Chapter Text
She grew up on some of the roughest streets in Inuzuri, 78th district of Rukongai.
Having developed reiatsu at a young age she knew that at some point in the not so certain future she would be faced with a choice. To stay and potentially rot in Inuzuri or attempt to get into the Shinigami academy in Seireitei.
Potential candidates that wished to enter the academy not only had to be able to demonstrate that they possessed reiatsu but also pass the entrance exam in order to be admitted.
The entrance exam may have seemed to be open to any and all who wished to apply but it was still designed in such a way that made it difficult for the candidates from less fortunate districts of Rukongai, like the outer regions where she was from, to get through the selection process. This was because illiteracy was common. However, it was only one of the reasons why the majority of the population of the academy was made up of the higher social classes, mostly ranging from nobles and residents of the more hospitable districts of Rukongai. So when Renji and her managed to get in they were considered a rare anomaly.
The results of the entrance exam were used to divide up the successful applicants into different classes, with those who obtained the highest grades were placed in the first class. Against all odds they both made it.
Rukia remembered their first day like it was only yesterday, the silent awe she felt as their group was given a guided tour of the grounds. The Academy was an extensive, multiple story building with beautiful architecture and tall white towers, like a fortress it stood proudly. It had open courtyards, many classrooms, dormitories and practice areas for different arts such as Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hohō, and Kidō.
At the start of the academic year, there was a welcoming ceremony for the new students. This year’s speaker was the captain of the 5th division, Aizen Sosuke. She sat with rapt attention as the guest speaker explained their curriculum and aimed to inspire.
"Do not seek beauty in battle. Do not seek virtue in death. Do not make the mistake of considering only your own life. If you wish to protect that which you must protect, slice the enemy you must defeat from behind."
His parting words left her conflicted. There is beauty in battle and virtue in death if you die for those you care about. There was no honour in defeating your enemy from behind, however when you are outmatched and lives are at stake she understood the necessity of it, especially hailing from such a place as Inuzuri where anything goes for the sake of survival.
Life at the academy was not much different from what she anticipated, as one would expect from the majority of the population essentially being made up of different levels of nobility.
At first opportunity she dragged Renji along with her to join the academy to get out of one type of dump only to land into a different type of dump, she grumbled.
She had always been tough, thick skinned and borderline savage in her attitude if anyone dared to insult her or her friends, well, she lost no time in showing those nobles that dared to turn up their noses at her their place in her presence. Their peers soon understood to give her a wide berth whenever she was in the vicinity. She didn’t give a shit about anyone’s opinions and sure as hell didn’t give a damn about the so called nobles who let them starve in Rukongai. They walked around as if they were above the rest, as if they had some kind of higher value than anyone else that had to fend for themselves. It made her sick.
She was only there to get stronger, get a job, save up and get out. And the free endless food, food being the top priority if she was honest with herself as she stared at the mouth watering display of all kinds of delicious food in the cafeteria’s buffet.
Her grasp on Kido came naturally but it was a rough start, as soon as she got it though there was no stopping her. Her pure determination carried her through, she practiced outside learning hours and made sure Renji didn’t fall behind or hurt himself. How he managed to make almost every try explode in his face she didn’t know, she joked that it was his new special talent as she chortled in-front of his charred face.
Despite all odds Renji managed to make friends and dragged her along into the said group he made. They were nice enough so she couldn't complain.
Momo was giving her a run for her money in Kido but the competitive nature of hers didn’t allow her to fall behind or deter her, she only pushed harder.
Kira offered to cut her hair when it was starting to get longer and those wispy stands started sticking uncomfortably to her neck, must have been her multiple vocal grumblings. He probably was the only one in their group she’d trust with a pair of scissors though. He gave her a great cut too, her black locks were just shy of her jaw and framed her face nicely. She would have never guessed he came from one of those noble houses because of his demeanour, he was kind and thoughtful, and perhaps he was the sole reason she started to think that maybe not all of them were assholes (loosely speaking), they also had rare exceptions.
She gorged herself on the high quality food the academy provided and relished in the new dishes and tastes she had never experienced before. Those Seireiteian bastards didn’t know how lucky they were! She even managed to gain some weight! Never having thought she’d ever attain a healthy weight in Inuzuri in multiple lifetimes, life was just too tough there especially for those that possessed any form of Reiatsu.
That’s when Kuchiki Byakuya found her.
He was from the Kuchiki clan, 1 of the 5 great houses of Seireitei, that much she knew. He was tall and severe looking, the entourage he came with were much the same. At first she thought that she was being arrested for something or being kicked out of the academy for one thing or another, you just never knew with nobles, they were crafty when they wanted to be. Perhaps one (or a few) of those pesky stuck up, born with a silver spoon in their mouths, idiots (she could go on, the list was never ending) at the academy complained about her, curtesy of her fist, she just couldn’t control it sometimes, their faces just begged for a knuckle sandwich.
The whole conversation was a bit of blur but she managed to grasp the gist of the intention as her eyes narrowed.
Adoption?
Being pulled out of the academy and straight into a squad?!
What the fuck was he playing at? There was no way in hell! Especially for her training to be tarnished like that? Just how corrupted was this system by the bloody nobles?
She had a word or two to say to him alright...
1. Fuck
and
2. Off.
She refused outright.
Then he dropped the bomb of her sister, his wife. The whiplash sent her mind reeling like nothing else she had ever experienced.
She had a sister…the shock was staggering, swallowing thickly she did not let it sway her, her anger was stronger. Why should she? for someone that abandoned her as a child and not 'separated by circumstances' as he eloquently put it. She just knew.
She scoffed at the disapproving frown one of his lackeys gave her before turning back to him “Whatever she did, I get it, I grew up on those streets I know what’s it like to go to sleep hungry day in and day out. Like I said I get it but it doesn’t mean I have to forgive her. This has got nothing to do with you, it's between her and I, so off you go with your holier than thou entourage.” Her smile was cold and condescending, giving him no time to reply before walking away while his followers sputtered in outrage.
She tugged Renji along, standing on the edges of the room they initially dragged her into for 'confidentiality purposes' and gave him a black eye as soon as he opened his mouth to try to encourage her to get adopted “The fuck is wrong with you fool?! You say one more word and I will beat the living shit out of you!” Her voice carried her outrage and feelings of betrayal, how could he even suggest such a thing? He wised up not soon after though it seemed, he had her fist and foot to thank for it, and never mentioned the topic after that day.
To her surprise the Kuchiki guy came back, interrupting her while she was eating this time. She almost choked when she saw him. Thankfully she was alone, sitting in the corner of the cafeteria and far enough so that no one else could really overhear. Renji and the others were running late.
“Will you not even consider it? Will you not speak to her?” his facial features betrayed nothing, he spoke evenly, dressed in his imposing captain regalia.
She frowned in a manner that showed how stupid she thought of the whole proposition, she spoke lowly with a cold tone, her eyes showing how serious she was “Look at me and then look at you. We run in different circles. I refuse to live a lie.” she stands to leave "and no i do not wish to speak to her." She took a mental note of the division written on his back to make sure she didn’t by mistake apply to get in when it was time for registration in a few years.