Ask and ye shall receive! I'm surprised about the reception of this story, I'm glad I have some attention. Thank you to those who have shown their continued support, I really appreciate it!
This chapter is all history, no jumping to the present and what not. Line breaks are just to transition better.
Bleach is Tite Kubo's, but Byakuya's history is mine to toy with. Mua ha ha...
A Lesson for the Weak
Upon arriving to class the next day, Byakuya was met with an unexpected surprise. Aizen Sosuke was standing before the class, gesturing to the students with wide hand movements. At the presence of his reiatsu – he had made no noise upon entering the room – the captain turned to greet him with a pleasant nod and smile.
"Kuchiki-san. You are as punctual as ever. I was just talking to the class to pass the time while the remainder of students arrived. Please, take a seat with your group." He issued a hand toward Nakata Hitoshi and two adjacent empty chairs.
It appeared that Ichimaru Gin had not come into the classroom yet.
"Now that everyone is accounted for." After a few minutes had passed, Aizen's deep voice overpowered the room. Opposite of Ukitake's demeanor, Aizen seemed charged and brash; it took some time getting used to. "Ukitake took ill today, and he apologizes for his absence today. I will be filling in as a substitute temporarily while he is resting. I would be happy to assist you in whatever your needs are for the class. The most important thing you can do for Ukitake Taicho is to excel and show him how much you can improve before his arrival."
Aizen had a gift for raising morale and promoting a positive energy among comrades. This short speech did as much impact, as everyone from the class could not wait to jump into their lesson.
"Today we will have a hollow training exercise." A few audible gasps from the students were heard.
Aizen held up a hand. "Not to worry, this is only a simulation. I would never pit you in a life-or-death situation. Of course we will have our ever present healer Yamada Hanatarou for any injuries that may be sustained; but I assure you, this is a controlled environment." An easy smile crossed his face to alleviate some of the more tense students as he clapped a hand on a few shoulders.
"Just outside the Seireitei, we have constructed a barrier to conduct our training scenario. It is an arena large enough with very few obstacles to properly hunt and dispatch a hollow. I'm counting on you all to do a good job." He adjusted the thick frames of his glasses on his nose. "Class with commence when all students have entered the barrier."
Byakuya looked around the classroom. More than a few students looked uneasy at this drastic change of teaching behavior. Ukitake Taicho had a more laid back style, more due to his personality rather than his sickness; whereas Aizen preferred a more straight forward and aggressive approach to teaching. It was easy to see that the students had a hard time adjusting.
At a glance, Byakuya also noticed that Ichimaru Gin never showed up to class. He stared briefly at the vacant seat before standing and following the rest of the pupils out of Seireitei.
"Alright. Form ranks with your group members and go to your designated zone." Aizen handed out strips of paper to each head officer denoting location and hollow description. "Meet back at this point after the hollow is defeated. Understood?"
A loud 'hai' resonated from the students. After a short briefing, the students had shook their hesitation and proceeded into the faux battle situation. Byakuya and Hitoshi quickly located their destination.
"This is it." Hitoshi confirmed. It seemed that the hollow had not shown itself yet.
A silent moment passed between them, their katana out and to the ready.
Another minute passed, and Hitoshi's voice cut through the stagnant air. "Are you frightened?" He whispered.
"No." Byakuya answered truthfully. "This is only a simulation."
He heard the other student exhale suddenly. "When you put it that way, this seems simple." A smile crept onto his face. "A confident reiatsu like yours around would make it easier for anyone to fight alongside you."
There was a twinge in the air, a pulse that both men felt. A hollow had just come within range of the small team.
"Ready." Byakuya had said it more like a command than a question, as though Hitoshi knew it to be a test of their camaraderie in battle.
"Hai." was all Hitoshi need to say.
The hollow burst through an abandoned building on a collision course with the two men. Simultaneously both flash stepped to a safe distance behind the hollow as it ripped through rocks and debris. Disgusted at its misfortune, the hollow emitted a throaty rippling bellow as it turned to face the runaway shinigami. Its raspy growl continued as it jumped up and toward the group again, lashing its tongue out in attack.
Hitoshi gasped and held his hands up. Byakuya's shunpo materialized directly between the hollow and his classmate, his katana stopping the attack. A clatter on the flat on the blade snapped Hitoshi out of his daze – to see a hollow up close was a conscience altering state. It thrashed against the blade as Byakuya calmly spoke.
"Hitoshi, please step back." The command was calm and cool, and offered no room for retaliation. The shinigami did as he was asked.
"Hadono Yon." His hand rose from the handle of his sword, palm extended toward the thrashing hollow. Somehow Byakuya was able to continue guarding even while chanting kido? Hitoshi was beyond amazed.
Byakuya extended his index finger toward the creature, still thrashing against the blade. "Byakurai." At that, lightning sizzled into the beast and seared its flesh with blinding white light. The destructive spell was so strong, even at its primitive level!
Hitoshi felt his strength return to him. Surely seeing this powerful shinigami in action had steeled his soul against the invading hollow. Hitoshi's hands locked together, instantly starting an inward chant that Byakuya recognized immediately. Prepared for the kido, Byakuya readied himself for the cumulative attack.
"Wazuka ni tsume o tate yo!" came the crescendo as the blue wave rolled from the palm of his hand. Byakuya instantly dematerialized as the burst was fired, knocking the hollow backward in the remaining structure.
Byakuya appeared next to Hitoshi. "I believe that we have a problem." He stated on an even level. Even now he could see the beast rising again from rubble and debris.
"…What?!" Hitoshi mouthed. Blue fire was the strongest kido he could conjure at this stage – his hands still winced from singes the flame left as it flew from his palm. What manner of creature was this that it couldn't be affected by kido?
"We need a new strategy." Byakuya grabbed Hitoshi's kimono and flash stepped to a further distance.
Byakuya's mind was like clockwork. A battle consisted of several movements from each player – much like a game of chess, but on a wider scale. Each participant had a share of moves before winning or losing the match. Not everyone would succeed, and most were guaranteed to lose. Knowing the rules made all the difference in this sort of game, and what kind of part a person would play. Kido did not work on these hollow – than what did?
A look shot to his comrade. "How far have you advanced in zanpakuto training?"
The sudden question made the classmate jump. "I, well…can channel reiatsu to it, but haven't got as far as communicating with the –"
"Good. That is all you need to do." Byakuya eyes pierced Hitoshi's, the dark seriousness penetrating into his soul.
"Okay." Hitoshi centered himself and started to concentrate.
"Whatever you hear, do not falter." The words were a cross between words of encouragement and a cautious warning. They both knew what was at stake.
Even though the hollow was a creation for this exercise, the gashes left in Byakuya's arm and the chips taken out of his katana told them this was far from a simulation.
This time when the hollow lunged Byakuya transported both men underneath the belly of the hollow. As Hitoshi reached the peak of his reiatsu connection, Byakuya guided his classmates' hands with his own into the soft underside. The movement was so quick, both Hitoshi and the hollow took a second to realize what had just happened.
The hollow dissipated in a putrid green mist.
"Excellent!" Aizen announced. "Your small group was the first to complete the session." The shinigami's zanpakuto slid easily back into its sheath. "I thought I would have to intervene, but you handled everything wonderfully."
Byakuya outwardly seemed unmoved. Inside, it was taking everything in him to keep from flash stepping his fist into Aizen's face.
"I expected the most difficulty here because one of your teammates was not present. Ukitake also told me about your spiritual difficulties, Kuchiki-san. I wasn't about to let something happen." It was a small comfort, but at least it was good to know that they were protected on the battlefield.
"Go and receive medical attention, Yamada is in that vicinity." Aizen pointed to a building in the distance. "Then meet in the designated location." With that, Aizen vanished.
"What's with that guy?" Hitoshi grumbled. "All this is just a pain in the ass."
Byakuya blinked widely at his classmate. To speak so effortlessly about his superior in such a brutal way was so unpolished and …honest.
Byakuya was starting to like Nakata Hitoshi.
After meeting Hanatarou, it took no time at all to get their wounds treated. Hitoshi had only sustained minor burns, and once Byakuya's gashes were healed the only remnants of the battle was his torn kimono. All there was to do now was sit and wait.
A few of the other teams made it back, fairing the same condition as their own. Cuts, bruises, scrapes; all Hanatarou barely broke a sweat with. Soon, a majority of students were assembled in the arena along with Aizen himself.
"We are waiting for the last trainees – they seem to be having the most difficulty. Hanatarou has gone on the scene to treat one student who lost control of their shikai and injured himself in the process. The battle should end momentarily."
A loud gurgling scream went up in the process. Apparently, the mission ended in success.
"Now, once our teammates return we'll-" A crackle of yellow light stuck Aizen, toppling his body to the ground. A huge form loomed from the shadowy corner of a building, the darkness accenting the bone white color of its mask.
"A hollow!" the students raised to formation.
The hollow's scream shook the earth on which they stood, the gurgle and echo of its voice loud and terrible to the ears of the class. Surly this was just a training hollow?
The reiatsu weighted down heavily on them as its gaze formed on the group. This certainly was not a pressure from before!
"Real hollows can't exist in Soul Society!"
"Aizen Taicho! Are you all right?!"
"If they don't exist, how is this one here!"
Byakuya turned to Hitoshi. "Take the captain and leave." The order was being carried out before he finished the sentence.
The Kuchiki clan noble felt the reiatsu of the group around him. They were all scared and insecure, now that their captain was incapacitated. This had to end soon or their moral would be gone.
"Hadono Sanjusan." His concentration was peaked. The spell itself he had conjured so many times, the incantation need not be spoke. With his hand raised, the blue flame flickered in his hands and projected like a cannon from its base, slamming hard into the scaly body of the hollow.
Its howl indicated it could be hurt by kido.
It was the start of a full blown assault on the creature, colored energy flying at the out of place hollow. Instinct took over as it slashed through the multidirectional attack and lunged past the crew – straight for Soul Society.
"He's headed for Rukongai district!" One of the students yelled. "We need to go after it!"
Logic fired through Byakuya's mind. Other captains needed to be alerted to the hollows escape if they did not already know. The small ragtag group of students wouldn't have a chance to defeat a genuine hollow, even though they were a promising group. What should he do?
"This way!" One of the students called. "It's headed for district 50!" More kido projectiles thrown, though it did little to deter the beast.
Suddenly Byakuya realized that this part of Rukon looked very familiar. His heart sank in his chest to the realization that he knew what the beast was heading toward. In all his years in Soul Society, there was only one spiritual presence large enough to draw a hollow in this proximity.
The tell tale pink leaves of the sakura did not move as the hollow drew closer. Byakuya never realized how prominent the tree's spiritual energy was until now. Once the beast devoured the source of its power, its energy would increase exponentially.
His heart did not fair any better when he saw a glimpse of a beautiful woman caught up by the sight of a hollow charging toward her establishment. The look of fear chimed in his soul and dread sunk into his chest.
Hisana.
Hope you enjoyed it! Review, please:)