authors note=bold
Byakuya was annoyed. Yoruichi was still sitting in his lap with her arms around his neck. Everyone else was surprised.
"Ummmm, who are you?" Maka asked.
"Yoruichi Shihoin" She looked around at the group "I'm a friend of Little Byakuya..." As her eyes fell on Senbonzakura, they widened. "That's not your zanpakuto is it?"
"Yes" He grumbled.
"Amazing, Captain Kurotsuchi must have really messed you up for your zanpakuto to have its own physical body. I heard it happens to those who stay in this human world too long but to see to see it for myself"
"Obviously now get off!"
"And are you children his friends?" She asked ignoring him. They all nodded except for Kid who was still a little upset and was in a corner by himself. Yoruichi stared at him causing an uncomfortable silence to fall on the group. Kid turned away from the scrutiny.
"Why the hell are you staring him down?" Black Star yelled.
"He looks just like her! You're the child of...Ahhhhh!" Before she could finish she was finally thrown of Byakuya who had used her moment of distraction against her.
"I told you to get off" He said.
"We need to get back to the school so we can report that monster thing to my father" Kid told everyone. There was a murmur of agreement. "You can explain yourself to him" His gaze fell first on Yoruichi then lingered a bit on Byakuya before he finally walked out the room.
"If its who I think it is 'he' already knows" Yoruichi mumbled as she got off the floor.
Back at the academy Byakuya, Kid and Yoruichi had been called in to Lord Shinigami's office leaving the remaining group outside the door puzzled as to why they had been left out since they all had seen the same thing. They all stood waiting while he paced back and forth.
"Father, Byakuya has something to say" Kid started out but his father didn't acknowledge his statement nor did he stop pacing. He finally spoke a few minutes later.
"What are you doing here Yoruichi?" Kid and Byakuya were surprised. They hadn't told him her name yet.
"I came to check on Byakuya before we go after Aizen" She answered. Shinigami nodded.
"Yes I've heard about that. I hope you weren't planning on trying to take him with you. Captain Yamamoto made it clear that he was to remain in my school so he would be safe. He doesn't want Byakuya jumping in when he can't even remember all of his skills" Yoruichi stiffened slightly because that had been exactly what she had planned.
"Wait a minute! You two know each other?" Kid interrupted.
"Yes, in fact I have known both since they were younger" Lord Shinigami said. He raised a hand to his face. Byakuya crossed his arms in annoyance at not being able to figure out who he really was.
"Father no!" Kid yelled. Too late. The mask was off. The hood was pulled back revealing a woman who looked similar to Kid only her dark hair was longer. She pulled off the oversized gloves and ran a hand through her hair. By this time Byakuya's mouth had dropped open. "Why are you telling them who you are?" Kid panicked.
"Its alright my son" Her voice was much softer than when it was covered. "They already know. I am Kirio Hikifune. Former Captain of the Twelfth Division"
"IMPOSSIBLE! You were supposed to be a member of the royal guard!" Byakuya pointed and shouted. Kirio smiled.
"I do like you at this age Byakuya. You shouldn't even know that, it was very secretive information. However seeing as how you're part of the Kuchiki clan and your grandfather was captain at the time I'm not surprised"
"B-b-but...wow" He finally got out
"Yes wow" Yoruichi added "But I heard rumors for years that you had been assigned elsewhere. Then when I saw your son it clicked. He looks just like you"
"Does he?" Kirio smiled "I apologize for all the secrecy but you must understand this was a project that only a few knew about"
"Fa...er I mean Mother how do you know them?" Kid asked.
"Remember how I used to tell you stories about where I came from?" He nodded "These two lived there too. Has Byakuya told you about the Soul Society?"
"A little"
"That's where we all come from" She turned back to the Captain of the Sixth. "Byakuya please forgive me for not telling you sooner. I know you felt alone here for some time" He was still speechless however so Yoruichi decided to speak for him
"Lady of the Twelfth is what everyone used to call you because of your grace and beauty"
"Such compliments Yoruichi. It doesn't feel like I've been here as long as I have. I can see on your faces that you want answers. Answers that I should not give you but I will. This has been an important experiment and I have grown tired of having no one else to speak with unless I'm giving my weekly report to Yamamoto-san" Seeing as how the room was bare except for the mirror she used to communicate she simply plopped on the floor. Kid sat beside her while Yoruichi sat across from them. Byakuya had recovered enough to sit next to her. "It started many years ago. Reports were coming in that some humans were able to turn into weapons. It wasn't many but it was enough that it piqued the interest of Captain Yamamoto. So he sent me to investigate. I was shocked to indeed find the reports true. Humans that could turn into weapons. I even found a human who partnered with another that was a weapon. The first 'team' so to speak. Once back in the Soul Society I told our Head Captain. The next trip he came down to see for himself. It amazed him so much that he sent me off and on for the next several years to study them. These humans weren't like the Quincy"
"The who?" Kid asked but his mother shook her head
"I'll explain later dear. They weren't organized. Some didn't even see it as a gift. In fact many were ostracized. Depending on the culture they would be treated as cursed by the gods, witches, demons or scapegoats for whatever bad things happened to the community. It was a rare occasion that they were treated with respect and equality. Of course you have those who used their ability to further their own means. I kept record of all of this. When I finally presented my findings to Yamamoto-san and the other Captains there were mixed reactions. Some felt these humans should be wiped out. A few thought they should be brought to the Soul Society. I thought they should be protected. All were skeptical except Captain Ukitake, who even volunteered to help but because of his bad health and the fact that our dear Head Captain wanted him to stay but he allowed me to take eight reapers reapers who all had been part of the Royal Guard but had retired at various points but didn't want to join the court divisions"
"Hmmmm...I remember that presentation. At the time I thought the humans would use their new abilities for more harm than good" Yoruichi stated "Though I was not aware that old man gave you former Royal Guard members. We all thought you had been sent alone"
"He wanted to keep a tight lid on everything at the time. He felt the use of humans was something an enemy could jump on. We stayed here for several more years before Head Captain finally made the decision to keep me here permanently. He wanted me to watch over the humans who could turn into weapons, especially since they attracted hollows. While my team and I did that plans were being made to start a school. America then was a young country of only thirteen colonies. I never thought it would cover the continent. So I chose a location in the desert. The school started out as a small house where my first few students could live. We eventually began seeing more humans who could wield the ones who turned into weapons. Before I could test out my theories Asura went crazy. He had always been unstable, even in the Soul Society but Yamamoto-san and I felt his good traits outweighed this huge bad one. We were mistaken. It took me and the others a long time to stop him. Other reapers were sent to help but they'd only get killed or hurt so I asked that my team be the only ones to deal with him since he had been one of us. I stopped him but at a price. Those within our group either thought I had gone too far or not far enough. There was much fighting and so we eventually parted ways. Except Elbon I haven't seen any of the others in a long time. I assumed they returned home"
"Asura. Is it true he's imprisoned here?"
"He is. It's why I stay in this location now"
"A great sacrifice you made" Yoruichi said. Kirio shrugged.
"Yes, I cried a great deal then but eventually my body adjusted from not being in the Soul Society. I didn't even need a gigai to move around freely"
"What about your zanpakuto?" Kirio hesitated at that question
"Well over time he came to have a physical body like Senbonzakura. And over more time I fell in love with him and married him. Kairi is the result of our love" She said placing a hand on Kid.
"Kairi?"Byakuya finally spoke up "Everyone calls him Kid"
"Because they see me as the personification of death and he is the child of death so he is called Death the Kid but his father named him Kairi and it is what I call him when we are alone"
"Why do you wear that silly outfit?" Yoruichi asked next
"Yamamoto-san wanted my identity kept a secret since I was so high ranking and at the time there were investigations going on of rebellions and Central Forty-Six wanted all able bodies to go towards stopping them. I created this whole personality and I was mistaken for a male with it on so I stopped correcting people. Since the others were technically retired they would've have been in as much trouble. Besides they never would've approved of the school that I have. Once stuck here I had to train my few students to go out and bring others. I discovered along the way that once a weapon consumed enough evil souls it would become even more powerful. So then I decided that I could help the Soul Society by having my students deal with the evil while the person is alive which theoretically would reduce the number my fellow reapers had to deal with once they died when they might turn into hollows"
"Where's your zanpakuto...I mean husband now?"
"Dead" She stated. Kid touched her hand. "Several hollows were able to get into the city despite the protective kido I had placed around it. It had been awhile since I had fought one. On top of that I was pregnant and due any time. He protected Kairi and I" There was silence after this last bit with each going over their own thoughts.
"I'm sorry Hikifune-san. I will keep this secret. Obviously if Captain Yamamoto wanted everyone to know they would by now though I do wonder why its still kept under wraps" Yoruichi stood. Kirio followed.
"You will stay?"
"Only for a little. I need to get back to find out what Kisuke has planned. I know for certain now that Byakuya is safe so I have something to tell the others"
"That is fine. I will take care of him the best I can"
"Hey I'm not a child! At least not really so stop talking about me like I am!" Byakuya snapped. The older women laughed, Kid smirked. "Stop laughing its not funny!"
Once outside of the room the rest of the group pounced. Kid explained that his father didnt want everyone in there and that Byakuya had explained his story. They all seemed satisfied with that. Byakuya was allowed to tell Senbonzakura since she was his zanpakuto. They spent the rest of the night showing Yoruichi around. Once that was done they went back to Black Star and Tsubaki's apartment. Kid was waiting for them there without the Thompson sisters. Byakuya left Kid and Yoruichi talking as he climbed into bed. It had been a long day and he was tired of thinking about all that had happened. The sound of their voices helped him drift off to sleep.
"You're leaving now?" Byakuya was furious. Yoruichi had been in the process of skipping out on him while he was sleeping. He wouldn't have discovered her if he hadn't gotten thirsty. She stood near the open window. Why was it she couldn't use a door? he thought to himself. She at least had the decency to look ashamed.
"What's going on?" A groggy Kid asked rubbing his eyes.
"Look Byakuya, you know I have to leave. They need me" She started to explain
"I know that but...cant you stay here at least til tomorrow?"
"No. You understand how big this is. I have to be there" Yoruichi said sternly. She watched as Byakuya's shoulders sagged a little and he turned his head away. Her expression softened slightly. She'd forgotten that he was still just a child. She walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Byakuya, Hikifune-san will be here. You have friends here. This is for the best. I realize that you wish you could come to but you wouldnt be able to contribute effectively. Your spiritual pressure is nowhere near what it used to be. Help Hikifune-san and before you know it I'll be back to get you"
"Tch just because I'm in a child's body doesnt mean you have to talk to me like one. There is the very real chance you could be killed, Renji, Rukia, all those I care about. Even that annoying Kurosaki boy" He whispered. She nodded and pulled him into a hug. She never wouldve dared if he had been in his regular body but at the moment she knew he needed comfort.
"No words I say will make you feel differently about this. I wont make silly promises like we'll all come back unscathed but we'll do our best" She pulled away and ruffled his hair then turned to Kid who had watched silently."Remember what we talked about Kairi" He gave a nod "See ya Little Byakuya" She said before darting out the window. He walked to the window and looked out at the city. Kid stood next to him
"Byakuya..." He began but was cut off
"Thanks for being a good friend and you dont have to tell me what you two discussed" Kid sighed in relief. Somewhere in the city a hollow's cry could be heard. Kid's eyes widened, his mother's barrier should have prevented that. Byakuya however smiled.
"Thats much better. Doing those silly assignments isn't my thing anyway right Z?"
"Of course" Senbonzakura said from against the wall. Kid hadnt even noticed when she'd come in "Lets go cleanse the city"
"Yeah, lets" He held his hand out as she transformed into a sword. "Kid don't wait up" With a smirk he went out the same window Yoruichi had just used. Kid stood there a few more minutes
"I'll protect you like I promised her. One day you'll be mine Byakuya" He mumbled.
"Okay thats not creepy!" Black Star flicked the lights on.
"What are you doing here?" Kid nearly jumped out of his skin. He really needed to pay attention to his surroundings
"I live here duh and why were you talking to yourself? I knew you were weird but not that weird" Tsubaki giggled as she dropped her bag on the floor.
"Where's Byakuya?" She asked. He stuffed his hands in his pockets. He had a lot to get them caught up on.
i know this chapter wasnt very long but i felt it was a good place to stop. i've been feeling inspired lately so hopefully i can get the next chapter out quickly. i was going through a list of the reapers i could use and decided kirio hikifune would be great since not much is known about her and she doesnt make an appearance in the manga. it gave me a little more freedom. i honestly forgot about her until i was reading it on wikipedia. also giving kid a real name instead of just kid made sense to me. it'd be just something his mom knew and would call him. also im toyng with the idea uping the rating for a future chap but im not sure yet, they definitely wouldn't be kids when i do that. anyway hope you enjoyed it.