"Ukitake-sempai!" Tsuki shouted with surprise, looking over Byakuya's shoulder at the long white haired captain of the thirteenth division. "Phew. Made it in time." He stated with a smile while Byakuya looked over his shoulder at him. "Haven't you done enough, Captain Kuchiki?" He let go of Byakuya's hand and noticed Rukia was out and continued, "Hey Rukia, looks like you've lost weight. How are you?" – his attention turned to Tsuki – "And how are you Tsuki-chan?" Before either of the two girls could answer, Byakuya asked him, "What are you doing, Ukitake?" "I should be asking the same of you. You know there's a ban against drawing out your zanpaku-tô here." The white-haired captain stated in response with a slight frown. "Even if it is to drive off the ryoka. And why were you just about to attack Tsuki-chan?" "A war time exemption has been issued. We are allowed to use our zanpaku-tô." The stoic captain of squad six replied indifferently. "And Tsuki-san has disobeyed me as her captain. I was just about to punish her." "A war time exemption? Surely that can't be because of a few wayward ryoka?" Ukitake said with surprise and worry. "And is attacking Tsuki-chan like that really a wise punishment?" "It's not your place to tell me how to punish my subordinates when they disobey." Byakuya shot back with an icy glare. "Also, Aizen wasn't killed by a ryoka's hand he was killed by-." Ukitake was about to finish when Tsuki suddenly fainted and an unfamiliar spiritual pressure appeared.

"It feels like the pressure of a captain," Ukitake shouted with surprise as he and Byakuya looked up into the sky. "But I can't tell whose it is or where it's coming from!" Then something shot up into the sky and the figure of a male with orange hair was seen flying down towards them. He landed in front of Rukia but before she could say anything to him, he walked over to Hanatarô and said, "Are you okay? I shouldn't have sent you three ahead. Where are Ganju and Tsuki?" Hana explained with worry and when he was done, Ichigo walked over to Rukia and stood beside her, stating with his mind made up, "Rukia, I've come to rescue you." She just looked up to him surprise and worry. "What's with that look on your face?" Ichigo asked with a frown. "I come all this way to save you. The least you could do is smile." "You fool." Rukia stated as her expression became sad. "I told you not to come after me…" Ichigo looked to where Ganju and Tsuki were laying and sighed before telling her. "So what if I'm an idiot? You can yell at me all you want later." He said with determination, his gaze turning to Byakuya. "After I beat him!"

Rukia tried to protest but Ichigo was ready to tell her of his thoughts about her execution. "I'm not going to give up. I'm here to save you." He continued and then faced her again. "I don't care if you want to be executed. I'm going to drag you back if I have to!" The two then began to fight which then ended with Ichigo reassuring Rukia. While that was happening, on the other end of the bridge Ukitake was shocked to see someone who looked so familiar to his late vice-captain, Kaien Shiba. "Byakuya…." He said as he watched Ichigo with surprise. "Who is that?" "He's not the person you're thinking of. They aren't even related." The sixth division captain replied with indifference and malice. "He's no one, just a ryoka. I'll take care of him and then this will come to an end." Finally Ichigo and Byakuya stepped closer to each other to clash.

"I'm surprised you didn't attack while Rukia and I were talking." The orange-haired soul reaper commented with a smirk as he reached for his sword and his gaze fell on Tsuki before he continued. "I'm also surprised that you would attack one of your own." "That is none of your business." Byakuya shot back seriously. "And did you think I would attack while you had your guard down? You have a big mouth, boy." He strengthened his reishi to make the young shinigami come to his senses that he was up against someone way stronger than him but Ichigo didn't even flinch. He just drew out his zanpaku-tô. "Hmm. You don't seem to be fazed. You've improved." Byakuya observed, not drawing out his sword just yet. "I don't know how you got your shinigami powers back, but you should've stayed in the world of the living. It was foolish of you to come here to waste the life that I spared." "I didn't come here for that purpose." Ichigo replied. "I'm going to beat you, and go home."

In the blink of an eye, Byakuya vanished. Ichigo looked at the place he last was with surprise, but he kept his cool. Byakuya was planning to use the same technique to defeat him. At the last moment, Ichigo guarded his back and the clanging of sword hitting sword resonated in the air. Byakuya was surprised. How could he do that? The orange haired shinigami looked to him and said, "I see you, Byakuya Kuchiki." Ichigo could now see the squad six captain's movements. The boy had improved since they last met. "Well….Before you get too excited about that newfound strength of yours," Byakuya stated, positioning his zanpaku-tô so that it was vertical in front of his face. "I will show you that there is a big difference in our skills and that you will not defeat me even in a thousand years." Rukia suddenly knew what was coming and shouted out for Ichigo to run, but before he could and before Byakuya spoke his incantation, a white bandage bound his zanpaku-tô and a figure was there.

She stood up for all to see her face. She stood five feet two inches high and was dark-skinned and slender. She had purple locks held up in a ponytail and her eyes were golden and cat-like. She wore a black skin tight turtleneck undershirt under an orange top that had white bands on the shoulders and the sleeves went down to her elbows. She also wore black skin tight pants with light weight light brown shoes and white shin guards. "Yoruichi." Ichigo said with slight surprise. "Yoruichi Shihôin." Byakuya stated, sheathing his sword. "It's been a long time. Over a century. I thought you were dead." "Yoruichi, thanks for coming to help," Ichigo stated as he fell back into a fighting stance. "But I want you to stay out of this. I have to beat him." "You? Beat him?" she asked. "Don't be a fool." With that she quickly turned around and stuck her hand into his gut, making him pass out. Adjusting him on her shoulder, she made to turn and leave, but Byakuya was having none of that.

"So that was medicine." Ukitake stated with concern. "Do you intend to heal him?" "Is that what you wish?" the captain of squad six asked while stepping in her way. "I shall not allow it. You will not escape." Yoruichi just smirked and asked him, "Do you consider me your equal? Have you even beaten me in a game of tag?" "Shall we have a go?" Byakuya asked shortly before the two used shun-po to disappear. And so the game of tag commenced. Yoruichi appeared at one spot of the bridge and Byakuya came up soon after. He swung his zanpaku-tô at her but she used flash step to dodge. She appeared again at one end of the bridge, smirking, but Byakuya followed soon after. "Did you think you could escape me with a flash step like that?" he asked with malice before cutting her down. She seemed to be defeated, but the image became a piece of cloth cut in two and the real Yoruichi appeared on the captain's shoulder. She smirked as she asked a shocked Byakuya, "Do you think you can stop me with that kind of shun-po?" Before he could do anything else, she used her flash step to go to higher ground before declaring that she would make Ichigo stronger than Byakuya in three days. And with that, she disappeared from sight.

Byakuya relaxed a little now that the fight was over and sheathed his zanpaku-tô. "So they're gone." He stated before quickly turning and leaving. "Wait Byakuya," Ukitake shouted out as he saw the captain leave. "What am I supposed to do with these people?" The captain of squad six paused a moment before answering, "Do what you want with them. And as for Tsuki-san, put her in the cell with the ryoka." He then left in a hurry while Ukitake scratched his head with a frown as he looked at the mess that was made.

Sorry for the wait! I've got tons of things going on and birthday pictures to plan. Anyway, this is a slightly shorter chapter than usual, but the actions yet to come! After this arc is done, it'll be a little more original, promise (for those of you bored out of their minds because of the dialogue and the closeness to the actual manga…)

Bleach belongs to Tite Kubo and all that jazz.