Thank you to the Guest who left me a review on my last chapter! Hopefully your questions will get answered soon ;)

The weeks continued similarly to how they'd started.

Hisana studied in the Academy during the week but her time studying with Captain Kuchiki had moved to Saturday afternoons. Hisana was happy with the arrangement. Once a few rumours had started spreading that a Captain was giving private lessons on the Monday morning, a lot of students had started sneaking into the grounds to observe and Hisana found it increasingly more complicated to keep her concentration with so many sets of eyes on her.

It didn't help that her power was growing, daily.

She was now acutely aware of the spiritual pressure levels of each of the other students. It was an indescribable feeling, one she'd found herself trying to explain to Toki when they took their usual Sunday walk through the outer district market places.

'I can only describe it like flavour…' Hisana frowned down at the ground, 'everyone has one, but you don't taste it on your tongue, you feel it in your whole body. Some people feel cold, others feel hot, some don't feel like anything.'

'What do I feel like?' Toki grinned at her. Hisana had been anticipating the question and smiled softly to her friend.

'You feel playful, very playful,' she laughed.

'So my Zanpakuto will shoot plushies or something?' Toki laughed and Hisana grinned.

There had been something niggling at the back of Hisana's mind for a while now. Fire continued to ravage her dreams, and from the blaze she could see the silhouette of a man, and behind him something smaller, calling out to her.

But she could never hear what it was saying.

'Hisana?'

She stopped and turned to Toki who was waiting beside her favourite fruit stall with a raised eyebrow.

'Sorry,' Hisana walked back, she'd been lost in thought again. It had been happening increasingly as her power grew, so Toki didn't look too concerned. Instead her friend smiled.

'Can't leave without buying something,' she nudged Hisana with her elbow, 'maybe you can buy your Captain something too?'

Hisana rolled her eyes fondly, trying to dismiss the heat she could feel licking at her cheeks. Her Captain. It shouldn't have sent a thrill down her body to hear those words.

'I don't think he likes sweet foods,' Hisana said, 'each time he's been served food and we've eaten together it has always been spicy or hot foods.'

'He sounds like a noble,' Toki scoffed, 'what is it with men and hot food? Is it an ego thing?'

They chatted and bought some small pieces of fruit that they could spare. The Academy didn't directly pay students, but there were little jobs and missions some could take on the side that would usually earn them some spare change. Hisana and Toki always offered to help with cleaning, it was therapeutic and pretty straight forward. It meant on the weekends, they could browse the market selections, though they'd always leave with the same thing, a little paper bag with a meager amount of fruit inside.

They went back to the academy and Hisana was just about to head for her usual practice spot when she was approached by a woman wearing a beautifully modest white and pale blue floral kimono.

'Inuzuri -san?' she asked.

Hisana wasn't used to being addressed formally, it took her by surprise.

'Yes?' she asked.

'I am Yua, a koshimoto at the Kuchiki manor,' she bowed low and Hisana opened her mouth to ask her not to, when she continued, 'Captain Kuchiki is working today but has sent me to ask if you would like to have your lesson at the Kuchiki manor, where it will be more private?'

Hisana could feel Toki breathing down her neck. She was curious about the Captain just as much as Hisana was, and a private invite to his manor may uncover some secrets, but she was torn. She didn't wish to disturb Captain Kuchiki if he had a lot of work to do.

'I can continue my lessons with Captain Kuchiki next week if he is busy, I do not wish to intrude, Yua-san' Hisana said bowing back to the servant. The other woman became visibly flustered at the formality and bowed lower still.

'It is still the Captain's wish that you should join him today,' Yua said.

'I do not wish to be a burden,' Hisana replied, bowing lower still.

'Oh for goodness sake, GO!' Toki pushed Hisana and she just barely had time to correct her posture and footing before she fell flat on her face. She turned to glare at her friend, who was grinning smugly at her. 'A Captain has invited you to practice in private, it's a chance for you to further your studies beyond anything we could ever achieve here.'

Hisana sighed, 'you're right.'

But she was still feeling rather upset that her friend had the audacity to push her.

'Besides,' Toki said, her expression softening, 'I know you've not been sleeping well. Captain Kuchiki might be able to give you advice. He probably remembers what it was like when his zanpakuto spirit came to him.'

Hisana had wanted to speak to Captain Kuchiki about her dreams since they'd started, but it always felt like something she shouldn't burden him with. He was a busy man, and she was sure he would rather spend his time training and attending to his noble duties than listening to a silly little girl prattle on about her bad dreams.

She gave Toki a soft smile, not wishing to outright lie to her friend that she would ask Captain Kuchiki for his advice, but Hisana had no intention of bothering him about them. Yua was pleased with the arrangement, and after another bow, lower than Hisana's last, turned to lead the way back to the manor.

It surprised Hisana that Yua was able to utilize various styles of Hoho. She supposed that was why the other woman was sent to retrieve her. If they'd walked at a normal pace it would have taken hours to reach the Sixth Division. Hisana was mesmerised as they travelled quickly and silently through the twisting and turning streets of the Seireitei. She was even more impressed that Yua knew the way and didn't once lead them down a dead end. Hisana was curious what every building was used for, it seemed an excessive number of buildings for the number of souls who resided within the Seireitei. A lot of the streets they travelled down were barren, not a soul to be seen, and as she glanced inside some of the windows it appeared a lot of the buildings were equally as empty.

They came upon the gates of the Sixth Division and then continued passed it. Hisana almost came to a halt, expecting them to go inside, her footsteps faltered and Yua hung back for her to catch back up.

'We're not going into the Sixth?' Hisana asked, though it appeared obvious.

'No, Captain Kuchiki's manor resides just outside of The Seireitei, but close to the East gate, so it made sense for us to pass through,' she flashed a smile back to her. Hisana continued to follow the servant, they passed through the Eastern gate managed by one of the giants and arrived at the large dark red gates of the Kuchiki manor. Just standing outside, Hisana got a feel for how vast the estate was. It suddenly dawned on her, just how different their worlds were. Captain Kuchiki was, not only a Captain of the Gotei 13th, but also the head of one of the four noble families. She'd known this of course, but seeing the vastness of his wealth somehow made it real. Hisana was overcome with emotion that he'd already invested a vast amount of time into her education and swore she'd work as hard as she could to make it worthwhile.

She wouldn't let his hard work go to waste.

Yua spoke with the guards outside who appraised Hisana with curious looks before opening the doors to the grounds. Once revealed to her, Hisana could do little more than gape.

The manor was a large building, mostly confined to the ground floor. An engawa supported by ancient dark wooden beams travelled around the front of the house and around the side. The roof that slopped toward the garden was made up of immaculate kawara clay tiles. They were painted a rich gold that reflected the light inside the large walls giving the illusion of a suntrap. Hisana was sure her mouth was hanging open as Yua lead her along the stone path and toward a small wooden bridge, under which a small river was flowing.

Because of course, Byakuya Kuchiki had a river.

Hisana was growing more anxious with every step she took, feeling more and more out of place. Where were they to train in a garden as beautiful as this? She was so worried about causing some serious damage to his home or the cultivation of the garden that looked like it had taken centuries to perfect.

They walked in silence, and Yua lead Hisana past the large doors that lead to the manors genkan, and around the side of the building. Hisana followed Yua closely as the other woman stepped up onto the engawa and proceeded to walk toward the very back of the manor. Hisana was sure they were entering the more private living quarters now, but rather than walking through the house, the servant had chosen to lead her through the gardens.

They moved around a large hedge that was blocking most of the gardens from sight, and Hisana spotted another smaller building with a dark red roof. There was something private about the area they now stood, though she couldn't put her finger on it.

'These are Captain Kuchiki's private grounds,' Yua confirmed her suspicions, 'normally no one but he may pass through here. We are given very strict times and days to enter this part of the garden, to carry out our duties.'

'The gardens are beautifully kept,' Hisana praised, meaning every word she said, 'I bet Captain Kuchiki must be proud of all the work you do.'

'That's such a kind thing for you to say,' Yua smiled back at Hisana, and she couldn't help but think there was something forlorn about the woman's gaze.

Deciding it best not to question the obviously emotional subject, Hisana was lead to a clear patch of grass and instructed to wait while Yua went to inform Captain Kuchiki of her arrival. The blooms of well cultivated flowers had attracted a large great purple emperor and Hisana was watching it when Captain Kuchiki arrived.

'We get a lot of the emperor butterflies at this time of year,' his rich voice startled her.

Hisana turned to him, hand over her heart and narrowed her eyes. He was well aware, by now, the difference in their power levels. She'd never fully gotten over how silently he could sneak up on her, and she often found her heart would thud an erratic rhythm the moment she became aware of his presence. She wished she was better at sensing spiritual pressure, so that he wouldn't catch her off guard and flustered.

'They're lovely,' she said after a moment, her hand dropping back to her side as she watched his eyes follow its movements, 'thank you very much, Captain Kuchiki, for inviting me here to continue our lessons,' Hisana said, bowing low to him.

He did not reply, but she'd hardly expected him too. When she straightened back up, she could see a distant look had crossed his face, even though his eyes were on her face. She could feel her cheeks heat, under the intense gaze of those metal-coloured irises.

A long, slightly awkward, silence stretched between them during which had Hisana fidgeted with her uniform. She wished he'd say something, or request that they get started, but he seemed to be regarding her instead. She opened her mouth, willing to say anything to break the tension, when he finally spoke.

'May I ask you a favour?' he asked.

'I-' Hisana was caught completely off guard, but hastened to compose herself, 'yes of course, Captain Kuchiki,' she bowed her head once more.

'When you're in my company like this,' he said gesturing to the empty private gardens upon which they now stood, 'you may call me Byakuya.'

Thank you for reading! Sorry for the slow updates! :D