Kuchiki Byakuya, who is he? 9

Byakuya opened his eyes. For a few precious seconds he experienced the delirium of the place between dream and sleep, where you do not know where you are, or who you are, and neither do you care. Then, his body was alive with pain. He had experienced a lot of it- he had taken Gin's Shinso straight through his torso, he had willingly cut his left arm and leg with his own sword, not to mention the indescribable pain he had felt at his first hangover. Yet this was different. His whole body felt like it was being consumed by flames, he could feel each and every heartbeat his body pumped. Every sensation, no matter how small, he realized with inhuman perception. His skin against his torn and bloodied clothes, the air rushing into his lungs... Even the sound of grass rustling seemed to hurt his ears. After some amount of time- an aeon, or a minute- he realized there was an epicentre to this unending sensation. His left shoulder was throbbing with pain, and hurt more than any other place. How did that happen again?
It all came back to him, as he realized he must have blacked out. He had been attacked by the very people he had ojce commanded and called family, and almost killed by a little girl. He looked up at the sky, remembering the kido barrage that had well nigh been his end. It was still going strong. It couldn't have been long, then.
As he moved his head- the only movement he felt capable of- he realized he was sitting with his back against a tree. How did that happen? Oh, that was right.
His eyes landed on the petite head assasin of the seireitei- the only person who was colder than he had been as a captain. Soifon. Now he remembered it all. Every last bit. He owed her a lot, he knew. Not that it would matter much, though. He knew enough of poisons to recognize that he was a few feet away from Death's door.

"Taicho..." he spoke up, but fell silent. He hadn't thought it possible, but even his vocal cords were burning.
"Be silent." Soifon bit back, harshly. "I'm trying to sense whether or nor I were followed."
That made sense, so Byakuya kept quiet. He noticed something odd- the little assasin was lying a mere six feet away, not moving a muscle. Why Soifon had risked herself to save her as well, he didn't know. Supposedly for information.
Then, Soifon quit her concentrated look and turned to Byakuya.

"You were poisoned. Badly." It was not a question.
"Yeah." Byakuya struggled to talk. "What the hell is going on, Taicho? Who is...?"
Soifon didn't pay him any attention, but reached for her zanpakuto, carefully drawing it.
"Jinteki shakusetsu, Zuzumebachi." Her short sword transformed to the lethal black-and-yellow stinger that was her shikai.
Byakuya felt a little alarmed. His head, filled with an overactive imagination spawned from fever, thought of all sorts of horrible scenarios. Had his family managed to recruit even her? Did they reach that far? Was she a traitor, too?
"Hey, what--?" was all he could say before she plunged the tip of her stinger in between the two puncture wounds caused by the fangs of the assasin's zanpakuto. She let it stay for a few seconds, and the distinctive black butterfly mark appeared on his left shoulder. She then pulled it out of the wound. He more than half expected her to strike a second time, but she remained still.
"Captain, what in the hells?!" he managed.
"Zuzumebachi can counteract and draw out poisons, 15th seat Byakuya." she replied. "It was too late to draw it out, so I injected a potent anti-venom. It should take effect within seconds.
It did.
"First" Soifon continued "it will hurt like never before."
The pain, which he had gotten somewhat used to, started to increase.
"It will only take a few minutes, though. Then, it will become a dull ache."
And by the gods, it hurt. He wanted to scream, but found himself utterly paralyzed. The pains from before seemed like a gentle massage, like the breeze of a summer wind, like a pleasurable hot spring in comparison. Much later, he would think back to it and realise that, yes, it was a matter of minutes. It didn't seem like it at the time, though.
But eventually- and almost instantly- the pain began to fade away. Soon, it was a dull ache, as she had promised, and before long his shoulder had gone numb. He tried to move his hand, and found that he was no longer paralyzed.

"So, will you tell me now?" Byakuya spoke without adding any respectful suffix of title; he was tired, and tired of not knowing who had tried to kill him and why.
Rather than answering him, she walked over to the little assasin clad in black. He realized just how small she was; she was even shorter than Soifon.
Soifon ripped of the mask covering her head and face, revealing a girl with brown hair, rahter beautiful features and sad eyes.
Soifon grabbed her by the hair, and pulled her up into a sitting position.
"This" she said, her voice all contempt, "is my good-for-nothing 9th seat, Mitsuko."
So it really was a trained and seated member of the second division. How they got ahold of her, he couldn't understand.
"How is it that one of your own were going after me?" he asked puzzled. "I have an obvious suspect in the question of who would want to kill me, but saying who out loud is dangerous. You know who I mean. But how would 'they' command a seated officer of the Secret Mobile Corps?"
"I do know."Soifon replied. "As for why, I think the fact that her family name is Raida should explain things."

Raida Mitsuko. Raida. Of course. The Raidas were a family of low nobility, dedicated to the service of the Kuchiki for at least fifteen generations now. If the head called for her services, she couldn't refuse. If he thought hard enough, he could almost remember her- a scrawny child among the trainee servants. He knew some of them entered the juusantai to improve their martial skills, to better serve as guards, but he couldn't remember any of the entering second. She had to be something else if she were accepted despite a possibility of dual loyalty.
Then, realisation dawned on him.

"She's like you." he said, disregarding rank.
"Yes." Soifon admitted. "And the iota of sympathy I can give her situation is the only reason I haven't snapped her neck yet. That, and the information she might provide. Now, let me take a look at your wounds. I know some healing kido--"
Soifon had been walking towards him as she spoke, and stood right before him, when he heard the cry:  "Spit, Wedjat!"
With horror, he saw that her zanpakuto had taken the form of a long serpent again. There was no way he could dodge in time. He didn't have to, though.
Soifon side-stepped, and the snake buried its fangs deep into her shoulder.

There was quite a display of emotion playing over the young assasin's face; seldom had byakuya seen such horror, sadness and determination mixed.
Soifon, giving an unimpressed look, simply reached for the snake's head with her idle hand, and clutched its head. After squeazing it good, it receded back into a sword, squirming in pain.
"What was that, Mitsuko?" Soifon taunted. "Were you going to kill your target? Kill your captain?"
Mitsuko gave no answer, and got up to her feet. Though unsteady, she held up her blade and charged.
"Such spirit. It's such a waste." Soifon said in a regretful tone, striking her down with one hand, sending her crashing into a tree.
She cast a glance at her wound, and gave it the same treatment she had given Byakuya. She seemed completely unaffected.
Still, Byakuya could see the assasin stir, getting up and raising her blade. Not even looking her way, Soifon hurled two kunai, striking her arm and nailing it to the tree.

"Thank you." Byakuya said. "I owe you my life."
"Don't thank me. I was merelt diciplining an insubordinate officer."
"You saved my life, in more than one sense." Byakuya insisted.
"How so?"
"She was fast, and very skilled. Caught me off guard." Soifon scoffed at this.
"Had I not taken to sparring with you every now and then when I was a captain, I wouldn't have survived. Her use of Hakuda is very similar to yours."
"Fine, if you insist." Soifon said.
"I wonder, though..." Byakuya said.
"What."
"Grateful as I am, I wonder what a captain like yourself is doing in thee rukongai. It seems strange. I wouldn't be surprised if the SMC had been monitoring my movement, but the captain herself?"
"Well, if you must know" she said "Shiba Kuukaku just recently moved here, and Yoruichi-sama is staying with her for now. I was going to pay her a visit. And yes, the SMC has been following you."
"I understand. Now what?"
"Now this." she said, giving him a punch, knocking him out.

When he woke up, he was in a bed at the Shiba manor. He was feverish, but he could still recognise the reiatsu of Yoruichi, Kuukaku and Soifon. He noticed one odd thing- Soifon's butterfly mark wasn't gone, even though he was no longer poisoned.
Finding a walking stick next to his bed, he got up, supporting himself on it as he walked.
Though the house seemed large, he finally found his way to the room from where Soifon's reiatsu came. Opening the door, he looked around. There was Soifon, and Yoruichi.

"Tell me" he began "how long have I slept?"
"About three days, Byakuya-bo." Yoruichi replied.
Feeling too weak to protest at the endearing term, he sat down.
"Have you sent word to Yamamoto-sama, Soifon-taicho?"
"Yes. Some of our best are patrolling the area in case of another attempt."
"I doubt they'd dare." he grumbled. "What of that girl, Mitsuko?"
"I have interrogated her. She needed some- ahem- persuasion, though."
An unpleasant memory came bakc to him. Sounds of screams disturbing his sleep- screams of utter terror.
"What have you got, then?" he asked, not letting his memories move him.
"She said nothing that would incriminate the Kuchikis" Yoruichi began "but she hinted enough that we know beyond a doubt that it is them."
"Isn't that just dandy." Byakuya said bitterly."My own family. Suddenly, I feel like killing something."
"You can't strain yourself, even emotionally." Yoruichi said. "Keep calm."
"Since when do I not?" taking a look at his left shoulder he added: "Why do I still carry this butterfly mark, taicho?"
"It is strange" Soifon replied "but I cannot force it back. It's there to stay. Why? My best guess is that the poison from Mitsuko's zanpakuto burnt it till it couldn't be removed. It's harmelss anyway."
"So, I'll have to carry this around for the rest of my life then?"
"Anyway," Soifon continued, ignoring him, "it is Yamamoto-sama's order that you return to the Seireitei as soon as you are fit to walk."
"Then I leave now." he said, getting up pains-takingly. "I have things to deal with there."
"Out of the question." Soifon argued. "You can just barely stand."
"It's alright, little bee." Yoruichi said. "I'll carry him."
For a moment he considered refusing, as he found himself carried around by women too much already, but things were urgent. Swallowing his pride, he said:
"Fine."



Elsewhere, Kuchiki Kazuna was yet again assembling the council of ruling elders.
"The council is in session." It was the announcer.
"My fellow elders." Kazuna spoke up. "As you all very well know, we are at times of great distress. Due to circumstances out of my control, the assasination of Byakuya has failed--"
"You mean you failed!" an angry voice cried out, and a murmur of approval was heard.
"Silence!" Kazuna commanded, outraged. Another elder had called to speak, and Kazuna granted him the right.
"Kazuna" the elder began in a somewhat nasal tone. He had always hated that tone. "you came to us with a scheme that would further us all. We trusted you. And where has that led us? Do you even comprehend the levels of the scandal that could be if this got out?" There wer various sounds of "hear hear" and "good man" throughout the room.
"My esteemed gentllemen" Kazuna began. "everything is under control. We could not foresee that the 2nd divisions captain would be in the area- a twist of fate saved Byakuya. The only real problem now is the increased amount of guard surrounding him." He would have continued, but was interrupted yet again.
"You would make yet another attempt on his life, when he is on his guard? Absurd!" the angry voice cried out. The murmur of approval escalated to a choir of angry, accusing voices, all directed at him. It would have gone on for a long time, had not a commanding voice outshouted them.
"I call silence!" it shouted, and little by little, the elders went quiet. It was the sarcastic voice from earlier.
"Now" it said "who here feels Kazuna has failed in his leading of the council?"
There was amixed response; some cried that Kazuna be taken off the council, others that he was the leader after all.
"Silence!" the sarcastic voice called. "I am the most senior of the elders. As such, I hereby invoke a state of chrisis, as is my right."
This Kazuna could not allow.
"Never!" he bellowed. "You have to have support from at least four of the eldest to do that! You won't rule for as long as I am here!"
"Oh, really?" The saracstic voice replied, its tone dripping venom. "Tell me friends, do I have support?"
A roar of approval could be heard. It would have been deafening, if they weren't all so old.
"I suppose, then, that I am in charge?" the voice said. "Why yes, I AM in charge. Kazuna, consider yourself relieved of your position as council member." he continued.
As Kazuna walked away, he could hear his nemesis say:
"Now, we will be taking steps to make good on my nephew..."



A week or so later, Byakuya was laying on the bed he and Rangiku had come to share, in her quarters, thinking of what had happened. He had been bitter towards his family before, but the attempted assasination really had him standing at the border of hatred. Before, his idea of revenge had been ridiculing and outdoing the Kuchiki, but now... he seriously considered asking Yamamoto to help him massacre the elders. Of course, 'massacre' was not was he was going to say, but that's what it would lead to.

As he lay there musing, there came a knock on the door. At first, he ignored it, but when it persisted, he finally said:
"Enter."
At first he thought that one of his blood-splatteered fantasies had become real, that Fate or Proivdence had rewarded him. Because through  the door stepped one of the most senior elder- his uncle. He reached for his sword, and with a mental command, a thousand pink petals surrounded the elder.

"You have two minutes before I kill you. Speak." he said. He meant every word. He could get away with it, easily.
"I have seized control of the elder council." his uncle replied, unfazed. "And I came to personally offer you my, and the family's apologies." He proceeded to speak of how it was not his fault, how he had tried to stop them, how they wouldn't listen.
Byakuya soon lost interest
"Did you come here to beg my forgiveness like a dog?" he bit back harshly, interrupting his uncle. "Because I will not grant it. Now, you bore me. Die."
Slowly, senbonzakura drew ever nearer, until one blade scratced the skin of the old man.
"Wait!" he exclaimed, showing fear at last.
"Why?"
"Because I came here as the official representative of the house. We want you back. We will give you everything back!"
"You lie." Byyakuya said, but he felt a string of doubt unravel.
"I don't. Ask them all. I speak for them." The blade petals fell back, until they had once again become sealed.
"If you don't believe me, then look at this!" the old man commanded, showing him a letter.
"Dearest Kuchiki Byakuya-sama, it is our innermost wish that you return to leadership as soon as possible. We have erred greatly, and no apology can be sufficient. Know that we will offer you any kind of satisfaction you might request..."
Byakuya read out loud, his voice trailing off.
The letter did indeed carry the official Kuchiki seal, and was signed by almost every elder he knew of. They really wanted him back.

"I am not asking you to decide now" his uncle said "but five days from now, a meeting will be held. You are expected to attend, that you may give your answer."
Wit that, he walked out. Byakuya stared out into empty space. He had not known shock like this since his disgrace. Could it really be? Could it be this easy? Was it some sort of trap?
His shocked thoughts would have gone on, but they were interrupted as Rangiku came in.
"What's wrong, sweetie?" she asked. "You look like you have seen a ghost."
Without a word, he handed her the letter, and continued to stare at nothing.
What were he to do?