Horns of Fate (Bleach oc Fanfic)

Part Eighteen: Long time no see Byakuya

Carefully Keishin pushes away the blade from his face. "All evidence to the contrary." The blade returns. "If you wouldn't mind pointing that somewhere else, that would be great."

Byakuya's face is hard but he doesn't say anything, nor move his zanpakuto away. The large man he'd been arguing with taps his on his bare shoulder. The enormous hollow lay some distance unmoving, which right now was good for them.

"Friend of yours Kuchiki?" he muses, grin widening as he exposes his teeth.

"No." Those cold steel coloured eyes slid shut. "What are you doing here?"

Ichigo decides then to pipe up from where he sits covered in blood. "How did you get here anyway." He looks to the Soul reapers gathered. "I thought you guys were stuck here?"

Keishin shrugs. "I used the express elevator." Neither of them looks amused and Ichigo just looks more confused if his vacant expression was anything to go by, so he sighs. "It was simple really, I came here through a Garganta."

"You can do that?" Ichigo breathes out amazed.

"Try not to forget what I am Ichigo I don't really feel like explaining this every time we speak." He dusts off some no existent dirt from his coat. "It's nothing major."

Ichigo appears to be examining his hands. "Can I do that?" He wonders aloud.

Refraining from rolling his eyes, Keishin steps aside to walk past his former friend. "it's not entirely impossible I suppose, yet out of all of us I am the only one." He shifts his coat to hide the growing bloodstain from prying eyes. "It is why I am the one tasked with bringing you back from your little adventure here."

Ichigo blinks. "Oh yeah, where's Orihime? I need to find her...." He hunches over and spits out blood. "Ah crap."

The woman with pale hair leaned over him worriedly. "Don't move around to much Ichigo, just sit still."

"Keishin." A calm voice stills them all. "You've grown."

He slides his eyes onto the smiling woman. "Captain Unohana." He looks away. "If you say so."

Her expression barely changes at his words. "Your pricklier then I remember, you should come here so I can tend to that wound of yours. I imagine it's taking a lot of will to keep standing given its severity."

'Damn, she's too damn perceptive for her own good.' He mentally scowls,

Her voice sounds nice, but he knows her all to well and can sense the underlying threat that if he doesn't, she'll kill him dead. Deader than dead.

And yet. "No thanks." Is what comes out of is mouth. "I think I'll pass."

Mentally he's flinching. 'Idiot why did I say that.' Physically he's standing still and not moving a single minuscule muscle. 'She's going to kill me.'

She smiles, eyes closing. "Still stubborn I see."

He sighs, that little voice in his head telling him to just let her before they both die. For once his Hollow was silent on the matter, then again come to think of it he didn't hear too much from it lately.

"Fine, as it happens, I rather enjoy living." He sighs. "Besides, arguing with you is pointless."

She continues to smile as she approaches. "A wise decision."

A sword blade stops her approach, even without looking its clear she knows who it is. "Objection Captain Kuchiki?"

Byakuya doesn't even blink as he sets his steely gaze on Keishin. "Regardless of former...... attachments." He says lowly. "That action Captain Unohana would be unwise for you."