10th District, Rukon.
Still one of the upper districts, it couldn't be compared to the slums. Mikoto and Sakuya stood next to Kurayami, who had brought them all the way back here. They could faintly notice the difference between the Sereitei and the upper districts of the Rukongai. The change in atmosphere, the lack of Reiryoku, but this was miles from being compared to the district of Inuzuri, from where they originally came.
A reality so far away from their previous brokenness, and yet something was missing.
Their two silhouettes stood alone; gone was the family... the happiness.
They slowly walked inside, opened the door with their keys, they found the place exactly how they had left it.
Kurayami followed closely behind, trying to find the opportunity to talk, but she couldn't... the mixed feelings entwined on her throat, rendering her unable to muster a word.
Sakuya walked across corridors and rooms, checking all of them, their emptiness. Only one room was not empty, their warehouse... when the doors opened, there was as much money as they could dare dream to have. Enough to make several other manors and still have enough to live for a lifetime in comfort. All earned from glambing, Ryōma's fights and raids on the gangs that they came across, Murasaki's small businesses...
Those two together felt unstoppable, but they were no more.
Mikoto and Sakuya realised that she hadn't worked towards a penny of this money, and somehow they had inherited it. They had inherited mountains of money, shadows of solitude.
It felt as if everyone else had got their lives together.
Ryōta and Ryōsuke were living happily in the Seireitei with the Shiba Clan, like nobles.
Murasaki had moved with his girlfriend, soon wife, also living in the Seireitei, where he would also become a noble.
...
Ryōma had joined the fourth division, where he would likely become a lieutenant, then a captain... as for the two of them, they were alone.
Abandoned.
With tears in their eyes, both ladies realised the foolishness of their dreams. All they longed for was to be by his side, even when he clearly stated that it was impossible, that he would eventually go. Even when he encouraged them to find their way.
Kurayami stared at their darkened backs, still not having found the opportunity to talk, but he still had too much to say: "I am sorry, I can't do anything else for you now. The situation is complex..."
She had initially housed them in the Seireitei, thinking that the situation would somehow resolve over time, Ryōma would return, whatever... but the latest report she received shattered that view.
Both Mikoto and Sakuya remained silent. Even Kurayami, who considered herself Sakuya's rival, in a way, felt bad about the latter.
"He's now in the Fourth Division under Captain Unohana. And for what I know, he has decided to stay there on his own volition... he won't... be coming with you, girls".
That man had officially joined and became a Shinigami; it was well within her expectations... she just didn't think it would be the fourth division. The 'weakest' out of all divisions... she didn't know what was there in that place that made him stay.
'But that's still for the best... he has too many secrets on him, and right now he's not strong enough to protect himself. If it's Captain Unohana...' The woman was not reputable for being 'strong' but instead for being old and compassionate. She had a lot of influence in the Seireitei, perhaps only second to Captain Yamamoto.
'With Captain Yamamoto's temper, he'd likely eliminate Ryoma at his earliest convenience. But if it is Captain Unohana, she may be able to protect him... maybe that's why he chose to stay, he had a bit of rationality for once'.
She thought inwardly, then, placing that Ryoma with the version of him that she had in her mind, that reckless man who had stolen her heart, it didn't make sense that he'd stay there just to be 'protected'.
'That bastard probably wants to be hunted' She thought with a smile on her face.
"Ryoma is the kind of person who, once he sets his gaze on something, he will do it no matter what. I wouldn't want to be someone to hold him back, so I understand" Sakuya said with tears in her eyes. She was unable to hold them back; she didn't want to hold them back from coming out.
It was the moment that she had feared. The moment when she got ditched because she was not strong enough to meet expectations.
Because when he said he'd only be tied by a woman as strong as him, he meant it. And she knew that it wasn't her... and she was still foolish enough to hope.
With nothing else to hold, Sakuya held her bokken so tightly in relentless frustration. Unbeknownst to her, Sakuya's thoughts mirrored her real nature.
Her thoughts were not: 'If I hadn't fallen for him, if I had known better'.
No, her thoughts were: 'If I had been stronger, if I had trained more... if I had been able to strike him then...'
She had already made her choice.
For a moment, Kurayami felt a strong energy reading... but she thought it was her imagination.
"Why would he do that?" Mikoto couldn't believe it. She thought he was being held; he was captive and couldn't come to them. But the reality came crashing down on them.
They had been abandoned.
"I don't know myself. Maybe he found something of interest there, or he's training, whichever it may be, he's not coming back anytime soon".
Kurayami, seeing their depression, decided that she had to do something for them. A part of her refused to believe Ryoma would just discard them, never showing up in front of them again.
He may be a battle maniac, but he was not cold and ungrateful... at least that's what she wanted to believe. With a sigh, she passed them something she had already prepared for the occasion.
"This is..."
They received what looked like a black letter with a crimson seal.
"You have everything you could ever wish for. You have a big house, plenty of money to go by... if you both want to live happily, you have what you need," Kurayami said, but she received a relentless retort that exact moment.
"That's not what we want!" Mikoto and Sakuya screamed at the same time, they couldn't care less about the money, about the house... it was something else that was important.
Kurotora smirked, "I know. If you want to chase after him. You have to get stronger. This is a recommendation letter on my name. You can go to the academy, study and become strong enough there to at least reach the Seireitei. If you both graduate, this letter is going to help you both get into the Onmitsukidō, the second division".
!!!
Of all divisions, the second division may be the most difficult to get into; it was not a matter of strength. One could be the first shiningami of their promotion, but if they were not recommended by an active officer, they could never get into the second division.
It was an investment in their future, a way out of this empty house.
"This is all I can do–" Kurayami said. She felt a warm, tight embrace and gasped.
Sakuya hugged Kurayami very hard, very deeply. Kurotora had just built a bridge for them.
The dark-skinned woman scratched her head, sighed, hugging the woman back, albeit reluctantly, "Why am I helping my rival, I wonder..."
Mikoto hugged her too and pouted, "Rivals".
"Shut up, brat... grow up first and we will see".
It took a while for Sakuya to let go, clean her tears and resist the urge to hug her again. Kurayami had just saved her love, given it a breather, even when she didn't need to.
"Thank you so much, Kurayami... I will never forget this".
"Uh-hum, if you'd best know you owe me one".
Sakuya laughed, cleaning her last tear, "Of course, I can allow you to be his wife, I am happy just being a mistress– uwaa!"
Her cheeks got pulled really hard by an outraged Kurotora, who also had a bit of a healthy blush, "He doesn't need any mistresses, you shameless vixen!"
"You are the shameless one! How can you fall in love with the man who defeated you, sliced your finger and stole your sword!" Mikoto, being left out of the conversation, also screamed.
"Y-You... h-how can I not fall for that?! You're a little kid, you wouldn't understand"
"I am not a kid! I-I... I even have hair down there–"
"HUSH YOU! I DO NOT NEED DETAILS!"
After a bit of an unreasonable argument. It was decided that Kurayami would be the 'wife', as for mistresses, that was still a pending discussion.
"... I have to go. Both you train together, lay low... and once you get your chance, then do what your heart tells you. I encourage you to leave this big house... take all the money you can and go to the first district, Junrinan. Once you're in there, I will tell you where you can live and wait until you can join the academy. Ryōma has enemies right now, and those enemies will perceive you two as his weakness".
Both women listened attentively and started their plan. Once Kurayami left, they were on their own, but with a prospect ahead of them.
With a plan.
Mikoto and Sakuya looked at one another, ready to begin their new life.
"There is no time to lose".