02x12 - Stars and the Stray

[bunniefuu]

Pain that won't heal Sadness you feel Scars that just refuse to fade from memory Sometimes the burden 's too much for one to bear Don't give up on me, please don't turn me away Whoa!
I'll hold your hand in mine Will I lose my hold on her someday?
Will her smile fade In a flood of tears Or can I keep the fears at bay?
Echoing, distant voices wither into silence.

But there is one thing that will never ever age my love for you is timeless Pain that won't heal Sadness you feel Smiles with hearts' bitterness replaced "I'll never smile again" "I'll never let love in" Don't ever say such things to me A future we cannot see All happenings Find meaning in the story In time the clouds will clear away, so just stay, please stay with me Whoa!
Who are we to pass through you?
Whoa!
That answer will find you someday He got me What was that just now?
Zabimaru Damn it It hurts.

My body feels heavy.

My legs.

.

.

Won't move.

My arms won't raise.

Damn it Did I lose?
Damn it Rukia When she left, I was the one who didn't go after her.

"Hanging Dog," the 78th district in the South Rukon District.

To the east, west, north and south, Rukon has districts numbered from one to eighty.

District One has the highest standard of living, and a district like 78 was the lowest of the low.

And we were kids who lived in the lowest of the low Get outta here!
We didn't do anything!
We never knew what would happen to us, if we even slightly provoked the adults.

Quit staring like that!
All right!
Still we did anything we could to survive.

Let's do it!
Hey!
You brat!
Serves you right!
Now's our chance!
- Yay!
- It's water!
Stop, you brats!
Run!
Stop, you brats!
You can beg for forgiveness, but I won't listen!
Renji, this is bad!
He's serious!
Shut up and keep running!
You underestimate me, huh?
Hey!
Hey!
Hey!
Hey!
We hated this town.

I can't run anymore!
Wha--?
!
Why you--!
This way!
Follow me!
H-Hey!
Wait!
Hurry up!
Do you want others to come after your water?
!
Let's go!
Renji!
We met in a town like that.

Huh?
What's that?
I divided up the snacks we got.

This is your share.

Thanks.

It's confetti candy.

Confetti candy?
You don't know about it?
It's sweet.

Really?
Oh!
It's mine!
Give it back!
Please!
What's the big deal?
What's your problem?
You don't need it.

You ain't got an ounce of spiritual energy anyway.

As long as you have water it's fine.

We don't get hungry.

What a crybaby!
Cut it out!
Stop crying, I said!
Shut up!
Hey!
Huh?
We're all the same.

We don't get hungry.

What did you say?
You're just a newbie!
We may not get hungry.

But we can taste!
We can smell!
Happiness is to be shared among everyone!
Don't act like those horrible adults!
Got it?
Don't cry anymore.

Here, you can have this.

Even she must've been reluctant to give it away But Rukia was different.

She had attitude, and she spoke like a man Hey Renji!
What?
What is it?
N-Nothing!
You're so weird.

You're the weird one!
Hey.

What're you laughing at?
!
But whatever she did, she had an air of refinement around her.

What's the matter?
!
Nothing.

I'm fine!
Wow!
Look at this rickshaw!
Isn't it amazing?
It's so shiny!
You can see yourself in the reflection!
See?
But it's something, ain't it?
That brat is going to become Mr.

Soul Reaper.

He's going to be the pride of this town.

I want to be one, too.

In your dreams!
In order to become a Soul Reaper, you've gotta have a ton of spiritual energy.

Well, that means we're totally out of luck.

Got that right.

Hey!
Get your dirty hands off that!
I'll be On my way now.

Here he comes!
Do your best!
Good luck to you!
Do your best!
Go for it!
Good luck!
Hey Rukia!
Hey!
What's the matter?
Are you all right?
Are you kids hungry?
Err no, we're not hungry Feeling hungry in this world where you're not supposed to get hungry.

I was confused about it at first.

But it's a reality that you have to accept.

I think your body felt my Spiritual Pressure which used up your own energy instantly.

Here, eat these.

No need to hesitate.

Oh Wow!
That's amazing, Ren!
I'll bet you're gonna become a real Soul Reaper one day!
Damn right!
Wow!
It's way bigger than Ren's!
Hey!
Rukia and Renji should both become Soul Reapers!
Right?
No, I I will always be here.

Rukia!
I want to stay here with you.

Really?
That makes me so happy!
Right, Renji?
Y-Yeah - Yes!
- Yes!
We'll be together forever!
- Together!
- Together!
With or without spiritual energy, it didn't matter one bit back then.

But, even though she lived in the dregs, she always shined.

Renji, it's coming your way!
Right!
Hold it!
Hey, if you keep running around like that the other fish will get away!
Damn it!
Shut up!
They're flowers Flowers?
There!
Yay!
How do you like my talent, huh?
!
Hey, you guys, get the fire ready!
What're you standing around for?
!
Hey!
Why did you do that for?
Before we realized it, we were together, always together.

We were a family.

But this was still a dirty town with dirty people living dirty lives.

The grown-ups were either thieves or murderers.

The kids were all strays.

Everyone around us.

And there was only one way to get out of this life.

Renji Let's become Soul Reapers.

If we become Soul Reapers, we can live in the Seireitei.

I hear it's a nice place to live, inside of there.

Each of us came here all alone, searching for a family, and came together.

But this town was just too cruel for kids like us to survive in.

Ten years had passed since Rukia had become our friend.

All of our friends were gone.

Yeah, let's become Soul Reapers.

Shortly after that, we both entered the Soul Reaper Academy.

And our school life began, among the spoiled brats of the noble families.

However Yes!
I know that one!
Please let me solve it, Sensei!
I like your spirit!
Very well!
In order for you to write on this blackboard, the other students around you would have to stand up to let you pass.

So I'll do it today.

He has no common sense.

Well, he's from District 78 Of The Rukon District, after all.

Why's he in such a rush to prove himself?
He's so vulgar.

Be quiet.

Now, let's move on to the next problem.

Renji Damn it!
I can't waste time like this!
Unlike you, I'm in a special promotion track class.

I'm really busy.

I like it when you raise your hands eagerly.

So so keep showing that enthusiasm.

Okay?
W-What was that for?
Most of the students here come from nobility.

They can't understand the feelings of those who've led our kind of existence.

It can't be helped.

Yeah Even after we left The Rukon District and came to this Academy, there was a huge gap between them and us.

I swore to myself that I'd make them eat their words.

And then Whoa!
Sorry!
Rukia!
Listen to this!
I passed the Second Exam!
Now if I pass the next one, I Kenseikan?
Nobles?
Hmm It seems we've been interrupted.

Now then, we will await a favorable answer.

Such amazing Spiritual Pressure!
I can't even look into his eyes.

Renji Oh Hey Rukia.

Man, that seemed pretty intense.

What was that about?
What?
- The Kuchiki Clan - Huh?
Wants to adopt me as their daughter.

They'll let me graduate right away, and make arrangements to put me into one of the 13 Court Guard Squads.

Renji I You did it!
Rukia!
The Kuchiki Family is a powerful noble family!
That's great!
If you're adopted into a family like that, you'll live in luxury!
I wonder what you get to eat as a noble.

Man!
I'm jealous!
Not only that You can graduate immediately!
Damn!
I'm so jealous, I could throw up!
That's great!
It's awesome!
I see Boy, I'm speechless.

Thanks Rukia finally found a family.

Don't interfere, I can't.

That's what I kept telling myself.

But when I think back I may've just been scared.

Damn it!
I'm a stray dog all the way down to my bones!
I'm sick of it I only bark at the stars I don't have the guts to jump.

It's your fault that Rukia was imprisoned in the Senzaikyu!
Every time I thought about it, it made my blood boil!
But that wasn't it It's because I didn't stop Rukia Back then, I I didn't tell Rukia to go to the Kuchiki Family so she'd end up being a condemned criminal.

I thought Rukia would find happiness!
I truly believed that!
I wanted to surpass Captain Kuchiki From that day, ever since I've pursued him Every day I trained like mad.

But I still haven't been able to beat him, not once.

He's too strong!
Getting Rukia back with strength was something I couldn't do!
Kurosaki I'm swallowing my shame and asking you!
Save Save Rukia!
I Will.

I shall engulf that unreachable fang in flames.

So that I need not look at that star.

So that this throat will not be torn apart.

I looked up into the night sky and saw a comet!
I want to see you right now, but I can't fly If I could become a comet I would fly across the sky I'm sure With this instantaneous light that will definitely reach you I would circle the skies and shine over you If I could become a comet I'm sure I'll always stay close to you Now and forever I am the new century's charismatic medium, Don Kanonji!
This totally reeks of sketchy things!
- What about the fight?
- This definitely smells like bad spirits!
- What about my injury?
Renji?
!
- Good kids nationwide, you just wait!
- Bohahahaha!
- What's going on?
!
Squad 7, 4th Seat, Jirobo Ikkanzaka!
Those sideburns scream confidence!
February 2017