Disclaimer: rallybabe89 does not own Bleach or any characters.
A/N: This is a rewrite. Because this was my first fanfiction, I needed to go back and check for mistakes.
If you've read this before then let me just tell you there's no big change, just my writing style.
For now the story will be the same but I might add a few details so that I can get along with my story.
The first day of spring brings multiple things to Soul Society. Along with the blooming Cherry Blossoms, spring brings the Kuchiki family busy days and nights preparing for their annual Spring Nobel Ball.
Once every year at the beginning of spring, the Kuchiki clan holds a ball inviting the other four noble families. For Soul Society, the ball means a chance to celebrate and enjoy. For the nobles, it means a chance to introduce the new generation of nobles to be wed.
The Kuchiki household was bustling with activity this morning. Judging by the list there was a lot to do. From gathering the proper furniture, ordering the catering and picking out the decorations, everything was to be handled by a clan member. This year though everything was going to even more extraordinary then before. Of course the ball was not mandatory but that didn't mean that people would not come. This year there would be even more members attending than ever before. More members meant more rietsu which meant that more security would be needed to protect them. Whatever the case was the Kuchiki clan needed to be prepared to host the biggest bash of the year.
Outside a young raven haired Shinigami ran through the estate, " Excuse me have you seen Nii-sama?"
"Rukia-chan, you of all people should know that Kuchiki-sama spends the first day of Spring under his favorite cherry blossom tree," replied one elder.
Byakuya Kuchiki's adopted sister bowed to the elder then ran off to her brother's garden.
xXx
Far off in his garden sat a handsome man wearing a stoic expression on his face with his eyes glassy with memories. His usual Shinigami uniform was wrapped around him while his zanpaktou had taken a place at his side.
Closing his eyes he heard his zanpaktou's spirit addressing him.
" We come here every year and relive the memories Hisana left us, but Byakuya we both know that she had requested two things on her deathbed, one of which we have already fulfilled. Shouldn't we be working on her second request?" asked Senbonzakura.
"Senbonzakura, I know I made Hisana two promises that day but you and I both know it'll be impossible for me to fulfill the second wish. Hisana knew I would never be able to fulfill it. There's no way I can or even want to." Byakuya told his Zanpaktou.
Byakuya was lost in his silent conversation with Senbonzakura that he hadn't realized how long he had been sitting underneath the pink covered tree. Sensing his adopted sister's rietsu approach him, he once again sat up and regained his cold standard pose.
As he stood up to meet his sister, Rukia initiated the conversation.
"Nii-sama", said Rukia, "the elders are holding a meeting in an hour's time and sent me down here to find you. They would like to discuss something important with you."
"Arigato Rukia-chan, I will go down and meet them right now." Said Rukia's older brother without any emotion in his voice.
After the incident with Aizen, the two siblings were closer. Byakuya had realized that his Hisana would not want him to be so cold toward her sister. Although he wasn't as expressive as he could be, Byakuya had made an improvement. He was less cold towards her and she was able to hold a conversation with him without the fear of his hatred.
"Nii-sama, are youalright?" Rukia asked knowing how sad this day was for her brother.
"Yes, Rukia-chan I am fine. I shall meet you at the family lunch after I am done with my meeting with the elders," said Byakuya. With that said, they parted ways. Rukia ran out to help some of the planners, where as Byakuya silently walked to where the elders would hold the meeting.
"I wonder what they want to discuss now. We had spent nearly the past three weeks preparing for this ball. Certainly it must be important if they need to talk to me three days before the ball," thought Byakuya to himself.
"What do you mean you enlisted us to help you?," screamed two young men in unison.
One of the young men was incredibly noticeable with spiky orange hair and eyes that invoked the desire to stare deeply and gave proof that he was a sweet and soft soul, while the other was a rough heavily tattooed redhead with a scorn now plastered onto his face with equal innocence and goodness about him.
"Rukia, you know neither of us are nobles. We can't really attend the ball. How the hell are we supposed to be there?" asked the redhead man named Renji.
"WellRenji apparently you didn't listen to me when I explained the job. Shall I pull out my sketch pad and draw it out for you?" Rukia stated.
"No don't draw. It'll only make me more stupid if you draw," exclaimed Ichigo, the young man with the orange hair.
"Yo dumbass I happen to like those drawings. Rukia, they are very helpful," said Renji to his girlfriend while smacking Ichigo on the back of his head. Ichigo dreaded the idea of having Rukia sketch an explanation. She maybe a talented Shinigami but she was an awful artist. Her drawings normally consisted of bunnies and other animals.
Rukia had just told the two teens as well as Renji that they were required to attend and help during the Spring Ball.
"I really don't care whether or not you guys want to do this. Remember I am not asking you as your friend, I am ordering you as a member of the Kuchiki clan. You both must show up along with the rest of the Shinigami to help protect the members of the four clans. From now on you must listen to every word I say," screamed Rukia, making it known that they had no option in helping her.
She now turned to face Renji and asked "Renji I was wondering if you would come shopping with me to help me pick out outfits for the ball. I know you won't be able to attend it side by side with me until we talk to Nii-sama but I would still like for your help."
Ichigo smirked to himself and thought, "Wow she's really nice around him. I guess they really do make each other better. I wish I had the guts to ask Inoue out. I haven't even spoken to her in the past two weeks that I have been here."
Ichigo had returned to Soul Society two weeks ago when Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryursai taicho ordered him to reside in Soul Society while the Spring Noble Ball was occurring. After defeating Aizen, the real world seemed very boring. The Shinigami who came as exchange students or new classmates now left the school, erasing the memories of those they had became friends with.
As for Ichigo and his friends; Orihime Inoue, Yasutora Sado (Chad) and Uryuu Ishida, they had all gotten used to the fact Ichigo was going to keep bouncing back and forth from the real world to Soul Society.
"A lot has happened to me and my friends, but one thing is for sure," he thought, "we will always be together no matter what."
"Hey Ichigo, where the hell are you lost? You thinking about Orihime? Snap back to life, Rukia and I are heading out. We'll meet you at the planning meeting in half an hour," said Renji while nearly beating Ichigo out of his thoughts.
Byakuya waited in the meeting room for the clan elders to begin the meeting. He noticed that the Commander-General was there as well. Whatever they wanted to discuss had to be big, especially if Yamamoto taicho was also present.
Byakuya was nervous but as usual he held his calm countenance. Some would say that he was incapable of feeling but that was not true. He did feel but chose not to express his feelings.
Soul Society also knew that he was willing to do anything to keep order and follow laws, even if it meant not following his heart. This was true looking at past events and noting that he had fought hard to follow the order and had even tried to murder his own sister, Rukia. He had been wild and would have allowed his sister to die if it hadn't been for Ichigo and Renji fighting hard to save her. He didn't want her to suffer but he was confused at that time between following his heart and following the law. It went without saying that Ichigo taught Byakuya that he should have fought hard to change laws such as those. Byakuya took this to heart, letting his sister and Renji escape his sight and head on to Hueco Mundo.
Waiting for the meeting to begin, Byakuya was getting more nervous by the minute but as usual failed to show it.
Byakuya was definitely a different man since Hisana's death. His face was always void of affection and his posture was always cold and never comforting. But those who knew him before Hisana's departure were the ones who knew the true Byakuya. The man who would battle with his friends ruthlessly until he finally won, the man who would train hard day and night to become of some value in his clans eyes. After his parent's death, Byakuya was trained by his grandfather to become the leader of the Kuchiki Clan. Now Byakuya wondered whether he was summoned here to this meeting because he failed at performing his duties or if it was something else.
As the elders approached their seats at the front of the room, Byakuya could see Yamamoto-taicho also being present. Surely this had to be very important if the elders had asked the captain of the first squad to come down to talk to Byakuya.
As the tension in the room thickened Byakuya still had that calm composure on his face. Everyone in Seireitei knew that Byakuya was always calm, or at least looked calm. They also knew that he was willing to do anything to keep order and follow laws, even if it meant not following his heart. This was true looking at past events and noting that he had fought hard to follow the order that had even tried to murder his own sister, Rukia. He had been wild and would have allowed his sister to die if it hadn't been for Ichigo and Renji fighting hard to save her.
As he sat there Byakuya's mind thought very little and waited for his meeting with the Elders to begin.