Rukia... You don't have a sister... and he's a guy..." Renji was confused and he sweat dropped dramatically.

"Exactly, so it's never gonna happen." She snickered lightly. "And that over there Ichigo... is my Aniki." She pointed to Byakuya who seemed somewhat annoyed by the situation. And somehow... it seemed he was breathing a sigh of relief... Why? She had no idea.

"Oh! That's your brother! Okay, that makes sense. Hi!" Ichigo waved cheerfully at the dark-haired man, completely ignoring Renji. "The names Kurosaki Ichigo! Feel free to give me a call if you need help stringing up Tattoo Face over there, if he gives Nee-chan a hard time!"

Byakuya closed his eyes. He sighed through his nose silently. "Renji..." He said seriously. "Take care of the imposter."

Renji blanked and frowned, it was obvious his sister cared about this kid... and yet. "Yes, Captain."

"Wait... Captain?" Ichigo's eyes brightened slightly and he looked down at Rukia. Drawing his stupidly big sword. "Nee-chan, I forgot to finish my question! Aniki mentioned someone with brown hair and glasses. Can't look at his sword and if I do, I have to grab it. Is your brother associated with the guy?"

Rukia paled significantly... "Izuru..." She ground out, "I'm gonna kill 'em."

Ichigo blinked several times. "Okay then-" He swung his sword just in time to parry against Renji's Zabimaru. He watched as the Zanpakuto unstretched, returning to its master. "Cool sword. Let's see if it can actually fight."

"Big talk from a little brat like yourself!" Renji swung Zabimaru, its length stretching and chasing after the teen as he wielded it more like a whip than a true sword. Easily catching up with him and getting a slice of Ichigo's arm. "I've been using my Zanpakuto for decades now- how long have you used yours?"

"Long enough!" Ichigo shouted back, ignoring the pain in his arm. He quickly slid under a slice that could have very well hurt him, and got nice and close to Renji, "I don't know what you two want, but I'm not gonna take any of it lying down!" He flung his head back, only for it to slam onto Renji's forehead.

The redhead stumbled back, seeing triple. "We're here to arrest Rukia! Because you stole her powers!"

Ichigo paused, stabbing through some of Zabimaru's cords to keep it from retracting. He sputtered teenager noises. "If you know how to take it back and give it to her I'd gladly do it! Don't arrest her for it!" He looked up at Byakuya. "I only got her powers because I was trying to protect my family! You guys are acting like she committed some kind of crime!"

"Giving her powers to a mortal child goes against every law we have." Byakuya stated cooly.

"... Damn... you guys must have a shitty society if that's your main law. Personally, I would have thought murder was on top of that list," Ichigo replied back like a smartass. "What? Next thing you'll tell me you send newbies around with stacks of paper across whole kilometers instead of using a fax machine."

There were crickets that night. Loud ones.

"Wow... no wonder Aniki is always stressed when he visits. Have you ever heard his spine? He's always cracking. My sisters walked on his back once and it sounded like bubble wrap." Ichigo very calmly kicked Renji in the face when he tried to pull his sword out of the cords. "Next thing you'll tell me that because she helped save lives, her reward is being stabbed to death by..."

Ichigo's eyes dulled. It took Rukia a moment to realize he wasn't putting together the puzzle pieces- he just forgot the name of every sharp object on Earth.

She didn't even see him move. Next thing she knew... Ichigo was on the ground, in a pool of his own blood as Byakuya closed his eyes. He didn't even sheath his sword... He didn't have to and it left Rukia stunned.

"Aniki!" She shouted, before moving to kneel next to Ichigo, only to be stopped by Renji. "Renji!" She cried, tears welling in her eyes. "Why?!"

Renji shook his head sadly. "Rukia, it would only look worse for you if you tried to help him." He said softly.

Ichigo coughed up more blood, slowly twisting his head at Byakuya. Barely conscious but still breathing. "Some brother you are..."

Byakuya's brow twitched and he frowned, refraining from stabbing the child further into his grave. He was already dying so it would be a wasted effort.

As if Ichigo read his mind. "When I die... I'm going to find you... and kick... your... ass..." His eyes rolled back, closing slowly and going limp.

"You will not," Byakuya stated softly.

"How do you know?" Rukia snapped, though she already knew the answer.

"I have sealed away his natural powers while wiping him clean of your own." Byakuya felt the need to explain to his little sister.

Renji looked over the kid, flipping him to his side with his foot. "Did a number on him..." In the back of his mind, he wondered if the kid would even survive?

"Renji. The Senkaimon." The dark-haired seriously.

"Yeah..." Renji summoned the Senkaimon with a frown. He placed a hand between Rukia's shoulder blade. "Come on. We might as well bring you back, babe. The sooner the council is satisfied you returned without a fight, the better." It was then Rukia realized- Renji... doesn't know.

Rukia sighed sadly, her eyes squeezing shut as she walked through the Senkaimon... She didn't have the heart to tell him he was leading her to her death.