BLEACH EPISODE #49

We once again enter Rukia's dream, and it is Rukia's first day as Shinigami. The other members of the division taunt her behind her back because she was adopted by the Kuchiki family. Vice-Captain Kaien shows up and sends the whispering members off to work again. She greets him, and he gives her a hard time about her greeting, and after she greets him to his satisfaction, he asks for her name. Rukia is impressed at the fact that he treats her normally, unlike other people, who treat her differently because she is Byakuya's sister. Kaien then introduces himself, and mentions that Ukitake is sick a lot, so she can call him Captain by accident. Later, Rukia meets with Byakuya, and tells him that she does not at the time have a seat because of her power. Byakuya is indifferent about her situation, and dismisses her.

Later, Kaien meets Rukia by a river with sodas and offers one to her. They sit and drink the soda, and Kaien asks her why she is so depressed, telling her that he is behind her as a friend. Sentarou and Kiyone show up drunk and begin to tease them because they think that Kaien and Rukia are on a date. Seeing that Rukia is depressed, Sentarou tells Rukia to smear boogers on whoever talks bad about her, and Kaien throws water on them to sober them up. Rukia narrates a little, saying that she was comfortable around Kaien.

Later, after a battle with a Hollow, Kaien's wife Miyako shows up to help back him up and ends up helping out Rukia. Rukia again narrates that she idolized Miyako very much--she was a strong feminine character whom Rukia looked up to.

When Miyako is sent off to face a dangerous hollow, she promises that she will take care of the hollow, and leave the rest to the backup team, the 13th division.

When the team comes back, Miyako is the only one left alive. Although she is unconscious, her life does not seem to be in any danger until she awakens and goes on a killing spree. Ukitake, Kaien, and Rukia answer the screams of the people she is killing, and when they face her, Miyako runs off into the woods. Kaien decides to honor the pride of Miyako and go after her. Ukitake decides to go with him, and brings Rukia along.

When they get out into the woods, they are attacked by a hollow which is capable of speech, and taunts the threesome about killing and torturing Shinigami before absorbing them, Miyako in particular. Kaien decides to take the hollow alone and avenge Miyako. Kaien talks with the hollow, who says it has eaten more Shinigami than it can count, and regrets not torturing Miyako more before he ate her. Kaien gets very angry, and attacks the hollow, which makes his Zanpakutou vanish when Kaien touches the hollow. Rukia tries to step in, but Ukitake stops her. Ukitake explains to Rukia that there are two types of fights--those to win, and those to protect pride. He tells her that Kaien is fighting for the pride of those killed, and the pride of his wife.



The hollow then takes over Kaien's body, and Kaien begins to attack Rukia and Ukitake. The Kaien Hollow swears to kill Rukia first, but Ukitake steps in, blocking his sword attack, and tells Rukia to run away. Ukitake begins to fight with the Kaien Hollow, and swears he will kill him and Kaien's body. Unable to fight, however, the Kaien Hollow goes after Rukia, who has come back to try to fight. Kaien impales himself on Rukia's sword, telling Rukia and Ukitake that he wishes that his life could have ended differently. Rukia believes that she has not done anything worthy of his thanks, she being the only person she saved, and feels selfish for what she believed she had done (killing Kaien), and that she deserved to die by the Soukyoku.

Meanwhile, Ukitake catches Byakuya in a hallway and tries to make him feel bad for Rukia, but Byakuya is indifferent, saying that it will only shorten Ukitake's life worrying so, and that if she is to die, that is the way of things.

To be continued...