Reflection: Suzume Kei

Chapter One

I am Suzume Kei. I am a lieutenant of the third division, known to all as Lieutenant Kei. Or, at least, I am for now. You see, when squad three's captain, Ichimaru Gin, was uncovered as a traitor working for the accursed betrayer Sosuke Aizen, Lieutenant Kira Izuru became Captain Kira, and I was chosen to be his lieutenant.

Suzume stood. It was sunny outside, and the slight breeze carried cherry blossoms in through the window. It was hard to believe the events of last week, and she'd hoped yet again to wake up in the morning to find that all of it had been a bad dream. But sure enough, there was the lieutenant arm badge still firmly tied to her uniform, as she pulled it on, which meant everything from the previous day had truly happened, Ichigo and his friends had returned to the world of the living, as heroes, and the captains of Squad 5, Squad 3, and Squad 9 were all missing. She walked out her door, and stood in the street, looking in both directions. She should report to her captain first thing, but Izuru was quite the gentleman, and wouldn't be angry if she visited her sister in the infirmary first. So she turned to the right, and stepped into the infirmary, nodding politely to Retsu, the Captain of squad 4, in charge of the care of those injured. She smiled to Suzume as she passed her and walked down the hall, turning left at the last door. Suzume nearly ran headlong into the captain of squad 10.

"Oh! Please excuse me, Captain Hitsugaya." She said as she placed her hands flat against her thighs and bowed.

"It's fine." He said in a monotone as he walked around her and left the infirmary.

Suzume glanced after the short captain. Not that she was really in any position to call him short, as he was taller than she was. She stepped into the room, looking down at her barely living sister. Momo had been inconsolable when her captain, Sosuke Aizen, had faked his death. And when he had revealed that he was truly alive, Momo had cried tears of joy. But that hadn't stopped Aizen from goring her with his zanpakuto, Momo, ever faithful and slightly naïve lieutenant of squad five. If she survived, she would succeed Aizen as Captain. But the outlook was grim. Captain Hitsugaya had been one of her many child-hood friends, and even if he didn't show it, Suzume could tell he was worried about Momo.

"Aye, Momo, you hear me?" Suzume said softly. "You have to get well, or Captain Hitsugaya might lose it." She said teasingly.

"What was that?" said an irritated voice from the doorway.

Suzume whirled around to see Captain Hitsugaya standing there. She immediately bowed deeply in respect. "My deepest apologies, Captain, I thought you had left."

"So you would talk about me behind my back?"

"No, Captain! I was simply hoping to speed my sister's recovery; I know how much you love her."

"That is incorrect."

"Pardon me, Captain?"

"I have no love for your sister. I simply pity her, of all of us; Momo is the one who paid the most for Aizen's treachery."

"I see. I apologize for my mistake, Captain Hitsugaya."

"Apology accepted. Now, shouldn't you be reporting to Captain Kira?"

"Yes, sir. I will go now." Suzume bowed again, before retreating from the room. She sprinted down the street, turning left and then right, all the way to her captain's house. She raised a fist to knock before she saw the note.

Lieutenant Kei-

Gone to speak with Lieutenant Matsumodo, do what you will today, but remember the meeting tonight.

Izuru

She shook her head. Captain Kira spent practically all his free time with Lieutenant Matsumodo these days, but She didn't blame him, both of them had lost someone important to them in the last week, it was expected that they would grieve together. Suzume wrinkled her nose. She should do his paperwork, in his grief over his lost captain, Izuru had been neglecting it. That and he often came home too drunk to walk in a straight line, so it wasn't as if he was in any condition to do it then. She sighed and pushed door open, sitting down to do the piles of paperwork on his desk.

Several hours later, Suzume walked out the door, holding a hand up to shield her eyes from the ever present sun. A shadow flashed into appearance on a nearby roof. The sun was to its back, and she couldn't see its face clearly. Suzume unsheathed her zanpakuto, and settled into a fighting stance. "Come down from there, and I'll not harm you." She called up to it. The shadow vanished and reappeared on the ground. Flash step. So it was a soul reaper. She straightened, lowering her zanpakuto. "Come forward." She commanded. He, for the figure was male, came forward. Suzume sheathed her sword. "Yaviel." You shouldn't sneak up on me. You maybe skilled, but there's a reason I'm a lieutenant and you're only third seat. I wouldn't recommend being that rash."

Sukira nodded once, and then passed by her on his way to the squad 12 barracks.

Suzume shook her head. Sukira was strong enough to rival Ichigo, but he had yet to master Ban-kai release form. Suzume narrowed her eyes after his retreating form. She didn't trust squad 12. Of course, it was her own captain who had committed treachery, and the captain of squad 12 was yet loyal to the soul society, so she supposed she was the less trustworthy of the two. And that is where she had to prove herself.

She turned back to the sun, and gauged by is position in the sky that the Meeting would start soon. She performed flash step, working her way to the meeting room, where she entered just in time. The room was dark, and she sank into a fighting stance, her hand on her zanpakuto as her eyes began the slow transition from light to dark.

Someone draped an arm about her shoulders before she could fully see. "Relax, Lieutenant Kei, you seem a little tense." said a distinctly masculine voice.

Suzume let out a sharp yell and whirled, her foot connecting solidly with her opponent's temple; she elbowed him several times in the stomach before she kicked his legs out from under him, and pressed a knife to his throat. She blinked several times as her sight returned. She had Lieutenant Abarai pinned to the floor, blood trickling from his temple at the force of her blow. She pressed the knife more firmly to his throat, leaving a shallow scratch.

"Lieutenant Kei? What are you doing?"

Suzume looked up to see the room full of captains and lieutenants staring at her. It appeared that the one who had spoken was Squad 10 Lieutenant Matsumodo.

Suzume shook her head, and let go of Renji, offering him a hand and easily pulling him to his feet. "My apologies, Lieutenant." She said, turning her back on him and walking over to stand by her captain, head bowed to hide the blush spread across her cheeks. She had just outright attacked another lieutenant, in front of everyone else. This was simply brilliant. Now everyone would think she was untrustworthy.

After the meeting, she sat down on her bed, her knees tucked to her chin, and her arms wrapped tightly around them. She stared out the window, biting her lip. "I wish Momo was here." She said softly to herself.

There was a quiet knock at her door, and Izuru came in. "Suzume, are you feeling alright? I know you; you haven't lashed out like that for years."

I haven't been touched by a man for years, Suzume thought, but nobody knows that. But she said nothing in reply to Izuru.

Izuru tentatively stretched out a hand to her, then, as she leaned out of reach, he thought better of it and let his hand fall to the bed, simply watching her. "Suzume, are you crying?"

She shook her head violently, but was unable to stop the half-choked sob that escaped her lips.

"Suzume," Izuru yet again stretched out an arm to comfort her, but she moved out of reach a second time. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

She nodded.

"Would you like to talk about it?"

She shook her head.

"Alright. Is there anything I can get for you?"

She shook her head again.

"Okay. I'll be in my office if you change your mind." He turned and left. Leaving her alone.