Chapter 2
105 Years Ago
Two figures walked along the edges of the deserted roads of the Inuzuri District. It was approaching the middle of the day, when it was the hottest. Everyone had found shelter from the blistering sun except for the two. They were wearing straw hats to help keep the sun off, and walking in the shade for added protection.
The one in front was a young woman. She had messy, brown, shoulder length hair tied back in a low ponytail. Her hand reached up to brush the bangs out of her blue eyes. She scanned the area wearily, ever alert for thieves even in the abandoned streets. She was wearing a thin, blue kosode and grey hakama. She had a grey haori slung over her arm. Two swords hung at her left hip. She was walking with a slight limp, as if she had recently been injured.
Behind her was a man. He was taller than her, with darker skin. His dark brown, almost black, hair was done up in dreadlocks pulled into a ponytail. He had brown eyes, and a weary look on his face. His footsteps were heavy and tired. He was wearing the same thing as his partner, only his kosode was green and he only had one weapon at his side.
Suddenly, the woman stopped. She held up her hand, signalling that her partner should do the same. He listened to her without protest. A second later, he realized why she had stopped. Shuffling came from the alley to their right, then a loud cry as someone lunged at them.
All the woman did was grab the sword that was swung at her, wincing as it sliced into her palm, and wrench it from her attacker's grip. Her foe gasped in surprise, but lunged again. She planted a hand on his forehead, effectively stopping the attack. She then stuck the sword into the ground and studied her bloodied hand casually.
"Give my sword back!" Her attacker yelled.
It was a young man, still a teenager, in fact. He had black hair tied up in a high ponytail with a red ribbon. He was wearing a simple training uniform. The woman recognized it from her own training days. He glared at her with stormy, grey eyes.
"Forget it," she spat. "I'm not a fucking idiot. I'm not giving it back just so you can fucking attack me again. We didn't even do anything, dumbass."
"You stopped! You were getting ready to attack!" He insisted. He was trying to throw a punch and get back his sword, but the woman's arm length surpassed his own.
"He's young and inexperienced," the older man pointed out. "And you've already proved that he's no challenge. Let him go."
His partner glanced at him briefly. Finally, she rolled her eyes and removed her hand. He stumbled forward, but quickly turned and rounded on her. He glared at her when she, reluctantly, grabbed the sword and returned it to him. He snatched it away and sheathed it. The woman only rolled her eyes and went back to examining her wound. Daisuke spoke as she dug through her robes in search of bandages.
"Are you lost?" The man continued. "We know these parts well. We can help you get back home. What's your name?"
"I'm not lost," the teen grumbled. "And my name's Kuchiki Byakuya."
"I'm Esaki Daisuke. That's Asaje Rin." Daisuke nodded at the woman.
"No shit he's not lost," Rin growled. "You can see Sereitei from halfway across Soul Society. I have a better question. What's a goddamn noble doing in Rukon?"
"You're a noble, too!" He said accusingly. "What are
you doing here?!"
"I asked first," she snapped. He only glowered at her.
"I have no reason to tell you," he growled, crossing his arms. A sullen look crossed his features.
"Then you have no reason at all!" She hissed in annoyance. Daisuke placed a restraining hand on her shoulder, making her turn and glare at him.
"What do you want, Esaki?"
"Calm down, Asaje-san. He's scared. I know you're tired, but try to have patience," he said coolly.
"Get your hand off me." She shrugged away his grip and turned back to the young man. "Come on. We'll take him back to Sereitei and then head back to the shop."
"All right. I can wait a bit longer until we eat," he agreed, sighing. Not that he had much choice. Rin turned and stalked away with Byakuya following her sulkily. Daisuke took up the rear.
They made it into Sereitei with no problems from the gate guardians. Rin had successfully gotten everyone past them. By the time they approached the gates to the Kuchiki Mansion, it was getting dark. Daisuke glanced at the sky nervously. It was never wise to travel the streets Rukongai at night, where thugs and murderers lingered.
When he looked forward again, he saw a dark skinned woman with short, black hair. She was wearing the shinigami uniform with a Captain's haori over top. She stared at the odd ball group with wide, amber eyes as they approached.
"Rina-chan?" She said in disbelief. "It's been ages since you've come to Sereitei. Any particular reason you're here now?"
She had a hunch that it had something to do with Byakuya trailing behind her, though.
"We aren't staying for long, Yoruichi," Rin said. "Just dropping this one off. I wouldn't leave him in Rukon to be beaten. It's no place for inexperienced children."
"Rukongai is not a place for you, either," Yoruichi pointed out.
"Esaki and I can take care of ourselves just fine," she snapped. "We at least know how to hold a sword properly. How the hell he survived even a second in Inuzuri..." She shook her head.
"Take that back!" Byakuya yelled. "I'm training to be the next head of the Kuchiki Clan! One day, I'll be the greatest warrior in all of Soul Society!"
"One day isn't today, Byakuya-bo," Yoruichi teased. She then gave Rin a smile. "Come inside with me. I'm sure Ginrei won't mind if you come in for some tea."
She saw the younger woman's eyes widen. Rin looked away, shaking her head in earnest.
"No," she refused. "Not with
him around. It's bad enough we're in Sereitei in the first place. It won't take long until his sources tell him that I'm here. You know as well as I do that his family is well-known as the best information gatherers in Soul Society."
"Then at least come to my mansion," the Captain insisted. "It's far too dark to be travelling. I promise that I won't be having any visitors tonight."
"It's not your problem," she protested weakly. The angry woman relaxed, but just a little. She had noticed that Daisuke had perked up at the invitation.
"It becomes my problem when I go about letting you two go into Rukongai at night. I'm not oblivious to what goes on outside Sereitei's walls. It's even worse out there when it's dark, and I don't want you getting hurt. I can already see that you're limping." She nodded at the leg Rin was favouring. The woman glared.
"Fine," she growled. "Might as well have a warm meal. Let's go, Esaki."
"Can't say I'm complaining. We haven't eaten for at least two days now, I think." The man sighed in exhaustion. They started walking away, but Byakuya yelled.
"Wait! Fight me! I'll prove to you that I'm strong!" He challenged Rin. He was already in a fighting stance, prepared to draw his sword. Rin frowned at him.
"You shouldn't be fighting battles you can not win. Or trying to fight them, I should say."
"I can win! Back at the alley was a fluke! I'll beat you this time!" He snarled.
When she grabbed her zanpakuto and unsheathed them, he jumped and took an involuntary took a step back. Rin allowed the tips of her swords to rest lightly on the ground.
"All I do is draw my weapons and you're already scared. What warrior lets fear control them to the point that you automatically back away from me? Are you really cut out for this?" She hissed.
"I am!" Byakuya snarled, unsheathing his sword and attacking the woman.
She merely blocked his flurry of attacks, disregarding the many openings he offered. She didn't take a single step back, and finally pushed him away. He stumbled back a few feet, startled. Rin sheathed her swords. Byakuya's eyes widened with rage.
"What are you doing?! Fight me!"
"No," she refused. "I have no reason to."
Still, the young man lunged again. Rin grabbed his sword and pulled, causing him to lose his balance. She then planted her hand right in the middle of his back and shoved him to the ground. She was no prodigy when it came to close combat, but she still easily over powered him.
"I'm done humiliating children. Stop attacking me, or I will use Kido to bind your limbs," she warned.
She stalked past him toward Yoruichi and Daisuke, who didn't seem at all upset by her actions. Byakuya stared as she, Yoruichi, and Daisuke all disappeared.
Yoruichi lounged lazily on her chair in the throne room. Rin and Daisuke knelt at the table nearby. Rin had buried her face into her arms on the table, looking about ready to fall asleep. Daisuke wasn't much better. He sat with his eyes closed and his cheek resting in the palm of his hand. They had agreed that they should eat something before they went to sleep. Yoruichi spoke in an attempt to keep them awake.
"So, who's this, Rina-chan? Someone special, finally?" She purred, nodding towards Daisuke, who opened his eyes wide and blushed.
"No," the other woman snarled, her voice muffled. She kept her face down to hide her own blush. "His name is Esaki Daisuke. He's a student, and someone I might go so far as to call my friend, but nothing more. Got that?"
She looked up enough to glare at the dark skinned woman, who only smirked.
"A student, hm? That's not an arrangement I'd expect to see you in. You'll have to tell me that story, some time." She leaned forward, studying Daisuke with a scrutinizing eye. The man's blush deepened. "You're absolutely sure there's nothing going on? He is quite handsome."
"Fuck off!" Rin snapped. "I won't tell you again, dammit!"
"Spoil sport," Yoruichi said in disappointment. "I'm being serious, though, when I say that you have potential, Esaki-kun. Your reiryoka is powerful for someone in Rukongai. Have you achieved Shikai, yet?"
"Yeah." He nodded. "Not long ago. That's why we were out, in the first place. We went away for a bit of training. We've been gone for at least a couple of months."
"Yoruichi-sama! Yoruichi-sama!" A young woman with long, straight black hair and grey eyes came running into the room, yelling for the Captain. She was wearing an Omitsukido uniform. She fell to her knees before the dark skinned woman. "I sincerely apologize for my rude interruption, but you have visitors! They told me that it is very important!"
"Is that so? I'm not expecting anyone," Yoruichi murmured, far more calm about the situation than her subordinate. "Who is it, Soi-Fon?" She inquired.
"Asaje Hatori-sama, Asaje Hana-sama, and their daughter, Asaje Junko-sama," Soi-Fon answered. "Hatori-sama demands that you hand over Rina-sama immediately."
Rin had the table in a death grip. Daisuke rested a comforting hand on her arm, but it did nothing to help her relax. Yoruichi glanced at her out the corner of her eye, frowning. She hadn't missed her old friend's reaction to that news.
"Tell them that neither of us will be seeing him until tomorrow," Yoruichi ordered.
"Hai!" Soi-Fon was on her feet and out of the room in a second.
"I'm not seeing him tomorrow, Yoruichi," Rin snarled. The other shrugged.
"We won't be here tomorrow, don't worry," she replied. "We're going to the Kuchiki manor tomorrow for lunch. You two can show off the extent of your training."
Rin glared at her, but didn't protest any more. Soi-Fon returned a minute later.
"Hana-sama and Junko-sama have both agreed to leave, but Hatori-sama refuses until he speaks with Rina-sama. He insists that the matter is urgent." She was glaring at Rin and Daisuke as she spoke, knowing that they were the cause of the disruption. Yoruichi groaned in exhaustion.
"Seriously? I don't wanna get up," she complained. Still, she stood, in spite of her complaint. "I'll return in a second," she told them before leaving.
"She can try and defend me all she wants," Rin growled. "But he's not going to leave me alone. We'll only be staying in Sereitei for a little bit. Then, we'll head back to the store," she told Daisuke.
"Relax," he murmured. "You're letting it get to you. It'll be nice to stay here for a couple of days. I'll make sure Hatori doesn't do anything."
"Fuck you! I don't need you, or anyone, to protect me! So stop trying to!" She snapped back.
Daisuke just shook his head and rubbed his eyes, trying to stay awake. He glanced at the other young woman out the corner of his eye. She was kneeling in the same place, staring after Yoruichi.
"I'm sorry we're burdening you like this," Daisuke said to her, making her look over. "I'm Esaki Daisuke. You?"
"Soi-Fon," she introduced herself curtly.
Her gaze returned to the same place as before and she showed no signs of accepting, or even acknowledging, the man's apology. He only shrugged and leaned forward with his cheek in his palm once more. Yoruichi returned a couple seconds later.
"He's agreed to leave for now, but that he's returning tomorrow at lunch. I hope you two don't mind if I get us over to Kuchiki manor before that. It means you might have to get up a bit earlier," she informed them.
"It's fine," Rin said. "Anything to avoid him." She just looked happy that her father was gone.
Yoruichi sat back down. Soi-Fon stood to leave, until she was invited to join the late dinner. She agreed, out of respect, and sat down at the table with the other two. She looked fairly uncomfortable. Fortunately, their food came a few minutes later, which gave everyone an excuse not to speak while they ate. After, Rin and Daisuke were given a room and a futon. Their heads had barely hit the pillow before they were fast asleep.
