Hello! I am back, and a really big thank you to those who reviewed! I am really grateful for them! But no more now, let the story begin!
Eyeing the Head of his clan and current tea partner, Shunsuke tried to sip his drink in his most refined manner. He was still no match for the flawless grace of the noble before him.
But that was to be expected. No one in the whole of Soul Society could hope to match Kuchiki Byakuya.
While lowering his cup, he flicked a glance at Byakuya. The stoic noble was sitting straight-backed but somehow, not rigid. Eyes closed as if to saver the tea, the Clan Head's face was the definition of seriousness and serenity mixed in one.
For the fourth time since he entered the room, and the twelfth time since he received the summon via servant, the young noble wondered what exactly he was doing here. They had been here for over twenty minutes now, and he very much doubted that the Head of his clan would call him over for his less-than-satisfactory tea drinking skills.
Keeping his face very much blank, he mentally scowled. If his visit to his best friend's sickbed really was interrupted for a tea party of all things, heads were going to roll.
Suppressing the growing desire to jump up and leave (he was a Kuchiki for God's sake, not an impulsively rash Shiba), Shunsuke attempted to break the less-than-tense atmosphere.
"Byakuya-dono," he spoke politely (only the suicidal or stupid or both dared to address him rudely), "May I ask why I have been called to your presence?"
With eyes still closed, the other noble simply sipped his tea elegantly. Shunsuke wondered if Karin's impatience was contagious and rubbed off on him.
The man sipped his tea again. Shunsuke's eye twitched.
It probably was.
Just when he was contemplating how he could excuse himself politely, Byakuya opened his mouth.
"You harbor close friendship with the Thirteenth Division captain's adoptive daughter."
It was not a question, but a statement of a fact. More than a little startled, he could only nod dumbly in confirmation.
The man was not done. "And you have been visiting her every day."
He nodded again. Where was he going with this?
This time, Kuchiki Byakuya lifted his eyelids and pinned him down with a powerful gaze. Shunsuke suppressed a shudder at the power behind the grey orbs and unconsciously straightened. Whatever this man was about to say screamed importance.
He uttered a single line.
"Stay away from her."
He blinked. What? What?
Before he knew it, Shunsuke dropped all aristocrat airs in shock and opened his mouth to speak when his Clan head continued as swiftly as a blade.
"She is to be charged with the crimes her older brother, Kurosaki Ichigo, committed in his infiltration of Soul Society during the Ryoka Invasion. The girl is to be executed in one week's time."
"That's not- she's not," He couldn't seem to get his mouth complete his sentences.
Giving no room for rest, the words still flowed out of the emotionless man. Shunsuke had no choice but to listen on with morbid horror.
"During the girl's surgery it was discovered that the two are blood siblings. In accordance to the law, the sins of her older brother must be passed onto her as he himself is not available for the punishment. In light of his heroic actions after his crimes of infiltrating Soul Society, however, she is allowed to be reincarnated, her soul not to be completely destroyed."
He knew his mouth was swinging open disgracefully, but for the love of God he couldn't give a penny's worth about manners at this moment. Something about this meeting was dawning upon his mind, and it made his stomach clench.
His voice cracked when he could finally will his tongue to move. "Why?" he croaked, half-knowing the answer already and dreading it still. "Why did you summon me?"
A pause. "At this very moment, Kurosaki Karin is being removed to the Repentance Cell. I would not have had you attempt to stop her removal."
Time stopped for him and he could only think three things in a grey daze.
Karin.
Removed.
Repentance Cell.
Karin. Removed. Repentance Cell. Karin. Removed. Repentance Cell.
KarinRemovedRepentanceCellKarinRemovedRepentanceCe l KarinRemovedRepentanceCellKarin-
On and on like a sick childhood melody.
What the hell was he doing here!?
Leaping up to his feet, caring little that he knocked over his cup, Shunsuke swiped his Zanpakto up from the floor and quickly spun towards the door. Before he could take even three steps however, a cold voice rang out behind his back.
"Where are you going?"
He hated how the simple four lettered question stopped him in his tracks.
With as much politeness crammed into his words, he wrung out, "To Karin."
"Do not be a fool," his voice was ice cold and Shunsuke cringed. "The reason I have summoned you here is for the sole purpose of stopping your recklessness. By rushing off to save her, brat, you lower yourself in the Elders' eyes. Should you even return alive, much less successful, you will never become the 29th Head. You will lose everythi-"
"Byakuya-dono," he cut in icily. "Do not presume that the Kuchiki Clan is my everything. I would willingly cast aside my inheritance for the sake of a friend, something that was taught by Karin."
"Do you believe I would let you do so?"
"No, but I will do it anyway."
There was silence, and though he still felt the piercing gaze on his back he continued on his way to the exit. Just when his fingers brushed the sliding door's handle though, Byakuya's voice rang out behind him once again.
"Bakudo 61, Rikujōkōrō."
The six yellow rods of light crashed into his side, rendering him immobile. He gasped and at the same time, Byakuya appeared before him like a ghost.
A hand rushed forward and with stunning accuracy stabbed his pressure point.
The world faded to black.
Jidanbo rubbed his chin thoughtfully, shifting his eyes between a turnip and a radish. Both ingredients had their merits, but which would best finish off his stew? He scratched his chin some more and scowled. Turnip? Radish? Turnip? Radish? Turnip? Radish?
Hmm…
Suddenly, he perked up in an unexpected epiphany. Smiling widely, he gathered both vegetables into his arms and tossed them into the boiling water.
When you can't choose one, take both! He mentally gave himself a pat on the back.
Humming lightly, he stirred the pot twice before performing a taste test. Satisfied with the flavor, he clamped a lid over the stew and lowered the flame. Now that that dilemma was over with, time to check up upon Ichigo's grandson.
Opening the door to the guestroom of his house, Jidanbo stepped inside and shut the door behind him quietly. Tiptoeing, he made his way to the boy.
In his opinion, the brat deserved credit for merely being able to breathe. Even with a body covered with gaping Hollow wounds he seemed to be relatively alive, though deeply unconscious. But then again, he was a Kurosaki; they were notorious for being as killable as a cockroach.
It also might have helped that he had unbelievably fast healing as well, the largest of gashes already scabbing over and the darkest of bruises fading to yellow-green. Jidanbo wondered how that was possible, when the only other times he had seen such speedy recovery was on some Hollows with high-speed regeneration. But again, the fact that he was a Kurosaki all but made it official that he would do the impossible.
He snorted ungracefully. Lucky little snot.
He was the same since he saw him last, orange hair blazing like a sunrise, eyes scrunched together into a scowl. Jidanbo had thrown away his bloodied excuses of a robe in the favor of a midnight blue one instead. Darker colors seemed to suit the kid better anyway, something he noticed with Ichigo.
Really, the resemblance between the brat and Ichigo was uncanny. One could even call them the same person but for the obvious fact that this boy was probably younger than ten.
Eyes frowning even as he slept, Ichigo's grandson snored on, one hand firmly grasped on his Zanpakto handle (if he didn't know better, he would say it was Zangetsu himself).
Jidanbo briefly toyed with the idea of attempting to remove the sword from his grip before pushing it out of his mind. The boy obviously didn't want to be separated from his partner, and Jidanbo respected that. He would feel the same with his Zanpakto.
So he got down to business instead, changing bandages and reapplying medicine as quickly as possible. After all, taking too long would lead to his stew burning, and Jidanbo would hate to see that happen right after he figured out the best ingredients.
Hitsugaya tugged on his captain's haori, ignoring the stammered apologizes from the slacking Soul Reapers as he passed by. Usually he would freeze their hands to their brooms on the spot, but he was in a hurry to a Captain's meeting.
Of course, that didn't mean he wouldn't freeze them after the meeting.
Striding forward fluidly, the youngest captain took a glance at a clock and bit back a curse. He knew first-hand the old man could lecture for hours if even one of them were late. In his defense, it wasn't his fault he had been on the other side of Seireitei when the Hell Butterfly drifted by.
A glance at a passing Reaper's watch. Two minutes till 3. Might as well use shunpo and save his fellow captains and himself from the Head Commander's ranting (you're welcome).
When he entered the hall, he was greeted with four empty spots in their ranks. Kyoraku Taicho had been sent out to the World of the Living for an assignment by C46 the other day, so that wasn't much of a shock. Two of their Vizard captains had been sent to Rukongai to eliminate some Hollows yesterday as well.
Hitsugaya mentally scowled. If they needed two of their strongest fighters to fight the Hollows, well, he wasn't too happy about Soul Society's security just yet.
The last gap in their ranks was the 13th captain, but that was hardly unusual. The white haired shinigami was unfortunate to have been curse with an unstable medical condition, resulting in multiple skips in meetings. Though it was quickly turning into more of a blessing than anything else with the boring angle this meeting was going.
The meeting began and ended without much fanfare, to the surprise of absolutely none. Hisugaya turned to leave before remembering to drop a form for the Head Commander. Usually it was to be given by the Lieutenant, but surprise, surprise, Matsumoto busy making more sake stains on the office couch. His couch he might add.
He knocked twice on Sou-Taicho's office and proceeded to enter just in time to see a Hell Butterfly float off his superior's fingertip.
"Sou-Taicho," he said, pulling up the piece of paperwork from his pocket. "I'm here to drop off th-"
"Hitsugaya."
The white-haired prodigy stopped and narrowed his eyes. Lately, though most tried to ignore it, the Sou-Taicho seemed tired. In the lay-down-and-sleep-forever type of tired. And now, looking at the new wrinkles on his face, Hitsugaya found it hard to connect the powerful military leader of Soul Society to the sagging old man before him.
"Swear to me-" there was a cough, "-that you will keep the peace in my stead."
The white-haired prodigy frowned. "Sou-Taicho, what-"
"Swear," he rasped, interrupting, "swear that you will make sure justice comes first. Because should you not, he will raze Soul Society to ashes in his blind fury. Swear, swear that you will follow the right side."
Ignoring the cold sweat on his back, Hitsugaya nodded. "I swear to it."
As if drawing fortitude from his oath, the Head Commander heaved himself back up into a commanding posture of one of his position. The air of weariness never fully left though.
And just like that, the old man proceeded onto business, leaving Hitsugaya very much confused.
It was only when he was back in his office that he learned of Kurosaki Karin's upcoming execution.
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