Chapter 10

The storm had reached the peak of its strength, pouring rain down on the Kuchiki estate with all its power. The blackened sky flashed constantly with barely contained lightning that was immediately followed by the loudest booms of thunder that actually shook the walls of the manor.

Safe within the confines of the training room, Nyruki sat cross legged in the center of the circle. It was late and she knew it, as she could feel the tiredness creeping up into her jaw for a yawn. The silence gave her time to reflect as she watched over the captains, all of whom were still enthralled by her power.

They had been under for two hours and none showed any signs that they were becoming lost to desire, let alone signs of getting close to breaking free. They all just sat on their heels with their hands on their thighs, their eyes blind and their expressions blank.

"Sit down." She said out loud.

Each enthralled captain immediately obeyed, shifting to fully sit down with crossed legs and all never once moved their heads to look at her. They all continued to look at the floor.

With another soft sigh, she scooted over to Ukitake, wanting to keep a close eye on him in case he had another attack. She rested a hand on his chest, and it slowly rose and fell without any indication that he was struggling. The sound was soft and as it should be, coming in and out of his nose with ease.

"Good. You're breathing alright." Nyruki said softly, taking her hand away that was soon grasped by his to hold it in place. All the thralls would do the same, as they craved the contact with her and obeyed with hopes of reward.

Nyruki smiled softly as she slipped her hand free and placed it against his soft but slightly gaunt cheek. She allowed the contact, but after a moment, she took her hand back and scooted away until she sat in front of Byakuya, whose eyes never shifted to acknowledge her. None of theirs would despite their unspoken want to be near her. None of them would move without her command.

"What do you fear, Captain?" She asked, not expecting an answer.

She didn't get one.

"Do you fear your power? Do you fear your position? What is it you fear that enables you to help me see passed mine?" She continued, watching his blind and dull eyes.

Suddenly, his eyes twitched with the barest of movements and the muscles of his upper body began to spasm ever so slightly. His breath began to hitch in his throat and with each passing second, the twitching grew worse.

"Captain?" Nyruki exhaled as she rose to her knees and scooted closer, placing her hands on either side of his neck to force his head up so she could see his eyes more clearly.

Byakuya's breathing was short, catching in his throat as if he was shivering. His eyes fluttered rapidly, sometimes completely closing, but the silver remained dull and void of a soul, of his consciousness.

"Captain, you can do this. You can break free. You're almost there." Nyruki said, watching his nose for the slightest hint of blood should he be falling completely into desire.

The Captain's breathing and muscle spasms worsened even more, nearly becoming too much for him to remain sitting up.

"Come on, Captain. Fight her." Nyruki whispered through clenched teeth.

Soon, his breaths caught for good in his throat, making a choking gargle that instantly sparked worry within her chest. His eyes widened from the strain of trying to breath, their dull color glassed over as small tears began to leap out from his bottom lid.

Before Nyruki could do anything else, his head threw back and his body went completely ridged with his mouth locked in a silent scream. She rushed to his side and cradled him as he feel back into her arms, still choking and struggling to breathe and with eyes unseeing, locked as wide as his eyelids would allow. His forehead had become slicked with sweat, clinging to the locks of hair that hung over the left side of his face and she softly brushed them aside with her available hand.

It had been too long. He had been without breath and any moment he would slip from the world under her charge. She held her own as she flighted her hand over his agape mouth and drifted it back, pulling the mist from his body and freeing him from her cage.

Instantly, Byakuya coughed and sucked in several loud lungfuls of air that wheezed in and out with a painful howl. His eyes had slammed shut from the racking cough, but the tears had stopped, having only been a couple that had managed to gain their freedom.

"Captain? Captain, are you ok?" Nyruki asked softly, her worry still thumping in her chest and bleeding into her words.

After another short round of coughing, Byakuya's eyes cleared, having recovered their glistening metallic silver hue and looked up at her, realizing he was cradled in her arms.

"I... I almost had it. Why did you pull me out?" Byakuya asked, his voice deep and ragged from the choking.

"Because you were choking." Nyruki said, helping him to sit up.

"I was... I was being choked." Byakuya said, his breath still coming a bit fast and labored.

"You were close. Kibōyūwaku had to result to fear to keep you from breaking free." Nyruki said, resting a hand on his back in case he fall back again.

"Hisana was choking me," He gulped with a hand resting over his throat as if her hands were still there, "She was angry... Her eyes were entirely black. She had tackled me to the ground and sat on my chest with her hands around my throat. She said she'd kill me to keep me from leaving her." He said, staring at the floor as he simply concentrated his efforts on normalizing his breathing.

"If you could have... gotten her off of you, you would have broken free." Nyruki said, taking her hand off his back.

Hearing that, Byakuya shifted his gaze to meet hers, "I couldn't bring myself to do it. I couldn't hit her. I wouldn't. I could never harm her."

"She wasn't your wife. She was an image of your wife whose sole purpose was to keep you from questioning what you were seeing... From wanting to leave." Nyruki said softly, looking to the other captains for any sign of a struggle. They were all silent and still.

Byakuya, for a moment, closed his eyes and rubbed them with his thumb and forefinger.

"Put me back under." He said, looking back at her.

Nyruki shook her head, "You're done for the night. We'll try again tomorrow, Captain."

"Why?"

"Because... You're vulnerable to being lost to desire. The mental strain this causes is immense. I don't even recommend unleashing Senbonzakura in your current state." Nyruki said.

He knew she was right. His mind felt like it had gotten trampled by everything with a foot, leaving him unable to focus on much of anything for longer than a few moments. If he had even attempted to use Senbonzakura in his current state, the resulting injuries could and would be immense, even possibly fatal. Senbonzakura very much had the capacity to turn around and bite.

"Here. Have some water." Nyruki said, having gone to retrieve a cup for the Captain while he mused.

Softly sighing, Byakuya simply took the cup and drank its contents down in a singular, long gulp without even allowing a single drop to escape his lips.

"Easy, Captain. You're still recovering." She said as she sat down on her bum and crossed her legs.

"This is extremely taxing on the thrall isn't it?" He asked as he set the cup down beside him on the bamboo mat.

Nyruki nodded, "Yes, it is. It's a weapon, first and foremost to be used against my enemies. It's why I'm so vigilant with watching over you all. You aren't supposed to get hurt. You aren't an enemy." She said, slightly hanging her head.

"No, but there is a certain amount of danger that comes with training, in any form, whether it be sword, Kidō, or this. We have accepted this danger." Byakuya said evenly.

"I understand, Captain. That doesn't change the fact though that I'm responsible for putting you into that danger." Nyruki said as she rubbed the back of her neck, still looking at the floor.

Byakuya sighed, "We all knew the risks and we accepted them."

Nyruki nodded, "I understand."

Releasing her held breath, Nyruki finally tore her eyes away from the floor, only to fall under his silver gaze. They had resumed their normal stare, that unmovable steel that was always his expression. It was unnerving, but she had been under it so much lately, that she had gotten used to it.

"Can I ask you a question?" She asked softly, picking at her fingernails in her lap.

"Go ahead."

"Why did you not fight back against her when she attacked?" Nyruki asked, shifting her eyes down to her hands out of uncertainty of the look she would find herself under.

"Could you attack the one you loved? Even if it was an illusion?" Byakuya asked of her, earning back her eyes.

Nyruki simply shook her head.

"It's the same with me. I loved Hisana with everything my heart could provide. When she passed, I lost a large piece of my soul." Byakuya said with the slightest softening of his stone cold gaze.

"You really loved her despite being arranged?" Nyruki asked, knowing how the noble clans typically operated when progressing their generations.

Byakuya shook his head, "We weren't arranged. I married for love at the behest of my clan's elders. I broke societal rules for her." He said.

"Really?" Nyruki mildly reeled.

"Yes. It wasn't the first time I had either. After Hisana passed away, I broke the rules again when my Grandfather and I adopted Rukia into the Kuchiki clan. That little maneuver angered the elders a great deal." He said as he released a sigh.

"What happened?" She asked, finding that the conversation was easy to listen to despite the nobleman's reputation.

"They summoned me, of course, and told me that if I continued my chronic rule breaking, they would strip me of my title, which would leave the Kuchiki house headless and vulnerable to fall." Byakuya said with the slightest thought as to why he was so willingly answering her questions.

"That's why you swore on your parents grave to never break them again." Nyruki said, not realizing it.

"Pardon? How did you know about that?" Byakuya asked with a crinkling in his brow.

Nyruki began to blush, "Um... Captain Ukitake told me when I was still in his squad." She admitted.

"Somehow that does not surprise me. Yes, I swore to abide by those rules and I nearly made an immeasurable mistake because of it. It took the ravings of, at the time, a fifteen year old boy to put everything back into focus." Byakuya said as the softest of growls rattled through his throat.

Nyruki's brows furrowed, "W-What?"

"Jūshirō told you about my broken promises, but didn't tell you about the one person who gets under my skin on purpose?" Byakuya's mouth twitched up, but only for the blink of an eye so fast, that one would have thought they had missed it.

"Renji mentioned something about that. Ichigo right?" Nyruki asked.

"Yes. That boy is as rough around the edges as his father, but he's smarter than he looks. He quite literally beat some sense into me and I owe him for it. It's because of him that Rukia is still in my life... Still in all of our lives" Byakuya said, drawing in a long breath.

"That I heard about. She was almost executed." Nyruki said.

Byakuya nodded, "Almost, but I owe Ichigo Kurosaki a great deal that she isn't buried next to Hisana."

"How do you do it? Live with that reminder every day?" Nyruki asked, silently chiding herself for even asking.

"It didn't start out easy. At first, I could barely bring myself to even look at her. She looks so much like her sister, but now, she means as much to me as Hisana did." Byakuya said, again with the barest of twitches at the corner of his lips.

Nyruki nodded, "I imagine." She said, opting to stay quiet.

Byakuya, for his part, allowed the silence of the storming night to cover them. The rain hammered against the roof, sounding like millions of tiny stones being dropped and in all honesty, they could be. The thunder was deep enough to be felt in the ground and despite the windows being closed, the flashes of blinding white light still whited out the training room for a split second.

"May I ask a question now?" Byakuya finally asked, resting a hand on the bamboo mat at his side.

"Sure. It's only fair." Nyruki said with a shrug.

"Why did you ask what I fear?"

Nyruki's eyes shot open wide, as that had been the question she had asked when he was still under her control. She hadn't thought he had heard her and it was a complete shock that he had.

"Y-You heard me?" She managed to force through her throat.

Byakuya nodded, "Yes. It's part of why I started to question what I seeing. I heard your voice in my head."

"I-I... I didn't think you could." Nyruki gulped.

"To answer your question, I fear losing the very few things that I hold dear. It's not a large list, but a list I'm not willing to part with. I would give up my life if it meant keeping Rukia safe." Byakuya said.

"I actually didn't expect to hear that from you." Nyruki said, finding that the only real action she could take was to release a sigh.

"I know. It's not a side that is often seen, but the situation warranted revealing it to you. Above all, a captain is a teacher." Byakuya said, his stone expression much softer than the hard gaze he usually maintained.

"I think I have more experience in that than anybody." Nyruki sighed again.

Byakuya nodded, "Captain Ukitake is one of the best. He uses kindness and understanding to teach his wisdom, where as Kenpachi teaches through brute force. His methods are crude and barbaric, but at the root of it, there is something to be learned."

"I see. And how do you teach?" Nyruki asked.

"My methods, at first, don't tend to make sense until my subordinates realize my meaning on their own. I make them look within themselves to learn. It's a more difficult method, but it has proved affective. Just look at my Lieutenant." Byakuya said evenly.

Nyruki sat up straighter, "Renji? Really?"

Byakuya nodded, "Yes. He's always had an undiluted desire to surpass me and that has solely driven him for quite a long time. He's been gunning for me for decades and I suspect it has something to do with my adoption of Rukia as my sister."

"I see." Nyruki mumbled.

"Rukia and Renji have been life long friends. They grew up together in the 78th district of the Southern Rukongai. Renji feels as if I stole her from him and in a way, he's right. He believes he has something to prove and he will do whatever it takes to do it. He's reaching for the moon and one day, he will grasp it." Byakuya explained.

"Has he improved since being your lieutenant?" Nyruki asked.

"Yes. By a great deal, in fact. His hot-headedness has actually calmed a bit. He's more level headed than he was when he first came to Squad 6." Byakuya said with a nod and eyes turned down towards the bamboo mat.

"Why do I find that hard to believe?" Nyruki huffed a laugh.

"Don't misinterpret, he's still a hot-head, but a hot-head with some self-control." Byakuya said as he turned his eyes to his hands.

"At least it's progress."

That word seemed to be an enigma to Nyruki. They had worked so hard, worked with threat of injury every night for nearly a week and they had yet to gain any ground. She was worried that she wasn't going to be able to meet the Head-Captain's demands and she was truly at a loss. She needed to talk with the one man in the room whom had filled a role she had thought gone forever, seeking his wisdom with the simple hope that he could point her in the right direction.

Captain Jūshirō Ukitake.

The storm had been fiercer than anyone had thought. The sheer amount of rain had flooded the sewers of the Seireitei, so much so that some of the lower level drains had been completely submerged. There was minor damage with the most serious being a few broken windows over at the Squad 4 medical facility which had already been fixed.

With the sun resuming its place in the sky to help dry away the wetness, Nyruki strolled the streets on her way to the Squad 13 barracks. She knew, without even seeing, how to get there and she knew exactly what pair of doors to look for.

At times, she missed it. She missed being under Captain Ukitake, missed his encouraging words that never failed to help her feel better and that is exactly what she was looking for.

She arrived at the Squad 13 barracks to large wooden gates that were propped open wide. She smiled, as that was typical for Squad 13. Captain Ukitake had always had an open door policy.

She strolled through her previous squad's grounds, saying hello to friends and smiling as she made her way to the Captain's office that was towards the back of Squad 13 territory.

At the small pagoda with the wooden doors etched with the silhouette of a Snowdrop, she softly knocked out of respect for the Captain that was soon met with a muffled enter.

"Captain? It's me." Nyruki said as she pushed open the door and stepped inside.

The office was a decent size with a large open window that faced most of the day's sun to swallow up its heat. It was open to allow the humid breeze to blow through, which softly rustled the papers on the lone wooden desk whose chair was occupied.

"Good afternoon, Flower. How are you feeling?" Captain Ukitake smiled as he rose from his chair and went to give her a welcoming hug.

"Good afternoon, Papa. I'm doing well, just tired." She said as she returned the embrace.

"So are we all." Ukitake said, unwrapping her from his arms and leading her to a small corner table set with two place settings.

"Were you expecting someone?" Nyruki asked.

"No, but I always keep it set for two in case Shunsui drops by, which usually ends up being the case." Ukitake said, still with that ever present and comforting smile on his face as he sat down.

"I know," Nyruki smiled, "Do you have some time to talk?" She added after a short moment.

"Of course!" Ukitake beamed, pouring a cup of tea for her.

Nyruki sat down and happily sipped the delightful tea, "I was hoping for some words of encouragement. I'm really at a loss on what to do to help the training come along. No one has gotten any closer to breaking free and the only one who almost had it, was Captain Kuchiki." She set down her teacup.

"Do you feel like we should take a different approach?" Asked Ukitake, his long fingers wrapped around his cup to absorb its warmth.

"I think so, Papa. Just throwing you all into your illusions and hoping you'll swim doesn't seem to be working." Nyruki said with another sip.

"Alright. What do you suggest?" Ukitake asked.

"Well, I've really been working with Kibōyūwaku and I think that, maybe, I have an idea, but I wanted to ask you about it first." Nyruki said, helping herself to a tea cake from the plate at the center of the table.

"Alright. I'll do my best." Ukitake smiled.

"What if we all joined into the same illusion?" Nyruki asked bluntly.

Ukitake's smile faded, "We can do that? But is that... um... wise?" His upper cheeks softly colored pink that Nyruki caught sight of.

"Relax, Papa. It's not as you think. We would all be drawn into a neutral illusion, most likely being my inner world. We'll be faced with our desires, but I can help you all learn how to break free because I'll be there to teach you." Nyruki said, washing down the tea cake with a modest sip of tea.

"Ah. Like a classroom setting. I suppose it's a sound idea, but I do have concerns stemming from the nature of your Zanpakutō's abilities. I can only speak for my own, but the others' desires could be... well... You get the idea." Ukitake said, rubbing the back of his neck with a darkening of the blush in his pale cheeks.

Nyruki nodded, "I won't lie, Papa. It's a risk, but with only three weeks left until my deadline... I don't think we have much choice."

"I suppose that's true. The problem I see is getting the other captains to agree to this. This could be very... Oh how do I put it... intimate." Ukitake said, blowing out what was clearly a slightly nervous and embarrassed breath.

"I know, Papa. That's why I wanted your advice." Nyruki said as the supple heat of her own blush began to rise in her cheeks.

"My advice? Well, I suppose it's worth a shot, but it's as I said. The hardest part is going to be able to convince the other captains to submit to such an idea. We're dealing with desire here and desire can be a very dark road to travel." Ukitake said, rubbing the back of his neck again.

"It can't be any darker than what I've already seen, Papa. You forgot that I saw all of your desires when we first started this." Nyruki said, returning to her tea.

"That's right, you have. I hope none of mine have embarrassed you too badly." Ukitake said softly.

"Papa, wanting to pass surrounded by loved ones isn't anything to be embarrassed about. It's a dream." Nyruki said, providing a sweet smile to ease their discomfort.

Ukitake returned the smile and placed his larger hand on her shoulder, "Thank you, Flower. If you think this will be a better course of action, than I will trust you. Is there anything you need me to do?" He took his hand back and returned it to his cup.

"I hate to ask, Papa, but could you brief the others before this evening? It'll help save time I think." Nyruki said, finishing her tea.

"I will do that, Nyruki." Ukitake smiled.

"I owe you, Papa. In the meantime, I'm going to work more with Kibōyūwaku and, if I'm lucky, gain audience with the Head-Captain because I'm getting very concerned that Captain Kurotsuchi hasn't attended any of the training." Nyruki said, her smile gone as she stared at her empty cup.

Ukitake reached for the teapot and refilled it, "That is a concern you do not share alone, Flower. I will go with you to meet with the Head-Captain."

"W-What? Papa, you surely don't have to." Nyruki softly gasped.

"Nonsense. With me accompanying you, the Head-Captain is more likely to grant audience sooner, rather than later." Ukitake said, gently setting the teapot back down on the table.

"That's probably true." Nyruki nodded before indulging in more of the Captain's top shelf quality tea.

"It is true. Come now... With the sun beginning to descend, we don't have much time. I'll just send the Hell Butterfly and we can be off." Ukitake said as his smile returned and he rose to his feet.

Nyruki, with a bit of a grimace, gulped down the fresh cup of tea, as she didn't want to let it go to waste. He had always had such amazing taste in tea and it would be a crying shame to let it get cold.

The pair emerged out into the post-storm air, both with hands clasped behind their backs as Ukitake summoned the small, black creature to carry the message to the other captains. The tiny obsidian bug fluttered up from his long finger and rose into the sky after his lips had finished moving, and then they set off towards the towers of Squad 1.

It was short trek, as the barracks of Squad 1 were very much near Squad 13, so it was only a few minutes before they reached the large gate. They stepped through without question and headed upwards, Nyruki following Captain Ukitake since he was far more proficient with which way to go than her. It wasn't long until they stepped into the Head-Captain's office, where Captain Ukitake only have to announce himself before being granted access and that is when Nyruki got one of the best views available in the whole of the Seireitei.

As Nyruki stepped over the threshold, just a half step behind Ukitake, she couldn't help but admire the superb view of the Seireitei from the balcony that served to be the entire outside wall. It was a view that nearly took her breath away, and she thought it would be better suited on the top of a meadowy hill than from the Head-Captain's office. Nevertheless, it was a spectacular view and she paid it a soft smile as it's due.

As much as she wanted to continue admiring the view, she knew she had to pay attention to the meeting at hand which Captain Ukitake started.

"Good afternoon, Sensai. Thank you for granting me audience." Ukitake said with a shallow bow of his head that Nyruki copied.

"For one of my oldest students, it seemed like a pertinent decision." Head-Captain Yamamoto said gruffly, seated at his desk.

"I come to you with a growing concern regarding one of the captains." Ukitake said, letting his arms hang motionless at his sides.

"Which one?"

"Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi. He has yet to attend training with Ms. Nyruki Sawada and we fear that his absence could result in the failure for her to complete her given tasks." Ukitake said elegantly, his voice soothing to Nyruki's nerves. She was always nervous when near such higher ranking persons.

"I see. He's missed all of them?" Head-Captain Yamamoto asked.

"Yes, Sensai. A number of us have brought up our concerns to him directly, but he simply refutes that he is too busy to attend." Ukitake said.

"I see."

"Head-Captain, if I may?" Nyruki asked, taking a step forward so that she wasn't half shielded by the much taller Captain.

"Go ahead."

"To date, none of the captains have broken free, save for a near success by Captain Kuchiki and it has taken this long to get to that point. I know that this may not be my place to make such a request, but perhaps there is... um... perhaps you can-" Nyruki's voice trailed off.

"Spit it out, girl."

"She means to make the request that the Head-Captain formally order the Captain of Squad 12 to attend these trainings." Ukitake said, coming to her rescue.

Nyruki sent him a thankful smile, "Yes. That's exactly what I mean."

"I see. Which captains have expressed their concerns?" Asked Head-Captain Yamamoto.

"Myself, Captain Shunsui Kyōraku and Captain Byakuya Kuchiki have all expressed direct concern." Ukitake said.

"I see. I shall look into the matter. Dismissed." The Head-Captain said.

Both Captain Ukitake and Nyruki bowed before they spun and left the office, heading back the way they had come. But as they walked, Ukitake noticed how her mood had shifted. She had resolved herself to look down at the stone streets as they walked and her eyes were blind to their pattern which told him she was inside her own head.

"Is there something bothering you?" Ukitake asked, clasping his hands behind his back as he slowed their pace to a leisurely stroll.

"Hmm? Oh... Just... Just thinking is all, Papa." Nyruki said, having only caught his glance for a moment before turning her eyes back to the stone.

"About?"

"Just... There's something I'm not sure about. It's just odd." Nyruki said, hoping to buy her another moment to think.

"I can't help if I don't know what it is, Flower." Ukitake smiled.

"At our last training session, something Captain Kuchiki said stuck in my head." Nyruki said, instantly remembering the previous night's training.

"I remember you saying he nearly broke free. That man's mental capacities are astounding, for sure." Ukitake said.

"Yes, that's true, but let me ask you this, Papa... Did you hear a voice in your head when you were under my control?" Nyruki asked, finally able to look up from the stone to his eyes.

"A voice? Such as?"

"Well, Captain Kuchiki said he heard my voice in his head. He says that's why he started to question the illusions. He had heard my voice." Nyruki said as she looked ahead.

"Huh... I heard no such voice, Flower. Should I have?" Ukitake asked.

"I had spoken to you. I was checking your breathing and I had commented that it was normal." Nyruki said, glancing back up at him for a moment.

"I see. I did not hear your words, Flower. I'm sorry." Ukitake said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"It's alright, Papa. I thought I'd ask. I just thought it weird that Captain Kuchiki heard me, but you hadn't." Nyruki said.

"Perhaps you'll be rewarded with an answer once he manages to break free," He smiled and took his hand back, "You check on me while we train?" He added after a moment.

"Of course! I don't want any harm to come to you because of this. To any of the captains for that matter." Nyruki said, crossing her arms loosely.

"Well, thank you. I feel safer knowing you're there watching over me. Makes me think you care about me." Ukitake beamed with a sparkle in his eyes.

"Of course I do, Papa! You've always shown me kindness and even provided a roof over my head for a while. I'll never forget how much I owe you." Nyruki returned the smile.

"You don't owe me anything, Flower." Ukitake said with the slightest softening in his smile.

"But I feel I do. It's my choice." Nyruki said.

"I know there's no beating that indestructible determination of yours, so I'll just accept it. Seems I made an impression." Ukitake said, resting a hand on the back of his neck.

"A girl never forgets her first captain, Papa." Nyruki snickered.

"Ha! That's true. I suppose that's why you came to me instead of going to your current captain?" Ukitake asked, removing his hand to let his arm fall back to his side.

"He's only been my captain for a week! I mean, he's kind of intimidating to talk to because he just doesn't express. I'm having trouble pegging him." Nyruki said, allowing her smile to relax.

"Byakuya is a difficult man to understand. He tends to keep people an arm's length away, save for a few select whom have managed to get passed the wall." Ukitake said.

"It seems once you get him talking, the conversation flows without much trouble. Last night we talked at length." Nyruki said, scuffing her foot against the stone.

"Really? Well done. It's good for him to open up every now and again. Ever since his parents died, Shunsui and I have tried to keep an eye on him." Ukitake said, clasping his hands behind his back.

"How old was he if I can ask?" Nyruki asked.

"Just a boy. Not dissimilar from you in that regard." Ukitake said.

"It's hard. It took a lot of effort not to just collapse in on myself after my father died." Nyruki said with a twitch of a smile that near as instantly faded.

"I bet. If you ask me, you turned out just fine, Flower." Ukitake said with a happy smile. The man was full of them.

Nyruki's cheeks heated with a soft blush, "Thank you, Papa. A lot of it I can attribute to you. You've really helped fill that void in my heart."

Ukitake's smile, if one could believe it, widened as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and he placed a soft kiss to her hair.

"It was my pleasure, Flower." He said before taking back his arm.

"Hey! I want a hug too!" Came a deep voice from behind them.

Nyruki and Ukitake stopped their walk to turn around and neither were surprised that the comment was made by Captain Shunsui Kyōraku, with a scruffy smile across his hat shielded face.

"Hello, Shunsui. I take it you got my message?" Ukitake asked.

"I did. Should be interesting to say the least." Kyōraku said as he clapped a hand onto his best friend's back.

"Yeah, but it might help." Nyruki said with a half shrug.

"You two have something to eat yet? I figured we could go snag something before heading to Kuchiki's." Kyōraku said, his eyes bouncing between the two of them.

"We have not. That sounds like a good idea. It should help clear our heads before this." Ukitake beamed.

"How about it, Nyruki? You coming?" Kyōraku asked, smiling.

"Oh? Um... Yeah. I'll go. Just us three?" She asked, rubbing the back of her neck, but making it look like a scratch instead.

"I somehow managed to convince my Nanao-chan to join us. Don't ask me how, but I did." Kyōraku said with a mildly confused look on his face.

"You did? I never thought I'd live to see the day." Ukitake said, scratching his cheek.

"Neither did I." Kyōraku quipped.

"You bribed her didn't you." Nyruki deadpanned.

"Yes! I bribed her with that I would actually do my paperwork if she went!" Kyōraku cried as he hid his face in his hands.

Both Ukitake and Nyruki laughed.

"You're hopeless." They both said.

Their meal had gone wonderfully, and Nyruki was glad that she was given the chance to relax and enjoy some rather lovely food and drink before it was time for their training. They had passed the time with light, often funny conversation until their meal was finished and the time had come to go to the Kuchiki estate.

The sun danced at the edges of the horizon, casting the sky into long sweeps of pinks and blues. It was warm, but was complimented with a nice soft breeze that was just cool enough to kiss the skin. Overall, it was a wonderful evening at first glance.

The three arrived at the Kuchiki estate and were allowed inside by the aged attendant they had all come to be acquainted with. The garden was in its typical form, with the added snowy dusting of cherry blossoms as they fell from the trees in earnest. The most beautiful two weeks of the year if you asked her.

The attendant led them to the training room where Byakuya Kuchiki, accompanied with the rest of the captains, whom had all just arrived only moments before them, sat at the table enjoying a cup of tea as they waited. Again, there was still one missing.

"He's still not here? I'm about to pummel that blueberry." Nyruki grumbled, not realizing that she had said it out loud for the captains to hear.

"Do it. Please do it." Kenpachi smiled with a big, creepy and toothy grin.

Nyruki softly blushed, "I'd rather not make it a habit of beating the snot out of captains." She rubbed the back of her neck in embarrassment.

"I would laugh my ass off if you do it. I'll pay you." Kenpachi goaded, still grinning.

Nyruki's blush grew, "I think I'll just make one of you do it." She briefed a short lived smile.

"Ha! That's the spirit! Hell, you could turn all of us and use us to beat his ass." Kyōraku laughed, still with a bit of the pinkness in his cheeks from drinking at supper.

Nyruki smiled for a moment before stepping into the center of the familiar circle where all the captains had taken their usual places.

"I assume you all got Captain Ukitake's message earlier today?" Nyruki started, earning the eyes of them all.

"We did. I think it'll probably help, but I'm concerned with what we'll see." Said Soi-Fon, crossing her arms.

"That seems to be the running concern. Luckily, I conveyed this concern to Kibōyūwaku before broaching the subject with Captain Ukitake and she's agreed to keep anonymity should it be needed. No one will know whose desire belongs to whom." Nyruki said with confidence, having gotten used to addressing the captains by now.

The captains all glanced at each other for a few moments, save for the captain of Squad 6, whom just looked at the floor in his typical silence.

"That is sufficient. Kibōyūwaku has kept her word to this point. I see no reason to question her now." Byakuya said, never taking his eyes from the floor.

"And plus, with Nyruki in control, she'll make sure that the promise is kept." Ukitake added.

"I suppose." Soi-Fon said softly.

As Nyruki released a soft sigh that was accompanied with an equally soft smile, the door to the training room opened, drawing their attention with the arrival of an unexpected guest.

To all their surprise, Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi entered with an unamused expression across his painted face and closed the door behind him without even so much as a hello.

"My my my... The blue mane finally appeared." Kyōraku said as he took his hat off and set it down next to him on the floor.

"I was ordered to by the Head-Captain. How many times do I have to tell you people that I'm busy?" Kurotsuchi grumbled as he crossed his arms.

"This training is mandatory, Captain Kurotsuchi. You should have made the time." Byakuya said, finally tearing his eyes away from the floor to glare at the last captain.

"Hmm... It's not like I needed to attend. I've been researching the data from your training sessions the entire time." Kurotsuchi admitted.

"Excuse me?" Ukitake's black eyebrows drew down hard.

"What? You didn't expect me to pass up this opportunity did you?" Kurotsuchi said, shrugging as if it was no big deal.

"And exactly how have you been gathering this data if you haven't been here?" Kyōraku asked, copying Ukitake's expression.

"Microscopic data analyzers, of course. They were in your tea." Kurotsuchi grinned.

"What!" All the captains barked.

"The results have been astounding! There's been so much to go through that I just haven't had time to spare." Kurotsuchi shrugged again.

"You are an offensive individual, Mayuri Kurotsuchi." Byakuya said lowly with the barest of irritated twitching in his eyes.

"If you would have just come to these sessions, you wouldn't have needed to invade our privacy!" Ukitake said with an uncharacteristic scowl.

"Nonsense. There is no such thing as privacy when it comes to gathering valuable data." Kurotsuchi said as he simply looked away and up as if he was better.

Out of nowhere, a concentrated ball of mist rammed into the painted captain's face with enough force to cause him to stumble backwards. He barely caught himself from falling back into the door, but just as quickly, he froze and simply stood with dull, lifeless and sickly yellow eyes.

A bit shocked, the captains turned there attention to Nyruki, whom simply held a blade-less handle and stood with one eye crimson, and one eye gold in the center of their circle with an angry sneer across her face.

"Pull your Zanpakutō from your obi, put it against the wall and sit your ass down." She ordered harshly through barely gritted teeth.

Mayuri Kurotsuchi did as ordered and pulled his sword, still sheathed, and set it against the wall with the others. Every set of eyes watched him as he simply padded around the circle to a spot that had opened up and sat, cross legged, with his boney elbows resting against his knees like a child whom had just been scalded.

"As vial as the day I met you." Nyruki growled with a shudder rattling through her spine.

"Well, now he doesn't have a choice." Kyōraku said with a pleased grin.

"He never should have been given one to begin with." Ukitake said with an irritated huff through his nose that flared his nostrils.

"Shall we begin, Nyruki?" Byakuya asked, breaking the tension by shifting their focus to the task at hand.

With a simple nod, Nyruki brought the handle of her Zanpakutō to her lips, and locked gazes with her Captain.

"Ban... kai; Shin Kibōyūwaku."