Chapter 37: The Best Defense
*Glad to see someone agrees with me about Hitsugaya getting too much fan fiction love, Dark-heika.
This is my last few days of summer and I'm sick with a cold! Really karma? What the hell did I do to deserve your wrath now? My sniffling and sneezing aside please enjoy this chapter.
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, Ayame or Seirin.
Please review.*
Eleanora found herself in a peacefully peculiar situation.
She was sitting with the withered and aged head captain of Soul Society and drinking tea. Both of them did it with such ease that someone looking in might mistake them for long time friends. The Quincy lady had finished visiting the other divisions which were the eighth, ninth, tenth, twelfth and thirteenth.
She found the Eighth Division captain too flirtatious and lazy for her liking though she did enjoy seeing the young lieutenant smack him. The Ninth was fine and Nora found nothing to complain about. She was only given a quick glimpse into the tenth since its captain was still sick and the lieutenant out on a mission.
Nora didn't even get a chance to step her foot into the Twelfth Division. Something in her instincts told her she was better off that way. The Thirteenth Division captain was a sickly man but very friendly and cordial. Nora even got the pleasant surprise of seeing Lieutenant Shiba again who upon seeing her, possessively clutched his sword.
Now she found herself at the last division on her tour. The First Division was immaculate and very orderly. She was lead by its lieutenant named Sasakibe. He seemed very fond of European culture especially anything from England. She promised to send him a box of Earl Grey tea some point in the future. Nora always got a box of that, in her opinion, swill from Lillian and Nicholas every Christmas season.
"I trust your tour of the Gotei Thirteen was satisfying?" The aged man asked. He reminded Nora so much of a gruff bulldog.
Nora delicately set her cup of tea down like she had been taught. "Yes it was. You run a very fine organization. Your captains are a little, how shall I say, odd? But that's not really a bad thing; oddity adds color to an otherwise bland world."
He gave her a brief nod. "Before we begin speaking about that proposal of yours I have gift for you."
The old man waved one hand and his lieutenant appeared carrying a long box. He pulled the lid back to reveal a pristine blue and white sheathed sword nestled inside. The head captain removed the sword from its box and handed it to Nora. The shocked woman gingerly gripped the blue and white hilt.
The guard was made of pewter and in the shape of a short Celtic cross. The sheath was white with a line of blue going down the center and another shorter stride horizontally across the middle. Nora slowly pulled the sword out; the polished metal gleamed brightly in the afternoon sun.
"I thought you might appreciate this after seeing your talent for a blade during your fight against the recent Kenpachi. I must say I have never seen a Quincy wield one with such skill, one could mistake you for a Soul Reaper." Yamamoto explained while the lady before him continued to examine the sword.
She smiled as she slipped the blade back into the scabbard and placed it by her side. "I am honored and truly grateful for such a rare and irreplaceable gift Head Captain. Thank you."
"Now about that proposition of yours." He started while pouring another cup of tea. "I suppose we could work something out."
You make it sound as though I'm asking you to send all your captains to protect me. Nora thought with a slight narrowing of her eyes. "All I ask is that you send a few seated or unseated officers to patrol around my home and the town we live in. Is that truly too much to ask?"
"No, but I have a few resignations about negotiating let alone helping a Quincy. You may have put your race's hatred aside for the good of your family, which I find admirable, but some of us here in Soul Society haven't." The old man growled warningly.
He could still clearly recall the repercussions that came before, during and after the Quincy War. The only other people who knew about all of that were Unohana, Ginrei, Ukitake and Kyoraku. The three men understood what he had to do but... Unohana has never really looked at him the same way since.
"Neither I nor anyone in my family is directly responsible for what happened. Why should my family be punished for some spat you had with our ancestors? Would it truly be that painful for you to lend a few perhaps five or even less men out the thousands you have here to watch over one family?" Nora calmly but icily spat back.
Head Captain Victoria Aqualius had warned Nora that Yamamoto could be a very stubborn old man. Nora brushed it off since she had experience in dealing with stubborn men. But this man was trying her patience and civility.
"While it is true that no one living was involved—" But he was brazenly interrupted.
"Then why should we have to suffer? We are willing to bury that part of our history, so why aren't you? I can understand if you are worried about us rising up and declaring war but that will not happen. I have the final say over the Quincies in this part of the world and I have absolutely no intent on diving into a blood bath.
"My brother and sister have the same mindset. If you don't hurt us we will have no reason to hurt you. Head Captain I'm coming to you Soul reapers for help and not other Quincies that alone should show you that I see you not as an enemy, a possible ally even. Please all I ask is for a little protection from the Hollows.
"And before you ask as to why my own people handle the Hollows well I think we both know the answer to that." Nora finished her well pointed lecture.
Silence hung in the air for long dragged out moment. Nora was worried that she may have crossed a line, or a few, and angered him or damned her family.
"I will admit that you make a few true points Lady Fukumoto. I do understand that you cannot punish the present for what the past has done. But you must understand as well that it is difficult to separate the one good apple in a dozen bad." Yamamoto finally said.
Nora politely nodded.
"Therefore I will bring this up again at the next captains meeting and see which division is willing to send a few officers to patrol your home and defend against any bothersome Hollows."
The Quincy lady couldn't hide the shock that crossed her face. To be honest having him agree was the very last thing she expected him to do. She expected to have to fight him down to the wire to get him to agree. Had her little rant really struck that deep of a cord in him? Whatever it was she wasn't about to look this gift horse in the mouth.
She recovered her polite serene expression. "I thank you from the bottom of my heart Head Captain Yamamoto."
He gave her a brief and nod as he took a sip of his tea. The two continued to chat until an appropriate amount of time had passed and it was time to depart. Before leaving through the Senkimon Gate Nora said.
"I thank you again for your protection and this beautiful sword Head Captain. When I toured the Seventh Division I meet a very talented and strong young lady."
"Oh?" He said with an upward quirk of one of his long eyebrow.
"Yes, a fair haired green eyed girl. You're granddaughter I believe. She is a very strong and formidable lady, it would not be right to hold her back just because you're afraid she'll get hurt. I understand the desire to protect your child, or in your case grandchild, but you can't protect them forever. You need to let them move on in life." Nora said as though she were a wisely sage when it came to parenting.
Yamamoto looked at her for a long moment. "I will keep that in mind Lady Fukumoto."
That seemed to satisfy her because she then turned and walked through the gate. Yamamoto was silent for a moment before saying.
"You can come out now Shunsui and Jushiro."
From the window behind him a straw hat appeared then the head underneath. The pink kimono wearing captain draped his arms over the windowsill. While another head topped with long white hair popped out from the side.
"So how'd you we were there Yama-jii?" Kyoraku asked, tipping his hat back.
"I know you two very well and I'm familiar with your predictable behavior." The old man said gruffly as he made his way to his desk.
"Are we really that predictable?" Ukitake asked.
"Aside from that is there something you boys need or you that curious?" He asked his surrogate sons.
The two younger men exchanged looks before Kyoraku spoke. "You know I'm genuinely surprised that you agreed to send a few men to watch over that woman's home. If you'd like I could send over some of my men. I mean considering all that happened during the Quincy War I thought you'd be a little more... stubborn about this."
It was true that the Gotei lost a good chunk of captains, lieutenants and seated officers because of that war. Including his one and only dear daugh—No, he wouldn't think of what happened to her. It would only make allowing Naomi to progress through the ranks that much harder.
"I was at first but the noble lady made a few decent points. Is there anything else gentlemen?" The head captain asked.
Jushiro spoke this time, "That sword you gave her. It looked an awful lot like the sword that used to belong to Nami Kenpachi."
"Your point being Jushiro?"
"Any reason why you modeled that gift after that particular captain's sword?" His sickly student asked.
"I thought it most befitting for Lady Fukumoto. Two fiery women that had a talent for handling a blade and both who had or have some ties to the Quincy race. Fitting don't you think?" Their fiery teacher replied.
The two men exchanged looks again. He was right, it was symbolic and ironic but in a pleasing humorous way. If Nora hadn't been born in Germany she could've been Nami reincarnated. A Quincy fighting with a sword, next there will be a Soul Reaper fighting with a bow and arrow.
"Hey Yama-jii I heard what she said about Naomi-chan and I think she's got a point." Kyoraku started.
The old man gave an irritated and weary sigh. "Don't you start Shunsui, don't you dare."
The Pendulum is allowed to swing just a little further into time. Taking another step into glimpsing the distant past.
(Japan, 1931)
Fifteen years it had been since Nora set foot inside Seireitei for the first time. She glanced up at the sword she was given back then. It was hung up on the wall above her desk like a trophy.
"I take it you've heard about what happened to the Ishida family?" Her husband Arata, sitting beside her said.
The pair sat together outside on the wrap around deck sipping tea and watching their children play. Their children were having a break from their lessons and being allowed outside to enjoy the delightful warm sunny weather. Ismau, fifteen and strong, was racing with his brother Haru who was only twelve but still able to keep up with his brother.
Isamu was tall with a head of gold blonde hair and gunmetal blue eyes. He was a handsome lad and showed signs of growing up to be even more handsome and strong in the future. Prospective brides were already being lined up at their door. He was also kind and gentle with his siblings.
Haru was slightly shorter than his brother and sported a head of ink black hair and blue gray eyes. He was more into learning things such as history and mathematics. He had a keen mind that was quick witted and sharper than most adults. Nora knew he'd be a formidable politician when he grew up.
Both boys were already being trained in how to utilize their Quincy powers. They could both use their bows and hirenkyaku effectively and were making steady progress.
Next her eyes slid to her identical eight year old twin daughters Miki and Miku. Both girls had heads of gleaming gold hair and gray eyes just like their mother. Arata kept saying that they would grow up to be just as beautiful as Nora. Being told she was going to have twins still sent a shock through her.
The two girls never left each other's sides for more than a minute two tops. Nora sometimes worried if that was normal. She was never that close with triplet brother and sister, the three of them couldn't be farther apart aside from just looks. Despite her daughters appearing identical Nora could always tell who was who. That was complete thanks to maternal instinct.
Next was the youngest, five year old Tsukiume. She had short silky black hair and glittering silver eyes. She was happily playing with her older sisters and watching her brothers on the side. Something about that girl felt different to Nora. Tsukiume may not appear to be much but Nora felt something in her instinct as a mother that her youngest would be different.
"Yes, I have." She responded. "It's a pity that such a great family fell."
"They have a son about Tsukiume's age don't they?" Arata asked casually.
"Yes, I even entertained the thought of making a marriage arrangement between them. Now I'm glad I didn't. They were weak fools who should've seen this coming." Nora chastised.
"Now be fair Nora. This was a surprise to all of us. How could they have seen it coming when someone as perceptive as you didn't?" Her husband asked.
She didn't respond but instead looked moodily into her tea.
"I'm sorry about Jonathan."
Her eyes shot up to lock on his, clearly asking 'how did you know?'
He gave her a sad smile, "I saw the opened letter from your sister on your vanity table last night. I'm so sorry."
Jonathan had been one of Nora's nephews. She had four nephews and one niece but she was down two nephews now. Alexander, Nicholas and Lillian's only child, had died four years ago due to pneumonia. The boy was just as sickly and weak of health as his mother, everyone had been counting down the days until he bit the dust.
Now Jonathan, one of Isabella's sons, was dead. He was only fourteen, just a year shy of being Isamu's age. He had been steadily poisoned with mercury and lead by a suspected member of Theodore's, the boy's father, side of the family.
One less competitor when it comes to the throne. A little thinning of the heard will make things that much easier. Nora thought when it came to the deaths of relatives.
With Alexander dead Nicholas had no heir. He dare not try and conceive again with Lillian since the first pregnancy had almost killed her. Her brother was far too honorable to take a mistress and have a child. So that meant that the throne would go to the next oldest sibling who was Nora and then to Isamu since he was her oldest child.
And not because he's a male like you Nicholas. The German born woman thinks.
"I'm sure Isabella is crying her crocodile tears for the press." Nora says tersely while watching the children.
"She loves her children just as much as you love yours. Any tears she sheds are in true mourning for the tragic loss of such a young life." Arata says quietly.
He doesn't know her siblings the way Nora does. He didn't have to live with them for twenty years. He didn't have to compete to get even a shred of attention from their parents or anyone for that matter. Nora was the odd child out. Her brother was the son every kind needed and her sister was the perfect lady that every mother craved. But not Nora.
She could be as a strong as a man when it came to strength and intelligence. Some members of the royal court even whispered that she would be a better ruler then her brother, the supposed first born. But Nora couldn't be graceful or elegant or dainty like a real lady. It wasn't in her nature no matter how hard she tried and people just couldn't understand that.
"Isabella only loves people who are useful to her. A dead person certainly isn't that." Nora retorted.
Seeing as how his wife was sticking to that Arata let the conversation drop. The couple sat together, sipping tea and watching their five children run and play together.
"I heard the Oshiros' played a large part in the Ishidas' downfall." Arata added after a lengthy pause.
The blonde gave a slight hum in acknowledgement. She wouldn't put it past that family, rat bastards.
There were four, now reduced to three, prominent noble Quincy families. The Fukumotos who were at the very top and pushed even higher because of the head's, Arata, marriage to the king's sister, Nora.
The Ishidas were noble and chivalrous to a fault but that didn't warrant their hard graceless fall. The Oshiros were a clichéd power hungry noble family that border lined on insane. The Tsukinos, a family that cavorted frequently with the Oshiros, were a bunch of weak-willed pansies in Nora's opinion.
I wonder who the Ishidas angered so greatly to have such a fate befall them. Did they deny a marriage contract or a business deal from going through?
The Oshiros were a sickeningly proud family. A family that could twist any action that someone did as tainting their beloved pride and honor. They viewed everything aside from complete obedience as an insult.
"Any other details?" She asked idly.
"Other than that the Ishidas are being forced to live in a poor village and have lost everything but the clothes on their backs then no." He husband responded.
"It's a pity then." Nora said. She raised her tea cup, "A toast to the Ishida family."
Her husband blinked before realizing what she was doing and lifted his cup as well. "To the Ishida family."
The clinked their cups and sipped their tea in honor of a fallen family.
It is said that the best defense is a good offense. I can protect my children from Hollows even with the help of Soul Reapers but I'm not entirely sure I can protect them from the real monsters.
*I hope you liked the more insight about Nora and the family. If you notice she doesn't mind working with Soul Reapers but as time goes on that starts to change, let's see if you can spot why later on. Remember that she grew up in an age where women were expected to look cute and act helpless. Things like fighting and politics were supposed to be for men only.
I'm sorry if the Head Captain agreed with Nora too quickly but I didn't want to drag it out and I wanted to move on.
Remember that Tsukiume is Naoko and Uryu's paternal grandmother Setsuna. Can you guess the boy her age from the Ishida family that was mentioned? Now let's see where have we heard the surnames Oshiro and Tsukino? Hmm...
The Olympics may be over but the Minnesota State Fair is here~! Here I come deep fired cookie dough, bacon ice cream, spaghetti on a stick and butter sculptures!
Ayame: Did she just say bacon ice cream?
Seirin: Apparently Minnesotans have nothing better to do but push their stomachs to their limits.
Gin: Well leave a review everyone~! We're serious about that you guys did such a nice job and then almost all of you just stopped. *shrugs* Anyway wish the authoress good luck because she starts her second year of college this Monday.*