Chapter 6- Tea Time
Byakuya's POV
"Byakuya, Rukia's execution will happen sooner than expected."
Her words were like an ice pick to the chest, a sudden shock to my system that was enough to rattle weaker men. Luckily for myself, I made sure to train myself to the point that I couldn't be considered a weak man by others, but I knew a discussion like this could not continue on the street where a passing ear could hear it, especially in an affluent one such as this one.
Taking Minata's hand in mine - which undoubtedly made her raise some eyebrows - I flash step the both of us toward my manor, stopping when we were just a few feet away from the gate. Our zanpakuto appear immediately afterward, both curious at my sudden actions.
"I'm sorry that my action was so sudden, but I believed that what we are about to discuss was better in a more private setting," I reason before she had a chance to speak, guiding her toward the gate with a hand upon her back. "Now then, Rukia's execution . . . Is it really happening earlier than planned?"
"Indeed; the Central 46 has decided to have it a week earlier than scheduled. However, it's rumored that they may move the date up even further if necessary." she tells me as we walked onto my property, our zanpakutos falling in right behind us.
"What reason would they have for doing that?!" I ask, my steely outburst startling one of the resident gardeners tending the shrubbery.
"Apparently, they believe that the people she allied with during her time in the Living World will come to rescue her from her fate once they hear about it. . . They want to make sure that there will be nothing for them to rescue when they arrive. A very callous move, if you ask me, but who are we to judge?"
The image of that ryoka boy that tried to stop me that night starts to appear in my mind as I let Minata's words slowly sink in.
"So, judging from your words, it appears that Ichigo Kurosaki did not die from his wounds as I had hoped." I say as we stop by one of the koi ponds.
"Not at all . . . Apparently, after you and Renji took Rukia into custody and came back to the Soul Society, Kisuke Urahara emerged, found Kurosaki, and tended to his wounds before disappearing without a trace. . . At this point, I wouldn't be surprised if he ended up helping the boy hone his remaining skills."
"A man like that should have never been allowed to escape like he did. That mad scientist will always remain a thorn in the Soul Society's side if he continues to remain free." I say, a new question already forming in my mind.
"Mina, how exactly did you learn of this information? I thought the high-ranking members of the Second Division and the Onmitsukido were the only ones privy to this."
"Well, I may no longer be a member of 2nd Division, and a high ranking one at that, but I still have my connections my dear lord." she says with a smirk.
I wouldn't argue against her on that one.
"I'll take your word for it." I finally say. "I'm still slightly amazed that Captain Soi-Fon allowed you to take the position as the First Division's third seat, even though you were already serving in the same role for the Second."
"Captain Soi-Fon has her reasons for letting me go. Only time will tell if she'll actually say them because I do not know myself." she tells me as she starts moving to the building.
"Hmm, since we are on the subject of positions in one's division, is it really true that Soi-Fon wanted you to serve as her lieutenant?" I asked, curious to know her answer. My question may have been a little out of the blue, but I have been curious about it in the past.
Might as well get my answer now.
"It's quite true, actually," she finally concedes as we passed the threshold. "However, things didn't work out in her favor, and Oomaeda ended up being the lieutenant instead of me. I'm sure she wants to switch him out for someone else - and Oomaeda does not make it easy for himself with his known tendency for acting like a coward at times - but the rules do not make it easy for positions to change."
"Now isn't that the truth . . ." I whisper as we switch to our indoor slippers. There were certain individuals that made me want to change their rankings within the division, and even a couple that I wanted to kick out of the barracks entirely. However, the strict rules that dictated how the divisions operated made it hard to demote individuals for petty reasons.
Now, I wouldn't go that far to actually do that if it was allowed unless there was a very valid reason for it, but I admit, I would be sorely tempted to do so if my resistance to petty temptations wasn't so strong.
"If I remember correctly, the rule is that as long as a lieutenant of any division is healthy, ready, and able to perform their duties for his or her division, then the lieutenant can remain in their role. Unless the lieutenant has died for any reason or has lost their powers, then he or she is to remain in their role for the rest of their lives unless promoted to captaincy." she tells me as we walked down the hallway. "It's a fair rule, but I don't think it took into account the level of competency of said individuals."
"That is a fair point to make," I say as we turned the corner. "If that rule was weakened, we would be seeing quite a number of turnovers as a result."
"Including Abarai?" she asks, her tone challenging.
"He has his moments, but none that would lead me to dispatch him as my lieutenant."
"I see . . . It seems that Abarai has started to grow on you after all." she mumbles as we near the tea room.
"It's a fair assessment to make, but in my opinion, you would make for an excellent lieutenant Lady Minata."
"Why thank you Senbonzakura. I appreciate that."
Her response, and the smug smirk I knew was adorning my zanpakuto's face underneath his mask, was enough to get a bemused look to appear on my face as we finally reached the tea room. It was Minata herself who slid the door open, collective surprise crossing all of our faces as my grandfather sat quietly inside.
"Grandfather, I did not expect you to be in here."
"Ah Byakuya, everyone, come in. I was hoping to have a do over of our missed weekly tea, if you don't mind?" says the elder as he pours out four cups of cherry blossom tea.
"Of course, Grandfather . . . I was hoping we could make that date up anyway." I say as we all take our seats, me sitting across from him.
"It seems you have a lot weighing on your mind, my dear boy. A nice conversation over tea should help with that . . . So, how has your day been?"
"Hmm, slightly eventful." I respond after taking a quiet sip.
"So, you've heard the news about Rukia then?" I did not expect him to know about this and judging from the smug look that was gracing his features, he expected this. "I may have retired from my captaincy, but as a former captain, I am still allowed the courtesy of a Hell's Butterfly gracing my presence every once in a while."
"Hmm, that does make sense," I say as I notice Minata giving me a slight glance. "I did not hear the news straight from one of the butterflies. Minata told me about it after we ran into her as she was leaving her family's property."
"Hmm, I figured Moka would be told about this as well. Her division is the one that releases the seal that frees the SÅkyoku for executions, though I doubt she or her lieutenant will be there to oversee the process themselves. . . The Kido Corps leadership's absence at notable events is as infamous as the 11th Division being known as the fighting division."
"That's true, but in their defense, most of the notable events you speak of are strictly the business of the 13 divisions. Why should they be a part of something they have no connection to?"
"That is a fair point to make Minata," my grandfather concedes as he looks into his cup. "The timing seems suspicious, don't you think? They set Rukia's execution date at a specific time, only to change it in less than a few days . . ."
"They say their reasoning for moving up the date is because they think a rescue party from the Human World will come for her." Mizukiri adds, as Senbonzakura looks at her cup in confusion. It was empty, which does make one wonder how she finished the practically scalding brew so quickly without anyone noticing.
"That is an understandable assessment Mizukiri . . . Before she was arrested, Rukia was stationed in the Living World for a number of weeks. She was bound to meet some humans that would notice her spiritual pressure. They're not uncommon."
"Grandfather, do you really think that a rescue party will come here to Soul Society and rescue Rukia from her fate?" I ask, slightly curious.
"It's possible Byakuya, as long as they're that driven and know the right people, that is." he says with a knowing smirk, and the image of the ryoka and that mad scientist appear in my head once again.
"Even if they do find a way to reach the Seireitei, they will face many challenges in their path."
"The Dangai, the barrier around the Seireitei, and the many shinigami that walk through the Seireitei streets, just to name a few." says Senbonzakura, adding to Minata's thought as he placed his empty cup on the table.
"Senbonzakura, how in the Seireitei did you drink that without taking off your mask?"
"I have my ways Mizukiri. Unfortunately for you, that piece of information is for me to know and for you to find out." he says while staring straight ahead, probably with a pompous look hidden under his mask.
"Are you sure you want to go down that route?" she asks, mild irritation lacing her tone as she glared at him. "I have my ways of getting information out of you."
"You can try, but I will not break." he tells her, which only earns him an eager smirk in return. Next thing we all know, my zanpakuto lets out a screech of bloody murder, clutching his stinging arm as Mizukiri watches him with an ecstatic grin, her hand flowing with electricity. "YOU SHOCKED ME WOMAN!"
"I know," she tells him, completely unapologetic. "I told you I have my ways. What you felt was one of them."
"So, you want to get your answers by shocking me?!"
"When you share your master's ability for manipulating the elements to your will, you got to use it to your advantage," she tells him, rather smug with her response. "Remember, you opened yourself up to this when you refused to answer my question. You share just as much of the blame here as I do. Plus, you technically add to your pain by wearing that armor - highly conductive armor, might I add."
"I hate to say it Senbonzakura, but Mizukiri does make a good point." I concede, holding back the smirk that was threatening to show as the samurai looks at me. His mask was molded after the fierce stoicism of an oni, but I could feel the waves of betrayal through our connection as he continued to glare.
"It could be said that you share some blame for this as well Byakuya," my grandfather adds, instantly bursting my amused bubble. "Your zanpakutos are a part of your soul. They tend to show your traits a little more extremely. Just the same, they reflect the traits that you don't want to personally show yourself. Senbonzakura is simply emulating your old childish nature, while Mizukiri emulates the side of Minata that would always get mad when things didn't go her way."
"Oh, the memories . . ." Minata mumbles into her cup, though not well enough to hide the sarcasm in her tone. "I remember them like it was yesterday."
"I still blame you for a number of the bad ones by the way." I say, my tone blunt as I finish my tea. Yoruichi will always be the pain in my side that caused most of my troubles when I was younger, but Minata came a reasonable second.
"Me?" she asks, managing to look a little surprised at my insinuation, though it's probably just for show. "Some of those incidences were your own fault Byakuya."
"I will admit some of them were of my own making, but still you were always relentless when you decided to pull a prank on me. . . The ice bath one was especially heinous."
"That was a favorite of mine, and I only did it after you had that incident with the firecrackers meant for one of your great uncle's birthday party. . . Also, in my defense, you were asking for most of them with the way you impulsively acted. . . Short fuse much?"
"His temper was one of the worst ones this family has seen in recent memory."
"Grandfather, who's side are you on?"
"The side of the truth my good grandson . . . The side of the truth."
"Can that really be considered a viable answer for the context of this conversation?" I couldn't help but ask as I looked around the table.
"Eh, I'll accept it." Mina concedes as she finishes her cup.
"Me too." comes Mizukiri's quick response as she pours herself another cup of the now-lukewarm brew.
"To be fair, your grandfather is not wrong master." my zanpakuto adds, securing my position in the minority.
"You have to admit it Byakuya. You were practically unbearable when your temper got the best of you." Minata adds, leaning her head just enough that I got a view of her profile.
Was her skin always that flawless?
. . . And here I go again with these weird thoughts of mine.
"How so?" I ask, as I try to push my wayward thoughts aside.
"Hmm, let me list them for you," she says, raising her right hand. "There were the times you fell for my pranks, Yoruichi always taking your hair tie, Yoruichi always beating you in Flash Step races, Captain Ukitake always treating you like a child, and Captain Kyoraku always saying you were a brat . . . Need I say more?"
"She's got you there."
"Must you say that Senbonzakura?" I mumble, the irritation apparent in my tone as my grandfather tries to hide his chuckle behind his hand.
"Let me think . . . yes."
"Senbonzakura, you talk too much."
"I know, but remember, I inherited my impulsiveness from you," he reminds me as he turns in my direction. "You are partially at fault for this."
"Oh my . . . this is getting too good." I could hear Mizukiri whisper, both she and her master watching the two of us with eager eyes as we continued our combative banter.
"I'm sure the elders would have a field day with this if they were around to witness it." Grandfather adds, his statement acting as both a kidding joke and a warning all in the same breath. Before I could even react, a sharp knock on the door stops me in my tracks, silencing the room in an instant.
"Enter."
"I am sorry to interrupt." says the servant after sliding the door open, revealing that she held a small letter with the Gotei 13 insignia on the front. "A message just arrived from the Captain Commander's desk."
The man hands the letter over to Mina before acknowledging the rest of us and taking his leave. We wait for her as she reads it, her widening eyes as she made her way toward the bottom.
"What does the scroll say master?" asks Mizukiri, her face now a concerned mask not unlike my own.
"An illegal Senkaimon opened in the Rukongai a few hours ago."
Her announcement causes our zanpakuto to look at each other in disbelief and grandfather to bring a hand to his chin in deep thought. I kept myself calm, waiting to hear what else the letter had to say before adding my input.
"Who emerged from the Seikamon?" asks Senbonzakura, voicing our combined curiosity.
"A small group from the Living World; Karakura Town to be exact." says Minata as she places the scroll on the table, free to anyone who wanted to see the details for themselves.
"Who is among them?" Grandfather asks as he eyes Minata curiously. "Anyone we may possibly know or may have heard about?"
"Somewhat . . . They're all teenagers accompanied by a black cat that can somehow talk like a normal person. Now where have we heard that one before hm?" she asks, knowing full well that we all knew the answer to that one. "Accompanying the cat is a tall dark-skinned male, a young, unassuming-looking girl, a boy that appears to be a Quincy, well, judging from the white garb he was wearing, and . . ."
"And?" I ask. "Who else is there?"
"The same boy you and Renji encountered back in the Living World. Somehow, he has his shinigami powers again."
"He probably took them from another Soul Reaper." I say in disgust. ". . . That boy has no discipline."
"Sorry to burst your bubble Byakuya, but it appears that that's not the case."
"Mina, you don't mean...?"
"Indeed Byakuya. It appears that the powers this Ichigo boy now has is a result of his own training. It seems that he is a natural Soul Reaper."
A/N: Leave a comment if you like!