A/N: Thank you to everyone for the reviews, favorites and follows! I appreciate all of the love :)

I thought I'd post another chapter this week. I'm going to try to write as much as I can over these next ten days before classes start back. But this will be the last update for Noble Reason for like two weeks or so. After this chapter, I'm going to see if I can update both Teach Me, Train Me, Tame Me and The Brotherhood before August 26th. Sorry to everyone who likes this story, but I gotta be fair to my other readers lol.

On to the fic!

Chapter Twenty-one

54 Years Ago . . .

"Hey, why are we going to Jakura?" Setsuna curiously asked her older brother as they walked along the dusty streets of the fifty eighth district in the southern Rukongai.

"I've been asked to do some patrolling here by the head captain. I thought I'd bring you along with me since you've never seen where my Miu hails from." The Shino Academy freshman nodded her head as she treaded along behind Maikeru, who regally walked with his long, black hair blowing in the self-created wind.

The fourteenth head of the Hidaka clan was of the same tall and athletic build as his father. He also carried himself with the same amount of pride and respect. He did, however, differ from his father in terms of facial features, skin and eye coloring. His round eyes, slightly upturned nose, light brown complexion and hazel brown eyes were all traits that he had inherited from his mother, who was of the well-respected Arai clan. He was the only one out of Yoshimitsu and Yume's three children that closely resembled her, with the exception of Sayori's blue tinted hair, which was also an Arai clan trait.

Because of his gentle appearance, Maikeru was often teased for being a pretty boy at Shino Academy, the Kido Corps and within his own clan. Yet the kidoshu vice commander's appearance greatly deceived those who were not aware of his immense power. Extremely skilled at kido, shunpo and zanjutsu, Maikeru was a force to be reckoned with. The only thing deficient on his resume was his lack of bankai, which was required before he could be promoted to the commander position in the kidoshu. Nevertheless with the progress he had been making in that area, he hoped that would change as well.

"We're here," Maikeru said as he suddenly stopped in front of a small and old looking house, causing his baby sister to run smack into him. After being helped back to her feet, Setsuna stared at the place where her sister-in-law used to live before she married into wealth. I never knew people lived like this. I feel kind of guilty because we have so much money and these people don't really have anything.

"Why are you staring off into space?" Maikeru asked, his strong baritone taking an annoyed tone. "Let's go." Setsuna shook her head, fading back into reality.

"Oh, sorry," she giggled as she quickly walked inside behind him.

The inside of the home was bare of furniture or of any other décor. Trash and debris laid scattered about the floor showing that a few squatters may have taken up residence in the home while Miu had been away over the past decades. However considering the amount of rubbish left behind by trespassers, the home possessed a sweet and succulent smell that was so strong it was as if the place had been spotless and as if Miu still lived there.

"Wow, nii-chan. It smells so good in here," Setsuna said in awe as she closed her eyes and inhaled the intoxicating scent. Maikeru inhaled deeply, immediately narrowing his eyes when he recognized what the scent was.

"You're right. It smells just like a yuzu orchard in here." Setsuna inhaled again and smiled, nodding in agreement.

"Yeah, it does smell like yuzu doesn't it? I didn't know nee-san liked yuzu."

"She doesn't."

"Oh? Well, maybe it's something else then." Setsuna turned to look at her brother who had become very quiet. She watched him as he rapidly pressed buttons on his denreishinki, his eyes serious and fixated on whatever he was typing.

"Um . . . nii-chan? Is everything alright?"

"Mhm. Just hold on for a second, okay?" Only about a minute or two after Maikeru had closed the communication device, it began to beep loudly. Upon reading what had been sent, the serious expression already plastered on his face intensified. He growled low as he placed the denreishinki back inside of his kosode and used that hand to tightly grab the hilt of his zanpakuto. Setsuna's marine eyes widened.

"Nii-chan?"

"Hime, I'm going to need for you to stay put inside of this home for a little while, okay?"

"Why? What's going on?"

"It's classified information. I cannot reveal it to anyone who isn't a part of the kidoshu. Please just wait here until I get back, okay?" Maikeru didn't wait for the young girl to agree. He was gone before she could even begin to form her mouth for the answer.

-.-.-

The time seemed to slowly tick away at an agonizing pace as Setsuna quietly waited for her brother's return. She sat by the window in the home's main room, staring out amongst the people to see if she saw any sign of him.

It was about an hour and a half after his departure when Maikeru's presence return to the humble abode. But when he walked through the door, he didn't look nearly the same as he had when he left. His shihakusho and vice commander's haori had been torn. His zanpakuto had been sliced in half, his hair was a wreck and blood and cuts covered his body. Setsuna gasped loudly as she ran to his side. He was barely able to stand up.

"Nii-chan!" she cried out, helping to prop him up by putting her arm around him and his arm around her shoulders. "What happened to you?!" Maikeru weakly stared down at his sister. His eyes were beginning to dull, which greatly alarmed Setsuna. She easily recognized that look. She had seen it on both of her grandparents' faces before they had died some years back. Maikeru tried his best to smile for his panicking sister, even though his body screamed in pain.

"Don't . . . make that . . . face . . . H-Hime. Let's go . . . back."

"Okay, nii-chan. I'm going to take you to Squad Four right away. Just hang on, okay? Unohana-taicho will help you, so please hang on."

Maikeru had not heard his sister after the words "Squad Four". Right there in the young woman's arms was where he took his last breath, his body going limp in his wife's old home.

Hearing her loud cries of sorrow and help, a passing shinigami rushed to the scene a few minutes after her brother's passing. After failing to console the girl, he summoned his other squad members in the area to help him take Maikeru's body to Squad Four. The first thing that everyone noticed about the deceased was how sweetly he smelled considering how badly wounded and dirty his body had become. They all said that he smelled of yuzu.

Present

Cho had only been in bed for a few minutes when one of her retainers informed her that the elders had summoned her for an impromptu meeting. She had just returned from a sit-down with Zi Shihoin at the Shihoin estate. She was tired and exhausted and wanted nothing more than to rest. She wanted no involvement in whatever gripe her seniors had with her or whomever else.

"Alright, I'm here like you requested," Cho said with an exhausted and annoyed tone as she took a seat before all seven elders who bowed in respect for her. The chief elder, Yuzan Hidaka, nodded his head as he took a seat a few feet across from her, the other six elders following suit.

"Yes, thank you for coming, Cho-sama. I apologize for having summoned you on such short notice."

"That's alright. So what is so pressing that it requires a meeting so late in the evening?" Yuzan cleared his throat and inhaled deeply before speaking.

"Cho-sama, we have been informed that Setsuna-sama has regained her memories." Cho's eyes widened. Although she already knew that Setsuna's memories had returned, she didn't expect the elders to find out so quickly. She swallowed hard, her throat becoming dry with mild anxiety.

"Is . . . Is that so?"

"Yes, m'lady, it is. One of our clanswomen in Squad Four informed us of the news. She said that she got it straight from Retsu Unohana, so we have no reason to doubt her claims." The anxiety in Cho continued to build; so much so that her palms began to lightly coat with a nervous sweat.

"I – I see."

"Basically, to get to the point of this meeting," Yuzan continued, his eyes serious and staring deeply into hers. "We will remove you from your position as clan leader within a month's time." Cho's breath hitched and her heart did laps in her chest. After everything she had done to make sure that she would forever remain clan leader, it seemed as if she had ultimately failed. Trying to kill Setsuna didn't work, turning Sayori into a hollow and having her exiled didn't work, and her lover's recent attempt to kill Sayori didn't work. She had failed three times in her attempts to eliminate her cousins and it appeared that her only source of pride was about to be stripped from her as well.

"Wait a minute, you can't do this!" Cho blurted out before she could stop herself from showing her disdain for the elders' decision. Yuzan narrowed his eyes.

"And why not? Setsuna is the legitimate heir and we have already told you such. We informed you that as soon as the girl's memories returned, we'd ask for your resignation. You have no choice in the matter. The law is the law." Cho jumped to her feet.

"Just because her memories have returned, it does not mean that she is fit to lead! There are certain protocols she has to learn, etiquette, the way our clan operates, the laws of both our clan and the Soul Society. How do you know that she remembers any of those things?"

"I am certain that she can remember the basics of noble education and if she doesn't, it's nothing that a few lessons can't correct."

"This is crazy! I mean, how do you even know that she will accept it?! And why should she accept it?! I earned this title! I am the rightful clan leader!" Yuzan and the other six men were taken aback by their leader's behavior. They had never seen her so irate before.

"Cho-sama, please calm down."

"No! No, dammit! You're trying to steal the title away from me just like you stole it from my father!"

"We had nothing to do with Kenji-sama's decision!"

"That's bullshit and you all know it! Just like you all know that Setsuna is a timid and cowardly little mouse! If you put the fate of our clan in her hands, we will collapse and be right there with the Shibas! How dare you favor her over me!"

"Cho-sama, you know that –"

"No! I'm talking right now! You all make me sick with how quick you are to sell out your own people just because –"

"Se – Setsuna-sama!"

"Huh?" Cho stared confused at one of the elders as his eyes widened substantially and his finger pointed out the open door behind her. She quickly turned around and gasped loudly when she came face to face with her younger cousin for the first time in many years. Cho noticed that the girl had grown a little taller and her round baby face had such a look of hatred that made the woman look like a completely different person.

"Setsuna? Is that really you?"

"Yes. It is," the younger woman replied in a voice so cold that it slightly unnerved the Hidaka clan leader. Yuzan smiled from ear to ear as he stood too his feet as quickly as he could.

"Oh my, Setsuna-sama. How great it is to see that you're alive! When you went missing all of those years ago, we'd all assumed that you were dead. We had come to believe that Sayori might have murdered you. But now to see you here after so long, it truly warms my heart."

"Yes! I agree with Yuzan-san," another elder said. "This is indeed a joy and a miracle to see our princess back here alive! Our proper heir has returned to us!" With Yuzan leading the way, all of the other six Hidaka elders stood on ceremony and bowed before their long lost leader. Cho looked over her shoulder and grimaced at the scene before her. This was the absolute last thing she wanted. She had hoped that Setsuna would have remained clueless about her past, thus allowing Cho to maintain her position as clan leader. However it appeared that all hope of that dream coming true was gone.

"So . . . Setsuna. How have you been?" Cho nervously asked, trying her best to regain her composure in front of the elders. Setsuna didn't acknowledge the question in the least. She continued to stare at her with those hard, blue eyes. Eyes that seemed to mimic the chilly atmosphere that was currently between the family members.

"Yes, Setsuna-sama, we'd like to know that as well," Yuzan said as he came closer and stood beside the silently feuding relatives. "We heard that you were able to get your memories back, m'lady."

"Yes." Her reply was quick and fast, her eyes never once deviating from Cho's, however, she could peripherally see that the elderly man was smiling.

"Excellent news! We were worried that your amnesia may have been permanent. We have heard of the sins that Sayori committed against you. To think that she could become that evil." It was then that her harsh gaze focused in on her elder's kind, brown gaze.

"Do not speak ill of my sister. None of you. Nee-chan is not the one you all should blame." The eyes of the elders widened and some vocalized their confusion. Cho's breath hitched.

"S-she's not?"

"No. In fact the one you should be bla – "

Before Setsuna was able to finish her statement, Cho had grabbed her by the collar of her shihakusho and flashed stepped out of the meeting room. Setsuna's eyes widened as she could fell the harsh wind assault her sensitive skin as the elder Hidaka continued to shunpo through the estate, only stopping when they had reached the underground training hall of the estate. The massive training grounds were about the size of the standard squad training grounds. Complete with strong walls of sekkiseki rocks that helped suppress spiritual pressure from leaving the grounds, the Hidaka training ground was an excellent place for anyone who wanted to experiment with high level kido, bankai training, or any other activity that consumed high amounts of spiritual pressure.

Setsuna grunted as she skidded along the dirt and debris when Cho forcefully threw her on the ground, the velocity from her shunpo giving her throw a little more force. She winced as she slowly tried to stand. Ungh! She's so . . . she's so fast and strong. I think she's even faster than nee-chan.

"You," Setsuna groaned when she finally made it to her feet. "That was a flash step you did just now. I thought that you had lost your powers."

"It appears that you were mistaken, itoko-chan," Cho replied in her usual, calm and kind voice. However malice was very apparent in her oceanic eyes.

"So, you've been lying this whole time?"

"Hmm, you know that I'm working with Aizen and his Kyoka Suigetsu but yet you sound surprised."

"I am, actually!" Setsuna growled as she balled her hands into fists. "Why did you do it? Why did you try to have me killed? Why did you team up with Aizen? Why did you frame nee-chan and make her suffer? You ruined our lives!" Cho smirked. She was actually surprised that she was able to remain calm in the situation. Perhaps it was because she knew for a fact that she was infinitely stronger than Setsuna. Or maybe it was because after being around Sosuke Aizen for so many decades, his cool nature had worn off on her.

"Such a drama queen. You've always been like that. How immature."

"I'm not being a drama queen! You must have no idea how badly you've hurt nee-san and I! We're your family! We loved you! How could you do this to us?!"

"Family doesn't mean shit to the Hidaka clan."

"How can you say that?! Haven't we all been there for each other when we needed it?!"

"No, we haven't. The Hidaka clan has done some shady shit to their own people. More than you even know."

"I know my family. We've never done wrong to our own!"

"Then why did they excommunicate Sayori then? Huh? If our clan was as caring as you claim it is, the elders never would have ordered me to exile her. If they really cared, then your father would have never been clan leader!" Setsuna's breath hitched. The collected aura that Cho had successfully maintained thus far was beginning to waiver. The malicious expression on her face had turned into something akin to anguish.

"What are you talking about? What does tou-san have to do with this?"

"Exactly what it sounds like. Yoshi-jisan was never supposed to be clan leader. That title rightfully belonged to my father! Yoshi-jisan robbed my father of his honor when jii-sama made him clan leader. Yoshi-jisan manipulated our grandfather into believing that my father was conspiring against our clan and trying to sell off our sacred land and capital over to the Ito family. He spread lies about my father saying that he was ill in the head and wasn't fit to lead. Your lying father convinced everyone that my father was insane and they all believed him!"

"No, you're wrong! Jii-sama and tou-san weren't like that! They loved Aoki-jisan! Why would they do that?!"

"Because the Hidaka clan elders and leaders are cold and uncaring people. Look at what your brother did to my mother!" Setsuna swallowed hard and bit her lip. She remembered exactly what Cho was referring to.

About six years prior to Maikeru's death and one month following Aoki's death in battle, it was discovered that Yuka Hidaka had been having an affair with Hanichi Ito, who was Kazumi Ito's older brother. The affair was only discovered when Yuka gave birth to her son, Tetsuya, who looked absolutely nothing like Aoki. Upon interrogation by the clan elders, Yuka finally admitted that she had been having a five year long affair with Hanichi and that Tetsuya was their love child.

Without hesitation, the Hidaka elders, along with Maikeru, demanded that Yuka and Tetsuya be ostracized from the Hidaka clan and that any record of their existence was to be erased. Maikeru ordered that she and her love child were to be immediately thrown out onto the streets that day. The public humiliation and shame from her former family caused Yuka to sink even farther into depression. She had already felt guilty for deceiving her late husband for so long and when he was killed, she became distraught.

Although the Ito clan reluctantly accepted Tetsuya as their own, they never did accept Yuka. As a result, Yuka was forced to abandon both Tetsuya and Cho and resigned herself to Kusajishi where she drank away her remaining days. Cho had never been the same since.

"It is unfortunate what happened to Yuka-obasan, but to take it out on nee-chan and I? You . . . you are so evil. I'd never thought that you'd be so cruel to us. You used to be so loving and sweet and now . . . now . . ." Setsuna couldn't find the will to finish her statement. She wrapped her hand tightly around Kageryuu's hilt and unsheathed it. She pointed the blade menacingly at Cho who smirked at the girl's action.

"If I were you, I'd put that away. You don't want to die like a dog do you?"

"Shut up!"

Setsuna recklessly charged at Cho in a full rage and didn't see the oncoming strike of the greater skilled shinigami. The slash through her left arm had been so fast that she didn't know if Cho had cut her from the back or the front. Setsuna panted loudly as she fell to her hands and knees, sweating and watching with wide eyes as droplets of blood began to saturate the bronze dirt below her.

"Please don't tell me that's all you got, Setsuna. I know that you may be a little rusty considering that you've been out of service for 25 years, but this is out right ridiculous." The younger woman growled.

"Shut up!" she barked as she slowly stood to her feet. "I can still fight you. I will defeat you no matter what!" She placed her hand over her zanpakuto and made a sweeping motion along the dull side. "Create the nightmare: Kageryuu!" Instantly the standard katana transformed into the dual head, jet black, battle axe-like weapon that was Kageryuu. She twirled it around in her hand a few times before taking her battle stance. Cho only smirked which further frustrated the younger girl. "Shouldn't you draw your zanpakuto? Since you still have your powers, I know you can use shikai."

"I don't really need to."

"I think you do. You won't be able to fight me if you're blind. I won't remove the blinding effect after I win either. Are you prepared to spend the rest of your life in darkness?" Cho couldn't help but laugh at the girl's ominous threat.

"I'll be blind forever you say?" she arrogantly smirked as she stared at her own reflection in her wakizashi's blade. "You seem to have forgotten that I know how your zanpakuto works. Kageryuu's first stage ability releases a black cloud that completely shrouds your opponent in darkness. When that cloud passes, the person becomes completely blind and will remain blind throughout the fight. Only when you choose to remove the effect, if you use the second stage of your shikai or if the person takes a special tonic will they be able to see again. But you seem to have forgot one more thing little cousin." Cho looked up from her sword and stared at Setsuna with remorseless eyes. The uneasy feeling once again returned to Setsuna. "The blindness will also go away if you die."

"Ah!" Setsuna yelped as Cho charged her with such rapid speed that if she had been even a fraction slower, her head would be across the room. She was amazed at how nimble and agile her cousin was. She assumed that this great speed came from being under the tutelage of the stealth force, which was her original squad before she transferred to work under Aizen. She was much faster than Sayori for sure.

Setsuna held onto Kageryuu with a choking grip as she tried to defend Cho's attacks. This was her very first time doing real combat since her return to the Soul Society and now she was wondering if it was smart of her to rush into battle so soon. She knew Cho was strong, but her power now was even higher than she remembered. She counted her blessings that Aizen was nowhere around to assist her, otherwise she would have died instantly.

"Stage one: Moumoku!" As soon as she uttered the command, a black cloud emerged from the two blades of Kageryuu. However before they had a chance to wash over Cho, the woman was able to shunpo away. Setsuna grunted as she swung the zanpakuto over and over again, releasing numerous black clouds of blindness. Yet to her dismay, Cho was able to dodge every single one before they disintegrated. Setsuna was shocked when Cho immediately took the offensive again, striking at her with such speed and power that she was being forced backward.

Cho had put Setsuna on the defensive so much that she had managed to back the girl into one of the walls of the training grounds, her wakizashi pressing firmly on the staff of her battle axe. Setsuna tried with all her might to push Cho off of her but it was to no avail. Cho smirked as she saw how badly she was struggling.

"What's the matter? I thought you came here to defeat me, baby cousin. You won't get anywhere fighting like this."

"I can still win!"

"Unlikely. What makes you think that you have a chance?"

"My shikai's second stage, Genkaku." Cho's smile became more twisted.

"You're planning to use Genkaku? On me? Well, I hate to say this but it's not happening today." Cho removed one hand from her weapon and held it up to her face. At that very moment, Setsuna knew that she was in major trouble. She knew this because as soon as Cho put her hand up, white reiatsu began to concentrate around her profile. Before long, a white mask with reddish/black markings covered her face. Setsuna stared at her cousin with horrified eyes.

"Y – You're a – "

She wasn't able to finish her statement. At that moment, Cho was able to overpower Setsuna's strength and the blade of her wakizashi sliced through Kageryuu , cutting the zanpakuto in half. At the same time, the blade connected with Setsuna and Cho was able to make a wound along the right side of her chest, down to her waist. Setsuna cried out in pain as she felt to the ground, clutching the incision. She stared in horror as her fingers and hands became soaked with her own blood.

As Cho stared down at her victim, a twinge of guilt began to tug at her heart. No matter how she sliced it, Setsuna was still her own flesh and blood and she did earnestly love her once upon a time. But her allegiance to Aizen and her desire to uphold her father's honor still reigned supreme.

She raised her sword above her head and calmly stated her parting words in her distorted tone. "Sayonara, itoko-chan."

"Scatter: Senbonzakura!" Cho was caught by surprise as a sudden attack from Senbonzakura's numerous blades attacked her all at once, pushing her far away from Setsuna and wounding her at the same time. She screamed loudly as she was cut from every direction and forced into the ground, making a small crater. When the peach tinted blades finally dispersed, Cho slowly lifted her head off of the ground thinking she'd see Byakuya. The new pair of cerulean eyes that stared at her with fury and the livid alto voice told her otherwise.

"Cho. You fucking bitch."

Ooop, you done pissed of Sayori now lol. The big sister returns in the next chapter. We will also see just how well Cho has been hiding her crazy over the years along with the help of Aizen. Thank you so much for reading :) Chapter 22 will be up in two weeks :)