Hey lovely readers!!! So this chapter is a flashback to when Byakuya first met Yoruichi…which of course isn't a normal meeting…nothing ever is with Yoruichi. Anyway hope you like it and hope you're liking the story so far!
I do not own bleach…that would require crazy artistic skills that I do not have. Unfortunately.
White- the color of the scarf poor Byakuya was forced to wear to the Shihouin's banquet.
10-year-old Byakuya felt like he was going to suffocate. The ornate, white scarf that had been wrapped around his neck was strangling him. He tried to loosen it by tugging on it but the scarf was held fast by a silver brooch with the Kuchiki's insignia on it.
"Byakuya, please stop fidgeting," reprimanded his grandfather softly, "We're nearly there."
Byakuya sullenly did as he was told and muttered, "Sorry, Grandfather." He scowled at the ground. They were going to a banquet at the Shihouin's manor and Byakuya was not looking forward to it. He had been stuffed into a uncomfortable black robes, nearly strangled by a stupid scarf, then expected to behave politely at some stranger's boring banquet. It was so unfair.
The Shihouins were a noble family well-known for their fighting abilities and unmatched speed. The most famous Shihouin was a Yoruichi-fukutaicho of the Second Court Guard Squad and Special Ops. They called her the goddess of flash for she had the fastest shunpo in the whole Seireitei. Rumor had it that soon the current taicho of the Second Court Guard Squad would soon be retiring and there was no doubt that Yoruichi would assume the position. In fact, the only thing Byakuya was looking forward to at this banquet was the chance of meeting the famous goddess of flash.
When they arrived at Shihouin's manor Byakuya could not help but feel surprised. Their manor looked nothing like the Kuchiki manor. The Kuchiki manor was large with many closely-set rooms and intricate pathways. It was simply decorated and very sophisticated. The Shihouin's manor on the other hand, was beautiful. The manor was made of clay and there were strange drawings on it that looked like some kind of calligraphy. Inside, the manor was spacious and open with high ceilings and beige floor tiles. All the rooms were decorated with art sculptures and paintings and magnificent rugs. Byakuya marveled at everything. It was so different from anything he had expectedo.
While his grandfather talked with the other guests, Byakuya quietly slipped away. Dinner was about to start soon but Byakuya avoided the dining room. He knew that once he was seated he wouldn't be allowed to explore the house or do anything fun for that matter. Making sure not to let any grown-ups spot him, he snuck up to the second floor to take a look around.
The rooms were just as beautiful as the ones on the first floor. Most of them were bedrooms with large, soft beds. Each bed was covered with a bedspread that had a unique and intricate design. At the end of the hall, Byakuya saw something that made his heart leap: a balcony. He rushed over to the balcony and leaned over edge. The sun had just set and night was rapidly reclaiming the sky. The stars were just coming out and a crescent moon was becoming brighter and more visible. By now, Byakuya had forgotten all about his suffocating scarf and even about the goddess of flash.
Splech! Something hit the back of Byakuya's head. "AHH! What the-" he whirled around angrily but no one was behind him. "Who's there?" he called out coldly. Even at ten-years-old he had already begun to perfect the cold, indifferent tone that he would soon be known for. The thing that had hit him turned out to be a rice ball. He kicked at it disdainfully.
Laughter drifted down to him from up above. Annoyed, Byakuya glanced up to see a dark-skinned woman with short, purple hair and wearing a midnight blue kimono with tiny silver stars on it. "Hey I know you," said the purpled-haired woman. "You're that Kuchiki kid."
Byakuya bristled, "My name is Byakuya Kuchiki and I will be the next head of the Kuchiki Clan. You should address me respe-" He was cut off by the woman's laughter.
"Oh wow! You are soooo adorable! What a cute little speech!" laughed the woman. "I see they already got you trained."
Byakuya just stared at her. Never in his life had someone dared to make fun of him like that. He was so angry he could hardly speak, "You-you insolent woman! How dare you-" But she was near tears by now.
"Oh you are too funny! Ima bout to fall off this roof!" giggled the woman.
He had had about enough of this. Byakuya hated being laughed at it and worse, he hated being treated like a kid. "STOP LAUGHING! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHO YOU'RE TALKING TO?" The woman's laughter died away reluctantly.
"I was under the impression that I was talking to little Byakuya Kuchiki, the next head of the Kuchiki clan," said the woman in a surprisingly calm voice for someone who had nearly fallen off the roof laughing.
He glared up at her, "Does that mean nothing to you?"
"Yeah, pretty much," dismissed the woman airily, "Aren't you the least bit curious who I am?"
He snorted derisively, "Not really. You're just annoying girl looking stupid sitting on a roof."
She laughed, "Sitting on the roof is fun! You should try it some time."
"Why would I want to sit on a roof? What would be the point?" he scoffed, crossing his arms.
"You can see the whole Seireitei from here," she said with a grand sweep of her arm. Automatically, Byakuya looked out at the sky and the houses that lay before him bathed in moonlight.
"Yeah, I've never seen the Seireitei like this before," agreed Byakuya without thinking.
The purpled-haired woman kept looking out at the moonlit city, "You know Bya-boo, I think we're gonna be great friends."
Byakuya started suddenly, "Friends? No way! And don't call me that!"
She grinned wolfishly down at him, "Aw, don't be like that Bya-boo." Predictably, Byakuya continued to glare at her.
Absentmindedly, she eyed the scarf wrapped around his neck with disapproval. It looked like it was choking him. Poor kid, she thought sympathetically, what sort of parent wanted to strangle their son? Then, with a jolt, she remembered that he had no parents. They had died a year so after he had been born. Both his parents had been in the 13 Court Guard Squads and had died a hollow raid. She stared down at the boy glaring up at her and felt her heart twist. There wasn't much she could do for him- she couldn't bring his parents back from the dead. But there was one thing she could do.
Byakuya blinked. That was all the time it took for the woman to shunpo from the roof, steal his white scarf, and disappear into the darkness with a mocking laugh.
He stood there, speechless. That woman just stole my scarf, he thought in surprise, looking out over the balcony. Then, "YOU THIEF! GET BACK HERE! HOW DARE-"
"Yoruichi?" said a voice from him. Byakuya turned to see an elegant, older woman with the same purple hair and dark skin as the thief who'd just stolen his scarf.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I thought she would be here," the woman said to him with a sigh, "This is her favorite place in the whole house."
"Who are you looking for again?" asked Byakuya slowly, hoping he had heard her wrong.
"My daughter, Yoruichi. Have you seen her?" inquired the woman hopefully.
He stared open mouthed at the woman, "The Yoruichi? Yoruichi-fukutaicho?"
The woman laughed, "Yes, that would be my daughter."
Once again, Byakuya was speechless. This couldn't be true, he thought helplessly, that uncouth, disrespectful thief was Yoruichi? That woman was the infamous goddess of flash? "That was Yoruichi?" he choked.
The woman looked at him curiously, "You've seen her?"
He nodded, dumbstruck, "She stole my scarf."
She sighed wearily, "Yes, that would be her. I'm terribly sorry. What are you doing here by the way? Dinner has already begun and you must be hungry. Come on, sooner or later Yoruichi will get hungry and come inside. I'll try to persuade her to return your scarf."
"That's ok," he said, surprising both himself and the woman, "I mean, yes I am hungry, but she can keep the dratted scarf. I hated it anyway."
She smiled, "If you wish. Well then, let us both go to dinner together, shall we?"
She held out her arm and Byakuya obediently placed his hand in the crook of her elbow, fuming as he did so. He had never been so disappointed in his life. He had so been looking forward to meeting the goddess of flash and look who it turned out to be- a thief who enjoyed mocking him.
