What's the story of Rukia & Hisana?

[Ness]

Tell us your theories here!

We were getting kind of off topic when we were talking about babies in the previous thread, so let's talk about their story here.

Here were some of the things were said:

I was about to say that Rukia was a baby when she and Hisana were together. Could it possible that Hisana and Rukia were exiled together from a royal family? But like you said, it's just a crack theory.

If souls are transferred to Soul Society from the world, are they placed in SS as what they were in the world? If they were placed in SS as what they were in the world, then it's quite interesting that Hisana and Rukia were together even though it's a quite slim chance. But if Hisana and Rukia were souls together in the world, wouldn't a shinigami give a soul burial for each of them separately? I say it is a great miracle to have them appear at the same time and same place after the burial.

But then, it made me think about how Rukia was quite special since Urahara placed a hougyoku in her (ch 178). When did he do this? He probably placed it in her when she was only a baby. I say it is quite a possibility that Hisana and Urahara met. Remember in ch 179 when Byakuya talked about Hisana? He said: "But she could not live there while carrying a child. So she deserted you while you were still a baby... That is what she told me." When Byakuya said "that is what she told me", I felt like he suspected that she was lying.

Or maybe when Hisana abandoned Rukia, Urahara took the chance to embed the hougyoku inside of her. But wouldn't Urahara be exiled already? If we have anymore clues on WHEN and WHERE Urahara embed this into her, I bet we'd get a clear picture of the reproduction and the way things work in Soul Society.




<crack theory>This is my favourite crack theory. It's just so much fun. But before I get into it, a few asides about Hisana:

1. Dollars to donuts 'Hisana' is not her real name. I would bet you glazed donuts even. (In a weird poetic kind of way her name "Crimson Reality" or "Scarlet Truth" --translation depending on who you ask-- was kind of a giveaway...to me anyway...in relation to what she said to him when she died. "The five years I spent with you were like a dream". Just what kind of 'crimson reality' did she feel she had left behind, even just a little, when she gained safety by becoming his wife? tl;dr, I know. XD)
2. She must have had even just a little spiritual power, because she grew after reaching Rukongai. (If I recall correctly, she was kinda smallish in the flashback...of course with Rukia genes you're gonna be short anyway >.>) Considering the size she was when she died in Seireitei, if she was that same size when she abandoned Rukia if you ascribe to the theory that they died in the human world, they had a good....15 year age gap? That's pretty drastic for siblings.
3. As another poster said above, Byakuya's "That's what she told me" comment was pretty interesting. Byakuya, who was nearly a captain and had probably served in the Gotei 13 for many years would have been able to catch the idiosyncracies in her story "Oh, we died in the human world and magically got sent together and ended up together in Seireitei even though that's virtually impossible www" but probably wasn't willing to call her on it, as he loved her and didn't want to push her.

In short, Hisana, you are almost entirely full of it. But I love you anyway, poor thing. ._.;;

It kinda ties into one of our Theories of WTF (tm). Why would a pair of little daughters of the Royal Family be cast adrift in a rough and horrible place like Rukongai is a hole in the theory that needs plugging. Ros and I had been kind of juggling around some theories, and so far the favourite is that the King and everyone up in the King's realm is already dead (and has been long dead), and that these two were either smuggled out or managed to get away. Hisana perhaps took an injury in the struggle that led to the illness that killed her. Hisana changes her name, gives away or abandons her sister in the hopes that she'll fare better than Hisana can manage to do and voila! Instant camoflauge. Nobody would suspect a pair of Rukongai street brats with short-cut hair and raggy, patched kimonos of being renegade princesses. (Except Byakuya apparently has an eye for Quality (tm), the snotty aesthete. XD)

Hisana would naturally never tell, because if it was an inside job she'd be taking her life in her hands as she's surrounded by shinigami, and furthermore she can't find her little sister. Revealing that kind of information (even if she were ever so tempted) could have gotten Rukia killed if it fell in the wrong hands. And Rukia was just a little baby, she wouldn't have remembered anything.

...Which segues into our cute friend Urahara. If you need a place to store your Hougyoku, and you've got these two sisters, which one are you gonna pick: The older one who is possibly hurt and will remember you later, or the baby who isn't damaged and won't remember jack, who is easily malleable? >.> (This is of course assuming that Rukia and Hisana, both being from the Royal Family, had/has some kind of quality that allows them to contain it.)

Also Isshin totally needs to be ex-Royal Guard. You know that he totally knows about everything that's going on and just went into hiding in the human world, like a undercover FBI informant. >_<; </crack theory>

[Saffire]

Well, if you want a serious crack theory, then playing off the idea that Hisana was hiding her identity maybe she's the original Yachiru (you know, Kenpachi's "only one I ever loved"), and Rukia is their...well... >.>;; It was inspired by the "crimson reality" interpretation of her name.

The idea that Hisana was lying is quite interesting, I'd never considered the idea before. I think the idea of them being from the Royal Family is a bit farfetched, though maybe I'm just disillusioned from the fact that people seem to think everyone's from the Royal Family. I don't think Hisana could have stayed hidden as a runaway princess after marrying into the Four Noble Families though.

[stifflersthedog]

Oh oh my turn ! not really a crack theory, more of a Cookie and Twix Bar Theory :

I rate there is no king in heaven, Rukia is the only surviving member of the royal family, Hisana wasn't her sister, but her body double (ala star wars) and hisana didn't die, but she was murdered, by some underlying force yet to be revealed, so as to protect Rukia

Isshin as the loyal royal guard, Urahara was a trusted friend, or maybe he discovered the plot, cause he's so clever, and was used as a confident.

Random thing is Hisana's name is theres red in hisana's name red is also the colour of the soul reaper (remember the red ribbon?) so her name could indicate a false truth about the shinigami i.e. the king in heaven

Yup serious far shot

[Syn]

I thought of this theory before but it just didn't sat with Hisana's character. Hisana, from the way she talked, was a very modest person.

The reason why Hisana and Rukia were together in Rukongai was because they died at the same time at the same place. In those circumstances, souls are sent in the same district.

It is however very possible that she lied to Byakuya, but I think it has more to do with Urahara actually. The way she sought Rukia before her death leads me to think that she abandoned Rukia to someone, that someone possibly being Urahara who made her promise to not tell anyone, ever.

The reason why Urahara chose Rukia to hide the Hougyoku is unknown, however I do think that it's likely that it has to do with her as a whole more than anything. Hopefully, this is something we'll learn later on.

[Guildenstern]

Oh, thanks for copypasta-ing my previous post, I was going to do it myself but you saved me some work. XD

Chalk the debate over Rukia's origins up to The Enduring Mystery of Rukia (tm). The girl is such a cipher that you really can't help trying to come up with piles and piles of theories to try and explain her. Even her dratted name is a cipher. What last name she has was from her adoption by Byakuya and Kubo stubbornly refuses to give her name any meaning whatsoever. She didn't even get a 'symbol' (Ichigo's 'sun' thing, Ishida's Quincy cross, Chad's tiger etc, etc etc) till near the end of the SS arc and even then it was in a really indirect manner. Her sole flashback to her younger days is through the eyes of Renji, even, who doesn't know her full backstory. Combine it with her mysterious possession of the Hougyoku and her total lack of knowledge concerning how it -got- there and you get one big mystery.

The reason why Hisana and Rukia were together in Rukongai was because they died at the same time at the same place. In those circumstances, souls are sent in the same district.
In the manga it makes clear however that even if you send up being sent to the same district, you don't end up in the same exact physical place. Hisana would have to have been really, really, really, really, really epically lucky to have found Rukia after that. Her years of failed attempts after abandoning her to find her kind of shows that. Also, why would Hisana go to so much trouble to find Rukia only to abandon her later? Kind of self-defeating. (...The mental image of Hisana trying to make up her mind to dump Rukia is horrible yet hilarious. "....Well, yes...no, no....hmmm.") Was it more of a panic thing, where on an impulse she left her behind and then realized she was wrong, ran back and found her gone? Or was she lying and gave her to someone (LIKE URAHARA) then realized her mistake too late?

I thought of this theory before but it just didn't sat with Hisana's character. Hisana, from the way she talked, was a very modest person.
Hisana being modest wouldn't preclude her lying her sad little buns off. And given the situation, who -wouldn't- be modest? You've spent the majority of your life living in a ghetto, surrounded by ignorance and violence-- chastened with the guilt of having abandoned/given away your little sister and experiencing in full measure the hopelessness of searching and searching for someone with no encouragement. For fun, let's add in the possible after-effects of seeing a big pile of murder at a young age. Who would have the balls to be haughty after that? Hisana also had a great deal of respect for Byakuya. She would lie to him, but sass him? No way.
Sidenote: Playing Devil's Advocate, you could say that Hisana had too much respect for Byakuya to lie to him, but remember what Hisana told Byakuya before she died, about being sorry she was unable to love him with her whole heart. Hisana's first allegiance has always been to finding Rukia and keeping her safe, and if Hisana thought that telling Byakuya the truth would endanger Rukia she would lie like a rug. Most of Hisana's time and care was given to finding her lost sister; Byakuya knew it. It's no wonder he didn't push her for information Hisana would have never given willingly.

I don't think Hisana could have stayed hidden as a runaway princess after marrying into the Four Noble Families though.
Yeah, I was thinking of this. Then again, no one would suspect her, as she's from Rukongai and if none of the captains have ever met the king or his family, or even ever saw them (as per Hitsugaya's statement in recent chapters), there'd be no reason to greatly fear being found out. If you assume the Council of 46/36 (I can never remember which -_-) and poss. Yamamoto are the only ones who have ostensibly met with the king (and even if they met with him, did they see his face well enough and often enough to trace a resemblance, if there is one), there's no reason to think Hisana would have ever met them, as she spent the majority of her time: 1. sick 2. looking for her sister. To Hisana, I suspect, the protection of being Byakuya's wife and keeping well clear out of the way of Byakuya's co-workers/Soul Society higher-ups would have sufficed. Oh, that and -never letting on-. (I kind of always interpreted Hisana's strange insistance on Byakuya finding and protecting Rukia as a way for Hisana to reassure herself that in the absence of anyone knowing who they really were/the loss of Hisana's knowledge/protection, Byakuya's name and power would keep Rukia out of the grasp of people who might find her out and try to use her. Sadly, I don't think Hisana was ever a match for Urahara.) There would be no reason, assuming the king and his family are really deceased, for the person/persons who did it to suspect anyone survived, especially not Kuchiki Byakuya's shy, quiet, sickly, apparently weak little wifey who nobody sees, who he married to the shame of his family.

Isshin as the loyal royal guard, Urahara was a trusted friend, or maybe he discovered the plot, cause he's so clever, and was used as a confident.

Ahh, Isshin, the noble guardsman. XD God, this is so fun!
Assuming the king and his family got whacked, if Isshin was a Royal Guardsman/Leader of same, and was a witness/found out about the plot too late to stop it, it would make sense for him to be chilling out in the human world, sealing up his powers and being a nerd in a Urahara-made gigai. If it was an inside job (and I always assume it is, because I don't trust Yamamoto as far as I could throw him for many, many reasons) going to SS and trying to tell someone in charge would mean his death warrant. Obviously they wouldn't want the knowledge that nobody's at the helm of SS to be widely known. Best just to let it be rumoured about that you're dead, and scoot off to the human world where you can take up smoking, apparently become friends with Quincys and father a brood of adorable yet surly children through the Miracles of Gigai Science (tm).

As to where Urahara fits into all this, I have some ideas but nothing that fits well. Friendly co-consipirator? Owes Isshin some favours? Lost a bet? Whatever it is, Isshin and Urahara are complicit in a whole snotload of shady business, the least of which is Ichigo's power acquisition. You can't tell me Urahara and by extension Isshin didn't know Ichigo would become a Vizored. Urahara has his moments of seeming philanthropy, and Daddy is a nice guy, but they each have their own agenda. Did Isshin agree to allow Ichigo to gain power this way, knowing he couldn't interfere in Rukia's execution, but needing her to be saved? Going along with this theory, he most likely knows Rukia's true identity. (I kind of LOLd when I realized that he must have known she was living in his house secretly for all those months. Talk about awkward for Rukia if she ever finds out! XD) Did they two of them work out some kind of fun Rukia compromise: "OK, you get to store your evil orb of doom in her, but you help my kid get her back and she lives in my house when you're done." "DEAL <3"?Did Urahara and Isshin set Rukia and Ichigo up to bump into each other with conveniently-placed Hollow and fun-faked Daddy amnesia so that Dad could pass on his duty of Royal Guard King's-family-protecting with no one being the wiser?

Ahhhh, I've passed into full-on tilting at windmills for the lols. XD This is kind of fun though!

Afterthought: I was going to try and work in to this massive block of tl;dr that whether Hisana did die in the human world or whether she fled to Rukongai, she was pretty young. Her abandonment of Rukia was probably related to her youth and inexperience. ...Which didn't keep her from blaming herself totally.

[Ness]

Did they two of them work out some kind of fun Rukia compromise: "OK, you get to store your evil orb of doom in her, but you help my kid get her back and she lives in my house when you're done." "DEAL <3"?Did Urahara and Isshin set Rukia and Ichigo up to bump into each other with conveniently-placed Hollow and fun-faked Daddy amnesia so that Dad could pass on his duty of Royal Guard King's-family-protecting with no one being the wiser?

Oh goodness, A DEAL?! What a great idea. Remember in the beginning when Rukia went into Ichigo's room to find the soul to give a soul burial? Isn't it a bit odd that the souls were always around Ichigo's house? I, of course, believe that they were there before Ichigo could see them, but now that we know Isshin is a shinigami, Isshin could be talking to the souls to gather around the house to attrack Rukia's attention. Wa-lah! What a convenient way to make Rukia bump into Ichigo in his own room. I suspect that Isshin could feel Rukia's reitsu so he knows that she was up there meeting Ichigo. And I suspect that Isshin knows that Ichigo could see souls and possibly shinigamis. I smell a set up somewhere. But these are only crack theory back ups, right?

Or was she lying and gave her to someone (LIKE URAHARA) then realized her mistake too late?

I was analyzing Byakuya's story where he talked about Hisana with Rukia, and like I said before, the way he added "that's what she told me" when she abandoned Rukia was very interesting. Usually, when you talk to someone and then add "that's what she/he told me", would you say that because 1. you don't entirely believe the story or 2. you don't want to be part of the story telling but that was how the story went?

If it's #1:
- Hisana could've left Rukia with a stranger living in Rukongai (Urahara or not)
- Hisana left Rukia at someone's door step
- Hisana left Rukia in a carriage in the river (?? lol)
It it's any one of these, she was thinking that she could hope that a person could take care of Rukia. But in the story based on Renji's childhood memories, Rukia was by herself, living with other kids. And she didn't seem like she was raised by any adults because she helped out Renji and his friends steal some water. She had the mindset of a child, therefore, she must help other children because helping peers = survival.

If it's #2:
- Hisana really did leave Rukia
- Hisana really did leave Rukia because she felt like there's something wrong with Rukia and she doesn't have any money for food and medicine
Since Byakuya was raised by a noble family, he probably felt shocked that Hisana would do such a thing. Regardless, he still loved her. So he probably thought, "Well, that's what she told me (even though I felt like she could've done something better)..." And about the 2nd part: What if Rukia did look sick and dying when she was a baby? Wouldn't you feel scared and just leave Rukia because you just can't handle it? You just can't handle seeing your own baby sister die. But since Hisana panicked and searched for Rukia again, she probably left Rukia with someone (like Urahara) who knows medicine or a special thing that could help Rukia. Because Hisana didn't have any money, she just ran and left the baby. When Hisana came back, the place was probably deserted (because Urahara left Soul Society and left Rukia at a shelter with kids).

I don't know why we keep coming back to Urahara, but Urahara implanted the hougyoku in Rukia so HE SHOULD FIT in the picture somewhere!

[Guildenstern]

But in the story based on Renji's childhood memories, Rukia was by herself, living with other kids. And she didn't seem like she was raised by any adults because she helped out Renji and his friends steal some water. She had the mindset of a child, therefore, she must help other children because helping peers = survival.

You never see Rukia with any other kids, though. She shows up to help Renji and the others out of nowhere. Rukia was a clever little thing, she'd probably been taking care of herself for a while, as she didn't give the impression of having anywhere else to go when she fell in with Renji. If she'd had other kids she ran with, I don't see her leaving them so easily- once you get Rukia to be your friend, she seems to be a pretty steadfast friend. XD Also she probably helped Renji and the others because 1. Rukia is a softie for people in trouble 2. Having some experience being on her own in Rukongai, she probably realized they were going to get killed by that psycho, so she stepped in. (Quite expertly for a little kid, I might add.) It's because of the matter-of-fact way she deals with the guy + her dealings with the kids that makes me think she probably hadn't had much experience with kids her own age. (Talks like an old guy, pretty good at fighting, slightly more streetwise than you'd expect a little girl to be, even in that situation.)

Since Byakuya was raised by a noble family, he probably felt shocked that Hisana would do such a thing. Regardless, he still loved her. So he probably thought, "Well, that's what she told me (even though I felt like she could've done something better)..." And about the 2nd part: What if Rukia did look sick and dying when she was a baby? Wouldn't you feel scared and just leave Rukia because you just can't handle it? You just can't handle seeing your own baby sister die. But since Hisana panicked and searched for Rukia again, she probably left Rukia with someone (like Urahara) who knows medicine or a special thing that could help Rukia. Because Hisana didn't have any money, she just ran and left the baby. When Hisana came back, the place was probably deserted (because Urahara left Soul Society and left Rukia at a shelter with kids).

I don't think Byakuya had any illusions about Hisana's guilt. He knew she felt extremely guilty and ashamed of herself before he married her, most likely. I don't think Byakuya felt as if abandoning her sister was something he believed Hisana incapable of-- he seemed as if he understood (to the extent Hisana let him understand) that no matter what the real deal was with why Hisana no longer had her sister in her possession, it was a cause for real, unfeigned guilt and shame on Hisana's part. He loved her anyway. (And considering Byakuya was ready to let Rukia be executed --even though he really didn't want it to happen, I don't think his being from a 'noble' house should automatically mean that Byakuya or anyone from the Kuchiki house has that 'noble' of a mindset. Their reaction to his marriage to Hisana and Rukia's adoption kind of proves that the Kuchiki clan aren't exactly fluffy. >.> "WTF ur marrying teh commonerz >:O")

I think Hisana leaving Rukia behind had more to do with Hisana's own shortcomings than anything that was wrong with Rukia. Hisana, whether from sheer inability to provide and care for her sister with her limited experience or youth, or (in crack theory land) fear of discovery or pursuit- either way, it was -Hisana- who left her behind of her own volition, and it's Hisana who feels the guilt from that action. I mean...she must have felt pretty guilty to put her marriage to someone she obviously loved on the back burner to search for her sister every single day until she got too sick to do it anymore and died. If it were the case that Rukia had become ill and Hisana had left her in the hopes that someone could care for her better than she could, then why hide it from Byakuya? Surely it would seem like a better motive than "I couldn't care for her so I abandoned her". Hisana was a modest person, but I don't see her taking on -more- guilt than she actually had. Hisana abandoned Rukia for her own reasons, then calmed down and realized she'd just made a huge, huge mistake...unfortunately it was too late to fix it.

I suspect that Isshin could feel Rukia's reitsu so he knows that she was up there meeting Ichigo. And I suspect that Isshin knows that Ichigo could see souls and possibly shinigamis. I smell a set up somewhere. But these are only crack theory back ups, right?

Yeah, these are just random things me and Ros came up with late at night to explain the idiosyncracies of the manga. XD I'm not going to say that's what went on or that this is what's going to happen, it's just fun to postulate about it. XD

...but yes, Ichigo was totally set up. :X

Ninja Edit: I really think Urahara is behind everything, but then again I think Yamamoto is a bad guy. >.>

Let's see: He made the Hougyoku, HID the Hougyoku, knows how to make a Vizored, invented the training method that he himself used to reach bankai that Ichigo also used to get bankai in 3 days, makes these cute pocket training dimensions that IRONICALLY the Vizored have in their possession, KNOWS about the Vizored, and he and Daddy are in cahoots.

Nooooo, nothing suspicious here. >.>

[Ness]

You never see Rukia with any other kids, though. She shows up to help Renji and the others out of nowhere. Rukia was a clever little thing, she'd probably been taking care of herself for a while, as she didn't give the impression of having anywhere else to go when she fell in with Renji. If she'd had other kids she ran with, I don't see her leaving them so easily- once you get Rukia to be your friend, she seems to be a pretty steadfast friend. XD Also she probably helped Renji and the others because 1. Rukia is a softie for people in trouble 2. Having some experience being on her own in Rukongai, she probably realized they were going to get killed by that psycho, so she stepped in. (Quite expertly for a little kid, I might add.) It's because of the matter-of-fact way she deals with the guy + her dealings with the kids that makes me think she probably hadn't had much experience with kids her own age. (Talks like an old guy, pretty good at fighting, slightly more streetwise than you'd expect a little girl to be, even in that situation.)

You're so right about Rukia. Then again, my mind was just going mach speed so my hands just spilled whatever popped in my head. At least you made some sense out of my post. XD ... So, basically, Rukia WAS living on her own. Hrmm. But it makes you think... Did Rukia observe old people fighting? How did she grow up all on her own and know how to fight and be all acrobatic?

Oh, and do we know when Urahara was exiled?

Nooooo, nothing suspicious here. >.>

Oh, pffft. Of course there's nothing suspicious. Next thing you know, he himself asked Shinji to get Ichigo to become a Vaizard and had pretend that he couldn't help Ichigo.

Oh, and what if Rukia is Urahara's daughter? That would be a really huge crack theory in my mind. How can you explain the similar hair-in-the-face hairstyle, eh??? When Rukia was born, he placed the Hougoku in her AND his wife died. He told Hisana to take Rukia and live in the district, but the secret is, nobody knew that Urahara had children... ... ... Is it just me, or is my head cracked open.

Edit:
Random thing is Hisana's name is theres red in hisana's name red is also the colour of the soul reaper (remember the red ribbon?) so her name could indicate a false truth about the shinigami i.e. the king in heaven

OH AND URAHARA'S ZAN is "CRIMSON PRINCESS".

Urahara. You better speak up. Soon. Like now.

I rate there is no king in heaven, Rukia is the only surviving member of the royal family, Hisana wasn't her sister, but her body double (ala star wars) and hisana didn't die, but she was murdered, by some underlying force yet to be revealed, so as to protect Rukia

Ya know... That's an amazing theory. Except... Hisana is poisoned by one of Byakuya's relatives.

[furato]

Oh, and do we know when Urahara was exiled?
I vaguely remember "one hundred years ago" but I don't know where it's stated. It might be Byakuya's comment at Yoruichi, or Soi Fong's reminiscence, or my imagination.

Interesting how everyone's bringing up Urahara and his shady plans XD

Anyway, regardless of the true origins of the two girls, one thing is sure: their being together in Rukongai is an anomaly. Even when you die together in the human world, you have to get tickets to the same district in order to be together, and there's only 0.3% chance for that because there are 320 districts in Rukongai. If Kubo makes sure Isshin never calls Kon "Ichigo", I doubt he'd forget about the rule that he states so firmly in Shibata's second appearance.

So, my take?

SOMETHING happened in the royal realm that causes the throne in the sky to be vacant. It was no longer safe for princesses Hisana and Rukia to remain in the realm. Hisana takes her baby sister and crossed the dimensional walls, ending up in one of the back-alleys of Rukongai. As a princess, the living conditions shocked Hisana and in a moment of weakness, she left her sister to find her own safety.

On his way to exile, Urahara Kisuke spotted an unusual reiatsu near the 78th district of Rukongai. When he found the source, he immediately realised something special with this baby, something that might just be suitable to ensure his most dangerous invention never to be found.

He left the baby in the care of an old man, one of his many Rukongai contacts, but never tells the story behind. But this person didn't survive long enough for Rukia to remember him, except for the way he speaks. She grew up as any street urchin did and learnt that stealing is the way to survive, but always alone until she met Renji and his gang.

There was one time when I crack theorised that Isshin is Hisana and Rukia's dad, during the chapter when Ryuuken said that Isshin is a worse dad than he is. I was "what's worse than the way Ryuuken treated Uryuu as if he's trash since like the age of 10?", and maybe it's "abandoning his children in Rukongai". But then the simplest explanation of Isshin's bad fatherhood is how he's been hiding the truth from his children and letting them, Ichigo especially, exposed to dangers far greater than most normal human children would experience, so I let that little moment of crack reside in the back of my mind.

[emoloz]

Now i see this whole Royality thing a bit too ironic. I don't really see it. Your theories make sence but how would that explain everyone else being in the rukongai? They can't all be Royal or have some Nobelic sort of presence and History now cna they? I think they way you think about this is because of Rukia and her having a pure white Zanpaktou. The thing is people sometimes have that spark and that sort of raw talent out of nowhere. This is what i see with Rukia. She was just a girl who could progress and gain it. Where as Hisana was the sick one who couldn't and thus she suffered and died.

How they got to Rukongai is probabily something simple. I can't see some dramatic enterance to the souls Society for them maybe there were just playing and ended up in the road and were knocked over.

The only reason i think Rukia was the one who went to Urahara is because she knew he was the only person she could turn to in that situtation. And was told by Ukitake who i see as a very good friend of Urahara and if there is any problems he ordered her to go to him because he didn't want her to get injured then Byakuya looking down on her like he did even more. He wants to protect Rukia and make her accepted by Byakuya so then he can carry on and give her the vice captain position.

[furato]

Your theories make sence but how would that explain everyone else being in the rukongai? They can't all be Royal or have some Nobelic sort of presence and History now cna they?
Simple. We don't need to explain everyone else in Rukongai because there is nothing unusual about them based on the rules of the Bleach world. People die, their souls are trafficked to the other side, receive tickets to 1 district in Rukongai and stay there until time for reincarnation, or become shinigami. As Shibata's story tells us, even if you look for your family it's very difficult. You can only know where your family is if you die together and get a ticket together (it's unlikely), and even if you know where they are, how are you going to search for them within all the districts available?

Rukia and Hisana's togetherness is unusual, and hence, we come up with possible explanations. Other people in Rukongai doesn't need anything explained.

I think they way you think about this is because of Rukia and her having a pure white Zanpaktou. The thing is people sometimes have that spark and that sort of raw talent out of nowhere. This is what i see with Rukia. She was just a girl who could progress and gain it.
For me, it's not about her powers at all. Rukia can have a parrotbeak zanpakutou or never even gained shikai, her origins are still mysterious.

The only reason i think Rukia was the one who went to Urahara is because she knew he was the only person she could turn to in that situtation. And was told by Ukitake who i see as a very good friend of Urahara and if there is any problems he ordered her to go to him because he didn't want her to get injured then Byakuya looking down on her like he did even more. He wants to protect Rukia and make her accepted by Byakuya so then he can carry on and give her the vice captain position.
We never see any signs of Ukitake being close with Urahara. He calls Yoruichi "Shihouin" (in the V-Jump comic) so it implies that he's not too close to her, and perhaps to Urahara as well. Of course this is possible, as is any theory about Bleach that has not been disproved in canon.

Besides, Urahara was the one who came to Rukia, as we've seen in the flashback scene when Aizen was explaining about hougyoku.

Byakuya didn't look down on Rukia, he was actually trying to protect her all these time by asking higher officers (including Ukitake) not to promote Rukia. If he didn't think Rukia is capable, why would he need to do that? It's only his inability to express that caused Rukia to think Byakuya looked down on her.

[Ness]

SOMETHING happened in the royal realm that causes the throne in the sky to be vacant.

This is interesting because Hueco Mundo's realm also had a vacant seat and Aizen went over and took it. Hmm.

I need to think about this.

[NightMare]

They were sisters! Byakuya adopt Rukia cause Hisana ask him before she dies to find her and protect her and treat her like a noble member of the Kuchiki clan

[Sergelia]

^ Erm, yes, that's what we saw so far, yeah. -__-


However that's not the question. We've all read the manga. But - if Kubo intended his story to be believable, he wouldn't leave such HUGE holes in it.

For example, as told in Chad's conversation with Shibata and his foster brother, the only way you could end up in the same place as your family is if you got tickets to the same place, at the same time. There's an extremely low chance of this happening, I imagine. But I won't go into that.

What really stroke me as odd was that Kubo seemingly wanted Hisana to give off the gentle, kind vibe. Look, sniff, she never could fully love Byakuya because she wanted to find Rukia so badly! She felt bad about abandoning her! Look, her death was such a sad scene - it had SAKURA BLOSSOMS around it, even!

...then you think back and realize that she is a person who LEFT A BABY TO DIE.

I mean, there simply *must* be more to this story. The extent of its importance may vary, but there must be more; too much of it doesn't make sense. For example, how the hell did Hisana know Rukia was alive? :confused: If I left my baby sister in one of the most cruel districts of a huge city, where even much older, tougher types find it hard to survive, and then some years after got a guilt trip, would I really expect her to be alive? Logical answer; NO. What is the chance of a frail baby surviving all alone in the streets of Rukongai? Yet Hisana went looking for her, and made Byakuya swear he'd do the same; thus, she expected Rukia had somehow survived. >__> Damn, talk about Superman babies.

:nuts That's it! They were from Krypton!

Anyway, crack aside, I try to avoid the Hougyoku matter right now because my guess is as good as anyone's and all theories I agree with have already been mentioned. I'm of opinion Rukia wasn't just a random pick from the bucket when it came to choosing the appropriate host for the Hougyoku. But that's too speculative of a matter to discuss when one is hungry and it's 43 degrees Celsius. >__>

But there's most definitely more to this story than we've had chance to see so far. And to be quite honest, I'm looking forward to the truth behind Rukia & Hisana being revealed more than anything else in Bleach. Anything.

[HitomiT]

I don't know if this is the right place to "add" my theory or if its to late. Buts this is my theory.....
Well the ninja and the samurai hated eachother right? well lets say Hisana could have been out doing her chores one day in her village carring rukia on her back, when a alarm alerts the entire village that the samurai have come to attack the village and anyone who gets in their way. Well if Hisana was working out in the fields she along with the others probably didn't get this alram so when they saw the samurai coming on horses they probably ran for their lives towards their homes or to hide in the forest. Well Hisana (while carring rukia) probably made it to her home but the samurai probably burst in and in an attempt to save rukia she takes the blade for rukia but since the smaurai had no mercy thye probably plunged that blade not only through hisana but down into rukia as well. that probably why they could have went to the SS together but like the rest of us we will probably never know the truth.

[rukiafun]

the theories here are to the extent, can't imagine some theories but still make sense...
mine is a little out of it...

Hisana left Rukia in rukongai, she was an infant thus she still survived. It's a bit weird how Rukia survived in that cruel place (base in the manga i think she left her at a forest? not surely sure but i saw grasses). And she is surely alone in there because Hisana might not want someone seeing her abonding her sister/baby.

Rukia might have surely eaten by a hollow or just die of hunger since she can't do what adults do, duh! And Rukia.... the name "Rukia". Where did she get it? It couldn't be possibly that Hisana name her that? Since Hisana didn't mention any names of her sister to Byakuya. Rukia naming herself? I think its..... a bit impossible? Because Zaraki doesn't care if he has no name and just took the name of the strongest guy's name. But maybe Rukia might have name herself.....

Still surviving in there was a miracle! Maybe "someone" might have took care of Rukia and "he/she" taught Rukia about everything until she grew up and then needed to go somewhere and doesn't want to take Rukia with "him/her" because the place might have been dangerous, it might have been in hueco mundo? or that "person" died and Rukia needed to live on her own and because that "person" has been Rukia's parent/guardian she might have just trying to forget that "person" because of the sad memories she's having. And about the "person" leaving Rukia to go to hueco mundo..... he must have been a hollow! :crazy

The hollow might have a HEART, and took Rukia in... thus Rukia never tell anybody ( and still continue slaying bad hallows )
-everything is so basted :XD
hell i like theories :noes

While I was searching some birds ( i like birds :smug ). I saw a white-eyed bird name "RUKIA" it's a small bird size like Maya bird and has white eyes :-_- well maybe that "person" might have like Rukia birds and just named the baby Rukia.....

a really crack theory but i wish the person was a guy (strong and handsome and all :rotflmao

[Fyrefox]

Hate to ruin all the crack theories, my parents have given me way too many wierd looks because of my laughing......

Rukia wasn't picked to be the Hogyoku host, it was in the gigai. Urahara simply happened to find her in need of it, which she would have needed even if she had won by herself, as she would have been severely injured. The gigai was designed so that the Hogyoku would integrate itself in the soul more and more until the soul's powers faded, and the Hogyoku completely hidden. When they died, the soul wouldn't have any power (so it couldn't be easily tracked) thus further hiding the Hogyoku. When born again, it still wouldn't have any power, and the cycle would continue.

[Jaimie]

Oh, not the gigai thing again. :(

The hougyoku was NOT put into the gigai. Proof? When Rukia was taken back to Soul Society, the 12th division takes her gigai away, yet the hougyoku was still with Rukia.

Someone else can elaborate more if they really feel like bringing up such an old, over discussed topic, but it's a pretty sure thing that Urahara did NOT put the hougyoku in Rukia when he just happened upon her at the beginning of the story and lended her a gigai. Besides, wouldn't it be stupid of him to just hold onto the hougyoku for all those years, and then suddenly realize he should probably hide it somewhere safer? =_=

Also, this was said in an interview (http://community.livejournal.com/bleachness/183066.html):

When did Rukia have the Hogyoku put inside her?
It’s a secret!
Soo, yeah.

[furato]

Ah, one year old thread.

Pay attention to what Aizen tells Rukia--when he discovered that hougyoku is in Rukia, Rukia's already gone missing, not that he discovered the hougyoku in a missing shinigami; hougyoku didn't come with the gigai, or if it is, it's not as OBVIOUSLY SO like some of you think. :)

And from the latest Kubo interview, I'm certain he'll tell this particular story when it's due.

[ashido fan]

Exactly. I don't see why people like to say "It's in the gigai, not her soul!!" :nuts

The translation is wrong. It is not in the gigai. Bleach's official character book, VIBEs has mentioned that it was put into Rukia's SOUL not the gigai.

And yes, Jaimie, according to the interview, it is not put in a gigai.

When did Rukia have the Hogyoku put inside her?
It’s a secret!

This just says it all. If it was in the gigai, I don't see why Kubo would say this. Makes no sense at all. Unless you tell me Kubo is lying. :hm

[Aepon_Viroth]

Ok. I wanna do some spoiling of the cracks as well ;)
Someone wrote that Hisana left Rukia to Urahara... well, whej Urahara left SS Byakuya was just a kid and there was no option for him to meet Hisana then :P
Another thing with the gigai and hougyoku thing is that it's all a matter of interpretatnion of the original japanese text... one translation version has it that Aizen said sth like furato above quoted: Awhen Aizn discovered that the hougyoku's in Rukia and she went missing... but the other version is sth like: when she went missing, he had no doubts that the hougyoku will be in her... or something of this sort ;P

Anyways... pretty interesting thread ;)
cheers

*Edit:
sorry, didn't see the post above... and yup... Urahara might have put the hougyoku in the gigai he gave Rukia which in turn transferred it into her soul suppressing her reiatsu. But there's really no evidence to support that :P

What about Kubo? Is he lying? Well... he might be concealing some facts (possible imperfections of his plot??) not to spoil the story and to keep the readers uncertain in that respect ;)

[Fyrefox]

Oh, not the gigai thing again. :(

The hougyoku was NOT put into the gigai. Proof? When Rukia was taken back to Soul Society, the 12th division takes her gigai away, yet the hougyoku was still with Rukia.

Someone else can elaborate more if they really feel like bringing up such an old, over discussed topic, but it's a pretty sure thing that Urahara did NOT put the hougyoku in Rukia when he just happened upon her at the beginning of the story and lended her a gigai. Besides, wouldn't it be stupid of him to just hold onto the hougyoku for all those years, and then suddenly realize he should probably hide it somewhere safer? =_=

Also, this was said in an interview (http://community.livejournal.com/bleachness/183066.html):


Soo, yeah.

I've said somwhere that it's possible that he made it so the Hogyoku would integrate with the soul upon use of the gigai. It wasn't that it usddenly occured to him to hide it elsewhere, it's that he didn't have the chance.

Since when would a manga artist give away something he could elaborate upon and write some more story about?

[ashido fan]

What about Kubo? Is he lying? Well... he might be concealing some facts (possible imperfections of his plot??) not to spoil the story and to keep the readers uncertain in that respect

I certainly doubt so.
Bleach has come such a long way, by saying that his plot is imperfect (what more the hougyouku is such an important plot) is kinda a bit off.

The obvious thing I can see from what he means is, the hougyoku story is not yet done, and there's more to it. And he wants us to anticipate it.

I don't believe the sougyoku was put inside Rukia by mere coincidence (but I'm not trying to impose my opinion that it is intentionally).

Since Kubo says it's a secret, it's obvious that there is more to that aspect.

[savantnicholas]

Everybody’s crack theories are interesting.

-

To summarize, these are the Mysteries of Rukia™:

1. how Rukia and Hisana ended up in Seireitei/Soul Society together
2. how Rukia managed to survive in Soul Society seeing that Hisana abandoned her in Rukongai as an infant
3. Rukia’s last name before she was adopted into the Kuchiki clan
4. when, how, why was the hougyoku put inside Rukia?

-

Okay, here are my own theories:

1. how Rukia and Hisana ended up in Seireitei/Soul Society together

Well, they probably died together when they were in the real world and the shinigami who performed the soul burial for them sent them to the same place.

Or, Hisana really isn’t Rukia’s sister, but is actually Rukia’s mother. Hisana might have died while she was pregnant with Rukia (or while giving birth). They died together and because the bond between mother and child is strong, they arrived at Soul Society in the same place. In terms of the red string of souls/soul power whatchamacallit that Ishida sees, their red strings are still joined together when they died, or something like that.


2. how Rukia managed to survive in Soul Society seeing that Hisana abandoned her in Rukongai as an infant

Hisana couldn’t have just left the infant Rukia lying in a heap of grass in Rukongai, could she? Hisana probably left Rukia in the care of somebody from there. This is how Hisana knows that her baby sister is alive somewhere – because she left her in the care of somebody. Rukia grew up in this Rukongai-person’s care long enough to know that her name is Rukia. Years pass. Rukongai-person dies – which makes Hisana’s search harder.


3. Rukia’s last name before she was adopted into the Kuchiki clan

Rukia and Hisana’s real last name was never mentioned. When Hisana left her baby sister in Rukongai, she probably told Rukongai-person™ just Rukia’s name and didn’t leave their last name in fear of somebody recognizing it. (Hisana probably went on living using this mystery last name of theirs.)


4. when, how, why was the hougyoku put inside Rukia

This hougyoku talk is our biggest mystery. Maybe Rukia had the hougyoku in her all along which makes her really good at kidou.

Another theory is that Rukia is a mod soul made specially made to contain the hougyoku and that her soul is a part of Hisana’s. Hisana died in the process of giving a part of her soul in the creation of Rukia, thus both Hisana and Rukia died.


-

So those are my theories. Any thoughts?



Btw, your triple post smells like spam, ashido fan-san. Having trouble with posting?

[ashido fan]

^ Oh yes. I think I must have a problem the other day. Thanks for notifying. :XD

[Millenia]

There is something I'm most curious about and it's kind of bugging me now too..

Does Hisana have any spiritual powers or is she just a regular soul? I mean, Hisana and Rukia are sisters and they are related but can one sister be a normal soul and the other has Shinigami powers? This is something I have been wondering for a while and I just can't seem to come to a conclusion or any theories ^^

Does she have Shinigami powers? Is it possible? IDK...

Any thoughts on this anyone? :D

[chibihana]

Hmm...somehow I also curious about how Hisana and Rukia is survives in Rukongai...I mean why Kubo mentioned about it in the way that there is another story behind it....I't really getting more and more mystery when Kubo in his recent interview doesnt want giving any clue about Hougyoku inside Rukia...:D

[Rinji]

There is something I'm most curious about and it's kind of bugging me now too..

Does Hisana have any spiritual powers or is she just a regular soul? I mean, Hisana and Rukia are sisters and they are related but can one sister be a normal soul and the other has Shinigami powers? This is something I have been wondering for a while and I just can't seem to come to a conclusion or any theories ^^

Does she have Shinigami powers? Is it possible? IDK...

Any thoughts on this anyone? :D

I really think she had the potential to become a Shinigami. She had to abandon Rukia because she couldn't keep them both fed, right? Souls that have the potential to become Shinigami have to be able to eat to maintain their reiatsu, or so I believe... So, according to this logic, Hisana did have at least the potential to become one, but probably never became one because she married Byakuya.

[Rain]

I never thought she really had any power of her own

definitely possible but never something i gave much thought


i always felt it was just that Hisana couldn't protect them/care for them both, not necesarily feeding both

[Pizzicato]

I'm probably forgetting a key point here - but does anyone remember/know if a soul that died in the real world CAN become a Shinigami? It just seems to me that the majority of characters that have been focused on were born in Soul Society (or at least that we know the history of, or that they get older, ect). When Shinigami die they are not reborn again in the real world, but become reishi (which everything in SS is composed of). All other souls that previously were human are born again. If that is the case - then there is no way that Rukia could have been a human soul. You would think that someone would have noticed this contradiction but really Byakuya was the only one who knew the story of Hisana and Rukia...and even he doesnt seem to think it's completely true.
However if the manga did state that souls that died could be come Shinigami - my idea is moot :)

[Rinji]

I believe it was stated that Rukia died as an infant along with Hisana and they were sent to Soul Society together. Saying that, it is possible for human souls to become Shinigami, their soul must have reiatsu. If they have no reiatsu, then they just remain in the Rukongai and never have to eat.

Even though the source might be a little off, I learned in one of the Bleach musicals that the only souls that are born in Soul Society are nobles. It was in a conversation between Aizen and Hitsugaya in a flashback where Rangiku throws him a party for his birthday, and he was like "I don't know my real birthday, unlike nobles, who were born here." This particular scene was an omake as well, but I don't think the bit about the nobles being born in SS was mentioned.

Ah! Lookie here: http://www.onemanga.com/Bleach/179/12/

I think that proves it. ^^; If he thought such an idea was false he wouldn't have stated it, I don't think. I think that this also proves that Hisana had to do more than just protect her -- she had to survive, along with taking care of another. If she were a normal soul, I think this task would have been a lot easier, and she wouldn't have to abandon Rukia (because she wouldn't need to share food/drink).

[hirata_kazuko]

hello there! may i join?
well, after reading your posts, i realized one thing.... my "crack theory" i not really worth sharing since its scattered up there... written more clearly than i could.
anyway....
one idea that COULD happen is...
what if Hisana's illness was hereditary? the fact that she searched for rukia only made her sicker. i love hisana but, maybe she initially married byakuya for her health. this explains why she said she could not fully return his love. awwww.....

anyway, what if rukia got the same illness???? noooooo!!!!!
maybe in the new bleach movie fade to black, we might get more info about the two mysterious sisters. or at least a little info to rukia's life pre-renji.

[Rinji]

one idea that COULD happen is...
what if Hisana's illness was hereditary? the fact that she searched for rukia only made her sicker. i love hisana but, maybe she initially married byakuya for her health. this explains why she said she could not fully return his love. awwww.....


I really think she suddenly became ill with exhaustion and grief. After searching tirelessly from day to day with no result, she might have gotten little sleep and didn't eat much of anything, which finally made her succumb to illness. People do die from similar circumstances.

I think she married Byakuya because he was this white knight that came riding in on his steed, offered warmth and shelter, and an environment that she could eventually bring Rukia into, as well. (Heck, I'd fall for that too. :rofl) The reason why she said she could not return his love, she said, was because she kept asking things of him and was never able to return his kindness. She did love him; after all, she said that being with him was like a dream. However, she was not able to return his kindness, his degree of love for her. I also think Hisana's words were said with a lot of self-hatred and low self-esteem, because she found herself not worthy to be called Rukia's sister (or maybe even Byakuya's wife at this point). If she had found Rukia, things would be a lot different, I believe.