"Aww, do I really have to?" Miki said in her whiniest voice.
"Yes, you do," Byakuya said with a chuckle. "And hurry up."
He hadn't slept at all, more than anxious to start on the trip he'd planned. He hoped that Miki was as excited as he was, but she seemed less than thrilled at his midnight wake up call. And then he'd broken the news that they'd need to wear their gigai.
"I hate these things. I hope we don't need them for long..." she whined.
They stepped through the gate, and Miki gasped when they found themselves in a totally different world. The sun peeked over the horizon, casting its rays across the sea like a million glittering jewels.
"Where are we?" she asked, her voice quiet with wonder.
"Paradise," he said with a smile.
They watched, their hands entwined until the sun had fully risen, and then turned up the path toward the hotel. Byakuya swore under his breath when Miki's bag, which was far heavier than his own, smashed into his shin.
"Let me take that," she said.
"I've got it."
"It's mine. Let me!" she said, hands on her hips.
Byakuya grinned to himself before turning around, and setting the suitcase down. She picked it up, with a slight grimace at the weight, and he set off again.
"Wait!" she called a moment later. "This thing is heavy!"
He stopped, but did not turn. "What do you have in there, anyway?"
"Rukia," she said.
"What?" He whirled around.
"She wanted to come along, so I told her she could stow away."
"Surely, you are joking?"
"Yeah," she said, with a smile. "But I couldn't leave the bathtub behind..."
He chuckled and had to wonder if she was serious when he again took the bag from her a moment later.
Soon, the dirt path gave way to ornamented cobblestones, lined by shop fronts. Miki stopped, staring into a window that was lined with different styles of shirts, and then she went in the door. Byakuya followed, setting the suitcases down just inside.
"Remember this?" she said, excitedly, holding up a neon pink and blue shirt. "We have to get you one!"
He shook his head. "Let's go get checked in and then we can shop."
She frowned for a moment, but then smiled, tugging on his arm. "As long as we can get that!"
"Whatever you want," he said, with a smile of his own. They would not be coming back to this shop, at least not to buy that shirt.
They continued on to the lobby of the hotel, and Byakuya got them checked in. When a bellhop came to take away their bags, Miki grinned and pulled up on the handle, handing it to the young man who wheeled it away.
"Why didn't you tell me!" he said, as she laughed at him.
They were led to a cottage that stood alone on the beach, nothing else in view near by. Byakuya took his suitcase into the bathroom to change, while Miki checked out the place. When he came out a few minutes later, he couldn't find her anywhere. He went onto the lanai which opened up onto the beach, so close that it would disappear under the ocean at high tide.
"That's... it's... How did you get there and back without me knowing?" she asked, pointing at the bright pink shirt he now wore.
"I didn't. This is the same one."
"You kept it?"
He nodded, checking his watch and pulling a paper out of his pocket.
"What's that?" she asked, coming behind him to read it.
"Our itinerary," he said. He'd planned out every moment of this day for her, and they were already running late.
"I hope you left some time for surfing," she said.
"Surfing? I left tomorrow completely open," he said, wondering if she could be convinced to stay inside and bed-surf instead.
They began by browsing through the stores, and stopped in at a little cafe for lunch. The place was nearly empty, but opened out onto the street, where a young couple sat together on a bench, completely absorbed in each other. Byakuya had spoken with the chef beforehand, and when they arrived, they were presented with little sandwiches cut into the shape of hearts.
Miki beamed delightedly when she recognized the romantic sandwiches, and he was happy that all was going according to plan.
They visited a tropical menagerie, where they walked down a path holding hands. The birds that sat in the canopy above were quiet and seemed to be sleeping. They admired the exotic foliage and little squeaking critters that ran along the ground, searching for a dropped treat.
Little did he know that the winged creatures that had been so silent were plotting against them. Or more particularly against Miki. The birds waited until they were well into the aviary, and then screamed their intent. He was unsure if she wore some scent they disliked, or if it were some other reason, but suddenly the canopy was alight with multicolored feathers.
The birds bombarded them with seeds, rocks, and other things which were best left unmentioned. The air filled with angry squawks and the beating of wings.
"Get down here and fight, you miserable beasts!" Miki shouted at them, and much to her horror, they obliged.
Byakuya suddenly found himself swatting them away from Miki, and avoiding the air missiles, all while trying to dodge their sharp beaks and talons. He yanked Miki, who was still shouting obscenities at the birds, toward the exit when a particularly angry one landed right on her shoulder. It wasted no time in grabbing up her ear in its beak and twisted it's head madly.
She screamed in pain, and batted at it until Byakuya grabbed it up in both hands, and it let go of its prize to utter a quite undignified shriek. Turning quickly, it bit straight into his little finger, and he flung it away.
Eventually they made it to the exit, and continued to run, leaving the irritated animals to squawk their disappointment, while the keeper to begged their forgiveness. When at last, they stopped, Miki turned to him, her ear bloody. She began to pick the remnants of the missiles out of his hair, and he returned the favor. Suddenly she burst out laughing, and he couldn't help but follow her lead. They giggled until he could barely breathe, and Miki had tears streaming down her face.
"They sure didn't like you," Miki said through several breaths.
"It was you they were after," he said. "One would think you'd tried to kill them or something, the way they were acting."
"Birds have never liked me," she said quietly.
After begging for a while, Byakuya reluctantly agreed to let Miki slip out of her gigai, and they sat out on the patio for a while, talking about nothing in particular and enjoying the breeze.
A young teenage couple walked past, hand in hand. The boy turned to regard Byakuya with a puzzled stare for a moment, and Miki realized he couldn't see her.
"That guy over there is talking to himself," the boy said to his girlfriend.
"Are you blind? His girl is sitting right there!" the girl pointed to Miki.
Miki hopped over the railing, and went to the couple. She calmly smacked the boy in the back of the head, and zipped around to the girl's other side. "He can't see me," she whispered, going around for a second attack.
"What the hell?" the boy said, swatting at the air.
"Miki, come on," Byakuya said.
"Just beware of boys like him. He's kind of like those nasty monsters," Miki said. "Heartless and rotten to the core."
"I told you this place is haunted!" the boy insisted as he attempted to fend off another attack from his invisible tormentor, and when he lost, he ran away in terror. Miki laughed as she walked back to the lanai.
"What was that about?" Byakuya questioned, anger in his tone.
"I saw that guy making out with some other girl when we were at lunch," she said.
Byakuya shook his head, "Go inside and put your gigai back on already. Before you get us in trouble."
When she went inside, he followed, and she stopped to see a beautiful amber evening dress hanging from the wall.
"I hope you like it," he said. "We have about an hour until dinner. I thought we'd eat early so we can see the sunset."
After she changed, he took her to a fancy restaurant where everything was coated in gold. A band played love songs softly in the background, and they sipped expensive wine. The food, of course, was some of the best she'd ever tasted. With Byakuya sitting across the table from her, a big smile on his face, the effect was complete.
This whole day he put together just for her, and it touched her. If he spent this much money on her, she shuddered to think of what their wedding would be like. Through it all, she knew she loved him more than anything else, and her feelings wouldn't have changed at all if he were the poorest soul alive.
"Miki, are you okay?"
She nodded, realizing she was moved to the point of tears. "Yes, I'm fine. You're too good to me."
"Please, don't start that again," he said, closing his eyes.
She reached across the table and took his hand in hers. "Thank you," she said.
He smiled. "I'm almost as crazy as those birds were over you."
They finished their dinner, and went to the beach, where a bench had been set out. The sun sank into the ocean, but it seemed a bit faster than she'd ever seen it before, and she wished she could grab onto it to keep it from setting so quickly. Its hue went from a flaming red, to a dazzling orange, then faded away.
The stars eventually peeked out of their blue-black hiding spot, to wink at them from so far away. She was content to sit in Byakuya's strong arms for as long as possible.
"Oh!" they both exclaimed at the same time, spotting the little glowing speck that carved a trail across the sky.
"It's good luck to wish on shooting stars," she said. He nodded his agreement, but said nothing.
Byakuya hugged her to him, a few minutes later, grabbing up a blanket as she shivered with the chill breeze. She knew he was waiting for something, because he kept looking at his watch.
Suddenly, a boom echoed around them, and the sky lit up in a shower of sparks. She watched with a smile as the display continued, amazed at the array of colors.
"How pretty! I didn't know they could do that," she said when a firework went off in the shape of a red heart.
"Not many can," he said. "It took a lot of searching to find someone with that kind of talent."
"This is your doing?"
"Yes. Just watch and enjoy."
A minute or so later, one burst into what looked like the letter 'M.' Followed by other letters to spell out a message. "Marry me, Miki," it said. She stared for a time after that, shocked.
Byakuya stood up, the fireworks a pleasant backdrop. He faced her, then went to his knees, opening the box he held in his hand. "I love you with all my heart, Miki. Will you marry me?"
Miki sat still, her mouth hanging open. She'd expected him to propose, but not like this! Her mind was blown as surely as the fireworks.
"Get up, you," she finally managed, and she wrapped her arms around him when he stood. After a moment, she let him go, and held her hand out. With shaking hands, he slid the ring onto her finger, and she rolled onto her toes to kiss him.
He pulled away, "You didn't answer yet."
"Yes, Byakuya, I'll marry you. I love you so much. Yes!"
They kissed while the finale burst over their heads. Salty tears of happiness from both of them mingled, becoming one before falling to the ground.
Byakuya thought he ought to have his head checked for having agreed to this. He stood at the edge of the sea, watching as Miki, who was no more than a tiny speck out in the water, paddled away from him. Some time later, she came careening toward the beach, perched atop what he thought was a huge wave.
"She's a natural, your girl," the man called Eddy said.
His girl. He liked the sound of that. Here, in this tiny bit of paradise, it was easy to get lost in the feeling. One thing he was certain of, he'd never stop looking on her with pride.
"Cute, too," the man continued.
Byakuya glared at him then looked out to where Miki bounded toward him. Cute didn't even begin to describe her. Beautiful, stunning, would be a more accurate description, even if he was a little biased. She wore a bikini of the same Hawaiian print as his shirt, but it looked far better on her.
"You gonna give it a try?" Eddy, who was their surfing teacher, flashed a smile at him.
"Ohh! That was so much fun! Byakuya, it's amazing. You have to try it," Miki said.
She wrapped her wet arms around him, and she felt cool and refreshing.
"I'd rather just watch you, Miki."
She looked up to the sky for a moment, "How about this? You try it, and after we break for lunch, you can decide what we do for the rest of the day?"
"Fine," he said, and splashed out into the water.
When they awoke this morning, he'd tried to talk her out of this insane idea, but Miki was ready to go. He had no idea how she could be so bright so early, especially since they'd been too busy last night to sleep.
"Are you sure you don't want to do something else instead?" he'd asked.
"Hm, we could do that," she said, pointing to where a group of kids were jumping off of a high cliff into the water below.
"Are you mad?" he snorted.
"What? It looks like fun!"
"Sure, if you find falling to your death enjoyable."
"Come on, I bet that you'll have a good time if you try it."
Somehow, he doubted it. He took another look at the cliff divers and said, "Surfing it is, then."
Now that he was in the water, he was convinced that his girl really was trying to kill him, and with this, she might just succeed. He'd never liked the ocean much, it was pretty enough to look at, but being in it was a different story. He sat out on the water for quite some time, trying to catch a wave, but he must have been doing something wrong.
He found himself suddenly being carried away, and he held on to the board for dear life. He began to think that surfing wasn't so bad, and then he promptly wiped out. The next thing he knew, he'd been plunged under the water, and struggled to find the surface. The ocean, it seemed, had it in for him, and would gladly hold him captive in a watery grave, if only it could get a firm grasp on him, and he was determined not to let it. So he spent the next hour in battle with the sea.
"Why don't you stand?" Miki asked, when he took a break.
He stopped, wiping his hair out of his face, "It must be this gigai."
"Sure," she said, pinching up the small chunk of hair that he'd missed, and tucking it behind his ear.
"How else would you explain it? I can fight all day long, in midair without an issue, but put a board under me, and suddenly my legs are wobbly as a toddler's."
"Maybe you're just not very good at it," she said.
"I have never been 'not good' at something."
"I'll stop torturing you now. Let's get something to eat," she took his hand and they started to walk up the beach.
"Miki?" he said, holding her left hand up. "Where's your ring?"
"Right here," she said, smiling as she dug in her pants pocket. "Shit!"
He looked at her, alarmed.
"I put it in my pocket so I wouldn't lose it..."
She'd had it for less than a day, and already it was gone. What was he going to do with her? It stung a little, that she'd been so careless with something that was so symbolic of their relationship. Still, he reminded himself, she'd been trying to keep it safe.
They combed the beach for the next few hours, but he'd grudgingly called off their search when the sun set. Before getting dinner, which they were both more than ready for, they went back to their cottage to change. While Miki was in the shower, Byakuya rested on the bed, his eyes drifting to a glimmer on the nightstand. He lifted himself off the bed to take a closer look. The ring!
He rushed into the bathroom, pulling the shower open. She sat in the tub that doubled as a shower, water rushing over her face.
"I found it!" he said.
"What?" she looked up at him, and he could see her eyes were swollen and red.
"The ring. It was on the nightstand," he said.
He was absolutely shocked when she stood and grabbed him by the collar, dragging him into the tub with her, fully clothed. She brought her lips up to his in a warm kiss, and he slipped the ring back onto her finger. It soon became clear to him that she hadn't intended him to wear his soaking clothes for long.
Miki stood, staring through the window of the sweet shop. The moment she'd returned from her trip, Rangiku had given her a task. Lieutenant Yachiru was having a birthday party in two days, and Miki had been put in charge of finding the perfect gift for her division to bring. It had turned into something of a contest between the divisions, each one bragging that theirs was the best, but none willing to give her any advice about what to get.
Byakuya, who was probably the most helpful of them all, wasn't much help either. He suggested she bake her own treats and offered to loan her his cookie cutters.
This shop was quite a distance from the Seireitei, and she hoped they might have something unique to offer. She sighed and opened the door, a bell softly protesting at her intrusion.
"Can I help you?" the young girl behind the counter said, with a smile. "Oh, Miki!"
Miki stared at the girl's face, recognition slowly dawning on her. Her first instinct was to run, but she was a shinigami now, and should not fear the small girl standing before her.
"Aika," she stammered, memories of all the beatings she'd suffered flooding her, and the girl who stood by, watching it all.
"Don't worry, Miki. I don't hate you," Aika said, her voice quiet and calming. "Things have changed."
Miki considered for a moment. The girl seemed such an insignificant thing, so tiny. It was clear that Aika meant her no harm.
"I need a present for a little girl," Miki said, though she kept her guard up. "It has to be the best."
Aika nodded and pulled out a large pink basket. Together, they filled the large basket with treats and toys of all sorts, including a fuzzy stuffed lion with a spiky mane.
"You bitch!" that familiar voice shrieked, and Miki spun to see Riko. She flung a box full of candy to the ground as she leaped over the counter toward her. Miki saw the attack coming, and dodged easily out of the way.
"What's this?" the owner came through the doorway to the storage area.
"Riko, stop!" Aika demanded, and Riko paused.
"You're fired!" screamed the owner, rushing Riko out the door, and apologizing to Miki all at the same time.
"Come on, Aika! This bitch is determined to ruin our lives!"
"No, Riko. I've had enough. I want to talk to her," Aika said.
With a look as though she'd been slapped, Riko slammed the door shut behind her and stomped off down the street. Aika motioned for Miki to follow, and led her out the back door to a mini-garden.
"You don't remember us, do you? Not from school, before that," Aika asked.
"No. Why does she hate me?"
"She doesn't. She's just so hurt that we meant so little to you that you've forgotten."
"Forgotten?"
In response, Aika reached out and grabbed her pants, tugging a little. "Miss Miki," she said, her voice quiet.
"The orphanage. You were there?"
Aika nodded. "Riko looked up to you so much. You were like a big sister to her, and she was always trying to get your attention, but you were so busy. Always taking care of everyone but her."
"When we first arrived, you saved her from the adults, and she never forgot that. From that point on, you were her hero. She loved you so much. And we all believed you when you said you knew a way to escape from their torment forever. You promised forever," Aika said, tears falling from her cheeks, small hands still clutching Miki's pants.
"I'm sorry," Miki said. "I didn't know. How could I have known it would be so hard to keep us all together after..."
"The fire," Aika said. "That night, when the others woke me up, I was so scared. We didn't know where you were, and they rushed me outside. But I left Mr Puddles."
Miki smiled sadly at that. She remembered that much. Puddles was a dirty stuffed dog that Aika, who looked very different than she had back then, carried with her everywhere. Miki had given it that name because it was so stained and dirty, it looked like it had been playing in the mud.
That night, Aika had tugged on her skirt, just as she was doing now, and begged for someone to get her friend. Miki, not even looking down, pushed her hands away, and told her to grow up.
"Riko saw that you were upset, and so busy, so she tried to help me herself. We went in after Puddles."
"No, no. Nobody was inside but the adults," Miki insisted, her mind unable to accept anything else.
"Miki, we were inside. We went back in after you got us all out. It's not your fault. Riko tried to shove me out a window, but it was too hot and smoky, and I refused to leave her. She fell to the floor, and I..."
Miki grabbed Aika and held her to her, tears streaming down both their cheeks. The cries she'd heard in her sleep. They'd screamed for so long, for so so long.
"I curled up with Puddles and Riko, and we went to sleep. But when we awoke, in Soul Society, Riko was angry. She clung to you for years. And then one day, decided to become a shinigami. I finally started to see the real Riko."
"And then I came back," Miki finished for her. "And she could never forgive me."
"The worst part is, we both really wanted to be shinigami."
"I'm sorry," Miki said.
"I've already forgiven you, but I don't think Riko can. She's turned it into her life."
Byakuya returned home from a long day at work, and retired to his library. He stopped in the doorway, watching as Miki and Rukia sat, talking. The way Miki sat, rigid and mechanical, warned him that something was very wrong. Stepping further into the room, he saw the pink basket resting on the couch, and he knew. He took a seat behind his desk, and waited until Rukia left before asking her.
"What's bothering you?" He reached out to hold her, and Miki's demeanor changed abruptly. She batted his hand away, and sprang to her feet.
"Don't touch me," she screamed. "I'm despicable. Stay away from me."
"I already know," he said, also rising, and tackling her into a great bear hug. "And it doesn't matter to me. I love you."
"No, you can't love me. Nobody can. I'm horrible, and I'm a murderer!" She struggled in his arms.
After the girls had been expelled from the school, Byakuya had gone to speak to them. He'd made it abundantly clear that he would not tolerate any further harassment on their part. They told him everything that had happened so long ago, and it was clear to him, even then, that Riko would never get past it.
There had been some danger in letting them go, but they were far enough away, he thought it wouldn't have been an issue. Plus, under the law, there wasn't much he could do.
"It was an accident, Miki. Look at me," he waited for her to respond. "It was an accident."
"I set that fire. I did. Alone. And I'm responsible for their deaths."
"Miki, stop being so foolish. I talked to Aika, I know what happened, and even she said it wasn't your fault."
"Oh, God, why does it hurt so bad? I feel like I've been kicked in the heart," she said, tears again coming to her eyes.
When she went limp in his arms, he guided them both to the couch, and held her while she cried herself out again.
"What happened was a disaster, but you did not make them go back inside."
"No," she agreed. "But I did listen to their screams. They yelled for help for so long. And I just stood there."
"You thought they were the matrons."
"I didn't. I knew who they were, but I was scared. So scared that I couldn't move. I was there to protect them, and I couldn't."
"That's why you blocked it out, turned it into something else."
"Yes. All this time, I've been hiding from the truth. No wonder Riko wanted to kill me. Maybe she should have."
He shook his head.
"Aika talked with me for a while. She was not angry. How can she forgive me for it, but I can't forgive myself?"
"Nobody is perfect, but if you had not tried something, then everyone would have suffered even more."
"I guess. It still doesn't change the fact that I came back into their lives and turned them upside-down again. Just when Riko was finally able to move on, I ruined it again."
"You couldn't have known."
"If I hadn't buried the memory, then maybe things would be different. I think, more than anything, Riko just wanted me to acknowledge her. I feel so guilty, and I wish there was something I could do for them."
"Well, if you think of something, I'd be glad to help in any way I can."
She smiled. "Thank you, Byakuya."
"So, this is the gift?" he said, examining the basket of treats. "Certainly she will like this."
"I hope so," Miki said, plucking the lion from its resting spot amid the candies.
He chuckled, "Somehow, it even looks a little like Zaraki."
Miki shuffled around nervously, waiting for her friends to arrive. She'd laid out a blanket and a picnic basket sat at the base of a the tree. When her friends finally got there, she motioned for them to sit down, and poured them both a drink. Jun and Kimie exchanged suspicious glances, but she ignored them.
"For dinner, we have sandwiches," Miki announced, pulling two of them out of the basket, and setting them down.
"Sandwiches?" Jun repeated.
Miki nodded. "Romantic sandwiches. I made them myself. Here, try them! Oh, I'll be right back."
Miki dashed over behind another tree and watched her friends. At first it looked like everything was going well, as they talked a little, but then Jun took a bite. His face turned red, and he spat it out quickly, grabbing for his drink. After the last disaster, she'd practiced cooking, and couldn't understand Jun's reaction.
From her vantage point behind the tree, Miki could not hear anything they said, but it appeared that Jun's reaction had her friend laughing.
Several minutes later, Kimie stood up, her arms crossed, and foot tapping, which Miki knew to be her angry stance. She couldn't figure out what had gone so wrong, but clearly heard what the girl said next, because she shouted it loud enough that the servants back at the manor probably heard it.
"Here, take your damn romantic sandwich," Kimie yelled, loud enough that the servants back at the manor probably heard it. And then she launched it right at Jun's face, where it landed against the side of his head, and slid to the ground.
"Dammit!" Jun said, while he wiped clingy bits of sauce from his face.
Kimie said something else to him, and stomped off through the trees.
"Wait! Kimie, wait," Jun said, and then walked off in the opposite direction.
Miki took off after Kimie, running to catch up with her.
"What happened back there?" she asked, grabbing her friend by the arm.
"It doesn't matter," Kimie spat, but Miki could tell that whatever it was bothered her deeply. "He's just being a jerk because his captain's got him running on a wild goose chase, and I'm got enough to deal with."
"Maybe I can help. Tell me?"
"It wasn't even about him, Miki. I just went off, and I didn't mean it."
"What's bothering you then?"
"My mom came to see me. She said it's my last chance. Brought a bill for everything she's ever spent on me!" Kimie said on one very rushed breath.
"Are you serious? That bitch!"
"Yeah. She gave me two options, either I quit and find a husband, or she disowns me. I chose option two. It was foolish of me to think that she'd ever be proud of me."
"Who cares what that stuffy old witch thinks! I'm proud of you. What did you do?" Miki said.
"I gave her an eraser. Told her it was the one I used to remove her name as next of kin."
"You didn't?" Miki said, her eyes wide, and her friend nodded. "That must have been hard. I'm sorry, girl."
"It's okay. I don't need them anyway. So I put you down on the paperwork. I hope that's okay?"
"I'm honored."
"Miki, if anything happens, you know. You'll have to tell them."
"Nothing's going to happen! But I'll handle things, don't worry."
"If they behave like idiots, you have my permission to go all 'Hurricane' on them."
Miki laughed and punched at the air a few times, "Like this?"
"Yes," Kimie said with a laugh of her own. "And thanks so much for being my friend, Miki."
"I don't think I'd be here today if it weren't for you, Kimie."
They smiled and hugged, but before they parted, Miki convinced her friend to talk to Jun.
Jun sat over the unkempt pile of papers, just as he'd done every day for the last few weeks. He cursed in his head over the awful state of the academy's paperwork. At the least, they could have organized it better! Captain Kuchiki had ordered him to search for any information regarding a shinigami that graduated from there. Unfortunately, the only information that Jun had been given was the guy's name.
He had no clue what the Captain wanted, but a little more information, such as an approximate date might have been helpful. He sighed, as he put another page on top of the stack, and grabbed the next one. This one, at least, wasn't all smudged and the writing was mostly legible.
Jun wondered if Captain Mystery was ever going to forgive him for that fight, but even he had to admit that the projects he'd been sent to work on hadn't all been bad. It had taken him several days to find someone capable of making that fireworks display, but the searching wasn't all that horrible. In the end, he'd given up on looking for a human, and has asked around, finding division twelve to be especially helpful. In fact, it was their Captain that had pulled off the amazing display.
He returned his gaze to the paper, and about three quarters of the way down, he stopped. His jaw slowly opened, as he stared at the page. This was it! Kyote Yuki, division eleven!
He jumped up, spilling his chair, and rushing to the door, the paper still in his hand.
"Hey," the attendant called. "You can't just leave this like that!"
But in his excitement, Jun didn't hear him, and he rushed through the Seireitei to his division's headquarters. He was in such a hurry, he didn't bother to knock, but flung the door open.
"Urahara isn't helping Miki, Yorouichi is," the red-headed Lieutenant said.
Captain Kuchiki glared at his intrusion, and gestured to Jun to leave. He closed the door behind him, and waited in the hallway, wondering what they were talking about in there.
Several minutes later, Renji emerged, "He says he'll see you now."
Jun, well aware of his previous error, knocked softly at the door this time. At the Captains grumble, he entered the room.
"From the stunned look on your face, am I to assume that you have found something?" the Captain asked.
"He was in division eleven," Jun said, only now realizing he still held the paper. He handed it over to the Captain, who took one look at it, and stood.
"Excellent. Come with me."
Without another word, they marched straight to eleven's headquarters. Once they were inside, the captain stopped in a hallway that branched off in two directions.
"I am going to have a word with Zaraki. You ask around and see if anyone remembers him."
Jun nodded, and Captain Kuchiki disappeared down the hall. He took a deep breath, steeling himself, and walked the other way.
"Hey, anyone here remember a guy named Kyote Yuki?" he asked.
"Get outta here," came the only reply.
"Come on, now. Help a guy out a little?" Jun said.
In the next instant, someone was towering over him, and he looked up into the face of the biggest of the Elevens that had been bothering him. He cursed Miki's stupidity under his breath.
"You got somethin to say?" the big guy said.
"No, I'm just looking for some information."
"Well, there ain't any here, so go look somewhere else, baby."
"Hey, hey," said a guy, who's long hair was dark black, but held a strange greenish sheen. "He's not worth the trouble. We don't know that guy you're looking for, so you should go."
Jun didn't need to be told twice, and he headed back to the entry to wait for his captain.
"Anything?" the captain asked, when he rejoined him.
Jun shook his head. "If they know him, they're not talking."
"I expected as much. Of course, some people don't take their records seriously enough."
As they left the building, Jun spotted the green haired guy hanging around in the front, watching them.
"Can I ask what this is all about?" Jun said, finally gathering enough nerve to ask.
"You cannot."
Miki lay out on the couch, her head in Byakuya's lap. She giggled slightly, and Byakuya tore his eyes away from his own book to look at her.
"Sorry, it was just funny," she said, holding up one of Rukia's comics.
"What's it about?"
"A poor girl that falls in love with a rich guy," she said. "But they have a lot of problems."
He chuckled. "That sounds familiar."
"Excuse me, Sir. There's someone at the door who says he had information about Kyote?"
Miki cast a sharp glance at Byakuya, who said, "Show him in."
He got up from the couch, and moved to the desk. "So it appears someone did know your father after all."
A middle aged shinigami with oddly green hair came in, reminding Miki briefly of her own best friend.
"Sorry to disturb you at home, Captain," the man said. "But it took a while for me to remember the man your young assistant was asking about. I'm Kuma."
"I see. How did you know Kyote Yuki?"
"He was my partner for a while. I met him on his first day of duty, and we were put together, since I didn't have a partner. He wasn't the strongest, or the smartest, but he had the shinigami heart. Nothing was better to him than being out there and killing hollow. I guess that's the same of all of us."
"Anyway, that's how it was for years. The wolf and the bear. The others treated him okay, but he remained a nobody. Not powerful enough to earn a good spot, but I think he had some power he held back from us. You know how it is in eleven," the man said.
It was something, to think her father had been here, in the Seireitei, but considering he was from that division, that gave him a bit of a sinister side, at least to her eyes. She hid her disappointment that he wasn't more than an average swordsman.
"It was all fine, but then, one day during our thirteenth year together, he came to me with a secret. He'd been on a mission in the human world and had fallen in love. With a human girl. I told him to forget her. Nothing good can come from mingling with humans. But he couldn't do it, and I found myself caught in the middle, covering for him while he was out there."
The tale he told was familiar to Miki, though hers had turned out very differently. She cast a tiny smile at Byakuya, thankful that he'd done all he had for her.
"He changed over the next few years. He seemed to be sad, depressed almost, and his temper was quick and explosive. But even more worry some was that he lost his grip on reality. Somehow, he couldn't quite figure out what was real, and what wasn't," Kuma shook his head, taking a sip of his tea.
"Then he came to me in tears. It was over. But she was pregnant. I certainly didn't know that could happen, so I thought it was another of his delusions. He still couldn't give her up. I went with him to talk to this girl, once, and saw for myself. Wicked, she was, and selfish too. Truly, I have never met a human with so little heart as she had. She agreed to take him back, but only on the condition that he leave his Zanpakuto behind. You see, she was very jealous of anything else in his life, and believed he should exist only for her."
"I should be glad that he didn't leave her, but I still don't understand why," Miki said.
"I worried that her dislike might extend to the little one growing in her belly, and I think maybe he was, too. I took his Zanpakuto and buried it somewhere safe, and they disappeared from my life for several months, until one day when I was on a mission in the human world."
"He must have really loved her, to have given it all up like that. I'm not sure I could have," Miki said.
"I don't know how he found me, but he did, and explained that the woman had gone hollow. For some reason, she was after their baby, and he needed his Zanpakuto to protect the little one. I fetched it for him and told him about a rumor I'd heard of some outcast shinigami who was living in town who might be able to help. That was the last I ever saw of him."
His story told, he thanked them for the tea and let himself out, while Miki sat in contemplative silence.
"It seems so tragic," Miki said, finally.
"Yes, it does. But at least now you know a little bit more," Byakuya agreed.
"I know where I came from, now. It's something, at least," she said, with a smile. "And thank you for this."
Miki scanned the dark streets, not really looking for anything in particular, but feeling restless. The sound of a scuffle broke the silence, coming from a block or so away. She dashed off in that direction, and came upon a big, open park. Under the dim glow of the lights, she saw an enormous hollow, bent low to inspect a lump that was laying half on one of the play sets. When it straightened a moment later, it held the lump in its hand. From what little she could see of it, it appeared to be a shinigami uniform, no doubt its owner still inside.
"Hey, Ugly Shit," she yelled, and the creature turned its head to look. She sprinted forward, and tripped over another body that lay on the ground. Glancing down, she saw just enough of the man to note that he still breathed, and she thought she recognized him.
Lurching to her feet, she yelled, "Hey, look here! That guy there is not a good hollow snack. Put him down and get me instead! I'm much tastier, won't give you indigestion like those Elevens!"
The hollow tossed its bundle aside, reaching out for her instead. Now that she had its attention, she paused to wonder if this was a good idea at all. She was alone, and she wasn't exactly supposed to be here. Judging from the looks of the other two, they wouldn't be able to help her any time soon.
As the hollow approached, she backed up, drawing it away from the injured shinigami. She cursed herself for having thrown away the element of surprise, and reached for her Zanpakuto.
When it was far enough away, she charged at it, hacking at its midsection. The sword grazed it, but left it mostly undamaged.
"Oy! That's my hollow!" the injured shinigami shouted at her, and she glanced his direction. He'd stood up, though he swayed a good bit from his injuries under the bright lights.
"Oh, so you were trying to let it eat you?" she said.
"No, you idiot! I was just fine on my own, and now you come and try to steal my kill?"
"Hey!" the hollow roared. "You want me to sit over there till you decide who I eat first?"
"It's fine. He's in such a hurry to die, so go eat him already," Miki said.
The hollow stomped back off to the other shinigami, and Miki took a seat on a nearby bench. She took the opportunity to bring out her weapon's true form, and waited.
"Oy! You there, a little help?" the shinigami said, not even a minute later, when the hollow had scooped him up and drew him near its mouth.
"You don't want my help, but you do want it. Make up your mind!"
"Okay okay, help me!"
"Are you really sure?" Miki said, standing, and moving a little closer to them.
"Yes! Kill it before it kills me!"
The hollow had turned to stare at her, what might have been an astonished look on its face. She flicked her arm out, the ribbons wrapping securely around the hollow. With a quick jerk, the ribbon glowed white, six points shooting out with the ribbon in the center. The hollow screamed and disappeared, leaving the shinigami to fall to the ground. With another movement, she caught him up in her yellow ribbon, and guided him to the ground.
She went to him, and saw he was the smallest of the elevens that had been bothering Jun.
"If I'd known it was you, I wouldn't have bothered," she said.
"You shouldn't have."
An idea occurred to her then. "I'll tell you what. Let's call a truce. You and your guys leave my friends alone, we'll leave you guys alone. And nobody has to know what happened tonight."
"Deal," he grumbled, and hobbled to his friend. Miki helped them through the gate, feeling like things might be looking up.
Author's Note: Hope you all enjoy :) As always, feel free to let me know what you think!
