CHAPTER 2: Despair

"How can this be?" questioned Byakuya as he turned away from Yoruichi. How could he allow the person to do this to her live and how could this person who stood before him do such a thing. Of course these types of individuals had always been cold and ruthless. Byakuya was having all sorts of weird feelings that shouldn't be owned by him; why should he even care about her, he had always hated her for her less than noble actions. However, he stood here in sheer madness at the sight of seeing her hurt this way.

"I understand that you thought that you all had killed us all off, but some of us survived the onslaught." The ominous person replied. "However, too bad for you all because I am going to finish what should have been finished before."

"Well, well, well, I should have known that some of you idiots might have saved yourselves; however, at the moment I don't give a dam, you better get ready because here I come!" Kenpachi said as he went in for the strike.

"I am glad that you remembered us Kenpachi, this makes killing you that much easier." The ominous person replied as he parried Kenpachi's blow. About this time Byakuya had walked over where the two were fighting.

"Renatus I see that you and your human eating Espadas manage to survive somehow, but since you decided to trample on the things that I care about, I will just have to ensure that the likes you will never exist again." Byakuya stated as he unsheathed Senbonzakura and placed the zanpaktou in the middle of his face, stating its release-Scatter, Senbonzakura.

"What do you think you are doing Byakuya?" Kenpachi asked as he pointed his zanpaktou towards Byakuya, "Don't you see that I am in the middle of a fight? Don't think that I am going to allow you to just butt in!"

"Bwahaha!" Renatus laughed cynically as he managed to block and dodge the flow of pink petals, "Don't worry there's no need for the two of you to argue over me, there's enough of me to go round."

Renatus and his group of Adjuchas had been on a mission to attain as much power needed to become a Vaste Lorde; however, in order to attain that goal they had to devour a varied amount of human souls as well as a varied amount of low-ranking hollows to attain their goal. Right after the Quincy war, Renatus and his group of Espadas had wreaked havoc in the world of the living causing many humans to lose their lives. The captain commander had sent a task force to handle the problem and it was thought that Renatus and his group had been all been exterminated.

"If you could have killed him, you would have done so by now." Byakuya hissed at Kenpachi. "Besides, I don't need your permission to kill this thing." Byakuya moved in closer to Renatus and attacked him head on which caused Kenpachi to pushed Byakuya out of his way. Kenpachi and Byakuya never really got along and were always at each other's throat. Kenpachi always wanted to test his strength out on Byakuya and the latter always thought that a commoner had no place in Soul Society. It seem inevitable that one day their zanpaktou would meet.

"I told you this is my fight and mine alone." Kenpachi said as he continued slashing at Renatus. However, Renatus got in a blow in to Kenpachi giving him a deep slash in the chest. "Good, good." Kenpachi retorted as he exhibited that crazed looked whenever he is enjoying a battle. Renatus dodged another blow from Kenpachi but landed another slash to Kenpachi's back. This time Kenpachi was bleeding profusely and he was starting to lose ground in the fight. Kenpachi was enjoying the fight so much that he didn't realize how badly he was injured until he had Renatus pent up against the wall; and that is when Renatus landed a fatal blow to Kenpachi's abdomen causing him to fall on his face.

Byakuya decided he was going to go for it and used his bankai, but he wondered if that would be enough power since their powers were restricted by a limiter put on as a safeguard for the world of the living. Being as such, there was no time to call for permission to lift the limiter. "This is for those who I deem as a desire for me to kill…bankai- Senkei -Senbonzakura—Kageyoushi."

Renatus looked on in amazement at the dome-like area filled with pink swords. He didn't have anything that could match up to this and this is what frustrated him so; this is the very reason he sought the power to become a Vaste Lorde. However, today was too late for him as it seemed his fate was standing right in front of him as he would be killed by the very thing he and other hollows hated so much-a Shinigami. Moreover, he would now be cleansed and eventually reside as a resident in Soul Society. He frantically tried to release a cero that would kill the Shinigami standing before him, but Senbonzakura's blade ceased that attack and Renatus was struck down causing him to vanish.

Ichigo and Ikkkaku returned and reported to Byakuya that they had not found any other hollows in the area and that they had received a message that someone from the fourth squad was on the way.

Byakuya walked over to where Yoruichi was at and kneeled down looking at her and wishing that she would show some type of response. What are these feelings that I am having? He questioned himself. Byakuya hadn't had any type of romantic feelings for anyone since his beloved Hisana died on their fifth anniversary; and he had vowed that he would never open up himself to be hurt again. Looking at Yoruichi laying there injured stirred up some hidden feelings that he never knew existed. Byakuya had always thought of Yoruichi as a nuisance and that demon cat that use to tease him when he was a younger, but even then, he had to admit to himself that he had a crush on her. But when she left Soul Society during the time Urahara was banished, he had lost all respect for her because he did not understand why a noble would act in such a manner of protecting a criminal of Soul Society. However, it wasn't until the defeat of Aizen that he fully understood her reasoning for doing so.

Hanataro and Isane from the fourth squad arrive to treat the injured and were able to provide treatment for Urahara, Tessai, Ururu, and Ginta. However, Yoruichi and Kenpachi were the two that both needed immediate treatment. Isane had stated that Kenpachi and Renji would recover in a couple of days but Yoruichi who was more seriously injured would require lengthy and innovative treatment and would have to go to Soul Society. Hanataro was ordered to remain in the world of the living to treat the others and Isane took Kenpachi, Renji, and Yoruichi back to the Soul Society. Byakuya had told Ichigo to remain in the world of the living in case there would be any more problems. Ichigo really didn't want to remain as he wanted an excuse to go the Soul Society; however, he knew not to push Byakuya in the type of mood that he was in. Ichigo wouldn't have his wish being not granted because upon arrival to the Soul Society the scene was just as bad as the one that they had left.