The next morning Ryia stood in her office smirking. Kit's back was healing nicely, she's patched things up with Momo, Toshiro had promised to go house hunting today with her, things was almost perfect again. Suddenly Yudai came running in crying nearly knocking Shuuhei down with the paperwork he was carrying. "MOMMY!" The young boy cried. "Yudai honey what's wrong?" Ryia asked picking him up frowning. "They took Yuuki!" Yudai cried causing Ryia to frown more. "Who took Yuuki honey?" Ryia asked setting her son on her desk and healed his scraped knees. "People in purple, the showed up out of nowhere and took her!" Yudai explained trying to stop the tears that fell from his eyes. "It's ok honey, mommy will get her back. Where's Kaida?" Ryia asked frowning. "Grandpa Jushirou's…." He said quietly. " Shuuhei." Ryia said as Shuuhei finally sat the paperwork beside her desk. "Yes ma'am?" He asked. "Take Yudai back to Jushirou's." She ordered. "Don't worry honey, mommy with get Yuuki back." She continued softly kissing Yudai on the forehead before flash stepping out of the room.
Appearing in Byakuya's office Ryia stormed in and ordered Renji out. Looking at his captain Renji slowly left after getting a nod from Byakuya. Once the door closed Ryia looked at the male captain frowning. "I swear, if your fuckin nobles hurt one hair on her head I will personally dismember them alive with a dull spoon." Ryia growled slamming her hands on his desk. "Just what are you referring to Captain Arashi?" Byakuya asked. "Your fuckin elders kidnapped my daughter, now, I want to know where she is this very instant." Ryia threatened grabbing Byakuya's clothes. "I have no clue what you are talking about Ryia." Byakuya told her. Letting the captain go Ryia stormed out and headed towards the manor as she slowly started changing. Before long the other reapers were running at the sight of the Shadow Queen's full release. Kit looked up from her bed in squad 4 frowning. Something was wrong but she didn't know what, she could feel Ryia's spiritual pressure going haywire. "Fuck." Kit cursed, of all the times for something like this to happen and she can't move.
Ryia more or less destroyed the front door as she walked into the Kuchiki manor. Instantly the guard and assassins dropped once they got within 20 feet of her. Swiftly she walked through the manor until she stopped at the only room in the hall. Destroying the door with her pressure Ryia walked in and was met with the elders of the Kuchiki family. "Care to explain what you think you're doing with my daughter?" Ryia asked in a sickly sweet voice. "You have declined us for the last time Miss. Arashi, if you do not wed Byakuya Kuchiki we will have no choice but to keep your child." One of the elders said. Softly at first Ryia started laughing until she was laughing loudly throughout the room. "Do you honestly think I would allow you to keep my daughter? You're gravely mistaken." She growled as her spiritual pressure rose more bringing the elders down to their knees. "Yes...kneel, kneel and beg for your lives….I might be merciful then!" Ryia laughed as Yamamoto and several captains came running in.
"Captain Arashi, stand down!" Yamamoto yelled looking at the girl before him. Completely ignoring the command Ryia absorbed the room into darkness. "What….where are we?" Soi-fon asked looking around. "It's Ryia's shadow realm." Yamamoto said frowning as Ryia flew over to the elders. "I hope you're satisfied with how you've lived, because you won't be leaving here alive." She growled. "MOMMY!" Yuuki yelled jumping into her arms crying. "Stop it mommy…." The girl continued. "It's ok Yuuki, Mommy's going to take care of the bad people…" Ryia said looking at her only to frown at the large red handprint on Yuuki's face. Flying over to the group Ryia gently handed Yuuki over to Byakuya before instantly appearing in the elders faces. "Which one of you laid a hand on my child?" Ryia growled frowning. "The brat wouldn't shut up.." One of the woman said but was instantly picked up by Ryia. "So you decided to slap her? How about I pay you back for that?" Ryia asked releasing her grip on the woman, within a split second the woman laid several hundred yards away. "RYIA!" Toshiro yelled running over to her only to be thrown backwards by her wing. "Stay out of this." Ryia hissed as she walked over to the elder woman. "You will pay for ever laying a hand on my child." Ryia growled as suddenly she was surrounded by several large shadows.
"My lady, please stop." One of them said. Turning around Ryia was met with her elite Director General. "Takeshi, move at once." Ryia growled. "I'm sorry my lady, but you are not yourself." The dark dragon said before knocking her out with his eyes. Ryia looked at him as she fell forward and landed in his tail. "Do you think they need to battle again?" A cat shape asked. "It is possible." Takeshi sighed before flying over to the others. Gently laying her in Zaraki's arms Takeshi turned and looked at Yamamoto. "Captain Yamamoto, I suggest keeping Lady Ryia away from the Kuchiki Manor at all cost. Her going out of control like that is very unlike my lady." Takeshi said as Yamamoto nodded as a human shaped shadow walked over to the group of elders. "Masa I told you to keep him in the darkest layers!" Takeshi growled as the cat pounced on the figure. "My bad, he must have slipped through when I left." The cat said before disappearing with him. "Sorry about that…." The dragon huffed before opening a portal to allow the captains out. "I will personally be delivering the elders to Central 46." He said looking at Yamamoto who nodded as the portal closed.
Flying back over to the sacred elders Takeshi dropped them all into the central chambers only to follow himself. "What is the meaning of this?" One of the judges demanded seeing the elders. "They kidnapped Princess Yuuki and struck her in attempts to force My lady, Queen Ryia, to marry Byakuya Kuchiki." Takeshi explained appearing in front of him. "I suggest you keep your nobles under control, if it had been for the safety measures Queen Ryia had in place your elders would be dead right now." Takeshi explained. "Safety Measures?" A woman asked causing the dragon to turn to her. "Outside the realm her spiritual pressure is greater than that of the Head Captain's, She keeps it suppressed for several reasons, but inside the realm, her pressure can top that of the Soul Kings. My lady had in place several measures to ensure that she can never use all of her pressure at once. For if that is to ever happen the Shadow realm with be destroyed along with every other world." Takeshi explained causing the council to stare at him. "She is our strongest Queen, but she's also our saniest, Queen Ryia does not mean to harm anyone as long as they do not make her mad, as they have done. The fact that she briefly lost control of herself is entirely their responsibility. When my lady awakens she will be back to normal, I must leave you now, I still have work to do." Takeshi said before disappearing into a purple puff of smoke.
Ryia laid in her bed asleep as Toshiro watched her. Yuuki was now back at Jushiros after much convincing to let go of her mother. Now Ryia was asleep, and Toshiro was worried about her. He understood why she went crazy, but to go so far to have several directors show up and one of them knock her out? That part he was unsure about. "Toshiro?" A soft voice asked breaking the male captain out of his thoughts. "How are you feeling Ryia?" He asked looking down at her softly. "Like crap…." She groaned sitting up. "Don't push yourself." Toshiro said worried. "I'm fine Toshiro…" She said rubbing her head a bit. "Anyway...what the hell happened? I feel like I got hit with a cero." Ryia groaned as a messenger appeared outside the door. "Captain Hitsugaya, I am to inform you that once Captain Ryia Arashi has awoken she is to report to the Central 46 chambers." He said. "Very well, you're dismissed." He said before looking back at Ryia who sat on the edge of the bed. "Get some more rest, you don't have to hurry there." He said. "No, it's best to get this over with." She said standing up. "You don't need to push yourself so much Ryia." Toshiro told her frowning. "You don't have to do everything on your own, we're here to help you, all of us, including me." Toshiro continued. Ryia smiled softly turning around and faced him. "I know that, but there's some things that only I can do, remember Toshiro, I'm not like you and the others. I'm here because I want to be, because after decades in the emptiness of the shadow realm I finally know what it's like to be wanted, to have fun. I really appreciate everything you've done for me Toshiro, I love you for it. But I'm not a normal soul, I'm just a mass of shadows who's taken on this form. Besides, even if the council wanted to execute me for punishing the nobles like I did I would just return back to the shadows, I can never die….not a normal death anyway." She explained smiling gently at him before walking out of the room. "A mass of shadows? How much of an idiot can you be? You're more than just shadows, so much more." He said as a few silent tears rolled down his cheek.
Ryia walked into the Central 46 chambers with a hollow look. "You summoned me?" She asked kneeling down. "Explain yourself, Captain Ryia Arashi. Why did you attack the Kuchiki Nobles?" A male asked as he sat behind a sign that said One. "They kidnapped and struck my child just because I wouldn't agree to marry Captain Kuchiki." Ryia explained frowning. "And why do you refuse this offer?" The male asked. "I do not love him, also, I am currently in a relationship with someone else." She said. "we will not punish you for protecting your child, but please refrain from injuring nobles next time." They said. Ryia nods before leaving after being dismissed.
Ryia walked down the street thinking. Why did it seem like all of this stuff always happen to her? She never asked to be constantly attacked for no reason, sure she was powerful and everyone knew it therefore wanted to use here but she had her own life to live. She wanted to stay here in the soul society, have an actual life rather than the dark bleak one in her realm, but she knew she couldn't do that, she couldn't run away now and hide in her realm. There was her children she has to think about, also, what would happen to Kit and Toshiro? From her understanding, during the 6 years she was held hostage by Aizen Toshiro was a depressed mess, and when she was gone for another 2 months he hardly left squad 4's barracks. If she left to her realm for good Ryia had a feeling he would try to get in her realm or kill himself. No, She couldn't let that happen, not to him. Not to one of the 4 people she fully trusted. Looking up Ryia noticed she was now in the forest near the academy. In fact, this was the spot she once spared with Momo, she almost killed the girl that day. Jumping up to the top of a tree Ryia leaned against the trunk. Her whole life has been nothing but a fight, a fight for survival, attention from someone, to protect those important to her, to keep her sanity, it was nothing but a never ending fight for her. Maybe it was best if Aizen had let her kill herself all those years ago. No, she had to stop thinking like this, She has two children who need her, she's a captain now, then there's Kit who still needed her healing powers, then there's Toshiro, he'd be lost without her. She has to live, she has to stay here.
Bringing her knees up to her chest Ryia sighed. But, she was just a mass of shadows, she's not even a soul like everyone else. There was no easy way of killing her, She could live forever if she wanted to. But, does she? Sure if she goes into her realm for a while everything will change out here but, does she want that? Does she want to constantly stay young while everyone she loves grows older and eventually die? No. The thing she's always wanted was to be accepted for who she was, and now, she is. She has reasons to live, She has people she wants to protect.
"My lady….are you alright?" Takeshi asked appearing in a small shadow form. "Yea..just thinking." Ryia said softly. "My lady, you're troubled, we can all tell, please, tell me what is wrong." The small dragon said looking at her. Ryia looked back at her elite director, he was with her from the beginning, if fact, he was her first companion. "I….I just don't know what to do Tak, I'm so confused on what meaning my life has." She told him softly. "My lady, please do not let your powers overshadow who you truly are." He told her. "Who I am?" She asked. "You are Ryia Arashi, one of the most powerful reapers of your day, you're a captain, a lover, a friend, and a mother. Just because of the dark abilities you possess do not let it determine your worth. You are much more than just a shadow queen, you are a wonderful young lady that your mother would be proud of." He explained. "My mother?" She asked. The dragon nodded. "Contrary to belief she loved you dearly, Her killers never saw that and had her hunted down regardless. But I know that she would be very proud of you right now." He said. "Yea, but what about all of the stupid mistakes I made? Going with that bastard, harming the noble elders, going out of control multiple times….Those mistakes won't leave Tak." Ryia whispered. "Then you have to learn to live with them. Lord Yudai and Lady Yuuki are your children, no matter who the father is they're yours, Lord Yudai is already showing promise on becoming a strong leader and Lady Yuuki is close behind regardless of her lack of shadow abilities. Then you have Lord Toshiro who loves you very much." Takeshi told her. "How can he love someone like me?" Ryia asked frowning.
"How about the fact that whenever you're around someone in a bad mood you lighten it?" A voice asked from in front of her. Looking up Ryia stared at Toshiro as he walked over and kneeled in front of her. "I love everything about you Ryia, even your faults, because that's what makes you you, not just some mass of shadows." He explained looking into her eyes. "Everything you do captivates me Ryia, I could never stop loving you, no matter how much I tried." He continued. Ryia stared at him before smiling softly. "Thanks Toshiro...I really needed to hear that." She said hugging him. "Come on, lets get you back to bed, you look like you're about to pass out." He said picking her up as she wraps her arms around his neck and Takeshi disappeared back into the realm. "I'm sorry Toshiro…." Ryia whispered as he walked back to his room carrying her. "Dont worry about it, no matter what happens I'll always be here for you." He told her looking down at Ryias closed eyes. "I know but still, I'm sorry…." She said softly before falling asleep.
Walking into his room he gently laid Ryia down on the bed before laying next to her after she refused to let go of him. Looking over at her Toshiro watched the gentle rising and falling of her chest, he looked at her softened features, to him, she was innocent to everything that happened to her, other than the little pranks she pulls.
