The Younger and Elder {Rukia}

[Lhin Demizu]

Another day, another member of the family Lhin was headed to go and visit. This time it was going to be her aunt Rukia off in the Jusanbantai area of the Seireitei. From the location of her makeshift headquarters just outside the gates of the first division in the Rukon this was going to be the longest walk for her. As to her if she did not bother to follow the rules then no one else would. So here she was walking the paths toward her aunt’s headquarter building. Thoughts stuck with Lhin as she walked along. Most where about just how powerful her aunt was with Sode no Shirayuki and her kidou. It had been a great boon for her to learn from her aunt when it came to kidou.

So here she was having crossed from the twelfth divisional area to the thirteenth. The remoteness of this division spared it a lot of the battle scars that most the Seireitei had incurred in the fighting yet there was still plenty of destruction being cleaned up. Approaching the building that was to be the headquarters for the division she smiled as she closed her eyes as the smell of relaxing tea swirled in the winds. Knocking on the doors she opened her eyes.

“Soitaicho Demizu here to speak with Kuchiki Taicho can someone please allow me inside?”

[Rukia Kuchiki]

There was not a sound, nor an answer, the street was about as empty as it could be. Inside the Jusanbantai many feet where on the move, running back and forth to get things such as files in order, Rukia had spent a great deal of the day helping out with allocating resources and troops to repair the more damaged parts of the seretei. She had also pondered on her children, especially on Kyoya... their son he was... how should you put it. Trouble? half the time she did not know where the man even spent his days, drinking booze and gambling no doubt. She had not seen the boy for almost a week, and it tore at her soul to see him defy his parents wishes. She supposed that she was only herself to blame, separating those two. But she only did it because she loved them deeply.

A low ranking officer answered the door being quite suprised to see the sotaicho "captain commander?! please come in, t-this way... she is in the practice field" the female officer lead her to the practice field, here they found Rukia having seated on a rock apparently in deep though trying to talk with her Zanpakto, both Sode no Shirayuki & Senbonzakura resting in her lap... Hold on i will be with you shortly... She said as she continued her mediation a while longer. A few minutes passed and she stood up fully aware that she had a visitor had been for a while now.

From a stern gaze to a vivid smile within the matter of a few seconds, jumped down from the rock to greet Lhin properly, she was not so proper that she would have greeted Lhin like a head captain. She quickly told the officer to leave so she could spend some quality time with her close family. Instead she greeted Lhin by wrapping both of her arms around hers Im glad to see you still had time leftover to visit me, unlike some i could meantion... she frowned, releasing her arms and wrapping them around her in a warm hug. If you came looking for Kyoya then im afraid i haven`t seen him She said as she pulled back a bit from the hug.

[Lhin Demizu]

Lhin thanked the lower ranking officer who had showed her through the barracks that in another life probably would of been a second home to her. Seeing the twin blades upon Rukia's lap she remained quiet and respectful despite the place she had amongst the shinigami. She had been told that this was a trait most definintly from her mother. 'The patience and humility of a saint' most had told her was what they would describe her as having. As she awaited Rukia to emerge from the meditation Lhin pulled her own zan's off her waist and set them point down into the ground beside her. As she knew that she would not be needing them here today.

As the officer was dismissed she smiled widely as she saw her aunt come over and the pair of them embraced. Lhin hugged her aunt tighter than normal as she had missed seeing her for so long. She felt her aunt let go as she heard her mention her more delinquent cousin. It was a sad topic that she did not like talking about but at times she knows that she cannot.

"It is fine aunt and no I am not looking for him. I more came along to see you and see how you are doing. I mean family is the most important thing in the world and well talking with you as you are my inspiration to be strong."

She spoke softly as she smiled at her. Turning and pulling back from her aunt she moved to sit beside the rock that her aunt had been meditating upon.

"So what is wrong with him? I have not been keeping up on it as I have been rather busy alongside working with Yevon in his division area and my own. I have been trying to get all of the taichos on the same page and yet I feel so little compared to the shoes that I am filling right now."

It was obvious that she was there to try and vent to her aunt who she hoped was her main lightning tod.

[Rukia Kuchiki]

Forgive me, i should`t have talked about himFeeling something disturbing the young captain commander, and now confirming what she had already suspected by her tight embrace. I see... you seem troubled? Please tell me, maybe i can be of help? Her Zanpakto where leaning against the very rock that she had been meditating upon. She listened as Lhin moved past her and closer to the rock where she eventually turned to talk with her and leant in.

She looked slightly discomforted, her face changed slightly from a cheerful one to a more serious one when she talked about the latter about her son and possible complications in being a captain commander. Ah... the burden of every upstart leader She said with a rather serious tone.

I know of this feeling... i am to be crowned a captain of the 13th shortly, already i feel discomfort of the mere thought, you are not alone in this, whatever the case maybe i am always at your side... as for my fool of a son, im sure he will return to us when he finds his calling... hnn what i mean is you have enough things to worry about withouth that boy causing trouble. She paused for a bit waiting for her answer.

[Lhin Demizu]

“Auntie it is fine… He is still family so the worry just comes with the territory. Yet I cannot imagine being in your shoes. Worrying about not just yourself but all of us kids as we all move into the roles that our parents held and yet here you are being the one we all seemingly run to for advice on things.” Speaking softly Lhin smiled at her Aunt. Glancing over at Senbonsakura and Sode no Shirayuki she felt a slight pang of guilt as her adoptive fathers blade stood there for her to look at.

She smiled at her aunt as she felt her assuage her fears about the position she had been thrust into almost against her will. Though as she mentioned her son again but this time in a more official capacity Lhin’s mood soured a little. It is because of the fact that she was both family and his commander it made things difficult. Just like with Yevon she could not show favoritism with the entire Gotei basically being her family led by this time. “Well that is sadly the one thing that he seems to do best isn’t it Aunt Rukia. At least we have not been called by one of our patrols to come take him from a holding cell out in the Rukon somewhere. So we at least have that.”

Shaking her head she let out a sigh and took a seat on the pile of rocks. Her long greenish blue hair touching the rock as she leaned her head back. “Rukia can I ask you something? How do you think my mother would of done during the war had she been alive through most of it to help lead everyone? As it seems that everyone that knew her said that she would of easily made it a shorter and less bloody of a war…”

Once more she delved to the inferiority complex that she had toward Xiaoyu the woman who she called mother and the woman whos shoes she got thrust into attempting to fill. She brought a hand to her forehead and rubbed the bridge of her nose lightly as she closed her eyes.

[Rukia Kuchiki]

She sighed as she picked up her blades strapped in their sheaths, talking about her oldest son made her into a sour mood, but she continued on as she pulled her brothers blade from its sheath, she listened intently as she continued talking about her son, she then continue to talk about Xiao, Lhin`s mother... "Earlier you spoke about strength... but what is strength? is it raw physical power? agility? or just your pure reitsu? i think its neither..." She stepped back a bit as she cocked her arm to the right, letting her arm guide her sword trough the air as she spun her body around, sending several slashes into empty air she parried, followed by a swing a quick charge which ended in a clear cut just above her own head, she aiming at nothing in particular, lowering her sword she sheathed it back suddenly then turned to look now having made a small distance between the two. "I belive real strength is the will never to give up, no matter how bad things may seem, your mother had that strength within her as im certain you do too... you are after all the same flesh and blood"

She had to pull her sword out earlier, when in the process of losing her temper exercising with her sword did wonders to that famous temper of hers. "so... yes i belive if she where to live today the world would be very different from what we know it to be..."

[Lhin Demizu]

“For me strength is like you… You are father taught me so well over the years. As we are all not defined by our blade and reiatsu. Though… in the war those where sadly the most impressive things we could have. The talkers, the ones with the minds for peace where the ones taken from us without so much as a whimper. “ Lhin spoke softly and yet still with a purpose as she watched her Aunt basically begin to fight herself. Though she knew what it was she was doing. As she had witnessed it many times over the years. The spirit of Zenbonsakura was standing in front of her and was sparring with her using the strength of its old master to help guide the blade strikes.

As Rukia spoke about her mother once more she smiled wide. Nodding toward her aunt she also hoped that her aunt was correct in her assumptions. As to her trying to live up to the shadow that she had never seen personally was a trying thing. Hearing others speaking about how it was that she might have the same type of personality that her departed mother had was something she was thankful for. “Auntie you know exactly what to say to cheer me up whether or not you mean to say it. You have the sage advice that I always seek .. As for a different world. How would it be different? I mean other than the obvious that we would not be having to rebuild as we are. Nor would we be having to start the entire Gotei over other than your division…”

[Rukia Kuchiki]

"But it is the will of our minds that made our swords sharper... not all times are wars won by brute force and the sharpness of their reitsu, The first Captain commander had the most powerful reitsu that soul society had ever produced, he was quite possibly the greatest sword fighter ever and yet he was assassinated by a potent poison, a clever mind can over come even the greatest of obstacles, sometimes it can even grow stronger than the biggest threats we have ever faced..." She was speaking of Ichigo kurosaki at the end and how he defeated Aizen sosuke, who possessed a clever mind, and was almost the cause of the destruction of karakura...

She spoke in a gentle tone, with Senbonzakura standing at her side, Lhin off course being unable to directly see him... "Look at you talking all big..." He said to her, she ignoring him for the moment and continued "Don`t meantion it... You know you are welcome here whenever you so wish" To respond how the world would be different with Xiao still alive, Rukia stepped closer to Lhin stroking her cheeck gently...

"By being around here for you..."

[Lhin Demizu]

“I had heard the stories of what befell the first Soitaicho. To hear it from you Auntie makes it hit a little closer to home as you knew him. You where in his presence and fought as an ally to him in the Winter War.” Lhin spoke softly and with some contemplation in her words as it was obvious that she was thinking on things. It was one of the better things she was told that she had from her mother was her mind. Lhin certainly used it to her advantage nowadays especially with all the turmoil over and done with for the time being.

Yet the touch from her aunt pulled her back from the workings of her own mind. A smile came on Lhin’s face as she spoke that her mother would just be there for her. She nodded and yet sighed at the same time. “Thing is… everyone else had both of their parents there and while I had Byakuya and Kimiko to raise me. With the war and whatever else it I can only imagine made things harder to raise us children. “

Shaking her head as she stood up from her seated position Lhin smiled at her Aunt as she embraced her once more. Only pulling back as she felt something near them but not quite there. Shaking her head from side to side as she pulled back. “Could of swore I felt father Byakuya here. Probably just being so close to Zenbonsakura for the first time in a long while. Nostalgia and all that.”

[Rukia Kuchiki]

By attaining too much power Aizen became careless, he became arrogant, never in his life did he think that someone could defeat him just as Xiao had defeated him for good.

Don`t you fall into this false sense of immortality Lhin, she thought to herself, time will only show your greatness, but don`t get consumed by it, or surely it would mean the end of your life as we know it. Such dark thoughts she had, she needed to lighten up come on.

"Certainly that is true, raising children during war is no easy task, i know of this better than anyone, however it is because this new generation that we have something to protect, something we can grasp, something else other than soul society itself, it is because of this that we grew stronger and protect those precious to us"

She dropped her arm from her cheek as she embraced her once more, only to pull away moments later, Rukia blinked in slight confusion realizing a few moments later what she sensed, she said nothing in return her smile grew slightly, she pulled Zenbonsakura out again from its sheath however this time she offered her to hold on to the sword. "this is a suprise gift i wanted to show you, not the sword itself, but since you already sensed him i guess its not much of a suprise" Truth was she knew what would happen if Lhin touched her father`s sword, such feelings could bring about the greatest of miracles.

She might just be able to see Zenbonsakura...

[Lhin Demizu]

“I have always felt that father had a way of watching over me. Even when he was far away. Anytime I felt down I would find a blossom from a cherry tree on the ground near me. As if there was a message given to me that no matter where I was or how far I would travel someone would have my back.” Lhin spoke softly as she watched her aunt move and pull Zenbonsakura around from behind her back and offered it up to her. It was unusual as she knew the blade had been given to Rukia to safeguard and to use in the future.

Reaching over she hesitantly took ahold of the hilt of Zenbonsakura. Taking a few moments she closed her eyes as the voice of the elder sword of the Kuchiki house spoke to her in a low hushed tone. Almost like that of a grandparent speaking with a young child for the first time in a long time. Nodding as she turned her head to look directly at the tall armored samurai. “It is good to finally see that unseen protector so clearly after all of these years. Never knew fathers zanpaktous spirit was so handsome.”

[Rukia Kuchiki]

Rukia was pleased quite so, it was the second dearest memento next to her brothers scarf, she swore she could still smell her brothers unusual and comforting smell in the scarf. Rukia nodded in slight agreement "true, i have felt the same way even now as he has left us i feel comfort into holding onto his Zanpakto and his scarf, and when i look at Zenbonsakura i see much of Nii-sama in him" Though she knew Zenbonsakura was quite unlike her brother it was the feeling she got whenever she touched his sword as if he was still patting her on the back telling her to keep moving forward in life.

"Heh clearly she is Byakuya`s daughter, she can speak some sense after all" Zenbonsakura responded sounding quite amused, then pointing his sword at her he responded again "Do tell me, are you as good at talking all big and bad as you are in your footwork?"

It had taken ages for Rukia to see Zenbonsakura as clearly as she saw him withouth holding onto her brothers Zanpakto. And even then it had taken a while for her to see Zenbonsakura while holding the sword, clearly she was his daughter.

[Lhin Demizu]

“ I know how much father meant to you Rukia. I just imagine what he did when he would leave the home only to find out later what it was he did was greater than even I could imagine. He had a selfless heart even if he did not know how to show it all the time… “ Lhin trailed off as she thought back to spying on her father slipping out from the house from time to time in order to accomplish this or that. She had not found out about the activities til after his passing from the ones he had assisted.

Turning her head as she watched Zenbonsakura move and angle his blade at her. This brought a slightly wider smile to her face as she brought a hand to her own dual blades hilt. ”Only in name and training Zenbonsakura. I am not a Kuchiki by blood which is why I do not use the family name like the other family members do. Though you should know as he did train me. Slinging your petals at me to increase my speed and reaction time. Father was a serious man when it came to getting me and the others ready to fight for our lives.”

Moving she held onto the sword still pulling her hand away from her own hilt. Looking at Rukia she held the sword before her and looked directly at the samurai. She had an inkling of what it was that the zanpaktous spirit wanted to do. She would just have to see if she was thinking correctly.

[Rukia Kuchiki]

A small frown escaped him as Rukia stepped back a bit taking a seat at the side of the training field "I know" He said simply in responce "I was merely implying upon your ability compensate for your lack of speed" Yes it was a thing to Byakuya when he was much younger.

Zenbonsakura Raised his blade and held it horizontally before him.

Within that moment, a fraction of a second is all it took for him to appear at Lhin`s side, sending his blade with the intention to seal off her saketsu and hakusui, most people would find it hard to tell weather the attack came from the front or the back, this move was off course none other than senka, Byakuya`s trademark move and it did come from behind. This was something he had observed numerous times. Even Rukia had mastered it.

Rukia was suprised that Zenbonsakura would go to such great lenghts to measure her ability. He was serious too...

[Lhin Demizu]

“Well you know I meant no disrespect… The simple fact that you have shown yourself to me is something I feel honored about. Such a noble blade is in safe hands with Aunt Rukia. Much better than lying on display within the Great House…” She spoke out her words to the spirit before she felt him move in the slightest of fashions.

The moment Zenbonsakura lifted his blade Lhin was on the ready. Her own primary handed zan slowly unraveling its wordless release phrase as she pulled the blade from its ornate sheath. The flat of her blade spinning and catching the tip of the attack from Zenbonsakura with a smile upon her face. Her father had trained her relentlessly over the decades that where her training. Never once holding back from the training even with using his mst deadly techniques upon her. As he had known that there was a chance that the woman he called his daughter would need the training in the future. With a flourish though she would push back against the blade and Shunpo away from him to behind the spirit.

Her movements where a perfect mimicry of the attack he had just done upon her. However instead of just the single blade she had drawn her second sword and was moving them both simultaneously in two directions with her hands. It was something she had been told that was near impossible to do by Byakuya but she had been training to perfect her own variation of her fathers technique. Hopefully this was most assuredly prove to the spirit of the blade what her true strength was and how she would not hold back in a fight.