The Ties That Binds
Chapter 6
Standard Disclaimers Apply
Once again, a huge and wonderful thankyou to EternalDream
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There was silence in the hall Seishiro walked through. His cold anger could be felt by many of his subordinates as they watched their leader enter the War Room. The air was suffocating and electrified, as if lightening were about to strike.
Inside, Seishiro lashed his anger out on the wall. Kusanagi winced and watched the wall crumbled under the force of the impact.
"It seems you have committed the same mistake Nadeshiko was foolish enough to."
Both Kusanagi and Seishiro turned around to see Jiro walk in the war room.
"The fifth seal has been broken. If we continue to go about our business the way we are doing it now, Soul Society will soon discover this place."
Seishiro did not speak. Jiro leaned against the table and eyed his brother critically. He could sense the way his brother was trying to calm down, to banish the anger he had felt at Kurosaki's appearance, and he couldn't help but give his elder sibling an amused smirk.
"You went there knowing Ichigo Kurosaki was on his way. Were you once again blinded by her beauty?"
Seishiro chose to ignore the question as he sat down and glared at his younger brother.
"Where were you?"
"I had a job to do. The seals Mamoru created are growing weaker."
"They would not be a problem if Mamoru had chosen to cooperate from the very beginning."
"I suppose then, that he did not inform you that he took a trip to Karakura?"
"If I ever find out what that brother of ours is up to—"
"You'd do what?"
The voice behind them was pure steel.
All three of them looked sharply at the door as Mamoru walked in. Kusanagi, sensing another round of sibling clashes, politely excused himself. Mamoru was as tall as his brothers, His long hair tied tightly on the nape oh his neck, his green eyes challenged his eldest brother as he sat down.
"You were saying?"
"You've heard of the fifth seal?" Seishiro asked smoothly, all traces of anger disappearing behind a carefully mastered mask of calm.
Mamoru nodded and waited impatiently for his brother to continue.
"Then you're fully aware the risk of our home being invaded by Soul Society?"
"Are you aware that it is you who are exposing our people, our home, to being invaded by Soul Society?!" Mamoru viciously threw the question back. "Your actions have started this war, Seishiro. Your actions have cost us many men and will cost us more if you keep holding on to your illusions."
"Soul Society belongs to our clan—!"
Mamoru just shook his head.
"It is no longer ours to claim. Our clan forfeited that claim when they betrayed the Royal Family."
"Yamamoto claimed Soul Society as his own. I am simply taking back what rightfully belongs to the family. Our family."
"Are you?" Mamoru demanded. "Or are you still under the delusion that you can claim that woman as your own?" Any satisfaction he might have felt seeing his brother's momentarily shocked face was soured in knowing that his brother was far too stubborn and prideful to listen to him.
The anger that Seishiro felt returned as he stood up and slammed his fists on the table.
"This war would have long been over had you played your part, Mamoru!"
Mamoru shook his head again, slower this time.
"I have told you from the beginning, Seishiro. You and Jiro will go to this war without me. I have protected this place from being detected by Soul Society, and that is all I will do."
Jiro and Mamoru did not even flinch when Seishiro stormed out of the war room, his anger now even stronger after the fight with Mamoru. Kusanagi reappeared by his leader and followed Seishiro to his quarters.
"Kusanagi! Have my brother followed. I want to know what Mamoru is up to!"
Kusanagi nodded as Seishiro slammed the door to his quarters.
Back in the war room, Jiro shook his head at his youngest brother.
"Seishiro is right. With your power combined with ours, Soul Society would have been defeated."
"Are you sure?" Mamoru asked. "Can you honestly say you know the full extent of Sora Kurosaki's power?"
With a sigh, Jiro slumped on his chair.
"This war had gone on long enough."
The younger brother frowned disapprovingly.
"This war should never have happened in the first place."
"No, it should have. Our clan was supposed to lead Soul Society. It was our right. We never betrayed the Royal Family. They betrayed us."
Mamoru looked at his brother whose startling green eyes glittered with suppressed anger.
"Why won't you join the war? This is our clan, our family, we are fighting for!"
"I am keeping them alive, am I not?!"
"Seishiro is right! With your power with us, we would have won!"
"Sora Kurosaki destroyed an entire army in one strike. He was barely fifteen years old! How much power do you think he has now? We have lived in peace. Hell, we live right now in absolute comfort. Even more than those in Rungokai!"
"Why do you think Seishiro has chosen to use the time-gate?" When Mamoru did not answer, Jiro continued. "Taking the woman will solve all our problems. We all know the only reason Sora fights for Soul Society is because of his mother. If we have her, Sora will be ours to control!"
"Just in case you haven't realized, oh genius brother of mine, that 'plan' has since caused us more damage than necessary."
"The gate was coordinated incorrectly and linked us to the wrong time. We can't fix it now; it would take too long. We have a better chance of launching another attack to take that woman."
"Ichigo Kurosaki has returned. Sora Kurosaki is still in that time. You would have to go through both of them, and likely their friends as well—who, might I remind you, have also obtained formidable powers—before you could ever had a chance of reaching Orihime Kurosaki."
Jiro stood up, knowing his brother would not be swayed into actively joining the war effort.
"There is always a way, Mamoru," he said with finality.
Mamoru closed his eyes and listened to his brother's loud footsteps as he walked away. When he was certain that he was alone, he stood and quickly vacated the room. He hated being in there. Hated that the room existed at all.
As he traveled through the hall, he could feel the way all the people around him trembled in fear over what had transpired. Seishiro had always been cool, smooth, and always in control. For him to display such fury brought much uncertainty and fear in their palace.
He continued at a brisk pace until he reached his favorite spot in the garden, far in the corner where no one would bother him. He sat on the marble bench and leaned against the wall. The sunlight was more then welcome on his face, even more so now, knowing he would need all the peace and rest he could get to create another seal.
He heard a familiar flutter as he reached for his locket.
Two crows perched on each of his shoulders as he opened the locket and gazed at the smiling face of Yuzu Kurosaki.
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In the city next to Karakura, Yuzu Kurosaki sat in silence as she contemplated everything Sora had revealed to them, though there were more questions than answers. The young man refused to elaborate further, other than to say he was here to protect his mother. Divulging too much information would only endanger them, and as much as Yuzu wanted to know and understand the situation more, she knew in her heart that Sora was not lying, that whatever he kept from them he was doing it in their best interest.
Karin, however seemed to want more.
"So you really can't say anything more than that?"
Sora winced. His aunt was just as relentless when she was younger.
"Karin-nee, you know I can't tell you everything. The future has already changed; we may still be winning the war, but..."
"Knowing too much will just put us in even more danger," Karin finished before taking a sip of her tea. "So, tell us more about this 'Seishiro' guy. He wants Hime-nee because…why, exactly?"
Sora's face darkened.
"Who knows what that bastard wants my mother for."
"Why did the war happen? How did it start?"
Both Karin and Sora turned in surprise at Yuzu, who spoke for the first time since she found out everything. It was Karin who kept asking question after question, while Yuzu had sat quietly, absorbing all the information.
"At first, Soul Society thought it was just a small disturbance in Rungokai. A few lower level Shinigami were dispatched, and they were killed, their bodies deposited by the gates of the academy. During that time, I... we... we were still living here in Karakura when strange things suddenly started happening. Rukia-san thought it was Aizen again, but she was wrong. Urahara-san brought us to Soul Society to keep us safe, and that was when Seishiro launched his first attack on Soul Society."
Sora paused and took a deep breath before he continued.
"They were so many soldiers. They were all dressed in red, similar to the Shinigami uniform. Until that time, I'd never taken my powers seriously. There was no need to. One of Seishiro's men stormed the fourth division quarters, where my mother was, helping those who had been wounded. I don't know how she did it since, well, they told me her powers receded when I was born. But it was like, she was getting them back again. Half of the fourth division's head quarters was destroyed…and I…I can't explain it. But I knew my mother was there, trapped, possibly alone and hurting, and I just…I just snapped."
Both Yuzu and Karin held their breaths, knowing one wrong word out of them could end up in their nephew claming up on them and refusing to tell them any more of what happened.
Sora continued, his eyes clouding as if he was seeing everything again.
"I could hear someone saying my name, telling me that they were here to protect me, that I just needed to call them. That was the first time I used Tsubaki."
"The Shun Shun Rikka," Yuzu said softly, and Sora nodded.
"I don't know how I did it, but I forced them to retreat. They've never managed to come near Soul Society again. They've been trying, but my mother has kept them at bay."
"Is that how you became a Shinigami?" Karin wondered aloud, chills creeping up her spine having heard Sora's story.
There was a flash of anger in Sora's face.
"No, I'm not a Shinigami, nor will I be one!"
"A Vaizard, then?"
Sora shook his head to answer Karin again.
"No." He paused. "I don't know exactly what I am. I don't train with either. I'm only doing what I do to protect my mother."
"What about Ichi-nii? Is he going to be alright?"
Both sisters became alarmed at the sudden hostility that washed over Sora's face.
"He's fine, I guess. He has a habit of disappearing, even when you need him the most."
Yuzu and Karin looked at each other, unsure of what to say next.
"Well, he's here now. Maybe this time he won't leave anymore," Yuzu said softly, wanting to appease her beloved nephew.
The young man just muttered something under his breath that neither sister heard. Karin looked out of the window of the restaurant they were at and looked at the setting sun in surprise. She hadn't realized how quickly time flew.
"We probably should meet them at the hotel now. Daddy will probably be worried if we don't get there soon."
Yuzu nodded in agreement and was about to stand when Sora called her attention.
"Yes, Sora-chan?"
"That man who saved you. Did you get a good look at him?"
She nodded.
"You've never seen him before, right?" he pressed urgently.
"No, I haven't." Yuzu replied. She was relieved Sora had brought the subject up. She felt as if she could finally ask about that stranger. "Who is he? Is he a friend of ours?"
Sora's face darkened as he placed his hands on Yuzu's.
"No. He's one of them, Yuzu-nee. Whatever he says, he will always be one of them. You can't trust him."
"But Sora-chan, he saved my life!"
"I still can't trust him. None of us can trust him. He is the youngest brother of Seishiro. I don't know what his motives are, but you have to trust me, Yuzu-nee. This man is dangerous."
"Do you know his name?" Yuzu asked, and Sora looked as if he was debating if he should answer her question.
"His name is Mamoru," he finally replied, choosing not to reveal who he really was to her. "He's the man who will kill you."
End Chapter
A/N...
Well, I'm back! Slowly getting back to the groove! Thank you for your patience and please, review! Your reviews could steer me in the right direction!