Soooo... I decided to upload this baby in FFN. Even though it didn't receive a warm welcome in the first chapter, here comes the next installment. Hope it gains more comments...
This chapter is dedicated to the guest mya gilde who read and reviewed the first chap, thank you so much dearie :) I really wish you'll remember this story and check it out again.
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach nor any of its characters. It is written and illustrated by Tite Kubo. The only thing I own are the original characters I made for this story idea.
"How are you?"- Normal speech
I thought so.- Thoughts
"Scatter, Senbonzakura." - Techniques/ Spells/ emphasized point
'Master.' – Zanpakuto speech through their shared link
'Old man Zangetsu.' – 'Shinigami/Wielder speech through their shared link'
*** - Parts of flashback
Chapter 2 - The Heir to the Soul King Throne and a Long-lost Friend
After the shocking meeting with the Soul King and the sudden announcement of a tournament involving the Heir, the guest captains retreated from the throne room and are currently following the Hell Assassins to their assigned chambers during their stay. Exchanging compliments and commentaries on the picturesque Soul Palace along the way, they stopped short when their two guides came to a halt in front of them.
"Your Royal Highness, a pleasant day to you." They both bowed in greeting to someone who was walking near them, coming from the opposite direction. How come they haven't felt that presence?
The figure is dressed in entirely white garments covering the whole body, the long sleeves exceeding the normal length and extending about two more feet than the arms; even the obi tied against the kimono is plain, with white cloak, hood up, and a white mask covering the face. An apparition. Only a pair of deep-blue eyes can be seen and is gazing at them in mild curiosity and, was that recognition? But it instantly melted into a blank stare. "And you both as well, Tigress, Lioness." The figure acknowledged the Royal Guards. The unmistakably female voice and judging from the way the Hell Assassins acted, it took the group not a second longer to recognize the person in front of them. They hastily bowed down as well. "Your Royal Highness."
"Captains of the Seiretei." The Heir to the Soul King throne intoned. "A surprise to see you here. Did His Majesty summon you?" she asked. As the official spokesperson for the whole Gotei Thirteen, the Head Captain answered after they straightened up. "Yes, His Majesty did, Your Royal Highness. It was quite sudden too, if I may speak boldly." He replied, gently smiling to show no disrespect to the King.
Her answering hum was eerily similar to the one her grandfather did back in the throne room. "I see." Was that malice underlying her tone? She continued on her trek towards where they came from. "Thank you for the information, Yama-ji-san." Were her parting words, leaving behind stupefied captains in her wake.
Kyoraku and Jyuushiro chuckled and teased their Master. "The Heir just called you an old man, old man Yama." Kyoraku said. The others couldn't help but chuckle as well as the Head Captain berated his former students.
Except one quiet noble. As the group started walking again, Kuchiki Byakuya, Captain of the Sixth Division, cast one last look behind, at the retreating back of the Soul King's granddaughter. The entire short meeting, her spiritual pressure did not appear, even in the slightest. A masterful masking of one's reiatsu is a powerful spell in itself. She must not be underestimated.
But what bothered him the most was unusual. When she passed by him, he caught a hint of her scent. It tingled his senses, body and mind analyzing and trying to give him a picture. It is very familiar, like something that has been with him for so long it became a part of him, making it difficult to recall the origin. He knows he subconsciously know where or to whom that scent belongs to. But he just can't remember, frustratingly so.
"And so everyone here calls the Heir 'Angel'." Was the part he heard when he caught up with his fellow captains. The Lioness was explaining. "Like His Majesty, the Heir's face is always covered. Not one soul has ever seen what she looks like under all that coverings. But you can tell she's a real beauty, just by her eyes alone. The shade of its color is very rare and unforgettable."
*** (quick flashback)
"What rare eyes you have! Its shade is unforgettable. Very alluring, indeed." A noblewoman gushed out, complimenting her son's friend.
The young girl blushed and looked down. "Thank you, Kuchiki-sama." She shyly replied.
*** (end of quick flashback)
What-? Byakuya abruptly stopped. Another one. Even the smallest things remind me of you. A call of his name returned his mind to the present. "Are you alright, Kuchiki-taichou?" the medic Captain Unohana Retsu of the Fourth Division, asked, eyeing him critically.
He nodded his head on autopilot. "Yes, Unohana-taichou. I am fine." He joined them again, not acknowledging the medic Captain's unbelieving stare. And so did not notice one considering gaze of the Head Captain.
oxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox(CHANGE SCENE)xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox
"Jiji!" A soft but dangerous call from the doors disrupted the closed-door meeting of the Soul King with His Royal Advisors and Ministers. They started the meeting right after the Soul Society's Captain's brief introduction with the Leader, finalizing the preparations for tomorrow's event. The Heir to the Soul King throne entered the room, briskly walking towards her elder. The advisors and ministers have gone to their feet the instant she appeared and bowed. "Your Royal Highness."
"At ease, everyone." She waved a hand dismissively at them, all the while still looking directly at the current Ruler. "You just won't stop, would you?" she obviously held back from barking the question. "Send them back. I am not bonding with any of them nor do I plan to marry any one. I am not going to get married. Ever." The Heir declared.
"Aya." The Soul King admonished her gently. "You will not be able to succeed me without getting properly bonded. It is tradition. And for safety precautions. The title comes bearing great burden as you well know, and you will be needing an anchor to help keep you rooted to your oath and not be consumed by the power it holds. Only mates can be anchors." He explained, again for the nth time.
The Heir, Aya, stubbornly stood her ground. "Then you should keep being the King. I don't want to be a Ruler." Sighing again, the King did not acknowledge her statement; instead He tried to make her see reason. "My dear girl, the Gotei Thirteen Captains are strong, you know that right? I remember you telling the whole Court why you won't accept the proposals from the royal bloods. It's because you think they are not strong enough to be your anchor, with weak reiatsu and not even decent fighting skills. But with these Captains, you might find yourself a suitable mate."
The Ministers and Royal Advisors were quick to agree with the Soul King, nodding and some even voiced their agreements. But Aya shook her hooded head, "I don't like any of them." She simply said. The Court went silent.
"What's there not to like, my dear?" her grandfather asked. "Let's see..." he began listing the Captains. "Hitsugaya-taichou. Young, powerful and fiercely loyal. I think he's a good enough candidate?"
A few Ministers agreed with his statement. But his granddaughter won't be swayed. "No. He's too in love with his best friend Shime. I don't fancy being the instrument to end a not-even-starting-yet relationship." That made them rethink.
"Well, how about Kenpachi-taichou? He's not in any relationship, I believe."
"Too violent." Was Aya's simple reply.
"Ukitake-taichou perhaps, Your Royal Highness? He's decent, peace-loving and not-" The Minister of Finance tried to help his leader.
"Too fragile. I thought you said the anchor must be strong enough to withstand the King's power if it ever goes awry."
"Komamura-taichou?" Who suggested that must not be thinking clearly.
"..."
"Kurotsuchi-taichou." Someone tried to avert the previous lack of judgment but failed just as spectacularly.
"Too obsessed with his experiments. And he creeps me out." The Heir sounded a bit disgusted. The rest of the Court shivered. Apparently, the Twelfth Division Captain creeps them out too.
"Kyoraku-taichou is fairly suitable, Your Royal Highness." Now one of the Royal Advisors wisely advised.
"Too fashionable." And again was denied. And the list was once again obliterated by the Heir. Oh wait, there's-
"Kuchiki-taichou." Even with the coverings, the Soul King's tone implied his sly smile behind. "Of noble blood, keeps a calm attitude even in battles, undeniably powerful, certainly not creepy, eye-pleasing and is not in any form of romantic relationship." Perfect match.
"..." Aya couldn't deny those facts. The Court people are practically sighing with relief. Thank the Gods, finally! Someone even the picky Heir can't deny.
"Too honorable." And the tiny flicker of hope was immediately put out. Too what, she said?
"Umm, Your Royal Highness?" The Minister of Education cleared his throat. "Isn't being honorable a good trait?"
"Not when you put honorable and Kuchiki Byakuya together. Then it becomes badly annoying." Was her only explanation. She again turned to her grandfather. "Well? You see how futile this is? Just let them leave."
But the Soul King has a ready answer. "I'm afraid I can't do that, my dear. You see, they've already agreed to fight against you tomorrow. Who might be able to draw your blood will be your bonded and husband. That was my deal with them. And they can't decline, lest they face me."
The air inside the room suddenly turned humid and heavy. It made breathing harder. Then it suddenly lifted. "Very well." Aya relented. "I would just have to defeat them, then." She turned and left the room.
oxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo(CHANGE SCENE)xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Evening came but sleep eluded Byakuya. Lately, he's having more and more snapshots of memories from his past. So many years have gone by, so many things happened, changes rapidly grew. He changed. But his memories still cling to that of the past. Where are you? Where have you been all these years? Am I ever going to see you again? His mind pictured a happy girl with short, uneven-cut black hair and deep-blue eyes, giggling while playing with a kitten. ("He's so cute! Trying to act all snobby and cool. So like you, Bya-kun!") He can't help but smile longingly at the image in his head. She really was fun and endearing at the same time. I miss you. Blinking, he was shocked to feel a lone tear falling from his eye. He touched the wetness. Tear. Namida.
Groaning in exasperation, he went out of bed, slipped on his robes but foregoing his wildflower scarf and kenseikan, grabbed his zanpakuto and went out. Maybe a little cold night air will help him numb his thoughts for a while. Taking a leisurely walk, he contemplates on the bizarre disappearance of his best friend before. Not to mention the questionable loss of all her records, even way past her birth. It's like she did not exist. Or more like, someone erased her existence. But he won't forget, never will. He knows she's still alive, he can feel it. But her whereabouts is unknown, even to him. She's the only one who can answer all his questions. Come hell, high water and legions of Hollows, he will get his answers.
Grateful for the years of hard-earned mastery in sensing his surroundings, he caught a very, very light movement from his side. Knowing that giving a slight indication that he noticed it will give the person a reason to be alerted, he surreptitiously continued walking. The person is obviously trying hard not to be noticed as they give off almost no reiatsu. Darting quickly to jump over the high walls, the figure did not even turn to look back at him. So it did not realized Byakuya has whipped around and caught sight of a hooded figure clad in a black cloak with the number zero written in the back, the kanji for 'Captain' on top of the number. The noble was confused. A Captain for Squad Zero? Then the figure jumped, absentmindedly swinging its arm in balance and a small accessory got Byakuya's attention. On the left hand of the figure, a simple silver bracelet band is worn, with a dangling single sakura petal attached to it.
Dumbly, "Aizawa?" He whispered in the wind.
Author's Question and Note: Is it true that Ichigo's father Isshin is a Shiba? I read here somewhere that he was a Shinigami before and part of the Shiba clan... I'm wondering if it's true... because, you see, I kinda wrote him as a Kurosaki here. And I don't think I'll be changing it... Let me just point that out. So he will be a Kurosaki in my story, alright? Just so there aren't questions.
Read and review everyone! Thank you!
