Something to Hide is Something to Share.
The rain was starting to cease, both captains were locked in an eternal stare. It had been so long since he had met Captain Shiba, and by the looks of things his reiatsu was as powerful as it was that exact day when he met him. Byakuya raised his arm, a few seconds past before a completely black Jigokuchō appeared. They were what humans call butterflies, but they were not normal butterflies.
"I informed the Jigokuchō to deliver my message. Many will expect your arrival back home, Captain." Byakuya expressed.
"Captain ...?" Renji said but he still couldn't find the confidence to speak right after knowing that he just cut and bad talk a member of nobility.
"Well, it seems that I don't have a choice or do I?" asked Isshin, mostly joking. He knew it was time to go back, nothing was holding him here now. 'If I could convince central 46 to forgive my actions, I could bring my family back to Soul Society. I would love for my kids to go through a proper education and training.' thought Isshin.
"Renji, open the Senkaimon." said Byakuya looking towards Renji.
"Brother ..." said Rukia. Deep down, she was a little relief to know that Ichigo had shinigami blood in him. Maybe he could forge his own zanpakuto, go to the academy and become part of the Gotei 13 forces. The powers he took from Rukia were severed from his soul chain, by Byakuya. She would start to regain her shinigami powers after a few months.
Renji, was distracted looking at the Former Head of the Branch of the Shiba Clan, the 5th noble family, that he didn't notice his Captain's words.
"Abarai, didn't you hear what I said?" Byakuya stated.
"Sorry, Captain." Renji said before looking at Rukia's eyes one more time, before he look away from her disgusted.
Renji placed his Zanpakutō in front of him and insert it into a spacial area in the air behind them, he turns his sword like a key and in the crease a door appears, fully opening another door beyond it.
This door opens, releasing some Jigokuchō. They had traveled across the Dangai, bringing news from Soul Society.
Byakuya extended his hand, letting the butterfly land on his index finger, "I see. The preparations are completed. Is time for us to head back home, come on Rukia." said Byakuya.
Byakuya walked next to Rukia, but he didn't looked at her. "Renji, lets go." said Byakuya.
"Getsuga Tenshō!" Someone yelled from behind them.
"Captain ...watch out!" Renji yelled in reaction to this blast of highly condensed spiritual energy, in the shape of a purple crescent moon.
The blast knocked Renji backwards, it was directly towards Rukia and his Captain. Byakuya reacted to the speed of the attack, evading the attack he grabbed Rukia's hand without even thinking about it. The Captain of the 6th Division spins in the air grabbing onto Rukia tightly on his arms. He let the attack hit him, he prefer to guard and shield Rukia completely, than to risk a blind move.
Rukia's eyes widened and she was left winded, 'This is the first time my brother have look into my eyes since I was taken in by the Kuchiki family, and he was even willing to take a hit for me. Why? After all this time, he has never look at me. Why now?' Rukia thought.
"Captain! Dammit!" Renji yelled.
"B-Brother ..." Rukia said, with a low tone.
Byakuya slate gray eyes were locked onto Rukia's purple eyes, 'I see it on his eyes. He does care... But, why does he fakes to not care about me? Is he hiding something from me?' Rukia was on deep thought.
"Ichigo! Where are you!?" yelled out Ginjo.
"So, it was true. There was more about you than meets the eye." Ginjo quickly noticed, that Isshin had Ichigo's lying down over his shoulder. 'I knew it. Ichigo's father was indeed a Shinigami, a Captain nonetheless.' Ginjo thought clenching his teeth. He was badly injured from his last battle with Ichigo. Ginjo was on his Bankai state and he had a huge cut through his chest.
"You're still alive!" Rukia stated looking over Byakuya's shoulders.
"Not for long." Byakuya stated, disappearing from Rukia's eyes. Everyone else present also lost their perception of him, except for Isshin.
Ginjo lost track of his whereabouts, "Dammit where are you?" Ginjo grabbed his Zanpakuto tightly, pulling it backwards he yelled, "Getsuga Tenshō!" He released another blast of highly condensed spiritual energy through his sword, the shaped purple crescent moon in front of him travel towards Byakuya and Rukia's location.
It was to late. Byakuya, appears in front of the attack and with his hand changes the trajectory of the attack. The blast was re-direct towards the sky, dispersing the clouds with the explosion.
"You will never hit me again with an attack as weak as that." said Byakuya before piercing Ginjo in the chest with his sealed Zanpakuto.
"Dammit." said Ginjo before collapsing to the ground.
"Do not even think for a minute that you were a challenge for me, just because I let my guard down. The most unforgivable thing about all of this is that you managed to leave a scar on me." Byakuya cleaned his Zanpakuto and put it away.
"Renji, pick him up. He is still alive." Renji did as his Captain ordered.
"He's heavier than he looks." Renji complains after pick him up.
"So you decided to show mercy, Captain Kuchiki?" Isshin asked, but he didn't get an answer. Only a stare before Byakuya entered the Senkaimon.
Renji followed his Captain and entered the Senkaimon, Isshin and Rukia were the only ones left looking at each other. But Rukia couldn't find the courage within her to look at his eyes.
Rukia grabbed her white Shihakushō, and squeezed it. Her eyes were watery. Isshin, standing next to her puts his hand on her shoulder.
"Don't worry Rukia. On my book you will be a perfect mate for my son. Cheer up a bit, Rukia. You'll soon be a mother and you can't raise a child with that attitude. You don't want him to look like me, would you?" Isshin said smiling at her.
The blame she felt within her suddenly disappeared. 'How can he be so calm and sure that everything will be alright after we cross those gates?' Rukia asked herself, but deep down Rukia felt a bit of hope on his words.
She looked at him and smiled back. Both enter through the Senkaimon, while the Jigokuchō entered behind them. Leading them inside, through the Dangai.
The Doors closed.
At a far distance from there, someone was watching behind a tree. The person had white trousers, and he was looking at their direction while his glasses shine in the darkness.