BLEACH

CHAPTER EIGHT (Nightmare)

Rukia's PoV Nightmare*

Within Rukia's dream, it is Rukia's first day as a Shinigami. The other members of the Thirteenth Division taunt her behind her back because she was adopted by the Kuchiki Clan and exempted from many of the exams to join the Gotei 13. Lieutenant Kaien Shiba shows up and sends the gossiping squad members off to work again. She greets him with a lame greeting, and he gives her a hard time about addressing him properly, and after she greets him to his satisfaction, he asks for her name. Rukia is impressed at the fact that he treats her normally, unlike other people, who treat her differently because she is Captain Byakuya Kuchiki's sister. Kaien then introduces himself, and mentions that his captain, Jūshirō Ukitake, is sick a lot, so she can call him captain "by accident." Later, Rukia meets with Byakuya, and tells him that she does not at the time have a seat because of her power. Byakuya is indifferent about her situation, and dismisses her.

Later, Kaien meets Rukia by a river with drinks and offers one to her. They sit and drink, and Kaien asks her why she is so depressed, telling her that he is behind her as a friend. Sentarō Kotsubaki and Kiyone Kotetsu show up drunk and begin to tease them because they think that Kaien and Rukia are on a date. Seeing that Rukia is depressed, Sentarō tells Rukia to smear boogers on whoever talks bad about her, and Kaien throws his drink on them to sober them up. Rukia narrates a little, saying that she was comfortable around Kaien.

Miyako, Kaien's wife, leaves for a mission that turns out to be her last.
Later, after a battle with a Hollow, Kaien's wife, Miyako Shiba, shows up to help back him up and ends up helping Rukia. Rukia again narrates that she idolized Miyako very much--she was a strong feminine character whom Rukia looked up to.

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, and Ukitake decides to go with him, taking Rukia along.

Kaien after being taken over by Metastacia
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, who says he has eaten more Shinigami than it can count, and regrets not torturing Miyako more before he ate her. Kaien gets 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 Zanpakutō to vanish before he can fully release it. Rukia tries to step in, but Ukitake stops her. Ukitake explains to Rukia that there are two types of fights--those to win, and those to protect pride. He tells her that Kaien is fighting for the pride of those killed, and the pride of his wife.

Kaien Shiba dies thanking Jūshirō Ukitake and apologising to Rukia.
Soon, Metastacia manages to take over Kaien's body, and Kaien begins to attack Rukia and Ukitake. Kaien swears to kill Rukia first, but Ukitake steps in, blocking with his sword, and tells Rukia to run away. Ukitake begins to fight with the possessed Kaien, and swears he will kill him and Kaien's body if necessary. Before he can strike the killing blow, Ukitake coughs up blood and momentarily succumbs to his illness. Kaien then goes after Rukia, who has come back to try to fight, but he instead impales himself on Rukia's sword. He tells Ukitake thanks for allowing him to fight, and apologizes to Rukia for putting her in danger, and he says that, thanks to her, he can leave his heart there. Rukia believes that she has not done anything worthy of his thanks, and she curses herself for only being able to save herself.

Back in the present, she feels selfish for what she believed she had done (killing Kaien), and for causing people to spill blood trying to save her. Meanwhile, Ukitake catches Byakuya as he is walking, and tells him the bad news about Rukia's execution date being moved forward, but Byakuya is indifferent, saying that it will only shorten Ukitake's life worrying. He states that if she is to die, then that is the way of things.