For the next two hours or so, Yume and Ringo conversed, laughed, and commiserated with their lieutenant visitors.

"Know what, Ringo?" Hisagi whispered conspiratorially. "I like tuna too."

The cat purred appreciatively before giving her food dish a meaningful look. It wasn't long before the wistful meowing began.

"Ringo...hungry," Yume surmised. "Maybe...we find...fish market nearby?"

"We had a good interview, Yume-san," Hanatarou remarked. "And I'm hungry myself." Suddenly his expression brightened. "I saw a fish seller on the way here," he recalled. "Maybe we can check it out."

"Ringo...come too." Eagerly the cat jumped up into her arms. "I...not know...shunpo."

"We can walk, I think," Hanatarou assured her. "It was just a few blocks from the garden."

With that, the trio told President Iemura their plans and headed for the central square.

"This district...not like...Rukongai #15 Northeast," Yume observed. "Feel...strange."

"I like your district better, Yume-san," Hanatarou admitted. "People seem more...neighborly...there."

"This district also houses one of Soul Society's most prestigious banks," Hisagi added with a wince. "It used to be run by the Tsunayashiro family, but then, out of nowhere, the bank and most of the town center were reduced to rubble."

Yume's eyes opened wide. "What district...we in?"

"Rukongai #10. I'm surprised your husband didn't tell you."

"Need...sit down." As if dizzy, she sat down on a bench, absently stroking a worried Ringo.

"Yume-san?" Hanatarou rushed to her side and began a healing technique. "What happened?"

Softly, she explained her difficult past with Tsunayashiro Heitarou and his mother, especially how their relatives had threatened to harm her and her loved ones if she didn't marry Heitarou. "That family...evil," she concluded, squeezing Ringo so tightly that the cat yelped.

"I still don't understand," Hisagi pondered. "Why was it so important for them to have Heitarou marry you?"

"I think I can answer that," Hanatarou replied. "Yume-san comes from a family of priests and warriors. Maybe you've read about it, Hisagi-san, but she's related to fifth squad's first captain. Don't you remember the Captain-Commander calling her 'Mistress Minamoto Yume'?"

Realization soon set in for Hisagi. "I think I understand now," he nodded. "Someone in a branch of the family would try to impress the head family."

"This district's just as stodgy as I remember," Seinousuke thought to himself as he reached the outskirts of Rukongai #1 Southwest, where one of the original Yamada family clinics had served the most affluent residents of Soul Society. He guessed he'd start with a visit to Mr. Etsuo's office, where his late grandmother's will had been read. With any luck, he wouldn't run into any of his estranged relatives, who had never been fond of him or Yume.

Still, he had enjoyed treating Kuchiki Soujun back in the day. Laughing mirthlessly, he recalled how different Soujun had been from most of the other nobles he had treated as an apprentice to his now estranged father. Although Seinousuke's moral compass wasn't always steadfast, even he had come to hate the pretentious arrogance he had seen from so many of the elite.

At Mr. Etsuo's office, a gracious secretary showed him to the waiting area. A few minutes later, the lawyer himself came out. "You're looking good...Your Grace," he remarked. "Thanks for coming."

"You don't have to call me that, you know," Seinousuke replied, a flush coming to his cheeks. "So what's going on? This is all kind of sudden."

"I apologize for that, Yamada-san, but there are some things going on here that I thought you should know about." Mr. Etsuo poured coffee for them both and looked his old friend in the eye. "Your relatives—ex-relatives—are at it again."

"You have to be kidding me. What are they up to this time?"

The lawyer sighed. "They've seen all the work that's gone into renovating the old clinic building."

"And?"

"They actually came here to file a lawsuit against you. As far as they're concerned, you have no right to the clinic because it wasn't specifically mentioned in her will."

"They have no rights to any of her property," Seinousuke responded, nearly spitting out his coffee. "You didn't accept, did you?"

"Of course not. I told them they had no legal grounds to sue. When you inherited her seat on the academy's board of directors, you inherited the right to make decisions for the family clinics. Then I told them to get out of my office."

"That didn't go over well, I'm sure."

"No, they threatened to find another lawyer." The old man shook his head. "They also want to sue you for mental anguish because you disowned them."

"Give me a break. After all this time, they want to cause trouble?"

"I have other suspicions, of course... Just be careful out there. The wealthy have their own way of doing things." With that, the two old friends shook hands. "Give my best to Yume."

As he left the office, Seinousuke thought pensively to himself. "Sousuke...just what are you thinking?" he murmured aloud. Like Mr. Etsuo, he smelled a rat, but he put that at the back of his mind. His next stop would be his grandmother's old mansion, which she had also bequeathed to him. The elderly healer had invited him to peruse her considerable library of medical journals and research notes. With any luck, he'd find something useful.

In the Royal Realm, Aizen sat in his study, blankly studying the quill and paper before him on his desk. Now was not the time to practice his calligraphy, but his mind was heavy today. Perhaps practicing calligraphy would make it easier to write what was on his mind.

Thoughtfully, he dipped his quill into the blue-black ink and began practicing the symbols for his mother's name. Right now, she was on his mind, and he debated with himself about how much to reveal to her. Something else was bothering him, but he couldn't quite figure out how concerned he should be. Mindfully, he finished his calligraphy practice and began to write in his journal. After that, he decided to summon a certain person into his presence.

"My mother..." he sighed. "Be safe."

Plaintively, Ringo pawed at Yume's arm and resumed her insistent meowing.

"Ringo...ready for lunch?" Yume smiled lovingly at her pet partner. "I...ready too." With that, she picked the cat up and began searching for the fish vendor.

"I'll lead the way," Hanatarou volunteered. "It might be nice to see what else is here."

Soon the group arrived at the fish vendor, whose refrigerated display was invitingly laid out with several varieties of seafood. To everyone's amusement, Ringo jumped out of Yume's arms and made a beeline for the tuna. Sniffing excitedly, she stood on her back paws and gave Yume a hopeful expression.

"Do something about the cat," the vendor barked. "There's no cat food here, you little pest!"

"Why...yell at...my cat?" Yume demanded, picking up a confused Ringo.

Hisagi cleared his throat and raised an eyebrow. "I hope you don't always speak to potential customers like that," he remarked coolly. "The cat wasn't doing anything."

Hanatarou sighed and gave the fish vendor a pitying look. "It's OK, Ringo," he coaxed, stroking her gently. "We'll get your tuna somewhere else." He turned to leave.

"This district...still unfriendly," Yume lamented.

The small group followed the sidewalk to a ramen stand on the outskirts of Rukongai #10. Taking in the tantalizing aromas of fish and seaweed, Ringo once again studied Yume imploringly. "Ogido's Classic Ramen?" Hanatarou read curiously.

"Anyone here?" Hisagi called out. A young man emerged from the back, wiping his hands on his apron. Closing the curtain, he bowed to the customers

"Ogido Masanobu, at your service! Please, sit down." Efficiently he brought out three cups of tea and three bowls of rice. "The house special is half price today," he explained.

"Looks good," Hanatarou smiled, reading the menu. "Egg, carrots, mushrooms, scallions, and soba noodles, all served in a steaming bowl of tuna broth."

"Ringo...hear that?" Yume asked gently, placing the cat in the chair next to her. She turned to young Masanobu. "You...have extra tuna?"

Ringo's blue-gray eyes lit up, and she began meowing again. She sat upright in her chair and cocked her head.

"Well hello there," Masanobu grinned. "Aren't you polite?"

"Ringo...like tuna. Fish vendor...yell at her."

"We can fix that, huh, Ringo?" With aplomb, Masanobu brought a bowl of rice soaked in tuna broth and set it in front of the hungry cat. "Enjoy." Delightedly, Ringo got up on her back paws and savored the warm food. Once satisfied, she gave a contented purr and lay down in her chair.

The others placed their orders and were soon conversing with Masanobu over ramen. "You have to teach me your recipe," Hisagi insisted. "This is really good."

"Yamada Special?" Hanatarou read another selection from the menu. "This vegetarian delight tantalizes the senses with the finest matsutake mushrooms, slivered onions, quail egg, and mixed peppers in a savory shiitake broth." He glanced quizzically at Masanobu. "Why's it called the Yamada Special?"

"Ah, that. One of our best customers used to ask for that whenever he came here. Of course, he was a teenager back then, but now he's chief medical officer at the Academy of Healing and Medical Arts. He's part of the reason I enrolled."

"Sei-kun!" Yume exclaimed. "That...my husband." She motioned to Hanatarou. "This...his brother."

"Small world," Hisagi commented. "Now I really want to meet this guy."

"The food was good, Masanobu-san," Hanatarou spoke for the group. "I'm stuffed."

"Come back any time," the youngster invited. "You too, Ringo!"

In Rukongai #1 Northwest, the clouds loomed forebodingly over the Tsunayashiro family mansion. No one was sure exactly what went on there, but the new head, Tokinada, hadn't exactly endeared himself to most of the residents. Still, most people retained a healthy fear of the man nicknamed the "serpent."

In a secluded corner of the front yard, the "serpent" lounged in a gray chaise, reading the day's mail with a mixture of amusement and boredom. One item, however, kept his attention. Setting the rest of the mail down, he fixed his gaze on the front cover of Soul Society Monthly, whose theme this month was "Soul Society's Most Influential People."

"Maybe you're in it, Lord Tokinada!" young Hikone remarked, watching Tsunayashiro with anticipation. "You're an important person!"

"Unfortunately, the editors of this rag are unaware of the greatness I plan to achieve," Tsunayashiro intoned. "I was not even given the courtesy of an interview. That...must be rectified."

"What do you mean, Lord Tokinada?"

The "serpent" showed the child the cover of the magazine, which featured an older picture of Yume in her priestess attire. "This woman...has done nothing to merit such attention. She, like her son, is no more than a pretender. And yet...she may be useful to us."

"She's so pretty... You think she'd help us?"

"That is my intention, child."

Meanwhile, in Rukongai #1 Southwest, the Yamada family home stood out among its neighbors for its understated sophistication. Unlike many of the other residences in the district, the home had none of the grand scenery and architecture that characterized most affluent homes. Rather, Grandmother Yamada had insisted upon classic lines for the house and a simple garden for the front entrance. Indeed, the sidewalk was lined with functional fig trees with wide leaves for shade.

The breeze was gentle as Seinousuke made his way to the front door to let himself in. Although his late grandmother had bequeathed the property to him, he and Yume had agreed that this wasn't the place for them to settle down. Although they both enjoyed the fig trees, the paparazzi visits had become tiresome. Yume had felt uncomfortable with the pretenses of the wealthy, and her husband couldn't really blame her. He was tired of being pressured to sell the estate.

Nevertheless, he locked the door behind him and made his way through a maze of corridors to the Yamada family library. Of all the rooms in the house, this one was the most impressive. Lined from wall to wall with bookshelves, it housed centuries of medical journals, historical research, and magazines. Only Aizen's personal library had a wider selection of scientific journals.

"She kept this?" Seinousuke muttered to himself as he pushed his photo book aside to get to the medical journals. Settling into an easy chair, he thumbed through an encyclopedia of medical terms. Although some were new to him, he was pretty sure he understood the basic principles. After jotting down a few notes, he moved on to an early almanac of Soul Society. His dark eyes widened as he read the history of the Soul King. "I really don't like this," he thought to himself. "Sousuke..."

Granted, he had known when he accepted this task that the risk would be high. Still, he had vowed to himself many years ago that he would do whatever it took to protect Yume. It just seemed wrong to keep secrets from her, especially when she was involved. Speaking of Yume...it was probably time to get back to the academy. She'd be worried otherwise. Maybe he'd surprise her with tuna for Ringo. He sighed as he made his way out of the family estate and to the fish vendor. "Yume..."