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Post by Kin Masanobu on Oct 22, 2016 22:16:21 GMT -6
Kin let his hands fall to his side from behind him as he walked around the table. He took hold of the boy's arm and lifted him from his position at his sister's side. Sojiro looked at him in confusion but followed his lead.
"You will stand." He tugged the boy back a few steps as his baby sister quickly grabbed the boy's free hand that was at his side. She stood quickly and glared at her brother.
"We don't have time for this foolishness, Niii-sama. Leave him alone. If you want to push your weight around go out on mission and leave the innocent alone." She growled at him.
He looked to his sister with narrowed eyes as the boy shook his head at Makino.
"It's alright Maki-Hachi. I can stand," Sojiro spoke softly.
Kin released him and looked at the boy with a disgusted looked.
"She is right, Nii-sama. Leave him alone. I think its is rather honorable of the boy to come here and face us. Let's hear what he has to say before we string him up for the wolves," Kouen replied as he pushed off the wall and winked at his little sister.
Kin looked from his third youngest brother back to his sister then Sojiro. "Speak and make it quickly." He walked back around the table to his spot in front of the doors to the garden, turned and faced the two before his mother.
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Post by Shirou Masanobu on Oct 22, 2016 22:24:37 GMT -6
Shirou tossed a look at his eldest brother and sighed, turning to Sojiro. "Please don't take his prejudice to heart. He's only reacting how he is expected to. He knows no other way to act than as a noble." Shirou gave Sojiro a soft smile. "Speak your mind. Not everyone here is against you completely. So please, don't feel like you have to defend yourself. Just be yourself."
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Post by Sojiro Ichimaru on Oct 22, 2016 22:54:27 GMT -6
Sojiro nodded slowly. “Thank you.” He looked to the family as a whole, and deciding to face Makino’s beautiful mother and Captain Kuchiki since her eldest brother wouldn’t look his way, he started. He meant to explain the situation. But something else happened.
“I’m sorry for the timing of this meeting and the time of day, but it is important that you meet me now. Time is not on our side.” He looked down, glancing to Makino, before looking up again. “I also know my heritage is less than ideal a match for your sister or daughter. But I care for her. Deeply.” His eyes found his girlfriend’s again. “She warms up my days and calms the fears that linger from my past. And there are many of those. Maki -she helps me see how wide the world is. And,” he blushed as Makino’s cheeks turned pink and looked to her mother, “she’s the most beautiful thing I’ve seen. Even you, Lady Tori.”
He rubbed his head and glanced to the floor. “You may think that I am wrong for her. And you may be right. But I don’t want to let go. And the enemy knows of her. And my feelings. I’m sorry that she’s in danger now. Because of me.”
He took a breath and looked up, setting a hand on his blade and turned to face the eldest brother. “I am sorry she’s in danger but not because I fell for her. Or that she was the one that opened my world. Or that I won’t let go of her. Please let me protect her and earn your respect. But don’t separate us.” His reiatsu hummed around him, his eyes turning violet.
The energy faded again as he glanced downwards. “Don’t hurt her.”
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Post by Saya Masanobu on Oct 22, 2016 23:06:57 GMT -6
"Hurting Maki-chan is the furthest thing from our thoughts, young Ichimaru, and unlike my eldest son," Saya looked the way of Kin with a slight turn of her head, "and head of the Masanobu clan, not all of of us are ready to cast stones at the one beneath us. Even if their parents, or parent might have a more than honorable background." She looked to her other two sons in the room and smiled.
"If all children grew up to be like their parents and followed in their footsteps their would be no variety in families or in our world." She looked to her daughter and smiled then back to Sojiro. "Please sit, and explain to me how you think you have placed Maki-chan in danger."
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Post by Sojiro Ichimaru on Oct 22, 2016 23:25:48 GMT -6
Sojiro nodded and walked back to the table. He paused and decided to honor the wishes of the eldest and walked towards the brothers. The brother who had spoken on the eldest's behalf grinned and took the seat by his sister and let him take his seat, putting a little distance between Makino and himself.
Captain Kuchiki gave an almost imperceptible nod in his direction.
Sojiro looked back to the matriarch. “I didn’t mean to imply that you did mean to hurt her. I didn’t even mean to say that aloud actually. It was kind of… personal.” He glanced to his hands. The brother in the white and purple hakama bumped his arm. He took a breath and rolled his shoulders back.
“Makino is in danger because Aizen wants something that he believes I have. And he means to get it by threatening what is important to me. I stayed in the academy this year at my Grandfather, Kisuke Urahara’s request, not only to extend my skills further but to protect and assist with my generation of the students. Therefore, Aizen means to attack it. Again. That was the first threat of three. In three days. The second threat was to my mother and her family. The third was to the girl I have become attached to. Makino Masanobu.”
“What he seeks is lost. My Grandfather may find a way around it. But for now, a day has passed since he gave his threat - this morning. So in two days’ time, Aizen will send the Ayakashi towards my mother, the academy, and wherever Koga, his seer, directs them to find Makino. This is my fault. Because I fell for her. And he saw it.”
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Post by Saya Masanobu on Oct 22, 2016 23:38:22 GMT -6
Saya shook her head. "Nonsense, young Ichimaru. You can no more control Sousuke Aizen's actions than I could," she looked to Byakuya. "Or Kuchiki-sama could. To say it is your fault when in actuality the only thing that makes you involved is the man wants to make your parents suffer by targeting you is foolishness." She reached across the table and touched his chilled hands as they rested to the table's surface.
"Do not blame yourself for something that is not your fault. That's like Makino taking the blame for her eldest brother's attitude."
Makino growled under her breath a soft. "Not on my life." Slipped from between her lips.
Saya could not help but giggle softly as she looked to her daughter from the corner of her eyes. She looked back to Sojiro. "You want to protect my daughter. Is that what I am understanding?"
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Post by Sojiro Ichimaru on Oct 22, 2016 23:58:37 GMT -6
“I WON’T ALLOW IT!” Kin hollered.
One of the brothers muttered to him before he could continue, but Sojiro paid attention to the mother.
He nodded. “I want you to let Kisuke and others do what they believe will help. And …. I have a godly beast. A demigod. He protects me. I want to leave him with her.” He paused as his ferret wriggled up from his kimono at this moment and chirped at the group before leaping from Sojiro’s shoulder to the table and scurrying over to Makino and licking her hand.
Sojiro smiled at his familiar. “His name’s Daichi. He can freeze the enemy that threatens him. Under most circumstances, the person under his protection cannot be easily harmed. Even if it’s the Ayakashi. … Most of the time." He clenched his hands. "By guarding her, he will protect me. I don't know at the moment where Kisuke will put me, but I want to do this."
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Post by Captain Byakuya Kuchiki on Oct 23, 2016 0:13:35 GMT -6
“SHE’D BE SAFER IF YOU HADN’T TOUCHED HER!” Kin snapped. He didn’t get mcuh further, again, as Kouen started saying something below his breath.
But Sojiro started to rise from his seat.
Byakuya decided to speak. “I am not a member of this family yet, but as the future head, I will say this. Kin may be correct that Makino would be safe from this attack if Sojiro hadn’t approached her, but she would not be safe indefinitely. Your sister could be in as much peril because of my association with this family as she is because of her relationship with Ichimaru. You should consider that.”
“He’s an Ichimaru!” Kin growled, eyes narrowed.
Byakuya silenced Makino with a look and set a hand over Saya’s to keep her from speaking up.
“Yes, he is. And there is no way he can escape that. And he has not tried to. He attended the academy.”
“Been in fights!”
“With the temper presently before me, I believe that would be something you two would have in common.”
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Post by Kin Masanobu on Oct 23, 2016 0:26:03 GMT -6
Kin's eyes narrowed at the Kuchiki head. "HOW DARE YOU COMPARE ME WITH THIS WRETCHED CHILD!!" he bellowed at Byakuya stepping toward him. "I WILL NOT ALLOW THIS! BOY! TO TARNISH THE MASANOBU NAME! AND IF I HAD MY SAY YOU WOULD NOT IN THE POSITION YOU ARE IN WITH MY MOTHER!"
He turned and looked at his baby sister. "Tomorrow I am going to the academy and removing you from their attendance." He looked to his mother then quickly back to his sister. "I knew nothing good would come of you attending that academy and now look what has come from this!" His looked darted to Sojiro. "You will cease in all interactions with Makino at once and if I find out you have had anything to do with her." His eyes narrowed further.
"You will deal with the end of my blade." He growled.
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Post by Shirou Masanobu on Oct 23, 2016 0:33:32 GMT -6
"That's enough!!!!" Shirou stood and shouted at his eldest brother. "You are one to talk, brother! Have you forgotten that the Masanobu Clan stands BENEATH the Kuchiki Clan?! Lord Kuchiki could say the very same about us, about our mother! But he has not! No one has any right to judge this boy for the sins of his father! He could have left our beloved sister out to dry! He could have abandoned her and allowed her to be taken or worse by Aizen, but he has not! Sojiro Ichimaru has been brave and courageous enough to come to our home and tell us the truth! Would you rather marry her off to a noble who might end up being some low life scum of the earth who wants nothing but our money and Makino's body? Ever since you became head of this family, you have not been able to see past the tip of your own nose! Pardon my tongue, but it stops today, brother!"
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Post by Kouen Masanobu on Oct 23, 2016 0:43:45 GMT -6
Kouen stood slowly and looked to his older brother. "He is right, Nii-sama. This stops now. You have overstepped your boundaries one too many times. Not with just the family but with Kuchiki-sama as well." He looked to his mother then to his sister.
"Can't you see they are happy? Something none of us boys thought we would ever see again since father's death. The light in their eyes has returned and we have no one but Kuchiki-sama and the young Ichimaru to thank for that. If something is not going to be allowed, it is us not allowing you to destroy their happiness. Take a chill pill or go on a long walk off a short pier. I don't care, but I won't allow you to do this to either of the women we love more than life itself."
Kouen grew silent for a brief second then locked eyes with his eldest brother. "Father would be ashamed of you for your actions toward this and toward the Kuchiki head. Right now I am ashamed to call you brother." Kouen looked away from his eldest brother in anger, disbelief and shame for his actions.
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Post by Sojiro Ichimaru on Oct 23, 2016 1:30:04 GMT -6
As the eldest brother froze at the harsh words from his siblings, Sojiro felt some of his rage cool and change to sympathy. He rose from his seat and walked over to him. “I know what it is like to lose someone important to you,” he murmured. “And to see them cry. And to do whatever you think will keep it from happening again. I was eight when I was first brought to Las Noches. A mere month or so after my father woke from a coma that kept my mother crying long into the nights when she thought I was asleep. I don’t know what happened there. The Soul King saved me. But what I do know is that I was the reason my mother and father nearly broke against Aizen’s trials, barely speaking to each or anyone. Then less than a year later, I was taken again. And this time…. It didn’t end.” He looked down. “Not for a long, long time. And when it did, I was fatherless again - and had a mother who was so broken that she nearly killed herself to save him when he was returned - skin and bones but empty inside.”
He looked to the eldest again. “I didn’t see Makino’s crush on me for years because I was already a threat to Aizen. Personally challenged by him at the end of the takeover. Before he was sealed. I only saw friends a year after my studies at the academy started because they seemed a distraction. I needed to focus. Become stronger. Like my father.”
He turned around, starting back to his chair, still speaking quietly, not really looking at anyone. “But Father’s strength came through his risks. Dancing with death. And believing in my mother.” He sat down again. “You don’t have to trust me completely, Masanobu-san. But give me a chance to prove that I am the best side of my father and mother. And that there is a reason that the gods keep saving me. You can then decide after if I am tarnishing the family name or giving mine new hope."
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Post by Kin Masanobu on Oct 23, 2016 1:45:09 GMT -6
Kin's eyes widened at the boys confession and he froze in place as he looked on at him. As his third youngest brother cracked a smile and approached them he looked over at him as his hand rested to his shoulder.
"The boy has been through more than any one his age should be allowed to go through. All because of a man we all stand against." He looked to the young Ichimaru. "I was against you at first when this was brought to my attention, but as time past and watching my sister over the weekend. I saw a life in her I had not seen in years." He grinned and looked to his baby sister. "And doing a little eavesdropping on her and her girlfriend Allura while they were here told me a lot about how she felt for you, and just watching how she looks at you now in this room with all this craziness. My thoughts changed." He looked back to Sojiro. "Any man that can bring back the smile she lost when father died is OK in my book."
Kin crossed his arms over his chest glaring at the boy. "Well mine has not, and I do not believe the boy has it in him to protect one of our families most treasured members."
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Post by Shirou Masanobu on Oct 23, 2016 1:53:49 GMT -6
"Brother," Shirou sighed, shaking his head. "Sometimes strength doesn't come from physical ability. Sometimes it comes from within. I have seen that in Sojiro tonight. He may not be physically able to ward off all that which threatens our family and our sister, but he has a strong heart and an even stronger will. He is admirable in many ways that his father is not, and if you cannot see even that, then you are blind, Kin-nii. And a blind ruler will not do any of us any good."
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Post by Captain Byakuya Kuchiki on Oct 23, 2016 17:21:15 GMT -6
Byakuya looked to the lady of his heart and then to Kin, who still wore an emotionless mask. Something Byakuya recognized well. When something was wrong. But he couldn’t change. There was something that was holding him back. Demanding precedence. Like he, himself, had been before he had lost against a mere Ryoka. Squeezing Saya’s hand, he rose, making everyone turn to him.
“I agree. A blind leader will only harm others."
"I would never-"
"I will discuss the situation at hand with the eldest of the household alone.”
“You have no right!” Kin snapped, a new flare of anger in his dark eyes. "You aren't the head of this family yet." The boy could see where this was headed.
But he was still new to the maneuvers of the Noble class. Byakuya, however, was not. "If you wish to emphasize that the proper time of courtship has not passed, or that your mother may decide to leave my side, then you are correct." Kin's eyes sparked. "But I am within my right as a Captain of the Gotei 13 and the head of the Kuchiki family to arrange a meeting through the Koriyama household. Immediately."
Kin’s hands clenched at the reminder of the rank between them. He stiffened, attempting a way to withdraw honorably.
"You may choose the location. Here or the dojo. Tonight on your terms. Or tomorrow."
It was a deliberate threat on his position as the head of the household. If he didn't comply.
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