Chapter Eleven: Illusions
Well, so it would soon be time to go back.
Masaki glanced once more around the trader's house, a faint smile playing at his lips as he observed the scene of chaotic devastation that he had left behind. Units had been pulled over, shutters hanging half off their hinges and Gaugen's precious treasures scattered all over the floor like glittering raindrops across the dark wood. In the room beyond was a similar scene of chaos, the slit throated corpse of Gaugen's wife sprawled helplessly across the white fabric of their futon, blood seeping though the cloth and staining it a deep, rusty red. She had not put up much of a struggle, but for Masaki it was all about appearances. Everything must be perfect - every piece in its place.
A low moan came from his right and his gaze flitted back to the still form of the trader himself, watching with faint amusement as the man's fingers twitched slightly against the binding magic he had used to hold his victim in place. There was fear in Gaugen's eyes - fear such as that Masaki had not seen for some time, and very carefully he knelt down at the other's side, resting a gloved finger lightly on the man's throat. Gaugen tensed, his eyes bulging even more, but he was completely unable to move, and Masaki offered him a smile.
"You helped me very much." He said softly. "And I'm sorry our partnership can't continue. But I can't let you go to anyone to talk about this - or me. It might get back to the wrong people. I have what I want - and so you are no longer of any purpose to me. I can't leave loose ends."
Another gurgle came from the restrained figure, and Masaki laughed.
"It's all right. Nobody will be able to trace me from what happened here." He said composedly. "This was a domestic fight - or possibly, a fight against invading robbers. I don't know - whatever the officials prefer."
He bent down to pick up the bloody dagger that lay on the floor beside him. Carefully he took Gaugen's hand in his, sliding the hilt into the trader's thick fingers and forcing them to close around it.
"Either you killed your wife, or you attacked intruders who did." He continued softly, his tones faintly hypnotic and soothing as he set Gaugen's hand carefully back down. "But the shock of everything was too much for you to bear. And so, in your current, unhealthy state..."
He paused, then put his right palm to the left side of Gaugen's chest. There was a faint ripple of energy, specks of dust swirling briefly in the air around the trader's still form, and then Masaki lifted his hand, knowing that the eyes that now stared from the man's sockets were sightless and that his companion was dead. With a smile he dispersed the binding spell, watching the faint tendrils of light fade away to nothing. Few, if any retainers in this area would be sensitive to pick up their lingering trace - and he had taken precautions enough to ensure that the Clan themselves would pay no attention to such a minor affair.
"Sadly, under so much stress, your heart stopped." He said frankly, getting to his feet and absently dusting his hands against his dark robes. "A simple tragedy, easy for the officials to tie together. Rest in peace, my friend. I have other things to do and other places to be. Your help was invaluable - I wish you a truly tranquil sleep."
He ran his fingers against the fabric of his obi, pulling the pendant free and glancing at it approvingly.
I didn't get everything I came for. But this is enough, for now. Enough to keep things moving.
He slid it back into his obi, turning towards the door.
The sun has risen, and the people will be busy in the town with the market by now. So far as they know, I've already left this place. So whilst the town is at its busiest, I will. People are waiting for me...it's time I moved things on to the next stage in the plan.
A slow, faintly malicious smile spread across his features as he stepped out into the sunlight.
Back to District Six...and the Kuchiki.
It was a bright day, despite the nip in the air, and Enishi whistled a merry tune to himself under his breath as he left the gymnasium, pausing to gaze up at the sky with a smile. There were only the faintest wisps of cloud overhead, and as a child of District One he knew better than anyone that spring proper would soon begin across his home District. Enishi liked spring, although he was sturdy enough to stand the frosts of winter with equanimity, and he reflected on the fact that soon he would be able to train with his sword outside at this time, rather than being restricted to manoeuvres inside the training building.
It was a good feeling, and Enishi was content. Since his conversation with Kazoe, he had felt more at ease about his position, and being possessed generally of an even temperament, he had resolved to dig in and do his best. Consequently he had risen early that morning, and after a brisk, demanding workout he knew he still had enough time to visit the bath before breakfast.
Being Senior Class has its advantages, that's for sure.
He pushed back the door of the school building with a thud, stepping into the hall and being careful to re-fasten the catch behind him. He had no official classes that day, although he knew that he would probably spend a lot of time fighting with library books to put together something written that would pass muster with his demanding sensei, and in any case, when the rest of the school finished their lessons, it would be his turn to stand sentry on the main gate that led down into the local town. As a first year himself, he remembered fondly that he and his friends had broken bounds on more than one occasion and had evaded the Seniors on duty - but he also knew that he had no intention of letting this year's juniors do the same thing.
We ran into danger without even realising it, fairly often. At that stage, there's far too much kids don't know. So it's for their own benefit, and I'm not going to let anyone past who doesn't have a token. Even if nothing untoward has happened in this District for some years now.
A faint frown crossed his brow as he began to mount the stairs that led up to the Senior annexe.
At least here we should be far enough from what's going on in District Six, though I don't envy Kuchiki or Edogawa the stuff they're dealing with. It's been more than a week into term now- I thought they'd for sure be back by this point. How long does it take to bury someone in the Kuchiki, I wonder? I know he was important, but once he's dead, there isn't a lot that can be done with him except inter him before his body starts to break down. So they must've done that already. Which means...
He sighed, shaking his head.
I don't know. The Kuchiki are a funny Clan. Beyond my comprehension, that's for sure - they seem to make a lot over things that ought to be simple. The kid's death is a tragedy, but the longer they drag it out the more of one it will be. And besides, are they even looking for who stiffed him out? I don't suppose anyone in the Yamamoto would stop and even think of anything else if one of our people were killed. Still, there's no accounting for taste or tradition.
He pushed back the sliding doors that led onto the landing that housed the Senior rooms, humming the soft tune under his breath once more as he made his way back to his room. Kanshi had been sleeping still when he had left, and he expected that was probably still the case, for in the short time they had shared sleeping quarters, Enishi had learnt that his companion did not really like early mornings. In fact, on the few occasions when he had stirred before the breakfast bell, it had been Enishi's moving around that had stirred him, and a faint smile touched the tall boy's lips as he remembered.
Souryou's the kind who doesn't run well till he's been refuelled, so I don't suppose he'd be interested in coming down to the baths before breakfast. I wonder if anyone else is up and about, though. It's very early still, but Shihouin is probably up and so might Ukitake and Hirata be. I don't reckon even a thunderstorm would wake Kyouraku if he's determined to sleep, so it won't hurt if I go knock on Hirata's door and see if he's already up and...
He paused, his brow creasing as out of the corner of his eye he caught a sudden movement and he turned, glancing around him for any sign of what he had seen. It had been quick and indistinct, but it had looked like the flash of white and blue of a student's uniform, and Enishi wondered if one of his classmates was already up and about.
It had come from the direction of Juushirou's room, and so, his own towel momentarily forgotten for the moment, Enishi strode down the hallway towards the Nest, certain that his friend was up and about and that they would be able to go to the bathhouse together.
As he rounded the corner, however, a completely different sight greeted him. Instead of Juushirou, Enishi found himself confronted with the shaking form of a small boy, his eyes wide and fixed on the Senior as though he was a mouse that had just crossed the path of a hunting tiger. He was right outside the door of Juushirou's Nest, his fingers curled around the handle, but at the sight of Enishi his hand had immediately dropped to his side and despite himself the bulky student was reminded of Hirata when the two of them had first met.
He was scared of me, too, because I was so tall - but it's all about appearances. Probably this kid came to see Ukitake about something...I should help him if I can.
Out loud he said,
"Hey, kid - what's up? Did you want to speak to Anideshi? It's damn early for it if you do."
The youngster stared at him, his lips opening and closing a couple of times, and Enishi sighed, moving to put a gentle hand on the boy's shoulders.
"There's no need to be afraid." He said, offering the boy a warm smile. "I might be a damn sight taller than you are, but I'm not in the habit of trampling first years. Especially if they've come looking for advice. You did come to see Ukitake, right? Did you try knocking on the door of his room?"
The boy swallowed hard, then he slowly shook his head.
"There was nobody there." He whispered, his voice barely audible and Enishi frowned, eying him in surprise.
"Nobody? You mean you knocked and there was no answer? Is the door locked?"
Without waiting for the boy to respond, he stepped forward, reaching up a hand to rap sharply on the bedroom door.
"Ukitake? Are you up? Someone's here to see you."
There was no reply, and Enishi's frown deepened. He slid thick fingers into the door handle, giving it a little tug and it slid back easily, revealing an empty chamber. The bed had been made neatly, and Enishi saw that Juushirou's zanpakutou was missing from its usual place on the shelf beside his bed. His nightrobes were folded carefully over the bedcovers, and his uniform was no longer hanging on the hook behind the door. Enishi pursed his lips.
"Looks like I wasn't the only one who went to do some early morning training." He murmured, more than half to himself. "I'm sorry, kid - it looks like Anideshi's not here at the moment. Is there something I can help you with? I'm not as smart as Ukitake, but I might be able to..."
"I...I'm all right. Th...thank you...Senpai." The boy shook his head hurriedly, bowing several times. "I...I...I don't want to cause any bother. Thank you S...senpai. I...I'll go now."
"Hey, steady on." Enishi exclaimed, but the youngster had already gone, and he sighed, shaking his head slowly.
Well, Hirata settled and look at him now, so it's not beyond possibilities that that one will too. But seriously - am I that terrifying? Sure, there's a good deal of height between us...but even with that aside..it wasn't as though I planned to hurt him. It's only to be expected that kids would come to Anideshi for advice...oh well.
He allowed himself a rueful smile as he pulled Juushirou's bedroom door shut once more with a soft click.
I guess it's true I don't have Ukitake's knack with scared and homesick folks, when all's said and done. Never mind. I tried - you can't help someone if they don't want to be helped, so there isn't much else I can do about it.
"Enishi?"
A voice startled him and he turned, seeing his cousin standing watching him, a faintly confused expression on his face. He was still dressed in his nightclothes, an additional robe wrapped around his shoulders and his towel over his arm, and at the sight of him, Enishi produced a sheepish grin.
"Morning, Akira."
"Good morning." Akira stifled a yawn. "What are you doing? Ukitake's not there, if it's him you're looking for."
"Yes, I'd realised that much." Enishi agreed. "Did you see him head out?"
"No. Heard him - talking to Shihouin outside my door about something to do with swords." A dark grimace crossed Akira's face. "I didn't sleep well last night as it was, and that was the final straw, so I decided I might as well get up. They left about five minutes ago - you just missed them."
"Hrm. I guess I did." Enishi ran his fingers through his hair with a sigh. "Well, it's fine. It wasn't me who was looking for him - it was some first year kid. I guess the boy just missed him, though, if he and Shihouin went out to train with swords somewhere. I was at the gym, and I didn't see them, but..."
"Shihouin is in the habit of using the training grounds early in the morning. He told Aoi so." Akira said dismissively. "I have no idea if he does so with permission or not, but that's how it is. Probably Anideshi thinks that he's entitled to do so too - being that he's so much more important than the rest of us."
"More likely they went to Sensei and got permission." Enishi said sensibly. "But it explains why I didn't see them."
He shrugged.
"I was going to the baths, anyhow - and you are too, by the looks." He added. "If you'll hang on for me to put my sword down and grab my towel, I'll come with you. We've still time before breakfast."
"All right." Akira looked surprised. "I'll wait."
"I won't be a moment, then." Enishi promised.
"I'm surprised you want to take a bath with me, even if we are kin." As the two boys made their way down the hallway towards the main staircase, Akira shot his cousin a wary glance. "You're Ukitake's friend, and that's pretty obvious. Don't you think this is consorting with the enemy?"
"Since when have kin of mine been my enemy?" Enishi stared at the other boy as if he was mad. "Do you think of me that way?"
"No." Akira snorted. "Don't be stupid. You really are dense sometimes, that's all. I would've thought your Ukitake wouldn't like it - he's not too keen on me, and I'm really not too keen on him either."
"That's just because you don't know him yet." Enishi said comfortably. "And I think you're probably wrong, Akira. I don't think that he hates you at all. He isn't that type - he doesn't hate people easily. In fact when we were First years, Kyouraku used to say his greatest weapon was kindness. I don't totally know what he meant, really, but it is true that Ukitake has a knack for getting the good opinion of those around him. It's just the way he is - when you know him better, you'll see it."
"I doubt it." Akira's eyes darkened. "Enishi, you're one thing - you're older than me, and you're my kinsman, so I'm not raising any issue with your promotion. But most all of our class were left behind to repeat a year to make room for the rest of your class. Endou is...I'm not sure he's even twenty yet."
"No, he isn't." Enishi agreed thoughtfully. "But I don't think that's really an issue with Genryuusai-sensei. I'm pretty sure Nagoya was Anideshi before he turned twenty, and nobody argued with that."
"Nagoya could hold a sword, and knew how to use it." Akira said darkly. "Whereas Endou looks scared at the bare idea."
"You haven't seen Hirata when he has Tsumi no Fuuhi released." Enishi said wisely. "With a basic sword, he lacks confidence - but his zanpakutou is quite scary if it comes at you and you're not prepared for it. You shouldn't underestimate the kid, Akira. He's young and he doesn't look particularly intimidating. But he's still an Endou and he's no weakling."
"Maybe." Akira frowned. "But it's not only that. Sensei picked a District student and a former Fourth year to be Anideshi over the heads of four members of last year's Fifth year top class. Don't you find it odd that he did that? You and I are both Yamamoto. We're Sensei's kin. Yet he's ignored us completely in favour of Ukitake. Doesn't it bother you even a little bit?"
"I hadn't thought about it much." Enishi owned. "Because like I said, I know Ukitake."
He laughed.
"I'd find it odd if he had chosen me, honestly." He said self-effacingly. "I'm strong and I do my best, but Ukitake's always run rings around me in most disciplines. Most all of them have, in fact. I can't say the same applies with you, of course - you probably run the same rings in other subjects that they do. But I'm happy enough to be a Senior this year. Age has nothing to do with it for me, nor anything else. I just want to be in the same class as the friends I made in First year - I want us to graduate together."
He paused, pursing his lips thoughtfully as he considered this.
"I guess from that angle I can see why you're bothered." He acknowledged. "Since you won't graduate with your old classmates. I'm sorry, Akira. That only just occurred to me - that we've come up at the expense of friends of yours."
"I'm somehow not surprised that you've only just realised that." Akira said dryly. "Some of them are hopping mad. I've heard Kamaki and Kobayashi both on the subject a few times, and I'm sure none of the rest really like being pushed together with - lets face it - the dregs of your own year group. Doubtless they're good kids and there's nothing wrong with them being in Fifth year this year. But being made to repeat with them is humiliating at the very least."
"Perhaps I can see that." Enishi acknowledged as they reached the bathhouse, pushing back the door and stepping inside the small changing area. Enishi tossed his towel down onto one of the stone benches, dropping down beside it and beginning to loosen his obi . "Because if I'm honest, Akira, I've always hated the idea that I might one year get held back and they'll go on without me."
"Given your exam results in Kidou, I wondered if Sensei did you a favour." Akira asked archly, and Enishi faltered, turning to eye his cousin in consternation.
"How would you know what grades I had?"
"Because I asked, when I found out we were going to be classmates." Akira said baldly. "This school is Yamamoto run. That kind of information isn't hard to find out. You almost failed your Kidou assessments last semester - you scraped a grade lower than most all of those left behind in Fifth year. No wonder you're happy just to be a Senior."
Enishi sighed, shaking his head.
"I'm not good at Kidou. Never have been. Not built for it." He said pragmatically. "But I didn't fail it. And I won't this year, either. My grades in everything else are good. Kidou isn't the be all and end all of everything."
Akira's eyes narrowed.
"Ukitake...is good at Kidou?" He asked softly, and Enishi nodded.
"Top of the class every year since First year." He said ruefully. "Probably it's thanks to him that I passed the exam last year at all, honestly. He's always tried to help me understand the things that go right over my head. But he's always been like that. Even though he's good at stuff, he's never made fun of me for not being. Even though I'm older than him - than all of them - it's never really mattered."
He shrugged, removing his shirt and setting it down on the bench.
"My strength is Ouyoudou, and that's where my focus is." He added. "I'll give even you a run for your money this year, Akira - you have my word on that."
"Mm. All right." Akira nodded, tossing his own shirt down. "That at least I can't argue with. You've got stronger since the last time we sparred - if Minabe hadn't stopped us, I don't know which way that fight would have gone. If you'd capitalised more, you might have had me. Maybe. I can't say for sure, since you don't really go all out when you're fighting a friendly."
"No need to. Someone might get hurt." Enishi said reflectively. "And in a friendly, that's not worth it. It's fine knowing I can do what I need to do without causing casualties."
"You haven't changed in that respect." Despite himself, Akira grinned. "My brother aside, I don't suppose there's anyone else in our generation of the Clan who can take my blade, even on a lucky day. From that perspective, being in the same class is a good thing. Aoi excepted, none of the others in our Ouyoudou classes last year were really up to much. They could fight - Kanshi's not bad, when he can be bothered to put in the effort - but they weren't up to our speed."
"You should spar Shihouin, if you can." Enishi advised. "He's taken my sword a few times - he might look small, but he's tough."
"Aoi said the same." Akira admitted. "But the Shihouin are known for it. That kind of thing. So I'm not surprised."
"See?" Enishi grinned. "Even if we got promoted this year unexpectedly, it's not as though the people who did aren't worthy of being there. I'm probably the weakest member of the group, when all is said and done - I can fight, but everything else I'm about average or worse. The rest race ahead in the theoretical subjects - maybe Sensei wanted to just give you guys more competition."
Akira was silent for a moment, his gaze unreadable, and then he sighed.
"I should have been Anideshi this year." he said quietly. "You know that. My family expected it. I don't know what passed between Sensei and Father, but something did...Father accepted it, and that was that. But I didn't accept it. This is my Clan - Sensei is my kinsman. This is my Senior year, and I've topped the class in everything since the first year we were here. Maybe some of the others slacked off, but I didn't. And now this..."
He sank back against the wall with a grimace.
"I can't ever reach my brother in any other way." He added. "In a Clan where the head is already not the strongest Yamamoto, being the youngest son of the leader means nothing at all in terms of status or anything else. My brother is a good way older than I am, strong and smart and Father relies on him a good deal. He's married, has two sons of his own, and they will carry the Clan forwards into the future. There's nothing for me except this - to succeed here and prove I can be worth considering for high rank in the Gotei. So I've worked. Hard. For five years. Only to be pipped at the post by a District boy who's only done four."
"That ain't Ukitake's fault, though." Enishi reasoned, somewhat tactlessly. "I do know what you're saying - that the Clan is that way, because even at the fringes like I am, I know how it works. But I don't think that Sensei cares about who graduates first or anything like that. Ukitake wasn't ever top of our year overall. Not once, across the whole of the last four years. That wasn't why Sensei chose him to be Anideshi...it's hard to explain but I think he had special reasons for doing it."
"He wasn't top?" Akira was startled. "Then..."
"No. Kyouraku was." Enishi responded. "Ukitake generally topped Kidou, but that was all. It was generally close...but...Kyouraku always got the upper hand when it came to the final scores. Although Ukitake did summon his sword first...but..."
He trailed off, considering this, and Akira's eyes darkened.
"Ukitake wasn't top." He murmured. "And Sensei made him Anideshi for special reasons. What kind of special reasons, Enishi?"
"Well, I don't know for sure. I'm not Sensei." Enishi said unecessarily, getting to his feet and casting his companion a grin. "But I've heard the others talking, and I think...it's something to do with his being the first recognised District Shinigami. That and the fact it makes sense. Like I said before - when you've known him longer, you'll see it too. Why it is that none of us are bothered about it - not even Kyouraku."
"Hrm." Akira's lips thinned, and he nodded his head. "I'll take your word for it. And I'll be looking out for it, Enishi - this thing that makes Ukitake 'special' even beyond Sensei's loyalty to his own Clan and kinsfolk. I'll be watching very carefully...so he'd better not make any slips!"
Clansfolk in District Six were certainly a careless lot.
Nanaki settled herself more comfortably behind the low-slung wooden table, pushing the plates and other bits and pieces aside to make space across the slatted surface. Carefully she pulled her prize from the sash of her rough servant's obi, unfolding the single aged sheet of paper and smoothing it out in front of her.
With avid blue eyes she read over the contents again, her heart clenching excitedly in her chest as she realised what she'd found.
I'm sure he'll be happy...when he comes, when he sees this...he'll be proud. To make them look foolish, he said. To unsettle and destabilise them...that was what he told me. And I've done my best. Since I've been here, it's been nothing but chaos inside that polished palace.
She sighed, pushing a stray wisp of dark hair back behind her ear as she squinted more closely at a faded character.
I almost thought I was in trouble though, when I stumbled into the archive and there was someone there. I had no idea it would lead to this - but when I saw that Kuchiki bocchan, I thought my game was up. But he didn't seem to notice anything amiss. Too caught up in his own thoughts to even pay attention to me.
She rested her chin pensively in her hands.
Mind you, it has been a while. I've changed. Things have changed. And we barely even spoke, last tme we met. There's no reason he'd recognise me even if he did stop and think about it. I shouldn't be here, and I shouldn't be dressed like this - therefore he'd never think that it was possible. And it's exactly true that the best place to hide is in plain sight. In the garb of a servant, nobody pays any attention to you at all. These clothes are uncomfortable and awkward, but they're like a cloak of invisibility. I don't need any of those special magic spells the shinigami like so much. I can hide from them while being among them and they'll never know a single thing about it.
A crash from the chamber behind her made her jump and she scrambled to her feet, hurrying to the doorway as though afraid that someone had stumbled across them in their makeshift hideout. As she entered the room, however, she sighed, hand going to her pounding heart as she fixed the house's only other occupant with a dark glare. He was sitting in the corner, the handle of a jug clutched loosely between his fingers, and Nanaki soon saw what the cause of the sudden noise had been. Her companion was drenched from head to foot in water, and all around him on the floor were the shattered pieces of the rest of the vessel. Blood glittered against the tips of his fingers, and Nanaki let out a groan of frustration.
"You're supposed to be asleep!" She snapped, marching across towards him and taking the broken handle forcibly from his grip. "Why are you wandering around and playing with things? Did you just smash that against the floor?"
The golden-eyed boy merely stared at her, apparently unmoved by her ire, and Nanaki swallowed hard, struggling to keep her temper in check.
"You've broken that jug now...and there's water all over you and the floor, which means I have to mop it up and I have to change your clothes." She scolded. "He'd be angry if you got sick, even if it was your own stupid fault. You're not supposed to do things like this - you're supposed to sit quietly and not bother me when it's just the two of us here. If you'd waited, I'd have brought you something to eat and drink - but you don't wait and it ends up like this."
There was still no response, and Nanaki sighed.
"It makes it worse, that you just look at me like that." She muttered, stalking across the room and grabbing a rough towel, tossing it at him with very bad grace. "Here. You can sit under that for a while. I have other things to do - unlike you my duties depend on me using my brain."
She turned on her heel, returning to the front room and scooping up the sheet of parchment.
And when I'd made a discovery like this, too.
She grimaced.
But if I leave you alone, you may get sick. And you're my responsibility, and he will get cross. I don't want that. He said it wouldn't be many days before he returned here, and so I want him to be pleased. I've done everything just as he told me - and I know he will be glad. I won't let you ruin it - no matter how annoying you are.
She glanced at the loose sheet of paper, then folded it, sliding it back into her obi.
But this is treasure and he'll thank me for it. No...more than that. I think I can use it in another way even before he comes back here. That boy...Ryuu-dono...he read it too, before he hid it back in the book and put it where I could find it so easily. It agitated him, so the contents are not well known. Which means that...if I was to put pressure on people...I might have interesting results.
She grinned, her eyes lighting up.
And then he would be pleased with me for sure. Right, then it's decided. Once I've seen to the troublemaker, I'll look at causing some trouble of my own. A cryptic note should do the trick...just to start the ball rolling. They're all suspicious of each other already in that manor - it won't take much to spark that mistrust into a full blown fire.
She stepped back into the rear room, sighing as she realised her companion had not even reacted to the thrown towel and now it hung where it had fallen, half draped over his face and making his golden eyes glitter somewhat sinisterly from the shadows beneath.
"Maybe if I do this well, I won't have to look after you any more." She muttered with a sigh of resignation, getting carefully down on her knees at the boy's side and removing the towel. Slowly and not without misgivings she began to pick together the broken shards of jug into a pile, and then she turned her attention to unfastening her companion's clothing, loosening his hakamashita and exposing his bare chest.
He did not flinch, merely watching her with a quizzical, flat gaze, and she glared back at him.
"Don't think I take any pleasure in undressing you." She snapped. "If it wasn't that he apparently still has a use for you...if it wasn't for that, I swear..."
She faltered, slowly shaking her head as the words of another suddenly penetrated her thoughts.
"We all have parts to play in this. In opening the world's eyes...in bringing the Clans to their knees. We all have things to do - like pieces in a jigsaw puzzle, we're all important and we all have to stay focused. Even if it's hard now, when we succeed, everyone will be much better off. And the Clans...the ones who persecute and are wrong and who don't even know people are alive...they won't be there any more. Any of them. We'll make a new Soul Society - this is just the beginning. We're bringing a kind of justice, and helping to speed up what's coming anyway - the time when the Clans fall."
She sat back, eying her companion thoughtfully.
"When he says things like that, I can't speak against it." She said softly. "Even if it means I'm here on my own, or worse, stuck with you for company. Even if it means I have to work as a maid and take orders and wear these clothes...even if it means we're apart like this, still I can bear it. Because at the end of it, we're creating our world. A world we won't have to hide in any longer - a world where we can live as we choose without people standing in our way. It will be better, that way. And we've come too far to go back now. Even you have. So I'll dry your hair and find you new clothing, even though I hate the way you stare at me. Because when he gets back, we'll both need to be ready. And then things can really start to happen."