Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ Redemption ❯ The Fight ( Chapter 2 )

The night air was electrifying; it made his skin tingle and every cell in his body sizzle with life. It was warm with a cool breeze most likely the last of the season before the harsh winter set in, not that it would hinder his late night walks but it was weather like this that he preferred over all else. He rounded a corner that opened to a cherry tree orchard when he froze; standing in the middle of the rows of trees was Lady Kikyo.

As if sensing him she turned her head to look at him and he noted a look of sadness in her dark eyes before she smiled and it vanished. "Evening Kuchiki-sama." She greeted coldly, "I did not expect any one out at this hour other than the guards…least of all a nobleman." He walked into the small clearing and seemed to be assessing her words before venturing a response.

"Kuchiki-sama?" He finally inquired after a comfortable silence.

"Is that not your name and rank, captain?" There was quite a bit of venom in her words as if merely speaking to him on any subject disgusted her. When had he become so appalling to her over the last few weeks? Just when he had thought he had her all figured out, she'd suddenly change the playing field.

"You are correct on all counts, your ladyship." He replied more callously than she had asked.

"What brings you out at this hour Kuchiki-sama? Nothing serious I hope."

"No, I was just enjoying what most likely will be the last descent night of the season." He looked away from her finally to look up at the brilliant full moon.

"For once my lord we are of like minds." He turned back to her forcing her to look away, the man was as unreadable as a blank paged book, and yet there was something so intense about him, like raw, uninhibited power was hiding underneath his regal manner. They stood in silence for a moment before she spoke again. "If your lordship will excuse me, I wish to retire for the evening." She took a few steps, turned, bowed slightly, and then began walking his path. Byakuya hesitated for a moment and then turned; he had taken a few steps forward and opened his mouth to address her when she cut him off, "don't my lord."

He froze as she continued on her way, "goodnight your ladyship."

"Goodnight Byakuya-sama." She stopped and squeezed her eyes shut, cursing under her breath before continuing on as she felt his intense stare drilling into her backside.

The nobleman stood more still than the surrounding cherry trees until the gentle breeze turned to a harsh wind and whipped his dark hair against his broad shoulders. It was a chilling, unrelenting gust of musky air, which beat at his back, "such an ominous wind."

Kikyo stopped as the sharp wind bit at her soft skin and turned to look back at the empty pathway. A near by torch was snuffed and the roadway fell instantly dark, her only light coming from the rounded, glowing moon overhead. She felt a presence behind her and whirled on it bringing cold steel to stop at its jugular. Her death stare lightened as she recognized Renji standing terrified in front of her. "Cappp-taiinn?"

She looked at his eyes and followed them as she became aware of the superpower standing behind her. Does he feel it too? "Byakuya?"

"My lady, please remove your blade from my lieutenant's throat before his trembling body slices off his own head." Kikyo lowered it slowly, her sleeve falling half way down over it. In one spilt second Renji looked from the sword to the woman and then back again only to find it missing. His eyes grew large and he stumbled back from her. "Renji get a hold of yourself, you act as if you've never seen a woman with a sword before." He paused, "Plus I'd be greatly surprised to hear she is the first to threaten your neck." She watched as the young man switched from fear and confusion to anger and annoyance. Had that been the purpose of Byakuya's comments? To make the boy focus? She looked back at him but the man was unreadable as usual.

"What sword captain?" Renji asked smugly. The lord's eyes moved from her face down her body to her hands. He was right; a katana was not present anymore. Where had she stashed it? He studied her figure but found she merely wore a tight silk formal kimono, with a silk shawl over it. There didn't seem to be any place to hide a katana and the blade he had seen was that of a katana, he was certain of that.

The wind whipped viciously through the passageway, it beat so hard it tipped Kikyo forward, and she reached out to grip anything. She found herself in the underling's arms. "Thank you." She smiled up at him but then hide her face in his to avoid the screaming air. He wrapped his arms protectively around her smaller body and looked to his captain. He stiffened causing her to peek over as well. Byakuya had drawn Senbonzakura and looked rather annoyed. "Draw your sword boy." He looked at her and then scowled as he realized her words.

"Boy?"

She pushed off him and dropped her wrap; it freed her movements only a little so she still wobbled from the tightness of the kimono. "Draw your sword!" She barked, "Can you not hear it? The wind is whistling, it's singing a song to us." He furrowed his brow in complete puzzlement and looked at her as if she was crazy.

"A song?"

"Of death."

Suddenly he was knocked to the ground and his upper arm sliced open. "Damn it!" He growled as searing hot pain surged throughout half his torso and down the arm.

"You are useless!" The Lady snarled as he heard tearing cloth and the ting of steel on steel. The clink of steel echoed throughout the area and then he realized it wasn't echoes but multiple strikes and multiple blades. Renji sat up looking directly at his captain and then over at the 'noblewoman'. Her sword was back; she was holding it with both hands, the blade diagonal across her body in a block stance. Was the wind attacking them with blades? They were thrown about a few more times before his captain released his zanpakuto but senbonzakura had little effect. It could only defend by encircling them in a large pink ball.

Just when Renji thought there was no hope left, he felt the area heat to an extreme temperature causing him to look at his captain, but Byakuya was looking at the 'Lady'. "Alright boys, when the enemy's an elemental what's the best way of defeating them?" She tore the sleeves from her kimono letting them fall to the ground.

Renji hesitated to think before answering. "Reflect it back?"

"If you can manage it," she twirled her katana in her hand, "Byakuya care to help him out?" Holding the weapon out in front of herself, she called out its release.

"A zanpakuto?" She looked back at the redhead; he looked like an awe struck boy. However, Byakuya seemed rather familiar with the weapon. How odd. She thought there were only two men in Seireitei that had seen her zanpakuto.

"Renji the best way to defeat one elemental is with another." The young one's eyes widened further as he watched her sword, a blue aura engulfed it and the temperature rose to lung scorching levels.

"Byakuya, let me out and guard yourselves well…from me." He did as she said and they watched as his little blades turned from pink to orange as the heat soared. There was a high-pitched scream and then suddenly everything went silent. The brutal wind was instantly reduced back to the soft cool breeze, which began to cool senbonzakura's blades, turning them pink once again. He sheathed the weapon and they began assessing the damage as the smoke cleared.

"Captain, there are no fires, can she only control heat?"

He almost looked annoyed as he answered his lieutenant. "Is heat an element?" Renji looked puzzled when he answered no. "Then I guess her element is fire and she controls it even better than Commander Yamamoto."

"I would hope I would or else I gained my ranks some bizarre way." Her voice came out through the white smoke calmly and cheerfully.

"This is what he meant. You aren't merely a lady of the king's court." Renji's eyes clearly screamed 'what?' as they came into focus on her. For once Byakuya expressed an emotion on his face, he was surprised just like his lieutenant.

"Close your mouths gentleman." She said with a slight laugh. Her beautiful silk kimono, which had been white with cobalt blue butterflies, was now ruined beyond repair and half her hair had fallen, draping down her slender back. She must have looked like a beggar and they were just staring at her. She sighed and looked away, her zanpakuto dissolving into the night air before she did too at the sound of approaching people.

"Flash Step?" Renji asked without even blinking, he just stared frozen in place.

"A very advanced Flash Step."

"Where does she keep her zanpakuto? It seems to just appear and disappear at random." Byakuya didn't respond; he used flash step himself to leave the area almost just as quickly. "Oh great," the tattooed man complained, "don't worry," he said to no one, "I'll handle the million questions and reports and clean up and most likely the investigation." He snapped sarcastically, "after all, what else am I for?" He growled and then sighed as the guards appeared. "Hello." He greeted bitterly.

Byakuya stopped outside the first unit's barracks and debated about whether or not to enter. "Your lordship." He turned quickly to find her behind him; the scent of plum blossoms filled the air between them. She was dressed in a silk, dark purple kimono with white plum blossoms decorating it; her hair was smooth and hanging loosely down her back to about the bottom of her shoulder blades.

"Do you always sneak up on people Kikyo-sama?" She was shocked to find a twinge of gentleness in his tone now.

"Did I really sneak up on you my lord?" She smiled lightly. He said nothing at first, seemingly to debate whether he should and then what to say. Predictably, he chose not to own up to the fact that she had indeed surprised him.

"Just what is your rank?"

She arched an eyebrow. "Lady of his majesty's court." She cocked her head to the side with a smug smile, "But that's not what you meant now is it?"

"One tends to wonder just what a woman of inferior birth is doing with a noblewoman's title and in such good graces with the king with no husband at her side."

For once Kikyo did something she hadn't done for over fifty years, she saw red and slapped him hard across the face. "Perhaps it escaped your attention that I maybe widowed!" He didn't have to look to know she was gone; he had clearly upset her with his insinuation and completely dishonored himself if what she said were true. How was it he had made such a terrible mistake, usually his deductions were more thorough. He had snooped around Central and held insightful conversations with the heads of the other noble families trying to find some knowledge of her but he had very little. What made him speak so early?

He drifted around the compound, wondering how he had missed an obvious theory, errors were unacceptable to him, a few minutes in her presence, and he became an emotional wreck. After Hisana, he had closed himself off from his feelings; they had brought nothing but trouble to him and his noble family. He stumbled into the nearest wall as an explosion rocked the area and braced himself by placing a hand against it. Just when he thought it safe, another happened but this time it was accompanied with a high-pitched scream that was clearly not female. A cloud of dust rushed over him and he covered his face with his sleeve.

"Byakuya what's going on?" He heard as the smoke cleared. The man looked up to find the very woman that had been plaguing his mind. Before he could respond, another explosion rattled the area and another scream pierced the air as an orange haired young man ran past them. Flash Step? She covered her face with her sleeve as a dust cloud followed him. In it, she saw an enormous man with bells in his hair, a large heavily damaged sword in hand and…a girl on his back. When it cleared, she lowered her arm, looked after them, and watched as they left many more explosions in their wake. She hopped down silently and looked at him. "Was that a captain? And what was that attached to him?"

"Yes, Zaraki of the eleventh squad and his lieutenant." She arched an eyebrow.

"And the extremely powerful kid with the giant meat cleaver?" He couldn't begin to mask his shock this time but recovered rather quickly in spite of it when he saw the sparkle in her eyes.

"Kurosaki Ichigo. He's ─"

"Special." She finished for him and began walking after them. His eyes narrowed and raked over her, stopping at her bare feet. "Goodbye Byakuya." She said in a dazed state and then disappeared leaving him to his thoughts once again. However, it was interrupted for a moment when two elevens ran past him, one bald and the other…he preferred not to think about it.