AN:
Dear all, thank you so much once again for your patience and understanding! Having taken a long break from writing, I am feeling much more refreshed now and ready to write more! So here's the promised update (and it is extra long this time too!). I hope you will like it!
Also, I have come across some fan art that I thought really portray the Hisana and Byakuya I have in mind when writing the story. If you are interested in seeing them, please visit my profile page for the links.
This chapter took me a longer time than usual to write... 3 days!!! So I would really appreciate it if you could leave me some comments or just any feedback you have. Thanks and love to you all! xx

Currently listening to:
Jewelry day
and I love you by Ayaka Iida


Lady Kuchiki

Chapter 8: Our Inner World II



"There you are," Kaien smiled when he saw Hisana running towards him from the hallway. "You're looking much livelier today."

"Kaien-san!" Hisana exclaimed, stopping in front of him and bowing deeply. "It is good to see you."

"Well then, shall we get going? You must be bored with getting stuck in this little cottage the whole day by now."

Hisana panted a little and looked up, tilting her head slightly, a strand of hair dropping in between her eyes.

"Kaien, two hours you hear me? I want to see Hisana-san back in two hours." Aino Matsu stood at the door of her office, hands on her hips, narrowing her eyes in mock reproach, her lips curling up slightly.

Kaien waved a hand dismissively, "Hai, hai, Aino-sama." He turned back his head to give her a lazy smile. "Come on, Hisana!"

Hisana turned back to bow at Aino-san before stepping hesitantly out of the door into the Sun. It was clear and warm today, as was the last few days since she had been here. Hisana wondered if the weather in Soul Society ever changed.

She had been sleeping soundly earlier in the morning when Aino Matsu burst into the room announcing that Shiba Kaien had come by and was waiting to see her at the door of the clinic. Hisana, panicking, had then jumped out of bed, hastily gotten dressed, and gulped down the porridge and medicine that Aino-san had brought in while the older woman administered to her obi. Aino-san had said that Shiba Kaien dropped by to pay her a visit and to take her to see Rukia in another ward.

Hisana could not believe her ears then. "Are we discharged already?" She had asked sharply, jerking her head up.

"No," Aino-san had said, quite taken aback at Hisana's reaction. "You will only be leaving in two days my dear."

"Oh." Hisana had then heaved a small sigh of relief.

"And we have already found out where you will be staying."

"Really?"

"You and Rukia will be staying in Rukongai North, 12th district, with the Hayashi family who run a pastry shop."

"I see." So, we'll be leaving Seireitei. Hisana felt a slight tug at her heart.

"Don't worry dear, they are very nice people. And you should thank your lucky star that you did not end up getting assigned to the lower districts." Aino-san had said, putting a hand on Hisana's shoulder. "I know, it is hard, to adjust to a new life, especially when the one the one you had known so well was no doubt much more comfortable." She paused a moment, before continuing, "I know about your past. You were a hime, weren't you?"

"How did you know about that Aino-san?"

"Well, it is very obvious my dear. You do have very nice jewelries and a very pretty kimono. But besides that, more importantly," Aino-san had said, smiling down warmly at Hisana, "you bear the exquisite qualities of a hime, qualities that a person can only be born with. Even the most exquisite kimono cannot make a person noble if she is not one at heart."

A hime at heart? Hisana gave a small smile.

"Oi Hisana!" Date Udo had then poked his head into the room soon after that. "The shinigami-san at the door wanted me to tell you to hurry up..."

Outside now, Hisana blinked under the glaring Sun and inhaled deeply, taking in the sweet aromatic smell of the different flowers blooming in the garden.

"Pretty out here today isn't it?" Kaien said as he watched her face, standing beside her.

Hisana nodded, "Yes, very pretty indeed. Is it always like this in Soul Society?"

Kaien laughed. "No, we have seasons too. Here, this way. The ward where Rukia is staying at is not too far away from here."

Hisana followed Kaien out of the gate of the cottage and onto a small path that soon after led to a maze of some sort, fortified at the sides by great white walls.

"Shiba-san, is this Seireitei as well?" Hisana asked, looking around, awed.

"We are actually at the very centre of Seireitei. This is where we shinigamis live, work and gather in. Outsiders are usually not allowed in here."

"Oh!" Hisana lowered her head, feeling suddenly a little conspicuous in her pink kimono.

"But don't worry," Kaien said, putting an arm around her shoulder, "as long as you're with me, you are authorized to travel around here."

Still a little tense, Hisana smiled at Kaien and tried to look straight ahead of her, ignoring the curious looks that shinigamis passing by were throwing them as they entered a busier street.

After what seemed like an eternity to Hisana, Kaien steered her onto a wooded path and finally stopped in front of a cottage, similar to the one that Hisana stayed in. Pushing open the gate now, Kaien stepped in just as a female shinigami emerged from the side of the cottage.

"Shiba-kun?" She exclaimed, waving and making her way over towards Hisana and Kaien.

"Yo Miyako-kun! Sorry we're a little late. This is Hisana, Rukia's sister."

The tall, dark-haired woman turned to Hisana, smiled pleasantly and bowed, "It is nice to meet you, Hisana-san."

"Nice to meet you too Miyako-san. Thank you for taking care of Rukia." Hisana smiled and bowed too.

"Why don't the two of you come in? Rukia is sleeping at the moment but it is time for her to get up soon."

As Hisana followed Miyako into the cottage, a little boy, around 4 years old, shot right past them out into the front-yard.

"I told you! I don't want to leave!"

"Come back here Renji! Hey!" A blond, bespectacled man dashed right after him, in hot pursuit.

"Miyako!" Renji dodged his pursuer's outstretched hand and turned back towards Miyako, running straight into her arms. "Help Miyako! I don't want to leave! I don't want to go to Rukongai!"

"Miyako-sama! Sorry for the inconvenience! I'll come take care of that little rascal!"

Miyako laughed. "There's no need for it, Iemura-san. I will talk to Renji myself. Would you please be kind enough to show our visitors in instead?"

Iemura nodded and slid open the shoji doors leading into the cottage.

As Hisana stepped in, her eyes met those of the little boy's. She smiled at him shyly and continued on after Iemura. Little did she know then that many years later, she would recall, when she chanced upon a young man with the same fiery red hair who was called by the name "Renji", she would wonder if he was the same lively little boy whom she had met that unsuspectingly fateful day.

"But I heard Inuzuri was a horrible place to live in..." Renji's voice trailed off as Miyako led him away.

Hisana sat down carefully onto the cushion at the little table, with Kaien beside her. He had one leg up where he rested his arm, his other hand playing with the empty cup in front of him.

He frowned and looked sympathetically at the thin, blond man who was kneeling opposite them, making tea. "Gees, those kids really are quite a handful eh Iemura?"

Iemura pushed up his glasses and gritted his teeth. "That little brat... " he growled, "he is lucky he is leaving here today. Or else I really would show him what happens to little boys who don't behave."

"Eh?" Kaien sweatdropped and whispered to Hisana, "Just to reassure you, Miyako's in charge of Rukia, not this freak here."

Hisana giggled, prompting a glare from Iemura. He got up stiffly and without another word, left the room, sliding the shoji door shut a little too loudly behind him.

Miyako entered soon afterwards. "I apologize for keeping you waiting. Come here Hisana-san, I'll show you where Rukia is."

Hisana got up, her heart beating fast all of a sudden. Rukia! Dear Rukia! It feels like I haven't seen her for so long!

They entered a room at the far end of the hallway. In the centre, on a cot, Rukia lay fast asleep, her little chest heaving slowly. Hisana approached the cot quietly, not wanting to wake her sister.

"Rukia..." She whispered, stroking the infant's cheek with a finger. Tears suddenly stung her eyes as she felt a lump rising up her throat. It was really, really Rukia! In front of her! Hisana turned abruptly to Miyako and bowed deeply.

"Thank you so much, Miyako-san, for taking care of Rukia. She is my dear sister, and I don't think I will ever be able to live without her."

Hisana then turned to Kaien and bowed as well. "Shiba-san, thank you." She whispered, her voice already hoarse. "Thank you for saving us, thank you for bringing me here... thank you, for everything."

Hisana kept her eyes lowered, afraid that if she looked up, Kaien and Miyako would see her tears. She turned back to where Rukia was, and brought her hand over the infant, brushing her sister's tiny one. Rukia stirred at the contact, mumbled some baby gibberish, before sinking once more into deep, contented sleep, a smile appearing on her supple little face.

In the sunlight that shone through the paper windows by Rukia's cot, Hisana stood, fixated, watching her lovely baby sister sleep, feeling all at once a catharsis, from the pent-up worries and anxiety that had clouded the bottom of her soul the past few days. Without any warning, tears had started to run freely down her face and for the first time in her life, she was crying with joy, crying from the relief of seeing her sister safe and well. Crying because she was touched, and hopeful about the new life that she and Rukia would begin in two days. For once since that unfortunate day, she was looking forward, looking forward to this new order of things that had suddenly imposed itself on her.

Hisana did not notice when Miyako had slipped discretely out of the room, nor when Kaien started holding her shoulder protectively at hearing her soft sobs, his face solemn.

"Hisana..."

"Please forgive me, Shiba-san. I did not want to upset you nor Miyako-san." Hisana whispered. She swallowed and continued, "I just... I just couldn't help myself."

Kaien tightened his grip on Hisana's shoulder.

"Coming here and seeing my dear Rukia, I feel suddenly strong again. Strong enough to face the new life that we are granted here in Soul Society. So I really thank you, thank you for bringing me here today."

Hisana looked up bravely at Kaien, who was staring intensely back at her, into her eyes, his expression unreadable.

After a moment, his face relaxed and he grinned.

"I am glad then that this visit did you good. Heh, I was just wondering a moment ago if I had made a mistake by bringing you over."

Hisana gave a chuckle, pulling out a handkerchief to dap at her eyes. "I am really sorry Shiba-san, for making you worried."

Kaien shook his head, smiling, then looked away, sticking both hands in his pockets.

And when he spoke again, to let her know that they had to go, Rukia was stirring from her afternoon nap.

"Nee...?" Rukia cooed, her big violet eyes fully opened now. "Nee... nee!" Rukia stretched up her hands towards Hisana.

Hisana bent down and picked her up. "Rukia! You're awake! Oh my, you've sure gained some weight huh little Rukia?"

"Well hello again angel." Hisana whispered, pressing her forehead against Rukia's and rubbing it, prompting giggles from her. "Rukia... Rukia... " Hisana hugged Rukia tightly against her chest. "Nee-chan is sorry she didn't manage to keep you from harm. But I promise, little one, that we will not have to suffer anymore." Rukia smiled back widely at Hisana, her little fingers brushing Hisana's face. "You understand, don't you?"

Hisana frowned a little when Rukia looked back at her puzzled.

"Oh well. It doesn't matter. I'll let you into this anyway! We're going to have a new family Rukia! We're going to live in a little pastry shop in this place called Rukongai. Yep! A pastry shop! Isn't that cute Rukia? We'll have lots of sweets to eat every day! Won't you be happy Rukia?"

"Excuse me Hisana-san," Miyako said, coming into the room, "but it is about time to go now." She approached Hisana's side.

"Good morning Rukia." Miyako bent down and smiled at Rukia.

Rukia turned to Miyako with a look of recognition, but gripped Hisana's robes tighter.

"Rukia," Hisana murmured. Rukia looked up at her sister with her large violet eyes. Smiling softly, Hisana continued, "Nee-chan has to go now. But I will come back again okay Rukia dear? I'll be coming back in two days. We'll be together." She kissed Rukia on her forehead.

As if comprehending Hisana, Rukia's grip on her robes loosened, and Miyako began pulling her away. When Kaien started steering Hisana from the room, Rukia's eyes were still fixed on Hisana, looking extremely forlorn and small, one little hand reaching out midway towards her.

Hisana could not tear her eyes away. It was only when Kaien started pulling her hand then did she look away, startled, at the taller man with those emerald eyes.

"Let's go Hisana." He said in a low voice. Then he grinned and continued, "I don't want Aino to give me crap when we get back."

After one many last look at Rukia, Hisana, resigned, let herself be led away.

I'll see you again soon Rukia. She stole just one more last look at the forlorn figure at the end of the hallway before the shoji door slid shut.

---

"I 've come to say goodbye." Hisana's voice rang clear as bell in the crisp night air. Byakuya turned back to look down at her.

"Rukia and I will be leaving in two days. Aino-san told us that we'll be in Rukongai North, in the 12th district, with the Hayashi family who run a pastry shop."

"In two days?"

"Yes."

"I was told that non-shinigamis are not allowed in Seireitei, so I suppose I'll never be able to come back here again. That's why I am here to say goodbye."

...

"Are shinigamis allowed outside Seireitei then?"

...

"Maybe, maybe if you have the chance to, will you come to see me? Byakuya-kun?"

Byakuya remained silent. Hisana lowered her eyes dejectedly. He reached into the pocket of his robe and felt for her ribbon.

"I will come when I can."

Hisana nodded and gave a small smile. "I saw Rukia today. She looked very well. Seeing her really made me feel optimistic about the future." She laughed softly then, stretching her hands over her head and breathed in deeply. "Like this. I feel like from now on, I am ready to face any situation, to start a new life."

"But if I have any regrets, I suppose it would be that I'll never see the sakura trees that we had in our gardens. They were different, different from those in this garden." Looking far away out into the lake now, Hisana continued, her voice softer, "No matter how enchanting this garden is, no matter how great the trees are, they will never be like the ones we had back home. They will never be as beautiful."

Byakuya raised his eyes now. "Are you really so ready to dismiss what we have in Soul Society?"

Hisana looked up, puzzled at this sudden response after his long, unbreakable silence that night.

"If so," Byakuya continued, "I must say to you that you are wrong. I have not seen the sakura trees you had at home in the human world. But to me, there is only one place that has the most beautiful sakura trees in the world."

He looked at Hisana now. "There is a garden in Soul Society, the only place where the most exquisite flowers can bloom and flourish."

"What is so special about that place?"

"Its legacy. The garden belongs to the oldest and noblest family in Soul Society, where only the most skilled and sensitive hands are allowed to tend to it."

Fascinated now, Hisana's eyes were wide-opened. "Where is this place? Have you been there before?"

"It is heavily guarded, on the other side of Seireitei, aloof from everything else. After the mistress of the garden passed away, the garden has lost the life that had made it much more enchanting. It is, but a beautiful empty shell right now."

"So you've been to the place before! I... " Hisana looked away, a little ashamed of putting herself too forward. But at the same time, she could not help wishing that she could see this marvellous garden that Byakuya-kun had just described. "If I could, I suppose, I would love to see this wonderful garden myself."

Byakuya looked at her again in silence. Hisana sighed and turned towards the lake, allowing herself to drown in its inky black darkness and all the while the repetitive drone of crickets numbed her ears.

"I suppose, there is a way, to bring you there."

Without another word, Byakuya scooped up Hisana in his arms and leaped on top of a pavilion, moving lightly over the trees.

Shocked and terrified, Hisana clung onto his robes, watching with fright at the trees and roof tops rapidly passing by down below. Before long, she was set down. Standing shakily, she reached out a hand to balance herself. Byakuya came behind her just as she fell, her head still dizzy from the sudden halt.

Setting Hisana down beneath a tree, Byakuya noted with surprise at how fragile the girl still was. Or maybe, she is still too human to adjust herself to the speed of shun-po. He thought grimly. Hisana's eyelids were fluttering, as she struggled to keep her vision straight. Bringing a hand to her head, she massaged it, her brows knitted.

Byakuya stood at her side, unsure of what to do. He bent down, and was about to touch her forehead, but paused midway.

When Hisana finally recovered, sitting up straight and opening her eyes, she let out an involuntary gasp at the scene in front of her. Pink petals were lightly falling onto the ground from the sakura tree above, and the garden itself, even in the darkness of the night, shimmered in different hues, each singing softly its own refrain, coming together in an euphonious harmony. From where she was sitting, on lush and soft grass, she could see a stone bridge that arched across a flowing stream to the other side of the garden.

"Oh my, Byakuya-kun," she breathed, "this place is truly beautiful." She tried to push herself up, but was held back down by Byakuya.

"You shouldn't excite yourself too much. I must apologize for taking you here so abruptly. I usually travel at this speed myself, so I had not thought that you might not be used to it."

"No, please, it's nothing. I asked to see the garden myself, so please don't apologize."

Hisana leaned back against the trunk of the sakura tree, and marvelled once more at the picturesque scene.

The night was cool and clear, and the bright, silvery moon loomed overhead. Byakuya sat back too. He hadn't been in this garden since a long time ago. The garden was however, just the same, the same as it always had been. Except, the people who should have been here were no longer here, and in their place, this strange, lovely girl whom he was, for some reason, rather taken with. But she is merely a human soul, and not even one with a notable level of reiatsu. And, he added, she was leaving soon.

What did you think you wanted to do, Bya-bo? The voice of Senbonzakura suddenly rang in his head.

Nothing.

No, you did not want her to go.

...

I do not have say in matters like this. By Soul Society's laws, she has to move on away from Seireitei, to Rukongai.

But are you really so ready to let her go, after finally meeting someone that you feel comfortable around with?

Like I've said, I do not have say in this matter. She has to go. I will of course, as I have promised, pay her a visit or two when I have time.

...

... Senbonzakura?

The damn sword finally shut up. Byakuya breathed in deeply. He wondered what the time was, but it was hard to tell in this immortal garden where it seemed to have stopped, and where the only thing that perhaps reminded him of an alternate world that was moving forward was the rapidly flowing stream. He glanced down at Hisana, who had fallen asleep, no doubt from the excitement which her little body was still too frail to handle. He let his eyes linger on her a little longer, as if finally free to let himself indulge in a suppressed guilty pleasure... her hair, soft and silky... her face, the smoothness of her creamy skin, her petite nose, her lips... he ran his eyes down now, to her neck... down her girlish figure, those small feet peeking out from beneath the hem of her kimono.

Suddenly ashamed, he tore his eyes away and settled them on the ground in front of him.

When Hisana shifted and her head started drooping sideways, he caught her face and held it. Then hesitantly, he stroked her cheek with one finger. Leaning down now, he lowered his face closer to hers.

Hisana... this strange and lovely girl... this girl who has given a face to the millions of nameless souls who enter Soul Society each day to the lofty prince who had never known nor truly cared about the souls that he had pledged to save as a shinigami.

Hisana... it is good that you will be leaving soon. Byakuya thought, frowning as his heart thumped louder at the serene expression on Hisana face, making her look even more angelic than she already was. Because you have tormented me much more than I would like... because you have caused a bouleversement in the world that I had known so well, in my world where I had not tolerated any disruption, where no one should be allowed to reign over me...

---