New Characters Introduced
Moka Fukudome - Minata's grandmother, the current captain of the Kido Corps, and the 27th Head of the Fukudome Clan. She became the eldest among the four heads once Ginrei abdicated in favor of his grandson, and she is also the only female of the group. She physically looks to be in her mid-fifties. However, she is very close in age to Ginrei. She's also her clan's resident psychic.
Chō no Seishin - Moka Fukudome's zanpakuto. Her name means 'butterfly psyche' (chō - butterfly, seishin - psyche). She is a wind type zanpakuto who shares her master's psychic abilities. She goes by either Chō or Rabendā (rabendā - lavender), the latter because of her lavender color scheme.
Seirin Fukudome - Minata's aunt and the second in line for the position of clan head after Minata. She is the Kido Corps lieutenant and physically looks to be in her mid-thirties when she's actually way older than that. Her zanpakuto is Kitsune. She has the ability to find and pinpoint her opponents' weaknesses and flaws, regardless if they're physical, mental, or emotional.
Kitsune - Seirin Fukudome's zanpakuto. Her name means fox. She is a Kido-type zanpakuto who shares her master's gift for finding weaknesses. She usually goes by Kit for short.
Chapter 5 - Good Visit, Bad News
Minata's POV
"How long has it been since we've last been to the old homestead?"
"Unfortunately, it's been quite a while since our last visit, give or take," was my quick reply as we turned onto a wide residential street, empty of people, but dotted with large homes that cost way more than what most would make in their entire lives. "Part of it was due to work of course. I can also place some of the blame purely on myself . . . I haven't been as proactive with my visits as I should be."
"Well, at least you are honest enough to admit your faults . . . Although I'm sure some of your relatives will be nice enough to give you some flack over your lack of due diligence before we have to leave."
"I can hear them ribbing me about it even now . . ." I mumble, pretending to hear my family talk about me in the distance as we started walking parallel to the large white and gold-painted fence that separated the clan property from the outside world.
The fence itself was pretty plain, with all the artistry going straight to the family seal that patterned it every five feet. It mainly comprised of a gladiolus guarded by zanpakutos on either side of it while an open book hovered above it it's tallest petal. The zanpakuto represented our family's martial history while the book represented wisdom. Rumor has it that is also represents kido alchemy, which would make sense since the family has a long history of having its members as part of the Kido Corps.
In truth, today, in the entire history of the Fukudome Clan, I'm part of the minority of family members who've opted to go into the 13th Divisions rather than the Kido Corps. I'm also part of the rare few that also joined the Onmitsukidō, which was a given when you join the Second these days.
As for the gladiolus itself, the flower was chosen to be the family symbol due to the many meanings it stood for. Strength of character, faithfulness, sincerity, integrity; all those words can describe my clan one way or another, with many members exemplifying those traits through the centuries. Plus, the fact that the petals look like sword blades were quite the plus if you ask me. What's not to love about that?
When we reached the front gate, it was - as always - manned by two guards dressed in the dark blue robes that were the uniforms for the clan guards. They were all skilled warriors, trained by my family's master-at-arms since they were young. They all took their jobs very seriously while on duty, but once they were off the clock, they were some of the most entertaining guys to be around, always with the best stories to share and very good at keeping secrets when needed.
Even though none of them were Fukudomes by blood, they were still part of the family, and they were treated as such, much to the chagrin of the other families that treated their workers more like doormats than actual people.
"Lady Minata, Lady Mizukiri, good morning. It's good to see you both again," says the guard on the left; a stout, heavy-set man who wore his hair in a tight topknot. "Your grandmother has been expecting your arrival."
"I hope so. This visit has been long overdue," I say, the both of us bowing our heads in greeting. "Would you mind opening the gate for us Sekijiro, Hiashi?"
"Certainly, my lady." answers Hiashi, offering a smile. He was taller and leaner than Sekijiro, but he was one of the younger members of the guard. It was said that he still had a lot to learn, but I think he has been doing his job amicably so far.
"Do you think we will see Akira and Kage Mai around?" Kiri is quick to ask once we were through the gate, but not after we had thanked the guards first. "It's been a while since we've seen them."
"Yes, it has been a while, but I believe you'll just have to wait a little longer before we see my cousin and her zanpakuto again. I can't sense their reiatsu on the premises, so they must be at work over at the Second." I say with a shrug as we walked along the stone pathway. "I hear Soi-Fon has been putting her division through hell recently with all the new training drills she's come up with."
"Oh yeah, and we both know whose training drills likely inspired her own," she tells me with a smirk, enjoying the fact that she brought up a dark memory from our combined past. "You have to admit. Yoruichi put you and the little bee through absolute hell to make sure you two got stronger."
"You got that right, and I think she actually relished seeing us work ourselves to the bone during training . . . I still have the scars." I say, grimacing as I pushed the memories back. Even after all these years, I still respect my former sensei, and I knew she meant well during training, even if she took things a little too far.
Byakuya was always her main target when it came to her teasing and trickery. She always came out on top when they raced, and she had a penchant for stealing his hair ties when she knew he wouldn't notice, and for her, it was all in good fun. Byakuya never saw it that way, always calling her 'Were Cat!' and all kinds of insults whenever she annoyed him, including some that got him in trouble with his grandfather a couple of times.
Despite the one-sided animosity, I knew it hurt Byakuya to find out that Yoruichi disappeared years ago, around the time the Soul Society was dealing with an event so shocking that it resulted in quite the changing of the guard among the captains and lieutenants once it was all over. In all the chaos that was going on, she simply vanished, with no trace left behind that could have been used to track her whereabouts.
It definitely affected Soi-Fon. She was actually decently friendly with people while we were still under her tutelage, but once she was gone, it was like something broke in the bee. Now she's just a straight-laced soldier focused on her job, at most, cordial with people that she tolerates, grating with those that she doesn't.
Despite her stark attitude adjustment, I was still one of the few people that she more than 'just tolerated'. It still didn't stop me from moving to another division when the chance appeared though.
"The training may have been brutal at times, but look at where it has brought you! You're the Third Seat of the 1st Division, Byakuya has taken over his grandfather's place as the head of the 6th, and Soi-Fon has taken over Yoruichi's place as the Captain of the 2nd. Wherever she is, I'm sure she's proud of all three of you." Mizukiri adds as she looked up at the sky. "I wonder where she is now . . ."
"Probably with that mad scientist Urahara." I suggest as I walk up the three steps that led to the manor's porch. The building was large - as a home to one of the Four Great Noble Families, how could it not - and a testament to feudal Japanese architecture, just like every other building within the neighborhood was.
Despite its traditional design, the manor has gone through its fair share of remodeling over the years, adding some more modern amenities that you would barely find anywhere else within Soul Society. It wasn't as abundant compared to what the Oomaedas probably had in their home, but it did make living in the space comfier and more homely as time went on. "He did disappear around the same time Yoruichi did after all."
"I thought you said that Urahara was the slightly annoying scientist while Captain Kurotsuchi was the really mad one." she grumbles as she skips all the steps, jumping onto the porch with ease.
"I misspoke . . . Besides, can anyone really be madder than Captain Kurotsuchi?" I tell her as I knock on the door, hoping to get the attention of the servant that always manned the foyer.
"Urahara was mad just for taking Kurotsuchi out of the Maggots' Nest to make him his Third Seat," she reminds me as I stretch out my senses to see how close everyone was to our position. Most were converged around the inner parts of the building and the gardens, but one was very close, mere feet away in fact. "He unleashed him back into the world, and now he's the captain of his own division!"
"Okay, you make a very fair point." I concede as the person closest to us moves closer. She was now right behind the door, and I could feel waves of amusement rolling off her, as if she couldn't contain herself.
"Mina?!"
"Yes, it's me Grandma. Can you let Mizukiri and I in now?" I ask. As soon as she slides the shoji paneling open, my grandmother envelopes me in one of her bone-crushing hugs, rocking us from side to side as I tried to match her strength with my own. I wasn't having much luck.
Stricter nobles would call the contact indecent, but here in the Fukudome household, we couldn't care less. We were in the privacy of our own home, so why should it matter to them?
"Mina-chan, it's been so long!" her voice is cheery as she continues to squish me against her chest.
At this point, I think she may be funneling a little too much spiritual pressure in these arms of hers.
"Grandmother, you're squishing me, again!" I choke out. I think my statement only made her hug me harder, if that was even possible.
"But it has been so long my dear! I've missed you. Can you blame your dear grandmother for missing one of the few grandchildren she has? It's not the same without you living here, even though I am a huge reason why you're not living here in the first place." she coos, still unrelenting with her hugging, yet sounding unapologetic at the same time.
"Mama! Can you please let my niece go!? We don't need her passing out before she even steps through the door!" snaps a new voice. Hearing that, my grandmother opens her eyes and looks at what I think is my now slightly blue face. When I finally feel her arms letting go of me, I look to see her watching me with an apologetic grimace, but her eyes still looked slightly amused.
"I'm sorry, Minata. I guess I got a little carried away, again."
"I think you mean a lot." Mizukiri answers for me, her remark actually making my grandmother blush in embarrassment.
"Do you want a hug too Mizukiri? I'm more than ready to give another one." she remarks in return, her offer looking like it spooked my zanpakuto.
"I'm good Lady Moka-san." she exclaims, raising her hands in surrender as she started backing away.
"I guess I'll just have to save yours for later then." says Grandma, now turning to face the new person in the room. "C'mon over Seirin! Greet your niece! Don't be rude!"
"I'm never rude. I'm sarcastic, and a bit cold at times, but I'm never rude!"
"Yes; keep telling yourself that, sweetie. . . Keep telling yourself that."
Aunt Seirin couldn't help but scowl at her mother for that remark, but it was gone once she turned to me. She was my mother's identical twin, and even after all these years, I still get a little ache in my heart when I see her face. I've gotten better over time, but Auntie was the closest physical reminder of my mother, and some things are hard to change.
After my parents' untimely deaths, my aunt cut her long hair to make it a chin length bob. She said it reminded her too much of Mom, and I couldn't blame her for that. For her, it must have felt like she lost her other half when Ma died. They were close as twin sisters could be, the only differences being that Ma's hair was always spikier and their eyes were different colors. Personality wise, Ma was always more outspoken than Auntie's naturally reserved nature, but other than that, and the occasional argument here and there, they were always each other's best friends, no matter what.
"How are you feeling, Mina?" she asks, a gentle smile crossing her face as the jewels in her hair clips shone in the light.
"A little sore, but I'll be fine." I tell her as grandma shoots me a smirk.
"Okay then; change into some indoor slippers and follows us. Tea is almost ready, and we have a lot to talk about." says Grandma, kissing my forehead before walking to the corridor, Auntie following right after her. Mizukiri and I quickly switch our footwear before following after them, catching them before they could even turn the corner.
"So, Mina, how has work been treating you?"
"Very well. Thanks for asking Grandma." I say with a smirk, but I had a feeling that it wasn't the only thing that she wanted to ask. "Is there something else you wanted to ask me?"
"How is Byakuya coping with the whole Rukia situation?"
"SEIRIN! What have I told you about being blunt!?"
"That it will only get you nowhere unless you be nice first; if that doesn't work, then you can be as blunt as much you like," came Aunt Seirin's tired reply, rolling her head back like any exasperated teenager would.
The lack of personal dignity was not an uncommon sight in our home. My clan was always different from the other noble families; we tended to go by the beat of our own drum more than what society dictated for us. We were definitely different when compared to Byakuya's family though. While the Kuchiki Clan are known for being stoic and graceful in practically everything that they do, us Fukudomes were easier going and willing to let our flaws show in public, regardless of how anyone would react.
And trust me, people reacted.
We don't exactly fit into the "noble" mold.
Maybe that's why I was such a prank loving tomboy when I was younger.
"Nana Moka, Aunt Seirin, where are your zanpakuto?" I ask, finally realizing that they were not present. "I thought they would be with you."
"Oh them? Chō and Kitsune will meet us at the tea room . . . Oh, there they are now."
Looking straight ahead, we see two women standing in front of the tea room's open shoji doors. The first woman had long, curly, lavender-colored hair, lavender eyes, pointy ears, and an elfish face. She wore a sleeveless dark lavender kimono that only went mid-thigh and white bandages were wrapped around her shins and went up to her knees. The most noticeable feature wasn't her hair, but the small set of butterfly wings that were protruding from her back, making her look like a human-sized fairy.
The other woman had short blonde hair in a curly bob, wore an orange-red sleeveless kimono top, a black open vest, skinny black pants and tall peep toe sandals that made her taller than the lavender fairy standing right next to her. A pair of yellow fox ears with white edges poked out from her hair while a long yellow fox tail with a white tip poked out from her rear.
"Right on time Chō, Kitsune," commented Seirin as we reached the two zanpakuto spirits. "I hope you didn't have to wait long."
"Not really." answered Kitsune, greeting us with a wave of her hand.
"Shall we proceed inside?" asks Chō, her smile eerily like Grandma's. "We already started the fire."
"Great! Let's go inside and talk." Grandma cheerily advises before turning to me. "I'm sure you have a lot to get off your chest."
"Grandma, you have no idea."
Byakuya's POV, two hours later
"Is there something wrong master? You have been quiet; too quiet, even for you."
"I'm fine Senbonzakura. You don't have to worry about me so much." I tell him as we continue our walk through one of the higher-class neighborhoods of the Seireitei.
"I understand fully. However, I must remind you that as your zanpakuto spirit, one of my duties it to worry about you when you do not feel balanced within yourself."
"Thank you for the reminder." I wasn't in the best of moods thanks to my clouded thoughts. Believe it or not, it wasn't due to the sight of my little sister sitting in a jail cell, eerily content with her impending fate.
What was plaguing me was the very thought of Kenpachi telling me to say hi to Minata for him.
That barbarian wanted me to talk to her in his name.
There was no way in hell I would ever do such a thing for him.
He likes to act like he wants to be friends with her, but we both know it's just a ploy to get to me. He's wanted to fight me for years now, but I have never even entertained the thought of his challenge, which I know irritates him to no end. So, he has to try other ways to get my attention, and trying to get to Mina has always been his favorite tactic.
My friendship with Mina is well-known throughout the Seireitei by shinigami and nobles alike. We've known each other since we were little, practically babies even, and Kenpachi has not been the most subtle in employing his tactics. Captain Commander had to threaten him with a fighting ban on his entire division to make sure he would stop loitering around the First so much. He had been doing it for three days straight to make sure that he managed to catch Mina, but she avoided him like the plague.
Not because I asked her too. As she likes to put it, it was to refine her stealth skills, but considering it's Kenpachi, she didn't have to try too hard.
"Master, it seems we have walked into the neighborhood where the Fukudomes make their home?"
Looking up, I see that what Senbonzakura has said is right. I didn't have a destination in mind when we started walking, but we managed to find ourselves near the gate that surrounded the Fukudome property.
"Indeed, we have." I respond as I continue observing the gate, a sudden sense of expectancy moving through my spine. It wasn't long before the gate opened, revealing Minata and Mizukiri as they walked out from within.
"Is it just me or does Lady Minata look troubled?"
"It's not just you." I say as I see what he was talking about. As Mizukiri says goodbye to the guards, Minata was walking away with a disgruntled look on her face. Something must have happened to cause it, and I am not too sure if I want to know what it is.
"Shall we see what's wrong?"
"Might as well . . ." I reluctantly concede, knowing full well that Senbonzakura sensed my reluctance and decided to act upon it.
I'm sure he's smirking under his mask this very minute.
"Captain Kuchiki, Senbonzakura, I didn't expect to see you two here." It was the first thing that passed through Mizukiri's lips as she finally noticed our presence. Minata, who stood a few feet away, stopped as well, but she doesn't turn to us like her zanpakuto did.
"May we walk with you two for a bit?" Senbonzakura asks, his tone hopeful as he gestured to the road in front of us. My zanpakuto was usually sure of himself most of the time, but I have noticed when he encounters Mizukiri these days, he's actually shows signs of nervousness. It's quite odd if you ask me. "At least let us escort you back to the manor. . ."
"That sounds like quite the nice offer. Thank you." answers the blonde, accepting my spirit's offered arm. As the two spirits started walking ahead, I was left to walk beside the still quiet heiress following right behind them. Her silence was becoming unsettling at this point, so I took matters into my hands.
"Is there something wrong Mina?"
"Hm?" she asks, watching me warily with those beautiful purple eyes of hers. "You mean you haven't heard?"
Did I just say beautiful?
"Heard of what exactly?"
"Hell butterflies have been delivering messages to all the division captains for the past hour now. Even my grandmother received one."
"The message must be important if even the head of the Kido Corps has been included as a recipient."
"Indeed. So, you really haven't gotten word yet?" she asks, blindly turning the corner as she continues to look at me.
"I left my office early after finishing all of my paperwork for the day. I must have left before the butterfly could stop by."
"It will find you soon enough, but it's probably better if you hear the news now. It concerns Rukia."
"What is it?" I ask, foreboding worming its way into my stomach. I already had to deliver the news of my sister's impending death right to her face. What else could make that worse?
"Byakuya, Rukia execution will happen sooner than expected."
Well, that does it.