Chapter 5
Author's Note: Long chapter is long! Oh well... ENJOY!
Having finally gotten to sleep in his own bed was the most rewarding sensation he had felt in a long time. Where the shower had been the highlight of his evening, getting to lay down in his king sized bed had been a thousand times better.
Even if it was by himself.
After he and Nyruki had showered, they had finally gotten to put on a fresh change of clothes before joining the others in the large room that had been set up as the dining room. They had spent the evening eating and talking, discussing what had happened with Central 46 before they shifted to something less stressful. They had let the evening drawl on well into the night, taking the time to forget the last three days and simply enjoy the feeling of freedom that had finally been granted.
After their meal, all had retired for the night into the rooms that Byakuya's attendant had prepared. Grimmjow and Neliel had been given their own for obvious reasons, while everyone else, including Nyruki, had been given another. He was content with Nyruki's decision to sleep there, as all he wanted was for everything she had never experienced to happen how she wanted. It had been her decision to sleep there and he had given her a smile and one last kiss before sliding his bedroom door closed.
Now, with the morning sun cresting the horizon, beaming its rays against the large door of his bedroom, he felt refreshed and lightweight as he stretched and sat up. His hair felt feather light and hung delicately around his bare shoulders as he stood, taking another moment to stretch once more before donning a robe and stepping out into his courtyard.
It was shaping up to be another warm day with not a single cloud in the sky, but since he was no longer trapped in the Sweatbox, he didn't care. He stepped out into the warming air and rubbed the sleep from his eyes before seeing the only other person whom was awake.
With a tilt of his head, Byakuya crossed his arms as he watched Grimmjow, laying on the grass with his chin resting against his arm. He swirled the water of the pond, drawing the attention of the koi whom swam up to check things out. The larger fish, some being the length of Grimmjow's entire arm had been brave enough to let the strange hand touch them, whose fingers gently ran along their scales with no intentions of harm.
"I hope I don't need to worry about the well being of my koi." Byakuya said, earning the Arrancar's attention as he peered back over his shoulder at him.
"Shut up, Pretty Boy. I'm just watchin' 'em swim." Grimmjow rolled his eyes, but continued watching the kaleidescope of koi that called the pond home.
"So says every cat before he strikes." Byakuya said, huffing a short lived smile as he stepped up next to him and knelt down by the edge of the pond.
Grimmjow simply glared with a sidelong glance, running his fingers over a smaller koi the colors of red and blue.
"Should I worry?" Byakuya asked as he dipped his fingers into the water to a chorus of happy splashes from the fish.
"I ain't gonna eat your damn fish, Pretty Boy." Grimmjow scoffed, shaking his head.
He went back to watching as the fish abandoned him and went to their master, eagerly swimming around Byakuya's hand in gentle circles. The smaller fish brushed their bodies against him, while the larger ones hovered in the water to allow him to pet them. Each one was of a different color combination than the one next to it, but all were pretty and glistened with a metallic glow beneath the fresh morning sun.
"I'll admit... It's a hell of a collection." Grimmjow said, folding his arms and resting his chin on them as he watched.
"I am pleased they are doing so well." Byakuya said as he began to gently splash the surface of the pond with his fingers.
"You say that like you were worried they wouldn't." Grimmjow said as he eyeballed the noble.
"There was a time I was concerned... I still am to a certain degree." Byakuya said, continuing to lightly splash.
"Why's that?" Grimmjow asked.
Byakuya simply shot him a sidelong glance as he continued his light splashing.
"What're you doing?" Grimmjow asked, furrowing his brows.
"Watch."
A silent minute passed by until a large, dark shadow flowed through the water, deep beneath the surface of the pond whose water was not perfectly clear. Only the first foot allowed for fish to be seen, but below that, being an additional five feet, was cast in a blue green haze of healthy algae. The large shadow circled for a moment, each pass bringing it closer to Byakuya's hand before it broke into the top foot of water.
What appeared was a massive koi that was half as long as Grimmjow was tall. Its fins were flowing and wide, but tattered at the edges and its thick body was the color of sapphire blue, sparkling like gems beneath the sun's rays.
"Holy hell... Look at that bastard!" Grimmjow gaped airily as he made to push himself up, but stopped when Byakuya held up his other hand.
"Don't move. This one is a bit skittish." Byakuya said quietly as he slowed his light splashes.
"Why? He could kick the crap outta anythin' in there." Grimmjow said, slowly lowering himself back down on his stomach.
"She... This is my mother's koi." Byakuya said softly as the large fish inched closer.
"Your mom's?" Grimmjow arced a blue brow.
"Yes... every Kuchiki is awarded a koi upon their birth, or joining of the family. This one was my mother's." Byakuya said, keeping his gaze soft and not threatening as he looked at the old koi with patience.
"Where's yours?" Grimmjow asked.
"He was abducted by a little pink haired thief before my pond was destroyed and currently resides at the Ugendo." Byakuya said as he dipped both hands into the water and gently cupped them beneath the koi's mouth.
"Why leave him there?" Grimmjow asked with genuine curiosity.
"He's happy there. He's grown quite a bit since he vanished from here. The Ugendo lake is quite a bit bigger than my pond." Byakuya said as he softly brushed his thumb along the koi's scales behind its eye.
"Oh... What's that one look like?" Grimmjow asked, watching the other fish swim.
"He's a Goshiki." Byakuya said, running a hand along the top of the koi, along its long back fin.
"A what?" Grimmjow arced a brow.
Byakuya glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, "He's a white based fish with splashes of deep orange and his scales are highlighted with this sapphire blue."
"Hers?"
"Do you mean is he a spawn of hers?" Byakuya asked.
Grimmjow nodded.
"No. He was independently purchased after my parents found out that my mother was with child." Byakuya said as he gently moved his hand around to the koi's belly.
The sudden appearance of a shadow behind him however startled the koi to the point that it whipped around with a heavy flick of its long tail, splashing a wave out of the pond that covered both with a spray of water.
"Oi!" Grimmjow snarled as he sat up on his heels and dried his face on his shirt.
Byakuya squeegeed the water from his eyes with his thumb and forefinger before looking behind him to see whom had startled the large fish, setting his eyes on not just one person, but two.
"Good morning." Nyruki said with a contained chuckle as she knelt down next to Byakuya and helped dry his face.
"You as well... Though I don't think my mother's koi would agree." Byakuya said with the barest hint of a smile across his face as she wiped away the drops of water from his cheeks.
"Damn thing got us good." Grimmjow said with a flick of his hand to whip off the drops of water before laying back down on his stomach.
"It was a beautiful fish." Neliel said as she sat down on Grimmjow's backside and began rubbing his back.
"Albeit a scardy-cat." Grimmjow grumbled, laying his head back down on his arms to get comfortable.
"She has always been that way. A timid thing much like my mother was." Byakuya said, clutching Nyruki's hand.
"How so?" Nyruki asked quietly as she placed her other hand over his.
"She was a quiet woman; Not really one to speak out of turn, or even show herself to others. A traditional woman if you will. My father on the other hand, was far more outspoken and it was he whom I spent most of my time with when I was a boy." Byakuya briefly explained.
"Opposites attract, I guess." Grimmjow shrugged and closed his eyes to enjoy the massage.
"My parents' union was arranged, though an attraction did form not too long after. By the time I was born, they truly did love each other." Byakuya said, watching the pond return to normal with the swimming of the other fish.
"Any siblings?" Grimmjow asked as Neliel squeezed her fingers into his shoulders.
"None by blood." Byakuya said softly.
"Only child huh? Where's the fun in that?" Grimmjow smirked.
"My childhood was spent training and preparing me for the day I joined the Shinigami Academy. I would eventually grow and succeed my grandfather as the captain of Squad 6, as well as head of the clan." Byakuya said, sending Nyruki a soft smile.
"Not your father?" Grimmjow asked.
Byakuya's smile vanished, "No. Both my parents had passed by the time I was fifteen. My grandfather was responsible for much of my upbringing after that."
"That explains that uptight, aristocratic stick up your ass." Grimmjow said with a big toothy grin.
"That was hardly the reason. My grandfather was a very traditional man whom took traditions and ceremony quite seriously." Byakuya said, watching the smaller koi enjoy the morning sun.
Grimmjow faked a yawn, "I hate to cut the subject short, Pretty Boy, but when's breakfast?" He asked just as his stomach rolled with a loud growl.
Byakuya sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose, "I suppose I can set my attendant to the task."
"Please do. I'm friggin' hungry." Grimmjow snuggled down into his arms once more as Neliel worked his lower back.
With a sigh, Byakuya rose to his feet, leaving the three to sit and watch the koi in the pond while he went to set his attendant to the monumental task of seeing that enough food was prepared for all of them. The morning sun warmed the water and the fish relished in it as they swam lazy circles, sometimes splashing their tails with their joy.
Nyruki walked around the pond with slow steps, hoping to catch another glimpse of the large koi that Byakuya had been petting, but there was no sight of it anywhere. She assumed it had returned to the depths of the pond and gave up her search as she returned to where she had been sitting, now joined by all the others, save for Rukia, whom hadn't come home.
Not much longer passed until their morning meal was ready for them. They mingled over to the open dining space from the previous night, leaving the sliding doors open to allow the morning breeze to flutter through while they ate. There was an impressive spread of steamed rice, various fruits and vegetables and sushi rolls. There was eggs and toast and plenty to drink, ranging from tea, water, milk and even some coffee that Byakuya hadn't even realized was available.
"So, Pretty Boy-" Grimmjow was the first to speak after he had popped several pieces of fruit into his mouth straight from their serving plates.
"Yes, Pussy Cat?" Byakuya arced a brow as he sipped his black coffee.
"You mentioned your pond got wrecked. Dish the deets." Grimmjow said as he heaped his plate full of food.
"Wait, your pond was destroyed?" Ichigo asked with his own arced brow and disbelieving stare.
"Yes, it was. Due to Nyruki's arrival, in fact. It took a year and roughly three-hundred thousand Kan to restore it." Byakuya said with a sip.
"Three-hundred grand!" Ichigo choked on his tea and nearly spit it out through his nose.
"That was only the price I had to pay to repair it. That is not the total cost I have spent on it throughout the years." Byakuya said before taking a bite of rice.
"Ok... I'll bite. How much?" Grimmjow asked with a grin.
"Total cost is somewhere in the vicinity of 4.3 million. It was worth double at the time it was destroyed." Byakuya said with no emotion.
Nearly all at the table choked on their food as they tried not to spit it out upon hearing the astronomical number.
"4.3 million? Why?" Uryū lightly coughed to clear the small pieces of rice that had gone down the wrong tube.
"Because a noble house's koi pond is a pride to be maintained." Byakuya said simply.
"And you dropped three-hundred grand just to fix it?" Grimmjow gawked in disbelief.
"I wanted my pond back and no amount of money, or time, was going to keep me from it." Byakuya said.
"It really took a whole year?" Orihime asked as she popped a dainty bite of food into her mouth.
"Yes, it did, and that year was wrought with problems." Byakuya rolled his eyes.
Nyruki cringed, "I don't need to hear this." She groaned as she pinched the bridge of her nose.
"It's fine, Nyruki. As I said then, it was nothing that could not be replaced." Byakuya said calmly as he grasped her hand beneath the table for a gentle squeeze.
"Dish the story dammit!" Grimmjow barked impatiently.
"Alright... Alright," Byakuya took a sip of coffee, "I suppose, to start off, when Nyruki arrived little over four years ago, she had landed in my pond, entirely destroying it." He began.
"That big one managed to survive." Grimmjow scoffed.
"No... That one was at the Ugendo at the time. In fact, all the family koi were there, which turned out to be a blessing." Byakuya said with a bite of fruit.
"You're telling me... Jesus." Ichigo slowly shook his head while Byakuya continued.
"Keep goin'."
"After Nyruki was taken to Squad 4, I returned here to begin the process of cleaning up. That in and of itself was a lengthy process. The most tedious being the process of cleaning up over two hundred dead fish scattered around the gardens, removing the string algae from my cherry trees and picking up the pond lilies from outside the estate." Byakuya said as he offered Nyruki a gentle smile to ease her displeasure at hearing the story.
"That's funny shit!" Grimmjow started to laugh while Nyruki buried her face in her hands from embarrassment.
"It is hardly humorous. It was just as tedious a process once we began to refill the pond. That alone took four days." Byakuya said with a deadpanned glare.
"Why did it take so long?" Orihime asked softly.
Byakuya set down is coffee, "My pond is 30,000 gallons."
"Fuck! You could swim in that bad boy when it's hot outside!" Grimmjow smirked as he threw an arm over Neliel's shoulders.
"If I catch you swimming in my pond, I will shred you alive with my Bankai." Byakuya said with a stone cold glare.
"Relax! I was jokin'! I ain't gonna swim in your fuckin' pond!" Grimmjow barked.
"What happened next?" Ichigo asked through the chewing of his food.
"We left what water remained in the pond as we filled it with the hopes that the existing ecosystem would help balance the water, but that turned out to be quite troublesome."
"Wait... You can't just toss some fish into the water and it's all good?" Grimmjow asked, arcing a brow.
Byakuya's eyes widened from mild shock, "By the realms... No... Not at all. There is a particular science to building and maintaining a living pond such as this. There is a precise balance that needs to be achieved in order for the fish to be self-sustaining." He explained.
"Of course. That's right up your alley." Ichigo groaned and rolled is eyes.
Byakuya glared, but continued, "After the pond was finally refilled, we let the water settle for a few days before we put in about two dozen cheap carp in order to test it."
"Did they make it?" Orihime asked with genuine hope in her big gray eyes.
However, Byakuya shook his head, "They did not. About two days later, all were found dead."
"I bet that grated on your nerves." Ichigo snickered.
"Not nearly as much as you do, Ichigo Kurosaki." Byakuya smirked.
"Oi!"
"Shut it, Ich! I wanna hear how irritated he got!" Grimmjow barked, "What killed 'em off?" He asked, shifting his amused gaze to Byakuya.
"It was the water, itself. We tested it and discovered that the Ph balance of the water was far too volatile, so that is when we started the process of draining the pond dry completely." He rolled his eyes and shook his head with a long sigh.
"How long did that take?" Chad asked.
"A week, but that was solely due to the fact, that once we had drained the water, we also removed all the stones at the bottom as well." Byakuya said as he refilled his coffee.
"What for?" Grimmjow shrugged.
"I figured it best since we had to completely start from scratch. It wasn't until after we removed the rocks that I discovered my pond was a foot deeper than it was before." Byakuya said as he looked over at Nyruki.
Nyruki removed her hands from her face to showcase the horrendous blush, but she was laughing, due to the rather amused and judgmental glare that covered Byakuya's face.
"Why was it deeper?" Orihime asked as she ate a banana.
"Nyruki's impact left a section of pond that was deeper than it had been and tore a rather unsightly rip into the liner. So, I begrudgingly paid for a larger, thicker liner to be crafted." Byakuya said as he took the chance to take a bite of food.
"Bet that took some time." Uryū said.
"It did. It took a month, but that was because I ordered a special stretch liner that was several millimeters thicker than my last one. It was to lessen the stress on the material once we added the weight of 30,000 gallons of water." Byakuya said plainly.
"A whole month with no pond? How frustrated were you?" Grimmjow continued to snicker.
"Quite, and it was only compounded, due to that once the new liner was delivered, I discovered that it wasn't cut correctly and thus, didn't fit." Byakuya's throat rumbled with an irritated growl.
"So another month goes by." Ichigo said.
Byakuya nodded, "Yes. The second liner was exactly as ordered, so once we got it into place, then the hard part commenced."
"That wasn't the hard part?" Uryū's eyes widened.
"No... The hard part was swallowing my pride and asking Captain Ukitake for his help." Byakuya said, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"You asked Papa for his help?" Nyruki asked with a bit of shock.
"I had no choice. After we covered the bottom with new stones and refilled the pond for the second time, we placed another two dozen carp in to test the Ph balance, but again, after several days, they too perished. My only option was to use the Ugendo's lake as a donor." Byakuya said, returning to his plate and taking a bite of sliced banana.
"A donor? What do you mean?" Neliel asked.
Byakuya drew in a long breath and immediately released it, "I was forced to drain the pond for the second time before I went to Captain Ukitake to ask permission to have 5,000 gallons transferred from the Ugendo, to my pond."
"Holy shit! 5,000 gallons? What the fuck for?" Grimmjow reeled.
"My hope was that the already existing ecosystem from the Ugendo would aid in settling the Ph imbalance in my pond." Byakuya said.
"Did it?" Orihime asked.
"Finally, yes. It did. We allowed the water to pump through the filter that Captain Ukitake gave me from his filter material for about two months to allow for a decent amount of self-sustaining algae to build up before we released the third set of test fish." Byakuya said.
"They die?" Grimmjow asked with a hopeful smirk that they did.
"No... They survived. Once I was satisfied the pond could sustain life, which is where a majority of the time went, we removed the test fish and I then began the process of collecting spawn from the Kuchiki family koi at the Ugendo." Byakuya said with a visible shutter.
"That sounds disgustin'!" Grimmjow laughed as he bashed a hand on the table.
Byakuya rolled his eyes, "It most certainly was not what you are thinking. We collected about fifty spawn from my father's koi and fifty from mine as the final test. Once they adjusted, we collected another fifty from both, as well as a hundred from my mother's and allowed them to grow to spawn on their own for the next season."
"Ugh... fish love." Grimmjow shuttered.
Byakuya sighed, "As you saw this morning, those three hundred have bloomed into far more."
"But that still doesn't explain how that big bitch got there." Grimmjow said, pointing a finger at Byakuya.
"By 'Big Bitch', are you referring to my mother's koi?" Byakuya glared hard.
However, Grimmjow wasn't phased, "Yeah. That big bitch." He smiled with a crooked grin.
Byakuya sighed, "She had begun to take ill while at the Ugendo and Captain Ukitake took notice. He contacted me with his concern and I made preparations to have her transferred back here. I had a portable tank filled with water from my pond that we used to transfer her. The most difficult part was capturing her."
"What did you have to do?" Orihime asked with concern.
"I spent several evenings at the Ugendo lake, knelt at its edge while I lightly splashed the surface. She finally came to me and I lifted her from the water and placed her within the tank." Byakuya explained.
"Wait... You picked up a fish?" Ichigo arced a brow.
"Yes. Koi are very social creatures, especially with those they trust. My mother's koi remembered me without trouble, but was skittish due to Yachiru Kusajishi's methods for her abduction, which is to say that she forcefully snatched her from my pond and risked death via transfer shock by throwing her into the Ugendo lake without following the proper procedures." Byakuya said with a furrowing in his brow as he crossed his arms.
"Did the fish remember you from when you were little?" Orihime asked softly as she sipped some of her milk.
"Yes, actually. I used to spend a lot of my time at the pond as a boy, just playing and feeding the fish." Byakuya said with a sip of coffee.
"Where were your parents?" Ichigo asked.
Byakuya drew in a long breath and held it, "My mother died when I was young. Maybe when I was three, or four years old." He released the breath.
"What happened?" Nyruki asked softly as she watched his face.
"My mother took her own life. She had been battling postpartum depression for quite some time after my birth." Byakuya said as he reached over and grasp Nyruki's hand once more beneath the table.
"Dude-" Grimmjow exhaled as the smirk vanished in an instant.
"Don't tell me you were the one who found her." Uryū said with saddened eyes.
"No. I was spared that fate. I remember a bit of that day." Byakuya said as Nyruki's hand tightened around his.
237 years ago
-Kuchiki Manor-
The sky was gray, threatening to open up at any minute with the rain the clouds were struggling to hold onto. The air was warm, which made the garden enjoyable for the small boy with feather black hair that fluttered with every step he took. His small bare feet barely pressed into the freshly kept grass while he tossed his ball, smiling and giggling to himself as the adults talked nearby.
His grandfather always stood up tall with his hands clasped behind his back and his big bushy mustache bounced whenever he spoke. The man whom was with him had long, snowy white hair and expressive eyes, and the small boy recognized the man from the other times he had come to visit. He liked him because the man always made time to play, no matter what.
With a beaming wide smile, the small boy ran to the white haired man and wrapped his short little arms around his leg, pretending he was strong enough to tackle the towering man to the ground.
"Ukee! Ukee! Pway wiff me!" The boy smiled up with his eyes closed from the sheer size of his smile.
The man knelt down and scooped up the boy, cradling him in an arm while he brushed back a piece of his feathery black hair.
"Well good afternoon, Byakuya." Ukitake smiled wide enough to match the small boy's.
"Wiw you pway wiff me? Pwease?" Little Byakuya asked as he fumbled with his small ball.
"Maybe in a little bit, Little Bean. I have to finish speaking with your grandfather." Ukitake said with a higher pitched voice that he typically used when he spoke with the child.
"Otay!"
"Byakuya... Speak properly." Ginrei said sharply, wiping the smile from the boy's face.
"Sowwy, Gwandpapa." The boy frowned.
Ukitake set the boy down and he ran off to play with his ball, leaving them to resume their business beneath the graying skies.
"You shouldn't be so hard on him, Master Ginrei. He's just a small boy." Ukitake said as he rose to his full height.
"He's a Kuchiki, Captain Ukitake. It is time I look into getting him a speech coach." Ginrei softly exhaled, but his expression did not change.
"I suppose if you think that is best."
Ukitake watched little Byakuya play with his smile gone from his young face. He threw the ball up in the air and reached up to catch it, often missing it to let it hit the grass at his feet. He walked lazily through the gardens on his way to his parents' room, whose door was slightly open.
It was through that small opening that Ukitake saw a pale limp hand, dangling off the bed with no sign of life. He could see the woman's face from where he stood, but there was no sign that her open eyes were seeing anything at all. They were blank, void of consciousness and with the small boy nearly at the door, Ukitake realized that little Byakuya was about to walk in on something horrible.
With a burst of speed, Ukitake flashed to the boy and scooped him up in the same instant, wheeling around and holding the boy's head to his shoulder with a look of terror on his face as he stared hard at Ginrei Kuchiki.
"Ukee? Aw done wiff Gwandpapa?" The little boy asked as he wrapped his small arms around Ukitake's neck and snuggled down into his hair.
"Yes, Little Bean." Ukitake said lowly as he motioned into the room without saying a word.
Ginrei disappeared inside while Ukitake cradled the boy, making sure that he always looked away from the now open room.
"What's um... what's gowing on, Ukee?" The small boy asked before slipping his thumb into his mouth, leaving his head resting on Ukitake's shoulder.
"Ssh... Little Bean. We'll play soon." Ukitake said, placing a gentle kiss to the boy's hair while his heart thundered in his chest.
Ginrei soon stepped out of the room and closed the door before speaking with a servant whom immediately ran off. He resumed his noble posture with a clearing of his throat and walked towards Ukitake with a somber, distant look in his slate gray eyes.
"I must make a request of you, Captain. Can you look after my grandson for a few days until Sōjun returns from his mission? Byakuya cannot remain here for the time being." Ginrei said quietly, noticeably drawing in deeper, emotion filled breaths.
Ukitake nodded, "I will, Master Ginrei. I'll go pack some of his things."
"Wow. That's... Wow." Ichigo exhaled quietly as he rubbed his hair.
"After a few days, my father came and picked me up and that's when he explained to me that my mother had taken all of her prescriptions that she used to manage her depression." Byakuya said, releasing a slow breath that was steady. It was clear he had come to terms with this memory.
"Were you and your father close?" Orihime asked softly.
Byakuya nodded, "Very. My father somehow managed to balance his work as a Gotei lieutenant with raising me and managing his health, all simultaneously." He said.
"Your dad was sick?" Ichigo asked.
"He was gradually becoming ill, yes. It started off as simple symptoms such as becoming less and less hungry and he was losing weight, but none seemed to worry since he was always training. He was on schedule to succeed my grandfather as the captain of Squad 6 and head of the clan until one day, he collapsed. The Kuchiki family physicians treated him for heat exhaustion and told him to take it easy for a few days." Byakuya said as he drew in a long breath.
"It wasn't heat exhaustion, was it." Orihime said.
Byakuya shook his head, "It was not. He stayed home for those few days and spent time with me. We practiced and just enjoyed being father and son. It was an enjoyable few days until he was assigned to head a mission to eradicate a group of Hollow that had taken up residence near an outlaying village."
"He didn't come back, did he." Uryū said.
"Not how I would have liked him to. His developing illness had gotten the better of him during the mission and in his moment of hesitation, he was cut down. His body was returned, but I didn't get to see him before he was buried on the Kuchiki family burial grounds next to my mother... I was fifteen." Byakuya said.
"What did he have?" Neliel asked softly.
"It was never confirmed, but at the time of my father's death, the physicians were beginning to suspect that he had developed pancreatic cancer." Byakuya answered.
Orihime softly gasped, "Does that mean-"
"I am at risk, yes, but since then, I have undergone annual checks and so far, there is no indication that I am developing, nor will develop it in the future. I may have gotten lucky in that regard and followed my mother's bloodline instead of my father's." Byakuya said with a brief smile as he glanced at Nyruki whom was softly squeezing his hand beneath the table.
"Healthy?" Grimmjow asked plainly.
"Very. A genealogy was performed on my mother's bloodline and there were absolutely no major illnesses that ran in the family. I have reached my father's age at the time of his death and have yet to show signs of any developing illness from my father's bloodline. In other words, my mother's blood may have purified the Kuchiki, which was the purpose behind her and my father's arrangement in the first place." Byakuya said, managing to maintain his soft smile despite the subject matter.
"Sounds like the Kuchiki bloodline was wrought with health issues." Uryū said quietly.
"It was, as are most noble bloodlines. If not carefully monitored, the noble families would have died out due to the bloodlines being too closely woven together." Byakuya said.
"Meaning my mother is also my sister?" Grimmjow snickered.
Byakuya stared straight ahead as his shoulders slumped, "If you wish to put it so crudely, yes. The Kuchiki are guilty of such as well, but that was many, many generations ago. We started to arrange marriages from outside the bloodline with the hope of diminishing the health issues and it was working. My grandfather passed from natural causes and was the first to do so in three generations of Kuchiki. The hope was that my mother's bloodline would push the Kuchiki over the edge into the realm of stable." He explained.
"Selective breeding? You make it sound like you're a bunch of dogs." Grimmjow scowled, picking his teeth.
Byakuya released a heavy sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose, "As much as I hate to admit it, you are not far off in that assumption."
"So how did your marriage with Hisana factor into all this?" Ichigo asked, resting an elbow on the table with his head in his hand.
"Not much further than what I have already explained. Though, the clan elders were... pleased that Hisana and I did not bear children. They were concerned that if we had, we would have regressed the selective breeding up until this point to a certain degree." Byakuya said, still holding Nyruki's hand beneath the table.
"Because she got sick." Nyruki said.
"Yes. Anyone whom weds into the Kuchiki line has a genealogy performed at the order of the clan elders to monitor what health conditions are being brought into the family. That couldn't be done with Hisana because of her commoner status." Byakuya said.
"You just like pissing off your clan elders, don't you." Ichigo grinned with a snicker in his throat.
Byakuya sighed and rolled his eyes for the umpteenth time, "There was a period of time where it seemed that was all I did." He lightly groaned.
"Dude... Fuck bein' a noble. Too much damn drama." Grimmjow scoffed.
"It does seem that way at times." Byakuya sighed.
"It doesn't seem like it... It is like it! Holy shit! It's mind your manners this and look proper that and marry who we tell you to bullshit. Fuck that!" Grimmjow sneered up at the ceiling as he laid down, resting his head in Neliel's lap.
"Personally, I think it just comes with the territory. With nobility comes a certain amount of responsibility that others look up to. It's like the noble houses parent those below them." Nyruki said as she glanced over at Byakuya, whose eyes softened at the remark.
"Still... You can keep it, Pretty Boy." Grimmjow said from below the table's edge.
"I shutter to think the disaster we would face should you be in my position."
The whole table began to chuckle at the expression that graced Grimmjow's face, being a grouchy sneer as he shot up from laying in Neliel's lap. His nose had crinkled with the hard furrowing of his brow as his teeth barred, and the sneer only served to make him look more like an angry cat than he would have liked. The laughter increased until the servants came by to collect the emptied dishes and carry them away, and everyone parted ways, returning to their given rooms to prepare for the day.
While the others took turns bathing and dressing, Nyruki simply threw her hair up into its normal high ponytail and dressed for the day in her cleaned Shihakushō before stepping back out into the gardens.
The sun had risen well into the morning hours and the air had definitely warmed to the point where Nyruki knew full well that it was going to be a warm, but dry day. She spotted Byakuya, freshly showered and dressed, taking a stroll around the pond, kneeling down next to a small little house that was even landscaped around it with a spinning water wheel in front.
"What's that?" Nyruki asked softly as she knelt down next to him, snatching the corner of his custom, gold trimmed captain's haori before it dipped into the water.
"The pump house. The pump for the whole pond is in here." Byakuya said lowly as he opened the whole roof of the small little house.
Nyruki peered inside and sure enough, there was a black pump the size of a large watermelon inside, with a large black hose coming in through one end, and an exit trough on the other that took the water to the spinning water wheel.
She watched as he reached inside and checked the connection of the hoses before he opened the roof of the small shed next to the small house that turned out to contain the thick nest of filter material that was a deep shade of bluish green.
"I'll need to task one of the servants to clean this. It looks to be about time." He said quietly, pressing his fingers into the thick sludge over the filter material.
Nyruki was curious, very curious, as to what the bluish green goo felt like. She leaned in close to his shoulder and reached inside, poking her fingers into the sludge that oozed around her skin and was cold to the touch.
"Ew... This feels gross." Nyruki cringed with a heavily crinkled nose as she took her fingers back and rinsed them off in the water's flow.
Byakuya lowly laughed, "It's just algae build up. It's harmless, but if left unchecked, the pond would be consumed with an algae bloom and you wouldn't be able to see the koi." He said, smiling as he tapped a finger against the crinkled part of her nose.
Nyruki smiled, "You really care about this pond, don't you." She said, softly biting her bottom lip.
"I do... As much as I care about you." He said, looking into her amused eyes.
"You've never spent three-hundred thousand on me." Nyruki grinned as she stood and dried her washed fingers on her Shihakushō.
"Not yet." Byakuya said, closing the two small houses before standing himself.
Nyruki's cheeks softly burned from the heat of her blush, but it was easily missed by the sun's rays. He continued to lightly smile down at her as he brushed a lock of her hair from her face before leaning down and softly placing his lips to hers for a brief, but lingering kiss.
"So, what will you do today in this day of peace?" Byakuya asked, standing up to his full height and clasping his hands behind his back.
"Well, it would appear I have to move my things back to Squad 13, so I figured paying Papa a visit was in order." Nyruki said as she lightly crossed her arms.
Byakuya's smile faltered, but only slightly, "Just be wise. With Central 46's decision still unknown, I don't want them to see it as an act of conspiring." He softly placed his hand against her cheek.
"I promise I'll be careful." Nyruki smiled before placing a soft kiss to his palm.
"Good." He smiled and took his hand back.
"What'll you do?" Nyruki asked as she began to walk with him along the stone path that encircled the pond.
"I believe it's time I prepare to have this talk with my Lieutenant that I promised him." Byakuya said as he slowed their walk to nothing more than a leisurely stroll.
"What did you wanna talk to him about?" She asked as she threaded an arm through his.
"Something that is long overdue."
It was rare to have cold tea in his cup, tea that was actually brewed with the intent to be consumed cold, but with the heat of the day rising, it was a necessity.
Despite his tea being iced, it was still medicated, and the coolness of his drink felt like a welcomed embrace to his achey throat and lungs. He had had an attack of his illness while Nyruki and the others had been detained, and had spent nearly the entire time held up in the Ugendo recovering.
He had relied on Renji and Kyōraku to keep him informed regarding the others, and they had done well in giving him daily reports to help settle his mind, but with the passing of time, not much was able to calm his worry.
It was this very worry that hindered his ability to concentrate on his paperwork at the Squad 13 office, leaving him only capable of staring at the page with far too many words on it.
With a heavy, rasp laden sigh, Ukitake set his pen down and pushed himself up from his chair to stretch out his aching back. He hadn't realized that he had been sitting for so long until one of the members from Squad 13 entered with his afternoon meal.
"Lunch time, Papa." Nyruki sang with a bright, beaming smile across her face.
"Flower!" Ukitake gasped, matching her smile as he immediately wrapped her up in a firm hug.
Nyruki held him tightly as she planted a firm kiss to his cheek before unwinding herself and opened the bag.
"Does this mean Central 46 finally cleared you?" Ukitake asked, still with a bit of disbelief across his face.
"Not yet, but they let us out under the condition that we stay in the Seireitei." Nyruki said as she went to the small table that he usually kept in the corner of his office.
Ukitake followed as he sat and watched her set out the pair of rather delicious looking sandwiches she had bought from the restaurant down the street.
"I see." He said.
"Did you get my transfer paperwork?" Nyruki asked, wide eyed and happy as she sat.
"I did! Color me pleased, but I must admit I was not expecting it." Ukitake said as he unwrapped his sandwich.
"Neither was I." Nyruki said, rising to her feet to retrieve his tea from his desk before she sat down and placed it in front of him.
"It appears he finally came to terms with how he feels about you." Ukitake said, taking a sip of tea with a hop of his eyebrows.
Nyruki's cheeks shaded pink, "I think that was more... me, who did." She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.
"Are you beginning to make peace with your past, Flower?" Ukitake asked as he took his first bite.
"Yeah, and it has a lot to do with him, Papa." Nyruki said, diving into her lunch.
"I imagine. He cares a great deal for you, Flower. It has been a breath of fresh air to see him begin taking down that stone wall of his." Ukitake said, taking another bite.
Nyruki nodded to give her time to swallow her mouthful of food, "I understand better now why it was up in the first place. His childhood-"
"Oh? Did he tell you about the unfortunate passing of his parents?" Ukitake asked.
"Yeah. He told us all actually." Nyruki said with a long drag of water to wash down her food.
Ukitake's eyes widened, "Really? That's unexpected. He's always been guarded about his mother's and father's passing. They were so unfortunate and Shunsui and I really saw a change in Byakuya's behavior because of it... Especially when his father died.
"How so?... If I can know, that is." Nyruki asked, picking at her teeth with her tongue to remove a large chunk of sandwich.
"Of course you can know. He knows about you," Ukitake took a sip of tea, "After Sōjun, Byakuya's father, passed away, Byakuya shut down. He was just a young teenager, impressionable, when it happened. Nothing could make him smile anymore after that. Shunsui and I tried to fill the role, but... no amount of love, attention, or whatever we could provide would be enough to fill that void. Sōjun and Byakuya were incredibly close after his mother's death and when he was told that his father had died-" His voice trailed off.
"What happened?" Nyruki asked softly.
Ukitake gave her a somber smile as he put his sandwich down and grasped her hand, "He cried. He cried for days, just wailing in his room into the wee hours of the morning, or until he just didn't have the energy to stay awake anymore. It went on like that until Byakuya just didn't have anything left. He couldn't even feed himself he was so exhausted from how much he cried for his father."
"That hurts my soul, Papa." Nyruki matched his saddened expression.
"It hurt mine a great deal. There was one night where Ginrei, his grandfather, was gone for a mission shortly after his father died and I had stayed behind to help watch over Byakuya while he was gone because Ginrei was concerned about his well being. I was laying down trying to get some sleep, but I couldn't because Byakuya was crying so loudly in his room. I could hear it as if I were in there with him, so I rose and went to his room to check on him. He was sitting in his bed, hugging a picture of his father just screaming with a river of tears coming out of his eyes." Ukitake said as his own eyes begun to shine with a bit more moisture and his nose lightly sniffled.
"What did you do?" Nyruki asked, squeezing his hand.
"The only thing I could. I sat down next to him and just held him while he cried. He didn't stop until the sun came up and he passed out from how tired he was. That poor boy was heartbroken and I couldn't do a thing to fix it. He didn't have a sister, or a brother to help comfort him. Hell, his own grandfather was so traditional that he barely hugged the boy. Byakuya was alone from then on until he met Hisana. He had so much anger that he could barely it keep under control and it scared Shunsui and I. We thought he would snap at some point and end up hurting someone, but after awhile he just... turned off." Ukitake said as he blew out a steadying breath and dried his eyes with the sleeve of his haori.
"What's his father look like?" Nyruki asked, reaching over and capturing a single tear from Ukitake's cheek.
"Oh dear... I haven't looked at those pictures for years. Let me see if I have the album here." Ukitake said as he rose to his feet.
Nyruki watched as he went to his bookshelf and began to run a finger across the spines, quietly mumbling to himself as he read the titles. He scanned the shelves until he reached the very top, finding a dust covered old album tucked away in the back corner.
"Ah... Here we are." Ukitake said as he started back to their table, thumbing through the pages of the album.
He sat back down and she watched as Ukitake combed through the pictures, seeing several from when he and Captain Kyōraku were in the academy together, their graduation and subsequent ascension through the Shinigami ranks. She watched how Ukitake's hair grew from being no longer than his chin, to the sweeping snow white locks they were now and how Kyōraku's hair had always been wavy to the point that strongly resembled Chad's.
He continued to flip through the photos until he reached a large group photo with thirteen captains and thirteen Lieutenants.
"Finally... Here," He said as he turned the photo album to face her, "This was taken about 115 years ago. Retsu, Shunsui and I were the captains of Squads 4, 8 and 13, but everyone else was different back then... Of course the Head-Captain was the same, but still." He smiled as he pointed to himself, Kyōraku and Captain Unohana.
Nyruki returned the smile as she scanned the photo, easily picking out the four and truly not recognizing anyone else. However, the shot was taken a bit too far back to get any real detail of the others in the photo and she figured that Ukitake had noticed because he turned the page five times until he reached a photo labeled with the symbol for Squad 6.
What looked back was an aged man with silver hair and bushy silver mustache, standing up perfectly straight with his shoulders back that looked all too familiar. He had experience written all over his emotionless face, but the man next to him was a far different story.
The far younger man wearing the lieutenant's band for Squad 6, was strikingly familiar, with vibrant bluish purple eyes that reflected the smile across his face. His skin was light and his hair was as dark as the night sky, falling to a little below his sharp chin and combed neatly with a familiar kenseikan clipped onto a thick lock just behind his ear. He was on the verge of laughing and despite the glare he was receiving from the older man, it seemed he just didn't care.
"Is this-"
"That's Ginrei and Sōjun Kuchiki. The father and son team of Squad 6 at the time. See how different they were?" Ukitake said with his smile returning.
"Now I know where Byakuya got his looks from. By the realms his father was a good looking man." Nyruki beamed with a shallow giggle.
"Very much so. His mother was an attractive woman as well and the source of those silver eyes. Mix the pair together and Byakuya was the result. I spent decades listening to my younger sisters swoon over him; Always chattering about how attractive he was and such. All I ever did was plop my face into my hands and tried to ignore it." Ukitake chuckled.
Nyruki's chuckling grew into low laughter, "That's funny. Did Byakuya have a hard time at the Academy with the girls?" She found herself now enjoying the conversation.
Ukitake swallowed his laugh and nodded, "Very hard time. Oh realms, I remember during one of the Zanjutsu classes shortly after Byakuya enrolled that I was teaching and every, single female wasn't paying attention to anything I was saying because they were all staring at him. It was impossible to compete with those damn boyish looks and long black hair. I wanted to shave him bald just so I could continue the class." Ukitake snickered as he turned a few more pages of the album to arrive at a few candid shots of Byakuya.
He was young, only a teenager with precisely those same boyish looks and long flowing black hair that was tied up into a ponytail. He had huge silver eyes that were wide with expression and a small smirk on his face, holding a wooden practice sword that was clutched in both his hands. His sleeves were rolled up to his shoulders and he was locked in a combat stance, making it clear that the photo had been taken while he practiced his skills.
"Look at him," Nyruki beamed, "Boy, he really grew into his own skin didn't he." She said, looking at another photo of the same boyish Byakuya, practicing his hand to hand combat with another boy whom she didn't recognize.
"Very much so. These were the only times I could get pictures of him being happy. It seemed the only times he was, was when he was in the academy. He did not like going home." Ukitake said, returning to his lunch while Nyruki looked through the photos.
"Why?" Nyruki asked, furrowing her brows.
"He was alone at home and the only things he ever did was practice. That was it. Those were the times his temper really flared was when he was at home. Even at the academy he had his moments, but they were more easily controlled. I guess there was too many bad memories at home." Ukitake said with no more smile on his face.
"But he still lives there." She said.
"Where else is he going to go? That's his family's estate. Hisana really helped repair those walls for him and when Rukia came along, home turned into a place of sanctuary, instead of a place of contempt. He enjoys home now." Ukitake said with his returned smile.
"You know so much, Papa and I know so little about him. It really bothers me that I'm finding all this out from someone else other than him." Nyruki frowned as she left the album to rest on the table, displaying another picture of Byakuya whom was preparing to graduate from the Academy.
"It's no different than how he found out about you. You both came to me asking questions about the other." Ukitake said sweetly.
"It's like you're everybody's father." Nyruki laughed as she sneered at him with a playful scowl.
"Well, when you've been around as long as I have, it tends to happen. I was already a captain when Byakuya was born... Hell, I was a captain when Sōjun was born," Ukitake sighed heavily, "I am getting deplorably old." He frowned with a big bottom lip.
Nyruki's heart melted at the sad puppy dog look adorning Ukitake's face and she couldn't help, but get up and give him a comforting hug. She kissed his temple a few times while he wrapped an arm around her waist and started to smile wide.
"You're not old, you're seasoned, Papa." Nyruki snickered as she released her hold on him.
"Oh, hush." Ukitake goaded with a smirk and slowly shook his head.
Nyruki just stuck out her tongue as she sat back down.
"Plus... It was only a matter of time before you came asking questions. With all my years, comes experience and I know when someone I care about has a crush." He glared.
Nyruki's eyes widened, "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh yes you do, Flower. Don't think I didn't see when you first started having that little spark for our dear resident noble captain." Ukitake teased with a crooked grin.
Nyruki's cheeks burned with a blush, "Why do you have to be so observant! Stop it!" She laughed.
"Never."
As the pair laughed, a sudden knock at his door drew his attention away from their meal and conversation. He pushed himself up and went to the door, still chuckling from their conversation about the funnier moments of a younger Byakuya, only to find their subject matter had come by for a visit.
"Oh? This is a surprise. What brings you by this lovely afternoon?" Ukitake asked as he stepped aside, allowing Byakuya to step in out of the sun.
"Good afternoon, Captain. I hope I am not intruding." Byakuya said with a slight bow of his head.
"No, not at all. We were just having lunch." Ukitake said, going back to the table.
Nryuki stood from her chair with a soft smile on her lip as Byakuya approached, shifting his eyes down to the still open photo album on the table that was proudly displaying a picture of himself after having had a bucket of water dumped over his head.
"What are you doing with these?" Byakuya asked with an amused gape on his face as he glared over at the white haired captain.
Ukitake shrugged, "What? They're mine. I'm allowed to show them off." He defended, crossing his arms.
"I can see that. I remember that day well. I had just won the Academy Zanjutsu Tournament." Byakuya said as he softly smiled down at Nyruki whom was blushing quite fervently.
"Yes... Sorry about the bath. I'm the one who told everyone to do that." Ukitake grinned sheepishly.
"I figured as such," Byakuya said, studying the photos of him as a teenager, "It would appear you have been asking questions." He added quietly as he looked at Nyruki.
"To be fair, I didn't really have to ask." Nyruki said with a soft bite to her bottom lip.
"That does not surprise me. Ukitake has always prided himself that he... worked very hard to fill a void left by my father's death." Byakuya said, shifting his eyes to the smiling man next to them.
"I did what I could, but there was only so much I could do since my house is of a lower standing than yours." Ukitake said, clasping his hands in front of him.
"Lower in standing only in the eyes of societal norm, Jūshirō." Byakuya said with a modest bow of his head.
Ukitake's smile broadened as his eyes glistened with a renewed moisture, "You're going to make an old man cry."
"If you're old, what does that say for the Head-Captain?" Byakuya asked, rolling his eyes before looking back down at the photo album.
"That is a damn good question." Ukitake laughed with a quick dab of his sleeve to dry his eyes, "Why don't you sit and have lunch with us. We can reminisce a bit." He added after a moment.
Byakuya looked up from the photos and regarded Captain Ukitake for a moment before doing the same with Nyruki.
"I think I have some time to spare. Some reminiscing could be quite enjoyable." Byakuya said, accepting the chair that Ukitake brought from near his desk.
"Especially since I have all the fun stories." Ukitake's grin widened into mischief that made Byakuya nervous.
And rightfully so.