Chapter 16: Measure Up
*I know this is late, but between family, work, and school starting, I've been a bit busy. Please review. Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, just the OCs. *
(Seireitei)
"Aww, you already asked her?" Flynn whined. "Now what am I going to do?"
Sakura gave him a smile that was both sheepish and smug. "Sorry, Stanley, but you're not the only one who needs a new lieutenant."
The three captains sat outside on the verandah of the Fifth Division basking in the warm spring sunlight. The snow and ice receded, making way for blooming flowers and budding trees. Midafternoon and drank white tea while he sipped a coffee smelling faintly of chocolate. Harumi held a cup of jasmine tea.
"Yeah, but I think my need is greater since I'm still learning how to write and read Japanese."
"You are improving," she amended, "a little."
"Are not any of your seated officers fit for the position?" Harumi asked.
Flynn winced, "My Fourth and Fifth Seats were killed, and my Third is recovering, and I don't know if he'll be able to come back. We're still shuffling people around, and besides, none of them had achieved Shikai, which I know is a prerequisite. Guess I'll have to look outside my Division."
"Hmm, I'll see if any of my officers could work," Harumi offered.
"Aww, you do care about me."
"I care more about the poor, overworked officers under your command in need of actual leadership."
Flynn gasped, "Sakura, did you hear that? He's being mean to me again!"
The Quincy snorted into her tea, "Play nice, boys." She took a sip and asked Harumi, "How have things been at the Tenth?"
Harumi's Division was sandwiched between the Eighth and Tenth, so anyone would know what was going on; it was him. While the Third and Fifth lost their lieutenants, Captain Hitsugaya and Lieutenant Matsumoto lost close friends. Harumi's lieutenant, Hisagi, was somewhat familiar with Matsumoto. His Division oversaw the newspaper, meaning they knew all Seireitei's news; both official and unofficial.
"They are managing as well as can be from what I've heard. The lieutenant is inebriated often, and I hear even Captain Unohana is becoming concerned. Their young captain is still… temperamental. I've been feeling quite a few bursts of cold wind blowing through the Ninth and finding ice and frost along the buildings bordering theirs."
"I guess winter is sticking around a bit longer at the Tenth," Flynn quipped.
"This is a bad idea."
"Maybe it won't be that bad."
Uryu gave his sister a doubtful look, and she helplessly shrugged. The pair stood before a couple of heavy wooden doors that led to the manor's more spacious solar. Waiting for them on the other side would be the royal council, people set to judge the worthiness of Naoko and Uryu. Not just for the throne, but to be considered genuine Quincies.
Uryu studied the doors and then dropped his gaze to the floor. "I don't think I can do this."
The quiet statement was shocking enough, but the underlying vulnerability and doubt made it more jarring. Normally, Uryu would never display this level of fragility, and Naoko knew that. So, to show her this side that he was hiding from everyone else touched her heart. He trusted her enough to not hurt him when he was feeling weak.
"Hey, come on, if anyone should be worried, it's me." She joked, "You're a prodigy, a genius, aren't you? You'll be fine."
"Naoko, these people have been raised and trained extensively in our ways. I never had much formal training, only what I could teach myself through trial and error." He fidgeted with his sleeve jacket, "and I… have no talent."
Naoko scoffed, "Don't be bringing Dad into this." Trying another tactic, she said softly, "Brother, you have plenty of talent, especially for someone self-taught."
She shot him a reassuring smile when he finally looked up at her. "We could tell them to shove their opinions and not take the throne."
"And leave it open to those who would and abuse it?"
Sighing dramatically, she says, "I suppose you've got a point, and we must do the right thing."
His lips briefly tip upward at her display, and a small sense of victory fluttered in her heart. He opened the door and stepped through with her at his heels. Five well-aged adults stood in a semi-circle, two women and three men all dressed formally like for a business meeting. Small consolation that they recognized Matsuro and Fiona. The other three, two men and a woman, appeared unimpressed by their appearance.
"I hope you will forgive us for not showing due respect by bowing; such movement is not easy for us in our advance age," one of the men said politely. His voice bared traces of an English accent. "I am Philip Martin. I know you are already acquainted with Matsuro and Ó Cathaláin. Still, I'd be remiss not to introduce the remaining members."
He gestured to a portly gentleman, "Robert Van Alphen." Next, he inclined his head to the other woman, "Mariya Kohut."
"They do speak English, don't they?" Van Alphen said faintly derisive.
"I can assure you, sir, my brother and I speak and understand your tongue quite well," Naoko said with a sharp smile.
He huffed, "Well, at least you can do that much."
Martin intensely studied the siblings. "You are Uryu and Naoko Ishida. Grandchildren to the late Queen Tsukihana?"
Naoko's brain stalled too long for her to reply. Queen? She took the title before dying? Tsukihana? That isn't— oh wait, that is her real name.
"We are, sir," Uryu said politely.
"And you have come here to claim your birthright as her descendants?"
Uryu shared a glance with Naoko before responding, "At first, my sister and I traveled here to learn more about our family and heritage."
"And you felt the need to do this with an escort of four powerful Soul Reapers?" Kohut, shoulder-length black and gray hair with a beaky looking nose, said disdainfully.
"You never know what you might encounter so far from home," Naoko quipped. "Best to have backup."
"Has your objective changed then?" Martin asked, ignoring the little exchange.
"It has. This is a responsibility your grandmother entrusted to us. We will not let it be passed over to anyone who would abuse this kind of status for their own selfish ends."
Uryu's tone was all but challenging, and Naoko felt a twinge of pride in him. After staring down death multiple times, these old geezers had nothing on them.
"Well then seems we didn't come all this way for nothing," Van Alphen glowered at them slightly when adding. "Again."
Martin's face was placid, not showing a whit of what he might be feeling. "We need to determine if you are worthy of leading our people. Yes, you have the right, thanks to your grandmother. However, we can instate or unseat a current or prospective ruler should they be deemed unfit."
Naoko's eyes widened at hearing that. They could do that? As far as she knew, no other system of ruling had a clause like that. At least not in normal human history, being Quincies did put them on a different plane. Her eyes darted to Matsuro, who gave the faintest nod, confirming the other man was right.
"And what do you define as unfit?" she dared to ask.
"Physical, mental, or emotional instability. Ruling in a way that does more harm than good for our people." Kohut added emphasis on the last quality, "An inability or unwillingness to uphold our peoples' sacred traditions and values."
"We need a ruler strong of body and of power. Tell us, what exactly can you do concerning your Quincy powers?"
Matsuro spoke up in their defense, "He has survived the Quincy: Letzt Stil, had his powers restored and can perform complex techniques such as Heavenly Puppet, or what we call Ransōtengai."
That sparked an exchange of surprised looks amongst the elders. Naoko, though wondered if her grandmother had told Matsuro all this, there was no other way he could've known. Wait… Brother can use Ransōtengai? Since when? ! Naoko shot her sibling an incredulous look, but he didn't meet her gaze.
"That's quite a feat for someone so young, though I have to ask what drove you to use the Letzt Stil?" Martin asked.
Uryu shifted, trying to cover his discomfort. "I had to fight a Soul Reaper captain. He released his Bankai, and I… was in serious need of power to just survive, let alone win."
Something about his tone prickled at her senses. That's not the entire truth, is it? Her brother wasn't the best of liars.
"You have fought Soul Reapers?"
"Only those who have tried to kill me."
"And would that be many?" Kohut said, looking down her nose at them, which was a feat considering she was shorter than them.
"No," Naoko answered. "We have far more friends than enemies with Soul Reapers."
Van Alphen scoffed, "Cavorting about with Soul Reapers. You children truly haven't been raised to be proper Quincies, have you?"
She bristled at the insult, "And what do you consider a proper Quincy? Only as someone who hates Soul Reapers? Soul Reapers were used to protect our family."
"And look where that got us."
"I would not talk so boldly if I were you, young lady," Martin said coolly. "Tell me, what are your strengths? Your brother's abilities, if they are to be believed, are impressive. I'm interested to see if you are just as prodigious."
"I…" She licked her lips. "I can manipulate reishi and am well-versed in hiernkyaku. I'm actually faster than my brother." It wasn't entirely a lie since she had yet to prove it, but Naoko bet that her sessions of playing tag with Yachiru certainly gave her a leg up.
Martin was unimpressed. "That's it? Can you form a bow, at least? The only weapon suitable for a proper Quincy, it would be quite shameful if you can't even do that."
'Is wielding a bow really the only way a person can be defined as a Quincy?' It was a question Yumichika had proposed to her just before the Winter War.
I don't know. Seeing their stern elderly faces made her think that the answer was yes.
Uryu came to her support or at least tried to. "My sister's strengths may not lie in traditional Quincy arts, but she is a skilled fighter in her own right. Her differences complement mine, and it is why we work well together. Her use of a sword and short-range fighting capabilities—"
"You use a sword?" Kohut sneered. "She's as bad as King Nicholas's heathen sister."
"Considering that sister is their great-grandmother, what do you expect?" Van Alphen snorted.
"You can't judge a person based on their ancestors," Ó Cathaláin interjected.
Maybe Brother was right, and this was a bad idea. Naoko tried to tune out the passive-aggressive bickering going on.
"Enough," Martin snapped, bringing all talking to a halt. "I see now that our current line has given us… less than desirable candidates. However, since you do descend from a direct line, I believe it would be unfair to cast you aside quickly. Instead, perhaps with time and proper teaching, you can become someone worthy of not only the throne but of our people. You are dismissed."
"Can you believe the nerve of that bastard?" Naoko snarled once they were out in the hallway.
"Which one?"
"All of them! Not proper Quincies," Naoko scoffed. "As if they have any right to judge us! Thanks for trying to stick up for me, though."
"Even if it did backfire?"
"Wielding a bow shouldn't be the only thing that defines a Quincy," Naoko sighed.
"You have to admit you're not exactly a standard Quincy," Uryu said gently.
She stopped in her tracks and turned to look at him. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing, just maybe if you had tried practicing your powers more than learning how to fight with a sword like a Soul Reaper—"
Anger bristled in her heart. "Hang on, that is not my fault. My powers didn't even manifest until I was ten, and by then, I had no one to teach me as you would well know."
Uryu narrowed his eyes, "And what do you mean by that?"
"Nothing," she said, nearly mocking. "Only that if Grandpa had lived a little longer, then maybe I would've had someone to teach me. Maybe if you had done something—"
"I was a child," his hands balled up into fists. "What was I supposed to do?"
The flash of pain on his face almost made her stop. However, an angry fire and been lit within her, and she couldn't stop. "Use those prodigious Quincy powers of yours? Not hide like I guess you did."
His voice was a low, vicious hiss, "You have no idea what happened, so don't you dare lecture me on what I should have done. But at least I faced his death and accepted it, Grandmother's too, yet you are too cowardly to."
He walked away, not looking back. The fire in her heart guttered out, leaving her feeling raw and cold. Stifling her tears, she stalked down the hall in the opposite direction. Both unaware of the figure hidden in the tree branches that had just seen their whole confrontation.
*If this is subpar, I apologize. I'm trying to get back into writing and finding a balance between this, work, and school. Please review and I'll try to post again Sept 25th.*
