Well, I defeated the boss on Zelda, which was pathetically easy, but now I'm stuck because the stupid flying elephant bird monster thingies stole the keys to the temple and I can't get them back. How messed up is that? The boss is easier than the little monsters.

Anyways, nobody probably cares about my troubles on Zelda so... moving on. I am still looking for people to draw pictures for me- thank you to those of you who offered =) The more the better, right? Or merrier. Or something along those lines.

I don't own Bleach. If I did, by some fluke of fate, happen to own Bleach, I would probably be at the very least least a half decent artist. Since I can't draw to save my life, I obviously don't own Bleach.

Byakuya sat in the tent, alone, carefully turning Renji's carving over and over in his hands. The wood was smooth under his fingers. Staring down into the bird's eyes, Byakuya sighed, tracing the outstretched wings, strained in flight. He wished that he could be everything that the carving represented- free, happy, and expressive. Instead he was stuck with the Kuchiki model, everything that nobody wanted to be- cold, reserved, and completely and utterly trapped.

With another soft sigh, Byakuya nestled the carving back into the box, and lifted the photographs, sifting through them thoughtfully. There were several of Hisana, and he smiled a bit at those. Hisana had been his best, and only, friend. Not his lover- Byakuya had known his sexual preferences even then- just his friend. She had been the only person that he'd had to talk to, the only person he could be himself around. Then, she'd died and left him alone in the world again. By then even Yoruichi had deserted him, banished from the Soul Society, and although Byakuya had always found her annoying, he'd secretly enjoyed her company. But now she was gone for good, and he could never forgive her. Maybe Soi Fon could, but Soi Fon was in love, and love did funny things to people.

Byakuya came to a picture of Rukia, laughing with her friends. It was the only picture that he owned of her, and he kept it close and secret. She didn't know what she meant to him, and if the code of the Kuchikis was concerned, she never would. The next pictures were of Renji. In some he was laughing, a few he was training, a look of pure joy on his face, and in one he was very drunk. That one made him laugh softly, before he tucked it behind the others and found another, this time a painting of a young Yoruichi. He turned the painting in his hand, remembering her, before putting it away again, and coming back to the ones of Hisana. He settled the pictures in the box, and took out the last two items- a smooth rock and a hair tie. His hair tie, the one that Yoruichi had always stolen. He wasn't quite sure why he had kept it, but he had. Maybe it was because it was the only thing left of the little freedom he'd had in his youth. Or maybe it was just because he missed her, and wanted something to remember the first friend he'd ever had, no matter how irritating she'd been. Byakuya dropped the hair tie back into the box, watching it curl into a small pile on the pile of photographs and turned his attention to the stone. His grandfather had given it to him when he was very young.

This, he'd said softly, making sure that he had his grandson's full attention, represents everything that a Kuchiki should be. Calm, unbreakable, unbendable, and above all, flawless in every form. Keep this with you, to remind you who and what you are. Don't ever forget it. Byakuya glared down at the stone, before putting it back in the box, and clasping it shut.

Then, he crawled out of the tent, and went for a walk under the darkening sky.

When Renji and Kaili reached the tent, Byakuya was gone, probably off on another walk. He'd been taking a lot of them lately, but maybe he always took walks, and nobody had really noticed before. After all, he probably never strayed from the Kuchiki Manor grounds, or if he did, it was late enough that nobody was around to see him.

"When'll he be back?" Kaili asked, settling herself on Renji's lap.

"No clue," Renji sighed, glancing over at Byakuya's corner of the tent. It was impeccably neat, his blanket smoothed out over the floor with the pillow centered at the top of it. The box that he had dug out of the rubble earlier that day sat beside it, and for a second Renji felt the urge to open it. He pushed it down. Maybe, someday, Byakuya would tell him what was in it. But that someday would never come if he violated trust now and looked through Byakuya's things without his permission. Actually, as much as he hoped that it would, Renji severely doubted that that day would ever come.

Kaili tugged at his sleeve. "I'm bored." Renji looked down at her, and a faint smile crossed his face. "Can we play a game?"

"What game do you want to play?" he asked.

"Umm…" Kaili thought, her head tilted to the side. She looked sweet like that, with her pigtails crooked and her lips turned up in a cute little half smile. "I dunno," she said finally, crawling onto Renji's lap. "How 'bout… go fish?"

"We don't have any cards."

"Captain Kyoraku does," she told him. "He was trying to play poker with Nanao yesterday, but she hit him with her book and walked away."

Renji chuckled softly. "That sounds like Nanao," he mused softly. "I suppose we could go borrow them."

"Please?" Kaili asked. There was no way to resist her when she spoke like that, although really, there was no way to resist her at all. Renji lifted her off of his lap and ducked out of the tent. She followed, and grabbed his hand once they were both standing outside of the tent. "We're going on a quest for the magical cards!" she told him excitedly. "We've got to get them from the wise Kyoraku!"

Renji burst out laughing. "Sure," he agreed. And so they set out on the quest for the Magical Cards.

When Byakuya got back from his walk, Renji and Kaili were both sleeping, a half finished game of cards between them. Byakuya looked at the abandoned cards, and smiled a bit. It was alright to show emotion if nobody could see him.

"Sorry Renji," he murmured, gently draping a blanket over Kaili's small form. "It looks like you're going to lose."

Crappy ending, I know... Sorry.

I am also still taking commissions so if you want to, check out the rules/info on my profile.

Thankee to Reviewers!

Please review? Pretty please?

-Stormy

BTW, anybody looking for some new music to listen to, check out Voltaire. He is amazing! I listened to his CD Almost Human the whole time that I was writing the last three chapters. I swear, he's like... a god of music.