001 - [Video | Night | Teneka]

[ofnoblemind]

[With some trial and error, Byakuya manages to turn on the PORTAL, though he takes a few moments to just stare at it, his brows coming together in a frown.  And then, instead of trying to communicate through it like a seemingly normal person would, he looks away, hoping to make sense of where he is.]

This cannot be Hueco Mundo.

[He sighs and glances

Comments

teneka; /late forever sob

[savior_n_black]

Byakuya!

[ ...WAITAMINUTE. ]

Wait, you...you are Byakuya, right?

[ Sorry, dude. After that whole crazy week with possessing spirits, and black mist, Ichigo is pretty paranoid. ]

action;

[savior_n_black]

[ Byakuya, she's actually done pretty well where Shiro is concerned. Plus, she's safer here than anywhere else in the city. Mostly because Ichigo would fight to his last breath to protect her. ]

...So...are you cool? You're not gonna, like, try to kill him on sight, right?

action;

[holeheart]

[hope you're ready, Byakuya, cause the Hollow isn't waiting for an intro. Instead he's leaning out the bedroom window and looking down on them with that monstrous grin on his face. Some Hollow; he's wearing a tight t-shirt and tighter pants, and his long white hair is tied back in a loose ponytail. His Portal, in the shape of a nice smartphone, is dangling around his neck on a lanyard. But his reiatsu, even reigned in a bit, is undoubtedly dark and oppressive. He calls out through the Teneka;]

Yoooo-hooo~! Heeehehehe! I see you brought the most stiff Shinigami in all the land with ya. The Grand Duke of Stick-up-his-Ass. Hup! [jumps out the window and lands next to them] Yo~

action;

[ofnoblemind]

[He's about to answer Ichigo, but when that reiatsu appears, the hand on Senbonzakura's hilt tightens slightly, ready to attack, even against Ichigo's reassurances. This Hollow just does not sit well with him. At all.]

And you are still spouting off simple words, pretending they will have no consequences.

action;

[savior_n_black]

[ GEE THANKS, JACKASS. TRYING TO KEEP YOU FROM GETTING GUT STUCK, HERE.
Ichigo's palm slaps against his forehead, and he rounds on the hollow with a glare. ]

Will you SHUT. UP!

action;

[holeheart]

Ahem. Ya'll are both forgettin' somethin' pretty important here!

[he points to his closed mouth] I'm not spoutin' or even makin' any real noise right now! How can I shut up! Heeehehehe!

[but that glare of Ichigo's is withering, so Shiro holds up his hands in defeat and then puts them in his pockets] A'right, a'right. I'll play nice. Rukia's makin' tea, so lets go in and get some. [a frown as the Hollow remembers the last time someone Rukia liked showed up, and Shiro sends out tendrils of dark reiatsu, "sniffing out" Byakuya. He directs his Teneka at Ichigo, but Byakuya can probably still hear it] Ya checked to make sure he ain't no smoke thing, right?

action;

[ofnoblemind]

[When words fail, there's only one alternative.

Okay, two, but Byakuya is not running away.

He senses those tendrils and hears the teneka, all while he thumbs his zanpakutou just barely from the sheath.]

I am no "smoke thing" but you are welcome to find out yourself, Hollow.

action;

[savior_n_black]

[ Oh man, this could go really bad, really quick. To hopefully avoid that, Ichigo steps up between Byakuya, and Shiro, holding one hand out to each. ]

No, look, I checked. Byakuya, the "smoke things" possessed a lot of people, and hurt a whole lot more not too long ago. That's why I had to see your eyes.

Shiro, cool it. He just got here, and this place is crazy. You know that. So stay off his case, okay?

[ But, if you think he's defending you, Byakuya, you've got another thing coming. Have a pointed look, and some of that determined tone inside your head; ]

He might be a right bastard, but we call him Shiro. And he's still a part of me. You're not going to hurt him - as long as he - [ And have some of that look, too, Shiro. ] - doesn't try to hurt you, either.

[ This is not negotiable, you two. ]

action;

[holeheart]

[the Hollow bares his fangs in a twisted grin, extending his hand and getting ready to bring out his blade, if he needs to] Maybe I wi... hngh.

[then Ichigo gets between them, using that damn assertive tone of his. Shiro is a conquered Hollow, and that tone is hard for him to ignore. He lets out an audible, actual growl before putting his hands down and withdrawing his reiatsu and tossing his hair with a hand casually] I'm cool. I'm so cool! I ain't gonna start nothin'.

[But if Byakuya does, oh, Shirosaki will finish it. But for now, he'll play nice with the guest. After all, he's beaten him before; he doesn't see the captain as much of a threat. He turns on his heel and heads up the stairs on the side to the house] Well, c'mon then.

action;

[ofnoblemind]

[Byakuya just stares at the Hollow - Shiro - while Ichigo talks. It's hard to keep himself from lashing out after being spoken to so disrespectfully, but as soon as Shiro backs off, he clicks Senbonzakura back into its sheath and heads up the stairs.

But he keeps a distance behind Shiro.]

Re: action;

[snowwhitesoul]

[Rukia had been in the kitchen, so all she heard of the exchange outside was a muted yell from Shiro. And by the time she was bringing the four cups of tea into the living room, they'd filed in.

Laying the tray on the kontatsu, she looked up at the two of them, then at her brother. The tension between the three of them was obvious, and she tried her best to pay no heed to the worry that sat dark and silent in the back of her head. At least they haven't actually drawn their swords at each other.]

Welcome, Nii-sama.

action;

[savior_n_black]

[ Ichigo just gives Rukia a "Man, this is awkward" look, then sits down at the table. He's pretty much ignoring the tea, except to slowly twiddle the cup between his fingers. ]

Wish I could welcome you, too, Byakuya. But this is really no place for sensible people.

[ It's a weird way of basically saying he has enough respect for Byakuya to not wish that this man was stuck here with the rest of them. It would be better for all involved if Byakuya had just stayed in the "real world".
But, then again, that's Ichigo's opinion. ]

action;

[holeheart]

[Awkwardness notwithstanding, Shiro DOES like tea. Especially with lotssss of sugar. Which he heaps into his cup in spades.]

Eh, this place ain't THAT bad, is it? I mean, THIS kinda crap is pretty nice [and with a somewhat constipated "I'M THINKING REAL HARD" look from the Hollow, a plate of hot chocolate chip cookies appears in front of them] I mean, shit. That's nice. Also COOKIES! [shoving them in his face]

action;

[ofnoblemind]

[Upon seeing Rukia, Byakuya lets out a quiet sigh, closes his eyes, and nods in greeting. It's a simple gesture, subtle, and with the other two around, it's all he'll do. But she's safe and he can see that fact, now. That's one weight off his shoulders.

Taking a cup of tea, and adding nothing to it, Byakuya listens to what the others have to say, but when the cookies appear out of nowhere, he stares.

Because seriously, what.]