They both walked up to the gate, the gatekeeper noted them. “Can I help you?”
“Ai-ya. Third Captain Matsumaru Gintaru requests audience with Sixth Captain Kuchiki Byakuya. My lieutenant Izuru Kira shall accompany me.”
The gatekeeper nodded. “He is in;wait here.”
Gintaru leaned against the wall and waited. She pulled out her flask and shook it. “Hmm… It’s getting low…”
“What’s in it, Captain?”
“Medicine for my, ah, condition. I have to take one dose a week, but I took an extra one for precaution.” Gintaru answered plainly, but it was clear she didn’t want to talk about it. “I don’t remember so many drill alarms before I left; I guess Aizen changed everything though…”
“Yeah, it must be tough trying to transition back here from the human world…”
“Ai-ya…Humans have a lot less time to live than we do, so things change a lot quicker than here. It’s fun and all, but we all need to slow down at some point and relax…But some of their technology would put Squad 12 to shame…” She said, smiling for the first time in front of Izuru, although mockingly.
“A-hem.” The gatekeeper had returned.
“Ai-ya?” Gintaru’s smile quickly vanished.
“Kuchiki-sama says he will see you now. This way.”
Gintaru seemed to walk calmly through the mansion, but she really felt like shunpo-ing through the whole estate, screaming for her friend. Just keep cool, girl, it’s not gonna help ya any to freak out. You know what would happen if ya did…
The gatekeeper stopped at a door. “Here they are, Kuchiki-sama.”
“Thank you. You may return to your post.” Byakuya was sitting at a table. “Please sit.”
“Thank you, Captain Kuchiki,” Izuru said, bowing. Gintaru stood, trying to read her friend’s demeanor. Something’s wrong. Seriously wrong. He’s calm, but distant. He wasn’t like this before I left… “What’s happened, Bya-kun…”She whispered.
“Pardon me?”
“What’s changed? I leave for 50 years and everything’s turned upside-down. I…” she wavered, trying to calm down, tough the worry was still in her voice, “…I can’t find Hisana-chan, where is she, Byakuya? Why can’t I…”
Then something caught her eye passing the door. ‘Hisana?’ Gintaru thought hopefully. Byakuya shunpoed to stop her, but Gintaru got to the door first.
“There you are His-“ She started to say relieved, then froze. The girl in the hall looked exactly like Hisana, but she was shorter. “Can I help you?” she asked tentatively.
“Y…You’re Rukia, miss…?”
“…Yes…”
Gintaru nodded. “…I see…” Her demeanor was calm, but she turned to Byakuya with wide, wild eyes. Then she suddenly grabbed his coat and threw him against the wall.
“WHERE IS SHE?” Gintaru shouted, ignoring the “Nii-san!” and “Captain?”.
“ANSWER ME KUCHIKI, WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO MY BEST FRIEND!?!?!” she continued hysterical with fear and anger.
Byakuya looked straight into her eyes, allowing some pain to show; also noting the room had become significantly colder. “….Why did you come to me for the answer?”
“because you’re the only one left I can trust! You’re the only other friend I have left! Now please, Byakuya, tell me where Hisana is!!!”
For a moment it looked like he wouldn’t tell her. “…She died about a year after you left…” Byakuya said solemnly.
Gintaru stared, mind blank, then realized Byakuya wasn’t lying. She let go of him, backing away and shaking her head. “No……it…it can’t be…NOOO!!” She ran out with lightning speed; ran to the one place that could verify or disprove him.
Izruru was about to run after his captain, but Byakuya stopped him. “We must let her go; we are powerless to stop her…”
“What do you mean, Nii-sama?” Rukia asked, interested dispite her shock.
“Matsumaru…is a rather emotional person, though she hides it most of the time, and her powers are strongly linked to her emotions. This would not be as much of a problem if it wasn’t for the immensity of her strength…”
“Is it that great, Captain?”
“Yes, she has such a unique reiatsu that most of us can only dream of having…to put it in perspective, her shikai has the same power as most of our bankai…but without a special medicine Urahara designed for her, it would kill her slowly…”
“And if her powers are connected to her emotions…” Izuru thought out loud, “…then the more uncontrollable her emotions are, the more uncontrollable her power is?”
“Yes, and her determination to find out the truth doesn’t help it any. Yet thankfully her medicine all but halts her power’s destructivity. But once she finds out…” he trailed off. “She took an extra dose before she came, Captain,” Izuru said tentatively.
“…Good, that will make some difference. Come, Lieutenant, I’m going to need your help. Stay here, Rukia.”
“…Be careful, Nii-sama!” Rukia called as Byakuya and Izuru shunpoed off.

Wow, that took a while to write...Thanx for reading & plz comment!! ^_^