More That What It Seems
Author's Note: Sorry!!!! I know its been a long time but I couldn't help it! I had exams and my folks were harshing on me about my excessive time on the computer...then my internet stopped working....-.-'
Well, atleast I'm here now so...
Just to clear things up:-
Flashback/ Dream sequence
"Speech in flashback"
'thoughts in flash back'
ephisis/flashback in flashback
"speech in flashback in flashback"
Don't worry, you'll get it.
Chapter 3: A Cat, A Kisuke And An Elderly Kuchiki
"Are you excited Minako?" An elegant elderly man asked.
"H-Hai Ojii-sama" The tiny girl nodded. "Very much so..."
"Then you have to remember to show Shinouin-Taicho proper respect. This is after all a great honour bestowed upon you"
The little noble was silent and only bowed her head low in response.
"Of course Grandfather..."
"Awww! Kawaii!!!!!" Yoroichi Shinouin Captain of the Second Division, Head of the Secret Mobile Corps and "Goddess of Flash" lifted the petite little girl off the ground and hugged her to her bosom tightly, blissfully oblivious to the girls obvious discomfort.
"A-A-An-n-o...S-S-S-hinouin-T-Taicho-Sama...."the girl feeble managed to wheeze out.
From a distance Minako's grandfather sighed inwardly but managed to keep a passive face at the peculiar scene that was unfolding before him.
He realized that if Shinouin-Taicho did not release his granddaughter from her obviously life threatening display of affection soon, then he would inevitably have to step in and save the little girl from eventual suffocation.
He cleared his throat.
No effect.
However before he could tell Yoroichi to let go of Minako, someone beat him to it.
"Ne, Yoroichi-san....perhaps its time you let the child go, don't you think....?"
The golden eyed-Taicho blinked.
"Why ever would you say that, Kisuke?"
He grinned.
She looked down.
Minako's face had turned to a very interesting shade of purple; red from her perpetual blush and blue from lack of oxygen.
"Oohhh!" cried the Second Division Captain as realization dawned upon her and then dropped the little Kuchiki in mid hug... in mid air!
The elder Kuchiki sweat dropped inwardly and the Twelfth Division Taicho smiled his mysterious yet amused smile.
"So this is the shuunpo prodigy eh?"asked Yoroichi, looking at the girl in question who was panting for breath on the floor.
She chuckled.
"Sorry if I spooked ya, kid! No harm done eh?"
Realizing that Yoroichi-Taicho was talking to her Minako bowed deeply, in a frenzy.
"Hai!... I mean no...I mean..um...gomenasai for for...I mean...a-ano..."
"Whoa!!! Relax there girl! It isn't your fault..."
Yoroichi helped the little girl up and repeated her previously asked question..
"So you are the young flash step prodigy huh?"
Minako was astonished at how beautiful and majestic Yoroichi was when one was not... uncomfortably close (to certain parts of her), taking in her smooth dark skin and her gorgeous dazzling cat-like golden eyes so all she could do was nod.
"Well then" she started to get up "That deserves something special doesn't it?"
Silence and a silvery stare full of awe.
Yoroichi chuckled again.
"Kisuke...?"
During the earlier exchange both men had been talking in urgent whispers that went unnoticed by Minako and that were irrelevant to Yoroichi because she already knew what they were talking about.
Now Urahara Taicho and Kuchiki-san were out of there little conference and the blond man smilingly approached the younger female with some sort of package behind his back.
The elder Kuchiki watched carefully and much to the younger Kuchiki's confusion her "sixth sense" went off.
Unconsciously she took a step back, away from the approaching Urahara.
"Now, Minako-san we have two very special items for you...."and with that Yoroichi revealed what was in the package and Minako gratefully let out a sigh of relief.
It was merely a black stone cat figurine.
Minako observed the statuette curiously as it sat comfortably in her palm.
Unintentionally, she couldn't help but to blatantly ask "Why a cat?"
At this the two Captains chuckled , seemingly sharing an inside joke.
"You'll find out someday, kid"
Minako cocked her head to the side
Back to business, Urahara began revealing what the second item was and once again Minako held her breath as she was gripped with apprehension. In fact, it almost seemed as if time itself had slowed down to further add to the suspense, as slowly and gradually emerged from the package....
A small sized brown ball.
And Minako's eyes widened when she recognized what it was.
"Chocolate...?"she inquired astonishedly.
There was a moment of silence and the atmosphere became tense.
Finally, Urahara spoke.
"Yes Minako-san, it's a very special kind of chocolate...."
He extended his hand in which rested the sweet sphere.
Instinctively Minako turned towards her grandfather, seeking his approval and was surprised to see him look a bit distracted.
'Ojii-sama...?'
Not knowing what else to do, she turned back to look up at the Taichos.
Staring back at Urahara's palm, a similar instance flashed before her mind.
.
'Minako blinked back a little as the red and sloshy fruit was pushed into her line of sight, too close for comfort.
"N-nani-..." but she got cut off first.
"T-Take it. I was feelin' all guilty with...with you sittin' there like a gawking idiot and all..."
"Ano...Hitsugaya-san...I don't know....if..."
"What? My Granny's watermelon ain't good enough for your stupid noble face???!"'
Snapping back to reality, she reached out towards the chocolate ball, not wanting to repeat what happened the last time she refused something offered to her as a gesture of kindness.
When the treat was in her hand she found her grandfather looking intently at her with the same inexpressive face but Minako could tell that there was a softness in his eyes as he nodded, encouraging her decision.
She didn't notice the silence that had fallen over the entire room as she brought the chocolate closer to her mouth.
Or the guilty looks shared by the other three occupants.
And the tension was the thickest when Minako finally pushed the chocolate ball past her lips...
Minako suddenly jolted awake, head spinning slightly. She had been out cold.
And she regretted having stayed up late last night in anticipation of the day that lay ahead of her.
Today was Minako's official first day at the Shinigami Academy and she couldn't be more excited.
You see, the thing was, Minako-Kuchiki was a flash step prodigy.
She surpassed all her cousins who were of the same age and was better than a few adults as well, and that being the case the Kuchiki elders and heads had great expectations of her. As a result she was enrolled at an early age into the Shinigami Academy but for the shuunpo classes only. She was quite young and had so far displayed no inclination towards the other techniques so, to be safe, she was not officially part of the Shinigami Academy.
Hinamori Momo had been assigned as her partner (of sorts) to help her find her way around and learn the workings of the Academy. Between the two dark haired girls developed a steady friendship and they often trained together and occasionally Hinamori even demonstrated techniques from the other Shinigami Arts for Minako to learn but only the very primary ones.
After much deliberation between the Kuchiki heads it was finally agreed that Minako was old enough to be subjected to the other Shinigami practices and thus today was that day.
Minako stretched and glanced towards her bedside clock bearing a reaction many of us have experienced ourselves...
"DEAR SWEET GODS! I'M GOING TO BE LATE!!!!!"
Meanwhile in some other part of the luxurious and vast Kuchiki shoten Minako's Ojii-sama felt a strange sliver in the morning air. He called a maid.
"See if Minako-sama has awaken yet otherwise she might be tardy on her first day."
Bowing the maid scampered away to carry out her assigned task, totally unaware of what would await her when she got to the desired part of the shoten.
Knock. Knock.
No answer.
Knock. Knock.
"Minako-sama, you must wake up or you shall be late for the Academy..."
No answer.
"Minako-sam...!"
The maid never even got to finish that sentence when the sliding door was thrown open by an invisible force which moved past her in a red and white blur.
Returning back to Ojii-sama's quarters, neat in all but apparel, the made bowed.
"Minako-sama has left the shoten..."
Despite how he may seem, Minako's grandfather cared deeply about her and none were prouder than him when his little Minako displayed a high aptitude for shuunpo. However, none were more fearful and apprehensive either. He was partly the reason why Minako was limited merely to the shuunpo classes in the Academy. He was partly the reason why Minako's skill with the other Shinigami Arts was not exploited or developed earlier on.
Because he was one of the few who knew what nobody else knew.
And he was both thankful and regretful about what he knew.
Not a day passed when he wasn't thankful that Minako had excelled in shuunpo as compared to the other techniques. Had it been kido or something of the sort, he didn't know what would've have happened, how the other family members would react, how the entire Shinigami community would react or how he would have saved Minako from a fate far worse than death.
And it was this fear of the unknown and unconditional love for his granddaughter that lead him to resort to extreme measures.
Namely...
Urahara Kisuke.
"Are you sure you want to go through this, Kuchiki-sama?" A serious Urahara inquired the elder Kuchiki.
"Will it work?"asked the old man gravely. The seriousness made his aged face look older than ever before.
"Yes...but..."
The elder turned towards him and raised an elegant eyebrow.
"I don't know what kind of after affect it might have on your graddaughter..."
After a moment of silence the elder spoke.
"Will it stop it...?"
Urahara stared at him with an equal degree of gravity.
"Definitely..."
"Then, yes, I am sure I want to do this..."
Urahara broke the silence with a sigh.
"Well then I shall arrange everything with Yoroichi-san and you can bring your granddaughter to see us one month from now..."
"Are you sure one month is time enough for you to..."
"Oh yes, in fact you wouldn't believe what one can make in the space of one month...."
On that note, the two separated.
"Did you complete it?"
While the two females were busy, the two men had some time for discussion.
"Of course Kuchiki-sama! Your lack of faith saddens me!"
The elder Kuchiki looked unmoved by this revelation.
"But seriously, are you sure you want to go through with this? There's no turning back after this point..."
The Kuchiki almost hesitated, but he had already long debated with himself.
"Yes, as long as it works..."
Looking from the bowing stuttering little girl to her grandfather, Urahara couldn't help but ask...
"What if it kills her...?"
This shook the grandfather inwardly a bit but his face remained unfeeling and his decision, final.
"If it is stopped, she won't be able to get into dangerous situations...so I feel she will be safer that way,
don't you?"
Urahara just lowered his head as a sort of bow and proceeded towards the little girl, who was completely oblivious to how her life was just about to change forever...
"Chocolate...?"Minako inquired astonishedly.
There was a moment of silence and the atmosphere became tense.
Finally, Urahara spoke.
"Yes Minako-san, it's a very special kind of chocolate...."
He extended his hand in which rested the sweet sphere.
Instinctively Minako turned towards her grandfather, seeking his approval.
The elder Kuchiki couldn't watch.
Urahara-Taicho's words were resoundingly echoing in his head.
"I don't know what kind of after affect it might have on your granddaughter..."
"What if it kills her...?"
Ojii-sama turned back to Minako, who was strangely just staring at the orb rather vacantly, and yet intensely.
'If anyone found out about it, death would be the least of her problems...'
He saw Minako reach out and take hold of the sphere.
'It has to be stopped...now...'
Minako turned to him, her eyes searching for his approval.
"Will it stop it...?"
Urahara stared at him with an equal degree of gravity.
"Definitely..."
With that final thought Ojii-sama nodded his approval.
Silence had fallen over the entire room as Minako brought the chocolate closer to her mouth.
Guilty looks were shared by Ojii-sama, Urahara and Yoroichi.
And the tension was the thickest when Minako finally pushed the chocolate orb past her lips...
And in exactly three seconds after...
she promptly collapsed.
"Don't worry Kuchiki-sama...She won't remember any of this..."
With those final words the two groups parted ways.
A downcast Urahara and Yoroichi.
A sedated Minako.
And an elder Kuchiki who hates knowing what he knows.
Ooh. So, what do you guys think?
About the prodigy thing...don't worry, she's not gonna be a Mary-Sue. I'll make sure of it.
I hope you know I've started writing the fourth chapter so please review! You might get it faster!
And here's a hot hint...
Hitsugaya is in it! =D
Ja ne!
-Hikari