Meifu's Gate ::Fourth Maki::

by VraieEsprit

Juu & Shun are seniors, but already there are those who resent Juushirou's position as Anideshi. Meanwhile, a bloody murder in District Six threatens to unravel 3 generations of Kuchiki secrets - as a figure in the shadows works to bring down the Clans.

40. Honne

Chapter Thirty Nine: Honne

"I am the one who may become the next heir of the Kuchiki family, not you."

Seiren paced across the floor of his study, anger and frustration swirling through his body in equal measure as he reviwed yet again Ryuu's cutting words. His son had never spoken against him in that way before, yet in that moment he had seemed almost like a stranger - as though the defiance and resolution burning in those grey eyes had not belonged to the same boy who had always behaved with the utmost care and respect.

"I am almost three and twenty, and therefore I am not a child who needs to be ordered or disciplined any longer. If Guren-sama is to see me in any vein or form as his successor, then I need to show him that more than anybody else. Therefore I have decided to follow my own judgement in this matter. Your interference is not needed."

Seiren let out a growl, sweeping his hand bad-temperedly across his desk and watching the once neatly piled stack of official papers flutter to the ground like sakura blossoms in a late spring breeze. Was it the influence of that Shihouin that had endorsed the boy to act that way, or something else? Seiren did not like thinking of the way in which Ryuu had faced him - but he was too smart a man not to have seen beyond the defiance to the faint flicker of resentment that lay beneath.

Ryuu had never been the kind of person to reveal his true feelings, but in that instant Seiren had felt that those barriers had been flung open and just for the barest snatch of time he had seen into his son's heart.

And deep within it lay ice, anger and insubordination.

He clenched his fists, dropping back against the wall of his study as he tried to process the conversation more rationally.

He had gone to District One on a whim, without even reporting to Guren that he had intended to travel. Instead he had taken the toll paths through Inner Seireitei, accompanied by Shibata and a small group of other loyal men, using his Clan badges to gain quick access to First District's land. Though there had been many Yamamoto stationed across that region, none of them had questioned Seiren on sighting his crest, and so he had arrived at the school in good time, determined to settle for himself the fears that gnawed away in the pit of his stomach. There had been no real justification for his actions, but he had been driven on by the irrational love of a parent frightened for his child's safety. It was not something he could explain to his brother, the man who had recently interred his own beloved son in the family mausoleum some weeks before. But in Seiren's life one focus existed above his loyalty to his twin's command.

That one focus was his son Ryuu, the boy whose birth had caused so much personal joy as well as Clan celebrations. Much as he loved his daughters, Seiren knew that it was Ryuu and Ryuu alone who really commanded a place in his heart - and up until now he had never perceived the distance between them, or how much it had begun to grow.

He had gone hoping to see his son safe and well protected, perhaps even give him guidance on the situation the Clan currently faced at home. But instead he had been greeted with rejection, and his fears, far from being allayed, had begun to grow.

"In terms of the Clan, you are Guren-sama's right hand man. But if I am the one to succeed him, my judgement must be seen to outrank yours."

Ryuu's words bit through his thoughts yet again, piercing through to his very core, and he groaned, burying his head in his hands.

If you only understood what those words really mean, Ryuu. If you did...but you don't, and I can't tell you. You have always outranked me from the moment you were born. Your spirit power makes you something I can't be...a tool useful to Guren and a tool who can be what I never could - a successor and heir to the family as a whole.

He lowered his hands, gazing at them with a faint flicker of resignation.

The skin of his fingers was calloused and rough, testament to his years of training with a sword as a young man. He had learnt to fight with both right and left hands, although his natural style was right-handed, and he knew that he had perservered in this mostly to compensate for the things he did not have - the spirit power that had once flowed through his body but of which now not even the faintest trace remained.

If I had not had that power removed...

He forced the thought away, lowering his hands.

I shouldn't think such foolish things. Father made it clear to me when I was younger that my duty was to be Guren's shadow, and that my purpose was to help him build his Clan. I've tried...God knows I've tried...but now he looks to the help of foreign Clansfolk instead of trusting me with what he's thinking. Yanagi-dono's coming here is just one more fragment in an already broken relationship. You've always trusted others more than me, Guren - and now it appears my son too is starting to take that same path. People with spirit power flock together - those who don't are left outside, looking into a world they can never share.

He sighed, closing his eyes briefly as faint tendrils of memory began to lick at his thoughts. As vividly as if it were yesterday, he found himself remembering the first time Ryuu had shown interest in his father's sword, and the determination on the young boy's features as, aged no more than four, he had struggled to lift the heavy weapon, sweeping it clumsily around until the weight had proven too much for his sense of balance and had pulled him over into a flustered heap on the ground.

The boy's mother had been hysterical with anger later, Seiren recalled, for having let their most precious child so near danger so young. But whilst Shouko had only ever seen her son as a potential tool for furthering the family's ambitions, Seiren had felt genuine pride at the boy's determination and curiosity. He had wanted to train Ryuu himself, but as the boy had got older, Guren had overruled him, saying that a spiritually gifted child must be trained by those who understood the risks of overflowing spirit power. And so Seiren had been forced to watch from the sidelines as the young Ryuu had learnt the basic skills he could never learn, always in the shadow of his achieving older cousin who seemed always one step or two further ahead.

Seiren's dislike of Shirogane had stemmed from that time, but now as he reflected on it, he realised that a major part of that dissatisfaction had rested in his own uselessness - that whilst Guren had managed to spend a few odd moments to cross training swords with his own son, Seiren had never been able to do the same for his. Ryuu had trained with lesser men instead - the divide between them first put in place by the things as a man Seiren could not do, which as a small boy Ryuu could.

Seiren opened his eyes, forcing the painful images away.

"What use is a Clansman who has no spirit power, Otousama?" He whispered. "You gave me this life, but with it there's nothing I can do, no matter how hard I work. I can't protect...I can't even protect my son from the dangers that threaten him from every side."

"I will not bend to your will when it is founded in paranoia. When Guren-sama issues me with a directive not to speak or share quarters with a Shihouin, I shall immediately obey."

Ryuu's words ripped cruelly and relentlessly through him, and he forced them back, not wanting to remember the clouded expression that had filled his son's eyes. Gone had been the industrious eagerness that had always typified his young son whenever Seiren had presented him with a book on this matter or that, and gone had been the respect and trust that the child had always given him, no matter what the circumstances. It was as though in that short conversation Ryuu had shattered what Seiren now understood had been a far too fragile bond - and he was left reeling, the pieces of that bond scattered around him like wisps of a long-forgotten dream.

But the truth is that you don't understand anything, Ryuu. What's been sacrificed...you don't understand. And even if you did...would you look at me that same way? I wonder. If you knew all the things that fly through my thoughts, would you even begin to comprehend my reasons for wanting you to follow my lead?

Pain reflected in his eyes as he remembered the slap he had angrily administered to the boy's cheek.

A fit of temper I should not have given into, but when he stood there before me saying such things...as though he truly doesn't understand that there is nothing in this world more important to me than his future and his safety. As though he doesn't realise how frightened I am for him...or how much anguish it would cause me if he were to end the same way as Ribari. The enemy remains cloaked and unknown, even at this late stage.

"Seiren-sama?"

Shibata's voice from outside the study door startled the nobleman back to reality, and he raised his head, realising the mess his earlier fit of temper had left the chamber in. He sighed, bending to pick up the nearest sheets.

"Come in, Shibata." He instructed. "I am not engaged."

"Yes, sir."

Shibata pushed back the divide, stopping dead as he registered the mess.

"Seiren-sama, with respect, what...?"

"A sudden gust of breeze from the window." Seiren lied. "Well? What is it? I thought I had dismissed you - what brings you back here now?"

There was more edge to his words than he intended, and as Shibata's gaze flitted to the closed window, Seiren knew that his retainer would see straight through the lie to the truth beyond. He did not comment on it, however, merely bowing his head and stepping aside to indicate another man in his slipstream.

"My apologies, sir, but Ouguchi and Furizawa have returned from their errand to the coast. Furizawa said he wanted to report to you directly - that it was a matter of extreme urgency and it could not wait."

"A matter of extreme urgency?" Seiren's gaze shifted to the apprehensive Captain, who nodded his head slowly.

"Yes, sir. I'm sorry to disturb you, but I felt...in the circumstances, I must...speak to you in person."

"All right." Seiren sighed, dropping back against the wall and folding his arms across his chest. "I am very busy, but I shall spare you a little time. What news from the coastal provinces? News of urgency implies news of my nephew - has his whereabouts been discovered?"

"No, sir. He does not seem to have gone to that region at all." Furizawa shook his head. "But it's not...that is to say..."

He hesitated, then dropped to the floor in a position of humility, raising his gaze to his lord.

"We met with hostility in the coastal province, my Lord." He said quietly. "Of an unexpected and concerning nature."

"Hostility?" Seiren's eyes narrowed. "At the coast? From what source?"

"From...from Lord Kinnya, sir." Furizawa bit down hard on his lip. "He...he sent us away with threats of violence and death if we dared to return to his land."

"He what?" Seiren could not believe his ears. "My old Uncle the hermit...? By what authority?"

"His own, sir." Furizawa was frightened by Seiren's clear rush of anger, but did not falter, bowing his head once more. "He said that we had n...no rights in his land and that we should leave. We were told that if we did not, we might face losing our lives...and...two of my men are already missing. When we withdrew, I sent scouts to search for traces of them, but there was none. Just blood and a damaged sword in one area of forest - but nothing more than that."

"Are you saying that my Uncle sent men to kill men of yours in order to thwart me in my hunt for Shirogane?" Seiren demanded.

"I...I don't know, sir." Furizawa admitted. "But we felt...in the circumstances..."

"Soldiers are not supposed to be easily intimidated. Not by other men of rank and file." Shibata cast Furizawa a disparaging look. "If you gather your people and run so easily, I wonder that you're worthy of the title Captain at all."

"It's not that, sir." Furizawa's eyes widened and he shook his head. "A matter of swords, that's one thing. But there was...was magic, sir. As though he...as though we would all be killed by demon magic if we did not withdraw. So I came back - Ouguchi and I gathered our men and came back. We have searched and found no trace of Shirogane-sama in that land, but I wanted to report this business to Seiren-sama straight away."

"I see."

Seiren's eyes narrowed and he clenched and unclenched his fists, allowing his anger to flood through his body once more. "So in one way or another, the shinigami that patrol the coast believe they have greater rights of office than men sent from the main house - is that the basis of this? That men with spirit swords believe they can bully those without?"

"Yes, sir." Furizawa inclined his head. "That was...the way we were meant to feel."

"All right." Seiren nodded, gesturing towards the door. "I understand, then. You are dismissed. I will deal with matters from here."

"Yes, sir." Furizawa bowed again, hurriedly withdrawing from the study, and Shibata sighed, clicking his tongue under his breath.

"Should I have him disciplined for bringing the men back here without a firm order, sir?" He asked softly, but Seiren shook his head.

"You know as well as I do the dangers shinigami can pose to those without spiritual power to fight back." He said grimly. "And if that level of intimidation tactics were being used, I can see why they made the choices they did. This is for me to resolve now, Shibata - and I will do so. Debrief the men but do not punish them. I shall get to the bottom of this."

"Are you going to the coast, sir?" Shibata looked startled, and Seiren nodded his head.

"Hermit or not, I think it's time my Uncle and I had a few words." He murmured. "Whether his men are acting rogue without his knowledge or whether this is his direct order was not clear - but I will find out. And I will remind the Lord of the Coastal Regions that even if he disdains the Kuchiki court, his land is still subservient to it and the orders of those who govern it."

He cast another glance at the mess on his floor, then,

"I will ride at once. Tell Guren-niisama I've been called on business if he asks - do not disclose the rest of the details to him. I don't suppose he'll be too interested, since he's still firmly fixed on the idea of Shirogane's innocence."

"Yes, sir." Shibata saluted, then withdrew from the study, and Seiren sighed, reaching to retrieve his discarded cloak down from where he had tossed it on his arrival back at the manor.

Yet more walls to clamber over. Well, Uncle Kinnya of the Coastal Regions. Let's see what you have to say for yourself about this.

---

"Well, it's covered in dust and dead spider bits, but it seems to be more or less in one piece."

Hiroyuki stood back from his prize, brushing the sweat from his brow with a dusty sleeve as he turned to glance triumphantly at his two young companions. "Give me a hand, will, you both of you? It's heavy to get it completely out of the mud since it's sunk in over the last few years, but I was right when I thought it had probably survived."

It was early in the morning, and with Rouhei and the youngest Ukitake, Yuuya in tow, Hiroyuki had made the decision to go down to the coves in order to settle for himself whether or not the old boat his father had sometimes used to take them out onto the water was still stashed away in its hiding place beneath the broken roof of a ramshackle old building. Trees and other plantlife had more or less grown through and over the rotting wood that surrounded it, making it all but invisible to anyone who did not know it was there, but Hiroyuki had a sharp memory and he had gone straight to it, taking an axe ruthlessly to the greenery in order to reveal the treasure that lay within.

It's filthy dirty and it may need patching up, if some of its nails have gone rusty in the meantime. But it should be enough...I hope. If Shirogane-dono really means to leave by the coves, he'll need a way of crossing the sea to Third District. And since this is here...

"This was Papa's boat, wasn't it?" As the two younger boys hurried to help their brother free the boat from its prison, ten year old Yuuya raised quizzical dark eyes to his companion. "I never saw it before. I knew he'd had one, but...I didn't realise we still had it."

"Nobody's used it since Father's death, that's why." Hiroyuki pulled back a particularly persistant knot of weeds, tossing the resultant green clump away as he bent to examine the boat's hull. "Rou-kun, can you pull back that branch? If you can, Yuu-kun and I can give it one last tug and I think we can probably free it completely. It'll be easier to see what needs to be done to it if we can get it out onto the sands."

"People will think we're odd, playing with ancient boats first thing in the morning." Rouhei said anxiously, nonetheless applying his weight to the troublesome branch. "Won't they wonder why, since we've not used this since Father's death? They might work out that we've something to hide...and then..."

"It's my boat. I'm head of the family, now." Hiroyuki cut across him, shooting him a smile. "Even though there's still a bit of time till I reach the right age, all of this lately has made me feel that more than ever. It's natural, don't you think, that with me coming of age and assuming control of so many things, I'd want to check out the bits and pieces Otousama left behind?"

"I think we've got it out, anyway." Yuuya said excitedly. "Look, Hiro-nii! It even still has some paint on it - it's not been too badly broken after all!"

"Well, Father took good care of it." Hiroyuki sank down on the ground beside the vessel, gesturing for his companions to join him. "Wow, even this early in the morning, the sun is high. We'll have to take a swim at this rate to cool down."

"Father really took you and Chi out in the cove on that?" Rouhei got down on his hands and knees beside the old boat, prodding it suspiciously. "It doesn't look that safe, even if there are scraps of paint here and there. Look, some kind of insect's been drilling through it here...and the nails at the back here are all rusted away."

"But it's probably something that can be fixed." Hiroyuki said with a grin. "Sanji's good at that kind of thing, so I'll ask him to take a look at it when he and Shiki-chan get back from market."

"We're buying so much food lately, too." Rouhei flopped back on the ground. "Hiro-nii, I can't believe nobody has realised yet."

"We buy a lot of food anyway." Hiroyuki's brows knitted together. "Rou-kun, are you regretting helping Shinkei in the forest?"

"No." Rouhei shook his head. "I don't regret it. Just with the guards coming...I guess it spooked me."

"Spooked all of us." Yuuya frowned. "But that's even more reason to get this fixed now, isn't it?"

He patted it wistfully.

"I wish I'd been able to ride in it with Papa." He added softly. "I think it would've been fun."

"It was. You could see so much of the land." Hiroyuki nodded. "He'd tell us, when we were afloat, that there were only certain parts of the water which were really safe to cross. That's why we stayed in this area so much. But all the books and maps are still in his study, so if we can fix this...or rather, if Sanji can...well..."

"There's a dead mouse under the seat." Rouhei scrambled back into a sitting position, peering into the dark hull of the small fishing boat with a sigh. He reached in, grabbing the decomposing animal by the tail and dangling it in the air above the ground with a grimace. "Look, it's almost down to its skeleton. It's probably been here as long as the boat...I bet if I gave it a shake, bits would fall off."

"Rou-kun, throw it away." Hiroyuki instructed, a faintly amused expression on his face. "So the boat needs some cleaning. We expected that. So long as we can make sure it floats - that's the most important thing, isn't it?"

"Do you think he'll use it?" Yuuya wondered. "I mean, he is...you know. Clan."

He whispered the last word, gazing around with furtive eyes, and at his expression, Hiroyuki laughed.

"I think so." He agreed. "Since the guards came, he's seemed more accepting of how things are in a house like ours. And besides, we're all the help he has at the moment. He has to reach his family somehow - and so if all we can do is feed him and give him a boat, then that's what we should be doing. Shiro-nii'd expect us to do that much - so we can't let the side down."

"I'll help clean it." Yuuya volunteered. "I can't do anything to fix it, Hiro-nii, because Sanji won't let me use the hammers and stuff and he always says I get in his way when he's trying to fix things. But..."

"Shikiki!" Rouhei exclaimed, turning from where he had been disposing of the unfortunate mouse corpse with a sudden look of inspiration. "With her power - don't you think she could fix the boat? Even if Sanji-nii did it, even then, it might take a lot of time to do. And we'd have to buy even more suspicious objects at market...whereas if Shiki-chan did it..."

"That's a good idea." Hiroyuki admitted, wiping his hands on his hakama. "We'll ask her. If she can at least make it safe to sail in, the rest of the cleaning we can handle ourselves. Or at least, you two can. I'm putting you in charge of the boat, all right? I have a lot of other things I need to do - not least go to Hikari's farm later on today to speak to her father about marriage arrangements. I can't put him off with an excuse of fixing a boat for our fugitive, so..."

"I had a feeling that was going to happen." Rouhei sighed. "Shall I ask Shinkei-nii to help us too?"

"No." Yuuya said emphatically. "He'll just mess around and nothing will get done. Not if it's cleaning, Rou-nii. We'll never get finished."

He puffed out his chest, making himself appear for once his full ten years.

"I'm more useful than Shinkei-nii is." He added importantly. "So I'll do it. And you can help. And when Shikiki fixes it, it'll be all ready."

"Okay, squirt, I get it." Hiroyuki ruffled Yuuya's dark hair playfully. "Then it's decided. Can I leave you two here to make a start? I'll send Shiki-chan down when she's back from the market, but for the time being if you could remove the...erm...dessicated spiders, I think she'd appreciate it."

"Shiki-chan doesn't like spiders, does she?" Rouhei grinned, and Hiroyuki shook his head.

"She told Shiro-nii they reminded her of the past." He said pensively. "Something to do with that Keitarou guy - I don't know. Maybe because he kept her in such a dark creepy place all the time - in any case, I don't suppose she'll want to help if she's got random spider legs poking out from every orifice."

"Girls are scared of silly things." Yuuya reflected. "But it's fine, Hiro-nii. You can count on us."

"Then it's a deal." Hiroyuki got to his feet, offering both boys a grin. "I'm relying on you - don't let me down!"

With that he turned on his heel, making his way casually up the rocky pathway that led to the Ukitake estate.

Father's boat, huh.

He pursed his lips, negotiating the slightly uneven ground with the skill of one who had been following the same routes and tracks since he was a small boy.

It's funny, it's sat there for this long, and little by little it's drifted into memory, just like Otousama has. But I think...before this all happened...I'd have hated the idea of anyone disturbing it. It was Otousama's boat, and part of a memory Chi and I had with him that nobody else did. Even Shiro-nii was never allowed out on the waves in case he fell in the water and got a cold. A boat full of memories...yet I'm willing to give it over to Shirogane-dono if he needs it to get to where he has to be. I wonder if that's because I've grown up since Father died, or if it's just because I understand how important family is, and Shirogane-dono's quest is partly to protect his family from whatever danger they may be in.

He pulled a rueful face.

That kind of meandering is Shiro-nii's forte, though. I won't dwell on it too much longer. I'm just glad that the option was there and I remembered about it - I don't suppose it'll be much longer that we have our houseguest and I'd like to think we'd done what we could to help him escape.

As he reached the house, he met Shikiki and Sanjirou coming up the market path, Sanji carrying a couple of sacks of rice and Shikiki clutching something long and thin in her chubby fingers. She seemed inordinately pleased with herself, and at the sight of him she let out a yell, running towards him.

"Hiro-nii, look what I got from the market!"

"Careful, or you'll go flying!" Automatically Hiroyuki reached out to grab the young girl even before she had tripped and fallen, a reaction given him by years of experience surrounded by younger siblings. As he steadied her on her feet, however, she raised her gaze to his, holding out her prize with glowing aqua eyes.

"Look! It was on the wood carver's stall. It had got stepped on and it cracked all up the side, so the lady said I could have it, seeing as I thought it was pretty. It has sakura all over it - don't you think it's pretty?"

"What is it?" Hiroyuki looked nonplussed, taking the object from her hand and glancing at it in confusion. "A flute? Is that what it is? Because it looks quite beaten up to me, Shiki-chan. Someone clearly gave it a good trampling, so no wonder that Baa-chan gave it you for free."

"But I can fix it." Shikiki said matter-of-factly, reaching to take it back and running her fingers over the crack carefully. As she did so, her hands glowed with a soft pink light, and before Hiroyuki's eyes the battered, sorry looking excuse for a pipe began to twitch back into its proper shape, the winding sakura pattern that had been almost concealed by the cracks in the wood beginning to stand out like fresh pink blossoms against the smooth surface.

"I see." Hiroyuki grinned. "So you can. But even so, Shiki-chan, what are you going to..."

He paused, eying her with sudden understanding, and Shikiki beamed, nodding her head.

"Shirogane-nii told me he had a flute." She said triumphantly. "I'm gonna ask him to show me how to play it. Just a little bit. I never heard a flute play before, but I'd like to. And besides, he'll be leaving soon, won't he? So I won't get to spend much more time with him then."

"Yes, he will." Hiroyuki's thoughts flitted to the boat, then, "On that subject, Shiki-chan, I've pulled out Father's old boat from storage and Rou-kun and Yuu-kun are cleaning it up. If you can look at it later too - and use your magic to make sure it's safe to float, then I thought he might be able to use it to cross the cove. I can find the navigational maps that Father had for going all the way to District Three - though I can't read all the antiquated kanji on them, I imagine a Kuchiki bocchan will be able to make sense of it, and if not, at least he might get the rough gist. It's all we can do for him, but I thought we should try."

"Mm." Shikiki's expression became sad, but she nodded. "I wish he didn't have to go so quickly, but I understand. I'll look at the boat, Hiro-nii - but right now I want to go see Shirogane-nii and show him what I've got."

"I'll go down to the coast and help the young'uns look over the boat." Sanjirou joined them at that moment, dumping the two heavy sacks of rice down onto the ground with a thump. "I'll get these inside, and then I'll go make sure they don't get into mischief. You want to speak to Shirogane-dono too, don't you, Hiro-nii? You should leave Rouhei and Yuuya to me."

"Thanks, Sanji." Hiroyuki grinned. "That'd help. While I don't expect either of them to get up to too much mischief, the boat is heavy and they might need your help to move it further out."

"Leave it to me." Sanjirou assured him, adjusting his glasses with a rueful smile. "Lugging rice from the market each day is good practice for hauling a heavy old boat down to the sands."

"Then let's go see Shirogane-nii." Shikiki tugged excitedly on Hiroyuki's sleeve with her free hand. "Miyabi was going to take him his breakfast, but probably he's finished eating by now and I want to show him this!"

"Okay, chibi, we're going." Hiroyuki laughed, patting her on the head. "Lead the way, I'm right behind you."

As they reached the small chamber that had become Shirogane's sickroom, a surprise greeted them, for the patient was out of bed, sitting calmly on the covers as Miyabi carefully ran her coarse brush through his thick curly hair. He was dressed not in the night robes that had been loaned him since his own bloodsoaked clothing had been burnt, but in simple District clothing of brown and blue, a darker blue sash knotted at his waist. As Hiroyuki watched, Miyabi twisted the long curls into one sole tail, winding it round and round into a thick knot at the back of his head. Grabbing a ribbon with her free hand, she slipped this around the hair, the brush clutched between her teeth as she fastened Shirogane's locks firmly in place.

From the bedcovers beside him the young girl took up a small square of cloth, and with a jolt Hiroyuki realised what she was doing. With those few small changes Shirogane had been transformed - for though he still had the distinct grey gaze and pale complexion of a pureblooded Kuchiki, with his distinctive hair all but concealed beneath the cloth like a market stall trader and attired in ordinary peasant robes, it would be difficult to identify him as the same haughty son of the Sixth District Clan.

"Good morning, Hiroyuki-dono. Shikiki." At this moment, Shirogane seemed to register their presence, turning to offer them a rueful smile. "As you can see, Miyabi has some ideas about how I should best conceal myself from prying eyes when I make my departure from here. The outfit was kindly donated by your honourable sensei Kamikura-dono - and it fits me quite well, though I've lost more weight than I would have liked from my ill health."

He sighed, pulling himself to his feet and moving to examine his reflection in the small old mirror the room boasted.

"I am quite unlike myself." He murmured. "But if even I can barely recognise my own appearance, perhaps that bodes well for my travelling undetected."

"You're standing up!" The flute momentarily forgotten, Shikiki hurried forward to grasp his hand. "Are you okay? You're not dizzy?"

"I'm tired still, but I suspect that to be as much due to lack of exercise than anything else." Shirogane smiled at her. "I still lack some colour, and I would not say I'm completely well. But I am very much improved, Shikiki. And no, I do not feel dizzy. It seems I have turned the corner - soon I will no longer be burdening your family."

"That's all right. I mean, that you're burdening us." Shikiki glanced at Miyabi, who nodded. "We like having you here, so it's not a problem really."

"But it could bring you into danger." Shirogane said seriously, meeting Hiroyuki's gaze. "And I gave my word, did I not? That as soon as I could leave here, I would do so. I will not renege on my promise, although..."

He paused, then a wry smile touched his lips.

"I will be sad to go." He admitted sheepishly. "It seems an odd confession for one like me who has always despised the Districts. But I...have not found your company unpleasant. On the contrary, I think you have taught me things I did not understand before - perhaps knowing those things I can press on and survive, instead of throwing myself foolishly into danger once again."

"We've found you a boat, we think." Hiroyuki offered him a smile in return. "So when you're ready, give the word."

"I don't think you should go too soon, though. Not till you're really better." Shikiki looked worried. "People at the market were saying all kinds of things today - Sanji-nii said he heard one man talking about someone attacking the Clan leader and there being assassins in District Six and all kinds of scary stuff. If they were looking for you...Shirogane-nii?"

For Shirogane's expression had changed and his brows had knitted together in consternation.

"Someone threatened Guren-sama's life?" He asked softly, and Shikiki shrugged.

"I don't know what the name of the person was, but if he's the Clan leader, then yes." She agreed. "He wasn't killed or anything, but he was attacked. Those kinds of bad things happen in Clans a lot."

"Guren-sama is your Uncle, isn't he?" Hiroyuki interjected, and Shirogane nodded.

"The bad Uncle who chased you away here?" Miyabi asked curiously, and Shirogane sighed.

"No. My other Uncle, and one who has always treated me with kindness." He said wearily. "He is a man for whom I have great respect and fondness...but more than that, in squad terms I am his deputy and I should have been there to help protect him. That I am not...is a failing on my part. I cannot delay my leaving much longer. Even if I am not fully fit...Hiroyuki-dono, how long to fix the boat so that she can travel?"

"With Shikiki's help, soon." Hiroyuki pursed his lips. "But she's right too. You'll need your wits about you to make the crossing, and I haven't had a chance to show you the sea maps Father had yet."

"Hrm." Shirogane's eyes narrowed, and he nodded his head. "Very well. Tomorrow, then. Tomorrow night. I wish to leave when the sun sets tomorrow. Is that possible, Hiroyuki-dono? I cannot delay any longer than that, not now I know my Uncle's life was put in danger."

"We'll try." Hiroyuki made up his mind. "Don't pout like that, Shikiki. He's got to go sooner or later, and people he cares about are in danger. You understand, don't you?"

"Yes." Shikiki sighed. "I do. I just...people always go away. And I don't like it. That's all."

She glanced down at the cheap wooden flute, then frowned, meeting Shirogane's gaze with an earnest one of her own.

"I got this at the market today." She said quietly. "I hoped...you'd tell me how to play it, Shirogane-nii. Because you said that you could...and that it makes pretty music."

"May I see?" Shirogane held out his hand, and Shikiki placed her precious burden carefully into his grip, watching eagerly as he examined it. That it had been crafted simply and from low quality wood was obvious even to Hiroyuki's eyes, but to his relief the Clansman did not say anything about its construction, instead nodding his head.

"Will you let me play it for you?" He asked. "It is a little different from my own flute, but...if you don't mind, I should like to try and let you hear what kind of song a flute sings."

"Please." Shikiki nodded, and as Shirogane sat back down on his bedcovers, Miyabi settled herself at his feet, glancing up at him expectantly. At their anticipation, the nobleman laughed, putting the instrument carefully to his lips.

The next moment a soft, haunting strain filled the chamber, gentle yet alluring as it spread out through the room. The melody was a sad one, written, had Hiroyuki but known it, in a minor key and the slightly ghostly edge to each drifting note struck straight through to his core, almost as though the instrument had indeed begun to sing.

For a little while, there was no other movement or sound in the bedroom as Shirogane's song wrapped itself around all three of the listening Ukitake, putting them gently under his spell. Then at length he sighed, lowering the instrument to his lap, and the illusion was broken.

"Shirogane...nii?" Shikiki reached out to touch his hand, and Hiroyuki was startled to see the genuine sadness in the Clansman's grey eyes.

"My mother taught me to play that piece." He said matter-of-factly, gazing at the sakura patterning that adorned the wooden instrument. "She taught me the instrument, in fact - and gave me mine when I was old enough to make my fingers reach the notes. She was always ill, but it was something we could do together - and that song was her favourite. I played it when she died - as they laid her to rest - and I did not cry, though everyone else around me seemed to. Now...my heart lurches and I cannot play it any further. I wonder what possessed me to play that song - perhaps I was thinking more of home than I knew."

"It was very pretty. But it sounded sad." Miyabi murmured, reaching up to wipe away tears from her lashes. "Like the flute was crying too, Shirogane-nii."

"It really does sound like it's singing, though." Shikiki added. "I don't suppose I'll ever be able to play like that. Even if I really really tried."

"Thank you for letting me play it, Shikiki." Shirogane handed the instrument back with a faint smile. "I have missed my own instrument badly since leaving home. I don't suppose I realised how much I relied on it for comfort in difficult times."

"If it reminds you of your mother, then probably that's why." Hiroyuki spoke up now, his own eyes grave. "It's what we all do, when someone we love dies. We look for something that reminds us, and cling on to it."

He laughed ruefully.

"The boat we're letting you take was Father's, and I never imagined I'd want to let it go." He added. "A keepsake...something that he left behind with us when he was gone."

"Hiroyuki-dono." Shirogane looked startled, and Hiroyuki shook his head.

"Father's death hurt all of us in different ways." He said matter-of-factly. "But one thing I know now is that he'd want us to reach out and help someone who was in trouble. Even if it meant giving up that keepsake - he'd want it, and I...I'm all right with it. I want you to take the boat and escape and do the things you need to for your family's sake. Because...I suppose the most important thing for all of us when Father died was each other. We had each other. And so...it's all right."

"Each other." Shirogane glanced down at the bed covers. "That is true. You do have each other - and maybe that's why you're so strong."

He sighed.

"My flute has probably become my mother's substitute, and my grief for her plays each time I put it to my lips." He reflected. "But this is the first time I've felt it so clearly - I don't know if it's your influence or whether playing music on something other than Oune..."

"Oune?" Shikiki interjected at this moment. "Shirogane-nii, your flute has a name?"

"That's not unusual, you know, in Clans." Shirogane offered her a smile, and Hiroyuki was strangely glad to see the shadow lift from their visitor's features. "It's a very old flute passed down through several generations of the family. Mother's flute and it were sister flutes that were given to her as a girl when she showed aptitude for the skill, and she told me they were old even then. They were crafted by the same individual four or five centuries ago, and fashioned from wood of the same tree, hence they are considered siblings. That's why Mother gave one of the pair to me, because they shared wood and we shared blood. It was not long after my sister's death, I believe - it became a connection between the two of us."

He pursed his lips, glancing at Shikiki's flute once more.

"Mother wanted hers to be buried with her, and so it was, but mine has stayed with me - perhaps so that I could play that last song as she was laid to rest. Oune means "Song of the Sakura"...and well...you have heard now that the flute truly can sing. Because of that, superstition says flutes have spirits of their own. And so they need names, too."

"Clan really are strange in the things they believe." Hiroyuki sighed. "Swords aren't good enough - they have to give spirits to their musical instruments too."

Shikiki looked pensive for a moment, then she held the flute out to Shirogane again.

"Shikiki?" Shirogane was taken aback, and Shikiki offered him a faint smile.

"Take it with you, when you go." She said simply.

"But this is your flute." Shirogane frowned. "You wanted to play it - didn't you?"

"Mm. I do." Shikiki agreed. "But...but Shirogane-nii is missing Oune, and...and my flute wants to help. If you took it with you, you could pretend you were a travelling musician, and maybe earn coin from it if you needed to buy food. And...and if it goes with you, then...then I s'pose..."

She pinkened.

"When everything's all right, and your family are better, you'll have Oune again." She said, embarrassment clear in her aqua eyes. "When that happens, you won't need my flute to look after you any more. So then...you'll bring it back to me, won't you? And...then you'll come here. And I'll see you again. And I'll know...that you're all all right."

"Shiki-chan." Hiroyuki began, but Shirogane smiled, reaching out and carefully taking the instrument from the young girl's stubby grasp.

"I understand." He murmured. "Very well. But in that case, your flute also needs a name. If it's carrying a spirit with it, then surely it needs an identity of its own, too."

"A name?" Shikiki looked thoughtful. "Like what?"

Shirogane glanced at it, then,

"I think...it should be called Orihime."

"Ori...hime?" Miyabe stared at him in confusion, but Hiroyuki let out a chuckle.

"I see." He said appreciatively. "Orihime seems a suitable name to me too."

"Orihime." Shikiki repeated it, then, "Why, Shirogane-nii? Why do you want to call it Orihime?"

"Because that's how you write your name, isn't it?" Shirogane offered her a smile. "Shikiki can also be read as 'Orihime' or "weaver". Your skill is to weave time back to how it was before, so if we name your flute that, I'll know that the spirit within it is yours, won't I? You'll be looking after me and making sure I don't lose my life easily. I have to bring her back to you safely - so if she has a name like that, I'm sure I'll remember to take care."

"I see." Shikiki's face cleared and she nodded her head. "All right. All right, Orihime."

She grinned, reaching across to pat the flute.

"I still want to know how to play it though. I won't ever be able to play like Shirogane-nii - but if Orihime has a spirit too now, I want to help her to sing like you made her just then."

"I'll try to show you a little, before I leave." Shirogane promised. "It will be a very busy time, till then, but I'll try. And if not...well..."

He glanced at the flute, then slid it into the knotted blue sash at his waist.

"It will be something I have to come back for, won't it? Since I've promised, and I must keep my word."

He patted her gently on the head.

"I will bring it back to you. I promise." He said soberly. "No matter what, I will."

"In which case we should start looking at plans for tomorrow night." Hiroyuki suggested. "In the hope that it's a clear evening and you can set sail."

---

"This is an unusual occasion for the both of us."

Kinnya lifted a thin hand, gesturing for Seiren to enter the chamber and the other man did so, tension in every inch of his body as he crossed the floor swiftly to stand before his uncle's chair.

"You'll forgive me for not standing to receive you." Kinnya spoke softly and evenly, taking in the changes in expression that flitted through the younger Clansman's grey eyes. "Time takes its toll on the best of us – this is a quiet place and I am unused to being visited by people from the main house at such short notice."

"I received a report, Ojiue." Seiren spoke stiffly, and Kinnya noted that his hand was poised at his hip, within inches of the hilt of his expensive, custom designed katana. "One that brought me some level of concern."

"Concern?" Kinnya injected surprise into his expression. "Of what nature?"

"Apparently you chased my men from your land with threats of violence against them if they continued to carry out their orders. Orders which come from the main house and central Kuchiki court."

"I see." Kinnya's eyes narrowed as he digested this, "Would you relay for me those orders, so that I can see if I remember such an incident myself? I'm aging now, and my memory isn't as sharp as it once used to be."

Seiren bristled, and from the anger in his eyes Kinnya knew he was not fooled. Yet still the younger man kept a hold on his temper, bowing curtly in acquiescence.

"My men were ordered to come here in search of my missing kinsman Shirogane, who is suspected of conspiracy against members of the central Clan. Specifically my son, Ryuu, and his uncle, Guren-sama – the head of the Clan himself."

"Shirogane?" Kinnya affected a blank expression. "I am aware of your son Ryuu – I remember sending a letter to support his claim as next in line to the Clan. But I do not remember a 'Shirogane'. I thought you had only one son?"

"Shirogane is not my son." Seiren was fighting now to keep the annoyance out of his voice, and Kinnya sat back, realising that he quite liked seeing his awkward nephew so bent out of shape. "He is the son of my sister Masane – as I'm sure you will recall if you stop and give the matter some consideration."

"Ah yes. Masane." Kinnya's lips twitched into a faint smile. "I do remember now. She had a son, didn't she…that son is the boy Shirogane? And you're seeking to apprehend him on suspicion of treason? That's quite a serious charge."

"It is, and it is not helped by you giving orders and frightening my soldiers." Seiren snapped. "You are my Uncle and I respect that fact – I know this is your land and that you have been here for longer than I have lived. I don't even know whether it was you or your men in your place who made the threats against my soldiers – but impeding them in the course of their duty is a serious matter indeed. It might be seen as protecting Shirogane – and protecting a suspected traitor is almost the same thing as treason itself."

"Yes, I suppose it is, isn't it?" Kinnya rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I had better be very careful then, not to run into this Shirogane."

"You haven't seen him?"

"I don't leave the manor, so unless he came calling, that would be hard to do." Kinnya said lightly.

"And your men? What reports from them?"

"If they had seen him, they would doubtless have brought him to me." Kinnya shrugged. "I am not disloyal to Guren's leadership, Seiren."

"Then explain to me why it was my men were chastised for carrying out legitimate investigations into the peasant settlements in this area!"

"Does Guren wish to know that?" Kinnya feigned surprise, and Seiren clenched and unclenched his fists.

"Guren-sama." He said darkly. "Uncle or otherwise, he is Clan leader. We are not young boys any more, Ojiue. Even if you shut yourself in here, the world outside has changed. Rank has changed. You should not forget that."

"Hrm." Kinnya was silent for a moment, digesting his nephew's words. "And now your son will become heir to the Kuchiki, I suppose? In the absence of Guren's own boy, your son Ryuu will be the next in line?"

"Kinnya-ojisama, I thought I just made it clear…"

"Guren has never asked me to so call him when I see him face to face." Kinnya said simply. "Each year he comes to see me, and we talk about many things. But he has never insisted on my calling him ~sama."

He shrugged his shoulders.

"As for the matter of your men, That will be simple enough to settle." He added thoughtfully. "I've heard reports from my own people and those reports suggest strongly that settlements were invaded and houses too by people wearing your badge."

"We are hunting for a wanted criminal, Uncle!"

"I believe it was made quite clear to your military officials that they would have my complete cooperation in their operations to search my land," Kinnya said softly, "on the understanding that they did not disrupt the peaceful day to day life of the settlements in the process. If they didn't heed that warning, I'm not surprised that they were reprimanded."

"So you do know something about it." Seiren's eyes became slits. "I thought so. Your act of ignorance doesn't fool me, Ojiue. My men said that you made threats towards them, and at least two of my retainers have disappeared without a trace since being deployed to this area. You probably know something of that too, don't you?"

Kinnya did not answer right away, then he smiled, raising ice cold eyes to Seiren's indignant ones.

"Seiren, do you remember Raiko?" He asked quietly, and Seiren started, staring at him in confusion at the sudden change in topic.

"Raiko?" He repeated, and Kinnya nodded.

"I remember her." He said, keeping his tone low and even. "Even though she was forced out of the Clan, I never discarded her. But just more than twenty years ago, Raiko died."

"I don't see what this has to do with anything I've said." Seiren snapped. "If you're going to try and divert me with another rambling pretence of senility, Uncle, then I'd beg you to spare me. I have much to do and I don't have time to play games with you."

"On the contrary, this isn't a game." Kinnya reached for his stick, pulling his body into an upright position so that he could meet Seiren's gaze almost head on. "I want to know the answer to my question. Do you remember Raiko? My daughter Raiko, who Senaya-nii cast out?"

"I remember." Seiren sighed, but nodded his head. "I couldn't forget – but I was only a boy and so was Guren-nii when that matter occurred. That she was alive or dead meant nothing to me. She was removed from the Clan for a reason – her diseased blood and her illegitimacy as well as her general behaviour in the Clan probably all added to it. A half-Clan hime who wasn't afraid to blood her fists brought all kinds of unwanted attention, and…"

"And she was Guren's preferred playmate, so you became left out." Kinnya said softly. "I haven't forgotten you either, Seiren. The little boy who couldn't be a part of their games, because he had no spirit power and could not see or feel the things they did. A jealous, lonely little boy who built that loneliness into a grudge against an innocent young girl."

Seiren glowered at his Uncle blackly.

"Guren-nii and I are no longer living in the past." He retorted. "What quarrels were between us as children no longer exist. And I have no interest in your daughter, Ojiue, dead or otherwise."

"Yes, I believe that." Kinnya sighed, shaking his head slowly in resignation. "You never did have any time for her and I'm not surprised you didn't know of her fate once she left the Clan. But Raiko died soon after bearing a child, Seiren. And recently I discovered that the son she birthed – a baby I believed had also died – survived. Not only that, that he had inherited her spirit power and was learning to use that power to help the Clans in their fight against the Hollow enemy."

"District children." Seiren pursed his lips. "Well? As you rightly said, I don't have spirit power, so that also does not concern or interest me."

There was an edge to his words and Kinnya noted it carefully.

"Raiko's son has surviving family who live in this area of District Six." Now the older man's eyes hardened and his grip on his stick tightened. "Family who live peacefully by the sea. A family whose privacy and safety was put into jeopardy by your soldiers when they decided to carry out a random sweep of the area without the right permission to do so."

His lips thinned.

"Kuchiki law states that all invasions of personal settlements must be with the permission of the land's current incumbent and in written form." He added coldly. "I was the one who oversaw the passing of that law, so I could probably quote it to you word by word if you had doubts. When Guren visits me, he brings news of changes in Clan law and though I never pay them much attention, a quick read of those documents tells me that it is not a regulation that he has chosen to change. Therefore it stands."

He met Seiren's gaze with a challenging one of his own.

"This law can only be overridden by a direct decree from the Clan Leader himself and this must also be in written form." He added pointedly. "I have seen no such documentation. The word of a lesser Clansman – even the Clan Leader's brother – carries no weight in this equation. I also made that a firm stipulation of the law, being that I was the Clan leader's brother at the time it was passed. I wanted to protect objectivity and so I succeeded. Breaching this law remains a serious offence. Soldiers found guilty of doing so can pay with their rank or even with their lives. They were reminded of that fact. That is all."

"In the circumstances…"

"In the circumstances, Seiren, you are seeking to capture a suspect that I have no knowledge of or interest in. The boy's name means nothing to me." Kinnya said frankly. "But the people in my domain deserve the right to live without molestation. And particularly the family of my grandson."

"You would put the safety of District people over that of your nephew and Clan leader?"

"They are not as well equipped to protect themselves as Guren is." Kinnya replied evenly. "The only duty I took with me when I withdrew here was the obligation to protect those living on my land. I haven't always managed to oblige them – but I won't have their livelihoods damaged without due cause. The Shirogane boy is not here. If he had been, your men would doubtless have found him. Therefore my people were disrupted unnecessarily. And unless you would like me to write a complaint in that vein to Guren directly – I suggest you let the matter lie."

"You really aren't an old fool at all, are you?" Seiren observed bitterly, and Kinnya shrugged.

"My age is what it is." He said dismissively. "And I won't say I've never been foolish. But if you're my opponent, Seiren, I think I can acquit myself quite well."

"I always knew you didn't like me."

"Nor did you like me. It's a mutual state of affairs." Kinnya was unconcerned. "But now we understand each other's position, I'm sure this matter can be put aside. You said you were too busy to waste time playing games with me. I can't claim to be the same – but I don't have any interest in drawn out quarrels over Kuchiki law."

"If you feel that way, why did you actively write to support Ryuu's claim?" Seiren was suspicious. "With a formal letter bearing your official seal?"

"Because Ryuu is the correct blood heir to the Clan." Kinnya's eyes scrutinised his nephew's expression for any flicker or change. "And he always was. Wasn't he?"

There it was. Faint and brief, true, but for a moment pallor had touched Seiren's cheeks and consternation flooded those slate grey eyes

Kinnya nodded.

"Yes. I thought so. You do know. You know only too well."

"Ribari was the heir to this Clan. Not Ryuu." Seiren managed, but he was clearly unsettled, and Kinnya smiled.

"Surely…Ribari-sama?" He asked innocently, and Seiren grimaced, shooting his Uncle a look of dislike.

"What do you know?" He asked warily. "Why are you taunting me with things like this now? Is that why you've opposed me and prevented my men from acting? You've lurked away here in the shadows for so long most of the Clan believe you're more or less dead – but you're far from it, aren't you? The way you spoke just then…sounded as though you're paying just as much attention to things as you did when Father was alive."

"No…I wouldn't say that." Kinnya shook his head. "I am very isolated here. I will support Ryuu simply because he is the right claimant. Senaya-nii would have agreed with that as well. I don't suppose he would have minded, either, had someone removed Ribari from the equation in order for Ryuu to inherit. Righting a wrong…shall we say? My brother had some strange and ruthless ideas in his lifetime. But he was very conscious of things that he put in place and the impact those decisions had. Knowing that, he would probably have forgiven you for wanting to put your son first."

"I did not kill my nephew!" Seiren exclaimed, anger flooding his gaze, and Kinnya tut-tutted under his breath.

"You're losing your temper, now." He chided. "And you shouldn't be so indignant. You seek to hunt down another nephew – perhaps turn him over for execution – so why not Ribari? From where I sit, this child of Masane has nothing to gain. He has no claim to the Clan, yet you persecute him – why? What benefit could he take from killing those around him? He has no rights in this family that Guren doesn't give him, surely? Why would he turn on the one who gives him favour, and murder that man's only son?"

"It sounds to me like you know exactly who Shirogane is." Seiren said blackly, and Kinnya laughed.

"Maybe." He admitted. "From Guren I have heard of him – though his whereabouts I cannot tell you and I have not provided him with shelter or sanctuary. You have my word on that as a Kuchiki till I die. Masane's husband ranked low, didn't he? Which makes me wonder why you're so keen to eradicate her son. You can't see him as competition for Ryuu, so I wondered…if perhaps he was your scapegoat, instead."

"I did not kill Ribari-sama." Seiren repeated coldly. "Whether you believe it or not, I did not. Whatever you think you know, I swore allegiance to Guren-nii's son and I would have kept that vow till I died. I liked the boy. He was clever and talented and he would not have shamed our Clan."

"But now he is dead." Kinnya said pensively. "And Ryuu will inherit. Don't you think it's worked out quite nicely for you in the end?"

"Why are you baiting me?"

"I'm not intending to." Kinnya shook his head. "Truthfully, I don't believe you killed the young boy either. But it isn't my opinion that counts. Shirogane has nothing to gain by killing. You on the other hand…you have everything. And more…so I'll warn you, Seiren. You should be careful where you tread. The secrets that you know and I know…someone else knows them too. Perhaps…more than one someone. And though I don't seek to damage you or your son in any way – I can't speak for unknown hands in the shadows."

"Unknown…" Seiren blanched. "What do you mean? Stop talking in riddles – if you know so much, tell me clearly and right away!"

"I promised Senaya-nii not to dig up ancient history unecessarily and I'll keep my promise." Kinnya shook his head. "It does nobody any good for me to raise such things now. But you realise it too, don't you?"

He paused, eying Seiren keenly.

"You've known a while." He decided. "Your reaction suggests it, but you haven't acted. That alone is enough to tell me that you didn't act now. It would have been far easier to tackle it sooner, if you'd intended to…I think you had already settled for things being the way they were."

"Then why accuse me?"

"Because like I said, my opinion is unimportant." Kinnya said evenly. "If certain things were to be revealed before the Clan…it might look very bad for you, don't you think? You are the one with everything to gain from Ribari's murder, and that may well be the intention – to scapegoat you, to scapegoat Shirogane, to turn the two of you against each other in order to cloak the real motive and the real killer."

Seiren hesitated for a moment, then he sighed, the anger seeping out of him as he digested Kinnya's words.

"You've known about this longer than me." He said quietly. "I'm right, aren't I? You were one of those…you helped…"

He faltered, and Kinnya smiled.

"Your Father loved you very much." He said matter-of-factly. "What else did you expect him to do, when presented with the dilemma that he had?"

"I know." Seiren rubbed his temples. "I know, and that's why I've never spoken of it to anyone at all. You're right – I've known some time indeed – but it wasn't Father who told me. I wasn't meant to know about it…and so I've acted as though I didn't. It's been easier to."

"You're not angry?" Kinnya questioned.

"Angry enough to kill my brother's son?" Seiren asked acerbically, and Kinnya shrugged.

"Possibly." He agreed. "That might be how it looks to an outside observer."

He frowned.

"Listen." He said softly. "You and I have never seen eye to eye, but my brother entrusted one thing to me when he died and that was to ensure you and Guren made up bonds and served the Clan as partners, not as enemies. You are playing a dangerous game at present. The more attention you draw on yourself and on your son's claim, the more you risk someone finding out the things Father worked so hard to hide. If you're not careful, Guren will find out in the worst possible way what really happened all those years ago. If he discovers you knew about it all along, he may begin to wonder about your loyalty…or whether you've been waiting in the shadows for an opportunity just like this."

Seiren eyed Kinnya for a moment, then,

"You believe me to be innocent, but you think Guren would find me guilty?" He asked softly. This time there was nothing malicious or accusatory in his tones, and Kinnya shrugged.

"I don't know." He admitted. "I was there…I know the full story, even things probably you do not. I've seen the pages taken from Senaya-nii's nikki – many of them I took from it myself when he died, though a few he kept among his private papers. After that time, some of those papers he had disappeared into storage. I don't know where they are. But they could surface. Maybe they already have."

"Father's nikki." Seiren whitened. "Shirogane and Ryuu were looking for it…in Guren's office, all of a sudden. What if…"

"The pages that frighten you are no longer with the main book. That I'm quite sure of." Kinnya lowered himself back down into his seat with a sigh. "But where they are…that's another matter."

"I've had letters." Seiren said numbly. "Threats…hinting at knowledge that someone has. And a fragment from Father's nikki – a scrap from a page, but…a page I've read before. That page…the one I found by mistake when archiving material after Father's death. Someone has it already. I thought it was Shirogane…"

"Does that still seem like a logical answer now?"

"I don't know." Seiren sank down onto one of the cushions on the chamber floor. "I don't know his hand well enough to tell, but the paper and the ink of the letters…I thought was a match. But…on reflection…if Shirogane possessed such evidence, why would he not have used it? He had ample opportunity to bring it against me…but he hasn't. He…never once accused me of involvement in Ribari-sama's death. Not once. If he'd known…if he'd had that…"

"I've heard Shirogane is intelligent, proud and not afraid to state his views." Kinnya remarked. "Probably you are right. If he had evidence that implicated you, he would have used that evidence."

He paused, then,

"But there is another who I think keeps his cards closer to his chest. He may know more of this than the one you're hunting down." He said gently.

"Another who…?" Seiren blinked, then dismay flooded his grey eyes. "You mean…Ryuu?"

Kinnya nodded.

"What does your son know about this matter?" He asked softly. "That's the question I'd want to ask."

"Ryuu wouldn't have killed Ribari either." Seiren shook his head firmly. Kinnya snorted.

"Of course not." He said impatiently. "But if he found such a document and read its contents…what would he think? If he stumbled into a secret of this nature days after his cousin's death…might he not jump to the conclusions you're desperately trying to dispel? That record is currently in an unknown location. I suspect it's held by someone outside of the Clan, and that someone is pulling on strings to make the Kuchiki puppets dance to his rhythm. If they all suspect each other, nobody will look beyond. So I want you to be careful, Seiren. Not because I like you or care anything particularly for your reputation – but because I promised my brother to help keep this family together and at the moment I see great risk of it falling apart. Also, I like your son – and I don't think you should pile too many burdens on one still so young."

"You've met with Ryuu." Seiren's head shot up, and Kinnya smiled.

"When he was a small baby, I believe I did." He said benignly, and Seiren frowned, shaking his head again.

"No. Recently. You've spoken to him." He said flatly. "I'm not stupid, Ojiue. I had my spirit power sealed, but not my wits – and I'm not oblivious to nuances. You know Shirogane and you know my son. I don't know how, but I'm sure that it's true. I can't figure out your real motive at the moment – whether it's what you've told me or whether it isn't. But you have spoken to Ryuu. Is that why he is suddenly so resistant to my words...did you tell him that his claim was the rightful one overall?"

"I have never disclosed Senaya-nii's secrets to anyone, Seiren." Kinnya shook his head. "I wouldn't do anything so contrary to the foundations my brother laid down."

"But even so, you've met my son." Seiren persisted. "Maybe he said something to you instead – but whatever it is is the real reason you're endorsing his claim. Isn't it?"

"Ryuu is the rightful heir to the Kuchiki Clan." Kinnya said softly. "From Senaya-nii, Ryuu is the one with the most valid blood claim. You and I both know this very well. Guren does not. If the Clan was to know, it would cause distress and disruption – which I want to avoid. I think you want to avoid it too…and for that little thing at least I respect you."

"Revealing it benefits me or my family not at all." Seiren said flatly. "The position I have now is the best I could ever have hoped for, since the alternative was death. I also don't wish to see the Clan fall into ruin. Believe it or not, the family matters more to me than my own standing in it."

"Yes, I think it does." Kinnya nodded. "And on that matter alone we are in agreement. Therefore you can trust me not to act against you by revealing things that should stay buried to people who need not know about them."

He shrugged.

"Meantime, Shirogane's whereabouts are unknown and I suggest you stop hunting for him so vociferously." He added. "If you think him that guilty, stay close to home and seek out hard evidence there to back up your suspicion. While he is far from Guren, he can't possible pose him any danger, can he?"

"He might pose danger to others. Like Ryuu." Seiren objected.

"If Ryuu is to inherit the Clan, he must face danger and deal with it head on." Kinnya said gravely. "Assassination attempts on Clan leaders are not uncommon occurrences. If Ryuu is born to lead this greatest of all Noble families, he must be able to face that challenge. He is not like you – he has the spirit power you lack, and he will doubtless learn to use it well. But he is grown now. You can't push him into the Clan's attention and yet shield him at the same time."

"I suppose…not." Seiren looked disconcerted, and Kinnya was briefly reminded of his nephew as an adolescent, debating logic with him across the Kuchiki schoolroom. They had rarely agreed then, but in that moment it was as though those roles had been reprised, and Kinnya was once more opening his companion's eyes to the world around him.

"And as for Shirogane, you currently do more damage than good where he's concerned." The old man concluded. "Bringing him back a traitor without motive or irrefutable evidence will only see him pardoned. He will then doubtless become more your enemy than he ever was before, and a sharp-witted enemy with a grudge to bear is a dangerous one indeed. You must be careful, Seiren. You of all people are treading on the most dangerous ground. Whatever crimes your nephew has or hasn't committed – you are the one who has the furthest to fall. And not just you. If you are disgraced – your son may well be too. It might all be for nothing."

"For once I understand you – and appreciate your words." Seiren got slowly to his feet, bowing his head towards his uncle gravely. "And Ojiue, I am sorry for my men disrupting your peasants and causing you annoyance. It won't happen a second time. My search here is done. Whether you know him or do not, I grant that Shirogane is clearly not in this area and has probably left District Six completely."

"Then there is no problem." Kinnya said frankly. "You can return to your duties and I can attend to the very few of mine."

"Yes…"

Seiren turned to go, but as he reached the door he paused, turning to send his Uncle a thoughtful look.

"You didn't come here out of ill-health, nor grief – and you haven't lost your wits or your perception." He said quietly. "I'm not able to tell whether you still have your spirit power, but I'd wager that you did. With all of those things, and Guren's fondness for you…why did you choose to isolate yourself? What was really the reason, Ojiue?"

"I was not needed." Kinnya said simply. "I was Senaya-nii's aide – when he died, a new era began. Guren hasn't needed a relic of his Father's regime hanging over his every move. He's proven a good leader and he's settled the Clan admirably. He's had you and Futsuki both at his side, and therefore I chose to retire here. I may be good at politics, Seiren – but I tired of them. And without Senaya-nii to bully me…surely there doesn't have to be an ulterior motive for retirement?"

"I suppose not." Seiren looked thoughtful. "Well, perhaps the same will apply to me, one day. If I can safely see my son's claim recognised and his inheritance secure…perhaps I might retire to my manor and hand the reins over to another."

With that he was gone, and Kinnya sighed, tapping his stick absently against the wooden floor.

But that other your son needs is most likely the nephew you're trying to eradicate. You have learnt some things, Seiren, but not enough to protect yourself fully from danger.

He sighed, his gaze flitting to the window where he knew, behind the blue sky and the wispy clouds was sleeping the midday moon.

Senaya-nii, your son knows. He knows what you did to him, and the warp that now exists in the family tree because of it. But even though that's true, I believe him when he says he didn't kill Ribari. The trouble is though, I think Ryuu believes he did. And more, the evidence to implicate him is in the hands of an unknown. Probably not a Kuchiki. But someone with a dark intention all the same.

His eyes narrowed.

Seiren may have kept your secret for nothing. On the contrary, it might eventually condemn him. For the only Kuchiki with a motive for Ribari's murder is Seiren himself…and I don't suppose that past is going to stay a secret very much longer.

---

"All hell seems to have been let loose following your little adventure through the Kuchiki estate."

Masaki sank back against the wall of the cavern, casting his companions a rueful smile. "I'm sorry for sending you into so much danger - I realise you did it to please my whims, but it put you at considerable risk."

"Yes, it did." Nanaki dropped down at his side, letting out a heavy sigh. "But we got away. I lost the pendant though, Kei-sama. I'm sorry - one of the guards pulled it, and the clasp just gave way."

"That's because I'm not a metal smith and my repairs were only interim." Her companion reached over to pat her on the arm. "And you mustn't call me by that name. Not even here, so far from the clutches of the Gotei. They know now that you weren't fighting for their team - and there's no point in giving them clues they don't need about who was behind your charade. It's for the best that we employ new tactics in this fight. Patience and caution - we'll wait and see what they do next."

"In this place, nobody will hear me call you Kei-sama." Nanaki objected. "And nobody would bother if you called me Eiraki, instead of that horrible made up girl's name. Here we can be who we really are, Kei-sama - you know that as well as I do. In this place, even if the people walk right on by us, they don't see that we're there. We're like ghosts in their awareness - and nobody from the Gotei will come here looking for us while they think we're hiding in Seireitei."

"They don't realise how much I've perfected the Senkaimon to open and shut to the Real World on a whim." Keitarou agreed with a smile of resignation. "And it's true too that here the local people are generally dead to us and don't even see that we're here. But we're very few against an enemy of so many. And now the Shihouin are moving to help the Kuchiki - I really didn't see that coming at all. Though I doubt it will please all quarters of that stuck up Clan, so probably in the end the result will prove the same."

"That Shihouin at the main estate was one I remember from District Seven." Eiraki said thoughtfully. "One who worked with Grandfather and Seimaru. I remember him clearly, Kei-sama - we should be careful and keep out of his way. Since he knows both of us, and...not just us."

Her gaze drifted to the final member of the group who, curled up like a cat in the corner was fast asleep, oblivious to the fuss that their flight had caused.

"Taking Onoe Tomoyuki from the Shihouin was an interesting experiment, but not altogether a successful one." Keitarou acknowledged. "So it is in science. I've learnt one thing though. That this kind of puppet is not the ideal. We'll dispose of him when there's a good opportunity to do so - till then it's better to keep him with us. If blood must be spilt, better it falls on his hands, not ours for the time being."

He reached across to touch Eiraki's cheek, then,

"Blood doesn't suit you." He added. "Red is a colour at odds with your particular style of beauty, Eiraki-chan."

At the informal use of her real name, Eiraki blushed, offering him a faint smile.

"Red is an Endou colour, and I'm not afraid of it." She said softly. "But what are we going to do next, Kei-sama? If the Kuchiki aren't so easily falling into our traps..."

"No, they have still fallen into a good many of them." Keitarou's expression became thoughtful. "Aside from all the doubt and suspicion that's rife around that estate, we've discovered some useful information about that Clan which may yet prove helpful in adding the nail to their coffin. You still have the parchment you took from their archive?"

"Yes." Eiraki patted the sash of her gown. "It's safe and sound here, minus the fragment I left in Shirogane's room as a paper trail. We can use it any time we want - to throw suspicion in a different direction."

"If Shirogane won't do, Seiren may." Keitarou reflected. "But for now I want to watch and wait. What the situation has given us is the separation from the main house of the two young bocchan - Ryuu and Shirogane are both outside of the protection of their Clan leader. Guren is a strong Shinigami, Eiraki - fighting him directly is something I'd rather avoid until we reach a point where there's significant ground to gain."

"The old man who's Niisama's sensei is also strong." Eiraki warned, and Keitarou nodded.

"Directly attacking there is also not currently an option." He agreed. "That canny old man has been alive long enough to suggest there's not many who could easily kill him. But there are things in District One that still interest me. Things that should interest both of us and our plans - if we could reach them properly."

"Such as?"

Keitarou's gaze rested on the knife that lay at his side, and he smiled, his fingers brushing gently across the blade.

"Scientific experiments that yielded better results than this latest one." He murmured thoughtfully. "That old man has begun something that we can take advantage of. In a world where nobody else cares to show interest, he has begun training the weapons of the future. The District children to whom he's giving blades and skills, Eiraki - the future is there. Our future too."

"District...Ukitake-san?" Eiraki's eyes became huge, and Keitarou chuckled, nodding his head.

"Juushirou is a starting point." He agreed, lifting the tantou knife up so that the dim light of the cavern torch glinted faintly off the silver blade, highlighting where a tiny chip of the weapon was missing. "Because you see, Eiraki-chan, this sword has more power than just the ability to make puppets of empty vessels like Onoe. The power with which I killed your Grandfather...that strength exists too. Ukitake Juushirou is the one and only individual who has lived after experiencing my Bankai. That fact alone is something I can't ignore."

"So you intend to kill Ukitake-san? Even though he's not Clan or anything to do with this?" Eiraki was confused, and Keitarou offered her a gentle smile.

"No. On the contrary, I want to claim him." He admitted, setting the sword down. "His continued life connects us - and I wish to retrieve the thing that is mine. The Academy is a place where weapons are crafted, Eiraki. I would like a better look at the old man's human arsenal - but of those weapons, Juushirou is still the one which interests me the most. So two targets exist in District One and - very likely soon a third, since I can't imagine that foolish Shirogane will go anyplace other than his old school grounds. Beyond that lies a bigger target - one which will open up the door to the future in a way the Clans can't possibly imagine."

"So we're going to kill Shirogane and Ryuu and then...take Ukitake-san?" Eiraki's brows knitted together. "Don't you want to be alone with me, Kei-sama?"

"On the contrary, I want that very much." Keitarou assured her. "A life where nobody bothers us or forces me to make you live in a cave like this instead of in the kind of home you deserve. That's why we're working like this, isn't it? To free Seireitei of the Clans."

"Yes, but..."

"Killing Ryuu is one option. It would eradicate the heir to the Kuchiki and thrust them into further turmoil. Another blood heir does not exist within the family, but just to be on the safe side, if we can find him, we might kill Shirogane as well." Keitarou reflected. "Without an heir, the family will fall, and as cracks appear those who wield power will turn on one another in a desperate battle to cling on to what they own. I didn't expect Kuchiki Guren to be perceptive or reasoned enough a leader to seek help from outside Clans instead of simply declaring war on them - and that in itself is an annoyance. The result is not quite the war we hoped for, but we've made some inroads nonetheless. A war is still possible - it just might take us a little more planning. If nothing else, our antics occupy the Council and continue to cause them infinite amounts of inconvenience and distress."

"That's true." Eiraki smiled ironically. "While they're running around all over the place, nobody's even looking for us, let alone working out where we are."

"Exactly." Keitarou nodded. "Whilst they're bogged down in those things, our focus can shift elsewhere to the other things that interest me. Piece by piece things are coming together, just as a jigsaw puzzle should. But first things first. What we decide around Ryuu may even be a further way of manipulating Seiren - but to achieve that target, we have to sit, watch, and wait for a time when neither Guren nor the old man can easily protect the young ones. Killing Ryuu is probably unavoidable, to maximise the instability in the Kuchiki Clan. But since Guren refuses to turn his sword against the Shihouin or Kyouraku at present, it seems more sensible to pursue a different route and have him look to his kinsfolk for a scapegoat instead."

"Which will mean that idiot Seiren who thinks I'm helpless and useless." Eiraki snorted. Keitarou smiled, reaching out to pat her gently on the shoulder.

"Truthfully, I still haven't decided whether to bring Seiren out as the ultimate scapegoat in all of our machinations, or whether to kill him as well." He admitted. "His behaviour towards Shirogane and towards you have been impeccable and he's obviously foolish enough about status to fall into any number of traps, so it remains an option. The trouble is that he's an empty vessel and so doesn't interest me as much as others do. It's a pity, because had he still had spirit power, he might have been of greater use."

He shrugged, resignation in his mud-slurried eyes.

"Clans waste things so easily because of pride." He murmured. "But I suppose it's as well. Seiren as he is now I could easily make my puppet, but such a puppet would ultimately be worthless to me - probably no better than Onoe, albeit with a greater sense of self. There is blackmail, of course. That option remains open, and I might decide to exploit his noble weaknesses for whatever gain I can. For the time being, though, I want to let the dust settle and see where it does."

He settled himself more comfortably on the floor.

"One other thing, too. Since it's almost for certain that we'll have to kill Ryuu, waiting a while might actually prove the best strategy."

A smile touched his lips.

"I had people watch the Academy's actions in the past, you know, for Shouichi-sama and for Seimaru." He added. "I know already that each year some of the most senior students in the Academy get sent to the Real World. And where do we just happen to be?"

"I see." Eiraki's eyes lit up. "All we have to do is wait and they will come to us."

"Exactly." Keitarou nodded.

"Kei-sama, about Mitsuki-neesama, and...and about...the other students?" Eiraki turned her blue gaze on her companion pensively. "About them...what do you intend to do?"

"I promised you that no harm would befall the Edogawa hime." Keitarou said gently. "I won't break my word. I don't have any reason to hurt someone of such insignificant rank, and besides, she's someone who was kind to you, so I understand your feelings where she's concerned."

"Good." Eiraki looked relieved. "She's not like the other Kuchiki. She understood...when I talked to her about you and how I felt, she was the only one who ever did."

She rested her chin in her hands.

"She isn't much of a Kuchiki, though. It should be all right that way." She added thoughtfully. "I don't suppose she'd even mind if the Clan stopped existing altogether."

She turned to glance at her husband once more.

"And...Kei-sama, what about…?"

"Our target is the Kuchiki bocchan. Not the Endou one." Keitarou understood her question before she could fully ask it, a wry smile touching her lips. Despite how much she had grown, deep down there were still ties of loyalty and affection that she had not quite eradicated, and Keitarou knew that although they were estranged, he had not yet reached a point where he could harm her brother without damaging her faith in him. "I don't care for Clan weaponry, and Hirata-dono's life is not of any interest to me in this."

"All right." Eiraki's tone held nonchalance, but Keitarou could see the faint relief and gratitude in her eyes.

"So now that's settled, we'll wait for them to come to us." He said reflectively. "This plane of existence is outside the control of the Council, and they can't maintain security over such a wide and Hollow-filled area. If the other Kuchiki bocchan was to fall foul of a nasty accident, so much to the good. But if it also allows a chance to ready the weapons that haven't yet awoken...that suits me too. Yes, Eiraki. For now we'll wait. I may yet pay a visit to Guren's honoured brother and attempt to weave some webs of suspicion around him. But most of all now we wait for them to fall into a false sense of security - and for them to send their precious ones right into our waiting grasp."

---

Author's Note

Seiren and Kinnya dropping cryptic clues everywhere. I wonder if anyone's worked out yet what exactly it was that the two of them are talking about. What did Senaya do to Seiren O.O. Answers on a postcard...

Shirogane's Flute.

This is not a western style flute, but technically a "fue" 笛, which is the Japanese word for flute (Chinese uses the same kanji). These were made from bamboo and originally popular in China, but by the Nara period (8th century) they were also becoming popular at the Japanese Imperial court. It was known as a "Ryuuteki" or "Dragon flute" whose song was said to mimic the call of a dragon. The sound made by bamboo fue is a lot more ghostly and haunting than the music of a western flute. The idea for Shirogane to have this right from the first story was put into my head by Eisen, Motomi and Atsumori in the various HaruToki series and their very haunting, beautiful flutes. It's also true that flutes in ancient Japan did often carry names and many were handed down through families. Some of these flutes are referenced in historical sources from the time and are spoken of with some amount of reverence. This doesn't simply apply to flutes, but I believe other traditional instruments such as the koto/kin and biwa. People may or may not have realised it, but where possible I've been rendering the ancient Kuchiki with this or that ancient Japanese custom, and so the flute was the next one in the process. Oune technically means "sound" or "note" of the sakura, but song seemed better for fic purposes xD.