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Post by Captain Byakuya Kuchiki on Jan 17, 2017 0:26:28 GMT -6
“And if you were to die, your mother would be in even more distress,” Byakuya murmured. His hands tightened around his folded arms. “They have a reason to keep her alive. They have no such reason with you, and though your powers might help you here, in Las Noches, they won’t. Before you could get to her, you’d have to fool the Seer and two others who could see through most, if not all, disguises. Only of those monsters is Teruo,” he finished, voice like sawdust.
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Post by Kouen Masanobu on Jan 17, 2017 0:47:27 GMT -6
Kouen growled as he pushed away from the wall. "But this is nerving racking, Kuchiki-sama. Is there nothing you can do to speed it up? And we don't know for sure what they will do to her." Kouen turned and lightly punched the wall out of frustration. He wanted to take the wall down removing all frustration from his, but he contained it only because of their location.
"Please, boys. I understand this is hard on you, but you have to remember this is hard on Byakuya-sama as well. He and Makino had bonded. He is doing all he can for now," Saya reminded them.
Both boys sighed heavily as they addressed their frustrations in their own way and took their seats back trying to wait it out the best they could.
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Post by Captain Byakuya Kuchiki on Jan 17, 2017 12:28:14 GMT -6
Byakuya stayed silent for a few minutes before speaking again. “If your sister was the first to be taken, I would risk the surprise assault; however, I fear this is no random or opening move to announce the enemy's strength. The Vessel is gone, Sojiro was taken in public view, and the elder Ichimaru was removed from the board.” He paused. “And before that, Kyoraku and Ukitake, two of the few who could stand up to their best, were destroyed. The enemy is limiting our choices of action and exponentially increasing the risk to us."
He sighed. "With those odds, I cannot move yet, and I cannot allow you to take action on your own either. If you could. However, the commander is no fool, and he knows time is precious. Give him some time to find a method. If nothing happens soon enough ... I do have a tentative plan. I will decide whether to risk my life, which the Soul King already saved once, again, at that point."
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Post by Saya Masanobu on Jan 17, 2017 15:03:16 GMT -6
As Saya was about to speak up on the behalf of the Gotei and the way they were handling the matter the door of her room burst open. It was one of the guards from the Masanobu manor a Fourth Division guard with him. He bowed deeply to the ones in the room.
"Lady Masanobu, Captain Kuchiki, sir, young Masters!"
His words were rushed as Saya, Byakuya and the two boys looked to the guard kneeling before them.
"The youngest Masanobu appeared in the courtyard of the manor with a woman dressed in all white, but seconds after they appeared a man with white hair also appeared. He took hold of both women throwing the young Masanobu to set of hands that came from nowhere. The other woman he took with him. We tried to stop them, but they disappeared right in front of us."
The guards sighed, his head lowering more. "I am sorry Lady Masanobu, Captain Kuchiki. We tried to stop them, but we failed."
Saya went to lift from the bed as Kin and Kouen stopped her when they saw Byakuya step toward the guard.
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Post by Captain Byakuya Kuchiki on Jan 17, 2017 16:06:22 GMT -6
Byakuya’s ire rose with the description but he kept it under tight control as he asked the guards a few questions. “Did the woman have black hair?” Yes. “Did you see from where the man came from?” The man answered in the negative. “Was the youngest Masanobu injured?” No. At least the last negative reply gave him hope, though that spark faded with the fact that she had been taken again.
He looked to the family behind him. “It seemed that Kita attempted to return Makino to us, but Vale Tervaden intervened.”
“Tervaden?” Saya whispered. “Wasn’t that-”
“The former name of the Vessel’s husband, the one he wore when he worked alongside Aizen. After the attack on Ichimaru, we believed in the strong possibility of him turning against us. But Kisuke wanted proof.” The dark eyes hardened. “We now have it.”
He looked back to the guard. “Go to the commander and report to him what you have told us, word for word.” The guard nodded and disappeared. Byakuya turned back to the group in the room.
“If we had been there-” the eldest son growled.
“If you had been there, Tervaden would have cut you down without pausing.” Byakuya hesitated. “And those hands still would have taken Makino.”
His eyes moved to his beloved’s, meeting the liquid brown pools rippling with overflowing tension. He turned back to the door and called another guard. “Ask Yumiko Ryouma if she would be willing to come here.” The guard nodded and Byakuya closed the door again, hand falling to his blade.
Then, he folded his arms into the sleeves of his haori again. "Please have the strength to wait," he whispered.
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Post by Kouen Masanobu on Jan 17, 2017 16:17:34 GMT -6
A brow raised with the Noble woman's name. "Ryouma? Why would you be asking for her? Is there something she can do that the others cannot?"
The captain considered staying silent but spoke nonetheless. "She's pregnant with a God's child. I am hoping that by bringing Ryouma here that I am safeguarding against any leverage in this room being physically used against your sister at this time – if Aizen is threatening her. She is strong-willed and won't easily bend otherwise."
Kouen tilted his head in thought, one of his hands rested to his hip as he talked with his other. "So you're bringing Ryouma here because you think Aizen might go for one of us next?" He looked to Byakuya wondering if the stress had finally gotten to him. "So tell me Captain Kuchiki. How is Ryouma going to stop these monsters if the Gotei can't even do that?"
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Post by Captain Byakuya Kuchiki on Jan 17, 2017 16:56:59 GMT -6
“I’m not your captain,” the older noble replied with bite in his tone. He took a single breath. “But yes, I believe that taking her mother or one of her brothers could be Aizen’s next move, considering the facts before me. However, I am not expecting Ryoma to be able to stop the monsters. I am placing my hope in another factor. That, if she is in this room, the God that created an Eva with her will aid us. Second of all, I want her perspective on the situation. She was closer to Aizen than most others. And Ichimaru is asleep again.”
He paused. “Until she arrives, both of you take your mother’s hands. It will make it more difficult to get someone into a void if they are connected to others.”
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Post by Kouen Masanobu on Jan 17, 2017 17:24:10 GMT -6
Kouen and Kin sat on either side of their mother both taking hold of one of her hands. Once situated, Kouen looked back to Byakuya. "May I ask you a question, Kuchiki-sama?" The man turned and looked at him.
"You may," Byakuya replied.
"Why did you get upset with me calling you Captain? You are a Captain after all." Kouen questioned as he looked on at man that was soon to be his father.
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Post by Captain Byakuya Kuchiki on Jan 17, 2017 17:30:48 GMT -6
Byakuya's eyes turned to obsidian before he looked outside the nearby window. “I am reminded of another situation when my duties nearly lost me something important,” he admitted. “Being a captain was part of that mistake. Now, even though I understand more now than I did then, I may still be unable to take the action necessary to protect someone. That day, it was my sister and a promise to my first wife. Now, it's your sister...."
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Post by Kin Masanobu on Jan 17, 2017 18:09:48 GMT -6
Kin rose to his feet but stayed at his mother's side as he looked to Byakuya. "They were learning experiences Byakuya-sama it had nothing to do with your position as a Captain or head of the Kuchiki clan. Its our beliefs that bring us to the trials we suffer in life. We all have to make choices in life be they are good or bad. Its what we think is best at the time. Even if it goes against others beliefs."
Kin fell silent as Byakuya looked to him with narrowed eyes, but Kin did not falter he pushed on. "But I know what you are saying. Sometimes those beliefs need to be amended. We need to listen to others because our way is not always right. We have to take into consideration that it is not just us that is being affected by our choices."
Kin looked into Byakuya's deep dark eyes as they looked at him. "You and Makino have taught me that." His head lowered to the man in front of him. "Thank you, Byakuya-sama."
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Post by Captain Byakuya Kuchiki on Jan 17, 2017 22:05:22 GMT -6
Byakuya hesitated and then walked over to the young man, glancing for a moment towards his mother, the woman who had melted the heart he didn’t realize was frozen. Her eyes were momentarily warm with pride, her worry and fear misplaced. He turned back to the man apologizing to him. “Raise your head, Kin Masanobu.” The head of the Kuchiki clan continued when he had. “Everyone has something to learn from all experiences. I’m glad your sister taught you to listen to other perspectives, and I’m grateful for the mirror I witnessed in your personality — to give me the strength to correct that rigid thinking in time to prevent some great loss.”
He paused and looked to Kouen including him in the next statement. “Your family is stronger together than those bonds ever were in my own family. That will be what your sister will need…” his voice fell, “when she’s returned.”
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Post by Kouen Masanobu on Jan 17, 2017 22:19:02 GMT -6
Kouen's nod was stiff as his head dropped then lifted from a quick bow. "Maki-chan is strong and she knows how to escape her mind when things get to be too much. Even..." Kouen stopped abruptly as a painful thought entered his mind. Quickly he shook the though and started again.
"Even if she is separated from Hachidori. She still has other fighting abilities to help get her through this. Hopefully she will not have to suffer for too long." His head lowered as his tone softened. "Hopefully...hope, fully we will. see her again--" Kouen turned quickly from his family.
"Excuses me..." Kouen told them as he stepped across the room.
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Post by Captain Byakuya Kuchiki on Jan 17, 2017 22:53:11 GMT -6
As the group fell into uneasy silence, Byakuya crossed over to the bed and took one of his beloved’s hands in his. Her grip shook as she grasped his hand. His other hand came up and enclosed her own, trying to promise her that everything would be well and not quite succeeding. Someone knocking on the door made him look up.
“Yumiko Ryouma, Captain Kuchiki,” the guard murmured. Byakuya turned to Saya and then back to the door. “Let her in.”
Yumiko entered slowly, one hand on her swollen belly. “Hello, Kuchiki-sama,” she stated. “I apologize for taking a while to respond. I don’t move as fast as I used to.” She took a breath and closed the door behind her. “What happened?”
Kouen turned around and rejoined his mother. Byakuya let him. Squeezing her hand before rising, he schooled his expression. “What do you know at this point? I know you felt his arrival a week ago. Your reiatsu vanished and then reappeared."
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Post by Yumiko Ryouma on Jan 17, 2017 23:24:55 GMT -6
Yumiko nodded. “I didn’t want him to find me, so I used a combination of Benihime and Kyokko to seal off the property I was on and erasing my reiatsu to the outside. After that, it quieted…. until today.” She sighed, hand moving over her child. “What happened? Teruo?”
The captain nodded. “Today, yes. Beforehand, Aizen came to announce he had the vessel again, and Tervaden silenced Ichimaru. We only knew of his treachery for certain today. You didn’t know of that, did you?”
Yumiko lowered her head with another sigh. “No, I did not. I have tried my best not to think of my old friend or either old lover. Though…. I am sorry she’s back there.” She said nothing further on Vale’s change.
The captain went on to recount both of the children’s kidnappings and the strange account in the Masanobu Manor garden. Yumiko closed her eyes. “I’m sorry, but I don’t have much words of comfort. From what I know of Aizen and Vale, if either one only wanted to scare her, they wouldn’t have retrieved her after she managed to escape. They would have waited for another opportunity.” She paused and looked to Lady Masanobu, her stomach twinging at the thought of her former lover harming her own child. “Aizen’s favored form of torture is what you are fearing, but I also do know…” she hesitated, “for what it’s worth for you, your family, and the captain, that there are some he has not hurt in that way, though it seemed he would. Some anger turns him away. And if he has a purpose… she’ll survive. Somehow.”
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Post by Kin Masanobu on Jan 17, 2017 23:34:08 GMT -6
Kin's head shook as he looked on at Yumiko. "Lady Ryouma, do you have any idea as of why they might want her? The Masanobu's have never crossed this mans path before and I refuse to believe he grabbed our baby sister because of the Captain. The smart move would have been..."
Kin paused and looked to his mother. "Sorry, mother, but you are closer to Byakuya-sama then Makino. It would be the logical thing."
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