95Cutting Down the Ocean
Warnings: Language and Violence
Overall Rating: Teen
Summary: We all know the story; Rukia enters Karakura Town and changes the life of High School student Kurosaki Ichigo. But what happens if Shiba Kaien, who survived against his battle with Metastacia, is instead sent in for investigation?
Disclaimer: Bleach belongs to Tite Kubo
/~Prologue~\
It's raining.
At first there's nothing to hate about the innocent weather (other than the fact that you get soaked and/or sick), but after the skirmish tonight, there grew a strong dislike of the tiny droplets that showered down from the cloudy dark skies. Lightning flashed quickly, coming and going in an instant, the thunder rumbling as it followed afterwards. Not much blocked the downpour, the large trees offering little shelter from being continuously pelted by the small droplets.
A shaky breath filled the noisy rainfall, a small fog forming in the chilly air from the lips of the fallen man whose sea-green eyes stared heavenward to the dark, dreary sky. He blinked away the water coming into his eyes, clenching his eyes as a sharp pain throbbed from his abdomen and shoulder, he can only imagine how awful he looked right now. Probably looked as though he's been ripped up like a rag doll being chewed by an over-sized dog. The pain went on, reminding him that despite what's happened, he was still alive and he doesn't seem to be going anywhere—no matter how badly he wanted to.
But that's not the only thing that hurts.
Sorrow and deep agony washed over his senses, tears beginning to brim over his eyes and mix themselves with the rain with numerous thoughts of a beloved, admired, and cherished woman of the division. Her voice, her smiles, her beautiful face; gone.
Disappeared.
Killed. Murdered. Ravaged.
No mercy to end the pain but by the end of the sword.
Taken away by the very thing she fought so hard to destroy and protect innocent people from. She had been used like a puppet, killing and destroying lives by the wicked soul-eater, her friends and comrades dying by her hands and painting her them red from the actions it made her do. Her pride and honor shattering from the forceful actions, and she was in despair as she watched helplessly as she swung down and ripped through people's lives that had no idea of what was happening before it was too late.
She was dead now.
Not alive. Not breathing. Just no more.
The monster died, too, from within her and it brought more pain upon the person who had to be the one to put her out of her misery... like a dying dog. There was no relief, no cheers for destroying the monster, just sadness and rain.
Did the rain stop?
"K-Kaien-dono...?"
No. Just a young Kuchiki blocking the rain with her body looming above him, her indigo eyes glazed and her cheeks red from the tears she herself shed for the woman she looked up to as an idol.
Shiba Kaien hated the rain now more than ever.
