A/N: Here's the sixth chapter. My holiday's are over now so it'll probably take me a bit to upload anymore (at least two weeks maybe). I'm taking a tiny break to finish some assignments and to study for some tests but I'll try write whenever I have free time. Translations at the bottom like always, enjoy! x
Amazake-babaa's Anguish - 6
1871 (Inuzuri)
Mikazuki cried out as one of the burly men behind her grabbed her hair pulling on it hard. They had come out of nowhere, hiding in the alleyway right next to her shack of a house. He shoved her against the side of the neighboring shack causing her to shout out again in pain. She turned around to look at all three of them. They stared at her with vulgar expressions, the man to the right kept on clenching and releasing his fists. They could've been considered attractive if it wasn't for the layers of dirt that covered their skin and their hair. It was long and shaggy, overdue for much needed haircuts.
"A little blonde thing like you shouldn't be living by yourself." The middle man stepped forward, holding out his hand. "There's a bed at mine just waiting to be warmed up, with your name on it. Come with us."
She tried to back away but the side of the shack blocked any chance of escape. "Get away from me! I didn't ask for any of this."
"Oh, we know you didn't." The man to the left pushed the middle guy out of the way and held onto her wrist, raising it above her head. "Demo the shinigami is paying us a lot to get you to him. So you're coming with us."
Mikazuki struggled to get out of his grip, but he held too tightly. The other two laughed at her feeble attempts. "Let me go!"
No matter how loud her shouting was, the residents of Inuzuri ignored her. They went about their daily chores as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening. It didn't surprise her. No one would be strong enough to take on one of these men, let alone three. It was better for them to mind their own business than get involved. She was kicking at him but was missing, until one lucky shot got him straight in the shin. He yelled out and fell to the ground, still grunting in pain as he lay there. Mikazuki and the other two were shocked. Was she really that tough?
"Did no one ever teach you men… that picking on a defenseless young girl is wrong?"
A few meters away stood another guy with black hair that covered his eyes. It looked as if he tried cutting it himself. He was obviously the one that spoke. He held onto a rusty katana that had seen better days, blood pooling on the ground where the tip lay as he held it at his side. She looked down at the man lying on the ground and saw his back was now covered with red, the yukata he wore soaked with his own blood. He had been slashed. Damn, I'm really not that strong then.
The remaining two men snarled, forgetting about Mikazuki and pulled out their hidden kaikens. "You shouldn't have done that."
"Is that so?" He held the katana in front of him and smirked.
Her attackers never stood a chance. The man sliced at them, not letting them get close enough to give a hit. The men didn't seem to be that good at fighting, most likely just getting by with brute force. Within a few minutes they were bloody, beaten and unconscious on the ground before her. They were now bearing new wounds that would surely scar, especially without medical attention. Without a glance her way the man turned around and left.
Mikazuki ran to catch up with him, momentarily tripping over the bodies. "Arigatou gozaimasu."
"It's just what I do." He didn't pause to look back at her and just continued walking.
"Where are you going?" She wished her savior would just stay put, who knew how many other men were apparently after her.
"I'm just going where my feet take me."
"You can't just follow your feet!" Mikazuki shook her head at the notion. "You will get lost."
"Just leave me alone!" He finally turned to face her, his voice sounded angry but his eyes showed frustration and weariness. "There's no reason for a little girl to be following me!"
He started to sway and she reached out for him. "Are you okay?" He crumpled to the ground, taking her with him.
"Don't worry, I get like this sometimes when I'm hungry." He pushed her away but with his lack of strength it did nothing.
"I'll come right back." Mikazuki left him at the side of the alleyway rushing over to the marketplace close by. "Obaa-san!"
"Ah, I was wondering when you would get here." The elderly woman held out a parcel, containing some rice cakes.
"Arigatou Obaa-san. Tell Ojii-san I'll see him next week."
"Where's the hollow?" The woman joked, as she watched the girl running away.
Mikazuki got back to where the man was still lying down. "Here, have these." She had to be still for a moment and catch her breath, never having run like that since before coming to the Rukongai.
After he ate them all, she got up and walked away from him, not looking back. Somehow she knew that he would start following her.
17th July 1870 9:51pm (Karakura Town)
Someone was following her, Mikazuki was sure of it. For the past few minutes she had a feeling that someone was watching her. Every time she stopped and looked behind her, there was no one. Right now though, she heard the footsteps. It sounded like one person, but she couldn't be too sure. Were they her own, but she just didn't realize it? It can't be. They seemed to be picking up their pace and this freaked her out. She decided to look one more time and if there wasn't anyone, she would start running home.
Holding her bag of books to her chest, she picked up her pace considerably. Just her luck that the night Mikazuki finally convinced her father to let her go to a friend's house and walk home, by herself, she will get attacked by some invisible mass murderer on the loose. She was hearing those damned footsteps again and looking behind her, for the last time she told herself, to see if there was anyone there. She found no one, again. Her lack of concentration for the path she was on, made her falter in her steps and she ended up tripping over some pebbles scattered in her way. She came crashing down, scraping her knees and hands in the process.
"Are you alright?" A cloaked figure came out of nowhere, helping her to her feet.
"Were you the one following me?" At the time Mikazuki didn't know how stupid the question was, also when she was on the ground she hadn't seen the figure jump down from a nearby roof.
"Me? Iie." She couldn't see the face of this stranger because of the hood, but the voice sounded male. As he spoke he took out a clear flask which held some pink thick liquid in it. "This should help with your scratches."
Mikazuki tentatively grabbed the flask, examining it. "What is it?"
"An ointment, it was recently made. It helps with the sting of cuts."
She uncorked the flask and placed a little dollop onto her hand. Rubbing them together, she already felt the soothing liquid working. "Arigatou gozaimasu."
The man was wearing a black hakama and kosode with a white obi, any other clothing was hidden under the large cloak which was also black. She had never seen that combination of clothing worn by anyone before and found it quite strange.
"Who are you?" She asked
"I'm sure you have somewhere to be." The stranger replied, ignoring her question as he placed the flask back inside his garments. "Be careful on your way home, the streets are dangerous at this time of the night."
Remember that she indeed needed to be getting home, Mikazuki went rushing off. Her thoughts of the invisible follower with sounding footsteps were forgotten.
"What is this?" Mikazuki spat out at the disgusting tea she just drank all over the person in front of her.
"It's an herbal blend that Unohana-taichou made for Ukitake-taichou." Kaien explained, wiping his clothing dry. "I find it very refreshing."
"I find it horrible." She pushed the tea cup away as if it would remove the revolting after-taste in her mouth.
Kaien laughed. "We ran out of peach the last time you visited."
Mikazuki nodded looking across the koi fish pond to see a group of division members staring at them. "Your admirers seem to have only increased since you got married."
"Hai." Kaien placed a hand behind his head stretching, gasps and giggling could be heard from the admirers. "I don't get what they see in me. I'm just like everyone else."
"You're always so modest." Mikazuki laughed before getting serious. "I heard there was a Captain and Lieutenant's meeting."
"Hai, the meeting was this morning." Kaien now knew the reason for his friend's surprise visit. "You know I can't talk to you about it…"
"It had to be about the hollow attacks yesterday. Just nod if I'm correct." One of the reasons she came to Kaien instead of Isane Kotetsu was because he caved more easily, plus Isane would never mention classified information like this.
Kaien was looking out at the koi fish pond, the admirers having dispersed after Kiyone and Sentarō told them to get moving. They were sitting outside a hall that was set aside for the Captain of the Thirteenth Division, for when he was feeling ill. He gave a slight nod.
"Do they know why the hollows attacked?" She asked.
Kaien shook his head.
Mikazuki tried her luck with one more question. "Was Kuchiki-taichou's absence mentioned?"
Kaien nodded, "Yamamoto-soutaichou knows about yours and Kuchiki-taichou's trip to Inuzuri." They both knew he just caved.
Mikazuki internally cringed. "Was he mad at all?"
Kaien shrugged, "It was too hard to tell. Kuchiki-taichou only mentioned it because he was being asked about his whereabouts at the time of the attacks."
"Demo… if he isn't mad then they just need to find out about the attacks."
"He suspects both of you." Kaien gave her a sympathetic look. "He has Aizen-taichou interrogating Kuchiki-taichou right now. You will be next."
She shivered, but there was no breeze. "You make it sound like I will be sentenced to death. Aizen-taichou is a well-respected Captain of the Gotei Thirteen. Hai, he can be almost too cheerful at times but it can't be that bad… right?"
The shoji slid open revealing Jūshirō Ukitake. "Kaien-san, Miyako-san needs your help with training some members."
"Of course Taichou." Kaien stood. "Mikazuki-san, next time we will have tea in your division."
"Hai." Mikazuki rose and bowed at the Captain. "Shouldn't you be resting Ukitake-taichou?"
"I'll be fine for now." He went over to her and rested a hand on her shoulder. "As long as you answer the questions honestly, you shouldn't have anything to worry about."
"Arigatou gozaimasu."
"How about pouring me some of this horrible tea?"
Mikazuki waited outside for a long time, not bothering to take the initiative and knock. She had a feeling that he could feel her spiritual energy from inside but was just waiting patiently, like with everything he did. It had been a long time since she'd been in close proximity with the Captain of the Fifth Division, the last time being when she was in the Academy.
"You can come in you know, Ishikawa-chan."
Mikazuki opened the shoji screen and entered, kneeling on the cushion provided. She realized that this office was the former Captain's room and looked around to see that the turn-table had been removed. "Gomen nasai Aizen-taichou, for keeping you waiting so long."
"Don't be so formal Mikazuki-chan. We aren't strangers." He carried on smiling at her and reached over to place his hand over hers.
Mikazuki swallowed loudly and nodded, unable to trust her voice. She wanted to remove her hand from under his but then his would be resting on her thigh. She noticed how he changed the way of addressing her, just like he did back at the Academy.
"I want you to know that I believe you had nothing to do with the hollow attacks." Sōsuke tilted his head to the side, the reassuring smile still on his face. "Demo, Yamamoto-soutaichou requested this, so it has to be done. Can you start by telling me what you were doing?"
She nodded, glad that he took his hand away from her. "I was visiting Inuzuri."
She wasn't sure whether she should mention absolutely everything. What had Byakuya told him? Would both of their stories match? Questions kept going through her mind and she didn't have the right information to answer them. Mikazuki became frustrated and worried, the last thing she needed was to be accused of something she had no part in.
"Kuchiki-taichou said that you were visiting because it's your home district." Sōsuke stated. "Was there a reason you asked him to join you Mikazuki-chan?"
"Iie." She lied. "I've taken him to the Nest of Maggots a couple of times, he just happened to be around."
"Souka." Sōsuke nodding, his smile had yet to falter. "Do y-"
"Sumimasen." The shoji was opened revealing the elder Kuchiki, Ginrei. "I think Mikazuki-san has been questioned enough. She hardly has the power to bring forth one high-leveled hollow, let alone a group of them."
"Of course." He turned to Mikazuki. "You're free to go. If you ever need another escort, know that you can come and ask me anytime."
She didn't hear him because her sight was on Ginrei. The elder Kuchiki noticed this and bowed. "It's good to see you again. It's been almost a century now hasn't it?"
"Hai." Mikazuki returned his bow before leaving. Once outside she tried to hide her spiritual energy so that she could listen into their conversation.
"We both know who did this." Ginrei's voice was spoken loud and clear, if anyone passed they would be able to hear him. "Couldn't you have left her and my grandson out of this?"
"Yamamoto-taichou's orders, I couldn't just make it up." Sōsuke laughed. "Tell me Kuchiki-sama, how do you kn-"
There was a tap on Mikazuki's shoulder which broke her focus on the happenings inside the office, making her jump.
"You shouldn't be listening in on Aizen-taichou." Momo Hinamori said. There were sparks of anger behind the nervousness in her brown eyes.
"Hinamori-san you scared me. I was just leaving anyway." Mikazuki gave the office one last look before heading towards the Tenth Division.
"How does this look?" Rangiku asked, twirling around in a kimono she just tried on.
Mikazuki walked up to her and grabbed at the kimono, wrapping it around her more to hide the excessive amount of cleavage showing. "That's better."
"Demo, Suki-chan, it has now lost all of its appeal." The blonde pouted, she got changed and continued looking through the racks of garments. "Remember that little kid I found a few years ago?"
"Hai. What about it?"
"He graduated last year. I wouldn't be surprised if he becomes the Captain for my division." Rangiku dragged her out of the shop taking her to another one close by. "He's a higher seat than even me! He's so adorably cute as well. Too bad he's so cold. I think you would like him."
Mikazuki laughed at her friend. "From the sound of it, I would just annoy him."
"Well he does seem to yell at me a lot."
"That's because you are lazy."
"I am not!" Rangiku thanked the lady she had just bought a long pink scarf from, wrapping it around her shoulders.
They were shopping in Junrinan. Mikazuki went straight to Rangiku after the questioning and the buxom beauty jumped at the chance to skip work for some much needed retail therapy. She had bought a jeweled sakura branch hair ornament which used up most of her weekly pay she had left. Rangiku had a bit more left since she stayed at the Tenth Division barracks, where everything was paid for. Not lazy my a-
"It's your lucky day today! You get to finally meet Gin-kun." Rangiku giggled, interrupting Mikazuki from her thoughts.
"You mean Ichimaru-taichou?" Mikazuki asked.
"Hai! Come on."
She felt herself being pulled again, but was glad Rangiku didn't start shunpoing. They had tried it once before and afterwards some poor shinigami walking pass had what she'd eaten for lunch all over him. Never again, that lesson was certainly learnt. When the women reached the Third Division they found Gin and his Lieutenant, Izuru Kira, outside planting a few matured persimmon trees.
"Oh my, who do we have here?" Gin asked, looking at both Rangiku and Mikazuki.
"This is Suki-chan." Rangiku stated, pointing at the woman. "She's my friend I talk to you about."
"Hajimemashite, Ichimaru-taichou." Mikazuki bowed, keeping her distance unlike Rangiku who went straight up to her childhood friend.
"All the pleasure is mine, Suki-chan. I've heard so much about you. It's good to see you surpass the image I had of you." Gin said, it was hard for her to tell whether he was being sincere or not. "How is Kuchiki-taichou?"
"He's your fellow Captain, why don't you ask him next time you see him."
"So rude." Gin's laugh sent shivers down her spine. "We should wash that mouth of yours out with soap."
Rangiku always told her that Gin reminded her of a fox, but for Mikazuki, right now he reminded her of a snake. His eyes were slit close together, surely he couldn't see out of them. Any second she expected a forked-tongue to flicker out of his mouth.
"Don't be mean to Suki-chan."
"I wasn't being mean, we're just joking around." Gin gave her what would've been a piercing stare if his eyes were opened fully. "Right Suki-chan?"
Mikazuki rolled her eyes at him. It annoyed her that he addressed her so informally. Even if he was a Captain, they didn't know each other. "Sure. I'm going to chat with Kira-fukutaichou."
"I don't think she likes me."
She turned around while walking away and saw Gin grasp onto the scarf Rangiku was wearing, rubbing his fingers over the fabric. Mikazuki saw her lips move in reply but wasn't close enough anymore to hear the words.
"Kira-fukutaichou, do you need any help?"
The Lieutenant looked up shocked at the sudden communication. "I didn't see you there. Gomen nasai, I don't know who you are."
"Ishikawa Mikazuki." She bowed, introducing herself. "My services are yours for the time being."
Izuru nodded, not quite knowing what to say. "Ano, there's only one more tree that needs planting."
Together they started planting the final tree, taking their time as they began talking. At the beginning Izuru wasn't very talkative and it took a lot of patience from Mikazuki to get him to open up. He was surprised at her willingness to get her hands dirty. Apparently he had known Rangiku, who would never be caught gardening, for a while because she would visit Gin when he was Lieutenant of the Fifth Division. Afterwards Mikazuki found out that he enjoys writing haiku, when she asked him if he would read one out to her he had blushed. Saying how he wasn't very good at it right now and how one day he hoped to publish a few better ones in the Seireitei Communication. She recited a few from the World of the Living which he listened to and seemed to like.
"Taichou wants these trees so he can make dried persimmons." Izuru said after washing his hands.
"I've never tried those before."
"I wouldn't recommend them, they're not nice." He pulled a face as if remembering the taste of his first one.
As soon as Mikazuki saw him, she knew that she had been lost to her thoughts, walking around without a care for the world. She managed to make her way to the river where her first night-time meeting with Byakuya happened. Hoping he hadn't noticed her yet, she retraced her steps, ready to go home.
"Konbanwa, Ishikawa-san."
Mikazuki froze. Damn. "Konbanwa, Kuchiki-taichou." She turned around and stood next to him, staring at the river. May as well have a polite conversation before she left, wouldn't want to be rude.
"How did the questioning with Aizen-taichou go?" Byakuya asked, looking down at her.
"Ano… it was strange. Remember that time back in the Academy?"
"Hai."
"It felt similar to that… chotto."
He fell silent. Both of their thoughts were on one of their few memories they had together from the past. Mikazuki was glad they stood quite a bit away from the river's bank, her legs felt weak and she didn't think she could trust herself not fall over if she were to move.
"You're grandfather came, allowing me to leave. I have another reason to thank him now." Mikazuki tucked a stray piece of hair that escaped, behind her ear.
This brought Byakuya's gaze to the hair ornament in her hair, holding it all up. "That decoration is nice. It would suit that kimono."
"That's one of the reasons why I got it."
Her hand went to behind her head, touching the piece which ended up in her dislodging it. Blonde hair fell down, reaching her lower back. It was normally out during her days while working but she enjoyed clipping it up during the night, to keep it out of the way. Takeo always found it bizarre, thinking it should be the other way around.
"Let me." Byakuya turned her around and started gathering up her hair in his hands.
She closed her eyes as she felt his fingers delicately run through her hair, lightly scratching her scalp in the process of getting every strand. It felt nice. Mikazuki bit her lip to stop any noise from escaping. Byakuya touched her neck while twisting her hair into place. This caused her to quiver a little.
"The kenseikans I own are to show my rank of nobility in the Kuchiki clan." He reached around her to take the sakura branch from her grip. "It is required that we are able to place them on ourselves without any help."
"Arigatou gozaimasu." She resisted the urge to touch the hair ornament again, not wanting to accidently remove it. Her hair felt much more tightly in place than when she did it herself.
"How do you know my grandfather?"
Mikazuki sighed deeply. "I told you when you first asked me that."
"I want to hear it again."
"Naze?" She asked but he gave no reply, she rolled her eyes. "Fine, he was the one who sent me to the Rukongai when I died."
Mikazuki started walking away and Byakuya made no move to stop her. He had been coming to this place every single night since their first encounter, hoping that she would turn up again. Of course if she had, he would play it off as a chance meeting. She never showed up though, that was when he figured she was ignoring him.
79 years has passed since we first met. They had both been hot-tempered teenagers, striving to be better than the other. Where he thrived in Hohou, she thrived in Hakuda. Have we really changed much at all?
16th August 7:16pm 1870 (Central Tokyo)
The river's current had carried her lifeless form downstream and another body looking like the first's identical twin, followed. Mikazuki couldn't feel anything, most likely because she was still in shocked after dying. She tried to make her way to the edge, parting from the dead body, and managed to get out of the water. She looked down at her chest and saw a chain poking out of it. It was severed at the end. She pulled at it a few times but it wouldn't budge and just stayed in place.
"Mikazuki-san? What are you doing out here?" An elderly looking man with a katana sheathed came up to her, checking her body for any wounds.
Mikazuki shook her head. "Shirimasen. Are you talking to me?" The man looked familiar but with all her memory loss she couldn't come up with a name for him.
"I heard from your father that you had been experiencing memory loss. Mikazuki-san is your name." He then noticed her Chain of Fate. "Oh Kami-sama, your dead."
A shrieking resonated through the night sky, startling both of them. The hollow that had been following her earlier that night appeared before them. The man unsheathed his katana and took up a fighting stance. The hollow paused once seeing the shinigami, though confident in its fighting abilities, it wasn't so assured when against a shinigami. The same shinigami who was wearing a white haori with the number six on the back of it. The man didn't give the hollow enough time to retreat back to Hueco Mundo before slicing the white mask in half. Mikazuki watched both terrified and in awe, not knowing what was happening.
"I am Kuchiki Ginrei." He held out a hand and she shook it. "Your father and I are close acquaintances."
"What are you?" She asked.
"A shinigami." Ginrei turned the katana around so that the end of the hilt was facing her. "I will be sending you to the Soul Society, I hope we meet again."
The hilt was place on her forehead and everything about Mikazuki started to glow. She gave Ginrei a final smile before blacking out.
1893 (The Shinigami Academy – Seireitei)
Mikazuki stood next to Rangiku in the Advanced Hohou class. They were all watching Byakuya Kuchiki, heir of the Kuchiki clan, showing off his skills at shunpoing. Everyone stared in awe even though they all knew how to shunpo, with the exception of her. She wasn't staring in awe because it annoyed her how good he was at it when she couldn't do the basics. She hadn't known his name until their Sensei called him forward. She recognized his family name. Ginrei Kuchiki, his grandfather, was the Captain of the Sixth Division and also the person who performed a soul burial on her.
Byakuya bowed at everyone watching before taking his place in the crowd once again. Mikazuki snorted, gaining a few wary glances from her fellow shinigamis-to-be. Rangiku nudged her to be quiet. What am I doing here? She wished there was a beginners class for Hohou, so she could learn the basics again. Whenever anyone tried to teach her, nothing worked. The Heads of the Academy thought it best that if she were in an advanced class, she would learn quicker. Their logic was idiotic. It only succeeded in her getting shown up for what she didn't know and getting embarrassed a lot. The class was dismissed and Mikazuki saw Byakuya alone.
"Kuchiki-taichou is your grandfather, right?" She asked while people were staring, passing them to get towards the exit.
"Hai." He was re-tying his hair with a red band. "Naze?"
"I was wondering how he is doing." Mikazuki felt very silly now, wondering why she bothered talking to him in the first place.
"I don't see him very often. I think he is doing well." Byakuya grabbed his bag, about to leave. "How do you know my grandfather?"
"He was the one who sent me to the Rukongai when I died." Mikazuki replied bowing, showing rare kindness towards the guy she would never admit she was jealous of. "Arigatou gozaimasu Kuchiki-sama. Have a nice day."
A/N: Translations.
Demo – but
Kaiken – dagger
Arigatou (gozaimasu) – thank you – informal(formal)
Obaa-san – greeting for an elderly woman
Ojii-san – greeting for an elderly man
Iie – no
Hai – yes
Gomen nasai – sorry (formal)
Souka – I see
Sumimasen – excuse me
Hajimemashite – nice to meet you
Ano – um/uh
Konbanwa – good evening
Chotto – "kinda"
Naze – why
Shirimasen – I don't know