Chapter II
Kisuke Urahara sighed for the third time that day. It's eleven in the morning, yet it feels as though it's eleven at night. A brief report to Captain Commander Shunsui regarding their unfortunate visit to Aizen made his temples tremble.
Today had been too troublesome for his own taste. Earlier, Isshin Kurosaki had the gall to rally him, Yoruichi, Byakuya, and Ryuken to interrogate a smug criminal. Isshin taunted yet Isshin also lost his cool. Two decades or so in the Human World apparently did not do wonders for his maturity.
He grew old but never grew up. And it is not even the main event; he also happened to bring up his own merry band. Him, Yoruichi, Byakuya and Ryuken, he could pass off; but Masaki, Kanae and Hisana?
If old age cannot finish Urahara, it would be Isshin Kurosaki who would be the literal death of him.
Aizen can literally plan a whole complicated plot in a matter of minutes, and three specially-resurrected ladies may, one way or another, pique the mad man's interest.
But…anyways…on to a more pressing matter. Around 0900 hour this morning, Ichigo from the Kurosaki Clinic made a very frantic call to the Shiba Manor and explained that they felt Yhwach's Spiritual Pressure lingering near Kazui and Ichika. Isshin also stated that a similar signature was felt across the Thirteen Court Guards, a fact confirmed by Byakuya. Perhaps that is the reason why Isshin led a merry band and marched towards Aizen without any thinking.
And that was all that is needed for him to be summoned from his comfortable and homey shop to Soul Society. How troublesome. Urahara massaged his temple. Good thing, he was neither with Isshin nor with Ichigo when Yhwach's Spiritual Pressure made its presence known. He could not begin to imagine how a group of powerful individuals would simultaneously release their Spiritual Pressure in worry. That would have been catastrophic, not to mention nauseous.
Urahara stopped from his tracks and met the grand wooden gate of the Shiba Manor. This is one of the changes made in the past decade or so: the reinstatement of the Shiba Household as one of the distinguished clans, which effectively returned the Noble Families from four back to five.
Of course, there had been the opposition especially from the Central 46. However, when the Captain Commander vouched that the identity of Soul Society's (and by extension, all Worlds for that matter's) savior had been a member of the Shiba Clan, Central 46 cannot do anything but keep to themselves.
There is also the matter with the other Noble Families, stating that such a disgraced family should not be allowed again to rise in the upper echelons of the social strata. Once again, opposition there had been quickly dealt with due to Byakuya Kuchiki's influence. Urahara guessed that the Kuchiki man did it as a showcase of gratitude towards Orihime, seeing as though she resurrected the long-dead Lady of the Kuchiki Household.
Speaking of which, Kisuke supposed that it had been a good thing that Soul Society focused their attention on rebuilding infrastructures and tending to the injured, since the resurrection of three long-dead souls would be a topic of controversy, and may lead to Orihime be branded as a heretic.
Now, Kisuke often wondered about the new Kurosaki matriarch. Her abilities had gone to drastic improvements these past few years.
I wonder…Maybe, he and Yoruichi should have a talk.
He held the circular metal door knocker, and banged the wood with enough force to alert the people inside of his presence. He sighed and prepared himself for a meeting, which he could certainly feel would just be a prelude to another war.
I getting too old for this.
The Four Emperors are the guardians of the Japanese area called Karakura Town. After the Blood War ended and peace resumed for all Spiritual Realms, the group of four humans (then teenagers) were each given a separate epithet due to their large contribution towards every victory of the Thirteen Court Guards. Since they are primarily of Japanese descent, it also stands to reason that their titles are from Asian origin; hence the usage of the Four Symbols System.
They are the White Tiger of the West, the Azure Dragon of the East, the Black Turtle of the North, and the Vermilion Bird of the South.
Noel felt the corners of her lips curve upwards. She tried to hide it but it only resulted to an awkward grin. She exhaled, as she paced faster. There was a bounce in her step and a giddy feeling washed all her earlier anxiety.
Finally.
Finally. After all these time. She could chalk this to serendipity, but bloody hell, she can finally meet Lady Orihime! She wiped happy tears pooling from her eyes. She combed her hair with her fingers, and she straightened her uniform to perfection.
Oh, God. Thank You so much for this lovely opportunity.
Noel made an abrupt stop. They are here. The open gate was made by two concrete walls that extend to cover the building inside. She estimated these walls to be around seven feet. The 'gate' is flanked by two thick wooden pillar that supports a ceiling-like structure. Above the ceiling are teal-gray roof tiles which are carefully assembled to lock into place. The gate is higher than the walls, give or take two feet. She also noticed that tiles also extend to form a roof for the walls that line the area.
Noel heard a whistle. It was probably Billy, marveling at the opulence of the gate.
She careful took a step forward, breathing in the fresh air before taking in the grandeur of the Fifteenth Division's barracks. It was a two-story building, extending for about 20 feet in length and 30 feet in height. Its colour is a worn down gray, with wooden ochre windowsills mimicking the vertical-horizontal crisscross aesthetic of paper doors of traditional Japanese homes. The terrace on the second floor is arrayed by red balustrades, further supported by tall red pillars that ends as it meets the ceiling. Above it, the roof is also tiled with the same ochre colour.
Noel sighed in contentment. Now, this is Japanese. She looked back straight at the rectangular door with a black rhombus pattern and in its centre the Japanese character for 15. Below it there is another symbol. It was a six-petaled flower snowflake-esque black print. She examined the image before reminding that all Division had a flower as a symbol.
Noel searched her brain, but before she could determine what the name of the flower is, the door opened and a woman...a beautiful Japanese woman greeted her with a warm smile.
Oh, bloody hell.
Can I get your autograph?
"Excuse me, miss, can we get some tea. Preferably an Earl Grey," and in goes Ninii's mouth.
Oh, bloody hell.
"Sure," said the woman as she moved sideways to allow them passage. Noel mentally slapped her face, as heat crept across her neck towards her cheek.
Bloody hell.
Bloody hell.
Bloody hell.
Bloody hell.
Bloody hell.
Bloody hell.
"Welcome to the Fifteenth Division Squad's Barracks. You must be the representatives from Wing Bind?" greeted the woman in perfect English. "Please make yourselves at home. The office is that way, last room on the left," then she pointed the hallway to their left. "Now, if you'll excuse me. I'll just go to the kitchen to prepare the tea and snacks," she bowed and made her way towards a separate hallway.
When the woman was out of reach, Noel quickly darted her eyes towards Ninii, who wore a puzzled look. Billy's expression was as aghast and full of disbelief as Noel's. "Just what were you thinking being rude to…to…her?!" she exclaimed in a semi-hushed tone.
"What did I do?" Ninii also spoke in whispers, then her tone shifted louder. She crossed her arms across her chest and said, "I wasn't rude. Maid services these days are truly lacking. Difficult to come by, if I do say so myself." As an act of finality, she huffed.
"Maid?" Noel whispered. "Maid!" Noel exclaimed, her voice rose an octave higher. This is the most embarrassing thing that happened to her in her entire life, and to think her idol had to witness it firsthand! "That was not a maid!" she barked at Ninii, who almost shrank in place. "That was one of the Four Emperors!" she growled.
"Oh…" Ninii trailed off, which served to ignite more of Noel's irritation. Ninii stared into space. "Oh…oh, no." then her eyes widened and stared in panic towards Noel. "Uh-oh."
"Welcome back to reality," droned Noel sarcastically. "Weren't you listening when Billy was explaining a whi…" then Noel remembered the blank expression Ninii wore a few minutes ago.
Well, there we have it, she was actually in La La Land, Noel internally rolled her eyes. This is so embarrassing.
Noel pursed her lips and walked off towards the hallway, ignoring the two behind. She could still feel the warmth burning her cheeks, and the indignation and embarrassment she has to suffer for the next few hours. She recomposed herself and tried to keep her expression blank...several times. She succeeded when she opened the door and met three men sitting in a round table.
"Come in," said an orange-haired man, in perfect English. He stood up along with the other two and bowed. They remained standing. "Please take your seats. My wife will be here shortly." Noel grimaced after hearing the word wife. Heat crept again from her neck.
Mechanically, she bowed; and mechanically, she took her seat as she kept key gaze downwards. The three men also sat. I wish this day is over.
It has been stated that the Four Emperors were one of Soul Society's foremost figures within their rich history. Noel could still remember the books she'd read about them in Wing Bind's library, and how it was nothing short of graphic in detailing their epic battles and countless victories. Be it the deadliest of criminals or the most nefarious of monsters, all had fallen against their might.
Their overwhelming and death-defying powers had eventually earned them their respective and befitting epithets.
And then they just made a huge blunder. This day will go down as history's most embarrassing meeting.
She looked and surveyed the men speaking among themselves
Sitting on the left is a dark-skinned man with pronounced cheek-bones, and a five o'clock beard. His wavy brown hair is combed back. He is a quite muscular; and even in his seat, it is very much obvious that he is extremely tall. He is wearing a sleeveless, grey-black, V-neck shirt that exposes a tattoo on his left shoulder. His hands were covered by white fingerless gloves that reached his wrists. When he was standing a while ago, Noel saw that he is wearing a white Japanese trousers called hakama, complete with a forest green sash around his waist.
This is the international Mexican-Japanese boxer Yasutora "White Tiger" Sado. Noel heard a silent gasps of awe on her side. It was probably Billy and Ninii. They have been fans of the man since she could remember. One time, these two tried to finish a job within fifteen minutes just to watch the athletes' fight.
His title also coincides with his ring name. White Tiger. Noel read that his title is because of the fact that a certain kanji in his name is read as tiger, and that like the animal itself, his physical abilities and attributes are peerless in battle. The white part came from the fact that Mr. Sado is a Fullbringer, a sub-group of humans possessing Spiritual Pressure akin to those of the Hollowkind – who had been collectively coded by the colour white due to their masks.
Perhaps among the four, he is one of the most well-known; not just because he is an international boxer in the Human World but also because he is the de-facto leader of an official organization composed of Fullbringers across the globe, called Xcution. The organization fronts as a sports-oriented company, but it moonlights as one of the first line of human defense against any spiritual threat.
Noel could still remember that one time where their agency had a meeting with them back at the headquarters. Their presence were…heavy, to say the least.
Across Mr. Sado is Dr. Uryu Ishida. He is a fair-skinned bespectacled man, whose bangs hang mostly on the right-side of his face, and the rest hang behind his left ear. He is wearing a white, double-breasted trench coat. The coat is fastened by three buttons emblazoned with a peculiar symbol on both side and a white belt with a gold buckle around the waist. Its shoulders are clasped to its neck, and the inside of the collar features a rectangular sigil on either side. He also wears a pin shaped like a winged star circled by a halo on his right breast.
Noel only saw him once during one of the Medical Technology conventions she attended back in Front London. He's a very serious man, and though she did not personally spoke or got near him, she could deduce from his sharp eyes that he is not person any person could easily trifle with. He is like the mythical kind of in dragon Eastern culture, and perhaps that is why he has been referred to as the Azure Dragon. He is a member of the near-extinct sub-class of humans called Destruction Monks. In Japan, they are called Quincies. Compared to Wing Bind's way of countering their monsters, when a Hollow…or soul in general…is struck by their arrows, the soul itself would be destroyed, unable to go to Soul Society.
Noel briefly remembered that like the Azure Dragon who can control the rain, whenever Dr. Ishida drew his bow, hundreds and thousands of those deadly arrows would rain down his opponents. She shuddered at the idea of touching a single arrow; what more would it to be bombarded by thousands of soul-destroying weapons.
And to think that those arrows belong to a Master Archer known for his deadly accuracy…
In their middle was Mr. Ichigo Kurosaki, renowned to the world as the most powerful Human across all Spiritual Realms, and rumoured to surpass even the Captain Commander of Thirteen Court Guards. He has peach-coloured skin and his hair is spiky and orange. He wears the standard uniform for all Japanese Grimm Reapers called shikahusho. Above his uniform, he has two white shoulder plates crossing his chest in an X shape that hold his swords in place, with the first plate on his left shoulder having three sections adorned with red scales, the second plate having three sections adorned with red scales on his right waist.
He is referred to as the Black Tortoise due to the nature of his powers. Like his symbol that possesses two separate entities: the Tortoise and the Snake, Mr. Kurosaki has two Soul-Cutter Swords, each representing a faction of his powers. He is a Human-Grimm Reaper-Destruction Monk-Hollowkind hybrid with Spiritual Pressure enough to decimate a person into rubble. The larger of the blades positioned on his back is said to represent his Grimm Reaper and Hollowkind powers, while the smaller one on his waist is represents his Destruction Monk abilities.
Compared to the first two, who had quite the Human World popularity, Mr. Kurosaki seems to shy away from the limelight. True, he's quite famous among the Spiritual Realms and their organization, but his way of living is more humble and inconspicuous that Mr. Sado and Dr. Ishida.
Nonetheless, he is a man that no one intends to offend.
And Ninii Spangle the Amazing just had to go and show her rudeness to his wife.
Ms. Orihime Inoue, err…Mrs. Orihime Kurosaki. Apparently, books failed to mention that two of the Emperors were married.
"The snacks and tea are done!" cheered a voice as she entered the room. Noel's embarrassment increased tenfold, but Noel steeled herself and embossed her appearance in her mind.
Although the books failed to mention that Ms. Orihime is already married, it did not fail to describe the ethereal beauty the Vermillion Bird possessed. Perhaps that is why she was titled as such, as the Vermillion Bird is said to be the most beautiful of the Four Symbols.
Noel watched as the woman poured the tea and offered each of them a cup. She nodded her thanks and stared. She rarely makes a public appearance, so this is her one true chance to see her in person.
Ms. Orihime has brown eyes. Her hair long waist-length brown hair frames her face and was loosely tied in a ponytail.
Her epithet; bearing the likeness of the Phoenix, it has been a long standing rumor that she can perfectly resurrect the dead without any repercussions or sacrifices. Also, like the mythical firebird, it has been well-established that whenever her powers manifest, light and warmth will propagate across the vicinity.
Her race is also a subject of various hearsay. She is currently identified as a Fullbringer but scholars and researchers have always theorized about the complicated nature of her abilities. Some stated that she is somewhat related to the Royal Family. There are also those that stated she could be a Bount. Some even claimed that she is a Vizored, an Arrancar, a Hollowkind, a Destruction Monk, even a Witch. No one, as of yet, had correctly managed to classify her.
Noel supposed that it will never be resolved, but perhaps that it is probably for the best. The beauty of it lies in the mystery unsolved.
Noel noticed what the woman was wearing. She wore a white jacket with cords called sode-kukuri through the sleeves and open shoulders. Strings called muna-himo were attached to each lapel and tied in front to keep the garment closed. The slits on the side of her hakama, and the openings at the sleeves and shoulders of her jacket called hitoe showed the white undergarment shirt called kosode she sported. Her hakama is a bright red nagabakama (a very long hakama), which included the small board on the lower back. On her foot, she wore common socks called tabi and rice straw sandals. She has a red obi or belt.
She looks like a…priestess, Noel observed. Then, she remembered from her previous fanatic research that Vermillion Bird is just Ms. Orihime's most well-known epithet. She has also been referred by the Soul Society as Kami no miko-tachi –- The Divine Priestess, and as La Princesa de Las Noches – The Princess of Las Noches.
"Now that we are settled," Mr. Kurosaki spoke, bringing Noel's attention back to the present. "Let's start the meeting. Around 0900 hour this morning…"
"My, how fortuitous this day could be. Yhwach's Reiatsu only served to further our cause," said someone from the dark. "Wouldn't you agree, Aizen?"
Aizen smiled.