Fate's Twisted Whims

a Bleach fan fiction

by: Sakura Onna

A/N: sorry this is so much slower getting out compared to the last chapter (chapter 2) but things are gonna get changed up a bit. I sat down and compared the flow of this to one of my other stories I'm writing and I realized why this one isn't flowing quite as well. Events are now gonna be a bit slower in happening now so I can add more details and part of the time line for this chapter has shifted a bit to allow a reader request of a character appearance to occur. Yes, animechick247, I am putting in a little Byakuya ahead of schedule just for you! Be warned though that he doesn't hold that much of a major role yet and will seem like a side character for a while. This chapter I'm backing things up a bit and going a little more in depth with Sakura's years in the Shinigami Academy to help you guys out with the time line of the story over all, and work through a kinda key time for Sakura. Also, I'll be changing things to third person from now on to make things easier a bit on me. I will still be showing mostly Sakura's POV though for now. For Pearlyn since you asked for Sakura reuniting or being recognized by Ukitake and Kyoraku I'll be adding a bit of that to here. It's only going to be Ukitake though because Kyoraku gets to have his reunion after she's out of the Academy while Ukitake's is before then.

disclaimer:

Sakura-Onna: (glances at Byakuya but remembers what happened last chapter before the holiday chapter)

Byakuya: (glare) What?

Sakura-Onna: Nothing! Sakura?

Sakura: (hastily taking notes from textbook) No. Must study.

Sakura-Onna: Ryuku?

Ryuku: (smiling and showing peace sign) This authoress does not own any Bleach, just me, Sakura, and her other numerous OCs!

Sakura: Stop goofing off, Ryuku-kun! You got a test to study for just like me!

Byakuya: (looks at reader blandly) Just read the story already.

Chapter 3: Academy

Sakura yawned and stretched as she followed Kaien toward squad thirteen's barracks. It was still rather early in the day and the sun hadn't even fully risen yet. Why he was taking her with him today and so early was a mystery to her. She stumbled over a rock as she started to doze as she walked. Pain shot up her big toe as she regained her balance. She paused to put her foot on a fairly good sized rock to examine it. The charm anklet on her ankle clinked a bit as she moved her foot. She came to the conclusion that she had only stubbed her toe when she stumbled nothing worse and moved as quick as she could to catch up to Kaien who hadn't stopped to wait for her. Her anklet clinked with every step she took.

"Hey! Wait up, big brother!" Sakura called to Kaien who pretended not to hear her. "Hey! What the heck is so important that I have to come along with you!"

When Sakura caught up Kaien finally stopped and acknowledged that he heard her. "You said you wanted to know what being a shinigami's like and the best way I could think of was to bring you with to see my squad. I know the captain's nice enough to not raise a stink about a kid hanging around like some of them would. He used to sort of look after one of the other captain's kid once awhile ago. I also thought you being around for the day at least might be enough to put a smile on some of the squad members' faces while giving you some valuable lessons at the same time."

"That's it?" Sakura yawned again. "Couldn't you have just used words to describe everything or woken me up later than you did at least?"

Kaien tapped her on the head, "Nope. Not good enough in either case."

Sakura muttered to herself as they continued on their way until she saw the barracks themselves as they crested a large hill. She snapped wide awake and stared at them in amazement. Kaien was right so far. The thing that caught her attention most was a lake nearby that she could see glittering in the growing light of the awakening day. A thrill of excitement ran through her slender frame. Kaien looked down at the young pre-teenager at his side and shook his head, oh sure now she was excited about this. He didn't know how this was going to go over with Captain Ukitake to have a girl with the same name as the girl he still was mourning the loss of, but he was hoping his adopted sister would be enough to bring a smile to his captain's face that wasn't tinged with sadness. Kaien could see the now abundant energy coursing through Sakura and that she was chomping at the bit, more than ready to start running down to the barracks. With a smile and shake of his head he brought her down the hill to the barracks.

Ukitake had come in to his captain's office early that morning feeling barely well enough to be up and about. He sat at his desk his head propped up with one hand staring at the paperwork on it. He hadn't been able to tend to the squad for the past few weeks because of his illness. He had it for many years now, but it had become much more prominent after the Hideyori fire. He knew why partially. Little Sakura had been a good distraction from it and her death was a harsh blow. He missed that sparkle of her deep blue eyes and the sound of her laugh. Losing her was as good as losing his own child. Just thinking about it made his head feel even heavier in his hand. Guilt for not being able to take care of his duties to his squad also weighed heavily on his heart. Ukitake sighed and reached forward pulling the first document over to him. He got not even through the first paragraph when Kaien slid open the shoji screen door.

"Oh, you're in today, Captain." Kaien said in surprise keeping Sakura from trying to squeeze in to the office with his leg. He didn't see it because he was observing the state of Ukitake, but Sakura stared at him pouting from the other side of the doorway he stood in. She debated briefly if she could get away with kicking him in the leg.

"Yes, Kaien. I feel terrible for making you take care of the squad all the time, and I felt well enough today." Ukitake said as he slowly raised his face to look at his lieutenant apologetically a sad smile on his face.

"Um..." Kaien rubbed the back of his neck suddenly questioning his wisdom in bringing Sakura here without any advance warning. What was he going to do if Ukitake did react badly to this?

"Yes?" Ukitake was curious a bit of what Kaien might hesitate over bringing up like he was. He sat up in his chair the hand that had held up his head coming down to rest on the desk.

"I brought someone with today to watch the workings of the squad since they wanted to know how things usually work around here. . ."

"Who?" Ukitake looked at Kaien a little suspiciously.

"My kid sister, the one I'm always talking about-" Kaien started to explain until Sakura got impatient enough to push him out of the doorway and shove her way into the room. The force she used was enough to send her crashing to the floor when Kaien was out of her way.

Ukitake stood from behind his desk in alarm at how hard it sounded like the girl had hit the ground and started to come around it when she pushed herself up to a sitting position and shook her head from side to side as if to clear away a haziness from her head. Then she looked up at him and he almost fell back himself at the shock of recognition that ran through his body. He reached out and grabbed the edge of the desk to steady himself. It couldn't be! He had only seen two people with eyes that dark shade of blue in his whole life and both of them were dead. She tilted her head to the side in curiosity at the white haired captain's expression of shock. She stood slowly and carefully approached him tipping her head back to look at him.

"Are you alright, sir?" she asked slowly to keep from causing him to keel over then and there.

Ukitake looked her over from head to toe his shock and denial growing with every detail of her, but what took the cake was the anklet she wore on her right ankle. It was the same anklet he had given to his friend's daughter years ago when she was small. Could this really be his little Sakura? Or was she a convenient look alike Kaien had taken in that some how got her paws on her anklet? There had been no sign that Sakura had survived the fire. But then again there had never been overly substantial evidence that she had died in it either. Could she have survived it? If she had and this was her how did she pull it off? Where had she been in all these years afterwards?

"Who are you, girl?"

"Sakura Yori." she replied purposefully shortening her family name because she knew as a captain he would most likely have known and remembered her father.

Ukitake's eyes widened and he sucked in a short breath. There was no way that some look alike would say that name the way she did. The Sakura he had known and cared about as if she were his own daughter had always had problems saying Hideyori, and as such had a major penchant for calling herself that instead. Only Sakura said Yori that way as well with a heavy accent added to the "r" sound. The same heavy "r" sound carried into how she said her given name as well just like his Sakura did. She was alive. He turned to Kaien in amazement.

"How did you find her?"

Kaien's brows knitted together at his captain's tone. What had just happened? "I found her trying to steal from my family's storehouse a little over a year and a half ago. I told you that multiple times already, Captain Ukitake."

"How did you get in the Rukongai #79, girl? Did you get assigned to it when you came to soul society after you died?" He asked of Sakura as a just in case she had died in the fire and lived a short life among those in the world of the living.

"I don't know exactly how I got there, but I do know that I was born here in the soul society." she turned her head to the side a bit as she pursed her lips looking at the captain from the corner of her eyes. He was digging for information she didn't want to give out to everyone who asked.

"And how did you get that anklet? Looks a bit too nice for some random kid in the Rukongai to have."

Sakura's head snapped to glare at the white haired man directly. "I did not steal it! I can't remember how I got it anymore but I've had it for as long as I can remember! I only stole when I was on the streets to survive, not for my own personal pleasure! If I could have I would have never stole to begin with!" Her eyes flashed with her indignant anger and her voice was a growl. Her lips curled a bit in a snarl and she retreated a few steps and crouched in a defensive posture.

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" Kaien grabbed Sakura around her waist and held her still against him. "Captain, please. Sakura is still working on rewiring her mind from what it got to be and there are still a lot of sore spots for her. When people talk to her like that she still takes it as an attack on her person. I don't know how she did it but she survived on those harsh streets all on her own with no one's help at all for at least two years from what I've gathered. How she got there noone knows, but she adapted to it fairly quickly it seems. Why are you even asking her stuff like that?"

Ukitake was silent as he watched for a few moments. This was his Sakura but she had changed with the years. Her eyes didn't hold that shining innocence all youth have anymore. Looking out of the face of the young girl who wasn't even in her teenage years yet was the jaded eyes of a young woman much older. Sakura had been forced to grow up beyond her years on the streets of the Rukongai. He also saw the lack of recognition in those eyes. She didn't remember him even though she kept his gift to her as a small child. She had grown too in the intervening years. Now she could probably reach the shoulders of the head captain with her head when the last time he looked she barely made his waist. Guilt swept through Ukitake as he looked on her now. She had been out there needing anyone who could help, and everyone had given up looking for her. They had turned their backs on her. It was his, Kyoraku, and Yamamoto's fault she had to live through such a harsh reality. If they had kept looking they might have found her sooner.

"It's nothing. She can stay and look around for as long as she wishes," he said as he returned to his desk with a heart that had lightened and gotten heavy in a matter of moments. When he was left alone he allowed the emotions swirling inside him to have their full rein over him.

As the years past and as she came to see the squad on a regular basis not only did she learn the squad and its members, but Ukitake learned of the new Sakura Hideyori as well. She hadn't dealt with her loss of her family that was very clear. Whenever her emotions seemed to catch up with her she'd put herself through the wringer in the attempt to drive them away again. She could easily sit staring over the lake Ukitake's home was in the middle of for hours on end, but she always fidgeted her foot causing the charms on her anklet to clink together. Ukitake remained silent on the topic of her family knowing that when she felt the time was right she'd tell the world what her true identity was. He did his best to be a support for the troubled girl to turn to and always let her tag along with him when the mood struck her. He knew she didn't remember it but she did that when she was small too and it brought a sense of nostalgia to him. When she decided to enter the Academy he tried to give her as many pointers for the entrance exam as he could as did Kaien. When she passed with very high marks everyone in the squad as thrilled when they heard and secretly prayed she'd be assigned to squad thirteen when she graduated.

Sakura's first impression of the Shinigami Academy was that it was huge followed by the thought of how the heck did Dad, Kaien, and Miyako not get lost half a million times going from point A to point B. She had never seen something so large before. She felt small and insignificant the moment she walked through the gate. The others of the incoming class with her were also arriving. Those that were of noble families could be spotted from miles away just by their clothes and how they had arrived. The same was true for those of the Rukongai like Sakura. The nobles wore expensive, fancy clothes compared to the much humbler and dirtier clothes of those of the Rukongai. The Rukongai students had come by their own foot power while the nobles came by palanquins, fancy covered litters with at least two people carrying it on their shoulders. Everyone stood around in a large crowd not sure what to do or where to go, but the crowd could be cut almost dead center into two groups: Rukongai students on one side and noble on the other. Mixed in with the crowd were the red and blue uniformed upper class men that had been recruited to help with the new students, the servants of some of the nobles, and the black and white robes of different instructors.

Slowly the crowd began to move forward after they were told to retrieve their uniforms, find their dorms, and get to class. The uniform depository was just as crowded as the courtyard when Sakura got to it and she had to practically shove her way to the desk. The woman behind the counter said nothing as she took one look at her and handed her a couple sets of red hakama and white with red stripe haori that were apparently the uniform of the female students. Sakura turned to shove her way out of the building and smacked into the broad chest of a male student of her year who was working his way to the desk. He glared down at her and snarled.

"What the hell is your problem, bitch!"

She said nothing in return but glared back at him clinching her jaw and tightening her grip on her uniforms before she tried to move to the side to get away. She did not need a fight on the first day with one of her fellow students. As she was about to get by him he reached out and grabbed her arm in a bruising grip. Before she could think better of it her other hand shot out and slapped him and Sakura ran. She got to her assigned dorm before she stopped. What was his problem? Anyone could have seen she bumped into him on accident, and someone was bound to do so with how crowded that small building had been. Sakura was not in a good mood now. So much for what excitement she had this morning about starting school at the Academy. Sakura changed as slowly as she dared into her new uniform and pulled her brown hair back into its normal braid before she set out to find her first class. She was bound to have that jerk in one of her classes. Sakura glanced at the schedule she had received two weeks ago to double check that she had history first then look up at the room numbers. Gah! Where was 256?! Panic starts to set in and she raced down the hallways. She was not totally proud of it but she found her classroom with ten seconds to spare.

"Yori Sakura. I see you have the luck of the Kami on your side today. Your seat is over there." The instructor calls out drawing the whole class's attention to her as he points to a spot on the left hand side of the room that was vacant.

She blushed scarlet and moved to take the seat until she saw who it is that she would have to sit next to. Sakura was stuck next to the jerk from the uniform depository. He tilted his chair back and put his feet on the table in front of him and put his hands behind his head. She didn't let his casual posture fool her. She could see him glaring at her in recognition under his long black bangs. She stood rooted to the spot she stood glaring right back at him.

"Yome Shion! Get your feet off the table this instant!" The instructor yells at the jerk and he turns his glare to the instructor. "Don't give me that look! I've heard plenty about you from your brother when he was my student."

The jerk growls but obeys the order reluctantly. All four of the chair's legs return to the floor with a crashing bang. Knowing she was going to get the instructor's yelling next she reluctantly sat in the chair next to the jerk, Shion. She moved her chair as far from his as she can and he does the same. They both glare at each other out of the corners of their eyes the whole of class even as they each take notes on the lecture being given. Sakura gladly jumped out of her seat and quickly moved to the exit when the bell sounds and the instructor, Koro-sensei, dismisses the class. The rest of the day she had better luck finding her classes in a more timely manner. Unfortunately Sakura had the jerk in almost half her classes.

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The next few weeks pass more smoothly and Sakura noticed that she was not the only one Shion was a jerk to. She would swear his mission in life was to make everyone else's more miserable. His favorite target was a boy in their year named Ryuku Ryona who had pitiful skills in Zanjutsu and offensive kido. The only thing Ryuku could really do good was healing kido making it obvious what squad he was going to be placed in when they graduated in six years time. If he was able to get good enough marks in all his classes for him to graduate that is or had the guts to stay in the Academy that long.

"Hey, Wimp-wad!" Ryuku flinched as he heard the call of Shion from behind him in the crowded hallway and tensed knowing he was in for another attack from the bully.

Sakura glanced over her shoulder at the weak boy that was her fellow student as she paused in the hall with her hand on one of the window sills, her books clutched to her chest with her other arm. She debated what she should do. Ryuku was really weak and it was natural that the strong will pick on the weak, but he was also a member of her year and therefore a future possible member of whatever squad she would be put in, ever though it was pretty clear he would be a member of squad four, and trust in your other squad members is key. How would any one be able to put faith in her if she turns her back on someone in need? Sakura bit her lip as she began to turn to go back. Who else would stand up for Ryuku if she didn't? Everyone was cowed by Shion practically and it was high time someone stood up to him and kicked his arse. Resolve straightened and strengthened Sakura's spine as she walked to where Ryuku stood and Shion drew near him. She came to a stop when Ryuku was behind her and she stood in Shion's way. Her right arm hung at her side as her left held her books to her. To the casual observer she would look totally relaxed instead of the tightly coiled spring she was. Sakura was more than ready to snap out her right hand and punch Shion in the face.

"What's this? Little miss goody-goody two shoes wants to save the little wimp? Get lost if you don't want to feel pain." Shion taunted.

"How about no you bastard?" Sakura sneered just before she snapped out a quick back hand punch to Shion's nose.

An awed hush instantly fell and all those in the immediate hallway area began to form a ring around Sakura, Shion and Ryuku. No one could believe that someone had stood up to Shion, much less on someone else's behalf. Shion touched the back of his hand to his smarting nose and pulled it away to see blood. A stream of swear words flowed from his mouth in rapid succession before his launched a punch of his own at Sakura's head. Sakura calmly timed his attack to lean to the side at the last possible moment and caught his wrist then twisted his arm back behind him with one hand. A cry of pain was barely suppressed as it was about to escape Shion's throat and he clinched his teeth to keep anymore from trying to get out. He tried to counter her but to no avail. She held him firmly in place with no shift in her stony expression as he struggled against her hold.

A growl of frustration escaped him, "Bitch! Let me go!"

"Do you submit?" Sakura asked emotionless giving his arm a slight bit more of a twist.

"Fuck no!" another twist to his arm. "Ow!! Fuck! Alright! Let me go bitch!"

"Leave Ryuku-kun alone." She shoved Shion as she let go of his arm sending him stumbling forward. He glared at her as he slowly slunk away. The crowd slowly parted to permit the defeated bully to retreat to lick his wounds before he would show his face again. Everyone turned to whisper and mutter something to their neighbor as Sakura turned to go to her class. She gave Ryukyu a small nod of acknowledgment as she walked past him. He stood dazed for a few moments then turned and ran to catch up to her.

"That was amazing! How did you do that?" Ryuku asked the moment he caught up. "I can't believe you could take him down so easily."

"He'll be back and worse than ever. I humiliated him in front of others and he can't claim he faked it like he has tried to with the sparring matches in Zanjutsu and Hakuda. Nothing will rile someone like him like losing to a girl in front of an audience like that." she replied nonchalantly with a shrug of her shoulders.

Ryuku paused for a few moments as fear gripped him, "Worse than before?"

Sakura looked over her shoulder at him. "He can't beat me in a fair fight. I was sick of him anyways already. He wouldn't know polite if it smacked him in the face. You're clearly going to be a squad four, the squad most often looked down on but I do know that those who have really strong healing spirits are rare. Most shinigami souls much more of the killing verity like me and Shion."

Ryuku saw the sincerity in her deep blue eyes and knew that she was someone he could put total faith in. From that point on Ryuku was like Sakura's shadow everywhere she was so was he. Word of Sakura trouncing Shion spread like wildfire through the Academy, both the student body and the staff ate up every word they could get of it. When it was clear that Sakura was as skilled as most students three years higher than her in Zanjutsu and as skilled as most two years higher in Hakuda it spread like wildfire as well. Rumors also started to spread that Sakura and Ryuku were an item with how often they were around each other even though Sakura did her best to make it clear that wasn't the case. The conflict and tension between Sakura and Shion only sky rocketed as the school years passed and they kept ending up in the same classes. The reason they kept getting the same classes: they were the two strongest members of their year. None but the older students and instructors could compare to them in strength and skill, and as such they were frequently assigned to be sparing partners or pitted against the instructors or student teachers for demonstration purposes. There were many among the students who rallied behind Sakura and sought her strength and protection when Shion targeted them like Ryukyu, but there were a few that sided with Shion against her and willingly helped him whenever possible. Fights that caused true injury were common between the divisions formed around Sakura and Shion among the students. In fact they happened at least once a month. . .Things got a bit worse once their year was allowed to carry an asauchi, a nameless zanpakuto, outside Zanjutsu class.

"Ryuku-kun! Move!" Sakura had had enough of Shion's crap for the week once again and was going to kick his arse into next month. They were in class this time. Those closest who heard her call paused in their own spars to watch one of the events that was growing to infamy right before their eyes. Those who were self appointed to either side of the rival pair eyed each other up waiting for some cue to go after each other. "Stay the hell out of this all of you! This isn't your fight!"

Ryukyu glanced over his shoulder at her hesitant. He knew if she fought him they wouldn't stop until one of them was prime for the infirmary. He felt nagging guilt for his weakness every time she was injured on his behalf. He should stand up for himself and spare her from fighting even if he was one of the weakest members of their year. He hated seeing her get hurt and he always had. He knew what she hid from the rest of their year. He knew she was the daughter of his parents employer, Tadakatsu Hideyori, and he knew that because he remembered her clearly from when they were children. He had healed her injuries even back then as well as he could. He also knew she didn't remember the servant boy she used to play with and get punished because of. Ryukyu didn't want to move out of her way. His asauchi shook in his trembling hands. He shook with fear, self-loathing, and the attempt to gather his courage to tell her to stay back this time. His instincts were screaming at him to retreat and let someone stronger take on the foe before him, but what honor and self respect he had kept him in place. Sweat poured down his body with the effort to stay were he was in the face of Shion's much more massive spiritual pressure pushing against him making his grip on the asauchi slick. Shion had a predatory grin on his face as he watched Ryukyu intently, one way or another he would get some fun from him.

"Feel free to jump in an time you feel like it boys," Shion called to those behind him who had been waiting eagerly for a command purposely making Sakura have to allow her followers to defend themselves even if she didn't say a word.

"Ryuku-kun! Now!" Sakura let her anger at Shion color her tone and released part of her spirit pressure directing it at Shion and by extent Ryukyu.

The wind got knocked out of Ryukyu by the collision of spirit pressure and one of Sakura's supports took a bit of matters into their own hands by grabbing him by the arm and pulling him out of the way. Ryukyu tried to protest and put himself in the way again but he couldn't shake the grip of the two people that held him by the arms on the side lines. Worry griped him like an iron fist as Sakura stepped forward her left hand gripping the sheath of her asauchi when she faced Shion, her thumb pressed against the guard partially sliding it out of the sheath. Her right foot slide back so it was back farther than her left. She hunched forward slightly in preparation for the draw.

Shion's grin widened as he took his asauchi into both his hands and raised it angling the blade's tip towards her. He was so going to get her good this time and the weaklings would get to watch their little goddess of battle fall. He slid his right foot back and shifted his weight forward onto his left. Her right hand came up to grasp the hilt of her asauchi. They stood like that for the mere breadth of a few heartbeats, though it felt longer than that, and the world seemed to still and fall away. The only movement was the slow rise and fall of their chests and the wind blowing their hair.

Then Shion pushed himself forward in a lunge to slash at Sakura. The asauchi slid free of the sheath and Sakura blocked the slash using the flat of the blade. Their asauchi lock together for a few seconds before she shoved on her blade pushing him back a few feet disengaging the nameless zanpakuto. Sakura took a chop at his head and he blocked it. With the next disengagement Shion took a sweeping slash at both her legs. She leaps over the blade as it slashes and before she lost too much air she twisted around a bit and kicked him in the face. A sickening crunch follows that she both felt and hear, and as she lands blood started to trickle from his broken nose. A gasp sounds from the gathered crowd as Shion stumbles back a few steps stunned. Sakura swung her asauchi intent to take advantage of the major opening she had created. Before she had time to blink Takashi-sensei had her by both wrists and had her arms held over her head.

"That's enough! No more is needed, Yori-san!" Shion regained his balance and looked like he was going to launch another attack but thought better of it when Takashi-sensei turned his attention to him. "I suggest you go to the infirmary and get that treated, Yome-san."

Shion glared at Sakura then slunk off with his tail between his legs again, figuratively speaking. He wasn't stupid enough to disobey an instructor's order just to get at her. There would be other chances sooner or later. When Shion and his followers were gone for the most part Takashi-sensei released her. She sheathed her asauchi and rubbed her wrists subconsciously. She took a deep breath and reined in her flaring spirit pressure and calmed herself a bit. Ryukyu sighed softly in relief. She hadn't been hurt this time.

"I want you to take the rest of the day's worth of classes off, Yori-san. As talented as you are even you need rest. Everyone is aware of just how much you practice. You are always on time for lessons and never miss a day, and you can always be found in one of the practice areas long after the others have left. If you continue the way you are you will make yourself ill. Everyone knows that, with the exception of your conflict with Yome-san, you are an exemplary student. Now run along and do something relaxing like read a book or poetry. Ryona-san, I'd like a word with you."

Sakura nodded and obeyed. She walked through the halls of the Shinigami Academy toward her dorm a bit begrudgingly. She wanted to be active to help burn off the emotions that still haunted her from years ago and the turmoil the last fight had created. She was disturbed on a major level because she would have killed Shion most likely if Takashi-sensei hadn't interfered when he did. She couldn't just disobey Takashi-sensei's order though because every instructor she had and ever will have would know about it no matter what she would prefer. She hated staying completely still so maybe she'd write to Kaien and the others and let them know how she was doing. She was so deep in thought with her eyes focused on the floor she didn't even realize there was anyone near her until her shoulder bumped someone in passing. She ducked her head, hiding her face, and muttered an apology as she hurried on her way.

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Byakuya turned, frowning, as he watched the light brown haired girl retreat down the hall back the way he and the two men at his sides had just came. After she had bumped into him she had hunched into herself and moved to the side as if fearing a blow. Her apology was so soft he would have sworn she hadn't said anything at all. What nagged at him though was the feeling that he had seen her somewhere before many years ago. It would be much easier to know for sure if he had seen her face or eyes. He had thought he had hear the clinks of a charm bracelet or something to that effect but he could have been mistaken.

"What a mouse!" the man to his left, one of his family's guards, said with a laugh.

"More like a rude wench," the man to his right, his grandfather, replied with a scowl. "She didn't even say one word of apology to you, did she, Byakuya?"

Byakuya stared silently in the direction she had gone for one long moment before he turned back the way they were going. "She did, very softly. Let us continue on our way."

Where had he seen her before? Who was she? He had the feeling that it had to be before he had met his late wife Hisana. There was only one girl that had seemed worth noticing or really remembering back then, but this couldn't be her. Sakura Hideyori had died in the fire that had destroyed her family's home. . .

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Within a week the talk of the Academy was the adoption of a girl named Rukia into the great noble Kuchiki family and how a bunch of strings were getting pulled for her suddenly. Life at the Academy continued on as normal for most of the students and Sakura was offered multiple times the chance to skip a few years and graduate early by at least two years because of her skills, but she refused every time. Sakura was back home at the Shiba compound in the short break between the end of her fourth year and start of her fifth when the next large ripple in her life hit.

She had been sitting in front of the house watching and waiting for the sun to set so she could try something she hadn't had time to do in years due to her time at the Academy and skipping breaks to stay there and work ahead on the next year's material. She had wanted to give the newest blend Kukaku had come up with for a kamuro firework a try since she had heard about it. She looked up at the sky hoping the rain she smelled on the way would hold off long enough for her to try it out. Her hope was in vain though as it soon started to pour. Sakura sat still letting the rain fall on her. She wasn't concerned about the fireworks shell since she had left indoors to wait for its launch time. Rain had always seemed to have a calming effect on her so she stayed outside and even started to doze out there. The tingle of approaching spirit energy awake her. Kukaku was coming to the doorway to call her in when a figure dragging something became visible. Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko came to stand near Sakura as the figure approached. It was a young woman wearing the shihakusho, the uniform of a shinigami, and she was dragging another person by the back of their own shihakusho. She had blood on her face and her zanpakuto was unsheathed in her right hand. There was blood on the blade as well. Denial rang through Sakura's mind as she drew closer and she saw the short spiky black hair of the person she dragged. When the woman was close enough and she stopped to let go of the person an undeniable voice thanked her just before they died. Rage gripped Sakura and she started to rush forward in an attempt on the woman, but before she could do anything the twins grabbed both of her arms and held her in place. She thrashed and screamed trying to break free and tear the woman shinigami apart as she turned and walked away without a word. When she was finally released she sunk into a heap on the ground and refused to move. Sakura had to be forcefully taken inside.

Sakura refused to speak to anyone at Kaien and Miyako's funeral. She had lost another brother and sister in one fell swoop and had to wonder what god had it out for her. Sakura began to distance herself from Kukaku, Ganju, and the twins. She questioned her choice to be a shinigami. Her heart was filled with self-doubt and she felt as if she had been cast a drift in a boundless turbulent sea that would swallow her up the first chance it got. The Shibas, Kaien and Miyako especially, had become her foundation and that was now gone.

The first time Ukitake tried to talk with Sakura after that she railed on him. She screamed and yelled at him. She accused him of it being all his fault they had died cutting him deep in heart and soul. She knew in her heart that he wasn't to blame and that their deaths hurt him just as much, but she wanted to lash out at someone, anyone. She returned to the Academy but everyone soon learned to stay the hell out of her way if they didn't want to feel her tongue. Sakura became rude and beligrant toward everyone when she would have been polite and respectful before. Sakura felt a bitterness lodged inside her that hadn't been there before. She cursed out instructors. She got in fights more frequently. Anyone that got in her way or too close were prime targets for her fists. Not even Ryukyu was exempted from her constant foul mood. Unlike some of the others in their year who lost faith in her and turned away, Ryukyu stayed by her and took everything she dealt without gripe or flinching and always was back by her side the next day.

And Sakura had turned quite foul indeed with her behavior.

There was one day Head-Captain Yamamoto came to the Academy himself to scout out the students and see which ones really did have true potential. He spoke with the instructors between the classes to hear what they had to say about their students and there were two names that kept coming up with every instructor whether they had those two in their class or not, Shion Yome and Sakura Yori. It was made clear that Shion had issues with respecting authority and while being quite skilled was a bad apple from the start. Sakura on the other hand had seemed to be the perfect student until her fifth year then she became even harder to control than Shion. What had caused this sudden change in the girl's behavior was a mystery to the instructors because she refused to speak of any personal issues with anyone. This intrigued Yamamoto because he recognized some of the patterns of his former student Tadakatsu Hideyori in this Sakura's behavior. He wanted to see this Sakura and find out if she was the one he suspected she was. He and the instructors she currently had remained in the hall talking for a long time blocking it up most of it.

Sakura glared at the younger students she past in the hall, cowing them to one side of the hall and practically against the wall. Ryuku gave them an apologetic smile as he followed her hurried pace. Sakura was in a worse mood than normal could tell just from how fast she was walking. He was going to have to make a lot of apologies for her by the time the sun set. When Sakura saw the group of instructors blocking up the hallway she growled and her pace increased with her temper.

"Move it!" she yelled when she was close enough.

Yamamoto whispered to the instructors to hold their ground when one whispered "Sakura".

Sakura's anger increased at being ignored and before any thought of the consequences can enter her mind a very long string of swear words left her mouth in rapid succession for a good two minutes all directed at the group blocking her way. Absolute horror at the words leaving her mouth in the Head-Captain's presence grip the instructors and Ryuku. They knew she had a foul mouth but what they were hearing now paled everything they had hear before in comparison. When Sakura finally stopped she was breathing heavily and glaring at the group with a look that would kill the lot of them multiple times over if looks could kill. There was dead silence for a few moments then Yamamoto threw his head back and laughed startling everyone but Sakura. She had just confirmed what he suspected. This really was Tadakatsu's girl. When he stopped laughing a smile hidden under his beard and mustache formed.

"You remind me of one of my students from back when I opened this Academy. He had out bursts like that almost every time things didn't go the way he wanted them to. He later became the captain of squad ten and did a fairly good job at it. Perhaps one day you'll also become a captain, girl. From what I've heard you have the abilities to be a fourth or fifth seated officer right out of the Academy, but your anger issues will hold you back as long as you have them." Yamamoto had to wonder if she would succeed in getting control of it where her father had failed. He knew that her behavior was making her a prime candidate for squad eleven because of her apparent liking of fighting, but he had other ideas of where to put her. . .

A/N: That's it for this one! Two reader requests filled in this one and hopefully you guys know the time frame now until further notice. Please review if you like. Please review if you don't like. Things in this chapter went in a bit of an unintentional direction in the writing process. :face palms: I don't know how else to put Ryuku though so he's staying that way for this chapter. Next chapter: Sakura gets her zanpakuto, miraculously graduates from the Academy, and gets put in her first squad. Sorry it took me so long to write this and get it up.

Til next chapter,

Sakura-hime