Chapter 9

"What!?" Kenpachi exclaimed. He and the other captains were standing in two single file lines at a captain's meeting.

"That makes no sense! Why would we treat her as such?" Captain Ukitake spoke up.

"I have to agree. As annoying as she was, she would never betray us!" Captain Soi-fon was next to voice her disapproval.

"She is one of the most loyal soul reapers among us. This truely makes no sense." Captain Hitsugaya said.

"It does not matter. She will be treated as a traitor along with the other three." Head Captain Yamamoto stated in a 'matter-of-fact' tone. Byakuya stood there quietly, again, his loyalty to his parents and his loyalty to those close to him were standing on opposite sides of the battlefield. He wanted to save Yukiko, to stand up for her, but he didn't want to break the promise to his parents. Why must his life be filled with so many conflicts?

"You can't do this! My daughter would never! I told you what that letter said!" Kenpachi was furious, shaking with anger, fists clenched so hard the knuckles were turning white. He glared daggers at the head captain; he couldn't comprehend how Yamamoto could rule that Yukiko was a traitor. He didn't think any of the other captians could either. Unable to stand being there any longer, fighting the urge to destroy the entire Seireitei, stormed out.

"This meeting is officially dismissed." Yamamoto sighed. He didn't want to do this, but he had no choice.

Screams could be heard all over the Seireitei; and a lot more injured men were being sent to squad four and were in worse condition than before. They were all from squad eleven, and most were being thrown through who knows how many walls. Captain Zaraki was angrier than he had ever been, and he was trying to get rid of it, but this just wasn't working. So after sending almost ten times as many men over to the medical squad, he sat down in his office with a huge sigh escaping his lips. What could he do? He couldn't get into Hueco Mundo, so he couldn't rescue her. He closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. Yachiru popped up on his shoulder.

"Kenny's thinking about Snowy again." She sighed. Kenny wasn't going to play with anyone or her. She had to find a way to cheer Kenny up, and she needed to find it fast. She didn't like seeing Kenny down like this.

"No. I'm not thinking about her again. She never leaves my thoughts." he quietly mummbled. "I can't do anything.."

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The door slammed open, and Szayel walked in.

"What the freak do you want!?" Yukiko shouted.

"I want you to know that both Aizen and I know about your broken seal." he said, handing her some tea.

"No." She sighed, pushing away the cup. "It's probably got a weird poison, or.. potion or something."

He smiled, "Unfortunately for you, it isn't opptional." He said as ten of his Fracciónes came in and forced her down onto the floor. She fought against them, trying to reach for her zanpakutōs but failed each time. They were all so much bigger than her, and her strength was still not complete, so in no time, they had her pinned down, and the pink haired man leaned over her, smiling sadistically.

"Go die in a ditch Szayel!" Yukiko spat out. He just continued to smile as he opened her mouth, and poured the bitter liquid down her throat. She choked on it for a few seconds, but it managed its way down, despite her efforts. Soon, it all went black.

"Yukiko!" A loud voice yelled in her ear. Yukiko jumped up, startled.

"What? What happened?"

"I found out what was in that tea you had forced down your throat."

"How did you find out?"

"Szayel is a bit of a loud mouth."

"What.. was it?"

"It makes you obey Aizen. But..."

"But.." Yukiko's eyes were wide with fear.

"Only when ordered to fight."

Yukiko sighed out of pure relief. At least, she won't have to marry him.

"Okay... what if he told me to stop fighting?"

"Not sure. He isn't that much of a bragger."

Yukiko rolled her eyes, and laid back down, Grimmjow laying down beside her. She moved her head up so it was resting on his chest, and his arm wrapped around her. She was tired and they both knew it. When she fell asleep, he would get her more food. He doubted she had had any since yesterday.

"Where were you?"

"Hm? I was... Out in the World of the Living." he admitted hesitantly.

"What were you doing?"

"Sensing."

"Sensing?"

"More like searching. Searching for strong spiritual pressure."

"Always looking for a fight.." Yukiko mused, yawning and cuddling deeper into his chest.

"Yup." his grip tightned as he felt her fall asleep. He would protect her with everything he had. Yukiko was his little sister, and he wouldn't let anyone hurt her. Not if he could help it.

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"Grimmjow!" Yukiko ran up to the blue haired man, with a scar on his chest, and a missing arm.

"Tousen.." he spat out in disgust.

"Figures." Yukiko sighed and walked over to the couch, motoining for Grimmjow to join her. As he sat down, Yukiko put her hands to the new wound and started to heal it, but he pushed her hand away.

"I don't need it." he said when she looked at him, confused.

"But didn't you get removed from the ranks of the espada?" she questioned.

"So?" Yukiko shook her head, laughing quietly at his reaction. She was still worried about him though. She didn't know what was going to happen now that he wasn't an espada, but she had faith that he would be alright. He was a great fighter, and that hadn't changed.

The two continued to talk and laugh for the rest of the day, and nothing very interesting happened over the next few days, other than Grimmjow going out to fight in the World of the Living again. He wouldn't tell her who he fought, but he would tell her how he kicked butt, and how his opponent kept looking at him like he was better than Grimmjow. Yukiko always laughed at his superiority complex, but then again, he was pretty amazing.

But then... Orahime was brought into the prison.

I snuck out of my room to go visit her.

"Hey!" I said.

"Huh?" She flinched a bit. "Oh, hey Yuki! How are you?"

"How do you think I'm doing? Stuck here in this prison..? I'm great!" I laughed, trying to lighten up the atmosphere.

"Really..?" She asked.

"No.." Lightening up the atmosphere here was probably near impossible, but she was going to try anyway. And she did for a quite a while, and was just starting to when Ulquiorra arrived, and made her leave.

She shuffled back to her room, and, after a time that seemed like centuries to her, picked up her zanpakutōs. She would fight who ever, and when ever she wanted to. She didn't care what that liquid Szayel made did, or what Aizen ordered her. Yukiko Zaraki wouldn't stand by anymore and watch Orahime get treated like crap, and she wasn't going to take anymore.