Chapter 5
Young Byakuya runs up to a little girl(she is almost a blur)They are standing both on the porch of a house .
"Onii-chan!"Onii-chan!
(A woman stretches her arms out to him)
"Byakuya? Come my handsome son!"
(Little girl hugs him tighter)
"Never leave my side …"
(Little girl screams and disappears into flames ,the only thing left is Byakuya's red hair ribbon)
"Nooooo!"
"Byakuya ? Oi ! Byakuya? You awake?"
The noble gasped and opened his eyes to see Ichigo standing above him looking at him strangely.
"Kkk…Kurosaki Ichigo ? It's you ?"
"Yea you were having a nightmare and saying something about a house burning down and that you must never leave HER side!"
All at one Byakuya remembered his awful nightmare! Suddenly he grabbed his head !
(Byakuya's thoughts)
That dream ! That house I know them ! I'm sure I…Uhhh! That girl who is she ? What is happening to my memories?
Byakuya gasped memories? Memories of what ?
"Byakuya you need help or something?"
Realizing that he had attracted much attention to himself Byakuya resumed his feeling less expression.
"I assure you I am in no need of assistance Kurosaki Ichigo and neither of your concern I'm sure!"
"Fine ! God would you loosen up I'm just trying to be a bit friendly !"
"Hmm…"
(Ichigo's thoughts)
Man! What a guy! It's four in the morning ! He wakes me up with his crazy nightmare ,he makes a psycho seen ,I try to help what do I get ? Geez what a stiffo!
"Cmon Byakuya get up"
"It is very early yet to do so"
"If you want to take a bath you better get up"
"Very well then"
"The soap is on the left side of the bathtub and the shampoo is in the cupboard ! If you need conditioner it's there too!"
"Conditioner?"
"Yup with that hair you're going to need it!"Ichigo said laughing to himself .
(Byakuya's thoughts)
What an insolent little ryoka! Anyway I must not trouble myself further with him! That nightmare …so familiar and it seemed so real! That girl do I really know her? No matter! I shall have a brief amount of time to think things over in the warm water.
Meanwhile at Semina's house:
"Morning Semi Semi-chan ! Sleep well?"
"Not really Rukia –chan, Luna was sleeping on my bed so I couldn't shift position very easily with that stupid fur ball who was snoring and woofing about in her sleep"
Rukia smiled ,she had momentarily forgotten about the tiny Yorkshire Terrier puppy. Semina's beloved little dog ! A small brown and black cuddly fur ball called Luna.
"Were is Luna chibi anyway?"
"Crazy inu is probably sleeping peacefully in MY bed !"Semina said playfully . "But she's so kawai auuuuuhhh!"
"Girls,it's time to go to school! Come down and have some breakfast !"
Semina sighed:
"Coming aunt Ohatsu!"
Moments later they were both walking to school with Orihime and Tatsuki .
"So" Tatsuki said "Semina ,how come you got this ability of seeing ghost?
"Don't know where it stems from but I've had it since I was a baby I think" Semina said shrugging her shoulders carelessly .
"I guess I have high reiatsu or something …"
(Semina's thoughts)
Yea,since I was a young I could see spirits but only after mom and dad died I could shinigami and hollows,mom often told stories about shinigami and a "fairy tale place" Soul Society. I always believed in both and now,I actually can see them and fight hollows with them ! But I wander if my brother was connected to them in any way or…my whole family maybe Urahara could tell me or…Uh I'm thinking too much again !
"Well I'm glad you can fight hollows with us Semina chan" Said Orihime happily"
"Yea I guess"
(At school )
"Seeeeeeexxxyyyy Goddess! Bless me with a kiss!"Keigo shouted as soon as Semina walked into the classroom.
"Frigin pervert! Get off me !" Semina shouted giving him a shove.
Just then Ichigo followed by a solemn Byakuya walked into the room.
"Ohyou Kurosaki-kun!"Orihime chimed .
"Ohyou Inoue, hey Semina"
"Hey Ichigo sleep well?"
"I guess, you?"
"Good"
"Well I know that you and Rukia probably spent the night playing Wii or something…"
"Oh I don't know Ichigo…"
Semina gave a wink and walked over to Byakuya's desk. He was sitting there lost in thought.
"Um ,ohyou gosaimasu Kuchiki-san"
"Ohyou Tsukishiro Semina…you have dark circles under your eyes,did you not sleep well?"
"Oh you noticed" Said Semina blushing furiously. "Well Luna was sleeping on my bed so I couldn't sleep well"
"Luna ?"
"Oh, my pet dog! She's so kawai!"
"I see…"
"Do you like animals"
"If they are tame I believe I do"
Semina laughed "That's good to know"
Byakuya looked at her : "I take it Luna wasn't the only cause?"
"Well I…"
"Hmmm if you and Rukia stay up frequently you will lose your freshness"
"Mmm…my big brother sais that ,I mean used to"
Byakuya looked at her confused:
"Just how do you mean"
Semina's expression darkened:
"He disappeared a long time ago ,when I was four ,I …I think he was taken by a shinigami ,I was powerless back then, yet I tried to stop them from taking him".
Byakuya looked at her in surprise:
"Do still hope to find him?"
"Yes…someday I will ,you see he made a promise to me. He said he would always protect me and never leave my side when I need him, so…I believe in him with all my heart!"
Suddenly Byakuya felt his head pulsing ,everything began to turn red before his eyes and disappear ! Only Semina remained staring at him with her big brown eyes but, she began to change before Byakuya's eyes . She seemed to become a very young girl ,her eyes seamed to become bigger ,she seemed to be caling out to Byakuya desperately. Suddenly Byakuya knew ! he knew that she was the girl he saw in his nightmare the girl in his flashbacks. Those broken memories! The girl without a face ! Until now…Byakuya could feel the world turning into a vortex that was swallowing his confused heart ! No why can't he explain all these memories ? Who is this human girl ? Could she be the he was supposed to find ? The mystery the key to his cloudy long forgotten past?
"Umm Kuchiki-san is everything alright?"
Byakuya shook his head alarmed.
Semina smiled and nodded :
"Don't space out like that ! You don't want to scare me like that do you ?"
"No…"
"Ohyou Gosaimasu Nii-sama"Rukia said walking close to them and giving a light bow.
"Rukia…"Said Byakuya blankly.
Rukia shyly looked up at him:
"I hope you had a pleasant night Nii-sama"
"Yes…thank you" Byakuya said coldly.
"Yosh everyone to the locker rooms" Shouted the gym teacher "Hurry up and change everyone"
Semina grabbed Rukia's hand :
"Hurry up dumbass!"
"Shut up I'm coming"
They both run out of the classroom towards the gymnasium, Byakuya followed .
(Byakuya's thoughts)
A human…a mire inferior being! Nothing more …I don't know her and I don't wish to do so!
"Yosh everyone form teams of four ,two boys two girls. Hurry up people" Boomed the gym teacher.
The class split into teams and started running in circles around the gymnasium as a warm up before the standard exercises. Byakuya watched Semina as they ran side by side, see looked pale….Suddenly she let out a sigh and began to fall to the ground .Swiftly Byakuya caught her in his arms.
The others stopped and came running towards them:
"Semina-chan! What happened to her ?"
"She fainted ! I wander why?"
"Look at her ! She's very pale!"
"Alright people step aside! Give them some air!" The gym teacher said coming closer.
"Kuchiki what happened to her?"
"I believe she fainted sensei…"
"Hmm she looks very pale ,take her to the nurse's office and stay until she wakes up"
"Sensei we ought to go too we" Rukia started.
"Only Kuchiki and no one else, you're not skipping my class!"
Byakuya sighed and walked towards the nurse's office with the unconscious Semina in his arms.
"Oh my ,my, my what happened here?"Said the nurse looking at Semina with concern.
"She passed out during gymnastics' class .I am to remain with her until she regains consciousness"
The nurse smiled and patted Byakuya on the back:
"That would be nice of you young man .Do so"
Byakuya put Semina down the bed an sat on the edge of it .He looked at Semina and realized how beautiful she truly was.
(Byakuya's thoughts)
As delicate as my dear Hisana…I feel I am becoming more and more fascinated with this child! I truly believe I've known her all my life! Is that impossible? I faintly remember someone in my life before I came to the Soul Society ,but…
Byakuya's eyes suddenly caught a flash of red on Semina's body …He leaned closer to make sure what he saw existed .Yes he was right Semina's shirt sleeve was stained in blood! But how ? Byakuya frowned…
"Uhhh" Semina started to wake up .The minute she opened her eyes she met Byakuya's serious gaze.
"Kuchiki-san? …Were…were am I?"
Byakuya narrowed his eyes at her :
"You have a lot of explaining to do!"
"Huh? About what?"
"About THAT!"Said Byakuya pointing at her sleeve.
"Damn it opened up again…Well I guess I ought to tell you now that you literally caught me red handed!"
"Then explain if you please"
"Last night around midnight I sensed the presence of a hollow outside a very close friend of mine's house, I left without Rukia knowing and went to kill it ."
Byakuya opened his eyes in amazement:
"Foolish human! How could you alone fight a hollow?"
"Huh! Don't underestimate my powers please! It makes me irritable!" Said Semina with flashing eyes at the same time lifting her unwounded hand and moving her palm over left wounded arm. Byakuya watched silently as a flash came out of her hand!
"Healing kido?"
"I know ! I've always had the ability to heal my own injuries and kill hollows with the same power. It was only after I saw Rukia and Ichigo's shinigami forms that I understood and became part of the gang !"
"Yet you still got indured"
"Yes this hollow was stronger than the others" Semina admitted
Byakuya moved over to her side:
"Allow me"His hands moved over the surface of the wound .A warm light came forth from them engulfing the wounded area.
Semina blushed:
"It's fine you don't need to spend your reiatsu like that I can handle it fine"
Byakuya looked at her with his mesmerizing gray blue eyes .He stopped healing the wound and put his finger on Semina's lips.
"Speak no more Tsukishiro Semina…You are weak at this moment …speak no more…"
He resumed his healing .Semina watched him with huge eyes filled with a sudden passion .Never had she felt like this! It was a feeling she couldn't describe ! A fiery ice that made her want to succumb to Byakuya's will entirely ! She wanted the moment to last forever.
Byakuya finished and looked at Semina:
"Is it still painful?"He asked softly .
Semina shook her head:
"No…"She whispered.
She got and tidied herself up ,then she turned to Byakuya .
She leaned down and whispered in his ear:
"Thank you and forgive me for being so hasty about that hollow"
"Do not attempt it again" Was the reply
Semina smiled lightly and did what no one would dream of doing to Kuchiki Byakuya! She softly kissed his cheek and then somewhat embarrassed for doing so she hastened out of the room blushing like a rose.
Byakuya sat there completely startled . If there was one thing he wasn't expecting it was a kiss!
(Byakuya's thoughts)
She…she kissed me ? Yes she truly kissed me .And I did nothing just stood there like a lovesick child? How very un noble of me indeed! Yet…that is the same way Hisana and I met and fell in love .
Byakuya sat there gazing after Semina, a slight blush on his cheeks. A smile began to form on his face.
Class passed like lightning .Through it Ichigo kept glancing at Byakuya .He was spacing out with a lost expression on his face and then and now was glancing at Semina.
"Wow Byakuya ! Semina got your composure alright" Ichigo thought laughing .
The day ended with Keigo's usual attempt to look under Semina or Rukia's skirt.
"Ohhh I'm exhausted ! Good thing we don't have any homework for tomorrow" Semina said yawning .
"Oi Semina" Ichigo said slyly winking at her "Next time you want to give someone a case of sexy girl trauma make it a less stiff guy will ya!"
"WHAT!" Semina shouted .
"Yes WHAT!" Said Byakuya glaring at Ichigo menacingly.
Rukia laughed and so did Orihime .
"Auuu look it you two ! You make a totally kawai pair !" Orihime chimed .
"Orihime-chan stop it" Wailed Semina turning red.
"Hey Semina ya made two boys love slaves huh ?" Tatsuki said giving Semina a friendly punch.
Byakuya sighed! Nothing travels faster than gossip ...
"Oh I've had enough! I didn't do anything like that okay?"Shouted Semina and walked out of the room angrily.
"Hey Semina" Ichigo ran after her
"Oh leave me alone you started it dumbass"
"Hey ever heard of the word JOKE?" "Calm down will you"
"You suck big time Ichigo" Said Semina pushing the startled teen away .
"Come on Rukia let's go"
Ichigo watched her go devastated
"Uh great! There goes my girlfriend to be!" He said slamming his fist on a nearby wall. "Damn that stiff!"
"Kurosaki Ichigo" Byakuya said solemnly :
"Blaming me for treating a lady wrong will lead you know where"
Ichigo looked at Byakuya mortified:
"What do I do Byakuya?"
"You must do what a gentleman must do and apologize to her"
They spent the walk to the Kurosaki clinic talking about it,but Byakuya had his own affairs with Semina to think about.
(Later at Ichigo's house)
Byakuya sat on the floor of Ichigo's room. He felt utterly confused .
"I must regain my balance , composure as well as tranquility" Said Byakuya to himself thoughtfully .
He crossed his legs and placing his hands to rest on his knees closed his eyes .He took a deep breath and comensed his evening meditation. It always helped whenever he was angry or confused,he could perfectly put his soul back into balance .
Just then Ichigo walked in .
"Byakuya ,hey Byakuya you listening over there?"
Ichigo stooped down to see what the noble was doing .
"Kurosaki Ichigo ,do not disturb me when I am clearing my mind of all unwanted thoughts"
"Yea like that stuff works.." Sneered Ichigo.