I want to start by saying thanks to RG-Guest, and the "Reviewer Formerly Known as Disappointed", and everyone else for their feedback.
As always, I enjoyed reading RG's feedback, and so as usual, I'll take a moment to address some of your comments. First off, I too am a big fan of Lillynette, and I too think she deserves more attention from the fandom. I view her as being equivalent to a young teen/adolescent girl (12-14), hence why she can't seem to decide if she likes Hanataro (her closest 'peer') as just a friend or something more.
I'll get to some of the other points in my closing notes.
TO FORGE A
BETTER TOMORROW
Chapter XLII: "Family, Part 2"
The Soul Realm...
Hikaru looked to her older male sibling with a smile. "And now, brother, is Retsu-san doing well?" The younger of the two Ukitake sisters asked. "As soon as Jun and I received word of what was happening, we set out immediately." She continued with a smile. "Tell me, have we missed anything?"
He smiled warmly and gave a slight shake of his head. "Nothing so far." Jushiro replied. "Since Retsu was brought here, it's more or less been a waiting game for us. In fact, I've-" The white-haired Captain explained, only to be interrupted by the sound of Nemu's PDA sounding off once again.
Junko turned to the purple-haired woman. "Goodness, what in heaven's name is that?"
Shunsui perked up at the sound of the electronic beeping. "Well now," the scruffy-faced swordsman remarked with a smirk. "Speak of the devil..." He mused aloud, adjusting his hat.
Nanao perked up at this, following his line of sight.
"...And he appears." Jushiro finished, as he- along with the others gathered in the waiting room- turned towards the green-eyed woman seated amongst them. "Lieutenant?"
Nemu looked up from the handheld's screen. "The message is from Szayel-sama," she began calmly, looking to them. "According to this, your wife- Captain Retsu Ukitake- has just gone into labor."
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Elsewhere...
"As I'm sure you can appreciate, Captain," Szayel calmly remarked as he moved to check on a nearby monitor in the room. "The process of giving birth is hardly an exact science." The pink-haired Arrancar reasoned as he donned his surgical smock. "Given this is your first, the experience has the potential to be somewhat unpredictable." He added. "Though, the baby is ideally positioned for delivery."
"Good," Retsu replied after a moment. "Grantz-san, please keep me appraised of the situation... In case anything unexpected occurs, I want to be on top of things."
"Now, now, Captain." The Espada replied. "Right now, you need only concern yourself with the small precious life within you, and doing your utmost to ensure that he is delivered safely." He added with a smile, leaning in close, his hands resting on the rails. "You'll more than have your hands full dealing with your own body, so you can leave the- ah- external matters to me." With that, he drew back.
The Octavio noted a faint trace of unease in her expression. "Tell me, Lady Ukitake," he started, his tone more serious now. "After all this time, do you trust me?"
A brief moment passed between them, in which she turned her head in order to look at him, then she gave a small. "...Yes, I do." Retsu answered, seeming to relax.
"And I have every intention of living up to that trust." He replied. "Now, more so than ever..." Szayel continued with a smile. "You see, since establishing myself in the Twelfth, I've learned a great deal, and in the process, I've grown rather fond of not just you and your husband, but of your people."
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Tenth Division HQ...
In the heart of the Tenth, Toshiro Hitsugaya was seated at his desk inside his office, dutifully pouring over the stack of division-related documents. The room was constructed around a rectangular ten tatami mat arrangement- roughly 4.5m long x 3.6m wide, or just over 16m squared. Aside from his desk, there were shelves set up one side, with room for a table in the center, and a couch on the other side.
Speaking of which...
His second-in-command, Lieutenant Rangiku Matsumoto, was presently sprawled languidly across the length of the couch. She was resting upon her elbow on the arm of the couch, those long sinuous legs of hers concealed under the plush black fabric of her Shinigami robes, while at the same time struggling to contain her enormity of her bountiful bust-line. Silkily-soft flowing strawberry-blonde locks framed her lovely features and cascaded around her shoulders and down her back.
He swallowed hard, noting how her stormy blue-gray eyes gazed disinterestedly at the document held in her free hand. Toshiro found himself at a loss as he took in the sight of her soft pink lips, accented by that adorable little mole... The two of them had been a couple for almost a year, and the snowy-haired young man was rapidly nearing his limit when it came to his Lieutenant!
He wasn't sure how much longer he could maintain the facade of professionalism in public... Day after day, forced to play out this twisted pantomime, having to conceal his feelings for the gorgeous woman before the eyes of Soul Society. This was how Toshiro Hitsugaya found himself: forced to behave as if there was nothing between them, when there most certainly was!
Rangiku sighed, obvious boredom visible in her storm-cloud eyes.
Just being near the woman set him on edge, leaving Toshiro irrevocably caught between his shameful possessive desires to somehow assert himself- to stake some kind of 'claim' upon her as his- as well as his instinctive drive to protect her, to shield her from any further heartache...
Toshiro may have been young (relatively speaking), but he was far from naive, and he fully understood what was being asked of him when she'd opened up to him that fateful night. He'd realized, almost right away, that Rangiku was the sort of woman that drove men mad- and he was no exception to this. And yet, so too the Captain realized, it was a kind of madness that he welcomed!
"I wonder what's happening with Retsu-san...?"
The comment, muttered idly by Rangiku, snapped him out of his inner musings- well, perhaps for the moment, at lease- and allowed him to regain his senses. "Yes, well, Lieutenant..." Hitsugaya managed, after what felt like an eternity of silence between them. "The sooner you finish with your paperwork, the sooner we'll both be able to the heck outta here."
She perked up at this. "You mean...?" Rangiku trailed off.
Toshiro nodded. "I can already feel a headache coming on." The Captain reasoned, rubbing the bridge of his slender nose. "Dropping by the Fourth Division- to see how things are going- is about as good of an excuse for us to get out and get some fresh air as any other."
His Lieutenant smiled gorgeously, which in turn, made the Captain smile.
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
It had been close to two hours since they'd received word that Retsu had gone into labor...
It hadn't taken long for Stark to lapse back into a deep sleep, the powerful Arrancar seemingly content to leave the 'talking' to his smaller mouthier half for the time being. At least, that was until news finally reached them that Retsu Ukitake had gone into labor. Initially, he'd been slow to rouse, but he'd perked up once Lillynette herself had set upon him- performing an elbow drop to his stomach!
"According to this message," Nemu began. "As of sending this, everything is 'on-track' with Retsu-san, as it were..." The purple-haired Lieutenant continued evenly. "Further more, Szayel-sama has requested that I relay to the rest of you that he will be 'in-touch', regarding 'future developments'."
"Any ideas about how long we'll be waiting?" Shunsui inquired casually.
Nemu shook her head, before Nanao spoke up. "Captain," the bespectacled woman started, adjusting her glassed. "You can't really think in terms of timetables, when it comes to pregnancy."
This latest bit of news had been enough to startle the tall Arrancar back into reality. He looked on, with an characteristic degree of interest, as the atmosphere hanging over the group shifted to an odd mixture of what he recognized as panic... as well as a degree of excitement, which was (understandably) most visible in the brown-eyed, white-haired soon-to-be father among them.
His counterpart perked up upon sensing a new arrival, and Stark quickly understood why, as the figure of Hanataro Yamada neared. The Primera was familiar with the young Third Seat Officer of the Fourth, thanks to the unusual friendship (if that was even the correct word) that had formed between Lillynette and the boy, since they'd found themselves as guests of Jushiro Ukitake and the Shinigami.
"Captain Ukitake, sir," the young Officer called out. "Lieutenant Kotetsu- er, that is, our Lieutenant Kotetsu- she asked that I bring you an update." Hanataro continued. "Right now, she's in the delivery room, along with Captain Grantz and... the other Captain Ukitake."
"I fear," Shunsui began, mostly to himself, though also in earshot of Nanao. "That this name nonsense isn't going to be over for a looong time." The scruffy man lamented with a sigh.
Ukitake looked to him expectantly. "Yamada-san, how are things going?"
"Fine, sir." Hanataro replied. "Everything is going smoothly, with no complications to speak of- the baby is properly positioned for delivery, and we don't expect this to change." The dark-haired young man answered him reassuringly. "The only thing is... that the time-length of labor for first-time mothers can be quite long, I'm afraid- sometimes, up to eight hours, or more."
Ukitake exchanged glances with the others, before nodding to himself. "Well then, it appears as if we may have a long night ahead of us." The white-haired man mused aloud.
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Two Hours Later...
"...and that's when I came up with the idea for the 'Visualizer'." Szayel explained to Retsu as he moved to the foot of the bed. "Most people would consider it quackery or pseudo-scientific mumbo-jumbo, but I've always been fascinated with the inner-workings of the mind- in particular, mental imagery."
Isane, also dressed in a surgical smock, was presently looking over data as the Pink-haired Arrancar spoke to the woman. The silver-haired Lieutenant opted to remain silent, only smiling faintly to herself as she quietly observed the scene between them play out.
"There's no limit to things we can conceive." The Hollow continued. "I was convinced that there must exist a means of interpreting that data, a way of visualizing mental imagery. After all, if you think about it for a moment- what is the mind, if not a highly advanced biological computer?" Szayel inquired with a broad smile, as he gestured toward his head with a gloved hand.
Retsu exhaled, nodding faintly at the assertion. Rather than being annoyed, she'd instantly recognized the Arrancar's 'rambling' for what it really was- a means of keeping her occupied as things progressed- and so was content to lie back and listen to the bespectacled Espada.
"Yes, you appear to progressing nicely." Szayel interjected calmly. "Dilation appears to be about six centimeters at the moment." The Octavio remarked aloud. "Now, do be sure and let me know as your contractions start becoming more regular. After all, as you- my dear captain of the Fourth- can surely appreciate, it's crucial that we remain on top of that."
"Agreed." Restu answered. "...Now, you were saying?" She resumed after a moment.
"Of course." He replied. "Now then, if I recall, I was about to tell you about the Visualizer..."
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Nanao looked toward a nearby clock mounted upon the wall. It had been about an hour since Officer Yamada had come by and spoken to Captain Ukitake. "It's starting to get late." The slender Lieutenant commented as she rose from her seat. "Captain," she started, addressing Shunsui. "You stay here, with Captain Ukitake and the others, while I go check in on the Eighth."
"Dutiful as ever, my Nanao-chan." The scruffy-faced swordsman replied with one of his usual smiles. Shunsui watched as his bespectacled Lieutenant blushing faintly, then gave him a slight nod, and as she swiftly turned to leave the hospital's waiting room to check in on the Eighth Division.
"You know, Shunsui." Jushiro remarked, looking to his longtime friend. "Lieutenant Ise has become a formidable woman and Officer." He commented with a smile.
"Yes." He nodded. "She certainly has." Shunsui replied thoughtfully with a smile. "I couldn't begin to imagine what I- to say nothing of the Eighth Division- would do without her."
"Captain Ukitake." A voice called out, prompting the two men to turn and watch as Captain Hitsugaya and his Lieutenant Rangiku Matsumoto appeared. The young Captain bore a relaxed expression and his hands were tucked into the pockets of his white Captain's haori. Beside him, his second-in-command was beaming, smiling happily and waving at the two of them.
"Toshiro-kun, Matsumoto-san," Ukitake greeted the pair. "How kind of the two you to drop by." He continued with a smile as he advanced forward to great them both.
By now, Hitsugaya had grown quite accustomed to the lack of formality whenever Captain Ukitake greeted him, and so he didn't let it affect him as she shook hands with him. At the same time, Rangiku moved to greet him- also smiling and greeting Captain Kyoraku in the process.
"Ran, as always, it's so good to see you." Shunsui gushed at the sight of the buxom woman, oblivious to the subtle irritated glance from Toshiro as he went about fawning over her.
"Jushiro," he continued, addressing his friend. "Once Retsu has gotten through this, and you have a moment, we really should all get together to drink to your child's health."
"That's a great idea!" Rangiku interjected, beaming.
As this was going on, none other than Ggio Vega appeared. The smallish Fraccion was dressed in his usual outfit- a white, modified version of the Shinigami robes- his black hair pulled into a braid and his tusked cat-skull Hollow Mask adorning his head (like a helmet). "Hi!" He called out. "Miss Soifon is super busy with her work in the Second Division." The Arrancar explained. "But, she asked me send her regards, and that she'll either visit this evening, or tomorrow morning... Oh, and to give you this."
With the preamble out of the way, he produced a rectangular package, bound up in gold wrapping foil and a black ribbon. "This is for Lady Retsu, with Miss Soifon's regards." Ggio explained cheerfully as he handed the gift to Jushiro. "When she's well enough, that is."
"Of course, thank you, Vega-san." The white-haired man replied. "I'm sure Retsu will love it." Ukitake went on with a smile. "And please, do give mine and my wife's regards to Captain Soifon."
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Since arriving, Retsu Ukitake was entering into the ninth hour of labor...
As time passed, Lillynette grew increasingly restless, 'trapped' (as she saw it) in the waiting room as Retsu's labor continued into the evening. And so, when Hantaro Yamada had appeared to update them on the situation, she'd taken this as a chance to covertly slip away from the others with him.
And this was how the young female Arrancar had wound up following the young male Shinigami into the hospital commissary. Presently, the two adolescents were seated at one of the tables, before trays of half-finished food and drinks, as Hanataro quietly listened to Lillynette. Things usually played out like this between the duo- her doing most of the talking, with him chiming in as needed.
Not that he really minded the arrangement. While she'd initially been something of an annoyance and frustration to the young Shinigami, the smallish female Arrancar had become an invaluable presence in Hanataro's day-to-day life. Her larger male counterpart, Stark, seemed content to stagnation and sloth, Lillynette was very much the opposite- the embodiment of energy and movement.
And in spite of the frustration that often came with associating with the girl, Hanataro wouldn't have traded his friendship with the female Arrancar for anything. When it came to Lillynette, he wasn't sure of his feelings, but the one thing he did know was that he wanted to be around her...
The Arrancar suddenly stopped speaking mid-sentence as she spotted Isane as she passed by the open doors of the commissary, confusing Hanataro as her visible eye widened and she stood up.
"What's wrong?" The Shinigami asked, setting his chopsticks down
"Retsu-san's beta- er, her Lieutenant," she began. "I just saw her." Lillynette revealed, turning back to the young man. "And from the look of her, she was in a hell ova hurry, too..."
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
"...the contractions are becoming more frequent." Isane explained to Jushiro and others, all business, her tone steady and controlled. "Grantz-san examined her, just a few minutes ago, and the Captain was almost fully dilated." The Lieutenant went on. "The delivery process is likely to start within the hour, and we can expect the child to be born not long after that."
Jushiro's dark brows arched, his brown eyes wide. "Incredible, all this time,the culmination of the last nine months... all determined, in less than an hour." Jushiro mused aloud, awestruck.
Wordlessly, Nemu exchanged a quick glance with Isane.
"All the more reason to hurry." Shunsui enthused. "This is it, my friend." He added, clapping his hand on the white-haired man's shoulder. "Now don't keep your wife and son waiting."
"Yes, of course." He replied determinedly, before departing with the two female Lieutenants.
"Hey! What's going on?" Lillynette called out, accompanied by Hanataro. "Where'd Shiro-san just go? I just saw him leave with Isane and the Octavio's mate."
"Yes, I'm eager to know the answer to that question as well." Nanao interjected, adjusting her glasses. The bespectacled woman had only just returned to the waiting room.
"Lillynette." Stark spoke up suddenly, to the surprise of the others. "It's almost time."
There seemed to be something, unspoken, conveyed in the brief simple statement between the Primera Espada and his smaller counterpart, as she appeared to understand him instantly.
"Oh, right." The female Hollow replied with a nod. "I should have known." Lillynette remarked with a smile, much to the confusion of the Shinigami present.
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
"Very good, Captain." Szayel calmly stated, through his scrub mask. "It won't be long now... You're nearly there now- just a few more good pushes, I expect."
Retsu Ukitake, the woman in question, perspired and strained with some effort. Thankfully, she'd been locally anesthetized, and so wasn't experiencing much discomfort. Further, she also benefited from the fact that she wasn't alone- as she had her husband at her side.
Jushiro smiled, holding her smaller hand in his. "You're incredible, Retsu." He murmured softly to her, watching as his wife gave another push- this one eliciting a reaction the nearby Arrancar.
"Yes, that's it!" Szayel exclaimed. "I can see him, you're son, he's coming..." The pink-haired Espada explained, maneuvering his gloved hands between her legs. "Excellent... Now just stay the course, and you'll successfully see this through to the end." He continued.
The next thing Jushiro knew, he was hearing the sound of a cry...
"Lieutenant Kotetsu," Szayel spoke, addressing the woman. "Please prepare the clamps... We're nearly finished, and I'd like you at my side, to see that everything goes off without a hitch."
"Of course." She replied, joining him.
Szayel rose up. "There we are, perfectly healthy." He declared, carefully holding the newborn infant in his hands. "Wait, Lieutenant..." He cautioned the tall woman amiably. "I would prefer it that we allow a few moments before clamping the umbilical cord." The Arrancar reasoned as he set the baby down.
He looked to a clock on the wall, for about a minute or so. "Now."
With that, they went about clamping the umbilical cord. "The laser scalpel, please." This prompted Isane to hand him a sophisticated instrument, which produced a small but focused beam of of energy from the tip. "And now, to sever the cord..." Szayel stated.
There was a faint hissing sound, after which Szayel returned the instrument to Isane, before he then went about carefully swaddling the infant in a blanket. "Congratulations." He offered. "You're both the parents of a perfectly healthy baby boy." The Espada elaborated, handing him to the mother.
"And you say he's perfectly healthy?" Jushiro asked.
Szayel nodded, removing his gloves. "Yes, a diagnosis he shares with his mother." He answered as he drew down his mask, revealing his smiling visage. "I'd like for both to remain in the hospital overnight, purely as a precaution... But otherwise, I expect they can be discharged in the morning."
"Thank you... for everything." Retsu managed a small smile, already sounding fatigued.
"Not at all, I'm simply doing my job." Szayel replied modestly. "Now, we can arrange for you two to be transferred to somewhere more comfortable, if you'll excuse us." He announced, gesturing for Isane to follow him out of the room, leaving the two parents alone for the moment.
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Retsu and Jushiro Ukitake soon found themselves (along with their newborn son) alone inside a quiet, darkened room located in another wing of the hospital.
"Kiyoshiro." Retsu uttered softly, her son cradled in her arms. "I think we should name him Kiyoshiro. What about you, Jushiro, what do you think?" Her voice was growing faint.
"I think it's perfect." He replied, looking at the sleeping child. When she didn't respond, he looked back to her, only to discover she'd finally succumbed to sleep. He smiled warmly, caressing her cheek gently, before taking his place in a chair that he'd pulled up beside the bed...
A few hours later, Jushiro was awakened by the sound of Kiyoshiro wailing. Standing up, he looked to his wife, who was also awake. "He must be hungry..." Retsu commented.
The female Shinigami noted- with some amusement- how her husband had swiftly averted his gaze from her as soon she opened her hospital gown to feed their son. The fact that even he- her partner of centuries- should feel embarrassed, spoke volumes about how men viewed breastfeeding.
Still looking away, he spoke up. "My sisters, Junko and Haruka, arrived earlier... I expect they're at the estate now, likely awaiting further news." Jushiro remarked. "And we can expect Aunt Hanae to arrive later this morning." He paused. "I imagine they'll be eager to meet Kiyoshiro."
Retsu nodded at this. "Oh yes, I'm sure they'll surely be eager to formally introduce themselves the next head of the Ukitake family." She reasoned with a smirk.
"Retsu," Jushiro started, rolling his eyes. "You know this isn't about inter-family politics, they simply want to see their new nephew." He replied, folding his arms.
"Of course." His wife answered. "Though, it's still fun to needle you about your august family."
"After my parents died, Hanae was like a second mother." Jushiro offered.
Noting that Kiyoshiro seemed to be satisfied, she retrieved a towel and placed it over her shoulder as she patted the infant on the back. "Judging by the kind of man you've become, she did a fine job." The dark-haired reasoned as she closed her gown, their son drifting back to sleep.
He nodded, turning back to her. "In the end, even noble families are still families."
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
The following morning...
As the dark early hours of the morning passed into daylight, Jushiro wasted little time in arranging to have Retsu and their son to transferred to the Ukitake Estate. Upon arriving, the new parents had found a most unexpected item awaiting them: an elegant glass vase, filled with light pink peonies.
There was a note included with it, which he opened. It was a gift, sent by none other than Captain Byakuya Kuchiki, seemingly as a gesture of goodwill between their two families. The white-haired noble realized that this would likely be followed up by a visit from the Head of the Kuchiki himself. After all, it only made sense, as it was a good show of unity between the old families.
A room had been set aside, in a secluded section of the large house, for Retsu and their son- somewhere they could rest up, where there wouldn't be too much noise or commotion to disturb them.
With that taken care of for the moment, Jushiro made his way to one of the reception rooms, where he had sensed the familiar reishi of his aunt. The older woman was seated in the center of the room, before a low table in the room, her knees folded and resting demurely upon a dark blue-gray cushion. There was a tray set on the table, complete with a kettle of hot tea and a pair of cups."
"Aunt Hanae, welcome." He started warmly, taking his seat across from her. "I really must apologize, for keeping you waiting." Jushiro continued. "I would have greeted you sooner, but I-"
"Nonsense," she interrupted, quietly sipping from her tea. "You have far more pressing obligations at the moment- you have a wife, and a newborn son." Hanae reasoned. "And at any rate, I can sympathize with your position- and with Retsu-san. After all, I've been a mother myself."
"In the meantime, Jushiro, while your wife is enjoying some well-deserved rest, it seems we have a moment to talk..." Hanae continued, placing her cup down. "As I have no doubt, your attention will be needed for other matters in the not-too-distant future."
"Of course," Jushiro replied, pouring a cup for himself. "What's on your mind?"
"From your tone, I take it then that your wife and son are both well?" She inquired.
"Yes, they're both doing well..." He started. "Retsu is tired, but she seems to be otherwise fine. And as for Kiyoshiro- oh yeah, that's what we decided to name him- is the picture of health." Jushiro explained to her with a smile. "They were both sleeping when I left them."
Hanae nodded. "That's good, I'm glad they're doing well." She replied. "Though, I would caution that she not spend too much time sequestered away, with just herself and her thoughts to occupy her." The woman cautioned. "It's dangerous to underestimate the emotional effects of a pregnancy."
"Yes, I was cautioned about the possibility of postpartum depression..." Jushiro replied, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I'll certainly be keeping an eye on things."
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
It wouldn't be until the next morning, that Retsu finally felt well enough to emerge...
Situated inside one of the reception rooms within the Ukitake Estate, Jushiro was presently seated at a low rectangular table- partaking in a late breakfast, in the company of his two younger sisters and their Aunt, as well as both of the house's two 'resident' Arrancar.
"I must say, Stark-san," Hanae began. "You and Lillynette-san are... not what I was expecting, when I first learned that my nephew had befriended a pair of Hollows."
"Aunt Hanae..." Junko chastised, eyes wide.
"That's sooo rude." Haruka chimed in next.
"No, it's alright, I understand what you mean." Stark replied evenly, just as Lillynette stopped eating rice and egg and looked up from the plate. "We're Hollows, after all. So we don't exactly have the best reputations in most circles." He reasoned, taking a drink from his glass of orange juice.
"That's past-tense, you're talking about." Lillynette countered. "People like us now- well, I know they like me, at least." She went on. "We're members of this society." The small female proclaimed.
"My goodness," Hanae spoke up with a slight chuckle. "Such an adorable girl you are."
Lillynette's cheeks promptly flushed a rosy shade of pink in response, causing Jushiro cover his mouth as he and the others laughed softly to himself in reaction to the scene.
There was a knock at the door, before it slid open, revealing a female attendant. The woman had dark-rown eyes and long black hair (with blunt-cut bangs and sidelocks framing her face), and was dressed in a full-length muted pink kimono and an apron. "Ukitake-sama." The woman started, maintaining her enigmatic expression and calm steady tone as she spoke.
"Mitsuki-san." He replied, prompting her to nod and step forward. The woman was one of the house's more recent additions. She'd been hired by Jushiro, to assist Retsu during her pregnancy- and later, with the care of Kiyoshiro, once the child had been delivered. Hanae had suggested her.
"Sir, Lady Retsu has asked me to relay a message." The woman announced coolly. "She wishes for you to know that she'll be awaiting you- in half an hour's time- along with the young lord Kiyoshiro, in the West Parlor." She finished.
Jushiro looked to the others, then looked back to Mitsuki. "Yes, of course, thank you." He replied, as his two sisters both lit up with excitement at the prospect of seeing their nephew.
. . . ...o.o.o... . . .
Retsu was dressed in a loose-fitting pale blue kimono, her long dark hair tied in back, and seated in a special chair: comprised of a wood frame and cushioned, featuring two large wheels- set on either side- and two smaller (pivoting) ones beneath the chair's foot rest. Kiyoshiro was sleeping, the babe nestled gently in her arms, wrapped up snugly in a plush blanket.
The parlor, a square room (comparable to a 12 ½ tatami layout), was one of a handful of rooms in the estate that had been done in a more modern (and western) design motif: it sporting polished hardwood floors and walls, wall-mounted lamps, and a large carpet covering the floor. There were two cushioned couches inside, as well as multiple armchairs of various size and make.
She smiled and greeted them, gesturing to come join her. Jushiro was quick to sit down in an armchair located conveniently next to his wife and sleeping son. Hanae occupied another armchair, while Junko and Haruka and Stark and Lillynette (respectively) took their seats on the two couches.
Hanae smiled warmly. "So then, tell me how are you feeling- as a mother, that is- Retsu my dear?" She gently asked the younger woman, placing a hand on her knee affectionately.
"My lower back is a bit sore... But otherwise, I'm fine." Retsu answered. "Though, if I'm honest, I'm not sure sure it's all sunken in quite yet..." She admitted. "A year ago, I couldn't have imagined myself becoming a mother- certainly not at my age." The female Shinigami explained.
"But, now... now that Kiyoshiro has been born..." She continued. "I can say, with total certainty, that I have no regrets." Retsu spoke with a smile. "I've gained so much... New friends that are dear to me, I've become a wife and a mother- and in the process, a family of my own."
The matronly woman nodded understandingly. "No one can truly be prepared for becoming a parent, but you'll learn- just I did, and so many others- that it's a priceless experience."
"We've had quite a run of good fortune." Jushiro offered with a smile. "And I would count it to be our continued good fortune if our son would be blessed with his mother's looks."
Retsu frowned slightly. "It's just a pity that he couldn't have had your lovely white hair."
"Retsu, we've been over this before..." He replied calmly. "You know full well that I was born with dark brown hair, almost as dark as your own." Jushiro reminded, smirking. "I know you've seen the old photographs of me, taken when I was a boy, like the one on the wall in the gallery in the East Wing."
"It's a given that our son would wind up having dark hair." The white-haired Captain went on, as his two sisters moved in to have a closer look at their nephew. "Just as it's also a given that little Kiyoshiro will be well looked after- what, with his Uncle Stark and his big sister Lilly around."
Stark's eyes went wide at the assertion, while Lillynette reacted with excitement. "You got that right, Shiro-san, you and Retsu-san can count on us- your cub'll be super safe." She exclaimed.
Hanae smiled as the girl leapt to her feat and made the declaration. "To be so interested in the welfare of my nephew and his family..." She started. "You really must care a great deal for him."
Once again, the adolescent female Arrancar's face flushed crimson. "Yeah, well, of course!" Lillynette replied, trying to compose herself. "I mean, Shiro-san's been pretty nice to me an' Stark, after all." She blustered on, her hands on her hips and smiling. "He's extended the safety of his den and his trust to the two of us... So it only makes sense that we pitch in and do our part."
"Yes, that certainly sounds like brother." Junko offered with a smile
"Big brother Jushiro always was the caring type." Haruka chimed in.
"Indeed," Hanae remarked with a nod. "He takes after his parents in that regard."
(- End of Chapter XLII... -)
To address some of RG's other points... I've put a lot of work into exploring Szayel's journey. I don't think that he was ever truly evil, but amoral (as opposed to immoral). It wasn't a case of him 'turning' good, rather it was about him gaining empathy and gradually embracing concepts like friendship and being part of the larger social structure that came with becoming a Captain.
As for the Fullbringers, you won't be seeing them. The reason Ikumi is included is because I like her character. She's completely different from any other character: a young(er) single mother, who runs a business, and is completely unimpressed by Ichigo's attempts to distance himself from the rest of the world. She's really funny, and her no BS attitude makes for a unique dynamic with Ichigo. Also, you can expect to see several of the Sternritter (presently either on 'probation' or doing time) back at some point in the future.
Moving on to your final comment.. It would be GREAT if there was some way I could properly get in touch you, so I seriously hope you do go through with it.