Kisuke sat beside me telling me the age old joke of why the chicken crossed the road as I brushed my hair. He has been eyeing my neck since I got home and I knew he wanted to ask where my bell went, but he didn’t have the gall to. Yoruichi rested in Kisuke’s lap contently and I could smell Tessai’s cooking in the kitchen.
“Sooo…” Kisuke jolted me out of my thoughts.
“Soo…” I mimicked.
“Wellll…”
“Welll.” I switched to a different part of my hair and continued to brush.
“…”
“You can stare all you want, but until you ask it I’m not going to give an answer.” I rolled my eyes at Kisuke’s reddening face.
“If you knew what I wanted to ask, why didn’t you just tell me?”
“Sisters aren’t supposed to tell their brothers everything.”
“I liked you when you were younger. You were so much cuter.” Kisuke huffed.
“And by cuter you mean, told you everything, right?”
Kisuke opened his mouth to reply, but immediately closed it as he looked at the door leading out into the world.
“What?”
“Where’s your bell?” Yoruichi opened her eyes wide and began to look at the door as well.”
“I… I gave it to a little boy whose mom was killed by a unique variant hollow.” I looked at the door too.
“Damnit!” Kisuke hissed quietly as Yoruichi jumped out of his lap and he jumped up. He ran over to the door and slid it open, revealing the darkness outside. “Go hide in the basement, Sheridan!”
“What? Why?” I stood up confused.
“Just go!” He snapped at me.
“Sheridan…” I flinched at the quiet voice that called my name. The voice sounded familiar but not familiar enough to immediately place a name to it.
“Sheridan, get down to the basement!” Kisuke reached for his waist, but immediately realized that his zanpakto wasn’t there. It was in the basement, right beside mine. “Damnit.”
“Still short I see.” The voice called from outside as a rather tall figure appeared in the door way.
I stepped back in disbelief. ”B-b-b-Bya-kun?!”
The figure pushed the half door open more so that the light could shine on him. A playful smile graced the pale face of tall – and not so girly – Byakuya Kuchiki. I stared at him in awe and confusion.
“What? Why are you here? How’d you-.” I grasped for my neck and remembered. “Ohhh, but you…”
“I’m here to take you back to Soul Society, Sheridan. A lot of people miss you.” Byakuya glared at Kisuke. “And no one is going to stop me.”
“Like hell I won’t, Bakudo Number 1: Sai!” Kisuke yelled furiously.
A battle like no other erupted between the two out in the front yard and no matter how much Yoruichi or Tessai attempted to corral me away from the fight and into the safety of the basement, I couldn’t bring myself to leave without seeing the outcome. I wanted to battle to end and without either one of them dying and for a time it looked like Kisuke would win, but soon Byakuya took to using his zanpakto which put Kisuke at a disadvantage.
Though Tessai held me in place as the battle continued, the moment that Kisuke fell to the ground and Byakuya raised his sword above his head I took action. I broke away from Tessai and threw myself to my knees between Kisuke and Byakuya, let me tell you in a kimono – that is no small feat.
“Stop!” I stared up into Byakuya’s eyes that were cold and hateful, but was once filled with so much joy. “Byakuya, I’ll go with you!” I declared. “I’ll go with you, okay? Just let Kisuke live and – and you can’t tell Soul Society where He and the others are, alright?”
“You’ll come quietly?” Byakuya slowly began to lower his sword.
I cringed and thought of the time that Mayuri stabbed me. “Yes! I’ll come quietly.”
“…” Byakuya looked at me and nodded quietly. “Retrieve your sword.”
For a moment I thought I would have to go retrieve it physically, but then I realizes I could mentally summon it me without the bell on. I held my hand out and it appeared there. “Let’s go.”
“I… I won’t let you take her!” I turned around and saw Kisuke struggling to stand so that he could try fighting again. It was obvious that Kisuke was too tired to actually put up a full fight against Byakuya.
“Stop Kisuke! You can’t do it!” Yoruichi ran up and stopped him. “You are too hurt! Just let go of her, you can’t let your own life be put at risk when there are others relying on you!”
“I don’t care! I won’t let him take her!” He desperately squirmed and fought with Yoruichi.
“Kisuke… it’s over… I’m going back. Please live without me and live safely.” I smiled down at him. “I’ll be fine. I promise.”
“Sheridan, I-.” Kisuke looked at me with big eyes.
“It’s okay. I know your feelings, but you made the decision to be my brother and a brother has to let his sister grow up and go out on her own.”
“Come, Sheridan.” Byakuya held his hand out for me.
“Yes.” I took his hand as the gate opened. “Let’s go… back to Soul Society…” And back to my Mayuri…