~The Blossom of Lost Desire~

By - ByaRukifan

Timeline: Zanpakutou Filler Arc (Episodes 230-)

Main Pairing(s): Byakuya/Rukia, Senbonzakura/Sode no Shirayuki

~Chapter One~

Voices.

That's what she heard as she slowly started to drift out of darkness and into consciousness. She slowly opened her eyes, but quickly shut them again, the lights above blinding her. She tried sitting up, her muscles were sore all over, but she sat up despite the pain. She rubbed her eyes and slowly opened them again, letting them adjust to the light.

She looked around her in a confused haze. She saw people that were injured and some others running around assisting the injured ones. Questions started to come to her, 'Where am I?'...'What happened?'...'Why am I here?'

She then noticed a woman with long black hair, braided at the front. The woman turned around and looked surprised when she saw that she was awake.

"Kuchiki Rukia, it's good to see you've woken up." The woman said with a friendly smile as she approached her.

Rukia then recognized the woman. It was Retsu Unohana, the captain of the Fourth Division. Rukia looked down to see she was dressed in white robes that some of the patients wore in the Fourth Division. She looked around her again and realized that's exactly where she was, in the Fourth Division.

"Unohana-Taicho, what happened?" Rukia asked as Unohana sat next to her bed.

"You passed out after your battle against your zanpakutou, Sode no Shirayuki. You and Kurosaki Ichigo had been brought here by Shihōin Yoruichi after she had finished her business with the Covert Ops. An hour or so after you two were brought here Kurosaki-san regained consciousness and he's now outside talking with Ukitake-Taicho, Kyoraku-Taicho, and Nanao-Fukutaicho outside in the gardens. You should also be well enough to go out and talk with them as well, if you'd like." Unohana explained, smiling when she was done talking.

Rukia gives a small nod, before removing the covers off of her lap and stepping out of bed to follow Unohana into the gardens.

–

"Oh, it's good to see you've woken up." The commander of the Thirteenth Division, Jūshirō Ukitake, said as Rukia and Unohana appeared.

"Yeah, it's good to see you're okay." Ichigo stated with a smile.

Rukia gave them a small smile before sitting down near Ukitake and Unohana.

"So, Rukia. If you don't mind me asking...Exactly what all happened?" Ukitake asked before taking a sip of tea from his cup.

Rukia's expression saddened. "No, I don't mind." She gave a sigh before she continued. "After leaving Soukyoku Hill, Renji and I ran into two of the zanpakutou spirits and fought against them. Right when one of them was about to kill me, Nii-sama stopped him by using Kidō. Then that man, Muramasa appeared with Senbonzakura...Nii-sama told us to run, before he attacked Senbonzakura. Senbonzakura used his shikai though, and that was the last I saw of Nii-sama, he just disappeared...Then Sode no Shirayuki appeared and attacked me and Renji. I was able to open a senkaimon and get to The World Of The Living, after I regained consciousness in Urahara Kisuke's shop I explained to them what had happened. Later that night though, I came back here to Soul Society. I wanted to see if Nii-sama had returned, but he hadn't, so I left the Sixth Division Headquarters and while I was walking I saw Sode no Shirayuki attacking other shinigami. We engaged in battle, but after the fight ever thing else is a blur to me." Rukia then looked at Ukitake and Unohana. "Has there been any news, any kind at all, to Nii-sama's whereabouts?" She asked worriedly.

Ukitake frowns. "I'm sorry, but there hasn't." Rukia's head dropped as her sad gaze focused on the floor. "Don't worry though, I'm sure he's just fine. He'll be back in no time!" Ukitake added in, trying to brighten Rukia's saddened mood.

"Yeah Rukia, like I said before...Something like that wouldn't kill him, he's strong, and you know that probably better than anyone." Ichigo said reassuringly.

"Kuchiki-san, I can't tell you not to be worried, but you should rest so you won't be too weak or exhausted when he returns."

Rukia glanced up at them sadly before she lowered her gaze to the ground again. She gave a small nod before standing and walking back inside, with her head still lowered in sadness.

–

Rukia lay on the roof of one of the many buildings in the Seireitei watching helplessly as Gonryomaru was about to administer the final blow, that was meant to take her life.

"Bakudō sixty-one, Rikujōkōrō."

Rukia's eyes widened when she heard that voice. She turned her head to see Byakuya standing on the roof of another building.

"Nii-sama?"

"Rukia!" She heard Renji call, before he landed behind her as she stood up. "Are you okay!?" Renji then noticed Byakuya. "Taicho?"

"Don't let your guard down." Byakuya ordered in his usual monotone voice.

"I see. I suppose I should have expected as much from a captain." Muramasa stated as he and a man that was dressed like a samurai appeared on another nearby building. Murmasa continued, "After all, you're strong enough to have once enslaved a powerful Zanpakutou."

The masked samurai then moved in front of Muramasa, a sword appearing in his hand. The sword was exactly like Byakuya's. The hilt, the guard, an exact match.

"Nii-sama!" Rukia called, turning around to look at Byakuya again.

"My name is Senbonzakura." Stated the masked man as he pointed his sword at Byakuya.

Byakuya's eyes shifted to Rukia and Renji. "Go."

"But-" Rukia tried to respond but Byakuya cut her off as he drew his sword.

"I won't repeat myself." He said before moving to attack Senbonzakura.

Their blades clashed together numerous times as they fought in mid air. Senbonzakura landed on the roof of a building, blocking another one of Byakuya's attacks.

"You should know better than anyone how foolish it is to fight my thousand blades with a single katana." Senbonzakura stated before scattering his own blade into it's shikai state. Byakuya's eyes widened as Senbonzakura's sword scattered into a thousand cherry blossom-like blades before him. He used shun-po to flee from Senbonzakura's attack.

"You're soft!" Senbonzakura yelled as he controled the blades to follow the fleeing Byakuya.

Rukia and Renji watched with widened eyes, unable to help as they saw the thousands of blades as they closed in on Byakuya as he jumped for another nearby building.

"It's futile!" Senbonzakura said to Byakuya as Byakuya slowly started to disappear from view as the mass of blades swallowed him up, destroying many buildings in the process.

"Nii-sama!" Rukia shouted worriedly as Byakuya disappeared from view. "NII-SAMA!" She called once more as the blades crashed down and destroyed any building in their way.

–

Rukia suddenly awoke from her nightmare in a cold sweat, grasping the front of her robes as she gasped for air.

Moments pass until Rukia is able to calm herself. She turns her head to look out a nearby window, staring up at the night sky. Rukia frowns sadly as the memory of Byakuya disappearing from her sight by Senbonzakura's attack and the debris of the falling buildings. Her expression then changed to something that had hints of annoyance as she remembered everyone's constant reassurances. Her comrades telling her that Byakuya will be fine and he'll be back soon. He'll return safe and sound. She was sick of it. Tired of hearing their reassurances. They didn't know if he was okay...or not, the thought of him lying somewhere injured made her cringe. She wanted to know and find out for herself if Byakuya was okay. She wanted to know for a fact, and she knew if she just sat around here in the Fourth Division it would be a long time before she possibly ever found out. She also knew that if he were hurt, sitting around would just be worse. Someone needed to go look for him and Rukia knew that she was probably the only one who would since everyone was just so sure he'd miraculously come back safe and unharmed.

Rukia looked around her. Seeing all the other injured shinigami asleep in their beds. The fourth division members, including the captain and lieutenant, were all asleep as well. Resting their powers so they wouldn't be too exhausted for when they were supposed to heal the injured.

Quietly, Rukia crawled out of bed and quickly, but silently went into another room and changed into her shihakusho. She looked down at her right leg, which was bandaged up. It was one of the injuries she had gotten from her battle against Sode no Shirayuki. Rukia then grabbed her now powerless katana and placed it securely on her hip. She quietly made her way outside and looked up at the stars with a determined expression before using shun po, disappearing into the night.

To Be Continued...

There's Chapter One Of My New Fanfic. I Actually Have Up To Chapter 6 Written Up. I'm Going To Try To Update Every Weekend If Possible, Sorry The First Chapter's Short. They Get Longer. I Promise.

And Thank You To EVERYONE Who Helped Me Figure Out Titles And Ideas For This Fic! I Couldn't Of Done It Without You!

For Those That Read My Other Fanfic In Progress, "Baby Daddy", Don't Worry! I Haven't Quit On It. I'm Still Working On It. Writer's Block Is Just Killing Me Right Now. Though I WILL Finish It. I Promise.

Remember To Read And Review Everyone!

Just Remember, NO FLAMING!