Chapter 23

Author's Note: So, I've done some thinking, and there is precisely no reason for me to post three times a week if this thing is done. So, instead, I'm posting five times a week. Yup, Monday through Friday I will post so all you lovely readers don't have to wait. Read, review and ENJOY!

There was no possible way it could be morning. She refused to believe it.

She had only gotten to sleep a few hours ago, as it had been a late night for both Nyruki and Byakuya. They had sat and waited with hope that more of the captains would gain their freedom from the whiles of Kibōyūwaku, but sadly, none had and once the moon had reached three-quarters of its journey across the sky, Nyruki had pulled them all free.

They had spent another hour after that winding down from their ordeal with a bit more instruction from Nyruki on how to spot the difference between the real source of desires, and the illusions shown to them by her Zanpakutō. By the time everyone had left, they were all nearly asleep on their feet.

By the time Nyruki had gotten back to her room, she had passed out before her head had even hit her pillow.

Now, someone was loudly rapping a strong fist on her door.

"What-" Nyruki groaned, burying her face in her pillow with no desire to get up.

"Oi! Nyruki! Wake up!" Came the voice from the other side of the door.

"No!" Nyruki grumbled back as she hiked up her blanket to cover her head.

A few more pounds sounded at the door, rattling it against its hinges, "Oi! Nyruki! Answer the door!" The voice was grouchy, irritated.

With a rolling groan, Nyruki wrested herself from the comfortable confines of her bed and scuffed her way to the door, if at all to make the pounding stop.

"What?" Nyruki deadpanned as she opened the door and peaked a single, dreary eye through the crack.

"So it lives." Renji grinned as he crossed his arms.

"It is going back to bed. I only just got to sleep a couple hours ago." Nyruki complained as she made to close the door.

However, Renji's large hand shot out and stopped it from closing.

"Unfortunately, you've gotta get up. Captain's asking for ya." Renji said, keeping his hand in place so Nyruki couldn't just shut the door in his face.

Nyruki's eyes instantly shot open, "Huh? Why?"

Renji shrugged, "He just said he needed to talk to you about a few things, namely the training and something about some information."

Nyruki scrubbed a hand down her face, "Alright. Alright. Tell him I'll be up in a few minutes."

Nyruki shut the door, this time without hinderance from her Lieutenant and began to the process of getting dressed. She combed her hair and put it up into her typical long ponytail with the dyed white locks instantly falling free. The golden band found its way around her arm before she wrapped herself in her Shihakushō and tied her obi sash and secured her Zanpakutō to her hip. She was glad that it never took her long to dress in the morning.

She emerged out into the hallway and immediately headed for the Captain's office, saying a few hellos to other members of Squad 6 as she passed them by. She was still very tired and made no attempt to stop the yawn that tightened in her jaw as she knocked on the Captain's door.

"Enter."

She pricked her fingertip at the inside corner of her eyes to clear away the sleep as she opened the door into a room that was entirely too bright. The window was open to allow the fresh air and absurdly bright sun to shine in, bathing her Captain's back in its heat and backlighting him so that she couldn't see his face.

"I hope you slept well." Byakuya said without looking up from his papers that his pen was furiously scratching over.

Nyruki stepped inside and shut the door, "All couple hours of it." She grumbled as she plopped down in the chair across from him and heavily slouched.

Nyruki heaved a heavy sigh from her lungs as she lolled her head back to rest it against the back of the chair, staring up at the ceiling. Even sitting like this threatened to loll her back to sleep.

Byakuya's pen stilled and rose from the page so that its ink didn't blot against it and ruin its perfect strokes, "Are you still that tired?"

"Pardon my tone, Captain, but how are you not?" Nyruki shrugged, but made no attempt to lift her head.

"I never said that I wasn't. I would very much like to get some more rest, but duty comes first." Byakuya said, returning to his work and finishing with his page, placing it on top of the growing stack next to him.

Nyruki raised her head and glared, "Don't you ever slow down, Captain?"

This time, Byakuya's eyes shifted up from his papers, "I am not often granted the opportunity."

"I'm beginning to feel your pain." Nyruki sighed and yawned.

A short huff of air left Byakuya's nose as he replaced his pen into its holder next to its bottle of black ink and opened an unseen drawer next to him.

"I thought you would find this interesting." He said as he pulled a plain folder from the drawer and tossed it on his desk in front of her.

One of Nyruki's eyebrows popped up as she just stared at the folder for a moment before reaching forward and picking it up.

"What is it?" She asked as she opened it, revealing its contents to be several papers loaded with lots, and lots of words that she was too tired to read through.

"One of the Kuchiki familiars from the Great Library reported this morning with that. It seems they were able to piece together a spotty history for the Hollow that attacked you." He said as he interlocked his hands in his lap.

Nyruki was suddenly fully awake.

"W-What? Really?" She gasped.

Byakuya nodded once, "Yes. It would seem the last evidence of this Hollow was four years ago, several miles south of the 80th District of the Southern Rukongai, not far from an outlaying village within the forest."

"T-That's where I was." She exhaled.

"Yes. After that, all evidence of the Hollow disappeared. There were no missing reports and no one with adequate spiritual pressure had sensed the Hollow until about a month ago." Byakuya continued.

Nyruki's brows furrowed hard, "Where?"

However, Byakuya raised a hand to calm her enthusiasm, "It's not that easy, I'm afraid. One of our scouting teams from the reconnaissance division sensed the presence of a Hollow, but no visual confirmation was ever obtained. Upon more investigation, the scouting team found evidence of a Garganta." He said.

Nyruki gasped again, "What? That means he's gone!"

"Calm yourself, Nyruki. I'm afraid that is the case for now. Until this Hollow makes himself known, the only thing we can do is lay in wait." Byakuya said calmly.

Nyruki's shoulders slumped in defeat as she turned her eyes down to the papers in her hands. Her golden eyes skimmed over the words, reading as fast as she could simply to get an idea of what the Kuchiki familiars were able to determine. A lot of what she read was speculation, assumed from several corresponding facts that seemed to match their conclusions, but truly, nothing was concrete, proven as actual fact.

There just wasn't much to go on.

"Is there any way for us to know where he went?" Nyruki asked, briefly glancing at him before looking back to the file.

"I'm afraid not, Nyruki. I can only speculate, but from what I've read, this Hollow left Soul Society to ensure his own survival. Far too many souls here could possess the required spiritual pressures to sense him. Any speculated attacks were all centered far away from large gatherings of people and villages. This Hollow is old, and cunning and with this report of a recent Garganta, he either went to Hueco Mundo, or the World of the Living." Byakuya explained.

Nyruki closed the file with a sigh as she tossed it back onto his desk, "Damn. There's gotta be something, Captain."

Byakuya shook his head, "I'm afraid not. In regards to the other order of business I am required to speak with you about, the Head-Captain has issued a summons for a captain's meeting this afternoon." He lightly sighed.

Nyruki gulped, "What's it about?"

Byakuya drew in a long, unbroken breath that almost seemed sullen, "It is regarding an order from Central 46."

"W-What? I-I thought the Head-Captain wanted to keep this out of Central 46!" Nyruki's eyes were wide with instant worry.

"I'm afraid that was never part of the deal, Nyruki. Even the Head-Captain is required to report all Gotei 13 business to Central 46, no matter what, which means that our mishap with Captain Kurotsuchi was also reported." Byakuya said, remaining calm and hiding the bit of nerves that softly somersaulted in his stomach.

Nyruki gripped her hands on top of her head, "This is bad. Isn't it."

"It's possible. We won't know the details until this afternoon." He said.

Nyruki shook her head as she looked around the office and harshly bit her lower lip. She was at a complete loss of what to do, if there was even something she could do. Orders from Central 46 were absolute. None could question them, not even a captain and if they had issued an order regarding her, than no amount of fighting it would garish her a reprieve.

She had been so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't noticed that she had bitten her lip so hard, she drew a small drop of blood.

"Relax, Nyruki. Take a few deep breaths." Said Byakuya, having come to stand next to her chair.

Nyruki tried to breathe, but every breath she took was shaky, "I doubt I'll be able to now."

Byakuya released a small sigh as he held out a small folded cloth from behind his back.

"Here. Dab your lip." He said quietly.

Nyruki looked at the cloth for a short moment before taking it and pressing it to her lip that stung from the tooth mark she had bitten into it.

"Thank you, Captain." She mumbled.

"Of course." He said as he returned to his desk.

Nyruki sighed once more, again with a shaky breath as she dabbed the blood from her lip. It didn't take long for it to stop bleeding, but the lingering sting continued to spike the more her tongue slicked over it.

That very bottom lip began to quiver as her golden eyes shone with the reflection of the mid-morning sun's rays. That sheen built up a thick layer of tears that overflowed their dams, pouring long unbroken streams down her cheeks that dripped off her jaw.

Somehow, things were falling apart.

Unable to bite back the emotion, she buried her face into her hands and quietly cried.

In her dark, tear filled world, she felt alone, adrift in an unending sea of blackness that she wished would simply swallow her up and let her drown. But that sensation of feeling alone didn't last, as a pair of warm hands softly grasped her wrists and pulled them away from her face.

With tear filled eyes, she sniffled and looked at him, having knelt down next to her with eyes gentle and caring. He had shifted from Captain, to Byakuya.

"I know you're scared and I will be truly honest with you, I am too, but whatever happens at this meeting, you won't be alone." He said quietly as he raised a hand and swiped away a large tear with his thumb from her cheek.

Nyruki swallowed a sob, "How do you do that?" She sniffled.

"Do what?" He asked, moving his hands from her wrists to grasp her hands.

"Go from Captain to... this." Nyruki said with a firm crackle in her voice.

Byakuya exhaled and the corners of his mouth twitched up, "Do you mean make the shift from Captain to potential lover?"

That very word made Nyruki's heart spin cartwheels, but she nodded and curled her fingers around his hands.

"It is not without great effort. I have found myself experiencing moments where I wish I could simply be... this way with you, but I know I can't. Not as we sit right now as captain and subordinate." He said, swiping away another tear with his thumb.

"I know." Nyruki whispered and nodded.

"All you have to do is give me the word and your transfer will be granted. All I have to do is date the paperwork." He said, gently brushing his thumbs over the back of her hands.

Nyruki softly sniffled, "And when I'm ready, I'll tell you."

His mouth twitched with another near invisible smile as he admired the sparkle in her eyes. Despite the redness from her tears, their golden color was warm and the added sheen from the tears only made them shine like gems all that much more. They were still beautiful and the fact that they were shedding tears tugged with an ache at his heart.

He softly sighed and released her hands as he rose up on his knees enough to wrap his arms around her and cradled her head against his shoulder.

This time, she didn't flinch.

Instead, her arms found their way around his trunk and her hands clutched a handful each of his captain's haori.

"You aren't alone in this, Nyruki. You never were." He said in a whisper as he just held her with a soft hand resting against the nape of her neck.

Nyruki's tears had stopped falling from her eyes, but she still sniffled as she buried her face in his neck.

"I'm starting to get that impression." She mumbled against his skin.

After a few moments, Byakuya pulled away, releasing his embrace of her as he placed his hands on either side of her neck with thumbs grazing along her jaw.

"Try not to worry. Whatever happens at this meeting, there will always be a solution." He said.

Nyruki nodded and dried her face on the hem of her top, dabbing away what tears remained and dried her nose that luckily didn't run like someone had turned on the faucet.

She couldn't deny that he was right, that she was better off not worrying, but no amount of willpower was going to keep her from it. She was worried and it showed on her face.

"What do you need of me?" He asked softly as he finally released her head, but kept his eyes soft.

Nyruki shrugged, "There's nothing. This is my fight."

Byakuya sighed slowly as he stood and cupped her chin so she would continue to look at him.

"Then fight it with the upmost ferocity that I know you can and defend your pride." He said, letting go of her chin.

"And what is my pride?" She asked.

Byakuya clasped his hands behind his back, "Only you can answer that."

Nyruki just nodded and rose from the chair.

"In the meantime, go about your training for the day and I will come to you when it's time for the meeting." He said as he walked back around his desk and sat down to continue his paperwork.

"Alright." Nyruki bowed and left the office.

She wasn't sure she could focus on training, but if she managed to, it would help her get through the day instead of just wondering, waiting and working herself up into a panic over what was to happen at the meeting which she was sure, wasn't going to be good.

Out of all the places in the Seireitei, the captains meeting room was one of her least favorite places to be. It was overly dark, even with the daylight outside and the air was stuffy despite the open windows. She didn't enjoy being in there, as every time she was, something less than good always seemed to happen and the voice in the back of her head was telling her that this time was no different.

The captains, all of them, were lined up in two rows like they always were with the Head-Captain standing on the small raised stage at the front. Nyruki stood between them, facing the Head-Captain as his old eyes studied her. The silence was tense and it felt heavy, constricting even, as it pressed down on her lungs and made it hard to breathe.

With the smallest bit of luck, the tense silence was finally broken.

"I would like to begin this meeting with acquiring some details about what happened during the previous week." Said the Head-Captain, whose gruff voice seem far too loud in the confined space.

However, no one started talking. They all just glanced at each other.

"Well?" The Head-Captain arced an old brow.

With a step forward, Soi-Fon began to speak.

"Head-Captain, we had gotten trapped inside one of Sawada's illusions and had to fight our way out thanks to Captain Kurotsuchi." She said, kneeling down into a low bow.

Nyruki glanced at her Captain, whose brows had furrowed hard into a sneer. In fact, he wasn't the only one glaring at the small captain, as Captain Ukitake and Kyōraku had both begun to angrily glare.

"It wasn't my fault you all were too weak minded to see through the illusion." Captain Kurotsuchi said, crossing his thin arms.

"Too weak minded? Look who's talking! If it wasn't for you, we never would have gotten trapped in Nyruki's inner world!" Kyōraku snapped.

"Trapped? Hardly. I simply took the time to examine the research that the illusion provided so that I may have a better understanding for possible future applications." Kurotsuchi said without looking at the other captains.

"And what future applications do you think creating grotesque interpretations of us would offer?" Byakuya asked with a strong scowl.

Kurotsuchi shrugged, "I suppose we will never know, now will we. I didn't get a chance to examine the procedural research before that girl's Zanpakutō spirit abruptly halted everything."

"Girl? She's hardly a girl!" Captain Ukitake growled.

"Fine... Woman then if you're so inclined to focus on such trivial things." Kurotsuchi said simply.

"What is trivial, is that you seem to lack the ability to admit your own faults. Your little lapse in judgement nearly got Nyruki and I both killed." Byakuya said stiffly.

"But it didn't, so I see no problem." Kurotsuchi shrugged again.

"You conniving weasel!-" Ukitake was cut off.

"Should we discuss that research you claim not to have gotten a chance to look at? It was a how-to book on torture and mutilation. What it took to fuze the captains with our Zanpakutōs and destroy the Seireitei!" Kyōraku hissed through slightly clenched teeth, which was rare for the man.

"Having a disposable army of creatures like that could prove fruitful-"

"And would destroy any sort of honor and pride you possess. As a captain amongst the Gotei 13, and scientist, how can you put aside your pride with such abandon as to actually want to create those uncontrollable creatures?" Byakuya interrupted.

"I could control them just fine-" Kurotsuchi was interrupted again.

"That is enough!" The Head-Captain roared, banging his cane on the wood of his raised stage.

All the captains silenced themselves.

"You bicker like children! Is this how the captains of the Gotei 13 act?" The Head-Captain asked firmly.

Again, none opened their mouths.

"This was all just an illusion correct, Nyruki Sawada?" The Head-Captain asked.

"In a sense, yes, but it was based on Captain Kurotsuchi's deepest desires." Nyruki said, bowing low at her waist as she spoke.

"I see." The Head-Captain grumbled, "Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi, if any evidence arises that you are, indeed, pursing these desires, than your punishment with be far worse than anything you imagine from this little... delusion of yours. Am I understood?" He added, setting his old eyes firm on the blue haired captain.

Kurotsuchi gulped, "Yes, Head-Captain."

"Good. I imagine you rather enjoy your position and freedom to conduct your research... within reason." Said the Head-Captain dully.

Again, Kurotsuchi gulped, "Yes, Head-Captain."

Head-Captain Yamamoto's eyes shifted from the Captain of Squad 12, back to Nyruki, "I suppose that brings me to our next order of business; The order given by Central 46."

Nyruki instantly stiffened, but she drew in a long breath to keep herself as calm as possible. This was the part she had been dreading most throughout the day and she had done her best to focus on the day's training, but no matter how hard she practiced, there was always that tiny nagging voice in the back of her head that refused to leave her alone.

"From the beginning, Central 46 has been aware of Nyruki Sawada's powers and wished to see where that power would take her. Throughout these past four years, she has shown that she have a healthy fear of her power which has earned her a small amount of trust within Central 46. This is why they gave me the digression on how best to proceed." The Head-Captain said.

All remained silent as they waited for the Head-Captain to continue.

"However, with this recent week that the captains, as well as Nyruki Sawada, were left in a coma, Central 46 has made the decision to accelerate the timeline." He continued.

Nyruki's eyes widened.

"Central 46 has made the decision to cut the time I had alloted in half, but have allowed three more days to complete this training before the final test is given."

"What?" Nearly all the captains, and Nyruki, yelped at the same time.

"Silence!" He boomed, "On the fourth day, the test will be administered."

"What does this test entail?" Byakuya asked, his brows still furrowed hard.

"A battle between the captains and Nyruki Sawada will commence. The objective of this battle, is to see if the captains have gained the ability to break free of her Zanpakutō during combat situations." The Head-Captain said.

"What are the terms of this battle?" Captain Ukitake asked sullenly.

"For Nyruki to win and earn her standing within the Gotei 13, at least one captain must break free and stop her before she reaches me and acquires my captain's haori. However, if no captain is able to garnish their freedom, and Nyruki is able to acquire my captain's haori, then Central 46 will deem her power a threat and have her Zanpakutō destroyed and her place within the Gotei 13 will be revoked." The Head-Captain explained.

"So Nyruki must lose this battle in order to stay." Byakuya said calmly.

The Head-Captain nodded, "Those are the terms set by Central 46."

Those were her terms and they were set in stone. Until Central 46 had gotten involved, she had a chance, evident in that one such captain had managed to break free of Kibōyūwaku's hold. Now however, everything rested on that one captain's shoulders with the hope that he could do it again and that hope was fading fast.

Her plans were falling apart.

As she drew in an incredibly shaky breath, she stood as still as possible, hoping to turn invisible, but no amount of wishing was going to grant her that wish. The moment the Head-Captain dismissed the meeting, Captain Ukitake and Kyōraku made their way to her while Byakuya headed for the door.

"Captain Soi-Fon?" He called out with just enough volume to garish her attention.

Soi-Fon stopped just before the door and looked back over her shoulder at the much taller man.

"Yes, Captain Kuchiki?" Her voice was cold and collected.

"If you ever go against our collective decisions again, I will personally ensure that a new captain of Squad 2 is appointed." Byakuya said cooly and with his silver eyes narrowed.

Soi-Fon turned around and crossed her arms tightly, "Is that a threat, Captain Kuchiki?"

However, Byakuya remained entirely silent as he regarded the small, but deadly woman. She managed to hold his stern gaze, but the more he held hers, the angrier he began to boil. It had been years, just over a century in fact, since his anger had gotten the best of him, but there was something about her that made him near that edge.

Without another word, Byakuya simply turned and went to the trio still in the center of the meeting room.

Nyruki stood rigid between Ukitake and Kyōraku with the former slowly rubbing her back. Her eyes were frozen open, unblinking, and staring off into an unseen oblivion out in front of her. The more he watched, the more he saw the trembling in her shoulders and as much as he wanted to ease her, he would refrain from doing so.

"Nyruki-" He started, only to be silenced when she shot an angry look at all three of them.

"I don't want words of encouragement. I don't want empty promises, or... or false hopes that we'll be able to somehow pull this off. It's over. Do you three here me? This is over." Nyruki hissed angrily as she shrugged Ukitake's hand from her shoulder.

"Flower-" Ukitake tried.

Nryuki just spun around and stormed passed them in a whoosh, running through the open door of the meeting room and out into the warm daylight of the mid-afternoon sun where she disappeared in a flash.

Ukitake made to follow her, but stopped when Byakuya's arm shot out across his chest.

"Let her go. She needs some time." Byakuya said, drawing in a calming breath.

"He's right, Jūshirō. Let her digest what happened." Kyōraku said, resting a hand on Ukitake's shoulder.

Ukitake's bright eyes saddened as his shoulders slumped, "Poor thing... All she's ever worked for is about to be ripped away."

Byakuya lowered his arm, "Then it is up to us to make sure that it isn't."

"How? None of us have-" Ukitake was interrupted.

"I have. Last night." Byakuya said.

"Then... Then it's up to you to make sure she doesn't lose it all. Byakuya, please, please make sure that these last four years haven't been a waste." Ukitake said as he drew in a long breath and stood up straight.

"I will."

The rest of the afternoon had droned on as if it was stuck in slow motion. Life around her seemed to go on without her, without acknowledging her existence as she sat on the roof of the Squad 6 barracks with the sun dipping low in the orange colored sky.

It was proof that life would go on without her.

But as she sat, lost in her own thoughts, she knew that the time had come. There was no more time to put it off, or push it into the back of her mind. She had to act now, with, or without any information to go on.

With a heavy sigh, Nyruki rose to her feet and flash stepped from the roof down to the ground. She entered the main building and wound her way through the hallways until she reached the double wide door with the carved silhouette of a camellia. She knew he'd still be there, as he was always at the Squad barracks until well after the sun had dipped below the horizon. It offered him a chance to finish the day's paperwork, as he refused to take any of it home.

Holding her breath, Nyruki softly knocked.

"Enter."

She opened the door and slipped inside, immediately shutting it as quietly as the latch would allow before she turned to face the man whom was still seated at his desk.

"Good evening, Nyruki." Byakuya said lowly as he set his pen into its handcrafted brass holder.

Nyruki sighed, but stayed right by the closed door. She opened her mouth to say something, anything, but no words came out as she just watched him straighten up his desk.

After several moments of silence, Byakuya finished with his desk and looked up just in time to catch a single tear drip from her jaw. Her eyes were shrouded by the white strands of her hair, but he didn't need to see them to know that she was struggling.

"Is there something I can do for you?" Byakuya asked softly, which earned him her gaze that was glassy and sad.

With her bottom lip trembling, Nyruki knew there were no words that could convey what she felt. No words that could adequately describe what she was feeling at that very moment. Only actions could, and with the slightest hardening of her resolve, she acted.

She crossed the distance between them in only a few steps, where her lips crashed against his with enough force to stutter him backwards a step. Her arms wrapped around his neck as their lips began to dance, effortlessly, smoothly, and his own arms wrapped around her waist to hold her close to his body.

The kiss was just as it had been that night in the hot spring; Hot, wet and mutual. She wanted this, to kiss him, to be close to him, to hold him and feel him against her. His tongue laid hot drifts along hers, never faltering in its motions, never questioning its fluid strokes that boiled her belly. Hers did its best to keep up, but hers would stutter, randomly changing direction. Hers wasn't nearly as confident.

They had kissed so long that her lungs had begun to burn with the desperate need for air, so she withdrew her tongue from his mouth and parted, but stayed pressed against him.

But after several moments, she backed away and started for the door, slipping from his grasp that he made no attempt to hinder. It was his voice that stopped her retreat.

"You don't intended to show up to this battle royale do you." Byakuya said lowly with slow, labored breaths from the intense kiss they just shared.

Nyruki couldn't bring herself to turn around and look at him, so instead, she stayed facing the door. Frozen.

"H-How did you know?" She asked with a gulp.

"That is not the kind of kiss you share with someone you intend to see again." Byakuya said.

Nyruki held her breath, but she had to look at him. He deserved that much for all he'd done for her in the short amount of time they had had regular contact. He had kept his distance out of a desire to give her time to adjust to the idea, had even helped her gather information about the invisible Hollow. He hadn't factored into her plan that she had begun four years ago.

She finally turned around to look at him.

"Was this part of your plan from the start?" He asked calmly with eyes sad that ached in Nyruki's heart.

She nodded.

"You decided four years ago, that you would train and gain the power you needed to go after this Hollow on your own, didn't you." He said, already knowing the answer.

Again, Nyruki nodded.

"Do I not deserves words?"

Nyruki gulped, "If I felt words would be enough, I'd use them."

Byakuya drew in a long breath as he took a single step forward, testing to see her reaction. When she made no move, no indication that the step caused her distress, he took another.

She stayed perfectly still until he came to stand right in front of her with one single step between them.

Despite his closeness, she couldn't look at him, so instead, she stared at her fidgeting hands picking at her fingernails until he gently cupped her chin.

"Do you not trust me to help?" He asked in just above a whisper.

"I trust you, but this isn't your fight. This is mine that I have to fight on my own. I can't ask you to put yourself on the front line of this." Nyruki said, her voice a whisper.

"I have spent a hundred years putting myself on the front lines. This would be no different." He said, locking his eyes with hers.

"But this is my fight for my honor. I clear this... I clear my history." Nyruki said.

Byakuya released her chin, but stayed where he stood, "Where will you go?"

Nyruki shrugged, "I thought I'd try the World of the Living."

"And what will you do when you get there? How do you plan on getting there?" He asked, purposefully in rapid succession. He knew she had no idea.

"I... I-I don't know." She sighed.

"Then let me help. I will go with you." Byakuya said.

Nyruki sucked in a sharp breath, "I can't ask you to do that, Captain. If we both take off, than what would the repercussions be?"

"Nothing we won't be able to figure out together. But I cannot, in good conscience, let you go alone. I have resources in the World of the Living. We will find and dispatch this Hollow together." He said, taking a half step closer that she made no move to back away from. It's not like she could anyways with the closed door behind her.

Nyruki's eyes stung, but she blinked it away before taking a half step closer to him, "We'd be walking into this blind."

"Then we'll find a way to see."

Nyruki's heart skipped several beats as she stretched her neck up where her lips were met halfway with his. This kiss was slow, tender even with no tongues and only minimal movement. It was to remind them what each other tasted like, what they smelt like. It was warm and comforting for Nyruki to know that his words had rung true. She wasn't alone.

After several moments, they broke their much slower, much more tender kiss where Byakuya gently rested his fingertips against her cheek.

"Meet me tonight at 1am at the Senkaimon." He whispered as he brushed aside a lock of her hair.

Nyruki nodded and drifted her fingers down his neck, "Thank you."

With one final kiss that only lasted the length of time it takes to take a breath, Nyruki slipped out of the office and returned to her room where she laid down, determined to get some sleep and make 1am arrive faster.

The moon was high overhead in the crystal clear sky, hanging just over the cusp of its trek across the sky. A gentle breeze had developed throughout the evening and whistled through the silent streets of the Seireitei, buffeting just enough to hum in the ears.

Atop the Senkaimon tower, the breeze was stronger, but only just, whipping through long jet black hair to splay it out in sweeping strands. The massive red and ornate doors of the Senkaimon were closed, but softly lit with the fire from the large brazers atop the surrounding pillars. The light flickered against the gold trim of the doors, giving them life that loomed overhead.

She waited, hidden in a shadow at the base of one of those pillars for Byakuya to show and just as the time arrived, 1am, a cloaked figured topped the stairs with hood up, obscuring their face.

She watched quietly as the figure stopped nearby and looked around for a moment before they reached up with elegant hands and slipped off the hood to reveal their face. It was Byakuya and he had not only removed the silver hair piece from the crown of his head, but his custom, gold trimmed captain's haori as well.

"You can come out now, Nyruki." Byakuya said as he glanced to his right, having known exactly where she was.

Nyruki stepped out from the shadows and walked up to him where he reached under his cloak and pulled out a folded one that was identical to his. It immediately unfurled with the wind as he slung it over her shoulders and tied it in the front.

"I'm glad you came." Nyruki said as she flipped up the hood onto her head.

"As am I. Are you ready?" He asked, doing the same.

"As I'll ever be."

The hooded pair approached the massive red doors of the Senkaimon where Byakuya pulled his Zanpakutō and thrust its blade into the seem between the doors. A blinding white line shot down the seem that grew wider and wider as the doors opened, creaking low with a resonating groan that was swallowed by the wind. The light was pure white, blinding in the night, but instantly gave way to two, small jet black butterflies that emerged from the white depths.

With their Hell Butterflies to protect them, they entered the Dangai without the knowledge that they had been seen by a man standing on top of the towering pillars with long, flowing white hair that shone silver in the moonlight.

Author's Note: ROLL CREDITS! Yup... This is the end of Part 1, but fear not! Tomorrow, Wednesday, I post Chapter 1 of Part 2 as a separate story so fave me, or keep your eyes peeled for Silver and Gold: Part Two: The Hollow!