Sorry, my WiFi has let me down again and I had a touch of writer's block. I'm hoping this story isn't giving people the wrong idea. ByakuyaxHisana is my favourite pairing on Bleach and it WILL be a love story. Trust me people; I know what I'm doing.

The silence that followed this extraordinary statement was thick and cold, charged with the tension that accompanies a life-changing moment. Byakuya could think of nothing to stay. He stared, wide-eyed and startled. The betrayer observed him critically.

"You are strong and powerful, Shinigami-sama, but that will only matter if you make it past the sixth tier in this arena. After you beat the sixth, they start to consider you in terms of usefulness. I don't know if this will hold true for you," she whispered, shooting furtive glances down the corridor, "but if you do succeed, your survival might be a little more than doubtful."

"Usefulness?"

"Potential for recruitment."

Byakuya's eyes narrowed.

"I will never work for the Shinihana!" he growled, glaring at her.

"Even if it will save your life? Even if it means you'll get back to the Seritei? Even if it means you'll get what you need most?"

Byakuya just watched her silently, torn between disbelief and distrust. He didn't dare speak; he didn't think he would find the right words. The Betrayer's eyes narrowed.

"Well, say SOMETHING!" she hissed angrily, shaking her head, "Are you always so silent?"
He had to think about it.

"Normally more so."

The Betrayer shook her head, her black hair swishing slightly. "Oh great! You're one of the strong and silent types who don't except help off anyone, aren't you?"

"...Probably?"

"Well, tough luck! I'm not going to sit up there and watch you die!"

Silence descended on them for a minute. The Betrayer fumed for a minute before her anger melted. She doesn't stay angry for long, Byakuya noticed, but if she's not angry, she's sad. Why?

The Betrayer turned and started walking again. Byakuya followed, less wary, but by no means trusting. What if this was a huge ploy? Why would she want to help him?

...

After walking in silence down a very dark, very narrow corridor for a while, the Betrayer stopped. Byakuya stopped also, feeling slightly on edge due to the darkness. The Betrayer looked around again, furtively, almost like she was under surveillance. Why? It made him feel uneasy, like they were prey being hunted by a much larger predator.

"Listen," she whispered softly, touching his hand, "I will help you as much as I can in the arena, but you have to trust me. This is imperative. Quite literally, it is trust me or die. Good luck, Shinigami-sama."

And with that, she vanished.

Byakuya looked around, surprised and startlingly, feeling quite vulnerable. Shaking his head, he ignored those feelings. He was a Shinigami- a Fukutaichou in fact- and a Kuchiki on top of it all! He was not going to feel weak, it was beneath him.

He heard a quiet rumbling sound. Slowly, the wall in front of him began to part. Dusty light filtered into the corridor and the sounds of hundreds of people cheering assaulted his ears. He squinted, unaccustomed to the brightness. Involuntarily, he stepped forwards, trying to hide the nerves that suddenly plagued him. He observed the cheering, jeering faces and felt a bit nauseous.

The arena, like he had been told, was arranged in tiers. The first and second were overcrowded, with people having to kneel or stand to see. The third and fourth tiers were still crammed, but everyone there was sat down. The fifth was still full, but the people sat on there had more space. He picked out the dark face of Jakon, who was scowling and glared at him with hatred in his eyes. Byakuya looked away. The sixth tier was relatively empty, with about twenty people sat in it and the seventh... the seventh had four people sat on it. Two of them sat in gilt thrones and were obviously twins, one male, and the other female. They both had the same black hair and cold, amber eyes. The female had a black and red tipped roses braided into her hair and dress. The male had a wicked assortment of blades strapped around his torso. They shared the same sadistic smile. He could guess who they were without introduction: Shini and Hana, founders of the Shinihana. The other two were Kayo, the imbecile he had fought earlier, and the Betrayer. Her purple eyes met his and her earlier words of trust resonated through his mind again.

"Trust me...I won't let you die Shinigami-sama!"

He nodded almost imperceptibly. Her eyes lit up and he swore he could feel her smile.

Then, the male twin stood up.

He was taller than he seemed, his spiky, black hair seeming just as dangerous as the blades on his body. Eyes gleaming, he clapped his hands.

The sound instantly died.

"Welcome, fellow warriors," he purred in a soft, silky voice that Byakuya instantly disliked, "welcome to another afternoon's entertainment!"

"It's a pleasure to be here Shini-sama!" one man shouted. Shini smiled, acknowledging the shouter with a nod of his head.

Then, he glared at Byakuya from above. "Now, Shinigami Fukutaichou, what to do with you?" he sneered at Byakuya's rank. This caused catcalls from the audience. Byakuya didn't react, didn't allow the insults to register. He needed to be calm or he wouldn't last long.

"What do we do with you?" Shini said, in faux thought.

"START THE WHEEL! START THE WHEEL!" the audience screamed.

How uncouth, Byakuya thought, they're like wild animals.

I couldn't agree more, the Betrayer's voice echoed around his head. He didn't think he would ever get used to it.

"The wheel? Bring forth the wheel!" Shini shouted, gesturing expansively with his hands. The floor rumbled beneath Byakuya's feet. He leapt backwards as the floor started to shake. All at once, the ground split open and a huge, golden wheel shot out. Its face was round, like a clock, but with only seven numbers, one for each tier, and it had a big, blank screen in the centre.

Shini and Hana jumped down from their seats and sauntered over to it.

The wheel had two screens on the side. Each twin placed their hand on a screen. The number '1' lit up and the blank screen sprang to life. It glowed a brilliant white before the word "GROUP" was emblazoned across it.

The crowd roared with delight.

Byakuya didn't need to know what that meant. He could guess.

He would be fighting a group from the first tier.