Chapter 13: Meeting

Later that evening, Zaraki, Yachiru and I had dinner together. I didn't say much on account of what Zaraki said about my mother, but also because Yachiru never usually shuts up…even when she's eating. I prodded the rice until my tummy growled loudly and I gulped it down like it was water and took another couple of spoonfuls from the pan.

"Zooi, what happened when you were in the tree with that stranger?" Zaraki asked as I swallowed rice. I looked slightly puzzled, but then realised Zaraki wasn't with me when I met the strange 'Vamps' person.

"Oh, of course, you weren't with me." I retold the story to Zaraki and Yachiru (who had managed to get rice everywhere by the time I finished) but paused at the bit when I mentioned the boy who grabbed Miyako and ran away.

A messenger boy appeared at the door and told Zaraki his message.

"Captain Zaraki of 11th Division, the Captain General, Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto (Captain of 1st Division) requests a meeting at midnight of all Captain's and Assistant Captain's along with any witnesses of the events that happened either today or in the last few weeks to discuss our findings. That is all." The messenger boy bowed and left as quickly as he came.

"Ha, seems like we'll find out a little bit more of these 'Vamps'." He smirked and stood as Yachiru jumped onto his shoulder. "Well, me and Yachiru'll be outside. We've got a few hours before the meeting so you can do what you want, but be back in time for the meeting." He said to me before he left and leapt from building to building with Yachiru whooping loudly. Meanwhile, I was shaking with nerves slightly as I'd be in an important meeting…with my father; Captain General Yamamoto. What would he say? Will he say anything to me? After all, I did shame him and my name. If anything I was determined to show him that I'd changed and I wasn't the person I used to be. I stood up and cleared away the dishes and cleaned up (as well as picking up all the stray pieces of rice Yachiru managed to somehow get everywhere.).

I stood atop the Division 11 headquarters and looked out at the full moon. A gentle breeze rustled my hair and shikakushō and I smiled. A perfect night in my opinion; not a cloud in sight. Before I knew it, I had taken off and was bounding from tree to tree, ignoring the surprised looks on the Soul Reapers' faces below. As I whooped and soared through the air I felt alive as though a spark had been lit inside me and wouldn't go out. Kenpachi and Yachiru were directly below me now but I ignored them as Yachiru looked up and laughed and I carried on bounding until I reached a field with a large river running through it. Several rocks stood by the river as though they were guarding it and I sat down on one of them. I looked into the water and saw the moonlight bouncing off the water and creating a crystal-like appearance. I put my hands in to splash water in my face when I felt that wondrous tingling sensation of water flowing through me and when the water touched my face it calmed me down for some reason; all my worries and woes had disappeared briefly as the water touched my olive skin.

I suddenly remembered what happened the first time I went outside several weeks ago with the pond, and I managed to freeze the water; I wondered if it would happen again now had more control over myself. Staring at the water, my right hand gently touched the surface and willed it to turn to ice…and it did. A soft crackling sound emitted as the water turned to ice and I made the ice spread further. As it did so, I laughed and lifted my hand off the ice and it melted back into water. Remembering what happened when I touched the waterfall with Taura earlier today, I thought about whether it was possible to do the same using my hands to start off with. I may as well try since I've still got about 5 hours until the meeting.

After a couple of hours, I rested for a few minutes, lying on the cool rock race looking up at the moon as the river resumed its normal flow. I couldn't believe my eyes what happened the first time I tried; all I had done was faced my hand palm down on the water and raised it…only the water followed as though it was stuck to my hand and went wherever my hand did. Though, I had to concentrate quite a bit to start off with and think about the movements otherwise I would lose control of the water…and I would get soaked. Now though, I could do basic movements like making a shield and a platform of ice so I could slice along it. I couldn't maintain it for long though and wasn't quite at the stage where I could attack with it yet.

I stood up to try again and slammed my fist down into the water causing it to snap into ice and threw it across the grass as I leapt into the air and slid over the twinkling ice, directing the ice all over the field, until I felt a high spiritual pressure coming from the rocks. The ice melted and turned to water once again and fell to the ground and slapped the grass; I nimbly slipped to the ground as well as I breathed heavily. Staring at who was standing on the rock faces, I realised that Byakuya Kuchiki – Captain of 6th Company and the 28th Head of the distinguished aristocratic family, the Kuchiki family. Although his pressure was high, it didn't faze me too much and I shunpo'd to the rock faces to see what he wanted. His expression was serene and his eyes closed. I remembered when I was younger that Byakuya always was a slightly odd one. As soon as he opened his eyes, he stared at me and I stared back. He looked away and glanced up at the moon.

"I saw what you were doing before I interrupted you." He said formally.

"Um, thank you…sir." I added quickly before I got scolded. A gust of wind rustled our hair and shihakushō. Byakuya's Captain's haori billowed in the wind and I felt slightly intimidated in the presence of him.

"Um, was there anything you wanted, sir?" I asked nervously although I didn't show it.

"I heard that you'd been put down to be my Assistant Captain." His voice shocked me for some reason; it felt warm, but it also felt cold at the same time.

"Ha ha, about that…Miss Unohana put my name down for it – I didn't really have a say in it to be honest, in fact I wasn't even aware there was a position available since…" I stopped and Byakuya sensed my change in speech and spiritual pressure.

"It doesn't have to be like that. I am aware of the position you're in and the situations you shall have to face in the future but please don't try to hide it." He looked at me as I bowed my head in shame and embarrassment.

"I'm sorry sir." I whispered. I felt calm in his presence but also intimidated at the same time. I hadn't spoken to him in years and the last time I saw him as a Soul Reaper he wasn't a Captain.

"You don't have to apologise, its fine."

"Um…I'm…I'm sorry, sir?" I mumbled.

We stood in silence for a couple of minutes until Byakuya turned to look at me and I flinched.

"Come, take a walk with me." He said calmly and stepped lightly off the rocks. When he saw the look on my face, the corners of his mouth turned upwards into a small smile and reassured me.

"It's alright, I just wanted to speak to you." I nodded and hopped off as well. We walked silently for a bit until we reached a forest trail and Byakuya cleared his throat.

"I hope you'll become my Assistant Captain out of all the applicants. You seem like a good and lawful person." I flinched slightly at his words and stumbled slightly on a root.

"Oh, thank you, sir…I guess. But…why though? I've been in prison for 36 years, so it's obvious that I'm not a completely law-abiding citizen…" Byakuya cut me off.

"That's not the point. What happened that day wasn't entirely your fault, so you shouldn't be blamed for it. And also, you weren't entirely aware of what kept happening to you and you couldn't control it – but now you're older, you should be able to understand."

"Hang on, what are you talking about? Control what? I don't understand what you're talking about, sir."

"Hm? Oh, don't you know yet? I guess you'll be told sometime soon, though I doubt I should tell you now." He said serenely, his expression still hadn't changed from when we first met on the rocks.

"Look, everybody seems to know about this 'thing' that's inside me or whatever, but how come I don't? Surely I should know about it if it's something to do with me?" I raised my voice slightly, but instantly regretted it; Byakuya stopped and turned to face me and stared into my eyes and sent a shiver down my spine.

"Please don't raise your voice, it is not necessary. It's apparent that you have forgotten and I am not prepared to discuss this matter anymore."

"I'm sorry, sir. Please forgive me. 'Twas not my place to shout." I bowed deeply to him and he began walking again.

We carried on walking in silence until we reached the top of the forest trail and looked out onto the Seireitei.

"I'm sorry we did not say much, but thank you all the same." Byakuya declared. "I shall see you in one hour at the meeting, and you'd better change your clothes – they're rather wet from all the water." He turned round and started back down the trail. "Oh, and by the way, some skills you showed off earlier; it's rather a surprise to see that considering you only started tonight. Good night." And with that, he was gone, quick as a flash (quite literally). I was left on the opening by myself and I sprang into the air and down the hill; I flew and leaped through the air until I reached headquarters. Once I entered, I spotted Zaraki waiting with Yachiru in the assembly hall. I could tell that they were waiting for me to get ready.

"I'm sorry, I won't be a minute." I shunpo'd to my room and changed quickly and ran out to meet them so we could leave together. We left in silence to Division 1's headquarters and I could sense that Zaraki was slightly worried.

"Zaraki? Are you okay? You're kind of quiet tonight." I asked cautiously.

"Hm? Oh, I'm fine. I just don't particularly like meeting most of the Captain's sometimes – they don't think much of me, especially Byakuya-the aristocrat-Kuchiki." He grumbled and Yachiru laughed. I laughed along with her and Zaraki smiled.

"Ha ha, he's okay really." I said, staying quiet about tonight as we set off for the real Captain's meeting.