Soul Dive

(AN**Story has been moved here to make it easier to find. All stories on this account are 'K' or 'T' rated.)

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You are noble, born and bred to serve as an example for all soul reapers. Others bow under the weight of your spiritual pressure, freeze in the spell of your powerful gaze. In the long line of your clan's leaders, you are the most exceptional, the strongest, most famous, most feared.

Yet, inside you, beats a heart that no one hears. Inside, your thoughts spin, collide, and roil, while the face you wear outside is serene. You are a lesson in perfect control. You have fooled them all and no one knows you.

But tonight all this will change. Tonight, under the full moon, you will fall. You will slowly be undone, the noble mask you wear shattered, your face revealed.

Prologue: The Hollow's Promise

Amaya Yukimura stood alone in her garden at dusk, staring down into the deep blue pond, hardly noticing the cherry blossom petals that swayed and danced in the breeze all around her. Her sad green eyes stared back at her from the water's surface, looking as empty and cold to her as she now felt. She felt a shiver go through her and blinked slowly. It was hard for her to believe that over fifty years had passed since Kiyoshi's death in the prisons of the Sereitei. So much time had passed, but there had been no real healing. There was too much about her husband's death that haunted her.

It wasn't just that she had broken the rules of the soul society and married a peasant. It wasn't just the condemnation or the fact that her husband was taken from her under false pretenses and imprisoned. His death, while intensely painful, was also not the center of her hurt. What tore at Amaya was the unfairness of it all, the fact that it was all concocted by the noble Kuchiki family…to prove a point to their impetuous and rebellious son. While she couldn't fault Byakuya Kuchiki for falling in love with Hisana, neither could she forgive him or any of the Kuchikis for leaving her life in ruins.

As if to make matters worse, the pain of his imprisonment and death had denied Kiyoshi even the simple peace of passing on. The anger, the bitterness had risen in him until in death he had become something monstrous. When he had first come to her, she had been so relieved to see any part of him that she was overwhelmed. Never mind the fact that as a soul reaper she was sworn to exorcise hollows. This was no simple hollow. This was Kiyoshi, one she had loved with abandon. She wasn't going to let anyone hurt him ever again.

But being with him this way simply wasn't the same. Despite his ability to show tenderness and love to her, Kiyoshi bore a deep hatred for the Kuchikis. Despite her own dark resentment, Amaya was frightened by Kiyoshi's rancor. He wanted revenge, she knew…and she could help him. Hadn't she discovered how to hide Kiyoshi's spiritual pressure from even the strongest soul reapers? Hadn't they been able to summon other hollow that would help them? Kiyoshi even had a plan that the Kuchikis would not expect. All he waited for now was for her to commit to his plan. She was tormented by the weight of that decision…for to step over that line would not bring the justice she so strongly desired. It would bring about revenge, death, and destruction. There was also the price of failure to consider. Byakuya Kuchiki was the strongest leader in the history of the Kuchiki clan. To fall short in any way would bring his deadly retaliation down on her and Kiyoshi. Things were difficult enough as they were, but at least for now, she was able to hold on to Kiyoshi, even if all she really had left was his anger…his hurt…his bitterness.

"You look sad, my love," Kiyoshi's rasping voice whispered in her ear.

She turned and took him in her arms; looking for comfort only he could give her. But tonight, all she could see was the horrible choice she must make.

"It will be all right, Amaya. It will happen quickly and be over before he knows what hit him. It will work, I promise you. We will have justice. I will leave this world in peace…but…"

"It must be tonight," she whispered in his ear, "when he will be unarmed, completely alone and in a place where he would never expect an attack, I know."

"Yes," he hissed softly, taking her face in his hands, "You just follow our plan. The others will wait in the shadows while you distract him. Then we will capture him and bring him here. But once he is here, you must perform the transformation. You have the power that I do not. It will take all of the rest of us to restrain him, because he is strong. All we hope for is possible…if only we are committed to it. Are you sure you can do this?"

Amaya stared into her husband's dead golden eyes, studying the mask that hid most of the face she remembered. She reached out now and let her hands brush the mask. His hand caught hers and he brought it slowly to his lips. His eyes glinted hopefully.

"Amaya," he said in a low growl, "remember what they took from us. I know you are not so ruthless as me, but you have the strength to do this. Then we shall have peace."

"Kiyoshi," she said in a trembling voice, "why don't we just kill him outright? With the other hollows, you could kill him and the transformation won't be necessary."

Kiyoshi pulled her close, his claws clenching tightly enough so that she flinched.

"We talked about this," he said, impatience in his tone, "Sosuke Aizen was kind enough to help us stay together. It was he who taught us to merge our souls, made it possible for us to stay together, and he was the one who gave us the power to make the Kuchiki clan pay for what they've done to us. All he requested was that we make Kuchiki suffer and die according to this plan. We must do this. Don't you want him to pay?"

"I…do," she whispered, "but I'm afraid. He is powerful, Kiyoshi! How can you be sure this will work?"

He stroked her hair with his clawed hands, laying her head on his chest.

"It will work, trust me," he promised, "Now let me inside you. Let me come into you and strengthen you so that you will not lose your resolve. Borrow some of my power, some of my hatred and give him the fate he truly deserves."

He kissed her then and she opened her soul to him, bringing him inside where Byakuya would not be able to sense him. As she drew him in, she felt the staggering weight of his hatred envelop her, wrap around her own soul and sink far down inside until she could no longer tell where she ended and he began. Her misgivings and fears faded before her husband's single-minded purpose. It was right this man should pay. It was right for him to suffer for what he had done. It was right that in the end he should die, the fate his actions had brought to Kiyoshi. Amaya breathed in the sweet evening air. She released it in a low wicked laugh.

Chapter 1: Fallen

The forest is peaceful at night. As one who seeks peace, I welcome the forest's embrace. After a day filled with duty, with honor, with righteous bloodshed, I seek a silent place inside. But there, where I go inside my soul, there is no peace now. There is only torment. I am not who I am supposed to be. I am not who I was. My eyes are opened to my own hypocrisy, but my spirit is frozen. I cannot move. I stand motionless on the pathway waiting for a sun that may never rise.

Captain Byakuya Kuchiki walked slowly down the main hallway of the Kuchiki family home lost in his thoughts. The wooden floor creaked softly under his feet, a sound grown so familiar that he didn't even hear it anymore. Rukia, on the other hand, could hear it. She rolled onto her side and smiled as he stopped at her doorway, looking ghostly and ephemeral in the full moon's light.

"Good night, Rukia," he said quietly, "Sleep well."

"Good night, Byakuya," she replied.

He turned away and disappeared into the night. Rukia lay on her back, looking out through her open door at the stars. She knew there was something not quite right with her brother, but she didn't know what to do to help him. Everything was so different, now. Ever since she had met Ichigo, since Ichigo had come to save her, since the day Zangetsu had broken Senbonzakura in Byakuya's hand. Something had happened between them, something her brother would not share with her. Whatever it was, it had torn at him, the tear becoming a raw open wound as Byakuya had learned that day how the very laws he had given so much to protect had been manipulated…how he and all those who valued the word of law had been cruelly used, just pawns set against each other in Aizen's twisted game. Byakuya hadn't been the same since. He was so quiet most of the time. Although very protective of her, he maintained a distance. He was unfailingly kind to her, but she could feel his inner turmoil, beneath that serene and calm exterior, one he kept up out of duty. But no matter how she tried, she couldn't seem to get through to him. It was especially bad tonight, a night when she should be there for him, the eve of the anniversary of Lady Hisana's death. She had offered to walk with him to the cemetery and she had almost been convinced he would accept, but then his eyes had become guarded and he had gently refused.

"Go to sleep," he'd said softly, "We'll go together in the morning."

Although in her heart, Rukia had wanted to argue, something in his eyes and in his manner told her to be patient. He wasn't rejecting her. He was simply dealing with some inner torment that he was not ready to share. She knew that it was pointless to argue with him, anyway. Byakuya was nothing if not stubborn about having things his way.

"Byakuya," she whispered into the darkness, "I wish you would let me help you."

She drifted off to sleep, her thoughts still focused on her brother.

XXXXXXXXXX

Intense moonlight made the pathway glow eerily as Byakuya approached the Kuchiki family cemetery. It lit the pure white kimono that replaced his normal soul reaper uniform. His black hair moved softly in the light breeze, flowing uncharacteristically free without the adornment of the kenseikan that marked him as the head of the Kuchiki Clan. He was even without the light green family heirloom scarf that usually lay about his neck and shoulders. His gait was slow and measured and his dark eyes strayed neither right nor left. Although his face looked serene, inside the captain's thoughts spun unchecked. It was always like this when the anniversary of Hisana's death arrived.

He had understood the searing pain that had burned through him at the time and even the return of that pain at random intervals during the years that followed, but wasn't time supposed to dull that pain? Wasn't the date of her death supposed to gradually lose its stranglehold on his emotions? He almost never let it escape him, but it lay there beneath that calm surface, waiting to take hold of him, to shake him firmly and remind him that, despite all of his efforts, he was not the one in control.

It was a bitter admission, for if there was any one thing that set Byakuya apart, it was his ability to remain focused and in control. It had won him the respect of his equals, the wariness of his enemies, and the fear of those under his command. Yet it wasn't any of these things that motivated him. All of this was expected. He was, after all, nobility. A noble family must set the example for others. Byakuya sighed softly, blinking slowly. In truth, he had no control. The Kuchiki legacy ruled him.

Yet even nobles must be allowed to grieve. And so, once a year, he allowed himself to remove the calm exterior he showed to everyone and express in honesty the loss he still felt so keenly. Rukia had, of course, wanted to join him. It was to be expected now that she knew Hisana was her sister, but Byakuya had refused. It was hard enough for him to relinquish control over his emotions for this one night each year even without drawing Rukia into the picture. He had attempted to be gentle, but firm in his refusal and had promised instead to accompany her to the cemetery later the next morning, so that they could share their loss at a more reasonable time. As the words had passed his lips, he knew they were a lie and that Rukia realized he was lying. But Rukia was much like her late sister. She knew when to give him space.

Byakuya paused at the cemetery gate. Reaching into his pocket, he removed a small silver key and unlocked the gate. The sharp click of the lock's release seemed to echo in the darkness around him. All else was silent. He continued forward at the same slow, measured pace until he came to Hisana's raised marker. Here he paused again, studying the words on her marker. Very slowly, he dropped to his knees, his hands extending and opening to release plum blossoms which floated gracefully downward to land on her grave. He closed his eyes and reached out with his senses. No one was nearby. Only when he was certain of this did he whisper a greeting to Hisana. As he did, tears formed in the corners of his eyes and in defiance of the soul reapers' admonishment that tears were a sign of weakness, he let them fall. Even as they did, his expression never changed and his body never moved. Within his spinning thoughts, memories rose and gripped him, tearing at him with their harsh reality.

"I wish I had better news for you, but unfortunately, there is no more we can do," Captain Unohana said sadly.

"Thank you, Captain Unohana," Hisana replied, her hand holding Byakuya's tightly, "We appreciate your efforts…and your honesty."

She turned to him, her eyes seeking his, but he found himself suddenly unable to look back. Instead, he closed his eyes and released a tremulous sigh.

"What happens now?" he asked softly.

"Hisana can stay here if she wishes. There are treatments that we can give her here that will extend her life for several months…but once we begin, she will need to stay here as the side effects can be serious."

Hisana shook her head firmly.

"I know you want to help me, Captain, but I can't stay here. I won't leave life in a place like this…surrounded by pain and sadness. I want to go home. I want to be with my husband. I would gladly pay those extra months to remain at his side."

Byakuya caught his breath softly, once again humbled by Hisana's courage. He lifted his eyes to meet hers.

"Are you…certain this is what you want?" he asked quietly.

Hisana pulled him close, laying her head on his shoulder.

"Even if it meant having only one more day, I would spend that time with you…in our home, Byakuya. I want to spend every last moment with you. I love you."

"Then you shall," he assured her, his voice trembling, "Captain Unohana, we will need a healer to stay with us at the Kuchiki home."

"Of course."

The memory faded and was quickly replaced by another.

"Is there…anything you need?" he asked softly.

Hisana smiled bracingly.

"Actually," she said, smiling, "I would like to take a walk…just a short one to the waterfall and back."

He nodded, lowering his eyes. He knew he shouldn't agree to it. She had weakened noticeably and they both knew she wasn't up to it, but couldn't find it in him to refuse her request.

"I'll get your coat," he said, turning and walking out of the room.

As he passed into the next room, the weight of what was happening rose up inside him, tearing at his heart and leaving him unable to breathe. Gasping softly, he dropped to his knees, tears coming unbidden to his eyes. He placed his palms on the cold floor, bracing himself.

"Byakuya?" Hisana called from the next room.

He tried to move, but found himself frozen. He tried to speak, but no words would come. The tears were burning in his eyes now, and he found himself nearly unable to hold them back. His chest heaved with silent sobs that shook him from head to toe. Suddenly Hisana was beside him, her soft arms wrapping around him, pulling him close to her.

"I'm…fine," he said quickly, trying to pull away.

Hisana only held him more tightly, her voice soft and gentle in his ears. He tensed sharply, no longer trying to pull away, but unable to meet her eyes. He stared at the floor, swallowing hard, his mind spinning, refusing to focus.

"It's okay, Byakuya, this isn't just happening to me. It's happening to both of us."

"No…" he said roughly, taking a deep breath, "This is selfish of me. I'm not the one who is…"

He trailed off, unable to say the words.

"No, you're not the one who is dying, Byakuya. In a way, I think you have it worse than me. When this ends, I will have no worries, no cares, no regrets…but you will. Byakuya, I know you. You will lock your heart away from everyone. You will bury your feelings and try to be strong, but your grief will tear you apart from the inside if you don't let it go."

"We are soul reapers," he whispered distantly, his body shaking, "We are taught never to shed tears…we are…soul reapers."

"Stop," she said, taking his face in her hands and forcing him to meet her eyes.

"We are…"

"Byakuya."

She brought her mouth to his, silencing him with a tender kiss. He closed his eyes and felt the tension seep away as he drew a deep breath and slowly released it. With an effort, he rose, bringing Hisana up with him. He took his coat and slipped it around her shoulders. Turning away for a moment, he brushed the last of the tears from his eyes. He turned back to her and smiled gently, taking her hand.

"Come," he said softly, "The moon is beautiful tonight."

The memory spun away and was followed by another.

"I'm sorry, Byakuya. I wish that I was stronger, then you wouldn't have to carry me. It's just that I haven't been able to walk with you for several days now…and I really want to go to the waterfall."

"Don't be silly," he said softly, lifting her gently, "It isn't so far…and you are not heavy."

He carried her out the gate and onto the trail. Night sounds rose out of the darkness and the air smelled of flowers. The breeze fluttered through their hair.

"I love this place, Byakuya. Since you brought me here, since we married, this place has always filled me with peace. I…just wanted to be out here…one last time."

"Nonsense," he chided her gently, "I'll bring you here any time you wish."

Hisana was silent for a moment.

"Byakuya," she said finally, "I know you feel it, too. However we avoid it or try not to talk about it, I am going to die…soon. You know this."

He sat down beneath the cherry trees by the waterfall, holding her in his arms.

"You see," he said, squeezing her hand gently, "The moon is full tonight."

"Byakuya," she said, placing a hand on his cheek.

He caught his breath sharply.

"Hisana," he whispered, "I…can't do this. Not now."

"We have to do this, Byakuya. I have to help you deal with this before it's too late. Hear me, Byakuya!"

He took her hands in his and held them to his heart.

"Hisana…I…When I think of you, I…don't want to think about this…about the slow, drawn out pain, about the worry…or the loss. When I think of you, I want to remember how it feels to hold you, the sound of your voice when you laugh, the feel of your hands on my face. Those are the things worth keeping…not the sadness…not the regret. I have time for that later."

"But," she whispered, "I won't be here then…and…I cannot stand the thought of you facing that pain alone."

"Hisana," he said, his voice starting to tremble, "You shouldn't worry about me."

"I wouldn't be the love of your life if I did not worry about you."

He sighed softly, forcing himself to meet her eyes.

"What do you want me to do?" he asked quietly.

"Just this," she whispered, "When the tears come, let me catch them. When you feel weak with grief, let me help to strengthen you. For what time I have left, let me help you to deal with your grief, Byakuya."

"Hisana…"

She pulled him down until he lay next to her, his head rested on her shoulder, his face buried in her black hair. She stroked his back gently and felt a trembling sigh escape him.

"You can't do this alone," she whispered, "Let me help you."

His body shook softly under her touch, then harder, but no sound broke free. She only knew she had finally reached him when she felt the wetness on her throat and felt his trembling hands tighten their hold on her.

"That night was our last together," he whispered into the night, "I wish that I had listened to you before then. I know now what you wanted so desperately. You wanted to help me through my grief, because it was a way to give meaning to the last days of your life…to make a positive difference even to your last moment. The truth is, you did help me…you always made a difference to me…Hisana!"

He wasn't sure how long he stayed there, breathing whispered thoughts into the night, the moments melting one into the next. He only came back to awareness when he felt the approach of another. He brushed the last of his tears away, but did not move from his place at Hisana's side. Instead, he waited silently until the other stood on the opposite side of Hisana's grave, gazing down at him.

"Why are you here?" he asked softly, his head still bent, eyes downcast.

"I am sorry if I interrupted you, Captain Kuchiki, but I very much need to speak to you," the woman said quietly.

"This is a private place. You are trespassing here. What could be important enough to bring you here so late at night?" he asked, still not raising his eyes.

"Obviously, you do not know who I am. I imagine I should have expected that. We've only met once and it was very brief. I do not think, however, that you will have forgotten my name. My name is Amaya Yukimura."

Byakuya looked up at her then, studying her carefully. She was small and slight, like Rukia, but with even darker skin, hair and eyes. Her eyes were intense and sad. There was, of course, good reason for that, he knew.

"Very well, then, Amaya," he said after a moment, "but I think we should talk somewhere else. Will you return with me to my home?"

"I was hoping," she said, "that you might come with me to mine."

He lowered his eyes again.

"Give me a moment," he said quietly.

"Of course," she replied softly.

He closed his eyes for a moment, giving Amaya the time she needed to close the distance between them. As she reached him, she released Kiyoshi, freezing with fear as he rose up over Byakuya. Too quickly, the captain sensed what was happening and opened his eyes. Instinctively, he reached for Senbonzakura, but swiftly remembered that he was unarmed. He used his flash step to move clear of Kiyoshi's first strike. Kiyoshi shoved Amaya out of Byakuya's reach and summoned the other hollows. They rose out of the shadows, swirling around Byakuya as he tried to use the flash step again to gain space. But the cold dead hands of the hollows were everywhere at once, latching onto his limbs and forcing him roughly to the ground on Hisana's grave.

Byakuya used his kidou to send blazes of spirit energy slashing through the hollows, but his attacks were not enough. Icy skeletal hands gripped his body tightly all over now, tearing painfully into his flesh. The hollow that had first attacked him stood over him, sword in hand. Slowly it stepped forward and, smiling wickedly, it drove the blade into his shoulder, throwing him backward and pinning him to the ground. The hollow pressed a knee down into Byakuya's chest and leaned over him, laughing as his blood poured out of him onto Hisana's grave.

"Don't worry," he growled softly, "Our next strike won't kill you."

The hollow raised a hand. As he did, all of the hollows released a dark blaze of energy directly into their captive through their grasping hands. Byakuya's body arched with the shock of it, his vision fading as he lost consciousness.

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Rukia lay, unable to sleep, reaching out just to feel the touch of her brother's spiritual pressure. Feeling that he was nearby, that he was safe, she drifted off for a time, tossing and turning. Her brother's face haunted her dreams; bloodstained and pale as it had been the day he had taken the force of Gin's blade into his chest in an effort to save her. His weak, pain-filled voice again told the story of his marriage to Lady Hisana. Again and again, he begged her forgiveness. She felt again, his trembling hand taking hers, his deep cobalt eyes expressing a sorrow, a regret she had never seen in him before. Rukia jumped awake. What was it she had felt? She reached out again and felt the sudden intense surge of Byakuya's spiritual pressure, telling her that he was fighting…using the full extent of his power. Almost as swiftly, the energy burst faded and disappeared completely.

"Byakuya," Rukia cried, leaping from her bed and dashing out into the darkness without taking time to dress or even slip on her shoes. She ran as quickly as she could, heedless of the stones on the path that pressed painfully into her feet as she ran. She was so intent on reaching him that she failed to see Renji appear on the path ahead of her and she plowed into him, taking them both to the ground.

"Rukia!" he shouted, hauling her to her feet, "I felt it too. Come on!"

They ran side by side through the darkness, slowing as the tall memorials of the Kuchiki family cemetery loomed ahead of them. As she approached the cemetery, Rukia thought she heard voices ahead of her in the darkness, but by the time they reached the gate, the cemetery had fallen silent. There was no sign of anyone. Rukia and Renji turned and raced down the pathway to Hisana's grave. Ahead of them, the mist thinned and as they drew abreast of the grave, they skidded to a stop, staring at the blood-drenched grass on Hisana's grave. In that instant, Rukia knew. Her body froze with terror and she barely felt Renji's hands as they took hold of her in shock.

"Byakuya!" she screamed in horror.

XXXXXXXXXX

I can't move! The bindings on my wrists and ankles somehow block my spirit energy. The darkness is intense and I can feel the hollows all around. Kiyoshi is near, his grating voice pleading for Amaya to begin…to begin what? I feel her uncertainty, her fear, even though I cannot see. She strains away from me, but is pulled slowly back to my side by his pleadings, his cries, and his promises to keep her safe. I hear her shuddering intake of breath and feel a tear fall onto my face.

I sense a flare of light, but cannot see it through the blackness of the hollow energy that imprisons me. Trembling hands extend over me. As the hands move, the coldness takes root inside me. I bite down hard against the pain and try to drive it away so my mind can focus, so I can think clearly, but it only grows sharper and more intense. Her hands burn my skin now, moving slowly from head to toe in a detached, methodical exploration. There is great evil in her touch, something I cannot fathom or resist, but which I can only sense growing closer. My heart is racing and if I could move, I would cry out. Her mind is probing mine and I am helpless against it. She warns me not to resist. Her thoughts move alongside mine, capturing them, trying to…to calm me. Something tells me not to trust her. What is she trying to do? She assures me that she does not seek my death. Still her hands move over me in that same forceful manner, the burning sensation deepening until it becomes unbearable. What is…happening…to me? I have to…fight her!

"Hold him! I…I can't do this if he struggles so much," Amaya cautioned the hollows.

Kiyoshi smiled down at her.

"It's working! I can feel it, now!" he cried softly.

"Kiyoshi, he's still fighting me. I can't complete this if his spiritual pressure keeps pushing back at me like this. It won't fuse properly."

Kiyoshi leaned over the semi-conscious captain and placed a hand to his chest, sending a blaze of black energy downward. Byakuya's body jumped violently, and then fell still.

"There, my love," he said softly, "Now he cannot move at all. Go on, now. You've nearly completed it.

Amaya leaned forward, placing both hands on Byakuya's chest. White fire flashed under her palms, surrounding him, binding the human form they had constructed to their captive's soul.

"Now, Kiyoshi!" she cried.

Kiyoshi reached over to the table beside him and grabbed a small cylinder. Turning back to their captive, he plunged his hand into Byakuya's chest, driving the cylinder deep into his heart. Amaya leaned close and repaired the damage to the heart, leaving the cylinder embedded inside. Kiyoshi pulled his hand free of Byakuya's chest, watching with wildly triumphant eyes as Amaya closed and healed the wound. Even as she finished, she sagged and dropped down onto Byakuya's body, her strength gone. Kiyoshi lifted her gently and carried her to their bed. Her carefully set her down and floated up into the air above her.

"You are not strong enough for this, Amaya. Let your soul rest for a while. I will do what needs to be done from here. It requires a much more ruthless heart than yours. I have the ruthlessness, but I need your soul reaper powers to finish this. I promise…I will free you when this is done."

He paused for a moment, admiring her, then dived into her.

It's so dark here…so cold! I've never felt this kind of coldness, one that reaches through me, that makes me tremble. What is happening to me? I remember the cemetery, the woman, and the hollows. They attacked so quickly! How did I not sense them there? I should have been able to react before they struck! Am I dead? Why can't I move? I feel such pain, but even the pain feels wrong somehow. Where am I? Why can't I see? Why does even breathing feel so difficult?

"Hello again," said Amaya's voice from somewhere in the darkness around Byakuya, "I guess by now you are wondering just where you are. Would you like me to tell you?"

Byakuya felt a deep chill as he realized that, although the voice belonged to Amaya, the spirit behind it was far too sinister.

"I know you are not Amaya," he gasped, "Who are you? Are you that hollow?"

"You caught on already? Well, you are half right. I am Amaya, but it is Kiyoshi who you sense. I was overwhelmed by the work I had to do after we captured you. His spirit is within me, strengthening me."

"He wants to control your soul reaper powers, why?" Byakuya demanded, "He and the other hollows could have killed me then and there in the cemetery. Why do you toy with me? What do you want?"

"I will make this simple for you. I intend to make your clan pay for taking away my freedom, my happiness, and my life with Kiyoshi. I will make you pay for the tears and the blood we shed because of you. I knew I wasn't strong enough to follow through with the plan, so Kiyoshi helped me to capture you and to…transform you."

"What?" Byakuya hissed.

"He knew that the process we used to transform you would leave me greatly weakened, so he took control of me and will use my powers to complete our plans."

"What have you done!" demanded Byakuya angrily.

"What I've done is nothing compared to what your family did to mine. You rebelled, Byakuya. Your marriage to Hisana was every bit as wrong as mine to Kiyoshi, but while we paid the ultimate price, you stood by, even as your elders used us to set an example for you. They couldn't control you, so they punished us. It was hypocrisy for you to just stand by and let it happen. At very least, you could have fought their efforts. You had no trouble defending your own sin."

"You are correct when you say that my marriage to Hisana was wrong in the eyes of the law, but we took our chances knowing the risk…and so did you." Byakuya said softly.

"You know that your family went out of their way to see that we were punished harshly, even while you were spared it. Even putting Kiyoshi in the Sereitei's prison was not enough. You and I both know they were behind the riot that claimed his life. His blood is on your hands, Byakuya Kuchiki…and now you will do penance!"

"I had no knowledge of any plan to do harm to Kiyoshi in prison, and in any case, who are you to dictate my penance? What gives you the right?" Byakuya whispered.

"What do nobles know about right, Byakuya Kuchiki? All the nobles care about are appearances, a surface reflection of laws and order, but nothing so pointless as goodness or right!"

"For one who is, herself noble, you know nothing about nobility," Byakuya snapped, "You know even less about what cost I have already paid. You are wrong when you say that I did nothing. I fought them. I threatened to leave the soul society. What would you have had me do to placate them? I couldn't leave Hisana. She was everything to me, just as Kiyoshi was to you! Hisana was my heart!"

"Shinotsuro…you have no heart! You see, I will have justice now. You feel it already, don't you… the weakness, the weight as spiritual pressure sinks down upon you. You know something is very wrong with your body, but you do not know what. Let me tell you what it is. You feel cold now. You feel a deeper kind of pain. You feel hunger. I have forced a change upon you…you whose clan looks down on the people of the Rukongai and humankind alike! You are noble no more, soul reaper no more. Byakuya Kuchiki is gone. You are Shinotsuro…you are human. My voice comes at you out of the darkness and your human eyes cannot see me. You are a helpless child, now. You will go into their world, now."

"You…you can't do this!" Byakuya gasped, "It's not possible…"

"I already have. But don't worry, Shinotsuro, I will leave you with a small bit of hope. Your wrists bear silver bonds. These hold a key to your release. Discover their secret before your body dies and you can release the soul reaper trapped inside. Mind the time it takes to figure things out. I will follow you into that world and do everything I can to kill you before you free yourself."

"Why not kill me now? Why the games?"

Amaya leaned close to Byakuya.

"I could kill you now if I wished to do so, but I made a promise to someone who showed me how to do this to you," she whispered in Byakuya's ear, "Sosuke Aizen. You know that name, don't you? And if I had reason to hurt you, he had even more. He is the only one I know who hates you with more ferocity than I do. Now then, Shinotsuro, the portal opens. It is time for you to go. Out of fairness, I'll give you a head start. Just remember, you won't be able to see me there. I'll come out of nowhere and kill you before you know what happened."

Byakuya felt his body start to burn from head to toe. The pain went from sharp, to intense, to unbearable. He felt himself falling endlessly; filling him with an emotion he had never felt before. It gripped him mercilessly, tearing at him until it broke free of him in a seemingly endless scream.