Dark Blade 11 Kaien-dono

"Hey, you're that Kuchiki kid, right?"

"Um, yes, Sir. Kuchiki Shirayuki desu. Hajimemashite." I bow and the guy laughs.

"Shiba Kaien desu. I'm the vice captain of Jyuusanbantai. Nice to meet you too. The captain is sick right now, so I'm in charge. Did you take the entry test?"

"Ah, yes Sir."

"You make a seat or not? I forget. The third seat's helping out and she's got that handled."

"Um, goseki, Sir."

"Gosh, quit it with the 'Sir' already. Mataku."

"Anno…Kaien-dono?"

"Huh?"

"Sorry, you said to stop calling you 'Sir' so…" He ruffles my hair.

"You're a funny kid, Kuchiki."

"Onii-san, my first day went well."

"That's good. What seat?"

"Five."

"Kay, sorry, Nee-chan, I'm busy."

"It's okay, Onii-san. I'll see you later."

"Kaien-dono, there's a new recruit in the waiting room. I'll take care of Ukitake-taicho while you handle her."

"Thanks, Kuchiki." Kaien-dono leaves the room and I get out an ice pack for Ukitake-taicho.

"Nii-sama, Onee-sama. My first evening in the Jyuusanbantai has ended peacefully." I look over my shoulder. So Rukia-chan was the new recruit from earlier? I wonder why Kaien-dono didn't tell me.

"Oh."

"What seat?"

"None. I'm very sorry…with my ability…I couldn't…become a seated officer upon joining the division…"

"I see."

"You may leave." She leaves and I glare at Onii-san.

"That was rude. It's your fault. She could easily have made it to at least sixth seat if you hadn't requested that Rukia-chan be made ineligible for that."

"You didn't realize she was in your division?"

"I suppose it slipped Kaien-dono's mind earlier."

"Ukitake-taicho! Kaien-dono!"

"Kuchiki, what's up with you? You're all covered in blood."

"I'm sorry. I couldn't do anything. We were scouting, and the hollow we were observing attacked."

"The blood…is it yours?"

"No."

"Where are the others?"

"Being brought in. I'm so sorry, Kaien-dono…I tried to use Zenbonyukiro to keep everyone safe, but…" I gasp when Ukitake-taicho hugs me, to calm me down.

"Don't beat yourself up over it, Kuchiki." I nod and wriggle away.

"So…everyone…?" I nod.

"Hai. I was the only one to survive. I couldn't assess the enemy's abilities though. I think the only reason I survived was that I injured it and it had to retreat."

"We'll form an assault squad that will be ready in 2 days." Kaien-dono starts for the door. "Wait, Kaien! Calm down!"

"We don't know anything about the enemy's abilities! We don't know its name, appearance, or abilities…therefore; you want me to just sit here like an idiot and wait…? Leave everything to the assault squad…and just hide in here…?"

"We know two things about the enemy…it doesn't travel around. It stays in it lair, and hunts within a certain area. The other thing we know is the location of its lair."

"Then lead the way, Kuchiki." I nod and we leave. Rukia comes with us.

"I smell…fresh meat…doesn't smell too bright though! Should be tasteful nonetheless!" The hollow starts laughing and I shudder, remembering the same laughter as it slaughtered the team.

"Kaien-dono, let me scope out his abilities first…"

"Captain, permission to…fight it alone." What? Alone? Against…oh. I should probably stop him, but I'd just lose and he'd be even more determined.

"Granted." Oh no.

"Kaien-dono, I just remembered. Somehow, the first person that came in contact with those tentacles…" He jumps down and starts to attack.

"What?"

"His Zanpakuto was destroyed, just by making contact with those tentacles. But it was just the first one that came in contact with it."

"How? That's impossible."

"I thought that too. I can't believe I forgot it until just now. Oh no." Kaien-dono attacks the hollow, jumping onto its back and going to slice it in half from behind. He's holding one of the tentacles. I wince as his Zanpakuto shatters.

"Kaien-dono!" Rukia goes for her Zanpakuto, to help, and both Ukitake-taicho and I hold her back. Ukitake-taicho grabs her wrist, keeping her from drawing her sword, and I grab her shoulder. "Captain! Onee-sama! Please…let go of me! Kaien-dono…if we don't help Kaien-dono…"

"If we help him…what will happen to his pride? Surely, if you jump in now, you can save his life. However, at the same time, you will also have murdered his pride."

"Pride is not important…in comparison to life!"

"Rukia-chan."

"Remember this. There are two types of fights. Whenever we are in battle, we must be one of the two. The fight for life or the fight for pride. Right now…he's fighting for pride! His wife's pride…his men's pride…most importantly, his own personal pride. Dismiss this as his stubbornness…and let him fight on alone like this." Rukia nods and backs down. We watch and I gasp when the tentacles go inside Kaien-dono's arm.

"Kaien-dono!"

"Yes? You called…Ojou-san?" Kaien-dono turns and I gasp.

"Ka-Kaien-dono…"

"Why do you keep calling my name? Am I that popular with the girls?" He looks up and I step back slightly. The hollow possessed his body. "Since you like me so much…let me eat you!" I pull out Zenbonyukiro and block him from attacking Rukia.

"Oh no you don't!"

"Onee-sama…"

"Run, Rukia-chan!"

"Ah…"

"Start running! Do you want to die?!" She turns and runs away, crying. I slide my sword out of Kaien-dono's mouth and get ready. "Captain, please leave as well. I would like to handle this on my own. And you don't need to stress yourself too much." He nods and starts after Rukia. Kaien-dono starts to follow them and I keep pace with him.

"Why don't you attack already? Oh, I know. You're trying to figure out how to kill me, without hurting your friend." I smirk and run at him.

"Not at all. I was waiting for you to start talking." I attack him, running past and barely managing not to slice his head off.

"Oh, you'll attack a comrade? Without hesitation."

"You may inhabit the body of my comrade; however, you are not him. You are a filthy creature that would stoop to this level to win a fight. I'll have you know, I am not the type that would hesitate to attack and kill my own brother if he were your victim. Dream, Zenbonyukiro." He hits my sword, and starts laughing when it shatters upon impact.

"What a pathetic Zanpakuto! If it shatters after one hit!"

"Heh, look around you." He looks around and notices the snow.

"What's this…snow?" I nod and gather the snow around him, slicing him to bits. I pull back and make sure he's dead. The hollow, as well as Kaien-dono. Rukia-chan and Ukitake-taicho show up and I stare at them.

"I thought you were retreating."

"You had problems last night…"

"It's over. Both…the hollow, and Kaien-dono…are dead."

"You couldn't separate…"

"No. That was clear in the beginning. Kaien-dono is a soul, technically, so was the hollow. They were fused; the only way to kill one was to kill the other."

"Thanks…" Huh?

"I guess I was wrong."

"For…letting me fight till the end…"

I sit up. Why am I dreaming about that? Is it because the Shiba blamed Rukia-chan for Kaien-dono's death, and so she feels horrible? Or is it because of this strange hopelessness I've felt since the execution got pushed up? I hope that Kurosaki-kun managed to gain Bankai. I get dressed and head for the office. Whatever we do to save Rukia-chan, it has to be today.