章 33: 33 - Kuchiki Family
After the spar, Rumi worked on her Zanjutsu more in the innerworld by sparring with Kazehime and also aimed to learn one kido spell a week.
A week later, Rumi had successfully accumulated the necessary stored reiryoku to level it up.
Hearing the notification upon waking up, Rumi excitedly checked her Stats.
[Name : Fujiwara Rumi.
Age : 180 days. (Soul Society).
Race : Enhanced Soul (Shinigami).
Relationships : Abarai Renji (Close Friends), Rukia (Close Friends), Hinamori Momo (Close Friends), Kira Izuru (Friends), Hitsugaya Toshiro (Mentee), Shiba Kaien (Mentor).
Reiryoku level : High.
Stored reiryoku : 20/100,000
Spirit class : 4.
Skills : Sloth (Passive), Guradian's Vigil (Passive), Fire Resistance (Passive), Cold Resistance (Passive), Mind's Momentum, Falsifier.
Abilities : Zanjutsu(Intermediate), Kido (Intermediate), Hakuda (Advanced Beginner), Hoho (Intermediate).
Tools : Zanpakuto, Disguise Pendant.
Zanpakuto : Kazehime (Shikai).]
Looking at her stats, Rumi noticed that levelling up her reiryoku level to High had levelled up her spirit class as well. But, it made sense to her, considering reiatsu and reiryoku level played a big role in determining spirit class.
'System, how strong I am according to my stats right now? Which seat level am I?' Rumi asked System so that she could get a rough idea on her new strength.
[According to your stats and actual combat power, it is estimated that your strength is equal to Lieutenant level.]
Lieutenant level....
Rumi felt a little surreal hearing this, because all she could think when she heard the word Lieutenant level was how strong they were. Maybe Rumi was a little traumatized by her continuous defeats to Kaien during their spars, but still, it was a fact that lieutenants were strong in Gotei 13, only losing to captains.
And finally, Rumi had reached such level. While she wasn't sure if she could actually win against Kaien right now, Rumi didn't doubt the fact that she could do so in the near future.
Besides, Rumi was really glad to finally get rid of the Moderately High reiryoku status and actually got to the level of High, which infinitely sounded better than where she started from.
With a good mood, Rumi decided to skip work and visit the academy again.
It had only been ten days since she left the academy but Rumi wanted to go to her friends and annoy them already.
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At Shin'o Academy,
Ounabara was teaching the Elite Class One of the first years. He had to admit it had been nice to teach in a classroom full of motivated and hardworking students, especially since a particular genius from this class graduated after his painsaking efforts. The class atmosphere was once again nice and peaceful like it was supposed to, and Ounabara could get used to that. Although since morning, he had been feeling some kind of dread, as if doom would visit him at any moment.
And his senses were proved right when he sensed that familiar reiatsu, albeit much stronger and more refined, and Ounabara broke out in cold sweat as the reiatsu got closer until it was in his view.
He paused his teaching and turned to look at the owner of the reiatsu, which only served to confirm his premonition this morning.
The one who stopped by near the Kido training grounds was none other than the silver haired genius who graduated recently, Fujiwara Rumi.
"Fujiwara...why.." Ounabara asked tiredly.
"Oh, hi, sensei, I was just passing by and thought I'd visit!" Rumi replied cheerfully, which made Ounabara's headache return. He wasn't having a good time, he had only started to enjoy the privilege of not having to deal with Rumi, why did she have to return so early?
"Abarai, Kira, Hinamori, your friend is here to visit you three. Why don't you all go outside together?" Ounabara said. He hated being interrupted in class but he hated the idea of having to deal with Rumi more. Since those three were Rumi's friends, he figured he would simply dump Rumi to them.
"But.."
"Hurry, you three." Ounabara urged the three to be quicker.
Renji had a surprised look on his face as he heard Ounabara but he quickly got up from his seat. Kira and Momo followed him soon after and it didn't take long for three of them to drag Rumi away from the training grounds.
They stopped at the spot they frequently used to spar with each other and the three looked at Rumi's new uniform, Shinigami Shihakushō.
"So, you're an actual Shinigami now, huh." Renji muttered.
"Yep, you and Rukia better hurry up." Rumi said with a smirk. "Or I'll be much higher rank than you guys."
"As if promotions are that easy." Renji scoffed. "That said, why're you here? It's only been like eleven days since you graduated, you know."
"I told you guys I'm just visiting." Rumi replied. "Why aren't you guys happy?"
"Who would be happy to see you?" Renji scoffed, he didn't really seem unhappy to see her, though.
"Stop lying, Renji. I know how much you love me!"
"As if!" Renji made a disgusted face.
Momo and Kira laughed in the background as Renji was teased by Rumi.
"Fujiwara san, how's thirteenth division?" Momo asked once things cooled down.
"Hmm...not bad. It's kinda fun actually." Rumi replied. "We have a nice Lieutenant sir Kaien and he's really strong."
"Aha! That means you've lost against him, right? Tell me he beated you up." Renji said, looking much happier at that.
"Shut up, Renji!" Rumi crossed her arms, "He's a lieutenant, obviously, I lost to him. But it's fine coz I'm getting much stronger. In fact, I don't even need my Zanpakuto to beat your ass now, Renji. You can have a real sword and I can still beat you with a wooden sword." Rumi said proudly.
What was her purpose of visiting?
This!
Trashtalking and boasting about how she could beat up Renji was a way to refuel her pride after losing to Kaien everytime she fought with him.
Renji wasn't amused and said that he didn't believe her so he was again subjected to one-sided beating.
In the end, Renji swore that he would try his best to graduate and join Gotei 13 as soon as possible. He would get stronger and beat up Rumi at least once.
-----------------
After catching up with Renji, Kira and Momo for a while, Rumi decided that she wanted to see Rukia before returning to her Division, and her three friends decided to tag along as Rumi tried to find Rukia.
After asking around, Rumi found the room Rukia was in and opened the door quickly, despite sensing multiple powerful reiatsu sources in the room.
As soon as she opened the door, Rumi saw four Shinigami and two were much powerful than her reiatsu.
"Kenseikan?" Rumi heard Renji and Kira mutter. So, they were nobles, she realized.
"Oh, it seems that we've been interrupted." The old man Shinigami said as they proceeded to leave. "Now then, we will await your favorable answer."
Rumi could feel the powerful reiatsu leaking from the two Shinigami nobles and look at them in curiosity. What business could those nobles have with Rukia? Could it be that they wanted to adopt her?
After they left, Rumi asked Rukia about what it was about.
"The Kuchiki clan...they want to adopt me as their daughter and wants me to graduate right away." Rukia answered, her voice shaking a little. "I...what should I do?"
Renji was shocked and Rumi saw that his throat was twitching as if he was trying hard to find words. In the end, he said with a cracked voice, "Isn't that nice, Rukia? You finally did it! You would become a noble, how nice is that?! I wonder what you'll get to eat as a noble."
It was painful to watch, as it was obvious to Rumi that Renji was lying and pretending everything was okay just so that Rukia wouldn't be held back. Rumi could feel how hard it must be to say that because it would mean Rukia would also leave him.
Three of them promised to become Shinigami together, but Rumi had graduated the earliest and became a seated officer in Gotei 13, now, Rukia would also graduate and probably get a seated position in Gotei 13, which meant that Renji would be left alone in the academy. And with Rukia's noble status, the status between him and Rukia would become bigger and bigger.
Rumi wanted to say something but she realized that Renji must've known that as well when he said those words. Since that was his choice, Rumi felt that she shouldn't interfere needlessly.
Rukia, on the other hand, looked hurt to hear Renji's words and turned to Rumi, as if she was expecting to hear a different answer.
Rumi patted Rukia's shoulders and said, "Do whatever feels right to you, Rukia. No matter what, I'm your friend and I'll be there to annoy you, always." She smiled as she said the last part, "I don't care if you become a noble."
"..thank you." Rukia still looked sad but smiled softly at Rumi's words. At least, she seemed to be relieved that her relationship with Rumi wouldn't likely change.
When Rukia left, Rumi patted Renji's shoulder.
"You know you're an idiot, Renji." She said, "You could've told her you would still be her friend by her side."
Renji looked away and said uncharacteristically, "We both know it'd be a lie, Rumi. I'm not like you, I'm not talented enough to graduate in such a short time like you and get a seated officer position in Gotei 13. How could a mere academy student without monster level talent can stand on the same grounds with her? She would be a noble and get a seated position in Gotei 13, Rumi. I..I won't be qualified to be her friend."
Renji's voice cracked at the end and he looked like he had given up on his relationship with Rukia. Normally, he would've swore that he could catch up by pouring sweat and blood into training so that one day, he could be qualified to become Rukia's friend again. But, now, after seeing the difference between actual geniuses and himself, Renji looked like he had given up.
Noticing this, Rumi sighed and smacked Renji's head with full force, making him fall onto the floor face-first.
"Rumi..what.."
"Idiot! Why would you need to be qualified to be Rukia's friend again?! Simply because she's going to be a noble, did you assume that she's no longer your friend? Do you really think Rukia's that shallow?" Rumi scolded Renji.
"Even if Rukia is okay, I would only bring trouble to her. If other nobles know she's a friend of someone like me, she would..."
"You realize Kira's also your friend, right? He's also a noble." Rumi said.
"But, this is Kuchiki clan and..I.."
"Seriously, Renji? I don't get your logic at all." Rumi said, grabbing Renji's collar. "Where is the stupid, insufferable and brave Renji go? Didn't you always say that you're not a wimp when I tell you to give up during our spars? Why're you giving up on Rukia that easily when you haven't even tried yet?"
"...I don't know, Rumi. I'm not a genius like you. What can I do?" Renji scoffed. "I appreciate your concern but I'm different from you. You can hope to stand on the same grounds because you have the talents and potential to become someone with a higher status in Gotei 13. God, even the instructors say you can become a Lieutenant easily in the future, obviously, as a Lieutenant, you'd be more than worthy of being her friend.."
"That's not the point.." Rumi's hands around Renji's collar loosened. Renji clearly had issues, self-esteem issues, to be precise, and she couldn't help but think if it was her fault for always beating him up during their spars.
'Obviously...it was my fault..wasn't it?' The more she thought, the more she realized that sometimes, she had become so caught up in her moment of glory and ended up boasting too much about her success. Maybe she should've considered what it could do to her friends. Maybe she should've stopped and checked that Renji was okay.
But, instead, she had just believed that Renji was fine, because of how tough he was and how he always carried himself with confidence and competitiveness.
Rumi wondered if she had destroyed Renji's self-esteem and now, the relationship between him and Rukia.
Would it have been better for them if she never became their friend in the first place?
"Renji...I..I'm sorry.." Rumi found herself saying. She wanted to continue with how sorry she was for everything but Renji interrupted her.
"Thank you, Rumi. I know you're making me feel better but I don't think you should give me too much hope." Renji said before standing up and leave.
As Renji left, Rumi found that she couldn't stop him, or didn't know how to stop him. So, she stood there as Momo and Kira followed Renji to talk to him. At the same time, she wondered if that meant they all no longer wanted to be her friend.
Rumi wasn't sure if she was going to be fine with losing all of them, but she didn't know how she could fix it now.
It wasn't like she was the best when it came to relationships with people when she was alive for twenty one years as a human. She had several issues when it came to attachments and people after her parents abandoned her at the amusement park when she was a child and as a result, growing up, she didn't really have anyone else to rely on other than her sick aunt who was always in and out of the hospital. So, Rumi was glad when she was finally in Soul Society and became friends with Renji and Rukia. It was as if she had been given a new chance to be someone else and maybe have normal relationships with friends.
But, at this moment, Rumi simply felt lost for the first time ever since she crossed over here. She wanted to fix whatever that went wrong and make the relationship between the three of them be the same again. Yet, at the same time, she knew it was impossible.
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On the other hand, the Kuchiki clan Shinigamis walked back to their family house. The older man said, "That girl in Shihakushō today, who is she?"
"I believe that is the rumored genius of the academy this year. Apparently, she has achieved Shikai after two months and graduated in four months." Byakuya answered, "If the reports are right, she is now serving as sixth seat in Thirteenth Division under Ukitake taichō."
"Hm, interesting." The old man said, "That leads me to wonder why you would insist on adopting that Rukia girl instead of her."
The moment he heard those words, Byakuya knew exactly what the old man meant. Why did he insist on adoption of Rukia instead of the obviously more talented one when they were going to be breaking the rules anyway?
But, Byakuya didn't answer. After all, it was his promise to his late wife, Hisana. She had passed away a few months ago and before her death, he promised her that he would adopt Hisana's sister as his own sister. Ever since making that promise, he had been trying to find the sister and rumors of the supposed genius helped him to find Rukia faster, as he had stumbled upon Rukia when he investigated about the genius of the academy.
That said, Byakuya had no intentions of letting this secret out. Even if he felt a little thankful to the genius named Fujiwara Rumi for indirectly leading him to fulfill his promise to Hisana, he would never reveal the secret to her.
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A/N: So, Rukia's finally getting adopted and damn, this chapter got a bit heavier than I intended it to be. And yes, Rumi's parents actually abandoned her although this is the first time actually confirming in the chapter.
Rumi had dreamed in the first vol that as the rollercoaster leaves, she was scared that her parents would disappear and yeah, it's because they abandoned her at the ride. So, yeah, she obviously has issues and hence her reluctance on trying to fix her relationship with Renji and also assuming it was her fault that Renji's self-esteem was a bit lower and him giving up on Rukia, kinda.
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