Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Bleach.
Chapter 4: Protecting Him
When Hisana woke up early the next day, the very first sight which met her eyes was Kuchiki Byakuya dressing. Immediately, Hisana's face went red and threw the blanket over her head. "Byakuya-sama…" She squeaked.
The Kuchiki patriarch glanced at her blanket covered form and was tempted to smile. "I expected you to sleep longer. I apologize." He firmly tied the sash around his thin waist. Brushing his raven bangs from his eyes, he slid the door open. "Breakfast will be served for us in a few minutes. You may change before or after."
He only saw the vigorous bobbing of the small lump in the blanket made by his betrothed's head. Swiftly Byakuya exited, leaving Hisana alone in the room still red from what she saw. She slipped the cover off of her head and in the process made a mess of her hair. Hurriedly, the young woman combed her fingers through her hair in order to replace its original look. Resigning wearily from the task, Hisana sighed and closed her eyes, letting her hands fall neatly on her lap.
A flash of Byakuya's smooth, well-defined torso passed her eyes, startling her awake. Hisana shook her head and rubbed her forehead with a delicate hand. She got up and straightened out her yukata and went out the door also. She went straight to the dining room to find Byakuya waiting patiently for her. Automatically, a smile was ready on her face.
"After breakfast, we will go straight to the shinigami headquarters." He said, his deep obsidian eyes watching her sit down in the seat in front of him. Hisana nodded.
After breakfast Hisana quickly changed into a more presentable kimono and met the Kuchiki shinigami captain outside with a horse ready. She was not surprised to find it to be a brilliant white. A beautiful polished saddle sat upon the horse's back and she observed that there was only one horse. That either meant that she had to walk or ride with her Byakuya-sama. She hoped it was the latter.
Byakuya held out his hand. "You will mount first."
It was her first time on a horse and Hisana was afraid of how it would turn out. "I've never ridden a horse before." She said nervously.
Byakuya almost smiled reassuringly. "I will mount behind you. You must put your legs to one side so not to ruin your kimono. Good." With grace and ease of a man who had done it a thousand times over, he quickly mounted behind Hisana. The sixth division captain took hold of the worn reins and shook it. Before the petite woman could say any thing, they were already galloping through the gates. Hisana was clinging for dear life to the man behind her and she had her eyes tightly shut.
They tore down the street like a hurricane. Hisana heard the fast rhythm of the horse's pace as it pounded hard in her ears. She felt her husband-to-be pressing his chest against her side and his strong arms on either side of her. Upon opening one of her eyes, she saw the terrifying way the ground seemed to be blurring underneath them. She snapped her eye back shut.
"Oi! Hail the sixth division captain coming in with his new bride-to-be!" A voice called out at a booming volume.
The horse reared and sprang up on its hind legs, whinnying shrilly in surprise. Hisana clutched tighter to both Byakuya and the edge of the saddle. She felt one of his arms go around her waist protectively and securely so that she wouldn't fall off their ride.
It was when the horse was on all fours again that the tall shinigami captain helped his fiancé off the saddle carefully. To Hisana's astonishment, her kimono and her hair were all neatly in place.
"You look fine." He said simply in reassurance.
She looked flustered but it soon disappeared from her face when an enormous man slowly sauntered towards them. Hisana stared in wonder at the strange bucket-like mask over the man's face. He wore his shinigami captain uniform immaculately. Hisana only caught a glimpse of his large sword for it was strapped at his side.
"This must be your betrothed. Very pleased to meet your acquaintance. I am Komamura Sajin, captain of the seventh squad." The captain possessed a heavily vibrating tenor voice, almost at a growl.
Hisana bowed low. "I am pleased to meet you, Komamura-san."
The bucket head seemed to turn to face Byakuya. "Let's go. People are ready to congratulate you."
The couple followed the captain to a large oriental building where they were met with bursts of cheers and whistling. Byakuya sighed, almost in annoyance but stopped when Hisana quietly took his hand. It felt so natural that he didn't think twice about it. It was her who let go first in order to bow to the captains and vice-captains, causing him to suddenly crave for her touch once more.
"Welcome, Captain Kuchiki!" A large old man sat on a mounted chair cross legged.
Kuchiki Byakuya bowed low and Hisana followed suit. "I had not expected such a gathering, Yamamoto-sama."
YamamotoGenryuusai Shigekuni, the captain of the first division and the leader of Gotei 13, gave a deep, rumbling chuckle. "Nonsense, Captain Kuchiki. Let us welcome Utaka Hisana into our society of shinigami, shall we?"
Applause echoed and the different captains came up to congratulate the couple. A handsome man bowed and smiled in a very friendly way which put Hisana at ease instantly. The captain shifted the black-rimmed spectacles on his nose. "Aizen Sanosuke. A pleasure to meet you."
Hisana smiled that small, comforting reserved smile. "The pleasure is mine, Aizen-san."
They were about to exchange another bout of words when the souji door behind them was thrown open and another captain possessing silky white hair stuck his head inside. He was perspiring heavily and his breathing was labored. "Did I miss Kuchiki-san's party!"
"Hn, Ukitake, you're earlier than usual." A stout female captain by the name of Soi Fong called out sardonically.
The white haired man coughed. "Well, I'm sure you know I try my best." His eyes spotted the petite Hisana and bowed. "You must be Kuchiki-san's new bride. I'm honored to meet such a lady."
Hisana blushed a little. "We're not married yet."
Ukitake smiled reassuringly. "I believe you are to be married tomorrow. We are just sorry that we didn't have a congratulatory party earlier." He said. Sticking out his hand to the Kuchiki patriarch, Ukitake Jyuushiro rested his other hand on the other man's shoulder. "Congratulations, Byakuya-san. I wish you all the happiness in the world and more."
The sixth division captain merely nodded and placed a hand on Hisana's back. He leaned down so that she could hear what he was saying. "You will have to stay until my work is done. I don't trust anyone to take you home. Will that be alright?"
She smiled wider, a smile far less reserved than what others were able to see. "Hai, Byakuya-sama."
"Stay with me at all times. Try not to wander off. If it is necessary, notify me. I do not want to lose you." His black orbs hardened. "If fortune is with us, you will not witness what I have to do every day."
Hisana gripped her Byakuya's hand. "I would rather witness what you go through than be oblivious to it." Her voice was a notch above a whisper.
Suddenly, Byakuya slid in front of his betrothed, his back facing her, with his hands upon his sword, ready to draw. All of the captains around her abruptly put up their defenses.
"Do you smell that?" Komamura growled in his deep baritone voice. He sniffed the air and exhaled harshly. "Hn...hollows are near. Many of them."
The petite woman prepared herself for what she would see. Suddenly, she was thrown down on the ground with a heavier body covering her as a huge explosion took place in front of them. Shattered pieces of wood and glass flew everywhere and everyone began to move hurriedly.
"Second, fifth, and eleventh division, cover the east wing! Sixth and twelfth stay here with me! Rest of you spread out and clear the other areas! Fourth division, be on standby!" Yamamoto Genryuusai shouted. Swiftly division captains rounded up their own squads and headed in the direction of their assignment.
Byakuya, a silent sort of leader, signaled his troops with hand signals and sharp commands.
Hisana made sure to keep close to her Byakuya-sama, but not too close just in case she became a hindrance to him.
It was then that she felt it.
The air around her seemed to contract, suddenly build up a huge amount of pressure, pressing against her frail body. Her lungs felt like they were being squeezed out of all of its air and she was afraid that her bones would start breaking. "Bya…kuya…sama…" She gasped out weakly, pain evident in her voice.
In a swift second, she was in his arms, safely tucked away. "Strong hollows emit strong spiritual pressure and overcome a soul with little. The effect should wear off soon. I will protect you."
Sure to his word, the pressure lessened slowly and her lungs could breathe freely.
"Oi, Byakuya!" A voice called from behind. The captain turned around to see a tall man with jet black hair sprinting towards him.
"You are supposed to be with your captain, Kaien. Are you lost?"
Kaien grinned and scratched his head. "I'm just here to congratulate you on your wedding. Is she the one?"
Byakuya nodded and set Hisana on the ground. She bowed again for the hundredth time that day. Kaien stuck out his hand. "No need to be so formal. I'm a friend of Byakuya's. Glad to see that he's finally getting married."
"You would like me to be your friend." The Kuchiki stated.
"Aw, come on, captain, you know you like me." The man smiled broadly and winked at his friend. "I hope I'm invited tomorrow."
"No, you're not." The captain said, a smirk twitching at his lips.
Hisana overruled. "You are very welcome to come, Kaien-san." She smiled.
"Oh! See, Byakuya, you are very lucky to be marrying this girl. I thought you would marry a guy just like you."
Kuchiki Byakuya ignored the comment and glared at him. "We should be busy."
Kaien nodded and turned serious. "There haven't been any hollows near us so far. We felt some energy coming from here. I was sent to investigate. Your scouts have come back." He pointed straight ahead of him.
Byakuya turned around, as did Hisana, and saw five panicked shinigami, all bloody and scrambling. They quickly gave their report. "Hollows have surrounded us from the west and more are coming in the east. A few have already reached here. They jumped us when we were returning."
The sixth division captain quickly faced Kaien again. "Go to Jyuushiro and inform him of the hollows' positions. Take the ones in the east."
Kaien saluted and rushed off, leaving the couple alone once again.
"It is getting too dangerous for you to stay here. I should have never brought you today." He growled, anger starting to reveal itself on his usually impassive face.
As she was about to reply, she froze. Hisana's eyes widened as she witnessed the most horrendous monster raising a claw to strike behind the Kuchiki captain. "Byakuya-sama!" With all of the strength her little body could muster, she pushed him sideways. They fell upon the pavement hard, the monster just barely missing them.
Byakuya was already back on his feet with his sword drawn. Hisana tried to push herself up, but pain shot up her left leg. Quietly, she let out a small noise of pain that went not unnoticed by the captain.
"Hisana, stay down. Don't move." He whispered, keeping his eyes on the hollow.
The angry soul monster went on a rampage, swiping left and right with its crab-like claws and spitting out powerful jets of water. His squad was being decimated. The Kuchiki didn't understand how a hollow of its size could have gotten so close without detection, but he wasn't one to dwell upon thinking matters. As captain, he had a duty to protect his squad.
The hollow spotted him walking toward it and in fury, shot a blast of water out of its foaming mouth. Byakuya dodged quickly and went in for a strike. The hollow, which generally looked like a strange lobster, screeched in an awful high-pitched octave when the blade cut its softer underside.
When the sixth division captain tried another strike, it immediately swished its tail and knocked the shinigami backward. He slid back on his feet but the tail's edge had been sharp enough to cut him. Blood stained his clothes and soul-cutter.
This time, it was the hollow that made the first move. It smashed down with one of its sharp claws, which Byakuya expertly dodged, and then attacked with two jets of water. The Kuchiki felt the pavement hard on his back when the latter of the two blasts slammed him down by the chest. Two of his ribs cracked painfully. The wind was knocked out of him and it became hard to breathe. Water entered his nose and mouth, choking him and depriving him of air.
"Hee hee hee, that was a nasty blow, wasn't it?" Black eyes widened. The hollow spoke. The voice itself was in a high range while there a lower, more subtle undertone could be detected. "Didn't think I could talk, did you? You're not the only one. I'll have to finish this! Good bye!"
The shinigami told himself to move as he watched the huge claw open up and two very sharp points were made. They glinted with deadliness in the sun. He struggled to rise with his two fractured ribs. The hollow launched his claw at Byakuya.
"NO!"
The scream rang through the air, chilling everyone to the bone. Crimson sprayed everywhere, staining the ground, Kuchiki Byakuya, and Utaka Hisana. Blood splattered across Byakuya's pale cheek, the red contrasting from the white of his face. Hisana stood crookedly before him, one of the hollow's claws piercing her side. Hisana's eyes were unfocused. Her sprained ankle gave away and she fell forward on the half risen Kuchiki.
"Why…for me?" He whispered, cradling her head against his chest.
Hisana's breathing came erratic. "I will protect you…always, Byakuya-sama."
The world around them became alive again. "Get the medical division here! Utaka-sama is injured!"
Sounds went unnoticed by both of them. Byakuya's hold on her tightened. "You will not die, Hisana." He commanded with the authority of a butterfly.
She shook her head very slowly. "Hai…"
Kuchiki Byakuya raised his noble head and stared at the hollow before him. He got up slowly with the small body of Hisana in his arms and said calmly,
"Bankai."
The monster hollow sneered. "Bankai? Releasing your bankai won't help you here. I might have had a small interruption before, but I will DESTROY YOU!" It reared on its smaller legs and got ready for an attack.
A thousand swords surrounded the bloody battlefield. Spiritual energy overflowed. Obsidian black melted into snow white orbs, giving the Kuchiki patriarch a look of complete power. Impassive countenance gives into absolute ferocity; desire to fight upgrade into the desire to kill.
Solid swords transform into a million deadly petals.
Byakuya's eyes widened and narrowed into slits. "Senbonzakuya Kageyoshi. DIE!" The petals swarmed into a mass and swiftly flew towards the hollow.
The monster tried to deflect them, but they seemed to be everywhere. It wildly thrashed around, blindly trying to keep them from cutting his soft spots. Suddenly they were gone.
"Formation: Zanpakutou." Byakuya breathed, his mind being in a state of lethal calm.
At his words, the petals massed together once more and this time formed a giant sword. Taking advantage of the hollow's confusion, it quickly sliced in and in a fast upward motion, cut the vile creature in two. The pieces fell ungracefully and the troops cheered wildly.
The Kuchiki was entranced by nothing. He simply stared ahead, keeping Hisana in his arms.
"Captain Kuchiki, Utaka-san needs to be treated." Unohana Retsu, the 4th division captain said soothingly. "I will take good care of her. You will need to be taken care of also."
Byakuya nodded blankly, hesitantly letting go of the woman who had undeniably saved his life. He followed the medical captain into one of the broken buildings that they were using as a temporary hospital. Shinigami were being treated rapidly, the more critical in another section of the building. Retsu went into a private room for captains, which was presently vacant.
Laying her down on a thin futon, the medic went to work. The sprain was splintered quickly and the gaping wound at her side was tended to. Putting a hand charged with healing energy upon the bloody lesion, Retsu proceeded to lessen the flow of blood and eventually patch it up.
The woman frowned severely at the slow rate of her healing, but she remained silent.
The wait was long, but the ever patient Kuchiki waited for Hisana to get better at her side. After the healing process was over, Unohana left him to care for her. At the door she stopped. "Captain Kuchiki, your wife's body is weakened. It is slow at recovering. It will be hard for Utaka-san to be back to normal. I will tell you now that she will become very vulnerable to even the simplest illness. Please be careful."
Byakuya nodded solemnly. "I understand."
It was an hour before Hisana stirred. Her striking deep blue eyes twinkled at him. She reached for his hand and grasped it softly.
"I will always protect you."
His lips hesitantly slid into a smile as he engraved her words into his mind. Taking her hand to his lips, Byakuya kissed it and whispered, "As will I, Hisana."
Author's notes: Done with this chapter. Is this story rushed? I wonder if Byakuya's feelings for her are a little abrupt. Maybe I'll edit later…who knows?
Just a smidge of action here and there. Not very good at battle scenes, so forgive me if they were lame and such.
Reviews please s