Noble Love - Bleach (Kuchiki Byakuya x Oc x A bit of Various)

六十一

Holding the machete up high, Baldric brought it down to finish off the severely wounded Shinigami. But the blade contacted a green cuboid barrier erected around the latter. When the impact didn't hit him, and he felt some sort of energy healing his wounds at a rapid rate, he opened his eyes and looked at the green barrier with surprise. 'What's going on?' he questioned.

"Hado #4 Byakurai." came a familiar female voice, before a concentrated bolt of lighting was discharged at the twins from the right side. Baldhild raised her hand and used her Reishi strings to stop the attack, halting it in its place. But at that moment, the Shinigami landed behind them and delivered two side kicks into their abdomens, sending them flying backwards before gradually stopping a few feet away from Tadashi, who was watching with a confused look on his face.

He looked up and was surprised to see who it was. "Asa-nee!" he said with a big smile. "You're back!"

The said woman glanced at him over her shoulder, smiling. "I'm sorry for being so late." she said.

He couldn't be bothered about that, for he was glad that she had returned to Seiretei safe. With his replenished energy now that his wounds were healed, he quickly got up and faced her, taking in her appearance. Her hair had grown longer, and was partially tied up in the back in a long bun, secured by the gold kanzashi Byakuya gave to her, and fell behind her shoulders. The front was parted in the center, leaving some strands hanging on the sides, framing her face. He felt that she'd become more beautiful, even though he hadn't seen her for a few days.

'That's weird.' he thought, however, when he noticed something. 'I have no idea what she did in the Soul King Palace, but she must've done something. If she was approaching me, I could've sensed her Reiatsu from far. But even now when she's standing here, I feel nothing. It's like her Reiatsu had disappeared completely.'

"We'll talk later." she said, snapping him out of his thoughts, before the barrier dissipated. She checked his wounds once more and smiled, saying, "Good. You're all healed." Her smile curled into her frown when she focused on the pair of twins. "Now we can continue the fight with them."

"Impressive." they complimented in sync. "We didn't think you would be able to heal him back to full health. But then again, it doesn't matter. Because both of you are going to be defeated by us." Baldhild held her hands out, releasing multiple Reishi strings from her palms and they wrapped around the twins, created a big ball of Reishi strings.

"Asa-nee, be careful." warned Tadashi, prompting the said woman to look at him. "Both of them are living puppets. The boy's body is made of wood, and his sister's is made of porcelain. They don't feel any pain, nor do they bleed. The only damage I could cause was scraping their top coat."

"What about their abilities?" she questioned. "I'm assuming that their weapons are made of Reishi itself."

"Yes." he replied. "But that's for the boy. He's the one who creates the weapons and attacks. He could even release poisonous gas with the metal pipe hiding in his palm. His sister controls him like a puppet with Reishi strings. This actually makes him move faster, and while I was focused on the boy, she'll help him by bringing weapons abandoned at the side to him. But those Reishi strings are strong enough to stop my Kidou."

"I see." responded Asa, who understood why the Kidou she cast didn't reach them.

By the time their conversation ended, the Reishi strings started moving until they revealed Baldhild floating up high in mid-air. The transformation seemed to have changed her appearance, because she looked more like a porcelain doll with big round eyes, small lips and pink blush on her cheeks. She was now wearing an elegant black gown with white lace and frills, and puffy sleeves. Her outfit as completed with a bonnet that matched her dress, and decorated with black ribbons. Her hands were held out to show the Reishi strings attached to her topless brother, who had removed his coat. Just like Tadashi had told Asa, the boy's body was made of wood. He had a compartment on right chest and a beating heart embedded in the left side, with veins surrounding it. The boy went limp, and his jaw had slits running down to his chin, resembling that of a wooden puppet.