Chapter 3

Hisana wasn't entirely sure if birds were capable of hyperventilating, but she felt quite suffocated under Kuchiki Byakuya's stare. The young lord was working diligently on some paperwork in his studio, and every once in a while he would look towards her cage as if to make sure that she was still there.

Hisana thought it was ridiculous, where was she supposed to go? She was trapped! She had become his pet and freedom seemed impossible.

Byakuya sighed heavily as he tried to focus on the papers in front of him. Ever since he caged the bird he had been expecting for it to give a sign that it was connected to the missing blue eyed woman. The appearance of such a unique bird and the disappearance of the mysterious guest couldn't be a coincidence, right?

Although he hadn't shared his theory with anyone.

He could already picture his staff labeling him as crazy but, what other explanation was there? He was about to talk to the bird, and perhaps threatening it to get information, when someone knocked on his door.

"Come in" Byakuya instructed.

"My lord," Robert bowed respectfully while stepping inside the studio "my apologies for the intrusion, but we have an unexpected guest."

Byakuya frowned at those news.

"What's this guest's name?" he questioned, who would be rude enough to visit him unannounced?

"Shihouin Yoruichi" Robert informed.

Byakuya scowled and failed to notice how the bird jerked up at the mention of Yoruichi.

The Kuchiki heir stood up, reluctantly, and decided to greet the Shihouin heiress. Whether he liked it or not they had some serious business to discuss, and they had to reach an agreement for the sake of their provinces.

"Let's go then" Byakuya said as he allowed Robert to walk in front of him towards the front gates.

Hisana tensed when Byakuya looked over his shoulder at her, as if to make sure that his new pet was unable to escape, and once the studio door was closed Hisana screeched annoyed.

Hopefully Yoruichi would find her soon.

Yoruichi's presence was annoying, and an inconvenience, to Byakuya.

The dark-skinned woman was glaring at his guards from outside the gates. Her arms were crossed and she was tapping the floor with her left foot, that single gesture was enough for Byakuya to scowl at her, was she implying that he was making her wait? She had only herself to blame, she came uninvited after all.

"Yoruichi," Byakuya nodded at her from inside his property "to what do I owe the honor of your visit?

"We need to talk," Yoruichi cut to the chase "don't you agree?"

Byakuya nodded once more.

He signaled for the guards to let the Shihouin heiress inside. Byakuya lifted the barrier just to let Yoruichi in and then he closed it again, Yoruichi raised an eyebrow at that but decided not to ask, she knew how paranoid Byakuya could be sometimes, especially now that spies had been roaming around the provinces.

"Come to my studio," Byakuya ordered while keeping his distance from his childhood nemesis "it is better if we avoid prying ears" he muttered.

Yoruichi agreed and followed him.

Hisana observed curiously when the studio door was opened again. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw her best friend stepping into the room, she was so happy that she started to flap her wings frantically.

Yoruichi had prepared a rant, and a colorful speech, for Byakuya. She wanted to curse at the top of her lungs, but the words died on her throat the moment she noticed Byakuya's new pet.

"What?!" she whispered shocked as a smile plastered on her face.

"Is there a problem?" Byakuya asked as he walked and took a seat behind the desk.

Yoruichi's eyes widened as she recognized the little bird immediately. Gorgeous blue eyes, black wings and white feathers on the rest of the body, Yoruichi held her breath as she processed what, and who, she was seeing.

Hisana was alive!

Yoruichi was about to celebrate but she did a double take and her smile faded as she stood frozen in the middle of the studio.

Now she understood why Hisana had been unable to communicate with her, but Byakuya obviously didn't know that the bird on his studio was actually a woman, and not a common woman, an adopted member of the Shihouin clan. This meant that Byakuya was going to talk freely about their current issue, and Yoruichi couldn't allow it, she didn't want Hisana to know.

Not to mention that now her priority had changed, she needed to free Hisana but, how? Byakuya would accuse them of espionage and Yoruichi wasn't looking forward to a fight.

"Is something wrong?" Byakuya frowned at Yoruichi's sudden silence and stunned expression. She had been standing silently for a couple of minutes now.

Yoruichi's shock and worried was replaced quickly by amusement as the little bird started to make a ruckus and to flap its wings violently. She knew that Hisana was able to speak on her bird form, just as Yoruichi could speak as a cat, but she obviously couldn't insult Yoruichi right now.

"What kind of bird is that one?" the Shihouin heiress asked with a cat-like grin.

She already knew how to solve Hisana's situation.

Byakuya looked over his shoulder at the unique animal. Was it his imagination or did the bird look deadly scared of Yoruichi? Or was the bird angry? Were birds capable of such emotions?

"It had been going around the property for a few days," Byakuya explained as he looked at Yoruichi again "it collapsed yesterday while I was at the hot spring."

Yoruichi laughed hard as the bird started to screech loudly. The Shihouin heiress took a seat in front of Byakuya's desk as she made herself comfortably, Hisana's anger was always fun to see.

"Poor little thing passed out after seeing you naked?!" Yoruichi asked, her laugh probably could be heard all over the place.

Byakuya scoffed. Was Yoruichi really making fun of a bird? And why was the bird throwing itself against the cage as if it was trying to attack Yoruichi?

"It was probably because of the heat" Byakuya reasoned.

Yoruichi's smirk couldn't get any wider.

"Probably," she agreed and then stood up "let me set it free, it is way too pretty to be inside a cage."

"No," Byakuya hissed before Yoruichi could take a step further "I will not set it free."

Yoruichi blinked as her smile faded. That meant a quick change of plans, what was Byakuya's deal?

"What? Why?" she asked warily, and slightly surprised, as far as she knew Byakuya disliked animals.

"It's a unique specimen," Byakuya said simply "it is quite annoying but it's mine, that should be enough reason."

Yoruichi looked at the bird again.

Now they had to find another way out of this situation.

"I never took you as an animal lover, Byakuya-boo," the Shihouin heiress chuckled as she sat down again "but kudos to you for keeping the poor fellow safe," she looked at the cage then "imagine if a cat were to try to hunt it in the middle of the night."

Byakuya frowned at that but decided to ignore Yoruichi's taunts. He did not notice but the bird nodded slightly at Yoruichi and the dark-skinned woman sighed heavily.

"So," Yoruichi smirked at the Kuchiki heir "where were we?"

Byakuya frowned.

"I suppose that you want to talk about my father's letter" he guessed.

Hisana tilted her head curiously. The Kuchiki patriarch contacted Yoruichi? What for? That was uncommon, orders from Soul Society rarely came to the Shihouin province, and when they did they came from the Shihouin matriarch, did something happen that she wasn't aware of?

"Hell no!" Yoruichi lied, discussing that was the reason of her visit but now that Hisana was in the room that was not an option.

"What?" Byakuya asked "then, what's the reason behind your unwanted visit?"

Yoruichi sighed dramatically.

Byakuya narrowed his eyes. Wasn't Yoruichi going to ask about a missing woman? His missing guest was carrying Yoruichi's clan crest on her necklace, wasn't she supposed to fret over a missing member of her clan? Or had the blue eyed woman stole the necklace and fell from the cliffs while escaping from Yoruichi? No, that was not possible, because the moment she woke up she demanded to be taken to the Shihouin heiress.

"Listen, Byakuya-boo" Yoruichi ran a hand through her hair "the truth is..." she stood up slowly and looked straight at Byakuya's eyes "that I just came to drink because my maids refused to get me drunk!"

"What?!" Byakuya questioned angrily but he never got an answer.

Yoruichi used her amazing speed and ran out of the door towards the kitchen while laughing loudly.

If there was something Yoruichi exceled at, was annoying the hell out of maids. The moment she reached the cabinets, and the cellar, at the Kuchiki household she picked the finest liquor and started to chug it as if her life depended on it and, since she was a noble clan leader, the maids couldn't even try to stop her.

"My lady!" one of the maids exclaimed scandalized "please, stop! We can serve you, so…" she gulped "please-!"

Yoruichi ignored her entirely. The poor thing wasn't convincing with her pleading, and she had a mission, she needed to do this to be able to free Hisana and go back to her province.

"My lady!" the young maid insisted.

Yoruichi heard some giggling, and out of the corner of her eyes she spotted Lucy and Stella, a couple of young maids that Yoruichi adored because of how carefree and strong they were. There was a time in which she tried to hire them, but their loyalty towards the Kuchiki lord was ironclad.

Yoruichi praised them a little for that.

"Now, now…" someone else exclaimed while stepping into the kitchen area "my lady, this is distasteful in extreme, would you reconsider your actions, please?"

Yoruichi rolled her eyes.

Akie had shown up.

Yoruichi had known Akie her whole life. She knew, better than anyone, that woman's role in Byakuya's life, she knew who she truly was, and she knew better than to ignore her. Her nagging wouldn't stop if Yoruichi didn't give her the time of the day.

"Akie," Yoruichi greeted while stopping her drinking "how nice to see you" she smirked at her and then wiped her mouth with the back of her fist.

"My lady," Akie bowed respectfully "what brings you here?"

"Your wonderful alcohol" Yoruichi chuckled.

Several maids gasped indignantly while Lucy and Stella chuckled discreetly.

"I see," Akie muttered lowly "how nice of you."

Yoruichi laughed. She had succeeded at irking Akie, that was always fun to see, she was so similar to Byakuya when it came to her short temper and constipated face. Unfortunately she didn't have much time to enjoy that, she had a plan and she needed to drink a lot to execute it perfectly, why couldn't the maids simply ignore her?

"It's always joyous to see you, my lady" Akie nodded politely "but I must urge you to leave, a province leader cannot simply leave her post to come and drink, what would your grandmother say?"

Yoruichi glared at the old woman, and Akie knew she had upset Yoruichi, but the Shihouin heiress decided not to back down.

"Do you want to know a fun fact, Akie?" Yoruichi questioned while throwing the sake bottle against one of the kitchen walls.

It broke into several pieces and a couple of maids ran outside the kitchen. Meanwhile Lucy and Stella exchanged an amused look, they weren't exactly fond of Akie.

Akie kept her ground, but anxiety built up inside of her when Yoruichi approached her with slow steps. The Shihouin heiress stopped right in front of the housekeeper and looked down at her.

"Whatever my grandmother thinks of me," Yoruichi hissed while tracing Akie's cheekbones with one of her fingers "is none of your fucking business."

Akie trembled a little, since Yoruichi's reiatsu flared.

"Do you want me to inform my grandmother that you, a housekeeper, wish to know about her business?" Yoruichi inquired "I can arrange that meeting for you."

Akie was about to answer but before she could Byakuya stepped into the kitchen.

"Take a step back, Yoruichi" he instructed coldly "I won't ask twice."

Yoruichi smirked and she didn't take her eyes off Akie as she took three steps back.

"My lord, I-!" Akie tried to excuse herself as she turned to look at Byakuya.

Byakuya raised a hand to stop her. He walked decisively towards them and put himself between Akie and Yoruichi, the Kuchiki lord glared at Yoruichi but the dark-skinned woman simply smiled sardonically at him. A silent message passed between them, and they both knew that Yoruichi held the upper ground, but not everyone around them was aware of that.

Yoruichi's grandmother was powerful, and she disliked Akie with passion, so the Shihouin matriarch used all of her influence to pass a rule inside her social circle. A housekeeper was never allowed to even breathe in the same direction of a matriarch, a housekeeper was not even allowed to see her or to speak of her, unless explicitly told otherwise.

Akie wasn't told otherwise.

Yoruichi had enough to punish her.

"Stay tonight," Byakuya offered Yoruichi, his voice was low and menacing "drink and eat as much as you want, and see yourself out first thing in the morning."

"Is this a lame attempt of apology after your housekeeper's disrespect?" Yoruichi taunted.

Akie blushed with shame but Byakuya knew better than to react to Yoruichi.

"Will you stay?" he inquired.

Yoruichi didn't answer. Instead, she grabbed another bottle and started to drink again while Byakuya ordered Lucy and Stella to assist Yoruichi in whatever she could require. The maids nodded and, once Yoruichi was comfortable once more in the kitchen, Byakuya left and ordered Akie to follow him.

Yoruichi would've gave anything to be a fly on the wall for their conversation but she needed to focus on her current situation, so she kept drinking.

Akie knew the moment Byakuya closed the door of his chambers she was going to receive an earful.

"How many times do I have to insist on you staying away from Yoruichi?!" Byakuya fumed.

Akie tensed.

"My lord, I… I swear that I-!"

"I don't have the social power to stand against her grandmother!" Byakuya barked as he started to pace around his room "not even father can! Grandfather will never dare to try! Have you lost your mind?!"

Akie felt like crying but she decided to keep her ground. She despised whenever Byakuya would get mad at her carelessness but she couldn't stand it because of Yoruichi, the mere mention of the Shihouin clan was enough to enrage her.

"She has no right to come here and disrespect your house!" she exclaimed frustrated "she strolls around as if she owns the place! That's unacceptable!"

"We're talking about Yoruichi!" Byakuya reminded her, he was glad the walls of his chambers were thick because he was close to yelling "disrespecting everyone is her whole personality! How does she get under your skin that easily?!"

"No matter who she is, she does not own the province!" Akie insisted "she-!"

"She is one order away from becoming my wife!" Byakuya cursed "she came here to make sure that doesn't happen and now, thanks to your little outburst, I have to tolerate her behavior until she decides we discuss our current predicament!"

Akie paled as a sudden silence fell all over the room.

"What?" she muttered "your wife?"

Byakuya sighed as he closed his eyes.

"I received a letter from father," he explained while trying to calm his erratic breathing "the relationship between the Shihouin province and ours is working well, and my father was to strengthen it."

Akie held her breath worriedly.

"I have to marry a Shihouin if I want to keep ruling over this province," Byakuya said as he opened his eyes "if I refuse to follow this order, father will not grant me the head of the house in the years to come and I will be forced back to Soul Society."

"That is madness," Akie breathed out "why?! Soujun-sama knows how much you despise Yoruichi!"

"Yoruichi's grandmother," Byakuya explained "due to their land acquisition, and their on-growing assets, they are the most powerful clan around Soul Society" he pinched the bridge of his nose "he didn't explain, but knowing father he wants to secure a relationship with them before someone even comes up with this ludicrous idea."

"No one would ever think about making Yoruichi Shihouin a wife!" Akie retorted.

"Exactly," Byakuya agreed "that's why father wants to take a leap of faith with this" he shook his head "he sent a letter to Yoruichi as well and, for what I know, he made it sound as if she should agree with this so at least she can be married to a clan she tolerates."

"What?" Akie asked, it didn't make sense to her.

"If Yoruichi refuses father will make public that our marriage offer was rejected," Byakuya explained "that will certainly send hundreds of suitors towards Yoruichi's door and knowing her grandmother, she will be forced to accept someone."

Akie gaped.

"But…?!"

"I will not discuss the topic further," Byakuya hissed imperiously "I will try to reach an agreement with her before she leaves" he frowned at Akie "keep yourself out of her way, I will not be able to protect you if you make a mistake in her presence again."

Akie understood the topic was closed. She would have to keep her head low in the hours to come, and hopefully she would be able to talk to Byakuya about this before he could take a rushed decision, but for now she decided to follow his orders and to leave him alone.

"Do not tell this to anyone," Byakuya ordered "no one knows."

Akie nodded and, after directing a sad look towards Byakuya, said goodnight.

It took three hours, eight sake bottles, and one "I'm living here from now on!" for Yoruichi to convince Lucy and Stella that she was drunk. The maids, between giggles and jokes, took Yoruichi to the guests' chambers, they helped her to clean herself and prepared the tatami bed for her. Once the Shihouin heiress was under the covers they asked her if she needed anything else.

Yoruichi faked a drunk smile.

"Well, Byakuya-boo will kick me out as soon as he wakes up..." Yoruichi reasoned and then smiled wider "can I have a box with a change of clothes and breakfast?"?"

Lucy nodded and Stella promised to cook something delicious for her.

Yoruichi waited then. She closed her eyes and paid attention to the noises, and the reiatsus, around her. She knew the Kuchiki estate by heart, she knew how many staff members Byakuya had and she knew that there was just one way to sneak into his studio. Yoruichi couldn't be sure, but a couple of hours went by and, once the only thing that allowed her to see was the moonlight she stood up on the bed and removed her clothes.

It was a good thing, she thought, that cats were natural hunters because she needed to get a little bird desperately.

Hisana hated the dark. So when the lights around the place went out, she had to close her eyes and imagine she was in the middle of a sunny field or back at the Shihouin estate where the maids would make sure that at least two lanterns were on the whole night just for her, back at home whenever there was a storm she would always run towards Yoruichi's room and sleep next to her to feel safe.

Hisana missed Yoruichi terribly, why wasn't she showing up? Did Kuchiki Byakuya do something to her? Did he kick her out?

"Yoruichi…" Hisana muttered.

"What's up?" a manly voice asked.

Hisana opened her eyes right away, and right in front of her was Yoruichi on her cat form! If Hisana had been able to smile as a bird she would've done it, what took her so long?!

"Sorry," Yoruichi apologized "I had to pretend to be drunk for them to let me stay."

Hisana couldn't even speak, she was so happy to see Yoruichi that she simply started to flap her wings frantically.

"Right, right" Yoruichi nodded "give me a second" she showed Hisana her claws and, after struggling with the cage for a minute or so, Hisana was free.

Once they both reached Yoruichi's room they transformed. Yoruichi ran towards the bed and put on a blue robe, and she quickly threw another robe towards Hisana.

"Put this on!" Yoruichi instructed Hisana hurriedly "how did you manage to get caught?!" she hissed.

Hisana frowned at her best friend.

"It wasn't on purpose!" she excused herself as she covered her body with a light blue robe "Kuchiki Byakuya found me when I fell from the cliffs, he brought me here and when I woke up I tried to escape in my bird form!"

Yoruichi ran a hand through her hair.

"I guess the stupid barrier didn't help..." she muttered and then shook her head "we have to leave tomorrow as soon as the sun rises."

Hisana nodded. She observed Yoruichi and she couldn't explain how relieved she was at being next to her, she felt a lump on her throat and her lower lip started to tremble.

"What is it?" Yoruichi asked worriedly "did he hurt you?"

Hisana shook her head frantically as tears started to fall from her eyes.

"Idiot! You're scaring me, what is it?!" Yoruichi insisted while taking Hisana by her shoulders.

"It's just..." Hisana gasped "that I'm..." she took a deep breath "I'm so happy I'm with you again!"

Yoruichi blinked confused as Hisana threw herself at her. She hugged her back immediately and let her cry a little, she knew how much of a cry baby Hisana was. The funny thing was that this side of her only showed whenever Yoruichi was with her, it was one of the few things that made Yoruichi feel quite protective towards her.

"It's okay," Yoruichi assured her calmly "I was going crazy not knowing where you were, I almost started a war."

"Don't joke like that!" Hisana sobbed as she hid her face on Yoruichi's shoulder "I don't want problems with the Kuchiki lord."

"Scary, isn't he?" Yoruichi asked.

Hisana closed her eyes tightly. She didn't find Kuchiki Byakuya scary, in fact the first word that came to her mind when thinking of him was… kind. Hisana knew he was a proper lord, she knew that he loved his estate and his people, the few days next to him proved her that much but...

"Hisana?" Yoruichi asked.

"Can't we go back now?" Hisana asked feeling like a child begging her older sister for a favor. She looked at Yoruichi's eyes while asking, she decided to forget about Kuchiki Byakuya as soon as they were out of his estate.

"I would like to," Yoruichi admitted "but not a chance. Byakuya has to lift the barrier to let me leave, and if I just disappear along with his little pet he'll notice that I was here for you."

"It won't take him long to think that I was some sort of spy" Hisana understood.

Yoruichi nodded.

"You'll have to turn into a bird again," she muttered "I'll hide you somewhere so you can leave with me, hopefully Byakuya-boo won't offer me breakfast and I'll be kicked out."

Hisana sighed.

"Just a few more hours," she nodded "I can do it."

Yoruichi didn't notice, but Hisana reiatsu was already at it's limit.

Yoruichi and Hisana were awake before the sun was out, they managed to get a few hours of sleep but they couldn't relax until they were outside the Kuchiki estate, so Hisana transformed before the maids were to come in and hid in the corner of the room.

Hisana didn't tell Yoruichi, but she was not going to handle being a bird for too long, the amount of reiatsu she had been wasting the last few days was ridiculous and they still had to wait for Kuchiki Byakuya to lift the barrier.

Hisana was anxious.

Would the Kuchiki lord notice her absence? Would he realize she was no longer inside the cage before they had the chance to leave? What if he demanded to see what Yoruichi was carrying inside the box the maids provided?

"How much longer until we leave?!" Hisana thought panic striken.

Yoruichi opened the little fancy box the maids gave her and nodded towards Hisana. She flew towards it and, once they were both ready, Yoruichi closed the box and walked outside the room. Lucy and Stella were already waiting for her.

"The lord has informed us that he will see you out, Yoruichi-sama" Lucy informed her.

"Really?" Yoruichi asked frowning "where is he then?" she was holding the wooden box on his hands as if her life depended on it.

"He mentioned how he had to check something inside his studio before saying goodbye," Stella said "he'll be with you after that."

Yoruichi cursed inwardly. He would definitely noticed the bird's disappearance, she couldn't allow it.

"Hell no!" Yoruichi gasped "shouldn't guests be a priority around here?!"

Lucy and Stella frowned confused as Yoruichi ran at high speed looking for Byakuya.

"Do you think she's still drunk?" Lucy questioned.

"Who knows?" Stella shrugged "but I wish she could come by more often," she smirked at Lucy "seeing Akie pissed off added years to my lifespan."

Lucy laughed.

"Indeed!"

Byakuya knew Yoruichi was about to reach him so he stopped walking. He could hear her running towards him and he fought the urge to roll his eyes, he was just about to open his studio door but, apparently, his morning duties would have to wait. Hopefully the bird wouldn't get too hungry if he were to take a while before giving it breakfast, what did birds anyway?

"Shouldn't you tend to your guests before locking yourself in your office?" Yoruichi asked the moment she was behind Byakuya.

The Kuchiki lord clenched his fists and turned around. Whatever snarky remark he had planned was out of the window the moment he noticed something peculiar with Yoruichi, she was carrying something with her.

"What's in the box?" Byakuya asked, why was she taking his property with her? She didn't look drunk to him, what was her deal?

"Breakfast, and a change of clothes" Yoruichi answered as carelessly as she could "for my long trip back home."

"Reaching your province takes a few minutes with speed like yours," Byakuya scoffed "and you're taking breakfast with you? Are the Shihouins in need of financial aid?"

Yoruichi snorted slightly offended.

"If my clan ever needs financial aid trust me I wouldn't run to you for help" she answered in a low dangerous tone.

Byakuya, who was not the most amicable person in the mornings, glared at her.

"What the hell do you want?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" Yoruichi frowned confused "I came to say goodbye and…"

"No," Byakuya hissed "answer my question first, why are you here? We have an enormous problem on our hands," he looked pointedly at Yoruichi "and you are not acknowledging"

Yoruichi paled a little.

"Didn't you come here so we could discuss my father's ridiculous orders?! Because I am not looking forward to-!"

"Shut up," Yoruichi breathed out "please."

Byakuya's eyes widened. Yoruichi looked worried sick, was she so damn upset that she didn't want to be reminded of their current predicament? But, it didn't make sense. Why did she visit then? Just to annoy him?

What was she playing at?

"Byakuya-boo, listen" Yoruichi gulped "I… I know that we have to work this out, one way or another, but not today…" she paused "please."

Yoruichi noticed Byakuya's confusion, but she couldn't care less. If Byakuya kept talking Hisana, who was inside the wooden box in her bird form, would hear everything. Yoruichi was determined to hide this problem from her, she didn't need to know.

"Didn't you come to talk about it?" Byakuya asked.

Not really Yoruichi thought. It didn't matter anymore, Hisana was with her so she didn't need Byakuya's help to search anymore, now she just needed to take her to the Shihouin estate and then she could worry about Kuchiki Soujun's orders.

"I did," Yoruichi lied "but not anymore."

Byakuya, who was extremely fed up with the interchange, decided that Yoruichi was still drunk and that there was no use in talking to her.

At this rate they were going to end up having a fight in the middle of his house, and he wanted to avoid that.

"Come," Byakuya instructed rudely as he started to walk away from his studio "I'll see you out."

Yoruichi nodded.

They were running out of time.

"Take care, Byakuya-boo" Yoruichi smiled "I'll see you around."

Byakuya simply nodded. He decided to ignore Yoruichi's uneasy smile, the way she was holding the wooden box as if her life depended on it, and the fact that Lucy and Stella were holding their laughs while watching the, obviously hungover, Shihouin heiress.

"The next time,' Byakuya threatened "you better bring a solution to this."

Yoruichi simply nodded and, once Byakuya lifted the barrier, she left running.

Yoruichi heard Hisana making a ruckus inside the box but she refused to stop. She needed to make it to her province before Byakuya stepped into his studio, what was he going to do once he noticed the bird was gone?!

"Yoruichi!" Hisana screeched "stop!"

Yoruichi came to a halt and took a deep breath. She placed the box on the floor and carefully opened it, they weren't on safe grounds yet but she had to admit that Hisana couldn't travel the whole way inside the box.

She only hoped that Byakuya wouldn't run after them any time soon.

After Hisana transformed and dressed up they both took deep breaths. They were in the woods area inside the Kuchiki province, but Yoruichi allowed Hisana to take a moment.

"Better?" Yoruichi asked.

Hisana nodded.

"Sorry, I was suffocating" she explained and then looked around them "I don't think anyone's following us, can we take it slow?"

Yoruichi didn't want to, but she could tell that Hisana was already reaching her limit.

"We really shouldn't…" she tried to reason but she stopped the moment she heard someone near them.

Yoruichi reacted and with a swift movement she grabbed Hisana's arm. She pinned against a tree and tried to cover their reiatsus as much as she could.

Hisana kept quiet and tense and, in the distance, she heard two men talking.

"Are you sure about this? The Kuchiki estate?!" one man asked.

"The others are about to arrive there," another man said "we know how to break that annoying barrier."

Both girls stood there, hidden and quiet, and once the men were gone Yoruichi let go of Hisana.

"We have to inform Lord Byakuya!" Hisana gasped.

Yoruichi frowned.

"Are you out of your mind?!" she asked aghast "Byakuya-boo is one of the strongest shinigamis alive," she pointed out and then pointed to the opposite side "keep moving, he'll be okay."

"But," Hisana insisted worriedly "the servants are not ready, if they attack and Byakuya-sama is not informed..." she stopped talking.

Hisana didn't want to imagine. She had been there less than five days, but she was not an idiot, she could picture the lively maids, the security team devoted to the young lord, and the young lord himself completely unaware of what was coming to them...

"I have to tell him," Hisana gasped "we have to warn them!"

Yoruichi groaned.

This was not going to end well.

Byakuya stood in the middle of his studio enraged and with his reiatsu flaring.

The cage was empty.

Everything, everything, made sense immediately. Yoruichi's weird behavior, which started right after she saw the bird, the fact that she didn't let him reach his studio and the fact that in the end she ran away as if her life depended on it.

The bird was what Yoruichi was looking for and she had tricked him.

Byakuya glared at the empty cage as he clenched his fists.

It didn't matter if it was a woman, or an animal, he was going to get it back and caged it for eternity. He placed his hand on the hilt of his sword determined to follow after Yoruichi, but his plans were ruined the moment he heard an explosion and then Robert's scream:

"Intruders! The barrier has been broken! Inform Lord Byakuya and prepare to fight!"

Byakuya smirked.

At least he would get to kill something today.

Hisana was on Yoruichi's back as the Shihouin heiress ran as fast as she could. She didn't know how to explain that she was worried sick about Kuchiki Byakuya's home, it had been three days, but… wasn't it normal? Anyone would grieve after seeing such a wonderful place destroyed.

Hisana decided not to ponder on her thoughts too much.

By the time they reached the Kuchiki estate the fight was already taking place. Kuchiki Byakuya was at the center of his front garden, the man called "Robert" was at his right yelling orders to the other soldiers and, judging by how Kuchiki Byakuya's sword was already covered in blood, Hisana guessed that two of the dead bodies were from the intruders.

But it wasn't enough.

Whatever the intruders had used to break the barrier was enough to send the whole place into chaos, and Byakuya seemed unaware of the fact that one man was aiming right at him.

Hisana didn't hesitate and, without a warning, she transformed into a bird and jumped from Yoruichi's back.

Yoruichi gaped but was unable to stop her friend.

Byakuya knew that he needed at least one of the intruders alive. He wanted answers, he wanted to know what they were looking for and how did they manage to break the barrier.

He was taken by surprise so the battle was not fair, but he knew better than to expect fairness when it came to intruders. He heard a man yelling and when he turned around he was pointing with whatever he had thrown to the barrier at him.

It was then when it happened.

The attack came straight towards Byakuya, and he realized he wasn't going to be able to block it, so he raised his sword out of instinct but before he could try anything a bird, the same bird he thought was stolen by Yoruichi, flew in the middle of the battlefield.

Byakuya's eyes widened for a second.

It all happened really fast, but Byakuya felt as if he saw everything in slow motion. The bird got between Byakuya and the upcoming attack, then a white light enveloped it and, to add another reason for Byakuya's shock, the attack got deflected by whatever the bird was doing.

"What-?!" Byakuya muttered but he couldn't keep talking.

Once the light dissipated Byakuya noticed how the bird transformed and in seconds, it was not a bird in front of Byakuya, it was a woman. A gorgeous, naked, woman with striking blue eyes and black hair.

The woman that he found in the river was right in front of him.

"You're okay," she breathed out as her eyes landed on Byakuya "I'm so glad, my lord."

Byakuya tried to ignore how his heart skipped a beat because of her words.

"Who are you?" Byakuya asked, he didn't want to let his eyes wander on her body but it was almost impossible, she was stunning.

She was unable to speak because she passed out.

Byakuya moved before even thinking and caught her before she could touch the ground. He took off his cloak and wrapped it around her, he didn't want any of the guards watching her body, and once he made sure she was covered he looked in front of him once more.

Byakuya smirked when he realized how the bird's distraction was enough to give the upper hand to his guards, the Kuchiki estate was safe and there were no casualties.

The intruder had been apprehended.

"Take him to the dungeons!" Byakuya ordered firmly "keep him alive until I get to interrogate him."

The guards nodded as they took the unconscious man away.

He looked once more at the woman on his arms and noticed how she was even more beautiful up close.

"What do I do with you?" he whispered mostly to himself.

Outside from the Kuchiki estate, and without Byakuya noticing, Yoruichi observed worriedly how the Kuchiki heir carried Hisana inside his home.

Helping her seemed impossible now.

It's been a while, right? Let me know what you think about this chapter, it's a long one but hopefully you liked it.

Kisses.