What's the Worst that Could Happen?

[Deleted]

This is a Social Thread between the various Noble Clans of the Seireitei. Kawada, Kuchiki, Kasumi'Oji, and especially the hosts the Shihion. The last mentioned clan is holding a barbecue, inviting the others over to join in on the fun. Except you Sozen, you made a party that nobody could join

[Deleted]

Theme for this post!


It was nice to get out once in awhile. Sometimes he had forgotten what it was like to be outside, given that he was either bedridden all day or simply wandering the halls of the Kawada Manor, trying to help out any way he could. He didn't have much to do anymore, given that he was both no longer a Shinigami and the fact he could literally die if he over did himself. Dying wasn't fun, nor did it sound very fun. But, a simple walk through the Seireitei wasn't too hard on his body, so long as he did wonder across the entirety of it he should be okay. A cozy smile adorned his face as he felt the fresh air and warm sunlight against his skin. He carried a dish of something in his hands, a piece of cloth across it so as to conceal what it was.

"Nah nah nah do do do~"

He had been the first to see the invite, written upon paper and delivered in the mail. An invitation to the Shihion for a barbecue. At first Raygin was skeptical, not knowing that the members of the Shihion even knew what a barbecue was. After all, it was a human thing really. But hey! If it meant the outdoors and food then Raygin was in. He promptly, and rather happily, had let the other members of the Kawada family know about it. This might have been the first time the other members of the family had seen the former Shinigami give a real, genuine smile in a long time.

So, with a dish that he had created from scratch in his hands he made his way to the Shihion manor. He began to wonder what sort of food would be there. No doubt something amazing! Even a simple meal would be great! Royal families could make anything delicious, even the Kawada. Raygin still thought the Kasumi'Oji served the best dishes. It went in order from worst to best; Kawada, Shiba, Kuchiki, Shihion, and then lastly, or best-ly, was the Kasumi'Oji. Just because the Kawada were last didn't mean their food wasn't excellent! It just meant the other families foods were better. Though, Kuchiki often made their food too sour.

Other than food though, Raygin began wondering about the Shihion themselves. When was the last time he had even seen them? He couldn't quite remember, not even sure if he had formally introduced himself to any of them. No, he had to have. Raygin was a friendly guy, so he had to have at least said hi! He hoped he hadn't put pudding in their socks...oh man he hopped he hadn't done something like that to them. Raygin was still given scowls from the Kuchiki Family for that one, though everything seemed to be forgiven.

Or were there sudden kindness to him nothing more than sympathy? Raygin...didn't have it easy. It was no secret that the Vice Captain of Squad 13 has been discharged from Shinigami service. It wasn't that he had stepped down, rather he had been forced to by the Central Forty-Six. It wasn't like his discharge was a big deal, it actually only took the council around five minutes to do it. His name wasn't quite the big thing with those guys, though there really wasn't any reason it should. After all, Raygin did have quite the boring, normal, record for a Shinigami. He did his job and did his best to stay out of trouble.

Though, he did often find trouble. Enough trouble that it came back and bit him. The sort of bite that made it impossible for him to be a Shinigami anymore and be forced to live a careful life. Ah well, no need to dwell on such negative thoughts right? Raygin blinked, noticing the approaching buildings. That had to be the place right? The size and design of the houses just screamed "royals". Raygin grinned, picking up his pace and quickly arriving to the front door of the home. He blinked a couple of times, now wondering what it was he was supposed to do.

"Ah..uh...hello? Helloooo! It's Raygin, from the Kawadas! I got your invitation!...I brought food!"

He blinked, standing there with a doofus look on his face as he simply shouted at the door. It would be rude to simply walk in. He suddenly went "oh!" and quickly spun around, tapping the back of his foot against the wooden door. Surely they would hear him knocking, right? He spun back around, standing there with yet another goofus smile as he waited for someone to answer him...or tell him where he was supposed to go. He really hoped he was at the right place...this time...

[Deleted]

"Ray, you idiot."

The voice, like a song, has a hint of mirth in it, but was automatically overshadowed by the stern tones from the Kawada Head. Many a servant felt the bite of Kido after such a tone was used, and many more found themselves in the dungeons. It was true, Katrina was the most rueful Head to date. But she was also more involved, more engaged, than any head past, save perhaps for Jinbei. And indeed, it had become common knowledge that she knew the names of every servant, the capabilities of every guard. It was a fact she was highly proud of.

And now the girl herself stepped from the shadows, somehow blending into darkness despite the shimmering silk she wore. The material clung to her, exacerbating the curves she wished she had. It was cut low, the brassier pushing her breasts into perfect round orbs. Bracelets and rings clung to her hand, tastefully decorated. A necklace of silver and sapphire tested at her heart, drawing attention to her. And yet despite this finery, she seemed ill at ease, as if she were uncomfortable. It would never change; despite decades, she despised dresses.

But that thought was gone for now, replaced by the idiot in front of her. Heels clicked on the marble stairs as stormed up to the ShinigamI-turned-servant. Despite their vast differences in height, her anger made her seem far taller. "How dare you?" A sharp nail jabbed him in the chest. Icy blue eyes stared into his soul. The anger was false, he could see this; betrayal, instead, and hurt were the motivation. "It's been months. Months since that date." He mind went then, unwillingly, to that day in Paris, of a Raygin that was sweet and charming and surprisingly smooth. It went to the touch of his lips, much as it had nearly every night since then.

For a second, her face lost its murderous intent, turning into the sweet, innocent girl he had gotten to know over dinner. For a second, she thought to forgive him, to once again press her lips against his, to feel how they felt together once again. But that changed when her thoughts strayed to the last few months, of countless futile attempts to talk to him and nights spent in tears. "And you avoided me! Like I have the fucking plague!" The curse sounded strange coming from her, even to the young Shinigami, but she wasn't concerned, focusing instead on the man whom so cruelly tore out her heart.

"Was that night so horrible that you could not stand to see me? That you must run when you sense me coming? You cannot say it was coincidence! It is too much! I cried for you, i-" Her voice caught, tears threatening to smear the makeup she had spent so long putting on. She refused to cry for him anymore. Nights were wasted, energy consumed pining for him. He had brought her down to this, confronting him on the doorsteps of a noble. Well, no longer. Her mouth closed, watery eyes flashing in such a way to signify the end of the conversation. Her arms crossed over her chest. But she could not resist one more comment, spoken in an almost sensual voice. "Only an idiot brings a handmade dish to a party."

[Deleted]

All sure was quiet. Did...Raygin go to the wrong house again. He simply smiled at the door, blinking as he tilted his head to the side. Was nobody coming? Well, somebody did. Somebody that damn well near made him drop his entire container of his special food. The voice was one he recognized immediately, one he turned to face once he regained his balance. She wasn't supposed to scare him like that, well she could but for medical reasons she really wasn't supposed to. Raygin looked at the shorter woman, painting a timid smile on his face.

"Hey, Katrina.."

And then she went into him. She jabbed her finger right into him, chewing into him about how he had wronged her. Wait, what. He hadn't wronged her! Had he? She spoke about their time together in the human world, that one night they spent together, the dinner and what occurred afterwords. He felt his ears getting warm when she brought that up. But he couldn't look at her, a pained expression on his face as he removed his gaze from her. Her words stung like a wasp, making him wince a little as she continued speaking.

He hadn't been avoiding her like she might have imagined he was. Raygin was not that sort of person. Katrina was the new Head of the Kawadas after Shade Kawadas disappearance some time ago. Raygin had assumed that the transition from simple Shinigami to the very Head was a drastic transition for her, one that must have put a lot of weight on her tiny shoulders. Raygin imagined she must have been incredibly stressed. He had tried many times to see her, to speak to her, but every time he had found her in that massive thing they called a house she had always been so very busy. Raygin didn't want to add anymore stress into her life.

"No! That night...I...I didn't run..no...I mean...I tried to see you, it's just.....you..busy...I mean...I"

He couldn't even speak right. He was so ashamed and embarrassed he was rambling like a broken school girl. Raygin was many things, and had become many things since his condition began. Depression was something he was experiencing right now, very warranted depression. He had been discharged from the Gotei 13, crippled to the point a simple jog could endanger his life. Many days he spent simply lying in bed, lacking the will or the strength to even just eat. He was fragile right now, something Katrina would no doubt notice. If she somehow didn't know about Raygins injury, or his discharge from service, she would definitely notice something was wrong with him.

"I didn't avoid you...it's...it's just...you became the Head, something....that couldn't have been...an easy transition you know. You had to...pick up where Shade left off. I figured...you were under a lot of pressure. Every time I went to see you...you were busy...and I just didn't want to add my burdens to yours.....I'm sorry"

Raygin explained after Katrina had finished chewing him out. His head held low he turned back to face the door, considering just going back home. His good mood had been ruined and now he was just a miserable little lump again. Maybe if he spent some time with the Shihions it would get better, but right now he was simply fighting the desire to turn around and walk back to his bed. Maybe he just shouldn't have come out, just remained hidden away. Despite the weight of his guilt he chuckled slightly about Katrinas comment on his food.

"I guess...it doesn't surprise you then, huh? I...hope they like it. It's something simple...but I always thought it was tasty.."

[Hotaru Kuchiki-Masurao]

(OOC: This is time skipped for Hotaru and the person after her, taking place 3 months after the prison adventure she's currently in)

Hotaru found herself in an apartment in Tokyo. She knew that today there was some kind of social gathering happening in Soul Society among the nobles. Because of this, she knew that being a noble herself, she was pretty much forced to go. But, honestly, she was excited to go. She knew that these kind of gatherings were pretty rare, at least from what she's seen since becoming a noble, and it would be the best chance for her to actually see other nobles in the other families and to get to know them better. But, this time, it would be a little different. She lazily got up off of the bed and made her way towards the closet to look for her clothes.

Ever since she started spending time in the Human World, she actually had somewhat of a collection of human clothes. She knew that if she showed up in any of that stuff, they would probably look at her funny. Well, they might look at her funny anyway, but she decided to wear her normal shinigami uniform. She quickly got dressed and looked over to the bed, throwing a pillow at the man laying there. "Hey sleepy head. We need to leave for the gathering soon. I don't want to be late. Since it's just a barbecue, I'm pretty sure we don't have to dress up. Here you go." She pulled out his normal clothes from the closet and went to the bathroom.

She freshened up and, hopefully, by the time she returned, he would be tying up his boots and would be ready to go. She would walk up towards him and adjust his clothes, making sure that they looked good, touching his face lightly before giving him a brief kiss. While her hand was moving, there was something glinting off her left hand. It was a ring, but not just any ring, a wedding ring. In the three months since her adventures in the prison, a lot had happened to her. What she had always planned finally fell into place and she was now married to the one person she couldn't bare to be without. She smiled before kissing him lightly on the lips.

She linked her arm with his, after she made sure her zanpaktou was securely fastened to her waist. She unsheathed her zanpaktou, and opened the gates between the human world and Soul Society. Once the gates opened, they quickly walked through the gates and once they were through, they found themselves in Soul Society. Since the gates were run by the Thirteenth Division, that's where they landed. She was pretty sure that they would get looks once she started walking away from the division, but it didn't really bother her. While they were walking, she told him the divisions. Those that looked at them too long or grabbed for their own zanpaktous, she let some of her pressure loose, letting them know that she was not to be messed with.

So, that's how it went through the entire Seireitei, looks and stares from others while she was holding onto his arm lightly, making sure their arms touched while they walked, smiling the entire way. Soon, they walked out of the Seireitei proper and started to walk towards the noble housing. She pointed out which one was the Kuchiki Manor, the one that she stayed in now for pretty much all of her time. Next, she walked towards another building, which already had two people standing outside of it. They were walking towards the Shihion Manor, which she told him and once they arrived and the other two people noticed them, she would stop and bow. "Hello, my name is Hotaru Kuchiki, Third Seat of the Eleventh Division. This is my husband. He prefers to introduce himself. Can we not just go in? Have you tried knocking?" She walked up to the door and started to knock, waiting for an answer.

[✠Asmoskon Masurao✠]

Asmoskon laid in bed asleep calmly something that hadn’t been granted to him by his soul for what had felt like ages. He had been pushed past the limit of sanity and peace and had felt as if death would have been a blessing. After him and his newly married wife had found one another again and admitted that the two could no longer actually live without one another he had found happiness once again. Reclaiming sanity and joy Asmoskon awoke when a soft pillow hit him on the head.

He turned over half asleep while hearing how his wife spoke of a barbecue that the two of them had to go to and it seemed like if he didn’t hurry they would be late. Asmoskon actually realized that he had overslept now that he was awake and saw the time. He had planned to exercise and train early in the morning yet by now it was near mid day and he had lost his chance. “Alright alright give me a minute beautiful.” It was then that his clothing was tossed over to him and he caught his shirt.

Over the following minute he had pulled on his shirt and the majority of his other clothing and was now tying up his boots just like his wife would most likely assume. As she walked in Asmoskon was standing up and pulling his coat over him. In truth he had thought about actually wearing the crimson coat with black lotus petals since this was a formal noble gathering if he remembered correctly. Yet it didn’t even seem as if his wife was taking it all that seriously so the normal black it was. As she wrapped her arms around him he grinned kissing her gently back.

The two of them then moved through the gate way she had opened into Soul Society. Upon exiting the gate Asmoskon saw the stronghold of the Shinigami once again something that he hadn’t done in awhile. The constant glares of eyes were enough to force Asmoskon’s hand it was just tempting to reach down for one of his blades at his waist. Instead though he knew in order to continue onwards with his wife alongside him he would need to show restraint against the fools.

It wasn’t long in his opinion until they reached the location she said was the Kuchiki manor. She spoke about how she lived there now when she wasn’t at his apartment in Tokyo. Asmoskon had been inside the walls of that manor before which she knew and most of what he saw were signs of those who held their heads to high to see the ground. Nevertheless they continued and after awhile he saw two figured standing in front of a large manor. Asmoskon assumed this was the place which seemed to be answered by his wife.

His wife bowed to the other two Shinigami yet Asmoskon was not a member of their ranks and was only here due to his marriage with her. Along with the fact that Asmoskon sensed nothing exceptional about either of the two in front of him he simply nodded his head to each of them showing a sign that he greeted them yet not with much if any respect. It was then that his wife introduced herself and he grinned slightly at the corner of his mouth. “My name is Asmoskon Masurao” as Hotaru walked up to the doors Asmoskon stood his arms now crossed over his chest as he smiled at how pleasant his wife was.

[Taihō Kasumi’Oji]

Taihō Kasumi’Oji, the acting head of the infamous Kasumi’Oji clan, for once felt herself hesitate. She was obliged to do something which she had absolutely no desire to do, and it caused in her a rare moment of uncertainty, a moment of doubt. With her sister Azumi’s departure, Taihō had been left in charge of the family, a role she once coveted, but now was far from comfortable with. Among the many reasons for this discomfort, including her mental instability and obsession with violence and destruction, was a distinct loathing for parties. Of course, when the Shihoin Family threw a party, Taihō was obligated to attend. She was, after all, the Head of her family, however temporarily.

Azumi said she had plan for this type of situation…but she never told me what it was. Typical. Leave it to her to create a complex plan that accomplishes nothing, and not even bother to share it with me, her sister. Not that she ever cared for me anyway…

These were Taihō’s thoughts as she dressed for the party. Ordinarily, she would have worn her Captain’s Haroi, but at her advisers' insistence she elected for something more suitable to a social gathering. So, she wore an ornate black trench, richly but subtly decorated with silk and gems, highlighted with threads of pure gold woven into the fabric. It was this very decadence that Taihō despised about the noble families, but she was encouraged to spare no expense for her first formal appearance in public, even if it was something as casual as a barbecue. The coat was as typically oversized as anything she normally wore, concealing her body completely, with sleeves that extended well past her hands, and a high collar covering most of her face. She knew it was impractical for the messy food she would be eating, but she didn’t care. Her coat was…important. It was a shell, a wall. It kept the world out, and perhaps more importantly, it kept her fragile mind stable, in one piece.

Checking herself in a mirror for any slight imperfects, Taihō considered the host of this gathering. The Shihoin Family. Like The Kasumi’Oji family, the Shihoin clan was a relatively minor family on the rise, which made them natural allies with Kasumi’Oji. Taihō’s advisers encouraged her to use this opportunity to forge bonds with the family, incorporate them into the vast criminal empire Azumi had built. While their skills could certainly be useful, Taihō found herself suspicious of them for reasons she couldn’t quite identify.

I know very well why I can’t trust them. She chided herself. They’re nobles, just like the ones who hurt me. They’ll put a knife in my back the moment I let down my guard. Or worse. Yes. That’s right. I have to remain vigilant. I’ll be surrounded by nobles. Anything could happen. This was what she told herself, what her fragile mind accepted as the truth. But deep down, she knew that wasn’t what was bothering her. Azumi had been close to the Shihoin family. That made them enemies by default as far as Taihō was concerned. She knew this, yet she couldn’t admit it to herself. You could say it was one of the short comings of being psychotic.

Finding nothing wrong with her image, she exited the Kasumi’Oji manner, and walked the short way the place the Shihoin family called home. She encountered many nobles as she went, but none greeted her, or even made eye contact. Partly this was because Taihō was rather intimidating to many of them; at just over six feet, she was very tall for a woman, a fact that was exaggerated by her ominous trench coat. However, many of them avoided her out of a completely different fear. Lives were long in Soul Society, and memories ran deep. Many of the people she met could still remember her as a child, her violent mood swings, her oppressive Reiatsu, and her tendency towards unprovoked aggression. Many of them had been injured, some quite severely, by Taihō when she was younger, and they feared and resented her now that she was an adult. In truth, Taihō was fine with this. The nobles lived soft, pleasant lives. They needed some fear every now and again.

As she approached the Shihoin manner, she noticed a collection four individuals standing outside the door. Her advisers had told her of everyone of note she was likely to meet, but she recognized only one face from personal experience. Hotaru Kuchiki, who was now a Third Seat in Squad Eleven, was among the group, as well as the man she could only assume to be her husband. Of course, she knew about the marriage. Even a relatively unimportant noble made news when she chose to marry a human. It had been more than three months since Taihō had seen Hotaru last, and she had to admit part of her was glad to see her. Hotaru was a very interesting person, whom Taihō had always looked forward to performing further experiments on ever since their spar.

Hotaru’s husband, on the other hand, was a relative unknown to Taihō. She knew his name, Asmoskon Masurao, as well as his general capabilities though her contacts, or rather, Azumi’s contacts, in Xcution, but she knew next to nothing about him as a person. Taihō was uncomfortable about this, but not greatly. After all, she reminded herself, events like this were meant for people to get to know one another. As much as she disliked the idea, she would have to find an opportunity to talk to the man, so as to learn more about him.

Near to Hotaru and her husband stood Raygin Kawada, and the head of the Kawada family herself, Katrina. It seemed the two had been discussing something rather heatedly moments before, but Taihō could not discern what that might have been. She knew little about Raygin, largely because of his overwhelming unimportance. A skilled but entirely unremarkable Shinigami, he had been forced to resign by the Central 46 due to an injury, and now spent much of his time in bed, if Taihō’s informants were correct. She had been told he might arrive, but she honestly hadn’t expected to see him attend, and she found herself wondering cynically how long it would be before he was rushed back to the Kawada mansion for medical reasons.

Much more interesting, in Taihō’s opinion, was Katrina Kawada, the Head of the family. Like Taihō herself, Katrina had found herself unexpectedly the Head after the previous Head left the family. In her case, her predecessor Shade Kawada had vanished most mysteriously, leading many to suggest foul play. Knowing how noble families often operated, Taihō considered this to be a likely explanation, but in truth she wasn’t very concerned over the matter. The Kawada’s were little more than trash in her mind, and she was happy to see them scramble to regain their composure after being effectively and abruptly decapitated. It filled her with the same sadistic joy one sees in watching a chicken with it’s head chopped off running about in a field, still very much alive but completely devoid of thought or purpose. From what she had heard, Taihō felt that Katrina would eventually get things under control, but in the meanwhile Taihō was content to watch her squirm.

As she approached this group, Taihō suppressed her rather oppressive Reiatsu from even the most acute of energy sensory, preventing the four of them from detecting her before she arrived. She walked steadily, with the same air of impending doom that might accompany an executioner as he walked toward the gallows, despite this being a simple social gathering, moving with grim purpose toward the group. Taihō had no interest in speaking to them, but it would improper to not greet Katrina, at least, and she reasoned that if she had to attend a social gathering, she could at least make an attempt at being sociable. And so, she stopped a respectful distance from the group, bowing politely but not very deeply in their general direction.

”Greetings. I am Taihō Kasumi’Oji, the…Head of the Kasumi’Oji Clan.” She had almost referred to herself as the Right Hand of the Head, as she would have before Azumi departed for the Zero Division. She had to remind herself that she was now the Head of her family. She glanced at Hotaru, but chose not to say anything to her for the moment, instead turning toward Katrina, saying, “You must be Katrina Kawada. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” She bowed again, this time somewhat deeper and directly to Katrina, a gesture she expected would be mirrored by her counter-part. She straightened from her bow, waiting for a response from Katrina, and to see if Hotaru’s knock on the door would gain the group entrance. Mentally, she sighed to herself; she already wanted to leave, and the party hadn’t even started. It was going to be a long day.

[Deleted]

One by one new faces began to show up and hang about around the doorstep. Raygin was pulled, slightly, out of his funk as faces he did not recognize showed up. Any sort of distraction from Katrinas yelling would be nice, and seeing new people was sure to be a good enough distraction. The first of the other guests to show up was a woman and a man. Raygin did not recognize either of them. The woman with purple hair and tanned skin greeted them, introducing herself as Hotaru Kuchiki. So she was a noble as well? Well it made sense given that this was a party for the noble families, so why was Raygin having some minor form of surprise of seeing a Kuchiki arrive?

She seemed polite, nice even, but Raygin couldn't help but wonder if it was just a formality. Hopefully it wasn't and that she was, in fact, a nice person. She made mention of her husband, the man standing beside her, stating that he would prefer to introduce himself, which he did rather quickly. Asmoskon Masurao? What a funny name. Raygin wondered if he could spell out different words if he rearranged the lettering a little. He also had one eye, or maybe he had two but decided to hide it underneath the eyepatch he had. Would be cool if he did. Anyways, after the greetings were over Raygin raised one of his hands and waved a little.

"Hi, I'm Raygin Kawada. It's...nice to meet ya!"

He said with a smile. He was still hurt over what Katrina had said, but he needed to put on a smile and get over it. He was here to have fun and didn't want them to see him down and be concerned over him. Ray was tired of people being concerned over him. It wasn't like his condition was going to get any better, so it was best if the sympathy stopped and people just moved on. Regardless, though, he needed to smile and have a good time. Katrina wouldn't dare jump on him infront of other people...right? She had a public image that she needed to uphold. So that meant as long as Raygin stayed at this party then the longer he could go without being yelled at. Plus there was going to be food, so a win win.

It was then that the next person arrived, one that caught Raygins attention immediatly. A blond woman wearing a trench, decorated with gems and threads of gold. Raygin blinked. Wasn't that a little...flashy? Or maybe it was Raygin who wasn't dressed quite right. The former Shinigami was wearing something that went against the claim of the Kawada being the richest of the families. He was wearing a grey robe, basically the clothing of someone who was relaxing at home. Raygin really wasn't dressed for this party, since he didn't actually quite intend on staying for too long when he had first arrived. But after some consideration he had chosen to stay, and slightly wished he had dressed better. Ah well.

The female approached the group of idlers, casting a glance to the woman named Hotaru, then approaching Katrina and introducing herself. Taiho Kasumi'Oji? The head of the Kasumi'Oji clan? A big name was coming to this party! At least...if she was head then she had to be big...right? And not big as in big in the pants, but someone important! Someone Raygin SHOULD have known about, but of course he didn't. She hadn't spoken to him, or even looked at him, but Ray still stood there with his hand raises, slightly waving a little. It would be rude to interrupt the two while they introduced each other, though Taiho knew who Katrina was.

It was then that the door opened, no doubt catching the attention of the loitering nobles (and Quincy). A woman stood in the door way, rather plain in appearance and giving the group an odd look. She was dressed like a servant, Raygin noted, and seemed rather surprised to see all of them standing outside. She opened the door all the way, a smile spreading across her face as she did so. Soft music escaped from the interior of the house and reached the ears of the ones outside.

"My apologizes, sirs and madams, for not answering the door immediately. Please, come right inside! Join everyone else!"

The servant beckoned, standing to the side so as to allow everyone else in. Raygin waited for everyone else to go in, walking behind the women and single man. The group would be lead down a hallway of mahogany wood, upon an ornate and highly detailed rug. Raygin looked at it, his eyes following the circular patterns in its design for a few more moments before raising his gaze. The hallway was heavily decorated, with paintings of members of the family along with, what some would call, beautiful pottery.

The Royals sure do love to decorate..

The servant at the head of the line would take a turn to the left, leading them down a two way split in the hall. She would stop along a sliding door, beckoning them to join around it. She would bow once more to them, stating how she hoped they would have fun and slide the door open. Inside was a large collection of individuals. The music heard from outside was much louder here, but not loud enough to cause bother or discomfort to the guests. The room the part was taking place in was large, with the center of it being an open air garden.

The guests themselves were all members of the Seireiteis highest class. Members of various branches of the Royal Families were in attendance, enjoying themselves and carrying on conversations with one another. Raygin walked in, making a little "wow" under his breath at the size of the place, along with the number of people. Just like the hallway before this room was decorated, albeit on a much heavier level. He even recognized some of the people, knowing them from the Kawada household. Looking at their clothes....he really wished he had dressed better.

It was then that he smelt it. The seductive aroma of freshly cooked food. He blinked, his eyes following his nose directly to the catering table. From where Raygin stood he could see the spread. Various dishes, ranging from all of the categories on the food pyramid. Bread, treats, fish, bird, all sorts of stuff! The Shihion were going all out for this party. He couldn't wait to get closer to inspect the food even more. He almost ditched the group he was with immediately to go eat, but stopped himself and looked at the others. Well, the back of their heads. Why had he stopped?

He blinked, looking at them, his eyes resting on the back of Katrinas head for a moment before he looked away. Out of all of them, he really only knew Katrina. And right now, it might have been best if it stayed that way. So he walked off, leaving the others and beelining straight to the food. His worry gone, replaced with the desire for delicious things in his mouth. If the others had not disbanded, an elderly man would approach the remaining newly arrived guests and bow.

"Good afternoon, young Masters and Mistresses, and welcome to the Shihion household. My name is Hitomu Shihion, head of the household keepers and proud member of the family. Unfortunately, both Master Grin and Mistress Kimiko are away on business right now, but I do hope that you will find the party to your liking. Feel free to have fun but please do remain behaved. If you need anything simply call for me or any of the other maids. Now, if you will excuse me I need to see a man about a boar."

With that the elderly Shinigami departed, leaving the others to do with as they please. Join in with the conversations, get something to eat, enjoy the open air garden in the center of the room, or simply talk amongst themselves. This was a party, a nobles gathering, so they could do just about anything.

[Hotaru Kuchiki-Masurao]

Hotaru knocked on the door and then walked back besides her husband. She used her left hand to grab for his right, interlacing their fingers, waiting on someone to come get them. She watched Taiho walk up as Ray introduced himself. She smiled towards Ray. "Hello Raygin-san. I was told that you put pudding in all of the Kuchiki socks as a prank one time. Thankfully, I wasn't there to get the pudding socks. Though, I'm kind of sad I wasn't there to see the look on Hokori-sama and Sozen-sama's face when they put on their socks and pudding was in them. It would've been hilarious. I have to say, it's a nice prank, just don't do it to my socks."

She then looked over towards Taiho and saw that she glanced her way. It seems like the captain remembers her. Once those two finished with their introductions, Hotaru turned towards them, bowing while keeping her hand in Asmoskon's. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Katrina-sama. It is also a pleasure to see you again, Taiho-sama. I hope to spar with you again sometime. I hope that the outcome will be different from last time." She stood and then looked towards her husband. "Taiho-sama, this is my husband, Asmoskon Masurao." She then quickly elbowed him lightly, hoping that he got the hint to bow towards them. They were heads of the households after all.

After that was over, she heard the door open and turned her head to see a servant of the house. She apologized for not opening the door sooner and told them to go ahead inside to join the rest. She should've known that there would be more than just them there. Now, she was rethinking her idea about not dressing up. She motioned for the heads to lead the way in, while her and her husband filed in behind them, with Ray at their backs. While the heads moved to walk in first, she quickly looked towards Asmoskon and kissed him on the lips quickly. "Thank you for doing this, baby. I really appreciate it."

With that, they started to walk inside, Hotaru and Asmoskon hand in hand. Once they entered, she looked around and was amazed. She knew that Kuchiki Manor was extravagant, but she never knew how extravagant the other noble houses would be. She let out a small wow and she looked at the walls and even the architecture in the house. She assumed that all the people on the walls were present and past members of the house. It was an incredible display and she had to admit that the paintings were of high quality. She continued to look around the place, hoping that her love would steer her in the right direction if she wasn't paying enough attention.

They would follow the group into a huge room and then they stopped. She looked and saw all kinds of finery on the other attendants. She recognized the other Kuchikis there and nodded towards them when they saw her. She definitely was under dressed for this party. She was surprised at how many nobles actually showed up to the party as well. She leaned in towards Asmoskon. "My love, I'm sorry but I think I under dressed us for this party. Of course the nobles would treat a simple barbecue into something like this. Next time, we'll need to dress up." The room was massive and she spied the open air garden in the middle of the room. They were definitely going to go there.

Before she was going to head over to get some snacks with her husband, she watched an elderly man approach them. He greeted them warmly, saying he was head over the household keepers, which pretty much meant he was over the household itself. He apologized for Grin and Kimiko not being here. Wait, Grin is a member of the family?! She didn't know her new Vice Captain was a member of the Shihion. She would definitely keep that in mind when she saw him again. It was weird for Kimiko, who she heard is going to be the new Head of the family, would not be here for a party. But, it made no difference to her, she was going to enjoy the party.

When the servant said they had to remain behaved, she chuckled a little bit at that and looked towards her husband. She smiled. Ever since they had gotten back together and finalized their lives together with their wedding, she didn't really know how well they would 'behave,' if you catch the drift. But, she would be on her best behavior and hoped that Asmoskon could be on his. When he left, she pulled at Asmoskon's hand, pulling him towards the buffet. She grabbed a plate and started to grab some of the goodies on the table, prompting Asmoskon to do the same. She filled her plate and ran into Raygin on the way. She stopped right before running into the poor man.

"Hello again, Raygin-san. I feel like my husband and myself under dressed for this party. I thought it was going to be a silly little barbecue, but of course the nobles turn it into a party like this. Anyway, I haven't seen you around, are you new to the family or coming back from a long assignment?" She didn't want to pry but she was honestly curious. She would wait long enough to hear his answer. After he was done answering, she would say, "It was nice talking to you, Raygin-san. Please, if you get bored, you can come talk to us. We're going to the garden." With that she waved and they both went towards the garden. Once there, they entered and she found a bench that they could sit on.

She sat on the bench and patted next to her, after she sat her drink on the floor, so her husband can join her. She turned to look at him. "I know I've said it already, but all the trouble I caused you, I'm so sorry for. I never wanted what happen to happen, but I swear that I will spend the rest of my life making up for my mistake. I want to thank you for letting me back into your life. I meant what I said before, you are the air I breathe and I can't live without you. Though, I know you have to go to these because of me, and I just appreciate having you back, my love. I think more than you know." She leaned up and gave Asmoskon and gentle kiss on the lips.

Then, she grabbed one of the snacks on her plate and bit it in half. She then looked towards Asmoskon and held it out for him. "Would you like to try some?" Once he answered, she would either finish it herself or eat the other half. If he ate the other half, she would continue to eat half and feed him the other half. If he offered her any of his, she would gladly accept and let him feed her treats. She had to admit that all of the food here was rather tasty. After they were done eating, she would lean her head on his shoulder, moving closer to him. She would release a sigh of contentment, being with him again. "So my beloved, is there anything in particular you want to do now?"

[✠Asmoskon Masurao✠]

Well everything seemed to be going quite slow right now. Asmoskon had a smile across his face though as Hotaru knocked on the door in a manner that one would expect from a child. As she made her way back over it was more then welcoming to felt the warmth of her hand intertwine with his own which he tightened slightly never wanting the feeling to end. A rather tall female walked towards them and he learned that she was captain. That meant that she must have some degree of power.

Asmoskon was tempted to find out right away how strong this captain was yet for the moment it seemed that she was leading the way into the manor. Asmoskon picked up that this captain and his wife had faced one another in the past. He wished that he was confident that Hotaru had come out on top yet knew that even with the power she had now which if used correctly could rival his own that she would be outmatched by the standards of the Captains from what he understood.

It seemed that there was an older Shinigami that looked after everything about this family’s estate. Asmoskon walked through the manor with the others yet unlike them he wasn't drawn to the pictures or anything else that seemed to be expensive or priceless. He had grown up at a young age in a manor very much the same and in fact prior to the death of his grandfather had lived as if he was the richest child in the world. After awhile they came to a stop and Asmoskon could see the other nobles all dressed up in elegance.

Asmoskon pulled Hotaru by her waist against him as a sign that she had made a mistake for which he was grinning down at her. It was then that she spoke about how everyone just dressed so proper and that she apologized about telling him that it wouldn’t matter because apparently everyone here thought that it did. Asmoskon simply leaned over slightly and kissed Hotaru’s cheek gently. “Don’t worry about it.” From that point onward Asmoskon simply stood quietly next to Hotaru as she socialized with the other nobles of Soul Society.

Even while she spoke to the shinigami by the name of Ray Asmoskon was quiet and only moved his left eye from side to side in a manner to keep himself searching the garden. He saw beautiful flowers yet his search was for potential threats against him and Hotaru. He might come off as overly paranoid to some yet this was how Asmoskon had managed to stay alive in the heat of everything that he had gone through. After Hotaru finished speaking with Ray and the two of them walked over to the bench Asmoskon smiled as he bit down on the one half of the snack and then brought one up and placed it gently on Hotaru’s tongue.

It was then that Asmoskon stood up with Hotaru’s hand in his own and began to walk them from the garden. As they reached the entrance that they had just came through he stopped and turned to her. Moving his coat outwards Asmoskon shows that there are two different square like colored things on the side of his coat. One red and one purple it would take a few moments for Hotaru to realize it most likely, but Asmoskon had in fact prepared for something like this and brought with him the two formal kimono’s that he got for them.

“Let’s find a changing room princess. It’s time for you to show them all how beautiful a samurai can truly be.” Asmoskon turned once again and would lead Hotaru down a few hallways until they came upon a room. Making sure no one was around he would open the door and lead Hotaru inside. In there and hidden from sight the two would change clothes from what they were wearing into the matching kimono’s that only differed on primary color. The black lotus appeared on both along with the petals that seemed to fall from it.

[Deleted]

What a spread! Raygin couldn't help but stare at the incredible selection of meals that the Shihion had prepared for this party. He smiled, his eyes lighting up in excitement as he inspected the dishes. It was a spread, that was for sure. Raygin recognized foods from both eastern and western cultures. Sushi dishes, rice dishes, hamburgers, hot dogs, various meats, birds, fish, fruits and vegetables of all sorts all displayed and cooked to be perfect. The young spirit quickly grabbed a plate, piling on various meals without any sort of restraints. Grilled onions, mashed potatoes, some barbeque, some chicken, some duck. He was happily collected food. He was happy...for once.

He then felt someone bump into him, breathing with a little surprise as he quickly turned and opened his mouth to apologize. He saw it was the purple haired woman from before, the one with the tanned skin. Raygin was about to open his mouth to say something, but he was quickly cut off by the woman's chatter. Hotaru was her name, if Raygin remembered correctly. And the cyclops with her was her husband...right? Raygin should have been paying attention, it was rude to not do so. Or maybe he was but he had simply forgotten. It wasn't impossible, he had done it before.

He listened with a smile, nodding his head slightly as she talked. They both felt they were under dressed? Wearing a Shinigami uniform shouldn't have been so bad. Raygin, himself, was only wearing some basic relaxation/household attire. He was the one underdressed, not them. But then Hotaru asked him a question, one that made his breathing pause for only a second. Raygins eyes locked with hers, that smile never leaving his face. It seemed as if Raygin had just...froze for a second, before the lights in his eyes had kicked back in. She had begun to pry into his current events, something incredibly touchy for the Shinigami. So he chuckled, scratching the back of his head as he replied.

"Me? Aha, I've been with the family for maybe...two years now? I'm adopted, not actually born into it And...yeah, I've been away for awhile. Had a number of things I had to take care of the Human World in fact! Before Shade-sama vanished he had me sent to the World of the Living for some special training, wasn't allowed to come back until I had performed Konso on at least a thousand souls. Kinda crazy, I know, but it worked.."

It was a straight up lie, at least the second half of it was. Lying made Raygins gut form a painful pit, but it was something he needed to do. He was able to pull the lie off, as Raygin had gotten quite used to both lying and acting. He was required to smile, required to tell people he was fine. It was something he had gotten used. Hotaru then gave Raygin an invitation to go and join her and her husband in the garden, to socialize with them and have some company. It was nice...but.

"Oh..yeah alright, sure. Maybe in a little bit, why not.."

Was he going to go? He...actually didn't know. He continued to give Hotaru, and Asmo, a warm smile as they walked towards the open aired garden. Once away, Rays smile dropped, his eyes returning to his food as he took his meal to one of the lone tables around in the same area as the catering table. There weren't many other party goers simply eating, those that were surely did not have as much as Raygin had piled for himself.

The young man sighed, giving his food a look as he lifted a piece of chicken and began to nibble on its skin. Sure, it was good and he wanted to eat it...but he lied. He had killed his good mood again, but had no doubts it was going to come back sooner or later after eating. So, Raygin decided to sit by his lonesome and just eat. He would have a few plates and return home to go back to bed. Hopefully he could leave before Katrina decided to turn her anger towards him again. He had had quite enough of that nonsense for one day.

Besides Raygins lunch time, there were other things going on about the party. A set of eyes had planted themselves on the two lovebirds, whispers floating about. It was more than the discomfort caused by watching the two be all lovey dovey with each other, rather there was something else. Two Shinigami males, watched the two. One young man lifted his cup of alcohol to his lips, glaring daggers at the two. The other one looked a little nervous, giving his friend some looks.

"Just look at her. You know what he is...right? Of all the things for a member of the Kuchiki name to...bed with...she lays herself with a damned Quincy!"

"Takihara, calm down. You've had more than enough to drink. You're spouting nonsense at this point."

"Nonsense? I'm spouting nonsense? No, nonsense is watching...that. I mean, how do we know he isn't with them. We don't, that's how. For all we know Hotaru could be one of them as well! Sozen must be insane to have allowed this!"

It was obvious that the one named Takihara was drunk, otherwise he might not have said such stinging words loud enough for the couple to hear. Then again, who could blame him for his suspicion? The Gotei Thirteen had been crushed by the Vandenreich attack. Fear was one of the lasting injuries all of the Shinigami carried, something that could come out after a few drinks of the saki. If Takihara continued to drink it was entirely possible his behavior would continue to deteriorate, something his companion was a tad bit worried about.

On the otherside of the party though, eyes were locked on the arrival of the new Head of the Kasumi'Oji. It was certainly a name that got around, given the clans infamous history. Along with the vanishing of Azumi Kasumi'Oji, the sight of seeing the new Head so soon was a shock to many of the nobles. There were whispers, some of them of shock and others rude. Some suggested that foul play was the reason for the disappearance of the previous head, unaware of the actual circumstances surrounding her departure.

But, nobody dared approach her. She was a Captain, someone that these nobodies would not approach with their stinging words. Though not everyone talked about her. In fact, many of the party goers were simply loitering around, having drinks and chatting with their friends. A couple of them slow danced in one coordinate of the hall, soft music being played by a live orchestra. This was one of those parties that it was best to have brought somebody with to keep company.

[Hotaru Kuchiki-Masurao]

After Hotaru asked her question, she saw Asmoskon get up, holding out his hand towards her. She smiled, taking it, and he was leading them out of the gardens. Before they completely left, however, he turned and showed that he brought his kimono with him, just in case something like this happened. She grinned ear to ear at him and then noticed that she had one too, in purple. She hadn't even seen it before. Then her husband told her that it was time to change into them and to show everyone how beautiful she could be. She blushed as he said that. He was the only man who talked like this to her and she was still grateful to be with him.

He closed his coat and opened the door for her. Once he shut the door behind them, she grabbed his right arm as he was leading them away from the main room. She then heard something that one of the nobles was saying. She suddenly stopped, pulling her husband to a stop. She listened to what this Takihara was saying and she got angry, but didn't let it bother her. Her husband would no doubt notice the stiffness she was showing in her stance, but she didn't let it pass to her face. She just stood and listened to what he said. When he was done, she continued to walk, hoping her husband would continue to lead them to wherever he wanted.

The nobles just didn't understand. She had found the one man that she knew that she was destined to be with. It shouldn't matter what race he was, but of course, because of the Vandenreich, it did matter. Though, the nobles should have more faith in Sozen. He takes care of his family's problems. If Asmoskon ever caused problems, she knew that he would stand to defend himself against Sozen, but she didn't know if he had enough strength to completely defeat Sozen. She didn't know the true strength of either man, so she had no way of knowing who could win. So, while she was being led to wherever, her head was down a little, holding on to her husband's arm a little tighter, trying to ignore what was going on around her. She heard the whispers, but that one destroyed her mood.

He stopped in front of a door, opening it for her. She walked in and then leaned up against the wall inside. Once the door shut, she let out a sigh and looked up at her husband. She smiled a little then, feeling better that they were away from the prying eyes of the other nobles. She felt herself loosen up a bit, rolling her neck a little. She walked into her husband, putting her arms around his neck, smiling. "Well, it seems like my husband thinks of everything. You're going to have to help me change into that, by the way." She smiled up at him, kissing him on the lips. During the kiss, her hands grasped on the collar of his jacket. So, when she pulled away, she just moved her arms down, taking his jacket off.

Once his jacket was off, she put it on the table in the room, showing him her back as she took the kimono's out. She took out the crimson one, knowing it was his. She took out hers next, laying it over his black jacket, as to not to wrinkle it. She then looked up at him. "Do you want help with yours?" She already knew the answer, so she walked over to him and took his shirt off, grabbing it and laying it on top of his jacket. She grabbed both of the kimonos. She laid hers on the chair nearby. With his, he walked behind him, pulling the kimono over his arms, walking around the front of him to make sure that it was pulled up all the way. She smiled, fixing it on his body to make sure that it was on straight.

She then walked over to her kimono. She stopped and lifted the top of her uniform over her head and let if fall. Next, she went for her sash and started to untie it, letting her entire uniform fall to the ground. Since it was only her and her husband in this room, she wasn't bashful about being naked. She grabbed her uniform off of the ground and threw it on the chair, grabbing her kimono in the process. She walked over to her husband, handing him the kimono. She smiled at him, turning around with her arms out to her side. She was ready for him to help her with it, but she was curious how he was going to go about doing it. She was completely oblivious as to who followed them to the room and what they were planning to do outside the door.

[✠Asmoskon Masurao✠]

Well it seemed that the shit talk was already beginning. No matter Asmoskon already figured this would happen and it wasn’t the first time in Soul Society either that he was being segregated against for being a Quincy. This time though was the first time that it was being done to Hotaru because of him. Asmoskon heard the words of that drunken Shinigami even more clearly then his wife and to those that held some degree of energy sensory they would be able to feel the reiatsu permeating from his like a manner similar to smell when one sweats.

Asmoskon felt his rage building at the fact that his wife was being insulted it didn’t matter that it was more due to him yet just simply the fact that someone would have the gull to utter such words. If it hadn’t been for Hotaru having her arms around his right one and the fact that he was in Soul Society right now at a noble party where he knew he must make a good impression for Hotaru; well he would have probably shot the Shinigami through the hands and see if he could still hold his zanpakuto.

So taking in a deep breathe of air Asmoskon calmed himself his reiatsu vanishing downwards again to the normal plain sensation of slumber. He continued to lead Hotaru from the garden and as he showed Hotaru her kimono he couldn’t help, but grin at the expression written across her face. The expression was short lived though and Asmoskon could tell that Hotaru had heard the words of that drunken fool as well. Placing his hands on the sides of her face Asmoskon leans down slightly and kisses Hotaru’s forehead gently. “It’s not good for a samurai to let the words of one drunken idiot ruin her beautiful attitude. Come on darling.”

Now they were in the bathroom and Hotaru was more than willing to get back to displaying affection in an intimate manner. Asmoskon had been raised as a free boy yet learned what was proper as a noble. . . but right now fuck all that shit. Hotaru’s kiss was enough that even though the two of them had spent the entire night together without thinking he was kissing back with his hands grasping her backside. After a few moments she pulled off his coat and the Quincy actually paused to gather himself.

Hotaru was taking his coat over to a table and while that was happening, the Quincy thought over how much trouble the two of them might actually get in if he were to turn this into something one might find in a comedy show. The conclusion that he came to was BAD mainly due to being in a noble house that hadn’t agreed to put up with him. Asmoskon had no clue what the Shihoin family were like and in truth only knew that the Kuchiki were said to be powerful yet seemed to bask in power to the point they would fall without thinking they needed ground to walk on. “Well my samurai if you need help with anything you know to ask.”

Hotaru asked if he wished for help with his to which the Quincy normally would have told her that it wasn’t necessary yet in her mind that part was no in truth up to him. She seemed to enjoy being as close to possible to his bare skin and right now that was his entire upper body. As she moved the sleeves over his arms Asmoskon moved his fingers under her chin and kissed her gently once again. She then walked over to the chair and began to strip naked in order to change. Well that caused a few problems the largest being that Asmoskon was now pretty much over the edge of reason.

The fact that Hotaru was in plain sight lifting off her top and then the bottoms resulting in completely nudity one of the few things she should have already known was something that couldn’t be done in sight of the Quincy. When that occurred all of his attention and drive went towards her and making love to her. He had already fought off the urge to do so just moments ago, but now it was far worse. As all of this happened the drunken Shinigami Takihara and his friend had followed them in an attempt to find out more information on whether or not they were with the Vandenreich.

They were both outside the door and listening only for a few moments and then with the alcohol fueling his logic and attention span Takihara drew his zanpakuto and slashed down the door to the bathroom. They would both suddenly see Asmoskon holding Hotaru from behind by her waist the kimono’s covering the both of them. Asmoskon was tying her sash from behind her while his face went from a slight blush from her beauty to intense red rage towards the shinigami. “It’d be wise to run from this manor now unless you want to lose your zanpakuto you drunken dumbass.” Asmoskon starred angrily at the men as he pulled the sash tight securing Hotaru’s kimono.

[Taihō Kasumi’Oji]

So far, everything was going as expected; that is, it was going badly, at least as far as Taihō has concerned. Her arrival was met somewhat stiffly, as Katrina gave a response that could be barely be considered civil, and the rest seemed to follow suit. Hotaru, at least, seemed willing to speak to the Captain, though her husband looked like he was ready to attack the Kasumi’Oji Head right then and there. For a moment, Taihō almost encouraged him to do so; she had always preferred fighting to socializing, and thrashing the little Quincy might have put her in a better mood. However, she remembered that, as head, she had to avoid any behavior that could reflect badly on the family. As such, she stayed her hand and held her tongue, merely offering a greeting in response to his. She returned her gaze to Hotaru, remembering briefly how cute she had seemed during their spar, as she tried desperately to phase Taihō in some manner. Something that resembled the shadow of a smile flashed across Taihō’s lips, hidden behind the high collar of her trench coat, and she said, “I suppose I could engage you in a rematch. That would be…nice. We can discuss this at a later time, perhaps?”

At about that moment, the doors opened, and one of the Shihoin servants appeared, apparently flustered that she had left their guests waiting. Taihō, for one, was almost sad to see the door open. If it had stayed shut, she could have justified leaving, and let the nobles think she had left out of spite. It would have hurt her image, but it would have looked worse for the Shihoin, and would have allowed her to escape without causing a scene. As it was, she was forced to enter the Shihoin grounds along with the other guests, as they were led to the party itself. There was a spectacular arrangement of food laid, and ample space for eating, dancing, and socializing, but most of that space was taken up by nobles. Nobles from who Taihō could not run. Up until now, she could have left without causing too much of a disturbance. Now, there was no turning back.

The group separated, Hotaru and Asmoskon walking away together, Raygin toward the food, and Katrina seemed to dissolve into the crowd. Suddenly, Taihō was alone. She made her way through the crowd, searching for a quit place to weather the storm, noticing but not reacting to the glances, the looks, the whispered remarks. Taihō was used to it all, and let it break against her icy exterior like a wave against the shore. Somewhere deep inside, part of her shattered psyche wept to hear their words, but all that mattered was what was seen; and what the world saw was the Head of the Kasumi’Oji clan, defiant until the end.

As Taihō moved through the party, she noticed the two Shinigami follow Hotaru and her husband, and already knew what was about to transpire. After all, Asmoskon was a Quincy. If he hadn’t also been Hotaru’s husband, Taihō would’ve already killed him, simply for daring to set foot in Soul Society after what his people had done. However, Taihō was not an irrational woman; she despised Quincy as a whole, but was also willing to accept that not all of them were evil. This Asmoskon had yet to prove himself one way or the other, and so Taihō would observe him, until she felt prepared to formulate an opinion on him. For now, she let her energy sensory extend outward across the party, tracking the love birds and their pursuers. If things got to out of hand, she would put an end to it; otherwise, she would stay out of it, and let Hotaru and Asmoskon take care of themselves.

In the meanwhile, she was still searching for a place to stay out of the way, unnoticed until the party was over. Instead, she spotted Raygin Kawada, sitting by himself, eating. It seemed he was either disliked, or easily ignored by the other nobles, and that seemed to spark something in Taihō. She despised the Kawada, and suddenly found herself the perfect victim; a Kawada whom no one would defend. However, her initial observation may have been wrong; maybe he was well liked, and the others simply kept their distance out of respect for his condition. It would be interesting, Taihō thought, to know exactly which it was. And the only way to find out…was via experimentation.

She approached the young Kawada, taking steps to make sure she went completely unnoticed as she did. Many found it difficult to believe a woman of her stature could move without being seen or heard, but for Taihō it was child’s play to mask her approach, until she towered over Raygin, standing just on the inside of what could be considered a polite distance away.

“I see you are alone. I wonder why that is?” Without waiting for permission, she sat opposite Raygin. Even if he didn’t want her to join him, there was nothing he could do about it. She outranked him socially, could outmuscle him any day of the week, or just flatten him with her Spiritual Pressure; he was, in essence, at her mercy. “It occurs to me that you and I are very much alike. Unwanted by our families, disliked by the nobility…we have much in common, don’t you think?” As she spoke, her tone never wavered from a cold, analytic voice, even though her words were already likely to be digging under Raygin’s skin. “Except…I am ostracized for my strength. They all fear me, whether they admit it or not. I stand alone because I choose to. The question is…why are you alone?

It was a lie. Deep down, there was a part of Taihō that would like to have friends, that wished for a normal life. But that part was buried, and never saw the light of day. Instead, it was cold, merciless Taihō who sat across from Raygin, asking deep, piercing questions aimed directly at his heart. She was interested in his answers, but more so she wanted to see if anyone would come to his aid. She wasn’t attacking him out of malice, though she did enjoy seeing him, as a Kawada, squirm; no, she attacked out of curiosity, because she wanted to know, and to her damaged, psychotic mind, the easiest way to learn was to ask. How Raygin responded was up to him; Taihō wouldn’t leave until she was satisfied, or until something drove her away.

[Deleted]

It was pure, drunken, lunacy that had driven Takihara to go down this course of action. The man had watched, daggers thrown from his eyes, as Hotaru and Asmokon had left the hall that the party, heading down one hallway for whatever reason. To the fearful drunk, his mind had come to the conclusion that they were up to something. Whatever reason could there be to sneak off like that? It was clear. They were plotting something, perhaps surveilling the Shihion Manor, and the other nobles, to know who to target when their main forces came back. It was obvious, they were Vandenreich. Takihara had to stop them. He could be wrong, but he would find out somehow.

He had followed after them when his sober friend had wandered off to chat with a couple of his other friends. He gave them distance as he followed, not wanting his cover blown. The man watched as the two entered a room, himself not knowing that it was simply a closet. He growled under his breath, watching them shut the door.

"I knew it...they're up to something" he managed to say, his inebriation taking over his ability to think rationally.

So, the man drew his Zanpakuto from its sheath and approached the door way. He heard something from within the room, not quite understanding what it was. He heard whispers, and something wet. Whatever it was, he would not allow it. He swung his sword, cutting through the flimsy door and no doubt catching the two by surprise. He pointed his sword in as Asmokon made his threat, though was barely able to even hold it up straight due to being drunk. Takihara simply looked at the two, his eyes dancing between them as he gave them an incredulous look.

"You...shut your mouth. You think you have me fooled? Me? Oh no, you wont get one over on me...see. I knew it, too. You're allied with the Vandenreich, I know it too! Well, I wont...I wont let you destroy the Seireitei again! And you, Hotaru, I'm going to drag you back to Sozen and set things right myself!"

Takihara was clearly drunk. He was incredibly drunk. He was so drunk he should not even have been able to stand. How he managed to hold his sword, and even cut through a door, was purely thanks to both his fear and his rage. He clumsily tried to grip is sword with both hands, letting out a shout as he held it over head and aimed to slash Asmo in two. But, he never got the chance. As if from nowhere six beams of light suddenly impaled the inebriated Kuchiki, binding him in place. He let out grunts of defiance, struggling to free himself from the Kido that bound him.

"Do you remember what it was I told you, my young Mistress and Master? I asked that you would remain behaved, to uphold some standard of dignity and respect. I asked everyone this when they walked through that doorway into the Shihion manner."

A familiar voice came through the hallway, followed by the appearance of the very same man who had greeted the newly arrived party a short while ago. He had a single finger pointed at Takihara, meaning that it was in fact he that cast the Kido.

"Master Takihara Kuchiki, do believe me when I say that I can understand your distrust in the young Master. We were all rattled by the invasion of the Vandenreich forces. But do not let your bigotry blind you, especially when under the influences of alcohol. Do you really doubt your Head, Master Sozen, so much? Well, I don't think that will do. Reardless, you've caused quite enough trouble." As the man spoke, as if from nowhere, three female servants appeared around Takihara.

"My children, do be dears and...take out this trash."

His words were a command, the servants grabbing a hold of Takihara and pulling him down the hall. The man was unable to move, shouting curses at the two love birds and the old man as he was dragged away. Once he was removed from their sight, Hitomu simply smiled, turning his face to the two but keeping his eyes closed.

"I do profusely apologize for that, Mistress and Master Kuchiki. I'm sure you can understand his out burst. His rudeness will not be tolerated within our walls, and we will be sending a message to your Head about his behavior as well." Hitomu explained, his eyes not opening as he explained this to them. "If you're curious, I am not a Shinigami. I was simply taught a little Bakudo in case of situations like this. You'd be surprised how often it actually happens. Moving on though, there is something that I need to address with both of you." The tone of his voice had shifted, his back straightening. His eyes finally opened, glaring down cold daggers on them.

"I understand that you are both newly wed. Passion burns between you both like the heat of the very sun. But, please, do remember where you both are.." He was referring to Hotaru being naked, plus the obvious public shows of affection the two had been doing. "Ah, young love. I do remember when I was a newly married man...my wife and I didn't leave the bed room for two days...so...please, return to the party when you are ready!" With that, the man left them, laughing to himself as he returned down the direction of the party.

---

Back in the gathering hall, Raygin was finally beginning to enjoy himself. The food that was putting, piece by piece, into his mouth was slowly bringing back his pleasant mood. Almost like his happiness was some sort of container that could on be filled with the mouth watering goodness of gourmet wonders. Raygin was finding intense pleasure in the meats, especially the meats that came from bird bodies. Fish and poultry were his two preferred meat dishes any day of the week.

He wondered what he would do once he had finished his meal, considering going over and having a few words with Hotaru and her husband. They seemed nice enough, especially Hotaru, after all she was the one who had invited him to socialize with them. Raygin could no doubt chat for a few minutes, long enough to keep him from getting too excited and risking one of his episodes. Or, he could do something else. He could play it one hundred percent safe and just leave. He could just finish his meal and leave, returning to the safety and privacy of his bed. That seemed like a better option, even if it sucked.

But, it seems that Raygin was not going to be able to simply slip away. He didn't even notice her approach, in fact even if he was still in the prime of his abilities and health he still would not have noticed her. It was as if she appeared from nowhere in his peripheral vision, causing Raygin to suddenly let out a sheepish yelp in surprise. His arm hit the table, causing his plate to jump and send a little barbeque in the air. Ray noticed it, quickly grabbing it before it could make a mess anywhere and returning it to his plate. He took a breath, rubbing his hands against his napkin. Seems Ray still had a couple of his old instincts and muscle memories.

The woman was..Taiho wasn't it? Before the young Shinigami could even say anything she spoke, asking him a rather direct question. He blinked, his attention turning to her as she suddenly sat down across from him. The young male gave her a goofy, confused look. He was about to open his mouth when she began speaking again, his words catching in his throat as he heard hers. They were alike? How so? Well, she immediately began to answer it...and what she had to say gave Raygin pause.

"I'm...alone?"

Was what came out of Raygins mouth. Sure, he could laugh and continue giving her that warm and fuzzy look he gave everyone else, but on the inside...her words had struck true. Was Raygin really unwanted? Was he really disliked? Looking back on it, it would make sense. He was never the strongest, nor the most talented Shinigami in the service of the thirteen squads.

When it came to family, Raygin fell behind in every way. He was nothing compared to Shade, to Kenryoku, to Katrina, to Taien, even to Arashi. Raygin was on the bottom, the bottom of the barrel. Ever since his injury he had become even worse, even lower. He was nothing but a burden on his family now. Was he an embarrassment as well? For a warrior family like the Kawada, someone who couldn't fight was worthless...something that Raygin already was. The woman who sat across from him asked him such questions, tried to compare the two and say that they were alike.

She told him that she was alone because she was strong. She stood alone because she chose to? Who would choose to be alone? What sort of person would want to be alone? To not want to feel friendship and love, acceptance? Raygin didn't understand it. Taiho spoke with a cold voice, her eyes locked on Raygin as she un-doubtfully awaited a proper response. The young man who sat across from her only smiled, a playful and happy face looked back at her. How was he going to answer her? Her words had bothered him, he wasn't sure why she would simply come over to him and say such things. Raygin wanted to leave. He wanted to go. But he knew he couldn't. Why was he alone? Raygin...couldn't answer her directly. No all he could do was be...Raygin.

"How can I be alone when I have you sitting right here across from me?"

A joke, his own attempt at simply shrugging off what she had said. But, then again, why would he answer her? Raygin hadn't thought about it before, but he knew he had an answer. Raygin pushed people away from him. His injury meant that he could drop dead at any time, any point that he got too excited or worked himself too hard. Raygin was tired of the sympathy he was given, simply wanting to be forgotten about. He wanted people to move on, to leave him behind. Raygin was a burden, nothing more and nothing less. He had contemplated simply ending it in the past, to finally stop being nothing more than a parasite. But every time he tried he could never go through with it. Of course he had never told anyone about it. He never told anyone anything anymore. He was content to remain in his room, hidden away from the world. He wanted people to forget about him, let him carry on with this miserable life of his. Why was Raygin alone? Because he didn't want to be a burden.

"Those...are some odd similarities, if you don't mind me saying. I mean, I didn't think my family disliked me or anything. Still, I'll take your word for it if you think that's the case. Other than that, though, my names Raygin Kawada, though you can just call me Ray for short if you'd like. We never properly introduced, what's your name? Would you like me to get you some food? It's really good, the chiefs went all out."