Hurt Byakuya Kuchiki - Bleach fanfiction

First and only Chapter

Disclaimer: I don't own bleach out any of it's characters!

It had been about a day since Yamamoto had sent Byakuya to the world of the living to investigate a strange and not to mention strong Spiritual Pressure. The 12th had reported that it was a Hollows Spiritual Pressure, but as Byakuya flash stepped towards it's source for what felt like the 100th time today it felt more like an Arrancar. Finally whatever it was that was causing the disturbance was just mere meters away.
“So it truly was just a lowly Hollow after all. What a waste of time.” Byakuya said as he pulled out Senbonzakura. The  Hollow, only just now realizing that Byakuya was there, turned around in shock. That's when Byakuya noticed a small box in the hands of the Hollow, the odd Spiritual  pressure seemed to be originating from it.
“Stupid Shinigami! I'm not a lowly Hollow! I'm an Arrancar, see, my mask is cracked!” the 'Arrancar' yelled in the most annoying voice that Byakuya could have ever imagined. None the less he took a closer look at the Hollows mask. It indeed had a small crack in it. Byakuyas eyes hardened and he fixed a pointed death glare at the Arrancar. It was ridiculous that someone of the level of a captain had to waste time with a low Arrancar.
“Hey Shinigami, do ya know what this is?” The Arrancar said while holding up the cube. Byakuya didn't answer, he had no intention of conversing with an Arrancar that hardly looked human.
“It's a bomb, made by the former Octava Espada and guess what, it has sucked up the Spiritual pressure of all the Espada and possibly even Aizen over the course of years! And I'm sure ya can imagine what would happen if it detonates here.” Byakuyas eyes widened and he extended his own Spiritual pressure to fell if what the Arrancar said was true. If he hadn't been Byakuya Kuchiki he would have cursed, but since he was Byakuya Kuchiki he just frowned. The cube held a large amount of Spiritual pressure enough to clearly identify who it belonged to. He could feel the Spiritual pressure of 9 Espada, Gin, Tousen and even Aizen, however it seemed to be sealed within the cube. But it wavered from time to time, implying that the seal was unstable.
“I know ya, believe it or not, but word travels fast in Hueco Mundo. You're a captain and you're using mostly large scale attacks. I would recommend not to in this battle, ya see the slightest scratch will be enough to set this thing off and I'm fully prepared to die today.” the Arrancar said and rushed towards him. To Byakuyas surprise it pulled out a sword and swung it down on him. He quickly dodged and used a flash step to get a little bit of distance between them. The way the Arrancar was holding the bomb, he could dig it's nails in it at any given moment.
Suddenly the bomb started to shine in a bright white light, even the Arrancar was surprised. The seal seemed to be giving in. Suddenly a large amount of Spiritual pressure escape. All the air in Byakuyas lungs was knocked out and he started coughing violently. The Arrancar wasn't fairing any better. It was struggling to stay upright and it's hands were trembling.
Suddenly there were other Spiritual pressures right behind Byakuya and he turned around in alarm, the coughing had subsided after the outburst was over. Standing there were the one and only Vizard. Shinji was closest to him, the usual smug grin was no where to be found on his face.
“Ne, that Spiritual pressure just now... Ya need help?” the former captain asked and Byakuya couldn't hold the offended huff that left him.
“Since when do you Vizard want to help us Soul reapers? And no, I do not need any of your help. I'm perfectly fine by myself.” Byakuya spat and turned back to the Arrancar who was still trembling like a leaf in a storm.
“That's not very friendly of you, captain Kuchiki.” the Vizard said and his grin was back on his face again. However it didn't last long, because the Arrancar was beginning to panic. In his eyes the number of enemies had increased and this would most definitely interfere with his plan to blow up the town and everyone in it. So without saying anything it just threw the bomb on the ground with all his might.
The reaction was instant. The whole area they had been in was engulfed in Spiritual pressure so thick that the people walking by thought it was some sort of gas shortly before collapsing and dying on the spot.
It was becoming increasingly hard to breath.
“Quick, put your masks on and then run!” Kensei yelled as he grabbed Mashiro by the waist and threw her over his shoulder.
“Hey stop that!” the now hollowfied girl yelled, but Kensei ignored her and quiet literary sprinted away with the  other Vizard close behind. They were all gasping for breath beneath their masks and the pressure was weighting them down.
They had almost reached the end of the fog when Shinji suddenly stopped.
“Damn it, Byakuya!” he yelled and flash stepped back inside before anyone could protest.
“That idiot!” Lisa complained and got ready to follow him, but was stopped by Rose.
“Leave him, he still has enough time. But I'm afraid we're close to our limits. Remember we were training before we got here.” he said and Lisa nodded. She looked back one more time before running out of the fog.
Shinji was moving as fast as he could. It was hard to breath and even harder to see.
What the hell is up with this Spiritual pressure? It feels more like it's poisoning me from the inside out than crushing me! He thought as he approached the center. He couldn't hear anything anymore. It was like he was standing beneath a waterfall. He strained his eyes, trying to sense the Shinigami in here would be pointless.
Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he saw something white flash up between the seemingly endless streams of Spiritual pressure.
“Byakuya!” he called out, his voice was distorted by the  hollow mask, but it was loud none the less. He moved over to where he remembered seeing the white flash and was relieved when he found Byakuya. However his relief was short lived. The captain was coughing and didn't even seem to be conscious anymore. He had collapsed to the ground and was visibly shaking.
“Damn it!” Shinji cursed as he quickly lifted the Shinigami up bridal style and flash stepped out of the fog and towards their “hideout” as fast as he could with the Spiritual pressure weighting him down.
When he got inside the barrier he collapsed and started coughing as soon as his hollow mask had dissolved completely. The other Vizard had gathered around him as soon as he had entered and even Hiyori looked slightly worried. Shinji quickly turned to Hachigen and lifted Byakuya towards him.
“Treat him first... I'll be fine once I catch my breath.” he said and the Kido master nodded and took Byakuya out of his hands. The captains body was still shaking and the coughing hadn't subsided at all.
Suddenly something hit him over the head and it didn't take long before Hiyori yelled:
“That was way too reckless you big idiot! How did someone like you ever become a captain?!”
“Oh shut up Hiyori! What else was I supposed to do? Leave him there to die?” Shinji yelled back.
“Yes!” she shrieked and when tears began to gather in her eyes she stomped off to her room. Lisa quickly followed her and Kensei pulled Mashiro away before she could make some oblivious comment.
“Shinji, want me to bring you to your room?” Love offered and he nodded, his fighting spirit had sunk to a completely new low. He made Hiyori cry, Byakuya was in horrible condition because he forgot about him and to top it all up, it had been his idea to go and check out the odd Spiritual  pressure. Love carefully helped him up and Shinji swung his arm around his shoulders in order to stay upright. He had used up almost every little bit of Spiritual pressure trying to withstand that fog.
Back in his room he laid down on his bed, he had asked Love to shut the curtains so it was pretty dark inside. He had just drifted off to sleep when he felt Byakuyas Spiritual pressure drop noticeably. He jolted up and made a full blown sprint towards Hachigen's room. When he got  there Rose and Love were standing outside the door while Hachigen tried his best to help Byakuya.
“What's going on? Why did his Spiritual pressure drop like that?!” Shinji yelled while trying to push past Love and Rose.
“Calm down, Shinji. Hachi needs some space to work.” Love said and finally succeeded in pushing him back.
“It appears that the Spiritual pressure that bomb set free is not normal, it seems to have warped itself to something more similar to a poison.” Hachigen explained and began to try another Kido.
“Poison?! What kind of poison makes something like that happen to a captain level Shinigami.?” Shinji asked in distress and Hachigen shook his head.
“I'm sorry, but I don't know. I'm not schooled with poisons or medicine, I believe it would be best to try and contact soul society. He just wont stop coughing and his Spiritual pressure is dropping more every minute.” he said and Shinji cursed before pushing himself past Love and Rose into the room. He knelt besides Byakuya, who was lying on Hachigen's bed, and pushed his hand inside the Shinigami uniform. It took him a while but he finally found the small inside pocked with the communicator and pulled it out.
“Hachi, is there a way we can stabilize him?” Shinji asked as he began dial a number in the phone-like communicator.
“I'm not sure. The thought that I have in mind might do more harm than good.” the Kido master said and Love snorted.
“I don't think things can get much worse for him. So what's the idea?” he asked and leaned on the doorframe.
“I was thinking that, since his Spiritual pressure is getting lower and lower, maybe we could try to transfer some of ours into his system.” he explained and Shinji stopped his typing in favor of staring at the Kido master in shock.
“We're Vizared and he is a Shinigami. I don't really think it would be a good idea.” Shinij said and went back to typing.
“I agree. I think you should just keep trying to stop his furious coughing for mow.” Rose suggested and Hachigen nodded as he quickly went back to work. He had neglected the Kido spell he had been using before and Byakuyas coughing had worsened even more.
Suddenly a low crackling sound could be heard from the communication device Shinji had swept off of Byakuya before a small picture of the head captain himself appeared. Said captain seemed to be surprised to see Shinji, his eyes had opened and he stared at him for a few seconds before he spoke in a dark voice:
“What happened? I have received reports from the 12th division that there was a sudden burst in Spiritual pressure so strong it caused human lives to be lost.”
“Wow, that's cruel of you. I really thought the first thing you'd ask would be 'how's Byakuya? Why are you calling instead of him?' but I guess you're just as cold as ever.” Shinji said with a grin, that didn't exactly seem to amuse the head captain very much. His face visibly darkened and Shinji turned serious too.
“There was an Arrancar that had a bomb filled with the spiritual pressures of the Espada, Gin, Tousen and even Aizen. He detonated it, however the blast didn't spread far. Instead all the concentrated, warped Spirit energy was released in a rather confined space.” Shinji explained in a dark voice as he looked Yamamoto straight in the eyes.
“I see. How and where is Byakuya?”
“So you do care.” Shinji said in fake happiness before he was serious again. Instead of speaking he went over to the bed and held the device above it so that the camera showed Byakuya. He was still coughing despite Hachigen's efforts, his skin was pale and his whole body was shaking violently.
“Don't get me wrong, but if it hadn't been for us he would be dead already. I suggest you send someone over to get him. Though sending anyone below the level of captain would be suicide.” Shinji said and turned the phone back to him.
“I see. I will send someone as soon as possible.” the head captains voice was dark, darker than usually. Then he ended the call.
“Well you heard him. Hachi can you put up a barrier around me and Byakuya when the Senkaimon opens? We'll have to cross a small distance since they can't open it in here.” Shinji asks and picks up Byakuyas unconscious body that's still shaking with coughs and ragged breaths in between.
“Of course, but shouldn't someone else go out? Kensei could-” Hachigen began, but Shinji wasn't having that.
“No, I'm going. I already put you in enough danger with my stupid decision.” he said and was suddenly smacked over the head.
“What the...” it had been a light strike and when he turned around he saw Lisa and Hiyori standing next to Love and Rose.
“If you think that bomb is enough to finish any of us  off, you're in for a beating!” she yelled. It was obvious that her promised violence was just mockingly, like it always was. But Shinji was serious and it angered him that no one seemed to see the danger of that fog.
“Oh really? Well look at Byakuya! Does he look okay to you? Just think about it, if Kensei hadn't reacted the way he did one if not all of us could be in that condi-” before Shinji could finish Hiyori had already struck him with her shoe again.
“Do you see any of us lying on that bed, coughing and pale like a corps?! You moron! We're all fine and even if we weren't it isn't your fault! We do what we want anyways and I don't give a damn about what you say!” she yelled and Shinji was nothing short of dumbfounded. Even more so when he heard Lisa chuckle.
“I'll go get Kensei, he was the first one to get out of that fog. He'll be better off than you would be.” said Rose and went off with Love in tow.
“I- I really don't know what to say right now...” he said with a defeated sigh. Suddenly Love appeared in the door and informed them that the Senkaimon had just been opened and Kensei is already waiting in the entrance.
Shinji quickly, and carefully, picked Byakuya up from the bed and went towards the entrance with Hachigen and the others following.
“Took you long enough. Let's get this over with.” Kensei complained as he took Byakuya into his arms. He made sure to hold the captains head as secure as  possible. Byakuya hardly had any strength as it is and with all the coughing it wouldn't be healthy if his head hung down.
“Hold still for a moment I'll put up barrier. You should still equip your mask, Kensei. This barrier won't be much against the Spiritual pressure out there.” Hachigen said, but Kensei shrugged it off.
“Kyoraku is standing there and he's just fine. The fog doesn't seem to have reached us... yet.” he said, but equipped his mask anyway before he slipped through their protective barrier.
When Shunsui saw the Vizard and Byakuya he gasped and almost wanted to sprint forward, but he refrained. Yamamoto had made it more than clear that he is not to distance himself from the Senkeimon, not even a few feet. And now he understood why. Byakuya looked horrible. His already pale skin was almost completely white and he had bags under his eyes that looked a dark shade of green if not gray or even black. He was coughing and shaking.
Damn it, he looks as bad as Jushiro did when his illness spiked dramatically! He thought.
“You should hurry.” was the only thing Kensei said as he handed Byakuya to him. Shunsui took him and made sure to hold the other captain as secure as possible. He even pushed out his own Spiritual pressure to make sure none of that fog stuff even got close.
Suddenly, the sky darkened and both Shunsui and Kensei looked in the direction the fog had originated from. To their horror there was a gigantic wave of spiritual power coming towards them and Shunsui didn't really have time to say anything but: ”Will you be okay?” to Kensei before he had to leave. Kensei answered with a short nod and literary sprinted back inside the barrier. Shunsui used a flash step back inside the Senkeimon and another to get to Soul Society faster.
Damn it, it's already getting harder to breath. The fog didn't even reach me! Shunsui thought as he kept using several flash steps to cross over.
Suddenly Byakuya's coughing subsided and one look at the younger captain told him that it wasn't a good sign. Instead of ragged breaths between furious coughing, Byakuya was hardly breathing at all. His Spiritual pressure had abruptly dropped and was hardly there anymore. Shunsui cursed under his breath and tried to move even faster.
As soon as he left the Senkeimon he made a sprint towards the 4th right away. When he got there the busy hallways go silent in an instant.
“Unohana!” he yelled and slightly lashed out with his Spiritual energy. In less than a second the captain of the 4th was standing before him and looked positively horrified when she saw Byakuya's condition. She quickly instructed several Shinigami to prepare various things that Shunsui didn't understand in the least.
When Byakuya had been moved on a transportable bed and into an emergency room Unohana turned to Shunsui.
“You should go and report to the head captain. Please tell him to close the Senkeimon for now.  I wouldn't want any Shinigami going out and rushing right into what captain Kuchiki was caught in.” she said and Shunsui nodded. His expression was dark. He wasn't exactly friends with Byakuya, but seeing him in that condition made him angry. As he rushed to the 1st Division headquarters a depressing thought struck him:
I'll have to tell Jushiro... and he'll have to tell Rukia. Not to mention Lieutenant Abarai has to be informed as well. Normally I'd let Nanao-chan take care of that, but I'm afraid this time I'll have to do it myself...
Shunsui stood before the huge door that led to the head captains office and before he could knock Yamamoto's grim voice already called him in.
“Hey there Yama-jii, how have you been?” Shunsui greeted while lifting a lazy hand.
“This is not the time for small talk. What happened in the world of the living?” the head captain questioned and Shunsui's demeanor changed drastically.
“Honestly I have no clue. Kensei barely had enough time to give me Byakuya before that fog came towards us.” Shunsui said and slightly lowered his head, so that the shaddow of his ever present hat covered his eyes.
“So it spread further?” Yamamoto yelled and Shunsui jolted.
“It did and it was fast. I honestly hope the Vizard are alright out there...” he commented after getting over the shock of Yamamoto, the ever calm captain commander, yelling.
“I see...I will have a barrier put up in the surrounding area then.” the head captain said in a calm voice. “You should inform lieutenant Abarai... and tell miss Kuchiki what happened.”
“Well, what did happen? I was just there to see that pile of fog coming towards me...” Shunsui said and, aside from needing to know this information so that he could personally give it to Abarai and Kuchiki 2 (aka Rukia), he wanted to know himself.
“Shinji told me that some left over Arrancar detonated a bomb with warped Spiritual pressure inside. It appears that this bomb had the Spiritual pressure of all the Espada, Gin Ichimaru, Kaname Tousen and Aizen.” Yamamoto explained and Shunsui almost fell over from shock.
“Aizens Spiritual  pressure was in there?!” he exclamed in shock. “Yama-jii then this is a lot more serious-”
“Silence! I will personally make sure that this incident is brought under control! Now leave and inform lieutenant Abarai!” the old Shinigami yelled and, despite his objections, Shunsui ducked and left. He used a simple flash step to get to the 6th first, he had been instructed to inform Lieutenant Abarai after all.
When he entered he was instantly greeted by a very distressed Lieutenant. Word travels fast in the Seireitei after all.
“Captain Kyoraku- What happened to captain Kuchiki? Oh god, don't tell me he's-”
“Calm down, Abarai. He's alive and being treated in the 4th right now.” Shunsui said in a deep, relaxing voice while giving the Lieutenant a small smile. Said Lieutenant sighted in relief at that knowledge.
“Damn am I glad to hear that... How's his condition though?” Renji asked in a concerned voice. Shunsui sighted sadly before he spoke in a grave voice:
“Not good. I'm sure Unohana will find a way to treat him, but when I last saw him he was more dead than alive.” No use getting his hopes up too much...
Renji's face visibly paled, which looked sort of weird. He stared at Shunsui for a few moments before he suddenly bowed and said his thanks for being informed. With a sight Shunsui made his way to the 13th division barracks. When he got outside the 6th he used a very slow flash step. He was not looking forwards to telling Rukia, let alone seeing Jushiro get sad because one of his subordinates is sad. Damn it why me? Couldn't Yama-jii have sent someone else?
He reached the barracks and went straight for Jushiro's room. He knew that his old friend was there and from what he could sense Rukia was there too. He hid his Spiritual Pressure the best he could, he knew that Jushiro would still be able to sense him but Kuchiki 2 wouldn't, and stood outside the room. He could clearly hear the young Kuchiki was crying, if not sobbing.
“Please try to calm down, Rukia. I'm sure Byakuya will be fine. After all Yamamoto-sensei send Shunsui to get him.” Jushiro's soothing voice floated through the air and Shunsui sighted sadly, before finally bringing himself to knock on the door. He didn't wait for Jushiro to tell him to come in - he never did so why should he start now?
As soon as he stood inside the small room his expression became one of sadness. The young Kuchiki was sitting on the futon besides Jushiro and cried into his robes. When she noticed Shunsui's presence she made an effort to get up and greet the captain properly, but Jushiro simply began to pet her head slightly.
“Shunsui, what happened?” the sickly captain asked in a concerned voice. Rukia's crying had subsided, she obviously didn't want to miss a single word of what he was about to say.
“Well... An Arrancar somehow found a bomb that, if it detonates, releases the Spiritual pressure that is kept inside it in one big explosion. Unfortunately the Spiritual Pressure consisted of that of all the Espada, Gin's, Tousen's and Aizaen's. Of course only fragments, but still.” He paused and watched as the young Shinnigami gripped Jushiro's robe a little tighter.
“Please, continue, Shunsui.” Jushiro said and with a nod the lazy captain did as told:
“The Vizard were there, luckily, and somehow managed to get him to safety. I think they tried to do first aid, but I don't think they succeeded. When I picked him up, he was coughing worse than you and looked more dead than alive. He's at the 4th right now. I've already informed Lieutenant Abarai.”
“C-captain Kyoraku...do you...do you think I could visit him at the 4th?” Rukia questioned in a shaking voice as she pushed herself away from her captain and looked at Shunsui.
“I'm not sure. Unohana whisked him away to the infirmary right after I brought him in, but I could send Nanao-chan to ask for you. I'm sure she wouldn't mind contacting you afterwards.” the pink kimono wearing captain offered, but the young Kuchikki shook her head and made a move to stand up.
“I- I can go ask myself. But I appreciate the offer.” She said and bowed.
“Ruika, would you like me to come along?” Jushiro offered and after a slightly surprised look Rukia nodded.
“I'm sure he'll turn out to be just fine. Unohana is pretty good at what she's doing. Oh and also... you should pick up Lieutenant Abarai  on your way. He was very concerned too.” Shunsui informed before he stepped outside and vanished by using a quick Shunpo...

*2 Weeks later*

Byakuya woke up slowly. He felt dizzy and slightly disoriented, but when he opened his eyes he could make out the blurry shape of the 4th divisions ceiling. It also didn't take long for a red blur to pop into his field of vision. It took even less time for a familiar voice to reach his ears.
“Captain are you alright?” Renji asked as soon as he noticed that Byakuya was conscious.
“I...suppose I am. What exactly happened?” he asked slowly. He realized that breathing was finally easy again.
“Oh, I got a report a few days back about the whole mission. It said that the bomb that the Arrancar had seemed to have had a malfunction of some kind that caused it to absorb the Spiritual Pressure of it's surroundings. When it detonated the Spiritual Pressure had been warped to a point where it was pure poison. Appearantly ex-captain Hirako saved you by carrying you out of the poisoned fog.” Renji explained and intentionally left out the part where the report said that Shinji carried him “bridal style”. He was certain his captain wouldn't find it as amusing as he did.
“I see. What about the people that were there?” Byakuya questioned and Renji looked down.
“Many living Souls were effected and died before any help could get there, but the Kido corps managed to keep the losses to a minimum.” Renji explained and looked at Byakuya in hopes of finding a hint to what he was thinking. He stopped once he realized that it was still the Byakuya Kuchiki sitting in front of  him, well lying if you want to be specific.
“Very well then. Could you call Captain Unohana for me? I would very much like to know when I can return to work. - Speaking of work, how much is there?” the captain asked to which Renji broke out in a very, very cold sweat.
“W-Well you see... I spent as much time here as I could so I only finished half the paperwork that I was supposed to finish and you...” he paused to swallow, “...were out for 2 weeks.”
Renji looked at his captain and was surprised to see shock mixed with anger on his captains face.
“2 weeks?” he repeated gravely, before he sighted.
“I will call captain Unohana...I'll be right back.” Renji said and sprinted out of the room like a bat out of hell...