Mayuri was in a frightful state of anger. So far the infuriating healer had found more information in the books than he had in his entire collection of data files and history storages. In fact there wasn't a single thing about the Soul King or his Royal Guard anywhere in his technical archives.
So when his other most hated Captain, the child prodigy Hitsugaya, came rushing into his laboratory demanding his attention he felt it was in his right to snap at him.
"I don't have time for children's games, Hitsugaya! As you can see I'm actually trying to find info-what's that?"
"I thought you weren't interested." Toshiro snarled, brow twitching at what the mad scientist had said. In his hands with the title facing Mayuri was the black tome he had recently deciphered. "The title kept switching languages so it took time to decipher, but now the problem is the lock."
Still a little furious, Toshiro slammed the book down in front of Mayuri and turned it so the lock faced him. The fact that it had no keyhole was quickly noted by the scientist and his mind set to work.
"Have you tried breaking the chain?" Kurotsuchi questioned, eyes fixed onto the book.
"Yes."
"Melting it?"
"Yes."
"Kido?"
"Let's just say there's no way to break, melt, vaporize or destroy the lock and chain in any way. And, apparently, there's also no way to unlock it." He flipped it over. "Read this."
Taking in the two short lines on the back, Mayuri quickly snatched the book away to examine it closer. The words did indeed change when Spiritual Pressure was applied, as the second line provided, but the first line was troublesome in its obviousness.
"If the first line is to be taken as literally as the second line, then we need someone of royal blood to open the lock. Perhaps someone from the noble family will work." Kurotsuchi surmised. "Have that annoying Kuchiki man come here."
"He's out in the North Rukongai, it could take hours to find him." Toshiro warned.
"I don't care just get him here!" Mayuri snapped, starting to walk away with the book.
For some reason, seeing the scientist walk away with the book set Toshiro on edge. Perhaps it was because the stranger had entrusted him with the strange tome and having one of the few Captains he hated taking it rubbed him the wrong way.
"I'll take it with me, that way Kuchiki doesn't have to leave his post." Toshiro Flash Stepped in front of Mayuri and held a hand out for the book.
The scientist scowled. But, after thinking it through, he decided he didn't want to risk the Head Captain's anger for taking the Squad Six Captain off duty and reluctantly handed the fascinating book over to the ice Captain. Toshiro quickly vanished.
Flitting over the rooftops, book in hand, Toshiro let his mind wander back to the stranger who had given him the book. Perhaps whoever her commanding officer was had ordered her to find someone capable of opening it. Why, then, had she chosen him? Kurotsuchi would have been a wise choice. Then again, there probably wouldn't have been a book left when he was finished trying to open it. And the cat…he was sure there was something off about that cat. Seeing as she spoke she must have been similar to Yoruichi, meaning she had a human form. Just who were they?
He shook the thoughts from his mind as he reached the North Rukongai. Since everything within the Soul Society was made of Spirit Particles, he couldn't use Spirit Ribbons to track the noble down. Frustrating.
A Squad Six member was about to run past him.
"You there!" He called out, watching the man freeze at the commanding voice and whip around.
"C-Captain Hitsugaya! Something you need?" The Soul Reaper bowed twice to the small Captain.
"Where is Captain Kuchiki, I need to speak with him."
"Last I heard, he was with Lieutenant Abarai in District Twenty-One. They're speaking to a village elder to see if there were any suspicious people found in theirs and surrounding districts."
"I see, thank you." Nodding to the man, Toshiro Flash Stepped in the direction of the said district. Once close enough he'd be able to locate Byakuya easy enough and figure out whether or not the damned book could be opened.
At one point he paused among the forests in the Fourteenth District, having sensed a strange energy hiding in the trees. Unlike normal Spiritual Pressure, which always attempted to push down outside spirits, this one felt…comforting. It called to him in a friendly way, making his muscles loosen out of their battle-ready position.
"What a strange place to meet again." A familiar purring voice called.
Teal eyes latched onto the white feline sauntering over to him, her master only steps behind and still looking nervous. Only now she was in a plain green kimono with golden flowers along the hem and sleeves.
"Aren't you a Soul Reaper?" Toshiro questioned them both.
"Never said we were." Sofia giggled, leaping onto a nearby boulder with grace even Yoruichi didn't possess. Despite having walked through the forest, the cat's fur remained a shining white and looked softer than the down of a newborn chick. Toshiro had a strong urge to pet the cat, to see if it was as soft as it looked. "We may not speak the whole truth, but we don't lie. Ruala especially, though she doesn't talk much at all."
"You infiltrated the Seireitei? How?" On guard now, Toshiro turned from the cat and to Ruala.
"Not infiltrated, simply scouted. We never lied to you." Sofia began to lick her paws. "Come on now Ruala, you can speak now. You're in your element."
"What do you mean?"
"My master likes the outdoors way better than the villages and buildings, and she doesn't like people. Most of her friends are animals."
Ruala blushed slightly in embarrassment and half turned away from Toshiro.
"I see you still have the book." Sofia's voice had grown serious. "I thought you would have opened it by now."
"I can't, the lock prevents it." Toshiro snapped at the cat. "The writing on the back says it needs someone of royal lineage to open it."
"That it does…" With no sound the cat leaped off the rock and towards the icy Captain. "We'll leave you to it then. Ruala entrusted you with that sacred book knowing you would be the one to understand it."
"What?" Toshiro looked between cat and girl, wondering what they could possibly mean. Sure, he was a prodigy, but there were a lot better candidates than him in figuring out how to open an impossible to unlock book.
"Wisdom prefers the color teal to see…" Ruala whispered, the first thing she had ever said since Toshiro had first met her.
"What does that mean?" Toshiro took a step towards her, only causing the shy girl to back away from the sharp movement.
"Listen well, Toshiro Hitsugaya." Sofia spoke mysteriously. "When Ruala speaks with the Gold Eye, her words hold a thousand meanings."
Head spinning ever faster the more they spoke, Toshiro looked back up at Ruala, shocked to see that Ruala's once amber colored eyes was now bright gleaming gold, the black pupil a stark contrast and looking almost alien.
"…the pride of rulers is marked by white."
"You've been given a hint. Take it to heart and learn from it. You may just find your answer close to home." The sleek white cat went behind the boulder and vanished.
Ruala's eyes returned to normal and she seemed to awake from a stupor, turning away and walking back into the forest.
"Wait! I don't understand, who are you people?" He called after her.
The girl turned, looking upon him with her eye of green. The sadness and wisdom in that one look made Toshiro freeze in place, unable to look away. Then, she went behind a tree, and the calming pressure he had felt in her presence vanished. They had left.
He had to be seeing things.
Taking a moment to recollect himself after that strange encounter, Toshiro thought about what the girl had said. It had to be something that would help him open the book, since that was what he needed. However, the cat had said that under the Gold Eye, whatever that was, her words held a thousand meanings. Could the two lines be related to something else?
He flipped the book in his hands to the back. The words were two short lines. Ruala's tiny monologue had been two short lines. Could they be related? Had Ruala left the words on the back for him? Then perhaps they were more literal than the cat suggested. Or maybe the words on the back were alluding to some other meaning. Sure, the second line had helped him reveal how to decipher the title, but maybe there was something else it was meant to portray.
All those thoughts were beginning to give him a headache. He decided to stick with his current plan and rushed off to find Byakuya.
The noble was currently alone, standing on the roof of a vacant house so as to see the surrounding area. He had not gotten anything from the village elder, or rather, the elder reported honestly that there were no strange beings lurking around.
The whoosh of air brought his attention to the white haired youth who had appeared, panting from his long trip. Byakuya's sharp eyes took notice to the black bound book in Hitsugaya's arms.
Quickly explaining his and Mayuri's theory on how to open it, to which he even showed the back inscription, Toshiro handed the book over. Byakuya seemed very interested and was willing to give it a try. After all, this was the first hopeful news since the mission had started, and night was quickly falling around them. They would soon have to return most of their men to the barracks.
Lifting the book onto its side to reveal the keyhole-less lock, Byakuya placed his hand over it and let his Spiritual Pressure rise. Both he and Toshiro waited with baited breaths to see what would happen. The lock took in a tiny bit of the noble's Spiritual Pressure and their hopes rose.
Instead of opening, the lock used the energy it had consumed to instead create another strand of chain around what it was keeping closed and both Soul Reapers scowled.
"It seems the blood of a noble is not what it meant." Byakuya handed Toshiro the book once more.
"You mean the blood of the Royal Family?" Hitsugaya's eyes widened. "But we'd have to go to them in the Soul King's Realm, or find the Soul Prince."
"And our only clue to possibly finding the Soul Prince is in that book." Byakuya sighed heavily. "Where exactly did you find that book?"
Toshiro hesitated, unsure whether he would be believed or not. After all, the girl who gave it to him had just recently spouted some kind of prophecy before vanishing into thin air. Still, he needed all the help he could get at this point and they were all working towards the same goal. He gave the story in brief, watching for any sign of disbelief. The noble's face remained neutral throughout, only changing at the end as he closed his eyes in thought.
"I have never heard of Nakryin before." He mused. "She can't be of a noble family. Perhaps it is best you find out who she is, she may know something."
"I'm not sure; she's doing her best to remain hidden. She only appears when I'm alone."
"Then be alone and interrogate her. At this point you may not have many options left."
Narrowing his eyes at the sharp tone in Byakuya's voice, Toshiro left. He had a lot to think about and he needed to round up his squad anyway, and to pick the members who would be taking the first night shift.
You'd think it would be obvious after Ruala's hint...then again, Sofia doesn't help any with her confusing words. I got a headache just writing his thoughts about that out. So the mystery continues and the Soul Prince remains hidden. Enjoy!