The Veils Come Off
We're part of a story, part of a tale
We're all on this journey
No one is to stay
Where ever it's going
What is the way?
~Some Time, Some Place~
He'd always known he was different, impossible not to notice considering the fact that he could see spirits, had been able to since he could remember; even if at first he hadn't been aware that some of the people he saw weren't actually alive.
Things had changed after his mother's death, a death he felt responsible for, after all, he'd been the only one by the riverside with her when it had happened, he and that strange girl he couldn't find again.
After that tragedy he'd changed so much. Before, he'd been like any other kid, maybe even more so, it was like a part of him was trying to soak up as much of the joy and love one could only feel when being young and innocent; as if a part of him, some instinct perhaps, had always known it wasn't meant to last…
After his mother's death he had changed, he had too. In a sense, each member of the Kurosaki family dealt with the loss as best they could: Yuzu did everything she could to keep the family together, taking over their mom's duties; Karin hid herself behind the façade of a strong, no-nonsense tomboy; their father acted as if his whole life were a joke; and he…he fought, tooth and nail, he would never be weak again, and the next time someone was in danger, he would protect them…he wouldn't fail again.
And then that night…after nearly six years he found himself to be weak yet again. Of course, this weren't the stupid thugs he was used to fighting, this was an actual monster, one like he hadn't seen ever before in his life. It attacked his family, it hurt his father, and his sisters, and all he could do was watch. Even his attempt at sacrificing himself for his family's safety had proved futile, the shinigami had explained the creature would just go after the others after it had eaten his own soul.
The shinigami…that was another being he'd never seen before that night. And in the case of this particular one it was a young looking girl, she really didn't look any older than his fifteen, almost sixteen years of age. Yet there she was, katana in hand, fighting against those monsters, those hollows, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, and maybe for her it was.
She'd been hurt, badly, stopping him from giving up his soul for nothing. The problem being that, afterwards, they were all left defenseless. No matter how much he hated the fact, he just didn't have the power to fight a monster like that one; and the one person who did was too badly hurt to actually continue fighting.
And then…
"Do you want to save your family?"
That question, from the lips of the very badly injured obsidian haired girl in the shihakushou, changed everything.
"Is there a way to help my family?" He demanded. "Tell me!"
"There is a way…" She took a deep breath and corrected herself. "There is Only One Way." With a great effort she lifted her katana, pointing it straight at him. "You must become a Shinigami!"
If he'd been asked later on, the young orange-haired, brown-eyed boy wouldn't have known what made him trust a total stranger, especially considering that she was talking about stabbing him in the heart with a sword, hoping that instead of downright killing him it would grant him the power he needed to defeat that monster.
There was his family, of course, and the way he heard Yuzu mumble, even when unconscious, for him to run, to escape, to save himself. That was enough for him to crush the paralyzing fear that had invaded him and allowed him to move again, to do what he had to.
Still, that didn't explain why he'd decided to trust her, maybe it wasn't even a conscious decision on his part; maybe it was simply an instinct. An instinct that told him she wasn't really a stranger at all, and that she had all his trust, always had, always would…
"Give me that sword, shinigami."
The decision had been made, maybe even before he consciously said those words.
"It's not Shinigami," she shook her head at him. "It's Kuchiki Rukia."
"I see…" He nodded in acceptance. "I am Kurosaki Ichigo…"
Seconds later, as the hollow moved yet again in their direction, a flash of steel, a katana through the heart, a burst of blinding light…
Destiny had been set in motion, history forever changed.
.-.
She'd been so cruel to him, maybe unnecessarily so. But why didn't he realize that she was just trying to protect him? She'd gone as far as leaving his home, and leaving him a purposefully confusing message, hoping that even if he tried to stop her, by the time he made a move it would already be too late.
He'd found the note, and he'd somehow deciphered it; only to totally ignore her instructions and go after her anyway!
All she'd done had been in an attempt to protect him, even as she'd kicked his wrist and uttered those awful words, calling him a lowly human…had he believed her? Had he not been able to see that all she wanted was for him not to die?
It didn't matter if she perished, actually, she'd considered that one a given the moment she'd seen who'd been sent to retrieve her. Seireitei wouldn't have sent a captain and his lieutenant, especially not her brother of all people, unless they felt they were dealing with a criminal. She'd always been conscious of the consequences of her own actions, had always known that consorting with humans, and especially lending her power to one was a crime. Still, there had been no other way! Why couldn't anyone else see that?
But even if they had seen it, she had never expected that to change anything at all…
Which is why she'd been so shocked later on, when Renji had told her of the orange-haired ryoka that had tried to infiltrate Seireitei; and then when she learnt a group of humans, one of them dressed as a shinigami and carrying a huge sword had actually made it into Seireitei…
She actually hadn't been sure if to feel fortunate or scream herself hoarse about how stupid they were being, they were gonna get killed, and it would be all her fault…
She'd never told anyone, but a part of her had known help was coming, even before Renji gave her the news, something inside of her had been able to sense his presence the moment he'd stepped into Soul Society. At first she hadn't quite believed it, after all, she had no power, and even if she had, it's not like she could actually sense someone the moment they entered the realm; and yet, nothing could erase the fact that she had sensed him!
Then that day on the bridge, when Shiba Ganju and Yamada Hanatarou managed to open the tower and were trying to get her out. Who would have ever imagined that those two would become, or at least try to become her saviors? The younger brother of the man she'd been forced to kill in the fulfillment of her duty, and a young shinigami that most of the time seemed to be afraid of even his own shadow? Unlikely heroes most definitely, and not ones that were too successful, but that didn't stop them from trying. Ganju had even fallen to her adopted brother's shikai, trying to stop him from reaching her and Hanatarou…
And then…and then He arrived. With some strange device on his arm that allowed him to fly, and so many bandaged on him, his kosode wasn't even closed and she could see his wounds hadn't fully healed yet.
And yet he didn't seem to care, not at all. No matter how much she screamed at him, or how much she cried, he just told her he was going to save her and got ready to fight. He must have known he didn't stand a chance, not at the level he was in that moment, and especially not when he was still so badly wounded. He must have known…and still that didn't stop him.
It might have been a good thing that Yoruichi was there and took him away before something could happen to him, before he died…she would have never forgiven herself if he'd died…
After that failed attempt at rescuing her she'd been sent back to her tower, and for a while she'd thought that was it, or at least she'd tried to convince herself of that. Ichigo was still alive, and as far as he knew no one else had been killed either; they were still in time to leave, to forget about her and go back to their normal lives…
She should have known how futile such hopes were. A part of her actually might have.
Still, that didn't stop her from trying to convince herself otherwise, she should have accepted the fact that Ichigo wouldn't be leaving without her, he'd implied as much. And really, she could sense him, reiryouku or not, seals or not, that same part inside of her had known he was still in Seireitei, and very close to her. She just didn't want to think about it.
When Yamamoto asked her for her last will, it wasn't really that surprising that all she would want would be for the ryoka to be sent back to the Human World safely; it had been granted. Or so she'd been told. A voice inside of her, related to the same sense that knew the Daiko was there, told her she was being lied to, the Soutaichou wouldn't just let go a human boy who held shinigami powers, especially not one who had proven to be capable of standing toe to toe with a lieutenant, and even a captain, having had his powers for barely a few months.
Still, she'd tried to block that from her mind, from her soul, she needed to be at peace. Even if the Soutaichou didn't grant her last will, she trusted he would find a way to get out, and to keep the rest of hi…their friends safe.
That was how she'd found herself high in the air, being held up by white cubes and with a huge firebird a few feet in front of her. The heat was such that she'd felt as if the flames were already licking her skin as soon as the phoenix materialized, it also helped her understand why exactly it was so feared, the heat of that fire was such that it would destroy her soul…she wouldn't be dying there to be reborn as a Human, no, she wouldn't be reborn at all, her soul would be totally consumed…
Panic threatened to fill her in that moment, but she refused to allow it. She was…she…she might not have been anyone important, but she still had some dignity, some honor, and she wouldn't tarnish it by acting like a scared kid, even if deep inside she'd been terrified; even if in that very moment all she wanted was His arms around her…
And then he was there!
One moment she had closed her eyes, resigned to her fate, only to realize in the next that nothing was happening. The Soukyoku should have pierced her already, should have consumed her already, and yet there she was still, alive!
She'd opened her eyes, half fearing, half hoping for what she would see, and still, despite all the screaming that 'inner sense' of hers kept going, nothing could have prepared her for the sight that met her eyes, of that boy with his wild orange hair and deep brown eyes, wearing the shinigami shihakushou and a strange cloak with the symbol of one of the noble clans…the fire of the Soukyoku outlining his figure…and he was stopping the huge firebird with nothing more than his zanpakutou!
"Yo!"
He was smiling, practically smirking at her. And really, couldn't he think of a better greeting than just 'yo'? And yet, in that moment she hadn't really thought about any of that, in that moment all she could think of what the fact that he was there, she could hardly process the thought, but she knew it to be true. He…he'd actually gone to save her…again…
"Ichi…" She was gasping, in shock, and terror, and hope… "Ichigo!"
After that day, after everything he'd done and risked for her, and everything he did and risked in the following hours; nothing would be the same between the two of them again.
Some would believe that it had been then when their bond had formed, when the red string of fate had bound the two together, never to be completely separated again. And yet, that didn't erase the fact that that tiny part of her had been able to sense him long before then…maybe since the very first day she'd known him…maybe since the very beginning of time…
.-.
"What I wanted to protect…was you…Ichigo…"
Those words were still echoing around the orange-haired teenager's inner world even after he'd left it to go and face his nemesis for the final time.
"Isn't that a little selfish?" Another voice asked out of the blue.
While still combined, Shiro had enough power to express his own thoughts, he didn't have to actually say them out-loud, especially considering the answers and the questions would be coming from the same mouth, but it was just easier that way.
"Hn…" There was no answer from Tensa Zangetsu.
"I mean, seeing how you and him, and I are all technically the same, isn't saying that all you want to protect is him, another way of saying all you want to protect is you?" Shiro asked.
It had sounded more than a bit confusing, but Shiro was quite sure Tensa Zangetsu had understood the gist of it.
"You know that's not what I meant with those words." Tensa Zangetsu replied calmly.
"Yeah…" And he did know.
Silence lasted only for a few seconds before Shiro spoke yet again.
"You lied to him." The white version of the Shinigami Daiko whispered.
"…" Yet again, no answer.
"Come on man, I'm trying to understand here." Shiro insisted.
"We're but the same, you should understand already." Was all the Zanpakutou said.
"Hey! I understand much more than King, and yet I don't understand this. Why lie to him? And why now?"
"It depends on your definition of lie…"
"Don't bullshit me old man. A lie is a lie, it's the absence of the truth!"
"There are a lot of truths our…King, as you prefer to call him, isn't ready to know yet. The true nature of his power being just one of them."
"So you would rather lie to him, spin all this story about a Final Getsuga and the consequences of using it."
"That's where the line between lie and truth blurs. There is a Final Getsuga, even if not my own, and the consequences for using the power he'll call on are exactly those."
"The consequences…" Shiro got it a second later. "We're gonna die!"
"…"
"But…butbutbut…No! That's just not possible! Zangetsu! If we die, Ichigo dies too! You said it, I said it, we're all the same in the end. We cannot die!"
"No, we cannot, and we won't."
"But…You told him he was going to lose his powers…that means we die, right? How can we survive without him, or him without us?"
"We can't."
"Man! You're not making any sense!"
"Ichigo's body isn't yet strong enough to handle the kind of power he's going to need to call on to defeat Aizen once and for all. For that reason, calling on all that power is going to send his body into shock, causing him to be unable to use any reiryoku at all. We will have to leave him, at least for a time, until his soul heals enough to take us in once again."
"Aja…and how exactly are we supposed to keep existing without the King? And most especially without his reiryoku?"
"With the help of the one who would take us in, the one who's forever bound to him…"
"The Queen? The Queen is gonna keep us? But…wait a moment, how is the Queen gonna be able to do anything when she doesn't even know she's Queen!"
For some reason unknown the Zanpakutou spirit chuckled at those words.
"She'll help us, no questions asked, it'll just be natural for her." Tensa Zangetsu assured him. "Just like it's always been natural for her to work with Ichigo."
"So that's it, huh? The King will go kick Aizen's ass, go into shock, we'll spend the next lord-knows-how-many-years sharing space with that frigid lady in Queen's inner domain, and then, someday, we'll be able to go back."
"Exactly."
"Ok, guess I can deal with that." He grumbled lowly before adding. "Not that anyone is actually giving me any choice in the matter but…"
"Silence, Shiro, it's about to begin…"
"Oy, Zangetsu, one more thing. What'll happen when the King finds out the truth? Because I imagine that at some point he will, and knowing him he won't be very happy and…"
"When Ichigo…remembers…he'll understand."
"Huh…if you say so…"
The hollow side of Kurosaki Ichigo wasn't actually fully convinced, but as they heard the 'King's' voice echoing all around them they knew the time had come, for a gamble with their very existence. Shiro dearly hoped it would work out…otherwise they were all screwed.
"MUGETSU!"
We're part of a story, part of a tale
Sometimes beautiful and sometimes insane
No one remembers how it began.
Everyone waited as the two 'Royals' pulled their respective coverings from their faces, revealing characteristics that left more than one thoroughly shocked.
Most of those present gasped at what they were seeing, except for one, Yamamoto watched the scene with a furrowed brow, as if he could see something no one else could; for him things didn't fully fit, and he should know, he'd been there when the coronation had taken place!
The newly revealed faced of the man who had been wearing the mask had angular features, hair the color of the ebony, and eyes the same shade as the seas, his skin had a light tan and there was a smile on his face, a smile that spoke of secrets yet to be revealed; the woman by his side, noticeably smaller than him once she'd removed the veil and elaborate headdress, the locks of hair that were beginning to fall from her tight bun nearly reached her waist in soft waves was like very dark ash, a shade of two lighter than the man's beside her, and her eyes were the darkest shade of azure, with the barest hint of violet in them, her skin was a perfect porcelain white, she didn't actually smile, but anyone who watched her could see the deep peace in her expression and a joy that didn't need any actual smiles to be expressed.
"Ladies and gentlemen, people of Seireitei." The dark-haired man called in a loud, powerful voice. "You have our most sincere apologies…for we are not who you wish to see. We are not your King and Queen."
The statement left everyone present reeling, if they weren't the King and Queen, then where were the Royals? And who were those two exactly.
As if in answer to at least that last question the man spoke again right then:
"Konoe Shidan Fukutaichou, Shiba Kaien." He introduced himself with a bow.
Beside him the woman turned to look at a certain onyx-haired indigo-eyed captain, dedicating him the briefest and deepest of smiles before facing the crowd yet again.
"2nd Otome at the service of the Kokuou Heika, Kuchiki Miyuka." She curtsied as she spoke.
Watching her there, still dressed in the layered and very elaborate kimono one would expect the Queen of Heaven to wear, Byakuya could hardly believe his eyes, even when he knew it was true, not only in his heart but also in his mind, it also seemed like too great a blessing to be true, especially for one such as him, who had wronged so many and for such stupid reasons, out of loyalty to a man that had never deserved it, out of a desire to fit into a family he didn't believe he actually belonged in, when he had more right to it than many who dared turn their noses on him…
Oh how frivolous Lady Fate, how frivolous indeed…and yet, she seemed to be on his side now, and nothing else mattered.
***Flashback***
Byakuya was wandering around the room in silence. He'd seen Ichimaru Gin emerge from the Royal Senkaimon in the attire of one of the Royal Advisors (though how he knew that attire signaled that position, he wasn't sure). He'd also seen a woman with light brown locks and grey eyes in a blue kimono that he found somewhat familiar, she'd turned out to be the mother of the Nagaken-Kurosaki young adults.
He continued walking, wondering what exactly he was supposed to be doing there; the Nobles had been called to be present, and yet he didn't understand how anything of what was going around him involved him.
And then he'd reached a particular corner, when shortly before he'd seen both of the Royals standing, now only the 'Queen' was there, only she was no longer wearing the veil and headdress, or at least half of the layers of her attire.
He watched her intently for what seemed like forever, her long ashen-black hair, her deep azure eyes, her porcelain skin, and her expression one of absolute serenity, a corner of his mind began screaming that he knew who that woman was, and it wasn't actually the Queen of the Spirit Worlds. But the rest of his mind couldn't fathom what it all meant.
It took him a few seconds to realize she was watching him just as intently as he was she. Flushing at being caught in such ungentlemanly behavior, he did as he'd been taught and bowed in apology to the woman. Her reaction however, wasn't one he could have expected. For just a second the image of serenity broke, allowing him to see it was nothing but a mask, and a second later, she was running away.
And it was in that very moment, as he watched the locks of gray-black hair beginning to fall from the tight bun she had it in, with the beautiful lavender colored kimono that she was left in, that his senses suddenly screamed at him quite clearly who the woman was. In his mind he could suddenly see the image of that same woman, dressed in a simple but beautiful lavender kimono with white butterflies, her hair falling loose around her shoulders, her azure eyes shining like some nameless gem, and she was smiling…at him. She was…
He didn't wait, not even for his mind to finish forming a name to go with her image, he suddenly didn't need it, even if his mind hadn't finished catching up, his heart already knew who that was, without a doubt…
He materialized in her path so suddenly she didn't have time to either stop or change her course, her forward momentum drove her straight into his chest; but when the impact would have thrown her back and to the ground his arms rose to support her, wounding themselves around her waist a second later in what seemed like an instinctual movement.
"Oh…my deep apologies B…W…eh…Kuchiki-sama…" She mumbled.
It would have been obvious to anyone who knew her that she was very embarrassed in that moment, and was very close to flushing because of it, even as she fought to keep her face as expressionless as possible, her low yet fast breathing betrayed her. And for some reason, he noticed and understood all this.
"You're not the Queen." Byakuya stated.
Probably not the best way to begin a conversation, but it had to begin somewhere, and he still wasn't sure that the things the corner of his soul was whispering were anything but insanity.
"No, I'm not." She admitted in a whisper, her hands clasped tightly together. "I'm her 2nd Otome, as well as her decoy."
Byakuya didn't answer to that, instead he watched his hands, and in particular the pink-gold band she wore around the ring finger of her left hand.
"You're still wearing your ring…" He blurted.
His eyes widened at the same time her head snapped up rather suddenly, he had no idea where that had come from. Or maybe, maybe he did know, he was just afraid to accept it, because it would mean to accept that so much of his reality wasn't actually real, that half of the facts he'd based his entire life on were actually lies. Except…if what now at least half of his soul was screaming at his consciousness was true, then there was a different, more important truth than any lie, and it was standing right before him.
"My Serenity…" He gasped.
Their eyes, azure and indigo met, and like a flash, it all suddenly fell into place. So much that had been there, in a hidden corner of his mind, so much he'd known yet didn't understand. Now it was all absolutely clear.
"My beautiful Serenity…" Byakuya whispered, with more conviction this time.
The woman for all answered tried to stifle her gasp with her hands, but it was useless, as useless as trying to hide the tears that were pooling in her eyes.
"You remember…?" She asked, her voice trembling with fear. "Do you truly remember, my white knight?"
"I do, Serenity, I do." He assured her.
They remained in that position for a while, in that empty hallway a distance away from the room where the rest of the reunions were taking place.
He was about to say something when suddenly he heard her speak first, she was speaking, in that soft tone of hers, and at the same time she was crying, but not happy tears, Byakuya could feel sudden grief coming from her, and he didn't understand why.
"I love you so much…" She sobbed in a very low tone. "Yet you're no longer mine…"
"Wha…" He really didn't understand.
She moved to separate herself from his embrace, but he refused to let her go, he wouldn't, not until he understood what was going, and even then he doubted he ever would.
"Serenity…"
He called her repeatedly, and when that failed he resorted to her birth name, a name she hadn't heard in so long, she had almost forgotten it was hers.
"Miyuka!"
Still, it shocked her enough to make her stop moving and face her again.
"What do you mean I'm not yours?" He wanted to know. "Tell me because I don't understand, I am yours, have no doubt about it, always have been, always will…"
"Yet you married another." She interrupted him softly, sadly.
There was no accusation in her words, just resignation; she had accepted that she'd lost him and wouldn't fight him on the matter, after all, he'd been given a second life, he was free to choose who to share it with.
"Hisana…" Byakuya whispered in understanding.
Miyuka visible flinched, and then he caught up with something else, something he hadn't known just a second before, but now was so obvious…
"Your imouto…" He gasped.
He could hardly believe it. He had indeed married another woman, and yet that wasn't the worst part, the worst part was that his second wife was actually the younger sister of the first!
"How…I don't…I would never…" Byakuya didn't even know what to say. "I don't know what to tell you, other than I didn't know who she was, or even who I was when that happened. I didn't remember a lot of things until a few minutes ago."
"And still you married her." Miyuka insisted. "I know you Byakuya, or at least I used to, nothing short of love would ever make you marry. Not even if the Kuchiki Clan threatened to do unspeakable things…"
"That is true." Byakuya admitted. "I think…I think maybe I did love her…"
Miyuka flinched yet again, lowering her head, wishing that her hair were loose so it could hide her face from him.
Byakuya knew he was hurting her, and while that in itself hurt him as well, he needed to make her understand; needed to make her see the truth.
"But it wasn't her…not exactly." The noble tried to explain himself. "I know, I know that when I first saw her, she seemed like the woman of my dreams…literally. A woman with shiny dark hair and eyes like gems, skin like porcelain and a perfect figure. When I first saw Hisana, I thought she was her…I thought she was you…"
As Byakuya began his explanation Miyuka flinched, it hurt so much, that he had moved on, and to her sister of all people! She realized Hisana had lost all of her memory after being attacked upon arrival to Rukongai, she hadn't known what she was doing when she married Byakuya, hadn't known he was her brother-in-law. But it still hurt!
And then, as Byakuya went on, her mind suddenly stopped mid-thought, the things he was insinuating, the mere thought, it was enough to make her cry even harder, but for an entirely different reason, especially with that line…
"Don't lie to me." She tried to hiss but her voice came out broken. "You said it yourself, until a few minutes ago you didn't even remember I existed!"
"No." He shook his head. "Until a few minutes ago I didn't know exactly who you were, but I've always known you existed." He touched her chin with his hand tenderly. "I've dreamt you my whole life, never knowing where I had seen you, or if my mind had conjured your image all on its own…my own personal angel…my beautiful flower of serenity…" he lowered his head, connecting their foreheads. "A very long time ago I swore before witnesses that my love for you would be firm like the stones and constant like the stars, and that it would last for as long as my soul existed. That hasn't changed. It's true that for a brief time I tried to give that love to a different woman, one I wanted to believe was you, but it didn't work. She didn't love me, and maybe I didn't either, or at least not as much as I wanted to believe I did. Otherwise I don't think I would have been able to move on…otherwise I would feel too guilty to even think about kissing you…"
Miyuka didn't even know what to say, and thankfully Byakuya didn't actually give her the time to say anything as he covered her lips with his in a long, soft, tender kiss.
There wasn't passion in it, like the one everyone could witness in the reunion between the former spy and the 10th Division fukutaichou; but that didn't mean this two loved each other any less. They just didn't need to devour each other's mouths to express their love, even the lightest of touches was enough to transmit all the love they held for the other…
The young-looking woman understood, probably better than most what he meant about moving on, because she'd never been able to. If it was because of the very particular way they had been wed before, or just because of their own love, who knew? In the end, the only truth was that they loved each other, and would for the rest of time.
"I love you Miyuka." Byakuya stated in a firm, yet tender voice. "Only you, there'll never be any other but you."
As those words were whispered, the reunited spouses suddenly became conscious of the glowing red energy ribbon joining their hands.
"That's right…" Byakuya nodded. "Akai-ito."
The Kuchiki Clan was the one tasked with keeping the records, and that had included the existence of the 'red string of fate'; yet that didn't mean there were many who actually believed in it, most didn't. Yet he did, always had, it had been an instinct, and now he knew why, it seemed in retrospect so obvious…how could he not believe in the akai-ito when his own string was tying him to the one love of his existence?
"Always you, only you." Miyuka agreed fervently. "I love you Byakuya."
***End of Flashback***
Back in the present, Byakuya could see things were about to go crazi-er. Apparently the people didn't like being told they were going to see the King and Queen, and then find out they were decoys…if only they knew the whole truth.
"It is true that those two aren't our King and Queen." Isshin spoke in the same strong voice as before. "However, that doesn't mean that Heika-sama isn't here."
At those words those present began calming down as they looked around, hoping to find the Royals at any moment.
"Konoe Shidan!" Isshin called loudly.
Instantly Kaien was standing next to him, he'd taken off the long black coat to reveal the usual shinigami attire, to which he'd added the accessories that showed he was part of the Royal Guard and the lieutenant too.
After a small space Hikifune Kirio took her place, followed by several more men and women, including one Shiba Miyako, Kaien's wife and soulmate.
Ukitake knew he was about to cry, for so long he'd mourned the loss of the young Shiba couple, believing himself to be at least partly responsible for their death, after all, it had been him who had insisted to Kaien that he should become his lieutenant after only five years as a shinigami, it was him who had allowed the man to go after the murderer of his wife on his own, and it was he who had stopped Rukia from helping him when things went bad. And yet, despite all that, there they were, the both of them, alive and well, and they were part of the most exclusive and important Division of all!
"Come on Toushirou, Karin, we don't have all day!" Isshin called with a laugh.
With a shake of their heads the two went to take their places in the line, Toushirou between Kirio and Kaien, and Karin at the end of the line (since she didn't actually have a rank).
The line of eleven individuals remained on the front of the stage for several long seconds, allowing all of those present to take a good look at them, before they took formation in two lines at the sides, like the Gotei Captains usually did.
"Royal Court!" Isshin called next.
Several people did double-takes when they recognized two of the men who had just stood at the front of the stage: Kuchiki Byakuya and Ichimaru Gin, and between them an unknown older-looking man, the same one who had been tailing the King's decoy for the past few days. They were the three Kakka, the Royal Advisors.
A couple of feet away from them stood three women in blue kimonos: Kurosaki Masaki, Kuchiki Miyuka, and the last the woman who had been tailing the Queen's decoy, with hair like the darkest night and eyes the color of honey, her skin was darker than almost any of the other women and she was also taller than them.
Yet again Ukitake gasped, there in front of him was a vision, a dream, the one person he'd never forgotten, and yet never expected to see again either, not after more than a thousand years…the one woman he'd loved in his whole existence: Shihouin Yonohana…
And then, something that at least several of those present were already expecting.
"Nakama! Kimera!" Isshin called with a joyful smile.
He knew what was coming, and only regretted he couldn't be sitting down somewhere with some popcorn…it was going to be good!
Six individuals stepped to the front first, each family holding hands, and it didn't pass unnoticed to everyone present that they weren't shinigami.
"Arisawa-Sado Tatsuki." The black-blue haired woman introduced herself first. "4th Nakama, I was once known as Valkiria."
"Sado Yasutora." The brown-haired man added. "3rd Nakama, they used to call me Gigante."
"And our child, Sado Oscar." Tatsuki added with a smile at the baby in her arms.
The public were still trying to process what they were witnessing, the fact that the legendary Nakama were humans, or at least had been reincarnated as humans…as the ryoka no less! Still, they weren't given too much time to deal with it as the Ishidas moved forward.
"Inoue-Ishida Orihime." The sunset-haired women introduced herself smiling. "2nd Nakama, my companions called me Hada."
"Ishida Uryuu." The man introduced himself. "1st Nakama, I was once the first Quincy and am now one of the last, back in time they knew me as Arquero."
"And our children are Souken and Sora." Orihime added.
The two five-year olds were standing between them, holding their parents' hands.
"Back at the beginning of time as you know it, we were known as the Nakama." Ishida began his speech. "We helped the Kimera bring peace for a while, and then followed them when they could no longer remain in this dimension. Like Isshin-san said before, a traitor was found in our midst, and it was I who executed him, but not before he communicated with Seireitei, something he did relatively often. It gave us reason to believe that a storm was coming, and so we made a plan to deal with it before it was too late. It wasn't us who came first, we were in stasis, waiting for a signal, and it was because of this we didn't know when things took a turn for the worse and all our plans collapsed. We were reincarnated as humans, because our vow to always follow the Kimera pulled us there, and we lived as any human until we were fifteen, when we were unknowingly pulled into the very conflict we had been trying to prevent a hundred years before. We managed it then, ironically enough, we did as humans what we couldn't as the Nakama and Kimera…" he shook his head. "Maybe you've realized this already, maybe not, in any case I'll say it. The ones who came first, the ones who tried to stop the madness before it began and were nearly destroyed in the process, that lost everything and yet, a hundred years later, threw themselves directly into the war without having an actual reason to…they are the Kimera! They are your King and Queen!"
As the final word echoed around the Sados and Ishidas bowed halfway once, gave a step back, at the same time the last two fot heir group stepped forward.
"Kurosaki-Nagaken Rukia, until a few days ago Kuchiki Rukia." The amethyst-eyed woman introduced herself first.
"Kurosaki-Nagaken Ichigo, once known as the Shinigami Daiko." The brown-eyed man added his own introduction.
"We were once known as Sol and Luna, the Sun and Moon." Rukia continued.
"We were once also known as the perfect hybrids." Ichigo went on.
"We brought an end to the Eternal Wars and separated the Spiritual World into Soul Society and Hueco Mundo."
"We had to move into a different dimension when this one could no longer hold us."
"We knew that trouble was coming to Soul Society and made a plan to help."
"We became infant souls, to allow our spirit bodies to exist in this plane and as we matured we were to be able to regain our power."
"But we were found before that could happen. Sol was struck down by an arrancar…"
"…and Luna fell off a cliff and lost all her memories."
"I found friends, grew up with them, went to become a shinigami and was eventually adopted into the Kuchiki Clan, never knowing there was more to myself than I could remember…"
"I was reborn in the Material World, as a human…kind-of, coincidentally enough as the son of the Konoe Shidan Taichou and the reincarnation of the 1st Otome."
"The years passed, until the day I was sent on my first solo assignment to the Human World, to Karakura Town, where I met him again…"
"I didn't know I had known her before, I didn't remember anything of my previous life, and yet I trusted a 'total stranger' enough to allow her to stab her katana through my heart…"
"That night we set in motion a chain reaction that ended up in a final battle in the middle of Rukongai, in the outskirts of the hidden Karakura Town."
"And that day we ended a war that had begun many, many years before."
"Time has passed, the worlds are changing…"
"…and it is time for the record to be set straight."
"We are Kimera, we were Heika." The two began speaking at the same time. "We stand before you now, as two Shinigami, as two individuals, who have done everything in their power to keep all worlds safe. Whatever comes next, is up to all of you."
The two gave a very slight, barely noticeable bow, before taking a step back to be in the same level as their Nakama.
The chaos that broke all around was like none seen ever before. Nothing Yamamoto or anyone else said or did would have been able to stop it, the last shoe had dropped and now all they could do was wait and see what came out of it.
And they didn't actually have to wait long. It took several minutes, but soon those in the stage began noticing that the people were chanting something, and soon enough they realized what exactly it was they were chanting…
"Long live the Nakama! Long live the Heika!"
Some kept referring them as King and Queen, and then there were some who were calling the Nakama by what they said were their ancient names. But one thing was clear enough, as far as Seireitei was concerned, their King, Queen and Court were back, and no one would be taking them away again.
A few people had actually understood the importance of what the royals had done when returning to infancy before entering Soul Society, and the fact that they could now exist in the same plane as their own subjects. Yes, their Royals were there to say.
.-.
That evening, as Ukitake Jyuushirou walked down the street in the direction of his estate, if anyone had seen him they would have thought it was a different man. The tall, gallant, confident man walking down that street couldn't be the same eternally-tired, constantly-sick and always half-sad captain that had entered the Chambers of Central 46 that morning to attend the second trial of the traitor Aizen Sousuke. A traitor who was now dead…no, more than dead, totally annihilated.
An attempt at rebellion had been revealed and stopped in its tracks, yet another traitor had been found and dealt with, and some people still had a hard time believing that Hinamori Momo…or Aizen Momoko, like those who had been present knew her true name to be, they could hardly believe a girl that seemed so sweet and cute could be so crazy.
But that wasn't what was important to Ukitake Juushirou, what was truly important, what brought him to his estate even when he'd just been there the previous week (he usually only visited once a month), the reason he was so joyful that even without an actual smile in his expression everyone could tell, the reason was standing right next to her. The woman with skin like caramel, long hair like the night sky and eyes like the sweetest honey; the one woman he'd loved in all his existence, and whom he hadn't seen in more than a thousand years…
"Juushirou…" She whispered suddenly. "I…I…ah…"
"What is it Yono-hime…" He asked naturally.
The woman flushed instantly, as did Juushirou once he realized what he'd just done. For so long they'd been apart, and yet with her once again by his side…it had just felt so natural for him to call her as he used to all those years before, as his 'night princess'.
"I, well, we're going to your estate, I know that." Yonohana explained. "But, well, what I don't understand is…well…why?"
"Well I thought dinner would be more pleasant if it was only the two of us." Juushiro answered her as if it were nothing.
For the way she kept stuttering Juushirou could tell she was uncomfortable, it was true she'd always been shy, but never as much as in that moment.
"You…dinner…ah…" It took the woman a great effort to finally make herself understood. "What about your family?"
"My parents as you know passed before the end of the Eternal Wars." Juushirou began enlisting. "My siblings…well, those who had enough power became shinigami, and they've all passed into the next step of rebirth by now; those who didn't have the power made other lives and died as well."
A part of him knew what it was she truly wanted to know, but was almost afraid to get his hopes up only to be disappointed.
"Ah…anyone else?" She finally dared ask.
Juushirou stopped in his tracks, and for a moment Yonohana feared she may have intruded on something, or made a mistake of some sort…
"No, there is no one else." He finally whispered. "There has never been."
"Hisui…" She gasped.
Just like he before, she couldn't help but use her term of endearment for him, she called him 'jade' because of his green eyes. And the way he was looking at her in that moment.
"I swear to you, Yonohana, my Yono-hime, there's no one else, there has never been." Juushirou assured her vehemently as he came as close to her as he could without actually touching her. "You're my only love…"
"As you are mine." She reassured him.
She took his face in her hands then, softly connecting their lips, and then he took control, this was something he'd wanted for so long, something he came to believe he would never have again. He just couldn't help it, he devoured her mouth with his, he just loved her so much.
It had been so many years since she'd been an actual part of the Shihouin Clan, since her brother had as good as sold her in exchange of their clan's honor, just to keep her away from the man she loved. It had been so long, yet she still remembered everything she'd been taught as the young lady of a clan, all the rules of etiquette, protocol, propriety…and yet, in that moment, she couldn't care less about any of that as she pressed as much of her own body as she could against his and allowed him to kiss her with all the passion built in the last several centuries. In that moment, nothing else mattered but them…
Yonohana felt so happy as she relaxed even further in his arms, after so long, she'd always feared that he would have moved on. And he would have been in his right, so much time had passed, and when they had seen Hisana again and learnt she'd been married to Byakuya…who was already bound to Miyuka…it just had seemed all the harder to believe that she might have a chance, when she'd never actually married her beloved…and yet there he was…he'd been waiting for her, just like she had for him, even when neither had any guarantees…
They had a new chance now, to be together, to be happy…and nothing else mattered…
Not even the two watching them from around a corner.
Ise Nanao was against a wall, hiding her bright red face behind her hands, never in all the years she'd known her captain's best friend could she have imagined him the way she'd just seen him. That had certainly not been the reverent, practically grand-fatherly captain, what she'd just seen was a handsome man passionately in love with the woman in his arms.
Next to her Shunsui Kyouraku, hat in hand, was just chuckling quietly, but it was not his usual smirking laugh, it was a joyful one, the scene he'd just witnessed, it had brought him back so many years, to other times, better times…and it gave him so much hope for the future.
"Marry me, Nanao-chan…"
Silence.
The sentence was so unexpected that the young lieutenant had to repeat it several times in her mind before she was sure she'd heard correctly.
"What?" Nanao squeeked in shock. "Taichou…"
Even knowing she'd heard correctly, that didn't make actually accepting it any easier.
"I know this seems sudden." Shunsui admitted as he slowly knelt before her. "I know I may have waited too long to do this, yet I have to try anyway." He held her hands in his. "I love you Ise Nanao, have for a very long time, say you'll marry me."
Nanao was still shocked, so much she didn't even try to free her hands from him.
"Why now?" She whispered, confused. "After all this years not noticing…"
She didn't really know what else to say, if she were to actually admit how much she cared about him, how much she wanted him, and had since even before becoming his lieutenant, it would break her image of a tough girl, and it would be revealing just how much it actually hurt that he was always playing games with her!
"No, m…Nanao, no." Kyouraku kissed the back of her knuckles reverently. "I may act like an idiot, I may actually be an idiot, but if there's one thing I'm not, that's blind. I noticed you, did from the very beginning…"
"Then why did you ignore me?" Nanao demanded in a hiss. "Back all those years ago, there was a time when I wouldn't have refused anything you asked of me. Damn it you should know that! Yet you always ignored me! Until I knew you enough to know how much of a player you were, until I knew it was stupid to want anything more than a one-night-stand with you!"
"Precisely because you were so willing, and because I was too." Shunsui admitted, confusing her even further. "I wanted you so much Nanao, I still do, but it just wasn't fair." He shook his head sadly. "About my player-games, they're nothing more than that. Back when I was in the Academy I dated many girls, but I was always too respectful of all of them to get too far with any. That never changed." He sighed. "When I first met you, I knew you were special, I knew that you could be the one, if I gave us the chance…"
"But you didn't…"
Nanao was seeing so much she never had before, seeing all the small details in a new light, a light that showed an entire different side of her captain. And yet that still didn't explain, if he was so interested in her, why he hadn't expressed it before this night, what was so different about this particular night? Aizen's trial? The revelation of the Nakama and the Kimera? What would any of that have to do with anything?
"I didn't, I couldn't…" Shunsui whispered.
"Why?" Nanao really wanted to know, she needed to. "You've said it yourself, you could have had me back then if you had wanted to! Why ignore me then? And why would you now of all times suddenly want me to marry you?"
"I've known Juushirou all my life, did you know that?" Shunsui asked out of the blue.
The question caught the younger woman so off-guard, she had no idea what that had to do with anything else.
"It was right after the Eternal Wars ended." Shunsui explained. "We were both very young, infants even, two of the first children to be actually born in the Spiritual World. Yama-jii took us under his wing when he realized we were the children of brave warriors, and that as such we had inherited the potential for that same kind of power. Our parents had all died already, and we both had younger siblings, but none with as much potential as us. So he began training us personally. Later on Retsu and Shinji joined us, but for a while it was just the two of us. We became like brothers." He smiled wistfully. "Soon Yama-jii got enough survivors from the war together to create the Shino Academy, and we went there to finish our studies. We all graduated together and were chosen to lead several of the divisions of the new Gotei 13, along with other survivors from the war like Shihouin Ejirou, Nagaken Isshin, Kuchiki Byakuya, Shiba Kaien, Yama-jii himself and a handful of others. Still, from all of those only Ejirou remained after the Royals left, as the others chose to become part of either the Konoe Shidan or the Court in the Royal Dimension. Actually, each of the families now known as the High Nobles reached that status because they each had a member who sacrificed their lives here to go serve the royals. Of the Nagaken, Kuchiki and Shiba families it was their own heads, as they left either their younger sibling, niece or nephew in charge; except for the Nagaken Clan, as Isshin was the only one who remained." He shook his head sadly. "The Shihouin Clan…with them, it was different. Ejirou…I met him in the Academy, never really liked him, he was one of those who didn't like the fact that the Kimera had ended the War, he wanted to fight, too bloodthirsty in my opinion. That's actually why he wasn't a candidate to join either the Konoe Shidan or the Court. The Kimera, despite all their power, were naturally pacifist, they didn't want someone so prone to violence working directly with them. And yet, Ejirou wanted his clan to be one of the High Nobles, so he did what he thought was the only chance. He offered his own sister to serve. Yonohana, she was such a sweet, innocent girl back then, she was actually born shortly after the Wars ended, her father had died near the end of it, and her mother died giving birth to her. She was so beautiful…and Juushirou was so in love with her. He actually went to see Yama-jii, since he was the closest either of us had to a father, to get his blessing, he was going to go ask for Yonohana's hand in marriage…the very same day we learnt she was to become one of the Otomes…She tried to run away, and I promised to help her, but there was just no way, I waited by her state for three nights, but she didn't manage to get out of her room before the time was up. So she was sent away, the Shihouin became the fourth and last High Noble Clan, and Juushirou was left alone…"
Nanao was beginning to see the truth, and she didn't know whether to cry and hit the man she loved so much or just surrender to her feelings…
"The years passed, one by one." Shunsui went on. "I could see how much Juushirou hurt, and yet he never actually said a word. And regardless of how many girls threw themselves at him, he just smiled and apologized. I'm quite sure that if he'd never gotten Yonohana back, even then he would have remained forever faithful to the memory of their love…" his eyes met Nanao's then as he finally explained. "The day I first met you, I saw such a cute little girl, and with such an amazing potential. When I lost Lisa, I lost myself for a while, she'd been my best friend, and she understood me, enough to help me keep other women away. Then I saw you again, when you became my lieutenant…and I could hardly believe my eyes. I had looked away briefly, and suddenly a woman was standing before me. A beautiful, powerful, and totally amazing woman. And yet, despite how much I wanted to take the chance I had before me, I just couldn't. it wouldn't be fair…" he lowered his eyes again in pain. "After all, why should I, the black-sheep among the two, be able to have something that was denied to my best friend, to the one who actually deserved it?"
It was so clear then. Something had happened that night, and it wasn't about Aizen, the Nakama, or the Kimera, thought it was related, in a way. Shihouin Yonohana, Juushirou's beloved was back, finally, and it seemed those two still loved each other as much as they had in the past. Now, seeing his friend happy, with his love, Shunsui felt he could finally allow himself to have the same, if only Nanao would allow him.
"I realize it's stupid." Shunsui went on with a depressed sigh. "I might have waited too long already, it's not like I ever asked anything of you, or even had the right to, I…"
He had just let go of Nanao's hands and raised on one knee, about get fully on his feet, when suddenly he felt a finger on his lips, quieting him, hardly allowing himself to believe it, he followed it to the creamy white hand, and its black-haired and blue-eyed owner.
Slowly, visibly trembling, Nanao's extended her other hand to caress her captain's face slowly, almost hesitantly, in a way she'd dreamed of doing for so long…
Shunsui closed his eyes and almost shuddered at the caress, like some kind of dream he was afraid of actually seeing it and realizing it wasn't truly there…until he felt the press of small, shy lips against his own. His eyes snapped open in a flash, in shock, in time to see the red tinted cheeks of his lieutenant close enough to confirm that she had truly just kissed him, in the mouth!
"It's not too late…" She whispered, still shy, in a very low, heartfelt tone.
For all answer Shunsui got on his feet immediately, pulling her closer to him as he went, then swiftly took her glasses off.
"Hey!" She called, shocked by the unexpected move. "Kyouraku-taichou!"
"I want to see your eyes when I kiss you." Shunsui informed her directly.
He kissed her then. And just like he had expected, for just a second as he did, her eyes reflected absolute shock, an expression that swiftly softened, right before her eyes closed as she began surrendering into the kiss.
He broke it too soon for either of their tastes.
"And when not in the office, my name is Shunsui." He added.
She didn't have the chance to complain, he was kissing her again. And it's unlikely she would have wanted to, as she suddenly found herself very comfortable in his arms…
.-.
The madness was still going on in the center of Seireitei when Byakuya reached his own estate. He knew he wasn't the only one who had just waited until he could leave without being too obvious, most of the captains had been doing the same thing, Ichigo and his group as well. The rest of the Shinigami didn't seem to care, the fact that their King, Queen and Court were planning on staying in Soul Society on a more permanent basis was enough to make them all want to celebrate.
Byakuya knew what that meant, Central 46 would go back to being the Advisory body they had been originally created as in the beginning, meant to bring forth to the Royal Court the troubles of the people, in particular the civilians, as the Captains could express the needs of the Gotei themselves.
By claiming back their positions the Kimera and the Nakama had taken away almost all the power from all the noble families (high and low) as well as the captains, including Yamamoto himself. Since the King and Queen were considered as the maximum authority both militarily and administratively. Never again would Yamamoto be the maximum authority, even if another war were to be declared; same could be said with regards of the Central 46 dictating a sentence to someone. So many mistakes that had been made during the last too many years wouldn't be repeated again. True, it was likely other mistakes would be commited, but considering how Ichigo was, and Rukia as well, Byakuya had a feeling those wouldn't be too bad and never with ill-intent.
Still, in that moment there were actually more important things in his mind than the newly reclaimed rank of his adopted sister and her new-old husband. And it was related to the woman walking right by his side.
The whispers had begun as soon as they'd crossed the doors into the Kuchiki property, and it wasn't unexpected, anyone could see Miyuka's built was basically similar to Rukia, and Hisana as well; but the differences were there if one actually looked: she was several inches taller, just two or three shy of Byakuya's actual height, her hair was a shade or two lighter as well as longer and without the spiky texture, her eyes were actually blue, even with the hint of violet, instead of Rukia's amethyst or Hisana's plum colored ones.
And that wasn't all, Miyuka was currently wearing around her neck a delicate windflower silk scarf, the companion to Byakuya's own; it was a direct signal of who she was to be, who she'd always been. Yet those who saw didn't understand, if she was a suitor why wasn't she being escorted by her own family? And if she was already with him shouldn't she as a good wife be walking a step behind him instead of by his side, as an equal? They didn't see she wasn't a suitor but his wife, and he considered her his equal in every way…
He was soon aware of the Elders approaching him from various different directions, they had joined the rumors; something that deeply disgusted Byakuya, yet he refused to allow them to see how much. For so long he'd allowed those old people's words to dictate his actions, not any longer. It was true he wasn't a Kuchiki Heir by blood, but then again, he didn't need to be; after all, he was the sole reason the Kuchiki Clan had ever gained the status of High Nobles in the first place. He didn't owe them anything, it was the other way around.
Miyuka wasn't sure what emotion was stronger in her in that moment, the mortification in regards to the whispering and the stares, or the righteous anger at what was actually being said in regards not only to her but also her 'deceased' sister and her husband!
They had just reached the entrance to the private dinning room where they had made plans for dinning with Ginrei when Miyuka finally snapped.
"That's enough!" She cried out at the same time she spun around. "Who do you think you are to talk about Byakuya, the head of your Clan like that?"
No one had been expecting that, not even Byakuya himself, the servants immediately stepped back and bowed low; regardless of who she might be they knew they had no right to judge her, and most especially not their own liege lord. However, the Elders were a different matter.
"The question is lady, who do You think you are?" One of the Elder councilmen questioned.
The old man spoke in a hard, chiding tone; one of a man accustomed to having his orders followed to the dot and everyone bowing to him; he had no idea who he was dealing with.
Byakuya was furious, the nerve of that councilman! Talking to his wife in that tone! But before he could even open his mouth to say anything he could feel the soft touch of her hand in his arm, her eyes met his very briefly, but he needed just that instant to know what she wanted, he merely nodded and relaxed his pose yet again. He should have known Miyuka was well capable of defending herself, the men and women before him were about to learn not to mess with Kuchiki Miyuka…
The young-looking woman moved her hand across the skirt of her beautiful lavender kimono, as if brushing off some unseen dust, she then squared her shoulders and stood to her full height, head held high, ignoring the bristling some of the elders did at this fact. She wasn't a commoner, and she wasn't a porcelain doll, she was Kuchiki Byakuya's wife, an Otome and a woman of power in her own right. No one could ever make her feel any less, and particularly not a bunch of old people who were already in her black list with the way they had treated both Byakuya and Rukia for so many years.
"It seems the news haven't reached this far yet." Miyuka declared easily. "In any case, and if you have any doubts, you'll be able to confirm my words with anyone who was present or close to Soukyoku Hill earlier today. My name is Kuchiki Miyuka, wife of Kuchiki Byakuya and 2nd Otome of Kokuou Heika-sama."
"Wife?...That's impossible…We would have known…We never witnessed such a union…He said he wouldn't take another wife…"
"The matter of my union with Byakuya isn't up to debate, Elders." Miyuka interrupted them authoritatively. "I am, indeed, his wife, I have been for longer than any of you have held your positions, five or six of your centuries approximately." She allowed the implications of that to sink before continuing. "Yes, you have no authority over that, the ceremony of our union was actually officiated by the King and Queen themselves, and we're one of seven known couples to have the akai-ito bond. I know he was married to another for a lapse of five years, but our bond takes precedence over that, regardless of anything else." She knew the Elders wanted to say something, but refused to give them the chance. "I'm not like Hisana, or like any of your 'noble princesses', I am not a doll or a piece of chess for you to play with, I am a woman, a noble-woman in my own right, recognized as a part of the Original Royal Court; I have served the Queen since she took the throne. Your looks, your whispers, your chiding tones, they all mean absolutely nothing to me, I owe you nothing, you have no authority whatsoever over me. The only one who may command me is my husband, if only because I myself have given him that right; and yet I know he never will because we're both equals. Regardless of whatever traditions you may want to force upon us, we're equals, and you won't be changing that either. You don't have any authority over my husband either, I don't know what kind of delusion ever made you think you did. You've been allowed too many liberties in the last century, but that stops now. It is true Byakuya may not be the heir of your Clan, but he doesn't need to be. He is the Head of it! He is the sole reason you're all even seen as nobles in the first place! Because a millennia ago he chose to do the honorable thing and serve Heika-sama! You owe him everything you have and everything you are, everything this whole clan is, and it's about time you start paying your respects for that! I also know how you treated Rukia during all the years she was in your care; but I'll allow you to realize the huge mistake you made in due time. This is about my husband and I. Kuchiki Byakuya is your Clan Head and I'm his wife, if you're ever curious we might even share some of our experiences in the Royal Realm with you, but it will be by choice; like I said before, you don't command us. And now, it is our desire to have dinner with Kuchiki Ginrei-san, and would like not to be disturbed."
The Elders were so shocked none of them spoke. Then after a couple of seconds several of them began bowing and taking their leave. It was obvious that Miyuka's words had made an impression, if not enough to actually change their minds, at least enough to make them actually think over a few things. In any case, at least they were sure there wouldn't be any further disturbances for the night. How things changed in the future…that they would get the chance to handle in due time.
As soon as the last Elder disappeared around a corner Miyuka allowed herself a low sigh.
"That was exhausting," she whispered under her breath.
"You were amazing, my Serenity, like always." Byakuya assured her in her ear.
He was standing right beside her, with his arm around her waist; Miyuka felt shivers run through her at the tone of his voice.
"Come." He whispered then.
The moment he turned her around the young azure-eyed woman saw something she wasn't expecting: Kuchiki Ginrei was standing right there! At the entrance of his private dinning room, and he looked like he had witnessed everything! For a moment Miyuka feared like she might collapse in consternation, until she reminded herself she had just created an image for herself, and now she had to uphold it, so she took a deep breath and went to stand before the old man with a serene smile as she allowed Byakuya to introduce her.
Byakuya himself was extremely proud of her, even having regained all his memories of his prior life he'd forgotten how passionate his wife could be when she was defending something or someone she believed in so thoroughly, like she'd done just then. It honored him that she loved him that much, and made him feel all the more proud that he had someone to share that kind of absolute love with.
Unknown to both Byakuya and Miyuka, Ginrei was felling great joy that very moment. So many years of living the life of a noble had made it easy for him to remain expressionless. The fact was, in that moment, he was seeing a love and a passion in Byakuya he'd never seen before, not even with Hisana, there was a life in his eyes…it made him feel so much happiness and pride, as if Byakuya were truly his own grandson. And it was all thanks to the young woman standing by Byakuya's side, his wife, his soulmate…
And then he remembered something else, a conversation he'd had with a certain orange-haired young man just a few days before…
"…no matter how long it takes, Your Grandson will get what he deserves."
Ginrei realized it then, Ichigo had known, of course, the young woman herself had just said the Royals themselves had officiated their union, of course Ichigo had known…
Byakuya finally went to stand before Ginrei and with a very small smile in his lips spoke the words that proved to Ginrei everything would be just perfect:
"Honorable Grandfather." Byakuya spoke to him solemnly yet happily. "Let me introduce to you, my beautiful wife and soulmate, Kuchiki Miyuka…"
Miyuka curtsied before the old man with a smile on her own face. Ginrei then did something unexpected, as he stepped forward to kiss the young woman's brow, it was his own blessing, something unnecessary but still deeply appreciated by both Miyuka and Byakuya.
"A pleasure to meet you, my lady." Ginrei greeted her. "Welcome to the Kuchiki Family."
.-.
It was quite hard for Ichigo and Rukia to get away from all their subjects, and when they finally did they had to practically barricade themselves inside the Nagaken estate to stay away from all the well-wishers and eager followers.
Even inside the estate it took them a while to convince the servants to leave them alone in their private onsen so they could relax for some time before going to bed.
"Well, you never wanted to be seen as a hero, yet now you are." Rukia declared with a chuckle as she relaxed in the warm water. "What does it feel like?"
"I'm actually trying to decide which one was worse, our first coronation or this not-quite-official one." Ichigo answered honestly.
"Well, considering the madness of the last few days I doubt things will be forgotten at least for a few generations." Rukia pointed out.
"That's good." Ichigo nodded satisfied.
It was definitely good, making sure that the truth would be known, and that it would protect their friends was the whole reason they had thrown themselves into the whole mess in the first place. True, their original plan only included revealing they were of the Nagaken Clan, not their royal status, but it wasn't an entirely unexpected situation either. The additional fame they could have done without, but they would deal with things as they always had.
"At least now we can actually keep everyone safe." Ichigo declared with satisfaction. "No one will try to unjustly execute anyone again, or allow a criminal to get away with less punishment than he or she deserves."
"You know it'll be hard work, right?" Rukia reminded him. "Even back at the beginning it wasn't like this. We left for the Royal Dimension soon after taking the Crown, we never actually had to lead Soul Society."
"I know, but we'll deal with it, just like we've dealt with everything." Ichigo smiled at her. "As long as I have you with me nothing seems too hard." He caressed her face. "I love you, Rukia, Luna, whatever name you may have, whatever face you may wear, you are the one I will love for all eternity."
"You know my love and devotion is equal to yours, Ichigo, Sol, now and forever." Rukia assured him as she sat on his lap.
Thoroughly happy in that moment, like they hadn't been in over a century since their rather forceful separation, they kissed.
So, I finally connect the "Some time..." scenes with cannon...and I hope you liked the scene with Tensa Zangetsu and Shiro, I just couldn't resist writing that after I actually read about the zanpakutou saying those words...they were so deep and touching!
This is gotta be my favorite chapter! Hands down. So much romance. Also, Byakuya...I totally love him, and he deserved a lot better than Hisana, hence Miyuka. I hope you liked her, as well as Yonohana. That particular pairing...well, my soul-sister just loves Juushirou, and I had promised her she could have him in this. Also, you might have been able to realize just who both Miyuka and Yonohana, and even Hisana were in the "Some time..." scenes. Oh, and did you like Byakuya's story? Way out of canon I know, Kaien's as well, and, really, everyone's who supposedly lived in the time of the Coronation. But, since this is fanfic, and I did warn everyone...
This is gotta be the longest chapter I've written...ever! But there was just so much that needed to be adressed, mainly in the romantic department. The ShunNao pairing...now, I have to say that while I like it, I never imagined myself writing it, until I actually did. I hadn't planned that scene until I was writing the JuuYono one, and suddenly it came to me, it was too sweet not to write it.
My deep thanks to everyone who's stayed with me this long. I hope you've enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. I actually had a bad time recently, lost forty pages of another Bleach fic I've been working on, and I was so excited about it! And my muse refuses to help me rewrite them! (sigh) In any case, at least it wasn't this one.
One more chapter to go! One more and it's over. And on that note, here's the teaser (the last teaser!):
"Why can't I go Rukia?" Ichigo asked, finally stopping his pacing. "This is my sister we're talking about! Why can't I go look for her myself?"
"Because you're the King of Soul Society Ichigo! You have a duty to do, and it never stops, not even because of family emergencies."
"Family will always be more important than duty."
That and a lot more in the fic's Finale: Neverending Story.