The Planning

The time for action was now. Byakuya could no longer do nothing as the person who his late-wife entrusted has fallen in love with such an unfit person. Ichigo Kurosaki is a strong opponent, and in the World of the Living, fighting him would be out of the question. He needed to find a way to break the two apart and show Rukia the error of her ways. Rukia was a stubborn girl, so a genius plan was needed, one he couldn't think of.

After two hours of pacing and thinking, Byakuya could not think of any plans needed to separate the two. He needed the counsil of other Soul Reapers who are much more strategically-capable, as well as having vital information on the two. There was one person who had much more information on the two than he does, not to mention his relationship with the two can be useful: Renji Abarai. His advice and presence can help him reach his goal much better than himself alone. The problem was the Lieutenant or lower Soul Reapers were sent off-duty, being a Friday, so finding him would be hard.

Though, it wasn't as hard as he thought. Byakuya travelled to Renji's favourite bar, to which was common with all other Soul Reapers. Upon entering, Byakuya could spot several familiar faces: Shunsui, Jushiro, Retsu, many Lieutenants, and among them Lieutenants was Renji. He took a step forward, only to be greeted by Renji.

"Oh, hello, Captain Kuchiki!" Said Renji, holding up a small bottle of sake. "Didn't know you liked this place too. Want a drink?"

"No thank you, you and I must talk." Byakuya said. Renji raised an eyebrow, making it brush against the headband he usually wore. The two made it outside to discuss Byakuya's situation.

"What's up, Captain? Did I forget to file my reports?" Renji said embarrassingly. Luckily, he wasn't completely intoxicated, so talking to his Captain would be easier.

"No." Byakuya replied. He took from his Haori three pictures that the Women's Club took that summed up their three days of spying: one of Ichigo and Rukia holding hands while walking down a street, one of them laughing merrily and supposedly having a good time, and the last was of them during their kiss. Renji was stunned by the latter and gave a grin.

"Ichigo, you dog! I always knew the two would be together, some day." Renji said with a hint of self-comfort.

"I want the two to cease their relationship at once." Byakuya demanded, giving Renji a sudden chill.

"Captain, that's a bit much. I mean you can't force someone to choose who they fall in love with, it's like a force of nature. Look at Ichigo, he did hundreds of good things for her; I'm sure that's good enough, right?" Renji tried to persuade.

"I will not be swayed by mere words alone." Byakuya silenced. "I need you to help me break the two up, in any way possible. That's an order." Renji gave a sigh.

"Sorry, Ichigo, Rukia." Renji muttered to himself. "Fine, what is it you need done, Captain?"

"Gather as many people as you can who are willing to do the same and have me meet in meeting room 1-B tomorrow morning at 10." Byakuya instructed. "The more plans we can muster, the better."

"Don't worry, Captain, I'm sure there will be people willing to help." Renji said. He then turned to the bar and was ready to go inside. "The people here are a good start." With a bow, he left his Captain while he tried to convince people to join Byakuya's campaign.

The next day at the meeting room, Byakuya awaited who Renji would bring. Eventually, Renji came in with half a dozen or so Soul Reapers that were greatly affiliated with Renji. The people Renji recruited were Izuru Kira, Shuhei Hisagi, Momo Hinamori, Kenpachi, Ikkaku, Yumichika and Yachiru. Byakuya was astonished at the amount of people he hooked up.

"Impressive work, Renji." Byakuya said.

"No problem, Captain." Renji said. The group sat themselves at a long table, with Byakuya at the top.

"Welcome. You all know why you are here, correct?" Byakuya started.

"By the sounds of it, to break up Ichigo with his new girlfriend, right?" Kenpachi replied.

"Yes." Byakuya said, handing out various photos acquired of the two. This made most of them laugh in delight or 'awww' in joy.

"Do we really need to break them up?" Asked Momo. "They look so sweet."

"If you had someone you care about love a person you utterly despise, you'd do the same." Byakuya replied nastily. "If you want to see these two together, the door is there."

"Can't really back out." Shuhei said. "I owe Renji a favour, and until the two are broken up, I can't leave."

"Me too." Kira and Momo said together.

"That girlfriend of his looks like a real pain if Ichigo's fighting, and I can't have that when I'm fighting him!" Kenpachi said. Yachiru jumped on Kenpachi's shoulder.

"Me neither!" Yachiru yelled.

"You know me, I go with Captain anywhere he goes." Ikkaku said.

"And I go with Ikkaku where he goes." Yumichika ended.

"Very well. At least Renji recruited people who are capable. Now we need to devise a strategy to fulfill our goal. That is why I have called you all here through Renji Abarai to cease Ichigo's relationship with Rukia. Any questions?" Ikkaku raised a hand.

"Why not just kill Ichigo in his sleep?" Ikkaku said with a grin. "I'll be all for it if I'm the one to do it."

"We're Soul Reapers, we don't kill our own." Kira pointed out. "And even if he isn't a Soul Reaper fully himself, we cannot kill humans for no reason."

"Or we could make it more subtle." Shuhei said. "Kill him off while he's out and say it was a Hollow."

"Rukia's not that stupid." Renji said, having been with Rukia the longest means he knows her inside and out. "She's smart and can smell a rat. Plus I prefer not to kill Ichigo, despite being against his relationship with Rukia, he's still a friend."

"Still..." Yumichika said. "It is a simple strategy. The simpler plans are often the most beautiful."

"Plan denied." Byakuya said. "Even if the plan was put into action, Rukia would never forgive our actions."

"It would reach our target." Kenpachi said.

"But the consequences wouldn't." Byakuya replied. "Any more plans?"

"This may only be a suggestion." Momo perked up. "What if we were to make Ms. Rukia dislike Mr. Ichigo?"

"It could be something." Renji said, raising the spirits of Momo.

"It's how that's troublesome." Ikkaku said, rubbing his bald head, with Yachiru teasing by rubbing it too. Suddenly Renji thought of something.

"That's it!" Renji said with inspiration. "Rukia loves her drawings almost as much as she loves Ichigo!"

"What use does that prove us?" Byakuya asked.

"I think I'm seeing Renji's idea." Kira said. "If we were to destroy the drawings, while making it as if Ichigo is the culprit, she'll get the wrong idea about him and dump him." Everyone looked to Byakuya tensely.

"Very well. The plan will commence." Byakuya concluded. "Renji, you, Lieutenant Hinamori and 3rd Seat Madarame see to it that this plan comes to fruition. And make sure you are not seen after it has." The three members of the mission stood and gave a bow before leaving. "The rest of you I will contact you by Hell Butterfly next we speak. Dismissed." And so Renji, Ikkaku and Momo headed to the World of the Living to carry out this sinister deed.