Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns bleach, not me, though I have a niffy plan up my sleeve to steal it from him! =).
Pre-Chapter A/N: I'm disappointed, to say the least...NO ONE GUESSED HATOMI'S IDENTITY BESIDES YUZUKI =(! Was it so hard to just leave a guess =/. But anyways, here's pt. 2 like i promised, albeit later than usual. Another long and hard chapter to write because technically it takes twice as long to create 7k chapters than 3.5k chapters like my first few ones. Since college is starting for me again, my updates will probably be longer apart, sorrrryyy. One and a half weeks probably instead of weekly. Unless, you guys want short chapters but earlier updates???
Let's Recap: Cruel Byakuya slaughtered Hatomi with his pink weapon and was rewarded with dreams about her.
Chapter 8 Pt.2_
The gods are unfair beings. One would assume that when one dies, they would at least grant your soul a reprieve from the bodily pains from your past life. Apparently not. Or perhaps this was their cruel way of getting back at her for all the wrong doings during her shinigami life. Like the time she accidentally set Shunsui-sensei's pink kimono on fire. How was she supposed to know that the hideous thing was her sensei's latest fashion statement? It was hanging so precariously in the way of her 'Hadou no Sanjuuichi (31): Shot of Red Fire' practice and it made for a perfect target. Or maybe this was karma for when she was younger and decided to dye her shishou's (master) hair bright orange. Either way, the pain that was cruising through her body was excruciating. Even the tiniest caress of wind or air current across her body can ignite the burning sensation from the cuts on her being. 'Can someone close the damn windows?!' she demanded within her mind. Come to think of it, why does the after life have windows? And where exactly does one go after dying in Soul Society, which is technically the 'after life'? Hatomi had always assumed that reincarnation was the next step for a soul who perished in Soul Society, was she not worthy enough for such a luxury? She died for a good cause!
Talking about dying though, that good for nothing captain had finally gotten his wish, now maybe he could walk around with a smaller stick up his behind. Life couldn't have given her a tougher opponent to battle. How was she supposed to block millions of blades aiming to slice her pretty head off? Granted, she did not really have time to try, but still, Kuchiki Byakuya fights dirty. His weapon had been too beautiful and too powerful. If by any chance reincarnation was permitted to her, she would request to be a fly. Then she could buzz around his ear all day and drive him to insanity and-
"You still have the energy to mention him in your state. Amazing." A weary voice called out in the darkness. Oh the gods must still love her if they are allowing Kidanji's voice to keep her company in this world of pain and nothingness!
"I think you've had enough fun talking to yourself for the day Hatomi-sama…open your eyes." He ordered. 'He's bossy even when I'm dead. Figures.' Yet even while her mind was drugged and hallucinating in pain, some functioning parts of her brain followed her lieutenant's advice and made her eyelids lift. Green pairs of eyes registered a lightly lit room with medical equipment littered around the space. There were also familiar blocks of granite at the corner of her eyes.
"Hm…funny…the after 'after life' looks a lot like our healing rooms…" she said in a voice that couldn't possibly be her own, since it was so weak and hoarse. Yet, the dryness of her throat combined with the aching of her jaw told her that it was indeed her speaking.
"Maybe because it is," this was followed by a loud sigh. Turning towards him, she could barely make out his trademark messy hair and tall frame. 'So I'm not dead. Why aren't I?' she wondered. Soon her vision was returning to normal again, and the site of her second-in-command also became clearer.
"You are more fit to lay on this bed Kidanji…you look like crap." The chuckle that accompanied her comment sent her into a stomach-clutching-agony-yelling sort of pain. Immediately he was at her side, and with great efficiency, administered a shot to her arm. When the pain subsided and her body started to numb, she knew it had been anesthetics. Thank you Kami for thoughtful subordinates and pain erasing medicine.
"Please refrain from opening all 2739 of your cuts; it would not be fun for either of us." He told her exasperatedly.
"That's all…?" She thought there would be more, considering the amounts of blades that were coming at her. Hatomi didn't know if she should be impressed that he could heal all those wounds, or be afraid for his sanity if he actually sat there and counted all the markings.
"Hai. Many were deep though, several had sliced into your heart. Not to mention the few that was only millimeters away from cutting out your Sakestu chain and Hakusui soul sleep." Kidaji reported.
"Souka…" To be free from any sensation was refreshing, the last hour or so since she regained conscious was quite unbearable. The question of why she wasn't dead though bugged her. "Why am I not dead, and how did I get here?"
"Please don't sound so disappointed that you are not dead. I might go back to thinking that you were really committing suicide that day. But if you must know, I picked up your very sad excuse for a body before he could deliver the final blow."
"And he let you leave…just like that?" In the short time that she's been acquainted with him, Kuchiki Byakuya did not seem like the type to leave things unfinished, especially if he'd vowed to kill her if she dared to interfere in Rukia's execution.
"Ah." Kindaji answered vaguely. The weary look in his blue eyes prompt her to ask what was bothering him. He took one full breath and then exhaled before replying.
"You stood there like some doll, and allowed him to cut you to pieces. I've never seen you like that before. What happened out there?" he confessed. For over 50 years they've been working together, and he has never seen her lose a battle so pathetically. Hatomi-sama was not the strongest shinigami in Soul Society, nor could she boast the highest IQ, but compared to the majority, she was up in the highest percentile. Considering the circumstances, she'd never had the chance to test her skills against a Gotei 13 captain in a real battle, but Kidanji always had confidence that she could hold her own against them if the situation ever rose. Not only had the battle been a huge disappointment to him, it also confused him beyond reason.
"Oh, that..." She paused so that her brain could reminisce. "Have you ever seen anything so magnificent that it just stuns you? That was what happened to me. As soon as the blades scattered, all I could think was how beautiful everything was. Also, I was wondering how a guy like him could command such a…pink weapon. It blew my mind away at the sheer color intensity and the outrageousness of the situation. It's stupid, I know…but I couldn't help myself. To think that my moment of fascination nearly cost me my life. Thank you, Kidanji, for saving me." Even as she was speaking right now, the memory of Byakuya's bankai still amazes her. Ojii-sama must've been psychic when he warned her that her compulsive curiosity would be her downfall one day.
"When I told you not to end up in jail, it went without saying that you shouldn't die either. Besides, it was my hindsight that saved you. Your reiastu was expelling too much if you were just aiding a few ryokas."
"Ah…You know I did not want to fight him, but he was going to kill Hanataro, so I couldn't just stand there and watch. What's done is done. But say, how long have I been out?" Everything felt like it was just yesterday to her. Byakuya's determined face and his confidence that he would emerge victorious are still very clear in her inebriated mind. He had entered the battle with the purpose of killing her, while she could not say that was her own intention. Hatomi knew that, if by some twist of fate, she had been in the position to end his life, the task would not have be completed. Perhaps the tinge of sadness she now felt is because his resolve to kill her had been so unwavering. 'Did he hate me that much?' she thought depressingly.
"This is the third day since your battle with Kuchiki Byakuya." He informed her after calculating it in his head.
"Three days?? I must've missed a lot. What is the situation??"
"Yes you have…Hatomi-sama…Kuchiki Rukia's execution-"
"Will be tomorrow." A resolute voice answered in Kidanji's stead. Hatomi did not have to turn towards the door to know who had spoken. It was a voice that has been the only constant in her entire life. And because he was her grandfather, she could easily pick up the displeasure in his simple statement. Judging by the tone, he obviously knew about her insubordination and was here to deal with her. No doubt there was a long chide waiting to be said, followed by an appropriate and lawful punishment. The invalid steeled herself for his fury.
"Ojii-sama." It was hard to move up to a sitting position so that she could at least bow to him. The painkiller was probably in the highest dosage to keep her from feeling anything but numbness. Luckily Kidanji picked up her intention and helped her perform the necessary greeting while doing the same himself.
"Leave, boy." Yamamoto Genryusai ordered while approaching the two in slow deliberate steps. Here was the strongest shinigami in Soul Society, the embodiment of power and invincibility, yet Kidanji could not bite down the protest that slipped out.
"But-"
"It's fine. You should go." He was cut off once again, but this time by his female leader. She was serious he found out when he turned to stare at her bandaged form. Her eyes were a sharp viridian, meaning she was ready for anything that came her way. Reluctantly, he left the two family members in the small healing room.
An eerie silence followed his departure. The air was thick as the Sotaicho's reiastu leaked out purposefully, making it even harder for her to breathe. And for the first time in her life, Hatomi felt uncomfortable being in the same room as her grandfather. Ironically, the eyes that young Hatomi used to try all sorts of antics to get open were very visible at the moment, yet it did not hold the adoration that she once craved. 'Are we enemies now too?' she wondered as sadness overwhelmed her.
"Because I have nothing to say to you, I shall just tell you what is required of me. Tomorrow, you will lead your team to the site and perform the task of releasing the Sokyoku. If you do not follow this order, then the next person on the execution block will be you." It was not the content of his message that nearly broke her spirit, but the cold and detached delivery of it. Was this really ojii-sama who is speaking of her death so casually? Why isn't he yelling at her for aiding the enemies and then giving her some inane punishment? At least then she would know that he was still treating her as his granddaughter…not some insignificant underling whose death matters as much as a hollow's.
"Hai…I understand." She answered obediently, even though she was still unsure about everything. When he left without saying anything else, the pressure that had been stifling the air also lifted, and she sagged back onto the mattress tiredly. So it had finally come down to this. Her plan to not get deeply involved has failed, and it was time to choose sides.
If she wanted to be rational and smart, the obvious choice would be to side with Soul Society. This was her home and shinigamis are her comrades, why would she want to fight against the place that she'd vowed to protect? Yet, rationality is sometimes overrated, as it is in this case. To be rational here would mean disregarding morals and true justice. Not only would Rukia be wrongfully killed, but so would her human friends who are also fighting for their own justices. Could she live with herself if she played a hand in their deaths? However, if she didn't obey orders this time, she wouldn't be alive to feel much at all. Maybe Byakuya was actually doing her a favor by trying to kill her, too bad he didn't succeed.
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On the opposite end of Seireitei, Byakuya rose that morning with conviction despite his ongoing treacherous night sleeps. She could haunt him in his dreams, but when he woke up, things were normal again. There are no emerald eyes, indigo hair, devious laughter, or offending touches outside of his unconscious mind. That alone made him relieved.
It was still early morning, and the servants were the only ones scurrying around the manor, performing the household chores. Soul Society of course was still in a mess, even more so since the death of one of their captains. The murderer is still unidentified and running loose but at least they'd apprehended 3 out of the 5 ryokas. When all this was finished, Byakuya's life will finally go back to the way it was, minus one adopted sister. Rukia's death would not affect his schedule much, but her absence will still be a change of some sort. For the past week, he'd placed the matter out of his mind by concentrating on other duties that he must perform, and today will be no different. She and the rest of her miscreant human friends will be punished by the laws of Soul Society, and as a captain, and a noble, it was upon his shoulder to make sure those laws are carried out; no matter how much a part of him wanted to argue otherwise. Nobles have no need for such weak emotions, a voice inside reminded him.
As expected, his own division was as chaotic as the rest of Seireitei. Since his vice-captain had decided to break out of jail, Byakuya found himself bombarded with more work than usual. Contrary to popular belief, division work was never something he enjoyed doing, but today it effectively distracted him from other traitorous thoughts. He did not want to think about how he was betraying Hisana by letting her beloved sister die, because that in itself had been eating his soul since the beginning of this crisis. If his wife was still here, she would never berate him for it, because if there was anyone who had understood his need to obey the law, it was Hisana. But Byakuya also knew that the distress he would see in her midnight eyes would be worst than anything she could've said. Never had she asked anything of him, not until it was her dying wish. She did not ask him to love her, no, he'd fallen in love with her involuntarily and had made her his. When his love for her had been too much to bear, she did not ask him go against his clan laws and marry her; instead, she had been more terrified for him than anything. Then as her sickness slowly ate away at her spirit and strength, she never asked for the greatest healer, but chose to suffer though the course of her illness by herself, stumbling around the manor until her body could no longer hold her up. That had been Hisana. Would her doleful eyes fill up with tears he always hated to see if she was here to witness how blatantly he was ignoring her only request? No, he didn't want to think about any of this.
Perhaps he should consider it lucky then that there were other matters to take his mind off of her, like the loud knocking on his office door.
"Come in." he ordered. In entered the unseated officer that had tattoos resembling the missing fukutaicho. Something was up, Byakuya noticed right away, because Rikichi was shifting around on his feet uneasily, and his reiastu felt like a ticking time bomb. After a few moments of silence Byakuya was starting to get impatient.
"Out with it Rikichi." His command made the young boy straighten his posture immediately.
"T-taicho…this hell butterfly just arrived. Since your office is completely shut close, it couldn't get in so it flew around the division." Rikichi walked up to his captain's desk and transferred the messenger to him. After Byakuya received the message, he calmly freed the black creature and leaned forward to rest his chin on intertwined fingers. A look of contemplation dawned on his chiseled face.
'The execution is now moved to tomorrow…I suppose this means all will end sooner than expected.'
"Taicho…?" It was scary when his superior had that look on his face. It usually meant someone or something had made him unhappy, and no one wants an unhappy Kuchiki Byakuya. Combined with the fact that Renji-san had broken out of his cell earlier, Rikichi was afraid that one small thing could set his commander off.
"You may leave. Report back immediately when more things arises."
"Hai..." And so Rikichi left his brooding captain alone.
Left alone, Byakuya ceased doing his paperwork. Tomorrow would also mark the day that Shihouin woman claimed she could train the ryoka to beat him. What a ridiculous notion. If everyone could beat him after a mere three days of training, Soul Society would be filled with capable captains, yet there is a reason why only 13 are given such an honorary status. Nothing short of a miracle could grant the boy enough power to defeat him. 'Maybe not a miracle, but perhaps luck is enough. He is still alive, is he not?' a voice inside reminded him. It was true, he realized, since the captain was unsure how Kurosaki Ichigo had once again survived from his kill. It was becoming quite annoying to see a human defy the hands of death so many times. Of course he knew the former Onmitsukido Commander had played a big part in this, her and her exile lover no doubt, but this only added to his annoyance. What was she doing back in Soul Society; did the word exile mean nothing to her? And why was his shunpo still inferior to hers?
To stop his mind from thinking about such trivial matters, Byakuya stood from his desk to leave the office. If Rukia's execution is tomorrow, then he will spend the rest of his time with Hisana, because only there can he receive solace.
---- -------- -- - -- ---------- ---
On the morning of the sentence, even an ant would know, judging from the anxiety that hung in the air. As she lay on the bed surrounded by the healing granites, Hatomi could hear her subordinates chattering excitedly outside. 'What are they so excited about?! It's an execution, not a party!' she wanted to yell, but decided not to. Who could blame them? Executions in Soul Society were so rare, and the release of the Sokyoku was even rarer, which would explain for their lack of empathy. If only she could be like them and be removed from the complications of Rukia's execution, maybe then she could get by today on a clearer conscience.
"It is almost noon; Kidanji should be here right about…now." The door opened just as she said this out loud to herself and in walked her lieutenant.
"It's time." He stated gravely, since he was the only one who understood her dilemma. "I have assembled the eight team leaders that you will need and they are waiting in the courtyard for you. Also, here is your haori…Shosui." She winced when he stressed the word awkwardly. Being called Shosui (Commander) made her heart throb in a bad way, so she wished he hadn't use that term. However, Hatomi also knew why he chose to; today was all about protocol and following the rules to the letter. So, for the second time in her life, Hatomi gingerly wore on the dark blue haori with the insignia of the Kido Corps on both sides of the lapels. The style was a bit different from the way her shishou used to wear it. The collar wasn't as high to accommodate her long hair and the gold trimmings were replaced with a light blue color. Of course since she is no where as tall as the former Commander, the length of the haori is considerably shorter. But overall, no one could miss the fact that she was the successor to the prodigious title as Grand Kido Chief. The only other time she'd worn the telling outerwear was during her inauguration ceremony, 20 years after the deflection of her master, Tessai Tsukabishi. After that, she'd never been comfortable carrying around such a heavy reminder of her esteemed captain; the burden of inheriting the Kido Corps had been enough.
"Your zanpakuto, Hatomi-sama." Kidanji also handed her Asami, who was in much better condition than she was. For the past several months, Asami has been recuperating from a big task that all Kido Commanders have to perform, which is maintaining the strength of the Sekkiseki stones which protects Seireitei. After this assignment, Hatomi's zapakuto has been drained of its reiastu and needed to be put aside to regenerate itself. Was it luck or ill fortune that today of all days, Asami was in tip top condition?
"Thank you." She situated the katana on her left hip and stared at her own reflection in the mirror. "Shishou's staff looked much better with this getup…and maybe the picture would look more correct if you are wearing a purple suit to look like Hachi-senpai." She meant to make a joke, but it only served to worsen her already low spirits. It was a reminder of how the kind vice-captain had also disappeared from her life over a decade ago.
"Ah…we should go. You still have to give instructions to the team." Kidanji advised instead of commenting on her statement. During the entire time that he's worked with Hatomi-sama, she'd rarely mention the two men who once held their current titles. It was a touchy subject, almost taboo, so for her to speak of them so casually spoke volumes about her emotional state.
"You are right. We have much to do." Turning away from the mirror, Hatomi took one last glance at a letter laying innocently on the bedside desk and walked purposefully out the door. Outside in the large courtyard she was greeted with the site of most of her subordinates standing on both side of the walkway in an organized fashion.
"Mizuro Shosui-sama, Yamanashi Fukushosui-dono." They chorused while bowing. Formality was never something she emphasized here at the kido divisions, and she could tell the terms were foreign to their lips. Normally, the rookies called her Hatomi-sensei until they are promoted to a team; only then could they address her as Hatomi-sama. The title of Commander seemed more fitting for her grandfather, who actually commands that entire army of Gotei 13.
"I'm sorry that I haven't been around much. I can't say things will get better after today, but we'll see. Please behave while the team leaders, Kidanji, and I are gone. That's all I ask." She was never much of a speech giving person, so things tended to be short and to the point. Obediently, all her members promised to follow her orders and left to carry out their duties. The only ones who remained were 8 black clothe figures. Unlike the outfit that her 4 subordinates wore when transferring Rukia to the Senzaikyu, which held no special purpose, the black and white getup this time was designed to protect the wearer from the massive energy they would be in close proximity to later. She was unsure why face covering was always a requirement for these garbs, but it has been a tradition of the Kido Corp long before she took command, and Hatomi never had the chance to ask her shishou. Obviously because no one had expected his deflection and her quick ascension to the top of the ranks.
Now with a big sigh, the current Kido Commander proceeded to explain the method of the Sokyoku's release to her team. Even though everyone present was highly experienced in kido and has very precise control of reiastu, this was too big of a mission to overlook. One small mistake, such as expelling too much or too little force, the wrong hand sign, even one millisecond differences in timing could have the technique backfiring on the spell-caster and the rest of the group. Imagine casting a spell that is meant to release an entity with the strength of 1 million zanpakutos on yourself. See, not so appealing. This is why it was crucial that everything went according to plan. First she showed everyone the proper hand signs, next she demonstrated the amount of reiryoku that accompanies each sign, and last was the explanation of her role during the whole process.
"The release of the Sokyoku is basically done in two separate steps. The first is the unbinding of its seal, which the eight of you are in charge of because it requires vast spirit energy. The next step is guiding the Sokyoku so that it attacks the right person and not everyone within the immediate area. This requires for Kidanji and I to feed it with our own reiastu. As you know, we have the most kido-compatible reiastu in all of Soul Society, which is how we got these positions. Since the Sokyoku is basically a creature manifested from an unprecedented amount of suppressed energy, it will only accept specific reiastu. Our spiritual energy will lure it by creating sort of a track leading towards Kuchiki Rukia, and the 'eating' of the Sokyoku is basically the execution itself. Understand?" Everyone nodded.
After the lengthy summary on the halberd, Hatomi felt a bit winded. Since they still had a couple of hours till the actual execution she dismissed the team with orders to rest and not conduct in any energy consuming activities. Even Kidanji was ordered to go rest, since she knew how hard he'd been pushing himself the past few days to heal her. To past her time, the female leader left the Kido Corp building and headed to a place that she'd avoided for the past 90 years; her parents grave.
The two tombstones were situated behind their old house, still cleanly kept by the servants from the Yamamoto clan. After their deaths, she had diligently washed and scrubbed the grime away from their resting places daily because it was her young way of remembering them. Contrary to the happy and carefree persona that she now portrays, Hatomi was not always living with smiles. For a while, her naïve mind had refused to let her move on by tormenting her dreams with images of her deceased parents, and with no one to guide her, the young girl had fell into deep depression. Luckily, Tsukabishi Tessai recruited her into the Kido Corps a few years later, and the depressing solitude was replaced with a sense of accomplishment and belonging. His subsequent deflection along with her senpai had left her feeling tragically alone again, as if the world was punishing her by taking away everyone she loved. This prompted her to stop visiting anyone or anything for a few decades. Durig that time, she lived only through memories and stopped creating new ones with those around her because of the fear of losing more close ones. It wasn't until Kidanji became her vice-commander and smashed down her wall that she opened herself to someone again. Now she was ready to come back to this nostalgic place which held memories of her childhood and parents.
It had been her idea to bury them under the cherry blossom trees that inhabited the majority of their backyard. One reason was because it had been her mother's favorite flower, evident by the number of trees she'd planted. Many of them have been planted long before Hatomi was even born. The second reason was because this yard had been the sole place for family time. Looking around the wide space she could still envision a young blue haired girl giggling in her mother's lap as her father showed her some tricks with a katana. The mother and daughter sat beneath the trees, gathering the blossoms around them to make a crown fit for the girl's mop of azure hair while the husband horribly attempted a similar one for his wife. Laughter, harmony, love, these were the words to describe her perfect childhood, but as with everything seemingly 'perfect', fate shattered the bliss with a dose of reality to the child's heart. The sight of the bruised floral crown atop her mother's grave elicited an aching feeling to the heart and a soft sob from a now older Hatomi. She remembered that crown of flower perfectly…because it was the solo object that she was holding when her grandfather told her about their deaths two days later. As she clutched the floral piece in her trembling hand, with a child's innocence, she looked at their covered body and refused to acknowledge the fact that they were gone. It was that innocence that haunted her at night when she ran crying to her parents' room, only to find their room cold and void of their comforting presence. The same innocence created dolls that she pretended were them, giving the stuffed toys the doting names of 'tou-chan' and 'kaa-chan'. She never minded that they never replied. Even though a surrounding kido barrier kept it alive all these years, the once beautiful ring of blossoms had wilted along with her happiness. The day it was placed on the grave had been the last time she'd gotten close to any Sakura blossoms.
Hatomi did not tell Kidanji about the real reason why she'd reacted that way to Kuchiki Byakuya's bankai, mainly because it meant retelling a story that she'd rather forget. Seeing all the petal-like blades scattered around her had pulled her back to times when she'd once been enchanted with the same display in her backyard with her family. 'Will I always have the same reaction every time he uses his zanpakuto?' she wondered. As her mind wandered back to the man who had come so close to killing her, she settled herself in-between the two graves and began her story to her deceased parents, hoping that in the end they could forgive her for her long absence and offer her some sound advice.
"It started the day he found me in Rukongai…"
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Byakuya realized that he and Senbonzakura have been quite violent lately, as this was the fourth person who has dropped in a bloody mess due to his onslaught in the past week, the other three being the ryoka boy, the blue hair minx, and the Shiba man. When had the tables turned so that he was now the enemy, making everyone wants to take him down? He was hardly bothered though, since neither four were a challenge, nor would their absence be missed. It was just troublesome that he had to waste time dealing with them. Admittedly, Renji had done better than Byakuya had expected, but that was as far as his respect for the vice-captain went. It was a pity that he had displayed such potential for such a worthless cause.
Turning away from the body of his lieutenant, Byakuya continued his trek towards the Sokyoku Hill, where Rukia and the other captains were. When he arrived, only a few of the captains were present, which made him suspicious. There was a direct order from the Chambers for all captains to be present for precaution purposes, so the lack of their attendance irked the Rokubantai Taicho. As he neared the group, Rukia's position beneath the execution stand caught his attention but he quickly looked away, for the docile expression in her eyes resembled Hisana's far too much. The captain knew it was cruel to not acknowledge her, knew it would not allow Rukia to die in peace, but today he was indulging in selfishness. In exchange for her sadness, he would gain self control and numbness. If his sight strayed to his sister-in-law, the resolve that he'd built up might become undone and now was not the time to regret his decision; he hoped Hisana would understand.
In the manner that is expected of a captain and a noble lord, Byakuya stood seemingly unaffected next to Ise Nanao, and allowed no conflicting emotions to show on his aristocratic face. He watched as the Sotaicho address Rukia and ask for her last words. Then he inwardly frowned when that special privilege was used to request a safe return of her friends to the human world. Even till the end, Rukia is still so naïve. His slated eyes wandered around the scene as the Sotaicho was lying to his adopted sister and Unohana was voicing the true intentions to her fukutaicho. Soon, Byakuya could barely register her words. His intense line of sight was then reserved for the robed figures walking towards them from the distance. 'It can't be….' he surmised in his thoughts, but his eyes told him differently. There was not a single person in Soul Society with that distinct reiastu or unique colored hair; it had to be her. There, in the middle of the procession, was the woman who had been haunting his dreams with her laughter and suggestive touches. She was the one who rid him of his only chance to see his wife by replacing Hisana's midnight blue eyes with deep forest green, short ebony hair with abundance of flowing sapphire, and soft smiles with mischievous grins. It was the same female that disrupted his perfectly well life by igniting his fury and challenging his authority, driving him to rid the world of her troublesome presence.
But why then, cursed fate, if he hated her so much, does he feel relieved that she had not died? As if her being alive and in front of him was the most natural thing and that Senbonzakura hadn't sliced her to pieces. Even the guilt that he wasn't aware that he'd been carrying was melting off as she neared. Aside from the extreme paleness and lack of passion in her eyes, she did not look like the bloody corpse from four days ago. In fact, the only major change was the blue haori she was wearing, which has the insignia of the…...his eyes opened wide and his tall frame grew rigid.
"Kidoshu Soshi, Mizuro Hatomi, we are glad you could make it today." Byakuya heard Yamamoto Sotaicho confirm his realization. [A/N: Kidoshu Sochi=Kido Corps Commander] After Hatomi properly greeted the commander of Gotei 13, her tired eyes traveled down the line of captains and landed first on Kyoraku Shunsui, then immediately there was life in the orbs again.
"Shunsui-sensei, it's been a while." She gave the 8th division leader a warm smile.
"Ah, Hatomi-chan, you are looking beautiful as always, a bit pale though." Kyoraku replied with concern.
"I have been compromised the last few days, but I am fine now." Byakuya caught the quick glance she threw in his direction.
"Then I'm glad you are feeling better. Wouldn't want our precious Hatomi-chan to be sick for too long." This time it was Shunsui who offered a wide smile. The familiarity between the two further shocked Byakuya and he felt a sense of déjà vu wash over him. It was as if he knew next to nothing about this woman again, since just when he thought he'd finally discover the truth, she unlocks another mystery about her past. Her secrecy he now understood, because the Kido Corps was a section under the command of only the Chambers; her excellence in spells and reiastu manipulation is now justified; he could also see why she'd been unafraid of him, given that technically she was equal or even superior to him in rank. Yet, the question still remains about why the Hachibantai Taicho and even the Sotaicho is so closed to her.
Her green eyes continued their survey, passing the 8th division lieutenant and locking squarely with his own gray ones. He waited for her to say something nasty, seeing as how he'd tried to kill her four days ago, but she said nothing. Instead, her stare was a bit blank and uncaring, which succeeded in bringing forth a more uncomfortable sensation within him. Sooner than expected, Hatomi turned her attention elsewhere, more specifically the airborne prisoner she would soon be executing indirectly.
'Rukia, I'm sorry…' she tried to channel the thought to her friend through the expressions of her eyes. Although Rukia nodded in understanding, it didn't help ease the guilt from building. Life was unfair in many ways. Why else would it force friends to be on opposite enemy lines? Perhaps it was not too late to change her course of action and the outcome of the day, if she just - 'No, I have to do this, there is no other option.' She crushed the lingering thought and steeled her resolve. With a firm nod to her 9 subordinates, they got into position for the releasing of the Sokyoku.
When the moment came, synchronized hand signs began to form by the 8 men standing next to the barrier's ropes, while Hatomi and Kidanji recited the accompanying incantation. With her eyes closed, the Kido Corps commander couldn't see the huge blasts of reiastu pouring out from around her, but she could definitely feel it. The pressure was stifling and only worsened as the ropes around the halberd unwinds to leak the energy from the Sokyoku. She wanted to stop the words from pouring out of her mouth, because that would end this entire process, but her sense of duty would not allow it. She'd gone too far to go back.
It was a twisted world, she realized, when the Kikou, the ultimate form of the Sokyoku, made its magnificent appearance. Brilliant colors were blazing around it, even though many would think it was just a bright orange, and the intensity of its aura was both oppressive and soothing at the same time. It was cruel to say, but Hatomi was glad such an opportunity was granted to witness the manifestation of this god. 'How could something so beautiful be so deadly?' she thought of both the Sokyoku and Kuchiki Byakuya's zanpakuto.
Once released, the flaming phoenix-like entity sought after a target to absorb reiastu from, and it would've chosen the Sotaicho, because he had the highest level, if Hatomi and Kidanji didn't satiate its hunger with their own reiryoku. An odd sensation filled her as it removed large amounts of spirit energy from her being. With their combined forces, the two leaders of the Kido Corps guided the Kikou's attention back to Kuchiki Rukia. Her rebellious side griped and complained as the bird got into the ultimate position to perform the execution, right in front of Rukia. 'Do something, do something! You can't possibly let her die like this. Save her Hatomi!' her subconscious urged impatiently; it took all her willpower to ignore it. 'I can't! Why must it be me?' she argued back. While she had an internal debate, the Kikou flew forward to pierce into the female shinigami's soul as everyone watched on in warped fascination. As the distance between the Kikou and Rukia diminished inch by inch, Hatomi's instincts screamed for her to stop it, yet she did nothing except close her eyes and pray for a miracle. Moments passed yet no scream of pain could be heard.
"I-Ichigo!" Hatomi's and all the witnesses' eyes flew open at that exclamation from Rukia. True to her words, Kurosaki Ichigo was indeed stopping the Kikou with his large zanpakuto, which in itself is inpossible to comprehend. Despite the severity of the situation, a wide smile broke out on her face when the Kido Commander saw the human boy for the second time in her life. Her smile quickly turned into a frown when the firebird let out a loud wail and moved back to prepare for a second hit. Rukia could be heard screaming to Ichigo to leave and that he could not block a second onslaught.
Rukia was right; a human could not possibly stop one, let alone two, attack from the all-powerful Sokyoku, especially since it was emitting such powerful killing intent. Hatomi could feel it clearly, the burning fury and singeing energy that was waiting to be unleashed on whoever stood in its path, even the pull on her reiastu was lessening because it was hungry for Ichigo's unique one. She knew they would die if the entity performed one last assault, and deep inside, she wished the courage to help them would ignite at this moment. Juushiro-sensei said he would take care of it, and all she had to do was hold back the Sokyoku to buy him time, but where was he? What if he didn't make it in time, did she have the power to protect the two of them? Hatomi wasn't sure if she wanted to take such a risk.
'You mustn't let this happen, Hatomi-sama. You have the power to help them…by letting me help you.' A surprisingly soft voice, one that has been absent for a while, offered. 'Asami! You're…' how long has it been since she'd heard from her zanpakuto? Several decades, she was sure, but now Asami was calling out to her again. 'Use me to help you, Hatomi-sama…' Asami's tranquil and soothing tenor faded out as it retreated back into the confines of Hatomi's soul. 'Asami, thank you for giving me the push I needed…' this was her last thought before she called out,
"Bankai…"
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A/N: My preemptive attempt to answer all your brewing questions:
1. Big time skip that passes through all of ichigo's fights and stuff because this story does not revolve around Ichigo and Aizen's deflection, but instead it's about Hatomi and Byakuya. Plus keep in mind that my aim is to NOT retell every aspect of Tite Kubo's story, instead I highlight some parts that I think was important and try to incorporate Byakuya and Hatomi into those parts. Everything else will be briefly summarized.
2. As you can see, this was a more serious chapter, and we have a side of Hatomi that is more…somber…than her usual spunky personality. I think it's fitting because this is the time where a lot of fights are happening and everyone is concentrating on winning so her humor wouldn't really fit well into the plot. Also, she has a big duty to perform, and a position to uphold, so that should explain her OOCness. Is it even possible for an OC to be OOC???? Hahaha it kinda feels like it…weird…
3. I know I said that the "Rescue Rukia Arc" will end with chapter 8, but as you can see…its not finished hahaha….but for sure for sure for sure chapter 9 is it! Chapter 8 pt.2 is already long…and to finish this arc would take at least another 7-8k of words, so I decided to just make it its own chapter.
4. Now that her identity is revealed, I bet a bunch of you are going like "::slaps forehead:: DUHHHH"…which is good =). Very nice try in guessing Royal Guard though yuzuki0429, you were the only one who attempted, no one else cared =(!
5. There wasn't much talking in this chapter, mostly inner thoughts and such, sorry if it bore anyone. Talking comes next chapter!
6. If you consider the description in this chapter, this makes Hatomi around Byakuya's age, maybe a couple of decades younger in Shinigami age, because she was a teenager when Tessai left with Urahara and Yoruchi.
That's all i can think of, if there's any question or displeasures please review and voice them! Also leave a comment on whether you would like longer chapters but later updates or short chapters but earlier posts!!
Love,
RainxDrops
P.S Into IchigoxOC stories??? Visit Tara-AnimeGirl for her story! It's wonderful, I definitely recommend it! She spoils me with quick updates, so if more people read it, faster updates! Us OC writers must support each other! =)
