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The fight had not ended well for Rin. Though he had survived, and that in itself was a major accomplishment, he had, in the end, lost his brother to the Illuminati. On top of that, he was left with many life threatening wounds. The people who found him rushed him to the True Cross hospital, few people believed that he would survive. When Rin awoke, he could hear the people outside of his room talking in what, he assumed, they thought were quiet voices,
“Only the son of Satan...”
Rin healed very quickly and was permitted to go home. He couldn't stand to even look in the room that he and Yukio had shared, so he decided to stay in another one. The bed was too soft and the room was in the direct path of a streetlight. The light cast eerie shadows through the window panes and caught on the many dust particles that floated through the air. He hid from it. He lied in the shadows of the walls and he hid from the light. That night, there was a thin layer of icy rain that pittered and pattered on the old windows.
Despite everything that had happened, Rin wasn't crying for his brother, or crying for himself. He was crying from pain. A horrible pain had overtaken him, making it feel as though his heart were being ripped out. He clutched at his chest pointlessly.
Breathe, he reminded himself, you have to breathe.
He wished Kuro was with him, though there was nothing the cat could really do to stop the pain. Well, the physical pain anyway. Regrettably, Kuro was running around the dorm like a psycho, as he often did at three in the morning. His frantic footsteps echoed loudly through the empty halls.
And suddenly the streetlight went out.
And Kuro stopped running.
And the pain in Rin’s chest subsided.
The only thing occupying any part of his mind was the sound of the rain on the window. Pitter... patter... pitter . Rin lifted himself off of his bed and stood in the middle of the room. His eyes stared at everything, and yet, he himself saw nothing. There was a pawing at his leg, and Rin looked down to see Kuro.
Rin, the cat said, there’s someone on the roof.
Rin cocked his head.
“Why,” he asked vacantly, “would there be a person on our roof in the rain?”
I don't know, but he’s scaring me! Hurry Rin! Kuro was becoming frantic, jumping around Rin’s feet in an unchoreographed pattern.
“Alright,” Rin said, and he grabbed his sword from where it leaned against the wall. He followed Kuro up the stairs and his entire demeanor spoke the words that bounced around his head. I’ve given up. Kuro stared at him from a spot in front of the metal door to the roof. The sound of the rain rang through the stairwell, pitter… patter… pitter.
The door groaned as Rin pushed it open and stepped into the freezing downpour of water. His hand went to the hilt of his sword. Just as Kuro had said, there was a man on the roof. His large frame sported a black Shihakusho and he sat, cross legged, on the railing.
“What are you doing?” Rin’s voice took on a fierce tone that his heart could not copy. The man heaved a sigh.
“I, I’m not sure,” he spoke slowly, as if trying to remember how to pronounce the words he was saying. He stared blankly off the side of the building, looking at the ground he couldn't see past the sheets of rain.
“Who are you?” Rin asked. He had obviously lost interest in the conversation, but on the chance that the man was a demon or spirit, he had to make sure everything was safe.
“I don't know,” the man said, “I think that I’m dead.” he raised a chain that connected to his chest and disappeared into darkness below.
Rin raised his sword, his senses became alert, “Alright-”
The man interrupted him, “I think that I’m a Soul Reaper. They are the people tasked with reaping the souls of the dead before the Hollows get to them.”
Rin let his stance go and sighed, “What?”
The man chuckled, “It’s strange, really, I can remember everything about Soul Reapers, and I vaguely remember that I was one, but I don't remember anything about being one.”
Anger began to well within Rin’s chest, “Listen, man,” he tried and failed to keep it out of his voice, “I don't have time for this, start making sense or get off of my roof.”
The man turned around and looked at Rin placidly. His bright blue eyes took in everything. A bittersweet smile appeared on his face.
“How about I tell you tomorrow, when we don't have this rain?” he turned back around.
“Alright,” Rin didn't care anymore. He wanted to go back to sleep, “Do you want to come in? I have more than enough rooms.”
The man shook his head, “No, I’d like to stay here in the rain, if you would let me.”
Rin shrugged, “Alright.”
Rin no longer cared about the man. As far as he was concerned, the man could kill him, maybe then he could see his father.
His adoptive father, he meant, of course.
Right?
The wind blew over the two males as they laid under the big tree whose branches spread over a considerable part of the True Cross courtyard. In the walk over, Rin had learned a considerable amount of information about the man who was on his roof. He understood some of it, and other parts were completely lost on him.
Rin understood that the man was dead, but Rin did not understand what the man was saying about becoming a hollow. He understood that the chain had something to do with the hollowfication process, but not why that was a bad thing. The man knew everything about Soul Reapers, and for some reason he thought that he was one, but he had no recollection of any part of his past except for that. For lack of his actual name, Rin had decided to call the man, Yamada Taro.
“Would you explain to me what Soul Reapers are?” Rin let his eyes wander over the clouds in search of shapes. There weren't very many, and none of them had a particular shape.
“I told you last night,” Taro sighed, his eyes, much like Rin’s were looking for something in the clouds, though he could not say for sure if he was looking for shapes, “Soul Reapers are the people tasked with sending dead souls to the Soul Society before they become hollows or food for the aforementioned demons.”
“What makes you think you are one?” Rin asked.
Taro shrugged, “Because a hollow called me ‘Soul Reaper’. That would make sense, right?”
“Alright,” Rin wasn't following, but he figured that if he kept asking questions something would begin to make sense, “why were you on my roof last night?”
“I was looking for my zanpakuto, the weapon of the Soul Reapers.” Taro adjusted himself, there was a stick digging into his back.
“How does that have anything to do with you being on my roof?” Rin was becoming impatient.
“I was wondering that myself,” Taro pulled himself into a sitting position, so that his back was to the tree and Rin’s head was at his feet, “It really made no sense to me that I was pulled to your dormitory in search of such an ancient weapon. Until you came out onto the roof, that is. When I saw you with my own eyes, I knew that the sword you carry was once my zanpakuto.”
Rin creased his eyebrows, “That can't be…” he faltered, realizing that what Taro said could very well be true, even though it sounded insane.
A shadow fell across Rin’s face. He squinted up, and into the angry eyes of a boy, not much older than himself. The boy had bright orange hair. In his younger days, Rin would have teased him for it relentlessly. But not now, not anymore.
“Rukia,” the boy called, “is this the one setting off the alarm?”
“No,” another girl called. She walked up behind the strawberry boy, “it’s the other one, Ichigo.”
Ichigo’s fierce gaze slithered to Taro, “Him?”
“Yes,” Rukia looked back to Rin, who, by this time, had stood up, “Are you with him?”
Rin didn't answer, instead he observed their stances. The boy, Ichigo, was ready for battle, while the girl, Rukia, was more relaxed.
“Come on,” Ichigo sighed, looking at Taro “we have to send you to the soul society.”
“Ichigo!” Rukia punched him in the arm.
“Ow, that hurt!”
“I don't care,” she turned to Taro as well, “I’m sorry for his attitude. Anyway, I know it’s difficult to believe, but you are dead. Ichigo and I want to send you somewhere safe.”
Her voice was kind and comforting. Even Rin, who wasn't being spoken to, couldn't help but feel safe in her melodias tones.
Taro pushed himself off of the tree trunk slowly. His stance was a controlled lazy, there was something underneath, in the muscles.
“Rin,” he said, his eye meeting Rin’s as he stood to his full height, “run.”
Rin didn't wait for his mind to process the words. He turned and ran as fast as he could into the crowds of people, narrowly avoiding running into them. Taro quickly caught up to him.
“They’re too fast,” he huffed. His eyes lit up with an idea, “Rin, pass me the sword.”
Rin faltered in his step, why does he want my sword?
“Hurry!” Taro reached over and grabbed the hilt from Rin’s hands and pulled the blade out of the sheath and turned around, stopping in his tracks. Immediately Rin flared.
“Hey!” he slid to a stop beside Taro, “What are you doing.”
Taro ignored Rin’s yelling and focused, “Comfort and destroy, Kowareta Jikan.”
The sword exploded into a cloud of stars in Taro’s hand, and he let them drain to the ground. They made small ringing noises as they fell. Ichigo and Rukia slid to a stop in front of them. Their swords were drawn.
“Look,” Ichigo growled, “We can't-”
His words were silenced by the little stars. The ringing sound they made grew louder and they continued to bounce. Eventually they froze in the air, making the shape of a woman, her hair was almost the same color as Ichigo’s, but not quite.
“Hello, son.” she smiled and held out her arms. Ichigo stumbled back,
“Mom?”
Rin and Taro didn't stay to see what else would happen, they turned and ran. They didn't stop until they were well away from the people behind them.
Taro doubled over, “They were Soul Reapers.”
Rin stared at him, “They could have sent you to the soul society, right? Why did you run from them?”
Taro stood up, towering above Rin, and still breathing heavily. His light blue hair moved slightly in the gentle breeze. With all of his muscle, Rin thought, I wonder why he’s so tired.
“Because,” he averted his gaze and lifted the chain on his chest, “I have to go back.”
Rin rubbed his eyes and groaned. He wanted to go back to sleep, “Go where?”
Taro pointed to the top of a mountain that loomed above the town menacingly, “I have to go back to the place that my chain is connected to.”
Rin considered, for a moment, leaving Taro to his own devices and going home, but something on the dead man’s face made him falter.
“Why? What is up there?”
Taro shook his head violently, “I don't remember. I’ve been gone for so long.” he looked at Rin desperately, “But that’s why I have to go back. Something is waiting for me, I-I just know it.”
Rin looked into Taro’s eyes and he realized that he was scared. Taro was afraid that he would go up there and whatever it was that he left would be gone when he arrived. Rin felt a pang of pity strike his heart. He knew what it was like to have your greatest fear realized, and have to go through it alone.
“Okay,” Rin sighed, “I’ll go with you.”
After Rin and Taro got out of the city, the trek to wherever they were going was long and tiring. At least, it was for Taro. He had a hard time breathing and eventually lagged behind Rin, who was fine, despite the steep upwards hill. At some point Taro called back his zanpakuto and gave the sword back to Rin, who accepted it warily, afraid that it was going to turn into stars again. That helped a little, but not much.
The wind blew through the trees gently. Leaves that formerly clung to their branches for dear life let go and fell to the ground silently. The utter quiet that clung to everything made Rin wary. It seemed like all of creation was holding its breath.
“This way,” Taro huffed as he pushed open an old metal gate that Rin had not noticed, “it’s in here, I think.”
Rin stopped before entering into the gate. For the first time, he could sense something that should not have been there, something dead, and yet, still awake. His hand clutched the hilt of his sword a little tighter.
“Taro,” his voice was barely a whisper, “there is something… off here.”
Taro chuckled, “Come on, don't be a wimp.”
Vigilantly, Rin entered the gate, the feeling in his stomach grew stronger with every step he took. It got worse, in fact, when he realized that he and Taro were in a graveyard. Old, broken, moss-covered tombstones rose out of the decaying leaves. Some of them were so covered in plants that it was hard to tell what they really were. The farther in they went, the darker it seemed to get, until Rin realized that heavy rain clouds had blocked out the sun. Rin listened and he heard nothing, there was no wind, there were no animals prowling outside of his sight, even the footsteps that he and Taro were taking seemed silent in that moment.
The calm before the storm, he thought.
Then several things happened at once.
Taro yelled, “Aha!” and began to run.
Something Rin had previously thought was a boulder moved, and pounced at Taro.
Finally, the heavens opened up and a flood of rain fell down so violently that Rin was forced to his knees by the sheer power of it. He raised his head in an attempt to see what had become of Taro and could barely see his outline. He could hear something growling,
“Who are you? Why are you here?”
Rin stood up and made his way to the last place that he saw Taro, something in his gut telling him that Taro was gone. Fear , that was what was in his stomach, making him afraid of what he would find.
But Taro was there, unharmed, and utterly confused.
“Rin I-” he didn't get to finish his sentence before the thing that was not a boulder pounced at him again. Its form was that of a man, a large, twisted man, but it wore a white mask whose features resembled that of a cat. In the middle of the thing’s chest there was a hole, an empty, hollow place where there was once a heart.
“Who are you?” it demanded again, “I do not know you!”
Taro’s face morphed into an expression of hate and anger, “I came here looking for my son!”
There was an audible intake of breath from the thing, before it turned and ran into the woods. Looking at Taro’s face, Rin could see an expression of realization. Taro blinked and shook his head,
“Could that-,” he faltered and closed his eyes tightly, “of course, how could I have forgotten. I was gone for so long.”
He stood up and, with no regard for Rin, went after the thing. Rin stood, alone, afraid, and cold, in the rain. He looked for a moment, at the place that Taro had been headed for, the place that his chain lead. He saw two tombstones, each one leaning on the other. He bent down to read the names.
Daiki Jaegerjaquez
Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez
He thought, for a moment, that one of them might be the true identity of Taro, but when he saw the dates he realized that he was wrong. Daiki died at the age of fifty two, and Grimmjow died at the age of five. There was no way that either one of them could be his twenty-so year old friend.
“Don't let ages fool you. It is rare for a spirit to appear in this world as the same age they were when they died.”
Rin stood up and turned around to face the man who spoke to him. The only thing that was there was a white sheet, with places for the eyes like some sort of cheesy ghost costume. The only thing that made it seem like it wasn't a costume was the fact that it hovered, there were no feet coming from the bottom. A second thing was the state of the sheet, it was completely dry. Even in the downpouring rain, the sheet floated, like one would expect it to on a sunny summer afternoon. The voice coming from the sheet spoke right past the deafening sound of the rain. Rin had no problem hearing anything that he said.
“Your friend is dead, I presume?” the voice sounded so familiar, yet Rin could not place it. It reminded him of something he had heard a long time ago.
“Are you a ghost too?” Rin asked. The man chuckled.
“Yeah, I am.”
“Why are you wearing a sheet?” there was no point in trying to find Taro, Rin realized. He had gone into the darkest part of the woods.
“You wouldn't be able to see me if I wasn't.” the voice was chipper and happy.
“That makes no sense,” Rin said, “I can see Taro just fine and he’s dead.”
The sheet began moving towards the woods, “Taro and I are very different. Speaking of him, you need to find him, he needs your help.”
Rin looked at the trees and the sheet and the terrifying darkness that surrounded everything he saw. His heart lurched, he did not want to enter into the woods and greet the evil and sinister secrets it held. He had just met Taro, what was the point of helping him?
But the voice, it was so familiar, so warm, so trustable. The sheet waited at the edge of where the mountain became steep again. Despite the feeling of danger and illness that Rin felt as he walked toward the ghost, he did not stop. He noted that his chest was beginning to hurt again, and he wondered how long it would be until he was incapacitated because of the pain. Still, his feet carried him forward.
The rain was letting up a little. It was easier to stay standing and Rin was finding it easier to see.
“The sun is setting, isn't it?” he asked the ghost.
“Probably. I think it’s about time for dinner, though I don't really care for those things anymore. When was the last time you ate, Rin?”
Rin shrugged, “I don't know, probably yesterday, I don't remember.”
The ghost stayed silent. Neither of them spoke as they continued to walk. The temperature continued to drop and, despite the rain, Rin was totally unaffected. He just wanted to go home.
There was a yell from somewhere in front of them. Rin sneered and ran in the general direction of the noise. It wasn't stopping anymore. There was a person screaming, someone was crying, and neither of the voices was familiar to him. He slid to a stop, the view greeting him was one he could never have imagined.
Taro held his hand over the heart of the beast he was fighting. There were tears in his eyes and his mouth kept yelling the same words,
“I remember, now, I remember, please, please, come back to me! I didn't mean to be gone that long!”
The beast roared ferociously. There was something else there, though. The sound of pain, and the sound of regret. The roar gradually morphed into crying. Human crying. The beast got smaller and smaller until it was the size of a human. Most of the mask fell away and a man’s face emerged from the white bone. The man was crying. He looked almost identical to Taro, except for the giant hole in his chest and a few of the facial features. This new man stood, wearing a white jacket and white shihakusho-like pants, staring at Taro and weeping. Sob after sob escaped his body as he tried to get words out of his mouth.
Taro fell forward and pulled the man into his arms.
“Papa,” he finally managed to get out, “I thought you were never coming back.”
Rin let go of the handle of his sword and observed the strange scene. Taro looked back at him and smiled.
“Rin,” he said, “I’d like you to meet my son, Grimmjow.”
Rin waved weakly.
“I guess, now that I remember,” Taro, without letting Grimmjow go, walked to Rin, “I should properly introduce myself. I am Daiki Jaegerjaquez, and this is my son, Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez.”
“Hey mister!” a small voice said. Rin had to rub his eyes. No longer was there a grown man nestled into the arms of Taro, but a small child, no more than five years old. He wore the drab of a farmer’s child. A lump began to well in Rin’s throat for reasons he could not explain.
“Hi.”
He looked back at Taro, who was suddenly much older than he used to be. Taro looked tired as he held his son.
“Papa,” Grimmjow yawned, “I’m sleepy. Can we go home?”
“No, son, we have to stay here.”
The ghost who spoke to Rin earlier floated to Taro’s side, “I’ll take you there now.”
“But…” Taro gestured to his chain and it was then that Rin realized that Grimmjow had one as well. Both led back to the two tombstones, Rin assumed.
“I think,” the ghost said, “that you’ll notice them disappearing if you follow me.”
Taro, nodding, began following the floating sheet. Rin looked into his hand,
“Wait, Tar-Daiki!” he ran and caught up with the group, “here,” Rin held out his sword, “this isn't mine anyway.”
A small smile crept across Taro’s face, “Keep it. You’ll need it more than I will.”
Without another word the two separated. Rin watched them go into the woods, noting the fact that it had stopped raining. When he was alone he looked around. There was nothing else here, except a couple more tombstones. More than a couple , he realized. There was a whole group of them. They sat rather close, as if the people buried there were children, or their bodies had been destroyed. He stumbled to these strange stones, the pain in his chest was growing stronger. There was no way that he could make it back into the town before he became completely incapacitated.
Rin lied down in front of two of the stones. He had a feeling that they were honorary, there was nothing underneath them. The pain grew and he clutched at his chest. Small sounds of misery began to escape him as he twitched. He was alone again. His brother left him, Taro left him, his cat left him. Why was he so alone?
In his pain, he rolled over to look at the sky. I must be hallucinating, he though, I could swear that the stars are moving.
He failed to hear the beautiful, melodic, ringing noises that surrounded him. He did not notice that his sword was gone, and just after he passed out from weariness, the stars collided.
When Rin woke up he was alone. His clothing was damp and the sun had finally emerged from the clouds. He rubbed his eyes and looked around. As far as he could see there was no one around. He stood up slowly. The pain in his chest was still there, just not as prominent. All of his limbs felt heavy and worn. He wanted to lie back down, to close his eyes and go back to sleep without ever waking up again. But he had to see his brother again. He had to get Yukio back.
He realized that his sword was gone as soon as he was standing. Only the empty sheath remained. Rin looked for it frantically, thinking that he threw it while tossing and turning in his sleep.
“You won't find it,” a voice said behind him. Rin whirled around to face the speaker. His breath hitched and he reached for his non-existent sword. Lucifer stared at him, his face a mask of no expressions.
“What did you do with my sword?” Rin growled.
“Nothing,” Lucifer shrugged, “your friend activated it before he passed through the gate to the afterlife.”
Rin shook his head, “Activated my sword? You aren't making any sense.”
The entire forest remained still, knowing, somehow, what events were about to occur. Something felt off to Rin, his hand slithered to his chest unconsciously.
“Did you bring my brother here or something?” he demanded, “What do you want with me?”
Peacefully, Lucifer lifted up his right hand. Cuffed to the wrist was a thick metal chain. It made a loud and final sound as it moved. Strange, Rin thought, that I didn't hear it.
“So, you just have one of the chains that Taro had. Wait,” Rin creased his eyebrows, “Does this mean you're dead? That shouldn't be possible, you're a demon.”
“I’m not real, Rin.” Lucifer’s voice was sympathetic, “I am something from your memory.”
“What are you talking about?” there was panic rising in Rin’s voice. Something was beginning to make sense.
“Can you see it now?” Lucifer asked, “The place that the chain leads?”
Rin shook his head, tears began to fill his eyes.
“You could feel it, couldn't you?” Lucifer tugged on the chain lightly, “it’s pulling your heart out.”
Rin clutched at his chest. The pain had suddenly increased immensely. He looked at his chest, the sight that greeted him was unwelcome, but not unexpected. There was a chain hooked to his chest, exactly like the one that Taro had.
The truth did not register with Rin at first. When it did, he remained in denial. Shaking his head and muttering to himself.
“That isn't true. You're lying, using some sort of magic to make me see things.’’
“You're dead, Rin” Lucifer took a step forward, “you died a long time ago, when your brother shot you in the head.”
“That’s not true!” Rin roared, “I stood back up and fought.”
Lucifer did not raise his voice in compliance with Rin’s. Instead he stayed quiet and placid, “Rin, do you honestly think that anyone would be able to survive that? Not only did you get shot in the head, but Yukio used a blessed round. Even being the son of Satan, there is no way you could have survived.”
“Then why am I still here?” Rin screamed, the fear and panic in his voice continuing to rise.
“The same thing that Taro was,” Lucifer remained calm, “there is something keeping you here.”
“What?” Rin staggered closer, “I don't see where that chain leads.”
Lucifer took a step away from Rin, who was getting in his face. He could sense fear in the young boy.
“You aren't like most souls, you got chained to a memory.”
Rin laughed forcefully, “Please, a memory? There is no memory that I have that would make me stay here. Everyone I care about is still alive.”
Lucifer looked to the ground, unable to make eye contact with Rin.
“That is incorrect, Rin, have you looked closely at the tombstones? The names, particularly?”
Rin’s eyes drifted dreadfully to the names of the overworn names on the tombstones. The ones he could make out were all familiar, all belonging to those he went to the cram school.
“But,” his voice dropped to a whimper, “I just saw them… I don't remember. Was it yesterday? The day before that? They can't be dead, none of them would have been old enough.”
“Again, that is not necessarily true. You, Rin, have been dead for a very long time.”
Rin did not listen to what Lucifer was saying. He fell to his knees and began searching for the dates on the tombstones. He looked at the names they were attached to, and he cried a little bit harder every time he realized how young one of his friends was when they died.
Twenty,
Twenty three,
Thirty six,
Twenty two
Nineteen
Twenty,
Seventeen,
The last date was the one that he dreaded seeing the most. The last date was so young. The last date was the date his brother died. Rin allowed his head to rest on the stone. It was cool, and rough. His sobs, at first, were silent, but they grew louder and louder. They were an atrocity in the deep silence of the woods. Tears streamed down Rin’s face. He doubled over and screamed, yelled, wailed, all for the lives of his friends, ended so quickly. His mind held the image of his brother, six, crying as Rin stood inbetween him and bullies. Why, when it was so important, had Rin been unable to help Yukio?
“You hate me, Rin,” Lucifer stated, “you hate me so much that you want to kill me, and you can't. Please, if you ever want to leave this place, you have to let me go. You cannot kill me, Rin, give up.”
Rin stood up and faced Lucifer. Tears spilled out of his eyes and he continued to cry. He looked at Lucifer and his heart was so laden and so broken that he could not find any more malice in it for the demon who stole his brother. He hiccupped and opened his mouth to speak,
“Alright,” he said quietly, “I give up. I give up.”
Lucifer smiled sweetly as his form turned back into stars. Rin turned and saw the sheet. There was something different about it this time, though. It seemed more grounded, as if something was under it this time.
“I suppose you're here to take me to the land of the dead like you did with Taro, aren't you?”
The ghost stood there for a moment, and then it began to lift the sheet, revealing a body underneath. By the time the sheet was released from the face of the man, Rin had already realized who it was.
“Hey Rin,” Father Fujimoto smiled. Rin stared at him and started to weep again. He ran to Fujimoto’s arms and stayed there for a moment.
“Hey, come on, this isn't like you. You were always the tough child,” Fujimoto joked. He held Rin tightly, though.
“I’m sorry,” Rin cried, “it was my fault, all of it.”
Father Fujimoto spoke quietly, “No, it wasn't. Don't blame yourself, Rin. Come on, we should go. Yukio is waiting on you.”
He pulled away and took Rin by the shoulders to lead him. They walked for a moment while Rin cried, before he calmed down.
“Where are we going, anyway?”
Fujimoto shrugged, “I don't know, it’s around here somewhere.”
“You mean you don't remember where this mysterious gate is? That’s just like you, Old Man.” Rin was beginning to revert back to his old self. He didn't realize it, he barely realized that he had stopped crying.
“Yeah well, a little walking won't hurt you.”
Rin looked at his shoes, “Does Yukio blame me? For being so focused on myself?”
Father Fujimoto shook his head, “No, and he never will. Would you look at that, we’re here already.”
He gestured to a pair of white doors, as tall as a house, standing in the middle of the woods. They lead to nothing and, as far as Rin could tell, would get them nowhere. He took a few cautious steps towards the doors. There was laughter coming from within, laughter and shouting, and other sounds of utter bliss and happiness. He looked up at Father Fujimoto, who gestured to him to open the doors. Rin placed his hands on the doorknobs and pressed, throwing his whole weight into opening the heavy, heavy doors.
His eyes took in the most amazing scene he could ever have hoped for. He grinned and threw himself past the doors, past his life. Father Fujimoto followed him.
The sound of the doors closing was final, and unnerving, but Rin did not hear it. No one heard it. They were all too busy smiling.
Ichigo and Rukia approached the gravesite warily. They had sensed Grimmjow’s spiritual pressure from the school. The two-tailed cat that Ichigo picked up at the school peeked over his shoulder. It jumped down and ran to a blue zanpakuto that rested on one of the stones.
Rin! Rin! This is Rin’s!
“What is it saying, Ichigo?” Rukia surveyed their surroundings, being vigilant for Ichigo as well.
“I don't know, something about someone named Rin.”
Rukia bent down to examine a tombstone, “Well, it’s right, at least. This stone belongs to someone named Rin who died fifty years ago.”
“Huh,” Ichigo examined the zanpakuto, “hey, Rukia, what should we do with this zanpakuto? You think Mayuri would want it?”
Rukia looked at the sword, examined it. Something about it made her feel sorrowful. She turned away, “No, Ichigo, leave it there. It belongs to someone.”
“Alright.” the two of them headed away, leaving the site of pain and sorrow. The two-tailed cat sniffed at the stone and the blue sword.
Rin?