Music Inspiration: Ben Frost- "Ein Mensch- Ein Schmetterling"
The Oracle
Ruka smiled widely as she walked alongside her friends through the civilian Seireitei sector. It wasn't the free day that was cheering her on but the fact that she'd managed to convince Byakuya to leave his study to join her. He wasn't the type for large group trips but Rangiku had invited her and Nanao to join her on a day out on the town. The blond had invited her captain but Toshiro wasted no time in literally barricading himself in his office via shikai to ward her away. His idea was genius and before Byakuya could mimic that plan, Ruka had immobilized him with master-level kido and convinced him not to rampage with the promise of treats. Now, he was trapped in the rear of the chattering women and regretted not requesting an assignment to the human world like Rukia. His sister had run off again to protect the Human World with Kurosaki while he was left alone to his own devices.
"You're taking us to a psychic?" Ruka asked with complete perplexity to Rangiku's outing and tugged a reluctant Byakuya by his left sleeve. The sixth captain glared at everything in sight until another yank seized his attention to the small woman. She had never been to a fortune teller, leaving it to her uncle Shunsui to make future guesses during parties, and wondered how the process worked.
Byakuya wasn't interested in any of it, believing those kinds of people were charlatans because he made his own path. Otherwise, where the hell were they when he was in his youth wondering about his future life? Not only that but Aizen's defection? Nanao ignored the puzzled faces of the nobles behind her and shrugged at the blond because she'd never participated in such either.
Rangiku waved a hand through the air to vouch for her psychic and reasoned enthusiastically, "She's good by being able to tell my horoscope and the captain's accurately every year!"
"This sounds like a parlor trick" Byakuya commented dryly, his day plummeting into the negative fun zone and Rangiku glared with insult to his claim. He had never had fun in an outing that included the blond lieutenant because she sought strange adventures while he preferred quiet outings that didn't bring surprises. Unfortunately, he didn't have a say in today's activities and he'd promised Ruka to be more outgoing (no matter how much he disagreed). Crossing his arms, he denied the validity of such people and claimed, "Anyone with sound logic can create a horoscope."
Rangiku scoffed at his skepticism because he was ruled by hard logic and Byakuya remarked coolly, "Today is Libra's day to search for that piece of knowledge she's been waiting for all week. With Mercury in retrograde, your romantic options increase while the Virgo moon decrease the probability of striking money so be careful of your spending."
The blond blinked her large eyes in disbelief to what she'd just heard from the quiet noble and he stated simply, "I made that up."
"That. . .was strangely eloquent" Nanao remarked with surprise to how easily he crafted the fake horoscope. The sixth captain was serene and quiet, rarely speaking unless he needed to. With Ruka prodding him in their daily meetings, Rangiku was seeing what her friend kept insisting was the real lord.
Rangiku narrowed her eyes at him to weed out the truth and questioned matter-of-factly, "That's what my daily horoscope said, are you sure you're not in the email newsletter?"
"Quite sure" he replied tediously to what he had fallen into and debated whether to pretend to trip to break an ankle. He was willing to risk such an embarrassment on his image if it let him slide out of the cackling hen house. It wasn't that painfully boring just yet but he always expected the worst.
"Sounds like crazy oracle lady wants her midyear bonus" Ruka chimed in with a cheeky grin and the two childhood friends shared a knowing look. Well, at least he had another soul on his side that wasn't easily gullible. Rangiku hushed her skepticism with a stomp in the middle of her walk and the brunette pointed out, "I base my future choices on logic and scientific evidence, not mysticism."
"There's a lot of stuff science can't explain" the blond shot back huffily because they had seen a lot of strange shit in their years as shinigami. Yes, the SRDI was set up to catalog evidence, research, and develop scientific inventions but their world wasn't simply about data. They were beings of energy and shared their world with other realms so something had to correlate to the odd phenomena that occurred.
Ruka gasped loudly, pressing a hand to the center of her chest to exclaim, "How dare you?"
"It's the truth!" Rangiku answered pointedly because there was no research refuting her beliefs.
"I know but how dare you?" Ruka shot back sarcastically to protect the dent to her pride as a scientist. She hadn't expected a sound argument against science from her beauty focused friend and found herself in a conundrum. Byakuya was slightly amused by her befuddled expression as she resembled a wide-eyed owl. Her eyes were quite expressive as she shifted from bright perky eyes to wide eyes full of astonishment, entertaining him without meaning to.
Rangiku was quick to point out the place- a simple white building with a wooden sign on top with plain writing 'Envision'. The small group didn't feel confident anymore like the blond, who skittered inside perkily. Byakuya thinned his lips with his throat suppressing a groan of disappointment when Ruka latched onto his forearm to stop him from bolting. Nanao entered the building to follow Rangiku while the two nobles hesitated over the accuracy of fortune-telling. Before he could suggest the idea of abandoning them to the sketchy place, she took a deep breath and pulled him inside alongside her. Great, now he was stuck.
The blond slapped down her kan on the reception counter as she scribbled on the sign-in sheet to have her fortune read. Nanao glanced down at the page to read the other options and raised an eyebrow at reading the range from fortune, horoscope, future, love life, and financial advice. Shrugging in defeat, she signed in before circling the simple horoscope reading before agreeing flatly, "I guess it's some excitement for today."
Ruka struggled with her decision and tapped her fingers nervously, eyeing Nanao for input. The eight-lieutenant shrugged since she had already signed up and didn't expect much from it. Rangiku dropped her shoulders at seeing Ruka's indecisiveness, a rarity, and the brunette finally relented, "Oh fine, what's the worst that can happen?"
"Tragic death?" Rangiku supplied cheekily to the downside of having a fortune read. Ruka hissed to that horrid letdown but their lives as shinigami would always be shrouded in danger. They were called death gods for a reason but they were not truly immortal against death itself. The blond sighed to her dramatic display and offered another alternative to bad fortune, "Eternal loneliness?"
"Gee, thanks, I feel the love" Ruka muttered sardonically to the twist of seeking one's future and crossed her arms. Hearing that, she wasn't confident that she would let such a possibility slide off her back. The death part was expected in time but not the complete loneliness part- she hated that! She was a social being by nature, enjoying communication with others after being ignored by her peers during her childhood.
Byakuya turned away from the useless babble and declined the idea of giving another power over him, "I will not let charlatans guide my choices."
"I don't need an oracle to tell me your forecast is gloom followed by brooding" Rangiku chided bluntly to his cold and unyielding personality, mimicking his classic trademark frown. Nanao placed a hand on her forehead because the man carried his zanpakutō on him and he was a class grade far beyond theirs. He could kill them all without breaking out in a sweat.
Ruka burst into a laughing fit to her friend's bravery but stopped once she saw the piercing glare aimed her way from the noble. Crap, she'd failed her loyalty oath. He was attempting to change his outlook and she wouldn't crush that potential, changing the subject by claiming, "Look, I can tell you now my future is jampacked with meetings and projects. Bada-bing, bada-boom! Done!"
Nanao sighed under her breath to her random jargon while the brunette hopped in place excitedly, using jazz hands to make her point. Byakuya grasped his friend's slim shoulders to stop her rising energy but she continued her jazz hands with a peppy grin. The eight-lieutenant glanced at her wearily and asked, "Did you create another fake language?"
"No!" Ruka denied exasperatedly because the slang was used over a human century ago. Why were her friends not with the program yet? Was she the only one eager to travel and explore everything?
Rangiku flicked her thumb towards the reception desk and Ruka had to wonder why there was such a thing in a small building? She assumed it provided a job for civilians. Her random ponderings led Rangiku to poking her belly to get her moving, causing Ruka to squeak and approach the desk. The young lady attending clients smiled kindly at her before handing her a clipboard that had a sign-in profile. Her blue eyes scanned the document carefully for anything suspicious and she read aloud, "Hmm, think I'll go for fortune- no, finances!- wait, there's a love life section?"
Figures a psychic would make a killing in these with singles, she thought with curiosity because that and having one's yearly fortune read was a gold mine. Well, if it was truly accurate and not fake. Glancing around the small room, she noticed a few civilians filling out their own clipboards and thanked the Soul King no shinigami were around.
"You should most definitely try that one" Rangiku encouraged with a sly wink because their group of friends waited on her to finally bring a paramour around. Being a Kyōraku, their family had a tendency for being charming and luring many like sirens. Her short friend, however, tended to scare most interested parties away.
Her blue eyes narrowed to the suggestion because her life was focused entirely on work. Anything she could create to make their world better would take priority. Her lieutenancy also meant more responsibilities and she aimed to keep her division running smoothly. The lack of a love life was evident whenever parties occurred, not that she minded, and she questioned, "Is that a subtle jab?"
"You need someone warming your bed!" her friend exclaimed exasperatedly because everyone deserved a little lovin' every night. Ruka's cheeks flushed pink to hearing that because she was private with her dating life, unlike her family. She hadn't had a formal boyfriend in decades and any dates she'd had never went past one or two meetings. Nobody she met intrigued her enough to keep her interest and her life was busy enough as it was.
Byakuya didn't help her, despite she appreciated his effort, when he brought her social standing into account and lectured the blond, "She is nobility and will not disgrace herself with such deplorable actions."
"Then go warm hers" she replied bluntly with a cheeky smile because she didn't see anybody else trying to push the two together. Rukia had tried but her progress hadn't gone far and the blond had no shame when it came to playing matchmaker. Ryo was busy training the ninth division and Hale was trying his best to stay out of it to avoid being killed by either Ruka or Byakuya. In Rangiku's eyes, they made an attractive couple and Ruka's perky demeanor might rub off on the stoic captain. At least, she hoped for that and not the opposite.
"Rangiku!" Nanao exclaimed indignantly to her lack of censorship against the nobles, yanking her by the pink sash on her waist. Ruka's rosy face erupted into embarrassed cherry to hearing that while he tensed immediately to having their friendship twisted into what it wasn't. Rangiku's smug grin only widened when the two failed to refute her comment and hoped the suggestion would sink in.
The blond receptionist was kind enough to zone in on the impending argument and informed Ruka helpfully, "The Fortune package includes all of those."
"Deal!" Ruka agreed chirpily with a wide smile and nervous laughter to get them moving faster. She was not about to endure more embarrassing suggestions from her friends. At least they didn't have alcohol at hand this time. She had spent an entire morning clearing her hangover after the bar-hopping while Byakuya strolled into work with perfect immunity. Her rosy cheeks burned like the sun to the thought of behaving inappropriately with him and she added in quickly, "To her, not the other thing."
He didn't understand why she decided to purchase the largest package of the bundle when she didn't believe in it. Was she trying to prove a point to her friends? Friends who weren't showing the best support by making outlandish rumors? He placed a hand on the clipboard that she held to offer her a way out, "Ruka, you don't need-"
"Hush, Captain Gloom!" Rangiku snapped and smacked his hand away like a tantrum toddler. Despite carrying his emotions on a short leash, he sent her a stern glare that dared her to lay a finger on him again. Nobody had the right to touch him.
"You may go in, Lady Matsumoto" the receptionist piped up cheerfully when another client exited the door beside her desk. It seemed well-timed to Ruka and Nanao because they didn't want an argument breaking between the captain and lieutenant. Did the oracle know her building was coming close to being torn by a gorgeous display of deadly flower petals?
"Ooh, so polite" the blond cheered excitedly to her turn and she opened the black door to walk inside. Ruka quickly handed the completed sheet of information back to the receptionist to place herself in the client roster. She flinched when her friend's voice echoed loudly behind the door, "Bye!"
"About time" Byakuya murmured under his breath with disdain, relieved that he was left in peace once more.
Nanao held back a snicker to his annoyed tone but Ruka crossed her arms to chastise, "Byakuya!"
"Would you rather I say good riddance?" he shot back with aggravation as self-disclosure started to become a little more freeing. He wasn't around people that made a real difference in his social or work life, minus Ruka, so he used less tact. They were all subordinates and socially, only Ruka could talk back to him at the risk of damaging clan alliances. He allowed her to do so anyway out of loyalty to her and could see his remarks amused her by the brightness in her eyes.
"You. . .crack me the fuck up" she stated with a soft laugh that she hid behind her hand to avoid disrupting the waiting room more than they had. He would've chosen a simple glare and silence a decade ago but now, he wasn't afraid to utter a carefully structured word.
Nanao had expected her to lecture him on propriety or vice versa but instead, the two were in cahoots. Despite Ruka claiming they were best friends, there was clearly a deeper bond that ran between the two high nobles. She wasn't about to fall into Rangiku's love wagon but it was subtle between them. Still, she couldn't help but sigh aloud to being the third wheel, "You two are insane."
"You sure you don't get a kick from a horoscope reading?" Ruka asked curiously while she sat next to Byakuya in the furthest corner of the room. They preferred to steer clear of crowds and enjoy the silence around them. While the two enjoyed each other's company, Rangiku was setting up her next appointment and Nanao was having her horoscope read. She had refused the love fortune, unlike Ruka, and the brunette wondered what the hell she got into. Maybe she should've listened to him. Raising her hands, she hung her head like a mystic to declare cryptically, "All your enemies will cower for the next two weeks and your alliances will increase by 10%."
He had been teaching her how to construct believable horoscopes to fool the gullible. Why? It kept him occupied and he wondered what poor souls would be convinced. She was more than happy to dabble in fake mysticism for extra laughing kicks and he commented, "I should hire you and pay in Seaweed Ambassador trinkets."
"Sold!" she agreed to eating more of the taiyaki he made for the Chappy Club meetings. Not many touched the funny cartoon-based food but she swiped a couple to snack on at work. Filling them with a vanilla custard had been the best latest attempt in the kitchen. Curious to whether he was willing to test a fortune teller with his impenetrable logic, she suggested, "Or you can hear out the oracle lady and we can laugh later."
"No" he answered with finality on the matter because he didn't need charlatans telling him about his wealth and power. He made his own road of decisions through his skill, intelligence, and experience.
Ruka pouted to receiving a wall of ice once more but understood his reasoning. He didn't trust anyone with his private matters, especially when he led a military division and noble clan. Hmm, maybe she should've thought of that. Her flicker of worry ended when she caught Nanao exiting the ominous black door and the eight-lieutenant looked completely lost. Ruka hopped out of her seat to wave happily and Nanao touched her forehead as she voiced uncertainly, "I'm more confused than when I came in."
"What?" Ruka asked cautiously, watching Nanao blink rapidly to what she had just heard, and hoped no odd juju had occurred. The world of mysticism was the opposite in spectrum of her logical world and she had never ventured into it. The abilities of shinigami bordered in a mixture of both with humans deeming them death gods millennia ago when witnessing their powers. That spiritual ability never left a soul once they were created, whether they became human or entered Soul Society. It was important to keep track of every soul with each branch of Soul Society overseeing a specific part of their world and the world of the living.
"She said my life is shrouded in mystery" Nanao declared with distaste to hearing that from the oracle and readjusted her glasses out of irritation. If she wanted vague answers, she would have opened the daily newspaper for her horoscope. That was a waste of kan. Crossing her arms, she admitted huffily to how she saw her current life, "I don't think it is. I'm pretty direct in my way of life."
Ruka wiggled her fingers in the air as her tone took on a creepy undertone of mystery, "Oooh, maybe it's her catchy endnote?"
"Ruka!" Nanao chastised for making fun of her strange fortune results, frowning when the sixth captain showed the faintest of smirks.
The brunette rolled her eyes to her annoyance because they couldn't help the words of others. You had to grow a tough outer shell and make your own conclusions. Leaning back in her seat, she crossed her arms to point out, "I thought you didn't take this seriously."
Nanao's shoulders tensed to hearing that because she certainly didn't put any weight into it. Still, the whole experience left her feeling something was amiss. Thinning her lips, she disagreed with the idea of falling prey to mystics and snapped, "I don't! It's . . .you know how some people see you and others see through you? She's a little unnerving."
"Try being his friend for a week, he'll break you down into microscopic pieces" she grinned impishly to the rare number of people who could withstand Byakuya's piercing glares. The man could bring you to tears merely by glaring and exuding an ounce of his reiatsu. She was lucky in being able to adapt to his strong power level since childhood and enjoyed their training sessions.
"No, that's more from fear to his power" Nanao remarked simply because there were certain captains to be feared and he was one of them. Kurotsuchi and Zaraki were the top two followed by second and sixth with eight and thirteenth having the happiest go-lucky captains. A little too happy in her captain's case but then again, his niece was exactly the same. It was humorous to see her peppy personality alongside the most stoic. Glancing at the captain in question, she bowed her head politely to add in, "No offense."
Byakuya didn't mind one bit since she was more respectful than the other lieutenant and it was true. He took no excuses in their line of work and he was the same with his clan, expecting everyone to set a respectable example. His serene expression remained the same as he stated with agreement, "None taken."
"Let's all go out for frosty chocolate milkshakes, that should cheer us up!" Ruka piped up excitedly to continue the fun day that they had started off with. Rangiku's idea was going down the toilet with Nanao disapproving and Ruka's stomach was building butterfly flutters. Nothing made her feel better like sugar! Glancing at her quiet friend who refused to take part, she corrected sarcastically, "Except you, you're silently protesting the psychic industry."
"I didn't want a milkshake anyway" he replied coldly to being denied the same treats as her friends, a little insulted by her comment. How dare she deny him the same equality? He had joined them out of kindness for her and this was his repayment? He should've just-
"I didn't say that!" she corrected swiftly to the misunderstanding and batted one of the golden tassels on his haori collar. He was quick to grab her petite hand to stop her from going to town on that and she pouted humorously to ending her fun. Did he really think she would leave him out of the snack fest? Her blue eyes brightened a second later to a new idea and she proposed cheerfully, "You ever try a banana milkshake? Delicious!"
"I'm lactose intolerant" Nanao commented distastefully to avoid spending the rest of the day with stomach cramps. She didn't fail to notice the subtle way his fingers latched over Ruka's to thwart her banter instead of diving for the wrist. How interesting. Byakuya released Ruka when she stopped trying to play with his haori but kept his peripheral vision on those small fast hands. Her mention of a banana milkshake did strike his interest though.
"Soy milkshake then" Ruka offered because they could be made from different milk types. She had remembered Iba's screams of horror whenever he used the office bathroom. It was safe to say she scattered to the farthest bathroom in their division to avoid hearing that again. The ninth division finally gave her a bathroom of her own so she'd hung humorous motivational frames all over the walls.
Nanao burst her peppy bubble once more by informing her snippily, "I prefer almond."
"I despise almond" Byakuya commented simply to combat her choice in milk beverage and watched Nanao's lilac-blue eyes narrow competitively. His friend was offering alternatives and they were being shot down so he had a right to defend that. The fact that he happened to dislike almond milk just happened to be coincidental.
Ruka wasn't having any of their sass because she was the one paying for their snacks and threw her hands up to exclaim, "Whatever! The point is we're getting snacks after."
"Fine" both Byakuya and Nanao agreed with reluctance to their friend's offer because they all had personal preferences. Nanao wouldn't put it past him to knock over her drink in silent protest while he expected her to switch his drink with almond milk. Ruka just wanted the two to get along instead of competing at everything, nudging her older friend's shoulder with hers.
"Whoo! Rangiku's getting wined and dined this week!" the tenth lieutenant cheered brightly after finishing with the receptionist for her next appointment. She had received great news on her love life outlook and was in the mood to celebrate. After all, she would be pampered for later! Smiling with anticipation, she blurted happily without thinking, "Where's Ryo- shit, I mean Takahashi."
Byakuya's head snapped like a hawk to zone in on the woman's words and he asked tightly, "What did she just say?"
They were interrupted by the receptionist calling out with a chirpy voice, "Lady Kyōraku, you're next."
"How'd you know my name?!" she exclaimed suspiciously and bolted out of her seat with alarm. Her speed even surprised the captain since she had playfully nudged his shoulder one second and was out of her seat before the next. The petite lieutenant resembled a deer caught in the road and ready to bolt.
"You wrote it on the sign-in sheet" the poor receptionist replied awkwardly to her frazzled disposition. Nanao smacked Ruka's shoulder to snap her out of it and the brunette pouted to the roughhousing. Why couldn't she do the same without lectures? It wasn't fair!
She cleared her throat nervously to collect herself before muttering, "Oh. . .sorry."
"You'll be fine" Byakuya reassured to encourage her to go inside and get it over with. Otherwise, dawdling would only prolong her anxiety. That, and he would be stuck there waiting longer than he needed to. He didn't understand why she went along with the others and figured it was from peer pressure. Either way, he wouldn't be far if she wanted to bail and leave.
"And if I'm not?" she questioned worriedly because who knew what went on inside. What if there were weird rituals involved? Dances? Prayer circle? Blood magic? Wait, no, she was reading too much fiction on that last one.
"We'll question the logic of our world and find you a properly licensed therapist" he assured her suspicion on a simple and likely, false, fortune reading. She had been excited about going for milkshakes so the sooner he got her past that door, the faster they would leave. He didn't believe in any of that mystical mumbo jumbo but Ruka would smack him if he vocalized it.
This brought her a laugh of comfort to his straightforward attitude and it settled her jumbled nerves. Taking a deep breath, she puffed out her chest for confidence and marched right through to close the door behind her. Once she heard the door click, her sudden flicker of courage faded at meeting a chocolate-hued brunette with light blue eyes and fair skin staring right at her. The Oracle made her feel small with her taller height and the numerous monochromatic layers under her silver kimono added a neutral sophisticated flair. Who exactly was this woman?
"I didn't realize I would have a VIP today" her soft voice echoed through the silent room and Ruka noticed the walls were completely stark white. Were she and Ryo acquaintances by chance? She expected to see the stereotypical fortune teller's room with a cluttered mess of trinkets, burning incense, dim lighting, and a few desiccated animal heads lurking about. Instead, it was almost terribly void of anything except for a small black desk in the center. This was the acclaimed oracle that Rangiku visited?
"I'm the least VIP you can get" Ruka muttered to her simple lifestyle despite her family's prestigious social ranking. She didn't seek attention for her name or special preference, choosing to slowly crab walk away from a scene. Not accustomed to mysticism, she prattled with a quick voice, "So I signed up for the Fortune package but if I have tragic death on my horizon, I'm not sure if I want to know. Like, if I am, it lets me get my affairs in order but at the same time, it'll nag at my mind and-"
"This is your first time, I understand you're nervous" the other woman interjected gently to minimize her distrust and uncertainty. The petite brunette had a mindset in science but she was aware that the spiritual world was also part of that. When it came to mystical arts that defied time and the laws of science, she became wary of it.
Ruka's eyes narrowed to having her vulnerabilities detected and remarked, "I never said that. . .but yes."
"You are an interesting entity" the oracle claimed with an amused smile to her skittish demeanor as she stuck to the door. Ruka scoffed at that since she saw herself as a plain and regular face in the crowd. There was nothing special about her. Sure, she fancied an explosion or two but who didn't? The other woman laughed to her dismissive nature and pointed out, "The Kyōraku have always been trendsetters with their peaceful nonchalance."
"That sounds about right" she agreed with a light chuckle to their public image compared to other high clans. They didn't aspire to gain power but focused more on protecting Soul Society and its members which quietly rose their status. She waved her hands to brush away her namesake and admitted, "My finances are good so if I have to be honest, I'm more curious about my future."
"And your love life?"
She pouted with embarrassment to its nonexistence, annoyed that it was the biggest hit at the establishment, and muttered flatly, "Did Rangiku complain about my lack of one?"
"You've already met your husband so don't fret" she reassured at seeing her discomfort since her blonde friend lacked shyness on her exploits while the raven-haired one snapped to the thought of one. Ruka fell in between the two which amused the oracle, seeing as her clan had a reputation for enchanting nobles. The lieutenant's eyes widened to their fullest to hearing such a thing because she wasn't even dating anyone!
"I've been to all Seireitei so that puts me to finding a needle in a haystack here" she pointed out flatly, mildly amused that the so-called future telling hit a snag with her. Did the woman think she was like her uncle that romanced half the women population? If so, the oracle's gig was up. Like a swan, she kept to her monogamous mate and crossed her arms to test her skills, "Can't I get a hint? Hair color? Eye color? Shinigami or not?"
The other woman didn't relent in supplying a confident answer shrouded in riddle, "A shinigami with hair of onyx and strictly principled eyes."
"C'mon, that's like half of the population here!" Ruka exclaimed indignantly with a pout because the Gotei 13 was a military division. It was nothing but strict! If the psychic was using probability to feign her supposed skills, the gullible would be easy prey. Still, Ruka expected to choose a partner of similar background for understanding to her crazy work hours. Well, unless she happened to marry a noble that let her carry on as a scientist/shinigami without a care. Could there be such a thing? Her zanpakutō partner was quick to burst her bubble of intrigue with a blunt negative and she muttered dryly, "At least it rules out the West. . . I think. Crap, I'm screwed!"
Well, she carried the Kyōraku humor. The oracle shook her head to Ruka's fussing and circled around the desk to approach the smaller brunette. Before Ruka could dart back out of natural suspicion, the other woman stood before her with a smile, "Come see your future, little one."
A tap to her forehead was all she felt before the white room transformed into the gardens of the Kyōraku estate. The walls of the small office were no longer there as Ruka circled around, touching the walls that had been there before to reach nothing but space. Were they really back at her home? How was that possible? Ruka almost resembled a mime while the oracle simply touched her lips to prevent laughing aloud and breaking character. She would find out that they were not in an illusion soon.
Ruka turned around instantly when she heard muffled laughter and she blinked rapidly to two strangers walking through her private garden. Her mother's familiar blue scarf adorned the neck of a young woman with shoulder-length black hair in wavy locks. Ruka glanced down at her own waist to find her heirloom wrapped neatly around it, baffling her completely. How could one object be in two places at once? Time didn't work that way. Her blue gaze returned to the young woman in question, intrigued by her sudden presence, and all she could recognize was a shinigami uniform and her scarf. The silver-blue eyes were a sharp but beautiful contrast against her porcelain skin, reminding Ruka a bit of her mother. There was another trait of familiarity in her slender face that she could not put her finger on.
"Huh, she has mother's scarf" she mused to herself, tapping the side of her face, and tried to dart forward to question the newcomer. Who was she? Why was she on her property? How did they both even get there? What exactly was this so-called oracle? Ruka found herself locked in place this time and looked to the brunette with demand, "How? Who is that?"
"Your daughter."
This time, Ruka didn't need an invisible hold to keep her in place as shock silenced her. How was that possible? Looking around the area, she failed to find any seams or cracks in case it was a holographic environment and they were still back at the office. Who exactly was this lady? Did she really have such abilities to bridge time? Anyone with special spiritual abilities was either placed in the Kido Forces or the Gotei, there was no other place. Well, unless she escaped the Maggot's Nest but no news had surfaced of that happening. With the former, they lived in a separate area and Ruka had been around long enough to know most shinigami.
Ruka recognized the sixth division's insignia embroidered on the sapphire scarf as it dangled behind the young woman's shoulders. There were minute similarities to herself (the unfortunate petite height) as the cooler skin tone, dark hair, and pale eyes dominated the other- her daughter's- features. Did this mean there was a chance for her to have a family one day? Or was this wistful wishing that would prove nothing? A weak smile spread across her lips and she managed to whisper with pride, "She ended up in Kuchiki's squad. . .don't know whether to cheer or worry."
Turning to the oracle, she questioned with disbelief to her powers, "How is this possible?"
"Our spirit world is full of unique abilities" she replied earnestly with an innocent smile because she had been around longer than Ruka's existence. There were powers that didn't relate to shinigami qualities at all and only served to enhance them. Her secrets were hers alone just as Ruka's were.
Ruka smiled faintly at seeing the petite woman jump forward to grasp the shoulder of a taller shinigami that had darted in front of her. Despite her lack of height, she pulled them back with a disappointed pout to being discarded and Ruka caught sight of another young girl bearing a stronger resemblance to her. Her long chocolate brown hair was pulled into a neat side braid over her left shoulder while her large silver eyes darted down behind clear goggles. Curiosity shifted into amusement and she pulled the shorter woman into a one-armed hug with a large smile to clutch her close. There was no question for Ruka that the second girl was hers as well, the facial similarities were uncanny. She was uncertain what squad she belonged to since the petite shinigami resembled sixth division in her attire while she held a more closely fit uniform that resembled a mix between second division and the West Gotei. One carried herself quite elegantly but firm, reminding her briefly of her mother, while the other was happy go-lucky like her.
"They will be your daughters" the oracle reinforced to the future that was ready to be hers if she gave in to her potential.
"Huh, so someone managed to raid my sacred temple and left a gift?" she joked openly to cope with the situation because two children were a big deal. One was fine and potentially a possibility but two? She must have been head over heels for whoever the father was. The oracle's straight face twitched to the dirty joke and finally saw the hidden Kyōraku in her.
The gardens disappeared with the quickest flash and Ruka darted forward in vain hope that she would stay longer to see them. She had already lost her parents, did she need to lose the remaining flickers of optimism for a family? In a flash of white, the scene changed to a grassless clearing in the outskirts of the Seireitei where shinigami would often train. Instead of standing in the clearing under the sun, hot orange flames surrounded her as they engulfed the area and blotted out the sky in its suffocating smoke. Something was clearly burning by the look of the intense fire.
In the center of the circle, she saw the same petite shinigami wielding an unsealed zanpakutō. On closer inspection, one in each hand like her uncle. The sleek wakizashi and chisa katana in her hands were appropriate for her balance and added an elegance that made Ruka a little proud. That was short-lived by the fierceness in her voice when the shinigami declared with rage, "When my powers mature, I will take what is rightfully mine and destroy those who mocked me!"
Holy hell, she is feisty for one so petite, she thought with both admiration and dismay to the rage exuding from her. Was her father from squad eleven? Wait, was it Abarai? She quickly shook her head because the man was a redhead and the girl had onyx hair. Who had dark hair with a short temper? The power exuding alongside that fury also begged the question of her paternity.
The young woman took a deep breath in an effort to calm down before huffing with thinned lips of frustration, "Patience is a virtue but we will turn their world to ashes- ow!"
Another shinigami flash stepped into the raging inferno to smack her over the head. Ruka's eyes widened into saucers at seeing her future self . . . and she liked the appearance. The sleeveless look was gone by keeping the uniform sleeves to her elbow, opening the shikahushō down the center like her uncle but the new Ruka wore a white lace underlayer for propriety that led to a round collar. An aquamarine sash wrapped around her waist this time after passing hers on while the hakama returned. Instead of it being ankle length, hers ended at the calf for a modern look with leather boots being worn. Only her familiar fingerless black gloves remained. Even her hair had been grown out to let the wavy ends reach her back similarly to her daughter.
The younger girl cradled her head with a pitiful pout as her dramatic speech ended abruptly and the new Ruka scolded lightly, "No death talks."
"Dad gets away with it all the time!" she shot back indignantly for the lecture and rubbed the top of her head. Her silver-blue eyes widened comically to stir regret from her mother but Ruka had used that look for centuries that she was immune to it. Seeing the two women together, she could see the resemblance in the shape of her face and pale colored eyes. The flames around the field simmered and decreased in height as her emotions calmed down to her mother's presence. The new Ruka pretended to ignore that comment by glancing away nonchalantly and her daughter pointed out, "You're practically his background cheerleader and hype man with a knife."
"He's your father . . . and his powers match his death threats" she reminded calmly with an amused smile to the comparison which caused her daughter's lips to deepen into a frown. Failing to get her mother onboard, she sealed her zanpakutō into regular katana to sheathe them. The fire engulfing the area disappeared over the passing seconds until nothing but gray smoke and ashes remained in the air. Pulling her daughter into a hug, the older Ruka cradled her fussing child to comfort gently with a warm smile, "You're still growing, my butterfly, and you've got a long way to go to match his glower power."
Ruka groaned miserably when the scene disappeared with the familiar bright flash and wiped her eyes from the painful intensity. It was almost as bad as the senkainomon across Soul Society. She might end up temporarily blind by the end of the day at this rate. She blinked rapidly for a sense of normalcy and found herself in a grassy field at night, the lack of bright light soothing her abused corneas. Instead of finding herself surrounded by wildfire, it was a beautiful but solemn light blue-green glow over the field. It reminded her of the aurora borealis with each color blending into each other and she detected hints of red and yellow mixed into the spectrum. Despite the beauty of it, there was something eerily amiss against the dimly lit field.
"Time to evolve, baby" a perky voice declared proudly as the same brunette shinigami from earlier stood in front of the field. Her clear goggles had darkened in color to what Ruka assumed was to protect her sight. In her hands, a small tablet of data poured in as reishi energy, electromagnetic particles, light waves, and atmospheric pressure were measured continuously. The glowing field of hues dissipated when the aurora was pulled into the center to form a physical manifestation of her zanpakutō. The energy condensed into a body larger than hers with a green luminescence and an avian screech echoed through their air, bringing a smile to her face. Brushing her finger over the tablet to the right, she pulled up the data for fusion hybridization in a physical manifestation and grinned, "We're just getting started. The world has yet to see the next step of zanpakutō development."
Ruka was the only female in four generations and always expected to have a son- that is, if she managed to find her partner. Yet, she was seeing two capable women about to enter their prime like she had when accepting her liaison position a century ago. No, she had to remain logical about the situation and took the images with a grain of salt. Otherwise, the what-ifs would plague her once she returned home. For young ladies, they appeared smart and powerful which begged the question as to who supplied the paternal talent. Narrowing her gaze at the one who instigated her thoughts, she questioned, "Who is their father?"
"That is for you to solve" she answered cryptically to reveal nothing because she couldn't hand over everything on a plate. Even now, she was risking altering time itself but it was for the best interests of Soul Society. Every action she took had a purpose, ordained from the Almighty, and she obeyed.
Ruka grumbled under her breath at that because her love life was dull and murky at best. She would be lucky to find someone agreeable enough that didn't bore her or drove her crazy. Traveling across Soul Society, she had met many people which only deepened the ocean of candidates. Crossing her arms with frustration, she pouted to mutter with disappointment, "Well, that'll be the mystery of the century. I can kiss the imaginary kids goodbye."
"It shouldn't be when he's clearly in your midst" the oracle pointed out with one little morsel of a clue and Ruka groaned miserably to that. How was she supposed to narrow down the list of bachelors? Shinigami had a higher ratio of men over women! She pinched her fingers together for one last clue and chuckled awkwardly to pry innocently, "Not even a tiny hint?"
"You have a long road, Ruka Kyōraku" the taller brunette stated simply to deny her an answer, dismayed to her innocent density, and Ruka frowned. She focused on everything but her personal life, trying to avoid damage to her heart- far too similar to her soulmate.
"What are you doing here?" the voice of her brunette daughter interrupted and Ruka flinched to the thought that she was truly being detected in the future. Was that possible? Looking to the oracle, the blue-eyed brunette shrugged nonchalantly with no helpful answer. Didn't she know her own powers?!
Ruka jumped back in alarm when a young man passed by her left side, surprised that she hadn't sensed his presence. Her jaw dropped at seeing the eerily sharp similarities to Sojun and Byakuya Kuchiki as the blue-eyed man with short onyx hair poked her daughter's shoulder. Who was this fine young man that resembled her grumpy friend? You couldn't even deny who his father was! Ruka blinked comically as she watched him with awe while the futuristic brunette crossed her arms in front of the glowing field.
He wasn't dressed like a shinigami at all but in expensive casual wear that screamed Kuchiki to Ruka. The monochromatic of sapphire and silver layering was classy, not overdressed or too plain. A charming grin that reminded her too much of Ryo unsettled her as the young man piped up smartly, "I figured this would be a good time to shoot my music video with your cool backdrop."
Before the shinigami could complain, he whipped out his phone on a handheld extender to record,
"This is the Soul Society,
The Kuchiki has a new dynasty,
The name's Kuchiki Toshi,
Don't try to copy me, cousin Ryo."
"I've never been more embarrassed in my life" the brunette growled with humiliation to being caught in the background of his filming and tried to conceal her face. Ruka couldn't help but place a hand over her mouth not to laugh at watching the amateur video making skills of souls not yet in existence. It was humbling to see moments that had yet to happen but she winced when the young woman hollered, "I'm going to tell Dad! You're ruining my vibe with your lame and horrible rhyme."
"You haven't even heard the next verse which I think you'll like" he shot back swiftly as he waved her away out of his shot and moved to a different spot. The young girl tried to stop his silly recording by chasing him down but it quickly became a game of shunpo. Ruka couldn't believe her eyes at watching a new young noble that resembled Ryo more than Byakuya and wondered if an heir got switched at birth. She always expected Byakuya's heir to be prime and proper like their father.
"I just wanna gamble and drink at bars.
Playing for money but you're gonna lose.
I can buy out the city and stars,
You think you're a high noble
A noble just like me.
Sit down at the table,
I'll obliterate you like Chernobyl."
Ruka began dancing to the catchy rhymes but stopped when the oracle aimed a flat stare at her. Shrugging innocently, she had no shame because he deserved props for the tunes. For a Kuchiki heir to be a genius at music would be the hit of the century . . . and Byakuya's embarrassment. With a snap of her fingers, the oracle ended the scene with a bright flash and they were back in the office.
"Aw, no fair, it sounded like a good song" she pouted humorously to the catchy song and hoped to hear it in the actual future. She groaned with pain a second later when her kneecap hit the desk while she tried to readjust her vision. It's not like she planned on calling out sick after being blinded repeatedly. The most burning question, apart from her adorable daughters, was the glimpse into another family and she asked with curiosity, "He. . .is he Byakuya's? Wait, are our children friends? That is awesome!"
"The name doesn't ring a bell?" the oracle sighed with dismay and felt the inclination to smack the little brunette around the office. For a smart woman, she could be a dunce in the field of romance. No wonder it was taking an entire village to fling her at her intended! Flicking her forehead to chide her lack of romantic initiative, she lectured firmly, "You're the rock that begins the ripple in the water. Even now, you question who you are, where you belong-"
"I think that's pretty much everyone" she interjected dismissively because she enjoyed her chill ambiance with existence like her uncle. Her life in Soul Society would end one day and it would fade to black to begin a new one in the human realm to repeat the cycle. Every species had questions on the meaning of existence and she shrugged lightly to remark, "It's simple power of probability."
"To be a scientist, a military leader, or a noble?" the oracle asked knowingly to grill her and Ruka's face fell. How the hell did she know the first? The interweb? Maybe. She rarely received any interviews when compared to the science heads of Soul Society. Still, it was a possibility if she was part of the Gotei. The older woman tried not to laugh at her suspicious expression when she began to scrutinize every object in the office. Leaning against the desk, the older woman took a relaxed approach to inform her, "You will be all three, your children will be all three. They will transform you into who you are meant to be, Kyōraku Ruka, and they will be your seeds to flourish this world."
Ruka faltered in her stance to hearing about her future, backing away slowly, and the oracle advised, "Your hope of unification- start it. Begin that road and your descendants will see to its completion to usher in a new age. Do not stop fighting for your work or defeat is inevitable."
There weren't many that were privy to her plans with her aunt Quinn, her uncles, and current captain being the main channels for her ideas. Even Byakuya had only been privy to a smidge of the reformation in her mind. The older generations and conservative noble houses would likely laugh and critique her ideas rather than try them. The thought of maintaining balance within the social classes and between the Seireitei and Rukongai might be too drastic for them. Crossing her arms, she wanted to gauge her intentions with the advice and questioned tightly, "Why the interest in my work?"
"Because it benefits the wellbeing of this realm" she answered easily with a sense of calm that irked Ruka. She was used to hearing the opposite and the risks attached with fighting the status quo. There were rules, protocols, traditions, and stiff views that needed change in their antiquated world. Kurosaki Ichigo was the freshest face that shared her view and although he was not a soul that originated in her world, she did not discount him. She needed others of stronger lineages and voices on her side to overlap the naysayers to balance those of Rukongai. The oracle released a small sigh to leave her with that train of thought and finished, "Whether you believe me or not, you will have a role in the greatest war of your time."
"We just finished a war" she disagreed with that stark possibility because the Winter War had left many with lingering wounds. They had not lost many members but it was still considered a war since Aizen's manipulation caused soul reapers to fight each other, along with the disarray of their ranks. She didn't want to go through that again anytime soon and shook her head to state firmly, "I refuse to believe another is inbound."
"Not now" she reassured somewhat because preparing the next generation was her best chance in ensuring a future. Otherwise, they were all doomed to return to the primordial origins before time and space. The Soul King maintained balance and it was from that role to bind numerous realms that she set the chessboard to provide the stability from His foresight. Hoping to give her a kick in the right direction, she advised with caution, "Your children will be on the front lines and you must protect them. You cannot escape your life in the Gotei, though you will try."
Ruka's shoulders sunk to that private reveal because she had only told three people about that. Two were pretty tightlipped about her secrets and she barked with insult, "Who said I was? Was it Nanao? She's a blabber!"
"You're nervous" she acknowledged with a friendly smile to her defensiveness on her work. Like any Kyōraku, there were hidden talents that were only unveiled in dire circumstances. Ruka crossed her arms with a dismissive scoff to pretend she was fine and the other woman replied, "You are a swan and more importantly, a Kyōraku. Your swan song will carry the weight of a supernova."
Immediately, she uncrossed her arms to discard the nonchalant aura to narrow her eyes and snapped, "How'd you-"
With a final tap to her forehead, Ruka was sent into another futuristic illusion and sighed to the unasked trip. Instead of stepping into the new place gracefully, she fell face-first while the oracle sighed to her sudden lack of dexterity. Ruka saw the alternate version of herself run through a large garden filled with pastel flowers and didn't recognize the field. She could see the familiar walls of her estate but this garden was massive as she could see gazebos with cherry blossom and peach trees in the distance. She wore peacock teal kimono that was appropriately pressed and layered to her frame while her long brown hair was pinned above her ears.
Beside her, a small toddler clambered into the scene with a giddy smile on her round face matching Ruka's. She wore pastel pink to complement her large silver eyes while her chocolate brown hair was pinned back like hers. Ruka leaned down to squeeze the little girl, who was practically her miniature, close to her with affection and the toddler squealed happily, "Mommy!"
Outstretching a hand outward, she saw another girl catch up to her and Ruka pegged her as a few years older. She could walk more steadily than the toddler and her raven buns bobbed in the air as she latched on to Ruka's opposite side. Silver blue eyes gazed at her while she giggled excitedly and Ruka squeezed her little one close. The small toddler switched her affection to her older sister and wrapped an arm around her as well. Their mother's smile widened as her gaze turned towards the outdoor of the home but that was as far as the image allowed her. Her face carried a doting look Ruka had never seen on herself and her older self pointed offscreen to pipe up excitedly, "Father's home! Let us say hello after a safe trip back."
Instantly, her little ones took off in that direction with chirps of his title but Ruka was unable to see who it was. Oh, why couldn't she see him? Seriously, who the hell knocked her up? Smacking the ground with disillusion, she stood back up to stretch her spine while narrowing her eyes at the oracle with suspicion.
The other woman simply chuckled to her frazzled expression and assured her skepticism, "Your children will be your pride and joy. But first, you must shed your past to be reborn."
Ruka's brow furrowed to the comment but when she turned around to inquire, she heard a different voice, "My little cygnet."
The beautiful gardens of pastel shifted to the familiar bright hues of her current estate and her eyes widened to seeing her mother standing before her. She appeared the same as she had last seen her, wearing her shinigami uniform from the second squad. The oracle strode past Ruka from behind to leave the scene to her entirely and advised serenely, "This will be your only form of closure. It is time for you to move forward, Kyōraku Ruka."
She disappeared with the intensity of a twinkling star but Ruka was transfixed with her mother. Her azure eyes were warm and Ruka approached her to cup her face to feel actual smooth skin under her fingertips. Her sapphire eyes filled with tears as she came undone, forgetting her lieutenancy role and the one of an adult soul. Instead, the passage of time felt swiped away and she became a little girl again that searched for her parents who would never return.
"It's you, how. . ." she whispered gingerly to the reality in her hands and was stuck between closing her eyes to wish it away or falling into the oracle's creation. How was it even possible? What kind of being had abilities to shift between time? It wasn't time travel but it appeared to be more of encapsulated memories which was still mind boggling.
"A representation of the past, only available to you" another voice chimed in and she smiled widely to seeing her father leaning against a nearby tree. They were unchanged by time and behaved the same as she remembered them. They had left her before the swans feeding time with the premise of returning and she had awaited them with her basket of food. Her innocent mind had failed to accept the truth from her uncle Shunsui and she'd woken every morning for their return, waiting faithfully by the entrance of her home. That hope eventually faded when everyone began to wear black for the mourning period and she cried for days beside her Aunt Quinn, who took over her care.
That traumatic loss at an early age never left and she smiled forlornly when her father quipped gently, "You grew up, kiddo."
It was embarrassing for her to cry but she had missed them endlessly for over a century. That wound never faded and she embraced them tightly, remembering the strength of their hugs and their familiar scent. This could not be real but she fell to that possibility when they returned it. Even if it was an illusion, it was a beautiful one. The warmth and solidity from their forms comforted her, gazing at their faces to murmur weakly, "You never came back."
"We had to save the world for you to be safe, just like you continue to do" her mother chuckled softly, brushing her hand over Ruka's head and she leaned into her touch instantly. Her grandmother and aunt were the only women who tried to convey similar gestures but it had never been the same. The bond between mother and child was special and she missed being in her arms.
She kept her right arm clamped around her father's chest to keep him wedged in the family hug. Even as an adult, she was nowhere near his height and smiled to having that rare moment with them. She reflected her father's warm smile when he complimented her, "We're very proud of you."
"You never got to see my work" she replied uncertainly while her mind treaded between believing this was a frozen piece of time or a well-manipulated illusion. To be safe, she wouldn't divulge anything about her current life but her bottled emotions from that fateful day were free to be said. She had never been shy about her loss and she squeezed them before whispering, "I wish. . .I miss you every day. . .I love you."
"My beautiful child, our love is eternal for you" Hana comforted her distress, releasing Ruka with a smile before straightening the collar of her uniform. She had done so every morning before her tutoring or running off to her grandparents or Byakuya's home. Little moments like that had been missed for decades and Ruka basked in the motherly care. Her hands grasped one of the dangling edges of the blue scarf and she reminded with a tender smile, "Don't let the pain of the past stop you. You still have a family that loves you now and you will create that beautiful one to fill our loss."
"You won't be there to see it" Ruka whispered sullenly because she had missed their presence during the milestones of her life. Her graduation from the academy, her acceptance into the twelfth squad, becoming liaison, and her current promotion- all had been missed. She was lucky to have her grandparents, aunt, and uncles but her heart yearned for her parents.
"In the next life" Masato promised with a hopeful smile and ruffled her hair affectionately. Her distrust over this being an illusion faded and she caved to capturing a small moment with her parents. Whether it was a time capsule or an actual spiritual connection, she didn't care. They were in front of her and that's what mattered. Ruka pouted at having to wait for them until then and he encouraged brightly, "Continue to persevere and fight for what is yours. We are never far from you, even if you cannot see us, so never fear the unknown."
She released a small sigh of disillusion of never seeing them again, both thankful and melancholy that this would be the last time. Would this closure truly heal that rift in her heart? Or begin the road to mending it? She wanted to wake every morning to hug her mother at breakfast before cracking a joke with her father. She had barely reached their waist when they passed away and those childhood memories were all she had. In her childhood years, she hoped for a little sibling while being able to reach one of their heights to avoid feeling so small. It was the family dream she never received or would experience, gazing at them with disappointment in her voice, "I've been alone without you for such a long time-"
"Don't hold back on our account" her mother advised carefully with a fond tap to her nose and Ruka smiled faintly to the affection. She was lucky to experience it one last time. Her azure gaze met her daughter's sapphire to state firmly with pride, "You are the best gift we could provide for Soul Society and our legacy."
Her vision blurred to the encouragement and their faith in her as their daughter because she felt lost without them at times. The rest of her relatives became her foundation as well as her friends to cope but her life could have been worse. Despite the painful strikes, she continued onwards with her head held high and spoke gently, "I didn't have you in my life for very long . . . but thank you for loving me."
"We will always be at your side and one day, we will be together again" her father assured confidently with his familiar smile and Ruka managed to return it. She didn't want to wait an eternity to see them again but it couldn't be helped. Time kept flowing in all realms and she had to linger on with her existence without them. Her heart calmed to a kiss placed on top of her head and his voice urged her onwards, "Keep fighting and don't look back."
Byakuya had become tediously bored of waiting in the small room, especially when left to bear the high-pitched chatter of Rangiku and Nanao. He was not inclined to join their conversations and found no interest in their silly topics. Out of respect for Ruka, he had opted to wait outside the establishment and passed the time by playing a random game on his phone. He had little interest in using the gadget outside of work until Ruka began downloading digital books and games for him for leisure. For once, the gadget came in handy to avoid small talk or entertain his mind.
Ruka darted outside the door, flying past Nanao and Rangiku while the blond finished setting up her next appointments. She shut the door quickly, trying to process everything that happened with the oracle, and leaned against the wall beside Byakuya. The captain failed to notice her startled expression while he continued playing on his phone, "I tried my best to tolerate them- are you all right?"
"I'm okay, just flustered" she assured as best she could while regaining control of her emotions. He put his phone away to turn his attention to her, his gray eyes peering sharply into hers with question. Flashing him a warm smile, she admitted sheepishly about her visit, "I've no idea on accuracy or legitimacy but. . . she said I'd have a family."
Byakuya found such claims to be fraudulent and didn't want a charlatan deceiving Ruka's hope. She desired to have a family after having hers shattered and deserved it. He would have nobody crush her dreams and annoyance flickered through him to that possibility. Her cheeks flushed with a rosy hue and a warm smile touched her lips as she confessed, "Two daughters, they were beautiful. So very beautiful."
"Your family is notorious for sons, like mine" he pointed out with skepticism since she had four uncles and all male cousins. She was the only female of the head family while any female cousins were from a different generational tree. It would be a rarity to have more than one daughter unless she married a noble with a family that bred more females than males.
Is that defensiveness I hear? You could easily give her a daughter, his zanpakutō butted in to chide him like he had begun to do lately. What happened to his meditative state and impartial attitude? He would rather deal with that! Senbonzakura's next bold comment only irked him further, Shall we purchase fine wine, dinner, and candles for an evening to woo your woman and secure an heir? I recommend a rich merlot, that restaurant with the interior ponds by the east gate, and five vanilla candles. One will lead you nowhere and appear lonesomely pitiful while more than ten will be desperately overromantic.
I didn't ask for dating tips!, he shot back swiftly to receiving romance advice from his zanpakutō. When had he begun to offer useable advice on women, anyway? He was starting to sound like Ruka's counterpart and the horrid part was that his tips were not atrocious. Great, Senbonzakura had become a matchmaker.
"I mean, the Kyōraku are rare for having girls" she muttered under her breath to dismiss the idea of having the adorable ladies. They were both logical people and she couldn't fall under the spell of fortune-telling. She hoped to meet her soulmate in the near future but she wasn't holding her breath on it. Crossing her arms, she cleared her throat to do away with a rising knot before whispering, "They looked so pretty and happy though."
"Don't believe such claims, Ruka" he advised gently to the farces and lies of charlatans for a quick kan. They might live in the Seireitei but that didn't mean businesses were completely honest there. He didn't want to dash her hopes for a future either, aware of her dreams. He wouldn't be a great friend for disagreeing with her and corrected carefully, "Not that it's impossible for you to have a daughter."
"It's just a silly dream" she chuckled awkwardly as hope deflated every passing minute that logic returned to her mind. How could she even have two daughters, right? One alone would be impossible. Tossing the scenarios that the oracle showed her out of her mind, she ignored the disappointment that lingered in her heart. Shrugging weakly, she blinked rapidly to stay composed but her voice wavered, "Who'd want to put their eggs in my basket of crazy, right?"
"You're not, I didn't mean. . ." he hesitated at realizing he had upset her and clutched her shoulders. Instead of leaning in, she pulled away with a reluctant gaze to avoid feeling lousier about the visit. Maybe it was her destiny to struggle throughout life and leave no heirs to continue the same cycle as her uncle. That is, if she had no choice but to be childfree. His intent was to display logic in the farce of fortune-telling, not crush her hope. Guilty for twisting her delight toward the future with his skepticism, he stated, "You deserve your family so don't listen to my negativity."
"It's fine, I gave up on that dream a long time ago" she whispered despondently to the reality of her life and the decisions that had led there. It was wishful thinking on her part that a happy future full of kids and a flourished career was on the horizon. So far, a fractured family and struggling to find her footing in the scientific world was all she could present. The only good thing in her life to be proud of was her liaison work and her lieutenancy that was growing on her.
"Ruka" he sighed softly with regret for disappointing her and her crestfallen face turned his own concern into annoyance. No charlatan would trifle with her emotions without him having a say about it. Narrowing his eyes at the closed door, he spoke quietly with conviction, "Excuse me."
He refused to allow anyone to upset her when it came to her future dreams and returned inside the building. There would be no mercy for charlatans, especially those that hurt her, and he slid past a confused Nanao and Rangiku to enter through the office door. He ignored the protests from behind to shut the door and he was met with the so-called Oracle.
"Ah, Lord Kuchiki, quite the famous one in our realm" the woman stated with a knowing smile that caused him to scowl instantly. He did not like the tone of familiarity at all because visiting psychics were not for a man of his standing. The look of intrigue in her blue eyes caused his to narrow with suspicion and she chuckled, "Shrouded in sorrow and isolation despite the social prestige."
Anybody could grasp that information with his life being constantly in the news and media. Whether it was his great noble clan status or captaincy, he would always be somewhere in the news. He wasn't amused by the claims at all from the other shinigami and hoped Ruka hadn't fallen prey so easily. She deserved to keep her hope alive to have a family and live happily, nothing less.
The oracle simply clasped her hands together over her desk to state simply, "Winds have changed and that dark cloud will turn to sunshine soon enough. You pride yourself in your work and image but don't forget to pay attention to those closest to you rather than focusing on the past. The road is still bumpy for you but it will all be clear in time."
"I've heard better from a fortune cookie" he stated indifferently, aware that he wasn't the most cheerful or approachable person. He was completely fine with that and did not opt to change it. Otherwise, potential opponents would consider such changes a weakness. He was there for one thing only, to protect Ruka, and ordered coldly, "Do not put false hope into Ruka's mind or you will regret it."
"Feisty, aren't you?" she asked with an amused smile to encountering the popular yet elusive noble.
He had heard enough dribble to turn away but hesitated when she offered, "Would you like to see your daughter? You will have one to continue your line."
Senbonzakura did not help his stance on charlatans by gasping with intrigue and blurted, Oh! You can be the father of Ruka's daughter-
Ludicrous. The Kuchiki were notorious for a first-born son and although there were daughters further down the line, he found it disbelieving. Did she think he would believe such nonsense? Before he could denounce her lies, she pointed out easily, "I never said you wouldn't have a son."
She's giving us a little Lord Kuchiki too?!, his zanpakutō exclaimed with excitement while Byakuya ordered him to silence. Senbonzakura scoffed indignantly to being ignored but he would have his voice heard! Byakuya began to wonder if he was the only one with common sense at this point.
"You expect me to believe I'd have children?" he snapped tightly to her audacity as it struck a deep painful chord. He had wanted children during his first marriage but it shattered when Hisana passed away. Despite their five years of marriage, they were unable to have a child. The prospect of marrying another, much less having children, had been largely blocked in his mind out of respect for his ex-wife. Regardless of his opinion, he pointed out a fact about his family line, "The Kuchiki never have more than two."
She was quick to deflect his reasoning by reminding him, "True, but you've been quite the trendsetter in your time: marrying a Rukongai, adopting another, need I say more?"
Byakuya didn't need a recap of his actions by a stranger, shooting her a stern glare, but she declared, "You will treasure each like you will their mother. She is out there, you simply have to open your heart, and see her."
He was not willing to risk another romantic fiasco that would leave him crushed and ignored the woman. Losing Hisana had torn his heart and Ruka's breakup before that had crushed it. Why would he put himself through that pain again? He would rather walk into Senbonzakura's blades at that point. Keeping to himself and avoiding any romantic entanglements kept his heart safe and locked away from harm.
She failed to entice him with the supposed future when she advised carefully, "Your heir will have the potential to change the world, to be loved and respected by millions from Rukongai to nobility, to be feared by their ferocity on the battlefield, and leave their mark in history just as you will."
The audacity of having more than one child led him to glaring at the woman. Did she really expect him to be a dunce and believe he would father more than one child? Even one was a huge stretch. All of Soul Society knew he needed an heir to pass on his title but refused to be pushed into it. The brunette simply leaned back in her seat to shrug lightly and spoke, "Like I said, you've broken the rules so it's fitting your children will change them."
Her relaxed tone shifted into a firm one and she narrowed her eyes to advise grimly, "Or do you prefer to live alone and childless, plummeting your clan into nonexistence? You will have a choice, Kuchiki: to build a life with another who will cherish you and provide you with a powerful family or sacrifice that chance for eternal loneliness and naming a lower-tier Kuchiki as your heir?"
He had lived perfectly fine being alone but dreaded being forced into a sham marriage for the sake of an heir. No child deserved to come into the world void of love. He refused to have a child resent him for being born to simply rule a clan and his eyes narrowed when she suggested, "Would you rather have a devoted bride you've known since childhood or watch her marry another?"
She tapped his forehead before he could move, astonished to her swift speed, and the room before them faded away. He flinched to the sudden image of Ruka in a white kimono, wearing the wedding shiromuku that dominated their culture. Where was he? He had left Ruka outside! His point of view was from the sidelines as a guest within a Shinto temple, surrounded by unknown blurry faces, and dread filled him to watching an unknown stranger at the altar by her side. Why was she at an altar?! He couldn't even move to intervene or determine who the man was, watching Ruka glance at the temple floor with melancholy. She was a beautiful bride but her crestfallen expression marred that image and he knew instantly that she didn't want that union. She deserved better than that, prompting him to pull away from whatever force kept him pinned-
He lurched forward with surprise when the hold released on his body and his eyes widened at seeing his attire change from his captain's garb to the montsuki wedding attire. How was that even possible? He stood in the distance of another temple, the one closest to his estate, and noticed a Shinto procession walking ahead of him. It reminded him of his wedding to Hisana but a sudden pull to his left hand jerked his attention. Instead of seeing his first wife, Ruka's blue eyes met his as she wore the bridal attire but her somber outlook had been replaced by joy. Her dainty hands clutched his tightly with affection and the action was strong enough to dissipate his distress to the thought of her marrying a stranger. She was safe at his side but he noticed hints of nervousness in her eyes, returning the fond squeeze. He could feel the warm softness of her skin, earning a bashful smile from her and she parted her lips to speak. Instead of hearing her voice, he was pulled away suddenly and his surroundings faded to black.
Within seconds, the psychic's office replaced the open gardens and he glared at her heatedly to demand, "What was that?"
"A special gift of mine" she answered easily with a cocky smile, amused that she was irritating the noble. Maybe her visions would get under his skin and push him into action. It was fun to run a side business with her abilities to bring a little cheer or humor to Seireitei lives but her own motives would trickle into some of her divinations. Landing a single finger on him had yielded her knowledge on the noble that Ruka was not privy to. Tilting her head to the left, she unsettled him by remarking with curiosity, "You insist on keeping to your past with Hisana but you do not allow Ruka to move on. Is that not odd to you?"
He refused to entertain her with an answer, wondering if Ruka had accidentally given the woman private information. There was doubt in that after seeing her reluctance to write down her own information for the reading. Whether a charlatan or not, he would not entertain her illusions. They had to be false. Her eyes unsettled him for the briefest of moments and she grinned slyly to reveal, "Let's see your little one, shall we?"
Shinigami Extra:
Ruka cooked marinated strips of raw beef over a grill at the restaurant she managed to convince Byakuya to visit. She had ordered an array of meats and veggies for their barbecue lunch to cater to his picky appetite but he had not been amused to cook his own food. After all, he was paying for it and the least the staff could do was bring him a decent meal! Ruka took it as good practice for survival if society fell apart or she was flung into the wilderness. While she focused on turning the sizzling strips with a giddy smile, he interrupted her by asking quietly, "Do you think I'd make a good father?"
The small tongs almost fell out of her hands in surprise to the question, not expecting such a topic. Her blue eyes blinked awkwardly to hearing the word from a noble who preferred solitude rather than socializing. What had spurred that comment? His intense gaze never moved from hers until she finally managed to speak honestly, "That's out of the blue."
"I'm aware" he replied evenly to his query, trusting that sensitive topic with her only. She was the one person that knew him best and even when he disliked her opinion, he took it under consideration. He didn't even know why he vocalized such a ludicrous notion, blaming the oracle entirely.
Tapping her chin, she pondered over the minefield of a question before answering with one of her own, "Did you ask the oracle-"
"No."
There was cold detachment to his voice and Ruka sighed softly, wondering whether it had been true. When you touched a sensitive subject for him, his defensive wall rose instantly. She did not want to hurt him in any way but she believed the best in him. Whether he was having second thoughts on having a family one day, that was his right. Holding the ends of the tongs towards him, she proposed with a cheerful smile, "Well, let's put it this way. If you can cook this meat on your own, it's a yes."
"When did I become a mother?" he stated with distaste to cooking on his own, pushing Ruka to scoop a spoonful of rice to fling at him. His eyes narrowed to her audacity as he dodged the small flecks of food and quickly chastised, "Ruka!"
She ignored his fussing, turning the strips of beef on the grill, and pointed out calmly, "A father teaches, loves, shelters, and feeds his children, even when they're grown-up. At least, that's how my family views parenthood. You can work endlessly but a hot homemade meal shows your dedication to your child. I miss eating beside my dad, he would always have a snack for me after my tutors left. It might have been half burnt but he tried."
Holding out the tongs, he reluctantly grabbed them to pick up a boneless piece of chicken to add on his half of the grill. Ruka had cooked several vegetables first before the meat to prevent any starvation remarks on his part. Unfortunately, he didn't wait for the marinade droplets to end their cascade before plopping it down. The oil in the marinade sent small flames into the air while the meat sizzled loudly to the high heat. Ruka reached around the grill to grab his wrist, guiding it to correct the position of his piece lower on the grill and sighed softly, "That's a, um, decent first try."
"I can't be perfect at everything in one try, Ruka" he shot back defensively for his subpar cooking skills, regretting not being more proactive on choosing their lunch spot. He was trying his best, given his lifestyle, and hoped Ruka had given him this test for humor's sake. Otherwise, his potential children would wither from hunger if he couldn't support a kitchen staff. . . which was very unlikely.
Ruka released his hand to let his portion cook evenly on one side and chuckled with amusement. She knew he was more than capable of providing a stable home for any child but it was humbling that he considered the notion. Something had shifted in his thinking, even if it was a tiny bit, and she remarked truthfully, "Your overprotective nature will drive them up a wall but your kid would have quite the diligent father. Your cooking skills have time to develop to prevent food poisoning."
"Remind me not to let them wander with you" he muttered dryly to her wayward nature to drift into risky situations. He didn't need to hear that his child survived an explosion, threw up from drinking an unknown substance, or accidentally fell into a parallel dimension. Those images were cleared away instantly, chastising himself for thinking any offspring would be in her vicinity at all time. That only served to murk his conflicting thoughts even more and threatened to open old memories. Thankfully, Ruka seized his attention by flinging rice at him again and he ordered coldly, "Behave."
She scoffed at his uptight public image and expertly yanked the tongs out of his grip before he could jerk them back. Her pieces were ready so she pointed at them with an innocent smile that only deepened his frown. They were two opposite peas in a pod. Waving a hand, she reassured him about continuing future plans, "Don't worry, your cooks or wife can handle feeding your spawn. Hopefully, I will be busy in a lab and kicking ass as a lieutenant . . . or even traveling for lieutenancy purposes. Still, I'll drop by to teach them all about science!"
With that bright outlook in their lives, she twirled the tongs between her fingers with a giddy grin while he averted his gaze. He was not happy to hear the latter part at all because it drove another invisible wedge between them. The purpose of her being a lieutenant was to keep her safely at home. Would she gain experience only to leave them again? She kneeled on the cushiony seat to cook more slices of meat with the tongs but slipped the largest pieces of cooked meat onto his plate with her chopsticks. With an innocent whistle, she moved the second rice bowl over to him to encourage him to eat. Not amused by her caretaking habit, he returned some of the pieces onto her plate and declined politely, "Ruka, you have to stop giving me the largest portions. You need food as well."
She pouted with disappointment because she rarely saw him eat a full meal. He was all work and no play! It was only when she was practically spoon-feeding him that he reluctantly listened to her complaints. Crossing her arms, she met his gaze and pointed out matter-of-factly, "I have to take care of you. Can't let the great Kuchiki noble wither from starvation."
He smiled faintly since they both attempted the same care with each other since childhood. She would stuff him with food but he would pile half his plate onto hers so she could eat. He was guilty of letting his own care slip during adulthood when only the clan and his captaincy mattered but hers never wavered. There was no doubt in his mind that she would make a good mother. The question he feared asking himself was asked by his zanpakutō when he egged those traitorous thoughts, Don't you think she'd be a great mother to your children? You cannot have her involved in your life forever. She's bound to leave you at some point for her paramour. It's either you or someone else.
"Would you eat instead of gazing off into the unknown?" her voice interrupted the private rumination and his gray eyes dulled when she stuffed food into his mouth. His fine eyebrows furrowed into a glare for being fed against his will, embarrassed that they were in public again. Her gaze softened as she removed her chopsticks to pick at her own rice bowl and she mumbled sheepishly, "You worry me sometimes."
"Duly noted but I could have been creating recipes to astound you" he stated with veiled amusement to her concern, appreciating the attention. Ruka shook her head with a snicker to the high noble possibly doing as such, knowing the law, propriety, and the Seaweed Ambassador lurked in his brain. Well, that and Senbonzakura. Still, he had attempted a small joke and it was progress.
A grin crossed her lips and she shot back mischievously, "Cook for me without burning the food and I'll king you across all nobility."
That day sparked the willingness for him to step out of his comfort zone and begin delving in that skill. He would burn many pans, set numerous fires, and almost drown his kitchen (and his sister) in a sea of cooked rice before receiving a passing grade. The positive side of those humiliating horrors would be having Ruka at his side and eventually, their curious children.
Unfortunately, their young children would be finicky with food just like himself.
"You're leaving, daddy?" a soft voice asked curiously, a set of silver-blue eyes meeting his while he stood in the kitchen. Little Aya Kuchiki had gone in search of her beloved father before he left to bid him farewell. His two-year old was dressed neatly in lavender to begin her day, a toothy smile aimed at him. Her left hand brushed against one of the two buns on each side of her head and he shook his head silently to remind her not to pull at them.
"I will be home by sunset but I'm sure your mother will return earlier" he promised gently to settle any concerns that he would undertake a mission. With both he and Ruka being on active duty, one of them would always be at home to stay with their children. Today, however, they each had tasks to do and Rukia would lend them a hand. Cleaning his hands in the modern sink, he closed the boxed lunches of his children and leaned down to ask quietly, "Will you miss me?"
"Mm-hmm" Aya answered with a small nod, gripping the counter to peek over the top. Unfortunately, she was too little to see. Footsteps echoed in haste before a brunette boy slipped into the kitchen, smiling widely at finding his little sister. Koji was never far from Aya, just as Byakuya always instructed his children, and his blue eyes shined happily at him. Aya waved her right hand to request eagerly for her favorite chore, "Can I feed the swans today? Koji got to last time."
The little boy crossed his arms in perfect imitation of his father but she hugged her brother, pleading to feed the swans. He groaned to having his soft blue attire crinkled by her tiny hands and Byakuya leaned down to hand over their lunch boxes. That way, they would only eat nutritious food and he informed carefully, "We'll see. Enjoy your trip with Aunt Rukia. If your uncle does anything foolish, remember to pretend that you do not know him."
He had managed to accomplish a kid-friendly lunch for them, onigiri decorated with cute facial expressions and a colorful fruit salad. Aya, who was always curious about her food, opened her box to peek at her father's creation. Byakuya expected a pleased remark but his daughter's eyes turned blurry before she began bawling. Koji opened his own box with alarm to his sister's reaction and the two ran out the door, calling desperately for their mother. Byakuya was left alone in the kitchen, flabbergasted to what just happened.
Within seconds, Ruka corralled her protesting children while they babbled about their lunches. She wasn't going to have them running around the house and drop their father's hard work. She had just finished bathing her youngest child to get her ready for their outing to the doctor's. The six-month old Kasumi lay nestled in her carrier against her mother's chest, babbling incoherently with glee. Her little arms waved at her siblings in greeting while their mother questioned, "What's wrong?"
"Daddy turned food into people!" Aya claimed with alarm to her lunch and raised her bento box towards Ruka. All she could see were cute onigiri in the shape of emoji faces and one that resembled a panda. It appeared Aya's imagination was getting away from her and tried not to laugh. Her little daughter, however, was stunned by her meal and her blue-silver eyes widened to declare with woe, "Look!"
Koji looked down at his own box, mesmerized by the cuteness of the food, and protested, "I can't eat food people! Mommy, they're too cute to eat."
Ruka glanced at the set of cartoonish onigiri in his box before meeting her husband's gaze to approve his skill, "Wow, they are really good."
"I wanted to make attractive lunches, not make them cry" he reasoned flatly to the conundrum he accidentally created since they were picky in their young age. He didn't expect their fondness for cute things and their imaginations to run wild. He yanked the boxes back to set them on the kitchen counter, glaring at the little smiling faces of the onigiri. How they mocked him.
Ruka patted the heads of their children to soothe them and smiled with amusement, "I appreciate the thought but they think the food is sentient now."
"What? No, look" he disagreed swiftly, picking up one of the extras that were left over on the prep board. He meant to quietly sneak them into Ruka's lunch as well but his children needed to be shown that they were perfectly fine to eat. He threw it into his mouth to show them there was no harm done but they proceeded to cry harder.
Koji latched onto Ruka's waist with lament to the innocent food that was lost and exclaimed, "Dad ate the winking onigiri!"
"That was the cutest one!" Aya wailed sadly, wiping her left eye while hugging her brother for support. The children huddled against their mother for understanding but Ruka was having a hard time keeping a straight face. Byakuya, however, was stuck between dismay and disappointment.
Hearing their combined cries of alarm, their baby joined the symphony and Ruka glared at her husband. Their children behaved like a ripple in the water with emotion with one that began sniffling and the last ended in sobs. He raised his hands to show he was an innocent party while she frowned to accuse, "You're no help."
Rocking her weepy infant, she brushed back Kasumi's brown hair to kiss her forehead and soothed gently, "Don't cry, my little one. Nothing will harm you."
"I used leftover seaweed for the facial expressions, it's not real" he insisted to his upset children but they eyed him with skepticism after that last action. Why did they think food was real? Crap, had Kurosaki taken his children to a meat farm?! He would have a talk with all their inner circle and by talk, he meant interrogation. Crossing his arms, he quirked an eyebrow before stating flatly, "Frankly, I expect better sense from my successors."
He was too focused on his children to dodge Ruka's teeth on his left hand. He had given her a great angle at her mouth level to sink her flat teeth into the edge of his hand and he winced to the petty attack, "Ow!"
Their children stopped crying immediately at seeing her latched on, stirring laughter from the two. Honestly, she was teaching them bad habits. Probably. His lips thinned into a small line, just as Ruka released him, and he questioned them, "You cry for inanimate objects but not when your mother bites me?"
"You're big while mommy and the food is small" Aya reasoned innocently and used her hands to wrongfully size both things below her own height. She was too little to grasp abstract concepts but he gave her a point for trying. Unlike Koji who was more observant of the world around him, Aya would voice her thoughts without filter. She was very much like him and the physical similarities only made him ponder about her developing personality.
Leaning down to meet his miniature at eye level, he narrowed his gaze playfully and smiled when she returned the same look. Oh yes, she would be much like him. Her reaction allowed a small laugh to escape his lips and he remarked, "You . . . are too cute and correct for your own good. Give me a moment to fix it."
He made quick work of correcting the onigiri, removing the expressions, and reshaping each into geometric shapes. They never complained about those so he would play it safe from now on. No more experimenting. Reorganizing the food into a simple ensemble, he sighed under his breath for tossing aside his work. Ruka rubbed his back with sympathy for his dedication, very impressed by his new culinary skill, and smiled fondly, "I am proud that you didn't put the kitchen on fire though."
Returning a faint smile, he finished the lunches and handed each back to their children. Koji grabbed his with a modest smile, feeling guilty for making his father work more, and blurted gratefully, "Thank you!"
"Love you, daddy!" Aya grinned happily with a louder volume that silenced her brother. Now, they wouldn't have to worry about eating food people! Her day would be perfect!
"Mind each- never mind, you're gone" Byakuya began to advise them on keeping close to each other but they ran out of the kitchen without another glance back. He forgot how energetic they could be when trips were involved. Well, they would be his sister's problem for the next five hours. Releasing a small sigh, he turned to his youngest daughter as her silver eyes observed him quietly. Tapping her little nose, he doted on her with a fatherly tone, "You'll never leave me once you walk, will you?"
Kasumi smiled at her father and wiggled her arms to be with him, which he complied with by removing her from the carrier. She giggled with glee when he scooped her out of Ruka's arms and clutched her close. He remembered when each of his children was this small and commented with pride, "You definitely have my eyes, you will miss me one day."
"You're such a sentimental father" Ruka chuckled softly to his soft side around the children while the hardass side raged at work. She preferred to keep it that way to maintain balance at home and peace within him. Watching the two bond together, she shook her head to sigh with feigned disappointment, "You being incredibly fine doesn't help my ovaries. Damn your perfect facial symmetry, there should be a law against you becoming sexier every decade."
He stopped her tangent about his physical appeal by holding out their daughter to inform her, "Kasumi needs a diaper change."
"I love you too, you jerk" she muttered dryly to returning to mommy duty and clutched her baby close. Kasumi was full of happy love for everyone so she happily snuggled against her. He had an uncanny knack for using her as a failsafe recently to dodge clan meetings, kick out visitors, escape her rambles, and had even recorded her cry as a ringtone to efficiently leave dreary conversations. Despite his complaints, he had slipped into the role of fatherhood perfectly.
A/N: And we meet the acclaimed oracle that everyone has been subtly mentioned throughout the chapters. Time and space are always an interesting concept in Bleach so I figured they would be at the legal disposal of only the Soul King and his loyal envoys. We'll learn more about the oracle and Byakuya's trip in the next chapter, along with a cafe visit where Byakuya finally has his lightbulb moment towards Ruka that is followed soon by hers. Their kids are too cute but the chapters after Koji's birth will go quickly so there won't be a lot of time spent on the little ones so their appearances will pop in as extras.
Thank you to my readers!
Cia-Scarlett: Her first lesson will be a brutal game of dodgeball that has half of both sides laughing and the other half crying while a crowd watches, haha. Ruka is very private about her abilities but she will reveal it to Byakuya out of trust and love for him once they're together, which will prompt him to claim an 'I knew it!' victory. Byakuya's reactions to a lot of things Ruka does will keep picking at his stoicism until he ditches it at home and concedes to her peppy personality.
