CHAPTER TEN: HIGHS AND LOWS OF DAYS OLD
"Maybe I was drunk at the time or something... I shouldn't be going here to see that Old Man! He probably doesn't give a monkey!" Rin mumbled in annoyance as her companions, save Igor, tried to force her to go into the old courtyard of the Uso Family House and talk to the man that once referred to her as his daughter. It was an uncomfortable idea, and Rin had only agreed because it would use up the time Captain Yamamoto demanded they stay in the Sereitei before they were allowed to leave. It was not normal for the Captain General to suggest anyone hang around longer then they needed, but as Rin was one of few to sit down and drink his tea with him, and not suffer ill affects, he wanted to have her and her friends around as long as possible.
"It's a good way to get closure Rin." Yaroslavl tried to encourage her, he understood what it was like when trying to make up with a father, however he was not sure if the Japanese Soul Reapers were the same as the Russian/ Bulgarian ones, let alone how the parenting style differed here. But Rin still dug her heels in, shaking her head and growling in disgust at the idea of meeting the man.
"He's a bastard! What closure can I get from him except he would rather I was the corpse and not my brother? There is nothing I can get from this! I hate the man!" Rin growled in annoyance before getting a hand slapped around the back of her head. She turned about with a yell and a raised fist, only to hear the door of the old house open and shuffling feet.
"Excuse me, warriors - is there something I can do to help you?" An older man stood by his sliding bamboo door and stared out at the gang with greyed eyes of curiosity. He was slightly bent, slightly wrinkled and grey streaks lined his hair - he no longer looked proud and fancy like Byakuya might, instead he looked withdrawn and lonely. Rin felt a pain in her chest to see him looking so miserable, but smiling up at the strangers; still trying to be a good host despite whatever malady had befallen him in years. Lord Uso was not the luckiest man in the Soul Society and perhaps that thought managed to pluck something in Rin's head to make her go down and bow to him.
"Greetings Lord Uso, I am Captain Ninel. I bring you good news in regards to the adopted daughter of yours - she is well and busy with a good role in our Eurasian Society and wishes to send you a hello." Rin gulped anxiously as the old man looked to her with bright shiny eyes. His mouth tried to say things but could not, his face lit up in a smile so heart-warming that Rin could not help but feel a little sickened by it. That was a smile and a look of sheer joy she'd never seen upon his face; not even with her brother. "Yachiru has been curious about how you have been; what message do you wish me to send back to her?"
"You know… Rin's surname was Ninel – are you one of her relatives? We knew she came from a different place…" The old man muttered, almost in delight. Rin froze in surprise at the look upon the old man's features, his smile and knowing face. She did not even have to speak or try and say anything else, because Lord Uso did instead. "Or rather, I should say that dressing as a man actually works for you Rin. But it's strange that you're nervous to come and see me. I've been waiting for you to come – as your body was never found…"
"You knew I was alive? But how? That's just…" Rin began, only to slap her head hard as she realised she'd given away the game completely. Somewhat unwillingly, she removed the layers that protected her form and then stood proudly in the front of the old man. Lord Uso surprised her though by moving straight to her and reaching a hand out to touch her long strands of blue hair, seemingly fascinated. "How?"
"Of course – you're one of the best fighters I've ever seen. It knew from the marks on the ground around Shoji had been all I needed to know. You must have been in considerable pain from the venom and there were all the hallmarks that you'd managed to get up and deliver a killing blow before collapsing again. The blood was everywhere. Then we found a bit of bandage and there was suddenly no blood. I knew that someone had saved you... or you had done it yourself. I always knew you were stronger then Shoji, but I feared that he would never be able to shine or work to his own target if he always clung to you."
"You think I was stronger then my brother? That can't be right! You forced me to stay back and treated me as if I knew nothing. If that's what you thought then why did you do so much to make me hate you? Why did you control everything I did?" She growled angrily, and her comrades wondered if maybe they should have darted forward and grabbed her in case she turned violent. But they could see the tears welling up in her eyes and how her clenched fists were turning white in her upset.
"Yes… I have to admit that I wanted to keep hold of you. I treated your terribly, not only because my wife had never wanted a daughter, but because I knew you would never be anything but a warrior. The moment I saw you I saw all the signs that you would be greater then the Sereitei and I was scared. I knew you did not truly belong here, and I was afraid you would feel the same and do something irrational so I tried to find a place for you, whether you would accept it or not. I also realised that your brother would always be overlooked by the world if you shone all the time… so I forced him to work hard and did what I could to make sure he kept at the same level as you… if only because I knew how weak he was…"
Rin stood there in silence for a moment… any hatred she had held for the man that had forced her to call him father was lifted. The cloud of confusion that had hung over her for years and encouraged her to lash out at every attempt made by him to seem caring was departing.
"I think I understand you now… father…"
After meeting with her father, she had headed back to the soul society only to find that Kenpachi and Yachiru had been waiting for them outside the land. She had never seen her old friend back in this land before, but Kenpachi seemed adamant to walk back with her to the Rukon District and find somewhere to sit and eat. Her companions had decided that the pair of them did not need watchers or other people hanging around and so slowly began to separate from them in an attempt to "scout-out" the area for when the diplomats came over here. Yachiru had insisted on hanging nearby and in the end Rin had encouraged her to join them in sitting down for tea and a meal.
"Hey Blue," Yachiru paused whilst scoffing down some sweet buns to stare directly into the odd coloured eyes of Rin that twinkled in delight. She quickly swallowed her food down before turning to Kenpachi, Yachiru was surprised that her bestest friend in the whole world was being silent and yet smiling in a way he barely ever did. "Do you have any kids?"
"Yes and no Yachiru." The question made Kenpachi almost choke on some tea. He seemed even more startled by Rin's response and was unsure if he was going to be able to say anything to expand the information or not. But Yachiru's eyes twinkled with confusion and Rin simply chuckled and took a sip of her tea before grinning. "I've ended up taking in an orphan or two over the years… well four to be exact."
"Any daughters?" Yachiru bleated, making Kenpachi even more anxious. It had made perfect sense that Rin would take in orphans, she had been one after-all and he had Yachiru himself. But for the little pink-haired horror to continue these conversations was all a little too much for Kenpachi. He did not really think of children much, he barely considered Yachiru a child, but to hear such things from someone like Rin was a little more nerve-wracking then he could have expected.
"I would so love to have a little girl of my own one day. It must sound really strange to you, Kenpachi, if only because I've always envied you and Yachiru. I've had loads of boys to look after in my time, but when I had to look after Sascharissa, it was a very weird time. I realised that girly-girls were exactly what I hated, but that the way they played with dolls and kittens was just adorable. Don't worry though, I'm just jabbering on again." Rin chuckled gently as she blushed when Kenpachi blinked at her a few times.
"I've always wanted to have a son that I could train up to be just like me." Kenpachi managed but the entirety of the room seemed to stop and stare at him, making him feel terribly awkward. Rin just smiled warmly and for a second Kenpachi was thinking of saying something very important to her… only he could not. He was not a coward of course… but he had no idea how to word what he was thinking. "Hey, maybe we should go and practice fighting now…"
Coming Soon… Chapter 11 – Wants of the Beast Within
When Rin gets back to Soul Society, confused by the situation with Kenpachi, she finds that suddenly everyone wants to talk to her and there loads still to prepare. Her fellows have been getting up to things as well, namely Igor! But will Kenpachi be even able to consider what he was trying to express… who knows if his squad members might have picked something up.
Future chapters will now be placed on my deviantart account so please go to .com to read later chapters, thank you – it has its own folder in the Gallery.