LAST MAN STANDING

By Ayame 213

4:21 pm

Anyone who crossed the threshold of the Kuchiki Clan Headquarters that afternoon would have been struck by the same peculiar feeling: the tension in the air was almost palpable. Small wonder, the ceremony that would place a final seal on the Miyamoto negotiations was less than three hours away!

However, not a single detail had been left up to chance. The engagement gifts were wrapped, the sake had been ordered, all official documents had been prepared…and just so as to completely eradicate any eventualities, a final strategy meeting was being held in the conference room at 4:30 pm precise – Clan Elders only.

In fact, a number of them had already arrived on the premises. Some could be found engaged in private conversations or drifting in and out of the busy hallways. Only one however had chosen to lock himself up in his private office until the appointed time…

Kuchiki Akira had come in early supposedly to finish some last minute paper work but in reality it was more to sneak in one last cigarette before he went home later on that day.

His office was probably one of the last places he could smoke in peace…especially since his wife Mariko had made a vow to once and for all put a stop to his unhealthy lifestyle. To this end, she had just returned from a holiday trip to the real world with a pile of health magazines, something called a "juicer" and a look in her eye that meant he was in trouble…

Indeed, despite all his fervent protests, Mariko had put him on a strict "low fat–low sodium–no red meat" diet and was also conducting an aggressive anti-tobacco campaign throughout their entire household. No matter how hard he tried to explain to her that he was already in the best shape of his life and that more importantly, he did not feel like changing any of his habits, the woman simply refused to listen to reason.

Leaning back against his chair, Akira exhaled a delicate cloud of nicotine and smiled,

"I think I'll form a club…'whipped husbands anonymous'…or something like that…"

Truth be told however, he didn't really mind. She worried about him too much and he in turn could rarely say "no" to her.

"…and that is why I, a full grown man and a member of the Kuchiki Clan ruling circle, am currently hiding in my office like a naughty school boy…"

Akira chuckled softly and took another drag of his cigarette.

He was no doubt in a good mood. While most of his peers were walking around on pins and needles, he was probably the only one who could afford to indulge in such carefree thoughts at a time like this. That is because as far as he was concerned, this alliance was already sealed. After all, he had seen to every important detail himself…and up until now his strategic moves never failed to produce the intended results…

A knock at the door interrupted his private musings.

- "Come in"

- "Akira-sama. I have been asked to inform you that the conference room is now open"

- "Fine, I'll be right there"

Akira made his way down the hall. After this meeting, he would join the delegation going to the Miyamoto household and then return home later that evening where a dinner of steamed carrots and raw celery most likely awaited him…

He sighed heavily as he pushed open the door,

"Women…"

4.33 pm

After all official protocol had been observed, all ten Kuchiki Clan Elders finally took their seats. As usual, Byakuya was due to give the opening remarks. He coolly faced the gathered assembly and made the following statement:

"We are all very busy people so I will make this brief: I have called off the engagement ceremony that was to take place this evening. In exchange, I have negotiated a formal military treaty with the Miyamoto Clan, effective immediately. Duplicate copies of the document in question are now being circulated for your review. The originals are in the vault in the Clan archive room. I will now take a maximum of five of your questions. Any other inquiries will be put on hold until the next month's general meeting. You may proceed."

A deathly silence filled the room. 70 percent of the jaws around the table had dropped open. The remaining 30 percent of the men looked like they were on the verge of a heart attack.

Finally, Kuchiki Shigeo was the first to speak up – or rather mutter in disbelief,

- "…wh–what?"

- "Do not make me repeat myself" Byakuya calmly replied

- "But…I…what do you…?"

- "…do any of you have any real questions?" Byakuya asked directing his attention towards the others.

- "…but…what did you– "

- "If you have nothing better to say Shigeo then please do shut up!" Kuchiki Hajime suddenly burst out angrily

Shigeo turned to face him, incredulous

- "How dare you talk to me like that?!"

- "I will talk to you any way I want to!"

- "I demand respect! Do you know who I am?!"

- "I know that if you are now too senile to understand plain language then I propose you be disbarred from this assembly!"

The meeting quickly disintegrated into quite an undignified display of Soul Society nobility: angry comments flew back and forth across the room. People were banging their fists on the table. Voices were getting louder.

Amidst the chaos, one man stood up

- "Silence!"

It was Akira. And just like magic, there was indeed silence. He grimly surveyed the room and then slowly turned to Byakuya,

- "What is the meaning of this?" he quietly asked

- "It is just as I have said"

Akira then got a sinking sensation in the pit of his stomach.

- "…does this mean that you have someone else in mind?"

- "Yes"

- "…who is it?" Akira's asked, his voice slightly hoarse

- "…Suou Hisana"

A low rumble of disbelief went across the room. Wait a minute…they all knew that name! Wasn't it that little brat they had decided to get rid of in the first place? Didn't Akira say he would take care of it? So not only was the lucrative deal with the Miyamotos off but they were now also faced with the humiliation of sharing the family name with gutter riffraff?! What the hell was going on here?!

Meanwhile, Akira could only stare at his nephew.

"Impossible…would he really go this far?"

He tried again, "Byakuya…you cannot be serious…she is a commoner…this is unlike you"

However Byakuya had had enough: "You have heard my decision. This meeting is adjourned"

He then rose to his feet and calmly walked out of the room.

His departure caused the assembly to once again descend into chaos. This time Akira did not bother to stop them. He caught up to his nephew in the hallway.

"Byakuya!…Byakuya, if you really want to keep this girl by your side then why not just make her your mistress? It is perfectly acceptable. But if you insist on going through with this, the others will never accept it…and you know what the Clan is capable of…"

Byakuya stopped in his tracks but did not turn around.

"Akira…" he began calmly, "…since I took control of the Clan, I have vowed to maintain our values and protect our interests and I shall continue to do so. However, make no mistake; she is mine now. And if any one of you tries to touch even a single hair on her head….even if it is you, Akira…"

It was a thinly veiled threat. Actually, knowing Byakuya it was more like a promise...it was then that Akira finally understood the situation for what it really was. The only reason he hadn't seriously considered it before was because the possibility had seemed so remote, so inconceivable…and yet…

"…Byakuya…you are in love with this girl…aren't you?"

His nephew did not say a word but Akira did not fail to notice the slight stiffening in his back…

Akira watched him walk away.

"Well I'll be damned"

4.42 pm

The silence in the hallway was only broken by the click of Akira's lighter. He leaned against the wall, took in a deep breath and felt the familiar heady rush of nicotine flowing through his veins…

"…no...this won't do…I think I need a drink as well…"