The story takes on a darker twist! A familiar face will come back to haunt Byakuya in the next chapter!

Council Meeting: Part 2

What's so dark about the sanseki of lukubantai? I wanted to know.

We were only fifteen minutes into the meeting, and already I'm tired. Meetings are energy sapping. Meetings are a waste of time. And it's true – the important looking bloke who stood up and read his important scroll has been talking and talking and talking. He hasn't stopped. At all.

To top it off, he's talking in a funny accent, which I guess must have been one of those ancient dialects. Which means that I don't get what he's trying to say. I have to rely on Senbonzakura to translate into something I can understand, and that doesn't improve it. The old man just blathers on and on and on, never stopping.

Your grandfather's zanpakuto was vague about it. He hints that you should stay away from that topic for now.

So… you don't know what's wrong with the sanseki?

Death. Lots and lots of death. I really think you should start paying attention now, Byakuya.

That's just fantastic. Now my own zanpakuto wants me to pay attention.

I don't understand what he's saying! I whine in my head.

He's saying that according to your history in Shinoreijutsin, he doesn't feel that you are a very suitable character to lead the Kuchiki clan…

That got my attention. I strained my ears and tried to listen and concentrate. Not that straining my ears did any good. He still sounded like he was talking nonsense.

Entertain me, Senbonzakura.

Entertain… you? I do not know how to entertain…

Bankai. Show me some moves that I'll be able to do when I achieve Bankai!

I could feel Senbonzakura's amusement. And what makes you think that you'll achieve Bankai?

Uncontested talent, pure skill…

No, Byakuya.

Come on! Show me! Aren't you proud of your skils?

"… but yet, and surely the Council agrees with me on this… Kuchiki Junpei is also an unsuitable candidate at the moment to assume the role as the head of Kuchiki clan…"

Come on, Senbonzakura! Just one move! Come on!

"… and currently, none of Kuchiki Jumpei's children is of suitable age or gender. The Council hopes that Kuchiki Ginrei-dono will continue his role as the head of Kuchiki clan."

The Council just said that neither your uncle nor any of your cousins are suitable for the role as the head of Kuchiki clan.

Who cares? Show me something, Senbonzakura!

But Senbonzakura wouldn't relent, and refused to show me one of his moves, so instead I conjured up some wonderful and beautiful images inside my head.

"… however, owing to Kuchiki Byakuya's tutoring with Hsienlong Dashi and also his current education in Shinoreijutsin, we, the Council, has seen marked improvements in his abilities and etiquettes thereof. If Kuchiki Byakuya could convince us today, then the Council will review our judgment on Kuchiki Byakuya, and reconsider him as a future head."

Its your turn, Byakuya!

What?

I lifted my head up from my palm. Everyone's eyes were on me. Shit, I thought. What do they want me to do?

Convince them that you are good enough.

Convince…?

Look thoughtful!

I force my facial muscles into a surprised look. Then I slowly studied each and every one of the members of the meeting. Last of all my eyes met with grandfathers.

There is a very pregnant pause as my eyes travel slowly to the floor.

I thank the Council for putting such faith in me…

What?

Say it!

"I thank the Council for putting such faith in me…" I look up and meet the important looking Elder's eye.

I appreciate that the Council is willing to accept the better and improved me. I assure you that Hsienlong Dashi's efforts, along with Shinoreijutsin's education, would not be wasted.

I recited out what Senbonzakura had said dutifully, word for word. As I continued talking, I got more and more confident, holding my head up high.

… I assure you that the Kuchiki household would have a promising future under my lead.

"...I assure you that the Kuchiki household would have a promising future under my lead."

For a moment, there is a stunned silence. Then the meeting hall burst into applause. I gave a small smile (as Hsienlong Dashi taught, don't appear overconfident or arrogant until you are the best).

That was great, Senbonzakura.

Thank you.

The bloke turned his attention from me to uncle. "And now, if the Council may hear, Kuchiki Junpei – "

He was interrupted by a servant rushing into the room. She was panting heavily, and stuttered out "Excuse me, excuse me!"

Uncle, being uncle, jumped to his feet immediately. "Impudence!" he snapped at her. "How dare you burst into a meeting in the Kuchiki Household!"

I couldn't tell if he was kidding. I honestly don't think he enjoys the meeting. Or maybe it's because the servant had interrupted him just before his speech.

"But, Kuchiki Junpei-sama, your wife is in labour!"

No way. I struggled to hide my emotions. Uncle dashed out of the meeting room, with the servant following closely behind. I turn to look at grandfather. He was standing up.

"Meeting adjourned." He turned and left the room.

I stand up and look at the floor, thinking hard. All around, the Elders are all filing out of the room, whispering. My hand grips Senbonzakura's hilt tightly.

I got the sudden urge to unsheathe Senbonzakura and kill somebody. The blade slid a few centimeters out of it's' sheathe, making a scraping sound that echoed throughout the empty meeting room.

I became aware of my hard gasps. I can feel sweat running down my neck. I tilt my neck back, resting on Senbonzakura's head.

I shut my eyes and push my zanpakuto back. Then I shunpoed away before I could think about that again.

I'm scared. I can hear her screams from where I am. But its not just that. Something else, something powerful and strong and ancient is scaring me.

Everyone was at Room of Healing Springs in the Kuchiki Manor, which is Kuchiki Manor's own medical department. It is located in the left wing.

The meeting room is located in the right wing. To get there, you would have to travel through a long tunnel which had many exits to various rooms.

I don't really feel like rushing. So I'm taking one step at a time, sweating and panting like I'd ran a million miles.

I still can't get rid of what I had been thinking about just now in the Meeting Hall. No, I can't. Repeating those three simple words to myself over and over again whenever those persistant thoughts came up.

In the end, I had to stop. I pressed my hand to the wall, trying to steady myself. No, I can't. No, I can't. No, I can't kill somebody.

An image washed over my mind. The dead body of a woman, her stomach still slightly swollen. The dead body of a baby, a katana sticking out of him. The red blood seemed to taint and stain the smooth white skin of the baby.

I gasped. Then I doubled over and puked.

No, I can't. No I can't. No, I can't!

Trembling, I bent my knees, so low that I seemed to be kneeling. The blood is merely a small sacrifice for what is required. More blood would flow, and revenge would be complete-

No!

I push myself up and ploughed on, shaking. I'm not even trying to control myself, no longer caring if the servants turned their heads and saw me. I tried to go on, but I couldn't.

Reiatsu! hissed a man's voice in my head. It sounded familiar, but I couldn't recall whose voice was it. I couldn't think anymore. What was reiatsu? Who was that man?

What's going on?

Instead of going to the Room of Healing Springs, which was up ahead, I veered leftwards to a windy corridor that would bring me to my room.

For revenge, they must die. For revenge-

NO!!

I thought that I was merely thinking, but the scream came from my lips and echoed throughout the corridor. I push myself forward, but my body wouldn't move.

Fight, or are you a coward?! Kuchiki Byakuya!

I screamed again, louder and longer. Gasping, choking, I shunpo forward, or was it backwards? Just… away from it.

Ku…

No. No! Please!

…chiki…

Stop!

Bya…

My knees stopped supporting my body and gave out. I wobbled and fell onto the floor, hard.

…kuya!

When I woke up, something wet was pressing against my forehead. "He's awake, Kuchiki Ginrei-sama.' came a female's voice.

I blink, but the light was too much for my eyes to handle. I shut them again.

"Byakuya." An old man's voice, sounding weathered and old. "Byakuya, can you hear me?"

I tried, I tried so hard to look. It was grandfather. I pushed myself upwards, and my body halted in position, no longer moving. No one seemed to realize that.

"You passed out in your room, Kuchiki Byakuya-sama."

I tried to swallow, but my throat was dry and painful.

"You should rest, Byakuya. Your fever hasn't broke yet."

I ignored them and pushed myself up. My legs were shaking, my muscles were aching. I had to get out. I had to go.

To where?

I ignored that voice, which I now recognize as Senbonzakura's. I push pass the other two people in the room and pressed my hand against the door. I pushed it open, only to be greeted by a blinding white light.

Revenge!

I screamed, and the world turned black.

When I woke to again, the room was dark. I couldn't see anyone else in the room, save for the silhouette of some servants standing guard outside my door.

My head was pounding. I'm sweating and shivering at the same time. And my body feels utterly heavy. I can barely lift my eyelids.

I tried to feel for Senbonzakura – and there he was, propped against the wall somewhere to my far left.

Senbonzakura? I tried weakly. No response.

Senbonzakura? I tried again. This time, I can feel his answering reiatsu.

Byakuya! He sounded thoroughly relieved.

What happened?

You passed out again. You were having a nightmare; you kept on tossing about on your bed.

A nightmare. That would explain the sweating and shivering.

But where's everyone?

He hesitated slightly. The servants are outside your door.

Initially, I accepted his answer. Then something clicked in my head.

I meant grandfather.

Then I realized something else.

Why is there the sound of funeral bells?

Something was urging me at the back of my mind, telling me to remember, remember, remember.

Your ninth aunt. Said Senbonzakura slowly. And your… cousin.

He didn't need to go on anymore. I gasped, and my body trembled even more violently. I don't know how they died and I don't want to know. I was trying to ignore all those thoughts rushing through my mind.

Did I do it? I had shut my mind from Senbonzakura, so he couldn't hear, but it didn't matter, since my mouth opened and uttered those words.

I could feel his reiatsu pressing against my mind. He was trying to tell me something. I tried to resist, but my mind was possibly even weaker then my body. He broke through my mental barrier and said those words that I wanted to hear:

No, you didn't.

But, I hugged my knees to my chest. But.

He knew what I was trying to convey, and he withdrew from my mind. My hands tighten around my knees, and they pressed so hard against my chest that it was too much for me to even breathe. Suddenly I let go, and my knees fell. I tried to choke back the tears, but they were coming, all too fast.

Did I do it? Did I do it, did I do it, did I do it?

Am I going mad?

My fists curl into a tight ball. I can feel that powerful, foreign being, same as the one that I'd felt when I was walking down the corridor. That feeling is ancient, dark, and so, so powerful.

It couldn't possibly be me, can it?