The Iced Moon Arc Bleach

by tending

Lieutenant Kuchiki has a secret. A variety of secrets that the Gotei 13 do not know until a figure of her past and present tips them off and then a story is told, a past. A past connected to the very creation of the Soul Society from the Soul King to zanpakutos. Soul reapers are not the utmost rulers after all.

20. Sudden Confessions

Pre-Note

There are Images for this Chapter.

The zanpakutō arc is said in the anime to take place centuries prior to Byakuya's existence but for this plot, he knows who Kuchiki Koga is. In this case, he was sealed when he was young.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. This is for creative purposes. I do own this plot.

Reminder: Mature-rating. Mystery-themed. Light sexual content. Crucial to remain attentive to detail. This is for Rukia and her relationships.

---

Sudden Confessions

Rukia's heart felt heavy.

Upon discussing the Soul King heart, she could feel the emotions Jushirmai collected trouble her again. To think that he sucked the reiatsu out of everyone just to contaminate the heart to this extent was unbelievable. If she closed her eyes, she would probably hear the sounds all over again, the pain of loss….it hurt to no ends.

She knew if she touched her heart with her hand, she would see the havoc which created the darkness in the first place. What right did she have to view the pain of others? None. But here it was, compiled and left inside the heart, being used as a weapon for personal gain. To carry that weight of lost souls and the feelings of misery from their loved ones was evil enough though, she had promised...yes, she had promised to protect this birthright with her life. If it was what she needed to endure, she would do it.

She couldn't lose herself 'cause of him.

---

"Rukia."

Raiden waited but he didn't get an answer. She was staring at some random spot on the ground, right hand fiddling with the chain on her neck. Her mind wasn't even here.

"Rukia."

Nothing.

"~Oh Rukiaaaaaa."

Nothing. He tried waving his hands in front of her this time but her eyes were completely lost.

"Oh mother fuck, hello?" She really wasn't paying attention.

"Rukia," he moved to touch her hand, she looked up "pay the fuck attention. You good?"

She looked at him, blinking several times to make sense of it all. It took her a few seconds to adjust to her surroundings, he figured she must've been thinking really hard.

"Something wrong?" She asked, he could see it in her eyes that she was only on her way back to reality.

"Yeah, fucking you. You good?" He inquired as he released her wrist. She nodded her head immediately after.

"Yeah, I'm fine, why?"

"Ever since comin' back from ol'Oky you've been really dazed. Is it 'cause of the Soul King shit? Ya know, the palace shit n'stuff?" Seconds went by, he lost her gaze.

She breathed. "Sort of. It's still pretty mind blowing that's all. The place was really beautiful...the fact that all along it had been on the moon and I, having visited Jushirmai for years and years, didn't even have a clue until now...it's just off putting."

It really bugged her that she hadn't realized it until he told her himself. That had been his intention when he invited her back to room 302. He offered her a tip as an 'apology'.

"Eh, I wouldn't mind it. Doesn't change much anyways, we now know he didn't create shit. It was Sensei Okasake's doing so that's a good mcfucking sign if you ask me. Back when I helped you escape, we had no clue how the fuck he did it but now we know he didn't create shit. Yeah, he might've been able to swallow the Soul Society with it and what not, but he lost points for being given the dimension in the fucking first place." He was trying to cheer her up. He knew it wasn't working but her small smile told him she was grateful for it.

"Regardless of whether he created it or not, it's still an issue, Raiden. He swallowed the Soul Society with it and who knows where else. It means that we're still under his control, he can see us and play with us like his puppets until he's bored. We have no control of our land." Rukia said, she felt too overwhelmed. How did it truly get to this?

"Since it's the Soul King Palace, doesn't the place have a control room or something?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'm guessing. I'm not as familiar with the Soul King Palace's layout, the former Sensei Okasake was very absolute with not showing anybody. Even to our Sensei."

"Doesn't that mean that it has surveillance on the shit that happens down here too—as in the Soul Society, I mean—since it is the Soul King's Palace, ol'Oky probably had surveillance on us either way."

"Probably though, having surveillance footage of us and being able to watch and mess with us are two different things. That ice really put us in a position to be watched in every corner and to act when necessary to kill. Even though he retreated from the Seireitei, what's going to happen to the Capital when it gets hit?"

"Ice was fucking everywhere, last time I checked. Capital was covered up but nothing striked. Figured he was more into targeting the Gotei 13. Captain told me earlier that the Capital hasn't been hit yet, we've got no casualties yet."

"He'll be there soon." Rukia said. "Though will he do the same thing I wonder…"

Raiden put some gum in his mouth and started chewing. "Why? You think your ol'Oky got something else up his sleeve?"

"He used his lines to paralyze soul reaper bodies and rip the hearts from their chests. Those ripped hearts added to his poison and the loss of those soul reapers gave him more soul emotions to add to his collection. A majority of his poison has a lot to do with soul reapers, even the soul emotions I've seen and felt. There isn't much sheatsu-reiatsu collected soul emotions, it's pretty much soul reaper reiatsu."

"So then what the fuck is he gonna do with us?"

"He won't spare the Capital, I know that for sure but he'll probably attempt to kill them another way. I don't think it'll be the same approach though." It was just a hypothesis. She had nothing to back up her claims except a feeling.

"Well, what else can he fucking do?" Raiden asked, irritably chewing really loudly. "I mean, our sheatsu might make us immune to him paralyzing our bodies n'shit since we're not the weak soul reaper but it can still cause damage. I mean, look at what happened to Yoruichi-san. She utilized her sheatsu and she still got injured pretty badly when it hit."

"But it didn't kill her." Rukia reminded. "Knowing that, he'll probably try to find another way to get to them. The most he'd be doing is injuring a pile of bodies but even so, there's still a lot to consider with speed. It might not even hit as many people either."

A new voice entered the scene. "I will return to the Capital with Hirosuke."

Raiden turned to the Captain who appeared behind him with crossed arms. "Mind if I join ya? Still got a whole division to run."

He nodded his head forward prompting Raiden to move before Rukia stopped him. "Wait, where's Renji? I haven't seen him in a while."

"Oh, don't get me fucking started on him." Raiden said before he pulled out two phones. "Mr fucking Abarai sent the same message to both of our phones and it still doesn't make fucking sense. It sounds like a bunch of gibberish."

Rukia raised her left brow and tapped her left foot. "How do you know the password to my phone?"

Flashing a megawatt smile, he turned to the Captain.

"Thanks." Rukia sarcastically said to the Captain before grabbing her phone. "Let me see."

"Here, it makes no fucking sense. What the fuck is this?" He said before pushing their phones together to see. Rukia couldn't say she understood it either. It took her awhile to piece some of the words together before reading it out.

"I think...he's trying to say we left him behind?" Rukia said, eyes still glued onto her phone. "Or...he left something behind? I don't know, this part really doesn't make sense."

"Really? 'Cause this part to me says he's talking about coming forward or some shit like that. Or maybe coming back? Renji really needs to learn to fucking type."

"Um….hold on, here. Maybe you're right about the coming part. Here it looks like he's trying to say he's having trouble coming back." Rukia said before looking up to the Captain.

"Are you sure he isn't saying he's having trouble coming forward, Rukia? Doesn't sound like he's in any danger to me."

She shoved him with her right elbow. "Fool, that's still a problem. If he's having trouble coming forward that means he got caught by soul reapers or assassins and he's being questioned. But how did he even…."

They both looked up. With the message Renji sent him when he was with Wildfire coming to mind and the image of the Captain and Renji leaving together coming to mind, they looked at the Captain for a response.

"You left him behind!" They both said in unison.

He flash-stepped away in response.

---

"I think you've had enough." Haru said, carrying the tipsy Major in his hand. Her cheeks were stained with the same colour as her eyes as she swayed side to side down the hall.

"I'm...fine!" She assured with enthusiasm, though she could barely walk in a straight line. Both of his hands rested on her shoulders as he guided her down the hall. "Haru, I'm fineee."

He didn't respond, leading her down the hall with no destination. He didn't know where to carry her, drunk Wildfire was the equivalent of watching an energetic child. If he left her at her home, she'd come out, he couldn't let her division see her like this either — they were in a State of an Emergency. He bore responsibility for letting her drink as much though, he knew she needed to clear her mind. She was going through enough.

He couldn't believe that Renji and that woman were alive.

It bothered him too. Not that he'd admit it but both of them leaving was odd, especially to end up here of all places.

Though, he did feel a bit more reassured that the Head Commander knew where they were. Maybe there was a reason why they left, he didn't want to completely accuse them of anything yet. The only thing that weighed on his mind was how Wildfire was supposed to process all of this. Although she had met Renji, she was yet to meet her, he didn't think she was prepared for that although she was fine with Renji.

It only meant that their relationship wasn't what he took it for initially.

Stumbling back and forth, he didn't know what to do with her. If the soul reapers saw her like this, they'd try to insult her and their kind, he wasn't in the mood for remarks about assassins as of now. Especially with someone as talented as Wildfire. They would speak as if their subordinates didn't get drunk from time to time and use the situation to look down upon them. Although he understood it was natural for them to detest them in spite of them being their superiors, it didn't mean he could accept their insults so lightly.

Bumping into Wildfire's back scissored his thoughts. She stopped walking and turned around with a frown. "Why?"

Haru waited for her to continue, confused as to why she had stopped so abruptly. "Why didn't you believe me?"

Seconds passed...

"I knew she was alive, why didn't you believe me?" She asked one more time before hitting his chest. As she did, she repeated 'why?' as many times as she hit him.

He caught her arm. "I'm sorry, Wildfire." Using her nickname, he hoped she realized he was being sincere.

Although he was suspicious, he would've never believed that she would be alive. Not after so many years and yet, she had proved him wrong. It didn't make any sense to him either though, the Head Commander knowing gave him hope.

"You mean it?"

He nodded his head in response before she giggled and moved in close. "You reeeeaaaallly mean it?"

He repeated the action again with a small smile. "Take this as a lesson, Sojuro-san. Never doubt me again, I'm your partner!"

"Sojuro?" He scrunched his brows in a funny way. She had never once used his first name in her life. It couldn't be that she was drunk — they'd been partners for years, never once in her drunkenness had she ever done that.

"Huh?" Her cheeks got redder as she giggled. "Haru, Haru, Haru. I meant Haru."

"Say that again."

Her face went blank. "What?"

"My name...say it again." She avoided his eyes as soon as he asked her to do it again. Biting her lip, she smiled.

"Haru."

In the midst of her speaking, he was already shaking his head. "No, I meant the other one."

"What other one?" Her eyes were so awake and playful. She looked so hesitant, he'd never seen her that way before. Slightly moving from side to side, it was obvious she was trying to avoid it now that he was making it a big deal.

"You know which other one. My first name." She said nothing. Instead she looked to the ground and shook her head. There was a fond sort of nervousness coming from her, this was a Wildfire he never got to see. "Why not?"

She shook her head, gaze still locked with the ground.

"You said it just now with ease, I don't see the issue. Let me hear it again."

Still nothing, just a shy smile to the ground.

"One more time or I'll call you by your full name." She looked up at him. "I'll do it and I'll make sure to tell everybody to call you Major Ira Mas—"

"Haru!" She said in disbelief. She tried to remove his hand from her wrist but he held her in place.

"My name, please."

"Haru—"

"Ira Mas—"

"Haru!"

"I told you I'd do it." He chuckled at how furious her red eyes got at the mention of her full name. It only took moments later for her fury to wash away and for a smile to resurface on her face.

"I…" she stopped speaking, gazing into his cerulean blue irises.

"You…"

"Made a mistake...I meant to say Haru." He wasn't buying it. She moved a little back as she scoffed. "I didn't...I'm.."

"You're…"

"Drunk." She responded.

"Drunk?" He responded at the same time too. The only difference being their delivery of the word.

Her cheeks were even brighter now, her eyes couldn't compare to the shade now. "Haru, look I—"

He smirked. "I don't think I've ever met a person who was drunk and admitted they were drunk like that before."

She didn't speak, he lightly hit her shoulder. "If you're sober, say so. Believe it or not, I don't think a bottle of hennessy is enough to take you down."

Biting her lip, she looked to her feet. "I just wanted an apology...I didn't think you'd give it to me if I was...sober."

"Look up." She followed. "I'm sorry. I really am, Wildfire. It's just—"

She cut him off, waving her right hand. "You don't have to explain."

Her voice was back to normal now. "It sounds stupid but, I guess," she sighed. "I was just expecting you to believe me since we're partners n'all but when you didn't, it sort of bothered me."

"I—"

"But nonetheless," she cut him off again. "You were just trying to keep me grounded in light of the whole situation. Your irritable rationalism saved me from losing face."

He smiled in response as a wave of silence took over them, neither knew what to say. Although he wanted to hear her say it again, her words about being bothered by his behavior were enough. He was glad she understood his intentions.

Her hands were still behind her back and the same warm colour never left her cheeks. Although they were no longer as close as before, one step close and they'd be back in each other's faces.

He was really glad that he had her by his side.

Attempting to break the awkward air, he reminded himself of his division who joined him in the human world. "Ah—my division and the soul reapers we…"

Her shoulders rose as he spoke. "we…"

"Major Haru!" A voice suddenly called, a few steps away from Wildfire, he was kneeling on the ground. It was his division member. "My apologies for interrupting, your excellency. I must report to you immediately. We have an emergency."

Wildfire turned to him. "What's wrong?"

"If I may…"

Haru nodded his head once.

"The Capital has been hit, it seems that the ryoka's ice is starting to attack our forces. three-fourths of the 7th Division were injured in the attack. Although there are no reported casualties, the 4th Division is reporting an abnormal substance in the bodies that are injured. It seems that instead of paralyzing the internal organs and subsequently killing the insides, his lines have injected an illness into their bodies."

"What?"

---

"Have any ideas on how we can purify the heart, Lieutenant?" Kisuke asked Rukia as she sat on the other side of Yoruichi's stretcher.

She shook her head. "Not sure, the typical 'infiltrate positive emotions!' isn't really a thing. Unfortunately, our souls only create reiatsu when we experience something negative. As a result of our negativity, it forms reiatsu which is somewhat baneful. It exists in our bodies as an entity of its own until we ourselves shed it away. Using his soul collector, he attracts the particles of the reiatsu to a better host—one where they can survive. Trying to purify the heart with regular reiatsu will have no effect on it. There's no opposite to the reiatsu which forms after we experience sorrow."

"I see. Have you tried using regular reiatsu to purify the heart as an experiment though?" Kisuke asked as she nodded her head.

"We did." She confirmed. "Captain and I had tried it a few months prior to Aizen's defeat. Although we prevented the soul collector from showing up, it still didn't form anything within our reiatsu to even counter it. We just created a temporary utopia where everyone was momentarily happy and still, nothing."

"It seems that Kuchiki and Kuchiki have been attempting to purify the heart for awhile." Tōshirō observed. "It only means that they were preparing for his arrival."

"Well, I'm guessing they had another plan." Captain Hirako said. "Don't think us fallin' from the sky was in their forecast."

"That's still a bit troubling though, don't you think?" Rangiku asked. "Lieutenant Kuchiki is probably the most knowledgeable one here about the Soul King heart and yet even she couldn't find a method to purify it."

"There's still that other method she was talking about earlier." Kensei mentioned. "So, it's not like we don't have a backup."

"She seems to be avoiding that one though." Uryū said. "I wonder what it could be…"

"Knowing Rukia, it probably puts other people at risk or something." Ichigo guessed. "It is the Soul King's heart, right? Any wrong move and all our worlds are in trouble."

Uryū agreed. "Kurosaki is right. It probably has a negative effect on all of us, though I don't see how."

"Though, if the heart's already contaminated and the Soul Society is okay, what would be wrong if we purified it?" Orihime asked, not following.

"Believe it or not, I don't believe we ever were okay." Kensei said to her. "It's obvious they've been keeping a lot from us. Maybe the assassins have been dealing with that damage on the other side."

"That seems more likely, Muguruma." Captain Ukitake said. "Given that Shima-sensei passed away about 57 years ago, it is more likely that the contamination of the Soul King's heart might've had a detrimental effect on the Soul Society. The assassins must've held it at bay."

"If you don't mind explaining, Captain Ukitake, I'd like to know exactly the role the Soul King's heart has in the maintenance of our worlds." Uryū said, the human group turned to him, waiting.

"The heart in itself is our breathing point. In conjunction with its host, it gives life to the emotional aspects of life. It conceptualizes the thoughts, feelings, desires of those around it and the wishes of its host. Maintaining the heart is very difficult as it should reside in a host with a pure heart, having been born from Shima-sensei and Hiro-sensei, who created the Soul Society with a pure heart. That being said, finding a justly heir for the heart would be quite difficult." Captain Ukitake explained. "Shima-sensei was the most suitable one to carry it."

"In that case, the heart being partly contaminated would affect the Soul Society but to what extent?" Uryū questioned before Captain Ukitake shook his head.

"I'm not quite sure. I would've never believed that Shima-sensei could have the heart contaminated." Captain Ukitake explained, sadness in his tone. "It is my fault for not speaking with him more often."

Captain Kyōraku put his hand on his shoulder. "Hey, it's not your fault, Ukitake. Shima-jii contaminated the heart 'cause of the Okasake heir, not you."

"It is no one's fault." Captain Unohana assured him. "Head Commander Okasake was a delightful fellow. He loved his son greatly however, his feelings were not reciprocated. He could not have avoided those feelings no matter what we did to make him joyful."

The Gotei 13 turned their attention to her.

"In a way, I pitied him." Captain Unohana continued. "Head Commander Okasake did not have children. He had a wife though she was infertile. I remember her, she was quite lovely — she was like the Soul Society's mother. In spite of the separation, she was still very warm to us, it was quite sad that she could not have any children. When Head Commander Okasake adopted his son, he was quite content. Although his wife was long gone, he fell for that boy so deeply. He did not receive anyone's consent before adopting him into his clan, he was so sure of him then."

"And look where it led him." Captain Kyōraku said in a low tone. "I will admit I had a lil'grudge on him 'cause of Yama-jii but, Unohana's right. He was quite a happy old man. All he wanted was a son but one wrong move and well, here we are."

"What about the other Okasake, Captain?" Isane asked. "Didn't he have children?"

"No." Captain Unohana said. "But it was by choice. He and his wife did not want children, they were quite a couple."

"Got that right, Hiro-jii and Sensei Cho were the wild ones." Captain Kyōraku with a reminiscent smirk. "Remind me to have a cup of sake with Hiro-jii once this is all over."

"You just can't take a break, can you Captain?" Lieutenant Hisagi said.

Captain Kyōraku turned to him with a smirk. "I see no harm in a discussion."

"Mind if I join you?" Rangiku asked. "That sounds fun."

"Me too!" Yachiru said excitingly. "I wanna try assassin sweets!"

"Can we get back on track please?" Kensei asked in annoyance.

"Right." Lieutenant Hisagi agreed before asking. "So, basically none of them had any biological children?"

"Well, there's still the other Sensei Okasake." Captain Kyōraku said before the Gotei 13 all furrowed their brows in confusion.

"Who?"

"Oh yeah, I guess we forgot to mention it since the Okasake twins were the big deal around the time you all found out." Captain Kyōraku said casually. "The Okasake twins had a sister, Okasake Gureta."

"That's right," they turned their heads to Captain Unohana again. "Sensei Okasake was the younger sister of the clan. She had one child, a son though, he did not last long. He died in infancy and she never tried again."

"They really don't have luck with kids." Captain Hirako said right after. "No one wonder they went straight to the adoption center."

"That and the fact they were old, Captain!" Lieutenant Hinamori said.

"Yeah, yeah." He shrugged it off.

"So, I'm guessing that's where Okasake Jushirmai came in. He probably wanted a son to have as heir and outta all kids he chose the wrong one." Ichigo said to Captain Unohana before she nodded her head.

"It is quite unfortunate that it came to this." Captain Unohana responded. "Perhaps the only kind of adoption that went right for them was Lieutenant Kuchiki's. Although she was not formally adopted, she is the only child whose life went on."

"I agree." Captain Ukitake said. "In spite of all the confusion with her relation to the Okasake clan, I'm quite glad they found her as family."

"But...didn't she sever ways with him?" Rangiku asked. They looked to her, a gloomy aura suddenly filled the air.

"There must've been a reason." Captain Ukitake said. "She looked a bit frightened to speak with him. It seems that she left abruptly."

"Are those the only family members?" Kensei asked.

"I'm afraid so, Captain." Captain Kyōraku said. "The Okasake clan were quite a small crew. That's why the Kuchiki clan is regarded as the oldest clan in the Soul Society. If you ask me, they weren't really much of a clan. There were only 3 of them in there by blood."

"Captain Kurotsuchi," Captain Ukitake suddenly called. "By any chance do you have any of your databases on you? I'd like to confirm something, with my own eyes."

"What type of database are you looking for?" Captain Kurotsuchi asked while reaching into his pocket. He pulled out numerous dark coloured pens.

"I would like to see our database in regards to all noble families connected to the assassin court." Captain Ukitake said before Captain Kurotsuchi picked out the dark green pen and threw the others back into his pocket.

"Do you really think that'll work, Captain Kurotsuchi?" Rangiku asked as he walked a few metres away and inserted the pen onto the ground.

"It's worth a shot." Lieutenant Hisagi answered for her as the Captain grumbled while he waited for the projection to load. Suddenly, a flash of green appeared and a large projection of a screen was shown. The Gotei 13 joined him as they looked up at it. Captain Ukitake walked past them until he was in front.

Addressing the screen, he spoke. "I would like you to show me the Okasake family tree, no extended families mentioned."

"What are you trying to do, Captain?" Lieutenant Kira asked from behind him.

"Nothing...I would just like to see it myself." Captain Ukitake answered with his back to him.

"You mean about Rukia?" Ichigo asked behind him.

"Yes. I know it's been confirmed and she herself has confirmed it but...this all still feels very unreal to me. You will also be able to see the Okasake family line."

The screen started to load rectangular pictures slowly. The images were coming too however, the database seemed to be frozen, it only built the anticipation even if they all already knew.

Nine rectangular spaces formed. Lines were formed to indicate the connection between them all as the images started to come too. The first image that popped out was Sensei Okasake Hiroshima. He was an old man with a silver mane, much like the one the former Captain Kuchiki wore, fair skin, with pale cyan eyes. He had a silver mustache with many wrinkles illustrating his age. Beneath it, were a few lines in regards to his position.

It read:

Head Commander, Sensei Okasake Einosuke Hiroshima

co-Head of the Okasake clan (former)

Father of Okasake Jūshirmai

Deceased

Next came the other Sensei who, being identical, looked the same except, his eye colour which leaned towards a light lavender shade as opposed to the pale cyan of his brother.

Head Commander, Sensei Okasake Einosuke Hirosuke

co-Head of the Okasake clan

Grandfather of (adopted) Unnamed

Alive

Then came their sister. An elderly woman with grey hair tied in a high ponytail with four hair loops, two on each side, with cylindrical white hair pieces on the curve of the loops. She was very beautiful. It was obvious that she had been quite a stunner in youth if her elder self was like this. A trait which caught most of their attention was her eyes. Unlike her brothers, she had a very distinct and bright cyan-green colour for eyes. If it weren't for the face resemblance, the Gotei 13 wouldn't have guessed they were related.

Sensei Okasake Gureta

Member of the Okasake clan

Mother of unnamed son

Deceased

The next two pictures were that of her husband and an empty slot for their unnamed child. Followed by the wives of the two and their images which formed a connected line to them. The next two images which formed, were the ones that the Gotei 13 dreaded the most.

A picture of Okasake Jushirmai appeared. Iris eyes, long black wavy hair with bangs, the same cunning smirk, the same attire he wore when he had revealed his true face.

Okasake Jūshirmai

Member of the Okasake clan

Son of Okasake Einosuke Hiroshima

Unknown

And then...the one Captain Ukitake had been waiting to see all along...His Lieutenant. She looked just like she did now, though most of her hair. With a small smile on her face, Captain Ukitake did not know what to say. The picture confirmation made it all real.

Unnamed Rukia

(Unofficial) Member of the Okasake clan

Granddaughter of Okasake Einosuke Hirosuke

Deceased

Captain Ukitake closed his eyes.

"So Kuchiki wasn't joking." Tōshirō said, noticing the 'deceased'. "She really is dead to them."

"That means she faked her death." Uryū said.

"But why?" Orihime questioned right after.

"I got no idea." Ichigo muttered, staring at the image until it felt real. She really was an unofficial associate of the Okasake clan. Hearing it was one thing but seeing it with his own eyes was different.

"Maybe that's why Nee-san's afraid, Ichigo! If she faked her death, maybe he doesn't know that she's alive." Kon said on his shoulder.

"Can't be." Uryū said to him. "The former Captain Kuchiki mentioned that he hadn't seen her in a while. Kuchiki-san also asked him if he asked about her—it implies that he knew she was alive, I'm guessing they just didn't talk."

"She mentioned that she left him abruptly." Captain Ukitake said though his eyes were still glued to the screen's projection. "I just...I wish I knew what happened."

"If that's the case, why isn't her status written as unknown then?" Lieutenant Hisagi asked. "Why is she written as deceased if he knows she's alive?"

"Maybe it was a really bad argument." Rangiku said.

"Or the fact that our database is limited." Captain Kyōraku proposed. "We don't really have a clear database that is accurate with the Capital. The most we have are the basics, this database is just for a general overview. It'd be nice if we did but this is all we've got, it could be outdated."

"It sounds really off but, what if he helped her escape from there?" Captain Hirako asked. "Ya know, write her as deceased so no one would go looking? Like, I figure they would go after her if she just disappeared I mean, legally or not, she's still his granddaughter, right?"

"Could it have anything to do with the Okasake heir?" Kensei asked.

"You mean, letting her run to escape him?" Ichigo asked.

"I don't know about that one." Captain Kyōraku said. "Lieutenant Kuchiki is clearly not as simple as we thought her to be."

"So what are you saying?" Ikkaku asked.

"Wait it out." Captain Kyōraku said. "She already told the younger Captain Kuchiki that she wasn't a runaway bride."

"She could be lying." Captain Sui-Feng said. "She has lied before and she will lie again to protect herself."

"But the whole point of bringing the younger Byakuya back was to tell the truth, no?" Ichigo asked before turning to Captain Kyōraku. "I think you're right. Let's just wait n'see."

"Better than trying to make theories out of nothing." Uryū agreed.

---

Noticing Byakuya at the far side, Captain Ukitake took the opportunity, amidst the Gotei 13's chatter to approach him.

He knew he had to talk with him eventually. He did not wish for him to endure any more surprises with the Gotei 13, given how involved this situation seemed to be in his inner circle. Although he was no expert, informing him of the little facts—including the Common Kuchiki Law—were significant. It was bothering him enough that he didn't know much about the situation. At least, he needed to be ahead on some things.

He figured he was still displeased with him the moment he closed his eyes upon him coming closer. He shared fault too though, he had kept her younger brother a secret in compliance with her wishes. He didn't know how things could get this far. He feared it would only get worse.

"Byakuya-kun…" He did not expect a response from him, his silence just indicated what Jūshiro already knew. Though, he did not move away.

"I would like to," he breathed. "inform you of some things before anyone else finds out. I do not believe it is right that you're the only one who was kept out of this."

Without a response, Captain Ukitake continued. "The family tree the Gotei 13 saw isn't entirely accurate. Although I asked for it to not show extended family members, it should've shown certain people but it didn't. Our database won't show us those people although they are involved. I would like to tell you personally about what I know."

"Now, I'm sure the younger you is already aware of this though, he's made no comment in regards to it. He would've read it in that book Kuchiki gave him of your family's alliance with the Okasake clan. I'm sure Ginrei already covered that with him in private. That is why I would like you to know now."

He inhaled to exhale. "Sojun…." he started to say, letting the name settle for a bit. He never imagined himself doing this until now.

The name alone already piqued his interest, Jūshiro could tell. "Hiro-sensei was Sojun's godfather."

Byakuya's eyes flung open immediately and met his.

"Your family alliance is much more personal than others. Hiro-sensei was Sojun's and your aunt's godfather, Shima-sensei was their god-uncle. Your families have always been close to blood, prior to this relation and after."

Byakuya's stare only encouraged him to continue. "Although I'm not completely sure of this, there is a chance that Kuchiki knew of him too. I'm not sure if it is to the extent of her relationship with Ginrei-dono however, seeing how close Sojun was with his god family, I'm quite positive they knew of each other too. I figure we'll find out eventually however, I do not wish for it to be a surprise to you. You are already...going through a lot."

"She mentioned his name earlier." Byakuya said, it took him by surprise, he was not expecting him to speak to him. "In front of the quincy, she addressed father by his position (AN: Strangers: Are We?).

Captain Ukitake looked down. "I see. It seems that she did know Sojun as well."

"Now, I know I kept her younger brother from you but I would've never imagined that she would keep this much. I can't say I know anything about what she's hiding though, given her relation to the Okasake clan, I have an idea as to why she might've kept what she did."

He said nothing, so he continued.

"...I do not think it's right that you were kept from this nor do I agree with her secrecy. I understand why it might bring some discomfort to you however, there is something that she mentioned earlier that I've been wanting to explain to you. I'm not quite sure if you heard her say it earlier since Ginrei had cut her off but there is something you need to know which may have stopped her from telling you."

They locked eyes and suddenly, Jūshiro didn't know how to continue.

"Well...you see...Ginrei was very resolute in keeping you away from the assassins. In spite of Sojun's pleading, he did not wish for you to know about the organization, he did his best to avoid you being involved at all costs. Eventually, he decided to create a law. A law which would ensure that you would not know or have any involvement with the Okasake clan and the assassins. The law was titled the Common Kuchiki Law, it read that anyone, starting from you, to any future Kuchiki would not be made aware of the Kuchiki clan's history involving them nor would they have any relation to them. He criminalized the idea of anyone informing you, especially you, about anything to do with them. It ensured that you would never be made aware. Given that Kuchiki was initially from the Rukongai, I'm quite sure the elders in your household banned her from speaking about it in relation to this law. Though, we now know that even if they didn't, she was already aware of it given how close she is with Ginrei-dono. Now I know her saying that she kept this from you because of Ginrei-dono is hardly justification however, when I think of it in that light, I understand. Ginrei-dono was very against you knowing this. The fact that Kuchiki managed to convince him is a miracle."

Byakuya said nothing for awhile, he only stared at him.

"Why?"

Captain Ukitake didn't know what to say.

"Why did grandfather wish for this to be kept secret?"

"That is something," he put his hand on his shoulder. "only Ginrei and Sojun would know of."

"If you were to ask me prior to all this, I would say that perhaps we'd never know however, given that he is here, it changes things. When we leave from here, you will know." Captain Ukitake assured. "Although I don't know how she managed to do it, she did. You have every right to be upset with her and I am not asking you to pardon your anger because she helped. I just want you to be mindful that the Common Kuchiki Law existed and how against he was of you being aware. It seems that Kuchiki tried very hard to convince him too, when he didn't, it seems that she was left with no choice."

He removed his hand. "I know you're probably going through a lot, especially with the execution affair however, I would like you to know that I am here. And that, you should not think your efforts were wrong at that time, we all learn eventually. Although I did not agree with you at that time, I've come to understand why you might've done what you did. It is not something to be ashamed about, Kuchiki forgave you and you learned something from the experience. I would like you to stop thinking in the sense you're thinking in if you are."

"I made an oath to father and my mother to oblige by the law."

"I understand, Byakuya-kun, I do. If you are...worried about what your father would've done, I'm asking you not to worry about that. We do not know the nature of their relationship, they might've just known of each other, there is a possibility that it was nothing like what she shared with Ginrei-dono. She didn't stay there often and spent her time in the Rukongai. He might've just known her, there is nothing as of now which proves that they were close as she and Ginrei-dono are."

"I know it is hard to not let it cross your mind however, you are burdening yourself with too much if you think that way. We do not know what their relationship was like, it is safe to say they were merely acquaintances given her informal relation to the clan." Captain Ukitake said. He didn't want Byakuya to stress over things that were not even confirmed. He was already dealing with a lot, he did not need to feel guilty for his actions.

Stepping away, he spoke. "I will give you time to think about this. I just hope you understand my advice."

---

"You are annoying." Byakuya commented, arms crossed in front of her. She looked up at him, unsure of why he was frustrated this time. The fact that he came all the way to Ichigo's stretcher just to voice that meant he read something he was displeased with. "Is that your reason?"

"Huh?" Bringing the apple down from her mouth, she waited for him to continue.

"You are the protector of his birthright and entered my clan to conceal yourself?"

Rukia shook her head. "No, I told you. I didn't enter your clan with anything having to do with him."

"I do not believe you." The same thing all over again.

"Well, it's the truth." Rukia replied before looking down again. He didn't respond this time, he just uncomfortably stood there, she didn't know why.

"Why is it that his birthright got entrusted to your hands?" He questioned, this time she didn't look up.

"That's a question for Sensei Okasake, that hardly has to do with me."

"Well clearly it does. You are not his blood, you are not an assassin, the only relation you share is the fact that you are from the Rukongai. Although you are his unofficial granddaughter, that is not enough to entrust you with something like this. You are also the Okasake heir's fixation, it does not make sense." He argued.

It won't make sense to you.

She looked up at him. "Well...when you meet Sensei Okasake, you're welcome to ask him anything you'd like about this. I really have nothing to say."

"You do. You just do not wish to say it for whatever reason." He countered as she smiled.

"You're very persistent, would you spare me your questions and return to your reading, please?" She asked kindly though he did not move.

"No. You are educated enough on the matters of the Soul King. I have read through your explanations of the Seavens, you are knowledgeable to a great extent of these things. You are only a Rukongai resident, truthfully I do not know what you have to offer to know all of this."

"I've got nothing, Byakuya." She assured. "Nothing at all."

He didn't say anything for a few seconds, although he did not show it he was surprised by her answer. "Seeing that you agree, why do you think you were entrusted with all of this? I would not like to believe they entrusted you with this information solely because they liked you."

"Didn't I tell you to ask Sensei when you meet him?" She asked, eyes falling on the journal she was reading yet again.

He swallowed. "You must have an assumption."

"I don't. I really don't know what I did…" she met his eyes again, "...to be this cursed."

He was taken aback. "Cursed? You believe you are cursed?"

"It is a curse." She responded as she turned a page. "To know is a gift but also a curse. To feel is a gift but also a curse. If possible, I'd like to free myself from this curse. I wish to be free."

"Is this due to the Okasake heir?" He questioned. "I understand that he's been a part of your life for awhile."

She shook her head. "Not only him, Byakuya. There's nothing that was ever given to me without an underlying problem. Again, none of this will make sense to you but it does to me. Although I am grateful, I am cursed."

He didn't say anything this time, only staring at her for a bit before speaking. "You were entrusted with great knowledge. Is it not insensitive to wish that you were not that being?"

"I said I was grateful. It's not everyday you meet someone who has faith in you and trusts you enough to leave their most prized possession to your hand. I'm not saying I don't treasure this as a gift, Byakuya. It's as I said before, to know is a gift yet a curse, to feel is a gift yet a curse, although I've accepted these things as curses, I've also accepted him as gifts."

"You do not speak as if you value it." He accused.

"Well how would you know whether I value it or not?" She questioned, he found himself flustered again because it was true. "We've only known each other for a few days, you haven't gotten to the personal aspects of my book nor have I really spoken about it either."

"I suppose...you are correct." He grudgingly admitted as he unfolded his arms. "Your...explanations are rather detailed. I presume it is your fascination with them. Though, I would like to know what this place is."

Rukia's eyes perked up as he pulled out her quotebook and flipped to a certain page. Pointing at it, she looked. It was a sketch of hers of a place that she and only she knew of.

"That…?" She asked. Out of all things, she wasn't expecting her rough drawing to pique his interest.

"Yes." He confirmed. "I suppose you do not have a picture given that you drew it and coloured it in. What is it?"

A close-lipped smile grew on her face. "It's a place called the County of Reincarnate Souls."

His eyes sparked at the name before meeting her eyes. "Reincarnate souls? I did not think such a thing could exist."

Standing up, "maybe one day I'll show you it myself. It's a really pretty place, I'm sure you'd find it fitting."

"Is it not open to the Gotei 13 or the assassins?" He questioned while she moved around him.

"No, it's not a place open to anybody." She said, putting the journal inside the box.

"So then how exactly do you" his eyes narrowed at her "have access to such a place?"

Although it wasn't the reason she knew of it, it was the only plausible answer she could give.

With her back to him, she spoke. "Are you forgetting that I'm an unofficial member of the Okasake clan?"

His chest rose. "Well...no," he cleared his throat. "I did not."

"So..?"

"Well...I did not think you had access to such benefits." He said as she turned around.

"Why?" She questioned. "Even though I'm not an official member, that doesn't mean they didn't treat me like family."

He looked disappointed in her for a mere second. "What was the point then," his eyes were on the ground. "...of joining mine then?"

"Huh?" She wasn't expecting it. "I...told you, Byakuya. I had my reason to do so."

"Which is?" He questioned right after.

"I won't tell you." She said with a smile before turning around. "How about you help me with some of these boxes and when I'm ready, I'll tell you anything you want about the Seavens or the Soul King?"

A few seconds went by before his arms were down and he was nodding his head. He picked up some boxes near her foot and followed her as she led him away.

"So," he started.

"Yes?" She asked, a little bit ahead of him.

"How did you lose your arm?"

Rukia answered his question in detail as she led him through the cabinet into the human world.

---

She was awake.

Although she was familiarizing herself with her surroundings and her eyes refused to open, she was conscious. It took her a few minutes to understand where she was and what had occurred. Naturally, her body felt quite groggy after being laid to rest for days so she didn't force any movement. Instead she tried to remember what had occurred, had she really been asleep for this long? She couldn't know — her memories were only slowly starting to piece together as her eyes finally opened.

She saw red.

Many red rocks which formed a very far away ceiling. The memories of being in this dimension were coming back and would've been fully recovered if it weren't a familiar—and occasionally annoying—voice which continued to call her name.

"Nee-san! Nee-san! Nee-san is awake!" Turning to her left, she saw the face of her younger brother already shedding tears and Kisuke behind him with a smirk. They locked eyes.

"Well, well, well welcome back, Yoruichi." Kisuke greeted behind him as her brother tried to control his tears.

"Kisuke?" She called. "How long has it been?"

Before he could answer, a shrill voice blasted in her ear. "Nee-san! You were asleep for over a week!"

Kisuke chuckled before calming the boy down. "Easy, let's not speak too loudly, she just woke up, Yūshirō-san."

"Huh?" He turned to him. "Oh right, sorry Nee-san. But you were injured pretty badly, I'm glad Dr. Oswald was here. He fixed you right up."

Although her neck was a bit stiff, she tried to move but failed. She could feel the bandages around her stomach where she had been hit. It didn't hurt anymore, it felt like nothing was there.

"He's right, he did a pretty good job at healing you. It'll take a while until your skin grows over but he figures it'll only take a few weeks 'cause you utilized your sheatsu." Kisuke informed.

"Right…" Yoruichi said as she attempted to sit up.

Yūshirō gasped. "Nee-san! Be careful! Don't overwork yourself!"

Before she could say something, his hands were already at her shoulders, helping her up.

He was annoying at times but he was sure damn useful.

Everything looked like the way she had left it. There were a bunch of stretchers lined next to her with the Gotei 13 and although she didn't spot them, it seemed like the regular group of people she had entered with were the only ones here.

A week later and nothing had occurred.

She turned to Kisuke. "Seems like I didn't miss much."

"Well, actually, Yoruichi. There are a few things that you should be aware of…" Kisuke began, mischievousness laced in his tone.

"Oh?" A smirk formed on her face. "Like what?"

Yūshirō's face was bright red, unsure of what the exchange in front of him was implying.

---

The younger Byakuya followed Rukia out of the white cabinet quietly.

He did not understand this woman at all. No matter how much he tried to make sense of her decisions and whatever he had come to learn while being here, nothing made sense. He figured he would have to continue to pester her in order to make sense of everything, it was very clear that she was still holding herself back.

A lot.

Though he understood she was going through a lot, he still needed answers to his questions, how long did she expect him to remain in oblivion?

Approaching Ichigo's stretcher, he stepped in front of her to stop her.

"So," he began. "Grandfather."

Rukia scrunched her brows. "What about him?"

"You seem to have a very special relationship with him."

"How so?" Rukia asked.

"Well, it is very clear to me that you argue with him often. You also speak to him very comfortably, I'm presuming because he had his share in raising you."

"Or the fact that he's an easy person to disagree with." Rukia said before she smiled. "It's just harmless bickering, Byakuya."

"That is exactly my point. Grandfather does not 'harmless bicker' in your words to just anyone. You speak as if you are same age friends." Byakuya said which Rukia was about to respond to before he suddenly asked—"unless, you are the same age as him? And this appearance of yours is fake."

"What?" She asked. "Byakuya! You're older than me."

He looked away. "I do not know that."

"Wha—what do you mean? You've been around the younger me, you're both close in age." Rukia reasoned in disbelief.

"I do not trust you." He re-stated. "I do not know what you'll pull on me."

"Byakuya." She called in a disapproving tone. "That one's a bit of a stretch, don't you think?"

"Well, I do not know that. I am trying to become immune to your surprises, you may be part hollow, part serpent, part quincy, I simply do not know." And although that was somewhat reasonable, accusing her of being the same age as his grandfather was insane.

If it was not for the strong winds that suddenly gusted around them, she would've responded.

"Is it the cleaner again?" He questioned as the wind grew stronger. It became cold—freezing cold to anyone who didn't own an ice-based zanpakutō.

Looking up, the whirlpool was starting to form. It was a whirlpool she had seen many times before, this whirlpool was the soul collector.

Her hair flew left and right in her face, her own fringes of hair halting her vision as the wind grew stronger. Noticing how unsteady he was, she pulled the back of his uniform and moved him closer to her.

"What is that?" He asked as Roger formed a barrier around the Gotei 13's bodies.

"That.." as the whirlpool grew larger and a bust sound was heard, forming a cylinder yet again with those who had sheatsu, she continued. "...is the soul collector."

Lines of their reiatsu were taken out of them, flying into the dark whirlpool as it spun around. The wind got stronger the more it collected.

Noticing that he was outlined with green, he looked to her. "Why aren't you…" the words stopped as he realized she did not have her pet with her.

"Where is your pet?"

He turned his head from left to right before spotting the serpent sitting on a vacant stretcher, emitting a barrier to stop the stretchers from moving.

Rukia looked up at the whirlpool, watching how many soul emotions he was sucking out of them to put into it. Whatever feelings of uncertainty, sadness, or anger they felt while being down here were just being drawn into the dark hole made of water.

She didn't know what to do. The heart was truly at risk of being irredeemable if this many were ever to enter it.

She made a mental note to ask Jushirmai to tell her where these soul emotions ended up. He must have a space where they're kept away. Or perhaps she'd do her own sneaking around the next time she visited him. Not that she could do a proper investigation given his surveillance of the place.

"I presume this is all from us." Byakuya observed.

She nodded her head, eyes never leaving the whirlpool. "Uh huh."

"So that's how he does it." Uryū said, looking up at the large whirlpool in the air as it spun.

"Could it be from his zanpakutō?" Lieutenant Hisagi asked. "He's using water."

"I can't say I'm sure." Tōshirō said while looking.

"Hold up, you mean this thing has been sucking out our reiatsu for who knows how long and we never felt it?" Ichigo asked while looking at the reiatsu which left their bodies and followed a curved line into the hole.

"It's sheatsu-based." Captain Sui-Feng briefed.

"How long does it go on for?" Kensei asked, not really expecting an answer from her.

"It varies. It depends on the amount of people in a given area." Captain Sui-Feng, surprisingly, responded.

"That's really our reiatsu…" Isane said while looking up. "I didn't know we formed a different type when we felt...negative."

With her hand in the middle of her chest, she peered down at the ground.

"The guy's been feeding on us." Ichigo reinstated. "Using our misery, stuff that not even we're ready to admit too, he's been taking our reiatsu to fuck with the heart."

Captain Unohana agreed. "Given how long he's been around, at times of hardship, he must've used those moments to his advantage and stole whatever he could to poison it."

The Gotei 13, now feeling quite overexposed, watched the display of white particles enter the whirlpool. He had taken advantage of their raw moments, used their feelings for personal gain.

The pain of loss, it was a sentence that Lieutenant Kuchiki had mentioned a few times. He truly embarked on breaching these moments of vulnerability to savour the pain of loss. It meant that he had robbed them of their poison without empathy, it was funny.

For someone with no heart, he was chasing after one so eagerly.

"Kuchiki-san wasn't kidding when she said he had millions and millions of soul emotions collected." Uryū said. "He has more than enough to challenge the heart's purity."

Ikkaku found himself glaring at his Captain's body. He didn't think a man as ruthless as him could have any feelings of negativity. It was strange.

The fact that Yachiru, laying beside him, had some reiatsu flying out of her too made him wonder.

Ichigo figured his body was releasing all the frustration he had felt with this situation to begin with. Confusion, anger, frustration, it was all there being freed. To think that his body retained that much poison in him made him wonder what had happened to his reiatsu when his mom had died. To think whatever he felt then created reiatsu which was poisonous was a lot to digest.

How many did he steal from him then?

Orihime sorrowfully stared at her own body. She could easily identify all the emotions which were used to form that many reiatsu particles. She could name every single one, it was poignant to think that this was what she was made of.

Seemingly everlasting innocence on the surface and buried insecurity and sorrow underneath.

Byakuya did not look at his body. He did not need to know, for what he felt, if that were ever an activity he found himself doing again, was private. He would deal with the Okasake heir in regards to thriving on the last time he felt something later.

Though, he knew there were a pair of eyes watching it.

Uryū realized that he was shedding the emotions he felt as a quincy amongst the soul reapers surrounding him. There were more of them alive. The thought in itself was miraculous. There was a group of his kind that were alive, a place where he belonged to. He eagerly wanted to talk with the quincy, Arigawa Raiden, about them. If the assassins took them in, there was a prosperous future ahead of them where they could live without...uncertainty or fear.

There was a place where he belonged. A place he desperately wanted to visit. A place with people he wanted to see.

The person who could aid him with that was right in front of him. She was the person with arguably the most reiatsu flying out of her. It was Kuchiki-san.

"She's giving out a lot." Uryū acknowledged, scanning the Lieutenant who's face he couldn't see. Her black hair was flying freely in her face and with her head up to the whirlpool, he had no chance of even catching a glimpse. The most he could see was her right cheek and the occasional reveal of her right eye.

"It is most likely the stress. She has been enduring a lot." Captain Ukitake responded, staring at her softly. While he did not understand her reasoning for keeping so much, he could confidently say he knew a lot about how his Lieutenant's emotions worked. She was going through a lot though, she did not show it.

Hang in there, Rukia, Ichigo thought. He would talk to her, he would do his best to ease her mind like she did with him all the time. It was clear to him, even before all this, that she had been through a lot of pain. He saw it in her eyes when she spoke to his body, she wasn't okay. She was probably stressed more than anybody. He didn't know how to comfort her while he was here.

The appearance of Byakuya's grandfather caught everybody off guard as he approached Rukia and the younger Byakuya. Reiatsu was flying out of him too but given that his body was made up of Byakuya's and Rukia's reishi, he didn't know whether they were flying out 'cause of him or them.

He was glad the younger Byakuya was there to ask his questions.

"You are giving out some too." He acknowledged.

"Blame," he gestured to Rukia, who turned to him.

"Not my fault." She defended. "You're the one who asked to use my reishi. You should've known what you were getting into."

"You used her reishi?" Byakuya questioned, his right finger pointing at her.

"And yours."

"I see." Byakuya responded before looking up to her.

Her hair drifted back and forth as she locked eyes with him. "He didn't tell me he was using it."

"I did not know I needed permission. Besides, it does not matter now. You legally belong to my clan." He was never going to let that go.

"You had it written before all of this was a thing." She reasoned.

"You made it a thing. I was brought back when it was a thing."

"Not entirely by choice." She responded, pushing some fringes of her hair away from her face.

"As if you would not have offered it."

"And how do you know that?"

Given that they were distracted, Byakuya found himself smiling at both of them—though he did not know why, it was quite odd to see this type of interaction. From her to him, the small smile did not go unnoticed to Ichigo who was standing close by.

"B-Byakuya….a-are you...smiling?" He couldn't believe his eyes. The sighting was so unreal. Byakuya was...smiling. Byakuya could smile, first of all. But he was smiling, his lips were actually curved and smiling. Byakuya could smile.

"Uh…." Ikkaku said next to Lieutenant Kira. "...is he..?"

Tōshirō's eyes sparked at the sudden...action.

Kuchiki can smile. Kuchiki can smile….Kuchiki can smile. Kuchiki IS smiling.

He's attractive when he's serious and he's attractive when he smiles, Rangiku thought. The Kuchiki clan got amazing genetics.

The 6th Division Captain is evidence that being pretty will take you anywhere. When he smiles, he's pretty, when he's serious, he's even more pretty. He is recognized for his great skills and his prettiness that simply does not fade, Yumichika thought.

"Well...that's something we haven't seen in awhile." Captain Kyōraku muttered.

"Byakii is smiling!" Yachiru cheerfully acknowledged. "Byakii can smile!" She cheered before turning to the Captain at the far left with his eyes closed. "Byakii can you smile now please?"

Captain Ukitake blocked the sight quickly. "Now, now let's settle down." He politely said as the soul collector wrapped up.

The whirlpool became smaller and smaller until it was nothing anymore. The wind ceased, leaving the group near the stretchers and the Gotei 13 in peace.

---

4th Division

House of Healing

Lapis Lazuli / Naginata

"Secretary of State Yuming! The unknown substance has caused internal bleeding in the brain! It seems that most of our patients started to bleed shortly after being treated, they've been rushed to the ER! We must operate immediately!" The nurse belonging to the 4th Division's House of Healing unit spoke while kneeling down.

The Secretary of State of the 4th Division looked down at the alarmed nurse, sitting on the table while swinging her short legs. Nodding her head forward, she gave her permission to continue. The frantic nurse scurried out of the room to begin operating as the Secretary of State of the 4th Division, a distant relative of the noble Fēng family, Yuming—a child no taller than four feet and four inches—sat on the desk and sucked on her lollipop.

The petite Secretary of State had grey-coloured hair with two strands tied to the back and clipped with a big, gold cage-like hair piece adorned with red flower designs. With dandelion yellow eyes and crimson blush on her cheeks, she was the youngest individual (by appearance) in history to be a part of the 13(7) Divisions.

In spite of still being a child, she had lived for quite a long time.

Jumping off the desk, she headed into the waiting room of the medical barracks to see a clutter of loved ones waiting anxiously. The best she could do was smile and cheerfully let them know that things were going to be okay.

"Most of the 7th Division are in the operating room now!" She cheerfully briefed. "Have faith in your families everyone! I'll be back shortly!"

She merrily skipped out of the waiting room with a few members of her division flash-stepping behind her to follow her. It seemed she already knew it before it was announced.

There was going to be a meeting.

###

8th Division

House of Peace

Emerald / Su Yari

"Head Commander Okasake will likely announce an emergency meeting soon." The Secretary of State of the 8th Division, Yano Botan—known as Yano-Botan professionally—acknowledged as she folded some more blankets to give to the kids in the Rukongai.

The woman looked to her husband, Major Yano Shinsuke—known professionally as Yan Shinsuke—who laid on the couch next to her. She stood next to him while she carefully folded the blankets she would package and deliver to the Rukongai.

With his head resting on the arm of the couch, he pulled out a cigarette and lit it up with a lighter, needing a moment to think.

A puff of smoke left his mouth as he mentally cursed the guy for interrupting. With the Capital silent, he had finally gotten some time to spend with his wife though, in the midst of their activities, the Capital had been struck and yet again, she had pulled herself away from him.

His tone was dull. "As expected."

He wouldn't let her know that he was disappointed. It was his mundane personality which drew her in most of the time.

"Fix your clothes." She chastised as she moved some of the blankets into a box.

"It's just my chest, no big deal." He responded blandly, still looking at the ceiling.

"And your hair." She noted as she walked back and forth.

"Barely tugged it." He muttered, arms beneath his head as a pillow. He only moved his hand when he needed to pull out the cigarette to blow.

"I'm guessing the 3rd Division's Research and Development-Q1 and the 12th Division's Research and Development-Q2 are already on the case of the ice. Reports from the 4th Division detail great injuries. Instead of paralyzing us, he poisoned us." She remarked while sealing the box in rising frustration. "I mean, how untimely."

He eyed her back. "If you were mad about him interrupting, should've just said so."

The cigarette remained at the corner of his mouth as he watched her from behind.

"Interrupting?" She questioned before turning around, a semi-folded blanket in her hand. "Interrupting what?"

In a calm voice he spoke, eyes back at the ceiling. "Sex."

With a disapproving expression, her lips formed a straight line. "That's all you think about."

"'Cause we never do it." He said in the midst of a yawn, stretching his arms out. He was really getting older, huh.

"That's a blatant lie." She denied, moving to the boxes near his head. "We did it last week."

"Last week?" He scoffed. "Too long."

"Find yourself a mistress then." She simply responded before moving away yet again.

"I'm not the type." He responded lazily as he sat up, lightly brushing his hair with his hand.

"Then deal with what you get." She huffed, refusing to look at him. Shaking his head, he stood up and grabbed her arm—pulling her to him. Rather surprised by his gesture, she looked up at him.

He took the moment to admire her a bit. She had bright lime eyes, long lashes which were his favourite, a small dimple in her left cheek which occasionally came out when she smiled, long hair tied into a high ponytail, the colour of wine. Her appearance fit her name so well. Botan. He remembered when he thought she was a push-over 'cause she was so into plants.

She proved him wrong. And they were married.

Stepping away, she put the box down to fix his uniform. Pulling the sides of his kimono, she covered his exposed chest and adjusted his black, sleeveless haori without staring at him.

"Maybe…" she murmured, a splash of crimson appearing on her cheeks as she patted his shoulders, "...for five minutes."

She didn't need confirmation, she just took.

Slowly backing him up to the sofa, with her hands to his chest, she climbed onto him and kissed him aggressively. Their heads vigorously challenged each other as they kissed each other hungrily. The Major smirked against her lips, an action he did not do in any other setting but this.

It was gonna be another wild one.

If not for the sudden interruption, he would've probably thrown her on the floor and ripped her clothes off from there however, today was just not his day. Their lips broke a part once a presence entered the room.

"S-Sensei Kyōraku!" Secretary of State Yano gasped in embarrassment, lifting herself off her husband.

The elder woman looked to her with a smirk.

"Interrupting something?" She asked with a sly grin.

"This is really not my day." Major Yan responded, still sitting on the couch. The cigarette was back in his mouth again as he sprawled his legs and laid back.

The elder woman had no shame. With her lips pursed, her emerald irises met the middle-aged couple with a satisfying glare. Her hands held onto the cane situated between her legs, her short straight hair was slicked back, with gold earrings ringed with emerald—similar to that of Major Li Shira—on both ears. She belonged to the noble Kyōraku family, she was an elder who had lived for quite a long time.

The Sensei of this division.

"We were just…" she didn't know what to say. They were in a State of Emergency and here she was about to make love to her husband.

"There will be a meeting soon." She informed. "I'm sure my Major and his Secretary of State will be there."

She was quite amused by them.

"Of course." Secretary of State Yano confirmed, still appalled by the fact that she had almost caught them in the full act. "Shinsuke, tell her."

"What are you worrying about?" He questioned with ease. "The woman was probably watching us from some far corner."

Sensei Kyōraku smirked. "You do know me well, Shinsuke."

"W-What?" She was so embarrassed. "You...were…"

She bowed immediately to apologize as the elder woman turned around. "Come, we need to chat."

That honeyed voice was unsettling. Next time she was ensuring that all doors were closed before she ever did that again. She did not care for his pleading. They would do it when they were in a private space and at an appropriate time.

Hurriedly, she followed the woman to the door. She was surprised when she just elbowed her and flashed a square package, gesturing for her to take it. The SOS was quite perplexed as to what it was until the writing became clear. It was a con—"Sensei!"

"You have 15 minutes. I will be there at the meeting." She kindly said though her words came with a teasing grin.

Botan shook her head. "I apologize but I refuse. We are in a State of Emergency. It would be wrong for us to even think of doing such a thing. I...am really sorry you had to see that."

She leaned in. "I'm not."

Botan blinked in disbelief at the woman's...enthusiasm. "By the looks of it, you are more in need of it than him. Go. Relieve yourself a bit."

"Sensei, I cannot." She refused, pushing her hand away.

"You have my permission, as long as you don't get as loud as you usually do in here. The division members will start to wonder." By now, Botan's face was beet-red—the same hue as her hair, only lighter.

"S-Sensei, you could hear…?"

She winked in response before placing it into her hand. "15 minutes. That's it. The meeting won't be finished by then, I'm sure our Head Commander has lots to review with us. Slip in quietly and do not give it away."

"Bu—"

She hushed her before glancing at her husband smoking on the couch. "He'll be cranky too. Might as well give it to him while you can. It will be awhile until the Capital is normal again. This may be your last chance."

Closing her hand over the package, she grinned. "Take it."

Opening the door, she entered the hall.

Bidding her farewell, the devious grin never left her. "Take care of Shinsuke for me."

Botan couldn't believe what had just happened. Closing the door, she covered her face in embarrassment. She was truly never giving in again.

Noticing the shadow growing in front of her, she turned around to see her husband all dressed for the meeting.

"Let's go." He muttered and although she knew it was wrong, actually it was very wrong, completely wrong, she hated him and her for making her do this.

"Oh, shut up, you idiot." She huffed, ripping open the packaging with her teeth.

His fatigued eyes stared, unimpressed. "We got a meeting to go too. You can yell at me later, let's gooo—ooh!"

Before he could finish, his back was to the floor and his wife was on top of him.

Contrary to his division's assigned responsibility, this house was barely a house of peace.

###

9th Division

House of Pleasure

Diamond / Navaja

"Done and Done." The Secretary of State of the 9th Division, Ume said to herself as she posted her next two posts onto her special website. It would be awhile until she could film again, in her neon blue-lit room, she closed her laptop and stood up.

The bell was ringing outside. There was a meeting again. Though this time, it was concerning the Capital, she had to go. Upon leaving her room in the 9th Division's barracks, her eyes fell to her division members who were waiting for her, on their knees.

"Mao-chan left?" She questioned them.

"Yes!" They replied in unison.

She slouched before putting her phone into her short, white trench coat. "Sad, she could've waited."

"S-Secretary of State Ume?" A member of her division, on his knees, called. She glanced at him with her dark blue eyes, his cheeks were flushed.

He cleared his throat and shifted his attention. "There is an emergency meeting in the 1st Division hall, Level 10. All the Senseis, Ministers, Majors, and Secretaries of State are expected to be present. The attendance is mandatory."

"So?"

His eyes spot open. "U-Urr...well. You're expected to attend, Secretary Ume. The order came directly from Head Commander Okasake."

"I know." She responded, holding her midnight blue overcoat over her right shoulder. When he didn't say anything back, it prompted her to bend down to him, the entirety of the division became red.

"You were listening were you." She smirked. "Why do you think I stopped?"

"I wasn't—" His eyes fell to her neck before slowly moving down. She was a very...enticing woman—a quincy who wore a short white trench coat with thigh-high white, occasionally black, stockings, depending on the day. Her almost blue, almost black hair was long with curtain bangs framing her face (AN: her appearance is based on Bambietta Basterbine). Sai blades ran up the back of her coat, following the assassin uniform, while a Captain's cap rested on her head.

"Seems like you were." She then moved to the woman kneeling in the front line, three persons to the left. "You too."

Immediately she bowed down. "F-Forgive me, Secretary of State Ume, I-I wasn't thinking…" she looked up. "I…."

"No, no, no, don't be ashamed. You should've joined me, I do it with girls too ya know." She responded as she began to walk past the kneeling group. "Left a few tapes in 103, enjoy, ladies and gentlemen."

She walked out of the door and headed out. She was surprised to see that many people were still outside, it was like nothing was happening.

The moment the 7th Division went down, it seemed like only division members permitted outside to fight were allowed to be hanging around, however, looking down, it seemed like everyone was being chill about it. It was like there was nothing to fear.

The ice aside, it was still freezing cold, she didn't know how they could handle it, unless they were ice types. Even with her overcoat now on, she couldn't avoid it. She figured she'd stop by the Research and Development Bureau to do something about her coat later.

It was ridiculous how freezing it was.

Only sometimes she wished that her element ability was fire or ice. Either one would work in this situation, either fire to heat herself or ice to not feel anything at all. It made her wonder if her thunder and lightning element could do anything about it. Like many quincies, she was still yet to fully explore the extent of her abilities.

Turning to her right, she was surprised to see the Secretary of State of the 10th Division and fellow quincy, leaned against the wall.

She stopped. "Cang Du?"

He didn't glance at her, his attention solely to the ground.

"What are you doing here? We have a meeting." She chided, clutching his left wrist and moving forward.

He didn't move, his stillness pulled her back. "I'm not going."

She turned around, still holding onto his wrist. "Why?"

"I'm not an ally of soul reapers." He stated. "I don't care what the reason is, I won't help them."

Loosening her grip, she took a step closer to him.

"He didn't call this for them. We still have an issue to worry about, ya know Okasake Jushirmai, this ice, and what the hell we're going to do now that we're without that woman. It isn't about them, it can't be."

"You realize that Wildfire, Major Haru, and Major Li were all assigned to the Seireitei in the absence of the Gotei 13."

She sighed. "It's called being friendly, a trait our Head Commander unfortunately has. Besides, the last thing we need is soul reapers involved in our business. Holding them at bay for awhile so none of them can disappear and try to start something is a good thing."

"And if that friendliness continues, what do you think will happen?" He looked to her. "Do you think that we'll be able to handle our situation without another party?"

"Soul reapers are too weak to be involved. None of them have sheatsu nor do any of them understand the severity of our situation. They probably think it's no big deal, 'woo-hoo there's a ryoka who was in love with somebody'. They won't be able to understand any of this, not only are they weak but they're also stupid. My only problem here is that Lieutenant he's involved with. Unexpected to say the least."

"He wants the soul reapers to fight." Cang Du replied. "That Lieutenant was most likely just a pawn."

"Apparently she ran away, must've been another one of his obsessions. Who knows?"

"There's people who will probably want to involve themselves and go after her."

"So?" She responded idly. "Not like they'll make it. They're soul reapers, it's a suicide mission."

"But who will give them permission to be involved if they so happen to return? That friendliness of his is becoming our enemy."

Her voice was soft. "Listen, Head Commander Okasake might be friendly but he's our Head Commander, not there's. He knows how we feel, he's the reason why we're even here right now. He wouldn't involve people who have no business with us. If the soul reapers want to go fling themselves into Hell, so beat it. The most Sensei did was leave the Seireitei guarded, in no way did he say that he was involving them. In a way, it benefited us that it happened anyways, they now know we're their superiors and the quincy race is still being protected."

"And what of the Lieutenant?"

"Who knows where she is, she could be dead. She's just an obsession or as you said, a pawn. Doubt Sensei is ready to go against all of us for her. If soul reapers want to go find her, they can. I hope Jushirmai kills them all. Sensei won't give them protection, he doesn't need too."

"Although she's a pawn, she still has some relevance if she's an obsession." He reminded.

She shrugged. "Doesn't matter, Sensei would've probably dispatched a few of us to go find her if it was serious. He probably thinks the same too. He didn't even mention her last meeting, Minister Asa's little niece, Secretary of State Asa, was the one who spilled the beans. That tells me, she's not a big deal."

Turning around, his silence told her that he was contemplating though, she wanted him to come. Given the situation, she figured that anyone who didn't attend without a legitimate reason was going to be banned from participating in the whole thing. "So come. Isn't it better than getting banned from this? The meeting is mandatory. Your division's got no Major or Sensei and Secretary of State Ingrim is still sick. You're putting your whole division in trouble."

With that, she walked away, his image from behind becoming smaller and smaller as she headed towards the 1st Division barracks.

He wasn't dumb enough to do that to himself, was he?

###

5th Division

House of Management

Lapis Lazuli / Katana

"Shiori, can you hear me?" The voice of her Major, Wildfire, asked through the walky-talky device in her left hand. She was approaching the 1st Division's meeting hall with her Major, who was dispatched to the Seireitei, on the line, not wanting to miss anything.

Surprising to say, she was the quiet one of the duo. Her Major kept trying to act like her older sister and talk to her about personal stuff but Shiori wasn't interested. She didn't think it was necessary to become friends with your Major. It was all work. If she switched tomorrow, eventually that so-called 'bond' would fade.

The only reason she complied with her and called her 'Wildfire' was because everyone else did so too. She wasn't a fan of talking, it made her wonder why she didn't end up in Major Li's division, she barely spoke and hated everybody. Thinking about the 4th Division now made her realize they were living the dream.

"Shiori?"

"Shiori? Did the connection break or something?"

Bringing the device to her lips, she spoke. "I'm here, be quiet."

"Well, how was I supposed to know that if you weren't answering?" She questioned over the intercom.

"Our sisterly bond." She sarcastically noted.

"Ha, ha. I don't think you talk to me enough to have that telepathy, Shiori."

She didn't even have to see it, her Major was probably fondly smiling at her through the device.

"We have a guest." She announced but she already knew who it was.

"Secretary of State Ouchi, hello." The voice of the 6th Division Major appeared.

"Don't you think that's being too formal?" Her Major asked to the other one.

"Why? Isn't calling her by her first name too informal?" He questioned to her, she really wished they were not together over the call. She didn't need to hear this.

"If it was anybody else, sure. But I highly doubt my Secretary of State gives a crap about what we call her."

She did her best to drown them out.

She really hoped they would never marry.

That would be much worse.

Much, much worse.

Entering the main area, she walked down the velvet red hall in the gold-lit room to the gigantic doors. The two assassin guards moved away and the doors automatically parted. Almost everyone was here, lined up according to division and positions. Finding her way to the 5th line, she stood in the place her Major would be standing in if not for her absence.

###

1st Division

House of Judan

Citrine & Aquamarine / Sai

The knocking sound of a cane to the ground started the meeting.

"We have 16 casualties reported, all from an unknown substance. A toxicology report will be expected from the 3rd Division's connected department, the Research and Development Bureau no later than tomorrow evening. We still have many who are alive and are being treated in the 4th Division's barracks. 4th Division, disclose your discoveries."

Secretary of State Yuming slightly stepped out and bowed. "Sir, the members who were attacked fell upon contact with an injected substance. The substance was transferred through the ryoka's ice, immediately shutting down organs and instigating internal bleeding. Upon transfer, most patients experienced recurring coughs, migraines, and were unable to speak after treatment. Shortly after being treated, they were sent to the ER after internal bleeding began in the brain. While most came out alive, the 16 casualties were a result of the bleeding."

She stepped back into her position.

"12th." He ordered right after.

Raiden, Secretary of State of the 12th, stepped out with a member of the Research and Development Bureau-Q2 behind him. "Ah geez, this fucking ice has no counter to it. Heat won't work, it has a barrier around it to freeze any-fucking-thing that does attempt to melt it. You can't cut it either, it just grows more. Considering its speed, there's no doubt in my mind that if we get more divisions out there, the lines will just inject them with shit and have them lying in the 4th Division room indefinitely. He's got eyes through it, he'll know when to strike."

"He's been silent though." Sensei Kyōraku acknowledged with a menacing tone, her emerald irises peering at him. "He hasn't attacked the Capital ever since. Why do you suggest that he's been quite careful with us as opposed to the Seireitei? We still have people walking around here."

He turned to her.

It's 'cause of fucking Rukia you evil witch.

The woman was always after him for some reason.

"Well how the fuck should I know? Do I know him? All I know is that ice is motherfucking wild. It's his motherfucking eyes, alright? He sees us through that and knows when to attack." He told the Sensei before Wildfire intervened from well...somewhere.

"He's telling the truth!" She spoke from the intercom, her Secretary of State raised it for everyone to see. "He saw it for himself in the Rukongai!"

Looking at the intercom, he smirked. "Thank you, Wildfire from...fucking somewhere."

The sly woman just shrugged lightly with her arms crossed. Her voice sounded so delicate and yet so sinister, it didn't help that she was always wearing that same grin. "Just a question."

"Right." Raiden rolled his eyes. "Anyways, it's not shit you can mess with. Now forget the fucking soul reapers for a minute, he did different shit to them 'cause our sheatsu is strong enough to counter whatever the fuck he did to them. The freezing, the paralyzing, the ripping the heart out thing, and even whatever the fuck he injected was different. With us, he had a different intention and that's to fucking immobilize us from doing shit."

Major Haru spoke from the intercom device. "If his intention is to immobilize us than it seems he is more after soul reapers than us. He created allies tailored specifically for the Gotei 13, he doesn't view us as the enemy right now but he will if we're to interfere on the wrong side."

Wildfire spoke right after. "It seems like he's trying to get us to fight soul reapers instead. No one has broken into the Capital yet, he's treating us like he doesn't want to fight us. But it seems like his treatment's got meaning. If we fight, we're fighting soul reapers. The only other scenario where we get involved is if he gets to his birthright. Otherwise, it looks like he'll just leave us for now which is pretty dumb if you ask me."

Secretary Ume stepped out the line with her arms crossed, visibly annoyed. "Dumb is right. He created allies for the Gotei 13 but he's treating us like we won't be able to touch him. Really, it should be the other way around. The soul reapers will crumble easily!"

"It might be different if we somehow get involved and ruin his plans with the soul reapers." Major Haru responded to her. "I'm sure he has a backup plan just in case."

Cang Du suddenly appeared in his spot in line. "The quincy race will not be involved in anything regarding soul reapers. We're better off waiting to fight him then to go looking for a challenge."

"If you ask me, if we put ourselves in that situation—as in, find his dimension and go into it—won't he do stuff to stop us? There's no way he isn't prepping for us." Shiori said to the group.

"Shiori's right." Her Major said through the intercom. "But I do think that if we do that, he'll consider it betrayal. The thing is, he may be after the shinigami but he's got nothing to do with the Gotei 13's disappearance."

"What?" They all questioned at once.

"Ira and I found the Head Captain when we first got here. He admitted to us that he was responsible for their disappearance and that he doesn't want them in the way either." Major Haru informed.

"If that's the case, then why isn't he doing anything to us? Their Head Captain surprisingly did something to work in our favor and he's just chillin' out there as if he knows they'll somehow be involved." Secretary of State Ume said. "You can't really be tellin' me that he's waiting for the Head Captain to bring them back just so they can have some relevance here."

Cang Du looked at her. "It's the fault of whomever that Lieutenant is, he probably thinks that the Head Captain will eventually release some of them to find her. As leader of the Quincy Recruit for Specialized Quincies, I won't let my kind be involved in a matter where soul reapers are present. If that man becomes their enemy too, we will indirectly become allies."

Raiden clenched his fist lightly at the mention of Rukia. The last thing he wanted was for them to get into that, especially when Wildfire knew she was alive. Over the intercom, she could say anything. She could reveal it to them in an instant and by then, there was no turning back. Part of him wanted to believe that she wouldn't say it in spite of how sad and angry she had been though, emotions were involved...she could say anything.

In a honeyed tone, the grinning Sensei shifted her eyes to the left of her where the smaller, Secretary of State was holding the intercom. "Given that you're there, did you perhaps find anything on the Lieutenant?"

Raiden looked directly at her. He was clenching both his fists tightly now.

What a fucking witch.

"...No." Wildfire responded softly, he prayed that the woman wouldn't fucking ask why her voice changed or anything. She was literally more venomous than a fucking snake.

If this pulled through, he reminded himself to thank Wildfire later.

"That is not needed." The hoarse voice of Sensei Okasake responded. Sensei, you're a motherfucking hero. "She has no relevance."

"If you say so." Her voice cooed as the flash-step of a woman in her line caught her attention. "Major Li, did you find anything on the Lieutenant?"

"No. She is not important." Her eyes were closed to indicate her agitation with the woman's cheerful tone. "If Okasake Jushirmai hasn't attacked our allies, I see no need in willingly involving ourselves. He touched the Rukongai, that is the only area in connection with us that he has hit and even so, his attention was not on us. We will become involved if he gets to his birthright, otherwise we stay put."

"I agree." Secretary of State Ume turned to her. "We have no reason to involve ourselves at this time. Besides, it's not like he'll ever get to his birthright. That woman is dead."

A member of the Research and Development Bureau-Q2 behind Raiden addressed her. "But given that he's caused some disruption to the Soul Society implicates that he may have some information. He could be ready."

"Eh, it doesn't add up." The voice of the 2nd Division's Sensei, an elder woman from the noble Shihōin clan, said. Her light lavender eyes looked to everyone on the other side. "If he's ready, his war should be with us. He should've approached the area where the Soul King spirit is being held. He hasn't—there's something up."

Raiden cursed himself when that elderly woman opened her mouth to speak again. "It seems Yori-chan agrees with me, there is something peculiar about this and I believe it has to do with that Lieutenant."

Her emerald eyes locked with his.

This motherfucking asshole I—

"What are you saying?" Secretary of State Ume asked her though, her Major slightly behind her answered for her.

The lime-green haired woman hair styled in a long bouffant and sparkling baby blue eyes spoke. "That the Lieutenant can aid him somehow?"

Her gaze never left Raiden's. She hummed in response.

Ume looked to her immediately. "But what can she do? She's just a soul reaper, there's no way she'd know anything about this. She's probably just another obsession."

Shira, who was not too far from her, responded. "It seems like you know nothing either. Okasake Jushirmai has never had an obsession with a soul reaper."

Fucking Shira, shut up! You knew her goddammit. Don't fucking put her in this.

"She isn't a hybrid." Major Haru stated through the intercom.

"So then who is she?" Secretary of State Ume questioned.

Sensei Kyōraku let out a satisfying moan. "Secretary of State Arigawa, perhaps would you like to share anything with us?"

This motherfucking bitch is always trying to get me in some shit.

Raiden scoffed. "Now what the fuck would I know? Do I look like I'm interested in some fucking soul reaper he knows? Sensei already said she's irrelevant, so she is. Done deal."

Nobody said anything for a few seconds. Secretary of State Ume was the first to speak.

"Maybe..." she sighed in defeat. "Arigawa's gotta a point. We aren't conspiracy theorists, if she isn't involved, she isn't involved."

"My Sensei does bring a legitimate point though." It was the 2nd Division's SOS, a member of the Li family, Li Shin. "We shouldn't just agree with anything."

Raiden raised his two arms up and then down in frustration. "So what? You wanna spend time chasing after some fucking Lieutenant now?"

"Well, what more do we have to do?" Major Yu asked, next to Secretary Ume. "If we're not being attacked, we might as well find out something."

"We're getting ourselves involved if we do that. Don't you see? She's bait." Cang Du said to her.

"There's no harm in chasing it." Major Yu responded. "We need excitement."

"For you maybe but I'm a quincy and no quincy will be involved with soul reapers." Cang Du immediately said. "If we've got people to fight, I'm there but I'm not interested in anything to do with soul reapers."

"I'm down for fighting, fuck everything else." The 11th Division's Major, Karro said. "I'm not fucking with any soul reaper. It's a waste."

Turning to the Head Commander, the Major of the 9th Division spoke. "I still see no harm in merely investigating it. It could surprise us."

Pushing up his glasses, Sensei Seo of the 7th Division spoke for the first time. "I see no harm in launching an investigation too. The more knowledge we acquire, the better. If our members are uncomfortable, they do not need to participate in the inquiry."

"Thank you, Yōsuke." Major Yu said to him before the young Major behind him stepped out.

The short teenager with tanned skin, glowing red eyes, and very, very long black hair spoke. She was a shapeshift-breed. A bat type. "It's still something connected to our situation. The remaining members of the 7th Division can handle the investigation. Isn't that right, Shin-kun?"

The Secretary of State of the 2nd Division just made a sound in a response.

Cang Du looked down at her. "It's a waste of time."

"Besides, don't we have fucking Jushirmai to worry about too?" Raiden asked right after.

There was no way he could let them investigate the Lieutenant. They'd find out it was Rukia all along and this wasn't the time for them to find out about her. She was already going through enough.

"I'll be there when he's ready to fuck with us. Y'all can do what you want with the Lieutenant." Major Karro said, uninterested.

Fixing her clothes a bit, the Secretary of State of the 8th Division spoke behind her Sensei. "I'm fine with her being investigated too. I only know that her last name is Kuchiki. If she's related to Okasake Jushirmai, there's a chance that she, being from that family, may know something we don't."

Fucking Yano-Botan this isn't the time! How the fuck do you even know she's a Kuchiki?

"A Kuchiki?" Secretary of State Ume questioned, the name held significant meaning in the Capital. "Sensei Haruyoshi, do you know anything?"

The elderly man with a low-fade, slick back haircut and light lilac eyes met the Secretary of State's midnight blues.

Sensei Haruyoshi was the Sensei of the 6th Division, a division legally belonging and directly under the Kuchiki family who used to operate there as well. Following the family's departure from the Capital, the division's positions were handed over to the Haruyoshi clan. One which he was the Sensei of and his son, Haruyoshi Sojuro was the Major of. Though he had not been in contact with them for a while, he would've known if there was any woman like that inside the family.

Stepping forward, with his own cane, he spoke. "I do not know of any Lieutenant or member of that family having relations to Okasake Jushirmai or our kind. There is a law that prohibits any member from being aware of our kind. It is unlikely."

"Still, she's a Kuchiki, that's quite a big deal, don't you think? Sensei Kuchiki, Major Kuchiki, and Minister Kuchiki may be long gone but that doesn't mean that it's impossible for any member to find out." Major Yu said.

Shira addressed her. "If you underestimate the intelligence of Minister Kuchiki Ginrei, you are a fool."

"I thought the Kuchiki clan only had one family member left." Major Abha said. "Kuchiki Byakuya, he's the Captain of the 6th Division."

Sensei Seo looked down to her. "There's a possibility there may be more, if that Lieutenant's surname is really Kuchiki, it probably wasn't written down on file. They severed their connection with us long ago."

"I would like to participate in the investigation if it is launched." The 3rd Division's Major, a woman with dark short hair tied up in some mess ponytail, bold eye shadow—layered in purple, yellow, and orange—lips painted with some wine colour, and round black glasses, disclosed. She belonged to the House of Knowledge and ran the Research and Development Bureau-Q1. "It's vital we're aware of all personnel involved in this. Even if she doesn't become useful."

Raiden hated this. He understood why everyone was up and ready to go after her but, this couldn't happen now. If they found out she was the same person, he didn't even want to hear what they'd think.

It didn't help that the Sensei of the 8th Division was after him every second of the fucking day. Before he could even formulate another fucking thought she was at him again. "It seems like most of us are in agreement to investigate the Lieutenant, Secretary of State Arigawa, do you have any objections?"

Her honeyed voice had to be the most annoying thing in this world.

"Yeah, 'cause it's a fucking waste. We should be focusing on other shit, not random fucking soul reaper. Cang Du is right, she's bait. Why the fuck do y'all wanna launch us into the sun like that?"

Secretary Ume paused. "But Arigawa, if that woman is a Kuchiki, what's the harm in checking it out then? I mean, I doubt she knows anything but if he went after her, might as well know some things."

"Are y'all forgetting we don't have any fucking information on what that woman left behind?!" He asked her.

They were silent for a moment.

"There is a possibility it exceeds even the knowledge of our own Head Commander." Shira monotonously added, Raiden looked to her.

Thank you, fucking finally.

"But even with that thought in mind, if she left nothing behind for us to use, what can we do?" Major Yu said to the Major.

"There must be something we can find." Sensei Seo attempted to lock eyes with the 3rd Division's Major but she ignored him.

"We aren't going to find anything. I already went through whatever she has left, there's nothing there to tell us anything." She argued.

"But how do we know that?" Sensei Seo asked her but she refused to look at him. "It might seem weird but what if that Lieutenant has something in relation to that?"

Raiden looked to him, stop bringing in the fucking Lieutenant. "You're tryna tell me that she left important shit like that with a soul reaper who just so happens to be a Kuchiki?"

The Sensei was about to respond before an unexpected voice, through the intercom, spoke. "She was adopted after that woman died, she's not related to the family by blood."

"And?" Sensei Kyōraku asked.

Everyone looked to the intercom. "...It wouldn't make sense. It's...too much of a coincidence."

Sensei Seo put his hand to his chin. "Hmm, I suppose it is but...I still believe it is right to check her out."

"Head Commander!" Sensei Seo and the 3rd Division Major, Imamura Lynn called at the same time. "I'd like to handle the investigation."

Upon speaking simultaneously, they looked to each other—one cold and one warm glance were exchanged.

She pushed her glasses up in annoyance. "I think it would be more appropriate if my division handled this investigation, Sensei Seo, our division belongs to the House of Knowledge and runs Q1 of the Research and Development Bureau. It would not make sense for you to handle this. You should be focusing on finding a vaccine for your ill members housed in the 4th Division."

"Why can't we just do it together?" The young Major of the 7th Division questioned beside her Sensei. The child's glowing red eyes looked up to the woman in curiosity.

Major Imamura leaned back, "w-well—"

"The 7th Division should handle this. We can't find a vaccine until the Q1-Research and Development Bureau evaluate the poison." He said to the Head Commander before turning to her with a grin. The woman sneered with her eyes in response.

"I will have you know that we are doing our best to evaluate the substance and figure out its origin. It's interesting how the alleged House of Medicine can't even do that."

"We work together." He fired back calmly. "One can't do its job without the other."

"The most you do is look at our research and run clinical trials to test the vaccine. We're the ones doing all the research for you, I'm quite unsure why you're even a House."

"We wouldn't be a House if we weren't needed." He responded before Raiden's voice intervened.

"This investigation is a fucking waste." Raiden cut her off. "Cang Du, some fucking help, please?"

"I've already said enough. The rest is up to you all however, no quincy will be involved."

"But Secretary of State Arigawa, if I may ask, why are you so sure that we won't benefit from this?" Secretary of State Yano-Botan asked him.

The gaze of her Sensei was on him too.

Her husband behind her shrugged. "I don't see the big deal whether we do it or not."

His eyes rose to the messy black-haired Major with bright blue eyes and stubble. "I do. We're chasing after the wrong thing."

"But what if that wrong thing turns into a right thing?" Botan questioned him.

He understood why they wanted to do this but fuck, he couldn't afford them finding out now. For the first time, he literally wanted to beg Okasake Jūshirmai to attack this place.

"It's harmless." Major Yu repeated again. "We're limiting ourselves if we don't."

Raiden looked to Major Yu for the longest time. His stare running from her hair which changed into black when she battled to her scintillating powder blue eyes which changed into brown.

He would've stared at her longer if it wasn't for the irritable Sensei of the 8th coming back to him again. "It seems like everyone but you and Secretary of State Cang Du are against this."

Raiden was about to open his mouth but the 5th Division's Secretary saved him. "I find it useless too, to be honest."

They looked to her. "We're wasting our time."

Secretary Li was about to question her but Wildfire cut him off. "I agree...with Shiori."

Haru rushed to respond too. "Me too."

"I'm neutral about it." Major Yan said behind his wife.

"I don't give a shit either." Major Karro of the 11th said right after.

Secretary of State Ume stared at Raiden for a few seconds before answering. "I guess...I'm against it too. We shouldn't care. I don't want us to look desperate either."

"Doesn't matter to me." Secretary Yuming answered with her sweet high-pitched voice easily earning fond looks from the lineup.

"Hey, listen," the Sensei of the 2nd Division called, uncaring. "It's still suspicious. The way he planned this still doesn't make any sense but I won't fight it if you all don't do it."

Her Secretary of State, Li Shin spoke right after with his eyes closed. "I would like the investigation to be conducted."

"Me too!" Major Abha said right after while looking at him but he didn't pay her a glance.

"Me three." Her Sensei said right after.

"I want it done." Major Imamura confirmed.

"I do too." Secretary of State Yano-Botan said.

"It's better if we do it." Major Yu said right after.

"I don't want any quincy involved." Cang Du simply stated.

The 3rd Division's Secretary of State was about to speak for the first time but the late arrival of the 13th Division's SOS, Nana, caught their attention. Blowing her bubble gum, she entered the line.

"You're late." Major Imamura scolded. "We are in the middle of making a very crucial decision."

The SOS just blew another bubble. "Not like I didn't show up. Have the same energy when Major crazy gets here."

"Anyways, about the Lieutenant. Do whatever you want with her but I think it's a waste too." She responded, Raiden silently thanked the curly haired woman clad in the standard uniform with a black choker and a sleeveless haori of her own, though she wasn't supposed to wear one. "When Major crazy gets here, he'll probably agree too."

"I disapprove of the investigation." The elder voice of Sensei Haruyoshi said. "The Common Kuchiki Law prevents any member of that clan to be aware of our existence. We are insulting them by investigating."

"It's a better step to do it." The Secretary of State of the 11th Division finally said before the numbers were suddenly tallied.

7 Ministers

7, now 8 Senseis...only 4/8 active (discounting Sensei Okasake).

13 Majors, only 9 active...8/9 present.

14 Secretary of States, 12/14 active, 11/14 present.

To launch the investigation or not?

2/7 Ministers agreed.

3/4 Senseis agreed.

5/9 Majors agreed. Major Haru, Wildfire, Major Shira, and although it wasn't confirmed, the 13th Division's Major were included to disagree.

7/11 Secretary of States agreed. The ones to disagree being Secretary Yuming, Ouchi Shiori, Ume, Cang Du, himself, Nana, and Minister Asa's young niece.

Tallied up, the votes were 17/28.

Majority votes indicated that the investigation would be held. They all turned to the Head Commander awaiting the final decision.

---

"I guess it wouldn't be that bad if we leave." Rukia said to her younger self who wanted to do some exploring elsewhere.

She couldn't disagree. This place was becoming an eyesore. Red rocks, occasionally light enough to look like merigold and apricot, were the only thing that made up this dimension. There wasn't much to it. She understood why the younger her, being in the future, would be more interested in seeing other things.

Sode No Shirayuki appeared by her side. "Where shall we go, Rukia-sama?"

The younger Rukia looked up to her, the same human beverage she had been consuming a lot lately in her hand. "The World of the Living was pretty interesting though, because of the heat warning, everyone is supposed to stay at home. Jushirmai couldn't take me places 'cause of the order."

Rukia smiled. "That's okay. When this is all over, I'll make sure to take you to some places we end up knowing in the future. But for now, since our choices are limited…"

For some reason her eyes caught Byakuya sitting next to his body, engrossed in something that was not her book. She was reminded of the County of Reincarnate Souls. That was something the younger her was yet to know about. Surely it would be a wonderful experience, it would make up for staying within this plain dimension.

Looking down at her younger self, she spoke. "Actually, I know just the place."

Her eyes perked up with the straw in her mouth. "Really?"

Rukia nodded her head before calling, "Byakuya."

He looked up. "You said you wanted to see the County of Reincarnate Souls, right? Join us, we're going for a stroll."

He scanned her face for a few seconds, contemplating. Setting the book aside, his eyebrows furrowed, Rukia prepared herself for whatever he wanted to accuse her of next.

"I would like the company of my zanpakutō." He ordered, standing up.

"Byakuya, do you think we're going to kill you or something? Relax, we're just going for a walk." The younger Rukia said beside her before slurping.

"Silence. It is merely a safety precaution."

If it were anybody else, Rukia would roll her eyes but given that it was Byakuya, she let it slide. Instead, she turned to his freed zanpakutō spirit and smiled. "Very well."

"C'mon Senbonzakura!" The younger Rukia and Sode No Shirayuki called at the same time. The fact that they were ordering his zanpakutō made him infuriated again though, he decided to let it slide...this time.

With his eyes closed, he slowly headed towards them. "Do not order around my zanpakutō. I have brought him in case of an emergency."

"Byakuya, we won't hurt you. Why would we even try?" Rukia asked.

"I do not trust you. You could very well be lying about your intentions." He accused. Both Rukias just sighed and turned around, they decided it was best if they didn't take his accusations to heart. None of them made sense anyways.

Though, if it wasn't for his short temper and the question which flew out of his mouth, they wouldn't have stopped and answered.

"Is Rukia even your real name?"

They both stopped and turned immediately. "Yes."

Their tone slightly intimidated him, not that he would admit it, but he was taken aback by how quickly they had answered.

He cleared his throat. "Well...I was just making sure."

"I told you I wasn't a spy." The younger Rukia sounded like she was whining but she was. How could one person be this difficult? Okasake Jushirmai, who?

"Come on," Rukia said, her voice indicating her exhaustion. She opened up the white portal with her hand and waited for Byakuya to join them.

"This could be our chance to enter the portal and follow her, let's move." Uryū guided, heading towards the portal quickly. Walking through it, the Gotei 13 had no idea what they were yet to discover however, the name itself did sound intriguing.

What was the County of Reincarnate Souls?

---

The place was so magical, the younger Rukia was at loss of words and so was he.

Upon passing through the senkaimon, they saw cotton white clouds floating above them, a thin translucent smog engulfing them as they walked on a very pale peach ground.

As the gloom drifted away, they saw a beautiful arrangement of probably thousands of glowing white circles that were scintillating in the air. A pale splash of colour found in each one of them ranging from pastel mint to lemon yellow.

The sky above was bathed in light pinks, it was so beautiful—it was everything a human might imagine heaven to be. The silvers and pinks were accompanied by a periwinkle purple which beamed its only thin light on the thousands of floating circles.

It was so warm and beautiful. Although neither knew where exactly they were, it was a place that felt undeniably buoyant.

"Wow…" The younger Rukia said beside her, her jaws dropped as she scanned the area. From the soaring circles to the brilliant pastels.

"This place…" Byakuya was quite speechless himself as he observed his surroundings. Whichever words he had planned to say right after, disappeared with the soft breeze.

How fascinating.

Sode No Shirayuki gestured for her young wielder to take a walk with her, leaving Rukia and the younger Byakuya side to side. His eyes followed the circles which swayed and inserted some odd circle, emitting minsicle ice particles.

Rukia looked to him with a grin. "This is the County of Reincarnate Souls."

She felt proud that she managed to impress him. Though his eyes were still following the dances the small circles made in the air, she knew he heard her. He was so entranced by it. She reminded herself that teenage Byakuya was still a child and with new discovery, came great fascination.

Following his gaze, she spoke. "These circles you're seeing…"

"What are they?" He inquired.

"These are souls." She felt him look at her but her eyes remained on the dancing spheres in the air. "To be more specific, these are souls that passed over but due to some strange abnormality, they were never able to form into their original body from the human world."

"Really?" He asked.

She nodded her head.

"So what happens to them then? Do they just stay here?"

"No, they eventually leave. Their souls stay here to develop a new body. Once they're done," she pointed to the circle, "their soul inserts that circle over there and is disposed of to the Rukongai. Although the soul remains the same, they carry a new face thus the word 'reincarnate souls'. The old soul essentially becomes a new life having adopted a different appearance and new reishi." Rukia explained.

"I see." He responded, watching them float. "Is there a reason for the colours then or are they arbitrary?"

"There's a reason." She said in a singsong voice. "The colour expresses the dominant type of emotion they carried throughout their last life, belonging to the human world. The different colours vary between happiness to misery."

She pointed at one of them. "That mint green indicates sadness. The soul of this being most likely endured a lot of hardship in life. So much that it became the feeling that dominated most of their existence. And that one, look—that mellow purple indicates envy. Whomever this individual was must've felt envious of many and thus, their defining emotion became jealousy."

"I see." He responded, following it as it left him. "And what of that one?"

It was peach. "That individual lived a bittersweet life. It can be interpreted in many ways actually. Although the common definition of it is that the person lived a life of equal sadness and happiness."

"And that one?" It was a pastel yellow.

"Happiness."

"And that?" It was pale red.

"Varies between two. Either they lived passionately with love or they lived passionately with resentment."

"What of that one?" It was light pink, she had a feeling that colour would catch his attention.

"Purity."

"How about that grey one?"

"Varies. Either they lived with guilt or lived with humility."

Byakuya looked up to her. "How...is it that you know all this? You cannot expect me to believe that the Okasake clan entrusted you with such a place. This is a very important area, I understand why not just anybody would be permitted here however, you are. You hold extensive information in regards to the Soul Society, including this. I just do not understand how they could trust you to this extent. Who else knows of this place?"

"Nobody. Not even Sensei Okasake."

He furrowed his brows. "What?"

"I'm the only one who knows of this place and its activities." She explained.

"But how?" He inquired. "This place must've been built by somebody, unless…" the words died at this throat as he looked up at her, eyes visibly larger.

Her close-lipped grin was enough.

"You…" he took a step back. This woman was so many things he could not keep track. Being an unofficial member, she became entrusted with their heir's birthright, that much he understood. But this was beyond his birthright, she clearly was entrusted with much more given how knowledgeable she was of artifacts belonging to the Soul Society's past. It was very clear that not only was this woman an unofficial associate of the clan, she was also the Okasake vessel.

Silence lingered in the air as he glared at her, trying to process who exactly she was.

"My, my, my, Lieutenant Kuchiki created this?" Mayuri remarked with excitement. "She could be very useful in the 12th Division, probably more than Nemu. Perhaps I should issue a transfer when this is all over."

"I like my Lieutenant just fine." Captain Ukitake responded to him.

"Well it is obvious it's more fitting for her to be with me than you." He fired back.

"Pretty sure, she'd never work for you." Uryū responded.

"Yeah, that isn't happening." Ichigo added before resuming his attention to the two.

"You are essentially...the Okasake clan vessel." He stated.

She nodded her head.

He closed his eyes, trying to control his temper.

"The information in regards to the Seavens," she started, he opened his eyes. "do you remember reading anything peculiar about the things that you read in both books I gave you? One being mine and the other being about the Kuchiki-Okasake alliance?"

He thought for awhile, though he was scared to recognize what 'peculiarity' she was referring too. How many secrets did this woman have?

Reflecting on what he read, he remembered something strange. "The Seavens consist of seven stones, in the book you gave me, I remember reading only six and in your journal, I only read about six stones. Why?"

Her hand touched the chain on her neck, ready to lift it out of hiding.

Lifting out the necklace she had long kept beneath her uniform, she let it show. The almost clear, almost willow purple stone glistened, a few streaks of the rainbow revealing itself as the light hit it.

"The seventh stone is the moonstone." She revealed.

"So that's the last one.." Uryū acknowledged to himself, reflecting on his research with the 8th Division's Lieutenant. The seventh stone was never written in any of the books they found. This was it.

Rangiku gazed at it. "Oooh! It's so pretty."

"Wow…" Yachiru said before turning to Kenpachi. "...Ken-chan! We need to tell Ruki-Ruki to let me touch that!"

"When we get outta here." He said in response.

"If that's the moonstone, doesn't that mean she's the guardian or whatever?" Ichigo asked.

"It seems so." Captain Ukitake said beside him.

Byakuya took several steps closer to her. "Is that it?"

The Gotei 13 peered at the shimmering pendant on her neck.

She shook her head immediately. "No. The moonstone is actually quite different from the other stones. Unlike the others which have a physical form, the moonstone has no physical form attached to its power. It's more like particles of power you gain. That being said, it isn't quite known to anybody outside the Capital. Although the seven stones are mentioned, this one remains undisclosed. It never took on a physical form unlike the others. That's what makes it unique."

"Huh?" Rangiku leaned back. "So then, that's just...a necklace?"

Absorbing the new information, he locked eyes with the small pendant. "So then, what is that?"

She looked down at it with a reminiscent beam before meeting his irises. "This, and don't kill me for this but, was a gift...From Captain."

"So then it is real." Rangiku confirmed. The stone was so pretty, she couldn't take her eyes off of it.

"Easy, Matsumoto." Tōshirō warned. "It's not like you can afford it."

Rangiku leaned down to her Captain. "Well maybe if my Captain gave me bonuses, I could own a necklace like that."

He snapped. "Bonuses go to Lieutenants that work, Matsumoto! You don't do any work."

"Grandfather gifted this to you?" He was now close enough to touch it.

She hummed in response. "Since the moonstone doesn't take a physical form, he gave me this to substitute for its absence."

"Yeah, there's no way in hell you're affording that, Rangiku." Lieutenant Hisagi said behind her.

Ichigo agreed. "Yeah, if Byakuya's grandfather gave her that then it's probably worth...millions."

"That is strange." He commented. "Given your stubbornness, I find it hard to believe you would accept such a gift."

"That's just the problem, Byakuya." She voiced a nervous laugh right after. "It can't come off."

"Huh?"

"He put some weird incantation on it to prevent me from taking it off. No matter how many times I try, it just won't." She revealed.

"And she's guaranteed not to lose it?" Rangiku questioned.

"Matsumoto give up." Tōshirō said.

"It'd sure be nice if we had something like that in the human world, don't you think? I keep losing these pair of earrings my brother left me behind, if I could find some way to just stop it from falling, I'd never be afraid to lose it!" Orihime said behind Uryū and Chad.

"U-Uh….I don't know a lot about girls but erm...isn't there a thing called an earring back? Ya know the silver things that come with it to keep it from falling out?" Ikkaku asked.

She turned to him. "Yeah, I know! I lose those too!"

"Though," she tilted her head to the right. "...you are his grandson. Give it a try."

With her one hand, she lifted her hair up as Byakuya muttered 'I suppose' and circled around her. She felt his fingers touch the chain but the quick removal of his fingers indicated that he had been shocked.

"It shocked you too." Rukia acknowledged.

"And it shocks people so that it'll never get stolen?" Rangiku asked. "Man, I need to talk to the former Captain Kuchiki after this."

"How did grandfather do this?" He attempted to inspect the chain though, the shock was quite strong. He did not wish to do it again.

Rukia sighed. "I have no idea."

"How many times have you tried to remove it?" He inquired.

"...no clue, why?"

"Given the amount of scratches behind your neck, I presume you tried as many times as it was worth." He said before moving back in front of her.

She laughed. "That's...probably true."

"So, not only are you an unofficial member of the Okasake clan, you are also their vessel, and by the looks of it, you are also the guardian of the moonstone." He re-stated just to clarify everything was true.

"Yes." Rukia confirmed. "It's...a lot to take in I'm sure but, yes, I am."

"And the moonstone's power is souls?" He inquired.

"Yes and ice hence my zanpakutō." She confirmed with a smile. "But don't worry, I don't use the zanpakutō prototype because there isn't one for the moonstone either. My zanpakutō is merely just a reflection of who I am on the inside which coincidentally matches a lot with the moonstone."

"Can you believe they were trying to execute her?" Uryū asked, beside Ichigo.

"Damn." Ichigo muttered.

They felt like geniuses.

"Hehe, without Kuchiki-san, we wouldn't know about a lot of things!" Orihime said behind them.

"Glad we're not on that boat." Ichigo said to Uryū.

"I agree. Imagine being on that side now knowing how important she is to the Soul Society." Uryū muttered beside him, in front of the group. "Couldn't be me."

The younger Byakuya was about to ask another question but his nose caught a hold of a familiar scent he had come to enjoy.

"That is…"

"Dutchman Pipe Cactus." Rukia acknowledged. "It's the scent that lingers around here, that's why I smell like it a lot. It's a scent associated with the moonstone. It's called the queen of night, it only blooms at night as well."

"I see. Though, it is quite odd that you're the guardian of the moonstone given that you're just a member of the family. Who was the Sensei who guarded the stone before?"

"The other Sensei Okasake, Okasake Gureta. She was the Sensei of the 13th Division, House of Honor." Rukia informed. "No other person besides her used to guard this stone before she passed. Sensei Okasake kept the stone with him in the meanwhile since there wasn't a successor for it in the division. Eventually, he gave it to me, having recognized that my soul reflected the moonstone quite a lot. With the help of the moonstone, I was able to create this small area within the Soul Society to regulate these souls and help them successfully pass through."

"It is quite interesting that the stone is able to do all this. Since it has no physical form, I'm assuming you've absorbed the particles of its power."

She nodded her head. "I have it easier than the others though. It isn't something that can be re-created or stolen because it has no physical form."

"Well, if it is known not to have a physical form nor are many people aware of what the stone is, why don't you wear grandfather's gift outside? I do not see the reason to keep it underneath your attire?"

"Several reasons. One, there's no way I could ever afford this thus it would raise a lot of questions, two, the older you would most definitely wonder where in the world this came from, three, it's an act of rebellion." Three fingers were out now as she smiled.

The easily infuriated teenager suddenly snapped. "You are so stubborn."

Rukia laughed. "If you were in my place, I don't think you'd be able to accept such a gift. I'm a Rukongai resident, remember that."

"Yes, a Rukongai District member who attends noble events, is friends with nobles from great noble clans, is an unofficial member of a prestigious clan and is now an official member of another prestigious clan, is trusted enough to be given information on critical matters such as the Soul King, and is also the guard of a stone belonging to the Seavens." He responded furiously.

"Your point?" She asked, she was so endeared by him.

He looked to her right arm and huffed. "You also...wear those gloves of yours. Do you know how expensive they are? And yet you wear them with ease."

She looked down to her hand. "Well...Sensei Okasake gave them to me and besides, the cost of this is nowhere near the cost of this."

She was now pointing to the pendant.

"That just proves that grandfather's gift was more significant."

"Gifts shouldn't be weighed by cost."

"That is peasant talk. Besides, I'm quite sure I've given you something." He said before meeting her eyes. Haven't I?

"Yes you did and I treasure that a lot too." She assured.

"What is it?" He asked right after but she shook her head.

"Not now, later." He was still yet to see her in her soul reaper form. She'd leave that surprise for later, he was warming up to her a lot now, selfishly she wanted to keep it that way. In spite of the fact she told him she guarded the moonstone, he didn't appear as angry with her as he would've been before.

It was a nice feeling, she couldn't deny.

"I do not know what I'm going to do with you."

The fact that he was scolding her as if she was a child was hilarious.

"Now what's that supposed to mean?" She questioned as he moved forward.

"This is quite a lot. I cannot believe that on top of all that, you are this too. How troublesome."

"It's not like you haven't kept things from me too." She just wanted to get a rise out of him. He was too adorable.

His eyes shot open before he glared at her. "Excuse me? And what exactly have I kept from you?"

She took a few steps closer. "Well, do you remember your uncle, Kuchiki Koga?"

"What of him?" He voiced immediately before pausing.

"And…" he really was about to snap, clenching his right fist, he held his tongue. "...how do you know about him?"

"Long story short, he ends up being sealed away and Captain Kuchiki entrusts the older you to find him and kill him. So, you pretend to be a traitor to the Gotei 13 and break my zanpakutō to prove your 'loyalty' to his evil zanpakutō spirit, who basically was trying to unseal your uncle. Anyways, I know nothing about this and you make me so through an emotional whirlpool until finally figuring it out it had something to do with your uncle. Pretty mean of you, huh?"

"Well," he cleared his throat. "Of course I did that, I had no choice—it was an order from grandfath—"

Rukia raised her left brow. "That's funny."

She finally triggered the outburst. "Do not compare that to this! Are you trying to convince me that the reason you hid your true identity is because of grandfather's law?"

"Byakuya, do I look like I want to get on your grandfather's bad side?" Rukia asked.

"Oh, please spare me. Grandfather would never hurt you, what a ridiculous thought."

"Doesn't change the fact that he made a law with pretty serious consequences for telling you anything in relation to the assassins. Even when he came back and I tried to convince him, he literally wouldn't budge. He really, really, really didn't want you to know about this. And, as his friend, all I did was follow the rules."

Was she being entirely honest? Maybe not. Her own feelings did play a role in her decision too. But the Common Kuchiki Law was most definitely dominant. She couldn't go against him, no matter what.

"I still do not believe that is a reason. You should have told me." He wasn't looking at her again, his reiatsu unveiling the displeasure he felt with her.

I'm sorry.

"Listen, let's talk about this realistically. Captain Kuchiki means a lot to you, he raised you and is someone you greatly respect and admire but more importantly, he's your grandfather, right?"

He didn't answer, he just listened. "That being said, if he ever had something you knew he greatly detested, you would do your best to stay away from that, wouldn't you? I know you would, you're an honourable person like that. Respecting his wishes, you would follow them and do whatever you could in your power to protect that, even if it meant lying...you would."

He opened his mouth but she stopped him right away. "I'm not asking you to forgive me, Byakuya nor am I expecting you too, I already told you, I won't ask for forgiveness nor am I expecting you to give it once this is all over, it is what it is and I've accepted that but, if you could find some way to understand my actions, even if it's only a little, I'd be grateful."

"You keep saying I hid my identity but I've always been me to you, the Gotei 13, and my human friends. That has always been me, I never changed my personality in any way, yeah sure—I hid some things from the past but the me the older you knew and everyone else knew is real. I didn't lie about that, I really could never. I even told the older you once about that, about...me never faking my sincerity. Not sure if he remembers it but I did say it then and it still applies now."

The Interioreum World Byakuya stared at her. He did remember when she had disclosed such a thing to him before. He did not think he'd ever have to apply that to himself however, she had proven him otherwise with the events occurring now. She had said those words to him on an occasion a few months ago, he had not questioned it then since she was sharing something personal though, the words clearly held weight.

"..." He was contemplating on what to say, she could tell. Staring at her blankly, it seemed like he was actually considering her words carefully before voicing a response.

He probably would've said something eventually if not for the cheerful voice of her younger self coming from behind.

"Older me! Are we...the guardian of the moonstone?" Her eyebrows were raised and her mouth parted, forming a half smile, merely out of disbelief of it all indicated that she knew.

"Yeah, this is it. This is something we created out of it." She responded.

"You mean...you are yet to receive it?" Byakuya asked the younger her, she nodded her head immediately.

"I didn't know I'd become the guardian…" she said with a smile, she looked so happy, it warmed Rukia's heart to see her that way...to see herself that way. "It's so pretty!"

Rukia looked up and around, it really was a place of peace. "It is…"

The younger Rukia marveled at the light pinks in the clouds and the dancing souls before meeting the eyes of him again, he was displeased at her again.

"Why are you always frowning at me?" She questioned, what a buzz kill. "Can't you smile for once?"

"I cannot. Your future did not turn out as bad as you made it seem. You are still an unofficial associate of that family, you still are their vessel, and you became the guard of the last stone. The only issue is the Okasake heir."

The younger Rukia touched her forehead and sighed. "You were complaining too! And what exactly went wrong for you?"

He unfolded his hands and leaned forward. "Well, to begin I—"

She pointed her finger to herself. "Got stuck with me?"

Before he could speak she continued. "Didn't we already agree that we both felt the same about that?"

"Well—"

"Do you have short term memory loss or something? We addressed all of this. Besides, I'm still upset with the turn out but this makes up for it...a lot."

"Is getting stuck with me a death sentence?" He fired back.

"Well it isn't exactly a good one." She grumbled before Rukia stepped in between the two.

"Alright, let's settle down." Rukia calmed. "We should get inside."

"Inside?" He questioned her.

"Look," she guided. "It's the generating room. It's the thing that randomizes the placement of souls."

He tried to detect it but he could not, there was too much fog.

"Let's go." Rukia said before leading the way.

Disappearing into the foggy haze, Rukia couldn't help but smile as the younger her and Byakuya grumbled beside each other as they followed her. It made her wonder what the present Byakuya would do if he knew all this too.

---

3rd Division

House of Knowledge

Ruby / Shotel

The Major of the 3rd Division, Imamura Lynn aggressively bit down the pencil in her mouth as she organized stacks of research in a section of her bureau. She was beyond infuriated, less with the Head Commander's decision and more with the so-called Sensei of the 7th who did not deserve such accessibility and praise.

The way his kiwi green-coloured eyes stared at her behind his glasses as he attempted to persuade her to let him monitor the investigation could not leave her mind. The fact their divisions even shared a connected House being knowledge and medicine was already bane. She didn't like him—she couldn't stand him.

In spite of his position, he was quite young—a tall, broad man with olive skin, chocolate hair, and an irritable showoff—he believed he knew everything there is. His knowledge gained him a seat in the 3rd Division and the continuous chatter made him advance to the top position, being Sensei. She didn't care for it, she was less of a fighter and more of a researcher though, in saying that he would find a way to undermine her skills.

Somehow, may it be in the 3rd Division lobby or his, he'd probably mention that in spite of being a Major, she prisoned herself in the lab and her skills were most likely sluggish. The thought was so clear, it felt like a memory. He'd proceed to smile before sipping some herbal tea as she grimaced at him.

That man was so presumptuous.

The only good thing that came from the Head Commander's statement was that she could get to the Lieutenant first. Even if he disallowed it, she could not avoid it—Sensei Shihōin raised an excellent point.

The Lieutenant of the 13th Division will not be investigated. I have already confirmed she is irrelevant to this matter, there is no need to investigate her whereabouts. That burden belongs to the Seireitei.

She hurriedly fixed strands of her hair, pulling a few fringes behind her ear before fixing her lipstick. She wiped off some of the excess glitter coming from her very bold and bright eye shadow style.

From her brow line, a light white sparkle transitioned into a butterscotch orange-yellow before fading into a slight rosewood red then a royal purple, ending off with a bright royal blue for eyeliner. She was very into makeup besides her passion for science. A skill she put to use when necessary.

Paying the mirror a final glance, she gathered her papers and left the room, heading towards the main laboratory of her division. Parting the doors, she did not expect to be greeted with a cold rush of air nor did she expect to see the 4th Division's Major waiting for her arrival.

Not that there was any difference.

"Major Li." She acknowledged before pushing up her glasses. "What are you doing here?"

Holding her files to her chest tightly, she shivered. The woman had a tendency to not speak but of all places, she could've met her somewhere inside.

"The Head Commander made an order." Her eyes were lowered to the patio, she wore no expression like she always did. She didn't even seem cold though, Lynn was sure she was. "Do not deceive it."

"I'm—" she attempted to lie but the woman read right through her.

"I know you're attempting to privately research her by logging onto the Seireitei's database."

She gulped.

"Do not. That is an order." She simply said before walking away.

Unlike with any of the assassin ladies, she could never find the nerve to challenge the cold woman though, her warning had not scared her enough not to try.

What exactly were they trying to hide?

---

"🎵Secretary of State Arigawaaaa🎵." A voice sang behind him.

Raiden closed his eyes. He was this close to getting out of here without having to be all friendly with her, not that he ever tried, the woman was a creep.

Stuck outside on the 2nd floor of the 1st Division barracks, he cursed his luck. Not only did he have to freeze to fucking death but he had to answer questions now to the 8th Division's Sensei...a witch.

"Whadaya want with me now?" He grumbled, he didn't even want to turn around and see her. Her presence was already too uncomfortably close.

"I just found it interesting how passionately you were against investigating the Lieutenant." Her curious high-pitched tone already made him want to vomit. She nudged his sides with crochet sticks right after.

"So what?" He idly asked. Rubbing his face in frustration, he begged his ancestors to free him from this lady.

"Well, it's obvious that something's up here."

He could feel her face leaning against his shoulder. "Am I wrong?"

"Yes, you fucking are. We're wasting time bothering over some fucking shinigami."

"Are you sure that's it?" She inquired while tilting her head to the side.

"Yes, can I go now?" He whined.

"No, I don't believe you. You seemed too passionate, not even Secretary of State Cang Du was as passionately against it."

"So? I'm not fucking Cang Du, ask him."

"Unless…" she raised her brow with a wicked grin. "...you researched her yourself?"

He coughed. "Excuse me? Do I look like someone from the fucking 3rd?"

"No, but I'm quite sure you're hiding something from me." Her two fingers began to crawl up his left arm, he couldn't take this—when was he gonna get out of here? "And I wonder what that is? I have a feeling it has something to do..."

Her two fingers crawled up to his neck, he slightly turned to finally meet her emerald eyes burning into his.

She stopped. "With the Lieutenant."

He pushed her hand off of him as she giggled. It was arguably the worst sound on earth. "You're so funny, it's adorable!"

His skin crawled. "Now what the fuck would I know about her? She's some fucking soul reaper and I'm a quincy. Let Jushirmai do whatever the fuck he wants with her."

She played with the crochet sticks. "I have a feeling you know a lot of things, you're very suspicious."

"Please tell me how I, out of all fucking people, became your suspect?" His arms were crossed and eyes were closed.

"Well, I just know. It's an instinctive feeling…" her fingers were back to crawling up again "...you know something of the Lieutenant. What is it?"

"I don't know shit, can I go?"

"No." Her hand touched his chest.

"Sensei—" the fact that he had to call her that out of all names made this ten times worse.

A mischievous beam formed. "Go on."

"L-Listen, I already told you I know fucking nothing about her except she's fucking useless. Sensei already said she's irrelevant, I'm just defending my man."

"You must know something….something in relation to her that you don't want us to know…" How the fuck is she reading me? Bitch stop reading my mind.

"Why are you silent?"

"'Cause you're…" he pushed her arm off again. "...creeping me the fuck out. I told you I don't know shit now leave me."

"I could but I don't believe you. You know something about the Lieutenant, you probably knew she was a Kuchiki long before my Secretary of State even mentioned it." She moaned. "Tell me what you know."

"I told you I don't—"

"I believe you do and you're hiding it."

"I told you I'm not hiding shit—"

"You're quite a terrible liar, my dearest—"

His eyes shot wide as he moved back. "Fucking who? Fucking what? I'm not your fucking dearest lady move on."

"You are clearly lying to me." She gazed into his eyes, a satisfying smirk coming from her lips.

Raiden looked at the elderly woman, he didn't know what to say, he was a bad actor—she was right. He barely managed to get through Wildfire and now this shit? He couldn't do it but he had too.

"Wha—"

"Don't lie to me." She closed the space between them, her body close to his. "Or else...you might find yourself in a peculiar position."

Raising his brow, he waited.

"I might have to find that red metal choker she wore on her neck—" Raiden's eyes widened "—and put it on you."

Please tell me for the love of fucking chicken she isn't talkin' about Rukia's execution. Please fucking tell me…

"Something wrong, Arigawa? You look stiff." She observed with a grin.

He fixed his facial expression immediately after. "Listen—"

"Prepared to lie again, Arigawa? You're no good at this."

"I told you I don't fucking—"

"Kuchiki Rukia." She quietly said while leaning into him, mischievousness dawned all over her face.

Raiden's eyes widened and before he knew it, he was covering the woman's mouth and dragging her into an empty room. It was the tea room on level 2.

The woman's back was to the door as he ran his right hand through his mohawk.

Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.

She knows about Rukia. She fucking knows about Rukia! What the hell am I gonna do? What the hell am I gonna say?

Knowing the fucking woman she'll try to manipulate me into doing shit for her. Fuck…..

I should've dipped the minute the fucking meeting was done.

The fuck am I gonna do?

"Wondering how I know?" She sang, her hands were behind her back now, it looked like she was holding something, Raiden didn't even want to know what.

A sound was made and a photograph was shown.

It was of the Gotei 13 and there was Rukia and Renji.

Raiden gulped.

"My silly nephew left this little gem behind at the manor, how lovely, don't you think? Lieutenant Kuchiki Rukia and Lieutenant Abarai Renji, the best part is, you knew."

---

"Ohhhhhh Sister Rukiaaaa! I'm here!" The exhausted teenager called in a screeching voice, she dropped her handbag and collapsed onto the ground. "Jushirmaiiiii! Where are you? Can I have something to drink?"

"Who's that?" Rangiku questioned at the sudden arrival of a teenage girl. Her hair was bright red and up in a ponytail, she definitely looked like a human but Rangiku was sure it wasn't that simple.

"She is a friend of Kuchiki." Tōshirō informed. "She seems to live in her human home with her."

Ichigo scanned the girl's face. "Friend of Rukia's?"

Ichigo couldn't say he knew her.

She looked to the stretchers seeing a collection of familiar and unfamiliar faces. Yoruichi and Kisuke who were supposed to be here were nowhere to be seen, Jushirmai who was also supposed to be here was nowhere to be seen, Rukia was gone too, two younger boys and a girl were sleeping on an empty stretcher, and some other boy was now staring at her with a girl around the same age beside him.

It took a few blinks before she recognized who the younger girl was—"RUKIA?!"

Rushing to the younger girl in speed, she couldn't believe her eyes and clearly she couldn't either. Kla wanted to ask what went wrong but seeing her look so young and even more small was adorable. Especially in her assassin fit.

If it weren't for the odd stares behind her, coming from some boy who looked like he belonged to the Kuchiki clan (a clan she incredibly detested), she would've squeezed her to death.

She. Was. So. Cute!

"Kla?" The younger Rukia questioned in disbelief. She couldn't believe she was still here and well...alive.

"Oooooooh you remember me!" Kla responded cheerfully.

She opened her mouth to speak but the boy rudely cut her off.

"Do not tell me you know her?" The boy was addressing Rukia. She turned around and nodded her head.

"I sort of do." She responded before meeting her eyes again.

"Sorta? Awhhhhh Sister Rukia that's so cute, now maybe from your time we're not that close and you probably hate me a lot then but in the future, which is now, I live with you!"

She stepped back, enough to almost hit the taller boy's chest. "W-What?"

She jumped up with glee. "How surprising, huh? Pleaseeee you're the bestest when you grow up! You let me stay with you and Jushirmai in the human world when I have no place to go!"

"So you adopt a peasant." The boy, still addressing Rukia, clarified in a rude way yet again.

"W-Wait, you mean to tell me that I let you live with me and my brother?" Rukia asked her, she was so adorable, Kla had to try her best to contain herself.

"Yes! I stay there with both of you!"

"Um…" she furrowed her brows. "...I thought I lived in the Soul Society?"

"You do! But you come visit us a lot and it is technically your real home so technically you live there too! The older you thinks that way too!" She informed.

"I see." The boy stated before turning around.

"I understand but—" her shoulders rose. "—how are you still here? I mean, I thought he would've gotten rid of you."

"Ya see I thought so too but when I moved in with you, he spared me!"

"Well...I guess that somewhat makes sense though, aren't you still attached to him?" She inquired, she couldn't believe this. The personality that Jushirmai had split from him was living with her in the future!

Kla pouted while her shoulders slouched. "Not really….We still are the same person but lately, I've been really disconnected. I can't really sense anything anymore. I think I'm becoming my own person!"

"O-Oh I see…"

"What is she?" A authoritative voice questioned from behind her. Rukia turned around to see Byakuya sitting next to his body again.

"Well you see—" Kla suddenly gasped dramatically, cutting her off.

I knew he looked familiar!

"You're that stupid brother-in-law! You're that evil man's son!" She accused passionately, pointing her finger at him.

"A-Ah—" Rukia flash-stepped in front of him with her arms out as a sign of protection. "—Kla, don't be rude."

He'll yell at me later for this.

"Wha—RUKIA! How many times does Jushirmai have to tell you, the Kuchiki family are evil? EVIL!" She stressed the last word inciting an outrage from behind her.

"Excuse me?" Byakuya questioned. He would not tolerate any insults towards his clan.

"Byakuya!" Rukia scolded in front of him. "Don't, she's a part of Jushirmai, of course she doesn't like you."

Now standing up, he looked to the back of her. "Explain."

She turned around. "You remember when I told you that Jushirmai had a split personality and what not? When the Soul King became an issue, he permanently separated himself from that daytime personality I told you about. The split created exactly that behind me, her name's Kla."

"What?" Lieutenant Hisagi reacted. "He separated himself from it?"

"Guess that means he doesn't turn into that daytime personality we were talkin' about earlier." Ichigo guessed.

"Well that's a fucking relief, if he turned into that during the day, I don't think I'd ever take the guy seriously again." Captain Hirako said right after.

"That means he shed himself from the personality intentionally to rid himself of a weakness." Captain Ukitake figured. If he could control himself, he'd have no reason to shed it but he did. It made Jūshiro wonder if this daytime personality had been his true heart that his Lieutenant might've accidentally been able to find.

"That weakness being Kuchiki I suppose." Tōshirō guessed. "Though, both sides feel the same towards her—I'm assuming it's just the difference between how each side expresses it is why he got rid of it."

"So...one side loves her innocently and one side loves her in a creepy kind of way?" Rangiku clarified, she looked to her Captain for confirmation.

"It seems so." He responded.

Ichigo's gaze never left the younger Rukia. "Find it hard to believe he could feel anything like that innocently."

Turning to Orihime, beside Uryū, he spoke. "Inoue."

Her grey eyes perked up. "Huh?...Yes, Kurosaki-kun?"

She stepped out a bit and faced him, waiting.

"You said around the time we got in here that you could feel other people's emotions pretty strongly, right?"

She nodded her head immediately.

"You also said that when you tried to read the guy, you couldn't feel anything, right?"

"Yes! I really couldn't feel anything, I can't really say I knew what he was feeling." Orihime admitted softly.

"Do you think Inoue-san should try reading his good side?" Uryū questioned, figuring that he was heading down that direction.

Kon's small eyes moved from Orihime's to Ichigo's side profile. "It's worth a try! Though, Ichigo? You don't think he loves Nee-san right?"

"I don't, he's a creep, people like that can't love but, I wanna see what the other side felt. If he got rid of it, that means they're something there he didn't want attached to him."

Orihime's eyes glittered as she smiled. "I'll do my best, Kurosaki-kun!"

With that, they averted their attention back to the pair.

He blinked a few times, letting it sink in. "She is the enemy then."

Rukia shook her head. "Not necessarily, if the older me let her stay with me then maybe...she isn't. In our time, I barely know her let alone talk to her."

"That does not mean she is not the enemy." He was about to move but her hands flying near his chest to stop him made him pause.

"Wait. It isn't worth it—just leave her, Byakuya." She pleaded, although she wasn't certain about the girl, she wasn't ready to get rid of her just yet.

"Did you not hear what she said about our clan?" He inquired down to her.

"She's a part of Jushirmai. He used to say things like that all the time, she's merely following his influence."

"That is not an excuse." He reasoned. "We must review what are legitimate and illegitimate excuses later."

"Byakuya!" Review what? "Seriously, it's not worth it."

"Yeah!" Kla agreed while sticking her tongue out. "Besides, you're more harmful than Jushirmai! That whole Kuchiki family is!"

"Kla!" The younger Rukia scolded.

She gasped. "A-Are you getting mad at me? RUKIA! The Kuchiki clan is the whole reason you're in this mess!"

"What are you talking about?" Rukia inquired.

"My poor sister….They've really contaminated you, haven't they? How long has it been? Come here, I'll help you get back to normal!"

Rukia looked at the teenager gesturing for her to repeatedly come to her. What was she saying?

"Don't." She looked to Byakuya behind her.

"What?"

"Do not move."

Moving his gaze, he looked to the very annoying teenager several metres away.

"Explain." He ordered.

She scowled upon his order. "Well, since you're making a big fuss about it, I'll tell you!"

"The Kuchiki clan are the reason behind this mess because of the Soul King heart!" She aggressively explained.

Standing tall, her hands were on her hips as she tried her best to match his intimidating stare, though she could admit she was no match.

"What would the Kuchiki clan have to do with the Soul King heart?" Captain Ukitake questioned immediately before looking to Byakuya, who surprisingly was already staring at him, they both looked to the young teenager again.

"What do you mean?" The younger Byakuya voiced.

He did not understand. How could his clan have any involvement with such matters? The Soul King belonged to the Okasake clan.

"The Soul King heart is already too poisoned 'cause of you stupid people! You're the one giving her a hard time!" She yelled, Byakuya wished she would stop yelling and arrive at her point immediately.

Was he….and their clan...at fault for her issue? Were they the reason she was unable to purify it?

"Hold on," Ichigo said. "Is she tryna say that the heart's poison is the Kuchiki clan's fault? What about the soul emotions? Those came from everybody, including the guy who had the heart before it was sealed."

Captain Kyōraku moved in between Captain Ukitake and Captain Kuchiki. "Think she's implying that they contributed to the poison before it was sealed?"

They both glanced at him, unsure of what to say.

"Get to the point, Kla." The younger Rukia urged. Her back was still to her, she was waiting to hear what exactly had gone wrong.

It was your fault too.

She released a breath.

"Well! The reason why the Soul King's heart is so dark and mysterious is because—" she halted herself from speaking once he appeared next to her again.

This damn family.

"—AHHHH IT'S YOU AGAIN!"

She was just about to get into the juicy part about the Kuchiki clan's involvement with the Soul King's heart corruption nonsense and he just had to come into the middle of it.

He was so annoying.

"Ginrei, what are you doing here? Can't you leave? I'm in the middle of somethin'." She angrily scolded though as per usual, he pretended she wasn't there. "Hey! I'm speaking to you! How can you ignore me you damned self-righteou—"

"Grandfather?" Byakuya called though, he had not meant for it to come out as a question. It just did—perchance his mind was too focused on what Jūshirmai's personality entity had to say, either way, that one call indicated that he wanted an answer. He must've heard, that's why he came.

Kla mentally cursed at how rude this entire family was to her. Here she was trying to help him and just like that, his attention averted to his grandfather and completely ignored her.

How rude.

His eyes locked with his grandfather's, he no longer cared for what the entity had to say. He wanted to hear it from him, if there was any truth to what the entity had said, it would come from him.

He had to remind himself that the entity belonged to Okasake Jushirmai, he could not trust her. Though, given his grandfather's stare, he figured there was something off.

Although he did not look at her, Rukia, still facing him, wanted to hear what exactly the entity had meant too.

They waited for him to speak.

"The Soul King's heart's darkness is a result of my negligence. It is not solely Hiroshima's fault."

"What?"

---

End Note

Images For This Chapter (byaruki.(tumblr.)com/theicedmoonimages)

Country of Reincarnate Souls (2) - first photo describes the skies, second photo shows what the souls look like

Major Imamura Lynn, 3rd Division (2) - hair, face, glasses, and eye shadow

Secretary of State Nana (1) - hair, face, attire

Major Abha (2) - hair, eyes

Moonstone necklace (2) - one image is the type of moonstone and the other is the size of pendant (also the chain is silver not gold)

Fanart of Bambietta - (1)

Secretary of State Shiori (1) - hair

Contact

byaruki (tumblr)