Byakuya Kuchiki Unveiled: Chapter 7

Bleach: Byakuya Kuchiki Unveiled

Chapter 7-- Upholding the Kuchiki Honor

"Kuchiki Byakuya," Hatsune called angrily, pulling himself from the heap he'd crumbled in. "How dare you attack me like that?"

"You deserve no answer from me," Byakuya responded, coolly. "You should know why."

"Aren't you even interested in knowing who you attacked?"

"No. Who you are is insignificant. But I will say if you do not leave and never bother that woman again, you will regret that our paths ever crossed."

"Hahahe," Hatsune emitted an odd laugh. "Oh, you think so, do you? What is it with you and her? Why is she so important to you?"

"You believe she is important to me, and yet you attack her," Byakuya said studying him intently. "That belief alone should have been sufficient enough for you to stand down."

"I was just having a little fun," Hatsune replied with a wide grin. "Don't you ever have any fun?"

"That may have been fun for a small minded shinigami like you," Byakuya narrowed his gaze. "But I am quite certain it was not fun for her. What kind of shinigami are you?"

"Ahh, so you do have some interest then," Hatsune seized upon the opening. "Since you have that much; I will tell you my story," he began without any acknowledgement that Byakuya truly had interest. "Just short of four hundred years ago, I was lied to by a shinigami after I died. Do you know that?" he asked rhetorically, despite the unusual glint in his eyes. "I am a reborn human and was just a child when he performed Konsō on me so I could enter this world," he continued. "That means I died young enough to absorb the reishi in this world, but too young to enjoy the pleasures the world of the living had to offer," his tone now eked of one with deep regrets as his memories traveled.

"That shinigami seemed so caring and kind hearted," Hatsune elaborated, as his thoughts seemed to get lost in a previous life. "He told me things would be much better for me once I entered the Seireitei. He made me believe this world was a paradise; that the streets were paved with gold; that there would be no suffering and no hunger; that I would exist happily ever after," he stated as his tone rose in irritation. "He acted like he really cared about me. He made me think he was going to watch out for me. But…," Hatsune grew quite for a moment. "I never saw him again."

Byakuya wondered why he was bothering him with this information. He was a shinigami now and had to know it was not a shinigami's obligation to watch out for the ones they saved or to judge the human's soul let alone to speculate about what they would face. It was only their responsibility to save them. But he also had to know the shinigami who had saved him would not have regretted not doing that if he knew what his destiny would be.

"Do you have any idea how difficult it is just to exist in this world if you're not a shinigami and especially not a noble? Why would he do that? Why would he lie to a child?" Hatsune barked, as if holding Byakuya personally responsible for any hardships he endured.

Eyeing him across his shoulder, Byakuya doubted whoever the shinigami was who had saved him, had truly lied to him, or if he had, it was likely a slight stretch of the truth to calm a hysterical child. Children though, often had a tendency to hear what they wanted. But Hatsune had clearly allowed his misconceptions to mold him into the person he was today. "That shinigami was not responsible for your twisted thoughts, if he had not assisted you in entering the Seireitei, you may well have been devoured by a hollow long ago."

"Of course you would say that. Do you know who that shinigami was?" Hatsune asked and waited.

"No," Byakuya responded without interest. "Nor do I care."

"So you don't care? Of course you don't," Hatsune glared at him. "Well I say care about what I say and remember these words, Kuchiki Byakuya because I will destroy you and everything you love. Like that shinigami, you will regret your interference."

"Destroy me?" Byakuya asked, releasing a powerful surge of his spiritual pressure as a warning. "You do not have my level of power, so how can you possibly hope to defeat me."

"Yes, you are strong," Hatsune conceded fending off the spiritual attack. "But so am I, are you saying you cannot be defeated?" he scowled standing his ground. "Do not underestimate my abilities. Yes, you might be a second seat, while I am only a fourth. But the fact that I am a fourth seat has no bearing on my skill set. It is simply that in addition to Captain Aizen, my squad is currently top heavy with not one, but two captain level shinigami serving as second and third seats -- Ichimaru Gin and Tousen Kaname."

"I do not generally underestimate anyone's abilities," Byakuya stated studying him warily. "I simply state the obvious. I am well aware that any being with a Zanpakutō at their disposal can be a dangerous opponent. But what you do not seem to realize is that a Zanpakutō in the hands of an experienced warrior is far deadlier than one in the hands of a mere novice."

"Mere novice?" Hatsune growled. "You will soon learn who the novice is," he said unsheathing his weapon. "If you had not interfered in business that was no concern of yours you might have lived longer, Kuchiki Byakuya. But I can see you have a habit of concerning yourself in matters that you shouldn't. But that's what you Kuchiki's do, isn't it?"

Byakuya couldn't help but feel there was some underlying meaning behind that question. "No, I am a shinigami sworn to protect individuals of the Rukongai and the Seireitei from predators, which you clearly are," he responded without bothering to unsheathe his Zanpakutō, simply continuing to eye him. "And the differences in our powers are far greater than the differences in our rankings. You have already shown yourself to be useless through your acts. I can only assume you are useless in everything you do.  My sword is not for killing insignificant pests like you."

"Insignificant pest," Hatsune repeated with clear disgust. "So that's what you think?"

"That is what I know."

"I will tell you this. That shinigami who banished me here; he told me his name was Kuchiki. Soujun Kuchiki," Hatsune stated resentfully.

Byakuya's eyes widened. Was Hatsune truly faulting his father for how his after life had progressed? It was all he could do to hold back his own repulsion at the thought that his father had saved the soul of a human that had evolved into such a despicable shinigami.

"I looked for him when I was old enough and able to join the Gotei 13, but I understand he is dead now. Was he a relative of yours?" Hatsune asked bitterly.

"Any possible relatives I have should be no concern of yours. The way you are living your afterlife," Byakuya said, narrowing his brows. "I would say Soujun Kuchiki's mistake was in saving you. You do not deserve to be a shinigami; your death would have been no loss."

"And what gives you the right to decide that?" Hatsune bellowed. "Wait, what is that?" he asked eyeing Byakuya's attire. "Those decorations in your hair and that scarf; I thought those were supposed to identify the Kuchiki clan leader," he wanted to know as his mind clearly searched for answers. "Is that what you are now? Clan leader? Well I've never killed a clan leader before, but I will enjoy this."

"You will not kill one now," Byakuya countered earnestly. "Instead, I will give you a choice. Leave this place and never return and I will let you live, or you will have the pleasure of dying by my hand," Byakuya stated as he now clasped his fingers around his Zanpakutō.

"What are you going to do? Are you prepared to kill a fellow shinigami?"

Byakuya didn't respond. It remained unsettling to think he would have to take the life soul of the reborn human his father had saved. But there could be no greater disgrace than to have the one he had saved proceed on his current path.

"Tell me, lieutenant, why are you even interfering? Did this woman ask for you protection? I didn't hear it," Hatsune snipped. "Did you take the 'god' part of our species too literally? Or do you simply believe it is your right because you are a Kuchiki who was born here?"

Byakuya still did not immediately speak as he listened to and absorbed the tirades of the fourth seat. He knew there was nothing else to do other than take his life. But it was a life he himself had forfeited. "It is not me who has misinterpreted my species, it is you. I am a 'death god' but you are no shinigami. You are no more than an insignificant pest that harasses females who have no defenses as well as no interest in you."

"It is not for you to decide who I interact with," Michio Hatsune yelled out; his anger unmistakable in the tone of his voice as he finished. "Kuchiki Byakuya."

"And it is not for you to interact with anyone who has no interest in you."

"And who are you to decide who she has an interest in?"

"I have encountered you enough and I can definitively state she has no interest in anyone who has neither honor nor pride. And you clearly have neither," Byakuya stated brusquely. "If you had even an ounce of intelligence, you would know that."

"That makes what you're doing worse then, doesn't it?" Hatsune questioned. "It was bad enough when I thought you were just another Kuchiki, but why would a clan leader have interest in that female?"

"What you should concern yourself with is the fact that a shinigami stands before you who will not stand by while you impose yourself on any female."

"Ahhh, so is it me you're trying to impress, or is it that reborn woman's attentions you're trying to win the favors of?"

"I have neither the need nor the interest in impressing anyone; least of all you," Byakuya retorted. He'd heard enough and knew he was compelled to uphold his own as well as his father's honor with the use of his blade as he flew toward him.

Hatsune barely had time to raise his weapon in defense when Byakuya struck with a downward stroke as the two swords clashed together, emitting the deafening twang of metal against metal.

Hatsune flashed backward as Byakuya advanced with equal speed. Again and again Byakuya slashed as Hatsune's blade spun and blocked his attacks. With a quick, but sturdy flip of his wrist, Byakuya sent him skidding backward.

Their pace was rapid as Hatsune ascended to the skies and Byakuya followed in quick pursuit.

Halting his assent, Hatsune spun toward the Kuchiki clan leader and swung his Zanpakutō with a downward thrust while simultaneously uttering a Kidō. "Hado Number 4 Byakurai," he yelled initiating a fiercely powerful yet concentrated bolt of lightning from his fingers toward Byakuya.

Byakuya quickly flashed out of the attacks path. "Hado number 31 Shakkahō," he called returning a fiery red ball of energy at his target "In death, perhaps you will be enlightened to the error of your ways," he declared.

"Spoken like a true Kuchiki, everything you say and do is correct, isn't it?" Hatsune quipped. "So you think you can kill me?"

"I both know and will," Byakuya said performing a quick flash step to approach on Hatsune's rear, but the shinigami spun, performing his own flash step as he moved.

"I saw that, are you surprised? You were attempting to destroy both my soul power and soul sleep cores weren't you?" Hatsune blared angrily. "That may have worked on someone else, but you forgot I'm not your ordinary fourth seat, Kuchiki Byakuya. I could see your every move."

"No, you are less than ordinary. You confuse luck with skill," Byakuya countered. "You believe because you were able to track my moves that our skills are equal, but they are not."

"They're not? You call my ability to track you luck?" Hatsune hissed with disbelief. "Well when this is over, you will know what luck is. Or perhaps you won't," he squawked with an evil leer. "But since you have such interest in that female, I'm going to tell you exactly what's going to happen. Unlike my life, I know as a Kuchiki you've always had things go the way you wanted; but no more," Hatsune declared with resentment spewing from his lips. "Call it luck if you will, but I'm going to defeat you Kuchiki Byakuya, then I'm going to take her and do whatever I want. I'm going to destroy everything you have an interest in. Your little friend has tried to play the coy route, but she's simply another nubile female yearning to be explored." Hatsune stated but then seemed to rethink his words.

"Look, we don't have to fight, why don't we just share her," he stated as calmly as if he had simply suggested they share expenses for dinner.

Byakuya glared at him. Was he insane? If not yet, it was definitely a path he was pursuing.

Having not received the response he sought after several minutes of waiting, Hatsune continued. "I've always had an interest in her, but now that I see you do as well, if we can't share, I am determined to have her and I will," he hissed a gloat, reverting back to his previous over enthusiasm. "She's going to beg me for it. She's going to be so delighted that a shinigami like me has any interest in her."

Byakuya narrowed his gaze. He could not attribute any value to Hatsune except his arrogance. "You would have to kill me for that to occur, but you never will," he declared, his anger building steadily, though not an ounce of it was betrayed on his features. "Instead of trying to prove that Soujun Kuchiki errored in saving your worthless soul, you should be grateful for the opportunity to progress to the level of shinigami, unless of course you have no value for the life you've been granted. What you've accomplished is no small feat."

"Hahahe," Hatsune laughed oddly, leaving the Kuchiki clan leader with an uncomfortable feeling. Not because he was concerned about any possible power he might possess, but because it was clear the workings of his mind were unstable. Who was this shinigami?

"You speak as if your ranking is far greater than that of a mere second seat."

"That is because I have prepared for my destiny all my life."

"Your destiny?" Hatsune bellowed. "You will have no destiny once I've taken your life," he declared as he rushed toward the Kuchiki clan leader, unleashing a series of strikes with his Zanpakutō.

Repeatedly, the two shinigami once more clashed and slashed; swords flying left and right as they attacked; a burst of power shooting forth from both Zanpakutōs as well as their bodies.

Byakuya swooped in for a quick strike at Hatsune's right flank only to find his blade thwarted as Hatsune swirled and countered. Rotating rapidly, Byakuya flailed his sword toward his left, but Hatsune's counter was an equal match.

Clasping both hands around the hilt of his weapon, Byakuya emitted a mighty thrust then pirouetted above his head and whirled around behind the shinigami to issue his fatal blow.

Apparently sensing his impending demise, Hatsune blocked the assault then quickly flashed away.

"Hado number 34 Kongōbaku," Hatsune uttered sending a red spherical blast of energy toward Byakuya who countered with, "Hado Number 54 Haien," firing an oversized purple spiritual energy ball that completely incinerated the target headed in his direction.

Racing toward each other, the two shinigami again engaged in hand to hand as metal clanged against metal and sparks flew upward.

Byakuya was both surprised and disappointed to find Hatsune's zanjutsu techniques so proficient, but he knew it wouldn't benefit him because he would be forced to take his life.

Flashing away from each other, Hatsune heaved heavily. He was clearly winded.

"Note that your own twisted arrogance has ensured your defeat," Byakuya stated calmly, his smooth baritone stressing his point. "Scatter, Senbonzakura," came his calm utterance as he could tolerate this battle no longer. It was time Hatsune knew what fun truly was.

With his words, the blade of Byakuya's sword was instantly encased in a vibrant pink glow as the blade itself began to break apart and scatter into smaller, yet sharp deadly pieces of metal that spiraled in circular patterns, carrying no softness in its edges.

Though it looked like flower petals floating on the air, it wasn't. In actuality, the blades were far deadlier. Byakuya made no further movements, as he controlled those deceptive flower petals with his mind and directed them to assault his target; slicing into him from every conceivable direction.

With his thoughts alone, the Kuchiki clan leader focused his attack on the shinigami before him as the pink petals of his blade surrounded him; cutting into him; shredding him.

Hatsune flashed into the heavens to evade the attack, but then he had not been instructed by the former flash goddess Yoruichi, though Byakuya had never truly wished to acknowledge that he, himself had learned anything from her. But it didn't matter; Hatsune could flash step all he wanted, his speed was insufficient to avoid his blades.

"You cannot escape," Byakuya cautioned. "Even in shikai form, my Zanpakutō Senbonzakura is like a relentless barrage by millions of blades attacking simultaneously from every direction. They are impossible to avoid."

"You bastard," Hatsune shouted from beneath the blades cutting into his skin as he continued to try to avoid them. "You need to learn that being a clan leader does not entitle you to anything you want."

"And are you proposing to teach me this lesson?" Byakuya queried despite his obvious disbelief. "First you should realize that your lineage is closer to bastardization than mine could ever be. My parents were both members of noble houses. Do you remember who yours were?"

"You arrogant son of a … I will teach you respect if it's the last thing I do."

"If that is truly your wish, then I say take it to your grave because your only achievement will be that you will have the pleasure of dying by my hand." Byakuya said, frustrated with the time he had already wasted attempting to convince this fourth seat that he was overmatched.

"Do you think that as the head of the Kuchiki clan that gives you the right to do what you wish?"

"If you were a shinigami of any value, you would know it is not merely a right to protect a female requiring assistance. It is an obligation," Byakuya declared with contempt. "No self-respecting shinigami would stand about when anyone is endangered; even from another shinigami."

"Bakudo Number 21 Sekienton," Hatsune countered, ushering in a thick red smoke bomb to camouflage his movements.

"Hado Number 33 Sōkatsui," Byakuya quickly countered to blast away the camouflage as a burst of blue spiritual energy found its way toward his target.

Everything that happened in the next couple of minutes seemed to have occurred in an instantaneous flash. Suddenly surrounded by a vibrant bright light, Byakuya heard the fourth seat utter as he watched him lift his sword "Confound, Sheipushifutā."

When the light cleared, Byakuya was stunned to now see his grandfather standing in front of him. Had he come to stop him from killing this shinigami? Why? "Grandfa…," with the words barely leaving his lips and his eyes widening in shock, Byakuya Kuchiki barely managed to spin slightly as he saw, then felt the sharpness of a blade just piercing his right chest.

Curling his fingers around the unmistakable metal, his palm was deeply gouged with his movements as Byakuya quickly flash stepped backwards still puzzled by the unexpected appearance of his grandfather.

"What was that? Who are you?" Byakuya asked realizing that what he looked at was likely some form of illusion.

"That is the power of my Zanpakutō," Hatsune gloated.

"Your Zanpakutō?" Byakuya repeated questioningly, realizing his mistake. "So your Zanpakutō is capable of camouflaging its wielder."

"Not truly, only your expected perception of its wielder," the shinigami clarified. "My Zanpakutō Sheipushifutā possesses the ability to reach inside anyone's heart and make them believe they are viewing someone other than me. The surprising shock of that effect is enough to make them back off, leaving themselves open to the strike of my blade."

"I see," Byakuya said with full understanding; so his Zanpakutō was as deceptive as him; but such deception would be to no avail. "Well that will not work again. You should know that I will kill even my grandfather to preserve the Kuchiki honor and protect that woman. So if you don't understand yet, understand this; I spared you before and told you to be gone. But I should never have taken it so easy on you. Now, I'll make sure you don't leave here alive."

"Really?" Hatsune demanded still looking very much like grandfather Ginrei. "Confound, Sheipushifutā," he called again as he was once more surrounded by the powerful bright light. "Can you kill me now, Kuchiki Byakuya?" he asked in a soft gentle female voice, sounding and looking exactly like Hisana. "Will you destroy the form of the woman you are claiming to protect? What would she think of you then?"

Hearing a faint, yet unmistakable sound just beyond the clearing, Byakuya diverted his attention momentarily but the source had already disappeared.

"You want to know what she thinks of me," Byakuya questioned with a narrowing gaze. "What will she think of you, to hide behind a woman's skirt? Or perhaps I should say in it?"

Now, the head of the Kuchiki clan simply extended his arm as those deceptive petals gathered and solidified, allowing his master to prepare for his next strike.

"Bankai,' Byakuya said, having had enough as he dropped his Zanpakutō to his feet. Such power wasn't a necessity to ensure this shinigami's defeat, but after his deception, he wished to taste his death with his own hands. But despite the uncertainty before his eyes and in his heart, he focused fully on what he had to do. "Senkei Senbonzakura Kageyoshi."

The disassembled blades of the Kuchiki clan's 28th head floated upward as they reformed and he was immediately surrounded by four rows of katanas circling both himself and his opponent. Reaching out, one of the katana now fell into his palm. "This is Senbonzakura's true form," Byakuya informed Hatsune. "With this form, I am capable of dropping all pretense of defense and focus everything on defeating my enemy. While here, it doesn't matter who you look like. You can neither escape this barrier, nor can anyone enter.  This way, I am assured that the one I kill will be you."

Hatsune stared at the blades circling his head. If he had any sense, he would have conceded defeat at that moment. But such an actuality was beyond his grasp as he tried to quickly flash above them. His movements however were not nearly as fast as Byakuya's thoughts as his Zanpakutō converged and reformed into the shape of a dome, blocking Hatsune's exit.

"Will you truly kill me, Kuchiki Byakuya? Are you even certain who you have trapped? Can you take that chance?"

Byakuya considered that as he studied him. He looked like Hisana; he even sounded like Hisana; but whether he realized it or not, his spiritual pressure and his form of address were clearly that of Hatsune. If he could rely on nothing else, Byakuya decided he would rely on that knowledge.

"Killing you is not taking a chance of any merit," Byakuya stated smoothly.

"Ugggh," Hatsune screamed as he reverted to himself and rushed toward the Kuchiki clan leader, Zanpakutō aimed for the kill.

To ensure accurate contact, Byakuya simply swatted his palms, directing several of his blades into Hatsune's body as he fell to the ground before him.

Stretching out his hand, he now allowed his sword to reform into a single Zanpakutō as he sheathed his weapon.

He had to find Hisana, he thought to himself. He knew she had not returned to his manor. He was certain he had heard her cry out in the middle of his battle.