Twenty-eight hours Hisana had spent with her sister. She would get up in the morning and get ready for the day, right away going to Rukia. They would talk for the first hour about Hisana, and then Hisana would leave and do her regular duties. She would then return and talk about Rukia. Hisana learned about Kurosaki Ichigo, Orihime Inoue, and others. And then, Rukia was moved.
Hisana took it proudly, knowing there was nothing she could do. She continued doing whatever her husband and Abarai Renji asked of her, without a single problem. However, on the fifteenth day of this, Hisana was sleeping. She hadn't got sleep the night before due to the various shouts her servants were having about who was best to wait on her since Aimi was gone, for a period of time.
"Kuchiki-sama!" a Shinigami said, barging into her room. Hisana bolted upright and looked around, fumbling for her zanpakuto. "There's been a break in, of ryoka; you're supposed to report to your taichou as soon as possible." Hisana nodded, muttering a brief word of thanks. She grabbed Seishuku Harou, just in case. She shunpo'd to Byakuya's office where she found her husband.
"Byakuya-sama," she said, looking at her captain. He turned to face her, holding her close to his body for a moment. He seemed pained, and she had a feeling of what he was going to say.
"There are five ryoka, and all divisions are on high-alert, to find and capture them. I cannot forbid you from fighting, Hisana. It would be wrong of me, as you are as Shinigami as I am. I can, however, tell you to be careful and if you come back to me in pieces, I'll never forgive you," he said, looking down at her.
"I will come back safely, Byakuya-sama. I feel I am worthy to start fighting again, and I do not need you worrying over me day and night," she said, meaning no disrespect.
"Hisana, I'm serious. Don't get hurt."
"I am also serious, Byakuya-sama. I will not take on anyone who I fear is above my level, that I promise you."
"Still, be careful."
"Byakuya-sama…"
"Hisana."
She continued to hold onto him, not saying a word. "Why are they here?"
"Kurosaki Ichigo is the only ryoka I know of, is here to rescue Kuchiki Rukia," he told her softly. She nodded, looking down. She hated Byakuya for talking about Rukia as if he was not married to his sister, as if Rukia was just some random girl from another squad.
"Why do you speak of Rukia-san like that?!" she cried, looking up at him.
"I have no emotional attachment to her, and she is a failure of the Kuchiki clan," he said, glaring at her.
"If I had given my power to a boy who's family was about to be killed, when I was injured, would you be talking about me in the same manner?! Would I just be another failure?!?!" she said, her eyes growing big.
"Hisana, it's not the same thing!"
"Then how is it different, Byakuya-sama?! How?!?!"
"I only adopted her because of you!"
"Then by all means, throw her back into Inuzuri!"
"Hisana, you will stop this now! I am a head noble, and you are my wife. We can not afford to bend the law because of our emotional attachment to those who do not stand by it!"
Hisana looked away, and Byakuya looked at her, stroking her back.
"Hai, Byakuya-sama," she said lightly, before pulling away from him and running out of the office. Byakuya looked after her and sighed.
--
"Ishida-kun," Inoue said, looking at him. "Where are we?"
"I don't know," he said, looking around. "We better go find a save place to spend the night." With that, he left. Inoue, who was looking ahead, didn't see him leave. She looked around, trying to figure out where she was.
"Ishida-kun?" she questioned, before looking up at the sky. She started to walk, holding herself. "Ishida-kun, where are you?" he said, looking around at her surroundings. She was careful to not be too loud, seeing as there was still Shinigamis scouting for the ryokas. Inoue, although she told herself to be strong, she knew that if a high-level Shinigami came, she would stand no chance against them.
"Excuse me, are you lost?" Hisana asked. She wasn't mocking the girl – she actually felt sorry for having to battle her. Inoue turned around and her eyes went wide with shock.
"Rukia-san?" Inoue asked, seeing as Hisana had her hair up and with that, she looked remarkably like Rukia. Hisana shook her head.
"Kuchiki Hisana, 3rd seat of Sixth Division," she said, looking at her. "It is a pleasure to meet you. What is your name?"
"Inoue Orihime," Inoue said, looking up at Hisana. She was confused. Hisana was actually having a talk with her, when she was probably out to battle her, due to her taichou's orders.
"Gomen nasai, Inoue," she said, looking down. "I have to fight you." With that, she pulled out Seishuku Harou. She sighed, and Inoue's eyes opened wide.
"Hinagiku, Lily, Baigon! Santen Kesshun! Watashi wa kyozetsu suru!" Inoue said quickly, in just enough time for her to block Hisana's attack with Seishuku Harou. Hisana shunpo'd backwards, before closing her eyes.
"Saezuru, Seishuku Harou," she whispered, dropping her zanpakuto. It dissolved, and this time, it was quicker. She used her mind, pushing the water at the shield. It rebounded, and Hisana shunpo'd out of the way. This time, she used a little less water, and it hit her, making her become out of breath for a moment.
Inoue watched her, keeping her sword. She didn't want to use Tsubaki, but she would if she had to. Hisana watched her, not attacking her.
"Interesting technique, Inoue Orihime, I must say. I would talk to you more about it, if I could," she said, "but, I'm under strict orders to fight all ryoka."
Inoue's eyes were wide and she looked up at Hisana. Hisana offered her a small smile, before commanding Seishuku Harou to slowly creep around the shield and make a bubble around Inoue's mouth and nose, so she was unable to breath. Inoue's eyes widened and for moment, before the water fell and an anguished cry escaped Hisana.
"Ishida Uryuu," he said, looking at her, "the last Quincy." Hisana was holding her arm, trying to keep the blood from dripping out. Byakuya was going to be so mad at her for getting injured.
"Kuchiki Hisana, 3rd seat of the Sixth Division," she said, bowing her head slightly. Ishida's eyes narrowed in dislike.
"Why aren't you trying to stop them from executing Kuchiki Rukia?" Ishida said. "Isn't that a little rude to do to your younger sister? Aren't you supposed to protect her?"
"Quincy, I advise you to keep out of matters you don't understand," she snapped, her eyes narrowing.
"I'm pretty sure as far as I could tell, big sisters are supposed to protect little sisters, and not let them die," he said, and Hisana took a deep breath.
"I can not go against the law. If it is the law, then so be it. It's her fault, and she needs to pay for her crimes!" Hisana said, glaring at him. Ishida's eyes opened wide.
"I don't get you, Shinigami. She is your own sister, and you're telling me that she deserves to die?" he asked, pushing up his glasses.
She didn't respond. Instead, she made Seishuku Harou drench him as she shunpo'd around. He was firing his arrows, but she was confusing his sense of direction due to the fact she was shooting Seishuku Harou's water around him and not ever once shooting it from the same direction.
Ishida growled, upset at this. Finally, Hisana stopped and forced the water to stay over his nose and mouth. He collapsed, and once Hisana was sure he was unconscious – not dead – she sealed Seishuku Harou. Seeing a sixth squad member, she called him over and requested the fourth squad to come and heal the ryoka.
"Hai!" he said, and in a few minutes the ryoka were being lifted onto stretchers. Unohana was smiling, looking at Hisana. Hisana was looking down.
"You did a very good job here, Hisana-san, but the ryoka will be okay," Unohana said, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. Hisana looked up.
"You know that I don't like injuring people whom haven't actually done anything. It's also a lot harder for me, especially since their only goal is to rescue my sister," Hisana said quietly.
"Have you talked to Kuchiki-taichou about this?" Unohana asked, leading Hisana away from where her squad members were trying to listen to their conversation. Hisana nodded her head slightly.
"He's made it very clear that Rukia-san is a failure of the Kuchiki House and that for not following the law, she deserves whatever punishment befalls her for it," she said quietly. "I do not want to return home tonight, seeing as he will try to talk with me and I'm not sure I can talk with him."
"He has a rather unseen difficulty to see the right thing…"
"I can not talk to him about it, though, Unohana-taichou. He says he loves me, and I know he does, but he does not speak about Rukia as if she's my sister. It hurts me, and he plainly told me this morning that she is just his adoptive sister."
"But that is all she is to him."
"When around me, however, he could speak with some feeling, not as if he's just someone who had to adopt her because his wife who had been gone for fifteen years wanted it."
"I'm truly sorry, Hisana-san."
"Thank you, Unohana-taichou. You do not want to be troubled by this, and this is a private matter and it should be conducted as such."
"Hisana-san…Don't be afraid to talk to me, though. It does not matter if it is a public or private matter; everyone needs someone to talk to every now and then."
"Arigato," Hisana said, before leaving Unohana alone. Unohana gazed after the girl and sighed. Although Byakuya and Hisana loved each other, Unohana could tell both of them had communication problems.