I present to you the 2nd chapter of 'Whitelight and the Weaving Princess'. Although there is no real Byakuya X Orihime in this chapter, I felt that it was important for me to include the lore I had created for this AU. As you will read, you will find similarities with the events in the Bleach canon universe, while also noticing that some other things are obviously different down the storyline.

I wrote this whole chapter in several hours, because I enjoyed writing it. I enjoy challenges… and combining dragons with Bleach lore in the same story proved to be a good workout for my creativity.

Boke = a more friendly way of calling someone an 'idiot' or 'dummy'

Sitting seiza-style = traditional way of sitting, on one's knees, with feet under the bottom (Google it for visual reference)


"Here's everything I know about war: Somebody wins, somebody loses, and nothing is ever the same again."

. . .

"We have her. Instruct the servants to prepare the Senkaimon. We are returning."

[…]

"She is very beautiful, Nii-sama."

"I'll say… You sure know how to pic'em, sir."

[…]

"…She definitely seems to be an interesting choice, Byakuya-sama. When can we expect the…process to begin?"

"Your curiosity seems to exceed your memory. I do not take lightly to those who forget their place before me."

"M-My deepest apologies, Byakuya-sama. I did not mean to sound imposing."

"I shall have the girl when I see fit. For now, she is to be left undisturbed, so that she may regain her strength."

[…]

"Hey… Wha-What happened?" The first person Inoue saw when she woke up was a young, brown haired woman who seemed to be dusting a cabinet in the room. She still felt her body heavy and her mind lazy.

"Miss Orihime…-sama!" by the sharp tone of her voice, the girl seemed to have been taken by surprise "You are awake. I shall inform the family members at once!"

"Inform… what? Huh? Hey…wait… where are you going?" She tried to get up to standing position but the she felt the room spinning around her and immediately fell back with her head into the soft pillow.

By the time Inoue heard the low knock on the door, she had became fully aware of her surroundings. It reminded her of the old houses from the feudal period of Japan's history. The room in which she woke up seemed very spacious, with few pieces of furniture organized in a very simplistic fashion, and in the middle was her bed, which, despite appearances, was very comfortable. Running her hand across the sheets, she concluded that they must have been made of silk. Just where exactly was she?!

"Come in." her response was almost an instinctive reaction to the knock.

The girl that entered the room had a lithe frame, and wore a bright red kimono with engravings of cranes and white flowers on it. One of her violet eyes was partially covered by a lock of her black hair. It was her! The girl at the pastry shop.

"Hello. My name is Kuchiki Rukia. Pleased to meet you!" she sat down next to her bed in a formal seiza style, bowing her head slightly.

"I'm Inoue Orihime. Pleased… to meet… you too?" The orange haired girl noticed the warm smile Rukia gave her.

"I know who you are." Rukia nodded to her own words.

"How would you know? No. Rather, where am I?"

"You are in Soul Society."

"Soul So-ci-e-ty?" Inoue's confusion was growing "Wait… AM I DEAD?!" She jumped out of bed, her face carrying a grave expression. "I can't be dead! I had so many more things to do! So many plans for the future!"

"C-Calm down. You're not dead."

"So many places I did not get to visit…"

"Are you even listening?"

"So many foods I did not get to taste!" her hands were frantically going down and up.

"Oy, BOKE! I SAID YOU'RE NOT DEAD!" Rukia screamed loud enough to grab Inoue's attention. The girl was now looking back at her with a half-terrified expression. "I swear…you have so much energy. You remind me of someone." An image of Renji passed through her mind, but after realizing that her temper got the best of her, Rukia, went back to sitting down "I-I mean… You are not deceased, Miss Orihime."

"I… er…"

Rukia did not have time to apologize for her outburst, however, as the next moment another knock was heard on the door.

"I'm coming in." Gorou Kuchiki did not wait for a response.

"Gorou-sama…" Inoue noticed Rukia's smile immediately fade as she bowed to the man who had just entered the room.

"I see you are awake, Miss Inoue Orihime." He looked at her, completely ignoring Rukia. Orihime could have sword that the temperature in the room dropped by several degrees when the old man entered. "My name is Kuchiki Gorou, and you, my dear girl…" he paused for a moment, analyzing her from head to toes "…have been asleep for the past three days. Do not fear, however, as such things are normal for humans when they first experience kidou or pass through the Senkaimon."

"What is a Senkaimon?" Somehow, it was not the first time she heard that word.

"Unfortunately, Byakuya-sama was made unavailable at this moment, due to his duties at the 6th Division. However, it is my deepest honor to welcome you to the Kuchiki estate in his stead. " Despite the wide smile he displayed, Inoue couldn't help but get the chills from this man's presence. "I am certain that you have many questions, and unlike others…" He threw a sharp stare at Rukia - who Orihime noticed that she did not move to meet his eyes, obviously choosing to take the insult without retort "…I am more than suited to answer them."

"Please… Why am I here?" The man reminded her of a snake, with his intense gaze and wide grin.

"Oh my… I was informed that you were told the reason why you have been brought to Seireitei. You are here to serve as the chosen of the White Dragon Avatar, Kuchiki Byakuya-sama."

The moment of her abduction flashed through her mind.

"Chosen…?"

"Yes. His…mate, if you prefer."

"…?"

"Ugh." The old man seemed irritated at having to explain the meaning of his words to this extent "The mother of his offspring."

"WHAT?!"

Gorou's grin widened. Rukia couldn't help but notice that he was enjoying the girl's torment.

"Impossible. That's impossible! You kidnapped me, and then brought me to this place… all for the reason of being some guy's wife?"

"Wife? When did I say that you would become his wife? Do not get full of yourself, human!" Anger had suddenly flared in his expression. "You are here solely to bring his offspring into this world, and after that you'll-"

"Like hell I will! I don't know who you people are, but this is crazy." Orihime took a few steps back and grabbed a small vase off the sleep stand by the bed, when the elder tried to approach her.

"You little…" his face turned to a shade of red. He raised his hand towards Orihime, and to the girl's surprise, claws started protruding from his fingernails.

"Gorou-sama!" Rukia's eyes were wide with shock, something which made the Kuchiki elder calm down.

"Hmph." He regained his composure, using his hand to weave signs in mid-air. "Come, girl. You are to be prepared for Byakuya-sama's arrival."

Before Inoue could react or answer, the vase dropped to the ground, as her hands locked themselves behind her back and Inoue dropped to her knees.

"Bakudo No. 1: Sai." Gorou's grin took back its place on his face, just as Orihime once again fell asleep.

[…]

This was a nightmare. I had to be. Any moment now her alarm clock will wake her up with that annoying sound she selected from its options and then she will make breakfast, take a shower and go to work at the pastry shop in Karakura. Yes. Any moment, now.

"Orihime. Oh… Can I call you Orihime?" Rukia had entered the room where the Kuchiki house servants were dressing her brother's prize. "You seem to have calmed down. I apologize for your treatment at the hands of Kuchiki Gorou. Gorou-sama is the oldest member on the Kuchiki family's Coincil. As you have seen, he does not take kindly to any form of reckless behavior. His patience is even more limited when it comes to humans."

"What do you mean… humans?" Inoue turned towards Rukia, to the dismay of the servants who had to adapt and turn in sync with her movements.

"Oh, I am sorry. I keep forgetting. Orihime, listen… Soul Society is the place where dragons live."

Definitely a nightmare. There was no other explanation. This time, though, she would be glad to hear that annoying clock's alarm.

"I see you do not believe me. I understand, though. Every human finds it hard to believe, but I shall prove it to you beyond any doubt."

"Haha, are you going to show me such a dragon?" The orange-head couldn't help but find Rukia's words outrageous.

"Actually, yes, I am. Meiko… if you please."

"As you command, Rukia-sama." No sooner did she finish her sentence, that the servant's skin turned scaly and her hands became claws. A pair of brown wings slowly started growing from her back, barely fitting in the room they were in.

"Meiko here is a copper dragon. She is still young, ofcourse, which is why she is so small."

The girl turned dragon was staring down Orihime with reptilian shaped, yellow eyes. It was real. She could feel the warmth emanating from the beast, hear its sluggish breath, and feel the floor bend under its weight.

"Thank you, Meiko. That will suffice. We do not want to scare our guest."

"Hai, Rukia-sama." Within moments, the dragon had taken back its human form. Inoue closed her eyes, not sure how to react to the girl who did not seem embarrassed, even though she was completely naked now. A mere second later, though, clothes seemed to have materialized from this air, onto her body.

"Haha. Do not worry. You should not feel ashamed at seeing her like this. Dragons do not wear clothes in their normal or human form. What you are seeing now is Meiko's projection of how she sees herself and how she wants to look. Although it's a bit more complicated, I guess you could consider her clothes as sort of an illusion."

"Kuchiki-san…"

"Hmm?"

"How can this be real? How can a place like this exist? How can dragons exist and why doesn't the world know about it?!"

Rukia's smile faded away at the question.

"There are probably those who can explain this better than me, but I'll try to explain." She waved the servants away, after concluding that they had finished dressing Inoue. "Thank you for your hard work, everyone." Then turned to the orange-head "Come take walk with me, Orihime."

[…]

The Kuchiki gardens were beautiful beyond anything Inoue had imagined. They headed in an atmospheric ravine south of the house, littered on both sides of the sidewalk with bushels of white roses, complemented by asiatic flowering shrubs - wonderful magnolias and camellias among them. The whole place seemed well tended to, and at the same time, left wild.

"The gardens are taken care of by a few loyal green dragons. They have a way with such things. I always enjoy observing the results of their labor."

Rukia's words brought her back to her senses.

"So… Kuchiki-san…"

"Ah, yes. I did say that I would try to explain things to you. I suppose sharing the history of Seireitei would clear things up, at least a bit."

"…"

"Well, in truth, I cannot really start from the beginning, because the great archives that contained details about Creation were lost to a cataclysm several thousand years ago… but you see, as far as recorded history stretches, Dragons have always been the guardians of the world and protectors of mankind… locked in eternal conflict with demons that try to destroy Creation and devour human souls. We call those demons Hollows."

"Hollows…?"

"Mhmm. It was a name given to them by humans, because of their appearance… back in the days when humans and dragons worked together towards the common goal of stopping Hollow attacks."

"Back in the days? How long ago was this, Kuchiki-san?"

"Well… before the Great War between humans and dragons, the two used to work together. You see, each dragon is a very powerful warrior in its own right, but the demons were legion compared to the rather limited number of dragons, so the later were beginning to lose more and more battles. It was then that they decided to turn the demon's weapons against them. Hollows have the ability to fire powerful shots of pure energy called Cero, by harnessing the power of their soul… or Reiatsu. The dragons observed how the hollows did it and took it to another level, learning to use their own reiatsu for more varied types of spells. One such spell was the one that put you to sleep… or the one that Gorou used to bind your arms."

Orihime frowned at the memory of that moment.

"Another side effect of unlocking their soul's potential was the creation of Zanpakutos. Weapons with incredible destructive powers that were unique to each and every dragon."

"That sounds surreal, Kuchiki-san."

"But even with the use of Kidou and Zanpakutos, the demons were still too many for the guardians to handle alone and so, they decided to reveal their existence to mankind, explaining to them the threat that hollows posed to their world. However, humans could not practice Kidou and their physical form were much too weak to stand up against the demons, so they needed another way to fight."

"How did they manage, in the end?"

"It was discovered that humans could gain extraordinary abilities if they drank dragon blood. Those powers were different than a dragon's, but powerful enough to injure or kill hollows. And so, a large number of humans were recruited and taken to where dragons had always lived and trained in the arts of combat, after which they were given dragon blood to drink, sealing their fate as Dragon Knights; the first humans that arrived here thought they had died and gone to Heaven, which is why they named it Soul Society. The real name of the place is something that cannot be spoken in human language, though."

"But you said that humans and dragons had a war…"

"Yes. This is where it gets a little complicated, so keep up. The human-dragon pact was very prosperous for both sides. Drinking dragon blood produced powerful human warriors, which were lead into battle by the wisdom and experience of dragons. The guardians respected humans so much that they even started taking their form themselves, to show solidarity. Anyway… winning battle after battle, the armies of humans and dragons reached the last bastion of Hollow resistance. With great losses, they managed to defeat the Hollow King, but before dying the demon used his entire power to place a curse on the alliance that had destroyed his armies and kingdom. Because dragons were the ones who involved humans into the conflict, he cursed them so that they would always be dependent on humans, making any and all dragons unable to breed amongst themselves, but instead forcing them to use human males or female counterparts in order to bare offspring."

"T-that's horrible!" Orihime's eyes widened.

"Although they had obtained victory, for the dragons it came at an unimaginable price. Most of the guardians refused outright to use such means to conceive, even if it meant dying without leaving heirs behind. Because of this, even after their defeat, the hollows had destroyed more than three quarters of the dragon population. The remaining dragons continued to live in harmony with humans, adapting to the curse in order to save their kind from extinction. Finding humans that were willing to comply with the needs of the dragons was not at all hard, given the good relations between the two sides."

"So then why would they end up going to war against eachother, Kuchiki-san?"

"Well… With time, the dragon numbers seemed to swell, again, thanks to the assistance of humans, but while the guardians were trying to get back to their former power, the hollows somehow rebuilt their armies and attacked without notice, taking the dragon-human alliance completely by surprise and destroying a large part of the human population. Worse was the revelation that the hollows had regained their strength under the guidance of Aizen Sousuke, the Black Dragon Avatar, who wanted to combine demon and dragon power in order to transcend to the next level of existence. Upon learning this terrible truth, humans immediately turned against dragons, believing that dragons were now trying to destroy their kind. Because of this, the guardians were not only cut off from their ability to replenish their numbers, but were now also fighting on two different fronts, both against the hollows and humans who had now given up the title of Dragon Knights and named themselves Dragon Hunters or Quincy."

"So Quincy were Dragon Hunters…who were once Dragon Knights, and were now fighting against dragons because they thought the dragons betrayed them?"

"I just said that, didn't I?" Rukia raised an eyebrow, not sure if the orange haired girl was understanding everything.

"Ermm… go on…"

"In the end, Aizen was defeated when, during a critical moment, his second in command - the Red Dragon Avatar, Ichimaru Gin - betrayed him. Although Gin ultimately died due to the terrible wounds he suffered in battle, his effort was enough to capture and permanently imprison Aizen beneath the halls of Sereitei."

"Wait… what? That monster is still here?!"

"With their leadership gone, the hollow armies were no real threat and thus were defeated easily. However, the Quincy were the new enemy. Humans had started killing dragons on their own and using their blood to make more Dragon Hunters with which to wage war. Finally admitting their mistake of having involved humans in the first place, the dragons decided to hunt down and exterminate all of the Quincy in the world. When that task was accomplished, and the dust of conflict settled, dragons were almost extinct, numbering only a bit over 3000. They retreated back to Soul Society, where they would watch over Creation from the shadows, intervening to fight hollows when necessary, but never to meddle in the affairs of humans."

"But I thought they were cursed to always depend on humans."

"Unfortunately, that remains true even to this day. Dragons hate doing this, because most of them despise humans now, given how the Dragon Knights turned against them, but the fact remains that they cannot give up on life and ignore the dangers that demons pose to the world. Because of this, the laws of Soul Society dictate that every dragon must bear offspring. But even with their already dwindling numbers, some guardians hate humans so much that they refuse to obey the law. Still, they cannot be punished in a real sense, given that such an act would cut their numbers down even more."

"So that is why you bring humans here… for that purpose."

"It is a horrible truth, but yes… Humans number in the billions, while dragons can barely sustain their numbers. A few thousand humans are taken every generation for the purpose of mating, even against their will. A terrible price, but one that dragons accepted responsibility for in order to continue their vigil over mankind and the world."

"Is-Is that what is going to happen to me?" Orihime started shaking, her eyes fixed on the ground, unable to meet Rukia's gaze.

"If there was another way, they would find it…but there isn't. Believe me when I say that Byakuya Nii-sama would not do this if he had any other way… especially him! Many people don't see this, but he is a good person."

"Kuchiki-san…"

"He wouldn't have taken care of me if he was a bad person. He wouldn't have adopted me and given me a roof over my head." Rukia's voice was trembling.

"A-adopted? What do you mean?"

Rukia quickly whipped away the small water pearls that were running down her cheeks.

"Wait… you always referred to dragons as them, instead of us. A-are you… human?"

Rukia opened her mouth hesitantly, but was cut off by a servant who was clearly given purpose to find the two girls.

"Rukia-sama… Miss Orihime-sama, Lord Byakuya has commanded that you join him for dinner."


That is all for now, ladies and gentlemen. Hopefully you enjoyed it. Keep in mind that I have no beta, and as soon as I finished writing this, I posted it, so excuse the mistakes if they are present within the chapter.

It is rather sad to see that from approximately 200 readers on the 1st chapter, only 4 people took the time to leave a comment. Writers will almost without exception favour a review over an "Add to favourites" or "Add to watch list" or even "Add author to favourites" . A review not only inspires the writer to continue with his work, but can also help him develop his writing skills towards creating better stories.

That is why I am telling everyone who reads stories: whether be it my work or someone else's that you take a look over, consider leaving reviews (with your own words) containing your honest opinion about the dribble/chapter/story you just read.

I dislike deliberately asking people for reviews, so I will not approach the topic again, but what I said above stands as truthful whether I say it or somebody else does.

Take care.