Disclaimer: Bleach does not belong to me, it belongs to Kubo Tite
Warnings: AU (Definitely AU), OOC
A/N: Wow, seven captains in four days. And this'll be a long one, because yay I am halfway through thirteen captains. Also, because, yay, Byakuya. Someone suggested that I make one shots of everyone who has ever been a captain. I just might. Please bear with me with this chapter, because I don't know if it's funny or not. But feedback and reviews are very much appreciated. Like, VERY VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.
A/N II: ANAHERA, thank you for correcting my spelling of Kyoraku. *bows*
6th Division Captain Byakuya Kuchiki
Renji, in his head, always referred to his Taichou as Princess. It wasn't the graceful way Kuchiki Byakuya glided around in his more-expensive-than-you scarf, nor was it in his antiquated manner of high speech. Mostly the Princess tag came from the way he looked down on everyone; as if he was already bored and stooping down to converse with you, because he absolutely had to, but he would rather be doing something else.
Princess Byakuya. His mind drifted as Byakuya droned on and on about the importance of cleanliness, reducing a 17th seat to tears because of the latter's sloppy grooming.
Renji hid a smile, imagining a tiara on Byakuya's head. Yep. Princess Byakuya. Renji discreetly yawned behind a fist, the cool spring weather making it nice and nap-inducing.
A hell butterfly appeared and fluttered gently to Byakuya's finger. What was this? Renji straightened, his curiosity getting the better of him. Was that a frown, creasing that smooth pale forehead of princess Byakuya?
He lifted cool grey eyes to Renji, summoning him. Renji was irritated that Kuchiki Byakuya could tell him to approach without even lifting an eyebrow, like a well trained dog. The redhead fell into step beside his Captain.
"Yes, Pr- I mean, Taichou?" Renji muttered. Byakuya did not say anything, building the suspense as they walked outside, pausing to stand under the cherry blossoms. Renji suspected that this was not done on purpose, but damn, the man looked like he had been painted into this idyllic scene, his long hair flowing in the wind.
"I received a missive about my sister, Rukia. It seems that she has not yet returned from the -" It was a testament to how disturbed Byakuya was that he did not sidestep a falling branch of the cherry tree, and it bounced off his head with a resounding thunk.
Renji stared, speechless, as Byakuya's hair suddenly turned pink. Not just Yachiru pink, but in-your-face, look at me I'm a pretty fairy princess pink, with sparkly highlights. Even the ends of his long flowing hair had curled into glorious ringlets Rangiku would kill for. Even his eyebrows were a darker shade of pink.
"The World of the Living. Ukitake says that she was supposed to report back two days ago." Byakuya continued, as if nothing had happened
"T-taichou." Renji sputtered. Byakuya with long pink hair looked remarkably like a gorgeous woman. "Your hair changed colour! Are you alright?"
Byakuya looked mildly irritated, which was nothing new. He never looked more than mildly anything. "Yes, Vice-Captain Obvious, my hair changed colour. I really dislike repeating myself, did you hear what I said?"
Renji cleared his throat. "Yes, Taichou. Rukia-chan hasn't returned yet from her assignment."
Byakuya's eye twitched ever so slightly. Renji's informality with his sister was a sore spot, but they had not spoken in forty years, except in passing. Still, there were more urgent matters at hand.
He began to pace, cotton candy curls bouncing with every step. "This is her first assignment to the World of the Living. I can feel her reiatsu, but it has somehow changed."
"I am sure she is fine, as Rukia-chan is a fighter and can handle most situations. There are others assigned in that world as well who can assist her. However, if you would prefer, I can go to through the gates to retrieve her, Taichou." Renji sank to one knee, bowing his head so that Byakuya would not see his twitching lips. He was dying of laughter but had to keep a straight face.
"That is not necessary." A regular butterfly fluttered to the top of Byakuya's head, making a perfect landing on his kenseikan. "It is a 13th Division matter, and Captain Ukitake was merely keeping me apprised of the situation as a courtesy."
Renji lost control and a chuckle slipped out when he saw the blue and gold butterfly flapping gently in the breeze.
"What was that, Abarai?" Byakuya's tone dripped icicles.
"N-nothing, my lord. Seasonal allergies." Keeping a straight face was more difficult than achieving Bankai, Renji thought. Still, he persevered. "Would you like me to contact Captains Unohana or Kurotsuchi to help you with -"
"To help me with what, Abarai?" Byakuya turned away, contemplating the bark of the cherry tree. "If I require assistance, I will give the order." The butterfly was flapping it's wings in time to Byakuya's enunciation.
"U-understood. May I head back to the headquarters? I need to finish the reports before tomorrow's meeting of all the squads." Renji bit the back of his hand to keep from snorting out his laughter, imagining Byakuya in all his princessy glory in front of all the other captains. Oh lord, Renji's face was crumpling. He scampered off before Byakuya could answer, tears of mirth streaming down his face.
Byakuya stared languidly in the distance, hands clasped behind his back. His curse was back. Lifting a finger, he whispered a message to a Hell Butterfly, and departed for the Kuchiki Estates.
.
.
Ginrei Kuchiki opened the sliding door to his grandson's quarters a little faster than normal, which for him was the equivalent of bursting in. Byakuya rose to his feet and bowed respectfully. "Grandfather."
"I received your message, Grandson." Ginrei paused, taking in Byakuya's glowing pink mane. "It has returned, more severely than before."
"Yes, grandfather." Byakuya's calm facade hid his anxiety. When he had hit puberty, a hot pink streak had run down the center of his head. Yoruichi had teased him by calling him a girl skunk, and the damage caused by his exploding temper had his grandfather calling in favors to keep it quiet.
"Let me see your kenseikan."
Byakuya handed over the intricate white headpieces. "Your father's kenseikan was buried with him, but his was a lot smaller than this. Sojun never achieved bankai, which probably made the curse less potent because it had less reiatsu to feed on. Your reiatsu is fighting with the curse, thus magnifying the effect." Ginrei studied it closely. "Ah, here it is. There is a slight damaged area, that would interfere with the containment spell." The kenseikan was dented, where the branch had fallen on it. "We had spread the story, when your father was cursed, that the kenseikan was only for noblemen. Did anyone witness the transformation of your hair?"
Byakuya's brow furrowed slightly. "Yes, my vice-captain. He should be trustworthy, I do not think he would tell anyone -"
A sour faced butler appeared. " My lord, you have guests. Captains Hitsugaya, Ukitake and Kyōraku together with Vice-Captains Matsumoto and Abarai." He bowed, his forehead to the ground. "Will you be-"
"Kuchiki Taichou!" Captain Kyōraku swept in, his long pink kimono fluttering in the breeze. The group stopped just outside the entryway, staring at him in shock. Ukitake's knees buckled, and Kyōraku caught him, still unable to break his gaze.
Dignity, Byakuya reminded himself. You are the head of the Kuchiki Family. Dignity must be kept at all times. These people are insignificant. He could see his grandfather pull his aloofness around him like a cloak, and his own resolve hardened.
"What is the meaning of this?" Ginrei Kuchiki was a formidable personage, but even his hauteur could not pull the attention away from Byakuya's pink ringlets.
Hitsugaya was the first to speak. "We apologize for the intrusion, but were told there was a matter of some urgency."
"And who told you this?" Byakuya stared down at a rapidly shrinking Renji.
"U-um, it was me actually." Ukitake said with a grin, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "On the matter regarding your sister."
"Adopted sister. " Ginrei corrected. "Well then, grandson, if this is Gotei 13 business, I will take my leave." Ginrei stood, giving his shoulder a squeeze in a rare show of solidarity. "I will see you later tonight."
"It has nothing to do with my squad, Ukitake Taichou." Byakuya said, scowling slightly at the hearts that were floating out of Matsumoto's eyes towards him. Ignored. "If you need assistance with the running of your squad, Ukitake, you have two vice-captains. I did tell you Rukia was not ready for a promotion that would put her in danger."
He blinked, and Rangiku was no longer in front of him, but beside him, cooing at his hair. "And Hitsugaya, do take control of your vice-captain. What brings you and Kyōraku here?"
Kyōraku grinned. "Not gonna lie, Abarai told us it would be worth our while to tag along with Ukitake. And he was right." He chuckled at Byakuya's flat stare. Renji gulped, but stayed quiet.
"Is Rukia in any immediate danger?" He asked, addressing her Captain.
"No, not as far as we can see. Her communicator is still working, and she is still slaying hollows." Ukitake steepled his fingers. "There are complications though. It looks like she has been abducted by a Ryoka, and he is keeping her caged in a closet. He has her under his control so she comes back every night to his room. We have tried to communicate with her and she has responded positively. However, the whole situation is suspicious."
"So what would you have me do?" Byakuya looked bored now, swatting Rangiku's sticky fingers away. "Has she requested assistance?"
"Well, the situation is unclear at this point. There is a chance she may have been compromised." Ukitake pointed out. "Then we may need to do an extraction instead of a rescue mission. The ryoka of course must be captured."
Byakuya's face blanked. "Are you accusing my sister of treason, Captain Ukitake?"
"He is saying we need to get more information." Hiysugaya interjected, grabbing Rangiku by the arm and rising to his feet. "And if you do not need us any longer, we will take our leave. Please be assured of our discretion, Kuchiku Taichou." He bowed deeply and dragged a struggling Rangiku out the door.
"Abarai, you are dismissed as well." Byakuya did not even look at him. Renji bowed and hurried out.
As soon as they were alone, Kyōraku and Ukitake looked at Byakuya and burst out laughing. Byakuya bore their laughter quietly, seething beneath his placid facade. "If you are done, I would like to know what else you plan to do about my sister, Ukitake." He sneered, flipping a pink lock behind his ear.
"I'm sorry, Kuchiki-dono." Ukitake wiped a tear from his eye. "We aren't laughing at you -"
"We're laughing WITH you." Kyōraku finished. "Did you lose a bet or something?"
A look from Byakuya had their smiles fading. Ukitake cleared his throat. "So, in regards to Kuchiki Rukia. I was going to send one person at first to assess the situation."
Byakuya lowered his lids and picked up a report. "Do as you wish. Don't bother me with minor details."
Kyōraku and Ukitake both rose, hearing the dismissal in his voice. "Alright. Do you want us let you know what our findings are, Pinky?" Kyōraku asked. Byakuya nodded absently, already absorbed in the report he was reading.
.
.
Byakuya stood on the roof across the street from Kurosaki Clinic, which was bathed in the glow of the half-moon. He had tied his cursed hair back, and traced Rukia's reiatsu to this place, ready to retrieve his sister. With Ukitake messing up her assignment so badly in the first place, he had no faith in the scout that they sent after her. He allowed himself a smirk, thinking about the aforementioned scout now asleep inside a broom closet in the 6th Division headquarters.
It was nearing midnight and there was no sign of Rukia or the Ryoka who allegedly held her captive. But Byakuya was patient.
Soon enough, he sensed a familiar yet different reiatsu approaching. Quickly, he masked his own. His sister came stomping down the street, accompanied by an unfamiliar Shinigami. Strangely, she was in a gigai, and the Shinigami seemed to be bearing her reiatsu.
Byakuya narrowed his eyes. Rukia seemed - more animated. And yet why was she in a gigai if the shinigami was in his spirit form? And the Shinigami seemed to be cursed as well by the hair-changing spell. Briefly, Byakuya wondered if the Shinigami had run afoul of the same witch as his father. He decided he was better off with pink than that loud brassy orange shade.
Byakuya observed with surprise as Rukia grabbed the boy by his hair, delivering a kick to his face. The boy seemed to defer to her as well. He smiled proudly to himself. (Inwardly, of course. Byakuya's muscles would probably cramp if he tried to smile for real.)
The pair hopped up the outside of the house, sliding into the window above the sign that proudly proclaimed "Kurosaki Clinic." He could hear them bickering through the glass. Then he watched his sister get into a closet while the shinigami re-entered his body. Interesting. The boy's body was tied to this world, and he was alive.
Come to think of it, why could he not sense Sode No Shirayuki? It was as if Rukia's zanpakuto was sealed off.
Byakuya straightened, getting ready to retrieve his sister. He pulled his scarf up to cover his face. Suddenly he whipped around. Another shinigami stood there, sword ready to slash him. He had a captain's robe tied around his shoulder, and dark stubble covered his chin.
"Who are you?" The shinigami snarled. "And why are you spying on my house?"
Byakuya tightened the scarf around his face, thankful he had not worn his captain's coat on this mission. He stared silently at the other man, realizing it was the long-missing Captain Isshin Kurosaki. Even if the other man had been gone for decades, his reiatsu must have been powerful still, if he could creep up on Byakuya undetected.
Isshin smiled. "What's a pretty girl like you doing, spying on my son?"
Byakuya's eyes widened. Did Kurosaki think he was a woman? Still, he could play this.
"There is another." Byakuya knew his voice was too deep so he tried to whisper instead. "Who accompanies this boy. Is she his captive?"
Isshin lowered his sword. "Oh, Rukia-chan? No, no, as if he could capture that girl. She's got him by the nuts." He smiled. "Are you jealous? Do you want him for yourself? My son, the ladies' man. Oh, my late wife would be so proud."
Byakuya lowered his eyes, processing this. So Rukia was here of her own will, eh? His pink bangs fluttered in the evening breeze.
"But, Miss, what is your name? And what squad do you belong to? And you haven't answered my question. Why are you here?"
"I do not have to answer you." Byakuya whispered again."There was a report of a shinigami being abducted. And this boy- he is not a real shinigami. Yet you are. Why do you allow him to run around playing at being one? Did you train him?"
Isshin smiled proudly. "I had nothing to do with it. I'm more of a hands-off parent, you see. This is all his doing. And Rukia-chan's. Not that I'm supposed to know, wink, wink." Then he stopped smiling. "Wait. Miss. You still haven't answered my question, and you have me spilling my guts here. Your name at least?"
"My name is the least of your worries, Kurosaki Taichou." Byakuya whispered, pulling out his zanpakotu. It burst into cherry blossoms, swirling around them. "Please know this. If any harm comes to Rukia, your son is as good as dead."
Isshin tensed, noticing the magnitude of the reiatsu. This Shinigami was Captain level, at least. "So you do know me. Are you a new captain?"
In response, the cherry blossoms blasted into him, pushing him into the sky.
In his room, Ichigo sat up in bed, sensing the reiatsu blast. He pushed the curtains aside to look out, and spotted a tall slender person standing on the rooftop in a shihakusho, staring at him with unreadable eyes. Judging by the cloud of pink hair, it was a woman. The bottom half of the person's face was obscured.
The person raised a sword and pointed it at him.
Behind him, Rukia's closet door slid open. "What was that?" She called. For some reason she could have sworn she felt her brother's reiatsu, but it had been too quick, and really, what would Byakuya be doing in the World of the Living?
Ichigo turned to her. "Come look at this."
"Come look at what?" Rukia clambered onto his bed to look out the window. Ichigo looked back out. The person was gone. Ichigo tried to explain to Rukia about the pink haired woman with the gorgeous eyes, but she couldn't figure out who it was.
.
.
Ginrei Kuchiki was waiting for Byakuya with the newly repaired kenseikan in the morning. "Here."
Byakuya accepted it with both hands. "Thank you, grandfather. It is just in time for the Captain's meeting."
"And your adopted sister?"Ginrei said gruffly, folding his hands behind his back.
Byakuya slipped on the kenseikan. "My sister is in the real world, but she is in no danger." He looked his Grandfather in the eye, his hair now back to his normal colour. "She is a Kuchiki, Grandfather, and can take care of herself. That is all I need to know."
.
.
Later that day, the members of Division 6 came back from their drills to find Renji Abarai scrubbing all the cobblestones in the massive courtyard with a toothbrush. When asked why he was being punished, Renji would only say, "Damn Princess."
.
.
Much, much later...
"My lord, it is the Ryoka here to see you." The butler intoned.
"Enter." Byakuya murmured, without looking up.
"Byakuya-san." Ichigo greeted cheerfully. "I had a question... I was told that the Kuchiki Estate houses the most complete historical archive of the history of the Seritei."
"Kuchiki-sama." Byakuya corrected. "And that is not a question. Ask."
Ichigo plopped on the floor next to him, scratching his head. "Well, a long time ago, there was a beautiful pink-haired woman in a shihakusho, who appeared outside my window in the world of the living..."
Byakuya stilled. "Was it not Yachiru Fukutaicho? She has pink hair."
Ichigo shook his head. "No, Yachiru's just a kid. it was a beautiful woman with long pink hair. Come to think of it, her hair was the same length as yours. Except she was pretty."
Byakuya frowned. "You still haven't asked me the question, Kurosaki-san. Why are you wasting my time?"
"Yes... is there anybody with her description currently in any of the Gotei 13 squads? I just want to know why she threatened me with her sword and then vanished." Ichigo sighed. "Rukia-chan doesn't believe me when I ask her. She says I was dreaming. But I could have sworn..."
Byakuya looked grave. "Pink hair, you say?" He stroked his chin. "You may have seen the Shinigami Goddess of Manly Misfortune."
Ichigo's eyes widened. "What?"
Byakuya nodded seriously. "It is said that when she appears to you, and points her sword at you, your- er, sword, will fail if you ever try to use it."
Ichigo swallowed. "My Zanpakuto?"
"No." Byakuya replied. "Your other sword. The one attached to you. The Manly Misfortune part of her name." He shook his head. "You must not touch a woman until you are thirty."
"Thirty?" Ichigo squeaked.
"Or else your man-parts will shrivel up." Byakuya nodded solemnly. Ichigo crossed his legs protectively. "It is a good thing you came to me with your query, Kurosaki. You must not discuss this with anyone else or you will anger her, and then she will come for your parts."
Ichigo jumped up, two shades paler. "Thank you for this information, Byakuya-san." He bowed to Byakuya, then sprinted out the door.
"Kuchiki-sama." Byakuya corrected, and then smiled diabolically. The boy would not be touching his sister anytime soon.
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A/N: Okay I know Byakuya is a bit OOC, but I love how protective he is of Rukia.