Chapter 2: Vows and Promises

Rukia Kuchiki, come here. Captain Kuchiki wants you by his side.

I'm right here.

There's something that's been weighing heavily on my heart... An old story from 50 years ago.

I know. Lady Hisana... People were always telling me that I looked like your wife, that's why you took a liking to me and welcomed me into the family as your younger sister.

Yes, Rukia. I had instructed everyone in the household to tell you that, but it was a lie.

Hisana was your older sister.

Huh!?!

Hisana told me that she died in the world of the living and was sent with you to Hanging Dog.

Making a life was so very difficult there. Even though you were just a baby, she left you and ran away.

Hisana suffered terribly for that. Even after she became my wife, she searched for you practically every day.

Then, in our final moments together, she asked me, should I ever find you, to take you in but not to tell you she was your sister... I found you the following year.

............

I immediately welcomed you into the family. The household objected, saying to allow someone from the Rukon District was against the law and would tarnish the Kuchiki family name. And I had already broken the law when I took Hisana for my wife.

That is why, after I took you in, I swore that I would never again break the law.

When you were sentenced to death, I didn't know what to do.

My vow to protect the law and my promise to Hisana to protect her younger sister, I didn't know which of the vows to keep...

Ichigo Kurosaki, I thank you.

............

Rukia... I'm sorry.

Byakuya...

F-Fish sausage?!

Oh... Thank god... It was just a dream. I'll just go outside and cool off.

Another bad dream, Isane?

Oh... Um... No. I, um... W-Welcome back, Captain Unohana.

Um... Captain Unohana?

Yes, everything will be all right now. It was quite a day, wasn't it?

Yes.

When you've calmed down, go get some rest.

All right.