The drums grew louder as the start of the show grew closer. Most of the stalls were now abandoned as even the owners had gathered in excitement around the stage. Ukitake Jushiro was also keen to see the show; however he could not concentrate on finding a good spot to view it from, when his friend had gone from out of his sight. Kyoraku Shunsui was a man who could control himself well enough usually, but anyone who had consumed two barrels of sake in one night, could barely control their bladder let alone their life.
His worry was short lived as he found him sitting at Mah Jhong table holding a petite woman in his hands who closely resembled Nanoa-chan. Ready to berate him, Ukitake strode over. Before he could say a word he found himself pulled roughly down by his collar. "Jushiro! Coooome, plaaaay, I'm doing great tonight! With my lucky charm!" He gave the girl a squeeze as she let out a superficial giggle.
His words were slow and he slurred. Ukitake was surprised he hadn't passed out already, the man could hold his liquor. "No Shunsui, you play, I'm going to watch the show."
"Without me?" Ukitake looked at him sceptically.
"Can you walk?"
"Best not risk it, anyway I'm reeeeaaally comfortable." Ukitake let out a disappointed sigh, it was times like these he wished he had a different best friend. The thought wasn't serious but now he had to watch the show alone. He scanned the crowd for familiar faces and to his happy surprise he spotted a certain captain fighting his way through the crowd.
"Hirako-sun! Come to see the show?"
"Ukitake?" The man seemed too righteous to sneak out of the squad quarters and into Rukongai. "Nice to see you have a little daring. Here by yourself?"
"I was with Kyoraku but…" He pointed over to the games table.
"Ahh I see, well his loss really I mean – wait! Is that Nanoa-chan on his lap?!"
"No just a look alike."
"Pheeww for a second I thought her standards had seriously dropped." The crowd started to roar as man in red vinyl coat stepped on stage. He opened his mouth to announce the first act.
"Looks like its starting." Ukitake clapped with the crowd in anticipation. Hirako looked around for any other familiar faces. Ukitake stopped clapping when he felt a sharp elbow stick into his side. "Owww, what was that for?"
"You'll never guess who's here. Look!" He pointed to the left. It only took him a second to realise who he was talking about. Standing on the edge of the crowd was a tall young man, with a muscular build and handsome features which he displayed by holding his head up high, a pose accustomed to nobility. His startling grey eyes and high cheekbones however were contorted into an expression of disgust at his surroundings; the 78th district of Rukongai was a drastic change from the noble houses.
"It's the Kuchiki brat! What do think teased him out of his palace?"
"Ha! Who else? Look to his right." Approaching the young man was tall curvaceous woman, with aubergine hair and a mocking grin. When Hirako noticed, he cat called over to her. "Yo, Yoruichi!" They walked over to join her.
"Hey Hirako. Ukitake, didn't expect you here but then again I guess Kyoraku dragged you."
"Actually I wanted to see the performance. I see you're dragging as well." He looked behind her, it had to be said that the boy was brave, anyone one would feel intimidated when confronted with three captains but he was a noble.
"Oh, say hi to them Byakua – boo." Hirako howled with laughter as a vein on the side of the boy's head looked like it would pop. He bowed low and greeted them.
"So, are you having a good time Byakuya?" asked Ukitake
"Yes." His reply was stiff.
"Try cracking a smile, then we might believe it." Hirako sneered. Yoruichi giggled; Byakuya look positively affronted. He was not used to being ridiculed. Captains though they were they were still commoners. He hated how he had to spew out false respect for them; it made him want the captain position even more. He was sure to attain it one day but he'd rather sooner than later. Then he could put them back in their place.
"Don't listen to them, they're both childish at the best of times but do try to have some fun. Look! The shows started." Captain Ukitake's kindness took him by surprise. It was true that he never laughed at Byakuya, only greeted him with a smile. His face bore no wrinkles but his eyes were old, Byakuya felt that his kind demeanour was misplaced in the Gotei 13 but he felt an inkling of real respect for the captain.
He looked up to see the show had already started. The District Danse was a famous event, held yearly, housing stalls of hot meat and sweets, games tables, street performers, singers, sword tournaments and a spectacular dance performed on stage. Right now the stage was littered with acrobats on long sashes of silk, twisting and bending to form patters. This was just the introduction, the main part of the show was the girls. Commoners though they were, they dressed the girls in the silk of noble ladies, which was enough to entice the male audience but their dance was said to be truly spectacular.
Byakuya doubted this, what could commoners offer that he had not already seen. He had already attended the finest shows in Seireitei, he doubted the show would peak his interest. He cursed himself for being there in the first place, after all it was only because he had let that blasted Yoruichi wind him up. Without the Shihoin name she could easily fit in with the 80th district mongrels. An ear blowing cheer erupted from the crowd accompanied by many wolf whistles, Byakuya looked up. The dance had indeed started.
A line of girls stood at the front of the stage wearing white, draping sleeve kimonos, with silver silk patterns traced over the length of the dresses. The waist of the kimono was tightened by a silver silk obi to accentuate the girls' slender frames. Suddenly they started to twist, like the wind was blowing hard at them forcing them to spin on air until they finally landed, writhing on the ground covering the stage in a white canvas. Byakuya had to agree they knew their bodies well and they moved with grace, the effect was rather beautiful but again it was nothing he hadn't seen before. But wait, something now painted the canvas, a splash of colour, one girl, lain across the silver silk, the folds of her sleeves splayed outwards and her legs curved wide. Her kimono was in the same styles but it was completely red; positioned to look like a drop of blood on snow. Her face was still hidden by the white dancers. They frolicked around her like a whimsical wind blowing her here and there, causing her spine to fold, her arms to sway and her legs to lift off of the ground. There was no stiffness in her approach, she moved like water, as if her bones were fluid and to stand still would be a crime.
There was no denying, he was enticed by the girls, how they floated like snowflakes and encompassed the lady in red. The show was reaching its climax as silence fell on the crowd, too bewildered to cheer in fear of interrupting the intimacy on stage. Which is why, when the silence was broken by slurred roars, they all turned in unison to the origin of the interruption.
A hoard of drunken men were pushing their way to the stage, throwing the girls leery chants and lustful glances. One of them found his way to the stage and held out his hands trying to catch a hold of one of the girls. When he missed easily the crowd laughed, assuming it was part of the show, to watch the girls banish the brutes but they missed the frightful looks on the performers' faces. More of the men piled onto the stage. One such brute stood there, still with a glass of sake in his hands and shouted "I want the Red one!" he grabbed her wrist.
Byakuya was fixed in his stare when someone tapped him on the shoulder. Yoruichi whispered in his ear, "The girls are in danger. We need to stop this before it turns into a brawl." The captains had naturally noticed that this was not a part of the show as well. They made their way through but before they could act, they heard a thud on stage. One of the men looked as if he was tackling a girl in white, she shrieked out as she tried to free herself. The audience began to realise what this was, panic began to spread. The shinigami in the crowd flash stepped on to the stage as they heard another thud. To their surprise, it was the sound of the man holding the girl, fall to the ground. The lady in red had twisted easily out of the grip of one of the brutes and with one swift motion, lifted her leg high only to swipe it down on the other man's head. The force had knocked him clean unconscious.
There was a moment of shock, for both audience and shinigami alike, for it broke the illusion of the elegant dancer. Brave though the action was, it was also the start to an all-out fight. The men began to grab the dancers, the audience was in frenzy and the girls screamed for help. Byakuya reached for his zanpaktu but found he was grabbing for air. With a slight sinking feeling, he realised that he had left his sword at the mansion in order to blend in. When he looked around it seemed that the others had done the same.
THWACK! Another man was down. "Looks like I missed the show." Flashing in a next to them was Captain Kyoraku. He had been drunk and swollen as a pig but Byakuya knew he had to be captain for reason, if only because of his ability to sober up in matter of seconds. He took down another man. "Come on Byakuya, he's putting you to shame." He couldn't help but smile. They attacked as a team. Ukitake was more concerned with getting the girls away. Nearly every girl was off of the stage when the last man was struck down. Hirako turned to the dancer in the red kimono, "Are you ok?"
"Yes, thank you for helping like that, it was very decent of you."
"Don't worry about it, consider it payment for an excellent show."
"Almost." The crowd had calmed and through the air of disappointment, they made their farewell. Byakuya shunpoed off the stage, ready to leave. "Wait!" He turned to Ukitake's shout, one of the men was not fully unconscious. He pulled the lady in reds' leg from under her. She fell too fast for either one of them to catch her and her head hit the wooden stage with a resounding CRACK. Blood seeped slowly from her head, staining the cheap wood beneath it. Her vision went black, she felt soft hands pick her up and then, she felt nothing.