Disclaimer- I don't own Bleach

Chapter 16

Shattered Dreams

As she lay in bed that night she thought about whether or not she should have told Grimmjow her true reason for being in Hueco Muendo. In no way did she regret what she had done, she had a feeling that there was more to the aggressive blue haired Arrancar than he let on. He could prove to be useful, or he could prove to be the death of her. However, he had only responded by saying she was out of her mind. It was as he was brushing the dirt off of himself as best he could that Sayomi had seen it in his eyes; a dark, thoughtful glint that told her he was considering what she had said and just what the odds were she would succeed. It had been a gamble telling him, but she had gotten the sense that he loathed Tousen and Tousen worked under Aizen, it was a thin thread but she had pulled it and it didn't seem to have broken.

'It was a risk telling him,' Fuyukaze spoke up in her mind, echoing her train of thought.

Closing her eyes Sayomi let the world around her fade away to be replaced with Fuyukaze's world. It was chill, as usual, and she stood inside a cave near a small fire that gave off a nice warmth as its flames shimmered and danced brightly against the gray of the stone walls. Fuyukaze himself stood beside the mouth of the cave, looking out into the mountain range. Little bits of snow swirled lazily in the wind outside.

"I'm surprised," he said, turning away from the gap in the dark rocks to stare at Sayomi.

"By what?" She asked, taking a seat on the ground and leaning into a smooth portion of wall near the fire.

"How calm the winds outside are," he replied.

Sayomi shrugged. "I don't see why. This was something I've wanted for a long time, things may be a little more complicated than I would like with Aizen, but I don't plan on letting that stop me."

"Of course not, you're too stubborn, little hime." He smiled when Sayomi threw a contemptuous glare in his direction. "I just would have thought it would have been harder for you to leave everyone behind."

Sayomi's eyes flickered and she looked away from Fuyukaze to stare into the flames, she didn't fail to notice the short abrupt flurry of snow that swept past the cave as she did so. "I loved my brother," she murmured quietly, her eyes growing cloudy and far away. "He meant the world to me. He was the world to me. If it hadn't been for him I would have died the night our mother threw us into that dark forest in hopes that some hungry Hollow would rid her of her freakish offspring. I was too young, too small and too naïve. I had no idea what types of things were out there waiting and lurking in the shadows, I'm not just talking about Hollows, but people. People can do evil things too... He sheltered me from all of that. He somehow managed to keep a tiny little child alive and healthy.. And innocently unaware of most of the dangers of the world we lived in."

"Sounds like no small feat," Fuyukaze observed, sitting beside Sayomi and wrapping an arm around her as she leaned her head against his shoulder.

"I may have grown up with no home, but it didn't matter. He always got us food and whatever we needed when needed it. I didn't mind sleeping outside or bathing in the cold rivers and lakes when we found them, I was happy. I had my brother and that was all I needed. Then Ran joined us and I had another friend. It's hard to believe how content I was with that life. We could go days without food sometimes, but to keep my mind off of it Gin would teach me to read, write and he even taught me basic math. I didn't really know it then, but it was a miracle that I survived. Children like us died every day from starvation, sickness, abuse... It must have been hard enough to keep himself alive, but to keep me alive too? He.." She trailed off, sighing sadly.

"He was a good brother," Fuyukaze finished quietly.

"After I was separated and the Himura's took me in I wasn't sure if I'd ever see him again. I didn't know what had become of him. I couldn't really go looking for him and as I grew and years past I was sure I'd never see him again. I never expected to run into him as a Soul Reaper. He was so different from the brother I remembered though. He had always been a little different, there was always something a little off about him, but considering how he had to fight to survive I suppose it's not surprising. He wasn't the only one to have changed, I had too. I wasn't the same innocent, weak little girl anymore I had once been. In the end it hadn't matter though... I still remember the day he tried to kill me. It's haunted my dreams for nearly a hundred years, and it's still just as vivid as if it had happened yesterday. It had started off so normally.. Just another day.." Her eyes closed as her voice trailed off and let herself be whisked away into the world of memory.

"Captain Himura, you've been here all day, why don't you go get some rest, I'll finish up here," a tall busty women with strawberry blond hair offered.

"It's alright, Matsumoto, I'm fine. The wedding plans hit yet another snag, and Byakuya's stupid family elders are trying to convince him to take another bride even though we're already contracted to one another. I may have the Himura name and fortune, but I'm not a Himura, something the elders like throwing in my face as frequently as they can. And another thing, where the hell is Jin, the woman is supposed to be my lieutenant but I swear she spends more time drinking than doing paperwork," Sayomi replied as she signed her name to yet another paper and rolled it up before placing it into a stack of outgoing mail.

"Speaking of drinking," Matsumoto said. "Look what I found," she chirped as she pulled out a bottle of sake from behind the lieutenant's desk.

"What about it?" Sayomi asked.

"You need to relax captain, take a break and have a drink with me. We'll have some well deserved girl time," Matsumoto replied.

Sayomi opened her mouth to decline, but shut it and shrugged. "I suppose we'd be helping Jin, the girl really does need to cut back. Let's go to my rooms though, I don't feel like being here anymore."

Matsumoto squealed with delight and followed after Sayomi.

"Oh and I have something for you, a little gift for helping me so much. I also don't mind if you flaunt it," Sayomi said as she slid open the door to her rooms and slid off her sandals. "Make yourself at home. I'll be right back."

When Sayomi walked out of her bedroom a few minutes later Matsumoto was sitting on her couch, pouring the sake into cups on her wooden table.

"Here," Sayomi said as she handed the woman a small package.

"It's beautiful," the woman said as she pulled a pink scarf out of the wrapping and placed it around her shoulders. "How does it look?"

"The color's good for you. Now give me some sake," Sayomi said as she sat herself down next to Matsumoto and took the cup that was being held out to her. They held their cups up in a small cheers before downing the liquid. Sayomi coughed a little as the liquid burned its way down her throat.

"Another," Matsumoto asked, a hint of red on her cheeks as she spoke.

"What the hell," Sayomi said as she held her glass out for more.

"You know, Captain, you need to relax more often," Matsumoto said after downing her second cup.

"Call me, Sayomi, the captain thing is too weird. We've known each other since we were kids after all," Sayomi replied after swallowing her own cup.

"Sayomi, you need to relax more. You're always so tense and worried."

"I can't help it, there's just so much going on. We have a date for the wedding, finally, but now the elders are-"

"Shh! No speaking about problems, it's supposed to be a fun night. Here have more sake," Matsumoto said as she poured more sake into Sayomi's cup.

After about an hour both women were thoroughly intoxicated. They were laughing and talking loudly, reminiscing about their youth or sharing embarrassing stories.

There was a knock on Sayomi's door and both Sayomi and Matsumoto both looked at the door and blinked. There was another knock, more forceful and agitated.

"Uh oh," Sayomi said as she stood up, holding her hands out to steady herself when she wobbled. "Be right back."

She swung open the door to come face to face, well face to chest, with Byakuya, his face impassive as usual but his brow was tweaked slightly as he gazed at her unbalanced form.

Sayomi giggled. "Hello," she said as she waved her fingers at him.

"Are you drunk?"

"No," she denied before giggling again when Matsumoto walked up behind her and threw her arms over her shoulders.

"Hello, Captain Kuchiki," the woman trilled. "You know that Sayomi here needs more time to relax. She's always so stressed out, and worrying about the wedding. Oh, I want to help get you dressed. We'll have so much fun."

"Oh and make up, you have to do that. I can't put that crap on to save my life," Sayomi replied as she turned to the red head.

"I'll come back another time," Byakuya said as he turned and walked away.

Sayomi blinked after after him and wrenched Matsumoto's arms off of her. "Right back," she said as she ran after Byakuya, struggling to not fall over or bump into the many walls. "Wait," she called. "I'm sorry. Matsumoto found Jin's sake and it was such a long day she suggested we take a break. I agreed, I needed a little time out of the office, it's all so overwhelming. Please don't be angry at me, Byakuya."

"You're free to do as you wish. Why would I be angry?" he asked emotionlessly.

"You're angry," Sayomi stated certainly. "I can tell. We're just having a little fun... It's been a long day."

"Fun? You're a captain now, your job and responsibilities should come first. You're not taking this seriously, especially with the disappearances in Rukongai."

"How can you say that? I've hardly slept in the last year. I have a lieutenant that's never around and I have to manage my household and plan a wedding. All on my own. I'm doing my best and trying to stay sane. Besides, Kensei and the Ninth division are out investigating the disappearances in Rukongai, I'm sure he'll be able to take care of it."

"If it was going to be too much then you shouldn't have accepted."

"Accepted what? The promotion or the marriage proposal?" Sayomi questioned, her voice rising bitterly. "The promotion I wanted, the marriage was decided for me."

"Do you wish you had fought it?" Byakuya asked, his voice as cool as always.

Sayomi sighed, shaking her head. "If you had asked me that when the betrothal was first revealed to me, you know I would have fought it. You would have too. We couldn't stand each other, remember?" She chuckled at the memories of their once tense relationship, and was glad to see that even Byakuya couldn't keep himself from smirking slightly. "But things changed, we aren't the same stubborn and arrogant children we used to be anymore. I do love you, Byakuya. I have for a very long time now and I am honored to be marrying you." She sighed again and looked away from Byakuya, up into the early evening sky. "You have stuck up for me, you have supported me, but not once have you told me how you felt about me. You've never told me you loved me, you've never even said anything about the marriage except when you tell me the elders want to keep postponing it.. Do you wish you had fought the proposal, Byakuya?"

Byakuya remained quiet as they faced each other in the dark street outside of the Tenth division.

After receiving no response Sayomi shook her head and bit back tears while offering a small nod. "Sorry to have kept you from your business, Byakuya-sama. Sorry that I have embarrassed you tonight with my behavior. It won't happen again," she said quietly before turning away and walking back to her barrack.

"Sayomi," he called before she had gone more than two steps.

She stopped, but didn't turn to face him. She heard his light footsteps approaching her and closed her eyes when he stepped in front of her to tilt her face up to him gently.

"I'm sorry I haven't said it before, but I love you."

"It took you long enough to admit it," she replied, a small smile forming on her lips.

"I apologize for making you wait." He smiled softly back.

"Apology accepted."

Byakuya brushed a few strands of her hair from her face and leaned down to kiss her forehead. "I needed to speak with you, your rooms would be more private."

"Of course. Give me a moment and I'll ask Matsumoto to leave," Sayomi said as she turned and walked back to her rooms. Byakuya followed her, a bit slowly, allowing her time to get her third seat out of her rooms. Just as the woman stumbled out of the door, giggling as she raised a bottle of sake into the air and hiccuping, Byakuya was walking to her door. He raised his eyebrows as the woman looked at him and giggled, trying to cover her mouth with her hand in a failed attempt at being modest.

"You two behave yourselves..Or not," she slurred giddily.

"Matsumoto," Sayomi snapped, her cheeks flushing.

The busty woman giggled and stumbled her way towards her own barrack.

"Should I help her?" Sayomi asked, somewhat worried as the drunken woman swerved and nearly face planted into one of the gardens.

"I think she'll manage," Byakuya replied.

"I hope so, anyways, come in. I'll make some tea, I could use it," she said as she held a hand to her head. "I didn't have much, but the world is spinning a bit and since I'm so close to it, it's a little weird."

Byakuya stifled a laugh at her as she groaned and made her way to her small kitchen in the far left corner. She set a pot of water over a small fire before excusing herself and disappearing through the door in the back of the room.

When she walked out a few moments later she was without her haori and shinigami uniform, dressed instead in an informal blue yukata with white vines of pale pink blossoms trailing from the hem by her right ankle and wrapping around several times to end at her left shoulder, it was tied with a silver obi. Her hair was down, flowing freely over her shoulders as she walked into her kitchen to get two tea cups and the hot tea, she set everything on a tray and set it on the small table that served as a dining table. She knelt across from Byakuya, oblivious to the way his eyes had followed her as she walked, and poured them each a glass of the hot green tea.

"I'm not delaying the wedding again," Sayomi haughtily before Byakuya even had a chance to speak as she sipped at the hot tea in her hands,.

"It would only be a month, it would satisfy the-"

"The only thing that will satisfy those old jerks is you marrying someone else and you know it," she snapped.

Sayomi sighed at the raised brow she received in response to her raised voice. She resisted the urge to childishly stick her tongue out at him and settled for sighing tiredly. "Sorry... It's just that they always do this and I don't understand how you can be so willing to give them what they want. Your grandfather was the one who suggested our union, it's disrespectful of the elders to go against his wishes." She said before quietly adding, "And hurtful to me."

"I in no way intend to hurt you. If you don't wish to postpone the wedding then I will speak with the elders," Byakuya said.

"Really?" Sayomi asked, eyes sparkling happily as she tried not to grin triumphantly.

Byakuya reached across the small table and stroked Sayomi's cheek, she unconsciously nuzzled against his warm fingers and closed her eyes. It was rare that they had time alone and they had never been intimate, having decided to wait until they were married. She reveled in the feel of his fingers against her skin and sighed as her eyes opened and she smiled at him.

"What?" She asked curiously when she saw the strange look in his eyes as he gazed at her. It was a soft look, a look she had never seen in his eyes before.

Instead of replying, he cupped her cheek and pulled her towards him, he leaned forward pressing their lips together warmly. They had kissed before, but this was different, there was a hunger now that neither had ever felt before. Sayomi found it hard to breathe as their lips moved together, she reached forward and she ran her hands through his soft hair. Wanting to close the gap between them, Sayomi moved around the table and knelt beside Byakuya who gently wrapped his arms around her and lifted her into his lap so that she was cradled in his arms. He stood up with her in his arms and walked through her open bedroom door.

He set her on the large, soft bed before standing up to remove his white haori before laying over her and resuming his assault on her lips. Her breathing grew heavier as he began to kiss her neck and down the slightly open collar of her yukata.

She swallowed and attempted to think clearly, it was much harder to do than she had thought, "Byakuya," she said breathlessly. "Are you sure about this? I thought.." she trailed off as he lightly bit her neck. "Never mind."

"If you don't wish me to, Sayomi, then I will stop," he whispered into her ear before flicking his tongue across the bottom of it.

"Stop now and I think I might actually hurt you," Sayomi replied as she dug her nails into his back.

Byakuya leaned down and kissed her again, teasing her lips with his tongue. She smiled against his lips as she slipped her hands under the black fabric of his kimono top. His skin was warm under her touch and she could feel the small goosebumps that her feathery touches caused to breakout across his skin. Her eyes closed and breathing shuttered as he ground their bodies together.

"I will have you. You will be mine, I assure you," he said to her as he began to loosen her obi.

"As long as you will be mine, I have no complaints," she replied breathlessly.

She gasped and they both froze as a disturbance in the spiritual particles around them alerted them to the message that was about to be transmitted to them.

"Emergency meeting! Emergency meeting! All captains are to report to the First division immediately! There has been an accident involving the Ninth division, we can't get a soul signal from lieutenant Mashiro Kuna or captain Kensei Muguruma. This is an emergency, report immediately to the First division headquarters!"

Sayomi sighed and looked up at Byakuya, she smiled halfheartedly. "It seems no one wants us together, and I'm beginning to believe we never will be."

"Don't say such things. I plan on marrying you in two months. We'll just have to wait patiently," he said as he kissed her on the forehead and stood from the bed.

"I'll be there as soon as I change," Sayomi said as Byakuya slipped on his haori and straightened his disheveled hair. He nodded before sweeping from the room.

She sighed again and quickly slipped back into her uniform and haori before leaving her room.

Matsumoto was right outside the door seeming much more sober than she had not long before.

"The disturbance a moment ago, has something happened?" she asked.

"There's been a meeting called for all captains, it seems Kensei and Mashiro's soul signals can't be found. I have to go, you are in charge in my absence, Jin isn't to do anything other than find a new position. The woman is useless," Sayomi said as she turned and flashed away.

She flashed to the First division to find the majority of the captains already gathered. She took her spot beside the Eighth division captain, Kyoraku, in his bright pink haori that he always wore over his captain's haori, and waited for head captain Yamamoto to start the meeting.

"This is an emergency," Yamamoto's cracked old voice began. "According to reports from the Ninth division vanguard who were on stand by the captain and lieutenant, as well as six others from the Ninth division have disappeared. The reason is currently unknown. We are going to assume the worst until we have a better understanding of the situation. As of yesterday this was a problem in Rukongai, but now the pride of the Imperial Guard depends on getting to the bottom of this, so I will be selecting five captains to investigate the scene of the disappearance."

Everyone's eyes turned to the doorway as the double doors flew open to reveal a panting Kisuke Urahara, the captain of the Twelfth division.

"You're late," Yamamoto scolded.

"Please, let me go-"

"No," Yamamoto said before Kisuke could continue.

"But my lieutenant is-"

"Get a hold of yourself, Kisuke!" Yoruichi shouted. "You sent her yourself right? Don't you think trying to go rescue her is insulting?"

"And it's Hiyori, the little brat will be fine," Sayomi agreed.

"To continue," Yamamoto started again. "Third division captain Rojuro Otoribashi, Fifth division captain Shinji Hirako, Seventh division Love Aikawa. You three head to the campgrounds. Second division captain Yoruichi Shihoin stand by and await further orders."

Sayomi fidgeted, that was only four captains and it seemed she wouldn't be getting dispatched to the campground. As much as she wanted to believe that her former captain was fine, she also wanted to go to his aid, part of her would always be his lieutenant and she wanted to help him if she could.

"Sixth division captain Byakuya Kuchiki, Eighth division captain Shunsui Kyoraku, Thirteenth division captain Juushiro Ukitake. Guard Seireitei."

'He hasn't told me to do anything,' Sayomi thought.

'He's old, his memory must be going.'

'Could be, but since I don't have orders at the moment if I go to the campground I won't be disobeying direct orders,' Sayomi replied.

'True, but you won't be following them either,' Fuyukaze pointed out.

Sayomi's attention was brought back to the meeting when the doors reopened and two men walked in. Kido captain, Tessai Tsukabishi and his lieutenant Hachigen Oshoda.

"Now that you know the situation I would like you both to head out to the site," Yamamoto informed them.

"Would it be wise to send both of them?" Captain Kyoraku asked. "We don't know what's out there."

"What would you suggest then?"

"Send my lieutenant instead," he replied. "Oh, Lisa," he called.

"Yes, captain," a dark haired woman answered as her face came into view form between to of the slats in the window.

"Will you do it?" Kyoraku asked.

"Of course," Lisa replied.

"It's settled then. Shinji Hirako, Rojuro Otoribashi, Love Aikawa, Lisa Yadomaru, and Hachigen Oshoda, you five will leave for the camp site immediately," Yamamoto commanded.

The five nodded and everyone began to file out of the room.

"Captain Himura?"

Sayomi turned to see captain Ukitake behind her, smiling as he approached her.

"Can I help you, Captain Ukitake?" she asked.

"I noticed that you weren't given any specific orders, and was curious as to why you didn't point that out?"

"Well... I figure since I wasn't in the group dispatched to the site I would help guard Seireitei of course," she replied.

"More like as soon as no one is paying attention you'll be going to the site yourself, right, Captain?" captain Kyoraku asked as he walked up beside his friend.

"No," Sayomi denied a little too quickly.

"Just be careful, Captain Himura, we should be going," Kyoraku said.

"Good night," she said before turning and nearly colliding with Byakuya. "How long have you been there?"

"Long enough. It's your duty to guard Soul Society. Don't go running after a second rate captain and his lieutenant," he replied.

"You really are an ass sometimes," Sayomi said, rolling her eyes as she stepped around the man and began to make her way back to her own division.

"And you're stubborn, but I still agreed to marry you."

"Yeah, well that's your problem. I'm perfectly fine being stubborn. I would also like to point out that I never said that you being an ass was a problem, I was just stating a fact." She flashed a grin over her shoulder and was rewarded with a sigh and head shake from Byakuya.

"Sometimes you talk too much," he said blandly, but his eyes were glinting mischievously

"I'm going back to my division, are you coming along?" she asked coyly.

"In light of the current situation I will be going back to my own division and awaiting orders. Just as you should."

"Of course," Sayomi replied. "Be a good little girl, I know, I know. I'm going to go see if my lieutenant has showed up yet we need to have a bit of talk about her drinking habits. Then I'll hang around and wait for orders like the good little captain I am."

"Don't do anything rash, Sayomi," Byakuya replied as he turned to make his way back to his own division.

She scoffed dismissively. "Of course not."

As Sayomi walked towards the wood building that served as the divisions offices she started to focus in on the five different reiatsu she could feel heading to Rukongai. She felt Shinji engage in a fight with something, but the reiatsu wasn't that of a hollow or a soul reaper. Focusing only on the reiatsu of the being Shinji was fighting as she walked up to her office door, she spaced out slightly and didn't notice the odd way Matsumoto looked at her as she walked in to the office, stopping just inside the door as her head cocked to the side.

"Sayomi?" Matsumoto shouted as Sayomi's eyes widened and she doubled over, grabbing her stomach as if she had been hit, she was panting for breath as her hair fell forward and hid her face.

"That's impossible," she muttered, blinking in confusion.

"Sayomi, are you alright?" Matsumoto asked urgently, resting a hand on her shoulder.

Sayomi straightened up and nodded, her expression unusually serious and stern. "Stay here. No matter what happens, Matsumoto, stay here!" She ordered as she turned and disappeared in a swirl of white cloth.

She focused on the reiatsu of the five people who had been sent to the camp site as well as Hiyori's, she tried to find others, but it seemed there was nothing she could get a clear reading on. She knew that she had felt Kensei's spiritual pressure, it was just a brief moment and it was mixed so densely with that of a Hollow she wasn't sure what to make of it. She flash stepped her way there all while trying to get a handle on the situation, by the flares in reiatsu everyone was fighting, hard. It was what they were fighting that she was having a difficult time understanding.

When she saw the white of a tent ahead of her she slowed and walked around the tent to see that there were several bodies littering the ground, their blood staining the tent and the dirt.

"Todo, Kasaki, Eishima!" She shouted as she ran to the body of a thin man with long reddish brown hair.

His eyes were open, frozen in a look of shock and he wasn't breathing. He had been stabbed several times and his body was drenched in his own crimson blood.

"Eishima, what happened?" She mumbled as she gently closed friend's eyes and kissed the fingers of her left hand before pressing them lightly against his forehead.

She stood up, ignoring the pressure of the pain she felt in response to her friends death as she looked around at the rest of the lifeless bodies. She had once been friends with every man that lay here. She had fought with them, trained with them, drank with them and they had all protected one another. Eishima was the closest thing she had to a best friend, they had always gotten along and usually were the two stuck calming Kensei down whenever the young Mashiro pissed him off, which was irritatingly often. He had been kind and gentle, and was always willing to offer advice or to spar if she needed to work off a little steam after a hard day.

Her head turned to the right when she heard the metallic screech of swords clashing and the angry howl of a hollow. Without another glance back at her dead friends, she took off towards the sounds of fighting only to came to an abrupt halt at the sight that was before her.

Rose was knocked out in a small crater in the hard ground, while Love and Lisa fought a large hollow that bore a striking resemblance to Kensei. Shinji was holding Hiyori while a small, thin hollow that looked a lot like Mashiro attacked him.

"What the hell," she muttered.

"Gochu tekkan."

Sayomi turned her head to see that Hachigen was using his kido to bind Mashiro, when the five pillars fell on the small girl and slammed her into the ground she stepped forward.

"What's going on?" she shouted at Shinji.

"What the hell are you doin' here, Sayomi?" he shouted back as Hachigen attempted to imprison Kensei as well.

"That won't work," Sayomi shouted, leaping aside as Kensei crashed into the ground before her, a thick rope wrapped around him.

She held her right hand out to her side and let her sword and sheath form in her hand, she had the sword drawn and the sheath tucked into her obi just as Kensei broke free of the rope that Hachigen had tried to bind him with. There was a loud angry howl as Kensei rose and stood up to face her.

"Sayomi, get out of there," Love shouted at her.

"I was his lieutenant. I fought him everyday for seven years and quite often before that, I know his weaknesses. Back off," she shot back as she stepped to her left and spun as Kensei tried to attack her head on.

She side stepped him again and swung her sword out before her in a wide arc, trying to slash through his stomach that wasn't covered in the thick white armor of a hollow. She missed, but jumped above him to avoid the fist he threw at her. Using the momentum from her fall, Sayomi held her zanpakuto in both hands and crashed down on to Kensei's shoulder. A thin spray of red bloomed from the small cut she managed to inflict as she grunted and landed in a crouch behind him. He roared at the pain she had caused, flinging his limbs around himself wildly, Sayomi wasn't able to escape the arm that knocked into her ribs, sending her back several yards.

Gasping at the pain of the three broken ribs she knew she had received she steadied herself and flew at Kensei again. They exchanged blows for several minutes, moving over the ground and through the air as they clashed violently enough to cause the earth to tremble. Attempting to slice Kensei's already wounded shoulder Sayomi flew towards him, but was instead thrown backwards as his armored hand connected with her stomach. She crashed into the ground coughing blood from the force of the impact and the broken ribs that had punctured her lungs. Her white haori was torn and dirty, her wrists and face were covered in scratches and bruises as she groaned and pushed herself up in time to see Lisa try to attack Kensei from above and behind. Her attack failed and she was thrown forcefully through the air when Kensei's huge arm struck her side.

"Move," Sayomi ordered Love who was between her and Kensei, her voice barely more than a pant. "Now."

She stalked forward her eyes cold and her face set into an emotionless mask. Kensei howled and charged at her. Sayomi crouched slightly and positioned her zanpakuto before her, her left hand just behind the blunt edge. Just as she prepared to swing a blow she knew would have hit him, Rose started shouting at him.

"Since when are you so weak, Kensei, that you would attack a woman?" He shouted.

Sayomi growled and her eyes narrowed when Kensei changed course and headed towards the incapacitated Rose, she flashed away from her spot to intercept, but was forced to leap back as Hachigen cast another spell and Kensei was bolted to the ground by two, thick long strips of metal and several large bolts.

Sayomi was panting freely now, and leaned over to catch her breath and to cough up more blood. She wiped at her chin with her hand to remove the blood that was running down her chin. Standing back up she looked at Shinji who still had Hiyori held in his left arm. She was torn up, but in no immediate danger.

"What the hell is going on, Shinji?" Sayomi asked through her ragged breaths.

"I don't know," he answered.

"Sh-Shinji, put me down," Hiyori said as she started to cough violently.

All eyes turned to Hiyori as, not blood, but a white liquid bloomed from her lips and started to cover her face. She swung an arm out at Shinji, causing a spray of crimson liquid to rain down on the ground from a long gash to his chest.

Sayomi swung her head around when Rose started coughing from where he still lie on the ground. "Rose," she shouted as the same white substance erupted from his mouth.

Love and Lisa ran towards her and Shinji, but before they got far both suddenly fell as someone stabbed them from behind.

"Love, Lisa," Sayomi yelled as their bodies fell.

"You," Shinji spat at the man that was now visible, he was dark skinned with dark hair and wore strange sunglasses and a face mask.

"Tousen, you betrayed Kensei. Why?" Sayomi shouted at him as she tried to charge at him, only to be stopped when Shinji grabbed her arm.

"Calm down."

"Actually he didn't betray anyone. He's really quite faithful," a smooth, arrogant voice said from behind them. "He just faithfully followed my orders."

"You," Shinji said icily as he turned to see his brown haired, glasses wearing lieutenant smiling at them. "Aizen and you."

Sayomi turned at that point and her eyes widened when she saw the grinning face of her elder brother beside Aizen's. "Gin," she hissed, her full attention was focused on him as he walked beside Aizen. "Traitor," she growled.

"So it was you after all," Shinji said angrily.

"You suspected?" Sayomi snapped at him. "How could you-"

"Now, Captain Himura, I believe he was speaking to me. Not that I'm surprised, Captain Hirako, but how long?" Aizen asked.

"Since you were in your mother's womb," Shinji growled. "I knew you were dangerous, that you couldn't be trusted, that's why I chose you as my lieutenant."

"I thank you for that. Your deep seated doubts made you blind and you never suspected a thing," Aizen said.

"I just told you I suspected-"

"You never noticed, did you? That this whole month it wasn't me walking behind you," Aizen asked.

Shinji's eyes widened and Sayomi gasped.

"The ability to make the enemy see whatever I want him to, that's the true power of my Kyoka Suigetsu. I prefer to call it absolute hypnosis. If you had interacted with me as other captains do with their lieutenants you may have noticed the subtle variations in my mannerisms and movements, but you didn't. The reason you are all here is because you didn't have a better understanding of me, you had no idea who I was or what I was capable of," Aizen explained. "Oh and another thing. You say you chose me, but it's really the other way around. I chose you. I could have declined the offer to be your lieutenant, but I didn't. Your suspicions and vigilance were perfect for my plans, perhaps you should apologize to your friends for choosing me. If you hadn't, they wouldn't be here about to die."

"Aizen," Shinji growled angrily as he prepared to draw his zanpakuto. Instead of drawing his zanpakuto though, he doubled over and began to cough.

"Shinji," Sayomi cried and ran towards him only to stop when she saw the white substance pouring from his mouth. "What did you do?" She yelled at Aizen as she drew her zanpakuto.

"Thank you for rising to my little provocation. It seems to speed the hollowfication process," Aizen said thoughtfully.

"Hollowfication... What are you talking about?" Sayomi asked uneasily.

"I'm a little surprised you haven't succumbed to it yet, but then you were always good at keeping your cool despite how temperamental everyone though you were. I'm sorry to say this, Sayomi, I always admired your beauty and Gin has a soft spot for you, but-"

"Do we really have ta kill her?" Gin asked a hint of disappointment in his tone.

"I'm afraid-"

"The one dying here isn't going to be me," Sayomi growled coldly as she charged at her brother.

Gin leapt aside, drawing his own zanpakuto in defense. He did nothing, but block the hits she threw at him, and well, which surprised her. She was a captain, he was only the third seat of the Fifth division at the moment. Growling angrily, she managed to leap away from the extended blade of his zanpakuto and slice his right arm open, he dropped his sword and backed up as Sayomi advanced angrily on him.

"Now, lil sis, just calm down. I never meant for you to get involved," he said defensively, holding his hands up innocently and smiling.

She cried out angrily and moved to attack, but before she took a single step she ground her teeth together as a sword pierced through her right shoulder, she fell to her knees coughing up a mix of blood and the same white material that was now trying to engulf the faces and bodies of all but the three traitors. She didn't know when it had happened, but even Hachigen had been injured and a white mask was forming over his face as well.

As she coughed and hacked a shadow fell over her. She looked up defiantly, a steely glint in her ice blue eyes, to see that Aizen and Gin were looking down at her. Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she struggled to keep her vision in focus, she cried out in desperation and flung her sword out before her trying to kill the men who were responsible for the horrible scene around her. She missed Aizen, but sliced through Gin's stomach, not deep enough to cause any permanent damage, it was more like a scratch that would heal without treatment. She screamed again as she fell forward, tears pouring from her eyes as she thought of the wedding that was supposed to have been in only a few months, of the children she had wanted, the life she had envisioned for herself, it all shattered painfully before her eyes.

"Kaname, Gin," Aizen said.

"Right," Kaname answered.

She heard Gin sigh, but draw his sword. "Sorry 'bout this, but it's for the best."

She waited for the blow, she no longer had the strength or will to dodge it, but it never came. She blinked her weary eyes open to see that Kisuke and Tessai were there, what happened after that she didn't know, she blacked out and wouldn't come to for nearly a week.

Sayomi sighed as she let memory fade away and shook her head in an attempt to clear away the little wisps that didn't seem to want to budge from her mind. Closing her eyes again, she curled up against Fuyukaze and stared down at her hands that were in her lap, her knees were resting on Fuyukaze's dark blue covered leg. She wiggled her fingers slowly, watching the way they moved before sighing and snuggling closer to the person she considered to be her only friend.

"Does it bother you, Fuyu?" She questioned.

"Does what bother me, Sayomi-sama?"

"This? You're always the one I turn to. You comfort me and you're always taking care of me. Do you ever think you should have chosen someone stronger?"

Light chuckles floated around the room, making Sayomi frown as she glanced up at the man who merely smiled at her. "You're a very silly child sometimes."

"I am not a child," she objected stubbornly.

"Hmm, but you're so small."

"Fuyukaze, I was being serious," she complained, pushing away from him to bring her knees to her chest and wrap her arms around herself.

"I know you were, but it's not like you to ask such questions. What did I tell you the first time I brought you to this world?" He put his arm around Sayomi again and pulled her back to him, she stubbornly remained the way she was sitting and refused to lean on him. He shook his head, his white hair making a soft swishing noise. "I told you that I would always be by your side and I would always help you, did I not?"

Sayomi nodded."You did."

"Do you think I lied?"

"No, but I'm more of a burden-"

"You are not a burden, my little hime, you never have been," Fuyukaze cut in.

She didn't reply, but after a few seconds she relaxed against Fuyukaze and curled up against him once again. A pleased smile crossed her face as he wrapped his arm around her tighter to help shield her from the cold that seeped into the cave and wasn't dispelled by the fire.

"Thank you, Fuyukaze, for always putting up with me. I know I'm not always easy to deal with."

"No, you're not, but that's part of your charm."

"That's what Gin used to say, not about me being stubborn necessarily though. I've always been a little stubborn."

"A little?"

Sayomi smiled, elbowing Fuyukaze in the side playfully. "It's different when you're a small child. Shut up," she snapped when Fuyukaze snickered. "It's always been annoying to me, to be literally looked down upon and to have to look up to everyone else. I would get so angry and Gin would always put a hand on my head and grin down at me as he ruffled my hair while telling me that being short was part of my charm."

"You miss him don't you?"

"I miss who he was. He isn't my big brother anymore, the one who promised to always take care of me. He was going to kill me and he betrayed Soul Society and for what exactly? Power? It's just not like him, not like the brother I knew. He's a monster that looks like him," Sayomi replied sadly.

"And what of little Byakuya-sama, why has he been on your mind so much recently?"

"He's hardly little anymore," Sayomi snorted when she recalled their brief meeting in the streets of Karakura town. He had changed so much, he was taller and more refined than she remembered him being. His form was still thin, but he had grown into a man, he was no longer the same person, the same young man that was barely out of his teens when he took over as captain of the Sixth division. "I don't really know why I've been thinking of him so much, I guess I'm curious as to who he married and how he's been all these years. Maybe a little worried about what he'll think when everyone learns that I've joined up with Aizen. It was bad enough hearing him tell me so cruelly to return to the dead. If he actually wants me dead and knowing him, he will, I don't know if I could really handle that. Regardless of the circumstances now, I loved him and don't want to have to cross swords with him, or any soul reaper for that matter. I may not have a choice though. I chose this path so I'll have to deal with the repercussions of my decisions when they come and I know they will."

"And what about Kensei?"

"What about him? I've betrayed him, he'll hate me for it. He said himself that if I ever betrayed them he would never forgive me."

"Does that bother you?"

"Of course it does," she answered. "We've known each other a long time and we've been through a lot together. While he may never forgive me, he won't kill me. He knows why I'm doing this, why I'm here. I find a little bit of comfort in that, as selfish as it is... Anyways," she said, yawning widely and rubbing at her tired eyes. "Kensei told me he wouldn't forgive me if I betrayed them. Byakuya on the other hand thought I was dead, now he's going to hear I'm a traitor and an abomination. If our paths cross before I accomplish what I came here to do I don't know if I'll be able to have my revenge."

"You have always cared about what those two thought. I wonder what you would do if they both forgave you for the wrongs you believe you've done," Fuyukaze said quietly as Sayomi nodded off to sleep against him.

~A/N~

Ok, well another chapter down and a little bit of Byakuya action in this one. There will be more, promise. :)

Thank you to all my lovely and awesome readers and reviewers.

Please feed the monster. Thank you!