Chapter 59: Lost Substitute Shinigami Arc: Planning

Minata's POV

"If no one else has anything to contribute, this concludes our meeting. We'll meet back here same time next week to hash out the specifics for the upcoming festival," says Nanao, her face all business as she adjusted her glasses. With Yachiru in the Human World, Nanao, as the Shinigami Women's Association vice president, was left to lead the proceedings, which was probably for the best, all things considering.

Knowing the tiny pinkette, she would have suggested something absolutely ridiculous while snacking on a bowl of bonbons. "Any questions for next week?"

"I have one?" Matsumoto calls from her spot across the room, a cup of sake already in hand. "Are there any limits to the things we can suggest for the next meeting?"

"Nothing R-rated!" was Nanao's immediate reply. "And I mean it this time Rangiku!"

Her implicit statement was answered with a pout from the busty 10th Division lieutenant. It was well-known that the two always had conflicting ideas for the club, mainly due to Rangiku suggesting things either on the provocative side, or bordering on inedible, the latter being a byproduct of her rooming with that Inoue girl during a prior mission to the Human World.

Rangiku may be a strong vice-captain and a charismatic woman, but her taste in food is downright weird at times.

With Matsumoto's sulky early departure - her leaving before the formal dismissal irking Ise even more - the meeting ended without another hitch, thankfully. The Kotetsu sisters got a little too buzzed on sake at the last meeting, and it was quite a hassle getting them off the Manor grounds without anyone noticing.

"Minata!"

"Yes Nanao?" I ask as I look up to see the 8th Division vice-captain still packing away her stuff.

"Do you think Rukia will have some ideas for the festival?"

"I'm sure she will, and knowing her, it'll definitely be something Chappy-themed."

"And that's what I'm afraid of," I hear the bespectacled woman mumble as we walked into the hallway. "Don't get me wrong. I appreciate Kuchiki's ideas - she actually has some of the better ones in this club - but it's the same theme every year. Coupled with the fact that Chappy tends to be a popular character already, well . . . I'm just hoping for a little more originality this time around."

"I'm sure I can suggest to Rukia that she tone down on the Chappy this year, hopefully . . ."

"Hopefully?"

"I may be able to convince Rukia when I'm alone with her, but if Byakuya ever gets wind of this, he'll likely convince her to stand firm and not go through with it. . . They may not be related by blood, but those two can be quite stubborn if they work together."

"Do you really think he'll interfere like that?" Nanao asks, not too sure if she should take my word for it.

"Well, he was a little upset with me when I got him to agree to tone down the Ambassador Seaweed at last year's festival. . . He didn't look it of course, but I could still tell he was a little miffed about it." I mumble as we walked out of the main house and down a path that led to the entrance on the eastern side of the property.

"How exactly did you manage to convince Captain Kuchiki to show less of his favorite mascot anyway? He's notorious for advocating on that character's behalf at whatever chance he gets."

"After knowing him for all these years, I've developed numerous ways to sway Byakuya to my side."

Originally, I was thinking of blackmailing him into holding back on Seaweed last year - likely with some embarrassing stories anonymously delivered to the Seireitei Communication offices - but I didn't want to be mean, especially since I know he really cares about that character so much.

So, I decided on the second option: making a deal with him, one that would benefit both sides. I ended up offering up my terms to him over breakfast one morning: he would lesson Ambassador Seaweed's visibility during the festival, and in exchange, I would owe him a favor, no questions asked.

I did not expect Byakuya to agree to it so quickly, nor did I expect him to cash in his favor just as fast; the favor being that I spend an entire day with him doing whatever he wanted. I was a little suspicious of his demand, to be honest, but a quick word with his personal steward soon alleviated my worries.

It turned out one of Byakuya's mandatory personal days was incoming and knowing how hard it was for him to occupy himself on his days off, he was sorely in need of some company. I ended up using one of my sick days because of it, but it was well worth it to see Byakuya look so relaxed and enjoy the things he loved to do in his free time for once.

Plus, ending the day with a nice dinner and an intense make out session that would make even the most emotionless of elders' blush was a bonus.

"Here's to hoping you can work your magic again this year," Nanao smirks as we reach the gate. "You'll likely have to work on the older sibling before you get to the younger one though."

"I'll see what I can do. Have a good night Nanao."

I see her off with a wave before making my way back to the manor. When I reached the porch, an attendant was already there to alert me of Byakuya's return, and that he would meet me in the small dining room where we took our meals together these days.

Smirking, I shunpo back to my room, Senbonzakura's spiritual aura already hitting my senses as soon as I appeared in the hallway. When I walked in, he and Mizukiri were sitting on the lounge chair she used as a bed on the nights she didn't want to spend the night in my Inner World.

Well, she was sitting.

He was laying down with his head resting in her lap as she idly played with his long hair, now no longer in its usual ponytail.

"Long day Senbonzakura?" I couldn't help but ask as I went to my closet to pick out some looser robes.

"You have no idea." I hear him mumble as I pick out an outfit. "The mission was a success though. There's that."

"If the mission was so successful, then why do you sound so miserable?"

"He ended up hurting his master in the process."

"What do you mean by that?" I couldn't help but ask, stopping myself short of my bathroom door to look at the two. Kiri must have expected this reaction from me, because she was already looking at me with a small smile on her face as she continued to soothe the samurai, already ready with an answer at the tip of her tongue.

"Senbonzakura didn't mean to of course," she tells me as she grasped the hand that was laying on his chest, weaving her fingers together with his. I couldn't tell how his face reacted to that due to the mask, but the content hum I heard from him was a good indicator that he appreciated the gesture. "Let's just the battle they went through caused him and Byakuya to take some drastic measures."

"I see . . . And Byakuya knows that you feel some form of guilt about this Senbonzakura?" I ask as I went stepped into the bathroom.

"He has an idea of it. Does that count?"

Guilt and remorse were laced throughout his words, so I figured it was best to not trouble him anymore about it and leave Mizukiri to continue soothing his poor soul. After changing into my loose light blue yukata with lily pads patterning the edges, I bid the two goodbye, stepped out the room, and started my little trek to the dining room.

I have a good feeling Byakuya and I will have a lot to talk about in a few minutes.

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