Frozen Memories [Open]

Rukongai. Byakuya hated Rukongai. The first time he had been there was when he met Hisana. After her death, he came there often, just walking the streets and looking around, remembering her and when they had first met. But right now, Byakuya wasn't there to remember Hisana. He was there to find Renji and ask him what he had done with the paperwork that had recently disappeared.

He walked along the streets, trying not to look at all the poverty around him. "Hey look, it's a shinigami captain!" Byakuya heard a voice scream, and he cringed inwardly. Great.... Byakuya didn't turn his head; instead he kept walking, trying to ignore the screams. A group of children had started to chase him. Who do they think they are?! Do they have no respect?

Byakuya suddenly turned to face the group of children, and they drew back, frightened. "A-are you gonna kill us?" One asked his eyes wide. Byakuya said nothing, instead giving them a cold glare before he turned and continued walking.

He soon came to the 78th district, where he had met Hisana. He stopped, looking around at the deserted streets. Hisana.... he closed his eyes, remembering her face, her voice, her touch. He felt a wave of sadness wash over him, and he quickly opened his eyes. No. I didn't come here to think about Hisana. I came make sure there was no damage done here because of the storm. He forced the thoughts out of his head and continued to walk, looking straight in front of him.

Daichi had been tasked with the usual Vice-Captain work for the day; do some paperwork, look after his fellow squad members, and do some more paperwork. Of course watching over fellow Shinigami was out of the question. What if they didn’t want him there? He could be a bother and that could turn them against him. What if they noticed how afraid he was and took that as a sign of weakness and then challenge him to a battle? He couldn’t fight his squad members. What would his Captain think of that? No, this was no was he could act like their superior, he would rather do paperwork any day.

As much as Haimei preferred work to social interacts by about mid-day, when the sun was highest in the sky, he had already finished all the paperwork for the entire day. He softly cursed his own ability to do work so hastily, as he realized he would have to go outside or face humiliation because he no longer had an excuse to escape from the outside world. The Vice-Captain very hesitantly rose from his old, oak chair situated in the middle of his small, Vice-Captain Office and headed to face the outside world. Like every other day, the Third Division Headquarters was bustling with what seemed like thousands of people, all whose eyes gazed upon Daichi as he exited his office. They all waited for the slightest motion or mistake. Feeling his nerves already gathering and his heart beginning to pump, he ran outside of his Division Barracks. Not looking back, to see the taunting faces of the other Shinigami.

Once out of sight of the Division Headquarters, Haimei relaxed a little and slowed down to a fast walk. The cobblestone road that connected Soul Society always seemed to calm him down and take away the pressure. The sound of his feet hitting the hard surface combined with the noise of rocks sputtering out from beneath him as he walked created a peaceful harmony. The sun still shinning brightly gave him some reassurance that life still went on, even though he was now likely the laughing stock of the entire Division. When he walked he reminisced about the days of being Human, he was one of the lucky to remember such days still, as he let his feet carry him to whatever destination they wished.

Soon, Daichi found himself standing on one of the many streets of Rukongai. He never had the memory to remember exactly which District was which but, he knew enough to know he wasn’t in one of the better ones. As he realized this his mind suddenly came to the realization that he could be mugged. He was out here all alone, so far away from civilization and there was no one that knew he was here, not even those who probably thought he was now a weakling. Just as these thoughts came running through his mind and his pulse once again rose, he noticed something that he had seen before. When Haimei adjusted his vision to see the thing, he finally made it out as a fellow Shinigami. With delight, he felt his pulse lower and return to normal as he slowly approached the Shinigami.

In his ecstasy, Daichi had forgotten the thing that stood out most to him about this person, whoever it was, was wearing a Captain’s haori. Right after he came within spitting distance of the Shinigami he realized who it was exactly. It was Byakuya Kuchiki, not exactly known for being the friendliest Captain. Haimei debated just turning around and heading the other way, hoping the Captain had not seen him but, if he had, Daichi would be doomed. So, with his hands already beginning to clam up he began to speak.

“Hel-hel-hello, Ca-ca-captain Kuchiki. My apologies for interrupting you. I’m ahh s-s-so sorry, I was just on a walk and noticed you. S-s-sorry,” stammered the Vice- Captain as his gaze transferred from the Captain to the ground beneath him.

Little did the captain know that the sun had gone behind the clouds until a drop of rain hit him on the cheek. Startled, Byakuya glanced up at the now darkened sky as more drops began to fall, slowly at first then more quickly. This did not make Byakuya happy. Why did it have to rain today of all days? Just to make this day worse? It certainly seemed like it. The only good thing about it was that the residents of Rukongai were all heading indoors so he wouldn't have to take being ridiculed. Even though he normally wouldn't take such treatment, the noble had vowed not to hurt anyone in this district unless they attacked him as a tribute to Hisana.

Though it was raining and the rain was making his clothes less than dry and his hair like string, he kept walking, determined to stick it out and visit the place he had first met her. Soon enough he got to a now closed vegetable stand. He stood in front of it, eyes closed, remembering.

Storm inspection had never been so disgusting, the young lieutenant thought as he walked through the Rukon district, his feelings evident on his face. Why should he, as not only a lieutenant but a member of the noble house of Kuchiki have to do such a thing? Why couldn't the seated officers do such things? It just wasn't fair! Nobles were not meant to clean up after others!

"Ohhhh, an officer, an officer!" the residents of Rukongai around him taunted, making faces at him and even getting close enough to pull at his clothes.

"Bastards! Get away from me!" Byakuya screamed, drawing his zanpakuto. "Who the hell do you think you are?!"

Most ran away, but instead of leaving one ran toward him and grabbed his scarf.

"Damn you, give that back!" Before Byakuya could chase him, however, the man fell flat on his face.

"I don't think this belongs to you," said a women's voice, her leg stuck out in front of the man, obviously tripping him. She picked up the scarf and walked to Byakuya, carefully handing it to him. "I'm sorry if it got dirty when he fell; I wasn't thinking," she said quietly, shyly raising her eyes to meet his.

All Byakuya could do was stare. Her eyes were a deep shade of violet and her hair was like black silk. He knew he should thank her, but all he could do was gape.

"Would you like something to eat?" She asked, pointing to a vegetable stand behind her. "I work there; there are lots of nice, fresh, vegetables."

Byakuya could only nod and follow her, watching her every move.

"By the way, my name's Hisana," she told him, her mouth curving into a perfect smile.

Suddenly, Byakuya was snapped out of his memories by a rather afraid sounding voice.

“Hel-hel-hello, Ca-ca-captain Kuchiki. My apologies for interrupting you. I’m ahh s-s-so sorry, I was just on a walk and noticed you. S-s-sorry.”

Turning, Byakuya turned to see the third division leitenant behind him. He looked at the other man for a moment silently. It was something that would unerve most people.

"Good morning, Leitenant Daichi," he finally said, remembering the leitenant's name only from the very few times the third vision captain would remember him. Glancing at the sky, Byakuya suddenly saw that the rain had stopped and the sun had come out. Funny, he hadn't even felt it.

As the rain slowly feel upon Daichi’s head and he stood there waiting for a response to his greeting, his heartbeat rose even further. He had heard from reputation that Captain Kuchiki was not one for pleasantries and even though he was a very formal man, he was very cold. Possibilities of what the man would say ran through his head as the Captain turned to face him and said nothing. What if he wanted to be alone and I just interrupted him? Captain Kuchiki could be angry and I could be made an even bigger laughing stock then he already was. What if some muggers came right now and I couldn’t defend myself? He could strip me of my rank and leave me here to die. He should have just turned around when he saw the Captain and pretended it never happened.

Just when Haimei thought he could take the silence and the look from the Captain no longer, the other Shinigami finally spoke. He could feel the tension somewhat lift off of him as his heartbeat slowed slightly even though the Captain just greeted him. Once the man had finished speaking, he almost immediately looked up the sky. He must have just noticed that the rain had stopped although, it had a few moments ago.

Then it was up to Daichi to continue the conversation. His heartbeat once again sped up and his hands felt clammy again. Haimei had no idea of what he was going to say next. The thought of saying the wrong thing sent a chill from his toes to this head. He knew he couldn’t continue this much longer, he had to find a way to relax or at least get his mind off of this social interaction. Oh, how he dreaded talking to other people and of all the others he could possibly meet in Soul Society, he had to meet a Captain and to make it even worse a strict Captain. Only if he had been lucky enough to find no one wondering these streets, from what Daichi had heard this area was normally deserted or at least deserted of Shinigami. What are the chances that two Shinigami would meet after all?

“Good m-m-morning, C-c-captain Kuchiki. I’m s-s-sorry, if I’m interrupting you. I umm didn’t mean to b-b-bother you, I was just p-p-passing by when I g-g-got lost and n-n-noticed an ahh another Shinigami. S-s-sorry,” lightly spoke Daichi. He spoke so lightly that, if one was not paying attention to him, they could barely hear him.

After a moment of silence, Byakuya gave a quiet sigh. This person obviously wasn't very talkative, but then again, neither was Byakuya. In fact, he could go a great amount of time without saying nothing at all. He wasn't the most social of people, only communicating when needed. It wasn't that he was shy or anything; he just didn't believe in talking when not needed. He found conversing in unnecessary conversation a waste of time. This was also why he was never asked to go anywhere. In this situation, however, standing there in silence was getting rather uncomfortable. Before he could say anything, however, the third division lieutenant broke the silence (though it was so soft Byakuya could hardly hear it).

“Good m-m-morning, C-c-captain Kuchiki. I’m s-s-sorry, if I’m interrupting you. I umm didn’t mean to b-b-bother you, I was just p-p-passing by when I g-g-got lost and n-n-noticed an ahh another Shinigami. S-s-sorry,”

Byakuya simply looked at him for a minute. This man was obviously pretty uncomfortable around him. Unless, of course, he stuttered like that all the time. In which, if he did, Byakuya would wonder how he got to be lieutenant at all.

Byakuya dismissed the apology with a nod of hiss head, then looked at the other man with a stern look in his eyes. "You should not speak so quietly. If you do then no one will here you and no one will know what you have to say. Unless you do not want people to hear what you have to say, or have nothing valuable to offer, then I suggest you speak up or you will not be taken seriously. And also, it would be best to work on that stuttering."