WHEN THE SNOW FALLS
by Yih

Chapter Thirty
Changing of the Guard

Just when everything was going well – the Elders had allowed him to officially become engaged to Rukia with the stipulation that an heir was provided within ten years and Rukia was happily planning the wedding, not letting him do anything since she wanted to surprise him – his trustworthy, dependable Fukutaichou was telling him that she was retiring.

"What?" Byakuya said a little more sharply and with more emotion than he intended.

"I've been the fukutaichou since your grandfather was the Taichou of Squad 6," Kinomoto said. "While I could have retired when my children were born, I decided to keep on being fukutaichou until I felt you had adjusted to the responsibility of being taichou. My Kuchiki-taichou was an inspiration to me and I am sure that your new fukutaichou will feel the same about you, Kuchiki-taichou.

"It has been far longer than I ever expected it to be," she went on. "I have been proud and honored to serve two generations of the Kuchiki family and two Taichous of Squad 6. I've truly been blessed and while I am not exactly old, I feel that my time as a shinigami has come to an end. I hope you will forgive me this unexpected resignation… my eldest daughter is pregnant with her first child and I want to be there for her and my grandchild the way I never was with her."

When Kinomoto-fukutaichou put it so elegantly and so movingly like that, how could Byakuya do anything but congratulate her on becoming a grandmother and wish her the best?

But now he was stuck with the real and great possibility that he would end up with a fukutaichou that was nowhere near as great as Kinomoto had been. She had helped him a great deal in the beginning, when he had first become Taichou after his grandfather's retirement.

"I wish you well," Byakuya said.

"Thank you," Kinomoto responded. She turned to make her departure from Squad 6, but before she reached the door she looked back over her shoulder and said, "For what it's worth, I think you and Rukia-sama are perfectly suited."

-

Rukia lightly trailed her fingers over the many luxurious fabrics that had been brought to the Kuchiki mansion for her to pick out just the right one from her wedding kinomono. Rukia blushed when she thought about the lacy white fabric she had chosen for her undergarment already, wondering if Byakuya would like it or think it was too girly when he undressed her on their wedding night. It seemed like they had been through so much in such a small amount of time, but they hadn't even been together for two years yet…

And soon they would be married.

Rukia felt her cheeks grow warm when she thought about marrying Byakuya. It seemed more like a fairytale than reality, especially when she had never thought once of actually being able to be with him in any kind of official way. She had always assumed they would be together in a secretive sort of way… but now everything was changing. It was for the best, wasn't it?

She knew she was happy that they could finally be together without having to hide it or to fight the Elders, but a little part of her dreaded what would come next. Ukitake-taichou said that he wanted to talk to her about something and she was wondering if he was going to suggest that she retire from active duty as a shinigami.

Rukia had heard some of the older noble women within the Kuchiki clan whispering that it was unlikely she would stay on as a shinigami when it was only proper that she assume her duties as the wife of Kuchiki Byakuya.

What was expected of her as Lady Kuchiki? She didn't even know… how would she when the position had been vacant before she had even been adopted into the Kuchiki clan… and would they compare her to Hisana? Would Byakuya?

Rukia shook her head, not wanting to think about such dreary things when her wedding was supposed to be the happiest moment of her life. Wasn't it everything that a girl dreamed of? To be marrying the love of her life?

It was, she thought firmly to herself as she held up a beautiful pale pink and silver colored kimono with cherry blossoms scattered through the fabric, and this was perfect. It was beautiful and it reminded her of Senbonzakura and also… a little of Sode no Shirayuki with the silver. Rukia smiled and gestured for the seamstress that she was done picking her fabrics and they could begin making her wedding kimono.

-

As much as Byakuya would have liked to select a fukutaichou from his own squad, the 3rd seat was great at kido, but his zanjutsu was mediocre at best and the rest of the seated officers had one deficiency or another. Byakuya gritted his teeth as he ran through the prospects in his head again and concluded that his first conclusion was correction. He would have to find a fukutaichou outside from Squad 6, which meant he would have to tell Yamamoto-sou-taichou that he would need the recommendations from other Taichous.

He dreaded what the other Taichous considered a suitable fukutaichou. He thought about Squad 11's fukutaichou and didn't know what to think about Yachiru. Or even Squad 2's big, bumbling rich fukutaichou under the capable Soifon. And what of Squad 10's lazy fukutaichou? Although, if he thought positively about it, Kira Izuru and Hinamori Momo were both capable fukutaichous. Furthermore, Kira had to deal with Ichimaru and that couldn't be easy.

This wasn't going to be the most pleasant undertaking, but it was a necessary one. Byakuya started writing the letter addressed to Yamamoto-sou-taichou, informing him that he would need the other Taichous within the Gotei 13 to recommend him a new fukutaichou. When he was done penning the letter, Byakuya was about to call for his 3rd seat to deliver it to Squad 1 when the man in question appeared at his door with a letter from Ukitake-taichou.

Just when you thought things couldn't get much worse, Byakuya thought staring down at the letter in his hand, they invariably got much worse. Of course, Jushiro would use the favor he had wrong out of him for such a purpose. In the back of his mind, Byakuya had already known what Jushiro was going to ask.

And now there was nothing he could do about it… he had given his word.

-

A/N: I'm sorry this update took so long, but I had a really hard time writing this chapter (much like the last one). I had parts written that didn't connect, had to delete some things and rewrite them and then well, had to try and connect the parts I did like and want to keep. It's much easier when I write in a continuous flow, but didn't happen this time. Anyway, exams for me start next week and go for two weeks, then I'm going on a road trip. Hopefully I'll be able to update once or so in the mean time (maybe more!). Keep up the great job reviewing, it really does motivate me, especially when I'm studying about 10+ hrs everyday (I'll soon be studying 14+ hrs).

P.S. I know I forgot Tousen-taichou last chapter, just insert him in with your mind. I don't feel like working that scene in b/c honestly, I forgot Komamura at first and his little scene ended up taking me two days more to release that last chapter! I figure you can do w/o Tousen. ^_^

Released: 2/19/2009