Hello hello!
First of all: I finally found a title for this story! Hyakunen no tsuihou: mada koko ni iru "A hundred years of exile: I am still here"
Hope you like it!
Second of all: you are going to get a surprise in that chapter... I think... Ayame's going to... mwahahaha! read to find out!
And last (of all? :-)): Thanks to all those who review! There may not be a lot of people, but i am really grateful to ninja-of-twilight (sorry if i tease you ;-)) and war90! All the people who do take the time to review are precious! So minna! Arigatou gozaimasu!
Now, enjoy!
Chapter 11
Previously...
Her eyes rolled back and she then felt herself free-falling, only to be caught, a breath away from the ground by strong hands. And as she was losing consciousness, she faintly heard a familiar voice...
-Maa, muridatta ne? Hanawa fukutaicho...
(Well well, you overdid it, didn't you?)...
Ayame awoke an hour later at the fourth division. The bad was soft, she felt warm and did not want to open her eyes... « I won the fight... The least they can do is leave me to rest for a little while... » she thought with a contented sigh...
Remembering the last words she had heard before loosing consciousness, Ayame sat up suddenly, all traces of contentment and fatigue disappearing. The room seemed to move around her and she had to close her eyes for it to stop spinning.
« You're awake » said a cheerful voice she knew all too well...
« Ukitake taicho... »
« You did well, Ayame-chan. I believe it will be some time before Byakuya-kun talks to you though » at that, he smiled, « you did quite a number on him, ruffling his feathers like that... From what Kyoraku told me, he was not happy to have lost the fight ».
« Well, he can't expect me to be at the same level I was a hundred years ago » she answered truthfully, « I did not spend the last hundred year idly... I trained, so much so that sometimes, I would just fall asleep on the training ground... I had a lot to work on, my zanjustsu, my kido... » she trailed off...
Noticing the sudden change in her, Ukitake asked « Why are you sad, Ayame? »
« After my last attack, when he was pinned to the floor, he looked up at me... And I saw how furious he was... He's never shown that sort of emtowards me before... I was too tired to care then, but now, I can't help but wonder why he would have such a reaction... » again, she trailed off, loosing herself in her thoughts, trying to figure out the answer...
Being a noble, a head of the clan, and the most powerful clan in soul society at that, Kuchiki Byakuya was entitled to this « superior » attitude in a way... From the first time she had met a Kuchiki, she had realized that their air of superiority was founded on something tangible: power. Kuchiki Ginrei, being the first she had met, was proof of that. In a fight, he had never needed to release his shikai as there was enough power coming from him to crush any opponent. In his youth, Byakuya had been amazingly strong, and now, although not as close in power as his grand-father, he was still an amazingly strong man, more so than before. Compared to what he had been, it was terrifying.
She had won the fight only because Byakuya had underestimated her, he had not been aware of how much training she had endured, he had never seen her zampakuto, never known about her abilities... It was merely sheer luck on her side. Just remembering the last bakudo spell she had used, one of the highest, and performed perfectly, proved that all her training had born fruit. She had always been weak at kido and had therefore trained on that particular aspect of combat viciously. And it was a success. She had subdued the Kuchiki who had not expected it. "it took the last of my strength though, i'll have to work on it..." she thought.
She had a powerful drive. Vengeance. Vengeance had sharpened her senses, had refined her techniques, had brought her to a higher level of knowledge, of herself, of her zampakuto, and of the world around her.
She was proud of herself, she was better, more acutely connected to her surroundings. Her real weakness was her stamina. Long fights were a hassle. Her fight with the noble had shown just how much she still needed to work on it. She had been drained, to the point of loosing consciousness. Had this fight been a real one, she still would have lost consciousness, the energy restraining the captain would have vanished and he would have won the fight, killing her in the process.
Ukitake realized he had lost his newly found fukutaicho when he saw her gaze out the window, a distant look in her eyes. He decided to give her a few moments to collect her thoughts. But as he saw her hands gripping the blanquets tightly, he opted for a gentle approach, so as not to startle the girl.
"Ayame" he started slowly, bringing her out of her dark thoughts, "the soutaicho will call for a captains' meeting when you are discharge from the infirmary. Apparently, something has caught his eyes in your performance today and he has come to a decision regarding your case".
"Do you know anything about it, Ukitake taicho?"
"Unfortunately no, but it must be important, or he would not call all the captains..."
Ayame took a moment to think...
"Very well then, would you be so kind as to call Unohana taicho sir? I believe I am well enough to go."
"Sure thing, Ayame-chan!" he answered enthusiastically.
"Could you also get me something to write with? I would like to write a note to Kuchiki taicho.".
Nodding, the captain of squad 13 left the room in search of the woman who would free his fukutaicho. Thinking about the paper, he stopped by Kotetsu fukutaicho's office to relay the request, which was promptly done. "She is a good girl, Ayame..." he thought. A hundred years ago, whenever someone was in trouble, he could see Ayame helping. She had always been a kind soul. She always gave comfort to those who needed it, but she also knew when not to intrude. She was the young but sweet and strong presence that many needed... Ukitake could still remember the day when Byakuya had learned of her disappearance. He had not been with Ginrei-san to give the news but had seen the reaction from the young man. It had hurt to see the pain in his eyes... There had been so many disappearances, some of the captains, Shihoin Yoruichi, and Ayame. Both women, in some way, had been a very good influence on the boys Byakuya had been then. They pushed him, teased him, trained him... They had formed a bond. But with both of them vanishing into the night in such a short period of time, the pain had been great for the boy who, by then did not have any friend left...
So if Ayame wanted to write a note, Ukitake knew it was a gesture of kindness, and that she would try to mend things between them. She would probably have to also beat it into him... Stubborn as he was... A note wouldn't be enough... Laughing to himself he thought "ah... Byakuya-kun and his pride..."
He stopped in the corridor when he saw the familiar black braided hair of his division's counterpart.
Fifteen minutes later, Unohana was coming out of Ayame's room, a note of discharge in hand. Ayame took her time to dress and, when done with that task, turned to the small table on which sat ink, a brush and a nice sheet of paper. Sitting at the desk, she breathed deeply to allow all the stress and anxiety to leave her body. She had to be calm not to mess her writing. After a few seconds, she slowly took the brush, dipped it into the black ink and started writing her piece.
Another thirty minutes later, after having dropped by the sixth to leave the note to Byakuya, Ayame was standing, just as she had the day before, surrounded by all the captains.
Stealing a glance at the noble, she noticed the frown on his face. "He, too, must be wondering why they have all gathered" she thought. His thin lips betrayed his annoyance, probably at being called to this meeting, probably at being in the same room as her... She didn't know which one was closer to the truth. And yet, although clearly annoyed, he did not move or say anything, just waiting for the old man seating not far away to speak up and clarify the situation. His wish was soon granted.
"Hanawa Ayame" said the soutaicho. She turned her head towards him, he continued, "after witnessing your fight with Kuchiki taicho, I have decided to promote you to lieutenant of the thirteenth division, under Ukitake taicho."
Sighing internally, she thought: "well... that's nothing new..."
"However" as if sensing her thoughts, "given the power you have displayed, power that you seem to have harnessed well, and given the ease with which you countered Kichiki taicho's attacks..."
"Oups! Oh, Byakuya doesn't seem to like this one bit" she thought, looking at the widening of said man's eyes and the deepening of his frown...
"It has been decided that, after a period of two months, you would be promoted to the position of captain".
Shocked, Ayame just stood, completely still. Everyone in the room was shocked. After only half a second, a chorus of voices erupted suddenly. Some "What?" could be heard, some "amazing!" could be heard... But the most surprising was the throaty laugh that was heard, followed by "Yaru ja nai ka! Hey you! Come by my division, we'll fight!"...
All eyes had widened at the announcement, but none aswide as Ayame's. Never, in her wildest dreams, had she thought she would be given so high a position, especially in such a short amount of time.
The came of the soutaicho brought silence back in the room with a loud bang.
"The purpose of those two months as fukutaicho is to teach you all the duties you will have to fulfill as captain. You will have to learn to fill the paperwork accordingly, lead the training of your squad and when you are not working, you will learn from Ukitake taicho all the things you may need to know to become the captain of the fifth division. Do not be a disappointment." The last bit sounded like a threat... To which Ayame replied respectfully,
"I will show myself worthy of the task you have set for me, Yamamoto soutaicho-dono".
After a second of silence, a voice was suddenly heard:
'It seems to me that it is happening a bit too fast. Can't she have more time as my lieutenant? To learn the intricacies of being a captain of the Gotei takes time..."
All eyes turned to the white haired man who had raised a sensible issue.
"The decision has already been made and ratified by the newly formed chamber 46. There is nothing to be done. It is all set. Now, you may go".
Some turned to leave (the panda and the Bee), but others stayed behind to congratulate the poor soul who, in two months would be their equal (in duty and homework more than anything else, hahaha)... The young woman still had not moved from where she stood, completely immobile. Her mind was spinning, she could not, for the life of her, form any coherent thought. That is, until a warm,friendly hand landed on her shoulder, and another, fatherly, hand landed on her head, ruffling her hair. She turned and saw the white haired and the pink "haoried" captains smiling brightly at her, pride clear in their eyes. Yet, in Ukitake's eyes, one could see a hint of worry, barely visible.
"Congratulations, Ayame-chan, you will do a great job, of that I have no doubt!", words which were followed by a fatherly hug showing just how much he meant them. Then came Kyoraku's congratulations followed by the same strong hug.
She did not reply, only nodded. She nodded to the others who bade her congrats, unable to say anything, unable to utter a word as she knew that if she did, her voice would waver, or worse, break.
Remembering someone, she turned around in search of the dark haired captain of squad six only to find no trace of him. "He must have left rather quickly" she thought, disappointed and dare she say it, a bit bitter...
In another part of seireitei, the subject of her thoughts arrived at his office, his mind spinning in much the same manner as hers had. Renji, who was sitting at his desk, doing the ever so glorious job of filling boring paperwork, looked up when he heard and felt his taicho arrive. The words he was going to say died on his lips at the sight of his captain. His posture was the same as usual, straight, the noble countenance that was tipically his the same as well. But what shocked the red haired fukutaicho was not the man's unchanging composure, but his eyes. In those midnight blue orbs was an emotion that he could not identify. Nor could he say that he had ever seen it. And yet, that deeply disturbed glint in his captain's eyes shone brightly.
"Renji". The man's voice was a cool as before, low and collected, in complete contrast with what was still visible in those dark, greyish eyes. "Go train the men of our division*. I need to be alone".
The request, although not unusual, sounded odd, especially with that last part. Kuchiki Byakuya never said such things. "I need to be alone". Understanding the need to hurry and do as he was told, Renji left quickly to follow his order.
Just as he was closing the door though, Renji said:
"Taicho, Hanawa Ayame left something for you on your desk".
And with that, he was gone.
The nobleman turned to his desk and picked up the note. Opening it, he took in the sight presented to him. Reafing its contents, he remained still for a few minutes...
On that thin but fine looking (understand: good quality) rice paper were words, written with an elegant hand. In delicate strokes, one could read the following Isshu (tanka, or poem)
"もろともに
哀れと思へ
山桜
花より外に
知る人もなし"
Morotomo ni
Aware to omoe
Yama-zakura
Hana yori hoka ni
Shiru hitomonashi
On a mountain slope
Solitary, with no companion,
Stands a cherry tree...
Except for you, lonely friend,
To others I am unknown.
* i just want to clear things up: i know there are women in the division, so i'm not being anti-feminist (after all, i'm a woman so...) It just sounded better that way!
Hope you like the poem: here's a link for this one and many others: .
Enjoy! and review! :-D