"Where are we going, Ritsu-nee?" – Ren asked indifferently as he followed Ritsu toward a place in the 4th Division he had never been to before.
"We're going to see Kuchiki-san," – Ritsu said calmly as she walked with Ren along the path leading to Rukia's holding quarters – "Because of her special condition, she was imprisoned in the 4th Division, where she's being treated directly either by me or the Lieutenant. It's time for her examination now, and I'll allow you to see her before heading to the meeting."
"I see." – Ren nodded indifferently, slipping his hands into the wide sleeves of his robes since Shinigami uniforms had no pockets. But beneath his blindfold, his eyes gleamed faintly. His relationship with Rukia was never that close, as her bond with Ichigo had always been much stronger. They hadn't spoken much since they met, yet his gratitude toward her was not false—without her, his family would have been slaughtered by a Hollow. That was why Ren never hesitated to come to the Soul Society to save her.
As for why he hadn't stopped Byakuya and Renji when they arrested Rukia—there was a reason. It was to allow Aizen to obtain the Hōgyoku. As long as it remained within Rukia's body, Aizen would target her relentlessly. Unfortunately, Ren had no means of extracting it from her, so the best option was to let her return to the Soul Society and allow Aizen to quietly take the Hōgyoku before any further attempts were made on her life.
Moments of silence passed between the two as they walked down the long corridor leading to the isolated wing of the 4th Division. The walls were smooth and pristine, coated with a faint layer of healing energy that made anyone passing through feel a sense of ease and tranquility… unlike the storm in Ren's mind.
His thoughts tangled between his desire to see Rukia and make sure she was safe… and the silent guilt he carried ever since allowing her to return to the Soul Society while still bearing the Hōgyoku.
"I'm sorry, Rukia… but it was the only choice."
He muttered inside his mind, clenching his fist under the wide sleeves of his uniform.
"We're here." – Retsu's gentle voice cut through his thoughts as she stopped in front of a small door surrounded by a soft Kido barrier. It emitted no hostility, yet it was intricate enough to prevent any intrusion.
She raised her hand softly and touched a specific point in the air, causing the seals to gradually dissipate like glowing dust scattering in the wind. Then, she gently pushed the door open.
The room was dim, but a faint stream of light from the window gave it an odd sense of serenity.
In the center sat Rukia on a simple chair, dressed in a plain white kimono—the same kind she had worn the day she gave Ichigo her powers and helped him heal his little sisters.
Rukia was eerily silent, her violet eyes lifeless as she stared blankly at the ceiling.
Seeing her like this, Ren couldn't help but feel a pang in his chest. She was nothing like the person he remembered—all her lively and cheerful expressions had vanished, replaced by a gray, deathly silence.
When she heard movement outside, Rukia stirred faintly, lifting her head and staring toward the entrance of the cell with dull violet eyes that seemed drained of all life.
"Unohana Taichō," – Rukia greeted the woman caring for her with respect, but her eyes remained empty, making it clear she no longer cared about anything. She had sunk herself into memories of the two months she had spent in the human world since her return to the Soul Society—using them as a kind of false happiness before her impending execution.
Unohana smiled softly as she stepped into the room with her usual calm grace. She didn't reply immediately, but instead inclined slightly by the doorway, leaving room for Ren to step in behind her.
"You have a visitor today, Kuchiki-san," – she said in a gentle tone – "Someone who's been thinking of you more than you realize."
Rukia's eyes slowly fluttered toward the inside, and when she saw Ren walking in quietly, her gaze froze. Her body trembled, shock and disbelief flashing across her face as memories of their last meeting resurfaced.
"R… Ren…" – she whispered, her voice trembling, disbelief etched across her features. She rose quickly from her chair, but after sitting for so long, her body didn't obey well, and she collapsed. Yet she didn't seem to care—her violet eyes were fixed solely on Ren standing before her.
Swish!
Ren vanished from where he stood and reappeared in front of her, catching her before she could hit the ground. He lifted her into a princess carry, her head instinctively resting against his broad, firm chest.
"Is it really you…?" – Rukia asked, her voice laced with disbelief and worry as her trembling fingers hesitantly reached for his face. When her fingertips brushed his skin, warmth spread from him into her cold body.
"It's me…" – Ren whispered in a low voice, yet his tone carried an unshakable certainty, as if his words themselves were a vow that could never be broken.
He held her firmly, as though she weighed nothing, standing unmoving while staring into her lost eyes that desperately sought assurance of what they were seeing. Her tears didn't fall in torrents—they slid down slowly, one by one, heavy and soaked with everything she had endured.
"Why did you come?!" – Rukia suddenly cried out, her voice breaking under the weight of suppressed emotions. Tears streamed from her eyes, but it wasn't the crying that struck—it was the fear, the anxiety, the raw terror that filled her violet gaze, now flickering faintly back to life.
"Are you insane?! How could you sneak into the Soul Society?! If they catch you… if they find out who you really are…!" – Her fists struck his chest weakly, trembling, carrying no strength.
"Do you know how long I've lived thinking you might all die?! That I cursed you by dragging you into this?! And then you come here… as if nothing matters?!"
Her hands suddenly clutched his robes tightly, as though anchoring his existence before her, terrified he might vanish like a fleeting dream in this endless nightmare.
"If something happens to you because of coming here… I… I'll never forgive myself, Ren…"
Her last words came out as a broken whisper, her head bowed, shoulders shaking with sobs, her short black hair falling over half her face.
Ren said nothing at first. He simply tightened his hold on her, as though silence alone was enough to tell her: I'm here. I won't go anywhere.
Then, in a voice calm yet brimming with resolve, he whispered:
"I came because you were going to die alone… and because I swore I wouldn't allow that."
"I came… because you deserve more than to die in a cold cell, without anyone telling you that you saved countless lives."
"I came to bring you back into the light… or burn with you in the darkness."
Rukia slowly lifted her head to look at him. For a brief moment, she said nothing. She could feel the truth in his words—his willingness to give his life for hers, simply because she had once saved his family. To Ren, his family meant more than his own life, and because Rukia had saved them, he carried not a shred of hesitation in offering his own life for her.
Then, with a broken softness, she muttered through her sobs:
"Idiot…"
But this time, she smiled… through her tears.
A real smile. Small, yet radiant.
As if a piece of the Rukia everyone once knew… had finally begun to return to life.
...
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