New Story Announcement: For those of you who want to check out some of my original work, Arbiter, my JulNoWriMo (like NaNoWriMo but less strict) project is up on Fictionpress dot com. I go by the same pen name there as I do here, so just do a quick author search. You can easily log-on to Fictionpress with your FF account by clicking "Login with Fanfiction dot net" at the Fictionpress login screen.

Chasing will be a little slower on the update during July, but I would be really happy if you guys checked Arbiter out and continued being such an awesome audience!

A/N: For those of you wanting more Karin action, she features hugely into the action of the next battle arc and the arc after that, so don't worry about it. ^^

Also, VIVA ESPANA! (Euro 2012). Feeling so proud to be Spanish right now. If this chapter seems a little disjointed, I was writing it while watching the final game.

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. At all. Kusanagi and the New Dawn and the plot are mine though, please don't steal.

Chapter 11: Symbol of our pride

Yuzu smiled, walking down the halls of the Third Division. It had been a while since she had found herself down here, but with the events of the past week, she had been extremely busy. She had wanted to come as soon as they returned from the living world, but her duties necessitated that she stay in the Sixth until all the reports were filed and all preparations for a sudden attack had been taken care of. On the bright side, Rangiku was going to be released from the Fourth today, and Byakuya no longer seemed angry at her, so she assumed the matter about Jin had been settled.

For now. If they attacked again, she would be forced to make another decision.

It was a sobering thought, but the past few days had been peaceful, so she tried not to dwell on it too much.

She walked over to the room where the seated officers had their desks, knocking once on the door before sliding it open. Kohaku looked up from her desk inside, a grin appearing on her face when she saw Yuzu.

"Look what the cat dragged in," said Kohaku. "I was starting to think you were being held prisoner or something."

Yuzu gave her friend a sheepish smile. "I've been busy," she said. "Do you want to take a break?"

"I've been waiting for someone to ask that," replied Kohaku, tossing her pen casually onto the desk. She tilted her chair back, raising her arms up over her head and stretching. "Ugh, I don't know how you stand it. I've been doing paperwork for two hours and it already feels like hell."

"But Kohaku-chan," said Yuzu, her smile growing. "I thought you said your dream was to be a captain someday."

"Pfft, when I become a captain, I'm gonna find some vice-captain to do all my paperwork," she said, getting to her feet. "It's the Kyouraku-taicho style of leadership!" She walked over to Yuzu, glancing at her out of the corner of her eye as she folded her arms. "…So…Yuzu-chan, how attached are you to the Rokubantai?"

She pretended to think about it for a minute. "You know, it's a generous offer, but I think I'll pass," she said.

"Right, I forgot," said Kohaku, grinning. "I'll grab Masa instead. Wouldn't want to pull you away from Captain Tall, Dark, and Frozen."

Yuzu's face reddened. "K-Kohaku-chan!" she said, glancing around to see if anyone was in the office. It was empty. She let out a sigh of relief. "Please don't talk about that here," she said, lowering her voice to a whisper.

"Oh, come on, no one's listening," said Kohaku, looking around. "And even if they were, who cares? It's not like half the female population of Seireitei doesn't already have a crush on him."

"H-Hai…but I'd just rather not have anyone know about it…" said Yuzu, folding her arms. "Especially not Ichi-nii and Karin-chan…" She mumbled the last part, but Kohaku nodded in understanding.

"They'd raise hell," she said. "...Masa was already pretty pissed off about it."

Yuzu's eyes widened. "Kohaku-chan, you told him?" she asked, turning towards her friend.

"I may have implied something to the effect," said Kohaku. "Don't worry. He's not going to tell anyone. You know how he gets. The thought's probably still running round and round in that head of his and driving him into a panic."

"Mou, I can't believe you!" said Yuzu angrily. "That was a secret!"

"You know…it might not be so bad having your noble cousin, who happens to be the heir to a noble Great House know about your feelings for a certain noble head of another noble Great House so that they could potentially come to some sort of noble agreement…Have I made my point yet?"

Yuzu sighed, sweatdropping. "You have," she said. "Multiple times. And I told you, I don't want that. It's just a crush. It's not like I actually want to go after him or anything like that…"

Even as she said it, she paused, her mind going back to the image of Byakuya standing in front of Hisana's grave, of the look of grief in his eye. Of the conversation they had had, and the single moment they had shared out there. That was the day she had realized that her taicho was human inside, that there was more to him than noble grace and unshakeable pride…

She hesitated, lowering her eyes to the ground.

What would happen if Byakuya found out about her feelings for him? She had seen the cold, dismissive way he dealt with fangirls. She knew for a fact that he denied transfer requests from female shinigami constantly, if they could provide no good reason as to why they would want to join the Rokubantai. She'd seen female shinigami coldly dismissed from the Rokubantai's ranks because they had joined the Division for the wrong reason. The women of the Sixth, like Shirogane-san, knew better. They were the ones who were clearly in it because they believed in the Rokubantai's vision. They admired their captain, but never in that way.

She knew from watching him that he was indifferent to the attention at best and annoyed by it at worst. If she actually tried anything…what little window into Byakuya's heart that she had managed to pry open over the past sixteen years would close completely…and then what?

He would be forever unreachable. She didn't think she could live like that. She would transfer before he could even think of kicking her out.

But even then, she wouldn't be able to get away. Because of her brother and his sister…because of Masa and his obligations…she would probably still end up running into him. If Rukia and Ichigo had a child, she would have to share a niece or nephew with him. How much would it hurt her to be so close, so connected, but to see him closed off to her completely, to look at her like nothing more than another one of those girls who threw themselves at him? Her heart ached at the thought, a weight settling into the pit of her stomach.

…No. She'd rather carry this secret to the grave than lose whatever small trust he had given her.

"…It's not like I'd have a chance if I did want to…" she said quietly. "Being this close is enough…"

Kohaku sighed. "Would you listen to yourself?" she asked. "That doesn't sound like just a crush to me..."

Yuzu said nothing in reply, and Kohaku sighed, tugging at the end of her long braid as she eyed her best friend. "…Okay," she said. "I get it…I'll change the subject. But before I do, can I just say something?"

Yuzu looked up at her, nodding once.

"You say it's just a crush, but it's not. If it were just a crush—butterflies in your stomach and all that—it wouldn't have lasted ten years. You want something. And maybe you don't want to chase after him, make him fall in love with you, and live happily ever after. Maybe you don't want the money and perks that come with nobility, and all of that other crap the fangirls are after. But you want something out of this, and you should figure out what that is."

Yuzu looked away, staring at the corner of the room. What she wanted…

What did she want? What was her goal in staying by his side?

She didn't want a fairytale ending or to become the Soul Society equivalent of a princess…she knew that much. The thought of Byakuya playing the part of Prince Charming in some Disney fairytale was enough to send her into a fit of giggles—the image was just so wrong. But if that wasn't the case, then why was she still here?

…She thought back to Byakuya at Hisana's grave, and suddenly, her own motivations came into sharp clarity, and like a knife, the knowledge of her own desires stabbed her in the heart, making it ache. An image passed through her mind again, the same image of Byakuya staring at Hisana's grave, of the pain in his eyes. It was followed by an image of Byakuya at Ichigo and Rukia's wedding, dressed in his finest attire and looking appropriately regal, but watching his sister with those same sad eyes as she smiled and talked and made jokes with Abarai-taicho and Ichigo…

He had stayed just close enough to be seen, but he had kept his distance.

He was always on the outside of everything. Even when he got involved in a situation, it always seemed as though he was somewhere else, somewhere high above the rest of them. But in those moments, when it seemed as though he had momentarily lowered himself, she caught glimpses of what was inside.

And she saw only pain. Old scars from wounds that had never fully had a chance to heal…feelings, confessions, truths that had never seen the light of day, because he had no one. No one at his side, no one he could speak to, no one he could truly trust. The only person close enough to him was Rukia, and he would see it as his duty to not burden her with things like that.

He lived in this world completely alone, and it hurt her to know that.

She still remembered the look in his eyes when she confronted him about going to see a grave. She knew that look would be burned into her memory. It had shown her, for the first time, that Byakuya wasn't some unreachable figure…just a man that carried an unimaginable burden…and that carried it alone.

And she wanted…

…She wanted to help carry that burden.

She wanted to know him. Not the captain, not the rich nobleman…

…She wanted to know the man that couldn't figure out how to use an air-conditioner. Who still seriously thought the Seaweed Ambassador would eventually catch on as the Sixth Division mascot. Who knew the names, blooming season, and species of every single flower that could conceivably grow in Japan or in Soul Society.

...Who still loved a woman that had been dead for seventy years. Who, despite all that, had let the one single concrete link he had to her walk out of his manor without a word of complaint because she was in love with Kurosaki Ichigo…

She exhaled slowly, the weight of her realization slowly beginning to sink in.

"Yeah…" she said quietly. "…I think I know, Kohaku-chan."

"Good," said Kohaku. "I didn't want you being completely oblivious. Watching Karin and Hitsugaya-taicho dance around each other for six years was painful enough. Now…" Kohaku grinned, rounding on her friend and putting her hands at her hips. "The mission. How did it go? I want to hear everything…"

Byakuya frowned as he walked back to the Sixth Division, his meeting with the Kuchiki elders still weighing heavily on his mind. Not since marrying Hisana had he had a meeting with them that had not put him in a foul mood for the rest of the day. Still, it seemed as though they respected his authority, if only nominally.

He walked through the Division gates, his mind flashing back to the words exchanged at the meeting…

"I have said this before. Rukia is heir. Her marriage changes nothing."

"With all due respect, Byakuya-sama, Rukia-sama is only the heir presumptive. Her status will change when an official Kuchiki heir is named."

"Rukia-sama holds no true Kuchiki blood," said another elder. "In contrast, the man she has married possesses Ankoujin and Shiba blood. The integrity of the Kuchiki House would be ruined should her child take control of the House."

"She is the only other member of the main family," said Byakuya. "I will not name another heir."

"Then, Byakuya-sama, if you will not name another heir, it follows that you must give us another heir. It has been seventy years since Hisana-sama's death. You must put aside your feelings and consider marrying again."

"I will not speak on this matter until the current crisis has been resolved," replied Byakuya coolly, staring at the assembled elders in front of him. "At the moment, my duties lie with the shinigami and the Sixth Division."

"Byakuya-sama, with all due respect…" began another elder. "This current crisis is exactly why this matter should be resolved quickly. We live in dangerous times, and if you insist on fighting, we must consider the possibility that you will fall in battle."

Byakuya's eyes narrowed dangerously at those words. "…I am aware that the possibility exists," he said. "But now is not the time to consider this issue. We are preparing for war."

The elders exchanged glances before the leader of the council spoke. "Very well, Byakuya-sama," he said. "We accept your decision. However, do we have your word that when the crisis is resolved, you will do your duty to the Kuchiki Clan?"

"…You tread dangerous ground to assume that I would do any less," said Byakuya icily, getting to his feet. "This meeting is adjourned."

He had managed to keep them at bay for now, but it was only until the crisis was resolved. And then…he would do his duty. He knew that the elders waited in the wings. If he died in battle without naming an heir, they would not pass the clan to Rukia. They would take it upon themselves to name another heir, no matter what decisions he made.

The only heir they would accept would be one of Kuchiki blood.

He stepped into his office, putting those considerations out of his mind for a moment as he looked around. His vice-captain was nowhere to be seen. Instead, several boxes had been placed in the center of his office, along with a potted plant that he remembered seeing from the Tokyo vendor. A piece of paper had been placed on top of the pile. He glanced at it idly.

Kurosaki-san,

Here are the things you left in the living world.

Left them with Urahara-san. Hope they get to you!

-Yasui

He frowned and walked over to his desk. The fact that the letter had been addressed to his vice-captain and not to him did not go unmissed. Still, it wasn't an uncommon occurrence. He supposed it was because she interacted with others more than he did.

He glanced at his vice-captain's desk. It was neat, with no paperwork left on top of it. His own desk held a small stack, with a note in her handwriting on top. Byakuya picked it up, looking over it.

Taicho,

I finished my paperwork. Here is everything requiring your signature.

I'll be out until around 3:00 PM, but I'll be at the Third if you need me.

Have a good day,

Kurosaki Yuzu

He set the note down, looking over at the clock. It was close to 2:45. Byakuya sat behind his desk, ignoring the boxes in the center of the office for a moment as he set to work signing the papers she had left.

At close to three o'clock, the door to his office opened. Byakuya glanced up, watching as Yuzu entered the office. She offered him a polite bow, her eyes falling on the boxes in the center of the room.

"Good afternoon, taicho," she said.

He nodded once in acknowledgment, before going back to his paperwork. "Your visit went well?"

"Hai," she said, walking over to her desk. "And your meeting?"

"…Satisfactory." He did not elaborate. "…Yasui Tetsuya has sent your belongings over from the living world. When you finish gathering your things, leave mine inside the captain's quarters. I will send someone for them."

"Hai," said Yuzu with a thoughtful frown, walking over to the boxes. She picked up Yasui's note, reading it.

"…The camellia plant has also arrived," said Byakuya. "I will send for a gardener."

"Eh?" asked Yuzu, looking over at the plant. "Do we need one? It's not really that big."

He frowned, setting aside the form he was signing and looking up at her. "…That does not please you?" he asked.

"Well, I was thinking we could plant it ourselves," said Yuzu, getting up. "But…if you want to hire a gardener, that's fine too."

"Where were you considering placing it?" asked Byakuya.

"I was actually thinking we could plant it beneath the wall, outside the office window," said Yuzu. "That way, we can see it when the window is open, and while taking tea on the veranda. And anyone who visits the barracks will be able to see it too. But it was only an idea."

She smiled slightly, walking away from the plant and beginning to open the first box. Byakuya frowned, watching her for a few moments. In that time, she did not look up at him, her hands busying themselves with her work. His eyes drifted away from her, towards the plant.

He stood up, his chair making a scraping noise against the wood as he did. She looked up at him, a questioning frown on her face.

"…The Noblissima camellia is the symbol of the Rokubantai," he said, slowly pulling off his white tekkou gloves and placing them on his desk. "…It will serve as a reminder of our pride, should we plant it ourselves."

Her smile brightened, and she nodded, stepping away from the box she was sorting through.

"Hai," she said with a nod.

TO BE CONTINUED

Omake:

A young woman of about twenty years old stared down at the shattered pieces of glass and plastic in front of her that had once been a cellphone. Her eye twitched, her hands clenching into fists. She was short for her age, with short black hair streaked through with pink and sharp brown eyes.

"…What the hell is this?" she asked, glaring at the man standing next to her.

Yasui took several steps back, raising his hands up. "E-Eto…it's not what you think, Mari-chan…" he said, sweatdropping.

"Really?" asked the girl, Mari. "Because it looks to me like that is your phone. The phone I lovingly built and programmed so that you could track Hollows and keep in touch with contacts in Soul Society. The phone that I built for you and told you specifically not to destroy. Does that sound familiar?"

"Er…we might have had that conversation," said Yasui, scratching the back of his head. She took a step forward angrily, and he raised his hands again. "B-But there were extenuating circumstances! Besides, my opponent deliberately targeted my phone!"

"Did you kill her?" asked Mari, scowling. She folded her arms.

"…Um…well, she was kind of missing after the battle, so…I don't know?"

"Sou ka…" Mari frowned, walking away from the broken phone and mumbling to herself. "…An opponent of great strength who controls wind…perhaps I could find a way to neutralize those effects…"

"…Does that mean I'm off the hook?" asked Yasui, taking a deep breath as she walked away.

Mari glanced back at him, her eyes narrowing in a glare.

"…Guess not…" Yasui muttered to himself as he sat on the sidewalk on his folded up futon, his belongings haphazardly scattered around him as he waited for the other members of Kusanagi to get home.