Author: Melina Hites
Story: I swear I will name it eventually
Chapter: A nice long talk
Pages: 7 (I couldn't quite believe it. It was like I couldn't stop typing)
Total story pages: 44. (wow)
Disclaimer: Bleach is not mine. End of Story.
Word Count: 2492 (COOL)
Total Story Word Count: 15375 (ZOMFG -_-')
Summery: Post winter war. Byakuya Kuchiki is given an ultimatum. Find a wife and produce an heir all in two years time. Lets just say that doesn't happen. But that's ok!
Authors Note: This is normal speaking. this is a thought. this is a Zanpakuto. this is Ichigo's hollow (but he isn't in this chapter so not to worry)[he comes around later]...{a lot later}
A Nice Long Talk
The leader of the punishment force led the Vice Captain of the sixth division through the group of men. "To be the leader of the containment unit you have to be able to contain the renegades within our walls."
The vice captain simply nodded.
"Most of the group are allowed to live in here, uncaged." he paused, looking back at the vice captain. "Occasionally we lock the more dangerous ones up."
She again nodded, "I understand," she said.
He looked to the garment she held neatly in her fingers. It was a hiorie.
"Not sure letting this one out is smart. He did kidnap someone."
She smiled weakly, "I am sure that he had the best intentions."
He stopped and looked back at her. Her bangs covered her eyes. He almost felt sorry for the woman. "He's this way."
Nodding she began walking.
They arrived at the cell. Stopping at the cell door the commander spoke, "Hey Kuchiki, the Central 46 cleared you."
Byakuya looked up. Four years he had been here. Four years of little food. , Little exercise. He felt weak, And inferior.
His eyes darted to the woman who stood behind the man who had for the last four years taunted him.
She was dressed in shingiami robes, and wore a blank expression. Her black hair was styled into a short edgy bob.
"Shingo?" he asked in low whisper. Getting up from his cot.
The guard slid the key and turned it, opening his cell door.
She didn't speak. Instead choosing to stare at the concrete floor.
"Kimiko?" He softly said, unsure of if it was her.
"This belongs to you." She said holding the white fabric he hadn't noticed she was holding until then. "Since you were cleared by the Central 46, your captaincy was restored." She softly told him, not looking at him. "Now," she said tuning away, "if you excuse me."
She turned and flashed away.
"When you exit the maggots nest, you will receive your zanpakuto."
Byakuya nodded.
"Now if you will follow me."
They walked down the long hallway. And out into the main area of the maggots nest. Next both men were let out of the door.
"Hello, Shoinion-san." The guard said, greeting a woman with punishment force styled clothing on. Her hair pulled into a high pony tail.
"Thanks Danko-chan. I'll take it from here. Hello, Kuchiki-sama." The girl said her green eyes darkening.
"Ai Shoinion." He said quietly.
She nodded. Pulling a sheathed zanpakuto out of her obi sash. "I get the feeling you're a bit restless." She said holding onto the sheath of his zanpakuto.
He nodded taking it from her. "More then you know."
She turned to leave.
"Walk with me Shoinion-san?"
She rotated around tilting her head to the side. Her eyebrows raised in question.
"I just want to talk." He said simply glancing down at the hiorie he now held loosely in her figures.
She nodded and fell into step with him. "What do you want to know?" She asked quietly.
"Who was in charge of the sixth division?"
Ai stopped abruptly in her tracks. "Didn't Kimiko talk to you at all?" She asked surprised.
He shook his head looking at her. "I wasn't even sure it was Kimiko."
Ai began walking again "Kimiko is," she paused seeming to try to find the right words, "She has changed a lot. She's seemed to have lost her spark. The woman shook her head I hardly know her anymore."
He nodded.
"To answer your question, it has been her, mostly. She's been acting captain for three years. They kept offering her the position but she refused every time. "
He stopped walking. As she continued.
"She was offered every few moths but she kept saying that it belonged to you." Ai turned to look at the man. She is the reason the central 46 let you out. Her fighting to get you out is what resulted in your captaincy being given back to you."
She walked forward again. "If you want to speak to her she will likely be in the gardens at her home."
"Thank you." He said nodding.
He flashed to the Shingo manor. Still in his simple white kimino that prisoners wore. His hair bound by a simple silk red tie.
Master?
Just trust me.
He closed his eyes focusing on her retisui. Finding it he opened his eyes. He flashed to the garden. He found her sitting cross legged on grass her zanpakuto resting on her legs with both palms open above it.
A servant came up to him. Her name was Brianna, Marinna or was it Arianna. Whatever it was it now escaped him. "Excuse me can I help you?" She asked.
He ignored her. Instead walking toward the woman.
"Sir?" The girl questioned.
She opened her one eye, Seeing Byakuya she spoke, "Arianna, would you please bring tea for two."
"Yes milady."
He stood before her. "Kimiko."
She opened her eyes. The brilliant sapphire now looked like ice. Dark, and hollow. The same stoic expression played across her face that he had for years worn.
"Ai was rite" he said. "Your eyes. They've lost their spark."
Her words came out emotionless whisper. "Your one to talk." She said standing. Putting her zanpakuto in her obi sash. "You are the coldest person I know. You should be proud that your vice captain achieved such a feat."
He reached out and put his hands on her shoulders. "Did I ever say that coldness was something I was proud of. I had to become that way. I was once vibrate. I had a spark." He pushed her to the ground so he no straddled her, "Kimi-chan, You can still be saved." The tears began to leak out of his eyes.
"Kuchiki-sama?" She said softly.
"You cant loose that spark, because if you do you'll be doomed to a life not worth living. You can't. You mustn't. I wont let you."
"Byakuya? She asked again. The tears fell onto her kimono. Byakuya, she said wrapping her arms around him. It's ok. I haven't lost it. I'm here.
And he cried harden then he had ever cried. Harder then when his parents or grandmother had died.
Kimiko was at a loss. The man that everyone considered to be so emotionless and strong, was a lie. A mask he hid behind.
"I cant loose you, Kimiko."
Her eyes went wide. "What?"
"It just about killed me last time. Knowing that you would marry that man. I couldn't do anything."
She brought the two of them into a sitting position. "I'm not gone. I'm rite here. I wont leave.
As the tears subsided she let him go. Looking now in the better light at his hair. The once ebony locks had begun to gray. "What's this Kuckie, you got old on me?"
He stiffened. "I did not." He said sounding old.
"Your hair is going gray" she pointed out. "You got old."
"I'm only 220. I'm not old." He said looking away from her. "And what about you? Why did you cut your hair?"
She reached up to touch her short hair. Feeling the many layers. How sharp they felt against her fingers. "I cut it when I was on the run. It was easier to take care of short."
"When you were on the run? When-" he stopped himself.
"When did I come back?" She asked finishing the thought.
He nodded.
She pulled her knees up so that her chin rested on her knees. "About three years ago. I left Karakura. I was overseas. They sent a team to get me."
"Oh" he said silently.
"I gave them quite the run-around too," she said recalling the six month jaunt around the world they had taken to try and catch her. "I think I successfully lead them through every continent."
"How did they catch you?"
She grabbed a tea cup and took a sip. "I always say it was because I let them catch me." She paused placing the cup on the grass beside her, she fiddled with the grass for a moment before continuing, "but In reality I made a mistake. I went into an area that was too open and they surrounded me." she picked up her teacup and took another sip "Soi Fon Still Gloats about it."
He nodded.
She raised an eyebrow. Looking at the red silk that was still in his her hair. "you kept it."
"Why wouldn't I? its not like I was afforded many luxuries in prison" he raised and eyebrow.
She turned away, "I suppose your right." she said in a shaky voice.
He took the silk tie out of his hair so it fell around his shoulders. He twirled the piece of silk in his fingers.
"Would you like to know a bit of a funny story?"
She looked at him again, unsure of what he meant.
"Would you like to know a funny story, about this hair tie?"
She furrowed her brow. "Sure."
"When I was younger, I trained with Yoruichi, and as I'm sure you would know, Yoruichi version of training involved chasing her all over the serite."
Her eyes gleamed, "Among other things yes."
"In order to get me to 'play' with her she would steal the ribbon I tied my hair with." he again twirled the piece of silk in his fingers. "this," he said holding it out to her, "Was one of those hair ties."
She took the ribbon form the his outstretched hand. "How can you be sure?"
"I used a blue one every time after that. This was one I got from my father before he died."
She formed her mouth into a small Oh shape and took a sip of tea.
"Airanna, could you get our guest some cloths. He isn't a prisioner any more."
"Yes Milady."
"Oh and Airranna, the girl stopped midst rid to look at the Kimiko, a room in the east wing as well."
He raised eyebrow. "why wouldn't I just go back home?"
"I managed to convince the central 46 you didn't kidnap me and I went willingly, that is how your captaincy was restored and released. I cant, however, convince the elders of your family to give you back your title." She stopped and topped both of their tea cups up. "You are essentially, at the moment anyway, homeless, and title-less. It would appear your at my mercy, captain." she took a sip from her tea cup, effectively hiding her smug look.
He laughed. "so it would seem." He looked at her. Her mouth hanging open. "What?" a smile forming on his lips.
She pointed at him "You- but- I'm seeing things. I have to be. There is just no way, that you, Byakuya Kuckie smiled and laughed. Its-" she was at a loss for words.
"-impossible?" he offered a wry grin forming on his lips.
"Yes" she said looking down at the grass.
"Nothing is impossible, just highly unlikely," he snorted "prison changes a man."
"That is like the most cliché thing I have ever heard."
He ignored her comment. "What a about Ganji? Wont he mind my staying here, because ,after all, I am the man you ran away with on your wedding day?"
She brought her feet out from beneath her standing she turned and walked to the koi pond a few meters away. She crossed her arms over her chest. She turned back to him. "Ganji was executed." She said quietly. "He attacked Yama-ji, during a hearing about him kidnapping me." She rolled her sapphire eyes, "or tried really."
It was his turn to form the Oh with his mouth.
"No matter how much I hated him, he was my only connection to my father."
She sat down beside him again.
"And now I'm back she said wiping away the tears that had formed in her eyes."
He carefully wrapped his arms around her. At first she tensed but slowly she relaxed into him.
"Kimiko-sama."
Kimiko pulled out of his embrace, "Yes Airranna?"
"I did you asked and a guest room is prepared in the east wing. There are several of Kenji-sama's old things. I'm not sure they will fit, but I'm sure there is something, they are looking in the kimono room." The girl continued to ramble on for several more minutes about how the kimonos room needed to be organized.
Kimiko stood placed a finger to the girls lips. "Thank you Arrianna. Would you take the tea cups as well."
The girl nodded and blushed realizing that she had rambled.
Kimiko took his hand and pulled him to follow her. She walked to a shoji screen and pulled it open to reveal a spacious room.
"This is huge." He said. "Its bigger then my room at the Kuchiki manner."
She laughed nervously. "This is my room. Yours is down the hall. I had to get something." She said letting go of his hand and walking into an adjoining room.
"What exactly are you getting?" He asked.
She laughed evilly as she returned carrying a pair of scissors. "I'm goanna trim your split ends" she said pulling a chair out from the behind the desk. She patted the seat of the chair. "Common! Sit!"
"Not with how you cut your hair."
She raised an eyebrow. "Your hair is nasty. It just needs a trim." She opened and closed the scissors. "Common it'll be fun."
He sat in the chair as she carefully began to trim the layers of his hair.
"What is Airranna to you?" He asked as she worked.
"She was my playmate when I was little, as we grew she morphed into my housekeeper. She's always been there for me."
Rukia. "Rukia, my sister, how is she?"
Kimiko moved to begin work on his bangs.
"She's ok. Doing as well as can be expected being thrust into the role of a head of a family." She stopped momentarily kneeling to look him in the eyes. "Your grandfathers been helping her." She smiled and began to work again at his hair. "I'm Done!" She proclaimed after a few more snips. "Just don't move yet." She ran to the other room and returned with a hair brush. She carefully ran the brush through his hair pulled his hair into the pony tail he had before. She carefully tied the red silk in. there she said softly. he walked him to a mirror. "See not that bad? Right?"
He nodded agreeing.
"Now Common Captain, lemme show me where you will be staying." She again took his hand and led him a short distance down a hallway. She pulled open the door. The room was big, but not nearly as big as hers. It was sparsely furnished A desk, a bed, a chair. "This is it." she said quietly trying to gauge his expression. "I'm sorry its not grand or big."
"No he shook his head, its fine."
A/N: Questions? Comments? Concerns? A possible Random Outburst?
Firechild24 the favorite 3
Haliaolani I'm glad you stumbled upon this. ^.^
A liar () ha ha I looked for like 45 minutes where that in particular line that you mentioned was. So lol. And thank you as well.
LaliLali heeeeeessss SAVED… lol and Juu is my second favorite characters. I have to make sure he has a couple apperaces here! Hee hee.
And to everyone else: thanks for reading.
Mel