The aftermath of the Diamond Dust Rebellion, one more chapter with Mama-Ran, and we continue laying the groundwork for what's to come...
Hope you'll enjoy the chapter!
Chapter 25. In Memoriam
Ichigo, Rukia and Yuzu spent that night in their rooms at the Nagaken Estate. Yuzu had called Uryuu's denreishinki to inform him that they would be returning until the next day and ask him to excuse them with everyone; Ichigo was too busy thinking on what he'd seen on Soukyoku Hill and Rukia trying to help him to remember anything else.
Ichigo was having a hard time dealing with his emotions. He could count the times he'd seen, or heard, Karin cry with the fingers of one hand: first shortly after their mom had died, before she'd closed off and put up a strong front so as not to make anyone worry about her; the second was when that mess with the possessed parakeet had happened, the boy's spirit in the bird had broken through her blocks and Karin had seen his last moments of life, as the little boy watched his mother being murdered before accidentally killing the murderer himself, and all he'd suffered since, with all the people that believed him insane, or possessed, until the murderer-turned hollow had truly cursed him to an existence as a soul bound to a bird; the boy's pain became Karin's own, and she had cried, for his pain, and hers; the third had been shortly after she regained her powers, after learning what had been of Tenreikou; the fourth Ichigo had never seen, though Yuzu had told him about it, about how Karin had yelled and cried at the sight of Hitsugaya Toushirou's bleeding and half-dead form deep in the Chambers of 46…and in that moment she was crying for the loss of a friend.
If Ichigo was honest to himself (something very hard indeed), he would admit that the problem wasn't that Karin cried, it was that he felt useless. He somewhat understood why she was crying, she'd called Kusaka Soujirou nakama, and if there was anything Ichigo understood it was that. But the point was that the whole situation was just a painful reminder to the orange-haired of how little he actually knew his little sister, of how she at times wasn't really his little sister, she was someone else…someone who, technically, could have been his aunt, would have been if Aizen hadn't been so intent on killing her twenty-five years before.
"Ichigo…" Rukia whispered.
It took several tries, but eventually he turned soulful, tired chocolate brown eyes to her, their expression almost dull, showing his feelings as clearly as if they had been written down in a language made especially for Rukia to understand.
"Tell me what you're thinking, Ichigo." Rukia half-pleaded.
"I'm thinking that I don't know my sister anymore." Ichigo answered honestly. "At times I wonder if she's even my sister anymore…"
"What do you mean?" Rukia wasn't sure she understood.
"The way she was acting today at Soukyoku Hill, the way she's been acting since we found Toushirou wounded in Karakura…" Ichigo tried to explain. "That wasn't Karin-chan, not my fifteen-year-old sister…no, that was someone else, someone authoritative, independent, powerful…someone who doesn't need me."
"Oh Ichigo…" Rukia embraced him tightly. "I understand it's hard. It's hard for me as well, the way Karin-chan seems to change at times. What you may have not noticed is that she isn't the only one, Tatsuki too, and…sometimes others as well. I think it may have to do with their past lives, with how different their current lives are to others they remember. It's like certain things make them react in different ways. And I'm sure it's not only hard for us, it must be hard for them too, to have to deal with memories of two lives, at times a previous that happened so long ago, and that might not have been a happy one…There's a reason why souls forget their lives, you know? Everyone deserves a clean slate, to begin anew."
Ichigo nodded, he realized Rukia was right, he, they weren't the only ones having a hard time.
"Besides." Rukia went on. "Regardless of how strong Karin might be, I don't think she'll ever stop needing you, not completely. Maybe she won't need you to protect her all the time, but then again she could defend herself even before all this began." she sighed. "What I mean is that, even if she doesn't need you to protect and save her, she'll always need you to be there, for her. You'll always be Karin's big brother Ichigo, and Yuzu-chan's as well."
"What would I do without you?" Ichigo asked as he pulled Rukia onto her lap, burying his face in her silky hair.
"Be terribly miserable for the rest of your existence?" Rukia quipped with a chuckle, as she buried her own face in the crook of his neck.
Ichigo didn't answer just held her tighter against him, though careful not to hurt her, the last thing he wanted to do in that moment was to admit she was probably right, if she wasn't there he probably would have been miserable for the rest of his existence…
xXx
Karin and Toushirou, for their part, spent that night in each other's arms, in Toushirou's room; while Rangiku kept vigil outside, it had been a long day…
The morning came, eventually, and while they all knew the worst was over, they also all knew some things still needed to be addressed.
"Good morning." Toushirou greeted half-unaware as he stepped into the kitchenette of his captain-quarters, then did a double take as he realized who was there. "Mo…Mat…huh?"
"Good morning Toushirou." Rangiku smiled as she served some tea and offered him a cup. "Here, I prepared some tea."
"But you hate tea." Toushirou stated suspiciously even as he took the offered cup.
"Actually, I've not always hated tea." Rangiku commented as she served herself a cup and took a sip. "I just…kind of got tired of it."
"Tired?" Toushirou didn't understand.
"After nine months of being able to drink nothing but tea you probably would get tired of it too." Rangiku commented offhandedly with a wink.
"Nine…wha…?" Toushirou was thoroughly shocked.
"Tea and sushi." Rangiku specified. "And ice-cream. God, how I hate sushi! Though the ice-cream wasn't so bad…I actually still like that."
"Tho…Those were your cravings, when you were pregnant with me?" Toushirou asked after a few seconds with his mind blank.
"Mostly." Rangiku answered as she thought about it. "There were other things of course, but those three were the most common. Food aside, you just seemed to like cold, even the tea, there were times I wanted iced-tea instead of hot; it drove the few people that knew about my pregnancy and wanted to help me crazy."
"Who knew about your pregnancy?" Toushirou wanted to know.
"Well, Unohana-taichou and Isane-san, obviously since, like I said before, it's so rare for a soul to be able to get pregnant." Rangiku enlisted. "Isshin-taichou, it's why he helped me so much when I was still his subordinate, your grandma…and Nanao-chan."
"Nana…Ise Nanao-fukutaichou?" Toushirou hadn't been expecting that one.
"Yes." Rangiku nodded. "She's my best friend, has always been. She too is a prodigy you know? Nowhere near what you, your…Gin, Karin-san or some others have displayed, but still, she went to the Academy while still being very young, finished in four years…though it's been said that she was held back at first, because of her youth, and the fact that her power hadn't fully matured yet. I've always been good friends with Kyouraku-taichou, and not only because we tend to be drinking-buddies, like most people think."
"You and…Kyouraku-taichou?" Toushirou was beginning to believe he might be sick.
"Not like that!" Rangiku actually chuckled. "We're just very good friends. Shunsui-san is not all he appears to be."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Toushirou asked.
"He's not as much of a flirt as he appears to be." Rangiku answered honestly. "Nor is he that lazy and forgetful. Really, if you really think about it, if he were he wouldn't have gotten as far as he has, one of the oldest, strongest captains of the Gotei 13. I think he just does all that to push Nanao-chan's buttons." She chuckled again. "Anyway, I'm actually not sure if Shunsui-san knew about my pregnancy or not, I suppose it's possible, considering how much 'free time' Nanao-chan used to have back then, and on how many errands she was sent to the 10th division… especially if we consider he already spent quite a bit of time there, being a great friend of Isshin-taichou and all. Anyway, Nanao-chan was there with me, she of course soon realized I was pregnant, she helped me keep the secret."
"Does she know I…" Toushirou didn't actually know how to phrase the question.
"She doesn't know you're my son." Rangiku shook her head. "She knows I had a child, a boy, but she believes he's still hidden, somewhere in Rukongai. When you were just a baby I told her I had to keep you away, for your own safety, and she never asked again."
"What about my f…Gin?" Toushirou asked.
Despite the fact that it had been several months since he knew she was his mom, he just had never seemed to be able to find the right moment to have that kind of conversation. It was nice, in a way he couldn't explain.
"He knows." Rangiku answered. "Though don't ask me how, as I don't have the slightest idea. Then again, Karin-san too knows, and I don't know how she found out either, though Isshin-taichou knowing might have had something to do with that at least. Other people, like Yamamoto-soutaichou and Sui-Feng-taichou might know, if for no other reason than the kind of authority they have in Seireitei and the fact that they have access to Unohana-taichou's records. And I think that's it."
"Aizen?" Toushirou asked.
"I don't think so." Rangiku answered, more slowly this time. "Regardless of what you might have believed at first, I'm convinced now that your f…that Gin loves you, that he loves us both. He would have done his best to make sure Aizen didn't find out about you."
Toushirou nodded slowly, he still found it hard to believe: the fact that Ichimaru Gin was his father, and not only that, the fact that he loved him, had protected him…it was all just so strange. And yet he knew it to be true, Ichimaru Gin loved both him and his mother, he wasn't really a traitor, he was trying to bring Aizen down, just like they all were, only that in a very different manner, and he was doing it all for them: for his son Toushirou, for the woman he loved Rangiku, and his friend Karin.
"You're very much like him, you know?" Rangiku commented unexpectedly. "Gin, I mean."
"What?" Toushirou spat the tea he'd just sipped in shock.
"Yes." As Rangiku spoke she went around the kitchen counter, to stand next to her son. "Always wanting to do things your own way, and the knack of leaving me behind, worrying about you." She embraced him tightly right then. "You better not do that again to me young-man! I have enough with your father doing it, I cannot take it if you do the same!"
For a moment Toushirou didn't know what to feel, or say, he was being reprehended, like a little child; he should be upset, angry for the way Rangiku was treating him, and yet it somehow felt nice. Because Rangiku wasn't just any person, she wasn't even just his lieutenant, she was his mother…and she worried about him.
"I'm sorry mother…" He whispered softly as he embraced her back.
"I love you so much, Shirou-chan…I don't want to lose you…" Rangiku whispered with teary eyes as she held him even more tightly.
"You won't lose me, I promise you…mom…" Toushirou said just as softly.
Rangiku just smiled as she held her son, at times he seemed so powerful and strong, and yet he was still young, and even if he weren't, she knew he would always be her son. So she smiled, a soft, caring, warm smile, a special smile she had reserved for her son, for the few times he called her mom…
From the doorway, Karin watched the exchange in silence and smiled as well.
xXx
Around midmorning a messenger arrived to the Nagaken Estate to inform Ichigo that his, and the other Nakama's (those currently in Soul Society at least) presence was required in a meeting with the Captain-Commander in an hour. Ichigo sent a Clan messenger to Karin; he knew that if the meeting was in regards to what had happened the last few days, like he thought it was, then another messenger must have gone to inform Toushirou already, but just in case, he would make sure Karin was informed.
An hour later, as asked, Ichigo, Rukia, Yuzu and Karin were standing before the doors to the 1st Division HQs, as expected, Toushirou and Rangiku were already inside, as were all the captains and lieutenants of the Gotei 13; Karin had informed Yuzu, Ichigo and Rukia, after being informed by Toushirou herself, that Skye Kotori would be in attendance as well, in representation of the 5th Division, since Hinamori, the only one who ranked higher than her apparently wasn't yet in condition to attend meetings.
The doors were opened and the four Nakama went in, Ichigo at the center, flanked by his sisters and wife (even if most still didn't know that part).
"Very well, now that we are all here." Yamamoto said seriously. "We're here to discuss the events that took place in the last 48 hours, in both the Soul Society and the Living World, in relation to the Ouin and the criminal: Kusaka Soujirou."
It was obvious, by the way they tensed, that two particular people didn't like the way Yamamoto was referring to him, so casually, so coldly…and yet there was nothing they could do about it, because they knew that no matter how events were interpreted, how many justifications they tried to come up with, or the fact that they understood why things had happened as they had; there was no erasing the fact that Kusaka Soujirou had been, indeed a criminal: he'd attacked a Royal Convoy, killed dozens of people, stabbed Toushirou, attacked Kyouraku, stolen the Ouin, and then attempted to use it to claim vengeance on Soul Society, and through it all he also did his best to frame Toushirou for all his crimes!
One by one Sui-Feng, Rangiku, Shunsui, Nanao, Renji, Byakuya, Hisagi, Kira and Skye reported what had happened during the last two days, leaving aside any personal grudges (though it was obvious some of them had them).
When the Nakama's turn came, Ichigo and Rukia went first, most of the shinigami from the Gotei 13 couldn't quite believe everything those two, and the rest of the Nakama, had done and not done, just because one of them had said that what was going on was a personal matter. Still, Ichigo kept saying that he trusted his sister, her independence, power and judgment; which is why he only got involved when it became a matter of life and death.
Yuzu said nothing, just nodding when Ichigo mentioned how she'd treated Toushirou after the first battle; other than that, she really hadn't done much.
When Karin's turn came Toushirou left his spot in the captains' formation and went to stand by her side. The two together then went into a detailed explanation of everything that had happened, carefully avoiding any personal conversations, between them or with Kusaka, it's not like they changed anything, really.
No one said a single word was said while Toushirou and Karin related their side of things, no emotion showing on their expressions, even when most of those present had seen the rather emotional goodbye on Soukyoku Hill the day before.
Eventually it was over, and it came Yamamoto's turn to speak again.
"As you all have seen by now, Hitsugaya Toushirou has been fully reinstated to his rank, with all responsibilities and privileges it allows." Yamamoto declared. "For all intents and purposes the guilty party in these events is Kusaka Soujirou, and he's been punished for his actions, by the very person he tried to frame for his crimes."
It was obvious some people, like Sui-Feng, didn't like that Toushirou wasn't going to be charged for anything; not even the attack he and Karin had been responsible for, against the shinigami who had tried to arrest them. But Yamamoto's authority was absolute and she had to respect it, as did everyone else in the Gotei.
Toushirou and Karin once again clenched their fists slightly, but neither said nothing. As much as they may want to defend their once-best-friend, it wasn't like it would change anything.
"The involvement of the Nakama: Kurosaki-Nagaken Karin will be considered to be under her duties as Royal Guardian, therefore it was outside of the authority and responsibility of the Gotei 13 or Seireitei." Yamamoto added.
Karin nodded stoically, she knew, as did Yamamoto, that if anyone had tried to pin anything on her, she had more than enough aces under her sleeve, her current duty as Royal Guardian, being only one of them; in particular there was the fact that she was the only one who knew where the Royal Heir was, even Toushirou, despite being her partner, didn't know. That was also why Toushirou wouldn't be judged for anything, Yamamoto knew if he'd tried Karin would rather have revealed he was the other Royal Guardian than allow it, and he agreed with her plan of keeping his real power and position a secret, at least for the time being.
Some, like Sui-Feng, Hisagi, Kira and Skye could only mutter low under their breaths the unfairness of it all.
"Now, there is one more topic of discussion for this meeting." Yamamoto declared before more whispers arouse. "In regards to the demand made by the Nakama-taichou to Hisagi-fukutaichou, Kira-fukutaichou and Skye-sanseki, a demand for all shinigami to stay out of Nakama territory unless authorized by the Nakama themselves…"
The moment Yamamoto began his explanation of the last topic Ichigo and Rukia immediately straightened up. Karin and Toushirou had returned to their spots, and while Karin was Nakama, and a powerful one, she'd never wanted to have a position of power in the group, so Ichigo and Rukia were the highest ranking Nakama present in that moment, they just hoped things wouldn't get so complicated before the meeting ended that they would regret not calling Uryuu to join them before it began.
"It's ridiculous." Sui-Feng hissed, finally losing her patience and composure. "We cannot let a group of immature human brats decide when we can, and when we cannot do our job!"
"Yes, because you're doing so great at it…" Ichigo muttered sarcastically.
"Wha…?" Sui-Feng was furious by that point.
"Ichigo…" Rukia whispered, trying to calm him down.
"You have something to say, Kurosaki-Nagaken-taichou?" Yamamoto inquired.
At least half of those in the room understood what he was doing, referring to Ichigo using a Gotei-title, even when the teen had constantly refused to use any and every military title when addressing other members of the Gotei himself, and the rest of the Nakama seemed to follow his lead in that as well. The Commander was trying to make the orange-haired part of it all, if indirectly, hoping to pull him and his people into their organization…something that, from the very beginning, the teens had refused. Yamamoto, and a few of the captains, could only hope that would change in due time.
Rukia kept a hold on Ichigo's arm, trying to make him calm down, but in the end it just wasn't possible. So much had happened in the last two days, Ichigo decided he'd had enough, it was time to make everyone in that room understand that if they wanted the Nakama's to respect them…they would have to take the first step; after all, respect was a two way road, and it wasn't forced, it had to be earned.
"Actually, I do." Ichigo focused on projecting all the strength and authority he could, something he'd done before but only subconsciously, never on purpose, then began: "Just in the last two days we had several situations, beginning with the placing of a kekkai inside our territory without our permission, or even our knowledge. While we understand the necessity of such a thing, if we at least had known we might have been able to do something, help stop the disaster, or at least make it so it wasn't as bad. In any case, even with the kekkai, the battle that took place was bad enough that most of us sensed it anyway, that should tell you how it wasn't enough, and how there wasn't enough preparation to handle an emergency. If there had been any more power used the kekkai would have fallen and that part of Karakura would have been destroyed!" Ichigo was getting into the topic, passionately. "We told you before, for us Nakama, Karakura is our priority, that's why it was decided it would be our territory. What you did could have hurt countless innocents there!" before anyone could interrupt him, he went on. "Then, if that weren't enough, the following night you tried to ambush Hitsugaya-san and Karin, you caused yet another battle to take place. There was no kekkai at that point, if your captain and my sister hadn't held back a lot Karakura would have ended up affected, again!" he growled lowly. "I know several of you do not like that we Nakama take charge when it comes to protecting Karakura, but the truth is you don't exactly do a better job than us when you are the ones taking charge!"
"How dare you?!" Sui-Feng was furious.
Even some others looked affronted by Ichigo's accusations.
"Want examples?" Ichigo asked, though he didn't wait going on. "First: a hollow that attacked Karakura this spring, skilled enough to hide its real power, powerful enough to take down my sister (even if she wasn't as powerful then as she is now), with some kind of trick that blocked me from accessing my basic powers, and then it also managed to take Rukia down! She had been following that hollow all day, if you had as good technology as you claim by that point you would have realized you would need to send someone else, or at least that Rukia would need support. Karakura is the Juureichi! You cannot tell me powerful hollows never appeared in this town before, I know for a fact they have, so why weren't you better prepared to handle that kind of emergency?!"
Silence was the only answer, even those still angry at the 'human brat' for what he dared accuse them of, didn't quite know what to say.
"I'm not even going to go into the matter of Rukia's near-execution, you can always claim it was Aizen's fault." Ichigo said dismissively before moving on. "Then there was the Bount incident. We let the Onmitsukidou handle things for the first couple of weeks, because we were told it was your business, and yet humans kept dying, the Bounts kept growing stronger, you weren't achieving anything! In one night we won all our fights and Uryuu, with the help of a member of the Urahara Shouten, destroyed half of the bittos!"
"You sent the Bounts here, where they would be stronger!" Captain Komamura declared in a cold, accusing tone.
"They were supposed to be your enemies!" Surprisingly enough it was Rukia who replied. "Enough humans had died already, because of something shinigami did in the first place! It was only right that the war with them ended here, in the place where they were created!"
It looked like quite a few people wanted to tell Rukia to shut up, but they didn't dare, they had been informed that she was acting as second-in-command of the Nakama in that moment, and she was still the sister of the head of a Noble Clan. There was also the fact that the whole Meeting-Hall was suddenly several degrees colder than it had been just seconds before, something that the leaders of the Gotei noticed had never been done by anyone other than Hitsugaya Toushirou until that moment. Before becoming one of the Nakama Rukia had been an unseated officer, and yet some knew that was only because Byakuya had been trying to protect her in his own way, which bequeathed the question: just how powerful was Kuchiki (Kurosaki-Nagaken) Rukia really?
Ichigo, for his part, was extremely proud of his Rukia in that moment, she'd come a long way since the two had first met: from a shy, excessively polite, closed-off and emotionally-scarred girl, to a wonderful, empathic, and very strong (physically, spiritually and emotionally), beautiful young woman. Ichigo truly loved her. Also, the orange-head could have sworn he saw Byakuya smirk slightly at Rukia's outburst.
Ichigo briefly considered mentioning the Shinenju, but in the end decided that he didn't know enough to make an accusation, and it was really kind of pointless when no one would really know what he was talking about anyway.
"Is that all?" Sasakibe asked, stoically though nervous, the irregular spiking of reiatsu was making breathing a tad difficult to him and others of his rank.
"There's one more thing." Ichigo said, he'd been about to forget that. "Recently we Nakama met the shinigami that was sent to Karakura in Rukia's place. There were several things we didn't like in regards to that, beginning by the fact that he wasn't at all informed of what had transpired here in the months since his appointment. He had no idea that Rukia was back, who the Nakama were, that Karakura was ours, or about the situation with the traitors. If there had been a true emergency…" he shook his head. "Also, while I'm sure he's a very good shinigami, there's no way he could have handled the kind of hollows that appear in Karakura regularly, especially if we consider the frequency with which they appear…"
"You must take in consideration that that shinigami's appointment happened before the situation with the traitors…" Komamura began.
"If that's to be your excuse, why wasn't he replaced when it happened?" Ichigo interrupted. "Or you could have at least informed him and have ready a backup in case he got in over his head! The only reason that never happened was because we were there! Most of the time we fought the hollows, not him…" he suddenly realized something. "Now that I think about it, I don't even know where that guy was during the Bount incident…" Ichigo shook his head again. "Also, the situation with the nearly hundred hollows, with that first Menos, it happened before Aizen, before Rukia was even arrested! So you should have had in record the kind of hollows that could appear, yet you didn't send someone more capable to handle things in Rukia's absence…"
"You handled it…did you not?" Hisagi asked. "You and your Nakama."
"Of course, that's not the point." Ichigo hissed. "The point is that back then you didn't know the Nakama existed! As far as you were concerned the human who had had Rukia's powers was badly injured, possibly even dead, and there was no way there could be others!"
Hisagi actually flinched at Ichigo's words.
"Like I was saying before, this is Karakura, this is the Juureichi we are talking about." Ichigo went back to his speech. "The appearance of powerful hollows is nothing new…" his eyes narrowed and his eyes glinted dangerously as he thought of one more thing. "Tell me, any of you, do you think an unseated shinigami, heck, do you think most seated shinigami would be capable of defeating Grand Fisher?"
For a while, there was nothing but silence, until…
"Grand Fisher?" Skye Kotori asked, quite disbelieving. "The hollow who's known to have killed over a dozen shinigami in the last fifty years? He has to be one of the most powerful and dangerous hollows known…aside from the newly discovered Arrancars that is. Most shinigami wouldn't last against him. It's suicide going against him! That would be a job for the Onmitsukidou, or a top-ranking shinigami!"
"Well, too bad, I did their job for them." Ichigo deadpanned.
Those who didn't know this did a double-take as they heard those words, before refusing, loudly and insistently, to believe it.
"Silence!" Yamamoto ordered after a few seconds. "He is telling the truth."
That left everyone in shock.
"Grand Fisher appeared a total of three times in Karakura." Ichigo explained. "The first two you already know about, I had to explain about them when all of us Nakama presented ourselves before you. The third, was a little over a month ago." Then he added in the coldest voice anyone had ever heard coming from him. "The bastard thought he could go after my sisters, that he could kill them like he did my mother. I wasn't about to allow that. Now, he won't be able to hurt anyone again. Grand Fisher is well and truly vanquished."
Only silence was the response to Ichigo's statement, as many of those presents finally realized what they'd failed to see before: Ichigo had a protective nature, at times to the extreme, it was what had allowed him to do so many things that should have been impossible, and in such little time too. It was also what had brought him to be there, before them all, again; it was what wouldn't allow him to ever give up.
Yamamoto just sighed, hoping that what he was going to do next would give the teen, and his companions, some peace of mind, and maybe it would allow him to worry more about the plans for the upcoming confrontation with Aizen instead of the petty conflicts between his subordinates and the humans guarding the Juureichi.
"I have decided to allow the Nakama's demand to stand." Yamamoto announced formally. "No member of the Gotei 13 will set foot in Karakura or its vicinity without direct permission from one of the leaders of the Nakama, least it is an emergency or direct war against Aizen and Hueco Mundo has begun. Is that understood?"
"But Soutaichou…" Several were obviously not in agreement. "How can this be allowed to stand? How can a mortal's authority be allowed to stand?"
"This is not the first time the Gotei makes deals with groups of humans." Yamamoto stated formally. "Though it has been a long time since one has been made, and most of those no longer stand, since the races have long since become extinct."
"If I remember correctly, the last such deal was made with the Quincy, and that didn't end very well." Komamura stated strongly. "The balance was compromised. And there is a Quincy involved with the Nakama."
"The balance won't be compromised because Uryuu can create arrows that purify, not just those that destroy." Rukia stated just as strongly. "You know this Komamura-taichou, everyone in this room knows it, because Uryuu demonstrated it before you all."
"It is true that the deal with the Quincy of that time didn't work out, but that was actually the exception, not the norm." Shunsui pointed out. "Many other deals have been made, and have worked, with races like the ancient mikos of Asia, the monks of Tibet, priestesses and priests and other spiritual people of many ancient cultures all around the world. It is what has allowed the Gotei 13 to focus on the more dangerous areas, as well as on Hueco Mundo and Soul Society itself; otherwise we would have never been able to patrol all the world on our own. It is true, like Yama-jii said, that a seal like this hasn't been made in centuries, but then again, never before a group like the Nakama had existed."
Silence reigned. While the older captains knew already about such deals, those that had reached their positions in the last century or less, had no idea such a thing was possible.
"So, like I was saying, the decision will stand." Yamamoto went on.
"What about Kuchiki Rukia?" Kira asked, curious.
"I am Nakama." Rukia stated calmly. "I will remain where I belong. Also, Yamamoto-soutaichou, I believe it might be a good idea to have someone act as an emergency contact, someone who can go to Karakura without need to ask for permission in case you need to get to us and cannot reach us through the denreishinki."
"A good plan." Byakuya agreed. "I propose my lieutenant, Abarai Renji, since the Nakama are already familiar with him, have even worked with him."
"I propose my recently promoted fourth seat: Yamada Hanatarou for the position, for similar reasons to those enlisted by Kuchiki-taichou." Unohana declared from beside him.
Yamamoto for all answer, turned to look at Ichigo.
"I believe it is a good idea." Ichigo declared after some thought. "And both would be welcome in case of an emergency, or even for a visit, as long as their presence does not affect Karakura negatively. Later on, I believe, we could make better agreements regarding how things will be handled once the war against Aizen actually begins."
"The first attack has taken place already." Yamamoto said thoughtfully. "Do you think it will take him too long to mount a full-scale attack?"
"We don't really consider that an attack." Ichigo pointed out. "The enemies weren't strong enough to be a real threat, the only one who might have been didn't actually fight. For the time being Aizen is still waiting, and playing some games. When the war truly begins, it will be pretty obvious, but I don't think it will happen just yet. In a month or more, but not just now."
"What does the Nakama expect of the Gotei 13 for that moment?" Yamamoto asked, wondering how the boy planned to handle things.
"I believe that any small attacks that may come we can handle." Ichigo answered confidently. "The problem would be if too many high-leveled Arrancar, or even one of the traitors, appear at Karakura, then innocents would be at risk. I think plans should be made, on a way to keep civilians safe from any possible high-scaled confrontation; other than that, I believe that whatever is necessary to bring down Aizen's forces should be done."
Yamamoto nodded, Ichigo and the other Nakama present had realized that the moment war became imminent their 'permission' wouldn't be asked anymore for the Gotei to act, they might not even be explained when some things were to be done; they knew that, and they accepted it.
Yamamoto decided it might not be so bad to have a deal with the Nakama. It didn't seem like the power would get to their heads, even Kurosaki-Nagaken Ichigo didn't seem to be interested in exercising any power other than when it came to his town, and in that point, it was understandable to most of the captains.
"In regards to the risks of a full-scaled battle in the town known as Karakura, plans are currently being made between Kurotsuchi-taichou and the former captain Urahara Kisuke." Yamamoto informed the Nakama. "Other plans will be made in the coming weeks.
Ichigo, Rukia and even Karin weren't sure how much they trusted Urahara to do anything important, but it wasn't like they could do any better either, so they really had no other option but to let things be and hope Urahara wouldn't screw up, again.
"Very well." Yamamoto declared, finally. "If that is all, this meeting is adjourned."
xXx
Meanwhile, in the world of the Living, in Karakura, a sixteen-year-old gray-eyed, black haired was guiding a girl two years her senior with red-orange long straight hair and strangely violet-gray eyes in the direction of her home. They were just a few blocks away when they both became aware of the hollow that appeared, very close to the very building they were going to.
"That's a hollow!" Orihime cried out.
"I know!" Keeva replied, beginning to run rather than just walk.
They'd just turned around the last corner when they could suddenly see the hollow begin to fragment, the effect lasted a handful of seconds before simply dissolving completely into reishi particles which then vanished into the air.
"Wha…What was that?" Orihime couldn't quite believe what he was seeing.
Keeva didn't answer, instead choosing to rush for the staircase and begin running up as fast as she could. It took a couple of seconds, but soon Orihime was at her heels.
They both reached the last floor and the apartment door at almost the same time; though, while Orihime took the time to politely take off her shoes before stepping into the front-room, Keeva ignored it all to rush all the way to the balcony door.
As expected, Serenity was there, holding onto the railing as if her life depended on it.
"My lady?!" Keeva cried out as she saw her.
It was almost an instant transformation, as Serenity practically forced her own body to relax as she straightened up, let go of the railing and turned to see her protégé.
"My lady, you really shouldn't strain yourself." Keeva began. "You know I'm more than capable of handing those corrupted spirits."
"I am no less capable." Serenity replied in a chiding tone. "And an opponent of that level is really no strain at all…" he looked beyond Selene, to the shocked teenager standing in the middle of the living-room. "It's good to finally meet you, Inoue Orihime-san."
"Keeva-kun told me you wanted to see me." Orihime replied almost automatically. "It's a pleasure to meet you…though I have no idea how you know me…"
"I do not know you, though I do know of you." Serenity answered cryptically.
"Keeva…" Orihime deduced.
"Mostly, but not everything." Serenity replied honestly. "Let's just say, I have my ways of knowing things, ways I'm sure you might be able to understand better than most…am I wrong, Kiseki-hidenka?"
Orihime seemed absolutely startled at the address Serenity had suddenly used, while Keeva just gaped at each young woman alternatively, while her mind tried to fully process what she'd just heard and the possible implications of it…
"You're the one who defeated the menos that day!" Orihime cried out, as that fact suddenly became clear to her.
"True." Serenity didn't deny it.
"You must be Keeva-kun's sister, but she said you didn't fight." Orihime wasn't sure what exactly was going on, was it even safe for her to be there?
"I said she wasn't a fighter, not that she couldn't fight." Keeva clarified. "And you can calm down Orihime-san, we aren't here to hurt you."
"Huh?" Orihime wondered how she had noticed.
"Your body was completely tensed, natural when you're in a fight-or-flight mode." Keeva answered her unasked question. "I assure you, that whatever our intentions may be, they do not include hurting you in any way."
"Of course not." Serenity agreed immediately. "I would never do that."
Orihime wasn't sure why, but she had a very strong feeling that she could and should believe the women; however, that didn't mean she was about to trust them, not until she got some answers.
"Why don't we all sit down?" Serenity proposed as she made her way to a sofa, brushing her almost-fully-covered hand on Orihime's on the way.
Keeva followed immediately, heating up a kettle of tea as fast as she could and then taking it, along with three cups to the living room table. She served the three cups, offering two to the other women before taking the last for herself and sipping it carefully, as it was hot.
Both the younger and older woman signaled for Orihime to take a seat, but the sunset-colored haired girl seemed reticent for the time being.
"What do you know about Kiseki?" Orihime inquired, curious.
"I know a lot." Serenity replied, with the same honesty as before. "I know she lost her parents before she could get to know them, I know she died very young in a supposed accident. I also know she had abilities normal humans could never understand…and why she had them."
Orihime's eyes narrowed slightly, before she finally took a seat, silently signaling for her hostess to go on.
Serenity smiled at Orihime, it was the best she could hope for, for the time being, for Inoue Orihime to be receptive; later, they would try to get her to see, understand, and accept the truth, Serenity believed that, in good time, she would.
"Kiseki-hidenka was part of an ancient lineage." Serenity explained after taking a sip of her tea and sighing. "A very old, very powerful lineage, of humans with spiritual abilities."
"Like the Quincy?" Orihime couldn't help but ask.
"The Quincy are but one of dozens, maybe hundreds of the lineages, the races of spiritually aware that have existed in this world." Serenity explained calmly. "Most are extinct now, yet some still remain."
"Like the race that existed where you and Keeva-chan used to live?" Orihime asked. "We guessed that was why there were no shinigami, because one of those races used to exist there, it's extinct now, and yet the shinigami haven't realized yet."
"It's a good theory." Serenity agreed. "And yet, not the exact truth. The truth is, that the race that once guarded that territory is not yet extinct, not fully anyway; though for the last two generations it has tethered in the edge of extinction. There are so few left, it is likely that, unless a miracle happens, there won't be any left by the next generation."
"But then…" Orihime's mind was working a mile a minute, as she began to realize what the young woman's words meant, and yet it was so strange to her… "Does that mean Keeva-kun isn't really a human with powers?"
"That's what we all are, in the end." Serenity pointed out. "Regardless if you call yourself a human, or use some fancy name. After all, neither you, nor your friends have stopped being human just because you have spiritual abilities. Not even your Quincy friend…"
Orihime had to admit the veiled woman was right in that, though she still felt that Keeva had somewhat lied to them…
"You were going to tell me what you knew about Kiseki." Orihime decided it would be better if they just returned to their original topic of conversation.
"Of course, of course; please forgive me, I tend to digress." Serenity admitted. "What I know about Kiseki-hidenka, like I was saying before, is a lot; more, I'm sure, than what even you know, Inoue Orihime-san."
"What makes you think I know less, or even anything at all?" Orihime couldn't help but ask, half-upset by the woman's manner of speaking.
"The mere fact that you show interest in who she is…or rather was." Serenity replied.
"Will you give me an answer up-front, without all the cryptic comments or the too-heavily spun words?" Orihime half-demanded, finally growing tired of the enigmas.
"It depends on what answer you seek." Serenity asked, not in the least affected by Orihime's reaction. "On if you can find the right question to ask. After all, without a right question, there cannot be a right answer."
"You're not an Oracle, are you?" Orihime asked unexpectedly. "I mean, you certainly talk like one, and yet you're offering me answers in a very complicated manner."
"While my Sight, indeed, reaches far, it isn't far enough." Serenity asked, before explaining further. "No, I am not an Oracle, though one does exist, or at least she did until recently. She was lost in this very land just a handful of years ago."
"What happened to her?" Orihime was very curious.
"That, I do not know." Serenity said with a sigh. "All I know is that she was lost. However, before leaving for these lands she told me that big things were coming, and I was to come to this land as well, along with Keeva, that our aid would be necessary in an upcoming conflict."
"So you are here to help us in the war against Aizen?" Orihime deduced.
"We're here to protect who and what must be protected." Serenity told her seriously. "We are never meant to take sides, it's not our way…"
"Your way?" Orihime was growing unnerved yet again. "Whose way? Who are you? How are you related to Kiseki? And what may you know about her that I don't? And how?"
"Answering your last question last, I know things about Kiseki, than even she didn't know herself." The veiled woman commented with an air of intrigue.
"How?" Orihime asked yet again.
"Letters, records, legends…" Serenity told her.
Silence reigned for several seconds, until Orihime finally decided how to ask the question she really wanted to know the answer to.
"What exactly do you know about Kiseki, and this lineage of hers you mentioned before?" She asked, carefully, thinking over every word.
Serenity smiled approvingly at the teenager, happy that she had found a good question to ask, and at the same time wondering just how she would react to what was yet to come.
"I know that Kiseki-hidenka herself never knew what she was, the power the blood that ran through her veins truly had." Serenity answered. "She could see things, but she never knew why, what it all meant, because her mother died before such knowledge could be passed on, and her mother's people never found her. As to what Kiseki-hidenka was exactly, she was the daughter of a Síoraí; that's the title her mother held among her own people, as one of the most powerful to ever exist. She died young, as all Síoraí always have, however, before dying she did what no other Síoraí before her, or since: she had a child. And her daughter was named Kiseki, Miracle, because that's exactly what she was, not just for her own mother, but for all her people." She sighed. "For the longest time Kiseki-hidenka's existence has believed to be nothing more than a legend, one very few ever believed in."
"Yet you're so sure it's true." Orihime commented.
"I've always liked believing in the improbable, even the so-called impossible." Serenity explained with a smile. "So Kiseki-hidenka was born as a living-miracle, the only ever child of a Síoraí. And yet, she died so young, before her existence could be confirmed, before she could ever know about her own people…my people."
"Your…" Orihime's suspicions had been confirmed with those words. "You're one of them. You and Keeva both, part of that race, the same as Kiseki, the same…"
"As you." Serenity finished for her.
"How can I be considered part of your lineage when I wasn't born from it?" Orihime asked. "I mean, I don't remember my parents but still…"
"Not in this life, maybe." Serenity pointed out. "But your aura gives you away…regardless of who may have sired you in this life, you have the soul of one of my own race. I could sense it when I touched you a short while ago, Keeva suspected it since that battle outside the school."
"How?" Orihime wanted to know.
"The way you use your powers, the way you manipulate reishi." Keeva answered. "Even if the way your abilities manifest is nothing like ours, still…"
"Tell me, Inoue Orihime." Serenity commented unexpectedly. "Who did you inherit your hair-color from? That red-shade…"
"I…I actually don't know." Orihime admitted. "My brother had brown hair, I don't know about my parents, but I don't think either of them had hair this color. Sora-nii-san used to say I was special, unique, and my hair showed it."
"He may have been right." Keeva commented. "If you are indeed Kiseki-hidenka reincarnated, that may be why your hair is that color."
"Keeva is right." Serenity added. "It would show the influence of a past-life in your current one. It would explain why no one else in your family has hair that color."
Silence reigned for several seconds, no one daring to break it as Serenity took the chance to drink her tea, and Orihime to process everything she'd just been told.
"I have one question still." Orihime spoke after what seemed like forever. "This race you keep mentioning, to which this Síoraí belonged, to which Kiseki…I once supposedly belonged; of which you are the last. What is this race? What is your power?"
"Such complicated questions, such difficult answers." Serenity commented with a sigh. "Our powers can manifest in many various ways, unlike the Quincy, Priestesses, or most other races, who always manifested their power in the exact same way. However, that doesn't mean they were any better or worse than us, just different." She sighed before, mostly, going to the point. "While our powers can manifest in many different ways, their origins are always the same ability. Our actual ability is to manipulate reiatsu, the power we can absorb from the reishi in our environment, we can manipulate it inside us, and use it in many different ways, some can even affect the exterior, though most manifest powers while keeping the reiatsu strictly inside themselves. It's why many would believe that we had everlasting energy, it wasn't so, it's just that, as long as we don't actually expel the reiatsu, it remains inside us, and it can be used. Of course, there's a limit of how long this can be done before our bodies resent it. It's one of the reasons there are so few of us left…"
"They died." Orihime was horrified by that prospect.
"Some did." Serenity admitted. "However, others chose to forsake their own powers, in hopes of being able to live better, longer lives."
"Did it work?" Orihime wanted to know.
"For those who weren't killed by Corrupted Spirits, I suppose." Serenity sighed. "Obviously the descendants of those who chose to forsake their lineage don't know anything, their parents, or whatever ancestor made the decision to pull away, made sure the newer generations would have no connection to what was left of their 'race', of us…"
"It's so sad…" Orihime whispered with a sigh. "And yet…even with everything you've said, you've yet to tell me the name of this race, your race…"
"True." Serenity closed her eyes briefly, as if calling on some unknown force before she finished her sentence. "Our race, it's one that was believed to be lost a generation ago, was resurrected with us, and may be lost again, and this time definitely by the time the next one comes. Still, it exists, we exist, and as long as we do, we shall fight. We are the Réalta…"
xXx
That same evening, in a hidden part of the woods of Junriran, a memorial service for Kusaka Soujirou was taking place, and even though only Karin and Toushirou had really known him, that hadn't stopped Ichigo, Rukia and Rangiku from wanting to be there, and Ichigo had declared that the only reason the rest of the Nakama weren't present was because no one had informed them, or given them time to arrive. Toushirou's puzzlement at this comment had prompted Karin to explain about the 'tradition' the Nakama had of being there for each other when a death anniversary came up.
"But I'm not a Nakama…" Was Toushirou's not-so-eloquent answer.
"Neither was Rukia when we first met her." Karin pointed out. "And yet she is now. Renji is pretty close to being considered one, if he isn't already. Nakama isn't a title you are born with, it's just…it's something that's felt." She smiled melancholically. "Regardless of how little time we actually had together, for us Kusaka-kun was a nakama, you're still nakama to me, and one day you will be to everyone else."
"Maybe one day he'll also be more…" Rukia whispered under her breath.
"Shush you…" Ichigo whispered back.
Truth is, he knew Rukia was right, and yet, if Karin wasn't in any hurry to make her obvious caring for the white-haired shinigami official, Ichigo wasn't about to push her…
After the 'service', Karin insisted that they all go visit Toushirou's Granny. The old-woman was delighted at seeing Karin, she'd heard the girl was back but hadn't seen her before. The woman also insisted on having them all stay for dinner. They all agreed.
After dinner Toushirou and Rangiku made their way back to their barracks, where most of their subordinates had spent most of the day (in between their duties) celebrating that their captain wasn't a traitor, he was loyal and a hero, unlike what most of the high-ranking shinigami had thought during the 'Ouin debacle'; of course none of them had ever doubted their captain…
Ichigo, Rukia, Yuzu and Karin, for their part, took the Nagaken Senkaimon back to Karakura, since they would be having classes the next morning. They really hoped things would go calm down somewhat, however they didn't really have much hope for it…
xXx
A young form laid among some small stones, twigs and grass, her once beautiful if slightly worn-out yellow sundress streaked with dirt and slightly torn, her usually peach-colored skin turning sickeningly pale, her beautiful sun-colored hair matted with dirt and blood, and her before bright almost-silver eyes already losing their light.
She was so young, not a woman, not even a teenager yet, just a child…an innocent girl, and already death was staking its claim on her.
And yet, even as her life left her, breath by painful breath, her eyes remained perfectly focused on the imaged before her, a sight only her eyes could see: a figure at least twice her height, half-crouched, paler than the moon, with hair darker than the night and eyes greener than any forest; he too seemed to be watching the prone form of the dying girl, as if finding something absolutely fascinating in the morbid image.
As the last breath left the young body, she somehow found the strength to smile at the figure, one small, painful smile that seemed to hold the secrets of the world. Then she was gone.
In a mostly empty room, a lone figure whispered a name to the night: "Utokui…"
This chapter marks the halfway point of this fic (in chapters, rather than words or pages). I'd love to hear from as many of you as possible what you think of the fic thus far and what you might be willing to guess of what's to come in the second half. If anyone guesses I promise virtual cookies and a special mention in the chapter when what's been guessed happens. I'd really like to hear more from those reading this fic, your thoughts, your opinions, your theories...
Hope you enjoyed and see you in a week!