Chapter 1: Autumn Afternoons

*I forgot to say Happy St. Patrick's Day in my last chapter and happy birthday to my OC (and the main character of this fic) Naomi!

I didn't change much with this chapter because I was actually pretty happy to begin with. The next chapter will be posted April 5th. Thank you to those who reviewed, they make me feel so warm and fuzzy. X3 And that is really important here in Minnesota considering all the snow we have right now. Spring my ass...

Please enjoy and review.

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, Ayame or Seirin, only a lot of OCs who you will meet as the story goes on.*


"Autumn is as joyful and sweet as an untimely end."—Remy de Gourmont


Bright, crisp autumn sunlight filtered into the bedroom that belonged to the Fifth Division lieutenant. She hummed softly as she ran a wood comb through her short wavy platinum blonde hair. That was the perk of having such short hair; it didn't take long to comb it out.

She plucked a simple orange flower hairclip with small green leaves and put it in her hair. Naomi turned her head this way and that to look at it from every angle. Feeling satisfied she stood up from her vanity table and smoothed out the creases in her kimono.

The outfit was colored to match those of the season. A pale tan base color covered with red, orange and gold chrysanthemums and leaves, a gold and orange obi belt to tie it all off together. The warm colors did a good job on complimenting her pale bob styled hair and made her cool leaf green eyes stand out.

"I think I look acceptable," she murmured to herself. The lieutenant turned to her red and gray wakizashi sitting on her bed, "You stay here Kitsune, and I'll be back later."

Naomi left her bedroom and leisurely walked through her division and to the First Division. She chose to spend the afternoon of her day off with her grandfather and having tea. It was her way of trying to get back in his good graces. She knew he was still a little upset with her for deserting the Gotei over twenty years ago.

He was gracious enough to let her come back and her way of repaying him was staying out of trouble and indulging a favorite past time of theirs. Even when she was young, Naomi had a knack for performing tea ceremonies.

She looked up and noticed the warm fiery colors the leaves had turned. The only thing she hated about fall was that it was a prelude to winter. In her opinion the most abhorrent season of all. The snow, the ice and worst of all the bitter biting cold, she could do very well without.

"Well, where are you going so dolled up?" Someone whistled as she walked past the Second Division.

"Good afternoon to you Shinobu," she replied to the Sixth Seat.

Shinobu Kimura, an average built young man who looked to be in his mid to late teens by human standards. He had a short thatch of chocolate brown hair and bronze eyes. He wore the standard black kimono but his was tailored to be a little more form fitting, claiming it helped him move faster in combat. She could see the familiar gray blue hilt of his sword at his hip.

"I'm heading to the First Division."

"Going to spend some time with your grandfather?"

Naomi smiled and lightly chuckled, "I'm the one who chooses how to spend her days off."

"Good point. I—"

"Sixth Seat Kimura, where in the hell are those reports!" Soi Fon's ever pleasant voice cut through the air.

The young man paled before running back to his division. He called over his shoulder, "I gotta go, I'll see you later."

"Try not to get hit with her Stinger of Death." She then muttered under her breath, "Then again her glares alone could kill a man."


The First Division was calm and peaceful. Out of all the divisions the First always seemed to be able to maintain a constant air of peace and tranquility. The First Division also had the largest number of members who have stayed with said division longer than most Soul Reapers have been alive.

To them, seeing Naomi walk through the halls as if she were walking through her own home was nothing unusual. In fact it signified something routine and normal.

Saskibe smiled and chuckled when he saw her coming, "Here for another afternoon of tea with the Head Captain?"

"Yes, not only do I get to spend quality time with my grandfather but I also get to ease his disappointment in me for deserting a couple decades ago," she finished softly.

"Naomi, you know you're grandfather could never be disappointed in you. He may act like he is but he never truly feels that way," he assured her before standing.

"Where are you going?"

"I have a few papers to deliver. It's lovely outside and I need to stretch my legs. While you do look stunning in warm colors I personally think you'd look much more fetching in that green and teal English Victorian dress I gave you." Sasakibe said before he departed.

Naomi stared at the door to her grandfather's office and bravely knocked on the door. After a gruff "Enter" she cautiously opened the door and stepped in. She saw him sitting on the verandah attached to his office, the whole thing drenched in autumn sunlight.

A vivid scene from her childhood flashed in her mind. A scene of her as a small smiling girl in a green and purple kimono running up to Yamamoto, who was sitting out in the sun just like he was now. He allowed her to crawl onto his lap and bask in the warmth of the sun and looking out and seeing all of Seireitei like a king and his little princess over looking their kingdom.

"Naomi," simply saying her name snapped her out of her reminiscing.

She bowed respectfully, "Grandfather."

Naomi took her seat on the other side of the small tea table between them. She gently took the pot of already prepared tea and poured cups for both of them. It wasn't so much the actual ceremony that this meeting between grandfather and granddaughter was about but merely a private bonding moment.

The air between them wasn't as tense as Naomi had feared and her grandfather actually looked like the harmless old man he pretended to be. But she and a handful of others knew the truth and yet the power he wielded didn't scare her. She saw him as her grandfather first and the Head Captain second.

"Naomi, I have something to ask of you," Yamamoto said after a moment.

The young woman silently directed her gaze to him. Please let it be something I can do. Please don't let it be another proposed arranged marriage. A woman does not need to be married in order to be happy.

"Have you heard anything from the family?" He asked quietly but gruffly.

Naomi was taken aback and looked at him with surprise. He almost never spoke of their relatives at least not in front of her. She sipped her tea to soothe her startled nerves.

"No, I haven't. Why? Have you?"

He gave a slight shake of his head. Then why ask? She thought as she shot him a questioning look. You wouldn't ask something as... unusual as that unless something was up. Something very big... or very bad.

Yamamoto lifted his cup to his lips but suddenly stopped. Something sharp had pierced his neck and his limbs were seizing up. The tea cup fell from his stiffening fingers with a crash.

"Grandfather?" She asked with sudden intense worry and fear.

Before she could move to help Naomi felt something sharp prick her neck. Her hand instinctively slapped her neck where she felt the prick, like slapping an insect. The room started to spin and her breathing sounded too loud and heavy to her ears.

The last coherent thought Naomi had before completely blacking out was,

Why do I smell smoke?


*And I leave it off with the same cliffhanger. ^. ^ Please review.*