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

三

"Kurosaki!" called Uryu with worry.

"Kurosaki-kun!" yelled Orihime as she and Sado went to his aid.

Gin's Zanpakutou retracted as the gate started to close. "Oh, no!" gasped Yoruichi. "The gate!"

Gin then turned around and waved at them. "Bye-bye!" he said mockingly before the gate was closed completely.

Jidanbou laid on the ground unconscious with his injured arm still bleeding while Ichigo sat up, gripping his head in pain. "Ow!" he exclaimed. "God- Owww!"

"Kurosaki-kun, are you alright?" asked Orihime as she ran towards him with Sado and Uryu.

"Kurosaki!" called the Quincy.

"The gate?!" questioned the said boy, to which he got his answer when he looked ahead. He then clicked his tongue out of frustration. "Damn!"

"I see you're alright." said Asa with relief as she and Yoruichi walked towards him.

"Sorry." he muttered. "I let the gate close."

"It's okay." she assured before her gaze landed on the gate, where they encountered their enemy. "With him as your opponent, Captain Ichimaru Gin, it couldn't be helped. Just be glad you're not injured. It could've been worse."

Ichigo was still not happy as he clenched his fists tightly, for he felt that after so much of hard work in getting Jidanbou to open the gate, the only way that could lead him and the others to Rukia before her execution. But as much as he wanted to get up and tackle the gate head on, it was pointless. He got up from the ground and picked up his Zanpakutou, letting it rest on his shoulder before turning to Orihime. "Inoue, help me patch this guy up."

"Okay." she responded, nodding.

Ichigo then looked ahead with confusion and suspicion, causing her gaze to follow his as some of the residents started to come out from their hiding place. "What's with them?"

"Were they hiding until now?" quesioned Uryu.

"Why?" asked Orihime.

"They were afraid of us." explained Yoruichi as more and more souls began to approach them. "Souls that come from Soul Society improperly, without the guidance of Shinigami, are called Ryoka and are thought top be the source of all sorts of disasters."

"They think we're enemies?" asked Ichigo while his friends held their guards up in case they were attacked.

"Please wait." called an old man as stood in front of the crowd.

Asa's gaze landed on him and gasped with surprise. "Chief!" she called excitedly.

The old man heard this and looked at her, to which left a smile on his face. "It has been a long time since I last saw you, Asa-chan." he greeted before bowing to Ichigo and the team. "I am the Chief of Rukongai. I was watching that entire incident. As Jidanbou's saviours and friends of Asa, I would like to welcome all of you."

The crowd gathered as they watched Orihime inspecting Jidanbou's wounds. While they conversed with each other as she began to heal Jidanbou, Asa was talk to the old man in their lowered voice, for they didn't want to interrupt the others who were watching the scene in front of them with fascination.

"How have you been, Asa-chan?" he asked, like a father who'd ask a daughter how her day went. "You worried all of us when you said you were going on that twenty-year mission. We weren't even sure whether you would return."

The said woman smiled sheepishly. "I apologise for that." she said. "I admit it was a tough mission, and there were times I wasn't even sure whether I would leave that place. But I've returned with my team, and I'm kind of excited to go back to see my grandfather and friends."