A Name, Forgotten

Prologue

The doors yawned open and the powerful reiatsu of the captains and vice-captains wafted over me. I scowled. I was always scowling, so I didn't think much of it when the doorman flinched.

"Meet the new captain of the 5th division," Yamamoto's voice announced. It echoed off the walls annoyingly as every eye in the room turned to me.

My scowled deepened and I stuck a finger in my ear. "Jeez, Shige-nii, could you be any louder?" I said, allowing a rare edge of playfulness into my voice.

Everyone in the room stiffened and turned to look at Yamamoto as if they thought he's try to kill me for calling him 'Shige', but he was smiling good naturedly. "My sister."

I flipped my black hair over my shoulder. "His much younger sister. Though, I could kick your ass when we were kids, I can still kick it now."

Kuchiki took a step forward, after a glare at me. "I never knew you had a sister, soutaicho," He said casually.

Yamamoto shrugged. "As she's already stated, she used to beat me up a lot. Every time I mention her, that fact comes up, so I tend not to mention her at all. Besides, she's been on a secret mission for the last two hundred years."

I narrowed my eyes at him. He was making me sound old. I was actually relatively young in shinigami time. A teenager, if you will. I'd look like a high school student to a human. I hadn't aged be a single second the whole two hundred years that I was gone. The last time I'd seen my brother his beard had only just reached his collarbone.

"If you don't mind," Kuchiki said, interrupting my train of thought. "I'd like to test her. Not that I don't trust your judgment, soutaicho, but I would like to reassure myself that she is up to par with the other captains."

Shige-nii shrugged. "You're funeral."

***************

Byakuya glared at me from across the clearing. He unsheathed his Zanpakuto and held it out leisurely in front of him as if he were about to cut a watermelon rather than fight someone. My Zanpakuto was strapped across my back, the hilt near my left hip so that I'd have to pull it down to unsheathe it. I realize that this is a very odd way to have your Zanpakuto. I feel that it fits the rest of my garb though. The sleeves of my uniform were cut short like a T-shirt and instead of a white tie around my waist mine was golden. I also had gold bracelets dangling from wrist. At least ten on each wrist. Then there was my nose ring and my ear rings. I had three earrings in each ear and a golden stud in my nose. I picked up a few human fashions while I was away.

"Are you going to attack, Kuchiki or would you prefer to stand there some more and admire my womanly charm?" I asked, half-jokingly.

He probably would have scoffed and rolled his eyes if he didn't have such a stick up his ass. "I'm waiting for you to draw your sword."

I shrugged and waved my hand as if brushing away the notion. "Don't worry about that. Go ahead and attack."

He didn't waste any time protesting. He flash stepped to where he was directly behind me and slashed at me with his sword.

"Oh, come one, Kuchiki. You'll have to do better than that."

I saw his eyes widen, as I wrapped my arms around his neck playfully.

"How did you…"

I sighed and ran a hand through his hair to distract him. "I have my ways." Then I kneed his in the small of his back and jumped away before he could recover. I grabbed onto the hilt of my sword and smirked when he turned to me and held his sword up again. He ran at me and I pulled my sword from its sheath. With an upward slash, I blocked his sword with mine.

We both jumped away from each other and stared, each trying to come up with a battle plan.

He suddenly stood straight and held his sword out horizontally in front of him. "Scatter, Senbonzakura!" He said, casually.

I smirked. "Well, if you're going to release your Zanpakuto, I should release mine." I held my sword up in the air, and then grabbed onto the blade with my bare hand, hard enough to draw blood. I ran my bloodied hand down the length of the katana and then it started glowing in a crimson light. "Ignite your fury, Kurayami!"

His sword dissolved into many sakura petals and started heading towards me. I jumped out of the way, hoping to buy enough time for Kurayami to fully transform, considering that it took a few seconds. Then, she was finally finished. In my hands was a beautiful long sword without a hilt guard. The end of the sword split in two and curved inward to each other to form a heart-like shape, but they didn't meet in the middle to complete it. Instead, there was a golden ring between the two ends and from that ring flowed a long black ribbon. The blade itself was completely see-through. All that could be seen of it was the black outline. Yes, my sword was very odd. She was downright annoying too, but she knew better than to talk to be during a battle unless it was important.

Kuchiki raised an eyebrow at me and tightened his hold on his sword. "Quite an… interesting sword that you have there."

I smirked. "I like to make an impression on the people that I fight, and apparently Kurayami's appearance embodies that."

I didn't give him any time to prepare. I pointed my sword at him. "Let's go, Kurayami! I'll make this quick!"

I'll admit it. I had to limp over to the forth division. That Byakuya Kuchiki was one formidable opponent. I beat him though. Did you ever doubt? When I finally got to meet my fukutaicho, it was when I nearly attacked her in the hallway.

I was walking down the fourth division hallway, hoping to finally get to meet my division, when someone ran into me. It didn't really bother me of course because the source was very, very small, and I was about six foot tall, but I was still edgy after my battle. So… I twisted her arms behind her back and forced her to the ground. When I realized what happened (and that she was whimpering in pain) I jumped off of her.

"I'm sorry," I said in my usually monotone. "I didn't mean to jump you like that. Are you alright?"

She nodded painfully, and looked up at me. "Tai...Taicho?" She asked meekly.

"Yes? Were you looking for me?"

"Yes! I was. I am Momo Hinamori. Your fukutaicho." She held out her hand for me to shake, but I just stared at her face, waiting for any sign that she was kidding.

"You… You're my fukutaichio?"

She looked confused, but nodded and started retracting her hand. "Is something the matter?"

"You're very meek and sensitive, aren't you?" I asked her getting down in her face. She squeaked so I took that as a yes. "Are you sure that you can handle being my fukutaicho? I'm not particularly a patient woman, and I don't like squeakers."

She stiffened and lowered her head. "A-About that, Taicho. I'm actually being demoted soon."

I raised an eyebrow at her. "You are? By who? Isn't that my call?"

"It turned out that the last captain of the fifth division only had me a fukutaicho so that he could take advantage of my meekness. After a recent test of my skills, it became clear that I'm not fukutaicho material and am being demoted to sixth seat, taking effect at the end of this week."

I nodded. "I see. Well, since you are my fukutaicho at the moment, please lead me to the division. I've been gone from the Soul Society for so long that I've forgotten my way."

She nodded and turned towards the exit. "Of course Taicho."

*************

Momo led me to the division and I threw the doors to the meeting hall open. All conversation halted as the boom resounded off the walls. Every eye turned to me in confusion, then widened when they saw my captain's robe.

"Hello, maggots!" I said with my hands on my hips. I chuckled and leaned over to Hinamori. "I've always wanted to say that."

"Are you our new captain?" A brave sole asked, coming forward from the crowd.

I smirked. "I am. Here are a few pointers about being my subordinates! I'm not patient. I have little to no sense of humor. I don't like slackers, squeakers, or back talkers. I realize that I can't expect you to trust me right away, but I do expect respect. If you fail to give me said respect, there will be consequences. I understand that I will need a new vice-captain come the end of the week. Anyone up for the position is welcome to apply, but even you don't apply and I see potential, be prepared to become my vice-captain whether you like it or not. Any questions?"

The same brave sole from earlier raised his hand. "Just one. Who are you?"

I smirked. "Don't you think you should introduce yourself before asking my name?"

"Kazeki Ibishiori, fourth seat."

"Well, Kazeki Ibishiori, listen and listen well. Because if you, or anyone else in this room, fail to follow the rules that I've lain out, this name will haunt you in your sleep. I am the captain of the fifth squad, YAMAMOTO RAI!!!"