The Winter Breeze's Tale

A Hisana and Byakuya pairing Bleach fanfiction

Second Dance – White Ripple: Death and Birth of the Cherry Blossoms

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"A brave heart is not usually found in a fighter's medallions; it is found only in those special souls guided by the North Star that travels through the emptiness of the night. Its hidden and treasured by those enlightened, whose eyes reflect no gold and fame but of protecting their love ones, even it means risking everything, even their life."

I really loved listening to my grandfather's version of literature. His deep blue eyes that fainted like a shooting star when he smiled at me were my only portal into a world full of life, fantasy, dream and understanding. His voice as clear as the water springs that glistened every time the sun lends his invisible rays to the land was my only testimony that beyond this dead world was a place blessed of lively souls, unbreakable bonds and sincere relationships.

And his words, full of colors, images and emotions that lingered beyond the ordinary sense were my first alphabet and wisdom.

He liked telling stories about the mysteries of the world, the inevitable wars, award-winning anecdotes and words of dignity. He also liked singing songs of praise, rhythms composed by comedian hosts and lullabies that I always request him to sing after a day full of sword practices, etiquette lectures and soul burial ceremonies. Among his funny literature, I paid more attention to his tales about heroes and men-of-war. Every time he tells me one, he never forgot reminding me of the principle and secret behind a brave heart.

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I was from a very known noble clan, who had resided as the Soul Society's Keeper of records. In our kin, I was the youngest. I had a brother and a sister, but time was too cruel that my brother died early because of an impossible mission. In effect of that, my sister proved herself to become stronger to become the next head of the clan.

As a child I like listening to my grandpa's stories, eating spicy foods, sneaking out of the mansion and having night walks; and playing tag with the Shuouin clan's only heir Yuroichi. One day, while we were playing flash steps, I saw my sister practicing her zanpaktou.

She usually practiced her shikai and bankai, every morning, after the sun had beaten the dark intentions of the moon, in her side of the manor. Though, I already knew she did practice everyday, it was this chance I have witnessed her rituals.

Holding the sword on the level of her stomach, she closed her eyes to concentrate. She stood for a very long time, as if she was waiting for someone, until she moved so swiftly that I did not notice where the sakura flowers came from. She moved so fast that I only saw a slash in the light and recognized a shape that was invisible during the day but powerful during midnights. I was really amazed to see such elegant bankai. And that was the reason; I had started learning zanpaktous at a very young age. Instead of playing with Yuroichi, I secretly practice my sword at my own side of the mansion.

"Hayaahh!" Then I slipped.

The sword was still too heavy for me. I took another swing and again I slipped. It was really difficult holding the sword, but I did not mind the pain, I practiced, practiced and practiced, until I was able to familiarize myself with my own zanpaktou. After two months of practice, at least I could take a perfect swing. Despite that, it was not easy for me to hide away all the bruises I had earned from all the practices.

"Byakuya-chan" I was surprised to see my sister Sakura.

"So this is what you're doing, eh? Why so hurry to learn zanpaktou?"

I stayed on my place, until she raised an ointment with her right hand and waved the other telling me to come to her.

"Oh! Not that one, nee-chan!" I said while she cleaned the wounds and bruises on my skin.

"I thought you're brave? It's just Mr. Ointment you're battling with." She teased me in a very soothing voice, while chuckling in laughter.

Sakura nee-chan then finished putting the cream all over my skin. She placed away the ointment and seated beside me, looking at the sky filled with clear colors of blue.

"The moon is still there in the sky even though the sun has beaten him." I was startled with her words as I look at the clear heaven looking for the invisible moon. She looked at me and then smiled.

"Byaluya-chan, I will share you my secret, just promise me not to tell anyone?" I nodded.

She snatched something from her pocket near her heart and showed it to me with her fist tightly closed. I couldn't see what she got, until she opened her hand and once again smiled.

"Byakuya, this is my little secret. I have my sakuras with me everyday." I was again startled. I only stared her with my curious face and begun to speak up some clarifications.

"Is that where you hide your bankai nee-chan?" I asked her confused, as my left eyebrow rose up to the skies galore, but she only laughed at me.

"No no no Byakuya-chan. These three sakura flowers are not my bankai. But these are my greatest weapon and my secret technique." I then wandered with much bigger eyes.

"These are my inspiration and ambition, Byakuya-chan. And these sakura flowers signify my heart's desire."

"These sakuras symbolize mama, papa and of course you, Byakuya-chan. And its my heart's desire to protect you…" She looked up the sky with such beautiful face and glittering eyes; looked back at me then to the sakura flowers on her hands.

"I will protect everyone Byakuya-chan. I will do anything just to protect you."

I was really surprised to hear her spill words. I felt inspired and enlightened with her words that seemed deep, grandiose, but understandable and heart melting. I then broke the silence.

"I will protect them too nee-chan!" I squeaked loudly.

"I promise to train harder and be a better swordsman to become strong and protect them too! …to protect mama, papa and of course nee-chan; and grandpa too!"

My sister's serious face loosened down and released a sweet smile. She patted me on my head and said,

"I'll wait for that day Byakuya-chan! For that day that it will be your turn to protect everyone."

-0-0-0-

After the day break, Sakura nee-chan went home bleeding. I saw the blood stain on the floor, as I followed her to the meeting room.

"I am sorry oyaji, we failed our mission. A group of hollows ambushed us on our way to the north and many of my men were killed." They went mute after that. As I look every part of my sister's body stained with red paint of blood, my knees were shaking unconsciously.

They discussed about Sakura-neechan's mission. Father was considering canceling the mission, for it was the same mission, my brother died. Sakura-neechan kept on insisting that she wanted to finish the mission. She would like to bring honor to her brother's death and to live up the clan's pride in the whole Soul Society. After that I was not able to follow their conversation and what I had only seen was an approval of my father and a revenging smile from my sister.

The next day, nee-chan was being assisted by the helpers. A troop of new shinigamis was tasked to go with her and finish the said mission. I knew she'll be going out again. And as the helpers were busy preparing the stuff they'd need for the journey, I stuffed myself in one of the empty barrels. After entering the container, I didn't have any more information as to what was happening outside. I just felt the barrel being lifted to one of the horses and started bouncing as the stallion begun to move towards the journey.

After a long hour, I decided to make a noise. The march was being suspended and observed where the noise came from. I again made another, until they carried the barrel down and were all surprised to see me, especially nee-chan.

"Byakuya-chan, what are you doing here?" Who placed you in that barrel?" She furiously asked me with her astonished expression on her face. I then explained to her that I wanted to go with her and protect her. She suddenly snatched away my zanpaktou and summoned some shinigamis.

"Kurogane, go back to Seretei with my sibling. This mission is not his playground to mess with." She ordered her men in a very serious tone, with her eyes flashing like the dark skies at night with only the moon as the light.

"But nee-chan, I wanted to go with you! I wanted to protect you!" I cried as loud as I could with both of my hands grasping so tightly.

"No Byakuya!" She glared at me with no signs of sweet emotions on her face. It was as if she was not the Sakura nee-chan I knew.

I could not butt in anymore, as Sakura nee-chan was really serious and angry. The guy named Kurogane carried me on his horse and bade his respect to my sister. The horse moved immediately but a group of hollows showed up and everyone was surprised.

"Byakuya!!!"

My sister called my name and went immediately to get me. She snatched me away from the horse and an unplanned war started to begun. My sister carried me on her arms. She left me in a place far from the battlefield and instructed me to run south until I reach a tunnel.

"Hide there and don't come out until I get you! Understood?" her words were as fast as the flash steps Yuroichi and I were doing, every time we play tag.

"But nee-chan…"

"No but Byakuya! This is a battlefield not a playground!"

I did not have any choice, my feet started to carry me towards south and tear drops flowed down from my eyes and caressed my soft white cheeks. I headed south as I was told but my body suddenly became heavier that I need to stop.

"But… I promised to protect you nee-chan… I promised you that!"

I hastily turned around and sprinted on the direction where I left her. As I was running towards the main warfield, a hollow spotted me and attacked me. I didn't have my zanpaktou, I just remembered. As I did not have any other way to fight the monster, I decided to run. It didn't even cross my mind to use flash steps, as I was too confused and afraid that the hollow would kill me. I ran and ran, until a dead end blocked my way. The hollow jumped and landed exactly in front of me. He roared and moved his teeth gleaming with blood near me. My body was shaking. The energy that I had before was all draining out of my body. My eyes were moving in a very odd way and my body was all soaked wet with sweat.

The hollow raised his hands. He then swayed them from the air to the direction where I stood frozen. I was looking straight at his big hands, when Sakura neechan came and saved me. She was bleeding. Her face that was as modest as the sleeping stars and her uniform that was as white as the lilies in the garden were full of blood stains and slash marks. She carried me away from the hollow and ran away as fast as her tired body could. She then looked at me.

"Are you alright Byakuya-chan?" Her stiff voice a while ago went back to the sweet sister I knew of. She smiled at me after asking, but I only nodded.

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The ruckus that had busted out in the battlefield was not obvious in the distance of the mountains. We reached a cave and Sakura neechan laid me down and leaned on the wall to rest. I examined the whole place and I noticed the water from the stalactites dropping to the water base on the floor. The water that dived from the hanging stones made the loudest noise in cave as it kissed the clear base on the ground. It released an echo on the water and produced ripples where I could see my reflection waving. I could not describe the terrified expression in my face.

"Byakuya-chan…" She spoke with a very weak spirit.

"Remember this. No matter how strong you will be, always stay your feet on the ground and that your true strength can only be found not here…" she said as she pointed her finger to my forehead.

"… but here…" she continued as she moved her hands from my forehand to my heart.

She had spoken those words while smiling faintly at me and then patted me at my head as she used to do at the mansion.

"Remember to follow your heart Byakuya… your heart's desire." I think I was able to decipher most of my sister's words that my heart suddenly recalled my grandfather's words.

Her words were like grandpa's… the secret of the brave heart.

I smiled at her and responded me again with her innocent smile. She opened her eyes and a tear dropped from down touching her beautiful face.

"Nee-chan…"

Sakura neechan reached my hands and handed me down the sakura flowers from her pocket. I was looking at her when she repeated her words once more and closed my hands with the remaining energy that she still had.

"Keep this Byakuya… my sakuras will guide you and your heart."

After keeping the sakura flowers in my pocket, I stood up to take some water from the water base so that I could clean Sakura neechan's wounds. But as I was getting the water from the ground, Sakura neechan moved behind me and covered me with her body from a very loud strike coming from someone… or maybe something.

The hollow found us! She used her zanpaktou and made a barrier of sakura flowers. She told me to run but I refused.

"Byakuya-chan, you need to live. You still have to protect mama and papa, Byakuya."

"You promised me to protect them!"

Tears fell down the ground like the drops of the water from the stalactites. I refused to leave her behind but she still insisted.

"Byakuya-chan, please go! Please leave now and find a safe place. I promise you, I will live."

After hearing those words, though there were doubts in my heart, I tried to move my feet and ran away from them. I ran deeper into the dark caves while looking at her when I saw how the hollow slashed her small body. My mind froze. My body then felt the ice that had made my mind stagnant. I couldn't move at all and unconsciously, I fell on my knees.

The hollow saw me. It jumped towards me and hit me with his big head. When I opened my eyes after being hit by that monster, I saw its figure in front of me preparing to take another strike. When it was going to hit me, Sakura slashed it from behind with her zanpaktou. It immediately died as its big mass break into small particles and vanished into thin air.

I ran immediately to my sister, who was now falling on the ground.

"Nee-chan! Nee-chan!!! Speak to me! Nee-chan, you promised me… nee-chan!"

I couldn't control my mouth. It was all dry, white and shaking and my worried heart reflected only words that I tried to gather. Sakura only smiled at me and touched my face. She made me promise for the last time that I must protect mama, papa, and everyone in Soul Society. She said it the last time and emphasized that I must always follow my heart's only desire. And even for the last time, she smiled at me.

"Byakuya…" She called my name for the last time.

I was still crying and there was flood all over my pale cheeks. I held her hands, until she closed her eyes and raised her other hand into the air. She raised it as high as she could until it quickly fell on the floor. My cries echoed in the deep caves as I call her name. The loud drops of water coming from the stalactites gave their way and bowed down to my grieves and repent. Only then when I realized that one of the three sakura flowers was on her hand and my heart felt the weight of the water falling from above. I realized that that one sakura flower on Sakura neechan's hand was me.

"Nee-chan… she protected me. I am the sakura she was holding tightly on her palms…"

"Even for the last time, she did protect me… she did have achieved her heart's desire… she did love me… nee-chan…."

I cried out loud as my tears fall down from my eyes. My tears dropped like the mountain waters from the stones. They sparkled and swiftly fall down without any fear of what might happen to them. They kissed the ground, as my emotions reflect in the water base, and echoed in endless circles.

-end-

Hikaru's Note:

-Gomenasai! I am very sorry for the very late update of my fanfic. I have lots of work to do in the office and I usually go home late.

-By the way, I have changed the title of my story for I have thought of more scenes and change of some writing styles. Also, please do bear with me, if you found some typos and wrong grammars there. I had this fanfic quick and I haven't edited it yet.

-And I thank you for reading this fanfic. I know the tone is too serious but I am trying my best to preserve the modesty of Byakuya's personality.

-Also, even though it was usually described in sites that Byakuya was a serene and apathetic person, I think he was also a romantic and naughty person, as he usually like playing tag with Yuroichi when he was young. So I have come up with this personality of his, and I hope it was still not Out-of-his Personality.

-Next Chapter: Second Dance – White Ripple: Tales Turned to Life

-Many thanks minna! -