Rukia knew she was dreaming, but that didn't help at all. The visions that haunted her sleep and kept her from feeling rested had been growing worse and worse with each passing day. And now, on the day of the tea ceremony, she couldn't seem to wrench herself from the depraved manifestations of her stress.
She dreamed she was standing in Ichigo's room. There was a hole in the wall and a broken chair. Ichigo was shaking, his back to Rukia as he took several deep, uneven breaths. Rukia's entire body grew tense as she waited for Ichigo to turn around. She knew what was coming, having had the same dream several nights in a row.
"HiiYAAAAAAARGH!" Ichigo issued a horrifying, warbling screech and spun about, his sword appearing in his hands. The irises of his eyes were as golden as the midday sun with inky black sclera, and his face was covered in a stark white mask that forcefully reminded Rukia of a skull. The grim visage of the mask seemed to imprint itself on her psyche as phantom pains erupted from the wound she'd been dealt from her battle with the hollow above the school.
"Hyaagh!" Rukia bolted awake, her body stiff and her limbs slick with perspiration as she peered to and fro. No one else was in her room, but the shadows in the corners seemed to flicker and dance in her peripheral vision, awakening the demons of her mind as she tried to tell herself there was nothing there.
'It was just a dream,' she reassured herself mentally.
A hasty rapping upon the bamboo frame of her door made her jump as it was quickly thrown open. All at once, her fears and worries were swept away by none other than the head of the Kuchiki clan, Byakuya.
His shoulder length black hair fell into his face, as he was not wearing his usual hairpieces, nor did he have his captain's haori. His steel gray eyes cut through the dim twilight of the morning, and within moments he'd determined there was no imminent danger.
"I thought I heard sounds of distress," he told Rukia, observing her startled composure.
"It was just a bad dream," she said, locking a stony expression onto her face as she met her brother's eyes.
Letting his hand fall from the hilt of his sword, Byakuya dropped his guard and let out a sigh. From the way Rukia was shaking beneath her sheets, it must have been one hell of a bad dream. Not that he could blame her; Byakuya had been on edge for days, running on very little sleep as he dealt with commanding his squad, and tending to the needs and requests of Lord Kamisaigaiku. He had been in the study next to his room, finishing up his paperwork and listening to the quiet bustle of the servants as they kept up the mansion when Rukia's cry had startled him.
She was not one to lose her cool so easily, and for the briefest of moments, Byakuya had thought that maybe the substitute soul reaper had made an appearance.
'Kurosaki wouldn't dare to come here,' the clan leader reasoned, 'that foolish boy will stay in the world of the living if he knows what's good for him.'
Coming back to his senses, Byakuya realized he had overstayed his welcome in Rukia's room, which was earning him quite the concerned stare from the woman that looked so much like his former wife.
When Rukia had told Byakuya of her misguided relationship with Kurosaki, he had been most displeased, but not for the reasons one might expect. He knew all too well that the human heart was a funny thing, having only recently managed to reopen his own to others after losing the woman he loved.
But after spending so much time with each other, it was only natural for Rukia and the substitute shinigami she'd inadvertently created to develop strong feelings for one another. The trust required to put your life in the hands of someone else was not something easily found, but they had managed to find it in each other's steadfast companionship. Few could hope to find such true friendship, and even fewer could boast a connection such as theirs, as it had transcended flesh and become a matter of soul shortly after their first meeting.
Instead of bowing his way out of the room, Byakuya pushed the hair from his face and knelt upon the floor next to Rukia's bed. The way her eyebrows slowly crept farther and farther up her forehead almost made him smile. It reminded him of when he had proposed to Hisana.
"I'm fine, brother," Rukia said quickly, "there's no need to-"
Her words broke off as Byakuya unsheathed Senbonzakura. The blade was flawless and finely polished, but he pulled at his shihakusho and polished it further, his fingers gliding over the metal as gently as one might hold a newborn. The atmosphere in the room changed as the clan leader polished his blade. His reiatsu had always been strong, even amongst the other captains of the Gotei 13, but now his spirit pressure was so powerful Rukia could feel it physically. When he had initially burst into the room, it had felt charged, as though someone had statically shocked her. Now, however, the tension was receding, and the flow of spirit energy whirling around Byakuya had calmed.
"I sense that you are stressed," he stated bluntly, not taking his eyes from his task.
Rukia's front cracked like an egg. Leave it to her brother to cut through lies as easily as he could cut through a tatami mat. She brought her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, the gears in her head turning. There was so much she was worried about: her impending wedding, Ichigo, the financial wellbeing of the Kuchiki clan, her pride as a member of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, the tea ceremony later that day…
"It won't do for you to get so distracted that you fail in your duties," Byakuya said gently, "take it one step at a time. What will come will come, and you will rise to the occasion as you always have."
As much as Rukia wanted to thank her brother for his wisdom, she couldn't. Something seemed to stick in her throat, blocking her airway. For Byakuya to be able to pinpoint and extract the doubts from her mind with all the precision of a surgeon was astounding, and left her in a state of disbelief as he finished polishing his sword and sheathed the blade.
"I'll send a servant to bring you some chamomile and valerian root tea, and then we can take our breakfast early in the garden after I square away my reports to the head captain. Hisana always enjoyed watching the sunrise. She once told me that each dawn was a blessing, which meant that she had survived another day. When I find myself thinking about the future, I find her words to be… most encouraging. And something tells me today is going to be a long one."
The leader of the clan stood, dusting off the knees of his robes as he inclined his head to Rukia and excused himself from her quarters. In the silence, Rukia could hear Byakuya's words echoing in her mind, as if she were one of those- what were they called? Pinball machines? Yes! That was it! She felt like a pinball machine, and Byakuya's words seemed to rattle around in her mind like pinballs. As promised, a servant came to her door not long afterward, carrying a fine silver tea tray with exquisite antique china wrapped in golden filigree and emblazoned with the Kuchiki clan's emblem. Just looking at it and wondering how much it had cost nearly sent her into a fit of panic. The coffers of the once great Kuchiki clan were running short, so the fact that Byakuya did not make any changes in the way he was living seemed unduly odd. Were such displays of wealth really so important to the man whom had taken a commoner as his bride, and adopted her younger sister into nobility to fulfill a promise?
It didn't seem quite right to Rukia, but she dismissed these thoughts as the servant poured her a cup and put in a spoonful of honey. Either way, the affairs of the coffers were her brother's responsibility. It wouldn't do for her to mention it to him at such a critical juncture. Besides, she had more pressing matters to attend to.
After serving her tea, the same servant left for a few minutes and returned with a gift from Byakuya. It was a fantastic crimson kimono, patterned with white lotus blooms and stitched with gold.
"Lord Kuchiki asked that I bring you this," the servant said with a smile, "he said it belongs to the former lady of the house, Hisana. She wore it when she married Master Byakuya, and he wishes you to wear it to the tea ceremony today."
Rukia accepted the kimono from the servant, holding it at an arm's length so that she could admire the pattern and intricacy. It was thicker than a modern kimono, but incredibly soft. It was more than likely handmade, and from the looks of it, no expense had been spared. To think that her sister had worn that kimono to her wedding was odd, but for Byakuya to let her wear it was nothing short of remarkable.
"Also, he wished that I convey that breakfast will be ready soon. I believe he is waiting for you in the teahouse."
After thanking the servant and stowing away the kimono for safekeeping, Rukia put on her thickest, warmest over-robe and socks before marching out to the grounds.
The sky was dark, but the light of the sinking moon allowed her to see well enough to make her way through the cloisters. She then crossed a bridge over a large koi pond and arrived at the chashitsu, or tea house, which was situated in the center of a large garden. A light frosting of snow covered everything, lending the scene an ethereal, timeless quality, as most of the flowers were still in bloom.
Byakuya sat cross legged on a mat just inside of the teahouse. The doors were wide open, allowing him a grand view of the garden, and in a few minutes, the rising sun. His back was to a brazier with a fire burning, and when Rukia sat down next to him, she understood why.
With their heavy robes and a warm fire to their backs, they could gaze out at the serenity of a cold winter morning without freezing. Byakuya poured two cups of tea that steamed in the cold air, and they quietly sipped as they waited for the sun to rise.
To the leader of the Kuchiki family, it was a chance to rest, and take a moment to himself. Rukia, too, enjoyed the silence. As they watched the sunrise, they slowly became suffused with warmth. Hope for the new day blossomed like a flower as the sun drove away the clouds, and began to melt the thin layer of snow that coated the grounds of the Kuchiki estate.
Hours passed, and the sun rose to its zenith over the Soul Society, removing the harsh chill of the morning, and making those going about their business grateful for the change in weather. Several hundred feet in their air, however, things were not quite so warm. A doorway of light opened, and out of it flung a meteor the likes of which was rarely seen.
"Dammit all, why can't this thing open closer to the ground?!" Ichigo asked as he hurtled downward.
Chilly air buffeted him as he spiraled down towards the familiar layout of the Soul Society. From Ichigo's vantage point, he could see how much work had been done to put the Seireitei back to rights, and how much work was still left. Much of the destruction and rubble had been cleared away, but he could see great empty lots where buildings had once been, and mounds of new building materials that lay ready for use by a skilled architect.
Channeling his spirit energy into his legs, Ichigo kicked off from the air and somersaulted, stopping his descent as he crouched in midair. He stood, shielding his eyes from the sun as he tried to sense Rukia's spiritual pressure. Normally it was easy to find, but from so far away, and with so many other spiritual pressures, he couldn't seem to pinpoint her location.
The sounds of several people flash stepping behind him caused Ichigo to turn around, only to be faced with several members of the Stealth Force.
"Stop right there, Ichigo Kurosaki," a strong feminine tone commanded.
Soifon, the Captain of Squad Two, and leader of the Stealth Force, was hovering in midair, about level with Ichigo. She stood in front of her compatriots, her arms crossed, and a stern look on her face. For someone who looked so young, Ichigo found it surprising that she could appear so stern. Perhaps it was something that was borne of the burden of command.
"Oh, hey Soifon. Long time no see."
The substitute shinigami raised a hand in greeting to the captain, whose uptight attitude suddenly seemed a little silly. The men beside her looked to her worriedly, only to find that Soifon was… blushing?
'That damned Kurosaki,' she thought to herself, 'he looks so… so….'
Handsome? Fit? Mature? It was hard to explain, but in his time away, Ichigo Kurosaki seemed to have changed even more than he had since becoming a soul reaper. He had always been mature for his age, but it seemed that he'd finally left behind young adulthood, and was rapidly moving towards just being an adult.
"By the Spirit King, look at those forearms," she muttered to herself, biting her lower lip.
"Did you say something, commander?" the man on her right asked.
"N-no! I was just thinking out loud. Apprehend Kurosaki at once, by the order of Lord Kamisaigaiku!"
With her tone once more authoritative, her forces all vanished and reappeared around Ichigo, whose friendly smile and optimism vanished at once. Several pairs of hands made to grab him, but Ichigo concentrated and furrowed his brow.
His spirit energy burst to life, so potent and strong that none of the Stealth Force could touch him. The closer their hands got to Ichigo's body, the more his spirit pressure pushed them back. Soifon's sword appeared in her hands, but Ichigo made no move to draw his own.
"What's going on?" he asked. "I thought we were cool?"
Soifon huffed, blowing her hair out of her face as her sword took on its shikai form, transforming into a frightful golden gauntlet with a single stinger-like blade protruding from her middle finger.
"I am under direct orders to take you to Lord Kamisaigaiku," she stated imperiously, "throw down your sword and come with us!"
"First off, I'm not even using my sword," Ichigo said, showing the captain his empty hands, "and secondly… what the hell it that?!"
He pointed over her shoulder, looking utterly terrified. Soifon smirked, but quickly stopped when a shadow fell over her. She and the rest of the Stealth Force whipped around as a towering presence suddenly appeared in their midst.
Crunch!
A cracker was quickly torn apart by ravenous jaws. A bald head sparkled in the sunlight.
"Hey guys!" Omaeda said, unable to read the mood, "what'd I miss? I went to the bathroom, and you guys were all gone when I came out!"
"Kurosaki!" Soifon was the first to recover from her surprise, but when she turned around, no one was there. Ichigo and his overwhelming reiatsu were gone.
"Dammit!" She seethed as she sunk her fist into her lieutenant's protruding gut, dropping him to his knees and making him cough and splutter as the cracker he'd been munching choked him.
Her anger began to get the better of her until she took a deep breath and counted to ten. She turned away from Omaeda, breathing heavily through her nose as she crossed her arms.
"Everyone except for Lieutenant Omaeda, fan out! Find Kurosaki! He can't have gotten far!"
One by one, the members of the Stealth Force took a knee and vanished, no doubt scouring every inch of the Seireitei.
"Y-you got me good there, captain," Omaeda grunted, getting back to his feet and rubbing where she had punched him.
"I'apologize for striking you," Soifon muttered. "But your poor performance had to be made an example of. You are my lieutenant, so you are expected to be a cut above the rest. Otherwise, I will have no choice but to seek a replacement."
Omaeda's sheepish grin was gone. He could hardly believe what he'd just heard. He felt that his lenient attitude had earned him the respect of the men. He was the cool, fun lieutenant to Soifon's merciless and disciplined captaincy. Would she really replace him after all they'd been through together?
"I see. Is there anything else you need, Captain?"
"No. Now go out and get me a lead on Kurosaki's whereabouts. We already know that he's heading towards the Kuchiki Estate, so go there and keep watch. As soon as he's found, I need to be made aware. Tell the others that they are not cleared to engage him."
"So you're just gonna give him free reign?!"
"Of course not. You saw what happened when the others tried to grab him, didn't you? Only someone at a captain's level will be able to stop him. So what are you waiting for?! Get the hell out of here!"
"Yes, captain!"
From several hundred feet below, on a crowded market street, Ichigo watched the interaction between Soifon and her lieutenant. He had garbed himself in simple black cloak courtesy of Kisuke, which was supposed to have the same effect as the reiatsu blocking coat he had once developed.
"This way you won't be so conspicuous. Plus, that coat was really hot. Stick to the poor districts and stay out of trouble, and you should be able to get pretty close to Byakuya's estate before anyone notices you!"
Ichigo had to admit, Kisuke Urahara was ingenious when it came to the staying under the Seireitei's radar.
'It's probably from all those years be spent in exile,' he realized sadly.
His sour mood didn't last long though, for as soon as he stepped out of the shadow of the awning he was under and emerged into the sunlight, a calm, yet razor sharp voice echoed over the crowd.
"Do not move, Kurosaki."
A hush washed over the assembled shoppers and vendors as a tall man with shoulder length black hair and cold gray eyes walked down the street. Almost as if they were being pushed away from him by some unseen force, the throngs of people parted before him.
It was Byakuya Kuchiki, and from the slightly irritated look on his face, Ichigo surmised he was in trouble.
He closed the distance between them with each step, taking his sweet time, and all Ichigo could do was stand there, frozen in place. Byakuya had always carried himself gracefully, and as Ichigo perspired nervously, the noble haughtily walked right past him.
"Walk with me," he said, not leaving any room for argument, "Lord Kamisaigaiku wishes to meet with you."
Almost against his will, the substitute soul reaper fell into step with the captain of squad six, and before he knew it, all eyes were on him. The people of the Rukon district seemed to recognize Byakuya. Still, they watched him like sheep staring at a lion strolling through their midst. And now Ichigo had earned their attention as well.
He could feel it: hundreds of pairs of eyes were upon him as a sea of people parted for the odd couple. Ichigo couldn't recall ever being so self-conscious. If he had to guess, he probably looked like a grizzled, dirty wolf next to the proud lion that was Byakuya.
'At least I'm not a sheep,' he reasoned.
"So, it seems I was mistaken," Byakuya uttered, just loud enough for Ichigo to hear. "I was sure that you would not be foolish enough to show your face for Rukia's wedding. I did not think you would be so bold as to come back here after what you did to my sister."
A pit seemed to open up beneath his feet as Ichigo's stomach sank into a void of unpleasantness. Byakuya gave him a side glance, and his blood grew cold in his veins.
'He knows about me and Rukia,' Ichigo realized, unable to contain the surprise that painted his face, 'who else did she tell?!'
"If I were as young and impulsive as you are, you would taste steel for what you did to her," the nobleman's hand came to a rest on the hilt of his sword.
Every muscle in Ichigo's body clenched, as if bracing for impact. As soon as Byakuya drew his sword, he would have no choice but to defend himself… but could he defeat the soul reaper? He'd been healed with the superior reishi of the Soul King's Palace as well, and there was no doubt he had been keeping himself in tip top form.
The seconds ticked by slowly as he waited for the nobleman to strike. Ichigo's fingers twitched imperceptibly, as if they longed to grasp the hilt of his sword. Byakuya stole a glance at Ichigo, noting his incredibly stiff posture.
"Be at ease, Kurosaki. As much as I would like to take vengeance for what you did to Rukia, my duty to the Soul Society comes first. Not to mention that in killing you I would only cause Rukia more heartache. Why she still cares for a worthless substitute soul reaper such as you is beyond me."
The boiling fury that had been rising in the high schooler's chest suddenly vanished. Rukia still cared for him? Could it be that he was right, and she was being forced into marrying the leader of the Kamisaigaiku clan? The note she had left him seemed to grow heavy in his pocket, as if the words written therein were more substantial than before.
"Say, Byakuya? What exactly are you doing in this part of town?" Ichigo wondered.
"I am here for Rukia. Though she has undergone thorough training in the ways of nobility, she still prefers the taste of cuisine from the Rukon district. I come here so that our chefs have the proper spices for cooking her meals. I did the same thing for Hisana before she passed."
The soul reaper's eyes grew distant, as if he were staring at something a million miles away. The sadness in his heart was reflected on his face for a moment before he remembered present company and turned to scowl at Ichigo.
"You see, Kurosaki, when you truly love someone, you go out of your way to do good for them. Whether they know it or not."
His words seemed to dig into Ichigo, like blades slowly being pushed beneath his skin. Rukia had obviously confessed much of what Ichigo had considered private to her brother. It was embarrassing to think that Byakuya knew all the little details about his time with Rukia. Hardening his resolve, Ichigo bit back his anger before replying.
"That's why I'm here," he said quietly, "because when you care about someone, you don't force them into an arranged marriage against their will."
It was Byakuya's turn to reign in his anger. He scowled at the substitute shinigami and uttered in an undertone, "You clearly know nothing of the situation, boy. Rukia was not forced into this wedding. She chose to accept the proposal."
"You can't lie to me," Ichigo responded in kind, "I know that she only agreed to the marriage because the Kuchiki clan is broke! You're forcing her into this to get your hands on the dowry!"
"Hold your tongue," Byakuya snapped, his tone deathly quiet, "I would never use Rukia in such a manner, and to insinuate that I would is to slander my honor. Her desire to marry Lord Kamisaigaiku was hers, and hers alone. The Kuchiki clan has never been more prosperous. We have no need for a dowry."
"But then-"
"I don't know where you get your facts," the nobleman spat, "but you clearly have no clue what you are talking about."
The shinigami captain reached into the folds of his shihakusho, and Ichigo flinched. He flushed with color when Byakuya pulled out a small pocket book and flicked through its pages.
"Allow me to enlighten you as to the prestige and wealth of the most noble house of Kuchiki, the esteemed Keepers of Knowledge."
With that, he thrust the book under Ichigo's nose. The substitute soul reaper frowned at Byakuya's cramped handwriting, which was neat and narrow, not unlike the man himself.
"What the hell is all of this?" he asked, scratching his head.
"This," Byakuya said smugly, "is a rundown of the Kuchiki clan's monthly earnings and expenses. Of course, it doesn't include any of our land holdings, sacred treasures, or other assets, which are each worth a fortune in their own right."
"H-hang on a damn minute… I'm still trying to count all the zeros."
"My family is quite fortunate," the captain continued, "we are considered the wealthiest of the noble houses, followed by the Shihouins. Of course, we use much of our excess income to help the less fortunate. Our coffers are not as full as they usually are, given our financing of the reconstruction of the Soul Society, but we are far from being 'broke.'"
"But if these were yen, that would make you guys millionaires!"
"Hardly. Those are not yen, but ryo, which is a measurement of gold. As I understand, gold is precious in the world of the living as well. Each ryo is worth about one hundred thousand yen."
Ichigo's jaw hit the ground, "You mean you guys are billionaires?!"
"Yes, and these records are kept up by me and verified by a notary every time they are updated, so they are undoubtedly legitimate. I would never use my sister as a bargaining chip. She made the choice to marry Lord Kamisaigaiku. I was initially against it, but she insisted."
Vertigo seemed to put Ichigo's world at an angle. Byakuya was clearly not in need of money, so why had Renji lied? And Rukia was the one whom had told Renji about the Kuchiki clan's financial troubles… was she lying? Or was Byakuya?
'It makes no sense,' Ichigo thought, 'neither of them would lie, unless there was a very good reason for it. Still, something feels off.'
As Byakuya led Ichigo out of the market districts, they passed through rows of poor housing that had yet to be repaired. Roofs were torn off and walls were missing. One house was nothing but a pile of smashed lumber. The only work that had been done to the area was to clear the garbage and debris from the street. Otherwise, it looked just as it had after Juha Bach's invasion.
"While I do not know what your true purpose is here, I do know that you did not come all this way to give your well wishes to Rukia. Ordinarily, I would send you back to the world of the living, but Lord Kamisaigaiku has taken an interest in you. Apparently, Rukia has told him of your close relationship, and he wishes to meet you."
"Wait, so I'm not actually in trouble? I thought I was gonna be put under arrest!"
"No. Captain Soifon is just more abrasive than usual due to her position. Hideyoshi Kamisaigaiku is the leader of the clan in charge of covert operations for the Spirit King. Soifon and the Stealth Force have been working nonstop since he arrived. Mostly as extra security, which Soifon finds supremely degrading. She was under orders to escort you to Kuchiki manor. You are not under arrest, though that can change in an instant if you cause trouble. I sense that you have regained your hollow spirit, but you are expected to retain control. I will not let you poison Rukia's mind any more than you already have. Do I make myself understood?"
Ichigo had to resist the urge to scoff. He was poisoning Rukia's mind? He wanted to laugh in Byakuya's face and tell him he'd gotten it backwards, but he refrained from doing so.
"I expect an answer. Do you understand that if you cause any trouble whatsoever I will personally make sure you are put behind bars?"
"Yeah," Ichigo muttered, "whatever. But how-"
"Did I know you had regained your hollowfication? Your reiatsu is one of the darkest I have ever seen. In the time you've been away, it has only gotten darker. Take care that you do not stare overlong into the void that is your hollow, lest you lose yourself to it."
Byakuya's words were off putting, so Ichigo turned his thoughts back to Rukia. So long as he got to speak to her, there wouldn't be any need to cause trouble. If she missed him as badly as Byakuya made it sound, then convincing her not to marry Kamisaigaiku would be a piece of cake, right?
If only he had known how dreadfully wrong that assumption would turn out to be.
They arrived at the iron gates of the Kuchiki estate, which stood ten feet high and thrummed with their own spirit energy.
"It keeps rabbits from sneaking through and ruining the gardens," Byakuya explained as the wrought iron gates inched open of their own accord. Ichigo gave the gate a small prod, and his arm went numb, as if he'd been electrified.
"It feels like it could kill any poor bunny that tried to get in," he mused quietly, opening and closing his hand as pins and needles shot up his arm and into his shoulder.
Ichigo made to enter the grounds, but paused when Byakuya did not follow.
"I have other matters to attend to," the nobleman told him, "you can go in. The doorman will see you to the tea house. Remember what I've said, Kurosaki."
With that, Byakuya strode off down the path that led back into the Soul Society, leaving Ichigo alone in front of the Kuchiki Family Manor. Taking a deep breath, he raised a fist and knocked on the bamboo frame of the door. He waited, listening to the sound of footsteps approaching. The door slid open noiselessly, revealing a rather sour looking middle aged soul reaper with graying hair and thin lips.
"Hmm? Can I help you?"
"Uh." Ichigo wasn't quite sure what to say. Should he ask for Rukia? Or would it be better for him to speak with the leader of the Kamisaigaiku clan?
"Who is it, Jiroto?" asked another voice.
The doorman rolled his eyes, but was quickly pushed out of the way. A young blonde man with dazzling green eyes and a shaggy haircut took his place, frowning down at Ichigo with disdain.
"Well, well. Look who crawled out of his hidey hole! The substitute shinigami that was fooling around with Lord Kamisaigaiku's betrothed…"
He leaned against the door frame, barring Ichigo's entrance.
"You remember my name, substitute soul reaper?"
The way he said 'substitute' made it sound like a swear word. Ichigo didn't quite recall the guy's name, but he definitely remembered that face. It was so punchable that it almost made him forget Byakuya's warning from three minutes ago.
"Not really," Ichigo raised an eyebrow, "I'm not too good with names… but your shitty attitude definitely rings a bell."
The man smirked, "My name is Kazue… and you shouldn't use such foul language. This is a noble house, and manners are of the utmost importance while you are here. You shouldn't be angry with me because Rukia chose to marry Lord Kamisaigaiku. Accept your loss with some dignity."
"I haven't lost anything yet," Ichigo took a step forward.
Kazue grinned, stepping so close that his chest bumped Ichigo's.
"I would beg to differ."
The tense moment was interrupted by the doorman clearing his throat. Another figure appeared in the doorway.
"Ah, I see the substitute soul reaper has arrived," said a tall man with a bald head and tons of muscle. "Honor be to you, Kurosaki."
Kazue took a step back, giving Ichigo one last smirk before disappearing into the mansion's interior.
"My lord wishes to meet with you." Kenichi grumbled, "Follow me, I shall take you to the tea house."
The sheer size of the Kuchiki estate was still something that caught Ichigo by surprise. It was nearly the size of his high school, and filled with so many strange rooms and closed doors that it would be impossible for him to navigate the place without someone else to guide him.
Kenichi was silent as he led the way to the tea house. He was probably too tall for a conventional house, but in the manor, with its vaulted ceilings and airy headspace, he could walk around as normally as anyone else. The old wood groaned beneath his feet, and Ichigo was just wondering how much he weighed when they emerged into the sunlight.
They stood in a garden decorated with plenty of flowers, all of which were still miraculously in bloom. Hell butterflies fluttered whimsically from flower to flower in search of nectar. At the center of the garden was a koi pond, and in the center of that pond was small inland with a single cherry blossom tree, which scattered its petals into the small stream that cut through the garden.
They crossed a small bridge, and arrived at an outbuilding Ichigo could only surmise to be the teahouse. And there, within it, was a spiritual pressure so familiar that Ichigo felt his breath catch in his throat.
"Rukia," he said.
"She is inside, no doubt helping to prepare for the tea ceremony. You are quite early, so you will be able to meet with Lord Hideyoshi and his bride before the ceremony begins. Try not to get in the way of the servants. They are operating behind schedule, and have no time for interruptions or mistakes."
As if to reinforce Kenichi's point, the door to the teahouse burst open, and several people ran outside carrying stacks of fine china. From within the teahouse, Ichigo could hear someone shouting.
"We need to seat six more guests, and this tea set isn't big enough! We cannot have mismatched tea cups! On my honor, we will make sure the honor Kamisaigaiku name is upheld!"
"My lord is not here yet," Kenichi noted dryly, "but will be along shortly. You may speak with the bride while I fetch him."
Kenichi turned and lumbered away. In his navy shihakusho, he looked like a great blue wall of muscle. If he was a part of the tea ceremony, Ichigo was tempted to stay and watch it. Could a guy like that even drink tea without accidentally smashing the delicate china?
He returned his attention to the teahouse once again, honing in on Rukia's reiatsu. It was active and alive, and maybe even a bit nervous. She seemed to be just as anxious as Ichigo felt. With a start, he realized that she couldn't sense his spiritual pressure due to his cloak. He was tempted to take it off, and see if she noticed his presence, but the air was chill. No, it might be better if she saw him with her own eyes.
He steadied himself, but his hands were shaking. He took a look at his soul reaper uniform, noting how it was rather bland in comparison to every else's garb. Even the servants were better dressed than him.
'Will she be angry? Will she try to fight me, or throw me out?' He wasn't sure, but with each step he took towards the teahouse, thoughts like these became more and more prevalent. He ascended the stairs, coming to a rest before the doorway. He was shaking, and sweat beaded his brow. He'd never felt so nervous, not even when facing down against Yhwach. He could face certain death with a smile, but the idea of meeting Rukia again made his legs feel like jello.
"For goodness sake, why are you just standing outside?!" Rukia's called through the door. He heard loud, angry stomping, and before he could knock, the door was thrown open. Rukia stood there, but the anger slid off of her face, leaving behind a look of shock that made Ichigo's heart stop.
"Ichigo? What are you doing here?"
"Hey Rukia." He shook himself mentally, temporarily stunned by how beautiful the soul reaper looked. "I guess I was invited. Can I come in?"
Her eyes were as wide as the moon as she stood to the side to let Ichigo into the tea house. Dozens of servants bustled this way and that. Some were putting up decorations. Others were brewing tea. Some were carting large amounts of baked goods in from the kitchens, or setting up placemats for the visitors. At the end of the teahouse was a large table, with several people hunched over it. At the head of the table was the man whom had delivered the message to Rukia in Karakura town. He wore his usual navy robes and silver circlet, and his hair was braided just as it had been before.
"C'mon," Rukia said, taking Ichigo by the hand and pulling him away from the door. She led him to a secluded corner, well out of the way of the hubbub before gesturing for him to take a seat. He did so, leaning his back against the wall as Rukia got to her knees and clasped her hands in her lap.
She was wearing a fantastic red kimono with golden flower patters. It looked marvelous on her, with accentuated curves and fine golden embroidery, but her frown was much more concerning to Ichigo.
"I didn't invite you here," Rukia said suddenly, still watching the servants in their labor, "which means that it was Hideyoshi that invited you."
"That's what Byakuya said."
"Be honest with me, Ichigo, why did you come here? We both know it wasn't because you were invited. You're dressed for war."
"Yeah, well, I'm not really sure why I came here. Byakuya just sort of scooped me up, and then I learned I had an invitation. If nothing else, I wanted to see you again."
Rukia stuffed her hands between her thighs. His words seemed true enough, but she still did not believe he had come with peaceful intentions. No, he had come to try and change Rukia's mind. They both knew it.
"I'm not abandoning my duty, Ichigo," Rukia stated flatly, trying to hide the shakiness in her voice. "I'm going through with this tea ceremony, and soon I'll be marrying Hideyoshi. You have to accept it."
The substitute shinigami smiled, though it looked more like a pained grimace.
"Rukia, why are you marrying him?"
"I have to."
"Why?"
Rukia pouted, but Ichigo did not look like he was trying to antagonize her. He wanted an answer- a real one.
"Because…" Rukia looked around to make sure no one else was listening before continuing. "The Kuchiki clan is no longer as well off as it once was. We have outstanding debts, and the dowry from my marriage will be used to settle them."
Ichigo frowned. Rukia didn't seem like she was lying. When she spoke, she kept her voice down, and with a start, Ichigo realized that she had been watching the servants almost the entire time they had been talking. She was looking at them like she was going to lose them, and worry was etched into her face.
"That makes no sense-" Ichigo began to say.
Kenichi, who was standing in the doorway, drew his blade and wrapped it against the bamboo. The keening blade brought all movement to a standstill. He sucked in a breath, and in a deep, booming voice he announced, "Lord Hideyoshi Kamisaigaiku!"
Everyone bowed their heads, save Rukia and Ichigo. A strange chill swept into the room as Kenichi stepped to the side, allowing his master to enter.
"My sincerest apologies for keeping you all waiting."
The voice was as soft and cool as water, but it shook Ichigo to his very core. It was a voice that had haunted his nightmares, and made all the little hairs on the back of his neck stand at attention. He found himself frozen in place, his eyes glued to the man in the doorway.
"There's no way," Ichigo gasped.
There, upon the threshold, stood none other than Sosuke Aizen. He looked at he once did, before defecting from the Seireitei, with feathery locks of hair framing his face and spectacles. He wore a fine set of silken, star spangled navy robes that were made to resemble the night sky, replete with constellations and their names. He turned his eyes to the corner where Ichigo and Rukia sat, and the smile on his face widened.
"Ah, you must be my beloved Rukia's friend, Ichigo Kurosaki. I'm glad you could make it. I've heard so much about you."
Ichigo was immediately on his feet, but he found himself weighed down by fear. "W-what are – how are you here? This can't be…"
Aizen gave him a cold smile. "My name is Hideyoshi Kamisaigaiku. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
Author's Notes:
Alright, show of hands, who saw this coming? Everyone? No one? I thought I was laying it on pretty thick. All that ominous talk about 'something not being right' and people being manipulated. I figured my use of the primaryantagonist .jpg was pretty obvious. I apologize for any errors, but I only read through this once. Oh, and I think this is the longest chapter yet.
Let's have another show of hands, who missed me? N-no one? Fine, well, I didn't miss you, either! I kid, I kid, you guys give me life.
One last poll... who among you caught that 'eyes as wide as the moon' reference? If you did, you are emo trash. But so am I, so it's cool.
Moving right along, this chapter helps zero in on the plot (such as it is) and reunites Ichigo and Rukia... but for better or for worse? And what's with Aizen showing up? You guys think he got an invitation to the ceremony? And why was he calling himself the lord of the Kamisaigaiku clan? Hmmmmmm.
Oh, and if anyone is concerned by my use of Japanese terms, please google them. That's what I did, and I don't know a lick of Japanese, so if any of the terms confuse you, it shouldn't be too hard to figure it out, though I usually do try and keep it basic. Here's to Ichigo's pre-reunion jitters, which I myself was feeling when I wrote the scene. Did you guys like this chapter? I know some reviewers think the drama is kinda blech, but I mean, what the hell are you reading for if not drama? Blood? Degenerate handholding? Talk about cheap thrills.
Anyway, sorry for the wait. I've been busy as hell. Nose to the grindstone and all that. See you guys in the next chapter!
*Music!*
Devil-Shinedown (This song was chosen specifically for the lyric "Cause I was sent to warn you, the Devil's in the next room" which was suppose to relate to Aizen's arrival. I thought it was fitting)
Arrow-half*Alive (The hardest place to be is right where you are)
Almost-Hozier (be still my foolish heart)
Bonus!
World In My Pocket- The Unlikely Candidates (and when you look at me I believe I can see a kingdom in your eyes)
Thanks for reading.
