Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach

"Normal Speech"

"Thoughts"

"Hollow Speech"

"Zanpakuto Speech"

"Flashback/Memories"

Lone Wolf's Broken Soul, Chapter 4

Kuchiki Byakuya, heir to the Kuchiki Clan, Grandson of the 27th Clanhead and Captain of the 6th Division Kuchiki Ginrei and son of Kuchiki Sojun the deceased Lieutenant of the 6th Division. The Kuchiki Clan was one of the Five Noble Families of the Soul Society. As the Clan Heir of the family, a lot of pressure was put on his shoulders, even more when his father died in action. He's been taught early in his life and his grandfather had already begun teaching him about being a shinigami and what there was to know about it. His grandfather had also asked the captain of the 2nd division to teach and train him in shunpo. Which he will admit these lessons were useful but that wretched werecat liked to play tag by stealing his hair ribbon and him having to chase after her. Anyway back to the topic. So it was no surprise that he was sent to the academy as soon as he was of age and his reiatsu was at a good developing rate. He's been considered a prodigy ever since he entered and his grades and achievements are a testament to that.

When he heard about the new student he was a bit curious of course. He got even more curious when he heard that the new student was the newly adopted little brother of the Shiba Heir, Shiba Kaien. All he knew was that he was a male, was tall and had bright orange hair. What he was sure of is that he has more than half of the students attention which means for him he finally gets some freedom from it. Especially the female students, the beasts of the academy, every boys nightmare. The way they followed one around the hungry look in their eyes and their squeals and whispers, these creatures are truly terrifying.

Not letting the opportunity of this peace pass he got today's menu from the cafeteria and went to his favorite place to eat it and maybe complete some of the assignments they received from the teachers. He always went to that clearing near the academy, it was outside of it but just close enough and he didn't get followed there and could get a few hours of tranquility and it had a beautiful sakura tree there. Not like the ones at the Kuchiki Manor but still beautiful enough.

When he arrived there he didn't expect someone to be there much less the new student everybody has been talking about. The first thing that he noticed about him was waist length bright orange hair. It was such an unnatural color he believed that it might be colored. He also saw that he was 5'11 tall and noticed he had lean built, you might not see it because of the uniform but it was noticeable if you looked and pale peachy skin. From the angle he was standing he saw the similarities he had to the lieutenant of the 13th.

When he finally turned towards him he seemed to freeze in place and his face became more pale and his eyes got a haunted look in them. He became slightly worried when he still didn't move from his frozen position after a few minutes and went towards him and placed a hand on his shoulder and shook him slightly and called out to him.

"Shiba-san? Shiba-san are you alright?" He seemed to shake himself out of whatever happened after he heard Byakuya talk to him and looked down at him and his face got some color back.

He then got a sheepish look on his face and rubbed his neck. "Ah, yes I'm alright, I'm sorry if I worried you. I'm Shiba Ichigo by the way. Nice to meet you.", he said and dropped his hand from his neck.

Byakuya was still a bit worried but also introduced himself," It's alright and I'm Kuchiki Byakuya the pleasure is mine Shiba-san." Ichigio frowned at him and Byakuya wondered if he did something wrong without his knowledge.

"You can call me Ichigo, I don't like honorifics much and calling me Shiba-san doesn't really suit me.", he told him. Ah yes, one of the famous Shiba traits was the dislike of honorifics, which was very well known. At least they reluctantly accept at Noble gatherings and such.

Byakuya nodded in response. "Do you come here often?", Ichigo asked him, while looking around a bit, after a bit of silence. The place was really beautiful and peaceful, it's a surprise that not more people came here, or maybe because they didn't get stared at or whispered about.

"Yes, as you can see it's a good place to sit down and to get away from the whispers and stares and the...females at the academy." Those creatures they call girls really are relentless at following him around with their hungry glint looks.

Ichigo looked at him then chuckled a bit at the pause. "Ah yes, I think the word for them is fangirls.", they both shuddered a bit at that word and the mental images that it brought. "Would you mind if I sit here with you?", Ichigo asked him after they're shudders passed.

Byakuya didn't mind the other's presence, in fact he kind of enjoyed it. It was different from what he's used to. "No, I don't mind." The two sat under the sakura tree and got to know each other, well in Ichigo's case the younger Byakuya, from that point on a friendly relationship started out between the two.

Over the months Ichigo and Byakuya developed a good friendship, they were practically best friends and both were considered prodigies in the academy(You can imagine Kaine's reaction to the news). Seems that they now also shared the nightmare of fangirls. When they're walking through the halls they always had to look over their shoulders because of those creatures.

Ichigo at first didn't know what to think of Byakuya. He seemed so...not stoic, showed his emotions more and surprisingly had a temper, which reminded him of himself when he was younger. He heard the stories of Byakuya in his youth but didn't believe a single word of them, but now he believed it and it was also quite amusing to watch him loose his temper. What was also interesting to learn was that Byakuya had quite the mouth on himself, he didn't even know that Byakuya could be this sarcastic sometimes.

When he first saw him at that clearing, all the memories came crashing down on him. How Byakuya had been sliced apart by Äs Nödt as he used his bankai against him and how broken he looked bleeding out and the words he spoke to him. Begging him to protect Soul Society. He never answered his request, he was sure Byakuya was going to survive. He luckily survived but then came the memories of his death. He was killed by a group of mutated Hollow Quincy breeds and a few Quincies with them, who ambushed a squad he and Byakuya were part of. The Hollow Hybrids had poisoned claws and Byakuya put himself in front of another shinigami who didn't see it coming and got three slashes down his chest. He tried to save him or at least keep him stable enough till help came but it was in vain. Byakuya asked him to makes sure Rukia, Renji, the rest and Soul Society were going to be alright or as alright they could be during and after a war. He promised him and Byakuya had died with a peaceful look on his face. What was worse bringing his body back to Rukia, who broke down when she saw his body. Or that he let her get killed and how Soul Society couldn't even be recognized as Soul Society anymore.

Now Ichigo and Byakuya were near the ending of the third year of the academy and Ichigo was studying at the clearing for the finals that were coming up, when Byakuya arrived with his books in tow and two bento boxes for the two of them. Byakuya the "kind" soul that he is had taken upon himself to bring him food, when he "accidentally" forgot it, as soon as he learned of Ichigo's eating habits. It wasn't his fault he couldn't stomach large amounts of food. In the war the food reserves sometimes got short and they had to lessen the portions. He could stomach more food now but still not the regular amount someone would eat.

Byakuya sat down next to him and gave him the bento box and a knowing look. He took it after a sheepish thanks. The two sat in comfortable silence and ate their food and went back to studying once they finished. They didn't know how hard the tests were going to be but they wanted to come prepared for it. That's when he remembered something Byakuya had once told him about and asked him about it.

"So how far you with finding out your zanpakuto's name?" He remembered when Byakuya told him he was close but at the same time far away from learning it. But that he also got a few glimpses of his zanpakuto spirit enough to make out how it looked like. Which he said looked like a male in samurai armor with purple robes, a demon mask covering his face and long brown hair tied in a high ponytail.

"I can feel that I'm getting close but at the same time I feel like I'm not doing any progress. Other than that there isn't much more but I saw him again for a few seconds.", he answered him. He looked slightly angered and disappointed at the fact and Ichigo felt slightly bad. He thought of what could be keeping Byakuya from learning his zanpakutos name. Then a thought occurred to him.

"What's your relationship with your zanpakuto? It could be that or more easily put, as what do you see your zanpakuto?" He didn't know the relationship between the Byakuya from his time and his zanpakuto so until he knew something there's not much he could try to help him.

"I see my zanpakuto as tool to be used and to fight with it against your enemies.", was his answer without any hesitation or doubt. Well, Shiro didn't like that answer at all. " A tool huh? I'll show you TOOL you little-",he cut the link with Shiro off before he heard his very colorful language. He couldn't blame him for his reaction and he could also feel the angered vibes off of Old Man Zangetsu.

"With that way of thinking it's no surprise he doesn't know the name of his zanpakuto yet. From what I learned from Byakuya, he's very prideful so his zanpakuto should also have that similar characteristic." Zanpakuto were a reflection of oneself but at the same time sort of the same person. So the spirit will also have a similar personality traits the wielder has and sometimes they could be the complete opposite. Which was always funny to learn from his friends.

"I think that may be the reason you're not closer to knowing your zanpakuto's name. I think it doesn't really like your way of thinking." Byakuya looked thoughtful at that statement and put a hand to his chin in thought. He then got a look of realization a moment later.

"I think you're right Ichigo, if I were my zanpakuto I think I wouldn't like my owner thinking of me that way and-", he stopped mid sentence when they both suddenly felt a shiver go down their spines and the color drained from their faces.

Before Byakuya could even fully pack up his things Ichigo was already done and grabbed Byakuya by the shoulders and took his things and shunpoed away to the academy chambers section. Byakuya staggered a little because of the sudden fast movement and looked at Ichigo once he steadied himself and kneeled and put his lowered his head on his hands. "Please train me!", he asked him.

Ichigo other the hand didn't know what to answer him. Heck, he didn't even expect that question to ever be asked to him. "Yo Kingy! If ya do train 'im, that way ya can make sure he doesn't get 'imself killed and is more trained for the future fights." Now that he thought about it he did have a point and he could rest easily knowing Byakuya is going to have a better chance at surviving the future.

"This is going to be fun.", he thought with an inward smirk. Shiro laughed with glee when he saw some of his king's thoughts of the training for Byakuya. Old Man Zangetsu still had an emotionless face but there was a ghost of a smirk on his lips.

"Well, you asked for it Byakuya. But you gotta be sure, because once we start we won't be stopping anytime soon.", he told him with a serious expression and a sadistic glint in it. Byakuya got a slight feeling of dread when he saw it but he was determined(and stubborn as heck). "Yes I'm sure.", he told him. His eyes fierce with determination and Ichigo saw then, he was a 100% sure of his decision.

"Well then, be ready Byakuya because I wont be showing you any mercy.", he told him then noticed something," And get off the floor. Who knows how dirty it is." Ichigo looked on in amusement as Byakuya got a slight blush on his face and quickly stood up and dusted himself off. Little did he know how sadistic Ichigo sometimes could be when he wanted to and he was going to be in a lot of pain in the future.

So, Ichigo starts training Byakuya. Hope y'all liked it! Oh, before I forget in the next chapter I'm gonna skip one or two academy years so don't be confused but I'll in which they are then and try writing longer chapters, Ja ne!!