Meanwhile, with Byakuya.
"So, did you really want to hurt her when you did that?" Byakuya asks Kanashii. She looks at him.
"It doesn't matter what I want. What matters is what Aizen wants..." Kanashii says, smiling sadly. Byakuya watches as a tear falls down her face.
"What has he done to you?" Byakuya asks, sadly. Kanashii's body completely freezes.
"I...I don't know what you're talking about.." Kanashii stutters.
"Oh, but I think you do." Byakuya says, sounding completely sure.
"I came to deliver the message.." She says, trying to distract him away from the original subject. He sighs.
"All right, what is it?" He asks, looking into Kanashii's eyes.
"We will make Sasori Matsumoto and Rukia Kuchiki part of our new team. My master says you can't do anything about it." Kanashii says with a bow. With that, she disappears.
"Okay, Renji, you can come out now." Byakuya says, not even bothering to look back at where Renji was walking out from behind the sliding door.
"Sorry, I couldn't resist." Renji says, bowing his head.
"You too, Kayame." Byakuya says, glancing back. Kayame walks out, and he sees that she had been crying.
"What has Aizen done to her? It's almost like she's scared to death that something's going to happen." Kayame says absently as tears start to fall down her face again.
"She is, and I understand why." Byakuya says, softly. Both Renji and Kayame look at him.
"What is it that will happen?" They both ask in unison.
"Aizen isn't the kind of Captain I am...he won't fret to kill his own underlings. Kanashii knows this, and that's why she is so obedient." Byakuya says, looking towards where Kanashii had disappeared.
"I'm going to kill that BASTARD!" Renji yells as his eyes narrow.
"Unfortunately, you don't stand a chance...not even with your Bankai." Byakuya says with a sigh.
"Who does then?" Renji questions, impatiently. Byakuya looks at him.
"The only ones that have spirit pressure large enough are Rukia, Sasori, and..." Byakuya stops talking before he could give them the last name.
"And Kanashii." Renji sighs. Kayame's mouth drops open at that.
"K...Kanashii?" Kayame asks, breathless.
"And Kanashii. She has some strong spiritual pressure." Byakuya says with a smile.
"How did I not feel it?" Kayame asks, completely flabbergasted.
"Cuz she was blocking most of it. I can just imagine what her Zanpokuto looks like." Byakuya says, sounding excited.
"Well...I saw it once..." Kayame says carefully.
"Really!" Renji asks, amazed.
"Only a glimpse. It was when she was going after Ichigo." Kayame says with a sad note in her voice.
"What did it look like?" Renji asks, curious.
"It looked like..."
Meanwhile, Rukia is on Earth, in Ichigo's bedroom, sleeping, in his closet. When she hears someone.
"Come on, Rukia! You're going to be late for school!" Three bangs are sounded against the door. "Come on!" Ichigo yells through the door just before she flings it open, and gives Ichigo an evil eye.
"Do you...mind! I was asleep!" Rukia yells. Suddenly, Kon jumps up, and grabs her shirt.
"MORNING RUKIA!" Kon shouts. An anime vein appears on Rukia's forehead, and she grabs Kon. She brings him up to her face, and stares at him.
"What do you want, Kon?" Rukia says in a grumpy mood.
"Ah, Rukia." Kon sighs. Ichigo grabs Kon, and throws him against a nearby wall.
"Knock off your crap, Kon!" Ichigo yells as Kon slides down the wall. Rukia smiles as she grabs some clothes to change into. She sits on the open windows ceil, and looks back at Ichigo.
"I'll see you at school, Ichigo." She says as she jumps out the window.
"Whatever." Ichigo mutters as he watches Rukia head towards school.
Nine hours pass. School is over, and Rukia and Ichigo are walking home. Suddenly, she sees a flash of red, but when she looks over towards were she saw it, there was nothing.
"Something wrong, Rukia." Ichigo asks as soon as he realizes that she had stopped walking.
"No, nothing." Rukia says, walking again. She runs, and catches up to Ichigo.
Someone's PoV
I was following Rukia, when she turned around, and almost saw me. I quickly jumped behind a nearby building.
"Whew! That was definitely too close...I have to be more careful next time!" I say with a sigh. I run off in the direction of where Rukia had gone.
