[Kari Izumi]

Originally Posted by Hilarieho

How has nobody really mentioned the Renji and Rukia possibility? They have a wonderful dynamic together and a lot of history from growing up together.

Renji/Rukia is my favorite ship...actually, it shares top honors with Ichiruki (Conflicting ships? Say it isn't so! ). It's part of the reason I hope neither becomes canon, because I'd probably bemoan that the other didn't, but I'm babbling.

Anyway, they certainly do have a nice relationship between them. I hate when some shoot down this couple on the basis that Renji abandoned her...he may not have made a decision that left Rukia entirely happy (see my next points below), but the sentiments behind it can't be ignored, IMO. It's rather hard to understand the feudal system of nobility when none of us have ever lived through it, but that sort of thing is serious business. I can't imagine someone would work that hard for forty years to become Vice Captain--under the man who adopted her into the family, no less--out of sheerly platonic love.

Rukia fell for Kaien after being parted from Renji, and i always felt this was her replacing her affection on somebody similiar to Renji (subject to opinion of course).

You bring up an interesting point that I've thought about for a while: If Renji and Rukia still had each other--or at the very least, if she had a closer relationship to Byakuya or anyone else in the Kuchiki family--would Rukia still feel so close to Kaien? Would she worship him so much? I have the feeling that wouldn't be the case. Kaien was the one persons in a sea of many including Renji at this point who treated her as just another normal person and not as some untouchable noble.

Speaking of that couple, my mind still goes into the gutter anytime I see this screencap. I mean...WTF.

I think what I meant [I type first, think later] by "nothing in the way", I was referring to physical boundaries or people objecting [not getting into the Ichigo thing... I've sworn off that subject], since some seem to think it's a good argument that Ichigo and Rukia can't be together because they're in different worlds.

I hope I'm not starting another wank by commenting on this (because I do like this couple), but it *is* something to consider. Rukia has worked hard for her career, and now that Byakuya's not putting a damper on her promotion anymore, she can only move up from here. Likewise, Ichigo may have the ability to cross over between the two worlds, but he's still got a life here on Earth to live.

This is NOT to say that it absolutely can't work out, but it would be difficult if they did the long distance thing and the two could only see each other once every few months or so. I've only seen one fanfic actually explore this in depth, and the toll that it took on their friendship when one of them inevitably wanted more than the other could give and the relationship ended.