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This article, Changing Loyalties?, is the seventh chapter of Braving the Waves arc, which is part of Bleach: Cataclysm. It follows Yori Hisagi and the Yume sisters as the POV characters.
Yori stretched his arms out and yawned. The heat of the sauna eased the tension in his muscles and helped relax his racing thoughts, which for once did not revolve around Blake Shihōin or the Gotei Remnant. That said he had discovered that Blake, not Ryan, was the one in league with the Kikkashō. When he reported that particular fact to Kensei via Renkei the latter cursed aloud, claiming he had been a fool.
At the moment however his thoughts where on entirely different things and the one at the forefront of his mind included three particular females who where, one and all, the daughters of his former teacher.
"There has to be a way to convince them that the Gotei Remnant isn't the same organization their father served. Back then the Gotei stood for something. Now... it's little more than a bunch of murderous bastards who throw the term justice around like its some form of justification for their slaughter."
It wouldn't be easy however. How could he pull that off?
As Yori sat deep in thought, the door to the sauna was opened, and a figure quietly walked in. Due to the intense amount of steam blotting out Yori's vision in the sauna, he was unable to see who entered, only making out a slim figure. Yori blinked, and tried to focus his vision onto the newcomer.
"Hmm. Who could that be?" He thought to himself. Unfortunately, Yori's musing was quickly answered when the newcomer suddenly spoke, and a familiar voice rang out.
"Ahhh, I haven't been in a sauna in such a long time, it feels like heaven." The voice said. It sounded feminine and quite delicate. "Being in the women baths is such a bore; the sauna sounded far more appealing. Here, I can just relax and listen to my own thoughts." She said aloud, seemingly unaware of Yori's presence.
"I hope Mizuko and Chihaya don't come in. Don't need them to grope me and compare boob sizes again." The voice continued with an apparent sigh and thinly veiled embarrassment.
Yori was too much of a gentleman not to make his presence known. Even though he was half-blinded by steam to start with he averted his gaze and pointedly cleared his throat so that Manami knew she wasn't alone.
"Good afternoon, Manami." He greeted.
The steam, thankfully, served a dual function. He could barely see her but the same was true in reverse as well. Thus the sudden flush in his cheeks when the comment regarding the groping and comparison of boobs was voiced would hopefully go unnoticed.
"... Now that would be quite a sight..." He conceded in the privacy of his own mind.
".....Yori....?" Manami asked, whilst searching for the source of the voice. "...Uh...Were you here the entire time when I was monologuing?" She continued, her voice becoming more embarrassed by the second.
"Yeah, but I was in my own little world. I came to around the bit you said you wanted to relax and listen to your own thoughts."
He was lying of course but he wasn't going to tell her that. It would just makes things awkward and he came to the sauna to get away from stuff like awkwardness and duty.
"Have a seat." He said, making a sweeping motion towards a nearby seat. "I was getting a little lonely anyway."
Manami did not see Yori motion for her to sit near him, and continued to remain standing. "I'll take your word for it. But any man would jump at the chance to listen to what I was saying." She replied, turning to her left and taking a seat.
"You must miss my feminine wiles to feel lonely Yori."
"Really, I heard nothing." He said, evading the comment about feminine wiles. "That's one can of worms I ain't opening."
He even managed to sound convincing! Maybe it was down to lying to Naoko and Hoshi over the years when he tried to do something nice for them and they assumed he was being perverted? Yeah, that had to be it.
"So, how have you been?"
"Other than The Collapse, everything has been fine and dandy!" Manami replied with enthusiasm. She let her words hover for a few more seconds before resuming the conversation. "....I wish I could say that...but...everything is not going too well. While Chihaya and Mizuko don't want to say it, we feel that the atmosphere around the Gotei Remnant is dark and morose, not like what it used to be."
"The Gotei Remnant is the not the Gotei Thirteen my father had sworn his allegiance to." Manami added with a lamenting sigh while looking at the wooden ceiling.
"... It is the same organization your father pledged his loyalty to, just as mine had done once before as well. At least in some areas. The problem lies with the Captains and the Captain-Commander; the core is still there and is still salvageable."
Declaring such a thing in public was potentially dangerous with Ryan at the helm but Yori was beyond the point of caring to be perfectly honest. If Blake, who had essentially become Ryan's personal attack dog, happened to appear before him now and accuse him of treason he would simply go down fighting.
"I know what you're saying." He tried to sound comforting but all he managed was to sound angry. "Ryan does nothing to contain the Spirit Cycle of Souls and the current Captaincy can only do so much without drawing unwanted attention to themselves."
He wanted to say that Kentaro Hiroshi and the Six Directions where doing far more for the state of the realm than Ryan, but if he did he risked blowing his cover. He couldn't afford to do that yet.
"Ryan has changed. No longer does he treat as comrades. He treats us as complete strangers who are a bother to him." She said, leaning back on the wooden wall. "We volunteered to join the Gotei Remnant because our father would have done the same. Along with the death of Aunt Rei, the leadership of the Yume Clan has fallen onto my shoulders. Don't you think it's funny? A woman at my age the head of a clan? Especially a clan with three branch families that was completely devastated...." Manami let her words trail off.
"The same thing happened all over sadly." Yori said, as he leaned his head and back against the wooden wall. He felt his skin begin to heat. "My relatives on both my parents sides where scattered to the four winds, and heaven knows what my father's thinking joining up with that fool Kentaro."
One had to keep up appearances.
"But you're being too hard on yourself. Sure, the Clan may be in utter ruin, and you may think yourself unqualified to bring about its restoration. But remember: you have your sisters at your side. You aren't alone."
"The true head of the Clan is my father." Manami reiterated. "Once we find him, I'll graciously abdicate my title as Clan Head to the rightful successor."
"I know I have my sisters. But with the current situation with the Gotei Remnant, and Ryan's distance, it definitely feels like we are alone in an alien world." Manami said, sighing once again.
"... I know you haven't known me very long, Manami."
It had only been a scant two days since he met the Yume sisters.
"But if there's anything I can do to lighten your burden don't hesitate to ask me. One person can only shoulder so much on their own before their back breaks, but shared amongst friends the burden need not be so crushing a weight to bear."
At that he got to his feet and stretched out his aching muscles.
"I swear, I feel like your father just put me through the ringer like he used to in training. I'm sore everywhere!"
She smiled at Yori's assurance, seemingly put at ease by the young Shinigami's words. "I appreciate your sentiment, it really helps me." Manami replied.
"I can make you more sore Yori." Manami teased, sticking her tongue out at the man.
"... Uh..."
He'd lost his tongue! Most men of Yori's age would consider this some kind of fantasy. In the same room with a young woman, in the middle of a sauna, teasing you. He was thankful for the steam. It hid his blush... amongst other things, which he quickly disguised by taking his seat once more. Thankfully he found his composure again.
"That doesn't sound bad actually. What did you have in mind?"
"Ara ara Yori, I'm not that easy of a girl." She giggled to Yori with a wink. Manami stood up, her body glistening with sweat. A small yawn escaped her mouth as the young woman started to stretch her arms, while slightly letting her towel fall just a little bit. Fortunately, the steam stopped Yori from catching any glimpse of her body.
She looked in Yori's general direction. "I think it's time for me to go. I'll catch you again later." Manami said with a smile, turning around and making her way to the exit.
"I didn't mean-!"
He got up to follow but immediately dropped to his seat again with his hands darting to his privates, with Manami leaving.
"This girl...! Ah, hell. What kind of game have I gotten myself into here with these girls?" Not that he could really complain. I'd better go after her."
This time he got up and followed without the wardrobe malfunction.
"Manami, wait!"
"Why are you calling after my sister Yori?" A voice appeared. In front of Yori was Mizuko Hoshiko, Manami's older adopted sister. She stood in Yori's path, her lips pursed as she haughtily tapped her bare foot on the wooden floor. It was hard to tell from her expression, as Yori could not tell if Mizuko was either angry or bemused.
"Oh, shit!" Yori thought.
Mizuko's maroon-colored hair, which was normally kept free, was now tied in a pony tail, a sight Yori never seen. As if influenced by an unknown force, Yori's slightly confused gaze trailed down, fully realizing that Mizuko was wearing a towel, just like he was.
"You going to keep staring or do I have to give you a smack?" Mizuko asked, her tone rising.
"I can't help it, Mizuko. You stepped right in front of me!" Logical. That was the way. "As to why I'm calling after Manami. Well... you see... Funny story actually. Haha... ha..."
"I'm so murdered."
"I've suddenly lost the desire for a steam. Goodbye." Mizuko said, ending it with a big hmmph. She brushed her ponytail off her shoulder and turned to make an exit.
"Do I smell funny or something!? Girls just keep walking away from me today!" He screamed inside the safety of his mind. "I'm going to regret this...!"
He closed his eyes and concentrated on Manami's spiritual signature. When he picked it up he flash-stepped after her, subsequently blocking the exit completely, no doubt giving her quite the shock as well. Mizuko, who was approaching quickly, did not look impressed. To be on the safe side Yori averted his gaze to the floor.
"There's something I think you both need to know about me." He whispered, sounding serious. "You see... Ah, how best to say this?"
How did one tell someone that you where a spy? And not just any spy: a spy for Kentaro bloody Hiroshi, for by! Ryan had painted the man as a villainous evildoer who slaughtered children and ate puppies! If he declared such to anybody even half-loyal to the Gotei Remnant he'd be linched!
Yet somehow he didn't think that was going to happen. Not with Manami at any rate. Mizuko however... well, Manami was between them. That had to count for something. Right?
"... I don't work for the Gotei Remnant."
"Ohhhh?" Manami said, raising an eyebrow to Yori's sudden statement. "To tell us so sudden...you must have great trust in us Yori." Manami continued. "But to tell us when we're wearing nothing but a towel..is questionable." Manami took Yori's revelation quite cooly. Her expression did not betray any hint of emotion other than her usual cool and teasing demeanor.
"I'm not surprised." She thought to herself. Manami quickly made eye contact with Mizuko, who was silent for the moment. She blinked twice in quick succession, as if they were communicating with each other.
"Wait just a moment!" Mizuko angrily growled at Yori as she made her way towards Yori, pushing her sister out of the way. Mizuko was directly in front of Yori and she angrily grasped Yori's left shoulder, unaware that her grip was getting tighter. "What do you mean, you don't work for the Gotei Remnant?" She asked with a sudden lowered voice.
"Questionable or not," Yori whispered, "I came here to think: to try and reason out the best course of action available to me, which is when you both arrived. I've inadvertently made you all targets even though that was not my intention. Blake suspects me already and has seen you with me. You see..."
The next was said in a near whisper.
"... I work for the Six Directions, though I think you've figured that much out already. The reason I'm telling you this now is because I see in you all the same thing I seen in your father. People of integrity and trust. The Gotei Remnant is not the organization our father's swore their loyalty to, and the people in charge do nothing! The Spirit Cycle teeters on the edge and is maintained solely at this time by the efforts of a select few."
He turned his back at this point.
"It was my mission to discover evidence of this so that Kentaro might convince others of our claims without resorting to violence. And I've found that evidence."
"And you are so sure that we can be trusted?" Manami countered, crossing her arms. "Furthermore, to reveal such important information in an unsecure location, is incredibly unwise." Her eyes moved from side to side, as if it to see if anyone was listening in on their conversation. "They could be listening to us as we speak." She added in a whispered tone.
Yori smiled at Manami's words.
"Who said this spot wasn't secured already? I told you I come here to think: I do that best when I'm not being eavesdropped on."
He snapped his fingers and the spiritual energy around them suddenly shifted, as if something had been removed. When he snapped them again the old feeling returned.
"Naoko and I learned long ago how to keep our conversations secured using Kidō. Unless you know what to look for its impossible to eavesdrop, or even determine who is within. We're perfectly safe, no matter what we discuss."
"If what you say is true, then the evidence of the Gotei Remnant's downfall must be serious, for you to elicit us." Mizuko added. Her anger had noticeably subsided, now replaced with a serious demeanor.
"... Have you ever heard of the Imawashī?" Yori asked, suddenly sounding grave. "They where a criminal organization active sixteen years ago."
"We heard stories of the Imawashi, but our father never told us anything that was not publicly known," Manami replied, taking not of Yori's sudden change in tone. "I assume that your mention of Imawashi implies a connection between them and the Gotei Remnant correct?"
Yori took a sharp inhale of breathe as though he where preparing for a long-winded speech.
"The Imawashī where an off-shot of the Collective Vices who where originally controlled by Shinzō, but they ceased functioning as a group roughly sixteen years ago. You see... Kentaro put them to the sword and did their leader in about a month before the Collapse, which isn't all that well known. The group however was revived by Kentaro's grandfather; who is one of the most draconian relics of ages past you're ever like to find still breathing in this day and age."
His features turned dark.
"What if I told you that I'm not merely implying a connection between the Gotei Remnant and the Imawashī? How would you feel if I told you that Ryan Kuchiki, our so-called Captain-Commander, has led the Gotei Remnant into an alliance with one of the worst criminal elements to survive the Collapse? What would you do if I told you I had proof to back up everything I've said?"
He was growing in confidence with every word he spoke and he did not seem to be lying either.
"If you want a relic of ages past, you should look at our mothers. AND our grandma." Mizuko interjected, making vague references to Kami-sama. "But in all seriousness, an alliance with the Imawashi? How absurd for the Remnant to ally with one of their most hated enemies. Surely, something is afoot."
"It's not that far-fetched Mizuko nee-san. It certainly explains the current attitude the majority of the Remnant has and Ryan's own melancholic distance from us. But what do you expect us to do about it Yori? I do not think we can freely leave Remnant Territory anymore." Manami asked, looking at Yori expectantly.
"I don't know the reason either." Yori admitted. "But Ryan's security has grown lax lately. His patrols aren't anywhere near as thorough as they where. Truthfully I think they simply lack the resolve to carry out their orders."
He started pacing.
"There are whispers however. Anyone linked to the old Gotei 13 are starting to disappear. This isn't public knowledge yet... but Captain Miria Fujibayashi was found dead yesterday, under mysterious circumstances. Hina Hogosha and Myōga Hisamaru are also being targeted which is why I'm worried about you all. Your father was a central pillar in the old Gotei 13. Ryan might not like what you, his daughters, may come to represent."
Manami put her hand over her mouth as she gasped from Yori's abrupt revelation. "Rika-san's sister is dead? How can that be?" She questioned, apparently distraught.
"Manami knew young Miria for quite some time, as she was the one who often babysat my young sister." Mizuko commented. She then turned her head to directly face Yori, her heterochromiac eyes look straight into his eyes. "Hina Hogosha? She isn't even affiliated with the Remnant at all. Last time I checked, she rejected Ryan's invitation to join. And again afterwards."
"... I share your loss. She was my Hakuda instructor and a confident, but also a dear friend. As for Hina: that's precisely why she's under threat. Her father is one of the few Captain's whose fate following the Collapse is unknown; he's merely MIA, and as Hissori's daughter and a skilled operative herself, a great many of the old Onmitsukidō have thrown their lot in with Hina. I don't imagine Ryan, as an operative of the same organization, likes that too much."
"I see. Surely the remaining Onmitsukido would not reveal their true allegiance lest they face the same fate as Rika-san," Mizuko chimed in, all the while trying to understand Hina's and Ryan's actions.
Yori then adopted a far-off look.
"When we're on the subject of your sister: where's Chihaya?"
"Chihaya is at our Family Residence taking one of her usual naps." Mizuko answered, taking the lead while Manami recovered from her shock. "You don't think Ryan would be foolish enough to target us one by one? Let alone Chihaya?" She asked Yori with a somewhat worried expression.
"I don't imagine she's in any danger." Yori admitted, making sure he got to that point first. "I'm just concerned is all. I also don't imagine the Onmitsukidō would reveal themselves either: at present their greatest ally is secrecy.
As he said the last piece he walked towards the men's changing rooms.
"Forgive me... but I'm going to check up on Chihaya. She needs to hear what I've said as well... and before that I need to make sure she's safe."
"Even if she is stronger than I am." He thought with a wry little smile.
Mizuko turned her attention to Manami with a rather indignant expression. She grasped her sister by the shoulder and tried to shake her out of her stupor. "Manami, snap out of it! Now is not the time to groove! There are far more pressing matters to attend to!"
"...Bu-u-u-ut Rika-neesan." She uttered.
"I know! I share your sentiment! But Manami, Yori is worried about Chihaya; I think we should check up on her."
"Why bother? Chihaya can take care of herself. Ryan would be stupid if he wanted to attack Chihaya and accidentally activate her Unrestrained Angel Mode." Manami casually replied.
"Fool!" Mizuko shot back, slapping Manami in the process. "What do you think Mother would say if she heard you?! What about Father? And especially Grandma!"
"The-the-the-they would be disappointed..." Manami's daze expression started to subside. An abrupt silence permeated the atmosphere for several minutes as Manami remained silent. Manami finally spoke when the focus in her eyes returned. "I'm sorry Mizuko. My-my shock got the best of me...I think we should go see Chihaya."
"Now that's my sister. I reckon someone was eavesdropping on us..those perverts." Mizuko said with a smile. "I think it's in our best interest to head out immediately once Yori returns. But I suppose we should also get dressed right? Heh."
"I'm going to ascertain something. You heard all all of my conversation with the girls, correct?"
Yori asked this of Kensei Muguruma who, at this moment, was speaking to Yori via the Renkei bracelets the two men shared. They enabled telepathic communication between two individuals as well as power-sharing, though Yori seriously hoped he did not need to borrow Kensei's power this time around.
"I did and be careful. You've multiplied the number of people who know about your mission, so you've also made it easier for people to discover you. Remember that."
"I will. I'll report back later."
Manami nodded and the two women walked to the women's changing room. They changed immediately and were out of the door, making their way to the men's changing room, where they stood right outside the door, waiting for Yori to pop out.
"I'm out here!" Yori called from outside, in the lobby. "Shall we?"
"Finished so soon? I thought you boys like to take your time to dress up...or is that the other way around? Manami called back teasingly, poking her head out of the door. Mizuko poked her out of the doorway as well. But once she saw Yori looking at them expectantly, she instantly stuck her tongue at the Shinigami.
"Neeeeeeeeeh."
"I know some who take an absolute eternity!" Yori admitted. His thoughts momentarily went to one Itazura Kori. "Besides, I wouldn't dream of keeping Mizuko waiting, because I wouldn't survive the reprisal."
Yori returned Mizuko's gesture in-kind before turning his back on her. When he looked over his shoulder at her he grinned playfully.
"Catch me if you can!"
With that Yori flash-stepped away.
Mizuko turned her head to Manami, saying with a sigh, "He fails to realize how old I am. He'll probably be scared by the amount of experience I have when compared to him right?"
Manami shrugged her shoulders at Mizuko's comment. "Or you mean lack of experience to be exact Mizuko nee-san." She said teasingly with a matter-of-fact expression. Mizuko immediately clicked her tongue in annoyance, her nostrils flaring at the off-handed comment.
"Oh shut up. It's best we catch up to him immediately or else Yori will think he's better than us. Especially me." As she finished her statement, the soles of her feet glowed an incandescent color and she disappeared in an instant, leaving a small trail of cherry blossoms in her wake.
"Whatever you say nee-san." Manami said under her breath, disappearing right after her sister.
Yori was smiling to himself, somewhat happy that he was in a "race" with two of the Yume Sisters. However, his expression quickly turned to surprise when he noticed a white figure appear beside him. It was Mizuko, who was enveloped in a white aura. Her movements were incredibly graceful, reminiscent of a ballerina or a figure skater.
Seeing Yori gasp in exasperation, Mizuko laughed and winked at the man. "I'm centuries your senior young man," She said, letting her statement sink in.
"Whether you're older than me or not," Yori replied, "that doesn't mean you can't have fun."
Competition was fun and it helped keep his mind off of other things, like what kind of danger Naoko was in or the potential trouble awaiting them at the Yume family residence. When he moved at the extremity of his speed he was capable of keeping up with the likes of Itazura Kori, whose sheer speed and movement ability was known to leave ex-Captains at the starting line.
He looked at Mizuko and grinned sheepishly. He was definitely about to do or say something stupid. That was the classic look of a child who thought they where being clever.
"That white aura certainly makes you look pretty and graceful... But how about we make this a little more interesting? Whoever arrives first gets treated by the loser. Deal?"
The moment his statement left his mouth Yori furrowed his forehead and concentrated solely on his speed. As a result Yori zipped away via an impressive sequence of flash-steps, his earlier challenge reinforced by the new. You had to agree on one point: He certainly didn't lack for confidence!
Mizuko merely shrugged at Yori's proposition but before she could reply, the young man left her. "That idiot!" She angrily cried out, subsequently puffing out her cheeks. She quickly matched her speed to Yori's, and appeared beside him once again.
Now that Yori was right besides Mizuko, she scoffed, alerting him to her presence. "I bet you want me to cook you dinner and call you darling as well?" She said sarcastically, although deep down, she was thinking about it. She slightly blushed at the mere thought and quickly shook her head.
"Darling!? Where in blue blazes did that come from? And is she blushing!?" Yori thought, managing to keep his face from showing what he was thinking.
Manami was trailing behind Yori and Mizuko, keeping herself at a short distance so she could observe them in peace and without interference. Her face was serene and nonchalant while she wondered how long will take for those two to realize they passed the Yume Family Manor twice already.
Yori looked surprised though this had nothing to do with the darling comment. "Okay... she's faster than I originally thought. Huh. Now I look like an idiot."
But somehow he didn't seem to mind. Instead he decided to roll with it.
"You've already seen my attempts at cooking. It involved a lot of Kidō and a lot of luck. I'm actually surprised none of us keeled over from food poisoning! So yes, I wouldn't mind you cooking for me, Mizuko."
He let the comment hang in the air before suddenly descending. The sudden stoppage allowed Manami to catch up and the look Yori cast her was as mischievous as one could get.
"I don't see any sign of forced entry." Yori stated.
He didn't bother revealing how he knew which residence belonged to the Yume clan but it was clear he was familiar enough with the location not to be fumbling in the dark either.
"Of course; our Family Home cannot be easily be infiltrated by the Gotei. Do you really think the Remnant would strike now?" Mizuko questioned. "Unless our recent conversation had managed to make its way up to the Upper Echelon."
Yori sighed.
"Show some faith in me. I told you, that conversation was secure. The only person who actually managed to break that barrier of mine was Ino Hiroshi, and she only did it to one-up Kentaro, who failed. He said it's composition boggled the mind. Then he asked me to teach him it! So, no. No chance of them having heard us. As for them attacking... I doubt even they're that stupid, to be honest. This is really just to put our minds at ease. Can you imagine the shit-storm that would result if someone harmed the daughters of Kei Yume? Kenji, who is very much alive, would be 'round to crack heads before you could say 'who dies first'."
"I give you that, but you never know. To easily let ourselves be at ease at a time like this..only serves to disturb me even more." Mizuko said.
"I'm sorry for Mizuko's paranoia Yori. But we have to be on guard, even when you're here reassuring us." Manami interjected, making her way to Mizuko's side.
"I understand." He answered.
Rather than draw things out any farther Yori drew his Zanpakutō and fell into a familiar Form II stance. He held his blade out before him in a steady two-handed posture.
"Dampen, Kōza!" Kōza took the form of twin gun-like sword-hybrids with blue hilt wrapping. "Let's go!"
He strode forward confidently and threw open the doors...
Only to come upon a relative naked Chihaya in a bath towel, passively combing her hair. Her body glistened in the light, and the interior of the room was slightly humid. It seemed Chihaya had just gotten out of the shower. Hearing the door open, she immediately turned her head to the source of the noise, seeing Yori standing in the door with Manami and Mizuko behind him. "Why...hello there! Is there something you need?"
"......"
Yori's face turned the colour of a fresh tomato!
"Good lord, look at that bod- Okay, Yori, calm your jets. For Pete's sake, look away!" He couldn't be a gentlemen all the time. "Why do these things always happen to me?"
"Oh wait. I'm not supposed to react like this aren't I?" Chihaya asked as she was tying up her long, glistening gray hair. "How about....Iyaaaa." Chihaya said, acting a typical response of a woman being seen naked, as she had often seen from watching anime.
"So. This is what you truly wanted Yori. A peek at Chihaya. Grrrrr." Mizuko said angrily, walking up to the dumbfounded Shinigami and giving him a weak smack to the back of the head.
Her scream seemed to snap Yori out of his near-trance and Mizuko smacking him brought him fully back to reality.
"Well... you see, I was... well I really mean we..." And his hurried pointing took in Manami and Mizuko. He stopped and turned his back and took several steadying breathes. They didn't help. He was going to end up digging himself into a hole here.
"I'm sorry for barging in like that, Chihaya, but in my defence I have a really good reason. Right!?" The last he directed at Manami and Mizuko in a pleading manner.
The two Kenmeiotome merely grunted in reply, their expressions less than amused.
Chihaya raised a humored eyebrow, all the while giving the young Shinigami an amused expression, much to Mizuko's and Manami's chagrin. "Oh really?" She said, crossing her arms. A pair of white wings were visibly jutting from her back, quietly heaving up and down as she breathed. "So..the really good reason was not to sneak a peak at my devilish pretty body?" She questioned sarcastically.
"Pfft. You know I'm far more attractive than you Chihaya." Mizuko said under breath, rolling her eyes.
Yori's mouth nearly hit the floor and when it became clear he wasn't going to get much in the way of help to bail him out of this particular hole the young man seemingly deflated. His shoulders sagged, he dropped his head almost ashamedly, and he turned around as if to leave. By the time he reached the still-open door however Yori sprang into complete alertness!
"Oh, shit! Bakudō #59. Senkōjūmonji!"
Several bar-shaped streams of fire formed around the Yume sisters with additional barriers springing up around the bars to offer complete protection. Just as this occurred the interior of the Yume Family residence was rocked with a deafening explosion of fire and lightning! The elements seemed to cling to a number of shadowy threads spread throughout the whole room and it was these very strings that caused the explosion to become a mighty conflagration! Yori, meanwhile, was struck with a separate spell altogether which flung him bodily into the throes of the existing spell. When everything was still once more Yori lay sprawled over the barriers he had conjured. Whether he was dead or merely unconscious was anyone's guess, but he fell to the floor hard when his spell failed.
"Such an idiot." A voice rang out though where the owner was hiding was another matter.
The three sisters gasped in unison upon witnessing Yori being thrown onto the floor, seemingly unconscious. The Kido Barrier around them immediately broke and Manami rushed to Yori's side. She lightly shook his body, but there was no response. Mizuko's brow furrowed and her expression immediately changed to anger, her canine teeth prominently shown at the unknown aggressor.
"...Kaito...is that you? What is the meaning of this?" Manami said, while over Yori's body. She motioned for Chihaya to come near her and Yori. "Chihaya, can you watch over him while I deal with Kaito?" She questioned, standing up before her sister could answer. Before her was an empty room, but Kaito could be anywhere. Even right next to her if he wanted to.
"Perhaps." Kaito replied, but his voice seemed to be coming from everywhere. "Showtime, Kagenonaikaku."
Yori, surprisingly, began to stir. He struggled to his feet and, although unsteady, he seemed to be alright. Yet his eyes where still closed and his breathing was very laboured. In a way... Manami was right. Her enemy was nearby but the sisters had noway of knowing this. Only it wasn't Kaito. Yori suddenly whipped his Zanpakutō free of its sheath with an attack aimed directly for the approaching Chihaya!
At the same time the shadows within the room began to swell. They darted towards Mizuko and, upon approach, leapt from the floor with a life of their own to strike her! These shadows seemed to be solid constructs. With Manami the shadows beneath her feet seemingly opened up, threatening to swallow her whole!
"This entire room is my battlefield." Kaito thought to himself with a malicious grin.
Mizuko leapt backwards, narrowly missing the shadows. In response, she took out a whip and fiercely swung back, making a large noise as it impacted the shadows. The shadows were beaten back but continued to move forward as if nothing happened.
Chihaya moved sideways in an effort to dodge Yori's sudden attack. However, in the process, she tripped on her own feet, landing on her backside with a loud "thump". She quickly got back up, brushing off whatever dirt she got on her body. "I ought to get in something more comfortable than a towel, don't you think?" She asked an unresponsive Yori. Chihaya's pair of wings and towel started to glow an incandescent white, until it started to transmute into Chihaya's normal clothing. "There we go. I would've stayed in just a towel, but a wardrobe malfunction would've been terrible...for you and my sisters." She commented jovially, despite the situation they were all in.
Manami stood still, ignorant of the shadows that threatened to swallow her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Mom. Dad. I'm sorry if the house gets destroyed." She said under her breath as Manami's body started to get enveloped in a blue aura. She brought her left hand downward and a blue stream of energy erupted from the palm of her hand, striking the shadows underneath her.
"Kaito! Stop this now! Or you'll face my wrath!" Manami called out threateningly.
Yori's Zanpakutō let loose a ring of circular orbs around Chihaya and with a pull of the trigger said orbs detonated, with the kickback skidding Yori clear of the danger-zone. He was awake now it seemed but it was clear he was not in control of his movements. The horrified look in his eyes proved that.
"Contain the orbs before they expand!" He roared. It seemed he could still speak. "That'll kill the explosion!"
Kaito, however, was showing no signs of stopping. His laughter could be heard throughout the manor and as he did so the shadows around the room began to come alive, taking on queer shapes and odd forms. In that instance Kaito himself appeared in the middle of the manor not far from Manami.
"I'll show you one of my favourite tricks."
A multitude of threads flew from his body which he mixed with Fushibi. Kaito then performed simultaneous Kidō spells in the form of Haiton, to produce a vast amount of ash in the air to hide his movements, and Sekka, which increased the oxygen density in the air to cause dizziness. With that accomplished he bit down on a piece of flint to create the needed spark whilst flash-stepping away. This act caused the subsequent conflagration to spread further due to the threads, which threatened to overwhelm all within!
"Sōdai no Shōheki!" Manami murmured as she appeared in front of Chihaya and Mizuko. Manami's blue aura started to grow more intensely while the ambient reishi particles around her began to form around her. Aware that Kaito's spells could hit them any second, she mentally commanded her spell to appear and materialize, just barely taking the brunt of the assault. The attack caused the ground to shake while enveloping anything caught within the blast range to be burnt away.
"That bastard! He burned down our living room!" Mizuko growled with barely contained anger. "Our family pictures....Dad..." She trailed off, refusing to think further.
"What should we do Mizuko? You could use Kenichi, or I could use my Focus." Manami asked, facing Mizuko. "We can't let Chihaya get caught in this...otherwise, it'll be a pain to deal with the aftermath."
Mizuko nodded understandingly. "I understand but Kenichi is in slumber. He won't awaken easily. I think it would be easier if we let her fight. Kaito, did burn our living room down." She said as a matter of factly, the tone of vengeance heavily apparent in her voice.
Kaito, appearing before the girls, proceeded to throw a heavily burnt Yori at their feet, who grunted in protest as he struck the floor. The look on Kaito's face showed how much pleasure he took in this particular action. Yori, however, looked furious.
"Tell me... did you even see me blitz him? Or where you too worried about pictures of old dead dad to care about poor little Yori?" Kaito remarked.
"Yori!" The sisters cried out, horrified. Mizuko quickly scurried to Yori's side, his soft yet pained breathing indicative of him being alive. Despite Mizuko's hardened expression, tears welled up at the corner of her eyes, of which she batted away. "You'll pay for this Kaito! Manami!" Mizuko called out to her sister. "Let Chihaya fight! I'll heal Yori!" She yelled out while she tried to recall the necessary Kenmei Kosaku to deal with Yori's injuries.
"Sōdai no Shōheki!" Mizuko uttered, her body glowing with Wisdom energy. A barrier quickly formed around the Kenmeiotome and the wounded Shinigami. "Yori. This is going to be painful. But please deal with it." She said to a seemingly unresponsive Yori.
"Let the passage of time flow through you. Let it embrace your very being. Slowing. Reversing. Accelerating. These variable aspects of time are less understood by mortal beings. Bring the power and grant us the right. Jikan No Keika!" A small barrier within the Sodai no Shoheki immediately formed around Yori and it started to resonate, buzzing with activity. The palm of Mizuko's hand began to glow, growing brighter with each passing second. Yori's burnt body began to seemingly heal, his burnt skin started to return to its former glory albeit very slowly.
While Mizuko tried her best to heal Yori, Manami and Chihaya stared down Kaito with angered expressions. "Papa isn't dead. But you'll be." Manami angrily shot back. No longer did she have her polite and nice exterior. Instead, it was replaced with fury and hatred. Kaito burned her family photos. And injured Yori. Kei in this situation would remain steadfast. But Manami wasn't Kei. She was her own person and she believed that his called for blood.
Manami seemingly pulled out a sword out of the air. "Dominus." She said, while she flicked it down to activate. She roared a battle cry, and immediately dashed forward to Kaito, Dominus poised for attack.
"... Mizuko, thank you. But Kaito... he controlled me like a puppet. His shadow...! Don't let him ensnare you."
Mizuko merely smiled at Yori's comment. "My dear Yori, we cannot be easily ensnared by that fool of a Shinigami."
"Oh, please. Do you truly think such a low-level-"
Kaito cut his own comment off mid-sentence. As he blocked Manami's blow he felt the power behind the attack, which caused him to skid towards the door. The shock on his face was a clear indication that he had sorely underestimated Kei's daughters but he quickly schooled his face to stillness.
"... He fears her..." Yori whispered.
"I'm going to bury you all. You see a certain friend of mine has called for your demise, and I mean to silence you all!"
Kaito's spiritual power resonated with the shadows throughout the room and in one single instance they all converged on Manami!
"Underestimating us three would be your downfall Kaito!" Manami roared back. "We are the daughters of Kei Yume and we have a legacy to follow!" As Manami said that, there was the sound of fluttering wings, and two short wings suddenly jutted out from Manami's back. The wings glowed with an intense blue color, as if it was directly reacting to Manami's emotions. Manami flapped her wings, sending a torrent of feathers aimed directly at Kaito. Or so he thought. The feathers instead stayed by Manami's side, suddenly expanding into the shape of a small shield. Due to the vast amount of feathers around her, a large network of "shields" appeared around Manami. Without a word, the "shields" moved in unison to intercept Kaito's shadows.
Kaito tutted in response to this development.
Yori, meanwhile, gathered spiritual power in his palm. He muttered an incantation beneath his breath and, with a wave of his hand, produced a spherical blast of flame. Though it wasn't Kaito he was aiming for. His spell impacted the ceiling of the Yume family mansion and sunlight streamed in the resulting hole.
"You little...!" Kaito exclaimed, catching on too late.
"Light always dispels shadow." Yori claimed, as he coughed up blood. "Manami... Now's your chance!"
Manami flicked the hand holding Dominus again, and it became enveloped in the same blue aura that was covering her. It became formless and it eventually transmuted into a silver spear. She raised her arms in a vertical angle and a circle of six spears appeared behind her. Manami looked directly into Kaito's eye and smirked.
She clapped her hands together and the circle of spears immediately came to life. Manami pointed at Kaito, directing the spears to the very source of her ire.
"That won't finish him." Yori warned.
"She wasn't intending to finish him Yori." Mizuko replied calmly. "The fire in her eyes speaks otherwise. Now shut up and let me finish; I'm about to run out of energy soon."
Kaito had retreated into the shadows in the face of Manami's attack but the sunlight streaming in the hole in the ceiling meant the shadow barrier he summoned to defend himself was weakened. Two sizeable holes where punched in the barrier by the spears with one lodging in Kaito's left arm the second lodging itself in his right leg, effectively crippling his mobility. He tutted in response to this development whilst glaring daggers at Manami.
"Jikō."
As Yori whispered the spells name the blood flowing from his myriad of wounds ceased and the skin began to knit back together, which seemed to be somewhat painful in itself. In mere seconds Yori was back on his feet. He thanked Mizuko with a big smile, assuring her he'd be fine now, and proceeded to walk towards Kaito.
"You fool! My spell wasn't complete!" Mizuko thought to herself. She stopped herself from speaking once she saw Yori's expression.
"I'm not normally a violent man." He said, furious. "But for you... I'm going to make an exception. Hadō #31. Shakkahō!"
"More Kidō? Is that all you...! You little bastard!"
Yori hadn't fired the spell at him. Instead he formed four individual spheres of red-coloured flame which floated around himself and the Yume siblings like little torches. The flames dispelled the shadows around them, effectively killing Kaito's advantage.
"Now... let's start round two!"
Without eye contact, Manami secretly gestured to Mizuko and Chihaya. Both of the Yume siblings immediately understood Manami's quick hand gesture and went over to Yori's side. "Sorry about this Yori, but this is for you own good." Chihaya said as she was paying close attention to Kaito.
"Sōdai no Shōheki!" Chihaya and Mizuko said in unison, all the while two barriers simultaneously formed around them in a double layered fashion. "Just in case, I recommend you cover your ears. Don't want you in the crossfire again you know." Mizuko said offhandly, quickly taking his hands and putting them over his ears.
"To think there is a man that is so reliant on his Zanpakuto Abilities. Pitiful." Manami said. The young woman proceeded to take a deep breath, letting air flow through her lungs. As she closed her eyes, Manami opened her mouth and released a deafening sonic scream targeted at Kaito. Manami mentally controlled the output of her scream, as well as her throat, lungs, and vocal chords. Kanakirigoe, as the technique was called, subsequently rocked the Family Home and broke every window within the vicinity.
"... Wow...!"
Yori was in utter amazement. The destruction Manami wrought was on-par with that wrought upon the Rukongai by Ichihara Kōhai many years ago! It boggled the mind. "That was amazing." He thought. But what truly surprised him was what he sensed.
"Bankai, Jabuyō Kagenonaikaku!"
Eight massive shadowy snakes erupted from Kaito's shadow! The man himself had seemingly lessened the damage through a combination of quick Kidō and his shadowy barriers, but it appeared his hearing was damaged quite extensively. Blood trickled from his ears and he was clearly disorientated.
"DIE!" Kaito roared.
He sent three snakes streaming towards Manami and another two towards Chihaya in a final attempt to crush them both! The final two snakes, which where slithering their way towards Yori and Mizuko, seemingly made Yori's patience snap.
"Not this time." Yori whispered fiercely. "Kensei... I might need a hand here."
A portion of Kensei's spiritual power flooded into the young man through his Renkei and Yori cracked his neck as the power rejuvenated him. He flash-stepped towards the two snakes sent towards himself and Mizuko, roaring "Bunshinito", and pierced down through their heads before they could open their mouths to swallow him; his momentum from the resulting kickback allowed him to tear right through them!
"I think Manami and Chihaya can handle the rest from here."
"Yori! You should let us handle it from here!" Mizuko yelled out to the Shinigami, as if she read his mind. "I can't have you die on me just yet!"
"Fool." Manami and Chihaya said in unison, standing their ground as Kaito's Shadow Snakes came upon the two Kenmeiotome. In the instance the Shadow Snakes seemingly came into contact with their bodies, it went right passed them! Manami's and Chihaya's bodies seemed to flicker in and out of reality, their bodies having become intangible for the time being. "Never saw that coming did you Kaito? I suppose you would be surprised; you never actually saw us in a fight before. In Soul Society." Manami mocked, slowly taking steps toward the injured attacker. "For a person who had been ordered to assassinate us, you're very ill-prepared, moreso than the others who tried to kill us back in my hometown."
As the Shadow Snakes came around for another pass, Chihaya brought out her own Focus, Diluo. It was basked in the glow of Chihaya's own energy as she raised it upward, causing the light to coalesce near the tip to form a blade several times the size of Chihaya. Chihaya looked at Kaito. "I suppose I need a one liner here right? Hmmmm. Let's see. May the Light of the Heavens shine down and dispel the Darkness!"
Chihaya swung Diluo with all her might, striking all the Shadow Snakes that were coming towards her and Manami. The Shadow Snakes stopped right in their tracks before it completely disintegrated. "Now Kaito. I'll only say this once. Surrender and I'll spare you." Chihaya said, pointing Diluo at Kaito. "If this is all you have, then the battle is lost."
"Yori, if you let this scum live, it will only come back to bite you later. Kill him."
The voice in Yori's head was that of Kensei Muguruma. Yori saw a defeated man before him: Kaito's Bankai was rendered all but ineffective against Manami and Chihaya, but even though he was defeated all Yori saw was a snake. Letting him live... wasn't an option he was going to entertain.
"We can count our lucky stars he was ill-prepared." Yori said aloud. "Otherwise we'd all be dead. But then I was never one to trust to luck. Goodbye... Kaito."
Yori, stepping towards the Kuchiki clansmen, made one swift motion with his Zanpakutō. Kaito gurgled on his own blood as Yori slit his throat, at which point he turned his back on the assassin. He obviously took no enjoyment from this.
"I've put you all at risk. Forgive me." He hung his head and exhaled sharply.
Chihaya clicked her tongue in disapproval. "You know, I had no intention of letting this man live." She said, letting Diluo fade away. "In fact, I was ready to rip him apart for his actions...quite literally." She turned her head to Yori in a seemingly threateningly manner. Chihaya's eyes had black rings around it, and her eyes were focused.
"Of course, I wasn't going to let you see that side of me since Mizuko would've covered your eyes...but not your ears." Chihaya teased, waving her pointer finger at Yori. She sighed and inhaled deeply, the black rings slowly disappearing.
"As one of Ryan's dogs, you think Kaito would have been more...how you say....threatening." Manami chimed in, as she walked over to a distant table. She picked up a broken picture frame, in it a picture of her and her father. Chihaya and Mizuko repeated the same action as their sister, putting a similar picture in their pockets. Finally, Manami took one last picture, this time, a picture of her and her entire family.
"I would invite you to tea. But as you can see, our home is completely ruined." Mizuko said weakly. Her legs felt weak, having used the majority of her energy to full the spells she used protect herself and Yori, as well as to heal him.
"To be honest I think a change in scenery is in order. Sentan Hakuja!"
Yori threw out his right arm as a series of bandages emerged from below his sleeve. These bandages coiled around the group -- leaving Kaito's corpse behind -- until they tightened, at which point a bright white flash obscured the group! When the light dimmed Yori snapped his fingers, which resulted in light flooding the room they now stood within, revealing a sitting room with a small circular coffee table in the middle surrounded by two couches and, on the right-hand side, an area filled with fluffy cushions.
"Welcome to my safe-house. It isn't much... but make yourselves at home." He made a point of guiding Mizuko towards the nearest couch before doing anything else. "Ayumi! I'm back and we need assistance!"
Not too soon after his call a pink-haired woman dressed in a bright pink qipao dress walked in from an adjoining room. As she opened the door the tell-tale smell of baking wafted into the room. The lady, whom Yori named as Ayumi, was of average height and build with a slender figure, large light green-coloured eyes, and a small rhombus-shaped marking on her forehead. At the sight of Yori and his companions she sighed.
"I apologize if he caused you any trouble." She said towards the Yume siblings. "I'm afraid Yori tends to get carried away at times. Please, make yourselves comfortable. I'm almost finished baking."
"Her cooking is phenomenal." Yori added.
"We don't mind Miss. We've all dealt with men like him before." Manami replied. "Some more than others." Her eyes slightly moved to the left, Mizuko's direction She smirked and started to laugh quietly to herself.
"Very good! I'm just glad he's made such polite friends. He really does have a bad habit of falling in with the wrong crowd."
"Yes, mother." Yori chided, to which Ayumi smiled.
"All Yori did was end it cleanly. If I got to him, things would've been much more different." Chihaya said with a sigh. "And I reckon if Yori saw that, he would never talk to me again."
Ayumi's face darkened.
"And whose fault would that be?" Mizuko snidely shot back.
"Hardly." Yori claimed.
Yori evaded the accusatory glance from Ayumi when mention of ending anything cleanly came up and Yori, almost running, disappeared into the adjoining room! When he returned he done so with a pot of tea brewed by Ayumi and a cup for each present. He set all on the central coffee table and poured the tea.
"This will make you feel much better." He claimed.
The three young woman happily obliged to Yori's offer as they made their way to the table. As they all took a sip of the freshly brewed tea, they felt a sense of warmness well up inside them. The fatigue within their bones softened, and the tension they all felt gradually disappeared until it was no more.
They sipped their tea in silence until Chihaya decided to break it. "You say that now Yori, but you haven't witnessed my power. Nor Manami's nor Mizuko's." Chihaya said, continuing what she said earlier. "But considering the current development, I feel that we would have to fight...sooner or later." She finished, taking another sip of tea.
"There is nothing left for us with the Gotei Remnant, now that we had fled. I reckon we'll be deemed traitors, like Father before." Manami said offhandedly. "I wonder if Mother is having as much trouble as we are." She said, thinking aloud.
"I'm not so shallow that I'd stop talking to you all for being powerful." Yori assured them. "That being said however you're all more than welcome to join the Six Directions. Kentaro aims to restore order throughout the Reikai and maintain the Spirit Cycle of Souls that the Gotei Remnant have all but ignored. To do that he needs all the help he can muster."
"It wasn't about my power. It was about what I become when I unleash it." Chihaya replied.
"Yori, I think they've gotten the point, don't you?" Ayumi said. As Ayumi returned she set down a small tray of bread and assorted buns topped with icing. "Now!" She rounded on Yori. "You're going to eat something and then go for a wash. You smell like an ashtray."
He wanted to say that wasn't because he'd been smoking but because Kaito had almost set him alight with Kidō, but he ended up hanging his head and sighing instead.
"... Yes, mother..."
"Despite reversing time and healing Yori, I couldn't remove the smell of smoke off of him." Mizuko noted.
"Nothing short of a miracle would suffice for that I'm afraid." Ayumi stated as she quite literally pushed Yori from the room.
"Hey! At least let me finish eat- Ayumi!"
"Now, eat and then get some sleep. You must all be tired."
The three Kenmeiotome happily nodded, as they've been eyeing the sweet bread ever since Ayumi brought it over. As they ate one bread after the other, Mizuko stopped and looked at Manami. Noticing that Mizuko was trying to catch her attention, Manami stopped, although she was still munching on the bread.
"What?"
"I just realized that we didn't answer Yori's question. Are we going to get back to them on that?" Mizuko asked, taking a long sip of tea after.
"It was pretty much a given that we're defecting from the Gotei Remnant to the Six Directions." Manami stated. "With the attack and hit squads having come up to light, there is no way we could ignore such injustices. Not now. Not ever."
"What about you Chihaya? Are you okay with this?" Mizuko said.
"Where you go, I'll go."
"Then it's decided." Manami started to say. "The Yume Siblings will join the Six Directions. Together, we can put a stop to the Remnant's Corruption and restore order, as Father would've done." Mizuko and Chihaya all nodded in agreement.