7.) Answers for Lost Souls

Nomi

Muffled voices met my ears and I registered a cool, wet cloth was sitting against the burning flesh of my forehead.  I tried to concentrate on what they were saying but found it difficult to do so.   It sounded like arguing; three males and a female and as things became clearer I realized they were arguing over me. 

I knew the voices well.  Kyoraku, Ukitake, Nanao and…

My eyes slammed open as I caught the tale end of their conversation.

“She needs to go to the Forth, why are you being so stubborn?”  Nanao huffed and had I not been about to go insane, I would have laughed.  Leave it to Nanao to stand up to a demon warlord.  Even though Sora may look a little on the feminine side, he was anything but. 

“And as I have said before, onna, she is fine.”  Sora replied and though he sounded calm I could almost see the tick forming in his left eye as his agitation grew.

“No offence,”  Shunsui started.  “But you’re no doctor and we really should make sure she’s alright.” 

I could hear the grinding of his teeth and I was proud that he had held his tongue this long, my Lord had never done well when people tried to waver his already made up mind.  “If something were wrong with her I would sense it.” 

Sitting up I ignored the throbbing in my limbs as I crept to the shoji door on my hands and knees peeking through a small crack left open. 

“How?”  Ukitake pressed, clearly not impressed and it showed in his face.

The whole lot of them were gathered around a low table in what I considered to be a joining sitting room to the sleeping quarters I was in.  Each wearing his or her own frown or furrowed brow.  If the situation hadn’t been so serious I might have laughed at my old guardian who looked to be ill at being surrounded by so many pestering humans.   

“That is none of your concern.”  Sora gritted out and I decided it was time to show myself before he finally lost what was left of his temper, though in truth I’m sure he was more than aware that I was awake already. 

“This is ridiculous…”  Ukitake wailed, throwing his hands in the air.  “You don’t care at all, do you?”  He asked in anger and I flew of my futon and was out the door before Sora could stand. 

The air around him bled crimson as his spiritual pressure rose.  “Not care?”  He said rising and as he stood his pressure got more intense.  “Not care!” 

“Sora!”  I gasped, throwing myself in front of Jyuu, my arms extended to show he was not to be harmed, at least without harming me first.  When Sora made no move to attack the crushing weight of his spiritual pressure finally forced me to my knees.  Jyuu caught me before I could ever hit the ground as I knew he would,  “I’m fine…”  I panted.  Still wondering how Jyuu and Shun-kun were still able to stand.  My own Reiatsu was at the ranking of a lower Taicho, I didn’t stand a chance.  I gasped as the realization dawned on me that even as humans Jyuu and Shunsui were near at his power in human form. 

  
Jyuu was still a mess when I turned to him, pressing my palm to his face in reassurance.  “Jyuu, look at me.”  He complied letting me look into his hazy pools of green.  “I’m fine.”  I told him once again and wrapped my arms around his neck, hugging him the best way I could from my position. 

His breath was coming out in hard pants but I hardly thought it was due to spiritual pressure Sora had exuded, no, I think he was just really pissed off. I could feel every thump of his beating heart and he was practically vibrating in his skin.  I had never seen Jyuu this way before and to tell the truth it was somewhat frightening.  Even we had been defending me against the my moronic Fifth seat at the bar last night, he was always calm.  He wasn’t now. 

He took several breaths to steady himself before he regained his composure and set me on my feet, but he never let go fully and I couldn’t  help but to relax in the familiar comfort of his presence.  

After taking a moment to myself I turned to Sora and asked the most obvious question.  “How are you alive?” 

He said nothing for a moment, just stared.  “May I speak to you in private?”  He asked coolly, raking his eyes over my new form and I couldn’t help but blush.

I nodded without hesitation and I felt Jyuu stiffen from behind me.  “But why now?”

“I think I can answer your question, Nomi-chan.”  A sultry voice called from behind me.  I knew who it was immediately and I felt my temper rise.  She knew?  With that, I snapped. 

~
Nanao

The elfin like ears of the man standing beside me twitched and though I heard nothing I knew that he did.  Nomi was very detailed in her accounts of her time spent with this demon and one of the things we spoke most of was his incredible senses of sight, smell and hearing.  From what she had explained this Lord Sora was a demon of wolf origins and it was easy to understand his heightened sense of things.  But as his frowned deepened I found it hard to believe that anything he might of heard was anything but negative.  In fact since the arrival of the former Captain and Commander of Squad Two the rooms already tense atmosphere tripled.  It was easy enough to conclude that this was no happy reunion with Yoruichi but something more of a tryst I wanted no part of.

  
“Why?”  Nomi asked pleadingly.  She had moved to the window shortly after Jyuu set her on her feet and with her back still facing us her head cocked to the side, just enough to see the glimmering wetness that streamed down her face.  I knew she was desperately trying to hold back the emotions she had been holding in for the last hundred years, she was much like myself in that respect, preferring to keep a tight hold of herself until in the privacy of her own home.  “Why would you lie to me?”

I had never heard her so broken before, not even in our late night talks after she had suffered a particularly bad nightmare and sought out my comfort, not even then had I seen her in such a state.  Ukitake-Taicho must have seen the same thing I had for in a swiftness he was moving to her side.  It was Shunsui who stopped him using a strong hand to guide him back to were he was once standing just seconds ago.  Ukitake’s eyes narrowed, upset his friend wouldn’t let him pass.  He looked just as confused as I felt as the skin between his brows drew tighter. 

“Wait.”  Was all Kyoraku would say as he kept his eyes trained on whatever he was picking up from my demon friend.   My Taicho still had a firm hold of Ukitake’s shoulder to immobilize him if need be, I guessed. It was a bit of a shock to see Shun restraining Jyuu in such away and thinking back I don’t think Shunsui had ever used such force against the white haired Taicho.  A strange tingle shot down my spine sending a wave of goose flesh across my already chilled skin.  I had encountered this feeling before around Kyoraku, though only once and admittedly it was not enjoyable sensation.  It was fear, plain and simple though who it belonged to still remained to be seen.  

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Kyoraku nod, his own way of telling me that he was on to something and honestly it did nothing to quell the uneasiness I felt stirring from beneath the surface.  Others might be fool enough to actually believe my Taicho was nothing more than the lazy drunk he pretended to be.  But those of us close enough to really understand him new the truth.  Kyoraku was a highly intelligent man, who’s only problem with dealing with the mindless task of all Taicho’s of the Gotei 13 were just that, the paperwork, the training schedules, the monthly budget… it was all mindless, nothing challenging enough to actually stimulate his mind.  When it came down to it Kyoraku was genius at problem solving and was incredibly aware of the goings on around him.  I had no doubts what so ever that he knew something about what was happing here, I only wished I was privileged to the information pumping through his brain. 

After a few moments Yoruichi took a hesitant step forward and to me she seemed almost wary of approaching her adoptive sibling.  “I’m sorry-”  She started only to be cut off by a low hiss.

“You’re sorry?”  she scoffed sarcastically, shaking her head with a mechanical smile in place.  To a blind eye she would seem to be amused, but through her ridged stance and her growing spiritual pressure I hardly thought she found any humor in the situation. 

“Over a hundred years,”  she whispered, a small sob catching in her throat and the former commander of the stealth squad stop dead in her tracks as Nomi’s voice grew sadder, colder.  “But you knew, didn’t you?”

When Yoruichi made no reply Nomi gave a little laugh, raising her hand to wipe at her soaked cheeks and I found it almost frightening that she no longer seemed to care that she was crying.  “How long?”  she asked quietly, her voice rough from restraining her sobs. 

“What?” 

“How long?”  She growled, evidently upset with having to repeat herself.  “How long has he been in the Soul Society?  How many nights have you let me agonize over his face, his face that haunted me knowing I was my fault he died, because I was weak and once again he had to save me?”  Her voice grew in volume as she spoke and I saw the demon next to me stiffen as the air around us started to crack and sizzle with her demonic aura.  “How many nights did you hear me scream for him in my sleep, begging for his forgiveness while you did nothing to ease my pain?”  She was screaming by time she finished her tirade and as she did her eyes began to bleed red.  

“Do you know how they execute demons for the highest treason, I do!”  She raged.  “He gave me a part of himself and then they killed him… they killed him.” 

I held in a gasp of my own.  Even with all she had told me, us… all of us, I didn’t know he was executed for her.  I didn’t even know such a thing was possible.  Admittedly after becoming friends with Nomi.  I did a little research of my own, if for nothing else then to just understand her better.  It was a sketchy process as most of her origins were rooted in Folk lore but I did find out a few things, most trivial, but I did see something about the binding of human and demon souls.  It was reckless, dangerous and most of all… forbidden. 

“No answers now?”  She sniffled, drying her eyes with her palms as she still tried to hide her tears from the rest of the room. 

Throwing a hand on my hip I turned to face the noble lady myself, waiting for her to respond, I too would love an explanation for this.  I may have not known Nomi for years like Yoruichi but I was her friend and I knew by first hand account how much pain she was in.   Apparently I wasn’t the only one feeling protective at the moment nor was I the only one waiting for an answer.  Kyoraku and Ukitake held the same angry stare as they too waited, but I was surprised to see that Inu no Tashio, didn’t.  My heart sank to my stomach praying the demon next to me was just being stoic, it would kill Nomi if he had been here for so long with knowledge of her and never so much as sent her word.

Kyoraku, myself and Ukitake have all had to deal with the aftermath of one of Nomi’s night terrors at one point or another, however, if you were to ask Jyuu he would tell you that they were a blessing in disguise for it brought Nomi closer to him.  Many nights she had come to us, either at the Eight or the Thirteenth tear streaked and disheveled hair, claiming one excuse or another before she settled in next to Jyuu or Kyoraku and dozed off again, more often than not it was in Jyuu’s arms when she wanted to be comforted.  But I dreaded the aftermath of this if Nomi’s demon simply didn’t care, if he had been aware and just left her to suffer.  I feared it would finally break my strong friend. 

My mind sidetracked for a moment as an unsettled feeling seeped into the very marrow of my bones.  It tore at my heart, thinking of what all this, the return of Sora and what it could do to Jyuu and Nomi’s slowly building relationship.  It was a sad twist of fate, much like the girls life had already been.  It had finally brought her demon Lord back to her but at a time when she was so clearly starting to warm to the idea of her and Jyuu together as more than just companions.

  
What would happen now that he had returned?  She had said earlier in this morning that it wouldn’t matter if he was still alive, that her demon Lord had never returned her feeling for him.  But to be honest I wasn’t so sure.  Just by what she’s told me alone was enough to make even the most dense person see that the man/demon at least cared deeply for her.

I’ve never felt more torn in my life than I did right now.  I knew that one man loved her without a doubt and the other was yet to be seen but it was ultimately her decision and no matter how much I wished that she’d pick Jyuu, I would remain by her side.  I knew that Kyoraku felt the same way as much as it pained him to see his long time friend hurt, I knew he would never turn his back on her.  As I also knew that even if she didn’t pick Jyuu he would always remain close to her, whether it was in hopes of a different future or just because he was just that dedicated to her as a person, Jyuu would always be there.

Bringing myself back to the present I noticed my mind had returned just in time to see Yoruichi hand her head in shame as she whispered.  “Eighty years,”

“What?”  I gasped, balking  at her answer, my eyes wide as a glow of golden kido started to manifest itself around Nomi.

“Eighty years I’ve known of Sora’s existence here-” 

  
“Why!”  Nomi snapped suddenly, spinning around to give us a full picture of her red and swollen face, she had been crying and quite hard, I startled from the outburst.  It was expected for her to be so angry but it still spooked me.  Her face was wet and raw as she screamed incoherent things at her mentor, things I halfway expected to be a demon language.   “Why would you let me think him dead! Why let me think that he suffered in the Hell fires. TELL ME!”

Yoruichi startled and for the first time today I didn’t think her the villain.  She looked just as heartbroken as Nomi and I briefly wondered if all the deceit was for a good cause, if neither demon could have handled it when Nomi first arrived here, if she couldn’t handle it now. 

Feeling an uncontrollable urge to comfort her I took a brazen step forward, only to have my movements thwarted by a clawed left hand.  I knew who it belonged to before ever having to look up.  The demon who had until this point remained aloof and silent had now intervened, touched me even and I already knew about his aversion to humans.  While his face remained a hard, stoic mask I craned my neck upwards in hopes of obtaining some answers.  “She would never forgive me… if you were to get hurt.”

It was a strange answer to come from a man such as him, but I nodded and complied anyway.  Whatever I thought he might have said, that certainly was not what I was expecting.  He moved slowly towards her, his eyes never reveling his plans, but as he reached for her, the tense nature of the room dissipated as she slumped deeper into his bleached robes, taking comfort in his scent, or so I would guess. 

I could faintly hear Kyoraku praising Ukitake for his patience and understanding as the demon Lord swooped Nomi into his arms, she laid there lifeless as a rag doll as he carried her to the low table we had been sitting at previous to Yourichi’s arrival.  Usually it was Ukitake-Taicho who would usually coddle my Taicho after he had done something stupid or was just generally upset and it was slightly odd to see the dynamic reversed, but I figured with everything going on Jyuu most likely really needed it.  I couldn’t tell if the man wanted to fight or cry, it was possible that he wanted to do both and I couldn’t blame him for it. 

As Nomi settled down the Demon Taicho turned to Jyuu and asked more politely than I would have thought him capable asked for some tea to be brought in.  “It will calm her further.”  He told us by way of explanation when we all lifted a brow in his direction.  Jyuu sighed but did as the Demon asked of him and within a few minutes a few servants arrived with a tray of tea and sweet cakes.
  
Nomi

I felt foolish, childish and incredibly weak as I sat in his lap soaking up his woodland scent of pine and persimmons, taking any and all comfort he would afford me with.  Had the day not worn on me so I would have felt worse about it, but as I was mentally and physically exhausted I didn’t care if the Captain-Commander himself were to bear witness to this.  I was simply too exhausted to move.

“Perhaps you should start from the beginning, Lady Yoruichi.”  Sora suggested, the vibration of his words rumbled through his chest and onto my scantily clad back.  It was then that I remembered how much of my flesh he had seen today.  It was also then that I noticed that I was covered his signature Kosode; white silk trimmed at the left shoulder with the red chrysanthemum and the half crested moon.  My cheeks flamed hot under the skin and I wondered minutely if he could tell.  Of course he can, you idiot.  I thought to myself, wishing the earth would open up and swallow me before I embarrassed myself further in his presence.
  

Childish Fantasies

My face may have been hot from embarrassment just as it would have should I have found myself in the same position with any other man of high standing, but more surprising than anything was that I felt nothing… not a twinge of lust or love beyond that of a brother.  When I was a human teenager I entertained fantasies of my Lord taking me to his bed, teaching me the sinful art of Love-making, but now… it was different, things were different and…

My eyes had to have widened to the size of dinner plates when the light bulb clicked on.  All this time… Jyuu.  My eyes shot to his, disappointed that his were downcast and his face turned away from mine.  I wanted to see those deep pools of green, I wanted to…

“Are you alright?”  Sora rumbled in my ear, and though I could tell he was serious in his questioning I could also detect a slight hint of amusement coloring his tone. 

“Yes,”  I snapped, sliding from Sora's lap and onto my own pillow.  He just harrumphed and turned back to Yoruichi.  I decided from that point on I would pay attention to the conversation and hand and simply ignore him and his teasing question.  
 
“It’s a simple explanation,”  she started, holding us in rapt attention as she sipped from her tea.  “Nomi wasn’t here when you arrived more than five hundred years ago.” 

I gasped.  “Five hundred years?”  I questioned, though it was not meant to be audible. 

“Yes,”  he answered me anyways.  “I’ve been in service to the Spirit King for nearly that long, a penance for past sins, if you will.” 

“Hold on,”  Jyuu interrupted, and I almost wanted to warn him not to do so often, Sora might have had a change of heart where humans were concerned but disrespect was something I don’t ever think he’d be able to tolerate and right now I don’t think I could stand to see them come to blows.  “you bought your way into the Seireitei?” 

I know Jyuu didn’t mean for his question to come out as accusing as it did but I still couldn’t help but worry for him when Sora tensed up beside me. 

“Yes,”  he replied easily.  “it was the only way.” 

His answer was vague at best but I understood it with perfect clarity.  Sora, despite all the good he had done before he died, before that he was a ruthless killer and cut down countless innocence before I found him as a child. 

Jyuu looked thoughtful for a moment before continuing.  “That makes no sense, if that were the only way for a demon to gain entrance to the Soul Society, Nomi would have had to have done the same.”  

“Do not presume to know me, human, and do not presume to know the things I have done.” Sora snapped, his arm that had been lax around my wrist tensed, his claws biting at skin as he tried to regain his patience. 

“I don’t presume anything.”  Jyuu spit back.  “I don’t need too, what you are is as apparent to me as my squad motto.”

“Jyuu,”  Kyoraku jumped in, sensing the powerful aura radiating with destructive anger behind me.  “There no need to be hostile…

I tuned them out as Kyoraku and Ukitake started arguing amongst each other but I could tell every time Jyuu made a slanderous remark about Sora for his claws would bite into my skin hard than before, and it was becoming something of a difficult task not to openly show my reaction to it.

My aunt’s lips turned upwards then, lighting the room with her brilliant smile as she pegged me with a knowing look.  “If were all done with the pissing match I’d like to continue before we waist the entire day in here.”  

When no one disputed her face turned serious as she spoke directly to me.  “When I found you in Zaraki, you were nothing but a small child but even so I could tell your soul was not what your body suggested and after hearing your story of how you lived and died in Feudal Japan I knew something was amiss.

I turned to Kisuke for guidance when I had exhausted all other options and as always he seemed to have a better understanding than I did.”

Her eyes softened as she held my gaze and I could see the heartbreak cloud her features.  “You were once what we in the Soul Society call Buranku or Blanks.”

“What is this Buranku?”  I asked shivering slightly, wishing for the warm arms of the man sitting across from me. 

“Lost souls.”  Jyuu supplied without looking at me and I wondered what I had done to make him so angry with me.

“All souls migrate between the world of the living and the soul society.  From time to time however, there are souls who for some reason became detached in the cycle of transmigration while in the Dangai.  These souls wander aimless from the Dangai, and are slowly drawn together over a period of time.  As the souls come together it causes a new dimension to open, hence The Valley of Screams.  In the Valley of Screams the souls separate into memory and energy, then return to the cycle of transmigration.  The memories left from the blanks fuse together and return to the living world in the form of  The Shinenju…”

“But the Shinenju didn’t appear till just recently, just before Nomi became a lieutenant?”  Nanao piped in, her question brilliant as always.

  
“That’s true but I don’t think Senna was the first one, after all the Dark Ones lived in the Dangai for a 1000 years and in that time Kisuke and I think they might have preformed trials on blanks during that time.  Around the same time Nomi came to the Soul Society there was a large influx of souls that arrived seemingly at the same time.  Whether their experiment failed or the Shinenju released the memories of the souls it carried, for whatever reason Nomi spirit was released and sent to the Soul Society.” 

I could feel the throbbing of a headache coming on as the detailed explanation of my missing years swarmed my mind.  How could I have gotten lost?  But more importantly…

“You still have not answered my question, Aunt Yoruichi.”  I stated, giving her hard glare as some of my anger returned.  “Why did you lie to me about Sora?” 

“I believe that is my question to answer, Nomi.”  Said the demon of topic, and I could feel an instant wetness dripping down the white silk of his haori.  He knew as well…

6.) Past Brought Present

Nozomi

Waking up this morning was proving to be a little more difficult than usual, my muscles were stiff and my head was slightly aching.  Blearily I opened my eyes and scowled as my gaze slid over the reason I was up this early, Nanao.  My eyes softened somewhat as I took in her bed-haggled  appearance, she was green all over and I could tell that she was no longer singing the same tune as last night when she declared before the whole Eight Division that Kyoraku was the best man in the Seireitei.  

“What is it?”  I croaked, instantly wishing for cool water to ease my scorched throat. 

Holding her head in her hands she replied.  “We have a SWA meeting in sixty minutes and if we don’t show up early to present Yachiru will make our lives a living nightmare.  Trust me.” 

I held no doubts that the pastel princess would do just that so with a groan I righted myself to my feet, the throb behind my eyes growing with each movement. 

As the dull ache in my head shifted to a steady pound I vowed to never again let Shunsui and Jyuu set the pace for drinking.  I was about to voice my opinion on just what I thought about the hero’s of the Seireitei when Nanao nudged me and pointed to the two men sleeping in what I had to guess was the same positions they passed out in. 

Covering my mouth to stifle my giggles I had to admit those two fools really could warm your heart.  But instead of the wonderful feeling of warmth I was left cold.  Jyuu’s affections towards me had been brought up several times now and by several of those I considered closest to me.   I had known for sometime now that there was a strong attraction between us, but until Nanao and Rangiku said anything I had no idea just how far his feeling towards me went and it tore at my heart that I was still so unsure.

In truth I was just scared, terrified actually, that in the end it would end badly and I would lose Jyuu forever.  It was that thought that stopped me every time, it was a nauseating feeling, the thought of him lost to me.   I knew I wanted him but was too scared to take the plunge.  He’s one of the best men I know, a truly wonderful person to be around.  Witty, funny and handsome to boot, but…  I couldn’t tell you what my malfunction is.  After all I am intelligent enough to know what a catch he is.  But every time I’ve come close to moving forward with him guilt would eat at my heart and I only ended up taking three steps back and the new nightly visits of Lord Sora in my dreams wasn’t doing me any favors. 

I smiled as I looked on Shunsui murmuring to himself as he hugged his bottle of sake while Jyuu still propped against Kyoraku’s back still clutching his empty cup, both of them drooling and red in the face.  

“They must have gotten into Ukitake-Taicho’s good stash after we fell asleep.”  Nanao whispered, shaking her head in exasperation.  “When will those two ever learn?”

“Yeah,”  I nodded.  “Those two idiots are going to feel like shit in a couple of hours.”

She nodded.  “Well, there’s nothing for it now.  Let’s get back to the Eighth, change and take Unohana’s famous hangover pills and get going, we have a party to plan.”

I whimpered, having totally having forgotten that Nanao and I had both signed on to the decorating committee weeks ago.

This was going to be a very long day. 

~

Using shunpo while hung-over was officially the worst thing… ever.  The churning of my stomach and the dizziness it left behind had me seeing in triplicate and I feared Nanao was worse, after all she had tried and failed to keep up with Shun-kun all night, even I wasn’t that crazy. 

Panting as we made our way through the office and I was secretly wishing for death as opposed to the idea of sitting through one of Madame Chairwoman Yachiru’s insane speeches. 

After a quick change and a borrowed uniform of Nanao’s I was never more grateful that we shared nearly the same size.  It was a little tight in the chest but otherwise fit perfectly. 

“Wow,”  Nanao gasped when I walked out. 

“What?”  I asked confused, turning in a circle and wondering if I had forgotten to tie something. 

“Nothing,” she replied with a rye smirk.  “Just of Jyuu saw you in that he’d have an aneurism, I can’t wait until he see’s your swim suit.”

I grimaced knowing that having us both in next to nothing was not going to do good things for my resolve to just stay friends for the time being.  I was extremely attracted to the man but I knew that neither of us were one night stand kind of people and in my heart I feared that wasn’t ready for much more than that.  To me nothing was worth the risk of losing my best friend. 

“Alright,”  Nanao said suddenly, pushing her glassed up the bridge of her nose as she regarded me.  “What’s the deal with you and Jyuu?  I know you both want each other and I know for a fact that he’s crazy about you.” 

My ears flattened as I sighed unhappily.  “I know.”

“So what’s the problem?”  she asked with a slight huff.

“Sora.”  I stated, not going into further detail and knowing I didn’t have to.  Since my arrival in Seireitei Nanao had become my closest confidante and she knew just about everything about Sora and my overwhelming feelings of guilt. 

A warm, reassuring hand found my slumped shoulder as she sighed.  “I’m so sorry, Nomi.  I know how much he meant to you.”

A small sob left me when the sting of tears biting at the corners of my eyes finally hit but I pushed them down and straightened myself.  “He’s dead,”  I whispered, finding it harder to fight off the wave of sobs I felt coming.  “Why can’t I get over it?  I just keep getting the feeling that he’ll just show up somewhere when I least expect it… if only I just believe….” 

She said nothing as silent tears streamed down my face.  “I’ve got to stop this,”  I said firm, furiously wiping at my face with the sleeve of my loaned Kosode.  “I don’t even know why I feel so guilty.  We were never together… but I just can’t help but feel like I’m doing something wrong.”

She turned, grabbing up the stationary and supplies we would need for the meeting and I thought for sure I heard her mutter, “Idiot” but I couldn’t be sure before we headed out for the Kuchiki manor.  Just as we made it to the doorway a hell butterfly halted are movements and Nanao gracefully held out her finger for it to land.  

She groaned loudly, cursing under her breath and with aggravated eyes she turned to me.  “We have to stop by Squad One.”

“Why?”  I gasped, suddenly nervous.  I had heard stories about that squad and since my recruitment I hadn’t been in there, but I wasn’t dumb enough to think we were being asked there this suddenly for a tea party.  No this had to be about last night.

Almost fourty-five minutes later we left the office of Chöjirö Sasakibe, and I wasn’t sure if I felt better or worse.  As I suspected we were brought in due to a formal complaint filed against Shunsui and Jyuu for the damages of the bar and to my squad member with the broken nose.

“Do you think they’ll get in trouble for this?”  I asked, casting my eyes to Nanao who seemed deep in thought. 

“I don’t know.”  she answered honestly.  “But if I know the Captain Commander, those two will be just fine.  He’ll probably just scare the shit out of them."

I giggled slightly at that.  “I sure hope so.” 

~

Feeling slightly better than I had all morning I waved at several of the Kuchiki staff as we headed out.  The meeting was long and boring as I knew it would be but at least we got most of our topics covered, since the war with the Bounts and the slight mishap with the substitute shinigami, things had been a little stretched and this was one of the first real meeting we’ve had since before I was injured. 

Things got a little heated between Hinamori and myself again as well as Rangiku and fukutaicho-Abarai.  It had all started innocently enough, a simple discussion on the latest gossip in Seireitei: the new Taicho of the Third and whether he would steal the throne for the hottest Taicho from under the prestige Kuchiki when Momo went on a berserk rant.  Red faced and teary eyed she was as she complained like a three year old that it wasn’t fair that the previous Taicho Amagai’s fukutaicho-Kira be passed on for the position.

I agreed that Izuru from what I understood was a brilliant officer and a loyal one at that, but as I tried to calmly explain, he hadn’t mastered Bankai yet, hell he hadn’t even reached Bankai and it was a requirement before you could even take the Taicho exam unless you wanted to fight like Kenpachi. 

If I thought she had gone crazy before well she really put all her effort after that. 

Throwing anything within range she cursed and stomped, claiming that I shouldn’t be in her position of fukutaicho either and how my family name bought out my position.  I didn’t bother to tell her that originally I was offered the Taicho’s position but turned it down because I personally felt unable to lead at this time… I figured that would be just a little more than she could handle at the moment and as much as I didn’t really want to see a full-blown, crazy Hinamori I did fantasize just how funny it might be to see how far she’d take it. 

Funny enough it was Byakuya who shut her up and in doing so gave Matsumoto the opportunity to get very valuable pictures of the half naked Taicho, still disheveled from sleep with a hand clamped over Momo’s mouth.  I could almost see the dreamy look in Nanao’s eyes as she thought about all the money we would raise this year with her idea of the Shinigami trading cars.  Kuchiki-Taicho was a big hit amongst the ladies.

“You will cease that whining at once,”  He told her, his eyes barely open and his voice cracking from his early morning psycho wake up call.  “If you understand, nod.” 

She nodded, tears of embarrassment forming in her eyes and I literally had Nanao pinching my hand so I wouldn’t laugh. 

The second he released her she was out the door like a shot and her wails of injustice rang throughout the halls of the Kuchiki manor and I got the feeling she wouldn’t be making it to the party Nanao and myself had planned. 

“Would someone mind telling me what that was about?”  Byakuya asked, his steely gaze sliding from one person to the next, feeling out for which one of us would crack first.  All heads jerked to Rangiku, knowing without a doubt she’d be the first to spill. 

With a giggle from Ran I sighed as I hunkered down and waited for the whole ugly story to be unveiled. 

What a morning.

When the meeting concluded my head was a jumbled mess of the party's guest list and reminders of things that still needed to be completed before this afternoon.  My head, thankfully had returned to its normal, non-hungover state and was thankfully now, pain free.

Nanao who had been walking at my side cursed.  “What?”  I questioned, eying her curiously.

With a hand massaging her temple,  “I forgot the budget planner back in the meeting hall.  Go ahead without me, we still have a lot to do.” 

I nodded, watching her for a moment as she disappeared down the long hall.  I sighed and made to turn in my own direction when I bumped into something hard, and sweet smelling.  Opening my eyes I was flush with a warm wall of black and the scent was as sweet as a flower… flower?  No, it was definitely a cherry blossom.  My eyes widened marginally as I took a step back and raised my head.  

Steel grey eyes met mine and I fought to take another breath.  “Kuchiki-Taicho, forgive my clumsiness?”  I said bowing my head in respect. 

“Think nothing of it,”  he replied, but didn’t move. 

“Is there something you needed, Taicho?”  I asked, feeling more than slightly uncomfortable under his scrutiny. 

“May I see you out?” 

I blanched taken totally off guard by his question.  “O-of course.”  I stammered as he offered his elbow to me in a perfect courtier manner.

We walked in silence for the longest time and I wondered if he knew how shot my nerves already were. The looks I received from some of the other SWA members was only making it worse. 

“I received an invitation hell butterfly for the gathering the SWA is hosting, are you attending it with anyone?”   He asked halting us just before the gate of the Kuchiki Manor. 

“No.”  I squeaked out, my face flaming red with embarrassment before I added in haste.  “But it’s not that type of gathering so I had never planned to go with anyone.”  I trailed of after my rant and I took a deep breath praying he couldn’t hear the pounding in my chest. 

I had absolutely no interest in Byakuya Kuchiki but that didn’t mean I was blind and the man was absolutely sinful. 

“Alright then.”  He smiled, grasping my left hand in both of his as he drew them to his mouth for a kiss.  “Until this evening, Lady Shihöin.”  His kiss lingered longer than I would have suspected to be proper but I stared in rapt attention as his eyes closed and a faint smile pulled at his mouth. 

“Good day, Kuchiki-Taicho.”  I murmured as he left me there standing like a fish out of water.  

“What the hell was that?”  Nanao asked from behind me, affectively scaring the shit out of me. 

I turned to face her with the same wide eyes.  “I-I don’t know.  I think Kuchiki-Taicho just asked me out.”

Her reaction was close to mine but she recovered quickly.  “If Ukitake finds out about this I don’t think even Kyoraku would be able to stop him from going berserk.” 

I nodded my head in agreement, that would be our secret.

~

The party was in full swing by time Nanao and I finished setting out the last tray of edibles and I was happy to see that Kuchiki-Taicho had yet to arrive. It had been too long since the patrols had had a break and even more so for the Taicho’s and Fukutaicho’s and the last thing we needed was a fight to break out between our two most dignified leaders. 

I smiled as I looked around at all that Nanao and I had accomplished in one afternoon.  The deep hot springs on the edge of Ukitake’s estate was decorated in tasteful decorations that Rangiku had brought back with her from the World of the Living.  Paper lantern hung across the pool tied to precariously dug and placed poles.  Tiki torches flickered with life at ever available space and brightly colored lawn furniture graced the pools outer edge.  

Everyone came dressed in their best fashion friendly swim wear and even though I was constantly fidgeting with my own two piece there was fun to be had.  We had thought long and hard about the games we would set up and we held contests for everything from Flash-step tag to Chicken.

After winning my eighth round of chicken I decided it was time for a break and sought out the person I had been meaning to speak with all day.  As much as I dreaded it, it was time.  But telling an extremely gorgeous man that you just wanted to be friends while he was clad in only pale blue board shorts was probably not the most effective plan I’ve ever concocted and I found myself flirting rather than doing what I had come to do in the first place. 

I was almost thankful when Rangiku and Nemu rescued me from furthering the hole I was now knee deep in, until the warm water of the spring hit my back and I collided with something muscular.  Turning around in steal arms, my face flamed.  I had landed nearly on top of the human, and very teenaged substitute Shinigami.  His face was red as a cherry as he tried to spit out an apology for grabbing my ass but then his face changed and his eyes shifted to something directly over my left shoulder… then it clicked, he wasn’t staring over my shoulder but at it. 

Nervous now and knowing what was coming next I tried to shift away as his hand came up and he asked.  “Whoa, what are these?”  

There weren’t many that didn’t already know about my spots and how sensitive to touch they were and those that did also knew that it was a very uncomfortable feeling to have someone touch them when the touch wasn‘t wanted, it was akin to being empathic through touch, I would feel every bit of desire coursing though him if that was the emotion he was feeling at the time.  I shuttered straining to get away from him before he could reach but as the walls of the others swimmers enclosed around me, I knew it was useless without hurting someone. 

I closed my eyes and waited for the slimy sensation to wash over me as it always did with unwanted touches, in fact other than Jyuu I’ve never found pleasure in the touching of my spots.

Clinching my eyes tighter I knew it wouldn’t be long but as I waited a low growl rumbled from somewhere near me, too loud for humans not to detect and I was sure that Zaraki, Yachiru and Sajin would be wincing from the ferocious noise.  “Those are not for touching.”  The voice spat, irritated, angry and very familiar.

I recognized it immediately and the reaction was instantaneous. My eyes snapped open and I was at a loss for what my eyes beheld.  At first I blinked rapidly, thinking that I had to have sustained a head injury and I was hallucinating, but as I blinked and the figure didn’t move I felt the ground sway.  My head was swimming with different theories and emotions of how he could really be here.  His elegant mane of silver was drenched by the warm water of the pool as where his white robes, still embroidered at the left shoulder with the red chrysanthemum.

With wide eyes I stared.  He was just as beautiful as I remembered, possibly more so than I remembered.  Every feature down to the minuscule scar on his eyebrow that he received in a training exercise with his father was the same.  As his honey golden eyes held mine I felt the earth shift again and my heart tugged in my chest. 

“S-sora?”  I asked, my voice weak and my body growing lax.  He nodded, it was small and if I hadn’t been a demonic being I never would have seen it.  My stomach turned within me and the last thing I saw was his face before everything blurred and went black.

5.) Beach Party

Jüshirö

I woke sometime in the early morning or possibly breakfast, my head pounding and my muscles tight.  I groaned, twisting to my side in hopes of relieving some of the pain in my lower back and decided that nothing less than a horde of Gillian’s would remove me from my bed, Yamamoto be damned.  déjà vu

Blinking my eyes slowly open, fighting back the sting, another aftermath affect of overindulging in my private stash.  It had to be later than I thought, if the sun were anything to go by, the sky was tinged in dusky hues of peaches and pinks and the air was warmer than it had been earlier.  Kyoraku was lounging pleasantly on that disgusting haori of his, basking in the first rays of the day, he reminded me of a mangy dog rolling in the grass at my families estate.  The first thing I noticed other than the swath of cheap pink silk was the startling lack of female presence in the room.

“They left for the Shinigami Woman’s Association assembly about a half an hour ago,”  Shunsui informed me, his voice low and gravely with a tinge of a moan to it and I could only suspect with a hint of satisfaction that he probably felt just as horribly hung-over as me, if not worse.  “They were also giggling and whispering something about a party this sometime this evening, but I didn’t hear as much as I would have liked.”  He continued, frowning.   

I let that information settle into the fog of my mind but jerked up suddenly, the pounding in my head momentarily forgotten as I spluttered out of my sheets and onto the floor.

“Why, it’s Saturday?” 

He looked at me confused,  “Huh… what?”  and I palmed my aching forehead realizing that in this state he was just as daft as I at the moment.

“The meeting?”  I deadpanned cocking an amused brow. 

“Oh…”  He replied stupidly.  “Nothing to worry about, just some kind of monthly get together to discuss how they can better their squads through the position of Gotei 13 or something.” 

It was my turn to look confused.  “Interesting, I never knew they did that.”  

Kyoraku smiled ruefully,  “That’s because you never had a reason to pay such close attention before.”  He stated smugly, stretching with an over-exaggerated yawn.

Glaring at him was the best I could do as I could not come up with a response giving the throbbing pain behind my eyes. 

“Now, Jyuu, don’t be like that…”  he drawled his eyes shining with mirth as he rolled to his side, propping his head in his hand. 

“What party?”  I asked as my mind finally caught up and interest set in. 

He smiled, a huge grin spreading across his face.  “Now that,”  he said pointedly.  “is the real question.”  

“Indeed.”

~ 

It couldn’t have been but five minutes later when a hell butterfly swooped in and landed on Shunshi’s nose, he sputtered and sneezed sending the delicate messenger to the floor.  It shook it off before flying back up and landing this time on Shunsui’s finger.  He groaned instantly.

“I should of known we wouldn’t get away with this.”  he whined, whispering something and sending the butterfly back towards the first.

“What was that about?”  I asked, genuinely curious now.

“We have to see the old man about last night.”

It was then that I too, groaned.

~  

First Division

It was a relatively quiet morning in the Seireitei, other than the pounding in my chest.  I was a little nervous about this meeting, since it was just Shunsui and I and I already knew it had something to do with the bar fight I started.  

Chöjirö, as I expected was waiting for us at the entrance of the Taicho Hall, promptly showing us in with no wait.  This rarely happened and only increased the tremor in my hands.  

The Captain Commander was already in his seat watching us with wise eyes as we entered, his face gave nothing away, but as I neared I could have sworn I saw him smirk.  It was small enough that I thought I possibly imagined it.  

Genryüsai Shigekuni Yamamoto

“Good morning, Shunsui, Jüshirö.”  He greeted, to which we returned.

Nothing more was said for a moment as his steely eyes raked over us, staring right through us.  I gulped nervously, beads of perspiration gathering at my brow.  I knew this was one of his tactics to scare us.  It was working, I was scared but I held my self upright and with pride.  I may not like the consequences of my actions last night, but if the same situation where to arise I’d do it again no different.
“I was surprised at the formal complaint I found on my desk this morning,”  he started, flipping through page after page of a document he held in his hand.  “An accusation of conduct unbecoming of one of my Taicho’s and property damage.”  

I could hear Shunsui chuckle from beside me and more than ever before I wanted to throttle him.  

“You find this funny, Shunsui?”  Yamamoto asked, cocking a brow in his direction.

“A little, Yama-jii.”  He replied honestly.”   

“Well I find it disconcerting.”  Setting the papers on a table off to the side, he turned to look me dead in the eye.  “I expect this kind of foolishness from Shunsui, but you Jüshirö, what were you thinking?”
 
Taking a deep breath I answered truthfully.  “I demand respect for myself and those around me.  That boy was being anything but respectful and I upheld the honor of a woman who deserves that respect.”

“Honor?”  He chuckled.  “You found honor in breaking the nose of a boy that next to you is no more than an infant?”

“I did, Sir.”  I replied instantly.

He sighed, muttering something about children and puppy love.  “I have already spoken with both of your fukutaicho’s and also received a statement from Abarai-Taicho as well as Hisagi-Taicho.  It was brought to my attention that Shihöin-fukutaicho has something of a rare skin condition and the touching of her bare skin is somewhat uncomfortable for her?”

I was confused but I nodded.  

“The boy has not received punishment but his Taicho has spoken with him on this matter and he wishes to drop the assault charges against you.  As far as the property damages, I expect the both of you to pay off this debt with your own means.”

“Yes, Sir.”  We responded sullenly in unison.

Slumping my shoulders a bit, I sighed in relief.

“Before you go, Jüshirö.”  He said halting me again where I stood.  “See to it that this does not repeat itself.  I would hate to put one of my best Taicho in prison over his love of a woman.”

I bulked.  I should have known he’d see right through me.  Shunsui sniggered beside me and as much as I wanted to tell him I’d make no promises I simply replied with a, “Yes, Sir.”

“Very well.  Dismissed.”

 ~

The rest of my day was spent nursing myself back to… well, myself.  By the time I could move without feeling faint or nauseous rolled around it was well after one.  A hell butterfly caught my attention as it fluttered to where Kyoraku was still napping and for a moment I thought to step in to intercept but as Shunsui stuck out a hand I realized it was wholly unnecessary and that he was more awake than I expected him to be.  

He smiled warmly as the butterfly relayed its message his smile only getting bigger as his eyes widened in surprise.  “Well…”  he said stunned.  “It seems our little female counterparts have been more than devious as we lay here nursing ourselves…”  he trailed off as the butterfly flickered obviously anxious to return to its owner and his eyes regarded mine firmly.  “How do you feel about pool parties?” 

I think I blanched for a moment, quickly discarding the lecherous thoughts of Nozomi in a string bikini… or less.  A smile bloomed on my face as I nodded my head knowing right away that he would understand.  He whispered his reply and sent the butterfly off in the direction of the North, up past Sökyoku hill and into what I assumed was the SWA’s assembly room. 

“A pool party?”  I questioned after the messenger had taken flight. 

“Yeah,”  he answered almost instantly and I took it under advisement that he seemed to be just as shocked as I was.  “apparently they had been planning it for a while but they wanna hold it at Ugendö, I hope it’s alright I told them to proceed.”

I nodded then asked.  “Who’s coming?”

He thought about it for a moment before smiling.  “Mostly just Taicho’s and fukutaicho’s but I think some of our human civilians and our substitute Shinigami will be there as well.” 

Great,  I thought miserably to myself as the thought of Nozomi in a string bikini became less and less appealing.  I had never known myself to be a possessive man but the thought of a certain Taicho of the Sixth seeing the creamy skin of the woman I hoped to make mine had me bristling in my seat.  I didn’t like it.  

Shunsui being the perceptive man that he was picked up on my spike of jealousy as if he were empathic and regarded me with wary eyes.  “Jyuu?”  he questioned, honest concern showing through his easy-going, careless façade.

“I’m fine.”  I stated defensively although after the words spilled from my mouth I knew I had said it too quickly letting him know in no uncertain terms that I was not in fact, alright.

He continued his search, his eyes never leaving mine and I sighed.  There really wasn’t much point to keeping things from him, he’d figure it out eventually.  “Kuchiki-Taicho…”  I started, refusing to meet his eyes a second time.  “I think he…,”  I trailed off, not having a way to truly express myself.  “I think he likes her.”

“And?”  Shunsui asked as if it shouldn’t matter. 

“She’s a Shihöin and he is one of the wealthiest and most esteemed nobles in the Seireitei,”  I ranted throwing my hands in the air with the building frustration.  “Not that any of that would matter.  He’s good looking and powerful… what woman wouldn’t want him.”

Kyoraku observed for the most part during my rant, neither objecting nor admitting to anything I said but as I ended his eyes rolled towards the heavens and his face took on the look of exasperation.  “Yeah, while all of that is true, think about who Nozomi is as a person… not as a noble.”  he paused.  “Now, do you really think a man like Byakuya would interest her?”

As I truly thought about it I realized how immature I was acting.  While everything I had said about the famous Taicho was true, Nozomi wasn’t the kind of woman to marry for wealth and privileges and that he would probably bore her to tears. 

“Your right,”  I sighed and was about to explain when he sat up swiftly, his horrible hang-over forgotten as he leapt to his feet. 

“Well come on,”  He said expecting me to get up with him.  I just eyed him with interest as he shook his head.  When I said nothing he sighed himself.  “It’s a pool party, Jyuu and I doubt you have anything close to resembling the swim wear the others will be sporting… even Kuchiki-Taicho.” 

It was all I needed to hear before I rose to my feet just as swiftly.  Kuchiki could kiss my immortal ass, I wouldn’t be the one out of place today. 

“That’s the spirit!”  Shunsui practically chirped as the mischievous glint returned to his eyes.  “Now, how well can you swim?”

~

I couldn’t take my eyes off her and I wondered despondently if the girls; meaning Matsumoto had had a hand in picking out her swimsuit.   The deep red of my squad colors continued to taunt and tease me as she splashed around during her sparing game of chicken as she held the Taicho of the Second on her shoulders with ease.  She had been quickly banned from taking the top fighters position and I wondered if it was her strength as a demon that was actually the case.  My silent question was answered when she was finally set on Matsumoto’s shoulders as she squared off against Nemu, a woman as I understood could equal the strength of ten of her womanly counterparts.     

The summertime party of the girls design went off without a hitch, and everyone seemed to be in agreement that it was exactly what we had all be needing; something to forget the upcoming war, if only for a few hours, giving us all a chance to relax and simply frolic in the warm temperatures of the spring filled pool of my families estate. 

Even our human friends were given the chance to unload their burdens and just be the human teenager they were, because if I was willing to admit it to myself we all were guilty of forgetting that that was what they simply were.  Without their unique powers they were all just High school student asked to do the impossible… to save their human world from the likes of a soul so evil it was easy to call him the Devil.

Shunsui in all his meddling had shoved a whistle at me upon arrival and claimed me lifeguard before I could even open my mouth to protest and as I had to sit and watch my friends splash and play around me as the certain friend in question lounged nearby a bottle of sake in hand and Fijimaru at his side.  I thought I might kill him. 

“I think it’s kinda sexy.”  A seductively female voice called to my attention.  “For an old man anyways.”  She giggled.

I turned my head, my mind whirling at the sound of that voice.  “What?  I responded lamely.  She smirked at me and it was with everything that I had in me that I didn’t blush when I saw what she was wearing.  I almost cursed both Nanao and Rangiku, this had their signature all over it.  The deep red of the color, perfectly matching my squad colors, the cut, demure and all the more seductive.  I nearly licked my lips as I drowned in her creamy white skin.  

“You know,” she repeated, gesturing with her hand to my whistle.  “I think it’s kind of sexy, the whole lifeguard thing.”  Not even a hint of a flush crossed her cheeks and I almost shot Shunsui a glare after thinking he may have gotten her drunk.  Instead I took the compliment at face value and beamed a cocky smile in her direction.  

“Is that so?”  I hummed, leaning down to whisper in her ear.  “You must tell me then, where did you get that most sinful,”  I breathed, bathing her ear in my scent.  “outfit.”  She shuttered. 

Her eyes rose to meet mine as I straightened back out and took a step back, her face was flushed now and her eyes glazed over in embarrassment as her pale pink tongue peaked between her parted lips to moisten them, my own lips mirroring her movements.  I knew above all else that I would taste those lips tonight and claim them for my own. 

Closing my eyes for just a moment while a dopy grin slid across my lips and when I opened them she was gone.  I jerked my head in one direction and then another when I spotted her being drug back to the pool area by Matsumoto to introduce her to the Squad Taicho of the Third.  I watched humorously as she fought against Matsumoto and Nemu until she ended up nearly on top of Kurosaki Ichigo in the water.  His face flushed brighter red than Nomi’s suit and I thought for a moment that he might pass out.  

Not really caring for the fact that her skin was in direct contact with his I sighed and made my way into the pool to claim her back as my own.  During my fight through the crowded pool and fighting off the tsunami of waves created by Yachiru I noticed that the boys face had gone from flushed to curious which in turn made me move all that much faster.  I had no idea what he could be so curious about, well, that was a lie.  In truth I had a very good assumption of what he was staring at and if he touched he’d have a broken arm to go along with his soon to be blackened eyes. 

Just as I suspected his hand reached out tentatively and I was too far away to do anything about it.  “Whoa, what are these?”  he asked.

Her eyes widened as she started to swim backwards when suddenly an unfamiliar clawed hand encased his wrist and growled.  “Those are not for touching.”  He said his baritone voice was silky and aged.  I gasped as I took in his appearance, he was exceptionally striking as I guessed all demons were in their humanoid form.  His brilliant silver hair hung in a single braided plat coiling on the ground where he squatted, still holding the substitute Shinigami in a death grip.  His skin was nearly as pale as Nomi’s and was also littered with strangely colored marks, his being what I would consider claw marks in the color of deepest sea.  They covered the surface of each wrist in two inch lengths and one of them in three inch lengths covered each cheekbone starting at his strange, elfin like ears and ending at the apple of each cheek.  His eyes which seemed to burn holes through our human friend were the same color of ocher as Nomi’s and I think my heart stuttered.

Inu no Tashio Sora-Taicho of the Third

 Everything clicked into place as the man clothed in all white entered the pool just in time for Nomi to whisper out a name and faint but it was the name that had my heart lurching. 

“S-sora?”  She had said as he face turned ashen and her eyes rolled up.  And with that one simple name my world crashed.  I had heard it many times before, during stories she told after a few cups of sake or after she had a particularly bad nightmare and ended up at Nanao’s and Shunsui’s but it was all the same to me, it was him.  The man who had caused her endless amounts of sleepless nights, the man who haunted her dreams, the man I knew without a doubt was still in love with her and there was nothing I could do but stand frozen in my spot and watch as he did what I wanted to do.  He lifted her carefully, delicately, like she was made from homespun glass into his arms and climbed out of the pool, everyone giving the frightening man wide birth to move freely.  

As I took a glance around everyone seemed to be wearing the same expression, except one.  Yoruichi, who I hadn’t even noticed was there, but while everyone else looked on with wide eyes at the man who couldn’t tear his gaze from the woman I coveted, like she would disappear should he look away, she stood there with a knowing smile.  I’ve never in my life wanted to hit a woman as much as I did in this moment.  Not only for reintroducing the woman I wanted to the only man I knew without a doubt she would run to given the chance, but for all the pain she had cause Nomi in the process.  He was supposed to be dead or still in the World of the Living, but from the insignia on his white Taicho’s haori, he was the new Taicho of Division Three, set in place after the short reign and death of Amagai-Taicho.  I also knew that the new Taicho of Squad Three was formally of Squad Zero and had been living in the Soul Society for at least five hundred years.  

That in itself led me to more questions regarding Nomi and her past that she couldn't remember.

I scowled in her direction just about the time a hairy calloused hand extended in front of my face.  Shunsui with a look of understanding in his eyes simply nodded.  “Jyuu, you gonna be alright?”

“I don’t know.”  I replied honestly. 

“Who is that guy?”  He asked suspiciously as he watched the demon make his way inside my estate, Fujimaru nipping at his heels in a playful manor, his eyes shifting and darting under the cover of his hat.  

I did nothing to hide the look of pure loathing from my face as I watched Nomi's pet scamper to the demons side like it was looking upon its long lost master, and I knew within the depths of my heart a man like that wouldn't have hidden sweets tucked within the folds of his haori, but all I could do was scowl. 

“Jyuu?”  Shunsui called again when I failed to answer him.

“Sora.”  I replied, lowering my eyes to see his.

The reaction was just as I suspected.

Pity.