Until the rain stops: Yuki's Story

by moon ash

Captain Yamamoto's granddaughter has finally been brought to the soul society. Her name is Yuki, young, pretty and feisty. She finds it hard growing up and meeting her first love. When things start to go sour, will she commit the ultimate crime? R R M

11. A new Teacher and Memories relived

Sorry it's taken so long, it is 35 pages long so enjoy reading it! This chapter probes into the past, the real past of Byakuya and Yuki, which is bitter-sweet and kinda makes me teary! Is there more to it and does Yuki feel anything for Byakuya?

warnings: violence, language, hurt, angst, lemons (only just learnt what lemons is lol, i'm so behind!) so read at ur own will

Chapter Ten

A new Teacher and Memories remembered.

Several weeks had gone by since Jūshirō had visited his family; he did indeed arrive feeling less tired and refreshed. Yuki had noticed his absence in the day and a half he was away and was instantly relieved to find him back at his desk again.

Summer had rolled around once more, meaning that the summer flowers and flowering trees had gained the spotlight once more. During these weeks, she hadn't exchanged a single word between Captain Kuchiki and herself however she continued to have dreams and faint memories of her childhood with him, or what she thought was her childhood anyway.

She dreaded the day that he would call her to her first training session. She had no idea how she would be able to stand up to his harsh and cruel demeanour. Knowing her he would only have to say 'boo' in a cruel way before she burst into to tears. She shivered at his tone of voice and felt his coldness pass to her when she saw him. And yet, she found it curious, from her dreams he was always vibrant and impetuous, and now he was uncaring and unfeeling, why was he this way and what was he really like on the inside of the wall?

That day came in the middle of summer; she was in her own squad, sparring with another member when her own captain came up to her and delivered a message.

As Jūshirō made his way up to Yuki, his future wife, he had a sense of loss, regret and anger combined into one. He had wanted to spend more time with her, to make him feel a little easier with the whole idea of marriage and then asking her when she was sixteen. He still had no idea how she felt and how he was ever going to find the courage to ask her.

He felt rage at Captain Kuchiki for 'taking her away from him,' he knew Yuki resented him deeply, so she wouldn't suddenly fall for him or anything like that, and yet he had specifically asked for her, Byakuya needed to train her, what was so wrong with his own method of training? He had helped her call her Zanpakutō, not Byakuya, and why was he so interested in her all of a sudden? Up until now he had ignored her completely. Besides, training in private was between them, they both enjoyed each other's company and now Byakuya was taking over the highlight of the year.

Jūshirō clenched his hands in anger but kept his face straight as he walked over to her, he didn't want to worry her anymore.

Yuki and her sparring partner instantly stopped fighting and bowed as their captain approached them. Jūshirō smiled awkwardly, and Yuki's eyes widened in bliss upon seeing him. He called her over to a private location, away from the prying ears of her fellow squad members.

"I have a message for you" he said to Yuki as she smiled at him, "I have received a hell butterfly from the captain of squad six. Your time has come for private training and I am therefore relieving you of your duties in this squad during this time, even if it takes a complete year of training. You are to immediately report to the squad six barracks upon hearing this."

Jūshirō watched as Yuki's smile faded, disappointment sweeping her face, her eyes watering slightly. It pained him to see her so, but there was nothing he could do.

"I-I see" she said quietly, "T-Thank you Captain, I'll take my leave immediately."

They both stood there, unable how to say goodbye. Jūshirō was instantly inclined to tell her his feelings fearing he would not see for a long time. He pushed it out of his mind as quickly as it had entered, it was too rash, too sudden and it would scare her away from him. Eventually Yuki began to move and walked past her captain, as she did Jūshirō deliberately stuck out his hand a little so that they would rub hands as she walked past.

Yuki felt the light static as they rubbed hands; she was caught off guard as Jūshirō involuntarily grabbed her wrist, stopping her in her tracks. Her heart started to pound as she blushed. Jūshirō cursed himself, he had only meant to brush her hand not seize it. They turned around to face each other, blushing.

"C-Captain?" she asked timidly.

"Yuki" he started, "I-I…j-just wanted to say…g-good luck, in your training I mean, I'm sure you'll become stronger."

"T-Thank you" she stuttered, "B-Bye." As Jūshirō relinquished his grip, she walked off, her heart still pounding.

"Until we meet again" he whispered.

xxxxxxx

Yuki caught a glimpse of the squad six barracks as he walked towards it. She rubbed her wrist where Jūshirō had held it. She blushed, why had he done that? It was so sudden, as if it was spontaneous. Could it be possible that…no, he couldn't…he was her captain and she was his student. She shook her head and made her way to the barracks. Upon entering the door, she was directed to the main office, by inquisitive squad six members. She was ushered in and made to stand outside the large door, dreading her meeting with the captain of squad six, anxiousness gripped her as she was called in.

Byakuya watched as the doors opened to reveal Yuki standing in front of them, looking nervous and timid. He wanted to see her more relaxed and at home, but he knew that 'home' was with her own squad and her own captain. He clenched his hand under the desk so that she would not see his anger.

"Come in please," he said as Yuki edged her way into the room to stand in front of his desk. She bowed to him and stood perfectly still, controlling her nerves and feelings of dread.

Byakuya stood up slowly and left his desk and stood in front of Yuki, making her tense up more.

"Follow me" he said as he led Yuki out of the room via a second door. It instantly led them outside. She immediately hit the humid air and the smell of recently cut grass and pollen.

"W-Where are we going?" she asked timidly.

"My house," he said, "There is a training arena on my land, so we will use that."

Yuki went rigid as she heard she was going to his house. She certainly hadn't expected to go to his home; if it was anyone's home she was to visit she expected it to be her own captain's, or so she hoped one day.

"Can you flash step yet?" he asked, "Probably not," he added under his breath, angry at her captain's inability to teach properly.

"Um" she muffled, "No, g-gomenasai." Yuki suddenly had the feeling of déjà vu, recalling how her captain had transported her using flash step, she blushed at the thought. Her heart skipped a beat, how was this captain going to transport her in the same way? She blushed harder at the thought and dreaded it at the same time.

He stopped abruptly as they made their way to the main streets. Making Yuki crash into him, she apologized and blushed deeply. He checked to see that nobody was around and turned around to face Yuki.

"I'm sorry" he started, making Yuki more nervous, "But since you can't do flash step I'll have to…" He stopped himself in mid air to pick Yuki up. Yuki had been nervous when her captain had picked her up, this was far worse. Byakuya swept her off her feet in one swift movement, and clutching her close to him, too close in Yuki's eyes.

Byakuya stood holding Yuki for a few seconds, he held her close, in his mind he hadn't meant to hold her so, he had planned to hold her out a bit, away from him, and yet he couldn't help it. Yuki could feel the heat of his body as they touched, she could feel his grip on her arm and then again on her thigh, his grip was firm but gentle, strong and soft. She felt the electricity pass from him to her as he held her, it was a little like what she felt with her own captain but stronger, more fiery almost, she couldn't explain it and she didn't know if she liked it or hated it.

Byakuya took off with lightning speed, Yuki thought Jūshirō was fast, but Byakuya was ten times as fast as that. She had no choice but to bury her head in his chest and curl up for dear life. She heard the wind in her ears and felt it upon her exposed cheek. She was too scared to open her eyes and see the blurred images, she pressed them shut and clenched her hand around the edge of his captain's robe, concentrating on it.

As he flash stepped, he was aware of Yuki gripping him tightly, staying close to him. He remembered how he always used to pick her up like this when he was younger, carrying her around and then throwing her in the pool, making her scream and laugh.

He sighed to himself, if only he would have know, remembered when he was alive, been less hot-headed and waited until she was this age instead of having a strop and rejecting her at such a young age. She would be his, his alone, instead of her captain's. She would be coming home to his home at night, sleeping in his bed with him, eating meals with him, bathing in the Onsen with him. He scowled as he tightened his grip unintentionally her.

After all this time he still loved her deeply, when he was alive, they were together as friends, he had seen her as a sister, completely forgetting what they had had in their previous lives. And now since he had come to the soul society again, he had remembered and refused to give up his love of her. Even though he had loved Hisana with all his heart, the love for her was still there, he put it at bay while he was with her, never telling her or letting on, he had never told anyone how he truly feels, keeping it bottled up for so long. And now that she was here, she didn't remember or even want to remember it seemed, besides it is her choice with whom she falls in love, he can't change the way she feels.

After a few more minutes, they arrived at his house. He let her get her bearings as he walked slowly through the front gates and into the main house, going out of the house at the other end and making his way to the training arena.

Yuki looked in awe at the beautifulness of his grand manor house, it wasn't like her grandfather's house but it was still stunning, well decorated and full of corridors and adjoining doors.

Byakuya met Rasen already at the arena, waiting patiently at the small gate. Upon reaching the arena he slowly let her down before opening the gate and going into the arena, Rasen following at his heels.

Still a little disorientated she slowly made her into the arena facing Byakuya. She studied the area, it was a ring, looking around, she found that it was huge, perfect for training and practising fighting. The ground was short man made turf, covered in a light sprinkling of sand and the edge of the area was distinguished by a tall wooden fence. She concentrated on Byakuya again, wondering what he was going to say. Her heart was still beating harder that it should and she still felt a little warm. What was that? What had she felt pass between them?

"I will introduce you to a friend of mine" he cut through her thoughts, "This is Rasen, you are her master and you can control her as you like, I would be careful she has a mind of her own and she isn't afraid to use it."

Rasen showed herself to Yuki, drawing herself up to full height and stepping from behind Byakuya. Yuki's eyes opened wide as she saw her, she looked familiar as if she had met her before. Rasen slowly made her way up to Yuki and noticed that they were both eye level.

"As my master said" she started, "You are also my master, being controlled by both of you I am completely versatile, able to change forms as commanded. My natural form is like this, a wolf, but I can change. I can also change back into individual flower petals and reside in your Zanpakutō if I am injured and need to rest or I can add extra strength to your Zanpakutō if needed. I am a loyal fighter and I will guard you with my life."

Yuki went rigid as she heard her naturally cruel voice and took in her information. Her eyes watered as she recalled the horrid dreams of the voice, which she now belonged to Rasen, a creature who said would protect her, and yet she had hurt her both emotionally and physically, biting her arm and taunting her, pretending to be her captain and then telling her he's really dead. She felt a tear streak down her face, landing on the sand, making it stick together.

"Y-You" she cried, "Y-You were in my dreams, w-weren't you? You said and did horrible things, physically attacking me and tricking and taunting me into fighting you!"

"I had to" Rasen growled at her, "You're too soft, I'm only showing myself because you were able to attack your own captain despite you're obvious feelings, this act of cruelness and callousness of you allowed me to see your vicious side, so I know you have one, buried deep down, so I am showing myself."

Yuki nodded she understood, Rasen was a blessing in disguise, she had a companion, someone to help her whilst fighting and transport as Rasen is big enough to get a lift from.

"I know what you're thinking" she said, "You want a lift."

Yuki gasped, "H-How did you know I was thinking that?"

"It's written all over your face, and I can sometimes communicate telepathically to you, if your reiatsu is high enough, its useful during combat."

"Wow" she smiled, "I can see how it is useful!"

The two of them nodded as Rasen brushed her soft body against Yuki, tickling her, making her laugh, which in turn made Byakuya smile to himself. Rasen's body was only soft to Yuki and Byakuya; to everyone else it was like brushing against razor blades. She slowly returned to Byakuya's side.

"Yamamoto-san…" he started.

"It's Yuki" she cut him off abruptly.

"Very well, Yuki" he continued, "Now I have introduced you to Rasen I need to ask you a question, it might seem unorthodox but it is of highest importance."

Yuki nodded unsure of what he was going to ask her.

"Are you flexible?" he asked.

Yuki frowned and rolled her eyes, what kind of question is that?

"Um" she started, "Well…I…I'm not sure what you mean, you mean a timetable flexible, right?"

"No, physically" he replied.

Yuki was stumped, "Well…I don't know…I have never thought about it, I don't particularly think so." She lifted her leg so it was at a right angle to her body, "That's about as flexible as I get."

Byakuya sighed, she has always been flexible as a child and before that, and her leg should be naturally touching her head that is how flexible she is. Maybe she is rusty, "I can't help her to be flexible because I'm not, but I know someone who is!" He thought to himself.

"I see" he eventually said, "Well that isn't nearly flexible enough. Until you become flexible, I can't even start to train you. I will send you to an old friend of mine, an ex-noble I must admit, but still a good teacher and she will have you sorted very quickly, and her name is Shihoin Yoruichi."

"Shihoin" Yuki said, "From one of the four noble families, Shihoin?"

Byakuya nodded as Yuki smiled, she had heard a lot about her from her captain and other people around as she would love to meet her never mind about be trained by her.

"While you are there, I will have her teach you flash step" he said, "I don't like to admit it but she is slightly faster than me so I feel it is best to learn from her."

Yuki gasped, it was the first time he had opened up to her so readily, and he is brick wall isn't he? Nobody knows much about him, and yet she was just told something which only two people know about, and now her, she felt flattered. She did however feel disappointed as Jūshirō had told her he would be teaching her flash step, she was looking forward to it too.

"Thank you" she said.

"Don't thank me; thank Yoruichi when you meet her" he said, "If she doesn't eat you alive first."

Yuki gave a small laugh, she suddenly felt apprehensive about meeting her, and she knew she wouldn't get eaten but it showed her Yoruichi's personality.

"But in the mean time, I will show you your true power", he said as Rasen bolted towards her, making Yuki freeze, unable to move as she cried in fear. As Rasen came to be centimetres from her body, she split apart into thousands of individual petals and entered Yuki's body. Yuki stood completely rigid; she had lost control of her body, only her mind was hers. She gasped as she desperately tried to move her body, concentrating first by trying to lift her fingers. After several minutes of chaos and desperation inside her mind she felt her body ease up slightly, she was able to move slightly again, gently lifting her fingers and breathing deeply. As she gained full control once more, she swayed from side to side slightly, drooping her head, feeling tired and zapped of spirit energy. She collapsed to her knees breathing heavily, her head spinning. As she eventually looked up she saw herself, she did a double take to make sure that she had seen what she thought she had seen. She looked up again to see herself, taller and more confident. She rubbed her eyes as she slowly pulled herself to her feet. She came to be eye to eye with herself, an imitation of herself, feeling utterly confused and disorientated.

"Allow me to explain" Byakuya said, "Rasen entered your body and took on your form, taking three quarters of your spirit energy thus becoming you for a brief period. She will fight me and show you your true power…" at that Rasen, in Yuki's from launched herself at him, using flash step and landing with her Zanpakutō drawn and eye level with Byakuya, their faces mere inches apart. Yuki gasped at both Rasen's sheer audacity and speed. Yuki continued to watch as Byakuya released his own sword with lightning speed parrying Rasen's. Rasen flash stepped away as Byakuya called Senbonzakura scattering his own flower petals and detonating them towards her. As she tried to dodge them by back flipping and ducking down low she received several deep cuts from the petals. Knowing that she should end it quickly Rasen darted towards him, flipped from the ground, and sheathed her sword before she landed on Byakuya's arm, doing the splits in mid air as she gripped his arm, upside down. Knowing that this was a demonstration, Byakuya didn't retaliate but let Rasen show Yuki her power. From gripping upside down she pushed off from his arm back flipping again in mid air before landing with a thud on Byakuya's back, like a piggy back ride, but with her sword as his neck as she gripped with her thighs in order to stay on. With her free hand she wrapped her hand around his neck and tightened her grip a little, threatening him.

"Check mate" she said in her cruel voice.

"Good demonstration" he replied.

"If I was really Yuki" she whispered into his ear, "I don't think you would be able to restrain yourself if she was in this position." Byakuya's eyes widened and he gasped as Rasen's thighs released her grip and slipped down to the ground slowly, deliberately teasing him.

Rasen walked over to Yuki and disintegrated again before entering her body and restoring her reiatsu back to its normal level. Yuki felt suddenly replenished as if she had just had a power nap. Her eye's were wide as Rasen split apart from her and took on her natural form before returning to Byakuya. She was still in shock, but she suddenly realised seen the power that she unconsciously held.

"Do you see now" Byakuya cut through her chaos, "Why you must be flexible and fast?"

Yuki slowly nodded, "But…what happens if I don't want to fight like this? What happens if I find out I am not even remotely flexible and I want to fight in a more conventional way?"

"You have no choice" Byakuya blandly stated, "That's the way you were meant to fight, so that's the way you will fight."

"Well" Yuki said raising her voice, "How would you know what's best for me anyway? The only person who knows that is my cap…" Yuki faltered as she blushed and shot her head down, silencing herself.

Byakuya felt anger stir, an emotion that had been suppressed for so long, "Remember who you are talking to, how you dare answer back" he yelled for the first time in centuries and it felt so good so get out years of conflicted emotions that he couldn't stop,"I am not like your captain in the slightest, as I told you before I am not soft like him and I will push you to your limits without hesitation, unlike him, I am not afraid to make you stronger. Besides, he doesn't know you nearly as well as I do, despite what you may think. Trust me." Without meaning to Byakuya had said more than he had originally wished to. He scowled, still full of anger.

Yuki listened as she was hit with the barrage of cruel and harsh words. Her anger rose and her eyes started to water at the malicious but true facts that he was laying out. She didn't want to let her reiatsu rise as she knew she would attack him and possibly get herself killed in the process.

"How" she cried back, "How do you know me? What do you want from me? Two years ago, you would ignore me completely and now you talk as if you know me inside out and more. How dare you bad mouth my captain? I would never bad mouth any captain like you did, it's called respect and you would think that you of all people would know about that! And how do you expect me to trust you when you shout at me like that?"

Byakuya looked at her in shock at her blatant disregard of him. He knew she has always had a relatively short fuse but he had never expected her to blow a gasket like this. He watched as Yuki walked off, turning her back to him in disrespect yelling as she opened the gate and walked back the way she came, "And I am never going to train with a heartless person like you, I will return to my own squad and my own captain!"

Byakuya stared as she trampled over the path and back through his gardens. He sighed, angry with himself, he hadn't meant for this to happen, it just came out in torrents. He thought about flash stepping after her, but Rasen stopped him.

"Leave her, let her get it out of her system and begin again, that's what her captain did, and see how she feels about him now!" she advised him.

"I suppose you're right" Byakuya said as he watched after her, filled with a new respect for her feistiness and her determination. He watched as Rasen silently chased after her, jumping over the fence and through the house until she was out of sight.

xxxxxxx

It was five days later that Yuki received an unexpected visit from a stranger. She was walking through the streets of the seireitei, on her way to her barracks. She was gearing herself up for the conversation with her captain as to why she was not training with Captain Kuchiki and that she wanted him to train her instead. She sighed heavily and hung her head low as she made her slow trek. She noticed how quiet it was, eerie almost, usually this street was pretty busy but today it was deserted. She picked up the pace and became vigilant, fearing the quietness.

She suddenly turned on the spot as she heard rustling in the trees above her despite their being very little wind. She scanned the branches cursing as the green leaves made it impossible for her to see anything. Her hand instinctively went to her Zanpakutō's hilt.

She continued to walk faster, her hand tightly gripping her hilt, where was Rasen when she needed her? Isn't being protection what she is meant for? She had no idea how to call her and her fear was rising as the trees continued to rustle. She strained her ears, swearing she could hear faint footsteps nearby. She drew her Zanpakutō and rubbed it once from tip to the guard, calling Rasen's name in desperation. Luckily for Yuki her Zanpakutō lit up, turning a bright gold and giving off its own light. Rasen split apart from her Zanpakutō, growling loudly as she stood beside her master.

Yuki sighed in relief as Rasen moved in front of her, protecting her.

The stranger smiled, "My my, he was right, she does wield amazing power."

Rasen instinctively looked up to the tree where the stranger was concealed, "Show yourself, now," she growled. Yuki also looked up to where Rasen was referring to. She heard a sudden gust of wind in her ears and an incredible reiatsu pass her so quickly that when she turned, there was nothing there, not even the evidence that something or someone had just passed her.

Rasen did a 180 degree turn to face the stranger, who was now standing in the open, fully visible and smiling. Yuki turned to face the stranger, still feeling slightly scared despite Rasen being with her. She instantly noticed the stranger's long purple hair, and their darker complexion as well as their shimmering golden eyes. She was quite tall and wore orange and black, a strange combination but it seemed to work for her.

"Sorry about that" she laughed, "Just testing how perceptive you are. My name is Yoruichi Shihoin, and I will be taking over your training, as Byakuya failed to train you. I will be helping your flexibility and be teaching you flash step, before I hand you back over to him. Though I don't blame you for not wanting to train with him, he is a grouch after all!" She laughed to herself as Yuki calmed herself down from her near heart attack at seeing the stranger that had been following her for the past fifteen minutes.

"Well" Yoruichi said, "Let's go."

Yuki looked up confused, "Go? Where?"

"To training of course, we need to crack everything this summer!" Yoruichi replied as she walked off. Yuki shrugged and cautiously followed her, Rasen at her heels, coiled like a viper.

After twenty minutes of walking silence, Yoruichi had lead Yuki down several back streets and down into some tunnels leading underground. Yuki was a little on edge, having never seen this place before, but she had seen worse in the Rukon district. Besides, Captain Kuchiki had said that Yoruichi was to train her, not that she trusted him but he wouldn't put her in the hands of danger, would he? She placed her hand on the hilt of her sword again, just in case, making Yoruichi smile to herself.

"It's ok, I'm not going to kill you are anything" she laughed.

Rasen exchanged glances with Yuki; both were a little confused and slightly worried. Yoruichi finally led them to their destination with a "Ta da," as she led them down the ladder which was anchored into the wall. Once on the floor Yuki glanced around in awe at the sheer size of the open floor room. It was bright and sunny, the sky was a beautiful blue and the ground was sandy, making the immediate air above the ground a little dusty, hazy. The temperature was fairly humid, Yuki had hoped to go somewhere with air conditioning, not to somewhere warmer.

"Well" Yoruichi said, "This is where we will be training. I suggest that you change your clothes, it's warm in here and with the work we will be doing, you will overheat quickly." Yoruichi reached inside her orange outer piece and threw Yuki some clothes. Yuki caught them and recognised them as her summer wear when not wearing a uniform.

"H-How d-did you get my clothes?" she stuttered, astonished and creeped out at the same time.

"Your maid let the window open to air out your room after you left this morning, so I went in a got them," Yoruichi replied, pleased with herself that she had managed to squeeze her slim body through the window gap.

"I-I see" Yuki replied, "Y-You didn't go through my room did you?"

Yoruichi shook her head, smiling, "Why, we don't have any skeletons in our closet do we?"

"Of course not" Yuki defended herself, thinking of the picture under her pillow, "It's just that I don't want my room to be a mess."

"Sure ya do" Yoruichi laughed, "You're a strange teenager then, my room was a tip when I was your age!"

"Well" Yuki continued to defend herself, "My maid works hard and I don't want my room to be messed up after she worked so hard on it!"

"Whatever" Yoruichi said passively, "Hurry up and get changed."

Yuki nodded and looked around, feeling slightly confused and embarrassed. There were no private areas, it was open land, and there were large rocks but no real privacy. She blushed hard; at least it was Yoruichi with her and not her captain.

"T-There are no changing rooms" Yuki stuttered.

"So?" Yoruichi laughed, "We're all girls and its not like I'm asking you to run around naked am I?"

Yuki shook her head and reluctantly changed behind the nearest rock while Yoruichi herself changed into cooler clothes. Yuki picked up her regular uniform and placed it near the ladder that had led them down to the floor. She brushed the dust off her short, blue, pleated skirt before pulling down her white camisole over her midriff. She loved this outfit; the skirt made her look cute and the top showed off her long, slim arms, her medium sized breasts and her little waist.

Yoruichi herself had changed into a t-shirt and shorts, showing her amazing figure as well. She led Yuki into the dead centre of the room and with a can of spray paint concealed inside her old uniform and with the use of flash steps; she outlined a large ring in the ground in which to run. After several laps, Yuki was breathing heavily, tired, her mouth full of dust and her eyes stinging. Yoruichi told her stop satisfied that Yuki was more relaxed and tired, therefore more malleable.

Yoruichi made her way over to Yuki and after she had caught her breath she was told to show her flexibility.

"But" she protested, "I'm not flexible, I have already told Captain Kuchiki!"

"Trust me, from what he told me, you are" she said, as she stood behind her and gently lifted Yuki's leg so it was at a comfortable 90 degrees to her body. Yuki winced as she attempted to lift it higher. Yoruichi let her leg back down and sighed in frustration.

"You're very highly strung aren't you?" she sighed, "relax a little, you're body will respond to your change of mood."

Yuki tried to relax, concentrating hard, but to no avail, it only made her worse. Yoruichi made her lie down on her side, thinking that it will help.

"Ok" she said as she sat behind her, "Just let your body shut down, almost like you are not here. Imagine that you are somewhere nice, with someone else, your friend, your boyfriend or someone like that." Yuki froze as she heard that, she had never really thought about him during the daytime, she had had some dreams about him and several not so innocent fantasies, but only in the privacy of her own room and especially not with other people. Rasen watched in fascination as Yuki blushed tremendously and became fidgety. With a spark of inspiration she transformed into Captain Ukitake and walked over to Yuki. As Yuki looked up, her eyes grew wide and she blushed further, she knew it was Rasen, but if she hadn't have seen her transform she wouldn't have been able to tell the difference, they were identical. Rasen began to massage her head just like he would have done if he were here. Yuki naturally responded to the familiar method relaxing treatment by releasing her tension and letting her mind wander as she closed her eyes.

"Perfect" she whispered, "Why Captain Ukitake anyway?" Yoruichi referred to Rasen as she continued to help Yuki.

"Don't ask" she said wryly. Yoruichi smiled a mischievous smile, thinking that this would be perfect news for the Women's Shinigami League. She began to lift Yuki's leg for the second time that day only this time being able to have full control of her resulting in Yuki's leg making contact with her ear. Rasen gasped it had been years since she had seen her do this. She then continued by bringing her leg back down and swinging it back towards her, opening up her hip bone and stretching her muscles. She then placed Yuki's foot gently on her head like a gymnast.

"She is flexible when it comes to it, she would make a good horse rider, and good at other activities," Yoruichi grinned, making Rasen chuckle as she caught her drift.

"I'm not sure about that" she laughed, "But she has always been flexible, ever since childhood."

"Yes" Yoruichi replied, "I can see. She needs to relax and unwind to open up her joints, but for her it seems that could take some work."

Yoruichi shook Yuki to bring her back to her senses, she had felt Yoruichi pull her leg about, and it hadn't hurt as she was naturally this way but it would smart tomorrow from having her muscles pulled. She sat upright and stretched her legs in front of her as Rasen transformed back to her usual form. Yoruichi helped her back up and made her do stretches, lending a hand with her flexibility again by holding her legs as she did handstands and instructing her on cartwheels.

"A lot of it is to do with confidence" Yoruichi said as she helped Yuki stretch, "If you are too scared to back flip or do the splits then you won't ever be able to, you'll feel pain worse if you tense up."

Yoruichi had Yuki doing rolls and ducking down low next, ducking Yoruichi's kicks and grabbing her leg as if she was going to counter attack. Yoruichi then ushered her into the hot springs, saying how the next part required the water's help. She asked Yuki to completely undress before getting in, much to Yuki's embarrassment. She settled for underwear as a swimming costume as Yoruichi joined her, choosing to skinny dip, despite Yuki's objections.

"Ok" Yoruichi said as she stood behind her, "When I say so, jump straight up, but as you do pour your reiatsu into the jump and back flip so you are behind me." With that Yoruichi placed her hands on Yuki's waist, making her seize up in embarrassment and confusion.

"U-Um Y-Yoruichi" she stuttered, "W-What are you doing?"

"I'm going to help you push off from the ground to give you more lift," she laughed, "Don't worry I bat for the right team despite me being open about this sort of thing!"

Yuki laughed, she had never once thought that Yoruichi batted for the wrong side, she was just confused about her ways and tendencies.

Yuki bent her knees ready to jump as she began to let her reiatsu pour out, powering her jump. With Yoruichi's help she jumped out of the water very quickly, in mid air, she was unable to control her reiatsu and suddenly landed to the side of Yoruichi several feet away with a huge splash.

"You let your reiatsu surge" Yoruichi laughed, "You need to keep it steady all the time or else this will continue to happen." Yuki nodded as she continued to cough and splutter. It took several more attempts before Yuki was able to complete her task, safely landing behind Yoruichi with a smile.

"Good" she smiled, "Lets rest a while, we've been training for well over day with no breaks, and I'm surprised you're not tired!"

Yuki shook her head, her mind didn't feel tired, but her body did, she had been pushed hard over the last day and a half and her muscles were beginning to ache. The hot water was soothing and it instantly began to ease the pain in her legs and arms.

"The water is kinda like magic" Yoruichi explained upon seeing Yuki's astonished face, "It can heal cuts and help with muscle pain as well."

"That's incredible!" Yuki exclaimed as her pain began to fade.

The two of them continued to talk about various things, touching upon Yoruichi's childhood friendship with Byakuya and how they met in the soul society. It reminded her of her own past with him but she denied any knowledge of knowing him until now as Yoruichi tried to pry into her childhood. She didn't want to be reminded of her dreams and underlying memories any more than possible as she feared they were beginning to haunt her. She shivered despite the water being pleasantly warm. Picking up on it Yoruichi changed the subject as they talked for a while longer. It wasn't long after this that Yoruichi called it a day and convinced Yuki to get some much needed sleep. Luckily for Yuki, Yoruichi was well prepared and had towels and spare pairs of underwear for Yuki concealed in a trap door in the floor nearby. To Yuki's relief and disbelief, Yoruichi had made more than one trip to Yuki's room getting things for her.

xxxxxxx

It took a few more days for Yuki to be able to do the splits and to be able to confidently back flip but she had awakened part of her talents and powers at being able to doge and duck attacks as well as getting the upper hand due to being malleable. She had also learnt to jump high, which she had seen many soul reapers do. Yoruichi now felt satisfied with her progress and swiftly moved her on to learning flash step before she was sent back to Byakuya to continue training with her Zanpakutō.

Yuki had not seen the outside world for near a week before Yoruichi announced that she would teach Yuki flash step. She had made Yuki do laps again for half a day, she had seen a vast improvement in her, her breathing was easier to control, her stamina had increased and she had gotten slightly faster too.

Yuki was about to start her third lap after her break when she looked in the centre of the ring to find Yoruichi missing, her reiatsu had vanished as well. Yuki suddenly stopped in her tracks and turned around scanning the area for Yoruichi who seemed to have vanished into thin air. After a few minutes of searching she continued to run, confused and slightly worried as it seemed she had befriended Yoruichi, little did she know that she would need her advice and guidance in the future. She knew that Yoruichi would pretend to scold or tease her if she didn't run and she knew it was for her own good, the more Yoruichi taught her, the less Captain Kuchiki would have to teach her.

As she kept running she kept her eyes open for Yoruichi in case she jumped out from a rock to try and scare her or make her back flip from one hand to get out of the way. She slowed down suddenly as Yoruichi's reiatsu hit her from behind, the incredible crushing power made her breath harder as she pushed on through the pressing reiatsu. Her eyes grew wide and she jumped out of her skin as she felt Yoruichi's hand on her shoulder and a sharp object in the hollow of her back. She slowed down to a halt and listened to Yoruichi's firm voice as she felt the sharp object compress against her.

"Listen to me closely" she said, "I want you to run as fast as you can, I will be chasing after you and when I say jump, jump and push your reiatsu behind you as you run to a destination. Pick a destination as you do, a few metres away from you or to a nearby rock, to flash step. If you don't, I have scissors and I'm not afraid to use them, on your lovely hair!"

Yuki didn't know whether to laugh or cry, she thought that the hair thing was some kind of joke, but the tone in Yoruichi's voice told her otherwise.

"But…I love my hair and so do other people!" she said as she recalled the time that her captain had placed a flower in her hair or the way he brushes it off her face if it annoys her during training. She suddenly blushed as she thought about him more, coming to grips with the fantasies that she frequently had and feelings that she held for him.

"Well" Yoruichi pulled her out of the daydreams, "Then I suggest you start running!" She applied more pressure to the scissors making Yuki wince in pain and start running, closely followed by Yoruichi. She pushed Yuki to her limits, making her run as fast as she possible could, which was nothing for her. She soon caught up with her and threatened her with the scissors. Satisfied that Yuki was going at top speed, she yelled "Jump" making Yuki jerk a little as she hadn't expected Yoruichi to catch up so fast. She quickly found a destination, feeling that the nearby rock would suffice, she concentrated her reiatsu and leaped forward, pushing her built up reiatsu behind her and plummeting, just like she had done with her captain and landing on the rock, utterly tired and dazed. She immediately sat down on the rock and put her head between her knees and breathed through her nose and out of her mouth, concentrating on her breathing, desperately trying to get her bearings.

After a while she lifted her head to find Yoruichi already sitting beside her as if nothing had happened, she looked like she had just taken a power nap.

"You did good" she smiled at Yuki as she patted her on the back, "A few more days of that and I'll send you to Byakuya better than ever!"

"Joy" Yuki sarcastically said, "I want nothing more than to spend the rest of the summer with the man who owns happy town!"

Yoruichi laughed, "He wasn't always like that you know, he was very…very…"

"Fiery" Yuki continued for her, "As a child, I know."

Yoruichi's eyes widened, "H-How did you know? I had told you about us being friends since childhood but I had never mentioned his personal like that before!"

"I think" she started, "I think we were friends when we were alive, but when I came here, I lost lots of my memories but I keep having these dreams, nightmares more like, of him and me when we were kids, and he was always so, fiery and hot-headed, rash and impulsive." Yuki continued to tell Yoruichi about her dreams, telling her about the betrothal and his reaction. Yoruichi didn't know what to say when she had finished and she could see that I was deeply affecting her, so she decided to joke about the situation.

"Yeah he is like a brick wall in society never showing his feelings to everybody else, but he is probably like a bomb in bed! He is probably still fiery underneath all of that coldness and I bet he shows it in the bedroom!" Yoruichi winked at Yuki as she laughed. Yuki also gave a short laugh, she could help but shudder a little, despite what Yoruichi said, she couldn't imagine his fieriness now after all this time. Besides she really didn't want to go down that road, she already had enough trouble suppressing her urges for one captain, never mind about another one. Upon seeing Yuki's face Yoruichi laughed harder.

"Oh come on Yuki, lighten up" she laughed, "Being serious though, you can't honestly say that you don't want a bit of Byakuya Kuchiki?"

Yuki frowned, astounded that she was even having this conversation, "No, not really" she said confidently, "The only captain I would ever consider is captain…captain…" she stopped herself before she revealed her feelings.

"Captain Ukitake? Yoruichi smiled.

Yuki looked up at her and blushed whilst he shook her head, "No, not at all!"

"Don't hide your feelings Yuki, they'll only eat away at you" Yoruichi warned, "Besides a little birdie told me all about it!" Yoruichi had already heard the gossip from Kiyone and Rasen so she knew that they had a thing for each other.

"He told you?!" she stood up and yelled, "Wait a minute, he doesn't know…unless…unless…he's known all this time and he doesn't want to hurt my feelings and say no…so he's stringing me along…that bastard! I'll have him for that when I next see him!" She clenched her fists and let her reiatsu rise, bubbling away. Yoruichi rubbed the back of her neck and looked at her in utter disbelief at the sudden change in her moods, from happy to boiling mad in half a minute.

"No, no," she calmed Yuki back down, "I bet his ears are burning, poor guy! Besides it was a different birdie who told me! Anyway he is too much of a gentleman to string you along; it's not in his nature!"

"Oh I see" Yuki sighed in relief as she sat back down, "I'm glad, there's still hope for me yet!"

"So there is something you have secret, want to share it with the rest of the class?" she laughed.

"No" she laughed as she felt her reiatsu calm down again, she felt at ease once again, she was suddenly curious about what Yoruichi had said about Byakuya, "Ne, about what you said about Byakuya being a bomb, is he?"

Yoruichi looked at her and laughed, "I don't know, I wish I could say that I knew, but I have never had him, I don't think many girls have, he's untouchable unfortunately!"

"I see" she laughed, "I wonder…what he's like?"

Catching her drift Yoruichi laughed, "Only one year to go before you find out, even if he does love you, being the gentleman he is, he won't do anything until you are legal and completely happy and ready, which is a very good thing. You'll have to tell me when you two do shack up!"

Yuki looked up at her and frowned, she was blushing hard, but she had to admit that it wasn't the first time she had thought about it.

"You haven't…with…?" she asked suddenly anxious.

To Yuki's relief Yoruichi shook her head, there is nothing she could do even if they had, but she did feel slightly better about it.

No" she confirmed her answer, "You know, you would make a good member of the Women's Shinigami League, there are meetings every Thursday morning and every Sunday afternoon, I'll take you along to the next one, you'll get to meet all my girl friends!"

Yuki smiled and nodded at the thought, she would make some new friends and she could commit to an organisation that she could look forward to twice a week.

Over the next few days, Yuki was beginning to get hang of flash step and she was getting a little faster each time. Of course she was still no match for Yoruichi, goddess of flash step which Yuki later found out about, and she couldn't ever keep up with Byakuya, but by the end of the second week, she would be able to give her captain a run for his money. Yoruichi had worked Yuki hard to get her reiatsu to build up at the right times, to control it when it needs to be held back and to concentrate it in a more effective way, she was pleased with her progress and happy that Yuki was coming into her own, growing into her body and powers, maturing quickly, accepting her feelings. Yoruichi knew that it wouldn't be long before she and Jūshirō were together, like they deserved to be.

Happy that she had managed to make Yuki more flexible, unlock her talents a little more and get her up to the flash step of a fukuteichou, she said goodbye to Yuki as she let her out of the large underground room and leading her to the outside world.

It was dusk when they resurfaced, and Yuki was immediately hit by the late summer and early autumn air, it was warm but there was a slight edge, a slight crispness to it. She said her goodbye to Yoruichi promising to turn up for the meeting in a few days before confidently flash stepping home with Rasen who had spent the last week residing within her Zanpakutō, resting, after the taxing transformation of Yuki's captain.

xxxxxxx

Yuki took a few days off since Yoruichi's training. She told her grandfather about her training and he seemed pleased with her learning flash step and her improved speed and her controlling of her reiatsu. He failed to mention his talk with Jūshirō and he was a little miffed that he had not told him his answer. He decided that he would wait for his answer until Yuki was sixteen, giving him more time to pop the question.

Yuki spent the rest of her time resting and practising as she wanted to be on top form when she started training with Captain Kuchiki as the better she was the less he would scold her.

That Wednesday, she received a hell butterfly from Captain Kuchiki asking her to go to training on the Saturday, which pissed her off as Saturdays were always her and Jūshirō's 'day'. But firstly she realised she would have to get through her first Women's Shinigami meeting. Yoruichi had informed her that it was held in one of the briefing rooms, adjacent to the fukuteichou's meeting room, in the main building.

The following Thursday morning was bright and warm, Yuki could already see some of the leaves beginning to change colour, a sure sign that the tepid autumn was on its way. The subtle changes of autumn had given Yuki a different season in which to fantasize about. She was aware that she often had dreams that involved her captain and small daydreams, and it made her worry about her increasing attraction to him, she had always been but now it seemed it was less than innocent. She had even talked to Ai about it over coffee one morning, Ai being Ai had told her that it was normal and that it was only going to get worse so she had better get on with it and declare her love so that she could make these fantasies come to life. Yuki being Yuki had immediately dismissed the idea of her fantasies coming to life, even though she secretly wanted them to come true. Ai had reminded her that she was sixteen next spring, it may seem far off, but it would come sooner than she would expect.

Yuki had shared one fantasy with Ai, as Ai was curious how innocent or not they were. Yuki was curious to see her reaction, if she would be appalled or just miffed or not vaguely bothered.

"Ok" Yuki whispered as she didn't want to attract attention to them, "It's the fall soon and I had a little fantasy about it. We are going out or in a relationship, and I am sixteen or seventeen or an older age than now and we live together at his house. And one day, the leaves are really littering up the floor, like ankle deep in the stuff so we both decide to rake the leaves up before they get too bad. After a while we manage to get them under control and they are in a big pile in the middle of the garden and so I face the pile and then he walks up to me and he stands behind me and he whispers how good a job we did. And then he starts to kiss my neck, as he pulls back my hair and places it on my other shoulder. We drop our rakes and I face him and I pull him into the leaves with me, and they start to fly everywhere, all swirling and pretty, and…that's all I got to."

Ai pondered for a minute, she couldn't stop smiling, almost as if she was suppressing a laugh. She didn't think it was particularly funny, but sweet and cute, like she wanted to pinch Yuki's cheeks and call her Kawaii, at her charming fantasies.

"Well" she gave her opinion, "It's not nearly as bad as I thought it would be and I can actually see that happening between you two, that sort of stuff, romantic and yet childish things."

"That's good then," Yuki sighed in relief, she was pleased that Ai was not appalled or worried about her mental health and how dirty her mind was, even though it wasn't nearly as bad as Ai's.

"But" she whispered as she winked, making Yuki raise her eyebrows suspiciously, "You know what happens next don't you?" Yuki slowly shook her head, even though she had a clue of what she was going to say, "He scoops you up, takes you to the bedroom, rips your clothes off and makes passionate lo-"

"OK!" Yuki interrupted her, "Too much information, I have never thought about that and I never will!" she lied. She shuddered at Ai's continuation of the fantasy, she had thought about it, but not like that. It dawned on her that he would probably never go out with someone like her not only because she was too young, this she already knew, but also the fact that she was so inexperienced at love. She had never had a boyfriend as she had been in love with him all this time, she had been asked out several times, but she shot them all down in flames as soon as they asked. On top of that she had never been kissed, on her head and on her cheek she had, but never on her mouth, and she had no idea about anything worse than that, nor did she particularly want to know at this point. Ai had told her not to worry about it and that Jūshirō would teach her everything she needed to know as she winked her. Yuki only vaguely knew what she was saying, as Ai explained that she would understand when the time came.

As she continued to walk to the meeting, snapping out of her memory of that morning, she sincerely hoped that the meeting is nothing like the meeting with Ai as she couldn't take much more of this innuendo. She finally made her way to the large sliding door and noted the sign that stated, "Women's Shinigami League Headquarters" in large characters. She slowly pulled back the sliding door before stepping into the large room. She did a double take as she saw a large table with silent women sitting around it, all with glasses of drinks on the table in front of them as well as snacks and pieces of paper strewn about as well as brushes and pots of ink scattered throughout the room. She was immediately taken by the women's lack of organisation and tidiness. She apologized for being late as she looked at Yoruichi who was sitting near the head of the table, who smiled back and waved her to a seat next to her. As she sat down he immediately saw the captain of squad two sitting on the other side of Yoruichi, a little too close perhaps but she didn't bother herself about it, she also saw the fukuteichou of squad ten sitting at the head of the table, who in turn was sitting next to the fukuteichou of squad eight, who was sitting next to the fukuteichou of squad twelve. Next to Nemu, Yuki saw Kiyone, her sister Isane, Captain Unohana and the fukuteichou of squad eleven all sitting around the table with pieces of paper in front of them. Yuki also spotted Ai who was sitting near to Captain Unohana; there were also a few girls whom she had never met before sitting around the table.

Rangiku smiled and winked at her as she poured her some sake, "We've been expecting you, Yuki!" Yuki reluctantly took the drink as Rangiku passed it to her, she felt honoured and yet creeped out at the same time. She sipped the drink before pulling a face and placing it back on the table, slowly swallowing the substance.

"Don't you like Sake?" Rangiku laughed at her face, "Yuki Moto is it?"

Yuki shook her head at the questions, "No I don't and it's Yamamoto not Moto!"

"Well that's strange, I loved Sake when I was fifteen, still do!" She laughed, "Don't be so uptight, I know your last name, I was only joking around!"

"I told you she was uptight!" Yoruichi replied.

"I would say" Ai said, making all the women turn to her, "Highly strung!"

All the women nodded in agreement as they turned to Yuki once again who felt like a rabbit trapped in pair of headlights. She had a clear shot of the door as it was her only escape and she could leg it at any moment. She was however relieved to find that her enemy Miyazaki was not here, even though she had not had a run in with her for a while, she had merely seen her in the streets and they had exchanged frowns, before passing each other by.

"Welcome Miss Yamamoto" Captain Unohana said from across the table. Yuki smiled and watched as Nemu stand up and pile through a large filing cabinet before picking out a file and flinging on the table in front of Nanao.

"Oh" Yuki said, "Call me Yuki please, or Yuki-chan, whichever is easier."

Retsu smiled, "Retsu. This is Nemu, Nanao, Rangiku, Kiyone, Isane and Ai, Yachiru, Soifon, Yoruichi, Asuna, Sakura, Chika and Yue." She pointed to the corresponding people as she said their names. Yuki nodded as Nanao leafed through the file she had been handed she tapped her fan lightly on the table and smiled as she found the correct page she then handed it to Rangiku who as smiled.

"As I said, welcome, I have your file here; I will ask you a few questions to make sure that our data is correct!" Rangiku said.

Yuki slowly nodded, she was beginning to feel dizzy, as she hadn't prepared for a test. She began to worry about what information they had on her.

"Ok" Rangiku smiled, "Current age: Fifteen, eye colour: green, height: 5'6, weight: eight stone, approx, hair colour: blonde with white tips, birthday: April 1st, food preferences: sweet things particularly cherries, poko sticks, chocolate and toffee."

Yuki nodded at the correct information, creeped out even more about the incredible accuracy of the information. How did they know that she liked toffee and cherries? She had never told anyone not even Ai or Yoruichi. She shuddered at the thought of being studied so much.

"Good" Rangiku smiled, "Ok, more personal now. Body style: hour glass, hips: medium, clothes size: small, bust size: 34 D approx. Relationships: Granddaughter of head captain Yamamoto, close to Ai Tsukoshi, no boyfriends or partners, unusual dealings with the captain of squad thirteen, perhaps further than captain and student!"

Yuki went rigid at Rangiku's voice how did they know her bust size and how did they know about her and her captain. Her eyes grew wide as Rangiku smiled at her; she slowly nodded before looking at Ai who shook her head. She then looked at Yoruichi who shook her head as well. She looked up at Rangiku who winked and passed her some photographs which she had no idea existed. She immediately snatched them up and looked at them in horror. She instantly noticed that these were recent photographs as they showed her captain and her in mid conversation, secluded from everybody else, she recognised that this was taken the last time that they spoke, right before he grabbed her hand before she went to train with captain Kuchiki. She put down the picture and looked around at her peers, confused and embarrassed as she blushed hard. She gaped at Rangiku who smiled and took the picture out of her hands and passed her another one. "They're stalkers! All of them!" Yuki thought, horrified, she noticed that even Yachiru was smiling sweetly at the cuteness of the two of them. Yuki reluctantly took the next picture, expecting the worse. This one was taken a few minutes after the first one, her captain was holding her hand tight as she had just stopped and had turned to face him. She slammed down the photograph and blushed; she hid her face in her hands, trying to hide her shame and embarrassment.

"Don't worry" Rangiku laughed as she took the photograph back, "We've all been there, done that, gotten the kimono! Even Yachiru has had boyfriends!" Yuki looked in shock at the young fukuteichou who only looked about eight, "Well, from your records, he'll be your first boyfriend!"

"More like man-friend!" Nanao smiled.

"Yes" Captain Unohana smiled, "He's nearly as old as I am!"

"They're cute together though!" Soifon stated.

Yuki shook her head, "H-How do you know all this stuff about me? And where did you get those pictures from?"

All the girls smiled; "We…have our ways" Nemu smiled shyly.

"Yeah" Nanao deliberated on this, "All women in the soul society have files, well most of them, and we have more information on those in the league than on those who aren't. We knew the normal data about you such as your date of birth and age and features from looking at you and from the records on the main database. Your captain told us your weight!"

"H-How does he know?" she asked started, she felt betrayed that he would given information out about her so easily.

"We interrogated him" Kiyone said, "It wasn't easy either, we had to back him into a corner and everything! We finally managed to squeeze the answers out of him, he told us that he has picked you up more than once so he guessed that you were about eight stone or so, which was pretty accurate as you confirmed it!"

Yuki looked in horror at the aggressive and somewhat cruel ladies in front of her, poor Jūshirō, he was probably terrified at the mean women that had surrounded him.

"But" Kiyone continued, "I know there is something going on, it's obvious! From the moment I saw you two together, talking in that room, I could see how happy he was and when he left he gave you…that look!"

"T-That L-Look?" Yuki stuttered.

"You know" Rangiku answered her, "Where he has regret in his eyes and how sad he is to leave you and how there is love hidden in his body language and stuff like that! It's a sure sign to tell that he likes you!"

Yuki shook her head in disbelief, she had been through this already, lots of times, he does not love or even like her in that sense, and he is her captain and teacher, nothing more. However, she couldn't help but pick up the first picture and she gasped as she saw it. She did see it, the regret and the sadness as he talked to her, she noticed how close their bodies were, something she had not noticed at the time. She put it down again, convincing herself that the picture had been computer modified, even though she could not suppress the glimmer of hope that they were right.

Seeing the hope in her eyes Nanao smiled, "We have topless pictures if you want to see them!"

Yuki held her head down and blushed like never before as she shook her head, "N-No, I'm quite happy not to see them!"

The ladies laughed at her red face and her innocence, "You see" Ai said, "Yuki is keeping her eyes to herself as she wants to keep him a mystery until their first night of passion!"

"I thought as much, we've already had that conversation!" Yoruichi smiled. All the girls looked at Yoruichi in surprise, none knew that she and Yuki were that close.

"It's true!" Yoruichi exclaimed, "She also told me that she doesn't want a bit of Byakuya Kuchiki!"

All the women gasped and went silent. They all stared at her in disbelief, some shook their heads.

"Y-You don't want Captain Kuchiki?" Isane asked.

Yuki confidently shook her head, "No, never have wanted him and never will want him!"

"Well" Rangiku sighed, "She wants Captain Ukitake so I guess she has no need to want Captain Kuchiki!"

"I don't want anybody!" Yuki fumed.

"Sure, sure" Asuna, one of the girls from squad ten said.

"Anyway, how did you find out about the other stuff?" Yuki asked.

"Oh that's easy!" Nemu replied, "Yoruichi found out your clothes and bust size, Ai told us about you having no boyfriends, we found out ourselves what food you like and we also found out about the thing with captain Ukitake ourselves as well as taking the pictures, which we all took!"

"Y-You were spying on me?" she stuttered in disbelief.

"Its not so much as spying as it is investigation!" Rangiku laughed as she rubbed the back of her neck.

"I see" Yuki replied.

The ladies continued to leaf through the file and talk amongst themselves as Yuki addressed Yoruichi.

"Ne, Yoruichi-chan?" she whispered.

"Hai" Yoruichi whispered back.

"You said" Yuki whispered hard, "They were friendly women, not a bunch of stalkers!"

"I said they were women, not that they were friendly!" She laughed, keeping her voice down, "Besides they are nice, it's hard being the new kid but it's only a bit of fun!"

Rangiku looked up from her conversation and watched Yuki get her panties in a twist at Yoruichi. She smiled at Yuki's temper.

"Is there something you need to tell us, Yoruichi, Yuki?" Nanao asked as she watched them too.

"Yes, there is actually" Yoruichi smiled mischievously, "Yuki was just saying how she can't wait until she is sixteen so she can go all the way with captain Ukitake!"

Yuki gaped at her in disbelief, "Is this true Yuki?" Rangiku grinned. Nanao and Nemu as well as pretty much everybody in the room didn't know whether to grin or look at her in shock.

"I said nothing of the sort!" Yuki screamed at the top of her voice, her reiatsu rising rapidly, instantly silencing the room and scaring some of them and making Nemu jump as she was usually skittish.

None of them said anything for a while as Yuki reached out to the middle of the table for a cherry poko stick. She slowly nibbled on it, making little crunching noises, like a hamster that had just begun to gnaw on a piece of food.

"That" Ai slowly said, "Was maximum rage!"

"Yes" Yachiru said as even she had been silenced for a while, it seemed that only Yuki and Byakuya had ever been successful at silencing her for more than five seconds.

"I'm sorry Yuki but Jūshirō will not find that a turn on!" Rangiku said completely solemnly.

"I agree" Isane replied, "He isn't exactly going to be dying to touch you when steam is billowing out your ears because you've blown a gasket!"

"I don't want him to touch me!" she muffled as she ate.

"That's what happens in your fantasies though!" Ai laughed quietly.

Rangiku shot her head up to look at Ai as did Yoruichi, Nanao, Nemu and captain Unohana. Rangiku grinned at the words that Ai had just admitted.

"Ai! How could you? That's the last time I tell you anything!" Yuki pointed her index finger at her as she whispered loudly.

"Fantasies? What Fantasies would these be then Yuki?" Nanao asked as she looked from Ai to Yuki and back again.

Yuki looked down in shame, "Nothing…nothing at all" she said in shame.

Captain Unohana smiled, "It's natural, don't be so embarrassed!"

"I told you!" Ai replied.

"Fantasies?" Rangiku said, "Like the ones with wild and forbidden love each night?"

"They're the ones, but also with passion, don't forget passion!" Ai said as Yuki covered her ears.

"Of course" Isane smiled, "That goes without saying!"

"The poor thing" Yachiru exclaimed, "You've all scared her!" They all watched as Yuki slid further and further down her chair as she ate the poko sticks at a rate of knots.

"She should get used to it" Soifon said, "This topic makes good conversation!"

Yoruichi patted her head gently, "I had hoped that the first meeting would be a good one, and all we managed to do was scare her away!" She sighed heavily.

Rangiku thought for a moment, she wanted to help Yuki; there was no doubt in her mind that Yuki didn't love her captain, and she felt that the feelings between them were mutual as she saw the need to protect Yuki in his body language and voice when she interrogated Jūshirō. Being in love a fifteen herself, she knew that deep down, Yuki did want to be loved and touched by him, but as she was only fifteen the thought is still a little cringe-worthy and embarrassing especially when discussed with all older girls and women. She knew it would only be a year or so before Yuki embraced these feelings and opened up to him, in more ways than one.

She smiled as she thought of a way to help her.

"Ne, Yoruichi, do you have your key with you?" Rangiku asked.

Yoruichi looked up to face her, "Yes…I do…as a matter of fact." She was a little confused, was she really going to do what she thought she was going to do?

"Nemu, do you have your camera?" She asked her.

Nemu nodded as she reached under the table for her bag, retrieving a small, pink digital camera, designed by Mayuri to take both normal pictures, temperature sensing pictures and night-time pictures, as part of an experiment to test whether someone became warm if being questioned intensely to see if they are lying.

"You're not are you?" Captain Unohana asked.

Rangiku winked and nodded, "We've got pictures of him topless, so it's time he has pictures of her topless!"

Yuki immediately straightened up and stood up before running out the door, only to be stopped by Yoruichi at the door. She tutted and waved her index finger in the air.

"We're not that bad; you won't be topless completely, just wearing a bikini, like you would at a public swimming pool!" She reassured her a little, even though Yuki wanted nothing to do with this.

"What about a cute dress?" Ai smiled happily, "With lace and bows and white stockings and silk gloves!"

"Good idea" Rangiku nodded.

Yoruichi picked up Yuki, slung her over her shoulder as she squirmed and yelled, stretching her arms out in front of her towards the door, waving them up and down. She placed her in the empty space next to the table as the women left their seats so stand around her, fencing her in so she couldn't escape.

"You'll thank us later" Kiyone said.

"Yeah" her sister continued, "When you're lying in his arms!"

Yuki rolled her eyes; she had specifically come to the meeting to get away from both Byakuya and Jūshirō, away from the innuendo. Instead she had spent her whole morning talking about them in ways that should be kept quieter; she dread to think what he would say if he heard the conversation she was in.

Yoruichi heard the click of the lock opening followed by the creak of the door that adjoined to this room as she swung the door back. She flicked on the light and instantly greeted the sweet scent of perfume that wafted around the girl's outfit room, she had one similar at her own house, only that one was three times as big three times as many outfits and accessories. She rummaged through the racks and found some cute, short, ruffled dresses for her to wear. She came out of the room and passed them to Rangiku and Nanao, she also reached into her own bag and pulled out one of Yuki's bikini's that she had borrowed out of her room, for when they did training, only at the time she had forgotten so it was unused, until now. Isane and Kiyone had lifted out the backdrops from the large room and placed them behind Yuki, giving the impression of various different locations in the one room.

The girls helped Yuki undress as she was squirming, cursing and yelling obscenities to all and sundry as she was morally against this crazy idea. They had all promised that the pictures were not actually for him and that they needed them for her file and that it would be nice to have some pictures. Feeling more reassured but still a little suspicious, they soon had her in a cute dress with frills, complete with silk gloves and a small purse.

Captain Unohana found a purple ribbon in her uniform and tied her hair up, letting the front pieces hang loose and the ponytail long, trailing behind her. They made her do side shot of her as if she were walking, one foot behind and the other rooted to the ground. They had chosen a park as the backdrop for this one, as it looked like she was merely strolling through it.

"You have an amazing body" Nemu said, "Your bust holds up dresses nicely, your waist is tiny and your hips are perfect for child bearing!"

Yuki smiled and nodded in thanks to Nemu's comment before posing for the shot that Sakura, a girl from squad four took.

Yoruichi asked to be in the next picture, as the two of them wore bikinis and went back to back, looking up as they held their arms up to the sky, a blue sky backdrop was used, giving the effect of a beach or a hot summer's day. Yuki lifted her leg that was closest to the camera so that her knee bent out as she rested her foot of Yoruichi's calf muscle. Yoruichi placed one hand on her hip as she looked up so that her remain hand was back to back's with one of Yuki's. Kiyone had taken both of their ponytails and twisted them in a loose curl so that the purple of Yoruichi's hair clashed with Yuki's blonde and white hair, creating a beautiful spiral in the picture. Yuki smiled as the picture was being taken even though she was a little worried that Jūshirō would think she was a vain person who loved themselves too much.

The next one was a night-time picture. Kiyone changed the backdrop to a starry one, while Yue turned off the lights and completely shut the door so that the room was near pitch black. For this one, they made her sit down in a chair while she wore a short, low-cut night gown. They made her gaze at the corner of the room, as if star gazing. Nemu used the special effects on her camera to shoot a perfect picture using just the right light effects to show her and yet make it look like night time. She also added a shooting star to the picture over her head on the laptop after this.

The next one was a school girl photograph, using a traditional school girl top and pleated skirt that the girls read about in the manga comics. They gave her a school bag and let her hair down to be rebellious. They also asked her to put earrings in all of her piercings to give the punk-rocker effect. She wore black shoes, like she were at school, using a clock-tower background to show the school front before the bell went. She used her reiatsu to take the petals from the flowers in the vase on the windowsill to let them float slowly to the ground as the picture was being taken so that it gave the effect that there were trees around her. She smiled and closed her eyes, giving her innocent look as she held her satchel in front of her. Rangiku went in for the second shot, standing next to her and smiling. Yuki handed her satchel as she raised up her other hand for a pose a V for victory sign. Rangiku held Yuki's free hand, to show their school girl friendship as well as making them look sweet and pure.

In the next one, Nemu and Yuki were posing as gymnasts. Yuki wore a small leotard that emphasized her breasts and showed her small waist. The neck was low cut and there were snips in the leotard around her abdomen, to make it look a little sexier. It was a beautiful ruby red; the gold in her hair complimented the gorgeous red, giving off a fiery theme. She had ribbons twisted around her arms, to make her look even more adorable and also giving the more professional look. Nemu had a sky blue leotard and matching ribbons as well. Both being flexible the two girls found it easy to pose in different positions, doing the splits, bringing their legs up their heads and using ribbons on sticks to twirl in the air. They used a stage backdrop complete with red curtains, to give the impression that they were performing on stage.

During the course of the afternoon Yuki had tried on a staggering fifty costumes and outfits and over one hundred pictures had been taken. Some of the pictures featured all of the girls in the league, some pictures having silly faces and other pulling weird poses. Yuki was always in the centre of the throng, making her special and number one in the photographs.

The girls ended their meeting an hour later than originally agreed but they didn't mind as they only had boring paperwork to get to and the fukuteichou meeting later. Nemu uploaded all of the pictures onto her laptop and added a few special effects such as the shooting stars, more flower petals in some shots as she typically airbrushed Rangiku as she wanted to be even more stunning. She left Yuki as she was, un-airbrushed as she felt that her captain would prefer Yuki as she was, not as a model, even though she felt that Yuki was model material.

After this the girls cleared up, Rangiku took the left over Sake, Yuki and Ai took the leftover poko sticks and snacks and Nanao, Nemu and captain Unohana took the leftover paperwork, leaving Kiyone and Isane to file the remaining documents and lock up. Yoruichi replaced her costumes with the aid of Soifon, before flash stepping home.

Yuki left feeling a little embarrassed about the whole affair but she couldn't help but feel hopeful that her captain would like the pictures. Is what they said true? That he had been protective over her? That he did have that look of regret and slight longing in his eyes when he was with her? Or were they simply leading her on and making fun of her? She highly doubted that Ai would allow the teasing if it wasn't true, in other words, Ai knew it was true so she joined in the teasing remarks as it made it all cuter. It seemed that Yoruichi had not only taught her flash step and to be flexible but she had also taught Yuki the wonderful feeling of confidence.

xxxxxxx

It had been a week later that Jūshirō had been handed the pink envelope. He was working at his desk there was a knock and he walked over to greet the visitor. He had opened the door to find Nanao holding the envelope. She had handed it to him awkwardly and said it was from a friend. She had also said "hello" from Shunsui as he had asked her to greet him as he was not accompanying her on her delivery quest.

After Jūshirō had received the envelope he closed the door as he examined it. It was quite thick, as if there were lots of letters or papers inside the small envelope. There was no writing on the front, only on the back.

He instantly recognised Yuki's small, neat writing on the back.

"Do not open until you're home xxx!" Jūshirō read it and blushed slightly as he saw the cute little kisses at the end of the sentence. He knew that it was a way of ending a letter or a piece of affectionate text, usually used by girls to each other or to their significant other, and yet he couldn't help but think that there was something behind them.

He placed the letter inside his sleeve and carried on with his work. He soon found that he couldn't concentrate on his work as his mind kept wondering to the envelope. Was it a long winded love letter? That would explain why it was thick and the kisses and to open it at home. Was it full of thoughts? Full of Feelings? Suggestions even? No, Yuki wasn't like that, the Yuki he knew was shy and aggressive at the same time, sweet and on rare occasions cynical at the same time. Yuki was innocent and pure she wouldn't show her feelings, if she had any for him, so easily. He thought he would the first to crack, not her. He wondered why Nanao had delivered it; he didn't know they were friends, why didn't she deliver it herself? Embarrassment? This led him back to the love letter theory. He was also put off by the wonderful fragrance being given off by the letter. He reached back inside his sleeve and pulled out the letter. Reluctantly he sniffed it, taking in the breathtaking smell. He instantly recognised that the perfume, he had smelled it on Yuki when he was giving him a piggy back ride, she must have taken the time to spray the envelope, putting her own little signature on it He smiled as she did cute little things like this.

A few hours later, he finished his paperwork and flash stepped home, desperate to know what was in the envelope. He sat in his favourite chair after he had lit the fire, placing logs and using a match, to create a close atmosphere. He dimmed the lights so that he could see but that they were not blazing away. He felt the thick envelope, smoothing it over and turning it from one side to the other in a rhythmic pattern. Eventually, he began to carefully open the envelope, desperately trying not to rip anything inside. He slowly reached inside the envelope and grabbed all the contents inside, pulling them out and placing them on his knee. There were lots of papers inside one longer piece of paper. He took them out and placed them down on the table next to him. He read the letter and blushed slightly. It wasn't a love letter, but it was a letter from her, that was good enough for him, even though he was slightly disappointed. He re-read the letter carefully, looking for any hints or signs in her words, he was aware he was becoming a little infatuated.

He smiled as she had written on Chappi the rabbit paper another cute thing to do.

Captain Ukitake,

Hope you are well, I'm ok, missing being in your squad though! Well, since I left the squad temporarily, I was whisked away by Yoruichi, who is a little scary at first, but she is friendly once you get to know her. I think I have befriended her so I am happy to have another friend. She has kindly taught me flash step, and I will hold you to your promise and you must race me when I return! I have also become more flexible (as you will see in the photographs) which is really fun to do flips and stuff! Now that I have trained her, I must train with Captain Kuchiki, the meanie, cry, he said he will teach me Bankai, but I don't think I'm good enough to get to that level yet! Oh, that reminds me, I met a friend that I have had for a long time yet never realised it! Her name is Rasen and she resides in my Zanpakutō, she is really cool and protective, but when I first met her I realised that she was in my dreams, she was the cruel voice and she was the one who bit me! Isn't that weird! She says that it was the only way for me to realise that she was there, but she didn't have to be so mean! It seemed that she is friends with Captain Kuchiki; do you know what it means? How come he knows her as well if she belongs to me?

Anyway I went to my first Women's Shinigami League meeting, it was really fun and I befriended all of those girls to! I'm sorry to hear that they interrogated you, it sounds scary! They…said some stuff about you and me; I guess that rumours continue even after school! Thank you for not telling them much, and by the way, you are really accurate about guessing weights! While I was there they took some pictures of me and against my will, they decided to send them to you, so it thought I may as well send you a message as I wanted to write to you but I wasn't sure how to send it, so Nanao sent it! I hope you like the photographs!

From,

Yuki xxx

Jūshirō shuddered as he recalled the wounds that Rasen had inflicted on him. It worried him slightly that Byakuya was closely linked to her, he hadn't known that Rasen was friends with him but he shrugged and laughed as Yuki voiced her opinions on him, she clearly disliked him. He now knew how Nanao was friends with her, making him smile more as she seemed to be enjoying herself with her new friends. He stiffened as he read the very ending, there was no 'love from' just from, and did it show her feelings? And yet, there was a hand drawn little heart at the end, and three kisses, is three a significant number and does it mean she is giving him her heart? He shook his head, this is obsession, get a grip! "She doesn't love you, how could she? You have an illness that would put her off and you are old enough to be her father, you pervert!" He argued with himself.

He reached on the table and put the letter on it before picking up the pictures and looking through them. He blushed at the swimming costume photograph, but he couldn't help but notice her amazing figure, she looked so happy as well. She and Yoruichi looked close in this photograph, like good friends, making him smile slightly. He laughed at the school girl one as she and Rangiku smiled brightly. He noticed her flexibility at the dancer photo, thinking how cute she looked in the red leotard, and amazed at her talent. He looked through them until he came to the final two. One he loved, the starry one, he loved how her outline was set against the night sky, she was star gazing, looking so relaxed and happy. He knew instantly that it was his favourite.

The last one he found he didn't like so much. Yuki was standing in skin- tight, denim shorts and a white camisole in the centre of the room. The backdrop was an ocean and the fans had been turned on as her hair was soaring around her. Her index finger was on her bottom lip, giving the innocent look as her eyes shimmered. To anyone else except him, they would have said she was stunning, sexy and erotic but to him she was not. This was not the Yuki he knew, the Yuki he knew was cute and shy, un-model like. The Yuki that was here was posing like a model, trying to look like a stunning teen making her debut in the modelling industry.

This was not the Yuki that he fell in love with.

xxxxxxx

That Saturday Yuki walked to the arena, being greeted and allowed to pass by the guards. She walked back into the familiar surroundings of Byakuya's house and out the back to the arena. She slowly trekked over to the arena, taking her time so that she has to spend less time with Captain Kuchiki. She found him sitting on the fence, his eyes closed, lost in his own thoughts. He looked calm and troubled at the same time, his face was straight and expressionless, showing how collected he was and yet Yuki couldn't help but suspect conflicted emotions within him. She slowly pushed the gate open and walked into the centre of the arena. Byakuya didn't move he just sat on the fence, Yuki was beginning to wonder whether he was asleep, he didn't seem like the kind of person to fall asleep in public, not that they were in public but he was so secretive that she figured that he would sleep in the comfort of his own house and in privacy. She hated to admit it but she found it enticing, as much as she despised him, she couldn't help but feel that he was a coiled spring, desperate to unravel after years of being suppressed. She was curious about him, was Yoruichi right? Was he calm in front of everybody else but adventurous in his own way when he was out of public scrutiny? Is this what Hisana had to put up with? His split personality? She suddenly recalled Yoruichi's comment on his adventurous ways in the bedroom. She immediately looked down; blushing like her life depended on it, she couldn't lift her head to face him as he finally moved, she was full of embarrassment.

Byakuya watched as the hormonal teen as she blushed fanatically several metres away from him as he hopped off the fence. He had been recalling a particular incident, an extremely old incident in fact which Yuki featured in. He had been expecting her and had sensed her reiatsu the moment she entered the grounds of the estate. He had been so caught up in his memory that he had failed to notice she was at the gate, the creaking bringing him back to reality. He didn't know why he remained like that for long after she had entered the ring. He just wanted to listen to the sound of her feet shuffling along the sand and feel the strength of her reiatsu wash over him.

Yuki finally looked up to meet Byakuya's eyes. She blushed harder and broke the gaze, fixing her vision on the large chip in the fence. Her dreams of them together as children filled her head, immediately making her feel dizzy and disorientated. She started to sway from side to side, feeling the heat of the supply closet that she hid in during her childhood.

Byakuya immediately flash stepped over to her terrified that she was going to faint and managed to catch her as his fears were realised as she lost control of her body and fainted, her breathing erratic and her heart pounding. As he laid her down, Rasen sprung from her Zanpakuto of her own accord and stood over her. She quickly placed her large paw on her chest, feeling the thumping of her heart. Yuki's eyes had started to dilate as her temperature rose rapidly. Byakuya dashed his hand towards Rasen and plucked out a flower petal, causing her to yelp and buffet him with her large frame as he crouched over her. He was put off balance and almost fell on her. He managed to pick himself up before he crushed her, his heart racing and his movements careless.

"Be more careful, I almost fell on her!" He hissed to Rasen.

"Well you shouldn't pull out one of my petals, it hurts you know!" She snapped back.

Byakuya sighed desperately hoping to get her temperature, breathing and heart beat back under control.

"Do you remember?" Rasen asked, "Remember when she used to get ill and feverish, all those centuries ago?"

Byakuya nodded and recalled how he would put her to bed and lie next to her, stroking her forehead and resting his other hand on her abdomen lightly. Eventually her fever would subside and she would regain control of her body again. In contrast to the heat of her fever she could just as quickly become icy-cold, having to bury her bury her head in his chest, pressing their bodies together to conserve heat. At this point Byakuya would pull the quilt over them and remain there as she gained heat and had a normal body temperature. She would regain control again and feel herself once more. This was Byakuya's favourite part as things would often get intimate between them ending in a night well spent.

He was brought out of his memories as Yuki struggled for breath, gasping for air as she continued to get worse. He desperately wanted to get her to Retsu so that she could be properly cared for but another part of him wanted to see if he could still do it, make her level again. On impulse he used the petal and made Yuki hold the other end of the petal, transferring reiatsu back and forth through them. As she automatically closed her eyes he gently placed his forehead on hers, transferring their thoughts and feelings. He was immediately placed in their memory, except this time he was standing next to Yuki in the closet feeling the same stifling heat as he watched himself as a young teenager, stride into the room, looking for her as their parents talked over the table. He desperately wanted to run out of the closet and into the main room. He wanted to shake himself as a child and explain what he knows now. He sighed as he knew he couldn't do anything, it was a memory, even if he had rushed out, they wouldn't have seen him, Yuki hadn't even noticed him as he stood next to her. He instantly realised that the heat of that day was affecting her now, he changed their memory, of one swimming in the lake as he had taught her to swim at the age of five, like an older brother should. He shook his head, he isn't her older brother, and he isn't anything to her anymore, just a captain in the Gotei 13. He on the water and instantly noticed that Yuki was sitting on the bank on the other side, the Yuki of today. She watched in confusion and fascination at herself at five and Byakuya at thirteen laughing and splashing at the edge of the lake as it was shallow enough for her to stand up. How did she get here? Was she having another dream? But, wasn't she just standing in the arena? Then she was in the closet again…and now here…it didn't make sense. This place looked familiar but she couldn't place her finger on it. Who were the kids in the shallows? She looked up from the children to see that Captain Kuchiki was walking eerily on the water. She did a double take to make sure that she had seen what she thought she had. She instantly stood up, took a step forward and bowed, as she bowed she opened her eyes to see her reflection on the water and the crystal blue water under her feet. She gasped and panicked, what is this? Her heart thumped harder as she stiffened. She felt her body collapse again as her feet rapidly began to enter the water. Byakuya seized her hand and pulled her back up to the water surface, "Oh no you don't" he laughed as he pulled her into him. Yuki took a few minutes to come to grips with things she was slowly released by Byakuya She took a step back and thanked him for saving her, starting to blush. He pointed to the children before flash stepping over to them and beckoning her over to him.

As she flash stepped over to him she watched the children still confused, "C-Captain Kuchiki, I don't understand…what is this?"

"We are in a memory" he stated, "You see, that's me, and that's you. Don't you remember when I taught you how to swim?"

Yuki nodded and watched as he pointed to their former selves. She remembered what happened next before she watched it again.

"This is when I nearly drowned and you saved me!" she smiled.

Byakuya nodded as, indeed little Yuki began to sink, splashing and spluttering, flailing her arms in the air to save herself. Byakuya grabbed her and pulled her to the bank, patting her back as she coughed and breathed heavily.

"You were like a little sister to me Yuki" he said affectionately.

Yuki gasped, it was the first time she had seen him express emotion, and she liked the sound of his voice as it was full of feeling instead of the normal empty voice that she was used to. It all rushed back to her like a huge wave, the memories of the summer and years together. The formal dinners that they had to attend, being noble and all. She also fully understood the request of their parents and their possible future together.

It frustrated Byakuya that she failed to remember beyond that, much further beyond that life. Back to their previous lives, when they had been together as lovers he was always beside his princess. It had taken him a while to remember himself about that life, but now after all this time, it was crystal clear as if her were living it now.

He remembered that he had ignored the comments that the nobles gave him, being less noble than them he was often shunned and would have been killed if they had been found out. He remembered their secret meetings, terrified of being caught yet loving the adrenaline of the secrets they held. They would walk along the rivers, hiding in the reeds when people walked by, they swam in the rivers and lakes; they planted seeds together in their private patch in the woods. He loved being taught about the animals around them as she had been given a better education than him; she often taught him about the country where they lived and about the red Indians that they had heard about from stories, as well as other lands and cultures beyond feudal Japan. They had often talked about what if's. What would happen if they left Japan, would they be able to be together? What would happen if they moved to another country, started afresh, a new life together in a new land? It was impossible, she was a princess and higher than him in rank, even though he was two years her senior, she still outranked him. He particularly liked the long walks at night, listening to the crickets together as they sat by the riverside. She would have to have told her parents more lies about where she was going, to a friend's house perhaps? Gone to attend a ball or a performance at the theatre? The lies that they spun were endless, they had to, in order to be together.

He remembered that they also liked to control the flowers together, having these amazing abilities that only they possessed, telling nobody, finding out together in the private fields. Rasen of course was there too, she would also have her input and objections when they lost control of their growing powers. She was also part of their secret, only appearing when safe to do so and breaking up into flower petals and returning to the flowers when they wanted to be alone.

The thing he loved the most however was making a cosy tent out of a large bed sheet from home and some steel pegs, so that they could make love under the stars, in the safety of the dense forest, using the moon as their only source of light. They were so lucky that they were never caught; never found out by anybody, it was a secret that would be kept to themselves. It wasn't long after this that it had gone wrong for them, their happiness smashed, their love torn apart. Byakuya shuddered as he recalled the next sequence of events, ending everything for them.

"And you were like a big brother to me" she laughed, cutting through his thoughts.

Byakuya did something that truly shocked her, he gave a slight smile, he couldn't complain however, she had remembered this much that in itself was a miracle. The scene continued to unfold, reminding her of what was. She laughed as Byakuya chased her along the bank.

"Why did you bring me here?" she asked.

"To answer that" he said seriously, "You need to listen carefully."

Yuki nodded and prepared himself for what he was going to say, "When we leave here, you must, must, wake up. When we entered the memory you were feverish and your temperature was too high. I realised that you were in the memory with the hide and seek game, being in the closet and heat. Bringing you here, I knew would calm you down; the water would cool you slightly as you are not in the hot claustrophobic conditions. When you wake up, you need to calm down and control your body once again to be able to lower your reiatsu."

Yuki nodded but stiffened as Byakuya suddenly reached down and took her hand. She blushed and looked down.

"We have to concentrate our reiatsu to get back; this is the best way to connect" he reassured her, "Unless you feel that kissing is the best way to connect?"

"Holding a hand is fine" she muffled as she blushed harder. She knew as well that she only wanted to kiss one person and that was her own captain.

"Calm down Yuki!" he laughed, "That was a joke!"

"A j-joke?" she stuttered, "I didn't know that you were a jokey person!"

"Not in public but at home I am more at ease so I joke around a lot," he replied and they began to concentrate their reiatsu. Yoruichi had been right, he was more open when it was just them two, in the street the brick wall came back up and as dense as ever. Yuki watched the scene fade to black, she looked around a panicked as Captain Kuchiki had disappeared, the ground rumbled under her feet as she heard her name being called out.

Byakuya removed his forehead from hers, released the leaf and held her hand, whilst shaking her gently with the other hand. He knew that he showed worry and concern on his face, in broad daylight and he didn't give a damn who saw him, as long as she woke up safely. He sighed in relief when she eventually saw her open her eyes slowly, adjusting her eyes to the change in light.

"Byakuya" he heard her whisper, only half conscious.

He tightened his grip on her hand a fraction, willing her to continue.

"We…we…were friends weren't we" she stuttered, "As…kids…you and me."

He nodded as she opened her eyes fully and calmed her reiatsu down. Her breathing became normal and her heart beat steadied once more.

"Yes, we were" he smiled at her.

Yuki looked up at him, her eyes watering, and her body weak from their expedition through their forgotten memories. Feeling the memories flood back to her of their childhood, she felt tears threaten, nagging at her to be released. She gave in and slowly blinked, allowing the tears to break free and tumble down her soft cheeks. Byakuya wanted to wipe them away but he felt that it was crossing the line. He didn't want to scare her away for this bold action. He realised that like Rasen had said, it wouldn't go back to what it was; she wouldn't remember so long ago, she wouldn't remember the passion that they had held for each other, the deep love and the pain that wrenched them apart. He was both bitter and glad about her not remembering. She wouldn't feel the pain that he has been feeling all this time but then if she remembered could they patch the pain up together. Thinking about it probably not, her captain had wooed her first. He could see it every time they were together, the happiness between them; he had also heard some news here and there, usually from the mouth of Matsumoto-fukuteichou as she openly talked about it in the streets with her friends. So remembering their friendship in their most recent life was all that it could ever be, just friends.

Yuki suddenly acted on impulse as the brotherly love for Byakuya rushed over her, earlier today she had despised him, and now her feeling for her 'brother' had ignited. She sat up and stared at the ground freely letting her tears fall as Byakuya continued to kneel beside her. Rasen sat in front of her, whining slightly, it seemed that she too felt the morose atmosphere. Yuki turned her head to face Byakuya before literally throwing herself at him and burying her head in his chest. Byakuya almost jumped ten feet; he wasn't expecting it, even though he knew that she has always been spontaneous and should have been prepared for anything. He wrapped his arms around her slender back and held her there. He felt like crying himself, but he hadn't cried since Hisana had died and he didn't want to cry in public so he suppressed his feelings like he had been doing for so long. Yuki continued to cry, being held by her closest childhood friend. One thing that she couldn't get out of her mind was that fateful night. Still impulsively she made her hand into a fist and smacked his chest with it, making Byakuya jump again, it didn't hurt but it startled him.

"H-How could you…how could you leave me?" she cried, "My best friend, my 'brother', how could you leave me behind?"

"I- I didn't mean to!" he whispered, "I didn't want to die, it was an accident!"

"Baka!" she yelled at him, "Do you know how I felt when you didn't turn up to play ever again? Do you know how hard it is to understand something like that when you are only six years old?"

She smacked him again in her anger and melancholy.

"It's not my fault, I didn't want to leave you, how could I want to leave my little 'sister'? I fought for my life; do you know how it feels to have lost that much blood that your heart is incapable of beating anymore? Having the doctors' stand around you unable to make the decision whether to pull the plug on the life support machine?"

At hearing these words Yuki stiffened, being so young she hadn't understood what had happened, she only felt the immediate effects of his absence and her mother explaining to her when she asked him to come around and play. Her Mother not wanting to hurt her feelings had often steered her away from the subject and only half told her when she had asked too much. She had been told that he went on a holiday with his parents and that he wasn't going to return for a long time. This way in fact was a crueller way to tell her than actually letting her know and grieve. She had asked when he was going to return every day until eventually she forgot and carried on as she made new friends.

"I…had no idea" she cried harder.

"I don't expect you did, you were only six," he soothed.

Yuki muffled something else but he didn't hear it. He was only concerned with her safety, if she was anything like before then she would suddenly get colder.

Sure enough Byakuya heard her mumble that she was cold and picked her up before taking her inside. He laid her down in one of his many guest rooms before he pulled the quilt over her. As he watched her slowly fall asleep he was struck by the need to lie next to her and massage her head just like before. He could see that she was whimpering in her light sleep and tossing and turning, it pained him so. He knew he couldn't, he had to keep his distance, he was after all a captain and she was another soul reaper in the seireitei, not even in his squad. The most they could ever be was friends, in secret at that. Besides, he knew that she would never love him as he was the cruel and unfeeling man whom everybody was fearful of. He was blessed to have married Hisana and he was even more blessed to find Yuki again but he knew it could never happen. On top of that she was only fifteen, it's not like before when she was eighteen and he was twenty. He sighed heavily before making his way to the door and sliding it behind him as he exited. Rasen was sitting outside the room also looking melancholy. He joined her and sat next to her before sighing heavily.

"You did the right thing" she said eventually.

"Yeah…I guess" he replied.

"I'm sorry Byakuya" she said bitterly.

"Not half as sorry as I am" he sighed.

"And…what now?" she asked carefully.

"Now? Well now, we carry on as if nothing has happened, when she is better, I get her to Bankai, as agreed."

"I see" she sighed, "I feel that this plan too is for the best and after she has reached it…I think that…you should not have anything to do with her…just talk occasionally…and remain friends, this way nobody gets hurt."

Byakuya nodded painfully, he understood clearly he just didn't want to. They both agreed having no idea that they had only touched the very tip on the huge iceberg with this. And if they had known then what they know now, Byakuya would have done things a lot differently.

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