CHAPTER 3: THE UNEXPECTED: A TRANSITION CHAPTER
When Byakuya and the rest of party arrived in Soul Society, they could hardly fathom what was before them. Byakuya asked Isane why she didn't tell them that Soul Society had been attacked upon entering the world of the living. Isane stated that when she left Soul Society everything was fine and that the attack must have happened when she had left.
Isane took Yoruichi, Renji, Kenpachi, and the other two LT's to squad 4 for treatment; however upon arrival to squad 4, there appeared to be no beds.
"Move out of the way, I got injured people coming through here!" Lt. Lemura yelled. He seemed to be enjoying throwing his weight around since his new promotion to Lt. He looked at Isane and told her to put Renji and Kenpachi in the second stall and waved at a nurse who was approaching to treat Ikkaku and Yumichika wounds. Even though Ikkaku and Yumichika had the same type of injury as Renji's, theirs were not as serious and was treated and released. Lt. Lemura noticed Captain Kuchiki was holding the badly injured Yoruichi; he looked at Isane and asked to speak to her privately.
"What is she doing here?" Lt. Lemura asked, "I am having a hard time finding beds for the injured Soul Reapers here and here you bring her of all people to squad 4! Sorry, there are no beds available."
The Lemura clan had asked Yoruichi to be their son's Senpai and to train him in order that he would be able to attain a higher position upon graduation from the Shinigami academy. However, Yoruichi was already Byakuya's Senpai and was at the completion of training him; when she refused the offer. The clan never forgave her for that and neither did Lt. Lemura.
"You know Captain Kuchiki is not going to take not having a bed for her well; and he will more than likely be upset as she is seriously injured and might not make it." Isane replied panicking at the sheer thought of having to relate that to Captain Kuchiki of all captains.
"I don't care what Captain Kuchiki says or does, he doesn't run squad 4; and besides, I have enough here to worry about with the amount of injured people already here and those to come"
"Well, what am I supposed to tell Captain Kuchiki?"
"You will figure something out."
"I already have" replied Isane. About this time, Byakuya walked over to Isane and asked what the problem was.
"The problem is that we are out of beds at the moment but…"
"What do you mean? She needs to be treated now!" Byakuya demanded
"As I was saying Captain Kuchiki, I am going to make room for her now, please follow me this way sir." Isane walked in front of Captain Kuchiki and came upon an empty room. "Please place her here so we can start immediate treatment."
"Captain Kuchiki, need I remind you that this is my jurisdiction and you have no say in the matters that goes on in squad 4." Lt. Lemura said as he had followed them to the empty room.
"Need I remind you Lt. Lemura, that I have seniority over you and she stays." Replied Isane as she started working on Yoruichi. "It is going to take some time to get her stable; I will notify you when you are able to see her Captain Kuchiki."
"Very well then." Byakuya replied as he closed his eyes walking past Lt. Lemura. He had thought about ending the man's miserable life, but rather than be dirty his hands on the likes of him, Byakuya exited the room as he passed by Shinji.
"Is there a problem Captain Kuchiki?" Shinji Hirako asked as he entered squad 4 barracks. He might as well have been talking to himself as Byakuya kept walking towards his manor and squad 6 barracks. Shinji, the captain of the 5th division was also overseeing squad 4 as captain, since no captain had been appointed yet since the disposition of Unohana has not been addressed yet.
The Soul Society was in ruins as buildings were either blown up or burnt down. There was no doubt in the mind of Byakuya who had done this atrocity. Byakuya arrived at the Kuchiki manor and was about to search for Rukia when a Hell buttery appeared with a message regarding an emergency captain's meeting. What is there to talk about, Byakuya thought as he walked in the direction of the first quad barracks, I will just kill them all. The captains who weren't injured were lined up as the CC called the meeting to start. Byakuya noticed that Captain Ukitake wasn't present at the meeting and started to worry about Rukia. Byakuya's eye kept twitching as he listened to the instructions given by the CC, all he wanted to do was to search for Rukia and go check on Yoruichi-he didn't have time for formalities. Captain Kyoraku had ordered the 12th division to get in contact with the substitute Soul Reaper and search out and take care of the culprits that had destroyed the Soul Society. What a waste of time, Byakuya mused as he quickly left the meeting, but instead of going to the 6th division, he went to the 13th division to check on Rukia.
Meanwhile…
Ichigo wasn't one for awaiting approval to enter the Soul Society, especially when he felt something wasn't right. Ichigo asked Chad, Uryruu, and Orihimi to look after Urahara and the rest as he was going to the Soul Society. When he arrived at the Soul Society he couldn't believe the devastation that had occurred. He also noticed the absence of a particular spiritual pressure and immediately went to the 13th division. Kiyone, looking like a mummy in bandage due to her injuries, asked Ichigo why was here there. Stupid question, Ichigo thought as he gave no reply and asked where Rukia was.
"Ump, I see you got here mighty quickly." Byakuya said as he looked around squad 13's barracks.
"Whatever" Ichigo replied, "Where is Rukia?"
"I don't know, I was unconscious and woke up in squad 4's barracks that is all I can remember." Kiyone said with a worried look on her face.
"Where is your captain?" asked Byakuya.
"He is being treated at squad 4 sir."
"So, tell me what happened here." Ichigo said in a demanding voice, "I want to know what happened to Rukia."
"All I know we were attack by some Hollows and Rukia and the captain was trying to fight them off; and Sentaro and myself where knocked unconscious. I don't know what happened after that." Kiyone replied, "I got to go check on the captain." She said as she exited the barracks and headed for squad 4.
"That's not telling us very much." Ichigo said as he scratched his head and noticing that Byakuya was leaving also, "Where are you going? Aren't you going to look for Rukia?"
"It's evident that she isn't here, the only person that might know is Ukitake."
Byakuya and Ichigo both headed to squad 4 to try to talk to Ukitake, and upon arrival they were met by Shinji at the door.
"Captain Kuchiki and Ichigo, how's it going? Shinji asked with his arms folded.
Byakuya finally looked up at the captain, "We're here to see Captain Ukitake." Of course he was also here to see Yoruichi as well.
"I'm sorry but Captain Ukitake is still unconscious at the moment."
"We need to ask him about Rukia!" Ichigo said as he looked wildly at Shinji. Ichigo wasn't about to go anywhere until someone told him where Rukia was at. Ichigo noticed Byakuya was a little distracted and was acting like he had some other place to be and was about to question Byakuya when he had already entered squad 4's barrack.
"Captain Kuchiki, where are you going? Just calm down Ichigo, I got the information while I was treating him. Stop, Captain Kuchiki." Shinji yelled.
Byakuya turned around and cut his eyes at the captain, "What is it? How's Yoruichi doing?" He knew he had thrown Captain Hirako off guard by asking him this question, which seemed to please Byakuya, becomes sometimes people can be so annoying.
"Oh, I see, well she is still unconscious and she is stable. You may visit her if you like." But by that time Byakuya was already at Yoruichi's room. Byakuya stood close to Yoruichi's bed gazing at her and wishing that she would open her eyes. He just stood there frozen in time with his thoughts. I cannot let my emotions overrule my senses; and why should I feel this way about this woman who seems to care nothing about responsibilities. However, he told himself that wasn't true, as she still assisted the Soul Society whenever they were in trouble. It's unbecoming of me to have these feelings, but yet I do. What if she wakes up? What possible excuse do I give her if she asks? If he just knew the answers to those questions things wouldn't be so awkward, but the thing is he didn't know. Byakuya was about to leave when he heard her faintly calling his name- he couldn't move an inch.
Ichigo walked over to talked to Shinji after Byakuya had left and demanded to know the information he was told. "Shinji, what did Captain Ukitake say about Rukia?! Come on I need to know!"
Shinji knew he would have to tell him as he noticed Ichigo's eyes, deferring the conversation would only make Ichigo more irate; which was not needed at the moment and Shinji didn't have time to deal with a Hollowfied Ichigo. "Captain Ukitake only told us bits and pieces of what happened and that was all we could get out of him before he fell unconscious. The only thing he saw after being attacked was Rukia being stabbed and falling to the ground; there's no other information than that."
"I don't understand! That's it! Did you all even try to look for her?" screamed Ichigo.
"Of course we did, I even went over to the 12th division, they could not find her spiritual pressure anywhere, and it's completely vanished. I am sorry Ichigo" Shinji said as he held his head down. "Look, I need to go inform Byakuya of this as well." This was something that he surely wasn't looking forward to doing; as he had already diverted it once but couldn't put it off any longer.
Ichigo didn't know what to now, he didn't care about anything or anyone in that moment; and in that moment his whole world had turned dark and filled with rage.