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Post by Riku Asuhara on Jan 6, 2017 22:38:20 GMT -6
"Uh... No, not at all," Riku blinked with his fist still in the air.
He lowered it and made his way to the kitchen to put on a pot of water for tea. He wanted to ask Sojiro if he was okay, but he knew he wouldn't get his answer right away. He watched as Sojiro silently left, then sighed softly. At least he had come out at all. He was worried that he'd have to drag Sojiro out of his room. He wasn't sure what was going on with him, but he was sure that it had to do with family matters and the iron weights of responsibility and expectations that always lingered on his best friend's shoulders.
Why him? He wondered this as he watched the pot start to steam, sitting at the kitchen table. He opened the box of tea leaves and stirred them gently and absent mindedly with the small spoon inside. Why did Sojiro have to be the one to bear all of these burdens? Why not someone older and more experienced? Someone more mentally equipped to deal with whatever he was dealing with. Not that Sojiro was weak in the least, but at his age, he could only take so much. He tried to be strong. Sometimes he succeeded, and sometimes he came up short. Riku just wanted him to be happy and content.
"No! I can't start moping too!" He slapped his cheeks. "If he comes back in and sees me looking blue it'll only make him worry."
Once the teapot started whistling he took the pot off the stove and set it on a wooden plaque on the living room table. He took some of the leftover sweets he had made a few days ago and laid them out nicely on a platter, bringing them and several teacups to the table. He waited patiently on the couch until Sojiro returned.
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Post by Sojiro Ichimaru on Jan 6, 2017 23:01:40 GMT -6
Sojiro returned shortly, hand in hand with Makino, and Mitsuo bringing up the rear. Mitsuo was frowning, but he had agreed to come. That was what mattered. Sojiro would clear things up with him after the meeting — if it was necessary. But, in spite of their recent fight over Makino, Mitsuo was still his friend.
Noticing that that Riku had prepared tea and food, he smiled. “Thank your for thinking of that, Riku. Do I need to grab anything else?"
Riku shook his head with a smile. "Nope. Not unless you're hungry for more. Have you eaten?"
Makino stepped back up to his side, and Sojiro smiled at her. He looked back to Riku. "Breakfast," he replied.
“Is this going to take long?” Mitsuo muttered as he came up. “I was studying.” He picked up an egg roll.
Sojiro turned to him. “That depends on you guys.” He looked at his circle of close friends and then sat down on the opposite couch with Makino while Mitsuo sat on a chair. Riku gave him a platter of food. Sojiro took a bite before continuing. “This isn’t common knowledge yet, but I think you guys should know now.” He paused. “Aizen is back. And…he has my mother. Again.”
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Post by Makino Tori on Jan 6, 2017 23:10:22 GMT -6
Makino took Sojiro's hand in her and squeezed it gentle not saying a word. Mitsuo sighed as his head lowered and shook slightly. Riku sat there daunted as he looked on at Sojiro. When no one spoke Makino looked to Sojiro with another soft squeeze to his hand.
"I am guessing this happened yesterday sometime while we," she looked to Riku then back to Sojiro, "were at the manor going through my mother's artwork?"
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Post by Sojiro Ichimaru on Jan 6, 2017 23:16:06 GMT -6
Sojiro nodded. “Yes, it did, and ….” He hesitated, hands clenching before loosening so he wouldn’t hurt Makino. He'd already made a decision here, but that didn't make it easy to discuss. However, he needed to. He needed them to know before anything happened this time. “I never really wanted to go into this," he muttered. "I wanted it to disappear with the rest of the past. Or for someone like Take-jii to address it in his class. But what have you guys heard about my mother?"
He looked to Makino and squeezed her hand. "I promise I won't judge or get angry. And it's important."
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Post by Riku Asuhara on Jan 6, 2017 23:27:51 GMT -6
"She's killed people. Killed people for Aizen's sake. Makino's father included. She helped him in a lot of ways. And then obviously there's your dad, Gin Ichimaru. He worked for Aizen and she fell for him. Lots of bad things... Mostly bad things. Other than that she's a great healer. And then there's Vacanze, right? The hollow? She's the reason he turned traitor."
Riku hung his head in shame. He didn't like talking bad about the woman who brought his best friend into the world. Regardless of all the bad she had done, she was still Sojiro's mother. And regardless of the evil his father had done, Sojiro wouldn't be here right now if not for Gin Ichimaru. That was all that mattered to Riku. Sojiro was HERE. Regardless of how he got here.
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Post by Mitsuo Hayashi on Jan 6, 2017 23:34:53 GMT -6
Mitsuo combed his fingers through his hair. "I don't listen to that shit. If it does not come straight from the horses mouth I don't and won't believe it. I have heard what things you have said about your mother Sojiro and I believe your mother is a good person that was being controlled out of fear."
He shook his head and stood from where he was sitting as he looked to Makino which had her head hung and wringing her hands in her lap. He stepped toward her resting his hand to her shoulder and knelled down in front of her. "Maki-chan, I know what you think about all this, and you told me what Captain Kuchiki told you about Sojiro's mother. But you have to remember what I told you. You can't know for sure why she did this until you talk to her yourself and hear it from her own mouth."
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Post by Makino Tori on Jan 6, 2017 23:39:17 GMT -6
Makino sniffled lifting her hand as she wiped away a falling tear. "Well that is going to be kind of hard now that Aizen has her again." She looked away from Mitsuo to Sojiro. "I heard all the same rumors that Riku-kun heard and then I know what Byakuya-sama told me."
She grew silent as she wiped away another tear. "Is the Goddess the reason why Aizen wants her so badly, and if so why don't the Goddess stop this and protect her." Her fists clenched in her kimono. "Why don't she kill him?" She growled softly as her head lowered again. "She is a Goddess. Why?"
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Post by Sojiro Ichimaru on Jan 7, 2017 0:04:40 GMT -6
Sojiro sighed and hugged her. Pulling away, he wiped at her cheeks. “I’m sorry, Maki, but she can’t kill.” He looked back to the others, still holding her hand. “None of the Gods can. It is their one cardinal rule. The other one is to not interfere with the realms. Sumi — that’s her name — has crossed that line a couple times in order to do the one thing that she can for my mother. Protect her. Protect her… and for a time, she did what she could to protect the family from the attempts to separate us and the attempts to kill us. That mostly applied to my father. Because protecting her family would protect my mother’s soul.”
He dropped Makino’s hand and stood, moving back from couch as he continued. “The short answer to your question is yes. Aizen has wanted my mother for the powers in her, the godly powers she’s gained through her connection with Sumi. But that is not all she can do for him. If she is caught, others will either come after her…. or will come back to him.” He sat down again. “My mother’s light lures people to her and changes them. She changed Vacanze. She changed my dad. And she changed Vale. They don’t think about themselves. They only think about her. When Aizen broke my mother in the past, my father would start to lose himself. If he breaks her again, more people will suffer.”
“She has the powers to control higher beings — if it is her wish — and she can change nearly anyone.” He swallowed. “Aizen came yesterday to gloat but to also say that Mom’s true personal power wasn’t only to free someone from the darkness… but the ability to plunge them even deeper into it. I don't want to believe it... but then there was the Takeover..."
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Post by Riku Asuhara on Jan 7, 2017 0:13:06 GMT -6
"I don't believe it either, Soj-kun!" Riku said sternly and enthusiastically. "There's no way the woman who gave you life could make people more evil than they already are! And if they do become more evil, it's only because they chose to be! Ultimately people decide whether they want to change or not. True, sometimes change is forced upon us, but there are still things people can do to RESIST. Being forced to change only means that you didn't have the will great enough to resist the change or to turn it into something good."
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Post by Mitsuo Hayashi on Jan 7, 2017 0:34:33 GMT -6
"Wait a minute." Mitsuo blurted out as his head shook. "I have to agree with Riku-kun here. The person has to want this. You can't change the will of the heart." He looked pointedly at Sojiro, but before he could speak Makino broke in as she looked at the three of them.
"I have read about this type of power, and my grandfather has witnessed it before hundreds of years ago." She looked to her hands in her lap. "He told me," she paused and tried to remember the guys name, her head shook as she looked up again. "I can't remember the mans name grandfather talk about, but he could purify and taint souls, but it had to be what the person wanted. He could not do it if the person did not want it, but the guy..." Makino hesitated and looked solely at Sojiro. "If this true. Your mother is in danger of being swallowed up by the darkness if she is surrounded by it for too long."
Mitsuo looked to Sojiro and sighed. "Tell me your Grandfather has a plan? Because if he don't. Aizen is going to be able takeover again and it will be with the help of your mother again, but this time it will be willingly on her part."
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Post by Sojiro Ichimaru on Jan 7, 2017 0:49:10 GMT -6
Sojiro sighed. “We just learned about it, and it won’t be easy. Aizen threatened to use the Ayakashi on us if we tried.” He chuckled shortly. “Then again, it’s never been easy to rescue anyone he captures, be it through kidnapping or other means.” He looked to his friends. “And I know that’s a danger to my mother. It’s happened before. That’s why she killed in the Takeover. And why my dad may try something dangerous if Kisuke doesn’t come up with a plan soon enough.”
He stood and started pacing again. “And there are ways to make someone believe that is what they want. There are ways to twist the mind. Aizen does it enough, but if my mother turns… it will be all the easier. And Seto could go back to being Vale…”
He halted. "And if my mother and father are fighting right now, then I could be the only thing stopping my father from returning to his role in Las Noches." He took a breath. "Unless Kisuke's an anchor for him now...."
He scratched at his head. "You guys needed to know. Aizen's on the move, and I'm on the list. Most, if not all, of my family are." He paused.
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Post by Makino Tori on Jan 7, 2017 0:59:23 GMT -6
Makino reached up and took his hand when he stepped up next to her again. "That's a given." She tugged him down next to her to sit. "If your family is not trying to stop Aizen they are working for him." Makino smiled warmly at him then leaned over kissing his cheek.
"I would not care if the devil himself was after you. I won't let you fight this alone. I am here to the end," her head tilted slightly, "or death. Whichever comes to me first." She squeezed his hand firmly but gently and looked to Mitsuo and Riku, then back to Sojiro.
"And I am sure they feel the same way."
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Post by Riku Asuhara on Jan 7, 2017 1:04:13 GMT -6
Riku nodded sternly. "Definitely. You may not like to hear this, but Aizen can do with me what he will, but I will never stop believing in you and standing by your side. That's why I've sworn to become stronger so that you don't have to worry about me. Even if you're not there physically to protect us if he comes after us, we can at least try and give you the security of knowing that we'll do anything and everything to fight it out."
He leaned over and gave Sojiro a tight hug. "People can do whatever they want to my body, but they'll never have my soul or my heart. Even if they try and break my mind, you'll always be my best friend Sojiro Ichimaru, and I will never abandon you to protect my own life. Not even if you asked me to."
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Post by Sojiro Ichimaru on Jan 7, 2017 1:29:48 GMT -6
“Be careful about saying never when we’re talking about Las Noches and the people there. Aizen is one of the most dangerous and most intelligent soul reapers on either side of the war.”
Makino nodded. “Captain Ukitake said something liked that to me when I asked about him.”
Sojiro nodded. “I was remembering his words to me when I said that.” He paused. “You know he’s evil and he’s ruthless. What you might not know or dismiss…. is his intelligence and his charisma. They are what make him dangerous His razor sharp mind, the way he can exploit nearly any detail to his advantage, and the pull he has on people. In the right situation, he’s magnetic. Try to remember that.”
He took a deep breath. “You can’t tell anyone else about this. But when my family was taken to Las Noches for the first time, my parents were actually undercover. They slipped because of the time they spent there. When the Takeover happened, nearly eight years later….” he looked away, “they were different. And it got worse afterwards. Las Noches… and its master… are perilous.”
Mitsuo broke the silence that filled the room after that. “You’re not half bad in spite of you staying there, you know.” Sojiro rubbed the back of his head. “Tell me, does your mother even know that she has this power you’re freaking out about?”
Sojiro shook his head. “She doesn’t. At least not yet. She knows she has an effect on people, but she believes it’s a knack, and it’s helpful. She has no idea it can be used in reverse.” He looked away again. "And I'm not freaking out, per se. I'm just worried about what will happen to my family this time. Daj is only three... It was hard enough when I was eight." He sighed again. He didn't want to elaborate any further on that.
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Post by Makino Tori on Jan 7, 2017 16:29:44 GMT -6
Makino squeezed his hand again as she gave him a comforting smile. "As all the literature we have read here warns us about, but to know the true extent of the man. You would have to live it like you did to really know the truth."
She rested her head to his shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her. "With the Goddess I am sure your mother will be safe. She did not let Aizen win then. I don't think she is going to let him win again." She lifted her head and kissed his cheek. "But I am there for you no matter what you need. Even if it is to charge in to recuse her."
"Like that is going to happen. We are students. We would never be allowed in Las Noches." Mitsuo reminded her.
"Don't mean they won't come to us." Makino replied with a sneaky smile.
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