The Iced Moon Arc Bleach

by tending

Lieutenant Kuchiki has a secret. A variety of secrets that the Gotei 13 do not know until a figure of her past and present tips them off and then a story is told, a past. A past connected to the very creation of the Soul Society from the Soul King to zanpakutos. Soul reapers are not the utmost rulers after all.

22. Here Fear Here

Pre-Note

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. This is for creative purposes. I do own this plot. Dialogue taken from the translation of Bleach chapter 501 will be used though I do not own the translations.

Reminder: Mature-rating. Mystery-themed. Light sexual content. Crucial to remain attentive to detail. This is for Rukia and her relationships.

---

Here Fear Here

On the day of Sensei Kyōraku's visit

The younger Rukia couldn't believe it.

Sitting in the small, relatively dark shed with several long candles lit on a long desk covered with spider webs—much to Rukia's dismay—she couldn't believe her eyes when the woman took off her black overcoat and began to cook.

She said nothing to her when they came in, only instructing her to kneel and wait near this round wooden table. Rukia had obediently knelt onto the cushion and watched as she removed her overcoat and brought a large round pot in front of her.

Then from somewhere she brought a bunch of brightly coloured things and started chopping them in front of her—not on the small round table she was waiting at but a little bit ahead of it.

In spite of removing her overcoat, the veil on her face remained over her head. She didn't say a thing to her throughout the entire process so Rukia just watched her cook. It was rather odd though, she had nothing to say so she just watched her.

It was weird—she had never really been this close to this woman. They were not in the Soul Society for sure, this was someplace else. This shed seemed to be her home, so then the question arose: why was she in the Rukongai then?

This area was filled with many sheds just like hers, though, hers was slightly bigger. Though she didn't see any people out when they came, she was sure there were people who lived there.

Rukia figured their absence outside was due to the heat. Just like the World of the Living, the place was boiling hot despite there being no sun out. She didn't even want to know what it'd feel like if the sun did come out, she hoped the cloudiness above her indicated it would rain.

Being in the shed was only slightly better. She didn't know where the cool air was coming from but she was glad it was there. She could utilize her reiatsu to cool her down but she had grown accustomed to not using it while being in the red-rocked dimension. It would only trigger the cleaner again and that was the last thing she wanted to do.

Being in the home of the woman was strange—the place was very dark, the walnut wood which constructed the shed was chipping off, there were a bunch of books messily stacked in all corners carpeted with an enormous amount of spider webs, making Rukia's skin crawl.

Everything was arranged within kneel level. There was hardly anything above that—no shelf, nothing. There was a dress mirror at the far right of her that was severely cracked halfway and to the left of her was a futon surrounded by a bunch of books layered on a low shelf.

The ground was made up of wood too with only one circular red rug being beneath her. She wondered why the woman spent so much time wandering in the Rukongai when she had a place here.

She had seen the woman sit on the ground many times or stand in one place from afar, there was no reason to come to the Rukongai for anything. She so badly wanted to question her about her reason however, she stopped herself due to one known fact.

That wasn't their thing.

Rukia had met this woman the day she woke up from that haystack and learned that she had died and come to the Soul Society. After their short interaction there, they never spoke again.

The woman just stared at her from far but she was harmless. They exchanged their silent stares and carried on with their lives. Rukia couldn't deny at times she'd feel frightful of their exchanges, simply 'cause she would be alone during those times and there she was from far, staring at her like her life depended on it.

Though overtime, she had grown accustomed to the woman's presence. It was just there—she treated it as if it was just the wind that occasionally brushed her cheeks. It was something simply a part of her existence, as long as it was harmless, Rukia didn't care.

She watched the woman use a wooden spoon and churn whatever she was cooking. It made her wonder what had urged her to start cooking so quickly, it was as if she brought her here with that sole intention.

In the next twenty minutes, she watched two white bowls with blue bellflower designs being filled with something light brown—it looked like rice—before the woman placed one bowl in front of her and the other on her end.

They were now kneeling face to face, the small round table being the only thing separating them.

"Um…" Rukia didn't know what to say. The woman gave her some chopsticks and waited for her to take them but she didn't. "I...can't eat this."

It's not that she didn't want to, but everything happened so fast, it only took her those few seconds in front of her to actually grasp the fact that the woman had cooked something for her.

The woman just slammed the chopsticks aggressively near the bowl and picked up her own.

"I'm sorry." Rukia rushed to say. She felt bad for not eating it too but at the same time, how could she accept her food like that? "I just…"

"Eat it or leave it." The woman said, her voice hoarse before she ate another spoonful. Not once did she look at her, her eyes were focused down at her food as if that was the only place she could look at.

Rukia watched her for a minute, slowly her hand moved to touch the chopsticks before she ate the food for herself.

Though her eyes were focused on the rice, she could feel the moment the woman slightly looked up as she did.

"Wow, this is really good!" Rukia said with a cheerful smile, a really light hue of red on her cheeks as she said it.

She took another spoonful before moaning in delight. This was the first real home-cooked meal she ever had in her life. Even if she ate dinner with the Okasakes and Captain Kuchiki, those were all from trained chefs and her meals in the Rukongai barely counted. Though this...this was actually a home-cooked meal and it was the best one yet!

Rukia tried to catch the woman's eyes but the moment she tried, the woman just looked down again at her food. Rukia took the opportunity to ask her something she never asked before.

"Since I'm here and all...do you mind telling me your name? You know mine, it's sort of...strange? That I don't know yours."

She stopped eating and waited for an answer.

Moments went by but the woman just continued to eat, Rukia was convinced she wouldn't get an answer until she muttered something that was inaudible to her at first.

"Huh?" Rukia immediately asked. "Ru…?"

Though she never repeated it again, Rukia decided not to question her further and just ate.

---

7 Days

It had been a week.

She was still not up and yet his grandfather continued to repeat the exact same sentence he had said not too long ago when she had first passed.

She will be fine.

Byakuya did not understand how Hell burning down concerned him more than Rukia. Hell burning down implicated that the barrier and the heart had suffered from the fire as well.

She was dead and this time, neither him or her younger brother had experienced one of her revivals under these circumstances. The shopkeeper was concerned about the burning, enough to go visit the area himself with the feline and her younger brother.

Their faces alone had indicated that this was indeed serious and yet his grandfather, in spite of admitting that he could not find the barrier and the fact that it would be affected since the entirety of Hell had burned, remained confident.

By confident, he meant that he just repeated the exact same line over and over again—a way to encourage him not to worry but how exactly could he not?

It had been seven whole days since she had awakened from death. Her body was now completely grey and stiff—every single aspect of her appearance indicated that she was dead for good however, his grandfather did nothing more but install hope in him.

Why?

Even under this random hindrance, he was still sure that she would be fine. How? The 12 minutes rule could no longer apply, the area where the barrier was located had burnt down. According to his grandfather, the place was just completely burnt.

Land and rocks, everything.

The whole area was just consumed with a dark murk.

This incident was something they've never experienced before and with the barrier undetected, it meant that she couldn't come back. How could she fight against something when an aggressive fire and the barrier potentially crumbling came at her all at once?

The line on the monitor continued to make the same sound all week. His grandfather was holding onto something and making him hold onto it too. Though he wanted to hold onto it as well, he could not avoid the facts.

This time was different.

This time something had gone wrong.

This was unlike anything she had ever faced before in relation to the heart.

This death wasn't in relation to the barrier thinning so how could he remain confident in her stubbornness to revive her?

She was laying there so stiffly, so much that she could be mistaken for a rock with her now grey skin tone.

And yet, he sat down beside her. He had not moved once, only relocating her quotebook and the other book she had given him to his spot to read in the meanwhile.

Her younger brother did occasional checks and whenever he did, he was always softly smiling.

Byakuya did not understand him either.

This was a different case scenario and yet he was so calm about it. He even admitted, not to him—(he would never engage in a one-on-one conversation with the doctor but)— that this had never happened before and yet he was completely fine.

He did not look the least bit bothered by the situation, there was no remorseful look or worry that surrounded him, he was completely fine without reason. Byakuya would question if they really were biologically related if not for their resemblance.

It irked him to no ends that he and his grandfather seemed to have so much faith in her getting up—it only inspired him to have faith even more though, it was very hard.

He kept looking to her closed lids, waiting for them to reopen and yet hours passed, days passed, and they still never reopened.

---

"This isn't good." Yoruichi observed with crossed arms. The entirety of Hell was burnt, nothing more but a black fog and charred smell filled the air.

"Sorry to say I can't figure out how it happened. It definitely has nothing to do with the Okasake heir." Kisuke said on the burnt ground with Yūshirō.

"Ginrei-dono said he can't find the barrier either. If the barrier's gone, the heart is either here or...he took it."

"A shame we can't ask him about it." Kisuke responded, before taking more samples from the ground. "Don't think Kuchiki-san is going to wake up anytime soon."

Yūshirō's shoulders slouched. "Though, are we sure she's going to wake up at all?"

Yoruichi staring off into the distance spoke. "She has too."

"It'll take a while though. If the burning got to the spirit, it'll take some time for her to fight back." Kisuke explained to the younger boy.

"But what if she doesn't? This hasn't happened before, right?" He questioned nervously.

"She will." Yoruichi wasn't looking at him, her eyes too concentrated at what was ahead of her.

She'll come back but will she have any light left in the heart to fight with?

Yoruichi didn't know.

---

Day 8

Byakuya was staring at her again.

No matter how many times he tried to keep his focus on her book to read, he couldn't stop his mind from drawing to her. There was not even one sign of hope coming from her.

All he had was his grandfather's words. That's it. Otherwise, he had nothing—she really was dead. By now, he should be grieving but he still wanted to cling onto his grandfather's words, just like last time. He hadn't failed him then but…

Would he fail him now?

Part of him kept saying 'of course not', it was grandfather after all. However, every time he laid eyes on her face and that line kept on making that irritable sound, although the volume was lowered, he couldn't help but feel like he would.

Her departure from this world had been like every other departure. She endured the same symptoms, everything appeared as 'normal' as it did before she fell, he didn't understand how Hell could've just suddenly burnt over.

If he had known, he would've…

He stopped, feeling an urgent need to disregard those thoughts and to not lose hope. His grandfather wasn't comforting him, he was telling him the truth.

She would be fine.

He had to believe that. Even if he found many reasons to go against that sentence alone, it hadn't failed him the first time and it would not fail him now.

He looked to her again. "Your pet has been rather sad as well. It seems that he has become irritable with people's presence."

"Grandfather's gone. I believe he went to discuss our current predicament with Head Commander Okasake."

"The demon cat and her accomplice are still in Hell trying to figure out the source of the fire."

"Your zanpakutō has disappeared as expected. Senbonzakura and my Lieutenant's zanpakutō spirits have returned to their sword form in the meanwhile." He disclosed before peering over her body a little. He scanned to see if there was any indication of her being awake or breathing.

There was none.

His eyes fell on his present body at the far end, a sudden thought crossed his mind—what would happen if he woke up and she really died?

---

"She's dead." Naohira informed. His back was to her again, he sat somewhere in the middle of the room with darkness surrounding him.

"You think she will come back?" She wanted to scoff but didn't.

"Rukia can't die. She's immune to death."

"This isn't like befor—"

He cut her off harshly. "If you think that woman can die then you're more stupid than I took you for. She'll defy it—she'll come back."

"And if she doesn't?" Naohira questioned, she didn't know how he could cling onto the woman's soul to come back when she wasn't even half the woman she used to be.

A moment of silence went by.

"I'm starting to believe you don't want her too."

I don't.

"Nonsense, I'm just saying...she isn't what she used to be." And that was true—she was not. She was a shell of what she used to be, what did she have now that could push her as far as to resist death? Nothing.

"And that benefited us greatly, didn't it?" He darkly chuckled. "We got what we wanted, the heart and here it is working so excellently against us. We need her."

Naohira didn't think, the question just flew out of her mouth before she could stop it. "For?"

She immediately regretted it, she knew the answer. The woman was essentially the Okasake vessel, she knew everything, she understood the matters of the heart and many things having to do with the Soul Society's creation. She had been given this knowledge to protect and keep, she was a very crucial key in all of this.

"I know what you're thinking, Naohira…" his words alone made her nervous, though she didn't wish to show it, her heart began to beat rapidly. Could he hear her thoughts? Or was she that easy to read? "...it isn't just an attraction. I know."

Naohira gulped.

"I—"

"Is there an attraction?" He questioned out loud to answer himself. "Yes."

"She feels it very strongly at certain times and at other times, no. Though, that isn't all that exists in that heart of hers." Jushirmai said. "She knows it and I know it too."

"Are you compelling her?" Naohira suddenly questioned, her mouth was truly on the loose today. She found it hard to believe that the woman did feel anything for him at times given how she acted around him. She went against him so many times, she was quite unsure exactly what he was trying to hold onto.

He had compelled women before, enough to have them follow his child form into nowhere. He had done it to the ones he wished to have long before, was it possible that he had done it to her?

He scoffed in disgust. "I did no compelling, Naohira. Whatever she feels is raw and on her own accord."

Though she couldn't see him, she knew he was grinning.

"Her mind is eating her alive." He laughed. "You don't know how badly she's fighting between both of her minds right now, enough to preserve the only speck of light left in the dark, so much that her biggest fear is letting go. Her biggest fear…"

He smirked before pointing to his heart, an act Naohira couldn't see. "Is right here."

Her heart.

---

Day 9

"So it was your gem?" Yoruichi asked, arms crossed in the 1st Division barracks on the assassins' side.

The familiar large hall with chandeliers lined atop and a narrow red rug leading up to where he always sat was filled with four people: Yoruichi, Yūshirō, Kisuke, Ginrei, and Hirosuke.

His back was to them as he sat on the ground.

"Yes." He responded. "It appears that for some reason, it was able to activate itself without my knowing and create a fire."

"If the fire was started by citrine then where is it now?" Kisuke questioned.

Sensei Okasake put his right hand out to show the round, orange-tinted stone in the palm of his hand, a vapor of black smoke rose from it.

"Sensei, if I may, I would like to know if it came back to you or did you signal it to?" Kisuke didn't understand how the stone could've suddenly started a blaze. It was as if it developed a mindset of its own to function without its owner knowing.

"I signaled it to return." He serenely shared as he went through papers. "I was alerted of the fire hours after it was initiated."

"The whole place is burnt." Yoruichi disclosed. "Just a bunch of smoke and burnt landscapes. There's no hollows in there either and Ginrei-dono," she looked up to the elder Kuchiki "can't detect the barrier."

Hirosuke addressed her. "He's well-equipped. As you know, a mere fire will not destroy it as easily."

"I'm guessing you're referring to the individual responsible for setting up that barrier." Kisuke said in an attempt to follow along. Around the time the Soul King heart became an issue, Kisuke wasn't well-informed at the time the events occurred.

He was just a 3rd seat of the Onmitsukidō and head of the detention unit at the time.

It was for this very reason that Lieutenant Kuchiki had been such a key person to be involved with to know. His information was limited, even her younger brother may know more than him at this rate. It was such a clandestine matter that very few knew the truth about the events which occurred around that time.

"That is true." Ginrei spoke, "however, it has disappeared along with the heart. At some point, it should make a return."

Yoruichi breathed. "I think it depends on Kuchiki-san honestly. It might still be there, it could be camouflaging itself as a defense."

Yūshirō looked up at his sister. "Nee-san, can't we just ask the younger Rukia-san to try and sense it?"

"Using the younger Kuchiki-san should work but," Kisuke turned to Ginrei. "...I'm not sure she's in the mood to help anyone out right now."

"Ahhh Byakuya-bo set the fire, think we should let him clear the blaze." Yoruichi said.

"She will do it." Ginrei assured. "It is better we are aware if the barrier is still there given the older version's condition."

"But it's been nine days!" Yūshirō exclaimed, a little worried. "Rukia-san is still...dead. If the barrier was alright, she wouldn't have to be dead, no?"

Kisuke hummed in response. "That's what concerns me. There's no doubt that the barrier or the heart was affected somehow. Even if it's still out there, the fire break out definitely had an effect on it—hence, Kuchiki-san's condition."

"It may have had difficulty fighting off the fire and maintaining the heart. The thinning could've caused the fire to come through, it must've burned a bit." Yoruichi assumed. "Though, if the heart was really affected to that extent, it'd be nice to know what he is going through if Kuchiki-san is still dead."

"The most we can do is rely on the younger Kuchiki-san for now." Kisuke said. "She's the only one who can go into the Soul King Palace and out. She's also still the heart's protector."

Yoruichi turned to him. "It's still too much of a risk to send her though-to the Soul King Palace by herself."

"She will enter Hell to sense the barrier." Ginrei said, the absence of the Soul King Palace mention led them to believe he disapproved of sending her to the palace by herself too.

"If she can still sense it, then the older Kuchiki-san should wake up soon enough." Kisuke took a step forward to the silent Head Commander. "Don't you agree, Sensei?"

Kisuke didn't get a response.

It formed an uneasy tension in the air though, it was not related to the possibilities of her never waking up—no, it was much more than that. It was the sudden mention of his lost granddaughter, the one who disappeared more than 50 years ago for good.

This had been the first time he was directly asked about anything in regards to her in awhile.

Kisuke left there without a response.

---

Raiden didn't know what to do, everyone was restless—the arrival of Renji only made things worse, it was odd, really odd to have him back here to everyone. There were a lot of questions which followed with it too, from relief to frustration to curiosity and Renji was shit at handling it too.

It was obvious he was struggling, there was no way they could find out he was a soul reaper now. It would ruin a lot of things but more specifically, it would turn everyone against him. He knew he was nervous too, being around here might've been a nice walk down memory lane but it was no picnic that's for sure.

He had to keep dodging questions and honestly, it made things ten times worse that he didn't have a story yet on how exactly he went M.I.A for 50+ years.

Raiden wanted to help but a part of him was still angry, even if he asked Renji to work on being his friend again that didn't mean he could entirely accept him as easily. What he did was unforgivable as fuck and even now, it still bothered him. A lot.

Having him here was great but it didn't erase the 50+ years of anger he went through for this. His own best friend ran away without telling him and had him looking for him for years. It was hard to move past and it wouldn't be an easy task for sure. He wanted to see how much their friendship was truly worth 'cause the last 50 years sure made it feel like it was nothing but a waste.

He didn't want to believe that though. He really didn't want to believe that and the thought crossing his mind only made him more angry.

He wasn't done yet—he needed to vent this out and leaning over the balcony on the 3rd floor of the 1st Division barracks even though he knew he should be inside, following orders, wasn't helping.

He didn't know whether to call it lucky or a mistake that Wildfire found him, tossing a can of some beverage for them to drink.

Staring at her, Raiden didn't know what to say. When he found out that Rukia was being executed, the last thing that came to his mind then was to expose her ass and even after, once all of that chaos was done and dealt with he still didn't open his mouth.

He knew he was protecting them. He still cared about them enough at the time to protect them but what about her? What about Wildfire? He didn't open his mouth even once to tell her the truth that he knew and even now that Renji was telling him to pretend he wondered, was it really the right thing to do?

"Hey." She greeted softly with her own can. She was cold as fuck—her cheeks were way too red to be normally blushing, even a bit of her nose was too.

"Wildfire get your ass inside."

"No." She hurriedly said. "I don't wanna."

"Well at least come outside with a fucking blanket." He said, she was literally freezing, he didn't know how she could just smile in response but that was a killer.

When did he get so soft?

"Don't get so worked up, I'm alright." She assured before joining him, they now stood side to side. She looked up, there weren't many stars or anything to see, he wondered why she came up here.

"Whadaya doin' here?" He grumbled before leaning against the railing again, he didn't look to her.

"You've been disappearin' a lot. Thought you had a lot on your mind so I came to check it out." She wasn't looking at him either.

"I'm alright." He casually assured, he tried to sound chill with it but he wasn't. Wildfire thought he was still going through the fact that Renji was alive though he couldn't act for the life of him, he was only gonna release what he truly felt and that was his fucking boiled down anger. "You?"

"Better." She responded before taking a sip. "I don't know, it's weird. When I saw him, back at the Seireitei I lost it really. I felt so many things, so much anger and frustration and then...it only took a few minutes after for me to settle down. I drank a bit with Haru and that was it—now I don't know what I feel. I was so angry and frustrated at first but...after all that, I don't know….I just feel calm now. Is that wrong?"

"Eh, I don't know. I mean, think we all deal with our anger differently, right? Just 'cause you felt relieved with yourself after, doesn't mean it was gone. Maybe you're just learnin'."

"To?"

He put his two hands out. "Now we both fucking know that when your emotions take over you, you're one crazy ass bitch."

"Raiden." She called in a disapproving tone.

"It's true." He muttered before curving his lips to form a small smile. "Sometimes you get kinda crazy 'cause you don't know how to deal with them n'all and your fucking anger can take out 3 acres worth of hollows and shit but you're learnin'. Maybe you're just finally getting to learn how to control your anger a bit, instead of ya know...being able to mass murder a whole population of things."

She hummed with a smirk. "So I'm learning now, huh...it'd be nice I'm not gonna lie if I could be like that. Maybe I am still angry but it's better feeling a calm type of anger than the ones that I feel. I'm telling you it took everything in me not to slap the fuck outta him when I saw him. I just felt so wronged, how could he do that to us?"

Raiden didn't know what to say.

"Haru keeps tryin' to tell me to have some faith in the fact that Sensei knew all along but I just...don't get it. Did Sensei send them there on a mission or something? I don't get the point of them leaving." He was about to say something in response but her mouth opened shortly after to say something he did not expect her to say.

"Didn't even have any kids so I can be less angry at them." She huffed before looking down at the can.

Raiden found himself speechless though he didn't show it. He could tell she was struggling a bit with her emotions, a part of her wanted to be happy that they were safe and okay but it didn't erase that feeling of betrayal, hurt, and anger.

It was a lot to take in for sure.

"Hey, look Renji and…" he was about to say her name but he realized that it was still banned in this place."...her aren't like that. Well at least she isn't."

She shook her head. "He's still chasin' after her. It'd be nice if he had a reason for running away but I know he doesn't. I think that's why it hurts...it was so easy for him to just walk away. What right does he have to come back here after all that? He's only doing it 'cause she has to be involved."

Her words bothered Raiden a lot, he knew it was because of being around Renji for the past month for sure. He was growing all soft again for him and it had only been almost two months.

"We probably wouldn't even see him if this didn't happen." She mumbled before sipping again. "It's just crazy to think that they were our...fucking friends, ugh! I can't….I can't deal with the fact that they just ran and for what?"

The frustration was getting to her, it made Raiden realize that she was still struggling to control her anger though she was learning. It would take awhile for the lesson to stick.

"I don't know." Raiden muttered and that was a lie because he had an idea….or rather, knew of a reason as to why things happened the way it did but it still didn't justify what she did to him.

"I can't believe Sensei knew, honestly. I know Haru wants me to hold onto that but I seriously fought with him to reopen that investigation so many times only for him to stop me each time because he knew. And out of all things she became a Kuchiki and a Lieutenant...doesn't she feel ashamed?"

Raiden clenched his right fist and lowered his head. He didn't like this—he knew what he was feeling, he wanted to correct her immediately but he couldn't. It was crazy to think it had only been almost two months and he was falling this fast again. The fact that she was still dead made him feel ten times worse with Wildfire saying this.

He didn't get her actions too but...fuck it was still there.

"I'm…" he didn't know what to say. "...I'm not gonna be hopeful Wildfire but if fucking Sensei knew this shit then there must be something. I just wanna know what."

She glanced at him, surprised. "You think that too?"

He didn't look at her. "Listen, I'm pissed as shit too but I'm not gonna go all crazy on them yet. If Sensei knew then there's gotta be something but I have no fucking idea what the fuck could justify that."

Right, be angry...show your anger now.

"Same here." She moved her eyes to gaze at the view of the now quiet Capital. "I don't know what I'm gonna do when I see her. Thinkin' back, I'm sort of glad I didn't see a picture of her as a Lieutenant yet. After finding out about Renji, I just knew that was no coincidence. If I see her like that, I don't know what the fuck I'll do."

Raiden wanted to tell her that she couldn't do anything to Rukia in soul reaper form 'cause she looked like some cute plushie, she wouldn't be able too though, he wasn't supposed to know that. He had to distance himself from that.

"The only upside of this entire situation is that Captain Kuchiki came back. Though, that's still sort of messed up I mean, she's alive, Renji's alive, and then all of a sudden, Captain Kuchiki gets revived and it's just...weird I mean, we got the whole crew back basically."

"Eh, I'm not gonna shit on the revival I mean, we got our man back to. Havin' Sensei and da Captain back makes everything feel real and normal again." Raiden admitted.

Wildfire slightly smiled. "Yeah, I agree. Captain Kuchiki hitting the dust right after she and Renji disappeared or 'died' was a lot to take in too. I'm glad he's back too, it feels nice. Wish I could say the same for those two but I can't. Captain Kuchiki died and was revived, those two ran to become soul reapers. I wonder what Captain thinks about this, I mean now...she's legally his granddaughter too, weird how things turn out. I guess it doesn't really make much of a difference in the end anyways, they knew each other from the start and they spent a lot of time together way before she and Sensei did so."

Raiden bit his lip, he really didn't know how to keep his going because this wasn't the first time the Captain came back. He came back many times after Rukia's execution; he just didn't say anything to anyone besides Sensei and him 'cause of Rukia.

It was weird to talk about this from that perspective 'cause he did have the upper hand here. It made him wonder if he should tell her about the Captain so she at least knew something too. He didn't think it would make her angry either, it was the Captain so...she couldn't really say anything out of frustration against him.

No one could if he was being honest.

"What?" He didn't realize she was now looking at him.

He turned to her. "About the Captain…"

He opened his mouth to continue but she beat him to it. "If you're gonna tell me that the Captain's been around for some time, I already sort of guessed that one."

He went back to looking at the view. "Oh...so then why the fuck you talkin' like he just arrived this morning?"

She shrugged. "I don't know, it's just weird—to me it feels like he just came out of nowhere but to you, it might be different since you knew but...don't worry I'm not mad about that. It was probably a lot for him to digest too. I mean, she 'died' before he did and after that, he started acting really distant so that tells me he didn't know. He's a victim here just like us. I can't get mad when I know he was probably taking in a lot."

"Right…" Raiden said before chugging down most of his drink. "Are you gonna talk to Renji?"

He didn't know why he blurted something like that out. Maybe he really did want to know, even before her mind did, where she stood with him.

She made a face to indicate that she was thinking, staring off into the distance told him she was contemplating.

"I don't know, I don't think he deserves it. He came back for her so let him do whatever he wants. All I know is that right now, in this moment and time, I feel like our friendship was a waste. If he was able to throw it away that easily, then it shows how much it truly meant to him. He didn't contact us at all, he probably forgot about us—I have no reason to push myself to talk to him. I have you, Haru, Ume, etc. I don't need to waste my time chasing after him."

And somehow, though part of him didn't want too, Raiden felt relieved by her answer.

She suddenly crushed the can and stepped away. "I gotta head back to the Seireitei. I just came back to check on Shiori and part of my division and…"

Raiden felt his shoulders rise and something warm invade his heart when her blush-coloured eyes met his with a small smile. "...you. I know I might be terrible at controlling my emotions but besides me, Renji was your best friend—he probably still is and you just don't wanna admit it 'cause you're pissed and you have every right too. I just wanted to make sure you were okay too."

And when he didn't respond, she just waved. "See ya."

He didn't know what to do anymore, his mind was in a really shitty place 'cause what would he do without Wildfire? He couldn't imagine ever making her mad, enough for her to ever think that way, like she did with Renji right now, with him.

It made him question, was he really doing the right thing?

---

The younger Byakuya brought back his stretcher to its original spot. He could no longer look over his own body from a distance and her body which laid in the same spot the human boy once did.

The human boy was now on the next stretcher beside him, but as far apart as he could be with the two cabinets and two chairs in between.

His eyes could never leave her, at times he'd imagine things and believe that her lips were moving. Enough for him to hover over her with hopeful eyes, only to receive nothing in the end.

She may be an ice-type zanpakutō wielder though no coldness could compare to how cold her hand was. He had found himself touching her left hand once—though parts of her glove carpeted the top of it, he could still feel the coldness from her fingertips and the parts that were revealed in the open.

There was a certain feeling that continued to swell in his chest as days passed. He didn't know how to describe it or name it, it was just a feeling and it wasn't a good one.

What would happen if she really did never wake up? How would he tell the older him that his sister had died and he had not said a word to her?

He could not deliver that news, he would not deliver that news. He desperately wished to know what it had been like before she left the present him—what words were exchanged as their 'last words' before she left him?

The Interioreum World Byakuya thought back to the memory unknowingly as he watched the same view, his younger self was staring at.

Flashback (AN: takes place during Thank You)

He had not wanted to leave the manor on such short notice though, the orders were clear—he had too. Truthfully, he knew she would want to join too though, following Unohana's orders, he would not let her leave.

It was too cold outside and her body was still recovering. It was best she did not use her reiatsu and stayed put though, he figured that would be rather difficult to convince her.

This matter had a lot to do with her. The ryoka being after her also put her in an unsafe position. Regardless of how she looked at it, it was safer to have her here than anywhere else. Ukitake's division would do just fine without her for now.

They were not ordered to go outside either. The Head Captain had only ordered specific divisions to go out and deal with the sudden attack. She would be pushing herself to be there in the barracks when Unohana made it very clear that she needed to rest.

More importantly, she would be bombarded with questions given her relation to the ryoka. It was clear that she was afraid of it, through the expressions she made during her week-long sleep and her verbal response when the interrogation was mentioned was enough.

She'd willingly be putting herself in a position which could make her uncomfortable and frightened. That is why, although he knew she would be unhappy with his decision to keep her here, she had to stay.

He looked to her now. She was standing near her futon, still wearing her night robe as she waited for him to tell him about his leaving. He had no choice but to leave the guarding to her personal maid in the meanwhile. Though she was stubborn, he hoped it did not backfire on him.

When he didn't say anything, only returning her stare—she spoke for him. "Is...Nii-sama leaving?"

The way she voiced the question alone indicated that she was viewing it as a chance to be free in the meanwhile.

"You will not leave." He voiced to her, making sure he clearly emphasized the weight of his words. Though he understood her frustration, she could not.

She stepped forward. "But Nii—"

He cut her off impassively. "Your maid will stay here. You will have company."

He could tell by her expression how dissatisfied she was with his decision. It was true she had been cooped up in her room though he was sure she had slipped away when he had gone out to find his Lieutenant. She'd only have to bear it for a little while longer.

"Nii-sama, my division—"

"Will be fine." He finished for her though those were not the words she was going to say. "There is no order for your division to be placed outside."

He turned around after her shoulders slouched in defeat. The disapproving look still gleamed in her eyes, she was contemplating. It made him second guess leaving the maid to the guarding though, he could not deploy any of his division members to guard her room.

He didn't want to imprison her to that extent. Especially since she feared the very thought of having any shinigami next to her who could question her.

Though in considering that, the only option he had left was her maid.

He headed towards the shōji when she didn't say anything in response, taking it as her acceptance of his decision. Though before he could leave through the parted doors, he heard one last plea.

"N-Ni-sama!"

He stopped.

He knew her eyes were staring at him in hopes of him changing his mind though, even if he did understand her feelings, his decision was final.

She could not leave.

Seconds went by as she awaited his response. And when he didn't give one, much like at the beginning, she got rid of the silence with her words.

"Nii—"

"Rukia." He called her name in a way to warn her. He was not trying to be harsh though, she was determined. If he let her know that he understood, she would try to work her way around it and attempt to convince him. It was better that he set the line now instead of allowing her to get that far.

It was for her health.

"Sorry...Nii-sama." Her voice was low, she was probably downing her head by now.

With that, he had left her there in her room and briefed the maid outside about her rules before leaving to handle this ice matter.

Flashback end

That had been the last time he had spoken with her before she disappeared. Their conversation had been short because he was in a hurry in addition to not wanting to succumb to her wishes of being free.

That was the last exchange between them before this all unfolded. And if she died right here, that was the last exchange in which they were both aware of each other's presence that he would remember for the rest of his life.

Here fear here.

---

While Ichigo stared at her, he too reflected on his last memory with her before she left. He had faith in her, he knew her stubbornness was enough to reject this though, that couldn't stop the feelings inside of him.

Until her eyes opened again, he would be restless.

The collection of feelings would stay alive in the corners of his heart as the rain slightly drizzled in his inner world.

His mind took him back to the day everyone played in the snow, engaging in vicious snow fights to building snow sculptures to skating and to chattering. It had been the day Byakuya went out looking for Renji with his division and he had brought Rukia out in the snow.

Slowly as time went by, his mind replayed the events of what occurred that evening before she left to the Kuchiki manor. That had been the last time they spoke to each other face to face with her knowing he was there.

Flashback

Side to side, they both strolled down the lush fields near the noble homes. Though everything was hidden with snow and ice, it was a pretty brilliant sight. The marigold sunset which glinted through some of the ice and the overall warm tones in the air just made the scene feel very picture perfect.

It was such a perfect representation of them oddly. Though, he couldn't thoroughly enjoy it because right beside him, the person he was thinking of who represented one part of this was struggling silently.

He wanted to know. He really did want to know so much that he wanted the ryoka to show up again just so that he could ask about it. She feared him and clearly asking her about it made her uncomfortable.

He cursed himself relentlessly for ever questioning her as aggressively as he did when he visited her after she woke up.

The frustration had quite literally taken over him, words flew out of his mouth back to back without thinking. He really hoped that in doing that he didn't create a barrier between them. Not that there could ever be a barrier between them but, it was just a thought...a scary thought.

He didn't want to be shut out again.

Though the last few hours were a pretty good sign. They were okay—they would always be okay. She seemed pretty relaxed these past few hours which felt great...he really didn't want to pressure her accidentally again.

With that thought in mind, he remembered what he was supposed to give her—a welcome back gift, unlike the Chappy mug he had given her initially. This was something else—something he was sure that she really, really liked though she was reluctant to admit it.

"Hey, Rukia." He called, hands behind his back as he held onto it tightly. Though he knew she would secretly like it, he didn't exactly know how to...give it.

"Huh?" She looked up at him, he could see it in her eyes—she was so lost. This was bothering her a lot, he didn't know if this gift would change that. "What is it?"

He suddenly grew quiet as his chest rose. She must've sensed his aura of nervousness because she was quick to ask a follow up. "What's wrong with you?"

He was starting to regret it.

"Ichigo, what's wrong?" She inquired seriously. She moved in a little closer, her expression indicating her concern. "And why…?"

His face was growing hot. "Are you...blushing?"

He closed his eyes while turning a bit. "Now, where'd you get that idea?"

"Your face." She stated before a smirk formed. "Something wrong, Ichigo?"

He could feel the teasing stare. "I'm alright."

"So then why'd we stop?" He finally looked to her, the enjoyment was so obvious. She wasn't hiding how amused she was and he hated it.

Avoiding her gaze, he casually brought out the other gift he wanted to give her all along.

Her (secret) favourite flowers.

Spider lilies.

Or in her words, 'chrysantellum lilies'.

Once her gaze became fixed on the small bouquet of red flowers, he took the chance to look at her. He saw the way her hand grew hesitant before holding onto the stem of the flowers. There was always something in her eyes when she saw these flowers, he didn't know what it was but she liked them a lot though, she denied it.

She didn't even tell him about it. He figured it was 'cause it was named after something she feared being spiders but it seems that she had found her own name for it though it didn't make much sense. Ichigo didn't even think it was a real word, just a knock off of chrysanthellum flowers.

They were in a flower shop in Karakura Town. Yuzu was having a play and somehow his dad managed to convince him to be dramatic and bring her a really nice bouquet so he brought along Rukia. The whole time they were in there, she stayed in one spot next to these very flowers, he didn't think she knew what was happening around her, she was too invested.

By the time they had walked out, she was staring off into space, Ichigo had asked her if she saw anything she liked and she lied and said no.

Few days later, he caught her drawing the same flowers in her quotebook. Though she caught him rather quickly and he suffered an injury to his head 'cause of her strong kicks, he remembered asking her what she was drawing and while her mind was lost into drawing, she had let the answer slip.

'Chrysantellum lilies!'

Except, those were nothing like the actual flower chrysanthellum and the word chrysantellum was definitely not a word. She was drawing the same flowers she was entranced with from the start.

Spider lilies.

Though for some reason, she didn't wanna admit it.

"Ichigo…" her eyes were so enthralled by it, her voice indicated how shocked she was by the sight.

It seemed that he had rendered her speechless. She couldn't stop looking at the simple bouquet he had picked from the same spider lily field nearby.

"You alright?" Ichigo asked, it seemed like giving her the gift had made her become more lost except, they were lost in fascination. He really didn't know why she loved them so much but they evidently meant a lot to her.

"How…?" She was still so shocked, he could tell. A warm smile formed on her face. She was happy.

He had made her feel happy.

That was enough.

"You didn't think after all these years I wouldn't know your favourite flower, midget, please." He spoke as if he had been by her side for years and years when it had only been a little over two—close to three and yet, three years felt so close to an eternity.

Hell, they really had a strong bond.

"These aren't my favourite." She muttered with a slight pout though Ichigo knew that was a blatant lie. He didn't know why she was so against admitting it but he knew he wasn't wrong for sure.

She loved them.

"But...thank you." Her close-lipped smile grew even bigger after thanking him. Her eyes never met his once, they were too engrossed into the simple bouquet he had pieced together.

"This…" he could tell she was struggling to find the right words but it felt nice knowing how much he had truly gotten to her with this. He was starting to think these chrysantellum lilies of hers were the key to everything. "...really means a lot."

The emphasis on the 'really' part just confirmed his thought.

"I…"

"You don't have to say anything." He was happy that she was happy. Her inability to speak because she was so stunned by it was enough.

"No, Ichigo." She finally met his amber eyes. He could see the gratitude which twinkled in them. "This really means a lot. It…"

He just let her speak. "...brought me back on track."

That was the best thing he had heard all day.

Chrysantellum lilies really were the key.

"Well, if that's the case we better get you home." Ichigo said, walking ahead of her. "Don't think Byakuya's gonna be too pleased if he finds out you left the house."

He slightly looked back at her, she was still staring at them. It was such an odd blessing yet a curse that something she loved so deeply was plagued by a name she feared the most.

She wanted to love it but couldn't.

Here fear here.

Flashback end

Though their last memory together had been sweet and she had been happy, it wasn't enough. He had so much he wanted to say and he knew there was so much she wanted to say to him too.

This couldn't end here and it wouldn't. Though he didn't know how long it'd take, he'd wait—he had to hold onto the same words and hope that both her younger brother and Byakuya's grandfather continued to install in them. But more importantly he had to hold onto her and her stubbornness.

She'd come back no matter what.

---

The younger Rukia had come back. The moment she appeared, Byakuya had wanted to approach her though the way her cold glance remained ahead to join her younger brother not too far away indicated that nothing had changed.

She was still upset with him and rightfully so. His grandfather's words came back to him in an instant then.

While you have now reflected on your actions and have concluded that you were wrong, that does not mean you should expect forgiveness. You insulted something she deeply values, her pride. She will not forgive someone who easily looked down upon her because she was from the Rukongai. She had always carried that spirit ever since I met her. You accused her of many things in relation to her status which in turn, disrespected and devalued her. The child I know doesn't forgive anyone who does that.

It would take a while though, he did not want her to think that he meant the vulgar things he had said in the midst of anger. Even if he so passionately blurted it out in the moment of frustration and though her relationships did concern him, to accuse her of intentionally doing something such as making their grandfather pity her was unacceptable.

There was still a lot left for him to understand, he should've never made such an accusation.

It made sense as to why she wouldn't even want to approach him or be near him.

A part of him thought that her anger would have slightly subsided given that she was gone for so long. It had probably been two weeks. Yes, she had left and then five days passed and then adding these nine days, she was gone for a little over two weeks and yet nothing changed.

He was curious as to where she had been all along. There was no way she had been wandering around here for so long and the older her already had an assumption that she had left so where?

She could not have been at the doctor's place. He was clearly surprised to see her back when she approached him so...where else was there to be?

He felt tempted to ask numerous times, specifically the moment she ran to the cooler near the human's stretcher and opened it up to pick up that drink again of hers. Without a glance, though he was staring at her, she picked it up and then walked away, he figured he would have to go after her since she wasn't coming anywhere near him.

Looking to Rukia's body again, still...dead, he questioned whether it was appropriate to leave her for a few minutes to apologize to the younger her. The demon cat had long returned and he had no interest in being 'made fun of' for apologizing so openly, he needed to speak with the younger version in private if he was to apologize.

Slowly standing up, he bid her a temporary farewell. "I will return soon."

He headed towards the other interconnected cave area to his left which was much darker in lighting with the ceiling much closer to six feet as opposed to the outside. He walked past the odd laboratory type set up which belonged to the doctor to see her laying on some blanket on the ground.

From far, he could recognize that she was drawing in her own quotebook as she laid on her belly with her feet up. He figured she liked to draw a lot given how many illustrations he had found in her present self's quotebook. If things were not the way they were now, he would've asked her to draw with him in the meanwhile but…

They weren't.

He approached her.

She probably guessed that he was standing beside her now given his shadow and reiatsu though she ignored it. He didn't know how to begin, he was not one to apologize…

"Rukia." He called, though she didn't answer. She didn't even stop drawing. "Rukia."

Nothing.

He cleared his throat in a way to announce that he wanted to speak to her though again, nothing. It was only when he reached out to touch her quotebook, preventing her from continuing her drawing, did she actually show him a reaction.

She looked up at him from her spot, her eyes were glossed with resentment. Peering down at her, he knew she was still very angry with him.

It was clear that she was waiting for him to speak, having quickly pulled her away her quotebook from him due to her quick reflexes that were very good. Though he was reluctant to admit they were superior to his own.

Seeing that she was still very hostile, he suddenly didn't know what to say, "I…."

She stood up and dusted the skirt portion of her uniform.

"...would like to apologize for my behaviour." He expected to see some jolt in her violets indicating her surprise though she showed nothing. Had she expected this?

Her tedious reaction was enough as she turned around soon after he voiced his apology. "Rukia."

"Rukia." He called again and she could very much hear him in spite of the distance between them now that continued to grow quite literally and figuratively.

He did not know what to do.

He didn't know whether continuing to follow her and call her name would make matters better or worse. She was still very upset, those two weeks meant nothing. Nothing boiled down, he had really...hurt her that much.

As she was about to turn out of the cave, he found himself, without thinking, flash-stepping behind her to call her name.

"Rukia." He was surprised when she stopped. "I—"

"Please stop talking to me." Her voice clearly pointed out her agitation with him. It was given as a warning though, he could not abide by it.

"I am—"

"Please stop talking to me." She warned again, she slightly turned so he could see the right side of her face. "I mean it. Can't you leave me alone?"

"Did you not hear what I said earlier?" He was surprised, though he didn't show it, that she didn't cut him off this time.

"So?"

Normally that type of response would make him angry though he was not in the position to be upset right now.

"Am I supposed to fall on my knees and say 'thank you for apologizing to me' just 'cause you're a noble and apologizing isn't your thing?"

He stayed silent. "I honestly don't care about you so can we just stop speaking now?"

"Would that not be odd?"

"Why?" She questioned right after. "We honestly have no reason to speak with each other. What's the use in forcing it? I don't know you."

He didn't know why but the last sentence placed an unidentified feeling in his chest. "But grandfather…"

"That was my reason before but honestly, after thinking about it, I realized it was no use. We're going to forget about this all anyways and the older versions of us aren't even going to speak to each other after all this so what's the use?"

We are still…

"It would not make sense to avoid each other given our relation in the future." He reasoned with her, the sentence was enough to have her turn around to look at him.

"We have no relation in the future. It's clear to me that the older me had another intention."

"You are just saying that." He countered. "You do not want me to speak to you."

"No, it's the truth. However I ended up there doesn't matter to me anymore, I know I would never put myself in that position. Whatever this is is only temporary."

He tried to remain calm, seeing that she was still infuriated with him. Enough to say such words that were not true.

"The older you accepts us as family. Grandfather already told us that the older versions of us care about each other."

"The bottom line is I never wanted a family from Sensei or Captain Kuchiki. I made that very clear before and I will make it very clear to you now. The older me might care about you but not to the extent to consider you family."

"That is a lie." He countered immediately.

"If that's a lie let's look at the facts, shall we? You say that I was mad that Captain Kuchiki didn't offer to adopt me after meeting me, right? Okay so then tell me how now even in present time when I'm formally adopted do I not call him anything but 'Captain Kuchiki'?"

The Interioreum World Byakuya who had followed his younger self, thinking that he went out to find something new, stood behind him wondering the same thing.

"It's not like I have anything holding me back now. But I don't, and I know exactly why the older me doesn't. Why does she still address Sensei as 'Sensei Okasake' when I've been known as his granddaughter for years? Never once did I address him as 'grandfather' in spite of him allowing me to do so in my time. Even now, I don't and again, I know exactly why. Yeah sure I may call you my brother but does that really mean anything besides wanting to adhere to the correct formalities? The older me didn't tell the future you about Jushirmai, we didn't have a good relationship for 50 years, if you were my family I would've been able to confide in you but clearly that wasn't the case here. We didn't start talking until 2 year ago, the older you probably knows nothing about me. We're not siblings, it's just by law—it means nothing. I address Captain as the Captain and Sensei as Sensei Okasake because they offered friendship and I accepted their friendship—nothing more, nothing less. You think I wanted a family out of them? Never. I wanted my own, they're merely my friends—that's it. I have no interest in clinging onto them for anything but our conversations. Jushirmai knows so much about this, he understands me a lot, that's my blood family—that's my brother. So don't think that I was desperate enough to come sneaking myself into a noble home for a family, you can keep it."

Though he was affected by her vile words, he did his best not to show it before she continued.

"The older me might care but it's nothing close to considering you her true family. I care about the Captain, Sensei, and anyone who was warm to me to the level of friendship—never once did I think of anyone as anything more or got angry because I wanted to be something more. The older me treats the Captain like her friend, that's why you won't ever hear her call him that—the same with Sensei. I don't want your family, I have my own. Grow up and realize that I never wanted whatever you had to offer. I didn't even go lookin' for it, it found me by chance and I still rejected it with all my might. Enough that I convinced them to let me stay in the Rukongai, enough that I convinced them to let me work and raise my own money."

Though he was appalled by many things she said, her last few words caught his attention the most. "You work?"

"Yes."

He clenched his fist. "Why would you argue with grandfather to work when you had him and your other clan?"

"Are you hard of hearing or something?" She questioned furiously. "I told you I didn't want anything to do with you people and your riches! We were only friends! You accused me of approaching them because I wanted something out of them, I wanted nothing! I rejected everything they gave me and convinced them to let me live my own life, why? Because of exactly this—what you accused me of. I don't want anything!"

Byakuya could not believe that she fought so hard to work. Why would she do what other peasants do when she had people there for her to give her everything she needed? It made him regret his earlier actions even more, how could she work in the Rukongai of all places for money? What did she even do there for work?

"How do you think grandfather and the other elders involved felt with your decision?" He inquired, certainly they would have not been content with her doing labor there. Besides, didn't grandfather say that she started to spend more time in the Seireitei though she lived in the Rukongai?

"That doesn't matter." She said. "It was my decision to work, it was my decision not to accept anything. So you can quit it with the accusations about wanting the 'noble life' because I wanted none of that. I did everything I could to stay away from it so telling me otherwise is disrespectful."

She turned around to walk away though he stopped her again. "How could you not accept what grandfather and the Okasakes wanted to give you? They gave it to you out of good heart."

She didn't look at him once. "You really have short-term memory loss, don't you? If you found out I accepted it, you would call me an indecent peasant who tricked her way into two noble homes for the riches now wouldn't you?"

"I—"

"Oh wait, you already did that, didn't you?"

"I didn't—"

"Save it." She cut him off. "I don't need to hear your apologizing just because the Captain scolded you about tellin' me those things. I'm glad you did, at least I know how you feel."

"That is not—"

"Also." She cut him off again. "Your grandfather and I are just friends if it pisses you off that much, let me know and let the older me know. Doubt it'd be a big deal for her and I to distance ourselves—the Captain doesn't even have to know."

He rushed to speak. "It does not."

"That's a lie." She said right after, he didn't rush to say anything this time. "Anyways, if any of this has to do with the older me being dead right now, you can quit it—I don't need it and she doesn't either. Let's just talk when needed, otherwise zip."

---

Day 12

He was back to sitting next to her again, he did his best in the past two days to attempt to ignore what the younger version of her had said—she most definitely viewed them as family. It would not make sense for her, the older version he meant, not too.

It was not too long ago where she had apologized to his present self's body clearly in distress. He had watched her speak to his body from a distance, though he didn't know what she was saying, her soft expressions alone were enough.

She most definitely had to view him as her older brother even though things were initially very rocky at first. It couldn't have anything to do with the legality of it all, right? She didn't feel...an obligation to treat him that way, correct?

In spite of all her secrets, he concluded that she had a good heart. She had urged him not to doubt her sincerity and even their grandfather acknowledged that both of them seemed to care for each other greatly so...it couldn't all be fake?

He had long disdained the possibility of her being a spy though he accused the younger one of it in the midst of anger. She wasn't a spy—there was something more to this; he was just very impatient.

What the younger her had said on the day of the 'incident' was true. Though her hair was cut differently and she was a bit shorter, nothing in her appearance really drastically changed into the point where she was a completely different person.

Though the image had infuriated him at first, he realized that besides her little growth in height and differently styled hair, she was pretty much the same. Her features only became a bit more fuller, that was all.

He really regretted his actions that day as it seemed it cost him her companionship for good.

She never looked at him and was clearly uncomfortable with his presence. If he got too close, she moved away, if he tried to catch her gaze, she was impressively better than he thought at avoiding it.

She only clung onto the doctor and went on excursions with him. Though their grandfather came back numerous times in between, he didn't even see her talk to him either.

He did not like this at all.

Everyone seemed so...distant with each other.

It was like suddenly the little group that would reside near his present body's stretcher just disappeared one by one and it was all the fault of his own actions.

He sincerely wished Rukia woke up soon to fix it. Though, they had reached the twelfth day and yet...there was still no indication of her return.

The doctor even had to initiate a barrier around her to dull the smell of her dead body. He did not know what to think now that it was there—was it a sign to give up on her?

His grandfather's opinion continued to say otherwise.

---

Day 14

"She will be fine."

The younger Byakuya did not know how many times he had heard his grandfather say that one line in the past two weeks. It seemed to be the only thing he could say—he was starting to lose hope.

His right hand rested on his shoulder, leading Byakuya to believe that he really was just comforting him and perhaps had accepted it himself but…

"It has been two weeks." Byakuya quietly responded with his gaze still fixed on her face.

"I am aware." Ginrei responded.

"Grandfather…"

"She will be fine." That same line... "She is too stubborn."

"Does this not concern you though? It is way beyond the time she calculated." He stated.

A few seconds later and he got a response that he certainly was not expecting. "You are aware of the necklace."

Byakuya blinked in response before nodding his head.

The moonstone necklace.

"How many scratches did you find on her neck?" Ginrei questioned and Byakuya instantaneously remembered the amount of small scratches he found at the back of her neck when he attempted to remove the necklace.

He remembered asking her, 'how many times have you tried to remove it?'. She had responded 'no clue, why?' and given how many minuscule scratches he saw at her neck he had remarked 'I presume you tried as many times as it was worth'.

She was so stubborn.

"In that case…" Byakuya began to say. "...she will return."

The grunt indicated his response meaning 'yes'.

"Though, why doesn't she wear it out front?" Byakuya questioned. Though she had given him three responses, he wondered if his grandfather knew she was being...resistant.

He gave an answer he didn't expect. "She used to wear it out front over 50 years ago."

Huh? Byakuya wanted to say, he would not have expected it.

"So then…"

He reached out with his right hand to pull the necklace out and unveil the moonstone pendant into the light.

It really was 'cause of him that she kept this hidden all these years. He understood the reasoning as to why she would keep it hidden as she previously explained. It would not make sense to the present him given that she was from the Rukongai.

Though, she could wear it now—out and in the open. And once the older him knew, she could wear it out again. Something about her hiding it didn't sit well with him when their grandfather had specifically crafted that gift just for her.

Their relationship was beyond friendship. He didn't know how the younger her could classify what they shared as just friendship. It did not matter her age, his grandfather would never go beyond the boundaries he did if they were simply friends.

It was very clear to him that there was a family bond and he did not mind it at all—he welcomed it. To even gift her such a necklace only confirmed it, he didn't understand how they could so casually believe this was friendship.

They had been family all along.

"Grandfather." He called again. "Why is it that Rukia does not address you as 'grandfather'? She is adopted now, formally and yet she addresses you as if you're no more than a friend to her."

He could not just be a friend to her. What sort of friend 'raises' another friend?

"She does not address Hirosuke that way." Ginrei merely stated.

Byakuya translated that response into 'he did not mind it so long she did not address the Sensei that way and not him'.

That made sense.

Though, that still meant that she viewed them as nothing more than friends. He would seriously need to review with the older version the difference between friends and family.

She really was the oddest being ever.

---

Day 18

"This is what we managed to gather so far." Kisuke informed the group crowded next to Rukia's stretcher. "The fire started 'cause of Sensei Okasake's stone in Hell. Though he was somehow intercepted from knowing it had been activated—no one other than him can activate the stone so it's pretty off that it went off by itself too. The barrier is made up of his level of sheatsu. If something triggered it to come off, he would've known."

"The only other person I can think who would be able to do something like that is gone now." Yoruichi said solemnly. "He's the only blood Okasake left now."

A moment of silence went by.

"Hiroshima cannot be back." Ginrei said slowly as eyes lowered to the ground.

There was a sense of uneasiness that followed after Ginrei's statement, it was an odd feeling to all of them.

"Though, Captain, didn't you say this shit you used to come back from life was a thing started by you, Urahara?" Raiden asked.

"It was but...I never confided in Sensei or anybody else about it at the time except Yoruichi. She's the one who told this Captain Kuchiki about it." Kisuke responded.

"What are the chances he found out about it?" Renji asked. "It's not like we're talkin' about just anybody here, Sensei's got eyes and ears all around the Soul Society. Figuring out shit like that isn't hard for him."

"Renji's right, considering all the fucking shit that was happenin' around the time he died, there is a possibility he used Urahara's experiment to come back." Raiden said.

Kisuke's tone was serious. "It isn't guaranteed though, that's what worries me."

While taking a subtle glance at Ginrei whose eyes were lowered onto the ground, he spoke. "Captain Kuchiki's case was rare—it was out of chance. The real reason I scrapped the whole thing was because it was nearly impossible to get anyone back though, when Mayuri did it with Captain Kuchiki, even though it wasn't guaranteed and would most likely fail, it worked. And it worked again and again, each time he was brought back."

"If he found a way to come back separately, it probably has to do with Jushirmai. He had other revived people with him according to Sensei's report—Yamada Hanatarō's brother and an acquaintance of Captain Hitsugaya were both present when he unveiled them to the Gotei 13." Yoruichi informed.

Raiden stepped out a bit. "Listen, those are nobodies. Sensei on the other hand is a whole mcfucking deal. If he revived Sensei and he was able to activate the stone, enough to cause a whole fucking fire to burn Hell down where the whole fucking Soul King heart is then that means we got a whole fucking Sensei on his side and not just any Sensei, Head Commander Okasake!"

"And if Sensei's back doesn't that mean he can challenge Sister Rukia for the heart now? It is his! She might not even be able to protect the heart at this rate if he's back!" Kla worriedly stated beside Jushirmai.

"I still do not believe Hiroshima is back." Ginrei said sternly to the group.

"Then who the fuck else would touch the stone?"

"If it was really the former Sensei Okasake who touched it, then," Kla looked up at Jushirmai, tugging the sleeve of his doctor's coat "that means he did it with the intent of Sister Rukia ending up like this!"

Kisuke calmed her down. "We still don't know that yet, Kla-san."

"What are the chances it became agitated by something?" Jushirmai said, causing the attention to shift to him. "The barrier is activated by Sensei Okasake's sheatsu but that doesn't always mean that immediate sensations will come to him when it is separated from him. It makes sense as to why he didn't realize it sooner, he has been disconnected from that sheatsu for a while. How regularly did he think of the stone to ensure that connection was intact? It could've just been a barrier thinning moment and the influences of Hell fueled the fire."

"You bring a good point, Dr. Oswald." Kisuke said. "What do you think of this, Captain Kuchiki?"

"Hirosuke never liked that stone to begin with." Ginrei responded. "It is a possibility."

"Are ya sure about this, Captain?" Raiden immediately questioned. "Look, the barrier thinning with the Soul King heart barrier, I get but ya mean to tell me that Sensei, having disconnected with that part of his sheatsu for awhile, just had one of those moments too? After all these years?"

"Sheatsu does work like zanpakutō spirits." Yoruichi said. "The only difference is that sheatsu can be separated and distributed. It's a possibility that he became disconnected—he didn't lose its connection with him but he lost connection with its status."

Renji still felt pretty odd about it.

"This isn't no regular assassin, Sensei out of all people suffered a disconnection like that? Isn't that too weird?"

Kla agreed. "Sensei Okasake is so powerful and strong, even he couldn't sever a connection like that because of his mind!...Right?"

"Hirosuke despised that stone." Ginrei stated. "It is possible that the barrier was just slowly weakening. Given the events that have occurred, I figure he only grew to detest it more."

Jushirmai agreed. "If that's the case, then that sounds more plausible to me than the other Sensei Okasake suddenly making a comeback."

Raiden was still a bit skeptic about it. "Are ya sure you guys aren't throwing away that possibility way too fast?"

He understood why the other Sensei Okasake being back would be creepy as fuck—he also understood the nervousness surrounding it but that didn't mean they shouldn't talk about it.

He was glad Renji seemed to agree with him too.

"I don't think anybody's throwing it out the window just yet, Raiden." Jushirmai said. "It just...doesn't make a lot of sense. The other Sensei Okasake would be a hard person to revive and Captain Kuchiki's case is a rare case—so much that it's never even happened before."

"That's right." Kisuke agreed. "Thinking that Sensei Okasake somehow managed to come back is a bit of a stretch—even if Captain Kuchiki here was able to do it, the same rule doesn't apply to everybody. Besides, as for the people he 'revived' we've only ever seen their faces once, they could've been an illusion, who knows?"

"Strange how we haven't seen any of them." Jushirmai said with his eyes lowered. "They only showed up once and then...what happened?"

As soon as he looked up, Raiden's eyes met his. "Major Haru thinks they're just tools created for the purpose of the Gotei 13 having someone to fight. He hasn't really introduced anyone to our divisions which is obviously hella fucking weird."

"There could be more." Yoruichi said. "The assassins are his biggest challenge here, he has something prepared for them, he just hasn't introduced them yet."

"Well that's just mcfucking great but they're only comin' if we involve ourselves willingly." Raiden said before relaying the events that occurred during their emergency meeting so everyone was up to speed.

"Listen, Cang Du is really fucking against us moving our asses right now and I get why but I'm not about putting everybody at risk with that shit too." Raiden explained. "I don't wanna go out lookin' like we're allies of soul reapers either. This ain't no grand reunion party to defeat the villain shit. A majority of the assassins are against doin' anything to help soul reapers, that's why we're staying put as long as that shit doesn't attack us or the Rukongai District again. He's being quiet 'cause our lil lady over there."

"I understand why they're moving that way now. Though he can't expect them to just stay that way for long either. Injecting that illness is just another way of keeping them stuck and frustrated." Roger said around Jushirmai's neck.

"In other words, the guy's tryna to eliminate the soul reapers' main defense. We all know what Sensei's like, if the remaining soul reapers really do get attacked, there's no way he's just gonna let them get assassinated like that. He'll offer help." Renji said right after.

Raiden put his hands on his hips. "And that's what mcfucking Cang Du and the rest of the quincy organization within our side are tryna avoid. Ain't none of us ready to risk our kind for soul reapers. The guy's our enemy and went lookin' for trouble with soul reapers, I don't see any of us ready to lift a finger unless we're directly targeted."

"And if the assassins don't end up leaving, it seems that he plans to immobilize them by making them ill." Roger concluded. "If they leave, they'll have opponents—if they don't, they stay there ill."

"And leaving means siding with the fucking soul reapers, this ain't no joint war and Rukia already promised me that after the fucking Gotei 13 wake up she isn't mentioning them again. Ol'Oky is really getting on my last fucking nerve, I'm not gonna join these shitty ass people nor am I interested in fighting them."

"If you all don't," Jushirmai stared at Raiden. "...you'll stay in bed throughout the entire thing. I'm guessing you guys are trying to find a cure for the illness but something tells me that's going to take a really long while. Considering the quincies, you guys will have a choice of helping or not. Now, you said that the illness was injected with those lines, right? Well, since there's a lockdown order over there, eventually, once he narrows out who's staying and who's not, whomever stays is bound to get infected."

"I think Dr. Oswald is right." Kisuke said with his arms slightly crossed and his right hand up. "Depending on who chooses to stay, he'll probably find another way to get you all stuck in bed."

"Don't tell me that shit's contagious." Renji said.

"Major Imamura and Sensei Seo are expected to announce their findings today. Though, knowing those two it's gonna take a whole hour before they get to their fucking point."

"We should all return to the Capital and be briefed in person of the current situation." Ginrei advised before turning to the younger Byakuya, still sitting on the chair. "You will stay here."

"I've got something to run at home so I'll take the younger Sister Rukia with me and Roger." Jushirmai announced. "I can take Ririn, Kurōdo, Jinta, and Ururu too."

("Hey! Don't forget me!" Kla said.)

"Guess it's just us six then." Kisuke said before they all flash-stepped away at once.

---

"It seems that Okasake's intention is for the assassins to either side with us or go against us. Either way it benefits him if we engage in a civil war or if they indirectly side with us. He has others waiting for them too." Tōshirō reiterated shortly after the group left.

"The quincy race seem pretty resilient to leave the area too, that in turn may cause a lot of turmoil within the Capital and that benefits him all too." Uryū acknowledged.

"He's really treating us like his puppets here." Lieutenant Hisagi said. "I mean, now you all somehow managed to go back to the past and then come back here. It's obvious he's the one who's fucking with us, he can probably hear us too."

"The same memory I was trying to tell Kurosaki-kun, Ishida-kun, and Sado-kun about was the same memory we went back too." Orihime confirmed. "That means...he must've heard us."

"What type of ally in disguise look is he tryna pull here?" Lieutenant Kira asked, drawing all their attentions. "I mean, it's true all of this has to do with Lieutenant Kuchiki but that has a lot to do with the assassins. It's their matter and has been from the start but instead of stopping us from being involved, we're somehow stuck here being 'educated' about all of this. If we never came here, we would've never known."

"Thinking about it now, it's sort of strange that he kept us here to learn more about Lieutenant Kuchiki." Rangiku said. "He's trying to tell us what we've been kept from."

"That still doesn't mean he's our ally, Matsumoto. He poses a great threat to the Soul Society and as soul reapers our duty is to destroy anything which poses a threat to our land." Tōshirō said. "It doesn't matter whose task it is."

"Boundaries have always been an important thing to the assassins, Shiro-chan, I understand their concern. They've always been very absolute to distance themselves from soul reapers. To have you all suddenly join in this probably brings them an enormous amount of discomfort, including, the quincy side." Captain Ukitake politely said.

"That's right and knowing Hiro-jii, if things really do get to that type of point with our kind at risk, he'll probably, like Lieutenant Abarai said, offer his help."

"Sensei Okasake wishes us no harm." Captain Unohana added. "If things really do get to that point, he will request some assassins to leave."

"Look, I still can't trust em'." Ikkaku said. "They're still people we know shit about."

"Even so, Madarame." Tōshirō said. "Though I wasn't comfortable from the start with them taking over our responsibilities within the Seireitei, if things really do get to that point and they help, even without fully being aware of who we are then…"

"It wouldn't kill to trust them is what you're saying." Kensei finished for him.

"They're helping us out by guarding the Seireitei, even if it's under their Head Commander's orders, they're still doing it in spite of the opposition from their own." Tōshirō continued.

"It's a pretty big thing to consider." Ichigo said while looking at Uryū. "They have quincies over there who are high-ranking officers too and they were strongly against doin' it too but their Head Commander still did it."

"Hiro-jii's a saint." Captain Kyōraku complimented.

"Still," Captain Ukitake began in a rather concerned tone. "We can't expect him to go on like this any longer. If he faces more opposition, it will only make things in the Capital worse. He's doing it for the sake of Genryūsai-sensei since he's still missing but eventually, I don't think the assassins and quincies will be able to bear his kindness towards us any longer."

"It'll mess with their leadership, he's the only leader they have to follow, eventually, if he keeps extending his hand, it will cause a lot of turmoil." Uryū said right after.

"I wonder where Yama-jii is." Captain Kyōraku said. "It's unlike him to be this fashionably late."

"Wherever he is," Captain Ukitake lowered his eyes, "I hope he's able to find us soon."

"Speaking of that," Ichigo turned to Captain Ukitake. "Don't you think it's a bit weird that the Head Captain knew nothing about this?" He paused to clarify. "Rukia, I mean. You said that he's still friends with Sensei Okasake so there's no way he didn't know that Rukia was his granddaughter. Also, he's close with Byakuya's grandfather—wouldn't he know of her having this responsibility from before?"

Everyone looked to someone from the Gotei 13 immediately, a wave of confusion swallowed them, it really didn't make sense as to how he wouldn't know this.

"He was about to execute her too." Uryū reminded. "That tells me he didn't know."

"But why would he keep that secret?" Rangiku asked in reference to Sensei Okasake. "She basically knows everything about the Soul Society's origin and Okasake Jushirmai has been a problem from long before so, why wouldn't he tell him if they're allies? We almost had her executed for good and that info would've been long gone from our hands if it actually happened."

"That's true...if the Head Captain knew she was this crucial to the Soul Society, he wouldn't have had her executed. He would've dealt with the matter quietly but he didn't." Tōshirō noted. "And around that time of her execution, she probably did have a backup for that information."

"Jushirmai, probably." Ichigo said. "He's her younger brother, there's no doubt that he out of all people would've been left something since she knew you all would eventually come to find her."

"Agreed, I don't think Kuchiki is that reckless to leave us without something. It's very clear that she's attentive to detail, while she was in the human world she must've said her goodbyes with him there and gave him something in relation to the Soul King heart if she was to be executed." Tōshirō said. "Following the dismissal of her execution, she probably destroyed whatever she left him."

"It's quite unfortunate that Genryūsai-sensei wasn't aware of this." Captain Ukitake said. "It would've saved a lot of things from happening."

"Isn't it sort of wrong that he didn't know? Shouldn't there be some law or something between them so that they both know what's going on?" Lieutenant Hisagi asked.

"Anything having to do with their relationship set-up is only something ol'Ginrei knows." Captain Kyōraku responded. "He's the only one who knows the truth about their split and how everything was set up. Nanao-chan figured that there must've been files written down about it but given that this Captain Kuchiki wasn't able to find anything, it means that ol'Ginrei hid it elsewhere."

"Given how close he is with Rukia, you don't think…" Ichigo didn't finish his sentence.

Captain Ukitake looked to him."If she holds the documents, I doubt she was given permission to read them. If she does have them, it is merely to protect them though, I'm not completely sure if Ginrei-dono ever wrote it down."

"If you ask me, we've been the disadvantaged ones from the start. Not even our Head Captain knew what the fuck was goin' on." Kensei said.

"I still find it kinda weird that he didn't know that Kuchiki-san was Sensei Okasake's unofficial granddaughter." Uryū said. "Like Kurosaki said, he was also close with the former Captain Kuchiki too. Something doesn't feel right—he should've known, she's even written in your database."

Ichigo found it strange too. "I get why Sensei Okasake wouldn't wanna be that open with the fact since she knows pretty much everything but not telling the Head Captain wasn't a smart move."

Captain Hirako agreed. "Well I guess her coming to our side wasn't the plan but still, if he knew where she was, he could've said something."

"Nee-san almost got executed when she knows all of this!" Kon exclaimed.

"I know." Ichigo muttered. "She saved my life knowing what she was gonna do to herself too."

He looked to his hand.

What would've happened if I couldn't save you?

---

The Interioreum World Byakuya stood beside her stretcher, waiting. Though he was doubtful, his grandfather's words were ones that he trusted. It had worked before—yes, under specific circumstances which she had calculated being twelve minutes and now, even with this unwanted scenario, his grandfather was still relaying the same sentence.

Unlike before, he would not rush to conclusions given how he watched her fall and get up again many times before this. Though, the entire ordeal was still very odd and hard to depend on.

He knew she was stubborn, though she rarely showed it with him, he had observed that. However, something like death was beyond any soul's determination or will to live. He did not understand how in her case she was able too. His grandfather knew her better than him, enough to conclude how stubborn she truly was—enough to reject death.

It seemed that he was finally coming to understand the extent of her stubborn ways, his observations had been correct though he initially took her stubbornness lightly. While being in here, he learned that he had underestimated it greatly, especially given how it was the force that somehow brought her back to life.

He did not know what to think of this at all. If she could come back from death, what did that mean for her past near-death experiences? Byakuya came to conclude that perhaps she was unable too then since it took place in her soul reaper form though, he was not ready to deem it an absolute fact. In one way, that assumption had already been debunked earlier from the humans.

She was clearly full of surprises. In almost two months, he felt that he had come to know someone completely different and yet someone who was not so different after all. There were still many questions he needed answers too that the younger him had unfortunately paused himself from asking given what had happened with the younger version of her.

Though with that single alteration, he had come to learn many things. For one, their grandfather let her work of all things which was discomforting to say the least. It only proved that she was much more stubborn than he took her for, it added onto the fact that she argued to stay in the Rukongai and was still trying to fight off an unremovable gift from their grandfather. When he thought of those facts, he understood why his grandfather did not show much concern.

She was indeed very stubborn. Though, the thought still lingered, it was a personality trait of hers but how was it strong enough to resist death? What exactly occurred within her to get her own heart beating again?

It was not that he was displeased, it was merely curiosity. If she was to be a normal soul then what was this feature of hers? He doubted it had to do with the Soul King heart she was connected to as his grandfather had already debunked that guess around the time she first fell.

But there was evidently something to it, if this was the case and it had no relation to the Soul King then, could she ever die? Did she have some immortality attached to her if she could so easily come back from death? He would rather understand her limitations now then figure it out later.

In this case scenario, her heart stopped beating and somehow, she could return from that. However, there was also her arm to consider which just so casually 'grew back' as his grandfather had reassured her when they first met in front of him, something he seemed to know a lot about.

So what were her limitations? Was there any cause of death she could not return from? If she had an illness and passed, would she be able too? If she were to lose any body parts, would they come back? He wished she had explained to him sooner in regards to how this worked.

The only restraint he had in mind so far was that she was unable to do this in her shinigami form though, based on what Kurosaki Ichigo's human friend had disclosed, that might not be the case. She had fallen with them in her gigai and woke up soon enough.

Byakuya could not believe she was immune to everything and that, perhaps she was as resilient to death in her shinigami form as she was in...whatever form this was. If that had been the case then, if she had...died during her execution, she would've been able to come back from that and...their grandfather would not have attempted to rescue her either if that was guaranteed.

There was a weakness attached somewhere. That is why he wished to understand how exactly this worked within her to make her come back. Otherwise, he might have to deal with an unwanted surprise in the near future.

With his grandfather coming to mind yet again, he opened his eyes to try and find him again—if he was still here—to see if he would discover something new through his engaging in a conversation with another though he paused.

He was faced with complete and utter darkness. The Gotei 13 were no longer in front of him, he was alone.

Somehow the world had altered around him without his knowing, and now he was standing in some pool of black.

Here fear here.

---

"Head Commander Yamamoto."

An assassin dispatched from the 1st Division knelt on the ground behind him. "Head Commander Okasake has requested that you unveil the chains."

The stoic Captain opened his eyes. From the wide balcony of the 1st Division, he stared at what the Soul Society had become. His cane rested between his legs with his hands overtop, the land he had been borne with was falling apart.

Though even now it was consumed with ice and layers and layers of snow, it was merely an inch of what had occurred to the Soul Society's land over the years. The perfect picture, the one which appeared completely normal to soul reapers had been a façade. One he intended on keeping until now.

Piece by piece this world of his had crippled apart and he had been unable to do anything. The fate of this world had to be entrusted to the heir and its counterpart and with great displeasure, he had no control over it. Though he would not admit it out loud, he was in no place to accept that responsibility either.

The most he had done was add to the corruption of it. Now the acts of his own were facing him and would cost this world he was born with too.

The only reason it stayed put and remained perfectly normal was due to the same person he almost had executed and her accomplice.

And now, the calamitous truth he had tried to bury for the centuries was being freed from its shackles, the withering Soul Society was the new image—the real image—he would have to own up too now.

The Soul Society was far from okay, it was dying.

And so was she.

---

There was a lot of weight pressed onto her shoulders as she leisurely walked down the grand hall, designed to reflect the moonstone—her stone. She could no longer hide the resentment sunk in her iris pools when the image of that woman came to mind and the hall she came through reflected the very stone she possessed.

She could never find the means to like her—she held respect but nothing more. She was very cunning to say the least, for she, being a mere resident of the Rukongai had managed to work her way into noble hearts and be pampered with overwhelming kindness and affection, all which she refused so fervidly.

Naohira wanted so desperately to denounce it as merely a scheme though she knew better. The woman was simply….like that. It was a trait of hers that bothered Naohira to no ends as for some reason, she managed to fall into the soft spots of others without doing much of anything.

It had been that way when he first met her as a young human girl and then when the grand Captain of the 6th met her though she was dirty and appeared skimpy with her torn kimono and even when the two Head Commanders of the Soul Society laid eyes on her.

To add onto her list, there were her childhood friends who were so loyal to her and even some human who was dangerously powerful, enough to come and save her when she was put to death. And now, hanging onto her arms was even the former Captain of the sixth's grandson and her younger brother.

To anyone who knew her to be just a poor Rukongai kid, the story itself would sound suspicious though, the underlying truth was that she never did anything to be given those affections, she was just...given it. Her character appealed to all of them, without her changing, without her doing anything, they just came to care for her and though she was innocent, it brought Naohira great envy.

This woman appeared so gifted for she had all the affection and care she could have or ever need however, it was just a sweet, utopian mask to shelter how terribly that woman was suffering.

Naohira knew the facts—the truth behind how much that woman was barely breathing on the inside, having lost everything though it appeared she had everything. Perhaps the past 17 months had been the life she wished to live if she was ever free.

And for that very reason, she could not bring herself to completely despise her because she knew, there was a large guck of pain followed by loss and betrayal which threatened her regularly. It was true that she was like Jūshirmai though different as she still held onto two states of mind within her heart—one which accompanied the darkness and one which did not.

She was fighting two minds—nothing about her position was normal and unlike Jūshirmai, she could not bring herself to separate the two at all. She knew her faults—she had carelessly aided the heart in the past 50 years or so only to endanger her own life by reviving a spark, the only shard of hope for the current Soul Society.

It was all her fault and Naohira had to ensure that she knew that, enough to get rid of that troubling spark.

Naohira knew, there would come a time again when she would not be able to resist her pain born from the past. There would come a time when she'd give into her fear, give into the wrong heart and by then, there would be no turning back as the heart would completely and without avail belong to him.

Here fear here.

---

Byakuya did not know where he was. He was sure that it was the Okasake heir's doing so he remained put, waiting for the arrival of whatever he had prepared.

Though...nothing came for a while. He just stood there, all his senses alert and ready to react if they needed too.

The darkness remained, it was as if he had woken up in the middle of the night in his room though, his environment had not changed—he was now sure that he wasn't anywhere but where he last stood.

He did not understand the reasoning behind the sudden change if there was no one he was to meet. As minutes flew by, he wondered if the heir's intention had been to entrap him somewhere.

He was not going to go out of his way to question it out loud though, he did not wish to be imprisoned here if that was the case. It was clear that there was nowhere he had to go, he was standing in the same place.

After a while, he heard whispers of words though he was unsure of what they were—the voice was very distorted, he did not know what the continuous repeat was of though, it sounded like it was the same thing.

It continued in the darkness, he could not pinpoint where it was coming from as it seemed to be a part of everywhere. The whispering voice would come from a multitude of directions at once, it was as if the being was already around him—perhaps this pool of ebony was the being's body.

He took precaution as his eyes followed the voice carefully, though there was nothing more to look at but black, he attempted to find the direction in which the clearest enunciation of the words could be heard to cut.

His keen sense was able to detect it seconds later with ease though, the words the being continued to repeat were unsettling.

"Here fear here."

Pulling out his zanpakutō, he sliced the exact same area where the voice had been heard—the closest it had been to his body. A menacing laughter followed with it before a seemingly white light was emitted from the ground, following the carving of a circle.

From it, thousands of ice lines followed with the gleaming light, a tall figure shot out of it—still viciously laughing without reason. Elevated in the air, the ghostly light flashed from some point above the figure's head as a spot.

With the new glare coming from the point and the excess light coming from the circle, Byakuya was able to observe exactly what the being was.

By a quick look, he was able to identify that it was a quincy.

Long black hair, two black pools for eyes with light pupils, blanched skin with a mouth being obscured by a navy blue mask lined with spikes. It wore an ankle-length white trench coat which instantaneously reminded him of the quincy, Arigawa Raiden, dotted with buttons even up to the neck part which covered its neck like a turtleneck.

Its reiatsu was extensive though with the spiritual energy coming to mind, he wondered if this quincy bore what so many assassins and oddly quincies seemed to have—sheatsu. Given that his grandfather had transferred his own sheatsu into his physical body, it made him wonder if he could identify it himself though he was here.

Channeling the energy within him was rather difficult, it seemed that he could not summon it as the light-pupiled quincy stared down at him from a high point in the darkness. His grandfather's own sheatsu was probably still lodged in his body, he just couldn't find the means for it to reveal itself or help him identify whether his opponent had it too.

He would have to wait and discover whether the quincy retained such a power eventually on his own. It seemed that it did though he had nothing backing up that assumption except for the fact that they appeared to be an alliance of the Okasake heir.

Its presence felt very similar to that of the presence of the Okasake heir—the miasma he had dispersed into the Seireitei felt exactly how this one felt though slightly different. The aura the Okasake heir spewed made one feel many things though somehow this aura seemed a bit more concentrated on making him feel a part of it only.

He did not hesitate to glare at the quincy who looked down at him without a word. Though he had concerns, mainly for his zanpakutō. According to the scientist, their zanpakutōs could not work while they were under here though, if this quincy intended to engage in battle with him, could it? Would anything have an effect while being in here?

It had clearly found his way into this world if he was able to meet him like this.

"Here fear here."

Byakuya refused to believe that was all it could say. It proved him right seconds later.

"Kuchiki Byakuya…" it called with a guttural sound. "...do you know why I've come to find you?"

He did nothing but reciprocate his stare.

Suddenly, much like before, the area was filled with a swarm of whispering voices repeating the same thing 'here fear here'. There was a fluttering noise that came after it like a bat flapping its wings.

He did not understand why it kept repeating that thing. In fact, he did not understand much of this quincy at all, he had come for him—an alliance of the heir for a reason. That reason being to battle, he did not understand why it would ask such a senseless question.

He waited for the quincy to explain it himself, though in doing so the quincy just released a somewhat chilling aura to the room or whatever this space they were in was. The temperature surrounding him felt much like how being indoors now felt inside the Soul Society given its freezing crisis, though he had no reason for goosebumps to plot on his skin for he could last in the cold without a tremble.

"You seem to be a quiet one." The quincy observed, his speech was low and filled with voice cracks. "Fear not, I can chat."

His light pupils glowered at him, despite the look there was a moan of satisfaction which followed for giving him no response to explain. "My commander doesn't like you a lot, does he? You're a Kuchiki."—he read their family name off as if it was filth— "your blood is enough to send him mad. Your family has been the cause of his many misfortunes."

He impassively groaned. "It brings me the utmost displeasure to even see you and yet, I trekked my way here to see you...to find you...to drive you...just as mad."

His last words were whispered so delicately with a slight chuckle towards the end.

"Your name is disgusting, the look of you all is enough to set him ablaze, do you know how much his blood boils at the thought of your name? The thought of your face? The thought of every member who has ever lived as a true-born Kuchiki in that house? He has seen you...he has watched you all grow...he has been there from time."

"Though," he observed with a slight tilt to the right, "that doesn't seem to bother you that much, perhaps it's not a concern to you that wary eyes have watched other generations of Kuchikis grow up, perhaps it doesn't matter at all which satisfies me to watch. It gives you a chance to see."

"To see beyond the concern that would follow knowing that you've been watched all your life which you don't seem to have." Their eyes never left each other as the quincy known as As Nödt explained.

"Usually, one would feel uncomfortable with that thought. The thought that someone, somewhere, out there," he bowed his head a bit forward, "was there creeping in the shadows, with satisfying eyes watching your every move. The thought that, every time you believed you were alone, you were not should bother you but it doesn't, you have nothing to hide."

"You were just a Kuchiki, training to be heir, a warm father and esteemed grandfather by your side. A gentle Aunt and her husband who you eventually killed present alongside a promising future that led you towards the stars above, what concern should you have that a man has been watching you from afar?"

"None is the answer. None at all for that man had no interest with you as long as you didn't trail onto the wrong path but you did and now we're here."

Though Byakuya was listening carefully, he did not understand what 'wrong path' he had taken. The law his grandfather had placed suddenly came to mind, he figured the quincy was referring to his knowing of all this. This was information that for some reason was kept from him, so much that he had to be placed in an experimental world to know what it is.

"I'm guessing, you figure your mistake is learning all of this?" Byakuya didn't think the quincy could read him as easily. "Wrong."

"Your knowledge means nothing. You took a different path, a wrong path, one that turned you into an even greater target, a delicious one in fact, for you have done the worst thing you could do—you unjustly caused death and will cause death 'cause of your mistake though, the prestigious Captain of the 6th does not make mistakes, am I correct?" He asked. "How does one who's as observant, as skilled, as flawless turns himself into a greater target, a disrespectful target—ends up so pitiful so much that I want to laugh for you and cry for you?"

It was brief though Byakuya silently reflected on what error he could have made, though he could only think of one—though it was not much of an error, it was intentional—and he had been aided by the quincy's so-called commander in doing so (AN: Say My Name). More importantly, though it did seem like the likely thing that would be deemed an error in the heir's mind given his repulsion for his clan, he did aid him—it did not make sense.

"Rukia." Byakuya simply stated, the name alone seemed to delight the quincy as he made a sound to display his satisfaction with her name.

He expected the quincy to follow up with an explanation as to why, though it was obvious given how much he did not like his clan, however, the quincy just snickered. "Wrong."

He was mistaken?

If it was not that, Byakuya did not see what error he made in his life—enough for him to be deemed a target as deemed by the quincy.

"It just reiterates the fact of life. You can train, you can be as experienced you are, skilled in whatever, master any of your senses enough to become near invincible except, you can't erase those things of yours." The chill was becoming more evident in the air, he hadn't noticed—his attention solely on the quincy as he spoke—when six thorns appeared, three on each side, beside the quincy. There was a certain...sensation he was feeling from them—it had nothing to do with the air this time.

(Disclaimer: Translated dialogue from Bleach Chapter 501 starts here. I do not own it, my own writing is mixed in between. It belongs to Kubo Tite.)

What's this freezing sensation I'm getting in my arms and legs...?

Those light thorns he's using as weapons, is there some kind of poison in them?

They exuded the same chilly feeling the Okasake heir's ice had when it had attacked the Seireitei. The coldness accompanied by wafts of what felt like poison at the time though this case scenario was different. He had not been touched by the thorns, nothing had hit him—it did not make sense for him to endure what the other shinigami had endured when they made contact with the ice.

"Have you noticed?" The way he delivered it seemed aggressive through his throaty voice, though his tone stayed neither higher or lower. "You thought, 'they may be poisoned,' correct? Well, you're wrong...again."

Byakuya felt that the thing was smiling behind its mask, given the crinkles that suddenly came to its face though it—or he—was quick to get rid of it as it slightly looked up. The quincy raised its hands unveiling its large, dark-coated fingernails, satisfaction leaking through its reiatsu—the only thing he could properly feel.

"This is something you lost long, long ago, something that while hasn't necessarily led you to become a target, is a part of an even broader spectrum being emotions which once did. Trace your memories. You became a Captain, got stronger, and became able to overwhelm and defeat your opponents. You haven't felt this in a long time, have you? The name of that feeling, which is the most important feeling in any human's life is,"

Byakuya did not know what happened to him in that moment but suddenly he fell still—his shoulders rose up in a discomforting way, somehow his zanpakutō had been positioned up and into his hands without him processing what had occurred at all, his eyes for some abnormal reason was already wide, he had become nothing but a person who would appear fragile to one's eyes—"fear."

The dark-eyed quincy leaned forward. "Any normal soul reaper upon receiving attacks from my arrows would scream out and go insane from all the fear. They would be unable to bear it, their hearts would burn up and explode and would suffocate. Those hit by my arrows fear everything."

Except.

Byakuya did not remember being hit or feeling hit. The quincy had been in front of him all along unless he had done so without him knowing though no one could be as fast—fast enough for him to not notice.

Though there was no wound, where was the wound?

Had it been a prick on his skin? Something no more than a papercut?

There was something behind those black eyes, the quincy's light pupils pierced into his as he spoke with that chilling aura increasing, "they doubt everything and lose all control of their thoughts."

Byakuya fixed his stance, his eyes back to their cool impassiveness. He prepared to strike in despite the quincy's voiceover—"but you're doing a great job at resisting that with the strength of your will alone. I'm surprised. But, that is simply surprise. It is far removed from fear. The core of your heart has already,"—by now Senbonzakura's blade was approaching the quincy's chest—"been possessed by fear towards me."

Fear?

Ridiculous.

There is no battle in which fear does not exist.

But I have overcome it, countless times, every time I survive a life-or-death crisis.

I have never suppressed any sort of fear.

I have accepted fear through battle—and in the midst of his speaking an image appeared, it was the back of someone who looked like Rukia, the Rukia he remembered—pounded it down and acquired the power to continue forward. Fear is—it was odd. Through his eyes, he suddenly saw the same body turn to him. It was Rukia and she was smiling at him, her hair was back to how it looked like before it had become a bit longer again. Though several flashes later and the image became distorted, she was no longer smiling as her face suddenly became different—it only took four flashes which glitched before he could see what had happened. She no longer looked the way she did—she was...decomposing, her eye sockets melted and leaking out, her teeth falling a part, her tongue out, he was seeing the entirety of her skull from her face now and balding hair at the center, she was decomposing...she was really de—his eyes widened.

And just like that, he had been stabbed.

Though he couldn't react to it, his entire body was still frozen...lost and attached to the image he had just seen. "Your legs stopped."

"You have overcome fear through experience. All strong warriors who have gotten used to battle experience this delusion. 'Fear that has a reason' is gentle. It's possible to stop this kind of fear through willpower and experience. As long as you have a reason, and you cut that reason off, that fear-like feeling will be wiped away. But… 'true fear' has no reason. It stems from not emotion but instinct. True fear is reasonless, limitless. Like terrifying bugs that slowly creep up your body." And he made sure to emphasize the croakiness to his voice when he delivered these next words, his eyes slightly closing as he did. "We cannot escape our instincts."

By now, he found himself suddenly freed from his soul reaper attire, stuck in a pile of petals as he looked up at the quincy who towered him with menacing eyes. He looked larger now in size, his glare intense with his now large hand reaching out to him as if he was no more than some miniature doll.

He was bleeding, a lot from the space where he had been hit. He felt himself almost...slide apart from his own body. It was only at that time when the pain stung.

He was still stuck—he couldn't move as his eyes watched the fingernails come towards him as the hysterical laughter of the quincy continued in the background—paired along with the same clutter of whispers which repeated themselves over and over and over again 'here fear here, here fear here, here fear here, here fear here' they only continued to grow louder though they were being whispered.

He heard a sloppy sound produced by the guck being his organs that were dripping out from the area where he had been severely cut. It was like a shower of water that leaked out of him near his abdomen.

The quincy had eviscerated him.

It felt like the quincy's entire frame had disappeared behind the large hand in front of him, the world around him suddenly became dimmer, the white light spewing from the ground and the same white ball of light he had seen above the quincy's head earlier was gone too.

His last memory was the hand ready to clutch him from the closest it could be—his nose barely touching the palm of this gigantic hand—and the scene becoming entirely black.

###

Byakuya opened his eyes.

He was back.

Back to the red-rocked dimension—his body still standing next to the head of the stretcher where her head still laid...dead.

He found himself stuck. His head was empty—actually completely empty, his eyes just stared down at the woman whose body organs were evidently starting to liquify.

The image of her body decomposing was still embedded in his mind. The image was so clear, so precise, he wondered...if that was supposed to be a future premonition of what he would see now that she laid dead.

She was dead.

She was still dead.

And now.

Her organs were starting to liquify, she looked weaker—much weaker than he remembered.

For the life of him he couldn't tear away his eyes from her face that still had skin on it—though, the image of her decomposing with her short hair still covered it.

He would not move.

He could not move.

Until….

Here fear here.

---

Ichigo didn't know what was wrong with Byakuya but it was distracting to say the least. It seemed that just like him earlier, he had been taken somewhere—probably to the past—to view something and though Ichigo didn't think he could ever feel that way, there was something odd attached to his reiatsu, it was like he was shaken up about something but that couldn't be true 'cause he was Byakuya.

Though he stood near the head of her stretcher like he had been doing, he was staring at her in a really weird way—there was a certain ambience being spewed out of his reiatsu that just didn't sit with him. His eyes were blank as usual though they seemed so adrift at the same time.

Ichigo couldn't deny that it was making his skin crawl, he didn't like the aura he was exuding, it just felt too uncomfortable and so unlike Byakuya. He didn't think Rukia laying dead could incite so much in him and yet, though he wore the same face, there was something different about him that he didn't like.

For all the times Ichigo was slightly intimidated by Byakuya, nothing could compare to this feeling now. This was something else, he didn't know what had struck him so intensely in the past to have him feeling this way now.

Ichigo wanted to ask what he had been brought back too but at the same time, it looked too personal for him to share if he was shaken up this badly.

His eyes bore into the same spot being Rukia's grey face and stayed there. Ichigo was sure that even if he spoke, he wouldn't hear—his mind was too lost.

What did you see, Byakuya?

---

"What?!"

Raiden was about to lose his shit. What he just heard with his own ears was enough for his mind to go completely dazed as he stared with wide open eyes at the back of his Head Commander. He remained still in his position, Raiden could only see his right hand leisurely moving his brush to write whatever he was writing.

The way he had monotonously voiced his order was enough for Raiden to know he was being serious but why? There were so many questions which followed with this order, he didn't even know where to begin.

"Do not tell them that Genryūsai is responsible for the Gotei 13's condition." He casually repeated as if Raiden could just so easily do it, wasn't Rukia going through enough?

She already felt responsible for their condition, the last thing she needed right now was to feel any more bad about the position they were in. If she knew it was the Head Captain's doing, it would remove a good amount of fucking weight on her shoulders and the heart, why wouldn't he want him to tell them?

"Sensei…" he called, he was so unsure of this—why would he want to cause her more pain? "...not to be against ya or anything but she already feels like shit for this. She thinks her ol'Oky is responsible for them being the way that they are, shouldn't we just tell her that it's the Head Captain's fault so she doesn't have to worry and be all moppy and shit?"

"No."

That response wasn't enough. Raiden needed more—why would he do that to her? There had to be a reason. And if the Head Captain was responsible for all of this, why would he let the Gotei 13 fall into her hands? They were just giving her a bunch of unnecessary pressure that she didn't need right now.

She was already going through a lot.

"Sensei—"

"Arigawa that is an order. If I was open to having a discussion you would know," he slightly turned to the right so Raiden could see his face, "now is not the time."

---

"So what's this?" The younger Rukia sweetly asked, sitting on some shelf-shaped rock near Ichigo's stretcher. The straw was back in her mouth as she swung her legs back and forth, looking down at some desserts her brother had made for her.

Byakuya sitting next to her present body's stretcher did his best to tune them out. She still refused to speak with him or look at him, at this point she didn't care for his feelings. Ignoring him was so easy for her to do, it seemed that she was not even speaking to their grandfather.

He really didn't mind their relationship, he could not believe she was avoiding him too.

Though his grandfather would never say it out loud, it was clear that in the many days the present Rukia had remained in this condition, she had not uttered a word to either of them.

The closest she had been to them was when the feline had asked whether she could accompany them to Hell to check if she could sense the barrier.

She couldn't and they returned back.

From there, she had skipped away to the doctor, not paying either one a single glance. He could not believe his words that he could not even remember were still alive within her to bother her to this extent.

Even though her own present body was quite literally dead, she only came near the stretcher when the doctor came to do his occasional checks, she was not concerned about herself either. In a way, it brought more hope into them even though they were about to reach the nineteenth day and she was still dead.

He didn't know how long they could go on with her in this position, there was still a lot left to be done and the Gotei 13's current condition was still an issue, one the doctor was supposed to be fixing instead of going on long walks with the younger Rukia.

The Okasake heir would also eventually grow impatient though, the younger Byakuya wondered whether he would hold off since he was most likely aware of her position by now or...would he take advantage of it?

---

Day 19

The chains were starting to unravel, the very blades that were connected to all areas of the Soul Society—holding it down, keeping it alive.

The long silver chains were attached to many different areas, coming from the center of the Soul Society where the fan-blades now frozen with a distinct yellow sheatsu surrounding it glowed.

By now, the Soul Society looked like an iceland with a chandelier atop of it all, glowing at only one specific area being the center of it all. Above the chain chandelier-like structure, was black—a continuous darkness made up of reishi that was not meant to exist within the Soul Society, it was one produced by the Soul King heart that could not enter as it threatened the pure lifeforce which existed in the land.

By now, the unsettling air was detectable though it was shielded by the very simple arrangement which held up the Soul Society—the marigold sheatsu was the purest light of all, the one that maintained whatever purity the Soul Society had left. It kept it from crumbling to the venomous impurity incoming from Hell, it was their glue—as essential as the Soul King's heart.

The swarming darkness within the heart threatened to turn this place of purity into nothing but an extension of Hell though it was being saved by two people.

The one who bore such pure sheatsu and one who bore such a strong connection to the heart.

The strength of both was formidable enough to keep the entire area from succumbing to the vile heart though, would it be enough if the strength of the chain was put to a test?

Of course it would, the strength of the two people who carried the Soul Society would be enough to rival even the darkest of evil though there was one very strong disadvantage that the assassins within the Capital couldn't help but worry about every time the realization sunk in.

Both of them were dead.

Here fear here.

---

It was unpredictable to say the least that it was taking her this long to revive herself though, it didn't concern him—she was immune to death, a trait of hers which made her ten times as appealing.

It could take her life but nothing could complete it. If she had no chance, her body would've slowly begun to release her reishi now into the skies but it didn't. And even in that instance, he didn't believe anything could wholly take her—she'd find a way to prevent it.

The forged moon and its chiffon light hit the burns he endured from the heart being enveloped in flames. He was disappointed—not in himself but the one who was the source of the barrier, he had expected more from them, having known in their lifetime how to master the element of fire and yet, they so easily let it invade the space of the heart and do this to them—to her.

Before the fire was extinguished, he had endured a displeasurable amount of pain—one he could not admit to anybody, there was no one who should know he was this weak and controlled by the heart so strongly. The little pearl ball of hope installed by Rukia was paining them enough, he couldn't suffer through another event like this one.

The citrine stone had caught ablaze by something, enough for it to immerse the entirety of Hell into fire and burn whatever existed there from land to hollows. To make matters worse, citrine belonging to the current Head Commander still held the purity of its guardian's heart, though the fire was hazardous on its own, it came with a pure aura which only intensified the violence within the heart. If it had succeeded, Rukia would've regained control, fortunately her heart was still dark enough to aid him and oppose the light created by herself.

Her two minds were something he could use to his advantage, it was working to his advantage that she had them and couldn't separate herself from them like he had done with himself over a century ago.

One would always hold dominance and they both knew which one did. The only reason she was so resilient to admit it was because of that innocent heart of hers, the one she had grown closer too during those 17 months. It made him regret leaving her that long to get her act together though at the same time, it wouldn't have made much of a difference given that the human was still a part of her life.

In the 17 months, he had distanced himself enough for her to be freed from his presence, no more visits, no more talks, no more watchful eyes from a distance. He had left her alone—perhaps it had been the first time she was ever left alone after the day he laid eyes on her as a human.

Coming back, he was to learn that she had restored a relationship with Kuchiki Ginrei's grandson, one which seemed promising as they were now headed down some optimistic path that he found foolish on Rukia's part. He had warned her so many times and yet she continued to neglect his orders.

He did not think he would return to learn that she was embracing yet another Kuchiki into her life, fully aware of what she was doing, fully aware of the past she had lived through. Though at the same time, their mending relationship soon to be broken benefited the heart greatly.

In a way she had worked against her own self, throwing herself out there to create these relationships only to have them work against her in the end solely 'cause of her emotions.

Though there was still that spark to consider, it was given birth to two years ago. The day Kurosaki Ichigo entered her life, the day she created her own poison—it was the same thing that brought her to die each time that barrier thinned and caused him incomprehensible pain.

That irritable white light which existed as a mere speck amongst all the dark was the frustrating part as she refused to let it go. He knew she would not let him go no matter what and thus the light would continue to exist. He needed a way to sully their relationship, enough for them to distance themselves from each other—just like he had done before, he could use whatever was unresolved between them to his advantage except, there wasn't one.

He didn't think such a foolproof relationship could exist though he had observed them well, there wasn't much of anything he could use to his advantage except the frustration and worry that came with her secrecy. And even so, that still wasn't enough—that fact alone agitated him to his core. It meant that the light would keep existing and he couldn't afford that hope being lodged in that heart, even if he was to steal it.

His only option was killing the human.

If he was dead, the light would flicker and eventually die out and he would no longer have to worry about anyone reviving it. Though her younger brother may initiate a very small spark, given its faint glare, it wouldn't affect them to the extent that this one did.

Her younger brother and the human had worked as a combined force to generate that pearl of light within her. He only needed to kill one for her to lose its grip and his choice was the human.

He would protect her younger brother, he had given her his word and he would. His blood and dissociation from the Kuchiki family kept him alive and would make her happy to have him. She had pleaded with him before to not touch him and he agreed.

The human was the pressing issue. It was due to that relationship that she was killing herself like this, he needed to speak with her about certain things and yet she laid dead on a stretcher with her future brother-in-law by her side and the seemingly immortal Ginrei assuring him that she would be alright.

Of course he knew she was going to be alright and of course everyone couldn't help but believe it. For Ginrei was a man of many faults that he hid so flawlessly, no one could detect whether he was giving off false hope or voicing the truth. He was known as a man whose actions didn't come without reason so naturally, everyone followed the words of the elder without second-guessing how he could remain so calm when his granddaughter was dead.

It was funny.

He was so sure of her, he had more confidence in her than no other and not a single person, not even his younger grandson who seemed to have grown envious of their relationship, bothered to question it because it was coming from his mouth.

He had to admit, he admired Ginrei for this. They were so drawn into the act that they couldn't see that the elder was hiding something beneath his eyes which he would never admit too.

The thought alone only motivated him to go down there himself and bring Rukia here until she returned to life. To bring the feeling of hopelessness back would benefit the heart greatly and that conclusion was enough for him to stand with a smirk.

He let the string tying part of his hair up loose before looking to the area where her body would soon be laid to rest.

---

There she was.

She laid so stiffly on that stretcher. He loved her hair. He loved it even more knowing she loved it too. It was left free to spread beneath her head, he figured some strands would bother the back of her neck when she awakened so he took note to lift it before laying her to rest.

She looked terribly ill—the pasty grey shade tinting her skin, the way the corners of her dried lips were shaded with a more plum shade in comparison to the rest of her skin, the way he could see her fingernails slowly fall out of place.

The life had been quite literally sucked out of her, she was no more than a statue now. Her skin was already marbling, he was sure her organs were starting to liquify. Nothing coming from her body indicated any type of development, he was sure that if she remained this way, he would begin to see her eye sockets come out.

While her body was left to rot and a barrier was shielding the odor which expulsed from it, there was still something to hold onto. Her soul—the intangible thing that was her will and would bring her back from this.

Even if her body was being fed on and her organs liquified, there was still her soul that hadn't left her yet.

He knew she couldn't die—she was immune to all this, her body didn't matter. He, Ginrei, and her younger brother knew she could come back from this. The former 6th Division's Captain especially knew this.

He approached her with reiatsu and sheatsu hidden. Her younger brother-in-law had fallen asleep on the chair, he couldn't do much even if he tried too.

Slowly, while gazing at her face, he tucked his hands beneath her body and pulled her up to his chest.

He thought he could transfer her slickly though as he approached the open portal from afar, the teenage voice of her brother-in-law stopped him midway.

He smiled. Did he think he could do anything? His present body was right there, he could very much kill his present self—surely she wasn't worth that?

Of course she wasn't. He was threatening him with his very life, was it worth causing all this fuss when he would never hurt the woman he was carrying physically?

"Wait."

Turning around, Rukia's head was near his left side—placed gently near his heart. He was holding her so delicately, how could he ever think he would harm her? Clearly he didn't understand their relationship.

"Oh? And what will you do?" He didn't respond. "Your body is right there and poor him is defenseless. Should I kill him now in exchange for this body that is already dead?"

The teenage boy looked to his right, staring at the stretcher nearby. "Certainly you're not that foolish. For if I kill your present body right now, his life will end here and he will know nothing of her lies or even see his own grandfather. Surely that matters more than me taking her."

The teenage boy looked down, his hands were clenched, it seemed that he had accepted it immediately though he was resilient too. He caught his eyes drawing over the hilt of his zanpakutō.

"Your zanpakutō can do nothing either." He stated confidently. "Don't even try it."

The boy's eyes still stared at the hilt of his zanpakutō in spite of his statement. Frankly, he didn't want to embarrass the boy any longer as he was merely a student at the Shin'Ō Academy as of now. Nothing he could do would have an effect.

He understood that perhaps his presence made him feel eerie given how his reiatsu was emitting an uncomfortable response. He knew the aura he spewed tended to make others feel heavy as it invaded the inner corners of their souls, enough to make them swarm in their own skins however, he was aware that Rukia visited him often and he had never touched her then, so what was the difference of him taking her now?

"Fear not," he began, his raspy tone made the little hairs on his skin go straight—he could sense it. "...she's safe."

He was very uncomfortable now. It made him want to laugh at how easily he had managed to get under his skin, he couldn't imagine what he would feel like if he was ever to meet his subordinate As Nödt. A quincy he had kept reserved for the assassins though he was on a mission right now to find the Gotei 13.

He locked eyes with the teenage boy. Though his eyes were struggling to stay blank under his influence, he didn't want him to leave with her though, there was no use in her staying here either.

Forming a smirk with his lips, he attempted to turn around though he was stopped instantly when a pain burned so hotly in his heart, he would scream if he wasn't who he was—something was invading, something pure was poisoning him again. There was blood accompanying it too, it was the act of his heart being met with a pure light.

He looked down.

His wife's eyes were perfectly shut though there was a difference. A part of her face was being obscured by a blade, a sai blade, which was now inserted into his heart—gleaming yellow with a hand attached to it, a hand that had dug the sharp blade into his heart, a hand which belonged to the left hand of his wife who was dead.

He dropped her body immediately.

---

He tried his best to intercept the Okasake heir's arms but no matter what he did, he couldn't pry his hands loose.

"Fuck, nothing works." Ichigo cursed in frustration.

"He must be trying to relocate her to his place in the meanwhile." Captain Ukitake said behind Ichigo. "He must have something to ask her when she wakes up."

Ichigo's eyes remained on the back of the ryoka. "That doesn't mean we should just let him take her."

"There's nobody else here." Captain Hirako observed.

"The younger Byakuya-kun can't do anything either, it's dangerous." Captain Ukitake added. "He's from the past."

"Though," Orihime stepped forward, "won't Kuchiki-san be okay? He won't hurt her, Kurosaki-kun."

He didn't face her. "We don't know that."

"We can't just let that evil ryoka take Nee-san away!" Kon yelled in distress.

Uryū stepped forward, now standing slightly ahead of Ichigo. "Wait."

His keen eyes noticed something. It was movement—coming from her left hand. He watched a sai blade from the pocket of her skirt slip out, it was glowing a yellow shade. Suddenly, her left hand moved up in speed and stabbed the heir in his heart.

"What the hell?" Ichigo asked before running up to Rukia who he dropped. "Is she awake? Rukia! Are you back?"

"Nee-san! Nee-san! Nee-san! Nee-san!" Kon jumped off immediately and went rushing to climb onto the body though, he was met with disappointment—her eyes were still closed.

"What's going on?" Lieutenant Hisagi asked while watching the heir step back, a very powerful aura coming from the sai was paining him. The yellow sheatsu or reiatsu or whatever it was, was causing a lot of damage to him.

Captain Ukitake hovered over his Lieutenant's body before looking to the yellow light coming out of the heir's chest.

"What is that?" Lieutenant Hisagi. "Who's reiatsu…? Maybe sheatsu?"

"I don't know." Lieutenant Kira muttered beside him.

"Whatever it is, it's clear that it's poisonous to Okasake." Tōshirō observed, now closer to Lieutenant Kuchiki's body. The pale skin of the heir was now dotted with light greyish-purple spots as he groaned and stepped back.

Ichigo looked up to the heir before crouching down to hover over Rukia again. She wasn't breathing still—but how? Was she still fighting? Was her body on its way back?

"If she's dead, how did she do that?" Lieutenant Kira questioned.

"She's still not breathing." Lieutenant Kotetsu said, "she's still...dead."

Captain Hirako shrugged. "Guess that's some sorta backup?"

"Backup for what?" Rangiku looked behind to him. "In case the ryoka gets close to her when she's can't do anything?"

"Doubt that's reiatsu, it's probably sheatsu." Kensei stated.

"Could it be…" Lieutenant Hinamori gasped, "her own?"

Sui-Feng was quick to disapprove. "She doesn't have sheatsu."

"So then what do you think that is, Captain?" Ōmaeda asked.

Her eyes remained closed as she responded. "Probably the sheatsu of the person who created the barrier to begin with."

"That makes sense." Ikkaku said. "Though how…"

He turned to Captain Ukitake though, the white-haired Captain was too focused on the sai blade that had inserted the heir's chest.

---

He did not know what had transpired in front of him though the action was enough to restore so much hope in him, his shoulders rose as he watched Rukia's left hand fling—in dashing speed—to his heart, plunging deep a sai blade which illuminated a marigold yellow that sent the heir in pain and her to the floor.

"You bitch!" The heir had cursed though the younger Byakuya was more concerned with Rukia who he dropped. Was she awake? Did she come back? He flash-stepped quickly and crouched down to look at her body while the heir stepped back releasing aggressive sounds at the blade stuck in his heart.

She looked the same.

She still wasn't breathing.

But how…

He looked up to the heir who was starting to bleed immensely, so much that the blood was being soaked up by his cloth and starting to drop onto the floor. The sai blade remained in his heart, emitting a very large yellow reiatsu-maybe-sheatsu that was evidently paining him.

The power of the yellow light coming out of him was intense, strong enough to shake the entire dimension. Excess rock from the ceiling was beginning to descend upon them as strong winds gusted around them.

Meeting his eyes, he could already see the venom within them. He looked like an agitated dog ready to bark and bite whomever had provoked him.

He aggressively leaned forward, "tell that bitch when she wakes up to come and heal me," he spat before flash-stepping away.

The portal behind him that he had intended to use initially disappeared out of nowhere and Byakuya was left to stare at the dead woman who somehow managed to lift a sai blade in defense.

Where are you?

---

End Note

byaruki / tumblr