Disclaimer: Although I would very much want Ukitake Juushirou or Byakkun to be real and mine, but sadly they are not and they belong to Kubo Tite who also owns BLEACH and all the other gorgeous characters. Only the OCs Kuroki Yuu and Tsubasa are mine.

(From now on only Japanese words that were unexplained before will be in italic format. They will be explained at the end of each chapter just like before. Emphasizes are bolded and in italics, so as to separate them from the former.)


Chapter 29 – Going home.

"Taichou!" Abarai Renji shouted when he spotted the familiar white Haori. He had come to help his Captain after sending Tsubasa to Unohana-Taichou, but was delayed by the never ending amount of Hollows that obstructed his way. When he finally saw the familiar back of his captain, the red head heaved a sigh of relief. He was glad to see him uninjured.

But someone seems to be missing.

Could it be…?

"Taichou…" Renji stood there, watching his Taichou who is kneeling on the pure white sand, head lowered like a defeated soldier. Is this the same Kuchiki Byakuya he knew? As his Vice-Captain, Renji had spent most of his time following behind this arrogant noble, watching his tall, confident back day after day. Yet now, he could only feel loneliness and sadness from this same back. "My apology that I'm late…"

"It is not your fault, Renji." Picking up the sword that now carries Kuroki Yuu's spiritual energy within, Byakuya stood up and gently dusted the sand off Kotogeume's cold, red sheath. "Let's go home, Yuu... Let me bring you home…" He said softly as he removed his scarf and wrapped Kotogeume up with the Kuchiki family heirloom.

Silly it might be, but he wants to keep it warm. Because the Kuroki Yuu he knows hated the cold.


Days had passed since the incident, and Kuchiki Byakuya finally mustered enough courage to face the young man who is now looking at him eyes full of tears.

Raising the now cleaned Kotogeume, Kuchiki Byakuya handed the sword to Tsubasa, who was still bedridden due to his injuries.

"Ojou…" With trembling hands, the loyal attendant took the red sword. A single tear drop rolled down his cheeks, meeting his trembling lips. "How… could this…"

"I am sorry…" Going down to his knees, Byakuya knelt down beside the bed of Tsubasa's. Of course, who would believe such ridiculous things could happen? He too, had spent days locked up in his room, staring at his hands and Senbonzakura, trying to figure out if what happened was real. Had he really killed Kuroki Yuu with this pair of hands?

When he first visited Tsubasa at his ward, the badly injured boy was still in coma, totally oblivious to what has happened. If the departure of Kuroki Yuu could pain him so much, Byakuya believed it would definitely tear this poor boy's heart apart.

The images of the Royal Servant's painful expression, how she was on the ground begging for him to help her were still on loop in Byakuya's mind. They would appear whenever he closes his eyes, together with her tearful expression and her very last smile.

Yes, her very last smile.

"Yuu… She was smiling…" Byakuya said softly. "She was smiling when she left…"

The young attendant, who is now sobbing and hugging onto Kotogeume tightly, nodded and managed to curve his trembling lips upwards slightly. "…It… It must be a really beautiful smile…"

"Yes…" Byakuya nodded too. "That beautiful smile you once told me you cherish and wish to protect..."

"Thank you…" Tsubasa extended one of his hands and grabbed onto Byakuya's arm. "Thank you for helping me to protect it… Thank you for helping Ojou-sama to end her pain… She must have been so frightened… Thank you for being there for her…"

"What are your plans…?" Byakuya asked, worried for this loyal boy. Yuu had wanted him to watch over Tsubasa. He must keep to this promise. "Why not come back to the Kuchiki house?"

Where could he go? Tsubasa wondered. Without his mistress, he did not belong anywhere. Not even the streets of Rukongai. He had no home, no family. Kuroki Yuu was his only family member. With Yuu, he even had a chance to stay in the palace. But without Yuu, he had nothing. No money, no status. He wasn't even an official guard or attendant acknowledged by the Royal Family.

Yes, that damn Royal Family who murdered Yuu.

"I shall… I need…" Tsubasa stammered between sobs. "I need to get back… to the palace... I have to report to the King… about Ojou-sama's departure… And I want to retrieve Ojou-sama's belongings…"

Byakuya nodded. Though still worried for Tsubasa, he will have to let him go. If only he could follow him to the palace, but he clearly knows it is forbidden. "I understand. Though Unohana-Taichou said you could be released from here, but your injuries are still in bad shape and you will need plenty of rest. So stay at my manor for a few more days before you set off."


After he was released, Tsubasa went back to the Kuchiki manor and stayed to recuperate. Every morning, he would arrive at the dining room before Byakuya does to help set up the table. Then, along with Rukia, the three of them will have breakfast together. Though the injuries slowed him down, but Tsubasa will always volunteer to serve Byakuya and it made the young noble head very glad because he thought Tsubasa seems to have slowly forgotten his grieve. Hence he gave the young boy a brand new sword in replace to the one he lost in Hueco Mundo, saying he could train using it once his injuries are healed. Hopefully this will also help occupy his mind and let him forget about his unhappiness.

Today was just like one of those days. Byakuya got up from bed, got ready for work and headed to the dining room for breakfast. He had arranged for a meeting with Kurotsuchi Mayuri and wish that Tsubasa would tag along as it concerns him as well. But when he entered the room, Tsubasa wasn't there.

"Kuchiki-sama!" The servant who Byakuya appointed to take care of Tsubasa came running to the dining room. "Tsubasa-san is missing!"

Byakuya should have know, how could he expect a boy with a heart full of pain, hatred and questions to stay quietly in his chamber and pretend that nothing has happened?

When Byakuya went to the young attendant's room, his new sword and his battle attire were missing. "Go check if Kuroki-Taishi's horse is still in our stable." He ordered the servant who followed him back to Tsubasa's room.

"Hai!"

Byakuya sighed as he exited Tsubasa's room and entered the one next to it. It was the room Kuroki Yuu had her long stay in. He looked around. The white Yukata Byakuya gave Yuu was folded neatly and placed on top of her set of drawers, and Kotogeume was left untouched on the sword rack right beside.

Then there was the box which Yuu stored her key. A key which Royal Servants use to open the path that leads them to another dimension, where the palace is located.

"Kuchiki-sama!" It was the servant who Byakuya sent to check the stables. "The black horse is missing too!"

"That silly boy…" Byakuya shook his head in disbelief and sighed again. He picked up the box on Yuu's drawers and opened it up. As he had expected, it was empty. The key is gone. "Please be alright…" Byakuya prayed. "Yuu… You will watch over him right?"


With the sword Byakuya gave him strapped to his back, Tsubasa rode his favorite black mare towards the palace at high speed. Pain had returned to the injuries on his body as the horse galloped. But this pain becomes nothing, when compared to the pain and anger in his heart.

"How could he play with her life?" Tsubasa shouted out loud angrily. "How could he take Ojou-sama's life as an experiment?"

Arriving at the large, palace door, Tsubasa got down his horse and cleared his throat. If he goes straight to his point about his plan to question the King, the guards will definitely stop him.

"I'm here to see His Majesty. This is urgent." Tsubasa said with an emotionless expression and tone. "Kuroki Yuu-Taishi has departed unexpectedly."

Upon hearing the news, the guards widened their eyes and allowed Tsubasa through immediately. Who would have thought that the confident Royal Servant would die at such a young age?

He had always felt small and uneasy when it comes to meeting the King and the Advisor in that large room. Every time when Yuu had to meet the King, Tsubasa would stay in his mistress' chamber because the Advisor always had something nasty to say about him. So he hid.

The King might seem like a forgiving and patient old man at times, especially towards his mistress and her unacceptable words and actions. Tsubasa had always wondered why, but now he finally understands that he behaves kindly towards Yuu because Yuu held the Royal Family's biggest and most hideous secret.

Tsubasa stood tall, as he strode towards that room which he once dreaded visiting. He needs to look confident and be aggressive, because the King might be a changed man since Yuu had died and the cat is out of the bag.

"I knew it! I knew this day would come!" When Tsubasa entered the room, the Advisor was walking around the room nervously. A messenger had sent the news over before Tsubasa could arrive at the throne room. "Your Majesty! Now you shofuld finally believe me when I said she is good for nothing."

Rolling his eyes, Tsubasa gave the large and heavy door a hard slam. He purposely did it real hard to show his annoyance even though it might cost his head. But he could not care less.

"And here comes the-"

"Your Majesty," Tsubasa started talking and bowed when the advisor have yet to finish his sentence. The raven haired boy stared at the King, nodded and smiled. "It has been awhile."

The Advisor's eyes widened. "Where are your manners you ser-"

"I'm here to bring you… news. Good or bad, you decide. I believe you understand that this is an urgent matter, but looks like your advisor here has no sense of urgency at all." Tsubasa look from the King to the Advisor and gave the old man a glare. "Advisor, I'm trying to talk here yet you kept interrupting. Where had your manners gone?"

"Advisor," The King called for his right hand man, "let him speak."

"Just like you might have heard, Kuroki-sama has left us. She travelled to Hueco Mundo in order to save me from the traitors' hands. Despite her capabilities in battle, her life had ended unexpectedly. This shows that she must have been in a very terrible situation during the fight."

"Yes." The King nodded. "This is devastating news and definitely a great loss for our side."

"Really?" Tsubasa snickered. "Pardon my ignorance, since I am not an educated person. But I have no idea what adverb could be strong enough to describe my grieve then, if the departure of Yuu-sama is a great loss for the Royal Family."

"I understand your pain, but there is nothing we can do. I gave no orders for her to go to Hueco Mundo, I did not cause Kuroki-Taishi's death. So why are you directing your anger at me?"

"You did not cause her death? Hah! You played with her soul and life, now you tell me you did not cause her death?"

The King kept quiet and did not answer while the Advisor's jaw dropped.

"It was an agreement." The King finally said. "We did not force her to do it."

"Very concise… I should have expected this answer." Tsubasa turned, all ready to leave. He had no more reasons to speak with this man. "I shouldn't have come, expecting an explanation from a being like you. I will just grab Yuu-sama's belongings and go. We will not see each other again."

"Wait." The King got up from his throne and approached Tsubasa. "Do you think you could leave that easily?"

Tsubasa raised a brow. "What do you want from me?"

"For so many years, both the Royal Family and Kuroki Yuu herself spent so much effort to keep the fusion experiment a secret. No outsiders were allowed to know. Not even fellow Diplomats." The King then nodded to the Advisor, signaling him for something. "So how can I let you roam around Soul Society with knowledge it?"

"So you want me to shut up?"

"Of course. We have an image to upkeep. I certainly hope no others know about this incident."

Tsubasa kept quiet. He actually heard this from Kuchiki Byakuya. But smelling something fishy, Tsubasa decides to keep quiet. Byakuya had helped him and his mistress a lot. He can't possibly drag him into deeper trouble. "I believe you did sent Kuchiki Byakuya Taichou and his Lieutenant to get Kuroki-sama, but they brought me back instead. If a Shinigami was there… If anyone was there… Ojou-sama could have been saved!"

"I thought Yamamoto Soutaichou said you were brought back to Seireitei before Kuchiki Byakuya came back with news of Kuroki Yuu's death?" The King pressed further and eyed Tsubasa suspiciously. "If you did not witness her death, how would you know about the fusion?"

"Because she told me the truth before I was brought back to the Seireitei… She probably felt it is time…"

Ignoring Tsubasa, the old man started to list down the people who might know about the fusion. "Meaning Kuchiki Byakuya knows about it too…"

"He does not… Kuroki-sama told me the truth prior to his arrival. When he finally arrived at Hueco Mundo, Kuroki-sama's body had already vanished." Tsubasa started saying his own version of the story to hide the truth. "Abarai Renji-Fukutaichou brought me back to Seireitei while Kuchiki Byakuya-Taichou stayed, probably to fight Aizen Sousuke…"

"Oh?" The old man raised a brow. He did not take Tsubasa's words fully, but if he starts a search and interrogates innocent people, then more would learn about this hideous experiment. On top of that, he trusts that Kuchiki Byakuya would not try anything funny to put his family into a difficult position. Clearing his throat, he raised a hand slightly and said, "Do your job, people! Get rid of this servant boy!"

In the blink of an eye, Tsubasa was held down by many strong man dressed in black and they had his hands cuffed up by a special device to hold criminals down. It was a pair of handcuffs that could suppress a wearer's Reiatsu and drain his energy.

"So now you want to kill me so that you could upkeep that damn image of yours?" Tsubasa spat as he struggled to break free. He can't die now! He has yet to do anything for his mistress! But now, here he is, held down by some men and getting his energy drained by a stupid device. Why can't he defend himself? Why is he just a servant?

Wait. Yes, he is just a servant…! With this thought striking him, Tsubasa stopped struggling and snickered.

"Wipe that smile of your face, boy!" The King commanded.

"Thanks to the traitors, now almost all of Soul Society knows your existence, Your Majesty. The news had spread further when Ojou-sama went to work with the Gotei Thirteen. Have you forgotten who my host in Seireitei is?"

"Kuchiki Byakuya? Hah! Why would the Head of the highest noble family care about a low servant such as you?"

"Sadly, he will." Tsubasa nodded with a smirk. "Trust me."

"And so what even if he does?" The King was starting to get impatient.

"He might not know about your hideous secret regarding the fusion." Tsubasa lied. "But he knows I am here to see you today. I believe by now, almost all Royal Guards and Servants know why am I here to see you today. Many of them must be dying to see me and ask me questions, especially Diplomats who are eyeing the Ambassador Position. So if you kill me silently… Kuchiki-sama and many of your Royal Servants will start wondering where I've went after meeting the King? What did His Majesty do to that servant boy? Things will get suspicious…"

"Then have him beheaded in front of everybody at the mass hall using the Public Sentence, Your Majesty!" The Advisor said. "Tell them he had failed as a Royal Servant Guard or has committed treason!"

"Pardon my rudeness, but seems like your memory is failing as you age sir. What Royal Servant Guard? I'm just a low servant remember? My name is not registered in that book of yours so I don't own such fancy title." Tsubasa said sarcastically, the smirk still on his face. "Secondly, I thought Public Sentences in the mass hall are only for Royal Guards, Servants or higher? Oh such honor! Everyone would wonder why a servant like me has this special privilege. Of course, to thank you, my last words before my head drops would be the secret itself."

"You…!" The Advisor clenched his fists. "Your Majesty, I say we have him locked up while I think of a solution."

"No need." The King stopped his Advisor. "Though Kuroki Yuu was quite difficult to handle, but I must admit she did a good job as a Royal Servant, so I will be kind and let his favorite servant off. I will just have to ensure that you firstly, stay away from the Seireitei as far as possible and secondly, be in a place where no one will ever believe a word from you."

Away from Seireitei? Where no one knows or cares about the existence of a King…?

Tsubasa gasped silently. Banishment to Rukongai?

"You deserve the highest ranking of all districts, the magical number eighty." The King mocked as he gave Tsubasa a glare. "I shall let you choose the area you like. Would you like north, south, east or west? Don't worry, this is not banishment. I'm just throwing you there to fend for yourself and let you see how playing with life is really about. By then, you would be thanking me for giving both you and Kuroki Yuu such good living conditions."

"You…!" Tsubasa clenched his teeth and started struggling again. His face turning red due to anger but he was beginning to feel weak with his Reiatsu drained.

"No answer from him, Your Majesty." The Advisor added. "Why not you decide?"

"Hm… West then. The scenery there should be nice. Do a clean job, my men."

"Yes, Your Majesty." The men dressed in black bowed in unison and vanished with flash step with Tsubasa.


A long time had passed since his banishment to District Eighty. Maybe a year? Maybe two? Tsubasa had lost count. The whole village was deadly quiet. This small village that sits in a dark corner of District Eighty, the very last district one could find in Soul Society.

No, this whole place appears more like a battle field than a village. Day time never comes, because even the sunlight feels depressing here. Fights and crimes were common and nobody has a friend in this scary village. Every morning, Tsubasa would be woken up by screams and by night, he would fall asleep because sadness, exhaustion, cold and hunger would knock him out.

Back then, before Kuroki Yuu found him on the streets and brought him to the palace, he did stayed in District Twenty-Eight of South Rukongai for quite some time. Everyone in Soul Society knows that the higher the digits, the further a District is from Seireitei. The further a District is from Seireitei, the more corrupted it is.

If trying to survive in District Twenty-Eight was tough, then life in Eighty is pure hell and torturous. Though it had been a long time since the banishment, but Tsubasa has yet to adapt to the way of life in this place. Here, either you kill for a living, or you kill for fun. No one sees life as something important.

He was always hunted, because the Reiatsu he emitted was very different from the other villagers. He was like an alien. Though rarely, but time to time, he would get food from souls that still had a bit of kindness left in them. Other than that, he will have to starve. Every day he just kept running and if he could, he would find a dark corner to hide and get some rest. Like today, he had just escaped a Hollow and is now hiding in a small cave, his body all curled because of hunger and cold. There is also a painful wound in his stomach where a Hollow had managed to slash him.

He watched as the rain drops hit the slightly flooded ground, forming uncountable number of ripples. It reminded him of the day when he met his mistress on the streets of District Twenty-Eight. How embarrassed she looked when she told him she only own one parasol and they had to share.

Every night he would dream of his mistress. In his dream, Kuroki Yuu would be sitting in her chamber, smiling at him. Tsubasa will struggle to speak in his dream because he wants to say goodbye, yet each time, he could not utter a word and would wake up with a face full of tears.

He does not resent Yuu for leaving him alone though, because even though she is not here with him anymore, he could feel her existence. She must be right by his side, watching over him like how she had promised. If not he wouldn't have survived the life here.

Tightening his grab on his sword, Tsubasa tried to fight against sleep. He will not allow exhaustion to take over him now. The day is still early and if he let his guards down, he would be dead for sure.

"Found ya, rat!"

Widening his eyes in shock, Tsubasa dropped his sword when the loud voice from one of the men who was hunting him yesterday appeared. The man approached him slowly, his large axe in his hand. Nervously, Tsubasa crawled forward to pick up the sword Kuchiki Byakuya gave him, but cried in pain when his arm was squashed by the feet of that man.

"You sure can run eh." The man bent down to pull the sword away from Tsubasa.

"Give… it back…" Tsubasa managed to say with clenched teeth.

"By the feel of your Reiatsu…" The man threw Tsubasa's sword to his back, sending it out of the cave. "You mean you were one of the Shinigami's dog? Don't make me laugh!"

"No…!" Tsubasa gasped when he heard the clang of his sword hitting on the rocks as it fell down the cliffs. "How… dare you!" Tsubasa finally managed to pull his hand from under the man's feet. He strikes at the man with bare hands angrily. But the little strength he had could do no damage.

"Tch." The man snickered. "Game's over." He grabbed onto Tsubasa's neck, lifting the thin boy up and strangling him.

That's it. Tsubasa thought. He kept struggling for air but to no avail. His eyes were starting to blur and his mind clouded. It was like something had intruded his mind and blocking everything out. Suddenly, he heard a voice. Not his mistress' gentle voice, but a cold, masculine one. "Finally…" The voice started speaking. "This day have arrived… My child…"

"Who are you…?" Tsubasa asked in his subconscious.

"I admire your loyalty and will to survive, child. With my strength and power from the nature, we shall combine our forces and become one." The voice started to chant. "With my help, you could let these impudent creatures melt into the wind and fade away… for my name is…"

"Ka…" Tsubasa finally regained his vision as he stared at the man who is strangling him. "Kaze ni…"

"Hah?" The man tightened his grab at Tsubasa's neck. "What did you say?"

"Kaze nitokeru…" Tsubasa raised his badly bruised hand. "Washihane!"

This time, it was the man who widened his eyes and dropped Tsubasa, when a strong gust of wind sent him backwards, out of the cave, just like how he threw his sword. He then screamed as he fell off the cliff. His echo was loud, but it slowly faded.

Gasping for all the air he could take in, Tsubasa tried to regain his composure. Raising his hand, he found a sword in his hand. It has a brown handle that gradually becomes an ivory color at the guard. Continuing from the guard, the blade is white too and is shaped in an unusual way. It is broader than common swords and has a rather rounded tip, like an elongated version of an oval. Both edges of its blade were jagged in an aggressive manner, each of them pointed and very sharp on its own. In other words, the whole sword resembles a feather.

"Washi… hane…?" Tsubasa mumbled under his breath and collapsed onto the wet ground. "Eagle's feather… Is this my… Zanpakutou?"

A cold but gentle breeze of wind entered the cave, surrounding Washihane and in a blink of an eye, its blade became normal. Though he now has his very own Zanpakutou, but summoning and releasing it did take a heavy toll on a beginner like him. Slowly, he sat up and rested his head on the walls of the cave as he fought sleep by forcing his eyes open, but light from the opening of the cave blinded him.

"Ano… Byakuya-sama, I think I found him…" A female voice called, her voice echoing in the cave. Her voice sounded familiar, yet it was difficult to tell who it belongs to, as it lacked emotions.

Byakuya-sama? Tsubasa wondered if he had heard it correctly. Even though the female started approaching him slowly, Tsubasa could see nothing with his blurred vision. The only thing he managed to observe was that she was dressed in black, with a tinge of red hanging at her hips. She also had black long hair. It reminded him of her when she was young…

"Ojou…" He managed to whisper.

"He is armed with a Zanpakutou, Byakuya-sama." The female drew her sword and pointed it at Tsubasa nervously. "Please be careful."

"He will do us no harm." It was Kuchiki Byakuya's voice this time. "He is the person I've been searching for. Bring him back to the manor."

"Hai!"


"Hey! You're finally awake!"

Tsubasa frowned and sighed when he felt the heaviness in his head. Slowly, he opened his eyes and tried to adjust to the bright sunlight when something red hovered over him.

"Oi! Can you hear?" The same voice asked. "Oi Tsubasa!"

"Ren… ji?" When his vision finally cleared, Tsubasa managed to see the owner of that voice and red hair. He gasped and sat up immediately when he realised it was Abarai Renji. "Renji? Ouch…"

"Hey, take it easy!" Renji pushed Tsubasa to lie down again.

"Is it really you…?" Tsubasa rubbed his eyes. He wasn't seeing things, was he?

"Who else would have loud hair and tattoos like those, Tsubasa?" A female voice suddenly added.

"Rukia…!" Tsubasa was surprised to see the young lady. He then looked around, this room seems familiar. "Am I in… Squad Four?"

"Yup!" Renji nodded. "In the very good hands of Unohana-Taichou."

"Why…?" Tsubasa asked. He tried recalling what happened before he got knocked out. The petals like blades, the strong Reiatsu, the green scarf… Did Kuchiki Byakuya really…

"I see you're awake." The familiar cold and low voice of Kuchiki Byakuya interrupted his thoughts and confirmed his answer. "Rukia, Renji, do leave us."

"Hai!" The two youngsters nodded and left promptly.

"Bya… Byakuya-sama…"

"How are you feeling?" Byakuya sat onto the chair beside Tsubasa's bed.

Tsubasa nodded slightly in reply. "Were you… the person who brought me here…?"

Byakuya sighed and got up as he approached the window, watching the clear blue sky. "Ahh…" He nodded. "My apology that I took so long…"

"Please don't say that, Byakuya-sama!" Tsubasa sat up. "You have no obligations at all to risk your life and look for me in Rukongai."

"I started the search when you did not return from the palace. All Eighty Districts in all four areas. Sadly you just had to be in the very last District of the very last area. But why are you there? Did the King sent you there? Because of… the secret?"

Tsubasa nodded. "But it's all over… Thank you very much for helping me again… I… How should I repay-"

Byakuya raised a hand to signal for Tsubasa to stop talking. "There is someone I would like you to meet."

"Eh…?" Tsubasa tilted his head.

"Come in, Yuu."

Staring at the door with his eyes widened, Tsubasa wondered if the lady who stumbled into his ward was real.

"Y-Yes Byakuya-sama?" Yuu bowed. Her long hair which was tied into a high pony tail swayed to the front. She was dress in a pink Yukata.

"As I have always mentioned to you," pointed to the bed where the young men rested, "this is Tsubasa."

Yuu nodded slightly and lowered her head. "Nice to meet you, Tsubasa-dono."

"Ojou-sama…!" Tsubasa exclaimed. "Why… are you addressing me like that…?"

Byakuya sighed and approached Yuu, patting her shoulders to signal for her to straighten herself. "Forget the honorific. Tsubasa is younger than you. Just address him by name. Back then you addressed him by name too."

Yuu nodded. She then took a step forward to stand beside Tsubasa's bed when Byakuya gently pushed her back. "I hope it is fine with you, Tsubasa." Yuu gave a slight smile. "Byakuya-sama always tell me I have a brother-like figure and his name was Tsubasa. I doubted him because I was alone ever since I could remember but now… seems like it is real after all."

Gently, Tsubasa grabbed hold onto Yuu's thin hand. Although her eyes and tone were emotionless, but her hands were slightly warm, just like how he remembered the old Kuroki Yuu. "Real… You are real…"

"I brought Kotogeume over to Kurotsuchi-Taichou, and requested him to research on it." Byakuya started to explain. "This was something unusual and new, but he still managed to bring Yuu back. The same method he used to create his daughter, Kurotsuchi Nemu."

"Create…?" Tsubasa look at Byakuya, puzzled. He was still holding onto Yuu's hand and had no intention of letting go.

"It is quite complicated, but to summarize, he extracted her soul from Kotogeume and have it placed in a Gigai. A permanent one."

"So this body isn't real…" Tsubasa stare at the thin hands he was holding onto, as if trying to memorize every detail he could see.

"The experiment took the whole summer to complete. At first I was quite disturbed that we could not bring the real Kuroki Yuu back despite all the effort we put in. She couldn't speak and remembered nothing. All she ever did was sit in the garden and stare at the withered trees during autumn, brush snow off the withered plants during winter. I started to wonder if what I did was right." Gently, Byakuya placed his hand on Yuu's head and patted. "But one day when spring was finally here, she picked a newly bloomed cherry blossom, called my name, smiled at me and placed the small flower in my hand. At that point I thought, it didn't matter anymore… Her body might not be real, but her soul is still Kuroki Yuu."

"Ahh…" Tsubasa nodded. "Thank you Byakuya-sama… Thanks to you, Ojou-sama could return to her old self…"

"So this is really how Yuu was like last time?" Byakuya snickered. "It took me quite some time to get use to her speaking so gently and not swearing. But at least her troublesome allergies are gone with a new body. Recently she started taking a liking to strawberries."

Tsubasa chuckled. "If only there were emotions in her eyes…"

"Give her time." Byakuya smiled. "Since it took her quite some time to regain speech and learn how to smile, I believe she will slowly learn more."

"Un." Tsubasa nodded again. "So… I believe she is under your care now?"

"She is currently my employee. But don't worry, I don't let her do chores. I plan to slowly train her to help me with the recording of history, like what she had done as a Royal Servant."

"I see…" Tsubasa heaved a sigh of relieve.

"You too, come and work for me." Byakuya suggested immediately. "Come and work for the Kuchiki."

"Eh?"

"As you can see, Yuu still has a lot to learn and needs a lot of supervision. But as a captain of the Gotei, I have duties to attend and cannot look after her all the time. So why not you come and help me take care of her?"

Tsubasa felt like he couldn't breathe. This offer, together with everything that has happened were all too sudden and amazing it did not feel real at all. "B-But… I was banished to the Rukongai… To District Eighty… Can I really…?"

"If I am bothered by that, I wouldn't have brought you back."

"Byakuya-sama…"

"You will be paid a salary just like the other servants in the manor, so I expect you to work just as hard." Byakuya said firmly. "I also expect you to train hard so you could give Yuu proper protection and not waste that Zanpakutou of yours. I am firm and demanding when it comes to my employees, because they present the house as much as I, the head of the family do. Do you understand?"

"…Hai!" Tsubasa straightened himself and replied promptly.

"I will go speak to Unohana-Taichou about your release from Squad Four. Upon released, you will move into my manor and start working." Approaching Tsubasa again, Byakuya handed him Washihane. "To be honest I am rather surprised that you managed to obtain your Zanpakutou. I shall return it to you. Make good use of it and protect Yuu. I don't want to lose her again…"

"Me too... It will never happen again, Byakuya-sama! I promise you!" Tsubasa bowed deeply. "Thank you… Thank you very much… My Lord."


End of Chapter