Chapter Twenty Three: Ab Irato
"You know, all in all I didn't expect us to be having this conversation quite as soon as this."
Tokutarou sank down in the big chair in the corner of the study, gesturing for Midori to make herself comfortable in the simple yet well appointed surroundings of the Kyouraku Inner Seireitei working office. It was late in the afternoon now, he mused, with the Council Session having only just concluded, yet he had been surprised when the young leader of the Shihouin had approached him, asking if there was somewhere they could go and speak. She had mentioned the provision of aid to refugees as her reason, but Tokutarou was sharp of wits and he had already surmised that Midori's true purpose was on quite another matter. For that reason, he had acquiesced, and a short time later they were both safely within the Kyouraku apartments, Tokutarou having dismissed all of his retainers except for the trusty Yasuhiro. Even now, Tokutarou knew, the hardened warrior would be stationed outside the door, ready to act should anything untoward occur. Yet, although he was now alone with the legendary Shadow Cat of the Shihouin, Tokutarou was not afraid.
Even though she was a stronger fighter than he was when it came to zanpakutou magic, he knew that she had no designs on his life.
"Well, it seemed prudent not to waste time." The girl responded now with a sigh, settling herself beside the window and shrugging her shoulders. "Especially since I had the excuse of aid to use as a discussion point. I am quite serious on those grounds and have already sent papers to the Yamamoto asking them permission to send a convoy from District Two via their land to your borders - so with any luck, they will soon be on their way. And since that is the case..."
"You decided it would be as good a cover as any for the other subject we discussed recently." Tokutarou nodded. "I had already reasoned that much out."
"Of course." Midori's golden eyes lit up with amusement and she nodded her head. "That's a Kyouraku for you. I know my Uncle used to say that he'd scarcely met anyone more perceptive and quick-witted than your late father - I suppose it really does run in the family, given that both you and your young brother seem to have inherited it."
"Yes, well, I'm sure Kamuki-sama was being polite." Tokutarou pursed his lips. "My father's intelligence is what ultimately destroyed him, so you should probably not make too many comparisons between him and me. I'm not his kind of fighter, after all - whether I did or didn't inherit anything from him, I'm certainly not much my Father's son in most respects."
"I meant no offence." Midori said lightly, and Tokutarou shook his head.
"On the contrary, I consider it a compliment." He admitted. "Whatever people thought of my Father, I thought a lot of him. And still do, despite his vices and his tragic demise. You needn't concern yourself, Midori-dono. You've caused me no discomfort with your observation."
He eyed her keenly.
"And your Lord Father? How does he, in his confinement?"
"Well, if bored." Midori sighed. "But alive, thank goodness. Even if I can't often see him, knowing that he and Nii-sama live is enough. Nii-sama's sentence may be commuted in time, and he might yet become one of my advisors...but even if Father spends the remainder of his life locked away, he's still not in any pain or discomfort. The dark times are over, little by little. The Shihouin are entering a new era...and honestly, that's a big part of why I want to act like this. Misashi-dono is partly responsible for the saving of the Shihouin. I believe in repaying my debts wholeheartedly, and protecting Hirata is really a small price to pay to keep a potential Endou alliance alive. So..."
"I have no love for Endou Shouichi or his grandson." Tokutarou shook his head. "That's no secret, considering the trouble they've caused me. I still remember how Seimaru's father backed my Uncle in our own civil upheaval, when I tried to take control of my family's land in the first place. And as for Seimaru - with him, it's more personal. Past it may be, but I can't forgive his having hurt Shunsui with his sword last summer. My brother may be unique, but he means everything to me. And even if he's willing to forget, I'm not."
"Some might say to hold a grudge is a negative character trait." Midori said pensively, and Tokutarou smiled.
"It is. It's a Shiba trait, in fact." He agreed. "Shunsui is not so inclined, and he is much more like my Father than I will ever be. But I know, when I was young, Kyouki-sama used to say it. That when someone crossed a line with me, it was difficult for them to cross back. That was my Shiba blood - and I should be careful of digging out grievances against people for that exact reason."
"Well, to be truthful, I bear a grudge still where Seimaru is concerned." Midori looked rueful. "So on that at least, we share an opinion."
"Yes." Tokutarou nodded his head. "It seems we do."
He pursed his lips.
"Can you tell me, then, what Chiaki-sama told you? Or is it difficult to do so, considering that he's in the position he is?"
"I can tell you." Midori shook her head. "He and I both hope that to trust you and ask for your help may in time help us forge a closer alliance with your Clan. Kai is great friends with your brother these days, and in truth, it's an alliance I always hoped to forge myself. At one point, I might have married you - in different circumstances, of course, but still valid ones. The Kyouraku are a level headed military Clan and one with whom its easy to place trust. The Shihouin, in contrast, are not - not with recent events. But...even so..."
"Even so." Tokutarou looked thoughtful. "I don't think such a thing is out of the question. Whilst I never had much time to speak to your Uncle, I know that you are a different kind of leader. Although you slipped through my land illegally to return to District Two, in the circumstances, I bear you no ill will. And what you said is also true. Shunsui has forged a good friendship with your brother - besides,"
He smiled.
"The Endou boy that Misashi-dono thinks so much of is one who you've protected more than once." He said softly. "To your own risk, in fact, to uphold a barely flickering alliance forged more from actions than paperwork. I like that way of thinking. It fits well with my own. So I am not averse to the idea in theory. Although...I would have to discuss such things with my own people back in District Eight. They are wary, in some ways, of outside alliances. Some of them still even fear the Shiba connection that I have by my birthright."
"I understand." Midori nodded. "And in the meantime, I'll do my best to make the Shihouin appear an attractive alliance prospect. We are working hard, Tokutarou-dono. A little more won't hurt."
She paused, then,
"As for my Father's testimony, he could not tell me much." She admitted. "He seems sure that none of the Endou's scientific helpers were operating under their Clan name, so this Urahara Keitarou must have been acting under a different appelation during his time in Shouichi and Seimaru's service. He did recall a Keitarou, though not his other name. He also said that the man did not resemble an Urahara, yet maybe he was one. Father wasn't sure. Just that he had an ill atmosphere about him and that he seemed to be somewhat affiliated with Seimaru. Closely affiliated."
She frowned.
"What I know about the Endou's scientific research remains unproven, as does what you've surmised about them." She added. "Please, treat this with the utmost discretion. For Hirata's sake and Misashi-dono's sake, everything must be done carefully. I have no evidence at all that they continue to act in this fashion. Only that Misashi-dono suspects that Seimaru is. The trouble it would cause so many people if accusations were made carelessly..."
"I promise. I will be discreet." Tokutarou nodded. "Hirata is also a friend of my brother's, you forget. And to be honest, those friends have done Shunsui so much good, it's not in my interests to unsettle any of them unduly."
He got to his feet, moving to the window.
"I'm glad you spoke to me here, rather than coming to District Eight." He reflected. "That may have raised unwelcome speculation."
"I had heard a story about your forthcoming betrothal." Midori's eyes twinkled, and Tokutarou eyed her ruefully.
"It's not quite that, yet." He cautioned. "And I've not yet discussed it with Shunsui, so I'd be glad if you would keep whatever you've heard to yourself, also. It's true that Yoshiko-sama has persuaded me to speak to her brother about entertaining a possible match with his daughter. Yoshiko-sama's family are very well thought of by the Kyouraku administration, hence why they're so fond of favouring Shunsui for the haori - and even though they're third degree, the bloodline between them and myself is quite distant on account of my Shiba mother. In any case, she is due to arrive at the main house in the next few days - and yes, to be visited by the female leader of another Clan in that time may cause confusion."
Midori chuckled.
"Council law prohibits it, sadly." She said regretfully. "That ship has long since sailed. But you're right. Your family will probably remember that my people tried to broker an arrangement with Kyouki-sama when you and I were underage. Probably it's better I don't visit District Eight, if it might be seen as competition for your lady suitor...whatever her name may be."
"Rae-hime. Ashouji Rae-hime." Tokutarou replied. "She's nineteen this summer, so about Shunsui's age."
He sighed.
"Another reason I haven't discussed it with him yet." He owned. "Brothers we may be, and only six or seven years apart, but sometimes I feel more like I'm his father watching over him in the absence of anyone else to do so. I'd like him to approve the match before I sign any papers, so I'm going to bring him back to meet her after his exams."
"He may steal her away from you." Midori teased. "From all I've heard about your young brother, he's quite the ladies man."
Tokutarou grimaced.
"My brother's reputation seems to travel far afield indeed." He said with a resigned sigh. "But he has steadied this last year. No, Midori-dono. I don't believe he will behave inappropriately towards her. Besides, he is her first cousin, even if I am not. And judging by how he treats Sora - I think we can safely rule that option out."
He glanced out of the window at the gathered guardsmen outside, then,
"I wish to speak to him about the Endou also." He said seriously. "Because as my heir, he understands as well as I do the politics that exist between us and our neighbours. No...to be truthful, I think he possibly knows more than I do. But for Hirata's sake, he's not spoken to me about it. Even so, if there are still people focused on reidoku and if there is a risk of something further occurring...I would sooner speak to him about it in person. Letters are risky, especially in this climate."
"You'd trust him with so much information?"
"I would." Tokutarou agreed. "Why? Would you not trust Kai-dono with it?"
"Kai knows far more about the Endou than I'd like." Midori sighed. "But I suppose you're right. I wouldn't leave him out of it, either. It's a burden, but one they must both bear as heirs to their respective Clans. Although if you marry, that burden may be taken from Shunsui-dono's shoulders."
"No. He will still bear it." Tokutarou rested his hand on the sill for a moment. "He'll wear the haori, after all, one day. And when he does, he'll not be able to escape the politics he hates so much. Better he's ready for that. He's my Father's son, Midori-dono, and I won't let him end up the same way Father did. So there's no other option for it. When he comes home, I'll have a lot to tell him. And, perhaps, show him, since I don't suppose I can keep him from the refugee camps any longer."
"You think there are Endou people there?"
"Possibly, or those who know things about the Urahara." Tokutarou nodded. "I haven't investigated closely, but I may do, now. So long as they cooperate with me, and aren't involved in anything illicit, I won't persecute them. But if any of them have information on this Keitarou person - then I am best placed to track them down. And Shunsui has a way of making people talk to him - he takes them off guard and they don't realise how much he really understands. In that instance, he might be invaluable to us both."
"Clan politics once again." Midori reflected, and Tokutarou grimaced.
"Which he'll hate, but I won't deceive him." he responded. "If I let him go, I'll explain to him why."
"Then there is one other name I should tell you. Kotetsu Daisuke." Midori said frankly. "Father mentioned it, and wasn't totally sure it was accurate...but he seems to remember that it was. That man was in some kind of close contact with the Keitarou he remembered...but more than that he didn't really know. Fanatical and intelligent, that's how Father described him. And definitely Urahara."
Tokutarou's eyes narrowed.
"I see."
"Misashi-dono said that one of the ringleaders had been captured and killed quite recently." Midori continued. "I wondered if it might be him, though of course, it may not."
"Maybe, maybe not. I suppose that's another avenue to investigate." Tokutarou nodded. "I'm grateful, Midori-dono, that you've brought all this to my attention. If there is anything I can do, you have my word I will."
"I know that." Midori grinned. "The head of the Kyouraku-ke always keeps his word. That's one thing I've learnt for certain in the past year or so...I have absolutely no fear about leaving the rest of this in your hands."
With that she withdrew, and for a moment Tokutarou stood at the window, turning over the conversation in his brain.
Certainly, there have been more refugees coming. Some have, indeed, been blond haired and pale eyed, and perhaps I need to pay attention to that fact. Not that I will kill anyone whose guilt is only to share a bloodline with those considered traitors...but some of them may have information on this Keitarou individual. And that will be a good place to start. Shunsui, I need your help in this, for certain. Between us, maybe we can get to the bottom of what's going on in Seventh District before it reaches a critical point!
"Are you really sure that you're all right to be moving around?"
As Juushirou gathered together his study books, it was Shunsui who asked the question, dropping down on the end of his friend's bed with a quizzical look on his lazy features. "I know Unohana-sensei's let you out, but even so, Juu, you still look pale."
"I'm all right. I was getting claustrophobic and it's not good for me to be stuck in bed." Juushirou paused, casting his companion a rueful grin. "Unohana-sensei's said I mustn't try to train till the end of the week at the earliest, or fire live Kidou or do anything else extreme in the meantime. But I can come back to my dorm and I can attend my theory classes. I can catch up, basically, with the stuff I've missed...believe me, without the physical exertion, I won't be pushing my limits at all."
He patted the books absently, then,
"Even when I was ill at home, I read a lot. Studied, too." He added. "So since it's still warm out, I thought I'd take my Kidou and Hohou texts out into the shade of the trees and read over the sections I should have read up for the classes I missed."
"I'm glad you said in the shade." Shunsui's eyes twinkled with amusement. "Considering your last encounter with the sun seemed to end on irreconcileable differences."
"Mm. It was hot that day." Juushirou sighed. "And I guess in the end, it was just a step too far. But it's behind me now. I feel much better. I'll soon be fine."
"I wonder how much your special nurse had to do with that, huh?" Shunsui scooped up his own Kidou text book, clapping his friend on the back with an amused grin. "Since you suddenly found your appetite after she began treating you - I guess she has some unknown special technique that healed you right away."
"Shunsui." Juushirou reddened, hugging his books defensively to his chest. "It wasn't like that. Mitsuki and I made up our fight - that's all. I mean, we had some misunderstandings...but...in the end, we worked it all out."
"And now you call her Mitsuki, and she calls you Juushirou. I agree. It couldn't be more innocent." Shunsui said lightly.
"Shunsui!" Juushirou was exasperated, and Shunsui chuckled.
"Come on. I'll make an exception for once and come study with you." He said playfully, tapping his friend lightly on the head. "I did actually attend the said class - if I really think about it, maybe I'll remember what Kazoe said."
"All right." Juushirou eyed him warily. "So long as it's Kidou you want to talk about, and not female classmates."
"Female classmates are a perfectly natural topic of conversation for boys our age." Shunsui was unconcerned. "You're just a slow starter, which is why you're getting so flustered. It's really quite a good thing, to be honest - every guy has to cross that threshold sometime."
"I haven't crossed any thresholds. We just talked, that's all." Juushirou muttered darkly, pulling open the door of the dorm with more force than was necessary. "Well? Are you coming with me or are you just going to stand there and smirk?"
"I can walk and smirk, so I'm coming." Shunsui assured him casually. "I'm following you. Lead the way."
The forestland was already busy that afternoon, since the sun was still high in the sky and many students had chosen to swap the stuffy cloying atmosphere of the classrooms for the promise of a cool breeze in the shade of the thick-leaved trees. There was still plenty of room, however, and as the two boys settled themselves on the grass, Juushirou sighed, glancing from one book to the other.
"I hate catching up." He murmured. "It's proof that I'm not the same as everyone else, when I have to take sick days and do the work out of class."
"But at least you can do it." Shunsui reminded him. "Considering how seriously ill you can be, Juu, you bounce back amazingly fast. I know I was teasing you about Mitsuki - but really, there must be some strong healing Kidou in the Healing Bay."
"Yeah." Juushirou leant up against the trunk of the biggest tree, nodding his head. "Unohana-sensei has a technique that's effective on my haibyou. It hurts but it works. And really, the worst of it this time was borderline heat stroke or something of that nature. I just wore myself out - it wasn't really my typical kind of haibyou attack."
"But...you are all right?" Shunsui asked softly. "I know you'll say I'm fussing, but given the last conversation we had about your health, back at the camp..."
"Yes. I'm all right." Juushirou nodded. "And I'm not just saying that - I'm sure it's true. Even if I did go too far, I can feel myself getting stronger when I fight and train with Nagoya-senpai. So eventually I will get there. Don't worry about it, all right? Sensei is watching me, too. I'm not going to just disappear...I'm far too stubborn for that."
"Hm." Shunsui was silent for a moment, then he nodded. "Then if that's the case, why are you keeping Mitsuki at arm's length, even now?"
"Shunsui." Juushirou glared at him, colour rising in his pale cheeks once more. "I've told you the subject is off limits, so leave it alone, all right?"
"Well, since you were sick, I doubt you seduced her. And even though you're jumpy, I don't suppose you even kissed her." Shunsui folded his arms across his chest. "So I don't know why you're being so coy about it. She told you her feelings. You told her yours - at least, I assume that's what you talked about? And then you made peace and whatever, yada, yada. Am I close?"
"It's not your business."
"I'm your friend, and I'm hers. Like a good friend, I'm caring about both of your welfare." Shunsui smiled sweetly, and Juushirou groaned.
"You're really not going to let me study until you pry everything out of me, are you?" He said helplessly, and Shunsui shook his head.
"Nope." He agreed cheerfully. "I'm glad you've realised it quickly - so tell me and then I'll help you study what you missed."
Juushirou grimaced.
"There's nothing to tell. You already know what we said to one another." He said quietly. "And as for anything else, unlike you, I'm not Clan. Unlike you, I can't hope to forge that kind of alliance with a Kuchiki-ke hime. And even though...even though Mitsuki is strong and more so than I realised...I still...won't cause problems for her. Right now, with things the way they are, friends and allies is all we can do. But it's all right like that, Shunsui. We'll be close friends. Good allies. I'm okay with it this way."
"Disappointing." Shunsui sighed. "Oh, I see your logic - more than anyone I know the annoyance of crossing that particular social divide. But dammit, you could at least kiss her. Once wouldn't hurt and I'm sure Mitsuki would understand if she knew that it was in the name of experience. After all, you do have time and ground to make up. I was fourteen when I first kissed Saku - that's not that early, either. Tokutarou-nii said he was twelve when Sora's brother first dared him to kiss one of the junior housemaids at the Shiba estate. You need to be a bit more adventurous. I can see how the Kuchiki would object if you ravished her and all of that - but even they wouldn't flinch, surely, at one kiss?"
Juushirou raised an eyebrow, and Shunsui grinned.
"Oh, wait, it's the Kuchiki." He said ruefully. "Okay. Scratch that then. But...even so...I still think you should do it."
"It's not the same for me as it might be for you." Juushirou said pointedly. "Besides..."
He faltered, and then he sighed.
"I don't really want to kiss her." He admitted.
"Why not?" Shunsui stared, and Juushirou glanced down, uncomfortable.
"Because...I...suppose..."
He hesitated, then shrugged his shoulders.
"In the archives of our family there are a lot of records. Old diaries. Papers. Letters. Things like that." He said softly. "When I got better, after Father died, I read through a lot of them. I suppose I was trying to find out whether I could be his heir or whether it would be a bad idea. I wanted reassurance, but all I found was negativity. The curse. And the way...the way people like me were seen to be."
"So?" Shunsui pursed his lips. "That's then, this is now. That's them, this is you. What of it?"
"One woman kept a diary for six or seven years." Juushirou murmured. "Until the death of her husband, she wrote in it two or three times a week. He was...like me. Cursed. And he...was only twenty nine when he died of complications. She wrote about her life with him. What she hoped it would be...what it actually was. And the things...that happened. The way...things were."
Shunsui's eyes narrowed, then he nodded.
"So because this woman wrote a bunch of stuff about being married to someone with haibyou, you've taken it all to heart and assumed every woman is that woman and every haibyou sufferer is that man?" He asked bluntly, and Juushirou bit his lip.
"No." He admitted. "But there are bits of it. Yes. Things...Shunsui, at the moment...my spirit power is unsettled. It's fluctuating based on my tiredness or my emotion or whatever else is going on. I'm not done training yet. And even so...if my attacks can be brought on by uneven emotions...well...what if..."
He trailed off, his cheeks scarlet, and despite himself Shunsui laughed.
"You know, I expected you to have all kinds of reasons why you wouldn't cross that line." He owned. "Status. Responsibility. Honour. Pride. But potential embarrassment? I hadn't seen that one."
"Shunsui."
Juushirou eyed him reproachfully, and Shunsui held up his hands in mock-surrender.
"Okay! I'm sorry. But it sounds funny."
"It isn't funny!" Juushirou snapped back, his cheeks still blazing. "You wouldn't get it, since you don't get sick and you're fine in dealing with girls and things like that."
"Which is why I'm constantly insulted by Naoko-chan and nagged by Sora." Shunsui said dryly. "You're mistaking a lot of alcohol induced soul searching with knowing about women. But that aside...Juu, you're being ridiculous. If you stop and think about it, you'll know that you are."
"How am I?" Juushirou's pride was roused at this, and Shunsui sighed.
"Firstly, because you have absolutely no reason to suppose you would have an attack or cough or choke if you were to do something as simple and innocent as just kiss a girl you like." He said sensibly. "And even if the worst happened and you did...Juu, where did you just spend the last few days?"
"The Healing Bay, but..."
"Who nursed you there?"
"Well..."
"Don't you think she's well enough acquainted with that side of you to be able to move past it if the worst came to the worst?"
"Well, maybe, but..."
"Juu..." Shunsui grasped his friend by the shoulders, giving him a gentle shake. "Stop it. The truth is you're finding excuses. And you're doing it because really you're just scared."
"I never said..."
"I know, but I can read you." Shunsui shook his head. "You're scared because you didn't think this could happen and you're not prepared for it. You like to be in control, and you're not this time around. But regardless of whether you're ready or not, it has happened. You should face it properly. Maybe friends is all right, or maybe it isn't. That's between the two of you. But life is too short for regrets. You're the one who said you wanted to live it - so don't run away from it. She's very pretty. She has a decent personality and she's not stuck up or frilly. And she likes you a lot. And even if it is the Kuchiki-ke, right now both of you are simply students here at the Academy. If you don't take chances while they're there, they'll slip away forever."
His eyes clouded.
"I let Saku slip away, and I regret it, even now." He admitted. "There wasn't any other option, but it's still how I feel. Don't do the same, all right?"
Juushirou let out a heavy sigh.
"I guess we'll see." Was all he responded, however, then, "Can we maybe study now? We have exams first and foremost - for now, please, let's focus on that."
"Fine." Shunsui released his grip, sitting back on the grass. "Where do you want to begin? Hohou or Kidou?"
"Well, if it isn't the Second Year's District prodigy." Before Juushirou could answer, a sharp voice cut through their conversation and both boys turned to see an older student watching them, two or three others in his slipstream. At their surprise, the older boy grimaced, curling his lip in derision.
"Look at it. Basic level Hohou and Kidou." He said disparagingly, reaching acoss to kick the Hohou volume from Shunsui's hands. "We read that so long ago I don't even remember it."
"Imagine not being able to do Shunpo." A second student snorted, bending to pick up the volume and flicking through the pages. "That's the level of student we're dealing with, Matsuo. They can still only just about walk from one place to the next."
"Who are you?" Juushirou's brows knitted in annoyance, and he snatched back the book. "You're obviously not second years, so why would you care what we were or weren't studying?"
"Ugh! It touched me!" As Juushirou's hand touched brushed against his sleeve, the second boy let out a yelp, pulling his arm back in an exaggerated movement and hurriedly brushing the white fabric as if trying to remove an invisible stain.
Shunsui pursed his lips.
"Perhaps they're not upperclassmen after all, Juu-kun." He observed casually, his gaze flitting across the group as he spoke. "Jumping around and screaming like small children over nothing."
"You can shut up." The leader, Matsuo cast Shunsui a glare. "We didn't come to speak to you, anyway. We came to speak to that."
He gestured at Juushirou, who bristled at the dismissive treatment.
"That happens to be my close friend, however." Shunsui spoke before the District boy could snap back a retort. "Therefore obviously an insult given to him concerns me too. Besides, he's right. What we study is no business of complete strangers. If you don't know that, I suggest you go away and read up your own text books. Otherwise you might get kept down - exams are soon, after all."
"You're a cocky brat." A third, well built individual strode forward, pulling the sheathed blade from his waistband and prodding Shunsui in the chest with the tip of the scabbard. "What's your name?"
"Kyouraku Shunsui." Shunsui said frankly. "And yours?"
"Kyouraku?" Despite himself, Matsuo was somewhat disturbed by this, and he held out a hand to pull his big friend back.
"Let him alone, Nakao. Whatever he might look like, that one's the heir to District Eight's Clan. And our business isn't with him."
"The heir to District Eight's Clan." Shunsui murmured softly, slowly shaking his head. "Really, and you're upperclassmen? By the asauchi, I'm guessing you're fourth years. Yet even so haven't realised that Academy status is based on what we do, not what bloodline we were born into?"
"Bloodline matters." The second boy said stiffly. "Especially when it comes to something like this."
"What kind of an insult do you suppose it is to the Clans that a boy like this is already claiming to have heard his zanpakutou spirit?" Nakao demanded angrily, nonetheless sliding his weapon back into his obi. "We've worked to a specific level to get to where we are, and yet here's this brat from outside who thinks he can skip the proper way of doing things and start training already? It's stupid. And its insulting, too. To all of us who've done things the proper way."
"No District kid will ever wield a zanpakutou." Matsuo said softly, casting Juushirou an unpleasant look, and Juushirou snorted.
"If I train hard, then I'll do whatever I'm capable of." He said flatly, meeting the older boy's gaze with a steely one of his own. "I don't care where I was born, since it's something I can't change. It's also none of your business. What I do has no bearing on you - unless my hard work shows up your laziness and complacency."
"How dare you?" Even as Shunsui chuckled, Matsuo was beside himself at this clinical appraisal. "You're just a boy from the Districts! Do you know how many members of my Clan have held high positions? How many of them have been gifted? How many..."
"I don't even know to which Clan you belong." Juushirou said quietly. "As you said, I'm District, so those things don't matter to me. But if you do come from a family with that kind of reputation, surely the best thing is to uphold it by achieving the same things yourself? What I do isn't going to change what you do. And attacking me isn't going to help you summon your zanpakutou any quicker. We're entirely disconnected...if you have a problem, maybe you should look for the answer to it inside yourself."
"Juu's right." Shunsui nodded. "If you have a problem with what he's doing, it means what you're doing isn't enough. Only a strong person isn't intimidated by another strong one, after all."
"As if any of us believe you've really heard your zanpakutou spirit." Ignoring Shunsui, Matsuo rounded on Juushirou once more. "As if any of us believe it's anything more than a sham or a scheme to make it look like District children can achieve the impossible. We all know, after all, that Clan reiatsu far outstrips District. You're just another common born child, in the end. You won't succeed. It's a waste of time...you ought to give up now."
"Do you believe, then, Kazaki Matsuo, that I waste my time on hopeless endeavours?"
Shirogane's tones broke through the increasingly heated debate, and Juushirou started, unaware that his sword shishou had been so close by. As though he had tipped cold water over the whole group, there was utter silence as the Senior stepped in between them, glancing first at the three fourth year students, and then down to Juushirou and Shunsui on the ground.
"Well?" He said softly. "I asked a question, Kazaki Matsuo. Do you think that I waste my time on hopeless endeavours?"
"Shirogane-senpai." Matsuo whispered, and Shirogane's slate eyes hardened.
"Anideshi." He said pointedly. "Out of school, you may or may not call me by my first name. But here, you will respect true protocol and address me with the respect that Genryuusai-sensei expects."
"A...Anideshi." Nakao bit his lip, then bowed his head. "Of course we don't. It's just..."
"Yet I find you here harassing the boy that I have taken as my deshi. That implies you believe me either to be the foolish or the fooled." Shirogane was cutting. "And I do not appreciate either slur."
He glanced at Juushirou, who stared at him in disbelief, then turned away, facing the older students properly.
"But Anideshi...that boy is..." The second boy murmured, and Shirogane nodded.
"A lowborn ingrate from the murky depths of my family's governing District. Yes. I know. He has neither breeding nor bloodline to recommend him, and he is, to all intents and purposes, just another member of the common classes." He said quietly.
"Then...why...?"
"Even diamonds, before you polish them, look like nothing more than ugly rocks." Shirogane said cryptically. "Besides, since I have taken him as my deshi, an insult to him is an insult to me as well. As a Kuchiki, such an insult is also an insult to my family. Is that your intention?"
His fingers hovered over the hilt of his blade.
"If so, I must defend my Clan's name, and will draw my sword. School or otherwise, such things are not to be overlooked or forgiven."
"We meant no insult, A...Anideshi." Matsuo hurriedly bowed his head, and after a moment, his two companions followed suit. A cold smile twitched at Shirogane's lips, and he nodded, lowering his right hand.
"Then go and study your own swordcraft." He said softly. "Before I change my mind and decide to act."
This was enough for the fourth years, and with one accord they were gone, disappearing through the trees back towards the school. As they did so, Shirogane sighed, shaking his head.
"Senpai..." Shunsui was the first to speak, confusion in his tones. "Did you just...defend Juu?"
"Defend him?" Shirogane swung around, fixing both boys with a piercing look. "Why would I do that? The insult was clearly against me and my family - not to mention my own skills as a shishou. What has it to do with Ukitake?"
"I see." A faint, amused smile touched Shunsui's lips, and Juushirou slowly bowed his head.
"I'm sorry to have caused such a thing to happen, Senpai." He said softly, though inwardly he knew that, whatever he said, the older boy had indeed come to his defence. "I didn't mean to create any trouble."
Shirogane pursed his lips, eying Juushirou pensively.
"You are a foolish boy." He said quietly. "You run into a fight, yet don't understand that you can only fight for so long. In this, Kazaki and his friends are right. If you tackle this with such a naive, reckless air, you will never summon your sword. You will clearly die first. A zanpakutou does not fight for a master who doesn't know both his limits and his control levels. You still have to learn both things."
"Y..yes, Senpai." Juushirou nodded, then, "But...does that mean...you really will train me again?"
"I am your shishou." Shirogane's expression became haughty. "Kuchiki do not give up once they have undertaken a task. However unpleasant that task may prove to be - I have laid my name against yours, now. You will therefore summon your sword and fight with it. I will not tolerate anything else - and you will not escape my attention until we reach that point."
"Unohana-sensei says he can't do any physical training till next week, Senpai." Shunsui said quietly, and Shirogane shrugged carelessly.
"Then we will begin at the start of next week." He said thoughtfully. "We'll go back to the very basics, since you clearly do not know even those things. Do you understand, Ukitake? I will expect you bright and early, since we have much still to do."
Juushirou stared at the older boy for a moment, then he nodded his head, a smile touching his lips.
"Yes, Senpai. I understand." He said clearly. "I'll be there. Don't you worry. I'll come."
"Good. Then it's settled." Shirogane tossed his head, thick tail of dark wavy hair falling over his shoulder as he did so. "And don't waste my time, District boy. I won't tolerate it, even if you do cough blood."
With that he was gone, and Shunsui let out a low whistle.
"Well, that was unexpected." He said unecessarily, and Juushirou nodded.
"No kidding." He murmured. "I didn't think he'd even speak to me, let alone come and defend me like that."
"Well, he is a proud, arrogant jerk." Shunsui said thoughtfully. "But I think...just maybe...he also respects you a little bit."
"You think so?" Juushirou looked doubtful. "I think he just didn't like the slight to his family's pride."
"That too." Shunsui nodded. "But he said it, didn't he? That an unpolished diamond can be mistaken for just another rock. Cryptic, maybe, but you do realise what he was saying? He was saying that they shouldn't judge you based on your appearance. Twisted it might have been - but in his own way, Nagoya was paying you a compliment. He was talking about the power you have, even as a member of the District class."
"Maybe you're right." Juushirou sighed, sinking back against the tree. "Either way, he's going to carry on training me, and so that's all right. I don't need to worry about that any more."
He patted the Hohou textbook.
"Meanwhile, I can't let these classes slip either, else I'll be one-sided." He added. "Will you still help me catch up?"
"Well, I might as well." Shunsui winked, nodding his head. "Since I'm helping the second year's District prodigy."
"Shut up." Despite himself, a smile touched Juushirou's lips, and he thwapped his friend's arm playfully. "Don't say things like that, or I'll start calling you a genius again."
"Genius and prodigy." Shunsui snorted. "Somehow, I don't think it fits us, does it? Team Stupid seems much more appropriate."
Juushirou chuckled, nodding his head.
"No kidding." He agreed warmly. "We should stick with that."
He paused, then,
"Shunsui?"
"Mm?"
"Thank you for defending me too."
"Heh, goes without saying, that." Shunsui grinned. "Especially with you being convalescent - I couldn't let you do it all on your own!"
Keitarou had been in a black mood for days.
Shikiki pulled her thin cloak more tightly around her stocky frame, stifling a shiver as a chill breeze blew through the old dungeons that lay deep beneath the Endou estate. Above her, she knew, the men who had killed Daisuke roamed, and for the first few days she had barely had the courage even to whisper, let alone explore the bleak dwellings that had become her shelter since the destruction of her village. But despite their proximity, nobody had come. And little by little, Shikiki had realised nobody would come. That here, encased in thick stone and blocked off from all sides, was the most secret and secure location in all of District Seven.
She did not know that the outer walls of the former dungeon were lined with Sekkiseki, a form of stone known for its ability to absorb and repel spiritual power. Only the one area of the outer wall remained uncovered by the aura of this powerful shell - the section where Shouichi had had the dungeon blocked off a year before. It was through this gap that Keitarou slipped in and out of his forbidden home, and since the time the experiments had begun, he had modified the inner sections so that the full effect of the Sekkiseki was damped to a level whereby his scientific endeavours were possible.
This was indeed a 'safe place'...and though it was dark and smelt of death, Shikiki had begun to feel secure there.
At least it was not smothered beneath the dying embers of her former home.
She closed her eyes, tears glittering on her lashes as she remembered Daisuke's battered and beaten body. She had failed, she knew, although Keitarou had not criticised her for it once in the time since they had returned to this place. He had buried his kinsman with reverence and care, even murmuring a soft and unfamiliar prayer rite over the dark earth mound as he had said farewell to his one true ally, and Shikiki had known then that things would never be the same for either of them. She had lost someone she had considered a protector and a guardian...but even her childish awareness understood that Keitarou had lost a friend.
She had watched the ritual from behind a tree, wanting to say goodbye but not wanting to intrude on the scientist's grief. It was the first and only time she had ever seen Keitarou shed tears, and even though they had been few in number, she knew she would probably never see it again. She had not mentioned it and nor had he - but Shikiki had learnt that even her guardian had weaknesses and, this time, he had been truly hurt.
Since they had returned to the dungeon, however, Keitarou had not spoken Daisuke's name once. Instead he had settled down to his work with a new and ferocious intensity, checking formulae and scribbling notes by day, and relentlessly drilling Shikiki herself in her own magic in the evenings. He had made sure she was fed, though he had seemed to eat little himself, and Shikiki had found him somehow distant and strange - as though, for the first time in their acquaintance, she understood that Keitarou was a dangerous man.
Yet she trusted that dangerous man, because she had nobody else now in whom she could. And so she did as she was told when he wanted her - and the rest of the time, she kept out of his way.
He was away from the dungeon now, however. He had headed outside a short while earlier, in search of a particular mineral without which he could not progress his experiment, and Shikiki had been left alone in the cold darkness to await his return. He had left one feeble Kidou lamp burning, and despite her barrier magic, Shikiki did not know any of the complicated spells that Keitarou knew to raise fire or lightning, so its dim glow cast frightening shadows across the chamber, reminding her that this had been a place of torture and death long before it had been turned over to the Urahara.
Daisuke had been hurt in a place like this, and that thought made her shiver again. She hoped he was safe now, with the spirits that guarded this world. She was sure he must be...but in the darkness, it was easy to doubt even the ingrained convictions of her village infancy.
Before she could dwell too much on this, however, she heard the sound of footfalls, and she started, turning towards the centre of the lab as she expected to see Keitarou reappear before her using his magic that she didn't understand.
But it wasn't Keitarou. It was a different man. And as her gaze met his, fear pierced through the young girl's soul.
He was a stranger, tall and young with a warrior's tail of black hair yanked back from his face in an ornamented clasp and an air of impatient dissatisfaction in his odd blue eyes. He was thin faced, yet he was lean, not skinny, and from the glittering scabbard that hung at his side, he was a trained swordsman, too. His clothes were expensive - fine fabrics in deep reds and browns, and around his shoulders was a dark, wine-coloured cape, edged with the faintest trimmings of gold.
Shikiki did not know that the colours of the Endou family were brown and red, but even without knowing this, she knew that the man who stood before her was a member of the Clan who lived upstairs.
The Clan who had killed Daisuke, and who had hunted her village to extinction.
There was a long, protracted silence, then the man spoke.
"Who are you, child?" He demanded, his tones sharp and imperious as he glared down at her. "How did you come to be here?"
"I...I was...Kei-nii said..." Shikiki stammered, too terrified to manage any coherence, and the man's brows knitted together as he crossed the room in swift steps, grabbing her by the collar of her thin kimono and hauling her up so that she was face to face with him, legs dangling helplessly below her.
"Answer me." He said blackly. "I am in no temper to play with children. Who are you and how did you come to be here?"
"She belongs to me, Seimaru-sama. My apologies for not explaining her presence here sooner."
Keitarou's voice sounded like pure gold to the terrified Shikiki, and at the sound of it, Seimaru's grip on her loosened, sending her tumbling to the hard floor with a bump and a thud.
"Yours?" The noble demanded. "In what manner, belongs to you?"
"She is a peasant girl from a local village. An orphan." Keitarou stepped into view at that moment, grey cloak billowing out around him as he dusted off the stray specks of mineral from his thin, pale fingers. "I chose to save her when your Lord Grandfather decided to destroy those around her - and have trained her since then. She has a unique gift, you see...one which I believe will be of use to you and I both as time progresses."
"A gift?" Seimaru wheeled back towards Shikiki, peering at her once more and the young girl shrank back, terrified of those pale blue eyes.
"She uses barrier magic to a level I've never seen before." Keitarou agreed. "In an unusual way, too. Though it is an immature talent yet - she can reverse the flow of time within her barrier, as well as prevent objects outside getting inside."
"Reverse the flow of...?" Seimaru's eyes widened, and Keitarou smiled faintly.
"You might see it as the fixing of a torn cloth, or the sealing of a deep sword-gash." He said softly. "When she is fully trained, Seimaru-sama, you will have a healer whose talent surpasses even that of the Unohana. This child is young yet, but even so she has already managed to heal a kitten practically dead from drowning back to perfect health. With time, do you not see her potential? What she offers is..."
"Potential invincibility." Seimaru's eyes became slits, and Keitarou nodded.
"This miserable brat is truly capable of such things?"
"I realise, it is hard to know it from her appearance." Keitarou acknowledged. "Shikiki, stop skulking on the floor and stand - bow your head before a Lord of the Endou-ke. You do remember that that's how you behave when your superior crosses your path, don't you? Such disrespect is unforgivable - you're fortunate that Seimaru-sama is not of the mind to slice your head from your body."
Shikiki swallowed hard, scrambling hastily to her feet and bowing low before the newcomer.
"I'm very sorry, S...S...Seimaru-s..s...sama." She managed. "I d...didn't m...mean to b...be rude."
Seimaru stared at her a while longer, then,
"Shikiki. Is that what you called her?" He asked, turning back to Keitarou, who nodded.
"An odd name." Seimaru pursed his lips. "Ugly and malformed...but it rather suits her."
He smirked, clearly amused by his own cruel humour, then,
"If she is an apprentice of yours, I suppose that I will not act against her. For now." He said at length. "If you believe her magic to be of use to me, I will trust that judgement. But remember, Aizen...I have many tasks for you and molly-coddling a peasant girl is not among them."
"Yes, sir." Keitarou bowed his head slightly. "And I have made good progress in all of those. I have worked intensively of late - my newest reidoku formula is almost at the point where it can be used on a live subject."
"I was under the impression you were already using live subjects." Seimaru said frankly, and Keitarou nodded.
"Yes, but I meant a Shinigami." He said patiently. "One who has some command of their spirit power, rather than just overflowing levels of it."
"Then take my Grandfather and use him as you see fit." Seimaru muttered, and Shikiki saw Keitarou's eyes become thoughtful.
"Shouichi-sama continues to vex you?" He asked softly, and Seimaru snorted.
"Everything vexes me at present." He snapped. "And I don't know why you are calm. Was it not your ally he beat, tortured and slew not so many days ago? I heard of it, you know - his trying to lure you out with your kinsman as bait - and that, fool as you are, you fell for it and almost became snared by him?"
Keitarou was silent, and Shikiki knew that Seimaru was talking about Daisuke. Then, at length, the scientist nodded.
"I will find it hard to forgive that act." He admitted. "But even so, experimental reidoku is not suitable for one of Shouichi-sama's level. I need someone on whom I can experiment more than once, and I think...that would not be acceptable for the Head of the Endou Clan."
"I want him dead." Seimaru said quietly. "I am fed up of pandering to my Uncle and tripping around my Grandfather's foolishness. This Clan will be in pieces by the time I inherit it at this rate."
Keitarou's eyes narrowed.
"He was my enemy when he became your enemy, Seimaru-sama." He said softly. "Since I am your servant in all things, and my interests therefore follow your own. Now he has simply become my enemy on my own account, too. You need not worry. Shouichi-sama will not live forever. You will have a Clan to inherit. I promise you that."
"You have it in hand, then?" Seimaru gazed at him, and Shikiki saw Keitarou nod.
"Yes. I do." He said simply. "But you must not ask me any more about it. I will promise you, Seimaru-sama, that your Grandfather will leave this world in such a way that nobody will ever point the finger at your door - yours or anyone else's. He will simply slip away...and then you will have free reign to act as you see fit. As head of the Endou Clan, you will rule this District...and I...I will avenge the death of my close kinsman."
"Then you were close to that man. I thought so." Seimaru's lips thinned. "Very well. You are probably right. But don't fail, Aizen. I'm trusting you with a lot, here. If Grandfather is to die, I must be completely above suspicion. You understand? Absolutely and completely."
A cold smile touched Keitarou's lips, chilling Shikiki to the bone.
"I understand." He said softly. "Have no fear. When the time is right, it will be done...just leave it to me."