Chapter 2- A New Captain, the Same Dislike

Kimiko arrived an hour later to the barracks of squad six. When she arrived at the gate, she was met by Renji. He bowed as soon as she was in front of him. In response she bowed as well. The two did not exchange words. Renji led Kimiko into the barracks and began to show her around. As the two of them walked, Renji tried to have a conversation.

"So, welcome to squad six," Renji greeted.

"It is nice to have at least one friendly face around here," Kimiko replied with a smile, "Oh and sorry about kicking the crap out of you back at the academy. I kind of had to do it in order to impress my sensei."

"No problem, besides I was going easy on you."

"Oh, I am sure. Lieutenant…"

"Just call me Renji."

"Well, Renji where is Byakuya's room?"

"Oh he doesn't live here. He lives in the Kuchiki mansion."

"Figures…."

"What?"

"Oh nothing, I would like to go to my room now."

The moon was still high in the sky. The clouds that drifted through the sky blocked the light of the moon on occasion. In the darkness, a shadowy figure moved through the courtyard of the barracks of squad six. It continued to move toward the training grounds . As soon as it reached the training grounds, the light of the moon revealed itself one again. In the light, Kimiko drew her Zanpaku-to, the blade gleaming.

"What do you think you are doing out here," A voice called from the shadows.

"Who's there," Kimiko replied as she spun around.

In a flash, someone came up behind her and grabbed her hand that held her sword. The person then pinned that arm behind her. Kimiko swung her free arm back, but the person caught that and pinned it behind her as well. She used her right leg and performed a back kick, which knocked her attacker away from her. She turned around and saw that her attacker was not there. She went over and picked up her sword and sheathed it. Just at that moment, Byakuya shunpo-ed toward her.

"What do you want, Captain Kuchiki," Kimiko asked as she turned to face Byakuya.

"I sensed another presence here besides you so I thought I would come to see if you were…..," Byakuya replied.

"To see if I was what? Don't tell me the great noble Byakuya was worried about one of his underlings? Well, I'm fi… AH!"

Kimiko dropped to one knee and clutched her side. Byakuya knelt down beside her as well and saw in the moonlight that Kimiko's hands that were covering the wound were covered with blood. She was losing blood, fast. Byakuya picked her up and began to Shunpo back to squad six barracks.

The next night, Kimiko woke up in the infirmary of squad six. She sat up, with much pain in her side. She pushed past the pain and stood up and began to walk to the door. As she opened the sliding door, she came face to face with Renji and Gin. Renji immediately supported her and led her back to the bed she was laying in.

"What the hell do you think you're doing walking around," Renji shouted.

"I just wanted some fresh air," Kimiko replied as she sat down on the bed, "Captain Ichimaru, may I ask what you're doing here?"

"I overheard Renji telling Izuru that you were injured," Gin explained, "So I decided to come here and see how you were."

"I need to go do some paperwork," Renji stated as he left the room.

Gin and Kimiko were all alone in the room. Gin began to walk closer to her bed. With each step he took, her heartbeat began to increase. Finally he was just in front of her. He bent down to her height and grabbed her hand and laid his other hand on top of it.

"Get well soon," Gin smiled.

"I'll try Captain Ichimaru," Kimiko chuckled.

"Like I said before, it's not Captain Ichimaru… It's just Gin."

"I will Gin."

Gin stood up and began to walk away. As soon as he reached the door, he turned around and looked back at Kimiko.

"Oh and I filed some paperwork to get you back on my squad," Gin stated as he exited the room and slide the door shut.

Kimiko sat on her bed, merely shocked. Apparently Gin wanted her back in his squad. As she pulled the covers over her exposed legs, Byakuya entered the room, without making a sound.

"What do you want Captain," Kimiko sighed as she stopped pulling the covers over her legs.

"I just wanted to see how you were doing," Byakuya replied, in his usual regal tone.

"I'll live. I really don't remember much about the attack, but I do remember you carrying me here. Thank You Captain Kuchiki."

"Don't mention it. I merely reacted the way any other captain would. May I ask you a question?"

"Sure anything."

"Why do you hate me?"

"I wouldn't say I hate you. We just don't share the same viewpoint in most situations, which causes us to disagree."

"In short you hate me."

"Like I just said, I don't hate you…. Why are we even discussing this anyway?"

"I just heard that Gin Ichimaru has applied to have you back in his squad."

"What business of that is yours?"

"All of it since it involves a member of my squad."

"Like you would care if I left this squa…."

Kimiko stopped her sentence short and grabbed her side. Byakuya then walked out of the room, without making a sound yet again. She merely kept her glaring eyes on the door.

The next day, Kimiko was out of bed, sneaking out of the sickbay. She had not taken two steps when she ran into Renji. He merely sighed as she looked up at the red headed lieutenant.

"You know you're not supposed to be up yet," Renji stated, a slight sigh ending his sentence.

"I know, but I need to practice so Kuchiki doesn't think that I have become weak," Kimiko replied.

"I know what you're trying to do. You're trying to prove yourself to him so he won't look down upon you."

"No that's not it."

"Then why do you hate him so much?"

"You wouldn't understand."

Kimiko walked away from Renji, her pace quickening with each step. Unfortunately , she ran into something, since she did not look where she was going. She felt something touch the back of her head. She looked up and saw that she had bumped into Byakuya.

"Are you feeling better," Byakuya asked.

"Y-y-yes Captain."

"Good, I need you to come with me to a call."

"Yes sir."

The source of the call was a pack of large hollows. Byakuya and Kimiko were the only ones that were on the call. There had to be at least twenty hollows in the pack. Kimiko glanced over at Byakuya and saw that he wore a different expression. It seemed as if he were happy to be on call. Kimiko flew ahead, her sword drawn. She charged the first hollow that she saw and successfully cut its mask in half, causing it to disappear. She went after the next hollow, but the pack had caught on to her and all faced her. Byakuya's eyes widened, mainly because he knew that Kimiko was in trouble.

"Get out of there you idiot," Byakuya shouted.

Kimiko glanced back at Byakuya and smiled a small smile. She faced the oncoming pack of hollows. A swirling tornado of reddish silver reitsu surrounded her. Then Byakuya saw that the tornado was now made of cherry blossoms.

"Pierce them as you scatter," Kimiko shouted, "Shinsozaukra!"

All of the cherry blossoms shot out and tore the hollows to shreds. They all disappeared. Kimiko shunpo-ed back to Byakuya, but as soon as she was close to him, he pulled her close to him and raised his sword. He slashed one remaining hollow in half. Kimiko looked up into his protective eyes.

"Thank you captain," Kimiko thanked as she got away from him.

"You're welcome," Byakuya replied in his usual regal voice, "That was very impressive."

"Thank you Captain."

"You know you don't need to show off in order to impress me."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You nearly used every last bit of energy you had, even though you are still injured, to defeat those hollows instead of asking me for help."

"I didn't need your help, it's that simple."

"Oh really? What exactly do you have against me?"

"It's a long story Captain."

Back at squad six barracks, Kimiko was in a training room, which was completely empty. She removed her black obi top to reveal a short white gi top that showed her entire stomach. She had been slower than usual when she was fighting those hollows. She decided to train her body so she could get back to normal. About halfway through her workout, she glanced over at the door to Byakuya standing in it. She continued with her workout as Byakuya fully entered the room and shut the door.

"What is it captain," Kimiko asked.

"I wanted to talk to you," Byakuya replied.

"Well, I'm kind of busy right now so if you would just come back later."

When she turned to face Byakuya, he was already in front of her. She tried to push him away, but he pinned her hands to the wall with his. She glared into his eyes.

"What do you want to talk about," Kimiko questioned.

"Why do you hold a grudge against me," Byakuya asked in reply.

"It's the past."

"If you won't talk about it then how did you get that scar across your stomach."

Kimiko looked down at her stomach. The scar went from the top right part of her stomach to the bottom left side of it. It was not very noticeable unless you really looked for it. She did not look back up into his eyes.

"I have had that for a long time," Kimiko answered in a whisper.

"How did you get it," Byakuya asked.

"I was attacked by a hollow when I was younger… You should know this though."

"Why?"

"You were the soul reaper who saved me."

"I remember saving a daughter of a noble family…"

"And that was me. Haven't you ever paid attention to my name? Kimiko means nobility child."

"But you said that you were from the hanging dog district…."

"I never said that… I was once a daughter of a noble family."

"Is that why you hate me?"

"It is so much more than that…. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go train more with Renji."

Kimiko grabbed her black obi top and sluing it over her shoulders. She exited the room and closed the door. She broke out into a full run back to her room. When she arrived there, she slammed the door shut. She did not want to even look at Byakuya after the conversation they had just had. She just wanted to stay in her room until it was time for her training session with Renji.

Byakuya was in the office to squad six when Jûshirô entered the room. Ukitake smiled his usual smile as Byakuya barely glanced up from his paperwork to look at him.

"May I help you Ukitake," Byakuya stated.

"Oh I just wanted to talk to you about a certain new member of your squad," Ukitake smiled.

"Kimiko?"

"Yes… It just seems that you two were always meant for each other."

"What are you talking about?"

"Well you two were engaged to be married… Well it was an arranged engagement."

"So that's why she hates me."

"What?"

"Oh nothing… Excuse me Ukitake, but I must go."

Byakuya stood up from his desk and walked out of his office. He walked toward the training yard. He now knew why Kimiko was so angry about and he wanted to confront her about it. Along the way, he ran into a very unexpected guest, Gin. He looked upon the grinning captain with his usual regal look.

"What business do you have here Ichimaru," Byakuya asked.

"Oh I just wanted to see how Kimiko was doing," Gin smiled.

"Odd for you to worry about the member of a squad other than your own?"

"It's not really all that odd."

"Well she's recovered and is sparring with Renji."

"Oh, I'm happy. Well tell her I said hi, Captain Kuchiki."

Just before Ichimaru walked away he glanced at Byakuya to observe his expression. Then he left. Byakuya turned and began to head for the training grounds behind squad six. When he arrived the only person he saw was Renji.

"May I help you Captain," Renji asked as he bowed to his superior.

"Where is Kimiko," Byakuya questioned in reply as he observed the surroundings.

"She's not here. To be honest I haven't seen her since she exited the training room this afternoon."

"I'll go check her room."

Byakuya shunpo-ed away from the training area. It only took him a few minutes to arrive upon Kimiko's room. He knocked on the door. No answer.

"Kimiko are you in there," Byakuya asked as he knocked once more.

Once again there was not an answer. Byakuya began to grow impatient, or maybe he was worried about Kimiko. However, as he was about to open the door, Kimiko opened the door. Her head was held low to hide her reddened eyes.

"What is it Captain," Kimiko asked, her voice shaky and weak.

"You weren't with Renji for training, so I just wanted to know where you were," Byakuya replied.

He lifted her head so he could see her eyes, which were red from crying.

"What's wrong," Byakuya questioned.

"Something bad is going to happen tonight," Kimiko cried.

"How do you know this?" Byakuya was now both confused and worried for Kimiko.

Instead of replying immediately, Kimiko grabbed his arm, which had a small cut on it.

"Senbonzakura did this to you didn't he," Kimiko asked.

"I was just careless with my training," Byakuya sighed, "If that is the only thing you have to prove that something bad is going to happen tonight, then you're being paranoid."

"Tori o Mokkingu told me as well that someone is going to call us up to that hill." Kimiko pointed to a hill off in the distance. "I'm going up there and waiting, if you want to come then by all means come. Just don't say I didn't warn you."

Kimiko pushed past Byakuya and shunpo-ed away.