As The Pendulum Swings

Disclaimer: *Sigh* Byakuya, why can't there be a 3D version of you that I can own?

Important Note: Hi guys, I don't know how many of you heard, but super-typhoon Ketsana recently devastated the Philippines followed by another super-typhoon. Along with many other people, I lost a lot in the flood, including all of the work I had already done on this chapter (haha). So, I'm sorry that this took a lot longer than usual to put up. In between having to find a job, starting that job and getting back on my feet, I just recently was able to start writing again.

To those still reading, thank you very much for waiting, it means a lot. Thank you to everyone for the response to chapter ten. I really appreciated it, as always, and I'm so sorry this took so long to put up. In any case, I hope you still enjoy this new update!

Song Recommendations: "Mad Surfer" by Kenichi Asai.

Chapter Eleven
"Tightrope"

The forests of the Rukongai were, for the most part, uncharted territory, scaring the majority of the people that decided to journey through them. The eerie nature of the area suited Aizen and his young companion, Ichimaru Gin, perfectly. With only a select few choosing to venture forth into the deepest parts of the forest, it was easy to find the test subjects Aizen needed for his experiments. The increasing appearances of hollows would be the first thing a missing man's family would blame.

Aizen's experiments had thus far been showing improvements. With that in mind, Gin couldn't help but wonder why it was that the older of the two seemed to be sporting less of a smile than he normally did. They took their usual route through the forests in silence with Gin trailing a few steps behind Aizen. Ichimaru Gin, truth be told, didn't care much about the feelings of any singular person, but the change in attitude was curious and he couldn't help but bring it up.

"Anything eatin' at your insides, Aizen-fukutaicho?" Gin piped up after he checked his surroundings for loitering civilians.

"Why do you ask?" Aizen asked in reply.

Gin nearly frowned. Hadn't anybody ever told Aizen that it was rude to answer a question with another question?

"No particular reason," Gin replied, "Other than curiosity."

"It appears that there is a little bit of a disturbance in my plans," Aizen answered Gin's initial query, "I have yet to decide if this issue is worth pursuing as it may...distract us from our original intention."

"Which one of the plans was thrown through a loop?"

Aizen kept his gaze on the path ahead of him, "Women seem to be a little more trouble than they're worth."

"Y'know, lieutenant," Gin chuckled, "I could'a told you that, but all the same, I don't exactly understand why you're even interested in the tenth division taicho."

There was a rustling in the foliage a few meters ahead of them. Gin took a step forward, waiting for Aizen to give him the signal which the fukutaicho did, nodding his head. The smile on Gin's face grew larger a second before he shot forward, drawing his zanpakuto. Gin's target fell with a thud before he could register what happened. Sheathing his weapon, Gin grabbed the wrist of a middle aged Rukongai resident and dragged him towards Aizen. The pathogen should take effect in little under five minutes.

"You should know by now, Gin, that a man has his needs," Aizen smiled, watching the man on the ground twitch as white matter dripped from his mouth. "However, in my time with Hisashi-taicho, I realized that she could very well become our trump card."

Gin squatted down next to the man he slaughtered only a few moments ago, using the hilt of his sword to poke at the body, impatient to see some sort of progress in their research, "She doesn't seem like much of a trump card to me."

"It's much easier to manipulate people when they're in a low emotional state," Aizen explained as a portion of the man's chest seemed to cave in, the same white matter in his mouth spewing from what was now a whole in his upper body. "Sources tell me that the popular Hisashi-taicho had a rather unstable past before her induction into the Gotei thirteen. With that in consideration and adding her current emotional state, her heart is in a state of unrest."

A gurgle sounded from their test subject's mouth and a moment later the body disintegrated. Gin sighed in disappointment and kicked at the clothes left on the ground, "If the lady's a basket case, what's the problem?"

"The confrontations I instigated between Hisashi-taicho and Kuchiki-fukutaicho seem to have backfired," Aizen said, taking note of the reaction this sample had to the hollow pathogen. "I didn't expect Kuchiki to still have feelings for the woman."

"Eh? Kuchiki Byakuya and Hisashi Kumiko? I didn't even think the Kuchiki kid had the capacity to carry a relationship," Gin laughed, straining his eyes to see if there were any more people in this district loitering around.

"Byakuya is a good actor," Aizen said.

"Bet he ain't as good as us."

"Not even close I'm afraid."

"So what are ya planning to do now?"

Aizen adjusted his glasses, pushing them further up the bridge of his nose and causing the moonlight to bounce off of the lenses. He grinned, "We'll have to find a way around Captain Hirako. He's been keeping a closer eye since my involvement with his former lieutenant."

"Tss, Captain Hirako's gonna cause us problems. Maybe you should just forget about Kumiko altogether."

"I disagree, Gin," Aizen informed his subordinate, "I enjoy playing with Hirako-taicho. He likes to pretend he doesn't care and it's amusing to see him panicked over the most trivial of things. Kumiko would make a nice addition to our cause as well if I can persuade her to see things my way."

"And if things don't go the way you want them to?"

"Well, at the very least, she'd make a rather interesting test subject."

There was a faint orange glow through the trees a short distance away. Moving towards the area silently, Gin peaked around a tree trunk and spotted a small group of Shinigami stationed at a small makeshift outpost. The group had most likely been sent there after the recent menos incident. A malicious, nearly blood thirsty, grin took its place on Gin's face once again.

"Jackpot," the boy said and a second later he was gone.

Aizen chucked at the enthusiasm of his young companion. He locked his hands in place behind his back. Regardless of the few minor setbacks, things were still going according to plan.

- - -

The thirteenth division training grounds seemed to be getting more and more popular in the recent weeks, Juushiro duly noted as he stepped out of the barracks upon hearing the sound of clashing swords. He requested a passing Shinigami to bring him his tea as he took his usual perch at the top of the dome, watching Kumiko and Shinji going through a round of exercises. Today was Kumiko's first day back training since Retsu gave her permission to begin physical exertion.

Kumiko's arm had healed nicely with rest. Of course, the rest was mostly attributed to the fact that she now had a lieutenant to keep tabs on things while she was resting. The taicho was enjoying the down time, getting some decent rest and relaxing to the best of her capabilities. It took her a while to let go of her control, not used to having someone to take care of everything. Shinji had expressed to her on many occasions that it wouldn't do her any good to constantly worry about Sajin and his adjustment to new responsibility.

"The kid's not going to learn anything with you hovering over him all the time," Shinji had said, "The only thing you'll accomplish doing is making him nervous."

Kumiko's flash steps had gotten a little sluggish; a fact easily noticed when she barely missed a violent swing that Shinji sent her way. She jumped backwards and scowled, realizing that Shinji was taking their little battle a bit too seriously. Not that he ever took it easy on her when they sparred, but there was an absence of humor that Shinji normally carried with him. Come to think of it, Shinji had been silent since they first saw each other at the grounds. From his perch, Juushiro too noticed the deviation from normal demeanour that Shinji was practicing at the moment.

"I know you think that I need to get my arm back in shape," Kumiko's voice hitched with each breath of air she took in, "But there's no need to try and cleave my body in half while you're at it."

Shinji responded with a kick that didn't connect. Neither of them had released their zanpakuto's shikai just yet which Kumiko was thankful for.

"Have you spoken to Aizen yet?" Shinji asked, pulling back momentarily.

The reason behind Shinji's strange behaviour dawned on Kumiko then, "No. Don't rush me."

"I didn't intend on doing so, but it's been nearly two weeks Kumiko. More than enough time, if you ask me. Are you scared or something?"

"Of course not," Kumiko retorted, unable to help the feeling that this spar was beginning to feel like a repeat of her fight with Byakuya.

As if on cue, Kumiko felt a familiar reiatsu appear accompanied by another entirely new presence come to stop next to Juushiro. Taking a swing at Shinji, she made use of the time that it took Shinji to dodge and took a peek at the top of the dome. She met Byakuya's cold stare and, through her peripheral vision, saw the short and petite frame of the woman that they discovered in the Rukongai Menos battle.

Juushiro took his attention away from the events below to acknowledge the new presence at his side. The taicho was surprised to find Byakuya in the company of a young frail and sickly looking woman who he had never met before. He bowed his head respectfully in greeting.

"Ohayo Byakuya-kun," Juushiro smiled, "How is Kuchiki-taicho doing?"

"There hasn't been very much change," Byakuya answered curtly, "I would appreciate your continued discretion on the matter."

As far as Byakuya knew, only a few captains had been informed of the condition of the sixth division taicho and he very much preferred that things be kept that way. The fukutaicho's answer worried Juushiro and the elder of the two men wondered briefly what kind of toll this was taking on the stoic clan successor. Deciding that it was best to keep Byakuya's mind off of the situation as much as possible, he made to change the topic of conversation but found that Byakuya had already taken the first step, concentrating on the two people fighting below.

"Her arm has healed nicely," Juushiro interrupted Byakuya's analysis of the situation.

Byakuya's companion sighed, "Yokata. Hisashi-taicho is very kind to me. It's comforting to see her doing better."

"Hai," Juushiro smiled, "I don't believe we've met."

"Ukitake-taicho, this is Hisana," Byakuya spoke, taking the captain's hint to introduce the two, "She was one of the civilians found in the recent Rukongai incident. Hisana, this is the eleventh division captain, Ukitake Juushiro."

A look of recognition dawned on Juushiro's face, "Oh yes. Kumiko mentioned that she had made some arrangements for you in the fourth division. She told me that you were caught in the middle of the battle and may have been injured."

"Hai," Hisana returned, "She went out of her way to ensure that I was taken care of. I am very grateful."

"And now you seem to have found a friend in the sixth division fukutaicho," Juushiro mentioned, "You are lucky to have found friends in two very special people."

Byakuya ignored the message in between the words as Hisana replied, "The fukutaicho has been kind enough to show me around the Seireitei. Unohana-taicho has requested that I stay a few more days just to be sure that I really am fine."

In between his attempt to listen to the conversation of the two people next to him as well as ignoring Juushiro's masked messages, Byakuya was drawn into the ongoing spar. At the same time, down in the pit, Shinji was engaging a battle within himself as he fought his battle with Kumiko. A very large part of him wanted to beat some sense into Kumiko and express to her how important it was for her to settle things with Aizen once and for all. His patience with Kumiko was wearing away and though he hated to admit, he was certain that the only reason Kumiko still hadn't spoken to Aizen was because he had become somewhat of a safety net for the tenth division taicho. He was her only assurance that she wasn't a broken toy that had been stored in the shelf.

His current train of thought made Shinji even more aggravated with the situation. If only Kumiko would look in the right places. Maybe, if Kumiko was as smart as Shinji believed her to be, her insecurities would not have taken a complete hold of her and this false idea of love towards Aizen could have been completely avoided.

Kumiko took a look back up at Byakuya, having been taking aback by his presence before, as Shinji recovered from her kido spell. Byakuya proved to be a greater distraction than she anticipated as when she realized that Shinji had aimed a rather violent kick at her stomach, it was too late to dodge. Kumiko skidded backwards on her knee, trying to slow her movement by digging her foot into the soil. She grasped her stomach and coughed a little in between her pants, trying to regain the air that had been knocked out of her. It was then, when Kumiko was too tired to retaliate, that Shinji noticed the presence of Byakuya.

Seeing the analytical eye that Byakuya was casting upon then, Shinji felt his anger with Kumiko subside for the moment. He could only imagine how much he must look like Byakuya did when he taunted and hurt Kumiko and it pained him that he was becoming like that. Sheathing his sword, Shinji walked towards Kumiko, unable to continue the fight any longer. He offered Kumiko his hand.

"Gotcha that time, didn't I? Chi, I thought you said you were better already."

Relieved at the disappearance of the earlier tension, Kumiko took Shinji's hand and smiled brightly. Whatever Shinji had been battling with internally before had been concluded or at least set aside for the time being.

"You got lucky," Kumiko joked, "We both know that I'm the superior Shinigami."

"You wish pipsqueak."

With the spar coming to an end, Byakuya returned his attention to Hisana and Juushiro. The young black haired woman was chatting serenely with Juushiro, jumping from one topic to another. Hisana was far more pleasant to be around that Byakuya had initially determined she would be. It was only natural that he would be spending a lot of time with her. He enjoyed the fact that she knew when it was best to keep silent and when to say something, as if she had developed a connection with his mind and knew what he wanted and when. Despite this, when Byakuya really thought about it, he couldn't help but think that Hisana mirrored someone else and he couldn't remember who it was she resembled.

"Lying to ourselves are we?" Senbonzakura whispered, dancing around in the depths of Byakuya's soul. "So unlike you, Byakuya."

Byakuya chose to ignore his zanpakuto's words as Kumiko sheathed her sword and lied down on the ground. Shinji took a seat next to the purple haired taicho when he put stowed his sword and stared up into the skies.

"Are you alright, Shinji?"

"I'll tell you about it some other time," Shinji replied. "Kuchiki's up there."

Kumiko threw an arm over her eyes and nodded, "I saw."

"You talked to him since then?"

"Iie. I don't really have anything to say to him."

Against the glare of the sun, Shinji spotted the white haired head of Juushiro lean in and wave. Shinji returned the gesture and stood up, anticipating Juushiro's request for them to come up from the training grounds.

"You've got a visitor," Shinji said as Kumiko sat up, "And I don't think Ukitake's talkin' about Kuchiki."

Peeling herself up off of the ground, Kumiko stood and, together with Shinji, made her way back up to the division grounds. She was greeted by the familiar face of Hisana and the cold glare of the man she had spent so many years alongside. Hisana took a step towards Kumiko and bowed deeply.

"Ohayo, Hisashi-taicho," Hisana greeted meekly, "That spar was unlike anything I have ever seen before."

Shinji laughed, "Don't get out much do you?"

Kumiko elbowed Shinji quickly, "Arigato, Hisana-san. This is Hirako-taicho of the fifth division. I humbly request that you ignore his presence from this moment forward."

Hisana smiled and reclaimed her position next to Byakuya. Kumiko twitched just a little when the woman did so, rolling her shoulder out slowly to try and cover the action. The civilian woman was pretty, her hair pitch black and sleek with a timid disposition. The way that she and Byakuya stood next to each other bothered the tenth division taicho. It was like they fit perfectly as if the gods had made them for each other.

"How long will you be staying in the Seireitei, Hisana-san?" Kumiko asked, her fists clenching.

"I was supposed to return to the Rukongai last week, Hisashi-taicho," Hisana answered, her small and skinny hands coming together at her stomach, "But I found myself unable to leave as one of my companions was injured during the menos incident. He is currently under the care of Isane-fukutaicho."

"And what of your well being?" Kumiko followed up as Juushiro ushered them towards his quarters.

"Minor injuries only, Hisashi-taicho and they have been taken care of thanks to you," Hisana smiled, "Arigato."

"Think nothing of it," Kumiko replied, "It was partly our fault that you were injured in the first place. I apologize that for that. My squad didn't have the time to clear out civilians without compromising the advantage we had on the hollows."

Shinji's eyes darted to Kumiko's clenched hands as they travelled to the porch and took their seats on the pillows by the tea cups that had been set out. The blonde looked to Juushiro who shook his head in return. For formalities sake, Kumiko would have to deal with being in Byakuya's vicinity.

"I understand completely," Hisana returned before she looked up at the complacent face of Kuchiki Byakuya, "I am just happy to have been treated so kindly. Kuchiki-sama has been particularly kind, neh, Kuchiki-sama? He has been keeping me company as his schedule permitted this past week.

Byakuya tensed at the mention of his name, unprepared for this divulging of information with Kumiko. Of course he had expected Juushiro to share the news with the woman, but at least then he wouldn't be around to see Kumiko's reaction. Regaining his calm, Byakuya reasoned with himself. What use was there in beating around the bush?

"You meaning running away from the bush, right?" Senbonzakura scoffed. Byakuya was tempted to roll his eyes.

Upon hearing Hisana's news, Kumiko couldn't help but start and cast a glance at Byakuya. Hadn't he chosen to end their friendship and disassociate himself with her precisely because she was from the Rukongai? Kumiko looked down at her lap, her fists clinging to the fabric of her hakama. What was it that made her so different from Hisana? There was a new found warmth atop her clenched fists and Kumiko's eyes settled on Shinji's hand as he silently willed her to regain her composure. Letting the black fabric slip from her fingers, Kumiko looked up at the smiling face of Hisana. Of course. Hisana had probably never sold herself to anyone before. She seemed too kind. Too innocent. Much less haunted.

The trained eye allowed Byakuya to catch the barely noticeable reaction that Kumiko had to Hisana's news. Had it not been for the fact that the elders had told him to sit up straight at all times, Byakuya was positive his shoulders would have dropped just a fraction at the emotion he read in Kumiko's eyes. She looked up and met his glance.

Shinji too was assessing the situation, cursing himself for having been trained to be observant. There really was a world of difference between Kumiko and Hisana but they were very much alike at the same time. In his previous interactions with Hisana, he noticed that there were characteristics in both women that were parallel to each other. Had he been making an informed hypothesis, Shinji would have been forced to say that it was the similarity between the two women that drew Byakuya to Hisana. It wasn't difficult to conclude that Byakuya had been very taken with Kumiko before. Whatever the noble saw in Kumiko before, he was now seeing in Hisana. Though he wondered if the Kuchiki elders had gotten wind of this just yet, he was more curious as to why the snotty brat was dangling this information in front of Kumiko. If Byakuya was looking to make the taicho jealous, it was mission accomplished.

The tension between the two former friends was palpable and Juushiro took his cue to merrily pour Hisana a cup of tea and distract her with a list of questions he had mentally listed down to prepare for this moment. Shinji joined him a few moments later as Byakuya and Kumiko kept their gazes connected. Byakuya noted a hint of sadness in the tenth division captain's green eyes. In those eyes he could see a replay of all the things he had said and done to Kumiko in the previous weeks and the guilt nearly over took him. His orbs hardened. What he did was for Kumiko's own good. She didn't really love Aizen, he could feel it so strong that he damn well believed it.

"And you know this how?" Senbonzakura asked with her timely interjections. The zanpakuto spirit waited a few long seconds only to get no answer in return. Taking the silence as a cue to continue, she remarked with interest, "Maybe you should talk to her. "

"Contact with Kumiko would go against the wishes of the clan."

"Didn't Hisana say that she was also a Rukongai commoner? And from Inuzuri no less. I'm curious, Byakuya, what makes Kumiko any different?"

"Must I be remind you about the undeniably tainted life she used to live?"

"Must I remind you that you continue to fail to take into consideration the circumstances of her choices? Did you even bother to ask her before you severed your ties and broke a heart?"

He most certainly had not. Kumiko's brows furrowed and she finally broke eye contact. She hated Byakuya and the way it made her feel when he stared into her eyes. It was like he could read her every thought and dismantling her from the inside out.

"You should, at the very least, apologize to the woman for using her as an outlet for your frustration."

"And inform her about my current predicaments? I politely but firmly decline."

"You two used to know everything about each other."

"That was then and this is now. Things are far from what they used to be, Senbonzakura. I expected you to be very well aware of this."

"Someone's coming."

Conversation between Hisana, Juushiro and Shinji had been cut short when the two captains feel silent. There was a clear unease in the civilian's surroundings. She looked around her company and found them all to be looking at an empty patch of grass a few meters away as if they were expecting someone to arrive. She blinked once and figure clad in deep blue was kneeling in the area she had been looking at prior.

"Kuchiki-sama," the man's voice was deep and rough, "Your presence has been requested at the estate. Kuchiki-taicho is feeling well enough to speak with you."

Ignoring the look that Kumiko was giving him and well aware that Kumiko was quite fond of his grandfather, Byakuya excused himself and quickly departed alongside the clan messenger. Juushiro's concern washed over his face and Kumiko rapidly turned to him.

"Well enough? Is Kuchiki-taicho ill?"

Hesitating slightly, Juushiro looked to Shinji for an answer and received nothing more than a shrug.

"Senpai?" Kumiko asked again.

"Hai, Kumiko. Kuchiki-taicho has been sick for quite some time now."

"But he'll be okay soon, right?" Kumiko followed up.

Silence was her response. Kumiko's eyes fell upon the seat that Byakuya has previously occupied as Juushiro quickly picked up conversation with Hisana once again. Worry quickly took reign of Kumiko's thoughts. Kuchiki Genrei had been a kind man that was never short of a polite greeting when they crossed paths. An image of Byakuya's face earlier registered in her mind's eye. What was Genrei's condition? She hadn't even been told that he was sick. Kumiko understood perfectly just how much Byakuya loved and adored his grandfather. He must have been devastated when Genrei fell ill. Might this have added to the confrontation they had two weeks prior? She had no answers as of now, just the promise to visit Genrei soon. She owed the elder Kuchiki that at the least.

A/N: I'm sorry this sucked so much. I just felt the pressure to update quickly. I'll make it up with the next chapter. I promise you guys.

-the holy see

When someone is melancholic, they feel the weight of the world's sadness.